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.
Now available in hardback and paperback as well as ebook!
From the press release: In this ground-breaking new history of early America, historian Robert Zimmerman not only exposes the lie behind The New York Times 1619 Project that falsely claims slavery is central to the history of the United States, he also provides profound lessons about the nature of human societies, lessons important for Americans today as well as for all future settlers on Mars and elsewhere in space.
Conscious Choice: The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space, is a riveting page-turning story that documents how slavery slowly became pervasive in the southern British colonies of North America, colonies founded by a people and culture that not only did not allow slavery but in every way were hostile to the practice.
Conscious Choice does more however. In telling the tragic history of the Virginia colony and the rise of slavery there, Zimmerman lays out the proper path for creating healthy societies in places like the Moon and Mars.
“Zimmerman’s ground-breaking history provides every future generation the basic framework for establishing new societies on other worlds. We would be wise to heed what he says.” —Robert Zubrin, founder of founder of the Mars Society.
All editions are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all book vendors, with the ebook priced at $5.99 before discount. The ebook can also be purchased direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit, in which case you don't support the big tech companies and I get a bigger cut much sooner.
Autographed printed copies are also available at discount directly from me (hardback $24.95; paperback $14.95; Shipping cost for either: $5.00). Just email me at zimmerman @ nasw dot org.
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.
Now available in hardback and paperback as well as ebook!
From the press release: In this ground-breaking new history of early America, historian Robert Zimmerman not only exposes the lie behind The New York Times 1619 Project that falsely claims slavery is central to the history of the United States, he also provides profound lessons about the nature of human societies, lessons important for Americans today as well as for all future settlers on Mars and elsewhere in space.
Conscious Choice: The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space, is a riveting page-turning story that documents how slavery slowly became pervasive in the southern British colonies of North America, colonies founded by a people and culture that not only did not allow slavery but in every way were hostile to the practice.
Conscious Choice does more however. In telling the tragic history of the Virginia colony and the rise of slavery there, Zimmerman lays out the proper path for creating healthy societies in places like the Moon and Mars.
“Zimmerman’s ground-breaking history provides every future generation the basic framework for establishing new societies on other worlds. We would be wise to heed what he says.” —Robert Zubrin, founder of founder of the Mars Society.
All editions are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all book vendors, with the ebook priced at $5.99 before discount. The ebook can also be purchased direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit, in which case you don't support the big tech companies and I get a bigger cut much sooner.
Autographed printed copies are also available at discount directly from me (hardback $24.95; paperback $14.95; Shipping cost for either: $5.00). Just email me at zimmerman @ nasw dot org.
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?