Het wordt een belangrijke week voor de Europese ruimtevaart in het algemeen en de Belgische in het bijzonder. Op 19 juni om 3u51 onze tijd wordt in Kourou (Frans Guyana) een Europese Vega-raket gelanceerd. Voor ESA een belangrijke lancering want de vorige Vega liep faliekant af. Laat ons hopen dat het deze keer goed gaat, want aan boord bevinden zich liefst 53 kleine satellieten. Waaronder twee Belgische: PICASSO van het Belgisch Instituut voor Ruimte Aeronomie en SIMBA van het Koninklijk Meteorologisch Instituut. Dat en nog veel meer in het Nieuws Uit De Ruimtevaart van deze week.

Bij de foto: De testen met James Webb Space Telescope worden verdergezet, maar het is ondertussen duidelijk dat het corona-virus ook hier voor de nodige vertraging heeft gezorgd. De lancering zal al zeker niet in maart 2020 doorgaan. Foto: Northrop Grumman.

China lanceert oceaanonderzoeksatelliet.
ECNS: China successfully launches new ocean observation satellite (foto’s).
NasaSpaceFlight: Long March 2C lofts Haiyang-1D.
Space News: China launches Haiyang-1D ocean observation satellite.
Spaceflight Now: China launches ocean monitoring satellite.

Filmpjes:
SciNews: HaiYang-1D launched by Long March-2C.
Video From Space: China launches ocean observation satellite.

Rocket Lab – Don’t Stop Me Now, 12de Electron lanceert vijf kleine satellieten.
Al werd de lancering eerst twee dagen uitgesteld omwille van het weer.

RocketLab: Don’t Stop Me Now (waar je ook een persmap vind voor deze lancering).
NasaSpaceFlight: Rocket Lab launches 12th Electron, continues work on future plans.
Spaceflight Now: Live coverage: Rocket Lab back in action with twilight launch in New Zealand.
Spaceflight Now: University-built CubeSat launched with swarm of auroral science nodes.
Space News: Rocket Lab launches NRO, university payloads.

Filmpjes:
Rocket Lab: Rocket Lab - Don't Stop Me Now Launch Attempt.
Rocket Lab: Rocket Lab - Don't Stop Me Now Launch 06/13/2020.

IRL: Rocket Lab 'Don't Stop Me Now' Electron Rollout.
SciNews: Electron “Don’t Stop Me Now” launch.

SpaceX lanceert nieuwe reeks Starlink-satellieten en 3 kunstmanen voor Planet.
Teslarati: SpaceX deploys rocket recovery fleet for next Starlink launch.
Teslarati: Here’s what SpaceX’s first Starlink satellite rideshare mission looks like [photo].
Teslarati: SpaceX’s ninth Starlink launch gets a boost from first all-women weather crew.
Teslarati: SpaceX Starlink launch puts on a spectacular light show on the East Coast.

Spaceflight Now: Hitching a ride with SpaceX, Planet poised to complete SkySat fleet.
Space News: SpaceX launches 58 Starlink satellites, three Planet SkySats on Falcon 9.
Florida Today: As public beta takes shape, SpaceX vaults dozens of Starlink satellites to orbit.

Beelden van de lancering:
SpaceX: Starlink Mission.
SpaceX: Starlink Mission Control Audio.
SciNews: SpaceX Starlink 9 launch & Falcon 9 first stage landing, 13 June 2020.

Over Starlink:
Via Satellite: SpaceX Software Lead Reveals Starlink Details in Reddit AMA.
TMRO: Will Megaconstellations Ruin Astronomy? | TMRO:News (video).
Space News: Astronomers warn about effects of other satellite megaconstellations.

Over de vorige lancering:
Teslarati: SpaceX shares rare view of Starlink satellites rocketing into space.
Teslarati: SpaceX record-setting booster returns to Port in remarkable condition (photos).
Space Upclose: In reusability milestone 1st 5x launched/landed SpaceX Falcon 9 booster goes horizontal and treks back to Cape all legs retracted.

Uiteraard met de nodige beelden:
IRL: SpaceX Starlink 7 Fairing Jettison (Fairing Camera).
Scott Manley: Amazing Camera Views From Inside SpaceX Rocket Fairings (een aanrader).
US Launch Report: SpaceX - First 5th Landing - B1049.5 - Starlink7 - 4K 06-07-2020.

Aftellen naar Vega-lancering van o.a. twee Belgische cubesats.
Satellite Evolution Group: Flight VV16: For the first Vega mission of 2020, Arianespace will perform the small spacecraft mission service proof of concept flight.
ESA: SSMS inaugural flight on Vega.
ESA: Rideshare service for light satellites to launch on Vega.

Voor meer detail, neem een kijkje bij Arianespace of in deze persmap (PDF).

Filmpje:
ESA: Animation of Vega VV16 launch and satellite deployment.

Het definitieve einde voor SeaLaunch?
TASS: S7 mulls selling Sea Launch to state corporation Rosatom — sources.

Nieuwe beelden opvolger Shenzhou.
De filmpjes:
CCTV: Return Capsule of China's Experimental Manned Spaceship Opened.
SciNews: Inside China’s new crewed spacecraft.

Indisch bemand ruimtevaartprogramma loopt vertraging op.
The Times Of India: No Gaganyaan unmanned flight this year.

Nieuwe baas voor NASA’s bureau voor bemande ruimtevaart snel gevonden.
NASA: Kathy Lueders Selected to Lead NASA’s Human Spaceflight Office.
Space News: NASA selects Lueders to run human spaceflight programs.
Space Policy Online: Kathy Lueders new head of NASA’s human spaceflight program.

Commercial Cargo – Testversie Dream Chaser arriveert op het Kennedy Space Center.
NASA: Dream Chaser® Spaceplane Pressure Test Article Arrives at Kennedy Space Center.

Een filmpje over Dream Chaser.
Simply Space: Dreamchaser - The Mini Space Shuttle.

Commercial Crew – Starliner.
Collect Space: Starline-VR: Boeing adds new dimension to astronaut training.
Geek Wire: Boeing teams up with Varjo on virtual reality training for Starliner space taxi.
Futurism: Boeing’s Spaceship Cockpit Looks Strikingly Different Than SpaceX’s.

Commercial Crew – Demo 2 tot eind augustus (?)
Teslarati: SpaceX Crew Dragon spaceship to bring NASA astronauts home this summer.
Space News: Crew Dragon likely to support extended space station stay.
Spaceflight Now: NASA anticipates August return for Hurley and Behnken.

Space News: Commercial crew success prompts congratulations and criticism from Russia.
Roscosmos: ‘This war is theirs – not ours’: Dmitry Rogozin on Elon Musk’s Crew Dragon launch.
Ars Technica: Russia’s space leader seems pretty bitter about SpaceX’s success.

Belangrijk voor de volgende lanceringen:
Teslarati: SpaceX wins NASA approval to launch astronauts on reused rockets and spacecraft.

Nog wat filmpjes:
IRL: SpaceX Demo-2 Isolated Launch Views.

ISS – De blogentries, Daily Summary Reports en Science Highlights.
NASA ISS Blog: Crew Starts Week on Communications Gear and Orbital Plumbing.
NASA ISS Blog: Space Bubbles, Advanced Optics Benefiting Earthlings, Astronauts.
NASA ISS Blog: Station Buzzing With Science in Middle of Spacewalk Preps.
NASA ISS Blog: Crew Gears Up for Spacewalks, Continues Space Science.

NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 6/05/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 6/08/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 6/09/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 6/10/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 6/11/2020.

Space Station Science Highlights: Week of June 8, 2020.

ISS – Meer nieuws uit het ruimtestation.
TASS: Cosmonauts at ISS congratulate fellow citizens on Russia Day

PhysOrg: From space, Russian cosmonauts fight chess grandmaster to a draw
ChessCom: Grandmaster Vs. Cosmonauts, 50 Years Later
Deze schaakpartij kan je hier bekijken (met commentaar over de verschillende zetten).

NASA: Japan's HTV-9 Cargo Craft Helps Supply the Space Station

Science Daily: Speed of space storms key to protecting astronauts and satellites from radiation
Business Insider: Astronauts on the International Space Station are helping to forge a bizarre form of matter that does not exist in nature

Filmpjes:
NASA: Space to Ground: The Storm Above: 06/12/2020.
NASA: SpaceCast Weekly - June 12, 2020.
NASA: Expedition 63 InFlight with KNX Radio and Chris Cassidy - June 11, 2020.
Video From Space: SpaceX Demo-2 astronauts talk 'Tremor' the dinosaur, have graduation message.
Video From Space: SpaceX spacesuit gets '5 stars' from Demo-2 astronaut.

En nog dit:
Via Satellite Podcast: Exploring Space Medicine with Dominic Tanzillo.

Rusland op zoek naar nieuwe kosmonauten.
Roscosmos: Cosmonaut team admission: first results.

Artemis – SLS/Orion.
Airbus: How to build the Orion ESM - Engineering (filmpje).
NasaSpaceFlight: Solid Rocket Boosters arrive at Kennedy for Artemis 1 and OmegA.

Artemis - Gateway.
Northrop Grumman: Company adapts proven Cygnus technology for human habitation.
Spaceflight Now: NASA signs Gateway habitat design contract with Northrop Grumman.

Artemis - Human Landing System.
NASA: U.S. Companies Advance Critical Human Lander Technologies.
Universe Today: How SpaceX is Changing Starship to be Able to Land on the Moon.

NASA Watch: NASA OIG Investigation Into Boeing And Lunar Lander Contracts.

En nog dit:
AAS Future in Space Hangout: Human Landing System: Putting Boots Back on the Moon (filmpje).

Artemis - Naar de maan.
Space Policy Online: Pace, Bowersox worry about Artemis funding.
NASA Watch: Funding Artemis When Other Things Need Funding.

Spacewatch: Lunapolitics: US, RUssia, Japan, Canada and ESA to hold lunar talks on 9 june.
SpaceQ: The Artemis Accords: Executive orders and Artemis Accords- Considerations for Canada.

SpaceX – Starship.
Teslarati: SpaceX sets target on rapid Starship development as Mars gains focus.
Teslarati: SpaceX’s Starship Super Heavy booster needs a custom assembly tower.

Popular Mechanics: SpaceX Is Putting All Resources Back Into Its Mars Rocket.

Space News: SpaceX drops plans for Port of Los Angeles facility again.

Filmpjes: 
Engineering Today: SpaceX Starship is Now "Top Priority": Elon Musk.
Video From Space: Big SpaceX Starship SN7 tank on the move in time-lapse video.

Mars Op de Aarde.
CNN: Architects have designed a Martian city for the desert outside Dubai.

Astrobotic mag NASA’s rover Viper naar de maan sturen.
NASA: NASA Selects Astrobotic to Fly Water-Hunting Rover to the Moon.
Astrobotic: Astrobotic awarded $199,5 million contract to deliver NASA Moon Rover.
Space News: Astrobotic wins NASA contract to deliver VIPER lunar rover.
Florida Today: NASA just awarded $200 million to launch the robotic VIPER moon rover.

Filmpje:
NASA: NASA Moon Rover Books Ride to the Moon.

UAE maakt zich klaar voor Hope-missie naar Mars.
BBC: UAE Mars mission: Hope project a 'real step forward for exploration'
PhysicsOrg: First Arab mission to Mars designed to inspire youth

Meer details over Hope vind je hier.

Ook China is (bijna) klaar voor Mars.
Spacepage: Maak kennis met de eerste Chinese Marsmissie: Tianwen-1

Lancering Mars2020 (Perseverance) drie dagen uitgesteld.
Space News: Mars 2020 launch slips three days.
Spaceflight Now: After crane problem, ULA caps build-up of Atlas 5 rocket for Mars rover launch.

Meer details over Mars2020 vind je hier.

Nieuws uit de (inter)planetaire ruimte.

Zon:
Airbus: Solar Orbiter is ready for its close-up with the Sun.
NASA: NASA's Parker Solar Probe Teams Up With Observatories Around Solar System for 4th Solar Encounter.
NASA: Parker Solar Probe Begins Longest Science Observation Campaign.

Ruimteweer:
SpacEQ: Canada's power grid at risk due to space weather.
Science Daily: New 'sun clock' quantifies extreme space weather switch on/off.

Maan:
Parabolic Arc: Chang’e-4 Enters 18th Lunar Night, Data Reveals Composition of Lunar Soil.
Astronomy: The history and future of telescopes on the Moon.

Mars
NASA: Sols 2788-2789: Pot of Gold?
NASA: Sols 2790-2791: Capturing the Sights on the Road.
NASA: NASA's Mars Rover Drivers Need Your Help.
Sky & Telescope: Mars "Mole" is in the ground (again).
Energy.Gov: Nuclear Power System Delivered to Florida for NASA’s Perseverance Rover.

Saturnus:
Caltech: Titan is Migrating Away from Saturn 100 Times Faster than Previously Predicted.

Bennu:
NASA: NASA's OSIRIS-REx Discovers Sunlight Can Crack Rocks on Asteroid Bennu.

New Horizons:
NH WebSite: NASA's New Horizons Conducts the First Interstellar Parallax Experiment.
Geekwire: Five years after Pluto encounter, New Horizons probe does a far-out parallax experiment.
RoomEU: New Horizon breaks record with first interstellar parallax experiment.
En dat parallax effect krijg je mooi te zien in deze opname.
Geert Vandenbulcke: Wolf 359, parallax New Horizons - Earth, 20200422.

En nog dit:
NASA: 11 Years Charting Edge of Solar System (filmpje).

JWST – Geen verrassing: Lancering alweer uitgesteld.
Space News: NASA confirms JWST will miss March 2021 launch date.
Popular Mechanics: Surprise, Surprise: NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Gets Hit With More Delays.
Ars Technica: James Webb Space Telescope will “absolutely” not launch in March.

NASA: Tower Extension Test a Success for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.
JWST: Social Media Shorts: Tower Extension Test a Success for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (filmpje).

Compton Gamma Ray Observatory.
Astronomy: Remembering the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory 20 Years after its death.

Om af te ronden – Kathy Sullivan.
VRT NWS: Van het heelal tot de bodem van de zee: astronaut Kathy Sullivan is eerste vrouw op het diepste punt in de oceaan.

Veel lees- en kijkplezier,

Koen