PRIVATE SPACE STATIONS ARE COMING. WILL THEY BE BETTER THAN THEIR PREDECESSORS? - A new era of space stations is about to kick off. NASA has announced three commercial space station proposals for development, joining an earlier proposal by Axiom Space. These proposals are the first attempts to create places for humans to live and work in space outside the framework of government space agencies. They’re part of what has been called “Space 4.0”, where space technology is driven by commercial opportunities. Many believe this is what it will take to get humans to Mars and beyond.    More
(Source: The Space Review - Dec 15)

CHINA LAUNCHES SECOND TIANLIAN II COMMUNICATION SATELLITE - China has launched the second satellite for the Tianlian II tracking and data relay series. This satellite enables communications between spacecraft and is part of the new series of Tianlian satellites, after the initial launch of the first Tianlian II in March of 2019. The liftoff occurred at 00:09 local time on December 14 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The launch vehicle was a Chang Zheng 3B/E and the launch was confirmed a success by the China National Space Administration (CNSA). The target orbit for the Tianlian satellites is a Geostationary Orbit (GEO).   More
(Source: NASASpaceFlight.com - Dec 14)

NASA SELECTS SECOND PRIVATE ASTRONAUT MISSION TO SPACE STATION - NASA has selected Axiom Space for the second private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. NASA will negotiate with Axiom on a mission order agreement for the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) targeted to launch between fall 2022 and late spring 2023. Ax-2 will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a mission of no more than 14 days docked to the space station. NASA and Axiom will negotiate in-orbit activities for the private astronauts to conduct in coordination with space station crew members and flight controllers on the ground. The Ax-2 mission concept includes scientific research and outreach activities.   More
(Source: NASA - Dec 14)

PROTON ROCKET LAUNCHES TWO RUSSIAN BROADCASTING SATELLITES - Two Russian telecommunications satellites are riding a Proton rocket and Breeze M upper stage into a high-altitude orbit after launch Monday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The mission took off at 7:07 a.m. EST (1207 GMT) Monday, and will last 18 hours from launch through separation of the final spacecraft, one of the longest ascents ever for a Russian rocket.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Dec 13)

FOR A FEW MINUTES ON DECEMBER 11, THERE WERE 19 PEOPLE IN SPACE — HIGHEST SO FAR - On December 11, the human population in space reached a record high number of 19, after six passengers blasted off into space aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket, as part of the NS-19 mission. The 19th New Shepard mission was suborbital, like previous crewed spaceflight missions of Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin. Previously, the human population in space reached a record high number of 14 on September 16, when four civilians reached Earth orbit as part of the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission.   More
(Source: ABP LIVE - ABP News - Dec 13)

PROTON ROCKET TO LAUNCH TWO RUSSIAN BROADCASTING SATELLITES MONDAY - Two Russian telecommunications satellites are ready to ride a Proton rocket and Breeze M upper stage into a high-altitude orbit after launch Monday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The mission is set for liftoff at 7:07 a.m. EST (1207 GMT) Monday, and will last 18 hours from launch through separation of the final spacecraft, one of the longest ascents ever for a Russian rocket. Russian teams previously planned to launch the mission Sunday, but discovered a technical issue with the Breeze M upper stage after rolling the Proton rocket to the launch pad at Baikonur on Dec. 9.    More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Dec 13)

SATELLITE IMAGES, EXPERT SUGGEST IRANIAN SPACE LAUNCH COMING - Iran appears to be preparing for a space launch as negotiations continue in Vienna over its tattered nuclear deal with world powers, according to an expert and satellite images. The likely blast off at Iran’s Imam Khomeini Spaceport comes as Iranian state media has offered a list of upcoming planned satellite launches in the works for the Islamic Republic’s civilian space program, which has been beset by a series of failed launches. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard runs its own parallel program that successfully put a satellite into orbit last year.   More
(Source: Politico - Dec 13)

ASTRA’S FIRST SATELLITE LAUNCH TO BE CONDUCTED FOR NASA FROM CAPE CANAVERAL’S SLC 46 IN JANUARY - Astra Space, Inc. (“Astra”) (Nasdaq: ASTR) plans to deploy their first satellite into orbit for NASA in January of 2022. The company’s first launch from Cape Canaveral will be conducted from Space Launch Complex 46 (SLC-46). Astra and Space Launch Delta 45, a part of the United States Space Force, enabled Astra to launch out of Cape Canaveral in record time – shortening the multi-year approval time to months.   More
(Source: SatNews - Dec 12)

SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S OCULUS OBSERVATORY HOSTS PASSIVE RADAR TO TRACK SPACE OBJECTS - South Australia’s Oculus Observatory, which opened Dec. 9, houses the first in a planned global network of passive radars to track objects in orbit. Located near the River Murray Dark Sky Reserve, the Oculus Observatory is designed to host multiple, complementary space surveillance sensors, said James Palmer CEO of Silentium Defence, the firm that designed, built and manages the Oculus Observatory.   More
(Source: SpaceNews - Dec 11)

Previous Next