De hoogtepunten deze week waren ongetwijfeld de achtste Blue Origin lancering en het vertrek van InSight, NASA’s nieuwste Marssonde. Uiteraard zit SpaceX ook deze week in allerlei berichten verweven. Een eerste Block 5 Falcon 9 werd getest in afwachting van een lancering in de loop van de volgende dagen, een Dragon-capsule arriveerde terug op Aarde, Musk toonde foto’s van zwevende neuskegels en ook China wil nu een herbruikbare raket. Er is (of beter er was) de Lunar Prospector, we blikken vooruit naar de lancering van GRACE-FO en in de UK willen – met dank aan de Brexit – ze een eigen satellietnavigatiesysteem. Dat en veel meer vind je verderop.

En niet vergeten, zaterdag 26 mei is er de 20ste ruimtevaartnamiddag !

Achtste testvlucht voor Blue Origin. En opnieuw een succes.
NasaSpaceFlight: Blue Origin conducts New Shepard test flights with commercial payloads.
Space News: New Shepard reaches space on eighth test flight.
Spaceflight101: Blue Origin’s New Shepard Reaches new Heights in latest Test Flight.

Parabolic Arc: Experiments Aboard New Shepard Flight on Sunday.
NASA: Wi-Fi in Space and Spacecraft Technologies Launched on Blue Origin Rocket.

Spacepage: Blue Origin voert opnieuw geslaagde testvlucht uit.

De beelden van de live stream vind je hier. De lancering is te zien vanaf dit moment.

En nog dit:
Geek Wire: Jeff Bezos’ focus on space spending sparks questions about philanthropy.

Commerciële lancering voor Lange Mars.
Spaceflight101: Chinese Long March 3B Launches APStar-6C Communications Satellite.
NasaSpaceFlight: Long March 3B launches APStar-6C.
GB Times: China lofts Apstar-6C satellite with 13th launch of 2018.
Space News: Long March rocket launches Apstar-6C communications satellite from China.

Enkele foto’s van de lancering vind je in dit twitter bericht , de beelden van de lancering kan je hier zien.

InSight op weg naar Mars.

De aanloop naar de lancering:
Spaceflight Now: Managers clear InSight for launch after heat shield review.
BBC News: InSight Diary: Mars mission ready to rumble.
Collect Space: West to Mars: NASA's InSight Mars lander to make historic west coast launch.
ESA: ESA Deep Space Stations Ready For NASA’s InSight Mars Flight.
NASA: NASA's First Mission to Study the Interior of Mars Awaits May 5 Launch

Het vertrek:
NASA: NASA, ULA Launch Mission to Study How Mars Was Made.
Space News: Atlas 5 launches NASA InSight Mars lander.
Collect Space: NASA's InSight lander lifts off to Mars to study deep interior of planet.
NasaSpaceFlight: Atlas V launches first West Coast interplanetary mission with InSight spacecraft to Mars.

De Belgische inbreng.
KSB: De lancering van InSight: Belgische betrokkenheid in de laatste missie naar Mars.

DLR: HP3 ‘Mole’ en route to the Red Planet.
The New York Times: Mars InSight: NASA’s Journey Into the Red Planet’s Deepest Mysteries

Over de twee kleinere metgezellen:
Mashable: NASA will launch its first little cubesats bound for Mars on Saturday.
SpaceCom: NASA's Mars Cubesats 'Wall-E' and 'Eva' Will Be First at Another Planet.
NASA JPL: NASA's First Deep-Space CubeSats Say: 'Polo!'

De filmpjes:
Locheed Martin: The Adventure Begins – InSight Mars Lander.
NASA: NASA's InSight Mars Mission: Countdown to T-Zero.
NASA JPL: InSight Prelaunch Briefing.
NASA: Administrator Bridenstine: InSight Will Map the Inside of Mars.
ULA: Atlas V InSight Mission Profile.
ULA: Atlas V InSight: Designing the Trajectory.
NASA KSC: NASA's InSight Ready for Launch Atop Atlas V.
NASA KSC: InSight, Atlas are "Go" for Launch.
NASA KSC: Liftoff of InSight.
NASA KSC: InSight, MarCO Cubesats Separate from Atlas V Centaur Upper Stage.
NASA KSC: Interview with NASA Launch Director.
En tenslotte: ULA: Atlas V InSight Launch Highlights.

Nog even wachten voor dit:
NASA Langley: Landing on Mars.

En nog wat achtergrondinfo.
NASA: InSight Fact Sheet (PDF).
NASA: Mars InSight Launch Press Kit (PDF).

Voor nog meer info kan je terecht bij de NASA hier en hier of bij Lockheed Martin.

SpaceX test eerste Block 5 Falcon 9 in afwachting van lancering Bangabandhu-1.
NasaSpaceFlight: First Block 5 Falcon 9 static fires ahead of Bangabandhu-1 launch.
Spaceflight Insider. SpaceX performs static fire test on Block 5 Falcon 9.
Ars Technica: Block 5 rocket launch marks the end of the beginning for SpaceX.

The Daily Star: Launching of Bangabandhu satellite once again deferred.
The Daily Star: Testing of Bangabandhu Satellite-1 done: BTRC chief.

Enkele filmpjes:
America Space: First SpaceX Block 5 Falcon 9 Rocket Test Fire on 39A.
US Launch Report: SpaceX First Ever Block V Static Fire Test 05-04-2018.

Dragon capsule verlaat ISS en keert terug naar de Aarde.
NASA: Crew Packs Dragon With Science While Continuing More Space Research.
NASA: Station Readies Dragon for Departure Ahead of Upcoming Spacewalk.

NASA: NASA Science to Return to Earth aboard SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft.
NASA: Dragon Heads Home After Month Long Stay at Station.
NASA: Dragon Splashes Down in Pacific With NASA Research and Cargo.

NasaSpaceFlight: Dragon’s CRS-14 mission to conclude with splashdown in Pacific Ocean.
ABC News: Space station's Robonaut headed home on SpaceX capsule.
Geek Wire: Space station sends Robonaut and mice back to Earth on SpaceX Dragon cargo ship.

De filmpjes:
NASA Johnson: Space to Ground: Releasing Dragon: 05/04/2018.
SciNews: SpaceX CRS-14: Dragon departure from the ISS.

Ook China wil herbruikbare raket.
Xinhua Net: China developing reusable space rocket.
Space News: China to test rocket reusability with planned Long March 8 launcher.
Sputnik News: China to Use Soviet Engine to Power Its First Reusable Space Rocket.

Kleine raketten: Firefly gaat lanceren vanop Vandenberg – Rocket Lab – SS-520.
Via Satellite: Firefly to Launch from Delta 2 Pad at Vandenberg.
Space News: Firefly Aerospace to take over Vandenberg Delta 2 pad.
Parabolic Arc: Firefly Aerospace Receives USAF Statement of Support for Use of Vandenberg Launch Complex.

BizEdge: Rocket Lab preparing to launch miniature NASA satellites.

JAXA: SS-520 No.5 was Certified by GUINESS WORLD RECORDS(R) as the Smallest Orbital Rocket

Meer en meer problemen voor NASA’s projecten.
GAO: NASA: Assessments of Major Projects.
Het volledige rapport vind je hier (PDF). 

Space Policy Online: GAO finds little to cheer about in annual assessment of NASA’s major projects.
Space News: GAO warns of worsening cost and schedule performance on NASA programs.

Ars Technica: SpaceX and Boeing spacecraft may not become operational until 2020.
Geek Wire: 2020 or bust? GAO watchdogs foresee further delays for orbital spaceships.

Orion & SLS.
ESA: Skeleton Structure For Orion Moon Module Arrives For Assembly.
Zie ook dit twitter-bericht van Airbus Space voor meer foto’s. 
HMNS: Orion Mockup.

Parabolic Arc: GAO Finds Concerns About Structural Integrity of SLS Mobile Launcher.

Nasa Watch: Boeing's Misleading Anti-SpaceX Pro-SLS Facebook Ad Campaign.
Ars Technica: Boeing slams the Falcon Heavy rocket as “too small”.

Nasa Watch: Even Congressional Supporters Are Nervous About SLS.

Naar de Maan met een nucleaire reactor.
NASA: Demonstration Proves Nuclear Fission System Can Provide Space Exploration Power.
Een filmpje vind je hier. 
NPR: NASA Tests New Nuclear Reactor For Future Space Travelers.
SpaceCom: NASA considering flight test of space nuclear reactor technology

Nog eens de Lunar Prospector en NASA’s plannen voor de Maan.
NASA: NASA Expands Plans for Moon Exploration: More Missions, More Science.
Space News: NASA argues Resource Prospector no longer fit into agency’s lunar exploration plans.
The Planetary Society: A brief history of Resource Prospector, NASA's cancelled lunar mission.

NASA en het aardse water.
De lancering van GRACE-FO is voor over een twee weken.
NASA: Twin Spacecraft to Weigh in on Earth's Changing Water.
NASA JPL: GRACE-FO: Cracking a Cold Case.

De filmpjes:
NASA JPL: Tracking Water from Space: The GRACE-FO Mission.
NASA: NASA Briefing: GRACE-FO Mission to Weigh in on Earth's Changing Water.
Een filmpje van Grace-FO bij Airbus Space vind je hier.

Nieuws uit de (inter)planetaire ruimte.

Zon:
PhysOrg: Key Parker Solar Probe sensor bests sun simulator—last launch hurdle.

Aarde:
ESA: Moon holds key to improving satellite views of Earth.
EurekAlert!: NASA's new Dellingr Spacecraft baselined for pathfinding CubeSat to Van Allen belts.
Via Satellite: The Importance and Capability of Satellite Imagery
Space News: Intelligence agencies rethinking how to buy data from new Earth imaging companies.
PROBA V: Antartic Survey.

Maan:
Cosmos: Meteorite find boosts hopes for moon water.

Mars:
ESA: Mars Sample Return.
NasaSpaceFlight: Mars Sample Return mission gains traction – SLS and Orion had an eye on involvement.
Space News: Decision expected soon on adding helicopter to Mars 2020.

Jupiter:
Science At NASA: NASA ScienceCasts: New Science from Jupiter.
Technology Org: Old Data, New Tricks: Fresh Results from NASA’s Galileo Spacecraft 20 Years On.

En nog dit:
The Planetary Society: A Comet or Titan: The Next New Frontiers Mission.

Problemen voor JWST.
NASA: NASA’s Webb Observatory Spacecraft Element Environmental Testing Update.
Space News: JWST suffers new problem during spacecraft testing.
Space News: NASA struggling to get James Webb Space Telescope across the finish line.

In afwachting is er natuurlijk nog altijd de Hubble Space Telescope.
NASA: Hubble’s 28th Anniversary.
NASA Goddard: Visit Hubble’s Control Room in 360°.

Brand in het Space Application Centre van het Indische ISRO.
LiveMINT: Major fire at Isro’s Space Application Centre in Ahmedabad, none hurt.
India Today: Isro's antenna test facility damaged in fire, cops to probe possible foul play, sabotage.

Aantal oudere werknemers groot probleem in de Amerikaanse ruimtevaartindustrie.
Space News: America’s space industry has a hiring problem, and it must battle the Silicon Valley to solve it.
Space News: Europe’s space workforce: Same age, less crisis.

UK, Galileo en de Brexit.
GovUK: UK Space Agency leads work on options for independent satellite system.
BBC News: Galileo: UK plan to launch rival to EU sat-nav system.
Reuters: UK developing options for satellite system to rival EU's Galileo.

LSE: Leaving Spaceship Europe: British space policy after Brexit.

Werkt Facebook aan eigen satelliet-netwerk?
IEEE Spectrum: Facebook May Have Secret Plans to Build a Satellite-Based Internet.

Om af te ronden: Een zwevende neuskegel.
Elon Musk – Instagram: Fairing on parafoil.

Veel lees- en kijkplezier,

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