Aftellen naar de lancering van Crew 1, dat deden we deze week. Al werd dat aftellen een beetje bijgesteld want omwille van de weersomstandigheden werd de lancering alvast met één dag opgeschoven, naar de nacht van zondag op maandag, om 1u27 onze tijd. Ondertussen lijkt NASA niet het gevraagde geld te krijgen voor zijn Maanplannen. Een landing in 2024 wordt nu wellicht helemaal onmogelijk. Tegenslag – zij het van een totaal andere aard – was er ook voor Starship. Bij een nieuwe motortest van SN8 liep het deze keer behoorlijk fout. SN8 overleefde het maar net, maar het zal wat langer wachten zijn op die 15 km “hop”. Dat en nog veel meer in het Nieuws Uit De Ruimtevaart van deze week.

Bij de foto: Een Falcon 9 staat klaar op Launch Complex 39A op het Kennedy Space Center. Bovenaan de raket bevindt zich “Resiliance”, de Crew Dragon capsule voor NASA’s Crew 1 missie naar het ISS. Foto: NASA/Joel Kowsky.

China lanceert comsat.
ECNS: China launches new mobile telecommunication satellite.
ECNS: China launches new mobile telecommunication satellite (foto’s).

NasaSpaceFlight: Long March 3B lofts second Tiantong-1 spacecraft.
Spaceflight Now: China launches mobile telecom satellite.

Filmpjes:
CCTV: China Launches New Mobile Telecommunication Satellite.
SciNews: Long March-3B launches Tiantong-1 02.

Atlas V lanceert dan eindelijk zijn militaire lading.
Florida Today: Atlas V rocket set for launch today; ULA CEO says prices lower than expected.
SpaceCom: US spy satellite launch on Atlas V rocket delayed by Tropical Storm Eta.
Spaceflight Now: Atlas 5 rocket back on the launch pad for national security mission.

ULA: United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches NROL-101 Mission in Support of National Security.
ULA’s lanceringsblog vind je hier.
Foto’s vind je hier.
Een Mission Overview vind je in deze PDF.

Space News: ULA Atlas 5 launches National Reconnaissance Office satellite.
NasaSpaceFlight: Atlas V successfully launches NROL-101.
Florida Today: ULA Atlas V punches through the clouds to deliver secretive NRO satellite to orbit.
Florida Today: Photos: ULA Atlas V launches NROL-101 from Cape Canaveral.

Filmpjes:
ULA: Nov. 13 Live Broadcast: Atlas V NROL-101
SciNews: Atlas V launches NROL-101
America Space: Launch of Atlas V with top secret NROL 101 satellite

Crew 1 – 08.11 – Astronauten arriveren op het KSC.
NASA: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 Astronauts Touch Down at Florida Spaceport.

NasaSpaceFlight: Crew-1 astronauts arrive for launch as Tropical Storm Eta looms.
Spaceflight Now: Crew Dragon astronauts arrive in Florida for launch preparations.
Florida Today:  Photos: SpaceX Crew-1 astronauts arrive at Kennedy Space Center.

Filmpjes:
Space Videos: Crew Arrival at Kennedy Space Center for NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 Mission.

Crew 1 – 09.11 – Q&A met de bemanning.

Filmpje:
NASA: Live Q&A with Astronauts Launching on NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 Mission.

Crew 1 – 10.11 – Flight Readiness Review. Static Fire uitgesteld.
NASA: Crew-1 Flight Readiness Review Underway; Virtual Crew Media Engagement on NASA TV.
NASA: SpaceX Falcon 9 Rolls Out for Saturday Launch.
NASA: Crew-1 Flight Readiness Review Discussions Continue; Media Teleconference to Follow.
NASA: Crew Dragon Rolls Out, Station Crew Works Research and Comm Gear.
NASA: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 ‘Go’ to Proceed Toward Nov. 14 Launch.
NASA: NASA Certifies First Commercial Human Spaceflight System.

Teslarati: SpaceX’s first operational NASA astronaut mission (almost) ready for launch.
Space News: NASA certifies SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft ahead of Crew-1 launch.
Spaceflight Now: NASA formally certifies SpaceX’s Crew Dragon for “operational” astronaut flights.
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX, NASA, JAXA clear Crew-1 for launch; static fire delayed to Wednesday.

Florida Today: Photos: SpaceX Crew-1 Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule at Kennedy Space Center.

Filmpjes:
NASA: NASA Certifies SpaceX Crew Transportation System for Regular Astronaut Flights to Space.
321 Launch: SpaceX Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon go vertical for Crew-1 launch (een eerste keer).

Crew 1 – 11.11 – Static Fire.
NASA: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 Mission: Weather 60% Favorable for Saturday Launch.
NASA: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1: SpaceX completes Falcon 9 static fire test.

Teslarati: SpaceX fires up Crew-1 Falcon 9 rocket for Saturday astronaut launch.

NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX conducts static fire test on Falcon 9 for Crew-1 mission.
Spaceflight Now: Falcon 9 rocket fires up in crucial test before weekend crew launch.
SpaceCom: SpaceX just test fired the Falcon 9 rocket for its astronaut launch for NASA.

Filmpjes:
321 Launch: SpaceX Crew-1: Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon go vertical again (een tweede keer).
321 Launch: SpaceX Crew-1: Falcon 9 test fired at Kennedy Space Center.
America Space: SpaceX performs a static fire test of the booster that will launch the CREW-1 mission to the ISS.
NASA: Quick Questions With Crew-1.

Crew 1 – 12.11 – Dry Dress Rehearsel voor de bemanning.
NASA: SpaceX Crew-1: Weather 70% Favorable, Crew Dry Dress Rehearsal Today.
NASA: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 Astronauts Rehearse for Launch Day.
Spaceflight Now: Astronauts rehearse for launch day as mission managers watch weather.

Crew 1 – 13.11 – Flight Readiness Review: Lancering 1 dag uitgesteld.
NASA: Launch Readiness Review Complete, Prelaunch News Conference at 6 p.m. EST.

Space News: Weather delays Crew-1 launch.
Space Policy Online: Crew 1 launch must wait until Sunday.

NASA: NASA Updates TV Coverage for First Crew Rotation Flight on US Commercial Spacecraft.

Filmpjes:
NASA: Mission Update: NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 Launch.
NASA: Countdown Clock Briefing With NASA Administrator.
NASA: Crew-1 Virtual NASA Social: Countdown Clock Show.
NASA: Crew-1 Virtual NASA Social: Commercial Crew Program Pop-In Speaker.
NASA: Crew-1 Virtual NASA Social: Astronaut Q&A.
NASA: Crew-1 Virtual NASA Social: 45th Space Wing.
NASA: Crew-1 Virtual NASA Social: Genes in Space.

Crew 1 – 14.11 – Wachten op de lancering.
Collect Space: SpaceX Crew-1 astronauts to set firsts on NASA operational mission.
SpaceCom: SpaceX's Crew-1 launch for NASA is carrying rock-eating microbes (and more weird science).

Nog dit: Continu Dragons in de ruimte?
Teslarati: SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to have a continual presence in space starting this year.

Sentinel 6 klaar voor lancering.
ESA: Copernicus Sentinel-6 ready for launch.
ESA: Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich Satellite Family Tree.

ARIANE – Nieuwtjes over Ariane V en Ariane VI.
Arianespace: Arianespace announces latest Ariane 5 contract, plans up to four more launches by end of year and raises Executive Committee’s European profile.

ESA: Ariane 6 early combined tests at Europe’s Spaceport.
CSG: Ariane 6 - Chantier ELA4 - Octobre 2020  (filmpje).

Eerste Amerikaanse RocketLab-lancering uitgesteld tot in 2021.
Space News: First Rocket Lab U.S. launch delayed to 2021.

Meer raketnieuws uit Europa.
ESA: ESA signs first Boost! commercial space transportation contracts.
Space News: ESA awards €1.5 million to three German launch startups.

Meer raketnieuws uit Noord-Amerika.
Virgin Orbit: Launcherone arrives in Mojave.
Parabolic Arc: Virgin Orbit 747 Flies the Racetrack Over the Pacific Ocean.

GeekWire: Stratolaunch teams up with Calspan and makes progress on hypersonic flight plan.
Parabolic Arc: Stratolaunch Conducted Engine Tests Last Week.

Via Satellite: Relativity Space Completes Mission Duty Cycle Test for Aeon 1 Rocket Engine.
Het filmpje vind je hier.

NasaSpaceFlight: Firefly closes in on debut flight with rocket delivery to Vandenberg launch site.
Firefly Aerospace: Alpha Flight 1 Stage 1 Arrives at Vandenberg (filmpje).

Parabolic Arc: Galactic Energy Raises $30 Million, Moves Forward on Pallas-1 Booster.

Ars Technica: Meet Launcher, the rocket engine builder with just eight employees.

SpaceQ: The Canadian Space Agency signs an agreement with Virgin Galactic.

Via Satellite: Slingshot Aerospace Receives $8M in Series A Funding.

Space News: Vector restarting operations under new ownership.

Meer raketnieuws uit Rusland.
Scott Manley: Angara - Russia's Replacement For The Proton Rocket (filmpje).
TASS: Russia’s new super-heavy rocket to outshine rivals by efficiency — Roscosmos chief.
Parabolic Arc: Vostochny Continues Preparations to Resume OneWeb Satellite Launches in December.
Parabolic Arc: Russia & Kazakhstan Move Forward on Baiterek Launch Complex at Baikonur.

Meer raketnieuws uit Azië.
NasaSpaceFlight: Introducing China’s new commercial rocket, Ceres-1.
Spaceflight Now: New Chinese rocket successful in debut launch.
Space News: China sets targets for smart, recoverable and reusable launch vehicles.

Commercial Crew – Over Starliner.
SpaceCom: NASA says Boeing's next Starliner test flight won't launch until 2021.
Spectrum News: As SpaceX Preps for Saturday Crew Launch, Boeing Waits in Wings.

Commercial Cargo – Bijkomende vrachtvluchten voor Cygnus.
Northrop Grumman: NG awarded additional cargo resupply missions to the ISS.
Een filmpje vind je hier.

ISS – De blogentries, Daily Summary Reports en Science Highlights.
NASA Space Station Blog: Physics, Biology and Spacewalk Preps as SpaceX Crew-1 Ramps Up.
NASA Space Station Blog: Crew Dragon Rolls Out, Station Crew Works Research and Comm Gear.
NASA Space Station Blog: Station Gets Ready to Welcome Commercial Crew.

NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 11/06/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 11/09/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 11/10/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 11/11/2020.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 11/12/2020.

NASA: Space Station Science Highlights: Week of November 9, 2020.

ISS – Meer nieuws uit het ruimtestation.
TASS: Space station’s orbit increased before next launch of Soyuz manned spacecraft.

The Science Times: A Year In Space: Experts Found Mighty Microbe Survived Life Outside of the ISS.
Click Orlando: Eat like an astronaut: What’s for dinner on the International Space Station.

The Guardian: Gimme some space: inside the International Space Station – in pictures.
ISS National Lab: 20 Years of Student Experiments Using the International Space Station.

ESA: Boarding issues.

Spaceflight Now: NASA chief warns of gap after retirement of International Space Station.

Filmpjes:
NASA: Space to Ground: Dragon Quest: 11/13/2020.
NASA: Expedition 64 Inflight with This Week in Virology Podcast - November 12, 2020.
NASA: Flight Operations for the International Space Station.

ARTEMIS – SLS/Orion.
Space News: Weather and technical problems further delay SLS Green Run test.
BBC: Nasa's new 'megarocket' set for critical tests.
BBC: Nasa's giant SLS rocket: a guide.
NASA: Houston We Have a Podcast: Orion Today.

ARTEMIS – OIG Rapport over de Gateway.
Het rapport “NASA’s Management of the Gateway Program for Artemis Missions” vind je hier (PDF).

Space Policy Online: NASA IG: Gateway not likely to be ready by 2024.
Space News: Changing NASA requirements caused cost and schedule problems for Gateway.

ARTEMIS – NASA krijgt minder geld voor Human Landing System.
Space News: Senate bill offers NASA only a fraction of requested lunar lander funding.

The Verge: Senate committee’s budget for lunar landers falls short of NASA request.
RoomEU: Senate deals major blow to Bridenstine’s Moon ambitions.
Parabolic Arc: Senate Appropriations Committee Sticks a Fork in NASA’s 2024 Moon Landing Plan.

ARTEMIS – NASA zoekt meer wetenschap en technologie voor maanprogramma.
NASA: NASA Seeks More Lunar Science, Technology Experiments for Artemis Program.

GeekWire: Blue Origin and Aerojet get in on NASA partnerships for new space technologies.

ARTEMIS – Artemis Accords.
112 International: Ukraine signs agreement with NASA to study Moon, Mars, comets, and asteroids.

STARSHIP – Static Fire voor SN8 loopt (bijna) faliekant af.
Er waren twee static fires deze week. De problemen deden zich voor met de tweede.
Teslarati: SpaceX begins assembling first Starship Super Heavy booster in South Texas.
Teslarati: SpaceX Starship wraps up nosecone ‘cryo proof’ and first of several Raptor static fires.
Teslarati: SpaceX Starship saved by ‘burst disk’ after Raptor static fire ends badly.

SpaceCom: SpaceX's Starship SN8 prototype fires its engines for the 2nd time.
NasaSpaceFlight: Starship SN8 hoping for speedy return to testing as additional vehicles line up.

Filmpjes:
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX Boca Chica Weekly Update - Starship SN8 Header Cryo Proof Complete - Super Heavy Stacking.
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX Boca Chica - Super Heavy Booster Stacking Begins - Raptor SN42 Delivered.
NasaSpaceFlight: Starship SN8 Static Fire #2.
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX Boca Chica - SN8 Single Engine Static Fire Test.
LabPadre: SN8 Static Fire #2.
Everyday Astronaut: SpaceX Starship SN-8's spicy static fire in 4k slow motion!
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX Boca Chica - Aerocovers Installed on New Nosecone - SN12 Thrust Section Stacked.
LabPadre: SN8 Starship Static Fire #3.
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX Boca Chica - SN8 Static Fire #3 and Pneumatic Anomaly (gebruik eventueel de index om naar het gewenste fragment te springen).
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN9 ready and able to enter the fray.
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN11 Common Dome Section Stacked - Forward Dome Gets LOX Downcomer.
NasaSpaceFlight: SpaceX Boca Chica - Raptor SN32 removed from Starship SN8.

Over de problemen met SN8:
What About It: Serious Problem on Static Fire & What will it be like to ride a SpaceX Starship?
Scott Manley: Starship Test Destroys Raptor Engine, But Burst Disc Saves Rest Of Vehicle.

Licht op groen voor Mars Sample Return missie.
NASA: Independent Review Indicates NASA Prepared for Mars Sample Return Campaign.
ESA: ESA welcomes positive review of plan to bring Mars to Earth.

Het rapport van de “Mars Sample Return Program Independent Review Board” vind je hier (PDF).
De Board werd in augustus van dit jaar opgestart. Zie deze NASA-aankondiging.

Space Policy Online: Outside experts want NASA to delay schedule, increase cost estimate for Mars Sample Return.
The Register: US-EU project to bring Mars samples back to Earth needs two more years, extra $4bn, watchdog warns.
Sky & Telescope: Update on the Mars Sample Return Program: “It’s all about the samples”.

Thales: Thales Alenia Space selected by Airbus as partner to the Mars Sample Return Mission.

Nieuws uit de (inter)planetaire ruimte.

Venus:
Universe Today: Venus Held Onto its Water Surprisingly Well During its History.

Aarde:
NASA: NASA's Earth-Observing Fleet, December 2019 (filmpje).
Space News: ESA signs a trio of Copernicus contracts worth 1.3 billion euros.
ESA: Satellites to track trains and promote rail safety.

Maan:
NASA: The Perils and Promise of Dust on the Moon.
Universe Today: Lunar Dust is Still One of The Biggest Challenges Facing Moon Exploration.
Collect Space: China's real lunar rover rolls 'Over the Moon' in Netflix animated film.
Space News: Frontier Aerospace completes design of Peregrine thrusters.
ILO: ILOA-IM Announce Agreement for 2021 Lunar Landing and Milky Way Galaxy Center Imaging (PDF).
ILO: ILO Association, 5 mission update january 2020: Moon landings on the horizon.

Mars:
Curiosity Status Report: Sols 2935-2937: A Beautiful Day on Mars.
Curiosity Status Report: Sols 2938-2939: Eyes on the Prize.
Curiosity Status Report: Sols 2940-2941: Curiosity Eyes a Comfortable 'Bench' to Park on for the Weekend.
NASA: NASA's Curiosity Takes Selfie With 'Mary Anning' on the Red Planet.
SpaceCom: The UAE's 1st Mars probe will reach the Red Planet on Feb. 9.
NASA: NASA's Perseverance Rover 100 Days Out (met filmpje).
Het filmpje vind je ook hier.
NASA: Mars Is Getting a New Robotic Meteorologist.
NASA: Heat and Dust Help Launch Martian Water Into Space, Scientists Find.
Science Daily: Escape from Mars: How water fled the red planet.
NASA Podcast: Gravity Assist: Mars Takes a Breath, with Jen Eigenbrode.
Een stukje uit de podcast vind je ook in dit filmpje.

Ryugu:
SpaceCom: Asteroid Ryugu: The twirling space rock visited by Hayabusa2.

Nood aan nieuwe NASA Administrator. En andere verkiezingsnieuwtjes.
Parabolic Arc: Bridenstine to Leave NASA Administrator Post
SpaceCom: Jim Bridenstine will step aside as NASA chief when President-elect Biden takes over: report
Air & Cosmos: A woman as NASA administrator ?

NASA Watch: Biden NASA Transition Team
Spacewatch: Former astronaut Pamela Melroy part of Biden’s NASA review team.
SpaceCom: From Space Force to Artemis: What a Joe Biden presidency may mean in orbit and beyond
Space News: Biden administration not seen as a threat to Space Force

Space News: Former astronaut Mark Kelly wins Senate race in Arizona
Filmpje: Mark Kelly talks Space Shuttle Endeavour's legacy during final flight

Veel lees- en kijkplezier,

Koen