Na het nodige uitstel is dan eerder vandaag met succes “It’s Business Time “ gelanceerd vanuit Nieuw-Zeeland. Een belangrijke gebeurtenis, want de concurrentie staat te dringen. Om er twee te vermelden, Vector Space System en Stratolaunch werken ijverig verder aan hun testprogramma’s. Stratolaunch gaat een raket de hoogte inbrengen met behulp van een vliegtuig. Een methode die al sinds 1990 met de Pegasus-raket gebruikt werd. Pegasus moet nu de ICON-satelliet lanceren, maar die lancering stond oorspronkelijk al gepland voor juni vorig jaar. Het aantal keren dat deze lancering al is uitgesteld is niet meer op één hand te tellen. En ook nu kon de lancering niet doorgaan, ook al was het vliegtuig al opgestegen.

Nieuwe Europese weersatelliet met succes gelanceerd.
ESA: MetOp-C ready for big day.
ESA: Europe’s third polar-orbiting weather satellite lofted into orbit.
DLR: MetOp-C weather satellite successfully launched – weather forecasting will become more precise.
Thales: MetOp-C in orbit.
KMI: Lancering van de polaire meteorologische satelliet MetOp-C geslaagd.

Space News: Soyuz launches European weather satellite.
NasaSpaceFlight: Arianespace Soyuz ST-B launches Metop-C.

De filmpjes:
Arianespace: Arianespace Flight VS19 – Payload – Metop-C – EUMETSAT.
Arianespace: Arianespace - VS19 Successful Launch.
Arianespace: Arianespace Flight VS19 – Successful Soyuz Launch.
De ganse live-uitzending vind je hier.

Rocket Lab lanceert met succes “It’s Business Time”, de eerste operationele lancering van de Electron.
RocketLab: Rocket Lab reaches orbit again, deploys more satellites.
De persmap van deze lancering vind je hier (PDF). 

NasaSpaceFlight: Rocket Lab launches first operational Electron mission.
The New York Times: Rocket Lab’s Modest Launch Is Giant Leap for Small Rocket Business.
Spaceflight Insider: Finally “Business Time” for Rocket Lab with 7 Payloads.

Filmpjes:
De live-uitzending kan je via volgende link volgen vanaf ongeveer één minuut voor de lancering.
Rocket Lab: It's Business Time Launch.
SciNews: Rocket Lab Electron “It’s Business Time” Launch.
SciNews: Rocket Lab Electron “It’s Business Time” satellites deployment.

En bij deze nog beelden van motortesten vanwege de concurrenten van Vector Space Systems.

Lancering ICON opnieuw voor onbepaalde tijd uitgesteld.
NASA: NASA’s ICON to Explore Boundary Between Earth and Space.
NasaSpaceFlight: NASA’s ICON mission on Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket scrubbed.

Filmpjes:
Een kennismaking met de satelliet, alsook met het vliegtuig dat de Pegasus-raket in de lucht moet brengen.
NASA: ICON Mission Is Go for Launch.
NASA Goddard: Tour the Plane Giving NASA’s ICON a Ride to Space

Kounotori verlaat het ISS.
NASA: Astronauts Release Japanese Spaceship.
NasaSpaceFlight: HTV-7 departs from ISS – additional goals ahead of death plunge.
SpaceCom: Japanese Cargo Ship Departs Space Station. Next Stop: Oblivion.
The Mainichi: Unmanned Japanese cargo vessel departs ISS with experiment samples.

Het live-verslag vind je hier.

Meer info over de Japanse terugkeercapsule aan boord van de Kounotori vind je o.a. in volgend filmpje/
NASA: Space to Ground: Surviving the Plunge: 11/09/2018.

Nog eens de mislukte Soyuz-lancering.
Ars Technica: Russian space leader issues decree against trash, “sloppy” work attitudes.
Space Safety Mag: A Quality Issue Caused the Soyuz MC-10 Failure.

Interfax: Members of Soyuz crew that failed to reach ISS not on lists for 2019 missions.

PhysOrg: Next US astronaut on Russian rocket confident after mishaps.

Nieuws uit het ISS.
Sputnik News: Russia's Roscosmos Confirms Computer Glitch On Board ISS.
ABC News: Russia reports computer bug on International Space Station.
GeekWire: Russia says one of its space station computers failed but two others are A-OK.

Space Daily: Cosmonauts to perform spacewalk to examine hole in Soyuz hull on December 11.

TASS: Russia’s resupply ship to use two-day scheme to reach orbital outpost.

Mashable: On election day, even astronauts in space get to cast their vote.

Space News: NASA astronaut still baffled by removal from ISS mission.

Space Daily: 'Dust up' on International Space Station hints at sources of structure.
Space News: Orbit Fab to test refueling technology on ISS.
SpaceCom: This Space Station Air Recycler Could Help Astronauts Breathe Easier on Mars.
NASA Johnson: Tissue Chips In Space (filmpje).

ESA: Astronaut’s Glory.

China Space Station.
GB Times: China's core space station module, Chang'e-4 spacecraft and new launchers unveiled at Zhuhai Airshow.
New China TV: China's future space station: Core module model unveiled in Zhuhai (filmpje).

Commercial Crew.
Teslarati: SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft nears launch debut as Falcon 9 tests wrap up.
Teslarati: NASA shows off SpaceX’s upgraded Crew Dragon recovery vessel, tests helipad.
The Verge: SpaceX’s helipad-equipped boat will bring astronauts safely home.

NasaSpaceFlight: Commercial Crew completes training and prepares flight hardware.

Enkele filmpjes.
SciNews: Commercial Crew Astronauts inside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon (4K UHD).
SciNews: Commercial Crew Astronauts train in centrifuge.

Europese Service Module voor Orion arriveert in de Verenigde Staten.
ESA: First European Service Module Enroute to USA.
ESA: European Service Module before Shipping.
ESA: How to Ship a Spacecraft Module across the Atlantic.
NASA: European-Built Service Module Arrives in U.S. for First Orion Moon Mission.

Zie ook:
ESA: Orion Media Kit.

Meer Orionnieuws.
NASA: Recovery of the Test Orion Capsule in the Pacific Ocean.
Een filmpje:
NASA: NASA's Test Orion Spacecraft in the Pacific Ocean at Sunset.

En, gezien de recente gebeurtenissen met de Soyuz, misschien wel een interessant document.
NASA NTRS: Modeling In-Space Aborts for NASA Human Exploration Missions (PDF).

SLS-Nieuws.
NasaSpaceFlight: Northrop Grumman eyes synergy between OmegA and SLS solid rocket boosters.
NASA: Meet the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage for NASA’s Space Launch System.

De gevolgen van de Amerikaanse “mid terms”.
Space News: Culberson loses as Democrats win House; Nelson losing Senate reelection.
The Planetary Society: What the 2018 midterms mean for NASA and planetary science.
Houston Chronicle: Culberson's ouster could spell big problems for NASA's Orion program, experts say.
Washington Examiner: Trump's Space Force loses some detractors, but expect a bumpy ride in the new Congress.
Military.Com: Space Force in Jeopardy After Democrats Gain Control of House.
Forbes: Houston, We Have a Political Problem: Anti-Space Campaign Ad Airs.
Space Policy Online: Nelson’s senate seat still undecided, Scott orders fraud investigation as race tightens.
The Atlantic: The Republican Space Fans Exiting the House.

Het nieuwe SeaLaunch. Nog drie jaar wachten?
TASS: S7 Space to modernize Sea Launch floating spaceport for reusable rocket.
TASS: First launch of S7 Space’s rocket may take place in three years — company chief.

Nieuws over Stratolaunch.
Space News: Stratolaunch tests key engine component.
GeekWire: Stratolaunch completes milestone preburner test firing for PGA rocket engine.
Teslarati: Ex-SpaceX engineer leads Stratolaunch to major rocket engine test milestone.

SpaceX-nieuws.
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX set to return to launch action amid LSP status upgrade.
ArsTechnica: Kazakhstan chooses SpaceX over a Russian rocket for satellite launch.

Teslarati: SpaceX kicks off $750M investment round as BFR and Starlink infrastructure needs grow.
Bloomberg: SpaceX Seeks $750 Million Loan Via New Arranger BofA.

The Verge: SpaceX wants to fly some internet satellites closer to Earth to cut down on space trash.
Teslarati: SpaceX’s Starlink internet constellation deemed ‘a license to print money’.

Teslarati: SpaceX job posts hint at building satellite constellations for US military.

Teslarati: SpaceX to build small version of BFR’s spaceship for use on Falcon 9, says Elon Musk.
Parabolic Arc: Musk: Still Looking to Launch BFR to Mars in 2024.

Planetary Resources overgenomen.
Space News: Asteroid mining company Planetary Resources acquired by blockchain firm.
CoinSpeaker: Ethereum’s Consensys Takes Over Planetary Resources to Further Conduct Space Initiatives.

Europa en het ruimteweer.
ESA: Solar Warning – ESA’s future Lagrange Mission.
ESA: ESA Rocks Space Weather.

Filmpjes:
ESA: ESA watches for solar hazards.
ESA: What is space weather?

Het Nieuwsblad: “Belgische” satelliet Proba-2 ontdekt “gaten” in de corona van de Zon.

Landingsplaats gekozen voor Europese Marslander.
BBC: ExoMars: Where to send Europe's robot rover?
ESA: Oxia Planum favoured for ExoMars surface mission
BBC: ExoMars: Life-detecting robot to be sent to Oxia Planum.
GovUK: Landing site selected for UK Mars rover.

Nieuws uit de (inter)planetaire ruimte.

Zon:
NASA: Parker Solar Probe Reports Good Status After Close Solar Approach.
Spaceflight Now: Parker Solar Probe sets records during first encounter with the sun.
ABC News: NASA's Parker spacecraft makes 1st close approach to sun.

Mercurius:
EuroPlanet: BepiColombo and the surface mineralogy of Mercury (voordracht).

Venus:
Hindustan Times: Isro plans Venus mission for 2023, invites international payloads.

Aarde:
NASA: GRACE-FO Resumes Data Collection.
NASA: ESA’s gravity-mapper reveals relics of ancient continents under Antarctic ice.
NASA: GOCE reveals Antarctic tectonics (filmpje).

Maan:
The Planetary Society: Here's (almost) everything you need to know about Israel's Moon lander.

Mars:
NASA: The Mars InSight Landing Site Is Just Plain Perfect.
The Mars Chronicles: Sol 2218: No Candy, Just Science for Curiosity.
The Mars Chronicles: The Mars Exploration Rovers Update: NASA Green-Lights Team to Continue Opportunity Recovery Plan into 2019
New China TV: China to launch maiden Mars probe in 2020 (filmpje).

Jupiter:
NASA: Jovian close encounter.

Pluto:
Parabolic Arc: “Chasing New Horizons” Gets to the Heart of Mysterious Pluto.

Ryugu:
The Bad Astronomer: HAYBUSA 2 practices an asteroid touchdown (filmpje).

Bennu:
NASA: OSIRIS-REx Sees Bennu from 'All Sides' (filmpje).

Ultima Thule:
Sky & Telescope: New Horizons On Approach to the First Exploration of a Kuiper Belt Object.

En nog dit: 
CCTV: China to Conduct Four Deep Space Exploration Missions on Mars, Asteroids, Jupiter.

Apollo 50 Jaar – De Armstrong memorabilia veiling.
Collect Space: Neil Armstrong collection commands $5.2 million at auction.
Space Daily: First moon walk's commemorative plaque sold for $468,500.

Verenigd Koninkrijk, Frankrijk en Italië en hun militaire satellietcommunicatieplannen.
Space News: Italian military mulls smaller GEO satellites so it can launch them on Vega rockets.
Space News: France to add third Syracuse 4 satellite to future milsatcom fleet.
Space News: UK MoD still undecided on how to procure satellite communications.

Om af te ronden – Tesla voorbij Marsbaan.
SpaceCom: SpaceX's 'Starman' and Its Tesla Roadster Are Now Beyond Mars.
SpaceCom: SpaceX's Epic Road Trip Photos: Starman Rides a Tesla Roadster Across Space.

Veel lees- en kijkplezier,

Koen