Musk outlines plans to increase Starship launch rate and performance
Original Publication Date: 2024-04-06 22:32
Elon Musk: Fourth Starship/Super Heavy launch is planned “in about a month or so.” Musk said SpaceX also wants to bring the Super Heavy booster back intact on the next flight. “The odds of us actually being able to catch the booster with the Mechazilla arms this year’ is probably 80 to 90%.”
ULA’s Delta IV Heavy’s grand finale still a ‘Go’ for Tuesday’s NROL-70 mission – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-04-06 00:00
The ULA Delta IV Heavy launch carrying the NROL-70 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office. The mission is planned to lift off on Tuesday, April 9 from Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch is planned for 12:53 p.m. EDT. Friday’s forecast shows an 80 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for launch.
SpaceX’s part 2 in a 3 part series of launches, Saturday’s Direct to Cell – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-04-06 00:00
SpaceX has delayed the Fridqy Starlink launch now targeting Saturday, April 6 for a Falcon 9 launch of 21 Starlink satellites. Liftoff is targeted for 7:25 p.m. PT, with backup opportunities available until 11:17 p.m.PT. A live webcast of this mission will begin on X @SpaceX about five minutes prior to liftoff. This is the sixth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-7, CRS-29, PACE, Transporter-10, and one Starlink mission.
NASA leadership to spotlight space sustainability at the Space Symposium – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-04-06 00:00
NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy and Associate Administrator Jim Free are scheduled to speak at the Space Foundation’s 39th Space Symposium from Tuesday, April 9, through Thursday, April 11. Melroy will discuss NASA’s integrated approach to foster the long-term sustainability of the space environment at 12:30 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, April 9th. Free will moderate a panel titled “Mission Success is a Team Sport at NASA,” at 5:45 p.m. On Wednesday, April 10.
Control moment gyroscopes deliver a quantum leap in smallsat capabilities – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-04-06 00:00
Blue Canyon Technologies is bringing the final frontier a little closer to home. Control Moment Gyroscopes (CMG) are already becoming market differentiators and is expected to accelerate. CMGs offer at least 10 times the torque of reaction wheels with up to five times less power.
NASA’s LRO Finds Photo Op as It Zips Past SKorea’s Danuri Moon Orbiter
Original Publication Date: 2024-04-05 13:00
NASA’s LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) captured several images of Korea Aerospace Research Institute’s Danuri lunar orbiter last month. The two spacecraft, traveling in nearly parallel orbits, zipped past each other in opposite directions between March 5 and 6, 2024.
Hubble Peers at Pair of Closely Interacting Galaxies
Arp 72 is a very selective galaxy group that only includes two galaxies interacting due to gravity. NGC 5996 and NGC 5994 lie approximately 160 million light-years from Earth. Their cores are separated from each other by a distance of about 67,000 light-years.
SpaceX begins 2024 with several record-breaking feats
Original Publication Date: 2024-04-05 22:12
SpaceX has kicked off 2024 breaking records and setting new standards for its operations. The Falcon family of rockets achieved 31 launches in the first quarter of the year. SpaceX also debuted a new crew access tower for Dragon and launched two more crew flights to the International Space Station. In the first quarter of 2024, the company’s Starlink constellation also saw another growth of customers and satellites launched into space.