July 1, 2025 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.
- Rocket Lab completes design review of its 18-satellite communications constellation for the Space Force
The military is considering canceling this program and going with SpaceX’s Starshield constellation instead, but that decision has not been made.
- Progress undocks from ISS in preparation of arrival of new Progress on July 3, 2025
It will be de-orbited to burn up over the Pacific Ocean.
- Another Chinese pseudo-company, Space Transportation, proposes a new rocket
The video shows the first stage landing on a net, without landing legs. To Jay (and myself) the net more resembled a trampoline. Like a lot of these Chinese pseudo-companies, it is dangerous to take any of this seriously.
- China announces creation of the International Deep Space Exploration Association (IDSEA)
This is another attempt by China to build an international alliance in space, with it in the lead. It is hard to say how many others will join. Its lunar base alliance has not garnered a large number of nations.
- Time-lapse showing yesterday’s docking and docking of China’s unmanned Shijian-25 and Shijian-21 servicing satellites
This appears to be the third docking, with at least one in which we think the former refueled the latter.
- On this day in 1976 the Air & Space Museum in DC opened
Apollo 11 astronaut Mike Collins was head of the museum at the time, and was instrumental in getting it established.
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.
- Rocket Lab completes design review of its 18-satellite communications constellation for the Space Force
The military is considering canceling this program and going with SpaceX’s Starshield constellation instead, but that decision has not been made.
- Progress undocks from ISS in preparation of arrival of new Progress on July 3, 2025
It will be de-orbited to burn up over the Pacific Ocean.
- Another Chinese pseudo-company, Space Transportation, proposes a new rocket
The video shows the first stage landing on a net, without landing legs. To Jay (and myself) the net more resembled a trampoline. Like a lot of these Chinese pseudo-companies, it is dangerous to take any of this seriously.
- China announces creation of the International Deep Space Exploration Association (IDSEA)
This is another attempt by China to build an international alliance in space, with it in the lead. It is hard to say how many others will join. Its lunar base alliance has not garnered a large number of nations.
- Time-lapse showing yesterday’s docking and docking of China’s unmanned Shijian-25 and Shijian-21 servicing satellites
This appears to be the third docking, with at least one in which we think the former refueled the latter.
- On this day in 1976 the Air & Space Museum in DC opened
Apollo 11 astronaut Mike Collins was head of the museum at the time, and was instrumental in getting it established.
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
A small but notable milestone. Expect it to be broken again before long!
“American companies launched 21 commercial space missions in June 2025, which was a new record for a single month, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
“The old record of 20 was set in November 2024.
“Operations during the record month include 21 launches conducted by four operators: Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, SpaceX and United Launch Alliance,” FAA officials said in an emailed statement.”
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/us-set-new-record-with-21-commercial-launches-in-june-faa-says
Alas, I do not have a copy of the emailed statement, or I would have linked it.