Amateur/Student Satellite, Education, Space Systems

Student and amateur CubeSat news roundup – Jan.20.2019

A sampling of recent articles, press releases, etc. about student and amateur CubeSat / SmallSat projects and programs:

** On-Orbit Frequency Change Announced for UWE-4 CubeSat – ARRL.org

The Satellite Technology group at the University of Würzburg has announced a change of frequency for the UWE-4 CubeSat, launched on a December 27 Soyuz flight. The 1U CubeSat carries an electric propulsion experiment and a 70-centimeter 9.6 k AX.25 digipeater.

“After 2 weeks in orbit, UWE-4 is in very good shape,” the group reported. “After the early-orbit phase, we are looking forward to some interesting experiments with the attitude determination sensors and the propulsion system. Unfortunately, our uplink success rate is very poor, which currently prevents these experiments.”

** AMSAT news on student and amateur CubeSat/smallsat projects: ANS-020 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin

  • Knacksat in Safe Mode: Reports Needed
  • NEXUS Launch Update
  • OrigamiSat-1 Launch Update
  • AMSAT 50th Anniversary Awards Program
  • CubeSat Postdoc Job Opening at University of Arizona
  • CubeSat Training Offered April 23-25, 2019
  • Upcoming Satellite Launches Announced
  • Upcoming Satellite Operations
  • ARISS News
  • Shorts from All Over

General CubeSat/SmallSat info:

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Astronomy, General, SpaceCasts

Space webcasts roundup – Jan.19.2019

A sampling of recent space podcasts and videos:

** Episode T+107: Chris Gebhardt – Main Engine Cut Off – “Chris Gebhardt of NASASpaceflight joins me to talk all things SpaceX: Starship and its upcoming hopper tests, DM-1 and the government shutdown, and more.”

** The Space Show – Mon, 01/14/2019 – Dr. James Hansen, author of First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong, talked about ” both the new Revised Anniversary Edition of his great book “First Man” but also for his commentary on the 2018 big hit film by the same title”.

** Episode 192: DATA RELAY–Sea Dragon — The Orbital Mechanics Podcast – “Sea Dragon is the airship of rockets. It’s more realistic than you might expect, but there are some “hidden” reasons why it never took over the market.”

** Red Planet Review – Anniversary Episode – WeMartians Podcast

** Everyday Astronaut : “Launching an Entire Saturn V to the Moon (ft. Matt Lowne)”

** Scott Manley: “The Dire Consequences of Astronomy Education by Godlike Super Beings” –

** TMRO.tv Launch Minute report on recent rocket launches:

** “Gwynne Shotwell, the Woman Who Keeps SpaceX Alive”

** Reverse polarity Sun Spot – Say What? – Space Nuts with Dr. Fred Watson & Andrew Dunkley

** January 15, 2018 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast | Behind The Black

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Rockets, Space business

Space access: New Shepard test date set + Latest from Vector, Relativity Space, Firefly, & RocketStar

Some rocket news:

** Blue Origin announces a New Shepard test flight on Monday, Jan. 21st :

** Vector Launch update – Bob Zimmerman reports on a tour of the Vector rocket factory and an update on the company’s development and test launch plans Making smallsat rockets at Vector | Behind The Black:

Cantrell then outlined their launch schedule beyond this. If all goes well, they hope to make their first launch to orbit in June, followed by launches in August, October (two), and December. When I told him I would not be surprised if this schedule did not happen, he readily agreed. Like Rocket Lab, these first launches are tests, and when you do tests, you must not be surprised if things to go wrong. Like Rocket Lab however Cantrell is confident they will quickly figure out any issues and move forward.

His confidence seems reasonable, based on the significant capital the company has raised, and based on what I saw during his tour….

** Relativity Space awarded lease of a legacy launch facility at Cape Canaveral:

Forbes:

Los Angeles-based Relativity Space, which is working to develop 3D-printed rockets, announced Thursday that it won a competitive bidding process with the United States Air Force to build and operate Launch Complex 16 (LC-16) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The company says it will launch its first rocket from the site in 2020.

This agreement makes Relativity only the fourth commercial space station to operate at the iconic launch site, after United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin and SpaceX. Assuming that certain contractual milestones are set, Relativity could potentially maintain exclusive use of the site for 20 years.

“LC-16 is a historic site,” Relativity cofounder and Under 30 alumnus Tim Ellis told Forbes. “A lot of programs went through here. It was initially developed for Titan missile launches, then it was used during the Gemini program for NASA and was also used to test components for the Apollo program. And so there’s a really amazing historical significance.”

** Firefly Aerospace reportedly will build a factory and launch facility at Cape Canaveral: Firefly Aerospace is behind Florida rocket project: sources | Reuters

Firefly Aerospace Inc, a resurgent rocket company founded by a former SpaceX engineer, plans to build a factory and launch site at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Spaceport in a $52 million deal, people familiar with the project said on Wednesday.

** RocketStar suborbital rocket test will launch from a floating platform off Cape Canaveral on Feb. 7th:

** A new New Glenn animation preview video was released this week by Blue and it shows some changes to the design such as a wider fairing:

Debuting from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral, Florida in 2021, New Glenn will serve commercial, civil and national security customers from around the world. Featuring a 7 meter fairing with more than 2X the available volume of any rocket flying today and twin BE-3U engines powering the most capable upper stage in the market, New Glenn can launch the full range of satellite payloads. Seven reusable BE-4 engines generating 3.85 million pounds of thrust power the first stage designed to launch 25 times and land safely down range on a moving ship. New Glenn is beginning to take shape at our state-of-the-art rocket factory. Visit us at www.blueorigin.com to learn more.

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Space Policy

Space policy roundup – Jan.17.2019

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:

** Iranian satellite launch attempt:

** Episode T+107: Chris Gebhardt – Main Engine Cut Off – “Chris Gebhardt of NASASpaceflight joins me to talk all things SpaceX: Starship and its upcoming hopper tests, DM-1 and the government shutdown, and more.”.

** January 11, 2018 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast | Behind The Black

** January 15, 2018 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast | Behind The Black

 

Rockets, Spaceflight & Parabolic Flight

Videos: New Shepard flight history + “Moon, the Eighth Continent” + “Coin Operated”

Today Blue Origin posted this video compilation of highlights of the test flights of the New Shepard:

From the caption:

The more we fly the better we get. Safety and reliability are paramount. Our rigorous test program with New Shepard is putting the vehicle through the paces. We have successfully completed several crew capsule escape tests showing that our astronauts will be safe in any phase of flight. In addition to our test program, our payloads program is driving more flights of the system as we iterate on operations and technology in preparation for human spaceflight. All the learnings from the New Shepard program are being flowed into New Glenn development as we scale up our capabilities to serve the orbital market. Visit us at www.blueorigin.com to learn more.

Another flight is expected to happen very soon.

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Moon, the Eighth Continent – A documentary about government and private efforts around the world to revitalize exploration of the Moon and to establish human bases and settlements there. (In French with English subtitles):

Major space agencies, and a few billionaires, are now launching a new space race to the moon. It’s the first step before heading to Mars.

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An entertaining story of one guy’s lifelong pursuit of a ride to the Moon: Coin Operated on Vimeo

Written & Directed by Nicholas Arioli

Coin Operated is an award winning 5 minute short animation that spans 70 years in the life of one naive explorer. This film was proudly made by independent artists.

Facebook – facebook.com/CoinOperatedFilm

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Einstein’s Monsters: The Life and Times of Black Holes

Everyone can participate in space