Rockets

Space transport roundup – July.14.2019

A sampling of recent articles, videos, and images dealing with space transport:

** SpaceX Starhopper demo vehicle prepared for first un-tethered low altitude flights at the SpaceX South Texas Launch Site. More in SpaceX section below.

** India scrubs today’s launch of the Chandrayaan-2 lunar lander on a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV Mk.3).

More about the mission:

GSLV MkIII-M1 / Chandryaan 2 vehicle
The GSLV MkIII-M1 / Chandryaan 2 vehicle on the launch pad.

From SFN:

If everything goes according to plan, the three-in-one spacecraft will arrive in orbit around the moon around Aug. 5, then detach the landing craft around Sept. 2 or 3 to begin lowering its altitude in preparation for a final descent to the lunar surface as soon as Sept. 6.

“We are landing at a place where nobody else has gone,” said K. Sivan, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization.

Indian scientists are targeting landing of the Chandrayaan 2 lander at an unexplored site located on the near side of the moon at 70.9 degrees south latitude, closer to the moon’s south pole than any previous mission. The landing module is named Vikram for Vikram Sarabhai, the father of India’s space program, and will deploy the Pragyan rover, named for the Sanskrit word for “wisdom.”

** Russian Proton-M rocket launched the Spektr-RG astrophysical x-ray observatory from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan: Russian Proton-M launches Spektr-RG observatory – NASASpaceFlight.com

** An Arianespace Vega rocket failed during the launch of UAE’s Falcon Eye-1 earth observation satellite:

The $400M payout for the failure will be a real blow to the space insurance industry.

** A Russian Soyuz 2-1v launched four military satellites with little prior public notification: Soyuz 2-1v conduts surprise military launch – NASASpaceFlight.com

** Virgin Orbit executes successful drop test of LauncherOne rocket from the “Cosmic Girl” 747 carrier aircraft:

https://youtu.be/wWaW3IzVGBw

** EXOS Aerospace posts videos from recent launch in which the SARGE reusable rocket suffered a guidance glitch shortly after liftoff but still manages to return for a landing via paraglider:

** China’s Galactic Energy Aerospace Technology, Ltd wants to challenge SpaceX in reusable rocketry: Chinese rocket start-up aims at ‘SpaceX dominance’ – ecns.cn

Beijing-based private rocket start-up Galactic Energy Aerospace Technology Co has made a breakthrough in its “Pallas” medium liquid-propellant rocket, a step closer to the firm’s goal of forging a Chinese version of the Falcon 9 rocket manufactured by U.S. spaceflight company SpaceX.

…

The gas generator, which helps provide thrust to the rocket’s 40-ton engine that is powered by reusable liquid oxygen and kerosene, has completed seven ignition tests over the weekend, with an accumulated operation time of 380 seconds, according to Galactic Energy. The maximum single operation time lasted 100 seconds.

The company started developing the main rocket engine for the Pallas in December 2018, and it is the first Chinese rocket with engines that run on reusable liquid oxygen and kerosene.

Galactic Energy’s products include the Pallas family of medium-sized liquid rockets, named Pallas, and small solid rockets named Ceres.

The Ceres-1 is aimed at the low-orbit commercial small satellite market and is expected to fly in March 2020. The Pallas-1 is expected to launch in December 2022.

** Spaceflight takes advantage of two cargo spacecraft and the ISS to put six smallsats into their designated orbits : SEOPS Mission Preview – Spaceflight
Continue reading Space transport roundup – July.14.2019 →

In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space

Videos: “Space to Ground” ISS report – July.12.2019

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

** Kennedy’s Space Station Processing Facility Turns 25

Most International Space Station payloads are delivered to Kennedy Space Center’s Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF), which has played an integral role in spaceflight for a quarter century.

** T-60 Seconds with Andrew Morgan

You’ve got to know about a lot of different subjects to graduate from West Point, and then become a doctor, and then become an astronaut (when you have to know some of it in Russian!). But, can you think fast on your feet? NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan has fun with a rapid-fire Q-and-A on non-technical topics as he finishes up preparations to launch to the International Space Station.

** July 19: Live Apollo Anniversary Show

This July, we salute our Apollo heroes and look forward to new frontiers. Watch live and join us online, Friday, July 19 at 1 p.m. EDT for “NASA’s Giant Leaps: Past and Future” featuring Apollo astronauts, current astronauts, guest host Adam Savage and more.

** NASA Live: Earth Views from the Space Station

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Moon Rush: The New Space Race

Activism, Space Policy

Space policy roundup – July.11.2019

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:

** NASA Exploration Plans, Senate Subcommittee on Aviation and Space, July 9, 2019

On July 9, 2019, the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation and Space held a hearing titled, “NASA Exploration Plans: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going.” The purpose of this hearing was to honor the upcoming 50th anniversary of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Apollo 11 mission and the United States landing the first man on the moon. The hearing examined NASA’s plans for future human spaceflight missions. Invited witnesses were:

  • Dr. Christine Darden Data Analyst and Aerospace Engineer Researcher, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar President and Chief Executive Officer, Coalition for Deep Space Exploration
  • Homer Hickam Author, “Rocket Boys”
  • Gene Kranz Flight Director, Apollo 11
  • Eric Stallmer President, Commercial Spaceflight Federation

** The Space Show – Tue, 07/09/2019 – Dr. Namrata Goswami talked about “India’s space history & program, China space & lunar policy, US return to the Moon, deterrence as a goal, Space Force, commercial space development, international cooperation and more”.

** July 9, 2019 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast | Behind The Black

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One Giant Leap:
The Impossible Mission That Flew Us to the Moon

Rockets

Space transport roundup – July.9.2019

A sampling of recent articles, videos, and images dealing with space transport:

** Russian Soyuz launches 33 satellites last wee including the primary Meteor-M No.2-2 weather satellite and 32 smallsats from a host of countries and organizations:

https://youtu.be/BraRQ6mk4CE

https://youtu.be/uVg-ZJEHKLw

A busy month planned for Russian rockets: Russia plans seven space launches in July – TASS

** PLD Space releases video of a high altitude drop in April of a demo booster for the MIURA 5 orbital rocket, which will have a reusable first stage booster: Successful drop test of the demonstrator of the first stage of MIURA 5 – PLD Space

Drop Test of the demonstrator of the first stage of MIURA 5 orbital microlauncher. This project was part of ESA’s FLPP-LPSR programme. PLD Space successfully completed in April the first drop test with a full-scale demonstrator of the first stage of the MIURA 5 orbital rocket. As a result, we have documented assessment of all the recovery and reusable technologies that will help PLD Space to develop its recovery and reusability technology roadmap. One step closer to reusability in Europe!

With this, we have validated many operational procedures, including all recovery and reusability steps, as well as the telemetry down-links, among others. This project is part of the FLPP-LPSR program, promoted by the European Space Agency (ESA), supported by CDTI, INTA, Ejército de Tierra #FAMET #BHELTRAV and with the participation of Tecnalia.

** Amateur spacecraft observers capture images of the X-37B spaceplane: Mysterious X-37B Military Space Plane Caught on Camera (Photo) – Space.com

** Rocket Crafters thruster demos suffer various glitches: Cocoa-based Rocket Crafters working through issues ahead of 2021 debut – Florida Today

** System for long duration in-space storage for cryogenic propellants has been developed by a Chinese team: Scientists make breakthrough that enables rockets to orbit longer – Xinhua

Scientists from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology have developed two insulating materials that can reduce propellant evaporation loss and keep rockets in flight for longer than before.

According to Zhang Shaohua, a member of the research team, a cryogenic rocket will face a severe thermal environment when it flies in orbit, which will cause lots of propellant evaporation, accelerate propellant loss and reduce the time in orbit.

Long term cryogenic propellant storage is important for space tugs and fuel depots.

** Canadian SpaceRyde developing a high-altitude balloon rocket launch system for orbiting smallsats:

** The latest on space elevators: ISEC Space Elevator Newsletter July 2019

According to Pete Swan, president of the ISEC (Int. Space Elevator Consortium), the development of space elevators is “Closer than you Think”:

There are two factors that lead to this conclusion:

The first is that the material for space elevator tethers has been discovered and is in the laboratory now. Single Crystal Graphene has been developed towards a continuous growth production concept (grow a single molecule very long – hundreds of meters) (currently at 0.5 x 0.1 meter single molecule one atom thick in laboratories). Adrian Nixon projected that future of very long molecules during his talk at our recent ISEC Webinar. The material is going to be available in the required strength and length for space elevators.

The second is that we (ISEC with the other organizations such as IAA, Obayashi Corporation, and JSEA) have conducted engineering studies and testing showing great progress across the engineering design segments of a space elevator. The following year long (IAAs and Obayashi were multi-year) studies have lead to the conclusion that the space elevator is ready to start testing the technologies needed inside each of its major segments and regions.

The 2018 ISEC Space Elevator Conference will be held at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington over August 16-18.

** SpaceX:

*** Launch contracts:

*** Practicing for Crew Dragon docking to the ISS: NASA, SpaceX Simulate Astronauts Docking to Station on Crew Dragon Spacecraft – Commercial Crew Program

NASA and SpaceX practiced Crew Dragon rendezvous and docking to the International Space Station during a virtual dress rehearsal on June 26 for the company’s first crew flight test, known as Demo-2, to the microgravity laboratory

The activity is part of a series of integrated simulations bringing together NASA and SpaceX flight control teams to complete multiple practice runs for each dynamic phase of a mission from launch to splashdown. These simulations provide the teams plenty of practice to ensure they safely and successfully perform the planned operations of the actual spaceflight, with opportunities to fine-tune their procedures and gain experience on how to solve problems should they arise.

*** Views of a recovered Falcon fairing: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy fairing tries to enter hyperspace, lands in net in new videos – Teslarati. Here Scott Manley discusses the fairing return videos:

*** Raptor engine debugging nearly done: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says major Starship engine bug is fixed as Raptor testing continues – Teslarati

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed the latest official photo of the company’s Raptor engine in action and indicated that a major technical issue with vibration appears to have been solved, hopefully paving the way for Starhopper’s first untethered flights.

Partly due to Musk’s own involvement in the program, SpaceX’s propulsion development team have struggled to get any single Raptor engine to survive more than 50-100 seconds of cumulative test fires. According to information from sources familiar with the program, Musk has enforced an exceptionally hardware-rich development program for the first full-scale Raptor engines to such an extent that several have been destroyed so completely that they could barely be used to inform design optimization work. Although likely more strenuous and inefficient than it needed to be, the exceptionally hardware-rich test program appears to have begun to show fruit, with the sixth engine built (SN06) passing its first tests without exhibiting signs of a problem that has plagued most of the five Raptors that came before it.

A Tweet from Elon on the rocket engine development process:

*** Starship launch facility development underway: SpaceX’s Starship/Super Heavy rocket needs a launch pad and work is already starting – Teslarati

*** An update presentation from Elon on Starship program tentatively set for late July:

*** Assembly of the Starhopper and two orbital Starship demonstrators appear to be moving along:

*** A fire at the Cocoa Beach facility wasn’t too serious apparently:

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Space 2.0: How Private Spaceflight, a Resurgent NASA,
and International Partners are Creating a New Space Age

Activism, Space Policy

Space policy roundup – July.8.2019

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:

** BGen. Whale – Canada Should Consider a National Space Council and Support Launch Capability – SpaceQ

** July 2, 2019 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast | Behind The Black

** Wed, 07/03/2019 – Hotel Mars with John Batchelor & Dr. David Livingston – Space historian Dr. Roger Launius talked about the  Apollo era and his new book, Apollo’s Legacy: Perspectives on the Moon Landings.

 

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Safe Is Not an Option

Everyone can participate in space