November 17, 2023 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- ArianeGroup touts the deluge launch system for its Ariane-6 rocket
It would be nice if this system was put to use during a launch, now only four years late.
- NASA official says SpaceX will need to almost 20 launches of Starship/Superheavy to get it approved for an Artemis lunar mission
The number is slightly higher than previously stated, and likely was made public now because of SpaceX’s problems getting regulatory approval for test flights. NASA needs Starship, and the intransigence of the FAA and Fish & Wildlife to give launch approval is likely delaying that lunar manned mission by years.
- Russia shows off a model of a proposed commercial module for its proposed space station
Russian officials are saying they want to encourage new private Russian companies to compete for contracts for such things, but it is all smoke and mirrors. The big entities in power in Russia, such as Energia, are going to work to block it as hard as they can.
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. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit.
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.
- ArianeGroup touts the deluge launch system for its Ariane-6 rocket
It would be nice if this system was put to use during a launch, now only four years late.
- NASA official says SpaceX will need to almost 20 launches of Starship/Superheavy to get it approved for an Artemis lunar mission
The number is slightly higher than previously stated, and likely was made public now because of SpaceX’s problems getting regulatory approval for test flights. NASA needs Starship, and the intransigence of the FAA and Fish & Wildlife to give launch approval is likely delaying that lunar manned mission by years.
- Russia shows off a model of a proposed commercial module for its proposed space station
Russian officials are saying they want to encourage new private Russian companies to compete for contracts for such things, but it is all smoke and mirrors. The big entities in power in Russia, such as Energia, are going to work to block it as hard as they can.
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. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. 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
Remind me how many launches SLS will require for Artemis approval?
Saturn 5 conducted 2 unmanned launches before the third launch (first manned launch) took astronauts to orbit the moon. This is the difference between really wanting to accomplish something and pretending that you want to do something.
Exactly! Both of you.
I want SLS to launch this:
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20200002036/downloads/20200002036.pdf
Jeff,
I would love it too if we actually have a nuclear thermal rocket (NTR). It is funny that diagram of the NTR is the classic cutaway diagram from the NERVA development. I love the name they use, “Conestoga”, for the transport, how we pioneered the west. I do not agree with the propellant they want in their concept, I prefer methane due to storage (low boil off) and ISP, a happy medium. Nice drawings and numbers that support past studies on ISP.
I know I have said it many times, nuclear is the only way to go in the solar system. After the cancellation of NERVA, I have seen two funded programs in the past to bring the engine back to life, but all that happens is the money is moved around to other projects and all we get are studies. We are now on the third with DARPA.
Thank you for the article none the less.