This image, taken with the VLT Survey Telescope hosted at ESO’s Paranal Observatory, shows the beautiful nebula NGC 6164/6165, also known as the Dragon’s Egg. The nebula is a cloud of gas and dust surrounding a pair of stars called HD 148937. In a new study using ESO data, astronomers have shown that the two stars are unusually different from each other — one appears much younger and, unlike the other, is magnetic. Moreover, the nebula is significantly younger than either star at its heart, and is made up of gases normally found deep within a star and not on the outside. These clues together helped solve the mystery of the HD 148937 system — there were most likely three stars in the system until two of them clashed and merged, creating a new, larger and magnetic star. This violent event also created the spectacular nebula that now surrounds the remaining stars. Credit: ESO/VPHAS+ team. Acknowledgement: CASU
When astronomers looked at a stellar pair at the heart of a stunning cloud of gas and dust, they were in for a surprise. Star pairs are typically very similar, like twins, but in HD 148937, one star appears younger and, unlike the other, is magnetic. New data from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) suggest there were originally three stars in the system, until two of them clashed and merged. This violent event created the surrounding cloud and forever altered the system’s fate.
“When doing background reading, I was struck by how special this system seemed,”
says Abigail Frost, an astronomer at ESO in Chile and lead author of the study published today in Science. The system, HD 148937, is located about 3800 light-years away from Earth in the direction of the Norma constellation. It is made up of two stars much more massive than the Sun and surrounded by a beautiful nebula, a cloud of gas and dust.
“A nebula surrounding two massive stars is a rarity, and it really made us feel like something cool had to have happened in this system. When looking at the data, the coolness only increased.”
[Frost say:]
“After a detailed analysis, we could determine that the more massive star appears much younger than its companion, which doesn’t make any sense since they should have formed at the same time!”
The age difference — one star appears to be at least 1.5 million years younger than the other — suggests something must have rejuvenated the more massive star.
This collection of panels shows three artist’s impressions depicting the violent event that changed the fate of the stellar system HD 148937; a real astronomical image is shown in the last panel. Originally, the system had at least three stars (top left panel), two of them close together and another one much more distant, until one day the two inner stars clashed and merged (top right panel). This violent event created a new, larger and magnetic star, now in a pair with the more distant one (bottom left panel). The merger also released the materials that created the spectacular nebula now surrounding the stars (bottom right panel).Credit: ESO/L. Calçada, VPHAS+ team. Acknowledgement: CASU
Another piece of the puzzle is the nebula surrounding the stars, known as NGC 6164/6165. It is 7500 years old, hundreds of times younger than both stars. The nebula also shows very high amounts of nitrogen, carbon and oxygen. This is surprising as these elements are normally expected deep inside a star, not outside; it is as if some violent event had set them free.
To unravel the mystery, the team assembled nine years’ worth of data from the PIONIER and GRAVITY instruments, both on ESO’s Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI), located in Chile’s Atacama Desert. They also used archival data from the FEROS instrument at ESO’s La Silla Observatory.
“We think this system had at least three stars originally; two of them had to be close together at one point in the orbit whilst another star was much more distant,”
explains Hugues Sana, a professor at KU Leuven in Belgium and the principal investigator of the observations.
“The two inner stars merged in a violent manner, creating a magnetic star and throwing out some material, which created the nebula. The more distant star formed a new orbit with the newly merged, now-magnetic star, creating the binary we see today at the centre of the nebula.”
[Co-author Laurent Mahy, currently a senior researcher at the Royal Observatory of Belgium, adds: ]
“The merger scenario was already in my head back in 2017 when I studied nebula observations obtained with the European Space Agency’s Herschel Space Telescope,”
“Finding an age discrepancy between the stars suggests that this scenario is the most plausible one and it was only possible to show it with the new ESO data.”
This scenario also explains why one of the stars in the system is magnetic and the other is not — another peculiar feature of HD 148937 spotted in the VLTI data.
At the same time, it helps solve a long-standing mystery in astronomy: how massive stars get their magnetic fields. While magnetic fields are a common feature of low-mass stars like our Sun, more massive stars cannot sustain magnetic fields in the same way. Yet some massive stars are indeed magnetic.
This wide-field view, created from images forming part of the Digitized Sky Survey 2, shows the rich star clouds in the constellation of Norma (the Carpenter’s Square) in our Milky Way galaxy. The beautiful nebula NGC 6164/6165, also known as the Dragon’s Egg, appears in the centre of the image. Credit: ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2. Acknowledgement: Davide De Martin
Astronomers had suspected for some time that massive stars could acquire magnetic fields when two stars merge. But this is the first time researchers find such direct evidence of this happening. In the case of HD 148937, the merger must have happened recently.
“Magnetism in massive stars isn’t expected to last very long compared to the lifetime of the star, so it seems we have observed this rare event very soon after it happened,”
Frost adds.
ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), currently under construction in the Chilean Atacama Desert, will enable researchers to work out what happened in the system in more detail, and perhaps reveal even more surprises.
Here is this week’s selection of videos and news items about space habitats including the International Space Station and about living in space and space settlement.
** The past two Space to Ground reports from NASA Johnson
** NASA Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicle (Official NASA Trailer) – NASA
NASA hosted a news conference from the Johnson Space Center in Houston April 3, 2024, to announce the companies selected to move forward in the development of the Lunar Terrain Vehicle under the LTVS (Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services) contract. The award leverages NASA’s expertise in developing and operating these next generation “Moon buggies” to build commercial capabilities that support scientific discovery and long-term human exploration on the Moon. NASA intends to begin using the LTV for crewed operations during the Artemis V mission on the surface of the Moon.
** NASA News Conference on Lunar Terrain Vehicle for Artemis Missions – NASA
Live from Johnson Space Center in Houston, we’ll announce the company, or companies, selected to move forward in developing the LTV (Lunar Terrain Vehicle).
The LTV will help future Artemis astronauts search for water, ice, and other resources on the lunar surface, helping humanity establish a long-term presence on another planetary body for the first time.
Hear from:
• Vanessa Wyche, director, NASA Johnson • Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist, NASA Headquarters • Lara Kearney, manager, Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program, NASA Johnson
Axiom Space welcomed the President of the National Centre for Space Studies (@CnesFrance), Philippe Baptiste, for an in-depth look at our progress in commercial space and discuss economic partnerships. #BuildingOpportunity
As the International Space Station comes to the end of a transformative era of in-space research, NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Destinations (CLD) Program aims to catalyze a new generation of platforms with co-investment from the private sector, preventing a potential gap in research performed in LEO, while building a robust LEO economy. In this paper, we provide insight into the CLD Program focusing on Orbital Reef, describing its operational and technical characteristics as well as new opportunities it may enable. Achieving about a third of the pressurized volume of the ISS with the launch of a single pressurized module and growing to support hundreds of Middeck Locker Equivalents (MLE) in passive and active payloads internally and externally, Orbital Reef will enable government, academic, and commercial institutions to continue and expand upon research and development (R&D) efforts currently performed on ISS. Additionally, it will enable nascent markets to establish their operations in space, by initiating new lines of research and technology development and the implementation of new ventures and visions. Using Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy launch system, Sierra Space’s cargo and crew Dream Chaser® vehicles, and Boeing’s Starliner crew vehicle, and expertise from Amazon/Amazon Supply Chain, Arizona State University, Genesis Engineering, and Redwire, Orbital Reef is being designed to address ISS-era transportation logistics challenges. Finally, this manuscript describes some of the expected challenges from the ISS-to-CLD transition, and provides guidance on how researchers in academia and industry can shape the future of commercial destinations and work performed in LEO.
Check out our @vast facility in Long Beach, CA where we started building Haven-1. Design, analysis, software, avionics, machining, quality, supply chain/inventory/logistics, fabrication, primary structure welding, vibe/thermal/pressure testing, integration and more— all under one… pic.twitter.com/3LnZWYx0Sk
Starlab Space LLC (Starlab Space), the joint venture between Voyager Space and Airbus, today welcomed Mitsubishi Corporation as a strategic partner and equity owner in Starlab Space. This partnership expands Starlab Space’s reach beyond a transatlantic partnership and transforms the joint venture into a global organization.
Mitsubishi Corporation, renowned for its innovative endeavors across diverse industries, brings extensive expertise and resources to this global partnership. Mitsubishi Corporation is expected to leverage its capabilities to significantly increase the value of Starlab, using space research to enhance and accelerate terrestrial product development in multiple industries and expand access to space-based technologies globally
The primary structure of the Gateway space station’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) module is one step closer to launch following welding completion in Turin, Italy. HALO is one of four Gateway modules where astronauts will live, conduct science, and prepare for lunar surface missions. NASA is partnering with Northrop Grumman and their subcontractor Thales Alenia Space to develop HALO. Image Credit: Northrop Grumman/Thales Alenia Space
The Gateway space station’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) module under construction in Turin, Italy. Image credits: Northrop Grumman/Thales Alenia Space
** Collins Aerospace tests new astronaut spacesuits onboard Zero-G flight – Spaceflight Now
After working with the same spacesuits for nearly 40 years, NASA is looking to introduce the next generation of suits for astronauts working on the International Space Station and beyond. Collins Aerospace was one of two companies chosen to develop a new Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) for the ISS and is also preparing a follow-on version that will be available for Artemis missions to the Moon.
Danny Olivas, chief test astronaut for Collins, recently spoke with Spaceflight Now’s Will Robinson-Smith about one of the latest chapters in their test campaign: flying inside the suits onboard a Zero G plane, which can simulate microgravity through parabolic arcs.
Olivas walks us through this latest round of testing, what it was like being in the suit in that environment and what’s left before NASA astronaut can don these new spacesuits out in low Earth orbit.
** Highlight: Eye of the Sahara – Mauritania – Mar 26, 2024 23:57 UTC – ISS Above
NASA EHDC6 Live views of the Earth from the International Space Station
** Highlight: Florida – Sunglint – From Gulf to Atlantic over KSC – Feb 28, 2024 13:48 EDT – ISS Above
** Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream) – NASA
Watch live video from the International Space Station, including inside views when the crew aboard the space station is on duty. Views of Earth are also streamed from an external camera located outside of the space station. During periods of signal loss due to handover between communications satellites, a blue screen is displayed.
The space station orbits Earth about 250 miles (425 kilometers) above the surface. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the station, and it has been continuously occupied since November 2000. It’s a microgravity laboratory where science, research, and human innovation make way for new technologies and research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. More: https://go.nasa.gov/3CkVtC8
Did you know you can spot the station without a telescope? It looks like a fast-moving star, but you have to know when to look up. Sign up for text messages or email alerts to let you know when (and where) to spot the station and wave to the crew: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov
Check out the night sky this month, April 2024. Here are videos highlighting the top sights to observe.
** What’s Up: April 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASA – NASA JPL
What are some skywatching highlights in April 2024? Catch Mars and Saturn rising, and Jupiter hangs out with Comet 12P. Plus NASA has you covered for the total eclipse whether you’re headed to totality or watching from afar.
0:00 Intro 0:14 Moon & planet highlights 0:57 Comet 12p/Pons-Brooks 1:38 Total solar eclipse 3:45 April Moon phases
Additional information about topics covered in this episode of What’s Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/skywatch….
Clear April nights are filled with starry creatures. Near the Big Dipper, you will find several interesting binary stars. You can also spot galaxies like the Pinwheel Galaxy, M82, and M96—the last of which is an asymmetric galaxy that may have been gravitationally disrupted by encounters with its neighbors. Keep watching for space-based views of these celestial objects.
About this Series … “Tonight’s Sky” is a monthly video of constellations you can observe in the night sky. The series is produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute, home of science operations for the Hubble Space Telescope, in partnership with NASA’s Universe of Learning. This is a recurring show, and you can find more episodes—and other astronomy videos—at https://hubblesite.org/resource-gallery/tonights-sky.
Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel reveal what’s in the night sky this month, including Comet 12P/Pons Brooks, the Moon and the Pleiades, the April 8 solar eclipse, Lyrid Meteor Shower and the Plough asterism.
00:00 Intro 00:18 Inner planets 02:23 Outer planets 07:31 Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks 10:54 Solar eclipse 12:38 Moon and the Pleiades 13:16 Jewelled Handle 13:48 Lyrid Meteor Shower 14:22 Summer Triangle 15:20 Comet C/2021 S3 PANSTARRS 16:30 The Plough 21:03 Deep-sky objects
Here is this week’s selection of videos and news items about space habitats, living in space, and space settlement.
** Expedition 70 NASA’s SpaceX 30th Commercial Resupply Services Docking Part 2 – March 23, 2024 – NASA Video
Loaded with scientific experiments and supplies, an unpiloted SpaceX Dragon cargo ship automatically docked to the International Space Station’s space-facing port of the Harmony module March 23. The SpaceX resupply craft launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida March 21 as part of the company’s 30th commercial resupply mission for the agency and will remain at the station for one month.
** Expedition 70/71Soyuz MS-25 Launch, Docking Highlights – March 25, 2024 – NASA Video
NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and Belarus spaceflight participant Marina Vasileyskaya launched on the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft atop a Soyuz 2.1a rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on March 23. Following a thirty-four orbit rendezvous, the trio docked to the Prichal module of the International Space Station, opened up the hatch of the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft and floated aboard the International Space Station March 25.
** First Belarusian in space and crewmates enter space station after Soyuz docking – VideoFromSpace
Belarusian astronaut Marina Vasilevskaya, NASA’s Tracy C. Dyson and Roscomos’ Oleg Novitskiy completed ingress on the International Space Station shortly after docking on March 25, 2024.
** Expedition 70 Astronaut Mike Barratt Talks with KGW TV Portland Oregon – NASA Video
Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Mike Barratt of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview March 26 with KGW-TV, Portland. Barratt is in the midst of a long-duration mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.
** Expedition 70 Station Crew Talks with Women in Aerospace Engineering Conference – March 28, 2024 – NASA Video
Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 70 Flight Engineers Jeanette Epps and Tracy Dyson of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview March 28 with attendees of the Women in Aerospace Engineering Conference at Georgia Tech University. Epps and Dyson are in the midst of a long-duration mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.
** NLRA 2024-6: In-space Production Applications: Advanced Materials and Manufacturing – ISS National Lab
On March 21, 2024, the ISS National Lab held a webinar to discuss ISS National Lab Research Announcement (NLRA) 2024-6 soliciting proposals focused on flight investigations that seek to demonstrate space-based manufacturing and advanced materials activities on the ISS.
** Gateway – Lunar Space Station Trailer – NASA Johnson
The Gateway space station will be humanity’s first space station to orbit the Moon in support of the Artemis missions to return humans to the lunar surface for scientific discovery and chart a path for the first human missions to Mars and beyond.
A @NASA-funded commercial space station, @blueorigin‘s Orbital Reef, recently completed testing milestones for its critical life support system as part of the agency’s efforts for new destinations in low Earth orbit. The four milestones are part of a NASA Space Act Agreement… pic.twitter.com/bCypsQE78P
Space Architecture is not just about creating structures; it’s about envisioning a sustainable future for humanity in space. In the latest #SpaceCafePodcast, Markus dives into a thought-provoking conversation with Georgi Petrov, a visionary at the forefront of designing habitats beyond Earth.
** Every Space Station Size Comparison | The Evolution of Space Station 3D – REAL SPACE(Hat tip Bob Zimmerman)
** TIMELAPSE: Retrieval of ETCS PM : External Thermal Control System Pump Module from SpX-30 trunk – ISS Above
20x TIMELAPSE: Retrieval of ETCS PM : External Thermal Control System Pump Module from SpX-30 trunk
** Highlight: Quebec – Newfoundland Sea Ice – Mar 25, 2024 17:05 EDT – ISS Above
** Highlight: LA – AL – TN – Mar 24, 2024 – 18:58 CDT – ISS Above
** Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream) – NASA
Watch live video from the International Space Station, including inside views when the crew aboard the space station is on duty. Views of Earth are also streamed from an external camera located outside of the space station. During periods of signal loss due to handover between communications satellites, a blue screen is displayed.
The space station orbits Earth about 250 miles (425 kilometers) above the surface. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the station, and it has been continuously occupied since November 2000. It’s a microgravity laboratory where science, research, and human innovation make way for new technologies and research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. More: https://go.nasa.gov/3CkVtC8
Did you know you can spot the station without a telescope? It looks like a fast-moving star, but you have to know when to look up. Sign up for text messages or email alerts to let you know when (and where) to spot the station and wave to the crew: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov
Rocket reusability will lead to space transports with aircraft-like operation. That is, orbital flight and return followed by rapid reflight with minimal preparation. Vehicles should fly thousands of times with only occasional refurbishment and, most importantly, spacefare should fall to levels similar to long distance airfare.
Reusable rocket powered vehicle designs fall roughly into the following five categories:
—- The third orbital test flight (OFT-3) successfully demonstrated several key Starship capabilities
On March 14th, SpaceX flew a Starship for the third time. The flight test fulfilled a number of goals beyond those accomplished in the previous two flights. See this SpaceX overview: Starship’s Third Flight Test | SpaceX – Mar.14.2024
OFT-3 highlights:
For second time, all 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster fired from liftoff through hot-stage separation.
The separation again went well, with the Starship upper stage successfully lighting its six Raptors and continuing towards orbit.
After the hot-stage separation:
The booster did a flip maneuver and completed a boostback burn to propel itself towards the splashdown target in the Gulf. In the second test flight, while the booster was orienting itself for the boostback burn, its engines began to turn off and one blew up, destroying the entire vehicle.
As the the booster neared the surface of the Gulf, it began to light up engines for a soft landing onto the Gulf waters and then sink to the bottom. At a few hundred meters above the surface, something happened and “the vehicle experienced a RUD (that’s SpaceX-speak for “rapid unscheduled disassembly”)“. As of the time of this posting, SpaceX has not revealed what caused the RUD.
Following the separation, the Starship upper stage continued firing its engines for the full duration and reached a near orbital velocity when the engines were shut down.
Video imagery via Starlink showed the vehicle rotating slowly around its long axis.
SpaceX planned to fire a Raptor to demonstrate a powered de-orbit but they canceled the firing due to the rotation.
The orbit had a low perigee that brought it into the atmosphere and caused Starship to reenter over the Indian Ocean even without the de-orbit engine thrust.
As the vehicle entered the atmosphere, the video displayed the bright glow of the hot gasses around the vehicle.
The vehicle struggled to maintain its orientation and began tumbling. Eventually the video and data connection died and presumably the breakup of the vehicle began soon after.
During the coast phase in orbit, two important tests were carried out:
Opening and closing the Starship’s payload door, which will be needed for Starlink Gen 2 satellite deployments.
A propellant transfer demonstration.
—- FAA suspends Starship license until an investigation into the problems of this flight is completed. This happens automatically if there is any variation from the approved flight plan significant enough to be classified as a mishap:
The mishap investigation should not significantly increase the time to the launch of the fourth Starship since both stages achieved their primary goals and the problems were not as serious as for the first two test flights. SpaceX will actually do the investigating and the FAA will then evaluate the results. If they are deemed satisfactory, the FAA issues a statement about the completion of the investigation and sometime after that they issue a modification to the current launch license that approves another flight.
It should be pointed out that the Starship is basically operational now as an expendable launch vehicle. The boosters functioned properly through stage separation and the second stage on OFT-3 would have reached a full orbit with just a brief extension of the firing of the Raptors. Reusability, however, is key to SpaceX’s plans for the vehicle and it won’t be declared operational until the booster does a soft landing and the Starship stage survives reentry and makes a soft landing as well.
Speaking at the Satellite 2024 conference March 19, Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of SpaceX, said the company was still reviewing the data from the vehicle’s third integrated launch March 14 but expected to be ready to fly again soon.
“We’re still going through the data” from the flight, she said when asked about the analysis of data from the mission. “It was an incredibly successful flight. We hit exactly where we wanted to go.”
…
“We’ll figure out what happened on both stages,” she said, not discussing what may have gone wrong with either, “and get back to flight hopefully in about six weeks,” or early May.
Shotwell doubted they would launch any Starlink satellites during the mission.
Speaking at the Space Capitol III event by Payload March 18, Kelvin Coleman, FAA associate administrator for commercial space transportation, said he did not anticipate that investigation to turn up any major issues that could significantly delay the next launch.
The FAA also hopes to move soon to a license that covers multiples flights
… Coleman said the agency wants to move to a process where the license is valid for “portfolio of launches” rather than individual ones. That is particularly important, he added, because SpaceX is planning six to nine more Starship launches this year.
That is part of a broader effort to streamline the launch licensing process to address criticism from industry and Congress that the FAA is moving too slowly on approving launch licenses under a new set of regulations known as Part 450. …
SpaceX is preparing to follow up its third flight of Starship – one that achieved another leap forward with the world’s largest rocket in history – with the IFT-4 mission. Potentially as early as May, the fourth flight is expected to pair Booster 11 with Ship 29, with the latter already back at the launch site for its Static Fire test campaign.
A static firing test of the 6 Raptor engines on Ship 29 took place on March 25th :
—- Another test firing, this time of only one engine, took place on March 27th. This presumably tests for a de-orbit firing.
STATIC FIRE 2 for Ship 29. This time it does indeed look like the in-space firing test with a single Raptor. That may conclude Static Fire testing for the Ship ahead of IFT-4.https://t.co/skVzGw4vkSpic.twitter.com/o3wOcVEojn
Launch through booster landing attempt and shutdown of Starship upper stage engines: Blastoff! SpaceX Starship launches to space on 3rd integrated test flight– VideoFromSpace
Starship entry into the atmosphere: Wow! Watch SpaceX Starship re-enter Earth’s atmosphere in these incredible views – VideoFromSpace
Enjoy this incredible audio and video from the launch pad and various locations of the most powerful rocket to ever fly, SpaceX’s Starship on its third integrated flight test, IFT3! 4K slow motion captured on various ZCam’s, BlackMagic 12K Ursa, RED Komodo X and G2 4.6K with SIGMA lenses and Meade Telescopes.
SpaceX’s third launch of Starship took place on March 14th, 2024, from Starbase, TX. Both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage completed their full duration burn placing them on nominal trajectories. However, neither survived their full reentry or landing tests.
A fresh view of flight three along with some imagery of the aftermath. Plus, a new barrel section for Booster 14 outside the Mega Bay and work on the segments of the second tower continues at the Sanchez lot.
—- Starship activity at Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center
There has been little activity visible in the past few months at the Starship launch tower built at launch complex 39A. However, in the past week or so there has been some work around the pillars of the orbital launch mount and one was taken down. No word yet on what is the plan for the mount.
SpaceX removed yesterday one of the legs of the orbital launch mount at Starship’s pad within LC-39A. It’s unknown whether more will be removed at this time. This clip is on real time as captured by our Space Coast Live cameras.https://t.co/bWDuxt1M5Upic.twitter.com/M3eBsRSlVM
— Alejandro Alcantarilla Romera (Alex) (@Alexphysics13) March 23, 2024
—- More Starship related articles, reports, and other web resources.
For background on Starship see the SpaceX Starship report, which is published by NewSpace Global and for which I was the primary author. The initial version came out in March 2023 and then we updated it in May to include coverage of the first flight test.
==================
Check out the The Lurio Report
for news and analysis of key developments in NewSpace
The latest issue: Starlink’s Progress, Vulcan, Moon Landing Attempts
Vol. 19, No. 1, February 2, 2024
Space Frontier Foundation Award for NewSpace Journalism
—- Overview of booster recovery at sea: Revolutionizing Rocket Reusability – SpaceX’s Mini Navy – NASASpaceflight
The vital role of Autonomous Spaceport Droneships (ASDS) in revolutionizing rocket reusability. In this detailed video, we unravel the necessity of droneships for high-performance missions, the evolution of these marine marvels, and the unique technology that sets them apart from ordinary barges. Discover how SpaceX’s marine assets contribute to their mission success, defy conventional recovery methods, and what the future holds for these floating launch pads. Whether you’re a space enthusiast or curious about marine engineering, this video is packed with insights into the intersection of aerospace and maritime technology. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more space exploration content!
The LOA [Letter of Intent] establishes a strategic collaboration that positions The Bahamas as a global destination for witnessing booster landings.
SpaceX, a pioneer in space exploration, is currently finalizing mission designs where one of the company’s autonomous droneships will serve as a Falcon 9 landing location east of The Exumas, offering a spectacle that will be visible only in The Bahamas. This unique opportunity sets the stage for tourists to witness awe-inspiring space events from cruise ships, resorts, and various tourist hotspots, solidifying The Bahamas’ position as a key player in the emerging space tourism industry.
The exclusive visibility of rocket landings on an autonomous droneship from various Bahamian islands distinguishes this destination as the only one of its kind worldwide.
—- Polaris Dawn – Development progress “heating up”
Things are heating up w/Polaris Dawn mission. We spent last week completing most of the EVA suit acceptance test procedure. This was the first time we wore the final assembled suits as opposed to the development or training suits. There are big milestones ahead (CEIT, vacuum…
In late February and early March, Blue successfully carried out three cryogenic propellant filling tests of the New Glenn first stage on the pad at Launch Complex 36. This was the first time a full stack of first and second stages with functional hardware had been rolled to the pad.
After the tanking tests, the stack was rolled back to the integration facility to prepare for returning to the pad for static firing tests of the seven BE-4 engines on the first stage. Several upper stages are in development for the flight tests expected to start late this year.
Blue is planning for an initial fleet of four boosters, as each New Glenn first stage is intended to be reused at least 25 times. With experience gained from 22 successful propulsive landings of New Shepard’s propulsion module, it is not unreasonable that Blue will be able to achieve its goal of successfully landing New Glenn’s first stage on the maiden launch. However, a landing platform is yet to be seen after the company scrapped its Jacklyn ship in 2022 in favor of a more simplified barge-like system.
A reusable second stage appears to remain a goal:
Blue Origin recently filed updated site plans for LC-36 as part of a permit to upgrade the facility. Included in the plans was a new site at the northeast corner of the complex, referred to as an MKX Test Stand. With propellant lines running to this site from the pad’s main tank farm, this could be a new test stand to support the development of the company’s Clipper program, which aims to be a reusable second stage for New Glenn. It is also possible that the area may be related to Blue’s lunar lander program, as there are two variants of the Blue Moon lander — MK1 and MK2.
—- Reusablity a top priority:
New Glenn’s reusable first stage aims for a minimum of 25 missions and will land on a sea-based platform located roughly 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) downrange. Why is reusability so important? It reduces waste and radically lowers cost per launch to increase access to space. pic.twitter.com/46VwxsdSbw
—- BE-4 engines tested in Huntsville on a famous test stand: Test Stand 4670: Building on a Legacy
Once a pivotal platform for the testing of Saturn V and Space Shuttle engines, Test Stand 4670 at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, has witnessed the power of innovation and the spirit of exploration. Experience the transformation of Test Stand 4670 as this historic site has come back to life, blending the rich heritage of NASA’s golden era with the cutting-edge technology of today testing our BE-4 and BE-3U engines. The rumble is back in the Rocket City.
—- Crew vehicle – Blue developing reusable crew transport vehicle
For a time, the crew project was on the back burner, but it has now become a major initiative within Blue Origin, with the company hiring staff to develop the vehicle.
The first public hint of this renewed interest came last June, when NASA announced that Blue Origin was one of seven companies to sign an unfunded Space Act Agreement to design advanced commercial space projects. Later, in a document explaining this selection process, NASA revealed that Blue Origin was working on a “commercial space transportation system.” This included a reusable spacecraft that would launch on the New Glenn rocket.
No debut date for the crew vehicle released yet but more information is likely to be released by Blue later this year.
** Sierra Space – Dream Chaser in final tests before launch
—- Thermal vacuum testing in Ohio:
Dream Chaser has arrived at NASA’s Armstrong In-Space Propulsion facility in Ohio for thermal vacuum testing. This will be its last testing phase in Ohio before it makes its way to @NASAKennedy in Florida. pic.twitter.com/rCLM7hlhZo
—- Vibration test report: Dream Chaser Spaceplane Environmental Test Campaign at NASA Armstrong Test Facility – Feb.27.2024
The Dream Chaser spaceplane is running through it’s environmental test campaign at NASA Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio. These critical tests will ensure Dream Chaser is ready for the launch pad later this year for the NASA CRS-2 Mission to the International Space Station.
The upper stage of the Stoke fully reusable rocket, now named Nova, uses an innovative design combining a capsule-like heat shield with a ring of thrusters along the outer edge. Previously, a prototype with 15 thrusters underwent static firings and then powered a short flight of the Hopper 2 demonstrator.
The hydrogen fuel for the thrusters first travels through passages in the heat shield to cool it before going into the combustion chambers of the thrusters. The company is now testing a ring of 30 thrusters as will be used on the operational stage.
Stoke Space also clarified, “Our heat shield is engineered for active cooling at multiple critical mission stages, ensuring optimal protection, performance, and mobility to, through, and from space.”
When asked whether there were any specific engineering issues with pumping the hydrogen through the longer-than-usual channels, the company responded, “We’ve encountered no significant challenges in this regard. Engine test and Hopper flight data validated analytical predictions made by our in-house tools, confirming the ability to manage these requirements.”
Differential throttling of the thrusters provides control of the orientation and direction of the vehicle:
“All of those thrusters have individual throttle control ability,” [Stoke CEO Andy] Lapsa said. “They actually have throttle control in two different places. One is with the pumps, so the bulk engine thrust can be throttled. Then the relative thrust from one side to the other can be managed by the individual thrusters.”
The goal is 24 hour turnaround between orbital flights of Nova. The company sees delivery of satellites and other payloads to space as a viable market and also the capture and return to earth of spacecraft at end of their working life or that have become derelicts.
—- Recent tests of thrust chamber for Aeon R engines that will power the Terran R rocket: Aeon R Thrust Chamber Assembly Testing | NASA Stennis – Relativity Space/YouTube – Mar.19.2024
2 weeks. 18 hot fires. 335 seconds of blue fire. The team closed out another round of Aeon R thrust chamber assembly (TCA) testing, screening 4 different injector designs and ramping up full-power high mixture-ratio (MR) testing.
Hats off to the crew for executing 2+ hotfires each day with precision, speed, and nimbleness.
—- Reusable engine turbopumps: A video about the development of the liquid oxygen and methane turbopumps for the Aeon engines to power the reusable Terran R rocket: Relatively Speaking: Aeon R Turbopumps Explained – Relativity Space/YouTube – Feb 27, 2024.
We’re taking a deep dive into Aeon R’s turbopumps, the heart of Aeon R. With additive manufacturing, we’re refining our turbopump design, reducing parts and enhancing efficiency. Hear directly from the team on our approach to design, testing, and iteration.
0:00 – 0:27 Turbopumps explained 0:28: -1:14 Dual Shaft system explained 1:15 – 1:29 What makes our turbopump unique 1:30 – 2:16 Long Beach Component Test Yard 2:17 – 2:42 Testing turbopumps 2:43 –3:01 Benefits of testing in our backyard 3:02 – 3:50 Collaborative teams
Learn more about Aeon R: https://bit.ly/aeonr
** Introducing: Ascender H1 Variant Orbital Airship – John Powell
This is the newest version of the Ascender orbit airship designed to carry cargo to space. It’s the final stage of ATO, the airship to orbit program. The H1 is the latest update in development of this class of vehicle and the directly result of decades of development and test flights. ATO is changing the very nature of space travel.
=== Hypersonic rocket vehicles– Long distance point-to-point
** Stratolaunch Talon A-1 hypersonic rocket vehicle flies successfully
Stratolaunch’s hypersonic test vehicle Talon A-1 (TA-1) was carried on March 9th by the company’s gigantic Roc aircraft over the Pacific to a point where it was dropped. The vehicle’s Hadley engine, built by Ursa Major Technologies, fired and accelerated the vehicle and made a sustained climb in altitude, before eventually exhausting its fuel and then made a controlled water landing. The engine uses liquid oxygen and kerosene propellants and can produce 5,000 pounds-force of thrust. The exact top speed attained has not been released publicly but “reached high supersonic speeds approaching Mach 5” according to the company.
While the TA-1 was expendable and lost at sea, the next test flight later this year will be carried out by the reusable TA-2. A third vehicle, TA-3, is under construction and will also be reusable. The Talon vehicles are precursors to future operational hypersonic and space vehicles.
[ Update: Additional info and video released by Stratolaunch:
First steps are hard. They require careful planning, calculated risk, and most of all, courage. We took a daring first step earlier this month with the completion of TA-1’s first powered flight, reaching high supersonic speeds approaching Mach 5. The flight was a landmark moment… pic.twitter.com/u56CdTGrCK
First steps are hard. They require careful planning, calculated risk, and most of all, courage. We took a daring first step earlier this month with the completion of TA-1’s first powered flight, reaching high supersonic speeds approaching Mach 5. The flight was a landmark moment on our path to providing our customers and nation a reusable and routine hypersonic test capability. Congratulations to the Stratolaunch team and our partners on this achievement! Stay tuned on our progress as we prepare to fly our first fully reusable Talon-A vehicle, TA-2, later this year.
TA-1 first flight complete ☑️ The dawn is now breaking on the era of reusability.
Debuting in this week’s edition of @AviationWeek, TA-2 the first fully recoverable hypersonic vehicle able to land on a runway and fly again.
Progress is speeding up, keep up with us! pic.twitter.com/9RnRxQmDQB
Venus Aerospace’s supersonic flight test drone successfully completed its inaugural flight on Feb 24, 2024. The eight foot, 300lb drone was dropped at an altitude of 12,000 ft and accelerated to a top speed of Mach 0.9, flying for 10 miles. It was powered by a hydrogen peroxide monopropellant engine at 80% thrust in order to not exceed Mach 1. The test successfully demonstrated flight controls, stability, one leg of the ultimate Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) propulsion system, telemetry, ground operations, and air launch. “Using an air-launched platform and a rocket-with-wing configuration allows us to cheaply and quickly get to the minimum viable test of our RDRE as a hypersonic engine. The team executed with professionalism and has a wealth of data to anchor and tweak for the next flight,” says CTO & Co-Founder Andrew Duggleby.
“This is how you do hard things: one bite at a time. Up next is RDRE flight, and ultimately hypersonic flight, proving that the RDRE is the engine that unlocks the hypersonic economy,” says CEO & Co-Founder Sarah “Sassie” Duggleby.
These prototypes are to prepare for the development of the Stargazer hypersonic point-to-point transport vehicle.
Based on the company’s latest tests, Duggleby said Venus is now increasingly confident that it will be able to combine its rocket engine with air-breathing technology—using the forward motion of the engine to ingest air for combustion—to create what is known as a rocket-based combined cycle engine. Such an engine, if it can be realized, will allow Venus to see excellent performance at a wide variety of altitudes and velocities. The idea has been largely theoretical until now, developed mostly in universities rather than pursued for commercial purposes.
“We’re now 100 percent compelled by this path,” Duggleby said. “I’m convinced that this is going to be the engine that unlocks the hypersonic economy.”
=== Europe
** MaiaSpace– Funding from French government if orbit reached
The HyPrSpace OB-1 and Latitude Zephyr rockets will be the smallest of the lot and will be capable of delivering between 100 and 200 kilograms to low Earth orbit. The Sirius 1, Sirius 13, and Sirius 15 rockets will be capable of delivering between 175 and 1,100 kilograms to orbit. The Prometheus-powered Maia rocket is expected to be the most powerful, with a payload capacity of up to three tonnes when launched in its expendable configuration.
The agreement with the French state will see each company receive a small upfront payment to secure the flights. The bulk of the €400 million, which will be supplied through the France 2030 initiative, will, however, only be awarded if the companies manage to launch a maiden flight of their respective vehicles between 2026 and 2028. As a result, the actual development process will need to be funded through other public programmes or through private investment.
China is accelerating the development of both 4-meter-diameter and 5-meter-diameter reusable rockets, with their inaugural flights scheduled for 2025 and 2026, respectively. CCTV article.
As one of the leading Chinese commercial launch companies, Landspace is currently operating the medium-lift methalox-fueled Zhuque-2, and plans to roll out the heavy-lift Zhuque-3 rocket. The latter is a partially reusable rocket with similar specifications to SpaceX’s Falcon-9, and could represent one of the first “Chinese Falcon 9s” to be available.
While there are strong resemblances between the two rockets, the Zhuque-3 has some differences, including the choice of propellant (methane), materials used (stainless steel), and its rocket booster recovery approach.
In this episode, we deep dive into these topics, while also going over the history of Landspace. Enjoy!
00:00 Introduction 00:17 Landspace’s Beginnings 02:06 The First (Failed) rocket: the Zhuque-1 03:32 All-in on Liquid-fueled Rockets 4:03 the Medium-lift Zhuque-2 & How it’s Different 5:33 Landspace’s own Launch Site 7:21 the Reusable Stainless Steel Zhuque-3 10:12 Recovering Rockets on Land! 11:18 Perspectives for 2024 and 2025
—- More Land Space reports:
LANDSPACE to test Zhuque-3’s 10km VTVL vertical take-off and landing in June. CEO aims for 20+ reusable flights, first launch next year. Capacity over 18 tons, price drop from $8500 per kg to $2800 per kg is expected. Source:https://t.co/5zLiYVzURNpic.twitter.com/4FPFWj8qpk
ZQ-3 transportation & erection vehicle. It looks like the payloads with upstage will be lifted to the erected rocket by crank sitting at the top of the tower. via LandSpace patents https://t.co/MD9e9FiHbspic.twitter.com/UApgmPtEZR
China’s main state-owned contractor plans test flights for two new large diameter reusable rockets in the next couple of years, despite existing commercial reusability efforts.
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) plans to launch four-meter and five-meter-diameter reusable rockets for the first time in 2025 and 2026 respectively, Wang Wei, a deputy to the National People’s Congress, told China News Service March 4.
** Chinese reusable rocket developers:
CASC (China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp) – China’s primary space agency
** RLV LEX-02 prototype winged space vehicle – Successful mid-altitude drop flight and landing test
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has been developing reusable rocket technology starting with the RLV-TD (Reusable Launch Vehicle – Technology Demonstrator) program. The program aimed to launch a reusable winged uncrewed vehicle, similar to the X-37, atop an expendable booster.
The configuration of RLV-TD is similar to that of an aircraft and combines the complexity of both launch vehicles and aircraft. The winged RLV-TD has been configured to act as a flying test bed to evaluate various technologies, namely, hypersonic flight, autonomous landing and powered cruise flight.
A RLV-TD prototype was successfully flight tested on May 23, 2016 after a drop from a helicopter. Another winged vehicle was tested in 2023 in a similar drop test called RLV-LEX-01. Then on March 22, 2024, the LEX-02 experiment involved a second drop test with an improved prototype vehicle named Pushpak: ISRO achieves yet another success in the RLV Landing Experiment | ISRO – Mar.22.2024
ISRO has achieved a major milestone in the area of Reusable launch vehicle (RLV) technology, through the RLV LEX-02 landing experiment, the second of the series, conducted at Aeronautical Test Range (ATR), Chitradurga in Karnataka today morning at 7:10 hrs IST.
After the RLV-LEX-01 mission was accomplished last year, RLV-LEX-02 demonstrated the autonomous landing capability of RLV from off-nominal initial conditions at release from Helicopter. The RLV was made to undertake more difficult manoeuvres with dispersions, correct both cross-range and downrange and land on the runway in a fully autonomous mode. The winged vehicle, called Pushpak, was lifted by an Indian Airforce Chinook helicopter and was released from 4.5 km altitude. After release at a distance of 4 km from the runway, Pushpak autonomously approached the runway along with cross-range corrections. It landed precisely on the runway and came to a halt using its brake parachute, landing gear brakes and nose wheel steering system.
This mission successfully simulated the approach and high-speed landing conditions of RLV returning from space. With this second mission, ISRO has re-validated the indigenously developed technologies in the areas of navigation, control systems, landing gear and deceleration systems essential for performing a high-speed autonomous landing of a space-returning vehicle. The winged body and all flight systems used in RLV-LEX-01 were reused in the RLV-LEX-02 mission after due certification/clearances. Hence reuse capability of flight hardware and flight systems is also demonstrated in this mission. Based on the observations from RLV-LEX-01, the airframe structure and landing gear were strengthened to tolerate higher landing loads.
More about the project:
=== Reusable suborbital rocket vehicles for tourism, science & technology
** Astrobotic reusable rockets – Night flights of Xodiac
Astrobotic’s Propulsion & Test department flew Xodiac, a vertical-takeoff, vertical-landing (VTVL) reusable terrestrial rocket, for its first-ever night flight. The tethered night test prepared Xodiac for upcoming flight testing with the NASA TechLeap Prize’s Nighttime Precision Landing Challenge, managed by NASA’s Flight Opportunities program. TechLeap is designed to rapidly identify and develop technologies of interest to the agency using a series of challenges, and the Nighttime Precision Landing Challenge will test the ability of three winning payloads to map a lunar surface for navigation in near-total darkness.
Flights for TechLeap are slated to begin in April, continuing Xodiac’s flight heritage of over 160 successful flights. The Nighttime Precision Landing Challenge flights will also mark the debut of Astrobotic’s Lunar Surface Proving Ground (LSPG), a high-fidelity 3D test field that will mimic the topography and optical properties of the Moon’s surface. The size of two football fields, the LSPG will provide a unique simulated lunar topography to enhance the realism of payload flight tests aboard Xodiac.
More flight campaigns later this year:
These TechLeap payload flights will be Xodiac’s first major flight campaign of 2024. Xodiac is also scheduled to fly campaigns this year for NASA’s TechRise Student Challenge, Draper, San Diego State University, and Astrobotic’s Robotics & Surface Systems department. The latter campaign will test Astrobotic’s novel hazard detection and avoidance system that will help guide its Griffin lander to a soft landing on the Moon’s south pole.
… the company will increase the flight rate of New Shepard. That vehicle performed a payload-only flight in December, the first since a launch mishap more than 15 months earlier. A crewed flight, the first since August 2022, will take place “very soon,” he said, but was not more specific.
Blue Origin has not disclosed how many New Shepard flights it plans for this year. “We are definitely getting back on track this year with New Shepard,” he said. “We want to get on a nice pace or rhythm here where we’re launching regularly, mostly astronaut flights but there will be payload flights mixed in there as well.”
DIU wants two types of utility multi-orbit logistics vehicles (m-OLV). A light version should host or transport one or more payloads in the 50 kg payload range. A heavy version will tackle payloads in the 500 kg range.
And DIU also wants a
fuel depot capable of storing and transferring sufficient chemical and/or electrical propellant to a m-OLV or self-propelled satellite to achieve a LEO-to-GEO transfer
Three companies obtained contracts. Blue Origin obtained funding
to demonstrate a heavy utilitym-OLV system utilizing their ‘Blue Ring’ platform [see above]. Blue Origin is in the final stages of developing the Dark-Sky-1 mission system, which will demonstrate core mission operation and flight system capabilities.
Northrop Grumman’s Space Logistics in-space servicing subsidiary received support for its
suite of in-space refueling technologies, including the Active Refueling Moule (ARM) and Passive Refueling Module (PRM), in concert with complementary efforts sponsored by Space Systems Command (SSC). The refueling system includes elements to successfully dock and transfer fuel, as well as a refueling payload that handles fuel transfer. SSC contracted with Northrop Grumman to fly the PRM on an operational mission.
Spacebilt, formerly Skycorp, is the third company to receive a DIU contract, which will be used to further validate
their approach In Space Assembly and Manufacturing for enabling their m-OLV product for DoD use cases. Since award, Spacebilt has progressed toward a mass manufacturable product, conducted risk reduction missions to the International Space Station for their flight hardware, and maturity of their commercially available avionics hardware. Spacebilt is working toward a Q4 2026 launch for the first mOLV STARcraft.
The company makes reusability a key feature of their spacecraft:
Until now, space systems have been mission focused and disposable. Tomorrow, spacecraft will be updated to suit changing customer needs. Reusability reduces lifecycle cost by 80%.
=== Other reusable rocket and space vehicle related news:
