Jaren geleden was er het Amerikaanse ruimteveer dat o.a. defecte satellieten uit de ruimte plukte of upgrade-werken uitvoerde aan de Hubble Space Telescope. Dat soort van werk krijgt ten dele opvolging met het deze week gelanceerde Mission Extension Vehicle. Het toestel moet demonstreren dat het inderdaad het leven van een Intelsat-communicatiesatelliet kan verlengen. Deze week werd er bij het ISS ook op een andere manier aan onderhoud gedaan, met twee ruimtewandelingen waarbij batterijen verwisseld werden. Zonder ruimtewandelingen was er ongetwijfeld geen ISS. De allereerste ruimtewandeling had plaats in maart 1965. Die eer was weggelegd voor Alexei Leonov, die deze week kwam te overlijden. Dat en nog veel meer in het Nieuws Uit De Ruimtevaart van deze week. 

Bij de foto: Net boven het midden vind je astronaut Christina Koch tijdens de eerste ruimtewandeling uit een reeks van 10 waarbij o.a. nieuwe batterijen worden geïnstalleerd. De astronaut bevindt zich nabij het P6-element van de centrale “balk” van het ISS. De andere astronaut tijdens deze ruimtewandeling, Andrew Morgan, staat niet op de foto.

China lanceert aardobservatiesatelliet Gaofen.
NasaSpaceFlight: Gaofen satellite launched by Long March 4C.
Spaceflight Now: China launches new Gaofen Earth-imaging satellite.

Filmpje:
CCTV: China Launches Another High-definition Observation Satellite.
SciNews: Long March-4C launches Gaofen-10.

Russische Proton lanceert satelliet voor Eutelsat alsook het eerste Mission Extension Vehicle.
TASS: Russia’s state commission greenlights Proton rocket’s launch with 2 foreign satellites.
TASS: Russia’s Proton-M rocket with foreign satellites blasts off from Baikonur spaceport.
TASS: Foreign satellites launched by Proton-M rocket delivered into intermediate orbit.

Space News: Northrop Grumman’s satellite servicer MEV-1, Eutelsat satellite, launch on ILS Proton.
NasaSpaceFlight: Proton rocket ride-share launches Northrop Grumman’s Mission Extension Vehicle.
Spaceflight Now: Successful Proton launch deploys Eutelsat satellite, first Mission Extension Vehicle.
Spaceflight Now: Live coverage: Proton rocket launches with two U.S.-built satellites.

IEEE: How NASA Will Grapple and Refuel a Satellite in Low Earth Orbit.

Filmpjes:
Northrop Grumman: MEV-1 Mission Profile.
Northrop Grumman: Northrop Grumman's MEV-1: Meet the Team.
Northrop Grumman: Northrop Grumman's Mission Extension Pods (MEPs).

Roscosmos TV: Proton naar het lanceerplatform.

SciNews: Proton-M launches EUTELSAT 5 West B & MEV-1.
Roscosmos TV: Launch.

En nog een interessante presentatie.
NASA NTRS: Designing for OnOrbit Servicing Capability (PDF).

Pegasus lanceert (eindelijk) ICON.
Eerst wat berichten uit augustus van dit jaar (werden toen niet (nog) niet opgenomen in de NUDR).
NasaSpaceFlight: ICON resets for October launch from the East Coast.

NASA: Countdown to T-Zero for a Mission to Study Space Weather (filmpje).
NASA: Counting Down to ICON's Launch.
NASA: ICON Launch Targeted for Oct. 10.
Space News: NASA reschedules long-delayed space science mission.

In voorbereiding op de nieuwe lanceerdatum:
Spaceflight Now: Air-launched rocket arrives at Cape Canaveral for satellite delivery mission.
Spaceflight Now: Pegasus rocket ready for airborne launch with NASA scientific satellite.

En dan opnieuw uitstel.
SpaceCom: NASA's Long-Delayed Space Weather Mission Just Got Delayed Again.

Spaceflight Now: Timeline for Pegasus XL’s launch with NASA’s ICON satellite.

Om dan eindelijk toch gelanceerd te worden.
NASA: NASA Spacecraft Launches on Mission to Explore Frontier of Space.
Northrop Grumman: Ninth science mission for which the company both built and launched the satellite for NASA.

Space News: Pegasus launches ICON space science mission.
NasaSpaceFlight: NASA’s ICON mission launches on Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket.
PhysOrg: NRL launches space weather instrument on NASA satellite.

Wat filmpjes betreft, dit is er nog eentje uit oktober 2017.
NASA: Meet ICON: NASA's Airglow Explorer.
NASA KSC: ICON: Takeoff of L-1011 Stargazer Aircraft..
NASA KSC: ICON: Polling for Launch.
NASA KSC: Launch of Pegasus XL Carrying ICON.
NASA KSC: Interview with NASA's ICON Launch Manager Omar Baez.

Stratolaunch heeft nieuwe eigenaar.
Spaceflight Now: Stratolaunch under new ownership.
GeekWire: Stratolaunch air-launch venture says it’s been transferred to new owners by Paul Allen’s Vulcan.
Reuters: Space firm founded by billionaire Paul Allen sold to new owner.
Space News: Stratolaunch gets mystery new owner.

Spaceflight Now: Rockets purchased by Stratolaunch back under Northrop Grumman control.

Virgin Galactic / Virgin Orbit.
Parabolic Arc: Boeing to Invest $20 Million in Virgin Galactic.
Space News: Boeing to invest in Virgin Galactic.
Parabolic Arc: Virgin Galactic to Unveil New “Milestone” Next Week.

Forbes: Virgin Orbit Is Planning An Ambitious Mission To Mars In 2022.

SpaceX – Falcon 9 nieuws.
Space News: SpaceX says rideshare missions will launch on time, even if partly empty.
Via Satellite: SpaceX Starship Payload Can Carry Satellites.
Teslarati: SpaceX to shift Falcon 9’s next West Coast launch to Florida, the first of its kind in decades.

Spaceflight Now: SpaceX’s next launch to mark another incremental step in rocket reusability.

SpaceX – Starship en Super Heavy.
Teslarati: SpaceX to replace Falcon 9’s titanium grid fins with steel on Starship’s Super Heavy booster.
Teslarati: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk lays out Starship’s path to orbit with sights set on 2020 debut.
Teslarati: SpaceX wins NASA funds to build and test Starship’s orbital refueling technology.

Via Satellite: SpaceX Starship Payload Can Carry Satellites.

NasaSpaceFlight: Construction of Starship 39A launch and landing facility picking up the pace.

ISS – Eerste ruimtewandeling uit een reeks van tien.
SpaceCom: The 1st All-Female Spacewalk Is Back on As NASA Gears Up for 10-EVA Marathon.
Space Policy Online: All female spacewalk back on track as NASA readies for 10 EVA’s.
Euro News: NASA announces 'spacewalk bonanza,' including first all-female outing.

Parabolic Arc: First of Six October Spacewalks Set for Sunday Morning.

NasaSpaceFlight: U.S. segment crew kick off five spacewalk series to replace Station batteries.
SpaceCom: Astronauts Complete First Spacewalk in Series to Upgrade Station Batteries.

Filmpjes:
NASA: Press Briefing: Astronauts to Conduct 10 Complex Spacewalks.
NASA: NASA Astronauts Spacewalk Outside the International Space Station on Oct. 6, 2019 (meer dan 8 uur !)

ISS – Tweede ruimtewandeling uit een reeks van tien.
ESA: Luca Powers Up For A Spacewalk.
NASA: NASA Astronauts Continue the Series of Spacewalks for Power Upgrades.
NASA: The Second Power Upgrade Spacewalk Has Begun.
NASA: Second of Five Power Upgrade Spacewalks Wraps Up.

Video’s:
NASA: NASA Astronauts Spacewalk Outside the International Space Station on Oct. 11, 2019 (volledige ruimtewandeling).
Video From Space: Spacewalkers Complete Battery Swaps Outside Space Station.

ISS – Meer nieuws uit het ruimtestation.
NASA: European Space Agency ICE Cubes.
ESA: ESA Calls for Industry to Extend ISS Columbus Lab Capabilities.

Aleph Farms: Aleph Farms to produce the first slaughter-free meat in space with 3D Bioprinting Solutions (filmpje).
Popular Mechanics: They Printed Beef in Space.
Live Science: Meat Grown in Space for the First Time Ever.

SpaceCom: Northrop Grumman Cargo Ship Launch to Space Station Delayed to November.

De video’s.
NASA: SpaceCast Weekly - October 4, 2019.
NASA: Space to Ground: Extravehicular Marathon: 10/11/2019.

Euronews: Space Chronicles: First UAE astronaut visits the International Space Station.

ISS – Op zoek naar commerciële ruimtestations.
Space News: NASA looks to support development of commercial space stations.
Parabolic Arc: NASA Issues Draft Solicitation for Orbital Free Flyer.

Commercial Crew / SpaceX versus NASA / Soyuz.
Teslarati: SpaceX’s ‘In-Flight Abort’ Crew Dragon capsule and Falcon 9 booster arrive in Florida.
Teslarati: SpaceX, NASA test escape zipline ahead of Crew Dragon’s astronaut launch debut.
Teslarati: SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, Falcon 9 likely ready for astronaut launch debut in 10 weeks, says Musk.
Teslarati: SpaceX’s astronaut launch debut Crew Dragon capsule shown off in first public photos.

Aviation Week: SpaceX Clearing Final Hurdles Toward Crew Dragon Flights.

Spaceflight Now: Boeing reveals target dates for initial Starliner test flights.
Geek Wire: NASA confirms Boeing’s latest timetable for Starliner space taxi’s final tests.

Space News: Boeing, SpaceX press towards commercial crew test flights this year.
Collect Space: Astronauts debut mission patch for SpaceX Dragon crewed flight test.

Ars Technica: It looks like SpaceX is now prioritizing Crew Dragon—which is great for NASA.
SpaceCom: Why NASA's Annoyed About Elon Musk's Giant Rocket.
Reuters: NASA boss to tour SpaceX factory after feud with Elon Musk.
Teslarati: NASA administrator set to tour SpaceX’s rocket, spaceship factory with Elon Musk.
Teslarati: SpaceX on track with Crew Dragon program despite thin NASA budget.
Ars Technica: Elon Musk and NASA chief get on same page, vow to complete Crew Dragon.
Spaceflight Now: NASA chief says SpaceX properly focused on Crew Dragon.
Space Policy Online: Astronauts could launch on Crew Dragon 1st Quarter 2020, if ….
Space News: NASA and SpaceX agree commercial crew development is the “highest priority”.
En er is zelfs een filmpje over de ontmoeting van  Bridenstine en Musk te zien in deze tweet

Parabolic Arc: SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Program Delay: 3+ Years.

TASS: First fully Russian Soyuz crew to head to ISS in autumn 2020.
Space Policy Online: NASA mulls Soyuz needs as commercial crew schedule remains fluid.
Space News: NASA considering purchase of additional Soyuz seats.

ARTEMIS: SLS/Orion.
Space News: NASA official hints first SLS launch could slip to mid-2021.
NASA: Rocket Science in 60 Seconds: What Are the SLS Avionics? (filmpje).

Airbus: Successful hot firing tests for Orion.

ARTEMIS: Op zoek naar een bemande maanlander.
Spaceflight Now: NASA opens competition to build human-rated lunar landers.

ARTEMIS: Het ruimtepak.
NASA: NASA Seeks Industry Input on Hardware Production for Lunar Spacesuit.
NASA: A Next Generation Spacesuit for the Artemis Generation of Astronauts.
NasaSpaceFlight: NASA calls for industry input on new xEMU Lunar Spacesuits.

ARTEMIS: Naar de Maan in 2024.
NASA: The First Artemis Flight Path Around the Moon (filmpje).

Ars Technica: As NASA tries to land on the Moon, it has plenty of rockets to choose from.
Techspot: The Moon, Mars and Beyond: The Tech Behind the New Space Race.
Florida Today: NASA's first female launch director to lead countdowns during Artemis missions to the moon.

NASA: Artemis, meet ARTEMIS: Pursuing Sun Science at the Moon.

Nieuws uit de (inter)planetaire ruimte.

Zon:
Universe Today: Power Grids and Satellites Are More at Risk from Extreme Solar Storms Than We Thought.
The Times of India: Chandrayaan 2's orbiter observes solar flares, will help understand sun better.

Aarde:
TASS: Russia starts operating Kanopus satellite system to monitor natural and man-made disasters.
Space News: Earth observation customers want speedy satellite tasking.
Space News: Decommissioned Earth science satellite to remain in orbit for centuries.
VRT NWS: Vlaamse wetenschappers bepalen diepte van sneeuwlagen met behulp van satellieten.
Spacewatch Global: EOS to create its own radar microsatellite constellation “EOS SAR”.

Maan:
Ars Technica: All hail Luna 3, rightful king of 1950s space missions.
NASA: New Research Sheds Light on the Ages of Lunar Ice Deposits.
The Hindu: Chandrayaan 2: ISRO releases pictures of moon surface.
Space And ISRO News: ISRO Releases Images from the Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC)
Space Daily: India's 2nd lunar mission orbiter detects charged particles on Moon.
New Scientist: Plans for UK's first moon rover announced at New Scientist Live.
TASS: Russia’s sample mission to Moon scheduled for 2026-2027.
ESA: Oxygen and metal from lunar regolith.

Mars:
SpaceCom: NASA’s Stuck Mars 'Mole' Gets a Helping Hand from Arm Scoop.
NASA: NASA's Curiosity Rover Finds an Ancient Oasis on Mars.
SpaceCom: Ancient Lake on Mars Turned Salty for a Spell, Curiosity Rover Finds.
NASA: NASA's Mars 2020 Rover Tests Descent-Stage Separation.
SpaceCom: NASA Tests Mars 2020 Rover's Sky Crane Landing Tech.

Jupiter:
SpaceCom: An Algorithm May Be the 1st Thing to See Europa Clipper's Coolest Discoveries from Jupiter Moon.

Saturnus: 
JHU APL: This is Dragonfly (filmpje).

Bennu:
Asteroid Mission: Portion of Boulder Cluster in Northern Hemisphere.

Planetoïden:
NASA: Season Two of 'On a Mission' Podcast Targets Asteroids.

Rosetta:
ESA: Latest from Rosetta (filmpje)

Sondes aan de rand:
Science Alert: Voyager Mission Reveals Unexpected Pressure at The Edge of The Solar System.

Nog dit: Alexei Leonov, de eerste ruimtewandelaar, is overleden.
TASS: First spacewalker Alexei Leonov dies at 85.
TASS: Putin admired Leonov’s courage, held him in high esteem.
TASS: Alexei Leonov, first person to walk in space, dead at 85.
TASS: US astronaut Buzz Aldrin honors Leonov as "cosmonaut ambassador to the world".
TASS: Alexei Leonov wrote legendary pages in history of space exploration, says Putin.
TASS: European Space Agency offers condolences over death of cosmonaut Leonov.

Collect Space: Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, who was first to walk in space, dies at 85.
NasaSpaceFlight: Alexei Leonov, space artist and pioneer, dies at 85.

Spacepage: Eerste ruimtewandelaar overleden.
VRT NWS: NASA lanceert satelliet om het "weer in de ruimte" te voorspellen.

BBC: Alexei Leonov: First person to walk in space dies aged 85.
Russia Today: First artist to go on a spacewalk: Late cosmonaut Aleksei Leonov leaves behind AMAZING SCI-FI PAINTINGS (PHOTOS).

Enkele filmpjes:
Video From Space: Astronauts Honor 1st Human Spacewalker Alexei Leonov From Space
Video From Space: First Human Spacewalker Nearly Died In Space.
NASA Johnson: Russian Space Pioneer Discusses Golden Anniversary of First Spacewalk.

Veel lees- en kijkplezier,

Koen