September 4, 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.
- It is now clear that the Space Force will not be cataloging the Chinese Pallas-1 launch as successful
The tweet adds, “Galactic Energy have not announced any achieved orbital parameters (perigee, apogee, inclination). So, I must regard success of the launch as not confirmed at this point.” I am removing it from my 2026 launch totals, and amending that launch post.
- Blue Origin touts the completion of a two week dress rehearsal of its planned unmanned Blue Moon Mk-1 mission
Still officially scheduled for launch before the end of the year, but that schedule entirely depends on whether Blue Origin can get its New Glenn rocket operational by then. More likely the launch will be early in ’27.
- China’s Tianwen-3 Mars sample return probe has entered the prototype stage
The plan is to launch around 2028 and return the sample in 2031. The tweet however shows nothing by artist renderings.
- Rocket Lab’s private Venus probe is now only awaiting the success of the company’s new Neutron rocket
The company delayed it in order to prioritize getting Neutron designed and built. Its first launch is still tentatively scheduled for late ’26, but expect it to shift into early ’27.
- Soviet-era documentary about the tragic 24-day Soyuz-11 mission to the the first space station Salyut-1, that ended with the death of all three cosmonauts
Unfortunately it is in Russian with no subtitles. Though there are a lot of staged shots, it includes a lot of actual footage before, during, and after the landing. For the full story, including the perspective of one fallen astronaut’s daughter, see chapter 2 of Leaving Earth.
- On September 3, 2020 Starship prototype #6 completed a 150 meter hop
This was SpaceX’s third test hop. For the story from 2020, go here.
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 Venus mission for Rocket Lab was always going to take a long time anyway, as it was almost a private hobby project being built in spare time.
If it is successful, however, it may be a great marketing tool for other future missions.
40 ton black holes?
https://phys.org/news/2026-09-black-hole-tons-star-dark.html
Seeing reports that the Chinese Yaogan-50 02 launched on March 15, 2026 aboard a Long March 6A has broken up into 40+ pieces.
Sad news…a Boeing 767 with Amazon livery slides off a runway into a Tesla parking area in Miami Florida.
I am reminded of a line from “No Country For Old Men” spoken from Ed Tom:
“You can’t make this up—I dare you to even try.”
Yeesh
Micrometeoroid protection
https://phys.org/news/2026-09-eggshells-aluminum-material-significant-space.html