De voorbije week was er niet alleen uitzicht op een langzame uittrede uit de corona-lockdown, Vlaanderen maakte ook kennis met de Starlink-treintjes. Ondertussen beginnen we af te tellen naar de eerste bemande lancering vanuit Amerika sinds de laatste Space Shuttle vlucht. Op 8 juli 2011 vertrok het ruimteveer Atlantis (STS-135) voor met 4 astronauten de ruimte in. Commandant van deze vlucht was Christopher Ferguson. Ferguson werkt momenteel voor Boeing en zal deel uitmaken van de bemanning van de eerste bemande Starliner-vlucht. Maar dat is wellicht eerst voor 2021. Ook deel uitmakend van de STS-135-bemanning was Douglas Hurley. Hurley is nu commandant van de eerste bemande Crew Dragon vlucht. Of hoe het einde van het ene en het begin van het andere in zekere zin op een vreemde manier met elkaar verbonden zijn.

Bij de foto: Naar aanleiding van de 30ste verjaardag van de Hubble Space Telescope werd deze opname vrijgegeven, “een kosmische versie van een onderzeese wereld vol sterren”. Foto: NASA, ESA, STScI.

Iran lanceert met succes militaire satelliet.
Tehran Times: IRGC puts Iran's first military satellite into orbit.
Space Policy Online: Iran launches first military satelite from new launch site.
Spaceflight Now: Iran places military satellite in orbit.
C4ISRnet: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says it has launched a military satellite.
CNN: US assesses Iran successfully launched a military satellite for the first time.

Volgens een generaal van de US Space Force zou de Iraanse satelliet aan het tuimelen zijn, en dus onbruikbaar.
Zie hier de tweet van Gen. Raymond.

Parabolic Arc: An Overview of Iran’s Counterspace Strategy and Space Program.
European Leadership Network: Have Iran’s space ambitions taken a worrisome new turn?

Enkele filmpjes:
SciNews: Qased launches Noor satellite.
Al Jazeera English: Iran launches its first military satellite.
IR Iran: Iran places Nour-1 Military Satellite into Space (met o.a. rocketcam beelden).

SpaceX lanceert opnieuw 60 Starlink-satellieten.
Teslarati: SpaceX expedites next Starlink launch as rocket recovery fleet heads to sea.
Teslarati: SpaceX Starlink a step closer to internet service and Elon Musk has beta test details.

Space News: Starlink passes 400 satellites with seventh dedicated launch.
SpaceCom: SpaceX launches 60 Starlink satellites, aces rocket landing in milestone flight.
Spaceflight Now: SpaceX’s Starlink network surpasses 400-satellite mark after successful launch.

Ars Technica: The Falcon 9 just became America’s workhorse rocket.

Business Insider: Elon Musk announces that early access to the Starlink satellite-internet project will launch this year.

Enige dagen voor de lancering:
Space Upclose: SpaceX completes static fire test for next Starlink launch.

De filmpjes:
SpaceX: Starlink Mission (de live uitzending).
SciNews: SpaceX Starlink 7 launch & Falcon 9 first stage landing, 22 April 2020.
Video From Space: Watch the SpaceX Starlink 6 mission's 60 satellites be deployed.
US Launch Report: SpaceX - Starlink 6 - Launch And Track With 3 Telescopes 4K 04-22-2020.
US Launch Report: SpaceX - Starlink 6 - Fairings Return To Port 04-24-2020.

En nog dit:
Engineering Today: SpaceX Starlink Update| Falcon 9 The Most Flown US Rocket| Reduced Nighttime Visibility of Starlink.

SpaceX – Starlink – Over de helderheid van de satellieten.
EuroNews: Elon Musk's Starlink internet-from-space satellites leave astronomers 'frustrated'.
BBC: Musk says SpaceX is 'fixing' brightness from satellites.
SpaceCom: SpaceX's Starlink satellites will soon get glare-reducing 'sunshades,' Elon Musk says.

De pas gelanceerde satellieten waren in België verschillende dagen lang zichtbaar.
De Morgen: Indrukwekkende trein van 60 satellieten van Elon Musk boven ons land gepasseerd.
VRT NWS: Satellietentrein aan een heldere sterrenhemel: "Een waar feest".
HLN: Vlaanderen laaiend enthousiast over satelliettrein van Musk: “Alsof de Kerstman voorbij kwam gevlogen”.

En lees (en kijk) ook naar dit bericht van Marco Langbroek (die o.a. via de VVS-mailinglist regelmatig info gaf over waar en wanneer te kijken).
SatTrackCam Leiden Blog: Starlink Galore! [UPDATED].

Ondertussen diende SpaceX een aanvraag in om de vooropgestelde satellieten op  een 1.100 à 1.325 km hoogte ook in een baan te brengen op 540 km hoogte.
Details in dit FCC-bericht.
Space News: SpaceX seeks FCC permission for operating all first-gen Starlink in lower orbit.

ISS – Rusland lanceert bevoorradingscapsule. Progress koppelt met ruimtestation.
NasaSpaceFlight: Roscosmos Continues Pre-launch Preparations for the Progress MS-14 Spacecraft.
Spaceflight Now: Russian resupply freighter poised for launch to International Space Station.

Roscosmos: ISS scheduled orbit correction conducted.
Roscosmos: Progress MS-14 designer’s inspection and payload fairing encapsulation complete (met foto’s).
Roscosmos: Progress MS-14 sent to final assembly with the launch vehicle (met foto’s).
Roscosmos: Progress MS-14 cargo spacecraft and launch vehicle final assembly completed (met foto’s).
Roscosmos: Soyuz-2 rocket with Progress MS-14 spacecraft rolled out to the launchpad (met foto’s).

TASS: The 'Victory Rocket' with Progress MS-14 cargo craft takes off Baikonur cosmodrome.
TASS: Progress MS-14 cargo craft docks with ISS.
TASS: International Space Station crew starts unloading Progress MS-14 spacecraft.

SpaceCom: Russian cargo craft launches toward space station.
SpaceCom: Russian freighter arrives at space station with nearly 3 tons of supplies.

Spaceflight Now: Soyuz launches from Kazakhstan with space station supply ship.
NasaSpaceFlight: Soyuz “Victory Rocket” launches Progress MS-14, followed by docking to the ISS.

Filmpjes:
Space Center Yuzhny: Assemblage raket en capsule.
Space Center Yuzhny: Progress 14 en adapter.
Space Center Yuzhny: Neuskegel over Progress 14.
Space Center Yuzhny: Afronden assemblage raket en capsule.
Space Center Yuzhny: Buitenrollen v/d raket.
Space Center Yuzhny: Lancering.

NASA: Progress 75 Cargo Vehicle Launch - April 24, 2020 (launch coverage).

SciNews: Progress MS-14 launch.
SciNews: Progress MS-14 docking to the ISS.

Even voorstellen: OmegA.
Twee filmpjes.
Northrop Grumman: OmegA Rocket Virtual Tour – Intro.
Northrop Grumman: OmegA Rocket Milestones.

Meer info over deze nieuwe raket vind je hier.

Commercial Cargo – Dream Chaser.
NasaSpaceFlight: Dream Chaser receives her wings ahead of flying to the ISS.

Commercial Crew – Aftellen naar eerste bemande Crew Dragon lancering.
Teslarati: SpaceX’s first NASA astronaut launch could have historically small media presence.
Spaceflight Now: Citing coronavirus, NASA urges public not to travel for launch of astronauts.
Florida Today: Despite coronavirus, NASA and SpaceX aim to launch astronauts from KSC in May.

Space News: Safety panel concludes May launch of commercial crew test flight is feasible.
SpaceX (Tweet): Static test of Faclon 9 first stage.

NASA: NASA to Host Preview Briefings, Interviews for First Crew Launch with SpaceX.

Een filmpje: 
Engineering Today: SpaceX Crew Dragon Update | NASA is Gearing Up to Send The First Astronauts to The ISS on 27 May.

Commercial Crew – Starliner.
Een filmpje:
America Space: Boeing's New 'Astrovan II' for Starliner Astronauts.

ISS – De blogentries, Daily Summary Reports en Science Highlights.
NASA ISS Blog: Expedition 63 Starts Science, Readies for Cargo and Commercial Crew.
NASA ISS Blog: Advanced Space Research Ahead of Weekend Cargo Mission.
NASA ISS Blog: Station Ramps Up for SpaceX Crew and Global Cargo Missions.
NASA ISS Blog: Space Health Studies Today as Cargo, Commercial Crew Missions Near.
NASA ISS Blog: Russian Resupply Ship Headed for Station.
NASA ISS Blog: Progress Cargo Ship Docked to Station.

NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 4/20/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 4/21/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 4/22/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 4/23/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 4/24/2020.

Space Station Science Highlights: Week of April 20, 2020.

ISS – Meer nieuws uit het ruimtestation.
Aan het nippertje ontsnapt ?
LiveScience: Russian space official tests positive for coronavirus after attending Soyuz crew launch to space station.

Aviation Week: Safety Panel Urges Longer-Term ISS Contingency Planning.
Space Policy Online: NASA reorganizing to sharpen LEO commercialization efforts, MacDonald to oversee CASIS.

SpaceCom: NASA astronauts may train on private suborbital spaceships.

Filmpjes:
NASA: Space to Ground: For the Earth: 04/24/2020.
NASA: SpaceCast Weekly - April 24, 2020.
JAXA: H-II Transfer Vehicle, "KOUNOTORI" 8 (HTV8) MISSION DIGEST.
NASA: #NASAatHome: Spaceport Series Episode 8: The future of plants in space (filmpje).

Artemis – SLS.
NASA: NASA Test Directors Eagerly Await Artemis Launch.
Spaceflight Now: SLS Program working on accelerating EUS development timeline.

SpaceX – Starship.
Teslarati: SpaceX Starship rocket could move to the launch pad today.
Teslarati: SpaceX just finished its third Starship rocket in two months and a fourth is on the way.

Video From Space: SpaceX Starship SN4 rolled out for testing in time-lapse video.
NasaSpaceFlight: Starship SN4 set for cryogenic proof test.

Tianwen is de naam van China’s Marsmissie.
ECSN.CN: China's first Mars exploration mission named Tianwen-1.

Space News: China’s Mars mission named Tianwen-1, appears on track for July launch.
Collect Space: China reveals name, logo for its 'Tianwen' first Mars landing mission.

Filmpjes:
New China TV: China's first Mars exploration mission named Tianwen-1.
CGTN: China's first Mars exploration mission named 'Tianwen-1'.
SciNews: Tianwen-1 - China’s first Mars mission.

PROBA V – Een einde en een nieuw begin.
ESA: Ending global plant tracking, Proba-V assigned new focus.
De PROBA-V website vind je hier.

Nog dit:
ESA: Proba-V global vegetation timelapse.

Meer nieuws uit de (inter)planetaire ruimte.

Venus:
NASA: Venus: Forgotten Sister Planet or Our Next Frontier? (filmpje).

Aarde:
NASA: NASA Looks Back at 50 Years of Earth Day (filmpje).
AGU: Episode 30: Earthrise (podcasts).
Science At NASA: NASA ScienceCasts: Keeping an Eye on Earth (filmpje).
Science Alert: Earth's Atmosphere Is 4x Dustier Than We Thought, Which Could Change Climate Models.
WMO: The Global Climate 2015-2019 - version 2 - April 2020 (filmpje).
ESA: COVID-19: Aeolus and weather forecasts.
The Science Times: Satellite Shows That a Vast US Oil- And Natural Gas- Producing Region Is Leaking Methane More Than Twice As Previously Thought.
PhysOrg: Satellite data used to detect marine plastic.
NASA: Guiding Farmers With NASA Satellites (filmpje).

Maan:
Space Daily: China's Chang'e-4 probe resumes work for 17th lunar day.
Technology Org: USGS Releases First-Ever Comprehensive Geologic Map of the Moon.

Mars:
NASA: Sols 2737-2739: MAHLI Up in the Air.
NASA: Sols 2740-2741: Making the Most of this Stop.
NASA: Sols 2742-2743: Driving Again.
Inside Outer Space: Curiosity Mars Rover: Camera Glitch Curtails Downhill Drive.
Inside Outer Space: Curiosity Mars Rover: Diagnosing Imager Issue.
The Science Times: NASA to Use Gold in Creating Oxygen on the Moon Soon? How is that Possible? (het gaat wel degelijk om Mars).
NASA: NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover Gets Balanced.
NASA: #NASAatHome: Spaceport Series Episode 6: Sticking the Red Planet Landing (filmpje).
Spaceflight Now: NASA narrows design for rocket to launch samples off of Mars.
Space News: UAE Mars mission to ship to launch site.

Jupiter:
ESA: ESA’s Jupiter explorer Juice arrives at Airbus facilities in Friedrichshafen, Germany, for final integration.
Airbus: Jupiter probe JUICE: Final integration in full swing.

Hubble Space Telescope wordt 30.
NASA: Hubble Marks 30 Years in Space With Tapestry of Blazing Starbirth.

SpaceCom: Hubble Space Telescope: Pictures, Facts & History.
NASA: Four Successful Women Behind the Hubble Space Telescope's Achievements.
Collect Space: 30 notable objects that launched with the Hubble Space Telescope.

Filmpjes:
NASA: Hubble’s 30th Anniversary Image.
HST: Hubble Space Telescope: 30th Anniversary Image Unveiling (de live uitzending).
HubbleESA: Zooming Into the Cosmic Reef.
HST: Cosmic Reef: NGC 2014 & NGC 2020.
HubbleESA: Pan Across the Cosmic Reef.
HubbleESA: 3D Animation of the Cosmic Reef.

NASA: NASA’s Incredible Discovery Machine: The Story of the Hubble Space Telescope.
NASA: #EZScience Episode 6: NASA's Hubble Space Telescope — Our Window to the Stars.

ESA: Hubble: 30 years unveiling the universe.
Hubble ESA: Hubblecast 127 Light: The Mysteries of Fomalhaut b.
Hubble ESA: Hubblecast 128: 30 Years of Science with the Hubble Space Telescope.
Hubble ESA: Hubblecast 129: Hubble’s Collection of Anniversary Images.

SciShow Space: The Secret Behind Those Beautiful Hubble Images.

STScI: Hubble and Webb: Friends in the Sky.

En ook dit nog :-) 
Urania's Ruimtevaartbabbel: HST vs JWST.

WFIRST en Hubble.
NASA: A Tale of Two Telescopes: WFIRST and Hubble.

Filmpjes:
NASA: Tale of Two Telescopes: Science Operations.
NASA: Tale of Two Telescopes: Engineering.
NASA: Tale of Two Telescopes: Wide Field Astrophysics.
NASA: Tale of Two Telescopes: Exoplanets.

Veel lees- en kijkplezier,

Koen