Qua lanceringen was het best weer een rare week. Het “toetje” was ongetwijfeld de Delta IV Heavy. Met een afgebroken lancering op het moment dat de motoren ontstoken werden. Met onduidelijkheid of SpaceX zijn twee Falcon-9 lanceringen vanuit Florida kon uitvoeren. Ondertussen worstelde RocketLab met het weer en moest het de lancering van een Elektron-raket uitstellen. Er werd ook aan de planning gesleuteld wat de volgende Commercial Crew lanceringen betreft. SLS kwam ook weer in het nieuws met de (on)verwachte boodschap dat ze 30% boven het budget zouden gaan. 

Uitkijken wordt het naar Starship SN6 en een nieuwe 150 meter hop. En uiteraard naar de ochtend van 2 september als Arianespace een Vega-raket gaat lanceren. Met twee Belgische cubesats. Duimen maar.

Bij de foto: Vlammen waren er te zien, maar niet lang. ‘t Is altijd spectaculair als een lancering wordt afgebroken net nadat de motoren zijn ontstoken. Foto: Uit de United Launch Alliance live stream.

China lanceert alweer Gaofen-satelliet.
Space News: China launches fifth Gaofen-9 series Earth observation satellite.
NasaSpaceFlight: Long March 2D lofts Gaofen-9 (05).
Spaceflight Now: China launches another Gaofen Earth observation satellite.

Filmpje:
SciNews: Long March-2D launches Gaofen-9 05, Tiantuo-5 and a multifunctional test satellite.

Lancering Delta IV Heavy wordt op spectaculaire wijze afgebroken.
Space News: ULA to launch Delta 4 Heavy for its 12th mission, four more to go before rocket is retired.
Spaceflight Now: Delta 4-Heavy likely heading for geosynchronous orbit with top secret payload.

Florida Today: ULA scrubs Delta IV Heavy rocket launch from Cape Canaveral due to technical issues.
Spaceflight Insider: NROL-44 slips to Saturday, weather remains 80% go.

Spaceflight Now: Launch of NRO spy satellite delayed at least a week.

Filmpjes:
ULA: Delta IV Heavy NROL 44 Mission Profile.
ULA: Live Broadcast: Atlas V AEHF-6.
SciNews: Delta IV Heavy aborted launch with NROL-44.

RocketLab  worstelt met het weer.
Parabolic Arc: Rocket Lab to Launch Dedicated Mission for European Space Tech Company OHB Group
Uitgesteld tot ten vroegste 31 augustus, aldus RocketLab.

SpaceX – Falcon 9 nieuws.
Teslarati: SpaceX’s reusable rockets snag two more launch contracts.
Teslarati: SpaceX rocket booster heads west for first California launch in more than a year.

Een update. De Starlink-lancering zou volgens plan op 30 augustus kunnen doorgaan. In eerste instantie werd gedacht dat de lancering van SAOCOM moest wachten tot na de Delta IV Heavy. Maar dat bleek uiteindelijk niet het geval te zijn.
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX to kick off Super Sunday with 100th Falcon launch.
Teslarati: SpaceX Falcon 9 doubleheader still on track after fiery ULA launch abort.
Spaceflight Now: SpaceX poised for back-to-back launches Sunday at Cape Canaveral.

Washington Examinor: Elon Musk's SpaceX NASA contracts threatened over Tesla China ties.

Vega en o.a. 2 Belgische cubesats vertrekt op 2 september (onze tijd).
Arianespace: Vega Flight VV16.
Arianespace: Coming Soon | VV16 – SSMS PoC Flight | New launch opportunity begins on September 1 (filmpje).

En een beetje reclame maken voor Urania’s Ruimtevaartbabbel :-) over de vorige Ariane-lancering en de op komst zijnde Vega-lancering VV16.
Urania: RB 16 - Ariane en Vega (filmpje).

Russisch raketnieuws.
TASS: Russia’s space agency may launch three Angara carrier rockets next year.
SpaceWatch: Angara Heavy rocket delivered to Russia’s Plesetsk launch center.

SpaceWatch: Launch of Russian Amur rocket with reusable stage will cost $22 mln.

Nog een filmpje:
Scott Manley: Sea Launch And Its Amazing Ocean Going Rocket Launch Site.

Meer geld voor iSpace.
Global Times: Chinese private rocket firm iSpace announces $174m new financing
Space News: Chinese space launch firm iSpace raises $173 million in series B funding

Commercial Crew: Starliner.
NASA: Boeing’s Starliner Makes Progress Ahead of Flight Test with Astronauts.
Spaceflight Now: Boeing plans second Starliner test flight in December or January.
Space News: NASA and Boeing outline schedule of Starliner test flights.

NASA: NASA Astronaut Jeanette Epps Joins NASA’s Boeing Starliner-1 Mission.
Boeing: Boeing Statement on Starliner-1 Crew Assignment.
Space News: NASA astronaut bumped from Soyuz flight added to Starliner mission.
The Verge: NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps gets another assignment to the space station after canceled trip.

Commercial Crew: Crew Dragon.
NASA: Preparations Continue for SpaceX First Operational Flight with Astronauts.
NASA: Houston We Have a Podcast: Welcome Home, Bob and Doug!

ISS – De blogentries, Daily Summary Reports en Science Highlights.
NASA Space Station Blog: Crew Spending Another Day in Russian Segment.
NASA Space Station Blog: Station Crew Re-Enters U.S On-Orbit Segments, Mission Control Preps for Storm.
NASA Space Station Blog: Station Controllers Resume Normal Ops as Crew Keeps Up Research.

NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 8/21/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 8/24/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 8/25/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 8/26/2020.

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

ISS – Meer nieuws uit het ruimtestation.
Space News: NASA puts solicitation for commercial free-flyer station on hold.
SpaceCom: International Space Station at 20: Commercialization increases as end of life looms.

Russian Space News: The first fully Russian crew may be sent to the ISS.

Collect Space: NASA delays new astronaut selection due to coronavirus constraints.

ISS National Lab: Looking Toward the Future: Our Next 20 Years in Space.
Spaceflight Now: Hurricane Laura observed from International Space Station.
Science News: If bacteria band together, they can survive for years in space.

Filmpjes:
NASA: NASA Makes Fifth State of Matter Aboard Space Station

ARTEMIS – SLS 30% boven budget.
Ars Technica: NASA just announced in a blog post that SLS will cost 30% more.
Space News: NASA increases cost estimate for SLS development.
NASA Watch: urprise: SLS Will Cost 30% More Than The Last Big Cost Increase.

De blogpost waar de budgetoverschrijding werd aangekondigd.
NASA Artemis Blog: Eyes Forward as Artemis Missions Set to Begin Next Year.
NASA Artemis Blog: First Piece of Artemis III Orion Delivered to NASA.

Space News: NASA hopeful SLS Green Run test remains on schedule.
Parabolic Arc: Eyes Forward as Artemis Missions Set to Begin Next Year.

NASA: NASA to Highlight Artemis Booster Test with Live Broadcast, Media Teleconference.
NASA Watch: SLS Engine Test In October?

Starship – Het dagboek.
NasaSpaceFlight: Starship SN6 fires up Raptor SN29.
NasaSpaceFlight: Boca work continues as SpaceX marks anniversary of Starhopper’s final flight.

Teslarati: SpaceX kicks off orbital Starship launch pad construction in Texas.

Filmpjes:
NasaSpaceFlight: Starship SN6 Static Fire at SpaceX's Boca Chica Launch Site.
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX Boca Chica - SN6 Mass Simulator arrives. High Bay into Level 4.
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX Starship SN6 Prototype Ahead of Potential Test Flight.
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX Boca Chica - From SN5 re-hop preps to SN9 sleeving - A busy Spaceport.
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX Boca Chica - SN6 Mass Simulator Installed - Other Starships Prepare.
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX Boca Chica - SN8 Stacked, Orbital Pad Progress, and High Bay Construction Continues.
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX Boca Chica - SN7.1 assembly ahead of pop test as SN6 closes in on Hop.
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX Boca Chica - SN6 prepares to Hop - Groundwork for Super Heavy.

What About it?: How To Construct A SpaceX Starship Launch Mount?
What About it?: How to finance a fleet of Starships?

Masten Lunar Lander kiest Falcon 9.
Masten: SpaceX to Launch Masten Lunar Mission in 2022.
Space News: SpaceX to launch Masten lunar lander.
Teslarati: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket wins fourth Moon lander launch contract.

Nieuws uit de (inter)planetaire ruimte.

Ruimteweer:
SWF: Space Weather and Small Satellites: How the Sun Impacts LEO (voordracht).

Aarde:
NOAA: Widespread Wildfires Across Northern California (filmpje).
NASA: Satellites See Fires Burning Across California.
PhysOrg: NASA Terra Satellite sees development of Tropical Storm Maysak.
PhysOrg: NASA Terra Satellite examines Tropical Storm Hernan's relocated center.
PhysOrg: NASA-NOAA satellite nighttime imagery tracks Tropical Depression Laura over US.

Mars:
SpaceCom: China's Mars mission tests instruments on its way to the Red Planet.

Jupiter:
NASA: NASA’s Lucy Mission One Step Closer to Exploring the Trojan Asteroids.

Pluto:
Spaceflight Insider: Pluto’s glaciers change with its seasons.

Nieuw onderzoek naar invloed satellietconstellaties op sterrenhemel.
AAS: Report Offers Roadmap to Mitigate Effects of Large Satellite Constellations on Astronomy.
Je vindt er ook de PDF.

Ars Technica: SpaceX satellites’ effect on night sky can’t be eliminated, astronomers say.
RoomEU: LEO constellations will "fundamentally change" astronomy, warns new report.

Het is niet allemaal rozegeur en maneschijn in de Amerikaanse ruimtevaart.
The Verge: A former SpaceX intern is suing the company, claiming retaliation after reporting sexual harassment.

Parabolic Arc: Spaceport America CEO Being Investigated for Alleged Criminal Acts.

Een 56-jaar oude satelliet duikt wellicht dit weekend in de atmosfeer.
SpaceCom: 56-year-old NASA satellite expected to fall to Earth this weekend.

Ruimteafval – Oude Russische Resurs-satelliet valt uit elkaar.
Forbes: Debris From A Defunct Russian Satellite Could Endanger Other Objects In Orbit, Space Tracking Company Says

Nog dit:
– Zo goed als dagelijks ruimtevaartnieuwtjes vind je op de Facebook-pagina “ruimtevaartnieuws”
– Een foutje gezien in deze (of andere) NUDR’s. Laat het ons weten via “nieuwsuitderuimtevaart @ gmail . Com”

Veel lees- en kijkplezier,

Koen