Vijftig jaar geleden vlogen drie astronauten voor het eerst met een Apollo-capsule rond de Aarde. Na de brand met Apollo 1 verliep de vlucht met het vernieuwde ruimtetuig vlekkeloos. De deur naar de Maan zou door Apollo 8 in december van datzelfde jaar wagenwijd open gezet worden. Vijftig jaar later is er veel veranderd in de ruimtevaart. Maar blijven we met dezelfde problemen worstelen. Als de Russen uitgezocht hebben wat de problemen veroorzaakte met de lancering van een bemande Soyuz, weten we ook of het International Space Station bemand kan blijven, dan wel of het zonder bewoners moet achtergelaten worden. 

Europa lanceerde ondertussen een sonde naar Mercurius. Al duurt het nog wel even vooraleer de sonde in een baan rond de “boodschapper van de goden” zal terecht komen.

China lanceert alweer twee navigatiesatellieten.
GB Times: China launches two more Beidou navigation satellites, performs tests for parachute landing of expended boosters.
NasaSpaceFlight: Long March 3B conducts China’s 28th launch of the year.

China werkt aan een parachutesysteem voor de rakettrappen.
GB Times: China says it will put parachutes on its rocket boosters next year and here's why.

Twee filmpjes:
CGTN: China launches twin BeiDou-3 satellites.
New China TV: China launches twin BeiDou-3 satellites.

Atlas V lanceert militaire comsat.
ULA: United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches AEHF-4 Mission.
NasaSpaceFlight: Atlas V 551 launches AEHF-4 for the US Air Force.
Space News: Atlas 5 rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral, deploys Air Force satellite.

De filmpjes:
ULA: Atlas V AEHF-4 Mission Profile.
ULA: Atlas V AEHF-4 Live Launch Broadcast (Oct. 16/17).
ULA: Atlas V AEHF-4 Launch Highlights.

Ariane V stuurt BepiColombo naar Mercurius.
ESA: Mission Control Ready For Mercury.
BBC: Mission to Mercury: BepiColombo spacecraft ready for launch.
GovUK: Mercury's mysteries to be probed by British science.
DLR: BepiColombo mission: The long voyage to Mercury.

ESA: BepiColombo blasts off to investigate Mercury’s mysteries.
Thales: Go Bepi Go. It has started its exciting journey to Mercury.

NasaSpaceFlight: Ariane 5 boosts BepiColombo mission enroute to Mercury.
BBC: Blast-off for BepiColombo on mission to Mercury.
VRT NWS: Bepicolombo is onderweg naar Mercurius.

De filmpjes:
ESA: Planet Mercury.
ESA: BepiColombo stacked for launch.
Arianespace: Flight VA245 – Launch - Ariane 5 BepiColombo.
Arianespace: Flight VA245 – Payload - BepiColombo – ESA.
Arianespace: Flight VA245 – BepiColombo -Launch Campaign

EuroNews: Countdown to Europe's space mission to Mercury begins.
EuroNews: Setting off to Mercury with BepiColombo.

Airbus Defence And Space: BepiColombo: the Journey.
Airbus Defence And Space: BepiColombo: the Separation.
Airbus Defence And Space: BepiColombo: Heat Protection.

En dan de lancering.
ESA: Launch Highlights.
ESA: BepiColombo liftoff.
De volledige uitzending vind je hier.  

ESA: BepiColombo’s First Image from Space.

SpaceCom: BepiColombo's Path: Why Does It Take So Long to Get to Mercury?
Scott Manley: Why Does it take BepiColombo 7 Years To Get To Mercury? (filmpje).

Meer info ?
SpaceCom: Reference: BepiColombo: Joint Mission to Mercury..
Op op de BepiColombo homepage.

Russen op het spoor van vermoedelijke oorzaak mislukte Soyuz-lancering.
TASS: Russia’s space agency launches probe into faulty Soyuz booster at initial manufacturer.
TASS: Russia’s space agency declines to name causes of Soyuz rocket failure until probe is over.
TASS: Signal failure may be to blame for Soyuz stage’s separation problem, says Roscosmos.
TASS: Report on Soyuz-FG malfunction to be approved on October 30.

TASS: Roscosmos to make three unmanned launches before next manned flight.
NasaSpaceFlight: NASA and Roscosmos trying to avoid an empty Space Station.

TASS: Russia’s space agency plans to send Ovchinin-Hague crew into outer space in near future.

Sputnik News: Escape Capsule With Soyuz MS-10 Crew Hit Ground 5 Times Before Stopping.

TASS: Spacewalk to inspect hole in Soyuz spacecraft’s hull scheduled for December.

Nog eens een samenvatting:
Space Safety Mag: Soyuz MS-10 Launch Failure: An Update.
Space News: Bridenstine confident Soyuz launches will resume “on schedule”.

En nog wat beelden:
SciNews: Soyuz MS-10 launch (unedited).
SciNews:Soyuz MS-10 in-flight abort (close-up).
Video From Space: Russian Space Agency Head Talks Soyuz Launch Failure.
SciNews: Astronaut Nick Hague speaking about the Soyuz MS-10 launch.
Space Videos: Astronaut Nick Hague Discusses his Launch Abort on Soyuz MS-10 (langere versie).
Russia Today: Russian cosmonaut Ovchinin speaks to RT.

Paul Allen (Microsoft, Stratolaunch, …) is overleden.
Ars Technica: Paul Allen—Microsoft co-founder, Seahawks owner, and space pioneer—dies at 65.
Aviation Week: Paul Allen, Microsoft Co-founder, Space Launch Financier, Dies At 65.
Parabolic Arc: Paul Allen Passes Away From Cancer at 65.

Rocket Lab kiest voor Wallops.
Rocket Lab: The future of rocket manufacturing: Rocket Lab unveils new high-volume production facility.
Ars Technica: Rocket Lab reveals new factory and launch site, aims for 16 flights next year.
Space News: Rocket Lab selects Wallops for U.S. launch site.
NasaSpaceFlight: Rocket Lab selects Wallops as first U.S. launch site, readies Electron for November launch.
Parabolic Arc: Rocket Lab Unveils New High-volume Production Facility.

Spaceflight Insider: Rocket Lab’s Manifest Grows As It Preps For Its 1st Fully Commercial Flight.

Vostochny: Gaten opgevuld.
TASS: Flaw found in launch pad casing at Vostochny Cosmodrome partially fixed, says operator.
TASS: Vostochny spaceport prepared for launches after cavities filled in launch pad’s casing.

ISS – Nieuwtjes uit het ruimtestation.
Met de gebeurtenissen rond de mislukte Soyuz-lancering is het gewone nieuws uit het ruimtestation even in de achtergrond verdwenen. Bij deze een inhaalbeweging.
De Japanse Kounotori koppelde zich ondertussen aan het ISS.
NASA: Uncrewed Japanese Vehicle Delivers Supplies to the Space Station.

En de Duitse astronaut Gerst werd commandant van het ISS.
DLR: Alexander Gerst – halftime for the horizons mission.
DLR: Alexander Gerst assumes command of the ISS.
ESA: Reflecting on Europe’s commanding role in space.
ESA: Horizons mission – exercise in space.

Na Horizons (de missie van Gerst) komt er Beyond, met de Italiaan Luca Parmitano.
ESA: Luca Parmitano Reveals Mission Name And Pitch.
ESA: Luca Parmitano’s 2019 mission to the ISS.

Weldra een astronaut uit de Verenigde Arabische Emiraten in het ISS?
NASA: NASA, UAE Space Agency Sign Historic Implementing Arrangement for Cooperation in Human Spaceflight.
Space Daily: First UAE Astronaut to Fly to ISS for 11-Day Mission on April 5, 2019.
TASS: UAE astronaut not to fly to ISS in April after accident with Soyuz MS-10 — source.

The Hindu: Indian astronaut may travel to International Space Station for training: Report.

En wordt 2025 het einde van het ISS? Of niet?
SpaceCom: International Space Station Partners Show Interest in Outpost's Life Extension.
TASS: Russian, US space chiefs to discuss future of International Space Station.

Belgische leerlingen uit Turnhout konden praten met de ISS-bemanning.
VRT NWS: Leerlingen praten met astronaut in de ruimte dankzij radioverbinding met ISS.

SLS/Orion.
The Human Spaceflight Blog: SLS Update: Big Progress Is Made on Readying a Major Core Stage Booster Component for Flight...
NASA: Launch Pad Water Deluge System Test at NASA Kennedy Space Center (filmpje)..

NASA Marshall: No Small Steps: "State of the SLS Rocket" (filmpje).

Een Russische kijk op de zaak:
Russia Today: Ambitious NASA Rocket Project to Cost $9 Billion.

Naar de Maan.
TASS: US wants Russia to be partner in creating lunar orbital outpost, says NASA chief.

NASA: NASA Calls for Instruments, Technologies for Delivery to the Moon.
SpaceCom: Moon Science! NASA Needs Experiment Ideas for Commercial Lunar Landers

PhysOrg: Preparing future explorers for a return to the Moon.

Maanoppervlaksimulatie:
ESA: Luna Facility Brings Moon to Earth.

China simuleert Marsbasis.
GB Times: A first look at China's Mars simulation base out in the Gobi Desert.
Een filmpje over de basis vind je hier. 

Nieuws uit de (inter)planetaire ruimte.

Venus: 
SpaceCom: NASA Wants to Send Humans to Venus, to Live in Airships Floating on Clouds.

Aarde:
ESA: Publieke wedstrijd om PROBA-V een scherpere blik te geven.
CSA: RADARSAT Constellation: A major milestone reached.
GB Times: Saudi Arabia completes SaudiSat-5 remote sensing satellites ahead of launch from China.

Maan:
Time: China Plans To Launch An 'Artificial Moon' To Light Up The Night Skies (filmpje).
PhysOrg: New moon: China to launch lunar lighting in outer space.

Mars: 
NASA: Update on Opportunity Rover after Martian Dust Storm.
NASA: Crazy Engineering: Space Claw on NASA’s InSight Mars Lander (filmpje).
NASA: Mars in a Minute: How Do You Choose a Landing Site? (filmpje).
GB Times: China's Mars orbiter-rover mission on course for 2020 launch window.

Jupiter:
The Planetary Society: Looking at Io's Volcanoes Since Galileo.

Dawn:
The Planetary Society: Dawn Journal: 11 Years in Space.

Ryugu:
The Planetary Society: Collecting a sample from asteroid Ryugu is going to be dicey.

Bennu;
NASA: NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Executes Second Asteroid Approach Maneuver.
NASA: OSIRIS REx Approach Media Telecon (filmpje).

Chandra weer actief. Spitzer 15 jaar.
ABC News: NASA X-ray Space Telescope back online after brief shutdown.

NASA: 15 Years in Space: NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope (filmpje).

Over geosats en satellietconstellaties.
Via Satellite: Big Aerospace Goes Big on Smallsats.
Via Satellite: Launch Exec Panel Reveals Some Still Hoping for GEO Satellite “Reset”.
Space News: Bankers see a growing industry shift to smallsats.
Space News: Satellite operators don’t know what to buy, but ESA is still helping European manufacturers get ready to sell.
Space News: Analysts see demand for two or three megaconstellations.
Space News: Does the satellite industry have antenna deficit disorder?

Space News: French IoT company plans $139 million smallsat constellation.
Space News: Amid concerns, OneWeb gets vague about constellation’s cost.
Teslarati: SpaceX board member says Starlink prototype satellites “are working wonderfully”.
Space News: Phase Four aims for constellation orders.

50 Jaar Apollo: “First Man”.
NASA: Historic NASA Mission Hits the Big Screen (filmpje).

The Space Review: Review: First Man.
Geek Wire: Review: ‘First Man’ and ‘The First’ focus on the moon, on Mars … and on families.
SpaceCom: AstroCritic Review: 'First Man' Shows You What Real Astronauts Are Like.
The Planetary Society: A Joyless 'First Man'.

SpaceCom: Astronauts Reflect on Apollo 11 Legacy in 'First Man' IMAX Featurette.

Collect Space: 'First Man: The Annotated Screenplay' reveals what the film got right — and wrong.
Ars Technia: What Does "First Man" Get Right? (filmpje).
Science Alert:  25 Astounding Moon Landing Facts From 'First Man' That Are Actually True.

TIME: What Neil Armstrong Biopic First Man Gets Right and Wrong About the Moon Landing.
TIME: What Made Neil Armstrong the Right Man to Be First on the Moon, as Told in 1969.
TIME: How Neil Armstrong's Moon Spacesuit Was Preserved for Centuries to Come.

SpaceCom: 'First Man' Cameos, Easter Eggs Add Even More Space History to Film.
SpaceCom: Suiting Up for 'First Man': Ryan Gosling Digs His Authentic NASA Spacesuits.
SpaceCom: 'First Man' Star Ryan Gosling Doesn't Want to Go to the Moon.

Enkele filmpjes.
Boeing: Boeing Historian Helps Lend Authenticity to First Man Movie Set
Boeing: Boeing’s Connection to Neil Armstrong.

En ook nog:
SpaceCom: Follow Neil Armstrong to The Moon! New VR Experience Debuts in U.S..

50 Jaar Apollo: Apollo 7.
SpaceCom: Apollo's First Crewed Trip to Space Happened 50 Years Ago.
SpaceCom: Apollo 7: A Test of Spacecraft and Crew.
Air&Space: The Flight (and Fights) of Apollo 7.
The Guardian: The Apollo programme: first steps into space, 50 years on.

CollectSpace: Fisher Space Pen celebrates 50 years in space with Apollo 7 pen set

60 Jaar NASA.
Eerst enkele filmpjes.
NASA: NASA 60th: Humans in Space.
NASA: NASA: 60 Years in 60 Seconds.
NASA: NASA 60th: Home, Sweet Home.
NASA: NASA 60th: Trailblazing Technogy
NASA: NASA's Journey to the Moon | Apollo Trailer.

NASA: Inspiring NASA Videos Celebrate 60 Years of Space Exploration.
Ars Technica: On NASA’s birthday, a reminder that we can thank Nixon for the agency.
Collect Space: Sixty years ago, NASA opened for business with first try at moonshot.

Om af te ronden: Op (virtueel) bezoek bij de Hubble Space Telescope.
NASA Goddard: Virtual Tour of the Hubble Control Center: Entryway in Lobby.
NASA Goddard: Virtual Tour of the Hubble Control Center: Mission Operations Room.
NASA Goddard: Virtual Tour of the Hubble Control Center: Operations Support Room.
NASA Goddard: Virtual Tour of the Hubble Control Center: Exhibit Hallway Part 1.
NASA Goddard: Virtual Tour of the Hubble Control Center: Exhibit Hallway Part 2.

Veel lees- en kijkplezier,

Koen