Miscellaneous Launches and Payloads (updates)

[Draggendrop Veteran]

China conducts secretive launch of suspected Intelligence Satellite

 

Photo: Xinhua

 

Quote

Just four days after demonstrating great openness with live video of the inaugural launch of the Long March 7 rocket, China’s space program fell back into its secretive routine with the launch of a Long March 4B rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

 

Long March 4B be lifted off from Jiuquan at 3:21 UTC on Wednesday and was to complete a ten-minute ascent mission to deliver the Shijian 16-02 satellite to orbit.

 

No prior announcement of the launch had been made as has become standard for China’s military missions. The only advance warning of the launch came in the form of navigational warnings that showed Long March 4B would be flying on an unusual trajectory, towards the south east, aiming for a 75° orbit instead of 63° and SSO inclinations typically targeted from Jiuquan.

analysis at the link...

http://spaceflight101.com/china-conducts-secretive-launch-of-suspected-intelligence-satellite/

 

-----------------------

 

From the inaugural Long March 7 flight..... 

 

China’s new Orbital Debris Clean-Up Satellite raises Space Militarization Concerns

 

Quote

A space debris clean-up satellite launched on the inaugural Long March 7 flight over the weekend raised concerns among observers that China may be working on the militarization of space by developing anti-satellite applications.

 

Aolong-1, ‘The Roaming Dragon,’ was one of four small satellites sent into orbit aboard the Long March 7 rocket along with a ballast mass and a scaled prototype of China’s Next Generation Crew Vehicle. According to the Harbin Institute of Technology, the small satellite will complete a demonstration of space debris mitigation technology by using a small robotic arm to grab debris pieces and launch them toward the atmosphere.

 

Aolong-1 – a product of CALT/Harbin – reportedly carries a sub-satellite that will be released at some point in the mission to then be grabbed by the robotic arm. The satellite was most likely delivered to an orbit of 200 by 375-Kilometer orbit, indicating its mission is planned to be of short duration given the longevity of the orbit.

 

According to Chinese space officials, Aolong-1 is only the first in a series of satellites tasked with the collection of space debris as the country develops the technology needed to retrieve small debris up to entire spacecraft to be safely brought to a destructive re-entry.

 

Satellite servicing missions, both for repairing spacecraft and debris mitigation, have received a growing interest in recent years and both, the European Space Agency and different U.S. projects are working on spacecraft that could rendezvous with an uncooperative target satellite and then either repair or refuel it, or move it out of orbit.

 

However, during wartime, this technology could also be used to approach foreign satellites and deliberately disable them to eliminate vital space-based assets for communications, image reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering.

more at the link....

http://spaceflight101.com/aolong-1-asat-concerns-2/

 

// Any satellite, under it's own propulsion, is capable of movement, some better than others. Here we have another test, similar to what Roscosmos has done in the past and I'm sure the US has already demonstrated, a coordinated movement and hold at a defined spot, even orbital changes as well as a space debris mitigation experiment. There are thousands of satellites up there, and a lot more mobile cube sats going up. Most space agencies work in some form of co-operative venture most of the time, and frankly, the last thing they are going to do, is take out someones satellite or mess with it, as there are "eyes" on everything up there. If it was a time of military action, several nations are capable of taking out a slew of satellites. It would be refreshing to STOP reading garbage headlines like the above.

 

another note for the Long March 7 launch....

 

Upgraded "space shuttle bus" aboard new carrier rocket

 

China's Yuanzheng-1 mini shuttle. Image courtesy Chinese Federal Space Agency.

 

Quote

Long March-7, China's new generation carrier rocket, has carried an upper stage aircraft into the space in its maiden flight Saturday, said a senior space program official.

 

The upgraded model of Yuanzheng-1 (Expedition-1) is an independent aircraft carried by the carrier rocket with the ability of sending multiple spacecrafts into different orbits in space, said Wang Xiaojun, chief commander of the Long March-7 program, at a press conference after the Long March-7's successful launch.

 

The aircraft, dubbed the "space shuttle bus", has been launched into the earth orbit by the Long March-7 and in the next 48 hours will deliver several "passengers" to different orbits using its own power system, Wang said.

 

These "passengers" aboard Yuanzheng-1A are of different size and weight, he said.

 

This will be the most complicated and longest launch mission that the country has ever operated, he said.

 

Compared with the Yuanzheng-1, the upgraded Yuanzheng-1A has far better capabilities. Besides the extension of flight duration from 6.5 hours to 48, its main engine can start nine times and it can unload cargos seven times, compared with the old model that unloads only once and starts its engine twice.

 

If the mission succeeds, it will be a landmark for China's space transport and lay a solid foundation for future moon and Mars exploration as well as orbital transfer and space debris clearing, Wang said.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Upgraded_space_shuttle_bus_aboard_new_carrier_rocket_999.html

 

// The above is a puzzle, one in which...... is this article a bad translation......... or did the "mini shuttle" actually launch and was used for 48 hours to deliver a few payloads at various orbits. If so, how did the " test capsule model" get released, from this "shuttle" or on it's own. I believe the capsule landed after 20 hours of flight...so it may have been released from the shuttle bay...if so...pretty neat achievement with little fan fare.

 

reference.....

China lands Prototype Crew Spacecraft after inaugural Long March 7 Launch

http://spaceflight101.com/china-lands-prototype-crew-spacecraft-after-inaugural-long-march-7-launch/

 

 

[Jim K Global Moderator]

Rosetta's mission will end on 30 September ... where it will do a controlled descent into/onto Comet 67P.  RIP

 

Quote

 

The mission is coming to an end as a result of the spacecraft's ever-increasing distance from the Sun and Earth. It is heading out towards the orbit of Jupiter, resulting in significantly reduced solar power to operate the craft and its instruments, and a reduction in bandwidth available to downlink scientific data.

 

Combined with an ageing spacecraft and payload that have endured the harsh environment of space for over 12 years – not least two years close to a dusty comet – this means that Rosetta is reaching the end of its natural life.

 

Unlike in 2011, when Rosetta was put into a 31-month hibernation for the most distant part of its journey, this time it is riding alongside the comet. Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko's maximum distance from the Sun (over 850 million km) is more than Rosetta has ever journeyed before. The result is that there is not enough power at its most distant point to guarantee that Rosetta's heaters would be able to keep it warm enough to survive.

 

/snip

 

The final hours of descent will enable Rosetta to make many once-in-a-lifetime measurements, including very-high-resolution imaging, boosting Rosetta's science return with precious close-up data achievable only through such a unique conclusion.

 

/snip

 

Rosetta's operators will begin changing the trajectory in August ahead of the grand finale such that a series of elliptical orbits will take it progressively nearer to the comet at its closest point.

"Planning this phase is in fact far more complex than it was for Philae's landing," says Sylvain Lodiot, ESA Rosetta spacecraft operations manager. "The last six weeks will be particularly challenging as we fly eccentric orbits around the comet – in many ways this will be even riskier than the final descent itself.

 

"The closer we get to the comet, the more influence its non-uniform gravity will have, requiring us to have more control on the trajectory, and therefore more manoeuvres – our planning cycles will have to be executed on much shorter timescales."

 

/snip

 

 

More at the European Space Agency

[Jim K Global Moderator]

Quote

At about 12:15 pm PDT today (3:15 p.m. EDT), mission controllers will transmit command product “ji4040” into deep space, to transition the solar-powered Juno spacecraft into autopilot. It will take nearly 48 minutes for the signal to cover the 534-million-mile (860-million-kilometer) distance between the Deep Space Network Antenna in Goldstone, California, to the Juno spacecraft. While sequence ji4040 is only one of four command products sent up to the spacecraft that day, it holds a special place in the hearts of the Juno mission team.

 

“Ji4040 contains the command that starts the Jupiter Orbit insertion sequence,” said Ed Hirst, mission manager of Juno from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. “As soon as it initiates -- which should be in less than a second -- Juno will send us data that the command sequence has started.”

 

When the sequence kicks in, the spacecraft will begin running the software program tailored to carry the solar-powered, basketball court-sized spacecraft through the 35-minute burn that will place it in orbit around Jupiter.

 

“After the sequence executes, Juno is on autopilot,” said Hirst. “But that doesn’t mean we get to go home.  We are monitoring the spacecraft’s activities 24/7 and will do so until well after we are in orbit.”

Also today, NASA announced a collaboration with Apple that will serve to enhance the agency's efforts to inform and excite the public about dramatic missions of exploration like Juno. "Destination: Juno" is a synergy between two seemingly disparate worlds: popular music and interplanetary exploration. The works resulting from this collaboration showcase exploratory sounds from artists who have been inspired by Juno and other NASA missions, including Brad Paisley, Corinne Bailey Rae, GZA, Jim James featuring Lydia Tyrell, QUIÑ, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Weezer and Zoé.

Apple has captured moments in this journey with a behind-the-scenes documentary spearheaded by the Juno mission's principal investigator, Scott Bolton, and scored by Academy Award winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The content is available on various Apple platforms.  Other Juno-related content, including educational opportunities with Bill Nye on and an "Interactive Guide to NASA's Juno Mission," will roll out over the course of a year and throughout the length of the Juno mission.

 

The Juno spacecraft launched on Aug. 5, 2011, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. JPL manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. Juno is part of NASA's New Frontiers Program, which is managed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the spacecraft. The California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California, manages JPL for NASA.

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/nasa-s-juno-spacecraft-to-kick-into-planned-autopilot-for-july-4-jupiter-burn

 

 

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

China announces success in technology to refuel satellites in orbit

 

Quote

CHANGSHA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- China has successfully completed the in-space refuel of orbital satellites following last week's launch of a new generation carrier rocket, the National University of Defense Technology announced on Thursday.

 

Similar to air refueling for planes, the process refuels a satellite in orbit in a microgravity environment and will extend a satellite's functional life and boost its maneuver capabilities considerably.

 

Developed by the university, Tianyuan-1 is the country's first in-space refueling system for orbital satellites. It was launched into orbit aboard the Long March-7 carrier rocket on Saturday.

 

A series of core independent processes were tested and verified after the launch, with data and videos recording the full process sent back to earth, the university said in a statement.

 

"The injection process was stable, and measurement and control were precise," it said, adding that the test proved that Tianyuan-1 met design requirements.

 

Though an area of great interest, the process is complicated and only a few countries have began experiments.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-06/30/c_135479061.htm

 

The inaugural launch of the Long March 7 has been a resounding success...so many achievements....well done.

 

[Jim K Global Moderator]

More Juno!

Quote

 

This chart presents data that the Waves investigation on NASA's Juno spacecraft recorded as the spacecraft crossed the bow shock just outside of Jupiter's magnetosphere on June 24, 2016, while approaching Jupiter. Audio accompanies the animation, with volume and pitch correlated to the amplitude and frequency of the recorded waves.

 

The graph is a frequency-time spectrogram with color coding to indicate wave amplitudes as a function of wave frequency (vertical axis, in hertz) and time (horizontal axis, with a total elapsed time of two hours). During the hour before Juno reached the bow shock, the Waves instrument was detecting mainly plasma oscillations just below 10,000 hertz (10 kilohertz). The frequency of these oscillations is related to the local density of electrons; the data yield an estimate of approximately one electron per cubic centimeter (about 16 per cubic inch) in this region just outside Jupiter's bow shock.

The broadband burst of noise marked "Bow Shock" is the region of turbulence where the supersonic solar wind is heated and slowed by encountering the Jovian magnetosphere. The shock is analogous to a sonic boom generated in Earth's atmosphere by a supersonic aircraft. The region after the shock is called the magnetosheath.

The vertical bar to the right of the chart indicates the color coding of wave amplitude, in decibels (dB) above the background level detected by the Waves instrument. Each step of 10 decibels marks a tenfold increase in wave power.

 

Quote

 

This chart presents data that the Waves investigation on NASA's Juno spacecraft recorded as the spacecraft entered Jupiter's magnetosphere on June 25, 2016, while approaching Jupiter. Audio accompanies the animation, with volume and pitch correlated to the amplitude and frequency of the recorded waves.

Time runs from left to right, with a total elapsed time of one hour and 45 minutes. The label "Magnetopause" at just over 20 minutes into the chart marks entry into the magnetosphere, as detected by the sudden onset of a type of high-amplitude wave activity called "Trapped Continuum Radiation." 

The graph uses color coding to indicate wave amplitudes as a function of wave frequency (vertical axis, in hertz) and time (horizontal axis). 

The trapped continuum radiation -- in the red and yellow area of this spectrogram -- consists of electromagnetic waves that are trapped in a low-density cavity in Jupiter's outer magnetosphere. The walls of the cavity are like a conductor, hence, the cavity traps these low-frequency waves. The low-frequency limit of these waves -- the lower edge of the band on the graph -- is a function of the density of particles in this outer region of the magnetosphere. The density here is roughly one electron per hundred cubic centimeters (6 cubic inches), about one percent of the density Juno detected in the solar wind just outside of the bow shock.

The vertical bar to the right of the chart indicates the color coding of wave amplitude, in decibels (dB) above the background level detected by the Waves instrument. Each step of 10 decibels marks a tenfold increase in wave power.

 

 

 

[Jim K Global Moderator]

Juno Update.

 

Quote

NASA's Juno mission, launched nearly five years ago, will soon reach its final destination: the most massive planet in our solar system, Jupiter. On the evening of July 4, at roughly 9 p.m. PDT (12 a.m. EDT, July 5), the spacecraft will complete a burn of its main engine, placing it in orbit around the king of planets.

 

During Juno's orbit-insertion phase, or JOI, the spacecraft will perform a series of steps in preparation for a main engine burn that will guide it into orbit. At 6:16 p.m. PDT (9:16 p.m. EDT), Juno will begin to turn slowly away from the sun and toward its orbit-insertion attitude. Then 72 minutes later, it will make a faster turn into the orbit-insertion attitude.

 

At 7:41 p.m. PDT (10:41 p.m. EDT), Juno switches to its low-gain antenna. Fine-tune adjustments are then made to the spacecraft's attitude. Twenty-two minutes before the main engine burn, at 7:56 p.m. PDT (10:56 p.m. EDT), the spacecraft spins up from 2 to 5 revolutions per minute (RPM) to help stabilize it for the orbit insertion burn.  

 

At 8:18 p.m. PDT (11:18 p.m. EDT), Juno's 35-minute main-engine burn will begin. This will slow it enough to be captured by the giant planet’s gravity. The burn will impart a mean change in velocity of 1,212 mph (542 meters a second) on the spacecraft. It is performed in view of Earth, allowing its progress to be monitored by the mission teams at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver, via signal reception by Deep Space Network antennas in Goldstone, California, and Canberra, Australia.

 

After the main engine burn, Juno will be in orbit around Jupiter. The spacecraft will spin down from 5 to 2 RPM, turn back toward the sun, and ultimately transmit telemetry via its high-gain antenna.

 

Juno starts its tour of Jupiter in a 53.5-day orbit. The spacecraft saves fuel by executing a burn that places it in a capture orbit with a 53.5-day orbit instead of going directly for the 14-day orbit that will occur during the mission's primary science collection period. The 14-day science orbit phase will begin after the final burn of the mission for Juno’s main engine on October 19.

NASA

 

Some quick facts ...

 

Mission Name

The Juno spacecraft will, for the first time, see below Jupiter’s dense cover of clouds. This is why the mission was named after the Roman goddess, who was Jupiter’s wife, and who could also see through clouds.

 

Spacecraft

Dimensions: 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) high, 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) in diameter.

Solar Arrays: length of each solar array 29.5 feet (9 meters) by 8.7 feet (2.65 meters).

Total surface area of solar arrays: more than 650 feet (60 meters) squared.

Total number of individual solar cells: 18,698.

Total power output (Earth distance from sun): approximately 14 kilowatts; (Jupiter distance from sun): approximately 400 watts.

Weight: 7,992 pounds (3,625 kilograms) total at launch, consisting of 3,513 pounds (1,593 kilograms) of spacecraft, 2,821 pounds (1,280 kilograms) of fuel and 1,658 pounds (752 kilograms) of oxidizer.

 

 

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/juno/facts/

 

...and lastly ... New Dawn is staying at Ceres.  Kinda of a bummer ... thought they would move it to Adeona.  However, I guess Ceres is becoming more fascinating than originally hoped for.

 

 

[DocM]

Too bad

[Jim K Global Moderator]

Today's coverage for Juno's orbital insertion.  Please note 10:30 p.m. EDT which is where all the excitement begins.  

 

Monday, July 4 -- Orbit Insertion Day

9 a.m. PDT (Noon EDT) -- Pre-orbit insertion briefing at JPL

7:30 p.m. PDT (10:30 p.m. EDT) -- Orbit insertion and NASA TV commentary begin

10 p.m. PDT (1 a.m. EDT on July 5) -- Post-orbit insertion briefing at JPL

 

To watch all of these events online, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv 

http://www.ustream.tv/nasa 

http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl2

 

Live coverage on orbit insertion day also will be available online via Facebook Live at:

http://www.facebook.com/nasa 

http://www.facebook.com/nasajpl 

 

JPL manages the Juno mission for NASA. The mission's principal investigator is Scott Bolton of Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. The mission is part of NASA's New Frontiers Program, managed at the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver built the spacecraft.

 

Learn more about the June mission, and get an up-to-date schedule of events, at:

http://www.nasa.gov/juno 

https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/jupiter/junotoolkit 

 

Follow the mission on social media at:

http://www.facebook.com/NASAJuno 

http://www.twitter.com/NASAJuno

 

 

 

 

I believe the Juno mission will also be shown on this particular NASA YouTube channel (NASA TV Media)

 

 

Edit...or this one ....

 

 

[Jim K Global Moderator]

Courtesy of gizmodo. On my phone so hard to make more detailed posts.

 

Couple of key events for Juno's orbital insertion. All times EDT.

 

10:28 PM: Juno pivots away from the sun and toward its orbital insertion attitude.

10:56 PM: Juno “spins up” from 2 to 5 revolutions per minute in order to stabilize itself for the main engine burn.

11:18 PM: The burn begins.

11:53 PM: The burn ends, leaving Juno in its first, 53.5 day orbit.

11:55 PM: The spacecraft slows its back down to 2 rpm.

12:30 AM: Juno re-orients toward the sun to recharge its batteries. At this point, if all signals look good, we can all relax.

 

You can watch via my earlier post.

[Jim K Global Moderator]

35 minute burn has started.

 

You can watch the Deep Space Network also ... all but a few dishes are dedicated to Juno right now  (New Horizons and Dawn being the exception).  Pure MRO ... no one is talking to it.  

 

Edit:  And when I say "started" ... I mean approx 48 minutes ago ... since that is how long it takes for Juno to communicate back (1.61 hours round trip communication).

 

 

[Jim K Global Moderator]

Engine burn complete.  Juno is in the desired orbit around Jupiter.  Next big milestone (aside from slowing its rotation) is in about 35 minutes (12:30am EDT) when Juno orientates itself back so its solar panels are pointing towards the sun.  Afterwards ... we should start receiving science in a few days when they start flipping the instruments on.

 

Juno has an attitude.

 

 

[Jim K Global Moderator]

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Creation of Airbus Safran Lauchers Finalized

 

Quote

AMSTERDAM/PARIS (Airbus/Safran PR) – Airbus Group SE (stock exchange symbol: AIR) and Safran (stock exchange symbol: SAF) will finalise today the creation of their Airbus Safran Launchers 50/50 Joint Venture, which becomes a fully-fledged operational company.

 

Airbus Safran Launchers was already managing launcher programme activities and associated equity stakes, and with this closing the company officially incorporates the parent companies’ assets and subsidiaries related to its core business.

 

Airbus Safran Launchers is a world-class company, with about 8,400 employees in France and Germany. It is the head company in a group comprising 11 subsidiaries and affiliates, all leading players in their fields: APP, Arianespace, Cilas, Eurockot, Eurocryospace, Europropulsion, Nuclétudes, Pyroalliance, Regulus, Sodern and Starsem. Airbus Safran Launchers inherits a rich portfolio of products and services, enabling it to deliver innovative and competitive solutions to numerous customers around the world.

 

Today’s final step is the culmination of an ambitious strategic initiative, started in 2014, to reshape the launcher industry in Europe and better serve French, German and European strategic interests.

 

Ariane 6 variants (Credit: Airbus Defense and Space)

 

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2016/07/06/creation-airbus-safran-lauchers-finalized/

 

---------------------------

 

Launch Schedule

 

Quote

July  Long March 2D • Quantum Science Satellite
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Jiuquan, China
A Chinese Long March 2D rocket will launch with the Quantum Science Satellite, the world’s first mission to test ultra-secure quantum communications in orbit. [June 1]

July 16  Soyuz • Progress 64P
Launch time: 2141 GMT (5:41 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 64th Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station. Delayed from April 22, July 4 and July 7. [June 7]

July 18  Falcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 9
Launch time: 0445 GMT (12:45 a.m. EDT)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 11th Dragon spacecraft on the ninth operational cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station. The flight is being conducted under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Delayed from Dec. 9, June 24, June 27 and July 16. [June 23]

July 28  Atlas 5 • NROL-61
Launch period: 1200-1600 GMT (8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-065, will launch a classified spacecraft payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The rocket will fly in the 421 vehicle configuration with a four-meter fairing, two solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from April 21, June 14 and June 24. Moved forward from July 29. [June 1]

http://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Report: 3,600 Smallsats to Clog Space in Next 10 Years

 

Eight small-sized satellites total a big bonus for science. The Edison Demonstration of Smallsat Networks (EDSN) mission was to have used a swarm of small spacecraft to carry out scientific measurements. (Credit: NASA Ames Research Center)

 

Quote

$22 Billion Smallsat Market Forecast

 

Paris, Washington D.C., Montreal, Yokohama, July 7, 2016 (Euroconsult PR) — According to Euroconsult’s latest report, Prospects for the Small Satellite Market, we are on the cusp of a major revolution for the space sector and overall space ecosystem, as more than 3,600 smallsats are expected to be launched over the next ten years, a significant increase from the previous decade.

 

The total market value of these satellites is anticipated to be $22 billion (manufacture and launch), a 76% increase over that of 2006-2015. This rate of growth is unprecedented for the space sector and will bring about fundamental changes as both new and established industry players attempt to increase their capabilities in order to gain market share.

 

“Earth observation is expected to exhibit the strongest growth in terms of units launched; over 2,100 satellites are anticipated from 2016 to 2025. Four companies plan to launch more than 1,400 satellites during this period alone: Planet, Spire, BlackSky Global and Satellogic,” said Adam Keith, Managing Director of Euroconsult Canada and editor of the report. “Satellite communication smallsats will also increase significantly to nearly 800 during the same period of time (discounting SpaceX’s STEAM constellation). There are six constellations foreseen, however OneWeb makes up the bulk of these units.”

 

Including all third-party and in-house manufacturers, around 200 organizations built a smallsat between 2006 and 2015; the coming decade shows a similar pattern. Smallsat suppliers are entering the industry to capitalize on demand with flexible COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) equipment, bringing down costs and development times. Larger integrators focused on larger missions do not necessarily have the capacity to create these smaller, nominally lower-cost solutions at a profit or have the platforms available to support small mission development.

 

In the next decade, launch services are expected to generate $5.3 billion, a 76% increase over the previous decade. Small-lift vehicles in development will add further specialized supply. Prices from Firefly, Rocket Lab and Virgin Galactic are not expected to undercut existing supply prices. However, with smallsat operators impacted by the launch bottleneck and affected by delays in ridesharing and the like, despite the higher price per kg, the benefit of quicker and dedicated access to space could be quite attractive for operators.

 

About the Report

 

Prospects for the Small Satellite Market presents the various factors that will drive/inhibit growth in demand for small satellites over the next 10 years. The forecast was built on the basis of a qualitative and quantitative analysis conducted from two sources: A dedicated database and a combination of primary and secondary research. This report considers satellites by four mass categories, six regions, five satellite applications and five manufacturer typologies. The report contains thousands of data points and the expert interpretation and analysis found with all Euroconsult research.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2016/07/08/report-3600-smallsats-clog-space-10-years/

 

[DocM]

Did you hear ParabolicArc  got banned from NSF?  Conspiracy theories about CRS-7 and wouldn't quit.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

9 hours ago, DocM said:

Did you hear ParabolicArc  got banned from NSF?  Conspiracy theories about CRS-7 and wouldn't quit.

Had no idea. Then again, IMHO, the quality and selection of articles has been a little lacking for awhile now. The sit owner was even posting for work from the blog, seemingly ready to cut back on reporting.

 

Once in awhile one can find an article of interest, but not like it used to be. I have also noticed that (old)SpaceNews has slipped a bit.  

[Draggendrop Veteran]

China's second space lab Tiangong-2 reaches launch center

 

Quote

JIUQUAN, July 10 (Xinhua) -- China's second orbiting space lab Tiangong-2, which may enable two astronauts to live in space for up to 30 days, has been delivered to Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

 

The lab was sent from Beijing Thursday by railway and reached the launch center Saturday, marking the start of the Tiangong-2 and Shenzhou-11 manned spacecraft missions, said a statement issued by China's manned space engineering office.

 

Assembly and tests will begin at the center ahead of the lab's launch scheduled for mid-September, the statement said.

 

According to the statement, Tiangong-2 will be capable of receiving manned and cargo spaceships, and will be a testing place for systems and processes for mid-term space stays and refueling in space.

 

It will also be involved in experiments on aerospace medicine, space sciences, on-orbit maintenance and space station technologies.

 

China's first space lab Tiangong-1, which was launched in September 2011 with a designed life of two years, ended its data service earlier this year. It had docked with Shenzhou-8, Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-10 spacecraft and undertook a series of experiments.

 

The manned space engineering office said in March this year that the orbit of Tiangong-1 would descend gradually in several months until the orbiter eventually burn up in the atmosphere.

 

With two capsules for conducting experiments and holding resources, Tiangong-2 features major improvements from its predecessor, including an improved propel sub-system.

 

The new space lab will also carry three experiments designed by the winners of a Hong Kong middle school design contest, the statement said.

Carrier rockets to launch Tiangong-2 and Shenzhou-11 will be transferred to Jiuquan next month.

 

Shenzhou-11, which will carry two astronauts to dock with Tiangong-2 in space, has passed initial tests, and its crew members are undergoing intensive training, the statement said.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-07/10/c_135501915.htm

 

 

---------------------------

 

Thought this was neat.....

 

Rare Photos: Discovery and Enterprise - 2 Space Shuttles Nose-to-Nose

http://www.space.com/15350-photos-discovery-enterprise-space-shuttles.html

 

There are 11 images at the link with descriptors.

 

sample

 

The noses of space shuttles Enterprise, left, and Discovery face one another at a transfer ceremony at the Smithsonian's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Thursday, April 19, 2012, in Chantilly, Va.

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Ukraine, US Plan to Launch Jointly-Developed Space Rocket in Coming Months

 

Quote

Ukraine and the United States are planning to launch a jointly-developed rocket in the coming months, as part of the two countries' space cooperation, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States Valeriy Chaly said Monday.

 

On May 30, head of the State Space Agency of Ukraine Lyubomyr Sabadosh said that Ukraine proposed to the United States joint development and production of rocket engines to replace Russia's RD-180 that the US side buys for its space industry.

 

"I hope that this will not be such a sensation. We are planning to launch a jointly-developed rocket with the United States in the coming months. We have serious achievements in the cooperation on the launch," Chaly said in an interview with the Ukrainian television channel 5 Kanal.

 

Chaly added that Kiev had been unable to hold a joint meeting with representatives of the United States on cooperation in the space sector since 2008, but such a meeting took place some two weeks ago.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Ukraine_US_Plan_to_Launch_Jointly_Developed_Space_Rocket_in_Coming_Months_999.html

 

mmmmm   This is different.

 

------------------------------

 

Moon Express takes over Cape Canaveral Delta 2 launch site 

 

File photo of Launch Complex 17 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The site, which previously hosted Delta 2 launches, will now become a development and testing facility for Moon Express. Credit: U.S. Air Force 

 

 

Quote

WASHINGTON — Moon Express, a Florida company developing commercial lunar landers, announced July 12 an agreement with the U.S. Air Force to take over a former Delta 2 launch site at Cape Canaveral.

 

The company said it reached an agreement with the Air Force’s 45th Space Wing, which operates Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, to use Launch Complex 17 as a research and development facility, including tests of the company’s lunar landers. The agreement also covers adjacent Launch Complex 18, used for Vanguard launches in the late 1950s but inactive for the last several decades.

 

Moon Express also announced an agreement with Space Florida, the state’s space development agency, to renovate building at Launch Complex 17 for use by the company. Space Florida will contribute up to $1.85 million for that work, an amount Moon Express will match.

 

“We are honored to be residents at Cape Canaveral and look forward to our expanded presence,” said Bob Richards, chief executive and co-founder of Moon Express, in a statement. Richards planned to formally unveil the deal in a July 12 speech at a National Space Club Florida Committee luncheon.

 

Moon Express had previously been doing tests at Launch Complex 36A, a former Atlas launch site several kilometers north of Launch Complex 17, under an agreement with Space Florida announced in January 2015. However, Blue Origin plans to develop a launch complex for its orbital launch vehicle there, forcing Moon Express to seek an alternative site.

 

In an interview, Richards said Moon Express will take over and renovate several buildings at Launch Complex 17. That includes a former spacecraft integration building and an engineering building. Moon Express will also construct test stands to support work for engines used by its spacecraft.

 

Launch Complex 18, he said, will be used as a test flight area for tethered and free-flight tests of its landers. “We’ll eventually be building our own little moonscape there for doing sensor development for lunar landings,” he said.

 

The new site, Richards said, will allow Moon Express to consolidate its presence at Cape Canaveral. The company had been doing lander engineering work, including hover tests, at a site near one end of the Shuttle Landing Facility runway at the Kennedy Space Center, while it had offices at the south end of Cape Canaveral. All those will be consolidated at Launch Complex 17 in September.

 

Moon Express is developing a series of lunar landers, and is one of the 16 teams competing for the Google Lunar X Prize. Richards said the company plans to unveil its updated lander design later this year, once it moves into Launch Complex 17.

 

The competition requires the winning team to reach the moon and achieve the other prize requirements by the end of 2017. Richards said the company was on track to launch before the prize deadline, while acknowledging a number of technical obstacles it has to overcome to achieve that date. “There’s a lot that has to go right in the next 18 months,” he said. “We’re still shooting for the end of 2017.”

 

The agreement to use Launch Complex 17 does not include the twin launch pads themselves, which have been idle since the September 2011 Delta 2 launch of NASA’s GRAIL lunar mission. Moon Express does not plan to use the complex as a launch site, contracting instead with Rocket Lab, the U.S.-New Zealand company developing the small Electron launch vehicle, for launching its initial spacecraft from that company’s launch site in New Zealand.

 

The Air Force is starting the process to demolish those launch pads. Patrick Air Force Base issued a solicitation June 21 seeking bids to demolish the launch towers and associated structures, with bids due July 22. The request did not include a specific schedule for completing the demolition, only that the work be completed within 600 days of receiving a formal notice to proceed.

http://spacenews.com/moon-express-takes-over-cape-canaveral-delta-2-launch-site/

 

 

------------------------------

 

Delta 2 rocket being assembled at Vandenberg for penultimate launch

 

The step-by-step Delta 2 assembly process. Photos by NASA

 

Quote

The next-to-last Delta 2 rocket is being stacked at its California launch site to take flight in January to put a civilian weather satellite into polar orbit.

 

The first stage, interstage, nine strap-on boosters and second stage of the United Launch Alliance rocket are being pieced together over the next two weeks to form the 7920-configured rocket at Vandenberg Air Force Base’s Space Launch Complex 2-West pad.

 

Lean operations dictated that the on-pad assembly would occur now while workers could break away from their duties on other rockets. They put up the first stage today.

 

The Delta 2 is protected against the weather by its all-enclosing gantry that cocoons the vehicle entirely.

 

The stages recently shipped from the United Launch Alliance production factory in Decatur, Alabama to Vandenberg. The solids arrived from Orbital ATK last year.

 

Launch is targeted for Jan. 20 at 1:47 a.m. local (4:47 a.m. EST; 0947 GMT) carrying the first Joint Polar Satellite System spacecraft.

 

JPSS is a collaborative project between NASA — which ordered the spacecraft, instruments and launcher — and satellite operator NOAA.

 

Quote

Stacking of the rocket began today when the first stage was lifted vertically with the help of the pad’s mobile service tower and placed atop the launch mount. The 86-foot-long, 8-foot-diameter stage was erected from its transport trailer and the gantry then rolled along its rail tracks to the mount for the rocket to be lowered and secured.

 

The barrel-like interstage adapter will be attached tomorrow, the nine solids will be hung from July 19 through the 27th, and the second stage will be hoisted into place on July 29 to complete the basic build up of the rocket.

 

The Delta 2 will be powered away from the pad by its kerosene-fueled Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-27A main engine and six of the solids firing to produce a combined thrust in excess of 750,000 pounds. The remaining three solids ignite a minute into flight.

 

The second stage will burn its Aerojet Rocketdyne AJ10-118K engine, fueled with storable hypergolic propellants, to reach an initial parking orbit and a further time to deliver the satellite into the prescribed orbit.

 

The payload is shrouded during atmospheric flight by a 10-foot-diameter composite nose cone.

 

The Delta 2 will stand 128 feet tall and weigh a half-million pounds at liftoff.

 

Quote

The venerable Delta 2 has achieved 151 successes in 153 flights since debuting on Valentine’s Day 1989. Its current consecutive success streak stands at 98 flights dating back to May 1997.

 

JPSS 1 will be the 53rd NASA mission to use the Delta 2.

 

Delta 2 was the spaceflight workhorse that deployed the Global Positioning System constellation and sustained its capabilities for billions of users around the world, as well as launched such science missions as the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity, the Kepler planet finder and the Dawn and MESSENGER probes.

 

But the Air Force, the anchor tenant of the Delta 2 from its inception in the wake of the shuttle Challenger disaster, retired the military’s use of the rocket in 2009 and shifted GPS launches to the more powerful Atlas 5 and Delta 4 boosters.

 

With so few payloads in the Delta 2’s weight class, United Launch Alliance opted to phase out the rocket. The manufacturing factory is using up key elements that were stockpiled before production lines were shut down several years ago.

 

After JPSS 1, the final planned Delta 2 rocket will launch NASA’s ICESat 2 laser altimeter science satellite later in 2017.

 

Pieces remain in existence to build one additional Delta 2, but it lacks a customer and will likely become a museum piece to pay tribute to the rocket’s remarkable legacy.

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/07/12/delta-2-rocket-being-assembled-at-vandenberg-for-penultimate-launch/

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Launch Schedule

 

Quote

July 16 Soyuz • Progress 64P
Launch time: 2141 GMT (5:41 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 64th Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station. Delayed from April 22, July 4 and July 7. [June 7]
July 18 Falcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 9
Launch time: 0445 GMT (12:45 a.m. EDT)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 11th Dragon spacecraft on the ninth operational cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station. The flight is being conducted under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Delayed from Dec. 9, June 24, June 27 and July 16. [June 23]

http://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/

 

------------------

 

China's second space lab Tiangong-2 reaches launch center

 

Quote

China's second orbiting space lab Tiangong-2, which may enable two astronauts to live in space for up to 30 days, has been delivered to Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

 

The lab was sent from Beijing Thursday by railway and reached the launch center Saturday, marking the start of the Tiangong-2 and Shenzhou-11 manned spacecraft missions, said a statement issued by China's manned space engineering office.

 

Assembly and tests will begin at the center ahead of the lab's launch scheduled for mid-September, the statement said.

 

According to the statement, Tiangong-2 will be capable of receiving manned and cargo spaceships, and will be a testing place for systems and processes for mid-term space stays and refueling in space.

 

It will also be involved in experiments on aerospace medicine, space sciences, on-orbit maintenance and space station technologies.

 

China's first space lab Tiangong-1, which was launched in September 2011 with a designed life of two years, ended its data service earlier this year. It had docked with Shenzhou-8, Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-10 spacecraft and undertook a series of experiments.

 

The manned space engineering office said in March this year that the orbit of Tiangong-1 would descend gradually in several months until the orbiter eventually burn up in the atmosphere.

 

With two capsules for conducting experiments and holding resources, Tiangong-2 features major improvements from its predecessor, including an improved propel sub-system.

 

The new space lab will also carry three experiments designed by the winners of a Hong Kong middle school design contest, the statement said.

Carrier rockets to launch Tiangong-2 and Shenzhou-11 will be transferred to Jiuquan next month.

 

Shenzhou-11, which will carry two astronauts to dock with Tiangong-2 in space, has passed initial tests, and its crew members are undergoing intensive training, the statement said.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Chinas_second_space_lab_Tiangong_2_reaches_launch_center_999.html

[Draggendrop Veteran]

July 16, 1969: Launch of Apollo 11

 

Quote

Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins launched today in 1969 aboard Apollo 11 for one of the defining moments of the 20th century — man’s first landing on the moon.

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/07/16/july-16-1969-launch-of-apollo-11/

 

As You Remember It: The Lift-Off of APOLLO 11

video is 9:55 min.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Launch Schedule

 

Quote

July 28  Atlas 5 • NROL-61

 

Launch period: 1237 GMT (8:37 a.m. EDT)
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-065, will launch a classified spacecraft payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The rocket will fly in the 421 vehicle configuration with a four-meter fairing, two solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from April 21, June 14 and June 24. Moved forward from July 29. [July 20]

http://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/

 

---------------

 

Secret NRO satellite mounted atop Atlas 5 rocket for July 28 launch

 

Quote

CAPE CANAVERAL — Crews hoisted a covert spacecraft atop an Atlas 5 booster rocket this morning for its trek into an equatorial orbit next week.

United Launch Alliance will perform the deployment mission on July 28 for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, the government agency that oversees the country’s spy satellite fleet.

 

The launch is known as NROL-61 and the satellite’s purpose is classified.

 

The NRO tells Spaceflight Now that the rocket will head easterly away from Cape Canaveral along an initial flight azimuth of 99 degrees.

 

Liftoff is planned for 8:37 a.m. EDT (1237 GMT). The duration of the usable launch window remains secret, but officials previously said the liftoff would occur by 12 noon EDT (1600 GMT).

 

The rocket will be operating in its 421 configuration with a 14-foot-wide nose cone, two side-mounted solid boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage.

 

Officials also confirm to Spaceflight Now that the Extra Extended Payload Fairing (XEPF) version of the rocket’s aluminum nose cone will shroud the payload during atmospheric ascent. It is 45 feet in length and the longest of three available options.

 

This is the first time the NRO has used a Atlas 5-421 to launch one of its satellites.

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/07/19/secret-nro-satellite-mounted-atop-atlas-5-rocket-for-july-28-launch/

 

File photo of Atlas 5 payload installation. Credit: ULA

 

[DocM]

The coolest patch in a long time

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Live coverage: Atlas 5 countdown and launch journal

 

Quote

Mission Status Center

Live coverage of the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket flight with the NROL-61 payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. Text updates will appear automatically below; there is no need to reload the page.

 

Quote

0547 GMT (1:47 a.m. EDT)
The countdown just began for today's launch of the Atlas 5 rocket on a national security satellite deployment flight for the U.S. government.
Clocks are picking up the seven-hour sequence of work that will prepare the booster, payload and ground systems for blastoff at 8:37 a.m. EDT (1237 GMT).

The launch team will begin powering up the rocket to commence standard pre-flight tests. Over the subsequent few hours, final preps for the Centaur's liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen systems will be performed, along with a test of the rocket's guidance system and the first stage propulsion and hydraulic preps, internal battery checks and testing of the GPS metric tracking system used to follow the rocket as it flies downrange, plus a test of the S-band telemetry relay system.

A planned 15-minute hold begins when the count reaches T-minus 2 hours. Near the end of the hold, the team will be polled to verify all is in readiness to start fueling the rocket for launch.

Supercold liquid oxygen begins flowing into the Centaur upper stage, followed by the first stage filling. Liquid hydrogen fuel loading for Centaur will be completed a short time later.

A final hold is scheduled at the T-minus 4 minute mark. That 15-minute pause will give everyone a chance to finish any late work and assess the status of the rocket, payload, Range and weather before proceeding into the last moments of the countdown.

The launch window length this morning is classified.

live stream at the link...

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/07/26/av065_journal/

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Emn1ty]