Ook al gebeurt er vlak bij huis elke week wel iets interessants, de uiterste grenzen van ons zonnestelsel blijven verbazen. De Amerikaanse sonde New Horizons vloog op nieuwjaarsdag voorbij Ultima Thule. Nieuw binnengekomen beelden laten nu zien dat de “sneeuwman” die we eerder zagen, vrij plat blijkt te zijn. En ook al gaan we weldra terug naar de Maan, Mars blijft in de belangstelling, met enerzijds het einde van de MarCO’s en anderzijds de Europese Marsrover die zijn/haar naam kreeg. Dat en nog veel meer in het Nieuws Uit De Ruimtevaart van deze week.

Bij de foto: Het nieuwe model voor Ultima Thule.

Eerste Ariane V-lancering van het jaar brengt twee comsats in een geo-baan.
Arianespace: Arianespace orbits two telecommunications satellites on first Ariane 5 launch of 2019.
ESA: Ariane 5’s first launch of 2019.
The Hindu: India successfully launches communication satellite GSAT-31.

NasaSpaceFlight: Ariane 5 launches Hellas-Sat-4/SaudiGeoSat-1 and GSAT 31.
Space News: Arianespace launches Indian, Saudi telecom satellites in year’s first Ariane 5 mission.

De persmap vind je hier (PDF).

De filmpjes:
Arianespace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMGEinBfBhs
Defense and Space Updates: ISRO's GSAT-31 Satellite Launch Official Curtain Raiser Video.
Arianespace: VA 247 Launch Sequence. 
Arianespace: Live Arianespace Flight VA247 – GSAT-31.

Mislukte Iraanse lancering. Dodelijk ongeluk in ruimtevaartcentrum.
CNN Politics: Images show Iran prepping satellite launch despite Pompeo's threat.
CBN News: Report: Iranian Space Satellite Launch Fails Again.
Radio Free Europe: U.S. Assails Iranian Space Program After Reports Of Second Failed Launch.

NasaSpaceFlight: Iran improving its rockets ten years after its first satellite launch.

The Times of Israel: Fire in Iranian space center kills 3 scientists – report.

Virgin Galactic  – Astronautenvleugels voor twee piloten.
Virgin Galactic: Virgin Galactic Pilots Awarded Commercial Astronaut Wings.
Virgin Galactic: Two Virgin Galactic Pilots Receive Commercial Astronaut Wings (filmpje).
Collect Space: Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo pilots awarded FAA astronaut wings.
GeekWire: Virgin Galactic’s pilots get first commercial astronaut wings awarded in 15 years.

Virgin Galactic  – Motor geschonken aan Smithsonian.
Virgin Galactic: Spaceflight Rocket Motor donated to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum.
Collect Space: Virgin Galactic space-flown rocket engine donated to Smithsonian.

Virgin Galactic  – Branson in de ruimte op 50ste verjaardag maanlanding?
Daily Mail: One giant step for Virgin: Richard Branson claims he'll fly to space in JULY to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing.
Parabolic Arc: Richard Branson Wants to Fly on SpaceShipTwo on Anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Landing.
SpaceCom: Will Virgin Galactic Founder Richard Branson Fly to Space on Apollo 11's 50th Anniversary?

ISS – Opnieuw een lek. 
NasaSpaceFlight: ISS suffers another leak, but this time of the messy, non-dangerous, type.
Cnet: ISS toilet leak reminds us that everything is harder in space.

ISS – Cygnus vertrekt.
Northrop Grumman: Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus Spacecraft Departs International Space Station.
NasaSpaceFlight: NG-10 Cygnus departs ISS after 3 month science, supply mission.
Space.com: Cygnus Cargo Ship Takes Out the Trash at the International Space Station.

Beelden van het vertrek vind je hier. 

ISS – Andere nieuwtjes.
NASA: SpaceCastWeekly February 8, 2019.

ESA: Spotlights on Space Station science.
ESA: New research opportunities on ISS.
ESA: Research in space for health: growing blood vessels (filmpje).
ESA: Science with(out) gravity.
GeekWire: Astronauts install Tethers Unlimited’s 3-D printer plus recycler on space station.
RealClearLive: This Astronaut Is Wearing a “Smart” Astroskin Jersey on the Space Station.

NASA: Space to Ground: Femtosatellites: 02/08/2019 (filmpje).

Sputnik News: Russia to Fly US Astronauts to ISS Ahead of Schedule – Source.

CSA: Behind-the-scenes - Robotics Mission Control Centre (filmpje).
CSA: Canadarm2 to capture a spacecraft - CSA simulator (filmpje).

PhysOrg: Decision making in space.

Business Insider: 9 everyday things astronauts can’t do in space

Commercial Crew – Weer uitstel voor Crew Dragon en Starliner. Trump: Nog dit jaar!
NASA: NASA, Partners Update Commercial Crew Launch Dates.
Space News: Commercial crew test flight schedule slips again.
Teslarati: SpaceX’s Crew Dragon launch moves to March, risking Falcon Heavy delays.

Time: Trump Promised Manned Spaceflights From the U.S. This Year. Will It Actually Happen?
Of kijk rechtstreeks naar de beelden.

SpaceX – Eén jaar geleden: Eerste lancering Falcon Heavy.
NasaSpaceFlight: As Falcon Heavy celebrates anniversary, SpaceX manifest aligns.
LiveScience: After 1-Year Joyride in Space, Starman Has Probably Trashed Elon's Roadster
SpaceCom: A Year After SpaceX's 1st Falcon Heavy Launch, Starman (and a Tesla) Sail On.

SpaceX – Musk test Raptor-motor.
Teslarati: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk arrives in Texas for milestone Starship engine test.
Teslarati: SpaceX’s first redesigned Raptor static fire paves the way for Starship’s hop test debut.
Teslarati: SpaceX’s Starship prototype is looking increasingly rocket-like as hop test pad expands.
Teslarati: SpaceX’s Starship engine hits twice the thrust of Merlin just days after test debut.

Space News: SpaceX tests flight version of Raptor engine.
Ars Technica: Forget the Super Bowl, SpaceX just fired its Mars rocket engine.

Beelden van de test vind je hier.

Universe Today: Elon Musk’s New Plan is to Get to the Moon as Fast as Possible.

SpaceX – Probleem voor Texaans lanceerplatform?
Bloomberg: SpaceX Texas Launch Site Risks Being Split in Two by Border Wall.

SLS/Orion.
NASA: Learn How Engineers Connected the Top of the SLS Core Stage (filmpje).

SpaceRef: Orion Ascent Abort-2 Booster Arrives At KSC.
NasaSpaceFlight: NASA working to minimize shutdown impact to Springtime Orion abort test.

Naar de Maan (en Mars).
NASA: Celebrating Apollo as We Push Forward to the Moon (filmpje).
Ozy: NASA: Join us in going to the moon … and beyond.

NASA: NASA Seeks US Partners to Develop Reusable Systems to Land Astronauts on Moon.
SpaceCom: Private Moon Landers Could Help NASA's Next Giant Leap in Lunar Exploration
Meer info volgende week:
NASA: NASA Administrator Hosts Media, Industry Forum on Lunar Exploration Plans.

Sputnik News: Russia's First Manned Lunar Mission Expected to Land on Moon in 2031.
Sputnik News: ‘Rocket C': Space Industry Source Unveils Tech Details of Russia Lunar Mission.

Orbex – UK-raket te lanceren van een UK-ruimtehaven.
Orbex: SSTL Partners with Orbex for UK Launches.
Orbex: Orbex to Launch Nanosatellites for Planet-wide IoT Network.
Orbex: Orbex Unveils Prime Rocket at New Facility in Scotland.
NasaSpaceFlight: Orbex reveals Prime’s second stage as it prepares for UK domestic launches.

Nog enkele Russische ruimtevaartnieuwtjes.
Russia Insight: Russia Unveils First REUSABLE HYPERSONIC Space Drone Travelling a Speed More Than 7 Mach! (filmpje).
Space News: Rogozin teases new Russian super-heavy rocket Yenisei.
Sputnik News: Place for Russian First Private Cosmodrome Revealed by Source.

Satellite Servicing (met terugblik op de HST servicing missions).
The Verge: Fixing broken satellites in space could save companies big money.
Cosmos: The future of in-space manufacturing.

ESA: ESA’s e.Deorbit debris removal mission reborn as servicing vehicle.
SpaceCom: European Space Junk Cleanup Concept Gets New Mission: Refuel and Repair.

Een aantal filmpjes:
NASA Goddard: The Challenges of Servicing in Space – Panel Session with Hubble Astronauts (duur 1u30)
NASA Goddard: Live at the ROC: Hubble Celebrates 25 Years of Servicing in Space (duur 1u).
NASA Goddard: Hubble Servicing Mission 1: From the Astronauts' Perspective.

The Space Review: Rethinking satellite servicing.

Ultima Thule – Platter dan verwacht.
NH Website: New Horizons' Evocative Farewell Glance at Ultima Thule.
Ars Technica: New images of the distant Ultima Thule object have surprised scientists.
Werkgroep Maan en Planeten (NL): Ultima Thule is geen sneeuwman, maar plat.

Enkele filmpjes:
NASA: New Data, New View.
NASA: The Truly Odd Shape of Ultima Thule.
Video From Space: Ultima Thule is Flatter Than Previously Thought.
Scott Manley: NASA Shows Alien World Is Flat.

Het einde van de MarCO’s.
NASA: Beyond Mars, the Mini MarCO Spacecraft Fall Silent.
Space News: Mars cubesats fall silent.

Europese ExoMars rover wordt “Rosalind Franklin”.
ESA: ESA’s Mars Rover has a name: Rosalind Franklin.
GovUK: Name of British built Mars rover revealed.
ESA: ExoMars Rover: from concept to reality (filmpje).
EuroNews: Europe's Mars rover named after DNA pioneer Rosalind Franklin.

Meer nieuws uit de (inter)planetaire ruimte.

Aarde:
ESA: Ebers Walde Crater Delta.
ESA: Flying under Aeolus (filmpje).
GPS World: Planet’s breadloaf-sized satellites capture Earth surface.
ESA: Swarm helps pinpoint new magnetic north for smartphones.
Mashable: This timelapse of the South Pole's aurora australis is absolutely magical.

Maan:
NASA: First Look: Chang'e Lunar Landing Site.
Camras: Our precious Earth and the lunar far side.

Mars:
The Martian Chronicles: Sol 2313-2314: Cruising the Clay-bearing Unit.
Astronomy: Watch InSight's busy first months on Mars.
NASA: InSight's Seismometer Now Has a Cozy Shelter on Mars.

Jupiter:
ESA: Juice’s Jovian odyssey (filmpje).

Uranus/Neptunus:
HubbleSite: Hubble Reveals Dynamic Atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune.

Ryugu.
Japan Today: Japan's Hayabusa2 probe to land on asteroid on Feb 22.
SpaceCom: Japan Will Land a Spacecraft on Asteroid Ryugu This Month to Snag a Sample.

Didymos.
ESA: ESA plans mission to smallest asteroid ever visited.

Nieuwe stap voor James Webb Space Telescope.
NASA: NASA’s Webb Is Sound After Completing Critical Milestones
Northrop Grumman: Northrop Grumman Completes Next Critical Launch Milestones of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Spacecraft

Kepler’s laatste beeld.
NASA: Kepler’s Final Image Shows A Galaxy Full Of Possibilities.
NASA: Tour Alien Worlds with New Multimedia Treats.

Veel lees- en kijkplezier,

Koen