Japan domineerde het ruimtevaartnieuws deze week. Het zorgde voor twee landingen op planetoïde Ryugu. Na herhaaldelijk uitstel kon dan toch een nieuwe vrachtschip naar het ISS gestuurd worden. En als klap op de vuurpijl kocht een Japanner een reisje rond de Maan, met de BFR van SpaceX. Meer hoogtepunten kwamen er van TESS en Dawn. De Russen willen geen bijrolletje in de ontwikkeling van de Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway. En er waren nog twee lanceringen, in India en China.

Hayabusa 2 plaatst 2 “rovertjes” op Ryugu.

Eerst de landing . . . 
BBC: Hayabusa-2: Japan's rovers ready for touchdown on asteroid.
NasaSpaceFlight: Hayabusa2 conducts MINERVA-II deployment on Asteroid Ryugu.
Cosmos: In deep space, Hayabusa 2 reaches its destination.
ABC News: Japan space rovers lowered to asteroid to collect data.

. . . en dan de foto’s.
NHK World: Hayabusa2's rovers successfully land on asteroid (met filmpje).
The Planetary Society: Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft successfully drops rovers on asteroid Ryugu.
SpaceCom: They Made It! Japan's Two Hopping Rovers Successfully Land on Asteroid Ryugu.
CBS News: Japanese probe drops two landers on asteroid.

DLR: Point of no return – when MASCOT separates from Hayabusa2.

SpaceX: Japanner koopt BFR-vlucht voor rondje(s) rond de Maan.
Space News: SpaceX signs up Japanese billionaire for circumlunar BFR flight.
Collect Space: Japanese billionaire to invite artists to fly on SpaceX moon mission.
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX announces BFR lunar passenger, mission for Earth’s artists.
Mashable: Who is SpaceX's first moon passenger, Yusaku Maezawa?
Space Policy Online: Japanese billionaire to fly BFR to the moon in 2023, along with some friends.

Spacepage: SpaceX gaat Japanner naar de Maan brengen.

De Standaard: Muzikant, modegigant en miljardair: ‘YOU X SUCK’ trekt de ruimte in.
SpaceCom: #dearMoon: SpaceX's 1st Passenger Flight Around the Moon Will Be an Epic Art Project.
Ars Technica: NASA isn’t going to pay for the BFR, so Musk charts a new course.
Time: Here's What's So Worrying About Elon Musk's Latest Moon Plans.

SpaceCom: SpaceX's Lunar BFR Mission Isn't the 1st Private Moon Tourist Plan. Not Even for SpaceX.

Teslarati: SpaceX’s first completed BFR spaceship section spotted in huge Port of L.A. tent.

De filmpjes:
SpaceX: First Private Passenger on Lunar BFR Mission.

Video From Space: Meet SpaceX BFR's First Paying Customer - Yusaku Maezawa.
Video From Space: SpaceX BFR Rocket's Updated Design - Elon Musk Explains.
Video From Space: How SpaceX's BFR Rocket Will Land - Elon Musk Explains.

EuroNews: SpaceX reveals identity of the world's first lunar space tourist.

Epic Future Space: SpaceX's Lunar BFR Could Change Humanity.

Indische PSLV lanceert twee Britse satellieten.
The Hindu: PSLV to launch two U.K. satellites today.
The Hindu: ISRO's PSLV-C-42 launches two U.K. satellites.
Hindustan Times: Isro successfully launches 2 earth observation satellites for UK.
NasaSpaceFlight: Indian PSLV launches two British satellites.
Space News: India’s PSLV launches two British satellites for SSTL.

De filmpjes:
Space and ISRO News: ISRO's PSLV-C42 Mission Details | Official Curtain Raiser Video by ISRO.
SciNews: PSLV-CA launches NovaSAR-1 and SSTL S1-4 satellites.
SciNews: PSLV-C42 launch and onboard camera view of spacecraft separation.
Space Videos: Indian PSLV Rocket Launches British Satellites into Space.

China lanceert twee navigatiesatellieten.
GB Times: China to launch next Beidou navigation satellite pair on Wednesday.
NasaSpaceFlight: Long March 3B lofts two more satellites as the Chinese continue to up the pace.
GPS World: China launches yet more BeiDou navigation satellites.
Beelden van de lancering vind je hier.

Ter voorbereiding op de lancering van een nieuwe bemanning werd de baan van het ISS verhoogd.
TASS: International Space Station orbit adjusted upwards by 400 meters.

Test nieuwe booster voor Atlas V.
Northrop Grumman: Graphite epoxy motors will help launch rocket beginning in 2019.

Het filmpje.
Northrop Grumman: GEM 63 Rocket Motor QM-1 Static Test.

ISS – Japans vrachtschip dan toch gelanceerd.
NASA: Launch Slips One Day as Station Boosts Orbit and Life Science Continues.
JAXA: Launch Results of the H-II Transfer Vehicle KOUNOTORI7 aboard the H-IIB Vehicle No. 7
NASA: Japanese Rocket Blasts Off to Resupply Station.
Spaceflight Now: New sample return capability launches with Japanese space station freighter.
NasaSpaceFlight: Japan conducts HTV-7 launch to Space Station, test of new recoverable capsule.

NASA Tumblr: New Glovebox Facility Heads to Space for Biological Research.

De filmpjes:
JAXA: De live uitzending van de lancering.
SciNews: HTV-7 launched by H-IIB F7.

ISS – Het Soyuz-lek.
TASS: Roscosmos commission on Soyuz MS-09 air leak to end work in November.
TASS: Soyuz MS-09 authorized for reentry.

NasaWatch: Space Tensions Eased: Cosmonauts Love Ivanka.

ISS – Toch langer in de ruimte ?
TASS: NASA wants to prolong ISS operation till 2028-2030

De Russen en de Lunar Orbital Platform – Gateway.
TASS: Russia’s Roscosmos refutes reports on withdrawal from NASA’s lunar orbital outpost project.
ABC News: Russian space chief: No '2nd-tier status' with NASA outpost.
Reuters: Russia throws doubt on joint lunar space station with U.S.: RIA.

Commercial Crew.
Space News: Commercial crew providers believe they now meet NASA safety requirements.
Space Policy Online: Are SpaceX’s commercial crew test flights slipping again?
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX finalizing Pad 39A upgrades for return to crew operations.

European Service Module voor Orion klaar.
ESA: Orion’s First Service Module Integration Complete.
Airbus Defence and Space: Orion ESM Radiators Installation (filmpje).

Meer Orion/SLS nieuws.
NASA Johnson: Preparing America for Deep Space Episode 18 On The Move (filmpje).

NASA KSC: Mobile Launcher Moves Toward Exploration Mission-1 (filmpje).
Space Ref: SLS Mobile Launcher Inside VAB High Bay 3.

NASA: First SLS Core Stage Flight Hardware Complete, Ready for Joining.

NASA Glenn Research Center: NASA Prepares for Orion’s Ascent Abort-2 Test.
NASA: Houston, we have a podcast: Escaping A Speeding Rocket.

NASA Marshall SFC: Rocket Science in 60 Seconds: A Look Inside the SLS Support Center.

Nieuws over raketten en lanceercomplexen.
Space News: Shakeout looming for the small launch sector.

Rocket Lab: Rocket Lab signs contract to launch first satellites for Kleos Space constellation.
Space News: Kleos Space selects Rocket Lab for launch of its first satellites.

EuroNews: Billionaire readies world's largest plane to launch rockets into space.
Parabolic Arc: Stratolaunch Aircraft Taxis at Mojave.
Geek Wire: Paul Allen’s Stratolaunch Systems puts its brand on the world’s biggest airplane.

Vector Space (via Twitter):  Engine first stage tested (met filmpje).

Geek Wire: Jeff Bezos sells the Air Force on Blue Origin rockets and Amazon Web Services.
Space News: In front of a military audience, Bezos touts investments in rockets, launch facilities.
NasaSpaceFlight: Building on New Shepard, Blue Origin to pump a billion dollars into New Glenn readiness.

Teslarati: SpaceX’s second Falcon 9 Block 5 booster reuse closes in as rocket refurb continues.

Air & Cosmos: Ariane 6 gets first commercial GEO contract.
Aviation Week: Arianespace CEO Urges Europe To Mull Manned Spaceflights.
ESA: Preparing for Vega C (filmpje).
ESA: Transfert de la table d'Ariane 6 (filmpje).

GB Times: China's latest satellite launch used a parafoil to limit damage downrange.
GB Times: Chinese commercial company Expace dispatches second Kuaizhou-1A rocket to launch site.
SpaceWatch Asia Pacific: China’s new space launch race: Expace to launch Kuaizhou-1A launch vehicle.
GB Times: Here's a first look at a Chinese rocket that will be able to launch, land and repeat.
GB Times: China aims to launch a rocket larger than NASA's SLS in 2028.
GB Times: China is considering a new launch centre for emerging commercial launch companies.

Space Daily: Baikonur Facilities to Undergo Overhaul Before OneWeb Satellites Launch – Source.

Space News: Georgia spaceport attracts small launch vehicle developer.

Cyrovulkanisme op Ceres.
Cosmos: Ceres’ lonely ice volcano is only one of many.
Sky & Telescope: Dawn Probes Role of Cryovolcanism on Ceres.
Science Daily: Ice volcano activity on dwarf planet Ceres.

Een filmpje:
SciShow: Found: Dozens of Ancient Cryovolcanoes on Ceres!

Curiosity heeft een probleempje met zijn geheugen. 
SpaceCom: NASA's Curiosity Rover on Mars Sidelined by Glitch.
Spaceflight Insider: Curiosity Mars Rover Experiencing Memory Problem.
SpaceCom: Rover Team Confident Curiosity Will Bounce Back from Glitch.

Meer nieuws uit de (inter)planetaire ruimte.

Zon:
NASA Goddard: Illuminating First Light Data from Parker Solar Probe.
NASA KSC: Countdown to T-Zero: Now Flying Faster, Hotter and Closer Than Ever to the Sun – 2 (filmpje).

Mercurius:
The Planetary Society: Voyage to Mercury – The BepiColombo Mission Prepares for Launch.
Space Daily: Mercury Studies Reveal an Intriguing Target for BepiColombo.
EuroPlanet: EPSC 2018: Early birth and strange chemistry – Mercury studies reveal an intriguing target for BepiColombo.

Aarde:
NASA: NASA Balloon Mission Captures Electric Blue Clouds.
Het bijbehorende filmpje vind je hier. 
NASA: New Small Satellite Peers Inside Hurricane Florence.
EuroNews: Favourable winds for Aeolus.

Maan:
GB Times: Chang'e-4: Shortlist of 10 names revealed for China's lunar far side rover.
The Planetary Society: Chandrayaan-2.
The Planetary Society: Farside Landing and Nearside Sample Return.
Space News: IAI studying follow-on opportunities for SpaceIL lunar lander.
TASS: Roscosmos chief believes July 2021 best for Luna-Glob mission launch.

Mars:
SpaceCom: What on Earth Could Live in a Salt Water Lake on Mars? An Expert Explains.
ESA: ExoMars highlights radiation risk for Mars astronauts and watches as dust storm subsides.
DLR: Cerberus Fossae – young tectonic fissures thousands of kilometres long on Mars.
NASA Maven: MAVEN at Four Years: Mars’ Atmosphere Past, Present, and Future (voordracht).
TASS: ExoMars rover to land on surface on March 19, 2021 - Roscosmos head.

Ultima Thule:
Spaceflight Insider: New Horizons Science Chat Discusses Ultima Thule Flyby (met een link naar de Facebook live uitzending).

Eerste observaties voor TESS.
NASA: NASA’s TESS Shares First Science Image in Hunt to Find New Worlds.
Science News: The TESS space telescope has spotted its first exoplanet.
NasaSpaceFlight: TESS in excellent health, finds 1st two exoplanet candidates during first science orbit.

Gaia en de Melkweg.
ESA: Gaia Hints At Our Galaxy’s Turbulent Life.

Veel lees- en kijkplezier,

Koen