October 31, 2023 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- At Boeing’s request the FCC withdraws its license for a low-Earth-orbit satellite constellation, approved less than two years ago
The forfeiture cost Boeing $2.2 million, but is likely necessary because of the company’s many other problems that make building this constellation impossible.
- Sierra Space shows of image of its Tenacity Dream Chaser reusable mini-shuttle
The spacecraft does appear almost finished, making the present ready date for launch the end of this year increasingly likely.
- Rocket Lab now targets the end of 2024 for launch of its privately funded Venus mission
Now called Venus Life Finder, this new target date firms up the mission’s schedule, as the last word from the company was that it had delayed it to 2025.
- FAA announces it has completed its safety review of SpaceX’s proposed next Starship/Superheavy test launch
A somewhat meaningless announcement, as no license was rewarded because Fish & Wildlife is still doing its own investigation.
- PLD touts its Miura-5 orbital rocket, ready to launch in 2025
The only other detail provided is that the rocket will have a thrust of 1 MN and lift at least 500kg to orbit.
Readers!
Every February I run a fund-raising drive during my birthday month. This year I celebrate my 72nd birthday, and hope and plan to continue writing and posting on Behind the Black for as long as I am able.
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Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. 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:
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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.
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- At Boeing’s request the FCC withdraws its license for a low-Earth-orbit satellite constellation, approved less than two years ago
The forfeiture cost Boeing $2.2 million, but is likely necessary because of the company’s many other problems that make building this constellation impossible.
- Sierra Space shows of image of its Tenacity Dream Chaser reusable mini-shuttle
The spacecraft does appear almost finished, making the present ready date for launch the end of this year increasingly likely.
- Rocket Lab now targets the end of 2024 for launch of its privately funded Venus mission
Now called Venus Life Finder, this new target date firms up the mission’s schedule, as the last word from the company was that it had delayed it to 2025.
- FAA announces it has completed its safety review of SpaceX’s proposed next Starship/Superheavy test launch
A somewhat meaningless announcement, as no license was rewarded because Fish & Wildlife is still doing its own investigation.
- PLD touts its Miura-5 orbital rocket, ready to launch in 2025
The only other detail provided is that the rocket will have a thrust of 1 MN and lift at least 500kg to orbit.
Readers!
Every February I run a fund-raising drive during my birthday month. This year I celebrate my 72nd birthday, and hope and plan to continue writing and posting on Behind the Black for as long as I am able.
I hope my readers will support this effort. As I did in my November fund-raising drive, I am offering autographed copies of my books for large donations. Donate $250 and you can have a choice of the hardback of either Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8 or Conscious Choice: The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space. Donate $200 and you can get an autographed paperback copy of either. IMPORTANT! If you donate enough to get a book, please email me separately to tell me which book you want and the address to mail it to.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. 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.
I think that ought to be 1 meganewtons?
Stephen Fleming: Yeah, my math-ignorant error. Fixed. Thank you.
FAA, not FCC
David Eastman: Oy. You are right. Now fixed. Thank you.
“Yeah, my math-ignorant error. Fixed. Thank you.”
It’s still reading as ” 1 mn” for me.
Call Me Ishmael: 1 mn is what was put in the tweet. I decided not to guess what the abbreviation meant (as my ability in these things can be faulty) and just quote it as they wrote it.
“1 mn is what was put in the tweet.”
Then either they really mean 1 millinewton or they messed it up.
(After googling). They definitely messed it up. The SI (i.e. metric standard) abbreviation for newton is “N”, not “n”. And “m” stands for “milli”, i.e. “one thousandth”, while M stands for “mega” i.e. “one million”.
Call Me Ishmael: Then the error is still mine. They capitalized the abreviation in the tweet. I will fix.
If you‘re putting up 500 kg to low Earth orbit, you‘d better have at least 1 million Isaac Newtons beneath you!
Over at the RPF.com, there is talk that the wooden model 3-foot Enterprise has been found