April 29, 2026 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.
- Astroforge touts the successful test of a new thruster “with our avionics and flight hardware at all planned power levels”
They also tested its ability to gimbal.
- China touts its new factory for mass producing its Kinetica-2 (Lijian-2) rocket
The rocket is built by the pseudo-company CAS Space, which is entirely owned by one of China’s government space agencies.
- In April 1965, the U.S. launched its first and only space reactor into space
SNAP-10A was a sodium-potassium-cooled fast reactor for powering satellites.
- 25 years ago today, Dennis Tito became the first space tourist, launching aboard a Soyuz capsule
Tito paid the Russians $20 million for his nearly eight-day spaceflight, six days of which were on ISS. NASA officials initially objected, opposed to the idea of allowing capitalism and freedom on the station, but had to back down because the Russians insisted such ideas were viable and should be supported.
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 or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. 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.
- Astroforge touts the successful test of a new thruster “with our avionics and flight hardware at all planned power levels”
They also tested its ability to gimbal.
- China touts its new factory for mass producing its Kinetica-2 (Lijian-2) rocket
The rocket is built by the pseudo-company CAS Space, which is entirely owned by one of China’s government space agencies.
- In April 1965, the U.S. launched its first and only space reactor into space
SNAP-10A was a sodium-potassium-cooled fast reactor for powering satellites.
- 25 years ago today, Dennis Tito became the first space tourist, launching aboard a Soyuz capsule
Tito paid the Russians $20 million for his nearly eight-day spaceflight, six days of which were on ISS. NASA officials initially objected, opposed to the idea of allowing capitalism and freedom on the station, but had to back down because the Russians insisted such ideas were viable and should be supported.
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 or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. 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 big step for carbon-fiber latticework via “3D node winding:”
https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-ultralight-carbon-fiber-lattices-aluminum.html
Artificial muscles
https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-programmable-3d-filaments-mimic-artificial.html
The Kinetica-2 rocket, in size, is a sort of modestly scaled-down Falcon Heavy. Its engines are kerolox and roughly comparable in sea-level thrust to Merlin 1-Ds. But there are only three on each booster core so the vehicle has just a smidge less take-off thrust than a Falcon 9. It has just over half of Falcon 9’s expendable payload capacity to LEO because it has 14% more dry mass than a Falcon 9.
The initial model is entirely expendable, though recovery of the three booster cores is supposed to be worked into the design by next year sometime. What its payload capacity to LEO will be in recoverable trim is a number I have been unable to find.
There is also a “Heavy” version planned with four side boosters clustered around the center core in cruciform fashion. There are no performance numbers for this version that I can find. This variant will supposedly make its debut in 2028.
At least the PRC plans to continue the tradition of the Korolev Cross started by the Russian R-7. By 2028 there is a decent probability that the Russians will no longer be able to do that themselves.
I am not sure why anyone would find value in continuing the “Korolev Cross” tradition, as it is simply a brief visual manifestation of four side-boosters separating simultaneously.
The use of side-boosters is itself an outgrowth of the R-7’s historical approach to controlling combustion instability, by using multiple smaller engines, with multiple smaller nozzles per engine.
So the obvious question is, do the 33 engines of the Superheavy represent a similar compromise? Arguably not:
1. They are single combustion chamber, full/flow engines.
2. They have significantly higher ISP and thrust/ weight ratios.
3. Their scale seems to be driven more by economic manufacturability and vehicle design flexibility considerations (ability to use in both Superheavy and in Starship).
FYI: Isaacman on Pluto as a planet:
https://www.space.com/astronomy/pluto/nasa-chief-jared-isaacman-says-hes-fighting-for-pluto-i-am-very-much-in-the-camp-of-make-pluto-a-planet-again
Ray Van Dune,
There is no practical value to a Korolev Cross, it’s just an aesthetically pleasing sight. But it is, admittedly, a sight that will soon be entirely consigned to vintage video footage. The descendants of R-7 will not outlast Russia and Russia is rapidly bleeding out.
The Ariane 64 produces a Korolev Cross at booster separation. It’s a pity the one produced by the launch of 32 satellites for the Amazon Leo constellation this morning was not more visible from the ground. The Ariane 6 has a decidedly problematical future as well.
And then there’s this putative Kinetica-2 Heavy from the PRC – when and if. The PRC is also not exactly in the bloom of good health these days and my observation about Russia applies to the PRC also.
Fans of live Korolev Crosses will likely have to get their fill by the early 2030s at the latest.
There could very well be a use for strap-ons to fold out with membranes in a shuttlecock configuration for slowing and re-used.
Take a look at Slide-Glide Cyclides on YouTube
The cone boosters might lend themselves to shuttlecock designs
I see Candace Owens thinks NASA is satanic c over solids…sigh
Ray Van Dune,
Another aspect to the use of 33 Raptor engines is the ability to land the booster without the “hover-slam” maneuver. They use the word “hover,” but the Falcon 9 cannot do so, as its Merlin engines have too much thrust even at their lowest thrust level. Using more engines on Super Heavy, rather than fewer, allows for lower thrust per engine and thus a much more controlled and slower approach to the tower’s catching “chopsticks.”
Jeff Wright,
I quit paying any attention to Candace Owens after she went nuts.