August 14, 2023 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- Safran, Terran Orbital to explore joint production of satellite propulsion systems
- BWXT to begin work on cislunar nuclear rocket engine and fuel
These two stories are from June and July. Though I thought I had covered them, I can’t find them on BtB. They both illustrate the growing diversification occurring within the new commercial space industry.
- Australian company Hypersonix wins contract to build 20 scramjet test vehicles for hypersonic test flights
The vehicles are for a U.S. company, Kratos, which is doing hypersonic test flights for the Pentagon.
- Sierra Space wins $22 million Pentagon contract to develop upper stage rocket engine
The new engine is based on Sierra’s Vortex engine that has already been successfully tested, and uses hydrogen as its fuel.
- Luna-25 successfully completed its last mid-course correction burn today
It will enter lunar orbit in two days, with the landing tentatively planned for August 21.
- First photos from Luna-25 released
Taken yesterday, the images confirm the camera and spacecraft are functioning as planned.
- Another image from China’s Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter
The region of fissures shown, Sacra Sulci, is part of Kasei Valles, one the long valleys draining Mars’ giant volcanoes. See this post from May 2021 for more information.
- Rocket Lab will use the facility it obtained from the Virgin Orbit bankruptcy for scaling up production of its new Neutron rocket
The facility will mainly be used to build Neutron’s Archimedes engines. The target date for first launch of Neutron remains 2024.
- A list of the major meteor showers each year
Also includes an interesting animation showing the debris trail and orbit of the Perseid meteor shower, which comes from Comet Swift-Tuttle.
Readers!
Every February I run a fund-raising drive during my birthday month. This year I celebrate my 72nd birthday, and hope and plan to continue writing and posting on Behind the Black for as long as I am able.
I hope my readers will support this effort. As I did in my November fund-raising drive, I am offering autographed copies of my books for large donations. Donate $250 and you can have a choice of the hardback of either Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8 or Conscious Choice: The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space. Donate $200 and you can get an autographed paperback copy of either. IMPORTANT! If you donate enough to get a book, please email me separately to tell me which book you want and the address to mail it to.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- Safran, Terran Orbital to explore joint production of satellite propulsion systems
- BWXT to begin work on cislunar nuclear rocket engine and fuel
These two stories are from June and July. Though I thought I had covered them, I can’t find them on BtB. They both illustrate the growing diversification occurring within the new commercial space industry.
- Australian company Hypersonix wins contract to build 20 scramjet test vehicles for hypersonic test flights
The vehicles are for a U.S. company, Kratos, which is doing hypersonic test flights for the Pentagon.
- Sierra Space wins $22 million Pentagon contract to develop upper stage rocket engine
The new engine is based on Sierra’s Vortex engine that has already been successfully tested, and uses hydrogen as its fuel.
- Luna-25 successfully completed its last mid-course correction burn today
It will enter lunar orbit in two days, with the landing tentatively planned for August 21.
- First photos from Luna-25 released
Taken yesterday, the images confirm the camera and spacecraft are functioning as planned.
- Another image from China’s Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter
The region of fissures shown, Sacra Sulci, is part of Kasei Valles, one the long valleys draining Mars’ giant volcanoes. See this post from May 2021 for more information.
- Rocket Lab will use the facility it obtained from the Virgin Orbit bankruptcy for scaling up production of its new Neutron rocket
The facility will mainly be used to build Neutron’s Archimedes engines. The target date for first launch of Neutron remains 2024.
- A list of the major meteor showers each year
Also includes an interesting animation showing the debris trail and orbit of the Perseid meteor shower, which comes from Comet Swift-Tuttle.
Readers!
Every February I run a fund-raising drive during my birthday month. This year I celebrate my 72nd birthday, and hope and plan to continue writing and posting on Behind the Black for as long as I am able.
I hope my readers will support this effort. As I did in my November fund-raising drive, I am offering autographed copies of my books for large donations. Donate $250 and you can have a choice of the hardback of either Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8 or Conscious Choice: The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space. Donate $200 and you can get an autographed paperback copy of either. IMPORTANT! If you donate enough to get a book, please email me separately to tell me which book you want and the address to mail it to.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
FYI, I picked up a copy of When the Heavens Went on Sale, by Ashlee Vance. About 1/3 of the way through.
His style is different, and a little distracting at first. But you will here some familiar notes in his theme.