CHINA'S NEW SPACE CAPSULE LANDS SAFELY TO END 1ST UNCREWED TEST FLIGHT - China's next-generation crew capsule successfully returned to Earth today (May 8) after nearly three days in orbit. The capsule, which has not yet been named, launched on a Long March 5B rocket on May 5 on an uncrewed test flight that represents an important step toward China's goal of building a space station in orbit.   More
(Source: Space.com - May 11)

U.S. MILITARY TRACKING UNGUIDED RE-ENTRY OF LARGE CHINESE ROCKET - A Chinese rocket measuring around 100 feet long that launched earlier this month will likely plunge back into Earth’s atmosphere some time Monday, becoming the most massive object in decades to fall out of orbit in an uncontrolled manner. The core stage of China’s Long March 5B rocket is expected to fall back to Earth unguided after nearly a week in orbit. The Long March 5B rocket launched May 5 with a prototype for a next-generation Chinese crew capsule.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - May 11)

SPY SATELLITE LAUNCH ON DELTA 4-HEAVY ROCKET DELAYED TO AUGUST - The next flight of United Launch Alliance’s triple-barrel Delta 4-Heavy rocket has been delayed from June to late August, military officials said Friday. The heavy-lift rocket will carry a classified National Reconnaissance Office payload into orbit, likely targeting a geosynchronous station more than 22,000 miles (nearly 36,000 kilometers) over the equator, where the NRO operates surveillance satellites capable of eavesdropping on foreign communication signals.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - May 9)

SPACEX DESCRIBES EXACTLY HOW THEY'RE PLANNING TO MAKE STARLINK SATELLITES LESS VISIBLE FROM EARTH - In 2015, Elon Musk announced that his company, SpaceX, would be deploying satellites to orbit that would provide high-speed broadband internet access to the entire world. Known as Starlink, SpaceX began deploying this constellation in May of 2019 with the launch of the first 60 satellites. As of April 22, a total of 422 satellites have been added to the Starlink constellation, and the response hasn't been entirely positive.    More
(Source: Phys.org - May 9)

ARIANESPACE TO RESUME LAUNCH PREPARATIONS IN FRENCH GUIANA - Targeting a pair of satellite launches in June and July, ground teams will resume work at the Guiana Space Center in South America next week after a nearly two-month pause in Arianespace’s launch campaigns due to the coronavirus pandemic. Arianespace said engineers and technicians will start the “gradual resumption” of launch activities Monday, in line with measures introduced by the French government to allow for the loosening of a strict lockdown that halted much of the country’s business operations.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - May 8)

NASA WORKING WITH TOM CRUISE TO FILM MOVIE ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION - NASA said Tuesday it is working with Tom Cruise to film a movie on the International Space Station, but details on the arrangements are scarce. The news that Cruise was in talks with to shoot an action-adventure film on the space station was first reported Monday by Deadline, which said the actor is working with SpaceX on the project.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - May 7)

LONG MARCH 5B LAUNCH CLEARS PATH FOR CHINESE SPACE STATION PROJECT - A Long March 5B rocket launched a prototype crewed spacecraft Tuesday, demonstrating the launcher’s capability to carry space station modules to low Earth orbit. Liftoff took place at 6:00 a.m. Eastern from the coastal Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan island. Separation of four side boosters occurred around three minutes into the flight.   More
(Source: SpaceNews - May 7)

AIR FORCE ACADEMY SATELLITE TO LAUNCH ABOARD X-37B ORBITAL TEST VEHICLE - A satellite built by Air Force Academy cadets will launch into space May 16 aboard the X-37B, Orbital Test Vehicle sponsored by the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office and built by Boeing. This is the first time a satellite built and designed by cadets will catch a ride into space aboard the X-37B.   More
(Source: U.S. Air Force Academy - May 7)

RUSSIAN DOSAAF-85 (RS-44) AMATEUR RADIO SATELLITE TRANSPONDER NOW ACTIVE - The amateur radio linear transponder (SSB/CW) on the Russian DOSAAF-85 (RS-44) has been activated. Dmitry Pashkov, R4UAB, explains that RS-85 is a small scientific satellite built by specialists at Information Satellite Systems and students at Siberian State Aerospace University (SibSAU). The satellite’s name commemorates the 85th anniversary of the Voluntary Society for the Assistance to the Army, Aviation, and Navy (DOSAAF), the organization responsible for the military training of Soviet youth.   More
(Source: ARRL - May 7)

Previous Next