Een rustige ruimtevaartweek zou het worden. Met o.a. de lancering van drie nieuwe ISS-bemanningsleden. Maar ook met een reentry (de “discobol”) en de opkomst zijnde reentry van Tiangong 1 (het prototype van het Chinese ruimtestation). NOMAD aan boord van ExoMars TGO is in goede doen en Curiosity viert 2000 dagen op Mars. O ja, en de lancering van Mad Mike is dan toch gebeurd.

Nieuwe ISS-bemanning kent vlekkeloze lancering en koppeling.
Nog voor ze vertrokken brachten de Russische kosmonauten nog hun stem uit in kader van de presidentsverkiezingen.
Ruptly: LIVE: Astronauts vote in Baikonur for Russian Presidential election (filmpje).

Tijd om de raket buiten te rollen. Beelden vind je hier. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL7LUKO-dr4
TASS: Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft installed on launch pad at Baikonur spaceport.
Spaceflight101: Soyuz Rocket Moved to Baikonur Launch Pad for Nighttime Liftoff with All-Veteran Crew Trio.

De lancering.
NASA: Two NASA Astronauts Among Crew Heading to International Space Station.
TASS: Manned spacecraft Soyuz MS-08 put into orbit.

Enkele filmpjes:
NASA: ISS Expedition 55-56 Crew Launches to the International Space Station (filmpje).
In dit filmpje zie je de lancering vanuit verschillende standpunten. 
NASA Johnson: Space to Ground: Night Launch: 03/23/2018.

De koppeling.
NASA: Expedition 55 at Full Staff After New Trio Boards Station.
TASS: Soyuz MS-08 spaceship with three crew members docks to ISS.
Spaceflight101: Soyuz MS-08 Arrives at Space Station after Textbook Rendezvous with U.S.-Russian Crew Trio.
Spaceflight Now: Soyuz spacecraft with crew of three docks with space station.

Nog wat filmpjes:
Sci News: Soyuz MS-08 docking.
Sci News: Soyuz MS-08 hatch opening.

En nog dit.
TASS: Russian cosmonauts to launch nano-satellites during spacewalk from ISS in summer.

ISS – Plantonderzoek.
SpaceRef: Two Veggie Units Are Operating Aboard The International Space Station.

NASA: Rooting for Answers: Simulating G-Force to Test Plant Gravity Perception in Mustard Seedlings.
New Scientist: Astronaut pee could keep plants alive in space for decades.

De “Discobal”-satelliet is niet meer.
New Scientist: Space ‘disco ball’ satellite is falling back to Earth today.
The Verge: Rocket Lab’s disco ball satellite has plunged back to Earth — and some aren’t sad to see it go.
Spaceflight101: Rocket Lab’s Humanity Star Re-Enters after Brief Tenure in Orbit.

Tiangong-1 duikt wellicht later deze week de atmosfeer in.
SpaceCom: Chinese Space Station's Crash to Earth: Everything You Need to Know.
Seeker: China’s First Space Station Is Dying, Here’s What Happens Next (filmpje).
GB Times: China is now providing daily updates on the decaying orbit of Tiangong-1.

En ook in deze blog vind je dagelijkse updates v/d voorspelde datum.

Komt BFR-fabriek nabij Los Angeles?
SpaceCom: Is SpaceX Planning to Build Its BFR Mars Rocket in Los Angeles?
Teslarati: SpaceX’s first BFR manufacturing facility approved by the Port of LA.
Teslarati: SpaceX’s next-gen Falcon 9 spied continuing tests in Texas.

SLS/Orion.
NASA: NASA successfully tested Orion's parachute system.

NASA Marshall: Rocket Science in 60 Seconds: NASA’s Orion stage adapter for the Space Launch System

Florida Today: Cabana: KSC infrastructure will be ready for NASA's SLS rocket this year.

Space X-lancering zorgde voor cirkelvormige schokgolven in de atmosfeer (augustus 2017).
GeoSpace: August 2017 SpaceX rocket launch created large circular shock wave.
Ars Technica: SpaceX launch last year punched huge, temporary hole in the ionosphere.
SpaceCom: SpaceX Rocket Launch Created Shock Wave 4 Times Larger Than California.

Onbekende raket dra gelanceerd van op Kodiak Island.
Space News: Alaskan spaceport to host secretive commercial launch.

Meer raketnieuws.
Everyday Astronaut: Is Rocket Lab the new SpaceX? The Electron VS Falcon (filmpje).

Space News: Zero 2 Infinity gets 3D-printed engine part for Bloostar launch vehicle.
Space Newsfeed: 3D printing rocket engines in Spain.

Space Newsfeed: ESA proves new technologies to power future launchers.
CNES CSG: #6 Ariane 6 - Chantier ELA4 (filmpje).

Space News: Japan to add second launch pad to support H3 rocket.

TASS: Russian space company’s shareholders approve deal to sell Sea Launch assets to S7 Group.

Space News: Smallsat launch providers face pricing pressure from Chinese vehicles.
Universe Today: China is working on a rocket as powerful as the Saturn V, could launch by 2030.

Parabolic Arc: New Mexico Pours $17 Million More into Spaceport America.

Opnieuw RTG’s voor NASA’s nieuwe Discovery-missie.
Space News: NASA to allow nuclear power systems for next Discovery mission.

Op zoek naar maanlanders.
NasaSpaceFlight: NASA courts commercial options for Lunar Landers.
Parabolic Arc: NASA Seeks Ideas to Advance Toward Human-Class Lunar Landers.

Het (inter)planetaire nieuws.

Aarde: 
EumetSat: In early March 2018 Sentinel-3 'saw' black smoke from a container ship fire, thanks to sunglint from the ocean surface.
ESA: Sentinel-3B Launch Preparations In Full Swing.
Air & Cosmos: SpaceDataHighway starts full Copernicus service.
ESA: Earth’s Atmosphere: New results from the ISS.
Mashable: Here's what the March For Our Lives in D.C. looked like from space.

Maan:
GB Times: Chang'e-5: China's complex preparations for bringing rocks back from the Moon.

Mars:
BIRA: Belgisch atmosfeerinstrument in uitstekende gezondheid na baancorrecties rond Mars.
NASA: Mars Curiosity Celebrates Sol 2,000.
NasaSpaceFlight: Curiosity marks 2,000th Martian day of operation; science team eyes rover’s future.
Spacewatch.Global: Russia to send unmanned mission to Mars in 2019, according to Vladimir Putin.

Saturnus:
NASA JPL: Planning Cassini’s Grand Finale (voordracht).
Science News: 5 things we’ve learned about Saturn since Cassini died.

New Horizons:
Thales Group: Thales helps New Horizons to boldly go where none have gone before.

Exoplaneten en ESA’s nieuwste satelliet.
ESA: ESA’s next science mission to focus on nature of exoplanets.
Spaceflight Now: Exoplanet telescope selected as ESA’s next space science mission.

Nieuws over wetenschappelijke satellieten.
NASA: Fermi Status Update (safe mode).
Space News: Updated schedule for JWST expected next week.

Om af te ronden: Mad Mike’s raketvlucht.
Canoe.Com: 'Mad' flat-Earther rocket scientist blasts off into California sky.
Beelden van de vlucht vind je hier.

Veel lees- en kijkplezier,

Koen