space General Space Discussion (Thread 1)

ISS astronauts & cosmonauts had to take shelter in Crew Dragon and Soyuz, serving as lifeboats in case of an ISS impact. 

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-condemns-dangerous-russian-anti-satellite-test/story?id=81181090

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US condemns Russian anti-satellite test it says created 'dangerous' debris field

 

The State Department criticized the Russian test as another example of what it said was Russia's "dangerous and irresponsible behavior" in its space military operations.
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The new test involved the destruction of an orbiting satellite by a ground-based missile similar to a Russian test in April and December of last year. In July 2020, the U.S. strongly criticized another Russian anti-satellite test that involved a different anti-satellite technology when a "killer satellite" deployed a projectile in the direction of another satellite.

 

Earlier on Monday, U.S. Space Command confirmed that it was "aware of a debris-generating event in outer space" and that it was "actively working to characterize the debris field and will continue to ensure all space-faring nations have the information necessary to maneuver satellites if impacted."

 

Virgin Orbit going public

Virgin Orbit will be acquired by NextGen Acquisition Corp. II. On closing it'll be listed on NASDAQ under the  ticker symbol “VORB”

Camden Spaceport in Camden County, Georgia just got its FAA licence. The site is a former Morton-Thiokol rocket test site. Still many legal hurdles.

https://spacenews.com/faa-issues-license-for-georgia-spaceport/

ISS extended to 2030

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2021/12/31/biden-harris-administration-extends-space-station-operations-through-2030/

A Chinese debris mitigation satellite has moved one of their dead GEO satellites to a disposal orbit 

https://spacenews.com/chinas-shijian-21-spacecraft-docked-with-and-towed-a-dead-satellite/

NASA orders 12 more Commercial Cargo 2 (CRS-2) missions through 2026, 6 each for SpaceX and Northrop Grumman.

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-orders-additional-cargo-flights-to-space-station

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With this action, a total of 32 missions have been ordered by the agency for cargo resupply missions under the CRS-2 contracts with 14 missions to Northrop Grumman, three missions to Sierra Nevada Corporation (now Sierra Space), and 15 missions to SpaceX.

For information about NASA’s commercial resupply of the space station, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialresupply

The 3 Sierra Space missions are for the Dream Chaser spaceplane. 

Rocosmos (Russian space agency) chief Dimitri Rogozin fired

On 15/07/2022 at 22:27, DocM said:

Rocosmos (Russian space agency) chief Dimitri Rogozin fired

 

 

 

He certainly wasn't nice. But I think that especially in recent times, his statements were out of necessity rather than out of true conviction. But he obviously didn't manage to deceive his master for long.

On 16/07/2022 at 05:31, SteveL said:

He certainly wasn't nice. But I think that especially in recent times, his statements were out of necessity rather than out of true conviction. But he obviously didn't manage to deceive his master for long.

This appears to be a promotion for Rogozin; Russian sources say he's being assigned  administrative duties in eastern Ukraine.

Borisov says Russia out of ISS after 2024...

https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/07/russia-says-its-space-station-partnership-will-end-after-two-more-years/

DoD is looking to host tactical  intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) payloads on mega-constellation satellites. So far they're talking to SpaceX (Starlink), Amazon (Kuiper), and Terran  Orbital.

https://breakingdefense.com/2022/07/space-force-considers-asking-satellite-firms-to-host-payloads-for-tactical-isr/

On 09/10/2022 at 11:14, Dick Montage said:

Not sure if this is the place for this but... About 3 weeks ago I had the opportunity to go kayaking at midnight, a couple of miles from the illuminated Artemis, within the bioluminescent waters around Dummit Cove - surrounded by dolphins, manatees and gators.  Was breathtaking to see it like that!

Years ago we did a night boat trip when the Shuttle was on LC-39A, brightly lit. Too cool.

Even more spectacular may be when that monster Starship stack is on the new pad at LC-39A-2, waiting for launch under similar circumstances. The Starship tower is 469 feet tall (143m) the Starship 394 feet (120m)

This is a crop from a NASA image, showing the new Starship launch tower and LC-39A-1 with Crew 5 for comparison 

One Cargo Dragon going to the Chicago Museum of Science &  Industry

http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-120122a-spacex-dragon-chicago-museum-science-industry.html

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December 1, 2022 — A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft that twice splashed down has now landed for its last time — in Chicago.

The capsule, which flew two uncrewed missions to deliver cargo to and from the International Space Station, arrived at the Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) in Illinois on Thursday (Dec. 1) for its permanent exhibit. The Dragon will join other historic spacecraft in the museum's Henry Crown Space Center when it debuts on public display in the spring of 2023.
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SpaceX is the most valuable private company in the US; $140 billion
 

Chinese "Starship" 

JZYJ Longyun-70

Subscale, but similar principles.

https://spacenews.com/chinese-startups-conduct-hot-fire-tests-for-mini-version-of-spacexs-starship/

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Chinese startups conduct hot fire tests for mini version of SpaceX’s Starship

HELSINKI — A Chinese launch startup has performed hot fire tests as part of development of a planned reusable stainless-steel rocket apparently inspired by SpaceX’s Starship.

Space Epoch recently performed a series of tests of a 4.2-meter-diameter stainless steel propellant tank combined with a Longyun-70 methane-liquid oxygen engine developed by engine maker Jiuzhou Yunjian. The tests took place at Jiuzhou Yunjian’s test site in Anhui Province.

The tests are part of Beijing-based Space Epoch earlier revealed plans to develop a 64-meter-tall stainless steel launcher capable of lifting 6.5 tons to a 1,100-kilometer-altitude sun-synchronous orbit. The launcher will be able to be reused up to 20 times.

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Europe pulls out of  China's Tiangong space starion. ESA says they do not have the budgetary capability or the political intention.

https://spacenews.com/esa-is-no-longer-planning-to-send-astronauts-to-chinas-tiangong-space-station/

In Soviet Russia, moon land on you!