The Space Discussion/Rocket Launch Megathread

[mustwinfull]

Next Launch:

Mission Name: Ekspress-AT1, Ekspress-AT2

Mission For: PFFK

Launch Vehicle: Proton-M/Briz-M

Launch Provider: Khrunichev

Launch Site: Baikonur

Time (UTC): 23:08

Date (UTC): 15th March 2014

Time (EDT): 18:08

Date (EDT): 15th March 2014

Live Coverage:

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Other Upcoming Missions:

16th March 2014: SpaceX CRS-3, KickSat, THEIA, TechCube 1, LMRSat, Hermes 2

19th March 2014: Kondor-E

25th March 2014: NROL-67

25th March 2014: Soyuz TMA-12M

28th March 2014: Sentinel 1A

30th March 2014: Strela-3M, Strela-3M, Strela-3M

(TBD) March 2014: Astra 5B, Amazonas 4A

(TBD) March 2014: IRNSS-1B

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Past Missions:

20th/21st February 2014: GPS IIF-5

Status: Operational

27th February 2014: GPM-Core, Ginrei (ShindaiSat), STARS-II, TeikyoSat-3, KSAT2, OPUSAT, INVADAR, ITF-1

Status: Operational

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News:

NASA's Kepler Mission Announces a Planet Bonanza, 715 New Worlds

NASA issue sobering EMU water leak investigation update

SpaceX One Step Closer To USAF Certification

Spitzer Stares into the Heart of New Supernova in M82

The Space Double-Whammy: Less Gravity, More Radiation

NASA Goes Down Under to Tap High-Altitude Ice

Home Stretch for GPM Engineering Team in Japan

Edited February 27, 2014 by mustwinfull

[Streetwind]

Gonna bookmark this thread...

[mustwinfull]

Sucessful launch of the GPS IFF-5, really wished I could have seen it live.

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United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches 25th Delta IV Mission Carrying Global Positioning System Satellite for the U.S. Air Force

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., (Feb. 21, 2014) – A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV rocket successfully launched the Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF-5 satellite for the U.S. Air Force on Feb. 20 at 8:59 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex-37. This is ULA’s second launch in 2014 and the 79th launch since the company was formed in December 2006.

Edited February 25, 2014 by mustwinfull

[mustwinfull]

Just found out about this little series NASA does every Friday for ISS updates. It's pretty cool, you should check it out. As you can guess, this week's is about Cygnus.

Also, we have an update from NASA on the Orion testing, not looking too good.

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Orion Testing Provides Lessons And Data For Splashdown Recovery Operations

The first full joint testing between NASA and the U.S. Navy of Orion recovery procedures off the coast of California was suspended after the team experienced issues with handling lines securing a test version of Orion inside the well deck of the USS San Diego.

NASA and the Navy were conducting tests to prepare for recovery of Orion after it splashes down in the Pacific Ocean at the end of its first space flight, Exploration Flight Test-1, in September. The testing was planned to allow teams to demonstrate and evaluate the processes, procedures, hardware and personnel that will be needed for recovery operations.

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NASA's IRIS Spots Its Largest Solar Flare

On Jan. 28, 2014, NASA's Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, witnessed its strongest solar flare since it launched in the summer of 2013. Solar flares are bursts of x-rays and light that stream out into space, but scientists don't yet know the fine details of what sets them off.

Edited February 25, 2014 by mustwinfull

[mustwinfull]

Looks like NASA is looking for feedback on potential future ISS cargo.

NASA Seeks U.S. Industry Feedback on Options for Future Space Station Cargo Services

Over the past two years, NASA and its American industry partners have returned International Space Station resupply launches to U.S. soil, established new national space transportation capabilities and helped create jobs right here on Earth. More than 250 miles overhead, hundreds of science experiments not possible on Earth are being conducted by an international team of astronauts, enabled by these new cargo delivery and return services.

Edited February 25, 2014 by mustwinfull

[mustwinfull]

NASA are hosting a teleconference about the discoveries Kepler has made this Wednesday.

NASA Hosts Media Teleconference to Announce Latest Kepler Discoveries

NASA will host a news teleconference at 1 p.m. EST, Wednesday, Feb. 26, to announce new discoveries made by its planet-hunting mission, the Kepler Space Telescope.

The briefing participants are:

-- Douglas Hudgins, exoplanet exploration program scientist, NASA's Astrophysics Division in Washington

-- Jack Lissauer, planetary scientist, NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.

-- Jason Rowe, research scientist, SETI Institute, Mountain View, Calif.

-- Sara Seager, professor of planetary science and physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.

Launched in March 2009, Kepler was the first NASA mission to find Earth-size planets in or near the habitable zone -- the range of distance from a star in which the surface temperature of an orbiting planet might sustain liquid water. The telescope has since detected planets and planet candidates spanning a wide range of sizes and orbital distances. These findings have led to a better understanding of our place in the galaxy.

For dial-in information, media should e-mail their name, affiliation and telephone number to J.D. Harrington at [email protected] no later than noon, Wednesday.

The public is invited to listen to the teleconference live via UStream, at:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-arc

Questions can be submitted on Twitter using the hashtag #AskNASA.

Audio of the teleconference also will be streamed live at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

A link to relevant graphics will be posted at the start of the teleconference on NASA's Kepler site:

http://www.nasa.gov/kepler

Edited February 25, 2014 by mustwinfull

[sgt_flyer]

16th March 2014: SpaceX CRS-3, KickSat, THEIA, TechCube 1, LMRSat, Hermes 2

spaceX CRS-3 launch is also planned to test the Falcon 9 first stage propulsive return capabilities (still due to splash down at the end of the mission) - after the previous test where the fuel had centrifuged inside the tank, preventing reignition just before splashdown.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_CRS-3

all in all, it will be a very interesting launch to follow

[Streetwind]

Huh.... isn't Kepler crippled due to losing two of its reaction wheels? It was said it isn't able to keep itself steady while tracking a distant object over time anymore.

Was it repurposed to something simpler, or did they get some data of something staying in front of it long enough by pure luck?

[Kryten]

Huh.... isn't Kepler crippled due to losing two of its reaction wheels? It was said it isn't able to keep itself steady while tracking a distant object over time anymore.

They've rigged together a system to use light pressure to keep it in a stable configuration;

the target areas available are limited, and they have to reposition every few months to avoid pointing directly at the sun, but it's a lot better than nothing.

[mustwinfull]

16th March 2014: SpaceX CRS-3, KickSat, THEIA, TechCube 1, LMRSat, Hermes 2

spaceX CRS-3 launch is also planned to test the Falcon 9 first stage propulsive return capabilities (still due to splash down at the end of the mission) - after the previous test where the fuel had centrifuged inside the tank, preventing reignition just before splashdown.

Didn't know about the first stage return stuff, it indeed sounds like a interesting launch to watch, don't want to miss it.

Also, I didn't know that K2 had already gone ahead (has it?). I thought that they would have still been analyzing the data from before.

Edited February 22, 2014 by mustwinfull

[Kryten]

Also, I didn't know that K2 had already gone ahead (has it?). I thought that they would have still been analyzing the data from before.

They've done some preliminary observations, but the proper science campaign won't start until next month, so yeah, this is probably just analysis of previous data.

[mustwinfull]

They've done some preliminary observations, but the proper science campaign won't start until next month, so yeah, this is probably just analysis of previous data.

Cool, thanks for the clarification on that.

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Shelton Discloses Previously Classified Surveillance Satellite Effort

The U.S. Air Force is expected to launch two high-orbiting satellites for a previously classified space surveillance system late in 2014, Gen. William Shelton, commander of Air Force Space Command, said Feb. 21.

Shelton disclosed the existence of the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness system (GEO SSA) for the first time at the Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Fla.

Edited February 25, 2014 by mustwinfull

[mustwinfull]

China Focus: Uneasy rest begins for China's troubled Yutu rover

China's lunar rover Yutu entered its third planned dormancy on Saturday, with the mechanical control issues that might cripple the vehicle still unresolved.

According to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND) on Sunday, Yutu only carried out fixed point observations during its third lunar day, equivalent to about two weeks on Earth.

Yutu's radar, panorama camera and infrared imaging equipment are functioning normally, but the control issues that have troubled the rover since January persist.

Edited February 25, 2014 by mustwinfull

[mustwinfull]

NASA GPM Core Observatory's Rehearsal Weekend at Tanegashima

On the first floor of the Spacecraft Test and Assembly building at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Tanegashima Space Center, Japan, a skeleton crew of blue-shirted NASA engineers for the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission fill three rows of computer stations. Sitting with them, on top of one of the desktop computers, is a squat, roundish doll. About the size of a grapefruit, it’s bright red with a stylized, decorative face. Its most noticeable feature is that it only has one eye colored in.

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NASA to Discuss Earth Science Help for California Drought

NASA officials will participate in a media briefing at 9:30 a.m. PST Tuesday, Feb. 25 about the agency's work to use its Earth observation assets to help the state of California better manage its water resources and monitor and respond to its ongoing drought.

Edited February 25, 2014 by mustwinfull

[mustwinfull]

Combustion and Materials Science for Crew, More CubeSat Deployments

The International Space Station's six Expedition 38 crew members started their work week with ongoing science and routine maintenance. The orbital laboratory is also preparing to deploy more CubeSats on Tuesday.

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Shape-changing Flap Arrives for Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge Flight Tests

A milestone for the Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge (ACTE) project at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center occurred in mid-February with the delivery of two revolutionary experimental flaps designed and built by FlexSys, Inc., of Ann Arbor, Mich., for installation on Dryden’s Gulfstream G-III Aerodynamics Research Test Bed aircraft.

Edited February 25, 2014 by mustwinfull

[mustwinfull]

Astronomers observe largest recorded meteor impact on the Moon

Spanish astronomers announced they detected what they believe to be the largest meteor impact on the surface of the Moon ever recorded. In a paper published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society and announced Monday, astronomers detected a bright flash in telescopic observations of the Moon in September 2013. That flash was bright enough to be seen with the naked eye and its afterglow lasted for eight seconds. Astronomers estimate the flash was caused when a small asteroid, about 0.6 to 1.2 meters in diameter and weighing 400 kilograms, crashed into the lunar surface in the vicinity of Mare Nubium at a speed of 61,000 kilometers per hour.

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Sea Launch president to depart company

The president of commercial launch provider Sea Launch will leave the company at the end of this month, the company announced Monday. Kjell Karlsen, who joined the company in 1999 and had been president of Sea Launch since 2008, will leave the company at the end of the month to "pursue other opportunities outside space industry," according to a company statement. The company, which launches commercial satellites from a floating platform on the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, had struggled in recent years, going through Chapter 11 bankruptcy organization in 2009-2010 and suffering a launch failure a year ago. Once a multinational venture involving stakes by companies in four countries, Sea Launch is now almost entirely owned by RSC Energia, and last week Russian officials said they were considering nationalizing the company.

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NASA Responds to California's Evolving Drought

NASA is partnering with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to develop and apply new technology and products to better manage and monitor the state's water resources and respond to its ongoing drought.

NASA scientists, DWR water managers, university researchers and other state resource management agencies will collaborate to apply advanced remote sensing and improved forecast modeling to better assess water resources, monitor drought conditions and water supplies, plan for drought response and mitigation, and measure drought impacts.

Edited February 25, 2014 by mustwinfull

[Red Iron Crown]

You really should give links to the sites you're copying/pasting these articles from, and maybe just post an excerpt rather than the full article text. It's generally considered bad form to post someone else's content in its entirety, and is considered copyright infringement in some jurisdictions.

[mustwinfull]

You really should give links to the sites you're copying/pasting these articles from, and maybe just post an excerpt rather than the full article text. It's generally considered bad form to post someone else's content in its entirety, and is considered copyright infringement in some jurisdictions.

Yeah, I did think about doing that and I do tend to put all the links in the main post, but I've been neglecting to do that lately. I do apologize, I'll make sure to change things. Thanks for the friendly reminder.

EDIT: I've chopped everything down and I'll get the links for things in as well.

Edited February 25, 2014 by mustwinfull

[Klingon Admiral]

NASA reports that 715 former planet-candidates from Kepler have been confirmed as proper planets. This pushes the total count of confirmed extrasolar planets/planemos to about 1,700. Among them are six somewhat earth-like worlds.

http://www.nasa.gov/ames/kepler/nasas-kepler-mission-announces-a-planet-bonanza/index.html#.Uw7MX4UpfCY

[XIRA]

The GPM-Core should launch pretty soon! 6 minutes till first launch window

[mustwinfull]

Successful launch of the GPM-Core as well as all the other satellites the rocket contained.

SpaceX moves closer to Air Force certification for Falcon 9

SpaceX is one step closer to winning Air Force certification of its Falcon 9 rocket, a requirement for winning military launch contracts, after the Air Force accepted the first Falcon 9 v1.1 rocket launch as a successful mission. The Air Force said in a statement this week that the inaugural Falcon 9 v1.1 launch in September would count as one of the three successful launches required as part of the certification process. That launch successfully placed several satellites into polar orbit, but the rocket's second stage failed to relight after satellite deployment. The Air Force said it is still assessing the two Falcon 9 v1.1 launches since then, in December in January, but neither experienced any anomaly. Three successful launches, plus a series of reviews and audits, are required for the Air Force to certify that a rocket is qualified to launch satellites as part of its Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, currently served by the Atlas 5 and Delta 4 rockets.

Report: ISS spacesuit water leak misdiagnosed

An investigation into a water leak in a spacesuit that nearly caused an astronaut to drown last year found that the leak started on an earlier spacewalk but was misunderstood by astronauts and engineers. NASA released Wednesday a report by a mishap investigation board into the water leak in a spacesuit worn by European astronaut Luca Parmitano during an EVA on July 16 of last year. In the early phases of the spacewalk, water accumulated in Parmitano's helmet, forcing an early end to the spacewalk and endangering Parmitano as he made his way back inside the station. The root cause of the leak is still under investigation, although it appears silicate contamination blocked plumbing in the suit, forcing water into its ventilation system and collected in his helmet. That problem started towards the end of a previous spacewalk a week earlier, but investigators said both astronauts and engineers blamed it on a leaking drink bag. NASA said it would implement all the major recommendations in the report before carrying out any planned EVAs from the station, which are not currently planned before late July or early August.

Astronomers confirm discovery of 715 exoplanets in Kepler data

In the largest single haul of other worlds ever, astronomers announced Wednesday that they have confirmed the presence of 715 extrasolar planets in data collected by NASA's Kepler spacecraft through the use of a new technique. Scientists analyzing data from Kepler, which looks for brief, periodic dimming of stars when orbiting planets pass in front of them, have found more than 3,500 potential exoplanets, or planet candidates, but require additional analysis to confirm them. In this study, scientists used a technique called "verification by multiplicity," a statistical technique that focuses on stars with more than one candidate planet. This technique confirmed the presence of 715 exoplanets orbiting 305 stars, using data from the first two years of the Kepler mission. About 95 percent of those planets are the size of Neptune or smaller, and four of them orbit in the habitable zones of their stars.

[mustwinfull]

Mars Flyby Schedule Reset for 2021, But Will It Ever Fly?

Inspiration Mars' current plan for a 582-day round trip was the subject of a congressional hearing before the House Science Committee on Thursday. The project, conceived by millionaire space tourist Dennis Tito, calls for liftoff of NASA's Space Launch System with a modified Orion capsule on Nov. 22, 2021, with a Venus flyby in April 2022, a Mars flyby in October 2022, and then a return to Earth on June 27, 2023.

Doug Cooke, a former NASA executive who has served as an adviser to Inspiration Mars, told lawmakers that the trip would give astronauts "40 hours of looking at Mars" when it's at least as big as the moon as seen from Earth.

NASA begins process to rename center for Neil Armstrong

With the flick of a digital switch, NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center has been renamed for the late astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon.

NASA on Friday (Feb. 28) got off to an early start adopting the new name, updating its website addresses and social media handles, before the name officially goes into effect Saturday (March 1). The redesignation comes two months after President Barack Obama signed legislation enacting the change and 20 years (to the day) after the center's last renaming.

[Streetwind]

Quiet week in space, it seems...