“Satellite Servicing” is niet nieuw. Denk maar aan de Space Shuttle en de Hubble Space Telescope. Maar met het Mission Extension Vehicle en de geslaagde koppeling met een Intelsat-comsat is een nieuw tijdperk aangebroken. Northrop Grumman werkt ondertussen ook verder aan een nieuwe raket, de OmegA. En in Alaska probeert men een andere nieuwe lanceerder te laten vertrekken. Verder ontplofte het Starship-prototype, en deze keer was het niet de bedoeling. Chang'e-4 en Yutu-2 keken op de Maan onder de grond en InSight op Mars deed hetzelfde, maar dan anders. Dat en nog veel meer in het Nieuws Uit De Ruimtevaart van deze week.

Bij de foto: MEV-1 maakt zich vast aan de Intelsat-kunstmaan. Het tijdperk van On-Orbit Satellite Servicing lijkt aangebroken. Foto: Northrop Grumman.

Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) – Eerste opdracht geslaagd.
Northrop Grumman: Northrop Grumman Successfully Completes Historic First Docking of Mission Extension Vehicle with Intelsat 901 Satellite.
Space News: Northrop Grumman’s MEV-1 servicer docks with Intelsat satellite.
NasaSpaceFlight: Northrop Grumman makes history, Mission Extension Vehicle docks to target satellite.
Spaceflight Now: Two commercial satellites link up in space for first time.

C4ISRNet: Is this the beginning of on orbit satellite servicing?

Filmpjes:
SciNews: Northrop Grumman’s MEV-1 docked with the Intelsat 901 satellite.
Video From Space: Two commercial satellites dock in orbit for first time.

Commercial Crew: Boeing belooft beter testprogramma voor Starliner.
Space News: Boeing implementing more rigorous testing of Starliner after software problems.
NasaSpaceFlight: Boeing provides update, path forward for Starliner.
SpaceCom: Boeing defends Starliner space capsule ground tests after problematic debut flight.
Spaceflight Now: Boeing says thorough testing would have caught Starliner software problems.
Space Policy Online: Boeing working through Starliner Fixes, not ready to set next launch date.

De audio van de Starliner-update door Boeing:
AmericaSpace: Boeing Starliner Program Update Feb 28, 2020.

Starship SN1 “ontploft” bij druktest.
GeekWire: SpaceX’s Starship SN1 prototype blows up during pressure test on its Texas pad.
SpaceCom: SpaceX's Starship SN1 prototype appears to burst during pressure test.

Enkele dagen eerder:
Teslarati: SpaceX Starship rolls to Texas launch pad ahead of next big test campaign.

Beelden:
Video From Space: SpaceX Starship SN1 moved to launch pad for testing in time-lapse video.
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN1 cryo proof test failure - Feb 28, 2020.

Meer Starship-nieuws:
Teslarati: SpaceX's Los Angeles Mars rocket factory go for launch after cresting last big hurdle.
Teslarati: SpaceX's new Starship test stand to make life a little easier for Raptor engine engineers.

Northrop Grumman test tweede trap v/d nieuwe OmegA-raket.
Northrop Grumman: Northrop Grumman Successfully Completes Second Stage Test for OmegA™ Rocket.

Florida Today: Northrop Grumman ready for next major test of OmegA rocket.
Space News: Northrop Grumman completes static fire test of OmegA rocket’s second stage.
Defense News: With static test complete, Northrop Grumman’s OmegA rocket is on track for 2021 flight.

Beelden van de test vind je hier.

De ‘Mad Mike’ crash.
SpaceCom: 'Mad Mike' wasn't trying to prove 'flat Earth' theory on ill-fated homemade rocket launch.

Enkele filmpjes:
Eyewitness News: ‘Mad Mike’ Hughes dies during homemade rocket launch.
CBS Evening News: "Mad Mike" dies from his homemade rocket.

Astra Space en de DARPA Launch Challenge.
Space News: DARPA makes last-minute change to launch competition rules.
Spaceflight Now: Fresh out of stealth mode, Astra gearing up for orbital launch from Alaska.
SpaceCom: Astra's 1st flight for DARPA Launch Challenge set to fly Saturday.
NasaSpaceFlight: Astra, DARPA prepare for upcoming launch challenge.

Voorlopig lijkt het weer niet mee te werken. De lancering is nu voorzien voor 2 maart.
Zie https://www.darpalaunchchallenge.org/  voor meer details.

Een hele reeks filmpjes:
Als inleiding:
Scott Manley: Astra's Secret Rocket Project Finally Reveals Itself.

Over de Launch Challenge, over Astra, over het slechte weer, alsook over de voorbereidingen.
DARPA TV: DARPA Launch Challenge – Launch 1 Feb 26, 2020.
DARPA TV: Launch One Location - DARPA Launch Challenge.
DARPA TV: DARPA Launch Challenge - Flexible and Responsive Launch version 2.

De voorbereidingen:
DARPA TV: L-7: DARPA Launch Challenge/Launch 1 Preparation.
DARPA TV: L-6: Payload Integration & Weather Testing - DARPA Launch Challenge.
DARPA TV: Upper Level Winds Tracking - DARPA Launch Challenge.
DARPA TV: L-5: Testing Weather Conditions for Launch - DARPA Launch Challenge.
DARPA TV: L-4: Ground Support Equipment Delivery & Offload - DARPA Launch Challenge.
DARPA TV: L-3: Fueling Preparations & Flight Termination Safety Testing.
DARPA TV: DARPA Launch Challenge Recap Feb 26, 2020.
DARPA TV: DARPA Launch Challenge Recap Feb 27 2020.
DARPA TV: DARPA Launch Challenge Recap Feb 28, 2020

Samenvatting van de voorbije 13 dagen:
DARPA TV: DARPA Launch Challenge -13 Days Preparing For Launch.

Maar het weer lijkt niet mee te werken:
DARPA TV: DARPA Launch Challenge Recap Feb 29, 2020

De raket:
DARPA TV: DARPA Launch Challenge – Astra.
DARPA TV: DARPA Launch Challenge – Rocket Overview Astra.
DARPA TV: Launch Vehicle Preparation & Shipping.
DARPA TV: Launch - Why This is Difficult.
DARPA TV: Launch Range Safety.

De te lanceren satellieten.
DARPA TV: DARPA Launch Challenge: What is the Payload?
DARPA TV: Payload Integration: DARPA Launch Challenge.

SpaceX – Falcon 9 lanceerplanning, KSC uitbreidingen.
Space News: SpaceX planning major increase in Florida launch activity.
Teslarati: SpaceX envisions massive rocket enclosure for military applications.
Florida Today: SpaceX, eyeing more launches, making major changes at Kennedy Space Center

Teslarati: SpaceX's next military launch cleared for historic rocket landing attempt.

NASA: SpaceX CRS-20 Launch Targeted for March 6..
Spaceflight Now: SpaceX swaps upper stage for next Falcon 9 launch.
Teslarati: SpaceX's Starlink launch ambitions just saved a space station resupply mission from bigger delays.

Parabolic Arc: SpaceX Could Launch 70 Times From Florida in 2023.

Relativity Space en zijn 3D geprinte raket.
Space News: Relativity to move headquarters to Long Beach.
SpaceCom: Relativity Space will 3D-print rockets at new autonomous factory in Long Beach, California.
Florida Today: Relativity Space secures new facility for 3D printing rockets ahead of Florida launches.

Virgin Galactic – Nog even wachten op eerste toeristische vlucht (?)
Space News: Virgin Galactic hints at more delays for start of SpaceShipTwo commercial flights.
Space Policy Online: Virgin Galactic wants to grow pool of potential customers, but date, price, uncertain.
BBC: Virgin Galactic sees demand for space travel surge.
Parabolic Arc: Virgin Galactic: High Losses, Minimal Revenues & A lot of “Registrations of Interest”.

CNBC Tv: Space ETF gets a boost from Wall Street sweetheart Virgin Galactic — What's next (filmpje).

Commercial Crew – Eerste bemande Crew Dragon langer dan oorspronkelijk voorzien?
Teslarati: NASA is training SpaceX's first Crew Dragon astronauts for a much longer mission in space.
Space News: NASA preparing for long-duration SpaceX commercial crew test flight.

ISS – De blogentries, Daily Summary Reports en Science Highlights.
NASA: Space Station Blog: Human Research, Earth Studies Start the Work Week.
NASA: Space Station Blog: Dragon Launch Set for March 6, Station Bone Research Benefits Earth.
NASA: Space Station Blog: Space Biology on Station Benefits Humans on Earth and in Space.
NASA: Space Station Blog: Human Research, Mouse Preps Ahead of Dragon Cargo Mission.
NASA: Space Station Blog: Crew Wraps Up Week With Space Biology and Physics Research.

NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 2/21/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 2/24/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 2/25/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 2/26/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 2/27/2020.

NASA: Space Station Science Highlights: Week of February 24, 2020.

ISS – Meer nieuws uit het ruimtestation.
ESA kijkt nog eens terug naar de QARMAN-lancering van vorige week.
ESA: Qarman CubeSat deployed from ISS.

SpaceCom: Cosmic cookies! Astronaut weighs in on the future of baking in space.
Universe Today: Future Astronauts Could Enjoy Fresh Vegetables From an Autonomous Orbital Greenhouse.

Filmpjes en podcasts:
NASA: Space to Ground: Investigating Bone Loss: 02/28/2020.
NASA: SpaceCast Weekly - Feb. 28, 2020.
NASA: Houston We Have a Podcast: International Space Station and Beyond.

ESA: Project MELT: 3D printer for space.

Space & The Universe: What Astronauts Really Eat in Space - Space Food Surprises.

Artemis – Motor Orion Launch Abort System met succes getest.
NASA: Fired Up! Final Test of Orion Motor Critical to Astronaut Safety a Spectacular Success.
Northrop Grumman: Northrop Grumman Completes Final Qualification Test for NASA’s Orion Launch Abort System Attitude Control Motor.

Beelden vind je hier.

Artemis – Naar de Maan in de jaren ‘20.
Space News: NASA seeks bids to deliver VIPER lunar lander.

NASA: NASA CubeSats Play Big Role in Lunar Exploration.

Filmpje:
ESA: Meet the ESA experts – 3D Printing on the Moon.
ESA: Meet the ESA experts – Resources on the Moon.
ESA: Meet the ESA experts – Living on the Moon
ESA: Meet the ESA experts – Future Moon exploration

Eerste resultaten Mars InSight vrijgegeven.
NASA: A Year of Surprising Science From NASA's InSight Mars Mission.

Links naar de artikels in Nature Geoscience vind je hier.
De meeste zijn verstopt achter de betaalmuur (op de abstracts na) behalve dit:
Nature Geoscience: Initial results from the InSight mission on Mars.

KSB: Planeet Mars: eerste resultaten van de InSight-missie gepubliceerd in Nature Geoscience.
Sky & Telescope: NASA’s Insight Detects Many Marsquakes on the Red Planet.
GovUK: 400 Marsquakes detected by UK sensors in one year.
New Scientist: Five things we have learned about Mars from NASA's InSight mission.
Universe Today: InSight has been Sensing Dust Devils Sweep Past its Landing Site
Spaceflight Now: NASA’s InSight mission shows Mars is a seismically active world.

Een filmpje:
SciShow Space: The First Results from NASA's Insight Lander! | SciShow News.

Chinese maanrover kijkt onder de grond.
ECNS.CN: China's Chang'e-4 maps image of subsurface on lunar far side.
ECNS.CN: Chang'e-4 maps image of subsurface on lunar far side (foto).
SpaceCom: Chinese moon rover peers beneath surface of mysterious lunar far side.
New Scientist: China’s rover has discovered what lies beneath the moon’s far side.

Filmpjes:
CCTV: China's Lunar Rover Unveils Underground Secrets on Far Side of Moon.
SciNews: Yutu-2 reveals the Moon’s farside shallow subsurface structure.

NASA zoekt hulp bij ontwikkeling Venus-rover.
NASA: NASA Wants Your Help Designing a Venus Rover Concept.
NASA: NASA Goddard Team Selected to Design Concept for Probe of Mysterious Venus Atmosphere.

Nieuws uit de (inter)planetaire ruimte.

Zon:
ESA: First Solar Orbiter instrument sends measurements.

Aarde:
PhysOrg: CO2 tracking in space.
NASA: NASA Selects New Instrument to Continue Key Climate Record.
Wired: Extreme Weather-Tracking Satellites Prepare for Launch.

Maan:
NASA: NASA Asks Commercial Moon Delivery Partners to Fly Rover to Search for Water Ice.
SpaceCom: On the far side of the moon, Chinese lander and rover begin 15th lunar day.
Scott Manley: New Details On Israel's Failed Lunar Lander (filmpje).
JHU APL: Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium - Opening Remarks.
JHU APL: Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium - Talks.
JHU APL: Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium - Afternoon Talks.

Mars:
Inside Outer Space: Curiosity Mars Rover: Steep Climb Ahead!
BBC News: Europe's Rosalind Franklin Mars rover to make 'pit stop' for repair.
Ars Technica: Delay seems likely as parachute problems plague European Mars lander.
NASA: The MarCO Mission Comes to an End.
SpaceCom: RIP, MarCO! The world's first cubesats to Mars are gone for good.
The Planetary Society: Two Mars Missions Are Gutted Despite Near-Record Funding for Planetary Science.

Jupiter:
ESA: First instrument delivered for Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer.
PhysOrg: An ultraviolet instrument for ESA's Jupiter mission.

Saturnus:
NASA: The Science of Dragonfly (filmpje).

Itokawa: 
WG Maan en Planeten: Stofdeeltjes van asteroïde Itokawa blijken bedekt met ijzerhaartjes.

Bennu: 
NASA: NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Hearts Bennu.
NASA: Asteroid Bennu: Selecting Site Nightingale (filmpje).
NASA: NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Students Catch Unexpected Glimpse of Newly Discovered Black Hole.

Psyche: 
NASA: NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for the Psyche Mission (SpaceX – Falcon Heavy).
Teslarati: SpaceX wins launch contract for NASA mission to study unique metal asteroid.

SpaceX – Starlink.
Teslarati: SpaceX Starlink job posting signals serious interest in a growing multi-billion dollar market.
C4ISRNet: Will SpaceX and OneWeb help the military stay connected in the Arctic?

Nog dit: Katherine Johnson – bekend geworden na de film Hidden Figures – is gestorven op 101 jarige leeftijd.
NASA: NASA Administrator Statement on Passing of Katherine Johnson.
NASA: Biografie Katherine Johnson.

Collect Space: Katherine Johnson, NASA mathematician who calculated astronauts' trajectories, dies at 101.
Popular Mechanics: Katherine Johnson, Groundbreaking NASA Mathematician, Dies at 101.

Filmpjes:
NASA: NASA Remembers Hidden Figure Katherine Johnson.
PBS Newshour: 'Hidden Figure' Katherine Johnson dies at 101.
AGU: AGU Interview with Katherine Johnson.

Veel lees- en kijkplezier,

Koen