SPACEWALK SNAFU: ASTRONAUTS LOSE TOOL BAG IN ORBITAL OOPSY - NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara concluded their spacewalk today at 2:47 p.m. EST after 6 hours and 42 minutes. Their spacewalk began at 8:05 a.m. Moghbeli, designated extravehicular crew member 1 (EV1), was wearing a suit with red stripes. O’Hara, designated extravehicular crew member 2 (EV 2), was in an unmarked suit.   More
(Source: scitechdaily.com - Nov 6)

TWO KOREAS RACE TO LAUNCH FIRST HOMEGROWN MILITARY SPY SATELLITES - In a high-stakes race, South and North Korea are vying for success in launching their first homegrown military spy satellites, backed respectively by the United States and Russia, as a pivotal initiative aimed at enhancing their military capabilities. The South Korean military is set to launch its domestically-developed reconnaissance satellite on Nov. 30 from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, South Korea’s new Defense Minister Shin Won-sik said Friday during his meeting with reporters.   More
(Source: https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20231105000108 - Nov 6)

SPACEX FALCON 9 ROCKET LAUNCHES ON RECORD-BREAKING 18TH MISSION - SpaceX broke its own rocket-reuse record on Friday (Nov. 3). A Falcon 9 rocket launched 23 of SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites to orbit from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 8:37 p.m. EDT (0047 GMT on Nov. 4). It was the unprecedented 18th mission for this Falcon 9's first stage, according to a SpaceX mission description.   More
(Source: Space.com - Nov 4)

NASA OPEN TO EXTENDING ISS BEYOND 2030 - A NASA official opened the door to keeping the International Space Station in operation beyond 2030 if commercial space stations are not yet ready to take over by the end of the decade. Speaking at the Beyond Earth Symposium here Nov. 2, Ken Bowersox, NASA associate administrator for space operations, said it was “not mandatory” to retire the ISS as currently planned at the end of the decade depending on the progress companies are making on commercial stations.   More
(Source: SpaceNews - Nov 4)

SPACEX, NASA DELAY CRS-29 CARGO LAUNCH TO INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION - The next cargo shipment to the International Space Station will wait on Earth two extra days. NASA and SpaceX have delayed the Cargo Dragon CRS-29 mission launch to the International Space Station to Tuesday (Nov. 7) at 9:16 p.m. EST (1316 GMT), agency officials wrote in an email update Thursday (Nov. 1). Space.com will carry the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch live, courtesy of NASA Television.   More
(Source: Space.com - Nov 3)

MIXED RESULTS FOR SPACEWALKERS AFTER TIME LOST DEALING WITH DIFFICULT-TO-LOOSEN BOLTS - Astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara worked outside the International Space Station Wednesday to replace a bearing assembly in one of the lab’s solar array rotation mechanisms. But the task took longer than expected and they were unable to retrieve a failed electronics box as planned. It was the first spacewalk for Moghbeli and O’Hara, the fourth all-female excursion and the first such outing since January 2020 when Jessica Meir and Christina Koch completed their third EVA, or extra-vehicular activity.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Nov 3)

HALLOWEEN ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION - Although no ghouls or goblins or trick-or-treaters come knocking at the International Space Station’s front hatch, crew members aboard the orbiting facility still like to get in the Halloween spirit. Whether individually or as an entire crew, they dress up in sometimes spooky, sometimes scary, but always creative costumes, often designed from materials available aboard the space station. Please enjoy the following scenes from Halloweens past even as we anticipate the costumes of the future.   More
(Source: NASA - Nov 3)

WATCH CHINA LAUNCH PAIR OF EARTH-MAPPING SATELLITES ON ITS 50TH LAUNCH OF 2023 - China launched what are likely a pair of partially classified mapping satellites late on Tuesday. A Long March 6A rocket lifted off into a twilit sky above the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center at 6:50 p.m. EDT on Oct. 31 (2250 GMT, or 6:50 a.m. Beijing Time on Nov. 1) carrying Tianhui-5 Earth-mapping satellites. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) announced launch success within an hour of launch, noting a single Tianhui satellite as the payload. This was echoed up via media reports.   More
(Source: Space.com - Nov 3)

SATELLITE COMPANIES MAY BE STARTING TO TAKE THE FIGHT AGAINST SPACE JUNK SERIOUSLY - French startup ThrustMe has announced a jump in orders for its innovative iodine-based propulsion systems for small satellites. The interest indicates a shift toward a more sustainable space environment, according to the company. ThrustMe has passed 200 orders, the company said in an Oct. 24 statement, representing a doubling of its order book within just four months. The company’s 4-inch-by-4-inch-by-4-inch (10 centimeters by 10 cm by 10 cm) NPT30-I2 electric thruster — which was first tested in 2020 and uses relatively cheap and abundant iodine, instead of the more exotic xenon — provides small satellites with autonomous maneuverability, helping them avoid collisions and to deorbit when the time comes.   More
(Source: Space.com - Nov 3)

Previous Next