De dag van de waarheid komt er aan. Na twee (deels) mislukte vluchten zou de negende testvlucht van Starship zonder (grote) problemen moeten verlopen. Zoniet lijkt de eerste bemande maanlanding na Apollo 17 weer een stukje verder af. En wat er na Artemis 3 gaat gebeuren is sinds het begin van deze maand ook een groot vraagteken geworden. Dat en nog veel meer in het Nieuws Uit De Ruimtevaart van deze week.

Bij de foto: Starship S35 ondergaat een geslaagde statische test, de langste tot op heden. Ondertussen heeft de FAA én SpaceX het licht op groen gezet voor een lancering op 28 mei. Foto: SpaceX

De lanceringen van de afgelopen week.

19.05.2025 – Chinese Ceres 1S lanceert 4 Tianqi-satellieten.
ECNS: China launches 4 satellites from sea (foto’s).
SpaceCom: Watch China’s private Ceres-1 rocket launch 4 satellites from a ship at sea.

Filmpjes:
CCTV: China's CERES-1 Rocket Launches New Satellites from Sea.
SciNews: Ceres-1S launches Tianqi-34 ~ 37.

20.05.2025 – Chinese Lange Mars 7A lanceert comsat ChinaSat-3B.  
ECNS: China sends new communication satellite into space (foto’s).
Space News: China launches classified comms satellite, conducts commercial sea launch.

Filmpjes:
CGTN: China launches new communications satellite.
SciNews: Long March-7A launches ZhongXing-3B (ChinaSat-3B).

21.05.2025 – SpaceX lanceert Starlink-satellieten Group 12-15 (CCSFS).
Spaceflight Now: SpaceX scrubs Monday night Falcon 9 launch minutes before liftoff.
Spaceflight Now: New Falcon 9 booster makes its debut on Starlink delivery mission.

Filmpjes:
SpaceX via X: Watch Falcon 9 launch 23 Starlink satellites to orbit from Florida, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities.
SciNews: Falcon 9 aborted launch, 20 May 2025.
SciNews: SpaceX Starlink 262 launch and Falcon 9 first stage landing, 21 May 2025.

21.05.2025 – Chinese Kinetica 1 (Lijian 1) lanceert 6 satellieten.
ECNS: China's Kinetica 1-Y7 rocket deploys 6 satellites in space.
ECNS: China launches commercial Lijian-1 Y7 carrier rocket (foto’s).

Filmpjes:
CGTN: China launches Lijian-1 Y7 rocket, sending six satellites into orbit.
SciNews: Lijian-1 launches 6 satellites.

23.05.2025 – Russische Soyuz 2.1b lanceert Kosmos 2588.
SatTrackCam Leiden: Kosmos 2588 has been placed in the same orbital plane as the US spy satellite USA 338: another RPO?

23.05.2025 – SpaceX lanceert Starlink-satellieten Group 11-16 (VSFB).
SatNews: SpaceX moves Starlink Group 11-16 smallsats launch to Friday due to various factors.
Spaceflight Now: SpaceX completes 450th Falcon booster landing during Friday Starlink mission.
SpaceCom: SpaceX launches Starlink satellites from Space Force base in California, lands on ship at sea.

Filmpjes:
SpaceX via X: Watch Falcon 9 launch 27 Starlink satellites to orbit from California.
SciNews: SpaceX Starlink 263 launch and Falcon 9 first stage landing, 23 May 2025.

Te verwachten lanceringen.

28.05.2025 om 01u30 (onze tijd) - Starship IFT 9.
SpaceCom: SpaceX gets updated Starship launch license but still awaits Flight 9 approval.
SpaceCom: SpaceX gets FAA approval for Flight 9 of Starship megarocket.
Ars Technica: FAA: Airplanes should stay far away from SpaceX’s next Starship launch.
Space News: FAA provides final approval for next Starship launch.
NSF: Starship program at critical moment as Flight 9 and infrastructure work in focus.

Space News: SpaceX blames Starship Flight 8 mishap on engine hardware failure.*
Spaceflight Now: FAA clears SpaceX to launch its 9th Starship super heavy rocket, while Flight 8 mishap investigation continues.

SpaceX: IFT 8 – Mishap Investigation Report.
SpaceX: Starship’s Ninth Flight Test.

Space Policy Online: SpaceX readies IFT-9 Starship test flight, explains IFT-8 failure.
Inside Oouter Space: SpaceX Details Super Heavy/Starship Flight 9 Profile.

Filmpjes:
NSF: "What in the heck are they up to now?" | SpaceX Starbase.
Marcus House: Starship’s Flight Plan Just Took an Unexpected Turn!
LabPadre Space: Starship's Flight 9 Is Quickly Approaching! - SpaceX Weekly #167.
WAI: Starship 35 Disappears: What's SpaceX's Plan for Flight 9?
NSF: SCRUB: SpaceX Performs Engine Testing of Ship 35.
NSF: SpaceX Performs Spin Prime Test of Ship 35.
NSF: What's a RUD? Starship Acronym Survival Guide.
NSF: SpaceX Rolls Out Booster 14-2 Ahead of Starship Flight 9.

28.05.2025: Chinese Tianwen-2 op weg naar planetoïde Kamoʻoalewa.
Space News:  China to launch Tianwen-2 asteroid sampling mission on May 28.
Inside Outer Space: China Ready to Launch Asteroid Sample Probe.

Dit artikel gaat niet alleen over Tianwen maar ook over de recentste Chinese lanceringen.
NSF: Chinese launch cadence accelerates, Tianwen-2 prepares for launch.

Filmpje:
VideoFromSpace: China's Tianwen-2 probe to collect samples from an Earth quasi-moon - Launch prep underway.

08.06.2025 – Axiom 4 / Ignis.
SpaceCom: Ax-4 private astronaut mission to the ISS is 'go' for its June 8 SpaceX launch.

Raketnieuws.

RocketLab en de ontwikkeling van Neutron.
NSF: Rocket Lab achieves multiple milestones in Neutron development.

Amerikaanse militairen niet zo gelukkig met ULA / Vulcan vertragingen.
Ars Technica: The Pentagon seems to be fed up with ULA’s rocket delays.

SpaceX wil extra lanceerplatform op Vandenberg SFB.
Spaceflight Now: Department of the Air Force issues draft documents for new SpaceX launch site at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

SpaceX koopt firma op.
Payload: SpaceX Closes Rare Acquisition Of Component Manufacturer.
Business Wire: Akoustis Successfully Completes Sale of Assets to SpaceX.

Bemande ruimtevaart / Ruimtestations.

India en het “Jaar van Gaganyaan”.
The Times of India: ISRO chief announces 2025 as ‘Gaganyaan Year’ with first mission faturing Vyommitra robot to launch in December. 

Ruimtetoerisme – Nieuwe New Shepard-vlucht – Virgin Galactic in 2026.
Blue Origin: Blue Origin Announces Crew for New Shepard’s 32nd Mission.
SpaceCom: Mark Rocket, a former ambassador and more: Blue Origin reveals passengers for 12th space tourism launch.

Space News: Virgin Galactic says production of new spaceplanes on track.
Virgin Galactic (filmpje): Galactic 10: Latest Virgin Galactic Milestones.

ISS – De blogentries.
NASA ISS Blog: Space Biology Kicks Off Workweek as Crew Packs Dragon.
NASA ISS Blog: Exercise Research, Growing Space Crops, and Science Packing Fill Day.
NASA ISS Blog: Crew Packs Dragon for Thursday Departure and Keeps Up Research.
NASA ISS Blog: NASA, SpaceX Stand Down 24 Hours for Dragon Undocking.
NASA ISS Blog: Dragon Undocking Adjusted to Friday as Space Science Continues.
NASA ISS Blog: NASA and SpaceX Target Friday for Dragon Undocking.
NASA ISS Blog: SpaceX Dragon Undocks from Station for Splashdown on Sunday.

ISS – Meer nieuws uit het ruimtestation.
Space News: NASA says long-running budget shortfalls may lead to ISS crew and research reductions.

NASA: Unearthly Plumbing Required for Plant Watering in Space.
PhysOrg: Astrobee learns to transport soft cargo: Open-source simulator models real ISS challenges.

UPI: SpaceX Dragon ISS depature delayed due to weather.

Filmpjes:
NASA: Space to Ground: Return Items: May 23, 2025.
NASA: Astronaut Jeanette Epps Talks 3D Printing Aboard ISS.
NASA: Spacex Cargo Resupply Ship Departs Space Station For Home – Friday, May 23, 2025.
SciNews: SpaceX CRS-32 Dragon undocking.

CSS – Shenzhou 20 ruimtevaarders doen ruimtewandeling.
SpaceCom: Chinese astronauts add debris shields to Tiangong space station during 8-hour spacewalk.
Inside Outer Space: China Space Station Crew: Spacewalk Tasks Completed.

Filmpjes:
CCTV: Shenzhou-20 Crew Gears for Maiden Extravehicular Activities.
CGTN: Shenzhou-20 astronauts complete first spacewalk.
CCTV: Shenzhou-20 Astronauts Complete First Spacewalk.
SciNews: Shenzhou-20 astronauts complete first spacewalk.

CSS – Meer nieuws uit het Chinese ruimtestation.
ECNS: New microbe found aboard Tiangong.
SpaceCom: New species of space-adapted bacteria discovered on China's Tiangong space station.

Filmpjes:
CCTV: Shenzhou-20 Crew Conducts Space Science Experiments, Emergency Drill.

Naar de Maan (en Mars).

Artemis 2 – Mensen rond de Maan.
NASA: NASA Signs Agreement with Argentina’s Space Agency for Artemis II CubeSat.

Blue Origin naar de Maan.
Space News: Blue Origin updates work on ‘transporter’ for Blue Moon lunar lander.
Inside Outer Space: Blue Origin Lunar Plans Detailed.

Artemis Accords.
NASA: NASA Supports Artemis Accords Signatories Advancing Exploration.

Artemis – Naar de Maan en Mars.
Reuters: Japan remains committed to moon missions as Trump cuts NASA budget, JAXA chief says.

Universe Today: Lunar Landing Pads Will Need to be Tough.
Universe Today: How To Resolve Conflicts Over Lunar Resources.

ILRS – China naar de Maan. 
China Daily: Relay satellite ready to assist intl lunar missions – Queqiao 2.
ECNS: Queqiao-2 relay satellite achieves 'multiple firsts' in scientific explorations.

Op ontdekking door het zonnestelsel.

05.06.2025 – ispace – Hakuto-R – Landing op de Maan – Resilience / Tenacious.
Inside Outer Space: Japan’s ispace: Lunar Landing Plan – June 5th.
SpaceCom: Private Japanese moon probe snaps photo of lunar south pole ahead of June 5 landing.

Filmpje:
ispace: TENACIOUS Rover Documentary Episode 4.

Verenigde Arabische Emiraten bouwen maanauto Rashid 2 – Blue Ghost M2.
Khaleej Times: UAE takes giant leap with Rashid 2 Rover mission to the moon in 2026.
Inside Outer Space: Blue Ghost Mission in 2026 to Carry UAE’s Rashid 2 Rover.

“Extremophiles” en de Phoenix Mars Lander.
Live Science: Never-before-seen 'extreme' microbes surrounded NASA robot before it was sent to Mars 18 years ago, new study reveals.

Nieuws uit de (inter)planetaire ruimte.

Aarde:
NASA: NASA-French Satellite Spots Large-Scale River Waves for First Time – SWOT.
Space News: SI Imaging Services to offer leasing of high-resolution imaging satellite.
Space News: Wyvern publicly releases 25 hyperspectral images.
Space News: SatVu’s thermal imaging satellite winning over customers despite early setback.

Maan:
JGR Planets: The Chang’E-6 Landing Region: Geologic Context, Mare Basalt, and Regolith Properties.
PhysOrg: Twin spacecraft mission reveals there might be a 'hot' side of the moon – GRAIL.
Space Daily: NASA Studies Uncover New Insights into Interiors of Moon and Vesta.

Mars:
NASA Curiosity Status Report: Sols 4541–4542: Boxwork Structure, or Just “Box-Like” Structure?
NASA Curiosity Status Report: Sols 4543-4545: Leaving the Ridge for the Ridges.
NASA Curiosity Status Report: Sol 4546: Martian Jenga.
NASA Curiosity Status Report: Sols 4547-4548: Taking in the View After a Long Drive.
NASA: NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover to Take Bite Out of ‘Krokodillen’.
SpaceCom: Perseverance rover rolls onto 'Crocodile' plateau on Mars to hunt for super-old rocks.
ESA: Streaks on Mars – ExoMars TGO.
Inside Outer Space: Mars Streaks: New Research Flags Possible Causes.
SpaceCom: Dark streaks on Mars may not come from water after all, scientists say.
Universe Today: Planetary Scientists Confirm There's No Flowing Water on Mars.
ESA: Recipe for a ‘rocky road’ crater soaked in martian history – Mars Express.
Universe Today: Is Mars Storing its Water Underground?
Universe Today: Meteor Impacts on Mars Can Excavate its Secrets.
SpaceCom: Japan tests its Mars moon sample-return probe ahead of 2026 launch.

Planetoïde Apophis:
Space News: Scientists urge NASA to act on Apophis mission concept.
ESA: Second CubeSat joins ESA’s Ramses mission to asteroid Apophis.
European Spaceflight: ESA Awards Contract for Probe That Will Land on Earth-Skimming Asteroid.

Voyager:
NASA RocketSTEM: Voyager 1 Thrusters, inoperable for 21 years, fixed from 15 billion miles away.
Aviation Week: Space Ops: Intrepid Voyager Spacecraft Rise Again.

Meer ruimtevaartnieuws.

Over de SES-Intelsat fusie.
Satellite Pro ME: UK probes SES-Intelsat deal amid space sector merger talks.
Space News: Europe begins probing SES–Intelsat merger on competition grounds.

Een nieuwe firma nabij het KSC – Project Beep.
Florida Today: Space Florida: Project Beep mystery aerospace company wants to hire 1,000 on Merritt Island.

Constellaties – Starlink.
NASA: NASA Starling and SpaceX Starlink Improve Space Traffic Coordination.
Teslarati: EU considers SES to augment Starlink services.
Teslarati: T-Mobile’s Starlink cellular doubles as free 5G trial for rival users.

TASS: Technology to jam Starlink signal begins to be used in Kherson Region — governor.
Live Science: SpaceX's Starlink satellite constellation 'under threat' by Russia and China.
Teslarati: Ukraine seeks Starlink alternatives from the EU.

Universal Institutions: Starlink’s India Entry Delayed by Legal Hurdles.
Space News: India’s satellite crackdown brings fresh challenges for Starlink and OneWeb.

Satellite Pro ME: Starlink surpasses space transport in revenue as SpaceX hits $11.8bn: Novaspace.
Via Satellite: Valour Report Predicts Growth for Starlink in IFC.
Space News: Arabsat seeks Telesat Lightspeed capacity as Starlink expands into Saudi Arabia.

FCC, EchoStar en SpaceX.
Via Satellite: FCC Launches Inquiry into EchoStar After SpaceX Questions Its Use of MSS Spectrum.

Constellaties – Navigatie.
ESA:  Thank you for your service, Galileo GSAT0104.
ESA (filmpje): World's most precise satnav system: Galileo Second Generation.

Space Daily: China's Satellite Navigation Industry Reaches $79.9 Billion in 2024.

Chinese satellietconstellaties – Nieuws.
The China Space Monitor: The Launch Bottleneck Holding up China's Starlink.
Dongfang Hour (filmpje): G60: the Story of China's Other Starlink Competitor.
Dongfang Hour (filmpje): China Is Deploying a Starlink-like Megaconstellation – G60.
Space News: China issues regulatory framework to support direct-to-device satellite services.

Nog wat satellietconstellaties. En aanverwant nieuws.
European Spaceflight: NanoAvionics Wins €122.5M Contract to Build 282-Satellite Constellation – Meridian Space.
Space News: Kepler demonstrates space-to-ground optical links for proposed relay network.

Satellite Pro ME: Novaspace report spotlights satellite’s growing role in global broadband.
Space News: Inside SDA, IRIS², and More: Novaspace Unveils Major Space Programs Tracker.
Space News: How smaller satellites are reshaping the geostationary orbit market.

Satellite Pro ME: Orbitworks unveils Altair, UAE’s first AI satellite constellation – Altair.

Space News: Eutelsat plots digital upgrades for follow-on OneWeb satellites.

Space Force – Nieuws.
20.05 – Space News: Satellite firms brace for potential imagery budget cuts in 2026 – NRO.
19.05 – Via Satellite: Commercial Satellite Imagery Leaders See Increased International Demand.
21.05 – Breaking Defense – NGA, Space Force ink accord on responsibilities for buying commercial ISR.
21.05 – Space News: Ursa, University of Illinois and Palantir win NGA contracts.
21.05 – Space News: Space Force and NGA move to end turf disputes with new intelligence agreement.
21.05 – Defense One: Space Force losing 14% of its civilian workers.
22.05 – The Register: Space Force tech mission threatened by staff and funding black hole.
23.05 – US DoD: Spacecom Leader Outlines Vision for Space Security.

Trump –  Golden Dome – Missile Defense Shield.
Space News: Trump taps Space Force general to lead $175 billion Golden Dome missile defense program.
Politico: Trump to announce $25B funding for Golden Dome project.
Breaking Defense: Trump: Golden Dome to cost $175 billion, will be led by Space Force’s Guetlein.
Payload: Trump Selects Plan, Leader for Golden Dome.
SpaceCom: U.S. Space Force general to lead Trump's $175 billion Golden Dome space defense program.
Space Policy Online: House approves $25 billion for Golden Dome, but Saltzman worries about resources.
Air & Space Forces: General Says Commercial Space Industry is Ready for Golden Dome.

Payload: China Says Golden Dome Could Spark Space Arms Race.

Science News: Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ plan has a major obstacle: Physics.

Space News: Commercial radar satellite firm eyes role in U.S. missile defense.
Payload: Quantum Space Hunts Golden Dome With MDA Vet.
Breaking Defense: Missile Defense Agency takes delivery of first THAAD radar to track hypersonics.

CosmosMag: An aerospace engineer explains the proposed US missile defence system.

Filmpje:
Defense Now: President Trump unveils $175 bn Golden Dome missile defence with space weapons.

Trump, Musk en Isaacman.
Payload: Kelly Rallies Senators for NASA Science Fight.

NAVO-nieuws.
Space News: NATO allies to pledge capabilities to address growing threats.

Veel lees- en kijkplezier,

Koen