Het werd niet meteen de meest succesvolle ruimtevaartweek van het jaar. Integendeel. Er ging heel wat fout.

Het ging afgelopen weekend fout voor Astra (zie NUDR 561), het ging deze week fout voor Firefly Aerospace.  Telkens gaat het om testvluchten van een nieuwe kleine lanceerder.

Het ging plots ook fout voor Virgin Galactic, al gaat het hier dan om een vlucht van een tijdje geleden, meer bepaald die met Richard Branson. Het blijkt dat er toen toch iets niet geheel volgens plan is verlopen. Voldoende voor de FAA om Virgin Galactic aan de grond te houden en een onderzoek te starten.

Ook het ISS – en dan meer bepaald het Russische gedeelte – begint meer en meer tekenen van ouderdom te tonen. Redenen te meer voor de Russen om meer ruchtbaarheid te geven dat ze een nieuw ruimtestation aan het voorbereiden zijn.

En het Space Launch System … wel die lancering is officieus uitgesteld tot midden 2022. Een bemande maanlanding in 2024 lijkt nu meer dan ooit onmogelijk.

Dat, en nog veel meer, in het Nieuws Uit De Ruimtevaart van deze week.

Bij de foto: Explosies zijn mooi, maar het is niet het objectief van een raketlancering. Zoals deze van Firefly Aerospace. Foto: Jack Beyer (NasaSpaceFlight).
 

“Historische” vlucht met Richard Branson kende problemen. FAA begint onderzoek.
The New Yorker: The red warning light on Richard Branson’s Spaceflight.

Ars Technica: Spaceship carrying Richard Branson flew off course [Updated].
Parabolic Arc: Report: Branson’s Flight into Space Experienced Serious Anomaly; Company Fired Flight Test Director.
Parabolic Arc: Virgin Galactic Statement About Anomaly on Richard Branson’s Suborbital Space Flight.

SpaceRef: Virgin Galactic Statements In Response to New Yorker Article.
Ars Technica: The FAA grounds Virgin Galactic’s spaceship after flight deviation.
Space News: FAA grounds SpaceShipTwo after problem on July flight.

Eerder deze week:
Virgin Galactic: Virgin Galactic Announces First Commercial Research Mission.
SpaceCom: Virgin Galactic announces crew for next launch to suborbital space.

Astra – De gevolgen van een mislukte lancering.
Via Satellite: Astra Stock Falls After Launch Failure .
WTVA: Rocket startup Astra's stock tanks after botched weekend test flight.

Spaceflight Now: Astra rocket fails after early engine shutdown.

Filmpje:
Scott Manley: Why This Rocket Went Sideways Off The Launch Pad.

Ook de lancering van Firefly Alpha mislukt.
Breaking Defense: Firefly Aerospace Set For First Launch Next Thursday; Static Test Passed.
Space News: Firefly emphasizes first Alpha launch a test flight.

Firefly: Firefly’s First Test Flight Lasts More Than Two Minutes, With Successful Liftoff and Progression to Supersonic Speed.

Space News: Firefly Alpha explodes during first launch.
Spaceflight Now: Firefly’s Alpha rocket explodes on inaugural test launch.

Spacepage: Raket van Firefly Aerospace explodeert tijdens eerste lancering.

Filmpje:
The Everyday Astronaut: Watch Firefly launch their FIRST EVER orbital rocket, Alpha!
NasaSpaceFlight: Firefly Alpha Rocket Explodes In-Flight.
Scott Manley: Reaver Causes Destruction of FireFly.

Parabolic Arc: Rogue Space and Firefly Aerospace Sign Launch Service Agreement.
 

Inspiration4 – Licht op groen voor lancering op 15 september.
Inside Outer Space: Inspiration4 Crew: Monitoring Health of Commercial Space Travelers.
Human Spaceflight Blog: Inspiration4 Update: The Mission Objectives Are Now Set For This Historic Flight...
SpaceCom: Inspiration4: SpaceX's historic private spaceflight in photos.
SpaceCom: Inspiration4 astronauts to conduct health research on private SpaceX mission.
Spaceflight Now: Crew completes spaceship fit check ahead of all-private mission to orbit.

Teslarati: SpaceX Inspiration4 astronauts reveal Dragon’s ‘cupola’ in the flesh.
SpaceCom: SpaceX shows off its huge dome window on Dragon for private Inspiration4 spaceflight.

Inspiration4: Inspiration4 ‘Go’ for First All-Civilian Orbital Mission to Space.

Filmpje:
NasaSpaceFlight: Inspiration4 Astronauts Fly Low Over Starbase | SpaceX Boca Chica.

ISS – Cargo Dragon CRS23 koppelt met het ISS.
De lancering werd uitgebreid behandeld in vorige NUDR.

Bij deze nog enkele artikels:
Space News: SpaceX ends launch hiatus with cargo Dragon mission.
Spaceflight Now: SpaceX launches resupply mission to International Space Station.

En een dag later volgde de koppeling met het ruimtestation.
SpaceCom: SpaceX's Dragon cargo ship docks at space station in time for astronaut's birthday.
Spaceflight Now: Dragon supply freighter docks at space station with 2.4 tons of cargo.
Teslarati: SpaceX Cargo Dragon joins Crew Dragon at the International Space Station.

Filmpjes:
NASA: Expedition 65 - SpaceX CRS 23 Rendezvous and Docking.
SciNews: SpaceX CRS-23 Dragon docking.

ISS – Het Belgische OSCAR-QUBE.
ESA: Lift-off for OSCAR-QUBE, now en route to the International Space Station.
Spacepage: Belgisch experiment vertrekt met SpaceX naar het ISS.
VRT NWS: Meettoestel van de UHasselt is onderweg naar het ruimtestation ISS.

ESA: Oscar the Qube.
De OSCAR-QUBE is een voorbeeld van een ICECUBE, eveneens een Belgische realisatie, meer bepaald van Space Applications Services.

Je kan de lancering van SpaceX CRS23 opnieuw herbeleven via dit live event van het OSCAR-QUBE team.

ISS – Russen vinden nog meer scheurtjes.
Reuters: Russian Cosmonauts Find New Cracks in ISS Module.
Sputnik International: Russian Cosmonauts to Track Air Leaks With Vibration Sensors – Official.
TASS: Structural safety of world’s sole orbital station under control, says Roscosmos.

SpaceCom: Small cracks found in International Space Station module: report.
PhysOrg: State of Russia's ISS segment sparks safety concerns.
Spacewatch: Small cracks found in Zarya module of the ISS.
Space Daily: State of Russia's ISS segment sparks safety concerns.

Het nieuwe Russische ruimtestation.
TASS: Russia’s future orbital station to be surrounded by a cloud of satellites.
TASS: Russia to start deploying new orbital station in 5-6 years — Roscosmos chief.
TASS: New Russian space station’s efficiency factor to be order of magnitude higher than ISS’.

CNN: 'Divorce is not possible' with US over space station, says Russian space chief who threatened to pull out.

ISS - Russische ruimtewandeming begint met activatie Nauka.
TASS: Russian cosmonauts begin spacewalk to integrate Nauka research module.
SpaceCom: Cosmonauts on spacewalk run power and data to new space station module.
TASS: Russian cosmonauts finish first spacewalk to integrate Nauka research module.
Sputnik News: Protective Equipment Against Radiation to Be Tested on Nauka Module on ISS in 2023.

Filmpjes:
NASA: Animation Depicts First Russian Spacewalk to Outfit the New Nauka Module.
Ruptly: LIVE: ISS Expedition 65 performs Russian spacewalk #49.

SpaceCom: Tour Russia's new Nauka space station module with these astronaut home movies.

ISS – De blogentries, Daily Summary Reports en Science Highlights.
NASA Space Station Blog: SpaceX Cargo Dragon Successfully Docks to Station.
NASA Space Station Blog: Crew Unpacks Dragon and Gears Up for Spacewalks.
NASA Space Station Blog: New Dragon Science Under Way Ahead of Friday’s Spacewalk.
NASA Space Station Blog: Cosmonauts Get Ready for Friday Spacewalk, New Science Kicks Off.
NASA Space Station Blog: NASA TV Coverage of Spacewalk is Underway.
NASA Space Station Blog: Two Cosmonauts Exit Station for Spacewalk.
NASA Space Station Blog: Cosmonauts Conclude First Spacewalk To Ready New Module.

NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 08/27/2021.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 08/30/2021.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 08/31/2021.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 09/01/2021.
NASA: ISS Daily Summary Report – 09/02/2021.

Space Station Science Highlights: Week of August 30, 2021.

ISS – Meer nieuws uit het ruimtestation.
TASS: Soyuz MS-21 to deliver fully Russian crew to orbital outpost next March.
TASS: Progress MS-17 spacecraft to be relocated from one ISS module to another in October.
TASS: Progress MS-17 cargo spacecraft to be dumped late November.

TASS: Russia to create reusable space freighter to replace Progress resupply ships.

Filmpjes:
NASA: Space to Ground: Ferocious Storm: 09/03/2021.
Video From Space: Astronauts have a pizza party in space.
ESA: Space pizza party with Thomas Pesquet  #shorts.
NASA: Space Station Crew Talks with Gateway Habitation and Logistics Outpost Team.
NASA: Expedition 65 Inflight Education Event with The Lovett School.
ESA: Node 2 | Space Station 360 (in French with English subtitles available).
NASA: Expedition 65 - Education Inflight Event with La Mesa Junior High School.
NASA: Expedition 65 PAO REACH podcast - September 1, 2021.
NASA: Expedition 65 PAO Administrator Visit - September 2, 2021.

CSS – Meer nieuws uit het Chinese ruimtestation.
Global Times: Shenzhou-12 crew to tutor Chinese students from space to mark new semester.
ECNS: Chinese astronauts talk with Hong Kong youths from space via video link.
ECNS: Chinese astronauts answer HK students questions from space.

Filmpjes:
CGTN: China releases photos taken by Shenzhou-12 astronauts.
CGTN: Homecoming: Chinese astronauts prepare for returning to Earth from China's space station.
CCTV: A Patriotic Lecture from Space on First School Day.
CGTN: Chinese astronauts talk with Hong Kong youths from space.
CCTV: Chinese Astronauts Share Life, Work Experience in Space with HK Students.

Bezos vs Musk: Strijden om HLS. Strijden tegen Starlink.
NASA Watch: Blue Origin HLS Suit Update: DOJ Has Adobe Acrobat Issues.
Ars Technica: Blue Origin hires advisory firm linked to messy JEDI contract process.
Teslarati: SpaceX’s next-gen Starlink plans questioned by a company with zero satellites.
Geek Wire: Elon Musk goads Jeff Bezos on Twitter as their prolonged space spat escalates.
Space News: SpaceX says Amazon’s call to dismiss Starlink amendment is a delay tactic.

Artemis – Eerste lancering SLS wellicht eerst midden 2022.
Spaceflight Now: NASA’s hopes waning for SLS test flight this year.
Ars Technica: NASA’s big rocket misses another deadline, now won’t fly until 2022.
RoomEU: Long awaited SLS launch looks likely to slip to mid-2022.

SpaceX – Starship.
SpaceCom: SpaceX Starship: Key milestones for the world's most powerful rocket.
Teslarati: SpaceX installs first ‘Mechazilla’ arm on Starship launch tower.
The Space Review: “Starship to orbit” ought to be a tipping point for policy makers.
Teslarati: SpaceX’s second Super Heavy booster might land in Mechazilla’s arms.
NasaSpaceflight: Starbase Launch Tower enters Mechazilla installation phase.

De wekelijkse reeks filmpjes:
NasaSpaceFlight: Work Continues on the Catch & Stack Arms | SpaceX Boca Chica.
NasaSpaceFlight: How SpaceX's Orbital Plans are Turning into Reality | Starship Update (Narrated).
NasaSpaceFlight: GSE Tank 7 Rolls Out to the Launch Site | SpaceX Boca Chica.
NasaSpaceFlight: New Common Dome Sleeved, Presumably for Booster 5 | SpaceX Boca Chica.
NasaSpaceFlight: Repairs Continue on Ship 20’s Heat Shield | SpaceX Boca Chica.
NasaSpaceFlight: Cryo Tank Shell 6 Rolled Out | SpaceX Boca Chica.
NasaSpaceFlight: New Wide High Bay Foundation Work Continues | SpaceX Boca Chica.

Engineering Today: SpaceX installs first arm on Starship launch tower- Targeting to catch Second booster.
What About It: SpaceX Starship Heat Shield & Mechazilla Progress Analyzed – CRS-23 Launch Report.
Futurity: Inside SpaceX $1.3 Billion Dollar Space Bakery.

Nieuws uit de (inter)planetaire ruimte.

Mercurius:
Universe Today: It’s Time to Send a Lander to Mercury.

Aarde:
PhysOrg: Satellites measure drought stress in plants with aim of increasing crop yields.
ESA: Meteosat Third Generation takes major step towards its first launch.
SpaceCom: Hurricane Ida looks absolutely massive from space in these astronaut photos.
Video From Space: Hurricane Ida nears landfall in NOAA satellite time-lapse (filmpje).
SpaceCom: Satellite photos show final US evacuation efforts from Kabul airport in Afghanistan.
ECNS: China's Fengyun-3E weather satellite releases high precision solar images.

Maan:
Space News: NASA has no plans to exchange lunar samples with China.

Mars:
NASA Curiosity Status Report: Sols 3224-3225: Introducing Maria Gordon.
NASA Curiosity Status Report: Sols 3226-3227: MSL Drill #33: Maria Gordon.
NASA Curiosity Status Report: Sols 3228-3231: Try This Again…
NASA: NASA's Perseverance Rover Successfully Cores Its First Rock.
NASA: Mars Perseverance Rover Gathers Rock Sample.
NASA: Lucky 13 – Ingenuity to Get Lower for More Detailed Images During Next Flight.
Universe Today: Thanks to Ingenuity’s Pictures, Perseverance Knows Where to Drive to Next.
ECNS: Mars mission to pause for about 50 days.
CCTV: China's Mars Rover Continues Exploration Missions for 100 days Since Landing (filmpje).
CGTN: Photos sent back by Zhurong rover show travel trajectory (filmpje).
Space News: China is developing its own Mars helicopter.
ESA: Drop tests for touchdown on Mars (filmpje).
NASA: We Asked a NASA Technologist: Is there Weather on Mars? (filmpje).

Satellite Servicing.
Northrup Grumman: The Future of Satellite Servicing in Space.

Opruimen van ruimteafval.
Space News: Millennium Space in an experiment de-orbited a satellite in eight months.
SatNews: Deployable Tether For De-Orbiting Satellites Demo’d By Millennium Space Systems Using Tethers Unlimited Terminator Tape®.

Astroscale: Astroscale’s ELSA-d Successfully Demonstrates Repeated Magnetic Capture.
Astroscale: Astroscale's ELSA-d Mission: 'Test Capture Demonstration' (Phase 3A) (filmpje).
SpaceCom: Astroscale's space junk removal satellite ELSA-d aces 1st orbital test.
Via Satellite: Astroscale’s ELSA-d Aces Magnetic Spacecraft Capture Test.

Nog dit – Weer een ruimterampenfilm opkomst.
SpaceCom: Watch the 1st teaser trailer for 'Moonfall,' Roland Emmerich's new sci-fi disaster film.

De trailer kan je ook hier bekijken.

Veel lees- en kijkplezier,

Koen