November 1, 2022 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay, who reads Twitter so we don’t have to.
- Recent image of Tenacity, Sierra Space’s first Dream Chaser cargo spaceship
Maybe finally this spacecraft is getting close to launch, years late.
- Watching the November 6th launch of Antares carrying Cygnus cargo freighter
Jay says it succinctly: “This will be the second to the last flight of the Antares 220 rocket. After that, the next three flights of Cygnus be on Falcon 9 rockets, and then the new Antares 330 rocket powered by Firefly engines.” Antares 330 is targeting 2025 for first launch.
- ULA CEO Tori Bruno posts image of both flightworthy BE-4 engines, about to be mounted on Vulcan
Better late than never I guess. And these engines were certainly late.
- Chinese X-37B-copy spaceplane releases an object, suggesting an upcoming deorbit burn
Apparently on its previous flight it released an object also just prior to its return to Earth. No guarantee the same thing will happen this time, but the event is noted.
- Roscosmos official admits loss of foreign commercial business, creating budget shortfall
Gee, ya think maybe screwing OneWeb might not have been wise, from a business standpoint?
Readers!
My annual February birthday fund-raising drive for Behind the Black is now over. Thank you to everyone who donated or subscribed. While not a record-setter, the donations were more than sufficient and slightly above average.
As I have said many times before, I can’t express what it means to me to get such support, especially as no one is required to pay anything to read my work. Thank you all again!
For those readers who like my work here at Behind the Black and haven't contributed so far, please consider donating or subscribing. 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.
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Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay, who reads Twitter so we don’t have to.
- Recent image of Tenacity, Sierra Space’s first Dream Chaser cargo spaceship
Maybe finally this spacecraft is getting close to launch, years late.
- Watching the November 6th launch of Antares carrying Cygnus cargo freighter
Jay says it succinctly: “This will be the second to the last flight of the Antares 220 rocket. After that, the next three flights of Cygnus be on Falcon 9 rockets, and then the new Antares 330 rocket powered by Firefly engines.” Antares 330 is targeting 2025 for first launch.
- ULA CEO Tori Bruno posts image of both flightworthy BE-4 engines, about to be mounted on Vulcan
Better late than never I guess. And these engines were certainly late.
- Chinese X-37B-copy spaceplane releases an object, suggesting an upcoming deorbit burn
Apparently on its previous flight it released an object also just prior to its return to Earth. No guarantee the same thing will happen this time, but the event is noted.
- Roscosmos official admits loss of foreign commercial business, creating budget shortfall
Gee, ya think maybe screwing OneWeb might not have been wise, from a business standpoint?
Readers!
My annual February birthday fund-raising drive for Behind the Black is now over. Thank you to everyone who donated or subscribed. While not a record-setter, the donations were more than sufficient and slightly above average.
As I have said many times before, I can’t express what it means to me to get such support, especially as no one is required to pay anything to read my work. Thank you all again!
For those readers who like my work here at Behind the Black and haven't contributed so far, please consider donating or subscribing. 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.
Late one for you.
Rocketlab announced a new launch, currently set for Friday the 4th.
Mission name: “Catch me if you can”.
(the name kinda gives away the bigger news).
https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1587542832612790272