Met vier lanceringen werd het best een drukke ruimtevaartweek. Daarenboven maakte RocketLab zijn plannen bekend om de eerste trap opnieuw te gaan gebruiken en is het alweer aftellen naar een volgende test met de StarHopper. Aan boord van het ISS was er enige belangstelling voor experimenten waarbij ons land betrokken is. Maar het waren ongetwijfeld de beerdiertjes op de Maan die met de aandacht gingen lopen. Dat en nog veel meer in het “Nieuws Uit De Ruimtevaart”.

Bij de foto: De onbemande Cygnus-capsule vertrekt bij het ISS maar blijft nog een tijdje in een baan om de aarde.

Proton lanceert Russische militaire satelliet.
TASS: Proton-M carrier rocket with Russian Defense Ministry's satellite launched from Baikonur.
TASS: Proton-M upper stage successfully separates from third stage.

NasaSpaceFlight: Proton-M successfully launches fourth Blagovest satellite.

Beelden van de lancering vind je hier.

Arianespace lanceert nieuwe EDRS.
ESA: Next satellite in the European data relay system is fuelled.
Airbus: SpaceDataHighway demonstrates its unique timeliness capability during live event.
ESA: Space data relay system shows its speed.
ESA: EDRS-C successfully launched.
Ariane Group: A New Success for Ariane 5, Equiped With An Extended Upper Stage.
Airbus: Successful launch of the second SpaceDataHighway satellite on Ariane 5.

De persmap vind je hier (PDF).

NasaSpaceFlight: Arianespace press onward with dual-passenger Ariane 5 launch.
BBC: Europe launches second EDRS space laser satellite.
Spacepage: Europa bouwt datasnelweg in de ruimte verder uit met nieuwe EDRS satelliet.
Spaceflight Now: Second node ready to join European laser relay network.

Filmpjes:
Airbus: EDRS - SpaceDataHighway: How it works.
ESA: EDRS-C SpaceData Highway.

Arianespace: Arianespace Flight VA249 - Launch Sequence.
Arianespace: Arianespace Flight VA249 – EDRS-C Presentation.
Arianespace: Arianespace Flight VA249 – Successful Ariane 5 Launch.

SciNews: Ariane 5 ECA launches Intelsat 39 and EDRS-C.
SciNews: Intelsat 39 and EDRS-C satellites separation.

SpaceX lanceert comsat voor Israel.
Teslarati: SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5’s second expendable launch a bittersweet success.
Teslarati: SpaceX nails second Falcon 9 fairing catch ever with GO Ms. Tree, Elon Musk shares video.

De persmap voor deze lancering vind je hier (PDF).

Florida Today: SpaceX test fires Falcon 9 rocket a second time ahead of Cape Canaveral launch.
Spaceflight Now: SpaceX successfully launches Israeli-owned telecom satellite.
Space News: SpaceX launches Amos-17 satellite for Spacecom.
NasaSpaceFlight: AMOS-17 launch, Eastern Range debuts rapid launch support.

De filmpjes.
SciNews: AMOS-17 launch.
SciNews: AMOS-17 satellite separation.
America Space: SpaceX Launches AMOS-17 on 3x Flown Falcon 9 Rocket.

Primal Space: How many times can SpaceX reuse a Falcon 9?

Atlas V lanceert Amerikaanse militaire comsat.
ULA: United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Communications Satellite for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center.
Aerojet Rocketdyne: US Air Force communications satellite relies on Aerojet-Rocketdyne propulsion throughout its service life.
Lockheed Martin: Under Control: Lockheed Martin-Built AEHF-5 Protected Communications Satellite Now In Transfer Orbit.

Een informatieboekje over de lancering vind je hier (PDF).

Space News: ULA Atlas 5 launches Air Force AEHF-5 communications satellite.
NasaSpaceFlight: Atlas V launches AEHF-5 from Cape Canaveral.
Space News: Air Force cubesat successfully deployed from Atlas 5 upper stage.

De video’s:
ULA: Atlas V AEHF-5 Mission Profile.
ULA: Atlas V AEHF-5 Launch Highlights.
SciNews: Atlas V launches AEHF-5.
America Space: Up Close views of the AEHF-5 Launch on an Atlas 5 rocket.
Scott Manley: The Spectacular Launch of AEHF-5 - Shadows on Rocket Flames.

Ook RocketLab gaat eerste trap Electron-raket hergebruiken.
Rocket Lab: Rocket Lab Announces Reusability Plans For Electron Rocket.

Space News: Rocket Lab to attempt to reuse Electron first stage.
Reuters: Rocket Lab plans reusable booster for satellite launches
Ars Technica: Here’s why Rocket Lab changed its mind on reusable launch.

De filmpjes.
Rocket Lab: Rocket Lab Unveils Plans For Reusability.
Rocket Lab: Electron Is Going Reusable.
Every Astronaut: Let's watch Rocket Lab's announcement.
Every Astronaut: Can Rocket Lab really catch a rocket with a helicopter?

Vector in de problemen.
Vector: Vector Announcement.
Space News: Vector replaces CEO, suspends operations amid financial problems.

Enkele dagen eerder:
Space News: Vector Launch awarded its first U.S. Air Force mission.

Virgin Orbit – De recchtzaak met OneWeb (en ander nieuws).
Space News: OneWeb disputes Virgin Orbit lawsuit, says LauncherOne is too expensive.

Space News: Virgin Orbit offers vision of responsive smallsat constellation launch.

En nog eentje over OneWeb:
Parabolic Arc: Russia Denies OneWeb Permission to Provide Satellite Internet

SpaceX – StarHopper en Starship.
Teslarati: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says first orbital Starship prototype flight debut is just weeks away.
Teslarati: SpaceX’s Florida Starship hits growth spurt as Texas Starship begins bulkhead installation.
Teslarati: SpaceX preps Texas Starship’s second tank dome for installation in latest milestone
Teslarati: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says Starhopper’s next test flight is waiting for an FAA permit.

Ars Technica: Elon Musk will update the status of Starship development on August 24.

Filmpjes:
Scott Manley: New Report Details SpaceX's Plans To Launch Starship From Florida.

SpaceX – Nu ook “rideshare”-vluchten met Falcon 9.
Teslarati: SpaceX announces Falcon 9 SmallSat Rideshare program with launches to start in 2020.

Ars Technica: SpaceX enters smallsat launch market with a very low price.
The Verge: SpaceX will now offer rocket ride-shares tailored solely to small satellites.

Space News: Arianespace and SpaceX offering new dedicated rideshare services.

SpaceX – Het einde van Falcon 9-lanceringen vanaf de westkust VS?
Teslarati: SpaceX sends Falcon 9’s West Coast drone ship to the Panama Canal in surprise move

ISS – Cygnus vertrekt maar blijft nog even rond de Aarde draaien.
Northrop Grumman: S.S. Roger Chaffee set to demonstrate first extended duration flight.

Spaceflight Now: Cygnus supply ship departs space station, begins extended mission.
NasaSpaceFlight: NG-11 Cygnus departs Station for months of on-orbit free-flight tests.

De filmpjes:
NASA: Northrop Grumman 11 Cygnus Release August 06, 2018.
SciNews: NG-11: SS Roger Chaffee Cygnus departure.

ISS – ESA’s Horizon missie.
ESA: Two Weeks of Science and Beyond.
EuroNews: ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano's first report on life onboard the International Space Station

Filmpjes:
ESA: Horizons mission in review
EuroNews: ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano's first report on life onboard the ISS | Space Chronicles Ep4.

ISS – Belgisch nieuws uit het ruimtestation.
Over een pas gelanceerd Belgisch experiment:
SCK•CEN: Moon farming: SCK•CEN sends experiment into space

B.USOC: RUBI installation by astronaut Luca Parmitano (live streaming from B.USOC).
RTL INFO: Des Belges aux commandes de l'ISS: une expérience qui se prépare depuis des mois.

De persmededeling van enkele weken geleden:
BIRA: Het Belgian User Support and Operations Centre verantwoordelijk voor een nieuw experiment over vloeistofmechanica in microzwaartekracht.

ISS – Nog meer nieuws uit het ruimtestation.
NASA: Meet the Promising New Researchers Making Waves on the Space Station.
NASA: NASA's Spacecraft Atmosphere Monitor Goes to Work Aboard the International Space Station.

Collect Space: DoubleTree offers 'Cookies in Space' tin ahead of first zero-g bake/
The Atlantic: The Great NASA Bake-Off.

NASA: Student-built CubeSat SlingShots Into Space.

Filmpjes:
Space To Ground: A New Mission: 08/09/2019.
NASA: Spacecast Weekly - August 9, 2019.

CSA: Animation of Dextre demonstrating fluid transfer technologies - Robotic Refueling Mission 3.

ARTEMIS – Orion-capsule test zijn raketjes in een abort-to-orbit scenario.
NASA: Hot Fire! Orion’s Service Module Completes Critical Propulsion Test.

De beelden van de test vind je hier.

ARTEMIS – SLS/Orion.
NasaSpaceFlight: Boeing assembling structures for NASA’s second SLS Core Stage.
NasaSpaceFlight: NASA starts buying long lead parts for third Orion ESM, SLS Core Stage.

ARTEMIS – Naar de Maan (en Mars).
SpaceCom: From Apollo to Artemis — How Astronaut Food May Change When We Return to the Moon.

SpaceCom: Space Radiation Will Damage Mars Astronauts' Brains.
Newsweek: Deep Space Radiation Could Cause Learning and Memory Problems, Making Astronauts Unable to Deal with Unexpected Situations.
NASA: How NASA Will Protect Astronauts From Space Radiation (filmpje).

Beerdiertjes op de Maan.
Wired: A Crashed Israeli Lunar Lander Spilled Tardigrades On The Moon.
NPR: Thousands Of Tardigrades Are Stranded On The Moon After A Failed Lunar Mission.
SpaceCom: Thousands of Tardigrades Stranded on the Moon After Lunar Lander Crash.
Ars Technica: Tiny tardigrades crash-landed on the Moon and probably survived.
Popular Mechanic: Tardigrades Have Landed on the Moon. Here's What Their Survival Could Mean for Humanity.

VRT NWS: Er is leven op de maan! Ze heten beerdiertjes en wij hebben ze er zelf achtergelaten.
De Morgen: Is er dan toch leven op de maan?

Nieuws uit de (inter)planetaire ruimte.

Zon:
NASA PSP: Parker Solar Probe Completes Download of Science Data from First Two Solar Encounters.
SpaceCom: NASA's Parker Solar Probe Is Beaming Back Extra Data as it Buzzes the Sun.
EurekAlert: NASA's MMS finds first interplanetary shock.

Aarde:
Sputnik News: Russia's Space Agency Postpones Launch of Second Arctic Weather Satellite.
ESA: Cryosat conquers ice on Arctic lakes.
EuroNews: Two months on, Siberia's raging wildfires are visible from space.
BBC: Iceye satellites return super-sharp radar images.
Ars Technica: Small satellites begin to offer unrivaled detail in radar images of Earth.

Maan:
The Planetary Society: Lunar Orbiter Longjiang-2 Smashes into Moon.
Sky & Telescope: New Images from China’s Chang’e 4 as Eighth Lunar Day Ends.
Space Daily: China's lunar rover travels 271 meters on moon's far side.
De Morgen: Belg bouwt kleinste maanrover ooit.

Mars:
NASA: New Finds for Mars Rover, Seven Years After Landing.
NASA: Seven Years After Landing, Curiosity Rover is Still Rock N' Rolling.
NASA: NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Explores Teal Ridge (360 View).
NASA: MEDLI2 Installation on Mars 2020 Aeroshell Begins.
NASA: NASA 'Optometrists' Verify Mars 2020 Rover's 20/20 Vision.
Popular Mechanics: Mars Used to Have a Huge Ocean, but Then a Mega-Tsunami Ruined Everything.

Jupiter:
NASA: Hubble View of Jupiter: Rotation (video).

Bennu:
Website OR: Asteroid Bennu’s features to be named after mythical birds.

Pluto:
Website NH: International Astronomical Union Approves Second Set of Pluto Feature Names.

JWST’s secundaire spiegel.
NASA: Critical Deployment of NASA Webb’s Secondary Mirror a Success.

Een filmpje:
NASA: The Webb Telescope's Unfolding Secondary Mirror.

Om af te ronden: Vandaag (11 augustus) opnieuw omhoog met zijn eigen stoomraket?
SpaceCom: 'Mad' Flat-Earther to Launch Himself 5,000 Feet Up on a Homemade Steam Rocket Sunday.

Veel lees- en kijkplezier,

Koen