January 20, 2023 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- Though next Soyuz capsule will be launched unmanned, astronaut Oleg Kononenko completed training to fly it alone with cargo
No surprise here. The Russians clearly want to be prepared for all contingencies.
- Another Chinese pseudo-company, Orienspace, unveils its proposed rockets
The first is a solid fueled smallsat rocket, targeting a first launch in 2023. The second appears to be a variation of a Falcon 9, targeting a first launch in 2025. The third is a Falcon Heavy copy targeting a 2030 launch.
- China shows off model of Long March 10, which appears to be a replacement for the Long March 5
It is nothing more than a display model, so there isn’t yet much reality here.
- SpaceX gets FCC license for launching Starship/Superheavy from Boca Chica
The license covers the time period from January 20, 2023 to July 20, 2023. This is not the launch license, however, which still has to be issued by the FAA. That the FCC has given the go-ahead however increases the pressure on the FAA to do so as well.
- ESA chief proposes global “zero debris” policy at World Economic Forum
How nice of him. Considering that it is government agencies like ESA, not private companies, that are the worst offenders in this matter, he might consider looking to his own glass house before throwing rocks at others.
- ESA’s Jupiter orbiter Juice ready for shipment to French Guiana for launch in April 2023
More info here.
- Florida makes believe it doesn’t care that Terran Orbital won’t build a satellite factory there
Florida’s space business might be booming, but that doesn’t mean the loss of this company is irrelevant.
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 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.
- Though next Soyuz capsule will be launched unmanned, astronaut Oleg Kononenko completed training to fly it alone with cargo
No surprise here. The Russians clearly want to be prepared for all contingencies.
- Another Chinese pseudo-company, Orienspace, unveils its proposed rockets
The first is a solid fueled smallsat rocket, targeting a first launch in 2023. The second appears to be a variation of a Falcon 9, targeting a first launch in 2025. The third is a Falcon Heavy copy targeting a 2030 launch.
- China shows off model of Long March 10, which appears to be a replacement for the Long March 5
It is nothing more than a display model, so there isn’t yet much reality here.
- SpaceX gets FCC license for launching Starship/Superheavy from Boca Chica
The license covers the time period from January 20, 2023 to July 20, 2023. This is not the launch license, however, which still has to be issued by the FAA. That the FCC has given the go-ahead however increases the pressure on the FAA to do so as well.
- ESA chief proposes global “zero debris” policy at World Economic Forum
How nice of him. Considering that it is government agencies like ESA, not private companies, that are the worst offenders in this matter, he might consider looking to his own glass house before throwing rocks at others.
- ESA’s Jupiter orbiter Juice ready for shipment to French Guiana for launch in April 2023
More info here.
- Florida makes believe it doesn’t care that Terran Orbital won’t build a satellite factory there
Florida’s space business might be booming, but that doesn’t mean the loss of this company is irrelevant.
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 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
The FCC license is of course for the communication channels to be used in Starship testing. Given the recent assertions of regulatory power over spaceflight emanating from FCC bureaucrats, I was worried that this might be used to claim some further authority. I am happy to be proven wrong, for now.
Bob, we are at 92 consecutive LANDINGS for falcon 9 if I counted correctly. It’s incredible! Yet no fanfare. Is everyone waiting for 100 to talk about this?
“…92 consecutive LANDINGS for falcon 9…”
Not bad for a broomstick, eh Dmitry? And keep your head down.
Right under the the China twitter, I noticed this:
https://twitter.com/TheRealBuzz/status/1616600085441159168
Wow—I guess life begins at 90…..I won’t make it to 60.
Jeff.
I bet she feels he hung the Moon.
Or is she simply over the Moon for him?