June 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.
- Blue Origin confirms the remaining tower at the damaged LC-36 launchpad will be disassembled, segment by segment, for necessary repair
The company is pushing hard to resume launches. No word yet on the investigation into the explosion itself, or any fixes required.
- Video of the successful 200-second static fire test of rocket startup Launcher’s E-2 block 1 engine
Launcher is owned by the space station startup Vast.
- Hot Jupiter CoRoT-2b rotates backwards to its orbit
Lots of uncertainty here, without any doubt.
- Short video showing the mid-flight airdrop of China’s Mengzhou manned capsule
This capsule is equivalent to the Apollo capsule. The drop test, from the cargo hold of Chinese Air Force Y-20 transport aircraft, likely tested its parachute system.
- On June 29, 1961 Transit 4A was launched, the first satellite to use a radioactive power source
It was part of a four satellite navigational constellation for use by ships and aircraft.
- On June 28, 1965 Intelsat I (Early Bird) turned on, the first commercial communications satellite in geosynchronous orbit
It helped provide the first live TV coverage of Gemini 6 in December 1965.
- Video of the first shuttle docking to Russia’s Mir space station on June 29, 1995.
The docking was done manually by commander Robert “Hoot” Gipson, who narrates along with either Ellen Baker or Bonnie Dunbar.
- On its first four missions Columbia used modified Lockheed SR-71 ejection seats for the commander and pilot
The link shows a video of a ground test using a shuttle mock-up on a track. The ejection system was removed on later flights because it was mostly useless.
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
The big space news today is that Rocket Lab is acquiring Iridium. But I suspect our host is preparing a dedicated post on this development.
I’ve been doing more important stuff, like going to the gym and doing my knee PT. :)
I’ll get to it.
All that stuff’s more important, Bob! :) Stay healthy.
Some more history today: 51 years ago, Joe Engle won his astronaut wings, in style.
https://x.com/i/status/2071715193650831841
Joe would lose out on his chance to kick up regolith thanks to the cancellation of Apollo 18, but he would end up with the consolation prize of commanding two Shuttle missions
I’m getting at least one failure message on every comment I post over the past 24 hours or so. Sometimes the comment “takes” on the second try, but sometimes I get four or five such fails in a row before canceling the comment and re-starting the whole process. Even then, I still get at least one such failure message before the comment is accepted.
I also note that short and medium-length comments almost never appear in the thread right away, while longer ones are far more likely to. This has been true for some time. The recent failure messages are just an additional annoyance on top of this. I suspect Cloudflare is probably at the root of both of these difficulties.
I am forwarding your comment about the comment issues to my web guy. It seems his fix isn’t working as he hoped.
Even with “success” ✓ I get kicked out
For methalox
https://phys.org/news/2026-06-unexpected-pathway-climateneutral-methane-nickelzirconia.html
Antenna for smallsats
https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-antenna-array-tactical-satellite-communications.html
Your comments are often deleted before anyone sees them because you continue to break the rules. I have told you repeatedly that I will not allow more than two links from these sources per post. You keep trying to sneak around that rule.
“Even with “success” ✓ I get kicked out”
I will refrain, Mr Wright, because it is too easy.
Just lost my post with a failed verification.
A question for the rocket engine guys
On the Launcher 200-sec static test fire; were the pulse diamonds mis-shaped? Does that mean anything?