April 26, 2023 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- Interesting Twitter discussion about the Hakuto-R1 lunar landing failure
The most interesting comment, based on inconclusive and confusing data, is this: “From the Doppler profile, it looks like it descended, landed, then something went badly wrong and it accelerated back off the surface – just speculation based on radio obs.”
- ULA CEO Tory Bruno publishes paper outlining his thoughts on maintaining U.S. space assets agains attack
Bruno’s approach is very thoughtful and clearly presented. He concludes that the best approach is the one with the most variety, with both low and high orbit constellations providing communications and data. Why am I not surprised?
- The spacewalk plan to shift two solar panels on China’s Tiangong-3 space station to better locations
This effort is reminiscent of similar things the Russians did on both its Salyut and Mir stations.
- Rocket Lab says its preparations for two launches in New Zealand of NASA’s TROPICS satellites are on schedule
The first is scheduled for May 1, 2023 (New Zealand time), with the second on May 16th.
- Russia official extends its partnership on ISS until at least 2028
No surprise. What this really tells us is that Russia’s own space station is continuing to fall behind schedule, and will not be ready for launch by 2027, as previously predicted.
- Russia touts strength of Chinese-Russian space partnership by citing visit by official to China
Yeah, right. And I have a bridge in Brooklyn I’d like to sell you. The Chinese will make nice noises, but they know that they can expect nothing from Russia. If something shows up, great, but it would be dangerous to depend on it.
- For the first time since 2021, Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo (VSS Unity) completes a glide test flight
Their next goal is a powered flight with six crewmembers, targeting the second quarter of this year.
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.
- Interesting Twitter discussion about the Hakuto-R1 lunar landing failure
The most interesting comment, based on inconclusive and confusing data, is this: “From the Doppler profile, it looks like it descended, landed, then something went badly wrong and it accelerated back off the surface – just speculation based on radio obs.”
- ULA CEO Tory Bruno publishes paper outlining his thoughts on maintaining U.S. space assets agains attack
Bruno’s approach is very thoughtful and clearly presented. He concludes that the best approach is the one with the most variety, with both low and high orbit constellations providing communications and data. Why am I not surprised?
- The spacewalk plan to shift two solar panels on China’s Tiangong-3 space station to better locations
This effort is reminiscent of similar things the Russians did on both its Salyut and Mir stations.
- Rocket Lab says its preparations for two launches in New Zealand of NASA’s TROPICS satellites are on schedule
The first is scheduled for May 1, 2023 (New Zealand time), with the second on May 16th.
- Russia official extends its partnership on ISS until at least 2028
No surprise. What this really tells us is that Russia’s own space station is continuing to fall behind schedule, and will not be ready for launch by 2027, as previously predicted.
- Russia touts strength of Chinese-Russian space partnership by citing visit by official to China
Yeah, right. And I have a bridge in Brooklyn I’d like to sell you. The Chinese will make nice noises, but they know that they can expect nothing from Russia. If something shows up, great, but it would be dangerous to depend on it.
- For the first time since 2021, Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo (VSS Unity) completes a glide test flight
Their next goal is a powered flight with six crewmembers, targeting the second quarter of this year.
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
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