Amateur/Student Satellite, Rockets

Videos: Rocket Lab launches Electron rocket with NASA sponsored CubeSats

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Rocket Lab today successfully launched an Electron rocket from the Launch Complex 1 on Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. The vehicle reached low earth orbit and its kick stage later circularized its orbit and then deployed 13 small satellites sponsored by NASA, including several university built CubeSats:

Here is a view of the liftoff from a nearby observer:

A statement released by the company:

Rocket Lab successfully launches NASA CubeSats to orbit
on first ever Venture Class Launch Services mission
The mission follows just five weeks after the successful ‘It’s Business Time’ launch in November,
and marks Rocket Lab’s third orbital launch for 2018

ELaNa-19 mission launches on Rocketlab Electron. Photo credit: Trevor Mahlmann

Huntington Beach, California – December 16, 2018 – US small satellite launch company Rocket Lab has launched its third orbital mission of 2018, successfully deploying satellites to orbit for NASA. The mission, designated Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa)-19 , took place just over a month after Rocket Lab’s last successful orbital launch, ‘It’s Business Time.’ Rocket Lab has launched a total of 24 satellites to orbit in 2018.

On Sunday, December 16, 2018 UTC, Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle successfully lifted off at 06:33 UTC (19:33 NZDT) from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Māhia Peninsula. After being launched to an elliptical orbit, Electron’s Curie engine-powered kick stage separated from the vehicle’s second stage before circularizing to a 500×500 km orbit at an 85 degree inclination. By 56 minutes into the mission, the 13 satellites on board were  individually deployed to their precise, designated orbits.

Until now, launch opportunities for small satellites have mostly been limited to rideshare-type arrangements, flying only when space is available on large launch vehicles. This mission, awarded under a Venture Class Launch Services (VCLS) Agreement, marks the first time NASA CubeSats received a dedicated ride to orbit on a commercial launch vehicle. VCLS is managed by NASA’s Launch Services Program headquartered at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck says the ELaNa-19 mission represents a forward-thinking approach from NASA to acquiring launch services and recognizes the increasingly significant role small satellites are playing in exploration, technology demonstration, research and education.

[ Rocket Lab CEO and founder Peter Beck says, ]

“The ELaNa-19 mission was a significant one for NASA, the Rocket Lab team and the small satellite industry overall. To launch two missions just five weeks apart, and in the first year of orbital flights, is unprecedented. It’s exactly what the small satellite industry desperately needs, and Rocket Lab is proud to be delivering it. Regular and reliable launch is now a reality for small satellites. The wait is over,” […] “We’re providing small satellite customers with more control than they’ve ever had, enabling them to launch on their own schedule, to precise orbits, as frequently as they need to.”

NASA ELaNa-19 Mission Manager Justin Treptow adds,

“The CubeSats of ELaNa-19 represent a large variety of scientific objectives and technology demonstrations. With this the first launch of a Venture Class Launch Service on the Rocket Lab Electron, NASA now has an option to match our small satellite missions with a dedicated small launch vehicle to place these satellites in an optimal orbit to achieve big results.”

The ELaNa-19 launch webcast can be viewed in full at http://youtu.be/F7Kr3664hJs and images from the mission are available in the media library at www.rocketlabusa.com/news/updates/link-to-rocket-lab-imagery-and-video

The next Rocket Lab Electron vehicle will be on the pad at Launch Complex 1 in January 2019. For real-time updates and mission announcements, follow Rocket Lab on Twitter @RocketLab.

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More about the launch and the satellites:

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Rocketry, Rockets, Spaceflight & Parabolic Flight

Videos: DIY rocketeer profile, Retrieving a big wet rocket, Blue Origin’s giant lifter, & More about Virgin Galactic’s SS2

Some miscellaneous rocket/space related videos:

** The DIY Rocketeer Building SpaceX Replicas of Self-Landing Rockets: A Motherboard profile of Joe Barnard, who is about developing model rockets with vectored thrust and landing capabilities (see posts here and here):

Joe Barnard left his background in videography and music production to launch his life of amateur rocketry, and he shares his DIY adventures in building rockets on his YouTube channel BPS.space.

** SpaceX CRS-16 booster recovery: Reports from www.USLaunchReport.com on what has been happening with that SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage that landed in the water during the launch of a Dragon cargo ship to the ISS:

**** SpaceX CRS-16 Booster Towed To Port 12-07-2018

**** SpaceX – Rise Of The Machines

** What went wrong: Tim Dodd, the Everyday Astronaut, explains what caused the booster to land offshore:

** Blue Origin’s New Glenn: And here Dodd profiles Jeff Bezos’s giant rocket:

** Commercial astronauts visit space: Scott Manley describes the significance of the Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo flight this week:

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In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, SpaceCasts

Videos: “Space to Ground” report on the ISS – Dec.14.2018

Here is the latest episode of NASA’s weekly Space to Ground report on activities related to the  International Space Station:

** More about the rather unusual EVA by two cosmonauts this week, which involved rough cutting of insulation on a Soyuz spacecraft with a long sharp knife:

**  STEMonstrations: Sleep Science: A tutorial from the ISS on sleeping in low earth orbit and microgravity:

Establishing a routine for sleep is a key component to an astronaut’s ability to function aboard the International Space Station. In this episode, Expedition 55/56 Flight Engineer Ricky Arnold discusses the crew sleeping quarters, why sleep is important and how they adapt for circadian rhythms aboard the station. Use the lesson plan that coincides with this video to invigorate your STEM classroom. Be sure to visit https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstrations for the Classroom Connection related to this video and more educational resources that explore the research and technology of the International Space Station. 

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Space Policy

Space policy roundup – Dec.14.2018

A sampling of links to recent space policy, politics, and government (US and international) related space news and resource items that I found of interest:

Webcasts:

** Senator Bill Nelson, U.S. Space Program, December 10, 2018

On December 10, 2018, U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) gave a speech on the floor of the Senate discussing the American space program. This was Senator Nelson’s farewell address on space before leaving office in January 2019.

** Space Policy Edition: Canada’s Uncertain Future in Space (with Kate Howells) | The Planetary Society

Canada was the third country in history to launch a satellite into space, but now lags in its space ambitions, capability, and spending. What happened? Kate Howells, who serves on the Canadian Space Advisory Board, joins the podcast to talk about the challenges facing Canada’s future in space and how the nation needs to do a better job of communicating the benefits of space exploration to its citizens. Casey and Mat also look at the latest machinations of the U.S. Congress, which has yet to fund NASA for 2019 and is rapidly running out of time to do so.

** At the Space Settlement Summit With Former NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden | The Planetary Society

He led NASA for eight years, but not till he had flown on four Space Shuttle missions and enjoyed a long military career. Charlie Bolden talks with Mat about his time at the space agency and where we’re headed on the final frontier. Space station designer Al Globus says a city in space may be much easier to achieve than was thought. Planetary Society Senior Editor Emily Lakdawalla has news about five planetary science missions. Mat has a surprise for Bruce Betts and more great prizes for the space trivia contest.

** Kickstarting Space Industry with Isaac Arthur

Rockets, Space industry and microgravity R&D, Spaceflight & Parabolic Flight

Virgin Galactic: Richard Branson hails first SpaceShipTwo spaceflight

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A release from Virgin Galactic about today’s SpaceShipTwo spaceflight:

[ Update: A new video from the flight:

]

Richard Branson Welcomes Astronauts Home from Virgin Galactic’s Historic First Spaceflight

Virgin Galactic’s First Spaceflight on December 13th 2018

History has been made and a long-anticipated dream realised in Mojave, CA, today as Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, VSS Unity, landed from her maiden spaceflight to cheers from Richard Branson and the teams from Virgin Galactic and The Spaceship Company.

Not only is this the first human spaceflight to be launched from American soil since the final Space Shuttle mission in 2011, but the very first time that a crewed vehicle built for commercial, passenger service, has reached space.

The historic achievement has been recognised by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) who announced today that early next year they will present pilots Mark “Forger” Stucky and Frederick “CJ” Sturckow with FAA Commercial Astronaut Wings at a ceremony in Washington DC.  CJ, as a four-time Space Shuttle pilot, will become the only person to have been awarded NASA and FAA wings.

Today’s accomplishment has also been recognised by the NASA Flight Opportunities Program, which flew four space science and technology experiments on VSS Unity, making this Virgin Galactic’s first revenue generating flight.

Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic’s first two astronauts.

The spectacular spaceflight, which was witnessed by a large crowd of staff and their families, as well as special guests and media, saw a 60 second planned rocket motor burn which propelled VSS Unity to almost three times the speed of sound and to an apogee of 51.4 miles.

As VSS Unity coasted upwards through the black sky and into space, Virgin Galactic Mission Control confirmed the news and congratulated the two astronaut pilots: “ Unity, Welcome to Space”.

Virgin Galactic’s First Spaceflight on December 13th 2018

After a Mach 2.5 supersonic re-entry into the atmosphere, which utilised Unity’s unique “feathering” configuration, Forger and CJ guided the spaceship down to a smooth runway landing and an emotional homecoming welcome.

Commenting from the flight line Richard Branson said:

“Many of you will know how important the dream of space travel is to me personally. Ever since I watched the moon landings as a child I have looked up to the skies with wonder. We started Virgin nearly 50 years ago dreaming big and loving a challenge. Today, as I stood among a truly remarkable group of people with our eyes on the stars, we saw our biggest dream and our toughest challenge to date fulfilled. It was an indescribable feeling: joy, relief, exhilaration and anticipation for what is yet to come.

“Today, for the first time in history, a crewed spaceship, built to carry private passengers, reached space. Today we completed our first revenue generating flight and our pilots earned their Commercial Astronaut Wings. Today, we have shown that Virgin Galactic really can open space to change the world for good. We will now push on with the remaining portion of our flight test program, which will see the rocket motor burn for longer and VSS Unity fly still faster and higher towards giving thousands of private astronauts an experience which provides a new, planetary perspective to our relationship with the Earth and the cosmos. This is a momentous day and I could not be more proud of our teams who together have opened a new chapter of space exploration.”

George Whitesides, CEO of Virgin Galactic and The Spaceship Company, said:

“What we witnessed today is more compelling evidence that commercial space is set to become one of the twenty-first century’s defining industries. Reusable vehicles built and operated by private companies are about to transform our business and personal lives in ways which are as yet hard to imagine. New enterprises are being created which will become hugely valuable, while enabling humanity to better manage some of its greatest future challenges. Today was a remarkable achievement brought about by the skill, dedication and support of our shareholders, staff, customers, partners and many other stakeholders. We extend our congratulations and thanks to each and every one of them.”

For downloadable assets from today’s flight test please visit our Press FTP https://www.image.net/virgingalactic

Virgin Galactic’s First Spaceflight on December 13th 2018

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