May 16, 2023 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- Ursa Major touts video of a recent static fire test of its Ripley rocket engine
This is the engine they are selling for use on larger rockets.
- NASA: Cabin temperatures in uncrewed Soyuz with the coolant leak were in high 70s F
If so, this means the crew would have had no problem coming home in that spacecraft.
- Astra gets Defense Department launch contract for its as yet unflown Rocket-4
These military contracts are designed to help new rocket companies, but are always only a tiny amount of the money the companies need to survive. On that note, there is this next link:
- Astra and Momentus face cash crunch
Both have serious financial issues, but Momentus probably a better chance of surviving since it is actually flying its Vigoride tugs. Astra has nothing flying at the moment.
- Australian government eliminates budget for spaceports
Whether the two planned spaceports can find private investment capital to replace this money remains unclear.
- SpaceX tests Raptor-3 engine with 17% more thrust
A video of the test can be seen here. If used in Superheavy/Starship, the total rocket would have three times the power of a Saturn-5.
- SpaceX files for permit for 2nd test flight of Starship/Superheavy with the FCC
This is not the launch license, only the communications permit.
- Meteorite that crashed through roof of NJ home is estimated to be 4.6 billion years old
As Jay notes, it looks like a stony carbonaceous chondrite.
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- Ursa Major touts video of a recent static fire test of its Ripley rocket engine
This is the engine they are selling for use on larger rockets.
- NASA: Cabin temperatures in uncrewed Soyuz with the coolant leak were in high 70s F
If so, this means the crew would have had no problem coming home in that spacecraft.
- Astra gets Defense Department launch contract for its as yet unflown Rocket-4
These military contracts are designed to help new rocket companies, but are always only a tiny amount of the money the companies need to survive. On that note, there is this next link:
- Astra and Momentus face cash crunch
Both have serious financial issues, but Momentus probably a better chance of surviving since it is actually flying its Vigoride tugs. Astra has nothing flying at the moment.
- Australian government eliminates budget for spaceports
Whether the two planned spaceports can find private investment capital to replace this money remains unclear.
- SpaceX tests Raptor-3 engine with 17% more thrust
A video of the test can be seen here. If used in Superheavy/Starship, the total rocket would have three times the power of a Saturn-5.
- SpaceX files for permit for 2nd test flight of Starship/Superheavy with the FCC
This is not the launch license, only the communications permit.
- Meteorite that crashed through roof of NJ home is estimated to be 4.6 billion years old
As Jay notes, it looks like a stony carbonaceous chondrite.