May 8, 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.
This is late because I was stuck in a doctor’s office for an extra two hours because the idiots misplaced my file. (Ain’t it great how Obamacare digitized all medical records so they would never get lost?)
- Startup Interlune unveils fullscale prototype of its planned lunar excavator
The company also announced it has a contract with the Department of Energy to deliver lunar helium-3 to the agency by April 2029. Exciting, but it all relies on Starship getting built and flying.
- French article [translated by Google] says China has abandoned its plan to send Tianwen-4 to Uranus after flying past Jupiter; Instead it will focus on Jupiter’s moon Calisto
Target launch date is 2030.
- Long March 12 launch scrubbed, rocket rolled back to assembly building
Jay says there are rumors it had “failures during fueling.”
- Updated prediction for uncontrolled re-entry of 1972 Soviet Venera lander now targets May 10th
The margin of error is still large, almost 9 hours before or after, which essentially means there is as yet no way to predict where it will fall.
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.
This is late because I was stuck in a doctor’s office for an extra two hours because the idiots misplaced my file. (Ain’t it great how Obamacare digitized all medical records so they would never get lost?)
- Startup Interlune unveils fullscale prototype of its planned lunar excavator
The company also announced it has a contract with the Department of Energy to deliver lunar helium-3 to the agency by April 2029. Exciting, but it all relies on Starship getting built and flying.
- French article [translated by Google] says China has abandoned its plan to send Tianwen-4 to Uranus after flying past Jupiter; Instead it will focus on Jupiter’s moon Calisto
Target launch date is 2030.
- Long March 12 launch scrubbed, rocket rolled back to assembly building
Jay says there are rumors it had “failures during fueling.”
- Updated prediction for uncontrolled re-entry of 1972 Soviet Venera lander now targets May 10th
The margin of error is still large, almost 9 hours before or after, which essentially means there is as yet no way to predict where it will fall.