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NASA canceled a whole research program due to SpaceX's Veni, Vidi, Vici approach
Martin Hodás posted a topic in Front Page News
NASA canceled a whole research program due to SpaceX's Veni, Vidi, Vici approach by Martin Hodás NASA is well known for pushing the limits of space technology, often nailing the billion-dollar missions on the first attempt. But this approach comes at a price, and we are not talking only about the taxpayers’ wallets. There can be years between the initial idea and the first real-scale test of new technology. However, this legacy-space paradigm is shifting rather quickly thanks to new space companies and startups such as SpaceX and Rocket Lab. NASA, as a federal agency, has to deal with politics and its budget is heavily dependent on the U.S. Congress. Also, its public image is very important and every failure can result in severe consequences for current or future projects. Private companies have much wider room for taking risks. Take SpaceX as an example. The space company of billionaire Elon Musk is throwing away rockets – or millions of dollars – to get valuable data and faster development in return, which is something NASA could never think of. Planetary scientist and space technologist Dr. Phil Metzger from the University of Central Florida, who formerly worked with NASA, now shared a great example of this “let’s fly and see” approach being superior – at least in some cases. SpaceX is successfully landing the Falcon 9 rockets since December 2015.If you ever watched a flight of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, you have surely heard of the so-called reentry burn. When the rocket enters the denser part of the atmosphere, Falcon 9 starts three of its nine Merlin 1D engines and slows the vehicle down, while the engines’ plumes essentially double as a heat shield. The rocket then shuts down the engines before reigniting them one last time for the vertical landing – either on land or on a autonomous droneship stationed in the ocean. Dr. Metzger now told a story on X (Twitter) about a young NASA engineer working on research into supersonic retropropulsion, a.k.a. SpaceX’s reentry burn. It was a short conversation in the early times when SpaceX was just figuring out how to successfully land a space rocket. Those attempts were conducted between 2013 and 2015. “At NASA, we had a big program planned to study this. We were going to start with lots of computer simulations. Then we would put a thruster on a high-speed rail car and shoot the plume into the direction of travel. Then we’d drop rockets off high-altitude balloons,” explained the young engineer. Clearly, the process would be very lengthy before any rocket would actually attempt supersonic retropropulsion. So it comes as no surprise that it indeed never happened. The reason is SpaceX. “But then Elon Musk just went and tried it, and it worked! So NASA canceled our entire program!” said the engineer. As simple as that. As Metzger points out, SpaceX didn’t even have to land the rocket. The mere fact that the vehicle was able to slow down and get back through the atmosphere safely was enough to prove that the idea of supersonic retropropulsion is viable. SpaceX managed to successfully land the first Falcon 9 in December 2015 on the coast of Cape Canaveral. The first successful droneship landing followed just a few months later. Ever since, SpaceX has been landing more rockets than it is crashing, shrinking the price of spaceflight significantly. Thanks to vertical landings and the reusability of the Falcon 9’s, SpaceX aims for an insane goal of 144 flights in 2024. If you don’t want to miss the show, follow Neowin’s Paul Hill This Week in Rocket Launches. Title image: Steve Colwell (CC BY 2.0 DEED) -
COTS for the Moon, it apprears the balloon has gone up. Bridenstine didn't waste any time. Contract value between $25.000 and $2.5 billion (!!) There are several small lunar landers getting ready to fly, but Blue Origin's Blue Moon lander is said to be good for 4 metric tons of cargo and SpaceX's BFS spaceship will be a monster. Presolicitation, https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&tab=core&id=46b23a8f2c06da6ac08e1d1d2ae97d35&tab=documents&tabmode=list
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NASA's free streaming service NASA+ is now live by Aditya Tiwari The American space agency NASA has launched its on-demand video streaming service called NASA+. The highlight of NASA+ is the streaming service is completely free and doesn't show any ads to the viewers, unlike other popular services. NASA announced its streaming service earlier this year alongside a beta version of its new website which is also live now. This is part of the agency's ongoing efforts to streamline content across its digital platforms. NASA+ website features a clean interface with a search bar at the top which starts showing relevant suggestions as you start typing. On the results page, the website shows filters based on what you have typed in the search box; you can filter videos by content type, series name, and topics. You can access NASA+ through its official website or using the NASA app v5.0 which has also received a major overhaul. It is available for various platforms, including Android, iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. You can go to the watch tab to start streaming NASA+ content in the app. The agency said that the NASA app, which has received over 30 million downloads, has a catalog of over 21,000 images, podcasts, news and feature stories, and live event coverage. You can rate photos in the app and get notifications about International Space Station (ISS) sightings to watch it pass overhead. The Explore tab in the app lets to check out 3D models of NASA's rockets, spacecraft, and rovers. You can view, rotate, and enlarge these AR-powered 3D models on your smartphone. With that said, the NASA+ app and website appear to be a work in progress as you may find misaligned text and UI elements in some places. NASA+ lets you stream a plethora of home-baked titles such as Other Worlds, Space Out, First Light, Artemis I: The Documentary, Down to Earth: The Astronaut’s Perspective, and more. It also features Spanish-language content, animated kids content, and upcoming live streams from NASA's missions where the agency will launch science experiments and astronauts into space.
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SpaceX to orbit NASA's Psyche spacecraft that will reach asteroid in 2029 - TWIRL #133
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
SpaceX to orbit NASA's Psyche spacecraft that will reach asteroid in 2029 - TWIRL #133 by Paul Hill We have an interesting schedule This Week in Rocket Launches as SpaceX will be launching a Falcon Heavy carrying NASA’s Psyche mission. By 2029, the NASA spacecraft will reach an asteroid called Psyche which is metal-rich. This is the first time that NASA will go to an asteroid with this composition so some discoveries could be made. Sunday, 8 October Who: Arianespace What: Vega When: 1:36 a.m. UTC Where: French Guiana Why: Arianespace will be launching a Vega rocket carrying 12 satellites including THEOS 2, Triton, and ProbaV-CC to orbit. Of these, THEOS 2 is the main payload; it was built by Airbus Defense for Thailand and it will complement THEOS 1 which was launched in 2008. It is an Earth observation satellite. Monday, 9 October Who: SpaceX What: Falcon 9 B5 When: 12:37 a.m. - 5:07 a.m. UTC Where: Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral, Florida, US Why: SpaceX is launching 2 Starlink mini satellites into a low-Earth orbit where they will provide internet connectivity to customers on Earth. The satellites being launched this time are known as Starlink Group 6-22 - this identifier can be used on various satellite-spotting apps to find these exact satellites that are being launched. Who: SpaceX What: Falcon 9 B5 When: 7:13 a.m - 11:25 a.m. UTC Where: Vandenberg AFB, California, US Why: SpaceX regularly performs numerous Starlink launches each week but it’s a little less common to see two launches on one day. Well, that’s what is happening this week. In both cases, the satellites will be covered in anti-reflective coatings to have less impact on astronomy. Thursday, 12 October Who: SpaceX What: Falcon Heavy When: 2:16 p.m. UTC Where: SpaceX LC-39A, Florida, US Why: SpaceX will be launching a mission for NASA called Psyche. The spacecraft will head to an asteroid called Psyche and enter orbit with the body in 2029. Apparently, Psyche is the first craft to explore a metal-rich asteroid so there could be some interesting discoveries to be made. If you decide to tune in to the launch of SpaceX’s website, look out for the Falcon Heavy’s two side boosters performing a landing. Recap The first launch we got this week was a Long March 2D rocket carrying the third Yaogan-39 mission from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in China. It is a remote sensing satellite used for observing the Earth. Next, we got the launch of a Falcon 9 carrying Starlink satellites to space to beam internet to the Earth. The first stage of the rocket also landed. This week, Amazon’s Project Kuiper got off the ground after United Launch Alliance launched some prototype satellites on an Atlas V rocket. Next, we got another commercial launch from Virgin Galactic which carried passengers to the edge of space where they could experience microgravity. Finally, PLD Space launched the MIURA 1 suborbital launch vehicle on its first test flight. PLD Space is a Spanish company that is developing reusable rockets to orbit commercial satellites. That’s all for this week, be sure to check in next time! -
space General Space Discussion (Thread 1)
Unobscured Vision posted a topic in Science News & Discussion
Since we enjoy discussing general Space-related matters (politics, business, conjecture, etc), I thought it would be appropriate to create a dedicated thread for that very purpose. Now we can express all the hyperbole we want without fear of "getting off-topic", because it is the topic! Let's spin the turbopump, shall we? -
SpaceX to launch a globally diverse crew to the International Space Station - TWIRL #128
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
SpaceX to launch a globally diverse crew to the International Space Station - TWIRL #128 by Paul Hill We have a very busy week coming up. The most notable launch will take place on Friday when SpaceX launches its Crew Dragon with astronauts from the US, Europe, Russia, and Japan to the ISS. JAXA and NASA will also be launching their XRISM mission this week. Sunday, 20 August Who: Chinese National Space Agency What: Long March 4C Where: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre When: 5:45 p.m. UTC Why: It’s unclear what the payload is but it could be the Gaofen 12-04 radar satellite. Tuesday, 22 August Who: SpaceX What: Falcon 9 B5 Where: Vandenburg Air Force Base Space Launch Complex 4 - viewable on the SpaceX website. When: 6:00 a.m. UTC Why: 21 Starlink v2 Mini satellites are being launched into a low Earth orbit. The satellites are designated as Starlink Group 7-1. Wednesday, 23 August Who: SpaceX What: Falcon 9 B5 Where: Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral - viewable on the SpaceX website. When: 12:47 a.m. UTC Why: 22 Starlink v2 Mini satellites are being put into a low Earth orbit. This group will be known as Starlink Group 6-11. Who: Roscosmos What: Soyuz 2.1a Where: Baikonur Cosmodrome When: 1:08 a.m. UTC Why: It will launch the 85th Progress cargo delivery to the crew up at the International Space Station (ISS). Who: Rocket Lab What: Electron Where: LC-1B, Mahia, New Zealand - viewable on Rocket Lab’s website. When: 11:30 p.m. UTC Why: Rocket Lab will launch the first Arcadia series satellite dubbed Acadia 1 for Capella Space. The Acadia synthetic aperture radar satellites will be used for snapping images of the Earth. Friday, 25 August Who: SpaceX What: Falcon 9 B5 Where: SpaceX LC-39A, Florida - viewable on the SpaceX website. When: 7:49 a.m. UTC Why: SpaceX will launch Crew-7 on the Crew Dragon spacecraft to the ISS. The mission is part of NASA’s commercial crew program. The crew includes NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov. Saturday, August 26 Who: JAXA and NASA What: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries H-IIA Where: Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-1 When: 12:34 a.m. UTC Why: JAXA and NASA will launch the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) to perform high-res X-ray spectroscopic observations of the hot gas plasma wind that travels through galaxies in the universe. It will help us learn more about the composition and evolution of celestial objects. Also hitching a ride is JAXA’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM). This payload will test out precision landing technology on the moon. Recap The first launch we got last week was a Long March 3B carrying the L-SAR4 01 satellite from Xichang Satellite Launch Centre. It will be used to provide remote sensing information services. Next, a Kuaizhou 1A rocket was launched carrying five HeDe-3 satellites from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre. They will be used as part of a new VDES maritime communication system. Finally, a SpaceX Falcon 9 launched 22 Starlink satellites to a low Earth orbit where they will provide broadband services. The group is known as Starlink Group 6-10. That’s all for this week, there will be a break next week with TWIRL hopefully returning the week after. -
NASA announces its own streaming service called NASA+, coming later this year
Aditya Tiwari posted a topic in Front Page News
NASA announces its own streaming service called NASA+, coming later this year by Aditya Tiwari Netizens are soon going to have a new streaming service to try out as the American space agency NASA announced its on-demand streaming platform called NASA+. The body is also upgrading its mobile app and websites to offer a "connected, topic-driven experience" complete with a common search engine and integrated navigation. The NASA+ streaming service is set to launch sometime later this year. You will be able to stream the agency’s Emmy Award-winning live coverage and get insights into NASA's missions through various original video series. It will stream various titles, including NASA Explorers, The Color of Space, NASA Talks, Space Out, First Light, Mars Is Hard, and Artemis I Path To The Pad. The company already offers live streams of its space feeds but the NASA+ streaming service will be clubbed with some new video series when it arrives. While services like Netflix and Peacock are either busy raising their prices or stopping users from sharing passwords, NASA+ will be a no-cost streaming service with an ad-free experience. NASA said its streaming service won't require a subscription. You'll be able to access it via web browsers, through the upgraded NASA app on Android and iOS, and digital media players like Apple TV, Roku, and Fire TV. You can try out the revamped version of the NASA website using this link. The agency said it will continue to take feedback and make changes to the beta website on a rolling basis. The new website will serve as the one-stop homebase for the agency's growing database about its missions, research, climate data, Artemis updates, and more. NASA is redesigning the nasa.gov and space.nasa.gov websites during the initial phase. But the organization said it will connect more of its websites and media libraries in the future to "continually streamline all the information shared across its centers, missions, and programs." "With an enhanced digital presence, NASA will share science, research, exploration, and innovation with the world through cohesive platforms," it added. -
NASA calls on the public to send their names on its Europa Clipper mission
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
NASA calls on the public to send their names on its Europa Clipper mission by Paul Hill Every now and again, NASA gets ready to launch a major mission into space and sometimes offers the public a chance to get their name sent into space. The organization has opened up another opportunity such as this. You now have the opportunity to send your name on NASA's upcoming Europa Clipper mission, which is set to land on Jupiter's second Galilean moon, Europa, in 2030. People’s names will accompany a poem called “In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa” by US Poet Laureate Ada Limón. They will be stencilled onto a microchip and head off on the journey in October 2024. If you’re interested in including your name, you must add it to NASA’s website by December 31. Since the programme was announced on the evening of June 1, 2,767 people have added their names. The majority of these submissions are from the United States but names from all the continents have started coming in too. Within the United States, most signatures have come from California, Texas, Florida, and New York. "'Message in a Bottle' is the perfect convergence of science, art, and technology, and we are excited to share with the world the opportunity to be a part of Europa Clipper's journey," said Nicola Fox, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. "I just love the thought that our names will be travelling across our solar system aboard the radiation-tolerant spacecraft that seeks to unlock the secrets of Jupiter's frozen moon." As mentioned, NASA has held similar programmes for its Artemis I mission to the moon and for several missions to Mars. While anyone is free to add their name, NASA will definitely be hoping that it piques the interest of children who may be more interested to pursue a job in the sciences as a result. In addition to adding your name, the website provides a world map that displays the locations where signatures are being added from. You can also find a live feed of the Clipper clean room to see work going on. -
TWIRL 113: Cargo mission soon to head to the Heavenly Palace space station
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
TWIRL 113: Cargo mission soon to head to the Heavenly Palace space station by Paul Hill We have a number of missions coming up This Week in Rocket Launches. Rocket Lab will orbit NASA’s TROPICS satellites, SpaceX will launch more Starlink satellites, and China is going to send a cargo mission up to its Heavenly Palace space station. Monday, May 8 The first launch this week will be a Rocket Lab Electron rocket carrying two satellites as part of NASA’s Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) mission. The two satellites, TROPICS 3 and 4 will be used to measure the temperature, moisture profiles, and precipitation in tropical systems “with unprecedented temporal frequency.” The mission is due for launch between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. UTC from New Zealand. You will find a stream on Rocket Lab’s website. Tuesday, May 9 At 5:08 a.m. UTC, from Cape Canaveral, SpaceX will launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 56 second-generation Starlink satellites into a low Earth orbit. It was reported earlier today that Starlink now has more than 1.5 million customers worldwide. The service is especially useful in more remote areas where a broadband connection isn’t feasible. By launching more satellites, SpaceX can expand the strength and coverage of Starlink. The launch will be shown on SpaceX’s website. Wednesday, May 10 The first of Wednesday’s two launches is a Long March 7 rocket carrying the sixth cargo craft for China’s Heavenly Palace space station. It will be carrying around 7.4 tonnes of supplies, including 70 kg of fruit. The Long March 7 will take off at 1:23 p.m. UTC from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Centre in China. The second mission takes place several hours later at 9:44 p.m. UTC from California. SpaceX will launch a Falcon 9 carrying 51 Starlink satellites to a polar low Earth orbit. Like the launch earlier in the week, you can catch this one on SpaceX’s website. Recap There was only one launch last week, that’s it, you guessed it, a SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying Starlink satellites. Fittingly, it took off on Star Wars Day, May 4. That’s all for this week, check in next time. -
Microsoft uses Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to revive Zune.net for STEM promotion
John Callaham posted a topic in Front Page News
Microsoft uses Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to revive Zune.net for STEM promotion by John Callaham Near the end of the Marvel Studios movie Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the Ravager Kraglin gives Peter "Star-Lord" Quill a Microsoft Zune media player with 300 songs stored inside. Kraglin tells Quill that his father figure Yondu bought the Zune, stating, "It's what everybody's listening to on Earth nowadays." That Zune player will appear once again in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which hits theaters on Friday, May 4, and it will apparently be a fairly major part of the film's plot. Never one to miss an opportunity, Microsoft is using Zune's appearance in the film to promote both the company and also STEM efforts in schools. While the Zune.net website has been shut down for over a decade, Microsoft has now relaunched the URL in part to promote Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. However, it's mostly being used to showcase STEM projects that teachers can use in their classrooms, specifically with space science in collaboration with NASA, Redwire, and the ISS National Lab. That includes info on how the International Space Station uses a 3D printer to create tools and parts. Microsoft has even posted a YouTube video showing the company's Scott Hanselman restoring his old Zune so he can upload and watch content from the movie on the device. Microsoft launched the original Zune in 2006, but the device, and its successors like the Zune HD in 2009, never caught on with the public. Microsoft shut down all Zune services in 2015 but the player and brand continue to show up in popular culture, which includes the Guardians of the Galaxy series. As an Amazon Associate when you purchase through links on our site, we earn from qualifying purchases. -
NASA demos futuristic Space Cup for coffee that works without gravity
Aditya Tiwari posted a topic in Front Page News
NASA demos futuristic Space Cup for coffee that works without gravity by Aditya Tiwari Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti drinking coffee from Space Cup |. Source: NASA Astronauts living in space have already demonstrated the bizarre ways they eat food and drink liquids. But now, NASA seems to have cracked the code for a more earth-like coffee experience with its futuristic Space Cup which it demoed recently. According to NASA, these Space Cups are specially designed mugs that use the concepts of fluid dynamics to mimic the effects of gravity in space. The demo video shows astronaut Nicole Mann pouring coffee from a pouch into a Space Cup. What we see next is that the liquid doesn't spill out of the mug even when she goes on to flip the mug upside down. Classic cappuccino, meet the space cup. ☕🤝 This demo shows the Capillary Beverage investigation which studies the process of drinking from specially designed Space Cups that use fluid dynamics to mimic the effect of gravity. https://t.co/xFGFTva2Bw pic.twitter.com/M7TQmIwlrC — ISS Research (@ISS_Research) March 2, 2023 The demo is part of NASA's Capillary Flow Experiment and the agency has been working on the futuristic space tech for more than a decade now. Its patent granted in 2011 is shared by astronaut Don Pettit with mathematicians Paul Concus and Robert Finns. The agency says its specially-designed cup "uses the combined effects of surface tension, wetting, and cup geometry" instead of relying on gravity, and allows the astronauts to drink the liquid easily. For that, all they need to do is place their mouth on the narrow top part of the Space Cup and coffee automatically gets pulled into their mouth due to capillary action. Some common examples of the anti-gravity capillary action are how the water moves upwards through tissue paper when placed on a surface of water, or how water travels upwards through plants from their roots. NASA expects these Capillary Beverage studies could make drinking easier in microgravity and also reduce the weight and size of liquid bags sent to space. Speaking of the drinks served in the space, they include water, juice, tea, coffee, cocoa, and others. And a part of the experiment is to monitor the drinking experience of these liquids. However, NASA believes the Space Cup design could also have potential applications on earth in the field of medical research and drug delivery. Via: Mashable -
TWIRL 95: SpaceX is set to launch NASA's SWOT mission atop a Falcon 9 this week
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
TWIRL 95: SpaceX is set to launch NASA's SWOT mission atop a Falcon 9 this week by Paul Hill We have a number of interesting launches this week. Notably, SpaceX will be launching NASA’s SWOT mission that will do the first global survey of the Earth’s surface water. Another mission that’s pretty interesting is Landspace’s launch of the Zhuque ZQ-2 rocket. It will be the rocket’s maiden flight. Monday, December 12 The first launch of the week comes from China. A Long March 4C rocket will carry an experimental satellite to orbit called Shiyan 20A. Not too many details about the satellite are known but previous Shiyan satellites were described as experimental Earth observation satellites that perform land surveys, help with urban planning, and disaster prevention and mitigation. The mission is due to blast off at 9:20 a.m. UTC from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Tuesday, December 13 The first mission on Tuesday will see Arianespace launch an Ariane 5 ECA+ rocket. It will be carrying the Galaxy 35 and Galaxy 36 communications satellites and the MTG-I1 meteorological satellite into orbit. The Galaxy satellites will provide C-band TV broadcasting services to the United States and the MTG-I1 will provide weather imagery over Europe for Eumetsat. The rocket will take off at 8:30 p.m. UTC from French Guyana. The second launch will see Rocket Lab launch an Electron rocket with small radio frequency monitoring satellites for Hawkeye 360. The name of the satellite is Hawk 6A/B/C and the mission is dubbed “Virginia is for Launch Lovers”. It will take place at Wallops Island from 11:00 p.m. UTC. It should be streamed live on Rocket Lab’s website. Wednesday, December 14 There’s just one launch locked in for Wednesday at the time of writing. The private Chinese company, Landspace, will launch the Zhuque ZQ-2 rocket on its first flight from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. It will be carrying 11 payloads into space. This mission will see the rocket's first stage be expendable but in future missions, it plans to recover it by landing it, similar to what SpaceX does. The launch will take place at 9:10 a.m. UTC. Thursday, December 15 Finally, SpaceX is due to launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission for NASA. The launch is due at 11:46 a.m. UTC from Vandenberg AFB in California. The SWOT mission has the objectives of taking the first global survey of the Earth’s surface water, observing the fine details of the ocean surface topography, and measuring the change of terrestrial surface water bodies over time. Recap The first launch last week was the Kuaizhou-11 rocket carrying the VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) test satellite. This is an interesting launch because we don’t normally see that much of this rocket. Next, a Long March 2D rocket launched the Gaofen-5 01A satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. It will be used for things like pollution reduction, environment monitoring, and climate change studies. Next up, a SpaceX Falcon 9 carried up 40 OneWeb satellites to space. The satellites provide internet connectivity from space, similar to SpaceX’s own Starlink satellites. On December 9, the Smart Dragon-3 performed its first launch, carrying 14 satellites to space. Interestingly, it took off from a sea-based platform in the Yellow Sea. Finally, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 carrying the Hakuto-R M1 and Lunar Flashlight missions. Hakuto-R M1 consists of a lunar lander and two rovers from a private Japanese firm called iSpace. The Lunar Flashlight is a NASA mission consisting of a small satellite that will use near-infrared lasers to map ice in the shadowy parts of the Moon. That’s all we have this week, be sure to check in next time! -
TWIRL 91: NASA will try to launch Artemis I moon mission this week
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
TWIRL 91: NASA will try to launch Artemis I moon mission this week by Paul Hill This week could turn out to be really exciting as NASA is looking to launch its massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket as part of the Artemis I mission. The launch is scheduled for Wednesday morning (UTC) and will send an uncrewed Orion spacecraft on a lunar flyby mission. While technically unmanned, “Commander Moonikin Campos” will be aboard with two other mannequins, ensuring the safety of the Orion astronaut spacesuit for future crewed missions. Tuesday, November 15 The first mission this week will launch from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China. A Long March 4C will take the third Yaogan satellite into orbit, where it will be used for optical remote sensing. Some of its jobs include territorial surveying, urban planning, land right confirmation, road network design, crop yield estimation, and disaster prevention and mitigation. This mission is set to launch at 1:20 a.m. UTC. Wednesday, November 16 We have two launches on Wednesday, the first is NASA’s Artemis I mission taking off between 6:04 a.m. and 8:04 a.m. from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As mentioned earlier, it will send mannequins in the Orion spacecraft on a lunar flyby mission, paving the way for humanity’s return to the lunar surface, later this decade. Aside from the primary objective, the mission will be carrying 10 CubeSats. The launch should be quite prominent, expect to see it on news cycles. You can also see a live feed now. The final launch of the week is a Galactic Energy's Ceres 1 (GX-1) rocket that will orbit five satellites for the Jilin 1 constellation. This mission will also take off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, this time at 6:26 a.m. It’ll be an interesting launch, as we don’t usually see missions from Galactic Energy, a private Chinese space launch company. Recap The first launch we got last week was a Northrop Grumman Antares 230+ rocket carrying the CRS-18 Cygnus spacecraft, which went to deliver cargo to the International Space Station. The launch happened on November 7 and the cargo arrived on November 9. The Cygnus spacecraft was called S.S. Sally Ride after NASA astronaut Sally Ride. On the 10th, United Launch Alliance (ULA) launched its Atlas V rocket carrying to Joint Polar Satellite System 2 (JPSS-2) along with an inflatable decelerator called LOFTID. Read last week’s TWIRL to learn more about this interesting mission. You can see LOFTID’s splashdown below. On the 11th, a Long March 6A carried the Yunhai-3 satellite into orbit where it will perform atmospheric and marine surveys, disaster prevention and reduction, and scientific experiments. Earlier today, China launched a Long March 7 Y6 carrying Tianzhou-5, a cargo spacecraft on a mission to the Chinese Space Station. Finally, SpaceX used a Falcon 9 to orbit the Galaxy 31 and Galaxy 32 comms satellites. That's all we've got this week, check in next time and be sure to share this article! -
TWIRL 84: Busy week for satellite launches — but not from SpaceX
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
TWIRL 84: Busy week for satellite launches — but not from SpaceX by Paul Hill This week we probably won’t have any super exciting missions like NASA’s Artemis I, instead the schedule is full of satellite launches which will perform various tasks including remote sensing and communications. Firefly Aerospace will also launch the TechEdSat 15 mission for NASA, which will test out an exo-brake designed for exo-atmospheric (outside Earth’s atmosphere) braking and de-orbiting. Monday, September 26 The first launch of the week is a Long March 2D rocket launching from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in China. It will be carrying ten satellites that will join the Jilin-1 constellation. This network is commercially owned and is used for remote sensing where it’s capable of taking high-resolution images. This mission will take off at 11:50 p.m. UTC, but no live stream is expected. Tuesday, September 27 The day after, another Long March 2D will carry three Yaogan 35 satellites into orbit. These satellites too will be used for remote sensing activities. Some tasks will be to carry out land surveys, estimate agricultural production, and help prevent disasters. This mission is due for launch at 1:40 p.m. UTC from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center Friday, September 30 The first launch on Friday is Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket carrying the TechEdSat 15 and Serenity 2 CubeSats into orbit. The TechEdSat 15 mission will see a 3U CubeSat launched equipped with an exo-atmospheric braking device that will be used for de-orbiting. The Serenity 2 CubeSat has been developed by Teachers in Space and will allow for educational experiments to be performed in space at a low cost. This mission will take off from Vandenberg AFB, California between 7:01 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. UTC. The second and final launch of the day will launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida from 9:36 p.m. UTC. United Launch Alliance (ULA) will launch an Atlas V rocket carrying the SES 20 and SES 21 comms satellites for SES. These satellites will provide C-band TV and data services for the United States. You’ll be able to tune into this mission over on the ULA website. Recap The first mission we got last week was SpaceX’s Starlink 61 launch, where it bolstered its Starlink constellation. Next, a Long March 2D carried the third Yunhai-1 satellite to orbit, where it will be used for remote sensing work. On Wednesday, two cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut blasted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, headed for the ISS. After they docked, the hatch opened up with the newly arrived astronauts joining the rest of the crew. On Saturday, ULA launched a Delta IV Heavy carrying a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. On the same day, SpaceX launched another Starlink mission. Finally, earlier today, China launched its Shiyan-14 and Shiyan-15 satellites atop a Kuaizhou-1A rocket. These satellites will perform science experiments. That’s all we have this week, be sure to check in next time. -
TWIRL 83: Delta IV Heavy to launch a classified spy satellite
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
TWIRL 83: Delta IV Heavy to launch a classified spy satellite by Paul Hill We have a pretty interesting week coming up, SpaceX is due to launch more Starlink satellites, Russia is preparing to send people to the ISS, and United Launch Alliance is set to launch a spy satellite. An interesting detail among these missions is the name of the Russian capsule heading to the space station. It’ll be named after Konstantin Tsiolkovsky who is generally regarded as the father of spaceflight. Monday, September 19 The first mission this week will be SpaceX’s launch of Starlink Group 4-34. The satellites will be placed in Earth orbit, so they can beam back internet connectivity to the planet’s surface. They will be taken up to space by SpaceX’s very reliable Falcon 9 rockets and the first stage of the rocket will land back on Earth for reuse, which will help the company save money. The mission is due to launch at 12:18 a.m. UTC from Cape Canaveral in Florida. The event will be streamed on SpaceX’s website. Tuesday, September 20 Next up, we have a rather mysterious mission. At 11:15 p.m. UTC, China is set to launch a Long March 2D rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The payload of the rocket is unknown. For those hoping to watch live, don’t expect a stream; the best we’ll get is a video after the event. Wednesday, September 21 In the middle of the week, Roscosmos will launch a Soyuz 2.1a as part of its Soyuz MS-22 mission. It will be carrying Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitry Petelin from Russia and NASA’s Francisco Rubio. It was initially planned that Russia’s Anna Kikina would be the third person aboard, but she will now head up to space aboard a SpaceX Dragon so that both countries can maintain a presence on the ISS and look after their respective systems so nothing goes wrong. This mission is set to launch at 1:54 p.m. UTC from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Saturday, September 24 The final launch of the week is United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Delta IV Heavy carrying a classified spy satellite to space from the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The Delta IV Heavy is a few metres taller than SpaceX’s Falcon 9 but features three boosters, rather than one. While the payload and its mission is classified, keep an eye on ULA’s YouTube channel for a live stream of the event! Recap The first launch we have is actually from last Sunday, but the last edition of TWIRL went out before we got the video. Below you can see a Falcon 9 launching Starlink satellites to space and landing again. Next, we had a very interesting launch from Blue Origin where it’s New Shepard rocket suffered an anomaly. Luckily, there were no people aboard as there have been in the past and the capsule managed to survive the incident. On Tuesday, China launched a Long March 7A carrying the ZhongXing-1E satellite which will be used for telecoms. It launched from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan Province. Thursday saw the launch of Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket carrying the StriX-1 satellite which will be used to detect changes to the Earth’s surface regardless of the weather conditions or time of day. Finally, China’s taikonauts performed a spacewalk on Saturday, you can see footage below. That's all we've got this week, be sure to check in next time. -
TWIRL 81: Plenty of satellite launches this week amid Artemis I uncertainty
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
TWIRL 81: Plenty of satellite launches this week amid Artemis I uncertainty by Paul Hill This week, we have quite a number of satellite launches to cover from SpaceX, Arianespace, China, and Firefly Aerospace. There is also the possibility that we will see the launch of the Artemis I mission on Monday or Tuesday. So far, it has been plagued by delays due to last minute issues that engineers will have to address before launch. If it doesn’t go ahead this week, we could be waiting until October. Monday, September 5 SpaceX will launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 51 Starlink satellites at 2:09 a.m. UTC on Monday from Cape Canaveral. The launch will also be carrying Spaceflight’s Sherpa LTC-2 space tug, which will be carrying Boeing’s Varuna demo mission. The Varuna demo will test a V-band comms system for Boeing own constellation of broadband satellites – though, smaller than SpaceX’s constellation at just 147 satellites. You can tune into the launch of SpaceX’s website. Also on Monday, we could see the launch of NASA’s Space Launch System carrying the Artemis I mission. We’ve discussed this at length in TWIRL 80, and you can keep up-to-date with what’s going on in this article. Tuesday, September 6 Next, Arianespace is planning to launch an Ariane 5 ECA+ rocket in a mission labelled VA258. The payload will be the Eutelsat Konnect VHTS comms satellite. It will provide fixed broadband and in-flight connectivity services across Europe. It was built by Thales Alenia Space and is owned by Eutelsat. It’s unclear what time it will take off, but it will launch from French Guyana. Wednesday, September 7 On Wednesday, China will launch a Long March 2D rocket carrying three Yaogan-35 satellites to space. They are remote sensing satellites and will be used for scientific experiments, land and resources surveys, agriculture, and disaster prevention and mitigation. The launch is due at 4:00 a.m. UTC from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. Saturday, September 10 On the weekend, SpaceX will be sending up another group of Starlink satellites with the BlueWalker 3 satellite for AST SpaceMobile. The satellite will connect to smartphones and other devices to deliver broadband speeds. It’s a 1.5 tonne satellite and has a 64-square-meter phased array antenna that will unfold to begin providing connectivity. This mission is due to take off at 11:51 p.m. and will be viewable on SpaceX’s website. Sunday, September 11 The final launch, set to take off from 10:00 pm UTC, is Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket, which will be performing its second flight. It will be carrying the Carbonite 4 satellite as well as the GENESIS-G, GENESIS-J, QUBIK 3-6, and Sapling 1 satellites. The Carbonite 4 satellite will test some Earth observation sensors. Recap The first launch we got last week was SpaceX’s Falcon 9 carrying Starlink satellites to space. The second and final launch was a Long March 4C carrying Yaogan-33-02, a remote sensing satellite that will conduct “scientific experiments, land resources surveys, crop yield estimation, and disaster prevention and relief”. That’s all we have this week, be sure to check in next week. -
Here's how to watch NASA's historic Artemis I mission [Update]
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
Here's how to watch NASA's historic Artemis I mission [Update] by Paul Hill Update September 3: The mission has been scrubbed. There could be chances to try for launch on the 5th and 6th of September, but after that it'll have to return to the Vehicle Assembly Building until October. In a statement about the launch failure, NASA said: "The launch director waived off today’s Artemis I launch attempt at approximately 11:17 a.m. EDT. Teams encountered a liquid hydrogen leak while loading the propellant into the core stage of the Space Launch System rocket. Multiple troubleshooting efforts to address the area of the leak by reseating a seal in the quick disconnect where liquid hydrogen is fed into the rocket did not fix the issue. Engineers are continuing to gather additional data." We will update this post as necessary and bump it to the top of the news if a launch is likely to go ahead. NASA is due to launch its Artemis I mission in a little while. Its new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will take the Orion spacecraft to space before the latter begins its journey to the Moon for an orbit. Aboard Orion will be some mannequins wearing the new spacesuits and a bunch of sensors just to make sure the suits are adequate. While there are no people aboard this mission, it finally marks the beginning of NASA's path back to the Moon. In 2024, Artemis II will send astronauts on a lunar flyby and in 2025 astronauts will go down to the lunar surface. There are many more missions planned through to the mid-2030s that will see a moon base established and a space station be built in orbit around the Moon. NASA has multiple streams for the event today, There's the official stream which will keep an eye on the rocket and a dedicated Artemis I broadcast. Here's the NASA live stream: Below, you can find the dedicated NASA Artemis I stream: This mission has been delayed so many times to date, so keep your fingers and toes crosses that nothing goes wrong, and we finally see the long-awaited launch! -
TWIRL 80: NASA's return to the Moon begins this week with Artemis I
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
TWIRL 80: NASA's return to the Moon begins this week with Artemis I by Paul Hill We have an exciting week in rocket launches this week as NASA prepares to launch, for the very first time, the Space Launch System (SLS). While not quite as tall as the Saturn V which took people to the Moon in the 60s and 70s, it’s not much shorter and most definitely in the same class of rocket – a super-heavy lift vehicle. NASA is planning an SLS Block 2 for the 2030s, which will be taller than Saturn V. In addition to the Artemis I Moon mission being carried out by NASA, SpaceX plans to launch more Starlink satellites and Blue Origin will be using its New Shepard craft to launch some payloads for NASA. Monday, August 29 From 12:33 p.m. UTC, NASA will be looking to launch its Space Launch System as part of the Artemis I mission. Artemis I is just the first of many missions in the Artemis programme to return to the lunar surface and build a space station that’ll orbit the Moon. The Artemis I mission is a more modest mission compared to what’s planned. The Orion spacecraft will be sent to travel past the Moon and be placed in a retrograde orbit. It will be carrying dummies wearing the Orion spacesuits. The dummies will be fitted with sensors to measure things such as acceleration, vibration, and radiation levels to ensure the safety of future astronauts. The rocket will also carry 10 CubeSats: NEA Scout, BioSentinel, Lunar IceCube, LunaH-Map, CuSP, EQUULEUS OMOTENASHI LunIR, Team Miles, and ArgoMoon. They will be deployed after the craft has reached orbit and begin a trans-lunar injection. The mission is scheduled to run until October 10 at 2:42 p.m. UTC where the Orion spacecraft is to land in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego. The completion of this mission will open up the path to later, much more exciting Artemis missions such as Artemis II where astronauts will perform a lunar flyby and Artemis III where astronauts will finally return to the surface. Unfortunately, we have to wait until at least 2024 and 2025 respectively for those missions. Wednesday, August 31 We have two launches today. At 5:40 a.m. UTC, SpaceX will launch 46 Starlink satellites with a Falcon 9 rocket. These satellites are designated as Starlink Group 3-4. By adding to the Starlink constellation, SpaceX can increase the service area of the satellites. While Starlink was previously envisioned to beam internet down to a satellite dish, T-Mobile customers will get a coverage boost from Starlink thanks to a deal struck between the two companies. If you’re interested in watching this launch, just head over to SpaceX’s website and there should be a stream on the day. The second launch of the day is Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket. This mission, NS-23, is set to take off from Texas at 1:30 p.m. UTC. Unusually, this mission won’t be taking up any private astronauts. Instead, it will be carrying 36 science and research payloads to space, 18 of which are funded by NASA’s Flight Opportunities programme. There will also be thousands of postcards attached to the exterior of the New Shepard booster, where they will get exposure to space. The postcards are sourced from Club for the Future. This mission should be streamed on the Blue Origin website. Recap The first launch last week was of a Kuaizhou-1A rocket carrying the Chuanxin-16 satellite from China. The satellite reached its orbit successfully and will be used for science experiments. The second launch was also from China, this time a Long March-2D carried the Beijing-3B satellite to space where it will be used for Earth observation tasks. Finally, SpaceX launched 54 Starlink satellites from Florida. Check back next week for footage of the Artemis I mission, if it takes off! -
NASA announces huge upgrade with next-gen processors being "at least 100 times" faster
hellowalkman posted a topic in Front Page News
NASA announces huge upgrade with next-gen processors being "at least 100 times" faster by Sayan Sen The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), announced earlier today that it has big upgrade plans for its next generation processors. The space research body has hired chipmaker Microchip to design next-gen High-Performance Spaceflight Computing (HPSC) processor which are "at least 100 times the computational capacity of current spaceflight computers". To make this possible, NASA is spending $50 million on this contract. The new system shall be deployed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California. Aside from being blazingly fast, compared to last-gen technology that is 30 years old now, NASA says that the overall fault tolerance and reliability of the system has also improved. The efficiency of the new HPSC will also be much greater since it will allow disabling of certain processing functions when they are not being used. The press release explains: Microchip’s processor architecture will significantly improve the overall computing efficiency for these missions by enabling computing power to be scalable, based on mission needs. The design also will be more reliable and have a higher fault tolerance. The processor will enable spacecraft computers to perform calculations up to 100 times faster than today’s state-of-the-art space computers. NASA isn't the only space flight body looking to upgrade its aging computing equipment. Recently,the European Space Agency (ESA) also announced that it's going to upgrade its ancient Windows 98-based software. Source: NASA -
China let its rocket debris crash and burn over the Indian Ocean, claims NASA Admin
Alap Naik Desai posted a topic in Front Page News
China let its rocket debris crash and burn over the Indian Ocean, claims NASA Admin by Alap Naik Desai China isn't responsibly managing its space program, claimed NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. The country allegedly let a large propulsion rocket descend uncontrollably and burn over the Indian Ocean. A core stage of a Chinese Long March rocket burned up over the Indian Ocean on Saturday. It has drawn strong criticism from NASA. China should better manage its single-use rockets, which turn into space debris and tumble down to earth, implied NASA. China launched a rocket to resupply its Tiangong space station on July 24. The mission performed flawlessly. However, China does not use a reusable primary booster rocket. In other words, China’s first-stage propulsion system cannot make a powered and controlled descent back to earth. China allegedly left the 21-ton Long March 5B booster on its own. In other words, there was no controlled trajectory for re-entry, and it seems no formal intimation was given to NASA as well. The Long March rocket’s orbit may have degraded naturally as it was pulled in by Earth’s gravity. That uncontrolled descent took place around 12.45 pm EDT Saturday, over the Indian Ocean near Malaysia, indicated the US Space Command. #USSPACECOM can confirm the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Long March 5B (CZ-5B) re-entered over the Indian Ocean at approx 10:45 am MDT on 7/30. We refer you to the #PRC for further details on the reentry’s technical aspects such as potential debris dispersal+ impact location. — U.S. Space Command (@US_SpaceCom) July 30, 2022 Some social media accounts shared videos of objects streaking across the sky. Although uncorroborated, the videos seem to indicate the burning remnants of a large rocket. Debris from Chinese rocket lit up night sky some parts of Malaysia. US space command confirm the development China's Long March 5B (CZ-5B) re-entered over the Indian Ocean at approx 10:45 am MDT on 7/30.pic.twitter.com/BIkjamFbTz — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) July 30, 2022 Shortly after 2 pm EDT Saturday, NASA administrator, Bill Nelson released a statement, blaming China and calling out its irresponsible behavior. NASA seems upset because China did not provide better and advanced information on the projected reentry trajectory of their rocket. The People’s Republic of China did not share specific trajectory information as their Long March 5B rocket fell back to Earth. All spacefaring nations should follow established best practices, and do their part to share this type of information in advance to allow… — Bill Nelson (@SenBillNelson) July 30, 2022 …reliable predictions of potential debris impact risk, especially for heavy-lift vehicles, like the Long March 5B, which carry a significant risk of loss of life and property. Doing so is critical to the responsible use of space and to ensure the safety of people here on Earth. — Bill Nelson (@SenBillNelson) July 30, 2022 Small propulsion systems usually disintegrate completely in the upper atmosphere. However, as much as 40% of larger rocket boosters can survive the intense heat and pressure during re-entry. Such debris can be potentially dangerous. This is the third time China has left its rockets to reenter the Earth’s atmosphere (in an uncontrolled manner). However, to date, there have been no recorded injuries or damage to property from such incidents. Still, such behavior is certainly reckless, and countries must exercise caution. Via: The Independent -
Russia confirms it is leaving ISS to build successor to permanent space outpost Mir
Alap Naik Desai posted a topic in Front Page News
Russia confirms it is leaving ISS to build successor to permanent space outpost Mir by Alap Naik Desai Russia will sever ties with the International Space Station (ISS), confirmed the country’s new newly appointed space chief. Roscosmos administrator Yuri Borisov, however, has reaffirmed that Russia will fulfill its obligations to its partners before floating away in 2024. Reaffirming his predecessor’s statements, Borisov stated that Russia took the call to withdraw from the International Space Station after 2024. He implied the withdrawal was primarily due to the heightened tensions with the West. “The decision to leave the station after 2024 has been made” To fulfill its obligations, Russian cosmonauts will remain aboard the ISS for at least the next two and a half years. Incidentally, NASA and Roscosmos had recently signed an agreement to swap seats on flights to the ISS starting in September. Russia has confirmed it will abide by the contractual agreements. Accordingly, NASA astronauts (and cargo) will be able to travel to the ISS onboard Russia’s Soyuz flights. On the other hand, Russian cosmonauts will travel on SpaceX Crew Dragon missions. According to previous agreements between NASA and Roscosmos, at least one American and one Russian have to always be on board the ISS to ensure the orbiting outpost runs smoothly. Both the countries operate on opposite ends of the outpost, which has been continuously occupied since November 2000. Russia is no stranger to maintaining its own space station. The country had Mir, a low-orbit space station launched by USSR. The outpost operated from 1986 to 2001. Building an entirely new one is certainly a very costly endeavor. It is not clear if Russia could prioritize building a space station, especially after sinking a lot of capital to fund its invasion of Ukraine. Source: Associated Press -
TWIRL 70: A support mission for NASA's return to the moon is slated for this week!
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
TWIRL 70: A support mission for NASA's return to the moon is slated for this week! by Paul Hill This week we are due for several launches that will carry satellites into space. The most exciting of these will be carried out by Rocket Lab which is launching NASA’s CAPSTONE CubeSat mission into orbit around the Moon. CAPSTONE is a support mission for NASA’s Artemis program which will return men and send the first woman, to the Moon. CAPSTONE will test the orbit of the Gateway space station which will eventually go around the Moon. Tuesday, June 21 The first mission this week should have blasted off last week but got delayed. South Korea will launch the second test flight of its Nuri rocket. It will be carrying payloads including a Performance Verification Satellite (PVSAT) and several other CubeSats. The launch will take place between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. UTC from the Naro Space Center. It looks as though you’ll be able to tune into the live stream on YouTube. Wednesday, June 22 The second launch of the week is an Ariane 5 ECA+ rocket carrying the MEASAT 3d and GSAT 24 comms satellites to orbit. The MEASAT 3d satellite will perform a number of functions including the delivery of high-speed broadband communications over Malaysia. The mission will launch from French Guyana between 9:03 p.m. and 10:43 p.m. UTC. It will be streamed on YouTube on the day. Saturday, June 25 On Saturday, we have a very familiar launch with SpaceX’s sending a Falcon 9 up into space to deliver Starlink satellites into orbit. These very common launches allow the company to expand its Starlink constellation to deliver fast internet to more places around the world. The launch does not have a scheduled launch time yet but check in on SpaceX’s website on June 25 if you want to watch live. The second and final launch of the week is also due on Saturday. At 9 a.m. UTC, Rocket Lab will launch an Electron rocket from New Zealand carrying NASA’s CAPSTONE CubeSat mission. The CubeSat will be placed in Lunar orbit where NASA will then be able to test the orbit suitability planned for the Gateway space station. The Gateway space station will act as a stepping stone for astronauts heading to the Lunar surface over this decade. You will be able to head to Rocket Lab’s website to see the launch. Recap The first launch we got this week was a SpaceX Starlink mission. The satellites were launched aboard a Falcon 9, you can see footage below: Next up was another Falcon 9 launch but this time carrying the SARah 1, an Earth observation satellite that will be operated by the German army. The final launch was yet another Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Globalstar-2 communications satellite. That’s all for this week, let us know in the comments which launch you think is most interesting. -
TWIRL 68: SpaceX's Dragon 2 craft to take cargo to the space station
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
TWIRL 68: SpaceX's Dragon 2 craft to take cargo to the space station by Paul Hill We have two rocket launches in the upcoming week, both of which will be performed by SpaceX. The first launch is due on Wednesday and the second will take place on Friday. The second of these events will be the most interesting of the two as a Dragon 2 craft will be sent to the space station carrying cargo. Wednesday, June 8 The first launch of the week will be a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket carrying the Nilesat 301 communications satellite. The satellite will be operated by the Egyptian firm Nilesat who will use it to provide internet connectivity services. The satellite was built by Thales Alenia Space and will be placed in a geostationary transfer orbit. It was delayed from April 30 and should be streamed by SpaceX on its website. Friday, June 10 The second and final launch of the week is yet another Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket but this time it will be carrying the SpaceX Dragon 2 craft which itself will be hauling cargo up to the International Space Station to resupply resources for astronauts working there. This mission is being conducted as part of NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract which is now in its second phase. Recap The first launch we got this week was a Long March 2C carrying the Geely Constellation Group 01 satellites. They are nine low Earth orbit remote sensing and comms satellites. Next up, while not a launch, NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover sent back footage of dust devils in Jezero Crater on Mars. This fantastic footage really brings a new perspective to the planet which normally seems so dead and motionless. The second launch we saw this week was a Soyuz 2.1a carrying the Progress MS-20 spacecraft which was heading to the ISS carrying cargo. It took off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Here is footage of Progress MS-20 docking with the ISS. Finally, Blue Origin carried out its Blue Origin NS-21 mission carrying several private space tourists including Evan Dick who has already been up on New Shepard before. To conclude, China could send its Shenzhou 14 mission to its space station tomorrow and we’ll be sure to update this post with footage if we get it. -
NASA aligns the optics of the James Webb Space Telescope, snaps an amazing picture
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NASA aligns the optics of the James Webb Space Telescope, snaps an amazing picture by Paul Hill NASA has announced that it has successfully aligned the optics of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) almost three months after it blasted off from Earth. To demonstrate the capabilities, the team took an evaluation image of a star called 2MASS J17554042+6551277 and after applying a red filter to optimise the picture, it looks great. With the image in hand, NASA was able to confirm that the telescope’s optical performance will be able to meet or exceed the science goals that it was created for which is very positive news given the delicacy or the equipment. This part of the mission, which is called fine phasing, was completed last Friday but the news is only just being shared. The agency said no critical issues or measurable contamination of Webb’s optical path were found. Providing comment, Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington, said: “More than 20 years ago, the Webb team set out to build the most powerful telescope that anyone has ever put in space and came up with an audacious optical design to meet demanding science goals. Today we can say that design is going to deliver.” For those of your out there wondering when JWST will be fully ready to begin its scientific work, NASA said that the first full-resolution imagery and science data will be released sometime in the Summer – so between June 21 and September 23. -
TWIRL 45: James Webb Space Telescope takes flight and Russia to test its Angara A5
zikalify posted a topic in Front Page News
TWIRL 45: James Webb Space Telescope takes flight and Russia to test its Angara A5 by Paul Hill Image from Russian MOD NASA has successfully launched its next-generation space telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope. The launch took place on Christmas day after 25 years of construction and many delays. Thankfully, the launch went off without a hitch and now the JWST is on its month-long journey to Lagrange point 2 orbit to perform its observations. If you’re interested in tracking the progress of the JWST over the coming days, check out NASA’s Where is Webb? which shows you a timeline of the mission and other pieces of data. Monday, December 27 Following all the recent excitement, the upcoming week is a bit quiet, but not boring. All of the launches are set to take place on Monday but there are two of them. The first launch is of a Starsem Soyuz 2.1b rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. It’s set to take off at 1:10 p.m. UTC and will be carrying OneWeb satellites into orbit. OneWeb has been busy in recent days, first securing a deal with Vocus to deliver comms services to Australia and partnering with Excelerate to help keep first responders connected. The second and final launch is an Angara A5 test flight. This launch will take place at 7:00 p.m. UTC from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia and will launch a Kosmos satellite mass simulator dubbed IPN 1. The upper stage of the rocket is called the Persey cryogenic upper stage and it’s the first time this will have flown. This launch will represent Angara A5’s third test flight. Recap On Monday, we saw the space tourists Yusaka Maezawa and Yozo Hirano return to Earth with cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin from the International Space Station. On Tuesday, SpaceX launched CRS-24 Dragon to the ISS carrying research, crew supplies, and hardware. You can see the launch below. As well as the docking, The next day we got the launch of the H-IIA rocket carrying the Inmarsat-6 F1 satellite from Japan. On Thursday, China’s Long March-7A carried the Shiyan-12 01 and Shiyan-12 02 satellites into orbit. They will be used for space environment exploration and technical tests. The main launch of the week, that of the James Webb Space Telescope aboard an Ariane 5 can be watched below. The video is from the full event but we’ve skipped ahead to the launch. Finally, today, a Long March-4C took the ZY-1 02E satellite into orbit. The satellite will be used for resource asset management, ecological monitoring, environmental protection, and more.
