Met de terugkeer van Axiom-4 maken de astronauten van Crew 11 zich klaar voor hun lancering naar het ruimtestation. China bevoorraadt Tiangong, het blijft wachten op Gilmour en Eris en uitkijken doen we alvast naar New Glenn en ESCAPADE. Dat en nog veel meer in het Nieuws Uit De Ruimtevaart.

Bij de foto: De Axiom 4 missie is ten einde. Voor Polen maakte ESA’s project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski deel uit van de bemanning. Een 16 experimenten stonden op zijn programma. Je ziet hem hier in de Europse Columbus-module. Veel succes met het tellen van alle kabeltjes die je hier in beeld ziet :-) Foto: NASA/Axiom Space/ Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski

De lanceringen van de afgelopen week.

14.07.2025 – China lanceert bevoorradingsship Tianzhou 9 naar ruimtestation.
ECNS: China's Tianzhou-9 cargo mission: launch simulation completed, all systems ready.
ECNS: How Tianzhou-9's rapid rendezvous and docking mode became the go-to for cargo spacecraft.
ECNS: Tianzhou-9 cargo craft successfully docks with China space station (foto’s).

Inside Outer Space: Risk Warning: China Space Station Supply Ship Launch.
SpaceCom: China launches new spacesuits, other supplies to Tiangong space station.
Space News: China launches Tianzhou-9 to Tiangong space station with record cargo and upgraded EVA suits.

Filmpjes:
CGTN: Tianzhou-9 rolls out! China's latest space supply ship on the move.
CCTV: China's Tianzhou-9 Cargo Ship Moved to Launch Area for Final Preps.
CCTV: China Completes Joint Rehearsal for Tianzhou-9 Cargo Mission.

CGTN: Live: Special coverage of China's Tianzhou-9 cargo spacecraft launch.
CCTV: China Launches Tianzhou-9 Cargo Craft to Send Space Station Supplies.

CGTN: Tianzhou-9's experimental payload at a glance.

CCTV: China's Cargo Craft Tianzhou-9 Successfully Docks with Tiangong Space Station.
CCTV: Upgraded Spacewalk Suits Delivered to China's Space Station.
CGTN: China's Tianzhou-9 sets new benchmark for resupply missions in space.
CGTN: How Tianzhou-9's rapid rendezvous and docking mode became the go-to for cargo spacecraft.

SciNews: Long March-7 Y10 ready to launch Tianzhou-9.
SciNews: Tianzhou-9 launch.
SciNews: Tianzhou-9 docking.

CGTN: From Tianzhou 1 to 9: The rise of China's space cargo program.

16.07.2025 – SpaceX lanceert Starlink-satellieten – Group 15-2 (VSFB).
SpaceCom: SpaceX launches 26 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from California.
Spaceflight Now: SpaceX launches 26 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB.

Filmpjes:
SpaceX via X: Watch Falcon 9 launch 26 @Starlink satellites to orbit from California.
SciNews: SpaceX Starlink 282 launch and Falcon 9 first stage landing, 16 July 2025.

16.07.2025 – SpaceX lanceert satellieten voor Project Kuiper – KF01 (CCSFS).
SpaceCom: SpaceX launches 3rd batch of satellites for Amazon's Project Kuiper megaconstellation.
Spaceflight Now: SpaceX launches first of three missions for Amazon’s Project Kuiper constellation.
Ars Technica: Amazon’s ride on the rocket merry-go-round continues with SpaceX launch.
Space News: Falcon 9 launches Project Kuiper satellites.

Filmpjes:
SpaceX via X: Watch Falcon 9 launch the @ProjectKuiper KF-01 mission to orbit.
SciNews: Falcon 9 launches KF-01 and Falcon 9 first stage landing.

17.07.2025 – SpaceX lanceert Starlink-satellieten – Group 17-3 (VSFB).
SpaceCom: Friday night light: SpaceX launch from California sends two dozen new Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit.
Spaceflight Now: SpaceX launches 24 Starlink satellites into polar orbit on Falcon 9 rocket from California.

Filmpjes:
SpaceX via X: Watch Falcon 9 launch 24 Starlink satellites to orbit from California.
SciNews: SpaceX Starlink 283 launch and Falcon 9 first stage landing, 19 July 2025.

Te verwachten lanceringen.

RocketLab en JAKE 4 HASTE.
SatNews: Rocket Lab launch of JAKE 4 HASTE on super secret government mission on hold
SatNews: Rocket Lab’s explanation about launch delay of super secret government mission of JAKE 4 HASTE is precisely because it’s “a super secret government mission” … nuff said

26.07.2025 – Australische Gilmour stelde eerder de Eris-lancering uit van 2 naar 15 juli. En nu naar ten vroegste 26 juli.
SatNews: Australia’s Gilmour Space plans Wednesday for maiden launch of Eris Test Flight1
SatNws: Australia’s Gilmour Space explains why NO GO, and scrubs Wednesday’s maiden launch of Eris Test Flight1
NSF: Gilmour Space’s Eris rocket delays plans for second launch attempt from Australia.

31.07.2025 – Crew 11.
NASA: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 Mission Gears Up for Space Station Research.
Spaceflight Now: NASA, SpaceX target July 31 for Crew-11 launch to the ISS.
NASA: What You Need to Know About NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 Mission.

Raketnieuws.

De tweede New Glenn stuurt ESCAPADE naar Mars.
SpaceCom: Twin NASA Mars probes will fly on 2nd-ever launch of Blue Origin's huge New Glenn rocket.
Space News: ESCAPADE to launch on second New Glenn.
Spaceflight Now (filmpje): Blue Origin's 2nd New Glenn rocket will feature NASA's next Mars mission.

Geen landingsplaatsen op de Johnston Atoll voor het USAF Rocket Cargo programma.
Stars & Stripes: Air Force suspends plan to land cargo rockets on remote Pacific atoll.
Space News: U.S. Air Force halts plan for rocket landing pads on remote Pacific atoll amid environmental backlash.
The Register: US Air Force holds hypersonic resupply site review amid seabird concerns.

Firefly Aerospace – Nieuws.
Satellite Pro ME: Firefly Aerospace files for IPO, plans listing on Nasdaq.
Space News: Firefly Aerospace files to go public.

Filmpjes:
Firefly Aerospace: Learn How Firefly Tests Rocket and Spacecraft Structures | Ranch Hands Episode 2.

Komt er een opvolger voor het stopgezette Skylon van Reaction Engines – Invictus?
ESA: INVICTUS – Europe’s new hypersonic test platform.
Frazer-Nash: Pioneering new programme to realise lift-off for horizontal space launch.
SpaceCom: Europe working to launch 'Invictus' hypersonic space plane by 2031.

Europees raketnieuws – Pangea en Aerospikes – Space Rider – PLD en Miura 5 – Avio en Vega C.
NSF (filmpje): European Aerospikes - Pangea Aerospace - NSF Live: Europe's Future in Space.

European Spaceflight: Space Rider Nose Cone Passes Key Milestone.

PLD Space (filmpje): MIURA 5 Progress Update - July 2025.
Payload: PLD’s Industrial Strategy Targets 32 Rockets a Year by 2030.
PLD Space (filmpje): 2025 - PLD Space Industry Days.

Europe in Space: Avio Celebrates its Independence Day.

Nieuws van Europese lanceerbasissen.
European Spaceflight: ESA Backs EuroSpaceport’s North Sea Launch Site.
Shetland News: Strang to step back from spaceport after receiving terminal cancer diagnosis.

Nog eens de hoptest van Honda’s herbruikbare raketprototype.
The Space Review: A Japanese automaker’s small hop towards reusable rockets.

Toekomstplannen met de X-37B.
Inside Outer Space: What’s Up and Next For Secretive U.S. Space Force X-37B Space Plane?

Bouwwerken op Cape Canaveral.
NSF: Blue Origin, Relativity Space, Stoke Space, and more all completing major upgrades at Cape Canaveral.

Bemande ruimtevaart / Ruimtestations.

ISS – Axiom 4 terug op Aarde.
Axiom 4 Blog: Ax-4 Mission Update: Flight Day #19.
Axiom 4 Blog: Ax-4 Crew Departs International Space Station, Begins Journey Home.
Axiom 4 Blog: Ax-4 Crew Splashes Down Completing First Mission to the International Space Station for India, Poland, and Hungary.

SpaceCom: Private Ax-4 astronauts depart ISS after unexpected extended stay.

Times of India: Shubhanshu Shukla’s sister celebrates his ISS homecoming after 18 days into space with pride and prayers: ‘The same feelings came back’.
Times of India:  Shubhanshu Shukla completes 7 experiments: ISRO.
Times of India: ‘Looks chaotic, but it works”: How astronauts take group photos in space?
Times of India: What next for Shukla, Ax-4 & Axiom Space.

NASA: Fourth NASA-Enabled Private Flight to Space Station Completes Safely.
Space News: Ax-4 private astronaut mission returns to Earth.
SpaceCom: Private Ax-4 astronauts splash down aboard SpaceX capsule to conclude ISS mission.

ESA: Ignis mission highlights.
ESA:  Ignis: Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski’s return to Earth and Europe (met links naar een reeks filmpjes).

ABC News: Axiom private space mission could be glimpse of the future as ISS retirement looms.

Filmpjes:
Axiom Space: Ax-4 Mission Update | Peggy Whitson & Shubhanshu Shukla.
Axiom Space: Ax-4 Mission | Farewell Ceremony.
NASA: Axiom Mission 4 Hatch Close.
NASA: Axiom Mission 4 Undocking.
Axiom Space: Ax-4 Mission | Return.

EuroNews: Astronauts from Poland, Hungary and India head back to Earth ending first ISS mission.

SciNews: Ax-4 Crew Dragon hatch closure.£
SciNews: Ax-4 Crew Dragon undocking and departure.
SciNews: Ax-4 Crew Dragon splashdown.
SciNews: Ax-4 Crew Dragon recovery operations and astronauts egress.

NASA en Starliner.
NASA: 'Doghouse' days of summer — Boeing's Starliner won't fly again until 2026, and without astronauts aboard.
Ars Technica: The ISS is nearing retirement, so why is NASA still gung-ho about Starliner?
SpaceCom: 'Doghouse' days of summer — Boeing's Starliner won't fly again until 2026, and without astronauts aboard.

ISS – De blogentries / On the ISS this week.
NASA ISS Blog: Ax-4 Returns Home; Expedition 73 Studies Space Effects on Heart, Nervous System.
NASA ISS Blog: Muscle and Exercise Studies to Maintain Crew Health in Space.
NASA ISS Blog: Human Research on Station Helping Keep Long Term Crews Healthy.
NASA ISS Blog: Heart Scans, Hearing Tests Wrap Week as Station Gears Up for Crew Swap.

SpaceCom: Space station astronauts bid farewell to private Ax-4 crew | On the ISS this week July 14-18, 2025.

ISS – Meer nieuws uit het ruimtestation.
NASA: Space Station Crew Celebrates Milestone.

NASA: Science in Space July 2025.
ISS National Lab: Research Enables Gene Therapy Breakthrough to Treat Macular Degeneration
ISS National Lab: ISS National Lab’s Orbital Edge Accelerator Program Selects Six Startups
ISS National Lab: Why the U.S. Must Lead the Next Semiconductor Revolution—From Space

Filmpjes:
NASA: NASA Astronaut Discusses Life In Space With New York Hall Of Science Museum – Friday, July 18, 2025.
NASA: Astronaut Discusses Life In Space With Spokane’s Lowedown On Life Podcast – Friday, July 18, 2025.

Commerciële ruimtestations.
NASA: NASA Sees Key Progress on Starlab Commercial Space Station.

CSS – Meer nieuws uit het Chinese ruimtestation.
CGTN (filmpje): China's Tianzhou-9 cargo mission successfully docks at Tiangong space station.

Naar de Maan (en Mars).

Artemis 4 – Gateway / ML2 – SLS Block 1B.
NSF: Final ML-2 tower module added as Artemis and SLS Block 1B receive a funding reprieve.

Artemis – Naar de Maan en Mars.
SpaceCom: Could asteroid mining actually work? Maybe if we start with impact sites on the moon.
Universe Today: A Lunar Base Could Start with a Dome over a Crater Made of Regolith.

Universe Today: Synthetic Biology Could Support Future Outposts on the Moon and Mars.

Inside Outer Space: Prevent Cislunar Collisions as Moon Missions Increase: Study Findings.

ILRS – China naar de Maan.
Cosmos: How to use lunar soil to live on the Moon.
Universe Today: Lunar Regolith is a Surprisingly Good Resource for Supporting a Lunar Station.

Space News: China conducts structural tests for Long March 10 human spaceflight rocket.

Inside Outer Space: China Sharpens Skills to Support Human Moon Landing Program.

Filmpje:
VideoFromSpace: China uses robots to simulate moon cave exploration in lava tubes on Earth.

Starship – Weldra een nieuwe testvlucht (?)
Space Explored: Starbase will soon begin producing its own Starship propellent.
SpaceCom: SpaceX will launch next Starship flight in 'about 3 weeks,' Elon Musk says.
NSF: Starship at Cape Canaveral making progress as SpaceX tries to push the program forward.
Space Explored: Starship Flight 10: Will SpaceX really be ready in three weeks?
NSF: BREAKING NEWS: Starship Salvage Operation Underway off Coast of Mexico.

Filmpjes:
LabPadre: Next Generation Superheavy Booster! - Spaceflight Weekly #175.
NSF: The Reason Behind Super Heavy's Big Upgrade | Starbase Update.
NSF: SpaceX Starship's Florida Launch Pad Takes Shape | Blue Origin & Vulcan Updates.
NSF: "So many pipes, you'll think you're Mario" | SpaceX Starbase.
WAI: SpaceX Finally Reveals Starship Flight 10 Launch Window! Starship AI Development Started!
NSF: SpaceX Lifts the OLM Starship Static Fire Adapter.
Marcus House: Breaking: Starship’s New Stand is Up and Flight When!? Yea, a LOT Just Happened!
NSF: "They need to put a ship where the booster goes" | SpaceX Starbase.

Op ontdekking door het zonnestelsel.

Meer nieuws uit de (inter)planetaire ruimte.

Zon:
NSF: Parker Solar Probe takes images close to the Sun as primary mission winds down.
SpaceCom: NASA just took the closest-ever images of the sun, and they are incredible.

Ruimteweer:
ESA (filmpje): Vigil: ESA’s space weather reporter in deep space.
NASA (filmpje): NASA’s TRACERS Studies Magnetic Explosions Above Earth.
Payload: NASA’s TRACERS Mission Eyes Space Weather’s Bottom-Line Risks.

Aarde:
Universe Today: Earth Was Born With Water; No Delivery Needed.
ESA: Φsat-2 begins science phase for AI Earth images.µ
SpaceCom: Satellite images track Grand Canyon wildfires burning across thousands of acres.
SpaceCom: China's Tianwen 2 asteroid-sampling probe snaps gorgeous shots of Earth and the moon (video, photos).
ESA (filmpje): Vigil: ESA’s space weather reporter in deep space.

Maan:
SpaceCom: Why is the moon's far side so weird? China's lunar sample-return mission may have figured it out.

Mars:
NASA Curiosity Status Report: Curiosity Blog, Sols 4595-4596: Just Another Beautiful Day on Mars.
NASA Curiosity Status Report: Curiosity Blog, Sols 4597-4599: Wide Open Spaces.
NASA Curiosity Status Report: Curiosity Blog, Sols 4600-4601: Up and Over the Sand Covered Ramp.
NASA Curiosity Status Report: Curiosity Blog, Sols 4602-4603: On Top of the Ridge.
Chosun Biz: Korea plans lunar base and Mars lander by 2045 in new space exploration roadmap.

Jupiter:
ESA: New Apollo Earthrise view shows Juice’s RIME working well.
ESA: First radargram from Juice’s RIME instrument.

Uranus:
NASA: NASA, Oxford Discover Warmer Uranus Than Once Thought.

Didymos/Dimorphos.
Live Science: Giant space 'boulders' unleashed by NASA's DART mission aren't behaving as expected, revealing hidden risks of deflecting asteroids.

New Horizons:
The Planetary Society: Ten years after Pluto, New Horizons faces a new threat.

Kuiper Gordel:
Universe Today: A Rare Object Found Deep in the Kuiper Belt.

Meer ruimtevaartnieuws.

Het is officieel – SES & Intelsat gaan samen.
Via Satellite: FCC Grants Approval for SES/Intelsat Acquisition, Deal Nears Close.
SES: SES Receives All Required Regulatory Approvals to Complete Intelsat Acquisition.
SES: SES Completes Acquisition of Intelsat, Creating Global Multi-Orbit Connectivity Powerhouse.
Space News: SES to close Intelsat deal July 17 after clearing all regulatory approvals.
Space News: SES closes Intelsat deal and sets course for rapid transformation.
Payload: What’s the Plan for New-Look SES?

Starlink-nieuws.
Satellite Pro ME: Starlink drives NGSO dominance in maritime satcom market: Novaspace.
Times of India: IN-SPACe grants 5-year authorisation to Starlink for satellite services in India.
Times of India: Musk’s Starlink clears final hurdle for India launch, gets satellite authorisation from IN-SPACe.

PC Mag: How Much Money Does Starlink Make? This Document Offers a Glimpse.

SpaceX / xAI.
Teslarati: SpaceX share sale expected to back $400 billion valuation.
NSF: Halfway through 2025, SpaceX breaks Falcon records and struggles with Starship.
Teslarati: SpaceX to invest $2 billion in Elon Musk’s xAI: report.

SpaceX en Starfall.
LA Times: SpaceX plans Starship program for in-orbit drug research.

De Russische “Starlink Killer”.
SatNews: Russia slaps a satellite dish on a boat, calls it a “Starlink Killer” — analysts say it’s 1990s tech

Over de gevolgen van satellietconstellaties.
Payload: There Are Too Many Spacecraft in LEO.
Universe Today: Satellite Constellations Are Too Bright, Threatening Astronomy and Our Night Sky.

Een nieuwe (tijdelijke) NASA Administrator.
NASA Watch: Who Is Actually In Charge of NASA Today?
NASA Watch: Part Time NASA Administrator Update.
Space News: Duffy just getting started as acting NASA administrator.

En hoe is het met Isaacman?
The FreePress: The Billionaire Astronaut Caught in the Trump-Musk Crossfire.

Budget FY2025.
Space Policy Online: What’s Happening in Space Policy July 13-19, 2025.
Space News: Senate Armed Services’ defense bill includes mandates on space launch, missile defense, spectrum protection.
Payload: The FY26 NDAA Advances to the Senate Floor.
Space Policy Online: House Appropriators Also Reject Trump-Proposed NASA Cuts, Fund National Space Council.
Space News: House bill rejects overall NASA budget cuts but shifts funding to exploration
SpaceCom: Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' pushes for crewed moon missions, but proposed budget cuts leave NASA science behind.
Space News: Protestors rally behind NASA in the face of budget cuts and layoffs.
Via Satellite: HASC Bill Would Make TacSRT a ‘Program of Record’.
Defense One: AI, satellites, and Golden Dome shine in new House-passed defense bill.
Space News: Senate appropriators fund dozens of threatened NASA science missions.
Space Policy Online: Senate Appropriators Retain Funding for NOAA’s TraCSS Space Traffic System.
Space News: Senate appropriators reject proposal to cancel TraCSS.

PWSA / Milnet – Nieuws.
Space News: Space Force MILNET constellation emerges as top ‘unfunded priority’.

Space Force – Nieuws.
The Space Review: War in space is not a future problem: it’s happening now.
Executiv Gov: USSF Space Operations Command Accepts Upgraded GPS Operating System From Raytheon.
Air & Space Forces: Space Force Accepts New GPS Control System After Years of Delays.
Space News: Space Force accepts delivery of GPS control system after years of delays.
Air & Space Forces: Lawmakers Push Space Force to Invest in New, Commercial Surveillance.
Space News: Space Force sets guidelines prioritizing military missions as launch demand surges.

Space News: New study calls for rapid development of space nuclear power systems.
Het betrokken rapport “ Weighing the Future: Strategic Options for U.S. Space Nuclear Leadership,” vind je hier (PDF).

Payload: SpaceWERX Awards $3M for RPS Space Tug.
Space News: Solestial wins $1.2 million SpaceWERX contract.

Golden Dome – Missile Defense Shield.
Air & Space Forces: Space Force’s Guetlein Confirmed as Golden Dome Czar.
Bryce (infographic): U.S. National Missile Defense – Today and Future.

NASA en de klimaatproblematiek.
NASA Watch: NASA Said It Would Post Climate Reports – Not Any More.
SpaceCom: NASA won't publish key climate change report online, citing 'no legal obligation' to do so.

NASA JPL – Satellietsolden.
NASA Watch; Going Out Of Business Sale For JPL Satellites.
NASA Watch: But Wait: More Used Satellite Bargains At NASA.

Veel lees- en kijkplezier,

Koen