LAST ANTARES ROCKET USING RUSSIAN, UKRAINIAN PARTS LAUNCHES SPACE STATION CARGO - The mission, designated NG-19, is part of NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program and marks roughly a decade of missions for Northrop Grumman. The company first flew a Cygnus spacecraft to the ISS on the Orbital-D1 mission on Sept. 18, 2013. The Cygnus spacecraft loaded with more than 3,700 kg. (8,200 lbs.) of cargo for the ISS. The manifest includes hardware to support about 40 different science experiments that will be conducted both by the crew members on board the space station as well as on the Cygnus itself. The Antares rocket lifted off the Cygnus cargo craft bound for the International Space Station on Tuesday after a trouble-free countdown. Cygnus was successfully placed in orbit about nine minutes after launch. It is due to berth at the space station on Friday.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Aug 2)

WATCH THE NEXT ANTARES NASA CARGO RESUPPLY LAUNCH FROM WALLOPS - The next Antares launch is scheduled for 8:31 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, Aug. 1, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s Pad 0A on Wallops Island, Virginia. The evening launch may be visible, weather permitting, to residents throughout the mid-Atlantic region and possibly the East Coast of the United States. This will be Northrop Grumman’s 19th commercial resupply services mission for NASA, delivering science investigations, supplies and equipment to the International Space Station.    More
(Source: NASA - Aug 1)

PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY FOR UPCOMING CARGO DELIVERY - The Expedition 69 crew is gearing up for a cargo delivery to the International Space Station this week. Health investigations and spacesuit surveys were also conducted today. NASA astronauts Woody Hoburg and Frank Rubio spent most of their day preparing for Friday’s capture of Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft. The duo completed another robotics practice session of Cygnus berthing and capture in the morning, followed by a practice of grapple procedures in the Cupola using the station’s robotic arm, Canadarm2, in the afternoon.   More
(Source: NASA - Aug 1)

SPACEX LAUNCHES LONG-AWAITED HUGHES JUPITER 3 SATELLITE - Hughes Network Systems’ long-awaited Jupiter 3 satellite is finally on its way to orbit after a late Friday night SpaceX launch. SpaceX launched Jupiter 3 on a Falcon Heavy mission from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:05 p.m. on July 28. The satellite was deployed three hours and 28 minutes after lift-off, and Hughes confirmed a successful launch and solar ray deployment.   More
(Source: Via Satellite - Aug 1)

CHINA BOOSTS ITS PROJECT GW SATELLITE RIVAL TO COMPETE WITH ELON MUSK’S STARLINK - A Chinese space scientist has revealed more details about China’s 13,000-satellite project, which aims to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink. Project GW is “forging ahead in an orderly manner”, according to Qu Wei, an aerothermal expert from the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics in Beijing.   More
(Source: South China Morning Post - Aug 1)

ROCKET LAB ELECTRON ABORTS LAUNCH IN FINAL SECONDS - In a launch market dominated by SpaceX, Rocket Lab continues to cement its place in the orbital delivery landscape with plans for the 40th launch of its Electon rocket early Sunday. Liftoff of the small-satellite launcher has been rescheduled for 0700 UTC (7 p.m. New Zealand time/3 a.m. EDT) from Rocket Lab’s Pad B on Launch Complex 1 at Mahia, New Zealand. Electron is carrying its 171st satellite to date, Acadia 1, the first of four new radar-imaging satellites for Earth observation company, Capella Space. The mission is named “We Love the Nightlife” for the satellite’s ability to make observations day and night.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Aug 1)

HISDESAT WILL LAUNCH THE FIRST SATELLITE OF THE SPAINSAT NG PROGRAMME NEXT SUMMER - Hisdesat, the Spanish government satellite operator, has announced that the first satellite in the SPAINSAT NG programme, SpainSat NG-I, will be ready for launch in summer of 2024 after confirming that the programme is making good progress. The US company Space X will be in charge of launching the Spanish satellite into orbit with a Falcon 9 launcher, from its base at Cape Canaveral or from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. One of the key components that make these satellites so innovative is the active antenna system, developed by Airbus Defence and Space in Spain, which will provide secure and reliable communications for the Spanish Armed Forces and other government agencies.   More
(Source: SpaceRef - Aug 1)

L-48 FORECAST: STILL 80% FAVORABLE FOR ANTARES LAUNCH - The Wallops Range 48-hour forecast issued today for the Tuesday, Aug. 1, launch of Northrop Grumman’s 19th resupply mission to the International Space Station continues to keep weather at 80% favorable, with a slight chance of cumulus clouds being the main weather concern. NASA commercial cargo provider Northrop Grumman is targeting 8:31 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Aug. 1, for the launch.   More
(Source: NASA - Jul 31)

CREW DRAGON, SOYUZ MISSIONS SET FOR LAUNCHES TO ISS - Two crewed missions remain on track to launch to the International Space Station over the next month and a half after addressing technical issues that included a Soyuz coolant leak. At a July 25 briefing, NASA officials said they are planning the launch of the Crew-7 mission to the ISS no earlier than Aug. 17. That mission, on a Crew Dragon spacecraft, was scheduled for Aug. 15 but pushed back two days to allow sufficient time to change over Launch Complex 39A from Falcon Heavy to Falcon 9.   More
(Source: SpaceNews - Jul 31)

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