November 12, 2024 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay. This post is also an open thread. I welcome my readers to post any comments or additional links relating to any space issues, even if unrelated to the links below.
Some of these stories would have normally gotten a full post. I post them now for completeness.
- NASA extends ISS cargo contracts through 2030
The companies involved are SpaceX, Northrop Grumman, and Sierra Space.
- Smithsonian discovers the many Juno images processed by citizen scientists
Some great stuff, similar to the many Juno images I’ve posted here for years.
- Brazil and China negotiating a deal to allow a Chinese satellite pseudo-company to work in Brazil
No deal has yet been signed.
- A look at Russia’s new proposal to build a copycat SpaceX Grasshopper
As I noted last week, this project is hardly to be taken seriously, as are all new Russian space projects. Almost none are ever built or flown.
- Graphic of the propulsion system planned (key word) for Russia’s Orel next-generation capsule
It might fly, but it is years behind schedule.
- Next Ariane-6 launch delayed from December to February 2025
The press release hides the real reason: the upper stage on the first flight failed to complete its mission, failing to fire for a controlled re-entry.
- Animation of the proposed cargo capsule from a Chinese pseudo-company
The capsule is a copycat revision of either Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser or Boeing’s X-37B.
- Chinese pseudo-company Landspace claims a launch cost for its Zhuque-2 and Zhuque-3 rockets will be less than RMB50k/kg and 30k/kg (about $7k/kg & $4k/kg)
Jay: “Falcon-9 is still cheaper at $3k/kg and Falcon heavy is below $2k/kg.”
- Several powerpoint slides describing China’s Chang’e-8 mission to the Moon
The slides are not translated, and provide a limited amount of information.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay. This post is also an open thread. I welcome my readers to post any comments or additional links relating to any space issues, even if unrelated to the links below.
Some of these stories would have normally gotten a full post. I post them now for completeness.
- NASA extends ISS cargo contracts through 2030
The companies involved are SpaceX, Northrop Grumman, and Sierra Space.
- Smithsonian discovers the many Juno images processed by citizen scientists
Some great stuff, similar to the many Juno images I’ve posted here for years.
- Brazil and China negotiating a deal to allow a Chinese satellite pseudo-company to work in Brazil
No deal has yet been signed.
- A look at Russia’s new proposal to build a copycat SpaceX Grasshopper
As I noted last week, this project is hardly to be taken seriously, as are all new Russian space projects. Almost none are ever built or flown.
- Graphic of the propulsion system planned (key word) for Russia’s Orel next-generation capsule
It might fly, but it is years behind schedule.
- Next Ariane-6 launch delayed from December to February 2025
The press release hides the real reason: the upper stage on the first flight failed to complete its mission, failing to fire for a controlled re-entry.
- Animation of the proposed cargo capsule from a Chinese pseudo-company
The capsule is a copycat revision of either Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser or Boeing’s X-37B.
- Chinese pseudo-company Landspace claims a launch cost for its Zhuque-2 and Zhuque-3 rockets will be less than RMB50k/kg and 30k/kg (about $7k/kg & $4k/kg)
Jay: “Falcon-9 is still cheaper at $3k/kg and Falcon heavy is below $2k/kg.”
- Several powerpoint slides describing China’s Chang’e-8 mission to the Moon
The slides are not translated, and provide a limited amount of information.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
At least the Russian PowerPoint and model building industries are in healthy shape.
Space Command back to Alabama?
https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/trump-expected-to-move-space-command-headquarters-out-of-colorado-in-his-first-week/article_16853811-30a5-5b55-9fc0-ea3064f49ee1.html
Buzz – First Selfie in space?
The Russians are late in copying Musk—but they did look at winged fly backs.:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baikal_(rocket_booster)
They even had a concept that was to come back rather like Starship:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UsexpkG1_Wg