Space @ interstellar news

  Rocket Lab returns to flight with Capella Space launch WASHINGTON — Rocket Lab successfully launched a radar imaging satellite for Capella Space Aug. 30 in the first flight of its Electron rocket since a failure nearly two months earlier. The Electron lifted off from the company’s Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand at 11:05 p.m. Eastern. It deployed its payload, the Sequoia radar imaging satellite for Capella Space, about an hour after liftoff into a 500-kilometer orbit at a 45-degree inclination. The launch, called “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Optical” by the company, was the first for the small launch vehicle  since a failed mission July 4 . On that earlier launch, the rocket’s upper-stage engine shut down nearly six minutes after liftoff, preventing its payload from reaching orbit. A subsequent investigation concluded that  an “anomalous electrical connection” in the upper stage caused a loss of power in many systems , including the electric turbopumps that power the engin...

  China makes progress on spaceport project for sea launches HELSINKI — China is making progress with a spaceport to facilitate sea-based launch activity and development of rockets, satellites and related applications. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC), the country’s main space contractor, is developing the spaceport in Haiyang City on the coast of the eastern province of Shandong. The ‘Eastern aerospace port’ will add to China’s four established space launch centers and be a base for sea launches of light-lift solid rockets.  A recent inspection ( Chinese ) by Wang Xiaojun, head of China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), under CASC, reported ‘substantial progress’ in the construction and planning of the port. China carried out its first sea launch in  June 2019  using the Long March 11. Analysts note that the new capability brings rapid response and a measure of stealth to launch capabilities. Sea launches could also somewhat mitigat...

  ULA investigating cause of Delta 4 Heavy mission abort ULA statement: “Initial indications were with a ground system, and we are working to confirm the exact cause." WASHINGTON — United Launch Alliance has not yet confirmed exactly what caused a dramatic abort of a Delta 4 Heavy launch just three seconds before  liftoff on Aug. 29. “We are in the middle of conducting a thorough investigation to determine the root cause of the NROL-44 on-pad abort,” ULA spokeswoman Julie Arnold said in a statement to  SpaceNews. The rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office classified spy satellite remains on the ground at Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. During the ignition sequence before the planned 3:28 a.m. liftoff, fire was seen at the bottom of the rocket’s three engines. Arnold said only the starboard engine started up and the system cut off the ignition of the other engines as intended. “Initial indications were with a ground system,...

  PLD Space completes critical testing of its Teprel-B rocket engine VALLETTA, Malta — Spanish launch startup PLD Space has completed critical testing of the company’s Teprel-B rocket engine. The engine is expected to power the single-stage suborbital Mirua 1 launch vehicle. In an Aug. 28 statement, PLD Space said it had successfully completed a series of thrust vector control tests on the kerosene-fueled Teprel-B rocket engine. According to  a video posted to the company’s YouTube channel , the testing series included three hot-fire tests. Each test focused on a different element of the thrust vector control system in order to validate the “actuation, command and dynamic response.” In a statement on Twitter, PLD Space co-founder and CEO Raúl Torres said that the engine had performed well with “excellent response in Pitch, Yaw and coupled domains.” He added that the company was now “a step closer to qualifying the engine for flight.”   The thrust vector control testing wa...

  Space X launches Argentine radar satellite, ride share small sats on Falcon 9 rocket WASHINGTON — Space X completed its first Cape Canaveral polar launch Aug. 30, delivering an Argentine radar satellite and two small sats into low Earth orbit using a Falcon 9 rocket.  Falcon 9 lifted off at 7:19 p.m. Eastern, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, overcoming a 60% chance of a weather delay from extensive cloud cover. The rocket deployed the Saocom-1B synthetic aperture radar satellite for the Argentine space agency CONAE approximately 14 minutes after liftoff, followed by the Tyvak-0172 smallsat and PlanetiQ’s Gnomes-1 commercial weather smallsat about an hour after liftoff.  SpaceX was waiting to launch until after United Launch Alliance completed the Delta 4 Heavy launch of the National Reconnaissance Office’s NROL-44 satellite, also from Cape Canaveral. However, a ULA mission abort triggered three seconds before liftoff Aug. 29  delayed that mission b...

  Report: Space Force improving delivery of orbit monitoring software Congress in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act requires an annual update on the $150 million Space C2 program. WASHINGTON — Space-monitoring software apps used by U.S. military are now being updated every 90 days, says a  new report  delivered to Congress Aug. 21. The apps are developed under a program known as Space C2, short for space command and control. Congress in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act requires an annual update on the $150 million-a-year Space C2 program. According to the report, Space C2 has transitioned from a slow military procurement effort to agile software development practices. Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett in the report said the Space C2 program office drops new software every 90 days and the Space Force is providing orbit monitoring apps to operators “using the most current industry software development practices.” Space C2 is also known as the Kobayash...

  SpaceX launches Argentine radar satellite, rideshare smallsats on Falcon 9 rocket WASHINGTON — SpaceX completed its first Cape Canaveral polar launch Aug. 30, delivering an Argentine radar satellite and two smallsats into low Earth orbit using a Falcon 9 rocket.  Falcon 9 lifted off at 7:19 p.m. Eastern, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, overcoming a 60% chance of a weather delay from extensive cloud cover. The rocket deployed the Saocom-1B synthetic aperture radar satellite for the Argentine space agency CONAE approximately 14 minutes after liftoff, followed by the Tyvak-0172 smallsat and PlanetiQ’s Gnomes-1 commercial weather smallsat about an hour after liftoff.  SpaceX was waiting to launch until after United Launch Alliance completed the Delta 4 Heavy launch of the National Reconnaissance Office’s NROL-44 satellite, also from Cape Canaveral. However, a ULA mission abort triggered three seconds before liftoff Aug. 29  delayed that mission by a m...

  Watch the NASA Artemis SLS Rocket Booster Full-Scale Test NASA  will broadcast a Space Launch System ( SLS ) rocket full-scale booster test at 2:40 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Sept. 2, on NASA Television and the agency’s  website , followed by a media teleconference. The Flight Support Booster-1 test builds on three full-scale development test firings and two qualification test firings NASA and Northrop Grumman successfully completed with the five-segment solid rocket motor in preparation for the first three Artemis missions. The Sept. 2 test at Northrop Grumman facilities in Promontory, Utah, will help teams evaluate potential new materials, processes, and improvements for the boosters that will power deep space missions beyond Artemis III. The test also will provide another opportunity to evaluate motor manufacturing and performance. The SLS booster is the largest, most powerful solid propellant booster ever built for flight. Standing 17 stories tall and burning approximately...

  NASA’s First Mission to Explore the Trojan Asteroids Passes Critical Milestone NASA ’s first mission to explore the Trojan asteroids is one step closer to launch. The Discovery Program’s Lucy mission passed a critical milestone and is officially authorized to transition to its next phase. This major decision was made after a series of independent reviews of the status of the spacecraft, instruments, schedule, and budget. The milestone, known as Key Decision Point-D (KDP-D), represents the official transition from the mission’s development stage to delivery of components, testing, assembly, and integration leading to launch. During this part of the mission’s life cycle, known as Phase D, the spacecraft bus (the structure that will carry the science instruments) is completed, the instruments are integrated into the spacecraft and tested, and the spacecraft is shipped to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for integration with the launch vehicle. “Each phase of the mission is mor...

  ULA launch of NRO satellite on hold after Delta 4 Heavy hot fire abort The launch of NROL-44 was aborted three seconds before the Delta 4 Heavy was to lift off from Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral WASHINGTON — A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 Heavy rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office classified spy satellite remains on the ground after a mission abort Aug. 29 during the ignition sequence before the planned 3:28 a.m. Eastern liftoff. The launch of NROL-44 was aborted three seconds before the rocket was to lift off from Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The automatic abort was triggered by a hot fire after the Delta 4 Heavy’s three engines appeared to ignite but then shut off. ULA CEO Tory Bruno said on Twitter that the cause “appears to have been in the ground system.” He said the abort system “functioned as intended to protect the vehicle and payload.” ULA said in a statement it is “reviewing all data and will determine...

  Yahsat begins Thuraya fleet refresh with Airbus satellite order WASHINGTON — Emirati fleet operator Yahsat on Aug. 27 announced a contract with Airbus Defence and Space to build a satellite for its Thuraya mobile voice and data connectivity subsidiary, beginning a long-awaited refresh of its L-band network.  The contract covers a satellite designated Thuraya-4 NGS, and includes an option for a Thuraya-5 NGS satellite that, if exercised, would complete the replacement of Thuraya’s aging two-satellite fleet of Boeing-built spacecraft.  Yahsat Chief Executive Masood M. Sharif Mahmood said during a video call with reporters the company will spend around $500 million to build and launch the Thuraya-4 NGS satellite, refresh Thuraya’s ground network, and update its suite of mobile communications products.  The satellite will provide voice and data connectivity over the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Central Asia. Ali Al Hashemi, CEO of Thuraya and general manager of Yahs...