This Day in Spaceflight History

[ProtoJeb21]

On 9/18/2016 at 0:18 PM, The Raging Sandwich said:

Tethys also has a Pacman heat signature.

Wait, WHAT?! How many Pac-Moons are there?

Can Saturn's moons just act like normal astronomical bodies for once? They're making complete fools of themselves, trying to be hit with modern society. I mean, Tethys and Mimas are both 30 years behind!

[Spaceception]

On 9/17/2016 at 8:30 PM, ProtoJeb21 said:

Yay! Pac-Mimas!

No...

Pac-Star!

[ProtoJeb21]

1 hour ago, Spaceception said:

No...

Pac-Star!

The reality of something like that horrifies me.

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

22 hours ago, DDE said:

TBH, I have no idea how syntin burns. I doubt the colour is too different from normal RG-1, since it's just another hydrocarbon.

It doesn't seem like it does look different: http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_det/soyuz-u2.htm

 

 

[The Raging Sandwich]

On September 20, 1966, Surveyor 2 was launched to the Moon to make a soft touchdown. During the midcourse thrust phase of the mission on September 22, one of the engines failed ruining the chances of controlled surface touchdown. It impacted the surface on that day.

On September 20, 1970, Luna 16 landed on the Moon. It fulfilled Luna 15's mission by retrieving a soil sample and returning it to Earth.

 

On September 20, 1992, STS-47 and its crew landed back at Cape Canaveral after an orbital mission with the Spacelab module (it stayed inside the payload the whole mission).

On September 20, 1994, STS-64 and its crew landed back at Edward's Air Force Base after a mission into orbit.

On September 20, 2000, the second man in orbit, Gherman Titov, died of a heart attack while in a sauna.

On September 20, 2000, STS-106 landed back at Cape Canaveral after a trip to the ISS.

More coming later today for 9/21! Sorry for the late post! 

[Kryten]

Another little thing for today; on September 21st 1992, formal authorisation was given to the 3-phase Chinese human spaceflight programme, which is consequently known as Project 921. Project 921-1 is development and initial testing of the crew vehicle, 921-2 testing with space labs (we're late in 921-2 right now) and 921-3 launch and commissioning of the modular space station. What comes after 921-3? Nothing that's formally been authorised, so your guess is as good as mine.

[The Raging Sandwich]

On September 21, 1970, Luna 16 completed mining the surface for a sample. The sample was then placed in a small sealed capsule. The ascent stage lifted off from the lunar surface to Earth.

On September 21, 1974, Mariner 10 did its second flyby of Mercury. It photographed the sun-lit region and the northern pole.

On September 21, 2003, the Galileo probe plunged into the atmosphere of Jupiter to end its mission.

On September 21, 2006, STS-115 and its crew landed back at Cape Canaveral after a mission to the ISS.

 

[The Raging Sandwich]

 

 

 

On September 22, 1968, the Soviet Zond 5 spacecraft which made a successful translunar flight was recovered.

On September 22, 1993, STS-51 and its crew landed back at Cape Canaveral after a mission into orbit.

On September 22, 2001, the Deep Space 1 probe did a flyby of Comet Borrely. 

 

Edited September 22, 2016 by The Raging Sandwich

[The Raging Sandwich]

On September 23, 1846, astronomer Johann Galle discovered the planet Neptune.

 

On September 23, 1976, Soyuz 22 landed back at Earth after a mission into orbit.

On September 23, 2006. the Cassini Saturn spacecraft did a flyby of the moon Titan.

 

Edited September 23, 2016 by The Raging Sandwich
Titan picture didn't show up.

[ProtoJeb21]

10 hours ago, The Raging Sandwich said:

On September 23, 1846, astronomer Johann Galle discovered the planet Neptune.

 

On September 23, 1976, Soyuz 22 landed back at Earth after a mission into orbit.

On September 23, 2006. the Cassini Saturn spacecraft did a flyby of the moon Titan.

 

Would THIS count for a spaceflight/space related event on September 23rd?

SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2015: Two luminous orbs appear on the unlit part of the First Quarter moon. I record the odd event in an astronomy journal and sketch out the lights and their location. They persist for at least 20 minutes before I complete my observations. This is the first time I've revealed the anomaly to anyone outside those I know well. 

I doubt this will count, even though it was real. I wonder if anyone else saw something like this...

Also, happy 170th anniversary of Neptune's discovery!

[The Raging Sandwich]

13 hours ago, ProtoJeb21 said:

Would THIS count for a spaceflight/space related event on September 23rd?

SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2015: Two luminous orbs appear on the unlit part of the First Quarter moon. I record the odd event in an astronomy journal and sketch out the lights and their location. They persist for at least 20 minutes before I complete my observations. This is the first time I've revealed the anomaly to anyone outside those I know well. 

I doubt this will count, even though it was real. I wonder if anyone else saw something like this...

Also, happy 170th anniversary of Neptune's discovery!

You are a UFO magnet! 

[cubinator]

14 hours ago, ProtoJeb21 said:

Would THIS count for a spaceflight/space related event on September 23rd?

SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2015: Two luminous orbs appear on the unlit part of the First Quarter moon. I record the odd event in an astronomy journal and sketch out the lights and their location. They persist for at least 20 minutes before I complete my observations. This is the first time I've revealed the anomaly to anyone outside those I know well. 

Did you see it through a telescope only, or could you see it with the naked eye? If there were any lights nearby, they might have been able to do some weird reflection thingy^TM to show up in the telescope, but if not then that's very interesting.

[ProtoJeb21]

3 hours ago, The Raging Sandwich said:

You are a UFO magnet! 

I can confirm that. Do not ask me about all 40+ sightings, or else Cranium Explosion-ing could occur.

2 hours ago, cubinator said:

Did you see it through a telescope only, or could you see it with the naked eye? If there were any lights nearby, they might have been able to do some weird reflection thingy^TM to show up in the telescope, but if not then that's very interesting.

I only saw it through my telescope. The lights were small, and I ruled out other types of reflections by moving the scope to get better views. 

Also, to be on this thread's topic, Happy 62,051 day anniversary of Neptune's discovery!

Edited September 24, 2016 by ProtoJeb21
Dangit, spellcheck!!!

[The Raging Sandwich]

On September 24, 1930, US astronaut John Young was born. He flew on Gemini 3, Gemini 10, Apollo 10, Apollo 16, and two shuttle missions including STS-1.

On September 24, 1970, Luna 16 returned its lunar soil sample to Earth.

On September 24, 2005, the Cassini Saturn spacecraft did an untargeted flyby of the moon Tethys.

 

[The Raging Sandwich]

On September 25, 1960, the Pioneer P 30 probe was launched in an attempt to get into lunar orbit. The failure of the upper stage of the Atlas-Able launch vehicle hindered the success of the mission.

On September 25, 1973, the crew of the Skylab 3 mission landed back at Earth.

On September 25, 2013, the Soyuz TMA-10M spacecraft and its crew of 3 (2 Russian and 1 American) launched into orbit on a mission to the ISS. It docked to the station on the same day.

 

On September 25, 2014, Soyuz TMA-14M and its crew of 3 (2 Russian and 1 American) launched into orbit to the ISS on Expedition 42. One of the solar arrays failed to deploy after the spacecraft separated from the third stage of the launch vehicle. It docked to the ISS on September 26.

[The Raging Sandwich]

On September 26, 1958, the US Vanguard 2D satellite was launched.

On September 26, 1980, the Soyuz 38 spacecraft and its crew landed back at Earth after a mission to the Salyut 6 space station.

On September 26, 1983, the Soyuz T-10-1 spacecraft was to launch to the Salyut 6 space station, but the launch vehicle exploded as the spacecraft launched. The crew aborted and sent the Soyuz spacecraft hurtling away from the explosion safe from harm.

On September 26, 1985, the Soyuz T-13 spacecraft and its crew landed back at Earth after a mission to the Salyut 7 space station.

On September 26, 1996, STS-79 and its crew landed back at Cape Canaveral after a mission to the Mir space station.

On September 26, 1997, STS-86 and its crew of 8 launched into orbit on a trip to the Mir space station. It docked with the station late on the 27th.

On September 26, 1998, the Galileo Jupiter spacecraft did its 17th flyby of the moon Europa.

On September 26, 2005, the Cassini Saturn spacecraft did a flyby of the moon Hyperion.

[The Raging Sandwich]

On September 27, 1967, the Soyuz 7K-L1 (Zond) spacecraft was launched. Once of the first-stage engines failed and the spacecraft landed 65 kilometers away from the Baikanour launchpad.

On September 27, 1973, the Soyuz 12 spacecraft and its crew of 2 launched into orbit on a mission to the first Salyut space station.

On September 27, 2007, the Dawn asteroid belt probe was launched. It would first orbit the large asteroid Vesta and then flyby Ceres. It used a Mars flyby to its advantage to boost it to Vesta in 2011 and then Ceres in 2015.

On September 27, 2008, Chinese astronaut Zhai Zhigang stepped out of the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft and became the first Chinese astronaut to conduct an EVA.

[cubinator]

Had to do a double take to make sure that didn't say Shengshou 7 (Shengshou is a speedcube brand, they make good affordable big cubes).

[Garrett Kerman]

14 hours ago, The Raging Sandwich said:

On September 26, 1958, the US Vanguard 2D satellite was launched.

Look ma, no fairings!  

[Ultimate Steve]

Not sure if it "fits," but you might want to add in a little something about Elon's presentation. Or not, if it doesn't really fit.

[cubinator]

1 hour ago, Ultimate Steve said:

Not sure if it "fits," but you might want to add in a little something about Elon's presentation. Or not, if it doesn't really fit.

I think when that behemoth flies, it will be worthy of a mention. Until then, we will keep it in mind.

[The Raging Sandwich]

1 hour ago, Ultimate Steve said:

Not sure if it "fits," but you might want to add in a little something about Elon's presentation. Or not, if it doesn't really fit.

When did he have a presentation and for what?

[DDE]

9 hours ago, The Raging Sandwich said:

When did he have a presentation and for what?

What was previously known as the MCT/BRF and is now the ITS. An Earth-to-Mars-to-Earth methalox SSTO with Earth-orbit refuel and Mars ISRU; 300 t capacity or 100-200 passengers in some configurations.

[The Raging Sandwich]

On September 28, 1963, two probes were launched, Transit 5BN-1 and Transit 5E-1. They were the first two spacecraft to use nuclear power. 5BN-1 was a Navy navigational satellite while 5E-1 studied the magnetosphere. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kryten]

23 hours ago, The Raging Sandwich said:

On September 27, 1967, the Soyuz 7K-L1 (Zond) spacecraft was launched. Once of the first-stage engines failed and the spacecraft landed 65 kilometers away from the Baikanour launchpad.

7K L1 was the designation for that model of Soyuz, not the individual craft. The September 27th launch was the first flight with L1 #4 (1-3 being behind test vehicles).