# Proxima Report > Breaking space news, astronomy discoveries, and commercial space industry coverage. Tracking global missions, technology, NASA, and China’s space program. Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### About Us URL: https://proximareport.com/about/ Last updated: 2025-11-07T03:29:10.000Z _No content available._ ### Mission Control ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ URL: https://proximareport.com/staff/ Last updated: 2024-10-09T06:17:00.000Z [ ![Profile Picture](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2023/08/R--10-.jpg) ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2023/08/R--10-.jpg?ref=proximareport.com) Cosmic Tylxr He/Him - ![Flag](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg) Founder [ ](https://twitter.com/cosmictylxr?ref=proximareport.com) [ ](https://www.instagram.com/cosmictylxr?ref=proximareport.com) [ ](https://www.tiktok.com/@cosmictylxr?ref=proximareport.com) [ CN Profile ](https://proximareport.com/author/cosmictylxr/) [ ![Profile Picture](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/FB_IMG_1710044599735-1-1-1.jpg) ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/FB%5FIMG%5F1710044599735-1-1-1.jpg?ref=proximareport.com) Sam Thibault He/Him - 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Submit your application!](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1CSdnO4ndxz9J8HKlm3uFZDfkhYlT4PflI0DmP1TCUDM/edit?usp=drivesdk&ref=proximareport.com) ### privacy-policy URL: https://proximareport.com/privacy-policy/ Last updated: 2024-06-14T23:07:22.000Z ## ***Information We Collect*** We only collect information about you if we have a reason to do so — for example, to add you as a free or paying member, to communicate with you, or to make our Services better. We collect this information from three sources: if and when you provide information to us, automatically through operating our Services, and from outside sources. ### ***Examples of information that might be collected:*** - **Basic account information:** We ask for basic information from you in order to set up a free your account. For example, we require individuals who sign up for a C*osmic nxws ghost* account to provide an email address — and that’s it. - **Public profile information:** If you have an account with us, we collect the information that you provide for your public profile. Our system uses your email to pull in your Gravatar image, if you have created one. This is used, for example, to put that image next to your username when you comment on a post. - **Payment and contact information:** If you become a paid subscriber or buy something from us, we’ll collect information to process those payments and contact you. If you buy something from us, you’ll provide additional personal and payment information like your name, credit card information, and contact information. We also keep a record of the purchases you’ve made. - **Content information:** You might provide us with information about you in draft and published content (a blog post or comment that includes biographic information about you, or any media or files you upload). - **Communications with us:** You may also provide us with information when you respond to surveys, communicate with us about a support question, post a comment, or sign up for an event. When you communicate with us via form, email, or otherwise, we store a copy of our communications. ### ***Links to other websites and services*** Our website may integrate with or contain links to other third party sites and services, such as an embedded Tweet or YouTube video. While we strive to keep cookies to a minimum, we are not responsible for the practices employed by third party websites or services embedded in, linked to, or linked from our website. Your interactions with any third-party website or service are subject to that third party’s own rules and policies. ### ***Information We Collect Automatically*** We also collect some information automatically: - **Usage information:** We collect information about subscribers' usage of our site For example, we collect information about when you visit. We also collect information about what happens when you use our Services (e.g., page views). We use this information to, for example, provide our Services to you, get insights on how people use our Services so we can make our Services better, and understand and make predictions about user retention. - **Location information:** Our publishing system may determine the approximate location of your device from your IP address. We collect and use this information to, for example, calculate how many people visit our Services from certain geographic regions. - **Interactions with other users’ sites:** Our commenting system, collects some information about your interactions with other users’ sites while you are logged in to your account with us, such as your “Reactions" to other comments and the fact that you commented on a particular post. - **Information from cookies & other technologies:** We only use cookies to log-in users and do not cookie any reader who is not a free or paid subscriber. ## **How and Why We Use Information** #### ***Purposes for Using Information*** We and our partners use information about you for the purposes listed below: - **To provide our Services.** For example, to set up and maintain your account, deliver newsletters, provide customer service, process payments and orders, and verify user information. - **To ensure quality, maintain safety, and improve our Services.** For example, by monitoring and analyzing how users interact with our Services so we can create new features that we think our users will enjoy or make our Services easier to use. - **To protect our Services, our users, and the public.** For example, by detecting security incidents; detecting and protecting against malicious, deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity; fighting spam; complying with our legal obligations; and protecting the rights and property of *Cosmic Nxws* and others, which may result in us, for example, declining a transaction or terminating Services. - **To fix problems with our Services.** For example, by monitoring, debugging, repairing, and preventing issues. - **To communicate with you.** For example, by emailing you to ask for your feedback, share tips for getting the most out of our products, or keep you up to date on *Cosmic Nxws*. ## ***Legal Bases for Collecting and Using Information*** For individuals within the European Union, our legal grounds for processing your information under EU data protection laws are as follows: 1. The processing is necessary to fulfill our commitments to you under the applicable terms of service or other agreements, or to administer your account. For example, this includes enabling access to our website on your device or charging you for a paid plan. 2. The processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation. 3. The processing is necessary to protect your vital interests or those of another person. 4. We have a legitimate interest in using your information. This includes providing and updating our Services, improving our Services for a better user experience, safeguarding our Services, communicating with you, understanding user retention and attrition, and monitoring and preventing any issues with our Services. 5. You have given us your consent by signing up for a free or paid subscription. ## **Sharing Information** #### ***How We Share Information*** We share information about you in limited circumstances, and with appropriate safeguards on your privacy. - **Subsidiaries and independent contractors:** We may disclose information about you to our subsidiaries and independent contractors who need the information to help us provide our Services or process the information on our behalf. We require our subsidiaries and independent contractors to follow this Privacy Policy for any personal information that we share with them. - **Third-party vendors:** We may share information about you with third-party vendors who need the information in order to provide their services to us, or to provide their services to you or your site. This includes vendors that help us provide our Services to you (like Stripe, which powers subscription payments, fraud prevention services that allow us to analyze fraudulent payment transactions, cloud storage services, postal and email delivery services that help us stay in touch with you, customer chat and email support services that help us communicate with you, registrars, registries, those that host our website, assist us with our marketing efforts; those that help us understand and enhance our Services (like analytics providers); those that make tools to help us run our operations (like programs that help us with task management, scheduling, word processing, email and other communications, and collaboration among our teams); and other third-party tools that help us manage operations. We only use vendors that agree to similar privacy commitments in order to share information with them. - **Legal and regulatory requirements:** We may disclose information about you in response to a subpoena, court order, or other governmental request. - **To protect rights, property, and others:** We may disclose information about you when we believe in good faith that disclosure is reasonably necessary to protect the property or rights of Cosmic Nxws, third parties, or the public at large. For example, if we have a good faith belief that there is an imminent danger of death or serious physical injury, we may disclose information related to the emergency without delay. - **Business transfers:** In connection with any merger, sale of company assets, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business by another company, or in the unlikely event that *Cosmic Nxws* goes out of business or enters bankruptcy, user information would likely be one of the assets that is transferred or acquired by a third party. If any of these events were to happen, this Privacy Policy would continue to apply to your information and the party receiving your information may continue to use your information, but only consistent with this Privacy Policy. - **With your consent:** We may share and disclose information with your consent or at your direction. - **Aggregated or de-identified information:** We may share information that has been aggregated or de-identified, so that it can no longer reasonably be used to identify you. For instance, we may publish aggregate statistics about how many subscribers we have, or share a hashed version of your email address to facilitate customized ad campaigns on other platforms. - **Published support requests:** If you send us a request for assistance (for example, via a support email or one of our other feedback mechanisms), we reserve the right to publish that request (without your name or identifying information attached) in order to clarify or respond to your request, or to help us support other users. ## We do not sell our users' data. We aren't a data broker, we don't sell your personal information to data brokers, and we don't sell your information to other companies that want to spam you with marketing emails. We may show ads but will not do so in a way that turns over personally-identifable information about you to an advertiser. Under a new California law, the California Consumer Privacy Act ("CCPA"), some personalized advertising you see online might be considered a "sale" even though we don't share information that identifies you personally, like your name or email address. #### ***Information Shared Publicly*** Information that you choose to make public is disclosed publicly. That means information like your comments are all available to others ### **Security** While no online service is 100% secure, we and our partners work very hard to protect information about you against unauthorized access, use, alteration, or destruction, and take reasonable measures to do so. We and our partners monitor our Services for potential vulnerabilities and attacks. ### **Choices** You have several choices available when it comes to information about you and communications: - **Limit the information that you provide:** If you have an account with us, you can choose not to provide the optional account information, profile information, and transaction and billing information. Please keep in mind that if you do not provide this information, certain features of our Services — for example, paid subscriber-only posts may not be accessible. - **Set your browser to reject cookies:** At this time, *Cosmic Nxws* does not respond to “do not track” signals, since we don't use tracking cookies. - **Unsubscribe from our newsletters:** Free and paid subscribers may unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time, either through the unsubscribe link at the end of every newsletter or on the website in your account settings. You may not opt out of Service-related communications (e.g., account verification, payment confirmation, changes/updates to our products or features, technical and security notices.) - **Close your account:** While it would be very sad to see you go, you can close your account if you no longer want to use our Services. ## **Your Rights** If you are located in certain parts of the world, including California and countries that fall under the scope of the European General Data Protection Regulation (aka the “GDPR”), you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, like the right to request access to or deletion of your data. #### ***European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)*** If you are located in a country that falls under the scope of the GDPR, data protection laws give you certain rights with respect to your personal data, subject to any exemptions provided by the law, including the rights to: - Request access to your personal data; - Request correction or deletion of your personal data; - Object to our use and processing of your personal data; - Request that we limit our use and processing of your personal data; and - Request portability of your personal data. You also have the right to make a complaint to a government supervisory authority. #### ***California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)*** The California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) requires us to provide California residents with some additional information about the categories of personal information we collect and share, where we get that personal information, and how and why we use it. The CCPA also requires us to provide a list of the “categories” of personal information we collect, as that term is defined in the law, so, here it is. In the last 12 months, we and our service providers collected the following categories of personal information from California residents, depending on the Services used: - Identifiers (like your name, contact information, and email address); - Commercial information (your billing information and purchase history, for example); - Internet or other electronic network activity information (such as your usage of our Services, like the actions you take as paid subscriber); - Geolocation data (such as your location based on your IP address); - Audio, electronic, visual or similar information (such as your profile picture, if you use Gravatar); and - Inferences we make (such as likelihood of retention or attrition). If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the CCPA, subject to any exemptions provided by the law, including the right to: - Request to know the categories of personal information we collect, the categories of business or commercial purpose for collecting and using it, the categories of sources from which the information came, the categories of third parties we share it with, and the specific pieces of information we collect about you; - Request deletion of personal information we collect or maintain; - Opt out of any sale of personal information; and - Not receive discriminatory treatment for exercising your rights under the CCPA. ### ***Contacting Us About These Rights*** You can usually access, correct, or delete your personal data using your account settings and tools that we offer, but if you aren’t able to or you’d like to contact us about one of the other rights, contact us by going to your account on our site and clicking Contact Support. When you contact us about one of your rights under this section, we’ll need to verify that you are the right person before we disclose or delete anything. For example, if you are a user, we will need you to contact us from the email address associated with your account. You can also designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf by giving us written authorization. We may still require you to verify your identity with us. ### Gallery URL: https://proximareport.com/gallery/ Last updated: 2025-11-07T04:46:45.000Z ### Internal HTML Imputs URL: https://proximareport.com/internal-html-imputs122221212122121/ Last updated: 2024-02-13T21:03:26.000Z _No content available._ ### Media URL: https://proximareport.com/media/ Last updated: 2024-04-25T04:14:30.000Z # Live view of the ISS # Live view of the earth from the ISS # NASA tv ### Our Socials URL: https://proximareport.com/socials/ Last updated: 2024-03-08T02:47:07.000Z ### Cosmic Nxws Store URL: https://proximareport.com/store/ Last updated: 2024-04-24T05:22:20.000Z # Blast Off! 🚀 We're getting things ready for launch. Stay tuned for something stellar! ### Test Page URL: https://proximareport.com/teaminttest/ Last updated: 2024-12-15T19:52:45.000Z ### Cosmic Nxws ShopTOS URL: https://proximareport.com/shoptos/ Last updated: 2024-04-29T14:30:02.000Z _No content available._ ### Our Mission URL: https://proximareport.com/ourmission/ Last updated: 2025-03-16T00:16:55.000Z > *"Since humanities inception, we have always yearned for the stars. Now, we're finally ready to chase that dream, to "set sail" into the cosmos. This project sparks that childlike wonder we all share, fueling a journey to learn and prepare for our next step: into the vastness of space. That's why we started Cosmic Nxws, to create a place where anyone curious, could learn and stay up to date with our next step and our leaps into the cosmos. In essence, we are a group of passionate people, covering humanities steps to the stars." - Cosmic Tylxr (Our Founder and CEO)* --- Cosmic Nxws (pronounced either as news or N X W S) was founded in July of 2023 by American space enthusiast Cosmic Tylxr and British space enthusiast Jack C. With the goal of having a free, easy to access, international archive of humanities leaps into the cosmos in mind. Despite being founded in the Summer, Cosmic Nxws didn’t officially go live until October, as work behind the scenes was underway. Currently Cosmic Nxws is a small, but growing space news organization. All of our staff is fueled by a shared passion to unravel the mysteries of the cosmos, as we bring you the latest updates on space exploration, launches, and missions. As well as groundbreaking discoveries from the endeavors of both private and national space agencies. Cosmic Nxws aims to bridge the gap between Western and Eastern spaceflight by offering a global overview on this rapidly evolving field. We feel that having a team of people with diverse backgrounds and ideals is key to our journalistic edge, as ideas/topics can be shared, discussed and even debated. This enables us to curate news from various sources and provide a comprehensive perspective of the space sector, ensuring that you get the whole picture. If you want to join our passionate community of space enthusiasts, be sure to check out our socials [here](https://beacons.ai/cosmicnxws?ref=proximareport.com)! Want to become a part of this growing news team? [Click here](https://forms.gle/y5VG6sssRLdn3qL69?ref=proximareport.com)! And as always, Ad astra per literas PS - the “X” in news stands for eXploration ;) --- Copyright **©** 2023-24 Cosmic Nxws LLC all rights reserved ### Faq URL: https://proximareport.com/faq/ Last updated: 2024-08-08T02:26:12.000Z ## **Frequently Asked Questions** ### **What is Cosmic Nxws? Where is it located and how is it funded?** Cosmic Nxws was founded by American space enthusiast "cosmictylxr" back in July of 2023\. Cosmic Nxws officially went online a few months later, in October of 2023\. Cosmic Nxws is a registered business based in the United States. As it stands, Cosmic Nxws if funded out of pocket by its CEO and founder. But, as the sites scale and scope grows, funding will also come from store income, site views (through ads), and Youtube revenue. To learn more about Cosmic Nxws and our mission, [click here](https://proximareport.com/ourmission/)! ### **What is the opinion/speculation tag?** While we always try to ensure our articles are not full of bias and we value impartiality, in certain article topics complete objectivity is not always possible, so we happily disclose and try to make that as clear as possible to the reader. Essentially the opinion/speculation tag helps differentiate articles that have a bias or are more based off of "what could" be, rather than what is. ### **What is the frequency of our Newsletters?** As it stands Cosmic Nxws has three newsletters, two of them are monthly, while the other is weekly. Our weekly newsletter, Weekly Dose of Space, comes out every Sunday, usually in the latter part of the morning (10-11am) in the States, or around 17:00 UTC. The monthly newsletters fall on the first of every month and are posted at a similar time to their weekly counterpart. If you want to sign up to any of our newsletters, [click here](https://proximareport.com/#/portal/account)! ### **How can I support Cosmic Nxws?** Following us on our socials, reading our articles and sharing our work is always the easiest (and free) option to help us. However, as Cosmic Nxws currently is running purely out of pocket, donations to our "buy me coffee" linked [here](https://buymeacoffee.com/cosmicnxws?ref=proximareport.com) is a great way to show your support! You also could [snag some dope merch](https://store.cosmicnxws.com/?ref=proximareport.com) from us and support both our artists, long term goals and the non-profit organizations we donate too. Above all, enjoying, following, sharing and learning is the biggest way to support us! ### **Can staff at Cosmic Nxws work on other projects?** Yes! As Cosmic Nxws is currently a passion project we are completely fine with members of our staff having their own substacks, ko-fi's or working on other art projects. We don't want to hold anyone back, especially on something they enjoy. People providing and setting themselves up for the future is something we will always support. ### Do the personal views of writers reflect the beliefs of Cosmic Nxws? To keep it as short as possible, no. Cosmic Nxws is a separate entity from its staff and its writers views or opinions on their personal accounts and personal life does not reflect the views of the organization. However, we take great pride in being a role model within the industry and want to make sure our staff is a kind, informative and welcoming part of the space community. We have had to work on this in the past and we are working on it now. We are always moving forward and looking to be a leader in the community, making space coverage accessible for all. 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If you have any questions about a story, please feel free to contact us directly at Staff@cosmicnxws.com As always - Ad astra per literas. ### test topics URL: https://proximareport.com/test-topics/ Last updated: 2024-06-20T18:51:43.000Z _No content available._ ### Jobs URL: https://proximareport.com/jobs/ Last updated: 2024-09-20T16:33:08.000Z # Join Our Team! ## Content Writer We are looking for a creative and experienced content writer to join our team. You will be responsible for creating high-quality written content for our website, social media platforms, and other media. [Apply Now](https://forms.gle/your-google-form-url?ref=proximareport.com) ### Sign Up URL: https://proximareport.com/sign-up/ Last updated: 2024-10-06T22:35:11.000Z _No content available._ ### Newsletter URL: https://proximareport.com/newsletter/ Last updated: 2025-11-08T00:43:45.000Z _No content available._ ## Posts ### 'Accelerated' Plans for Artemis IV Moon Landing Detailed at Last URL: https://proximareport.com/accelerated-plans-artemis-nasa/ Last updated: 2026-10-27T19:25:00.000Z Eight months [ago in February](https://proximareport.com/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/), NASA announced it was reorganizing its Artemis program to return American astronauts to the Moon, descoping next years Artemis III mission and moving a first landing to Artemis IV in 2028 at the earliest to allow for 'accelerated' plans using two contracted lunar landers. Last week, [on October 23rd](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasa-partners-accelerate-lander-development-for-2028-moon-missions/?ref=proximareport.com), the U.S. space agency provided an update on what those plans are during an event at the Kennedy Space Center, in Florida. Starting with what is believed to be the favored lander, plans with Blue Origin's stripped-down 'Blue Moon Mark 2 Alpha' will see five launches taking place from Florida. The first four of those will make use of the company's [New Glenn rockets](https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-two-florida-pads/) to place the lunar lander into low Earth orbit to meet three single-use transfer stages, two of which will boost the lander towards an elliptical polar orbit and one will perform a braking burn. Sometime after 'Mark 2 Alpha' enters orbit, NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will send four astronauts to meet the lander onboard an Orion spacecraft, with two to board it for a landing. From there, the mission plan is fairly basic, with Blue Origin's lander descending to the surface, spending an undisclosed amount of time there, and then returning the two astronauts to Orion in the polar orbit. After that, Orion would head back to Earth. As for SpaceX's plans using the [once-orbitally flown](https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-fourteen-orbit/) Starship-Super Heavy, it is much more complex. Those will start with the launch of a 'Depot' Starship into low Earth orbit, where it will be topped by several 'Tankers'. Once a sufficient amount of propellant has been moved into orbit, the 'Lander' Starship will fly into space to meet it and be refilled, moving into an undisclosed higher tanking orbit afterwards. Then, the 'Depot' will be topped up again, allowing for it to head to the 'Lander' and refill it again. Between those operations, SLS will launch astronauts aboard Orion into a high Earth orbit where it will dock with the 'Lander' not long afterwards. It is [presently estimated that](https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/10/latest-estimate-for-starship-launches-required-to-support-a-moon-landing-22/?ref=proximareport.com) SpaceX's plan will require around twenty-two launches to occur within a few weeks. Once the two spacecraft are docked, the 'Lander' will bring them both into a low lunar orbit. From there, two astronauts will go to the surface onboard the 'Lander' for a while before being brought back to Orion. Following that, Orion will light its engines for its first major burn to return to Earth. Both Blue Origin and SpaceX's first crewed lunar landers were said to presently be in the early stages of manufacturing for each of their crew cabins, propellant tanks, and other needed systems. Under current plans, those first landers will head to the surface uncrewed to demonstrate all systems in flight. ![Concept of operations graphics for Blue Origin (left) and SpaceX's (right) planned crewed lunar landings. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/blue-origin-con-op.png) Concept of operations graphics for Blue Origin (left) and SpaceX's (right) planned crewed lunar landings. ©NASA When those demonstration missions will occur was not stated by NASA last week. However, the space agency provided an update behind closed doors at the International Astronautical Congress earlier this month. [That revealed that](https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20260009199/downloads/HLS%20IAC%202026%20Presentation%20FINAL.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) Blue Origin is exploring a demonstrative mission to begin towards the end of next year and land in the first quarter of 2028, while SpaceX is looking to fly its through the last two quarters of 2027. The results of the demonstration missions, should they conclude before Artemis IV is desired to begin in 2028, will inform NASA's decision on which company's lander they pick for the first U.S. mission to the Moon's surface since 1972\. Speaking on that, Artemis Program Manager Jeremy Parsons shared: > "NASA and our lunar lander providers Blue Origin and SpaceX have been working hand in hand to ensure we can return American astronauts to the Moon by 2028\. \[...\] NASA and its partners are on the same page with requirements and other milestones to ensure continued insight into lander development to support mission success and the safety of our Moon crews." Related to safety and meeting the wanted schedule, NASA has also reduced the design requirements on the lunar surface spacesuits being produced by Axiom Space, [said to have](https://youtu.be/pAKqJxuxDgk?t=3433&ref=proximareport.com) halved its mass by doing so. With that change, the suits are now expected to allow for just two two-hour-long spacewalks during Artemis IV. Ahead of either landing going to the Moon, both will fly for the low Earth orbit-limited Artemis III mission, currently looking to take place in the second half of 2027 for [around two weeks](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasas-artemis-iii-mission-to-test-future-moon-lander-operations/?ref=proximareport.com). That mission will see [astronauts](https://proximareport.com/artemis-iii-all-male/) Randolph Bresnik, Luca Parmitano, Frank Rubio, and Andre Douglas boarding a version of Blue Origin's lander and docking with a modified Starship. Astronaut training for Artemis III [began in August](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/08/27/nasa-starts-artemis-iii-engine-install-boosters-crew-training-advance/?ref=proximareport.com). ![NASA slides shown to a small audience at the International Astronautical Congress in early October 2026. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-10-27-at-16-32-02-HLS-IAC-2026-Presentation-FINAL.pdf-1-.png) NASA slides shown to a small audience at the International Astronautical Congress in early October 2026\. ©NASA NASA's changes to Artemis IV and the descoping of Artemis III has been driven by [the American perception](https://youtu.be/pAKqJxuxDgk?t=399&ref=proximareport.com) of a new Moon race against China's lunar exploration program, which aims to have at least two taikonauts on the surface before the end of 2029\. Efforts for that have been moving smoothly, across [advanced spacesuits](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/wangyu-lunar-spacesuit-work-progressing?ref=proximareport.com), [dedicated launch facilities](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/wenchang-moves-towards-readiness?ref=proximareport.com), and [verification missions](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/lanyue-to-perform-scientific-cargo?ref=proximareport.com). Unlike the U.S., Chinese planners [aren't reorganizing their efforts](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-is-not-racing-to-the-moon?ref=proximareport.com) to win a short-term geopolitical genital measuring contest. ### Weekly Dose of Space (18/10-24/10) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-18-10-24-10/ Last updated: 2026-10-25T13:17:10.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw seven launches flying to a variety of orbits, using six different rockets. News of the week has China opening up a precursor lunar mission to its crewed landings and a Russian satellite performing an unapproved close approach. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *October 19th - H3 with Martian Moons eXploration* Japan's H3 rocket blasted off from the Tanegashima Space Center and flew along a path to depart Earth, aiming for the red planet for the nation's Martian Moons eXploration mission. [That mission will](https://proximareport.com/japans-mmx-mission-launches-to-mars/) land on Phobos to collect samples and deploy a rover, as well flying by Deimos. ![H3 departing from the Tanegashima Space Center for the Martian Moons eXploration mission on October 19th 2026. ©JAXA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/HVBZlegbAAAU8-n-1.jpg) H3 departing from the Tanegashima Space Center for the Martian Moons eXploration mission on October 19th 2026\. ©JAXA ### *October 20th - Falcon 9 with Bandwagon-5* SpaceX performed its fifth mid-inclination small spacecraft rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, to deploy a few dozen customer spacecraft as well as a [Starfall capsule](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2111482288135446909/photo/1?ref=proximareport.com). Supporting the launch was booster B1085, flying for the nineteenth time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Bandwagon-5 mission on October 20th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/HVFva4NWwAA1L3W-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Bandwagon-5 mission on October 20th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *October 21st - Ceres-1S with Xiguang-4-01* Galactic Energy's Ceres-1S soared into low Earth orbit from the Yellow Sea to deploy the Xiguang-4-01 remote sensing satellite on behalf of a cohort of Guangzhou entities. Xiguang-4-01 is the first prototype of a twenty-eight-satellite constellation focused on low-latitude locations. ![Galactic Energy's Ceres-1S Y8 vehicle soaring from its sea launch platform in the Yellow Sea on October 21st 2026. ©Galactic Energy](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/007pC894ly1ii9uzexpglj31hd0yrb29-1.jpg) Galactic Energy's Ceres-1S Y8 vehicle soaring from its sea launch platform in the Yellow Sea on October 21st 2026\. ©Galactic Energy ### *October 23rd - Electron for 'We're Not Hawking Around'* Rocket Lab flew its Electron rocket into sun-synchronous orbit from Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, for a dedicated flight for HawkEye 360\. That flight saw three radio frequency emission monitoring satellites released to build a constellation to map those globally. > LIFTOFF! Electron has launched for the 98th time. https://t.co/MIbC82u4ZJ > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [October 23, 2026](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2113529232576131200?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *October 23rd - Long March 6A with Yaogan-50-03* From the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 6A headed into a retrograde low Earth orbit to release the Yaogan-50-03 remote sensing satellite. The satellite is the third of its series launched this year, tasked with crop yield estimation, land surveying, and disaster mitigation and prevention. ![The Long March 6A Y30 vehicle blasting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on October 23rd 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/640a-1.webp) The Long March 6A Y30 vehicle blasting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on October 23rd 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *October 23rd - Long March 4B with six Yaogan satellites* Another six Yaogan satellites were brought into low Earth orbit via a Long March 4B flying from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Those being launched were designated Yaogan-53-07, -08, -09 and Yaogan-56-19, -20, and -21. ![The Long March 4B Y81 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on October 23rd 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/640aaaaa-1.webp) The Long March 4B Y81 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on October 23rd 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *October 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-15* Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, saw a Falcon 9 heading into low Earth orbit to deploy twenty-seven Starlink satellites. Booster B1063 supported this launch for its thirty-sixth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight from Space Launch Complex 4E on October 23rd 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/HVWtH6eXsAAJ5Pk-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight from Space Launch Complex 4E on October 23rd 2026\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *China plans Lanyue cargo Moon mission* Before China sends taikonauts to the Moon's surface later this decade through its lunar exploration program, missions to prove the Lanyue lunar lander are set to take place. Details on one of those were [shared on October 22nd](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/lanyue-to-perform-scientific-cargo?ref=proximareport.com), through a request for cargo submissions from the China Manned Space Agency. While not specifying how many missions would occur before it, the Lanyue mission opened up was stated to be a precursor to crewed lunar landings, implying it would launch in 2028 at the earliest. Additionally, due to the mission's nature, it was suggested that a landing location would remain near the equator, although not explicitly stated. In the request, it was stated that scientific cargo items up to 50 kilograms in weight and using under 100 watts of power would be considered, so long as they are from domestic research institutions, universities, and relevant firms. A deadline for submissions is set for March 1st 2027. ### *Cosmos-2612 approaches ICEYE-X36* During this week, Russian spacecraft Cosmos-2612 performed a close approach to the Finnish-American ICEYE-X36, an X-band synthetic aperture radar satellite, without stating what they were doing. In a statement [given to *Via Satellite*](https://www.satellitetoday.com/government-military/2026/10/19/russian-satellite-maneuvered-within-extreme-proximity-of-iceye-satellite-leolabs-reports/?ref=proximareport.com), space situational awareness company LeoLabs suggested that Cosmos-2612 was demonstrating precision use of onboard sensors for up-close inspections and intelligence gathering about ICEYE-X36\. That would not be all to surprising, as the Finnish-American satellite has provided support to Ukraine during the ongoing conflict. Cosmos-2612's approach was set up [over several months by](https://isruniversity.com/2026/10/12/issue-155/?ref=proximareport.com#155section1) slowly adjusting its orbit. The closest the two satellites came was [about 150 meters](https://x.com/GillingerGreg/status/2111644390934696327?ref=proximareport.com) in separation. Russia's satellite has since departed proximity. > Short time-lapse of part of this morning’s first pass of ICEYE-X36 (59103) and COSMOS 2612 (68762) over South America under partly cloudy skies. https://t.co/t8RhwmKcV4 > > — s2a systems (@s2a\_systems) [October 18, 2026](https://x.com/s2a%5Fsystems/status/2111745395747361049?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *October 25th - Long March 8A with GuoWang connectivity satellites* A Long March 8A is preparing to fly from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site to bring a group of GuoWang satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *October 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-16* Twenty-seven more Starlink satellites are planned to be added to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *October 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-18* Another Falcon 9 will launch twenty-seven Starlinks into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E once again. ### *October 30th - GSLV Mk-II with NVS-03* India is planning to deploy its NVS-03 navigation satellite via a launch of the GSLV Mk-II into a geostationary transfer orbit from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. ### Reid Wiseman, Artemis II Commander, Lands F1 Role Following NASA Departure URL: https://proximareport.com/reid-wiseman-artemis-f1/ Last updated: 2026-10-21T18:39:13.000Z In April, American astronaut Reid Wiseman served as the Commander for NASA's [Artemis II mission](https://proximareport.com/artemis-ii-launched/), flying [around the Moon](https://proximareport.com/artemis-ii-moon-distance/) [for ten days](https://proximareport.com/artemis-earth-historic-lunar/) to demonstrate that the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket are safe to launch humans, ahead of [later missions](https://proximareport.com/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/) to return to the surface. In the months since the mission, Wiseman has transitioned from his role as an active astronaut to '[NASA Emeritus](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-names-two-artemis-ii-astronauts-to-emeritus-program/?ref=proximareport.com)', as of September. That is a position where he can provide critical insights to the U.S. space agency, such as supporting the training of other astronauts, while being allowed to pursue other opportunities outside of government. A month on from that, a surprise [announcement on October 21st](https://www.mercedesamgf1.com/news/former-astronaut-reid-wiseman-joins-mercedes-f1-team?ref=proximareport.com) stated that Wiseman has joined the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team in an ambassadorial role for the nine-time Drivers and eight-time Constructors world champions. As an ambassador for the team, Wiseman will be a figurehead for Mercedes' partners, sponsors, and guests to meet at team events and during Grand Prix weekends, according to the F1 team. In other words, he is in a public relations role, something which had to be done before and after the Artemis II mission for many months to ramp up public interest in the lunar flight. Wiseman's first time in that role [will be at the upcoming](https://x.com/MercedesAMGF1/status/2112929772338905322?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) United States Grand Prix this weekend in Austin, Texas. Speaking on the decision to hire Wiseman as a Team Ambassador, Mercedes' Chief Commercial Officer, Richard Sanders, shared via a press release: > "Over the past few years, Reid has become a genuine friend of our team. Every conversation leaves you inspired, not just because of where he has been, but because of how he thinks and leads. There are remarkable similarities between F1 and human spaceflight." In the press release, Wiseman would add the following: > "I've always been struck by how much Formula One and space exploration have in common. In both worlds, success is never about one individual. It is built by talented teams solving difficult problems, preparing relentlessly, and trusting one another when the pressure is at its highest. I've been fortunate to spend time with the Mercedes F1 Team in recent seasons and have seen first-hand the culture, innovation, and determination that drives its success." Ahead of the announcement, Wiseman [visited the team](https://lnkd.in/p/eEFKh-6v?ref=proximareport.com) as a VIP guest during the 2026 Miami Grand Prix weekend at the start of May, talking with [key](https://x.com/MercedesAMGF1/status/2053790218122043654?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) [personnel](https://x.com/MercedesAMGF1/status/2050665443703042511?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) and the team's [leading driver](https://x.com/MercedesAMGF1/status/2050759406929784883?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). That weekend was a good one to be a guest of the team, as Mercedes [went on to win](https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/antonelli-overjoyed-with-record-breaking-miami-win-but-knows-the-road-is-still-long-in-2026-title-race.1Bn4oOCY3QYSgHalec3riz?ref=proximareport.com), allowing them to extend their advantages in both of F1's championships. Since then, Mercedes has run away with both the Drivers and [Constructors championships](https://www.formula1.com/en/results/2026/team?ref=proximareport.com), but are yet to mathematically wrap them up. In the former, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has a comfortable 102-point lead and could clinch [his first world title this weekend](https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/points-permutations-when-is-the-earliest-antonelli-could-win-the-world-championship.24UKT2fsQl4GmC5DMrmYUy?ref=proximareport.com). If he does, Antonelli would be Mercedes' newest champion, after Lewis Hamilton [claimed his seventh in 2020](https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/seventh-title-beyond-wildest-dreams-admits-hamilton-who-says-keeping.5IhtoOVVVFOi4LJKvWZ1z7?ref=proximareport.com), while being F1's youngest ever at just twenty years old. ![Reid Wiseman with Kimi Antonelli (right) after Saturday's qualifying session during the 2026 Miami Grand Prix weekend. ©Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/M594920_Miami_Grand_Prix__Saturday__Sam_Bloxham.webp) Reid Wiseman with Kimi Antonelli (right) after Saturday's qualifying session during the 2026 Miami Grand Prix weekend. ©Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team ### And where are the other Artemis II astronauts? Reid Wiseman is not the only member of the Artemis II crew to leave active astronaut duty since returning to Earth, as all four have at present. Victor Glover, the mission's pilot, became a 'NASA Emeritus' the same month as Wiseman to [return to his alma mater](https://ucm.calpoly.edu/news/victor-glover-returns-full-time-cal-poly?ref=proximareport.com), Cal Poly, for a full-time administrative leadership position. At the university, Glover is expected to support efforts to bolster California's academic leadership in many innovative sectors. Christina Koch, one of the Mission Specialists, is remaining at NASA in an engineering-focused position. On October 13th, [it was announced that](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-names-astronaut-christina-koch-acting-deputy-chief-engineer/?ref=proximareport.com) Koch will become Acting Deputy Chief Engineer of the space agency, overseeing technical milestones and mission engineering across several programs. It was not stated how long Koch will stay in the acting role, but NASA says she has moved to management astronaut status. Meanwhile, Canadian Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen retired from his position as an astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency [back in July](https://www.canada.ca/en/space-agency/news/2026/07/canada-recognizes-the-career-and-achievements-of-canadian-space-agency-astronaut-jeremy-hansen.html?ref=proximareport.com). Hansen is yet to appear in a public role elsewhere, but he [said that he will still support](https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/jeremy-hansen-retiring-9.7260110?ref=proximareport.com) Canada on Earth and in space. Before retirement he had waited seventeen years to fly following selection in 2009. ### Japan’s MMX Mission Launches on Journey to Mars’ Moons URL: https://proximareport.com/japans-mmx-mission-launches-to-mars/ Last updated: 2026-10-19T21:58:15.000Z Japan’s Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission has successfully launched aboard Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ [H3-24L launch vehicle](https://www.mhi.com/business/products-services/space-defense/launch-service/launch-vehicles?ref=proximareport.com) from the Yoshinobu Launch Complex in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. After a nominal flight, the MMX spacecraft separated from the H3's second stage at **X+01:11:15** completing the first leg of the mission. Led by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ([JAXA](https://global.jaxa.jp/?ref=proximareport.com)), MMX will investigate the origins of Phobos and Deimos, two of the Solar System’s least understood moons. The mission will also aim to collect material from Phobos and return it to Earth in 2031, providing scientists an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the history of the Martian system. ## What Is Japan’s MMX Mission? ![Artist’s impression of Japan’s MMX spacecraft flying above Phobos, with Mars visible in the background.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/3b7c6d4a3f498f10a573f4e8fcc0cca1.webp) Artistic Rendition of the MMX spacecraft just above Phobos with Mars looming in the background ****Image Credit: JAXA** The [Martian Moons eXploration mission](https://proximareport.com/jaxas-daring-mars-mission/) is one of Japan’s biggest planetary science projects so far. It builds on Japan’s experience with the Hayabusa and Hayabusa2 asteroid missions, taking the country’s exploration efforts beyond asteroids and into the Martian system. Despite decades of robotic exploration of Mars, its two moons remain relatively mysterious. Previous spacecraft have observed Phobos and Deimos from a distance, but questions surrounding their composition, internal structure, and formation history remain unresolved. MMX will try to answer these questions by closely observing the moons, exploring their surfaces, and collecting material from Phobos. Bringing samples back to Earth lets scientists use advanced lab tools that can’t be sent on a spacecraft. The mission will last about five years, covering the trip to Mars, exploring the moons, collecting samples, and returning a capsule to Earth in 2031. International cooperation is also central to the mission, with [NASA](https://nasa.gov/?ref=proximareport.com), the European Space Agency ([ESA](https://www.esa.int/?ref=proximareport.com)), France’s National Center for Space Studies ([CNES](https://cnes.fr/en?ref=proximareport.com)), and the German Aerospace Center ([DLR](https://www.dlr.de/en/research-and-transfer?ref=proximareport.com)) contributing scientific expertise, technology, and mission support alongside JAXA. ## Why Is MMX Exploring Mars’ Moons? As mentioned earlier, scientists still don't know how Phobos and Deimos formed. They may be asteroids captured by Mars’ gravity or debris from a massive impact on the planet, similar to how Earth's Moon formed. Studying their composition could help researchers determine which explanation is more likely and better understand the early history of the Martian system. Phobos is the mission’s primary target. About 27 kilometers across, it orbits Mars every 7 hours and 39 minutes. MMX will study its surface and composition before attempting to collect regolith that will be returned to Earth. Although Phobos is the main sampling target, MMX will also study Deimos, Mars’ smaller, more distant moon. Comparing the two could reveal whether they share a common origin and provide further clues about how the Martian system evolved. ## MMX Will Collect Samples From Phobos and Return Them to Earth One of MMX’s most important objectives is to bring material from Phobos back to Earth for detailed laboratory analysis. If successful, it will become the first mission to return samples from a Martian moon. The spacecraft aims to collect at least 10 grams of material using two sampling systems designed to gather surface particles and material from beneath the surface. Before sampling begins, the European-developed **IDEFIX rover**, built through cooperation between France’s CNES and Germany’s DLR, will investigate Phobos’ surface and help characterize the environment. Sampling on Phobos presents unique engineering challenges. Its weak gravity makes surface operations difficult, requiring careful control to prevent the spacecraft from rebounding during contact. After collecting the samples, MMX will depart the Martian system and return toward Earth. A dedicated capsule carrying the material is expected to arrive in 2031, with recovery planned in Australia. Once recovered, the samples will allow scientists to conduct detailed analyses that could help resolve long-standing questions about the origins of Mars’ moons and the Solar System's evolution. ## What Happens Next for Japan’s MMX Spacecraft? With its successful launch and separation confirmed, MMX can now begin the next stage of its journey: **transitioning from launch operations to a long-duration interplanetary mission.** The focus is now on running the spacecraft, making sure it can talk to ground teams, checking its systems, and getting ready for the trip ahead. MMX is an important step in helping us learn more about Mars and its moons. By bringing back material from Phobos, the mission could help answer big questions about how Mars’ moons formed, how planets change, and how material moved in the early Solar System. The next major chapter will unfold millions of kilometers from Earth, where two small moons may hold answers to some of planetary science’s biggest questions. ### Weekly Dose of Space (11/10-17/10) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-11-10-17-10/ Last updated: 2026-10-18T12:58:15.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had four launches taking place across the globe, with SpaceX performing all but one. News during the week saw Blue Origin detailing new parts of their Florida plans and Amazon preparing to deploy Leo satellites again. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *October 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-25* Twenty-seven Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, via a Falcon 9\. Supporting their deployment was booster B1088, flying for the twentieth time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 15-25 mission on October 13th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/HUejEM1XcAA9nMn-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 15-25 mission on October 13th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *October 13th - Falcon 9 with CRS-35* SpaceX began its thirty-fifth resupply mission to the International Space Station with the launch of a Cargo Dragon V2 atop of a Falcon 9 departing Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1096 enabled the launch for its eighth flight, touching down at Landing Zone 40 next to the launch pad afterwards. ![Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 40 for the CRS-35 mission on October 13th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/HUgxwyqXUAA8zyO-1.jpg) Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 40 for the CRS-35 mission on October 13th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *October 14th - Zhuque-2E with ten satellites* LandSpace's Zhuque-2E lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center while heading into sun-synchronous orbit to deliver ten customer satellites. Eight of them belonged to ADA Space to grow its Three-Body Computing constellation, currently the world's only operational on-orbit compute system, to twenty satellites. Guangchuan-03 and Guangchuan-04 were secondary payloads onboard, made by Laser Starcom for LandTower, a new LandSpace subsidiary. ![Zhuque-2E Y4 lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on October 14th 2026. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/006Su8pSly1ii25m24zikj32yo1o01kx-1.jpg) Zhuque-2E Y4 lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on October 14th 2026\. ©LandSpace ### *October 16th - Falcon 9 with USSF-481* A group of U.S. military spacecraft to be operated by the United States Space Force were brought into Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. For this launch, booster B1081 was utilized for its twenty-eighth flight, being recovered on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 4E for the USSF-481 mission on October 16th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/HUujJamXcAAb5xP.jpg) Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 4E for the USSF-481 mission on October 16th 2026\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Blue Origin further expanding Florida operations* Having announced plans to establish a second launch pad in Florida for New Glenn's larger and more capable variant, known as 9x4, [in August](https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-two-florida-pads/), Blue Origin provided further details on its expansion plans across the space coast [on October 16th](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/building-infrastructure-for-more-frequent-launches-in-florida?ref=proximareport.com). Critical to plans for manufacturing and preparing New Glenn 9x4, Blue Origin's launch vehicle manufacturing site is currently undergoing a massive 330 million United States Dollar expansion that will be completed by the summer of 2027\. Part of the expansion includes an investment in automated production equipment, stated to be able to make up to one hundred and fifty second-stages per year, while bringing select components in-house. A few miles away, the company's new vertical integration facility is starting to rise into the skyline already. Off of dry land, Blue Origin revealed that it is working on commissioning two new drone ships to complement 'Jacklyn' for booster recovery operations based out of Port Canaveral. In theory, by operating three ships, the company would be able to receive a recently flown booster, be preparing to recover another, and send another ship out for a future flight simultaneously. No timeline for the delivery of the new drone ships was detailed. With the new facilities and incoming drone ships, Blue Origin will be able to fly no more than fifty times per year, restricted by government approvals, between Launch Complex 36A and 36B. The company did state that they intend to build additional launch pads in Florida, dictated by what they learn this year and next. ### *Amazon Leo prepares to resume deployments* No earlier than November 23rd, [Amazon plans](https://x.com/AmazonLeo/status/2110386328558817331?ref=proximareport.com) to have its fourteenth group of Leo space-based internet satellites brought into low Earth orbit [via Arianespace's](https://x.com/Arianespace/status/2110387183370616973?ref=proximareport.com) tenth flight of its Ariane 6\. That launch will see 36 satellites within the launch vehicle's payload fairing, with it making use of its four upgraded solid rocket boosters for the second time, which [were debuted back in June](https://proximareport.com/ariane-64-amazon-le03/). It will also be the constellation's fourth time utilizing Ariane 6\. Through no fault of Amazon's own, Leo satellites have been stuck on Earth, with over six hundred awaiting launch. The milestone of the [1000th completed](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-4-10-10-10/#amazon-builds-1000th-leo-internet-satellite) production was reached earlier this month while only 396 have been flown. The last time any satellites were deployed was in [late July via an Atlas V](https://proximareport.com/la08-amazon-ula/). Amazon [had hoped](https://europeanspaceflight.com/arianespace-targets-23-nov-ariane-6-return-following-reported-turbopump-fix/?ref=proximareport.com) that the upcoming Ariane 6 flight would have been able to fly this month, but a turbopump issue was found during [evaluations in August](https://europeanspaceflight.com/esa-acknowledges-ariane-6-delays-following-reports-of-turbopump-issue/?ref=proximareport.com). Meanwhile, other launch vehicles the company booked have been grounded following [in-flight anomalies](https://proximareport.com/vulcan-ussf-87-minor-anomaly/) and a [launch pad explosion](https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-explodes-2026/). ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *October 19th - Falcon 9 with Bandwagon-5* SpaceX is preparing to perform its fifth mid-inclination rideshare mission into low Earth orbit to deploy a few dozen small customer satellites after liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *October 19th - H3 with Martian Moons eXploration* Japan will commence its Martian Moons eXploration mission to Mars' moon Phobos, where it will collect samples, via the launch of its H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center. ### *October 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-15* A batch of Starlink satellites are planned to be brought into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *October 21st - Ceres-1S with Xiguang-4-01* Galactic Energy's Ceres-1S is set ot lift off from the Yellow Sea to fly into low Earth orbit to deploy the Xiguang-4-01 remote sensing satellite. ### *October 21st - Electron for 'We're Not Hawking Around'* Rocket Lab's Electron will launch from the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand to bring three HawkEye 360 into sun-synchronous orbit. ### *October 22nd - Long March 8A with a group of connectivity satellites* A Long March 8A is preparing to fly from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site to bring either a group of GuoWang or Qianfan satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *October 23rd - Long March 6A with Yaogan-50-03* From the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 6A will fly into a retrograde low Earth orbit to deliver the Yaogan-50-03 remote sensing satellite. ### *October 23rd - Long March 4B with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 4B is preparing to fly from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and into low Earth orbit on behalf of a customer that is yet to be revealed. ### *October 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-16* Another Falcon 9 will bring more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit with a launch from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### Neutron's First Flight Delayed to 2027 Due to Production Issues URL: https://proximareport.com/neutrons-flight-delayed-2027/ Last updated: 2026-10-15T15:27:59.000Z On October 14th, Rocket Lab's Peter Beck, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, [led a short video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wAcXQSgbS0&ref=proximareport.com) to announce that the first flight of the company's partially reusable Neutron launch vehicle is now delayed into 2027. Reasons cited for the delay were issues found in the production process for the first-stage propellant tank sections, which had changes made after a failed test [back in January](https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/rocket-lab-neutron-test-update/?ref=proximareport.com). The issues found were said to be material voids inside the tanks' domes between layers of carbon fiber material. Those would reduce structural strength and could potentially fail during flight. According to Peter Beck, that issue has now been resolved by modifying how the domes were made following a lengthy investigation. It was not stated how much time Rocket Lab took from finding the problem to fixing it, but it was enough to push Neutron's first flight out of the last two and a half months of this year. At present, Rocket Lab is manufacturing all parts of Neutron's first-stage propellant tank, with inspections planned once they're completed. Should those parts pass inspection, they will be joined together and sent out for hydrostatic testing, being loaded with water to confirm designed strength and pressure limits. After hydrostatic testing, the first-stage will move on to cryogenic qualification testing. Meanwhile, Neutron's second-stage has already passed almost all of its tests, except for a static fire, some time ago in the [first half of 2025](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/1907183664670421413?ref=proximareport.com). Speaking on why Rocket Lab would rather delay over flying as soon as they can, Peter Beck said: > "Customers understand that a reliable rocket is far more valuable than an early one. \[...\] We believe Neutron is going to be a game-changer, and taking time to solve these challenges means we're in a better position to deliver a rocket that's ready to meet the needs of the industry for years to come.' Relatedly, hardware for the second and third Neutron missions, without saying what parts those were, were stated to be in production. It's known that [at least one flight's worth](https://proximareport.com/neutron-debut-2025-ocean-2026/) of hardware won't be brought back to prove the launch vehicle's ability to reach orbit and recover the first-stage. While the first-stage propellant tanks are a key part of Neutron that needs to be qualified for flight, other components aren't ready either. As of October 15th, [Rocket Lab's own tracker](https://rocketlabcorp.com/launch/neutron/?ref=proximareport.com) for Neutron milestones details that the Archimedes engines to power the vehicle are yet to be qualified for flight, mechanical components are yet to complete testing, and regulatory approval hasn't been granted. Since January, the [captive fairing section](https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/hungry-hippo-arrives/?ref=proximareport.com) of Neutron has been at the company's launch facilities on Wallops Island, Virginia, ahead of integration and testing with the rest of the vehicle. Launch Complex 3 within the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport has also been 'open' [for over a year](https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/rocket-lab-opens-launch-complex-3-a-critical-milestone-on-the-path-to-neutrons-first-launch/?ref=proximareport.com). While Neutron is yet to fly, customers are buying dedicated flights of the vehicle. A [confidential client bought](https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/rocket-labs-biggest-launch-deal-yet-confidential-customer-books-multiple-neutron-and-electron-launches/?ref=proximareport.com) a handful of launches in May, while [Kepler Communications Inc secured](https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/rocket-lab-inks-neutron-launch-deal-with-kepler-communications/?ref=proximareport.com) a mission to fly in 2028\. Those are alongside orders from [the United](https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/rocket-lab-selected-by-nasa-to-provide-neutron-launch-services-under-vadr-launch-contract/?ref=proximareport.com) [States government](https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/rocket-labs-neutron-rocket-on-ramped-to-u-s-space-forces-5-6b-national-security-space-launch-nssl-program/?ref=proximareport.com). ### Weekly Dose of Space (4/10-10/10) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-4-10-10-10/ Last updated: 2026-10-11T14:41:33.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw just three orbital launches taking place, with the majority coming from Asia. News from the week had Amazon providing an update on its satellite production, and polar usage of GuoWang. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *October 7th - KSLV-2 with fifteen small satellites* South Korea's KSLV-2 blasted off from the Naro Space Center and flew into sun-synchronous orbit for the delivery of fifteen small satellites. Five of those, designated NeonSat-2 through 6, are from a conglomerate of Korean institutions for monitoring the Korean Peninsula. The other ten were university or commercial research spacecraft known as SLEDGE, GBSAT, UEL-Y-Sys, SD-1 SAT, DaejonSat-1, BEE-1012, JACK-007, CPSat, E3-TESTER-KARI-2, and PERSAT02, which failed to separate before a disposal burn was performed. > \[누리호 5차 발사 영상 공개\] 대한민국 우주발사체 누리호의 5차 발사 모습을 공개합니다. #한국항공우주연구원 #항우연 #KARI #누리호 #누리호5차발사 https://t.co/kSnTL9A2FF > > — 한국항공우주연구원 (@kari2030) [October 7, 2026](https://x.com/kari2030/status/2107712624532316341?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *October 9th - Long March 12 with GuoWang Group 27* A Long March 12 departed from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site to bring nine GuoWang connectivity satellites into space for the constellations twenty-seventh deployment to date. With this launch, the state-backed constellation has 222 satellites working in orbit. ![The Long March 12 Y10 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on October 9th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/008fvaT0ly1ihwyh5vmnlj30u0133n22-1.jpg) The Long March 12 Y10 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on October 9th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *October 10th - Falcon 9 with Tranche 1 spacecraft* Out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, a Falcon 9 flew into low Earth orbit carrying twenty-one spacecraft built by Northrop Grumman into polar orbit, on behalf of the U.S. Space Development Agency for its military communications constellation. Supporting this launch was booster B1103, flying for the sixth time, with a soft touchdown at Landing Zone 4. ![A composite photo showing B1103 descending towards Landing Zone 4 (left) and Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 4E (right) on October 10th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/HUQz7qZW0AAgaT3.jpg) A composite photo showing B1103 descending towards Landing Zone 4 (left) and Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 4E (right) on October 10th 2026\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Amazon builds 1,000th Leo internet satellite* Despite having remained on Earth [since July](https://proximareport.com/la08-amazon-ula/), Amazon's Leo space-based internet constellation has kept producing satellites and shipping them out to launch providers. As of this week, [the company says](https://www.aboutamazon.com/stories/how-amazon-leo-builds-satellites?ref=proximareport.com) they have made its one thousandth satellite. Producing that many satellites required the company to set up a dedicated 172,000 square foot factory in Kirkland, Washington, including reshuffling production processes for optimizations. When the factory started production a few years ago, a batch of satellites, at least twenty-seven, for a single launch would take six months to make. Now, it can reportedly be done in just one week. So far, 396 Amazon Leo satellites have been delivered via fourteen launches. Commenting on those satellites' reliability and production, Leo Vice President of Technology [Rajeev Badyal shared](https://lnkd.in/p/e4c7EPkX?ref=proximareport.com): > "The challenge was never building one or two satellites. It was standing up an operation that could build the same high-performance spacecraft hundreds of times over without compromising quality, safety, or reliability. \[...\] Of the 396 satellites we've launched so far, all but four are still flying. That's an incredible success rate at this phase in our journey." While having an impressive number of satellites in space, Leo is yet to begin providing its internet services to customers. According to an [interview with *Ars Technica*](https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/10/amazon-builds-1000th-satellite-is-weeks-away-from-space-internet-rollout/?ref=proximareport.com), an 'initial service' is planned to be available before the end of the year. Meanwhile, integration work for future launches aboard Arianespace's Ariane 6 and the constellations' first deployments aboard United Launch Alliance's Vulcan is underway. A [handful of missions' worth](https://x.com/AmazonLeo/status/2108240553133371698?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) of satellites are currently being readied for flight. ### *GuoWang moving towards standard use* During this week, [it was disclosed](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/guowang-performs-polar-tests-with?ref=proximareport.com) that China's GuoWang constellation was used to support the nation's recent Arctic expeditions, providing connectivity to research vessels. With that connection, teams were able to transfer research data, navigation logs, and perform video calls in the remote region. While technical specifics were not disclosed, it was reported that researchers enjoyed connection download and upload speeds of 30 megabits per second, with a response time of under a second. The feat of the constellation allowing data collected by the Arctic team to remain within Chinese systems was a highlighted part of reports. Based on the latitude of the expedition, GuoWang's handful of polar-orbiting groups enabled it. GuoWang's use in the Arctic is the first publicly disclosed major trial of the constellation, with suspicions of early use for several months within the Chinese government. With a usage as remote as that reported this week, it may signal that GuoWang is moving towards more widespread, standard use. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *October 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-25* A Falcon 9 is set to launch a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *October 13th - Falcon 9 with CRS-35* SpaceX will perform another cargo deliver to the International Space Station via its Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft, launching from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, atop of a Falcon 9. ### *October 14th - Zhuque-2E with group of satellites* LandSpace is preparing another Zhuque-2E mission for flight at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, which may deploy a group of satellites for a single customer. ### *October 16th - Falcon 9 with USSF-481* A group of U.S. military satellites are to be launched into Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E by a Falcon 9\. ### Heat Shield URL: https://proximareport.com/glossary/heat-shield/ Last updated: 2026-10-10T18:07:22.000Z # Heat Shield A **heat shield** is a protective system designed to prevent a spacecraft or other vehicle from being damaged by extreme temperatures during atmospheric entry. Heat shields protect spacecraft, equipment, and astronauts from the intense heating generated as a vehicle travels through an atmosphere at high speed. Heat shields are used on crewed spacecraft, robotic sample-return missions, and planetary probes entering other worlds' atmospheres. ## Key Facts - **Primary purpose:** Protect a vehicle from extreme aerodynamic heating. - **Main heat sources:** Compression and heating of gas around a rapidly moving vehicle, alongside heat transfer from the surrounding flow. - **Common materials:** Ablative materials, ceramic tiles, and high-temperature insulating materials. - **Common applications:** Atmospheric reentry, planetary landings, and sample-return missions. - **Notable examples:** SpaceX Dragon, NASA’s Orion spacecraft, and the Mars Perseverance rover. ## What Is a Heat Shield? A heat shield protects a vehicle from the intense thermal conditions encountered during atmospheric entry. When a spacecraft enters an atmosphere at high speed, the gas surrounding it becomes extremely hot, exposing its exterior to substantial heat transfer. Heat shields manage this energy through specialized materials and engineering. Some shields absorb heat and gradually erode, while others insulate the vehicle and radiate heat away from its surface. Two major approaches are used in spacecraft thermal protection: - **Ablative heat shields:** Materials gradually decompose, char, and erode, carrying heat away from the vehicle. These are commonly used on capsules returning from space. - **Reusable thermal protection systems:** Materials such as ceramic tiles and heat-resistant panels insulate the vehicle and withstand repeated heating cycles, as long as they are properly maintained. The appropriate design depends on the vehicle, its speed, the atmosphere it enters, and whether the shield must be used once or survive repeated flights. ## What Are Heat Shields Used For? Heat shields are used in several types of aerospace missions, including: - **Crewed spacecraft:** Protecting astronauts during atmospheric reentry. - **Cargo capsules:** Safeguarding equipment and supplies returning from orbit. - **Planetary probes:** Protecting spacecraft entering planetary atmospheres such as Mars. - **Sample-return missions:** Preventing collected material and its return capsule from being destroyed during Earth entry. - **Reusable spacecraft:** Protecting vehicles designed to return through an atmosphere and fly again. NASA’s Perseverance rover, for example, used a heat shield during its entry into the Martian atmosphere before deploying its parachute and completing its descent to the surface. ## Why Do Heat Shields Matter? Heat shields are critical because atmospheric entry can expose spacecraft to severe heating that would destroy unprotected structures and endanger their occupants. A successful design must balance thermal protection, structural strength, mass, and reliability. Adding protection increases spacecraft mass, which can raise launch and propulsion requirements. Engineers must therefore develop systems that can survive expected heating without making the vehicle unnecessarily heavy. Heat shields are also essential to the future of human exploration. Returning crews from the Moon or bringing samples back from distant destinations requires thermal protection designed for each mission's specific speeds and conditions. ## Related Terms - [Reentry](https://proximareport.com/glossary/reentry/) — The process of a spacecraft returning through Earth’s atmosphere. - Atmospheric Drag — The force that resists an object’s motion through an atmosphere. - Aerodynamics — The study of how gases interact with moving objects. - [Low Earth Orbit (LEO)](https://proximareport.com/glossary/low-earth-orbit-leo/) — The orbital region where many spacecraft operate before returning to Earth. - Delta-v — A measure of the change in velocity required to perform a maneuver. - Thermal Protection System (TPS) — Materials and structures designed to protect a vehicle from extreme temperatures. - Sample Return Mission — A mission designed to collect material from another location and return it for analysis. ## In Short A **heat shield** is a protective system that prevents spacecraft from suffering destructive heating during atmospheric entry. Using ablative materials or reusable thermal protection, heat shields enable spacecraft recovery and planetary exploration. ### Reentry URL: https://proximareport.com/glossary/reentry/ Last updated: 2026-10-10T18:00:10.000Z # Reentry **Reentry** is the process of a spacecraft or other object returning from space into Earth’s atmosphere. During reentry, the object encounters atmospheric drag and intense aerodynamic heating as it travels at high speeds through increasingly dense air. Reentry is a critical phase of spaceflight, requiring careful control of a vehicle’s trajectory, temperature, and speed to reach its destination safely. ## Key Facts - **Typical starting altitude:** Often above 100 km, though reentry trajectories vary by mission. - **Primary challenge:** Managing intense aerodynamic heating and deceleration. - **Main forces:** Aerodynamic drag, lift (for vehicles designed to generate it), and gravity. - **Common applications:** Returning astronauts, recovering spacecraft, and delivering cargo from orbit. - **Major examples:** SpaceX Dragon, NASA’s Orion spacecraft, and the Soyuz crew capsule. ## What Is Reentry? When a spacecraft returns from orbit, it enters the atmosphere at extremely high speeds. A vehicle returning from low Earth orbit typically travels at around **7.8 km/s (17,500 mph)** before atmospheric deceleration. As the spacecraft encounters air, it compresses and heats the surrounding gas, creating an intense thermal environment. The resulting aerodynamic forces slow the vehicle while exposing its exterior to extreme temperatures. Spacecraft use **heat shields** and specialized thermal protection systems to prevent this heat from damaging the vehicle or endangering its crew. Engineers carefully plan reentry trajectories to manage deceleration and heating. Some spacecraft use lifting bodies to control their flight path, while others rely primarily on aerodynamic drag and parachutes during later stages of descent. ## What Is Reentry Used For? Reentry is essential to several types of space missions, including: - **Crew recovery:** Returning astronauts from the International Space Station. - **Cargo recovery:** Bringing experiments, equipment, and supplies back to Earth. - **Reusable launch systems:** Recovering spacecraft and rocket stages designed for reuse. - **Sample return missions:** Delivering material collected from asteroids, the Moon, or other celestial bodies. - **Space debris disposal:** Allowing defunct satellites and other objects to descend into the atmosphere, where they may burn up or break apart. ## Why Does Reentry Matter? Reentry is one of the most demanding phases of spaceflight because a vehicle must transition from orbital motion to a controlled landing or recovery. The combination of high speed, aerodynamic heating, and rapidly changing forces makes thermal protection and trajectory control essential. An incorrect reentry angle can expose a spacecraft to excessive heating or cause it to skip back out of the atmosphere. Reentry is also central to the future of reusable spaceflight. Vehicles such as SpaceX’s Dragon capsule and Starship use different approaches to atmospheric return, with the latter pursuing controlled, propulsive landings after atmospheric descent. ## Related Terms - L[ow Earth Orbit (LEO)](https://proximareport.com/glossary/low-earth-orbit-leo/) — The orbital region where many crewed spacecraft operate before returning to Earth. - Atmospheric Drag — The force that resists an object’s motion through the atmosphere. - Heat Shield — A protective system designed to withstand the intense heating of atmospheric entry. - Aerodynamics — The study of how gases interact with moving objects. - Delta-v — A measure of the change in velocity required to perform a maneuver. - Orbital Velocity — The velocity an object needs to maintain an orbit. - Reusable Rockets — Launch vehicles designed to recover and fly again. ## In Short **Reentry** is the process of a spacecraft or other object returning through Earth’s atmosphere. It involves extreme heating and deceleration, making thermal protection and trajectory control essential for safe recovery. ### Crew-12 Astronauts Return Following Nearly Eight-Month Mission URL: https://proximareport.com/crew-12-astronauts-return/ Last updated: 2026-10-09T08:21:45.000Z At 15:34 pm Universal Coordinated Time on October 8th, Crew Dragon 'Freedom' [splashed down](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/10/08/nasas-spacex-crew-12-dragon-splashes-down-at-1134-a-m-edt/?ref=proximareport.com) in the Pacific Ocean near California, bringing NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, as well as France's Sophie Adenot and Russia's Andrey Fedyaev, concluding the Crew-12 mission. Five hours earlier, the hatches between 'Freedom' and the station [were closed](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/10/07/nasas-spacex-crew-12-closes-dragon-hatch-preps-for-departure/?ref=proximareport.com) to allow for final undocking preparations, [which occurred](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/10/07/nasas-spacex-crew-12-undocks-in-dragon-for-ride-home/?ref=proximareport.com) at 13:05 pm. Over the course of two hours, Crew Dragon backed away from the space station, lowered its orbit, and [performed a deorbit](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/commercialcrew/2026/10/08/nasas-spacex-crew-12-spacex-dragon-completes-deorbit-burn/?ref=proximareport.com) burn to return to Earth. The four astronauts launched to the International Space Station [back in February](https://proximareport.com/crew-12-liftoff/) in response to a [medical issue](https://proximareport.com/crew-11-returns-early/) with Crew-11, and to minimize the time that the orbiting laboratory wasn't at its regular occupancy of seven people. They were only recently relieved of their duties following the [arrival of Crew-13](https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-crew-13/). Due to those missions, the four astronauts spent 237 days, just short of the eight-month mark by a few days, completing approximately 3,792 orbits. > Splashdown of Dragon confirmed! https://t.co/P2o7A3Gytf > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 8, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2108220101614850436?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) While in space, the astronauts' day-to-day activities primarily consisted of supporting ongoing experiments, microgravity research, and [hardware innovation](https://europeanspaceflight.com/esa-astronaut-completes-third-test-of-eurosuit-prototype-aboard-iss/?ref=proximareport.com). Items [highlighted by NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/station/iss-research/heading-home-nasas-spacex-crew-12-concludes-station-science-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) include efforts to better understand crystal structures to improve pharmaceuticals, ways to mitigate bone loss or restore that lost, how tissues develop in microgravity, trials of a new metal 3D printer, the multiplication of STEM cells for research purposes onboard, and quantum sciences. In addition to work inside, six spacewalks were performed. The first, [on March 18th](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/03/18/astronauts-install-solar-array-mod-kit-complete-spacewalk/?ref=proximareport.com), had hardware prepared by Jessica Meir and Christoper Williams (from Soyuz MS-28) ahead of the addition of a new solar array sometime in the future. On June 30th, the pair ventured outside again to [repair the Canadarm2](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/06/30/astronauts-repair-canadarm2-robotic-arm-and-complete-spacewalk/?ref=proximareport.com), used to move items and astronauts around. [August 6th](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/08/06/astronauts-complete-spacewalk-for-solar-array-modifications/?ref=proximareport.com) saw further preparations for a new solar array, this time by Meir and Anil Menon (from Soyuz MS-29). Sophie Adenot began a trio of spacewalks [on August 18th](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/08/18/nasa-esa-astronauts-wrap-up-station-spacewalk/?ref=proximareport.com) with the removal of a faulty communications antenna alongside Menon. [A week later](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/08/25/nasa-esa-spacewalkers-finish-installing-high-speed-antenna/?ref=proximareport.com) she was back outside, with Menon again, to connect a spare antenna to the spot where the faulty one was removed. Lastly, [on September 1st](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/09/01/esa-nasa-astronauts-complete-navigation-and-science-spacewalk-outside-station/?ref=proximareport.com), Adenot was joined by Meir for the space station's sixth all-woman spacewalk, which had a new retroreflector installed and a camera replaced. In total, Crew-12 astronauts spent 40 hours and 31 minutes participating in spacewalks. Meir has now performed seven in her career, while Adenot has conducted her first three. During their almost eight months onboard, the four astronauts supported the arrivals and departures of a handful of cargo spacecraft, carrying consumables and experiments. On the U.S. side of the station, that included Japan's HTV-X1, Northrop Grumman's Cygnus NG-24, and SpaceX's CRS-34 via Cargo Dragon V2\. Meanwhile, the Russian segment saw Progress 92 through 96 visit. Following a busy and lengthy mission aboard the International Space Station, NAA Administrator Jared Isaacman thanked the astronauts for their work, [stating](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-spacex-crew-12-splashes-down-sets-briefing-to-discuss-mission/?ref=proximareport.com): > "Jessica, Jack, Sophie, and Andrey spent 237 days living and working in orbit, traveled more than 100 million miles, advanced important science, and returned safely home \[...\] Building the capability, experience, and confidence to do this repeatedly is exactly what will allow us to go farther, and I am grateful to Crew-12 and their families for their service to humanity’s greatest adventure." ### Geostationary Orbit (GEO) URL: https://proximareport.com/glossary/geostationary-orbit-geo/ Last updated: 2026-10-08T17:07:41.000Z # Geostationary Orbit (GEO) **Geostationary orbit (GEO)** is a circular orbit around Earth where a satellite travels at the same rate Earth rotates, allowing it to remain above approximately the same point on Earth’s surface. GEO is especially valuable for communications, weather monitoring, and other applications that require continuous coverage of a particular region. ## Key Facts - **Altitude:** Approximately 35,786 km (22,236 mi) above Earth’s equator - **Orbital period:** Approximately 24 hours - **Orbital direction:** Same direction as Earth’s rotation - **Orbital inclination:** 0° for a truly geostationary orbit - **Common uses:** Communications, weather monitoring, television broadcasting, and military applications ## What Is Geostationary Orbit? A geostationary orbit is a special type of **geosynchronous orbit**. For a satellite to remain fixed over one point on Earth, it must orbit directly above the **equator**, travel in the same direction as Earth’s rotation, and complete one orbit in approximately one **sidereal day**. Because the satellite and Earth rotate together, an observer on the ground sees the satellite appear to remain stationary in the sky. The point directly below a geostationary satellite is called its **subsatellite point**. As long as the satellite maintains its orbit, this point remains approximately fixed along the equator. ## What Is GEO Used For? Geostationary satellites are commonly used for: - **Communications** - **Television broadcasting** - **Weather monitoring** - **Military communications** - **Satellite-based data services** - **Continuous observation of specific regions** A single GEO satellite can continuously cover a large portion of Earth’s surface, making the orbit particularly useful for communications and weather systems. ## Why Does GEO Matter? GEO's biggest advantage is **continuous coverage**. Because a geostationary satellite appears fixed in the sky, ground antennas can remain pointed at it instead of constantly tracking a moving spacecraft. This makes GEO particularly useful for communications infrastructure. The tradeoff is distance. At nearly 36,000 km above Earth’s surface, signals traveling to and from GEO satellites experience significant **latency**. Reaching GEO also requires substantially more **delta-v** than reaching Low Earth orbit. GEO is therefore useful for missions where continuous coverage is more important than minimizing distance or communication delay. ## Related Terms - Geosynchronous Orbit (GSO) — An orbit with a period matching Earth’s rotation, though the satellite does not necessarily remain fixed over one point on Earth. - [Low Earth Orbit (LEO)](https://proximareport.com/glossary/low-earth-orbit-leo/) — An orbital region much closer to Earth, commonly used for satellites and crewed spacecraft. - Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) — An orbital region between LEO and GEO. - Orbital Period — The time required for an object to complete one orbit. - Delta-v — The change in velocity required to perform a spaceflight maneuver. - Orbital Inclination — The angle between an orbit and Earth’s equatorial plane. ## In Short **Geostationary orbit (GEO)** is an orbit approximately **35,786 km above Earth’s equator** where a satellite travels at the same rotational rate as Earth, allowing it to appear stationary over one location on the planet. ### Low Earth Orbit (LEO) URL: https://proximareport.com/glossary/low-earth-orbit-leo/ Last updated: 2026-10-08T17:08:18.000Z # Low Earth Orbit (LEO) **Low Earth orbit (LEO)** is the region of space around Earth at altitudes below roughly **2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles)**. It is the most commonly used orbital region for satellites, crewed spacecraft, Earth observation, and large satellite constellations. ## Key Facts - **Altitude:** Roughly 160–2,000 km (100–1,240 mi) - **Orbital velocity:** About 7.8 km/s (17,500 mph) - **Typical orbital period:** Around 90 minutes - **Notable spacecraft:** International Space Station - **Common uses:** Communications, Earth observation, science, crewed missions, and satellite constellations ## What Is Low Earth Orbit? LEO is the portion of Earth’s orbit closest to the planet where spacecraft can maintain a stable orbit. A spacecraft in LEO is traveling extremely quickly. Rather than simply flying around Earth, it is continuously falling toward Earth while moving forward fast enough to keep missing the surface. This creates an orbit. The lower the orbit, the faster a spacecraft generally needs to travel to remain in orbit. LEO does not have one specific altitude. The lower boundary is generally considered to be around 160 km, where atmospheric drag becomes extremely strong. The upper boundary is commonly defined as approximately 2,000 km. ## What Is LEO Used For? LEO is used for a wide range of space missions, including: - **Earth observation** and imaging - **Weather monitoring** - **Communications** - **Scientific research** - **Crewed spacecraft and space stations** - **Technology demonstrations** - **Military and reconnaissance satellites** - **Large satellite constellations** The [**International Space Station**](https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/?ref=proximareport.com) operates in LEO, as do many commercial communications satellites operated by companies such as SpaceX and OneWeb. ## Why Does LEO Matter? LEO is attractive because spacecraft remain relatively close to Earth. The shorter distance can provide **lower communications latency**, while Earth-observation satellites can capture detailed images of the planet. Reaching LEO also generally requires less **delta-v** than reaching higher orbits. The major disadvantage is **atmospheric drag**. Even at several hundred kilometers above Earth’s surface, the atmosphere is thin enough to slow spacecraft gradually. Satellites in lower LEO therefore need periodic orbital adjustments or will eventually descend and **reenter the atmosphere**. ## Related Terms - Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) — An orbital region above LEO and below geostationary orbit. - [Geostationary Orbit (GEO)](https://proximareport.com/glossary/geostationary-orbit-geo/) — An orbit that allows a satellite to remain above approximately the same point on Earth’s surface. - Orbital Velocity — The velocity required for an object to maintain an orbit. - Delta-v — The change in velocity required to perform a maneuver. - Atmospheric Drag — The resistance spacecraft experience from the Earth’s upper atmosphere. - Reentry — The process of an object returning through Earth’s atmosphere. ## In Short **Low Earth orbit (LEO)** is the region of Earth orbit below roughly **2,000 km** in altitude. It is widely used for satellites and crewed spacecraft because it is relatively close to Earth and generally requires less energy to reach than higher orbits. ### Saturn is HUGE. URL: https://proximareport.com/facts/saturn-is-huge/ Last updated: 2026-10-08T01:35:32.000Z The planet Saturn is HUGE. It's over nine times wider than Earth and around 95 times more massive. The planet stretches about [74,900 miles (120,500 km) across at its equator](https://science.nasa.gov/saturn/facts/?ref=proximareport.com) and is roughly 9.5 Earths wide. By volume, [about 764 Earths](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/saturnfact.html?ref=proximareport.com) could theoretically fit inside it. But even with all that size, Saturn is surprisingly light for an entire planet. Despite having more than 760 times Earth's volume, Saturn only has about 95 times its mass. In fact, the planet is less dense than water. Saturn's average density is about 0.69 grams per cubic centimeter, while liquid water has a density of roughly 1 gram per cubic centimeter. That means if a body of water large enough to hold Saturn somehow existed, the entire planet would technically float. ProxiScope BETA ## Just how big is Saturn? EARTH, TO SCALE SATURN ≈ 9.45 EARTH DIAMETERS Planet diameters shown to scale 763.6 × Earth's volume Saturn occupies about 763.6 times as much volume as Earth. → This is a volume comparison. It does not mean 764 spherical Earths could be packed perfectly inside Saturn without empty space. 95.16× Earth's mass Saturn 95.16 Earth 1.00 If Earth represents one unit of mass, Saturn contains about 95.16 of those units, despite occupying more than 763 times Earth's volume. Diameter Volume Mass SATURN 120,536 km VS EARTH 12,756 km Saturn's equatorial diameter is about **9.45 times Earth's.**The two planets above are displayed at that ratio. SATURN DENSITY 0.687 g/cm³ WATER ≈ 1.00 g/cm³ Based on data from **NASA** · Powered by **ProxiHub** Saturn, however, isn't solid like a rubber duck floating in a tub. The above still applies, but the planet is made primarily of [hydrogen and helium](https://science.nasa.gov/saturn/facts/?ref=proximareport.com), with no true solid surface to stand on. Saturn's size also gives it another unusual feature. The planet isn't actually a perfect sphere. [It spins once roughly every 10.7 hours,](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/saturnfact.html?ref=proximareport.com) causing its equator to bulge outward and its poles to flatten. Its equatorial diameter is thousands of miles wider than its pole-to-pole diameter, giving Saturn a slightly squashed appearance. Then there are the rings. While Saturn itself is about 74,900 miles wide, its main ring system stretches roughly 175,000 miles (282,000 km) across. Despite their enormous size, the rings are incredibly thin compared with their width, measuring only tens of meters thick in many places. Between its enormous size, low density and massive ring system, Saturn holds one particularly strange distinction: it remains the only planet in our Solar System with an average density low enough to technically float in water. ### My Experience with ZWO's S30 Pro Seestar URL: https://proximareport.com/my-experience-with-zwos-s30-pro-seestar/ Last updated: 2026-10-08T00:46:29.000Z **Disclaimer**: the author received this product from [ZWO](https://www.zwoastro.com/?ref=proximareport.com), which may have contributed to their conclusions. When I started stargazing seriously during COVID, I became obsessed with the idea of owning a telescope. The idea of owning something that could peer deep into the cosmos was awe-inspiring. But every time I bought one of the generic telescopes I could afford, I ran into the same problem: **Complexity.** Trying to align the telescope by hand, pick the right gear, and learn how to find things in the night sky quickly turned into a hassle. A few years ago, I discovered a new generation of **smart telescopes** designed to make astrophotography dramatically more accessible. Products like the [Unistellar eVscope](https://shop.unistellar.com/?ref=proximareport.com), [ZWO’s Seestar S30](https://us.seestar.com/?ref=proximareport.com), and [Dwarf 3](https://www.dwarflab.com/us?ref=proximareport.com) could automatically locate celestial objects, capture images, and bring deep-sky astrophotography to people without years of experience. But for me, these smart telescopes were still just a dream. They were something I desperately wanted, but I could never quite justify buying. Thankfully, ZWO was kind enough to send me their Seestar S30 Pro. I’ve now had the telescope for just under a year, and it has completely changed the way I experience the night sky. So, after nearly a year of using the **Seestar S30 Pro**, what do I actually think of it? ## Why a Smart Telescope Before I get into my experience with the S30 Pro, I want to explain why smart telescopes have become so popular. At its core, a smart telescope is an all-in-one astrophotography system. You don't need a separate telescope, camera, computerized mount, or collection of accessories. Instead, a smart telescope combines most of these components into one compact device. The telescope handles the optics, while its built-in camera, motorized mount, GPS, and software work together to find and track objects in the night sky. This automation is what sets smart telescopes apart from traditional astronomy. With a conventional telescope, finding and tracking an object can require additional equipment and setup. Computerized GoTo mounts can automatically locate and track targets, but they are typically separate from the telescope itself and require alignment and configuration before you can start observing. For visual astronomy, that extra setup can be part of the experience. For astrophotography, however, the complexity increases considerably. A dedicated setup can require a camera, tracking mount, guiding system, and a variety of additional accessories. Smart telescopes combine many of these components into a single, compact system. Instead of assembling and configuring several pieces of equipment, you can essentially take one device outside, choose a target, and start capturing it. The telescope handles most of the work for you. Instead of spending the first hour of your night setting up gear, you can open an app, pick an object, and let the telescope find it. It then tracks the object while its camera captures multiple exposures, which software combines to reveal details you couldn't see with your eyes alone. That doesn't mean smart telescopes replace traditional astrophotography. Dedicated astrophotography rigs offer substantially more control and can produce incredible images when properly configured. But they also come with a much steeper learning curve. That's the real draw of a smart telescope: **it makes it much easier to go from just looking at the night sky to actually capturing it.** If you want to point a telescope at the Andromeda Galaxy, the Orion Nebula, or another deep-sky object and watch it slowly appear on your phone, that's pretty amazing. ### Seestar S30 Pro Specifications Before getting into my experience, here’s a quick look at what the S30 Pro is actually working with. | Specification | Seestar S30 Pro | | ------------------------ | ----------------------------------------- | | Aperture | 30 mm | | Focal Length | 160 mm | | Focal Ratio | f/5.3 | | Optical System | 4-element apochromatic lens with ED glass | | Telephoto Sensor | Sony IMX585, 1/1.2" | | Telephoto Field of View | 4.6° | | Wide-Angle Lens | 6 mm, f/1.75 | | Wide-Angle Field of View | 63° | | Mount | Alt-azimuth with equatorial mode | | Storage | 128 GB | | Battery | 6,000 mAh | | Weight | 1.65 kg / 3.6 lb (without tripod) | The key numbers for astrophotography are the **30 mm aperture and 160 mm focal length**. The aperture determines how much light the telescope collects, while the focal length affects how large objects appear in the frame. The f/5.3 focal ratio also indicates how quickly the telescope collects light. The S30 Pro uses a 1/1.2-inch Sony IMX585 sensor for its telephoto camera, paired with a four-element apochromatic lens. This is intended to produce sharper stars while reducing chromatic aberration. The relatively compact 160 mm focal length also gives the telescope a wide enough field of view to capture many large deep-sky targets. It has a built-in filter system, including a UV/IR-cut filter and a dual-band light-pollution filter targeting OIII and Hα wavelengths. This is particularly useful for emission nebulae and reducing the effects of artificial light in light-polluted skies. Of course, specifications only tell you so much. What matters more is how it performs under a real night sky. ## My Experience with the S30 Pro ![ZWO's Seestar S30 Pro smart telescope Peering into the night sky](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/IMG_5771.jpeg) Seestar S30 Pro Peering into the night sky *Again I just want to reiterate that ZWO sent me the* [*Seestar S30 Pro*](https://us.seestar.com/products/seestar-s30-pro?ref=proximareport.com) *to try out. I wasn’t paid to write this, and they didn’t tell me what to say. Everything here is based on my own experience using the telescope.* I want to make that distinction clear because, despite receiving the telescope from ZWO, I’ve had nearly a year to use the S30 Pro for myself. I’ve experienced the things I love about it, as well as the occasional frustrations. Smoke and poor weather have unfortunately limited some of my observing sessions, but on clear nights I’ve had countless sessions where the entire process has felt almost effortless. I live in an area with a lot of light pollution, which usually makes deep-sky astrophotography tough. Luckily, the Seestar S30 Pro has a built-in light-pollution filter that cuts down on artificial light, so I can capture objects I wouldn’t normally see as clearly. ### The App The Seestar app is actually one of my favorite things about the whole setup. There is something genuinely surreal about opening an app, selecting a celestial object, and watching the telescope automatically orient itself toward it. Watching the S30 Pro locate a target in the sky still feels a little like science fiction. But it’s not perfect. I’ve occasionally had situations where the Seestar believed it had found its target when it wasn’t quite pointed where it should be. Fortunately, the app includes tools to recalibrate the telescope’s orientation, and that has usually solved the problem for me. It’s a small inconvenience, but I think it’s important to mention it in a fair review. ### Battery Life Battery life has also been more than sufficient for my use. I don’t usually leave the telescope running outside all night, so I haven’t had any problems with battery life stopping me from getting the shots I want. ZWO says it can last up to about six hours, but the actual time depends on things like temperature and whether you use features like the dew heater. For my usual sessions, three to five hours of battery life has been plenty. Honestly, that’s something I really like about the S30 Pro. I don’t have to plan my whole night around it. I can just take it outside, set it up, capture an object for a few hours, and bring it back in. ## Should you buy a Seestar S30 Pro? So, should you buy a Seestar S30 Pro? You might want to consider it if you: - **Want to start astrophotography without dealing with a complicated setup.** - **Are looking for a smart telescope that’s easy to use for deep-sky astrophotography.** - **Live in an area with moderate or heavy light pollution.** - **Want to capture galaxies, nebulae, star clusters, and other deep-sky objects.** - **Value portability and quick setup** - **Don’t have the time or desire to learn a traditional astrophotography rig.** - **Want to control your telescope and take photos directly from your phone.** - **Are looking for a telescope that can keep up as your interest in astrophotography grows.** But the S30 Pro might not be the best fit for everyone. If your goal is maximum control over every part of the imaging process, a traditional telescope, dedicated astrophotography camera, equatorial mount, and guiding system will give you much more flexibility. It will also require considerably more time, money, and patience. ZWO also offers the larger Seestar S50/S50 Pro, which uses a different optical system and is aimed at users who want different imaging capabilities, while the standard S30 offers a more affordable entry point In the end, the best smart telescope is the one that matches how you really want to use it. ## Final Verdict ![The Andromeda Galaxy as seen by my ZWO Seestar S30 Pro Smart Telescope](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/IMG_3155.jpeg) A few hour shot of Andromeda from my Seestar S30 Pro Nearly a year later, I still think the Seestar S30 Pro is one of the most interesting pieces of astronomy equipment I’ve ever owned. It hasn’t replaced my fascination with the night sky. If anything, it has amplified it. The S30 Pro turns something that can feel intimidating, costly, and complicated into something easy to use. I just take it outside, pick a target, and within minutes I’m watching a galaxy or nebula show up on my phone. It does have its limits, and it’s not meant to replace a full astrophotography setup. But I don’t think it has to. For me, the S30 Pro did something even more important: **it inspired me to keep exploring.** What began as a simple wish to photograph the night sky has grown into a real interest in learning about astrophotography and, eventually, building my own advanced setup. If a telescope makes you look up at the stars and wonder *what else you can capture*, then it’s definitely doing its job. ### Weekly Dose of Space (27/9-3/10) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-27-9-3-10/ Last updated: 2026-10-04T20:21:33.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week only saw four launches heading for orbit, with SpaceX performing all of them. News of the week saw updates and progress for both permanently crewed space stations in Earth orbit. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *September 28th - Starship for its fourteenth flight test* Starting the week, SpaceX performed the [fourteenth flight test](https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-fourteen-orbit/) of its Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle from Starbase, Texas, which headed into orbit for the first time for the deployment of twenty-six 'Version 3' Starlink satellites. Booster 21 supported the launch, splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico, while Ship 41 was in orbit for about three hours, ending its flight north of Hawai'i in the Pacific Ocean. ![Starship-Super Heavy blasting off for its fourteenth flight test on September 28th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/HTeW1UJWQAILGVf-1.jpg) Starship-Super Heavy blasting off for its fourteenth flight test on September 28th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *October 1st - Falcon 9 with Crew-13* From Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida, Falcon 9 brought Crew Dragon 'Grace' into low Earth orbit to chase down the International Space Station, [carrying NASA astronauts](https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-crew-13/) Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, alongside Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk and cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. Supporting the launch was booster B1101, flying for the third time and touching down at Landing Zone 40. This was the first launch of a SpaceX triple header that occurred [within thirteen hours](https://proximareport.com/spacex-three-launches-thirteen-hours/). ![Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Crew-13 mission on October 1st 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/HTk3gIzXEAARIOU-1.jpg) Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Crew-13 mission on October 1st 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *October 1st - Falcon 9 with Transporter-18* SpaceX performed its eighteenth sun-synchronous rideshare mission with a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1082 supported that launch for its twenty-fifth flight, returning to Landing Zone 4 to touchdown. ![Booster B1082 touching down at Landing Zone 4 after supporting the Transporter-18 mission on October 1st 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/HTpJhhFWUAABgLF-1.jpg) Booster B1082 touching down at Landing Zone 4 after supporting the Transporter-18 mission on October 1st 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *October 2nd - Falcon Heavy with NROL-97* The last mission of the week was a Falcon Heavy, departing from Florida's Launch Complex 39A, to bring a U.S. National Reconnaissance Office spacecraft into a high-altitude orbit. Booster B1106 was expended during its first mission for the launch, with B1072 and B1104 returning to Landing Zones 1 and 2 to complete their fourth and second flights, respectively. The launch also was SpaceX's final of three that occurred in under [thirteen hours](https://proximareport.com/spacex-three-launches-thirteen-hours/). ![Falcon Heavy launching for the NROL-97 mission on October 2nd 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/HTpJgLeWgAAVDZN-1.jpg) Falcon Heavy launching for the NROL-97 mission on October 2nd 2026\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Starliner to carry astronauts in 2028* Having declared the first crewed flight of Boeing's Starliner [a major mishap](https://proximareport.com/nasa-starliner-major-mishap/) in February, NASA has been working with the company to fix the spacecraft and make it an operational vehicle for missions aboard the International Space Station. On September 28th, the [U.S. space agency announced](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-boeing-share-update-on-commercial-starliner-development-plans/?ref=proximareport.com) that another flight of Starliner will start no earlier than December, but without crew and used as a cargo delivery. That mission, designated Starliner-1, will be used to verify design changes to systems and thrusters that failed during the previous crewed flight test. If Starliner-1 is a success, a first crewed mission will occur sometime in 2028, known as Starliner-2\. Speaking on the upcoming flights, Manager of NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Program Dana Weigel shared: > "Starliner’s next flight is a critical step on the path to achieving full system certification and ensuring a sustained human presence in low Earth orbit. With the safety of our space station crew and the public as our highest priority, we will test Starliner’s propulsion system through targeted demonstration objectives and disciplined operational controls." In the announcement, it was also noted that due to limited life components on United Launch Alliance's Atlas V, which is Starliner's sole launch solution, that NASA will support efforts to human-rate Vulcan for later flights. The agency is currently considering whether to buy two more missions beyond Starliner-4\. ### *Qingzhou preparing for first Tiangong visit* Back in November 2024, the China Manned Space Agency contracted two commercial spacecraft to bring cargo to the permanently crewed Tiangong Space Station in low Earth orbit. The Innovation Academy for Microsatellites Qingzhou was one of those spacecraft, and it is now [progressing towards its first visit](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/qingzhou-moves-towards-january-2027?ref=proximareport.com). During the week, its developer shared that the second Qingzhou to be built has moved into its development phase of production. Its previous had seen its major structural elements brought together, with the next to install internal storage racks, solar panels, radiators, insulation, thrusters, and a docking port. Upon being completed in the coming months, the cargo spacecraft will be sent to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to be joined with CAS Space's Kinetica-2 rocket ahead of launch. That is currently expected no earlier than January 2027, after which the spacecraft will head towards Tiangong under its own power for docking. Confidence for the first trip to the orbiting laboratory has been gained by free-flying the first Qingzhou since March 2026\. In its almost six months in space, that spacecraft has been supporting experiments onboard while adjusting its altitude in sun-synchronous orbit. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *October 5th - Falcon 9 with Tranche-1 spacecraft* Twenty-one spacecraft built by Northrop Grumman are to be launched into a Polar orbit by a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E for the U.S. Space Development Agency for its military communications constellation. ### *October 7th - KSLV-2 with several Korean small satellites* South Korea's KSLV-2 is set to fly for the fifth time from the south-facing Naro Space Center, with it set to deliver fifteen small satellites, most of which are Korean. ### *October 9th - Long March 12 with connectivity satellites* From the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, a Long March 12 will fly into low Earth orbit to deliver a group of connectivity satellites for either the GuoWang or Qianfan constellation. ### NASA: History, Missions, Programs, and the Future of Space Exploration URL: https://proximareport.com/agencies/nasa/ Last updated: 2026-10-03T23:13:37.000Z The **National Aeronautics and Space Administration (**[**NASA**](https://www.nasa.gov/?ref=proximareport.com)**)** is the U.S. government agency in charge of the country’s civilian space program. NASA leads efforts in human spaceflight, robotic missions, space and Earth science, aeronautics research, and new technologies for future exploration. NASA was founded on **October 1, 1958**, during the early Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union. It took over the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and other military and scientific groups, quickly becoming the main hub for America’s civilian space activities. For over sixty years, NASA has led major scientific and engineering achievements. The agency has sent astronauts to the Moon, kept people living in low Earth orbit, landed robots on other planets, used powerful telescopes to study the universe, researched Earth’s climate, and improved aviation and space technology. Today, NASA works on many projects at once. These include sending people to the Moon, exploring Mars and the Solar System with robots, studying the universe from space, observing Earth, researching flight, and creating new technologies for future deep space missions. ## What Does NASA Do? NASA does much more than just send astronauts into space. The agency works in many areas, including science, engineering, exploration, and research. ### Human Spaceflight NASA builds and runs systems to send people into space and support them there. Its human spaceflight work includes missions in low Earth orbit, the Artemis program to return people to the Moon, and plans for exploring beyond the Earth-Moon area. NASA also partners with private companies for transportation and other services in low Earth orbit. This shift means NASA is now more of a main customer and technology partner, rather than building and running every spacecraft itself. Robotic spacecraft help NASA explore places that are too far away, risky, or difficult for people to visit directly. NASA missions have explored the Moon, Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, asteroids, comets, and the outer Solar System. Robotic spacecraft perform tasks ranging from geological surveys and atmospheric measurements to searches for evidence of past habitable environments. ### Space Science NASA runs and supports missions that study how the universe began, how it has changed, and how it works. NASA’s science work covers astronomy, astrophysics, planetary science, heliophysics, Earth science, and cosmology. Telescopes like Hubble and James Webb let scientists see things from planets around other stars to the oldest galaxies in the universe. ### Earth Science NASA also studies Earth, the planet it was created to serve. NASA uses satellites and aircraft to measure Earth’s air, oceans, land, ice, plants, and climate. These studies help scientists understand weather, climate change, natural disasters, water, and other Earth systems. ### Aeronautics The “A” in NASA stands for aeronautics. NASA took over NACA’s mission to research flight and still studies aviation today. NASA creates and tests new technologies to make airplanes safer, quieter, more efficient, and better overall. Its research has also helped improve technology across the whole aerospace industry. ### Space Technology NASA invents and improves technologies needed for future space missions. This work covers things like advanced engines, power systems, communications, robots, self-driving systems, spacesuits, life-support, new materials, manufacturing methods, and other technology needed for long-term space missions. # NASA History Before NASA: **NACA** NASA did not start from scratch. The **National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA)**, founded in 1915, came before NASA. NACA ran research labs and built up knowledge that helped American aviation grow. After World War II, the U.S. put more resources into rockets, missiles, atmospheric research, and space science. As the Soviet Union became a rival, space exploration became a key part of the Cold War. When the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 in October 1957, it proved they could put a satellite in orbit. This pushed the U.S. to speed up its own space program. The U.S. created NASA with the **National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958**. NASA started work on October 1, 1958, taking over NACA and other space research groups. ## The Space Race NASA’s first major challenge was competing with the Soviet Union in human spaceflight. The Soviet Union achieved several early milestones, including launching the first artificial satellite, the first animal into orbit, and the first human into space. In response, the United States developed increasingly ambitious human spaceflight programs. NASA’s early programs progressed from short-duration human flights to increasingly complex missions around Earth and ultimately to the Moon. This approach set a pattern for NASA: each new mission builds technology, **experience, and knowledge needed for the next, more advanced step.** # NASA Programs NASA’s history is marked by a series of programs that have slowly increased our ability to work beyond Earth. ## Mercury Program **Timeframe:** 1958–1963 **Primary objective:** Develop America’s capability for human spaceflight Project Mercury was NASA’s first human spaceflight program. The main goal was to find out if people could survive and work in space. The program started with test flights that got more complex, leading up to sending American astronauts into orbit. Mercury culminated in a series of crewed orbital missions, establishing the basic technologies and procedures required for American human spaceflight. The program also produced one of the defining moments of the early Space Race when **John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth in 1962**. Mercury showed the U.S. could send people into orbit and bring them back safely, but it also made clear there was still a lot to learn. ## Gemini Program **Timeframe:** 1961–1966 **Primary objective:** Develop the techniques required for lunar missions Project Gemini acted as the link between Mercury and Apollo. While Mercury demonstrated basic human spaceflight, Gemini focused on the more advanced operations required for a lunar mission. Astronauts conducted longer-duration flights, rendezvous and docking operations, orbital maneuvers, and extravehicular activities. Gemini gave NASA important experience in running missions with people and spacecraft together in orbit. The program showed that astronauts could stay in space for longer times and do the complex maneuvers needed for Apollo. ## Apollo Program **Timeframe:** 1961–1972 **Primary objective:** Land humans on the Moon and return them safely to Earth The Apollo program was NASA’s mission to meet President John F. Kennedy’s goal of landing a person on the Moon before the end of the 1960s. Apollo required an enormous technological ecosystem, including the Saturn V rocket, Apollo command and service modules, lunar modules, navigation systems, spacesuits, communications infrastructure, and a vast network of ground facilities. Apollo 11 achieved the program’s central objective in **July 1969**, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the Moon while Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit. NASA conducted six successful crewed lunar landings between 1969 and 1972\. Twelve astronauts ultimately walked on the lunar surface. Apollo is still one of the greatest engineering achievements ever and made the Moon the first place beyond Earth visited by people. ## Skylab **Timeframe:** 1973–1979 **Primary objective:** Conduct long-duration human spaceflight and scientific research Skylab was the first American space station. Launched in 1973, Skylab let astronauts do experiments in microgravity, study how long space missions affect people, and observe Earth and the Sun. Three crews lived aboard Skylab for progressively longer missions. The program helped NASA learn about the challenges of living and working in space for long periods, which became important for later space stations and deep-space missions. ## Space Shuttle Program **Timeframe:** 1981–2011 **Primary objective:** Provide reusable transportation to and from low Earth orbit The Space Shuttle was NASA’s main way to send people to space for thirty years. Unlike earlier spacecraft, the Shuttle was partly reusable. Its orbiter could launch straight up, work in orbit, and land on a runway back on Earth. The Shuttle fleet launched satellites, did science experiments, took astronauts to and from space, and helped build and maintain the **International Space Station**. Five orbiters—Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour—flew operational missions. The program also suffered two catastrophic losses. **Challenger** was destroyed shortly after launch in 1986, killing all seven crew members, while **Columbia** broke apart during atmospheric reentry in 2003, also killing all seven astronauts aboard. The Shuttle program ended in 2011 after flying 135 missions. When the Shuttle retired, NASA no longer had its own spacecraft to carry astronauts to low Earth orbit. This led to the creation of the Commercial Crew program. ## International Space Station **Timeframe:** 1998–present **Primary objective:** Establish a permanent international laboratory in low Earth orbit The International Space Station (ISS) is a space lab built by the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada working together. Building the ISS started with the Zarya module in 1998\. Over time, it became a large space complex with labs, living areas, solar panels, robots, and more. People have lived on the ISS nonstop since November 2000. NASA uses the station to conduct research into biology, physics, medicine, materials science, Earth observation, and technologies needed for future human exploration. The ISS is also a major example of countries working together in human spaceflight. ## Commercial Crew Program **Timeframe:** 2010s–present **Primary objective:** Develop commercially operated crew transportation to low Earth orbit NASA’s Commercial Crew Program marked a major shift in how the agency approaches human spaceflight. Instead of building and owning every part of the crew transport system, NASA teamed up with private companies to create spacecraft that can carry astronauts to and from the ISS. **SpaceX’s Crew Dragon** became the first commercially developed crewed spacecraft to carry astronauts to orbit under the program in 2020. Commercial Crew reduced NASA’s dependence on foreign crew transportation after the Space Shuttle retired and established a model in which privately developed space systems could support government missions. This approach is now a key part of NASA’s plan to help build a commercial space economy in low Earth orbit. # Artemis Program **Timeframe:** 2017–present **Primary objective:** Return humans to the Moon and establish the foundation for sustained lunar exploration Artemis is NASA’s current flagship human exploration program. Unlike Apollo, which aimed for one big goal, Artemis is meant to keep people around and on the Moon for longer and to build up skills for future missions farther into the Solar System. The program uses several spacecraft, launch systems, partnerships with companies, international teamwork, and new infrastructure on the Moon. **Major components include**: ### Space Launch System The **Space Launch System (SLS)** is NASA’s big rocket, built to send the Orion spacecraft and other cargo beyond low Earth orbit. SLS incorporates technologies derived from the Space Shuttle and Constellation programs while providing the launch capability NASA requires for its current crewed lunar architecture. ### Orion The **Orion spacecraft** is NASA’s vehicle for sending people into deep space. It is built to carry astronauts beyond low Earth orbit, support them on deep-space trips, and bring them back safely to Earth. ### Human Landing Systems NASA is teaming up with private companies to build spacecraft that can take astronauts from lunar orbit down to the Moon’s surface. This is a big change from Apollo, since NASA is now using private companies as part of its plan for sending people to the Moon. ### Lunar Surface Exploration The main goal of Artemis is to increase human activity on and near the Moon. NASA’s Moon goals include science, new technology, resource use, and building capabilities that support more advanced exploration. The agency’s current human-spaceflight organization places Artemis within the **Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate**, established during NASA’s 2026 organizational realignment. The directorate also oversees low Earth orbit activities, the Moon Base program, and commercial access to space. # Mars Exploration Mars has been one of NASA’s most extensively explored planetary destinations. NASA’s robotic Mars program has used orbiters, landers, and rovers to investigate the planet’s geology, atmosphere, climate, and potential habitability. Major missions have included **Viking**, **Mars Pathfinder**, **Spirit**, **Opportunity**, **Curiosity**, **InSight**, **Perseverance**, and the **Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter**. NASA’s Mars exploration strategy has increasingly emphasized the search for evidence that Mars may once have supported microbial life. The **Perseverance rover**, which landed in Jezero Crater in 2021, is studying an ancient river delta and collecting rock samples intended for eventual return to Earth. Mars is also central to NASA’s long-term human exploration ambitions. NASA is treating the Moon as a nearby proving ground for technologies and operational experience that could eventually support crewed missions to Mars. # NASA’s Space Telescopes NASA has played a central role in space-based astronomy. ## Hubble Space Telescope Launched in 1990, the **Hubble Space Telescope** transformed astronomy by providing extremely detailed observations above Earth’s atmosphere. Hubble has contributed to research involving galaxies, stars, nebulae, exoplanets, black holes, and the expansion of the universe. Its observations have become some of the most recognizable scientific images ever produced. ## James Webb Space Telescope The **James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)** launched in December 2021 as Hubble's successor in several areas of infrared astronomy. Webb was designed to study the formation of the first galaxies, the birth of stars and planetary systems, and the atmospheres of planets orbiting other stars. Operating near the Sun-Earth L2 point, approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, Webb uses a large segmented primary mirror and a multilayer sunshield to conduct extremely sensitive infrared observations. Together, missions such as Hubble and Webb demonstrate one of NASA’s defining characteristics: building scientific instruments that can answer questions that could not be addressed from Earth. # NASA’s Robotic Exploration of the Solar System NASA’s exploration portfolio extends far beyond Mars. The agency has sent spacecraft to nearly every major class of object in the Solar System, including planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. Notable missions include: **Voyager** — explored the outer planets and continues traveling through interstellar space. **Cassini-Huygens** — extensively studied Saturn and its moons, including Titan and Enceladus. **Juno** — studies Jupiter’s atmosphere, interior, magnetic field, and massive storms. **New Horizons** — conducted the first close flyby of Pluto and later explored the Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth. **OSIRIS-REx** — collected samples from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu and returned them to Earth in 2023. **Lucy** — is exploring Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids to study primitive remnants of the Solar System. These missions allow scientists to reconstruct the Solar System's history and investigate environments that may preserve evidence of how planets formed. # NASA and Commercial Space NASA’s relationship with the private space industry has changed substantially since the agency’s founding. During the early Space Race, NASA largely commissioned and controlled the development of the spacecraft, rockets, and infrastructure required for its missions. Today, NASA increasingly acts as a **customer, partner, and technology developer** alongside commercial companies. Companies such as SpaceX, Boeing, Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman, and others have participated in NASA programs involving crew transportation, cargo delivery, lunar exploration, launch services, and other capabilities. This shift is particularly significant in low Earth orbit, where NASA envisions a future in which government astronauts operate alongside privately funded commercial stations and other space businesses. The underlying idea is that NASA can focus its resources on exploration and scientific objectives while commercial companies develop services that can eventually operate independently of government funding. # NASA and International Partnerships NASA’s exploration efforts are closely tied to international space agencies and governments. The International Space Station represents one of the most extensive examples of multinational cooperation in spaceflight. NASA also works with organizations such as the **European Space Agency (ESA)**, **Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)**, the **Canadian Space Agency (CSA)**, and numerous other international partners. The Artemis program has expanded this model through the **Artemis Accords**, a framework for cooperation around peaceful and responsible exploration of the Moon and beyond. International partnerships allow countries to combine scientific expertise, engineering capabilities, funding, infrastructure, and access to space. # NASA Centers and Facilities NASA operates a distributed network of research centers, laboratories, testing facilities, and launch infrastructure throughout the United States. Major NASA centers include: ### Kennedy Space Center Located in Florida, Kennedy Space Center is one of NASA’s primary launch facilities and serves as the principal launch site for many of the agency’s human spaceflight missions. ### Johnson Space Center Located in Houston, Texas, Johnson Space Center is the center of NASA’s human spaceflight operations and includes Mission Control. ### Marshall Space Flight Center Located in Huntsville, Alabama, Marshall has played a major role in NASA’s rocket development and propulsion programs, including the Saturn rockets and Space Launch System. ### Jet Propulsion Laboratory Located in Southern California and managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology, JPL develops and operates many of NASA’s robotic planetary missions. ### Goddard Space Flight Center Located in Maryland, Goddard is heavily involved in Earth science, astrophysics, heliophysics, space science, and developing and operating scientific spacecraft. ### Ames Research Center Located in California, Ames conducts research involving aeronautics, advanced technology, astrobiology, planetary science, and other fields. ### Langley Research Center Located in Virginia, Langley conducts research in aeronautics, Earth science, atmospheric science, and space technology. NASA’s broader center network allows the agency to distribute highly specialized engineering and scientific capabilities across the country. NASA currently identifies **10 field centers** within its organizational structure. # How NASA Is Organized NASA is an independent agency of the United States federal government. Its headquarters is located in Washington, D.C., while its research centers, laboratories, and facilities are distributed throughout the United States. NASA’s organizational structure changes over time as national priorities and mission requirements change. As of 2026, NASA’s major mission organizations include the **Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate**, **Research and Technology Mission Directorate**, **Science Mission Directorate**, and **Mission Support Directorate**. The 2026 reorganization combined NASA’s former Exploration Systems Development and Space Operations organizations into the Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate. It also combined aeronautics and space technology activities into the Research and Technology Mission Directorate. NASA is currently led by **Administrator Jared Isaacman**, the agency’s 15th administrator. # NASA Today NASA’s current activities span human exploration, scientific research, technology development, and commercial spaceflight. The agency is pursuing an increasingly interconnected approach to space exploration. In low Earth orbit, NASA is supporting the transition toward commercial space services and future commercial destinations. Around the Moon, Artemis aims to develop the infrastructure and operational experience needed for sustained lunar exploration. Across the Solar System, robotic missions continue investigating planets, moons, asteroids, and other bodies. Meanwhile, NASA’s scientific missions continue observing Earth and the wider universe. The agency’s 2026 organizational realignment placed particular emphasis on accelerating Artemis, developing lunar infrastructure, advancing nuclear space technology, expanding commercial activity in orbit, and continuing scientific discovery. # NASA’s Role in the Future of Space Exploration NASA’s role in space is changing. For most of its history, NASA was the main way Americans got into space. Now, the agency is part of a bigger system that includes private launch companies, spacecraft builders, international agencies, universities, research groups, and a growing space economy. That does not make NASA less important. Instead, it changes what the agency can do. NASA can increasingly use commercial transportation and services to accomplish activities in Earth orbit while directing public resources toward missions that remain too ambitious, expensive, risky, or scientifically specialized for the commercial market. The long-term objective is not simply to repeat Apollo. It is to develop the technologies, infrastructure, scientific knowledge, and operational experience necessary for humanity to become a more capable spacefaring civilization. The Moon is the nearest major proving ground. Mars remains the most prominent long-term destination for human exploration. Robotic missions will continue expanding our understanding of the Solar System, while increasingly powerful observatories investigate the universe beyond it. NASA’s future will therefore be defined not by a single destination, but by how effectively it connects these efforts into a broader progression of exploration. # Frequently Asked Questions About NASA ## What does NASA stand for? NASA stands for the **National Aeronautics and Space Administration**. ## When was NASA founded? NASA began operations on **October 1, 1958**, following the passage of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958. ## Why was NASA created? NASA was created to coordinate and advance American civilian research and activities in aeronautics and space. It was created during the Cold War and the early Space Race with the Soviet Union. ## Where is NASA headquartered? NASA is headquartered in **Washington, D.C.**, while its major research centers and facilities are located throughout the United States. ## Who runs NASA? The President of the United States appoints the NASA Administrator, who is confirmed by the Senate. As of 2026, Jared Isaacman is the Administrator. ## Does NASA own SpaceX? No. SpaceX is a private company and is independent of NASA.NASA contracts with SpaceX for various services, including crew transportation, cargo transportation, launch services, and lunar-related activities. ## Does NASA still go to the Moon? Yes. NASA’s **Artemis program** is its current human lunar exploration program. ## Has NASA been to Mars? NASA has sent numerous robotic spacecraft to Mars, including orbiters, landers, and rovers. Humans have not yet traveled to Mars. ## How many people have walked on the Moon? Twelve astronauts have walked on the lunar surface, all during NASA’s Apollo program between 1969 and 1972. ## Does NASA only explore space? No. NASA also conducts aeronautics research, Earth science, climate and atmospheric research, astrophysics, planetary science, heliophysics, and technology development. ## NASA at a Glance **Full name:** National Aeronautics and Space Administration **Type:** U.S. federal government agency **Established:** October 1, 1958 **Headquarters:** Washington, D.C. **Primary fields:** Human spaceflight, space exploration, space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space technology **Current Administrator:** Jared Isaacman **Major current human exploration program:** Artemis **Major orbital laboratory:** International Space Station **Major planetary focus:** Moon and Mars **Major scientific missions:** Hubble Space Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope, and numerous planetary and astrophysics missions NASA remains one of the world’s most significant institutions for space exploration, scientific research, and aerospace technology. More than six decades after its creation, its work continues to define the boundary between what humanity can imagine doing in space and what it can actually accomplish. ### What is Specific Impulse (ISP)? URL: https://proximareport.com/explained/what-is-specific-impulse-isp/ Last updated: 2026-10-03T17:45:53.000Z **Specific impulse (Isp) measures how efficiently a rocket engine uses propellant to produce thrust.** Expressed in seconds, it helps engineers compare engines, estimate propellant needs, and understand how much velocity a spacecraft can gain from a given amount of propellant. [NASA Glenn Research Center](https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/beginners-guide-to-aeronautics/specific-impulse/?ref=proximareport.com) similarly describes specific impulse as a measure of rocket engine efficiency, relating an engine's thrust to its propellant consumption. From the F-1 engines that powered the Saturn V to the RS-25 engines used on the Space Shuttle and Space Launch System, specific impulse is a fundamental measurement in rocket propulsion. But higher specific impulse does not automatically mean a more powerful rocket. Understanding why means looking at how rockets produce thrust and the trade-offs engineers make when designing a propulsion system. ## How Does Specific Impulse Work? A rocket engine produces thrust by accelerating propellant out of its nozzle. As the exhaust travels in one direction, the rocket is pushed in the opposite direction. Specific impulse describes how much useful impulse an engine produces relative to the propellant it consumes. In simple terms, **higher specific impulse generally means an engine can get more propulsion from the same amount of propellant.** One useful analogy is fuel economy in a car. A car with better fuel economy can travel farther on the same fuel. Similarly, a rocket engine with higher Isp can produce more total impulse from a given amount of propellant. However, there is an important difference: rockets must carry their propellant. Every kilogram of propellant added is another kilogram the vehicle must accelerate.That makes propellant efficiency particularly important in spaceflight. ## Why Is Specific Impulse Measured in Seconds? The unit for specific impulse can seem strange at first. Why is an engine’s efficiency measured in seconds? The answer comes from the way Isp is defined. Specific impulse is calculated from an engine’s thrust and its propellant consumption rate, with standard gravity included in the definition. The equation is useful for engineers, but you don’t need to memorize it to understand the concept. **The key idea is that Isp shows how effectively an engine turns propellant consumption into useful impulse.** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/1748940350144.jpg) The ISP equation Specific impulse is also closely related to **effective exhaust velocity**. An engine with higher Isp generally produces a higher effective exhaust velocity, meaning it accelerates its propellant to a greater velocity. That relationship is one reason Isp matters so much to rocket performance. ## RS-25 vs. F-1: Two Different Approaches to Rocket Propulsion A great way to understand specific impulse is to compare two famous rocket engines: the **RS-25** and the **F-1**.The F-1 powered the first stage of the Saturn V and was designed around one enormous requirement: producing enough thrust to lift one of the largest rockets ever built off Earth. The RS-25, originally developed for the Space Shuttle and now used on NASA’s Space Launch System, had different priorities. It burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen and achieves a substantially higher specific impulse than the F-1.The difference is partly due to their propellants. The F-1 used **RP-1, a refined kerosene, and liquid oxygen**. RP-1 is relatively dense and practical to store, allowing a huge amount of propellant to be packed into the Saturn V’s first stage. The RS-25 instead uses **liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen**. Hydrogen has a very low molecular mass, allowing the engine to produce a high effective exhaust velocity and therefore a higher specific impulse. The tradeoff is that liquid hydrogen has very low density and requires large, heavily insulated tanks. So while the RS-25 has a higher specific impulse, that does not make the F-1 an inferior engine. The F-1’s enormous thrust was exactly what the Saturn V needed during the first stage of its ascent. **Different missions demand different propulsion characteristics.** ## How Propellant Choice Changes Specific Impulse Propellant selection strongly affects rocket engine performance. Different fuels and oxidizers release different amounts of energy and produce exhaust with different molecular properties. These characteristics influence how fast the exhaust can leave the engine. Liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen are particularly effective for achieving high specific impulse in chemical propulsion. Kerosene and liquid oxygen generally provide lower specific impulse, but kerosene is much denser and easier to handle. Methane and liquid oxygen offer another combination of characteristics and have become increasingly important in modern launch vehicle development. This creates a fundamental engineering tradeoff. A higher-performance propellant may require larger tanks, more complex thermal management, or harder storage. A denser propellant may sacrifice some specific impulse while letting a vehicle carry more propellant in a smaller volume. There is no perfect propellant. Only the propellant that fits the mission exists. ## Specific Impulse vs. Thrust One important thing to understand about Isp is that **specific impulse and thrust are not the same.** Thrust is the force an engine produces. Specific impulse describes how efficiently that engine uses propellant. An engine can have high thrust without exceptionally high Isp. It can also have very high Isp without producing much thrust. This distinction becomes particularly obvious when comparing chemical rockets with electric propulsion. ## Why Ion Engines Have High Isp but Low Thrust Ion engines are an excellent example of the tradeoff between efficiency and thrust. Instead of relying on chemical combustion, an ion engine uses electricity to accelerate charged particles, often xenon ions, to extremely high velocities. The result is exceptionally high specific impulse compared with conventional chemical rockets. The downside is thrust. Ion engines typically produce very little thrust compared with chemical rockets. They cannot launch a spacecraft from Earth’s surface, but in space they can operate continuously for long periods. Instead of providing huge acceleration for a few minutes, an ion engine provides tiny acceleration for months or years. Over enough time, that small thrust can produce a substantial change in velocity. NASA’s Dawn spacecraft demonstrated this concept particularly well, using ion propulsion to travel between and study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres. ## What About Nuclear Rocket Engines? Nuclear propulsion introduces another interesting point: **high efficiency doesn't always mean extremely low thrust.** Nuclear thermal propulsion uses a nuclear reactor to heat a propellant, typically hydrogen, before expanding it through a rocket nozzle. Because the propellant can be heated to extremely high temperatures without relying on chemical combustion, nuclear thermal engines could achieve significantly higher specific impulse than conventional chemical rockets while still producing substantial thrust. That makes nuclear thermal propulsion particularly interesting for potential deep-space missions, including crewed missions to Mars.Nuclear electric propulsion takes a different approach. A nuclear reactor can generate electricity, which then powers an electric propulsion system. This can provide extremely high propellant efficiency, but typically with the same low-thrust characteristics associated with electric propulsion. These systems show why engineers cannot simply ask, **“What propulsion system has the highest Isp?”** They have to ask what the spacecraft actually needs. ## How Specific Impulse Affects Delta-v Specific impulse is directly connected to **delta-v**, another fundamental concept in rocket science. Delta-v describes how much a spacecraft can change its velocity. A spacecraft with more available delta-v can perform maneuvers such as entering orbit, changing orbits, rendezvousing with another spacecraft, landing on another world, or traveling between planets. The rocket equation connects specific impulse, vehicle mass, and available delta-v. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/0_R0ExWOZ7VvKMUoMD.png) The Rocket Equation by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky The basic idea is straightforward: **for a given mass ratio, higher specific impulse lets a spacecraft achieve more delta-v.** This is why improving propulsion efficiency can have huge consequences for spacecraft design. Less propellant may be needed, leaving more mass for payload, instruments, crew supplies, or maneuvers. For a deeper explanation of the other half of this relationship, read our guide to [what delta-v is and why it matters for spaceflight](https://proximareport.com/explained/what-is-delta-v/). ## Why Rocket Engineers Have to Choose Rocket propulsion is ultimately a problem of tradeoffs. A launch vehicle needs enormous thrust to escape Earth’s gravity and accelerate through the atmosphere. A spacecraft in deep space may focus more on extracting as much velocity as possible from every kilogram of propellant. That is why we see such a wide range of propulsion systems. The F-1 prioritized enormous thrust. The RS-25 achieved much higher specific impulse while still providing substantial thrust. Ion engines sacrifice thrust for exceptional propellant efficiency. Nuclear thermal propulsion aims to combine high specific impulse with much more thrust than electric propulsion. Engineers have to balance **specific impulse, thrust, propellant density, engine mass, power requirements, reliability, cost, and mission duration.** The best propulsion system is therefore not necessarily the one with the highest Isp. It is the one that provides the right combination of characteristics for the mission. ## Frequently Asked Questions About Specific Impulse ### What does Isp stand for? Isp stands for **specific impulse**, a measurement used to describe the propellant efficiency of rocket and spacecraft propulsion systems. ### Why is specific impulse measured in seconds? Specific impulse is expressed in seconds because it is mathematically defined using thrust, propellant consumption, and standard gravity. The unit does not mean that Isp measures how long an engine can operate. ### Does higher specific impulse mean more thrust? No. Specific impulse measures propellant efficiency, while thrust measures force. An engine can have extremely high Isp while producing relatively little thrust. ### Why does liquid hydrogen have a high specific impulse? Liquid hydrogen produces lightweight exhaust when burned with liquid oxygen. The resulting exhaust can be accelerated to a high effective velocity, contributing to high specific impulse. ### Why don’t rockets use ion engines for launch? Ion engines produce far too little thrust for launch from Earth’s surface. They are designed for spacecraft already in space, where they can gradually accelerate a vehicle over long periods. ### Is nuclear propulsion more efficient than chemical propulsion? Nuclear thermal propulsion can achieve significantly higher specific impulse than conventional chemical propulsion while retaining substantial thrust. Nuclear electric propulsion can achieve even greater propellant efficiency, but generally produces much lower thrust. ### What is the difference between Isp and delta-v? Specific impulse describes how efficiently a propulsion system uses propellant. Delta-v describes the change in velocity a spacecraft can achieve. Specific impulse is one factor that determines how much delta-v a spacecraft can get from a given amount of propellant. ## The Bottom Line Specific impulse is one of the most important numbers in rocket propulsion because it tells engineers how effectively an engine uses its propellant. But Isp doesn’t tell the whole story. The F-1, RS-25, ion engines, and nuclear propulsion systems all demonstrate different approaches to the same fundamental problem: **how do we move through space while carrying a finite amount of propellant?** Sometimes the answer is enormous thrust. Sometimes it is extreme efficiency. And increasingly, the future of spaceflight may depend on finding better ways to balance both. ### What is Delta-V? URL: https://proximareport.com/explained/what-is-delta-v/ Last updated: 2026-10-03T17:12:21.000Z ***Delta-V (∆V) is the total change in velocity a spacecraft needs to perform maneuvers in space.*** Delta-V is not a direction or a speed; it serves as the mission’s budget. Each time a spacecraft accelerates, decelerates, or changes direction, it uses part of its delta-V. When this budget is depleted, the spacecraft may continue moving but cannot perform further significant maneuvers. Delta-V underpins every successful mission, establishing the limits of what is possible before launch. ## Why Delta-V Matters in Spaceflight In rocketry and orbital mechanics, delta-V defines a spacecraft’s true capability. Space agencies such as [**NASA**](https://www.nasa.gov/?ref=proximareport.com) and [**ESA**](https://www.esa.int/?ref=proximareport.com) design missions around delta-V budgets because space offers no second chances. There are no opportunities for unplanned refueling or emergency stops. The following examples illustrate this concept: - Reaching **Low Earth Orbit (LEO)** requires about **9.5 km/s** of delta-V. - Traveling from Earth orbit to the **Moon** requires approximately 3.2 km/s of delta-V. - Landing on **Mars and returning** requires a significantly larger and more complex delta-V budget. Each phase of a mission incurs a delta-V cost, which must be carefully managed. ## How Delta-V Is Calculated Delta-V is calculated using the **rocket equation**, developed in the early 1900s by soviet aerospace engineer, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. The equation links three variables: - Spacecraft mass - Engine efficiency (specific impulse) - Propellant mass The core concept is straightforward, even if the calculations are complex: Heavier **spacecraft and less efficient engines require more fuel to achieve the same delta-V.** It’s the same idea as with vehicles on Earth. A heavy, inefficient machine uses much more fuel than a lighter, more efficient one going the same distance. ## Delta-V in Real Missions: Earth, Moon, and Beyond Delta-V isn’t just a theory; it can be measured and predicted. - **The launch phase** is the most expensive due to gravity and atmospheric drag. - **Orbital maneuvers** are relatively cheap once in space. - **Interplanetary transfers** are slow but efficient, optimized to minimize delta-V. - **Landings** require significant delta-V because velocity must be reduced rather than increased. For this reason, missions are planned according to delta-V constraints rather than solely by destination. The laws of physics determine the parameters, and all other considerations follow. ## Designing Smarter Missions With Delta-V Because delta-V is limited, mission designers aim to maximize its effectiveness. Reducing mass, improving engine efficiency, and selecting optimal trajectories all decrease the required delta-V. Gravity assists, which use a planet’s gravity to increase speed without expending fuel, are among the most effective strategies. This approach doesn’t break the rules of physics; it works with them. ## Estimating Delta-V Without the Math You do not need to be a rocket scientist to apply delta-V concepts. Modern calculators let you estimate mission needs without doing the full rocket equation. Tools like the [**Proxima Report Delta-V Calculator**](https://proximareport.com/proxihub/) let you enter the spacecraft’s mass, engine type, and maneuver details to quickly find the needed delta-V. Whether you’re planning a realistic mission, building a classroom model, or exploring what’s possible on paper, these tools make orbital mechanics approachable. ## Delta-V, Summarized - Delta-V is a measure of how much a spacecraft can change its speed, not its actual speed. - It determines how far and how flexibly a spacecraft can travel. - It is limited by fuel mass, engine efficiency, and vehicle mass. - Every mission phase consumes part of the delta-V budget. - Good mission design tries to use as little delta-V as possible. In summary, greater delta-V provides more options, while limited delta-V requires careful planning and precision. ## Frequently Asked Questions About Delta-V ### What is delta-V in spaceflight? Delta-V (∆V) is the total change in velocity a spacecraft needs to perform maneuvers such as launching, changing orbits, traveling between planets, or landing. It represents a spacecraft’s maneuvering capability and is limited by fuel, engine efficiency, and mass. ### Is delta-V the same as speed? No. Delta-V measures how much a spacecraft can *change* its speed, not how fast it is currently moving. ### How much delta-V does it take to reach orbit? Reaching Low Earth Orbit requires roughly **9.5 km/s** of delta-V, accounting for gravity and atmospheric losses. ### Why is delta-V limited? Delta-V is limited by propellant mass and engine efficiency. Once a spacecraft runs out of fuel, it can no longer change its velocity. ### What is a delta-V budget? A delta-V budget is the total amount of velocity change allocated to every phase of a mission, from launch to final maneuvers. ### Why do gravity assists save delta-V? Gravity assists use a planet’s motion to alter a spacecraft’s velocity without burning fuel, effectively providing “free” delta-V. ### SpaceX Performs Three Falcon Launches Within Thirteen Hours URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-three-launches-thirteen-hours/ Last updated: 2026-10-02T15:39:47.000Z On October 1st and 2nd, SpaceX conducted a trio of launches into orbit with its Falcon series of launch vehicles from both coasts of the United States, using all of the rockets' available launch pads, over the course of 12 hours and 44 minutes. The first of those started at 15:10 pm Universal Coordinated Time, when a Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, [for Crew-13](https://proximareport.com/articles/falcon-9-crew-13/) to send NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, alongside Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk and cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov, towards the International Space Station. Their launch was supported by Booster B1101, flying for the third time and touching down back at Landing Zone 40, next to where it departed a few minutes earlier. 7 hours and 55 minutes after leaving Earth, [Crew-13 arrived](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/10/01/dragon-docks-bringing-spacex-crew-13-to-station/?ref=proximareport.com) at the International Space Station, docking at the Harmony module's forward-facing port. The four astronauts would [enter the station](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/10/01/crew-13-members-enter-station-join-expedition-75/?ref=proximareport.com) about two hours afterwards, completing the fastest launch-to-arrival by a U.S. crewed spacecraft. Next, over at Space Launch Complex 4E in California, another Falcon 9 departed Earth at 18:32 pm for the [Transporter-18](https://www.spacex.com/launches/transporter18?ref=proximareport.com) sun-synchronous rideshare mission. Like the prior launch, the booster returned to touchdown near where it left, this time at Landing Zone 4 after B1082 performed its twenty-fifth flight. This Transporter rideshare saw 130 small satellites and spacecraft being released from Falcon 9's second-stage. [Some of note include](https://www.satellitetoday.com/launch/2026/10/01/the-first-mission-milestones-onboard-spacexs-transporter-18-rideshare-launch/?ref=proximareport.com) one from Planet Labs carrying a Google Tensor Processing Unit, in collaboration for the internet giant's space-based computing ambitions; Cowboy Space's Reason-1 to trial transferring energy from space to the ground; Starfish Space's first 'Otter' servicing spacecraft; and two reentry capsules from Varda Space. All onboard were released over the course of [fifteen](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2105741134110785905?ref=proximareport.com) [minutes](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2105744911001640966?ref=proximareport.com). Lastly, at 03:54 am on October 2nd, Falcon Heavy blasted off from Launch Complex 39A via the power of its twenty-seven Merlin-1D engines, heading for a high-altitude Earth orbit. Requiring the power available from the rocket was a classified spacecraft belonging to the U.S. [National Reconnaissance Office](https://www.spacex.com/launches/nrol97?ref=proximareport.com), a spy agency under the Department of Defense. Supporting the launch were three boosters: B1106 as the expendable center core for its first and only flight, B1104 for its second mission, and B1072 for its fourth flight. After supporting about two minutes of ascent, B1104 and B1072 turned around to touchdown at Landing Zone 1 and Landing Zone 2 respectively, resulting in a slightly staggered side-by-side return. That Falcon Heavy launch may have been the third and final of this year. In April, the triple booster rocket sent the [ViaSat-3 F3 'Asia-Pacific](https://proximareport.com/articles/falcon-heavy-viasat3-return/)' communications spacecraft towards geostationary space, followed by it throwing NASA's [Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-roman-telescope-falcon-heavy/) to the Earth-Sun L2 point in August. Whether a fourth mission occurs this year depends on if [Astrobotic's Griffin-1](https://www.nasa.gov/event/clps-flight-astrobotics-griffin-mission-one/?ref=proximareport.com) is ready. > Falcon Heavy’s side boosters land on LZ-1 and LZ-2 [pic.twitter.com/dBPcNeggFx](https://t.co/dBPcNeggFx?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 2, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2105871098218778969?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### Proxima Report - Q3 2026 URL: https://proximareport.com/proxima-report-q3-2026/ Last updated: 2026-10-01T16:53:56.000Z Hello, and welcome to the inaugural Proxima Report! Every quarter, we take a step back from the constant stream of headlines to examine the developments shaping the space industry. From orbital launches and groundbreaking missions to new investments, emerging technologies, and major industry shifts, this report brings the quarter's most important stories together in one place. **Our goal is simple**: to provide our readers with useful data, clear context, and thoughtful analysis to better understand where the space industry stands today, how it is changing, and where it may be headed next. This is our look at Q3 of 2026. ## Q3 2026 - This Quarter in Space ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/Quarter-Overview.jpg) From record-breaking launch activity to major advances in reusable rocketry, Q3 saw significant developments across nearly every part of the industry. ### Q3 at a Glance - 🚀 **80 orbital launch attempts** - **✅ 79 successful orbital launches** - **📈 98.75% overall launch success rate** - **🛰️ More than 1,000 spacecraft were deployed into orbit** - **♻️ 2 successful Chinese orbital-class booster recoveries** - **🚀 SpaceX’s Starship reached orbit for the first time** - **🔭 NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launched** - **💰 At least $1.25 billion in major disclosed private-space funding rounds** With the quarter's biggest numbers established, we can take a closer look at the launches behind them. ## Global Space Launch Activity Q3 saw substantial activity across the global launch industry, with dozens of rockets carrying commercial satellites, crewed spacecraft, national security payloads, and scientific missions into orbit. ### Launches by Country The global launch market remained concentrated around a handful of countries during Q3, with the United States and China accounting for most orbital launch activity. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/Launch-Activity.jpg) The United States continued to lead in launch cadence, driven mainly by SpaceX's Falcon 9\. China followed with a growing mix of government and commercial providers. Europe, India, Japan, Russia, and other nations also contributed launches throughout the quarter. ### Launches by Provider ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/Launches-by-Provider.jpg) SpaceX again accounted for a significant portion of global launch activity. Its high launch cadence was supported by its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket. The growing number of commercial launch providers continued to diversify the global market, especially in China, where companies like LandSpace and Galactic Energy are beginning regular launch operations. ### Payload to Orbit & Satellites Deployed ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/Payload_Mass-to-Orbit.jpg) Launch counts show how often the global launch industry flew during Q3, but they don't fully capture the scale of what was placed into orbit. Looking at payload mass and spacecraft deployed provides another view of how rapidly orbital infrastructure is expanding. Large satellite constellations continued to account for a substantial share of the mass delivered to orbit, with [Starlink](https://starlink.com/?ref=proximareport.com) remaining the largest single contributor. At the same time, launch providers increasingly operated around high-volume deployment, with many missions carrying multiple spacecraft rather than a single large satellite. Operators deployed more than 1,000 spacecraft during the quarter, reflecting the continuing shift toward large-scale constellation deployment. Starlink accounted for the largest share, while China’s expanding broadband constellation programs and other commercial satellite networks added hundreds of additional spacecraft. Together, these figures illustrate a fundamental change in the launch market: orbital access is increasingly becoming a high-volume logistics operation, with launch providers flying more frequently and operators deploying spacecraft in batches to rapidly build out networks in low Earth orbit. But beyond the numbers, Q3 also produced several milestones that showed how quickly the capabilities behind this growing launch cadence are evolving. ## The Defining Stories Q3 2026 was marked by a series of milestones that extended beyond individual launches, revealing where the space industry is heading next. Reusable rockets moved closer to routine operation, major new scientific capabilities reached space, and Starship crossed its first major orbital milestone. Together, these events highlight a launch industry becoming more capable, more reusable, and increasingly ambitious in both scale and purpose. The following stories examine the missions, milestones, and announcements that most clearly shaped the quarter, from China’s first successful orbital-class booster recoveries and NASA’s launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope to Starship’s first orbital flight and deployment of operational Starlink satellites. ### *China Enters the Era of Reusability - July 10th and August 19th* ![Photos of a Long March 10b (left) and Zhuque-3 (right) shortly after successfully landing ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/Proxima-Report.jpg) Photos of a Long March 10b (left) and Zhuque-3 (right) shortly after successfully landing ****Image Credit: CASC/LandSpace** Following American companies such as [SpaceX](https://www.spacex.com/?ref=proximareport.com) and Blue Origin, China demonstrated two distinct orbital-class booster recovery systems within a month. These missions showed that China's reusable launch technology is evolving from isolated concepts into competing engineering solutions. On July 10, the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) successfully recovered the Long March 10B’s first stage after launch from Hainan. Instead of landing on legs, the booster used hooks to engage a cable-and-net system on an offshore platform. This marked China’s first successful recovery of an orbital-class rocket stage. This approach differs significantly from SpaceX’s. By shifting most recovery hardware to the platform, CALT eliminates the need for heavy landing legs and related equipment on the booster. CALT states this reduces vehicle mass and increases payload capacity, demonstrating that the most effective recovery system may not resemble SpaceX’s model. A month later, private Chinese company [LandSpace](https://www.landspace.com/en?ref=proximareport.com) demonstrated a different method. On August 18, ZhuQue-3’s second flight delivered its payload to orbit, then autonomously returned its first stage to a landing site in Gansu Province, about 390 kilometers downrange. This was China’s first successful land-based recovery of an orbital-class commercial booster. The landing, however, was not without issues. A fire after touchdown damaged the booster, which then tipped over. Despite this, the controlled descent and touchdown undoubtedly provided LandSpace with valuable flight data and demonstrated that China’s private sector can achieve orbital recovery using a conventional powered-landing system. These missions have broader significance. China has now demonstrated two distinct methods for recovering orbital-class boosters: sea-based net capture and autonomous land landing. This provides Chinese launch developers with multiple technological options to reduce the cost of orbital payload delivery. However, recovery is only the first step. Reusable rockets become commercially transformative when stages are reliably recovered, quickly inspected, frequently re-flown, and operated at a cost that justifies the infrastructure. China’s next milestone will be transitioning from experimental recoveries to routine operations. ### *Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Launches - August 30th 2026* ![NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launching from Florida on a Falcon Heavy ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/HQ-r8noXoAAW40j.jpg) NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launching from Florida on a Falcon Heavy ****Image Credit: SpaceX/NASA** On August 30, [NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/?ref=proximareport.com) launched aboard a [SpaceX](https://www.spacex.com/?ref=proximareport.com) Falcon Heavy from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. It began its journey toward the second Sun-Earth Lagrange point, roughly one million miles from Earth. The launch came nine months ahead of schedule after NASA and SpaceX accelerated preparations following the spacecraft’s early completion. Roman represents the next major step in NASA’s space-based astronomy program. While the James Webb Space Telescope is optimized for deep, detailed observations, Roman is designed to survey enormous areas of the sky at once. Its Wide Field Instrument will provide Hubble-level resolution across a field of view at least 100 times larger, allowing Roman to survey the universe up to 1,000 times faster than Hubble. That capability makes Roman particularly important for answering some of astronomy’s largest unanswered questions. The observatory will map billions of galaxies to investigate dark matter and dark energy, while its microlensing survey is expected to identify thousands of exoplanets. Its coronagraph will also demonstrate technologies for directly imaging planets around other stars, providing a technological stepping stone toward future missions designed to search for potentially habitable worlds. The mission's scale also changes how astronomers work with space-based observations. Roman is expected to transmit about 1.4 terabytes of data every day, the highest data rate of any NASA astrophysics mission to date. Much of that information will become a public scientific resource, allowing researchers worldwide to search the archive for discoveries beyond Roman’s primary objectives. Roman therefore matters not simply because another flagship telescope reached orbit, but because it will change the scale at which humanity can survey the universe. Rather than looking at a handful of distant targets in extraordinary detail, Roman will build enormous maps of the cosmos, identifying phenomena for other observatories such as Webb, Hubble, and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory to investigate in greater depth. Its five-year primary mission could consequently serve as both a major scientific observatory and a discovery engine for the next generation of astronomy. ### *Starship Reaches Orbit for the First Time and Deploys Starlinks - September 28th, 2026* ![SpaceX's Starship-Superheavy rocket seen imaged on the launch pad with the rising Sun and Texas coast in the background](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/HTeWwfKXsAAyXlz.jpg) SpaceX's Starship rocket seen on the pad at Starbase in Texas ****Image Credit: SpaceX** On September 28, [SpaceX’s Starship reached orbit for the first time](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-fourteen-orbit/), constituting a major transition in the development of the world’s largest launch vehicle. The 14th integrated Starship-Super Heavy flight launched from Starbase, Texas, and successfully inserted the upper stage into orbit before deploying 26 Starlink V3 satellites. The achievement was significant because Starship’s previous flights remained on suborbital trajectories. Reaching orbit requires more demanding propulsion, guidance, thermal protection, and orbital operations. On this flight, one of Starship’s six Raptor engines shut down prematurely during ascent, but the remaining systems allowed the vehicle to complete its orbital-insertion burn. Starship also carried a real operational payload for the first time. All 26 Starlink V3 satellites were deployed successfully, with each satellite designed to provide roughly 10 times the capacity of earlier V2 Mini satellites. SpaceX says the 26 spacecraft represent about 26 Tbps of additional network capacity, showing why Starship’s development is closely tied to Starlink's future expansion. The mission wasn't without issues, however. The aforementioned engine issue on Starship forced SpaceX to shorten the roughly 10-hour mission to about three hours, with Starship performing a controlled reentry and ocean splashdown instead of attempting recovery. The Super Heavy booster also splashed down in the Gulf rather than returning to the launch site. Rapid, complete reuse remains a future milestone, not an operational capability demonstrated by this flight. The flight’s importance goes beyond Starlink. Starship is developed around a fundamentally different launch model: a very large vehicle combining orbital-class payload capacity with rapid, full reusability. If SpaceX can recover and rapidly reuse both stages, the system could dramatically increase hardware delivered to orbit per launch and support a much higher launch cadence. That capability also underpins several of SpaceX’s longer-term objectives. NASA’s Artemis program is expected to rely on a Starship-derived lunar lander, which will require orbital refueling and repeated Starship flights to support crewed lunar missions. Future versions of the vehicle are also intended to support much larger Starlink deployments and eventually other high-mass missions beyond Earth orbit. Starship reaching orbit does not mean the vehicle is operational. It does, however, mark the point at which SpaceX has demonstrated the fundamental ability to send the complete vehicle into orbit and deliver a meaningful payload. The next challenge is arguably the more important one: turning that capability into a reliable, rapidly reusable launch system. ## The Space Economy The space industry is becoming as much a financial story as a technological one. Q3 saw major shifts in investment, public-market valuations, and private funding. Capital continued flowing into companies building launch systems, satellite networks, defense infrastructure, and emerging in-space industries. Global private investment in space companies more than doubled to $23 billion through June, signaling mounting investor interest in businesses with demonstrated commercial potential. This section analyzes the financial developments that shaped the quarter, from stock-market performance and major funding rounds to acquisitions, financial pressure, and companies exiting the market. It offers a look at where capital is flowing and where it is becoming harder to secure. ## Investment and Funding Against this backdrop, three developments this quarter stood out for what they reveal about where capital is flowing across the space economy. ### Stoke Space Raises $1 Billion ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/e767e33dcbee3c568f21b12e68a8776c5e460677-2000x1333.jpg) In September, [Stoke Space](https://www.stokespace.com/?ref=proximareport.com) raised $1 billion in a Series E round, bringing its total funding to about $2.3 billion. The money will help develop its fully reusable Nova launch vehicle, expand production and launch facilities, and prepare for the first orbital flight of Nova Pathfinder, planned for early 2027. This large funding round shows that investors are still willing to back new companies working toward the same goal that has changed the launch industry: making orbital launches reusable and quick to repeat. Stoke aims to stand out by designing both rocket stages for reuse, which could mean less hardware is thrown away after each mission. The big question now is whether this funding will translate into real flight hardware and, eventually, regular commercial launches. Shortly after announcing the funding, Stoke also unveiled the next iteration of Nova, providing a clearer look at how the company intends to scale its reusable launch architecture. Pathfinder is intended to give Stoke flight experience before the larger Nova vehicle enters service. At the same time, the latest design iteration reflects the company's longer-term goal of developing a fully reusable orbital launch system. Stoke is therefore moving from a well-funded development phase toward the tougher challenge of actually flying, recovering, and eventually reusing its rockets regularly. ### Blue Origin Wins NASA's Mars Telecommunications Contract ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/News_BlueRing-MTN.webp) NASA chose [Blue Origin](https://www.blueorigin.com/?ref=proximareport.com) to develop the [Mars Telecommunications Network](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-blue-origin-as-mars-telecommunications-network-provider/?ref=proximareport.com), giving the company a contract worth up to about $700 million. Blue Origin will design, build, launch, and run a Mars Telecommunications Orbiter that will provide high-speed communications and navigation for spacecraft at Mars. This contract matters for more than just Blue Origin. As Mars missions become more common and complex, strong communications systems are needed for ongoing exploration. A dedicated relay network could keep Earth and Mars spacecraft connected more often, laying the groundwork for future robotic and human missions. This also marks a change in the commercial space industry. Private companies are now being hired not just to launch spacecraft, but also to build and run the infrastructure needed for future space exploration. ### ExoSat and the Push for a Third Major Satellite Network ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-09-30-214032.png) [ExoSat](https://www.exosat.com/?ref=proximareport.com), a new startup from Singapore, is taking a different approach to the current broadband satellite market. The company plans to build thousands of low-cost communications satellites and present itself as a neutral, independent alternative to Starlink. ExoSat has filed for 11,000 satellites with the ITU and aims to start launches in 2027. ExoSat stands out because it plans to work outside the supply chains and rules that affect the United States and China. The company says its satellites will not use ITAR/EAR-controlled parts, so it can buy hardware from around the world and launch from various countries. If ExoSat moves past planning and fundraising, it could become a major new player in a market now dominated by just a few big networks. The real importance is not about ExoSat competing with Starlink right away, but about satellite connectivity becoming more diverse, as countries and companies look for options that do not rely on U.S. or Chinese space systems. Overall, these updates highlight three trends in the space economy this quarter: private investors are supporting new launch companies, governments are hiring commercial firms for key infrastructure, and new satellite networks are trying to make the market less dominated by a few big players. ### Public Markets The third quarter was volatile for publicly traded space companies. After a strong summer run, many space stocks gave back significant portions of their gains as investors reassessed valuations, growth expectations, and SpaceX’s public debut impact. From the **July 1 closing price to the September 30 closing price**, all five of the major space companies tracked in this report finished lower: | Company | July 1 | September 30 | Q3 Change | | -------------------------- | ------- | ------------ | --------- | | RK Rocket Lab RKLB | $100.07 | $69.68 | −30.4% | | AS AST SpaceMobile ASTS | $86.10 | $62.23 | −27.7% | | IM Intuitive Machines LUNR | $20.20 | $14.24 | −29.5% | | FL Firefly Aerospace FLY | $28.37 | $23.82 | −16.0% | | SX SpaceX SPCX | $157.54 | $149.77 | −4.9% | Q3 performance measured from July 1, 2026 closing price to September 30, 2026 closing price. Rocket Lab had the largest decline among the tracked companies, falling about **30%** over the quarter. The stock was volatile, sharply declining through July and August before recovering some losses in September. Weekly movements included a 27.5% gain the week ending August 7 and a 14.5% gain the week ending September 25.AST SpaceMobile declined about **28%**, despite volatility around its satellite deployment plans. The stock fell sharply in July before recovering some ground in August and September, ending the quarter at $62.23. Intuitive Machines fell about **29.5%**, from $20.20 at the start of the quarter to $14.24 at the close. The company also faced pressure from its announced $500 million at-the-market equity offering, adding another source of dilution concerns for investors. Firefly Aerospace had the smallest decline of the five, falling about **16%** from $28.37 to $23.82\. The stock remained highly volatile, rising above $29 early in July before declining through much of the quarter and recovering in September. SpaceX was comparatively stable after its historic June IPO. Shares began Q3 at $157.54 and ended at $149.77, down about **4.9%**. However, the company experienced larger swings within the quarter, falling sharply in July before recovering and trading mostly between $135 and $155 through August and September. The quarter showed a clear distinction between **space-industry activity and public-market performance**. Companies continued to launch missions, raise capital, win contracts, and develop new vehicles, while their stock prices often moved in the opposite direction. Q3 demonstrated that investor expectations and valuations can shift considerably even as the space industry expands. ## Technology and Industry Trends ![Render of Blue Origins Mars Telecommunication Orbiter heading to Mars](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/10/News_MarsTelecommunicationsOrbiter.webp) Render of Blue Origins Mars Telecommunication Orbiter ****Image Credit: Blue Origin** In addition to headline missions and financial results, Q3 highlighted technologies that will shape the future of spaceflight. Several advancements have the potential to transform spacecraft construction, launch, recovery, and orbital operations. The quarter’s most significant technology and industry developments, include: - **Reusable launch systems** — China demonstrated two orbital-class booster recovery architectures, while Starship reached orbit and advanced toward full reusability. - **High-volume satellite production** — Expanding constellations are increasing demand for standardized spacecraft and more industrialized satellite manufacturing. - **Next-generation spacecraft and communications** — New satellite architectures are enhancing broadband networks, Earth observation, and space-based communications. - **In-space infrastructure** — Commercial companies are developing systems for servicing, transportation, communications, and other activities beyond launch. Collectively, these developments indicate a space industry defined by **repeatability, scale, and the infrastructure needed to make space a more accessible operating environment.** The technologies and developments emerging this quarter also set the stage for what comes next, with several major missions, milestones, and industry developments already on the horizon for Q4. ## Looking Ahead to Q4 2026 Q3 2026 highlighted the rapid transition of the space industry from isolated achievements to sustained, broad-based operations. The quarter featured frequent launches, advancements in reusable rockets, expanded satellite constellations, and continued investment in next-generation space infrastructure. However, the quarter also demonstrated that new technology does not immediately lead to business success, as public-market performance and funding varied across the sector Q4 is expected to build on this momentum, with several major launches, vehicle tests, missions, and business milestones anticipated. Starship will likely continue its flight-test campaign, while new reusable launch vehicles and recovery systems from American and Chinese companies may further demonstrate the industry's progress toward routine booster reuse. Major satellite deployments will continue as operators expand broadband and other orbital networks. Missions from NASA and commercial providers will add new scientific and operational capabilities in orbit. Companies will also focus on transitioning successful demonstrations into regular operations, emphasizing repeatability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. Reusability will remain a key focus as SpaceX, Chinese launch companies, and new commercial entrants pursue more frequent flights and improved recovery systems. Satellite operators will continue expanding their networks, increasing demand for launches and spacecraft production. Beyond individual missions, the key question for Q4 is whether this year’s progress will translate into long-term, repeatable infrastructure. The industry is moving past proving new technology works and now must demonstrate that these systems can operate frequently, reliably, and cost-effectively at scale. As the year concludes, Q4 will provide an opportunity to assess whether 2026’s trends are forming the foundation for the space industry’s next phase. The true impact of 2026 may lie not in a single breakthrough, but in how many achievements become routine capabilities. Space is becoming more accessible, commercial, and industrial. The next phase will depend on how much further this transformation can progress. ### Falcon 9 Sends Four Astronauts to Orbit for NASA's Crew-13 Mission URL: https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-crew-13/ Last updated: 2026-10-01T15:36:10.000Z Soaring from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida, Falcon 9 departed Earth at 15:10 pm Universal Coordinated Time on October 1st, carrying NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, alongside Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk and cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov, into space aboard Crew Dragon. Almost three minutes after launch, the second-stage separated from the booster to chase the International Space Station. Ten minutes on from launch, Crew Dragon was released from Falcon 9's second-stage after its targeted orbit was achieved. Currently flying free, the Crew-13 astronauts are expected to arrive at the Harmony module's forward docking port [around eight hours](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/crew-13-10-1-launch-revc.pdf?emrc=7bd7b7&ref=proximareport.com) after launch. If performed as planned, that would be the fastest time a U.S. crewed spacecraft flies to the International Space Station. Entering the station will take place a few hours after docking. Upon reaching the space station, Watkins, Delaney, Kutryk, and Teteryatnikov should spend six months supporting research experiments and innovative science in microgravity. Their mission will end with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean around April 2027\. Keeping the four astronauts safe during their launch and time onboard the International Space Station is Crew Dragon 'Grace'. The spacecraft has previously spent 20 days in orbit for the [Axiom-4 mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/axiom-4-iss/) in mid-2025\. > Falcon 9 lands at LZ-40! [pic.twitter.com/BSygjZ47oZ](https://t.co/BSygjZ47oZ?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 1, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2105678927179985373?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Supporting the launch of Crew-13 was booster B1101, performing its third flight, previously having enabled the liftoff of [Crew-12 in February](https://proximareport.com/articles/crew-12-liftoff/) and the Starlink Group 6-88 mission in January. B1101 touched down at Landing Zone 40, next to where it lifted off from, after performing its part of the launch. Originally, Crew-13 was expected to head to the International Space Station in September. The mission was delayed for a few weeks due to [an oxidizer leak](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/08/29/nasa-spacex-adjust-crew-13-launch-date/?ref=proximareport.com) being found on Crew Dragon 'Grace'. That issue was resolved, and the decision for the mission to go ahead, by [late September](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/09/22/nasa-spacex-move-to-final-crew-13-prelaunch-prep-for-oct-1-liftoff/?ref=proximareport.com). ### Who's onboard? ![Jessica Watkins (left), Luke Delaney (center left), Sergey Teteryatnikov (center right), and Joshua Kutryk (right) during training to use Crew Dragon. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/55446302533_9f41a2bd88_4k.jpg) Jessica Watkins (left), Luke Delaney (center left), Sergey Teteryatnikov (center right), and Joshua Kutryk (right) during training to use Crew Dragon. ©SpaceX [**Jessica Watkins**](https://www.nasa.gov/people/jessica-watkins/?ref=proximareport.com), from the United States, is Crew-13's Commander for her second spaceflight, and to the International Space Station. She has previously spent 170 days aboard the station for the Crew-4 mission, serving as a mission specialist, from April to October 2022\. [**Luke Delaney**](https://www.nasa.gov/people/nasa-astronaut-luke-delaney/?ref=proximareport.com), also from the United States, is Crew-13's Pilot for his first trip into space. He was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021\. Before that, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1998, where he flew forty-eight types of aircraft. Since joining NASA, he has accumulated 3,900 flight hours. [**Joshua Kutryk**](https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/canadian/active/bio-joshua-kutryk.asp?ref=proximareport.com), from Canada, is one of Crew-13's Mission Specialists as his first mission to space. He was selected by the Canadian Space Agency in 2017 as an astronaut, spending several years moving between training assignments. Before selection, he served in the Royal Canadian Air Force from 2007, where he flew over forty aircraft types for over 4,000 hours. [**Sergey Teteryatnikov**](https://www.gctc.ru/print.php?id=6331&ref=proximareport.com), from Russia, is Crew-13's other Mission Specialist for his first spaceflight. Roscosmos selected him as a cosmonaut in 2021\. Prior to that, he served in the Russian Navy, aboard surface vessels and submarines. --- ### What is Crew Dragon? Crew Dragon, or Dragon 2, is a partially reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX. The primary use for Crew Dragon is to send crew to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX also performs free-flight missions with the spacecraft. Crew Dragon consists of the capsule and trunk. The trunk is used to store unpressurized cargo as well as to have solar panels mounted on one side, to generate power, and radiators on the other, to dissipate heat generated inside. The trunk is not reused and burns up in the atmosphere after each mission. The capsule is where the crew is during launch, landing, and while on their way to space. Unlike the original Dragon capsule, the Crew Dragon capsule has a launch abort system consisting of eight SuperDraco engines. This abort system [can also](https://x.com/dpoddolphinpro/status/1839785424618697197?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) be used to bring the capsule to a soft touchdown in the event of four parachute failures. The capsule also has a nosecone that will fold out of the way in space to protect the docking hardware and forward-facing thrusters during launch and landing. The forward-facing thrusters are the main propulsion system for performing maneuvers while in flight. Up to four parachutes will deploy from the capsule during descent to allow it to splash down for recovery. Crew Dragon was developed as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program to regain crew access to the International Space Station from the United States of America after the retirement of the Space Shuttle. SpaceX currently has five active Crew Dragon capsules: Endeavour, Resilience, Endurance, Freedom, and Grace. ### Starship Enters Orbit for Two Hours, Deploys Starlink Satellites URL: https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-fourteen-orbit/ Last updated: 2026-09-28T17:18:58.000Z Lifting off from Starbase, Texas, at 12:48 pm Universal Coordinated Time on September 28th, SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy began its [fourteenth flight test](https://www.spacex.com/launches/starship-flight-14?ref=proximareport.com) in its quest to become a fully reusable launch vehicle. For today's test, Booster 21 lit all thirty-three of its 'Raptor 3' engines to depart Earth, with all but one continuing to power ascent out of the atmosphere. Successful hot-staging of Ship 41 would then follow, with it igniting its three sea-level and three vacuum 'Raptor 3's, while the booster kept running five engines. Upon leaving the Ship, Booster 21 would lose a second engine during its boostback burn, aiming its trajectory into the Gulf of Mexico just off the coast of Texas. Despite the engine losses, that burn would be completed a few seconds later than planned, enabling a fast descent back to the ocean surface. Two engines would remain out for a landing burn, but that did not prevent a first soft splashdown of a 'Block 3' booster using the eleven remaining 'Raptor 3's. However, not long afterwards [Booster 21 would detonate](https://bsky.app/profile/nasaspaceflight.com/post/3mwlelt4z6s26?ref=proximareport.com). Meanwhile, Ship 41 continued its trek up into orbit, losing one vacuum 'Raptor 3' in the process. A planned engine cut-off was pushed back by twenty seconds to allow the remaining five engines to compensate. That loss of an engine on Ship during ascent initially led to a calling off of an orbital insertion burn. But, a few minutes later SpaceX's teams decided that the relevant systems were functional, and proceeded forward. An orbital insertion burn subsequently took place using a single sea-level 'Raptor 3' as previously planned, allowing Starship to enter orbit for the first time. > Starship performs its orbital insertion burn and enters orbit of Earth for the first time [pic.twitter.com/LodrSTnEnl](https://t.co/LodrSTnEnl?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [September 28, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2104560708969259344?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Not long after reaching orbit, twenty-six 'Version 3' Starlink satellites were deployed from Ship 41 over the course of thirty minutes via its 'Pez dispenser' mechanism and through a tiny payload bay door. That system was verified during Starship's first two 'Block 3' flight tests in [May](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-twelve/) and [July](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-thirteen/). During its time in space for about two hours, something not done before, Starship's mission controllers were also keen to understand how the vehicle's structure, propellant, and other systems cope while being subject to the extreme heat and cold of orbit, as it passes in front of and behind Earth relative to the Sun. Knowing that is critical to Starship's future, as going anywhere beyond low Earth orbit requires several refueling flights over the course of multiple days. > Views from of one of the first 26 Starlink V3 satellites successfully deployed to orbit by Starship > > Thanks for the ride, [@SpaceX](https://x.com/SpaceX?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com)! [pic.twitter.com/B2SSUA0N0q](https://t.co/B2SSUA0N0q?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Starlink (@Starlink) [September 28, 2026](https://x.com/Starlink/status/2104603601943339071?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) While up in orbit, Ship 41 did appear to be losing several of its hexagonal ceramic thermal protection system tiles. Each of those tiles are larger than a human hand and are very fragile. One side of the tile, meant to face the atmosphere, is black while the other side, attached to the vehicle, is white. That and their size may make them hard to track from the ground, posing an orbital debris risk. Starship reaching orbit for the first time comes almost three and a half years after its awful debut flight in April 2023, which saw it [almost destroy](https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-damage-starbase-launch-pad?ref=proximareport.com) its own launch pad. Last year, the vehicle was hindered by terrible reliability, causing [three](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-7?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) [Starships](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-8?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) to [fail](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-nine?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) during ascent and [another explode](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-faces-major-setback-with-testing-anomaly/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) on the ground, keeping it from performing any orbital tests. Just over an hour on from liftoff, SpaceX announced that Ship 41 would be returning to Earth earlier than planned, not citing reasons as to why. [Ahead of the flight test](https://www.spacex.com/updates?ref=proximareport.com#orbital-starship), it was set to be in space for almost ten hours. Instead, it was decided that the vehicle would spend under three hours in space, with a deorbit burn performed after two hours of flight. A contingency zone in [the northern Pacific Ocean](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2104576268624892244?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) was set up ahead of time for such a scenario. > Deorbit burn complete. Starship is on course to reenter Earth’s atmosphere ahead of a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean in \~1 hour [pic.twitter.com/eV3zLEpWdZ](https://t.co/eV3zLEpWdZ?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [September 28, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2104588111422627849?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 41's re-entry into Earth's atmosphere was a smooth ride down, with its thermal protection system performing as expected. Steering of the entry path was performed by the four aerodynamic control flaps as well. That allowed Ship 41 to reach subsonic speeds intact above the Pacific Ocean and properly position itself for its landing maneuver. For it, three sea level 'Raptor 3's ignited for the final time for the flip and burn, successfully slowing the vehicle down to splashdown upright before being shut off. Moments after splashdown, Ship 41 [fell on its side and exploded](https://bsky.app/profile/nasaspaceflight.com/post/3mwloq4gbw22u?ref=proximareport.com), concluding the flight test after approximately three hours and eight minutes. > Splashdown confirmed. Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on the first orbital flight of Starship! [pic.twitter.com/urjmiwnvNl](https://t.co/urjmiwnvNl?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [September 28, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2104601695711904180?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) In total, Ship 41 spent just over two hours in orbit, completing almost two laps of Earth. Due to it coming out of orbit early, the next test flight of Starship will likely need to complete what was planned for today, among other objectives SpaceX will want to add. Now orbit-capable, it is critical for SpaceX to demonstrate minimal propellant boiloff technology and Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer systems in the near future. Those capabilities are needed for a crewed lunar landing contracted by NASA [in 2028](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/), which itself [may need fifteen flights](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/at-least-15-starship-launches-to-execute-artemis-iii-lunar-landing/?ref=proximareport.com) of the vehicle and the [Office of Inspector General believes](https://proximareport.com/articles/issues-present-us-landers/) SpaceX is repeatedly running behind schedules. A [handful of Starship launch pads](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-louisiana-starship-site/) are under construction in planning stages across America to enable the flight cadence needed to support a lunar mission. ### Weekly Dose of Space (20/9-26/9) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-20-9-26-9/ Last updated: 2026-09-27T15:29:29.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw six launches occurring from both sides of the Pacific, with a few constellations' growth supported. News during the week had four nations sign the Artemis Accords and Arabsat contract a satellite from China. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *September 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-27* Twenty-seven Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The launch was supported by booster B1093, flying for the seventeenth time with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink 15-27 mission on September 20th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/HSoh7qgXcAA8rWQ-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink 15-27 mission on September 20th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *September 20th - Kinetica-1 with a rideshare launch* CAS Space's Kinetica-1 flew into sun-synchronous orbit to deliver a handful of customer satellites from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Nine satellites were deployed from the rocket's fourth-stage, and were: - Chaozhisuan-1, an orbital compute demonstration spacecraft. - PEGA-SUS1, a connectivity-compute technology verification satellite. - Pujiang-4, for carbon dioxide and methane emission monitoring. - The Qinling-01 and 02 high-resolution Earth imaging spacecraft. - Diting-1A, 1B, and 1C for monitoring electromagnetic frequencies. - And the remote sensing Yunxiao Pathfinder Satellite. ![The Kinetica-1 Y18 vehicle departing from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 20th 2026. ©CAS Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/6aaf8234e4b06d4a392ca920-1.jpeg) The Kinetica-1 Y18 vehicle departing from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 20th 2026\. ©CAS Space ### *September 23rd - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 26* A Long March 8A flew from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site and into low Earth orbit to deliver the latest group of nine satellites for the GuoWang connectivity constellation. With that launch, 213 GuoWang spacecraft are in orbit. ![The Long March 8A Y11 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on September 23rd 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/0080MYmPly1ihdzx4hjiqj34i72zp7wj-1.jpg) The Long March 8A Y11 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on September 23rd 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *September 24th - Long March 6A with Yaogan-40 Group-04* From the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 6A launched to polar orbit to deploy three satellites for Yaogan-40's Group-04\. Those satellites are tasked with electromagnetic environment detection, and join nine already in orbit for that purpose. ![The Long March 6A Y13 vehicle blasting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on September 24th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/006aWhMSgy1ihf1ol5d6ej31yv1b9kjl-1.jpg) The Long March 6A Y13 vehicle blasting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on September 24th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *September 26th - Electron for 'Owlright, Owlright, Owlright'* Synspective had another StriX remote sensing satellite brought into low Earth orbit by Rocket Lab's Electron, flying from Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand. The new satellite joins a small fleet designed to collect images of Earth at a resolution as low as 1 meter. > LIFTOFF! Electron has launched for the 97th time🚀 [pic.twitter.com/cwy4aOG4wQ](https://t.co/cwy4aOG4wQ?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [September 26, 2026](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2103646059969085582?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *September 26th - Falcon 9 with USSF-385* Falcon 9 launched out of Space Launch Complex 4E to deploy a set of military satellites into low Earth orbit for the United States Space Force. Booster B1100 supported the mission for its tenth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the USSF-358 mission on September 26th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/HTKZXmXXgAAD9Uo-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the USSF-358 mission on September 26th 2026\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *New nations sign Artemis Accords* During the past week, four nations have signed onto the U.S.-spearheaded Artemis Accords, and its interpretation of outer space law. The first of those was [Albania on September 21st](https://www.nasa.gov/organizations/oiir/nasa-welcomes-albania-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com), with Ferit Hoxha, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, signing on behalf of his country. Upon doing so, at an event in Washington D.C., he shared: > "It is a great honor for Albania to join the growing community of nations that have signed these important Artemis Accords. By taking this step, Albania affirms its commitment to peaceful, transparent, sustainable, and cooperative exploration of space. We do so as a country deeply committed to international law, multilateral cooperation, and the belief that humanity’s greatest achievements are realized not in isolation, but through partnerships." Two days later, on September 23rd, Croatia held an event in its capital, Zagreb, [to join the Accords](https://www.nasa.gov/organizations/oiir/artemis-accords/nasa-welcomes-croatia-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com). Minister of Science, Education, and Youth Radovan Fuchs did the formal signing, and said afterwards: > "Croatian scientists and companies are demonstrating growing interest in the space industry. We have therefore decided to expand our international cooperation by joining the Artemis Accords. This international agreement has been recognized as a key opportunity for the robust development of Croatia’s scientific community, the introduction of new technologies, and the strengthening of the economy." Then in Africa, Côte d’Ivoire held a similar event in Abidjan, its economic capital, to become a [signatory on September 24th](https://www.nasa.gov/organizations/oiir/nasa-welcomes-cote-divoire-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com). Adama Diawara, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, signed the Accords and quickly stated: > "This is a great achievement, and important for Côte d’Ivoire’s ambitions and for the rest of the African Union members." Lastly, on September 25th, the tiny European nation of San Marino [agreed to the Accords](https://www.nasa.gov/organizations/oiir/nasa-welcomes-san-marino-signing-the-artemis-accords/?linkId=1013507810&ref=proximareport.com). Minister of Industry and Technological Research Rossano Fabbri signed on behalf of the small state, and subsequently commented: > "We are pleased and honored that the Republic of San Marino has been welcomed as the 76th signatory state of the Artemis Accords. We fully share the principles and values expressed in the Artemis Accords, and we are convinced that the signatory states united under the Accords will make a tangible contribution to promoting international cooperation in space and ensuring the use of space for peaceful purposes." All signing events were done in the presence of U.S. Department of State officials, with Albania's also having NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson there. Anderson did send recorded statements to the other nations. With the four nations signing, seventy-six nations have signed the Artemis Accords, under a third of the member states of the United Nations. ### *Arabsat-50 contract awarded to China* Departing from its usual practice of contracting its satellite production and launch to Europe or America, Arabsat's next communications spacecraft, designated Arabsat-50, was [announced to be the responsibility](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/arabsat-50-spacecraft-to-be-built?ref=proximareport.com) of Chinese firms on September 22nd. The China Great Wall Industry Corporation will act as the lead contractor, while the China Academy of Space Technology will develop the spacecraft upon its Dongfanghong-3E platform, and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology will send it towards geostationary space atop of Long March 3B/E from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, expected in the coming years. All of those firms are state-owned. Arabsat-50 is set to provide television broadcast and connectivity services to users across the north of Africa and the Middle East via high-power Ku-band antennas. The spacecraft will be fairly small, weighing no more than 2,100 kilograms, but flexible thanks to its use of electric propulsion for all maneuvers. It is expected to function for up to fifteen years as well. Upon the launch of Arabsat-50, China will have added to the Arabsat fleet for the first time in the organization's fifty-year history, which is also where the spacecraft designation is derived from. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *September 28th - Starship-Super Heavy for its fourteenth flight test* SpaceX is set to launch the fourteenth flight test of its fully reusable Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle, which will head into orbit for the first time and deploy twenty-six Starlink V3 satellites. ### *October 1st - Falcon 9 with Crew-13* NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, along with Canada's Joshua Kutryk and Russia's Sergey Teteryatnikov, will be launched to the International Space Station from Space Launch Complex 40, atop of a Falcon 9 and inside Crew Dragon. ### *October 1st - Falcon 9 with Transporter-18* A Falcon 9 will perform SpaceX's Transporter-18 rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E, expected to deploy over one hundred small satellites into sun-synchronous orbit. ### *October 2nd - Falcon Heavy with NROL-97* Florida's Launch Complex 39A will have a Falcon Heavy depart for a high-energy orbit to carry a U.S. military satellite on behalf of the National Reconnaissance Office. ### Private Satellite Rescue Mission Fails; NASA’s Swift Observatory Now Faces November Reentry URL: https://proximareport.com/private-satellite-rescue-mission-fails-nasas-swift-observatory-now-faces-november-reentry/ Last updated: 2026-09-26T23:54:37.000Z A private $30 million robotic spacecraft developed by [Katalyst Space Technologies](https://www.katalystspace.com/news/katalyst-concludes-link-mission-advances-future-robotic-space-operations?ref=proximareport.com) burned up during atmospheric reentry on September 25, 2026, after a critical malfunction cut its mission short. The three-armed salvage vehicle, named [Link](https://www.katalystspace.com/mission/link?ref=proximareport.com), launched less than three months ago on a “high-stakes mission” to intercept and refuel NASA's aging [Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil%5FGehrels%5FSwift%5FObservatory?ref=proximareport.com). The mission followed an unusual effort to [save the NASA telescope from an early reentry](https://proximareport.com/articles/pegasus-save-nasa-telescope/). However, a faulty propellant valve shortly after launch [sent Link into an uncontrolled spin](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-telescope-savior-spin/). While engineers did eventually successfully stabilize the craft, the situation depleted the vehicle's remaining fuel, leaving it unable to execute the delicate maneuvers required to dock with the telescope. By late July,[ the mission's chances of rescuing Swift had become increasingly uncertain](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-telescope-savior-issues/). Despite the docking failure, teams spent Link's remaining weeks practicing proximity operations, coming within 9 miles of Swift to collect valuable tracking data. With the rescue craft now essentially out of service, the Swift Observatory is left without a lifeline and is projected to make its own fiery plunge back to Earth by early November 2026. Reflecting on the commercial partnership, NASA's [Shawn Domagal-Goldman](https://science.nasa.gov/people/dr-shawn-domagal-goldman/?ref=proximareport.com) noted that the attempt provided critical lessons for the emerging satellite-servicing industry, stating: > "While we'll be sad to see Swift's mission come to a close, we knew this boost effort would be worthwhile either way." ### Weekly Dose of Space (13/9-19/9) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-13-9-19-9/ Last updated: 2026-09-20T12:41:07.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had eleven launches taking place worldwide, with a handful adding to constellations in low Earth orbit. News of the week in Djibouti joining the Artemis Accords and NASA buying more Crew Dragon flights from SpaceX. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *September 13th - Falcon 9 with three O3b mPOWER satellites* From Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida, Falcon 9 flew into a medium Earth orbit to deliver three Boeing-made O3b mPOWER satellites for SES, to enhance their connection services. Supporting the launch was booster B1080, flying for the twenty-ninth time and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 40 with three of SES' satellites on September 13th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/HSH9kiAbUAAzHdZ.jpg) Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 40 with three of SES' satellites on September 13th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *September 15th - Vega-C with Sentinel-3C & FLEX* Europe's Vega-C departed from the Guiana Space Centre into sun-synchronous orbit to deliver the Sentinel-3C Earth observation satellite for the Copernicus Programme. The Fluorescence Explorer (FLEX) for the European Space Agency was a secondary passenger, with it being tasked to map vegetation fluorescence globally. > Liftoff! 🚀 FLEX and Sentinel-3C are on their way. > > Vega-C [#VV30](https://x.com/hashtag/VV30?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) has departed Europe’s Spaceport carrying the two Earth observation satellites into orbit. [pic.twitter.com/Jm59afOfhW](https://t.co/Jm59afOfhW?ref=proximareport.com) > > — European Space Agency (@esa) [September 15, 2026](https://x.com/esa/status/2099670789381300607?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *September 15th - Zhuque-2E with ten Qianfan satellites* LandSpace's Zhuque-2E headed for a polar orbit, out of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying ten Qianfan space-based connectivity satellites into space for the first time. That launch also grew the constellation to 248 spacecraft. ![LandSpace's Zhuque-2E Y7 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 15th 2026. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/0076pMobly1ih4cwykq20j35c23k17wm-1.jpg) LandSpace's Zhuque-2E Y7 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 15th 2026\. ©LandSpace ### *September 15th - Gravity-1 with eight Qianfan satellites, one test spacecraft* Later on the same day, the Qianfan constellation had its first sea launch performed by Gravity-1 out of the East China Sea, deploying eight operational satellites and a test spacecraft known as ‘Enhanced Ultra High Throughput'. This launch brought the constellation's operational count to 256\. ![Orienspace's Gravity-1 Y3 vehicle during first-stage flight from the East China Sea on September 15th 2026. ©Orienspace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/008yXfxTgy1ih57gwwidaj31hc0u0n2k-1.jpg) Orienspace's Gravity-1 Y3 vehicle during first-stage flight from the East China Sea on September 15th 2026\. ©Orienspace ### *September 16th - Soyuz 2.1b with Progress MS-35* Russia utilized a Soyuz 2.1b to send the Progress MS-35 spacecraft towards the International Space Station, departing from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The spacecraft will deliver new science experiments, clothes, water, food, and other utilities. > Successful launch of Soyuz-2.1b with Progress MS-35 cargo spacecraft! > > Docking to the ISS is scheduled for September 19 at 16:47 Moscow Time (13:47 UTC) > > Key moments of this launch: > > 1\. LIftoff > 2\. 1st stage (boosters) separation > 3\. Separation of Progress MS-35 from the 3rd stage [pic.twitter.com/5adqckK91H](https://t.co/5adqckK91H?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@afec7032) [September 16, 2026](https://x.com/afec7032/status/2100221445632659546?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *September 17th - Long March 12 with GuoWang Group 25* From the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, a Long March 12 flew into low Earth orbit to place nine GuoWang satellites into space. Those satellites bring the state-back connectivity constellations total count to 204\. ![The Long March 12 Y9 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on September 17th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/0080MYmPly1ih6g33zxl6j33y82m61la-1.jpg) The Long March 12 Y9 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on September 17th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *September 17th - Falcon 9 with USSF-259* A Falcon 9 flew from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, to deliver a set of U.S. military satellites into low Earth orbit. The booster supporting that launch was B1097, for its thirteenth mission with a downrange landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight from Space Launch Complex 4E for the USSF-259 mission on September 17th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/HSZYQBFXMAESQ-b-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight from Space Launch Complex 4E for the USSF-259 mission on September 17th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *September 17th - Kuaizhou-11 with Tianyi-51 & Tianyi-52* ExPace's Kuaizhou-11 blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, heading for low Earth orbit, carrying SpaceTY's Tianyi-51 and Tianyi-52 C-band interferometric synthetic-aperture radar satellites. Those satellites will capture images of Earth at a resolution of up to 2 meters for Chinese clients. ![Kuaizhou-11 Y3 blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 17th 2026. ©ExPace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/HSZOL4fbEAAijpR-1.jpg) Kuaizhou-11 Y3 blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 17th 2026\. ©ExPace ### *September 17th - Soyuz 2.1b with Cosmos spacecraft* Out of the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, a Soyuz 2.1b headed into Earth orbit carrying an unknown number of classified satellites. Those satellites also have an unknown purpose. > Ministry of Defense shows video of yesterday's launch of Soyuz-2.1b from Plesetsk, carrying a satellite in the interests of MoD [https://t.co/SbbdO0ZVHE](https://t.co/SbbdO0ZVHE?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/jwg8Scmefp](https://t.co/jwg8Scmefp?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@afec7032) [September 18, 2026](https://x.com/afec7032/status/2100843955860472040?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *September 19th - Electron for 'Owl By The Dozen'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket flew into low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying a StriX satellite on behalf of Synspective. That satellite is expected to collect images of Earth at a resolution as low as 1 meter. > LIFTOFF! Electron has launched for the 96th time🚀 [pic.twitter.com/BZp4cCK84C](https://t.co/BZp4cCK84C?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [September 19, 2026](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2101150195224576025?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *September 19th - Long March 2D with four PIESAT-2 satellites* A Long March 2D lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, carrying four GalaxySpace-made PIESAT-2 synthetic aperture radar satellites into sun-synchronous orbit. Those satellites will join Zhuzhou Space Interstellar Satellite Technology Co Ltd's existing fleet to collect data about Earth, which will then be sold to various customers. ![The Long March 2D Y104 vehicle departing from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on September 19th 2026. ©GalaxySpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/0071kEH3ly1ih97hgdsgrj33bl1vahdt-1.jpg) The Long March 2D Y104 vehicle departing from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on September 19th 2026\. ©GalaxySpace ## **In Other Space News** ### *Djibouti signs Artemis Accords* At an event at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C., the small African nation of [Djibouti signed the Artemis Accords](https://www.nasa.gov/organizations/oiir/artemis-accords/nasa-welcomes-djibouti-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) on September 14th. The signing was done, in the presence of NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson, by Mohamed Siad Douale, Ambassador of Djibouti to the United States. After signing, the Ambassador commented: > "By joining the Artemis Accords, Djibouti seeks to deepen its partnership with the United States and with the growing community of nations committed to peaceful space cooperation. We look forward to building partnerships in scientific research, satellite applications, education, and technical training, while creating new opportunities for Djibouti students, researchers, engineers, and entrepreneurs." Djibouti's space program is quite young, being established in 2020, with two satellites launched in 2023 and 2024, both by Falcon 9 rideshare missions. With Djibouti now a signatory of the accords, seventy-two nations now have, just over a third of the member states of the United Nations. ### *NASA books three more Crew Dragon flights* NASA [announced on September 18th](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/station/commercial-crew/nasa-awards-spacex-three-crew-flights-to-space-station/?ref=proximareport.com) that it has booked three more Crew Dragon flights from SpaceX to transport crews of four to the International Space Station in 2027 and 2028\. Those three missions, [to be designated](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2101049805640282462?ref=proximareport.com) Crew-15, Crew-16, and Crew-17, have been acquired at a firm fixed-price cost of 946 million United States Dollars. With that cost, each mission is priced at about 315.3 million, while each astronaut's seat onboard is around 78.8 million. Should SpaceX complete those new and two to-be-fulfilled astronaut transportation missions, the company will have earned 5.92 billion United States Dollars from NASA. The decision to buy further astronaut launches via SpaceX had to be made this year, as NASA's [previous contract](https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/nasa-awards-spacex-more-crew-flights-to-space-station/?ref=proximareport.com) with the company was due to run out in two flights with the Crew-14 mission, set to occur in the opening months of 2027\. That need to buy was also caused by [Boeing's Starliner crewed spacecraft](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-starliner-major-mishap/) not being ready yet. To date, Crew Dragon has supported twenty human-carrying missions into low Earth orbit. Its next, Crew-13 for NASA, is expected to launch in the coming weeks, should [an oxidizer leak](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/08/29/nasa-spacex-adjust-crew-13-launch-date/?ref=proximareport.com) on the spacecraft be resolved. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *September 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-27* Space Launch Complex 4E is expected to support the launch of a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9\. ### *September 20th - Kinetica-1 for a rideshare mission* CAS Space's Kinetica-1 is set to fly into sun-synchronous orbit to deploy a handful of customer satellites from various entities. ### *September 23rd - Long March 8A with connectivity satellites* A Long March 8A is expected to fly from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site and into low Earth orbit with a batch of either Qianfan or GuoWang connectivity satellites. ### *September 24th - Long March 6A with connectivity satellites* From the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, Qianfan or GuoWang satellites will be launched into polar orbit by a Long March 6A. ### *September 26th - Falcon 9 with USSF-385* A set of U.S. military satellites are to be flown into Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### Weekly Dose of Space (6/9-12/9) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-6-9-12-9/ Last updated: 2026-09-13T15:31:42.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had just four launches occurring globally, with half performed by SpaceX. News from the week has new investment for a spaceport in the United Kingdom and quality problems within China's space projects. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *September 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-24* Twenty-seven Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this launch was booster B1088 for its eighteenth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E on September 6th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/HRi1e4SXYAIo7rG-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E on September 6th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *September 10th - Long March 4B with six Yaogan satellites* A Long March 4B departed from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to head for low Earth orbit, carrying Yaogan-53-01, -02, -03 and Yaogan-56-01, -02, -03\. The six new remote sensing spacecraft are tasked with supporting agricultural yield estimation, land and resource census, disaster prevention planning efforts, and scientific experiments. ![The Long March 4B Y78 vehicle departing from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 10th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/00686eaKgy1igyq2y3t8lj30u0190whj-1.jpg) The Long March 4B Y78 vehicle departing from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 10th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *September 10th - Falcon 9 with USSF-153* Falcon 9 flew from Space Launch Complex 4E and into low Earth orbit to deliver a batch of U.S. military satellites. Booster B1081 supported this launch for its twenty-seventh flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the USSF-153 mission on September 10th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/HR4knZsaYAAJc3B-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the USSF-153 mission on September 10th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *September 11th - Electron for 'Happily Ever Faster'* Rocket Lab performed a confidential Electron mission, dubbed '[Happily Ever Faster](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2098272156006392025?s=20&ref=proximareport.com)', into low Earth orbit, carrying a payload for an undisclosed customer. A single spacecraft [was catalogued](https://orbitalfocus.uk/Diaries/Launches/Launches.php?year=2026&ref=proximareport.com#207) following the launch. ## **In Other Space News** ### *SaxaVord Spaceport to receive 60 million Pounds in investment* Operators of the SaxaVord Spaceport, facing north on the Shetland Islands of Scotland, [announced on September 8th](https://saxavord.com/60m-investment-plan-to-accelerate-saxavord-launch-capability/?ref=proximareport.com) that they will receive 60 million Pound Sterling through a public-private investment, subject to final approvals. [Half of it](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyze8ed774o?amp%3Bat%5Fcampaign=rss&ref=proximareport.com) is coming from the government of the United Kingdom. That investment is set to support the completion of site infrastructure ahead of a first orbital launch in the near future. Additionally, the new money will allow for the establishment of two more launch pads and a second integration facility, used to prepare launch vehicles and their payloads for flight. Commenting on the incoming investment, Chief Executive Officer Scott Hammond shared: > "This is a hugely significant vote of confidence in SaxaVord and in the UK’s determination to establish its own launch capability. \[...\] This government investment, which will unlock a matching amount of private investment, will help us take the next step–establishing regular launch operations from the UK and building a sustainable commercial spaceport for the long term. We are building the spaceport for the thousandth as much as the first launch, creating a safe, secure and trusted home for our client launch providers for many years to come." SaxaVord Spaceport's current licence allows it to enable thirty rocket launches per year. A first launch from the site is set to be a suborbital mission of [HyImpulse's hybrid propellant SR75](https://europeanspaceflight.com/hyimpulse-could-attempt-second-sr75-flight-as-early-as-5-october/?ref=proximareport.com), carrying short microgravity experiments. [Sometime this year](https://europeanspaceflight.com/rfa-one-launch-from-saxavord-set-for-no-earlier-than-10-august/?ref=proximareport.com), the RFA One launch vehicle will aim to reach orbit if an [undisclosed issue](https://x.com/rfa%5Fspace/status/2082125463565078614?ref=proximareport.com) is resolved in time. ### *Chinese space projects face 'severe quality challenge'* Following a pair of significant rocket failures, the breakup of two spacecraft, and the delay of a major mission, the Party Group at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation [stated that they have found](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/state-owned-firms-vow-to-improve?ref=proximareport.com) a 'severe quality challenge' to be present in various space projects, without naming any directly. In response to their findings, staff across the Corporation are being educated to ensure the ‘thorough resolution’ of quality issues that have occurred this year, in a way that will also resolve unseen deeper problems. Along with the education, it was said that the Party Group will ‘strictly enforce discipline and rules, strictly enforce work conduct, strictly enforce quality requirements, strictly pursue rectification and improvement’. The push to improve quality control is the second taking place in China within a year. After Shenzhou-20 was struck by orbital debris, the China Manned Space Agency [chose staff members to report](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/cmsa-doubles-down-on-safety-following?ref=proximareport.com) on possible issues that could jeopardize human safety. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *September 13th - Falcon 9 with three O3b mPOWER satellites* SES will have three Boeing-made O3b mPOWER satellites delivered to medium Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. ### *September 15th - Vega-C with Sentinel-3C & FLEX* Europe's Vega-C will fly from the Guiana Space Centre and into sun-synchronous orbit to deliver the Sentinel-3C Earth observation satellite for the Copernicus Programme as well as the Fluorescence Explorer (FLEX) for the European Space Agency. ### *September 15th - Zhuque-2E with Qianfan satellites* LandSpace's Zhuque-2E is preparing to fly from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and into polar orbit, likely with a batch of Qianfan connectivity satellites. ### *September 15th - Gravity-1 with Qianfan satellites* Orienspace will launch its Gravity-1 rocket for the fourth time, again from the East China Sea and into polar orbit, also likely with a set of Qianfan satellites. ### *September 16th - Falcon 9 with USSF-259* Another Falcon 9 will fly from Space Launch Complex 4E to deliver a group of U.S. military satellites into Earth orbit. ### *September 16th - Soyuz 2.1b with Progress MS-35* Roscosmos will resupply the International Space Station with the launch of the Progress MS-35 cargo mission atop of a Soyuz 2.1b from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. ### *September 17th - Long March 12 with connectivity satellites* Satellites for either the Qianfan or GuoWang connectivity constellation will be placed into low Earth orbit by a Long March 12 flying from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site. ### *September 17th - Kuaizhou-11 with unnanouced payloads* ExPace's Kuaizhou-11 is set to fly from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center towards low Earth orbit, carrying payloads that are yet to be announced. ### *September 19th - Long March 2D with Earth imaging satellites* A set of Earth imaging satellites belonging to PIESAT are expected to be delivered into a polar orbit via a Long March 2D from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ### *NET September 18th - Starship-Super Heavy's fourteenth flight test* SpaceX is working to launch another flight test of its fully-reusable Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle from Starbase, Texas, possibly into low Earth orbit for the first time. ### Stoke Space Announces Larger Constellation-Focused Launch Vehicle URL: https://proximareport.com/stoke-space-larger-constellation-rocket/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T15:01:42.000Z For the past three years, launch startup Stoke Space has been developing its first launch vehicle, designed to be fully reusable with a unique design compared to the rest of the U.S. market. [Known as Nova](https://www.stokespace.com/pathfinder?ref=proximareport.com), its 3.81-meter-diameter first-stage has been fairly conventional modern design-wise, featuring seven 'Zenith' full-flow staged combustion engines using liquid methane and liquid oxygen as propellant, while recovery is enabled by a trio of landing legs. That is where convention ends, as no aerodynamic grid fins assist with descent and a hot-staging ring is present for the inter-stage. Additionally, the second-stage of the rocket is a wildly unconventional design, consistently tapering its propellant tanks up to the attached fairing from a widest point of 4.2 meters. The engine powering it, 'Andromeda', is also a 24-chamber aerospike run by a single set of turbopumps, burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Now, citing the future needs of the Western launch market, Stoke Space has [unveiled plans](https://www.stokespace.com/news/scaling-nova?ref=proximareport.com) for a larger launch vehicle [simply dubbed 'Block 2'](https://www.stokespace.com/nova-block-2?ref=proximareport.com) at the moment. In attached vague graphics, the new rocket is about twice the height of the original Nova, called 'Pathfinder' moving forward, with a modest increase in diameter to more than 4.5 meters. Less vaguely defined is that the second-stage taper is gone and a voluminous 5-meter diameter payload fairing has been introduced. In its announcement, Stoke Space details that 'Block 2' is designed to carry up to 15,000 kilograms into low Earth orbit while reusing both its first and second stages, a major increase over 'Pathfinder's 2,500 kilograms. Both of the now larger stages keep the same engines, with the first-stage using fourteen 'Zenith' engines while the second-stage has an improved 'Andromeda' powered by more turbopumps, introducing redundancy as well. ![A promotional render of the Nova 'Pathfinder' and 'Block 2' launch vehicles. ©Stoke Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/6c86dd36537464dac591bf56ffb5a520bd2aaca9-2400x1800-1.jpg) A promotional render of the Nova 'Pathfinder' and 'Block 2' launch vehicles. ©Stoke Space But why reveal a new larger launch vehicle now, especially with 'Pathfinder' yet to fly? Speaking on the [Valley of Depth Podcast](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV5EVszKSzk&t=175s&ref=proximareport.com), Stoke Space Chief Executive Officer Andy Lapsa said that a bigger rocket enables the company to properly serve U.S. government needs, which [they are contracted for](https://www.stokespace.com/news/stoke-space-selected-for-the-u-s-space-forces-5-6b-nssl-program?ref=proximareport.com), planned telecommunication constellations, and most standard satellite sizes. Adding to that, the company's announcement states: > "\[Satellite\] capacity per flight is one variable in the \[launch rate\] equation; flight frequency is the other. It’s not enough to just get to orbit. The vehicles of tomorrow need to fly again and again with aircraft-like frequency to meet the ambition of the industry. Nova Block 2 is designed with this in mind ... \[able to\] replenish constellations in bulk, often one orbital plane at a time, while giving customers greater control over schedule and destination." As of September 2026, Stoke Space has no proposed internal payloads to eat into their launch rate, as SpaceX has to do with Starlink. Lapsa believes that there is enough demand and satellites in the Western market to fly 'Block 2' hundreds of times per year. Stoke Space's current manufacturing capabilities, according to Lapsa, are currently 'oversized' for their smaller launch vehicle, which will allow them to move to 'Block 2' without a burdensome amount of spending. He also suggested that the company has raised more capital than they have needed to spend. At present, Nova 'Pathfinder' is set to debut in early 2027 ahead of multiple flights over the next few years. Meanwhile, work on 'Block 2' will be underway for a first launch in 2029. The introduction of 'Block 2' to operational flight later this decade does not signal the end of missions for 'Pathfinder' quite yet, with the company writing: > "We see value in having more than one way to serve the market, since some missions are particularly well suited to the Pathfinder configuration. Its longer-term flight cadence will be informed by what we learn over the next two years and by the needs of our customers." ### Increased capital too On the same day as unveiling a larger launch vehicle, September 8th, Stoke Space announced that it has completed [its Series E funding round](https://www.stokespace.com/news/stoke-space-series-e?ref=proximareport.com), raising 1 billion United States Dollars. The capital raised is planned to be used for expanding production capacity and capabilities, supporting infrastructure needed to enable regular reflights of reusable rocket stages, alongside allowing for the advancement of core technologies required for 'Block 2'. Stoke Space says the funding round had new and returning investors, with a handful of highly active venture capital firms participating. Commenting on the rationale for contributing to the Series E, co-leading Point72 Ventures' Chris Morals shared: > "Stoke is pursuing what we see as one of the most important opportunities in space transportation: making launch fully reusable, reliable, and scalable. Having supported Stoke through multiple stages of its growth, we believe this company has demonstrated both the exceptional technical progress and the ambition to build a launch system capable of serving the market at industrial scale." Earlier this year in February, Stoke Space completed an 860 million United States Dollar [Series D round](https://www.stokespace.com/news/stoke-space-technologies-extends-previously-announced-series-d-financing-to-860-million?ref=proximareport.com) in October 2025, following on from a [260 million Series ](https://www.stokespace.com/news/stoke-space-announces-260-million-in-new-investment?ref=proximareport.com)[C](https://www.stokespace.com/news/stoke-space-announces-260-million-in-new-investment?ref=proximareport.com) at the start of 2025\. Since their founding in May 2020, Stoke Space has raised approximately 2.3 billion United States Dollars. ### Weekly Dose of Space (30/8-5/9) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-30-8-5-9/ Last updated: 2026-09-06T13:32:05.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw six orbital launches occurring, including a new rocket reaching orbit for the first time. News of the week has another country joining the Artemis Accords and a NASA observatory coming back online. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *August 30th - Falcon Heavy with Roman Space Telescope* NASA's [Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-roman-telescope-falcon-heavy/) left Earth atop a Falcon Heavy lifting off from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, and being sent towards the Earth-Sun L2 point approximately 1.5 million kilometers away. Supporting the launch were B1104, flying for the first time, B1072, flying for the third time, and B1105, being flown for the first and only time. B1104 and B1072 touched down at Landing Zones 2 and 40. ![Falcon Heavy departing from Launch Complex 39A with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope on August 30th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/HRAzV1dXYAEXjHy-1.jpg) Falcon Heavy departing from Launch Complex 39A with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope on August 30th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *September 1st - Pallas-1 for its debut flight* Galactic Energy debuted its Pallas-1 rocket from its dedicated launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center with a mission flying into sun-synchronous orbit. No payloads were onboard as the company sought to gather in-flight data ahead of future flights, which will see first-stage booster landing attempts. > A year on from its first flight hardware static fires, Pallas-1 has sailed into orbit during its debut 'test flight' out of Jiuquan a few hours ago, opening a path towards future booster recovery and reuse > > Details -> [https://t.co/fEoLQr0a5C](https://t.co/fEoLQr0a5C?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/oprQwO6o9T](https://t.co/oprQwO6o9T?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Phazzee 🐼🚀 | 中国航天 🇨🇳 | 🇵🇸🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 (@PhazzeeYeehaw) [September 1, 2026](https://x.com/PhazzeeYeehaw/status/2094630120862486988?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *September 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-23* Twenty-seven Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster supporting this launch was B1063, flying for the thirty-fifth time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 15-23 mission on September 2nd 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/HRM-rBtWkAE4GFO.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 15-23 mission on September 2nd 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *September 2nd - Electron for 'Owl Around The World'* Rocket Lab's Electron flew from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, to bring a remote sensing satellite into low Earth orbit for Synspective. That satellite is part of their 'StriX' series, which can image the Earth below at a resolution between 1 and 3 meters. > LIFTOFF! Electron has launched for the 94th time🚀 [pic.twitter.com/VGnpXfnNVp](https://t.co/VGnpXfnNVp?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [September 2, 2026](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2095120423608553756?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *September 3rd - GSLV Mk-II with EOS-05* India's GSLV Mk-II blasted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre and headed for a geostationary transfer orbit with the EOS-05 satellite. EOS-05 is set to provide images in a rapid manner during natural disasters on the subcontinent. ![GSLV Mk-II blasting off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on September 3rd 2026. ©ISRO](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/09/HRU96Hca4AATWRm-1.jpg) GSLV Mk-II blasting off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on September 3rd 2026\. ©ISRO ### *September 5th - Spectrum for 'Onward and Upward'* From the Andøya Spaceport, in Norway and within the Arctic Circle, Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket lifted off for the second time, heading for a low Earth orbit near the poles. That [launch was a success](https://proximareport.com/articles/isars-completes-flight-orbit/) and allowed for the deployment of the CubeSats FramSat-1, SpaceTeamSat-1, Platform-6, TriSat-S, and CyBEEsat. > Liftoff: German company Isar Aerospace launched their Spectrum launcher, lifting off from Andøya Spaceport in Norway. 👏🚀 > > [\[image or embed\]](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:7aas5334fvhj3kpfagjm4caj/post/3musd5cfeg22e?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) > > — ESA Space Transport ([@transport.esa.int](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:7aas5334fvhj3kpfagjm4caj?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com)) [5 September 2026 at 21:31](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:7aas5334fvhj3kpfagjm4caj/post/3musd5cfeg22e?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) ## **In Other Space News** ### *Türkiye signs Artemis Accords* On August 31st, [Türkiye signed the Artemis Accords](https://www.nasa.gov/organizations/oiir/artemis-accords/nasa-welcomes-turkiye-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C., with Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır there on behalf of his country. [Via Twitter](https://x.com/mfatihkacir/status/2094742315856220304?ref=proximareport.com), the Minister commented: > "Türkiye remains committed to taking steps to enhance international space cooperation for peaceful purposes. Under the visionary leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, our National Space Program will continue to deliver outcomes for the common good of humanity." With Türkiye's signing of the accords, the signatories now consist of seventy-one nations, over a third of the member states of the United Nations. Back in 2024, the nation was [exploring joining](https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3258624/nato-member-turkey-seeks-join-china-russia-moon-project-instead-us-led-artemis-programme-reports?ref=proximareport.com) the International Lunar Research Station, led by China alongside a dozen national-level members and many sub-national parties. It's unclear if Türkiye is still exploring doing so. ### *Swift resumes science ahead of fall from orbit* Following the [failure of its rescue spacecraft](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-telescope-savior-issues/) to reach it, the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory has resumed its scientific observations since [late August 28th](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/2026/08/28/nasas-swift-restarts-science-observations/?linkId=1002707758&ref=proximareport.com). According to NASA, the observatory's ultraviolet-optical and X-ray telescope were turned back on August 26th, while efforts to reactivate the Burst Alert Telescope are still underway. All of those instruments were offline for several weeks to conserve power, so the observatory could orbit in a reduced drag profile to slow the rate at which it falls from orbit. At present, NASA expects the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to fall into the atmosphere for a destructive reentry sometime after October. The observatory has no propulsion of its own and will have no control over where it comes back to Earth. As for the spacecraft that was meant to save it, known as 'LINK', it came [within 15 kilometers](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/2026/09/04/commercial-spacecraft-for-nasas-swift-boost-continues-tech-demo/?ref=proximareport.com) of the observatory via the use of its electric propulsion system. 'LINK' is set to remain in orbit for approximately three more weeks. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *September 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-24* A Falcon 9 will depart from Space Launch Complex 4E to bring a new batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *September 9th - Long March 2 or 4 series with a to-be-announced payload* From the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, either a Long March 2 rocket with a Yuanzheng upper-stage or a Long March 4 series launch vehicle will fly into low Earth orbit to deliver an unrevealed satellite. ### *September 9th - Soyuz 2.1b with Progress MS-35* Roscosmos will resupply the International Space Station with the launch of the Progress MS-35 cargo mission atop of a Soyuz 2.1b from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. ### *September 10th - Falcon 9 with USSF-153* Another Falcon 9 will launch from Space Launch Complex 4E to start the USSF-153 mission on behalf of the United States Space Force, deploying an unknown number of military satellites. ### *September 11th - Long March 8A with a group of connectivity satellites* A Long March 8A is preparing to fly from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site to deliver another group of satellites for either the Qianfan or GuoWang constellations. ### Isar's Spectrum Completes Flight Into Orbit From Continental Europe URL: https://proximareport.com/isars-completes-flight-orbit/ Last updated: 2026-09-06T00:44:42.000Z Having [been](https://isaraerospace.com/press/isar-aerospace-targets-second-launch-not-earlier-than-21-january-2026?ref=proximareport.com) [delayed](https://isaraerospace.com/press/new-available-launch-window-for-mission-onward-and-upward-opens-net-19-march?ref=proximareport.com) [multiple](https://x.com/isaraerospace/status/2042314041708732676?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) [times](https://x.com/isaraerospace/status/2066598242020700345?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), German launch startup Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket took off from the Andøya Spaceport, within the Arctic Circle in Norway, for its second flight on September 5th at 20:12 Universal Coordinated Time, [almost eighteen months after its first](https://proximareport.com/articles/isar-first-flight/). Nine Aquila engines powered the flight out of the launch site during the first-stage burn, which lasted for just over two and a half minutes until liquid propane and liquid oxygen were fully consumed. Good separation of the two stages took place not long after, followed by startup of the vacuum-optimized Aquila, and then the release of the payload fairing. For four and a half minutes, the second-stage completed ascent over the poles to achieve an approximately 500-kilometer by 180-kilometer orbit. Half an orbit later, the second-stage's Aquila restarted to circularize the orbit successfully. All five customer satellites were deployed afterwards. With that, Spectrum has become the first European rocket to launch from the western half of the European continent. > Liftoff: German company Isar Aerospace launched their Spectrum launcher, lifting off from Andøya Spaceport in Norway. 👏🚀 > > [\[image or embed\]](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:7aas5334fvhj3kpfagjm4caj/post/3musd5cfeg22e?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) > > — ESA Space Transport ([@transport.esa.int](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:7aas5334fvhj3kpfagjm4caj?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com)) [5 September 2026 at 21:31](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:7aas5334fvhj3kpfagjm4caj/post/3musd5cfeg22e?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) [Riding atop of Spectrum](https://x.com/isaraerospace/status/2013306832677155325?ref=proximareport.com) for its second flight were five satellites from across Europe. Those satellites, deployed by Exolaunch in orbit, were: - [CyBEEsat from Technische Universität Berlin](https://www.tu.berlin/en/news/press-release/berliner-satellit-der-tu-berlin-hebt-an-bord-der-ersten-deutschen-traegerrakete-ab?ref=proximareport.com) is a 1U CubeSat designed to test new ultra-thin perovskite solar cells and cybersecurity systems. - [TriSat-S from the University of Maribor](https://www.trisat.um.si/trisat-s.html?ref=proximareport.com) is a 3U CubeSat demonstrating advanced battery hibernation performance and ultra-miniaturized imaging-based navigation. - [Platform-6 from EnduroSat](https://www.nanosats.eu/sat/platform-6?ref=proximareport.com), a spacecraft bus producer, is a vaguely described 6U CubeSat demonstration satellite. - FramSat-1 from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology is an all-Norwegian-made 1U CubeSat set to test the team's designs and systems. - SpaceTeamSat-1 from Technische Universität Wien is another 1U CubeSat, with the same goals as FramSat-1 while coming from Austria and featuring two cameras. A payload attached to the rocket's second-stage was also onboard for this flight. That was from DCUBED to test their [new release actuator](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dcubedspace%5Fdcubed-isaraerospace-spectrum-activity-7439656884158205952-hM8b/?ref=proximareport.com), which will one day support the deployment of many satellites. ![Exolaunch's CubeSat deployment mechanism attached to Spectrum's payload adapter (top left); FramSat-1 being handled during deployment integration (top right); CyBEESat being moved into the deployment mechanism (bottom left); SpaceTeamSat-1 being prepared for integration (center); Platform-6 being moved into the deployment mechanism (bottom right). ©Exolaunch/Isar Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/photo-collage.png.png) Exolaunch's CubeSat deployment mechanism attached to Spectrum's payload adapter ([top left](https://x.com/Exolaunch/status/2023353533681246596?s=20&ref=proximareport.com)); FramSat-1 being handled during deployment integration ([top right](https://x.com/Exolaunch/status/2029858749075050770?s=20&ref=proximareport.com)); CyBEESat being moved into the deployment mechanism ([bottom left](https://x.com/Exolaunch/status/2036452583523446811?s=20&ref=proximareport.com)); SpaceTeamSat-1 being prepared for integration ([center](https://x.com/Exolaunch/status/2036508016418156979?s=20&ref=proximareport.com)); Platform-6 being moved into the deployment mechanism ([bottom right](https://x.com/Exolaunch/status/2036804297883586980?s=20&ref=proximareport.com)). ©Exolaunch/Isar Aerospace Isar Aerospace Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder Daniel Metzler was quick to celebrate the successful flight into orbit, sharing via [company press release](https://isaraerospace.com/press/history-for-european-spaceflight-isar-aerospace-reaches-orbit-and-deploys-payloads-on-second-flight?ref=proximareport.com): > "Today, Isar Aerospace opened space from Continental Europe. Launch continues to be the largest bottleneck for the global space industry and from today on, there is a true alternative for commercial and institutional customers. \[...\] I am incredibly proud of our team, that has made this success story from Europe possible. We will now focus on rapidly scaling launch vehicle production, deliver on our order pipeline, and meet surging global demand." In the same press release, Isar Aerospace stated that they are already working on the next four Spectrum flights at their production facilities. The company plans to build forty rockets per year eventually. A few hours later, European Space Agency Director General [Josef Aschbacher added](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Boost/Isar%5FAerospace%5Fachieves%5Ffirst%5Flaunch%5Fto%5Forbit%5Ffrom%5Fcontinental%5FEurope?ref=proximareport.com): > "A historic launch from Andøya Spaceport in Norway today, the first European Launcher Challenger to reach orbit. Spectrum quite literally rose to the challenge and delivered its payloads in low Earth orbit. An astounding achievement by German company Isar Aerospace, founded only eight years ago, and backed by the European Space Agency. This is yet another step towards a more diverse autonomous European launch service sector, and I am excited for what is still to come!" Spectrum is a fairly small rocket, compared to Europe's premier launch vehicle [Ariane 6](https://proximareport.com/articles/europes-meteorology-geostationary-ariane6/), standing just 28 meters tall while being 2 meters in diameter across its two-stages. Due to that, the rocket is able to carry up to 1,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit by burning liquid propane and liquid oxygen in nine Aquila engines on the first-stage and a single Aquila engine on the second-stage. Despite its size, Spectrum has already secured a good handful of launch contracts from several nations. In March 2025, the Norwegian Space Agency [awarded the company](https://europeanspaceflight.com/isar-to-launch-norwegian-maritime-surveillance-satellites/?ref=proximareport.com) the launch for its Arctic Ocean Surveillance satellites, while the European Space Agency [agreed to subsidize](https://europeanspaceflight.com/avio-and-isar-aerospace-win-esa-flight-ticket-initiative-launch-contracts/?ref=proximareport.com) further flights of the rocket through its Flight Ticket Initiative, having been first added in 2024\. [Germany's R-Space](https://europeanspaceflight.com/r-space-selects-isar-aerospace-to-launch-first-two-greenbox-satellites/?ref=proximareport.com) and [Japan's](https://europeanspaceflight.com/isar-aerospace-to-launch-astroscale-elsa-m-orbital-debris-removal-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) [Astroscale](https://isaraerospace.com/press/isar-aerospace-signs-launch-contract-with-astroscale-japan?ref=proximareport.com) selected Spectrum to launch critical missions for them, R-Space's first satellites and Astroscale's orbital debris mitigation demonstration. Multiple launches have also been bought by [France's Exotrail](https://europeanspaceflight.com/exotrail-and-isar-sign-multi-launch-agreement/?ref=proximareport.com) and the [U.S.'s SEOPS](https://europeanspaceflight.com/us-based-launch-aggregator-purchases-dedicated-isar-aerospace-flight/?ref=proximareport.com), to launch many small satellites. Many of the payloads for Spectrum may end up being European with Isar Aerospace positioning its launch services as a way to secure European sovereignty, [following a visit from](https://isaraerospace.com/press/gateway-to-space-for-europe-chancellor-friedrich-merz-and-prime-minister-jonas-gahr-st%C3%B8re-visit-isar-aerospace-launch-site?ref=proximareport.com) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in March, and another [by German Minister of Defence](https://isaraerospace.com/press/german-minister-of-defence-boris-pistorius-visits-isar-aerospace-underscoring-strategic-priority-of-sovereign-access-to-space-for-defence-and-deterrence?ref=proximareport.com) Boris Pistorius in July. Much of the company's messaging from executives [ahead of its first launch](https://proximareport.com/articles/isar-aerospace-prepares-launch/) stressed the need for European-made satellites to launch on European-developed rockets from Europe's territories. Spectrum is supported by the European Space Agency's ['Boost!' program](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Boost?ref=proximareport.com). There are also plans to [bring the rocket to Canada](https://isaraerospace.com/press/isar-aerospace-partners-with-maritime-launch-services-for-orbital-launch-readiness-from-nova-scotia?ref=proximareport.com) once it is proven. Recognising the strategic need for a rocket like Spectrum, Isar Aerospace received 270 million Euros for [its Series D funding round](https://isaraerospace.com/press/isar-aerospace-secures-eur-270m-to-provide-sovereign-space-capabilities-globally?ref=proximareport.com) on June 9th, while its second launch campaign was underway. Investors providing new capital were 'European stakeholders', with the company saying the money will be used to scale production and operations. A further 200 million Euros was [secured in late August](https://isaraerospace.com/press/isar-aerospace-signs-contract-with-esa-under-the-european-launcher-challenge?ref=proximareport.com) from the European Space Agency through its European Launcher Challenge. ![Spectrum being taken to its launch pad at the Andøya Spaceport in March 2026 ahead of its second flight. ©Isar Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/HEFLZWeXgAAQ0jU-1.jpg) Spectrum being taken to its launch pad at the Andøya Spaceport in March 2026 ahead of its second flight. ©Isar Aerospace ### Blue Origin Contracted for NASA's Mars Telecommunications Network URL: https://proximareport.com/blue-origin-nasa-mars-network/ Last updated: 2026-09-03T00:48:51.000Z Beating out a [handful of competitors](https://proximareport.com/articles/four-future-mars-relays/) over the past year, Blue Origin has been selected by NASA to build the upcoming Mars Telecommunications Network on September 1st. According to the [space agency's press release](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-blue-origin-as-mars-telecommunications-network-provider/?ref=proximareport.com), Blue Origin will design, develop, and build a suitable network, launch it towards Mars, and then operate it in orbit before the end of 2028\. NASA does not plan to have the network supporting ongoing or future missions, transmitting science data, imagery, and navigation information, until the start of 2030\. The press release makes no mention of the number of contracted spacecraft. Through each part of the contract, which is firm-fixed-price, Blue Origin can be awarded up to 700 million United States Dollars. The money for the network came from the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Act [in July 2025](https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/07/05/republican-backed-reconciliation-bill-passes-includes-funding-for-iss-artemis-programs-space-shuttle-relocation/?ref=proximareport.com). In [its own announcement](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/blue-origin-selected-by-nasa-to-help-build-mars-telecommunications-network?ref=proximareport.com) a day later, September 2nd, Blue Origin stated that the Mars Telecommunications Network spacecraft will be based upon its multi-purpose Blue Ring vehicle. For Mars orbit, the specific vehicle will include chemical and electrical propulsion systems. In their announcement, Blue Origin refers to the spacecraft as the 'Mars Telecommunications Orbiter' rather than a network. It also makes mention of using more than just one Blue Ring for it, stating: > "Multiple Blue Ring spacecraft are already in production, sized for a rate of four vehicles per year. Software-defined radios, orbital repositioning capability, and a forward-compatible architecture ensure the network grows ... Each future Blue Ring vehicle will advance \[the\] network and reinforce America’s leadership on Mars." It's unclear how many of them will make up the network, and what number of them will be under contract for NASA. Blue Origin does speak of enabling near-constant communications to any spacecraft on or around Mars. Boasting about the NASA contract, Blue Origin's President of National Security, Tory Bruno, shared: > "\[Mars Telecommunications Orbiter\] is the backbone of America's Mars exploration program for the next decade and beyond and will provide the reliable communications capacity that will keep future robotic and human missions connected to each other and to Earth. This awarded contract is a testament to the Blue Origin team that has been building Blue Ring with exactly this kind of mission in mind. We're ready, and so is the hardware." Hardware for the contract is already in production, with [four Blue Ring's](https://x.com/torybruno/status/2095164740389498978?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) known to be in active work, with [the last](https://x.com/torybruno/status/2095167889359655348?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) being Mars-bound. The first of them is currently [undergoing testing](https://x.com/torybruno/status/2094841418921685105?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). No schedules for production and launch are known for the spacecraft. At the time of publication, Blue Origin has [no suitable launch pad](https://proximareport.com/articles/new-glenn-two-florida-pads/#launch-complex-36a-is-still-in-pieces) to send its 'Mars Telecommunications Orbiter' towards Mars atop of its New Glenn rocket. Launch Complex 36A is currently being rebuilt following a [devastating explosion](https://proximareport.com/articles/new-glenn-explodes-2026/) in May during a first-stage booster static fire. The company hopes to be flying New Glenn again by year's end. Should the launch pad not be ready in time, Blue Origin [says that](https://www.blueorigin.com/mars-telecommunications-orbiter?ref=proximareport.com) Blue Ring-based spacecraft are launcher-agnostic, provided they have a 5-meter-diameter payload fairing. > Ok. By popular demand, here’s the next few Blue Rings on the production line after BR-1 > BR-2, 3, & 4… [pic.twitter.com/HHzchgRZIz](https://t.co/HHzchgRZIz?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Tory Bruno (@torybruno) [September 2, 2026](https://x.com/torybruno/status/2095164740389498978?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### Weekly Dose of Space (23/8-29/8) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-23-8-29-8/ Last updated: 2026-08-30T19:47:23.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw five missions heading to orbit globally, with just one serving more than a sole customer. News items had Ship 40 being taken out of the water following a month of floating and a spacewalk onboard Tiangong. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *August 24th - Soyuz 2.1b with a GLONASS satellite* A Soyuz 2.1b departed from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome heading for a medium Earth orbit to deliver an undisclosed satellite. That satellite is believed to be an addition to the GLONASS network of navigation satellites. > Video of today's Soyuz-2.1b launch from the Plesetsk cosmodrome, carrying military payload (likely GLONASS?). > > Launch happened at 05:40 Moscow Time (2:40 UTC), video from MoD [https://t.co/4tddw3886d](https://t.co/4tddw3886d?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/srZ3g6gUC2](https://t.co/srZ3g6gUC2?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@afec7032) [August 24, 2026](https://x.com/afec7032/status/2091794720062161077?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *August 25th - Long March 6C with seven satellites* For the first time in over two years, a Long March 6C flew from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center into sun-synchronous orbit to perform a rideshare mission for a handful of customers, including an international one. The satellites being launched and their owners are: - GISTDA CubeSat-1 for Thailand's Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency. - Zhongke-14 and Zhongke-15 for China Science and Technology Satellite. - Bayi-04 for the Harbin Institute of Technology. - Muduo-1A and Muduo-1B for Beijing Normal University. - ‘Jing’an Dream Star Youth Science Experiment Satellite' from students in Shanghai's Jing'an district. ![The Long March 6C Y1 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on August 26th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/006Su8pSly1igfyav8yyqj30zk1hctaf-1.jpg) The Long March 6C Y1 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on August 26th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *August 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-49* SpaceX launched [its last](https://x.com/turkeybeaver/status/2092267257179021326?ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 mission dedicated to the Starlink constellation out of Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, to place twenty-nine of its satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting that deployment was B1067 for its thirty-seventh flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-49 mission on August 25th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/HQj-RKjW0AAMr0D-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-49 mission on August 25th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *August 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-22* Twenty-seven more Starlink satellites were added to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. That launch was enabled by B1082 for its twenty-fourth mission, touching down on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![A view from Falcon 9's second-stage during the deployment of twenty-seven Starlink satellites on August 26th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/HQqLuyBWkAAwVJ_.jpg) A view from Falcon 9's second-stage during the deployment of twenty-seven Starlink satellites on August 26th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *August 27th - Ariane 6 with MTG-I2* From the Guiana Space Center in South America, Ariane 6 flew onto a geostationary transfer orbit for the first time, carrying the [MTG-I2 satellite](https://proximareport.com/articles/europes-meteorology-geostationary-ariane6/) into space. That satellite will frequently image Europe and North Africa to support weather nowcasting and meteorological research. > LIFTOFF! 🚀 Ariane 6 [#VA270](https://x.com/hashtag/VA270?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com), launching MTG-I2, completing Europe's Meteosat constellation. [pic.twitter.com/XPBlHHvzbf](https://t.co/XPBlHHvzbf?ref=proximareport.com) > > — European Space Agency (@esa) [August 27, 2026](https://x.com/esa/status/2093069476027605427?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ## **In Other Space News** ### *Ship 40 placed on a ship* ![Ship 40 aboard its semi-submersible carrier off the coast of Christmas Island in August 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/HQvKHVjW0AAvC1k.jpg) Ship 40 aboard its semi-submersible carrier off the coast of Christmas Island in August 2026\. ©SpaceX Over a month ago, Starship-Super Heavy performed its thirteenth flight test, flying into space and splashing down gently in the Indian Ocean for the first time. In the time since, recovery teams were [assembled](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-26-7-1-8/#ship-40-awaiting-recovery-attempts) and [dispatched](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-2-8-8-8/#ship-40-still-at-sea) to Ship 40 to gather what they could to understand how it survived reentry. In recent weeks, SpaceX teams have been dragging the vehicle across the Ocean to Christmas Island, a territory of Australia, in an attempt to secure it. Announced [on August 27th](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2092988782622519728?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), Ship 40 was secured on top of a semi-submersible cargo carrier just off the coast of the island, and raised out of the water following a month of floating. At present, Ship 40 is being securely fastened to the deck. Over the next two months, Ship 40 is planned to be sailed back to Starbase, where SpaceX teams will take a closer look at it and the various systems onboard. Afterwards it may end up on display or be taken apart for intricate analysis. Meanwhile, back in Starbase, Texas, Super Heavy Booster 21 performed a thirty-three-engine static fire [on August 28th](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2093477720638341395?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) ahead of Starship's fourteenth flight test [sometime next month](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-16-8-22-8/#starships-fourteenth-test-flight-delayed). > Full duration 33-engine static fire with the Super Heavy booster preparing for Flight 14 [pic.twitter.com/0UXb7tvk7X](https://t.co/0UXb7tvk7X?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 28, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2093477720638341395?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *Shenzhou-23 crew perform their first spacewalk* On the morning of August 28th, Zhu Yangzhu and Zhang Zhiyuan of the Shenzhou-23 mission ventured outside of the Tiangong Space Station for five and a half hours to perform maintenance. That marked the [first spacewalk of the mission](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/first-spacewalk-by-shenzhou-23-crew?ref=proximareport.com), which is now at its halfway point three months after leaving Earth. In their time outside, the two spacewalking taikonauts had the primary task of performing maintenance on one of the solar arrays attached to the Tianhe module, to guarantee a stable and constant amount of power for various experiments underway onboard. The remainder of the time was spent installing new space debris protection devices, ensuring that systems remain online if untrackable objects hit the orbiting laboratory. The spacewalk started and ended at the airlock of the Tianhe core module. Li Jiaying, the first taikonaut from Hong Kong, provided support from inside, including moving the robotic arm and talking with mission control on Earth. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *August 30th - Falcon Heavy with Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope* Upon an instantaneous launch window in Florida, Falcon Heavy will send NASA's [Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-roman-telescope-falcon-heavy/) towards the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point, allowing it to perform massive surveys of the night sky in incredible detail. ### *August 31st - Electron for 'Owl Around The World'* Rocket Lab is working to launch its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1, the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, into low Earth orbit to deliver a remote sensing satellite for Synspective. ### *September 1st - Pallas-1 for its debut flight* Galactic Energy is expected to fly its Pallas-1 rocket for the first time out of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to bring it into sun-synchronous orbit, possibly carrying some customer satellites. ### *September 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-23* A batch of Starlink satellites will be brought into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *September 3rd - GSLV Mk-II with EOS-05* India's GSLV Mk-II will blast off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre to bring the EOS-05 satellite onto a geostationary transfer orbit to enable timely imaging of the subcontinent during natural disasters. ### NASA's Roman Space Telescope Delivered Successfully by Falcon Heavy URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-roman-telescope-falcon-heavy/ Last updated: 2026-08-30T16:58:19.000Z NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, the agency's latest great observatory, is now in space after years of work, launched earlier today, August 30th, on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy. Departing from Launch Complex 39A in Florida, Falcon Heavy quickly rose into space under the power of its twenty-seven Merlin-1D engines. To continuously gain speed, the two side boosters were released after two minutes, the central booster ran out of propellant following four minutes of flight, and the second-stage reached a parking orbit nine minutes after liftoff. Having been released as early as possible, the two side boosters were returning to Florida to be recovered. Both boosters performed return and reentry burns as expected, followed by successful touchdown at Landing Zones 2 and 40, a few kilometers apart. > Falcon Heavy launches [@NASA](https://x.com/NASA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com)’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from pad 39A in Florida, beginning its more than three-month journey to its destination where it will generate never-before-seen photos of the universe [pic.twitter.com/L3gHrBiQ08](https://t.co/L3gHrBiQ08?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 30, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2094081879150403768?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Those boosters were B1104, flying for the first time, and B1072, flying for the third time, having previously supported two Falcon Heavy missions. The central booster, B1105, was expended for maximum performance. Meanwhile in orbit, around twenty-four minutes from its departure from Earth, the second-stage relit for two minutes to throw the Roman Space Telescope towards its desired point in space. Thirty-one minutes after leaving Florida, the Roman Space Telescope was released from Falcon Heavy's second-stage. This Falcon Heavy mission was its second of the year out of a planned three. The triple-core rocket returned from an eighteen-month hiatus [in April to send](https://proximareport.com/articles/falcon-heavy-viasat3-return/) a communications satellite to geostationary space. Later this year, [sometime in the fourth quarter](https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/06/16/astrobotic-showcases-griffin-1-lander-ahead-of-environmental-testing-in-california/?ref=proximareport.com), it will launch Astrobotic's Griffin Lander to the Moon for its debut mission, carrying the 'FLIP' rover. ### Upcoming wide views across the universe ![A render of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope floating in deep space for observations. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/RST_2020_Still.jpg) A render of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope floating in deep space for observations. ©NASA Now floating through space, the 9,174-kilogram Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, [named after the 'mother of Hubble'](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-telescope-named-for-mother-of-hubble-nancy-grace-roman/?ref=proximareport.com), is heading towards the Earth-Sun [L2 point](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/roman-observatory/?ref=proximareport.com) approximately 1.5 million kilometers away to begin its scientific observations of the universe in the near future. That point in space has been chosen due to its thermal stability, allowing for more precise use of onboard instruments, and how propellant-cheap it is to maintain a stable orbit. From there, the new telescope is expected to support research into dark energy and matter, the life of supernovae, hunting black holes that existed in the early universe, and assisting in the search for exoplanets. To perform the stated science objectives, the Roman Space Telescope has two instruments installed, both taking advantage of its 2.4-meter-diameter mirrors' capability to collect massive amounts of incoming light. The first instrument, called [the Wide Field Instrument](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/wide-field-instrument/?ref=proximareport.com), is a 300-megapixel infrared camera that will sweep the sky to collect massive images via its [Focal Plane System](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/roman-space-telescope/nasa-completes-heart-of-roman-space-telescopes-primary-instrument/?ref=proximareport.com) of eighteen detectors, each collecting images at a resolution of 4096x4096 pixels lined up in a three-by-six grid. Before light hits the Focal Plane, it is sent through a filter wheel to look across a [handful of infrared wavelengths](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/wfi-technical/?ref=proximareport.com). The second instrument, [a Coronagraph](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/coronagraph/?ref=proximareport.com), is a bit more experimental as it features techniques never before used for its tasks. It is designed around hunting exoplanets by using disks with complex patterns to block a star's light, instead of a basic circular object, alongside physical stops to decrease the amount of light. Used together, it is expected that those will highlight the light from an exoplanet, with further focusing possible thanks to the Coronagraph's mirrors being flexible. While those instruments assist in furthering the understanding of our universe, a bonus effect of all the light they collect will be pretty panoramic pictures of vast regions of space. Speaking of, [in comparison to](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/observatory/hubble-vs-roman/?ref=proximareport.com) the legendary Hubble, the Roman Space Telescope has a one hundred times wider view of the sky, while not being able to see in ultraviolet wavelengths. That wider view also prevents it from taking a 'close' look at regions of space [like James Webb can](https://science.nasa.gov/roman-and-webb/?ref=proximareport.com), due to its ability to collect more light. First images from the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope [are expected](https://assets.science.nasa.gov/content/dam/science/missions/rst/education/aug%20Roman%20Press%20Kit-508compliant.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) to be released in early 2027. As of launch, the new telescope is expected to observe the sky for five years, with an [option to extend](https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20210021677/downloads/NGRST%20Observatory%20Implementation%20and%20Challenges.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) it for another five years available. Further extensions into the 2040s could be possible should NASA contract a refueling of the Roman Space Telescope, which it is designed to be. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope was officially approved by the U.S. government in 2014 and was [completed in April](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/the-nancy-grace-roman-space-telescope-nasas-next-great-observatory-is-finally-complete?ref=proximareport.com), allowing it to be launched eight months ahead of schedule. ![The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope being encapsulated inside of Falcon Heavy's payload fairing on August 21st 2026. ©Sydney Rohde/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/KSC-20260821-PH-SER01_0003-large-1.jpg) The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope being encapsulated inside of Falcon Heavy's payload fairing on August 21st 2026\. ©Sydney Rohde/NASA ### Europe's Newest Meteorology Satellite Lofted to Geostationary Space by Ariane 6 URL: https://proximareport.com/europes-meteorology-geostationary-ariane6/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T21:21:04.000Z Europe's Ariane 6 performed its [first mission towards geostationary space](https://newsroom.arianespace.com/arianespace-successfully-launches-weather-satellite-mtg-i2-on-ariane-6s-first-mission-to-geostationary-orbit/?lang=eng&ref=proximareport.com) earlier today, August 27th, with a mission departing the Guiana Space Center at 20:11 pm Universal Coordinated Time. Quickly disappearing from its South American launch site, Ariane 6 shot its way into the sky through the power of its two solid rocket boosters and the assistance of its single Vulcain 2.1 engine on the first-stage. For just over two minutes, the boosters continued to provide a majority of the thrust, before being separated and allowing Vulcain 2.1 to continue ascent on its own until a little under eight minutes after liftoff. At around eight minutes post-liftoff, and following the release of the second-stage, the lone Vinci ignited to bring Ariane 6 toward its first geostationary trajectory, via a burn that would last for almost fourteen minutes. That burn would be completed without issue, allowing for the release of Europe's newest meteorological satellite about thirty-six and a half minutes after launch, and concluding the rocket's first mission towards geostationary space. > LIFTOFF! 🚀 Ariane 6 #VA270, launching MTG-I2, completing Europe's Meteosat constellation. > > [\[image or embed\]](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:yqfmy2p54vqgekrcz5zzykhl/post/3mu3nwnnzts2r?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) > > — European Space Agency ([@esa.int](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:yqfmy2p54vqgekrcz5zzykhl?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com)) [27 August 2026 at 21:13](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:yqfmy2p54vqgekrcz5zzykhl/post/3mu3nwnnzts2r?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) Now floating in space, the 3,800-kilogram Meteosat Third Generation Imager 2, commonly known as MTG-I2 in short, will begin commissioning its systems before maneuvering to its allocated slot in geostationary space a few weeks from today. Once there, it will begin providing imagery to meteorologists from its two primary instruments: - [Flexible Combined Imager](https://space.oscar.wmo.int/instruments/view/fci?ref=proximareport.com): for gathering imagery in sixteen wavelengths at a resolution of between 0.5 and 2 kilometers to track clouds and water vapor features as they move through the atmosphere. - [Lightning Imager](https://space.oscar.wmo.int/instruments/view/li?ref=proximareport.com): to, as its name suggests, image lightning flashes and measure their intensity, while being able to study convective precipitation and the creation of common nitrogen oxides. Alongside them is a small instrument dedicated to space weather, known as the [Radiation Monitor Unit](https://space.oscar.wmo.int/instruments/view/rmu?ref=proximareport.com), for detecting and measuring energetic particles in space. It is one of many European weather satellites with the instrument, which will better characterize space weather events. MTG-I2 is the third spacecraft in the Meteosat Third Generation system to be launched out of a planned six, started in 2022 and continuing until 2036\. It is also the fourteenth spacecraft to be deployed in the Meteosat program, managed by the intergovernmental entity EUMETSAT. Speaking on the capabilities of their newest satellite and the importance of Ariane 6 in the [months ahead of launch](https://www.eumetsat.int/meteosat-third-generation-imager-2-be-launched-arianespace-ariane-62-rocket?ref=proximareport.com), Director-General Phil Evans stated: > "The rapid scanning over Europe provided by MTG-I2 will be invaluable for nowcasting dangerous conditions. As part of the Meteosat Third Generation constellation, MTG-I2 data will support meteorologists in tracking the full life cycle of severe storms, from their formation to dissipation. Ariane 6 gives Europe the means to launch our vital meteorological satellites, ensuring long-term resilience." MTG-I2 is expected to be in service until around 2037, according to [information provided to](https://space.oscar.wmo.int/satellites/view/mtg%5Fi2?ref=proximareport.com) the World Meteorological Organization. Areas under the coverage of the satellite are [Europe and North Africa](https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing%5Fthe%5FEarth/Meteorological%5Fmissions/meteosat%5Fthird%5Fgeneration/Unpacking%5FEurope%5Fs%5Fnew%5Fweather%5Fimagers?ref=proximareport.com). --- ## What is Ariane 6? Ariane 6 is ArianeGroup's latest launch vehicle in the Ariane family of rockets. ArianeGroup has been manufacturing and marketing the Ariane launch vehicles on behalf of the European Space Agency since Ariane 4\. Two versions of the Ariane 6 rocket are available, Ariane 62 and Ariane 64. These two versions share the first and second stages. The first stage of Ariane 6 burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in a single Vulcain 2.1 engine, producing 139 tons of thrust. The second stage of Ariane 6 also burns liquid hydrogen and oxygen, but in a single Vinci engine that generates 18 tons of thrust. Each of the solid rocket boosters burns a mixture of aluminum and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene to produce 474 tons of thrust each. This allows Ariane 62 to generate 1088 tons of thrust at liftoff, while Ariane 64 can generate 2036 tons of thrust. ### Ariane 62 Ariane 62 is the cheaper of the two configurations because it opts to use two solid rocket boosters. The lift capacity of Ariane 62 is as follows: 10,350 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 7,200 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, 4,500 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, or 3,500 kilograms to a lunar transfer orbit. On the launch pad, Ariane 62 weighs approximately 530,000 kilograms with a first-stage, second-stage, and faring diameter of 5.4 meters. Ariane 62 stands 56 meters tall ahead of launch. ### Ariane 64 Ariane 64 is the more capable of the two configurations due to its utilization of four solid rocket boosters. The lift Capacity of Ariane 64 is as follows: 22,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 15,500 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, 11,500 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, 8,600 kilograms to a lunar transfer orbit, or 5,000 kilograms to geostationary orbit. On the launch pad, Ariane 62 weighs approximately 860,000 kilograms with a first-stage, second-stage, and faring diameter of 5.4 meters, exactly the same as Ariane 62\. Ariane 64 is eight meters taller than Ariane 62 and is 62 meters tall ahead of launch. ### SpaceX to Build 100 Billion-Dollar Louisiana Starship Launch Site URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-louisiana-starship-site/ Last updated: 2026-08-25T19:21:28.000Z SpaceX [announced today](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2092284173730144732?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), August 25th, that they are going to develop a launch site in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, dedicated to their in-development fully reusable Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. That site, dubbed 'Starbase Louisiana', will be built on a [largely empty](https://www.nola.com/news/spacex-site-louisiana-aerial-view/article%5Fae347f58-2727-4768-8b65-f9cca7fa29c9.html?ref=proximareport.com) area of south-facing coast formerly owned by oil and natural gas companies, while sandwiched between wildlife reserves. The total amount of land SpaceX will use for the site is about 125,000 acres (505 square kilometers), [bought for 100 million](https://www.nola.com/news/business/spacex-louisiana-elon-musk/article%5F2be92f8e-f989-46b7-9514-5212d8f20260.html?ref=proximareport.com) United States Dollars from the state. As for what the company intends to build there, promotional materials show five launch areas, each consisting of two pads and catch towers, dotting the coast. Propellant storage tanks are not far from those five areas. A sizeable production site for manufacturing Starship upper-stages and Super Heavy boosters is visible in the distance too. A [press release from the Louisiana government](https://www.opportunitylouisiana.gov/news/spacex-launches-new-era-of-commercial-spaceflight-with-100-billion-louisiana-campus?ref=proximareport.com) adds that on-site propellant production and power generation facilities will be established to make the facilities 'self-sustaining'. Residential areas for staff working at the site and a deepwater port for transporting vehicles by boat are part of the plan. It was stated by the government that the state was chosen due to abundant natural gas to provide the power and fuel needed for operations, expansive acreage to support future growth, and the range of possible flight paths into Earth orbit. According to a [new page on SpaceX's website](https://www.spacex.com/sites/starbase-la?ref=proximareport.com), work will begin in 2027 with an aim to start Starship-Super Heavy flights in 2029\. A total amount to be invested in building the launch site and accompanying facilities is expected to be 100 billion United States Dollars. SpaceX executives estimate the new launch site will employ 3,000 to 10,000 locally hired staff members, based on experiences in Texas, for construction and running day-to-day operations. Construction of 'Starbase Louisiana' and its ten launch pads joins three in various stages of work in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and the conversion of another in Starbase, Texas, to support the 'Block 3' version of the launch vehicle. Currently, SpaceX has only one launch pad capable of supporting Starship-Super Heavy. > Starbase, Louisiana will be built to support thousands of Starship flights a year with missions launching to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond [pic.twitter.com/SE6gyNZWBK](https://t.co/SE6gyNZWBK?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 25, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2092294188494938547?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Through having all of those launch pads serving the fully reusable launch vehicle, SpaceX intends to start deployment of Starlink 'V3' satellites to bolster the space-based internet constellation and place hypothetically massive amounts of computing power in orbit. Efforts on the latter have been massive, [in terms of capital expenditure](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-catch-starship-next/), to build massive spacecraft possibly numbering towards a million in orbit. As of Starship-Super Heavy's thirteenth flight test, taking place [back on July 25th](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-thirteen/), it is still in development and has yet to reach orbit, after over three years of developmental launches. It [may fly](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-16-8-22-8/#starships-fourteenth-test-flight-delayed) to orbit sometime in September, still pending regulatory approval. In the leadup to today's announcement, environmentally concerned locals [voiced concern](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/10/spacex-rocket-launch-site-louisiana-backlash?ref=proximareport.com) about potential damage to ecosystems and disruption to regional species. That is something SpaceX has come under [legal opposition for](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/the-court-has-to-intervene-now-indigenous-groups-and-conservationists-condemn-spacexs-south-texas-land-swap?ref=proximareport.com) repeatedly as [it expands](https://www.democracynow.org/2026/6/16/elon%5Fmusk%5Fsouth%5Ftexas?ref=proximareport.com) the [company town known as Starbase](https://proximareport.com/articles/starbase-company-town/) in Texas, which started as a site for the far smaller Falcon 9, into [neighbouring wildlife reserves](https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/spacex-national-wildlife-refuge-land-swap-texas-22188311.php?ref=proximareport.com) home to endangered species. Company facilities in Texas have [been found to be](https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-09/spacex%5Fcafo%5Fcwa-06-2024-1768%5Ftxu09110%5F090624%5F%5F0.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) dumping pollutants. Speaking at a [press conference in Louisiana](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAgPOiirX0o&ref=proximareport.com), SpaceX's Chief Operating Officer, Gwynne Shotwell, said that they will keep 'large areas' of the 125,000-acre site untouched while considering ways to reduce the rate of coastal erosion, which sees the area lose at least a meter of land along the coast per year. ### Weekly Dose of Space (16/8-22/8) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-16-8-22-8/ Last updated: 2026-08-23T17:25:28.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw nine orbital launches occurring, with at least one each day. Meanwhile, news has China's next Moon mission almost ready to fly, along with the delaying and descoping of the next Starship launch. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *August 16th - Falcon 9 with Globalstar 2-R* Globalstar had eight satellites for its mobile communications network added to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting their deployment was booster B1090 for its fourteenth flight, being recovered back at Cape Canaveral by touching down at Landing Zone 40\. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 to deliver eight Globalstar satellites on August 16th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/HP0TOdhXIAAXApa.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 to deliver eight Globalstar satellites on August 16th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *August 16th - Falcon 9 with USSF-366* Taking place a record-breaking thirty-eight and a half minutes after its last mission, Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, to deliver a group of U.S. military satellites into Earth orbit. Booster B1088 was supporting this mission for its eighteenth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 departs Space Launch Complex 4E for the USSF-366 mission on August 16th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/HP0OXQMWEAApfBJ.jpg) Falcon 9 departs Space Launch Complex 4E for the USSF-366 mission on August 16th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *August 16th - Long March 12 with GuoWang Group 24* A Long March 12 flew from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site to deliver nine more GuoWang satellites into low Earth orbit to grow the space-based connectivity constellation. With that launch, 195 GuoWang spacecraft have been deployed, functioning in and heading up to their operational orbits. ![The Long March 12 launch vehicle during first-stage flight to launch GuoWang Group 24 on August 16th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/0080MYmPly1ig5l5rq0mdj34i82w7e82-1.jpg) The Long March 12 launch vehicle during first-stage flight to launch GuoWang Group 24 on August 16th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *August 17th - Long March 2C with SEO* From the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 2C flew into sun-synchronous orbit to deliver the United Arab Emirates University's ‘SEO’ satellite. That satellite serves as a training tool for talent in the country as well as a means of providing domestic Earth imaging capabilities. ![The Long March 2C launch vehicle during first-stage flight from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on August 17th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/6a82b03fa3107385315922ee-1.jpeg) The Long March 2C launch vehicle during first-stage flight from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on August 17th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *August 18th - Zhuque-3 with Honghu-03* LandSpace launches its second partially reusable Zhuque-3 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to deliver the Honghu-03 internet connectivity demonstration satellite into low Earth orbit. At the same time, its first-stage booster descended through Earth's atmosphere, aiming to touchdown on a designated landing pad a few hundred kilometers away. The booster did achieve that feat, for LandSpace's first successful recovery, and China's second. > ZhuQue-3 Y2 Launch Mission Recap > > \- The Return of ZhuQue | 朱雀归来 [pic.twitter.com/MYAJBo6hQj](https://t.co/MYAJBo6hQj?ref=proximareport.com) > > — LandSpace (@LandSpace\_Tech) [August 19, 2026](https://x.com/LandSpace%5FTech/status/2090097481539580366?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *August 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-50* Twenty-four Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting the launch was booster B1097, flying for its twelfth time and touching down aboard the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *August 20th - Electron for 'The Lightning God Defends'* Rocket Lab's Electron flew from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, and into low Earth orbit to deliver another QPS-SAR satellite for Japan's iQPS. That satellite is part of a thirty-six spacecraft constellation, still being deployed, to image any point on Earth every ten minutes regardless of the weather or time. > LIFTOFF! Electron has launched for the 93rd time🚀 [pic.twitter.com/AXdnPbEuDq](https://t.co/AXdnPbEuDq?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [August 20, 2026](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2090428410355146965?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *August 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-39* Another twenty-nine Starlink satellites were launched atop of a Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 40 to be placed into low Earth orbit. Booster B1078 supported that launch for its thirtieth mission, being recovered on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![A view from Falcon 9's second-stage ahead of the deployment of twenty-nine Starlink satellites on August 21st 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/HQQpmHaXMAABnTy.jpg) A view from Falcon 9's second-stage ahead of the deployment of twenty-nine Starlink satellites on August 21st 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *August 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-20* Yet another Falcon 9 flew into low Earth orbit to bring twenty-seven more Starlink satellites into space, out of Space Launch Complex 4E. That launch was supported by booster B1100, for its ninth flight and landing downrange aboard the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 15-20 missionon August 22nd 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/HQUHOvza0AAoPmK.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 15-20 missionon August 22nd 2026\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Chang'e 7 almost ready for Moon launch* Chang'e 7, the next mission in the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, is almost ready to launch from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. Earlier in the week, [a Long March 5 rolled out](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/change-7-rolls-out-ahead-of-moon?ref=proximareport.com) to Launch Complex 101 with Chang'e 7 for final on-pad testing and preparations. At the time, the involved space agencies and state-owned enterprises noted that they were awaiting favorable weather to launch, as Tropical Depression Nara is developing near Vietnam. Later, it [was reported](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/change-7-moon-mission-delayed-by?ref=proximareport.com) that the mission is looking to launch in September. Upon launching, Chang'e 7 will take a three-month flight route to the lunar south pole, aiming for humanity's first landing in the region atop of a permanently illuminated peak near Shackleton crater. Once landed there, the mission will look for lunar water ice to research where it is stored and its characteristics. To do that, Chang'e 7 consists of an orbiter, lander, rover, and hopper. Those are planned to operate for eight years, but the track record of previous missions indicates they could go for far longer. The first mission to the south pole is also very international, with the Hawai’i-headquartered International Lunar Observatory Association, Italy’s Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand, the Russian Academy of Sciences, Switzerland’s Physical Meteorological Observatory, the Bahrain Space Agency, and the Egyptian Space Agency all having instruments onboard. ### *Starship's fourteenth test flight delayed* > The Starship preparing for our fourteenth flight test completed a full-duration, 60-second static fire with all six Raptor engines [pic.twitter.com/DY11p3KVxU](https://t.co/DY11p3KVxU?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 21, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2090876778646491549?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Earlier in the month [during SpaceX's first earnings call](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-catch-starship-next/), it was shared that the company was looking to perform Starship-Super Heavy's fourteenth flight test towards the end of August. That flight would include a first venture into orbit and potentially catching of Starship too. A few weeks later, [it appears that flight](https://spacenews.com/spacex-scales-back-plans-for-next-starship-launch/?ref=proximareport.com) won't be happening soon. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman expects the flight to occur in early September, while airspace managers are being told it will occur during the second half. SpaceX themselves, through Elon Musk, haven't commented on when they'll fly, only that a catch attempt may not occur now. In the meantime, testing of Super Heavy Booster 21 and Ship 41 is well underway for flight. [On August 21st](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2090876778646491549?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), Ship 41 fired up its three sea-level and three vacuum-optimized 'Raptor 3' engines as part of a qualification static fire, following on from a [single-engine one](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2090482050562146364?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) a day earlier. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *August 25th - Long March 6C with a rideshare mission* The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology's Long March 6C is set to fly its second mission for the delivery of several small satellites into sun-synchronous orbit. ### *August 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-49* Space Launch Complex 40 will see another batch of Starlink satellites brought into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9\. ### *August 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-22* Even more Starlinks will depart Space Launch Complex 4E on a Falcon 9 aiming for low Earth orbit. ### *August 27th - Ariane 6 with MTG-I2* Ariane 6 will fly from the Guiana Space Center towards geostationary space carrying Europe's fourteenth meteorology spacecraft as part of its third generation. ### NASA Telescope to Fall From Orbit After Savior Spacecraft Falters URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-telescope-savior-issues/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T22:54:41.000Z It was a hopeful night, on July 3rd, when [the last Pegasus-XL carried](https://proximareport.com/articles/pegasus-save-nasa-telescope/) the Katalyst Space-developed 'LINK' spacecraft into low Earth orbit to chase down NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and boost it before it fell too far into the atmosphere. The Swift Observatory has, to date, been in orbit since November 2004, initially to study gamma-ray bursts, and later having its tasks expanded to a wider array of astronomical observations by making use of its optical, ultraviolet, and X-ray wavelength capabilities. While operational, the telescope has been [a unique part](https://science.psu.edu/news/qa-boosting-nasas-swift-observatory?ref=proximareport.com) of NASA's scientific fleet. It made sense then that NASA sought to find a way to save the telescope, [providing Katalyst Space](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-awards-company-to-attempt-swift-spacecraft-orbit-boost/?ref=proximareport.com) 30 million United States Dollars to do so. That culminated in the development and launch of 'LINK' [in under a year](https://www.katalystspace.com/news/katalyst-develops-design-for-nasa-to-rescue-500m-space-telescope?ref=proximareport.com). Entering orbit would, however, be as close as the savior spacecraft comes to completing its goal. Announced [on August 19th](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/2026/08/19/nasa-updates-next-steps-for-commercial-swift-boost-mission/?ref=proximareport.com), NASA declared that attempts to boost the spacecraft would not go ahead following a series of hardware issues during the process of commissioning 'LINK'. Those issues began to be acknowledged by both parties at [the end of July](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-telescope-savior-spin/) when it was shared that the spacecraft was in a 9 degrees per second spin caused by a loss of functionality on two reaction wheels, of the three total, and partial remaining functions with attitude control thrusters. Earlier this month, [it was detailed](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/2026/08/06/link-spacecraft-recovery-progressing-for-nasas-swift-boost/?ref=proximareport.com) that the spin had been reduced to 4 degrees per second, and then further brought down to 1.47, by [using around 100 grams](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/the-katalyst-team-is-continuing-recovery-share-7490896939744485376-qcEB/?ref=proximareport.com) of propellant with burns of the primary electrical propulsion system. [Updated flight control software](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/2026/08/11/nasa-swift-boost-spacecraft-prepares-to-continue-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) was sent to 'LINK' not long after [to see](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/katalyst-space%5Fthe-katalyst-team-successfully-uploaded-a-activity-7493047412979220480-9vLv?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAADPrrp0B42OTD3pICNiphuCaOsv8nlxTxn4) if the spacecraft was able to wrestle back control using the remaining functional hardware. Evidently, the new software could not bring sufficient control back to allow boost attempts to proceed. Commenting on [the decision to call off](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-updates-next-steps-for-commercial-swift-boost-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) the saving of the Swift Observatory, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated: > "This is not the outcome we were working toward, but it does not change why this mission was worth attempting. The team moved with extraordinary speed to give Swift a chance to carry out more science." While not allowed to boost the telescope, Katalyst Space still wants to head towards it, using it as a target to practice proximity operations, [writing on social media](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/katalyst-space%5Ffollowing-continued-monitoring-and-assessment-activity-7495902428203106304-XCTP?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAADPrrp0B42OTD3pICNiphuCaOsv8nlxTxn4): > "The Katalyst team will continue making the most of LINK’s capability and time on orbit. Our focus is on conducting rendezvous and proximity operations where possible and exercising the spacecraft to gather as much data as we can. \[...\] We will continue working to extract technical and operational value from the spacecraft." Practicing that would be useful [for missions](https://www.katalystspace.com/news/diu-selects-katalyst-space-for-deorbit-as-a-service-program-supporting-sda?ref=proximareport.com) and [demonstration contracts](https://www.katalystspace.com/news/dod-utilizing-isam-to-advance-ongoing-mission-objectives?ref=proximareport.com) the company has booked with the U.S. military. As for when the Swift Observatory will fall into the atmosphere and be lost, NASA projects that to occur before the end of the year. It has been slowly falling for almost twenty-two years from its 600-kilometer orbit, as the telescope was designed without a propulsion system. Luckily for scientists performing observations of gamma-ray bursts, they can still rely on NASA's eighteen-year-old [Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/fermi/?ref=proximareport.com) and the two-year-old [Space Variable Objects Monitor](https://www.svom.eu/en/the-svom-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) from the China National Space Administration and France's Centre National d'études Spatiales. ### U.S. Space Force Watching Orbit From Two Japanese Civil Spacecraft URL: https://proximareport.com/us-space-force-japan-satellites/ Last updated: 2026-08-18T17:40:50.000Z August 10th saw Japan's H3 rocket depart from the Tanegashima Space Center and reach a geostationary transfer orbit [for the delivery of](https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2026/08/20260811-1%5Fe.html?ref=proximareport.com) the Michibiki-7 spacecraft, part of the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System for civilian navigation services across the island nation and nearby regions. In addition, a small part added to the spacecraft has come from the U.S. Space Force, America's space branch of its military, for a different task. Called 'SĀCHI' (Situational Awareness Camera Hosted Instrument), that part is, as its unabbreviated name suggests, tasked with monitoring orbits around the spacecraft it is hosted by as well as observing other satellites' activities nearby. Doing that is [stated to enable](https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Newsroom/Article/4574476/us-space-force-and-japan-successfully-launch-us-sovereign-space-domain-awarenes?ref=proximareport.com) the Space Force to 'detect, understand, and maintain custody' of active and retired satellites along with debris. Managing the parts inclusion onboard is the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System-Hosted Payload program, a joint effort formalized with the [signing of a Memorandum of Understanding](https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article/2451728/japans-office-of-national-space-policy-signs-historic-mou-with-the-us-space-for/?ref=proximareport.com) in December 2020\. At the time, the program was branded as a protective effort to continue the flow of economic benefits of being in orbit. Now it is claimed to allow the U.S. to match the 'threat' of peer adversaries in space. Although unnamed in press releases about the U.S. hardware and its capabilities, the [Space Force says](https://www.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Fact-Sheet-Display/Article/4297159/space-threat-fact-sheet/?ref=proximareport.com) its 'threats' in orbit come from China and Russia, as the former grows its space sector and the latter surges its fleet of militarily tasked assets. Michibiki-7 is the second Japanese satellite to host 'SĀCHI', and currently the last. In February 2025, the first one [was launched aboard Michibiki-6](https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Newsroom/Article/4052497/us-space-forces-space-systems-command-and-japan-launch-first-bilateral-space-ef?ref=proximareport.com), delivered by the same rocket from Tanegashima. After its deployment into orbit, Colonel Bryon McClain, in charge of the branches Space Domain Awareness and Combat Power, thanked the Japanese side for hosting the instruments, saying: > "In an increasingly contested space domain, Japan's contribution to the U.S. \[military\]’s deterrence strategy has been, and will continue to be, key to \[United States Indo-Pacific Command\] awareness and operations." Regarding [the design](https://www.ll.mit.edu/news/newly-launched-space-force-optical-sensing-system-will-improve-space-domain-awareness?ref=proximareport.com) of 'SĀCHI', it's only 61.7 kilograms in weight being a 114.3 by 78.74 by 48.26 centimeter protrusion on the side of Michibiki-6 and Michibiki-7\. Its observing duties are performed via optical observation, with no details provided about resolution or limits on observation distance. Processing of data collected by the payload is not performed by the spacecraft it is hosted on, with an amount of compute within its mass budget for pre-processing and beaming back to Earth. Work on the two 'SĀCHI' payloads [began sometime in 2019](https://www.ll.mit.edu/news/lincoln-laboratory-designing-payload-integrate-japanese-satellites?ref=proximareport.com), performed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory, with delivery to Japanese teams at the [start of 2023](https://www.ll.mit.edu/news/space-force-delivers-first-payload-japans-qzss-satellites?ref=proximareport.com). ### Rocket Lab Building Its First Geostationary Satellites for U.S. Military Use URL: https://proximareport.com/rocket-lab-first-geostationary/ Last updated: 2026-08-17T20:30:13.000Z Rocket Lab, operator of the sleek [Electron rocket](https://proximareport.com/articles/feb-haste-very-pointy/) and manufacturer of many spacecraft parts and satellites that have ventured [as far as the Moon](https://rocketlabcorp.com/missions/lunar/?ref=proximareport.com), is now going somewhere the company has never gone before: geostationary space. That first foray towards the orbital regime 35,786 kilometers up has come as the result of two contracts from the United States Space Force, both having settled on the company for different tasks. The first, [awarded in May](https://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-wins-first-geo-satellite-production-contract-from-u-s-space-force/?ref=proximareport.com), came directly from the space-focused military branch for the building of two satellites able to monitor and track other spacecraft in nearby orbits. Doing that is something the U.S. is eager to improve to allow military space officials to properly determine if another operator's or nation's satellite poses a 'threat'. Electro-optical sensors enabling the capability to monitor surrounding orbits are coming from a Rocket Lab subsidiary via a previous contract. Those contracts have a combined value of 170.7 million United States Dollars. A second award to build geostationary satellites has come quite recently, on August 17th, with [Viasat tapping Rocket Lab](https://www.viasat.com/news/latest-news/government/2026/viasat-selects-rocket-lab-to-build-satellite-bus-for-ptsg/?ref=proximareport.com) as its prime contractor for the Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global program, a project of the U.S. Space Force. In that role, the company will provide effectively a ready-to-go spacecraft, except for Viasat's dual X/Ka-band secure communications payload. That communications payload is funded by a U.S. Space Force [award also from May](https://spacenews.com/space-force-awards-viasat-ses-437-million-for-military-satellite-network/?ref=proximareport.com), where Viasat was chosen alongside SES to build the 'Swarm 1' batch of small but resilient military communications spacecraft. The contract for it has a value of 437.6 million United States Dollars between the two chosen entities. Regarding the rationale for selecting Rocket Lab as the prime contractor, Viasat's President of government business, Craig Miller, stated: > "By combining Viasat's cutting-edge communications payload technology with Rocket Lab's proven spacecraft platform, we are advancing a more agile and resilient \[geostationary\] architecture designed to support mission-critical communications hot spots in contested environments. We are excited to showcase how low cost, high performance dual-use technology can provide reliable connectivity for evolving missions in an increasingly contested tactical communications environment." All three of the above satellites are set to use Rocket Lab's ['Lightning' spacecraft platform](https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/new-blog-post-16/?ref=proximareport.com). That is stated to be designed for twelve years of operation in low Earth orbit for demanding sensing or communications applications, powered through three kilowatts generated via solar panels. The platform is boasted as being compatible to fly on multiple launch vehicles. At least thirty-five 'Lightning' platforms have been ordered to date between [Globalstar](https://rocketlabcorp.com/missions/launches/globalstar-constellation/?ref=proximareport.com), to expand its internet-of-things constellation, and the [U.S. Space Development Agency](https://rocketlabcorp.com/missions/launches/sda/?ref=proximareport.com), for establishing an assured, resilient, low-latency military data and connectivity network. As for when the three geostationary-bound 'Lightnings' will be deployed, only the one carrying Viasat's payload is known to have a target date, being sometime in 2029. ### Weekly Dose of Space (9/8-15/8) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-spacec-9-8-15-8/ Last updated: 2026-08-16T11:29:28.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had another four orbital launch attempts occurring, with one sadly failing. News from the week has a lunar lander firm now making geostationary satellites and the monitoring of taikonaut health for a yearlong stay aboard China's space station. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/ProximaBanner-B.png) ### *August 10th - Long March 7A with ChinaSat-4B* A Long March 7A was flying towards geostationary space while [carrying ChinaSat-4B](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/chinasat-spacecraft-lost-in-failed?ref=proximareport.com) to provide radio, television, and communication services. However, just over a minute into flight, the vehicle failed due to a [probable structural failure](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/ramifications-of-long-march-7a-failure?ref=proximareport.com), subsequently exploding when its termination system activated. > Thomas ([@\_thomashayden](https://x.com/%5Fthomashayden?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com)) also edited a version for the mix. [https://t.co/NwDJBS26oM](https://t.co/NwDJBS26oM?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/LkXvOxQ7Qf](https://t.co/LkXvOxQ7Qf?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NSF - NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight) [August 10, 2026](https://x.com/NASASpaceflight/status/2086890627615064416?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *August 10th - H3 with Michibiki-7* Japan's H3 rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center and flew into a geostationary transfer orbit to deliver the Michibiki-7 satellite. That satellite is tasked with providing navigation services as well as observations of the surrounding geostationary environment for the U.S. Space Force. ![H3 blasting off with Michibiki-7 from the Tanegashima Space Center on August 10th 2026. ©JAXA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/166062ef4177d024e03eed14d22fefce-1.jpg) H3 blasting off with Michibiki-7 from the Tanegashima Space Center on August 10th 2026\. ©JAXA ### *August 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-19* Twenty-nine Starlink satellites were brought into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting this launch was booster B1085 for its eighteenth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-19 mission on August 11th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/HPdQJMLXcAAWWzN-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-19 mission on August 11th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *August 12th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-49* Another twenty-four Starlink satellites were added to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. For its fifth mission, booster B1103 supported this launch, touching down aboard the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-49 mission on August 12th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/HPhUHGyXoAArlgz.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-49 mission on August 12th 2026\. ©SpaceX ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/ProximaBanner-B-1.png) ## **In Other Space News** ### *Intuitive Machines to build three geostationary satellites* Intuitive Machines, a company best known for two [troubled](https://proximareport.com/articles/america-returns-to-the-moon/?ref=proximareport.com) [missions](https://proximareport.com/articles/intuitive-machines-second-landing/) to the Moon, is now set to build its first three geostationary communication satellites, [*SpaceNews* reports](https://spacenews.com/intuitive-machines-wins-contract-for-three-geo-satellites/?ref=proximareport.com). The capability to build those comes after the acquisition of Lanteris Space Systems when Maxar (now Vantor) split into two distinct firms. Those satellites have been ordered from an undisclosed customer for 600 million United States Dollars, to be paid over two and a half years. All three of them will make use of the IM-1300 design, which has been used for almost one hundred spacecraft and continuously improved since 1989\. *SpaceNews* suspects that communication satellite operator SES ordered the three satellites, with competitors Eutelsat and Telesat not known to be considering new additions to their fleets. ### *Taikonaut health monitored for yearlong stay* Since late May, taikonauts Zhu Yangzhu, Li Jiaying, and Zhang Zhiyuan have been onboard China's Tiangong Space Station for the Shenzhou-23 mission. One of the three crew members, to be selected based on physical and mental health, will stay onboard the station until May 2027. For that, in a [recent weekly update](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/health-of-shenzhou-23-taikonauts?ref=proximareport.com), the China Manned Space Agency shared that several experiments and research items took place to monitor the three taikonauts' health. Those included ultrasound examinations of arteries and bones around their spines, abdomens, and lower legs. Additionally, cooperative behavioral evaluations and kinematic data collection during standard exercise were performed. Beyond health evaluations, the crew of three has been busy [growing crops](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-23-crew-manage-space-grown?ref=proximareport.com), [performing virology research](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-23-trio-assist-with-microgravity?ref=proximareport.com), installing new hardware [inside](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-23-crew-busy-participating?ref=proximareport.com) and [outside](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/tiangong-begins-monitoring-greenhouse?ref=proximareport.com), alongside [generally maintaining](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-23-mission-passes-two-month?ref=proximareport.com) the orbiting laboratory. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/ProximaBanner-B-2.png) ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *August 16th - Falcon 9 with Globalstar 2-R* Globalstar will have nine satellites placed into low Earth orbit for its mobile communications network via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *August 16th - Falcon 9 for USSF-366* From Space Launch Complex 4E a Falcon 9 will fly into Earth orbit to deliver a group of U.S. military satellites. ### *August 16th - Long March 12 with GuoWang Group 24* Nine more GuoWang satellites will ride a Long March 12 into low Earth orbit from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site to expand the space-based connectivity constellation ### *August 17th - Long March 2C with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 2C is likely to fly into low Earth orbit from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center to deliver a customer satellite. ### *August 18th - Zhuque-3 for its second mission* LandSpace is preparing the second flight of its partially reusable Zhuque-3 launch vehicle, departing from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, which will have the first-stage attempt to land downrange, while the second-stage may bring satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *August 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-50* A new batch of Starlink satellites are set to be brought into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *August 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-39* More Starlink satellites will be deployed into low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 launch out of Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *August 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-20* Another Falcon 9 will deploy even more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit by flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/ProximaBanner-A.png) ### New Glenn to Have Two Florida Launch Pads URL: https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-two-florida-pads/ Last updated: 2026-08-13T16:13:59.000Z Blue Origin [shared on August 12th](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/returning-launch-complex-36-to-two-pads?ref=proximareport.com) that it plans to establish a second New Glenn launch pad in Florida, without providing a timeline for when. The new launch pad, dubbed Launch Complex 36B, would be just to the north of the existing Launch Complex 36A, while being exclusively used by New Glenn's larger variant [known as 9x4](https://www.blueorigin.com/es-MX/new-glenn/9x4?ref=proximareport.com). Named after its first and second stage engine layout, that launch vehicle is set to stand around 122 meters tall and lift up to 70,000 kilograms of payload into low Earth orbit, stored within a giant 8.7-meter-wide fairing. Over the coming years, Launch Complex 36B will see a roughly 213-meter-tall launch support tower rise to provide New Glenn 9x4 with propellant and other commodities. Dave Limp, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Origin, wrote the following [on social media](https://x.com/davill/status/2087587127982981451?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) about tower construction plans: > "\[A dedicated team\] is beginning work on Laucnh Complex 36B, the operational home for New Glenn's 9x4\. We're sourcing 2,500 tons of steel columns that will be integrated with beams and bracing to form 50-foot x 50-foot x 50-foot modules." The launch vehicle itself will stand atop of a large launch platform and partly above-ground flame diverter. It's unclear, at present, how the vehicle will be placed onto that platform. Efforts to establish the new launch pad have been underway since the start of the year, [known thanks to](https://x.com/mcrs987/status/2041976020069183804?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) imagery captured from orbit and U.S. Federal Aviation Administration filings. In support of New Glenn 9x4 operations, Blue Origin also plans to build a sizeable Vertical Integration Facility to prepare the launch vehicle for flight, after which it will then be driven to Launch Complex 36B. That building will house a Payload Processing Facility for both versions of New Glenn, and will be supported by the U.S. government to meet needs for military missions. ![A render of New Glenn 9x4's voluminous Vertical Integration Facility a distance away from Launch Complex 36B. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/News_VIF-with-LaunchComplexes-1.png) A render of New Glenn 9x4's voluminous Vertical Integration Facility a distance away from Launch Complex 36B. ©Blue Origin ## Launch Complex 36A is still in pieces Back at the [end of May](https://proximareport.com/articles/new-glenn-explodes-2026/), the fourth New Glenn 7x2 launch vehicle exploded atop of Launch Complex 36A during a pre-flight static fire, destroying itself and massively damaging the site. That included the collapse of one of the launch towers, the complete loss of its transporter-erector, and the collapse of the launch platform, but not destroying a water storage tower or the launch vehicle's Horizontal Integration Facility. Cleanup work at Launch Complex 36A [began at](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/gs1-3-hotfire-updates?ref=proximareport.com) the start of June with large cranes [put together](https://x.com/davill/status/2071359805336535391?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) at the site just before the month concluded. Those were then used to take apart the surviving, although damaged, [launch tower](https://x.com/davill/status/2081769603492106323?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) as well as to lift out [pieces of](https://x.com/davill/status/2074861865289597123?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) the [launch platform](https://x.com/davill/status/2078442058717569385?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) that fell into the flame trench. As of early August, hardware is still being repaired and equipped for a different launch preparation plan. To return to flight as fast as possible, New Glenn 7x2 is [planned to ditch](https://www.blueorigin.com/es-MX/news/new-glenn-return-to-flight?ref=proximareport.com) its transporter-erector in favor of a crane that will lift a joined first and second stage into a vertical position and onto a new launch platform. A fairing will then be placed atop of that after those stages have been bolted down and attached to commodity supply systems, now on arms on the launch tower. Those operations have already been [partly practiced](https://x.com/Blobifie/status/1991337558794727511?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) when taking a first-stage off the drone ship 'Jacklyn'. Blue Origin hopes to have Launch Complex 36A back online before the end of the year, with either a New Glenn 7x2 ready to fly or flown too. Disclosed information from the explosion investigation points towards a simple fix on hardware that was in storage or production beforehand. > Destacking of the vehicle access tower is complete. We removed the top six modules to begin integrating fluids and controls as part of our new ConOps. This includes adding cryo systems, pneumatics, and mechanisms. We’ll also add in floors for access before we begin re-stacking.… [pic.twitter.com/N4FfObKqTg](https://t.co/N4FfObKqTg?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Dave Limp (@davill) [July 27, 2026](https://x.com/davill/status/2081769603492106323?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### Weekly Dose of Space (2/8-8/8) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-2-8-8-8/ Last updated: 2026-08-09T17:07:18.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week had four launches taking place globally, with most to expand space-based connectivity constellations. News of the week still has Ship 40 floating near Australia and a NASA telescope savior remaining in spin. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *August 4th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 23* A Long March 8A flew from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site to bring nine GuoWang satellites into low Earth orbit, deploying them close to their operational altitude. This deployment brings the constellation's spacecraft count up to 186\. ![The Long March 8A Y10 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on August 4th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/008iEnCgly1ifrzj9mig9j32pk1t4b29-1.jpg) The Long March 8A Y10 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on August 4th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *August 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-53* Twenty-four Starlink satellites were brought into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this launch was booster B1063, launching for the thirty-fourth time and touching down on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 gaining speed away from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-53 mission on August 4th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/HO5fviqaIAAElqz-1.jpg) Falcon 9 gaining speed away from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-53 mission on August 4th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *August 5th - Jielong-3 with Lampung-1 & Samarqand-2028* Off of the Yellow Sea, a Jielong-3 brought a satellite for Indonesia and Uzbekistan into sun-synchronous orbit, both sourced from China's STAR.VISION. Each tasked with hyperspectral remote sensing, the Indonesian satellite is dubbed Lampung-1 and the Uzbek one is called Samarqand-2028\. ![The Jielong-3 Y12 vehicle blasting off from the Yellow Sea on August 5th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/64a82e50ly1ifsrt2ko20j21j00zwqv6-1.jpg) The Jielong-3 Y12 vehicle blasting off from the Yellow Sea on August 5th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *August 5th - Falcon 9 with three BlueBirds* AST SpaceMobile had three of its BlueBird satellites brought into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9, departing Space Launch Complex 40, to expand its space-based mobile connectivity constellation to thirteen spacecraft. Booster B1077 supported this launch for its thirtieth mission, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 40 with three BlueBird satellites on August 5th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/HO8wQGUXoAAG3oO-1.jpg) Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 40 with three BlueBird satellites on August 5th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *August 6th - Electron for 'The Grain Goddess Provides'* Rocket Lab flew its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, into low Earth orbit to deliver a synthetic aperture radar satellite. That satellite belongs to iQPS and is part of a constellation aiming to image any part of Earth every ten minutes. > New camera angle. [pic.twitter.com/28uVbMT3BN](https://t.co/28uVbMT3BN?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Peter Beck (@Peter\_J\_Beck) [August 6, 2026](https://x.com/Peter%5FJ%5FBeck/status/2085326370977304652?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *August 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-38* Another twenty-four Starlink satellites left Earth from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of a Falcon 9 to enter low Earth orbit. Supporting this deployment was booster B1093 for its sixteenth flight, being recovered downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink group 17-38 mission on August 8th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/HPOHpKiWEAA6k-2-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink group 17-38 mission on August 8th 2026\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *'LINK' spacecraft remains in spin* NASA and Katalyst Space [announced on July 28th](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-telescope-savior-spin/) that the 'LINK' spacecraft, designed to save the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory before it falls out of orbit, was stuck in a serious spin preventing the mission from moving forward as originally planned. In the time since then, teams working with the spacecraft have been attempting to slow its spin. At the end of July, [it was shared](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/2026/07/31/efforts-continue-to-stabilize-link-spacecraft-for-nasas-swift-boost/?ref=proximareport.com) that the spin has been reduced from 9 degrees per second of rotation to about 4, and then further reduced to 1.47 [by August 6th](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/2026/08/06/link-spacecraft-recovery-progressing-for-nasas-swift-boost/?ref=proximareport.com). A reduction in the spin rate was performed with burns of the primary electrical propulsion system, [using around 100 grams](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/the-katalyst-team-is-continuing-recovery-share-7490896939744485376-qcEB/?ref=proximareport.com) of propellant. Over the coming days, 'LINK' is set to remain spinning at 1.47 degrees per second while a joint team [reconfigures onboard software](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/over-the-last-48-hours-the-katalyst-team-share-7488722726623305729-yHbj/?ref=proximareport.com) to work with the faulty hardware that caused the spin. Katalyst Space hopes to come into proximity of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory towards the end of August; NASA has not said if it has come to a determination on the safety of proceeding. ### *Ship 40 still at sea* > The SpaceX Recovery team is still working to recover Flight 13’s Starship from the Indian Ocean. They’ve been overcoming challenging conditions and increasingly rough seas as they attempt to guide the 52m long spacecraft to port [pic.twitter.com/ECT5FyCvr7](https://t.co/ECT5FyCvr7?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 7, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2085786988225925349?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) It has been just over two weeks since Starship flew its [thirteenth test mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-thirteen/), culminating in Ship 40 gently splashing down in the Indian Ocean. That resulted in [SpaceX scrambling](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-26-7-1-8/#ship-40-awaiting-recovery-attempts) to send out vessels in an attempt to bring it to a nearby port. As publicly [revealed through satellite imagery](https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/03/science/spacex-starship-indian-ocean-recovery-satellite-images?ref=proximareport.com), three vessels have been attempting to tow Ship 40 engine-section first towards the western coast of Australia. SpaceX later [shared its own images](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2085786988225925349?ref=proximareport.com) from up close, showing the 52-meter long upper-stage supported by several fenders to maintain its thermal protection tiles-up position. Few updates about the status of the efforts to bring Ship 40 towards shore, but SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk [said on social media](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2085797764194087277?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) that the near future is not looking good, referring to inbound bad weather. He did add the following as some good news: > "Nonetheless, we were able to obtain close-up photos of critical regions of the heat shield and engines for future upgrades." ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *August 10th - Long March 7A with a to-be-announced satellite* From the Wenchang Space Launch Site, a Long March 7A will fly towards geostationary space to bring a currently unknown spacecraft into orbit. ### *August 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-19* SpaceX is set to bring a new batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *August 10th - H3 with Michibiki-7* Japan's H3 rocket is set to launch from the Tanegashima Space Center into a geostationary transfer orbit to bring the Michibiki-7 navigation satellite on a path towards its intended operational slot. ### *August 10th - Zhuque-3 for its second mission* LandSpace is preparing the second flight of its partially reusable Zhuque-3 launch vehicle, departing from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, which will have the first-stage attempt to land downrange, while the second-stage may bring satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *August 12th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-49* Another Falcon 9 is expected to place more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit, launching from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *August 15th - Falcon 9 with an unknown payload* SpaceX is readying a Falcon 9 for launch from Space Launch Complex 4E to bring a currently undisclosed set of payloads into low Earth orbit, possibly belonging to the U.S. military. ### SpaceX Wants to Catch Starship in Its Next Flight, Spends Billions on AI URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-catch-starship-next/ Last updated: 2026-08-04T23:31:42.000Z SpaceX held its [first quarterly earnings call](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2084737732732186903?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) on the afternoon of August 4th, having become a publicly traded company in mid-June. That call largely focused on the future of the in-development, to-be-fully-reusable Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. During it, SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk shared that the fourteenth test flight of Starship is hoped to occur before the end of the month, should Ship 41 and Booster 21 complete pre-flight testing in time. Like the last test flight, the upcoming one will carry Starlink 'V3' satellites, but this time bringing them into low Earth orbit. Orbit will then be followed by a return to Earth and catch for Ship 41\. That could be the first time Starship-Super Heavy enters orbit, having flown sub-orbitally since April 2023. A major thing holding up an orbital launch attempt is regulatory approval from the United States Federal Aviation Administration. They may not approve of such a flight as it would be the third time a 'Block 3' Starship vehicle is flown. Those vehicles have also only demonstrated one in-space relight of a 'Raptor 3' engine. Compared to 2025's Starship vehicles, the 'Block 3' ones have had a tendency to work so far. [May](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-twelve/) and [July](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-thirteen/) flight tests have completed most test criteria, while losing the Super Heavy boosters both times due to engine startup problems. The most recent flight tests had a first gentle splashdown of a Starship as well, allowing SpaceX to begin their [first recovery attempt](https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/03/science/spacex-starship-indian-ocean-recovery-satellite-images?ref=proximareport.com). SpaceX executives have been encouraged by the initial success of 'Block 3', saying that several flights in the remainder of this year are set to deploy batches of Starlink 'V3' satellites. Musk added that Starship could fly daily just over a year from now, but that is quite unrealistic with present and under-construction supporting infrastructure. ## And the Moon? Getting next to no mention during the call was SpaceX's multi-billion dollar contract with NASA to develop a Human Landing System (HLS) to bring astronauts to the surface of the Moon through the Artemis Program. Gwynne Shotwell, the company's President and Chief Operating Officer, briefly noted that a human-rated Starship will venture to the Moon sometime in 2028, the same time as NASA's planned Artemis 4 and Artemis 5 missions. Those missions were not spoken of. That vehicle will come after a few cargo-carrying lunar Starships, which had no schedules mentioned according to Shotwell. Human and non-human rated Starships will both require minimal boiloff technology and Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer systems, something yet to be demonstrated by SpaceX. A demonstration of that system [has been delayed](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-eleven/#whats-next-for-starship) several times due to no Starships flying into orbit, which also led to the Artemis 3 mission being [moved from](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/) the Moon to low Earth orbit. ## Insane AI spending Another major part of the quarterly earnings call was, of course, the capital SpaceX has earned, spent, and lost. The [earnings release for the second quarter](https://s21.q4cdn.com/184289198/files/doc%5Ffinancials/2026/q2/SpaceX-Reports-Second-Quarter-2026-Results.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) (April, May, June) disclosed that between January and June SpaceX has earned 12.5 billion United States Dollars, mostly by Starlink, and spent 28.4 billion United States Dollars in capital expenditures. A grand majority of that expenditure, 23.5 billion of it, was for related artificial intelligence and compute systems. While burning an insane amount of capital on AI, Nvidia is receiving part of it [by selling](https://x.com/nvidia/status/2084733460690903204?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) its 'Vera Rubin NVL72' hardware to SpaceX for use on its compute satellites. That hardware will do all of the satellite number crunching for the company's [hoped-to-be million-strong](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cyv5l24mrjmo?ref=proximareport.com) constellation. The constellation itself will be made up of huge satellites 30 meters tall and 75 meters wide, featuring a massive 160 square meter set of radiators and two giant solar arrays. Each operational satellite will weigh several tons while providing 175 kilowatts of compute. > SpaceX is partnering with [@Nvidia](https://x.com/nvidia?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) to design the Starmind AI1 satellite compute payload. > > Each of the Starmind satellites will include NVIDIA Rubin GPUs and Vera CPUs for datacenter class space compute → [https://t.co/4MOQv0DvTQ](https://t.co/4MOQv0DvTQ?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/rC7UBAznAO](https://t.co/rC7UBAznAO?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 4, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2084723854534951218?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Before any SpaceX compute satellites can launch, a demonstration satellite, or set of satellites, will need to be deployed. No timeline has been given to do that. An entry on [SpaceX's website says](https://www.spacex.com/spacexai/starmind?ref=proximareport.com) that compute satellites will start being launched in late 2027\. For serious competition on orbital computing from within the United States, Starcloud is ahead of SpaceX, as they already have a [demonstrator spacecraft](https://www.starcloud.com/starcloud-1?ref=proximareport.com) in orbit. They also plan to launch an operational satellite later this year ahead of an [88,000-satellite constellation](https://spacenews.com/starclouds-path-to-88000-computing-satellites/?ref=proximareport.com), which will be enabled by Starship-Super Heavy. Ahead of the U.S. as a whole is China, with two commercial firms with assets in orbit. On par with Starcloud, there is Orbital Chenguang, having a [demonstrator launched last month](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/ai-utilizing-spacecraft-brought-to?ref=proximareport.com), and [backed by billions](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-seriously-backs-space-based?ref=proximareport.com) of United States Dollars in strategic credit lines. Far ahead of everybody, however, is ADA Space with its Three-Body Computing Constellation. That constellation has been crunching compute for a variety of users, attracting interest from China's technology giants and regional governments. Additionally, its [technology is being continuously refined](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/three-body-computing-constellation?ref=proximareport.com) ahead of a tripling of compute capacity by year's end. ### Weekly Dose of Space (26/7-1/8) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-26-7-1-8/ Last updated: 2026-08-02T17:06:52.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week has seen four orbital launches occurring worldwide, most carrying a type of communication satellites. News from the week has Rocket Lab expanding to Alaska and Ship 40 still being afloat following its flight last week. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *July 29th - Long March 7A with Tianlian-3-01* From the Wenchang Space Launch Site, a Long March 7A brought the Tianlian-3-01 relay satellite onto a geostationary transfer orbit. Tianlian-3-01 is the first part of the third-generation relay network for China's permanently crewed Tiangong Space Station, as well as the Shenzhou and Tianzhou spacecraft that visit it. ![The Long March 7A Y29 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on July 29th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/640b-1.webp) The Long March 7A Y29 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on July 29th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *July 30th - Long March 6A with TJSW-27A and 27B* A Long March 6A blasted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center to bring the TJSW-27A and TJSW-27B satellites into a highly-inclined low Earth orbit. The TJSW pair are reportedly tasked with demonstrating multi-band, high-throughput communications technologies for radio, television, and data transmission. ![The Long March 6A Y18 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on July 30th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/640cc-1.webp) The Long March 6A Y18 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on July 30th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *July 30th - Falcon 9 for NROL-95* SpaceX launched a U.S. military satellite into Earth orbit on behalf of the National Reconnaissance Office, via a Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1096 for its seventh flight, with it touching down at Landing Zone 2 afterwards. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the NROL-95 mission on July 30th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/HOd87xRXUAAeofE-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the NROL-95 mission on July 30th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *August 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-52* Twenty-four Starlink satellites were brought into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster supporting this launch was B1081, flying for the twenty-sixth time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink group 17-52 mission on July 30th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/08/HOnGYLLXgAAY3KT-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink group 17-52 mission on July 30th 2026\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Rocket Lab to fly from Alaska* Rocket Lab has recently received [a 266 million United States Dollar contract](https://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-to-open-alaska-launch-site-under-266-million-space-force-deal/?ref=proximareport.com) from the U.S. Space Force to launch up to eighteen suborbital missions from the Pacific Spaceport Complex, located in Kodiak, Alaska. That will see a new dedicated launch pad established. Those launches would be using the Electron rocket in its HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) configuration, used for hypersonic technology demonstrations and weapons testing. In a [social media post](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2082979402376478724?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) about the contract, Rocket Lab noted that Alaska based launched would unlock new orbits for Electron missions, hinting that they may fly more than just U.S. military development flights. The company also dubbed the new launch pad 'Launch Complex 4'. ### *Ship 40 awaiting recovery attempts* > Starship still floating in the ocean [pic.twitter.com/eYm4OjDMf6](https://t.co/eYm4OjDMf6?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) [July 29, 2026](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2082340308680135085?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Last week Starship performed [its thirteenth flight test](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-thirteen/), flying from South Texas to the Indian Ocean, just off the west coast of Australia. At the end of the flight test, Ship 40 became the first Starship vehicle to gently touch down after spending limited time in space. In the days since, Ship 40 has drifted [about 400 kilometers](https://x.com/mcrs987/status/2083245131218538803?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) to the northwest while being accompanied by a SpaceX support vessel, which deployed floating cameras ahead of flight. SpaceX has not given up on Ship 40, so to say, with [officials sharing](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2082244164197183805?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) that attempts to recover it are underway, with [two vessels sailing](https://x.com/mcrs987/status/2083597632136479112?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) from western Australia to do so. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *August 4th - Long March 8A with connectivity satellites* A Long March 8A is preparing to fly from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site to carry a group of connectivity satellites, for either the Qianfan or GuoWang constellations, into low Earth orbit. ### *August 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-53* Falcon 9 is set to launch a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *August 5th - Jielong-3 with two satellites* A Jielong-3 is expected to launch from the Yellow Sea and into sun-synchronous orbit carrying two hyperspectral remote sensing satellites. ### *August 5th - Falcon 9 with three BlueBird satellites* AST SpaceMobile will have three of its BlueBird mobile connectivity satellites brought into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *August 6th - H3 with Michibiki-7* Japan's H3 rocket is set to launch from the Tanegashima Space Center into a geostationary transfer orbit to bring the Michibiki-7 navigation satellite on a path towards its intended operational slot. ### *August 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-38* Another Falcon 9 with bring more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit with a launch departing from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### NASA Telescope Savior in a Spin Early Into Mission URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-telescope-savior-spin/ Last updated: 2026-07-29T19:10:24.000Z Having entered low Earth orbit [back on July 3rd](https://proximareport.com/articles/pegasus-save-nasa-telescope/), a daring plan to save NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory appeared to be off to a good start. That was until a recent set of issues has put the 'LINK' spacecraft into a spin. In a July 28th update shared by the [U.S. space agency](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/2026/07/28/commissioning-update-for-spacecraft-to-boost-nasas-swift/?ref=proximareport.com) and [Katalyst Space](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7487913846473416704/?ref=proximareport.com), who built 'LINK', it was disclosed that the spacecraft has been in a spin for about three days, with it causing sporadic communications with teams on Earth. That spin is stated to have been caused by a loss of functionality on two reaction wheels, of which there are three total, and partial remaining functions with attitude control thrusters. The recent update is the first time Katalyst Space has acknowledged issues with the spacecraft's systems. During early spacecraft commissioning [NASA noted](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/2026/07/10/on-orbit-checkouts-in-progress-for-mission-to-boost-nasas-swift/?ref=proximareport.com) that 'LINK' had to be stabilized after experiencing a period of 'excess momentum', something Katalyst made [no mention of](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/%F0%9D%97%A6%F0%9D%98%84%F0%9D%97%B6%F0%9D%97%B3%F0%9D%98%81-%F0%9D%97%A0%F0%9D%97%B6%F0%9D%98%80%F0%9D%98%80%F0%9D%97%B6%F0%9D%97%BC%F0%9D%97%BB-%F0%9D%97%A8%F0%9D%97%BD%F0%9D%97%B1%F0%9D%97%AE%F0%9D%98%81%F0%9D%97%B2-share-7480994997371072512-QWIy/?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAADPrrp0B42OTD3pICNiphuCaOsv8nlxTxn4). After [ten days in orbit](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/%F0%9D%97%A6%F0%9D%98%84%F0%9D%97%B6%F0%9D%97%B3%F0%9D%98%81-%F0%9D%97%A0%F0%9D%97%B6%F0%9D%98%80%F0%9D%98%80%F0%9D%97%B6%F0%9D%97%BC%F0%9D%97%BB-%F0%9D%97%A8%F0%9D%97%BD%F0%9D%97%B1%F0%9D%97%AE%F0%9D%98%81%F0%9D%97%B2-ugcPost-7482555410902564864-PFrI/?rcm=ACoAADPrrp0B42OTD3pICNiphuCaOsv8nlxTxn4&ref=proximareport.com), the [space agency shared](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/2026/07/15/spacecraft-commissioning-on-track-for-mission-to-boost-nasas-swift/?ref=proximareport.com) that one of the reaction wheels had an issue causing a loss of attitude control before being resolved. At present, Katalyst Space is working to de-spin 'LINK' through careful use of its main electric propulsion thrusters, with some results already stated to have been seen. If the spacecraft can be restored to a stable position, Katalyst's team will upload updated guidance, navigation, and control commands. A period to thoroughly evaluate spacecrafts systems after those fixes will decide if the spacecraft is allowed to proceed towards the NASA Telescope it is meant to save. Originally, the first five weeks of 'LINK's time in orbit was meant for commissioning and approaching the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory; to date it has spent almost four weeks resolving issues. [In the original plan](https://assets.science.nasa.gov/content/dam/science/missions/swift-observatory/homepage/swift-boost-hub/SwiftBoost%5FNASAfacts.pdf?ref=proximareport.com), two weeks post-commissioning and approach was allocated for capturing the telescope, with three robotic arms, ahead of a three-month boosting of its orbit. While 'LINK' has been resolving its problems, the telescope has paused all of its observations and oriented its solar panels to reduce drag from the upper atmosphere. Should the spacecraft have its stability restored and complete its intended missions, the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory will restart its observations in visible, ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma-ray wavelengths later this year. ### Amazon Files for 5,100+ Satellite Addition to Leo Network URL: https://proximareport.com/amazon-file-5100-d2d/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T02:43:01.000Z Having submitted the [relevant regulatory filing](https://fccprod.servicenowservices.com/icfs?id=ibfs%5Fapplication%5Fsummary&number=SAT-LOA-20260601-00224&ref=proximareport.com) on July 24th, Amazon [announced on July 27th](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/amazon-leo/amazon-leo-direct-to-device-satellite-service-explained?ref=proximareport.com) that it has applied for a 5,105-satellite addition to its Leo space-based connectivity systems. That addition is for a dedicated direct-to-device (D2D) constellation that will work in tandem with the current Leo constellation. Like Amazon's existing satellites, the new constellation will provide connectivity to previously poorly or unconnected areas, but will differ by providing services to compatible mobile devices directly instead of via a dedicated user antenna. To provide that connectivity, the 5,105 satellites will be deployed into orbits between 55.7 and 84 degrees of inclination (how far north and south a spacecraft moves) at altitudes as low as 510 kilometers or as high as 580 kilometers. The vast majority of the Leo D2D satellites will be deployed at lower inclinations to provide a greater amount of network throughput to higher population regions. Although the new constellation has a focus on populated areas that may already have existing cellular infrastructure, Amazon claims that Leo D2D will complement existing systems. Alongside that, the company says that each satellite will contain its signal energy in their allocated frequencies so as not to cause disruption. Those frequencies, as outlined in filings, are between 1.6 and 2.4 gigahertz (or L and S bands) for use between satellites and mobile devices. Communications with Amazon's ground stations meanwhile will use Ka and V bands, and optical laser links will handle satellite-to-satellite communications thanks to each processing user device signals locally. Part of the signals Amazon wishes to use with Leo D2D, in the L and S bands, are currently assigned to Globalstar and its satellite phone serving constellation. To get around that ahead of the constellation's announcement, the tech giant shared in April that [it will acquire Globalstar](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/amazon-globalstar-apple?ref=proximareport.com) and its assets through a merger that will wrap up in 2027. At present, Amazon has no intent to discontinue Globalstar's satellite phone services, writing in its press release: > "The D2D system will operate alongside Leo’s satellite broadband systems—as well as Globalstar’s HIBLEO and C-3 satellite constellations—extending Leo satellite connectivity directly to compatible mobile devices." The current Leo constellation spoken of has had [396 satellites launched](https://proximareport.com/articles/la08-amazon-ula/) out of its proposed 3,232\. Leo D2D's deployment schedule will overlap with the original constellation, as it should be completed [by mid-2029](https://proximareport.com/articles/ariane-64-amazon-le03/#amazon-gets-deployment-waiver), while D2D will start around 2028. After a sufficient number of satellites are in orbit, services from Leo D2D will begin to be offered to international consumers. Facilitating its international rollout in a few years' time are Amazon's agreements with entities including [South Africa's Herotel](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/amazon-leo/amazon-leo-south-africa-herotel-evry?ref=proximareport.com), [Australia's National Broadband Network](https://www.nbnco.com.au/corporate-information/media-centre/media-statements/nbn-co-selects-amazons-project-kuiper?ref=proximareport.com), [Latin America's DIRECTV](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-project-kuiper-in-south-america?ref=proximareport.com), [Africa's Vanu](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/amazon-leo/amazon-leo-vanu-satellite-internet-connectivity-africa?ref=proximareport.com), and the global [Vodafone](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/how-kuiper-extends-cell-and-internet-service?ref=proximareport.com). When Leo D2D services begin, Amazon will face competition from SpaceX, who are already offering [a similar service](https://starlink.com/gb/business/mobile?ref=proximareport.com) through a smaller part of its Starlink constellation. Chinese space-based connectivity providers could also be competitors by then, as they are working on providing the service, with Qianfan constellation operator Shanghai Spacesail Technologies [testing relevant systems](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/landspace-delivers-experimental-connectivity?ref=proximareport.com) while [Guodian Gaoke](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-mobile-acquires-stake-in-tianqi?ref=proximareport.com) and Geespace are developing satellites capable of reliably providing mobile connections. ### Weekly Dose of Space (19/7-25/7) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-19-7-25-7/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T17:18:17.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week had eight launches occurring globally, with half deploying connectivity satellites. News of the week has wildfires threatening spacecraft communication sites in Europe and United Launch Alliance receiving external support. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *July 19th - Soyuz 2.1b with second set of Rassvet-3* Launching atop of a Soyuz 2.1b from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, sixteen Rassvet-3 space-based internet satellites were placed into a polar orbit. This is [the second launch](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-22-3-28-3/#march-23rdsoyuz-21b-with-sixteen-rassvet-3-satellites) of the nine hundred spacecraft constellation, now up to thirty-two deployed. ### *July 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-39* A Falcon 9 brought twenty-four Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit via a mission departing from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this launch was booster B1082, flying for the twenty-third time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 leaving Space Launch Complex 4E to launch the Starlink Group 17-39 mission on July 21st 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/HNxhqlRWEAA-a5l-1.jpg) Falcon 9 leaving Space Launch Complex 4E to launch the Starlink Group 17-39 mission on July 21st 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *July 21st - Falcon 9 with Northrop Grumman's MRV-1* SpaceX sent Northrop Grumman's first Mission Robotic Vehicle, alongside three 400-kilogram Mission Extension Pods, into a geostationary transfer orbit via Falcon 9, from Florida's Space Launch Complex 40\. Due to the performance needed, booster B1069 was expended after performing its thirty-second and final flight. ![Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 40 to deliver Northrop Grumman's MRV-1 on July 21st 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/HNydgvXW4AAZM_I.jpg) Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 40 to deliver Northrop Grumman's MRV-1 on July 21st 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *July 22nd - Gravity-1 with nine satellites* Off of a launch vessel in the East China Sea, Orienspace's Gravity-1 flew into sun-synchronous orbit to deliver customer satellites during its third flight. Six of those being launched were Dongpo remote sensing satellites, alongside the Xiguang-2-01 hyperspectral remote sensing satellite, the Tianyi-49 Earth observation spacecraft, and the Lilac-3 ultra-thin spacecraft technology demonstrator. ![The Gravity-1 Y4 vehicle during first-stage flight from the East China Sea on July 22nd 2026.The Gravity-1 Y4 vehicle during first-stage flight from the East China Sea on July 22nd 2026. ©Orienspace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/008yXfxTgy1ifcuqry7fhj30qo1400t7-1.jpg) The Gravity-1 Y4 vehicle during first-stage flight from the East China Sea on July 22nd 2026\. ©Orienspace ### *July 23rd - Long March 3B/E with Tianlian-2-06* The Xichang Satellite Launch Center saw a lightning-struck Long March 3B/E heading for a geostationary transfer orbit with the Tianlian-2-06 spacecraft. Tianlian-2-06 is the sixth second-generation communications and data relay satellite for the permanently crewed Tiangong Space Station. > Full video version of the close-up shot above: [https://t.co/mu2DpWBoYX](https://t.co/mu2DpWBoYX?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/FNsFZS5ip8](https://t.co/FNsFZS5ip8?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Cosmic Penguin (@Cosmic\_Penguin) [July 23, 2026](https://x.com/Cosmic%5FPenguin/status/2080375419719524531?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *July 23rd - Kinetica-1 with five satellites* CAS Space flew is fifteenth Kinetica-1 mission from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and into sun-synchronous orbit with five customer satellites. Satellites being delivered were: - Chenguang-1, an orbital data center systems and technology demonstration spacecraft. - Jitian-A-04, a next-generation computing spacecraft testing new GPUs for Zhejiang Lab that could be added to its operational Three-Body Computing Constellation. - Gande-1-01, a commercial space debris monitoring satellite from Liangxi Space Technology Group. - Xiguang-2-03, an infrared remote sensing satellite from Xinghuo Chuanming Beijing Technology Co Ltd with an onboard artificial intelligence model processing its imagery. - Yinglong Fengguang-1, a weather forecasting satellite built for Jiangsu Yinglong Satellite Technology. ![CAS Space's Kinetica-1 Y15 vehicle during ascent from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on July 23rd 2026. ©CAS Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/008pUyAHly1ifes5boyzyj32yo1o0e81-1.jpg) CAS Space's Kinetica-1 Y15 vehicle during ascent from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on July 23rd 2026\. ©CAS Space ### *July 24th - Starship-Super Heavy for its thirteenth flight test* SpaceX performed the[ thirteenth flight test of its Starship-Super Heavy](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-thirteen/) vehicle via the 'Block 3' Ship 40 and Booster 20, lifting off from Starbase's Second Launch Pad. This launch again saw the booster fail to splashdown, while the ship deployed the first twenty Starlink 'Version 3' satellites, onto a suborbital path, and later gently splashed down. > View from above as Starship launched from Pad 2 at Starbase [pic.twitter.com/LIXq9EFCpI](https://t.co/LIXq9EFCpI?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [July 25, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2081091013729218562?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *July 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-51* Twenty-four more Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E by Falcon 9\. Supporting this launch was booster B1100, launching for the eighth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-51 mission on July 25th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/HOF6PymWsAAL7IN-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-51 mission on July 25th 2026\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *NASA, ESA ground stations at risk from wildfires* During the week, human-caused climate change-intensified [wildfires have broken out](https://apnews.com/article/spain-wildfires-emergency-54c3d375fa1cca8399ea2645a8e119b0?ref=proximareport.com) in southern France and central Spain, requiring a quarter of a million people [to be evacuated](https://apnews.com/article/europe-wildfires-france-spain-93678a31ff53fc46564b6dfd9934eae1?ref=proximareport.com) across the two western European nations. Some of the people evacuated include personnel operating and maintaining deep space communications antennas used to talk to interplanetary spacecraft. American space agency NASA confirmed its staff at the Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex had been evacuated on July 24th, in a [statement that partly reads](https://nasawatch.com/2026/07/24/fire-threatens-madrid-dsn-complex/?ref=proximareport.com): > "All personnel were safely evacuated. The wildfire has passed through the \[Communications Complex\]. Any potential damage will be assessed when it is safe to do so. NASA’S Space Communications and Navigation Program is closely monitoring the wildfire activity in coordination with local authorities and the U.S. Embassy. In the meantime, the agency has seamlessly transitioned support for mission operations to the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California, ensuring continuity of service and uninterrupted support for spacecraft communications." A day later, on July 25th, the European Space Agency shared that it had done the same at its neighbouring facility, [writing in a press release](https://www.esa.int/About%5FUs/Corporate%5Fnews/ESA%5Fstatement%5Fon%5Fthe%5Fwildfires%5Fnear%5FCebreros?ref=proximareport.com): > "The safety and well-being of our workforce remains our highest priority. All ESA personnel are safe and accounted for. However, many colleagues continue to be directly affected by the wider emergency situation, including restrictions on access to their homes and concerns for family members and loved ones involved in the firefighting and emergency response efforts. At present, ESA does not have physical access to the station and is therefore unable to conduct an on-site inspection. Any assessment of the site's condition will be carried out as soon as access can be safely restored." Any damage incurred to the communication antennas located in Spain would not be the first for the Deep Space Network to happen in the last twelve months. In September 2025, the Goldstone site had one of its 70-meter antennas [damaged and taken offline](https://spacenews.com/deep-space-network-antenna-mishap-blamed-on-poor-training-and-procedures/?ref=proximareport.com) for the foreseeable future by an over-rotation. ### *ULA receives loan stemming from Vulcan problems* [*SpaceNews* reported on July 24th](https://spacenews.com/ula-deals-with-financial-challenges-caused-by-vulcan-grounding/?ref=proximareport.com) that United Launch Alliance has received a supporting loan from one of its parent companies, Lockheed Martin, during the second financial quarter of the year. That loan is being used to assist the launch enterprise's financial condition after issues with its new Vulcan rocket. Vulcan suffered its second Northrop Grumman-made solid rocket booster anomaly [in February](https://proximareport.com/articles/vulcan-ussf-87-minor-anomaly/), when part of it was energetically ejected. That was a repeat of an issue first seen in October 2024\. Both times the issue appeared, the rocket continued into orbit to safely deliver customer payloads. The new rocket has not flown since that anomaly, which has allowed United Launch Alliance to fly the [last of its standard Atlas V's](https://proximareport.com/articles/la08-amazon-ula/) in support of Amazon's Leo satellite internet constellation. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *July 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-52* A Falcon 9 is preparing to launch a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *July 29th - Long March 7A with a to-be-annouced payload* From the Wenchang Space Launch Site a Long March 7A will fly towards geostationary space to deliver a satellite that is yet to be named. ### *July 30th - Long March 6A with connectivity constellation satellites* A Long March 6A will blast off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, likely carrying a group of either GuoWang or Qianfan space-based connectivity satellites. ### *July 30th - Falcon 9 for NROL-95* SpaceX is set to bring a U.S. military satellite into Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 via a Falcon 9\. ### *August 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-53* Another batch of Starlink satellites are to be launched into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### Starship Splashes Down Gently for First Time, Booster Slams Into Gulf URL: https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-thirteen/ Last updated: 2026-07-31T17:53:30.000Z On July 24th, for its latest flight test of Starship-Super Heavy, its [thirteenth to date](https://www.spacex.com/launches/starship-flight-13?ref=proximareport.com), SpaceX flew its second 'Block 3' vehicle to complete test criteria missed on a [previous launch in May](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-twelve/), utilizing Super Heavy Booster 20 and Ship 40 to do so. As usual, this test took place from [Starbase, Texas](https://proximareport.com/articles/starbase-company-town/). With all thirty-three 'Raptor 3' engines running, Booster 20 powered it and Ship 40 off of Starbase's Second Launch Pad at great speed, quickly clearing the launch tower and pitching downrange over the Gulf of Mexico. Some thermal protection tiles were observed to have fallen off during initial ascent. > Liftoff of Starship! [pic.twitter.com/RdieYIh6Fd](https://t.co/RdieYIh6Fd?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [July 24, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2080788166584267075?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ascent out of the lower atmosphere continued nominally afterwards with no engines dropping out early. As planned two minutes into flight, all but five engines shut down for hot-staging between Booster 20 and Ship 40, with the latter lighting its six engines. Seconds after separating, the former flipped around and began running all of its engines again before dropping down to thirteen and then three for a partial boostback burn. That burn was shut off early, but still getting further than the first flight of a 'Block 3' Super Heavy booster. > Starship’s Raptor engines ignite during hot-staging separation. Super Heavy is boosting back towards its splashdown site in the Gulf of America [pic.twitter.com/poEBav59Uu](https://t.co/poEBav59Uu?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [July 24, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2080788786863095890?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Unpowered descent of Booster 20 also went as expected, guided by three grid fins, placed in a 'T' shape, into denser and denser atmosphere. Towards the end of descent thirteen 'Raptor 3's were expected to relight but only nine registered as having attempted to, according to broadcast telemetry, with only five continuing to fire. Due to fewer engines firing than planned, Booster 20 slammed into the Gulf of Mexico at high speed, resulting in its destruction. > Super Heavy has splashed down in the Gulf of America! [pic.twitter.com/lHdEznFpT4](https://t.co/lHdEznFpT4?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [July 24, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2080789712248148193?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) While the booster was falling back to Earth, Ship 40 was continuing to head into space under the power of its six engines, three sea-level and three vacuum-optimized 'Raptor 3's. A little over eight minutes after liftoff, the engines cut off as planned, sending the vehicle towards the Indian Ocean. > Starship’s ascent burn is complete and is now coasting through space [pic.twitter.com/SY2jGgfjl6](https://t.co/SY2jGgfjl6?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [July 24, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2080790186074456347?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Floating just outside of Earth's atmosphere, Ship 40 quickly got to work on in-space tests, first with the opening of its thin payload bay door. From that door twenty 'Version 3' Starlink satellites, the first to reach space, were released to undergo their own tests, including unfurling their massive solar and phased communication arrays. Six of the released Starlink satellites were modified to fly around Ship 40 and inspect its thermal protection tiles while it was in space. A few tiles had floated away from the vehicle not long after its engines shut off. > Deployment of 20 [@Starlink](https://x.com/Starlink?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) V3 satellites complete. Today's test will provide critical data as we prepare to expand our Starlink constellation [pic.twitter.com/jWKLwXGlsk](https://t.co/jWKLwXGlsk?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [July 24, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2080795033448395056?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) To fulfill a test missed during the previous flight, a single sea-level 'Raptor 3' was relit to both demonstrate the capability and move Ship 40 away from the gaggle of Starlink satellites. That demonstration went as planned, lasting for several seconds so as not to significantly alter the end location of the ship's descent path. > Starship has successfully ignited one of its Raptor engines while in space, testing a maneuver that will be needed on future orbital missions [pic.twitter.com/xjPA2ugZF5](https://t.co/xjPA2ugZF5?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [July 24, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2080798098834551199?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) > Starship relight holy crap [pic.twitter.com/1fpQO477YP](https://t.co/1fpQO477YP?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Craig Nattrass (@craignattrass) [July 24, 2026](https://x.com/craignattrass/status/2080798332260131195?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Following in-space tests, Ship 40 gradually began to fall back towards Earth and started to reenter Earth's atmosphere above the Indian Ocean. During that the thermal protection tiles appeared to hold up well and protect the vehicle, if slightly scorching the sides during a controlled maneuver using the four aerodynamic flaps. After reeentry those flaps controlled Ship 40 for its unpowered descent towards the ocean's surface. Seconds away from a hard splashdown, the three sea-level 'Raptor 3's ignited to flip the vehicle upright to shed all of its remaining speed. That resulted in the first splashdown of Starship in the Indian Ocean that did not result in a rapid unscheduled disassembly, with all previous vehicles exploding after reaching the ocean. However, Ship 40 was non-destructively on fire not long afterwards. > Splashdown confirmed! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on the 13th flight test of Starship! [pic.twitter.com/g27YJCQgiN](https://t.co/g27YJCQgiN?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [July 24, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2080804682918764619?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The thirteenth test flight of Starship-Super Heavy had another first for the program too, being the first to take place at SpaceX as a [publicly traded company](https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/SPCX/?ref=proximareport.com). Just prior to liftoff, after-hours trading at the stock was priced at 115.8 United States Dollars, then sharply dropping to 110.8 dollars at liftoff. As flight milestones were passed it slowly trended back up to 114.2 dollars, before the flight concluded at a price of 113.5 dollars. Those figures are all significantly down from a [June 12th initial public offering](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-7-6-13-6/#spacex-goes-public) debut of about 160 dollars. ## Path to orbit and the Moon This most recent flight test has proven that Starship-Super Heavy is basically prepared to fly into orbit for the first time, assuming SpaceX does not want to repeat the criteria fulfilled today out of safety precaution. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration may require that to prove 'Raptor 3' engines can reliably restart in space. The loss of Booster 20 during its splashdown attempt is not a hurdle in achieving orbit, as 'Block 3' Super Heavy boosters have now demonstrated that they can support ascent twice. Proving that those boosters can be caught and later reflown is an issue SpaceX is hoping to resolve out of a desire for cost savings. As for what Starship-Super Heavy's first orbital flight could entail, if it is the next flight it may see both the booster and ship targeting splashdowns again. On the ship side, that would be to validate the thermal protection system at orbital speeds and altitudes. Having Starship be orbit-capable is critical for demonstrating minimal propellant boiloff technology and Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer systems, which is the key enabler of sending the vehicle beyond low Earth orbit. That capability is needed for a crewed lunar landing contracted by NASA in 2028, which itself [may need fifteen flights](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/at-least-15-starship-launches-to-execute-artemis-iii-lunar-landing/?ref=proximareport.com) of the vehicle and the [Office of Inspector General believes](https://proximareport.com/articles/issues-present-us-landers/) SpaceX is repeatedly running behind schedules. Flights into orbit are also needed for [2027's Artemis III mission](https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/esdmd/artemis-campaign-development-division/human-landing-system-program/how-nasas-artemis-iii-lander-test-will-pave-way-for-moon-landings/?ref=proximareport.com) to test docking a Starship with NASA's Orion spacecraft. Overall, the Starship program is still reeling from an awful 2025, which saw [three](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-7?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) [Starships](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-8?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) [failing](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-nine?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) during ascent and [another exploding](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-faces-major-setback-with-testing-anomaly/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) on the ground. [Two](https://proximareport.com/articles/flight-10-spacex/) [successes](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-eleven/) did come towards the end of the year, but by then the 'Block 2' version of 2025 was being discontinued. ![A render of a minorly modified Starship in low Earth orbit while docked to the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis III mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/HNYiki6a0AAvz6x.jpg) A render of a minorly modified Starship in low Earth orbit while docked to the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis III mission. ©SpaceX ### Weekly Dose of Space (12/7-18/7) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-12-7-18-7/ Last updated: 2026-07-19T17:39:50.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had five launches taking place and all flying into low Earth orbit, including the inaugural mission for a new private rocket. News from the week has two new signatories for the Artemis Accords and a possible delay for a new Chinese spacecraft. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *July 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-14* A Falcon 9 flew from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, to bring twenty-seven Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this launch was booster B1093 for its fifteenth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 4E for Starlink Group 15-14 mission on July 14th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/HNKNxsIWoAAjo0--1.jpg) Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 4E for Starlink Group 15-14 mission on July 14th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *July 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-45* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites were brought into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1080 supported this mission as part of its twenty-eighth flight, being recovered on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-45 mission on July 14th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/HNLvq-8XsAAgtUM-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-45 mission on July 14th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *July 14th - Soyuz 2.1a for MS-29* From the Baikonur Cosmodrome, a Soyuz 2.1a rocket flew into low Earth orbit to begin the Soyuz MS-29 mission to the International Space Station, with which it docked just over three hours after liftoff. The mission's crew consists of cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov, Anna Kikina, and NASA astronaut Anil Menon. > [#ICYMI](https://x.com/hashtag/ICYMI?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com): Three crew members launched aboard the Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft at 10:47 a.m. EDT, Tuesday, July 14, and docked at 1:52 p.m. to the space station. Shortly afterward, the new trio entered the orbital outpost joining Expedition 74\. [https://t.co/udawFdgvYL](https://t.co/udawFdgvYL?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/ncLYWBL127](https://t.co/ncLYWBL127?ref=proximareport.com) > > — International Space Station (@Space\_Station) [July 16, 2026](https://x.com/Space%5FStation/status/2077550027334107205?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *July 16th - Falcon 9 for Tranche-1* SpaceX deployed twenty-one U.S. military spacecraft into low Earth orbit, via Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E, on behalf of the U.S. Space Development Agency for its 'Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture' communications constellation. Supporting this deployment was booster B1103 for its first flight, which landed downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for a Tranche-1 deployment on July 16th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/HNZKBrTWYAAvWKc-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for a Tranche-1 deployment on July 16th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *July 18th - Vikram-1 for its debut flight* For the first time, a privately developed Indian launched vehicle [performed its debut flight and achieved orbit](https://proximareport.com/articles/skyroot-orbit-vikram-1/). That feat was achieved by Skyroot Aerospace with its Vikram-1\. Four payloads were on board the flight too, with technology demonstrations from DCUBED and Cosmoserve Space, as well as two satellites from Grahaa Space and Skyroot themselves. > We’ll be watching this ignition on loop all day. > > Kalam-1200 — Vikram-1's first stage, named for Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam — roaring to life and lifting Vikram-1 off the pad, on a flight that reached orbit.[#Vikram1](https://x.com/hashtag/Vikram1?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [#MissionAagaman](https://x.com/hashtag/MissionAagaman?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/ul9wlY8LzH](https://t.co/ul9wlY8LzH?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Skyroot Aerospace (@SkyrootA) [July 18, 2026](https://x.com/SkyrootA/status/2078407928433070463?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ## **In Other Space News** ### *Serbia, Mauritius sign Artemis Accords* This week, two new nations signed the U.S.-led non-binding Artemis Accords, which aims to rewrite internationally agreed space law. The first of the two was Serbia, [signing on July 16th](https://www.nasa.gov/organizations/oiir/artemis-accords/nasa-welcomes-serbia-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) through Marko Đurić, its Minister of Foreign Affairs. After signing on behalf of his country, at an event at NASA Headquaters, the Foreign Minister shared: > "The great beyond has always inspired humanity to achieve its greatest feats — from the Roman ‘per aspera ad astra’ to Norman Vincent Peale’s belief that if we aim for the Moon, we will at least land among the stars. Those words feel especially fitting today. We come from a nation of great minds like Nikola Tesla and Milutin Milanković, but also from the legacy of David Vujic, one of the pioneers of the Apollo missions and a member of the ‘Serbian Seven,’ a group of engineers and technicians whose contributions to NASA helped make the Moon landing possible. In that spirit, we owe it to both our brave ancestors and our children to keep pushing toward new frontiers — to explore, to inspire one another, and to dare even greater things." Previously, in May 2024, Serbia joined the China-led International Lunar Research Station, an effort to build a joint scientific laboratory on the Moon's surface. That project currently has thirteen nation-level members, with three of those also signing the Artemis Accords: Serbia, Senegal, and Thailand. A day later, the island nation of Mauritius [signed the accords](https://www.nasa.gov/organizations/oiir/artemis-accords/nasa-welcomes-mauritius-as-70th-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) at a ceremony in the country's capital of Ébène. Signing on behalf of the country was Secretary at the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Research, Navindsing Jugmohunsing, who said the following afterwards: > "The accession of Mauritius to the Artemis Accords marks a defining chapter in our New Space journey. As a Small Island Developing State in the Indian Ocean, we are committed to ensuring that space serves humanity by protecting our oceans and coastlines and amplifying the voices of nations like ours. Mauritius stands ready to help shape the future of space governance while unlocking new opportunities for innovation and partnership." With the two nations' signing of the accords, the signatories now consist of seventy nations, over a third of the member states of the United Nations. ### *China may delay first Mengzhou mission* China's next-generation crewed spacecraft, known as Mengzhou, [may be behind schedule](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/first-mengzhou-mission-may-be-delayed?ref=proximareport.com), as it has been omitted from a China Manned Space Agency forecast for missions during the remainder of the year. It was previously expected that the spacecraft would fly to the Tiangong Space Station towards the end of this year as part of an uncrewed systems demonstration. At present, it is unknown what work has been completed for that uncrewed mission, which would have been its first. It is worth noting that the launch site from which it would fly, Launch Complex 301, is still undergoing preparatory work along with vehicle assembly buildings needed to prepare its Long March 10A launch vehicle for flight. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *July 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-39* A Falcon 9 is set to place a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *July 20th - Starship-Super Heavy for its thirteenth flight test* SpaceX is preparing to fly its in-development fully reusable Starship-Super Heavy vehicle for the thirteenth time as part of its latest suborbital test flight, launching from Starbase, Texas, and hoped to conclude off the coast of Australia. ### *July 21st - Falcon 9 with Northrop Grumman's MRV-1* Northrop Grumman's first Mission Robotic Vehicle, alongside three 400-kilogram Mission Extension Pods, is set to head into a geostationary transfer orbit via Falcon 9, from Space Launch Complex 40, as part of a demonstration mission which will see it service two active satellites in geostationary space. ### *July 22nd - Gravity-1 for its third flight* Eight months after its previous flight, which was twenty-one months after the first, Orienspace is aiming to launch its Gravity-1 launch vehicle from a sea launch vessel in the East China Sea into a sun-synchronous orbit with a handful of customer satellites. ### *July 23rd - Long March 3B/E with a to-be-annouced payload* From the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 3B/E is preparing to fly towards geostationary space with a satellite that is yet to be named. ### *July 24th - Kinetica-1 with several satellites* CAS Space is working to fly its Kinetica-1 launch vehicle from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on behalf of a few customers with several satellites set to be on board and released into sun-synchronous orbit. ### *July 24th - Long March 8A with connectivity constellation satellites* Out of the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, a Long March 8A will launch a group of connectivity constellation satellites into low Earth orbit, either to expand the GuoWang or Qianfan networks. ### *July 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-51* Another batch of Starlink satellites are set to be added to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### India's Skyroot Aerospace Achieves Orbit on First Attempt URL: https://proximareport.com/skyroot-orbit-vikram-1/ Last updated: 2026-07-18T11:54:15.000Z From the First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Center, Skyroot Aerospace flew India's first privately developed launch vehicle, called Vikram-1, into low Earth orbit for its debut flight. Liftoff occurred [at 06:35 am](https://x.com/SkyrootA/status/2078368187083821546?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) Universal Coordinated Time. Vikram-1's ascent into orbit was performed as designed, with three solid-propellant stages bringing the vehicle out of the atmosphere, while a storable liquid-propellant stage achieved the final orbit, [about 450 kilometers](https://x.com/SkyrootA/status/2078372300534252029?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) in altitude. While acting as a test flight of Vikram-1's systems in a flight environment, a few [customer payloads](https://x.com/SkyrootA/status/2074004042121162985?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) were placed into orbit. Remaining attached to the fourth-stage is a new actuator from DCUBED and a novel pair of robotic arms from Cosmoserve Space, designed to grapple dead satellites, to allow both to undergo testing in microgravity. Grahaa Space had a 1U CubeSat deployed through the launch, with it set to gather and beam back information about solar radiation. Skyroot also had an internally owned technology demonstration 3U CubeSat, known as SCOPE, delivered via the flight. Utilizing some of the other remaining lift capacity were [small artworks](https://x.com/SkyrootA/status/2074004047397585127?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) and commemorative postcards from Skyroot employees and Indian government officials. The base of the first-stage was also signed by employees. > We’ll be watching this ignition on loop all day. > > Kalam-1200 — Vikram-1's first stage, named for Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam — roaring to life and lifting Vikram-1 off the pad, on a flight that reached orbit.[#Vikram1](https://x.com/hashtag/Vikram1?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [#MissionAagaman](https://x.com/hashtag/MissionAagaman?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/ul9wlY8LzH](https://t.co/ul9wlY8LzH?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Skyroot Aerospace (@SkyrootA) [July 18, 2026](https://x.com/SkyrootA/status/2078407928433070463?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The successful debut launch of Vikram-1 drew praise from government officials, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi [writing on social media](https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2078385300787884453?s=20&ref=proximareport.com): > "This is a defining moment in India’s space journey. The growing participation of our private sector is opening new frontiers and accelerating innovation." Indian Vice-President Shri Chandrapuram Ponnusami Radhakrishnan also congratulated the company, [adding](https://x.com/VPIndia/status/2078394241819242798?s=20&ref=proximareport.com): > "This landmark achievement marks a new chapter in India’s space journey, showcasing the growing strength of our private space sector, advancing indigenous innovation, and reinforcing India’s emergence as a global space power. The mission also reflects the immense potential of India’s rapidly expanding space economy." At present. Vikram-1 is able to place up to 350 kilograms into Earth orbit. Skyroot plans to fly a more capable version of the launch vehicle, featuring side-mounted solid propellant boosters, to increase its lift capacity up to 550 kilograms. That rocket is then [hoped to fly once a quarter](https://www.livemint.com/companies/start-ups/india-space-startup-skyroot-private-rocket-launch-11761623312736.html?ref=proximareport.com) and, in the future, once a month. ### Will AI Eventually Fly Missions Without Any Human Input? URL: https://proximareport.com/ai-space-missions-autonomy/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T00:25:11.000Z There is a fine line between a fully autonomous spacecraft, and one that requires human approval for large decisions. While these are test flights, [SpaceX’s Super Heavy booster](https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship?ref=proximareport.com) is a great place to start. Every time a catch is planned, the flight team is monitoring the booster’s health in real time during descent. If all conditions for both the booster and ground infrastructure are in pristine health, then the flight director issues a “go for catch.” However, the actual maneuvering and control of the vehicle is autonomous. The onboard software is a continuous, dynamic feedback loop that monitors the vehicle’s state and physically adjusts components at hundreds of times per second. On [Flight 6](https://www.spacex.com/launches/starship-flight-6?ref=proximareport.com), the booster performed a textbook-perfect boostback burn. However, due to a tower communication failure, the flight director declared a “no-go” for catch, diverting it to a soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. The main idea here is the human team authorizes the attempt based on health and safety factors, while the vehicle executes it alone without a human hand. #### Deterministic vs Non-Deterministic Software This is the main gap between modern spaceflight and a truly autonomous future: The verification frontier. [NASA’s Engineering and Safety Center](https://www.nasa.gov/nesc/?ref=proximareport.com) (NESC) [notes](https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/nesc/verification-and-validation-challenges-for-autonomous-gnc-technology-for-nasas-next-generation-missions/?ref=proximareport.com) that on an average spacecraft project, 20% of time is allocated towards design, while 80% goes towards verification and validation needed to certify systems for flight readiness. This statistic applies to [deterministic software](https://cs.stackexchange.com/questions/38152/what-is-determinism-in-computer-science?ref=proximareport.com), where every input produces a predictable output. Since the logic is explicit and fixed, engineers can test every possible scenario, and trace every decision back to a written requirement, and mathematically prove that the software will behave as expected. When you bring artificial intelligence into the equation, that traditional model of certification shifts dramatically. A [neural network](https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/neural-networks?ref=proximareport.com) does not work with predefined rules. It is trained on data, and develops its own internal representations across millions of numerical parameters. The system learns the logic itself. This key idea breaks the certification process in three places. The first is coverage. The number of possible input combinations is extremely large, meaning you can never test every single scenario. Because of this, you can never prove safety the way you can with deterministic code. The second is outlying behavior. Neural networks operate with the data it was trained on. But once it gets an unexpected sensor reading, it's possible for the output to fail in certain ways that are difficult to contain in advance. Deterministic software produces an output for an error someone designed for that case. AI systems are known to confidently produce wrong answers. Arguably the worst issue here, is that the system keeps learning during the mission itself. This introduces a multitude of safety issues, such as training on faulty data, no reset buttons, or the most unsettling, no reproducibility. For example, two identical spacecraft in identical situations could respond differently. Testability declines rapidly. Certify the system's behavior before launch, and that certification becomes useless once it updates its own weights en route to Mars. Speaking of Mars, the [Entry Descent and Landing (EDL)](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/iparch12-wp-mars-edl.pdf?emrc=82c2a9&ref=proximareport.com) phase into the red planet introduces why autonomy is a requirement: latency. In 2021, [Perseverance's](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.adi3099?ref=proximareport.com) EDL process lasted seven minutes, while Earth was eleven light-minutes away. This means that the rover's EDL process was already over by the time that any initial signal of entry would reach the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. This type of latency requires that there be some type of autonomy. So far, this autonomy has been delivered by provable software, examples being [Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN)](https://www.nasa.gov/space-technology-mission-directorate/tdm/terrain-relative-navigation-trn/?ref=proximareport.com) matching a preloaded map or [AutoNav](https://science.nasa.gov/resource/autonav-drives-perseverance-forward/?ref=proximareport.com) evaluating traversability of terrain. The autonomy that flies today, the deterministic kind, is so much more capable than people realize. However, what if a spacecraft is navigating a task that isn't specifiable in advance? Examples may include diagnosing unanticipated failures, in-space autonomous repair, or sampling novel targets. These are cases where self-learned systems are necessary. #### How will non-deterministic systems enter spaceflight? In the real world, there won't be any abrupt transition to [non-deterministic](https://www.guild.ai/glossary/non-deterministic-systems?ref=proximareport.com) systems. Rather, these systems will creep in following infrastructure that is laid out. One of the most essential pieces of the puzzle is raw computational power. Neural networks are notoriously more expensive to run than the rule-based software that flies today. Another caveat, those neural networks have to run onboard the spacecraft, as deep space missions are too far from Earth to be relayed in time. Current processors, some being radiation-hardened, can't execute those models fast enough to be useful for a moving spacecraft. Therefore, more raw compute power is needed. The [BAE Systems](https://www.baesystems.com/en?ref=proximareport.com) developed [RAD750 processor](https://www.baesystems.com/en-us/dam/jcr:c297f318-c618-4015-9399-adf76ac5cf55/16-f78-RAD750-Component-datasheet-2025-web.2025-06-25-21-57-42.pdf?ref=proximareport.com), used on Perseverance, runs up to 200 MHz. A modern smartphone SoC immensely outclasses it ([Apple's A19 Pro](https://nanoreview.net/en/soc/apple-a19-pro?ref=proximareport.com) clocks in at 4.26 GHz). The reason for this is radiation hardening, fault tolerance, and multi-year qualification processes lock spacecraft into hardware that are generations behind consumer hardware by the time flown. ![Antennas on the Parker solar probe undergo testing. ©NASA/Kim Shiflett](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/KSC-20180419-PH_KLS01_0050-orig-1.jpg) Parker Solar Probe hardware undergoes qualification testing. Multi-year cycles like this, built on radiation hardening and fault tolerance, are what keep flight electronics behind the latest consumer chips. ©[NASA/Kim Shiflett](https://images.nasa.gov/details/KSC-20180419-PH%5FKLS01%5F0050?ref=proximareport.com) Next, the command model will start to shift. Now, commanding a spacecraft is traditionally sequential. Meaning, follow step one, then step two, then step three, and so on. With goal-based commanding, only the intent is given, and the system figures it out. With a non-deterministic model, there would be a lack of human authorization on actions. This is the same authorization that is given by a flight director to approve a Super Heavy booster catch, as noted in the beginning of the article. As missions simply move further and further away from human proximity (both physically and conceptually), that boundary is where the machine "figuring it out" starts to matter more. Once new [verification and validation ](https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/software-engineering/differences-between-verification-and-validation/?ref=proximareport.com)methods roll out, that would bring the ladder to the third stage, runtime assurance. This is the "watchdog" architecture, where a non-deterministic component operates within deterministic guardrails. This would allow engineers deploy learned software inside a certified "cage." You get the flexibility of a learned system, with its ability to handle novel situations, without having to trust every possible scenario, as the verified watchdog is there to contain it against dangerous actions. Once that is built, such systems would initially be deployed in low-stake roles. This could be letting it sort through data to decide what is worth sending back to Earth, and what is not. If this is task is performed incorrectly, the mission is still fine. No big deal. Starting small allows engineers to observe how such systems actually behave, and evaluate their reliability. Only after such non-deterministic systems build credibility, the hardest step to transition to would let the learned system make calls where a mistake means losing the whole mission. More capability means less guardrails. In the Super Heavy anecdote from earlier, this would be the vehicle's onboard computers taking place of the flight director, deciding if every condition seems right for a catch. In deep space, this would be a lander completely cut off from Earth, having to decide what maneuver to take next. If somethings breaks, the system has to reason its way to a fix by itself, with the lack of relevant guides. #### Will AI eventually fly missions without any human input? To answer the question, it depends on which mission. For deep-space missions, human-less autonomy is already deployed. For crewed missions, the risks and skepticism are the absolute highest, therefore humans are likely to stay in the loop for quite a bit. The real barrier for fully autonomous missions is trust. This has a formal name: Verification and Validation (V&V). The plain bottleneck is proving that these systems can behave without human approval, especially in high-stakes environments. ### Weekly Dose of Space (5/7-11/7) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-5-7-11-7/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T18:28:08.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had six launches taking place worldwide, with one being the debut of a reusable rocket. News from this week has seen preparations for another Starship-Super Heavy flight and the first rocket launch from continental Europe. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *July 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-50* A Falcon 9 flew from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, and into low Earth orbit with twenty-nine Starlink satellites. Supporting this launch was booster B1090 for its thirteenth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-50 mission on July 5th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/HMdp0Q0XUAAcckf-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-50 mission on July 5th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *July 5th - Long March 8A with 14th Qianfan Group* From the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, a Long March 8A carried twenty Qianfan connectivity satellites into low Earth orbit as part of the constellation's fourteenth deployment. This launch brings Qianfan's total satellite count up to 238\. ![The Long March 8A Y9 vehicle departing from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on July 5th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/640d-1.webp) The Long March 8A Y9 vehicle departing from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on July 5th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *July 7th - Falcon 9 for Transporter-17* SpaceX performed its latest Transporter sun-synchronous orbit rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, delivering eighty-one small satellites. Booster B1097 supported this mission for its eleventh flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Transporter-17 mission on July 7th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/HMniYakXgAAcYb-.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Transporter-17 mission on July 7th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *July 9th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-42* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. For a record-extending thirty-sixth time, booster B1067 supported this launch and landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 blasting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-42 mission on July 9th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/HMyCSXjXUAAfuPA-1.jpg) Falcon 9 blasting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-42 mission on July 9th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *July 10th - Long March 10B for its debut flight* The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology's Long March 10B successfully performed its debut flight with a launch from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, bringing the experimental connectivity satellite ‘Chuangxin-26' into low Earth orbit. [In a first for China](https://proximareport.com/articles/many-rocket-boosters-china/), the first-stage booster of the rocket was recovered with a catch downrange aboard the drone ship 'Linghangzhe'. ![The Long March 10B Y1 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site (left) and coming in for a catch aboard 'Linghangzhe' (right) on July 10th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/photo-collage.png-2-.png) The Long March 10B Y1 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site (left) and coming in for a catch aboard 'Linghangzhe' (right) on July 10th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *July 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-48* Another Falcon 9 brought twenty-four more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. Booster B1071 supported this mission, flying for the thirty-fifth time and touching down on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. > Falcon 9 launches 24 [@Starlink](https://x.com/Starlink?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) satellites from California [pic.twitter.com/GFTu2q8Php](https://t.co/GFTu2q8Php?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [July 11, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2075795462104182824?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ## **In Other Space News** ### *Super Heavy Booster 20 fires up ahead of flight* > Full-duration, 33-engine static fire of Super Heavy V3 [pic.twitter.com/JFdGYqEvww](https://t.co/JFdGYqEvww?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [July 10, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2075718699869241679?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [Building on recent progress](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-28-6-4-7/#starship-super-heavy-conducts-tests-ahead-of-next-test-flight) towards Starship-Super Heavy's thirteenth flight test, Booster 20 fired up its thirty-three 'Raptor 3' engines for its 'full duration' static fire [on July 10th](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2075718699869241679?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), proving its systems ahead of flight. That is believed to have taken place as planned, although preparations are underway to bring the booster to the production site for final inspections. In the near future, Ship 40 will be loaded with twenty demonstrative Starlink satellites and then brought to the second launch pad at Starbase, being placed atop of Booster 20 for flight. The upcoming flight test will be to fulfill missed testing criteria [from the previous flight](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-twelve/), which must be completed before a 'Block 3' vehicle heads into orbit. At present, the thirteenth flight test is [expected to occur](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2076075162420629714?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) as early as July 16th. ### *First continental European launch targeting August* [*European Spaceflight* reports](https://europeanspaceflight.com/rfa-one-launch-from-saxavord-set-for-no-earlier-than-10-august/?ref=proximareport.com), citing notices from the Saxavord Spaceport, that Germany's Rocket Factory Augsburg is preparing to perform the first flight of its RFA ONE rocket as soon as August 10th, with backup opportunities running into mid-September. In recent weeks, the company has completed integration of the first stage, which needs to be static-fired ahead of flight. [Back in August 2024](https://proximareport.com/articles/rfa-suffers-loss-of-vehicle-during-a-static-fire/), RFA ONE was progressing well, as all three stages were at the launch site, with its first flight campaign until its first-stage exploded on its launch pad while attempting a static fire. That was [caused by a fire](https://europeanspaceflight.com/rfa-identifies-turbopump-as-the-cause-for-rfa-one-test-failure/?ref=proximareport.com) in one of the nine Helix engines' turbopumps while rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen were flowing. In the almost two years since the static fire anomaly, Rocket Factory Augsburg has replaced the first-stage with a new one, which integrates many improvements, and [received a launch license](https://europeanspaceflight.com/rfa-granted-launch-licence-for-rfa-one-debut-from-saxavord/?ref=proximareport.com) at the start of 2025\. That license was granted by the United Kingdom's Civil Aviation Authority, which regulates flights from the Saxavord Spaceport. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *July 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-14* A Falcon 9 is set to place a new batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *July 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-45* More Starlink satellites are set to be placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *July 14th - Soyuz 2.1a for MS-29* Russia's Soyuz rocket is set to begin the Soyuz MS-29 mission to the International Space Station, carrying cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov, Anna Kikina, and NASA astronaut Anil Menon, with a launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. ### *July 16th - Falcon 9 for Tranche-1* From Space Launch Complex 4E, Falcon 9 is set to launch a set of twenty-one satellites into polar orbit on behalf of the U.S. Space Development Agency, part of the nation's military, for its 'Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture' communications constellation. ### *July 16th - Starship-Super Heavy for its thirteenth flight test* SpaceX is preparing to fly its in-development fully reusable Starship-Super Heavy vehicle for the thirteenth time as part of its latest suborbital test flight, launching from Starbase, Texas, and hoped to conclude off the coast of Australia. ### *July 17th - Long March 7A with a to-be-annouced satellite* A Long March 7A is set to fly towards geostationary space from the Wenchang Space Launch Site to deliver a yet-to-be-revealed satellite. ### *July 17th - Electron with LOXSAT-1* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket is working to fly from the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand to deliver NASA's LOXSAT-1 into low Earth orbit to demonstrate cryogenic propellant management systems. ### *July 18th - Vikram-1 for its debut flight* Commercial Indian rocket maker Skyroot is set to debut its majority-solid Vikram-1 launch vehicle from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre with a flight into low Earth orbit carrying four payloads. ### *July 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-39* Even more Starlink satellites are planned to be added to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 4E. ### How Many Reusable Boosters Will China Fly by Year's End? URL: https://proximareport.com/many-rocket-boosters-china/ Last updated: 2026-07-10T23:50:35.000Z After a decade-long wait, there are now two nations in possession of operational reusable rockets, the United States and China. The former has had them since December 2015, with SpaceX's Falcon 9 fleet, and added Blue Origin's New Glenn [in November 2025](https://proximareport.com/articles/new-glenn-booster-lands/). But neither of those proved their ability to be recovered on their first try.\* On July 10th via the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, China proved its first reusable rocket with the [inaugural launch of the Long March 10B](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-recovers-rocket-booster-debuts?ref=proximareport.com) from the coastal Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, with it carrying an experimental satellite into low Earth orbit on behalf of one of its connectivity constellation operators. The reusable first-stage booster used to support that was caught minutes after launch on board the drone ship 'Linghangzhe', guided by four grid fins and slowing via a few engine burns from reentry. The systems onboard 'Linghangzhe' to enable a catch have the ship and a descending booster measuring their distance from one another while communicating where they both determine the other to be. If the measurements align, the first-stage slows its descent and positions itself above the ship before falling onto a set of guided tensioned steel wires, with four metal hooks securing it. Additional cables and a dedicated arm, for removing leftover propellant, grab onto the booster for transport back to shore. > 另一个角度。 [pic.twitter.com/87CpsuyHtG](https://t.co/87CpsuyHtG?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SegerYU (@SegerYU) [July 10, 2026](https://x.com/SegerYU/status/2075458839818989638?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Before that successful recovery commercial launch provider LandSpace attempted to perform China’s first launch vehicle booster landing with the [debut flight of Zhuque-3](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/landspace-successfully-debuts-zhuque?utm%5Fsource=publication-search), coming within seconds of doing so in December 2025\. The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology then followed weeks later with the [inaugural Long March 12A](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shanghai-academy-debuts-reusable?utm%5Fsource=publication-search) mission, but failing not long after atmospheric reentry. It has also [flown the Long March 12B](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/long-march-12b-debuts-with-qianfan?utm%5Fsource=publication-search) to trial select first-stage recovery systems. Efforts to land those vehicles' boosters have continued since their debut missions in past months. As of the end of June, LandSpace has completed all necessary testing of its second Zhuque-3 vehicle, [culminating in a static fire](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/zhuque-3-long-march-10b-aiming-for?ref=proximareport.com) and full propellant load of both stages. Like its first flight, it is planned to recover its booster on a landing pad a few hundred kilometers away from the inland Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. While working in relative external communications silence, progress is being made on the second Long March 12A too, which should be closer to a final capability vehicle. The Long March 12B supposedly has its second launch booked this year, but a landing pad for it has yet to be built if the next mission will be a recovery attempt. Additionally, after the conclusion of the Long March 10B, the owner of its manufacturer the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, shared that another flight of the rocket is planned later this year, possibly reusing the recovered stage or a brand-new one. ### Other enterprises seeking reusable rockets Beyond rockets that are reusable from their first flight, other launch providers are seeking to make their initially expendable ones reusable after a few flights. CAS Space is one of those with its Kinetica-2, first [reaching orbit in March](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/tri-core-kinetica-2-soars-into-orbit?ref=proximareport.com). Reusable systems, like grid fins and restartable engines, are [planned to be added](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/cas-space-outlines-path-to-reusing?ref=proximareport.com) between its third and tenth flights, in 2028\. Galactic Energy has a similar plan with its Pallas-1 launch vehicle as well. It arrived at its launch pad for [the first time in May](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/galactic-energys-pallas-1-appears?ref=proximareport.com), having completed static fires of both stages. It's unknown when Pallas-1 will perform its debut flight. Tianlong-3 from Space Pioneer has also flown once so far, with [an April maiden flight](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/space-pioneers-tianlong-3-fails-during?ref=proximareport.com) that made it a few minutes before failure a few dozen kilometers above the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Hardware for expendable and reusable Tianlong-3 is reportedly in production, although details have been unspecified. In an in-between state, Deep Blue Aerospace's Nebula-1A had made [visits to its launch pad](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/deep-blue-aerospaces-nebula-1a-appears?ref=proximareport.com) at the Haiyang Oriental Spaceport for either a suborbital test flight, to demonstrate reusable systems, or an orbital one. Both stages of the rocket have undergone relevant tests last year. --- \*While SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy has reused first-stage boosters, the launch system is [still in testing](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-twelve/), yet to carry a useful payload, or head into orbit, and therefore is not an operational reusable rocket. ### Weekly Dose of Space (28/6-4/7) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-28-6-4-7/ Last updated: 2026-07-05T19:11:57.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week had seven launches occurring globally, with four for three different space-based connectivity services. News of the week had testing for the next Starship-Super Heavy flight and China preparing to attempt two more booster recoveries. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *June 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-40* Twenty-four Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this launch was booster B1088 for its seventeenth mission, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 17-40 mission on June 28th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/HL6_cDXX0AAgQkv.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 17-40 mission on June 28th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *June 29th - Falcon 9 with SXM-11* From Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, a Falcon 9 carried SiriusXM's eleventh high-powered satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit to expand the customer's broadcast services. Booster B1085 supported this mission, also flying for a seventeenth time, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 40 to deliver SXM-11 on June 29th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/HL9AfwOWIAAOIsU.jpg) Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 40 to deliver SXM-11 on June 29th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *July 1st - Long March 4B with Haiyang-2E* Out of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Haiyang-2E ocean monitoring satellite was delivered to low Earth orbit via a Long March 4B. Haiyang-2E is set to examine the environment of the world’s oceans, measuring their waves, temperatures, and winds. ![A Long March 4B launch vehicle heading to orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on July 1st. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/0080MYmPly1iepct9wsk5j33984vu1l0-1.jpg) A Long March 4B launch vehicle heading to orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on July 1st. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *July 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-46* Another twenty-four Starlink satellites were added to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting that mission was booster B1100 for its seventh flight, later touching down on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-46 mission on July 2nd 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/HMM3sC6WgAAJ4aH-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-46 mission on July 2nd 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *July 2nd - Atlas V for LA-08* United Launch Alliance's Atlas V flew with five solid rocket boosters and its five-meter-wide fairing [for the final time](https://proximareport.com/articles/la08-amazon-ula/) to deliver twenty-nine Amazon Leo satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida. Thanks to that, the space-based internet constellation now has 396 satellites in space. ![Atlas V blasting off from Space Launch Complex 41 while carrying twenty-nine Leo satellites on July 2nd 2026. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/55369965869_da7e154652_4k-1.jpg) Atlas V blasting off from Space Launch Complex 41 while carrying twenty-nine Leo satellites on July 2nd 2026\. ©United Launch Alliance ### *July 3rd - Pegasus-XL to boost the Swift Observatory* Northrop Grumman's last Pegasus-XL also flew this week, to bring the Katalyst Space-built 'LINK' spacecraft into low Earth orbit. [That spacecraft is set to](https://proximareport.com/articles/pegasus-save-nasa-telescope/) chase down and boost the orbit of NASA's twenty-one-year-old Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. ### *July 4th - Long March 6A with Qianfan's 13th Group* A Long March 6A lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center to bring the newest group of Qianfan space-based connectivity satellites into low Earth orbit. That saw eighteen more satellites deployed, bringing the constellation up to 218 launched. > Another eighteen Qianfan satellites, the thirteenth group to date, are now in orbit thanks to a Long March 6A mission from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center earlier today > > Details -> [https://t.co/WrdKeVqSZu](https://t.co/WrdKeVqSZu?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/mhGdyWK3uS](https://t.co/mhGdyWK3uS?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Phazzee 🐼🚀 | 中国航天 🇨🇳 | 🇵🇸🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 (@PhazzeeYeehaw) [July 4, 2026](https://x.com/PhazzeeYeehaw/status/2073390231370207560?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ## **In Other Space News** ### *Starship-Super Heavy conducts tests ahead of next test flight* > Starship 60-second static fire ahead of the thirteenth flight test [pic.twitter.com/HKZkaXo7WN](https://t.co/HKZkaXo7WN?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [July 2, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2072695632104468543?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ahead of the second flight of a 'Block 3' Starship-Super Heavy, testing of the necessary hardware has been occurring in South Texas. For that, Ship 40 has been taken to and from the Massey's test site a few times for testing of its 'Raptor 3' engines, which saw a [single-engine test](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2072695632104468543?ref=proximareport.com) on June 2nd and a [six-engine one](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2070482358369763674?ref=proximareport.com) on June 26th. At the same time, the second 'Block 3' Super Heavy, Booster 20, has performed its early tests required ahead of flight. Those were [for cryogenic proof testing](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/06/booster-20-cryo-ship-40-static-fire/?ref=proximareport.com), loading propellant lines and tanks with cold gases, to prove it had been properly manufactured. A thirty-three-engine static fire of the 'Raptor 3' engines still needs to occur in the near future. At present, SpaceX is believed to be working towards performing Starship-Super Heavy's thirteenth flight test near the end of the month. The flight test will be to fulfill missed testing criteria [from the previous flight](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-twelve/), which must be completed before a 'Block 3' vehicle heads into orbit. ### *China to prove reusable rocket systems by months end* Since last December, launch firms in China, commercial and state-owned, have been flying their first to-be-reusable rockets as part of the last needed steps of development. Rockets flown for that, which are yet to have recovered a first-stage booster, include LandSpace's Zhuque-3, CAS Space's Kinetica-2, Space Pioneer's Tianlong-3, as well as the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology's Long March 12A and Long March 12B. In the months since those firsts, LandSpace has completed its second Zhuque-3, placing it on its Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center pad for a static fire. That static fire took place on June 29th, firing its engines for over a dozen seconds, clearing the way for flight, which is expected to occur in the second half of the month. The flight will see a first-stage booster recovery attempt, touching down like a Falcon 9 on a landing pad a few hundred kilometers downrange. Meanwhile, the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology is looking to recover a first-stage booster during July, too. Its effort is through the debut flight of the Long March 10B, five meters in diameter and over seventy meters tall, from the coastal Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site no earlier than July 10th, with preparations having been underway since April. A recovery attempt of the Long March 10B's booster will be enabled by a catch, via tensioned steel wires, on the autonomous drone ship ‘Linghangzhe'. Either of the rocket's first-stages are quite likely to be successfully recovered this month, as LandSpace has incorporated what they learned from Zhuque-3's December flight and Long March 10 series booster systems have been trialled, alongside 'Linghangzhe', through a February test flight, part of Mengzhou's abort system verification. Whichever is successfully recovered first [will become China's first](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/zhuque-3-long-march-10b-aiming-for?ref=proximareport.com) 'operational' reusable rocket. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *July 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-50* A Falcon 9 is set to fly from Space Launch Complex 40 to bring a new batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *July 5th - Long March 8 with Qianfan's 14th Group* The fourteenth group of Qianfan space-based connectivity satellites are preparing to be placed into low Earth orbit by a Long March 8A flying from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site. ### *July 7th - Falcon 9 for Transporter-17* SpaceX will deliver eighty small satellites and spacecraft into sun-synchronous orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E as part of its Transporter rideshare program. ### *July 9th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-42* Another set of Starlink satellites will be added to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *July 10th - Long March 10B for its debut flight* The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology is working to fly the first member of the Long March 10 series through the inaugural mission of the partially reusable Long March 10B, from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site. ### *July 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-48* Yet another Falcon 9 will fly from Space Launch Complex 4E to place more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### Final Pegasus-XL Rocket Begins Mission to Save NASA Telescope URL: https://proximareport.com/pegasus-save-nasa-telescope/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T23:07:23.000Z Earlier today the sole remaining Northrop Grumman Pegasus-XL rocket, consisting of three solid propellant stages, were dropped from the the underside of an L-1011 aircraft operating from the South Pacific Kwajalein Atoll. After being dropped, the rocket ignited its motors and pitched up to head into space. Ascent into space [began at 8:36 am](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/2026/07/03/mission-to-boost-nasas-swift-launches-from-marshall-islands/?ref=proximareport.com) Universal Coordinated Time and went perfectly through all three solid motor burns. Thanks to that, the 425-kilogram ['LINK' spacecraft](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/swift/swift-boost-mission/cast/?ref=proximareport.com#hds-sidebar-nav-2) was [put into](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/2026/07/03/teams-make-contact-with-spacecraft-set-to-boost-nasas-swift/?ref=proximareport.com) low Earth orbit, unfurling its two solar panels and starting up its three electric propulsion engines. In orbit, 'LINK' is now chasing down NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory as part of a mission to boost the orbit of the twenty-one-year-old space telescope, which has performed observations of many objects in visible, ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma-ray wavelengths. That telescope lacks any propulsion system of its own and has been slowly falling out of orbit due to upper-atmosphere drag. The idea to boost the telescope has come in an [impressively short time](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/swift/swift-boost-mission/timeline/?ref=proximareport.com) for a NASA mission. August 2025 saw the selection of conceptual studies before Katalsyst Space was awarded 30 million United States Dollars to develop a suitable mission to save the Swift Observatory, culminating in the development of 'LINK'. That saw the final Pegasus-XL procured in November as a means to reach the telescopes near equator orbit. To buy the telescope-saving effort some time, NASA teams have paused all observations with it, reduced instrument power demand, and oriented its solar panels to reduce drag. Those adjustments should have the Swift Observatory stable at around 300 kilometers in orbital height for several months. Through the speed at which 'LINK' was prepared, completing integration in April and passing final tests in May, launch opportunities have been available since the end of June, and the spacecraft [has five weeks to](https://assets.science.nasa.gov/content/dam/science/missions/swift-observatory/homepage/swift-boost-hub/SwiftBoost%5FNASAfacts.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) undergo systems checks in orbit and head towards the Swift Observatory. When 'LINK' does reach the telescope, it will spend around two weeks working to securely grab onto it through its three robotic arms and ensuring that no damage to either spacecraft is caused. Boosting of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory's orbit will take about three months once 'LINK' is deemed ready to start doing so. For that, its electric propulsion system will fire near constantly throughout. If successfully saved, the telescope will resume its scientific astronomical observations later this year. ![A render of the 'LINK' spacecraft approaching the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory with its grabbing arms prepared. ©Katalyst Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/6a0ecbec59ecf41ae36ec782_691de1846c0f00ddb01b697a_LinkAproach-1.png) A render of the 'LINK' spacecraft approaching the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory with its grabbing arms prepared. ©Katalyst Space Speaking on the importance of the Swift Observatory in NASA's telescope fleet, Shawn Domagal-Goldman, Division Director of Astrophysics at NASA Headquarters, [shared](https://science.nasa.gov/missions/swift/swift-boost-mission/partners-nasa-ready-for-june-launch-of-swift-boost-mission/?ref=proximareport.com): > "Swift plays a notable role in our fleet. We have much to gain by attempting this boost, which is more affordable than trying to replace Swift’s capabilities and allows NASA to advance the nation’s satellite servicing industry, for the benefit of all." Regarding part of the challenge of saving the telescope, Ghonhee Leo, Chief Executive Officer of Katalyst Space, stated: > "Swift wasn't designed to be serviced. By demonstrating we can quickly and cost-effectively extend its lifetime, we're creating a blueprint for servicing spacecraft that were never designed for on-orbit maintenance." He also [added the following](https://www.katalystspace.com/news/katalysts-link-robotic-spacecraft-integrated-with-pegasus-xl-and-ready-for-launch?ref=proximareport.com) with how fast the 'LINK' spacecraft was prepared for its mission: > "What the Katalyst team has accomplished in just eight months is extraordinary. The team designed, built, tested, and integrated a robotic spacecraft capable of performing one of the most ambitious commercial servicing missions ever attempted." ### Amazon Leo Reaches Orbit Atop of Atlas V for Final Time URL: https://proximareport.com/la08-amazon-ula/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T18:59:51.000Z Amazon Leo has had its fourteenth group of Leo space-based internet satellites brought into orbit for its [final](https://x.com/AmazonLeo/status/2072567587641200666?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) delivery via Atlas V today. Through the power of five solid rocket boosters and an RD-180 engine for the final time, Atlas V [departed from](https://www.ulalaunch.com/missions/next-launch/atlas-v-amazon-leo-8?ref=proximareport.com) Space Launch Complex 41 at 04:30 am Universal Coordinated Time on July 2nd as part of its eighth mission on behalf of Amazon. The five boosters provided the majority of the thrust for just over ninety seconds, being dropped a dozen seconds later. Meanwhile, the RD-180-powered ascent for three more minutes before the Centaur upper-stage ignited. Centaur brought the Leo satellites into low Earth orbit at 04:48 am. Like many times before, satellite deployment began twenty-one minutes after launch, occurring over the course of almost seventeen minutes, separating the 29 Leo satellites from the Centaur upper-stage. Those satellites are the final to be released in the Atlas family of rocket's almsot sixty year history, as the remaining flights of Atlas V are all booked in support of [Boeing's Starliner](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-starliner-major-mishap/), which will fly to the International Space Station until around 2030\. > LIFTOFF of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with a star‑spangled start to the Amazon Leo 8 mission as America’s 250th Birthday approaches! [pic.twitter.com/JUTHoXnaQN](https://t.co/JUTHoXnaQN?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ULA (@ulalaunch) [July 2, 2026](https://x.com/ulalaunch/status/2072541759414972570?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Previous groups and today's are heading up to, or operating in, an orbital altitude of around 630 kilometers to prepare to provide internet services to customers. In April,[ Amazon expected to begin](https://www.pcmag.com/news/amazon-leo-to-launch-mid-2026-ceo-hints-at-lower-price-than-starlink?ref=proximareport.com) providing that service in the second half of this year at speeds of [up to one gigabit per second](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/heres-your-first-look-at-project-kuipers-low-cost-customer-terminals?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), [something already demonstrated](https://x.com/ProjectKuiper/status/1963340129948283016?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). With today's deployment, Amazon now has 396 satellites to provide space-based internet services in orbit through fourteen launches. Those launches have, so far, been performed by [seven previous Atlas V](https://proximareport.com/articles/la07-amazon-ula/), [three Ariane 6 missions](https://proximareport.com/articles/ariane-64-amazon-le03/) from Arianespace, and [three uses of SpaceX's Falcon 9](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-spacex-kf03/). Recognising the significance Atlas V has played in deploying Leo satellites, Amazon Leo Director of Launch Systems Melissa Wuerl [stated](https://newsroom.ulalaunch.com/releases/united-launch-alliance-successfully-delivers-29-broadband-satellites-for-amazon-leo?ref=proximareport.com): > "Atlas V has played a critical role in the early deployment phase for Amazon Leo, launching 224 satellites with a 100% success rate across all eight missions, and we're excited to build on that foundation with \[United Launch Alliance\] as we transition to Vulcan. With hundreds of flight-ready satellites standing by at the Cape and a new, dedicated vertical integration facility ready to support Leo Vulcan 1 and subsequent missions, we have a clear path to increase launch and deployment cadence, helping us quickly expand network coverage following an initial service rollout later this year." At the time of publication, Amazon has not shared when its next launch of Leo satellites will be. [The company has](https://spacenews.com/amazon-signs-multibillion-dollar-project-kuiper-launch-contracts/?ref=proximareport.com) thirty-eight Vulcan missions, also from United Launch Alliance, on contract alongside fifteen more Ariane 6 and [an additional ten](https://spacenews.com/amazon-buys-10-more-falcon-9-launches/?ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9\. There are also twenty-seven to-be-fulfilled launches of Blue Origin's New Glenn, [which exploded ahead of](https://proximareport.com/articles/new-glenn-explodes-2026/) its first Leo mission in May. By July 2028, [Amazon is required](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-553A1.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to have half of the Leo constellation's satellites, 1,616, in orbit, and then have the full constellation of 3,232 satellites in space by the end of July 2029\. --- ### What is Atlas V? Atlas V is United Launch Alliance's oldest two-stage rocket in service. The rocket is currently planned to be replaced by Vulcan when it retires before 2030. The first-stage is powered by a single RD-180 generating 390 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen for four minutes and thirteen seconds. The RD-180 is manufactured by NPO Energomash in Russia. The Centaur upper-stage is powered by either one or two RL-10 engines generating 10 tons of thrust each while burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for up to fourteen minutes and two seconds. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies Company, manufactures the RL-10 engines. Atlas V can also launch with between zero and five GEM-63 solid rocket motors to augment the rocket's thrust and payload capability. Each booster burns a solid propellant, consisting of Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and Aluminum-Ammonium perchlorate, generating 169 tons of thrust each for a believed one minute and thirty-four seconds. Northrop Grumman manufactures the solid rocket boosters for use with United Launch Alliance. Atlas V also has eleven different configurations with the following payload capacities: up to 18,814 kilograms to low Earth orbit, up to 8,900 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, or up to 3,850 kilograms to geostationary orbit. ![Atlas V rolling out to Space Launch Complex 41 on July 1st ahead of a launch dedicated to Amazon Leo. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/07/55369186160_8bf18176b6_6k-1.jpg) Atlas V rolling out to Space Launch Complex 41 on July 1st ahead of a launch dedicated to Amazon Leo. ©United Launch Alliance ### Weekly Dose of Space (21/6-27/6) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-21-6-27-6/ Last updated: 2026-06-28T20:37:33.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw six launches occuring worldwide, with most heading for low Earth orbit. News during the week had the Artemis Accords gaining another signatory and China's spaceplane continuing with its mission. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *June 19th - Electron for 'VICTUS HAZE Puma'* Rocket Lab quietly flew its Electron launch vehicle from Launch Complex 1A, on New Zealand's Māhia Peninsula, on behalf of the U.S. military. The mission was performed at short notice as part of the 'Tactically Responsive Space' initiative, placing the satellite atop into the same orbit as a previously launched U.S. military spacecraft. > The Space Force called, and we launched. From call up to lift-off in just 16 hours 42 minutes 🎯 Rocket Lab has made history - the fastest response time ever for a [@USSF\_SSC](https://x.com/USSF%5FSSC?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Tactically Responsive Space mission. [pic.twitter.com/yJyhFxbpT3](https://t.co/yJyhFxbpT3?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [June 22, 2026](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2069157322266759289?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *June 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-28* From Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, a Falcon 9 deployed twenty-four Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this launch was booster B1063 for the thirty-third time, touching down on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. > Falcon 9 launches 24 [@Starlink](https://x.com/Starlink?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) satellites from California [pic.twitter.com/UmMBikZgK5](https://t.co/UmMBikZgK5?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [June 21, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2068763409940705752?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *June 23rd - Long March 7A with TJSW-26A* A Long March 7A departed from the Wenchang Space Launch Site to fly into a geostationary transfer orbit with the TJSW-26A spacecraft. TJSW-26A is expected to verify multi-band, high-throughput communications technologies for radio, television, and data transmission. > The first part of a pair? TJSW-26A experimental communication spacecraft was launched atop of a Long March 7A toward geostationary space a short while ago > > Details -> [https://t.co/CC7jeP2nHE](https://t.co/CC7jeP2nHE?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/PGR2KNNju7](https://t.co/PGR2KNNju7?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Phazzee 🐼🚀 | 中国航天 🇨🇳 | 🇵🇸🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 (@PhazzeeYeehaw) [June 23, 2026](https://x.com/PhazzeeYeehaw/status/2069273027875840456?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *June 23rd - Falcon 9 to demonstrate 'Starfall'* SpaceX launched its [first 'Starfall' capsule ](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-starfall-demo/)atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, throwing it around Earth for two orbits for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean for recovery. Booster B1078 supported this mission for its twenty-ninth launch, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying the first 'Starfall' capsule on June 23rd 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/HLgWyTkXcAAG-Sq-1.jpg) Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying the first 'Starfall' capsule on June 23rd 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *June 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-45* Another twenty-four Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this launch was booster B1081 for its twenty-fifth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-45 mission on June 25th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/HLoij_rbIAARySW-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-45 mission on June 25th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *June 26th - Electron for 'Ten Owl Of Ten'* A second Electron flew from Launch Complex 1B, also on the Māhia Peninsula, into low Earth orbit to deliver a satellite on behalf of Synspective. That satellite, known as StriX-8, will image the Earth below at a resolution between one and three meters. > LIFTOFF! Electron is on its way to space once again for [@synspective](https://x.com/synspective?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com)🚀 [pic.twitter.com/OjI4ye1wtC](https://t.co/OjI4ye1wtC?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [June 26, 2026](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2070564034915807249?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ## **In Other Space News** ### *Botswana signs Artemis Accords* On June 25th at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C., Botswana became [the sixty-eighth signatory](https://www.nasa.gov/organizations/oiir/nasa-welcomes-botswana-as-68th-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) to the U.S.-led Artemis Accords, now having the bloc consist of over a third of member states of the United Nations. The signing had Mabedi Ngwenya, acting ambassador of the Republic of Botswana to the United States, oversee Botswana’s Minister of Communications and Innovation, David Tshere, signing on behalf of the country, who shared the following afterwards: > "Botswana like many countries, we have interest in space exploration, found it important to become a signatory to the Artemis Accords to promote the safe, transparent, and sustainable civil space exploration, and to advance international cooperation, and a shared framework for responsible activities in the space" From the American side, the signing was welcomed by NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson, who took the opportunity to boast about the separate but name-sharing Artemis program. ### *China's spaceplane mission progresses* China's 'Reusable Experimental Spacecraft' has [been in orbit for](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/chinas-reusable-spaceplane-quietly?ref=proximareport.com) the past four months, being launched on February 7th. In that time, the spaceplane-shaped spacecraft has been conducting its main mission of supporting research items and experimental technologies stored onboard, the total count of which is unknown. In recent days, the spacecraft has released a small satellite that has stayed within about 1,000 meters since June 22nd, according to U.S.-based firms. Based on the spacecraft's previous missions, that satellite will likely be used for joint technology verifications. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *June 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-40* Falcon 9 is set to add another group of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *June 29th - Falcon 9 with SXM-11* SpaceX is preparing to deliver SiriusXM's eleventh high-powered satellites to a geostationary transfer orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *June 29th - South Korean solid-based launch vehicle* From Jeju Island, South Korea is believed to be preparing to debut a solid propellant-based launch vehicle with a mission aiming to reach orbit. ### *June 30th - Pegasus for Swift's Boost Mission* Northrop Grumman's final Pegasus air-launched rocket is being prepared to deliver Katalyst Space Technologies' robotic servicing spacecraft, which should head to NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to raise its orbit, extending its life in orbit. ### *July 2nd - Long March 4C with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 4C is said to be under preparation for a mission from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, aiming for sun-synchronous orbit with a to-be-named satellite. ### *July 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-46* Space Launch Complex 4E is set to support another Falcon 9 mission to place more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *July 2nd - Atlas v for LA-08* Amazon is preparing to have twenty-nine satellites added to its Leo constellation by United Launch Alliance's final non-Starliner dedicated Atlas V mission from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida. ### *July 2nd - Long March 8A with constellation satellites* A Long March 8A is preparing to fly from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site to, probably, bring a group of connectivity satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *July 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-50* SpaceX is set to fly another Falcon 9 to bring even more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *July 4th - Long March 6A with constellation satellites* A Long March 6A is expected to launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center to likely place another group of connectivity satellites into low Earth orbit. ### First 'Starfall' Capsule Thrown Around Earth via Falcon 9 URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-starfall-demo/ Last updated: 2026-06-23T20:27:49.000Z From Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida, a Falcon 9 [routinely flew](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2069370212303110616?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) into low Earth orbit today, June 23rd, carrying a new uncrewed capsule to broaden SpaceX's space-related services, currently consisting of Starlink internet and customer payload delivery. That uncrewed capsule is known as '[Starfall](https://spacenews.com/faa-documents-outline-spacex-plans-for-starfall-reentry-vehicles/?ref=proximareport.com)', being 3.1 meters in diameter and 0.75 meters tall, with a mass of about 3,100 kilograms if fully loaded. The wider bottom of the capsule, and its sides, are covered by heat shield tiles, while the upper section has a handful of orientation thrusters as well as parachutes. 1,000 kilograms of its mass is allocated to onboard customer items, inside an internal space measuring 2.5 by 1.5 by 0.5 meters. SpaceX [describes the new capsule](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2069370979084603672?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) as: > "\[Enabling\] affordable, routine access to the microgravity environment for scientific research and in-space manufacturing." Services expected to be furthered via 'Starfall' are the production of medicinal drugs, manufacturing high-capacity optical cables, printing of complex shapes that would be inhibited by gravity, and hosting research experiments. Starfall capsules could also loiter in orbit with military cargoes, as that is something [SpaceX has a contract for](https://www.c4isrnet.com/2022/01/20/afrl-partners-with-spacex-to-explore-rocket-cargo-potential/?ref=proximareport.com), then drop back to Earth to deliver them in less than two hours. ![A render of a 'Starfall' capsule during atmospheric reentry after being separated from a rocket or spacecraft. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/HLfh4CqX0AAEZqf.jpg) A render of a 'Starfall' capsule during atmospheric reentry after being separated from a rocket or spacecraft. ©SpaceX For today's 'Starfall' capsule, it was in space for [two orbits](https://x.com/Dillonshrop06/status/2069154414409990395?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) before being sent towards the Pacific Ocean [and released](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2069420637383168301?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) from Falcon 9's second-stage for reentry. SpaceX's marine assets [are about](https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=65286.msg2799672&ref=proximareport.com#msg2799672) 1,300 kilometers from California to receive the capsule. Other spacecraft, possibly those for the U.S. military, may have been launched alongside the first 'Starfall'. If developed into an operational system, 'Starfall' capsules and spacecraft will [be launched by](https://content.spacex.com/cms-assets/assets/SpaceX%20IPO%20Roadshow.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) the still-in-development [Starship-Super Heavy](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-twelve/). Each spacecraft will host four capsules, supplying them with power and additional communications, to host items for customers until they request their return to Earth. ![A concept of a production 'Starfall' spacecraft after being delivered into Earth orbit by Starship-Super Heavy. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/Starfall-1.png) A concept of a production 'Starfall' spacecraft after being delivered into Earth orbit by Starship-Super Heavy. ©SpaceX 'Starfall' is not the first time SpaceX has explored supporting customer microgravity items, as in the early 2010s, the company had ideas to use the original Cargo Dragon for ['DragonLab' flights](https://web.archive.org/web/20110104010401/http://www.spacex.com/downloads/dragonlab-datasheet.pdf). Those flights would have hosted up to 3,000 kilograms of returnable cargo in orbit for up to two weeks. 'DragonLab' was quietly shelved in 2017\. Elsewhere around the world, other entities are actively flying proven spacecraft for microgravity research and manufacturing. Within the United States, there is Varda Space Industries, who have [flown](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc%5Fsdat/w-series-1.htm?ref=proximareport.com) six and [recovered](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc%5Fsdat/w-series-4.htm?ref=proximareport.com) five capsules used to develop drugs in orbit. Russia currently flies its [Bion-M series](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc%5Fsdat/bion-m.htm?ref=proximareport.com) for biological research in microgravity, while China has launched two dozen recoverable capsules and debuted its [first reusable one](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/chinas-first-reusable-satellite-returns?ref=proximareport.com) in late 2024\. There is also the International Space Station and the Tiangong Space Station, both of which have new microgravity and space research experiments regularly delivered and returned. ### Weekly Dose of Space (14/6-20/6) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-14-6-20-6/ Last updated: 2026-06-21T20:00:15.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had another eight launches taking place, with half occurring on the same day. News of the week had an orbital refueling contract being awarded and Relativity Space teaming up with NASA. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *June 15th - Kinetica-1 with eight CGSTL-made satellites* CAS Space flew its Kinetica-1 launch vehicle from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to place eight satellites into sun-synchronous orbit. Eight remote sensing satellites were revealed to be onboard, all made by Changguang Satellite Technology Co Ltd, with a few notable ones being: - Caiyun Optical-01, dedicated to Yunnan province's natural resources. - Antie-03, to be used for 'smart' management of Fujian province's tea plants. - ‘Lichuan Red', for supporting the city of Lichuan's tea industry, - Cultural Relics-01, tasked with monitoring national cultural heritage sites. ![CAS Space's Kinetica-1 Y14 launch vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on June 15th 2026. ©CAS Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/008pUyAHly1ie5x39zkwoj33e41wp1kz.jpg) CAS Space's Kinetica-1 Y14 launch vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on June 15th 2026\. ©CAS Space ### *June 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-54* Flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, a Falcon 9 placed twenty-four Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this launch was booster B1093, launching for the fourteenth time and touching down on the droneship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-54 mission on June 15th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/HK3nubpWwAAzapy-1.jpg) Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-54 mission on June 15th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *June 16th - Long March 3B/E with Shijian-31* For its return-to-flight mission, a Long March 3B/E lofted the Shijian-31 space environment exploration satellite into a Molniya orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The return mission also tested a few unspecified technical upgrades installed during the five months of downtime. ![A Long March 3B/E launch vehicle departing from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on June 16th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/bce2f48fly1ie7d32x402j20u0190dkl-1.jpg) A Long March 3B/E launch vehicle departing from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on June 16th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *June 17th - Long March 12 with GuoWang Group 22* Departing from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, a Long March 12 delivered nine GuoWang space-based connectivity satellites into low Earth orbit. This launch has brought the constellation to 177 deployed satellites. ![The Long March 12 Y7 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on June 17th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/0077Nzxhly1ie87233opkj32021i1qv5-1.jpg) The Long March 12 Y7 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on June 17th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *June 17th - Kuaizhou-11 with CentiSpace Group-05* ExPace's Kuaizhou-11 blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and headed for low Earth orbit to deliver the Future Navigation's CentiSpace Group-05, its third deployment. Those satellites are set to provide positing services once further groups are added. ![ExPace's Kuaizhou-11 Y13 vehicle blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on June 17th 2026. ©ExPace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/640bbbbbb-1.webp) ExPace's Kuaizhou-11 Y13 vehicle blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on June 17th 2026\. ©ExPace ### *June 17th - Falcon 9 with three BlueBird satellites* SpaceX's Falcon 9 headed into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, to deliver three BlueBird satellites, numbered 8 through 10, on behalf of AST SpaceMobile, to slowly build its 248-spacecraft constellation. Booster B1077 supported this launch for its twenty-ninth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 to deliver three BlueBird satellites on June 17th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/HLAFbEgWUAAjRW9-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 to deliver three BlueBird satellites on June 17th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *June 17th - Ariane 6 for LE-03* Europe's Ariane 6 flew with four upgraded solid rocket boosters from the Guiana Space Center, in South America, to [place thirty-six Leo satellites](https://proximareport.com/articles/ariane-64-amazon-le03/) into low Earth orbit for Amazon's space-based internet constellation. This launch brought Amazon's total satellite count up to 367\. > Up close: Ariane 6 rocket liftoff 🚀 > This is what the most powerful rocket launch in European history looks – and sounds – like from just 141 metres from the launch pad, 17 June 2026.[https://t.co/PmZJQ1vOqj](https://t.co/PmZJQ1vOqj?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/RxDegWGouF](https://t.co/RxDegWGouF?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ESA Space Transport (@ESA\_transport) [June 19, 2026](https://x.com/ESA%5Ftransport/status/2067935564603551802?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *June 19th - Falcon 9 for NROL-179* A Falcon 9 flew out of Space Launch Complex 4E to place a group of U.S. military satellites into Earth orbit that will be operated by the National Reconnaissance Office. Supporting their launch was booster B1103 for its third mission, touching down at Landing Zone 4 next to its launch pad. ![A composite photo of Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E and touching down at Landing Zone 4 on June 19th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/HLLa8KYbQAAc4fz.jpg) A composite photo of Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E and touching down at Landing Zone 4 on June 19th 2026\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Relativity Space Teams up with NASA for Mars Science Mission* On June 17th, Relativity Space and NASA [announced a next generation Mars orbiter](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-relativity-space-mars/), with the Aeolus suit of scientific tech onboard. Aeolus is currently being developed by NASA Ames in California, while the rest of the orbiter will be built by Relativity Space. The future Martian explorer has the goal of studying the red planets weather while also mapping ice and other mineral deposits. Onboard, the orbiter has its own compute system, able to do in-situ data analysis to not stress the [Deep Space Network](https://www.nasa.gov/communicating-with-missions/dsn/?ref=proximareport.com) too much. ### *Quantum Space wins Pentagon Orbital Refueling Contract* Maryland based startup, Quantum Space [has won a contract](https://www.satellitetoday.com/government-military/2026/06/18/quantum-space-to-demonstrate-orbital-refueling-under-pentagon-contract/?ref=proximareport.com) from the Department of Defense to refuel satellites in Geostationary Orbit. Using the companies "Ranger" spacecraft platform, Quantum Space intends on delivering the spacecraft by 2028. While not much is known about the contract amount, what we do know is that the tech demo will fly two different fueling interfaces. One was built by Orbit Fab and the other, Northrop Grumman. Following a slip from this year, Quantum Space plans on launching its first Ranger spacecraft, dubbed "Ranger Prime" sometime in Q2, 2027. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *June 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-28* SpaceX plans to add another group of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit via a launch from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *June 23rd - Long March 7A with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 7A is preparing to fly towards geostationary space from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, carrying a satellite that is yet to be named. ### *June 23rd - Falcon 9 to demonstrate 'Starfall'* SpaceX is aiming to demonstrate its new uncrewed [Starfall capsules](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX%5FStarfall?ref=proximareport.com) with the release of a single one from a Falcon 9, flying from Space Launch Complex 40, possibly co-manifested with other spacecraft. ### *June 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-45* Another group of Starlink satellites are set to be placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *June 27th - Pegasus for Swift's Boost Mission* Northrop Grumman's final Pegasus air-launched rocket is being prepared to deliver Katalyst Space Technologies' robotic servicing spacecraft, which should head to NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to raise its orbit, extending its life in orbit. ### NASA Partners With Relativity Space for Privatized Mars Science URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-relativity-space-mars/ Last updated: 2026-06-18T22:51:43.000Z [Relativity Space](https://x.com/relativityspace/status/2067363857061085522?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) and [NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-announces-public-private-partnership-to-advance-mars-science/?ref=proximareport.com) announced on June 17th that the two organizations are joining forces in a 'public‑private partnership' for a new Mars mission that will launch around 2028. According to [a new page](https://www.relativityspace.com/interplanetary?ref=proximareport.com) on Relativity Space's website, that mission will orbit the red planet to characterize its weather and map ice alongside other mineral resources. The orbiter will also have 'next-generation' onboard compute for processing data in situ, relieving stress on deep space communication services when not beaming back data via radio and optical methods. NASA's press release provided further information about the science that will be performed through a payload suite known as 'Aeolus'. That suite consists of four instruments: - Doppler Wind and Temperature Sounder, to measure Martian wind and temperature profiles. - Thermal Limb Sounder, to provide temperature profiles and observations of dust and water‑ice clouds. - Surface Radiometric Sensor Package, for measuring surface energy balance, dust, and cloud properties. - Wide‑Field Context Camera, to capture daily global images of atmospheric activity. 'Aeolus' will be designed and built by NASA's Ames Research Center, in California, building on previous experiences from building items that have flown to Mars and other planetary destinations. The remainder of the spacecraft will be built and flown by Relativity Space, which will launch it atop of their own rocket. Speaking on the U.S. space agency's rationale for the partnership, Administrator Jared Isaacman stated: > "Public-private partnerships like this are a force multiplier for science. By pairing NASA’s world‑class instruments with commercial innovation and investment, we can deliver more science, more often, and reduce the time it takes to get essential data into the hands of researchers preparing for future human missions to Mars." Costs for the Mars orbiting mission have not been disclosed by NASA or Relativity Space. To date, Relativity Space has spent only a few minutes in space, [back in March 2023](https://www.space.com/relativity-space-terran-1-test-launch-failure?ref=proximareport.com) when their Terran-1 rocket failed to ignite its second-stage during its debut flight. [Terran-1 was cancelled](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/12/relativity-all-in-on-terran-r-rocket-shifting-3d-printing-approach.html?ref=proximareport.com) a few weeks after its first flight in favor of the larger Terran-R, slated to perform a maiden flight toward the end of the year after significant delays from [poor production choices](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-12-17/relativity-space-burned-through-cash-before-eric-schmidt-arrived?ref=proximareport.com). The company is looking into building spacecraft after a leadership change, [mainly for moving data centers to orbit](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/05/eric-schmidt-apparently-bought-relativity-space-to-put-data-centers-in-orbit/?ref=proximareport.com). The partnership with NASA is not the first time Relativity Space has announced its intent for a joint mission to Mars. [In 2022](https://www.relativityspace.com/press-release/2022/7/19/impulse-space-and-relativity-space-announce-first-commercial-mission-to-mars?ref=proximareport.com), a landing mission to be collaborated on with [Impulse Space](https://www.impulsespace.com/updates/impulse-space-and-relativity-space-announce-first-commercial-mission-to-mars?ref=proximareport.com) was revealed to be targeting an Earth departure in 2024, via Terran-R. That mission was delayed to 2026 [in early 2023](https://spacenews.com/impulse-and-relativity-target-2026-for-launch-of-first-mars-lander-mission/?ref=proximareport.com), but no updates have come since. ## Mars portfolio under Isaacman Relativity Space's orbiter is one of a few new Mars missions to appear during Jared Isaacman's time as NASA Administrator, having assumed the role in December 2025. Currently under formulation is the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter, with 700 million United States Dollars of funding allocated by the U.S. Congress. The mission, as its name suggests, will primarily be for maintaining a communications link to other Martian spacecraft and Earth, while being [quite science-limited](https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/01/nasa-faces-a-crucial-choice-on-a-mars-spacecraft-and-it-must-decide-soon/?ref=proximareport.com). [Front-runners](https://proximareport.com/articles/four-future-mars-relays/) for a contract to develop the spacecraft are Rocket Lab, Blue Origin, SpaceX, and Lockheed Martin. A new mission being significantly pushed for by Isaacman is Space Reactor-1 'Freedom', [an experimental nuclear spacecraft](https://www.science.org/content/article/nasa-plans-send-nuclear-powered-spacecraft-mars-2028?ref=proximareport.com) that will fly by Mars after leaving Earth around the end of 2028\. It is being built upon the propulsion section of the internationally backed, [possibly cancelled](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-changes-artemis-problems/) Lunar Gateway space station with a nuclear reactor attached to it, for generating power for the electric propulsion system. During the fly-by 'Freedom' is expected to drop a few small, [Ingenuity](https://proximareport.com/articles/mars-helicopter-ingenuity-to-fly-no-more/)\-like helicopters into the red planet's atmosphere, which are hoped to be useful for determining future missions' landing locations. Expected costs for the mission have been a closely guarded secret at NASA, but [it can draw from](https://spacenews.com/nasa-working-to-streamline-development-of-nuclear-electric-propulsion-demo-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) 2.6 billion United States Dollars allocated to Lunar Gateway. Other missions have not been so lucky, like the formerly national pride-linked, flagship Mars Sample Return. As its name implies, the mission would have collected surface samples at its landing site and those stashed within the Perseverance rover to determine if life once existed on the red planet. After being predicted to cost as much as 11 billion United States Dollars, Mars Sample Return was [cancelled in January](https://www.livescience.com/space/mars/nasas-mars-sample-return-is-dead-leaving-china-to-retrieve-signs-of-life-from-the-red-planet?ref=proximareport.com). Additional missions like those of Relativity Space may be added in the future through a 'science-as-a-service' model, [which Isaacman is supportive of](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-disaster-nasa-politico/), where NASA is a lesser part of privately-backed spacecraft or just buys data collected by them. That model has been criticized for taking the space agency and its scientists out of the decision-making process, therefore limiting the science that can be done. There is [also a worry](https://planetarynews.org/editorials/MEPAG%5FMEP-OMB.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) that the science-lacking Space Reactor-1 'Freedom' will suck-up Mars mission funding, taking it away from active ones. ### Upgraded Ariane 6 Lofts Thirteenth Group of Amazon Leo Satellites URL: https://proximareport.com/ariane-64-amazon-le03/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T19:01:43.000Z Out of the Guiana Space Centre at 12:21 pm Universal Coordinated Time on June 17th, the most performant Ariane 6 to date carried 36 satellites into low Earth orbit, its largest group so far, for Amazon's space-based internet constellation. With the increased power of its four solid rocket boosters and its single Vulcain 2.1 engine, Europe's Ariane 6 soared at great speed from French Guiana and towards low Earth orbit. The boosters propelled the flight for a little over two minutes, with Vulcain 2.1 continuing to do so for another five and a half minutes. Orbit would be achieved a few minutes later thanks to the second-stages Vinci engine. At [eighty-six minutes](https://www.arianespace.com/news/mission-va269-le-03-discover-the-launch-kit/?ref=proximareport.com) after liftoff, the 36 satellites began the steady process of being released from Ariane 6, taking place over the course of twenty-five minutes. Compared to previous [Leo deliveries via the rocket](https://proximareport.com/articles/ariane-64-amazon-le02/), [an additional four satellites](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-31-5-5-6/#amazon-adds-more-satellites-to-ariane-6-missions) were onboard thanks to the [performance added](https://europeanspaceflight.com/ariane-6-and-vega-c-p160c-booster-upgrade-fully-qualified/?ref=proximareport.com) by the new P160C solid rocket boosters, replacing the slightly shorter P120C. > LIFTOFF! 🚀 Ariane 6 #VA269, in its most powerful configuration yet, launching 36 Amazon Leo satellites. @transport.esa.int > > [\[image or embed\]](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:yqfmy2p54vqgekrcz5zzykhl/post/3moico2f6xs2s?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) > > — European Space Agency ([@esa.int](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:yqfmy2p54vqgekrcz5zzykhl?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com)) [17 June 2026 at 13:25](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:yqfmy2p54vqgekrcz5zzykhl/post/3moico2f6xs2s?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) > Impressive real footage of the four P160C boosters separating from the rocket. > > [\[image or embed\]](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:7aas5334fvhj3kpfagjm4caj/post/3moid4zf54c2f?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) > > — ESA Space Transport ([@transport.esa.int](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:7aas5334fvhj3kpfagjm4caj?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com)) [17 June 2026 at 13:33](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:7aas5334fvhj3kpfagjm4caj/post/3moid4zf54c2f?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) Today's and previous groups are heading toward, or operating in, an orbital altitude of around 630 kilometers to prepare to provide internet services to customers. Following the deployment of further satellites, services from Leo are planned to be available later this year at speeds of [up to one gigabit per second](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/heres-your-first-look-at-project-kuipers-low-cost-customer-terminals?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), [something already demonstrated](https://x.com/ProjectKuiper/status/1963340129948283016?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). Thanks to this deployment, Amazon has 367 satellites in orbit through thirteen launches, via three providers. Arianespace has now conducted three of those, United Launch Alliance has performed the bulk of those with [seven previous](https://proximareport.com/articles/la07-amazon-ula/) missions, while SpaceX has performed [three dedicated launches](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-spacex-kf03/). Speaking on Ariane 6's capabilities in support of Leo, David Cavaillolès, Chief Executive Officer of Arianespace, [shared](https://newsroom.arianespace.com/arianespace-successfully-launches-36-additional-amazon-leo-satellites-with-an-ariane-64-equipped-with-advanced-boosters/?lang=eng&ref=proximareport.com): > "With 100 satellites now placed in orbit by Arianespace for Amazon Leo and the launch of 4 more satellites than the first two missions, we are setting records with an increasingly powerful and versatile launcher. This further demonstrates our ability to address new markets, and especially constellation deployment." Christophe Bruneau, Chief Executive Officer of ArianeGroup, meanwhile boasted about upgrades to the rocket: > "Today, we witnessed a particularly pivotal launch for Ariane 6 with the first successful flight of the P160C boosters. This success demonstrates ArianeGroup's ability to make evolve the launcher in less than 2 years after its inaugural launch, maximizing its performance. All the teams from ArianeGroup and its partners can be proud of this result, it is an outstanding achievement." A few weeks from now, [no earlier than July 3rd](https://x.com/Amazonleo/status/2065475987534717239?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), Amazon will have its final launch atop United Launch Alliance's Atlas V, to deliver 29 satellites. ### Amazon gets deployment waiver Having informed the U.S. Federal Communications Commission [in January](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/30/amazon-asks-fcc-to-extend-satellite-limit-as-it-buys-more-spacex-rides.html?ref=proximareport.com) that they would not be able to have a cumulative 1,616 satellites deployed, half of the Leo constellation, by the end of July 2026, Amazon requested an extension or waiver for their regulatory deployment deadlines. Followed by a brief spat from the [Commission's chairman](https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/03/fcc-chair-blasts-amazon-after-it-criticizes-spacex-megaconstellation/?ref=proximareport.com) and [SpaceX](https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/04/spacex-claims-amazon-leo-launches-could-crash-into-starlink-satellites/?ref=proximareport.com), the company got a [waiver on June 5th](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-553A1.pdf?ref=proximareport.com). That waiver details that the requirement to have 1,616 satellites in orbit has been delayed two years, to July 2028, but with reduced priority for Commission frequency approval until March 2028\. The reduced priority can be shifted to November 2027 if Amazon proves that they have built enough satellites to reach the halfway milestone and procured suitable launch solutions, [which they have](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/05/amazon-signs-rocket-deal-with-blue-origin-arianespace-ula-for-project-kuiper-internet-satellites.html?ref=proximareport.com). A regulatory requirement to have all 3,232 satellites in orbit by the end of July 2029 remains in place. Customer services will not need all of the satellites, with [Amazon hinting](https://www.pcmag.com/news/amazon-leo-to-launch-mid-2026-ceo-hints-at-lower-price-than-starlink?ref=proximareport.com) that they may be available in the coming months. --- ## What is Ariane 6? Ariane 6 is ArianeGroup's latest launch vehicle in the Ariane family of rockets. ArianeGroup has been manufacturing and marketing the Ariane launch vehicles on behalf of the European Space Agency since Ariane 4\. Two versions of the Ariane 6 rocket are available, Ariane 62 and Ariane 64. These two versions share the first and second stages. The first stage of Ariane 6 burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in a single Vulcain 2.1 engine, producing 139 tons of thrust. The second stage of Ariane 6 also burns liquid hydrogen and oxygen, but in a single Vinci engine that generates 18 tons of thrust. Each of the solid rocket boosters burns a mixture of aluminum and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene to produce 474 tons of thrust each. This allows Ariane 62 to generate 1088 tons of thrust at liftoff, while Ariane 64 can generate 2036 tons of thrust. ![Ariane 6 waiting inside its integration building the night before its mission on June 17th 2026. ©Arianespace/Centre national d'études spatiales](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/HLAHAfjWgAAPSo2-1.jpg) Ariane 6 waiting inside its integration building the night before its mission on June 17th 2026\. ©Arianespace/Centre national d'études spatiales ### Ariane 62 Ariane 62 is the cheaper of the two configurations because it opts to use two solid rocket boosters. The lift capacity of Ariane 62 is as follows: 10,350 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 7,200 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, 4,500 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, or 3,500 kilograms to a lunar transfer orbit. On the launch pad, Ariane 62 weighs approximately 530,000 kilograms with a first-stage, second-stage, and faring diameter of 5.4 meters. Ariane 62 stands 56 meters tall ahead of launch. ### Ariane 64 Ariane 64 is the more capable of the two configurations due to its utilization of four solid rocket boosters. The lift Capacity of Ariane 64 is as follows: 22,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 15,500 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, 11,500 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, 8,600 kilograms to a lunar transfer orbit, or 5,000 kilograms to geostationary orbit. On the launch pad, Ariane 62 weighs approximately 860,000 kilograms with a first-stage, second-stage, and faring diameter of 5.4 meters, exactly the same as Ariane 62\. Ariane 64 is eight meters taller than Ariane 62 and is 62 meters tall ahead of launch. ### Weekly Dose of Space (7/6-13/6) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-7-6-13-6/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T16:09:39.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had eight launches during the week, with the majority flying over the Pacific. News from the week had SpaceX becoming a public company and lofty aims for the Qianfan constellation. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *June 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-43* Twenty-one Starlink satellites and two military Starshield satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1097, flying for the tenth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-43 mission on June 7th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/HKMIeBdXUAAIJku-1.jpg) Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-43 mission on June 7th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *June 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-35* Another twenty-nine Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit via Falcon 9, launching from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida. Booster B1067 supported this launch for its thirty-fifth mission, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-35 mission on June 8th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/HKSdXM4XoAATGWw-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-35 mission on June 8th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *June 9th - Zhuque-2E with two mobile connectivity satellites* LandSpace's Zhuque-2E flew into low Earth orbit carrying Shanghai Spacesail Technologies 'Qianfan Direct-To-Cell-01 Satellite' and China Mobile's 'China Mobile Satellite 02'. Both satellites will test providing connectivity services to mobile devices across China. ![The Zhuque-2E Y6 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on June 9th 2026. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/0076pMobly1idz5xquqpbj32yo1o07wl-1.jpg) The Zhuque-2E Y6 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on June 9th 2026\. ©LandSpace ### *June 11th - Long March 5 with TJSW-25* A Long March 5 flew from the Wenchang Space Launch Site towards geostationary space with the TJSW-25 satellites inside of its longer 18.5-meter fairing. The satellites is said to be tasked with demonstrating multi-band, high-throughput communications technologies for radio, television, and data transmission. ![The Long March 5 Y11 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on June 11th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/HKhseX9b0AAvojN-1.jpg) The Long March 5 Y11 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on June 11th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *June 11th - Electron for 'Curveball'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket flew in its HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) configuration from Launch Complex-2, on Wallops Island in Virginia. Atop of the rocket was a U.S. military-backed payload. ### *June 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-44* SpaceX launched another twenty-four Starlink satellites atop of a Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this launch was booster B1071 for its thirty-fourth flight, touching down on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. > Falcon 9 launches 24 [@Starlink](https://x.com/Starlink?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) satellites from California [pic.twitter.com/RngdIhbGY1](https://t.co/RngdIhbGY1?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [June 11, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2065123011985105024?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *June 12th - H3 for a no-booster test flight* Japan flew its H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center into sun-synchronous orbit, carrying an inert mass payload as well as six small satellites. The flight primarily served as a [test flight of a new variant](https://proximareport.com/articles/japan-h3-returns-variant/) with three LE-9 engines on the first-stage with no solid rocket boosters. It was also the rocket's return to flight mission. ![H3 departing from the Tanegashima Space Center for its first three-engine flight on June 12th 2026. ©JAXA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/fe7eb34a13e0b75d9a8e2a69381f1712-1.jpg) H3 departing from the Tanegashima Space Center for its first three-engine flight on June 12th 2026\. ©JAXA ### *June 12th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-54* Yet another Falcon 9, flying from Space Launch Complex 40, carried twenty-nine Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Booster B1080 supported this mission for its twenty-seventh flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-54 mission on June 12th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/HKntUkIWIAACLfL.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-54 mission on June 12th 2026\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *SpaceX goes public* While launching four Falcon 9's this week, SpaceX was also busy on global financial markets with an initial public offering [on June 12th](https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-ipo-live-updates-pricing-spcx-stock-2026-6?op=1&ref=proximareport.com). Being initially listed at 135 United States Dollars per share, to raise 75 billion for future goals, a few hours passed before the first trades took place, raising its price to 150 per share. While fluctuating to lows of 148, markets closed at a price of 160 United States Dollars, valuing SpaceX [at two trillion](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/13/from-10percent-chance-of-success-to-2-trillion-spacexs-historic-ipo.html?ref=proximareport.com). What now remains to be seen is how SpaceX will continue to trade for a full business week once markets open on Monday. How retail investors will respond to likely future failures and missed deadlines of [Starship-Super Heavy](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-twelve/), which future growth is bet on, is also unknown. ### *Qianfan aims to wrap first phase by end of July* For the past twenty-two months, since August 2024, Shanghai Spacesail Technologies has been gradually building its Qianfan space-based connectivity constellation. As of its twelfth launch, 200 satellites have been placed into orbit. Recently, in an interview with one of the constellation's satellite contractors, it was revealed that a total of 324 satellites are [desired to be in orbit](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/qianfan-wants-100-new-satellites?ref=proximareport.com) by the end of July, to complete the first phase. That would necessitate launching 124 satellites in the next seven weeks via seven launches, if deployed in their usual groups of 18\. Previously, it was known that 324 satellites were to be launched throughout the entire year, and repeated again in 2027\. In the years after deployment aims are substantially higher, with 4,000 in 2028 and 2029, followed by 5,000 in 2030. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *June 15th - Kinetica-1 with a handful of satellites* CAS Space is preparing to fly its Kinetica-1 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center toward sun-synchronous orbit, carrying a few satellites for several customers. ### *June 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-54* SpaceX is planning to launch a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit via Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *June 15th - Spectrum for 'Onward and Upward'* Isar Aerospace is expected to perform Spectrum's second flight, aiming to fly from the Andøya Spaceport, in Norway, for more than a dozen seconds with six small satellites onboard. ### *June 16th - Long March 3B/E for its return to flight* The Long March 3B/E launch vehicle is set to perform its return to flight mission from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, after a surprising third-stage issue caused a failed flight in January. ### *June 17th - Falcon 9 with three BlueBird satellites* AST SpaceMobile is set to have three BlueBird mobile broadband satellites placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *June 17th - Ariane 6 for LE-03* Europe's Ariane 6 is preparing to fly into low Earth orbit, from the Guiana Space Centre in South America, with thirty-six Leo satellites to build out Amazon's space-based internet connectivity constellation. ### *June 17th - Electron for 'Ten Owl Of Ten'* Rocket Lab is working to launch its Electron rocket into low Earth orbit to deliver an Earth imaging satellite for Synspective. ### *June 18th - Falcon 9 with NROL-179* SpaceX is set to place a handful of military satellites into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 launch from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *June 20th - Falcon 9 with Globalstar 2-R Mission 1* Falcon 9 will place nine satellites into low Earth orbit, from Space Launch Complex 40, to establish the second generation of Globalstar's mobile communications services. ### Japan's H3 Rocket Returns With Flight of New Variant URL: https://proximareport.com/japan-h3-returns-variant/ Last updated: 2026-06-12T17:54:29.000Z Departing from the Tanegashima Space Center, Kagoshima Prefecture, in the early hours of June 12th, Japan's H3 rocket [returned to space](https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2026/06/20260612-1%5Fe.html?ref=proximareport.com) as part of its eighth launch to date, with the test flight of a new variant into sun-synchronous orbit. Powering first-stage flight were three LE-9 liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen burning engines and no solid rocket boosters, making the first H3-30 designation (standing for the number of first-stage engines and solid rocket booster count). Those three engines collectively generated about 450 tons of thrust for two and a half minutes, bringing the rocket outside of the atmosphere for stage separation. Separation allowed the LE-5B-3 engine of the second-stage to ignite and burn the same propellants for just over twelve minutes to bring itself and a few payloads into orbit. Six satellites were attached to the H3 rocket for the flight, via the 1,500 [Vehicle Evaluation Payload-5](https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2026/04/20260424-1%5Fe.html?ref=proximareport.com) atop a standard payload adapter, and were: - [STARS-X](http://stars.eng.shizuoka.ac.jp/starsx.html?ref=proximareport.com), a 65-kilogram demonstration satellite from Shizuoka University to prove space debris removal via a tether. To do that, the satellite splits into two halves, one acting as debris and the other as a removal spacecraft. - [BRO-22](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/unseenlabs%5Funseenlabs-bro22-rfdetection-activity-7471139312743428097-Oz%5Fm?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAADPrrp0B42OTD3pICNiphuCaOsv8nlxTxn4) from UnseenLabs, massing around 10 kilograms and used for signal intelligence purposes, via maritime radio frequency detection from orbit. - [PETREL](http://www.hp.phys.titech.ac.jp/umitsubame/index2.html?ref=proximareport.com) is a sky and Earth imaging mission from the Tokyo Institute of Technology. Sky imaging will be performed in the ultraviolet light, and spectroscopic imaging will be used for looking down at Earth. - [VERTECS](https://vertecs-project.com/?ref=proximareport.com) is a CubeSat that is the product of collaboration between several Japanese academic institutions for the astronomy-focused task of observing visible extragalactic background light in hopes of understanding the formation of stars. - From [Bull Co Ltd](https://bull-space.com/pr/pr%5F20260424?ref=proximareport.com), HORN-L and HORN-R were launched to demonstrate their 'Post Mission Disposal' devices, which accelerate orbital decay by deploying a large sail to increase atmospheric resistance. The H3-30 [variant used](https://www.mhi.com/business/products-services/space-defense/launch-service/launch-vehicles?ref=proximareport.com) to launch the six satellites stood just 57 meters tall on its launch pad, with the use of a shorter fairing, while weighing 270,000 kilograms. That variant can only place up to 4,000 into sun-synchronous orbit, while others with solid rocket boosters and the usual two LE-9 engines can send satellites weighing 7,900 kilograms towards geostationary space or place 16,000 kilograms into low Earth orbit. All variants use the same 5.27-meter-diameter first and second stages. ![Active variants of the H3 rocket with either three LE-9 engines, two or four solid rocket boosters, and a short or long fairing. ©Mitsubishi Heavy Industries](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/launch_srv_lineup_img_01.png.webp) Active variants of the H3 rocket with either three LE-9 engines, two or four solid rocket boosters, and a short or long fairing. ©Mitsubishi Heavy Industries As mentioned earlier, the eighth mission for H3 was a return to flight. During its previous outing on December 22nd 2025, the rocket's [payload adapter majorly failed](https://www.mext.go.jp/content/20260120-mxt%5Fuchukai01-000046812%5F0002.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) while flying out of the atmosphere towards geostationary space. Due to that the QZS-5 satellite fell off the second-stage. While falling off the satellite also damaged the liquid hydrogen propellant tank. Prior to that failed flight, the H3 rocket had a string of five successful missions between February 2024 and October 2025, delivering satellites into sun-synchronous orbit, towards geostationary space, and [resupplying the International Space Station](https://humans-in-space.jaxa.jp/htv/mission/htv-x1/?ref=proximareport.com). In March 2023, the vehicle's debut flight failed after the LE-5B-3 engine did not ignite due to electrical issues. In the remainder of the year, H3 has two major missions planned. The first, set for no earlier than the summer, will see several thousand kilograms of [supplies sent](https://www.nasa.gov/event/jaxa-htv-x2/?ref=proximareport.com) to the International Space Station. A few months later, [around November](https://www.space.com/astronomy/mars/japans-audacious-sample-return-mission-to-the-mars-moon-phobos-has-made-it-to-the-launch-pad?ref=proximareport.com), the Martian Moons eXploration mission will be thrown towards Mars to collect and return samples from the Moon Phobos. ### Artemis III Crew Revealed to Be All-Male, a Rarity at NASA URL: https://proximareport.com/artemis-iii-all-male/ Last updated: 2026-06-10T10:20:12.000Z At a [livestreamed event](https://www.youtube.com/live/0fLROeRhqZM?ref=proximareport.com) at the Johnson Space Center in Texas, NASA announced which of its astronauts, and one from an international partner, will fly aboard the Artemis III mission next year, to spend about two weeks in low Earth orbit sometime in 2027. Commanding the Orion spacecraft will be [Randolph Bresnik](https://www.nasa.gov/people/randolph-komrade-bresnik/?ref=proximareport.com), for his third spaceflight. He has previously been to space as part of STS-129 and then the Soyuz MS-05 mission, allowing him to accumulate 149.5 days in orbit. Before joining NASA in 2004, Bresnik served as a pilot in the United States Marine Corps, spending over seven thousand hours in the air. The Pilot for the Artemis III mission is Italy's [Luca Parmitano](https://www.esa.int/Science%5FExploration/Human%5Fand%5FRobotic%5FExploration/Astronauts/Luca%5FParmitano?ref=proximareport.com), a European Space Agency astronaut, also flying for the third time. Through the Soyuz TMA-09M and MS-13 missions to the International Space Station, he has spent 367 days in space. Prior to astronaut selection in 2009, Parmitano spent over two thousand hours flying in the Italian Air Force. Artemis III also has two Mission Specialists supporting its mission, with the first being [Frank Rubio](https://www.nasa.gov/people/frank-rubio/?ref=proximareport.com) as part of his second trip to space. He flew to the International Space Station aboard Soyuz MS-22 and returned via MS-23 after his original spacecraft sprung a leak, having him stay for 370 days onboard. Prior to being selected by NASA in 2017, Rubio served in the United States Army, spending over one thousand one hundred hours in flight during military operations. Lastly, there is Mission Specialist [Andre Douglas](https://www.nasa.gov/people/nasa-astronaut-andre-douglas/?ref=proximareport.com), who will be heading into space for the first time as part of the Artemis III mission. Before joining NASA in 2021, Douglas served in the United States Coast Guard, as part of humanitarian operations, and worked at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, supporting missions like the Double Asteroid Redirection Test and a neutron and gamma-ray spectrometer for Japan's Martian Moons eXploration mission. He was also a [backup crew member](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-announces-its-artemis-ii-backup-crew-member-for-moon-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) for the Artemis II mission. In case one of the previously mentioned four cannot fly, NASA has chosen [Bob Hines](https://www.nasa.gov/people/bob-hines/?ref=proximareport.com) as a backup crew member, able to step into any role when needed. Hines has already been to space as part of the Crew-4 mission, spending 170 days onboard the International Space Station. Notably, the Artemis III crew features no women in a program meant to [emphasize their role](https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/space/missions/artemis/the-women-of-artemis?ref=proximareport.com), despite NASA's [active astronaut pool](https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/active-astronauts/?ref=proximareport.com) employing many and [Artemis II's](https://proximareport.com/articles/artemis-ii-moon-distance/) Christian Koch becoming a female icon by becoming the first to fly around the Moon. The last time the U.S. assigned no women to a spaceflight was the [Crew-6 in 2023](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/spacex-crew-6/?ref=proximareport.com), the [SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-2](https://www.spacex.com/launches/demo2?ref=proximareport.com) mission in 2020, and [STS-132 aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/sts-132/?ref=proximareport.com) in 2010. At the event where the crew was revealed, NASA also shared [a general update](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-marches-toward-artemis-iii-mission-in-2027-names-crew-members/?ref=proximareport.com) on the mission's plans for SpaceX and Blue Origin-developed landers. Under the present concept of operations, Blue Origin's lander will be placed into low Earth orbit first, then being met by Artemis III's Orion spacecraft, allowing its astronauts to board the lander for a few days as part of systems tests. While those tests are going on, SpaceX will place a Starship-derived vehicle into orbit ahead of Orion making its way over. When Orion rendezvous with SpaceX's lander, it will dock with it for about a day. Astronauts will not board the Starship-derived vehicle. Both SpaceX and Blue Origin are confident they will be ready for the Artemis III mission next year, despite a [lack of progress](https://proximareport.com/articles/issues-present-us-landers/) on the Starship-derived vehicle and a [recent major explosion](https://proximareport.com/articles/new-glenn-explodes-2026/) at Blue Origin's only orbital launch pad. ### Weekly Dose of Space (31/5-6/6) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-31-5-5-6/ Last updated: 2026-06-07T17:12:47.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw five launches worldwide, with China debuting a new Long March rocket with a customer payload atop of it. News during the week has Blue Origin looking to bounce back from a recent explosion and Amazon putting more satellites on Ariane 6\. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *June 1st - Long March 12B with Qianfan's 10th Group* Flying for the first time, the Long March 12B lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, flying towards polar orbit with Qianfan's tenth group to date. That group consisted of two satellites, bringing the constellation's satellite count to 164. ![The Long March 12B Y1 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for the first time on June 1st 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/006aWhMSgy1idr7h9bb3aj30u019078c-1.jpg) The Long March 12B Y1 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for the first time on June 1st 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *June 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-47* A Falcon 9 flew from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-four Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1088, flying for the sixteenth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 17-47 mission on June 3rd 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/HJ6DMjTWAAEXkzR-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 17-47 mission on June 3rd 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *June 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-43* SpaceX added another twenty-nine Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit by flying Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1090 supported this launch for its twelfth mission, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-43 mission on June 4th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/HJ_GWp2WEAAHkE2-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-43 mission on June 4th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *June 4th - Long March 6A with Qianfan's 11th Group* From the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 6A headed into polar orbit with Qianfan's eleventh group of satellites to date. The eleventh group consisted of eighteen satellites, bringing the total deployed count to 182. ![The Long March 6A Y25 vehicle blasting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on June 4th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/640a-1.webp) The Long March 6A Y25 vehicle blasting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on June 4th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *June 5th - Long March 8 with Qianfan's 12th Group* Qianfan's twelfth overall group, with another eighteen satellites, was launched a day later by a Long March 8, again flying to a polar orbit, from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site. With this launch, the Qianfan constellation has had 200 satellites launched. ![The Long March 8 Y9 vehicle departing from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on June 5th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/06/0080MYmPly1iduftamlczj34ko2konpg-1.jpg) The Long March 8 Y9 vehicle departing from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on June 5th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ## **In Other Space News** ### *Amazon adds more satellites to Ariane 6 missions* As part of plans to put [more satellites](https://proximareport.com/articles/la05-amazon-ula/#hundreds-of-satellites-waiting-on-earth) on already bought launch vehicles, Amazon [shared on June 5th](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/amazon-leo/amazon-leo-rocket-satellite-update?ref=proximareport.com) that future deployments via Ariane 6 will bring four more Leo satellites into Earth orbit for each mission. That increases the European rocket's per mission satellite counts from 32 to 36. The ability to put more satellites atop of Ariane 6 has been enabled by an upgrade to the rocket's solid rocket boosters, moving from the P120C to the P160C, boasting improved performance and burn time. On increasing the number of satellites onboard, Amazon Leo's Director of Launch Systems Melissa Wuerl said: > "Increasing our payload capacity to 36 satellites per mission is the result of extensive engineering collaboration between our team and Arianespace. Every additional satellite we can safely deploy on a single launch accelerates the pace at which we scale our constellation and bring reliable connectivity to customers around the world. The upgraded P160C boosters give us the performance margin to do that confidently, and we're already looking ahead to further optimizations as we continue building out Amazon Leo." Those new solid rocket boosters will first be used to deploy 36 satellites via the Leo Europe-03 (LE-03) mission, [as soon as June 17th](https://x.com/Amazonleo/status/2062901039884271973?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). Speaking about that mission, David Cavaillolès, Chief Executive Officer of Arianespace, stated: > "The upgraded P160C boosters are bringing exactly the performance gains we designed them for, and LE-03 will be our most ambitious launch together yet. This mission underscores the confidence Amazon Leo places in Ariane 6 and the dedication of the teams across Europe who contribute to its success." ### *Blue Origin looks to bounce back by year's end* > One week later, incredible progress. It’s a 24/7 operation with a solid path forward to launch this year, helped by a lot of luck. [@NASA](https://x.com/NASA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) and [@USSpaceForce](https://x.com/USSpaceForce?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) have both been extremely helpful. > > This team. Never tell them the odds. [pic.twitter.com/rmMSQ9Xgxq](https://t.co/rmMSQ9Xgxq?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) [June 4, 2026](https://x.com/JeffBezos/status/2062615731158523935?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) On May 29th, ahead of Blue Origin's fourth New Glenn launch, [the rocket exploded](https://proximareport.com/articles/new-glenn-explodes-2026/) atop Launch Complex 36, the company's sole launch pad for the vehicle, taking much of it with it. Luckily for the future of New Glenn, only items engulfed by a fireball were significantly damaged, such as a lightning towers and a transporter-erector, or lost, leaving propellant tanks and commodity systems in good condition, as well as flight hardware stored nearby in a healthy state. While the dramatic loss of a launch vehicle is likely to cause significant delay to NASA's Moon programs, Blue Origin's Chief Executive Officer, Dave Limp, spoke of the explosion as an opportunity to optimize: > "Rate manufacturing of \[New Glenn's current design\] is going well, and we’re going to continue that at pace as planned and store the stages for use. In addition, we had already been working for some time on eliminating our transporter-erector in favor of an alternative vertical \[integration\], and we’ll now go directly to that; so we don’t need a new transporter-erector." He also optimistically added: > "We will fly again before the end of this year." ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *June 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-43* More Starlink satellites are set to be placed into low Earth orbit, with two military-contracted [Starshield spacecraft](https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=65150.msg2794812&ref=proximareport.com#msg2794812) hiding onboard, via a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *June 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-35* Another set of Starlink satellites are set to be launched into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *June 9th - Zhuque-2E with constellation satellites* LandSpace is preparing to fly its Zhuque-2E for the second time this year, possibly carrying ten Qianfan satellites after a proving mission last month. ### *June 10th - H3 for a no-booster test flight* Japan's H3 rocket is ready to fly from Tanegashima Space Center for a test flight, where no solid rocket boosters will be used and the first-stage is equipped with three engines instead of two. ### *June 10th - Long March 5 with a to-be-announced payload* From the Wenchang Space Launch Site, a Long March 5 will fly beyond low Earth orbit carrying a payload into space, which will be revealed after a completed mission. ### *June 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-44* Yet another Falcon 9 is preparing to deliver Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit, again from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *June 11th - Electron for 'Curveball'* Rocket Lab is working to fly its Electron rocket in its suborbital HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) configuration from Launch Complex 2, in Virginia, while carrying a military technology demonstrator. ### Weekly Dose of Space (24/5-30/5) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-24-5-30-5/ Last updated: 2026-05-31T22:26:09.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had eight launches occuring between the U.S. and China, most building internet constellations. News of the week had a crew rotation at the Tiangong Space Station, and Virgin Galactic back in the skies. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *May 24th - Long March 2F/G with Shenzhou-23* Shenzhou-23, the latest mission to the Tiangong Space Station, lifted off atop of a Long March 2F/G from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on a fast rendezvous path. Onboard the spacecraft are Commander Zhu Yangzhu, Payload Specialist Li Jiaying, and Spacecraft Pilot Zhang Zhiyuan. ![The Long March 2F/G Y23 launch vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on May 24th 2026. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/bafkreie257dzhdne3epaaxywroqyzh7jfskwg5loqkmwqkuo4gyjxcg3xq-1.webp) The Long March 2F/G Y23 launch vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on May 24th 2026\. ©China Manned Space Agency ### *May 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-47* Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, to deliver twenty-nine Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this launch was booster B1078 for its twenty-eighth mission, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 going supersonic during the Starlink Group 10-47 mission on May 25th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/HJKvQf3WMAADx77-1.jpg) Falcon 9 going supersonic during the Starlink Group 10-47 mission on May 25th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *May 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-37* Twenty-four more Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1100 supported this mission for its sixth flight, touching down on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-41 mission on May 26th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/HJQcefSWMAA80xP-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-41 mission on May 26th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *May 26th - Long March 7A with TJSW-24* A Long March 7A launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, heading for a geostationary transfer orbit with the TJSW-24 spacecraft. TJSW-24 is expected to verify multi-band, high-throughput communications technologies for radio, television, and data transmission. > Not long ago today, a Long March 7A lifted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site carrying the TJSW-24 spacecraft, the latest edition to its geostationary series and the first in six months > > Details -> [https://t.co/FL0q4AVuT3](https://t.co/FL0q4AVuT3?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/HkuXVVdKtr](https://t.co/HkuXVVdKtr?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Phazzee 🐼🚀 | 中国航天 🇨🇳 | 🇵🇸🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 (@PhazzeeYeehaw) [May 26, 2026](https://x.com/PhazzeeYeehaw/status/2059341208749535236?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *May 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-53* Another Falcon 9 delivered twenty-nine Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this launch was booster B1085 for its sixteen flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *May 29th - Altas V for LA-07* From Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, United Launch Alliance's Atlas V carried twenty-nine Leo satellites into low Earth orbit on behalf of Amazon. This launch brings the constellation up to 331 satellites, ahead of the beginning of space-based internet services. ![Atlas V launch from Space Launch Complex 41 for the LA-07 mission May 29th 2026. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/55302568149_53bddcfab2.jpg) Atlas V launch from Space Launch Complex 41 for the LA-07 mission May 29th 2026\. ©United Launch Alliance ### *May 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-41* Twenty-four additional Starlink satellites were added into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. Boooster B1082 supported this launch for its twenty-second mission, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 17-41 mission on May 30th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/HJlQj0CWoAEH9ex-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 17-41 mission on May 30th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *May 30th - Long March 2D with four GuoWang test satellites* Four GuoWang test satellites were carried into low Earth orbit by a Long March 2D flying from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The satellites are expected to prove new systems and upgrades to China’s space-based connectivity mega-constellations, primarily GuoWang. ![The Long March 2D Y119 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on May 30th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/0077Nzxhly1ido2zp8n8vj34mo2ls7wi-1.jpg) The Long March 2D Y119 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on May 30th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ## **In Other Space News** ### *Tiangong sees latest crew rotation* After a [launch at the start](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-23-soars-toward-tiangong?ref=proximareport.com) of this week, the Shenzhou-23 crew boarded the Tiangong Space Station, via the Earth-facing docking port of the Tianhe module, in the evening of May 24th. Zhu Yangzhu, Li Jiaying, and Zhang Zhiyuan were greeted by Shenzhou-21’s Zhang Lu (张陆), Wu Fei (武飞), and Zhang Hongzhang upon doing so. For three days the two crews lived and worked together, allowing Li and Zhu to adapt to microgravity for their first time as taikonauts. On May 28th a handover ceremony took place, with the Shenzhou-21 crew signing over responsibility for the orbiting laboratory to Shenzhou-23. On May 29th, following seven months onboard, the Shenzhou-21 crew departed from Tiangong [to return to Earth.](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-21-taikonauts-back-on-earth?ref=proximareport.com) That return to Earth took three orbits, with touchdown under parachute occurring on the evening of the same day, being quickly extracted for post-mission medical checks. ### *Virgin Galactic moves toward new spaceship operations* Virgin Galactic [shared on May 28th](https://www.virgingalactic.com/news/vss-unity-returns-to-the-skies-in-preparation-for-new-spaceship-flight-test-program?ref=proximareport.com) that they had returned to the skies above New Mexico, for the [first time in two years](https://www.virgingalactic.com/news/virgin-galactic-completes-12th-successful-spaceflight?ref=proximareport.com), with a glide flight of VSS Unity. That flight is the first of many to train personnel on a similar platform to their new spaceship, with the rationale for doing so being shared by Virgin Galactic Spaceline President Mike Moses: > "Unity's glide characteristics and energy-management profile provide an outstanding real-world proxy for our new Spaceship. Using a proven vehicle in this way prepares our pilots and operations teams to move through flight testing for our new Spaceship more efficiently and with greater confidence than simulator training alone could provide." In [mid-May it was reported](https://spacenews.com/virgin-galactic-reaffirms-plans-to-begin-commercial-service-this-year/?ref=proximareport.com), based on information shared on an earnings call, that Virgin Galactic's new spaceship is expected to perform its first commercial flight in the final quarter of 2026. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *June 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-43* Falcon 9 is expected to launch a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *June 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-47* Another batch of Starlink satellites are set to be placed into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *June 4th - Long March 6A with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 6A is being prepared to launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, carrying a to-be-annouced payload ### *June 5th - Long March 8 with a group of Qianfan satellites* The Shanghai-supported Qianfan connectivity mega-constellation is likely to have another group of eighteen satellites delivered into polar orbit by a Long March 8 from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site. ### Atlas V Sends Amazon's Twelfth Group of Leo Satellites Into Orbit URL: https://proximareport.com/la07-amazon-ula/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T19:00:57.000Z Amazon's Leo space-based internet constellation has been expanded again today, with the launch of its twelfth group of satellites. Departing at 23:53 pm Universal Coordinated Time on May 29th from Space Launch Complex 41 in Florida, Atlas V headed towards low Earth orbit via the power of five solid rocket boosters and an RD-180 engine, [bringing 29 Leo satellites](https://www.ulalaunch.com/missions/next-launch/atlas-v-amazon-leo-7?ref=proximareport.com) from Amazon with it. The five boosters burned for a little over ninety seconds, while the RD-180 kept running for another three minutes afterwards. To continue ascent into orbit, the RL-10-powered Centaur upper-stage ran for about fourteen minutes to attain the customer's desired. Deployment of the satellites began twenty-one minutes after launch, and occurred over sixteen and a half minutes, releasing all 29 Leo spacecraft. > The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket heads to space carrying 29 broadband satellites for [@AmazonLeo](https://x.com/Amazonleo?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com), a network that will bring fast, reliable internet to customers and communities around the world. This is the Atlas V's seventh mission to help deplpy the Leo constellation. [pic.twitter.com/tXsRbBBwN7](https://t.co/tXsRbBBwN7?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ULA (@ulalaunch) [May 30, 2026](https://x.com/ulalaunch/status/2060514322929926443?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) With this deployment, Amazon now has 331 satellites to provide space-based internet services in orbit through twelve launches, from three providers. United Launch Alliance has performed the bulk of those with [six previous](https://proximareport.com/articles/la06-amazon-ula/) missions, while SpaceX has performed [three dedicated launches](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-spacex-kf03/) and Arianespace [has conducted two](https://proximareport.com/articles/ariane-64-amazon-le02/). Today's and previous groups are heading toward, or operating in, an orbital altitude of around 630 kilometers to prepare to provide internet services to customers. Following the deployment of further satellites, services from Leo are planned to be available later this year at speeds of [up to one gigabit per second](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/heres-your-first-look-at-project-kuipers-low-cost-customer-terminals?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), [something already demonstrated](https://x.com/ProjectKuiper/status/1963340129948283016?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). Of the now 331 satellites, United Launch Alliance has deployed the majority of them, releasing 197, to which Vice President of Atlas and Vulcan Gary Wentz [shared](https://newsroom.ulalaunch.com/releases/united-launch-alliance-precisely-delivers-seventh-amazon-leo-mission-advancing-constellation-toward-commercial-service?ref=proximareport.com): > "ULA has been a trusted launch partner since the beginning of the Amazon Leo program. Each mission we fly brings Amazon closer to enabling global connectivity, and we are proud to be a strategic partner launching the foundation of the commercial architecture for the Amazon Leo constellation." Next time Leo satellites are placed into orbit by Atlas V, sometime in [July](https://x.com/ulalaunch/status/2060519255200645581?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), it will be the final time the launch vehicle has non-human spaceflight cargo. The remaining four flights, set to conclude before 2030, are dedicated to [Boeing's Starliner](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-starliner-major-mishap/). The following flight after today's was set to have Amazon's largest group of Leo satellites to date launched, [48 of them](https://x.com/Amazonleo/status/2059677904296919106?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), carried atop of Blue Origin's partially reusable New Glenn. On May 28th, however, [the launch vehicle exploded](https://proximareport.com/articles/new-glenn-explodes-2026/) during a qualification static fire. Leo's next deployment is now likely via Arianespace. At the start of the year, Amazon [sought a two-year extension](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/30/amazon-asks-fcc-to-extend-satellite-limit-as-it-buys-more-spacex-rides.html?ref=proximareport.com) with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to launch half of the Leo constellation. That extension would move the deployment requirement of over 1,300 more satellites from July 2026 (two months from now) to July 2028\. At present, it is still believed to be under consideration. --- ### What is Atlas V? Atlas V is United Launch Alliance's oldest two-stage rocket in service. The rocket is currently planned to be [replaced by Vulcan](https://proximareport.com/articles/vulcan-second-certification-flight?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) when it retires before 2030. The first-stage is powered by a single RD-180 generating 390 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen for four minutes and thirteen seconds. The RD-180 is manufactured by NPO Energomash in Russia. The Centaur upper-stage is powered by either one or two RL-10 engines generating 10 tons of thrust each while burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for up to fourteen minutes and two seconds. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies Company, manufactures the RL-10 engines. Atlas V can also launch with between zero and five GEM-63 solid rocket motors to augment the rocket's thrust and payload capability. Each booster burns a solid propellant, consisting of Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and Aluminum-Ammonium perchlorate, generating 169 tons of thrust each for a believed one minute and thirty-four seconds. Northrop Grumman manufactures the solid rocket boosters for use with United Launch Alliance. Atlas V also has eleven different configurations with the following payload capacities: up to 18,814 kilograms to low Earth orbit, up to 8,900 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, or up to 3,850 kilograms to geostationary orbit. ![Atlas V at Space Launch Complex 41 the night before its latest launch carrying Amazon Leo satellites. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/55301156729_57bce4d0e5_5k-1.jpg) Atlas V at Space Launch Complex 41 the night before its latest launch carrying Amazon Leo satellites. ©United Launch Alliance ### New Glenn Explodes, Significantly Damaging Sole Launch Pad URL: https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-explodes-2026/ Last updated: 2026-05-29T04:17:54.000Z At around 21:00 pm Florida local time on May 28th (01:00 am Universal Coordinated Time on May 29th), New Glenn exploded during a pre-launch qualification static fire at Launch Complex 36, the largest at America's premier launch site in its decades long history. That explosion appeared to begin moments after the ignition of seven BE-4 engines at the base of booster 'No, It's Necessary', before heading up the first-stage's liquid methane and liquid oxygen, then causing a secondary detonation in the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen second-stage. A shockwave caused by the launch vehicle's loss appeared to fling internal composite overwrapped pressure vessels substantial distances. > Sound synchronized from [@NASASpaceflight](https://x.com/NASASpaceflight?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) footage [pic.twitter.com/EWr9t8iegP](https://t.co/EWr9t8iegP?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Scott Manley (@DJSnM) [May 29, 2026](https://x.com/DJSnM/status/2060170722262356117?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) > Here's our video of the explosion at Launch Complex 36\. It happened about 9 pm ET (0100 UTC) as Blue Origin was beginning a static fire test of its New Glenn rocket. > > Watch live views: [https://t.co/tm2wZQmAVD](https://t.co/tm2wZQmAVD?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/PmbgQC6Qmq](https://t.co/PmbgQC6Qmq?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Spaceflight Now (@SpaceflightNow) [May 29, 2026](https://x.com/SpaceflightNow/status/2060170680604168319?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Quickly afterwards, [Blue Origin confirmed](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/2060172114796204539?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) that it had accounted for all of its personnel working on the static fire. Mike Haridopolos, Congressional Representative of the district in which the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Base are, [shared that](https://x.com/RepHaridopolos/status/2060176368072032590?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) there were no reported injuries. Damage visibly caused is the complete loss of New Glenn's transporter-erector and one of its two lightning towers. The remaining tower was briefly shaken and had its systems knocked out, including aircraft warning beacons. With the size of the explosion, heavy damage is likely to Launch Complex 36's facilities, such as those to load propellant. New Glenn's horizontal integration facility also appeared to have been shook with external panels pushed back by the shockwave. That facility has [the twice-flown booster](https://proximareport.com/articles/blue-origin-ng3/), dubbed 'Never Tell Me The Odds', inside ahead of another mission. A bit further away, still within the Cape Canaveral Space Force Base, United Launch Alliance's Atlas V, currently preparing to [deploy a group of Amazon Leo satellites](https://www.ulalaunch.com/missions/next-launch/atlas-v-amazon-leo-7?ref=proximareport.com), and SpaceX's Falcon 9, set to [carry a batch of Starlink spacecraf](https://www.spacex.com/launches/sl-10-53?ref=proximareport.com)t, may have been mildly jostled by the shockwave. Those vehicles are set to launch a few hours after the explosion, at the time of publication, as other companies' systems [may have been unaffected](https://www.facebook.com/SLDelta45/posts/pfbid0NZMhmTLCUoYUvJ2yw4K7bmzYFcgc3p4or4UEL7Rzc9h9rWVimjCrNX2sgiJCJBmtl). Luckily for Blue Origin, New Glenn had no payloads atop of it when it detonated. About a week from now, it was planned to bring forty-eight more Amazon Leo satellites into Earth orbit. Those were [stored a few miles away](https://x.com/Amazonleo/status/2059677904296919106?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), on the Kennedy Space Center side, on the evening of May 28th. Quite significantly, Launch Complex 36 is the company's only launch pad able to support New Glenn. It is now majorly damaged. Owner of Blue Origin, billionaire Jeff Bezos, said that the company will repair whatever was damaged, [writing on social media](https://x.com/JeffBezos/status/2060182822170902622?s=20&ref=proximareport.com): > "Very rough day, but we’ll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It’s worth it." Today's explosion also comes less than two months after New Glenn [failed during its third launch](https://proximareport.com/articles/blue-origin-ng3/), due to its second-stage underperforming and subsequently stranding a customer satellite. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration [approved the vehicle to return to flight](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-17-5-23-5/#new-glenn-cleared-to-return-to-flight) on May 22nd, and this static fire was part of that effort. Back in June 2025, SpaceX suffered a similar loss of vehicle when [Ship 36 detonated](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-faces-major-setback-with-testing-anomaly/) on its static fire stand, wiping out the Massey's test side for [eleven months](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-flight-twelve-lead-up/). A difference is that Ship 36 was partially loaded, with a few hundred tons of propellant, while New Glenn was near a full load, over a thousand tons. Another similar event from almost a decade ago was the loss of Israel's AMOS-6 satellite [during a routine Falcon 9 static fire](https://www.space.com/33929-spacex-falcon-9-rocket-explodes-on-launch-pad.html?ref=proximareport.com) when it exploded at Space Launch Complex 40, destroying infrastructure too. Falcon 9 returned to flight [four months after](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/01/spacex-return-to-flight-iridium-next-launch/?ref=proximareport.com) that failure, and resumed launching from Space Launch Complex 40 [fifteen months after](https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/12/15/spacexs-50th-falcon-rocket-launch-kicks-off-station-resupply-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) the explosion, with numerous ground-side upgrades implemented during the time away. It remains to be seen how fast Blue Origin will work on restoring Space Launch Complex 36 and returning New Glenn to flight. The company [may](https://x.com/SciGuySpace/status/2060190522539401631?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) utilize the opportunity to rebuild and move onto a [bigger, more capable version](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-glenn-upgraded-engines-subcooled-components-drive-enhanced-performance?ref=proximareport.com) of the launch vehicle officially designated '9x4'. ### Bad news for Artemis Regardless of how long it takes New Glenn to return, the explosion has had a major impact to NASA's Artemis program, which it is contracted for as both a cargo and [crew lander](https://proximareport.com/articles/issues-present-us-landers/). A few months in the future, the launch vehicle was set to start the maiden Blue Moon Mk1 mission to the lunar surface, [followed by two more missions](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-lunar-cargo-moon-base/) to deliver rovers by 2028. Those missions are likely delayed significantly now, impacting NASA's efforts to send American astronauts back to the Moon this decade and to build a Moon base. The U.S. space agency is assessing the mission impacts of the explosion, with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman [writing](https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2060186268772835475?s=20&ref=proximareport.com): > "We will work with our partners to support a thorough investigation of this anomaly, assess near-term mission impacts, and get back to launching rockets. We will provide information on any impacts to the Artemis and Moon Base programs as it becomes available." Artemis' other large cargo and crew lunar lander, based upon a version of SpaceX's Starship upper-stage, [spent 2025 writing off](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-twelve/#whats-happening-next) progress on its development with hardware failures on the ground, during ascent, and in space. Crewed lunar landers from both companies are required to be in low Earth orbit [next year for the Artemis III mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/) to demonstrate joint operations with the Orion spacecraft and astronauts. ### NASA Rebrands Lunar Cargo Missions Into 'Moon Base' Effort URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-lunar-cargo-moon-base/ Last updated: 2026-05-27T00:43:20.000Z Having announced an intent to go all-in on a Moon base [two months ago](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-moon-base-change/), NASA hosted [another event](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nyki6O1oxIg&ref=proximareport.com) about that effort [on May 26th](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-provides-update-on-moon-base-rovers-landers-missions/?ref=proximareport.com), sharing updates to existing missions, new contracts, and specifying some more details. At the start, the space agency was keen to share that three missions currently set to head towards the Moon this year have been branded as 'Moon Base'. Those missions belong to commercial providers previously given contracts under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, with those as follows: - 'Moon Base-1', originally Blue Moon Mk1 Pathfinder Mission [from Blue Origin](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/blue-origin-moon-lander-completes-testing-at-nasa-vacuum-chamber/?ref=proximareport.com), is set to head to Shackleton Crater at the Moon's south pole, beginning no earlier than the fall of this year, carrying a handful of technology demonstrations and experiments. - 'Moon Base-2', previously known as [Griffin-1 from Astrobotic](https://www.astrobotic.com/griffin-1-mission-update/?ref=proximareport.com), will deliver a robotic rover to the surface to scout terrain and verify command systems toward the end of the year. - 'Moon Base-3', also called [IM-3 from Intuitive Machines’](https://www.intuitivemachines.com/missions/lunar/im-3-mission?ref=proximareport.com), is expected to occur sometime this year to place instruments to study lunar soil on the Moon's surface. All three missions were said to be in support of 'sustained' operations. Two of those landers, those of Blue Origin and Astrobotic, are aiming for the Moon for the first time, while IM-3 will be Intuitive Machine's third attempt at a successful landing on the surface. Astrobotic has previously tried to go to the Moon's surface before, but that missions failed not long after launch. Oddly not mentioned in the 'Moon Base' trio of missions was something for Firefly Aerospace's next Blue Ghost, which has CLPS' only success to date [out of four attempts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial%5FLunar%5FPayload%5FServices?ref=proximareport.com#Missions%5Fcontracted), but a new mission type was (more on that later). The CLPS program has lunar delivery missions [booked further into](https://www.nasa.gov/reference/commercial-lunar-payload-services/?ref=proximareport.com#hds-sidebar-nav-2) the remainder of this decade, currently not renamed to the new scheme. NASA's recent event did say that a 'dozen' future missions are set to be announced this year, presumably being dubbed 'Moon Base-#' and re-sharing already bought services. [About seventy](https://www.nasa.gov/moonbase/?ref=proximareport.com) such missions are supposedly planned between now and the early 2030s. In rebranding and reannouncing CLPS missions as those for a surface base, the space agency may be hoping to gain a better success rate and look more productive out of a purely cosmetic change, which would not be a surprise under [the second Trump Administration](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branding%5Fof%5FUnited%5FStates%5Fgovernment%5Fprograms%5Fand%5Ffacilities%5Fafter%5FDonald%5FTrump?ref=proximareport.com). If a 'Moon Base' mission fails, however, it may look far worse than a CLPS failure to the general public, as the new naming scheme carries an undertone of involving human crews, while the previous one does not. In addition to the existing missions, the space agency shared that it has awarded a cumulative 439 million United States Dollars to Astrolab and Lunar Outpost for a single Lunar Terrain Vehicle from each, which are still in development. Those vehicles are contracted to be on the surface by 2028 with the ability to explore both crewed and uncrewed. For delivering the terrain vehicles, Blue Origin has been given a 188 million United States Dollar contract by NASA to utilize Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mk1 for two missions, delivering the rovers separately. The space agency also has the option to award the company up to 280.4 million United States Dollars, depending on contract needs. > Introducing Astrolab’s Crewed Lunar Vehicle (CLV-1), chosen by [@NASA](https://twitter.com/NASA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) to transport crew across the lunar surface and support the construction of a permanent lunar base. > > Adapted from our FLEX rover architecture reflecting NASA’s revised approach to lunar surface mobility, CLV-1 is… [pic.twitter.com/bS08GHbeZX](https://t.co/bS08GHbeZX?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Astrolab (@Astrolab\_Space) [May 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/Astrolab%5FSpace/status/2059355004700590229?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Another new mission announced on May 26th was MoonFall, built [by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/moonfall/?ref=proximareport.com) and to be delivered 50 kilometers above the surface by [Firefly Aerospace's Elytra](https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-wins-75-million-nasa-jpl-moonfall-subcontract-to-deliver-drones-to-the-moons-south-pole/?ref=proximareport.com) spacecraft at a cost of 75 million United States Dollars. That mission will consist of four 250-kilogram spacecraft that will scout unexplored regions of the lunar south pole, characterize local radiation levels, and look for possible water ice, no earlier than 2028, and somehow survive the freezing night for a 'sustained' U.S. presence. The four spacecraft may also [claim areas](https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/nasa-takes-steps-toward-building-moon-base-including-discussing-a-perimeter/?ref=proximareport.com) of the lunar surface in a probable violation of the Outer Space Treaty if performed. The two new rovers, the lander to bring them to the lunar surface, and the MoonFall mission are set to cost up to 982 million United States Dollars. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, the funding for them is coming from funds allocated to the Gateway space station at [the start of the year](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-funding-2026/) through an act of Congress. At the [end of February](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/), Isaacman started the motions of cancelling the internationally-backed lunar station, something [only Congress](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-changes-artemis-problems/) can do, but a few members have backed publicly. Funding for the new missions, allocated from Gateway, and those for other NASA programs [remains in limbo](https://www.planetary.org/save-nasa-science?ref=proximareport.com) for fiscal year 2027 after the Trump Administration [began its second attempt](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-2027-nasa-cuts/) to cut a quarter of the space agency's budget, a move [the Administrator supports](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-defends-trumps-cuts/). ### Weekly Dose of Space (17/5-23/5) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-17-5-23-5/ Last updated: 2026-05-24T18:48:23.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week once again saw six launches taking place globally, with a new version of Starship flying for the first time. News during the week had the next crew to head to China's space station being announced and New Glenn being cleared to fly again. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *May 17th - Long March 8 with Qianfan's 9th Group* From the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, a Long March 8 flew into sun-synchronous orbit with eighteen satellites for the Qianfan internet connectivity constellation. It was the constellation's ninth overall group and brings the total spacecraft count up to 162. ![The Long March 8 Y8 vehicle departing from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on May 17th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/0080MYmPly1id8vg43jl6j34pq2tp4qr-1.jpg) The Long March 8 Y8 vehicle departing from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on May 17th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *May 19th - Vega-C with SMILE* Soaring from the Guiana Space Centre, in French Guiana in South America, a Vega-C delivered the SMILE spacecraft into its initial low Earth orbit for systems checks. The spacecraft is a cooperation between the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to study Earth’s magnetosphere and its interaction with charged solar wind particles. > 🔊Vega-C rocket launched Smile mission this morning on quest to reveal Earth’s invisible shield against the solar wind. > > 🚀Liftoff from [@EuropeSpacePort](https://twitter.com/EuropeSpacePort?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) at 04:52 BST / 05:52 CEST (00:52 local time) on 19 May 2026[https://t.co/QfHXFQP2Vy](https://t.co/QfHXFQP2Vy?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/8wjKrIDn6c](https://t.co/8wjKrIDn6c?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ESA Space Transport (@ESA\_transport) [May 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/ESA%5Ftransport/status/2056625717773816170?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *May 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-42* Twenty-four Starlink satellites were brought into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this launch was booster B1103 for its second flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 leaving Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-42 mission on May 20th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/HIvBwsJW0AAVojD.jpg) Falcon 9 leaving Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-42 mission on May 20th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *May 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-31* Another Falcon 9 placed twenty-nine more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit, flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1077 supported this launch for its twenty-eight mission, landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-31 mission on May 21st 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/HI1-b_NXoAAzwCy-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-31 mission on May 21st 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *May 22nd - Electron for 'Viva La StriX'* Rocket Lab flew its Electron rocket into low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, to deliver a new satellite for Synspective. That satellite, part of the StriX line, will be used for Earth imaging at a resolution between one and three meters. > LIFTOFF! Electron is on its way to space once again for [@Synspective](https://twitter.com/synspective?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com)🚀 [pic.twitter.com/h527erQgM5](https://t.co/h527erQgM5?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [May 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/2057757222286049362?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *May 22nd - Starship-Super Heavy for its twelfth flight test* SpaceX launched its[ first 'Block 3' Starship-Super Heavy](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-twelve/) launch vehicle from Starbase, Texas, to perform the latest flight test of the fully reusable system. Super Heavy Booster 19 supported ascent, failing during its return burn, and Ship 39 briefly headed into space, losing an engine on the way up. ![Starship-Super Heavy during first-stage flight on May 22nd 2026 for its twelfth flight test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/HI-A7kbXEAEZyU_-1.jpg) Starship-Super Heavy during first-stage flight on May 22nd 2026 for its twelfth flight test. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Shenzhou-23 crew revealed* ![Zhu Yangzhu (left), Zhang Zhiyuan (center), and Li Jiaying (right) during training on how to board the Shenzhou spacecraft. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/photo-collage.png-2-.png) Zhu Yangzhu (left), Zhang Zhiyuan (center), and Li Jiaying (right) during training on how to board the Shenzhou spacecraft. ©China Manned Space Agency At two press conferences on May 23rd, the [China Manned Space Agency revealed](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/hong-kongs-li-jiaying-part-of-shenzhou?ref=proximareport.com) who will head to the Tiangong Space Station for the next six months. Taikonauts named for the mission are Zhu Yangzhu, Li Jiaying, and Zhang Zhiyuan. Zhu Yangzhu, born in September 1986, was named as the Commander. He has previously visited the space station for 153 days via the Shenzhou-16 mission in the second half of 2023\. Before his space career, Zhu worked as an Associate Professor of aerospace engineering within the People’s Liberation Army. Announced to be a Payload Specialist, Li Jiaying, born in November 1982, will be the first taikonaut from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to head into orbit, having been selected as part of the fourth batch in 2024\. Prior to selection, she was a Chief Inspector of the Hong Kong Police Force and holds a PhD in computational and information science-related subjects. For his first flight, Zhang Zhiyuan, born in June 1986, will be the mission's Spacecraft Pilot. He was selected as part of the third batch in 2020\. Before selection, Zhang served in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force as a pilot. Towards the end of the Shenzhou-23 mission, one of the crew members will stay with the Shenzhou-24 crew to spend about a full year in orbit. That will allow for extensive research into human health in microgravity, and is allowing for the visit of a Pakistani astronaut for around a week (launching with Shenzhou-24, coming home with Shenzhou-23). ### *New Glenn cleared to return to flight* In mid-April, Blue Origin flew its [New Glenn rocket for the third time](https://proximareport.com/articles/blue-origin-ng3/), successfully reusing and landing its first-stage, but suffering issues with the second-stage, resulting in a customer payload being placed into an unusable orbit. As a result of the issues, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration grounded the launch vehicle until Blue Origin could present what went wrong, along with corrective actions. According to a [statement on May 22nd](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/2057927826393944480?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), the company presented relevant items to the regulator, which approved the vehicle to fly again. Regarding what the issue was, the company stated the following: > "Prior to our second GS2 burn, we experienced an off-nominal thermal condition, and, as a result, one of the BE-3U engines didn't achieve full thrust to reach our target orbit." While grounded, preparations towards New Glenn's fourth flight [have continued](https://x.com/davill/status/2057884743308587382?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) in Florida, with booster 'No, It's Necessary' integrated with a second-stage and placed onto its transporter-erector for a pre-flight firing. > Fun video showcasing "No, It's Necessary" lifting on the Transporter Erector. Next stop integrated hotfire. "Never Tell Me The Odds" is in the house, too (well into it’s refurb cycle) [pic.twitter.com/HnQO31inoq](https://t.co/HnQO31inoq?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Dave Limp (@davill) [May 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/davill/status/2057884743308587382?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *May 24th - Long March 2F/G with Shenzhou-23* The Shenzhou-23 mission to the Tiangong Space Station, with Zhu Yangzhu, Li Jiaying, and Zhang Zhiyuan, launched atop of a Long March 2F/G from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *May 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-47* A Falcon 9 is set to deliver a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *May 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-37* Another batch of Starlink satellites are planned to be placed into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E by a Falcon 9. ### *May 27th - Long March 7A with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 7A may liftoff from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, heading beyond low Earth orbit with a to-be-announced payload. ### *May 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-53* More Starlink satellites will head for low Earth orbit with Falcon 9, flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *May 30th - Atlas V with LA-07* United Launch Alliance is preparing to deliver twenty-nine satellites into low Earth orbit on behalf of Amazon to build its Leo space-based internet constellation. ### Starship 'Block 3' Flights Begin With a Bumpy Start URL: https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-twelve/ Last updated: 2026-05-23T16:55:29.000Z Having spent the first [part of the year commissioning](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-flight-twelve-lead-up/) a new launch pad and vehicle upgrades, Starship's twelfth flight test took place on May 22nd, utilizing [Super Heavy Booster 19 and Starship upper-stage Ship 39](https://proximareport.com/articles/first-block-3-starship-may/). For the first time with an integrated 'Block 3' Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle, thirty-three 'Raptor 3' engines ignited at SpaceX's second launch pad at Starbase, carrying Booster 19 and Ship 39 skyward. Behind the vehicles was a sizeable cloud of smoke, produced by the heat of the egines and the pads water deluge. > Liftoff of Starship! [pic.twitter.com/LQLdjK5V6K](https://t.co/LQLdjK5V6K?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [May 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2057952539417461045?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ascent to staging proceeded perfectly with all enigines remaining lit, with an impressive over 180-degree spin to obtain flight attitude too. Ship 39's six 'Raptor 3' engines, three optimized for sea-level and three for vacuum, lit to perform hot-staging from Booster 19, which had five engines still firing. > Starship’s Raptor engines ignite during hot-staging separation [pic.twitter.com/oNdU0Z4FQI](https://t.co/oNdU0Z4FQI?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [May 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2057953172786680265?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Hot-staging of the two stages went flawlessly. Not long afterwards Booster 19 attempted to relight most of its engines for a simulated boost-back burn, but that was aborted shortly into it. Additionally on Ship 39 one of its vacuum engines cut off early, leaving the remaining five to compensate. Booster 19 managed to regain some control as it fell back to Earth, further away from Starbase and faster than planned, however its enginges failed to properly reignite for a landing burn attempt. The first-stage slammed into the Gulf of Mexico at several hundred miles per hour. > Fair play, Booster 19\. Sporty all the way. Well done to SpaceX for showing it too. [pic.twitter.com/b3NGnV589n](https://t.co/b3NGnV589n?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NSF - NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight) [May 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/2057954117444583897?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Remaining engines on the upper-stage did manage to compensate, bringing Ship 39 onto its targeted trajectory over a minute behind schedule. Views from inside the engine skirt, shown briefly by SpaceX, showed damage around the outside an a gas leaking around one of the vacuum engines. > Starship has successfully deployed our modified [@Starlink](https://twitter.com/Starlink?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) satellites and simulators [pic.twitter.com/0ym9RJ0J6M](https://t.co/0ym9RJ0J6M?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [May 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2057959688860229843?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Floating in space after ascent, Ship 39 was planned to demonstrate an in-space 'Raptor 3' relight, but that was skipped following the engine failure. A payload deployment test was performed with the release of twenty dummy Starlink satellites and two modifed ones, known as 'Dodger Dogs'. While floating towards atmospheric reentry, the two 'Dodger Dogs' zipped around Ship 39, inspecting its heat shield, flaps, and structure by a proper 'third-person' view for the first time. Those views will be used to examine how the Starship upper-stage handles ascent. > Views of Starship in space from a [@Starlink](https://twitter.com/Starlink?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) satellite [pic.twitter.com/5hfw1n8v1o](https://t.co/5hfw1n8v1o?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [May 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2057962516282577014?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) With part of the in-space demonstrations complete, Ship 39 prepared for atmospheric reentry by orienting itself nose-up into its flight path. Reentry lasted a dozen minutes and provided an amazing lightshow, with part of the breakup of the 'Dodger Dogs' seen. > Starship is executing a banking maneuver that mimics the final approach it would take while returning to Starbase for a catch on a future mission [pic.twitter.com/3YQr8LKAaj](https://t.co/3YQr8LKAaj?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [May 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2057968316891746337?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Following reentry, Ship 39 performed a series of maneuvers with its flaps during descent to simulate the path it would take when heading back to the launch site for a catch, also slowing it to sub-sonic speeds simultaneously. Once low enough above the Indian Ocean, two 'Raptor 3' engines relit for a landing burn, quickly bringing the upper-stage upright from its bellyflop, which successfully allowed for a splashdown. Splashdown was shortly followed by Ship 39 falling on its side and exploding, concluding the flight test. > Splashdown confirmed! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on the twelfth flight test of Starship! [pic.twitter.com/XXBAtryPpL](https://t.co/XXBAtryPpL?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [May 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2057969484879528267?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ## What's happening next? Starship-Super Heavy's twelfth flight test proved that a 'Block 3' vehicle can ascent out of the atmosphere, release internal SpaceX payloads, and land the upper-stage in a controlled manner. With the loss of Booster 19, that makes this flight a mixture of the third (March 2024) and fifth flight (October 2024) tests in terms of what was proven. Having skipped the in-space relight of a 'Raptor 3' engine, the next flight test will need to complete that objective before the first orbital flight test can go ahead, as leaving a massive multi-hundred-ton object in orbit would be massively irresponsible. Consequently, in the remaining six months of the year, test flights to prove a Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer will be delayed. That capability is needed for a crewed lunar landing contracted by NASA in 2028, which itself [may need fifteen flights](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/at-least-15-starship-launches-to-execute-artemis-iii-lunar-landing/?ref=proximareport.com) of the vehicle and the [Office of Inspector General believes](https://proximareport.com/articles/issues-present-us-landers/) SpaceX is repeatedly running behind schedules. Flights into orbit are also needed for [2027's Artemis III mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/) to test Starship's lunar lander variant with the Orion spacecraft and astronauts. In 2025, SpaceX wrote off progress towards orbital flight with the loss of many vehicles before or during flight tests. [Ship 33 was lost to a fire](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-7?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in its engine section in January 2025, another fire caused [Ship 34 to be lost](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-8?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in March 2025, and [Ship 35 was destroyed during atmospheric reentry](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-nine?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) following propellant leakages across the vehicle in May 2025\. 'Block 2' only had two successful missions, coming in [August with Ship 37](https://proximareport.com/articles/flight-10-spacex/) and in [October with Ship 38](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-eleven/). On the ground [Ship 36 wiped out](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-faces-major-setback-with-testing-anomaly/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) the only site able to perform test firings of the upper-stage for several months, while [Super Heavy Booster 18 failed](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/11/newest-starship-booster-is-significantly-damaged-during-testing-early-friday/?ref=proximareport.com) to hold pressure during a quality test, delaying the twelfth flight test. ### Starship to Carry Space Tourist on Mars Flyby Mission URL: https://proximareport.com/starship-space-tourist-mars/ Last updated: 2026-05-22T00:42:14.000Z During an attempt to fly the [first 'Block 3' Starship-Super Heavy](https://proximareport.com/articles/first-block-3-starship-may/) launch vehicle on May 21st, which failed to proceed due to [pad issues](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2057609682865254695?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), [SpaceX announced](https://www.spacex.com/updates?ref=proximareport.com#first-starship-interplanetary-mission) that passengers for its first crewed Mars flyby mission are booking. The first passenger to book, appearing during the launch broadcast of the twelfth flight test, was revealed to be the Maltese-Kittitian Chun Wang, who flew aboard the polar orbiting [Fram2 in early 2025](https://proximareport.com/articles/fram2-returns-after-100-visits-over-the-poles/). To book his slot on that flight and the Mars one, Wang made significant amounts of money by investing in cryptocurrency. Ahead of the Mars flyby mission, SpaceX shared that he has also secured a slot onboard a flyby of the Moon, joining a flight booked by Dennis Tito and Akiko Tito [back in 2022](https://www.spacex.com/updates?ref=proximareport.com#starship-second-moon-flight). Like Wang, Dennis Tito has already been to space, but [decades ago in 2001](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/business-57891867?ref=proximareport.com) aboard a Russian Soyuz for a weeklong stay aboard the International Space Station, having gained his wealth via running an investment firm. Both the lunar and Mars flyby missions will use the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle, which has never flown to orbit to date. None of the known crew are professional astronauts and are space tourists. Starship's lunar flyby mission with the Tito's and Wang is not the first time such a mission has been booked. In 2018, Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa booked a ride atop of [Falcon Heavy inside a Crew Dragon](https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/spacex-announces-moonshot-mission-2018/?ref=proximareport.com) spacecraft, a plan that was eventually scrapped after the company decided not to human-rate the tri-core rocket. Luckily for Maezawa he was upgraded to Starship, then yet to leave Earth's atmosphere, after which he [invited eight creatives to join him](https://www.space.com/meet-dearmoon-crew-spacex-moon-mission?ref=proximareport.com). However by mid-2024, the lunar flyby was [cancelled by the billionaire](https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/06/heres-why-a-japanese-billionaire-just-canceled-his-lunar-flight-on-starship/?ref=proximareport.com), citing delays to the flight he had booked six years prior by then and reportedly spent hundreds of millions on. Any mission with Starship-Super Heavy carrying people onboard will be many years away from today, as SpaceX will need to fly the vehicle dozens to hundreds of times to demonstrate it is safe to customers who likely value their lives. A simple Earth orbiting crewed flight was [booked in 2024](https://www.space.com/polaris-program-facts-missions-history?ref=proximareport.com) by Jared Isaacman, who is now NASA Administrator, consequently placing that mission in limbo. Additionally, to fly by the Moon or Mars in-space refueling between Starships will need to be proven, something planned for last year but pushed many months into the future due to [repeated flight test failures](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-eleven/#whats-next-for-starship). Beyond space tourists, SpaceX has existing contracts to operate Starship around lunar space, notably with a multi-billion-dollar one from NASA to put American astronauts onto the surface as part of the Artemis program. According to a [recent Office of Inspector General report](https://proximareport.com/articles/issues-present-us-landers/), the company is running behind schedules from the space agency. ### Weekly Dose of Space (10/5-16/5) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-10-5-16-5/ Last updated: 2026-05-17T18:36:15.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had six launches occurring worldwide, with two resupply missions to the crewed space stations in low Earth orbit. News of the week had an update for Artemis III and the Qianfan constellation resuming routine deployments. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *May 11th - Long March 7 with Tianzhou-10* From the Wenchang Space Launch Site, the Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft was sent into low Earth orbit to head toward the Tiangong Space Station, arriving just over five hours after launch. The spacecraft has 6,300 kilograms of consumables, experiments, and propellants, alongside a new spacesuit, as its cargo. ![The Long March 7 Y11 vehicle departing from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on May 11th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/bafkreigain5srltuviokv3joxlzb7hp7u4r3tixbbsouln763l42zq5lxq-1.webp) The Long March 7 Y11 vehicle departing from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on May 11th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *May 12th - Falcon 9 with NROL-172* SpaceX's Falcon 9 flew from Space Launch Complex 4E, in Florida, carrying a batch of satellites into Earth orbit on behalf of the U.S. military. This launch was supported by booster B1097 for its ninth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the NROL-172 mission on May 12th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/HIGiGBJaMAAknjT-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the NROL-172 mission on May 12th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *May 12th - Long March 6A with Qianfan Polar Group 09* A Long March 6A blasted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center to deliver a group of eighteen Qianfan connectivity satellites, the eighth overall, into a near-polar orbit. Those satellites should begin providing space-based internet services later this year, with a total of 144 spacecraft in orbit to do so. ![The Long March 6A Y23 vehicle blasting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on May 12th 2026. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/0033ImPzly1id311dbty9j60pk13ab0u02-1.jpg) The Long March 6A Y23 vehicle blasting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on May 12th 2026\. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation ### *May 14th - Zhuque-2E for a test flight* LandSpace flew an upgraded version of its Zhuque-2E launch vehicle from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, featuring a lengthened first-stage and the use of subcooled propellants. This launch had a 2,800-kilogram mass simulator carried by the second-stage to and from a 900-kilometer polar orbit. ![LandSpace's Zhuque-2E Y5 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on May 14th 2026. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/0076pMobly1id4ureq1tej32yo1o07wi-1.jpg) LandSpace's Zhuque-2E Y5 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on May 14th 2026\. ©LandSpace ### *May 15th - Kinetica-1 with five satellites* Another launch from Jiuquan had CAS Space's Kinetica-1 placing five satellites into sun-synchronous orbit on behalf of customers. Those satellites were: - Chengdu's Taijing-3-05A and Taijing-3-05B Earth observation satellites. - Wuhan's Tianyi-50 X-band synthetic aperture radar spacecraft. - Changguang Satellite Technology Co Ltd's Jilin-1 Gaofen-05D55 Earth imaging satellite. - And the Tianyan-27 experimental spacecraft from Shanghai Xuntian Qianhe Space Technology Co Ltd. ![CAS Space's Kinetica-1 Y13 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on May 15th 2026. ©CAS Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/008pUyAHly1id63xi2kx5j372a3z1b2b-1.jpg) CAS Space's Kinetica-1 Y13 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on May 15th 2026\. ©CAS Space ### *May 15th - Falcon 9 with CRS-34* SpaceX sent the C209 Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft towards the International Space Station via a launch atop of Falcon 9, from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida, to deliver new supplies. Booste B1096 supported this launch for its sixth mission, touching down at Landing Zone 40 back in Florida. > Falcon 9 launches the CRS-34 mission to the [@Space\_Station](https://twitter.com/Space%5FStation?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/kXV4C09NHs](https://t.co/kXV4C09NHs?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [May 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2055454167779393898?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ## **In Other Space News** ### *Artemis III to take place in low Earth orbit* NASA [shared its first update about](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/artemis-3/nasa-outlines-preliminary-artemis-iii-mission-plans/?linkId=942347251&ref=proximareport.com) the now-Earth-orbiting Artemis III mission on May 13th, set to take place in late 2027\. Since [announcing changes to the mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/), and later ones to land on the Moon, the space agency has been reluctant to answer if the Space Launch System rocket will fly with the final Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, but in the recent update, it was shared that: > "NASA will use a spacer without propulsion capabilities as a representation of the overall upper stage dimensions. The spacer will maintain the same overall dimensions and interface connection points as the upper stage between the Orion stage adapter and launch vehicle stage adapter." It was added that the design and fabrication of the spacer has made 'rapid' progress at the Marshall Space Flight Center, with the barrel, the upper ring, and the lower ring being prepared for welding. Due to the use of a spacer, the Artemis III mission will have to reside in low Earth orbit due to the propulsion capabilities of the Orion spacecraft, as the Space Launch System can only place the spacecraft into an almost-orbit without the upper-stage. In orbit, the Orion spacecraft will perform tests with lunar landers from both or either Blue Origin or SpaceX. It is unclear if those landers will be boardable by astronauts, as NASA is still planning much of the mission. ### *Shanghai-backed Qianfan constellation resuming routine deployments* During this week, the eighth group of Qianfan space-based internet connectivity satellites was delivered into low Earth orbit by a Long March 6A. A month earlier a previous group was also launched. Both launches are [indicative of a return](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/eighth-qianfan-satellite-group-placed?ref=proximareport.com) to regular deployments following issues throughout 2025. Issues in 2025 saw many satellites drifting away from their targeted orbital plane and falling short of their operational orbit. Analysis using ground-based telescopes later revealed that some of those satellites were tumbling. Out of safety and avoidance of international complaints, launches were halted. A return to space group was launched in October 2025 to prove out fixes to issues, with a several-week-long observation period to verify them. With the successful verification, satellite groups, fixed and new, were sent to launch sites for deployment this year. Additionally, another group of satellites is currently awaiting launch atop of a Long March 8 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, as part of a large batch order that was put on hold last year. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *May 17th - Long March 8 with a Qianfan Group* A group of eighteen Qianfan satellites are set to launch into low Earth orbit from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site via a Long March 8. ### *May 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-42* Falcon 9 will deliver another batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *May 19th - Vega-C with SMILE* From French Guiana, a Vega-C rocket will fly into Earth orbit to deliver the Sino-European SMILE spacecraft to begin its space weather mission and study of Earth's magnetosphere. ### *May 20th - Starship-Super Heavy for its twelfth flight test* SpaceX is preparing to perform Starship-Super Heavy's twelfth flight test from its second launch pad in Starbase, Texas, with Ship 39 and Booster 19 splashing down after launch. ### *May 20th - Falcon 9 with Globalsat 2-R* A Falcon 9 will place nine satellites into low Earth orbit on behalf of Globalstar to expand its space-based mobile communications network. ### *May 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-31* More Starlink satellites are going to be launched into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. ### First 'Block 3' Starship-Super Heavy Flight Set for May 19th URL: https://proximareport.com/first-block-3-starship-may/ Last updated: 2026-05-13T21:55:42.000Z [SpaceX has recently shared](https://www.spacex.com/launches/starship-flight-12?ref=proximareport.com) via social media and its website that Starship-Super Heavy's twelfth flight tests, the first with a 'Block 3' launch vehicle, is set to occur no earlier than May 19th from Starbase's second launch pad. The flight will utilize Super Heavy Booster 19 and Ship 39\. In preparation for the flight, Super Heavy Booster 19 has performed a [thirty-three-engine, fourteen-second static fire](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2052499098347979156?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) on May 7th atop of the second launch pad to verify the set of 'Raptor 3' engines. Not long after, Ship 39 was [brought to](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2053173186863177822?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) the pad and [placed atop](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2053173499984818195?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) Booster 19 for a wet dress rehearsal that [took place on May 11th](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/05/booster-19-33-ship-39-rollout/?ref=proximareport.com). Through the first five months of this year, Booster 19 and Ship 39 have [completed other verification tests](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-flight-twelve-lead-up/) of their systems and new engines. Booster 19 has also assisted in the commissioning of the second launch pad through propellant loading and smaller static fires, after the first 'Block 3' booster, Booster 18, [destroyed itself late last year](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/11/newest-starship-booster-is-significantly-damaged-during-testing-early-friday/?ref=proximareport.com). > Starship’s twelfth flight test will debut the next generation Starship and Super Heavy vehicles, powered by the next evolution of the Raptor engine and launching from a newly designed pad at Starbase. The launch is targeted as early as Tuesday, May 19 → [https://t.co/2gZQUxS6mm](https://t.co/2gZQUxS6mm?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/JxmpL2WE4w](https://t.co/JxmpL2WE4w?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [May 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2054304050338750931?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [Upgrades and changes were implemented](https://www.spacex.com/updates?ref=proximareport.com#starship-v3) across, increasing the total height of both and notably with the simplification of engine protection systems thanks to the introduction of 'Raptor 3', with liquid methane and liquid oxygen propellant systems modified to support it. Other changes across the Super Heavy Booster and Starship upper-stage for the new version include: - Integrating Super Heavy's hot-staging ring with the remainder of the vehicle, mainly exposing a reinforced propellant tank dome to the initial thrust of an upper-stage. - Reducing the total grid fins to three while increasing their size and including catch points on them. - Addition of four docking points on Starship to enable future ship-to-ship propellant transfer operations. ![Super Heavy Booster 19 performing a static fire on the second launch pad (left) and Ship 39 being transported from Starbase's production site (right). ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/photo-collage.png-1-.png) Super Heavy Booster 19 performing a static fire on the second launch pad (left) and Ship 39 being transported from Starbase's production site (right). ©SpaceX For Starship-Super Heavy's twelfth flight test, SpaceX is hoping to basically proven all aspects of 'Block 3' booster flight, without risking the second launch pad's catch tower. That will see Booster 19 completing ascent and hot-staging of Ship 39, a boost back towards Starbase, before splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico. Meanwhile, Ship 39 has a more complex flight plan after completing ascent out of the atmosphere and into almost-orbit, with the company writing: > "\[Ship 39\] will target multiple in-space and reentry objectives, including the deployment of 22 Starlink simulators, similar in size to next-generation Starlink satellites. The last two satellites deployed will scan Starship’s heat shield and transmit imagery down to operators to test methods of analyzing Starship’s heat shield readiness for return to launch site on future missions." Ship 39 will also demonstrate an in-space relight of a 'Raptor 3' engine, along with a dynamic entry path to simulate returning from orbit to Starbase during descent and then splash down in the Indian Ocean near Western Australia. 2026, with six and a half months left, will be a critical year for Starship-Super Heavy. The vehicle must make it to orbit to perform a Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer to enable a crewed lunar landing in 2028, which itself [may need fifteen flights](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/at-least-15-starship-launches-to-execute-artemis-iii-lunar-landing/?ref=proximareport.com) of the vehicle. Orbital flights are also needed for [2027's Artemis III mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/) to test Starship's lunar lander variant in Earth orbit. To meet Artemis goals, the first 'Block 3' flight needs to do better than those of the first three of 'Block 2', which saw [Ship 33 being lost to a fire](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-7?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in its engine section in January 2025, another fire causing [Ship 34 to be lost](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-8?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in March 2025, and [Ship 35 being destroyed during atmospheric reentry](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-nine?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) following leakages across the vehicle in May 2025\. 'Block 2' only had two successful missions, coming in [August with Ship 37](https://proximareport.com/articles/flight-10-spacex/) and in [October with Ship 38](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-eleven/). During efforts to fly the previous version of Starship-Super Heavy, the [explosion of Ship 36](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-faces-major-setback-with-testing-anomaly/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) damaged the only upper-stage static fire site for the remainder of 2025\. ### Why We Should Put Quantum Computers in Space URL: https://proximareport.com/quantum-computers-in-space/ Last updated: 2026-05-13T19:27:44.000Z As artificial intelligence drives up our demand for computing power, Earth's resources are starting to feel limited. Land, environmental concerns, and energy use are all big challenges in building the next wave of computing infrastructure. To address these challenges, engineers and aerospace companies are now exploring the construction of data centers in orbit, an idea once confined to science fiction. But one possibility remains largely unexplored: **the future of quantum computing may also lie off Earth entirely.** ## Why Space Could Be Ideal for Quantum Computing ![Gold-colored quantum computing hardware inside a large cryogenic cooling chamber surrounded by dark server-like walls and bright industrial lighting.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/Superconducting-Quantum-Computer-1170x745.jpg) A modern quantum computer suspended inside a cryogenic chamber, where temperatures colder than deep space help maintain fragile quantum states needed for computation. Leading quantum computers, particularly superconducting architectures, are typically housed inside highly controlled laboratory environments designed to isolate them from vibration, heat, and electromagnetic interference. It seems obvious that space, with its harsh conditions, would be the last place you’d want to put a quantum computer, right? ### Computing Beyond Binary: How Quantum Computers Differ From Classical Computers Unlike classical computers, which use bits set to either 0 or 1, quantum computers use qubits for computation. These qubits can exist in a state known as superposition, where they can effectively represent both a 0 and a 1 simultaneously. Keeping qubits in superposition is very challenging. Most quantum computers run at temperatures just above absolute zero, which is even colder than outer space. To achieve this, quantum computers rely on large dilution refrigerators filled with liquid helium and highly controlled environments designed to minimize vibrations and temperature fluctuations. Even minor disturbances, like earthquakes, radiation, or slight temperature changes, can disrupt the quantum state and force calculations to restart. This fragility is also what gives quantum computers their immense potential. Superposition allows quantum systems to process information in fundamentally different ways from traditional computers, enabling certain calculations to scale dramatically faster. Quantum computers have been shown to beat traditional supercomputers handsomely at certain, specialized tasks. For example, in 2025, Google’s Willow solved a complex, specialized problem in 294 seconds. This same problem on supercomputers like El Capitan would have taken 47 years to solve. China’s [Zuchongzhi](https://en.ustc.edu.cn/info/1007/5015.htm?ref=proximareport.com) 3.0 or [Google’s Willow chip](https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/technology/research/google-willow-quantum-chip/?ref=proximareport.com) have demonstrated computing power far beyond what regular supercomputers can directly simulate. ### **The Irony of Space for Quantum Computing** Space is an environment of extreme temperature fluctuations and intense radiation, making dissipating heat without an effective cooling system challenging, especially for quantum computers. While conventional computers can operate in such environments with appropriate equipment, quantum computers are so sensitive that we can’t just send them into orbit and expect them to work. Ironically though, the vacuum of space might actually offer one of the best environments for quantum computers to operate. And fortunately for us, one of those environments may exist just next door. ## The Moon: A Dream and Nightmare for Quantum Computing With NASA's Artemis program and China's lunar initiatives, the Moon is poised to become a hotbed of human innovation and exploration. The lunar south pole, in particular, is considered crucial not only for establishing a sustained human presence beyond Earth but also as a strategic stepping stone toward Mars and the outer Solar System. The Moon offers significant advantages for constructing bases, including substantial water ice deposits in permanently shadowed regions (PSRs). Some craters near the Moon’s south pole have stayed in shadow for billions of years. This has allowed temperatures inside some of these craters to drop below 40 Kelvin, making them colder than the surface of Pluto. ![Graphic of Pluto and a Shadowed crater on the Moon to help highlight just how cold PSRs are](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/https-3a-2f-2fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2feed4c3af-223c-4768-a863-1d61a8420329_2250x1450-jpeg.jpg) Image of Pluto and a PSR on the Moon from NASA ****Graphic Credit**: [Jatan.Space](https://jatan.space/permanently-shadowed-regions-on-the-moon/?ref=proximareport.com) This makes these permanently shadowed regions on the Moon some of the coldest naturally occurring environments in the Solar System. And, as mentioned earlier, quantum computers must be cold to work. ### Why We Should Place Quantum Computers in PSRs on the Moon Permanently shadowed regions on the Moon have several characteristics that could make running extremely finicky quantum computers far easier. For starters, the Moon lacks both an atmosphere and the constant seismic activity found on Earth, two things that can occasionally disturb fragile quantum states. More importantly, these craters are already unbelievably cold. Instead of cooling a quantum computer all the way down from Earth-like temperatures, engineers would "only" need to lower the temperature by another few dozen degrees. All of this makes the idea of consistently operating a quantum computer far more viable. But in spite of these advantages, the Moon can just as easily become a nightmare for delicate computing systems. ### The Biggest Challenges of Lunar Quantum Computing As with anything in space exploration, every advantage comes with a trade-off. Firstly, lunar dust is notoriously difficult to manage. During the Apollo missions, astronauts constantly complained about the static-charged regolith clinging to EVA suits and equipment. Quantum computers, which rely on highly controlled environments, would not react well to lunar dust breaching their containment systems. Beyond that, the Moon is constantly bombarded with radiation due to its lack of both an atmosphere and a global magnetosphere. If you spent just one hour standing on the lunar surface, you would receive roughly 60 microsieverts of radiation. To put that into perspective, this is around 200 times more than what you experience on Earth and nearly three times more than astronauts aboard the ISS typically receive. For a quantum computer to function safely on the Moon, substantial radiation shielding would be required, adding both weight and cost to the system. Cost is already a major challenge in not just the space industry, but for quantum computers too. Running a quantum computer on Earth requires specialized equipment, cooling systems, and substantial infrastructure. Replicating that infrastructure on the Moon would dramatically increase costs. Besides the computer and its housing, you would probably also need a full-time support team on the Moon, as well as a very strong and reliable power system to keep everything running. ## In-Space Quantum Computing: The Next Step After Orbital Compute ![Gold-colored superconducting quantum computer hardware inside a cryogenic dilution refrigerator, featuring layered metallic plates, wiring, and cooling structures used to maintain ultra-cold temperatures for quantum computing.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/shutterstock_2504709421.jpg) A superconducting quantum computer housed inside a cryogenic dilution refrigerator ****Image Credit**: ShutterStock With all of that in mind, why the Moon? I think that putting a quantum computer on the Moon makes sense, but it will certainly be quite the undertaking, both in terms of infrastructure and cost. The idea really only becomes viable once key infrastructure on the Moon is established and humans maintain a permanent presence at the lunar south pole. That being said, it is no secret that the tech and aerospace industries are slowly merging. Companies such as [NVIDIA](https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/starcloud/?ref=proximareport.com) are supporting early demonstrations of orbital computing through partnerships with startups like [Starcloud](https://www.starcloud.com/?ref=proximareport.com). Their first satellite, Starcloud-1 has already taken an NVIDIA H100 GPU into space to test AI computing in orbit. China is also rapidly rolling out [their own space compute constellation](https://proximareport.com/articles/chinas-quietly-ai-compute/). To me, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that China, or a US company sends a test demo in the future to prove computing on the Moon as another viable alternative to Earth based systems. Even if it isn’t a quantum computer it helps pave the way for future technologies. So, while the first quantum computers may have started out in underground labs on Earth. The machines that could one day change civilization might soon run quietly in the shadows of lunar craters, in places where sunlight hasn’t reached for billions of years. ### Weekly Dose of Space (3/5-9/5) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-3-5-9-5/ Last updated: 2026-05-10T23:21:57.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw just two launches taking place, with both occurring from the same launch pad. News of the week had the Artemis Accord gaining another three signatories, and Starship-Super Heavy preparing to fly once again. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *May 3rd - Falcon 9 with CAS500 and forty-four rideshare satellites* From Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, Falcon 9 flew into sun-synchronous orbit carrying South Korea's CAS500 dual spacecraft Earth observation spacecraft, as well as forty-four small rideshare satellites from KAI, Argotec S.r.l, Exolaunch, Impulso.Space, Loft-EarthDaily, Lynk, True Anomaly, and Planet Labs. Supporting this launch was booster B1071, flying for the thirty-third time and touching down back in California at Landing Zone 4\. ![A composite photo showing Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E (right) and touching down at Landing Zone 4 (left) on May 3rd 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/HHY66IJXIAAJkxB.jpg) A composite photo showing Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E (right) and touching down at Landing Zone 4 (left) on May 3rd 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *May 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-29* Twenty-four Starlink satellites were delivered into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 8 flying off of Space Launch Complex 4E. Booster B1081 supported this mission for its twenty-fourth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-29 mission on May 6th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/HHnMsfsXAAExYru-1.jpg) Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-29 mission on May 6th 2026\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *SpaceX prepares to fly first 'Block 3' Starship-Super Heavy* > Full duration and full thrust 33-engine static fire with Super Heavy V3 [pic.twitter.com/vUJTqoHEZy](https://t.co/vUJTqoHEZy?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [May 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2052499098347979156?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Many months behind schedule of SpaceX's executive leadership, the in-development fully-reusable Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle is close to flying its twelfth flight test, the first with the upgraded 'Block 3' system. In recent days, Super Heavy Booster 19 has performed a [thirty-three-engine, fourteen-second static fire](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2052499098347979156?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) on Starbase's second launch pad to verify the set of 'Raptor 3' engines. Not long after, Ship 39 was [brought to](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2053173186863177822?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) the pad and [placed atop](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2053173499984818195?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) Booster 19 ahead of a wet dress rehearsal of a launch attempt. So far this year, Booster 19 and Ship 39 have [completed other verification tests](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/05/booster-19-33-ship-39-rollout/?ref=proximareport.com) of their systems and new engines. Booster 19 has also assisted in the commissioning of the second launch pad through propellant loading and smaller static fires. At present, hazard notices are pointing towards the flight test occurring on May 15th and as early as 22:30 pm Universal Coordinated Time. ### *Malta, Ireland, Paraguay sign Artemis Accords* During the week, another three nations signed the U.S.-led non-binding Artemis Accords to bring the bloc up to sixty-seven nations, now just over a third of member states of the United Nations. First, to become [the sixty-fifth signatory](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasa-welcomes-malta-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com), Malta signed via Clifton Grima, its Minister for Education, Youth, Sports, Research and Innovation, at an event in the village of Kalkara in the small island nation. After signing, Grima shared: > "Malta is taking a deliberate step to position itself within a high-value, innovation-driven global sector. This initiative strengthens our governance framework, enhances Malta’s international credibility and creates new opportunities to attract investment, build expertise and generate quality employment within the space economy." Not long after, the [sixty-sixth signatory was Ireland](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasa-welcomes-ireland-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) at an event at NASA's Headquarters in Washington D.C., during a visit by Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, who signed on behalf of his country. During the visit, Burke shared: > "From an island shaped by the sea, whose people have always looked beyond the horizon and journeyed across the world, forging connections far beyond our shores, Ireland is proud to bring that same spirit to a new frontier and to join a global community committed to the peaceful exploration of space." And as [the latest signatory to date](https://www.nasa.gov/organizations/oiir/artemis-accords/nasa-welcomes-paraguay-as-67th-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com), Paraguay joined the accords at an event in its capital, Asunción. The nations signing was done by Minister President of the Paraguayan Space Agency Osvaldo Almirón, who stated the following not long after: > "The signing of the Artemis Accords represents a historic milestone for Paraguay and reflects our commitment to international cooperation, the peaceful use of outer space, scientific development, and the advancement of national space capabilities. This step strengthens Paraguay’s position within the global space community and opens new opportunities for research, innovation, and sustainable development." In previous weeks, Latvia, Jordan, and Morocco [also signed the accords](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-26-4-2-5/#latvia-jordan-morocco-sign-artemis-accords). ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *May 11th - Long March 7 with Tianzhou-10* From the Wenchang Space Launch Site, a Long March 7 is preparing to launch into low Earth orbit with the Tianzhou-10 cargo resupply spacecraft, which will deliver 6,300 kilograms of consumables, experiments, and propellants to China's Tiangong Space Station. ### *May 11th - Falcon 9 with NROL-172* SpaceX will launch a batch of satellites into Earth orbit on behalf of the U.S. military from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of a Falcon 9\. ### *May 12th - Long March 6A with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 6A will fly from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center and into a near-polar orbit, likely carrying connectivity constellation satellites. ### *May 13th - Falcon 9 with CRS-34* Off of Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida, a Falcon 9 will bring a Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft into low Earth orbit and toward the International Space Station, to bring it new supplies. ### *May 13th - Zhuque-2E with a to-be-confirmed payloads* LandSpace is going to launch another Zhuque-2E from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, featuring new upgrades to the launch vehicle with customer payloads being sent into near-polar orbit. ### *May 15th - Kinetica-1 with to-be-shared satellites* CAS Space is once again going to fly Kinetica-1 towards sun-synchronous orbit to deliver several customer satellites from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *May 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-37* A batch of Starlink satellites are set to be delivered to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *May 15th - Starship-Super Heavy for its twelfth flight test* SpaceX is preparing to perform Starship-Super Heavy's twelfth flight test from its second launch pad in Starbase, Texas, with Ship 39 and Booster 19 possibly splahsing down after launch. ### The Humanoid Robot Race and What it Means for Humanity URL: https://proximareport.com/the-humanoid-robot-race/ Last updated: 2026-05-10T16:44:03.000Z Robots are not a new, novel concept. In fact, evidence of robots being considered dates back to ancient Egypt Even Leonardo da Vinci himself worked on a humanoid robot in the 15th century. Science fiction works from *Isaac Asimov*, *Karel Čapek,* and *Phillip K. Dick* all entertained a future in which machines that looked like humans were an integral part of our society. Yet, despite being a thought in humanity's mind for well over five millennia, we are just now, in the mid-2020s, getting close to achieving such fantasies. ## The Promise of Humanoid Robots Already, industries across the globe use robots to help complete specialized tasks with absurd speed and efficiency. Look no further than the automotive industry, whose machines can crank out a handful of cars every few minutes. Yet the "magnum opus" of robotics still lies ahead, with robots that share a human form factor. The benefits of humanoid robots are quite apparent: our world is built for our hands, our bodies, and by making machines that replicate our very nature, they can achieve far more than any specialized machine. And right now, a perfect storm is brewing in the tech industry as AI, electronics, battery technology, and computing continue to advance rapidly. Now, it seems time itself is the only limiting factor before robots enter the mainstream market. So, in this cold war-esque race to be first, who are the key figures paving the way, and who is leading the pack? ## Tesla - Optimus ![Tesla Optimus Gen 2 robot standing in front of a wall during a showcase event](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/d08363f60be339f60dd2bda8f03c5b109bf7c7a1-3046x1564.jpg) Gen 2 Optimus robot ****Credit:** [****Tesla**](https://www.tesla.com/?ref=proximareport.com) On August 19th of 2021, during the company's AI Day Event, Tesla unveiled their plans to build a humanoid robot, dubbed Optimus. Standing at 1.73m (5'8") and weighing 57kg (125lbs), this robot has the sole purpose of, as its [Twitter bio](https://x.com/Tesla%5FOptimus?ref=proximareport.com) mentions, doing tasks that are "unsafe, repetitive, or boring." Despite being an EV company, there is a good reason Tesla decided to throw its hat into the humanoid robot race. Firstly, their self-driving software uses cameras and AI, which can be implemented into robotics, enabling navigation, spatial awareness, and object interaction. Battery technology is also a key part of robotics for continuous use, and again, Tesla is one of the leaders in that regard. And as the company employs over 120k people worldwide, many of whom do boring, repetitive tasks, Optimus looks like a savior. The robot would both increase manufacturing efficiency and output while reducing the risk of workplace accidents. Since the first Optimus prototype, Bumblebee, debuted in September of 2022, the company has already released its second generation of the robot, which was released about a year after Bumblebee first made an appearance. As it stands, Gen 2 Optimus can walk up stairs and navigate uneven terrain. Recently, the team behind Optimus [dropped a video](https://x.com/Tesla%5FOptimus/status/1922456791549427867?ref=proximareport.com) of the robot dancing on Twitter, showcasing truly impressive mobility. It can manipulate objects with its hands, allowing it to complete a variety of tasks, such as vacuuming, moving items, and so forth. Other features Optimus has include an emergency safety override, cloud connectivity, and the ability to learn tasks over time thanks to Tesla's AI system. Tesla is currently finishing up the third generation of Optimus, which could debut sometime in 2026\. The new generation will likely have better joint dexterity, particularly in the hands, as well as improved movement, battery life, and overall refinements. | Optimus Specifications | | | ---------------------- | --------------------- | | Height | 5'8" / 173 cm | | Weight | 125 lbs / 57 kg | | Speed | 5 mph / 8 kmh | | Hand DoF | 11 Degrees of Freedom | | Estimated Cost | $20,000 - $30,000 | | Battery Life | Approx. 5 Hours | | Capability | 20 kg / 45lbs | ## Boston Dynamics - Atlas ![Boston Dynamic's Atlas robot standing in the companies facility](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/atlas-yellow.jpg) Boston Dynamics Atlas robot ****Credit: Boston Dynamics** [Boston Dynamics](https://bostondynamics.com/?ref=proximareport.com) is one of the legacy robotics companies founded in 1992 by engineer Marc Raibert, a former researcher at MIT. During his time at MIT, Raibert led a research team to further develop dynamic robots, and Boston Dynamics was a spinoff of the school's leg lab. In the early years of the company, Boston Dynamics worked on software to support law enforcement training. Then, with Raibert's extensive knowledge of robotic mobility, the company expanded into making robotic machines capable of impressive feats. As it stands, Boston has three robots currently on the market: **Stretch**, a robot for assembly lines; **Spot,** a four-legged robot; and **Atlas**, their humanoid robot. Like Tesla Optimus, Atlas has evolved throughout the years. The first variation of the Atlas robot debuted all the way back in 2013\. This robot was part of a DARPA-led project to develop tools to aid search and rescue operations, among other things. A few months after its unveiling, Atlas switched from hydraulics to fully electric motors for its movement. One of the hardest parts of making a humanoid robot is achieving stable movement. Luckily, Boston Dynamics has spent decades refining the balance, agility, and mobility of its robots. Atlas is widely considered one of the most physically capable humanoid robots **ever** created. Standing at nearly 2m (6'2) and weighing 90kg (198lbs), Atlas is built for heavy-duty, industrial work. The robot features a 4-hour battery life, with an automated, hot-swappable battery system that enables Atlas to work 24/7. While Boston Dynamics started as an R&D titan, they have also been getting involved in the public sector. Both Hyundai and Google are committed to buying Atlas robots, with Hyundai wanting to scale to 30,000 units by 2028. | Atlas Specifications | | | -------------------- | -------------------- | | Height | 6'2" / 190 cm | | Weight | 198 lbs / 90 kg | | Speed | 5 mph / 8 kmh | | Hand DoF | 7 Degrees of Freedom | | Estimated Cost | $150,000 | | Battery Life | Approx. 4 Hours | | Capability | 30 kg / 66 lbs | ## Figure AI - Figure 03 ![Figure AI's Figure 03 humanoid robot cleaning some dishes during a tech demo for the new generation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/Figure-03-humanoid-robots-Figure-AI-07.webp) A Figure AI 03 robot cleaning a mess during a demo ****Image Credit**: Figure AI Founded in 2022 by Brett Adcock, [Figure AI](https://www.figure.ai/?ref=proximareport.com) has taken the humanoid robotic race by storm. Just months after launching, the company released Figure 01, a rudimentary bipedal robot that laid the foundation for the aptly named Figure 02, which launched in 2024\. This rapid development allowed the company to hit a multi-billion-dollar valuation. Figure AI used what was learned with their first robot to refine their second-generation robot. They improved so much that Figure 02 was even deployed at a BMW factory. While little is known about the deal as a whole, it is known that at least one Figure robot worked at a BMW factory, helping produce 30,000 vehicles during its tenure. All of this hands-on experience has now led to the company's newest generation of humanoid robot, Figure 03\. This third generation stands at 1.7m (5'8) and weighs 61kg (134lbs). To navigate and complete tasks, Figure 03 uses Helix, Figure's in-house "Visual-Language-Action" (VLA) model. Helix is what allows Figure to complete tasks like brewing coffee or doing the dishes. Using Helix, Figure 03 learned to fold a towel in just 80 hours. This first-mover approach will enable Figure to compete long-term, giving its robots adaptability across a wide range of applications. While many humanoid companies are initially focused on factories and warehouses, Figure has increasingly demonstrated its ability to handle household-oriented tasks. This suggests the company may ultimately be targeting a future in which humanoid robots exist not only in industrial environments but also in homes as general-purpose assistants. | Figure 03 Specifications | | | ------------------------ | --------------------- | | Height | 5'8" / 173 cm | | Weight | 134 lbs / 64 kg | | Speed | 2.6 mph / 4 kmh | | Hand DoF | 24 Degrees of Freedom | | Estimated Cost | $20,000 - $25,000 | | Battery Life | Approx. 5 Hours | | Capability | 20 kg / 44 lbs | ## **U**nitree - G1 ![A Unitree G1 robot cooking during a demonstration](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/Unitree-G1-Humaniod-Robot-01.jpg) Unitree G1 robot baking ****Image Credit**: Unitree Across the Pacific Ocean, Chinese companies are rapidly pushing the envelope in the race to develop humanoid robots. And out of the various key figures, none come close to [Unitree](https://www.unitree.com/?ref=proximareport.com). Unitree has one sole driving purpose: **low cost, high volume.** Since the company's founding in 2016, it has shipped 5,500 G1 robots, aiming to ship 20,000 in 2026\. While Unitree robots may not have the most impressive tech, their low-cost approach and leveraging Chinese industrial might are certainly effective. On average, a Unitree G1 costs 13-16,000 USD, which is far cheaper than other competitors, especially in the West. However, that low cost comes at...well, a cost. The G1 stands at 1.3 meters (4'2) and weighs just 35kg (77lbs); it is substantially more compact than its western counterparts. G1 also has a pretty short battery life of just 2 hours. While this may mean G1 is less capable than other robots, it's important to note that Unitree is **not** necessarily pursuing bleeding-edge sophistication like Tesla or Boston Dynamics. Instead, the company appears focused on something even more disruptive: affordability and mass production. Simply put, there is a reason why the G1 is widely considered, at the time of writing this, the most popular humanoid robot on the market. | G1 Specifications | | | ----------------- | -------------------- | | Height | 4'2" / 130 cm | | Weight | 77 lbs / 33 kg | | Speed | 4 mph / 7 kmh | | Hand DoF | 7 Degrees of Freedom | | Estimated Cost | $13,000 - $16,000 | | Battery Life | Approx. 2 Hours | | Capability | 12 kg / 26 lbs | ## Agility - Digit ![Two Agility Digit robots](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/AgilityRobotics.031723.jpg) Two Digit robots moving boxes ****Image Credit**: Agility [Agility](https://www.agilityrobotics.com/company?ref=proximareport.com) is the last big competitor in the humanoid robot race. The company shares a similar story to Boston Dynamics, with Agility being a spin-off of Dynamics Robotic Lab, founded by Jonathan Hurst, Damion Shelton, and Mikhail Jones. The company's main robot, Digit, evolved from a specialist, R&D robot platform into the world's first commercially deployed, multi-purpose industrial humanoid robot. Currently, Agility operates over 100 Digit robots across various companies, including Amazon. The company is currently expanding its facility in Salem, Oregon, to produce 10,000 robots a year. Digit is pretty impressive, it is 1.75m tall (5'9) and weighs 63kg (140lbs). The robot can carry up to 35lbs, with the next-gen model planned to carry 50lbs. It has a 3-hour battery life and can walk 5km/h. As other robots mentioned, Digit uses four Intel RealSense depth cameras, integrated into its head and pelvis. Unlike companies chasing household robotics or general-purpose AI assistants, Agility has remained heavily focused on logistics and warehouse automation. This narrower focus allowed Digit to become one of the first humanoid robots to see meaningful commercial deployment at scale. | G1 Specifications | | | ----------------- | --------------------- | | Height | 5'9" / 175 cm | | Weight | 140 lbs / 63 kg | | Speed | 3 mph / 5 kmh | | Hand DoF | 11 Degrees of Freedom | | Estimated Cost | $100,000 - $250,000 | | Battery Life | Approx. 3 Hours | | Capability | 16 kg / 35 lbs | ## Others to Keep an Eye on There are plenty of humanoid robots to come on the horizon, honestly, too many to count. Here are a few more honorable mentions to keep your eyes on. ### Apptronik - Apollo [Apptronik](https://apptronik.com/?ref=proximareport.com), founded in 2016 in Texas, is a robotics company that grew out of NASA-supported research and work on advanced humanoids. Their main robot, Apollo, is built mainly for industrial and logistics tasks. The company places strong emphasis on ensuring that people and robots can work together safely in factories and warehouses. Instead of focusing on eye-catching demos like some competitors, Apptronik aims for practical solutions that can be scaled and used in real-world settings. ### Neura Robotics - 4NE-1 [NEURA Robotics](https://neura-robotics.com/?ref=proximareport.com), a German company, has quickly become one of Europe’s most ambitious names in humanoid robotics. Their 4NE-1 platform centers on cognitive robotics, using AI, sensors, and automation to build machines that can safely work with people. NEURA also wants to move beyond factory settings, hoping its robots will one day help with daily tasks in regular environments. ### UBTECH Robotics - Walker S [UBTECH](https://www.ubtrobot.com/en/?ref=proximareport.com), a leading Chinese robotics company founded in 2012, is now one of the most established makers of humanoid robots. Its Walker S robot is already working in factories, handling tasks like inspection, sorting, and moving materials. As China’s robotics sector grows rapidly, UBTECH is well-positioned to help bring humanoid robots into widespread industrial use. ### 1X Technologies — NEO [1X Technologies](https://www.1x.tech/?ref=proximareport.com), formerly Halodi Robotics, is a Norwegian company known for its humanoid robot NEO and its partnership with [OpenAI](https://openai.com/?ref=proximareport.com). While many companies focus on robots for heavy industrial work, 1X is turning its attention to home robotics and building humanoids that can safely work around people. Their goal is to create robots that act more like smart household helpers than factory machines. ### Sanctuary AI — Phoenix [Sanctuary AI](https://www.sanctuary.ai/?ref=proximareport.com), a Canadian startup, is taking a different approach to humanoid robots by focusing on dexterity and human-like movement. Their robot, Phoenix, is built for general-purpose work. The company wants to make robots that can handle many different tasks, not just work in one setting. Sanctuary believes that adaptability, rather than just strength or speed, is what will make humanoid robots truly useful. ## Who is leading the charge? With all of that out of the way, the million-dollar question remains: who will come out on top? Truthfully, it is impossible to know. Much like the computer race of the 1970s or the early internet boom of the 1990s, the humanoid robotics industry is still in its infancy. There is enormous room for growth, stagnation, disruption, and competition. What makes the industry so fascinating is that there is no single path forward. Different companies are pursuing entirely different philosophies, and that diversity is accelerating development across the board. Still, there are a few clear leaders in each category. **Best long-term positioning?** Tesla. The company already possesses massive manufacturing infrastructure, advanced AI development, battery technology, and a real-world need for humanoid labor inside its own factories. **Most capable robot today?** Arguably, Atlas from Boston Dynamics. After decades spent mastering robotic movement and balance, Atlas remains the benchmark for raw mobility and physical capability. **Best software approach?** Figure AI. Its VLA-driven Helix system suggests the company understands a critical truth: in the long term, humanoid robots may succeed or fail more because of software than hardware. **Then there are the wild cards.** Unitree is betting that affordability and mass production matter more than perfection. Agility, meanwhile, has quietly focused on commercial deployment and gathering real-world operational data long before many competitors. In the end, the company that wins the humanoid race may not necessarily build the flashiest robot. It may simply be the one that figures out how to scale first. ## More Than Machines ![Figure 02 humanoid robot working in a BMW automobile factory](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/uJRw_n0wFmXYER35.jpg) Figure 02 robot working in a BMW factory ****Image Credit**: Figure AI/BMW To some, the future of humanoid robotics looks incredibly exciting. To others, deeply unsettling. Truthfully, I often find myself somewhere between those two perspectives. The science-fiction fan in me is fascinated by the idea of intelligent machines walking alongside humanity, helping build a safer and more efficient world. Yet there is also an undeniable sense of caution that comes with it. If developed responsibly, humanoid robots could reduce workplace injuries, automate dangerous labor, and dramatically increase productivity across entire industries. But alongside that progress comes an unavoidable question: what happens to the millions of people whose jobs may no longer be needed? How humanity prepares for the "robotic takeover" is truly important, especially as this will be less Terminator and more "you're terminated." ### What Are Orbital Mechanics? A Beginners Guide URL: https://proximareport.com/explained/what-are-orbital-mechanics/ Last updated: 2026-05-09T21:44:42.000Z Orbital mechanics is the study of how objects move under the influence of gravity, particularly in space. This field explains how satellites remain in orbit, how spacecraft travel between planets, and why celestial bodies follow predictable paths across the cosmos. Fundamentally, orbital mechanics provides the framework that governs motion beyond Earth. While rockets serve as the engines of exploration, orbital mechanics functions as the guiding map. ## **Why Orbital Mechanics Matter** Orbital mechanics is the glue of not just the universe, but spaceflight as a whole. Understanding what orbital mechanics are allows engineers and scientists to: - Launch satellites into stable orbits - Plan missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond - Predict spacecraft trajectories with extreme precision - Avoid collisions in increasingly crowded orbital environments Applications such as GPS navigation, weather forecasting, and deep space exploration all rely on the principles of orbital mechanics. ## **The Foundation: Gravity and Motion** The foundation of orbital mechanics is gravity, the force that attracts objects toward one another. When an object moving with sufficient tangential velocity falls toward a massive body such as Earth, it does not collide with the surface. Instead, it continuously misses the planet and enters orbit. The balance between **forward velocity** and **gravitational attraction results in the formation of** an orbit. ## **The Three Laws That Define Orbits** Orbital mechanics is largely built on three fundamental principles: ### **1\. Objects Orbit in Ellipses** Planets and satellites follow elliptical paths rather than perfect circles. One point in the orbit, known as the focus, is the location of the central body, such as Earth or the Sun. Since no orbit is perfect, they all have a certain level of eccentricity. Eccentricity is most commonly measured on a scale from 0 (perfect circle) to 1 (very elliptical). Planets like Earth and Mars have low eccentricity, while Kuiper belt objects like Pluto, Eris, and Sedna have a much higher eccentricity. ### **2\. Speed Changes Throughout the Orbit** Objects move faster when they are closer to the body they orbit and slower when they are farther away. This is why satellites accelerate as they approach Earth and slow down at higher altitudes. The lowest point in an orbit is the Periapsis, while the highest point is the Apoapsis. Engineers and scientists use these points in the orbit to complete specific tasks. For instance, burning your engine at periapsis raises your apoapsis more efficiently and vice versa. ### **3\. Orbital Period Depends on Distance** The farther an object is from the body it orbits, the longer it takes to complete one full revolution. Think of orbits as a track oval; being in the first lane allows you to complete a lap much quicker than in the outer lane, since you cover less distance. This explains why low Earth orbit satellites circle Earth in about 90 minutes, while the Moon takes about 27 days. A brief overview of orbital mechanics ****Credit**: Nickster ## **Types of Orbits Explained** Various missions require specific orbital configurations. The following are among the most significant types: ### **Low Earth Orbit (LEO)** - Altitude: \~160–2,000 km - Used for: ISS, Earth observation, Communication satellites (such as [Starlink](https://starlink.com/?ref=proximareport.com)) - Fast orbital periods (\~90 minutes) ### **Geostationary Orbit (GEO)** - Altitude: \~35,786 km - Matches Earth’s rotation - Satellites appear fixed in the sky Used for communications, weather satellites, and broadcasting. ### Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) A Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) is a near-polar orbit that allows satellites to pass over the same area of Earth at the same local solar time each day. This consistent lighting makes SSO ideal for: - Earth observation - Weather monitoring - Mapping and reconnaissance Many imaging and environmental satellites use Sun-synchronous orbits to capture reliable data over time. ## **Key Concepts You Should Know** **Below are some key aspects of orbital mechanics that you should know.** ### **Velocity vs Escape Velocity** **Orbital velocity**: keeps an object circling a planet **Escape velocity:** allows it to break free entirely To stay in Earth orbit, you need to maintain a velocity of 7.8 km/s, while the escape velocity is 11.2 km/s. ### **Delta-v (Δv)** Delta-v represents the change in velocity required to perform maneuvers in space. Delta-v is often considered the currency of space travel, as every mission is planned according to the available delta-v. ### **Transfer Orbits** Spacecraft do not travel in straight lines between planets; instead, they follow curved paths known as transfer orbits. The most efficient is often a **Hohmann transfer orbit**, which minimizes fuel for moving between two circular orbits. ## **Real-World Applications of Orbital Mechanics** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/8WEQUg4XL3rXQgjbN8FttS.jpg) Space Shuttle docked to the International Space Station while orbiting Earth in Low Earth Orbit during a rendezvous mission. ****Image Credit**: NASA/Roscosmos As mentioned earlier, orbital mechanics are crucial to space exploration. - **Satellite internet:** relies on precise orbital placement - **Mars missions:** depend on launch windows and transfer paths - **Space stations:** require periodic adjustments to maintain orbit - **Debris tracking:** uses orbital prediction models to prevent collisions Every successful mission demonstrates these principles in action. ## **Common Misconceptions** ### **“There is no gravity in space.”** Gravity exists everywhere. Astronauts float because they are in continuous free fall—not because gravity disappears. ### **“Orbits require constant thrust.”** Once in orbit, objects don’t need engines running. They stay in motion due to inertia and gravity. ### **“Space is random.”** Orbital mechanics is highly predictable. With the right data, trajectories can be calculated years in advance. ## **The Bigger Picture** Orbital mechanics encompasses more than mathematical equations; it serves as the underlying architecture of movement within the universe. Orbital mechanics demonstrates that motion in space is not chaotic but highly ordered. Each orbit represents a balance between energy and gravity, as well as between freedom and constraint. Understanding orbital mechanics enables one to perceive space not as emptiness, but as a structured environment. As humanity seeks to expand beyond Earth, orbital mechanics will remain an essential tool. From launching satellites to reaching distant worlds, orbital mechanics defines the pathways for exploration into the cosmos. ### Weekly Dose of Space (26/4-2/5) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-26-4-2-5/ Last updated: 2026-05-03T19:37:25.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw seven launches taking place worldwide, including the debut flight of a brand new rocket. News from the week had three nations signing onto America's Artemis Accords as well. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *April 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-16* Departing from Space Launch Complex 4E in California, a Falcon 9 carried twenty-five Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this launch was booster B1088 for its fifteenth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 17-16 mission on April 26th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/HG2Q6XCaQAIN18u-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 17-16 mission on April 26th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *April 28th - Atlas V for LA-06* United Launch Alliance's Atlas V blasted off from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, to [carry twenty-nine satellites](https://proximareport.com/articles/la06-amazon-ula/) into low Earth orbit on behalf of Amazon. Those satellites are part of the Leo space-based internet constellation, with 270 in orbit after that mission. ![Atlas V lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41 for the LA-06 mission on April 28th 2026. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/HHAKch3XEAE6sEo-1.jpg) Atlas V lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41 for the LA-06 mission on April 28th 2026\. ©United Launch Alliance ### *April 29th - Falcon Heavy with ViaSat-3 F3* For the first time in eighteen months, Falcon Heavy lifted off from Launch Complex 39A in Florida, sending the [ViaSat-3 F3 communications satellite](https://proximareport.com/articles/falcon-heavy-viasat3-return/) into geostationary space. Two side boosters, B1072 and B075, returned to Florida after supporting ascent, flying for the second and twenty-second time respectively. ![Falcon Heavy lifting off from Launch Complex 39A on April 29th with ViaSat-3 F3. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/HHQikReW0AAdnmR.jpg) Falcon Heavy lifting off from Launch Complex 39A on April 29th with ViaSat-3 F3\. ©SpaceX ### *April 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-36* Another Falcon 9 flew from Space Launch Complex 4E to place twenty-four Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Booster B1093 supported this mission for its thirteenth landing, touching down on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-36 mission on April 30th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/HHH_BgZXAAAoN_T.jpg) Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-36 mission on April 30th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *April 30th - Ariane 6 for LE-02* For the second time this week, thirty-two satellites were sent into low Earth on behalf [of Amazon via an Ariane 6](https://proximareport.com/articles/ariane-64-amazon-le02/) from French Guiana, in South America. After this launch, the company has 302 satellites making up its constellation. ### *April 30th - Soyuz-5 for its debut flight* Russia successfully debuted its new Soyuz-5 launch vehicle with a debut flight from the Baikonur Cosmodrome to demonstrate all systems ahead of a payload-carrying orbital flight. The debut flight carried no payloads and flew into the Pacific Ocean as planned, with its first and second stages proven by that. > Roscosmos uploaded full live stream of the first Soyuz-5 / Sunkar suborbital test launch, after all: [pic.twitter.com/N7msi7qn26](https://t.co/N7msi7qn26?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [April 30, 2026](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2049954378459599314?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *May 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-38* Twenty-nine Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1069, flying for its thirty-first time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 departing Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-38 mission on May 1st 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/05/HHQbDKQXIAAG5oZ-1.jpg) Falcon 9 departing Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-38 mission on May 1st 2026\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Latvia, Jordan, Morocco sign Artemis Accords* In recent days, the U.S.-led Artemis Accords has gained three new signatories to bring it up to sixty-four nation bloc in international space law, still under a third of member states of the United Nations. Back on April 20th, [Latvia joined the accords](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-welcomes-latvia-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) with the country's Minister for Education and Science, Dace Melbārde, dropping into NASA headquarters to sign, witnessed by Administrator Isaacman and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg. After the signing, Melbārde stated: > "Latvia already contributes to the global space ecosystem through its industry and research, and we look forward to the opportunity to deepen cooperation with the United States and NASA, contributing to future space activities under the Artemis framework. Participation in the Artemis Accords is also an investment in the development of our students, researchers, and innovators." A few days later, April 23rd, Ambassador Dina Kawar of Jordan headed to NASA [to sign the Artemis Accords](https://www.nasa.gov/organizations/oiir/nasa-welcomes-jordan-as-63rd-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) on behalf of her country, in the presence of Isaacman and U.S. Department of State Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Ruth Perry. Via a shorter press release, the Ambassador was quoted as sharing: > "Through the National Council for Future Technologies, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein is ensuring that talent has a direction, transforming Jordan into a regional and global technology hub across AI, digital infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and now space. Today’s signing is proof that this ambition has no ceiling. We invite our American partners to build what comes next with us." Most recently, on April 29th, [Morocco signed onto the accords](https://www.nasa.gov/organizations/oiir/artemis-accords/nasa-welcomes-morocco-as-64th-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) at an event in the nations captial, Rabat, by Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. In a short, President Trump-praising heavy press release, Administrator Isaacman welcomed Morocco to the bloc. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *May 3rd - Falcon 9 with CAS500-2* SpaceX will launch South Korea's CAS500-2 satellite into sun-synchronous orbit to begin its Earth imaging mission. ### *May 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-29* Another batch of Starlink satellites will be launched atop of Falcon 9, departing from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *May 9th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-37* Even more Starlink satellites are set to be launched via Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E, to be deployed into low Earth orbit. ### Second Four Booster Ariane 6 Mission Delivers Eleventh Set of Amazon Leo Satellites URL: https://proximareport.com/ariane-64-amazon-le02/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T19:02:09.000Z For the [second time](https://proximareport.com/articles/la06-amazon-ula/) this week, Amazon's Leo internet connectivity satellites departed Earth, with a liftoff from the Guiana Space Centre at 08:57 am Universal Coordinated Time on April 30th. Through the power of four solid rocket boosters and the Vulcain 2.1 engine, Ariane 6 lit up the night sky over French Guiana in its ascent into low Earth orbit, carrying 32 Leo satellites as part of its eleventh group. Initial orbit was achieved after a dozen minutes, before a series of precise burns with the Vinci engine perfected it. Around ninety minutes after liftoff, the group of satellites were relased of the course of twenty-five minutes, in a process very similar to [Europe's first delivery](https://proximareport.com/articles/ariane-64-amazon-le01/) for Amazon. > There's been a rumble in the jungle! Ariane 6 is carrying another batch of 32 Amazon Leo satellites to Low Earth Orbit. > > Good ascent so far, good SRB sep.[@NASASpaceflight](https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/ZnulMj2133](https://t.co/ZnulMj2133?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jay Keegan (@\_jaykeegan\_) [April 30, 2026](https://twitter.com/%5Fjaykeegan%5F/status/2049776442712400279?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Today's and previous groups are heading toward, or operating in, an orbital altitude of around 630 kilometers to prepare to provide internet services to customers. Following the deployment of further satellites, services from Leo are planned to be available later this year at speeds of [up to one gigabit per second](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/heres-your-first-look-at-project-kuipers-low-cost-customer-terminals?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), [something already demonstrated](https://x.com/ProjectKuiper/status/1963340129948283016?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). Following today's launch, Amazon now has 302 Leo satellites to provide space-based internet services in orbit through eleven launches. Back in early February, Arianespace joined [SpaceX](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-spacex-kf03/) and [United Launch Alliance](https://proximareport.com/articles/la06-amazon-ula/) in deploying satellite groups. Speaking on this and [sixteen further](https://newsroom.arianespace.com/arianespace-signs-unprecedented-contract-with-amazon-for-18-ariane-6-launches-to-deploy-project-kuiper-constellation?lang=eng&ref=proximareport.com) Leo launches, David Cavaillolès, Chief Executive Officer of Arianespace, [shared](https://newsroom.arianespace.com/arianespace-successfully-launches-another-32-amazon-leo-satellites-with-ariane-6/?lang=eng&ref=proximareport.com): > "This second launch for Amazon Leo marks another milestone in Ariane 6's ramp-up, demonstrating our ability to meet the growing needs of the constellation market and to deliver reliable, competitive solutions to our customers. We thank Amazon for its trust and remain fully mobilised to ensure the success of this partnership." As soon [as May 22nd](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/project-kuiper-satellite-rocket-launch-progress-updates?ref=proximareport.com), 29 more Leo satellites will head for space via United Launch Alliance's Atlas V. Not too long after that, another Ariane 6 will be carrying over 32 satellites. Deployments [via Falcon 9](https://spacenews.com/amazon-buys-10-more-falcon-9-launches/?ref=proximareport.com) may also occur soon. ### Amazon bolsters Leo capabilities In an effort to become more competitive against SpaceX's Starlink, Eutelsat's OneWeb, Shanghai's SpaceSail, and China's GuoWang, Amazon [announced on April 14th](https://press.aboutamazon.com/2026/4/amazon-to-acquire-globalstar-and-expand-amazon-leo-satellite-network?ref=proximareport.com) that they intend to acquire Globalstar and its fleet of 88 satellites in Earth orbit as part of a move into mobile direct-to-device services. Amazon's rationale for the acquisition was, according to Senior Vice President of Devices and Services Panos Panay, as follows: > "There are billions of customers out there living, traveling, and operating in places beyond the reach of existing networks, and we started Amazon Leo to help bridge that divide. By combining Globalstar’s proven expertise and strong foundation with Amazon’s customer-obsession and innovation, customers can expect faster, more reliable service in more places—keeping them connected to the people and things that matter most." The acquisition is valued at [around 11.57 billion](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/14/amazon-globalstar-satellite-leo-internet.html?ref=proximareport.com) United States Dollars and is expected to be complete in 2027. Looking a few years into the future after the acquisition, Amazon plans to include direct-to-device systems onboard Leo satellites with higher throughput and improved capabilities compared to those of Globalstar. Alongside aiming for mobile services, airline users are also being sought. On April 13th, [the company revealed](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/amazon-leo/amazon-leo-aviation-antenna-gigabit-wifi?ref=proximareport.com) Leo's 'Aviation Antenna' for use across several aircraft. That antenna is planned to provide 1 gigabit download and 400 megabit upload for airborne users. Two weeks before the announcement, [Delta reached an agreement](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/amazon-leo/amazon-leo-delta-in-flight-wifi-2028?ref=proximareport.com) with Amazon to introduce Leo services to five hundred aircraft initially in 2028\. Meanwhile, JetBlue plans to use the space-based internet for free in-flight connectivity [starting in 2027](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/jetblue-amazon-project-kuiper-in-flight-wifi-partnership?ref=proximareport.com). --- ## What is Ariane 6? Ariane 6 is ArianeGroup's latest launch vehicle in the Ariane family of rockets. ArianeGroup has been manufacturing and marketing the Ariane launch vehicles on behalf of the European Space Agency since Ariane 4\. Two versions of the Ariane 6 rocket are available, Ariane 62 and Ariane 64. These two versions share the first and second stages. The first stage of Ariane 6 burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in a single Vulcain 2.1 engine, producing 139 tons of thrust. The second stage of Ariane 6 also burns liquid hydrogen and oxygen, but in a single Vinci engine that generates 18 tons of thrust. Each of the solid rocket boosters burns a mixture of aluminum and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene to produce 474 tons of thrust each. This allows Ariane 62 to generate 1088 tons of thrust at liftoff, while Ariane 64 can generate 2036 tons of thrust. ![Ariane 6 prepared for launch at the Guiana Space Centre in late April 2026. ©Arianespace/Centre national d'études spatiales](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/HHIOE5kXUAElV2a-1.jpg) Ariane 6 prepared for launch at the Guiana Space Centre in late April 2026\. ©Arianespace/Centre national d'études spatiales ### Ariane 62 Ariane 62 is the cheaper of the two configurations because it opts to use two solid rocket boosters. The lift capacity of Ariane 62 is as follows: 10,350 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 7,200 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, 4,500 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, or 3,500 kilograms to a lunar transfer orbit. On the launch pad, Ariane 62 weighs approximately 530,000 kilograms with a first-stage, second-stage, and faring diameter of 5.4 meters. Ariane 62 stands 56 meters tall ahead of launch. ### Ariane 64 Ariane 64 is the more capable of the two configurations due to its utilization of four solid rocket boosters. The lift Capacity of Ariane 64 is as follows: 21,650 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 15,500 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, 11,500 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, 8,600 kilograms to a lunar transfer orbit, or 5,000 kilograms to geostationary orbit. On the launch pad, Ariane 62 weighs approximately 860,000 kilograms with a first-stage, second-stage, and faring diameter of 5.4 meters, exactly the same as Ariane 62\. Ariane 64 is eight meters taller than Ariane 62 and is 62 meters tall ahead of launch. ### Falcon Heavy Returns Carrying Third ViaSat-3 Communications Satellite URL: https://proximareport.com/falcon-heavy-viasat3-return/ Last updated: 2026-04-30T02:49:18.000Z Having waited [over eighteen months](https://proximareport.com/articles/europa-clipper-launch/) for another payload, Falcon Heavy carried a new communications satellite on behalf of Viasat yesterday to expand its geostationary constellation. On April 29th at 14:13 pm Universal Coordinated Time, from Launch Complex 39A in Florida, Falcon Heavy headed skyward carrying the ViaSat-3 F3 'Asia-Pacific' communications satellite towards geostationary space. All three of its boosters ran for the planned durations, followed by the startup of the second-stage. After supporting the launch for around two and a half minutes, the two side boosters separated and burned for a return to Florida, targeting Landing Zone 2 and Landing Zone 40\. Almost eight minutes following liftoff, both boosters successfully relit for a soft touchdown a few seconds apart, but a few kilometers away from each other for the first time. > Falcon Heavy’s side boosters have landed on LZ-2 and LZ-40! [pic.twitter.com/aVRh7OCiLX](https://t.co/aVRh7OCiLX?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [April 29, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2049494548275920926?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Those boosters, B1072 and B075, were [both being reused](https://www.spacex.com/launches/viasat3f3?ref=proximareport.com). B1072 was flying for the second time, having previously supported the launch of [GOES-U in June 2024](https://proximareport.com/articles/falcon-heavy-launches-goes-u/), while B1075 flew for the twenty-second time, having launched SDA-0A, SARah-2, Transporter-11, and eighteen Starlink missions before its conversion to a side booster. Meanwhile the central booster, B1098, was purpose-built for this flight and expended. While two boosters returned to Earth, the second-stage continued the mission. Twenty-six minutes after liftoff a second burn of the stage was performed for ninety seconds, sending it towards geostationary space. Then almost five hours after departing Florida, the second-stage burned for a third time to raise the lowest point in its orbit into geostationary space. Following that, ViaSat-3 F3 'Asia-Pacific' was released into space, with [signals picked up](https://www.viasat.com/news/latest-news/corporate/2026/viasat-confirms-successful-launch-and-initial-signal-acquisition/?ref=proximareport.com) not long after. > ViaSat-3 F3 has separated and is now on its way to geostationary orbit. [https://t.co/HKpv5MfkHC](https://t.co/HKpv5MfkHC?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/bOCgKsanOK](https://t.co/bOCgKsanOK?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Viasat (@viasat) [April 29, 2026](https://twitter.com/viasat/status/2049569255750881333?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### Third and final ViaSat-3 deployed, for now Built upon Boeing's BSS-702MP+ spacecraft bus, F3 'Asia-Pacific' is the third [ViaSat-3](https://www.viasat.com/about/technology/satellite-fleet/viasat-3/?ref=proximareport.com) communications satellite launched, massing about 6,400 kilograms. Two giant solar panel arrays generate 25 kilowatts of energy to power the satellite's systems, including its electric propulsion. The largest part of the satellite, neatly stowed during launch and key to its services, is a massive communications reflector dish used to beam and receive Ka-band frequency signals. ![ViaSat-3 F3 'Asia-Pacific' during production, installation, and testing of its various systems. ©Boeing](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/SEF25-04070-013_edit-1.jpg) ViaSat-3 F3 'Asia-Pacific' during production, installation, and testing of its various systems. ©Boeing Once commissioned, the satellite will join F2 'Europe-Middle East-Africa' and F1 'Americas' in providing terabit-per-second connectivity from geostationary space for the next fifteen years. The three satellites are effectively identical, however, F1 'Americas' suffered from a limited deployment of its reflector [in July 2023](https://www.viasat.com/news/latest-news/corporate/2023/viasat-provides-status-update-on-viasat-3-americas-satellite/?ref=proximareport.com), requiring a [reduction in planned services](https://spacenews.com/viasat-preparing-to-start-services-from-hobbled-viasat-3-satellite/?ref=proximareport.com) after reaching a peak connection speed of 300 megabits. Due to the deployment issue, the two satellites presently working in geostationary space are swapping coverage areas, which they were named after. Speaking on the capabilities and services of F3 'Asia-Pacific', Viasat's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mark Dankberg [shared](https://www.viasat.com/news/latest-news/corporate/2026/viasat-confirms-successful-launch-and-initial-signal-acquisition/?ref=proximareport.com): > "ViaSat-3 F3 will provide greater resilience for government and commercial mobility users, leveraging powerful beamforming capabilities to quickly deliver bandwidth in and around geopolitical and other hot spots. As we look forward, our ViaSat-3 satellites will significantly scale our overall network’s performance, strengthening our ability to deliver the capacity for key growth initiatives globally." Viasat has an option open for [a fourth](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc%5Fsdat/viasat-3.htm?ref=proximareport.com) satellite, believed to have been known as F4 'Australia-New Zealand', as a spare for the three-satellite constellation or to meet future service demand. The option for a spare was not chosen after issues with F1 'Americas'. Elsewhere in geostationary space and Earth orbit, Viasat continues to [operate dozens](https://www.viasat.com/about/technology/satellite-fleet/?ref=proximareport.com) of satellites across the Ka, S, and L-band frequencies for global users. ![A render of ViaSat-3 F3 'Asia-Pacific' in geostationary space with its systems deployed. ©Viasat](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/VS3-F3-Render-APAC-1920x1080-11606902963-001-1.jpg) A render of ViaSat-3 F3 'Asia-Pacific' in geostationary space with its systems deployed. ©Viasat ### More Falcon Heavy's set for flight Back in October 2024, Falcon Heavy threw NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft towards Jupiter, and since then, the launch vehicle had to wait until today for the opportunity to fly again. Luckily, the remainder of 2026 has the vehicle set to fly at least two more times. Missions requiring Falcon Heavy are: - NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope [around September](https://spacenews.com/nasa-sets-early-september-launch-date-for-roman-space-telescope/?ref=proximareport.com). - Astrobotic's first lunar landing for its Griffin spacecraft in the [second half of the year](https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/10/28/astrobotic-delays-griffin-1-moon-mission-to-net-july-2026/?ref=proximareport.com). - A possible spacecraft deployment for the U.S. Space Force. - And a second mission for Astrobotic's Griffin, dependent on the first's outcome. --- ### What is Falcon Heavy? Falcon Heavy is the super-heavy lift variant of SpaceX's highly reliable Falcon-9 rocket. Like the single-core Falcon 9, it is also partially reusable. SpaceX [claims](https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/falcon-heavy/?ref=proximareport.com) that Falcon Heavy can send up to 63,800 kilograms to low Earth orbit and 26,700 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit when fully expended, or 8,000 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit when all three cores are reused. ![Falcon Heavy stood at Launch Complex 39A in late April ahead of the launch of ViaSat F3 'Asia-Pacific'. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/HG4HW1RboAAC_PK-1.jpg) Falcon Heavy stood at Launch Complex 39A in late April ahead of the launch of ViaSat F3 'Asia-Pacific'. ©SpaceX Falcon Heavy's boosters, first, and second stages are powered by SpaceX's Merlin 1D engines, burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The two boosters, each equipped with nine engines, generate a combined thrust of 1,542 tons. The first-stage also utilizes nine engines, producing 771 tons of thrust, and with its two boosters it has a maximum thrust of 2,313 tons. Meanwhile, the second-stage is powered by a single Merlin 1D vacuum engine generating 95 tons of thrust. For recovery, each booster, and sometimes the first stage, has four grid fins and four landing legs. The boosters either land vertically on a drone ship or on a landing pad back at its launch site. Landing back at the launch site causes a reduction in payload capacity. On the pad, the rocket is 70 meters tall with the first and second stages 3.7 meters in diameter as well as the boosters. With the booster attached the rocket has a width of 12.2 meters. The fairing is 5.2 meters in diameter and tapers out from the top of the second-stage. Fully fuelled Falcon Heavy weighs approximately 1,420,000 kilograms. ### Amazon Leo's Tenth Group Deployed to Conclude First Year of Launches URL: https://proximareport.com/la06-amazon-ula/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T19:00:07.000Z Several hours early of being exactly a year on from [its first deployment](https://proximareport.com/articles/kuiper-blasts-off-atop-atlas/), Amazon's Leo space-based internet constellation had its tenth group of satellites blasting off at 00:53 am Universal Coordinated Time. Off of Florida's Space Launch Complex 41, United Launch Alliance's Atlas V [soared into low Earth orbit](https://www.ulalaunch.com/missions/next-launch/atlas-v-amazon-leo-6?ref=proximareport.com) via the thrust of its RD-180 engine and five solid rocket boosters, to bring 29 Leo satellites from Amazon into low Earth orbit. Following an approximately eighteen-minute flight into orbit, the group of satellites was released from the Centaur upper-stage in a process that took just over sixteen minutes. This was Altas V's [second time](https://proximareport.com/articles/la05-amazon-ula/) delivering 29 Leo satellites, having previously carried 27 per mission four times, and Amazon's [sixth group](https://newsroom.ulalaunch.com/releases/united-launch-alliance-expands-global-connectivity-with-successful-amazon-launch?ref=proximareport.com) delivered via United Launch Alliance. > LIFTOFF of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket and the next satellites for [@AmazonLeo](https://twitter.com/Amazonleo?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) to enhance broadband access and connect the world! [https://t.co/V4hH74tkhn](https://t.co/V4hH74tkhn?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/XYEVd3kjF6](https://t.co/XYEVd3kjF6?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ULA (@ulalaunch) [April 28, 2026](https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/2048933122025152750?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) With today's launch, Amazon now has 270 Leo satellites to provide space-based internet services in orbit through ten launches. In 2025, seven launches took place [via SpaceX's Falcon 9](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-spacex-kf03/) [alongside Atlas V](https://proximareport.com/articles/la04-ula-amazon/). Two months ago, Europe joined in deploying Leo satellite groups with [an Ariane 6 flight](https://proximareport.com/articles/ariane-64-amazon-le01/). This and previous groups are heading toward, or operating in, an orbital altitude of around 630 kilometers to prepare to provide internet services to customers. Following the deployment of further satellites, services from Leo are planned to be available later this year at speeds of [up to one gigabit per second](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/heres-your-first-look-at-project-kuipers-low-cost-customer-terminals?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), [something already demonstrated](https://x.com/ProjectKuiper/status/1963340129948283016?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). Back at the start of the year, Amazon [sought a two-year extension](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/30/amazon-asks-fcc-to-extend-satellite-limit-as-it-buys-more-spacex-rides.html?ref=proximareport.com) with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to launch half of the Leo constellation. That extension would move the deployment requirement of over 1,300 more satellites from July 2026 to July 2028\. At present, it is still being considered. Related to meeting deployment deadlines, Chris Weber, Vice President of Leo Business and Product, shared during United Launch Alliance's [mission broadcast](https://www.youtube.com/live/FYTMd1XYguo?si=vz-rG4E6W-2XJtxM&ref=proximareport.com) that a handful of launches' worth of satellites are ready to fly; > "We have hundreds of satellites coming off of the line. In fact, we've had to buy more storage facilities to store all the satellites. ... We already have the next six launches fully locked and loaded, ready for the launch providers to \[bring\] into orbit. ... We expected to double our launches over the next twelve months \[from eleven in the past year\]." Later this week, on April 30th, the eleventh group of Leo satellites will venture into low Earth orbit [atop of Ariane 6](https://newsroom.arianespace.com/ariane-6-flight-va268/?lang=eng&ref=proximareport.com), flying from French Guiana in South America. That launch is planned to deploy 32 satellites. ### Leo looks to Africa Back in February, Amazon announced that it is [partnering with Vanu](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/amazon-leo/amazon-leo-vanu-satellite-internet-connectivity-africa?ref=proximareport.com) to bring Leo's internet services to Africa, aiming to connect hundreds of millions of people who currently aren't. By partnering with Vanu, the constellation can utilize the company's existing networking equipment and services to fulfil that aim. Speaking on why the two company's joined their efforts, Chief Executive Officer of Vanu Andrew Beard stated: > "We can use the Amazon Leo constellation to provide connectivity anywhere, certainly anywhere in Africa and subsequently anywhere in the world. With Amazon Leo, we can advance our timelines. Leo improves the quality of the connection, provides a faster connection, lowers the cost, simplifies installation, and makes it feasible to provide service virtually anywhere." Citing [a November 2025 Access Partnership report](https://accesspartnership.com/reports/unlocking-growth-in-the-sadc-harnessing-the-potential-of-non-geostationary-satellite-orbit-systems/?ref=proximareport.com), Amazon believes it can support an unlocking of tens of billions in economic benefits and cost savings, compared to terrestrial services and its related infrastructure. --- ### What is Atlas V? Atlas V is United Launch Alliance's oldest two-stage rocket in service. The rocket is currently planned to be [replaced by Vulcan](https://proximareport.com/articles/vulcan-second-certification-flight?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) when it retires before 2030. The first-stage is powered by a single RD-180 generating 390 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen for four minutes and thirteen seconds. The RD-180 is manufactured by NPO Energomash in Russia. The Centaur upper-stage is powered by either one or two RL-10 engines generating 10 tons of thrust each while burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for up to fourteen minutes and two seconds. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies Company, manufactures the RL-10 engines. Atlas V can also launch with between zero and five GEM-63 solid rocket motors to augment the rocket's thrust and payload capability. Each booster burns a solid propellant, consisting of Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and Aluminum-Ammonium perchlorate, generating 169 tons of thrust each for a believed one minute and thirty-four seconds. Northrop Grumman manufactures the solid rocket boosters for use with United Launch Alliance. Atlas V also has eleven different configurations with the following payload capacities: up to 18,814 kilograms to low Earth orbit, up to 8,900 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, or up to 3,850 kilograms to geostationary orbit. ![Atlas V during transportation to Space Launch Complex 41 from its Vertical Integration Facility in late April 2026. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/HG7-Y5FWgAAGB86-1.jpg) Atlas V during transportation to Space Launch Complex 41 from its Vertical Integration Facility in late April 2026\. ©United Launch Alliance ### Weekly Dose of Space (19/4-25/4) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-19-4-25-4/ Last updated: 2026-04-26T17:02:51.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had ten launches occurring worldwide, with one of them sadly failing. News during the week has NASA likely to have its funding cuts rejected, while two astronaut candidates have been chosen between Pakistan and China. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ### *April 19th - New Glenn with a single BlueBird Block 2 satellite* Blue Origin launched its New Glenn rocket for [the third time](https://proximareport.com/articles/blue-origin-ng3/) off of Launch Complex 36 in Florida, aiming for low Earth orbit with a single BlueBird mobile connectivity satellite onboard. Later into the flight, one of the second-stages engines produced insufficient thrust, leading to the rocket reaching the wrong orbit. Meanwhile, booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds' landed downrange on the 'Jacklyn' droneship. ### *April 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-22* A Falcon 9 flew from Space Launch Complex 4E in California, delivering twenty-five Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Booster B1097 supported this launch for its eighth flight, landing downrange on the droneship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 17-22 mission on April 19th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/HGSRZvIbAAAVa_n-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 17-22 mission on April 19th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *April 21st - Falcon 9 with GPS-III SV10* On behalf of the U.S. military, SpaceX used Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, to send the GPS-III SV10 spacecraft into medium Earth orbit to improve position, navigation, and timing services. Supporting this mission was booster B1095, flying for the seventh time and landing on the droneship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange for the final time. ![Falcon 9 departing Space Launch Complex 40 with GPS-III SV10 on April 21st 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/HGav6XjWkAADiwt.jpg) Falcon 9 departing Space Launch Complex 40 with GPS-III SV10 on April 21st 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *April 22nd - Electron for 'Bubbles'* Rocket Lab's Electron flew in its suborbital HASTE (Hypersonic accelerator suborbital test electron) configuration from Wallops Island, Virginia, on behalf of an unknown customer. ### *April 23rd - Electron for 'Kakushin Rising'* Electron carried eight Japanese CubeSats into sun-synchronous orbit from Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, to test new systems and technologies. Satellites delivered were: - WASEDA-SAT-ZERO-II, for proving 3D printed satellites and membrane surface experiments. - FSI-SAT2, to test a low-cost multi-spectral camera and on-board data processing system. - OrigamiSat-2, for demonstrating a high-gain antenna technology for small satellites. - Mono-Nikko, to test an intelligent power supply unit that can acquire status data of batteries installed. - ARICA-2, for demonstrating a real-time alert system of sudden astronomical phenomena. - PRELUDE, to acquire VLF band signals affected by ionospheric fluctuations. - MAGNARO-II, to demonstrate small satellite formation flight after it splits into two independent vehicles. - KOSEN-2R, for proving a deployable Yagi-style directional antenna to study the ocean floor. > Here is another camera angle. [pic.twitter.com/GSfl8lQEWT](https://t.co/GSfl8lQEWT?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Peter Beck (@Peter\_J\_Beck) [April 23, 2026](https://twitter.com/Peter%5FJ%5FBeck/status/2047177182628511783?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *April 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-14* Twenty-four more Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 4E. Booster B1100 supported this launch for its fifth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-14 mission on April 23rd 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/HGkUIxVXEAAS_Db-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-14 mission on April 23rd 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *April 23rd - Angara 1.2 with four Cosmos satellites* From the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, an Angara 1.2 flew towards sun-synchronous orbit carrying four payloads of unknown use and purpose. > Video of today's Angara-1.2 launch from Plesetsk cosmodrome > > The launch is reported as successful, military payloads were deployed into planned orbits [https://t.co/KJ9FXxZodY](https://t.co/KJ9FXxZodY?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/L5jkpDDodv](https://t.co/L5jkpDDodv?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [April 23, 2026](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2047292383142772873?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *April 24th - Long March 2D with four GuoWang test satellites* A Long March 2D lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center and carried four satellites into low Earth orbit. The satellites launched are expected to prove new systems and upgrades to China’s space-based connectivity mega-constellations, primarily GuoWang. ![The Long March 2D Y109 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on April 24th 2026.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/008iEnCggy1ichww4r8otj30u018yad6-1.jpg) The Long March 2D Y109 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on April 24th 2026. ### *April 25th - Long March 6 with PRSC-EO3* A Long March 6, rumoured to be the last, flew from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying Pakistan's PRSC-EO3 satellite into low Earth orbit. PRSC-EO3 is a remote sensing satellite that will be used for mapping, natural disaster monitoring and planning, agricultural support services, as well as the planning of urban developments. ![The Long March 6 Y15 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on April 25th 2026.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/008iEnCggy1icjbwvlut7j34tc30ie83-1.jpg) The Long March 6 Y15 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on April 25th 2026. ### *April 25th - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-34* Russia's Progress cargo resupply spacecraft was launched atop of a Soyuz 2.1a rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome to chase down the International Space Station. The spacecraft is carrying consumables for the crew and new experiments to the station. > Another successful Soyuz-2.1a launch! Progress MS-34 is now on its way to the ISS, docking is scheduled for April 28, 00:01 UTC. > > Key moments of the launch: > > 1\. Liftoff > 2\. 1st stage separation > 3\. 2nd stage separation > 4\. Separation of Progress MS-34 spacecraft from the 3rd stage [pic.twitter.com/RjCsaBOHhM](https://t.co/RjCsaBOHhM?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [April 25, 2026](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2048170599827096002?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ## **In Other Space News** ### *NASA funding expected to be restored, again* In an April 22nd hearing of the House Science Committee, where NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman was present, Republicans and Democrats voiced their disappointment in the [Trump Administration's planned funding](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-2027-nasa-cuts/) for NASA, which would be cut by almost a quarter. Members of the House Appropriations Committee’s Commerce, Justice, and Science subcommittee were also disapproving. In response, an appropriations effort to restore the funding is being [sought at an accelerated rate](https://spacenews.com/house-science-committee-pans-nasa-budget-request/?ref=proximareport.com), which took [several months last year](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-funding-2026/). Efforts to restore funding would also protect programs that the U.S. Congress deems important, possibly including the 'Block 1B' version of the Space Launch System rocket that Isaacman [is trying to cancel](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-changes-artemis-problems/). Previously, Jared Isaacman [voiced support](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-defends-trumps-cuts/) for Trump's second attempt at cutting NASA's budget. ### *Pakistani astronauts chosen for Tiangong visit* > The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) announces a landmark advancement in Pakistan’s Manned Space Mission Program as two Astronaut Candidates, Khurram Daud and Muhammad Zeeshan Ali are set to depart for the People’s Republic of China to begin advanced… [pic.twitter.com/Nfl5WBGOdO](https://t.co/Nfl5WBGOdO?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (@MoIB\_Official) [April 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/MoIB%5FOfficial/status/2046919885029048621?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [On April 22nd](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/final-two-pakistani-astronaut-candidates?ref=proximareport.com), the China Manned Space Agency and Pakistan's Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission shared that they had selected two astronaut candidates for training in China, ahead of one of them visiting the Tiangong Space Station later this year. The two candidates chosen were revealed to be Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud. Both men have served in Pakistan's armed forces, with few other details about them available, likely awaiting pre-launch press conferences. As for when they'll fly, it is expected that one of them will be a primary crew member for Shenzhou-24, with the other serving as a backup, during its launch in October or November. They will then return to Earth aboard Shenzhou-23, allowing a crew member from that mission to remain on the station for a full year. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *April 26th - Soyuz-5 for its debut flight* From the Baikonur Cosmodrome, the first Soyuz-5 rocket is expected to perform its debut mission, flying on a suborbital trajectory with a sizable mass simulator. ### *April 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-16* Twenty-five Starlink satellites are set to be launched into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *April 27th - Falcon Heavy with ViaSat-3 F3* SpaceX is set to use Falcon Heavy to place the ViaSat-3 F3 spacecraft into geostationary space, departing from Launch Complex 39A. ### *April 28th - Atlas V with LA-06* United Launch Alliance is preparing to deliver twenty-nine satellites into low Earth orbit to expand Amazon's Leo constellation for providing space-based internet. ### *April 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-36* Another twenty-four Starlink satellites are expected to head into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E atop another Falcon 9\. ### *April 30th - Ariane 6 with LE-02* Europe's Ariane 6 is set to bring thirty-two more satellites for Amazon's Leo constellation into low Earth orbit from the Guiana Space Centre, located in French Guiana in South America. ### *May 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-38* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites are going to be placed into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 departing Space Launch Complex 40\. ### Lunar Spacesuits from Axiom May Not Be Ready Until 2031 URL: https://proximareport.com/lunar-spacesuits-axiom-2031/ Last updated: 2026-04-22T17:42:08.000Z NASA's Office of Inspector General (OIG) released its latest report into the agency's Artemis program on April 20th, this time [focusing on the 'xEVAS' contract](https://oig.nasa.gov/audits/nasas-acquisition-of-next-generation-spacesuit-services/?ref=proximareport.com) to build spacesuits. That contract is currently only being fulfilled by Axiom Space after Collins Aerospace [pulled out in June 2024](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2024/06/26/nasa-collins-xevas-update/?ref=proximareport.com). The report outlined that NASA has been too demanding in contract requirements, requiring bidders to have their suits usable in the low Earth orbit and lunar environments, while being overly optimistic in its timelines for when spacesuits will be ready for demonstrative use by astronauts on the lunar surface and those working outside of the International Space Station. As such, the OIG determined: > "\[If\] Axiom experiences design and testing delays in line with the historical average for recent space flight programs, the Artemis and ISS demonstrations may not occur until 2031." What led them to that conclusion were delays and failure to hit development milestones on time, as well as supply chain risks. Axiom was said to have brought many components in-house while partnering with other entities for the spacesuits consumables, communications, and materials. So far, Axiom has revealed the overall design of its spacesuit in [March 2023](https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/spacesuit-for-nasas-artemis-iii-moon-surface-mission-debuts/?ref=proximareport.com), tested small select parts by [April 2025](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/artemis-3/nasa-tests-key-spacesuit-parts-inside-this-icy-chamber/?ref=proximareport.com), and then tested with people [by February 2026](https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/nasa-moon-mission-spacesuit-nears-milestone/?ref=proximareport.com) in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. The company was meant to be ready for demonstrations on the Moon and outside of the International Space Station before the end of 2026. The OIG was also critical of the contract type NASA chose for 'xEVAS' and spacesuit use into the future, adding: > "\[In\] this case, the firm-fixed-price contract approach conflicted with the developmental nature of next-generation spacesuits, which carry higher levels of technical, financial, and schedule risk. Further, NASA’s attempt to replicate other space flight service-based acquisitions by “renting” spacewalking services from a provider was risky because there was no commercial market for spacesuits prior to the xEVAS effort." While covering contract financing, the OIG did not mention Axion Space's poistion at large. By [performing missions](https://www.axiomspace.com/missions?ref=proximareport.com) to the International Space Station, developing its [own space station](https://www.axiomspace.com/axiom-station?ref=proximareport.com), and the 'xEVAS' suits, the company was reportedly on poor [financial footing in September 2024](https://www.theregister.com/2024/09/23/axiom%5Fspace%5Ffinances/?ref=proximareport.com). Two months ago, the company performed its [newest funding raise](https://www.satellitetoday.com/finance/2026/02/13/axiom-space-raises-350m-in-a-mix-of-equity-and-debt/?ref=proximareport.com), gaining 350 million United States Dollars, via a mixture of equity and debt capital. Before NASA awarded spacesuit contracts to Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace, the space agency was developing its own spacesuits in-house, known as 'xEMU', that it would not have to buy as a service. Efforts for those spacesuits were pivoted towards Axiom and Collins [in May 2022](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/axiom-collins-win-nasa-spacesuit-awards/?ref=proximareport.com) after the OIG found, [in August 2021](https://spacenews.com/lunar-spacesuits-wont-be-ready-in-time-for-2024-landing/?ref=proximareport.com), that two 'xEMU' suits would not be ready for a lunar landing in 2024, which obviously never happened, after a billion United States Dollars spent on development. The new 'xEVAS' contracts to Axiom and Collins were jointly valued at 3.5 billion United States Dollars back in 2022. ### Spacesuits aren't the only possible delay Elsewhere, NASA's Artemis program is also facing delays. Last month the OIG also released a report on the contracted SpaceX and Blue Origin Human Landing Systems, which will bring astronauts to and from the surface. [That report found](https://proximareport.com/articles/issues-present-us-landers/) that both systems are behind schedule, are yet to conduct several enabling technical demonstrations, including in-space refueling, and suffer from limited maturity. The OIG expects that both SpaceX and Blue Origin will be ready closer to 2030, rather than NASA's [aim of 2028](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/). Luckily, some key parts of the program have been proven to work in recent weeks, namely the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft, which sent astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen [around the Moon](https://proximareport.com/articles/artemis-ii-moon-distance/) between [April 1st](https://proximareport.com/articles/artemis-ii-launched/) [and 10th](https://proximareport.com/articles/artemis-earth-historic-lunar/) for the Artemis II mission. In an initial [post-mission assessment](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/nasa-on-track-for-future-missions-with-initial-artemis-ii-assessments/?ref=proximareport.com), NASA found that both the spacecraft and rocket worked as expected. Once all parts of the Artemis program work, NASA's current Administrator, Jared Isaacman, [wants to build a crewed base](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-moon-base-change/) on the Moon, utilizing the previously mentioned systems and the American space agency's [mostly-failing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial%5FLunar%5FPayload%5FServices?ref=proximareport.com#Missions%5Fcontracted) Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. That plan comes in the wake of the Trump Administration [wanting to cut a quarter](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-2027-nasa-cuts/) of NASA's budget, which [Isaacman supports](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-defends-trumps-cuts/). ### Weekly Dose of Space (12/4-18/4) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-12-4-18-4/ Last updated: 2026-04-19T20:21:40.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw five launches globally, with all but one deploying multiple satellites. News from the week has the Shenzhou-21 mission being extended following a third spacewalk and Rocket Lab unveiling a new spacecraft component. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *April 14th - Kinetica-1 with eight Jilin-1 satellites* CAS Space's Kinetica-1 rocket blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, heading into sun-synchronous orbit with eight Jilin-1 remote sensing satellites for Changguang Satellite Technology Co Ltd. Those satellites will expand the Jilin-1 constellation for Earth imaging, while also incorporating new technology for non-Earth imagery taskings. ![CAS Space's Kinetica-1 Y12 vehicle blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on April 14th 2026.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/008pUyAHly1ic68reinq6j33e41wpqv6.jpg) CAS Space's Kinetica-1 Y12 vehicle blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on April 14th 2026. ### *April 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-24* From Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida, a Falcon 9 flew into low Earth orbit carrying twenty-nine Starlink satellites. Supporting this launch was booster B1080, flying for the twenty-sixth time and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-24 mission on April 14th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/HF3Fg3IWAAAsd4w-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-24 mission on April 14th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *April 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-27* Another Falcon 9 flew into low Earth orbit, this time from Space Launch Complex 4E in California, carrying twenty-five more Starlink satellites. Booster B1082 supported this launch for its twenty-first flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. > Falcon 9 launches 25 [@Starlink](https://twitter.com/Starlink?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) satellites from California [pic.twitter.com/pQzorVl1PH](https://t.co/pQzorVl1PH?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [April 15, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2044294385198571761?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *April 17th - Soyuz 2.1b with a Cosmos spacecraft(s)* Out of the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, a Soyuz 2.1b flew into sun-synchronous orbit carrying [up to five](https://bsky.app/profile/tskelso.bsky.social/post/3mjpzeoibqs2p?ref=proximareport.com) Cosmos spacecraft with unknown purposes. > Video of tonight's Soyuz-2.1b launch from Plesetsk cosmodrome, carrying military payloads > > Ministry of Defense reported the launch as successful, cofirming separation of payloads in orbit. The launch took place at 02:17 Moscow Time. > > Now waiting for the Angara-1.2 launch. [https://t.co/FP8zxfD73M](https://t.co/FP8zxfD73M?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/56gRXentpi](https://t.co/56gRXentpi?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [April 17, 2026](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2045028596620652965?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *April 17th - Long March 4C with Daqi-2* A Long March 4C flew from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, delivering the Daqi-2 satellite into sun-synchronous orbit. Daqi-2 is tasked with measuring and monitoring gases that warm Earth’s atmosphere until 2033\. ![The Long March 4C Y41 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on April 17th 2026.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/HGFgJsoakAAvnDp-1.jpg) The Long March 4C Y41 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on April 17th 2026. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Shenzhou-21 crew perform third spacewalk, extend mission* > 🌏🌌🛰️👨‍🚀👨‍🚀 #Shenzhou21 crew just wrapped up an incredible 5.5-hour spacewalk. Working in perfect sync with the robotic arm & ground team, Zhang Lu, Wu Fei & Zhang Hongzhang installed crucial debris shields and inspected external systems. This was their third EVA. > > — [China Space Watch (@chinaspace.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:jx5rg7t7ezwxmsq5ygitxyu4?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) [2026-04-17T15:20:14.255Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:jx5rg7t7ezwxmsq5ygitxyu4/post/3mjp7y7dews2y?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) Zhang Lu and Wu Fei exited the Tiangong Space Station through the Wentian module's airlock on [April 16th for their third spacewalk](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-21-mission-being-extended?ref=proximareport.com) during the Shenzhou-21 mission, with Zhang Hongzhang remaining inside to support them. The two spacewalkers were outside for around five and a half hours to complete their activities. Those activities were the inspection of the stations Tianhe, Wentian, and Mengtian modules for damage and other anomalies. The primary purpose of their spacewalk were to install space debris protection devices onto the Mengtian modules' vulnerable areas. With this spacewalk, Zhang Lu has performed a total of seven, setting a new record for China's human spaceflight program, with a total cumulative time outside of about forty-seven and a half hours. Wu Fei was performing his third career spacewalk, bringing his total time outside the space station to around twenty hours. After the spacewalk concluded, the China Manned Space Agency announced that the three taikonauts will be remaining onboard Tiangong until early June at the latest, thanks to additional supplies brought up by the uncrewed Shenzhou-22 spacecraft. The launch of the Shenzhou-23 mission is also expected to have been pushed back. ### *Rocket Lab unveils electric spacecraft thruster* Rocket Lab, known for its electric turbopump Rutherford engines powering its Electron rocket, unveiled its [latest spacecraft product on April 14th](https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/rocket-lab-unveils-new-electric-propulsion-satellite-thruster-to-meet-constellation-demand/?ref=proximareport.com) with its 'Gauss' electric propulsion system. 'Gauss', named after the astronomer and physicist Carl Friedrich Gauss, is a Hall effect thruster wholly designed by Rocket Lab to meet a gap in market demand and lacking volume in the industry for spacecraft operators. The company plans to produce two hundred 'Gauss' systems per year and provide them to customers and for their own missions. Regarding why Rocket Lab didn't acquire an existing electric propulsion system manufacturer, Shaun O’Donnell, Chief Engineer of Special Projects, shared: > "When we identify a supply chain constraint affecting our customers and indeed the wider global space industry, we often look to acquire existing technologies that are high-performing but have struggled to scale production. We explored this as an option for Gauss but ultimately determined we could build the best, high-performance product in house and scale it to meet industry needs ourselves." ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *April 19th - New Glenn with a single BlueBird Block 2 satellite* Blue Origin is preparing to fly its New Glenn rocket for the third time, carrying a single satellite for AST SpaceMobile, while reusing its booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds'. ### *April 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-22* Twenty-five more Starlink satellites are set to be placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *April 20th - Falcon 9 with GPS-III SV10* A Falcon 9 is set to fly towards a medium Earth orbit with the U.S. Space Force's latest GPS-III navigation satellite for military and civil users. ### *April 22nd - Electron for 'Bubbles'* Rocket Lab is expected to launch its Electron rocket on a sub-orbital trajectory from Launch Complex 2, in Wallops, Virginia, for a currently unknown customer. ### *April 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-14* Another Falcon 9 is set to carry twenty-five more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *April 23rd - Electron for 'Kakushin Rising'* Electron is preparing to fly from Launch Complex 1, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, and into sun-synchronous orbit to deliver eight Japanese CubeSats as part of a rideshare mission. ### *April 25th - South Korean Satellite Launch Vehicle for its second flight* South Korea is set to perform the second orbital launch of its 'GYUB' solid-propellant rocket from a floating platform near Jeju Island, flying with all three stages for the first time and possibly carrying a payload. ### *April 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-16* Yet another Falcon 9 is set to fly from Space Launch Complex 4E and into low Earth orbit, carrying twenty-five Starlink satellites. ### *April 25th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-34* Russia is preparing to launch a Progress spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome to the International Space Station for the delivery of consumables for the crew as well as new experiments. ### New Glenn Successfully Reuses First-Stage, Deviates in Orbit During Third Mission URL: https://proximareport.com/blue-origin-ng3/ Last updated: 2026-04-19T18:11:26.000Z Blue Origin has launched its third New Glenn mission, reusing first-stage booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds', but underperforming on customer satellite delivery. From Launch Complex 36 in Florida, New Glenn ascended toward space just after sunrise under the power of its seven BE-4 engines. Those engines powered the rocket for three minutes, releasing the second-stage just shy of the Kármán line. > [pic.twitter.com/BMAUIwF5jk](https://t.co/BMAUIwF5jk?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Dave Limp (@davill) [April 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/davill/status/2045899420487623009?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) After a beautiful sunrise ascent of the first-stage, powered by seven [new BE-4 engines](https://x.com/davill/status/2043785791894368479?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds' descended back towards Earth and aiming for the 'Jacklyn' droneship placed downrange. Just over nine minutes into flight, three BE-4 engines reignited for the first-stages landing burn, shedding most of its speed and then dropping down to one for an incredible second landing, for both [the booster](https://proximareport.com/articles/new-glenn-sails-florida/) and Blue Origin. > [pic.twitter.com/0WzaWjjjL9](https://t.co/0WzaWjjjL9?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) [April 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/2045874068763632017?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) With the landing completed, Blue Origin ended its livestream of the mission without showing views of the second-stgage. While views of it were not present, New Glenn's second-stage was deviating from its established flight plan. A few hours after liftoff Blue Origin took to social media [to share](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/2045860091920896043?s=20&ref=proximareport.com): > "We have confirmed payload separation. AST SpaceMobile has confirmed the satellite has powered on. The payload was placed into an off-nominal orbit." Outside of the company, the United States Space Force [tracked](https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3mjue7gcr7s2p?ref=proximareport.com) the second-stage to a 154 by 494 kilometer 36.1 degree low Earth orbit, [far off of targets](https://www.blueorigin.com/missions/ng-3?ref=proximareport.com) for a circular 460 kilometer 49.4 degree orbit. Due to that, the sole satellite being launched today will not enter operation and [will be deorbited](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260419512905/en/AST-SpaceMobile-Addresses-Todays-Orbital-Launch-of-BlueBird-7-on-the-New-Glenn-Launch-Vehicle?ref=proximareport.com). As for what New Glenn was meant to deliver its target orbit, it was a BlueBird Block-2 satellite from AST SpaceMobile. That satellite is planned to be part of a constellation that will provide space-based mobile broadband via each spacecraft's 2,400-square-foot (222.96 square meter) communications array. --- ### What is New Glenn? New Glenn is Blue Origin's partially reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle. The rocket currently flies solely from Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, located in Florida. The payload capacity of New Glenn, when recovering the booster downrange, is stated to be: - 45,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit - 13,600 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit - 7,000 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory ![New Glenn stood at Launch Complex 36 the day before its third launch. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/HF0WZ_WasAE06Kf-1.jpg) New Glenn stood at Launch Complex 36 the day before its third launch. ©Blue Origin The first-stage is powered by seven [BE-4 engines](https://cosmicnxws.com/be-4?ref=proximareport.com) burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen to generate 1,746 tons of thrust. The second-stage uses two BE-3U engines burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to generate 145 tons of thrust. For recovery, New Glenn utilizes four fins located near the top of the booster, to control the boosters' descent when unpowered, and six landing legs that are stowed at the bottom of the booster during flight. It is currently expected that Blue Origin only plans to land the first-stage booster downrange on a drone ship. On the launch pad, the rocket is 98 meters tall and 7 meters in diameter, Blue Origin has not yet said how much the launch vehicle weighs fully fuelled. ### SpaceX Nearing First Flight of 'Block 3' Starship-Super Heavy URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-flight-twelve-lead-up/ Last updated: 2026-04-17T20:43:11.000Z Six months ago, SpaceX [flew its final 'Block 2' Starship-Super Heavy](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-eleven/) launch vehicle, concluding test flights in 2025 with two successes in five attempts and another year passed without reaching orbit. This year, it is hoped that the vehicle will make major progress for [several](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-ipo-cost-mars/) [stakeholders](https://proximareport.com/articles/musk-spacex-moon-over-mars/), including NASA to enable [crewed lunar landings](https://proximareport.com/articles/issues-present-us-landers/). In an effort to begin flights with the new 'Block 3' version of Starship-Super Heavy, significant testing has been taking place in recent weeks, while behind schedule [due to hardware failures](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacexs-1st-version-3-super-heavy-starship-booster-buckles-under-pressure-during-initial-tests?ref=proximareport.com). Back on March 18th, Super Heavy Booster 19 was placed onto 'Starbase Pad 2' with just ten engines installed for [a momentary static fire](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2034274447830479083?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) that verified new systems on the ground and vehicle. A month later, the booster returned to the pad with thirty-three engines installed [for a full static fire](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2044590183761277386?ref=proximareport.com). > First 33-engine static fire for Super Heavy V3 [pic.twitter.com/m3swZHF7iQ](https://t.co/m3swZHF7iQ?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [April 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2044590183761277386?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Meanwhile, over the Massey's test site, Ship 39 has undergone its own test campaign, culminating in [a six-engine static fire](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2044234610343551153?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) on April 14th. That static fire is the first to take place at Massey's [since Ship 36 detonated](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-faces-major-setback-with-testing-anomaly/) during its test campaign. ![Ship 39 performing its six engine static fire on April 15th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/HF6UPTTWgAA7vit.jpg) Ship 39 performing its six engine static fire on April 15th 2026\. ©SpaceX For 'Block 3' of Starship-Super Heavy, both the Ship and Booster [have a few technical changes](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/05/future-starship-block-3-mars/?ref=proximareport.com). On the Ship side, the thermal protection tiles have been revised and added to more areas, like the back of the aft flaps, and redesigned commodity connection points. For the Booster, its grid fins have grown and integrated catch points, while removing one of them, while its interstage is now a permanent part. Both the Ship and Booster also use the new 'Raptor 3' engines, with their 280 tons of thrust, and built-in heat protection systems, which allows for the removal of that hardware from both vehicles. A few upgrades are already planned for 'Block 3', such as increasing 'Raptor 3' thrust to 300 tons, adding three more engines to the ship, for six vacuum and three sea level, and a proper payload door. > Validation testing on a Raptor 3 performing a Starship V3 ascent burn. Multiple versions of this test will cover the different conditions seen by Starship’s three inner engines during its initial climb to space [pic.twitter.com/Rrd4rEuGqt](https://t.co/Rrd4rEuGqt?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [December 3, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1996326904706572398?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) 2026, with eight and a half months left, is going to be a critical year for Starship-Super Heavy. The vehicle must make it to orbit to perform a Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer to enable a crewed lunar landing in 2028, which itself [may need fifteen flights](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/at-least-15-starship-launches-to-execute-artemis-iii-lunar-landing/?ref=proximareport.com) of the vehicle. Orbital flights are also needed for [2027's Artemis III mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/) to test Starship's lunar lander variant in Earth orbit. Assuming Starship-Super Heavy's upcoming twelfth flight test goes well and no major issues need to be fixed, the vehicle's thirteenth test flight could head into orbit, a first for the program since launches began in April 2023\. ### Weekly Dose of Space (5/4-11/4) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-5-4-11-4/ Last updated: 2026-04-12T20:31:57.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had seven launches worldwide, with the majority expanding space-based connectivity mega-constellations. News from the week had the Artemis II crew arriving in Houston following their trip around the Moon, and China preparing its next mission to the lunar surface. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *April 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-35* SpaceX's Falcon 9 delivered twenty-five Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1103 for its first flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 17-35 mission on April 7th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/HFRr9B1X0AAkAaw-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 17-35 mission on April 7th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *April 7th - Minotaur-IV with ten satellites* A Minotaur-IV launch vehicle flew for the first time in six years, carrying ten satellites into low Earth orbit, from Space Launch Complex 8 in California. The primary payload was STPSat-7 to test new military space systems, CubeSats launched with it are tasked similarly. ![Minotaur-IV blasting off from Space Launch Complex 8 on April 7th. ©Northrop Grumman/United States Space Force](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/HFefhsuWoAMha18.jpg) Minotaur-IV blasting off from Space Launch Complex 8 on April 7th. ©Northrop Grumman/United States Space Force ### *April 7th - Long March 8 with Qianfan Polar Group 07* For the first time in thirteen months, a Long March 8 lifted off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site to carry eighteen Qianfan space-based internet satellites into a near-polar orbit. With this launch, the constellation has had 126 spacecraft launched out of an approved 15,000\. ![The Long March 8 Y7 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on April 7th 2026.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/640aaa-1.webp) The Long March 8 Y7 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on April 7th 2026. ### *April 8th - Long March 6A with GuoWang Group 21* Out of the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 6A flew into polar orbit to deliver five GuoWang space-based connectivity satellites into space. This launch brought the size of the GuoWang constellation up to 168 satellites out of 13,000. ![The Long March 6A Y17 vehicle departing the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on April 8th 2026.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/640b-1.webp) The Long March 6A Y17 vehicle departing the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on April 8th 2026. ### *April 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-21* Twenty-five more Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. Booster B1063 supported this launch for its thirty-second mission, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-21 mission on April 11th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/HFmpoC-XQAA_B0Z-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-21 mission on April 11th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *April 11th - Jielong-3 with a GuoWang test satellite* A Jielong-3 flew into sun-synchronous orbit off of a launch ship in the South China Sea to deliver a single GuoWang test satellite. That satellite is trialing upgrades to the GuoWang constellation, and is the twenty-fifth of its type launched. ![The Jielong-3 launch vehicle blasting off from the South China Sea on April 11th 2026. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/0080MYmPly1ic343aiz78j32zk1zu7wi-1.jpg) The Jielong-3 launch vehicle blasting off from the South China Sea on April 11th 2026\. ### *April 11th - Falcon 9 with NG-24* A Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carried Northrop Grumman's Cygnus spacecraft toward the International Space Station to begin the NG-24 resupply mission, carrying crew consumables and new experiments. Supporting this mission was booster B1094, flying for the seventh time and landing back in Florida at Landing Zone 40\. ![A composite photo of Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 and booster B1094 touching down at Landing Zone 40 on April 11th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/HFoe4kSXIAAZgvf.jpg) A composite photo of Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 and booster B1094 touching down at Landing Zone 40 on April 11th 2026\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Artemis II astronauts return to Houston* At a jubilant press event on April 11th, astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen came home to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, a day after the [end of the Artemis II mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/artemis-earth-historic-lunar/). The crew had [many beautiful words](https://www.youtube.com/live/DYY4nnfxKbU?si=CJl4Whfh23FPUMoO&t=3108&ref=proximareport.com) for the mission and for each other that cannot be done justice in written prose, so we recommend going back and watching the event for anyone who hasn't. ### *China's next Moon mission arrives at launch site* > Chang'e-7 Lunar Probe Arrives at Launch Site in Hainan China's Chang'e-7 lunar probe, scheduled to be launched in the second half of 2026, arrived at the launch site in Wenchang, south China's Hainan Province on the evening of April 9. > > — [China Space Watch (@chinaspace.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:jx5rg7t7ezwxmsq5ygitxyu4?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) [2026-04-10T14:09:59.274Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:jx5rg7t7ezwxmsq5ygitxyu4/post/3mj5is5f4kk2p?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) Chang'e 7, China's next robotic mission to the Moon's surface, arrived at the Wenchang Space Launch Site [on April 10th](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/change-7-moon-mission-arrives-in?ref=proximareport.com), following a flight from production facilities in Beijing. Several specialized containers were used to transport the spacecraft's orbiter, lander, rover, hopper, and other hardware. Within Wenchang's spacecraft clean rooms, all major parts of Chang'e 7 will undergo final pre-mission checks and assembly, followed by the fueling of the orbiter, lander, and hopper. Several weeks from today, the spacecraft will be encapsulated inside of a Long March 5's fairing and placed atop of the rocket before rollout ot Launch Complex 101\. At present, the Chang'e 7 mission has an expected launch date within August to send the complete spacecraft stack toward a polar orbit of the Moon. The spacecraft will spend a few weeks in that orbit, scouting its landing site near Shackleton crater, where it will search for water ice and other resources over eight years. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *April 14th - Kinetica-1 with a group of satellites* CAS Space is preparing to launch its Kinetica-1 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, said to be delivering a group of satellites into Earth orbit for a single customer. ### *April 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-24* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites are planned to be placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 departing Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *April 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-27* Another twenty-five Starlink satellites are set to be delivered from Space Launch Complex 4E to low Earth orbit via Falcon 9\. ### *April 16th - New Glenn with a BlueBird Block-2* Blue Origin is preparing to refly its first recovered New Glenn booster with a mission to low Earth orbit, carrying a BlueBird Block-2 satellite from AST SpaceMobile. ### *April 17th - Long March 2D with a to-be-annouced payload* From the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 2D may fly into sun-synchronous orbit carrying a to-be-revealed payload. ### *April 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-22* Falcon 9 is set to fly again from Space Launch Complex 4E, delivering twenty-five Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### Artemis II Astronauts Back on Earth Following Historic Lunar Mission URL: https://proximareport.com/artemis-earth-historic-lunar/ Last updated: 2026-04-11T02:47:25.000Z Having [departed Earth via](https://proximareport.com/articles/artemis-ii-launched/) the immense power of the Space Launch System rocket, then [whizzing past the Moon](https://proximareport.com/articles/artemis-ii-moon-distance/) and setting a distance record in the process, astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen came back to Earth on board the Orion spacecraft 'Integrity' on April 10th. In the lead-up to reentry to Earth's atmosphere, [three](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/07/artemis-ii-flight-day-7-first-return-correction-burn-complete/?ref=proximareport.com) [brief](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/10/artemis-ii-flight-day-9-second-return-correction-burn-complete/?ref=proximareport.com) [trajectory](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/10/artemis-ii-flight-day-10-crew-completes-final-burn-before-splashdown/?ref=proximareport.com) correction maneuvers were performed by the European Service Module to align a 'bullseye' off the coast of San Diego, California, in the Pacific Ocean. A few hundred miles ahead of the atmosphere, Orion's capsule separated from the European Service Module after an almost 694,481-mile (1,117,659-kilometer) journey together. Flying free for the first time, the capsule performed final fine-tune adjustments to its path home to Earth, then hitting the atmosphere at thirty-five times the speed of sound. Reentry into Earth's atmosphere lasted about seven minutes, with the heat shield ensuring Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen were safe throughout. All three sets of parachutes deployed perfectly, allowing for a picture-perfect [splashdown to conclude the Artemis II](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/10/artemis-ii-flight-day-10-re-entry-live-updates/?ref=proximareport.com) mission after nine days, one hour, thirty-two minutes, and fifteen seconds. Following splashdown, the four astronauts were extracted from Orion and taken to the USS John P. Murtha. for post-mission medical checks. In the hours after this article is released, they will be taken ashore and eventually back to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. During the Artemis II mission, Victor Glover became the first person of colour to reach lunar space, while Christina Koch was the first woman to do so, and Jeremy Hansen was the first non-American. ![Separation of the Orion capsule from the European Service Module (top left), the start of reentry as seen from inside Orion (bottom left), and the Orion capsule descending under its three main parachutes (right). ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/photo-collage.png-1-.png) Separation of the Orion capsule from the European Service Module (top left), the start of reentry as seen from inside Orion (bottom left), and the Orion capsule descending under its three main parachutes (right). ©NASA During the reentry of 'Integrity', astronauts on board the International Space Station were on the lookout for the spacecraft. American astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, and Christopher Williams, along with France's Sophie Adenot, huddled into the cupola to do so. Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, Sergey Mikayev, and Andrey Fedyaev are presumed to have kept a lookout from their end of the station. The seven on the station likely [got a brief glimpse](https://x.com/Astro%5FChrisW/status/2042776054520017214?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) of reentry from several hundred miles away, while taikonauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang had an even shorter window to see Orion due to the Tiangong Space Station's [path](https://x.com/PhazzeeYeehaw/status/2042765530449195471?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) on orbit. > Eyes peeled in the cupola awaiting the safe return of our [@NASAArtemis](https://twitter.com/NASAArtemis?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) friends. Our trajectory on [@Space\_Station](https://twitter.com/Space%5FStation?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) will be passing nearby over the Pacific, so we hope to catch a glimpse! [pic.twitter.com/EIUZSyg1UQ](https://t.co/EIUZSyg1UQ?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jessica Meir (@Astro\_Jessica) [April 10, 2026](https://twitter.com/Astro%5FJessica/status/2042752152322371963?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) With the Artemis II crew safely on Earth, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman took to social media [to write](https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2042757836061430206?s=20&ref=proximareport.com): > "America is back in the business of sending astronauts to the Moon and bringing them home safely. Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy did an outstanding job. ... This was a test mission, the first crewed flight of SLS and Orion, pushing farther into the unforgiving environment of space than ever before, and it carried real risk. They accepted that risk for all we stood to learn and for the exciting missions that follow, as we return to the lunar surface, build a Moon base, and prepare for what comes next." ### Isaacman Defends Trump's Major Planned Cuts to NASA Budget URL: https://proximareport.com/isaacman-defends-trumps-cuts/ Last updated: 2026-04-08T12:46:35.000Z The Trump Administration released its [plan for NASA's Fiscal Year 2027 budget](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-2027-nasa-cuts/) on April 3rd, outlining 5.6 billion United States Dollars in cuts, equivalent ot twenty-three percent of the agency's budget, for the [second year in a row](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-ends-nasa-global/). Not long after the White House budget was released, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman sent a letter to agency employees about it. In the letter he defended the cuts without calling them cuts, [writing](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/isaacman-letter-to-nasa-on-fy-2027-budget/?ref=proximareport.com): > "I strongly support the President’s fiscal policies and mandate to drive efficiency. The President’s Budget provides Congress and the public with the vision and resources to carry out our mission. The requested funding levels are sufficient for NASA to meet the Nation’s high expectations and deliver on all mission priorities." A few days later, Isaacman was on CNN and defended the budget again by drawing on international comparisons, [saying](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/isaacman-on-cnn-and-cbs/?ref=proximareport.com): > "NASA's budget is greater than every other space agency across the world. NASA's science budget is greater than every other space agency combined across the world." During Trump's cuts for Fiscal Year 2026, [later restored by Congress](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-funding-2026/), Acting NASA Administrator [Sean Duffy was highly supportive of them](https://proximareport.com/articles/duffy-us-win-moon-defunded/) with a similar line of messaging to Jared Isaacman. ### Items on the cutting block A short while after the White House released its broad strokes of the cuts, [NASA shared the fine details](https://www.nasa.gov/fiscal-year-2027-budget-request/?ref=proximareport.com). Some agency items on the Trump Administration's cutting block are: - Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation - Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution - ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer - Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation - Surface Water and Ocean Topography - Total Solar Irradiance Sensor-1 - Soil Moisture Active and Passive - Global Precipitation Measurement - ICESat-2 - Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On - Polar Radiant Energy in the Far Infrared - Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory - Solar Data Center - Space Physics Data Archive - Community Coordinated Modeling Center - Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer - Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere - Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites - Atmospheric Wave Experiment - Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment - Low Boom Flight Demonstrator Most items related to the Space Launch System and the Orion spacecraft, which are used to send astronauts to the Moon, are also zeroed out by the Trump Administration, alongside lunar surface science experiments and activities, expecting Congress to allocate funding. Despite that, Administrator Isaacman claimed that only the efforts of the Trump Administration made the Artemis II mission possible, which is [disingenuously false](https://x.com/Lori%5FGarver/status/2041282399452148188?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). > NASA Chief: “No Artemis II Without Trump” > > NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman credits Trump-era policies and funding for putting America back on track to the Moon—paving the way for a lunar base and future Mars missions. [pic.twitter.com/3hg6RE2zrq](https://t.co/3hg6RE2zrq?ref=proximareport.com) > > — The Will Cain Show (@WillCainShow) [April 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/WillCainShow/status/2041177820320129279?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### Artemis II Astronauts Swing Past Moon, Set Distance Record URL: https://proximareport.com/artemis-ii-moon-distance/ Last updated: 2026-04-07T18:52:25.000Z Having [launched on April 1st](https://proximareport.com/articles/artemis-ii-launched/) and spending the first mission day performing systems checks, Orion spacecraft 'Integrity' [performed its trans-lunar burn](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/02/artemis-ii-flight-day-2-orion-completes-tli-burn-crew-begins-journey-to-the-moon/?ref=proximareport.com) on April 2nd, burning for five minutes and fifty seconds, to it and astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen from their highly elliptical Earth orbit onto a trajectory that slingshots it around the Moon and eventually toward the eastern Pacific. The trajectory to send them 'uphill' took several days, with preparations for activities while zooming by the Moon[ beginning on April 6th](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/06/artemis-ii-flight-day-6-crew-ready-for-lunar-flyby/?ref=proximareport.com). To wake the four astronauts for the day, NASA played a recorded message from the late Jim Lovell, of Apollo 8 and Apollo 13: > "Welcome to my old neighborhood! ... I’m proud to pass that torch on to you — as you swing around the Moon and lay the groundwork for missions to Mars … for the benefit of all. It’s a historic day, and I know how busy you’ll be." For [their lunar flyby](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/06/artemis-ii-flight-day-6-lunar-flyby-updates/?ref=proximareport.com), the crew was at the windows of 'Integrity', busily imaging the surface with Nikon D5 and Nikon Z9 cameras. During their activities, Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen set the record for the furthest people have traveled from the Moon with a distance of 252,752 miles (406,765 kilometers). They also came within 4,067 miles (6,545 kilometers) of the lunar surface during the flyby while out of line-of-sight and communication with Earth. > New record🥇 > > The Artemis II astronauts are now farther from Earth than humans have ever been! At 1:57 p.m. EDT, they broke the record set by Apollo 13 in 1970\. > > Their journey around the far side of the Moon today will take them a maximum distance of 252,752 miles from Earth. [pic.twitter.com/P5Swojpn0n](https://t.co/P5Swojpn0n?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) [April 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/NASAEarth/status/2041219998312505855?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) > Hello, Moon. It’s great to be back. > > Here’s a taste of what the Artemis II astronauts photographed during their flight around the Moon. Check out more photos from the mission: [https://t.co/rzM1P0QbOl](https://t.co/rzM1P0QbOl?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/6jWINHkDLh](https://t.co/6jWINHkDLh?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NASA (@NASA) [April 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/NASA/status/2041557036274475228?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) While flying [behind the Moon](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/06/artemis-ii-flight-day-6-crew-wraps-historic-lunar-flyby/?ref=proximareport.com), the four astronauts witnessed an Earth-rise and an Earth-set along with a lunar eclipse, capturing images of those spectacles too (available in [high quality here](https://images.nasa.gov/search?page=1&media=image&yearStart=2026&yearEnd=2026&keywords=Artemis%20II&ref=proximareport.com)). Following the flyby, the trajectory 'Integrity' placed itself onto back on April 2nd threw the spacecraft away from lunar gravity's influence within a day, leaving the Moon behind the spacecraft. While 'departing', the Artemis II crew [is set to talk to](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/07/artemis-ii-flight-day-7-crew-makes-long%e2%80%91distance-call-begins-return/?ref=proximareport.com) astronauts onboard the International Space Station and science teams back on Earth. As the Moon is now behind the Orion spacecraft 'Integrity', the Artemis II mission is now on the trek home to Earth. At present, there are three days left in the mission ahead of atmospheric reentry on April 10th for a splashdown off the coast of California. Remaining mission events can be [found here](https://x37b.nl/artemis/?ref=proximareport.com). ![A selfie of the Artemis II crew during their lunar flyby on April 6th; Victor Glover (left), Jeremy Hansen (center top), Reid Wiseman (center bottom), and Christina Koch (right). ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/art002e009296-orig.jpg) A selfie of the Artemis II crew during their lunar flyby on April 6th; Victor Glover (left), Jeremy Hansen (center top), Reid Wiseman (center bottom), and Christina Koch (right). ©NASA ### Weekly Dose of Space (29/3-4/4) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-29-3-4-4/ Last updated: 2026-04-05T18:15:24.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week again saw eight orbital launches from across the world, including two debut flights. News of the week saw the Artemis II mission head towards the Moon and a Sino-European space weather mission ready for launch. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *March 30th - Kinetica-2 with the Qingzhou spacecraft* CAS Space's tri-core Kinetica-2 launch vehicle lifted off for the first time from Launch Area 140 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, and placed its payloads into a sun-synchronous orbit. The primary payload onboard was a prototype Qingzhou cargo resupply spacecraft, eventually set to serve the Tiangong Space Station, with two technology experiment satellites attached to it. ![CAS Space Kinetica-2 Y1 vehicle during first-stage flight from the JIuquan Satellite Launch Center on March 30th 2026. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/9da82ba5gy1ibp88o36guj20zk1hc43i-1-1.jpg) CAS Space Kinetica-2 Y1 vehicle during first-stage flight from the JIuquan Satellite Launch Center on March 30th 2026\. ### *March 30th - Falcon 9 for Transporter-16* SpaceX performed its Transporter-16 sun-synchronous rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, to deliver one hundred and nineteen small satellites ([an extensive list of those can be found here](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/03/transporter-16/?ref=proximareport.com)). Supporting the mission was booster B1093 for its twelfth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Transporter-16 mission on March 30th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/HEqjnUvWIAAafrz-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Transporter-16 mission on March 30th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *March 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-44* Twenty-nine Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4o, in Florida. Booster B1067 supported this launch for its thirty-fourth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-44 on March 30th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/HEshT8QXAAA2hMy-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-44 on March 30th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *April 1st - Space Launch System for Artemis II* NASA's Space Launch System [began the Artemis II mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/artemis-ii-launched/), carrying astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen inside the Orion spacecraft, dubbed 'Integrity', from Launch Complex 39B. The four astronauts are performing a ten-day mission that will fly around the Moon, the first in just over fifty-three years. ![Artemis II's Space Launch System rocket blasting off from Launch Complex 39B on April 1st 2026. ©Keegan Barber/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/55186165571_c23b39022b.jpg) Artemis II's Space Launch System rocket blasting off from Launch Complex 39B on April 1st 2026\. ©Keegan Barber/NASA ### *April 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-58* Another twenty-nine Starlink satellites were launched by a Falcon 9 and placed into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting the mission was booster B1085, flying for the fifthteenth time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 blasting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-58 on April 2nd 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/HE53-5VagAARabM.jpg) Falcon 9 blasting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-58 on April 2nd 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *April 3rd - Tianlong-3 with TW-4* From the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Space Pioneer attempted to launch its Tianlong-3 rocket for the first time, carrying Xiamen Tianwei Technology's TW-4 precise remote sensing satellite. During flight, the vehicle failed late into first-stage flight or around second-stage startup, resulting in it failing to reach its targeted sun-synchronous orbit. > A small explosion of the engine bay at 33s of this video of Tianlong-3 maiden launch [pic.twitter.com/9MSV7FQWxG](https://t.co/9MSV7FQWxG?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Ace of Razgriz (@raz\_liu) [April 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/raz%5Fliu/status/2039927917686477035?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *April 3rd - Soyuz 2.1a for Meridian-M-21L* A Soyuz 2.1a flew into a Molniya orbit from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, carrying the Meridian-M-21L communications satellite for civilian and military users in Russia. Once operational, the satellite will provide services for vessels in the Arctic Ocean and in the Russian Far East. > Video of today's Soyuz-2.1a launch from Plesetsk Cosmodrome [https://t.co/I6KNSSmf9m](https://t.co/I6KNSSmf9m?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/xrhKwF7Ewv](https://t.co/xrhKwF7Ewv?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [April 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2040023507677925744?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *April 4th - Atlas V with LA-05* United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket blasted off from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, [carrying twenty-nine Amazon Leo satellites](https://proximareport.com/articles/la05-amazon-ula/) into low Earth to expand space-based internet services. At present, there are 241 Leo satellites in orbit. ![Atlas V blasting off from Space Launch Complex 41 for the LA-05 mission on April 4th 2026. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/55186871553_dff40bbd53-1.jpg) Atlas V blasting off from Space Launch Complex 41 for the LA-05 mission on April 4th 2026\. ©United Launch Alliance ## **In Other Space News** ### *Artemis II heading towards the Moon* ![A view of Earth from tens of thousands of kilometers away through one of the Orion spacecrafts windows. ©Reid Wiseman/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/04/art002e000191-large.jpg) A view of Earth from tens of thousands of kilometers away through one of the Orion spacecrafts windows. ©Reid Wiseman/NASA Having launched on April 1st and spent the first mission day performing systems checks, Orion spacecraft 'Integrity' [performed its trans-lunar burn](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/02/artemis-ii-flight-day-2-orion-completes-tli-burn-crew-begins-journey-to-the-moon/?ref=proximareport.com) on April 2nd, burning for five minutes and fifty seconds, to bring the spacecraft from its highly elliptical Earth orbit onto a trajectory that slingshots it around the Moon. With the burn complete, the Artemis II mission will pass its closest point to the Moon on April 6th. When Orion flies by the Moon, astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen will [image points of interest](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/03/artemis-ii-flight-day-3-crew-prepares-for-first-correction-burn-readies-to-receive-lunar-observation-assignment/?ref=proximareport.com) on the lunar far side using cameras onboard. Before that, during the flight out, the crew will also demonstrate emergency medical procedures using equipment onboard the spacecraft. In the meantime, the four crewmembers have incredible views of Earth and the Moon, not seen by human eyes in over fifty-three years, with Christina Koch [remarking](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/04/artemis-ii-flight-day-3-crew-prepares-cabin-for-lunar-flyby/?ref=proximareport.com): > "We all had a collective expression of joy at that… We can see the Moon out of the docking hatch right now. It's a beautiful sight." ### *Sino-European space weather satellite ready to launch* > Join us for the Smile launch! > > 🤳 Tune into ESA Web TV at [https://t.co/aiFFYYFVH5](https://t.co/aiFFYYFVH5?ref=proximareport.com) from 08:10 CEST on 9 April. > > Key milestones expected: > > 🚀 08:29 Vega-C lift off > 👋 09:25 Separation of Smile > 📈 09:26 Acquisition of Smile’s first signal from space > 🛰️ 09:32 Deployment of… [pic.twitter.com/aXEp5YMNVq](https://t.co/aXEp5YMNVq?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ESA Science (@esascience) [April 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/esascience/status/2039722640311509194?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) As of April 3rd, per the European Space Agency, the Sino-European SMILE spacecraft was [placed atop a Vega-C](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/sino-european-space-weather-satellite-126?ref=proximareport.com) on Ensemble de Lancement Vega at the Guiana Space Center, in French Guiana at the top of South America. At present, teams are working towards a launch on April 9th. For just over the past month, technicians have conducted final pre-launch checks of the spacecraft and its systems. At the end of last month, SMILE's four propellant tanks were fuelled up with 1,580 kilograms of hydrazine propellant. After around a month in space, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the European Space Agency will have SMILE study the magnetosphere and its interaction with charged particles from the Sun. It will also assist with space weather forecasting and predictions. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *April 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-35* SpaceX is planning to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *April 7th - Minotaur-IV with ten satellites* A Minotaur-IV launch vehicle is set to fly for the first time in six years carrying at least ten satellites into low Earth orbit, from Space Launch Complex 8 in California, with the primary payload being STPSat-7 to test new military space systems. ### *April 7th - Long March 8 with eighteen Qianfan satellites* From the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, a Long March 8 is expected to carry a batch of eighteen Qianfan satellites towards a polar orbit for the constellation's first month in six months. ### *April 8th - Falcon 9 for NG-24* Northrop Grumman's NG-24 resupply mission to the International Space Station is set to launch atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *April 8th - Long March 6A with a to-be-annouced payload* From the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 6A is set to fly towards polar orbit carrying a currently unknown satellite or satellites. ### *April 9th - Vega-C with SMILE* A Vega-C will blast off from the Guiana Space Center carrying the SMILE spacecraft into a 700-kilometer Earth orbit to begin its space weather mission. ### *April 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-24* Another Falcon 9 is preparing to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E with a batch of Starlink satellites bound for low Earth orbit. ### *April 10th - Jielong-3 with to-be-revealed payloads* A Jielong-3 is set to blast off from a sea launch platform in the South China Sea and head for sun-synchronous orbit with payloads that are currently unknown. ### Ninth Group of Amazon Leo Satellites Delivered by Atlas V URL: https://proximareport.com/la05-amazon-ula/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T19:01:14.000Z Amazon's ninth group of Leo satellites, with its largest to date out of Florida, blasted off on April 4th, at 05:46 Universal Coordinated Time. From Space Launch Complex 41 in Florida, United Launch Alliance's Atlas V [headed for low Earth orbit](https://www.ulalaunch.com/missions/next-launch/atlas-v-amazon-leo-5?ref=proximareport.com) under the power of five solid rocket boosters and its RD-180 engine to carry 29 Leo satellites for Amazon, becoming the heaviest payload launched atop the rocket. After a roughly eighteen-minute flight into orbit, the group of satellites was released from the second-stage in a process that took just over sixteen minutes. > United Launch Alliance has successfully completed today's launch of the Amazon Leo 5 mission by the Atlas V rocket! All 29 advanced broadband satellites have been released into low Earth orbit, marking the largest payload ever launched by the venerable rocket family. > > Atlas V has… [pic.twitter.com/4Zf9emzW0w](https://t.co/4Zf9emzW0w?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ULA (@ulalaunch) [April 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/2040314737225859573?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) With this launch, Amazon now has 241 Leo satellites to provide space-based internet services in orbit through nine launches. In February, the [first deployment of 2026](https://proximareport.com/articles/ariane-64-amazon-le01/) took place via Ariane 6\. In 2025, seven launches took place [via Falcon 9](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-spacex-kf03/) [and Atlas V](https://proximareport.com/articles/la04-ula-amazon/). At the start of the year, Amazon [sought a two-year extension](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/30/amazon-asks-fcc-to-extend-satellite-limit-as-it-buys-more-spacex-rides.html?ref=proximareport.com) with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to launch half of the Leo constellation. That extension of the requirement to deploy approximately 1,600 satellites from July 2026 to July 2028, if approved. With the current satellite count, Amazon would need to launch fifty groups for Leo within the next two years. This and those groups are heading toward, or operating in, an orbital altitude of around 630 kilometers to prepare to provide internet services to customers. Following the deployment of further satellites, services from Leo are planned to be available later this year at speeds of [up to one gigabit per second](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/heres-your-first-look-at-project-kuipers-low-cost-customer-terminals?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), a [feat already demonstrated](https://x.com/ProjectKuiper/status/1963340129948283016?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). Looking forward to future Leo launches, United Launch Alliance's Gary Wentz, Vice President of Atlas and Vulcan programs, [stated](https://newsroom.ulalaunch.com/releases/united-launch-alliance-advances-amazon-leo-constellation-with-successful-leo-5-launch?ref=proximareport.com): > "We have precisely delivered a total of 139 satellites, and each one contributes to Amazon’s overall mission, we understand the importance of populating the Leo constellation and are already working on our next Amazon Leo mission, Leo 6 which will launch on an Atlas V rocket in late April." ### Hundreds of satellites waiting on Earth In a [news post on March 23rd](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/amazon-leo/amazon-leo-plans-double-launch-rate-20-missions?ref=proximareport.com), Amazon shared that over two hundred Leo satellites are ready and awaiting available launches, via Arianespace, SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, and Blue Origin, thanks to thirty being produced each week. According to the company, six launches' worth of satellites are ready to fly in their Florida facility, with another being prepared in French Guiana. To deal with the rate of Leo production, Amazon has modified its launch manifests to deliver two additional satellites atop the three remaining Atlas V's (not dedicated to Boeing's Starliner), like today's mission, and a few more via Ariane 6 once upgrades are introduced to the rocket. Leo missions utilizing Vulcan and New Glenn for the first time, starting this year, are expected to have their satellite counts increased from 40 and 48 as those newer vehicles are optimized. Falcon 9 has no changes planned to its satellite count. ![A render showing how many Leo satellites are onboard the constellation's launch solutions following March 2026. ©Amazon](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/assets.aboutamazon.jpg) A render showing how many Leo satellites are onboard the constellation's launch solutions following March 2026\. ©Amazon In support of more launches for Leo, Amazon says they have invested 200 million United States Dollars into United Launch Alliance's infrastructure to increase the frequency of Vulcan missions, via a second launch integration facility, another transport ship for Vulcan hardware, and undisclosed investments for launches out of Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Additionally, [ten more launches](https://spacenews.com/amazon-buys-10-more-falcon-9-launches/?ref=proximareport.com) have been booked with SpaceX. --- ### What is Atlas V? Atlas V is United Launch Alliance's oldest two-stage rocket in service. The rocket is currently planned to be [replaced by Vulcan](https://proximareport.com/articles/vulcan-second-certification-flight?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) when it retires before 2030. The first-stage is powered by a single RD-180 generating 390 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen for four minutes and thirteen seconds. The RD-180 is manufactured by NPO Energomash in Russia. The second-stage is powered by either one or two RL-10 engines generating 10 tons of thrust each while burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for up to fourteen minutes and two seconds. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies Company, manufactures the RL-10 engines. Atlas V can also launch with between zero and five GEM-63 solid rocket motors to augment the rocket's thrust and payload capability. Each booster burns a solid propellant, consisting of Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and Aluminum-Ammonium perchlorate, generating 169 tons of thrust each for a believed one minute and thirty-four seconds. Northrop Grumman manufactures the solid rocket boosters for use with United Launch Alliance. Atlas V also has eleven different configurations with the following payload capacities: up to 18,814 kilograms to low Earth orbit, up to 8,900 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, or up to 3,850 kilograms to geostationary orbit. ### Trump Wants to Cut a Quarter of NASA Funding Days After Artemis Moonshot URL: https://proximareport.com/trump-2027-nasa-cuts/ Last updated: 2026-04-03T17:19:57.000Z *Note: All funding figures are in United States Dollars.* While the general public is paying attention to [Artemis II heading out to the Moon](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/02/artemis-ii-flight-day-2-orion-completes-tli-burn-crew-begins-journey-to-the-moon/?ref=proximareport.com) for the first time in just over fifty-three years ([taking stunning photos too](https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/hello-world/?ref=proximareport.com)), the Trump Administration is attempting to implement massive cuts to NASA for the [second year in a row](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-ends-nasa-global/). The [U.S. Presidential Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2027](https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/budget%5Ffy2027.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) was released on April 3rd, and it outlines that up to $5.6 billion, twenty-three percent of the current budget, should be cut from NASA if the Trump Administration gets its way. The vast majority of the proposed cuts, to the tune of $3.4 billion, were targeted at the space agency's science directorate, like last year, to terminate forty ongoing missions, which the White House chose not to name. One mission eliminated is the Mars Sample Return mission, a collaboration with the European Space Agency that Congress [chose not to fund](https://www.livescience.com/space/mars/nasas-mars-sample-return-is-dead-leaving-china-to-retrieve-signs-of-life-from-the-red-planet?ref=proximareport.com) in January. $1.1 billion is planned to be cut from the International Space Station program, primarily aimed at reducing funding for maintenance of the orbiting laboratory, as well as transporting people and cargo to it. The rationale for reducing funding is to shift focus to commercially-operated stations, which NASA itself says has a [significant chance of not happening](https://spacenews.com/nasa-proposes-new-strategy-for-commercial-space-stations/?ref=proximareport.com). Alongside that $297 million in space technology funding is aimed at being cancelled, specifically regarding space sustainability efforts to remove or mitigate orbital debris. STEM engagement is also outlined to be completely terminated, again, disallowing NASA to promote education about their mission and space to U.S. students. The Planetary Society [quickly shared a press release](https://www.planetary.org/press-releases/the-planetary-society-urges-congress-to-reject-historic-cuts-to-nasa-again?ref=proximareport.com) urging Congress to act against the cuts, with part of it stating: > "The White House's budgeting office has put forward the same budget cuts to NASA and NASA Science that were rejected by overwhelming bipartisan majorities in Congress last year. This proposal needlessly resurrects an existential threat to U.S. leadership in space science and exploration." The American Astronomical Society [published a similar release](https://aas.org/reject-2027-pbr?ref=proximareport.com), adding: > "If enacted, these funding levels would signal an abdication of US leadership in the astronomical sciences. Continued uncertainty surrounding our science agencies jeopardizes our ability to recruit and retain a highly skilled workforce and stifles our nation's ability to innovate, explore, and answer fundamental questions about the universe." Some new funding is desired by the budget request, with an $731 million increase to the Artemis program and $175 for robotic missions to the Moon to start work on a lunar base. Both of those efforts were recently [reorganized](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-changes-artemis-problems/) and [prioritized](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-moon-base-change/) by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. During last year's attempted NASA cuts, Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy was highly [supportive of the significant defunding](https://proximareport.com/articles/duffy-us-win-moon-defunded/). Administrator Isaacman will likely adopt a similar line of public messaging. > NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman: "We're gonna build President Trump's moon base" > > — [Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) [2026-03-24T13:18:34.903Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc/post/3mhsnyl3frr2x?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman telling Fox News that the space agency will build Trump's Moon base, via [Aaron Rupar on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mhsnyl3frr2x?ref=proximareport.com). In taking $5.6 billion from NASA, the Trump Administration plans to [increase U.S. military spending](https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/03/politics/white-house-budget-proposal-defense-spending-trump?ref=proximareport.com) by forty-two percent to $1.5 trillion. That comes alongside a Pentagon [request for $200 billion](https://breakingdefense.com/2026/03/hegseth-confirms-potential-200-billion-request-for-iran-operations-but-figure-could-move/?ref=proximareport.com) to fund the war against Iran, which is now passing its fifth week of conflict out of a planned couple of days of strikes. At present, the Presidential Budget Request is not law. Over the coming months, the U.S. House and Senate will decide on the outcome of the national budget and how to fund NASA. 2026's NASA budget [was almost completely restored](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-funding-2026/) by lawmakers. ### Artemis II Moon Mission Soars out of Florida to Start Ten-Day Flight URL: https://proximareport.com/artemis-ii-launched/ Last updated: 2026-04-02T03:04:00.000Z For the first time in just over fifty-three years, astronauts are heading towards the Moon, thanks to NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket [blasting off from Launch Complex 39B](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/01/live-artemis-ii-launch-day-updates/?ref=proximareport.com) in Florida on April 1st, carrying astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen inside the Orion spacecraft, dubbed 'Integrity'. Ascent off of the Florida coast began with the start-up of four RS-25 engines, followed by the ignition of SLS' two massive solid rocket boosters. For just over two minutes, the boosters and engines brought the astronauts out of the atmosphere until solid propellant ran out and the boosters were separated. The four engines continued to burn for six more minutes after delivering most of the speed to reach Earth orbit. > Staging. SRB Sep. [pic.twitter.com/ljeFazfIZ6](https://t.co/ljeFazfIZ6?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NSF - NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight) [April 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/2039472372944650677?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff and solid rocket booster seperation of Artemis II's Space Launch Launch System rocket, via [NASASpaceflight on Twitter](https://x.com/NASASpaceflight/status/2039472372944650677?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). Following ascent, the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage was detached with Orion atop of it. About fifty minutes after liftoff, the upper-stage conducted its perigee raise burns to ensure that its orbit does not intersect with the atmosphere. That burn was followed by an apogee raise maneuver an hour later to put Orion in its target orbit. Three and a half hours following launch, Orion spacecraft 'Integrity' was separated from the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. In the coming hours that allows the spacecraft and upper-stage to demonstrate proximity operations. It also enables the release of [small international CubeSats](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/a2-reference-guide-012825.pdf?emrc=979554&ref=proximareport.com) from Argentina’s Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales to measure radiation levels across Earth orbits, the German Space Agency DLR to determine space-environment effects on lunar hardware, the Korea Aerospace Administration to understand radiation effects on biological samples, and the Saudi Space Agency to further measurements about solar weather. > The Orion spacecraft successfully separated from the upper stage of the rocket, and the "proximity operations" test is underway. The Artemis II astronauts are manually piloting Orion similarly to how they would if they were docking with another spacecraft. [pic.twitter.com/RWW4RSyaoq](https://t.co/RWW4RSyaoq?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NASA (@NASA) [April 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/NASA/status/2039534080585314704?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Orion spacecraft 'Integrity' being separated from its Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, via [NASA on Twitter](https://x.com/NASA/status/2039534080585314704?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). Currently staged in a highly elliptical Earth orbit, 'Integrity' and its crew of four will stay in that orbit for around twenty-four hours to test spacecraft systems. If all tests are successful and there are no major issues, Orion will perform a lunar-bound burn to head towards the Moon. Once in lunar space, Victor Glover will become the first person of colour to fly around the Moon, while Christina Koch will be the first woman to do so, and Jeremy Hansen will be the first non-American. Speaking on the Artemis II mission and its launch, NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya shared the following via [a post-launch press release](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/liftoff-nasa-launches-astronauts-on-historic-artemis-moon-mission/?ref=proximareport.com): > "Artemis II is a test flight, and the test has just begun. The team that built this vehicle, repaired it, and prepared it for flight has given our crew the machine they need to go prove what it can do. Over the next 10 days, Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy will put Orion through its paces so the crews who follow them can go to the Moon’s surface with confidence. We are one mission into a long campaign, and the work ahead of us is greater than the work behind us." Mission [ahead for the Artemis program](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/) includes a 2027 flight in Earth orbit to test one or both lunar landers contracted to Blue Origin and SpaceX, followed by lunar landings as soon as 2028 using said landers. ## Who's going around the Moon? For the first time since the Apollo 17 mission in December 1972, astronauts are going to be around the Moon. For the Artemis II mission, there are four astronauts, and they are: - [Reid Wiseman](https://www.nasa.gov/people/reid-wiseman/?ref=proximareport.com), Commander of the Artemis II mission, for his second spaceflight. In 2014, he spent 165-days onboard the International Space Station, following selection in 2009 and training in 2011\. Prior to joining NASA, he served in the U.S. Navy. - [Victor Glover](https://www.nasa.gov/people/victor-j-glover-jr/?ref=proximareport.com), Pilot for the Artemis II mission, participating in his second spaceflight. For his first mission over 2020 and 2021, he flew for the Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station for 168-days, having been selected in 2013 and trained in 2015\. Before becoming an astronaut, he served in the U.S. Navy. - [Christina Koch](https://www.nasa.gov/people/christina-koch/?ref=proximareport.com), Mission Specialist of the Artemis II mission, for her second spaceflight. Starting in 2019 and concluding in 2020, her first spaceflight spent 328-days onboard the International Space Station, following selection in 2013 and training in 2015\. Prior to becoming an astronaut, she worked at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, was a Research Associate in the United States Antarctic Program, worked for Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, and performed research for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. - [Jeremy Hansen](https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/canadian/active/bio-jeremy-hansen.asp?ref=proximareport.com), Mission Specialist for the Artemis II mission, for his first spaceflight. Hansen is the only non-American member of the crew and is part of an agreement regarding [Canada's contribution](https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/canadarm3/about.asp?ref=proximareport.com) to the Artemis program. Prior to being trained as an astronaut, following selection in 2009, he served in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Riding alongside the four astronauts [is their zero gravity indicator](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/03/27/artemis-ii-crew-arrives-at-launch-site-shares-moon-mascot/?ref=proximareport.com) known as 'Rise'. 'Rise' is a plushie of the Moon wearing a cap featuring the Earth and space. Within 'Rise' is an SD card [holding the names](https://www3.nasa.gov/send-your-name-with-artemis/?linkId=893073158&ref=proximareport.com) of 5.6 million people from across the world. ![Artemis II's Jeremy Hansen (left), Christina Koch (center left), Reid Wiseman (center right), and Victor Glover (right) after arriving at the Kennedy Space Center on March 27th 2026, with 'Rise' being held in the middle. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/KSC-20260327-PH-KLS01_0284-large-2-1.jpg) Artemis II's Jeremy Hansen (left), Christina Koch (center left), Reid Wiseman (center right), and Victor Glover (right) after arriving at the Kennedy Space Center on March 27th 2026, with 'Rise' being held in the middle. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA ## What will they be up to? Now in space, the four astronauts onboard the Orion spacecraft have up to ten days of activity ahead of them, with a few of those for flying past the Moon. According to NASA, [their time is scheduled as follows](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasas-artemis-ii-moon-mission-daily-agenda/?ref=proximareport.com): - **Day 1:** After SLS places Orion into a high-Earth orbit, the spacecraft will perform a slight orbital boost before the four astronauts test life support and other human-needed systems, like its toilet. - **Day 2:** Following their first night in space, and the first ever onboard Orion, the crew will prepare for a lunar-bound engine burn that will be performed later that day. This day is also usable as an early return to Earth should major systems be acting anomalously. - **Day 3:** A small burn will refine Orion's path toward the Moon while its four astronauts demonstrate the spacecraft's medical procedures and equipment, later verifying emergency communication systems. - **Day 4:** Another burn will be performed to further refine Orion's path, while the crew has minimal activity besides a short time to photograph the Moon. - **Day 5:** Orion will enter the Moon's sphere of influence for the second time in its flight history, and the first time with astronauts onboard. This day will also have the crew testing their spacesuit systems while they remain a considerable distance from the Moon, and another burn will refine Orion's path to start aiming it for the Pacific Ocean back on Earth. - **Day 6:** Orion will be at its furthest distance away from Earth while coming closest to the Moon, at a distance of 6,440 to 9,650 kilometers. Depending on lighting conditions, the four astronauts on board will conduct photography of the lunar surface as they fly by. - **Day 7:** After just two days in it, Orion will exit the Moon's sphere of influence while the crew informs teams back on Earth of the experience of flying past the Moon. Another engine burn will be performed too, for refining the spacecraft's path back to Earth. - **Day 8:** Now heading back to Earth, the four astronauts will demonstrate setting up a radiation shelter within Orion due to the spacecraft's prolonged future missions, which may see crews exposed to events like solar flares. - **Day 9:** Ahead of reentry to the atmosphere the following day, the crew will conclude Orion systems demonstrations and perform various health measurements relating to their re-adaption to the planet following the lunar mission. - **Day 10:** Orion will perform its final burn to aim for recovery locations in the Pacific Ocean, then separate the capsule from the service module for reentry into Earth's atmosphere. Reentry will last several minutes to slow the capsule down from about Mach 30\. Once throught atmosphere, parachutes will deploy to slow the capsule for a gentle splashdown, after which the crew will be recovered to end the Artemis II mission. Over those ten days, the astronauts will [consume pre-prepared shelf-stable meals](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/artemis-2/artemis-ii-whats-on-the-menu/?ref=proximareport.com) three times a day. ![An infographic detailing the path of the Artemis II mission during the its flight around the Moon. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/Artemis_2_map_march_2023.jpg) An infographic detailing the path of the Artemis II mission during the its flight around the Moon. ©NASA ## So what's Orion? To allow for the exploration of the lunar environment this century, NASA has developed [the Orion spacecraft](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/orion-reference-guide-111022.pdf?emrc=b1f046&ref=proximareport.com) with international and American partners. The spacecraft is able to carry four astronauts in space around the Moon for up to three weeks. The only part of Orion accessible to astronauts is the Lockheed Martin-made capsule, which is 5 meters in diameter with a pressurized volume of 19.56 square meters, with 8.9 square meters of crew habitable volume. During an astronaut's mission onboard Orion, the capsule stores all of their food and sleeping areas, as well as the toilet, with five windows to look out of when not needed at the spacecraft's controls. For reentry to Earth's atmosphere, twelve thrusters are situated across the capsule to correctly point it heat shield first. Managing, powering, and propelling Orion during its time in space is the European Service Module, provided via the European Space Agency. The service module handles the spacecraft's power generation through four solar arrays, thermal management duties, and supplies water and oxygen to the crew inside the capsule. Orion's main propulsion and attitude control is handled by the service module too, with the Space Shuttle orbiter-derived Orbital Maneuvering System engine for major maneuvers and thirty-two other thrusters for controlling orientation alongside small trajectory adjustments. Like every other current operational crewed spacecraft, Orion has an abort system, opting to use a launch escape tower from Northrop Grumman. That system is able to quickly react to any issues during ascent out of the atmosphere, and if needed, can pull Orion's capsule away in a couple second via its 181 tons of thrust. ![Artemis II's Orion spacecraft during pre-mission solar panel installation at the Kennedy Space Center back in June 2023. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/54379243772_2fa80f9f03-1.jpg) Artemis II's Orion spacecraft during pre-mission solar panel installation at the Kennedy Space Center back in June 2023\. ©NASA ## And what is the SLS rocket? To send the Orion spacecraft toward the Moon with its astronauts on board, a massive rocket is needed. As such, NASA has the [Space Launch System (SLS)](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/sls-5558-artemis-ii-sls-reference-guide-final-review-508-012026.pdf?emrc=342194&ref=proximareport.com) rocket, standing at 98.27 meters tall and weighing 2,604 tons when fuelled for launch. SLS is able to throw up to 27 tons onto a trans-lunar trajectory. Powering SLS from liftoff are four core stage-mounted RS-25 engines from L3Harris Technologies, each producing up to 232 tons of thrust individually from burning liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. The four engines are augmented by two 53.9-meter-tall five-segment solid rocket boosters made by Northrop Grumman, generating 1,632 tons of thrust each. Through the four RS-25's and two solid boosters, SLS can generate up to 4,192 tons of thrust to carry SLS, Orion, and four astronauts out of the atmosphere. In space, Orion is initially still attached to United Launch Alliance's Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, which SLS' core stage places into an almost stable orbit. The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, also fuelled with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, is equipped with one of L3Harris Technologies' RL10C-2 engines, which can produce 11.2 tons of thrust. This stage is highly efficient and throws Orion with its astronauts towards the Moon. ![The Space Launch System rocket for the Artemis II mission rolling out from the Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building in January 2026 for pre-mission testing. ©Joel Kowsky/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/NHQ202601170033-large-1.jpg) The Space Launch System rocket for the Artemis II mission rolling out from the Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building in January 2026 for pre-mission testing. ©Joel Kowsky/NASA ### Weekly Dose of Space (22/3-28/3) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-22-3-28-3/ Last updated: 2026-03-29T10:46:37.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw eight launches into orbit worldwide, with multiple missions from China, Russia, and the United States. News during the week had the Artemis II crew arriving in Florida ahead of launch and a Chinese enterprise testing a robotic arm in orbit. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *March 22nd - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-33* A Soyuz 2.1a blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the Progress MS-33 cargo resupply spacecraft, sending it towards the Russian segment of the International Space Station. The spacecraft reached the space station [on March 24th](https://www.russianspaceweb.com/progress-ms-33.html?ref=proximareport.com). > Successful launch of Soyuz-2.1a with the Progress MS-33 cargo spacecraft from the Baikonur cosmodrome! > Progress MS-33 is now on its way to the ISS, with the docking scheduled for March 24, 13:34 UTC > > This time with some cool views that weren't shown on NASA broadcast > > Liftoff: [pic.twitter.com/uiEfIorBD8](https://t.co/uiEfIorBD8?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [March 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2035695117105824249?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Soyuz 2.1a departing the Baikonur Cosmodrome on March 22nd with Progress MS-33, via [robert\_savitsky on Twitter](https://x.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2035695117105824249?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *March 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-62* SpaceX's Falcon 9, flying from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida, delivered twenty-nine Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1078, flying for the twenty-seventh time and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-62 mission on March 22nd 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/HEBsooFagAAyC1d-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-62 mission on March 22nd 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *March 22nd - Jielong-3 with ten CentiSpace satellites* Off of a launch platform in the Yellow Sea, a Jielong-3 carried ten CentiSpace navigation satellites into sun-synchronous orbit on behalf of Beijing Future Navigation Technology Co Ltd. This launch now has the operator operating twenty satellites in orbit to begin providing basic services. ![The Jielong-3 Y10 vehicle lifting off from the Yellow Sea on March 22nd 2026.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/9da82ba5gy1ibg88r7xfvj22vb1x0x6p-1.jpg) The Jielong-3 Y10 vehicle lifting off from the Yellow Sea on March 22nd 2026. ### *March 23rd - Soyuz 2.1b with sixteen Rassvet-3 satellites* From the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, a Soyuz 2.1b flew into polar orbit carrying the first sixteen Rassvet-3 connectivity satellites. By 2035, [over nine hundred satellites are planned](https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/03/24/russian-aerospace-company-launches-first-batch-of-starlink-rival-satellites-a92318?ref=proximareport.com) to be in orbit. > Yesterday, Russia launched the first batch of 16 Rassvet satellites from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome > > This marks the beginning of the deployment of their satellite internet constellation, a OneWeb/Starlink analogue, developed by Bureau 1440\. [pic.twitter.com/SYk6FcdJWX](https://t.co/SYk6FcdJWX?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [March 24, 2026](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2036537099751481817?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Soyuz 2.1b lifting off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome on March 23rd 2026, via [robert\_savitsky on Twitter](https://x.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2036537099751481817?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). > Bureau 1440 shows footage of separation of 16 Rassvet satellites from Soyuz's third stage [pic.twitter.com/jhe2krZ1kA](https://t.co/jhe2krZ1kA?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [March 24, 2026](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2036316858110841337?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Deployment of the sixteen Rassvet-3 satellites from Soyuz 2.1b's third-stage, via [robert\_savitsky on Twitter](https://x.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2036316858110841337?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *March 25th - Long March 2D with Siwei Gaojing-2-05 and Siwei Gaojing-2-06* Out of the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China Siwei Survey and Mapping Technology's Siwei Gaojing-2-05 and Siwei Gaojing-2-06 synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellites were sent towards sun-synchronous orbit by a Long March 2D. From space, the two satellites are providing all-day, all-weather, high-resolution imagery. ![The Long March 2D Y105 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on March 25th 2026.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/0080MYmPly1ibk0vxpzzdj37c04w0x6x-1.jpg) The Long March 2D Y105 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on March 25th 2026. ### *March 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-17* Twenty-five more Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1081 supported this launch for its twenty-third flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-17 mission on March 26th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/HEYJDgaW8AAr4VF-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-17 mission on March 26th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *March 27th - Long March 2C with Shiyan-33* Equipped with the Yuanzheng-1S optional upper-stage, a Long March 2C delivered the Shiyan-33 spacecraft into sun-synchronous orbit. Little is known about the spacecraft other than that it is for space environment research and related scientific experiments. ![The Long March 2C launch vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on March 27th 2026.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/006aWhMSgy1iblgo09quvj30j00sg427-1.jpg) The Long March 2C launch vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on March 27th 2026. ### *March 28th - Electron for 'Daughter Of The Stars'* Rocket Lab's Electron carried two positioning, navigation*,* and timing demonstration satellites into sun-synchronous orbit on behalf of the European Space Agency from Launch Complex-1A, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand. Those satellites will are the first part of Europe's Celeste navigation constellation. > LIFTOFF! Electron is on the way to space for [@esa](https://twitter.com/esa?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/okqSOgy5cA](https://t.co/okqSOgy5cA?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [March 28, 2026](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/2037820980622692432?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex-1A on March 28th 2026, via [Rocket Lab on Twitter](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2037820980622692432?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ## **In Other Space News** ### *Artemis II astronauts arrive in Florida* ![Artemis II's Jeremy Hansen (left), Christina Koch (center left), Reid Wiseman (center right), and Victor Glover (right) after arriving at the Kennedy Space Center on March 27th 2026. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/KSC-20260327-PH-KLS01_0284-large-1.jpg) Artemis II's Jeremy Hansen (left), Christina Koch (center left), Reid Wiseman (center right), and Victor Glover (right) after arriving at the Kennedy Space Center on March 27th 2026\. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, the four astronauts for [the Artemis II mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/artemis-ii-back-launch-pad/), [arrived at the Kennedy Space Center](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/03/27/artemis-ii-crew-arrives-at-launch-site-shares-moon-mascot/?ref=proximareport.com) in Florida on March 27th following a flight from the Johnson Space Center in Texas, with a stop by the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The crew are currently in a low-contact quarantine ahead of their mission around the Moon, starting no earlier than April 1st. Following their arrival, the crew unveiled Artemis II's zero gravity indicator 'Rise', designed by a student from Mountain View, California. 'Rise' is a plushie of the Moon wearing a cap featuring the Earth and space. > Introducing the Moon Mascot for the Artemis II mission! > > The zero gravity indicator for the Moonbound crew was selected from thousands of submissions from over 50 countries and is named “Rise.” The design was inspired by the iconic Earthrise moment from the Apollo 8 mission. [pic.twitter.com/5g2B0I6BDn](https://t.co/5g2B0I6BDn?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NASA (@NASA) [March 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/NASA/status/2037599591743287590?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### *Commercial Chinese enterprise tests robotic arm* > With just over a week spent in orbit, Sustain Space has performed a first set of tests with an early robotic refueling arm onboard its Xiyuan-0 satellite > > Details -> [https://t.co/7WZu4FR88I](https://t.co/7WZu4FR88I?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/bA5pjaGPyq](https://t.co/bA5pjaGPyq?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Phazzee 🐼🚀 | 中国航天 🇨🇳 | 🇵🇸🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 (@PhazzeeYeehaw) [March 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/PhazzeeYeehaw/status/2037204247045927274?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Sustain Space, an enterprise focused on in-space services from China, announced on March 25th that its teams have [successfully tested a robotic arm](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/sustain-space-successfully-completes?ref=proximareport.com) onboard the Xiyuan-0 satellite, launched on March 16th. That arm is largely a single structure that flexibly bends to position its end wherever automatic and human controls from the ground dictate. For recent testing, the arm was translated across to a target rectangle and docking port, before gradually moving into the port, holding position inside, then exiting. In the future, Sustain Space plans to evolve the arm into the key satellite-to-satellite piece for refueling customer spacecraft. At the end of testing with the arm, the Xiyuan-0 satellite will inflate a 2.5-meter-wide drag sphere, added onto the satellite via a contribution from the Hunan University of Science and Technology, to accelerate its decay into Earth's atmosphere. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *March 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-44* SpaceX is preparing to launch a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *March 30th - Falcon 9 for Transporter-16* A Falcon 9 will launch SpaceX's Transporter-16 sun-synchronous orbit dedicated rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E, carrying over 110 customer payloads. ### *March 30th - Tianlong-3 for its debut flight* Space Pioneer may launch its Tianlong-3 rocket for the first time via a mission from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center toward polar orbit, possibly carrying customer payloads. ### *April 1st - Soyuz 2.1a for Meridian-M-21L* A Soyuz 2.1a will fly towards a Molniya orbit from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, carrying the Meridian-M-21L communications satellite for civilian and military users in Russia. ### *April 1st - Space Launch System for Artemis II* NASA is preparing to launch its Space Launch System rocket from Launch Complex 39B, in Florida, sending the Orion spacecraft with astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen [around the Moon for the Artemis II mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/artemis-ii-back-launch-pad/), becoming the first to do so since December 1972. ### *April 2nd - Soyuz-5 for its first flight* From the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Russia will attempt to launch its Soyuz-5 two-stage rocket for the first time. ### *April 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-58* Another Falcon 9 will deliver Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *April 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-35* Even more Starlink satellites are set to head into low Earth orbit via Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *April 4th - Atlas V for LA-05* United Launch Alliance's Atlas V is set to fly into low Earth orbit carrying a batch of twenty-nine satellites for Amazon's Leo space-based internet mega-constellation. ### Isaacman's NASA Wants to Go All-in on a Moon Base URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-moon-base-change/ Last updated: 2026-03-24T20:01:07.000Z Having announced [major shifts to the Artemis program](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/) at the end of February, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman unveiled [more changes](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-unveils-initiatives-to-achieve-americas-national-space-policy/?ref=proximareport.com) to the U.S. crewed lunar effort at an event dubbed '[Ignition](https://www.youtube.com/live/yIlTwwJv1Ac?si=iT7M4FxwkFM%5FmR-C&ref=proximareport.com)'. With the still-underway cancellation of the Exploration Upper Stage, the space agency is [sourcing United Launch Alliance's Centaur V](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-1-3-7-3/#centaur-v-to-be-new-sls-upper-stage) as the new upper-stage for the Space Launch System rocket. However at the event, NASA officials stated that they are still weighing whether they'll use an upper-stage for the Artemis III mission in 2027, depending on where the mission's tests with lunar landers occur. If in low Earth orbit, no upper-stage would be needed, and the last Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage can be saved for the first Moon landing in 2028\. Saving or using that upper-stage will create problems regardless, as it will adjust the modification time for Mobile Launch 1 as due in under a year or under six months. Regarding the contracted and [issue-riddled Human Landing Systems](https://proximareport.com/articles/issues-present-us-landers/), NASA says they are working with Blue Origin and SpaceX to relax the requirements for their vehicles, without specifying what that entails. The space agency did mention that both companies disliked needing to meet the Orion spacecraft in a near-rectilinear halo orbit, with officials suggesting they were open to having the vehicles meet elsewhere. Much of 'Ignition' was spent focusing on a desire to build a base on the Moon's surface, with officials detailing three vague phases. Phase one, between now and 2029, will be for experimenting via robotic missions to test technologies. Then, between 2029 and 2032 for phase two, NASA wants to place initial infrastructure at the South Pole to support greater crewed exploration. Finally, in phase three, after 2032, long-duration stays on the surface inside dedicated habitats are desired. Those phases are expected to cost ten billion United States Dollars each, according to NASA, through a few dozen missions. > NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman: "We're gonna build President Trump's moon base" > > — [Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) [2026-03-24T13:18:34.903Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc/post/3mhsnyl3frr2x?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman telling Fox News that the space agency will build Trump's Moon base, via [Aaron Rupar on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mhsnyl3frr2x?ref=proximareport.com). To build out the Moon base, NASA plans to leverage its Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, which has had [just one success](https://proximareport.com/articles/firefly-lands-on-the-moon/) in four [flown missions](https://proximareport.com/articles/intuitive-machines-second-landing/) during its eight year existence, and a lunar cargo delivery version of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy vehicle, once it stops [regressing in development](https://proximareport.com/articles/flight-10-spacex/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io#back-on-track). Those would be part of what officials call a cislunar economy, but efforts to establish a low Earth orbit equivalent first with commercial space stations [has failed to occur](https://www.youtube.com/live/BYH6W9iCs2E?si=aFZLjBOTdlHVkqt5&ref=proximareport.com). In order to build a base on the lunar surface, the event was used as an opportunity to announce that work on the [near](https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/glenn/nasa-starts-up-gateways-power-system-for-first-time/?ref=proximareport.com)\-[ready](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/lunar-space-station-module-for-nasas-artemis-campaign-to-begin-final-outfitting/?ref=proximareport.com) Gateway lunar space station is paused indefinitely, with a NASA press release stating: > "\[The\] agency intends to pause Gateway in its current form and shift focus to infrastructure that enables sustained surface operations. Despite challenges with some existing hardware, the agency will repurpose applicable equipment." The pause is despite substantial international buy-in from the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency, and the United Arab Emirates' Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, who are all [building modules](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-united-arab-emirates-announce-artemis-lunar-gateway-airlock/?ref=proximareport.com) or [specialized hardware](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-japan-announce-gateway-contributions-space-station-extension/?ref=proximareport.com). After the currently planned Artemis V mission, using the Space Launch System rocket, in late 2028, NASA is hoping to have crewed missions to the Moon every six months, so long as landers are ready, as there is now no planned orbiting outpost. Missions starting with Artemis VI\* may not use the Space Launch System, [per a recent Request for Information](https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/4b20c2d3bc6b445bad80caafd049bd59/view?ref=proximareport.com) asking for end-to-end (Earth to lunar orbit) commercial crewed transportation solutions. All of the changes and plans above will need to be funded and enacted as law by Congress, as it controls NASA's money through appropriations and authorization acts. The White House could not fund the new plans as well, as it [tried to cut major programs at the space agency](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-ends-nasa-global/) last year. --- *\*Only* [*up to the Artemis V mission*](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/trump-megabill-includes-billions-for-artemis-iss-moving-a-space-shuttle-to-texas-and-more/?ref=proximareport.com) *has been funded by U.S. policymakers.* ### Weekly Dose of Space (15/3-21/3) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-15-3-21-3/ Last updated: 2026-03-22T22:22:04.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week again saw seven rockets flying into orbit, with most carrying several satellites. News from the week had a spacewalk outside of the Tiangong Space Station and Blue Origin looking into orbiting data centers. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *March 15th - Long March 6A with Yaogan 50-02* A Long March 6A blasted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center heading into a retrograde low Earth orbit, carrying Yaogan 50-02\. The remote sensing satellite is reportedly for land survey, crop yield estimation, and disaster mitigation and prevention. ![The Long March 6A Y28 vehicle blasting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on March 15th 2026.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/HDfctkvWgAAtVt8-1.jpg) The Long March 6A Y28 vehicle blasting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on March 15th 2026. ### *March 16th - Kuaizhou-11 with eight satellites* ExPace's Kuaizhou-11 flew from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to place eight satellites into sun-synchronous orbit. Satellites onboard were the Weitong-1-1 AI-demonstrating remote sensing satellite, the Xiyuan-0 early refueling testing spacecraft, and the other operation remote sensing spacecraft known as Yuxing-3-05, Juntian-1-04A, Dongpo-11, Dongpo-12, Dongpo-16, and Xiguang-1-06. ![The Kuaizhou-11 Y7 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on March 16th 2026.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/640a-1.webp) The Kuaizhou-11 Y7 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on March 16th 2026. ### *March 17th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-24* SpaceX launched twenty-five Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1088 for its fourteenth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-24 mission on March 17th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/HDmDYQlaAAAnfsA-1.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-24 mission on March 17th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *March 17th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-46* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1090 supported this mission, flying for the eleventh time and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Twenty-nine Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit attached to Falcon 9's second-stage on March 17th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/HDn0tzUbEAI5q5l.jpg) Twenty-nine Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit attached to Falcon 9's second-stage on March 17th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *March 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-33* Another Falcon 9 flew into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying twenty-nine Starlink satellites. Supporting this flight was booster B1077 for its twenty-seventh flight, touching down on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-33 mission on March 19th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/HDyNdHsWAAApKJO.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-33 mission on March 19th 2026\. ©SpaceX ### *March 20th - Electron for 'Eight Days A Week'* An Electron launch vehicle from Rocket Lab flew into low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying a single satellite for Synspective. The satellite onboard is believed to have been a remote sensing satellite, and the second of ten launched as part of a single order. ![Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B on March 20th 2026. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/HD4RqRXboAA8wC7-1.jpg) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B on March 20th 2026\. ©Rocket Lab ### *March 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-15* Another twenty-five Starlink satellites were launched atop of a Falcon 9 and placed into low Earth orbit out of Space Launch Complex 4E. Booster B1100 supported this mission for its fourth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 17-15 mission on March 20th 2026. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/HD5Dq5WWIAEZKoB.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 17-15 mission on March 20th 2026\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Shenzhou-21 crew perform second spacewalk* ![Wu Fei on the end of Tiangong's robotic arm to inspect the attachment point of a solar panel as part of a spacewalk on March 16th 2026.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/LHqk9RXl1cc5RPH7.jpg) Wu Fei on the end of Tiangong's robotic arm to inspect the attachment point of a solar panel as part of a spacewalk on March 16th 2026. March 16th saw the [second spacewalk of the Shenzhou-21 mission](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-21-taikonauts-perform-second?ref=proximareport.com) aboard the Tiangong Space Station, with Zhang Lu and Wu Fei venturing outside via the Wentian module's airlock for about seven hours. Zhang Hongzhang remained inside to support the two spacewalkers as well as the station's robotic arm. While outside of the space station, the two taikoanuts installed new space debris protection devices onto vulnerable points of the outside of Tiangong's modules. Zhang and Wu also performed standard inspections of the Tianhe, Mengtian, and Wentian modules. Back inside the station, the Shenzhou-21 crew continued to support and maintain experiments running onboard the space station. They have also recently harvested a crop of cherry tomatoes grown in microgravity. ### *Blue Origin looking into orbital data centers* In filings submitted to the Federal Communications Commission, [Blue Origin is seeking approval](https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-joins-the-orbital-data-center-race/?ref=proximareport.com) to launch 51,600 satellites as part of what it calls 'Project Sunrise'. Those satellites will be for in-space computing, primarily tasked with artifical intelligence tasks, and circling the Earth in 500 to 1,800 kilometer sun-synchronous orbits. Blue Origin's filing comes after an [88,000-spacecraft plan from Starcloud](https://spacenews.com/starcloud-files-plans-for-88000-satellite-constellation/?ref=proximareport.com) and a [one-million-satellite proposal from SpaceX](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2514106-why-did-spacex-just-apply-to-launch-1-million-satellites/?ref=proximareport.com). At present, American space computing proposals are behind [operational ones from enterprises in China](https://proximareport.com/articles/chinas-quietly-ai-compute/). ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *March 22nd - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-33* A Soyuz 2.1a will fly from a [repaired Site 31](https://proximareport.com/articles/soyuz-damage-baikonur-pad/) at the Baikonur Cosmodrome to send the Progress MS-33 resupply spacecraft toward the International Space Station. ### *March 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-62* Falcon 9 is set to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 to carry a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *March 22nd - Jielong-3 with to-be-annouced payloads* From the Yellow Sea, a Jielong-3 is preparing to fly into low Earth orbit off of a sea launch platform, carrying a handful of unknown satellites. ### *March 23rd - Spectrum for 'Onward and Upward'* Isar Aerospace is preparing to fly from Andøya Spaceport in Norway for its second demonstration flight, following its [failed first in March 2025](https://proximareport.com/isar-first-flight/). ### *March 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-17* Another batch of Starlink satellites are set to be placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *March 25th - Electron for 'Daughter Of The Stars'* Rocket Lab's Electron is set to carry two positioning, navigation*,* and timing demonstration satellites into sun-synchronous orbit on behalf of the European Space Agency from Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand. ### *March 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-44* From Space Launch Complex 40, yet more Starlink satellites will be launched atop of Falcon 9 and delivered to low Earth orbit. ### Artemis II Heads Back to the Launch Pad Ahead of April Moon Mission URL: https://proximareport.com/artemis-ii-back-launch-pad/ Last updated: 2026-03-20T09:19:03.000Z In the morning of March 20th, [NASA began the twelve-hour process](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/03/20/artemis-ii-moon-rocket-heads-back-to-launch-pad/?ref=proximareport.com) of rolling its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket out to Launch Complex 39B from the Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building. The rocket's trip is being performed by one of the space agency's crawler-transporters, with a blistering top speed of 0.3 miles per hour. [Over two months ago](https://proximareport.com/articles/artemis-ii-moon-weeks-away/), Artemis II's SLS headed out for flight, completing tests to full fuel and preparing all systems. Later fueling tests were completed as planned, but [a helium leak](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/02/21/nasa-troubleshooting-artemis-ii-rocket-upper-stage-issue-preparing-to-roll-back/?ref=proximareport.com) on the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, causing a a trip back to the Vehicle Assembly Building [on February 25th](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/02/25/nasa-artemis-ii-rocket-rolls-back-to-vehicle-assembly-building/?ref=proximareport.com). That leak [was found to be](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/02/26/teams-begin-artemis-ii-repairs-in-vehicle-assembly-building/?ref=proximareport.com) from a seal in the quick-disconnect systems, with teams utilizing the rockets' time [off the pad to refresh](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/03/03/nasa-repairs-upper-stage-helium-flow-preps-continue-ahead-of-rollout/?ref=proximareport.com) battery and flight termination systems as well. Meanwhile, the four astronauts waiting to fly on board Orion have entered [their two-week pre-flight quarantine](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/03/18/nasa-finalizes-artemis-ii-rollout-crew-begins-quarantine/?ref=proximareport.com) in Houston, limiting their contact to non-NASA personnel, ahead of a flight over to the Kennedy Space Center in a few days. With SLS heading back to Launch Complex 39B and the crew in quarantine, NASA is preparing to begin the Artemis II mission no earlier than April 1st in [a launch window](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/artemis-ii-mission-availability.pdf?emrc=03427d&ref=proximareport.com) that runs until April 6th. If no launch occurs in those six days, another window begins on April 30th. When the Artemis II mission does begin via its SLS launch, the mission's crew will spend up to ten days onboard the Orion spacecraft, with [their time scheduled as follows](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasas-artemis-ii-moon-mission-daily-agenda/?ref=proximareport.com): - **Day 1:** After SLS places Orion into a high-Earth orbit, the spacecraft will perform a slight orbital boost before the four astronauts test life support and other human-needed systems, like its toilet. - **Day 2:** Following their first night in space, and the first ever onboard Orion, the crew will prepare for a lunar-bound engine burn that will be performed later that day. This day is also usable as an early return to Earth should major systems be acting anomalously. - **Day 3:** A small burn will refine Orion's path toward the Moon while its four astronauts demonstrate the spacecraft's medical procedures and equipment, later verifying emergency communication systems. - **Day 4:** Another burn will be performed to further refine Orion's path, while the crew has minimal activity besides a short time to photograph the Moon. - **Day 5:** Orion will enter the Moon's sphere of influence for the second time in its flight history, and the first time with astronauts onboard. This day will also have the crew testing their spacesuit systems while they remain a considerable distance from the Moon, and another burn will refine Orion's path to start aiming it for the Pacific Ocean back on Earth. - **Day 6:** Orion will be at its furthest distance away from Earth while coming closest to the Moon, at a distance of 6,440 to 9,650 kilometers. Depending on lighting conditions, the four astronauts on board will conduct photography of the lunar surface as they fly by. - **Day 7:** After just two days in it, Orion will exit the Moon's sphere of influence while the crew informs teams back on Earth of the experience of flying past the Moon. Another engine burn will be performed too, for refining the spacecraft's path back to Earth. - **Day 8:** Now heading back to Earth, the four astronauts will demonstrate setting up a radiation shelter within Orion due to the spacecraft's prolonged future missions, which may see crews exposed to events like solar flares. - **Day 9:** Ahead of reentry to the atmosphere the following day, the crew will conclude Orion systems demonstrations and perform various health measurements relating to their re-adaption to the planet following the lunar mission. - **Day 10:** Orion will perform its final burn to aim for recovery locations in the Pacific Ocean, then separate the capsule from the service module for reentry into Earth's atmosphere. Reentry will last several minutes to slow the capsule down from about Mach 30\. Once throught atmosphere, parachutes will deploy to slow the capsule for a gentle splashdown, after which the crew will be recovered to end the Artemis II mission. Over those ten days, the astronauts will [consume pre-prepared shelf-stable meals](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/artemis-2/artemis-ii-whats-on-the-menu/?ref=proximareport.com) three times a day. ## Who's heading around the Moon? When the Artemis II mission lifts off and reaches the Moon, the four astronauts onboard the Orion spacecraft will be the first to head near our closest celestial neighbor since the crew of Apollo 17 in December 1972\. As for the crew onboard, they are: - [Reid Wiseman](https://www.nasa.gov/people/reid-wiseman/?ref=proximareport.com), Commander of the Artemis II mission, for his second spaceflight. In 2014, he spent 165-days onboard the International Space Station, following selection in 2009 and training in 2011\. Prior to joining NASA, he served in the U.S. Navy. - [Victor Glover](https://www.nasa.gov/people/victor-j-glover-jr/?ref=proximareport.com), Pilot for the Artemis II mission, participating in his second spaceflight. For his first mission over 2020 and 2021, he flew for the Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station for 168-days, having been selected in 2013 and trained in 2015\. Before becoming an astronaut, he served in the U.S. Navy. - [Christina Koch](https://www.nasa.gov/people/christina-koch/?ref=proximareport.com), Mission Specialist of the Artemis II mission, for her second spaceflight. Starting in 2019 and concluding in 2020, her first spaceflight spent 328-days onboard the International Space Station, following selection in 2013 and training in 2015\. Prior to becoming an astronaut, she worked at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, was a Research Associate in the United States Antarctic Program, worked for Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, and performed research for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. - [Jeremy Hansen](https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/canadian/active/bio-jeremy-hansen.asp?ref=proximareport.com), Mission Specialist for the Artemis II mission, for his first spaceflight. Hansen is the only non-American member of the crew and is part of an agreement regarding [Canada's contribution](https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/canadarm3/about.asp?ref=proximareport.com) to the Artemis program. Prior to being trained as an astronaut, following selection in 2009, he served in the Royal Canadian Air Force. ![Artemis II's Jeremy Hansen (left), Christina Koch (center left), Victor Glover (center right), and Reid Wiseman (right) during sea recovery rehearsals in February 2024. ©Isaac Watson/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/53554409443_cfd2aaf56b-1.jpg) Artemis II's Jeremy Hansen (left), Christina Koch (center left), Victor Glover (center right), and Reid Wiseman (right) during sea recovery rehearsals in February 2024\. ©Isaac Watson/NASA ### Weekly Dose of Space (8/3-14/3) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-8-3-14-3/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T21:20:20.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw seven rockets flying into orbit worldwide, with the Chinese vehicles returning after a month's pause. News of the week had CAS Space saying they're ready to launch Kinetica-2, while the Tianwen-3 Mars sample return mission has progressed to its next development stage. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *March 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-18* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, bringing twenty-five Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1097, flying for the seventh time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-18 mission on March 8th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/HC41ezvWkAA91_Q-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-18 mission on March 8th. ©SpaceX ### *March 10th - Falcon 9 with EchoStar XXV* Falcon 9 flew towards a geosynchronous transfer orbit off of Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying the EchoStar XXV broadcasting satellite on behalf of DISH Network. Booste B1085 supported this mission for its fifteenth flight, landing on downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. > Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship [pic.twitter.com/4jyNHW3mHq](https://t.co/4jyNHW3mHq?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [March 10, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2031225967960604699?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster B1085 landing on 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' on March 10th, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2031225967960604699?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). > Deployment of [@EchoStar](https://twitter.com/EchoStar?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) XXV confirmed [pic.twitter.com/VrYd2QtjxT](https://t.co/VrYd2QtjxT?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [March 10, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2031232661184811428?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) EchoStar XXV being deployed from Falcon 9's second-stage, via [SpaceX on Twitte](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2031232661184811428?s=20&ref=proximareport.com)r. ### *March 12th - Alpha for 'Stariway To Seven'* Firefly Aerospace [returned its Alpha rocket to flight](https://proximareport.com/articles/alpha-orbit-first-2024/) with a launch out of Space Launch Complex 2W, in California, toward a retrograde low Earth orbit. This flight primarily tested upgrades to the rocket, but a payload for Lockheed Martin was stated to have been carried after launch. > Look at that view! Catch the recap of last night's Stairway to Seven. Congrats to all our Fireflies on Alpha Flight 7 mission success! [pic.twitter.com/jVpYNwxN2W](https://t.co/jVpYNwxN2W?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Firefly Aerospace (@FireflySpace) [March 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/FireflySpace/status/2032145999536292232?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) A recap of the seventh flight of Alpha from Space Launch Complex 2W, via [Firefly Aerospace on Twitter](https://x.com/FireflySpace/status/2032145999536292232?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *March 12th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 20* Out of the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, a Long March 8A flew into low Earth orbit, carrying nine more satellites for the GuoWang connectivity mega-constellation. This launch brought the constellation up to 163 satellites in space, with 27 out of 310 spacecraft planned to be deployed this year. ![The Long March 8A Y8 vehicle lifting off for the GuoWang Group 20 mission on March 12th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/0077Nzxhly1ib4ylmndwaj32az32nhdx-1.jpg) The Long March 8A Y8 vehicle lifting off for the GuoWang Group 20 mission on March 12th. ### *March 12th - Long March 2D with Shiyan-30-03 and Shiyan-30-04* A Long March 2D lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, carrying Shiyan-30-03 and Shiyan-30-04 into low Earth orbit. The two satellites are designed to test and verify new Earth observation technologies. ![The Long March 2D Y95 vehicle blasting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center with Shiyan-30-03 and Shiyan-30-04 on March 12th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/640aaa-1.webp) The Long March 2D Y95 vehicle blasting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center with Shiyan-30-03 and Shiyan-30-04 on March 12th. ### *March 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-31* Another twenty-five Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 out of Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this launch was booster B1071 for its thirty-second flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-31 mission on March 13th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/HDTk9OjXcAEy7So-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-31 mission on March 13th. ©SpaceX ### *March 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-48* Twenty-nine Starlink satellites were launched atop of a Falcon 9 and into low Earth orbit, from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1095 supported this launch, flying for the sixth time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-48 mission on March 14th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/HDYDIYZXAAMq4iq-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-48 mission on March 14th. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Tianwen-3 Mars sample mission leaves prototyping phase* Toward the end of China's major annual political meetings, Liu Jizhong, Chief Designer of the Tianwen-3 Mars sample return mission, told the media present that the country's effort to collect surface samples from the red planet is progressing well, [recently leaving the prototype development phase](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/190151609/tianwen-3-mars-sample-return-mission-to-enter-full-development?ref=proximareport.com). Development so far has been primarily focused on surface sample collection and storage, launching in Martian gravity, and sample storage transfer in orbit between spacecraft. The next phase of development will see the production of two spacecraft to gather and return samples to Earth, those being the Mars lander-ascent vehicle combination and the Mars orbiter-Earth return spacecraft. At the moment, the mission is on track for a start in 2028, with two launches atop of the Long March 5\. Three years after launch, in 2031, Mars surface samples should be returned to Earth for the first time ever. ### *Tri-core Kinetica-2 ready for launch* [*China in Space* reports](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/cas-spaces-kinetica-2-set-for-march?ref=proximareport.com) that Chinese launch company CAS Space is close to launching its tri-core Kinetica-2 launch vehicle for the first time. A launch window for the first launch was stated to be 'soon' and out of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The first flight of Kinetica-2 is set to carry a prototype version of the Qingzhou cargo spacecraft, designed to affordably resupply the Tiangong Space Station, from the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Qingzhou will be placed into low Earth orbit for a free-flying mission to demonstrate key systems in a low-risk environment. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *March 15th - Long March 6A with a to-be-annouced payload* From the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 6A is set to launch into a retrograde low Earth orbit, expected to be carrying a Yaogan remote sensing satellite. ### *March 16th - Kuaizhou-1A with an unknown payload* ExPace's Kuaizhou-1A may liftoff from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, placing some currently unknown satellite into sun-synchronous orbit. ### *March 17th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-24* Off of Space Launch Complex 4E, a Falcon 9 is set to place a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *March 17th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-46* Another batch of Starlink satellites is being prepared to head into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 out of Space Launch Complex 40. ### *March 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-33* Even more Starlink satellites are set to be placed into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9. ### *March 19th - Electron for 'Eight Days A Week'* From the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, Rocket Lab's Electron rocket is being prepared to fly into low Earth orbit to deliver an Earth observation satellite for Synspective. ### *March 19th - Spectrum for 'Onward and Upward'* Isar Aerospace is preparing to fly from Andøya Spaceport in Norway for its second demonstration flight, following its [failed first in March 2025](https://proximareport.com/isar-first-flight/). ### *March 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-15* Falcon 9 will launch from Space Launch Complex 4E again, carrying a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### Firefly's Alpha Rocket Reaches Orbit for First Time Since 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/alpha-orbit-first-2024/ Last updated: 2026-03-12T02:50:27.000Z At 05:00 am Universal Coordinated Time on March 12th, Firefly Aerospace's Alpha rocket [lifted off](https://x.com/FireflySpace/status/2031895470977515926?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) from Space Launch Complex 2W, at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, under the power of its four Reaver engines. Liftoff was followed by a perfect-looking first-stage ascent out of the atmosphere, with stage separation and ignition of the vacuum-optimized Lightning engine at T+02:38\. The single engine continued to burn for almost five and a half minutes, placing Alpha's second-stage into a retrograde-ish [low Earth orbit](https://x.com/FireflySpace/status/2031897658005065838?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), after which a [live feed of launch](https://www.youtube.com/live/nyVbmoRXcvc?si=EzATa1i6pyBkH1Rf&ref=proximareport.com) was cut. While not shown, a reignition of the Lightning engine was stated to have occurred. No payloads were announced before launch, but [afterwards it was revealed](https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-successfully-launches-alpha-flight-7/?ref=proximareport.com) that Lockheed Martin had a demonstrator onboard. Today's flight of Alpha, its seventh to date, was to test several upgrades for a 'Block 2' version of the rocket. Upgrades [included on this flight](https://fireflyspace.com/missions/alpha-flta007/?ref=proximareport.com) were new Firefly-made batteries and avionics, improved thermal protection systems, and stronger carbon composite structures. Through flying upgrades on Alpha's seventh flight, Firefly Aerospace plans to gain flight experience with many new systems in a low-risk way, as no payloads were onboard. Alpha's next flight is [planned to incorporate further upgrades](https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-announces-alpha-block-ii-configuration-upgrade-for-flight-8/?ref=proximareport.com), which will improve the rocket's reliability and production rate. Adam Oakes, Vice President of Launch at Firefly Aerospace, explained the company's approach as: > "Firefly is utilizing Flight 7 as an opportunity to test key systems ahead of the full Block II upgrade on Flight 8\. This approach allows us to accelerate our planned Block II timeline and validate the improvements designed to enable more mass savings, optimize production, and increase reliability across the entire Alpha vehicle. Our flight-proven Reaver and Lightning engines and carbon composite structures continue to be the backbone of this rocket, so that core technology doesn’t change." !['Block 1' (top) and 'Block 2' (bottom) versions of the Alpha rocket. ©Firefly Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/Firefly-Alpha-Block-I-vs.-Block-II-1024x576.jpg) 'Block 1' (top) and 'Block 2' (bottom) versions of the Alpha rocket. ©Firefly Aerospace Upgrading Alpha was also stated to be driven by customer needs, likely [those of Lockheed Martin](https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2024-06-05-Lockheed-Martin-Purchases-Up-to-25-Rocket-Launches-from-Firefly-Aerospace?ref=proximareport.com), with Firefly Aerospace's Chief Executive Officer, Jason Kim, sharing: > "The Block II upgrade has been part of Firefly’s strategic growth plan to meet the evolving needs of the growing global launch market and further supports Firefly’s culture of continuous improvement with a focus on enhanced safety, quality, and reliability. Firefly worked closely with customers and incorporated data and lessons learned from our first six Alpha launches and hundreds of hardware tests to make upgrades." The next flight of Alpha will fully introduce 'Block 2' by stretching the first and second stages of the rocket to store more rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, bringing its height to 31.6 meters. Part of the reason for incorporating 'Block 2' upgrades on Alpha's seventh flight was a loss of the mission's original first-stage. At the [end of September 2025](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/09/after-another-fiery-setback-it-seems-fireflys-alpha-rocket-is-still-in-beta/?ref=proximareport.com), a sizeable explosion occurred on a test stand during qualification of the first-stage, destroying it and [damaging the stand](https://x.com/mcrs987/status/1972753307572883570?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). Increasing the reliability of Alpha will be critical for the rocket's future, as it had been lost outright twice and failed to reach a customer's requested orbit twice, with two successes in September 2023 and July 2024. > One step closer on the Stairway to Seven! > > Following a successful 20 second static fire, the Alpha Flight 7 launch window will open no earlier than February 18\. Stay tuned for more on the test flight. [https://t.co/bCuGqJI8q8](https://t.co/bCuGqJI8q8?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/ceH2zoKIVz](https://t.co/ceH2zoKIVz?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Firefly Aerospace (@FireflySpace) [February 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/FireflySpace/status/2020860385973145659?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Alpha's first-stage completing a static fire ahead of its seventh flight, via [Firefly Aerospace on Twitter](https://x.com/FireflySpace/status/2020860385973145659?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### Many Issues Are Present With U.S. Lunar Landers, OIG Report Finds URL: https://proximareport.com/issues-present-us-landers/ Last updated: 2026-03-11T17:59:21.000Z Having announced its audit [back in July 2024](https://x.com/NASAOIG/status/1812932822534938679?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), NASA's Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently [released its report](https://oig.nasa.gov/office-of-inspector-general-oig/audit-reports/nasas-management-of-the-human-landing-system-contracts/?ref=proximareport.com) into the SpaceX and Blue Origin Human Landing Systems (HLS), contracted to land astronauts on the lunar surface [as soon as 2028](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/). That report found several challenges or issues with both HLS vehicles. ### Issues with Starship An obvious issue identified in the report was that of the bipolar flight history of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch system, which will be modified into Starship HLS. At the moment, Starship has yet to even fly into orbit, let alone prove a basic version of its refueling system between two Starships. March 2025 was meant to prove out that capability, and it was not [as three out of five](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-eleven/#whats-next-for-starship) missions failed during ascent out of the atmosphere last year. Now SpaceX is working on a new version of Starship-Super Heavy in an attempt to fix issues. According to the OIG, Starship's on-orbit refueling demonstration was meant to occur this month, but that is now obviously delayed way later into the year, as SpaceX hasn't demonstrated a 24-day turnaround of Starship-Super Heavy launches for a cadence representative of the minimum propellant refueling flight rate needed. The OIG also outlined that at least twelve flights of Starship-Super Heavy are needed per Starship HLS landing, one for a tanker, one for the lander, and at least ten refueling flights. Those issues have led to delays to Starship HLS' first use with astronauts and a required uncrewed demonstration, which won't include life support systems or the elevator to exit the lander, before that. Per the OIG, SpaceX told NASA in late 2025 that Starship HLS won't meet a June 2027 target date. Prompting requests to both HLS providers for 'accelerated' plans (more on that later). SpaceX has also come into conflict with NASA on systems within Starship HLS. A critical one is a system for astronauts to manually take control of the lander during descent, which NASA has been pushing to include for safety. SpaceX was noted as dragging its feet on including manual control, with the OIG worrying that the company may pursue a waiver on the system based on use with the Crew Dragon spacecraft. A problem with that is that Crew Dragon was able to incorporate flight experience from almost a decade of Cargo Dragon missions to the International Space Station. Starship HLS has no such experience to draw upon relevant to a lunar landing. Another systems issue is that of the reliability of the 115-feet-tall (35 meters) crew elevator, which will be first used on the first astronaut-carrying mission. Starship HLS has no alternative to the elevator for entering or exiting the lander. ### Problems with Blue Moon Like Starship HLS, Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mk2, its HLS vehicle, is yet to have its necessary in-space refueling systems demonstrated. Those systems will refuel Blue Moon Mk2's transfer stage, launched separately, to top up the lander for flight to its staging orbit, while the transfer stage is refueled in both low Earth orbit and an undefined high 'stairstep' orbit to eventually meet the lander to refuel it for a trip to the surface. A figure for total launches needed, via [Blue Origin's New Glenn](https://proximareport.com/articles/new-glenn-booster-lands/), was not stated, but a concept of operations diagram shows that at least five will be utilized. ![A concept of operations diagram showing the process of using Blue Moon Mk2 for a crewed lunar landing. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/BMMK2-fig4.png) A concept of operations diagram showing the process of using Blue Moon Mk2 for a crewed lunar landing. ©NASA Blue Moon Mk2 is also facing problems with its airlock, where spacesuits will be equipped, as NASA provided insufficiently detailed documents about hardware by [spacesuit contractor Axiom Space](https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/nasa-moon-mission-spacesuit-nears-milestone/?ref=proximareport.com) due to a focus on working with SpaceX's vehicle. As such, the OIG warns that the airlock faces a redesign to adapt to new hardware to support the equipping of spacesuits by astronauts. Manual control is a concern with Blue Moon Mk2 too. The OIG stated that a decision on control systems has not been made, with the HLS vehicle yet to reach critical design review and still having items with action required open from preliminary design review. Unlike Starship HLS, Blue Moon Mk2 will be able to draw upon flight experience with the uncrewed Blue Moon Mk1 cargo lunar lander. At the time of OIG's look into Blue Moon Mk2, an uncrewed demonstration mission with the HLS vehicle was expected by NASA in early 2029. ### 'Accelerated' lander plans As mentioned earlier, NASA was prompted to request 'accelerated' plans for bringing its two contractors' landers online. Externally at the time that was known as an ['opening up' of the Artemis III landing](https://proximareport.com/articles/artemis-ii-near-doubt-on-nasa/#opening-up-artemis-iii) contract by then-Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy in October 2025\. Since then, SpaceX and Blue Origin have submitted plans to 'accelerate' development of their HLS vehicles, detailed by [*Ars Technica*'s Eric Berger](https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/03/nasa-has-shuffled-its-artemis-rockets-but-what-of-the-lunar-landers/?ref=proximareport.com). In SpaceX's accelerated plans, the company suggested it will increase the priority of Starship HLS within the development of the Starship-Super Heavy launch system. That is despite the company [being paid 2.8 billion](https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT%5FAWD%5F80MSFC20C0034%5F8000%5F-NONE-%5F-NONE-?ref=proximareport.com) United States Dollars since April 2021 by NASA. SpaceX was also reported as suggesting not docking with Orion in lunar orbit, instead having Starship HLS carrying it between orbits. Meanwhile, Blue Origin's 'accelerated' proposal outlines using a 'simplified' Blue Moon Mk2 lander, booster by two transfer stages to send the HLS vehicle towards an alternative staging orbit reachable by the Orion spacecraft, known as Elliptical Polar Orbit with Coplanar Line of Apsides, where the two will dock. After docking the second transfer stage will carry the lander, now with astronauts onboard, into a lower orbit before Blue Moon Mk2 takes over for the remainder of the mission. That proposal would reportedly only need three launches of New Glenn. The 'accelerated' plans are motivated by a desire by the U.S. government to 'beat' China to the lunar surface in a so-called 21st century Moon race. A race that [China doesn't care about](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-is-not-racing-to-the-moon?ref=proximareport.com). ### Weekly Dose of Space (1/3-7/3) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-1-3-7-3/ Last updated: 2026-03-08T20:35:59.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week once again saw five launches taking place, with a launch failure occurring in Japan. News of the week had NASA confirming its new upper-stage for SLS and LandSpace making progress on a powerful engine. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *March 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-23* A Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-five Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1082 on its twentieth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-23 mission on March 1st. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/HCUoVQTa8AAVkNg.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-23 mission on March 1st. ©SpaceX ### *March 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-41* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1078 supported this launch for its twenty-sixth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 blasting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-41 mission on March 2nd. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/HCYTn9yXAAAQyQw-1.jpg) Falcon 9 blasting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-41 mission on March 2nd. ©SpaceX ### *March 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-40* Another Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 to place twenty-nine Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1080, flying for the twenty-fifth time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 flying for the Starlink Group 10-40 mission on March 4th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/HCkSC-AawAYDrYL-1.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 flying for the Starlink Group 10-40 mission on March 4th. ©SpaceX ### *March 5th - KAIROS with five satellites* Japan's Space One launched its KAIROS rocket from paceport Kii near Kushimoto in Wakayama Prefecture, aiming to fly into low Earth orbit with five customer satellites. Just over a minute after liftoff, [the flight was terminated](https://proximareport.com/articles/kairos-fail-third-time/), making the remaining hardware and satellites fall into the Pacific Ocean. ### *March 5th - Electron for 'Insight At Speed Is A Friend Indeed'* Rocket Lab's Electron flew off of Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, heading into low Earth orbit with a satellite likely belonging to BlackSky. > 100% mission success [pic.twitter.com/8nBg0YJbRn](https://t.co/8nBg0YJbRn?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Peter Beck (@Peter\_J\_Beck) [March 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/Peter%5FJ%5FBeck/status/2029775489309847724?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1A on March 5th as seen from the launch pad, via [Peter Beck on Twitter](https://x.com/Peter%5FJ%5FBeck/status/2029775489309847724?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ## **In Other Space News** ### *Centaur V to be new SLS upper-stage* In a sole-source procurement [contract published on March 6th](https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/9a93c52c2eba4f5abed0305b3fb4512a/view?ref=proximareport.com), it was officially revealed that United Launch Alliance's Centaur V upper-stage, currently used on its Vulcan rocket, will be used as a new 'standard' upper-stage on NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The move [was widely expected](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-changes-artemis-problems/) following an announcement at the end of February, with the upper-stage to be used from the Artemis IV mission currently set for 2028\. NASA's justification for foregoing a competitive process of selecting the new SLS upper-stage was due to Centaur V's use of the same propellants currently burned on the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, as well as its use of an engine from the RL10 series. The second-stage of Blue Origin's New Glenn launch vehicle was also studied for potential use, but it was claimed that it would require too much modification to SLS' Mobile Launcher 1 and other hardware. Centaur V itself will still require modifications, labelled by NASA to be minor and not detailed. Before its first use in two years, Centaur V would need its commodity and propellant attachment points moved elsewhere, or Mobile Launcher 1 would need new arms installed. Alongside that, the upper-stage would need to be strengthened to support Orion's weight of 35,380 kilograms with its launch abort system, as in its Vulcan using version Centaur V is designed to carry a maximum of 27,200 kilograms. SLS would also need a brand new interstage produced to place the upper-stage atop of the core stage. ### *LandSpace's BF-20 engine reaches full power* > LandSpace's full-flow staged-combustion engine, BF-20, has reached 220 tons of thrust and conducted extended firings, of which over one hundred are said to have taken place > > Details -> [https://t.co/KcSW0W2Gh3](https://t.co/KcSW0W2Gh3?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/uDPsxGai2T](https://t.co/uDPsxGai2T?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Phazzee 🐼🚀 | 中国航天 🇨🇳 | 🇵🇸🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 (@PhazzeeYeehaw) [March 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/PhazzeeYeehaw/status/2029924706090975553?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) LandSpace's BF-20 full-flow staged-combustion engine, which burns liquid methane and liquid oxygen, has managed to reach its full power, [according to the company](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/landspaces-bf-20-engine-reaches-220?ref=proximareport.com). Tests in recent weeks have had the engine achieve 220 tons of thrust while running for extended periods of time to prove the reliability of engine systems. LandSpace did not provide any more details on the specifics of their testing with the BF-20. A first firing of the BF-20 engine occurred ten months ago in May 2025\. By September, the engine was stated as having fired thirty times, while only reaching half power. In the six months since then, the engine has surpassed one hundred test firings. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *March 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-18* SpaceX is preparing to place a group of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E via Falcon 9\. ### *March 10th - Alpha for 'Stairway To Seven'* Firefly Aerospace's Alpha is expected to fly for the seventh time out of the Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, to verify upgrades to the vehicle while being a return to flight mission. ### *March 10th - Falcon 9 with EchoStar XXV* Falcon 9 is set to head towards the geostationary transfer orbit carrying the EchoStar XXV broadcast satellite on behalf of DISH Network. ### *March 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-31* Another group of Starlink satellites is set to be launched atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E and deployed into low Earth orbit. ### *March 12th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-48* From Space Launch Complex 40, a Falcon 9 will head into low Earth orbit with even more Starlink satellites. ### *March 13th - Long March 8A with a group of satellites* A Long March 8A is being prepared to launch from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site with an unknown payload that is widely expected to be a group of satellites. ### *March 13th - Long March 2C or 2D with an unknown payload* At the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 2C or Long March 2D is being readied for launch with an unannounced payload. ### Japan's KAIROS Fails to See Space for Third Time With Another Failure URL: https://proximareport.com/kairos-fail-third-time/ Last updated: 2026-06-12T15:13:26.000Z KAIROS, a privately developed launch vehicle from Japan's Space One, performed its third flight on March 5th, blasting off at 02:00 am Universal Coordinated Time, after launch scrubs on the 1st and 4th, from Spaceport Kii near Kushimoto in Wakayama Prefecture. Following liftoff, the launch vehicle's first stage powered flight for around one minute. During that minute, KAIROS was observed to have taken a sharp turn along its launch path, with a puff of smoke and tumbling hardware spotted afterward. The puff of smoke was the vehicle's [flight termination system activating](https://www.space-one.co.jp/news/news%5F20260305%5F02.html?ref=proximareport.com) at an altitude of 29 kilometers, resulting in KAIROS and its customers' satellites falling into the Pacific Ocean. > 🚨BREAKING! Japan's SpaceOne KAIROS Rocket Launch Ends In Failure🚨 > Space One’s KAIROS No. 3 rocket suffered an anomaly during first stage flight following liftoff on March 5, 2026 at 11:10 a.m. local time from the Kii Spaceport in Japan. > > According to the company, the vehicle… [pic.twitter.com/UFrYMJ0rhg](https://t.co/UFrYMJ0rhg?ref=proximareport.com) > > — The Launch Pad (@TLPN\_Official) [March 5, 2026](https://twitter.com/TLPN%5FOfficial/status/2029387283347194118?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) A [leading](https://news.web.nhk/newsweb/na/na-k10015066591000?ref=proximareport.com) [theory](https://news.mynavi.jp/techplus/article/KAIROS%5FF3-3/?ref=proximareport.com) presented by Space One after launch was that KAIROS' automated flight termination system may have activated unintentionally, a similar scenario to what happened with the vehicle's first flight. Masakazu Toyoda, President of Space One, apologized to customers for the launch failure, stating: > "It may appear we've regressed compared to last time, but we have steadily accumulated know-how and experience, and we believe we have made progress. We will implement necessary improvements, connect them to the next flight, and steadily advance toward realizing space transportation services." ![The layout of the five payloads atop of KAIROS' fourth stage, with TATARA-1R atop and the other satellites in four dispensers. ©Space One](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/1765792068-uxLKyPVbtHMFEf8jUZ6cJ2l5.png) The layout of the five payloads atop of KAIROS' fourth stage, with TATARA-1R atop and the other satellites in four dispensers. ©Space One Five satellites from paying customers were atop of KAIROS for its failed launch, [they were](https://www.space-one.co.jp/news/news%5F20250831%5Fe.html?ref=proximareport.com): - [TATARA-1R](https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000020.000069329.html?ref=proximareport.com) from Terra Space inc. was a 70-kilogram technology demonstration satellite. - [SC-Sat1a](https://forum.spacecubics.com/t/topic/111?ref=proximareport.com) developed by Space Cubics Inc. was planned to demonstrate computing in space within a 3U CubeSat form factor. - HErO from Hiroo Hakuen Junior & Senior High School was going to be an educational outreach satellite with ground observable LEDs onboard for optical communication. - AETS-1 from ArkEdge Space Inc. was set to demonstrate a satellite computer's advanced reprogrammability. - [Nutsat-3](https://note.com/celestial%5Fworlds/n/n68bd107ad00d?sub%5Frt=share%5Fpb&ref=proximareport.com) from the Taiwan Space Agency was going to conduct radio transmission experiments for amateur radio communications. Today's KAIROS failure was the third in its history. So far all of its attempts to reach orbit have failed, as the first, [in March 2024](https://proximareport.com/articles/japans-first-private-rocket-debuts/), was lost due to an early triggering of the flight termination system, and the second tumbling during second-stage flight [in December 2024](https://proximareport.com/articles/kairos-flight-two/). If KAIROS were to reach orbit, it is claimed to be capable of carrying 250 kilograms of payload, stored within a 1.5-meter-diameter fairing, to a 500-kilometer low Earth orbit. Powering flight into orbit are three solid-fuelled stages, and a liquid propellant fourth-stage that enables accurate orbital insertion. On the launchpad, the vehicle stands 18 meters tall and 1.35 meters wide across its three solid stages. In the lead-up to KAIROS' third launch, Space One [successfully raised 80 million Yen](https://www.space-one.co.jp/news/news%5F20260225.html?ref=proximareport.com) (509,590 United States Dollars) in crowdfunding to support the launch. The crowdfunding resulted in the vehicle and its integration facilities at Spaceport Kii being covered in the logos of companies that provided funding. ![KAIROS stood at Spaceport Kii, in February 2026, with many crowdfunders on it and its integration facilities. ©Space One](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/HB_eho2aMAEGicO-1.jpg) KAIROS stood at Spaceport Kii, in February 2026, with many crowdfunders on it and its integration facilities. ©Space One ### Isaacman's Changes to Artemis Has Some Problems URL: https://proximareport.com/isaacman-changes-artemis-problems/ Last updated: 2026-03-03T19:35:30.000Z A few days ago, on February 27th, [NASA announced dramatic changes](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/) to its Artemis program, with the bulk of those focused on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, to accelerate flights and reduce future risk, according to Administrator Jared Isaacman. However, modifying SLS, America's only rocket able to carry the Orion spacecraft with crew, comes with new problems for the program and questions that need answering. The most notable change announced was the switch to a new upper-stage starting from the Artemis IV mission that isn't the in-development Exploration Upper Stage. [In renders released](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/02/27/nasa-adds-mission-to-artemis-lunar-program-updates-architecture/?ref=proximareport.com) by NASA, the new upper-stage appears to be a modified variant of United Launch Alliance's Centaur V, used for [its Vulcan rocket](https://www.ulalaunch.com/rockets/vulcan-centaur?ref=proximareport.com). If placed into low Earth orbit fully fuelled, Centaur V has the performance to throw the Orion spacecraft toward the Moon, but it would need modification. In order to use existing infrasturucte, Centaur V would need its commodity and propellant attachment points moved elsewhere, or Mobile Launcher 1 would need new arms installed. Alongside that, the upper-stage would need to be strengthened to support Orion's [weight of 35,380 kilograms](https://web.archive.org/web/20220829225811/https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/fs-2014-08-004-jsc-orion%5Fquickfacts-web.pdf) with its launch abort system, as in its Vulcan using version Centaur V is designed to carry a maximum of 27,200 kilograms. In using Centaur V on SLS, the rocket would also need to undergo wind tunnel testing, [again](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/09/wind-tunnel-environmental-conditions-sls/?ref=proximareport.com), produce brand new interstages to place it atop of the core stage (without increasing height to enable use of Mobile Launcher 1), and complete fueling tests on the ground and at the launch pad with the rest of SLS. All of that would need to take place within two years, ahead of a first potential use in 2028 for Artemis IV, now slated to be America's first 21st-century crewed Moon landing. > La différence entre le SLS Bloc 1 avec ICPS et celui avec Centaur V est beaucoup plus discrète que ce que j'imaginais avant de les représenter. Sur le fond ça paraît parfaitement faisable techniquement, à un coût raisonnable, et avec en bonus un gain de performances sans doute pas négligeable. > > — [Kaynouky (@kaynouky.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:gz5xqzzcsldu3fuyzezhdt4y?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) [2026-02-27T20:58:02.600Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:gz5xqzzcsldu3fuyzezhdt4y/post/3mfulz55gm224?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) A graphic showing what a 'standard' upper-stage SLS (right) will look like in comparsion to its current 'Block 1' (left), via [Kaynouky on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/kaynouky.bsky.social/post/3mfulz55gm224?ref=proximareport.com). A major question hanging over the reorganization of SLS is what becomes of Mobile Launcher 2, designed to support the upgraded 'Block 1B' version. Efforts to build the tower for 'Block 1B' had it reach 122 meters tall with the installation of its final module [in July 2025](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/07/ml-2-final-module/?ref=proximareport.com). Since then, various systems and arms have been installed onto Mobile Launcher 2, including [the crew access arm](https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=55151.msg2745163&ref=proximareport.com#msg2745163) to reach the Orion spacecraft atop of SLS. > It was another Artemis day at KSC, as the crew access arm was lifted and installed in place on the ML-2, meanwhile, the crew of the Artemis II mission drove past the [@NASASpaceflight](https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) cameras on their way to the VAB for a countdown demonstration test.[https://t.co/BEepgAKwKe](https://t.co/BEepgAKwKe?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/Nhp9arUmMS](https://t.co/Nhp9arUmMS?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Elisar Priel (@ENNEPS) [December 20, 2025](https://twitter.com/ENNEPS/status/2002441712795595237?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) In the changes announced February 27th, NASA leadership said that Mobile Launcher 2 will be 'modified' to work with the new 'standard' SLS and its upper-stage. A problem with that is that Centaur V is significantly shorter than 'Block 1B's planned upper-stage, meaning the crew arm will need to be moved, as well as various commodity systems. Those changes will be costly in both financial and schedule terms. As for what will happen to upgraded hardware for future SLS versions (the 'Block 1B' based 'Block 2'), like the lighter [Booster Obsolescence and Life Extension (BOLE)](https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/space/missions/artemis/program/bole-dm-1-static-test?ref=proximareport.com) solid rocket boosters and [upgraded RS-25 engines](https://www.l3harris.com/newsroom/press-release/2025/06/nasa-l3harris-hot-fire-test-new-rs-25-rocket-engine-artemis?ref=proximareport.com), remains unknown. Shifting focus over to the Artemis program's lunar landers, both SpaceX and Blue Origin now have to be ready for 2027 and 2028 missions, instead of SpaceX in 2028 and Blue Origin closer to 2030\. The 2027 mission will be for Artemis III, under the reorganized program, and will have one or both landers, SpaceX's Starship-based design and Blue Orgin's Blue Moon MK2, loitering for in low Earth orbit for testing in low Earth orbit. Then in 2028, up to two missions, Artemis IV and V, to land on the Moon are desired to take place, using both companies' landers that year to do so. The problem with requiring the two landers to fly in 2027 and 2028 is that both of them are going through [slow or stagnant development](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/#a-band-aid-solution). SpaceX's Starship-based lander suffers from being Starship-based, as the vehicle is yet to fly into orbit, due to repeated hardware failures, to prove out Starship-to-Starship refueling. Meanwhile, Blue Moon MK2's development is largely unknown, and an uncrewed version of it, Blue Moon MK1, is slowly passing through testing ahead of a first potential landing later this year. Both SpaceX and Blue Origin have supposedly presented 'accelerated' plans for their landers to NASA, but no details about those plans have been shared. All of the above will require money to enact, and the U.S. Congress controls NASA's money through appropriations and authorization acts. [Everything NASA does](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R43419?ref=proximareport.com) is controlled by those acts, and Congress is yet to fund the changes announced on February 27th. However, [some](https://x.com/TimSheehyMT/status/2027456412725473412?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) [Senate](https://x.com/SenKatieBritt/status/2027516262482379040?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) [and](https://x.com/RepTroyNehls/status/2027505761526423592?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) [House](https://x.com/RepDonaldsPress/status/2027512461536964613?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) [Republicans](https://x.com/JerryMoran/status/2027467871375225057?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) [have](https://x.com/RepDaleStrong/status/2027512160570556600?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) [signaled](https://x.com/TXRandy14/status/2027500400769687971?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) [support](https://x.com/PatronisFL/status/2027530515117395973?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) for the changes online. ### Goodbye EUS? With the push for a 'standard' upper-stage for SLS based on the design of Centaur V, the Boeing-made Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) could be cancelled ahead of its first use for SLS' upgraded 'Block 1B' version. That is despite progress underway to build and certify the stage. For the moment, efforts are underway to build the first EUS at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility, in Louisiana, with [structural assemblies](https://onfirstup.com/boeing/BNN/articles/first-moon-rocket-tank-connector-build-using-new-approach?bypass%5Fdeeplink=true&ref=proximareport.com) and the stages' [liquid oxygen tank](https://x.com/NASA%5FMarshall/status/2027162606063030581?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) already produced. Testing is also [underway for the Universal Stage Adapter](https://www.nasa.gov/glenn/glenn-expertise-space-exploration/sls-usa/?ref=proximareport.com), which attaches EUS to the Orion Spacecraft with the benefit of providing storage space for other cargoes. Additionally, teams at the Stennis Space Center [are actively modifying](https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/stennis/preparation-for-artemis-iv-testing/?ref=proximareport.com) the Thad Cochran Test Stand to certify the EUS ahead of flight on SLS. That certification should culminate in a 'Green Run' where four RL10C engines burn liquid-hydrogen and liquid oxygen for a maximum flight duration firing, like SLS' core stage [did back in 2021](https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/space-launch-system/green-run/?ref=proximareport.com). ![The Exploration Upper Stage's liquid oxygen tank (left)and part of its structural assembly (bottom right) in production, and a deluge test of the stages test stand in Mississippi (top right). ©Danny Nowlin/Boeing/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/feb2026-eushardware.png) The Exploration Upper Stage's liquid oxygen tank (left)and part of its structural assembly (bottom right) in production, and a deluge test of the stages test stand in Mississippi (top right). ©Danny Nowlin/Boeing/NASA Efforts to get rid of EUS before its first use is not NASA leadership's decision to make; instead, it falls to the Congress, similarly to as mentioned earlier. Congress has been funding development and production of the stage each year since 2016, passing [a special bill in 2025](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/2E6BB212-533C-43AF-982C-26D375B4A746?ref=proximareport.com) to ensure it still was [despite attempted Trump cuts](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-funding-2026/). Future funding levels to determine the fate of EUS will not be decided for many more months. ### What about Gateway? If the EUS is cancelled before it can fly, the international Gateway lunar space station would have to find a different path to the Moon's orbit or remain grounded. That is due to the fact its assembly is designed to be performed by the Orion spacecraft, bringing new modules into the station's near-rectilinear halo orbit and docking them. Not building Gateway as currently envisioned would be a significant political misstep due to buy-in from the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency, and the United Arab Emirates' Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, who are all [building modules](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-united-arab-emirates-announce-artemis-lunar-gateway-airlock/?ref=proximareport.com) or [specialized hardware](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-japan-announce-gateway-contributions-space-station-extension/?ref=proximareport.com). Gateway also acts as a political anchor in the U.S. to guarantee funding of crewed lunar exploration across Presidential Administrations, as the International Space Station has for low Earth orbit science for over two decades. ![An infographic of the Gateway lunar space station with its planned modules as of mid-2024. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/03/53789624568_b85e230a20.jpg) An infographic of the Gateway lunar space station with its planned modules as of mid-2024\. ©NASA ### Monthly Dose of Space - February 2026 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-february-2026/ Last updated: 2026-03-01T21:04:45.000Z Welcome to our twenty-ninth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you news from the past month. Despite being the shortest month of the year, February has been plenty busy. ## **News of the Month** February saw multiple delays to Artemis II and a reorganization of future Artemis missions, while China tested its new Mengzhou capsule with an in-flight abort test. Additionally, Crew Dragon carried four new astronauts to the International Space Station, both Falcon 9 and Vulcan experienced hardware issues, and Pakistan is set to have its first person in orbit this year. - [*NASA's Crew-12 Begins Mission to International Space Station With Falcon 9 Launch*](https://proximareport.com/articles/crew-12-liftoff/) - [*Crew-12 astronauts reach International Space Station*](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-8-2-14-2/#crew-12-astronauts-reach-international-space-station) - [*China prepares to test Mengzhou capsule*](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-1-2-7-2/#china-prepares-to-test-mengzhou-capsule) - [*China's Mengzhou capsule completes in-flight abort*](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-8-2-14-2/#chinas-mengzhou-capsule-completes-in-flight-abort) - [*Artemis II mission expected for March*](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-1-2-7-2/#artemis-ii-mission-expected-for-march) - [*Artemis II mission set for April*](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-15-2-21-2/#artemis-ii-mission-set-for-april) - [*NASA Reorganizes Future Artemis Missions, SLS Rocket*](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/) - [*Zhuque-3 planned to land as early as April*](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-15-2-21-2/#zhuque-3-planned-to-land-as-early-as-april) - [*Falcon 9 Experiences Fourth in-Space Anomaly Within Two Years Following Starlink Mission*](https://proximareport.com/articles/falcon-9-failure-feb-2026/) - [*Vulcan Begins USSF-87 Mission With Minor Anomaly During Fourth Launch*](https://proximareport.com/articles/vulcan-ussf-87-minor-anomaly/) - [*Musk Says SpaceX Will Focus on the Moon Over Mars*](https://proximareport.com/articles/musk-spacex-moon-over-mars/) - [*First Four-Booster Ariane 6 Leaps Into Orbit Carrying Eighth Set of Amazon Leo Satellites*](https://proximareport.com/articles/ariane-64-amazon-le01/) - [*NASA Declares Unsuccessful Starliner Crewed Flight Test a Major Mishap*](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-starliner-major-mishap/) - [*Rocket Lab Just Threw Something Very Pointy Into the Atlantic*](https://proximareport.com/articles/feb-haste-very-pointy/) - [*Orbital Data Center: Innovation, or IPO Theater?*](https://proximareport.com/articles/can-space-data-centers-solve-ai-infrastructure/) - [*China's Space Enterprises Quietly Lead in-Space AI Compute Capabilities*](https://proximareport.com/articles/chinas-quietly-ai-compute/) - [*Pakistani astronaut to visit Tiangong this year*](https://proximareport.com/p/bfd6db90-a0f1-4a7c-8d33-43bf923b6788/?member%5Fstatus=free#pakistani-astronaut-to-visit-tiangong-this-year) - [*Rocket Lab Delays Neutron to end of 2026*](https://proximareport.com/p/bfd6db90-a0f1-4a7c-8d33-43bf923b6788/?member%5Fstatus=free#rocket-lab-delays-neutron-to-end-of-2026) ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw **20** launches worldwide, continuing a busy year. If you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *February 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-32* Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-five Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Booster B1071 supported this launch for its thirty-first flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. Following the deployment of the Starlink satellites, Falcon 9's [second-stage experienced an anomaly](https://proximareport.com/articles/falcon-9-failure-feb-2026/) in-space, the fourth within two years, preventing it from performing its deorbit burn. ### *February 5th - Soyuz 2.1b with several Cosmos satellites* Out of the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, a Soyuz 2.1b flew into sun-synchronous orbit while carrying a handful of Cosmos satellites on behalf of the Russian military. ### *February 7th - Long March 2F/T with Reusable Experimental Spacecraft* A Long March 2F/T lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and headed for low Earth orbit, while carrying China's Reusable Experimental Spacecraft. The spacecraft is expected to spend an extended period of time in orbit to perform experiments and technology testing. ### *February 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-33* Another twenty-five Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9, for its 'return-to-flight' mission from Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this mission was booster B1088, for its thirteenth flight and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *February 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-34* Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-four Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Booster B1100 supported this launch for its third flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *February 12th - Jielong-3 with seven satellites* Off of a launch ship in the South China Sea, a Jielong-3 flew into sun-synchronous orbit carrying Pakistan's PRSC-EO2 optical remote sensing satellite, the Hong Kong-made Chinese University of Hong Kong-1 DeepSeek-running remote sensing spacecraft, a trio of Geespace's Shutianyu space debris monitoring satellites, Changguang Satellite Technology's Earth-imaging Power Infrared Satellite-A, and the China Academy of Space Technology's Space Environment Monitoring Satellite. ### *February 12th - Proton with Elektro-L No.5* A Proton rocket blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome and toward geostationary orbit, carrying the Elektro-L No.5 weather satellite. Once commissioned, the satellite will provide weather data via visible light and infrared imaging every thirty minutes. ### *February 12th - Vulcan for USSF-87* United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket flew from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, to [begin the USSF-87 mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/vulcan-ussf-87-minor-anomaly/) on behalf of the American military. Satellites believed to be onboard were at least one Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program satellite and a 'Propulsive ESPA' for training U.S. military spacecraft operators. ### *February 12th - Ariane 6 with LE-01* For the first time with four boosters, [Europe's Ariane 6 rocket soared](https://proximareport.com/articles/ariane-64-amazon-le01/) out of the Guiana Space Centre and into low Earth orbit, carrying thirty-two Amazon Leo satellites. With this launch, Amazon's internet connectivity constellation has 212 satellites in orbit. ### *February 13th - Falcon 9 with Crew-12* Out of Space Launch Complex 40, a Falcon 9 flew into low Earth orbit with Crew Dragon C212 'Freedom' atop of it, for the fifth time, to send astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Sophie Adenot, and Andrey Fedyaev [toward the International Space Station](https://proximareport.com/articles/crew-12-liftoff/). Supporting this mission was booster B1101, flying for the second time and touching down at Landing Zone 40 in Florida. ### *February 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-13* SpaceX's Falcon 9 sent twenty-four Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting the mission was booster B1081 for its twenty-second flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *February 16th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-103* Out of Space Launch Complex 40, a Falcon 9 flew into low Earth orbit carrying twenty-nine Starlink satellites. Booster B1090 supported this launch for its tenth flight, landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *February 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-36* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. Support this launch was booster B1077, flying for the twenty-sixth time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *February 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-25* Another twenty-five Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E by a Falcon 9\. Booster B1063 supported this launch for its thirty-first flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *February 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-104* A Falcon 9 launched out of Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-eight Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1067, flying for a thirty-third time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *February 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-110* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 via a Falcon 9\. Booster B1092 supported this launch for its tenth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *February 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-26* From Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, twenty-five Starlink satellites were launched atop of a Falcon 9 and sent into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1093, flying for an eleventh time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *February 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-108* Another twenty-nine Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1069 supported this launch for its thirtieth flight, landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *February 28th - Electron for 'That's Not a Knife'* For the final February launch, Rocket Lab flew on a suborbital path with its Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron (HASTE), [carrying Hypersonix's 'DART AE'](https://proximareport.com/articles/feb-haste-very-pointy/). The launch tested out 'DART AE' for the first time as well as its hydrogen scramjet engine. ## Launches to look out for in March! March will continue the new year for worldwide launches. Listed below are all of the launches expected or likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of March may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *March 1st - Alpha for 'Stairway To Seven'* Firefly Aerospace's Alpha is expected to fly for the seventh time out of the Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, to verify upgrades to the vehicle while being a return to flight mission. ### *March 1st - KAIROS with four satellites* Japanese company Space One is hoping to finally have its KAIROS launch vehicle reach orbit with four satellites set to be aboard its third flight, out of Space Port Kii, in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. ### *March 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-23* SpaceX is preparing to launch a group of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit out of Space Launch Complex 4E atop of Falcon 9\. ### *March 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-41* More Starlink satellites will be launched via a Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *March 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-40* Another Falcon 9 is expected to fly out of Space Launch Complex 40 and into low Earth orbit carrying a group of Starlink satellites. ### *March 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-18* Yet more Starlink satellites will be placed into low Earth orbit with a launch out of Space Launch Complex 4E by a Falcon 9\. ### *March 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-31* Falcon 9 will fly again to carry even more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit, from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *March 10th - Falcon 9 with EchoStar XXV* Falcon 9 is set to head towards the geostationary transfer orbit carrying the EchoStar XXV broadcast satellite on behalf of DISH Network. ### *March 12th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-24* Even more Starlink satellites will again be placed into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E via Falcon 9\. ### *March 12th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-48* Falcon 9 will again fly into low Earth orbit with a batch of Starlink satellites departing Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *March 19th - Spectrum for 'Onward and Upward'* Isar Aerospace is preparing to fly from Andøya Spaceport in Norway for its second demonstration flight, following its [failed first in March 2025](https://proximareport.com/isar-first-flight/). ### *March 22nd - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-33* A Soyuz 2.1a will fly from a [repaired Site 31](https://proximareport.com/articles/soyuz-damage-baikonur-pad/) at the Baikonur Cosmodrome to send the Progress MS-33 resupply spacecraft toward the International Space Station. ### *March 24th - Electron for 'Daughter Of The Stars'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket is set to carry two Celeste Positioning, Navigation and Timing demonstration satellites into polar orbit on behalf of the European Space Agency from the company's launch site on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand. ### Weekly Dose of Space (22/2-28/2) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-22-2-28-2/ Last updated: 2026-03-01T17:07:21.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw five launches occurring, taking place on both U.S. coasts. News from the week had China confirming it will fly a Pakistani astronaut this year and Rocket Lab delaying its Neutron rocket. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *February 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-104* A Falcon 9 launched out of Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-eight Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1067, flying for a thirty-third time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 blasting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-104 mission on February 22nd. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/HBvJd8RWoAEpt8T-1.jpg) Falcon 9 blasting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-104 mission on February 22nd. ©SpaceX ### *February 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-110* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 via a Falcon 9\. Booster B1092 supported this launch for its tenth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-110 mission on February 24th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/HB9tM4MWkAA-Ao3-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-110 mission on February 24th. ©SpaceX ### *February 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-26* From Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, twenty-five Starlink satellites were launched atop of a Falcon 9 and sent into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1093, flying for an eleventh time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/HCBBuSMXYAAMFZR-1.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-26 mission on February 25th. ©SpaceX ### *February 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-108* Another twenty-nine Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1069 supported this launch for its thirtieth flight, landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *February 28th - Electron for 'That's Not a Knife'* For the final February launch, Rocket Lab flew on a suborbital path with its Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron (HASTE), [carrying Hypersonix's 'DART AE'](https://proximareport.com/articles/feb-haste-very-pointy/). The launch tested out 'DART AE' for the first time as well as its hydrogen scramjet engine. > LIFTOFF! Launch of our latest hypersonic test mission from Virginia, the "That's Not A Knife" mission for [@DIU\_x](https://twitter.com/DIU%5Fx?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) and [@HypersonixAU](https://twitter.com/HypersonixAU?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/BCWhq9GwiX](https://t.co/BCWhq9GwiX?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [February 28, 2026](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/2027534681848353200?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of Electron on February 28th carrying 'DART AE' out of Wallops, via [Rocket Lab on Twitter](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2027534681848353200?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ## **In Other Space News** ### *Pakistani astronaut to visit Tiangong this year* The [China Manned Space Agency shared an overview](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/pakistani-visitor-hong-kong-or-macao?ref=proximareport.com) of its upcoming tasks for 2026 this week, detailing that hardware for crewed lunar missions will continue to be developed this year alongside routine missions to the Tiangong Space Station. A major point of the space agency's plan for the year was a brief visit to the space station by a Pakistani astronaut, launching via the Shenzhou-24 mission and returning to Earth on the outgoing Shenzhou-23\. The visiting astronaut is [currently undergoing training](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/pakistani-astronaut-to-visit-tiangong?ref=proximareport.com) in China, alongside a backup candidate. That visit is being enabled by a yearlong stay in orbit by one of China's taikonauts, beginning with Shenzhou-23 and ending when Shenzhou-24 returns to Earth. This year could also see a taikonaut from the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions heading to space, following their selection as part of a standard group in 2024\. ### *Rocket Lab Delays Neutron to end of 2026* Via an earnings call on February 26th, Rocket Lab announced that the first flight of its partially reusable launch vehicle Neutron [has been delayed](https://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-delays-neutron-debut-to-late-2026/?ref=proximareport.com) to the last quarter of 2026 (October, November, December). Delays for the launch stem from a [failed propellant tank hydrostatic test](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-18-1-24-1/#neutron-suffers-hardware-loss-during-testing) in January. According to the company's Chief Executive Officer, Peter Beck, the tank met expected flight pressures but did not meet further criteria to understand the limits of the hardware. The root cause of the failure is believed to stem from the process of hand-laying the composite propellant tank sections, according to Rocket Lab. Production of future propellant tanks has already moved toward automation, removing the chance of a similar failure. Rocket Lab also plans to minorly modify the propellant tanks' design to increase structural margins and manufacturability. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *March 1st - Alpha for 'Stairway To Seven'* Firefly Aerospace's Alpha is expected to fly for the seventh time out of the Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, to verify upgrades to the vehicle while being a return to flight mission. ### *March 1st - KAIROS with four satellites* Japanese company Space One is hoping to finally have its KAIROS launch vehicle reach orbit with four satellites set to be aboard its third flight, out of Space Port Kii, in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. ### *March 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-23* SpaceX is preparing to launch a group of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit out of Space Launch Complex 4E atop of Falcon 9\. ### *March 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-41* More Starlink satellites will be launched via a Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *March 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-40* Another Falcon 9 is expected to fly out of Space Launch Complex 40 and into low Earth orbit carrying a group of Starlink satellites. ### *March 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-18* Yet more Starlink satellites will be placed into low Earth orbit with a launch out of Space Launch Complex 4E by a Falcon 9\. ### Rocket Lab Just Threw Something Very Pointy Into the Atlantic URL: https://proximareport.com/feb-haste-very-pointy/ Last updated: 2026-02-28T11:13:31.000Z Out of Wallops, Virginia, Rocket Lab launched its Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron (HASTE) rocket at midnight on February 28th, with the payload atop of its being a very pointy technology demonstration vehicle. Following liftoff, the rocket's first-stage flew into the high atmosphere and out into the Atlantic, then separated the demonstration vehicle, housed within a [4.3-meter-long fairing](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2024614259947389041?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), at an undisclosed point and speed. Based on [pre-launch notices](https://x.com/EShoreSpaceflt/status/2021981194892484681?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), the rocket and its payload fell into the ocean slightly north of Wallops not long after launch. > LIFTOFF! Launch of our latest hypersonic test mission from Virginia, the "That's Not A Knife" mission for [@DIU\_x](https://twitter.com/DIU%5Fx?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) and [@HypersonixAU](https://twitter.com/HypersonixAU?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/BCWhq9GwiX](https://t.co/BCWhq9GwiX?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [February 28, 2026](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/2027534681848353200?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of Electron on February 28th carrying 'DART AE' out of Wallops, via [Rocket Lab on Twitter](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2027534681848353200?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). As for what was onboard, it was Hypersonix's [first 'DART AE'](https://www.hypersonix.com/resources/news/launch-window-set-for-flight-of-australian-hypersonic-flight-pioneer?ref=proximareport.com) from Australia. The 3.5-meter-long vehicle, as the company's name suggests, is a hypersonic demonstrator designed to fly at speeds in excess of Mach five. During 'DART AE's first flight, the vehicle was said to test its 'SPARTAN' 3D-printed scramjet engine, designed to reach hypersonic speeds. In a divergence from other scramjets, the engine burns hydrogen instead of kerosene, with the stated advantage being the range of missions possible with the fuel. This morning's flight allowed both 'SPARTAN' and 'DART AE' to be proven for the first time, informing later flights of it and future technology development. Commenting on the benefit of the HASTE-boosted mission, Dr Michael Smart, Hypersonix's Head of Engineering, shared: > "What we learn from this mission will directly inform the next generation of operational hypersonic vehicles. . . . DART AE allows us to validate propulsion, materials and control systems at speeds and temperatures that simply can’t be replicated on the ground." 'DART AE's first flight had significant backing from NASA and the U.S. military via the Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing program, [with a contract to prove](https://www.diu.mil/latest/diu-awards-first-contracts-for-prototyping-low-cost-high-cadence-long?ref=proximareport.com) out a maneuverable vehicle that can fly above Mach five for longer than three minutes. It's unclear what criteria Hypersonix met during the flight at the time of publication, but the mission was [hailed as a success](https://www.hypersonix.com/resources/news/mission-success-australian-hypersonic-pioneer-achieves-first-flight?ref=proximareport.com) by Hypersonix's Chief Executive Officer Matt Hill, who stated: > "This flight reflects years of focused engineering work and the confidence placed in us by our partners. Successfully flying DART AE in a true hypersonic environment confirms that an Australian company can design, build and operate technology in one of the most demanding flight regimes on Earth." In the future, 'SPARTAN' will be improved to support flying at speeds [up to Mach twelve](https://www.hypersonix.com/resources/news/global-defence-investors-for-australian-hypersonic-flight-pioneer?ref=proximareport.com). Later down the line, Hypersonix plans to develop the fully reusable 8-meter-long 'VISR' aircraft, powered by four 'SPARTAN' engines, for a variety of high altitude and point-to-point missions. > We've successfully completed vibration testing of our DART AE, verifying component reliability and structural integrity for hypersonic flight! > > The assesment validate's that DART’s materials can withstand the intense mechanical stresses of high-speed performance. Another… [pic.twitter.com/eQTFZOknRw](https://t.co/eQTFZOknRw?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Hypersonix Launch Systems (@HypersonixAU) [February 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/HypersonixAU/status/2020996134370496981?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) 'DART AE' during pre-flight vibration testing, via [Hypersonix on Twitter](https://x.com/HypersonixAU/status/2020996134370496981?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### NASA Reorganizes Future Artemis Missions, SLS Rocket URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-reorganizes-artemis-rocket/ Last updated: 2026-02-27T16:55:37.000Z At a [press conference on February 27th](https://www.youtube.com/live/eCbQtyUopOM?si=LNCh5AEuhmrURkGB&ref=proximareport.com), NASA announced sweeping changes to its Artemis program, which aims to send Americans, Canadian's, and European's around the Moon and onto the surface. Changes announced were: - Artemis III will now fly into low Earth orbit, instead of going to the Moon to land, and dock with contracted lunar landers for testing in 2027. - Missions using the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket starting with Artemis IV will use a new 'standardized' upper-stage instead of the contracted, [and in-production](https://onfirstup.com/boeing/BNN/articles/first-moon-rocket-tank-connector-build-using-new-approach?bypass%5Fdeeplink=true&ref=proximareport.com), Exploration Upper Stage. - Artemis IV will now be the first lunar landing mission in 2028, with a goal of Artemis V flying that same year. - SpaceX and Blue Origin will 'accelerate' development of their lunar landers. The upcoming Artemis II mission, carrying NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, is expected to occur uneffected as early as April. In defence of the shakeup to the Artemis program, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman shared the following [in an agency press release](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-adds-mission-to-artemis-lunar-program-updates-architecture/?ref=proximareport.com): > "NASA must standardize its approach, increase flight rate safely, and execute on the President’s national space policy. With credible competition from our greatest geopolitical adversary increasing by the day, we need to move faster, eliminate delays, and achieve our objectives." Amit Kshatriya, NASA's Associate Administrator, added on: > "There is too much learning left on the table and too much development and production risk in front of us. Instead, we want to keep testing like we fly and have flown. We are looking back to the wisdom of the folks that designed Apollo. The entire sequence of Artemis flights needs to represent a step-by-step build-up of capability." The reorganization of Artemis and design change to SLS is driven by [an American desire](https://proximareport.com/articles/us-set-to-lose-moon-race/) to put astronauts on the Moon, as part of a so-called 21st-century 'Moon race', this decade ahead of China's lunar program, which has [seen](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/mengzhou-soars-for-zero-altitude?ref=proximareport.com) [steady](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-successfully-conducts-mengzhou?ref=proximareport.com) [progress](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/lanyue-lunar-lander-conducts-simulated?ref=proximareport.com) since its announcement in 2023\. Awkwardly for America, [China doesn't care about racing](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-is-not-racing-to-the-moon?ref=proximareport.com) to the Moon and is going at its own pace. ### A band-aid solution With regards to 'winning' the current so-perceived Moon race, shaking up the design of SLS has fixed nothing. In the Artemis plans, SLS and the Orion spacecraft have been proven to work; what hasn't are lunar landers sourced from SpaceX and Blue Origin. Both of those landers have a slow or stagnant development. Selected in 2021, SpaceX is contracted to modify its Starship spacecraft into an astronaut-carrying lunar lander, with its architecture dependent on many, many refueling flights in low and high Earth orbit. Currently, Starship has yet to even fly into orbit, let alone prove a basic version of its refueling system between two Starships. 2025 was meant to prove out that capability, and it was not as three out of five missions failed during ascent out of the atmosphere. Due to that, NASA's own safety panel [doesn't expect the SpaceX-made lunar lander to be ready](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-lunar-delay-expected/) on time, possibly not even in this decade. Contracted in 2023, Blue Origin is also developing a crewed lunar lander as part of its Blue Moon spacecraft line. Progress shared on the development of a crewed Blue Moon has been [extremely limited](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/2016256005064003942?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), but the uncrewed Blue Moon MK1 has been progressing well through tests on Earth ahead of a first mission this year. At present, the first MK1 lander is [undergoing testing at the Johnson Space Center](https://x.com/davill/status/2022400032587289084?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), in Texas. > Endurance, our MK1 lunar lander, has entered Chamber A for approximately 11 days of TVAC testing to simulate the extreme thermal and vacuum conditions it will experience in space and on the lunar surface. Thanks to the team [@NASA\_Johnson](https://twitter.com/NASA%5FJohnson?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) for the collaboration as we reach this… [pic.twitter.com/UrMz0yrbqv](https://t.co/UrMz0yrbqv?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Dave Limp (@davill) [February 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/davill/status/2022400032587289084?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Blue Origin's Blue Moon MK1 lunar lander being prepared for thermal testing in mid-February, via [Dave Limp on Twitter](https://x.com/davill/status/2022400032587289084?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### China's Space Enterprises Quietly Lead in-Space AI Compute Capabilities URL: https://proximareport.com/chinas-quietly-ai-compute/ Last updated: 2026-02-27T14:30:34.000Z *The following is a repost of a* [*piece that was originally written for*](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/chinas-space-enterprises-quietly?ref=proximareport.com) *China in Space, and follows the newsletter's* [*republication guidance*](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/165123533/republishing-articles?ref=proximareport.com)*.* *Proxima Report recommends reading our previous AI piece, '*[Orbital Data Center: Innovation, or IPO Theater?](https://proximareport.com/articles/can-space-data-centers-solve-ai-infrastructure/)*', first.* --- In the U.S., AI and space companies are rushing to develop and field orbiting data centers as part of [a perceived international race](https://time.com/7379419/ai-race-us-china/?ref=proximareport.com) that will supposedly reward the leading nation with increased productivity, greater economic output, and potential ‘artificial general intelligence’. Advantages of moving data centers to space [are claimed to be](https://proximareport.com/articles/can-space-data-centers-solve-ai-infrastructure/) lower power and cooling costs while scaling ‘infinitely’, along with not needing to worry much about environmental impacts that Earth-based ones do. While American companies are moving to start putting computing power in space, Chinese enterprises are already doing so, with significant backing to do it. As such, China has quietly gained a likely lead in space computing and orbiting AI. ### Existing efforts China’s most well-known space computing effort comes from ADA Space and Zhejiang Laboratory’s Three-Body Computing Constellation, which saw its first [set of satellites launched in May 2025](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/new-ai-processing-satellites-long?ref=proximareport.com). Through the use of 100-gigabit intersatellite laser links, each satellite in the constellation is [able to jointly work on a computing task](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/ada-space-eyes-launching-2800-ai?ref=proximareport.com) thanks to their dedicated AI processors, adapting to the number of satellites needed depending on the amount of compute required. Ahead of the first operational satellite set launch, a demonstration satellite trained at least one AI large language model on-orbit in September 2024\. [By this January](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/potential-space-data-centers-attracts?ref=proximareport.com), Alibaba Cloud had its Qwen3 model performing real-world operations in space. As of mid-February, state-affiliated media in China [started to report](https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202602/14/WS698fe5d5a310d6866eb394f4.html?ref=proximareport.com) that ten AI models have been deployed and tasked onboard the constellation. Later this year, the Three-Body Computing constellation is planned to be expanded with the launches of its second and third satellite groups, boosting combined processing power and the number of models that can be deployed concurrently. At the moment, just twelve spacecraft are in orbit for computing tasks out of an approved 2,800. ![ADA Space hardware running a WeChat-based AI assistant in orbit (being asked by a user about comic book superpowers) sometime in 2025.](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!iB9u!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb7b9d65c-8d2b-4920-b741-f3fec7943b40_673x373.png "ADA Space hardware running a WeChat-based AI assistant in orbit (being asked by a user about comic book superpowers) sometime in 2025.") ADA Space hardware running a WeChat-based AI assistant in orbit (being asked by a user about comic book superpowers) sometime in 2025. Of a similar purpose to the constellation but more regionally focused is the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s CUHK-1\. The spacecraft, running a version of the DeepSeek model, [is designed to connect with](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/pakistani-hong-kong-satellites-deployed?ref=proximareport.com) other Hong Kong-made satellites and process their data, then transmitting the finished data product to their operators in the Special Administrative Region. Both the Three-Body Computing satellites and CUHK-1 have remote sensing capabilities onboard as well, as part of an additional value stream due to the unclear availability of high-capital spending users in the short term. Those capabilities have also been used to develop novel [geographic-focused AI models](https://www.news.cn/20250713/792911adced74f0ba592e61fa0213134/c.html?ref=proximareport.com). Beyond dedicated computing applications, AI-assisted data processing is being added onto satellites too. To name a few satellites that are said to have assisted processing: - [Remote sensing satellites](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/cas-space-launches-handful-of-international?ref=proximareport.com) Jilin Gaofen 07B01, Jilin Gaofen 07C01, and Jilin Gaofen 07D01 have their images scanned by onboard AI processing to flag items of interest. - [Twin X-band synthetic aperture radar spacecraft](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/pakistan-launches-privately-with?ref=proximareport.com) AIRSAT-03 and AIRSAT-04 have AI onboard to support gathering data on desired imaging locations. - [Infrared imaging satellite](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/cas-space-launches-handful-of-international?ref=proximareport.com) Yixing-2 09 has similar processing to the three Jilin Gaofen satellites for the same purpose. AI models have also been installed on board the Tiangong Space Station. [Since August 2025](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/ai-assists-taikonauts-on-tiangong?ref=proximareport.com), taikonauts working inside the orbiting laboratory have used the assistive ‘Wukong AI‘, developed jointly by Zhejiang Laboratory and the China Astronaut Research and Training Center, to ask where items are when preparing for tasks, finding digital versions of documentation for experiments onboard, and supporting general mission-supporting needs. Getting AI models to work in-space can be a difficult task, however, as Professor Ma Peifeng, Chief Designer of CUHK-1, [explained regarding adapting DeepSeek](https://www.cpr.cuhk.edu.hk/sc/press/%E5%85%A8%E7%90%83%E9%A6%96%E9%A1%86%E9%9D%A2%E5%90%91%E5%9F%8E%E5%B8%82%E5%8F%AF%E6%8C%81%E7%BA%8C%E7%99%BC%E5%B1%95%E7%9A%84%E4%BA%BA%E5%B7%A5%E6%99%BA%E8%83%BD%E5%A4%A7%E6%A8%A1%E5%9E%8B%E8%A1%9E-2/?ref=proximareport.com): > *“Addressing engineering challenges such as limited onboard computing power and the need for high stability during in-orbit operations, our team has . . . performed lightweight adaptation and workflow restructuring of the DeepSeek large model at the satellite level.”* ### Looking long-term To enable ADA Space to deploy the Three-Body Computing constellation at scale, the enterprise has been granted a five billion Yuan (about 730.85 million United States Dollars, as of February 26th) [line of financial support from](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ceRHwNebUScpnfICn4Sylw?ref=proximareport.com) the Sichuan branch of the Bank of China in October 2025, alongside other monetary support from the China Construction Bank and China Investment Corporation. Additionally, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology [agreed to support the company](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ALWAAsjaXu4Zsmz1n%5FS3vg?ref=proximareport.com) at the start of the year by promoting the Three-Body Computing constellation’s capabilities and applications to small and medium-sized enterprises. Other than financial and market support, ADA Space has signed agreements with [Shanghai Jiao Tong University](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/vqqVPMvUMcLw1ji8hl2lsw?ref=proximareport.com) and [Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/TUwDBuesDjawh6kJm9XKxw?ref=proximareport.com) as well. Those agreements will establish mutually beneficial laboratories for space computing that should improve the constellations capabilites and train a workforce with real-world experience that can be hired shortly after graduation. ADA Space is not the only space computing-focused enterprise in China with the announcement of the Beijing Astro-Future Institute of Space Technology’s plans in recent weeks. The Astro-Future Institute is [looking to gradually prove](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/potential-space-data-centers-attracts?ref=proximareport.com) the idea of putting data centers in space, with a demonstration satellite expected to launch during the year, and eventually establishing a sixteen-spacecraft constellation of laser-linked gigawatt-scale data centers. To do so, the enterprise has backing from electronics giant Lenovo and the municipal government of Beijing, with at least 140 million Yuan (20.4 million United States Dollars) in funding. ![A slide showing step-by-step application plans of computing capabilities from the Astro-Future Institute, as shown by a representative in November 2025. ](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JXFf!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5cf5e3b-743f-444d-bb65-a7275250c15e_781x481.png "A slide showing step-by-step application plans of computing capabilities from the Astro-Future Institute, as shown by a representative in November 2025. ") A slide showing step-by-step application plans of computing capabilities from the Astro-Future Institute, as shown by a representative in November 2025. Placing data centers in orbit has also gained interest from the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, a state-owned enterprise. Through a [brief notice on focus areas](https://content-static.cctvnews.cctv.com/snow-book/index.html?item%5Fid=15255608866307643045&ref=proximareport.com) during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, running from 2026 to 2030, space-based data centers were spoken of under space infrastructure: > *“Build gigawatt-scale space-based digital and intelligent infrastructure, establish a new space architecture integrating cloud, edge, and endpoint computing, achieve deep integration of computing power, storage capacity, and transport capabilities, and empower ‘space-based computing with terrestrial data’, ‘terrestrial computing with space-based data’, and ‘simultaneous space-ground computing’.”* State-backed concepts and plans for orbiting data centers will remain vague until at least the publication of related 15th Five-Year Plan documents. Efforts to establish a gigawatt-scale data center can likely be accelerated by [existing work for space-based solar power station](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/why-china-is-developing-space-based?utm%5Fsource=publication-search) power-generating and thermal management hardware. ### Where’s America? To understand why China is likely leading space AI compute, it’s important to ask, where are the American efforts right now? [Since 2017](https://www.hpe.com/us/en/compute/hpc/supercomputing/spaceborne.html?ref=proximareport.com), Hewlett Packard Enterprise has been sending high-powered computers, three to date, to the International Space Station in partnership with NASA. [Those computers have been](https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/press-release/2021/02/hewlett-packard-enterprise-accelerates-space-exploration-with-first-ever-in-space-commercial-edge-computing-and-artificial-intelligence-capabilities.html?ref=proximareport.com) used to run computationally-intensive experiment tasks, using machine learning and AI. [NVIDIA](https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/starcloud/?ref=proximareport.com) and [Y Combinator](https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/starcloud?ref=proximareport.com) supported, to the tune of [around twenty-one million](https://www.geekwire.com/2025/lumen-orbit-starcloud-10m-space-data-centers/?ref=proximareport.com) United States Dollars, [media darling](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/10/nvidia-backed-starcloud-trains-first-ai-model-in-space-orbital-data-centers.html?ref=proximareport.com) Starcloud is the most well-recognised U.S. space computing enterprise, with plans to deploy massive orbiting data centers that are kilometers across. In October, the company plans to launch its first user-utilizable in-space computing platform that will [enter operation in 2027](https://www.starcloud.com/starcloud-2?ref=proximareport.com). Following a November 2025 launch, the [Starcloud-1 demonstration](https://www.starcloud.com/starcloud-1?ref=proximareport.com) NVIDIA H100-equipped satellite started training a version of Google’s Gemini model in December. That was used to make the claim that Starcloud was the ‘first’ entity to train an AI model in space, despite being fifteen months behind ADA Space. Internet giant Google has plans similar to those of Starcloud with its ‘[Project Suncatcher](https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/technology/research/google-project-suncatcher/?ref=proximareport.com)’. Via a partnership with Earth imagery satellite maker Planet, two prototype satellites, equipped with Google-developed Tensor Processing Unit AI chips, are set to head to space in 2027 to trial joint computing tasks in orbit. Meanwhile, [Satellogic is preparing to fly](https://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/satellogic-launches-very-high-resolution-nextgen-satellite-platform-sovereign-ai?ref=proximareport.com) its first AI-assisted Earth observation spacecraft sometime in 2027\. The spacecraft will be like its already operational Chinese counterparts, using AI to find items of interest in imagery collected, then beaming back the possible item of interest to spacecraft operators. More speculatively, SpaceX has [submitted plans for one million satellites](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2514106-why-did-spacex-just-apply-to-launch-1-million-satellites/?ref=proximareport.com) for space computing and AI development, after the rocket maker [merged with xAI](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq6vnrye06po?ref=proximareport.com) (both companies run by Elon Musk). Most of those satellites would be launched in a few years by the troubled in-development fully reusable Starship-Super Heavy launch system. A challenge with deploying that many spacecraft would be producing enough cells for solar panels, which [may have to come from China](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/04/china-solar-panel-elon-musk-spacex-tesla-pv-makers-chinese-stocks-surge.html?ref=proximareport.com). There is also the possibility that the massive satellite submission is to boost hype for SpaceX’s [upcoming stock listing](https://fortune.com/2025/12/13/spacex-ipo-plan-2026-secondary-offering-insider-share-sale-800-billion-valuation/?ref=proximareport.com). > So, based on the SpaceX FCC filing, here's a SSO halo and multiple 30 degree LEO shells: [pic.twitter.com/RdP5F9mFqq](https://t.co/RdP5F9mFqq?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Scott Manley (@DJSnM) [February 10, 2026](https://twitter.com/DJSnM/status/2021332723764429006?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) What SpaceX's million data center satellites may look like in orbit of Earth, via Scott Manley on Twitter. Worth a brief mention is the European ASCEND (Advanced Space Cloud for European Net zero emission and Data sovereignty) project from Thales Alenia Space. In 2024, [a feasibility study was completed](https://www.thalesaleniaspace.com/en/press-releases/thales-alenia-space-reveals-results-ascend-feasibility-study-space-data-centers-0?ref=proximareport.com) to confirm that orbiting data centers are possible and that a market may exist by 2030\. By 2050, Europe’s space entities may deploy [an 800-kilowatt data center](https://ascend-horizon.eu/data-centres-in-space/?ref=proximareport.com) into orbit. Not all major AI or computing enterprises in the U.S. are convinced by the possibility of putting data centers in space. [OpenAI’s Sam Altman believes](https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/artificial-intelligence/sam-altman-fires-back-at-elon-musks-proposal-for-space-based-data-centers-says-orbiting-data-centers-ridiculous-for-now-cites-high-failure-rates-and-cost-as-primary-limiters?ref=proximareport.com) the economics of doing so, launching significant amounts of compute and replacing what breaks, aren’t ready. Amazon Web Services’ Chief Executive Officer [Matt Garman agrees with Altman](https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/amazons-aws-ceo-says-orbital-data-centers-pretty-far-reality-2026-02-03/?ref=proximareport.com) on the cost of launching massive data centers. ### Will the lead last? So why is China quietly leading space AI computing? Simply, Chinese space enterprises are already deploying their capabilities for user use, whereas U.S. efforts are still being proven out or are yet to reach space. Now, can that lead be maintained? Probably, but it depends. Starcloud, Google, and Satellogic are all moving slowly in comparison to their Chinese peers. That will allow ADA Space to triple the size of its Three-Body Computing constellation this year, and deploy more satellites in 2027, to bolster is capablites and compute capacity. Alongside them, the Beijing Astro-Future Institute of Space Technology and the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation should make good progress over the coming months and 15th Five-Year Plan period, thanks to lower-cost satellites and [launch solutions](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/what-is-the-cost-of-a-long-march?utm%5Fsource=publication-search). But if SpaceX actually manages to start launching its imaging million satellites, that lead will shrink or disappear depending on the company’s openness to the rest of the industry. Additionally, U.S. efforts could be boosted by military contracts, as some in the AI sector [try to label](https://x.com/PhilipJohnston/status/2017102355758805137?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) the ‘AI race’ a national security imperative. ### Weekly Dose of Space (15/2-21/2) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-15-2-21-2/ Last updated: 2026-02-22T15:33:47.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw four launches into low Earth orbit, with all of them carrying Starlink satellites. News during the week had the Artemis II lunar mission set for April and LandSpace's Zhuque-3 aiming to land this year. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *February 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-13* SpaceX's Falcon 9 sent twenty-four Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting the mission was booster B1081 for its twenty-second flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 blasting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-103 mission on February 15th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/HBK12V-a8AAAiDK-1.jpg) Falcon 9 blasting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-103 mission on February 15th. ©SpaceX ### *February 16th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-103* Out of Space Launch Complex 40, a Falcon 9 flew into low Earth orbit carrying twenty-nine Starlink satellites. Booster B1090 supported this launch for its tenth flight, landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-103 mission on February 16th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/HBRKhhKa8AApAfh.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-103 mission on February 16th. ©SpaceX ### *February 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-36* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. Support this launch was booster B1077, flying for the twenty-sixth time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. > Falcon 9 lands on the Just Read the Instructions droneship off the coast of The Bahamas [pic.twitter.com/h5Ju4ndXSj](https://t.co/h5Ju4ndXSj?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [February 20, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2024663255675813955?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 first-stage booster B1077 landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' on February 20th, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2024663255675813955?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *February 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-25* Another twenty-five Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E by a Falcon 9\. Booster B1063 supported this launch for its thirty-first flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-25 mission on February 21st. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/HBrM1PWXsAAuEIs-1.jpg) Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-25 mission on February 21st. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Artemis II mission set for April* Following a [second wet dress rehearsal](https://www.youtube.com/live/-KYhqePsm38?si=iMwt2-S5SvDJSXhO&ref=proximareport.com) that saw no major issues, [NASA initially announced](https://www.youtube.com/live/rayK1pwhzEs?si=JPNTDdZSW-y1LTNk&ref=proximareport.com) on February 20th that the Artemis II mission is set to launch no earlier than March 6th (March 7th Universal Coordinated Time). A day later, the space agency [discovered a helium-related-problem](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/02/21/nasa-troubleshooting-artemis-ii-rocket-upper-stage-issue-preparing-to-roll-back/?ref=proximareport.com) that requires delaying the mission to April 1st at the earliest. The mission will utilize the Space Launch System rocket, launching from Launch Complex 39B in Florida, and an Orion spacecraft to send NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen around the Moon as part of a ten-day mission. In preparation for it, the four astronauts had entered the [planned two-week quarantine](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/02/20/artemis-ii-crew-enters-quarantine-ahead-of-march-launch-opportunity/?ref=proximareport.com) before launch. When Artemis II lifts off and performs its burn to head to the Moon, its astronauts will be the first people heading around it since Apollo 17 in December 1972\. ### *Zhuque-3 planned to land as early as April* LandSpace shared via a presentation at the United Nations that the company is [aiming to land and recover](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/landspace-wants-to-reuse-zhuque-3?ref=proximareport.com) its first Zhuque-3 booster as early as April. The information regarding the rockets' next flight, and others this year, was from Cai Guorui, General Manager of the Department of Quality and Safety, who shared: > “We are right now optimizing the recovery workflow, and we are confident in achieving a first-stage recovery in the next flight of Zhuque-3\. Looking forward, we are planning a second recovery attempt in quarter two this year, followed by a reuse of recovered first-stages in quarter four. These steps will further mature our reusable launch system at LandSpace and in China.” As disclosed by Cai, later this year the company is looking to reuse a Zhuque-3 first-stage booster, assuming one lands before the fourth quarter. Three flights of the rocket are expected to take place in 2026, with flight hardware well into production. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *February 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-104* A batch of Starlink satellites are set to be launched into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 40. ### *February 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-26* Another Falcon 9 is planned to head into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E with another group of Starlink satellites. ### *February 24th - Electron for 'That's Not a Knife'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket is preparing to fly in its suborbital HASTE configuration to throw Hypersonix's DART AE downrange for testing of a hydrogen-fuelled scramjet engine. ### *February 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-110* From Space Launch Complex 40, more Starlink satellites are planned to be placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9\. ### *February 25th - KAIROS with four satellites* Japanese company Space One is hoping to finally have its KAIROS launch vehicle reach orbit with four satellites set to be aboard its third flight, out of Space Port Kii, in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. ### *February 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-108* Yet more Starlink satellites are set to head into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *February 28th - Alpha for 'Stairway To Seven'* Firefly Aerospace's Alpha is expected to fly for the seventh time out of the Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, to verify upgrades to the vehicle while being a return to flight mission. ### *February 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-23* SpaceX is looking to launch another batch of Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 4E and into low Earth orbit. ### Orbital Data Center: Innovation, or IPO Theater? URL: https://proximareport.com/can-space-data-centers-solve-ai-infrastructure/ Last updated: 2026-02-22T17:54:30.000Z With the boom in AI and the rapid rise in demand for data centers, companies are beginning to look to the heavens as a potential future haven of computation. On Earth, data centers are driving higher energy prices, occupying vast amounts of land, and increasingly impacting local communities. **This raises the question**: What are space-based data centers, and are they a viable solution? In the end, space-based compute might be an essential element of humanity's development beyond Earth. However, presenting it as an immediate solution to the burden on terrestrial data centers risks conflating short-term market narrative with long-term industrial ambition. The current drive for orbital computing infrastructure reflects both engineering necessity and pressure from the AI industry's financial and competitive landscape. ## What Are Data Centers? Before examining space-based data centers, it is essential to define conventional ones. Terrestrial data centers are large facilities that often exceed 100,000 square feet. Thousands of server racks with processors, memory, and storage devices are housed in these facilities, all operating in parallel to tackle complex computational tasks. ![Rows of servers inside a data center](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/shutterstock_495697993-1920x1080.jpg) Rows of servers inside a data center ****Credit: Shutterstock** In addition to servers, current data centers have sophisticated cooling systems, ventilation infrastructure, backup generators, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), and fire suppression systems. This integration of systems renders data centers more analogous to living organisms than to traditional buildings. ## The Strain on Terrestrial Infrastructure Operating facilities with thousands of continuously running GPU clusters is resource-intensive. Much of this strain is increasingly driven by AI model training and inference workloads. Which demand far higher compute density per facility than traditional web services. ## **Energy Cost** Running a data center can require anywhere from **5* to *100 MW** of power, depending on its size and purpose. In 2023, data centers used ***178 terawatt-hours*** of power. For comparison, New York City consumes about 48 TWh annually. And analysts predict that by 2030, that number will triple, accounting for up to \~12% of US energy expenditure, driven by accelerating AI energy consumption. As it stands, over half of all energy consumed by data centers comes from non-renewable sources. The sheer demand from AI has driven energy costs for consumers near data centers to spike, [with some areas' wholesale energy prices rising as much as 267%](https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-ai-data-centers-electricity-prices/?ref=proximareport.com). ## **Land Impact** In addition to substantial energy consumption, data centers typically require significant land, averaging **10** to **40 acres**. However, AI-focused data centers are pushing the envelope, with some planned facilities occupying **200** to **500 acre** plots of land. As of this writing, the largest AI data center is Amazon’s $11 billion [Project Rainier](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/aws/aws-project-rainier-ai-trainium-chips-compute-cluster?ref=proximareport.com) in Indiana, which spans *1,200 acres*. ![Exterior ariel shot of Amazon's Project Rainer in Indiana, one of the largest data centers on Earth ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/projectrainier-exterior.png) Exterior ariel shot of Amazon's Project Rainer, one of the largest data centers on Earth ****Credit: Amazon** ## **Water Usage and Environmental Impact** Data centers also, on average, consume approximately ***5 million gallons*** of water daily, equivalent to the usage of a city with 50,000 residents. Companies are attempting to mitigate this demand by reusing water and utilizing treated water instead of fresh sources. As demand increases, particularly in water-stressed regions, local communities may be adversely affected. Overall, these massive facilities exert a significant environmental impact. Current reports attribute approximately **1–2%** of global greenhouse gas emissions to data centers, with projections indicating this figure may ***double*** within the next five years. [One estimate](https://www.reuters.com/markets/carbon/global-data-center-industry-emit-25-billion-tons-co2-through-2030-morgan-stanley-2024-09-03/?ref=proximareport.com) projects that annual CO2 emissions from data centers will reach 2.5 billion metric tons by 2030, a figure comparable to the emissions of the airline industry. ## Control the Data Center, Control the Future According to [Fortune](https://fortune.com/2025/08/11/data-centers-are-eating-the-economy-and-were-not-even-using-them/?ref=proximareport.com), the total worldwide investment into data centers from *2025* to *2030* is likely to be upwards of ***6 trillion USD***. The accelerated demand for computing power is primarily driven by the AI boom. For example, companies such as Micron have [discontinued public-facing services](https://investors.micron.com/news-releases/news-release-details/micron-announces-exit-crucial-consumer-business?ref=proximareport.com) to focus on growth in the large language model (LLM) sector. Concerns in Western countries often arise from the rapid pace at which competing nations, such as China, construct data centers. Leveraging modular construction and significant industrial capacity, China can complete a data center in approximately six months, compared to about three years in the United States. Some states in the US have even placed building restrictions on data centers—arguing that more permits and deliberation are required due to the harmful nature of these mega-structures. Some argue that these challenges are an inevitable consequence of pursuing artificial general intelligence (AGI). However, the current rate of data center expansion is **unsustainable**. AI companies continually strive to develop more advanced models, which necessitate larger facilities, increased chip production, greater bandwidth, and expanded computational resources to maintain a competitive advantage. ## Space to the Rescue? ![Render of a Starcloud data center in space with the Sun illuminating Earth](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/Starcloud-data-center-in-space-lede.webp) Render of a Starcloud data center in space ****Credit: Starcloud** The concept of deploying computational infrastructure in space is nothing new as in theory, space offers several advantages. **Such as**: access to *continuous* solar energy in certain orbital regimes and effectively *unlimited* physical expansion. But these advantages are frequently presented *without* equal attention to the physical and economic constraints of orbital infrastructure. Space is **not** a vacuum of regulation or physics. It simply offers a different subset of engineering problems. ## How a Space Data Center Works Currently when it comes to space-based computing there are two main paths to implementation. ### **Large Satellite, Small Constellation** Companies like Starcloud are looking to build giant 5 GW satellites to increase compute capacity. These satellites would boast truly immense solar panels and radiators measuring 4km by 4km each. This has a few benefits, such as fewer bandwidth issues and an upgradable design, as new computational "bricks" can be sent to maintain high capabilities. However, these massive satellites pose many technical challenges, including in-space construction. ### **Small Satellite, Large Constellation** Rather than building large facilities with extensive solar arrays and radiators, the prevailing strategy is to deploy constellations of smaller satellites in orbit. These satellites would receive a prompt, communicate with one another, and then send the data back to a user. While much less technically demanding, issues like bandwidth are much more prominent. As of this writing, several space computing satellites have been launched as test beds for future constellations. **Notable missions include**: ### HPE SpaceBorne Computer-2 and AWS Snowcone (2021-22) HPE SpaceBorne was the first edge computing system sent to the [ISS](https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/?ref=proximareport.com) to support Astronauts during their missions by providing on-orbit data analysis and processing. For instance, ML programs would inspect Astronaut gloves after EVAs to maintain their condition. A year later, “Snowcone” was sent to the ISS during [AX-1](https://www.axiomspace.com/missions/ax1?ref=proximareport.com); this system enabled in-orbit cloud computing for Amazon’s AWS. ### Starcloud-1 (2025) ![Starcloud-1 deploys from a SpaceX Falcon 9 paving the way for future tech as Earth hangs in the background](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/108239434-1765324482324-Screenshot_2025-12-09_at_65040_PM-1.jpg) Starcloud-1 deploys from a SpaceX Falcon 9 paving the way for future tech ****Credit: SpaceX/Starcloud** Launched at the tail end of 2025, Starcloud-1 was the first satellite to run an [Nvidia H100 GPU](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/h100/?ref=proximareport.com) in orbit, preluding the company's long-term plan of massive data centers in orbit. ### Three-Body computing constellation (2025) A constellation of 12 satellites operated by ADA Space. In January of 2026, this constellation employed Alibaba’s Qwen3 AI LLM, allowing complex tasks to be computed in space with results sent back to Earth. # Pros and Cons of Space Computing Space-based computing presents both potential advantages and serious drawbacks. ### **Pros** - Unmatched scalability - Doesn't impact local communities or the environment. - Cost to orbit is lowering - Solar power in the right orbit is near constant - Limited permits ### **Cons** - Hardware cannot be upgraded (at least as easily) and must handle much more strenuous environments. - Technical hurdles (Cooling, in-space manufacturing, bandwidth, etc.). - Cooling requires massive radiators. - Solar flares and space debris can handicap capabilities. - Lower lifespans than terrestrial variant - Still more expensive than traditional data centers # Technical and Economic Hurdles ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/375f7593-6813-4fcc-87d5-bba2f317bcbb_1349x899-1.webp) Twelve computing satellites for ADA Space's AI constellation being prepared for launch ****Credit:** [****China in Space**](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/ada-space-eyes-launching-2800-ai?ref=proximareport.com) Communication bandwidth, ground infrastructure, in-space construction, logistics, and the harsh space environment collectively pose a significant technical challenge for orbital data centers. Launching the necessary tonnage is only one piece of the puzzle. Operators also need to mitigate risk, maintain robust constellations, ensure cybersecurity across space-ground linkages, and deorbit hardware in a suitable fashion at the end of its lifespan. While space-based compute may represent a long-term strategic pathway, it is not a simple or immediate solution to terrestrial constraints. ## The Cooling Problem While space is typically cold, it is also a vacuum. There is no air to carry heat away through convection. Heat must instead be radiated away as infrared energy. This requires large surface-area radiators. The higher the compute density, the larger and heavier these radiators must be, increasing mass-to-orbit requirements. Every kilowatt of computing power demands thermal management, and thermal management in orbit demands mass. ## Latency and Bandwidth Even in low Earth orbit, data must be transmitted to ground stations and then routed through terrestrial fiber networks. This introduces latency and bandwidth constraints. For many real-time or high-throughput commercial workloads, terrestrial fiber remains faster, cheaper, and more reliable. Space-based compute does not eliminate Earth-based infrastructure—it simply adds another layer. While I am not doubting the capability of engineers worldwide to solve these technical limitations, it raises an important question: ***why is space compute being framed as imminent?*** # Is Prioritizing AI a Viable Business Model? With talks about the [largest IPO in history](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-ipo-cost-mars/), the recent acquisition of [xAI](https://x.ai/?ref=proximareport.com), and the switch in focus to the Moon, SpaceX has seemingly gone all in on space compute. The company recently filed a request with the FCC for permission to deploy a one-million satellite constellation into orbit for space compute. The company recently held an internal meeting with employees that included a render of a mass driver on the Moon, with the text: "*1,000+ TW/year of AI satellites into deep space.*" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/spacex-concept-for-a-lunar-mass-driver-v0-FlLtoN6A_QJRHIU08wlcV-W9cMVb9Mo8iyFnQrbFjjM.webp) Concept of a Mass Driver at Moon Base Alpha ****Credit:** [****SpaceX**](https://www.spacex.com/?ref=proximareport.com) While there is no doubt in my mind that the company still intends to land humans on Mars, the rapid switch towards AI and going public despite the turmoil that has brought other aerospace IPOs is a little jarring. The timing is likely not a coincidence. As enthusiasm for artificial intelligence surges, increased attention to orbital compute could influence how investors perceive long-term growth potential ahead of any future public offering. As organizations across the board establish their roles in the AI ecosystem, ambitious orbital computing concepts garner considerable media and investor attention. In some cases, space-based data centers are framed as “*transformative solutions*” to Earth-bound constraints. However, portraying orbital infrastructure as an imminent remedy risks obscuring the underlying driver: *exponential AI scaling*. Rather than reassessing demand growth, efficiency optimization, or grid modernization, the solution is externalized into orbit. The physical strain created by AI expansion is not eliminated—**it is relocated**. This does not mean space-based computing lacks long-term merit. Rather, current narratives may be running ahead of engineering and economic reality. ### Hype vs Horizon In the end, space computing is neither fantasy nor miracle. It is a technology that will play a long-term role in the industrial development of human civilization beyond Earth. However, it is neither a short-term solution to the stress on terrestrial data centers nor a replacement for sensible energy planning, hardware efficiency enhancements, and reasonable AI development projections. Orbital compute may be a part of the horizon. For now, however, space data centers remains governed by technical hurdles, economics, and infrastructure constraints that no narrative can bypass. When looking toward the stars, we must remain anchored to the physical limits that shape our ambitions here on Earth. ### NASA Declares Unsuccessful Starliner Crewed Flight Test a Major Mishap URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-starliner-major-mishap/ Last updated: 2026-02-20T12:33:03.000Z Boeing's Starliner flew [its crewed flight test](https://proximareport.com/articles/starliner-carries-first-crew-after-years-of-delays/) back in 2024 between June and September, carrying astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, to the International Space Station. Citing thruster issues at the time, Starliner [returned to Earth uncrewed](https://proximareport.com/articles/starliner-returns-home-alone/) while its astronauts headed back months later [aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon](https://proximareport.com/articles/starliner-astronauts-return-aboard-crew-9/). Yesterday, February 19th, [NASA released its report](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-releases-report-on-starliner-crewed-flight-test-investigation/?ref=proximareport.com) on the flight test, declaring it a highest-level mishap under the space agency's [classification system](https://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov/displayDir.cfm?Internal%5FID=N%5FPR%5F8621%5F001D%5F&page%5Fname=Chapter1&ref=proximareport.com), stating: > "NASA has classified the test flight as a Type A mishap. While there were no injuries and the mission regained control prior to docking, this highest-level classification designation recognizes there was potential for a significant mishap." Within the 310-page post-mission report, several hardware and organizational failures were highlighted. For hardware, several thrusters failed during docking to the space station, another failed during uncrewed descent to Earth (resulting in zero-fault tolerance to continue), while helium leaked from all but one service module helium manifolds. Regarding organizational failures, NASA highlighted mistrust between their teams and Boeing due to selective data sharing and inconsistent transparency, overlapping roles between the two resulting in unclear leadership, an overly risk-tolerant leadership that prioritized success, and inadequate expertise within Boeing from a reliance on subcontracting. As part of an investigation into what went wrong, NASA found that Starliner's propulsion system did not undergo mission-representing testing, data from previous flight tests anomalies were lacking due to insufficient onboard storage, unresolved anomalies from prior flight tests were accepted and appeared in the crewed flight test, and Boeing's subcontractor's hardware data was limited to the space agency. Additionally, the report criticized Starliner's limited space hardware and reliance on United Launch Alliance's retiring Atlas V rocket for delivery into low Earth orbit. At present, NASA says they are working with Boeing to resolve Starliner's technical and organizational issues before flying the spacecraft again. In [an internal letter](https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2024558806135689354?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) that was later shared openly, Jared Isaacman, NASA's Administrator, vowed that astronauts would not fly aboard the spacecraft until 'appropriate recommendations' were implemented. [Back in November 2025](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-withdraws-astronauts-starliner/), the space agency announced that the next Starliner mission would not carry any crew, while reducing total future flights to the International Space Station to four from six. For now, SpaceX's Crew Dragon is the only U.S. spacecraft capable of carrying astronauts to the space station, which it has done [twelve times for NASA](https://proximareport.com/articles/crew-12-liftoff/). ### Weekly Dose of Space (8/2-14/2) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-8-2-14-2/ Last updated: 2026-02-15T21:23:49.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw six rockets flying into Earth orbit, with the majority launching on the same day. News from the week had a new crew arriving on board the International Space Station and China testing its new crew capsule. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *February 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-34* Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-four Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Booster B1100 supported this launch for its third flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 17-34 mission on February 11th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/HA5jL9xbsAEMMia-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 17-34 mission on February 11th. ©SpaceX ### *February 12th - Jielong-3 with seven satellites* Off of a launch ship in the South China Sea, a Jielong-3 flew into sun-synchronous orbit carrying Pakistan's PRSC-EO2 optical remote sensing satellite, the Hong Kong-made Chinese University of Hong Kong-1 DeepSeek-running remote sensing spacecraft, a trio of Geespace's Shutianyu space debris monitoring satellites, Changguang Satellite Technology's Earth-imaging Power Infrared Satellite-A, and the China Academy of Space Technology's Space Environment Monitoring Satellite. ![The Jielong-3 Y9 vehicle lifting off from its launch ship in the South China Sea on February 12th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/260212_04b-1.jpg) The Jielong-3 Y9 vehicle lifting off from its launch ship in the South China Sea on February 12th. ### *February 12th - Proton with Elektro-L No.5* A Proton rocket blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome and toward geostationary orbit, carrying the Elektro-L No.5 weather satellite. Once commissioned, the satellite will provide weather data via visible light and infrared imaging every thirty minutes. > Successful launch of Proton-M rocket with Electro-L №5 meteorological satellite! > > Block DM-03 upper stage with the payloads is now on its way to the geostationary orbit. > > This was the last launch of Proton-M with Block DM-03 upper stage. Next launches will use Briz-M. [https://t.co/QV99ZuTxsi](https://t.co/QV99ZuTxsi?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/X9HVob8ivv](https://t.co/X9HVob8ivv?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [February 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2021874478251221014?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Proton blasting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on February 12th, via [robert\_savitsky on Twitter](https://x.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2021874478251221014?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *February 12th - Vulcan for USSF-87* United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket flew from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, to [begin the USSF-87 mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/vulcan-ussf-87-minor-anomaly/) on behalf of the American military. Satellites believed to be onboard were at least one Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program satellite and a 'Propulsive ESPA' for training U.S. military spacecraft operators. ![Vulcan launching from Space Launch Complex 41 for the USSF-87 mission on February 12th. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/liftoff-vulcan-ussf-87_55091187257-1.jpg) Vulcan launching from Space Launch Complex 41 for the USSF-87 mission on February 12th. ©United Launch Alliance ### *February 12th - Ariane 6 with LE-01* For the first time with four boosters, [Europe's Ariane 6 rocket soared](https://proximareport.com/articles/ariane-64-amazon-le01/) out of the Guiana Space Centre and into low Earth orbit, carrying thirty-two Amazon Leo satellites. With this launch, Amazon's internet connectivity constellation has 212 satellites in orbit. > Mission VA267: Relive the liftoff of mission VA267. > > Ariane 6, in its Ariane 64 configuration, just lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, carrying 32 [@Amazonleo](https://twitter.com/Amazonleo?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) satellites into Low Earth Orbit. > > ▶️ Watch the replay of this incredible lift off. > > This launch marked… [pic.twitter.com/UYY0IOVCfe](https://t.co/UYY0IOVCfe?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Arianespace (@Arianespace) [February 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/Arianespace/status/2021992308024213934?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ariane 6 lifting off from the Guiana Space Centre on February 12th, via [Arianespace on Twitter](https://x.com/Arianespace/status/2021992308024213934?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *February 13th - Falcon 9 with Crew-12* Out of Space Launch Complex 40, a Falcon 9 flew into low Earth orbit with Crew Dragon C212 'Freedom' atop of it, for the fifth time, to send astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Sophie Adenot, and Andrey Fedyaev [toward the International Space Station](https://proximareport.com/articles/crew-12-liftoff/). Supporting this mission was booster B1101, flying for the second time and touching down at Landing Zone 40 in Florida. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Crew-12 mission on February 13th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/HBI5IM6akAEldBx-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Crew-12 mission on February 13th. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Crew-12 astronauts reach International Space Station* > The SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev, docked with the Station on 14 February, at 20:15 GMT/21:15 CET, marking the official start of ESA’s #εpsilon mission. www.esa.int//Science\_Exp... > > — [ESA Exploration (@exploration.esa.int)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ifircmauayohwtr3hftg5ge3?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) [2026-02-14T22:57:29.029Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ifircmauayohwtr3hftg5ge3/post/3meu4mqlph22d?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) Crew-12 Payload Specialist Sophie Adenot entering the International Space Station on February 14th, via the [European Space Agency on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/exploration.esa.int/post/3meu4mqlph22d?ref=proximareport.com). Following a launch that day prior, [Crew Dragon 'Freedom' docked](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/02/14/spacex-crew-12-docks-to-station-beginning-long-duration-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) to the International Space Station's Harmony module's space-facing docking port at 20:15 pm Universal Coordinated Time on February 14th. The docking began a series of checks to confirm the seal between the spacecraft and station, including pressurizing the space between both hatches. A few hours after docking, at 22:15 pm, Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Sophie Adenot, and Andrey Fedyaev [entered the space station](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/02/14/dragon-hatches-open-crew-12-enters-station-and-joins-expedition-74/?ref=proximareport.com), being greeted by Chris Williams, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, and Sergei Mikaev. Now onboard, the astronauts will support various science experiments as part of an eight month misson. ### *China's Mengzhou capsule completes in-flight abort* > 🌊🚀 A truly spectacular video recap of every key moment of the Mengzhou in-flight abort test and Long March 10A first stage recovery test. > > — [China Space Watch (@chinaspace.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:jx5rg7t7ezwxmsq5ygitxyu4?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) [2026-02-12T13:22:48.005Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:jx5rg7t7ezwxmsq5ygitxyu4/post/3meo3lbyuh22o?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) Mengzhou's in-flight abort test and the Long March 10A test boosters splashdown in the South China Sea, via [China Space Watch on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/chinaspace.bsky.social/post/3meo3lbyuh22o?ref=proximareport.com). On [February 11th at the Wenchang Space Launch Site](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-successfully-conducts-mengzhou?ref=proximareport.com), the China Manned Space Agency conducted the in-flight abort test for its Mengzhou capsule. The abort also accommodated a flight test for the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology's Long March 10A reuse systems. The start of both tests began with a liftoff from Launch Complex 301, under the power of five YF-100K engines. Not long after launch, Mengzhou's abort systems activated to pull it away from the Long March 10A test booster while passing into supersonic speeds. Flying free from the booster, the capsule's abort system oriented Mengzhou for its descent back towards Earth, with drogue and main parachutes deploying to slow it for splashdown. After the speedy escape of Mengzhou, the Long March 10A booster continued under powered flight towards the Kármán line. Following the peak altitude of the booster's trajectory, its grid fins deployed and a few of its engines restarted for an entry burn. Descent back through the atmosphere was performed unpowered until the Long March 10A test booster restarted one of its engines for a simulated catch on the drone ship 'Linghangzhe', floating a short distance away, then dropping itself into the South China Sea. Following the conclusion of Mengzhou's in-flight abort test and the Long March 10A's splashdown, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology stated: > “Upon reaching the spacecraft’s maximum dynamic pressure escape threshold, the spacecraft received the escape command transmitted by the rocket and successfully executed separation and escape. The first-stage rocket body and the spacecraft’s reentry module both splashed down safely in the designated sea areas according to predefined procedures.” > “This test successfully validated the functional performance of the rocket’s first-stage ascent and recovery segments, as well as the spacecraft’s maximum dynamic pressure escape and recovery capabilities. It confirmed the compatibility of relevant interfaces across all engineering systems, accumulating valuable flight data and engineering experience for future crewed lunar exploration missions.” ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *February 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-13* SpaceX is set to launch more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit via its Falcon 9, flying out of Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *February 16th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-103* Another Falcon 9 is expected to carry a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *February 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-25* More Starlink satellites are set to head into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of Falcon 9. ### *February 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-36* From Space Launch Complex 40, a Falcon 9 is expected to loft a group of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *February 21st - Alpha for 'Stairway To Seven'* Firefly Aerospace's Alpha is expected to fly for the seventh time out of the Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, to verify upgrades to the vehicle while being a return to flight mission. ### *February 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-26* Yet more Starlink satellites are expected to launch atop Falcon 9 out of Space Launch Complex 4E, heading into low Earth orbit. ### NASA's Crew-12 Begins Mission to International Space Station With Falcon 9 Launch URL: https://proximareport.com/crew-12-liftoff/ Last updated: 2026-02-13T20:14:11.000Z NASA's latest mission to the International Space Station began earlier today, with an astronaut-carrying launch out of Florida. From Space Launch Complex 40, SpaceX's Falcon 9 [lifted off](https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/crew-12-launches/?ref=proximareport.com) at 10:15 am Universal Coordinated Time, carrying astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Sophie Adenot, and Andrey Fedyaev toward low Earth orbit aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft. A few minutes later, the rocket's second-stage fired up to continue its ride into space and to chase down the International Space Station. Around ten minutes after lifting off, Crew Dragon C212 'Freedom' [separated](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/02/13/nasas-spacex-crew-12-spacecraft-flying-solo/?ref=proximareport.com) from Falcon 9's second-stage to start its fifth mission. Previously, 'Freedom' [has supported](https://www.spacex.com/launches/crew12?ref=proximareport.com) the Crew-4, Axiom-2, Axiom-3, and Crew-9 missions to the space station. At the time of writing, the Crew-12 astronauts are [expected to reach](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-spacex-crew-12-launches-to-international-space-station/?ref=proximareport.com) the International Space Station and enter the station, via a space-facing port on the Harmony module, around midday on February 14th. Once onboard, the four astronauts are [expected to spend eight months](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/station/what-you-need-to-know-about-nasas-spacex-crew-12-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) inside the orbiting laboratory. Supporting the start of the Crew-12 mission was booster B1101, for its second flight following a Starlink mission in early January. After supporting its part of the launch, the booster returned to Florida, becoming the first to touchdown at Landing Zone 40. > Falcon 9 has landed, completing our first landing at LZ-40! [pic.twitter.com/PZXeOYdbaN](https://t.co/PZXeOYdbaN?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [February 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2022255690467901478?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 booster B1101 touching down at Landing Zone 40 on February 13th, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2022255690467901478?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). With the launch of Crew-12, the International Space Station is returning to its usual occupancy of seven astronauts. Since January 14th, the orbiting laboratory has had just cosmonauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikayev as well as NASA astronaut Christopher Williams onboard, via the [Soyuz MS-28 mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/soyuz-damage-baikonur-pad/), due to the [early return of Crew-11](https://proximareport.com/articles/crew-11-returns-early/). That return was [due to a medical issue](https://proximareport.com/articles/crew-11-conclude-early/) with one of the four astronauts. Before its launch, the mission almost faced a delay due to a [failure with Falcon 9's second-stage](https://proximareport.com/articles/falcon-9-failure-feb-2026/) during a de-orbit burn on February 2nd. A return to flight mission [took place on without issue](https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/02/07/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-return-to-flight-falcon-9-mission-following-brief-stand-down/?ref=proximareport.com) February 7th. The weather did, however, [delay the launch](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/02/09/expedition-74-works-research-gear-soyuz-training-as-nasa-adjusts-crew-12-launch-date/?ref=proximareport.com) a few days. ### Who's onboard? ![Andrey Fedyaev (left), Jack Hathaway (center left), Jessica Meir (center right), and Sophie Adenot (right) during training with the Crew Dragon spacecraft. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/jsc2026e004033-large-1.jpg) Andrey Fedyaev (left), Jack Hathaway (center left), Jessica Meir (center right), and Sophie Adenot (right) during training with the Crew Dragon spacecraft. ©SpaceX [**Jessica Meir**](https://www.nasa.gov/people/jessica-u-meir/?ref=proximareport.com), from the United States, is Crew-12's Commander, for her second mission to the International Space Station. She previously spent almost seven months onboard the station, from late September 2019 to mid-April 2020, via the Soyuz MS-15 mission. During that mission, she participated in three spacewalks, spending 21 hours and 44 minutes outside of the space station. [**Jack Hathaway**](https://www.nasa.gov/people/nasa-astronaut-jack-hathaway/?ref=proximareport.com), also from the United States, is Crew-12's Pilot, for his first spaceflight. He was selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in 2021\. Before that, he served in the U.S. Navy, accumulating over 2,500 flight hours across thirty different aircraft. [**Sophie Adenot**](https://www.esa.int/Science%5FExploration/Human%5Fand%5FRobotic%5FExploration/Astronauts/Sophie%5FAdenot?ref=proximareport.com), from France, is one of Crew-12's Mission Specialists, for her first trip to space. She was selected as a European Space Agency astronaut candidate in 2022\. Prior to that, she served in the French Air Force flying various helicopters, [having over](https://www.lemonde.fr/sciences/article/2022/11/23/l-astronaute-francaise-sophie-adenot-integre-la-nouvelle-promotion-de-l-agence-spatiale-europeenne%5F6151278%5F1650684.html?ref=proximareport.com) 3,000 flight hours and becoming the country's first female helicopter test pilot. **Andrey Fedyaev**, from Russia, is Crew-12's second Mission Specialist, for his second trip to the International Space Station. From March to September 2023, he worked aboard the station for the Crew-6 mission --- ### What is Crew Dragon? Crew Dragon, or Dragon 2, is a partially reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX. The primary use for Crew Dragon is to send crew to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX also performs free-flight missions with the spacecraft. Crew Dragon consists of the capsule and trunk. The trunk is used to store unpressurized cargo as well as to have solar panels mounted on one side, to generate power, and radiators on the other, to dissipate heat generated inside. The trunk is not reused and burns up in the atmosphere after each mission. The capsule is where the crew is during launch, landing, and while on their way to space. Unlike the original Dragon capsule, the Crew Dragon capsule has a launch abort system consisting of eight SuperDraco engines. This abort system [can also](https://x.com/dpoddolphinpro/status/1839785424618697197?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) be used to bring the capsule to a soft touchdown in the event of four parachute failures. The capsule also has a nosecone that will fold out of the way in space to protect the docking hardware and forward-facing thrusters during launch and landing. The forward-facing thrusters are the main propulsion system for performing maneuvers while in flight. Up to four parachutes will deploy from the capsule during descent to allow it to splash down for recovery. Crew Dragon was developed as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program to regain crew access to the International Space Station from the United States of America after the retirement of the Space Shuttle. SpaceX currently has five active Crew Dragon capsules: Endeavour, Resilience, Endurance, Freedom, and Grace. ### First Four-Booster Ariane 6 Leaps Into Orbit Carrying Eighth Set of Amazon Leo Satellites URL: https://proximareport.com/ariane-64-amazon-le01/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T19:02:23.000Z Amazon's eighth group of Leo internet connectivity satellites, with 32 onboard, were carried into orbit by an Ariane 6 taking off [from the Guiana Space Centre](https://newsroom.arianespace.com/arianespace-successfully-launches-32-amazon-leo-satellites-with-the-first-ariane-64?ref=proximareport.com) at 16:45 pm Universal Coordinated Time on February 12th. Via the liquid hydrogen burning Vulcain 2.1 engine and four massively powerful solid rocket boosters, Ariane 6 quickly leapt into low Earth orbit over the course of a dozen minutes, then coasting before a series of precise burns. Following a series of maneuvers with the second-stage after coasting, the 32 Leo satellites began to be deployed about ninety minutes after liftoff. Deployment of the satellites lasted around twenty-five minutes. > Mission VA267: Relive the liftoff of mission VA267. > > Ariane 6, in its Ariane 64 configuration, just lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, carrying 32 [@Amazonleo](https://twitter.com/Amazonleo?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) satellites into Low Earth Orbit. > > ▶️ Watch the replay of this incredible lift off. > > This launch marked… [pic.twitter.com/UYY0IOVCfe](https://t.co/UYY0IOVCfe?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Arianespace (@Arianespace) [February 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/Arianespace/status/2021992308024213934?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of Ariane 6 from the Guiana Space Centre on February 12th, via [Arianespace on Twitter](https://x.com/Arianespace/status/2021992308024213934?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). With today's launch, Amazon now has 212 Leo satellites in orbit via a total of eight launches. In 2025, seven groups of satellites were deployed by four flights with United Launch Alliance in [April](https://proximareport.com/kuiper-blasts-off-atop-atlas/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), [June](https://proximareport.com/atlas-second-kuiper-amazon/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), [September](https://proximareport.com/ula-amazon-ka03/), and [December](https://proximareport.com/articles/la04-ula-amazon/), along with a trio of missions via SpaceX's Falcon 9 in [July](https://proximareport.com/amazon-kuiper-falcon-first/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), [August](https://proximareport.com/amazon-falcon-kf02/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), and [October](https://proximareport.com/amazon-spacex-kf03/). This and those groups are heading toward, or operating in, an orbital altitude of around 630 kilometers to prepare to provide internet services to customers. Following the deployment of further satellites, services from Leo are planned to be available later this year at speeds of [up to one gigabit per second](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/heres-your-first-look-at-project-kuipers-low-cost-customer-terminals?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), a [feat already demonstrated](https://x.com/ProjectKuiper/status/1963340129948283016?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). As mentioned earlier, today's flight was the [first for the four-booster variant](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Watch%5Flive%5Ffirst%5Flaunch%5Fof%5FAriane%5F6%5Fwith%5Ffour%5Fboosters?ref=proximareport.com) of Ariane 6, carrying the rocket toward space with over 2,000 tons of thrust. In an improvement over the two-booster variant, it can carry up to 21,650 kilograms into low Earth orbit. Ahead of launch, Rajeev Badyal, Vice President of Amazon Leo, praised the quad-booster rocket's lift capacity, [sharing](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/amazon-leo/amazon-leo-arianespace-first-mission-satellites?ref=proximareport.com): > "\[LeoEurope-01\] marks several important firsts for Amazon Leo. This is our first launch of 2026, our inaugural mission with Arianespace as part of our 18-launch agreement . . . These powerful launch vehicles allow us to deploy more satellites per mission, which will help us get service to customers as quickly as possible. Teams have done everything they can to prepare for a nominal first mission and we’re looking forward to many more Leo Europe missions in 2026." Ariane 6's dual-booster version is able to carry up to 10,350 kilograms to low Earth orbit, and has so far flown five times, carrying [navigation satellites](https://www.euspa.europa.eu/pressroom/press-releases/successful-launch-galileo-l14-strengthens-europes-satellite-navigation?ref=proximareport.com), [Earth observation spacecraft](https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing%5Fthe%5FEarth/Copernicus/Sentinel-1/Ariane%5F6%5Fto%5Ftake%5FSentinel-1D%5Finto%5Forbit?ref=proximareport.com), [next-generation weather satellites](https://proximareport.com/articles/ariane-6-soars-to-begin-deployment-of-new-weather-satellite-fleet/), [spy spacecraft](https://europeanspaceflight.com/ariane-6-successfully-delivers-french-spy-satellite-to-orbit/?ref=proximareport.com), and rideshare CubeSats [since July 2024](https://proximareport.com/articles/ariane-6-debut/). ### Leo sets sail On [February 10th, Amazon announced](https://press.aboutamazon.com/amazon-leo/2026/2/amazons-satellite-internet-comes-to-maritime-customers-through-strategic-agreements?ref=proximareport.com) that Leo services will soon be available at sea thanks to its first maritime reseller agreements. The resellers, ELCOME and MTN, will offer operators of commercial vessels, cargo ships, and offshore platforms two of Amazon's more powerful reciving antenna's to connect them to the Leo network passing above in orbit. Speaking on the agreement, Amazon Leo's Head of Global Business, Trevor Vieweg, stated: > "Maritime operations depend on reliable connectivity for everything from crew welfare to vessel tracking and remote diagnostics. Our goal is to keep maritime operations connected, even in the middle of the ocean." ### Thousands more satellites on the way Also shared on February 10th was that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has [approved Amazon to expand Leo](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/amazonleo%5Fthe-federal-communications-commission-has-activity-7427076364786180096-HZrf?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAADPrrp0B42OTD3pICNiphuCaOsv8nlxTxn4) to have [up to 7,736 satellites](https://www.pcmag.com/news/fcc-green-lights-amazons-second-gen-leo-satellite-system?test%5Fuuid=04IpBmWGZleS0I0J3epvMrC&test%5Fvariant=A&ref=proximareport.com) in low Earth orbit. Part of the new approval allows part of the space-based internet constellation to have satellites flying over the poles, bringing future coverage to the Arctic and Antarctica. Announcements about the expansion [also hinted at](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7427071916479430658/?ref=proximareport.com) a second-generation of Leo spacecraft, said to increase capacity and coverage. --- ## What is Ariane 6? Ariane 6 is ArianeGroup's latest launch vehicle in the Ariane family of rockets. ArianeGroup has been manufacturing and marketing the Ariane launch vehicles on behalf of the European Space Agency since Ariane 4\. Two versions of the Ariane 6 rocket are available, Ariane 62 and Ariane 64. These two versions share the first and second stages. The first stage of Ariane 6 burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in a single Vulcain 2.1 engine, producing 139 tons of thrust. The second stage of Ariane 6 also burns liquid hydrogen and oxygen, but in a single Vinci engine that generates 18 tons of thrust. Each of the solid rocket boosters burns a mixture of aluminum and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene to produce 474 tons of thrust each. This allows Ariane 62 to generate 1088 tons of thrust at liftoff, while Ariane 64 can generate 2036 tons of thrust. ![Ariane 6 prepared for flight with four boosters at the Guiana Space Centre in February 2026. ©Arianespace/Centre national d'études spatiales](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/P103011_HD-1.jpg) Ariane 6 prepared for flight with four boosters at the Guiana Space Centre in February 2026\. ©Arianespace/Centre national d'études spatiales ### Ariane 62 Ariane 62 is the cheaper of the two configurations because it opts to use two solid rocket boosters. The lift capacity of Ariane 62 is as follows: 10,350 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 7,200 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, 4,500 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, or 3,500 kilograms to a lunar transfer orbit. On the launch pad, Ariane 62 weighs approximately 530,000 kilograms with a first-stage, second-stage, and faring diameter of 5.4 meters. Ariane 62 stands 56 meters tall ahead of launch. ### Ariane 64 Ariane 64 is the more capable of the two configurations due to its utilization of four solid rocket boosters. The lift Capacity of Ariane 64 is as follows: 21,650 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 15,500 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, 11,500 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, 8,600 kilograms to a lunar transfer orbit, or 5,000 kilograms to geostationary orbit. On the launch pad, Ariane 62 weighs approximately 860,000 kilograms with a first-stage, second-stage, and faring diameter of 5.4 meters, exactly the same as Ariane 62\. Ariane 64 is eight meters taller than Ariane 62 and is 62 meters tall ahead of launch. ### Vulcan Begins USSF-87 Mission With Minor Anomaly During Fourth Launch URL: https://proximareport.com/vulcan-ussf-87-minor-anomaly/ Last updated: 2026-02-12T17:09:59.000Z The U.S. Space Force's USSF-87 mission began at 09:22 am Universal Coordinated Time on February 12th, via United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 in Florida. Under the power of two blue-flamed BE-4 engines and four GEM-63XL solid rocket boosters, Vulcan disappeared into the American East Coast's night sky. Shortly after liftoff and pointing downrange, one of the solid boosters appeared to experience and energentic anomaly (possibly repeating[ an earlier one](https://youtu.be/oYbnDcn31g4?si=oKsieI28%5Fl8WVFud&ref=proximareport.com)), with [fiery debris briefly appearing](https://x.com/GewoonLukas%5F/status/2021882004774498753?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). The anomaly did not cause any issue for the remainder of the two BE-4 engines' burn, with official coverage ending afterwards as previously planned. With the payloads of USSF-87, Vulcan's second-stage likely headed to a geosynchronous transfer orbit or straight for geosynchronous space. Neither the launch company of the Space Force shared where the launch was going, but did say it was the rocket's heaviest payloads to date. > To recap, Vulcan launched at 4:22 a.m. EST (0922 UTC) from Cape Canaveral for the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command. At the request of our customer, this will conclude our live coverage of today's countdown and liftoff of USSF-87\. [https://t.co/cFp7QRXjp7](https://t.co/cFp7QRXjp7?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/E5oDbh0jLv](https://t.co/E5oDbh0jLv?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ULA (@ulalaunch) [February 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/2021883496302604552?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Vulcan lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41 on February 12th, via [United Launch Alliance on Twitter](https://x.com/ulalaunch/status/2021883496302604552?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). [Inside Vulcan's fairing](https://www.ulalaunch.com/missions/next-launch/vulcan-ussf-87?ref=proximareport.com) was at least one Northrop Grumman-made Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) satellite. Those satellites head around geosynchronous space to monitor other spacecraft, primarily to allow the U.S. Space Force and the wider American military to understand other nation's capabilites. [In April 2025](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/us-spy-satellites-buzz-chinese-spacecraft?utm%5Fsource=publication-search), two operational GSSAP satellites buzzed three Chinese communications testing spacecraft. A third spacecraft was also placed into orbit by the USSF-87 mission, being the 'Propulsive ESPA', also made by Northrop Grumman. That spacecraft is described as being for training U.S. military spacecraft operators on how to tactically maneuver satellites. Confirmation of a successful launch for the USSF-87 mission was provided a few hours after liftoff, with United Launch Alliance's Vice President of Vulcan, [Gary Wentz, sharing](https://newsroom.ulalaunch.com/releases/ula-vulcan-rocket-successfully-launches-the-future-of-defense?ref=proximareport.com): > "Early during flight, the team observed a significant performance anomaly on one of the four solid rocket motors. Despite the observation, the Vulcan booster and Centaur performed nominally and delivered the spacecraft directly to geosynchronous orbit." Today's Vulcan mission comes just two years after its first, while being its fourth overall. Previous payloads carried by the rocket include the [ill-fated Peregrine](https://proximareport.com/articles/ula-aces-vulcan-centaurs-first-flight/) lunar lander, [upper-stage technology demonstrations](https://proximareport.com/articles/vulcan-second-certification-flight/), and a few spacecraft [for the U.S. military](https://proximareport.com/articles/vulcan-ussf-106/). Since Vulcan's January 2024 debut, United Launch Alliance has conducted a handful of Atlas V launches from the same launch pad, including four [deployments for Amazon's Leo network](https://proximareport.com/articles/la04-ula-amazon/) and [Boeing's Starliner](https://proximareport.com/articles/starliner-carries-first-crew-after-years-of-delays/). --- ### What is Vulcan? Vulcan, sometimes called Vulcan-Centaur, is United Launch Alliance's in-development two-stage rocket. Vulcan is planned to replace the company's Atlas V and launch vehicle in the coming decade. The first-stage is powered by two BE-4 engines generating 500 tons of thrust, burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen for about four minutes and fifty-nine seconds. Blue Origin manufactures the BE-4 engines for use with United Launch Alliance. The second-stage is powered by two RL-10 engines generating 22 tons of thrust, burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Aerojet Rocketdyne manufactures the RL-10 engines for use with United Launch Alliance. This stage is also called Centaur V due to the rocket stages' heritage. Vulcan-Centaur can launch with either zero, two, four, or six GEM-63XL solid rocket motors to augment the rocket's thrust and capabilities. Each booster burns a solid propellant, consisting of Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and Aluminum-Ammonium perchlorate, generating 224 tons of thrust each for a believed one minute and fifty seconds. The solid rocket boosters are manufactured by Northrop Grumman for use with United Launch Alliance. Two fairing sizes are offered for Vulcan to suit customer needs, both 5.4 meters in diameter. The standard fairing is 15.5 meters long, while the extended long fairing is 21.3 meters long. A 'multi-manifest' version of the 21.3-meter-long fairing is also available for launching multiple spacecraft on a single launch. ![Vulcan prepared for flight at Space Launch Complex 41 for the USSF-87 mission. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/sunset-vulcan-ussf-87_55090037401-1.jpg) Vulcan prepared for flight at Space Launch Complex 41 for the USSF-87 mission. ©United Launch Alliance United Launch Alliance claims Vulcan-Centaur can deliver the following amount of payload in its four potential configurations: - Vulcan Centaur VC0 - 10,800 kilograms to low Earth orbit - 3,500 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit - 2,300 kilograms to a trans-lunar injection - Vulcan Centaur VC2 - 19,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit - 8,400 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit - 6,300 kilograms to a trans-lunar injection - Vulcan Centaur VC4 - 24,600 kilograms to low Earth orbit - 11,700 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit - 9,200 kilograms to a trans-lunar injection - Vulcan Centaur VC6 - 27,200 kilograms to low Earth orbit - 15,300 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit - 12,100 kilograms to a trans-lunar injection The naming scheme of each Vulcan-Centaur configuration is as follows: V stands for Vulcan, C stands for Centaur, 0/2/4/6 stands for the number of solid rocket motors, and S/L stands for the payload fairing length. ### Musk Says SpaceX Will Focus on the Moon Over Mars URL: https://proximareport.com/musk-spacex-moon-over-mars/ Last updated: 2026-02-09T19:08:37.000Z Last night, SpaceX's head, Elon Musk, [announced on Twitter](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2020640004628742577?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) that the company is shifting its focus away from Mars and instead prioritizing the Moon in establishing what was called a 'self-growing city' as part of a far-fetched dream to extend human consciousness. > "For those unaware, SpaceX has already shifted focus to building a self-growing city on the Moon, as we can potentially achieve that in less than 10 years, whereas Mars would take 20+ years." Musk's reasoning for the shift was as follows: > "It is only possible to travel to Mars when the planets align every 26 months (six month trip time), whereas we can launch to the Moon every 10 days (2 day trip time). This means we can iterate much faster to complete a Moon city than a Mars city." > "That said, SpaceX will also strive to build a Mars city and begin doing so in about 5 to 7 years, but the overriding priority is securing the future of civilization and the Moon is faster." In previous years, [he has stated](https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-spacex-mars-plan-timeline-2018-10?op=1&ref=proximareport.com) that sending humans to Mars is only a few years away, promising to send people there within a decade [back in 2011](https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-VCDB-10984?gaa%5Fat=eafs&gaa%5Fn=AWEtsqfOqP7NRwsIR6Pe-x7NdDhoIwHXCWiH0jqfL-OpxhgA8CX69xNvl2baIWsxAg%3D%3D&gaa%5Fts=69543d38&gaa%5Fsig=3c0E85Y5sEG2MNfU3U6%5F3-nrIVLwNMv7R9qC1jiU8umWO74R5HaEOBFHZvIY2z9wzL8GBSOEljXpPVnq59EPQA%3D%3D&ref=proximareport.com). The recent statement from Musk also contradicts one of his own from just over a year ago, [where he said](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1875023335891026324?s=20&ref=proximareport.com): > "No, we’re going straight to Mars. The Moon is a distraction." Despite calling the Moon a distraction, SpaceX has [a contract with NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/reference/human-landing-systems/?ref=proximareport.com) to put astronauts on the lunar surface for the Artemis III mission in 2028 using a variant of the Starship launch system. Progress with Starship has been slow despite eleven flight tests since 2023, with [the majority of 2025's failing](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-eleven/#whats-next-for-starship), and no orbital missions to date. Orbital missions are required to test critical systems, like in-space refueling, for the lunar lander variant of Starship. Meanwhile, SpaceX's sole competitor for sending NASA astronauts to the lunar surface, Blue Origin, has made stable progress on its Blue Moon Mk1 spacecraft, which heads out with justa single launch. Recently sending the first one off [for thermal-vacuum testing](https://x.com/NASA%5FJohnson/status/2019073901133746339?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) with the American space agency. Additionally, and likely the real reason for SpaceX's new moon focus, is that Blue Moon Mk1 is being [explored as an alternative](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/10/how-america-fell-behind-china-in-the-lunar-space-race-and-how-it-can-catch-back-up/?ref=proximareport.com) for Artemis III. > This week we completed direct field acoustic testing on our Blue Moon MK1 lunar lander, a major flight‑qualification milestone. > > We surrounded the fully integrated lander with a ring of 34‑ft speaker towers to generate a near‑diffuse acoustic field, matching the New Glenn… [pic.twitter.com/ngfSXw0s36](https://t.co/ngfSXw0s36?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Dave Limp (@davill) [January 15, 2026](https://twitter.com/davill/status/2011843892015178197?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mk1 lunar lander during acoustic testing in Florida, via [Dave Limp on Twitter](https://x.com/davill/status/2011843892015178197?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### Elon's overpromised elsewhere before It's worth keeping in mind that Musk has [overpromised technology](https://mashable.com/article/elon-musk-failed-to-deliver-on-2025-promises?ref=proximareport.com) [development milestones](https://qz.com/elon-musks-worst-predictions-promises-1851410720?ref=proximareport.com#elon-musks-10-worst-predictions-and-broken-promises) at his other companies before. To keep the list short, a few unreached milestones are: - SpaceX will put people on Mars, continually pushed back throughout the company's history. - SpaceX offering tourism trips around the Moon by 2018. - Tesla vehicles will have a 1,000-kilometer range. - Tesla vehicles will have self-driving next year, said since 2014. - Tesla robotaxis will be available in 2020, actually began trials in 2025. - xAI will 'achieve' Artificial General Intelligence in 2025. A much longer, regularly updated list can be [found here](https://elonmusk.today/?ref=proximareport.com). ### Weekly Dose of Space (1/2-7/2) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-1-2-7-2/ Last updated: 2026-02-08T17:26:03.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! During the week, four rockets made it into orbit, with one failing to come back as planned. News this week has had the Artemis II mission moved to March and China preparing to test its Mengzhou capsule. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *February 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-32* Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-five Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Booster B1071 supported this launch for its thirty-first flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. Following the deployment of the Starlink satellites, Falcon 9's [second-stage experienced an anomaly](https://proximareport.com/articles/falcon-9-failure-feb-2026/) in-space, the fourth within two years, preventing it from performing its deorbit burn. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-32 mission on February 2nd. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/HAKwm1nbcAA1hGf-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-32 mission on February 2nd. ©SpaceX ### *February 5th - Soyuz 2.1b with several Cosmos satellites* Out of the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, a Soyuz 2.1b flew into sun-synchronous orbit while carrying a handful of Cosmos satellites on behalf of the Russian military. > Video of yesterday's Soyuz-2.1b launch from Plesetsk cosmodrome [https://t.co/1oOQPvdzhU](https://t.co/1oOQPvdzhU?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/fI62YBtY0O](https://t.co/fI62YBtY0O?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [February 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2019598159966794133?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Soyuz 2.1b lifting off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome on February 5th, via [robert\_savitsky on Twitter](https://x.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2019598159966794133?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *February 7th - Long March 2F/T with Reusable Experimental Spacecraft* A Long March 2F/T lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and headed for low Earth orbit, while carrying China's Reusable Experimental Spacecraft. The spacecraft is expected to spend an extended period of time in orbit to perform experiments and technology testing. ### *February 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-33* Another twenty-five Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9, for its 'return-to-flight' mission from Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this mission was booster B1088, for its thirteenth flight and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 blasting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-33 mission on February 7th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/HAltLevXsAAunqi-1.jpg) Falcon 9 blasting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-33 mission on February 7th. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Artemis II mission expected for March* ![The Space Launch System rocket for the Artemis II mission at Launch Complex 39B on January 29th 2026 following its rollout. ©Jim Ross/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/02/AFRC2026-0017-17-large-1.jpg) The Space Launch System rocket for the Artemis II mission at Launch Complex 39B on January 29th 2026 following its rollout. ©Jim Ross/NASA In the first days of February, NASA was attempting to perform a complete wet dress rehearsal of the Space Launch System rocket, with the Orion spacecraft, at Launch Complex 39B. During the almost two-day test, all systems were powered on and the rocket was fully fuelled up. Near the end of the wet dress rehearsal, launch control teams [chose to terminate ](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/02/03/artemis-ii-wet-dress-rehearsal-test-terminated-at-t-515/?ref=proximareport.com)the test due to a hydrogen leak between the base of the rocket and a tail service mast umbilical, said to be persistent throughout. With the termination, the fuel, liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, was slowly removed. Due to the termination of the test ahead of its completion, [NASA is opting to forego](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/02/03/nasa-conducts-artemis-ii-fuel-test-eyes-march-for-launch-opportunity/?ref=proximareport.com) the few remaining launch opportunities in February. Insteaed the space agency will thoroughly analyze all data collected during it and [choose one best suited](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/artemis-ii-mission-availability.pdf?emrc=6986ad042715e&ref=proximareport.com) to the Artemis II mission in March. ### *China prepares to test Mengzhou capsule* At the Wenchang Space Launch Site, teams from the China Manned Space Agency and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology are preparing to conduct an in-flight abort test of the Mengzhou capsule, set to carry taikonauts to Earth and lunar orbit. That test is currently expected to take place [no earlier than February 11th](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/mengzhou-in-flight-abort-test-expected?ref=proximareport.com). For the in-flight abort test, the capsule will be flown off of Launch Complex 301 via the Long March 10A test booster, gaining speed until it reaches the point of maximum aerodynamic stress. Once at the point, Mengzhou's launch escape systems will be triggered to simulate a real abort, carrying it away from the test booster. If the escape goes as planned, the capsule will splash down off the coast of Hainan Province. While the capsule is performing its abort test, the Long March 10A test booster will be performing a recovery test to further the development of the five-meter-diameter Long March 10 series of reusable launch vehicles. The recovery test of the booster will be guided by four grid fins during descent, before a landing burn is commenced, and four hooks deploy for a potential catch via tensioned wires on the ship 'Linghangzhe'. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *February 11th - Jielong-3 with a to-be-annouced payload* A Jielong-3 is expected to liftoff from a sea-launch platform in the South China Sea, carrying a handful of unknown payloads, with one said to be from Pakistan. ### *February 11th - Falcon 9 with Crew-12* The Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station is set to launch atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, carrying NASA's Jack Hathaway and Jessica Meir, as well as ESA's Sophie Adenot and Russia's Andrey Fedyaev. ### *February 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-34* Falcon 9 is set to fly again with a batch of Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 4E and into low Earth orbit. ### *February 12th - Vulcan for USSF-87* United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket is preparing to fly from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, and head toward geostationary space with a handful of U.S. military payloads. ### *February 12th - Proton with Elektro-L No.5* A Proton rocket is set to fly towards geostationary space with the Elektro-L No.5 weather satellite from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. ### *February 12th - Ariane 64 with LE-01* Arianespace's Ariane 6 rocket is set to fly with four boosters for the first time to place thirty-two Amazon Leo satellites into low Earth orbit, in a mission dubbed 'Leo Europe 01'. ### *February 14th - Alpha for 'Stairway To Seven'* Firefly Aerospace's Alpha is expected to fly for the seventh time out of the Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, to verify upgrades to the vehicle while being a return to flight mission. ### Falcon 9 Experiences Fourth in-Space Anomaly Within Two Years Following Starlink Mission URL: https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-failure-feb-2026/ Last updated: 2026-02-03T17:21:57.000Z On February 2nd 2026, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, to carry twenty-five Starlink internet satellites into low Earth orbit. All burns with booster B1071, for its thirty-first flight, were conducted as expected, while the second-stage performed as desired to carry its payloads into orbit. However, once in orbit, the second-stage experienced an issue upon attempts to be disposed of into the atmosphere. Regarding that, [SpaceX wrote](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2018485314508198331?s=20&ref=proximareport.com): > "During today’s Falcon 9 launch of Starlink satellites, the second stage experienced an off-nominal condition during preparation for the deorbit burn. The vehicle then performed as designed to successfully passivate the stage. The first two MVac burns were nominal and safely deployed all 25 Starlink satellites to their intended orbit." With the failure of the deorbit burn, the second-stage is [currently residing](https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3mdwg6njrj22p?ref=proximareport.com) in a 110 by 241 kilometer orbit that frequently overflies both poles. In that orbit, atmospheric drag will gradually bring the stage back to Earth for an uncontrolled reentry in the near future. Due to the failure, the fourth with the second-stage within two years, SpaceX is halting Falcon 9 missions in the immediate future, with a short end-note of the deorbit anomaly statement disclosing: > "Teams are reviewing data to determine root cause and corrective actions before returning to flight" SpaceX did not share what missions are going to be affected or how long they will ground Falcon 9\. A major mission that could be effected is Crew-12, carrying Americans Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway alongside France's Sophie Adenot, and Russia's Andrey Fedyaev to the International Space Station, which NASA [expects to fly on February 11th](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/nasas-spacex-crew-12/?ref=proximareport.com). Crew-12 is an exceptionally important mission to the station, as it will bring the orbiting outpost back to full occupancy and research capacity following the [early conclusion of the Crew-11 mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/crew-11-returns-early/). ### Not the first second-stage issue Just over a year and a half ago, in July 2024, Falcon 9 experienced its first [in-flight anomaly](https://proximareport.com/articles/falcon-9-failure-starlink/) in many years when liquid oxygen leaked from its engine, building up on the outside. [That caused the engine](https://proximareport.com/articles/falcon-9-returns/) to disintegrate upon a restart, causing the loss of it and a batch of Starlink satellites. A little over a month after that, a Falcon 9 [first-stage booster was lost too](https://proximareport.com/articles/falcon-9-grounded-for-the-second-time-in-2024/). 2024 continued to be a poor year for Falcon 9, as in September, a second-stage failed to deorbit properly, following the launch of the [two-astronaut-carrying Crew-9](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-crew-9/) mission to the International Space Station. That anomaly led to the stage coming back to Earth [beyond established safety zones](https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/us-faa-grounds-spacexs-falcon-9-rocket-after-second-stage-malfunction-2024-09-30/?ref=proximareport.com). In February 2025, Falcon 9's second-stage failed to deorbit following a Starlink launch due to a liquid oxygen leak, [which SpaceX quietly disclosed](https://x.com/Alexphysics13/status/1893235942044979468?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). The deorbit failure resulted in an uncontrolled breakup [over most of Europe](https://x.com/planet4589/status/1892178779746791890?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), with some hardware [reaching the ground in Poland](https://epoznan.pl/news-news-160287-policja%5Fi%5Fstrazacy%5Fna%5Fterenie%5Ffirmy%5Fpod%5Fpoznaniem%5Fmamy%5Fna%5F99%5Fpotwierdzenie%5Fspadku%5Fszczatkow%5Frakiety%5Fspacex?ref=proximareport.com). To date, no anomaly with Falcon 9 has directly caused a loss of life. ### Monthly Dose of Space - January 2026 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-january-2026/ Last updated: 2026-02-01T22:04:40.000Z Welcome to our twenty-eighth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you news from the past month. January begins another year of global spaceflight, so let's look through the past month. ## **News of the Month** January saw a mission to the International Space Station concluding a month early, the next crewed Moon mission moving to the launch pad, NASA having most of its programs and projects saved, reusable rockets progressing globally, and China training for its lunar missions. - [*Crew-11 Mission to Conclude Early Due to Medical Issue*](https://proximareport.com/articles/crew-11-conclude-early/) - [*Crew-11 Returns Early Following Medical Issue*](https://proximareport.com/articles/crew-11-returns-early/) - [*Artemis II Moon Mission Just Weeks Away From Crewed Launch*](https://proximareport.com/articles/artemis-ii-moon-weeks-away/) - [*Space Launch System Rolls Out to Pad*](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-120/#space-launch-system-rolls-out-to-pad) - [*Artemis II launch expected further into February*](https://proximareport.com/p/61328689-2307-439e-bcb7-7e52f4ef3fe3/?member%5Fstatus=free#artemis-ii-launch-expected-further-into-february) - [*NASA Has Most of Its Funding Restored for 2026 After Trump's Attempted Cuts*](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-funding-2026/) - [*SpaceX to lower Starlink satellites' orbit*](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-28-12-3-1/#spacex-to-lower-starlink-satellites-orbit) - [*LandSpace looks to raise 1 billion dollars*](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-28-12-3-1/#landspace-looks-to-raise-1-billion-dollars) - [*Taikonauts train for lunar missions ahead of hardware tests*](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-4-1-10-1/#taikonauts-train-for-lunar-missions-ahead-of-hardware-tests) - [*New Glenn booster to be reused in February*](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-18-1-24-1/#new-glenn-booster-to-be-reused-in-february) - [*Neutron suffers hardware loss during testing*](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-18-1-24-1/#neutron-suffers-hardware-loss-during-testing) - [*Tianlong-3 to debut 'soon'*](https://proximareport.com/p/61328689-2307-439e-bcb7-7e52f4ef3fe3/?member%5Fstatus=free#tianlong-3-to-debut-soon) ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw **26** launches worldwide, continuing a busy year. If you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *January 3rd - Falcon 9 with CSG-3* A Falcon 9 flew out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying a new COSMO-SkyMed observation satellite on behalf of the Italian Space Agency into sun-synchronous orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1081 for its twenty-first flight, touching down back at Landing Zone 4. ### *January 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-88* Twenty-nine Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying out Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1101 for its first flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *January 9th - Falcon with Starlink Group 6-69* Another twenty-nine Starlink satellites were launched atop of a Falcon 9 and into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1069 supported this launch for its twenty-ninth flight, landing on the droneship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange afterwards. ### *January 11th - Falcon 9 with forty satellites* SpaceX's Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E and into sun-synchronous orbit, carrying NASA's exoplanet-hunting Pandora mission as well as thirty-nine rideshare payloads from commercial and government customers. Booster B1097 supported this launch for its fifth flight, touching down at Landing Zone 4 afterwards. ### *January 12th - PSLV with sixteen satellites* India's PSLV rocket flew from the Satish Dhawan Space Center, aiming for a sun-synchronous orbit, but was sadly lost during third-stage flight due to a lack of attitude control. The OS-N1 hyperspectral imaging satellite and fifteen rideshare satellites were lost due to the failure. ### *January 12th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-97* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-nine Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was Falcon 9 booster B1078 for its twenty-fifth mission, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *January 13th - Long March 6A with Yaogan-50-01* For China's first launch of the year, a Long March 6A blasted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center and into a retrograde low Earth orbit with the Yaogan-50-01 remote sensing satellite. The satellite is tasked with with land surveys, crop yield estimation, as well as disaster prevention and mitigation. ### *January 13th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 18* Out of the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, a Long March 8A headed into low Earth orbit with nine GuoWang satellites for the connectivity mega-constellations eighteen batch. This launch brings the network up to 145 spacecraft. ### *January 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-98* Another twenty-nine Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1085 supported this mission for its thirteenth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *January 15th - Long March 2C with AlSat-3A* From the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Satellite, Algeria's Alsat-3A remote sensing satellite was delivered to sun-synchronous orbit by a Long March 2C. The primary use of the spacecraft is to support land-use planning as well as to enhance capabilities for disaster prevention and mitigation. ### *January 15th - Ceres-1S with four Tianqi satellites* Galactic Energy returned its Ceres-1 launch vehicles to flight with a sea-launch off the coast of Rizhao, Shandong province, carrying four Tianqi satellites into low Earth orbit. The four satellites are from Guodian Gaoke and are part of an Internet of Things connectivity constellation. ### *January 16th - Long March 3B/E with Shijian-32* A Long March 3B/E flew out of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, tasked with carrying the Shijian-32 technology testing satellite toward geostationary space. Sadly, the launch failed during third-stage flight, resulting in the rocket falling into the Pacific Ocean. ### *January 17th - Ceres-2 for its debut flight* Galactic Energy was performing the debut flight of Ceres-2 rocket out of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, looking to have it and a handful of payloads enter sun-synchronous orbit. Early into flight, the rocket deviated from its launch path and was terminated. ### *January 17th - Falcon 9 with NROL-105* SpaceX delivered a batch of U.S. military satellites into Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 off of Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this launch was booster B1100 for its second mission, touching down at Landing Zone 4 afterwards. ### *January 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-100* From Space Launch Complex 40, in Floirda, SpaceX's Falcon 9 flew into low Earth orbit with twenty-nine Starlink satellites. Supporting this launch was booster B1080, for its twenty-fourth flight with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *January 19th - Long March 12 with GuoWang Group 19* A Long March 12 flew out of the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site carrying nine GuoWang satellites into low Earth orbit. With this launch, the connectivity mega-constellation has 154 satellites in space. ### *January 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-30* Another Falcon 9 flew out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, to deliver twenty-five Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Booster B1093 supported this mission for its tenth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *January 22nd - Electron for 'The Cosmos Will See You Now'* Rocket Lab's Electrion carried two of Open Cosmos' broadband satellites into a polar orbit from Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula. Open Cosmos' plans to launch further satellites for a Europe-focused resilient connectivity infrastructure. ### *January 22nd - New Shepard with NS-38* In West Texas, Blue Origin flew its New Shepard vehicle briefly over the Kármán line, carrying passangers Tim Drexler, Linda Edwards, Alain Fernandez, Alberto Gutiérrez, Jim Hendren, and Laura Stiles. Booster NS4 supported this mission for its seventeenth flight, while capsule RSS First Step was being used for the sixteenth time. ### *January 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-20* SpaceX launched twenty-five Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit via its Falcon 9 with a mission out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1097 supported this mission for its sixth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *January 28th - Falcon 9 with GPS-III-SV09* Out of Space Launch Complex 40, a Falcon 9 headed into medium Earth orbit carrying the U.S. military's GPS-III-SV09 navigation satellite to begin its support for military position, navigation, and timing services. Supporting this mission was booster B1096 on its fifth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *January 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-19* Twenty-five more Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. Booster B1082 supported this launch for its nineteenth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *January 30th - Electron with NeonSat-1A* Via its Electron launch vehicle, Rocket Lab launched Korea's NeonSat-1A Earth monitoring into sun-synchronous orbit from Launch Complex 1A on the Māhia Peninsula. NeonSat-1a is designed to be the first of many mass-produced monitoring satellites that will regularly image the Korean Peninsula. ### *January 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-101* Another twenty-nine Starlink satellites were deployed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this flight was booster B1095 on its fifth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *January 31st - Long March 2C with AlSat-3B* A Long March 2C flew from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and toward sun-synchronous orbit, carrying the Chinese-made AlSat-3B on behalf of Algeria. Main uses for the satellite are reportedly to support land-use planning as well as enhance capabilities for disaster prevention and mitigation. ## Launches to look out for in February! February will continue the new year for worldwide launches. Listed below are all of the launches expected or likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of February may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *February 2nd - Soyuz 2.1a with an unknown payload* A Soyuz 2.1a is said to be preparing to fly from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome and into a polar orbit carrying satellites that are not currently known. ### *February 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-32* SpaceX is planning to add batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit with a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *February 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-103* Another Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 is set to launch another batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *February 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-33* Yet more Starlink satellites are set to head to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of a Falcon 9\. ### *February 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-104* Another Falcon 9 is planned to fly from Space Launch Complex 40 and into low Earth orbit with a batch of Starlink satellites. ### *NET February 8th - Space Launch System with Artemis II* NASA's Artemis II mission is set to head around the Moon with crew members Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen inside the Orion spacecraft 'Integrity' launched atop a Space Launch System rocket from Launch Complex 39A. ### *February 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-34* Falcon 9 is set to fly yet again with a batch of Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 4E and into low Earth orbit. ### *NET February 11th - Falcon 9 with Crew-12* The Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station is set to launch atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, carrying NASA's Jack Hathaway and Jessica Meir, as well as ESA's Sophie Adenot and Russia's Andrey Fedyaev. ### *February 12th - Proton with Elektro-L No.5* A Proton rocket is set to fly towards geostationary space with the Elektro-L No.5 weather satellite from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. ### *February 12th - Ariane 64 with LE-01* Arianespace's Ariane 6 rocket is set to fly with four boosters for the first time to place thirty-two Amazon Leo satellites into low Earth orbit, in a mission dubbed 'Leo Europe 01'. ### *February 25th - KAIROS with four satellites* Japanese company Space One is hoping to finally have its KAIROS launch vehicle reach orbit with four satellites set to be aboard its third flight, out of Space Port Kii, in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. ### Weekly Dose of Space (25/1-31/1) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-25-1-31-1/ Last updated: 2026-02-01T16:40:10.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw six launches into orbit, with most via Falcon 9\. News of the week saw a minor delay to the Artemis II mission and another Chinese reusable rocket near launch. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *January 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-20* SpaceX launched twenty-five Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit via its Falcon 9 with a mission out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1097 supported this mission for its sixth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-20 mission on January 25th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/G_iGLUNWMAA5GbI-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-20 mission on January 25th. ©SpaceX ### *January 28th - Falcon 9 with GPS-III-SV09* Out of Space Launch Complex 40, a Falcon 9 headed into medium Earth orbit carrying the U.S. military's GPS-III-SV09 navigation satellite to begin its support for military position, navigation, and timing services. Supporting this mission was booster B1096 on its fifth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. > Deployment of GPS III-9 confirmed [pic.twitter.com/zCaMDXUFor](https://t.co/zCaMDXUFor?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [January 28, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2016397417503994340?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The deployment of GPS-III-SV09 toward medium Earth orbit seen from Falcon 9's second-stage, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2016397417503994340?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *January 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-19* Twenty-five more Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. Booster B1082 supported this launch for its nineteenth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-19 mission on January 29th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/G_2yvtda4AA2T1C.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-19 mission on January 29th. ©SpaceX ### *January 30th - Electron with NeonSat-1A* Via its Electron launch vehicle, Rocket Lab launched Korea's NeonSat-1A Earth monitoring into sun-synchronous orbit from Launch Complex 1A on the Māhia Peninsula. NeonSat-1a is designed to be the first of many mass-produced monitoring satellites that will regularly image the Korean Peninsula. > LIFTOFF! Electron is on its way to orbit with the NEONSAT-1A satellite for [@kaistpr](https://twitter.com/kaistpr?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/Y9tz4Hy9si](https://t.co/Y9tz4Hy9si?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [January 30, 2026](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/2017046143579148631?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1A on January 30th with NeonSat-1A, via [Rocket Lab on Twitter](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2017046143579148631?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *January 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-101* Another twenty-nine Starlink satellites were deployed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this flight was booster B1095 on its fifth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-101 mission on January 30th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/G_5fD4aXoAAo2WS-1.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-101 mission on January 30th. ©SpaceX ### *January 31st - Long March 2C with AlSat-3B* A Long March 2C flew from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and toward sun-synchronous orbit, carrying the Chinese-made AlSat-3B on behalf of Algeria. Main uses for the satellite are reportedly to support land-use planning as well as enhance capabilities for disaster prevention and mitigation. ![A Long March 2C lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center with AlSat-3B on January 31st.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/bafkreihptzi4u4cjp5vessmmhswe6eyjrafrvwgwi3wvcdtjzd5ssogwxm-1.jpg) A Long March 2C lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center with AlSat-3B on January 31st. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Artemis II launch expected further into February* Having reached the launch pad [on January 17th](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/01/17/nasas-moonbound-artemis-ii-rocket-reaches-launch-pad/?ref=proximareport.com), the Space Launch System rocket for the crewed Artemis II lunar flyby mission has had its wet dress rehearsal atop of Launch Complex 39B delayed from January 31st to February 2nd. [According to NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/01/30/nasa-updates-artemis-ii-wet-dress-rehearsal-launch-opportunities/?ref=proximareport.com), that delay is due to unexpectedly cold weather in Florida. Due to the delay of the wet dress rehearsal, possible launch options for the mission on February 6th and 7th have been removed. That is to allow NASA teams adequate time to review the outcome of the rehearsal. With the delay, potential launch dates for Artemis II are now from February 8th to 11th, March 6th to 11th, and April 1st to 6th. Despite the delay, the Orion spacecraft and systems for the Space Launch System have remained powered on to maintain proper environmental conditions for both. Meanwhile, the four astronauts set to be onboard, Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen, are [in pre-launch quarantine](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/01/23/artemis-ii-crew-enters-quarantine-ahead-of-journey-around-moon/?ref=proximareport.com). ### *Tianlong-3 to debut 'soon'* Space Pioneer's 72-meter-tall Tianlong-3, designed to carry up to 17,000 kilograms into low Earth orbit, is [reportedly ready](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/space-pioneers-tianlong-3-ready-to?ref=proximareport.com) to fly for the first time. At the moment, the launch vehicle is at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, where it has been undergoing testing since late November. It is unknown when Tianlong-3 may fly, as no potential launch dates have been shared and any hazard notices for it have not been published. In conversations with the media, Space Pioneer has not provided any targets for the first launch. Based on previously released images of what is expected to be the first-flight Tianlong-3 vehicle, the first-stage will likely be expended as no grid fins and landing legs are installed, with mounting points missing as well. Later vehicles for future flights may have recovery hardware installed, with a second Tianlong-3 said to be close to completion. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *February 2nd - Soyuz 2.1a with an unknown payload* A Soyuz 2.1a is said to be preparing to fly from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome and into a polar orbit carrying satellites that are not currently known. ### *February 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-32* SpaceX is planning to add batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit with a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *February 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-103* Another Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 is set to launch another batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *February 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-33* Yet more Starlink satellites are set to head to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of a Falcon 9\. ### *February 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-104* Another Falcon 9 is planned to fly from Space Launch Complex 40 and into low Earth orbit with a batch of Starlink satellites. ### Weekly Dose of Space (18/1-24/1) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-18-1-24-1/ Last updated: 2026-01-25T22:28:13.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had five rockets heading into space, with three supporting mega-constellations. Events during the week had a New Glenn booster preparing to fly again and Neutron suffering hardware loss before it first flight. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *January 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-100* From Space Launch Complex 40, in Floirda, SpaceX's Falcon 9 flew into low Earth orbit with twenty-nine Starlink satellites. Supporting this launch was booster B1080, for its twenty-fourth flight with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-100 mission on January 18th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/G-_OHslXkAAO3zz-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-100 mission on January 18th. ©SpaceX ### *January 19th - Long March 12 with GuoWang Group 19* A Long March 12 flew out of the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site carrying nine GuoWang satellites into low Earth orbit. With this launch, the connectivity mega-constellation has 154 satellites in space. ![The Long March 12 Y5 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on January 19th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/0071kEH3ly1i9g6vu0tf6j33m12eqe85-1.jpg) The Long March 12 Y5 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on January 19th. ### *January 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-30* Another Falcon 9 flew out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, to deliver twenty-five Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Booster B1093 supported this mission for its tenth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-30 mission on January 22nd. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/G_P9ltTWUAAkfP9-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-30 mission on January 22nd. ©SpaceX ### *January 22nd - Electron for 'The Cosmos Will See You Now'* Rocket Lab's Electrion carried two of Open Cosmos' broadband satellites into a polar orbit from Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula. Open Cosmos' plans to launch further satellites for a Europe-focused resilient connectivity infrastructure. > LIFTOFF for Electron! "The Cosmos Will See You Now" is on its way to space for Electron's 1st launch of the year. [pic.twitter.com/Ko6xOzeTAU](https://t.co/Ko6xOzeTAU?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [January 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/2014290863963435440?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1A on January 22nd, via [Rocket Lab on Twitter](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2014290863963435440?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *January 22nd - New Shepard with NS-38* In West Texas, Blue Origin flew its New Shepard vehicle briefly over the Kármán line, carrying passangers Tim Drexler, Linda Edwards, Alain Fernandez, Alberto Gutiérrez, Jim Hendren, and Laura Stiles. Booster NS4 supported this mission for its seventeenth flight, while capsule RSS First Step was being used for the sixteenth time. > 🔁 NS-38 Replay: Liftoff! 🚀 [pic.twitter.com/WCaTU7VRiM](https://t.co/WCaTU7VRiM?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) [January 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/2014445176186454391?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of New Shepard on January 22nd, via [Blue Origin on Twitter](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/2014445176186454391?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). > 🔁 NS-38 Replay: Booster Touchdown! [pic.twitter.com/uh00WJtacn](https://t.co/uh00WJtacn?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) [January 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/2014448058902204508?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Shepard booster NS4 touching down on January 22nd, via [Blue Origin on Twitter](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/2014448058902204508?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ## **In Other Space News** ### *New Glenn booster to be reused in February* New Glenn's next flight is set to take place no earlier than late in February, carrying a single AST SpaceMobile cellular broadband satellite into low Earth orbit, Blue Origin [announced on January 22nd](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-glenn-3-to-launch-ast-spacemobile-bluebird-satellite?ref=proximareport.com). That mission will take place from the rocket's only launch pad, Launch Complex 36 in Florida. For the mission, Blue Origin is reusing the first-stage booster designated 'Never Tell Me The Odds', which [landed back in November 2025](https://proximareport.com/articles/new-glenn-booster-lands/) for New Glenn's first ever. At the moment, the booster is being refurbished for flight. ### *Neutron suffers hardware loss during testing* Rocket Lab [shared on January 21st](https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/rocket-lab-neutron-test-update/?ref=proximareport.com) that its first-stage propellant tanks for its partially reusable Neutron rocket had been lost during qualification testing shortly before. The test that resulted in hardware loss was a hydrostatic trial, in which the propellant tanks were filled with water to stress them beyond their expected flight limits. If the test had been successfully completed, the tanks were expected to be integrated onto Neutron's first flight vehicle. Writing on the path to flight, the company shared: > "There was no significant damage to the test structure or facilities, the next Stage 1 tank is already in production, and Neutron’s development campaign continues while the team assesses today’s test outcome." – "The team is reviewing the Stage 1 test data, which will determine the extent of the impact to Neutron’s launch schedule." > Rocket Lab Middle River Update January 21 > > The tank structure seen being worked on over the last few weeks appears to have collapsed sometime in the last 18 hours. > > No word on whether this was planned as part of testing or not.[@NASASpaceflight](https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/Io4sAPe6Y7](https://t.co/Io4sAPe6Y7?ref=proximareport.com) > > — pat o. 🚀 (@spacepat\_o) [January 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/spacepat%5Fo/status/2013998586342637608?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The remains of Neutron's first-stage test tank as seen on January 21st, via [spacepat\_o on Twitter](https://x.com/spacepat%5Fo/status/2013998586342637608?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *January 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-20* SpaceX is preparing to launch a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E into low Earth orbit with a batch of Starlink satellites. ### *January 26th - Electron with NeonSat-1A* Rocket Lab is set to launch Korea's NeonSat-1A Earth monitoring into sun-synchronous orbit from the Māhia Peninsula. ### *January 27th - Falcon 9 with GPS-III-SV09* A Falcon 9 is set to head for medium Earth orbit carrying the U.S. military's GPS-III-SV09 navigation satellite. ### *January 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-19* Another batch of Starlink satellites are set to be placed into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *January 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-101* More Starlink satellites will be launched atop of a Falcon 9, flying from Space Launch Complex 40, and deployed into low Earth orbit. ### NASA Has Most of Its Funding Restored for 2026 After Trump's Attempted Cuts URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-funding-2026/ Last updated: 2026-01-23T09:37:21.000Z *Note: All funding figures are in United States Dollars.* In a pushback against President [Trump's desired cuts to space](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-ends-nasa-global/) exploration and science, the U.S. House and Senate has [chosen to restore most](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/final-fy2026-nasa-noaa-appropriations-bill-clears-senate-white-house-is-next/?ref=proximareport.com) of NASA's funding for fiscal year 2026\. The funding is being [provided via](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/great-news-for-nasa-in-the-house-senate-fy2026-appropriations-report/?ref=proximareport.com) a fiscal year 2026 Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) bill, and only reduces the agency's funding by 400 million, for a total of 24.438 billion. It is a significant improvement on Trump's proposed 18.8 billion. Funding allocated across the agency is as follows: - Science: Trump proposed 3.9 billion; CJS bill provides 7.25 billion. - Aeronautics: Trump proposed 588.7 million; CJS bill provides 935 million. - Space Technology: Trump proposed 568 million; CJS bill provides 920.5 million. - Exploration: Trump proposed 8.31 billion; CJS bill provides 7.78 billion. - Space Operations: Trump proposed 3.1 billion; CJS bill provides 4.17 billion. - STEM Outreach: Trump proposed 0 dollars; CJS bill provides 143 million. - Safety, Security, and Mission Services: Trump proposed 2.1 billion; CJS bill provides 3 billion. - Construction, Environmental Compliance and Restoration: Trump proposed 140.1 million; CJS bill provides 185.3 million. - Inspector General: Trump proposed 40.7 million; CJS bill provides 46.5 million. Alongside the CJS bill, the House and Senate also allocated 10 billion for various NASA programs, funding them for the next six years, [via including it in the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill'](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/trump-megabill-includes-billions-for-artemis-iss-moving-a-space-shuttle-to-texas-and-more/?ref=proximareport.com). That allocated 4.1 billion for the Space Launch System for Artemis IV and Artemis V; 20 million for a fourth Orion crew spacecraft for use with Artemis IV and reuse on subsequent missions.; 2.6 billion to fully fund the Gateway lunar space station being built in cooperation with Europe, Japan, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates as part of the Artemis program; 1.25 billion for the International Space Station to ensure there is no gap when it ends in 2030 and new commercial space stations are in orbit to replace it; 1 billion in 'improvements' at five NASA fields centers: Stennis in Mississippi (120 million), Kennedy in Florida (250 million), Johnson in Texas (300 million), Marshall in Alabama (100 million), and Michoud in Louisiana (30 million); 700 million for a Mars Telecommunications Orbiter (MTO); 325 million for the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle to propel the International Space Station from orbit into the Pacific Ocean at the end of its lifetime; and 85 million for Space Vehicle Transfer for 'a space vehicle' to be transferred to a NASA Center and placed on public exhibition. Through the CJS bill and additions to the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill', [the grand majority](https://www.planetary.org/articles/advocacy-success-fy2026-nasa-budget?ref=proximareport.com) of NASA's missions and programs remain, with the exception of one flagship mission. ### Mars Sample Return is dead A flagship project aimed to be terminated by Trump and not restored is the Mars Sample Return mission. In the final weeks of the Biden Administration and Bill Nelson's leadership of NASA, it was decided that the agency [would look into two different methods](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-mars-sample-return-2026/) to retrieve samples gathered by the Perseverance rover in an effort to save money. Perseverance has been gathering those samples [since September 2021](https://www.nasa.gov/solar-system/nasas-perseverance-rover-successfully-cores-its-first-rock/?ref=proximareport.com) while NASA, in partnership [with the European Space Agency](https://www.esa.int/Science%5FExploration/Human%5Fand%5FRobotic%5FExploration/Earth%5FReturn%5FOrbiter%5Fthe%5Ffirst%5Fround-trip%5Fto%5FMars?ref=proximareport.com), devises plans to gather them. Those plans were expected to balloon to over 11 billion in costs. Awkwardly, while funding was in the slow process of not being restored, the [strongest potential biosignatures yet](https://proximareport.com/articles/mars-discovered-potential-bio/) were found in collected samples. That has left highly valuable science samples on Mars, [Europe's contribution to the mission without purpose](https://spacenews.com/esa-weighing-options-to-address-exploration-funding-shortfall/?ref=proximareport.com), and China's Tianwen-3 becoming the only Mars sample collection mission. [Tianwen-3 is set to launch in 2028](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/tianwen-3-set-to-search-for-martian?ref=proximareport.com), via two rockets carrying an orbiter-Earth return spacecraft and a lander-ascent vehicle combination, with the samples set to be delivered to scientists in 2031\. ### Isaacman praises Trump's 'support' for NASA With the restoration of funding coming close to the one-year anniversary of Trump entering the White House for a second time, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has [chosen to throw praise](https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2013986189817135524?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) upon his boss and ignore what the rest of the U.S. government is providing to him. In an [agency press release for the occasion](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-unlocks-golden-age-of-innovation-exploration-in-trumps-first-year/?ref=proximareport.com), which mentioned the President [a record-doubling eleven times](https://nasawatch.com/trumpspace/nasa-pao-sets-a-new-record/?ref=proximareport.com), Isaacman is quoted as saying: > "In the first year of this administration, NASA has moved with clarity, purpose, and momentum, advancing President Trump’s bold vision for American leadership in space. From strengthening our focus on human spaceflight and preparing for the first deep space exploration by NASA astronauts in more than half a century, to accelerating innovation across science, technology, and national capability, the President has provided the clearest executive direction for NASA since the Kennedy era. President Trump’s National Space Policy sharpened our mission, aligned our priorities, and empowered our workforce to move faster and think bigger. Because of that leadership, NASA is confidently delivering on a future of American space superiority for generations to come." What Trump has actually done is: an attempt to lower NASA's budget [to historically low levels](https://www.planetary.org/articles/nasa-2026-budget-proposal-in-charts?ref=proximareport.com), [signing a vague declaration](https://www.reuters.com/science/trump-affirms-2028-moon-landing-goal-cancels-space-council-executive-order-2025-12-18/?ref=proximareport.com) of requiring the Artemis III mission to land before 2030, [worsening safety for staff and astronauts](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-damage-to-nasa/) in the name of government efficiency, [starting witchhunts](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-begins-witchhunt-within-nasa/) through interim leadership, and [planning to violate space law](https://proximareport.com/articles/duffy-nuclear-moon/) for resource grabs. All of this while having a [disjointed, vague concept](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-no-space-plan/) of plans for space. ### Weekly Dose of Space #120 URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-120/ Last updated: 2026-01-18T18:47:02.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! ## **Launches This Week** ### *January 11th - Falcon 9 with forty satellites* ![A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket roars off the launch pad at night carrying dozens of payloads to a sun-synchronous orbit ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/D78Bsc2utYYjWprjCbJq5Z-970-80.jpg.webp) Liftoff of Falcon 9 carrying NASA's Pandora spacecraft, along with 40 others ****Credit:** [****SpaceX**](https://www.spacex.com/?ref=proximareport.com) SpaceX's Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E and into sun-synchronous orbit, carrying NASA's exoplanet-hunting Pandora mission as well as thirty-nine rideshare payloads from commercial and government customers. Booster B1097 supported this launch for its fifth flight, touching down at Landing Zone 4 afterwards. ### *January 12th - PSLV with sixteen satellites* ![The Indian Space Research Organizations (ISRO) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle sits on the pad awaiting liftoff](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/deccanherald_2026-01-14_wjkhrlu1_deccanherald2026-01-12cike5625PTI01112026000726B.jpg) A PSLV sits on the pad ****Credit:** [****ISRO**](https://www.isro.gov.in/?ref=proximareport.com) India's PSLV rocket flew from the Satish Dhawan Space Center, aiming for a sun-synchronous orbit, but was sadly lost during third-stage flight due to a lack of attitude control. The OS-N1 hyperspectral imaging satellite and fifteen rideshare satellites were lost due to the failure. ### *January 12th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-97* ![SpaceX's Starlink satellites await their deployment in orbit with a sliver of Earth in the bottom corner](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/G-bdG7baoAAkGQV.jpg) Starlink satellites await deployment in LEO ****Credit: SpaceX** A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-nine Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was Falcon 9 booster B1078 for its twenty-fifth mission, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *January 13th - Long March 6A with Yaogan-50-01* ![China's Long march 6A soars off the pad into the night, with satellite Yaogan-50-01 onboard](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/CZ6A-Yaogan50-01-TSLC-13jan2026-CASC.webp) China's Long march 6A roars off the pad with Yaogan-50-01 ****Credit:** [****CASC**](https://english.spacechina.com/?ref=proximareport.com) For China's first launch of the year, a Long March 6A blasted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center and into a retrograde low Earth orbit with the Yaogan-50-01 remote sensing satellite. The satellite is tasked with with land surveys, crop yield estimation, as well as disaster prevention and mitigation. ### *January 13th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 18* ![The Long March 8A Y7 vehicle lifting off from the Commercial Launch Pad 1 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on January 13th 2026.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/a553ea3d-6ca8-4bf5-9c8c-0041a0aea827_6149x3299.webp) A Long March 8A Y7 embarks on its journey to orbit from Wenchang ****Credit:** [****China in Space**](https://www.china-in-space.com/?ref=proximareport.com) Out of the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, a Long March 8A headed into low Earth orbit with nine GuoWang satellites for the connectivity mega-constellations eighteen batch. This launch brings the network up to 145 spacecraft. ### *January 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-98* ![SpaceX launches a batch of Starlinks to orbit from Florida on January 14th 2026](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/88182172007-crb-010125-spacex-2.webp) SpaceX's Falcon 9 launches a batch of Satellites to LEO ****Credit: Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY** Another twenty-nine Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 departing from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1085 supported this mission for its thirteenth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *January 15th - Long March 2C with AlSat-3A* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/maxresdefault.jpg) Long March 2A launches Alsat-3A to SSO ****Credit: CASC** From the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Satellite, Algeria's Alsat-3A remote sensing satellite was delivered to sun-synchronous orbit by a Long March 2C. The primary use of the spacecraft is to support land-use planning as well as to enhance capabilities for disaster prevention and mitigation. ### *January 15th - Ceres-1S with four Tianqi satellites* ![Galactic Energy's Ceres-1 launch vehicle soars off its sea-launch platform](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/maxresdefault--1-.jpg) Galactic Energy's Ceres-1 launch vehicle soars off its sea-launch platform ****Credit: Galactic Energy** [Galactic Energy](https://www.galactic-energy.cn/index.php/En?ref=proximareport.com) returned its Ceres-1 launch vehicles to flight with a sea-launch off the coast of Rizhao, Shandong province, carrying four Tianqi satellites into low Earth orbit. The four satellites are from Guodian Gaoke and are part of an Internet of Things connectivity constellation. ### *January 16th - Long March 3B/E with Shijian-32* ![A Long March 3B/E spits fire into the night from Xichang](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/long2520march_image_20230907120240.jpeg) A Long March 3B/E spits fire into the night from Xichang A Long March 3B/E flew out of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, tasked with carrying the Shijian-32 technology testing satellite toward geostationary space. Sadly, the launch failed during third-stage flight, resulting in the rocket falling into the Pacific Ocean. ### *January 17th - Ceres-2 for its debut flight* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/f5281a9e-e0b3-43f1-b7fc-898f9eab7987_1080x810.jpg) Galactic Energy's Ceres-2 rocket preparing for its maiden flight ****Credit: China in Space** Galactic Energy was performing the debut flight of Ceres-2 rocket out of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, looking to have it and a handful of payloads enter sun-synchronous orbit. Early into flight, the rocket deviated from its launch path and was terminated. ### *January 17th - Falcon 9 with NROL-105* ![Launch trail of SpaceX's Falcon 9 with NROL-105 onboard](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/G-2eH-xaEAAkrR8.jpg) Launch trail of SpaceX's Falcon 9 with NROL-105 ****Credit: SpaceX** SpaceX delivered a batch of U.S. military satellites into Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 off of Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this launch was booster B1100 for its second mission, touching down at Landing Zone 4 afterwards. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Space Launch System Rolls Out to Pad* With Artemis II less than a month away, [NASA](https://nasa.gov/?ref=proximareport.com) completed a major milestone with the rollout of the Space Launch System (SLS) to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center. Currently, NASA teams are targeting the February launch window, which runs from February 6th to the 10th. Artemis II will be the first time humans return to the Moon's sphere of influence since the last Apollo mission in 1972\. While Artemis II won't send Astronauts to the lunar surface, the three Americans and one Canadian will go further from Earth than any humans ever before. ### *Congress Saves NASA Science* In 2025, the Trump administration looked to cut the science budget by 47%. This cut would cancel or prematurely end dozens of missions. Earth Sciences would have faced the most severe drop in funding, with then acting administrator, Sean Duffy, [claiming](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/nasa-administrator-says-the-agency-will-move-aside-from-climate-sciences-to-focus-on-exploring-moon-and-mars?ref=proximareport.com) to want to focus on "space exploration." Contradicting a core part of what NASA was founded for. The proposed cuts prompted industry-wide outrage, with organizations like the [Planetary Society](https://www.planetary.org/articles/advocacy-success-fy2026-nasa-budget?ref=proximareport.com) stepping in to lobby Congress and other politicians. The public support seems to have paid off, as just a few days ago, Congress announced the budget for fiscal year 2026, rejecting nearly all the proposed cuts. While there were still slight 1-2% cuts here and there, Congress saved 40 missions, thousands of jobs, and, crucially, out-of-this-world science. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *January 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-100* SpaceX is preparing to launch a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 out of Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *January 19th - Long March 12 with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 12 is expected to launch from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site and into low Earth orbit, likely with a group of constellation satellites. ### *January 20th - Electron for 'The Cosmos Will See You Now'* Rocket Lab is set to carry two of Open Cosmos' broadband satellites into a polar orbit from the company's launch facilities on the Māhia Peninsula. ### *January 21st - Spectrum for 'Onward and Upward'* Isar Aerospace is planning to reach orbit for the first time with the second flight of its Spectrum rocket, carrying five satellites and an experiment. ### *January 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-30* Another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to be delivered into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *January 22nd - New Shepard for NS-38* Blue Origin is planning to fly its New Shepard rocket on a suborbital flight in West Texas while carrying six passengers above the Kármán line. ### Crew-11 Returns Early Following Medical Issue URL: https://proximareport.com/crew-11-returns-early/ Last updated: 2026-01-15T18:12:45.000Z Having [announced a week earlier](https://proximareport.com/articles/crew-11-conclude-early/) that, due to a medical issue, the Crew-11 mission would depart the International Space Station and return to Earth, the process to do so [began on January 14th](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/01/14/dragon-undocks-from-station-heads-for-splashdown/?ref=proximareport.com) when Crew Dragon Endeavour, carrying Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui, and Oleg Platonov, undocked. Several hours afterward, the spacecraft [performed its deorbit burn](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/01/15/spacex-dragon-completes-deorbit-burn/?ref=proximareport.com) to begin its descent toward the coast of California. That enabled a reentry [running most](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2011699510792401157?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) of the length of the west coast state, which was successfully performed, followed by parachute deployment, and finally splashdown. Splashdown of Endeavour with its four crew members [occurred at 08:41 am](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/01/15/nasas-spacex-crew-11-dragon-splashdown-at-341-a-m-est/?ref=proximareport.com) Universal Coordinated Time on January 15th, ending a 167-day mission in-space. > Splashdown of Dragon confirmed – welcome back to Earth, [@zenanaut](https://twitter.com/zenanaut?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com), [@AstroIronMike](https://twitter.com/AstroIronMike?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com), [@Astro\_Kimiya](https://twitter.com/Astro%5FKimiya?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com), and Oleg! [pic.twitter.com/2Yrgvy6DJO](https://t.co/2Yrgvy6DJO?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [January 15, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2011720896822604226?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Crew Dragon Endeavour splashing down off the coast of California on January 15th, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2011720896822604226?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). Following splashdown, SpaceX's Crew Dragon [recovery teams collected Endeavour](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-spacex-crew-11-mission-returns-splashes-down-off-california/?ref=proximareport.com) from the water, bringing it onto a recovery ship and assisting the crew with exiting the spacecraft. Not long after, Cardman, Fincke, Yui, and Platonov were transferred to a helicopter and flown to San Diego for regular post flight medical checks. One of the astronauts, and the driving reason for the early return, incurred a medical issue around January 7th and will undergo additional medical checks to properly diagnose them. At a press event last week, NASA's Chief Health and Medical Officer, Dr. James Polk, stated that the International Space Station and docked crew-carrying spacecraft have a stockpile of medical equipment to treat common in-space illnesses, but equipment to diagnose someone in orbit is not present. In the interest of the privacy of the affected astronaut, NASA has not disclosed who is ill or injured. The space agency has repeatedly stressed before and after the return that the astronaut's condition is stable and does not require a same-day emergency return to Earth. With Crew-11's early departure from the space station, NASA and its international partners on the U.S. Orbital Segment are [looking into](https://www.youtube.com/live/QFOVIAxEFng?si=5jT-TRO82ZMtVawI&ref=proximareport.com) new timelines to return the SpaceX CRS-33 cargo mission and Japan's first HTV-X cargo spacecraft. An earlier launch for the [Crew-12 mission](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/nasas-spacex-crew-12/?ref=proximareport.com), with NASA's Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway alongside France's Sophie Adenot, and Russia's Andrey Fedyaev, is being explored too. Crew-12's launch opportunities may have to be moved around with the [Moon-bound crew-carrying Artemis II mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/artemis-ii-moon-weeks-away/) in early February. As Crew-11 returned early, [Soyuz-launched](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-astronaut-chris-williams-crewmates-arrive-at-space-station/?ref=proximareport.com) Chris Williams is the sole American onboard the station, with his crewmates Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev, until Crew-12 arrives. With assistance from researchers and mission control on the ground, he will be responsible for performing the U.S. Orbital Segments experiments at a reduced rate. ### Artemis II Moon Mission Just Weeks Away From Crewed Launch URL: https://proximareport.com/artemis-ii-moon-weeks-away/ Last updated: 2026-01-14T16:45:07.000Z As soon as early next month, [NASA plans to launch its Artemis II mission](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/artemis-2/final-steps-underway-for-nasas-first-crewed-artemis-moon-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) from Launch Complex 39B in Florida, out around the Moon over a few days, before returning to Earth off the coast of California. The mission will be the first crewed flight of the Orion spacecraft atop of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. When the mission may launch is yet to be confirmed, but a few launch periods have been shared by NASA. Those are in February, March, and April, with potential launch dates running from February 6th to 11th, March 6th to 11th, and April 1st to 6th. The majority of those launch dates will be during the night, being dependent on the location of the Moon in its orbit and the supply of commodities at the Kennedy Space Center. Ahead of any launch attempts, SLS and its mobile launch platform will roll out from High Bay 3 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B, atop of a crawler-transporter, slowly performing the 6.4-kilometer trip over several hours. The rollout of the Moon rocket is currently expected to take place as soon as January 17th, depending on the completion of preparation tasks and the status of the vehicle. Once at Launch Complex 39B, NASA teams will secure SLS' mobile launch platform and attach it to commodity and propellant systems, allowing SLS to have its system powered up and coordinating with the launch platform and ground support equipment. That will allow for an over two-day wet dress rehearsal, where the SLS rocket will be fully loaded with propellant and taken through its countdown to thirty seconds before launch to ensure that no mission-halting issues are present. No Artemis II astronauts will be at the launch pad for the rehearsal. Assuming the wet dress rehearsal is completed successfully prior to available launch periods, NASA's teams will convene for a flight readiness review to assess preparations of all needed systems, and the astronauts, for the Artemis II mission. ![The SLS rocket for the Artemis II mission inside High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building with a handful of access platforms retracted on December 20th 2025. ©Joel Kowsky/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/boosters-1.jpg) The SLS rocket for the Artemis II mission inside High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building with a handful of access platforms retracted on December 20th 2025\. ©Joel Kowsky/NASA Through 2025 and in the lead-up to today, various tests and training exercises have been performed. Back in July and August, the Artemis II crew performed several [days of training with their Orion](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/artemis-2/nasas-artemis-crew-trains-in-moonbound-orion-ahead-of-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) spacecraft to gain experience with a fully powered-on and prepared spacecraft. In September, the SLS rocket for the Artemis II mission was [declared ready to fly crew](https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/esdmd/common-exploration-systems-development-division/space-launch-system/nasa-artemis-ii-moon-rocket-ready-to-fly-crew/?ref=proximareport.com) following various upgrades to performance, reliability, and safety across many systems. Upgrades were stated to have been made to navigation systems, vibration-damping hardware, and repostioning of communications antennas for improved connections to ground systems. Some performance is also said gained by jettisoning the two solid rocket boosters about four seconds earlier. By the [third quarter of the year](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/artemis-2/nasa-progresses-toward-artemis-ii-moon-mission/?ref=proximareport.com), the SLS rocket had received the Orion spacecraft and its launch escape system to complete the vehicle for joint testing. With it, the vehicle finally stood 98 meters tall and ended a stacking process that [began in November 2024](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2024/11/20/nasa-stacks-first-artemis-ii-segment-on-mobile-launcher/?ref=proximareport.com). Lastly, on December 20th, the Artemis II crew completed a [countdown demonstration test](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/artemis-2/artemis-ii-flight-crew-teams-conduct-demonstration-ahead-of-launch/?ref=proximareport.com) alongside launch control and support teams. For the test, the four crew members went through procedures expected for a real launch day, suiting up, heading toward the SLS rocket (inside the Vehicle Assembly Building for the test instead of at Launch Complex 39B), then taking the mobile launch platforms elevator up to the Orion spacecraft. Once at Orion, the crew climbed in with the assistance of closeout crews to perform leak and communications checks, then headed to the thirty-second-to-launch point in a simulated countdown for the first end-to-end rundown with the crew, the Orion spacecraft, and SLS rocket. ![he SLS rocket for the Artemis II mission inside High Bay 3 reciving its Orion Spacecraft to complete stacking ahead of launch preparations in October 2025. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/KSC-20251018-PH-KLS02_0089-large-1.jpg) he SLS rocket for the Artemis II mission inside High Bay 3 reciving its Orion Spacecraft to complete stacking ahead of launch preparations in October 2025\. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA ## Who's heading around the Moon? When the Artemis II mission lifts off and reaches the Moon, the four astronauts onboard the Orion spacecraft will be the first to head near our closest celestial neighbor since the crew of Apollo 17 in December 1972\. As for the crew onboard, they are: - [Reid Wiseman](https://www.nasa.gov/people/reid-wiseman/?ref=proximareport.com), Commander of the Artemis II mission, for his second spaceflight. In 2014, he spent 165-days onboard the International Space Space, following selection in 2009 and training in 2011\. Prior to joining NASA, he served in the U.S. Navy. - [Victor Glover](https://www.nasa.gov/people/victor-j-glover-jr/?ref=proximareport.com), Pilot for the Artemis II mission, participating in his second spaceflight. For his first mission over 2020 and 2021, he flew for the Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station for 168-days, having been selected in 2013 and trained in 2015\. Before becoming an astronaut, he served in the U.S. Navy. - [Christina Koch](https://www.nasa.gov/people/christina-koch/?ref=proximareport.com), Mission Specialist of the Artemis II mission, for her second spaceflight. Starting in 2019 and concluding in 2020, her first spaceflight spent 328-days onboard the International Space Station, following selection in 2013 and training in 2015\. Prior to becoming an astronaut, she worked at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, was a Research Associate in the United States Antarctic Program, worked for Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, and performed research for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. - [Jeremy Hansen](https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/canadian/active/bio-jeremy-hansen.asp?ref=proximareport.com), Mission Specialist for the Artemis II mission, for his first spaceflight. Hansen is the only non-American member of the crew and is part of an agreement regarding [Canada's contribution](https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/canadarm3/about.asp?ref=proximareport.com) to the Artemis program. Prior to being trained as an astronaut, following selection in 2009, he served in the Royal Canadian Air Force. ![Victor Glover (left), Jeremy Hansen (center left), Christina Koch (center right), and Reid Wiseman (right) stood on the crew access arm of SLS' mobile launcher in September 2023. ©Frank Michaux/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/53204857687_48ee94b5a6_6k-1.jpg) Victor Glover (left), Jeremy Hansen (center left), Christina Koch (center right), and Reid Wiseman (right) stood on the crew access arm of SLS' mobile launcher in September 2023\. ©Frank Michaux/NASA ### Weekly Dose of Space (4/1-10/1) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-4-1-10-1/ Last updated: 2026-01-11T18:47:46.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw just two launches into orbit, with both for the Starlink constellation. News during the week had training and progress for China's crewed lunar missions, as well as NASA's Crew-11 mission being set to come home early. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *January 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-88* Twenty-nine Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying out Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1101 for its first flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-88 mission on January 4th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/G9zhVxSWcAA37dp-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-88 mission on January 4th. ©SpaceX ### *January 9th - Falcon with Starlink Group 6-69* Another twenty-nine Starlink satellites were launched atop of a Falcon 9 and into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1069 supported this launch for its twenty-ninth flight, landing on the droneship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange afterwards. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-69 mission on January 9th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/G-Qd-AVWYAEPm0u-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-69 mission on January 9th. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Taikonauts train for lunar missions ahead of hardware tests* ![Wang Yaping working on an experiment during the cave training excercise in December 2025. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/G96MPQCWgAAmG2C.jpg) Wang Yaping working on an experiment during the cave training excercise in December 2025\. ©China Manned Space Agency [Throughout December](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/taikonauts-prepare-for-lunar-missions?ref=proximareport.com), the China Manned Space Agency and the China Astronautic Scientific Research and Training Center had twenty-eight taikonauts venturing underground in four groups of various sizes for teamwork and mental training ahead of lunar missions later this decade. For the underground training, the four groups each spent six days and five nights traversing from an entry point to an exit location at the other end. Wu Bin and Jiang Yuan, of the China Astronautic Scientific Research and Training Center, stated that the key point of the training was to mentally prepare China's taikonauts for the isolating environments of the Moon and the Tiangong Space Station while having them work in teams on scientific research. Speaking on the training, Zhu Yangzhu, participant and taikonaut from the Shenzhou-16 mission, shared: > “Cave training hones one’s qualities and capabilities, particularly teamwork skills. This offers valuable insights for our future spaceflight missions, especially in leading teams effectively during operations aboard the space station.” A few days into the new year, Yang Liwei, China's first spacefarer and Deputy Chief Designer at the China Manned Space Agency, [shared progress updates](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/yang-liwei-provides-progress-update?ref=proximareport.com) on the hardware for the country's crewed lunar landings. In 2026, Yang expects the Wangyu spacesuit to reach the end of its development while the launch support facilities and systems are finalized. Additionally, it was mentioned that the Long March 10 series of rockets had most of their testing completed ahead of debut flights, alongside the Lanyue lunar lander. Not mentioned by Yang but expected during the year is the first demonstration mission of the Mengzhou crew capsule. ### *Crew-11 mission to conclude on January 15th* NASA and SpaceX are [planning to conclude](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/commercialcrew/2026/01/09/nasa-spacex-set-target-date-for-crew-11s-return-to-earth-2/?ref=proximareport.com) the Crew-11 mission about a month early, with an undocking from the International Space Station on January 14th, followed by a splashdown off the coast of California on the 15th. The decision to end the mission early [is due to a medical issue](https://proximareport.com/crew-11-conclude-early/) with one of the four crew members. With that return, Crew-11's Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, Kimiya Yui, and Oleg Platonov would have spent about five and a half months onboard the station. In the interest of privacy, NASA has not disclosed which of the four is ill or injured. Once the Crew-11 astronauts depart, Chris Williams will be the sole American onboard the International Space Station for a few weeks. With assistance from researchers and mission control on the ground, he will be responsible for performing the U.S. Orbital Segments experiments at a reduced rate. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *January 11th - Falcon 9 with forty satellites* SpaceX is preparing to fly Falcon 9 into a dawn-dusk sun-synchronous orbit out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, on behalf of government and commercial customers, with a total of forty satellites onboard. ### *January 12th - PSLV with EOS-N1 and eighteen rideshare payloads* India's PSLV rocket is set to fly out of the Satish Dhawan Space Center and into sun-synchronos orbit carrying the EOS-N1 hyperspectral imaging satellite, alongside eighteen small spacecraft riding alongside. ### *January 12th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-97* A batch of Starlink satellites are planned to be placed into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 40. ### *January 13th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 18?* A Long March 8A is being prepared to fly out of the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site carrying a to-be-annouced set of payloads. All missions of the rocket to date have carried GuoWang satellites groups. ### *January 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-98* SpaceX is set to launch another batch of Starlink satellites out of Space Launch Complex 40 and into low Earth orbit. ### *January 15th - Long March 3B/E with a to-be-annouced payload* Out of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 3B/E is expected to fly beyond low Earth orbit carrying a currently unknown payload. ### *January 15th - Ceres-1 with four Tianqi satellites* Galactic Energy is beleived to be preparing for a sea-launch into low Earth orbit with its Ceres-1 rocket carrying four Tianqi Internet-of-Things satellites for Guodian Gaoke. ### *January 17th - Ceres-2 for its debut flight* At the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Galactic Energy is preparing to debut its Ceres-2 launch vehicle with a mission into sun-synchronous orbit. ### *January 17th - Falcon 9 with NROL-105* SpaceX is planning to launch the NROL-105 mission from Space Launch Complex 4E to carry a group of U.S. military satellites into Earth orbit. ### Crew-11 Mission to Conclude Early Due to Medical Issue URL: https://proximareport.com/crew-11-conclude-early/ Last updated: 2026-01-09T01:30:06.000Z NASA's Crew-11 mission, [launched August 1st 2025](https://proximareport.com/crew-11-launch/), has spent just over five months onboard the International Space Station to perform science and maintain the orbiting laboratory. A few hours ago, on January 8th, the [American space agency announced](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/01/08/nasa-shares-latest-update-on-international-space-station-operations-2/?ref=proximareport.com) that the four astronauts on station for the mission would be coming home early due to a medical issue. That medical issue arose while the Americans Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman were [preparing for a spacewalk](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/01/07/expedition-74-ready-for-thursday-spacewalk-and-continuing-research/?ref=proximareport.com) from the U.S. Orbital Segment, ultimately [postponing and cancelling](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/01/07/nasa-postpones-jan-8-spacewalk/?ref=proximareport.com) it. Japan's Kimiya Yui was preparing to support the spacewalk, alongside the [Soyuz-launched](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-astronaut-chris-williams-crewmates-arrive-at-space-station/?ref=proximareport.com) American Chris Williams, while Oleg Platonov was working on technical research. In the interest of the privacy of the affected astronaut, NASA has not disclosed who is ill or injured. The space agency has repeatedly stressed that the astronaut's condition is stable and does not require a same-day emergency return to Earth. When speaking on how the medical issue occurred, NASA's Chief Health and Medical Officer, Dr. James Polk, said it was not the result of spacewalk preparations and was not incurred due to the space station's normal operating environment. He added that both the station and docked crew-carrying spacecraft have a stockpile of medical equipment to treat common in-space illnesses, but equipment to diagnose someone in orbit is not present. As for when the four Crew-11 astronauts will return, that is yet to be detailed by NASA, with the agency aiming to share updates in around forty-eight hours. SpaceX's maritime recovery assets to secure missions Crew Dragon capsule, as well as helicopters to fly them back to land after, are heading toward expected recovery sites off the coast of California. According to NASA's new Administrator, Jared Isaacman, the early return of Crew-11, about a month before their planned mission conclusion, is not expected to affect the upcoming Artemis II lunar flyby mission in early February. As a consequence, the [Crew-12 mission](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/nasas-spacex-crew-12/?ref=proximareport.com), with NASA's Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway alongside France's Sophie Adenot, and Russia's Andrey Fedyaev, is having an earlier launch explored. When the Crew-11 astronauts depart, Chris Williams will be the sole American onboard the International Space Station for a few weeks. With assistance from researchers and mission control on the ground, he will be responsible for performing the U.S. Orbital Segments experiments at a reduced rate. Williams will not be alone on board the station, as he still has his Soyuz crewmates, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev. All three of them will be reliant on their Soyuz spacecraft in the event of potential further emergencies. The International Space Station spent the majority of the 2010s reliant on two Soyuz vehicles per year, due to the retirement of the U.S. Space Shuttle, and remained permanently crewed throughout. ### Weekly Dose of Space (28/12-3/1) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-28-12-3-1/ Last updated: 2026-01-04T16:36:31.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw four launches across the Pacific, with China performing half of them. News had SpaceX planning to lower its Starlink satellites and LandSpace looking to raise a billion dollars for reusable rockets. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *December 28th - Soyuz 2.1b with many satellites* Russia successfully launched a Soyuz 2.1b from the Vostochny Cosmodrome into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the AIST-2T 01 and 02 optical Earth observation spacecraft alongside fifty smaller rideshare satellites. The two AIST spacecraft have an imaging resolution of 1.2 meters while seeing an area 32-kilometers across. > Successful launch of Soyuz-2.1b from Vostochny cosmodrome, carrying two Aist-2T satellites and 50 other smaller satellites & cubesats! > > Key moments: > 1\. Liftoff > 2\. 1st stage separation > 3\. 2nd stage separation > 4\. Separation of Fregat upper stage with payloads [pic.twitter.com/5rmfck5wa7](https://t.co/5rmfck5wa7?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [December 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2005271944019816675?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Soyuz 2.1b flying into sun-synchronous orbit, via [robert\_savitsky on Twitter](https://x.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2005271944019816675?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *December 30th - Long March 4B with Tianhui-7* A Long March 4B flew from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center into a sun-synchronous orbit while carrying the Tianhui-7 satellite. Tianhui-7 is set to be used for cartography, land and resources census, as well as supporting experimental research. ![The Long March 4B Y69 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on December 30th 2025.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/006aWhMSgy1i8svb9oatvj30zk0myn7l-1.jpg) The Long March 4B Y69 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on December 30th 2025. ### *December 30th - Long March 7A with Shijian-29A and 29B* Out of the Wenchang Space Launch Site, a Long March 7A flew toward a geostationary transfer orbit while carrying the Shijian-29A and Shijian-29B satellites. The two spacecraft are tasked with space environment monitoring and related technology tests. ![The Long March 7A Y7 vehicle during first-stage flight on December 30th 2025.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2026/01/00686eaKgy1i8tr4y43mgj30u0190gmi-1.jpg) The Long March 7A Y7 vehicle during first-stage flight on December 30th 2025. ### *January 3rd - Falcon 9 with CSG-3* A Falcon 9 flew out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying a new COSMO-SkyMed observation satellite on behalf of the Italian Space Agency into sun-synchronous orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1081 for its twenty-first flight, touching down back at Landing Zone 4. > Falcon 9 has landed at Landing Zone 4 [pic.twitter.com/JfFVMnSev9](https://t.co/JfFVMnSev9?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [January 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2007275462993613044?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster B1081 touching down at Landing Zone 4, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2007275462993613044?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ## **In Other Space News** ### *SpaceX to lower Starlink satellites' orbit* [On January 1st](https://x.com/michaelnicollsx/status/2006790372681220530?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), SpaceX's Vice President of Starlink Engineering Michael Nicolls announced that SpaceX is moving about 4,400 Starlink internet satellites from their 550-kilometer orbits down to a 480 kilometer one. Nicolls explained the orbit lowering as: > "As solar mininum approaches, atmospheric density decreases which means the ballistic decay time at any given altitude increases – lowering will mean a >80% reduction in ballistic decay time in solar minimum, or 4+ years reduced to a few months. Correspondingly, the number of debris objects and planned satellite constellations is significantly lower below 500 km, reducing the aggregate likelihood of collision." The move to lower orbits comes after a [December 17th breakup](https://x.com/Starlink/status/2001691802911289712?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) of a Starlink satellite in orbit and an [alleged close approach](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/spacex-alleges-close-approach-of?ref=proximareport.com) of a spacecraft originating from CAS Space's Kinetica-1. ### *LandSpace looks to raise 1 billion dollars* LandSpace, one of China's leading privately backed launch companies, had its plans for an initial public offering on the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s Science and Technology Innovation Board [move forward at the end of December](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/landspace-ipo-moves-forward-with?ref=proximareport.com), with related documents revealing some aims from the process. In those documents, LandSpace plans to have its first share of sales raising 7.5 billion Yuan, about 1.072 billion United States Dollars, with 4.73 billion Yuan (675.97 million United States Dollars) set to be used for upgrading the capabilities and the technology for the partially reusable Zhuque-3 launch vehicle, with 2.77 billion Yuan (396.2 million United States Dollars) planned for expanding vehicle production capacity. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *January 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-88* A Falcon 9 is set to launch a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit, from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida. ### *January 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-96* Another batch of Starlink satellites are set to be placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *January 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-97* SpaceX plans to launch another Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 into low Earth orbit while carrying a batch of Starlink satellites. ### Monthly Dose of Space - December 2025 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-december-2025/ Last updated: 2026-01-01T20:08:20.000Z Welcome to our twenty-seventh Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you news from the past month. December ends of a busy year of global spaceflight, so let's look through the past month. ## **News of the Month** December saw NASA gaining a new fulltime Adminsitrator while one of its spacecraft is out of contact and in a spin over Mars, new business and launches for space-based internet constellations, basic parts for life found on asteroids, and major business moves at the U.S.' top launch providers. - [*Isaacman Appears for Second NASA Hearing, Questioned on National Security, Musk Ties*](https://proximareport.com/isaacman-hearing-december/) - [*Jared Isaacman Becomes NASA Administrator*](https://proximareport.com/jared-isaacman-nasa-administrator/) - [*SpaceX Is Eyeing a Potential IPO, It May Cost Them Mars*](https://proximareport.com/spacex-ipo-cost-mars/) - [*Amazon's Last Leo Deployment of 2025 Launched via Atlas V*](https://proximareport.com/la04-ula-amazon/) - [*Sugars needed for life found on Bennu*](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-30-11-6-12/#sugars-needed-for-life-found-on-bennu) - [*Airbus signs with Shanghai-backed constellation*](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-30-11-6-12/#airbus-signs-with-shanghai-backed-constellation) - [*NASA loses contact with MAVEN*](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-7-12-13-12/#nasa-loses-contact-with-maven) - [*MAVEN in spin over Mars*](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-14-12-20-12/#maven-in-spin-over-mars) - [*USSF discloses naming scheme for its spacecraft*](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-7-12-13-12/#ussf-discloses-naming-scheme-for-its-spacecraft) - [*White House issues executive order for space*](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-14-12-20-12/#white-house-issues-executive-order-for-space) - [*Artemis II crew conduct countdown demonstration*](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-21-12-27-12/#artemis-ii-crew-conduct-countdown-demonstration) - [*Tory Bruno leaves ULA for Blue Origin*](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-21-12-27-12/#tory-bruno-leaves-ula-for-blue-origin) ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw 41launches worldwide, continuing a busy year. If you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *December 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-86* From Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, a Falcon 9 flew into low Earth orbit carrying twenty-nine Starlink satellites. Booster B1095 supported this mission for its fourth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *December 1st - Vega-C with KOMPSAT-7* Europe's Vega-C blasted off from the Guiana Space Center, in French Guiana, carrying South Korea's KOMPSAT-7 satellite into sun-synchronous orbit. KOMPSAT-7 is set to collect a variety of high-resolution images for varying uses. ### *December 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-10* Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, delivering twenty-seven Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1081 for its twentieth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *December 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-95* Another twenty-nine Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1077 supported this launch for its twenty-fifth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *December 3rd - Zhuque-3 for its debut flight* LandSpace launched its partially reusable two-stage Zhuque-3 rocket for the first time out of Launch Area 96B at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying a 'dummy payload' into low Earth orbit. During the debut flight, the first-stage booster attempted to land, safely heading back into the atmosphere and lighting an engine for its landing burn before suffering an anomaly [seconds before](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/landspace-successfully-debuts-zhuque?ref=proximareport.com) the expected touchdown. ### *December 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-25* SpaceX's Falcon 9 flew yet again from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying twenty-eight Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1097 for its fourth launch, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *December 5th - Kuaizhou-1A with VDES-A and VDES-B* ExPace launched its Kuaizhou-1A rocket into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the VDES-A and VDES-B satellites. The two satellites are set to be the start of a new constellation for improving ship traffic management as well as search and rescue efforts. ### *December 6th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 14* A Long March 8A flew from Commercial Launch Pad 1 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, carrying nine GuoWang satellites into low Earth orbit for the constellation's fourteenth group. With this launch, GuoWang has a total of 113 spacecraft in orbit. ### *December 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-15* SpaceX launched twenty-eight Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9, from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1088 for its twelfth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *December 8th - Long March 6A with GuoWang Group 15* Out of the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 6A carried the fifteenth group of GuoWang satellites into low Earth orbit. Five satellites made up the group to increase the number deployed to 118. ### *December 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-92* Another Falcon 9 carried twenty-nine Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Booster B1067 supported this launch for its thirty-second flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *December 9th - Long March 4B with Yaogan-47* A Long March 4B flew from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center into low Earth orbit, carrying the Yaogan-47 remote sensing satellite. Yaogan-47 is planned to be used for land surveying, crop yield estimation, environmental management, urban planning, road network design, as well as disaster prevention and mitigation. ### *December 9th - Long March 3B/E with TJSW-22* The Xichang Satellite Launch Center saw the launch of a Long March 3B/E, carrying TJSW-22 into a geostationary transfer orbit. Like previous TJSW spacecraft, TJSW-22 is reportedly focused on communications, radio, television, and data transmission. ### *December 9th - Falcon 9 with NROL-77* SpaceX used a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, to support the launch of the NROL-77 mission for the U.S. military. In support of this mission was booster B1096, flying for the fourth time with a return to Florida for a touchdown at Landing Zone 2. ### *December 10th - Kinetica-1 with nine satellites* CAS Space flew its Kinetica-1 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to deliver nine satellites into sun-synchronous orbit. Three of the spacecraft were for international customers, being Egypt with a climate monitoring satellite, the United Arab Emirates with a monitoring satellite, and Nepal with a small student cubesat, alongside six Chinese satellites for remote sensing, radar imagery, and a student-built technology verification satellite. ### *December 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-11* Twenty-seven more Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 departing Space Launch Complex 4E. Booster B1081 supported this launch for its eighteenth mission, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *December 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-90* Another twenty-nine Starlink satellites were delivered atop of a Falcon 9 heading into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this mission was booster B1083, launching for a sixteenth time and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *December 11th - Long March 12 with GuoWang Group 16* The sixteenth group of GuoWang satellites was launched atop a Long March 12 flying from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site. This group of satellites consisted of nine to bring the planned mega-constellations up to 127 satellites in orbit. ### *December 13th - Kuaizhou-11 with Dear-5 and Hope-5* ExPace flew its Kuaizhou-11 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center into low Earth orbit while carrying AZSpace's Dear-5 cargo spacecraft and the Hope-5 Phase-II remote sensing satellite. Dear-5 is set to remain in low Earth orbit for one year while hosting experiments related to microgravity, space materials, space medicines, and space life sciences. ### *December 14th - Electron for 'RAISE And Shine'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket flew from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, to carry JAXA's RAISE-4 (RApid Innovative payload demonstration Satellite-4) mission into sun-synchronous orbit. A variety of technical demonstrations from across Japan will be tested during the mission. ### *December 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-12* SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, to carry twenty-seven Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1093 for its ninth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *December 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-82* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1092 supported this launch, with its ninth launch and a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *December 16th - Long March 4B with Ziyuan-3-04* Off of Launch Complex 9 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 4B flew into polar orbit carrying the Ziyuan-3-04 mapping satellite. Once commissioned, Ziyuan-3-04 will be dedicated to creating three-dimensional maps and collecting high-resolution images of Earth below. ### *December 16th - Altas V for LA-04* United Launch Alliance's Atlas V [blasted off from Space Launch Complex 41](https://proximareport.com/la04-ula-amazon/) to carry twenty-seven satellites into low Earth orbit for Amazon's Leo constellation. With this launch, Amazon has 180 Leo satellites in orbit out of a planned 3,236. ### *December 17th - Ariane 6 with two Galileo satellites* An Ariane 6 lifted off from the Guiana Space Centre, in French Guiana, carrying two of Europe's Galileo satellites into a medium Earth orbit. The two satellites will continue to improve the high-precision positioning system. ### *December 17th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-99* Another Falcon 9 flew out of Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, carrying twenty-nine Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1094 for its sixth mission, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *December 17th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-13* Yet again, Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E to bring twenty-seven Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Booster B1063 supported this mission for its thirtieth flight and a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *December 18th - Electron for 'Don't Be Such A Square'* An Electron rocket flew from Launch Complex 2, on Wallops Island in Virginia, to carry four DiskSats into low Earth orbit. The four small spacecraft are designed to demonstrate sustained very-low Earth orbit flight alongside their unique design. ### *December 20th - Long March 5 with TJSW-23* From the Launch Complex 101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, a Long March 5 carried the TJSW-23 spacecraft into a geostationary transfer orbit. TJSW-23 is reportedly used for communications, radio, television, and data transmission, with other applications related to technology verification of multi-band high-speed throughput communications. ### *December 20th - New Shepard for NS-37* Blue Origin launched its New Shepard rocket on a suborbital flight carrying wheelchair user Michi Benthaus, Joey Hyde, Hans Koenigsmann, Neal Milch, Adonis Pouroulis, and Jason Stansell above the Kármán line. Supporting this flight was booster NS-5, for its sixth flight, and capsule RSS Kármán Line, flying for the fourth time. ### *December 21st - Electron for 'The Wisdom God Guides'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, into low Earth orbit carrying the Japanese QPS-SAR-15 synthetic aperture radar satellite. The satellite is part of a planned constellation of thirty-six spacecraft to enable imaging of almost anywhere on Earth every ten minutes. ### *December 22nd - H3 with Michibiki-5* Japan's H3 rocket was flying from the Tanegashima Space Center into a geostationary transfer orbit carrying the Michibiki-5 navigation satellite. However during the flight, a loss of pressure began, causing the second-stage to shut down early and fall back into the atmosphere. ### *December 23rd - Hanbit-Nano for 'Spaceward'* Innospace attempted to launch its Hanbit-Nano rocket for the first time out of the Alcântara Launch Center in Brazil, carrying eight small payloads. Shortly after liftoff, an anomaly occurred, resulting in the rocket falling back to Earth. ### *December 23rd - Long March 12A for its debut flight* Out of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the first Long March 12A lifted off for low Earth orbit [to prove](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shanghai-academy-debuts-reusable?ref=proximareport.com) the new partially reusable launch vehicle. After liftoff, the second-stage successfully reached orbit, but the first-stage fell short of a landing after a failed engine restart. ### *December 24th - LVM-3 with BlueBird-6* India's LVM-3 blasted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre and headed into low Earth orbit carrying AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird-6 satellite. BlueBird-6 is the first of a second-generation spacecraft designed to provide cell coverage from space. ### *December 25th - Soyuz 2.1a with Obzor-R* A Soyuz 2.1a flew into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the Obzor-R X-band earth observation satellite out of the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. Once commissioned, the satellite will collect images via a synthetic aperture radar with a resolution of 500 meters. ### *December 25th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 17* A Long March 8A flew out of the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site and into low Earth orbit carrying nine satellites for the GuoWang connectivity mega-constellation. With this launch, there are now 136 GuoWang spacecraft in orbit. ### *December 26th - Long March 3B/E with Fengyun-4C* From the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 3B/E flew towards a geostationary transfer orbit carrying the Fengyun-4C spacecraft. Fengyun-4C is set to reside over New Guinea to collect Earth and solar weather data for improved forecasting of both. ### *December 28th - Soyuz 2.1b with many satellites* Russia successfully launched a Soyuz 2.1b from the Vostochny Cosmodrome into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the AIST-2T 01 and 02 optical Earth observation spacecraft alongside fifty smaller rideshare satellites. The two AIST spacecraft have an imaging resolution of 1.2 meters while seeing an area 32-kilometers across. ### *December 30th - Long March 4B with Tianhui-7* A Long March 4B flew from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center into a sun-synchronous orbit while carrying the Tianhui-7 satellite. Tianhui-7 is set to be used for cartography, land and resources census, as well as supporting experimental research. ### *December 30th - Long March 7A with Shijian-29A and 29B* For the final launch of 2025, a Long March 7A launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Site toward a geostationary transfer orbit while carrying the Shijian-29A and Shijian-29B satellites. The two spacecraft are tasked with space environment monitoring and related technology tests. ## Launches to look out for in January! January will start a new year for worldwide launches. Listed below are all of the launches expected or likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of January may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *January 1st - Falcon 9 with CSG-3* To start launches in 2026, SpaceX is preparing to launch a Falcon 9 into sun-synchronous orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying a new COSMO-SkyMed observation satellite on behalf of the Italian Space Agency. ### *January 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-88* A Falcon 9 is set to launch a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit, from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida. ### *January 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-96* Another batch of Starlink satellites are set to be placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *January 10th - PSLV with many satellites* India's PSLV rocket is set to fly from the Satish Dhawan Space Center into a sun-synchronous orbit with nineteen satellites. ### *January 17th - Spectrum for 'Flight Two'* Isar Aerospace is preparing to fly from Andøya Spaceport in Norway for its second demonstration flight, following its [failed first in March](https://proximareport.com/isar-first-flight/). ### *NET January - New Glenn with Blue Moon Mission-1* Blue Origin is planning to start its Blue Moon lunar landers' first mission via a launch atop of its New Glenn rocket from Launch Complex 36, in Florida. ### *Net January - Ceres-2 for its debut flight* Galactic Energy is planning to perform the debut flight of its four-stage mostly solid-fuelled Ceres-2 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *NET January - Electron for 'Bridging The Swarm'* From Launch Complex 1A on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, Rocket Lab is set to fly its Electron rocket into sun-synchronous orbit while carrying South Korea's NeonSat (New-space Earth Observation Satellite). ### Weekly Dose of Space (21/12-27/12) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-21-12-27-12/ Last updated: 2025-12-28T22:21:53.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! During the week, eight launches took place worldwide, this time without Falcon 9\. News during the week saw the Artemis II crew conducting a test with their spacecraft and a United Launch Alliance's top boss leaving for Blue Origin. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *December 21st - Electron for 'The Wisdom God Guides'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, into low Earth orbit carrying the Japanese QPS-SAR-15 synthetic aperture radar satellite. The satellite is part of a planned constellation of thirty-six spacecraft to enable imaging of almost anywhere on Earth every ten minutes. > Today's successful launch for [@QPS\_Inc](https://twitter.com/QPS%5FInc?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) has set a new annual launch record for Electron: 21 launches in one year with 100% mission success! > > 🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀💯 [pic.twitter.com/dAUiXvgn0T](https://t.co/dAUiXvgn0T?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [December 21, 2025](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/2002648407660483051?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron flying from the Māhia Peninsula on December 21st 2025, via [Rocket Lab on Twitter](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2002648407660483051?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *December 22nd - H3 with Michibiki-5* Japan's H3 rocket was flying from the Tanegashima Space Center into a geostationary transfer orbit carrying the Michibiki-5 navigation satellite. However during the flight, a loss of pressure began, causing the second-stage to shut down early and fall back into the atmosphere. > JAXA's H3 rocket has suffered a failure during today's launch. [https://t.co/jMOCS5TiWC](https://t.co/jMOCS5TiWC?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/qtGkS5AGTN](https://t.co/qtGkS5AGTN?ref=proximareport.com) > > — China 'N Asia Spaceflight 🚀𝕏 🛰️ (@CNSpaceflight) [December 22, 2025](https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/2002977417653367148?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of H3 from the Tanegashima Space Center on December 22nd 2025, via [CNSpaceflight on Twitter](https://x.com/CNSpaceflight/status/2002977417653367148?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *December 23rd - Hanbit-Nano for 'Spaceward'* Innospace attempted to launch its Hanbit-Nano rocket for the first time out of the Alcântara Launch Center in Brazil, carrying eight small payloads. Shortly after liftoff, an anomaly occurred, resulting in the rocket falling back to Earth. > And there goes HANBIT-Nano | ‘SPACEWARD’ Mission by INNOSPACE. > > But it has failed. > > Live:[https://t.co/nqe9iiPv6J](https://t.co/nqe9iiPv6J?ref=proximareport.com) [https://t.co/8qj5slmn57](https://t.co/8qj5slmn57?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/dTKhg0TMkp](https://t.co/dTKhg0TMkp?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NSF - NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight) [December 23, 2025](https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/2003273316610748891?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Hanbit-Nano lifting off from the Alcântara Launch Center on December 23rd, via [NASASpaceflight on Twitter](https://x.com/NASASpaceflight/status/2003273316610748891?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *December 23rd - Long March 12A for its debut flight* Out of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the first Long March 12A lifted off for low Earth orbit [to prove](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shanghai-academy-debuts-reusable?ref=proximareport.com) the new partially reusable launch vehicle. After liftoff, the second-stage successfully reached orbit, but the first-stage fell short of a landing after a failed engine restart. ![The Long March 12A Y1 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on December 23rd 2025.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/008voI9Nly1i8kpje1c5sj36804o0he1-1.jpg) The Long March 12A Y1 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on December 23rd 2025. ### *December 24th - LVM-3 with BlueBird-6* India's LVM-3 blasted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre and headed into low Earth orbit carrying AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird-6 satellite. BlueBird-6 is the first of a second-generation spacecraft designed to provide cell coverage from space. ![The LVM-3 rocket blasting off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center on December 24th 2025. ©Indian Space Research Organization](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/LVM3M6Img9.jpg-1.webp) The LVM-3 rocket blasting off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center on December 24th 2025\. ©Indian Space Research Organization ### *December 25th - Soyuz 2.1a with Obzor-R* A Soyuz 2.1a flew into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the Obzor-R X-band earth observation satellite out of the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. Once commissioned, the satellite will collect images via a synthetic aperture radar with a resolution of 500 meters. > Video of yesterday's Soyuz-2.1a launch from Plesetsk cosmodrome, carrying «Obzor-R» radar satellite. > > This is the 150th successful launch of a Russian rocket since the last launch failure in 2018\. [pic.twitter.com/5Hqmq5CZ0Q](https://t.co/5Hqmq5CZ0Q?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [December 25, 2025](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2004301246120055208?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Soyuz 2.1a flying from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome on December 25th 2025, via [robert\_savitsky on Twitter](https://x.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/2004301246120055208?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *December 25th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 17* A Long March 8A flew out of the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site and into low Earth orbit carrying nine satellites for the GuoWang connectivity mega-constellation. With this launch, there are now 136 GuoWang spacecraft in orbit. ![The Long March 8A Y6 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on December 25th 2025.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/640a-1.webp) The Long March 8A Y6 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on December 25th 2025. ### *December 26th - Long March 3B/E with Fengyun-4C* From the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 3B/E flew towards a geostationary transfer orbit carrying the Fengyun-4C spacecraft. Fengyun-4C is set to reside over New Guinea to collect Earth and solar weather data for improved forecasting of both. ![The Long March 3B/E Y113 vehicle blasting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on December 26th 2025.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/008iEnCggy1i8osojghrhj335s1ygkbq-1.jpg) The Long March 3B/E Y113 vehicle blasting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on December 26th 2025. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Artemis II crew conduct countdown demonstration* ![Artemis II astronauts Christina Koch (left), Victor Gover (center), and Jeremy Hansen (right) walking through the Mobile Launch Platform towards their Orion spacecraft. ©Joel Kowsky/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/NHQ202512200049-large.jpg) Artemis II astronauts Christina Koch (left), Victor Gover (center), and Jeremy Hansen (right) walking through the Mobile Launch Platform towards their Orion spacecraft. ©Joel Kowsky/NASA NASA [shared on December 23rd](https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/artemis-ii-crew-launch-day-rehearsal/?ref=proximareport.com) that a few days earlier, December 20th, the Artemis II crew of NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen had completed a [countdown demonstration test](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/artemis-2/artemis-ii-flight-crew-teams-conduct-demonstration-ahead-of-launch/?ref=proximareport.com) alongside launch control and support teams at the Kennedy Space Center, in Florida. For the test, the four crew members went through procedures expected for a real launch day, suiting up inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building, walking out to the astronaut van, heading toward the Space Launch System rocket (inside the Vehicle Assembly Building for the test instead of at Launch Complex 39B), then taking the Mobile Launch Platforms elevator up to the Orion spacecraft. Once at Orion, the crew climbed in with the assistance of closeout crews to perform leak and communications checks, then headed to the thirty-second-to-launch point in a simulated countdown. In total, the countdown demonstration test lasted five and a half hours and was the first end-to-end rundown with the crew, the Orion spacecraft, and Space Launch System rocket. Speaking on the test, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated: > "This test marks the passage of a key milestone on America’s journey to the launchpad. We have many more to go, but I’m encouraged by the expertise and precision demonstrated by our teams" ### *Tory Bruno leaves ULA for Blue Origin* On December 22nd, United Launch Alliance, of the Atlas and Vulcan launch vehicles, [abruptly announced](https://newsroom.ulalaunch.com/releases/statement-from-robert-lightfoot-and-kay-sears?ref=proximareport.com) that its Chief Executive Officer Tory Bruno had resigned from the company. Bruno had been in the role since 2014 and led the company into phasing out the Delta and Atlas launch vehicles in favor of the more affordable Vulcan, which he [says has years of missions](https://x.com/torybruno/status/2003488204209693067?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) bought. A few days following his resignation from United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin, with the New Glenn rocket, [shared that](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/2004607908667953519?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) Bruno was joining the company as its new President of National Security, to head a new internal National Security Group, likely to secure military contracts, which will report directly to Dave Limp, its Chief Executive Officer. With the announcement, [Limp wrote](https://x.com/davill/status/2004608102507991420?s=20&ref=proximareport.com): > "We share a deep belief in supporting our nation with the best technology we can build. Tory brings unmatched experience, and I’m confident he’ll accelerate our ability to deliver on that mission." In response, [Bruno](https://x.com/torybruno/status/2004609536720863431?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) [shared](https://x.com/torybruno/status/2004613968510550249?s=20&ref=proximareport.com): > "We are going to bring important, innovative, and urgently needed capabilities to our Nation. Can’t wait to get started." – "There is a new set of national security capabilities that need to be created \[as soon as possible\]. Blue is the best place for me to serve that mission." ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *December 28th - Falcon 9 with CSG-3* SpaceX is preparing to launch a Falcon 9 into sun-synchronous orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying a new COSMO-SkyMed observation satellite on behalf of the Italian Space Agency. ### *December 28th - Soyuz 2.1b with many satellites* Russia is planning to fly a Soyuz 2.1b from the Vostochny Cosmodrome into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the AIST-2T 01 and 02 optical Earth observation spacecraft alongside fifty smaller rideshare satellites. ### *December 30th - Long March 4B with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 4B is planned to fly from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center into polar orbit, carrying an unknown payload. ### *December 30th - Long March 7A with a to-be-announced payload* For what should be the final launch of 2025, a Long March 7A is preparing to fly from the Wenchang Space Launch Site towards a higher Earth orbit, with a payload that has not been announced yet. ### *January 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-88* To start launches in 2026, a Falcon 9 is set to launch a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit, from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida. ### Weekly Dose of Space (14/12-20/12) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-14-12-20-12/ Last updated: 2025-12-21T21:16:41.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had eleven launches globally, again, with internet constellation satellites being the most common payload. News during the week saw a small update on MAVEN and a space-focused U.S. executive order. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *December 14th - Electron for 'RAISE And Shine'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket flew from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, to carry JAXA's RAISE-4 (RApid Innovative payload demonstration Satellite-4) mission into sun-synchronous orbit. A variety of technical demonstrations from across Japan will be tested during the mission. > MISSION SUCCESS! Payload deployment confirmed for Electron's 77th launch, releasing [@JAXA\_en](https://twitter.com/JAXA%5Fen?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com)'s RAISE-4 satellite to a 540km LEO 🛰️🚀 [pic.twitter.com/gJP0Mxrd1w](https://t.co/gJP0Mxrd1w?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [December 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/2000055016187732338?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B for 'RAISE And Shine' via [Rocket Lab on Twitter](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2000055016187732338?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *December 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-12* SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, to carry twenty-seven Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1093 for its ninth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![A view of twenty-seven Starlink satellites as seen from Falcon 9's second-stage before deployment. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/G8HKBa7WgAMeERU.jpg) A view of twenty-seven Starlink satellites as seen from Falcon 9's second-stage before deployment. ©SpaceX ### *December 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-82* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1092 supported this launch, with its ninth launch and a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-82 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/G8MNSAGasAApV8s.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-82 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 16th - Long March 4B with Ziyuan-3-04* Off of Launch Complex 9 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 4B flew into polar orbit carrying the Ziyuan-3-04 mapping satellite. Once commissioned, Ziyuan-3-04 will be dedicated to creating three-dimensional maps and collecting high-resolution images of Earth below. ![The Long March 4B Y61 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 9 on December 16th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/006aWhMSgy1i8cmtu7sbcj30zk1hcauz-1.jpg) The Long March 4B Y61 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 9 on December 16th. ### *December 16th - Altas V for LA-04* United Launch Alliance's Atlas V [blasted off from Space Launch Complex 41](https://proximareport.com/la04-ula-amazon/) to carry twenty-seven satellites into low Earth orbit for Amazon's Leo constellation. With this launch, Amazon has 180 Leo satellites in orbit out of a planned 3,236. > Atlas V at work. Highlights from Amazon Leo 4.[@Amazonleo](https://twitter.com/Amazonleo?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/tfpUAl6LG9](https://t.co/tfpUAl6LG9?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ULA (@ulalaunch) [December 18, 2025](https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/2001656757496754617?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Atlas V blasting off from Space Launch Complex 41 for the LA-04 mission, via [United Launch Alliance on Twitter](https://x.com/ulalaunch/status/2001656757496754617?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *December 17th - Ariane 6 with two Galileo satellites* An Ariane 6 lifted off from the Guiana Space Centre, in French Guiana, carrying two of Europe's Galileo satellites into a medium Earth orbit. The two satellites will continue to improve the high-precision positioning system. ![Ariane 6 lifting off from the Guiana Space Centre on December 17th. ©European Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/Galileo_launch_14_liftoff-1.jpg) Ariane 6 lifting off from the Guiana Space Centre on December 17th. ©European Space Agency ### *December 17th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-99* Another Falcon 9 flew out of Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, carrying twenty-nine Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1094 for its sixth mission, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 6-99 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/G8YRle8W0AAl1hV.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 6-99 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 17th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-13* Yet again, Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E to bring twenty-seven Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Booster B1063 supported this mission for its thirtieth flight and a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 15-13 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/G8Y4pAiakAMUwTD-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 15-13 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 18th - Electron for 'Don't Be Such A Square'* An Electron rocket flew from Launch Complex 2, on Wallops Island in Virginia, to carry four DiskSats into low Earth orbit. The four small spacecraft are designed to demonstrate sustained very-low Earth orbit flight alongside their unique design. > LIFTOFF for Electron! "Don’t Be Such A Square" is on its way to space for the [@USSpaceForce](https://twitter.com/USSpaceForce?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) and [@USSF\_SSC](https://twitter.com/USSF%5FSSC?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com). [pic.twitter.com/liHQUGWsYi](https://t.co/liHQUGWsYi?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [December 18, 2025](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/2001518811829407874?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 2 for 'Don't Be Such A Square', via [Rocket Lab on Twitter](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2001518811829407874?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *December 20th - Long March 5 with TJSW-23* From the Launch Complex 101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, a Long March 5 carried the TJSW-23 spacecraft into a geostationary transfer orbit. TJSW-23 is reportedly used for communications, radio, television, and data transmission, with other applications related to technology verification of multi-band high-speed throughput communications. ![The Long March 5 Y10 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 101 on December 20th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/006KQV1Aly1i8hoa7ksfdj34vx39ab2c-1.jpg) The Long March 5 Y10 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 101 on December 20th. ### *December 20th - New Shepard for NS-37* Blue Origin launched its New Shepard rocket on a suborbital flight carrying wheelchair user Michi Benthaus, Joey Hyde, Hans Koenigsmann, Neal Milch, Adonis Pouroulis, and Jason Stansell above the Kármán line. Supporting this flight was booster NS-5, for its sixth flight, and capsule RSS Kármán Line, flying for the fourth time. > 🔁 NS-37 Rewind > > Longtime New Shepard booster controller, Greg Frank, sets the tone in mission control for a successful NS-37 mission. [pic.twitter.com/mXOvbIjl2N](https://t.co/mXOvbIjl2N?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) [December 20, 2025](https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/2002417867694739796?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The launch and landing of New Shepard for the NS-37 mission, via [Blue Origin on Twitter](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/2002417867694739796?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). > Space is for everyone. [pic.twitter.com/OUs4V2LURA](https://t.co/OUs4V2LURA?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) [December 20, 2025](https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/2002454714575692119?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Views from inside RSS Kármán Line during the NS-37 mission, via [Blue Origin on Twitter](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/2002454714575692119?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ## **In Other Space News** ### *MAVEN in spin over Mars* [Last week](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-7-12-13-12/#nasa-loses-contact-with-maven), NASA disclosed that it had lost contact with the MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) spacecraft, in orbit since September 2014 to study the red planet's upper atmosphere and interaction with the Sun. During this week, the American space agency provided a [brief update on efforts to reconnect](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/maven/2025/12/15/nasa-continues-maven-spacecraft-recontact-efforts/?ref=proximareport.com): > "Although no spacecraft telemetry has been received since Dec. 4, the team recovered a brief fragment of tracking data from Dec. 6 as part of an ongoing radio science campaign. Analysis of that signal suggests that the MAVEN spacecraft was rotating in an unexpected manner when it emerged from behind Mars. Further, the frequency of the tracking signal suggests MAVEN’s orbit trajectory may have changed. The team continues to analyze tracking data to understand the most likely scenarios leading to the loss of signal." As was started last week, relay tasks that MAVEN provided will be taken over by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey, as well as Europe's ExoMars Orbiter and Mars Express. ### *White House issues executive order for space* On December 18th, the Trump Administration signed an executive order focusing on space, titled '[Ensuring American Space Superiority](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/ensuring-american-space-superiority/?ref=proximareport.com)'. Key points from the order are: - "\[Returning\] Americans to the Moon by 2028 through the Artemis Program, to assert American leadership in space, lay the foundations for lunar economic development, prepare for the journey to Mars, and inspire the next generation of American explorers." - "\[Establishing\] initial elements of a permanent lunar outpost by 2030 to ensure a sustained American presence in space and enable the next steps in Mars exploration." - "\[Developing\] and demonstrating prototype next-generation missile defense technologies by 2028 to progressively and materially enhance America's air and missile defenses pursuant to Executive Order 14186 of January 27, 2025." - "\[Ensuring\] the ability to detect, characterize, and counter threats to United States space interests from very low-Earth orbit and through cislunar space, including any placement of nuclear weapons in space." - "\[Fostering\] economic growth, attracting at least 50 billion of additional investment in American space markets by 2028, and increasing launch and reentry cadence through new and upgraded facilities, improved efficiency, and policy reforms." - "\[Spurring\] private sector initiative and a commercial pathway to replace the International Space Station by 2030." - "\[Enabling\] near-term utilization of space nuclear power by deploying nuclear reactors on the Moon and in orbit, including a lunar surface reactor ready for launch by 2030." - "\[First\] preference for commercial solutions and a general preference for Other Transactions Authority or Space Act Agreements, customary commercial terms, or any other pathways to promote effective or streamlined acquisitions." The executive order was also signed a few hours after Jared Isaacman [became the new Administrator of NASA](https://proximareport.com/jared-isaacman-nasa-administrator/). ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *December 21st - Electron for 'The Wisdom God Guides'* Rocket Lab is set to launch its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, into low Earth orbit carrying a Japanese synthetic aperture radar satellite. ### *December 22nd - H3 with Michibiki-5* Japan's H3 rocket is planned to fly from the Tanegashima Space Center into a geostationary transfer orbit carrying the Michibiki-5 navigation satellite. ### *December 24th - LVM-3 with BlueBird-6* India's LVM-3 is planning to fly from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre into low Earth orbit carrying AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird-6 satellite, the 6th out of a planned 243. ### *December 24th - Soyuz 2.1a with Obzor-R* A Soyuz 2.1a is planned to fly into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the Obzor-R X-band earth observation satellite out of the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. ### *December 25th - Unidentified Flying Object?* An unidentified flying object that travels around the globe each year, at [0.5% of light speed](https://le.ac.uk/news/2018/december/21-calculations-reveal-how-quickly-santa-travels?ref=proximareport.com), is expected to make a trip across the planet. This unidentified object is [reported to be a sleigh](https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2024/how-aerodynamic-is-santa?ref=proximareport.com) powered by nine reindeer. [NORAD is preparing to track](https://www.noradsanta.org/en/?ref=proximareport.com) the unidentified flying object. ### *December 25th - Long March 8A with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 8A is preparing to fly from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site into low Earth orbit, carrying a currently unannounced group of satellites. ### *December 26th - Long March 3B/E with Fengyun-4C* The Fengyun-4C weather satellite is set to launch atop of a Long March 3B/E from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center into a geostationary transfer orbit. ### Jared Isaacman Becomes NASA Administrator URL: https://proximareport.com/jared-isaacman-nasa-administrator/ Last updated: 2025-12-18T21:19:41.000Z The U.S. Senate voted on December 17th to confirm Jared Isaacman, a fintech billionaire space tourist, as NASA's next Administrator. That [vote was 67 to 30](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/isaacman-confirmed-as-15th-nasa-administrator/?ref=proximareport.com), with 51 Republicans, 15 Democrats, and an independent in support, while 29 Democrats and an Independent voted against, clearing the last legal hurdle of his [second nomination](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/jared-isaacman-re-nominated/?ref=proximareport.com). On December 18th, in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington D.C., Isaacman was [officially sworn in](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-welcomes-15th-administrator-jared-isaacman/?ref=proximareport.com) as the fifteenth Administrator of NASA. After being sworn in, Isaacman shared the following via an agency press release: > "NASA’s mission is as imperative and urgent as ever — to push the boundaries of human exploration, ignite the orbital economy, drive scientific discovery, and innovate for the benefit of all of humanity. I look forward to serving under President Trump’s leadership and restoring a mission-first culture at NASA — focused on achieving ambitious goals, to return American astronauts to the Moon, establish an enduring presence on the lunar surface, and laying the groundwork to deliver on President Trump’s vision of planting the Stars and Stripes on Mars." In a [Twitter post following](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/2001709465658384544?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) his ascension to the administratorship, Isaacman declared that America will open the orbital economy as the dominant space power, cuts so-called internal bureaucracy to allow for greater risk-taking, while he loyally serves the country and the Trump Administration. The Trump Administration took Isaacman's swearing in as an opportunity to issue an executive order titled '[Ensuring American Space Superiority](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/ensuring-american-space-superiority/?ref=proximareport.com)'. That order demands that the Artemis Program lands on the Moon by 2028, while following a cost-effective path and supporting a space economy. With Isaacman sworn in, the agency's acting leader, Sean Duffy, also U.S. Transportation Secretary, will be departing after an eventful brief tenure. In August, [Duffy stated that America would violate space law](https://proximareport.com/duffy-nuclear-moon/) and claim sections of the Moon via nuclear reactors. That was shortly followed by a [tweaking of contracts and plans](https://proximareport.com/trumps-nasa-directions/) to abandon Earth sciences. Meanwhile, during defunding efforts, the [acting leader proclaimed](https://proximareport.com/duffy-us-win-moon-defunded/) that the U.S. would win the 21st century space race, which [only America perceives](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-is-not-racing-to-the-moon?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). Under the second Trump Administration, [NASA has been the subject of](https://proximareport.com/nasa-six-months-trump/) defunding and downsizing efforts, leading many thousands of employees to leave after a collapse in morale and internal politically-motivated witch hunts. In a [report from the U.S. Senate's Committee on Science, Space and Technology](https://proximareport.com/trumps-damage-to-nasa/), it was revealed that many hardware production environments have become unsafe as NASA's safety culture degrades under the administration's pressures. Whistleblowers warned that the chance of an astronaut's death has risen to a point of great concern. ### What's Isaacman's plan for NASA? Just before Jared Isaacman was renominated to lead NASA, a document called 'Project Athena', which he authored, was [leaked to the press](https://proximareport.com/isaacman-disaster-nasa-politico/). In the [second nomination hearing](https://proximareport.com/isaacman-hearing-december/), Isaacman avoided answering questions about the document, saying concerns would be addressed elsewhere (out of public view). Days after the second hearing, the 62-page 'Project Athena' was [leaked in full](https://x.com/mcrs987/status/1997153483166736883?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). Within 'Project Athena', Isaacman suggests abandoning the yet-to-launch but built lunar orbiting Gateway space station as part of a move away from the proven Space Launch System rocket, both [heavily supported by Congress](https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/01/congress-just-greenlit-a-nasa-moon-plan-opposed-by-musk-and-isaacman/?ref=proximareport.com), toward unproven commercially sourced solutions. However, worse than that, he writes that NASA should abandon climate science and leave it to academia, despite it being a key part of the [National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958](https://www.nasa.gov/history/national-aeronautics-and-space-act-of-1958-unamended/?ref=proximareport.com), which says that the space agency must expand knowledge of phenomena in the atmosphere. Somehow, 'Project Athena' gets worse after that, as Isaacman wants to suspend all boards and review committees except the ones that are resolving immediate safety issues, ignoring that those boards and committees were created in the aftermath of the Apollo 1 fire, the explosion of Space Shuttle Challenger, and the disintegration of Space Shuttle Columbia. Isaacman labels those collective reviews as slow bureaucracy, instead of their actual task of catching and finding flaws that lead to the loss of astronauts. 'Project Athena' targets NASA's field centers across the U.S. too. Isaacman writes that each center will need to investigate the relevance and ongoing necessity of the center and submit proposals for n potential elimination. Stennis gets told to explore 'state-level management' as a thinly-veiled plan for offloading it from NASA. Goddard's field sites face 'opportunities for deletion, consolidation or at minimum standardization'. Ames gets asked about 'the future, if any' of its [incredible supercomputing work](https://www.nasa.gov/ames/core-area-of-expertise-supercomputing/?ref=proximareport.com). The plan proposes stripping Langley of aviation assets and consolidating all aeronautics at Armstrong. Marshall's mission control operations would be absorbed by Johnson. Michoud Assembly Facility, which currently produces SLS, gets told to 'liquidate outdated/dead-end tooling' and pivot to an undefined 'nuclear future'. All parts of 'Project Athena' say that changes won't happen without the approval of President Trump, while ignoring that the American President cannot ignore Congress's constitutional authority, unless the U.S. were to cease being a democracy. ### Amazon's Last Leo Deployment of 2025 Launched via Atlas V URL: https://proximareport.com/la04-ula-amazon/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T19:00:24.000Z Amazon's seventh group of Leo satellites, for the constellation's final deployment of the year, reached orbit yesterday. Out of Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, [on December 16th](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/project-kuiper-satellite-rocket-launch-progress-updates?ref=proximareport.com), United Launch Alliance's Atlas V blasted off in its most powerful configuration to carry 27 Leo satellites into low Earth orbit. Following an over seventeen-minute trek into orbit, the group of satellites [was released](https://newsroom.ulalaunch.com/releases/united-launch-alliance-enables-expansion-of-amazon-leo-constellation-through-fourth-successful-launch?ref=proximareport.com) from the rocket's second-stage over fifteen minutes. > 🎥: Footage from this morning's LA-04 mission, as our latest batch of Amazon Leo satellites lift off aboard [@ulalaunch](https://twitter.com/ulalaunch?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com)'s Atlas V. [pic.twitter.com/7zHwvpUiZV](https://t.co/7zHwvpUiZV?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Amazon Leo (@Amazonleo) [December 16, 2025](https://twitter.com/Amazonleo/status/2000990545271771632?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) United Launch Alliance's Atlas V blasting off from Space Launch Complex 41, via [Amazon Leo on Twitter](https://x.com/Amazonleo/status/2000990545271771632?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). > Rocket science in motion. United Launch Alliance delivers for [@AmazonLeo](https://twitter.com/Amazonleo?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) once again. [https://t.co/wmNUZIJsxL](https://t.co/wmNUZIJsxL?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/mUgx4YIPok](https://t.co/mUgx4YIPok?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ULA (@ulalaunch) [December 16, 2025](https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/2000972834386903305?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Atlas V seen blasting off from Space Launch Complex 41 from a lightning diversion tower, via [United Launch Alliance on Twitter](https://x.com/ulalaunch/status/2000972834386903305?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). With today's launch, Amazon now has 180 Leo satellites in orbit out of a planned 3,236 for its constellation. This launch was the seventh group for Amazon's Leo, the first under that name, following three missions with United Launch Alliance in [April](https://proximareport.com/kuiper-blasts-off-atop-atlas/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), [June](https://proximareport.com/atlas-second-kuiper-amazon/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), and [September](https://proximareport.com/ula-amazon-ka03/), as well as a trio of missions via SpaceX's Falcon 9 in [July](https://proximareport.com/amazon-kuiper-falcon-first/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), [August](https://proximareport.com/amazon-falcon-kf02/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), and [October](https://proximareport.com/amazon-spacex-kf03/). The seventh and other Leo satellite groups are heading toward an orbital altitude of around 630 kilometers to start providing internet services to customers. Following the deployment of further satellites, services from Leo are planned to be available later this year at speeds of [up to one gigabit per second](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/heres-your-first-look-at-project-kuipers-low-cost-customer-terminals?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), a [feat demonstrated](https://x.com/ProjectKuiper/status/1963340129948283016?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in September. In order to meet a deadline with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, half of the Leo constellation, approximately 1,600 satellites, will need to be launched by mid-2026\. Currently, Amazon [has bought over eighty launches](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-makes-historic-launch-investment-to-advance-project-kuiper?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) to deploy the constellation from a variety of American and European launch providers. Now at the end of 2025, Amazon would need to launch about fifty groups in six months to meet that deadline. At the moment, Amazon's next launch of Leo satellites will be [via Europe's Ariane 6](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/amazon-leo/amazon-leo-arianespace-first-launch-canopee-ariane-6?ref=proximareport.com), carrying 32 onboard, in early 2026. ### Formerly known as Kuiper Around a month before the launch of the latest satellite group, [Amazon shared](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/amazon-leo/project-kuiper-becomes-amazon-leo?ref=proximareport.com) that the Kuiper constellation was changing its naming and branding, now being known as Leo. The company's explanation for the change is as follows: > "Like most early Amazon projects, the program needed a code name, and the team began operating as 'Project Kuiper'—inspired by the Kuiper Belt, a ring of asteroids in our outer solar system. . . . The code name stuck with us through many of our early milestones: filing and receiving initial licenses, signing the largest set of launch contracts in history, completing a successful prototype mission, and deploying our first full batch of production satellites earlier this year." > "Now, we’re ready to share our permanent brand for the program: Amazon Leo, a simple nod to the low Earth orbit satellite constellation that powers our network." Despite the name change, Amazon's aims with the constellation remain the same, being to provide space-based interest to business, governments, individuals, and other customers who need a remote connection. ![Atlas V's fairing with the logo of Amazon Leo for the first time ahead of liftoff on December 16th. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/54983433443_9f428fc252_4k.jpg) Atlas V's fairing with the logo of Amazon Leo for the first time ahead of liftoff on December 16th. ©United Launch Alliance --- ### What is Atlas V? Atlas V is United Launch Alliance's oldest two-stage rocket in service. The rocket is currently planned to be [replaced by Vulcan](https://proximareport.com/articles/vulcan-second-certification-flight?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) when it retires before 2030. The first-stage is powered by a single RD-180 generating 390 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen for four minutes and thirteen seconds. The RD-180 is manufactured by NPO Energomash in Russia. The second-stage is powered by either one or two RL-10 engines generating 10 tons of thrust each while burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for up to fourteen minutes and two seconds. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies Company, manufactures the RL-10 engines. Atlas V can also launch with between zero and five GEM-63 solid rocket motors to augment the rocket's thrust and payload capability. Each booster burns a solid propellant, consisting of Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and Aluminum-Ammonium perchlorate, generating 169 tons of thrust each for a believed one minute and thirty-four seconds. Northrop Grumman manufactures the solid rocket boosters for use with United Launch Alliance. Atlas V also has eleven different configurations with the following payload capacities: up to 18,814 kilograms to low Earth orbit, up to 8,900 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, or up to 3,850 kilograms to geostationary orbit. ### Weekly Dose of Space (7/12-13/12) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-7-12-13-12/ Last updated: 2025-12-14T16:55:43.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw eleven launches taking place, with an almost even split between the U.S. and China. News in the week had NASA losing contact with one of its Mars spacecraft and the American Space Force naming its systems. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *December 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-15* SpaceX launched twenty-eight Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9, from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1088 for its twelfth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 11-15 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/G7lwcnzXkAArrHq-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 11-15 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 8th - Long March 6A with GuoWang Group 15* Out of the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 6A carried the fifteenth group of GuoWang satellites into low Earth orbit. Five satellites made up the group to increase the number deployed to 118. ![The Long March 6A Y15 vehicle lifting off for the GuoWang Group 15 mission on December 8th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/640b-1.webp) The Long March 6A Y15 vehicle lifting off for the GuoWang Group 15 mission on December 8th. ### *December 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-92* Another Falcon 9 carried twenty-nine Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Booster B1067 supported this launch for its thirty-second flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 6-92 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/G7r4kXrWcAAxf65-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 6-92 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 9th - Long March 4B with Yaogan-47* A Long March 4B flew from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center into low Earth orbit, carrying the Yaogan-47 remote sensing satellite. Yaogan-47 is planned to be used for land surveying, crop yield estimation, environmental management, urban planning, road network design, as well as disaster prevention and mitigation. ![The Long March 4B Y64 vehicle during first-stage flight while carrying Yaogan-47 on December 9th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/006aWhMSgy1i84kfaw8taj30zk1hh0xt-1.jpg) The Long March 4B Y64 vehicle during first-stage flight while carrying Yaogan-47 on December 9th. ### *December 9th - Long March 3B/E with TJSW-22* The Xichang Satellite Launch Center saw the launch of a Long March 3B/E, carrying TJSW-22 into a geostationary transfer orbit. Like previous TJSW spacecraft, TJSW-22 is reportedly focused on communications, radio, television, and data transmission. ![The Long March 3B/E Y119 vehicle lifting off with TJSW-22 on December 9th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/006KQV1Aly1i8531hw14hj34mo334kjp-1.jpg) The Long March 3B/E Y119 vehicle lifting off with TJSW-22 on December 9th. ### *December 9th - Falcon 9 with NROL-77* SpaceX used a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, to support the launch of the NROL-77 mission for the U.S. military. In support of this mission was booster B1096, flying for the fourth time with a return to Florida for a touchdown at Landing Zone 2. ![Falcon 9 booster B1096 touching down at Landing Zone 2 following the launch of the NROL-77 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/G7xSNDHWwAAP-hE-1.jpg) Falcon 9 booster B1096 touching down at Landing Zone 2 following the launch of the NROL-77 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 10th - Kinetica-1 with nine satellites* CAS Space flew its Kinetica-1 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to deliver nine satellites into sun-synchronous orbit. Three of the spacecraft were for international customers, being Egypt with a climate monitoring satellite, the United Arab Emirates with a monitoring satellite, and Nepal with a small student cubesat, alongside six Chinese satellites for remote sensing, radar imagery, and a student-built technology verification satellite. ![CAS Space's Kinetica-1 Y11 vehicle blasting off while carrying nine satellites on December 10th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/008r129Lly1i85pc554u4j34ao2v4qv6-1.jpg) CAS Space's Kinetica-1 Y11 vehicle blasting off while carrying nine satellites on December 10th. ### *December 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-11* Twenty-seven more Starlink satellites were placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 departing Space Launch Complex 4E. Booster B1081 supported this launch for its eighteenth mission, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 15-11 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/G70WOl2XoAAM0UW-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 15-11 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-90* Another twenty-nine Starlink satellites were delivered atop of a Falcon 9 heading into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this mission was booster B1083, launching for a sixteenth time and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-90 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/G77LrbfagAIU3nw-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-90 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 11th - Long March 12 with GuoWang Group 16* The sixteenth group of GuoWang satellites was launched atop a Long March 12 flying from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site. This group of satellites consisted of nine to bring the planned mega-constellations up to 127 satellites in orbit. ![The Long March 12 Y4 vehicle lifiting off for the GuoWang Group 16 mission on December 11th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/008rLRI9ly1i87xzcvgrrj30zk16dtoy-1.jpg) The Long March 12 Y4 vehicle lifiting off for the GuoWang Group 16 mission on December 11th. ### *December 13th - Kuaizhou-11 with Dear-5 and Hope-5* ExPace flew its Kuaizhou-11 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center into low Earth orbit while carrying AZSpace's Dear-5 cargo spacecraft and the Hope-5 Phase-II remote sensing satellite. Dear-5 is set to remain in low Earth orbit for one year while hosting experiments related to microgravity, space materials, space medicines, and space life sciences. ![ExPace's Kuaizhou-11 Y8 vehicle blasting off to carry Dear-5 and Hope-5 into orbit on December 13th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/006KQV1Aly1i891qql4yjj32yo1o0dnl-1.jpg) ExPace's Kuaizhou-11 Y8 vehicle blasting off to carry Dear-5 and Hope-5 into orbit on December 13th. ## **In Other Space News** ### *NASA loses contact with MAVEN* [NASA shared on December 9th](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/maven/2025/12/09/nasa-teams-work-maven-spacecraft-signal-loss/?ref=proximareport.com) that its MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) spacecraft has lost contact with ground stations back on Earth, with signals sent beforehand showing its systems working normally. MAVEN reached Mars back in September 2014 to study the red planet's upper atmosphere and interaction with the Sun. Alongside its science-focused tasks, the satellite has served as a communications relay for the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers down on the surface. For now, the Mars Odyssey spacecraft and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter will fulfill MAVEN's relay tasks in tandem with Europe's ExoMars Orbiter and Mars Express. At the moment, MAVEN's teams on Earth are investigating the communications anomaly and are hoping to reacquire contact. ### *USSF discloses naming scheme for its spacecraft* On December 11th at the Spacepower Conference 2025 in Florida, the United States Space Force Chief of Space Operations [General Chance Saltzman disclosed](https://spacenews.com/space-force-rolls-out-new-naming-scheme-for-satellites-and-space-weapons/?ref=proximareport.com) that the American military's space branch will begin assigning 'nicknames' to their systems. The Space Force's seven systems will have names drawn from the following areas: - Satellite communications systems: constellations. - Space awareness systems: ghosts. - Missile warning systems: sentinels. - Navigation systems: sharks. - Electromagnetic warfare systems: serpents. - Cyberwarfare systems: mythological creatures. - Orbital warfare systems: Norse pantheon. The system naming scheme has taken about a year within the force, with General Saltzman [sharing](https://gizmodo.com/sharks-snakes-and-ghosts-space-force-unveils-7-bizarre-themes-to-name-its-war-tech-2000699061?ref=proximareport.com): > "\[We’ve\] chosen to represent each of our mission areas with specific symbology. These symbols conjure the character of the systems, the importance of their mission and the identity of the guardians \[(Space Force service members)\] to employ them. To some degree this is about having a culture where the people responsible for the mission feel directly connected to it, and it’s hard to get connected to a program name or some number system in the catalog of weapon systems." ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *December 14th - Electron for 'RAISE And Shine'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket is set to head into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the RAISE-4 (RApid Innovative payload demonstration Satellite-4) mission for its various on-orbit demonstrations. ### *December 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-12* A Falcon 9 is preparing to fly from Space Launch Complex 4E to carry a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *December 15th - Falcon with Starlink Group 6-82* Another batch of Starlink satellites are set to be launched atop of Falcon 9 for a deployment into low Earth orbit. ### *December 15th - Ceres-2 for its debut flight* Galactic Energy is believed to be planning to debut its Ceres-2 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, flying into sun-synchronous orbit with a handful of payloads. ### *December 15th - Atlas V for LA-04* United Launch Alliance's Atlas V is preparing to launch from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, to carry a group of satellites into low Earth orbit for Amazon's Leo connectivity mega-constellation. ### *December 15th - Proton with Elektro-L* A Proton rocket is preparing to fly from the Baikonur Cosmodrome to carry an Elektro-L weather satellite into geostationary orbit. ### *December 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-99* Falcon 9 will carry more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A. ### *December 16th - Long March 4C with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 4C is expected to fly from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center into sun-synchronous orbit, carrying an unannounced payload. ### *December 16th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-13* Even more Starlink satellites are set to be launched by a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 4E, to be placed into low Earth orbit. ### *December 17th - Long March 12A for its debut flight* The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology is set to fly its partially reusable Long March 12A launch vehicle for its debut mission from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Following launch, the first-stage booster will attempt to touchdown on a downrange landing pad. ### *December 17th - Ariane 6 with two Galileo satellites* Europe's Ariane 6 is set to fly from the Guiana Space Center carrying two Galileo navigation satellites into a medium Earth orbit. ### *December 17th - Hanbit-Nano for 'Spaceward'* South Korean startup Innospace is preparing to launch its solid-hybrid rocket Hanbit-Nano into low Earth orbit for the first time, from the Alcântara Launch Center in Brazil. ### *December 18th - Electron with STP-S30* From Wallops, Virginia, Rocket Lab's Electron is set to place four satellites into low Earth orbit for technology demonstrations, including a spacecraft that will loiter in very-low Earth orbit. ### *December 18th - New Shepard for NS-37* Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket is set to perform a suborbtial space tourism mission, carrying six passengers over West Texas. ### SpaceX Is Eyeing a Potential IPO, It May Cost Them Mars URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-ipo-cost-mars/ Last updated: 2025-12-08T19:48:11.000Z *This article does not constitute investment advice; consult a financial advisor before investing.* --- According to [*The Information*](https://www.theinformation.com/articles/spacex-tells-investors-aiming-late-2026-ipo?ref=proximareport.com) and the [*Wall Street Journal*](https://www.wsj.com/business/spacex-in-talks-for-share-sale-that-would-boost-valuation-to-800-billion-b2852191?ref=proximareport.com), SpaceX, of Falcon 9 and Starship-Super Heavy reusable rocket and Starlink internet mega-constellation fame, is eyeing a valuation of 800 billion United States Dollars ahead of a potential initial public offering (IPO) in 2026, with the outlets citing the company’s Chief Financial Officer Bret Johnsen. SpaceX head Elon Musk has been debating an IPO for the space company for several years, as it is his only business to deliver [an advertised product](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/elon-musk-broken-promises-tesla-b2758668.html?ref=proximareport.com). Up until the reports were released, the [understood philosophy for a SpaceX-related IPO](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/musk-plans-ipo-spacexs-starlink-business-2020-09-29/?ref=proximareport.com) would have seen the Starlink internet mega-constellation spun off as it was viewed as more palatable to investors due to its regular income from corporate, government, and consumer subscriptions. Something since then has changed, possibly including Musk's [personal feud with OpenAI's Sam Altman](https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/02/11/sam-altman-elon-musk-feud-timeline-altman-says-musk-isnt-a-happy-person-after-crazy-openai-offer/?ref=proximareport.com). An 800 billion dollar pre-IPO valuation would see SpaceX being the [most valuable private company](https://www.reuters.com/business/spacex-talks-share-sale-that-would-boost-valuation-800-billion-wsj-reports-2025-12-05/?ref=proximareport.com) and move ahead of OpenAI in that regard. A potential IPO timeline is intentionally vague from SpaceX officials, like other previous talks of one. [*Quartz* has suggested](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/spacex-reportedly-targets-ipo-tests-214254401.html?ref=proximareport.com), citing *Bloomberg*, that pre-IPO share sales may value the company closer to 560 billion dollars, while noting that that valuation will be dependent on the number of investors and their willingness to spend. At the moment, the only way to buy into SpaceX shares is through ['trusted' firms on a secondaries market](https://spacetechfinance.com/2025/09/12/stf-podcast-buying-a-slice-of-spacex/?ref=proximareport.com). The critical consideration for any investors in SpaceX post-IPO will be cash flow. As a private company, SpaceX does not disclose its earnings or its spending, excluding random [tangents from Musk](https://www.wsj.com/business/spacex-revenue-to-exceed-nasas-budget-in-2026-elon-musk-says-3321ea31?ref=proximareport.com). [Estimates suggest](https://payloadspace.com/estimating-spacexs-2024-revenue/?ref=proximareport.com) that the company brings in a revenue of around 13 billion Dollars as of 2024, with several of those billions coming from [numerous government contracts](https://www.newsweek.com/list-elon-musks-government-contracts-trump-threatens-terminate-2082068?ref=proximareport.com). While revenue is being generated, significant sums of money are being spent on developing the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle, [projected to be in the double-digit billions](https://pro.payloadspace.com/the-starship-report/?ref=proximareport.com) by the time its systems are proven for operation. ### Limited success of space IPOs If SpaceX does decide to go through with an IPO, it would not be joining a long list of successful companies. In early 2021, Astra IPO'd but was [later delisted in early 2024](https://proximareport.com/articles/astra-private-bid-afloat) due to the company's failure on seven out of its nine launches with its small-lift orbital rocket. Virgin Orbit, with its Boeing 747-launched small-lift rocket, followed in December 2021\. By mid-2023, the company had filed for bankruptcy, [auctioning off its assets](https://www.space.com/virgin-orbit-ceases-operations-sells-assets?ref=proximareport.com), following a launch failure and failure to secure additional financing. This year, Firefly Aerospace [completed its IPO](https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-announces-launch-of-initial-public-offering/?ref=proximareport.com) after a successful [lunar landing](https://proximareport.com/firefly-lands-on-the-moon/), which was shortly followed by [a failed orbital launch](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/firefly-aerospaces-alpha-rocket-fails-during-6th-ever-launch-falls-into-the-sea-near-antarctica?ref=proximareport.com). Now publicly traded, the company has gone about its business as planned, but has suffered a [hardware failure during testing](https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/10/01/firefly-aerospace-rocket-explodes-video/86440457007/?ref=proximareport.com), [dropping its stock](https://www.fool.com/investing/2025/10/01/why-firefly-aerospace-stock-collapsed-35-last-mont/?ref=proximareport.com) price. As a result, its valuation and stock price have [slumped to a third](https://stockanalysis.com/stocks/fly/?ref=proximareport.com) of IPO levels. To date, the only publicly traded company performing orbital launches to survive and thrive after an initial public offering is Rocket Lab, with its small-lift carbon fiber Electron launch vehicle. The company has managed to thrive thanks to a series of strategic acquisitions to position itself within the satellite manufacturing business, producing necessary [components](https://www.satellitetoday.com/finance/2025/05/09/peter-beck-mynaric-acquisition-puts-rocket-lab-in-europe-supports-constellation-opportunity/?ref=proximareport.com), [instruments](https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/rocket-lab-enters-payload-market-with-agreement-to-acquire-geost-adding-electro-optical-and-infrared-systems-to-its-end-to-end-space-solutions/?ref=proximareport.com), or [entire spacecraft](https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/new-blog-post-16/?ref=proximareport.com). This has enabled the company to work with customers from satellite design to orbital deployment. However, following [launch failures](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/19/rocket-lab-stock-drops-after-first-electron-launch-failure-in-years.html?ref=proximareport.com) and complex [hardware announcements](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/rocket-lab-sinks-10-short-160950899.html?guccounter=1&ref=proximareport.com), the stock does experience drops. That history bodes both well and unwell for SpaceX. Starlink is a reliable income source with Falcon 9 [now failing rarely](https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-grounded-for-the-second-time-in-2024/). However, Starship-Super Heavy is a different beast. During 2025, the development program had regressed significantly in terms of progress. In June, [Ship 36 unexpectedly exploded](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-faces-major-setback-with-testing-anomaly?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) during a routine test, wiping out a critical pre-flight test stand with it. Meanwhile, during flight tests of the vehicle, [Ship 33 was lost due to a fire](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-7?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in its engine section in January. Next in March, [Ship 34 was again lost](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-8?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in a fire. Then in May, [Ship 35 was destroyed during atmospheric reentry](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-nine?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) following leakages across the vehicle. 2025's [progress peaked at](https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-eleven/) previously achieved milestones on par with an older design, while delaying expected NASA milestones. That many high-profile failures and a lack of progress are not confidence-inspiring for average investors. ### Mars dreams die? As has been mentioned above, everyday investors are not very favorable to spaceflights risks and random hardware explosions, and SpaceX has more explosions than any other company due to their so-called 'iterative process' of development with Starship. That processes will have [seemingly trivial tests fail](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-16-11-22-11/#upgraded-starship-super-heavy-booster-fails-first-test) while replacing a proven design with something new in the pursuit of every tiny bit of performance. The 'Raptor 3' engine is one of those designs; as 'Raptor 2' brought Starship-Super Heavy through its first eleven flight tests. Despite that SpaceX is now reworking the engine to integrate all parts of it into one unit that can survive intense booster recovery heat with no extra protective material. A risky but innovative development effort like '[Raptor 3](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/08/raptor-3-ramps-spacex-mcgregor/?ref=proximareport.com)' would not happen with a publicly traded company, as shareholders would want a system built on what works for earlier returns on development investments (i.e. a Starship-Super Heavy carrying customer payloads but still in its ['Block 2' form](https://proximareport.com/starships-seventh-flight-january-10th/) with 'Raptor 2'). > Validation testing on a Raptor 3 performing a Starship V3 ascent burn. Multiple versions of this test will cover the different conditions seen by Starship’s three inner engines during its initial climb to space [pic.twitter.com/Rrd4rEuGqt](https://t.co/Rrd4rEuGqt?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [December 3, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1996326904706572398?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) A sea-level Raptor 3 engine test to demonstrate an ascent burn, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1996326904706572398?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). Another SpaceX plan that investors are unlikely to support are plans for [Mars colonization](https://www.spacex.com/humanspaceflight/mars?ref=proximareport.com). Under the company's current plans, thousands of spacecraft will be shot toward the red planet with cargo and people, with few ever to be seen again on Earth, for a gigantic financial sink in an effort to 'backup' human existence. Other than scientific payloads for governments and the rare super-rich space tourist, there is no way to monetise Mars colonization with the exception of speculative financialised assets from indentured servitude (slavery), something with [Musk has said will be an option](https://gizmodo.com/elon-musk-a-new-life-awaits-you-on-the-off-world-colon-1841071257?ref=proximareport.com) despite its near-global illegality. Naturally, investors may not like placing money into a company that could have all its Earth-located assets seized. ### Weekly Dose of Space (30/11-6/12) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-30-11-6-12/ Last updated: 2025-12-07T11:31:09.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw nine launches occurring worldwide, along with a debut mission for a new reusable launch vehicle. News from the week had key parts of life's foundations discovered in asteroid samples and Airbus signing with one of China's low Earth orbit constellations. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *November 30th - Long March 7A with Shijian-28* A Long March 7A lifted off from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, carrying Shijian-28 onto a geostationary transfer orbit. Unlike of spacecraft of the same designation, Shijian-28 has no stated task for proving its unannounced new technical capabilities. ![The Long March 7A Y10 vehicle flying from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site on November 30th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/0074DtvHgy1i7ukxz3n45j34qv35x1l1-1.jpg) The Long March 7A Y10 vehicle flying from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site on November 30th. ### *December 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-86* From Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, a Falcon 9 flew into low Earth orbit carrying twenty-nine Starlink satellites. Booster B1095 supported this mission for its fourth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 flying for the Starlink Group 6-86 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/G7Enl1sWkAAwXu4-1.jpeg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 flying for the Starlink Group 6-86 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 1st - Vega-C with KOMPSAT-7* Europe's Vega-C blasted off from the Guiana Space Center, in French Guiana, carrying South Korea's KOMPSAT-7 satellite into sun-synchronous orbit. KOMPSAT-7 is set to collect a variety of high-resolution images for varying uses. > 🎬 Want more of the lift off? Here is the replay of the lift-off![#VegaC](https://twitter.com/hashtag/VegaC?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) flight [#VV28](https://twitter.com/hashtag/VV28?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) has lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport, carrying [#KOMPSAT7](https://twitter.com/hashtag/KOMPSAT7?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) to orbit. > Enjoy the launch moment again👇 (1/2) [pic.twitter.com/mhKc5ATFhR](https://t.co/mhKc5ATFhR?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Arianespace (@Arianespace) [December 1, 2025](https://twitter.com/Arianespace/status/1995548102028108117?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Vega-C lifting off from the Guiana Space Center with KOMPSAT-7, via [Arianespace on Twitter](https://x.com/Arianespace/status/1995548102028108117?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *December 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-10* Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, delivering twenty-seven Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1081 for its twentieth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 15-10 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/G7JWfdVXAAAivwJ.jpeg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 15-10 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-95* Another twenty-nine Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1077 supported this launch for its twenty-fifth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-95 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/G7NGgOpW8AI4gy_-1.jpeg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-95 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 3rd - Zhuque-3 for its debut flight* LandSpace launched its partially reusable two-stage Zhuque-3 rocket for the first time out of Launch Area 96B at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying a 'dummy payload' into low Earth orbit. During the debut flight, the first-stage booster attempted to land, safely heading back into the atmosphere and lighting an engine for its landing burn before suffering an anomaly [seconds before](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/landspace-successfully-debuts-zhuque?ref=proximareport.com) the expected touchdown. > ZhuQue-3 Y1 Reusable Launch Vehicle Launch Mission Recap [pic.twitter.com/9rTEX2eWQ0](https://t.co/9rTEX2eWQ0?ref=proximareport.com) > > — LandSpace (@LandSpace\_Tech) [December 5, 2025](https://twitter.com/LandSpace%5FTech/status/1996973617037648205?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) LandSpace's recap of Zhuque-3's debut flight, via [LandSpace on Twitter](https://x.com/LandSpace%5FTech/status/1996973617037648205?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *December 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-25* SpaceX's Falcon 9 flew yet again from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying twenty-eight Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1097 for its fourth launch, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 11-25 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/G7W-IRxW0AA5t9j-1.jpeg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 11-25 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 5th - Kuaizhou-1A with VDES-A and VDES-B* ExPace launched its Kuaizhou-1A rocket into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the VDES-A and VDES-B satellites. The two satellites are set to be the start of a new constellation for improving ship traffic management as well as search and rescue efforts. ![ExPace's Kuaizhou-1A blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on December 5th 2025.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/008iEnCggy1i8067li0gtj30zk1hctf4-1.jpg) ExPace's Kuaizhou-1A blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on December 5th 2025. ### *December 6th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 14* A Long March 8A flew from Commercial Launch Pad 1 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, carrying nine GuoWang satellites into low Earth orbit for the constellation's fourteenth group. With this launch, GuoWang has a total of 113 spacecraft in orbit. ![The Long March 8A Y5 vehicle lifting off from Commercial Launch Pad 1 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site on December 6th 2025.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/12/006wbOaagy1i819hq3refj312w1mcdxt-1.jpg) The Long March 8A Y5 vehicle lifting off from Commercial Launch Pad 1 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site on December 6th 2025. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Sugars needed for life found on Bennu* On December 2nd, [NASA shared](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/osiris-rex/sugars-gum-stardust-found-in-nasas-asteroid-bennu-samples/?linkId=884357106&ref=proximareport.com), citing the work of [Tohoku University in Japan](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-025-01838-6?ref=proximareport.com), that sugars essential for biology on Earth were found in samples from asteroid Bennu, returned by OSIRIS-REx. The specific sugars found were five-carbon sugar ribose and six-carbon glucose, which on Earth are key parts of DNA and RNA, with NASA's press release stating: > "The discovery of ribose in asteroid samples is not a complete surprise. Ribose has previously been found in two meteorites recovered on Earth. What is important about the Bennu samples is that researchers did not find deoxyribose. If Bennu is any indication, this means ribose may have been more common than deoxyribose in environments of the early solar system." > "Researchers think the presence of ribose and lack of deoxyribose supports the “RNA world” hypothesis, where the first forms of life relied on RNA as the primary molecule to store information and to drive chemical reactions necessary for survival." > "The Bennu samples also contained one of the most common forms of “food” (or energy) used by life on Earth, the sugar glucose, which is the first evidence that an important energy source for life as we know it was also present in the early solar system." Other materials found in the samples were polymer-like materials extremely rich in nitrogen and oxygen as well as supernova dust. Further research into the materials will allow for an improved understanding of the solar system and the universe. ### *Airbus signs with Shanghai-backed constellation* Airline manufacturer Airbus and Shanghai Spacesail Technologies Co Ltd, of the Shanghai government-backed Qianfan constellation, [announced on December 4th](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/mega-constellation-operators-ink?ref=proximareport.com) that the two companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. Through the memorandum, the two companies will explore how best to integrate Qianfan's space-based services, via its 108 satellites in low Earth orbit, onto Airbus' fleet of passenger and cargo aircraft to improve customer experiences and fleet management of airlines. Speaking on Qianfan's services, Tim Sommer, Airbus' Head of the Connected Aircraft Programme, shared: > “This \[memorandum\] with Spacesail reinforces Airbus core strategy of building a robust and diverse ecosystem of satellite partners. By integrating the vast, global capacity of Spacesail’s planned \[low Earth orbit\] constellation, we are significantly enhancing the flexibility and choice we offer to our airline customers. This commitment ensures they can access the most advanced \[in-flight connectivity\] services to meet the growing global demand for high-quality connectivity on all routes.” In a similar move a few months ago, a [memorandum was signed with Amazon's](https://aircraft.airbus.com/en/newsroom/web-story/2025-04-airbus-and-amazons-kuiper-team-up-to-offer-leo-satellite-network-for?ref=proximareport.com) low-Earth orbit constellation to provide the same service. Through having two similar providers airlines may have a choice of space-based services, or will be allocated one based on region ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *December 7th - Electron for 'RAISE And Shine'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket is set to head into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the RAISE-4 (RApid Innovative payload demonstration Satellite-4) mission for its various on-orbit demonstrations. ### *December 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-15* A Falcon 9 is set to fly from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *December 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-15* Falcon 9 is planned to fly from Launch Complex 39A carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *December 8th - Long March 6A with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 6A is expected to fly into low Earth orbit from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying currently unannounced satellites. ### *December 9th - Long March 2D with a to-be-annouced payload* From the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 2D is preparing to fly into low Earth orbit carrying an unannounced payload. ### *December 9th - Long March 3B/E with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 3B/E is set to fly toward geostationary space carrying a currently unknown satellite. ### *December 9th - Falcon 9 with NROL-77* SpaceX will launch a military spacecraft from the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office atop of its Falcon 9, launching out of Space Launch Complex 40. ### *December 10th - Kinetica-1 with a to-be-annouced payload* CAS Space is expected to launch its Kinetica-1 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying unknown payloads into low Earth orbit. ### *December 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-11* Yet another Falcon 9 will carry Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *December 11th - Soyuz 2.1a with Obzor-R* A Soyuz 2.1a is planned to fly into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the Obzor-R X-band earth observation satellite out of the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. ### *December 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-90* Even more Starlink satellites are set to head to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *December 11th - Long March 12 with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 12 is preparing to fly from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, heading into low Earth orbit with unknown satellites. ### *December \~12th - Long March 12A for its debut flight* The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology is set to fly its partially reusable Long March 12A launch vehicle for its debut mission from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Following launch, the first-stage booster will attempt to touchdown on a downrange landing pad. ### Isaacman Appears for Second NASA Hearing, Questioned on National Security, Musk Ties URL: https://proximareport.com/isaacman-hearing-december/ Last updated: 2025-12-04T11:42:32.000Z The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held its second hearing for Jared Isaacman, a fintech billionaire space tourist, to become NASA Administrator [on December 3rd](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/11/chairman-cruz-announces-nominations-hearing-for-nasa-and-commerce-nominees?ref=proximareport.com). This follows his [first hearing in April](https://proximareport.com/isaacman-nasa-hearing/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), and is a repeat after President Trump [withdrew his nomination](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/the-white-house-appointee-review-process/?ref=proximareport.com) and [then renominated](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/jared-isaacman-re-nominated/?ref=proximareport.com) him. Like his [previous testimony](https://proximareport.com/isaacman-nasa-hearing/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io#isaacmans-written-testimony), Isaacman [spoke of](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/BFD8A4D3-8018-4AA2-9E01-F4DAB3E743EE?ref=proximareport.com) seeking to maintain American supremacy in space against an unnamed adversary (China), stating: > "\[We\] are in a great competition with a rival that has the will and means to challenge American exceptionalism across multiple domains, including in the high ground of space. This is not the time for delay, but for action, because if we fall behind–if we make a mistake–we may never catch up, and the consequences could shift the balance of power here on Earth." He also spoke of 'efficiently' using every dollar the space agency receives, [while supporting](https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/news/cornyn-meets-with-nasa-administrator-nominee-jared-isaacman-2/?ref=proximareport.com) rogue political plans to wastefully move Space Shuttle Discovery from Washington D.C. to a non-existent site in Texas. Members of the committee were focused on the [one-side-perceiving race](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-is-not-racing-to-the-moon?ref=proximareport.com) with China to land on the Moon this decade. Regarding that, Chairman Ted Cruz [said](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/12/chairman-cruz-isaacman-is-committed-to-american-supremacy-in-space?ref=proximareport.com): > "NASA can’t do everything it wants to; the agency must prioritize if we are to beat China back to the moon. . . . NASA cannot take its eye off the ball." Ranking Member Maria Cantwell [added the following](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/12/ranking-member-cantwell-delivers-opening-remarks-at-nomination-hearing-for-nasa-administrator?ref=proximareport.com): > "\[Winning\] the race to the moon is not just about short-term token victories. It is the first step in accomplishing a very long term presence on the lunar surface, which is strategic economically and is a national security imperative." Cruz expects Isaacman to utilize the so-called '[One Big, Beautiful Bill](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/trump-megabill-includes-billions-for-artemis-iss-moving-a-space-shuttle-to-texas-and-more/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io)' with its 4.1 billion for Space Launch System (SLS) rockets for Artemis IV and Artemis V, 2.6 billion to fully fund the Gateway lunar space station being built with international cooperation, and 20 million for a fourth Orion crew spacecraft for use with Artemis IV and reuse on subsequent missions, among [other items](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-29-6-5-7#sls-funded-in-reconciliation-bill). Cantwell, meanwhile, wants him to oppose the Trump Administration's [massive cuts](https://proximareport.com/trump-ends-nasa-global/) to the space agency, something [he appears to support](https://proximareport.com/isaacman-disaster-nasa-politico/). Regarding the U.S. lunar exploration program, Isaacman stated that it was a national security imperative that America puts people on the Moon first so that the country can determine how best to use lunar resources, citing the many wars the U.S. has begun over energy on Earth. It was added that coming second would be a blow to 'American exceptionalism'. One of the first questions put forward by other members of the committee was about the 'Golden Dome' effort, a plan to militarize space under the guise of missile defence. In response, Isaacman noted that NASA is a civilian agency but that it would provide support to that project to prevent duplicative development efforts. He also added that the space agency would assist in looking into nuclear fusion. On potentially canceling programs outright, something suggested in a [document known as 'Project Athena'](https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/10/science/nasa-jared-isaacman-project-athena?ref=proximareport.com) which Isaacman says he is the sole author, he was asked if he stands by his ideas to review and reconsider funded programs based on their potential to further U.S. national security and economic objectives. Isaacman said that he would answer questions on those plans elsewhere (behind closed doors). A few questions were asked about how Isaacman has managed to be renominated by Trump and his relationship with SpaceX head Elon Musk. Iscaacman says that the Trump Administration ran a 'competitive' process to decide who should lead NASA. For his relationship with Musk, he said that it was a business relationship from his two visits to space. Isaacman was asked, three times, if Musk played a part in his nomination, he denied that the head of SpaceX did. When Isaacman may officially become NASA Administrator is currently unknown, assuming his nomination isn't pulled again. [*Ars Technica* expects](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/12/nasa-nominee-says-now-is-the-time-for-action-to-keep-agency-ahead-of-china/?ref=proximareport.com) him to be in the role this month. Upon assuming the role, Isaacman will be heading a greatly [defunded](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-six-months-trump?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) and [damaged](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-damage-to-nasa?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) space agency that is [losing critical employees](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/nasa-cuts-iss-jobs-at-msfc/?ref=proximareport.com). ### Monthly Dose of Space - November 2025 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-november-2025/ Last updated: 2025-12-30T12:31:33.000Z Welcome to our twenty-sixth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you news from the past month. November begins the end of a busy year in space globally, so let's jump into the past month. ## **News of the Month** During November, the world's second reusable rocket proved that its boosters can land and return to their production site to fly again, three more reusable rockets are preparing to fly this year, human spaceflight missions suffer from damage on Eath and in space while removing crews, NASA prepares to have a new administrator, and the European Space Agency secures funding. - [*New Glenn Booster Lands, Begins ESCAPADE's Long Trek to Mars*](https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-booster-lands/) - [*Triumphant New Glenn Booster Sails Into Florida*](https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-sails-florida/) - [*NASA Withdraws Astronauts From Future Boeing Starliner Flights*](https://proximareport.com/nasa-withdraws-astronauts-starliner/) - [*Soyuz MS-28 Mission Leaves Damage to Its Baikonur Launch Pad*](https://proximareport.com/soyuz-damage-baikonur-pad/) - [*Isaacman renominated to lead NASA*](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-2-11-8-11/#isaacman-renominated-to-lead-nasa) - [*Deep Space Network antenna damaged*](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-9-11-15-11/#deep-space-network-antenna-damaged) - [*'Upgraded' Starship-Super Heavy booster fails first test*](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-16-11-22-11/#upgraded-starship-super-heavy-booster-fails-first-test) - [*Amazon's mega-constellation rebrands, prepares more launches*](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-16-11-22-11/#amazons-mega-constellation-rebrands-prepares-more-launches) - [*China to debut three reusable launch vehicles*](https://proximareport.com/p/ece8a7ae-c9de-48eb-a9a3-e2ef2d2da026/?member%5Fstatus=free#china-to-debut-three-reusable-launch-vehicles) - [*ESA funding increased for next three years*](https://proximareport.com/p/ece8a7ae-c9de-48eb-a9a3-e2ef2d2da026/?member%5Fstatus=free#esa-funding-increased-for-next-three-years) - [*Shenzhou-21 crew boards Tiangong*](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-26-10-1-11/#shenzhou-21-crew-boards-tiangong) - [*Shenzhou-20 return delayed*](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-2-11-8-11/#shenzhou-20-return-delayed) - [*Shenzhou-20 crew returns after debris concern*](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-9-11-15-11/#shenzhou-20-crew-returns-after-debris-concern) ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw 32launches worldwide, continuing a busy year. If you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *November 2nd - Falcon 9 with Bandwagon-4* SpaceX launched its fourth mid-inclination low Earth orbit rideshare mission, carrying eighteen payloads, atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1091, for its third flight with a landing back in Cape Canaveral at Landing Zone 2. ### *November 2nd - LVM-3 with GSAT-7R* India's LVM-3 rocket launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre carrying the GSAT-7R communication satellite to geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of the Indian Navy. Once operational, the satellite will provide secure multi-band communications services. ### *November 3rd - Long March 7A with Yaogan-46* A Long March 7A blasted off from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, carrying the Yaogan-46 remote sensing satellite into medium Earth orbit. Yaogan-46 is planned to be used for land resource surveys, crop yield estimation, meteorology, hydrology, scientific experiments, as well as disaster prevention and relief efforts. ### *November 4th - Ariane 6 with Sentinel-1D* Arianespace launched its Ariane 6 rocket from the Guiana Space Centre into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the Sentinel-1D weather satellite on behalf of the European Space Agency. The satellite will be used for sea ice, tracking icebergs, glaciers, subsidence, and oil spills. ### *November 5th - Electron for 'The Nation God Navigates'* Rocket Lab's Electron flew from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand, into low Earth orbit with a synthetic aperture radar satellite on behalf of iQPS. This satellite is planned to be part of a thirty-six-spacecraft constellation for regular monitoring of Earth below. ### *November 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-81* Twenty-nine Starlink satellites were launched into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9\. Booster B1094 supported this mission for its fifth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *November 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-14* Twenty-eight more Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1093, on its eighth flight with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *November 8th - Long March 11 with Shiyan-32 trio* A Long March 11 blasted off from a sea-launch platform near Haiyang, in Shandong province, carrying three Shiyan-32 satellites into low Earth orbit. The Shiyan-32 trio is set to test new optical technologies. ### *November 9th - Kinetica-1 with Chutian-2-01 & 02* From Launch Area 130 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, CAS Space’s Kinetica-1 flew into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the Chutian-2-01 and Chutian-2-02 satellites. Both satellites are technology tests for a very-low Earth orbit remote sensing constellation. ### *November 9th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-51* A Falcon 9 blasted off from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, carrying twenty-nine Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1069 for its twenty-eighth mission, landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *November 10th - Long March 12 with GuoWang Group 13* A Long March 12 flew from Commercial Launch Pad 2 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site carrying nine GuoWang satellites into low Earth orbit. With this launch, the state-backed internet connectivity constellation has 104 satellites in space. ### *November 10th - Ceres-1 with three satellites* Galactic Energy attempted to launch its Ceres-1 rocket into sun-synchronous orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, but the rocket's fourth stage shut down earlier than planned, resulting in the loss of the rocket and the three satellites onboard. The satellites atop of the rocket were Jixing Gaofen 04C, Jixing Platform 02A04, and North China University of Technology Satellite-1. ### *November 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-87* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites were delivered into low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1096 supported this mission for its third flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *November 13th - New Glenn with ESCAPADE* Blue Origin launched its New Glenn rocket from Launch Complex 36, in Florida, for the second time, setting the twin ESCAPADE spacecraft on [a long trek toward Mars](https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-booster-lands/). During this launch, New Glenn's booster, 'Never Tell Me The Odds', landed on the drone ship 'Jacklyn' for the first time! ### *November 14th - Atlas V with ViaSat-3 F2* United Launch Alliance launched its Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, carrying the second ViaSat-3 satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit. ViaSat-3 F2 is planned to be capable of rapidly shifting capacity throughout its coverage area to best deliver bandwidth to users on Earth below. ### *November 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-89* Another Falcon 9 delivered twenty-nine Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A. Supporting this mission was booster B1092, for its eighth flight with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *November 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-85* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites were put into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1078 supported this mission for its twenty-fourth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *November 17th - Falcon 9 with Sentinel-6B* Out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, a Falcon 9 carried the Sentinel-6B mission into low Earth orbit on behalf of NASA, the European Space Agency, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites to study climate change. Supporting this mission was booster B1097 for its third flight, returning to Landing Zone 4 at the Vandenberg Space Force Base. ### *November 18th - Electron for 'Prometheus Run'* Rocket Lab flew its Electron rocket in its suborbital HASTE (Hypersonic accelerator suborbital test electron) configuration from Wallops Island, in Virginia, on behalf of various U.S.-government-linked payloads related to missile defense. ### *November 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-94* A Falcon 9 carried twenty-nine Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit out of Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1085 supported this mission for its twelfth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *November 19th - Long March 2C with Shijian-30 trio* From the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center's Launch Area 4, a Long March 2C flew into low Earth orbit carrying Shiyan-30A, 30B, and 30C. The three satellites are planned to verify space environment monitoring technologies. ### *November 20th - Electron for 'Follow My Speed'* A surprise Electron flew into low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand. Rocket Lab did not reveal the identity of the customer or how many satellites were onboard. ### *November 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-78* Another twenty-nine Starlink satellites were launched into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1080 for its twenty-third flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *November 21st - Long March 3B/E with TJSW-21* A Long March 3B/E flew from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the TJSW-21 spacecraft into an orbit peaking above the geostationary orbit belt. TJSW-21 is set to be used for communications, radio, television, and data transmission while demonstrating multi-band high-speed throughput communication technologies. ### *November 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-79* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9, flying out of Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1090 supported this mission for its ninth flight, landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *November 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-30* Twenty-eight Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1100 for its first flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *November 25th - Long March 2F/G with Shenzhou-22* An uncrewed Shenzhou-22 spacecraft rode into orbit toward China's Tiangong Space Station atop of Long March 2F/G out of Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. This launch was to provide the Shenzhou-21 taikonauts with [a way to return to Earth alongside scientific cargo](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/emergency-response-shenzhou-22-successfully?ref=proximareport.com) after the Shenzhou-20 crew took their spacecraft back to Earth following a debris strike with the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft. ### *November 25th - Angara 1.2 with unknown payloads* An Angara 1.2 rocket blasted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome heading for low Earth orbit, carrying payloads for military communications. ### *November 26th - KSLV-2 with CAS500-3* South Korea launched its CAS500-3 (Compact Advanced Satellite 500-3) Earth observation technology verification spacecraft into sun-synchronous orbit atop of the first KSLV-2 rocket in two and a half years, flying from the Naro Space Center. Twelve CubeSats were also onboard, from national universities, institutions, and enterprises. ### *November 27th - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-28* Out of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, a Soyuz 2.1a chased down the International Space Station while carrying the MS-28 mission, with cosmonauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikayev, as well as NASA astronaut Christopher Williams. The three crew are planned to stay onboard the station for eight months. ### *November 28th - Falcon 9 with Transporter-15* SpaceX performed its fifteenth Transporter rideshare mission to sun-synchronous orbit out of Space Launch Complex 4E with a Falcon 9, carrying 140 satellites from a handful of countries for a variety of different uses. Booster B1071 supported this mission, for its thirtieth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Couese I Still Love You' downrange. ### *November 30th - Long March 7A with Shijian-28* From Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, a Long March 7A blasted off heading for a geosynchronous transfer orbit carrying the Shijian-28 spacecraft. Unlike other Shijian spacecraft before it, no task has been stated for the technology-proving mission of Shijian-28. ## Launches to look out for in December! December will conclude a hectic year for worldwide launches. Listed below are all of the launches expected or likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of December may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *December 1st - Faclon 9 with Starlink Group 6-86* A Falcon 9 is set to launch from Launch Complex 39A carrying a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *December 1st - Vega-C with KOMPSAT-7* KOMPSAT-7 (Korean Multi-purpose Satellite 7) is planned to head into a sun-synchronous orbit via a Vega-C flying from the Guiana Space Center, in French Guiana. ### *December 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-10* Another Falcon 9 is preparing to fly from Space Launch Complex 4E while heading into low Earth orbit to deliver another batch of Starlink satellites. ### *December 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-95* More Starlink satellites are set to be placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *December 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-25* SpaceX is planning to fly Falcon 9 out of Space Launch Complex 4E to put another batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *December 5th - Electron for 'RAISE And Shine'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket is set to head into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the RAISE-4 (RApid Innovative payload demonstration Satellite-4) mission for its various on-orbit demonstrations. ### *December 7th - H3 with Michibiki-5* Japan's H3 rocket is planned to fly from the Tanegashima Space Center into a geostationary transfer orbit carrying the Michibiki-5 navigation satellite. ### *December 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-15* A Falcon 9 is set to fly from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *December 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-92* Another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to be put into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A. ### *December 9th - Falcon 9 with NROL-77* SpaceX will launch a military spacecraft from the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office atop of its Falcon 9, launching out of Space Launch Complex 40. ### *December 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-11* Yet another Falcon 9 will carry Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *December 15th - LVM-3 with BlueBird-6* India's LVM-3 is planning to fly from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre into low Earth orbit carrying AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird-6 satellite, the 6th out of a planned 243\. ### *December 15th - Atlas V with LA-04* Amazon will have another group of 27 satellites for its newly rebranded 'Leo' constellation, launching from Space Launch Complex 41 atop of Atlas V. ### *December 15th - Proton with Elektro-L* A Proton rocket is expected to blast off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the fifth Elektro-L weather satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit. ### *December 17th - Ariane 6 with two Galileo satellites* Europe's Ariane 6 is set to fly from the Guiana Space Center carrying two Galileo navigation satellites into a medium Earth orbit. ### *December 17th - Hanbit-Nano for 'Spaceward'* South Korean startup Innospace is preparing to launch its solid-hybrid rocket Hanbit-Nano into low Earth orbit for the first time, from the Alcântara Launch Center in Brazil. ### *NET December - Zhuque-3 for its debut flight* LandSpace has prepared its partially reusable Zhuque-3 launch vehicle for its debut flight out of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. After liftoff, the first-stage booster will attempt to softly touchdown on a downrange landing pad. ### *NET December - Long March 12A for its debut flight* The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology is set to fly its partially reusable Long March 12A launch vehicle for its debut mission from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Following launch, the first-stage booster will attempt to touchdown on a downrange landing pad. ### *NET December - Tianlong-3 for its debut flight* Space Pioneer is looking to launch its partially reusable Tianlong-3 launch vehicle for its debut mission out of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### Weekly Dose of Space (23/11-29/11) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-23-11-29-11/ Last updated: 2025-11-30T11:14:50.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw six orbital launches taking place globally, with human spaceflight missions using two. News from the week has seen China preparing to debut three reusable launch vehicles and the European Space Agency securing funding for the next three years. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *November 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-30* Twenty-eight Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1100 for its first flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. > Deployment of 28 [@Starlink](https://twitter.com/Starlink?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) satellites confirmed [pic.twitter.com/LvQLWMaWlG](https://t.co/LvQLWMaWlG?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [November 23, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1992532224684773542?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Deployment of twenty-eight Starlink satellites as seen by Falcon 9's second-stage, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1992532224684773542?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *November 25th - Long March 2F/G with Shenzhou-22* An uncrewed Shenzhou-22 spacecraft rode into orbit toward China's Tiangong Space Station atop of Long March 2F/G out of Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. This launch was to provide the Shenzhou-21 taikonauts with [a way to return to Earth alongside scientific cargo](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/emergency-response-shenzhou-22-successfully?ref=proximareport.com) after the Shenzhou-20 crew took their spacecraft back to Earth following a debris strike involving the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft. ![The Long March 2F/G Y22 vehicle lifting from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft toward the Tiangong Space Station.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/692541f2a310d68600f2eb5b-1.jpeg) The Long March 2F/G Y22 vehicle lifting from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft toward the Tiangong Space Station. ### *November 25th - Angara 1.2 with unknown payloads* An Angara 1.2 rocket blasted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome heading for low Earth orbit, carrying payloads for military communications. > Today's launch of Angara-1.2 from Plesetsk cosmodrome, carrying several military communication satellites (Rodnik/Strela-3M). > > This is the 4th Angara launch this year. [https://t.co/eMGGygvSFJ](https://t.co/eMGGygvSFJ?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/t53hgys53x](https://t.co/t53hgys53x?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [November 25, 2025](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1993375953901228394?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of Angara 1.2 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, via [Robert Savitsky on Twitter](https://x.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1993375953901228394?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *November 26th - KSLV-2 with CAS500-3* South Korea launched its CAS500-3 (Compact Advanced Satellite 500-3) Earth observation technology verification spacecraft into sun-synchronous orbit atop of the first KSLV-2 rocket in two and a half years, flying from the Naro Space Center. Twelve CubeSats were also onboard, from national universities, institutions, and enterprises. ![KSLV-2 lifting off from the Naro Space Center carrying thirteen satellites. ©Korea Aerospace Research Institute](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/Nuri-F4-008073-1.jpg) KSLV-2 lifting off from the Naro Space Center carrying thirteen satellites. ©Korea Aerospace Research Institute ### *November 27th - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-28* Out of [the Baikonur Cosmodrome](https://proximareport.com/soyuz-damage-baikonur-pad/), a Soyuz 2.1a chased down the International Space Station while carrying the MS-28 mission, with cosmonauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikayev, as well as NASA astronaut Christopher Williams. The three crew are planned to stay onboard the station for eight months. ![Soyuz 2.1a lifting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for the MS-28 mission to the International Space Station. ©Bill Ingalls/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/54949648354_490f7b0152_k.jpg) Soyuz 2.1a lifting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for the MS-28 mission to the International Space Station. ©Bill Ingalls/NASA ### *November 28th - Falcon 9 with Transporter-15* SpaceX performed its fifteenth Transporter rideshare mission to sun-synchronous orbit out of Space Launch Complex 4E with a Falcon 9, carrying 140 satellites from a handful of countries for a variety of different uses. Booster B1071 supported this mission, for its thirtieth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Couese I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Transporter-15 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G64cyzNXkAA_wwr-1.jpeg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Transporter-15 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *China to debut three reusable launch vehicles* ![The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology’s Long March 12A (left), LandSpace's Zhuque-3 (center), and Space Pioneer's Tianlong-3 (right) on their launch pads at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/2841831231.png) The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology’s Long March 12A (left), LandSpace's Zhuque-3 (center), and Space Pioneer's Tianlong-3 (right) on their launch pads at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. During December, three reusable rockets developed by Chinese space enterprises will [take flight for the first time](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-has-three-reusable-rockets?ref=proximareport.com), with one of them becoming China's first as well as the first outside of the United States. The three rockets are: - **Long March 12A**: A two-stage liquid methane and liquid oxygen burning launch vehicle, powered by seven engines on its first-stage and one on its second-stage, developed by the state-owned Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. It stands about 70 meters tall and is 3.8 meters in diameter, with four small strakes next to its four landing legs, used to touchdown after unpowered guidance via four grid fins. The Long March 12A is expected to have a payload capacity of up to 12,000 kilograms. - **Zhuque-3**: Also a two-stage liquid methane and liquid oxygen burning launch vehicle, but powered by nine engines on the first-stage with one on the second-stage, developed by the commercial space leader LandSpace. In its debut flight configuration, it stands approximately 66 meters tall, with a diameter of 4.5 meters. Two strakes are located near the base of the rocket, where four landing legs are attached, while four grid fins are positioned on the inter-stage. Up to 11,800 kilograms can be delivered with the rocket in its current configuration. - **Tianlong-3**: A two-stage rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen burning launch vehicle, with nine engines on the first-stage and one on the second-stage, developed by the commercial space company Space Pioneer. When prepared for launch, it stands 72 meters tall with both stages being 3.8 meters in diameter, with four landing legs at the base and four grid fins on the interstage set to be added. Around 17,000 kilograms can be delivered to orbit with the rocket. At the moment, all three launch vehicles are at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on dedicated launch pads. The Long March 12A and Tianlong-3 are believed to be conducting pre-launch testing, including potential static fires, while Zhuque-3 completed testing a few months ago. ### *ESA funding increased for next three years* The European Space Agency and its member states recently concluded their 2025 Ministerial, where [a new three-year budget for the space agency](https://www.esa.int/About%5FUs/Corporate%5Fnews/ESA%5FMember%5FStates%5Fcommit%5Fto%5Flargest%5Fcontributions%5Fat%5FMinisterial?ref=proximareport.com) was agreed upon. [Originally proposed](https://europeanspaceflight.com/exploration-and-space-transportation-see-largest-esa-funding-boosts/?ref=proximareport.com) to be 22.25 billion Euros, member states opted to commit 22.1 billion for space science, sovereign launch, security, and a slightly defunded exploration. Speaking on the budget, European Space Agency Director General Josef Aschbacher stated: > "This is a great success for Europe, and a really important moment for our autonomy and leadership in science and innovation. I’m grateful for the hard work and careful thought that has gone into the delivery of the new subscriptions from the Member States, amounting to a 32% increase, or 17% increase if corrected for inflation, on ESA’s 2022 Ministerial Council," – "In the face of a challenging geopolitical situation all the States contributing to the ESA budget, and indeed the European Commission, have put their faith in ESA to keep delivering programmes that will support European leadership in space, and help stretch our capabilities on Earth, in orbit, and into deep space. While we celebrated 50 years of achievements this year, the work is only beginning." With the new budget, Germany [made the largest contribution](https://europeanspaceflight.com/exploration-and-the-uk-emerge-as-the-biggest-losers-of-cm25/?ref=proximareport.com) at 23.11%, followed by France at 16.42% and Italy at 15.79%. Those three countries account for over 55% of the total. Spain contributes 8.46%, making it the fourth-largest contributor, while the United Kingdom adds 7.78%. Belgium provides 5.06%, and the Netherlands contributes 2.60%. Poland accounts for 3.34%, and Switzerland adds 3.52%. Canada contributes 1.86%, which is higher than several European nations. Austria provides 1.53%, Sweden 1.37%, Norway 1.33%, Denmark 1.16%, Finland 1.06%, and Hungary 0.93%. Portugal and the Czech Republic both contribute around 0.93% and 0.85% respectively. Ireland adds 0.71%, Luxembourg 0.64%, and Greece 0.58%. The smallest contributors include Romania at 0.36%, Estonia at 0.27%, Slovenia at 0.21%, and Slovakia, Lithuania, and Latvia each contributed less than 0.1%. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *November 30th - Long March 7A with an unannounced payload* A Long March 7A is set to fly from the Wenchang Space Launch Site heading for beyond low Earth orbit with a to-be-announced payload. ### *December 1st - Faclon 9 with Starlink Group 6-86* A Falcon 9 is set to launch from Launch Complex 39A carrying a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *December 1st - Vega-C with KOMPSAT-7* KOMPSAT-7 (Korean Multi-purpose Satellite 7) is planned to head into a sun-synchronous orbit via a Vega-C flying from the Guiana Space Center, in French Guiana. ### *December 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-10* Another Falcon 9 is preparing to fly from Space Launch Complex 4E while heading into low Earth orbit to deliver another batch of Starlink satellites. ### *December 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-95* More Starlink satellites are set to be placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *December 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-25* SpaceX is planning to fly Falcon 9 out of Space Launch Complex 4E to put another batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *December 5th - Electron for 'RAISE And Shine'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket is set to head into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the RAISE-4 (RApid Innovative payload demonstration Satellite-4) mission for its various on-orbit demonstrations. ### Soyuz MS-28 Mission Leaves Damage to Its Baikonur Launch Pad URL: https://proximareport.com/soyuz-damage-baikonur-pad/ Last updated: 2025-11-29T03:39:25.000Z Yesterday, November 27th, a [Soyuz 2.1a rocket blasted off](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/11/27/trio-aboard-soyuz-launches-to-station-for-docking-today/?ref=proximareport.com) from Site 31 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan carrying the Soyuz MS-28 mission, with cosmonauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikayev as well as NASA astronaut Christopher Williams onboard. Following a successful launch, the MS-28 spacecraft [docked with the Rassvet module](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/11/27/three-new-crew-members-aboard-soyuz-dock-to-station/?ref=proximareport.com), allowing its crew [to join](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/11/27/hatches-open-station-crew-expands-to-10/?ref=proximareport.com) the seven onboard the International Space Station. Meanwhile, back on Earth, during or after the launch process, damage was incurred to Site 31's mobile service platform underneath it. The platform is used to access the base of a Soyuz 2 series rocket ahead of launch and is rolled out of the way before launch. Roscosmos, managing state enterprise for the Russian space program, released a [brief comment via Telegram](https://x.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1994130677906985099?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) about the damage: > "The launch pad was inspected, as is done every time a rocket is launched. Damage to several launch pad components was identified." – "The launch pad's condition is currently being assessed. All necessary space components are available for repair, and the damage will be repaired shortly" Images and video of Site 31 show that claimed damage to components is evident as the service platform is [sitting at the bottom](https://x.com/katlinegrey/status/1994420759138107881?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) of a flame diversion pit in a collapsed and charred pile. With the service platform off its rails under the launch pad, repairs to Site 31 won't be fast, with [Anatoly Zak of RussianSpaceWeb estimating](https://www.russianspaceweb.com/baikonur%5Fr7%5F31.html?ref=proximareport.com#cabin) the process could take up to two years. > Drone footage (4x speed) for better understanding [https://t.co/Js6SBruG9K](https://t.co/Js6SBruG9K?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/GVHua4G9IB](https://t.co/GVHua4G9IB?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [November 27, 2025](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1994080246870499432?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Footage of Site 31 following the Soyuz MS-28 missions launch, via [Robert Savitsky on Twitter](https://x.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1994080246870499432?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). A long repair process may be a major problem for the International Space Station as the crewed Soyuz and cargo Progress (which also refuels/replaces the station's Russian-operated attitude control systems) spacecraft currently launch atop of the Soyuz 2 series of rockets, which only has Site 31 in Baikonur. Other launch facilities for the Soyuz 2 series exist in the northern Plestesk and far-eastern Vostochny cosmodromes but dedicated facilities for spacecraft processing don't. As such, missions could be delayed depending on how long repairs take, with the cargo-carrying Progress MS-33 mission set for late December now likely in 2026\. Another crewed Soyuz mission isn't planned until July 2026. Depending on how fast Roscosmos is looking to fix Site 31, other Soyuz launch pads in Kazakhstan and Russia may contribute parts, but taking those other pads offline for a while. Neighbouring the now-damaged pad [is 'Gagarin's Start' Site 1](https://www.russianspaceweb.com/baikonur%5Fr7%5F1.html?ref=proximareport.com), which has been mothballed since 2019, with some hardware said to have been reused at Site 31 already. Up north in Russia, there are at least two Soyuz pads[ active in Plesetsk](https://www.russianspaceweb.com/plesetsk%5Fr7.html?ref=proximareport.com) alongside an unused one. Over in the [far east of Vostochny](https://www.russianspaceweb.com/vostochny%5Fsoyuz.html?ref=proximareport.com), there is a single launch pad for the rocket. A wildcard option to repair Site 31 would be the dissessambly and shipping of the mobile service platform for the Soyuz 2 series [launch pad at the Guiana Space Center](https://www.russianspaceweb.com/kourou%5Fels%5Fdesign.html?ref=proximareport.com), located in French Guiana in South America, with some efforts underway to remove hardware to make way [for a single-stick reusable rocket](https://www.maia-space.com/news/maiaspace-selected-to-operate-from-former-soyuz-launch-pad-in-french-guiana/?ref=proximareport.com). Russia [currently cannot access](https://russianspaceweb.com/soyuz%5Flv%5F2023.html?ref=proximareport.com) the Guianan launch site due to sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine, but the European Space Agency, who own the land of the site, and other international partners are invested in the continued operation of the International Space Station into the 2030s, which requires Russian cargo and fuel deliveries. Therefore, it is plausible, although a low possibility, that some hardware from South America could make its way to Baikonur. Of course, there is the chance that Site 31 remains offline for several years due to [underfunding and financial stresses](https://www.fpri.org/article/2024/07/russias-space-program-after-2024/?ref=proximareport.com) on the Russian space program. That scenario would have the International Space Station limp toward its planned 2030s retirement, if not an earlier one with no refueling of its attitude control system. ### NASA Withdraws Astronauts From Future Boeing Starliner Flights URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-withdraws-astronauts-starliner/ Last updated: 2025-11-25T03:13:49.000Z NASA [announced on November 24th](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/commercialcrew/2025/11/24/nasa-boeing-modify-commercial-crew-contract/?ref=proximareport.com) that it and Boeing have agreed to modify the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract relevant to the Starliner spacecraft. That modification is reducing the number of missions contracted to head to the International Space Station. As part of the announcement, it was disclosed that Starliner's next flight, for the Starliner-1 mission in April 2026, will no longer have astronauts on board. Instead the spacecraft will carry cargo, restocking space station supplies and delivering new experiments. Alongside acting as a cargo delivery, the Starliner-1 mission will validate improved systems, which had issues in the second half of 2024. NASA’s Manager of the Commercial Crew Program, Steve Stich, explained the reasoning for modifying the contract as: > "This modification allows NASA and Boeing to focus on safely certifying the system in 2026, execute Starliner’s first crew rotation when ready, and align our ongoing flight planning for future Starliner missions based on station’s operational needs through 2030." If Starliner-1 is successful, the following Starliner-2 mission will carry astronauts for the first of three contracted crew flights to the International Space Station. That means, with the modified contract, Boeing will be paid for four Starliner missions between 2026 and 2029, with one mission per year. Originally, Boeing [had been contracted](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-chooses-american-companies-to-transport-u-s-astronauts-to-international-space-station/?ref=proximareport.com) to fly up to six operational crewed Starliner flights. So far, the spacecraft has flown three times with only one complete success. Its first mission flew in December 2019 for an uncrewed test flight that failed to reach the space station, but returned to Earth afterward. The next mission was successful, taking place in May 2022 to reattempt the uncrewed test. Most recently, [between June](https://proximareport.com/starliner-carries-first-crew-after-years-of-delays/?ref=proximareport.com) and September 2024, Starliner flew its crewed flight test with two astronauts, but [returned to Earth without them](https://proximareport.com/starliner-returns-home-alone/?ref=proximareport.com) due to thruster issues and a helium leak. Those astronauts returned to Earth [in March 2025 on board a SpaceX](https://proximareport.com/starliner-astronauts-return-aboard-crew-9/) Crew Dragon. With two Starliner missions now withdrawn by NASA, the spacecraft's launch vehicle, [United Launch Alliance's Atlas V](https://boeing-jtti.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/19123936/atlasvstarliner.pdf?ref=proximareport.com), has two unallocated sets of flight hardware. That hardware includes a standardized first-stage, two solid rocket boosters, and a specially modified second-stage to include two liquid hydrogen-burning RL10C-1 engines. What now happens to those launch vehicles is unknown, as United Launch Alliance has yet to disclose relevant information. Of course that hardware may find a path to flight if Starliner-1 goes awry. Boeing is also one of two remaining customers using Atlas V before its retirement, delaying it out to 2030 too. The [other customer is Amazon](https://proximareport.com/ula-amazon-ka03/) with its 'Leo' constellation. ### Further reliance on SpaceX As a consequence of modifying Boeing's contract, NASA has increased its reliance on SpaceX and its fleet of Crew Dragon spacecraft to bring astronauts to the International Space Station. As Starliner has floundered, only Crew Dragon brings crews of four to the station every six months, with its [eleventh mission currently underway](https://proximareport.com/crew-11-launch/). With Starliner-1 being uncrewed, SpaceX will bag two operational missions in 2026\. If Starliner-1 succeeds, Crew Dragon will fly once in 2027, 2028, and 2029 as Starliner flies alongside it, as Boeing and SpaceX alternate for crewed missions every six months. Current reliance on SpaceX has [seen the five total](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1874161131360800835?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) Crew Dragon spacecraft quickly reaching their limit of five launches and returns to Earth, for twenty-five total possible missions across the fleet. Alongside the eleven operational NASA missions and two demonstration flights, Crew Dragon has performed [four missions for Axiom Space](https://proximareport.com/axiom-4-iss/), a [polar tourism flight](https://proximareport.com/fram2-returns-after-100-visits-over-the-poles/), and [two trips for billionaire Jared Isaacman](https://proximareport.com/polaris-dawn-spacewalk/). As a consequence, SpaceX and NASA are looking into flying each Crew Dragon spacecraft [up to fifteen times](https://www.space.com/spacex-nasa-crew-dragon-spacecraft-15-flights?ref=proximareport.com), to triple the fleet's total mission count to seventy-five. ### Weekly Dose of Space (16/11-22/11) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-16-11-22-11/ Last updated: 2025-11-23T19:01:13.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw eight orbital launches worldwide, with half performed by Falcon 9\. News of the week had a failure with SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy during a basic test and Amazon's mega-constellation preparing more launches following a rebrand. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *November 17th - Falcon 9 with Sentinel-6B* Out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, a Falcon 9 carried the Sentinel-6B mission into low Earth orbit on behalf of NASA, the European Space Agency, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites to study climate change. Supporting this mission was booster B1097 for its third flight, returning to Landing Zone 4 at the Vandenberg Space Force Base. > Falcon 9 lands at LZ-4, marking the 500th overall reflight of a flight-proven orbital class rocket [pic.twitter.com/irwghYWdqU](https://t.co/irwghYWdqU?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [November 17, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1990292375797719131?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 Booster B1097 touching down at Landing Zone 4, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1990292375797719131?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). > Deployment of Sentinel-6B confirmed [pic.twitter.com/sNHVyUksNZ](https://t.co/sNHVyUksNZ?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [November 17, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1990305640300859532?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Sentinel-6B's deployment in low Earth orbit seen by Falcon 9's second-stage, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1990305640300859532?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *November 18th - Electron for 'Prometheus Run'* Rocket Lab flew its Electron rocket in its suborbital HASTE (Hypersonic accelerator suborbital test electron) configuration from Wallops Island, in Virginia, on behalf of various U.S.-government-linked payloads related to missile defense. ### *November 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-94* A Falcon 9 carried twenty-nine Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit out of Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1085 supported this mission for its twelfth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-94 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G6FQSakbMAADeab-1.jpeg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-94 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 19th - Long March 2C with Shijian-30 trio* From the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center's Launch Area 4, a Long March 2C flew into low Earth orbit carrying Shiyan-30A, 30B, and 30C. The three satellites are planned to verify space environment monitoring technologies. ![The Long March 2C launch vehicle during first-stage flight shedding pre-flight thermal insulation tiles on November 19th 2025.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/9d588c2af9ea5b48c3303f43f77146d91875198641-1.jpg) The Long March 2C launch vehicle during first-stage flight shedding pre-flight thermal insulation tiles on November 19th 2025. ### *November 20th - Electron for 'Follow My Speed'* A surprise Electron flew into low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand. Rocket Lab did not reveal the identity of the customer or how many satellites were onboard. > LIFT-OFF for Electron's 76th launch. We are on our way to space for the 2nd time in 48 hours. [pic.twitter.com/SdusBocqWi](https://t.co/SdusBocqWi?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [November 20, 2025](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1991488132630675946?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1A for 'Follow My Speed', via [Rocket Lab on Twitter](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/1991488132630675946?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *November 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-78* Another twenty-nine Starlink satellites were launched into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1080 for its twenty-third flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 6-78 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G6QSmPSbUAAcuEH-1.jpeg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 6-78 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 21st - Long March 3B/E with TJSW-21* A Long March 3B/E flew from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the TJSW-21 spacecraft into an orbit peaking above the geostationary orbit belt. TJSW-21 is set to be used for communications, radio, television, and data transmission while demonstrating multi-band high-speed throughput communication technologies. ![The Long March 3B/E launch vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on November 21st 2025.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/008iEnCggy1i7k2yj80jlj31s032f4pt-1.jpg) The Long March 3B/E launch vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on November 21st 2025. ### *November 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-79* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9, flying out of Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1090 supported this mission for its ninth flight, landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ## **In Other Space News** ### *'Upgraded' Starship-Super Heavy booster fails first test* On [November 20th](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1991571181129056663?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), SpaceX rolled out Super Heavy Booster 18, the reusable first-stage of the 'Block 3' fully reusable Starship launch system, for basic testing at the Massey's test site ahead of the twelfth flight test from South Texas. For those tests, none of the thirty-three Raptor engines or three grid fins were installed. During a basic test using gaseous nitrogen and oxygen to prove that the booster can hold pressure early on November 21st, it suddenly failed and ruptured its liquid oxygen tank, unzipping it two-thirds of the way up. That [deformed Booster 18's](https://bsky.app/profile/nasaspaceflight.com/post/3m65te3a24s27?ref=proximareport.com) lower half while making it structurally unsafe, now being mostly held up by internal plumbing. > Booster 18 seems to have just exploded during testing at the Massey outpost. [pic.twitter.com/fmVdYPmWvA](https://t.co/fmVdYPmWvA?ref=proximareport.com) > > — LabPadre Space (@LabPadre) [November 21, 2025](https://twitter.com/LabPadre/status/1991812514888536246?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Super Heavy Booster 18 experiencing its anomaly on November 21st, via [LabPadre on Twitter](https://x.com/LabPadre/status/1991812514888536246?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). In the aftermath of the failed test, SpaceX wrote [the following on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1991889258701885702?s=20&ref=proximareport.com): > "Booster 18 suffered an anomaly during gas system pressure testing that we were conducting in advance of structural proof testing. No propellant was on the vehicle, and engines were not yet installed. The teams need time to investigate before we are confident of the cause." Booster 18 was planned to prove out a new launch pad at Starbase and accelerate Starship-Super Heavy's test campaign, ahead of basic architectural proving flights (Starship-to-Starship refueling) for a NASA-contracted lunar lander. [According to media](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/11/booster-18-anomaly-proof-testing/?ref=proximareport.com) around SpaceX's South Texas site, a possible replacement booster to fulfil Booster 18's role has not begun stacking with hardware scattered around. About a week ago, [*Politico* obtained](https://x.com/audrey%5Fdecker9/status/1989352112728510935?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) a schedule for major Starship missions that SpaceX plans to present to NASA regarding its lunar lander contract. That would have a single Starship-to-Starship refueling test by June 2026, an uncrewed lunar lander proving mission by June 2027, and a crewed lander for the Artemis III mission ready by September 2028\. Those milestones have likely moved back after this week, as the twelfth flight of Starship-Super Heavy, planned to use Booster 18, was targeted for early January 2026. ### *Amazon's mega-constellation rebrands, prepares more launches* ![Climate-controlled containers housing Amazon Leo satellites in a Florida processing facility ahead of delivery to French Guiana. ©Amazon](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G6N9F1sX0AAPzzI.jpeg) Climate-controlled containers housing Amazon Leo satellites in a Florida processing facility ahead of delivery to French Guiana. ©Amazon Amazon [shared on November 13th](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/amazon-leo/project-kuiper-becomes-amazon-leo?ref=proximareport.com) that its low Earth orbit connectivity mega-constellation, previously known as 'Project Kuiper', is rebranding to 'Amazon Leo', as a reference to the orbital regime. The rebrand does not affect the constellations rollout or previously stated plans, according to the company. This week, now rebranded, Amazon shared that its Leo teams [have begun shipping](https://x.com/Amazonleo/status/1991573015738347863?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) satellites to French Guiana for the constellation's first launch with Arianespace, atop of the [first Ariane 64](https://newsroom.arianespace.com/ariane-6s-fourth-flight-of-2025-will-service-europes-galileo-satellite-navigation-system?ref=proximareport.com) rocket in early 2026\. Before that, a fourth launch atop of United Launch Alliance's Atlas V is [planned for mid-December](https://x.com/Amazonleo/status/1991890041560269244?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). To date, six groups of Amazon Leo satellites have been delivered to low Earth orbit for a total of 153 operational satellites. The latest additions were [added on October 14th](https://proximareport.com/amazon-spacex-kf03/). ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *November 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-30* A Falcon 9 is set to deploy a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *November 25th - Long March 2F/G with Shenzhou-22* The Shenzhou-22 spacecraft is being sent up to China's Tiangong Space Station, via a Long March 2F/G flying from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, next week [to restore the capability to return scientific cargo](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/replacement-shenzhou-22-spacecraft?ref=proximareport.com) alongside crews, following a debris strike to the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft. Taikonauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang will be receiving the new spacecraft. ### *November 25th - Angara 1.2 with an unknown payload* From the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, an Angara 1.2 is set to launch into low Earth orbit carrying a currently unknown payload. ### *November 26th - KSLV-2 with CAS500-3* South Korea's CAS500-3 (Compact Advanced Satellite 500-3) Earth observation technology verification will head into sun-synchronous orbit atop of the country's KSLV-2 launch vehicle. ### *November 26th - Falcon 9 with Transporter-15* SpaceX is preparing to launch its Transporter-15 sun-synchronous orbit rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of Falcon 9. ### *November 27th - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-28* Out of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, a Soyuz 2.1a is planning to chase the International Space Station while carrying the MS-28 mission, with cosmonauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikayev, as well as NASA astronaut Christopher Williams. ### Triumphant New Glenn Booster Sails Into Florida URL: https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-sails-florida/ Last updated: 2025-11-18T16:21:18.000Z [About five days ago](https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-booster-lands/), New Glenn's first-stage booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds' successfully touched down on the drone ship 'Jacklyn' for the first time, [becoming the second](https://proximareport.com/booster-race-new-glenn-zhuque/) orbital-class rocket booster to do so in history. That landing, after being guided by two aerodynamic strakes and four fins, was enabled by three BE-4 engines igniting to decelate the booster, before swapping to just one for a precise landing. During the landing, 'Never Tell Me The Odds' wasn't targeting 'Jacklyn' initially, with Blue Origin's owner [Jeff Bezos explaining](https://x.com/JeffBezos/status/1989358416532488406?s=20&ref=proximareport.com): > "We nominally target a few hundred feet away from Jacklyn to avoid a severe impact if engines fail to start or start slowly. We’ll incrementally reduce that conservatism over time." Quickly after the landing, the first-stage booster was secured via [energetic welding](https://patents.google.com/patent/US20240124165A1/en?ref=proximareport.com) of New Glenn's landing legs to the deck while a remotely controlled vehicle safing robot attached to it to offload leftover propellant and commodities. [Since November 15th](https://x.com/spaceOFFSHORE/status/1989719423716909401?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), 'Jacklyn' has been sailing back to its home base, Port Canaveral at Cape Canaveral, with it slowing [just before](https://x.com/spaceOFFSHORE/status/1990081947343770039?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) coming within one hundred miles. On November 17th, the drone ship [was in a holding pattern](https://x.com/spaceOFFSHORE/status/1990398178466623795?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) just beyond the horizon, slowly [peaking](https://x.com/spaceOFFSHORE/status/1990439241097064606?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) just over it. ![New Glenn first-stage booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds' onboard the drone ship 'Jacklyn' sailing back towards Florida. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/12414751.png) New Glenn first-stage booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds' onboard the drone ship 'Jacklyn' sailing back towards Florida. ©Blue Origin Finally, on [November 18th](https://x.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1990812301516054646?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), 'Jacklyn' [entered](https://x.com/julia%5Fbergeron/status/1990794979921572183?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) Port Canaveral with 'Never Tell Me The Odds' [towering](https://x.com/JerryPikePhoto/status/1990802222930649281?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) over it and other vessels. Now in the port, the first-stage booster will be removed from the drone ship for transportation back to Blue Origin's New Glenn production and refurbishment site next to the Kennedy Space Center for post-flight inspections. Those inspections will determine what hardware needs to be replaced or repaired before a second mission for the booster. ![New Glenn first-stage booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds' onboard 'Jacklyn' at Port Canaveral. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G6DD26CacAAZntT-1.jpeg) New Glenn first-stage booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds' onboard 'Jacklyn' at Port Canaveral. ©Blue Origin The next flight of New Glenn is currently being eyed for early 2026 for the first mission with the [Blue Moon Mk1 lunar lander](https://www.blueorigin.com/blue-moon/mark-1?ref=proximareport.com), which will see the rocket send it toward a trans-lunar trajectory while landing the booster on 'Jacklyn' again. It remains to be seen if 'Never Tell Me The Odds' will fly that mission, as a new booster [is reportedly close](https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-planning-next-new-glenn-flight-for-early-next-year/?ref=proximareport.com) to completion. ### New Glenn's beautiful second launch > From blue skies to the red horizons of Mars > > On Nov. 13, New Glenn launched [@NASA](https://twitter.com/NASA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com)’s ESCAPADE mission and landed its fully reusable first stage on Jacklyn in the Atlantic. [pic.twitter.com/XiBQ2h8hA0](https://t.co/XiBQ2h8hA0?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) [November 15, 2025](https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1989786207979491348?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Blue Origin's two-minute recap of New Glenn's second flight, via [Blue Origin on Twitter](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1989786207979491348?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). > [pic.twitter.com/mRFHLuLi7Q](https://t.co/mRFHLuLi7Q?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) [November 13, 2025](https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1989091706550284459?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Glenn lifting off from Launch Complex 36 under the power of its seven BE-4 engines, via [Jeff Bezos on Twitter](https://x.com/JeffBezos/status/1989091706550284459?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). > [pic.twitter.com/Li3R56xACF](https://t.co/Li3R56xACF?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) [November 16, 2025](https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1989856098409758793?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Glenn's second-stage seen separating from the first-stage from inside the interstage, via [Jeff Bezos on Twitter](https://x.com/JeffBezos/status/1989856098409758793?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). > [pic.twitter.com/tcU5bePWbL](https://t.co/tcU5bePWbL?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) [November 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1989162940814290987?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Two BE-3U engines igniting on New Glenn's second-stage after ascent using the first-stage booster, via [Jeff Bezos on Twitter](https://x.com/JeffBezos/status/1989162940814290987?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). > “Never Tell Me The Odds” returns home. [pic.twitter.com/bOXm7MjcD4](https://t.co/bOXm7MjcD4?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Dave Limp (@davill) [November 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/davill/status/1989438568801194207?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) A view from onboard New Glenn first-stage booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds' during its descent and landing onboard the drone ship 'Jacklyn', via [Dave Limp on Twitter](https://x.com/davill/status/1989438568801194207?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). > [pic.twitter.com/Q1LZUDNbnl](https://t.co/Q1LZUDNbnl?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) [November 13, 2025](https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1989092331635765378?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) A camera on the drone ship 'Jacklyn' see's New Glenn first-stage booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds' touchdown, via [Jeff Bezos on Twitter](https://x.com/JeffBezos/status/1989092331635765378?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). > Good overview of the landing. We nominally target a few hundred feet away from Jacklyn to avoid a severe impact if engines fail to start or start slowly. We’ll incrementally reduce that conservatism over time. We are all excited and grateful for yesterday. Amazing performance by… [pic.twitter.com/DCEMsuSyPm](https://t.co/DCEMsuSyPm?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) [November 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1989358416532488406?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Glenn first-stage booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds' seen landing on the drone ship 'Jacklyn', via [Jeff Bezos on Twitter](https://x.com/JeffBezos/status/1989358416532488406?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). > Leaving Earth… [pic.twitter.com/ltSY1ycTtp](https://t.co/ltSY1ycTtp?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) [November 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1989178820898017374?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) A view from New Glenn's second-stage looking back at Earth following two successful burns, via [Jeff Bezos on Twitte](https://x.com/JeffBezos/status/1989178820898017374?s=20&ref=proximareport.com)r. ### Weekly Dose of Space (9/11-15/11) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-9-11-15-11/ Last updated: 2025-11-16T21:18:13.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had nine orbital launch attempts taking place, with six different rockets flying. News during the week had the Shenzhou-20 taikonauts returning to Earth and damage to NASA's Deep Space Network. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *November 9th - Kinetica-1 with Chutian-2-01 & 02* From Launch Area 130 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, CAS Space’s Kinetica-1 flew into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the Chutian-2-01 and Chutian-2-02 satellites. Both satellites are technology tests for a very-low Earth orbit remote sensing constellation. ![The Kinetica-1 Y9 vehicle blasting off from Launch Area 130 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/0033ImPzly1i75ud4miefj64mo334x6r02-1.jpg) The Kinetica-1 Y9 vehicle blasting off from Launch Area 130 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *November 9th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-51* A Falcon 9 blasted off from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, carrying twenty-nine Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1069 for its twenty-eighth mission, landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 launching for the Starlink Group 10-51 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G5TgFjxXMAAswVN.jpeg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 launching for the Starlink Group 10-51 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 10th - Long March 12 with GuoWang Group 13* A Long March 12 flew from Commercial Launch Pad 2 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site carrying nine GuoWang satellites into low Earth orbit. With this launch, the state-backed internet connectivity constellation has 104 satellites in space. ![The Long March 12 Y3 vehicle lifting off from Commercial Launch Pad 2 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/006aWhMSgy1i771l9qmruj30zk0k0tcu-1.jpg) The Long March 12 Y3 vehicle lifting off from Commercial Launch Pad 2 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site. ### *November 10th - Ceres-1 with three satellites* Galactic Energy attempted to launch its Ceres-1 rocket into sun-synchronous orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, but the rocket's fourth stage shut down earlier than planned, resulting in the loss of the rocket and the three satellites onboard. The satellites atop of the rocket were Jixing Gaofen 04C, Jixing Platform 02A04, and North China University of Technology Satellite-1. ### *November 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-87* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites were delivered into low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1096 supported this mission for its third flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-87 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G5crJkqX0AAStgc-1-1-1.jpeg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-87 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 13th - New Glenn with ESCAPADE* Blue Origin launched its New Glenn rocket from Launch Complex 36, in Florida, for the second time, setting the twin ESCAPADE spacecraft on [a long trek toward Mars](https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-booster-lands/). During this launch, New Glenn's booster, 'Never Tell Me The Odds', landed on the drone ship 'Jacklyn' for the first time! > Good overview of the landing. We nominally target a few hundred feet away from Jacklyn to avoid a severe impact if engines fail to start or start slowly. We’ll incrementally reduce that conservatism over time. We are all excited and grateful for yesterday. Amazing performance by… [pic.twitter.com/DCEMsuSyPm](https://t.co/DCEMsuSyPm?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) [November 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1989358416532488406?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Glenn booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds' landing on the drone ship 'Jacklyn' as seen from a distance, via [Jeff Bezos on Twitter](https://x.com/JeffBezos/status/1989358416532488406?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). > “Never Tell Me The Odds” returns home. [pic.twitter.com/bOXm7MjcD4](https://t.co/bOXm7MjcD4?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Dave Limp (@davill) [November 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/davill/status/1989438568801194207?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) An onboard view of New Glenn booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds' landing on the drone ship 'Jacklyn', via [Dave Limp on Twitter](https://x.com/davill/status/1989438568801194207?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *November 14th - Atlas V with ViaSat-3 F2* United Launch Alliance launched its Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, carrying the second ViaSat-3 satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit. ViaSat-3 F2 is planned to be capable of rapidly shifting capacity throughout its coverage area to best deliver bandwidth to users on Earth below. ![Atlas V blasting off from Space Launch Complex 41 carrying ViaSat-3 F2. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G5tAq9dXQAAARu7-1.jpeg) Atlas V blasting off from Space Launch Complex 41 carrying ViaSat-3 F2\. ©United Launch Alliance ### *November 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-89* Another Falcon 9 delivered twenty-nine Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A. Supporting this mission was booster B1092, for its eighth flight with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 6-89 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G5yAsRxbYAAVCbz-1.jpeg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 6-89 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-85* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites were put into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1078 supported this mission for its twenty-fourth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-85 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G5yAunSacAA1w9X-1.jpeg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-85 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Shenzhou-20 crew returns after debris concern* ![Chen Dong (left), Chen Zhongrui (center), and Wang Jie (right) being carried to post-flight medical checks after exiting the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/2photo-collage.png-1--1.png) Chen Dong (left), Chen Zhongrui (center), and Wang Jie (right) being carried to post-flight medical checks after exiting the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft. The Shenzhou-20 crew of Commander Chen Dong, Operator Chen Zhongrui, and Science Operator Wang Jie safely returned to Earth [on November 14th](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-20-taikonauts-return-aboard?ref=proximareport.com) after 204 days onboard China's Tiangong Space Station. After being extracted by recovery teams, Wang quipped: > "Well, after half a year and finally safely return home and feel gravity again feels great." For their return, the crew swapped over to the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft after theirs was hit by a small piece of debris [around November 5th](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/whats-happening-with-the-shenzhou?ref=proximareport.com), which resulted in a concerning crack on a window's outer layer. The Shenzhou spacecraft's windows consist of multiple layers of impact-resistant glass, but only the outer layer is resistant to the heat of reentry, [bringing concern](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/178866712/switching-to-shenzhou?ref=proximareport.com) that if the damaged outer layer fails that the others will too. During reentry, the three crew members wear pressure suits, allowing them to remain safe, but a depressurization would ruin much of the science being brought back alongside them. Shenzhou-20's crew were aware of concerns about them during the latter days of their mission, with Chen Dong reassuring: > "Taking the Shenzhou-21 spaceship has reassured our steps to discover the universe; space exploration will never stop and is full of challenges and uncertainties, but that’s exactly why we’re taking this road. I believe this mission is a great test for all of us, and we are very proud to have finished our mission completely and successfully." With the Shenzhou-20 crew taking the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft back to Earth, the Shenzhou-21 crew has the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft. That spacecraft is suitable for an emergency return to Earth, but for a nominal return, the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft will be sent up to Tiangong in the near future. Shenzhou-22 and its Long March 2F/G rocket are [currently preparing for launch](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/will-the-shenzhou-20-taikonauts-return?ref=proximareport.com). ### *Deep Space Network antenna damaged* A 70-meter antenna, dubbed DSS-14, at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in California, that is part of NASA's Deep Space Network, has been damaged since September 16th, [according to *SpaceNews*](https://spacenews.com/key-antenna-in-nasas-deep-space-network-damaged/?ref=proximareport.com)*,* which received confirmation on November 10th. The antenna was reportedly damaged due to over-rotation, stressing cabling and piping, leading to damage to the fire suppression system, which briefly flooded it. DSS-14 is one of three 70-meter antennas in the Deep Space Network for communicating with spacecraft across the solar system, it can also be used for high-bandwidth data transmission with missions close to Earth. At the moment, there is no timetable to return DSS-14 to operation, putting strain on the [over-subscribed network](https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/08/nasas-artemis-i-mission-nearly-broke-the-deep-space-network/?ref=proximareport.com). ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *November 16th - Electron for 'Van'* Rocket Lab is planning to fly its Electron rocket in its suborbital HASTE (Hypersonic accelerator suborbital test electron) configuration for a confidential customer out of Wallops Island, in Virginia. ### *November 17th - Falcon 9 with Sentinel-6B* SpaceX's Falcon 9 is preparing to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying the Sentinel-6B mission into low Earth orbit on behalf of NASA. ### *November 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-94* Twenty-nine Starlink satellites are set to be launched atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40 into low Earth orbit. ### *November 19th - Long March 8A with to-be-annouced payloads* A Long March 8A is preparing to fly from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site for a mission heading into low Earth orbit. ### *November 19th - Falcon 9 with Transporter-15* SpaceX is preparing to launch its Transporter-15 sun-synchronous orbit rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of Falcon 9. ### *November 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-78* Another set of Starlink satellites are set to be placed into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 out of Launch Complex 39A. ### *November 22nd - Hanbit-Nano for 'Spaceward'* South Korean startup Innospace is preparing to launch its solid-hybrid rocket Hanbit-Nano into low Earth orbit for the first time, from the Alcântara Launch Center in Brazil. ### *November 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-79* Falcon 9 with again fly from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### New Glenn Booster Lands, Begins ESCAPADE's Long Trek to Mars URL: https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-booster-lands/ Last updated: 2025-11-13T22:16:22.000Z Blue Origin has sent two spacecraft toward Mars for NASA and successfully landed New Glenn's first-stage for the first time! For the [second time](https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-soars-in-debut-mission/), New Glenn lifted off from Launch Complex 36, in Florida, under the power of its seven BE-4 engines to carry the vehicle out of the atmosphere and its payloads on a trajectory away from Earth. > New Glenn liftoff. Pretty as hell. [pic.twitter.com/TWoybs8MXX](https://t.co/TWoybs8MXX?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jack Kuhr (@JackKuhr) [November 13, 2025](https://twitter.com/JackKuhr/status/1989076253593464974?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of New Glenn with ESCAPADE from Launch Complex 36, via [Jack Kuhr on Twitter](https://x.com/JackKuhr/status/1989076253593464974?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). New Glenn's first ascent in daylight saw all seven engines running again for the duration of the three-minute ascent burn, followed by a nominal separation of the two stages. Following a perfect ascent, first-stage booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds' began its journey toward the Atlantic Ocean. Just outside of the atmosphere, the booster relit three of its engines to rapidly decelerate and to protect itself from the heat of reentry. Moments later, the same three engines lit again for another deceleration before shutting down all but one, then deploying six landing legs for a first successful touchdown on the drone ship 'Jacklyn'! > [pic.twitter.com/uD4FJ3xC8M](https://t.co/uD4FJ3xC8M?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) [November 13, 2025](https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1989090084902318469?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Glenn booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds' performing its landing burn and touchdown on 'Jacklyn', via [Jeff Bezos on Twitter](https://x.com/JeffBezos/status/1989090084902318469?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). That touchdown was followed by a planned [energetic welding](https://patents.google.com/patent/US20240124165A1/en?ref=proximareport.com) of New Glenn's landing legs to the drone ship to secure it, as well as the rollout and attachment of 'Jacklyn's autonomous vehicle safing robot. The landing of booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds' has also made Blue Origin the second company in history to land a first-stage of an orbital rocket, after SpaceX with Falcon 9 and [ahead of Chinese startup LandSpace](https://proximareport.com/booster-race-new-glenn-zhuque/) with its soon-to-debut Zhuque-3. While New Glenn's first-stage was landing back on Earth, its second-stage was completing its ascent towards a brief parking orbit, before then performing its escape burn to place ESCAPADE onto its path to the L2 Lagrange point. A half-hour after launch from Florida, the twin spacecraft separated from New Glenn for their trek to Mars. ![Mission patches from NASA (left) and Blue Origin (right) for the Escapade mission. ©Kristen Perrin/NASA/Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/ESCAPADE-patches.png) Mission patches from NASA (left) and Blue Origin (right) for the Escapade mission. ©Kristen Perrin/NASA/Blue Origin ### Long trek to Mars Now in space, the twin ESCAPADE spacecraft are [heading toward the Earth-Sun L2 Lagrange point](https://escapade.ssl.berkeley.edu/mission-design/?ref=proximareport.com) to wait for the 2026 Mars transfer window to open. That point in space allows the spacecraft to maintain position without needing to expend much of its propellant, while allowing for a cheap departure. Once the 2026 window opens, both ESCAPADE spacecraft will dive back toward Earth before performing Mars transfer orbits. After that, they will [spend several months](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/escapade/2021/08/20/nasas-escapade-mission-twin-martian-orbiters-moves-toward-launch/?ref=proximareport.com) traveling through interplanetary space, ending with maneuvers to enter Mars' orbit. After reaching Mars, the ESCAPADE mission is [set to study](https://escapade.ssl.berkeley.edu/science-goals-objectives/?ref=proximareport.com) the interaction of solar wind with the red planet's upper atmosphere, in how it interacts with the magnetosphere and the weak atmosphere. To do so, [both spacecraft have](https://escapade.ssl.berkeley.edu/instruments/?ref=proximareport.com) a magnetometer, an electrostatic analyzer, a suite of Langmuir probes, as well as visual and infrared cameras. Both of the 535-kilogram 1.2 by 1.65 by 1.09 meter [spacecraft have a](https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14642/?ref=proximareport.com) single main engine, burning monoxides of nitrogen and monomethyl hydrazine, as well as a set of cold gas nitrogen thrusters for orientating them. For communicating with Earth, the Mars-bound twins have a series of low-gain, medium-gain, and high-gain X-band antennas, with power provided by two solar wings of two panels. ![The twin ESCAPADE spacecraft inside Florida clean rooms preparing for their mission to Mars. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA/Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/photo-collage.png-1-.png) The twin ESCAPADE spacecraft inside Florida clean rooms preparing for their mission to Mars. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA/Rocket Lab The ESCAPADE mission is NASA-supported, [led by](https://www.ssl.berkeley.edu/solar-system-planetary/escapade/?ref=proximareport.com) the University of California, Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory, with [the spacecraft designed by](https://advancedspace.com/escapade/?ref=proximareport.com) Advanced Space, and [the twins manufactured by](https://rocketlabcorp.com/missions/escapade/?ref=proximareport.com) Rocket Lab. --- ### What is New Glenn? New Glenn is Blue Origin's partially reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle. The rocket currently flies solely from Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, located in Florida. The payload capacity of New Glenn, when recovering the booster downrange, is currently as follows: - 45,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit - 13,600 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit - 7,000 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory > [pic.twitter.com/rkarkk5cBX](https://t.co/rkarkk5cBX?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) [November 8, 2025](https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1987237636336124387?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Glenn being transferred into its launch position at Launch Complex 36, via [Jeff Bezos on Twitter](https://x.com/JeffBezos/status/1987237636336124387?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). The first-stage is planned to be powered by seven [BE-4 engines](https://cosmicnxws.com/be-4?ref=proximareport.com) burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen to generate 1,746 tons of thrust. The second-stage is planned to be powered by two BE-3U engines burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to generate 145 tons of thrust. For recovery, New Glenn plans to use four fins located near the top of the booster, to control the boosters' descent when unpowered, and six landing legs that are stowed at the bottom of the booster during flight. It is currently believed that Blue Origin only plans to land the first-stage booster downrange on a drone ship. On the launch pad, the rocket is 98 meters tall and 7 meters in diameter, Blue Origin has not yet said how much the launch vehicle weighs fully fuelled. ### Weekly Dose of Space (2/11-8/11) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-2-11-8-11/ Last updated: 2025-11-09T20:48:10.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw eight launches taking place worldwide, with missions from low Earth to geostationary orbit. News from the week had a renomination for NASA's Administrator and a delay of crewed missions' return to Earth. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *November 2nd - Falcon 9 with Bandwagon-4* SpaceX launched its fourth mid-inclination low Earth orbit rideshare mission, carrying eighteen payloads, atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1091, for its third flight with a landing back in Cape Canaveral at Landing Zone 2. ![Booster B1091 coming in for landing at Landing Zone 2 after supporting the Bandwagon-4 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G4u6JyFXIAAiSV3.jpeg) Booster B1091 coming in for landing at Landing Zone 2 after supporting the Bandwagon-4 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 2nd - LVM-3 with GSAT-7R* India's LVM-3 rocket launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre carrying the GSAT-7R communication satellite to geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of the Indian Navy. Once operational, the satellite will provide secure multi-band communications services. ![LVM-3 during first-stage flight while carrying GSAT-7R. ©Indian Space Research Organisation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G4wNE6AW8AEzdF7-1.jpeg) LVM-3 during first-stage flight while carrying GSAT-7R. ©Indian Space Research Organisation ### *November 3rd - Long March 7A with Yaogan-46* A Long March 7A blasted off from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, carrying the Yaogan-46 remote sensing satellite into medium Earth orbit. Yaogan-46 is planned to be used for land resource surveys, crop yield estimation, meteorology, hydrology, scientific experiments, as well as disaster prevention and relief efforts. ![The Long March 7A Y13 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site with Yaogan-46.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/008rKb6ply1i6ywrxdqfvj35jv3p9npn-1.jpg) The Long March 7A Y13 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site with Yaogan-46. ### *November 4th - Ariane 6 with Sentinel-1D* Arianespace launched its Ariane 6 rocket from the Guiana Space Centre into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the Sentinel-1D weather satellite on behalf of the European Space Agency. The satellite will be used for sea ice, tracking icebergs, glaciers, subsidence, and oil spills. ![Ariane 6 lifting off from the Guiana Space Center carrying Sentinel-1D. ©Arianespace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G48TFCOXAAIZxjh-1.jpeg) Ariane 6 lifting off from the Guiana Space Center carrying Sentinel-1D. ©Arianespace ### *November 5th - Electron for 'The Nation God Navigates'* Rocket Lab's Electron flew from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand, into low Earth orbit with a synthetic aperture radar satellite on behalf of iQPS. This satellite is planned to be part of a thirty-six-spacecraft constellation for regular monitoring of Earth below. > LIFTOFF for Electron and “The Nation God Navigates” mission for [@QPS\_inc](https://twitter.com/QPS%5FInc?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/BdmKXLf7u8](https://t.co/BdmKXLf7u8?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [November 5, 2025](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1986160019558310017?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B for 'The Nation God Navigates', via [Rocket Lab on Twitter](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/1986160019558310017?s=20&ref=proximareport.com). ### *November 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-81* Twenty-nine Starlink satellites were launched into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9\. Booster B1094 supported this mission for its fifth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-81 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G5Cf2rBWYAIse5s-1.jpeg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-81 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-14* Twenty-eight more Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1093, on its eighth flight with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 11-14 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G5G2lPKaAAA2-32-1.jpeg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 11-14 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 8th - Long March 11 with Shiyan-32 trio* A Long March 11 blasted off from a sea-launch platform near Haiyang, in Shandong province, carrying three Shiyan-32 satellites into low Earth orbit. The Shiyan-32 trio is set to test new optical technologies. ![The Long March 11 launch vehicle during first-stage flight near Haiyang on November 8th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/006HGq7agy1i75xo9wanyj30zk0np3yj-1.jpg) The Long March 11 launch vehicle during first-stage flight near Haiyang on November 8th. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Isaacman renominated to lead NASA* Jared Isaacman, a fintech billionaire space tourist, previously nominated by then-President Elect Donald Trump [in December 2024](https://proximareport.com/trump-picks-jared-isaacman/) to head NASA, getting so far as a [Senate hearing in April](https://proximareport.com/isaacman-nasa-hearing/) before support from the Administration [was pulled](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/trump-explains-why-he-pulled-jared-isaacmans-nomination-for-nasa-chief?ref=proximareport.com), has been renominated for the top job at the space agency on November 4th. With the renomination, [Trump wrote](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/jared-isaacman-re-nominated/?ref=proximareport.com): > "Sean Duffy has done an incredible job as Interim Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This evening, I am pleased to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, as Administrator of NASA. Jared’s passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new Space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era." Isaacman quickly [responded on Twitter](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1985846020283265319?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), thanking the President and members of the space industry, stating: > "Thank you, Mr. President, for this opportunity. It will be an honor to serve my country under your leadership. I am also very grateful to Secretary Sean Duffy, who skillfully oversees NASA alongside his many other responsibilities." – "NASA will never be a caretaker of history–but will forever make history." – "Godspeed, President Donald J. Trump, and Godspeed NASA, as America leads the greatest adventure in human history." Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, also Acting Administrator of NASA, also took to Twitter [to write](https://x.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1985856244561609112?s=20&ref=proximareport.com): > "Thank you Donald Trump for the honor to lead NASA. We’ve made giant leaps in our mission to return to the Moon before China. It’s critical for our national security and national pride that we win the next space race." – "Congratulations to Jared Isaacman. I wish him all the success and will ensure the transition is seamless." In the resumed nomination process, Isaacman's position for Administrator of NASA has been [sent to a Senate vote](https://bsky.app/profile/nasawatch.bsky.social/post/3m4yv3ayhe22f?ref=proximareport.com), with no time set for it. Any consequences of the [disastrous 'Project Athena'](https://proximareport.com/isaacman-disaster-nasa-politico/) plan on the vote are yet to be understood. ### *Shenzhou-20 return delayed* The Shenzhou-20 mission, with Commander Chen Dong, Operator Chen Zhongru, and Science Operator Wang Jie, was set to return to Earth [on November 5th](https://english.news.cn/20251104/20de50d6edbb4163aed428b012945eea/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) following a six-month mission aboard the Tiangong Space Station. The morning of the return it was postponed, with the [China Manned Space Agency stated](https://www.cmse.gov.cn/xwzx/202511/t20251105%5F57040.html?ref=proximareport.com): > “The Shenzhou-20 manned spacecraft is suspected of being struck by a small piece of space debris, and impact analysis and risk assessment are underway. To ensure the safety of the taikonauts and the successful completion of the mission, it has been decided that the return mission of Shenzhou-20, originally scheduled for November 5, will be postponed.” Since the postponement, the three taikonauts have remained onboard the space station with the recently arrived Shenzhou-21 crew, allowing for a lighter schedule. Life support systems on Tiangong are suitable to host both crews for a few weeks, along with supplies onboard. Depending on the outcome of the risk assessment, the Shenzhou-20 crew may return to Earth with their spacecraft, or onboard Shenzhou-21 after Shenzhou-22 launches as a backup. That may be concluded in the coming days, with a launch or return to Earth [after November 10th](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/whats-happening-with-the-shenzhou?ref=proximareport.com). ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *November 9th - Kinetica-1 with a to-be-annouced payloads* CAS Space is preparing to launch its Kinetica-1 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying unannounced payloads into sun-synchronous orbit. ### *November 9th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-51* A Falcon 9 is set to send twenty-nine Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A. ### *November 9th - New Glenn with ESCAPADE* Blue Origin is set to launch its New Glenn rocket for the second time from Launch Complex 36, launching two small satellites towards Mars for NASA's ESCAPADE mission. ### *November 10th - Long March 12 with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 12 is planned to launch from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site and head into low Earth orbit carrying a currently unknown payload. ### *November 10th - Ceres-1 with to-be-annouced payloads* Galactic Energy's Ceres-1 may launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying a few unknown payloads. ### *November 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-87* A batch of Starlink satellites is set to be launched atop Falcon 9 into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *November 11th - Falcon 9 with Transporter-15* SpaceX is preparing to launch its Transporter-15 sun-synchronous orbit rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of Falcon 9. ### *November 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-89* Falcon 9 will send another batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A. ### *November 14th - Atlas V with ViaSat-3 F2* United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket is set to carry the ViaSat-3 F2 satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit from Space Launch Complex 41. ### *November 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-85* Another Falcon 9 will send a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### Isaacman Would Have Been a Disaster for NASA, Politico Reveals URL: https://proximareport.com/isaacman-disaster-nasa-politico/ Last updated: 2025-11-04T02:58:02.000Z [*Politico* released a report yesterday](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/03/jared-isaacman-confidential-manifesto-nasa-00633858?utm%5Fmedium=twitter&utm%5Fsource=dlvr.it), November 3rd, outlining Jared Isaacman's, Trump's original pick for NASA Administrator, plans for the space agency. Isaacman's full plans were detailed in a sixty-two-page document known as 'Project Athena'. While never intended for public release, the fintech billionaire space tourists' plans would have been catastrophic for the American space program, with a major section co-authored with a former SpaceX propulsion engineer. *Politico*'s insiders, speaking anonymously, viewed the plan as fundamentally misunderstanding how and why the agency operates and exists. Isaacman's plans would have demolished the very systems that have made NASA a global leader in space exploration. Consolidating specialized centres like the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which has successfully landed every American Mars rover, reduces decades of collected expertise to throwaway bureaucracy. It would be utterly disastrous to relocate or eliminate facilities that sustain irreplaceable institutional knowledge, specialized interplanetary clean rooms, and teams that have worked together for years to perfect world-leading missions. Centralizing everything would create new bottlenecks and drive engineers and scientists to either relocate or leave the organisation entirely, taking their skills with them. The loss of institutional knowledge alone would throw U.S. space exploration back years, as new personnel struggle to replicate the invaluable knowledge that departing experts carry with them. Meanwhile, Isaacman's 'science-as-a-service' model completely misunderstands what makes scientific discovery valuable. Commercial companies collect data with direct market value. They will not support speculative missions to investigate faraway asteroids, look for biosignatures on ocean worlds, or track long-term climate changes that do not generate income. NASA exists to do science that the private sector will not pursue because it is too risky, expensive, or too far from profitability. Purchasing data from commercial suppliers involves giving up authority over what questions are asked and what phenomena are investigated. As a result, the space program would be massively geared for quarterly earnings rather than incredible breakthroughs, with fundamental research abandoned in favour of commercial applications. The greatest breakthroughs in the study of space have resulted from missions, like those by NASA's telescopes in orbit, that no commercial enterprise would ever support. Furthermore, eliminating the Space Launch System (the only part of the Artemis program proven to work) and the Gateway lunar space station while simultaneously suggesting an investigation of the 'relevance' of NASA sites will set up a political firestorm that would immobilize the agency for years. These programs employ thousands of people across multiple states, and the members of Congress who represent them will battle to preserve them. Rather than streamlining NASA, this approach will imprison the agency in more budget and authorization battles, while China pursues its space station and lunar base plans. Cancelling active programs before alternatives are demonstrated leads to significant capability gaps, as best shown by the nine years between the final Space Shuttle flight and the first crewed demonstration mission, the Commercial Crew Program. It is entirely stupid to end America's only lunar-lift solution and hope commercial replacements materialise soon after. The document's nuclear propulsion aspirations also remain decades away, keeping astronauts grounded and America's human spaceflight endeavours in limbo. Luckily for the U.S. Space Agency, Isaacman isn't in charge or heading it yet. In recent weeks, Isaacman has been wooing pro-Trump figures and donating to MAGA projects, going so far as to [support illegal use of military force in international waters](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1979626699928002733?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), in the hopes of possibly leading NASA. [In April](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-nasa-hearing?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), he got as far as a U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation hearing before Trump pulled his support, citing donations to Democrat candidates at the time. It remains to be seen if Isaacman will be renominated for the role of Administrator. Before his original nomination was pulled, he was one of many [nominations supported](https://proximareport.com/articles/musk-nasa-puppets) by the [fascist head of SpaceX](https://proximareport.com/articles/us-space-controlled-musk) known as Elon Musk. ### Is Duffy better? At the moment, NASA is headed by Sean Duffy as its Acting Administrator, while he is also the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Since entering the role in July, he has said that the space agency will [illegally claim regions of the Moon](https://proximareport.com/articles/duffy-nuclear-moon), will [win the one-participant space race](https://proximareport.com/articles/duffy-us-win-moon-defunded), and will [abandon climate sciences](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-nasa-directions). Basically being the usual Trump appointee. It is being said that Duffy is trying to remain in his NASA role until at least after the Artemis II mission around the Moon, set for no earlier than February 2026. Whoever ends up leading NASA will be guiding a greatly [defunded](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-six-months-trump?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) and [damaged](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-damage-to-nasa?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) space agency. The agency is [already losing critical employees](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/nasa-cuts-iss-jobs-at-msfc/?ref=proximareport.com) and [may lose thousands](https://proximareport.com/articles/white-house-layoff-thousands-nasa?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) while the U.S. government is shut down. ### Weekly Dose of Space (26/10-1/11) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-26-10-1-11/ Last updated: 2025-11-02T20:49:20.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week again had seven launches taking place, with spacecraft heading for the two space stations in low Earth orbit. News of the week had two crews meeting in space and potential hiccups ahead for Artemis II. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *October 26th - H3 with HTV-X* Japan launched its H3 rocket, with four solid rocket boosters for the first time, into low Earth orbit from the Tanegashima Space Center for the HTV-X's first resupply mission to the International Space Station. HTV-X will remain with the station for about six months. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G4KkkBgWIAEvoF8-1.jpeg) H3 lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center with the HTV-X spacecraft. ©JAXA ### *October 26th - Long March 3B/E with Gaofen-14-02* A Long March 3B/E launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the Gaofen-14-02 satellite into sun-synchronous orbit. Gaofen-14-02 is set to work with the existing Gaofen-14 to create digital topographical maps, elevation models, and other kinds of geographic maps. ![The Long March 3B/E lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on October 26th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/0077Nzxhly1i6pob7ys9cj34mo334u13-1.jpg) The Long March 3B/E lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on October 26th. ### *October 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-21* SpaceX launched twenty-eight Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit atop of its Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1077 supported this mission for its twenty-fourth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-21 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G4MyF60WYAAVfdM-1.jpeg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-21 mission. ©SpaceX ### *October 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-21* Another twenty-eight Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1082, for its seventeenth flight with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 11-21 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G4UI0_WXQAARxiw-1.jpeg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 11-21 mission. ©SpaceX ### *October 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-37* Falcon 9 sent twenty-nine more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit out of Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1083 supported this launch for its fifteenth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![A view of twenty-nine Starlink satellites seen by Falcon 9's second-stage during the Starlink Group 10-37 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/G4cgiwZXMAAcdgG.jpeg) A view of twenty-nine Starlink satellites seen by Falcon 9's second-stage during the Starlink Group 10-37 mission. ©SpaceX ### *October 31st - Long March 2F/G with Shenzhou-21* From the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Shenzhou-21 mission blasted off atop of a Long March 2F/G heading for the Tiangong Space Station in low Earth orbit. Taikonauts flying for this sixth-month mission are Commander Zhang Lu, Flight Engineer Wu Fei, and Payload Expert Zhang Hongzhang. ![The Long March 2F/G Y21 vehicle during first-stage flight while passing in front of the Moon for the launch of the Shenzhou-21 mission.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/008rKb6ply1i6w0nou64zj34mo3344qq-1.jpg) The Long March 2F/G Y21 vehicle during first-stage flight while passing in front of the Moon for the launch of the Shenzhou-21 mission. ### *October 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-23* Out of Space Launch Complex 4E, yet another twenty-eight Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9\. Supporting this mission was booster B1063, for its twenty-ninth launch with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Shenzhou-21 crew boards Tiangong* ![The Shenzhou-20 and Shenzhou-21 crews inside of the Tiangong Space Station's Tianhe module on November 1st. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/11/757dc9f5ly1i6wmhoqv64j20j60bq0w5.jpg) The Shenzhou-20 and Shenzhou-21 crews inside of the Tiangong Space Station's Tianhe module on November 1st. ©China Manned Space Agency Having lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center [on October 31st](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-21-successfully-strides?ref=proximareport.com), the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft flew a new speedy rendezvous route to the Tiangong Space Station in low Earth orbit, carrying Commander Zhang Lu, Flight Engineer Wu Fei, and Payload Expert Zhang Hongzhang. Just over three and a half hours after launch, the Shenzhou spacecraft [docked with the station](https://english.news.cn/20251101/3496444ad5d84f4e9d6a911bffeb104a/c.html?ref=proximareport.com). A few hours later, following leak checks and various tests, [hatches between](https://english.news.cn/20251101/4846baa907bb4ef4aac7e15194b8e353/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) Shenzhou's orbital module and Tiangong's Tianhe module's forward docking port were opened, allowing the new crew to be greeted by Shenzhou-20's Commander Chen Dong, Operator Chen Zhongrui, and Science Operator Wang Jie. Now inside the space station, the Shenzhou-21 trio will spend about five days with the Shenzhou-20 crew to adjust to life in microgravity before a handover of duties takes place. That will allow the Shenzhou-20 mission to conclude in about five days with a return to Earth. While onboard Tiangong for the next six months, the Shenzhou-21 crew is set to perform experiments in the fields of space life science and biotechnology, space medicine, space material science, microgravity fluid physics and combustion, and new space technology. One of those experiments has Tiangong hosting its first rodent residents, with two male and two female mice being sent up to study behaviours in microgravity before returning with Shenzhou-20. ### *U.S. shutdown may delay Artemis II* Since October 1st, the U.S. government has been shut down due to the inability of American lawmakers to agree on funding plans for the government. At the start of the shutdown, [NASA was proceeding with](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/nasa-closes-doors-to-15-000-employees-as-us-government-shutdown-begins?ref=proximareport.com) preparations for the Artemis II mission, but now hiccups may be about to appear. According to a [recent report in *SpaceNews*](https://spacenews.com/shutdown-could-soon-slow-preparations-for-artemis-2/?ref=proximareport.com), contractors working on the mission may begin to reduce or cease work as they run through the last of their financial cushion as the shutdown starts its second month. Citing a panel appearance of Kirk Shireman, Vice President of Human Space Exploration and Orion Program Manager at Lockheed Martin, the outlet stated that smaller contractors are not going to be able to continue working. So far for the Artemis II mission, NASA has [fully stacked the Space Launch System](https://proximareport.com/articles/artemis-ii-near-doubt-on-nasa) rocket and placed the Orion spacecraft atop it. Joint tests of both vehicles are set to be underway for many more weeks, with NASA's Artemis teams not expected to be affected by the shutdown for now. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *November 2nd - Falcon 9 with Bandwagon-4* SpaceX is planning to perform its Bandwagon-4 low Earth orbit rideshare mission via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *November 2nd - LVM-3 with GSAT-7R* India's LVM-3 rocket is set to launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre carrying the GSAT-7R communication satellite to geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of the Indian Navy. ### *November 3rd - Long March 7A with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 7A is preparing to fly from the Wenchang Space Launch Site into an orbit higher than low Earth orbit with a currently unannounced payload. ### *November 4th - Ariane 6 with Sentinel-1D* Arianespace is planning to launch the Ariane 6 rocket from the Guiana Space Centre into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the Sentinel-1D weather satellite. ### *November 5th - Electron for 'The Nation God Navigates'* Rocket Lab's Electron is set to fly from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand, into low Earth orbit with a synthetic aperture radar satellite on behalf of iQPS. ### *November 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-81* A Falcon 9 is set to launch a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *NET November 5th - Zhuque-3 for its debut flight* If the Shenzhou-20 mission returns to Earth on November 5th, LandSpace may be cleared to launch its partially reusable Zhuque-3 launch vehicle for the first time out of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The first-stage booster may also softly touchdown downrange on a landing pad. ### *November 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-14* Another batch of Starlink satellites is set to head into low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *November 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-51* Even more Starlink satellites will be launched into low Earth orbit via Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. ### Monthly Dose of Space - October 2025 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-october-2025/ Last updated: 2025-12-30T12:31:49.000Z Welcome to our twenty-fifth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month. October heads toward the end of a busy 2025 worldwide, so let's jump into the past month! ## **News of the Month** Last month has seen the first flight of Japan's new cargo spacecraft, the advance of the Artemis Accords, New Glenn preparing to fly toward Mars, and an update about SpaceX's lunar lander. ### Hungary, Malaysia, Philippines join Artemis Accords On October 22nd, Acting NASA Administrator [Sean Duffy shared online](https://x.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1981084714665390198?ref=proximareport.com) that Hungary has signed onto the U.S.-led non-binding Artemis Accords. With the signing, Duffy wrote: > "Building on the strong relationship between President Trump and Prime Minister Orbán, I’m proud to expand America’s space partnership with Hungary." – "Their decision to join the Artemis Accords affirms a shared commitment to peaceful, transparent exploration." Almost a week later, on October 28th, Malaysia and the Philippines joined the accords [according to a 'fact sheet'](https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/10/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-secures-peace-and-prosperity-in-malaysia/?ref=proximareport.com) shared by the Trump White House. The U.S. State Department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs also [tweeted the following statement](https://x.com/USAsiaPacific/status/1982906805425705153?ref=proximareport.com): > "The Philippines and Malaysia have committed to principles of safe and transparent space exploration by signing onto the Artemis Accords, bringing the number of signatories to 59\. The United States is continuing our long tradition of leadership in space exploration." No proper statements about the signings by the three countries have been shared due to the ongoing U.S. government shutdown. With the signing of the accords, Hungary, Malaysia, and the Philippines join Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Senegal, Thailand, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay as signatories. ### Japan's HTV-X arrives at International Space Station > おはようございます！ > 今日からHTV-X君の中に入って荷物を取り出し始めました！ > お腹の中に入ってみてわかるのは、外見の見た目は違っても「こうのとり」君の兄弟だという事です。 > 10年前の事を、とても懐かしく思い出しました。こちらは、HVT-X君とのタイムラプスです。地上はどこかわかりますか？ [pic.twitter.com/F9PTy7Skid](https://t.co/F9PTy7Skid?ref=proximareport.com) > > — 油井 亀美也 Kimiya.Yui (@Astro\_Kimiya) [October 30, 2025](https://twitter.com/Astro%5FKimiya/status/1984016644486926807?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) HTV-X docked to the International Space Station, via [Kimiya Yui on Twitter](https://x.com/Astro%5FKimiya/status/1984016644486926807?ref=proximareport.com). Japan launched its new cargo spacecraft, HTV-X, toward the International Space Station atop of a H3 rocket flying out of the Tanegashima Space Station [on October 26th](https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2025/10/20251026-1%5Fe.html?ref=proximareport.com). HTV-X took about three days to reach close proximity to the space station. Once near the space station, the robotic Canadarm2, operated by Japanese astronaut Kimiyu Yui, [attached to HTV-X](https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2025/10/20251030-1%5Fe.html?ref=proximareport.com) to berth it to the U.S. segments Harmony module, specifically its Earth-facing docking port. Cargo onboard HTV-X for its first trip to the International Space Station includes [various fresh foods](https://www.jaxa.jp/press/2025/10/20251031-1%5Fj.html?ref=proximareport.com), experiment materials for the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo, and the Demonstration System for CO2 Removal, [among others](https://humans-in-space.jaxa.jp/htv/mission/htv-x1/presskit/JAXA%5Fhtv-x1%5Fpresskit.pdf?ref=proximareport.com). The HTV-X spacecraft will remain docked to the International Space Station [for about six months](https://humans-in-space.jaxa.jp/htv/mission/htv-x1/?ref=proximareport.com) before remaining in low Earth orbit for a year and a half to complete technical demonstration objectives. HTV-X is [planned to eventually resupply](https://global.jaxa.jp/projects/iss%5Fhuman/htv-x/index.html?ref=proximareport.com) NASA's Moon orbiting Gateway space station. ### New Glenn near second flight > [pic.twitter.com/czKrhbFgL6](https://t.co/czKrhbFgL6?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) [October 31, 2025](https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1984093316657627215?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Glenn performing its first-stage static fire ahead of its second flight, via [Jeff Bezos on Twitter](https://x.com/JeffBezos/status/1984093316657627215?ref=proximareport.com). Blue Origin [announced on October 31st ](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1984096485961613559?ref=proximareport.com)that its New Glenn rocket completed a first-stage static fire, lighting all seven of its liquid methane and liquid oxygen burning BE-4 engines. The test lasted for 38 seconds, with them being at full thrust for 22 seconds. Dave Limp, the company's Chief Executive Officer, provided more details on the static fire, [stating](https://x.com/davill/status/1984094714283585842?ref=proximareport.com): > "We extended the hotfire duration this time to simulate the landing burn sequence by shutting down the non-gimballed engines after ramping down to 50 percent thrust, then shutting down the outboard gimballed engines while ramping the center engine to 80 percent thrust. This helps us understand fluid interactions between active and inactive engine feedlines during landing." Before testing at the launch site, Dave Limp [revealed the name](https://x.com/davill/status/1972018031716135261?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) of New Glenn's second first-stage booster, calling it 'Never Tell Me The Odds'. He also shared: > "I think the odds of landing this booster are a lot better than 3,720-to-1\. Both strakes are in place, and BE-4 installation is well underway. Great job by the team as we continue getting our second booster ready for launch." Previously, [on October 8th](https://x.com/davill/status/1975959000132038664?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), 'Never Tell Me The Odds' was moved toward the launch pad, equipped with its seven BE-4 engines with thermal protective fabric and panels installed. Several hours later, the booster [arrived at](https://x.com/davill/status/1976075227827405186?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) Launch Complex 36 for [connection to](https://x.com/davill/status/1976757458195693987?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) New Glenn's second-stage. At the moment, New Glenn's second flight is believed to be targeting a launch date of no earlier than November 9th. This flight will send two satellites towards Mars for NASA. In the lead-up to a second launch, Blue Origin was [awarded 78.2 million](https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-wins-78-2-million-contract-to-expand-satellite-processing-infrastructure-at-cape-canaveral/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) United States Dollars from the United States Space Force to expand satellite processing facilities in Florida. That facility should be open by 2028 for use by multiple launch providers. ### SpaceX shares some lunar lander updates > For the first time in our existence, we possess the means, technology, and, for the moment, the will to establish a permanent human presence beyond Earth. Starship is designed to make this future a reality → [https://t.co/dGAZiB4rr3](https://t.co/dGAZiB4rr3?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/WsTg44G3oz](https://t.co/WsTg44G3oz?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 30, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1983926856504971268?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) A render of SpaceX's Starship Lunar HLS around the Moon, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1983926856504971268?ref=proximareport.com). On October 30th, [SpaceX shared a lengthy post](https://www.spacex.com/updates?ref=proximareport.com#moon-and-beyond) on its website about its Starship human-rated lunar lander, commonly known as Starship HLS. Within the post, the company boasted about the vehicle's potential capabilities, limited progress through Starship flight tests, and a handful of milestones. Those milestones included: - Lunar environmental control and life support system tests in a full-scale cabin with multiple occupants, validating oxygen/nitrogen injection, air distribution, sanitation, humidity, thermal control, and acoustic environments - Docking adapter qualification for the androgynous SpaceX system that will connect Starship and Orion, based on Dragon's active docking system - Full-scale landing leg drop test at flight energies onto simulated lunar regolith to verify performance and study foot-regolith interaction - Raptor engine lunar landing throttle test demonstrating the thrust profile needed for lunar touchdown - Micrometeoroid and debris testing of various shielding, insulation, and window materials to protect against impacts and thermal extremes - Landing software, sensor, and radar tests for navigation hardware that will enable precise lunar descent and landing - Raptor cold start tests using pre-chilled sea-level and vacuum engines to simulate post-space thermal conditions - Integrated lunar mission operations plan review covering SpaceX-NASA collaboration, flight rules, crew procedures, and mission planning - Depot power module demonstration testing electrical generation and distribution systems for the propellant depot variant - Ground station and communications demonstration between flight-equivalent ground and vehicle systems - Elevator and airlock demonstration with pressurized space suits to practice crew and cargo transfer operations - Medical system demonstration testing onboard capabilities and ground-to-crew telemedicine - Hardware-in-the-loop testbed activation using flight-representative hardware to simulate the propellant transfer flight test Along with mentioning the milestones above, SpaceX said that they plan to perform a Starship-to-Starship in-space propellant transfer demonstration and to produce a non-flight-bound Starship HLS cabin. That cabin is proposed to be used for training and testing as well as for demonstrating design maturity. Toward the end of the post, SpaceX also wrote the following: > "\[NASA selected\] through fair and open competition which determined that SpaceX’s bid utilizing Starship had the highest technical and management ratings while being the lowest cost by a wide margin." – "In response to the latest calls, we’ve shared and are formally assessing a simplified mission architecture and concept of operations that we believe will result in a faster return to the Moon while simultaneously improving crew safety." That is in response to Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy [recently saying that he plans to open up](https://proximareport.com/articles/artemis-ii-near-doubt-on-nasa) the Artemis III lunar landing contract, which will send two astronauts to the lunar surface after mid-2027, to accelerate its timelines to land ahead of China's planned crewed lunar missions. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw **27** launches worldwide, continuing a busy year. If you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *October 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-39* Wrapping out the week as it began, SpaceX launched another 28 Starlink V2 satellites to LEO aboard Falcon 9 B1097, the boosters 2nd flight. Drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" once again was the down range landing pad, its 155th successful Falcon 9 recovery. ### *October 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-59* SpaceX's Falcon 9 delivered twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1090 supported this launch, flying for the eighth time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *October 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-17* Another twenty-eight Starlink satellites were launched atop of Falcon 9 into low Earth orbit out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1071 for its twenty-ninth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *October 8th - New Shepard for NS-36* Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket flew a suborbital tourism mission from the company's West Texas launch site, carrying Aaron Newman, Jeff Elgin, Vitalii Ostrovsky, Danna Karagussova, William Lewis, and Clint Kelly (a repeat customer) above the Kármán line. Booster NS4 supported this flight, for its sixteenth mission, along with capsule RSS First Step, flying for the fifteenth time. ### *October 11th - Gravity-1 with three satellites* Orienspace's Gravity-1 launch vehicle performed its second flight, after a twenty-one-month gap, from a sea-launch platform in the Yellow Sea near the city of Haiyang for a flight into sun-synchronous orbit. Atop of the rocket were the Shutianyu 01 and 02 space monitoring satellites, planned to image orbital debris, and the remote sensing Jiangsu Geological Satellite for measuring mineral resources as well as monitoring land usage. ### *October 13th - Long March 2D with Shiyan-31* A Long March 2D launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying Shiyan-31 into a polar orbit. Shiyan-31 is said to be for verifying new optical imaging technologies. ### *October 14th - Starship-Super Heavy for its eleventh flight test* SpaceX had its in-development fully-reusable Starship-Super Heavy perform [its eleventh flight test](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-eleven?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), lifting off from South Texas. Flying for the test was Ship 38, for its first flight and the final launch of a 'Block 2' Starship, and Super Heavy Booster 15, flying for the second time. Both vehicles successfully splashed down afterwards. ### *October 14th - Falcon 9 with KF-03* From Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, on October 14th, SpaceX's Falcon 9 flew into low Earth orbit carrying 24 satellites [for Amazon's Kuiper](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-spacex-kf03?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) constellation, bringing it up to 153 spacecraft. Supporting this mission was booster B1091, flying for the second time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *October 14th - Electron for 'Owl New World'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying a StriX satellite into low Earth orbit from Synspective. The new StriX satellite is planned to collect data of the Earth below at a resolution between one and three meters. ### *October 16th - Falcon 9 with a Tranche 1 mission* Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-one satellites into polar orbit for the U.S. military. Booster 1093 supported this mission for its seventh flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *October 16th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 12* A Long March 8A lifted off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site carrying nine satellites into low Earth orbit for China's Central Government-backed GuoWang constellation. This constellation now has 95 spacecraft in orbit, with it planned to provide internet connectivity services. ### *October 16th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-52* Another Falcon 9 flew from Space Launch Complex 40, carrying twenty-eight Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Flying in support of this mission was booster B1095, making its third flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *October 17th - Long March 6A with Qianfan Polar Group 18* Following a seven-month deployment pause, the Shanghai-supported Qianfan constellation saw its sixth launch to date with the deployment of its 'Polar Group 18'. That launch brought the constellation up to 108 spacecraft in orbit, ahead of plans to provide space-based internet services. ### *October 19th - Kinetica-1 with three satellites* CAS Space's Kinetica-1 blasted off from Launch Area 130 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying two Chinese and one Pakistani satellites into sun-synchronous orbit. Pakistan's satellite onboard was PRSC-HS1, the country’s first hyperspectral imaging satellite, which is expected to support crop monitoring, natural resource monitoring, disaster responses, and city planning. The two Chinese satellites were AIRSAT-03 and AIRSAT-04, both X-band synthetic aperture radar remote sensing spacecraft with a similar task to PRSC-HS1. ### *October 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-17* A Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-eight Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1067 for its record-leading thirty-first flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ### *October 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-19* Another batch of twenty-eight Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1088 supported this mission, for its eleventh flight with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *October 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-5* Yet another set of twenty-eight Starlink satellites were flown into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 out of Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this launch was booster B1075 for its twenty-first flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' afterward. ### *October 23rd - Long March 5 with TJSW-20* A Long March 5 with an 18.5-meter-long fairing lifted off from Launch Complex 101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, carrying the TJSW-20 spacecraft into a geostationary transfer orbit. Uses for the satellite are set to be communications, radio, television, and data transmission, with other tasks planned to be for verifying multi-band high-speed throughput communications technologies. ### *October 24th - Falcon 9 with SpainSat-NG II* SpaceX launched SpainSat-NG II into geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of the Spanish government from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9\. Booster B1076 supported this launch for its twenty-second and final flight. Spainsat-NG II is set to advance and expand the capacity of secure military communications. ### *October 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-12* Yet another Falcon 9 delivered twenty-eight Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this mission was booster B1081 for its nineteenth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *October 26th - H3 with HTV-X* Japan launched its H3 rocket, with four solid rocket boosters for the first time, into low Earth orbit from the Tanegashima Space Center for the HTV-X's first resupply mission to the International Space Station. HTV-X will remain with the station for about six months. ### *October 26th - Long March 3B/E with Gaofen-14-02* A Long March 3B/E launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the Gaofen-14-02 satellite into sun-synchronous orbit. Gaofen-14-02 is set to work with the existing Gaofen-14 to create digital topographical maps, elevation models, and other kinds of geographic maps. ### *October 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-21* SpaceX launched twenty-eight Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit atop of its Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1077 supported this mission for its twenty-fourth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *October 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-21* Another twenty-eight Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 out of Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this mission was booster B1082, for its seventeenth flight with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *October 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-37* Falcon 9 sent twenty-nine Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit out of Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1083 supported this launch for its fifteenth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *October 31st - Long March 2F/G with Shenzhou-21* From the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Shenzhou-21 mission blasted off atop of a Long March 2F/G heading for the Tiangong Space Station in low Earth orbit. Taikonauts flying for this sixth-month mission are Commander Zhang Lu, Flight Engineer Wu Fei, and Payload Expert Zhang Hongzhang. ### *October 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-23* Out of Space Launch Complex 4E, yet another twenty-eight Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9\. Supporting this mission was booster B1063, for its twenty-ninth launch with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ## Launches to look out for in November! November will head toward the end of a busy year for worldwide launches. Listed below are all of the launches expected or likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of November may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *November 2nd - Falcon 9 with Bandwagon-4* SpaceX is planning to perform its Bandwagon-4 low Earth orbit rideshare mission via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *November 2nd - LVM-3 with GSAT-7R* India's LVM-3 rocket is set to launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre carrying the GSAT-7R communication satellite to geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of the Indian Navy. ### *November 3rd - Long March 7A with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 7A is preparing to fly from the Wenchang Space Launch Site into an orbit higher than low Earth orbit with a currently unannounced payload. ### *November 4th - Ariane 6 with Sentinel-1D* Arianespace is planning to launch the Ariane 6 rocket from the Guiana Space Centre into sun-synchronous orbit carrying the Sentinel-1D weather satellite. ### *November 5th - Electron for 'The Nation God Navigates'* Rocket Lab's Electron is set to fly from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand, into low Earth orbit with a synthetic aperture radar satellite on behalf of iQPS. ### *November 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-81* A Falcon 9 is set to launch a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *NET November 5th - Zhuque-3 for its debut flight* If the Shenzhou-20 mission returns to Earth on November 5th, LandSpace may be cleared to launch its partially reusable Zhuque-3 launch vehicle for the first time out of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The first-stage booster may also softly touchdown downrange on a landing pad. ### *November 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-14* Another batch of Starlink satellites is set to head into low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *November 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-51* Even more Starlink satellites will be launched into low Earth orbit via Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. ### *November 9th - New Glenn with ESCAPADE* Blue Origin is preparing to launch its New Glenn rocket for the second time from Launch Complex 36, launching two small satellites towards Mars for NASA's ESCAPADE mission. ### *November 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-87* Yet another batch of Starlink satellites are set to be launched atop of Falcon 9 into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *November 10th - Falcon 9 with Transporter-15* SpaceX is preparing to launch its Transporter-15 sun-synchronous orbit rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of Falcon 9. ### *November 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-89* Falcon 9 will send more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A. ### *November 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-85* Another Falcon 9 will send a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *November 16th - Falcon 9 with Sentinel-6B* SpaceX is preparing to launch the Sentinel-6B weather satellite into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *November 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-94* More Starlink satellites will head to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *November 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-30* Falcon 9 will again launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit out of Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *November 26th - KSLV-2 with CAS500-3* South Korea's CAS500-3 (Compact Advanced Satellite 500-3) Earth observation technology verification will head into sun-synchronous orbit atop of the country's KSLV-2 launch vehicle. ### *November 27th - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-28* A Soyuz 2.1a is set to fly out of the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the MS-28 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. ### The Race for the World's Second Booster Landing URL: https://proximareport.com/booster-race-new-glenn-zhuque/ Last updated: 2025-10-29T19:15:24.000Z SpaceX currently operates the world's only partially reusable rocket with its Falcon 9, having landed its first-stage boosters [over five hundred times](https://www.spacex.com/launches?ref=proximareport.com) since December 2015\. Now, almost a decade later, two companies from different nations are racing to be the second\* to achieve the feat. In Florida, Blue Origin has been preparing to fly its giant New Glenn rocket for the second time, following a largely [successful debut flight in January](https://proximareport.com/articles/new-glenn-soars-in-debut-mission). In that mission, the rocket carried a demonstrator payload, and its first-stage failed to reenter the atmosphere after ascent. The second flight of New Glenn is set to have the 98-meter-tall and 7-meter-wide rocket lob two small Mars orbiting spacecraft, [for the ESCAPADE](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/escapade/?ref=proximareport.com) (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) mission, out of Earth orbit and toward the red planet. Since April, preparations and tests have been underway for the second flight, like a [static](https://x.com/davill/status/1915469439501570202?ref=proximareport.com) [fire](https://x.com/davill/status/1915492442037772404?ref=proximareport.com) of the second-stage with its twin liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen burning expander cycle BE-3U engines. While the rocket's payloads will be off to Mars, the first-stage will be coming back down towards Earth. More specifically, it will be targeting a landing on Blue Origin's ['Jacklyn' drone ship](https://space-offshore.com/blue-origin/jacklyn?ref=proximareport.com) downrange in the Atlantic Ocean. As of October 29th, New Glenn's second flight [is at Launch Complex 36](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1983340687086002571?ref=proximareport.com), awaiting a first-stage static fire of its seven oxygen-rich staged combustion liquid methane and liquid oxygen burning BE-4 engines. ![New Glenn on its transporter-erector heading onto Launch Complex 36 in late October. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G4ZUJLBasAAczGz-1.jpeg) New Glenn on its transporter-erector heading onto Launch Complex 36 in late October. ©Blue Origin Over in China, [LandSpace is preparing to fly](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/reusable-zhuque-3-weeks-away-from?ref=proximareport.com) its Zhuque-3 launch vehicle for the first time. While being smaller than New Glenn, the vehicle is still very capable, with a payload capacity of low Earth orbit of 11,800 kilograms in its current configuration. LandSpace opted to build the 66-meter-tall and 4.5-meter-wide Zhuque-3 out of stainless steel while fueling it with liquid methane and liquid oxygen, which is then burned in nine engines on the first-stage and one on the second-stage. The engine powering both stages is the company's self-developed TQ-12A and TQ-15A gas generator cycle engines ([proven on their smaller rocket](https://proximareport.com/articles/zq-2e-lm-12-debut)). For recovering the first-stage booster, Zhuque-3 resembles Falcon 9, with four grid fins attached near the top of it for unpowered descent through the atmosphere and four landing legs for a soft touchdown after engines relight for landing. Unlike SpaceX and Blue Origin, LandSpace will land its boosters on an inland pad built downrange from the launch site. At the time of writing, Zhuque-3 is [fully equipped](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/176652919/zhuque-fully-stacked-for-debut-launch?ref=proximareport.com) for its debut launch from Launch Area 96B at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ![LandSpace's Zhuque-3 Y1 vehicle performing a first-stage static fire in mid-October at Launch Area 96B. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/006aWhMSgy1i6j3s05d5qj32yo1o01kx.jpg) LandSpace's Zhuque-3 Y1 vehicle performing a first-stage static fire in mid-October at Launch Area 96B. ©LandSpace At the moment, New Glenn could launch first with a target date of no earlier than November 9th. Meanwhile, Zhuque-3 is waiting for the return of the Shenzhou-20 mission, which has priority in the Jiuquan range, for its chance to launch, after the 5th of November at the earliest. Which of the rockets lands successfully remains to be seen. --- *\*Starship's Super Heavy booster, also developed by SpaceX,* [*was caught*](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-5)*. It is also not used on a commercially operational launch vehicle.* ### Weekly Dose of Space (19/10-25/10) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-19-10-25-10/ Last updated: 2025-10-26T17:47:24.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had seven launches into Earth orbit, with the majority carrying Starlink satellites. News in the week had China gearing up for another crewed mission to its space station and an important space merger in Europe. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *October 19th - Kinetica-1 with three satellites* CAS Space's Kinetica-1 blasted off from Launch Area 130 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying two Chinese and one Pakistani satellites into sun-synchronous orbit. Pakistan's satellite onboard was PRSC-HS1, the country’s first hyperspectral imaging satellite, which is expected to support crop monitoring, natural resource monitoring, disaster responses, and city planning. The two Chinese satellites were AIRSAT-03 and AIRSAT-04, both X-band synthetic aperture radar remote sensing spacecraft with a similar task to PRSC-HS1. ![CAS Space Kinetica-1 Y8 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/008pUyAHly1i6hle40o8mj36bo3k27wh-1.jpg) CAS Space Kinetica-1 Y8 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *October 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-17* A Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-eight Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1067 for its record-leading thirty-first flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 seen from afar lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-17 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G3praWPXkAAMREL-2-1.jpeg) Falcon 9 seen from afar lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-17 mission. ©SpaceX ### *October 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-19* Another batch of twenty-eight Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1088 supported this mission, for its eleventh flight with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 11-19 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G3prdnDXIAA4Ogm.jpeg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 11-19 mission. ©SpaceX ### *October 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-5* Yet another set of twenty-eight Starlink satellites were flown into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 out of Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this launch was booster B1075 for its twenty-first flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' afterward. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 11-5 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G34HyxeXUAELZ7f-1.jpeg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 11-5 mission. ©SpaceX ### *October 23rd - Long March 5 with TJSW-20* A Long March 5 with an 18.5-meter-long fairing lifted off from Launch Complex 101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, carrying the TJSW-20 spacecraft into a geostationary transfer orbit. Uses for the satellite are set to be communications, radio, television, and data transmission, with other tasks planned to be for verifying multi-band high-speed throughput communications technologies. ![The Long March 5 Y9 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/00686eaKgy1i6mq0i08mkj31jk1117lg-1.jpg) The Long March 5 Y9 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ### *October 24th - Falcon 9 with SpainSat-NG II* SpaceX launched SpainSat-NG II into geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of the Spanish government from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9\. Booster B1076 supported this launch for its twenty-second and final flight. Spainsat-NG II is set to advance and expand the capacity of secure military communications. > Deployment of SpainSat NG II confirmed [pic.twitter.com/4ZCbbcsgXr](https://t.co/4ZCbbcsgXr?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 24, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1981542719844733414?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Deployment of SpainSat-NG II after being placed into its transfer orbit as seen by Falcon 9's second-stage, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1981542719844733414?ref=proximareport.com). ### *October 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-12* Yet another Falcon 9 delivered twenty-eight Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this mission was booster B1081 for its nineteenth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Shenzhou-21 prepares for launch* ![The Long March 2F/G Y21 vehicle rolling out to its launch pad for the Shenzhou-21 mission.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G3_8IytWUAA_Mi--1.jpeg) The Long March 2F/G Y21 vehicle rolling out to its launch pad for the Shenzhou-21 mission. China's space agencies and enterprises [are currently preparing](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-21-crewed-mission-prepares?ref=proximareport.com) to launch the Shenzhou-21 mission on a Long March 2F/G from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The mission, working toward an October 31st launch, will carry three taikonauts into low Earth orbit for a six-month mission on board the orbiting laboratory. After arriving on board Tiagong, the Shenzhou-21 crew will spend about a week with the Shenzhou-20 trio, Commander Chen Dong, Operator Chen Zhongrui, and Science Operator Wang Jie, before they return to Earth in early November. As is standard for China’s crewed missions, the names of the Shenzhou-21 crew are not currently known and will be announced in the days leading up to launch through two press conferences, first from management of the China Manned Space Agency and then when they meet the press. ### *Airbus, Leonardo, Thales to combine space businesses* European aerospace giants Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales have signed a Memorandum of Understanding [on October 23rd](https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/news-centre/press-releases/airbus-leonardo-and-thales-sign-memorandum-understanding-create-leading?ref=proximareport.com) aimed at creating a leading space enterprise by combining each of their space activities. Once created, the new enterprise will: > "\[Aim\] to strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy in space, a major sector that underpins critical infrastructure and services related to telecommunications, global navigation, earth observation, science, exploration and national security. This new company also intends to serve as the trusted partner for developing and implementing national sovereign space programmes." > "This new company will pool, build and develop a comprehensive portfolio of complementary technologies and end-to-end solutions, from space infrastructure to services (excluding space launchers). It will accelerate innovation in this strategic market, in order to create a unified, integrated and resilient European space player, with the critical mass to compete globally and grow on the export markets." To [set up the new enterprise](https://www.airbus.com/sites/g/files/jlcbta136/files/2025-10/en%5Fairbus%5Fleonardo%5Fand%5Fthales%5Fsign%5Fmou%5Fto%5Fcreate%5Fa%5Fleading%5Feuropean%5Fplayer%5Fin%5Fspace.pdf?ref=proximareport.com), Airbus will contribute with its Space Systems and Space Digital businesses, coming from Airbus Defence and Space, Leonardo will contribute with its Space Division, including its shares in Telespazio and Thales Alenia Space, and Thales will mainly contribute with its shares in Thales Alenia Space, Telespazio, and Thales SESO. Once established, the company will be jointly owned by the three giants, with Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales owning respectively 35%, 32.5% and 32.5% stakes ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *October 26th - H3 with HTV-X* Japan is planning to launch its H3 rocket, with four solid rocket boosters for the first time, into low Earth orbit from the Tanegashima Space Center for the HTV-X's first resupply mission to the International Space Station. ### *October 26th - Long March 3B/E with an unannounced payload* A Long March 3B/E is preparing to launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying a currently unconfirmed satellite into sun-synchronous orbit. ### *October 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-21* Falcon 9 is planning to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *October 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-21* Another batch of Starlink satellites are set to be delivered into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *October 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-37* Yet more Starlink satellites will be sent to low Earth orbit out of Space launch Complex 40 atop of Falcon 9. ### *October 28th - Hanbit-Nano for 'Spaceward'* South Korean startup Innospace is preparing to launch its solid-hybrid rocket Hanbit-Nano into low Earth orbit for the first time, from the Alcântara Launch Center in Brazil. ### *October 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-23* Falcon 9 will fly again, carrying even more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *October 21st - Long March 2F/G with Shenzhou-21* China's Tiangong Space Station will have its latest crew of three astronauts carried into orbit onboard the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft atop of a Long March 2F/G flying out of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### As Artemis II Nears Launch, Doubt is on Artemis III and NASA's Leader URL: https://proximareport.com/artemis-ii-near-doubt-on-nasa/ Last updated: 2025-10-21T23:13:17.000Z An American spacecraft will fly people around the Moon next year, but the next step has new doubts ahead of it. As the U.S. government shutdown heads into its [third week](https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/government-shutdown-2025-latest-senate-11th-vote/?ref=proximareport.com), NASA is continuing work at the Kennedy Space Center to prepare the Artemis II mission for its crewed lunar mission, set for no earlier than February 2026. Last week, on October 17th, the Orion spacecraft, [dubbed](https://x.com/NASA/status/1970856953640530375?ref=proximareport.com) 'Integrity', was [rolled over from](https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/10/17/orion-spacecraft-arrives-at-vab-ahead-of-stacking-for-artemis-2/?ref=proximareport.com) the Launch Abort System Facility and into the Vehicle Assembly Building. After spending the weekend next to the towering Space Launch System (SLS) rocket (which was stacked between [November 2024](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/artemis/2024/11/20/nasa-stacks-first-artemis-ii-segment-on-mobile-launcher/?ref=proximareport.com) and [September 2025](https://x.com/NASAArtemis/status/1958556363518341209?ref=proximareport.com)), [Orion was lifted](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/nasa-stacks-artemis-2-moon-missions-orion-capsule-atop-sls-rocket-ahead-of-2026-launch?ref=proximareport.com) up to the top of the rocket and bolted to it, making the completed vehicle 98 meters tall. Now joined as one, Orion and SLS will [perform joint tests](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/artemis-2/integrated-testing-on-horizon-for-artemis-ii-launch-preparations/?ref=proximareport.com) to verify that interfaces can communicate between the two vehicles, ground systems and controllers, as well as in frequencies for the Tracking Data Relay Satellites and the Deep Space Network to ensure that mission control at the Johnson Space Center can remain in contact. Other tests of SLS have been [gradually conducted](https://x.com/NASAKennedy/status/1952746418495512667?ref=proximareport.com) throughout the year. Sometime in early 2026, SLS and Orion will roll out to Launch Complex 39B for a few weeks of testing and a wet-dress rehearsal of a launch attempt. Artemis II's crew of four, with NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canada's Jeremy Hansen, will also train on the launch pad with the complete vehicle. ![Artemis II's Orion spacecraft being placed atop of Space Launch System in the Vehicle Assembly Building. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G3uj10NXAAAZ_s5.jpg) Artemis II's Orion spacecraft being placed atop of Space Launch System in the Vehicle Assembly Building. ©NASA ### Opening up Artemis III Following Artemis II, the currently set for mid-2027 Artemis III will fly to perform the U.S.'s first crewed lunar landing this decade. That mission will use SLS and Orion alongside dozens of SpaceX Starship vehicles to put the Starship Human Landing System (HLS) on the lunar surface. But SpaceX has experienced [repeated delays](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-lunar-delay-expected) with developing the vehicle, as a preceding variant of Starship that isn't even flying into orbit is [repeating the same few tests](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-eleven) to prove out fundamental parts of the fully reusable launch solution. Delays with Starship have seemingly led NASA to lose some confidence in SpaceX's ability to fulfil its contract for a lunar lander, which NASA has paid just over four billion dollars for, as Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy [said the following](https://x.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1980257227760955637?ref=proximareport.com) on *CNBC*: > "SpaceX had the contract for Artemis III ..., the problem is they're behind, they've pushed their timelines out–and were in a race against China. The President and I want to get to the Moon in this term, so I'm gonna open up the contract, I'm gonna let other space companies compete with SpaceX–like Blue Origin. Whatever one can get us there first, to the Moon, we're gonna take." [On *Fox News*](https://x.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1980243865400701369?ref=proximareport.com), Duffy added that he was confident that opening the contract up would see an American lunar landing before 2029\. Due to the government shutdown, NASA has yet to provide any details on how the companies may be incentivised to provide alternative lunar landers, but [*Ars Technica*'s Eric Berger suggests](https://x.com/SciGuySpace/status/1980268686805020893?ref=proximareport.com) that internally Duffy is aiming for a landing in 30 months (April 2028) on a potential cost-plus contract. > We are in a race against China so we need the best companies to operate at a speed that gets us to the Moon FIRST. > > SpaceX has the contract to build the HLS which will get U.S. astronauts there on Artemis III. > > But, competition and innovation are the keys to our dominance in… [pic.twitter.com/dAo0so5qqZ](https://t.co/dAo0so5qqZ?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy (@SecDuffyNASA) [October 20, 2025](https://twitter.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1980257227760955637?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy speaking on CNBC, [via Twitter](https://x.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1980257227760955637?ref=proximareport.com). One alternative lander may be sourced from Blue Origin, but not its [currently contracted crewed lander](https://spacenews.com/nasa-selects-blue-origin-to-develop-second-artemis-lunar-lander/?ref=proximareport.com). *Ars Technica* [revealed on October 2nd](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/10/how-america-fell-behind-china-in-the-lunar-space-race-and-how-it-can-catch-back-up/?ref=proximareport.com), based on government sources, that Blue Origin is exploring modifying the cargo-carrying Blue Moon Mark 1 lander with a pressurized crew module, at the request of an unnamed NASA official. The modified lander would reportedly not require refueling, but still need multiple flights, to bring astronauts to the surface and back into orbit afterwards. Lockheed Martin, which is behind the Orion spacecraft, is also looking at providing a lunar lander, sending the statement below to [multiple](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/duffy-to-open-up-artemis-hls-contract-to-ensure-u-s-beats-china-back-to-the-moon/?ref=proximareport.com) [media](https://payloadspace.com/duffy-opens-competition-to-speed-up-lunar-landing/?ref=proximareport.com) [outlets](https://spacenews.com/duffy-says-nasa-will-open-artemis-3-lander-contract-to-competition/?ref=proximareport.com): > "Throughout this year, Lockheed Martin has been performing significant technical and programmatic analysis for human lunar landers that would provide options to NASA for a safe solution to return humans to the Moon as quickly as possible. We have been working with a cross-industry team of companies and together we are looking forward to addressing Secretary Duffy's request to meet our country’s lunar objectives." SpaceX is yet to comment on any potential changes to its lunar lander contract, but Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk [went and hurled insults](https://bsky.app/profile/kaynouky.bsky.social/post/3m3pnfy3sv224?ref=proximareport.com) at NASA leadership on social media. Acting Administrator Duffy's move to source another lunar lander is part of a panic that China, with its own crewed lunar landing program [that's](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/mengzhou-soars-for-zero-altitude?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) [on](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/long-march-10-completes-second-static?utm%5Fsource=publication-search) [schedule](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/lanyue-lunar-lander-conducts-simulated?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) with realistic [hardware development](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/172334380/step-by-step-hardware-toward-the-moon?ref=proximareport.com), could put a person on the Moon before a U.S. effort. China's current landing target is before 2030, although October 2028 is probably the proper aim (the People's Republic's 80th birthday), and more critically, [the country isn't participating](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-is-not-racing-to-the-moon?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in what American policy makers perceive as a space race. ### Fight to lead NASA ![Sean Duffy (left) speaking at a NASA event in July 2025 and Jared Isaacman (right) during his Senate hearing in April 2025. ©Bill Ingalls/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/isaacman-duffy.png) Sean Duffy (left) speaking at a NASA event in July 2025 and Jared Isaacman (right) during his Senate hearing in April 2025\. ©Bill Ingalls/NASA As the Artemis III mission may switch landers, there's an ongoing battle for the leadership and future of NASA occurring. The [*Wall Street Journal* has recently reported](https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-nasa-administrator-conflict-b7df4877?ref=proximareport.com) that Sean Duffy and previously Trump-nominated billionaire space tourist Jared Isaacman have both been lobbying President Trump for the space agency's top job. In the background, Duffy has been pushing for NASA to be moved under the Department of Transportation (which [he also heads](https://www.transportation.gov/meet-secretary/us-transportation-secretary-sean-duffy?ref=proximareport.com)), likely meaning the agency wouldn't need an administrator. He also suggested that NASA might benefit of being part of the U.S. cabinet, ignoring that space science and research programs would then need to be managed in a federal agency with no experience doing so. Meanwhile. Isaacman has been wooing pro-Trump figures and donating to MAGA projects, going so far as to [support internationally illegal killings](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1979626699928002733?ref=proximareport.com), in the hopes of possibly leading the space agency. [In April](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-nasa-hearing), he got as far as a U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation hearing before Trump pulled his support, citing donations to Democrat candidates. Whoever ends up leading NASA will be guiding a greatly [defunded](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-six-months-trump?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) and [damaged](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-damage-to-nasa) space agency. The agency [may lose thousands](https://proximareport.com/articles/white-house-layoff-thousands-nasa) of employees while the U.S. government is shut down. ### Weekly Dose of Space (12/10-18/10) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-12-10-18-10/ Last updated: 2025-10-19T16:06:11.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw eight launches into orbit, with four in support of deploying space-based connectivity constellations. News from the week had one of China's first reusable rockets heading to the launch site while Ariane 6 lines up for two more missions this year. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *October 13th - Long March 2D with Shiyan-31* A Long March 2D launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying Shiyan-31 into a polar orbit. Shiyan-31 is said to be for verifying new optical imaging technologies. ![The Long March 2D Y92 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/02WnsWHZ-1.jpg) The Long March 2D Y92 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *October 14th - Starship-Super Heavy for its eleventh flight test* SpaceX had its in-development fully-reusable Starship-Super Heavy perform [its eleventh flight test](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-eleven), lifting off from South Texas. Flying for the test was Ship 38, for its first flight and the final launch of a 'Block 2' Starship, and Super Heavy Booster 15, flying for the second time. Both vehicles successfully splashed down afterwards. ![Starship-Super Heavy roasts its launch pad as it lifts off for its eleventh flight test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G3PhrgYW0AAvaOl.jpg) Starship-Super Heavy roasts its launch pad as it lifts off for its eleventh flight test. ©SpaceX ### *October 14th - Falcon 9 with KF-03* From Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, on October 14th, SpaceX's Falcon 9 flew into low Earth orbit carrying 24 satellites [for Amazon's Kuiper](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-spacex-kf03) constellation, bringing it up to 153 spacecraft. Supporting this mission was booster B1091, flying for the second time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G3MPw8YWYAAxpiF.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. ©SpaceX ### *October 14th - Electron for 'Owl New World'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying a StriX satellite into low Earth orbit from Synspective. The new StriX satellite is planned to collect data of the Earth below at a resolution between one and three meters. ![Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1A for a flight into low Earth orbit. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G3Pj29VaYAAxHqJ-1.jpg) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1A for a flight into low Earth orbit. ©Rocket Lab ### *October 16th - Falcon 9 with a Tranche 1 mission* Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-one satellites into polar orbit for the U.S. military. Booster 1093 supported this mission for its seventh flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for a Tranche 1 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G3Wn0a9XAAAfNL5-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for a Tranche 1 mission. ©SpaceX ### *October 16th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 12* A Long March 8A lifted off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site carrying nine satellites into low Earth orbit for China's Central Government-backed GuoWang constellation. This constellation now has 95 spacecraft in orbit, with it planned to provide internet connectivity services. ![The Long March 8A Y4 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/bafkreignlugqp2wa2gzfhjjhby5eiugb7brml3unui7i4p7xupnjvzjpae-1.jpg) The Long March 8A Y4 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site. ### *October 16th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-52* Another Falcon 9 flew from Space Launch Complex 40, carrying twenty-eight Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Flying in support of this mission was booster B1095, making its third flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *October 17th - Long March 6A with Qianfan Polar Group 18* Following a seven-month deployment pause, the Shanghai-supported Qianfan constellation saw its sixth launch to date with the deployment of its 'Polar Group 18'. That launch brought the constellation up to 108 spacecraft in orbit, ahead of plans to provide space-based internet services. ![The Long March 6A Y24 vehicle blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G3dOp6rXkAA9aUA-1.jpg) The Long March 6A Y24 vehicle blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Zhuque-3 nears debut flight* > Land to Infinity 《极限征途》 > > Across the dusty land, with stars and dawns - the journey of a rocket that never stops. > 穿越风尘与黎明，往返星辰与大地。 > > ZhuQue-3 (ZQ-3) Y1 is progressing steadily as planned. The launch vehicle has successfully completed transportation from our… [pic.twitter.com/WpU2vXnshS](https://t.co/WpU2vXnshS?ref=proximareport.com) > > — LandSpace (@LandSpace\_Tech) [October 17, 2025](https://twitter.com/LandSpace%5FTech/status/1979158729577893943?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) LandSpace's Zhuque-3 launch vehicle heading from its manufacturing facility to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, via [LandSpace on Twitter](https://x.com/LandSpace%5FTech/status/1979158729577893943?ref=proximareport.com). LandSpace's partially reusable liquid methane and liquid oxygen burning Zhuque-3 launch vehicle is closing in on its debut flight, with the company recently [sharing a short video](https://x.com/landspace%5Ftech/status/1979158729577893943?ref=proximareport.com) of hardware heading to its facility at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The first flight-bound Zhuque-3 vehicle has been at the launch site for most of the month, with it being [spotted on the launch pad](https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=62366.msg2725296&ref=proximareport.com#msg2725296) earlier in the week. Almost two months ago, LandSpace's Chief Executive Officer [Zhang Changwu said](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/zhuque-3-to-debut-in-september-or?utm%5Fsource=publication-search) that the company was hoping to fly Zhuque-3 in September optimistically or in November if challenges were faced, as October launches have to move aside for Shenzhou mission preparations. Back in June, Zhuque-3 had its booster design and control systems verified with a [45-second nine-engine static fire](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/landspace-fires-up-reusable-zhuque?utm%5Fsource=publication-search). In the now likely November debut flight, Zhuque-3 will carry a few satellites for bullish customers, with the first-stage booster equipped to attempt China's first booster recovery on a landing pad prepared downrange. ### *2025 to see two more Ariane 6s* Arianespace [announced on October 16th](https://newsroom.arianespace.com/ariane-6s-fourth-flight-of-2025-will-service-europes-galileo-satellite-navigation-system?ref=proximareport.com) that a fourth Ariane 6 vehicle, in the 62 configuration (two solid rocket boosters), is planned to fly this year, carrying a pair of Galileo satellites. The mission after that is planned to see Ariane 6's first 64 configuration (four solid rocket boosters), with the company writing: > "The first launch of the Ariane 6 with four boosters, the Ariane 64, is next to be launched after Galileo. Called mission VA267, it will orbit satellites of Amazon's Project Kuiper broadband constellation." Dates for the last mission of 2025 and the first of 2026 are expected to be announced around a month before flight. Ahead of both of those missions, Ariane 6 will launch the Copernicus Sentinel-1D satellite [on November 4th](https://newsroom.arianespace.com/arianespace-to-launch-eus-copernicus-sentinel-1d-satellite-on-november-4-2025-with-ariane-6?ref=proximareport.com). Once delivered to a sun-synchronous orbit, Sentinel-1D will provide free Earth observation data to worldwide users. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *October 19th - Kinetica-1 with a to-be-annouced payload* CAS Space's Kinetica-1 is preparing to fly from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center with a currently unconfirmed payload. ### *October 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-17* A Falcon 9 is planned to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 with a batch of Starlink satellites bound for low Earth orbit. ### *October 21st - H3 with HTV-X* Japan is planning to launch its H3 rocket, with four solid rocket boosters for the first time, into low Earth orbit from the Tanegashima Space Center for the HTV-X's first resupply mission to the International Space Station. ### *October 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-5* Another batch of Starlink satellites is set to head into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of a Falcon 9. ### *October 23rd - Falcon 9 with SpainSat-NG II* SpaceX's Falcon 9 is set to launch SpainSat-NG II into geostationary transfer orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *October 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-12* Yet another Falcon 9 is preparing to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E, carrying a batch of Starlink satellites. ### *October 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-21* Even more Starlink satellites are planned to head into low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 40. ### Dhruva Space: Charting India’s Rise in the Global Space Economy URL: https://proximareport.com/dhruva-space-charting-indias-rise-in-the-global-space-economy/ Last updated: 2025-10-15T19:13:07.000Z Founded in 2012, [Dhruva Space](https://www.dhruvaspace.com/?ref=proximareport.com) is a full-stack space engineering solution company based in Hyderabad, India, and has a growing European presence in Graz, Austria. From satellite platforms to separation systems, as well as ground infrastructure and mission operations, Dhruva is one of the few, and the only Indian based full-stack space company. Since its founding, the company has operated eight satellites across four launches. The most recent mission from Dhruva was for the company’s “Launching Expeditions for Aspiring Payloads” or LEAP program. Following a successful test demonstration during [LEAP-TD](https://www.dhruvaspace.com/dhruva-space-leap-td-mission?ref=proximareport.com), the company embarked on a critical mission this August: launching its first two customer payloads to orbit via a Falcon 9 rocket. With the success of [Leap-1](https://www.dhruvaspace.com/leap-1-mission?ref=proximareport.com) in their rear view mirrors and in a nation rapidly defining its role in the global space economy, Dhruva Space represents more than a company; it is a crucial piece of the next chapter of Indian space exploration. ## Charting India’s Role in the Global Space Economy and Dhruva's Vision for Space Access As Dhruva Space is growing both technically and internationally, we were interested in learning more about the company’s underlying goals and how it sees India’s changing place in the global space economy. In this interview with the team at Dhruva, we asked a handful of questions, from engineering philosophy to the future of the Indian space industry. Let's dive in! ### What excites you most about the “final frontier”? **Sanjay Nekkanti, CEO & Co-founder, Dhruva Space:** For Dhruva Space, Space is about exploration and building infrastructure that supports various impact areas such as climate monitoring, secure communications, global connectivity, disaster management, and scientific discovery. Our work spans satellite platforms, subsystems, ground systems, and mission services. Every element contributes to making access to space more routine and highlights the tremendous impact of space tech. So, the excitement comes from enabling others — whether it’s a research institute validating critical research, a Defense agency strengthening our borders, or an Enterprise scaling a new innovation. Every satellite we build, every payload we integrate, and every ground station we establish, adds a new capability, expanding the ecosystem and lowering the barrier for those sectors that have not yet gone to Space or leveraged Space-based data. That sense of compounding impact motivates us. ### How does Dhruva differentiate itself from others in India and globally? **Sanjay Nekkanti, Chief Executive Officer & Co-founder, Dhruva Space:** One of the biggest challenges in the current Space ecosystem is complexity and fragmentation in realizing a Space mission. It is a complex, costly, and time-intensive process experience by customers to secure a satellite bus with subsystems, launch facilitation, integration services, and ground infrastructure. Dhruva Space’s USP solves that customer pain point. We are one of the few companies globally, and the only one in India, offering end-to-end mission delivery under one roof. From satellite platforms and subsystems to launch facilitation and separation systems, as well as ground infrastructure and mission operations, we provide either an integrated solution or individual offerings depending on the requirement. Customers don’t have to manage multiple contracts; they can work with one partner who takes responsibility from design through launch and operations. This approach makes lead times for missions faster, more reliable, and more scalable. Globally, this positions us uniquely: we bring the agility of NewSpace companies, but with the systems discipline and reliability that Governments and Tier-1 OEMs expect. ### What is Dhruva’s vision for India’s role in the global Space economy over the next 10-20 years, and how does Dhruva itself seek to contribute? **Chaitanya Dora Surapureddy, Chief Financial Officer & Co-founder:** I think the future is very bright. The Decadal Vision released by India’s Space Regulatory body, [IN-SPACe](https://www.inspace.gov.in/inspace?ref=proximareport.com), envisions that satellite manufacturing shall comprise over 10% of the US$44 billion Indian space economy’s share in the global markets. With the country’s continued emphasis on expanding the space economy by five times in the next decade, Dhruva Space is well-positioned to capitalize on the dynamic Indian and global markets, driving innovation and delivering impactful solutions. It is clear that, to the Government and private sector alike, Space is a sector integral to nation-building. Dhruva Space’s mission is to help India get there. Today, we are industrializing satellite platforms, subsystems, and ground services so that customers can access Space faster, more reliably, and on a cost-effective basis. Tomorrow, these same capabilities will evolve into the building blocks of interplanetary infrastructure, including modular satellites, scalable operations, and ground systems that extend from Earth to the Moon and beyond. Our vision is that when humanity looks back twenty years from now, whether at constellations circling Earth or the first steps on Mars, Indian infrastructure will have been part of the backbone that made it possible. We also see Dhruva Space as an enabler for industries that have yet to tap into Space or leverage Space-based data in their operations, for example, fisheries & aquaculture, forestry & wildlife management, banking & finance. ### What were the biggest hurdles on your path to orbit? **Abhay Egoor, Chief Technology Officer & Co-founder, Dhruva Space:** Getting to orbit has been as much about solving systemic challenges as it has been about advancing technology. In our early years, the lack of accessible testing infrastructure was a significant hurdle. For the first three to four years, we had no launches and instead were focused on building foundational technologies. When the time came to test and qualify them, access to facilities was limited. We addressed this through a hybrid approach, working with both ISRO and private facilities, and were among the first private companies to sign formal agreements with IN-SPACe and ISRO. Even today, while Dhruva Space continues to invest in establishing our own facilities, infrastructure access remains an industry-wide bottleneck. Regulatory processes also required perseverance. Securing authorizations for spectrum, RF systems, and launch clearances often involved long timelines. However, because Dhruva Space was maturing alongside India’s evolving Space policy ecosystem, we built compliance into our mission design from the outset. Today, we have one of the strongest in-house Regulatory teams in India, and that capability has become a core part of our resilience. Additionally, a decade ago, it was rare to find engineers with direct experience in building and testing Space systems. We invested heavily in building talent pipelines, pairing talent with experienced professionals, and today our 200+-member team has become one of the most capable satellite engineering cohorts in India. For me, each of these hurdles was an opportunity to pivot and has enabled us to become more resourceful, making Dhruva stronger and more competitive. ## From Vision to Engineering Reality Now that we have a more comprehensive understanding of the space business and Dhruva's fast expanding mission, let's look at the engineering philosophy that enable it all. ### Dhruva has emphasized building an end-to-end Space infrastructure. From an engineering standpoint, how do you balance modularity and standardization with the need to tailor systems for specific customer missions? **Abhay Egoor:** At Dhruva Space, our philosophy has always been to design satellite platforms that are application-agnostic. This means they can host a wide variety of payloads across use cases such as Earth Observation, RF communications, technology demonstrations, or multiple payloads combined, without requiring a redesign each time. To make this possible, we have invested in developing three core classes of satellites. Each platform is sized and engineered to suit a particular spectrum of missions, whether that means a compact satellite for universities and technology demos, a nanosatellite capable of Earth Observation and RF applications, or a larger microsatellite able to host complex payloads that require fine point accuracy and higher power budgets. By doing so, we avoid reinventing the wheel for every mission and instead start from a standardized, flight-proven platform. Standardization, however, is only part of the solution. We combine it with modularity at the subsystem level, so every satellite is inherently customizable. For instance, one mission may demand a high-data-rate transmitter capable of handling 500 Mbps, while another may only need a transmitter operating at 50 Mbps. Rather than redesigning an entire spacecraft, we simply swap subsystems to deliver the most optimized and cost-effective configuration. It’s similar to how the automobile industry operates: a hatchback, sedan, and SUV each provide a familiar platform, but customers can choose variants based on their needs without altering the core design. This balance of standardization and modularity allows us to offer missions that are scalable, adaptable, and fast to deploy. Customers benefit from faster timelines, reduced cost, and proven reliability, while still receiving satellites tailored to their specific requirements. ### Following the successful deployment of LEAP-1, what is next for Dhruva, and what did you learn from previous missions that influenced it? ![Dhruva Space's LEAP-1 satellite that launched in August 2025 onboard SpaceX's Falcon 9](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/DhruvaSpace_LEAP1_sat--1-.jpg) Dhruva Space's LEAP-1 satellite that launched in August 2025 onboard [SpaceX's](https://www.spacex.com/?ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 ****Credit: Dhruva Space** **Sanjay Nekkanti**: LEAP-1 is an essential milestone as Dhruva Space’s first commercial mission, with more companies leveraging our LEAP initiative in the coming years. Tier 1 global OEMs such as [Sodern](https://sodern.com/en?ref=proximareport.com), [ArianeGroup](https://ariane.group/en?ref=proximareport.com), and emerging startups are lined up for future LEAP missions. Of course, to realize these many missions in these on-demand TATs, we have noted the need for the necessary infrastructure. That said, construction is underway for Dhruva Space’s 280,000-square-foot facility in Hyderabad, with the first phase being operational in early 2026\. This site will allow us to scale production of satellites in the 300–500 kg class while supporting a broader portfolio of mission-critical subsystems, including Space-grade Solar Panels. The facility is designed not just for scale, but also for speed and repeatability, bringing Space manufacturing practices closer to industrial production standards. We are also actively doubling down on our Ground segment capabilities. As the first Indian company to be authorized by the GOI to provide GSaaS, we are expanding our sovereign ground station network and advancing our proprietary mission operations software, Integrated Space Operations & Command Suite (ISOCS), which will enable customers to truly own, track, and command their Space assets in orbit. **Abhay Egoor**: LEAP-1 marked a significant milestone for Dhruva as our first complete standalone commercial mission using the P-30 satellite platform. Nearly all subsystems were indigenized in-house, from the ADCS and solar panels to onboard computers and communications chains. The mission was as much a validation of our engineering as it was a demonstration of our operational maturity. The lessons we carried into LEAP-1 came directly from earlier missions. Ground testing had to be exhaustive, because designs that worked in the lab could still fail under the stresses of launch. As a result, we developed highly detailed test plans to validate every function before flight. We also recognized the importance of operational readiness. LEAP-1 was a mission where we operated end-to-end, in terms of mission planning, ground station communications, and the satellite’s in-orbit modes. That experience expanded our role from manufacturer to full mission partner. Most importantly, LEAP-1 confirmed the value of our modular design philosophy. Because subsystems were swappable and integration-friendly, assembly was streamlined and scalable. And because the platform was designed to accept customer payloads without modification, we were able to integrate a third-party payload seamlessly in terms of structure, electrical connections, and thermal compatibility. That ability to take responsibility for the entire mission validated Dhruva’s model and set the tone for future missions. ### Additive manufacturing, composites, and sustainability are transforming spacecraft production. Which advanced manufacturing techniques is Dhruva integrating into your supply chain, and how are you designing for responsible de-orbiting or on-orbit servicing? **Abhay Egoor**: We see additive manufacturing as a powerful tool, but we are deliberate in how we use it. While we do not yet rely heavily on metal additive manufacturing for Spacecraft, we are actively exploring multi-material approaches where a single component can be fabricated with different materials in one build. For instance, a polymer structure with embedded metal inserts can be manufactured as a single part, eliminating joints, reducing weight, and improving reliability. We also make extensive use of carbon-fiber composites. Their strength-to-weight ratio makes them ideal for reducing mass while maintaining structural integrity. Our engineers have developed innovative ways to apply them to optimize subsystems where every gram counts. Regardless of the method, every part undergoes rigorous validation. Additive and composite components are subjected to the same environmental, thermal, and mechanical testing as traditional parts. There are no shortcuts. In Space, every piece of hardware must be proven flight-ready. For us, advanced manufacturing is about enabling smarter, lighter, and more reliable designs that ultimately expand the capability of our satellites without compromising dependability. **Abhay Egoor**: Sustainability is not an afterthought for us, but is embedded in how we design satellites. Even though there is not yet a strict mandate in India for de-orbiting, Dhruva Space has made a conscious decision that all satellites above a specific mass class will be equipped with propulsion systems. This capability serves two vital purposes. First, it enables collision avoidance, allowing satellites to maneuver away from potential conjunctions and reduce the risk of in-orbit collisions. Second, it ensures responsible end-of-life management. By dedicating propellant mass specifically for de-orbiting, we guarantee that our satellites re-enter the atmosphere and burn up, rather than lingering as Space debris. We are also closely tracking advancements in on-orbit servicing and debris removal, and we design our platforms with the flexibility to integrate with these frameworks as they mature. The principle is simple – every satellite we put up should also have a clear and responsible plan for how it comes down. That way, our customers benefit from reliable missions, and the industry as a whole benefits from cleaner, safer orbits. ### Ground Stations are often the unsung heroes of Space missions. How are you approaching RF challenges like interference, bandwidth demand, and antenna design? ![Dhruva Space's 3.8m S&X band antenna in Hyderabad](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/DhruvaSpaceIITHyd_2025.jpg) Dhruva Space's 3.8m S&X band antenna in Hyderabad Credit: Dhruva Space **Abhay Egoor:** Ground stations are critical — a mission is only as good as the data you can get back. Dhruva today has access to 13 ground stations across 10 countries, through its own infrastructure in Hyderabad and partnerships with companies like Infostellar and SSC. This global footprint provides redundancy during critical phases like the Launch Early Orbit Phase (LEOP), resilience against local interference, and broader coverage for data-intensive missions. From an engineering standpoint, we address challenges on both the Avionics and Software sides. High-gain dual-band antennas provide reliable links for both telemetry and high-speed downlink, while adaptive filtering and software-defined radios let us optimize signals in real time. The aim is straightforward: to make the ground segment as scalable, resilient, and dependable as the satellites it supports. ### And lastly, if you had unlimited resources to send a spacecraft anywhere in our solar system, where would you send it? Why? **Abhay Egoor:** If resources were unlimited, I would look beyond our solar system. We already know a great deal about our immediate planetary neighbors, but what fascinates me most is the unknown that lies outside. For me, exploration has never been only about finding answers; it has always been about asking bigger, better questions. The James Webb Space Telescope has shown us breathtaking glimpses of galaxies, star systems, and cosmic phenomena we barely understand. Those images are humbling and exhilarating at the same time. They remind us of how small we are, and how much remains to be discovered. ## The Future Looks Bright As India continues to push the envelope in the rapidly growing and evolving space industry, Dhruva Space is setting itself up to be a key player, both for India and nations abroad. The vision Dhruva has for the future is nothing short of awe inspiring. Like many others who look to the stars, Dhruva seeks to open the doors to space and to peer into our cosmos like never before. Its massive facility that is under construction in Hyderabad and a growing international presence signals what is to come: more missions, more innovation and a new area of space accessibility. As India begins its trek towards the stars, Dhruva Space stands at the heart of this movement—quietly building the infrastructure on Earth and in-space, that will make such endeavors possible. ### Closing Remarks A special thanks to **Siddharth Varanasi** for his communication and to **Vikranth** for helping us land the interview! If you would like to stay up to date on Dhruva Space and their missions, give them a follow on their social medias, or head to their website, [here!](https://www.dhruvaspace.com/?ref=proximareport.com) ### Falcon 9 Delivers Amazon's Sixth Group of Kuiper Satellites URL: https://proximareport.com/amazon-spacex-kf03/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T19:01:29.000Z Amazon's network of Kuiper satellites has seen another group reach orbit via a Falcon 9 launch earlier today. From Space Launch Complex 40 on October 14th, SpaceX's Falcon 9 flew into low Earth orbit carrying 24 satellites for the Kuiper constellation, Amazon's space-based internet providing service. About an hour [after launch](https://www.spacex.com/launches/kf-03?ref=proximareport.com), the group of satellites, for Kuiper's sixth overall, was [released](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1977933439065039125?ref=proximareport.com) in under eight minutes. With Falcon 9 being a partially reusable launch vehicle, booster B1091 was flying for the second time [in support of](https://nextspaceflight.com/reuse/178/?ref=proximareport.com) Kuiper deployments. After providing the ascent through most of the atmosphere, B1091 landed downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. > And touchdown. [pic.twitter.com/DCh8vkwsXX](https://t.co/DCh8vkwsXX?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NSF - NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight) [October 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1977919118356476293?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 40 and booster B1091 landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions', via [NASASpaceflight on Twitter](https://x.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1977919118356476293?ref=proximareport.com). Following this launch, Amazon has 153 Kuiper satellites in orbit for its planned 3,236 constellation. The third group of 24 satellites launched [with](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-kuiper-falcon-first?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) [SpaceX](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-falcon-kf02?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) was the constellation's sixth overall, with the [other](https://proximareport.com/articles/ula-amazon-ka03) [three](https://proximareport.com/articles/atlas-second-kuiper-amazon?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) [delivered](https://proximareport.com/articles/kuiper-blasts-off-atop-atlas?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) via United Launch Alliance. The launch of Amazon's sixth set of Kuiper satellites was also the final time the constellation will fly with SpaceX, as the launch company has successfully provided the [three booked launches](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-project-kuiper-spacex-launch?ref=proximareport.com). Launches of Kuiper satellites with SpaceX were the result of [a shareholder lawsuit](https://tech.yahoo.com/science/articles/amazon-launch-three-falcon-9-194814975.html?guccounter=1&ref=proximareport.com). Today's and other Kuiper satellites are heading toward an orbital altitude of around 630 kilometers to start providing internet services to customers. Following the deployment of further satellites, services from Kuiper are planned to be available later this year at speeds of [up to one gigabit per second](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/heres-your-first-look-at-project-kuipers-low-cost-customer-terminals?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), a [feat demonstrated](https://x.com/ProjectKuiper/status/1963340129948283016?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) last month. In order to meet a deadline with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, half of the Kuiper constellation, approximately 1,600 satellites, will need to be launched by mid-2026\. Currently, Amazon [has bought over eighty launches](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-makes-historic-launch-investment-to-advance-project-kuiper?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) to deploy the constellation from a variety of American and European launch providers. ### Competition over Kazakhstan Toward the [end of September](https://press.aboutamazon.com/innovation/2025/9/kazakhtelecom-announces-agreement-to-bring-project-kuiper-satellite-internet-to-kazakhstan?ref=proximareport.com), Amazon announced that the Kuiper constellation is expanding into Kazakhstan through a partnership with Kazakhtelecom. Through their partnership, Kazakhtelecom will connect its service offerings to Amazon's satellites to provide connectivity to households, businesses, and schools. Speaking on the agreement, Lisa Scalpone, Kuiper’s Head of Worldwide Consumer, shared: > "Project Kuiper is designed to provide fast, reliable internet to customers and communities around the world. We’re proud to be working with Kazakhtelecom as our first partner in the Central Asia and Caucasus region." – "We look forward helping spur technology adoption and economic growth across the country through our collaboration." Kuiper is not the first U.S. internet-providing constellation operating in the Central Asian nation, with SpaceX's Starlink being granted permission to operate [in August](https://caspiannews.com/news-detail/starlink-launches-satellite-internet-in-kazakhstan-2025-8-14-34/?ref=proximareport.com). With over 8,000 spacecraft, Starlink is the premier connectivity constellation, leading it to have [over seven million](https://x.com/Starlink/status/1960867340951937239?ref=proximareport.com) users after a few years of being commercially available. Besides the two American options, the Chinese Shanghai government-supported Qianfan constellation is preparing to offer connectivity services in Kazakhstan sometime in 2026\. [Ahead of that](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/qianfan-tests-in-kazakhstan-awards?utm%5Fsource=publication-search), a subsidiary has been set up in the nation, along with testing between satellites and consumer equipment in remote regions to demonstrate real-world services. To date, Qianfan has deployed 90 satellites out of a planned 15,000. Privately-backed Chinese constellations are also moving into the country, with automaker Geely's Future Mobility Constellation, currently [boasting 64 satellites](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/147539531/geely-future-mobility-constellation?ref=proximareport.com), having [signed a cooperation agreement](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/geespace%5Fgeespace-and-satlas-join-forces-to-accelerate-activity-7383392997234671616-uxX7/?rcm=ACoAADPrrp0B42OTD3pICNiphuCaOsv8nlxTxn4&ref=proximareport.com) with Kazakh company SATLAS. Through their agreement, the Kazakh side will work through Central Asian regulatory approvals, frequency coordination, and licensing to provide Geely's space-based connectivity and positioning services. With the four constellations operating in the country, their operators will compete with each other to offer the most compelling service, likely driving down prices to the benefit of Kazakh consumers. --- ## What is Falcon 9? Falcon 9 is currently the world's only operational partially reusable medium-lift launch vehicle. The rocket is manufactured and operated by the American space company SpaceX. Falcon 9 currently launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, and Cape Canaveral, in Florida. For recovery, Falcon 9 has four grid fins and four landing legs on the first-stage. The first stage either lands vertically on a drone ship or a landing pad back near its launch site, landing back at the launch site causes a reduction in payload capacity. SpaceX claims that Falcon 9 can send up to 22,800 kilograms into low Earth orbit when expended or 18,400 kilograms when reused. Similarly, it can send up to 8,300 kilograms into geosynchronous transfer orbit when expended or 5,500 kilograms when reused. The first-stage is powered by nine Merlin 1D engines burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 771 tons of thrust. The second-stage is powered by a single Merlin 1D vacuum engine burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 95 tons of thrust. On the pad, the rocket is 70 meters tall with the first and second stages 3.7 meters in diameter, the fairing is 5.2 meters in diameter and tapers out from the top of the second-stage. Fully fuelled Falcon 9 weighs approximately 549,000 kilograms. ### SpaceX Completes Final 'Block 2' Starship-Super Heavy Test URL: https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-eleven/ Last updated: 2025-10-14T02:39:30.000Z Starship-Super Heavy [performed](https://www.spacex.com/launches/starship-flight-11?ref=proximareport.com) the vehicle's second and final successful 'Block 2' flight ahead of a critical design change. Two weeks ago, [SpaceX announced](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-pre-flight-eleven) that Ship 38, for its first flight and the final launch of a 'Block 2' Starship, and Super Heavy Booster 15, flying for the second time, were set to perform Starship-Super Heavy's eleventh flight test and the final flight [from Pad 1](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1977437926041825737?ref=proximareport.com) in its current design. Details shared before the test flight said that Ship 38 would release eight dummy Starlink satellites and perform an in-space demonstration burn, before splashdown in the Indian Ocean, with Booster 15 demonstrating a new landing burn above the Gulf of Mexico. With Pad 1's deluge system activated, thirty-three Raptor engines ignited under Booster 15 to carry it and Ship 38 skyward. No engines went out on ascent this flight. > Liftoff of Starship! [pic.twitter.com/sbfmGAEPa6](https://t.co/sbfmGAEPa6?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 13, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1977878290489643190?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Starship-Super Heavy lifting off for the eleventh time to perform the vehicles latest flight test, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1977878290489643190?ref=proximareport.com). After a nominal ascent, Booster 15 shut down all but three of its engines while angling into a staging position. A few moments later, Ship 38 ignited its three sea-level and three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines to separate and continue up toward space. > Starship’s Raptor engines ignite during hot-staging separation. Super Heavy is boosting back towards its splashdown site and preparing for its landing burn experiment [pic.twitter.com/oCy90IFitO](https://t.co/oCy90IFitO?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 13, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1977879026489548943?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 38 staging from Booster 15 during ascent through the atmosphere, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1977879026489548943?ref=proximareport.com). Following vehicle separation, the booster began to mostly head back toward the launch site, with all but one of the thirteen engines relighting. Despite that the booster performed its unpowered descent toward the Gulf as planned, it then ignited thirteen engines, dropping to five, then three for a hard splashdown. > Super Heavy has splashed down in the Gulf of America, gathering data for the next generation booster [pic.twitter.com/o72ciKBZYm](https://t.co/o72ciKBZYm?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 13, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1977880014348759495?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Super Heavy Booster 15 splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1977880014348759495?ref=proximareport.com). Meanwhile, Ship 38 was heading toward space for its suborbital trajectory. That was achieved when three vacuum-optimized engines shut down, followed by the three sea-level Raptors for Starship 'Block 2's second and final successful ascent. > Starship’s ascent burn is complete and is now coasting through space [pic.twitter.com/UrNg19ElX5](https://t.co/UrNg19ElX5?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 13, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1977880790609662303?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 38 shutting down its six Raptor engines to complete ascent, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1977880790609662303?ref=proximareport.com). After the ascent, Ship 38 began performing its in-space demonstration. The first of which was the deployment of eight dummy Starlink satellites through a small door on the vehicle. > Starship has successfully deployed our [@Starlink](https://twitter.com/Starlink?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) simulators [pic.twitter.com/muNMalZkbT](https://t.co/muNMalZkbT?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 13, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1977884820484272524?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 38 realising dummy Starlink satellites out into space, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1977884820484272524?ref=proximareport.com). Once the dummy satellites were released, a single sea-level Raptor relit to demonstrate an in-space burn. > Starship has successfully ignited one of its Raptor engines while in space [pic.twitter.com/1OCFl5icUe](https://t.co/1OCFl5icUe?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1977888178406359071?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) A single Raptor sea-level engine performing an in-space demonstration burn, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1977888178406359071?ref=proximareport.com). With the demonstrations completed, Ship 38 powered towards its descent, entering through the heat of atmospheric reentry. > Live views brought to you by [@Starlink](https://twitter.com/Starlink?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/6uFFPLEaQr](https://t.co/6uFFPLEaQr?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1977890304897499511?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 38 during atmospheric reentry toward the end of its suborbital trajectory, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1977890304897499511?ref=proximareport.com). During the descent, Ship 38 performed the first controlled banking following atmospheric reentry. That guided the vehicle toward a selected spot in the Indian Ocean. > Starship is executing a banking maneuver that mimics the final approach it would take while returning to Starbase for a catch on a future mission [pic.twitter.com/t4Al1xg7Xe](https://t.co/t4Al1xg7Xe?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1977893017421070424?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 38 banking to steer its descent through the atmosphere, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1977893017421070424?ref=proximareport.com). Following the second and final toasty reentry of Starship 'Block 2', Ship 38 transitioned into its 'bellyflop' position to slow the vehicle for the final few kilometers of flight. With seconds left in descent, three sea-level Raptors reignited for the 'flip-and-burn', bringing the vehicle to a soft splashdown. Seconds later, the vehicle fell sideways and exploded, sending its nose flying. > Splashdown confirmed! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on an exciting eleventh flight test of Starship! [pic.twitter.com/llcIvNZFfg](https://t.co/llcIvNZFfg?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1977895039318864296?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 38 performing its splashdown in the Indian Ocean, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1977895039318864296?ref=proximareport.com). ### What's next for Starship? With Starship-Super Heavy having conducted its final 'Block 2' test flight, all development efforts for the launch vehicle are being shifted toward 'Block 3', with its taller Ships, Boosters, alongside production Raptor 3 engines, and a brand new launch pad. It remains to be seen if a 'Block 3' Starship will have any changes to the flight plan. Test flight thirteen of the Starship program could be the earliest an orbital flight could occur, likely sometime in 2026. This year was previously planned to be a key year for the Starship program, as a Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer was expected by NASA, now moved many months into 2026 as this year saw [three failures before success](https://proximareport.com/articles/flight-10-spacex?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). Propellant transfer between two vehicles is critical for getting the Starship lunar lander out to the Moon, and returning American astronauts to the surface through the Artemis program. --- ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-four meters tall and weighs 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ![Starship-Super Heavy stood atop of Pad 1 ahead of the vehicle's eleventh flight test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G3FurnsWUAAkAYQ.jpg) Starship-Super Heavy stood atop of Pad 1 ahead of the vehicle's eleventh flight test. ©SpaceX ### What is Starship? Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Starship is believed to weigh 1,300,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. In order to survive re-entry for reuse, Starship has several thousand thermal protection tiles on one side of the vehicle and on all four of its aerodynamic control surfaces. The four control surfaces help guide the vehicle during re-entry and prior to landing inside the atmosphere at a pre-determined location. Starship also has a series of small thrusters to control the vehicle in space before re-entry. SpaceX is believed to be working on a few variants of Starship for use as a Moon lander, propellant tanker, space station, Mars lander, and as a crewed spacecraft. ![Ship 38 heading from Starbases production site to the launch site. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G3BDrEGWsAAffyy-1.jpg) Ship 38 heading from Starbases production site to the launch site. ©SpaceX ### What is Super Heavy? Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. To enable the reuse of Super Heavy, the vehicle has four large grid fins placed in the interstage to assist in guiding and controlling during descent. Super Heavy also has four chines running along the lower third of it to generate lift and assist in stabilization. Shortly after completing the ascent, Super Heavy relights ten engines, as three were running during staging, and performs a 'boost back' burn in order to return to the launch site. After the 'boost back' burn is completed the engines shut down with Super Heavy being guided by a series of small thrusters and its grid fins. Once Super Heavy is at the correct altitude above its landing location three engines start back up for the landing burn. SpaceX currently plans to have Super Heavy land back at the launch site, or at sea if a problem is detected during descent Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ![Super Heavy Booster 15 heading past Starbases production site toward the launch site. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G2xeuzAaUAEf7qQ.jpg) Super Heavy Booster 15 heading past Starbases production site toward the launch site. ©SpaceX ### Weekly Dose of Space (5/10-11/10) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-5-10-11-10/ Last updated: 2025-10-12T17:57:29.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had just four launches worldwide, including a rocket that hasn't flown in many months. News from the week had New Glenn moving toward its second flight, a private launch company in China stepping toward their debut reusable rocket flight, and Stoke Space raising new funding. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *October 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-59* SpaceX's Falcon 9 delivered twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1090 supported this launch, flying for the eighth time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Twenty-eight Starlink satellites seen from Falcon 9's second-stage ahead of deployment. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G2pP-FXa8AArQyT.jpg) Twenty-eight Starlink satellites seen from Falcon 9's second-stage ahead of deployment. ©SpaceX ### *October 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-17* Another twenty-eight Starlink satellites were launched atop of Falcon 9 into low Earth orbit out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1071 for its twenty-ninth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 11-17 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G2ttqaGbIAMi3sA-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 11-17 mission. ©SpaceX ### *October 8th - New Shepard for NS-36* Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket flew a suborbital tourism mission from the company's West Texas launch site, carrying Aaron Newman, Jeff Elgin, Vitalii Ostrovsky, Danna Karagussova, William Lewis, and Clint Kelly (a repeat customer) above the Kármán line. Booster NS4 supported this flight, for its sixteenth mission, along with capsule RSS First Step, flying for the fifteenth time. > 🔁 NS-36 Replay: Booster Touchdown! [pic.twitter.com/Yugpdh5TVl](https://t.co/Yugpdh5TVl?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) [October 8, 2025](https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1975944381895983224?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Shepard booster NS4 touching down at Blue Origin's West Texas facility, via [Blue Origin on Twtiter](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1975944381895983224?ref=proximareport.com). ### *October 11th - Gravity-1 with three satellites* Orienspace's Gravity-1 launch vehicle performed its second flight, after a twenty-one-month gap, from a sea-launch platform in the Yellow Sea near the city of Haiyang for a flight into sun-synchronous orbit. Atop of the rocket were the Shutianyu 01 and 02 space monitoring satellites, planned to image orbital debris, and the remote sensing Jiangsu Geological Satellite for measuring mineral resources as well as monitoring land usage. ![The Gravity-1 Y2 vehicle during first-stage flight from its sea-launch platform in the Yellow Sea.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/4c062d3cly1i68ip0mibxj20u013z0v5-1.jpg) The Gravity-1 Y2 vehicle during first-stage flight from its sea-launch platform in the Yellow Sea. ## **In Other Space News** ### *New Glenn prepares for second flight* > Lots going on today, but thought you might want another shot of the booster on the move. [pic.twitter.com/abdNooS8u2](https://t.co/abdNooS8u2?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Dave Limp (@davill) [October 8, 2025](https://twitter.com/davill/status/1975959000132038664?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Glenn's first-stage being transported to its launch pad, via [Dave Limp on Twitter](https://x.com/davill/status/1975959000132038664?ref=proximareport.com). Nine months ago, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket [flew its debut mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/new-glenn-soars-in-debut-mission) from Launch Complex 36, in Florida. Recently, the company has been moving toward flying the vehicle second mission, this time carrying NASA's ESCAPADE duo toward Mars. Just over two weeks ago, the company's Chief Executive Officer, Dave Limp, [revealed the name](https://x.com/davill/status/1972018031716135261?ref=proximareport.com) of New Glenn's second first-stage booster, calling it 'Never Tell Me The Odds'. He also shared: > "I think the odds of landing this booster are a lot better than 3,720-to-1\. Both strakes are in place, and BE-4 installation is well underway. Great job by the team as we continue getting our second booster ready for launch." [On October 8th](https://x.com/davill/status/1975959000132038664?ref=proximareport.com), 'Never Tell Me The Odds' was on the move toward the launch pad, equipped with its seven BE-4 engines with thermal protective fabric and panels installed. Several hours later, the booster [arrived at](https://x.com/davill/status/1976075227827405186?ref=proximareport.com) Launch Complex 36 for [connection to](https://x.com/davill/status/1976757458195693987?ref=proximareport.com) New Glenn's second-stage. > With New Glenn’s arrival at our Integration Facility, we’re starting the first and second stage mate. Here is a quick view. [pic.twitter.com/BdwHFXfH3J](https://t.co/BdwHFXfH3J?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Dave Limp (@davill) [October 10, 2025](https://twitter.com/davill/status/1976757458195693987?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Glenn first-stage booster 'Never Tell Me The Odds' and its second-stage undergoing launch preparations at Launch Complex 36, via [Dave Limp on Twitter](https://x.com/davill/status/1976757458195693987?ref=proximareport.com). A few steps are left before New Glenn can fly for a second time, with major milestones being integration of the two ESCAPADE spacecraft and a static fire of the first-stage, firing up all seven of its engines for a few seconds. In the lead-up to a second launch, Blue Origin was [awarded 78.2 million](https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-wins-78-2-million-contract-to-expand-satellite-processing-infrastructure-at-cape-canaveral/?ref=proximareport.com) United States Dollars from the United States Space Force to expand satellite processing facilities in Florida. That facility should be open by 2028 for use by multiple launch providers. ### *iSpace opens Hyperbola-3 refurbishment facility* ![iSpace’s new facility for processing Hyperbola-3 at Wenchang, with the Wenchang Space Launch Site's Vehicle Assembly Buildings in the distance.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/006Su8pSly1i66b89xg8fj30zk0jvdx8.jpg) iSpace’s new facility for processing Hyperbola-3 at Wenchang, with the Wenchang Space Launch Site's Vehicle Assembly Buildings in the distance. iSpace [shared on October 9th](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/dh72d9p10iZMyBDOutHeJQ?ref=proximareport.com) that its Hyperbola-3 launch vehicle processing and refurbishment facility, [neighbouring](https://weibo.com/6509600169/Q8lZSptWO?ref=proximareport.com) the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, has completed construction. The 28,800 square meter typhoon-resistant facility is [claimed to be China’s first](https://weibo.com/7743278955/Q8kzZrvep?ref=proximareport.com) reusable rocket refurbishment plant, with its opening ceremony attended by Hainan province’s government and party committee, Wenchang’s government and party committee, and relevant officials from the region’s space administration. At the ceremony, company Chairman Peng Xiaobo expressed his thanks for government support in the facilities construction and efforts to have it completed on time. He also added that the processing and refurbishment facility will be the foundation of iSpace’s reusable rocket operations. In [news related](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/8TKvV6fs24B%5FdcbHyX8fYQ?ref=proximareport.com) to the opening ceremony, it was announced that Hyperbola-3, iSpace’s two-stage partially reusable rocket, is planned to fly for the first time in the fourth quarter of the year. Hyperbola-3’s debut flight is expected to be prepared in the new facility, before heading to the nearby Commercial Launch Pad 2 for launch. ### *Stoke Space raises 510 million* Stoke Space [announced on October 8th](https://www.stokespace.com/stoke-space-technologies-raises-510-million-to-scale-manufacturing-of-fully-reusable-nova-launch-vehicle/?ref=proximareport.com) that they have completed their Series D funding round, raising 510 million United States Dollars. Investors in this round include the US Innovative Technology Fund, Washington Harbour Partners LP, General Innovation Capital Partners 776, Breakthrough Energy, Glade Brook Capital, Industrious Ventures, NFX, Sparta Group, Toyota Ventures, Woven Capital, and others. With the new funding, the company plans to expand production capacity for the Nova launch vehicle, complete activation of Launch Complex 14, in Florida, and prepare for high-cadence launch operations. Stoke Space's Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Andy Lapsa, added: > "This funding gives us the runway to complete development and demonstrate Nova through its first flights" – "We’ve designed Nova to address a real gap in launch capacity, and the National Security Space Launch award, along with our substantial manifest of contracted commercial launches, affirms that need. The fresh support from our investors and government partners enables our team to remain laser focused on bringing Nova’s unique capabilities to market." One of the company's investors, the US Innovative Technology Fund, also noted: > "Stoke’s pioneering approach to reusable launch systems directly advances our national security and commercial access to orbit. Their vision for resilient, high-frequency launch operations is the kind of innovation essential to maintaining leadership in the space industry. We’re proud to support their mission in defining the next chapter of U.S. aerospace." ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *October 13th - Falcon 9 for KF-03* SpaceX is preparing to launch twenty-four Kuiper satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 to expand Amazon's internet constellation. ### *October 14th - Starship-Super Heavy for its eleventh flight test* SpaceX is planning to launch [Starship-Super Heavy's eleventh flight test](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-pre-flight-eleven?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) using Booster 15, for its second flight, and Ship 38, flying for the first time. ### *October 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-52* Twenty-eight Starlink satellites are planned to be launched atop of a Falcon 9 into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *October 14th - Electron for 'Owl New World'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket is set to fly from Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying a single satellite into low Earth orbit for Synspective. ### *October 15th - Falcon 9 for a Tranche-1 mission* Falcon 9 is planned to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying twenty-one satellites into low Earth orbit for the U.S. military. ### *October 16th - Long March 8A for a mega-constellation?* A Long March 8A is preparing to fly from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, and may carry either a group of satellites for the GuoWang or Qianfan into low Earth orbit. ### *October 17th - Falcon with Starlink Group 10-17* Another twenty-eight Starlink satellites are preparing to head into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *October 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-19* Even more Starlink satellites will be sent to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### Weekly Dose of Space (28/9-4/10) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-28-9-4-10/ Last updated: 2025-10-06T05:58:41.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week in space saw four launches taking place worldwide, with the majority supporting connectivity constellations. Notable news from the week includes Intuitive Machines acquiring Kinetix, Inversion Space unveiling a new spacecraft, and the first time a protoplanet has been directly observed. We'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule looks like next week. ## **Launches This Week** **This week was a bit slower when it came to launches than the previous one with four launches taking place around the world.** ### *September 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-20* ![Long-exposure photo of a rocket launch at dusk, showing a bright arc of exhaust trail as the rocket ascends into space, with twilight skies and faint clouds illuminated above the launch site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G1_Nb0nXgAA9nWb.jpg) Kicking things off, on Sunday [SpaceX](https://spacex.com/?ref=proximareport.com) launched another 28 V2 Starlink's to LEO onboard Booster 1063\. This was the boosters 28th overall flight which saw the booster land safely down range on the "Of Course I still Love You" drone ship. ### *September 28th - Long March 2D with Shiyan 30 01-02* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/Shiyan30-01-02-CZ2D-XSLC-29sept2025-CASC.webp) Long March 2D lifts off carrying a pair of Shiyan satellites to LEO ****Credit: CASC** Across the pacific, in China, a Long March 2D carried two experimental Shiyan satellites to Low Earth Orbit. While little is known about the *exact* purpose of these satellites, they are likely going to test hardware for future missions; from sensors and cameras to communication equipment. ### *September 30th - Electron for Justin (HASTE)* Following last weeks successful "Jenna" launch, [Rocket Lab](https://rocketlabcorp.com/?ref=proximareport.com) launched Justin on a suborbital trajectory for an unknown customer with an unknown payload. This is apart of the companies [HASTE](https://rocketlabcorp.com/launch/haste?ref=proximareport.com) (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) program. ### *October 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-39* ![A Falcon 9 rocket launches at dawn from Vandenberg Space Force Base, engines blazing with fiery exhaust and billowing smoke as the vehicle ascends into the cloudy sky above.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G2WKw54WoAAepNI.jpg) Wrapping out the week as it began, SpaceX launched another 28 [Starlink](https://www.starlink.com/?referral=RC-481067-34312-6&utm%5Fsource=google&utm%5Fmedium=paid&utm%5Fcampaign=sls%5Fus%5Fsrc%5Fggl%5Fbrd%5Fstk-pe&utm%5Fcontent=sls%5Fus%5Fsrc%5Fggl%5Fbrd%5Fstk-pe%5Fres%5Fgsa%5Fv4s%5Ftxt%5Fen-us%5Fegn&utm%5Fterm=stk-pe%5Fstarlink) V2 satellites to LEO aboard Falcon 9 B1097, the boosters 2nd flight. Drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" once again was the down range landing pad, its 155th successful Falcon 9 recovery. ### ## **In Other Space News** ### *I*nversion Unveil Arc ### ![“Inversion’s Arc spacecraft orbiting above Earth, showing its sleek lifting-body design with a pointed black nose, smooth white fuselage, and a large solar array extending from the aft section against the backdrop of space and the planet below.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/6fa855806fd19d1b44b1fa53114264a8f310ddc5-3840x2160.webp) Render of Inversion's Arc spacecraft orbiting above Earth ****Credit: Inversion Space** On October 1st, [Inversion](https://www.inversionspace.com/?ref=proximareport.com), a California-based aerospace startup, unveiled [*Arc*](https://www.inversionspace.com/arc?ref=proximareport.com), a compact, reusable spacecraft. Building off their first successful mission, Arc promises rapid delivery of supplies to nearly anywhere on the planet. At just 1.2M wide and 2.4M long, Arc will use its lifting body, along with control surfaces at its aft, to soar back down to Earth from orbit. To land, the spacecraft will deploy a parachute and control itself like a hang glider, similar to how [NASA's experimental X-38](https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/aircraft/x-38-prototype?ref=proximareport.com) did. Inversion claims Arc can stay on-orbit for up to five years, acting as a reusable satellite. Currently, the company is planning for a 2026 flight of Arc. ### *Intuitive* Machines Acquires Kinetix ![Intuitive Machines lunar lander Odysseus (IM-1) spacecraft displayed in front of the American flag before its Moon mission, part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/97e97b_5a67c6c995e34b1da798d0dfe0503545-mv2.webp) Intuitive Machines 'Athena' lander that flew for IM-2 back in February of 2025 ****Credit: Intuitive Machines** While hype and anticipation were growing for Inversion's reveal of their secret spacecraft, [Intuitive Machines](https://www.intuitivemachines.com/?ref=proximareport.com) finalized their acquisition of Kinetix that same morning. Kinetix specializes in in-space navigation, constellation mission design, and systems engineering. The talent and information from Kinetix will provide Intuitive Machines with more know-how on how to develop its emerging technology. Kinetix and its experience with constellation management and space navigation will come in handy, as the company was awarded a $4 billion contract over a year ago to build an orbital communication relay around the Moon. Intuitive Machines CEO, Steve Altemus, said the following after the finalization of the acquisition: > "With KinetX's navigation expertise now paired with our lunar-proven spacecraft and data network, we believe Intuitive Machines is positioned to lead in cislunar space and carry that advantage forward to Mars." ### *A*stronomers Observe Newly Born Planet ![Young star WISPIT 2 with forming exoplanet WISPIT 2b captured in telescope image, showing dusty rings of gas where a massive Jupiter-like proto-planet is accreting material, located 437 light years away.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/10/G2PKlMHXMAASd2k.jpg) Rings of gas surround the young, \~5 million year old star, WISPIT 2 Around the young star WISPIT 2, located roughly 437 light-years away, a newly born proto-planet (WISPIT 2b) has been spotted between rings of dust and gas. This is the first time astronomers have observed a planet in its earliest stages of development. As WISPIT 2b is still accumulating material, when it is done accreting material, it is estimated to be about 5x as massive as Jupiter. To detect the newborn planet, astronomers used the MagAO-X instrument on the [Magellan 2 Telescope](https://www.giantmagellan.org/?ref=proximareport.com) in Chile. \[To read the full breakdown, [click here](https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/adf7a5?ref=proximareport.com)!\] ### **What to expect Next Week** **Looking ahead, if all things go to plan, next week will feature five launches, one of which will be a crewed sub-orbital flight.** ### *October 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-59* SpaceX is planning to kick things off with another 28 v2 mini satellites to LEO on Monday. ### *October 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-17* Following the launch from the Cape, SpaceX will again launch another batch of v2 mini Starlink's into LEO, this time from Vandenberg. ### *October 8th - New Shepard Flight 36* Out of Launch Site One in Texas, [Blue Origin](https://www.blueorigin.com/?ref=proximareport.com) plans to launch the 15th crewed New Shepard flight on Wednesday. This flight will see six people flying to the edge of our atmosphere and back. ### *October 9th - Falcon 9 with Kuiper (KF-03)* SpaceX's Falcon 9 is set to launch even more mega constellation satellites to orbit, this time for Amazon's Kuiper. Onboard the Falcon 9 are 24 Kuiper satellites who will grow the constellation from 129 to 153\. ### *October 9th - Long March 8A 'Unknown Payload'* Out of Wenchang a Long March 8A will light up the skies, flying an unknown payload to orbit. ### Monthly Dose of Space - September 2025 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-september-2025/ Last updated: 2025-10-01T16:22:29.000Z Welcome to our twenty-fourth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month. September continues a busy 2025 worldwide, so let's jump into the past month! ## **News of the Month** This past month has been up and down in the world of spaceflight. From plans in Europe to push on with reusable rockets, NASA continuing to shed directors**,** and Uranus' Moon Ariel likely had a massive subsurface ocean in the past. ### Europe pushes ahead with reuse efforts ![Themis stood on its launch pad (left) and Avio's concept of its reusable upper-stage demonstration mission (right). ©ArianeGroup/Swedish Space Corporation/Avio](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/a-Themis_T1H_on_the_launch_pad.png) Themis stood on its launch pad (left) and Avio's concept of its reusable upper-stage demonstration mission (right). ©ArianeGroup/Swedish Space Corporation/Avio The European Space Agency and Arianespace have placed Europe's first reusable first-stage test vehicle on its launch pad in Sweden, [on September 19th](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Future%5Fspace%5Ftransportation/Themis%5Fstands%5Fon%5Fthe%5Flaunch%5Fpad?ref=proximareport.com). The test vehicle, known as Themis, arrived at the Esrange Space Center several weeks ago ahead of its testing campaign. In the coming weeks and months, Themis is set to demonstrate technologies for domestic reusable boosters by performing a series of hops using its Prometheus engine, a variant of Ariane 6's main engine for greater throttling and in-flight restarts. It's currently unclear when the 30-meter-tall, 3.5-meter-wide test vehicle will hop before touching down on three landing legs. Meanwhile at the 76th International Astronautical Congress in Sydney, Australia, the European Space Agency and Avio have [signed a 40 million Euro contract](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/ESA%5Fand%5FAvio%5Fsign%5Fcontract%5Ffor%5Fa%5Freuseable%5Fupper%5Fstage%5Fdemonstration%5Fmission?ref=proximareport.com) for performing a mission to demonstrate technologies needed for a reusable rocket's upper-stage. The contract is expected to refine the understanding of what systems will be needed for routinely flying a completely reusable launch vehicle. Toni Tolker-Nielsen, Director of Space Transportation at the European Space Agency, commented on the importance of the contract: > "I am glad to sign this contract since its importance is two-fold: on one side it addresses technological criticalities in the short-term, on the other side it paves the way for the preparation of Europe’s long-term future in space." ### Marshall's Director leaves NASA On September 25th, Joseph Pelfrey, Center Director of the Marshall Space Flight Center, [announced via an email](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/msfc-center-director-joseph-pelfrey-steps-down/?ref=proximareport.com) to employees that he is stepping down from his position, one he has held [since February 2024](https://www.nasa.gov/people/joseph-pelfrey/?ref=proximareport.com). In his departure message, Pelfrey wrote: > "As the Agency continues to embark on a bold mission to return humans to the moon, it will take the full attention of its leaders and the people they serve. It will also be important for Agency leadership to move forward with a team they choose to execute the tasks at hand." > "With that in mind, it’s time for me to step out of the Center Director role. I will work with Agency leadership to pursue new ways I can serve our space program and our great Nation. Leading Marshall these last few years has been the honor of a lifetime and I couldn’t be prouder of how you have endeavored to persevere, delivered on the mission and created a bright future for years to come." Pelfrey's departure comes as the Trump Administration [threatens to remove](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-damage-to-nasa) anyone disagreeing with massive cuts to the space agency, the [possible departure of thousands](https://proximareport.com/articles/white-house-layoff-thousands-nasa) of employees, and after [other directors leave](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-director-employees-confidence) NASA too. ### Uranus Moon Ariel Likely Had a Massive Subsurface Ocean Ariel, Uranus' second largest and brightest Moon has been a topic of interest for a while. It's unique geography and surface features, from new craters next to old ones, fractures, and ridges, all point to one thing—a subsurface ocean. While it is likely the Moon still has a subsurface ocean, scientists believe in the past it could have been up to 170km (100mi) deep. For comparison, the deepest (known) part of Earth's ocean, the Mariana trench is 11km (7mi). To account for such surface features and such a deep subsurface ocean, Ariel would of needed to have an eccentricity of 0.40, which is 40x greater than it is now and 4x the eccentricity of Europa. This much higher eccentricity would of allowed for the necessary flexing and internal heating needed to create the features we see on Ariel today. However, to truly uncover the mysteries of the Uranus system, another spacecraft would need to be sent to the ice giant. In the words of Tom Nordheim of Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory: > "We are finding evidence that the Uranus system may harbor twin ocean worlds. Unfortunately, we’ve only seen the southern hemispheres of Ariel and Miranda. But our results can give us predictions of what a future spacecraft might see on the moons’ unimaged northern hemispheres—such as the location of fractures and ridges there. Ultimately, we just need to go back to the Uranus system and see for ourselves." ### Firefly Aerospace's Alpha Rocket First Stage RUDs on Pad On Monday, the first stage to be used for Alpha's seventh flight experienced an anomaly during normal pre-flight testing. This resulted in the loss of both the vehicle and likely substantial damage to the pad and other ground stage equipment. While little is currently known about why this rapid unscheduled disassembly occurred, Firefly released a statement saying the following: > "During testing at Firefly’s facility in Briggs, Texas, the first stage of Firefly’s Alpha Flight 7 rocket experienced an event that resulted in a loss of the stage. Proper safety protocols were followed, and all personnel are safe. The company is assessing the impact to its stage test stand, and no other facilities were impacted. Regular testing is part of Firefly’s philosophy – we test each critical component, engine, and vehicle stage to ensure it operates within our flight requirements before we ship to the launch pad. We learn from each test to improve our designs and build a more reliable system. We will share more information on the path forward at a later date." Following news of this setback, Firefly's stock ($FLY) dropped 20% in one day, an extreme reaction from investors. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw **32** launches worldwide, continuing a busy year. If you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *September 2nd - Shavit-2 with Ofek-19* Israel's military launched a Shavit-2 rocket, based on the country's intercontinental ballistic missiles, into a retrograde low Earth orbit carrying the Ofek-19 satellite. Ofek-19 is believed to be a synthetic aperture radar reconnaissance satellite. ### *September 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-8* Twenty-four Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1097 supported this mission for its first flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *September 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-22* Another twenty-eight Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 via a Falcon 9\. Supporting this launch was booster B1083, for its fourteenth flight with a downrange landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ### *September 5th - Long March 3C/E with Shiyan-29* A Long March 3C/E carried Shiyan-29, boosted by a Yuanzheng-1 upper-stage, directly into geostationary orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center for the rocket's second flight this year. Shiyan-29 is planning to conduct space environment monitoring the related technology tests. ### *September 5th - Ceres-1 with three satellites* Galactic Energy's Ceres-1 blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying three customer satellites into sun-synchronous orbit, along with its Eros orbital test platform (based on the rocket's fourth-stage). The customer payloads were: - Kaiyun-1, for Earth observation and space awareness tasks - Yuxing-3-08, for remote sensing via a 5-meter resolution camera - Yunyao-1-27, for meteorological tasks as well as testing an electric hall-effect propulsion system, a fiber optic gyro, a high-performance computer, and a Compton telescope for gamma-ray particle detection. Meanwhile, the Eros platform is set to carry out experiments related to studying atmospheric conditions along with optical and visible light imaging tests. ### *September 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-57* Yet another twenty-eight Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit by Falcon 9 flying out of Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Booster B1069 supported this mission for its twenty-seventh flight, landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. This was also the [500th landing](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1963961957272183010?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) of a Falcon 9 first-stage booster. ### *September 6th - Long March 6A with Yaogan-40 Group-03* Three Yaogan-40 satellites, for the third group overall, were sent into a polar orbit by a Long March 6A flying from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The three satellites are expected to perform electromagnetic environment detection over areas of Earth below, along with related technology tests. ### *September 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-9* Another Falcon 9 delivered twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, out of Space Launch Complex 4E. This mission was supported by booster B1075 for its twentieth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *September 8th - Jielong-3 with Geely Group 05* A Jielong-3 blasted off from a sea launch platform off the coast of Haiyang, Shandong province, heading into low Earth orbit with eleven satellites for Geespace's Geely Future Mobility Constellation. With this launch, the constellation now has fifty-two satellites for providing communication, connectivity, and positioning services. ### *September 9th - Long March 7A with Yaogan-45* Out of Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, a Long March 7A flew into a medium Earth orbit carrying the Yaogan-45 remote sensing satellite. Yaogan-45 will reportedly be used for scientific experiments, land resource surveys, crop yield estimation, as well as disaster prevention and relief efforts. ### *September 10th - Falcon 9 for Tranche 1* For the U.S. Space Development Agency, a Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, for the Tranche 1 Transport Layer B mission carrying twenty-one satellites into polar orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1093 for its sixth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *September 11th - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-32* A Soyuz 2.1a launched the Progress MS-32 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Onboard the resupply spacecraft were consumables for the crew as well as scientific experiments. ### *September 12th - Falcon 9 with Nusantara Lima* SpaceX launched Indonesia's Nusantara Lima telecommunications satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, atop of a Falcon 9\. Booster B1078 supported this mission for its twenty-third flight, landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *September 13th - Soyuz 2.1b with Cosmos 2595 & 2596* Two Cosmos satellites were launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome atop of a Soyuz 2.1b. One satellite is said to be a Glonass-K satellite while the other is an experimental spacecraft. ### *September 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-10* Twenty-four Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this mission was booster B1071 for its twenty-eighth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *September 14th - Falcon 9 with NG-23* Northrop Grumman's twenty-third Cygnus resupply mission was launched atop of a Falcon 9, flying out of Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida, to head to the International Space Station. Supporting this launch was booster B1094 for its fourth flight, landing at Landing Zone 2 back in Cape Canaveral. ### *September 16th - Long March 2C with four internet test satellites* A Long March 2C, with a Yuanzheng-1S upper-stage, flying from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center sent four satellites for internet technology testing into low Earth orbit. Three spacecraft manufacturers contributed the satellites onboard, two commercial ventures and one state-owned enterprise, which may improve the GuoWang and Qianfan constellations. ### *September 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-61* Twenty-eight Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1092 supported this mission for its seventh flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *September 18th - New Shepard for NS-35* Blue Origin launched its New Shepard rocket on a suborbital flight from its West Texas site for a research and commercial payload-carrying mission. Capsule RSS H.G. Wells flew for the twelfth time on this mission while booster NS-5 flew for the fifth time. ### *September 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-12* Another Falcon 9 sent twenty-four Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was B1088, flying for the tenth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *September 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-27* SpaceX's Falcon 9 launched twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1085 for its eleventh flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *September 22nd - Falcon 9 with NROL-48* A batch of military reconnaissance satellites was launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, atop of a Falcon 9\. Booster B1081 supported this launch, flying for the eighteenth time and landing back at Landing Zone 4 at the Vandenberg Space Force Base. ### *September 23rd - Electron for 'Jenna'* Rocket Lab flew its Electron rocket in its HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) configuration for a suborbital military test flight out of Wallops Island, in Virginia. ### *September 24th - Jielong 3 with Geely Group 06* A Jielong-3 flew from a sea-launch platform off the coast of China's Shandong province, carrying twelve satellites to low Earth orbit for automaker Geely's Future Mobility Constellation, bringing the total satellite count to sixty-four. The constellation is set to provide communication, connectivity, and positioning services worldwide, with an accuracy at a centimeter level. ### *September 24th - Falcon 9 with three satellites* From Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, a Falcon 9 flew toward the Sun-Earth L1 point carrying NASA's Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) and Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, as well as NOAA's Space Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1). This launch was supported by booster B1096, performing its second flight and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *September 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-15* Another twenty-eight Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 out of Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this mission was booster B1080 for its twenty-second flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *September 25th - Atlas V with KA-03* Out of Space Launch Complex 41 atop of United Launch Alliance's Atlas V, twenty-seven Kuiper satellites, for the [constellation's fifth group](https://proximareport.com/articles/ula-amazon-ka03?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), were sent into low Earth orbit. This launch brought Amazon's constellation up to 129 satellites. ### *September 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-11* Falcon 9 delivered twenty-four more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. This launch was supported by booster B1082 for its sixteenth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *September 26th - Long March 4C with Fengyun-3H* A Long March 4C flew to sun-synchronous orbit out of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying the Fengyun-3H satellite. Fengyun-3H is set to monitor and research activities in weather forecasting, atmospheric chemistry, and climate change. ### *September 27th - Long March 6A with GuoWang Group 11* Five satellites for the GuoWang internet mega-constellation were launched atop of a Long March 6A flying from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. This launch brought the constellation up to eighty-six spacecraft. ### *September 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-20* Twenty-eight more Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this mission was Booster 1063 for its twenty-eighth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *September 29th - Long March 2D with Shiyan-30 01 & 02* China's 100th overall Long March 2D mission carried two Shiyan-30 test satellites into low Earth orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The satellite's tasks are reported to be for Earth observation tasks and related technology verification tests. ## Launches to look out for in October! October will continue a busy year for worldwide launches. Listed below are all of the launches expected or likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of October may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *October 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-59* A batch of Starlink satellites is expected to head to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *October 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-39* Falcon 9 is set to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *October 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-59* Another group of Starlink satellites are planned to launch atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. ### *October 7th - Falcon 9 for KF-03* SpaceX is preparing to launch twenty-four Kuiper satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 to expand Amazon's internet constellation. ### *October 8th - New Shepard for NS-36* Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket may perform a suborbital mission carrying either research payloads or tourists above the Kármán line. ### *October 9th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-17* More Starlink satellites are set to head into low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *October 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-52* Yet another group of Starlink satellites will launch via a Falcon 9 to be deployed in low Earth orbit, flying out of Space Launch Complex 40. ### *October 13th - Starship-Super Heavy for its eleventh flight test* SpaceX is planning to launch [Starship-Super Heavy's eleventh flight test](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-pre-flight-eleven) using Booster 15, for its second flight, and Ship 38, flying for the first time. ### *October 16th - LVM-3 with GSAT-7R* India's LVM-3 rocket is set to launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre carrying the GSAT-7R communication satellite to geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of the Indian Navy. ### *October 21st - H3 with HTV-X* Japan is planning to launch its H3 rocket, with four solid rocket boosters for the first time, into low Earth orbit from the Tanegashima Space Center for the HTV-X's first resupply mission to the International Space Station. ### *October 22nd - Falcon 9 with SpainSat-NG II* A Falcon 9 is set to launch SpainSat-NG II into geostationary transfer orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### Committee Report Outlines Trump's Damage to NASA URL: https://proximareport.com/trumps-damage-to-nasa/ Last updated: 2025-09-30T07:19:00.000Z President Donald Trump wants to cut NASA activities; a new report details how much damage that would do to the agency and America. The U.S. Senate's Committee on Science, Space and Technology [released a report on September 29th](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/B1CC17F2-50CE-4C0B-89C9-B713FE76E146?ref=proximareport.com) from its Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (Democrat, California). Lofgren's report, leaning on whistleblower testimony and leaked documents, outlines the Trump White House's Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) plans to gut the American space agency. For its most important finding, the report alleges that NASA's leadership intends to treat the [President's Budget Request for 2026](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-six-months-trump?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) as the space agency's budget, regardless of restored funding to various missions facing cancellation. According to whistleblowers, the agency's Trump-appointed Chief of Staff, Brian Hughes, has been leading the charge to end programs outlined by the President's 2026 budget, which would slash 6 billion United States Dollars in funding and ending over forty science missions and canceling America's only Moon rocket and the Orion capsule after the Artemis III mission (the first American Moon landing since 1972). Instructions from Hughes to NASA's staff were to drop any programs not funded in the budget. Agency leadership has been working to follow the President's budget since mid-June under Janet Petro's [brief leadership](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet%5FPetro?ref=proximareport.com#Acting%5FNASA%5FAdministrator), the report outlines, despite it being illegal, as it was not approved by Congress. One whiteblower knowledgeable about the legal process was quoted in the report as stating: > "NASA's legal office should know better. They should know that what this Administration is doing is breaking NASA procedures, NASA regulations, and not following the will of Congress." Ignoring restored funding has been suggested by Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy [for several weeks now](https://proximareport.com/articles/duffy-us-win-moon-defunded?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). Although [*Ars Technica* reported](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/09/amid-budget-uncertainty-nasa-gets-some-good-news-use-house-funding-levels/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) on September 19th that funding restored would be used for science missions. With the reports' presented findings, funding may remain ignored. While enacting the Trump budget's cuts, agency leaders are leaving no digital or paper trails, with the reports sources saying that everything is being communicated verbally while limiting contact to direct supervisors, blocking off NASA's human resources office. To the reports' understanding, compliance with the President's budget has been enforced with the threat of losing jobs at the agency. In another key discovery, the report puts forward that agency operations are being made unsafe, with reforms put in place after the losses of the Space Shuttle's Challenger and Columbia being ignored. Some whistleblowers told in the report that the agency's Ombuds Program, used to highlight lackluster safety or organization without fear of retaliation, has been muzzled. One of the whistleblowers explained: > "We're expected not to bring safety concerns forward and to not use good judgment. I see safety issues around us all the time." An example brought up was, due to currently implemented cuts, that just two employees were left monitoring a physically dangerous process all hours of the day, every day, with a tiny number of qualified individuals able to take over. A whistleblower warned in the report, with a degrading safety culture under the Trump budget, that the chance of an astronaut's death has risen to a point of high concern. As [previously reported](https://proximareport.com/articles/white-house-layoff-thousands-nasa), a U.S. government shutdown is looming too, and if not avoided, potentially thousands of employees could be abruptly removed from NASA. At the time of publication, a shutdown appears likely as U.S. lawmakers cannot agree on a way forward [following unproductive meetings with](https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-senate-schumer-thune-trump-health-care-b85fe6cdd5d8cdc3e3aa1f4ae889474f?ref=proximareport.com) President Trump. Further cuts to the workforce will likely worsen the agency's new problems. Additionally, multiple internship programs at NASA were closed, shutting off a pipeline for the space agency to renew its workforce, while firing interns working on various programs. NASA-funded projects, another way to join the agency, are also being turned away, the report highlights. In the grand scheme of U.S. industry, cuts to NASA are expected to remove 46.4 billion United States Dollars from the country's gross domestic product, see 866 less PhD graduates, and result in over ten thousand fewer researchers in American institutions, the report concludes without measuring potential private sector losses. Those losses would also affect the Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, and other high-tech industries. ### SpaceX Seeks One More 'Block 2' Success in Next Starship Test URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-pre-flight-eleven/ Last updated: 2025-09-30T00:45:28.000Z SpaceX's in-development fully reusable launch vehicle is set to fly one more time in its current iteration. SpaceX [announced on September 29th](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1972798064403357887?ref=proximareport.com) that Starship-Super Heavy's next flight test, flight eleven, will take place no earlier than October 13th. This flight test will be the fifth and final flight of the 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage, hopefully for its second success. With this being the final mission for the current iteration of the launch vehicle, SpaceX outlined areas for testing [via its website](https://www.spacex.com/launches/starship-flight-11?ref=proximareport.com): > "The upcoming flight will build on the successful demonstrations from Starship’s tenth flight test with flight experiments gathering data for the next generation Super Heavy booster, stress-testing Starship’s heatshield, and demonstrating maneuvers that will mimic the upper stage’s final approach for a future return to launch site." Flying the upcoming test in two weeks will be Ship 38, for its first mission, and Super Heavy Booster 15, for its second flight. As Booster 15 is flying for the second time, SpaceX has swapped out many of its engines, with twenty-four of its thirty-three Raptor engines being flight-proven. The mix of flight-proven and new Raptors will be used to demonstrate a new landing burn profile, with thirteen engines lighting for landing, before dropping down to five, before keeping three running for the final moments of controlled descent. Booster 15 will not be recovered after the flight, as it will land in the Gulf of Mexico. For the final mission of 'Block 2' Starship, SpaceX is aiming to demonstrate deployment of dummy Starlink satellites and an in-space Raptor relight again, as well as a new reentry profile, with Ship 38\. The new reentry profile is planned to demonstrate a dynamic banking maneuver for understanding what a return-to-launch-site reentry may be like. Various thermal protection system tiles will be removed from the upper-stage to stress test vulnerable areas on the vehicle. Like the previous ten flight tests, this mission will fly from [Starbase, Texas](https://proximareport.com/articles/starbase-company-town?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), using SpaceX's only operational launch pad at its Starship test site. In the lead-up to this flight test, both Booster 15 and Ship 38 have conducted pre-flight static fires. [On September 7th](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1964758113422299415?ref=proximareport.com), Booster 15 fired its thirty-three Raptor engines, and Ship 38 lit its six engines [on September 23rd](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1970282201360277729?ref=proximareport.com). ![Super Heavy Booster 15 (left) and Ship 38 (right) performing pre-flight static fires. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/a-G0Q4MVmbcAANGka.png) Super Heavy Booster 15 (left) and Ship 38 (right) performing pre-flight static fires. ©SpaceX ### 'Block 2's sole success so far During Starship-Super Heavy's [tenth flight test](https://proximareport.com/articles/flight-10-spacex), back on August 27th, Super Heavy Booster 16 and Ship 37 performed the first successful mission with a 'Block 2' upper-stage. Booster 16 lofted Ship 37 through most of the atmosphere, before splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico, where the upper-stage went on to successfully and stably reaching engine cutoff. While coasting through space, Ship 37 also released a series of dummy Starlink satellites onto its sub-orbital trajectory. Later on in the flight test, Ship 37 underwent atmospheric reentry, with a bumpy start as an unknown explosion took place in the engine bay. Despite that, the vehicle passed through the brunt of reentry heating, allowing for a slow bellyflop descent, being saved by its 'flip-and-burn' to splashdown in the Indian Ocean. > Starship’s tenth flight test took a significant step forward in developing the world’s first fully reusable launch vehicle. > > Next up: Flight 11 of Starship is targeted to launch as early as Monday, October 13 → [https://t.co/YmvmGZUsXW](https://t.co/YmvmGZUsXW?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/bspqrP9aRj](https://t.co/bspqrP9aRj?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [September 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1972796666878247379?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) A recap of Starship-Super Heavy's tenth flight test, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1972796666878247379?ref=proximareport.com). Before the successful flight test, the Starship program regressed significantly in terms of progress through the first half of the year. In June, [Ship 36 unexpectedly exploded](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-faces-major-setback-with-testing-anomaly?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) during a routine test, wiping out a critical pre-flight test stand with it. Meanwhile, during flight tests of the vehicle, [Ship 33 was lost due to a fire](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-7?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in its engine section in January. Next in March, [Ship 34 was again lost](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-8?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in a fire. Then in May, [Ship 35 was destroyed during atmospheric reentry](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-nine?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) following leakages across the vehicle. This year was previously planned to be a key year for the Starship program, as a Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer was expected by NASA, now moved months into 2026\. Propellant transfer between two vehicles is critical for getting the Starship lunar lander out to the Moon, and returning American astronauts to the surface through the Artemis program. --- ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-four meters tall and weighs 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ### What is Starship? Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Starship is believed to weigh 1,300,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. In order to survive re-entry for reuse, Starship has several thousand thermal protection tiles on one side of the vehicle and on all four of its aerodynamic control surfaces. The four control surfaces help guide the vehicle during re-entry and prior to landing inside the atmosphere at a pre-determined location. Starship also has a series of small thrusters to control the vehicle in space before re-entry. SpaceX is believed to be working on a few variants of Starship for use as a Moon lander, propellant tanker, space station, Mars lander, and as a crewed spacecraft. ### What is Super Heavy? Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. To enable the reuse of Super Heavy, the vehicle has four large grid fins placed in the interstage to assist in guiding and controlling during descent. Super Heavy also has four chines running along the lower third of it to generate lift and assist in stabilization. Shortly after completing the ascent, Super Heavy relights ten engines, as three were running during staging, and performs a 'boost back' burn in order to return to the launch site. After the 'boost back' burn is completed the engines shut down with Super Heavy being guided by a series of small thrusters and its grid fins. Once Super Heavy is at the correct altitude above its landing location three engines start back up for the landing burn. SpaceX currently plans to have Super Heavy land back at the launch site, or at sea if a problem is detected during descent Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ### Weekly Dose of Space (21/9-27/9) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-21-9-27-9/ Last updated: 2025-09-28T18:35:36.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw ten launches taking place worldwide, with the majority supporting connectivity constellations. News from the week was from both orbiting space stations, with a spacewalk and an orbital boost. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *September 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-27* SpaceX's Falcon 9 launched twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1085 for its eleventh flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-27 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/G1Xn-dPa4AALRh4-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-27 mission. ©SpaceX ### *September 22nd - Falcon 9 with NROL-48* A batch of military reconnaissance satellites was launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, atop of a Falcon 9\. Booster B1081 supported this launch, flying for the eighteenth time and landing back at Landing Zone 4 at the Vandenberg Space Force Base. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the NROL-48 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/G1fK1g7aQAACqVR-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the NROL-48 mission. ©SpaceX ### *September 23rd - Electron for 'Jenna'* Rocket Lab flew its Electron rocket in its HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) configuration for a suborbital military test flight out of Wallops Island, in Virginia. ### *September 24th - Jielong 3 with Geely Group 06* A Jielong-3 flew from a sea-launch platform off the coast of China's Shandong province, carrying twelve satellites to low Earth orbit for automaker Geely's Future Mobility Constellation, bringing the total satellite count to sixty-four. The constellation is set to provide communication, connectivity, and positioning services worldwide, with an accuracy at a centimeter level. ![The Jielong-3 Y8 vehicle lifting off from its sea-launch platform on September 24th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/0086sdvsly1i5owvspmrqj35883hge88-1.jpg) The Jielong-3 Y8 vehicle lifting off from its sea-launch platform on September 24th. ### *September 24th - Falcon 9 with three satellites* From Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, a Falcon 9 flew toward the Sun-Earth L1 point carrying NASA's Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) and Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, as well as NOAA's Space Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1). This launch was supported by booster B1096, performing its second flight and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A on September 24th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/G1oLsyKbsAAiX6L.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A on September 24th. ©SpaceX ### *September 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-15* Another twenty-eight Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 out of Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this mission was booster B1080 for its twenty-second flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Twenty-eight Starlink satellites seen from Falcon 9's second-stage ahead of deployment on September 25th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/G1rxlMAaQAAqtpZ.jpg) Twenty-eight Starlink satellites seen from Falcon 9's second-stage ahead of deployment on September 25th. ©SpaceX ### *September 25th - Atlas V with KA-03* Out of Space Launch Complex 41 atop of United Launch Alliance's Atlas V, twenty-seven Kuiper satellites, for the [constellation's fifth group](https://proximareport.com/articles/ula-amazon-ka03), were sent into low Earth orbit. This launch brought Amazon's constellation up to 129 satellites. ![Atlas V blasting off from Space Launch Complex 41 for its third Amazon Kuiper mission. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/G1yc6XYXMAAsVP5.jpg) Atlas V blasting off from Space Launch Complex 41 for its third Amazon Kuiper mission. ©United Launch Alliance ### *September 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-11* Falcon 9 delivered twenty-four more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. This launch was supported by booster B1082 for its sixteenth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *September 26th - Long March 4C with Fengyun-3H* A Long March 4C flew to sun-synchronous orbit out of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying the Fengyun-3H satellite. Fengyun-3H is set to monitor and research activities in weather forecasting, atmospheric chemistry, and climate change. ![The Long March 4C Y45 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 26th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/005SySbsly1i5s16rkmbzj30u013zgp1-1.jpg) The Long March 4C Y45 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 26th. ### *September 27th - Long March 6A with GuoWang Group 11* Five satellites for the GuoWang internet mega-constellation were launched atop of a Long March 6A flying from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. This launch brought the constellation up to eighty-six spacecraft. ![The Long March 6A Y16 vehicle blasting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on September 27th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/006aWhMSgy1i5so6lpj6hj30zk0npdi2-1.jpg) The Long March 6A Y16 vehicle blasting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on September 27th. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Dragon boosts International Space Station orbit* ![The CRS-33 Cargo Dragon seen from the Crew-11's Crew Dragon performing an orbit boosting demonstration while docked to the International Space Station. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/G11iNCGWIAAXVxh-1.jpg) The CRS-33 Cargo Dragon seen from the Crew-11's Crew Dragon performing an orbit boosting demonstration while docked to the International Space Station. ©NASA SpaceX's Cargo Dragon spacecraft demonstrated a boost to the International Space Station's orbit [on September 26th](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/09/26/crew-studies-space-orientation-dna-data-storage-as-dragon-reboosts-station/?ref=proximareport.com), utilizing a 'boost kit' with dedicated propellant tanks and Draco thrusters. According to SpaceX's Vice President of Falcon and Dragon, Jon Edwards, [details of the boost test](https://x.com/edwards345/status/1971840208556462165?ref=proximareport.com) were: > "Dragon and its new “boost trunk” performed a 15 minute burn yesterday, providing 1.62 m/s of delta-v to the ISS for station-keeping." The day before the fifteen-minute demonstration burn, an earlier attempt [was manually aborted](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/09/25/space-medicine-protecting-crews-station-reboost-aborted/?ref=proximareport.com) three minutes and forty-five seconds into a nineteen-minute planned burn. ### *Shenzhou-20 crew conduct fourth spacewalk* ![Chen Zhongrui preparing to detach his harness from the Wentian module after being secured to Tiangong's robotic arm.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/68d60152a3108622d6424c79.jpeg) Chen Zhongrui preparing to detach his harness from the Wentian module after being secured to Tiangong's robotic arm. [On September 25th](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/taikonauts-tie-chinese-record-with?ref=proximareport.com), the Shenzhou-20 mission onboard China's Tiangong Space Station had its crewmembers, Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie, conducting their fourth spacewalk in the six-month-long mission. For this spacewalk, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie exited the station for around six hours while Chen Dong supported the duo, alongside the station's robotic arm and teams on Earth. While outside of the station, the two spacewalkers installed debris protection devices on top of potentially vulnerable systems for continued operation of the space station. Ensuring the station can operate for at least another decade, inspections of the Tianhe, Wentian, and Mengtian modules were performed too. This spacewalk has also tied the Shenzhou-20 mission with Shenzhou-15 for total spacewalks, both having their crews venture outside Tiangong four times. At the moment, the Shenzhou-20 crew is expected to return to Earth in mid-to-late October after a handover period with the Shenzhou-21 crew, currently unnamed but set to launch atop a Long March 2F/G from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *September 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-20* A Falcon 9 is preparing to launch twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *September 29th - Long March 2D with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 2D is expected to launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center with a currently unknown payload. ### *September 30th - Electron for 'Justin'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket is set to fly in its HASTE configuration for a military test mission off of Wallops Island. ### *October 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-59* Another batch of Starlink satellites is expected to head to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *October 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-39* Falcon 9 is set to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *October 4th - Falcon 9 for KF-03* SpaceX is preparing to launch twenty-four Kuiper satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 to expand Amazon's internet constellation. ### White House Could Layoff Thousands of NASA Employees URL: https://proximareport.com/white-house-layoff-thousands-nasa/ Last updated: 2025-09-27T22:48:38.000Z As a government shutdown looms, federal employees may be let go, including an untold number at NASA. [*Politico* reported on September 24th](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/24/white-house-firings-shutdown-00579909?ref=proximareport.com) that the Trump White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) wants to reduce the American federal agency workforces nationwide if a government shutdown is not averted [before September 30th](https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/26/politics/government-shutdown-september-2025-explained?ref=proximareport.com). Politico's reporting on the matter states: > "OMB told agencies to identify programs, projects and activities where discretionary funding will lapse on Oct. 1 and no alternative funding source is available. For those areas, OMB directed agencies to begin drafting \[reduction in force\] plans that would go beyond standard furloughs, permanently eliminating jobs in programs not consistent with President Donald Trump’s priorities in the event of a shutdown." It is unknown what programs or missions NASA's leadership may eliminate, but it [may mean a shrinkage](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/a-shutdown-could-mean-actual-rifs/?ref=proximareport.com) of the space agency's workforce during a period where the White House is already cutting. [So far](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-six-months-trump), at least 2,100 employees have left, with an attempted 6 billion United States Dollars in funding cuts, since the start of President Trump's second term eight months ago. In recent weeks, Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy [has said](https://proximareport.com/articles/duffy-us-win-moon-defunded) repeatedly that NASA won't use funds restored to it by lawmakers, but [*Ars Technica* recently reports](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/09/amid-budget-uncertainty-nasa-gets-some-good-news-use-house-funding-levels/?ref=proximareport.com) that science missions have now been directed to use that funding. However, funding is only half of the effort to materialize space missions. [*NASA Watch* has reported](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/jplers-get-layoff-update-letter/?ref=proximareport.com) on September 26th that NASA's California-based Jet Propulsion Laboratory, America's hub for missions to other planets, is preparing for a reduction in force that would be implemented by October 15th. That layoff could see up to 4,000 of the lab's 5,500 employees leaving, according to *NASA Watch*'s sources. Before the news of a potentially massive layoff at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Zoe Lofgren (Democrat, California), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, [criticised the White House's move](https://democrats-science.house.gov/news/press-releases/ranking-member-lofgren-condemns-trumps-rif-threat?ref=proximareport.com), stating: > "The Trump administration continues to use public servants as pawns in their game to distract and destroy our federal agencies," – "This threat of further \[reduction in force\] is shortsighted and stupid. The government can’t be run like a deal-making game show—people behind critical agency efforts provide services that benefit all Americans. Why does Trump want to punish Americans?" ### Fifth Group of Kuiper Satellites Delivered Atop Atlas V URL: https://proximareport.com/ula-amazon-ka03/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T19:05:03.000Z Amazon's low Earth orbit internet constellation has received its latest batch of satellites, delivered by an Atlas V. Out of Space Launch Complex 41 atop of United Launch Alliance's Atlas V, on September 25th, [27 Kuiper satellites](https://newsroom.ulalaunch.com/releases/united-launch-alliance-propels-amazons-project-kuiper-to-enhance-broadband-access-to-connect-the-world?ref=proximareport.com), for the constellation's fifth group, were sent into low Earth orbit. [About twenty minutes after](https://www.ulalaunch.com/missions/next-launch/atlas-v-kuiper-3?ref=proximareport.com) launch, the group of satellites began to be released over fifteen minutes. > 3,2,1...liftoff! ULA's Atlas V rocket powers off the launch pad carrying the next Amazon satellites for the Project Kuiper broadband constellation and the future of global connectivity![https://t.co/aAPPJAhIns](https://t.co/aAPPJAhIns?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/C2JagAwNCi](https://t.co/C2JagAwNCi?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ULA (@ulalaunch) [September 25, 2025](https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1971191424969474223?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Atlas V roaring from Space Launch Complex 41 carrying Amazon's Kuiper satellites, via [United Launch Alliance on Twitter](https://x.com/ulalaunch/status/1971191424969474223?ref=proximareport.com). With today's launch, Amazon has 129 Kuiper satellites in orbit out of a planned 3,236\. The fifth group of satellites followed [two](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-falcon-kf02) [sets](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-kuiper-falcon-first?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) of 24 launched by Falcon 9, and [two](https://proximareport.com/articles/kuiper-blasts-off-atop-atlas?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) [previous](https://proximareport.com/articles/atlas-second-kuiper-amazon?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) Atlas V missions, also with 27. Those and the new Kuiper satellites are heading toward an orbital altitude of around 630 kilometers to start providing internet services to customers. Following the deployment of further satellites, services from Kuiper are planned to be available later this year at speeds of [up to one gigabit per second](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/heres-your-first-look-at-project-kuipers-low-cost-customer-terminals?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), a [feat recently demonstrated](https://x.com/ProjectKuiper/status/1963340129948283016?ref=proximareport.com) ahead of the fifth launch. In order to meet a deadline with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, half of the Kuiper constellation, approximately 1,600 satellites, will need to be launched by mid-2026\. Currently, Amazon [has bought over eighty launches](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-makes-historic-launch-investment-to-advance-project-kuiper?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) to deploy the constellation from a variety of American and European launch providers. Ahead of its latest launch, [Amazon announced with JetBlue](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/jetblue-amazon-project-kuiper-in-flight-wifi-partnership?ref=proximareport.com) that the two companies are partnering to provide in-flight internet connectivity, starting in 2027\. As the first airline set to utilize Kuiper, JetBlue plans to use the constellation to improve its free Fly-Fi service. Speaking on the constellation capabilities services, Amazon's Senior Vice President of Devices & Services, Panos Panay, boasted: > "Staying connected is part of everyday life, even when you're traveling," – "With Project Kuiper, we're working to ensure you have a high-speed connectivity experience wherever you are—at home or 35,000 feet in the air." To provide services to JetBlue flights, select aircraft in the company's fleet will be equipped with a skyward-facing antenna, communicating on the same frequency as the Kuiper satellites. This will be similar to what Amazon is doing in [partnership with Airbus](https://aircraft.airbus.com/en/newsroom/web-story/2025-04-airbus-and-amazons-kuiper-team-up-to-offer-leo-satellite-network-for?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), to provide other airliners with in-flight connectivity too. Furthering its competition against other internet mega-constellations, [Amazon has also partnered with](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-project-kuiper-aws?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) Japan's Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, America's Verizon, and the UK's Vodafone to bring services directly to consumers. ![One of JetBlue's airliners with a satellite connectivity terminal ontop. ©Amazon](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/assets.aboutamazon-1.jpg) One of JetBlue's airliners with a satellite connectivity terminal ontop. ©Amazon --- ## What is Atlas V? Atlas V is United Launch Alliance's oldest two-stage rocket in service. The rocket is currently planned to be [replaced by Vulcan](https://proximareport.com/articles/vulcan-second-certification-flight?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) when it retires before 2030. The first-stage is powered by a single RD-180 generating 390 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen for four minutes and thirteen seconds. The RD-180 is manufactured by NPO Energomash in Russia. The second-stage is powered by either one or two RL-10 engines generating 10 tons of thrust each while burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for up to fourteen minutes and two seconds. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies Company, manufactures the RL-10 engines. Atlas V can also launch with between zero and five GEM-63 solid rocket motors to augment the rocket's thrust and payload capability. Each booster burns a solid propellant, consisting of Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and Aluminum-Ammonium perchlorate, generating 169 tons of thrust each for a believed one minute and thirty-four seconds. Northrop Grumman manufactures the solid rocket boosters for use with United Launch Alliance. Atlas V also has eleven different configurations with the following payload capacities: up to 18,814 kilograms to low Earth orbit, up to 8,900 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, or up to 3,850 kilograms to geostationary orbit. ### SpaceX's Starship Lunar Lander May Be Delayed, That Should've Been Expected URL: https://proximareport.com/starship-lunar-delay-expected/ Last updated: 2025-09-23T19:05:29.000Z Former officials and NASA's safety panel have warned that Starship may delay the Artemis III mission, which should have been anticipated. NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel [is warning](https://spacenews.com/nasa-safety-panel-warns-starship-lunar-lander-could-be-delayed-by-years/?ref=proximareport.com) that SpaceX's Starship Human Landing System (HLS), set to carry astronauts to the Moon during the Artemis III mission, could be delayed beyond a mid-2027 target for the mission. A major technical challenge that could cause the delay would be Starship-to-Starship cryogenic propellant transfer, originally set to be [tested this year](https://x.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1783876985401299002?ref=proximareport.com) but now pushed into 2026\. With current target dates, panelist and former Johnson Space Center Director of Mission Operations, Paul Hill, noted: > "The HLS schedule is significantly challenged and–in our estimation–could be years late for a 2027 Artemis III moon landing." That warning reportedly comes after the advisory panel visited Starbase, where SpaceX tests its Starship vehicles in southern Texas, back in August. Similarly, a [*New York Times* report](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/20/us/politics/spacex-us-moon-race.html?unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.nU8.POAE.4GwYjNc-Bh4o&smid=url-share&ref=proximareport.com), based on interviews with former NASA officials, suggests that Starship HLS may not be ready until 2032 due to technical challenges associated with propellant transfer plans. Former NASA Administrator has also been critical of Starship HLS, [saying that](https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/04/jim%5Fbridenstine%5Fnasa%5Fmoon/?ref=proximareport.com) the then-leaderless space agency chose a big rocket over a lunar lander. ![A render of SpaceX's 52-meter tall HLS during descent toward the lunar surface. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/Gcx2hNibcAQ6m-0-1.jpg) A render of SpaceX's 52-meter tall HLS during descent toward the lunar surface. ©SpaceX These concerns about readiness stem from the ambitious timeline established for the program. Selected back [in April 2021](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/as-artemis-moves-forward-nasa-picks-spacex-to-land-next-americans-on-moon/?ref=proximareport.com) through a 2.89 billion United States Dollar contract, Starship HLS was assigned to the Artemis III mission, then set for 2024\. At that point, Starship was yet to fly for the first time with the Super Heavy booster, still [conducting in-atmosphere hops](https://apnews.com/article/spacex-business-science-f4f99c5036257e48be791a336bffd183?ref=proximareport.com). For the crewed lunar landing, SpaceX is contractually obligated to fly an uncrewed demonstration before the 2024 mission. But toward the end of the year, Artemis III was delayed in 2025, affording Starship HLS another year. In a further vote of confidence in HLS, NASA [awarded SpaceX 1.15 billion](https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/nasa-awards-spacex-second-contract-option-for-artemis-moon-landing/?ref=proximareport.com) in late 2022 to also provide the lunar lander for the Artemis IV mission, set for 2027 (now 2028). As of NASA's current Artemis schedule, SpaceX needs to perform a Starship HLS demonstration ahead of a mid-2027 date for Artemis III, while also having another ready for that mission. Within two years, the massive lunar lander, and its needed refueling and depot spacecraft, need to demonstrate reliable in-orbit operations, regular cryogenic refueling, minimal propellant boiloff while loitering, and lunar operations (descent, landing, and ascent). Both flights of Starship HLS for Artemis III are estimated to need [up to twenty refueling flights](https://spacenews.com/spacex-making-progress-on-starship-in-space-refueling-technologies/?ref=proximareport.com) within a few months (SpaceX has so far demonstrated Starship-Super Heavy can fly about five times a year). Those testing timelines would also be assuming Starship constantly progressed forward and didn't face a period of repeated failure. ![Starship docked to a Starship-derived depot to refill its propellant ahead of the arrival of Starship HLS in orbit. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/Gcx2rymbcAIgTAx-1.jpg) Starship docked to a Starship-derived depot to refill its propellant ahead of the arrival of Starship HLS in orbit. ©SpaceX Unfortunately for Starship HLS, 2025 was going to be a critical year for demonstrating Starship-to-Starship propellant transfer, but all chances of that were written off through repeated hardware failures. Most recently in June, [Ship 36 unexpectedly exploded](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-faces-major-setback-with-testing-anomaly?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) during a routine test, wiping out a critical pre-flight test stand with it. Before that, during flight tests of the vehicle, [Ship 33 was lost due to a fire](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-7?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in its engine section in January; next in March, [Ship 34 was again lost](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-8?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in a fire again; then in May, [Ship 35 was destroyed during atmospheric reentry](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-nine?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) following leakages across the vehicle. Finally in August, Starship's [first successful flight test](https://proximareport.com/articles/flight-10-spacex?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) of the year was performed, although only with one more current version of the vehicle ready before a design overhaul to [meet the capabilities](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1960812698037518540?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) needed for the fully reusable Starship-Super Heavy rocket to work as designed. As a result of this year's events, any transfer testing is now expected many months into 2026 at the soonest. SpaceX's President and Chief Operating Officer, Gwynne Shotwell, briefly [spoke on some of the challenges](https://www.satellitetoday.com/connectivity/2025/09/17/spacexs-shotwell-talks-spectrum-and-starship-at-wsbw/?ref=proximareport.com) associated with Starship's propellant transfer on September 17th: > "We know we can attach two vehicles, we’ve put Dragon on the International Space Station dozens of times. But can we transfer propellant? And is that propellant still basically cryogenic—is it still cold enough? Hopefully, it’s not as hard as some of my engineers think it’s going to be. All of this is hard." Naturally, with the technical complexity of the Starship HLS architecture and short timeline to prove the spacecraft, the likelihood of delaying Artemis III due to issues with the lander should have been expected. This year's period of repeat failures has only increased the chance of SpaceX-caused delays. ### NASA Introduces 2025 Astronaut Class URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-2025-astronaut/ Last updated: 2025-09-22T20:16:20.000Z Earlier today, September 22nd, [NASA introduced](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-all-american-2025-class-of-astronaut-candidates/?ref=proximareport.com) its astronaut class of 2025, consisting of ten Americans. At an event at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy introduced the agency's twenty-fourth astronaut class to the world, stating: > "I’m honored to welcome the next generation of American explorers to our agency! More than 8,000 people applied – scientists, pilots, engineers, dreamers from every corner of this nation. The 10 men and women sitting here today embody the truth that in America, regardless of where you start, there is no limit to what a determined dreamer can achieve – even going to space." The class of astronauts has recently begun training for missions to the International Space Station and for exploration around the Moon, in orbit onboard the Gateway space station or down on the lunar surface. Training for NASA's various missions is set to cover robotics, land and water survival, geology, foreign language, space medicine, and physiology. Following training, the ten new astronauts could be assigned to missions into Earth orbit, onto the Moon, or as far out as Mars in the future. > "One of these ten could actually be one of the first Americans to put their boots on the Mars surface." > [@SecDuffyNASA](https://twitter.com/SecDuffyNASA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) speaks to NASA's newest class of astronaut candidates. [pic.twitter.com/vTIhCRQ9Oh](https://t.co/vTIhCRQ9Oh?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NASA (@NASA) [September 22, 2025](https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1970173964719968329?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) NASA officials speak at the agencies event introducing the new astronauts, via [NASA on Twitter](https://x.com/NASA/status/1970173964719968329?ref=proximareport.com). ## Who's in NASA's 2025 astronaut class? ### Ben Bailey ![Astronaut candidate Ben Baily. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/jsc2025e074720-large.jpg) Astronaut candidate Ben Baily. ©NASA Ben Bailey is a chief warrant officer in the U.S. Army and was born and raised in Charlottesville, Virginia. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia and is completing a master's in systems engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Bailey is a U.S. Naval Test Pilot School graduate with more than 2,000 flight hours in more than 30 different rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. At the time of his selection, he was responsible for the developmental testing of emerging technologies aboard Army rotary wing aircraft, specializing in the UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47F Chinook. ### Lauren Edgar ![Astronaut candidate Lauren Edgar. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/jsc2025e074863-large.jpg) Astronaut candidate Lauren Edgar. ©NASA Lauren Edgar considers Sammamish, Washington, her hometown. She earned a bachelor's degree in Earth sciences from Dartmouth College, and her master's and doctorate in geology from the California Institute of Technology. Edgar has served as the deputy principal investigator for the Artemis III Geology Team, helping define lunar science goals, geology activities NASA astronauts will conduct, and science operations for NASA's return to the Moon. She also spent more than 17 years supporting Mars exploration rovers and was working at the U.S. Geological Survey at the time of her selection. ### Adam Fuhrmann ![Astronaut candidate Adam Fuhrmann. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/jsc2025e074717-large.jpg) Astronaut candidate Adam Fuhrmann. ©NASA Adam Fuhrmann is a major in the U.S. Air Force and is from Leesburg, Virginia. He holds a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and master's degrees in flight test engineering and systems engineering from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and Purdue University, respectively. Fuhrmann has accumulated more than 2,100 flight hours in 27 aircraft, including the F-16 and F-35, and has deployed in support of Operations Freedom's Sentinel and Resolute Support, logging 400 combat hours. At the time of his selection, he served as the director of operations for an Air Force flight test unit. ### Cameron Jones ![Astronaut candidate Cameron Jones. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/jsc2025e074718-large.jpg) Astronaut candidate Cameron Jones. ©NASA Cameron Jones is a major in the U.S. Air Force and is a native of Savanna, Illinois. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in aerospace engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is a graduate of both the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California and the U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. Jones is an experienced test pilot with more than 1,600 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft, including 150 combat hours, with the majority of his flight time in the F-22 Raptor. At the time of his selection, he was an Air Force Academic Fellow at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. ### Yuri Kubo ![Astronaut candidate Yuri Kubo. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/jsc2025e074864-large.jpg) Astronaut candidate Yuri Kubo. ©NASA Yuri Kubo is a native of Columbus, Indiana. He earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and a master's in electrical and computer engineering from Purdue University. Kubo spent 12 years working across various teams at SpaceX, including as launch director for Falcon 9 rocket launches, director of avionics for the Starshield program, and director of Ground Segment. Earlier in his career, he was a co-op student at NASA Johnson, where he completed multiple tours supporting the Orion spacecraft, the International Space Station, and the Space Shuttle Program, and at the time of his selection was the senior vice president of Engineering at Electric Hydrogen. ### Rebecca Lawler ![Astronaut candidate Rebecca Lawler. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/jsc2025e074721-large.jpg) Astronaut candidate Rebecca Lawler. ©NASA Rebecca Lawler is a native of Little Elm, Texas, and a former lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy. She holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and master's degrees from Johns Hopkins University and the National Test Pilot School. Lawler is a former Navy P-3 pilot and experimental test pilot with more than 2,800 flight hours in more than 45 aircraft and is a U.S. Naval Test Pilot School graduate. She also flew as a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hurricane hunter and during NASA's Operation IceBridge, and was a test pilot for United Airlines at the time of selection. ### Anna Menon ![Astronaut candidate Anna Menon. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/jsc2025e074865-large.jpg) Astronaut candidate Anna Menon. ©NASA Anna Menon is from Houston and earned her bachelor's degree from Texas Christian University with a double major in mathematics and Spanish. She also holds a master's in biomedical engineering from Duke University. Menon previously worked in the Mission Control Center at NASA Johnson, supporting medical hardware and software aboard the International Space Station. In 2024, she flew to space as a mission specialist and medical officer aboard SpaceX's Polaris Dawn, a mission that saw a new female altitude record, the first commercial spacewalk, and the completion of approximately 40 research experiments, and at the time of her selection was a senior engineer at SpaceX. ### Imelda Muller ![Astronaut candidate Imelda Muller. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/jsc2025e074866-large.jpg) Astronaut candidate Imelda Muller. ©NASA Imelda Muller considers Copake Falls, New York, her hometown, and was formerly a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. She earned a bachelor's degree in behavioral neuroscience from Northeastern University and a medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine. Muller served as an undersea medical officer after training at the Naval Undersea Medical Institute, with experience providing medical support during Navy operational diving training at NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. At the time of her selection, she was completing a residency in anesthesia at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. ### Erin Overcash ![Astronaut candidate Erin Overcash. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/jsc2025e074719-large.jpg) Astronaut candidate Erin Overcash. ©NASA Erin Overcash is a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy and is from Goshen, Kentucky. She holds a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering and a master's in bioastronautics from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Overcash is a U.S. Naval Test Pilot School graduate and an experienced F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet pilot with multiple deployments, having logged more than 1,300 flight hours in 20 aircraft, including 249 carrier arrested landings. She was part of the Navy's World Class Athlete Program and trained full-time at the Olympic Training Center with the USA Rugby Women's National Team, and was training for a squadron department head tour at the time of selection. ### Katherine Spies ![Astronaut candidate Katherine Spies. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/jsc2025e074862-large.jpg) Astronaut candidate Katherine Spies. ©NASA Katherine Spies is a native of San Diego and holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Southern California and a master's in design engineering from Harvard University. She is a former Marine Corps AH-1 attack helicopter pilot and experimental test pilot, with more than 2,000 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft. Spies is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and served as UH-1Y/AH-1Z project officer and AH-1W platform coordinator during her time on active duty. At the time of her selection, she was the director of flight test engineering at Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation. ### Agile Space's Innovative Dual-Mode Propulsion System URL: https://proximareport.com/agile-spaces-innovative-dual-mode-propulsion-system/ Last updated: 2025-09-21T18:50:17.000Z Last year at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) technical symposium, [Agile Space Industries](https://agilespaceindustries.com/?ref=proximareport.com), a Colorado-based startup, introduced a groundbreaking rocket engine currently in development. This innovative propulsion system aims to bridge the gap between two primary forms of in-space propulsion: chemical propulsion, known for its high thrust but lower efficiency, and electric propulsion, which offers higher efficiency but lower thrust. ### The Problem With In-Space Propulsion Selecting the right propulsion system can be challenging, as many missions require high thrust and high efficiency at different stages. It is so crucial that some mission objectives ***cannot*** be met at all, as you have to settle for one or the other. For instance, electric propulsion is king if you have a long-duration burn. However, chemical propulsion is superior when a rapid change is needed to avoid debris or a significant burn is required for orbital insertion. That is why Agile Space seeks to overcome this dilemma by developing a chemical-electric, dual-mode rocket engine that utilizes hydrazine as its propellant. This engine will also feature Reaction Control Thrusters (RCS), creating a versatile three-in-one propulsion system that is ideal for a wide range of spacecraft missions. ## Breakthroughs in Ion Propulsion Since [NASA’s SERT-1](https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19650009681/downloads/19650009681.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) spacecraft successfully tested the first electric engine in 1964, engineers have made significant advances in ion propulsion technologies. Traditionally, ion engines have relied on rare and expensive noble gases, such as [Astra's Spacecraft Engine](https://proximareport.com/articles/astra-spacecraft-engine-ase-astras-golden-goose) which uses xenon and krypton. However, recent innovations have explored more common gases, such as argon. One of the most fascinating developments in the industry is that of “air-breathing electric propulsion” (ABEP). This approach involves a spacecraft collecting air molecules, particularly nitrogen, in the upper parts of the atmosphere while in a very low Earth orbit. ![Illustration of an air-breathing electric propulsion spacecraft in low Earth orbit, collecting atmospheric particles and expelling ionized gas for thrust.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/Air-breathing_space_mission_article.jpg) Render of an Air Breathing Electric Propulsion Engine [****Credit: ESA**](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FEngineering%5FTechnology/World-first%5Ffiring%5Fof%5Fair-breathing%5Felectric%5Fthruster?ref=proximareport.com) Organizations like the European Space Agency ([ESA](https://www.esa.int/?ref=proximareport.com)) and [NewOrbit Space](https://neworbit.space/?ref=proximareport.com) are actively researching ABEP systems. In 2017, ESA, in collaboration with Italian company [SITAEL](https://www.sitael.com/?ref=proximareport.com), conducted the first successful laboratory tests of such systems. Meanwhile, NewOrbit Space achieved positive results from vacuum chamber tests, reporting an impressive specific impulse (ISP) of 6,380 for its engine—substantially higher than that of the renowned RL-10 hydrolox rocket engine, which has an ISP of 465\. By utilizing the abundant nitrogen in Earth’s atmosphere, ion propulsion systems could become significantly more cost-effective and capable. ### Why Noble Gasses Reign Supreme for Ion Propulsion Despite the promise of air-breathing propulsion systems, there are some notable challenges. Most ion engines traditionally utilize noble gases due to their stability and low reactivity. In contrast, air-breathing systems would use trace amounts of nitrogen and oxygen found in the upper atmosphere. Oxygen’s reactivity poses a risk of engine damage over time, which is exacerbated by the fact that ion engines operate continuously at low thrust. While nitrogen is also somewhat damaging, further research is needed to understand its long-term effects on engine performance. ### Comparing Chemical and Electric Propulsion Systems While ion engines boast remarkable efficiency, up to four times greater than chemical rockets, they produce significantly lower thrust. For instance, Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Advanced Electric Propulsion System ([AEPS](https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20210022011?ref=proximareport.com)) generates approximately 1.7 newtons of thrust and has an ISP of around 2,300\. In contrast, the RL-10, as mentioned earlier, is one of the most efficient chemical rocket engines ever built, producing a staggering 106 kilonewtons, equivalent to 60,000 times the thrust of the AEPS, with an ISP of approximately 450. This fundamental disparity highlights the core issue in selecting propulsion systems: striking a balance between low thrust efficiency and high thrust power. But what if you could have both with little sacrifice? ## The Advantages of a Dual-Mode System That is where Dual-mode electric propulsion comes in. The benefits of having a single power pack have been a topic of discussion among space agencies and universities for some time. Achieving high efficiency and high thrust with a single power pack offers immense potential for more flexible and varied missions, minimizing the need for design modifications. However, the challenge lies in identifying a suitable fuel for both chemical and electric propulsion. Agile Space Industries, the United States’ leader in hydrazine propulsion, aims to capitalize on this need by leveraging their expertise on the propellant. The byproduct of hydrazine is primarily nitrogen, accounting for approximately 78% by weight, and hydrogen. This combination reduces corrosive wear on the system compared to the aforementioned air-breathing systems that rely on more reactive gases. Furthermore, hydrazine’s reactivity as a chemical propellant makes it an excellent choice for high-thrust applications, while also being simpler in design than other chemical systems, such as those that use cryogenic propellants. While little is known about this new engine, we should expect to hear more from Agile about its development in the coming months! [Blue Origin’s](https://www.blueorigin.com/?ref=proximareport.com) “Blue Ring” system is also set to use a duel-mode propulsion system powered by hydrazine and xenon. > We’re rapidly assembling Blue Ring's advanced hybrid solar electric propulsion-chemical, or SEP-Chem, system. The aft module stores hydrazine and xenon, while the forward module stores nitrogen tetroxide and helium. Congrats to the Blue Ring team on this critical step to first… [https://t.co/UWlQE1gD5B](https://t.co/UWlQE1gD5B?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Dave Limp (@davill) [August 13, 2025](https://twitter.com/davill/status/1955775649190408635?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ## About Agile Space Industries Founded in 2009 under the moniker "Advanced Mobile Propulsion Test" and later incorporated into Agile Space Industries in 2019, Agile is an in-space propulsion company based in Colorado, developing a wide variety of hydrazine thrusters for various applications. Throughout their years, the company has created a wide variety of [engines](https://agilespaceindustries.com/products?ref=proximareport.com), from the small A110 (111N of thrust) to the giant A2200 (2220N). The company has also been selected to provide [Astrobotic](https://www.astrobotic.com/?ref=proximareport.com) with engines for their upcoming Griffith lander. With its dual-mode rocket engine, Agile Space Industries is poised to revolutionize in-space propulsion, offering a solution that combines the strengths of both chemical and electric systems. As the aerospace industry continues to evolve, innovations like these will pave the way for more ambitious missions and the exploration of new frontiers. ### Weekly Dose of Space (14/9-20/9) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-14-9-20-9/ Last updated: 2025-09-21T14:31:16.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had five launches heading above the Kármán line, with most for internet satellites. News during the week had a space station resupply arrive a day late, while the VIPER rover is heading to the Moon again. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *September 14th - Falcon 9 with NG-23* Northrop Grumman's twenty-third Cygnus resupply mission was launched atop of a Falcon 9, flying out of Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida, to head to the International Space Station. Supporting this launch was booster B1094 for its fourth flight, landing at Landing Zone 2 back in Cape Canaveral. ![Falcon 9 booster B1094 coming in to land at Landing Zone 2 after supporting launch of the NG-23 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/G02jl8ca4AAAIT5.jpg) Falcon 9 booster B1094 coming in to land at Landing Zone 2 after supporting launch of the NG-23 mission. ©SpaceX ### *September 16th - Long March 2C with four internet test satellites* A Long March 2C, with a Yuanzheng-1S upper-stage, flying from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center sent four satellites for internet technology testing into low Earth orbit. Three spacecraft manufacturers contributed the satellites onboard, two commercial ventures and one state-owned enterprise, which may improve the GuoWang and Qianfan constellations. ![A Long March 2C during first-stage flight after lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 16th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/006KQV1Aly1i5ffqs9lf4j32yo1o0dia-1.jpg) A Long March 2C during first-stage flight after lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 16th. ### *September 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-61* Twenty-eight Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1092 supported this mission for its seventh flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![A view from Falcon 9's second-stage ahead of satellite deployment for the Starlink Group 10-61 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/G1H3DKebAAAQD-P.jpg) A view from Falcon 9's second-stage ahead of satellite deployment for the Starlink Group 10-61 mission. ©SpaceX ### *September 18th - New Shepard for NS-35* Blue Origin launched its New Shepard rocket on a suborbital flight from its West Texas site for a research and commercial payload-carrying mission. Capsule RSS H.G. Wells flew for the twelfth time on this mission while booster NS-5 flew for the fifth time. > What a view. From our new free flying camera — deployed on yesterday’s New Shepard mission. (The “bubble” is the seam between two 180 degree lenses.) [pic.twitter.com/X6nX5vz2YT](https://t.co/X6nX5vz2YT?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) [September 20, 2025](https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1969191669359661535?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Shepard's booster and capsule seen during the NS-35 mission by an ejected camera, via [Jeff Bezos on Twitter](https://x.com/jeffbezos/status/1969191669359661535?ref=proximareport.com). ### *September 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-12* Another Falcon 9 sent twenty-four Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was B1088, flying for the tenth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-12 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/G1OstfEbQAA6AVX-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-12 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Cygnus XL arrives at International Space Station* > At 7:24am ET (1124 UTC), the crew aboard the space station successfully captured Northrop Grumman’s CRS-23 spacecraft. Next, the Cygnus spacecraft will be installed to a port on the station—coverage begins at 9am ET (1300 UTC). [pic.twitter.com/23Fsy1cLSj](https://t.co/23Fsy1cLSj?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NASA (@NASA) [September 18, 2025](https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1968638314510004735?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Northrop Grumman's Cygnus spacecraft being captured on September 18th, via [NASA on Twitter](https://x.com/NASA/status/1968638314510004735?ref=proximareport.com). Northrop Grumman's first Cygnus XL spacecraft, for its twenty-third International Space Station resupply mission, arrived at the International Space Station [on September 18th](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/09/18/cygnus-xl-cargo-craft-installed-on-stations-unity-module/?ref=proximareport.com). The spacecraft was [captured by the Canadarm2](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/09/18/cygnus-xl-cargo-craft-captured-by-station-robotic-arm/?ref=proximareport.com) robotic arm and berthed to the station by NASA astronauts Jonny Kim and Zena Cardman. 11,000 pounds (about 4,989.5 kilograms) of consumables and research experiments were delivered aboard Cygnus, which will be unpacked and stored onboard the orbiting lab. Some of [the experiments delivered include](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/station/iss-research/nasa-northrop-grumman-to-send-medical-technology-studies-to-space/?ref=proximareport.com) ways to fine-tune the production of semiconductor crystals in-space, how microgravity alters crystal structures in medical drugs, and ways to keep cryogenic propellants cold while remaining a liquid. While en route to the space station, Cygnus XL [suffered from a](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/09/16/nasa-northrop-grumman-assessing-cygnus-xl-engine-burn-plan/?ref=proximareport.com) shorter-than-planned engine burn, leading to a one-day delay to its arrival. Northrop Grumman was [given the go-ahead](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/09/17/nasa-northrop-grumman-go-to-proceed-with-cygnus-xl-station-arrival/?ref=proximareport.com) to continue heading toward the station on September 17th with a new plan of several engine burns. ### *Blue Moon to deliver VIPER* [NASA announced on September 19th](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-blue-origin-to-deliver-viper-rover-to-moons-south-pole/?ref=proximareport.com) that Blue Origin will deliver the VIPER rover to the Moon's surface in 2027, onboard the company's second mission with its Blue Moon Mk-1 lander. Once delivered, VIPER will search the lunar south pole region for resources like water ice in support of the Artemis program. Speaking on the rover's possible findings, Joel Kearns, Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration in the Science Mission Directorate, shared: > "\[VIPER\] could show us where ice is most likely to be found and easiest to access, as a future resource for humans. And by studying these sources of lunar water, we also gain valuable insight into the distribution and origin of volatiles across the solar system, helping us better understand the processes that have shaped our space environment and how our inner solar system has evolved." VIPER had been [canceled in July 2024](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-cancels-viper-lunar-rover) due to cost overruns and delays beyond its original 2023 launch date, which was set for September 2025\. In the over a year since, NASA was looking to sell the rover to interested companies that would share its findings for free. Now the space agency is paying Blue Origin 190 million United States to put the rover on the Moon through a Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) contract. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *September 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-27* Twenty-eight more Starlink satellites are planned to be sent to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *September 22nd - Falcon 9 with NROL-48* A Falcon 9 is set to fly from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying a group of military satellites into Earth orbit for the U.S. government. ### *September 23rd - Electron for 'JENNA'* Rocket Lab's Electron may fly in its HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) off of Wallops Island, in Virginia, for a military customer. ### *September 23rd - Jielong-3 with Geely Group 06?* A Jielong-3 is preparing to launch from a floating platform in the waters surrounding Shandong province, possibly carrying eleven satellites into low Earth orbit for Geespace's communication, connectivity, and positioning constellation. ### *September 23rd - Falcon 9 with three satellites* From Launch Complex 39A, a Falcon 9 will fly toward the Sun-Earth L1 point carrying NASA's Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) and Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, as well as NOAA's Space Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1). ### *September 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-15* Another twenty-eight Starlink satellites are set to be launched to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 out of Space Launch Complex 40. ### *September 25th - Altas V with KA-03* Twenty-seven satellites for Amazon's Kuiper internet constellation are preparing to launch atop of United Launch Alliance's Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida. ### *September 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-11* SpaceX is planning to launch twenty-four Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 4E into low Earth orbit. ### *September 26th - Long March 2D with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 2D may launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying a currently unannounced payload into sun-synchronous orbit. ### Impulse Space to Deliver Small Commercial Satellites, Military Demonstration to Geostationary Space URL: https://proximareport.com/impulse-deliver-commercial-military-geostationary/ Last updated: 2025-09-17T21:14:51.000Z While still in development, Impsule Space's methane upper-stage is already securing key contracts. [Impulse Space](https://www.impulsespace.com/updates/astranis-and-impulse-space-sign-agreement-for-2027-mission-direct-inject-to-geo?ref=proximareport.com) and [Astranis](https://www.astranis.com/blog/astranis-and-impulse-space-sign-agreement-for-2027-mission-direct-inject-to-geo?ref=proximareport.com) announced on September 15th that they had signed a contract to launch atop a Falcon 9 in 2027, to send the Helios upper-stage into low Earth orbit, where it will then fly to geostationary orbit carrying a few approximately 400-kilogram MicroGEO communication satellites. Through using Helios, the MicroGEO satellites will be near their intended orbit within a day, rather than several months. John Gedmark, Chief Executive Officer of Astranis, spoke on the advantages of flying via Helios, stating: > "We selected Impulse’s Helios vehicle for this mission because it offers a faster, more reliable, and more cost-effective way for us to get our satellites operational and delivering service to customers," – "Demonstrating new methods of rapidly deploying satellites to geostationary orbit is important for both our government and commercial customers, and Impulse is the perfect partner for us in this effort." Eric Romo, Chief Operating Officer at Impulse Space, boasted about Helios' capabilities, adding: > "This is exactly the type of mission that Helios is designed for," – "By providing rapid transport to higher energy orbits, we help operators like Astranis to begin delivering on their mission promise sooner." Meanwhile, on September 16th, military contractor [Anduril Industries provided an update](https://www.anduril.com/article/anduril-and-impulse-space-expand-partnership-to-conduct-rpo-mission-demonstration-in-geo/?ref=proximareport.com) on its near-geostationary space rendezvous and proximity operations mission, flying on Impluse Space's Mira spacecraft, boosted to its target orbit by Helios. That mission, slated for 2026, will be built upon Mira and include an internally developed long-wave infrared imager for inspecting spacecraft in nearby orbits. Stated goals for the mission are to achieve long-wave acquisition tracking and relatively high-precision navigation for close-range rendezvous and proximity operations. Through distant and up-close monitoring, images will be captured of targeted spacecraft for in-space processing and later analysis on the ground (using Andruil's software). ![Anduril's plan for its geostationary space rendezvous and proximity operations mission. ©Anduril Industries](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/G0-f4oRa8AAyHgH.jpg) Anduril's plan for its geostationary space rendezvous and proximity operations mission. ©Anduril Industries At the moment, Helios is yet to fly on its debut mission [set for 2026](https://www.impulsespace.com/helios?ref=proximareport.com), carrying various spacecraft into geostationary space while demonstrating its liquid methane and liquid oxygen propulsion system. Impulse Space is developing Helios to bring at least 4,000 kilograms into geostationary orbit, or up to 7,500 kilograms on a lunar transfer trajectory, while launching on most American rockets. The 4.5-meter-wide, 6.5-meter-tall upper-stage is set to be powered by a single restartable Deneb engine generating 6.8 tons of thrust through an oxidizer-rich stage combustion cycle. ### Weekly Dose of Space (7/9-13/9) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-7-9-13-9/ Last updated: 2025-09-14T17:49:11.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw seven orbital launches taking place, with several for constellations. News from the week had progress towards the Dragonfly spacecraft, China testing its Moon rocket again, and SpaceX spending billions for Starlink. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *September 8th - Jielong-3 with Geely Group 05* A Jielong-3 blasted off from a sea launch platform off the coast of Haiyang, Shandong province, heading into low Earth orbit with eleven satellites for Geespace's Geely Future Mobility Constellation. With this launch, the constellation now has fifty-two satellites for providing communication, connectivity, and positioning services. ![The Jielong-3 Y7 vehicle lifting off from its sea launch platform carrying eleven Geely satellites.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/005SySbsly1i571nndpemj30zk0npmyv-1.jpg) The Jielong-3 Y7 vehicle lifting off from its sea launch platform carrying eleven Geely satellites. ### *September 9th - Long March 7A with Yaogan-45* Out of Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, a Long March 7A flew into a medium Earth orbit carrying the Yaogan-45 remote sensing satellite. Yaogan-45 will reportedly be used for scientific experiments, land resource surveys, crop yield estimation, as well as disaster prevention and relief efforts. ![The Long March 7A Y14 vehicle launching from the Wenchang Space Launch Site with Yaogan-45.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/008r129Lgy1i5798798lhj35x83y5b2h-1.jpg) The Long March 7A Y14 vehicle launching from the Wenchang Space Launch Site with Yaogan-45. ### *September 10th - Falcon 9 for Tranche 1* For the U.S. Space Development Agency, a Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, for the Tranche 1 Transport Layer B mission carrying twenty-one satellites into polar orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1093 for its sixth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E for Tranche 1. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/G0gsl-8bIAAfSDc-1.jpg) Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E for Tranche 1\. ©SpaceX ### *September 11th - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-32* A Soyuz 2.1a launched the Progress MS-32 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Onboard the resupply spacecraft were consumables for the crew as well as scientific experiments. > Another successful launch! Progress MS-32 is on its way to the International Space Station. Docking to the Zvezda module is scheduled for September 13th at 20:27 Moscow Time (17:27 UTC). > > Best moments: > 1\. Liftoff > 2\. Boosters separation > 3\. Core stage sep. > 4\. 3rd stage sep. [https://t.co/xgb5DNiDSw](https://t.co/xgb5DNiDSw?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/Cdj3QD79zc](https://t.co/Cdj3QD79zc?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [September 11, 2025](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1966173052389175777?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The launch of Progress MS-32 atop of Soyuz 2.1a from Baikonur Cosmodrome, via [robert\_savitsky on Twitter](https://x.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1966173052389175777?ref=proximareport.com). ### *September 12th - Falcon 9 with Nusantara Lima* SpaceX launched Indonesia's Nusantara Lima telecommunications satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, atop of a Falcon 9\. Booster B1078 supported this mission for its twenty-third flight, landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 with Nusantara Lima. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/G0n3c3-aMAM0nKP.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 with Nusantara Lima. ©SpaceX ### *September 13th - Soyuz 2.1b with Cosmos 2595 & 2596* Two Cosmos satellites were launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome atop of a Soyuz 2.1b. One satellite is said to be a Glonass-K satellite while the other is an experimental spacecraft. > Video of today's Soyuz-2.1b launch from Plesetsk cosmodrome > > Ministry of Defense reports that a stable telemetry link with the payloads has been established, and the spacecraft's onboard systems are functioning normally. > > Spacecrafts were given designations Cosmos-2595 and 2596\. [https://t.co/gQ8KmoGYID](https://t.co/gQ8KmoGYID?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/gFuQwbRQBM](https://t.co/gFuQwbRQBM?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [September 13, 2025](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1966769535962193936?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of Soyuz 2.1b from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, via [robert\_savitsky on Twitter](https://x.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1966769535962193936?ref=proximareport.com). ### *September 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-10* Twenty-four Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this mission was booster B1071 for its twenty-eighth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Dragonfly passes through development activities* ![Technicians installing rotors onto a full-scale half-model of the Dragonfly spacecraft inside a wind tunnel for testing. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/WindTunnelSetup.jpg) Technicians installing rotors onto a full-scale half-model of the Dragonfly spacecraft inside a wind tunnel for testing. ©NASA NASA [reported on September 8th](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/dragonfly/2025/09/08/nasas-dragonfly-soaring-through-key-development-test-activities/?ref=proximareport.com) that its car-sized, nuclear decay-powered flying spacecraft, Dragonfly, is proceeding through development and testing activities ahead of its mission to Saturn's moon Titan. Providing an overview of recent activity, Dragonfly principal investigator from Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Elizabeth 'Zibi' Turtle, shared: > "Dragonfly has moved far beyond a concept on a computer screen – the components of the rotorcraft lander are being built as scientists and engineers transform this bold exploration idea into reality," – "From the cleanrooms to the wind tunnels, we’re performing critical tests that are informing our next steps of development and demonstrating how Dragonfly will perform on and above Titan’s surface." Some recent testing and development activities include testing the spacecraft's rotors in Titan-like conditions within a transonic wind tunnel, completing parts of Dragonfly's mass spectrometers, testing thermal insulation that will keep the vehicle warm, and assembling flight radios that will allow Dragonfly to talk to Earth. Lockheed Martin has also recently passed the first milestones in building the heat shield that will carry Dragonfly into Titan's atmosphere. [Back in April](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/dragonfly/2025/04/24/nasas-dragonfly-passes-critical-design-review/?ref=proximareport.com), Dragonfly passed its critical design review, with its integration and test phase set to begin in January 2026\. At the moment, the spacecraft is set to launch in 2028, for an arrival on Titan in 2034. ### *Long March 10 completes second static fire* ![The Long March 10 series static fire article firing for the second time at Launch Complex 301.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/82e4e451gy1i5azx28ht4j22r32834qq.jpg) The Long March 10 series static fire article firing for the second time at Launch Complex 301. At the Wenchang Space Launch Site on Launch Complex 301, the Long March 10 series' static fire article [completed its second set of static fires](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/long-march-10-completes-second-static?ref=proximareport.com) on September 12th, following [an earlier one in August](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/long-march-10-roars-to-life-in-wenchang?ref=proximareport.com). According to the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology and the China Manned Space Agency, the test firing verified the parallel working of the seven engines at various low and high throttle settings, as well as understanding hardware stress while gimbaling, alongside demonstrating engine restarts. A total cumulative firing time of the test articles' seven YF-100K engines was stated to be 320 seconds. Following the test firings, involved enterprises and agencies stated the following regarding the Long March 10's test campaign: > *“To date, the two planned tethered ignition tests have been completed, comprehensively verifying the performance of the rocket's first-stage seven-engine power system and the correctness and reliability of the recovery phase operating procedure design, marking a breakthrough in the development of the prototype of the Long March 10 series carrier rocket.” – “The tethered ignition test of the Long March 10 series of launch vehicles is carried out in steps according to the idea of ​​gradual and step-by-step verification, focusing on the two goals of performance verification of the power system of the seven-engine parallel engine of the first stage and recovery and reuse verification.”* This week's static fire and the one in August were key development milestones for China's Long March 10 Moon rocket, set to fly in late 2026 or early 2027, and the smaller Long March 10A, likely to fly in the first half of 2026. ### *SpaceX spends 17 billion for Starlink* [SpaceX announced on September 8th](https://www.spacex.com/updates?ref=proximareport.com#dtc-gen2-spectrum) that it is buying out EchoStar's licenses for the 50 MHz S-band spectrum and global Mobile Satellite Service to consolidate its Starlink internet constellation business. The [deal has SpaceX spending](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/satellites/spacex-buys-usd17-billion-worth-of-satellite-spectrum-to-beef-up-starlink-broadband-service?ref=proximareport.com) 8.5 billion United States Dollars in cash as well as 8.5 billion in its stock, for a total deal value of 17 billion. With the new licenses, SpaceX expects to expand its Direct to Cell offerings from the Starlink constellation, providing coverage to mobile devices nearly worldwide. According to the company, the new licensees enable a step change in performance for Starlink Direct to Cell. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *September 14th - Falcon 9 with NG-23* Northrop Grumman's twenty-third Cygnus resupply mission is set to fly to the International Space Station atop a Falcon 9, departing from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *September 15th - Long March 2C with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 2C is expected to launch out of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying an unannounced payload. ### *September 17th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-12* A batch of Starlink satellites are planned to be launched on top of Falcon 9, flying from Space Launch Complex 4E to low Earth orbit. ### *September 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-61* From Space Launch Complex 40, another batch of Starlink satellites will head to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9. ### *September 18th - New Shepard for NS-35* Blue Origin is planning to fly its New Shepard rocket from its West Texas site on a suborbital mission carrying several commercial and scientific payloads. ### Four Plans for U.S. Near-Future Mars Relays URL: https://proximareport.com/four-future-mars-relays/ Last updated: 2025-09-11T14:53:37.000Z Out of the [grave of the Jet Propulsion Lab’s](https://spacenews.com/nasa-mars-telecom-orbiter-axed-space-agency-priorities-shift/?ref=proximareport.com) Mars Telecommunications Orbiter, a few actors in the U.S. space sector are aiming to win a lucrative contract for a Mars orbiting relay. That orbiter could, when deployed, be a key part of NASA's Moon to Mars program, as well as SpaceX's plans for the Red Planet. ## Rocket Lab ![A render of Rocket Lab's proposed Mars Telecommunication Orbiter. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/mars-tele-orbiter-spacecraft__ResizedImageWzYwMCwyMTdd-1-.png) A render of Rocket Lab's proposed Mars Telecommunication Orbiter. ©Rocket Lab Initially put forth as part of an architecture for reorganizing NASA's Mars Sample Return mission, [Rocket Lab's telecommunications orbiter](https://rocketlabcorp.com/missions/mars-comms-orbiter/?ref=proximareport.com) leans on the company's spacecraft expertise. Rocket Lab is angling for its proposal to be the cost-effective solution, stating: > "The \[Mars Telecommunications Orbiter\] will be built using Rocket Lab’s vertically integrated components and subsystems that have long-standing heritage at the Red Planet. Our vertically integrated approach reduces complexity, controls cost and provides schedule certainty, all under a firm-fixed price." The expertise Rock Lab is leaning on includes the ESCAPADE Mars twins, the MAVEN orbiter, the Insight lander, as well as rovers Curiosity and Perseverance, with the Ingenuity helicopter too. Other than ESCAPADE, experience on those missions was brought in through strategic business acquisitions. ## Blue Origin ![A render of the Blue Ring-based Mars Telecommunication Orbiter. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/MTO_MarsTelecomOrbiter_2.jpg) A render of the Blue Ring-based Mars Telecommunication Orbiter. ©Blue Origin Meanwhile, [Blue Origin's proposal](https://www.blueorigin.com/mars-telecommunications-orbiter?ref=proximareport.com) for the Mars relay builds off of its Blue Ring spacecraft, equipping it with a massive antenna for talking with Earth. Alongside the main relay satellite, Blue also proposes deploying a few smaller spacecraft to talk to more missions across the planet's surface. Alongside performing its role as a communication relay, Blue envisions using the spacecraft as a platform for deep-space computing for the missions it's communicating with, as well as hosting up to 1,000 kilograms of science onboard. Blue Origin says its proposal will be ready to support missions in 2028 if selected. ## SpaceX ![A render of 'Marslink' satellites being deployed into Martian orbit. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/GzPF3E5WAAABkIB.jpg) A render of 'Marslink' satellites being deployed into Martian orbit. ©SpaceX In sharp contrast to the others, [SpaceX's plan](https://www.nasa.gov/solar-system/planets/mars/nasa-selects-commercial-service-studies-to-enable-mars-robotic-science/?ref=proximareport.com) is set to consist of many satellites, forming a Starlink constellation for Mars, nicknamed 'Marslink', to bring communication coverage to the entire planet. 'Marslink' satellites would use proven Starlink designs, giant solar arrays, and optical laser interconnects, with an additional large antenna for Mars-to-Earth connections alongside the standard phased arrays to communicate with surface missions. With potentially dozens of 'Marslinks' in orbit, SpaceX has also proposed equipping the spacecraft with imaging and monitoring payloads (used on the Starsheild spy satellites) to regularly observe changes to the planet. SpaceX's 'Marslink' would be deployed in batches through Starship-Super Heavy, the company's [in-development fully reusable rocket](https://proximareport.com/articles/flight-10-spacex), on missions to the red planet. ## Lockheed Martin Few details are available on Lockheed Martin's solution for a Mars relay, but [according to a NASA study](https://assets.science.nasa.gov/content/dam/science/psd/mars/files/mep/MEPAG-MEP-Commercial-Services%20v2-9%5F14%5F.pdf?ref=proximareport.com), it would utilize the proven design of the MAVEN orbiter and other relevant systems. Unlike MAVEN, the relay would feature two antennas, one to be fixed on Earth and the other with missions on the planet below where needed. ### NASA Says Mars Rover Discovered Potential Biosignature Last Year URL: https://proximareport.com/mars-discovered-potential-bio/ Last updated: 2025-09-10T15:50:14.000Z *This is* [*a press release republished from NASA*](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-says-mars-rover-discovered-potential-biosignature-last-year/?ref=proximareport.com)*, under* [*their policy for news media*](https://www.nasa.gov/nasa-brand-center/images-and-media/?ref=proximareport.com)*.* [*Scientific studies can be found*](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09413-0?ref=proximareport.com#Abs1) *for further reading on this discovery.* A sample collected by NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover from an ancient dry riverbed in Jezero Crater could preserve evidence of ancient microbial life. Taken from a rock named “Cheyava Falls” last year, the sample, called “Sapphire Canyon,” contains potential biosignatures, according to a paper published Wednesday in the journal Nature. A potential biosignature is a substance or structure that might have a biological origin but requires more data or further study before a conclusion can be reached about the absence or presence of life. “This finding by Perseverance, launched under President Trump in his first term, is the closest we have ever come to discovering life on Mars. The identification of a potential biosignature on the Red Planet is a groundbreaking discovery, and one that will advance our understanding of Mars,” said acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy. “NASA’s commitment to conducting Gold Standard Science will continue as we pursue our goal of putting American boots on Mars’ rocky soil.” ![The Perseverance rover imaged leopard spots on a reddish rock nicknamed "Cheyava Falls" in Mars' Jezero Crater in July 2024. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/G0frQ-rbQAEWlq4.jpg) The Perseverance rover imaged leopard spots on a reddish rock nicknamed "Cheyava Falls" in Mars' Jezero Crater in July 2024\. ©NASA Perseverance came upon Cheyava Falls in July 2024 while exploring the “Bright Angel” formation, a set of rocky outcrops on the northern and southern edges of Neretva Vallis, an ancient river valley measuring a quarter-mile (400 meters) wide that was carved by water rushing into Jezero Crater long ago. “This finding is the direct result of NASA’s effort to strategically plan, develop, and execute a mission able to deliver exactly this type of science — the identification of a potential biosignature on Mars,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “With the publication of this peer-reviewed result, NASA makes this data available to the wider science community for further study to confirm or refute its biological potential.” The rover’s science instruments found that the formation’s sedimentary rocks are composed of clay and silt, which, on Earth, are excellent preservers of past microbial life. They also are rich in organic carbon, sulfur, oxidized iron (rust), and phosphorous. “The combination of chemical compounds we found in the Bright Angel formation could have been a rich source of energy for microbial metabolisms,” said Perseverance scientist Joel Hurowitz of Stony Brook University, New York and lead author of the paper. “But just because we saw all these compelling chemical signatures in the data didn’t mean we had a potential biosignature. We needed to analyze what that data could mean.” First to collect data on this rock were Perseverance’s PIXL (Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry) and SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals) instruments. While investigating Cheyava Falls, an arrowhead-shaped rock measuring 3.2 feet by 2 feet (1 meter by 0.6 meters), they found what appeared to be colorful spots. The spots on the rock could have been left behind by microbial life if it had used the raw ingredients, the organic carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus, in the rock as an energy source. In higher-resolution images, the instruments found a distinct pattern of minerals arranged into reaction fronts (points of contact where chemical and physical reactions occur) the team called leopard spots. The spots carried the signature of two iron-rich minerals: vivianite (hydrated iron phosphate) and greigite (iron sulfide). Vivianite is frequently found on Earth in sediments, peat bogs, and around decaying organic matter. Similarly, certain forms of microbial life on Earth can produce greigite. The combination of these minerals, which appear to have formed by electron-transfer reactions between the sediment and organic matter, is a potential fingerprint for microbial life, which would use these reactions to produce energy for growth. The minerals also can be generated abiotically, or without the presence of life. Hence, there are ways to produce them without biological reactions, including sustained high temperatures, acidic conditions, and binding by organic compounds. However, the rocks at Bright Angel do not show evidence that they experienced high temperatures or acidic conditions, and it is unknown whether the organic compounds present would’ve been capable of catalyzing the reaction at low temperatures. The discovery was particularly surprising because it involves some of the youngest sedimentary rocks the mission has investigated. An earlier hypothesis assumed signs of ancient life would be confined to older rock formations. This finding suggests that Mars could have been habitable for a longer period or later in the planet’s history than previously thought, and that older rocks also might hold signs of life that are simply harder to detect. “Astrobiological claims, particularly those related to the potential discovery of past extraterrestrial life, require extraordinary evidence,” said Katie Stack Morgan, Perseverance’s project scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “Getting such a significant finding as a potential biosignature on Mars into a peer-reviewed publication is a crucial step in the scientific process because it ensures the rigor, validity, and significance of our results. And while abiotic explanations for what we see at Bright Angel are less likely given the paper’s findings, we cannot rule them out.” The scientific community uses tools and frameworks like the CoLD scale and Standards of Evidence to assess whether data related to the search for life actually answers the question, Are we alone? Such tools help improve understanding of how much confidence to place in data suggesting a possible signal of life found outside our own planet. Sapphire Canyon is one of 27 rock cores the rover has collected since landing at Jezero Crater in February 2021\. Among the suite of science instruments is a weather station that provides environmental information for future human missions, as well as swatches of spacesuit material so that NASA can study how it fares on Mars. ### Coastal launch site expansion underway in China URL: https://proximareport.com/chinese-coastal-expansion/ Last updated: 2025-09-07T21:00:22.000Z The Chinese space program has had a growing issue regarding launch capacity and especially with capable modern launchers, but that has been rapidly changing with this recent year. 2025 has proven to be a very pivotal year for many key construction projects. ## Haiyang Spaceport Arguably, the most interesting part of China's coastal launch site expansion has been the growth [of the Haiyang spaceport](https://weibo.com/ttarticle/x/m/show/id/2309405205259890065521?%5Fwb%5Fclient%5F=1&ref=proximareport.com). The Haiyang spaceport has helped facilitate many tests, such as the Long March 12 reusable rocket demonstrator, and soon the Tianlong-3 static fire. It has also had many launches from small ships just off its coast. For instance, Yu Zhaojun, head of the Ship Management Department at Haishangfa and other officials at Haiyang announced the creation of a ship meant for the launch and recovery of medium lift launch vehicles in August of this year. They have also recently released very ambitious development plans for Haiyang to reach 100 annual launches by 2030\. The plans involve 8 pads: 4 normal ground pads and 4 at sea, along with a dedicated static fire area. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/image-1.png) These plans are also not only theoretical, as they have already broken ground on this project, and the plans are definitely grand. Many of these pads are meant to support some very powerful launch vehicles and have gotten increased investments from multiple private and state-owned companies. Haiyang has unexpectedly started positioning themselves as a major launch center for the future of China's launch industry. It also has a strong starting off point with already facilitating many small lift launch vehicles. The Haiyang facilities support in rocket assembly and testing, with plans to produce up to 20 solid rockets annually, along with increasing launch capabilities, making it a very appealing choice for many launch providers in China ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/image-2.png) ## Why sea launch? China has experienced a huge boost in demand with the launch of many mega-constellation projects and the effort to create a modern satellite network comparable to others globally. However, China’s launch industry has recently been dominated by hypergolic vehicles launching from inland sites that lack ground support equipment (GSE) to support cryogenic rockets at the same capacity as hypergolic ones. This led to the creation of the Wenchang Space Launch Site, a modern coastal launch site primarily built for cryogenic vehicles. This launch bottleneck happened to coincide with a booming small launch industry in China, incentivizing new private launch providers and encouraging the undertaking of more international launch missions. China aims to position itself as an international launcher rather than just serving domestic payloads, and growing launch capacity supports this goal. This situation led companies and institutions to seek novel solutions, one of which was sea launch. This was a highly attractive option as it lifts many restrictions associated with launching from Jiuquan or even Wenchang. As investment in this area expanded, its feasibility increased, facilitating the unexpected rise. ## Hainan Commercial Site The unexpected rise of Haiyang does not mean that Wenchang has slowed down; on the contrary, construction there has been very intense, highlighted by the recent inauguration and growth of a commercial launch site. In 2024, China unveiled the Hainan Commercial Spacecraft Launch Site, a $1.5 billion expansion adjacent to Wenchang. Designed to accommodate private aerospace firms, the complex features two dedicated pads, one exclusively for Long March 8 and the other for over 12 different launch vehicles. There is also a shared technical center for payload integration. State-owned enterprises like the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation have partnered with startups to streamline licensing and operations. The site had its first launch at the end of 2024 but has recently seen some intense expansion with the announcement of Pads 3 and 4 in January of 2025\. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/image-3.png) [The foundations for pads 3 and 4 began construction this year and are expected to be completed in the latter half of 2026](https://english.www.gov.cn/news/202509/06/content%5FWS68bc38fdc6d0868f4e8f560f.html?ref=proximareport.com). Pads 1 and 2 continue to mature with increasing launch activity. At the Wenchang Space Launch Site, general growth in support facilities is underway. Meanwhile, for the Long March 10 rocket, two vehicle assembly buildings are being finalized, and a launch pad is scheduled for completion this year. Many companies are also building their own support facilities for purposes ranging from satellite production to rocket refurbishment. To conclude, the year 2025 has marked a pivotal turning point for China’s space launch capabilities and infrastructure. The rapid expansion of sites like Haiyang and Wenchang, along with the emergence of the Hainan Commercial Spacecraft Launch Site, reflects China's commitment to addressing launch capacity bottlenecks. Haiyang's ambitious growth, including its future goal of 100 annual launches and integration of sea launch platforms, positions it as a crucial hub for both private and state-backed launch providers. Simultaneously, Wenchang and Hainan continue to evolve with new pads, assembly buildings, and international launch ambitions. Together, these developments underscore China’s strategic drive to become a global leader in space access, supporting an unprecedented surge in satellite deployments and commercial launch activity for the coming decade. ### Weekly Dose of Space (31/8-6/9) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-31-8-6-9/ Last updated: 2025-09-07T15:07:03.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw nine launches taking place, with spacecraft sent into a variety of orbits. News during the week included a promotion at NASA, the initiation of a future planetary defense mission, and a boost for the International Space Station. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *August 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-14* SpaceX's Falcon 9 launched twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting this launch was booster B1077, for its twenty-third flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-14 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/GzrtBimbQAA46h3.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-14 mission. ©SpaceX ### *September 2nd - Shavit-2 with Ofek-19* Israel's military launched a Shavit-2 rocket, based on the country's intercontinental ballistic missiles, into a retrograde low Earth orbit carrying the Ofek-19 satellite. Ofek-19 is believed to be a synthetic aperture radar reconnaissance satellite. ### *September 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-8* Twenty-four Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1097 supported this mission for its first flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-8 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/Gz5iD3jawAARK6G.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 17-8 mission. ©SpaceX ### *September 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-22* Another twenty-eight Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 via a Falcon 9\. Supporting this launch was booster B1083, for its fourteenth flight with a downrange landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-22 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/Gz7fosCXUAA2Q3I-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-22 mission. ©SpaceX ### *September 5th - Long March 3C/E with Shiyan-29* A Long March 3C/E carried Shiyan-29, boosted by a Yuanzheng-1 upper-stage, directly into geostationary orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center for the rocket's second flight this year. Shiyan-29 is planning to conduct space environment monitoring the related technology tests. ![The Long March 3C/E, equiped with a Yuanzheng-1, lifts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/68baaef4a3108622d64114d8.jpeg) The Long March 3C/E, equiped with a Yuanzheng-1, lifts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ### *September 5th - Ceres-1 with three satellites* Galactic Energy's Ceres-1 blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying three customer satellites into sun-synchronous orbit, along with its Eros orbital test platform (based on the rocket's fourth-stage). The customer payloads were: - Kaiyun-1, for Earth observation and space awareness tasks - Yuxing-3-08, for remote sensing via a 5-meter resolution camera - Yunyao-1-27, for meteorological tasks as well as testing an electric hall-effect propulsion system, a fiber optic gyro, a high-performance computer, and a Compton telescope for gamma-ray particle detection. Meanwhile, the Eros platform is set to carry out experiments related to studying atmospheric conditions along with optical and visible light imaging tests. ![Ceres-1 Y15 blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/008iEnCggy1i532ugi3i2j30zk1hb414-1.jpg) Ceres-1 Y15 blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *September 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-57* Yet another twenty-eight Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit by Falcon 9 flying out of Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Booster B1069 supported this mission for its twenty-seventh flight, landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. This was also the [500th landing](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1963961957272183010?ref=proximareport.com) of a Falcon 9 first-stage booster. > Falcon 9 touchdown on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, completing the 500th launch and landing of an orbital class rocket [pic.twitter.com/74hQehSIDd](https://t.co/74hQehSIDd?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [September 5, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1963959998155002032?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 booster B1069 landing on 'Just Read The Instructions', via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1963959998155002032?ref=proximareport.com). ### *September 6th - Long March 6A with Yaogan-40 Group-03* Three Yaogan-40 satellites, for the third group overall, were sent into a polar orbit by a Long March 6A flying from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The three satellites are expected to perform electromagnetic environment detection over areas of Earth below, along with related technology tests. ![The Long March 6A Y12 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/640b.webp) The Long March 6A Y12 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ### *September 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-9* Another Falcon 9 delivered twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, out of Space Launch Complex 4E. This mission was supported by booster B1075 for its twentieth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Amit Kshatriya named associate administrator* NASA [announced on September 3rd](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/acting-nasa-administrator-duffy-selects-exploration-focused-associate-administrator/?ref=proximareport.com) that Amit Kshatriya, previously the Deputy Associate Administrator for the Moon to Mars Program, has become the Associate Administrator of the space agency. According to the agency, Kshatriya's promotion puts the Artemis program at the core of American exploration strategy under the Trump Administration. Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy further underscored that by stating: > "Amit has spent more than two decades as a dedicated public servant at NASA, working to advance American leadership in space. Under his leadership, the agency will chart a bold vision to return to the Moon during President Trump’s term," – "Amit’s knowledge, integrity, and unwavering commitment to pioneering a new era of exploration make him uniquely qualified to lead our agency as associate administrator. With Amit we’ll continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible." After making Kshatriya Associate Administrator, he and Sean Duffy appeared on [an internal NASA town hall](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/nasa-briefed-employees-this-morning-audio/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) to repeat the point that agency leadership intends to ignore restored funding and [win the 21st-century "Moon race"](https://proximareport.com/articles/duffy-us-win-moon-defunded), which the U.S. is the only participant of. ### *China to perform planetary defense mission* [China Daily](https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202509/06/WS68bbbfd0a3108622abc9f3b7.html?ref=proximareport.com) and [CGTN](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-09-06/China-to-kick-off-asteroid-deflection-project-in-2025-expert-1GraS2i5b2w/p.html?ref=proximareport.com) are reporting that China is initiating a planetary defense mission project this year. According to Wu Weiren, the Chief Designer of China's highly successful Lunar Exploration Program and Director of the nation's Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, the defense mission will target a near-Earth asteroid and aim to move its orbit by three to five centimeters. A mission to do so would use a fly-along–impact–fly-along architecture with two spacecraft, an observer and an impactor. An observer would arrive first to survey the target, then an impactor would hit at high speed, followed by the observer and Earth-based instruments measuring the results. Alongside conducting a planetary defense mission, China also envisions establishing a comprehensive planetary defense architecture. That would see an integrated space-ground monitoring and alert network to enable an early warning system for potentially dangerous asteroids heading for the Earth or Moon, then followed by an in-orbit response. At the moment, China is [flying its first asteroid sample return mission](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/tianwen-2-snaps-photos-of-the-earth?utm%5Fsource=publication-search), Tianwen-2, which is en route to asteroid 2016HO3/469219 Kamoʻoalewa, with a planned arrival in the summer of 2026, where it will gather between 200 and 1,000 grams of samples. Around 2029, those samples will be returned to Earth during a flyby. ### *Dragon boosts International Space Station* SpaceX's Cargo Dragon spacecraft, as part of the company's thirty-third resupply mission, [provided a small boost](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/09/03/nasa-spacex-complete-dragon-space-station-reboost/?ref=proximareport.com) to the International Space Station's orbit on September 3rd as part of a demonstration. For the boost, two Draco engines in Dragon's trunk section fired for five minutes and three seconds, drawing propellant from a brand new boost kit (also in the trunk). After the boost, the space station was left in a 260.9 by 256.3 mile (around 420.0 by 412.5 kilometers) altitude orbit, raised by about a mile at the lowest point. With the demonstration boost complete, [additional burns](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-science-cargo-launch-on-33rd-spacex-resupply-mission-to-station/?ref=proximareport.com) from Dragon may take place to periodically maintain the International Space Station's orbit. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *September 8th - Jielong-3 with Geely Group 05?* Geespace's Geely Future Mobility Constellation could see its fifth group of satellites, likely with eleven onboard, launched into low Earth orbit by a Jielong-3 from a floating sea-launch platform. ### *September 9th - Falcon 9 with Nusantara Lima* A Falcon 9 is planned to carry Indonesia's Nusantara Lima telecommunications satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *September 9th - Long March 7A with a to-be-announced payload* From the Wenchang Space Launch Site, a Long March 7A is preparing to launch towards geostationary space, carrying a currently unknown spacecraft. ### *September 10th - Falcon 9 with a Tranche 1 mission* For the U.S. Space Development Agency, a Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Tranche 1 Transport Layer B mission. ### *September 11th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-32* A Soyuz 2.1a is planned to launch the Progress MS-32 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. ### *September 13th - Soyuz 2.1b with a Glonass-K satellite* A Glonass-K satellite is set to head to medium Earth orbit via a Soyuz 2.1b flying from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. ### Astra Spacecraft Engine (ASE): The Golden Goose Keeping Astra Alive URL: https://proximareport.com/astra-spacecraft-engine-ase-astras-golden-goose/ Last updated: 2025-09-06T19:21:21.000Z If you know anything about the launch industry, you have likely heard of [Astra Space](https://astra.com/?ref=proximareport.com). Whether through memes or their stock market antics, you probably figured out one crucial thing: they cannot catch a break. However, despite being on the brink of bankruptcy for years now, the company just won't die, and a part of that is due to [Astra's Spacecraft Engine](https://astra.com/spacecraft-engine?ref=proximareport.com), or ASE for short. ## Humble Beginnings of ASE In 2021, Astra made what could be its most significant financial and business move yet—a move so crucial that it may just be keeping the launch provider afloat. For $50 million, the company acquired Apollo Fusion, a startup specializing in advanced electric propulsion systems. This move according to Chris Kemp, Astra’s CEO and Founder, would add a, > Really core piece of technology to Astra’s platform. It’ll unlock a whole new set of customer opportunities for us.” Thus begins the journey of ASE. ## What is Astra Spacecraft Engine? So, what exactly is [ASE](https://astra.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/ASE-DATA-SHEET-2023-1.pdf?ref=proximareport.com)? Astra's Spacecraft Engine is a Hall-effect electric propulsion (EP) system for orbital maneuvers. Unlike chemical engines, electric propulsion engines use electricity to ionize gases, shooting them off at high velocities. This gives the engines extreme efficiency but low thrust, which makes them perfect for long burns that orbiting satellites may need to conduct. To better meet customer needs, Astra offers two propellant options for ASE: one that utilizes Krypton and the other, Xenon. The Xenon configuration allows for higher thrust and specific impulse (ISP). Think of this as the "fuel efficiency," so to speak, of a propulsion system. At 400W of input, ASE's Xenon-powered version has an ISP of 1,400 seconds and a thrust of \~25mN. The Krypton version is slightly less capable, with the same 400W input; it achieves an ISP of 1,300 and a thrust of \~18mN. To put how little thrust these engines make into perspective, the force ASE produces is about the same as a bug landing on your skin. ![Astra Spacecraft Engine firing in-space back in 2022](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/ase-in-space-1-972x600.jpeg) Astra Spacecraft Engine seen firing in-space. ****Credit:** [****Astra**](https://astra.com/news/on-orbit-validation-of-the-astra-spacecraft-engine?ref=proximareport.com) ### Xenon vs Krypton: The Tradeoffs For the longest time, most electric propulsion systems were powered by Xenon. However, with the rise of private space flight and costs being a concern, the more capable, but vastly more expensive, Xenon fuel was ditched in favor of Krypton and Argon. During Starlink’s infancy, the constellation used Krypton ion engines. Despite being less dense than Xenon, which required larger fuel tanks, Krypton was far more abundant and thus, cheaper. Pair this with a lower atomic mass, and you have a propellant that, on paper, appears more efficient. So while Krypton may not produce as much thrust as Xenon, it has a higher theoretical ISP. It is worth noting that SpaceX ultimately switched from Krypton to Argon, a first for in-space propulsion. According to SpaceX, the switch to Argon allowed for 2.4 times more thrust and 1.5 times more ISP, all while being even cheaper than Krypton. So, why did Astra Space choose Krypton and Xenon over the growing industry standard Argon? Well, the decision wasn’t up to them. Apollo Fusion had already been working on the ion engine long before Astra bought them out. While Argon has some strengths, at the time of ASEs inception, Argon wasn't even a proven propellant for satellite propulsion. Add to that the sheer number of Starlink satellites (>8k) currently in orbit, with tens of thousands more planned, this may lead to a rise in Argon prices. Argon can also erode materials within the engine at a faster rate than alternatives, which, for SpaceX and other Mega-constellations with shorter satellite lives, is fine. However, other satellites with longer lives and more burns may favor an engine that can last. ### ASE vs Its Competitors: ExoTerra and Phase Four ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/F4s-x6baQAEmL3E-1.jpg) Astra's Spacecraft Engine (ASE) Krypton variant testing its legs in one of the companies vacuum chambers. ****Credit: Astra** As the small satellite industry is growing year in and year out, many companies across the globe are working on manufacturing in-space propulsion systems to cater to the sector. Astra may be in a good position with ASE, but they know more than most that things can go sideways quickly. Some of Astra's main competitors, such as [Phase Four](https://phasefour.io/?ref=proximareport.com) and [ExoTerra](https://www.exoterra.com/?ref=proximareport.com), are hot on Astra's tail. With its scalable and manufacturable microwave electrothermal thrusters, Phase Four adopts a different strategy. Microwave electrothermal thrusters essentially work by superheating a neutral gas into plasma with microwaves. The superheated gas is then expelled through a nozzle creating thrust through thermal expansion. In contrast, ExoTerra specializes in extremely modular Hall-effect devices, such as the Halo and Halo12, to meet the needs of missions requiring variable power ranges. Collectively, these businesses pose a significant threat to Astra in the expanding market for small-satellite propulsion. Phase Four's Valkyrie and ExoTerra's Halo systems, like Astra's ASE, are powered by both Xenon and Krypton. ASE's 300–400 W, \~18–25mN, and \~1,400 seconds of ISP are closely matched by Phase Four's Valkyrie, which runs at around 400–600W and produces 20–34mN of thrust with an ISP of about 1,200–1,300 seconds. In contrast, ExoTerra's Halo has a far greater operating range (85–1,500 W), which helps smaller satellites with more constrained power budgets while still allowing it to scale up for bigger missions. ExoTerra is a more comprehensive rival because it also offers [integrated propulsion buses](https://www.exoterra.com/courier-sep-buses?ref=proximareport.com) and complete system solutions in addition to engines. ### Astra ASE Xenon - Power: \~300–400 W - Thrust: \~18–25 mN - Isp: \~1300–1400 s ### Phase Four Valkyrie Xenon - Power: 400–600 W - Thrust: 20–34 mN - Isp: \~1200–1300 s ### ExoTerra Halo Xenon - Power: 85–450 W - Thrust: 4–33 mN - Isp: \~700–1500 s ### ExoTerra Halo12 Krypton - Power: 200–1500 W - Thrust: 10–50 mN - Isp: \~1000–1600 s Making good hardware and shipping it is what separates those who live, to those who flounder in the space industry. Currently, Astra has supplied more than 60 ASE units, many of which have completed burns in orbit. ExoTerra has already completed dozens of flights, and Phase Four is gradually increasing deliveries, demonstrating that all three have actual hardware experience in space. While it is far too early to call anything, and the space industry is only growing in demand, it will be interesting to see how all three companies and others not mentioned, continue to push the envelope. While exact costs for ExoTerra and Phase Four engines aren’t public, Astra’s standard ASE comes in at roughly $275,000 per unit. ### Astra Systems To allow for higher capabilities, Astra also offers multi-engine configurations to allow for higher thrust and more performance overall. These systems are comprised of two, three, or four strings, enabling up to 100mNs of thrust at 1.6kW. While these systems may be overkill for LEO constellations, they have massive implications for cis-lunar missions and interplanetary ones. ![Astra Space's table that goes over information on their multi-engine configurations for ASE](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/astra-spacecraft-engine-system-layout-1.PNG) Of course, consumers are what sustain a business, not specs alone. ASE's ability to garner adoption throughout the satellite industry has always been its true test. So, who is utilizing ASE, and what purpose does electric propulsion hold? ## The Market for Electric Propulsion From Earth orbit and beyond, Electric propulsion has revolutionized the space industry and it isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Astra has deployed more than a dozen ASE units in orbit, achieving hundreds of successful burns in just the past few years. These burns have supported missions across commercial, government, and defense sectors, solidifying ASE's track record that cannot be overlooked. ### Constellation/Private Sector The lifeblood of the modern space industry, constellations, will be the biggest customer of ion engines. Electric propulsion is perfectly suited for both low-orbit satellites that need near-constant burns to stay in a stable orbit. While giants like SpaceX make their engines in-house, companies across the globe that are working on much smaller scales don't need to make their own propulsion; rather, they can buy it from companies like Astra. According to Astra themselves in a technical document going over ASE MAX specs, the company claims ASE MAX has already been chosen for use on a constellation with hundreds of satellites. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/Article-Graphic--1-.png) Two Planet Lab Pelican Satellites using ASE as their propulsion system [****Credit: CadeArmy** ](https://x.com/CadeArmy/status/1960422434214916459?ref=proximareport.com)on Twitter During the Transporter-12 and 13 launch, a handful of ASEs were launched into orbit according to Astra. While more recently, two [Planet Lab](https://www.planet.com/?ref=proximareport.com) Pelican satellites were seen sporting these ASE engines on [SpaceX's](https://www.spacex.com/?ref=proximareport.com) NAOS launch. ### Government/DoD ![Artist Rendition for the Oracle family of satellites, is comprised of Oracle M (Mobility) and Oracle P (Prime)](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/epilab_SS_image.jpg) Artist Rendition for the Oracle family of satellites which is comprised of Oracle M (Mobility) and Oracle P (Prime) ****Credit:** [****AFRL**](https://afresearchlab.com/?ref=proximareport.com) Beyond the private sector, ASE is also reportedly being used on the Oracle M Lunar Satellite, currently being developed by the [United States Air Force Research Laboratory](https://afresearchlab.com/technology/oracle/?ref=proximareport.com#:~:text=Oracle-M%20and%20Oracle-P%20are%20satellites%20being%20developed,support%20of%20responsible%20and%20sustainable%20lunar%20exploration.) for in-space situational awareness around both the Earth and the Moon. This isn't the only time the US government has invested in Astra. At the tail end of 2024, [Astra was awarded a $44 million contract from the Defense Innovation Unit](https://astra.com/news/dod-awards-astra-contract-44-mill?ref=proximareport.com). Astra has also been selected, in collaboration with companies such as [York Space](https://www.yorkspacesystems.com/?ref=proximareport.com) and [Maxar,](https://www.maxar.com/?ref=proximareport.com) to help the [SDA](https://www.sda.mil/?ref=proximareport.com) develop a 1,000 strong satellite constellation for the US government. This mega-constellation will field disruptive technology to better protect the US and her allies, such as space-based missile tracking. ### Deep Space While nothing has been said about ASE being used for interplanetary or deep space missions, ion engines are becoming increasingly popular for such missions. [NASA's DART](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/dart?ref=proximareport.com) spacecraft demonstrated NEXT-C, which is poised to enable a wide variety of missions beyond Earth's sphere of influence at a low cost. The [Psyche](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/psyche?ref=proximareport.com) spacecraft is using four SPT-140 electric propulsion for its mission to 16 Psyche. As the industry grows, it is not crazy to assume companies will look to Astra when planning long-term missions that perfectly suit ion engines. Astra is positioning itself solidly for dominance in the electric propulsion sector for Earth SOI applications and beyond. ### Challenges Ahead for Astra and ASE ![Astra Spacecraft Engine firing in a test chamber, validating the engines hardware.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/09/F4s-0R2bgAAFKbu.jpg) Astra Spacecraft Engine firing in a test chamber, validating the engines hardware. ****Credit: Astra** Astra’s Spacecraft Engine may be buying the company time, but the road ahead is still uncertain. ### One basket, too many eggs Astra remains, first and foremost, a launch company, pouring millions into Rocket 4\. Diversification helps, but survival still depends on more than a single product line. The saying "don't put all your eggs in one basket" pertains here. While things are starting to look up for the company--they aren't out of the weeds yet. Ion engines have plenty of benefits beyond the realm of Earth, but planet-side, it is a different story. Xenon, Krypton, and even Argon are all rare, tightly controlled, and subject to volatile pricing. Demand spikes or geopolitical strains could ripple through Astra’s supply chain and the already lengthy and expensive process of sourcing these rare gases certainly doesn't help. For a company still recovering, even a few bad years in the noble gas market could sting. ### Rocket Four development presses forward Luckily, in the past year and a half, Astra has raised nearly 80 million, with the bulk of it coming from the aforementioned DIU contract. This has enabled the company to restructure its finances, pay legal fees, and repurchase shares. Those funds are stabilizing operations and giving engineers room to push Rocket Four forward. A little over a month ago, its first-stage engine “Chiron” cleared a static fire in Atwater. Moving Astra closer to a 2026–27 launch window, with full-stage testing likely to pick up in mid-2026. > Hotfire at our test facility in preparation for testing the new combustion chamber for the next-generation Astra first stage engine that will power Rocket 4\. [pic.twitter.com/ECGiyiwHIq](https://t.co/ECGiyiwHIq?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Astra (@Astra) [July 22, 2025](https://twitter.com/Astra/status/1947650052983558639?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ### Final notes Astra has become this sort of embodiment of the "indomitable human spirit" and while I am sure ASE has played a part in keeping the company alive, I want to take a second and give a huge congratulations to all the engineers, technicians and managers who are pushing to get the company back on its feet. Space is hard, but Astra is proving that even when things are bleak, the peak is never out of reach. ### Duffy Says U.S. Will Win 'Moon Race' but NASA Stays Defunded URL: https://proximareport.com/duffy-us-win-moon-defunded/ Last updated: 2025-09-05T17:33:51.000Z Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy is convinced the U.S. will win the 21st-century "Moon race", despite massive defunding and being the only participant. In a [recent internal NASA town hall](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/nasa-briefed-employees-this-morning-audio/?ref=proximareport.com), Acting Administrator Duffy told agency employees that he and the Trump Administration are committed to beating China to the Moon (a point he [constantly tells Fox News](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/sean-duffy-is-stuck-inside-the-fox-bubble/?ref=proximareport.com)), with Duffy declaring: > "I’ll be damned if that is the story that we write. We are going to beat the Chinese to the moon. We are going to make sure that we do this safely. We’re going to do it fast. We’re going to do it right." > We will get to the Moon under President Trump’s term. Our mission is Artemis. > > We WILL win the second space race. China wants to beat us there, but we won’t let them. > > Come aboard, to the final frontier. [pic.twitter.com/3CZ0XzTEce](https://t.co/3CZ0XzTEce?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy (@SecDuffyNASA) [September 5, 2025](https://twitter.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1963991678114480161?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) A promotional video released by the Trump Administration declaring they will win the "Moon race", via [Sean Duffy on Twitter](https://x.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1963991678114480161?ref=proximareport.com). [Newly appointed NASA Associate Administrator](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/acting-nasa-administrator-duffy-selects-exploration-focused-associate-administrator/?ref=proximareport.com) Amit Kshatriya vowed to push back on statements saying that the U.S. could or will be second to land this century, signaling a level of ideological agreement at the top levels of the agency seven months into the new American administration. Duffy's comments were provoked by [a recent testimony](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/8D732F32-0CF8-4B76-AEA9-4F41647E2B51?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) by former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstein, although not mentioned by name, from Trump's first term. Bridenstein has been critical of the choice of SpaceX with Starship (which [only recently started succeeding again](https://proximareport.com/articles/flight-10-spacex) after writing off a potential year of progress) for the Artemis program's first lunar lander, and its selection being approved while no administrator was confirmed. In his view, needing to launch a depot Starship, followed by an unclear number of refueling Starships before a crew-rated lunar lander Starship even launches, allows China to land on the Moon before America. America landing before China will also be critical for Trump-Duffy plans to violate the outer space treaty to claim parts of the Moon for America's sole use [via nuclear reactors](https://proximareport.com/articles/duffy-nuclear-moon?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). During the same town hall, Duffy defended [Trump's NASA cuts](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-six-months-trump?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) for fiscal year 2026, slashing 6 billion United States Dollars in funding and ending over forty science missions and canceling America's only Moon rocket and the Orion capsule after the Artemis III mission (the first Moon landing). In a pushback against Artemis mission cuts, other U.S. [lawmakers added funding](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/trump-megabill-includes-billions-for-artemis-iss-moving-a-space-shuttle-to-texas-and-more/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) for the Artemis IV and Artemis V missions through the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill', along with fully funding the sometimes crewed Gateway lunar orbiting space station. Restoring funding is all well and good, but NASA leadership intends to ignore that funding, [again](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-nasa-directions?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), with Duffy saying: > "The president, though we have a reduced budget, he gave us more money for space exploration. That’s what we’re going to do. At this point, I think we have enough money to accomplish our mission." Those cuts have [led to thousands of employees leaving](https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/nasa-says-20-workforce-depart-space-agency-2025-07-26/?ref=proximareport.com) the agency, alongside the White House [clamping down on unions](https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/01/nasa%5Funions%5Fnixed/?ref=proximareport.com) at NASA. With less funding and fewer employees, it will become increasingly impossible to "beat" China to landing people on the Moon in a race the Chinese lunar program isn't even participating in. ### China's not racing [Despite](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/mengzhou-soars-for-zero-altitude?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) [recent](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/lanyue-lunar-lander-conducts-simulated?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) [strides](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/long-march-10-roars-to-life-in-wenchang?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in hardware testing for China's crewed Moon missions, the nation [does not view its lunar program as in a race](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-is-not-racing-to-the-moon?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) with America's Artemis due to political factors. China treats its lunar program as part of long-term national development plans with a centralized system that allows for stable, multi-year planning through multiple government organisations and advisory bodies that set consistent objectives. This contrasts sharply with America, where NASA faces shifting political priorities every four to eight years, meaning the lunar program and others must win support from changing administrations and Congress, making long-term planning difficult. Chief Designer of China's Lunar Exploration Program, Wu Weiren, [observed this and noted](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-23/china-s-lunar-chief-knocks-us-on-shifting-space-priorities?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io): > “When the president changes, his policies change,” — “We in China may anchor our goals and always draw a blueprint until the end, so we have always moved forward smoothly and firmly, which is the difference between our two countries.” The only advantage America boasts over China is its [fifty-six nation](https://x.com/NASA/status/1948487879228789084?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) non-binding Artemis Accords, which aims to [rewrite the space law](https://www.thespacereview.com/article/4009/1?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) through its lackluster points. China's international lunar agreement is instead for cooperative construction and research on the [International Lunar Research Station](https://www.unoosa.org/documents/pdf/copuos/2023/TPs/ILRS%5Fpresentation20230529%5F.pdf?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). ### Despite Committee Hearings, the U.S. Is Set to Lose the 'Moon Race' URL: https://proximareport.com/us-set-to-lose-moon-race/ Last updated: 2025-09-05T15:58:27.000Z The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing on September 3rd, titled "[*There’s a Bad Moon on the Rise: Why Congress and NASA Must Thwart China in the Space Race*](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/9/there-s-a-bad-moon-on-the-rise-why-congress-and-nasa-must-thwart-china-in-the-space-race%5F2?ref=proximareport.com)", aimed at figuring out how to win the 21st-century "Moon race". Much of the hearing was focused on maintaining American preeminence in the so-called [ultimate high ground](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/79EB2C7F-124A-47F3-B96C-EF9E1988CE44?ref=proximareport.com) of space, [fear-mongering about a loss](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/0FF2AEE8-1981-4071-B785-32BB0A9B04AF?ref=proximareport.com) of that preeminence, and [maintaining jobs](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/B47DFF4C-A3BA-4DE0-B283-2A56C683A86C?ref=proximareport.com) through an active industrial base supporting space. Vague and unspecific mentions were made on how to improve or accelerate the U.S. lunar program, known as Artemis. However during the hearing, former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine was [particularly critical](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/8D732F32-0CF8-4B76-AEA9-4F41647E2B51?ref=proximareport.com) of the choice of SpaceX with Starship for the Artemis program's first lunar lander, and its selection being approved while no administrator was confirmed. In his view, needing to launch a depot Starship, followed by an unclear number of refueling Starships before a crew-rated lunar lander Starship even launches, allows China to land on the Moon before the U.S. this century. These discussions to win a perceived space race, not even putting forward concepts of a plan to do so, come after the current NASA leadership [stated that it wants to violate international space laws](https://proximareport.com/articles/duffy-nuclear-moon) to claim parts of the Moon for America's sole use. That was followed by [a swift self-gutting](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-nasa-directions) of the space agency via the ignoring of federally allocated funding, at the levels of the [Trump Administration cuts](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-six-months-trump) for the coming fiscal year. With the Artemis program on its current course, it's possible China may land on the Moon ahead of an American effort this century, largely due to problems with U.S. hardware development and the political environment. ### Artemis' problems So far, the Artemis program has only two pieces of mission-critical hardware flying: the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion crew capsule. Both vehicles flew the program's debut mission [in late 2022](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-i/?ref=proximareport.com), working almost flawlessly throughout ([unexpected char loss](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasa-identifies-cause-of-artemis-i-orion-heat-shield-char-loss/?ref=proximareport.com) during reentry). The two vehicles are [almost ready](https://bsky.app/profile/derekdotspace.bsky.social/post/3lwwcjftkak2g?ref=proximareport.com) to fly again, this time with crew, having just [a few more](https://bsky.app/profile/derekdotspace.bsky.social/post/3lxknom4xxk25?ref=proximareport.com) integration operations left ahead of launch in early 2026\. Hardware is also being prepared [for the third mission](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2025/08/18/nasa-begins-processing-artemis-iii-moon-rocket-at-kennedy/?ref=proximareport.com), one to land on the surface, for a 2027 launch. Of course, SLS and Orion are only half of the process of getting American astronauts to the lunar surface, with a lunar lander version of SpaceX's Starship set to carry out a Moon landing in 2027 at the earliest, following an uncrewed demonstration. Despite being of critical importance, Starship has regressed on any potential progress this year, as in June, [Ship 36 unexpectedly exploded](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-faces-major-setback-with-testing-anomaly?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) during a routine test, wiping out a critical pre-flight test stand with it. Before that, during flight tests of the vehicle, [Ship 33 was lost due to a fire](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-7?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in its engine section in January; next in March, [Ship 34 was again lost](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-8?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in a fire again; then in May, [Ship 35 was destroyed during atmospheric reentry](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-nine?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) following leakages across the vehicle. Finally in August, 2025's [first successful flight test](https://proximareport.com/articles/flight-10-spacex) was performed, although only with one more vehicle ready before another design overhaul to [meet the capabilities](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1960812698037518540?ref=proximareport.com) needed for the fully reusable rocket to work as designed. As such the next flight test will likely be a repeat of August's, before another may be performed with new vehicle designs on the same trajectories flown so far. Making things worse, Starship is not the only part of the U.S. lunar program facing issues. One of NASA's commercial spacesuit providers, initially producing suits for the International Space Station with plans to evolve it for lunar use, [dropped out in 2024](https://spacenews.com/collins-aerospace-pulls-back-from-nasa-spacesuit-contract/?ref=proximareport.com) due to [falling behind](https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/rtxs-collins-talks-drop-iss-spacesuit-contract-with-nasa-sources-say-2024-06-25/?ref=proximareport.com) set schedules. The remaining space suit provider for lunar missions, Axiom Space, is [also facing schedule issues](https://tlpnetwork.com/news/america/delays-likely-to-push-artemis-iii-to-2027?ref=proximareport.com), alongside [financial challenges](https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/09/a-key-nasa-commercial-partner-faces-severe-financial-challenges/?ref=proximareport.com) from its many programs. ### China is going Meanwhile, China is taking gradual steps towards sending people to the Moon, having flown a [highly successful robotic program](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese%5FLunar%5FExploration%5FProgram?ref=proximareport.com#List%5Fof%5Fmissions). Following various smaller individual tests, the Mengzhou crew capsule [performed an abort test in June](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/mengzhou-soars-for-zero-altitude?ref=proximareport.com), the Lanyue lunar lander completed various [take-off and descent tests in August](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/lanyue-lunar-lander-conducts-simulated?ref=proximareport.com), and the Long March 10 completed its [first static-fire in August](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/long-march-10-roars-to-life-in-wenchang?ref=proximareport.com) too. That is all alongside [utilizing existing hardware](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/172334380/step-by-step-hardware-toward-the-moon?ref=proximareport.com) for bringing existing reliability into the lunar program, and testing critical hardware elsewhere first as well. Despite recent strides in hardware testing for the country's Moon missions, China [does not view its lunar program as in a race](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-is-not-racing-to-the-moon?ref=proximareport.com) with the U.S. one, due to political factors. China treats its lunar program as part of long-term national development plans with a centralized system that allows for stable, multi-year planning through the Communist Party, National People's Congress, and advisory bodies that set consistent objectives. This contrasts sharply with America, where NASA faces shifting political priorities every four to eight years, meaning the lunar program and others must win support from changing administrations and Congress, making long-term planning difficult. Chief Designer of China's Lunar Exploration Program, Wu Weiren, [observed this and noted](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-23/china-s-lunar-chief-knocks-us-on-shifting-space-priorities?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io): > “When the president changes, his policies change,” — “We in China may anchor our goals and always draw a blueprint until the end, so we have always moved forward smoothly and firmly, which is the difference between our two countries.” Thanks to the political support of China's lunar program, the nation already [has a rough roadmap](https://www.unoosa.org/documents/pdf/copuos/2023/TPs/ILRS%5Fpresentation20230529%5F.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) to build its International Lunar Research Station, with [various global partners](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International%5FLunar%5FResearch%5FStation?ref=proximareport.com#Members), from 2026 through to the 2040s. Beginning with Chang'e 7 next year, that mission will investigate the lunar south pole environment and catalogue its resources, followed by Chang'e 8 in 2028 to test in-situ resource utilization. In the 2030s, at least five missions will conduct a plethora of scientific experiments to better understand the Moon and its resources, while being supported by a comprehensive communication and navigation constellation. Lastly around the 2040s, long-term human stays are set to be possible to expand the areas of scientific research performed. Over in the U.S., plans for a sustained lunar presence are small and limited, with an [occasionally crewed lunar space station](https://www.nasa.gov/reference/gateway-about/?ref=proximareport.com) and small [commercial robotic landers](https://www.nasa.gov/commercial-lunar-payload-services/?ref=proximareport.com) that [fail more often than not](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial%5FLunar%5FPayload%5FServices?ref=proximareport.com#Missions%5Fcontracted). America does boast its [fifty-six nation](https://x.com/NASA/status/1948487879228789084?ref=proximareport.com) non-binding Artemis Accords however, although not an international effort to build a lunar base, rather to [rewrite the space law](https://www.thespacereview.com/article/4009/1?ref=proximareport.com) through its lackluster points. ### Monthly Dose of Space - August 2025 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-august-2025/ Last updated: 2025-09-01T15:07:35.000Z Welcome to our twenty-third Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month. The end of August concludes a busy two-thirds of the year, so let's jump into the past month! ## **News of the Month** August was filled with wild stories around the globe and beyond! China has started testing key components of its crewed Lunar program, SpaceX launching its 10th Starship flight, and a new moon has been found around Uranus! ### Lanyue Lunar Lander begins full-scale testing China's Lanyue lunar lander, which is expected to transport humans to the Moon's surface in 2029, [completed tests on August 7](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/lanyue-lunar-lander-conducts-simulated?ref=proximareport.com). The spaceship was connected to an extraterrestrial gravity simulator to simulate lunar gravity. In order to confirm control coordination among the numerous thrusters, a full-scale Lanyue spacecraft equipped with its different thrusters and four main engines—minus its nozzles for vacuum optimization—flew within the gravity simulator for the tests, which were reportedly conducted by more than 10 people. Regarding the tests that were conducted, Sun Xingliang of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said the following. > *"Among these, ignition tests are the top priority. The tests needed to complete over 10 ignition tests including normal flight, emergency flight, and takeoff from different lunar surface slopes, fully verifying the lander's landing and takeoff control scheme, propulsion system, electrical system, and interface compatibility between systems."* While nothing has been confirmed, further tests are planned for the Lanyue spacecraft. Ranging from in-space tests (similar to that of Apollo 9) and even a demo lunar landing, to safely test all aspects of the mission profile. ### China's Moon Rocket Roars [On August 15](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/long-march-10-roars-to-life-in-wenchang?ref=proximareport.com), the China Manned Space Agency and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology completed a major milestone for the nation's Lunar program. Atop Launch Complex 301, at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in the Hainan region of China, the Long March 10 core stage completed a 30-second static fire. During this test, seven YF-100K engines roared to life, generating upwards of 892 tons of thrust. The test showed and confirmed that all seven engines, along with their propellant feed systems, ignition timing, and engine gimbal control mechanisms, could be started, controlled, and operated simultaneously, according to the agencies and businesses involved. Following the test, the China Manned Space Agency added: > *“The successful test laid an important technical foundation for the manned lunar exploration mission. In the future, the Long March 10 series of carrier rockets will be fully used in manned space engineering missions, together with the Mengzhou manned spacecraft, to realize the upgrading and development of \[China’s\] manned space-to-earth transportation system.”* The Long March 10 rocket's under-construction launch pad, Launch Complex 301, was purportedly chosen for this test because current test stands are unable to handle the enormous thrust loads—roughly 892 tons—that are anticipated. Engineers can also test the rocket's systems in the launch environment from where it will eventually launch. ### Large Binary Star System discovered in the Galaxy ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/Article-Graphic.png) The NGC 3603 Nebula/Starburst region as seen by ESO. This stellar nursery is 22,000 light years away. The zoomed in image of the core was taken with Hubble's Widefield Planetary Camera 2; showcasing the extreme proximity of stars in the region. Credit: [NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/?ref=proximareport.com)/[ESO](https://www.eso.org/public?ref=proximareport.com)/Wolfgang Brandner Recently, [Astronomers have used legacy Hubble data](https://phys.org/news/2025-08-astronomers-massive-binary-stars-galaxy.html?ref=proximareport.com) and new recordings to further peer into the NGC 3603 Nebula. Within this sliver of the Milky Way, stars are being born at a rapid rate compared to other regions, attributed to more compressed gas. These zones of intense star formation are called "starburst regions." Thus, for scientists and researchers across the world, these corners of our galaxy hold immense importance as hotbeds for data to refine our models of the universe. A team at Lowell University, spearheaded by Sarah Bodansky, noticed a faint flicker in the core of the cluster when looking at archival Hubble data. This would later turn out to be a binary star system—but not just any, rather one of the largest ever found. Two stars, one weighing 93 times that of our Sun, the other 70, are orbiting each other in extreme proximity. Every 3.8 days, the two giant stars complete an orbit around each other. Meaning for the time it takes Earth to complete an orbit around the Sun, the stars in NGC 3603-A1 have completed 100\. While studying the binary system is ongoing, this is living proof of how chaotic dense stellar regions are, and why they are vital to study. ### Starship Flight 10 Following a tricky few months and launches for the program, with disaster striking in space and on the pad, SpaceX took to the skies once more with Starship. This time, things were different. This launch saw the V2 vehicle finally make it to re-entry for the first time. We also saw the first payload deploy from the rocket, using dummy satellites, validating the dispenser system. While some hiccups were still experienced along the way, such as an energetic event at T+46:59, and some heavy aft-flap damage, Ship 37 safely landed in the Indian Ocean–missing its mark by just three meters. [*Click here to read our full breakdown.*](https://proximareport.com/articles/flight-10-spacex) ### Uranus has a new Moon! The [discovery of a new moon orbiting Uranus](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/webb/2025/08/19/new-moon-discovered-orbiting-uranus-using-nasas-webb-telescope/?ref=proximareport.com) was announced on August 19th by astronomers using images captured with the James Webb Space Telescope's NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera). The new moon, known as S/2025 U1, orbits close inside the planet's rings and is thought to be around 10 kilometers in diameter. S/2025 U1 hadn't been found in previous years because of its small size and poor brightness. However, with the help of James Webb and ten 40-minute long-exposure pictures of Uranus, a small, dim speck of light can be seen orbiting the ice giant. With this new finding, Uranus now has twenty-nine moons in total, giving it the third-highest moon count in our solar system. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw **30** launches worldwide, continuing a busy year. If you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *August 1st - Falcon 9 for Crew-11* NASA's [Crew-11 mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/crew-11-launch?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), with astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, as well as JAXA's Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos' Oleg Platanov, to the International Space Station blasted off atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1094, for its third mission, and landing at Landing Zone 1 back at Cape Canaveral. ### *August 3rd - New Shepard for NS-34* Blue Origin conducted the NS-34 suborbital tourism mission from its West Texas launch site, carrying Arvi Bahal, Gökhan Erdem, Deborah Martorell, Lionel Pitchford, J.D. Russell, and Justin Sun. The vehicles performing this mission were booster NS4, flying for the fifteenth time, and capsule RSS First Step, making its fourteenth flight. ### *August 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-30* A Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Booster B1080 supported this mission, flying for the twenty-first time and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *August 4th - Long March 12 with GuoWang Group 07* Atop a Long March 12 from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, the seventh batch of GuoWang satellites, with 9 onboard, headed to low Earth orbit. With that launch, the GuoWang constellation had 57 spacecraft in orbit. ### *August 5th - Electron for 'The Harvest Goddess Thrives'* Rocket Lab launched a synthetic aperture radar satellite to low Earth orbit for iQPS, from Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand. This launch carried the twelfth satellite of thirty-six for iQPS' imaging constellation that aims to image the same spot on Earth every ten minutes. ### *August 8th - Jielong-3 with Future Mobility Group 04* A Jielong-3 flew into low Earth orbit, from a sea launch ship off the coast of Rizhao, carrying 11 satellites for Geespace, a subsidiary of automaker Geely, to expand the Geely Future Mobility Constellation. With its launch, the constellation now has 41 spacecraft in orbit. ### *August 11th - Falcon 9 with KF-02* From Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, 24 satellites for Amazon's Kuiper constellation were sent into low Earth orbit, [bringing it to 102 spacecraft](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-falcon-kf02?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in orbit. Supporting the deployment of more Kuiper satellites was Falcon 9 booster B1091, performing its first flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *August 13th - Ariane 6 with MetOp-SG-A1* Flying out of French Guiana, Ariane 6 headed to sun-synchronous orbit carrying the first of six MetOp-SG satellites from EUMETSAT. The [MetOp-SG-A1 weather satellite](https://proximareport.com/articles/ariane-6-soars-to-begin-deployment-of-new-weather-satellite-fleet?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) is designed to improve the accuracy of European weather forecasts. ### *August 13th - Vulcan with USSF-106* United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket launched from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, to begin the [secretive USSF-106 mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/vulcan-ussf-106?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) with a flight direct to geostationary space. At least two military spacecraft were onboard, with one being Navigation Technology Satellite-3, set to perform positioning, navigation, and timing experiments. ### *August 13th - Long March 5B with GuoWang Group 08* A Long March 5B, China’s most capable launch vehicle, flew from Launch Complex 101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, carrying ten satellites into polar orbit for the GuoWang constellation. With the flight, the state-backed constellation has expanded to 67 satellites in orbit. ### *August 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-4* Falcon 9 flew from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Booster B1093 supported this mission, for its fifth flight with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *August 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-20* Twenty-eight more Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this mission was booster B1085 for its tenth flight, with a landing downrange on the done ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *August 15th - Zhuque-2E for an unknown customer* LandSpace launched its third Zhuque-2E rocket from Launch Area 96A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, heading for low Earth orbit. Sadly, during its flight, the vehicle suffered from a failure, that the company is yet to disclose, resulting in a loss of the rocket and its payload. ### *August 17th - Long March 4C with Shiyan-28B-02* Out of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 4C flew into low Earth orbit carrying the Shiyan-28B-02 satellite. The satellite is expected to work with its counterpart, Shiyan-28B-01, for space environment monitoring and detection as well as related technical tests. ### *August 17th - Long March 6A with GuoWang Group 09* Five satellites for China's GuoWang mega-constellation were launched to a near-polar orbit atop of a Long March 6A from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. This launch brought the constellation up to 72 satellites in orbit. ### *August 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-5* Twenty-four Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1088 supported this mission for its ninth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *August 19th - Kinetica-1 with seven satellites* CAS Space's Kinetica-1 flew into sun-synchronous orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying seven customer satellites. Two of those were ThumbSats from Mexico for space education outreach programs, while the rest were remote sensing satellites, AIRSAT-05, Tianyan-26, as well as three Duogongneng Shiyan-2 spacecraft. ### *August 20th - Soyuz 2.1a with Bion-M No. 2* A Soyuz 2.1a launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying a recoverable satellite carrying various experiments and instruments to low Earth orbit. ### *August 21st - Angara 1.2 with a Cosmos spacecraft* An Angara 1.2 blasted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying a classified payload into Earth orbit. ### *August 22nd - Falcon 9 with USSF-36* From Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, a Falcon 9 flew into Earth orbit carrying the U.S. Space Forces' [secretive X-37B spaceplane](https://proximareport.com/articles/x-37b-ussf-36-launch?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) into Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1092 for its sixth flight, landing back at Landing Zone 2 in Cape Canaveral afterwards. ### *August 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-6* Another twenty-four Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. Booster B1081 supported this mission, flying for the seventeenth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *August 23rd - Electron for 'Live, Laugh, Launch'* Rocket Lab's Electron flew from Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula, carrying five satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit. Four of those satellites are on confidential missions, but one of them was EchoStar's Lyra-2 Internet of Things spacecraft. ### August 24th - Falcon 9 with CRS-33 SpaceX launched its thirty-third resupply mission to the International Space Station from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, later arriving on August 25th. Flying for the mission is Cargo Dragon C211, for its thrid mission, with launch supported by booster B1090, making its seventh flight, which landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### August 25th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 10 A Long March 8A lifted off from Commercial Launch Pad 1 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, heading for low Earth orbit carrying 9 satellites for the GuoWang internet mega-constellation. With the launch, the constellation has expanded to 81 satellites. ### August 26th - Falcon 9 with eight satellites Falcon 9 heads to sun-synchronous orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying Luxembourg's National Advanced Optical System, LEAP-1 from Dhruva Space, two Pelican satellites from Planet Labs, Capella Space's Acadia-6, and three satellites for Pixxel's hyperspectral imaging constellation. Supporting this mission was booster B1063, performing its twenty-seventh flight and landing back a Landing Zone 4. ### August 27th - Starship-Super Heavy for its tenth flight test SpaceX's in-development fully reusable Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle [flew its tenth flight test](https://proximareport.com/articles/flight-10-spacex) from Starbase, Texas, utilizing Ship 37 and Super Heavy Booster 16\. Both vehicles successfully splashed down after the flight and completed their test objectives. ### August 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-56 Another Falcon 9 flew from Space Launch Complex 40, carrying twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Booster B1095 supported this mission for its second flight, landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### August 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-11 Another twenty-eight Starlink satellites were carried into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A. Supporting this mission was booster B1067, [flying for a record-setting thirtieth time](https://proximareport.com/articles/falcon-30th-reuse) and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### August 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-7 Out of Space Launch Complex 4E, a Falcon 9 carried twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Booster B1082 supported this mission for its fifteenth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *August 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-14* Yet another Falcon 9 launched twenty-eight more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this launch was booster B1077, for its twenty-third flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ## Launches to look out for in September! September will continue a busy year for worldwide launches. Listed below are all of the launches expected or likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of September may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *September 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-8* Another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to head to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of Falcon 9. ### *September 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-22* Falcon 9 will fly again from Space Launch Complex 40, heading for low Earth orbit with a batch of Starlink satellites. ### *September 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-57* Yet more Starlink satellites are planned to be send to low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. ### *September 5th - Long March 3C with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 3C is said to be preparing to lift off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, carrying a currently unannounced payload to geostationary space. ### *September 6th - Long March 6A with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 6A is expected to launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, heading for a near-polar orbit. ### *September 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-9* From Space Launch Complex 4E, a Falcon 9 is expected to carry more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *September 8th - Falcon 9 with Nusantara Lima* A Falcon 9 is planned to carry Indonesia's Nusantara Lima telecommunications satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *September 10th - Falcon 9 with a Tranche 1 mission* For the U.S. Space Development Agency, a Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Tranche 1 Transport Layer B mission. ### *September 11th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-32* A Soyuz 2.1a is planned to launch the Progress MS-32 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. ### *September 15th - Falcon 9 with NG-23* Northrop Grumman's twenty-third cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station, using its Cygnus spacecraft, is set to launch atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *September 23rd - Falcon 9 with three satellites* From Launch Complex 39A, a Falcon 9 will fly toward the Sun-Earth L1 point carrying NASA's Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) and Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, as well as NOAA's Space Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1). ### *September 25th - Altas V with KA-03* Twenty-seven Kuiper satellites are preparing to launch atop of United Launch Alliance's Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41. ### *September 29th - New Glenn with ESCAPADE* Blue Origin is preparing to launch its New Glenn rocket for the second time, carrying NASA's twin Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (EscaPADE) spacecraft to Mars. ### Weekly Dose of Space (24/8-30/8) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-24-8-30-8/ Last updated: 2025-08-31T16:10:04.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had seven launches taking place, the majority for low Earth orbit mega-constellations. News from the week has Rocket Lab's newest launch pad opening along with an end to unions at NASA. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *August 24th - Falcon 9 with CRS-33* SpaceX launched its thirty-third resupply mission to the International Space Station from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, later [arriving on August 25th](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1959935681368904155?ref=proximareport.com). Flying for the mission is Cargo Dragon C211, for its thrid mission, with launch supported by booster B1090, making its seventh flight, which landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the CRS-33 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/GzGs0B9aQAAHaPD.jpg) Falcon 9 lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the CRS-33 mission. ©SpaceX ### *August 25th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 10* A Long March 8A lifted off from Commercial Launch Pad 1 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, heading for low Earth orbit carrying 9 satellites for the GuoWang internet mega-constellation. With the launch, the constellation has been expanded to 81 satellites. ![The Long March 8A Y2 vehicle lifting off from Commercial Launch Pad 1.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/a674a9f3-9bd4-49a1-a5e2-973574735c17_6962x3302-1.jpg) The Long March 8A Y2 vehicle lifting off from Commercial Launch Pad 1. ### *August 26th - Falcon 9 with eight satellites* Falcon 9 heads to sun-synchronous orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying Luxembourg's National Advanced Optical System, LEAP-1 from Dhruva Space, two Pelican satellites from Planet Labs, Capella Space's Acadia-6, and three satellites for Pixxel's hyperspectral imaging constellation. Supporting this mission was booster B1063, performing its twenty-seventh flight and landing back a Landing Zone 4. ![Falcon 9 lifts off from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying eight satellites. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/GzTt1qJWUAEuw-n.jpg) Falcon 9 lifts off from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying eight satellites. ©SpaceX ### *August 27th - Starship-Super Heavy for its tenth flight test* SpaceX's in-development fully reusable Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle flew [its tenth flight test](https://proximareport.com/articles/flight-10-spacex) from Starbase, Texas, utilizing Ship 37 and Super Heavy Booster 16\. Both vehicles successfully splashed down after the flight and completed their test objectives. ![Starship-Super Heavy during first-stage flight for its tenth flight test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/GzU2dePWMAAJXgO.jpg) Starship-Super Heavy during first-stage flight for its tenth flight test. ©SpaceX ### *August 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-56* Another Falcon 9 flew from Space Launch Complex 40, carrying twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Booster B1095 supported this mission for its second flight, landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 for the Starlink Group 10-56 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/GzXxKpYa4AYqZIk.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 for the Starlink Group 10-56 mission. ©SpaceX ### *August 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-11* Another twenty-eight Starlink satellites were carried into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A. Supporting this mission was booster B1067, [flying for a record-setting thirtieth time](https://proximareport.com/articles/falcon-30th-reuse) and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifts off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 10-11 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/Gzbfs-fa0AAwcZ--1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifts off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 10-11 mission. ©SpaceX ### *August 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-7* Out of Space Launch Complex 4E, a Falcon 9 carried twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Booster B1082 supported this mission for its fifteenth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Rocket Lab opens Neutron launch pad* ![The completed Launch Complex 3 in Virginia for Neutron. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/54751134108_1e6fdaa381.jpg) The completed Launch Complex 3 in Virginia for Neutron. ©Rocket Lab Rocket Lab declared its newest and largest launch pad [open on August 28th](https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/rocket-lab-opens-launch-complex-3-a-critical-milestone-on-the-path-to-neutrons-first-launch/?ref=proximareport.com) with a [ribbon-cutting ceremony](https://youtu.be/N%5FPeCyRjfGI?si=3qtsWnJpXKHvDyhv&ref=proximareport.com) at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, in Virginia. The pad, designated Launch Complex 3, will support the company's soon-to-debut partially reusable Neutron rocket. Peter Beck, Rocket Lab's Chief Executive Officer, was present for the ceremony, taking the opportunity to state: > "Launch Complex 3 is our commitment to providing assured access to space and the launch site diversity that’s needed in the United States for its most important missions. Our Neutron rocket, with its ability for responsive space access as a high cadence reusable launch vehicle, expands Virginia’s aerospace capabilities to enable the United States to quickly and reliably reach the International Space Station and low Earth orbit, as well as explore beyond Earth and on to the Moon and Mars. Together with the Commonwealth of Virginia, \[the Virginia Spaceport Authority\], and NASA, we’re strengthening the nation’s leadership in space while creating new opportunities for innovation and growth in the state and beyond, and I’m thankful for their continued support of Rocket Lab in Virginia." Government officials were also invited for the ribbon-cutting, including the Governor of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin, who, as part of a speech, said: > "The opening of Launch Complex 3 at Pad 0-D is not only an engineering achievement, but a bold step forward for Virginia’s growing role in our nation’s commercial space industry. From right here on Virginia’s beautiful Eastern Shore, Neutron will deliver reliable and responsive launch capabilities, supporting national security while creating opportunities for innovation and economic growth. Thank you to Sir Peter Beck and the Rocket Lab team for choosing to invest and grow right here in the Commonwealth." At present, Neutron is [preparing to perform](https://rocketlabcorp.com/launch/neutron/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) its debut flight later this year, pending regulatory approval, with final qualification tests of the Archimedes engines and first-stage needed, along with a static fire of the stage as well as the second-stage. ### *White House bans NASA unions* On August 28th, the [Trump Administration signed an executive order](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/08/further-exclusions-from-the-federal-labor-management-relations-program/?ref=proximareport.com) ending collective bargaining agreements for its employees across the federal workforce, [citing](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/no-more-unions-allowed-at-nasa-happy-labor-day/?ref=proximareport.com) national security and intelligence concerns. Agencies affected include the National Weather Service, the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service, and NASA, as well as others. According to[ NASA's own union page](https://www.nasa.gov/careers/nasa-unions-bargaining-units/?ref=proximareport.com) (as of August 30th 2025), 53 percent of the space agency's workforce is represented by a union, either the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers or the American Federation of Government Employees. Unions at NASA enabled employees to address unfair labor practices and grievances, as well as collectively bargain for improvements in workplace safety and wage increases. [*Bloomberg Law*](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/trump-nixes-patent-office-weather-service-nasa-worker-unions?ref=proximareport.com) reports that the order comes in the wake of a US Supreme Court victory, which allows the administration to eliminate collective bargaining at some agencies, and is another advancement of Trump’s campaign to exert control over the federal workforce, by weakening the career civil service, eliminating barriers between presidential politics and day-to-day governing, and disbanding federal unions. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *August 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-14* A Falcon 9 is planned to fly from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *September 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-8* Another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to head to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of Falcon 9. ### *September 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-22* Falcon 9 will fly again from Space Launch Complex 40, heading for low Earth orbit with a batch of Starlink satellites. ### *September 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-57* Yet more Starlink satellites are planned to be send to low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. ### *September 5th - Long March 3C with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 3C is said to be preparing to lift off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, carrying a currently unannounced payload to geostationary space. ### Falcon 9 Booster Lands For 30th Time! URL: https://proximareport.com/falcon-30th-reuse/ Last updated: 2025-08-28T13:00:28.000Z SpaceX's Falcon 9 has surpassed another reuse milestone while competitors are racing to fly their own reusable rockets. In the early morning hours at Cape Canaveral, Florida, a Falcon 9 took off from Launch Complex 39A, on August 28th, carrying twenty-eight Starlink satellites aboard the Starlink Group 10-11 mission. The rocket [successfully headed](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1960995637224169828?ref=proximareport.com) into low Earth orbit, delivering the satellites via an ascent atop of a booster and two burns with the second-stage. While the second-stage was flying into orbit, Falcon 9's booster, B1067 for this mission, was conducting its routine landing profile, performed hundreds of times so far across the rocket's fleet. Aiming for the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas', positioned a few hundred miles away from Florida, B1067 performed a brief atmospheric entry burn to protect itself from the intense heat before continuing to glide towards its target. Moments later, booster B1067 reignited its center engine to slow itself down to a soft touchdown onboard the drone ship, landing for its [30th time](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1960979520804282691?ref=proximareport.com)! > Falcon 9’s first stage lands on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship – the first orbital class rocket to successfully launch and land 30 times! [pic.twitter.com/r3Dm91vu0p](https://t.co/r3Dm91vu0p?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1960981030187503771?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 booster B1067 lands for the thirtieth time on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas', via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1960981030187503771?ref=proximareport.com). Since its debut flight in June 2021, booster B1067 has supported a [variety of missions](https://www.spacex.com/launches/sl-10-11?ref=proximareport.com), including CRS-22, Crew-3, Turksat 5B, Crew-4, CRS-25, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13G, O3B mPOWER-A, PSN SATRIA, Telkomsat Merah Putih 2, Galileo L13, Koreasat-6A, and eighteen other Starlink missions. Through [its flight history](https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/reuse/92?ref=proximareport.com), the booster has landed on 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' sixteen times previously, the other Atlantic Ocean drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' eleven times, the now [Pacific-based](https://space-offshore.com/of-course-i-still-love-you?ref=proximareport.com) 'Of Course I Still Love You' once, as well as having performed one return to launch site landing. A prior milestone for B1067, and the wider Falcon 9 fleet, came in January of this year when the booster landed [for the 25th time](https://x.com/%5Fmgde%5F/status/1878516801866285523?ref=proximareport.com). The day before B1067's record-breaking landing, a Falcon 9 booster landed on a drone ship for the [400th time](https://x.com/SciGuySpace/status/1960663664312086703?ref=proximareport.com). In December 2024, a total of [350 first-stage boosters](https://x.com/spacex/status/1864508597901631763?ref=proximareport.com) had been reflown and recovered, which was [also the 300th](https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=54795.msg2646073&ref=proximareport.com#msg2646073) drone ship landing. In June 2024, Falcon 9 boosters had [landed 300 times](https://twitter.com/spacex/status/1799261587951546741?ref=proximareport.com), the year before the rocket had [touched down 200 times](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1668398620163584000?ref=proximareport.com), and in December 2021 [100 first-stages had landed](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1473236198722179072?ref=proximareport.com). As of writing, [Falcon 9 boosters](https://boostertracker.com/falcon/stats/?ref=proximareport.com) have landed 495 times and reflown 460 times. ### Where are the competitors? With Falcon 9 now having surpassed reuse of a booster well over two dozen times, and overall milestones measured in the hundreds, it begs the question of where are its competitors? (excluding SpaceX's [other reusable rocket](https://proximareport.com/articles/flight-10-spacex) program). The first non-SpaceX company arguably closest to landing an orbital class first-stage booster is Blue Origin with its massive New Glenn. The rocket has already [flown once at the start of the year](https://proximareport.com/articles/new-glenn-soars-in-debut-mission), making it as far as an atmospheric entry burn before being lost. A second flight of New Glenn is [targeting September 29th](https://talkoftitusville.com/2025/08/15/blue-origin-pushes-back-new-glenn-launch-date/?ref=proximareport.com), off to Mars for NASA, and once again aiming to land on drone ship 'Jacklyn' downrange. Should that mission evade a booster landing, a third flight is [already in testing](https://x.com/davill/status/1960854370431709263?ref=proximareport.com). Rocket Lab's Neutron may follow shortly after New Glenn, currently with [a few milestones left to go](https://rocketlabcorp.com/launch/neutron/?ref=proximareport.com) ahead of launch, although no target month has been released. At the moment, final qualification tests of the Archimedes engines and first-stage are needed, along with a static fire of the stage as well as the second-stage. Neutron's launch pad is ready however, meaning once those tests are complete, the rocket can be integrated for its debut flight, pending regulatory approval. Meanwhile across the Pacific in China, a few privately backed launch companies are heading to the launch pad this year. LandSpace, with its Zhuque-,3 is likely the closest, targeting a [September or November debut](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/zhuque-3-to-debut-in-september-or?ref=proximareport.com) flight. Tianlong-3 from Space Pioneer is may follow afterwards, currently preparing for a static fire campaign after [implementing fixes](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/space-pioneer-moves-forward-with?ref=proximareport.com) following [events last year](https://proximareport.com/articles/tianlong-3-accident/). Lastly, Galactic Energy with its Pallas-1 and iSpace with Hyperbola-3 are hoping to fly [before the end of the year](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/landspace-ispace-galactic-energy?utm%5Fsource=publication-search). All four launch vehicles utilize a Falcon 9-esque design, with differing materials and propellant uses to compete against one another. --- ## What is Falcon 9? Falcon 9 is currently the world's only operational partially reusable medium-lift launch vehicle. The rocket is manufactured and operated by the American space company SpaceX. Falcon 9 currently launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, and Cape Canaveral, in Florida. > Falcon 9 lifts off from pad 39A in Florida! [pic.twitter.com/ggSt2RAIiT](https://t.co/ggSt2RAIiT?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1960978897773977930?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 lifts off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 10-11 mission, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1960978897773977930?ref=proximareport.com). For recovery, Falcon 9 has four grid fins and four landing legs on the first-stage. The first stage either lands vertically on a drone ship or a landing pad back near its launch site, landing back at the launch site causes a greater reduction in payload capacity. SpaceX claims that Falcon 9 can send up to 22,800 kilograms into low Earth orbit when expended or 18,400 kilograms when reused. Similarly, it can send up to 8,300 kilograms into geosynchronous transfer orbit when expended or 5,500 kilograms when reused. The first-stage is powered by nine Merlin 1D engines burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 771 tons of thrust. The second-stage is powered by a single Merlin 1D vacuum engine burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 95 tons of thrust. On the pad, the rocket is 70 meters tall with the first and second stages 3.7 meters in diameter, the fairing is 5.2 meters in diameter and tapers out from the top of the second-stage. Fully fuelled Falcon 9 weighs approximately 549,000 kilograms. ### Starship-Super Heavy Succeeds During Tenth Flight Test URL: https://proximareport.com/flight-10-spacex/ Last updated: 2025-08-27T02:08:47.000Z SpaceX has performed Starship-Super Heavy's latest flight test, for its first largely successful launch this year. Last week, [SpaceX shared](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-pre-flight-ten) that Ship 37 and Super Heavy Booster 16 were performing this flight test, both making their first flights. Details provided by the company stated that Ship 37 could release eight dummy Starlink satellites and aim to perform an in-space burn, while Booster 16 would splash down in the Gulf of Mexico to perform reentry experiments. The tenth flight test had previously attempted to begin late on August 24th and 25th, standing down due to propellant loading issues and weather, respectively. On August 26th, the flight test occurred. Under the power of thirty-three Raptor engines, Booster 16 lifted off from the Orbital Launch Mount, carrying Ship 36 up towards space. During ascent, one engine shut down early at T+1:33\. > Liftoff of Starship! [pic.twitter.com/d6d2hHgMa0](https://t.co/d6d2hHgMa0?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 26, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1960485359239774487?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Starship-Super Heavy lifting off from Starbase, Texas, for its tenth flight test, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1960485359239774487?ref=proximareport.com). With a mostly nominal ascent, Booster 16 pitched downrange to bring the vehicle towards its staging position, shutting down all but three of its engines to do so. At T+2:50, Ship 37 lit its three sea-level and three vacuum Raptor engines to hot-stage off of the booster. > Starship’s Raptor engines ignite during hot-staging separation. Super Heavy is boosting back towards its splashdown site [pic.twitter.com/9fRi4kvbmX](https://t.co/9fRi4kvbmX?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 26, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1960485980231647690?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 37 hot-staging from Super Heavy Booster 16, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1960485980231647690?ref=proximareport.com). During hot-staging, Booster 16 performed its flip and began its boostback burn, relighting nine of the ten engines needed, with the failed engine remaining off. Despite being one engine short, the boosterback burn was performed as needed, then jettisoning the hot-staging ring. > Super Heavy has splashed down in the Gulf [pic.twitter.com/LGozUAmLt8](https://t.co/LGozUAmLt8?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 26, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1960487111372452032?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Super Heavy Booster 16 splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1960487111372452032?ref=proximareport.com). Now without its hot-staging ring, Booster 16 descended toward the Gulf, relighting twelve engines to slow its ascent, then dropping down to three engines (two center and one mid-ring), before leaving two engines running to hover about two hundred meters up. Afterwards, the last two engines shut down to drop Booster 16 onto the ocean surface, ultimately exploding. > Open the pod bay door, HAL > > Starship deploying [@Starlink](https://twitter.com/Starlink?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) simulator sats [pic.twitter.com/3CSOyulzcJ](https://t.co/3CSOyulzcJ?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 26, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1960490432715993216?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 37 deploying dummy Starlink satellites during its coast phase, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1960490432715993216?ref=proximareport.com). While the Super Heavy Booster 16 was heading down, Ship 37 was heading up into space, reaching engine cutoff as planned. During its coast through space, Ship 37 deployed eight dummy Starslink satellites from its 'Pez dispenser', for Starship-Super Heavy's first payload deployed into space (but flying on the same suborbital trajectory), and performed a short in-space Raptor burn. > Starship successfully ignited one of its Raptor engines while in space [pic.twitter.com/SNmzyygPBC](https://t.co/SNmzyygPBC?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 27, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1960495065081503769?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 37's in-space Raptor burn, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1960495065081503769?ref=proximareport.com). During the coast phase, however, something, it's unclear what, appeared to blow up randomly in the engine section. > Something in the aft blew up 😳 [pic.twitter.com/NZgyZQFsCx](https://t.co/NZgyZQFsCx?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Proxima Report (@proximareport) [August 27, 2025](https://twitter.com/proximareport/status/1960498023819305093?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Something explodes in the engine section of Ship 37, via [Proxima Report on Twitter](https://x.com/proximareport/status/1960498023819305093?ref=proximareport.com). > Live views brought to you by [@Starlink](https://twitter.com/Starlink?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/3yVzQrMZBz](https://t.co/3yVzQrMZBz?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 27, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1960498309342138672?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 37 passing through reentry, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1960498309342138672?ref=proximareport.com). For the first time this year, Starship reached atmospheric reentry under its own control, successfully passing through peak heating and maximum stress. During the reentry, the aft flaps suffered from extensive burn-through, but managed to retain control. > Splashdown confirmed! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on an exciting tenth flight test of Starship! [pic.twitter.com/5sbSPBRJBP](https://t.co/5sbSPBRJBP?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 27, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1960502324050133328?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 37 splashing down in the Indian Ocean, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1960502324050133328?ref=proximareport.com). Following a toasty reentry, burning off much of the heat shield, Ship 37 began its atmospheric descent in its bellyflop position for several minutes. Moments before hitting the Indian Ocean, three sea level Raptors reignited for the 'flip-and-burn', bringing the vehicle to a soft splashdown. Seconds later, the vehicle fell sideways and exploded. ### Back on Track? With Ship 37 making it through to a largely successful splashdown and Booster 16 demonstrating the desired reentry and landing tests, Starship-Super Heavy is heading back towards being on track. Although only one more 'Block 2' Starship is left to fly, before another new version of the vehicle is switched to, possibly for a repeat of today's flight. It remains to be seen if a 'Block 3' Starship will head straight into orbit, but the upper-stage requires a brand new version of the Super Heavy Booster, a new launch pad at Starbase, and the still-in-development Raptor-3 engines. 2025 had previously been poised to be a key year for the Starship program with a Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer demonstration for NASA. The propellant transfer between two vehicles is critical for getting the Starship lunar lander out to the Moon, and returning American astronauts to the surface through the Artemis program. Shortly after the end of the flight test, Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy [took to Twitter to say](https://x.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1960505023495876951?ref=proximareport.com): > "Congratulations to SpaceX on its Starship test. Flight 10's success paves the way for the Starship Human Landing System that will bring American astronauts back to the Moon on Artemis III." However, during the three launch attempts for the tenth flight test, [no mention](https://bsky.app/profile/lorengrush.bsky.social/post/3lxb72vduyk2a?ref=proximareport.com) of Starship's crewed lunar lander variant was made or of NASA's Artemis program. In contrast, dozens of mentions of missions to Mars were made. In the first half of the year, the Starship program had regressed significantly in terms of progress. In June, [Ship 36 unexpectedly exploded](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-faces-major-setback-with-testing-anomaly?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) during a routine test, wiping out a critical pre-flight test stand with it. Meanwhile, during flight tests of the vehicle, [Ship 33 was lost due to a fire](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-7?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in its engine section in January. Next in March, [Ship 34 was again lost](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-8?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in a fire. Then in May, [Ship 35 was destroyed during atmospheric reentry](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-nine?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) following leakages across the vehicle. --- ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-four meters tall and weighs 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ### What is Starship? ![Ship 37 heading for the launch site in Starbase, Texas. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/GzEq0x9aYAA_RDj-1.jpg) Ship 37 heading for the launch site in Starbase, Texas. ©SpaceX Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Starship is believed to weigh 1,300,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. In order to survive re-entry for reuse, Starship has several thousand thermal protection tiles on one side of the vehicle and on all four of its aerodynamic control surfaces. The four control surfaces help guide the vehicle during re-entry and prior to landing inside the atmosphere at a pre-determined location. Starship also has a series of small thrusters to control the vehicle in space before re-entry. SpaceX is believed to be working on a few variants of Starship for use as a Moon lander, propellant tanker, space station, Mars lander, and as a crewed spacecraft. ### What is Super Heavy? ![Super Heavy Booster 16 being lifted onto the launch pad by its towers 'chopsticks'. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/Gy5iVvwWIAE-JOD-1.jpg) Super Heavy Booster 16 being lifted onto the launch pad by its towers 'chopsticks'. ©SpaceX Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. To enable the reuse of Super Heavy, the vehicle has four large grid fins placed in the interstage to assist in guiding and controlling during descent. Super Heavy also has four chines running along the lower third of it to generate lift and assist in stabilization. Shortly after completing the ascent, Super Heavy relights ten engines, as three were running during staging, and performs a 'boost back' burn in order to return to the launch site. After the 'boost back' burn is completed the engines shut down with Super Heavy being guided by a series of small thrusters and its grid fins. Once Super Heavy is at the correct altitude above its landing location three engines start back up for the landing burn. SpaceX currently plans to have Super Heavy land back at the launch site, or at sea if a problem is detected during descent Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ### Weekly Dose of Space (17/8-23/8) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-17-8-23-8/ Last updated: 2025-08-24T21:26:14.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw nine launches worldwide, using a variety of rockets. News from the week had discoveries around Uranus, final hardware deliveries for Artemis II, and a space agency change over in Europe. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *August 17th - Long March 4C with Shiyan-28B-02* Out of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 4C flew into low Earth orbit carrying the Shiyan-28B-02 satellite. The satellite is expected to work with its counterpart, Shiyan-28B-01, for space environment monitoring and detection as well as related technical tests. ![The Long March 4C Y64 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/640b-1.webp) The Long March 4C Y64 vehicle during first-stage flight from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ### *August 17th - Long March 6A with GuoWang Group 09* Five satellites for China's GuoWang mega-constellation were launched to a near-polar orbit atop of a Long March 6A from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. This launch brings the constellation up to 72 satellites in orbit. ![The Long March 6A Y10 vehicle blasting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/008rKb6ply1i4hb0oyogkj35eo3ls7wl-1.jpg) The Long March 6A Y10 vehicle blasting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ### *August 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-5* Twenty-four Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1088 supported this mission for its ninth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifts off for the Starlink Group 17-5 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/Gyp3-UPacAMnwC6-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifts off for the Starlink Group 17-5 mission. ©SpaceX ### *August 19th - Kinetica-1 with seven satellites* CAS Space's Kinetica-1 flew into sun-synchronous orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying seven customer satellites. Two of those were ThumbSats from Mexico for space education outreach programs, while the rest were remote sensing satellites, AIRSAT-05, Tianyan-26, as well as three Duogongneng Shiyan-2 spacecraft. ![CAS Space's Kinetica-1 rocket lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/008pUyAHly1i4j906jw7aj32lc1gg4qp-1.jpg) CAS Space's Kinetica-1 rocket lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *August 20th - Soyuz 2.1a with Bion-M No. 2* A Soyuz 2.1a launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying a recoverable satellite carrying various experiments and instruments to low Earth orbit. ### *August 21st - Angara 1.2 with a Cosmos spacecraft* An Angara 1.2 blasted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying a classified payload into Earth orbit. > Today's launch of Angara-1.2 from Site 35/1 of Plesetsk cosmodrome [https://t.co/3tEkcsvyjO](https://t.co/3tEkcsvyjO?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/zJueh95Fwl](https://t.co/zJueh95Fwl?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [August 21, 2025](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1958530320841535920?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Angara 1.2 lifting off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, via [robert\_savitsky on Twitter](https://x.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1958530320841535920?ref=proximareport.com). ### *August 22nd - Falcon 9 with USSF-36* From Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, a Falcon 9 flew into Earth orbit carrying the U.S. Space Forces' [secretive X-37B spaceplane](https://proximareport.com/articles/x-37b-ussf-36-launch) into Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1092 for its sixth flight, landing back at Landing Zone 2 in Cape Canaveral afterwards. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 lifting off for the USSF-36 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/Gy8ATEIbIAARwCI.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 lifting off for the USSF-36 mission. ©SpaceX ### *August 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-6* Another twenty-four Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. Booster B1081 supported this mission, flying for the seventeenth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *August 23rd - Electron for 'Live, Laugh, Launch'* Rocket Lab's Electron flew from Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula, carrying five satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit. Four of those satellites are on confidential missions, but one of them was EchoStar's Lyra-2 Internet of Things spacecraft. ![Electron during first-stage flight carrying Lyra-2 and four other satellites. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/GzEv85LaUAACpuf-1.jpg) Electron during first-stage flight carrying Lyra-2 and four other satellites. ©Rocket Lab ## **In Other Space News** ### *Final part for Artemis II arrives* ![Technicians at the Kennedy Space Center inspect the Orion stage adapter, bound for Artemis II, after its arrival. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/KSC-20250820-PH-KLS01_0015-large.jpg) Technicians at the Kennedy Space Center inspect the Orion stage adapter, bound for Artemis II, after its arrival. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA On [August 21st, NASA shared](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2025/08/21/nasa-delivers-artemis-ii-hardware-to-kennedy/?ref=proximareport.com) that Orion's stage adapter arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, [from the Marshall Space Flight Center](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2025/08/19/nasas-final-piece-of-artemis-ii-rocket-hardware-leaves-marshall/?ref=proximareport.com) in Alabama, after a trip covering nearly 700 miles. The stage adapter is the final piece to be delivered ahead of the Artemis II mission. Built of lightweight aluminum, the stage adapter for Orion is 1.5 meters tall and 5.4 meters in diameter to allow the spacecraft to be placed atop of the Space Launch System's Interim Cryogenic Propulsion System for launch and Moon-bound burns. Along with allowing Orion to be positioned at the top of the rocket, the stage adapter also protects the spacecraft from potential fuel or gas leaks with its diaphragm inside. Free space inside the adapter is also utilized by any CubeSats riding along for Orion's mission; four are set to be onboard for Artemis II. At present, the Artemis II mission is set to fly no later than April 2026 for a ten-day mission around the Moon on a free-return trajectory to verify the Orion spacecraft for its first crewed mission. Flying on board will be NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, as well as Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency. ### *UK Space Agency to be absorbed* The government of the United Kingdom [announced on August 20th](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-space-sector-bolstered-with-government-reforms-to-boost-growth-and-cut-red-tape?ref=proximareport.com) that the UK Space Agency will be absorbed into the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology by April 2026\. According to the government, the change will cut governance duplication and reduce bureaucracy. Despite the absorption, the UK Space Agency name and brand will be retained, but as a unit of the absorbing agency. Staff, experts, and existing contracts are also planned to be retained. The government's reasoning for ending the agency's independence was explained by Space Minister Chris Bryant, stating: > "Bringing things in house means we can bring much greater integration and focus to everything we are doing while maintaining the scientific expertise and the immense ambition of the \[space\] sector." Bleddyn Bowen, Associate Professor in Astropolitics at Durham University, [highlighted in *The Conversation*](https://theconversation.com/the-uk-space-agency-has-been-absorbed-into-the-science-department-the-potential-effects-are-still-unclear-263563?ref=proximareport.com) that the UK Space Agency has consistently lacked a clear overarching focus, regulatory powers, and policy plans. Alongside that, the agency receives little funding with direction to use it in far too many projects. ### *New moon of Uranus found* [Announced ](https://esawebb.org/images/uranus-moon-S2025U1/?ref=proximareport.com)[on August 19th](https://esawebb.org/images/uranus-moon-S2025U1/?ref=proximareport.com), astronomers have discovered a new moon orbiting Uranus using images taken with the James Webb Space Telescope's NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera). The new moon, designated S/2025 U1, is estimated to be about ten kilometers in diameter and orbits just inside the planet's rings. Due to its small size and low brightness, S/2025 U1 has remained undiscovered until today. [Spotting the moon required](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/webb/2025/08/19/new-moon-discovered-orbiting-uranus-using-nasas-webb-telescope/?ref=proximareport.com) ten 40-minute long-exposure images centered on Uranus, with it then still being quite dim in those photos. The recent discovery brings Uranus' total moon count to twenty-nine. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *August 24th - Falcon 9 with CRS-33* SpaceX is preparing to launch, via a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, its thirty-third resupply mission to the International Space Station via its Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft. ### *August 24th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 10?* A Long March 8A is preparing to launch from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, carrying a currently unannounced payload. ### *August 25th - Starship-Super Heavy for its tenth flight test* The in-development fully-reusable Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle is [preparing to perform](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-pre-flight-ten) its tenth flight test, from Starbase, Texas, with Super Heavy Booster 16 and Ship 37. ### *August 26th - Falcon 9 with eight satellites* Another Falcon 9 will head to sun-synchronous orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, carrying Luxembourg's National Advanced Optical System, LEAP-1 from Dhruva Space, two Pelican satellites from Planet Labs, Capella Space's Acadia-6, and three satellites for Pixxel's hyperspectral imaging constellation. ### *August 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-11* A batch of Starlink satellites is expected to head to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A. ### *August 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-56* From Space Launch Complex 40, a Falcon 9 will carry another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *August 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-7* Another batch of Starlink satellites will head to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E via a Falcon 9. ### *August 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-14* Yet more Starlink satellites will be launched by a Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit out of Space Launch Complex 40. ### X-37B Departs Atop Falcon 9 for Secret Mission URL: https://proximareport.com/x-37b-ussf-36-launch/ Last updated: 2025-08-22T07:05:38.000Z The U.S. Space Force's secretive X-37B spaceplane is back in Earth orbit for a classified mission and technology demonstrations. Out of Launch Complex 39A in Florida at 03:50 am Universal Coordinated Time, a Falcon 9 began its journey into Earth orbit for the U.S. Space Force's USSF-36 mission. First-stage ascent was nominal, with the second-stage starting up cleanly along with separation of the two fairing halves, but not long after, live feeds of ascent were cut at the request of the Space Force. > Falcon 9 has landed at LZ-2 [pic.twitter.com/QbGfFhyX9J](https://t.co/QbGfFhyX9J?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 22, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1958741040254353486?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster B1092 touching down at Landing Zone 2, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1958741040254353486?ref=proximareport.com). Supporting USSF-36's trek to orbit was booster B1092 for [its sixth flight](https://www.spacex.com/launches/ussf36?ref=proximareport.com), landing back at Landing Zone 2 in Cape Canaveral afterwards. This booster has previously supported the launches for NROL-69, CRS-32, GPS III-7, and two Starlink missions. Additionally, this was the [third time SpaceX has supported](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1958734455021162624?ref=proximareport.com) X-37B missions. Riding Falcon 9 into orbit was X-37B Vehicle 1, [made by Boeing](https://www.boeing.com/defense/autonomous-systems/x37b?ref=proximareport.com#the-numbers), which also produced its twin. The spaceplane is around one-fourth the scale of the Space Shuttle and, unlike the Space Shuttle, launches inside a conventional rocket's fairing. But, Much like the Space Shuttle, the majority of the craft's stowage space is contained within a horizontally-laid payload bay, with hinged doors allowing for exposure to the vacuum of space and deployment of free-flying payloads. Owing to its military nature, much of what takes place from the time X-37B lifts off the ground on its launch vehicle to the moment it touches down on the runway at the end of its mission is extremely unclear. ![X-37B Vehicle 1 on the runway at Kennedy Space Center on the 12th of November 2022 after the OTV-6 mission. ©United States Space Force](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/3240px-X-37B_concludes_sixth_mission_-221111-F-XX000-0002--1.jpg) X-37B Vehicle 1 on the runway at Kennedy Space Center on the 12th of November 2022 after the OTV-6 mission. ©United States Space Force The X-37B's eighth mission is set to complete various objectives for the U.S. military, including technology demonstrations. Two technology tests are [known to be onboard](https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4256759/us-space-force-scheduled-to-launch-eighth-x-37b-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) and are a laser communications demonstration and a quantum inertial sensor planned to measure the spaceplane's acceleration and rotation. Testing of laser communications during the mission is set to improve the resilience, security, and efficiency of American space-based communications through low Earth orbit satellite networks (i.e., Starlink and Starshield). Laser communications are also being pushed by the U.S. Space Force as key to next-generation military communications. Meanwhile, tests of the quantum inertial sensor could broadly benefit space navigation, providing accurate positioning in cislunar space and beyond. The test demonstration onboard the X-37B itself will measure the accuracy of unaided navigation in orbit. Commander of the Colorado-based Space Delta 9, Colonel Ramsey Horn, spoke on the military significance of the quantum sensor demonstration, stating: > "\[The mission\]'s quantum inertial sensor demonstration is a welcome step forward for operational resilience in space. Whether navigating beyond Earth based orbits in cislunar space or operating in GPS-denied environments, quantum inertial sensing allows for robust navigation capabilities when GPS navigation is not possible." It is unknown when the X-37B will return to Earth to end its mission, usually spending multiple months in orbit. When it does, the spaceplane will land on a runway at either the Kennedy Space Center or Vandenberg Space Force Base. Since 2010, the two X-37B spaceplanes have performed missions in orbit seven times, largely speculated to be reconnaissance missions in low Earth orbit. In its previous mission, [launched atop a Falcon Heavy](https://proximareport.com/articles/falcon-heavy-ussf-52), the spaceplane flew around high Earth orbit for the first time, [performing aerobrake maneuvers](https://aviationweek.com/space/budget-policy-regulation/how-x-37b-shaping-future-us-space-force?ref=proximareport.com) before its return as well. ![A camera onboard the X-37B takes a photo of Earth from its high-point in orbit during its seventh mission. ©United States Space Force](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/X37BSPACE-2_US_Space_Force.jpg) A camera onboard the X-37B takes a photo of Earth from its high-point in orbit during its seventh mission. ©United States Space Force ### Trump's NASA Wants to Gut Itself, Own Space, Abandon Earth URL: https://proximareport.com/trumps-nasa-directions/ Last updated: 2025-08-19T03:04:38.000Z Powered by [defunding efforts](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-six-months-trump/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) and a [lack of clear, unified plans](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-no-space-plan?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), Trump's NASA [is a mess](https://nasawatch.com/trumpspace/nasas-random-policy-process/?ref=proximareport.com) of rhetoric and proposals. In recent days, it has become increasingly clear that [NASA leadership intends](https://nasawatch.com/activism/they-are-throwing-nasa-away/?ref=proximareport.com) to ignore restored funding from lawmakers and work based on Trump's budget cut of six billion dollars. As part of that, the agency intends to [eliminate positions or fire employees](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/insight-into-nasas-contractor-rif-plans/?ref=proximareport.com), numbered in the thousands. This comes after [4,000 people left](https://www.npr.org/2025/07/26/nx-s1-5481304/nasa-employees-deferred-resignation-program?ref=proximareport.com) the agency this year already. Meanwhile, NASA's Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations program has [recently been rewritten](https://nasawatch.com/commercialization/nasa-commercial-leo-space-stations-acquisition-strategy/?ref=proximareport.com) to no longer have the agency continue its human presence in space. Instead, space station providers, renting their orbiting outposts to NASA, will be required to support month-long missions, something that [appears to substantially benefit Vast](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/08/as-the-end-of-the-iss-nears-nasa-shakes-up-program-for-commercial-replacements/?ref=proximareport.com). Then, last week on August 13th, President Trump [signed an executive order](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/08/enabling-competition-in-the-commercial-space-industry/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) aimed at reorganizing regulations for commercial space activity and for a rhetoric win after the cuts and losses. According to an [accompanying fact sheet](https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/08/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-enables-competition-in-the-commercial-space-industry/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), the order: - *Directs the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, to eliminate or expedite environmental reviews for launch and reentry licenses and permits.* - *Directs the Secretary of Transportation to review regulatory requirements to eliminate outdated, redundant, or overly restrictive rules for launch and reentry vehicles.* - *Instructs the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Administrator of NASA, to evaluate State compliance with the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) and whether States are hindering spaceport infrastructure development under the CZMA, or otherwise placing limitations on spaceport development that are inconsistent with Federal law.* - *Directs the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Administrator of NASA to align their review processes to eliminate duplicative regulations and expedite spaceport development.* A [press release from NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/u-s-transportation-secretary-acting-nasa-administrator-sean-p-duffy-joins-president-trump-executive-order-signing-to-boost-u-s-space-competitiveness/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) was also sent out after the signing, repeating many of the same points but highlighting that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation will become a political appointee, while the Office of Space Commerce will be moved to the Office of the Commerce Secretary. Despite official rhetoric about unleashing American superiority in space, it is highlighted that the order [weakens NASA's position](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/trump-signs-executive-order-to-boost-commercial-space-and-shift-nasas-balance-of-power?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), already under budget troubles, and largely benefits private companies [like SpaceX](https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/08/14/trump-executive-order-commercial-rocket-launch-spacex/85654428007/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), who are accused of [damaging ecosystems](https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2025-06-27/spacex-rocket-explosion-pollution?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) across the Gulf of Mexico. Not long after that executive order, Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy made vague comments about [wanting America to do all](https://x.com/SecDuffy/status/1955972656706040068?ref=proximareport.com) of the business in space. That would be an impossibility unless China, Europe, and Russia stopped going to space and no longer [wished to be sovereign](https://accesspartnership.com/europes-quest-space-resilience-sovereignty/?ref=proximareport.com) nations in orbit. That comment comes after Duffy let slip that he wants the U.S. [to claim parts of the Moon](https://proximareport.com/articles/duffy-nuclear-moon) via nuclear reactors, a clear violation of the Outer Space Treaty. Duffy also perceived the order as a green light for NASA to no longer perform critical Earth sciences, [telling Fox Business](https://x.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1956098905445134782?ref=proximareport.com): > "All the climate science and all of the other priorities that the last administration had at NASA, we’re going to move aside, and all of the science that we do is going to be directed towards exploration, which is the mission of NASA ... not to do all these Earth sciences." > Under my leadership, we’ll restore NASA’s primary mission as space exploration. We’re getting rid of discriminatory DEI and nonsense on climate change. > > Make Space Great Again! [pic.twitter.com/jJV6ah9LTC](https://t.co/jJV6ah9LTC?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy (@SecDuffyNASA) [August 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1956098905445134782?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Sean Duffy tells Fox Business that NASA will not do Earth science, via [Sean Duffy on Twitter](https://x.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1956098905445134782?ref=proximareport.com). If Duffy's perception of the order turns into action, he will be ignoring a key part of the [National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958](https://www.nasa.gov/history/national-aeronautics-and-space-act-of-1958-unamended/?ref=proximareport.com), which says that the American space agency must expand human knowledge of phenomena in the atmosphere alongside in space. Human-caused climate change is one such phenomenon. Sadly, as [*The Hill* highlighted](https://thehill.com/%E2%80%A6/5453230-duffy-nasa-climate-science/?ref=proximareport.com), moves to abandon climate research is not surprising as the second Trump Administration has moved to deny and downplay climate change and sought to dismantle scientific research into it. ### Weekly Dose of Space (10/8-16/8) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-10-8-16-8/ Last updated: 2025-08-17T13:06:03.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw seven launches globally, sadly with one failure. News during the week saw China firing up its Moon rocket and the U.S. President reorganizing commercial space governance. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *August 11th - Falcon 9 with KF-02* From Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, 24 satellites for Amazon's Kuiper constellation were sent into low Earth orbit, [bringing it to 102 spacecraft](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-falcon-kf02) in orbit. Supporting the deployment of more Kuiper satellites was Falcon 9 booster B1091, performing its first flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the KF-02 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/GyFMDsmWsAAoEUy-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the KF-02 mission. ©SpaceX ### *August 13th - Ariane 6 with MetOp-SG-A1* Flying out of French Guiana, Ariane 6 headed to sun-synchronous orbit carrying the first of six MetOp-SG satellites from EUMETSAT. The [MetOp-SG-A1 weather satellite](https://proximareport.com/articles/ariane-6-soars-to-begin-deployment-of-new-weather-satellite-fleet) is designed to improve the accuracy of European weather forecasts. ![A long exposure photo of Ariane 6 carrying MetOp-SG-A1. ©S.Corvaja/European Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/MetOp-SG-A1_and_Sentinel-5_on_their_way_to_orbit_aboard_Ariane_6-1.jpg) A long exposure photo of Ariane 6 carrying MetOp-SG-A1\. ©S.Corvaja/European Space Agency ### *August 13th - Vulcan with USSF-106* United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket launched from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, to begin the [secretive USSF-106 mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/vulcan-ussf-106) with a flight direct to geostationary space. At least two military spacecraft were onboard, with one being Navigation Technology Satellite-3, set to perform positioning, navigation, and timing experiments. > Vulcan’s USSF-106 goes direct to GEO, powering national security with precision. [pic.twitter.com/9vMpkytaiR](https://t.co/9vMpkytaiR?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ULA (@ulalaunch) [August 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1956069051786256723?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Vulcan lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41 for USSF-106, via [United Launch Alliance on Twitter](https://x.com/ulalaunch/status/1956069051786256723?ref=proximareport.com). ### *August 13th - Long March 5B with GuoWang Group 08* A Long March 5B, China’s most capable launch vehicle, flew from Launch Complex 101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, carrying ten satellites into polar orbit for the GuoWang constellation. With the launch, the state-backed constellation has expanded to 67 satellites in orbit. ![The Long March 5B Y8 vehicle during first-stage flight carrying GuoWang Group 08.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/00686eaKgy1i4cjvcbjwoj318q1nnwiq-1.jpg) The Long March 5B Y8 vehicle during first-stage flight carrying GuoWang Group 08. ### *August 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-4* Falcon 9 flew from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Booster B1093 supported this mission, for its fifth flight with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *August 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-20* Twenty-eight more Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this mission was booster B1085 for its tenth flight, with a landing downrange on the done ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-20 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/GyUpWqzWYAA9v.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-20 mission. ©SpaceX ### *August 15th - Zhuque-2E for an unknown customer* LandSpace launched its third Zhuque-2E rocket from Launch Area 96A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, heading for low Earth orbit. Sadly, during its flight, the vehicle suffered from a failure, that the company is yet to disclose, resulting in a loss of the rocket and its payload. ## **In Other Space News** ### *China fires up Moon rocket!* ![The Long March 10 static fire test article performing its static fire atop Launch Complex 301, at the Wenchang Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/006Su8pSly1i4ekfcf7wej319r0zjai8.jpg) The Long March 10 static fire test article performing its static fire atop Launch Complex 301, at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. At the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China's Hainan province, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology fired up a static fire test article of the Long March 10 Moon rocket [on August 15th](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/long-march-10-roars-to-life-in-wenchang?ref=proximareport.com), atop Launch Complex 301\. For the test, seven YF-100K engines were ignited and burned for about thirty seconds. According to the involved agencies and enterprises, the test demonstrated and validated simultaneous ignition, control, and operation of all seven engines along with their propellant feed systems, ignition timing, and engine gimbal control mechanisms. After the test, the China Manned Space Agnecy also noted: > “The successful test laid an important technical foundation for the manned lunar exploration mission. In the future, the Long March 10 series of carrier rockets will be fully used in manned space engineering missions, together with the Mengzhou manned spacecraft, to realize the upgrading and development of \[China’s\] manned space-to-earth transportation system.” Launch Complex 301, the under-construction launch pad for the Long March 10 rocket, was supposedly selected for this test as existing test stands can't accommodate the massive thrust loads expected, around 892 tons. The choice to use the rocket's launch pad also allows engineers to validate the rocket's systems in the actual launch environment where it will eventually fly from. ### *Trump signs commercial space executive order* On August 13th, U.S. President Donald Trump [signed an executive order](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/08/enabling-competition-in-the-commercial-space-industry/?ref=proximareport.com) aimed at reorganizing regulations for commercial space activity. According to an [accompanying fact sheet](https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/08/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-enables-competition-in-the-commercial-space-industry/?ref=proximareport.com), the order: - Directs the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, to eliminate or expedite environmental reviews for launch and reentry licenses and permits. - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to review regulatory requirements to eliminate outdated, redundant, or overly restrictive rules for launch and reentry vehicles. - Instructs the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Administrator of NASA, to evaluate State compliance with the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) and whether States are hindering spaceport infrastructure development under the CZMA, or otherwise placing limitations on spaceport development that are inconsistent with Federal law. - Directs the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Administrator of NASA to align their review processes to eliminate duplicative regulations and expedite spaceport development. A [press release from NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/u-s-transportation-secretary-acting-nasa-administrator-sean-p-duffy-joins-president-trump-executive-order-signing-to-boost-u-s-space-competitiveness/?ref=proximareport.com) was also sent out after the signing, repeating many of the same points but highlighting that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation will become a political appointee, while the Office of Space Commerce will be moved to the Office of the Commerce Secretary. Despite official rhetoric about unleashing American superiority in space, it is highlighted that the order [weakens NASA's position](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/trump-signs-executive-order-to-boost-commercial-space-and-shift-nasas-balance-of-power?ref=proximareport.com), already under threat of [massive budget cuts by Trump](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-six-months-trump/), and largely benefits private companies [like SpaceX](https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/08/14/trump-executive-order-commercial-rocket-launch-spacex/85654428007/?ref=proximareport.com), who are accused of [damaging ecosystems](https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2025-06-27/spacex-rocket-explosion-pollution?ref=proximareport.com) across the Gulf of Mexico. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *August 17th - Long March 4C with a to-be-annouced payload* From the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 4C may fly to low Earth orbit, carrying an undisclosed payload. ### *August 17th - Long March 6A with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 6A is expected to launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, carrying a currently unknown payload to polar orbit. ### *August 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-5* SpaceX is preparing to launch twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9. ### *August 20th - Soyuz 2.1a with Bion-M No. 2* A Soyuz 2.1a is set to launch a recoverable satellite carrying various experiments and instruments to low Earth orbit. ### *August 21st - Falcon 9 with USSF-36* A Falcon 9 is planned to launch the USSF-36 mission from Launch Complex 39A, carrying the secretive X-37B spaceplane. ### *August 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-6* Another group of Starlink satellites is planned to head to low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9, flying out of Space Launch Complex 4E. ### SpaceX Aims to Solve Failure Streak in Upcoming Starship Test URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-pre-flight-ten/ Last updated: 2025-08-15T18:54:46.000Z SpaceX is hoping to perform the tenth flight test of its in-development fully reusable Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle as soon as next week. On [August 24th](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1956387264763719793?ref=proximareport.com), SpaceX is aiming to launch another flight test of Starship, following three back-to-back failures of a new 'Block 2' version of the Starship upper-stage. A successful flight should resume progress in developing the reusable rocket. Flying the upcoming flight test will be Super Heavy Booster 16 and Ship 37, both making their first flights. SpaceX detailed a few areas it hopes to make progress in the upcoming flight test through [an update on its website](https://www.spacex.com/launches/starship-flight-10?ref=proximareport.com). For the booster's mission plan, the company detailed: > "\[Primary\] test objectives for the booster will be focused on its landing burn and will use unique engine configurations. One of the three center engines used for the final phase of landing will be intentionally disabled to gather data on the ability for a backup engine from the middle ring to complete a landing burn. The booster will then transition to only two center engines for the end of the landing burn, entering a full hover while still above the ocean surface, followed by shutdown and drop into the Gulf of Mexico." For Ship 37, it is hoped that the vehicle will make it to engine cutoff while maintaining control over its attitude. In space, the vehicle is planned to deploy eight Starlink simulators and perform a burn with a Raptor engine. Reentry tests are once again being performed, with a descent profile designed to stress the structural limits of Starship. Various heat shield tiles have been removed as well, with some replaced with alternative solutions, including active cooling. At the end of the tenth flight test, Ship 37 may splash down in the Indian Ocean, a feat not seen since the vehicle's sixth flight test. As with the previous nine flight tests, this mission will fly from [Starbase, Texas](https://proximareport.com/articles/starbase-company-town?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), using SpaceX's only operational launch pad at its Starship test site. If the tenth flight test is successful, flight eleven could head into orbit, potentially for the first tower catch of a Starship. 2025 was previously planned to be a key year for the Starship program, as a Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer is expected this year by NASA. Propellant transfer between two vehicles is critical for getting the Starship lunar lander out to the Moon, and returning American astronauts to the surface through the Artemis program. ## Starship keeps blowing up This year, the Starship program has regressed significantly in terms of progress. In June, [Ship 36 unexpectedly exploded](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-faces-major-setback-with-testing-anomaly) during a routine test, wiping out a critical pre-flight test stand with it. Meanwhile, during flight tests of the vehicle, [Ship 33 was lost due to a fire](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-7?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in its engine section in January. Next in March, [Ship 34 was again lost](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-8?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in a fire. Then in May, [Ship 35 was destroyed during atmospheric reentry](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-nine?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) following leakages across the vehicle. SpaceX believes they have solved many of these issues, sharing many details via [an August 15th update](https://www.spacex.com/updates?ref=proximareport.com#flight-9-report). Regarding the previous flight test, in May, the company believes Ship 35 and Super Heavy Booster 14 were lost due to: > "Super Heavy flew at a significantly higher angle of attack than previous flights during its descent back to Earth, reaching a peak angle of approximately 17 degrees. This trajectory was a flight experiment to gather data on the limits of the booster’s performance. Once it reached the planned splashdown area, the booster relit 12 of the planned 13 engines for its landing burn. Shortly after the burn started, an energetic event was observed near the aft end of the vehicle followed by loss of telemetry. Final data was received from the booster approximately 382 seconds into flight and at approximately 1 kilometer in altitude over the designated clear zone." > "The most probable cause for the failure at landing burn was higher than predicted forces on the booster structure, specifically on the booster’s fuel transfer tube, due to the increased angle of attack experiment. Post-flight analysis showed that vehicle loads exceeded the capabilities of the transfer tube which is believed to have experienced a structural failure, resulting in a mixing of methane and liquid oxygen and subsequent ignition." > "Following a successful stage separation, the Starship upper stage lit all six of its Raptor engines and flew along its expected trajectory. Approximately three minutes into the burn, sensors in the nosecone detected a steady increase in methane levels. This continued until approximately five minutes into the burn when pressure began to rapidly decrease in the main fuel tank while pressure simultaneously increased in the nosecone. Starship’s systems were able to compensate for the drop in main tank pressure and completed the ascent burn, achieving the planned velocity and Second Stage Engine Cutoff." > "After engine shutdown, the elevated nosecone pressure combined with planned nosecone venting led to a large amount of attitude error, which continued to build up until the vehicle’s automatic fault systems disabled nosecone venting. The attitude error resulted in the ship automatically skipping the payload deploy objective, which was also unable to be completed as the higher nosecone pressure resulted in adverse loads on the mechanism responsible for opening the payload door." > "The most probable root cause for the loss of the Starship upper stage was traced to a failure on the main fuel tank pressurization system diffuser. Cameras inside the vehicle showed a visible failure on the fuel diffuser canister, which is located inside the nosecone volume on the forward dome of the main fuel tank." Meanwhile, the company shared much less detail regarding the Ship 36 explosion, stating: > "The most probable root cause was identified as undetectable or under screened damage to a composite overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV) in Starship’s payload bay section, which failed and resulted in structural failure of the vehicle causing subsequent propellant mixing and ignition. The COPVs in the payload section store gaseous nitrogen for use in the Starship environmental control system." In order to prevent a similar explosion in the near future, SpaceX says they will use Starship's composite overwrapped pressure vessels at a reduced pressure level, alongside performing extra inspections and testing. --- ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-four meters tall and weighs 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ### What is Starship? Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Starship is believed to weigh 1,300,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. In order to survive re-entry for reuse, Starship has several thousand thermal protection tiles on one side of the vehicle and on all four of its aerodynamic control surfaces. The four control surfaces help guide the vehicle during re-entry and prior to landing inside the atmosphere at a pre-determined location. Starship also has a series of small thrusters to control the vehicle in space before re-entry. SpaceX is believed to be working on a few variants of Starship for use as a Moon lander, propellant tanker, space station, Mars lander, and as a crewed spacecraft. ### What is Super Heavy? Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. To enable the reuse of Super Heavy, the vehicle has four large grid fins placed in the interstage to assist in guiding and controlling during descent. Super Heavy also has four chines running along the lower third of it to generate lift and assist in stabilization. Shortly after completing the ascent, Super Heavy relights ten engines, as three were running during staging, and performs a 'boost back' burn in order to return to the launch site. After the 'boost back' burn is completed the engines shut down with Super Heavy being guided by a series of small thrusters and its grid fins. Once Super Heavy is at the correct altitude above its landing location three engines start back up for the landing burn. SpaceX currently plans to have Super Heavy land back at the launch site, or at sea if a problem is detected during descent Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ### Vulcan Roars for First Military Mission URL: https://proximareport.com/vulcan-ussf-106/ Last updated: 2025-08-13T05:06:19.000Z United Launch Alliance's first Vulcan mission for the U.S. government took off from Space Launch Complex 41, at 00:56 am Universal Coordinated Time on August 13th, heading toward geostationary space. To begin the classified USSF-106 mission, two BE-4 engines cleanly lit before four GEM-63XL solid rocket boosters roared to life to carry the rocket out of Florida. About one minute and forty seconds later the four boosters had burned out, leaving the BE-4 powered first-stage to burn up until five minutes after launch. Following the separation and start-up of the Centuar upper-stage, the mission became secretive with live feeds from the rocket cut, and the live stream ended shortly afterwards. Despite the plans of the Centaur upper-stage being unknown, it is likely headed directly for geostationary space, performing maneuvers on behalf of its payloads, [due to comments](https://www.youtube.com/live/7rftsSmvefY?si=baj1aczgIL77D9Cf&t=410&ref=proximareport.com) from United Launch Alliance's top boss. > LIFTOFF of the United Lunch Alliance Vulcan rocket, continuing ULA's soaring legacy in national security space launch! > > Launch info: [https://t.co/ZNSovZl0Lu](https://t.co/ZNSovZl0Lu?ref=proximareport.com) > Photos: [https://t.co/QbM4zpZ6I1](https://t.co/QbM4zpZ6I1?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/vU4hw4F0PI](https://t.co/vU4hw4F0PI?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ULA (@ulalaunch) [August 13, 2025](https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1955439241166458880?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of Vulcan for the USSF-106 mission, via [United Launch Alliance on Twitter](https://x.com/ulalaunch/status/1955439241166458880?ref=proximareport.com). Two missions are believed to have been atop Vulcan for today's launch, the primary one unknown, and the other was Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3). NTS-3 is [stated to be](https://www.l3harris.com/all-capabilities/navigation-technology-satellite-nts-3?ref=proximareport.com) a positioning, navigation, and timing experiment performing on-orbit demonstrations for its systems. Those experiments will take place for [around one year](https://afresearchlab.com/technology/nts-3?ref=proximareport.com) near geostationary space. ![Navigation Technology Satellite-3 during pre-flight testing on Earth. ©L3Harris/U.S. Space Force](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/NTS-30423_image2.jpg) Navigation Technology Satellite-3 during pre-flight testing on Earth. ©L3Harris/U.S. Space Force With the first successful launch of Vulcan for the U.S. military, the Space Force's Chief of Space Operations, General Chance Saltzman, celebrated the work performed by involved teams, [stating](https://x.com/SpaceForceCSO/status/1955442404783427693?ref=proximareport.com): > "Guardians and \[United Launch Alliance\] just executed the first National Security Space Launch on a Vulcan rocket. Congrats to the entire team!" Today's Vulcan flight was its first in 2025, following [two](https://proximareport.com/articles/ula-aces-vulcan-centaurs-first-flight/) [missions](https://proximareport.com/articles/vulcan-second-certification-flight) in 2024, as part of United Launch Alliance's gradual increase in flight cadence to replace the Atlas V rocket. As such, Vulcan may perform a few more missions this year for the U.S. government and for Amazon to expand its Kuiper constellation. A first launch of the rocket from California [may occur this year](https://x.com/torybruno/status/1950279134464397506?ref=proximareport.com) as well. --- ## What is Vulcan? Vulcan, sometimes called Vulcan-Centaur, is United Launch Alliance's in-development two-stage rocket. Vulcan is planned to replace the company's Atlas V and launch vehicle in the coming decade. The first-stage is powered by two BE-4 engines generating 500 tons of thrust, burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen for about four minutes and fifty-nine seconds. Blue Origin manufactures the BE-4 engines for use with United Launch Alliance. The second-stage is powered by two RL-10 engines generating 22 tons of thrust, burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Aerojet Rocketdyne manufactures the RL-10 engines for use with United Launch Alliance. This stage is also called Centaur V due to the rocket stages' heritage. ![Vulcan rolling out to Space Launch Complex 41 for the USSF-106 mission. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/54714586399_a00c93c9c2-1.jpg) Vulcan rolling out to Space Launch Complex 41 for the USSF-106 mission. ©United Launch Alliance Vulcan-Centaur can launch with either zero, two, four, or six GEM-63XL solid rocket motors to augment the rocket's thrust and capabilities. Each booster burns a solid propellant, consisting of Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and Aluminum-Ammonium perchlorate, generating 224 tons of thrust each for a believed one minute and fifty seconds. The solid rocket boosters are manufactured by Northrop Grumman for use with United Launch Alliance. Two fairing sizes are offered for Vulcan to suit customer needs, both 5.4 meters in diameter. The standard fairing is 15.5 meters long, while the extended long fairing is 21.3 meters long. A 'multi-manifest' version of the 21.3-meter-long fairing is also available for launching multiple spacecraft on a single launch. In the table below, United Launch Alliance claims Vulcan-Centaur can deliver the following amount of payload in its four potential configurations. | Vulcan Centaur VC0 | 10,800 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 3,500 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit, or 2,300 kilograms to a trans-lunar injection | | ------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Vulcan Centaur VC2 | 19,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 8,400 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit, or 6,300 kilograms to a trans-lunar injection | | Vulcan Centaur VC4 | 24,600 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 11,700 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit, or 9,200 kilograms to a trans-lunar injection | | Vulcan Centaur VC6 | 27,200 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 15,300 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit, or 12,100 kilograms to a trans-lunar injection | The naming scheme of each Vulcan-Centaur configuration is as follows: V stands for Vulcan, C stands for Centaur, 0/2/4/6 stands for the number of solid rocket motors, and S/L stands for the payload fairing length. ### Ariane 6 Soars to Begin Deployment of New Weather Satellite Fleet URL: https://proximareport.com/ariane-6-soars-to-begin-deployment-of-new-weather-satellite-fleet/ Last updated: 2025-08-13T03:09:29.000Z Europe's Ariane 6 departed French Guiana at 00:37 am Universal Coordinated Time on August 13th, carrying a weather satellite into sun-synchronous orbit. Under the power of a single Vulcain 2.1 engine on the first-stage and two large solid rocket boosters, Ariane 6 began its lengthy journey toward its 800-kilometer orbit. Shortly into the flight, the boosters were dropped approximately 2 minutes and fifteen seconds after igniting, followed quickly by the payload fairing three and a half minutes after liftoff. The sole Vulcain 2.1 engine powered on for a while longer, ending its job almost eight minutes into flight to allow the second-stage to separate and ignite its Vinci engine. To end its first burn, the Vinci engine shut down twenty minutes into flight, before igniting just over thirty minutes later to enter its payload's desired orbit. Heading to space [atop of Ariane 6 today](https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing%5Fthe%5FEarth/Meteorological%5Fmissions/MetOp%5FSecond%5FGeneration/Watch%5FMetOp-SG-A1%5Fand%5FSentinel-5%5Flaunch?ref=proximareport.com) was the first of six MetOp-SG (Meteorological Operational Satellite - Second Generation) satellites from EUMETSAT, with Sentinel-5A integrated into it. MetOp-SG-A1 is designed to improve the accuracy of European weather forecasts through its instrument suite, consisting of: an infrared atmospheric sounder, a microwave sounder, a multispectral imaging radiometer, a novel multiviewing, multichannel, multipolarisation imager, a radio occultation sounder, and Sentinel-5A's spectrometer. MetOp-SG-A1 [arrived at](https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing%5Fthe%5FEarth/Meteorological%5Fmissions/MetOp%5FSecond%5FGeneration/First%5FMetOp-SG%5Fand%5FSentinel-5%5Farrive%5Fat%5Flaunch%5Fsite?ref=proximareport.com) the Guiana Space Center in June, completed [propellant loading](https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing%5Fthe%5FEarth/Meteorological%5Fmissions/MetOp%5FSecond%5FGeneration/First%5FMetOp%5FSecond%5FGeneration%5Fsatellite%5Ffuelled?ref=proximareport.com) in July, and [was encapsulated](https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing%5Fthe%5FEarth/Meteorological%5Fmissions/MetOp%5FSecond%5FGeneration/First%5FMetOp-SG%5Fsatellite%5Fsealed%5Fwithin%5FAriane%5F6%5Ffairing?ref=proximareport.com) inside Ariane 6's fairing a week ago. ![MetOp-SG-A1 during encapsulation into Ariane 6's fairing ahead of launch from the Guiana Space Centre. ©Optique vidéo du CSG–T. Leduc/European Space Agency/Arianespace/CNES](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/Sealing_MetOp-SG-A1_satellite_within_Ariane_6_fairing-1.jpg) MetOp-SG-A1 during encapsulation into Ariane 6's fairing ahead of launch from the Guiana Space Centre. ©Optique vidéo du CSG–T. Leduc/European Space Agency/Arianespace/CNES Following the separation of MetOp-SG-A1, Phil Evans, Director-General of EUMETSAT, underscored the importance of it and the upcoming satellite fleet [by stating](https://www.youtube.com/live/lc0kyvSZGiI?si=TRE2iOv6BjmEWHe%5F&t=6015&ref=proximareport.com): > "\[This\] is a–not just a launch–it's a huge leap forward for the meteorological world with the launch of the satellite, a satellite that, as we heard, is full of innovations that will have a concrete impact on our societies and the people who live in it. It will help protect people's lives, it will protect livelihoods, it's such a significant event." – "For us at EUMETSAT, this is a start of a new chapter–a new chapter that will benefit societis in Europe and around the world." Rüdiger Hartwich from Airbus, the spacecraft's manufacturer, [added to](https://www.youtube.com/live/lc0kyvSZGiI?si=NZ-oCs4IdSODATDT&t=6300&ref=proximareport.com) the importance of today's launch: > "It's more than a ten-year journey on Earth to develop, design, and build a spacecraft. And now, thanks to the fantastic job of Arianespace, we are in orbit." – "Next year we will have \[MetOp-SG-B1\], the sister satellite, following, which will be another tremendous effort." Further launches of Ariane 6 are expected to occur later this year, with almost thirty missions in the rocket's backlog over the coming years. Launches later this year will be for government and institutional customers, as well as Amazon, which plans to utilize the Ariane 64 configuration for the first time with its Kuiper constellation. --- ## What is Ariane 6? Ariane 6 is ArianeGroup's latest launch vehicle in the Ariane family of rockets. ArianeGroup has been manufacturing and marketing the Ariane launch vehicles on behalf of the European Space Agency since Ariane 4\. Two versions of the Ariane 6 rocket are available, Ariane 62 and Ariane 64. These two versions share the first and second stages. The first stage of Ariane 6 burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in a single Vulcain 2.1 engine, producing 139 tons of thrust. The second stage of Ariane 6 also burns liquid hydrogen and oxygen, but in a single Vinci engine that generates 18 tons of thrust. Each of the solid rocket boosters burns a mixture of aluminum and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene to produce 474 tons of thrust each. This allows Ariane 62 to generate 1088 tons of thrust at liftoff, while Ariane 64 can generate 2036 tons of thrust. ![Ariane 6 prepared for the launch of MetOp-SG-A1 inside its mobile assembly building. ©S. Corvaja/European Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/Ariane_6_with_MetOp-SG-A1_in_its_mobile_hangar-1.jpg) Ariane 6 prepared for the launch of MetOp-SG-A1 inside its mobile assembly building. ©S. Corvaja/European Space Agency ### Ariane 62 Ariane 62 is the cheaper of the two configurations because it opts to use two solid rocket boosters. The lift capacity of Ariane 62 is as follows: 10,350 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 7,200 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, 4,500 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, or 3,500 kilograms to a lunar transfer orbit. On the launch pad, Ariane 62 weighs approximately 530,000 kilograms with a first-stage, second-stage, and faring diameter of 5.4 meters. Ariane 62 stands 56 meters tall ahead of launch. ### Ariane 64 Ariane 64 is the more capable of the two configurations due to its utilization of four solid rocket boosters. The lift Capacity of Ariane 64 is as follows: 21,650 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 15,500 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, 11,500 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, 8,600 kilograms to a lunar transfer orbit, or 5,000 kilograms to geostationary orbit. On the launch pad, Ariane 62 weighs approximately 860,000 kilograms with a first-stage, second-stage, and faring diameter of 5.4 meters, exactly the same as Ariane 62\. Ariane 64 is eight meters taller than Ariane 62 and is 62 meters tall ahead of launch. ### What is Aerospace Engineering? | Definition, Branches, Careers and Future URL: https://proximareport.com/explained/what-is-aerospace-engineering-definition-branches-careers-and-future/ Last updated: 2026-04-25T15:59:28.000Z ## **What Is Aerospace Engineering?** The design, development, testing, and manufacturing of vehicles that go through the atmosphere and beyond are the main objectives of aerospace engineering; a specialist area of mechanical engineering. There are two primary disciplines within this field: **aeronautical engineering** and **astronautical engineering**. - **Aeronautical engineering** deals with aircraft that operate within Earth’s atmosphere, such as planes, helicopters, and drones. - **Astronautical engineering** focuses on spacecraft and systems that travel beyond the atmosphere, including rockets, satellites, probes, and rovers. ## **History of Aerospace Engineering** Since the first flight of the Wright brothers, Gagarin's first trek beyond our atmosphere, and Armstrong's step on another world; aerospace engineering has rapidly evolved in the 20th century. Early advancements focused on aviation, while the mid-20th century saw the rapid rise of astronautics during the **Space Race**. Today, the field spans everything from uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) to interplanetary exploration missions. ## **Branches of Aerospace Engineering** ### **Aeronautical Engineering** - Design and optimization of aircraft for commercial, military, and recreational use - Focus on aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, and structural integrity. - Applications: passenger jets, fighter aircraft, helicopters, UAVs ### **Astronautical Engineering** - Development of spacecraft, launch vehicles, and orbital systems - Emphasis on propulsion, spacecraft design, guidance, and navigation - Applications: satellites, planetary probes, space stations, crewed missions ## **Skills Needed in Aerospace Engineering** Aerospace engineers blend creativity with technical expertise. Common skills include: - Advanced mathematics and physics - Computer-aided design (CAD) and simulation software - Knowledge of materials science and structural analysis - Understanding of propulsion systems and aerodynamics - Problem-solving and project management abilities ## **Careers in Aerospace Engineering** Aerospace engineers can work in: - Commercial aviation companies (Boeing and Airbus) - Commercial space companies ([SpaceX](https://www.spacex.com/?ref=proximareport.com)) - Space agencies ([NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/?ref=proximareport.com), [ESA](https://www.esa.int/?ref=proximareport.com), [ISRO](https://www.isro.gov.in/?ref=proximareport.com), [JAXA](https://global.jaxa.jp/?ref=proximareport.com), [CNSA](https://www.cnsa.gov.cn/english?ref=proximareport.com)) - Defense contractors (Lockheed Martin) - Research laboratories and universities - Emerging space startups **Typical roles include:** - Design engineer - Flight systems engineer - Propulsion engineer - Structural analyst - Mission planner ## **Future of Aerospace Engineering** The field is about to undergo a period of rapid change. Important trends consist of: - **Reusable rockets** and lower-cost space access - **Electric and hybrid aircraft** for sustainable aviation - **Supersonic and hypersonic flight** revival - **Deep space exploration** with crewed Mars missions - **AI-assisted flight systems** and autonomous vehicles ## **Frequently Asked Questions** ***Is aerospace engineering hard?*** Yes, it requires strong skills in math, physics, and engineering principles, along with creativity and problem-solving abilities. ***What distinguishes mechanical engineering from aerospace engineering?*** Aerospace engineering is a subfield of mechanical engineering that focuses on aircraft and spacecraft. Mechanical engineering, on the other hand, deals with a wider variety of systems. ***What is the salary of an aerospace engineer?*** Although salaries vary, the median yearly salary for engineers in the United States is approximately $125,000, with experienced engineers making much more. ### Amazon Continues Kuiper's Orbital Rollout URL: https://proximareport.com/amazon-falcon-kf02/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T19:00:42.000Z Amazon's Kuiper constellation has surpassed 100 satellites in orbit with the launch of a Falcon 9 on August 11th. For the second Kuiper mission atop Falcon 9, [24 Kuiper satellites were sent](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/project-kuiper-satellite-rocket-launch-progress-updates?ref=proximareport.com) to an orbital altitude of about 465 kilometers. Following the [separation process](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1954900750452334886?ref=proximareport.com) for around eight minutes, the constellation operations team took over control of the satellite group. Supporting the deployment of more Kuiper satellites was Falcon 9 booster B1091, a [future Falcon Heavy booster](https://spacelaunchnow.app/vehicle/launcher/195/?ref=proximareport.com), performing its first flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. > Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship [pic.twitter.com/LPNoiUjzqc](https://t.co/LPNoiUjzqc?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 11, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1954886620576178266?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 booster B1091 landing on 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas', via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1954886620576178266?ref=proximareport.com). With the launch of the fourth group of satellites, Amazon now has 102 spacecraft in orbit, out of a planned total of 3,236\. The group of 24 follows [another in July](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-kuiper-falcon-first), and two groups of 27 launched atop of United Launch Alliance's Atlas V in [April](https://proximareport.com/articles/kuiper-blasts-off-atop-atlas?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) and [June](https://proximareport.com/articles/atlas-second-kuiper-amazon?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). Those and the new Kuiper satellites are currently headed to an orbital altitude of around 630 kilometers to begin offering internet services to customers. Following the deployment of further satellites, services from Kuiper are planned to be available later this year at speeds of [up to one gigabit per second](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/heres-your-first-look-at-project-kuipers-low-cost-customer-terminals?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). Deployment of further Kuiper satellites is critical for potential government and enterprise customers, as demonstrated by a [recent outage of SpaceX's Starlink](https://proximareport.com/articles/starlink-outage-2025) internet constellation. In order to meet a deadline with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, half of the Kuiper constellation, approximately 1,600 satellites, will need to be launched by mid-2026\. Currently, Amazon [has bought over eighty launches](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-makes-historic-launch-investment-to-advance-project-kuiper?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) to deploy the constellation from a variety of American and European launch providers. Ahead of the recent launch, Amazon and Australia's government-owned NBN Co [announced that they are joining](https://www.aboutamazon.com.au/news/innovation/project-kuiper-partners-with-nbn-co-to-bring-low-earth-orbit-satellite-broadband-to-rural-australia?ref=proximareport.com) forces to provide internet services in rural regions of the country, set to begin around the middle of 2026\. Through leveraging NBN Co's presence and recognition in Australia, Amazon is hoping to provide high-speed and reliable connectivity to rural communities, with the company's Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand, Joe Lathan, stating: > "Australia's vast geography presents unique connectivity challenges that traditional infrastructure often can't overcome," – "This partnership with NBN Co represents our commitment to solving these challenges through innovation and collaboration. Beyond just connecting devices, we're focused on the human impact - helping small businesses reach global markets, ensuring students have the same educational resources as their city counterparts, and keeping families connected during emergencies. We believe every Australian deserves world-class internet access, regardless of their postcode." To further assist in competing against other internet mega-constellations, [Amazon has also partnered with](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-project-kuiper-aws?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) Japan's Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, America's Verizon, and the UK's Vodafone to bring services directly to consumers. Furthermore, the company is [teaming up with Airbus](https://aircraft.airbus.com/en/newsroom/web-story/2025-04-airbus-and-amazons-kuiper-team-up-to-offer-leo-satellite-network-for?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) to provide its airliners with in-flight connectivity. ![A Kuiper ground station in rural Australia. ©Amazon](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/assets.aboutamazon.webp) A Kuiper ground station in rural Australia. ©Amazon ## Keeping Kuiper launching Within the Kennedy Space Center, Amazon has built up a satellite processing site for Kuiper. For the facility, the company has invested over 140 million United States Dollars to streamline the constellations launch process, ensuring more missions are ready to go to build the constellation. Within the site, Kuiper satellites undergo final system health checks before being loaded with electrical power and krypton propellant for their electric propulsion system. After that, the satellites are loaded onto one of the available rockets' payload adapters. Amazon has planned for the Florida facility to be able to process [over 100 satellites per month](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/project-kuiper-florida-satellite-facility?ref=proximareport.com) in support of three different launches. Launch preparation pace is already picking up for deployment, with Steve Metayer, Vice President of Production Operations at Project Kuiper, sharing: > "We’ve completed three missions in less than three months, and we’re continuing to pick up the pace as we prepare to begin delivering service to customers. Our facilities and team in Florida play a critical role in that process," – "At full capacity, this building will house three dispenser systems stacked full of Kuiper satellites, and a combination of fairings from rockets like Atlas V, Vulcan, New Glenn, and Falcon 9\. There’s nothing else like it on the Space Coast." ![Kuiper's satellite processing facility, where they are integrated into various rockets' payload fairings. ©Amazon](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/assets.aboutamazon-1.jpg) Kuiper's satellite processing facility, where they are integrated into various rockets' payload fairings. ©Amazon Beyond Florida, in Kirkland, Washington, Amazon has established its production facility for the Kuiper satellites. At peak, the facility can produce [five satellites per day](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/inside-project-kuiper-satellite-facility-kirkland?ref=proximareport.com), around one satellite batch per week (as of the fourth Kuiper launch). --- ## What is Falcon 9? Falcon 9 is currently the world's only operational partially reusable medium-lift launch vehicle. The rocket is manufactured and operated by the American space company SpaceX. Falcon 9 currently launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, and Cape Canaveral, in Florida. For recovery, Falcon 9 has four grid fins and four landing legs on the first-stage. The first stage either lands vertically on a drone ship or a landing pad back near its launch site, landing back at the launch site causes a reduction in payload capacity. SpaceX claims that Falcon 9 can send up to 22,800 kilograms into low Earth orbit when expended or 18,400 kilograms when reused. Similarly, it can send up to 8,300 kilograms into geosynchronous transfer orbit when expended or 5,500 kilograms when reused. The first-stage is powered by nine Merlin 1D engines burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 771 tons of thrust. The second-stage is powered by a single Merlin 1D vacuum engine burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 95 tons of thrust. On the pad, the rocket is 70 meters tall with the first and second stages 3.7 meters in diameter, the fairing is 5.2 meters in diameter and tapers out from the top of the second-stage. Fully fuelled Falcon 9 weighs approximately 549,000 kilograms. ### Weekly Dose of Space (3/8-9/8) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-3-8-9-8/ Last updated: 2025-08-10T16:38:11.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had five launches worldwide, with the orbital missions supporting constellations. News from the week had Firefly going public, China testing its lunar lander and launching a drone ship, and Jim Lovell sadly passing away. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *August 3rd - New Shepard for NS-34* Blue Origin conducted the NS-34 suborbital tourism mission from its West Texas launch site, carrying Arvi Bahal, Gökhan Erdem, Deborah Martorell, Lionel Pitchford, J.D. Russell, and Justin Sun. The vehicles performing this mission were booster NS4, flying for the fifteenth time, and capsule RSS First Step, making its fourteenth flight. > 🔁 NS-34 Replay: Booster Touchdown! [pic.twitter.com/WJfGY2mjNa](https://t.co/WJfGY2mjNa?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) [August 3, 2025](https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1952019214023188966?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Shepard's booster touching down during the NS-34 mission, via [Blue Origin on Twitter](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1952019214023188966?ref=proximareport.com). ### *August 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-30* A Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Booster B1080 supported this mission, flying for the twenty-first time and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting from Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-30 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/GxfxkT7bcAEonKL-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting from Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-30 mission. ©SpaceX ### *August 4th - Long March 12 with GuoWang Group 07* Atop a Long March 12 from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, the seventh batch of GuoWang satellites, with 9 onboard, headed to low Earth orbit. With the launch, the GuoWang constellation has 57 spacecraft in orbit. ![The Long March 12 Y2 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site carrying satellites for the GuoWang constellation.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/0071kEH3ly1i423210wzwj36bk47sx6q-1.jpg) The Long March 12 Y2 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site carrying satellites for the GuoWang constellation. ### *August 5th - Electron for 'The Harvest Goddess Thrives'* Rocket Lab launched a synthetic aperture radar satellite to low Earth orbit for iQPS, from Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand. This launch carried the twelfth satellite of thirty-six for iQPS' imaging constellation that aims to image the same spot on Earth every ten minutes. > Ok this might be my tweet of the year so far….Here is the Kickstage doing a cheeky flyby past the new stage 2 camera. [pic.twitter.com/X9O7yZHOza](https://t.co/X9O7yZHOza?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Peter Beck (@Peter\_J\_Beck) [August 6, 2025](https://twitter.com/Peter%5FJ%5FBeck/status/1953215390982824318?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Rocket Lab's kick-stage in space, as seen by Electron's second-stage, via [Peter Beck on Twitter](https://x.com/Peter%5FJ%5FBeck/status/1953215390982824318?ref=proximareport.com). ### *August 8th - Jielong-3 with Future Mobility Group 04* A Jielong-3 flew into low Earth orbit, from a sea launch ship off the coast of Rizhao, carrying 11 satellites for Geespace, a subsidiary of automaker Geely, to expand the Geely Future Mobility Constellation. With the launch, the constellation now has 41 spacecraft in orbit. ![The Jielong-3 Y6 vehicle lifting off from its sea launch ship carrying Geespace's fourth group of satellites.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/0086sdvsly1i473xff9twj31j52aqnpd-1.jpg) The Jielong-3 Y6 vehicle lifting off from its sea launch ship carrying Geespace's fourth group of satellites. ## **In Other Space News** ### *China tests crewed lunar lander* ![Lanyue after performing an ascent test in the gravity simulator. ©China Manned Space Agency/China National Space Administration/China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/GxvLbHRa4AAipcz-1.jpg) Lanyue after performing an ascent test in the gravity simulator. ©China Manned Space Agency/China National Space Administration/China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation [On August 7th](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/lanyue-lunar-lander-conducts-simulated?ref=proximareport.com), China's various space agencies and enterprises announced the conclusion of a series of tests with the country's Lanyue lunar lander, set to carry crew to the Moon's surface around 2029\. To test the spacecraft, it was attached to an extraterrestrial gravity simulator to simulate lunar gravity. For the tests, said to be over ten, a full-scale Lanyue vehicle outfitted with its various thrusters and four main engines, without their nozzles for vacuum optimization, flew within the gravity simulator to verify control coordination across the many thrusters. Sun Xingliang, of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, stated the following regarding what tests were performed. > "Among these, ignition tests are the top priority. The tests needed to complete over 10 ignition tests including normal flight, emergency flight, and takeoff from different lunar surface slopes, fully verifying the lander's landing and takeoff control scheme, propulsion system, electrical system, and interface compatibility between systems." ![Engineers work on Lanyue for tests in the gravity simulator. ©China Manned Space Agency/China National Space Administration/China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/Gx1Fq1rXsAAKeSO.jpg) Engineers work on Lanyue for tests in the gravity simulator. ©China Manned Space Agency/China National Space Administration/China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Further tests of Lanyue are planned for the near future, although a timeline was not disclosed. Those tests include in-space missions to verify spacecraft systems, along with a possible unmanned lunar landing to prove the entire vehicle, including its braking stage. Lanyue's tests in the gravity simulator follows a [launch pad abort test](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/mengzhou-soars-for-zero-altitude?ref=proximareport.com) performed by the Mengzhou crew capsule, designed to carry taikonauts around the Moon, in late June. ### *Jim Lovell passes away at 97* ![Jim Lovell pictured before the Apollo 13 mission in front of the mission's Saturn V rocket. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/S70-34268-large-1.jpg) Jim Lovell pictured before the Apollo 13 mission in front of the mission's Saturn V rocket. ©NASA Jim Lovell, Commander of the Apollo 13 and Gemini 12 missions, along with flying for the Apollo 8 and Gemini 7 missions, passed away at the age of 97 on August 8th, in Lake Forest, Illinois. NASA celebrated his life with the [following statement](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/acting-nasa-administrator-reflects-on-legacy-of-astronaut-jim-lovell/?ref=proximareport.com): > "NASA sends its condolences to the family of Capt. Jim Lovell, whose life and work inspired millions of people across the decades. Jim’s character and steadfast courage helped our nation reach the Moon and turned a potential tragedy into a success from which we learned an enormous amount. We mourn his passing even as we celebrate his achievements." > "From a pair of pioneering Gemini missions to the successes of Apollo, Jim helped our nation forge a historic path in space that carries us forward to upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond." > "As the Command Module Pilot for Apollo 8, Jim and his crewmates became the first to lift off on a Saturn V rocket and orbit the Moon, proving that the lunar landing was within our reach. As commander of the Apollo 13 mission, his calm strength under pressure helped return the crew safely to Earth and demonstrated the quick thinking and innovation that informed future NASA missions." > "Known for his wit, this unforgettable astronaut was nicknamed Smilin’ Jim by his fellow astronauts because he was quick with a grin when he had a particularly funny comeback." > "Jim also served our country in the military, and the Navy has lost a proud academy graduate and test pilot. Jim Lovell embodied the bold resolve and optimism of both past and future explorers, and we will remember him always." ### *China launches first rocket recovery ship* ![iSpace's drone ship ahead of its launch in Jiangsu province. ©iSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/maxresdefault.jpg) iSpace's drone ship ahead of its launch in Jiangsu province. ©iSpace Chinese launch company [iSpace launched its first drone ship](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/170220665/ispace-launches-booster-recovery-ship?ref=proximareport.com), also China's first, on August 5th in Jiangsu province. The drone ship is stated to be 42 meters wide and 100 meters long, with a booster landing area of 40 by 60 meters for Hyperbola-3 boosters, while displacing 17,000 tons. At the launch ceremony of the drone ship, Peng Xiaobo, iSpace's Chairman, shared: > "As China's first launch vehicle recovery ship, the 'Interstellar Homecoming' has explored and established new standards for the integration of our country's aerospace and shipbuilding industries, serving as a typical demonstration and leading role for the construction of subsequent launch vehicle recovery ships in our country. It fills a gap in domestic offshore engineering vessel types. From today forward, our country's offshore engineering fleet adds launch vehicle recovery ships as a new vessel category. The 'Interstellar Homecoming' is the concrete embodiment of our dream to explore the stars and seas, giving us confidence and strength." iSpace's drone ship may recover a Hyperbola-3 first-stage booster toward the end of the year during the rocket's debut flight. Before then, the ship will undergo sea trials to ensure its mechanical and electrical systems are functioning as expected. ### *Firefly raises 868 million through IPO* Having announced its initial public offering [in early July](https://proximareport.com/article/firefly-public-listing), Firefly Aerospace went public [on August 6th](https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/firefly-raises-868-million-upsized-us-ipo-it-sets-sights-positive-liftoff-2025-08-06/?ref=proximareport.com) through the sale of about 19.3 million shares, allowing the company to raise around 868.3 million United States Dollars. Sale of shares began at 45 dollars, before [rising to seventy dollars](https://techfundingnews.com/firefly-aerospace-debuts-ipo-868m-market-launch/?ref=proximareport.com), then falling to around 50 [on August 8th](https://www.investopedia.com/firefly-aerospace-stock-falters-after-first-day-ipo-pop-11787471?ref=proximareport.com). ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *August 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-4* Twenty-four more Starlink satellites are preparing to head to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, via a Falcon 9. ### *August 12th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-20* Another twenty-eight Starlink satellites are expected to launch on a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, heading for low Earth orbit. ### *August 13th - Vulcan with USSF-106* United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket is preparing to launch the USSF-106 mission to geostationary space on behalf of the U.S. military. This mission will have Vulcan fly with four solid rocket boosters for the first time. ### *August 13th - Ariane 6 with METOP-SG A1* Europe's Ariane 6 is planning to launch a second-generation polar-orbiting operational meteorological satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit. ### *August 13th - Long March 5B with GuoWang Group 08?* A Long March 5B, with a Yuanzheng-2 upper-stage, is preparing to launch to low Earth orbit from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. This launch may carry the eighth group of GuoWang satellites. ### *August 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-5* More Starlink satellites are planned to be delivered to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *August 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-11* Another Falcon 9 is set to carry a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### Acting NASA Administrator Wants to Violate Space Law URL: https://proximareport.com/duffy-nuclear-moon/ Last updated: 2025-08-07T14:13:44.000Z Sean Duffy wants NASA to place nuclear reactors on the Moon to claim regions of it, in clear violation of the Outer Space Treaty. Some time in the coming week, Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, also U.S. Transportation Secretary, is expected to announce plans for American to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon, expediting a [pre-existing program](https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/tech-demo-missions-program/kilopower-hmqzw/?ref=proximareport.com). [According to *Politico*](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/04/nasa-china-space-station-duffy-directives-00492172?ref=proximareport.com), the announcement will detail a timeline for a launch before 2030 to ensure the U.S. wins its perceived second space race, with a plan outlined sixty days later. Following the announcement, private industry will be open to bid on developing a 100-kilowatt lunar nuclear reactor, with a contract six months after. [Leaked NASA documents](https://nasawatch.com/artemis/lets-do-nukes-on-the-moon/?ref=proximareport.com) state that the lunar nuclear reactor plans will be managed by a designated 'Fission Surface Power Program Executive' who will control procurement, technology integration, interagency coordination, and performance oversight. The documents also disclose that this is in response to [Sino-Russian proposals](https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/china-led-lunar-base-include-nuclear-power-plant-moons-surface-space-official-2025-04-23/?ref=proximareport.com) for the International Lunar Research Station, currently with thirteen [nation-level members](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International%5FLunar%5FResearch%5FStation?ref=proximareport.com#Members), in the late 2030s. Despite the announcement being yet to come, Duffy [shared a few details](https://www.youtube.com/live/iGwZFhUO41U?si=sjNyV54oB2OhdYHJ&t=1085&ref=proximareport.com) on August 5th while speaking at a press conference deregulating autonomous drone flights. Whole there, the Acting Administrator let slip that he wants to claim parts of the Moon, [sharing](https://x.com/NASAWatch/status/1952783830206574832?ref=proximareport.com): > "We're in a race to the Moon, in a race against China." – "There’s a certain part of the Moon that everyone knows is the best \[(the lunar south pole)\]. We have ice there - we have sunlight there. We want to get there first and claim that for America." > According to [@SecDuffyNASA](https://twitter.com/SecDuffyNASA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) "There’s a certain part of the Moon that everyone knows is the best. We have ice there - we have sunlight there. We want to get there first and claim that for America." -- So we're going to "claim" portions of another world in violation of treaties… [pic.twitter.com/aoYzSUqwSc](https://t.co/aoYzSUqwSc?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) [August 5, 2025](https://twitter.com/NASAWatch/status/1952783830206574832?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Duffy outlining why he thinks America needs to put nuclear reactors on the Moon, via [NASA Watch on Twitter](https://x.com/NASAWatch/status/1952783830206574832?ref=proximareport.com). Further emphasizing his point earlier, ahead of [Crew-11](https://proximareport.com/articles/crew-11-launch)'s first launch attempt on July 31st, Duffy [stated](https://x.com/StephenClark1/status/1950949890978193565?ref=proximareport.com): > "We're not planting our flags and leaving. We're going to stay and learn and then go to Mars. There's critical real estate on the Moon. We want to claim that real estate for ourselves and our partners, which is going to be critical to being successful in that mission." No one from NASA has clarified what Duffy meant during his statements, [per NASA Watch](https://nasawatch.com/artemis/duffy-says-quietly-america-will-be-claiming-part-of-the-moon/?ref=proximareport.com), meaning that it is currently part of American plans. ## Rules of the Moon Duffy's plan for setting up a nuclear reactor on the Moon to claim the south pole would violate numerous articles of the [1967 Outer Space Treaty](https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/spacelaw/treaties/outerspacetreaty.html?ref=proximareport.com). Most obviously, it would violate Article II, which expressly prohibits national takeover of celestial bodies via claims of sovereignty, occupation, or any other means. The treaty states that the Moon and other celestial bodies are the realm of all humanity, which means that no nation can claim ownership over any part of them, regardless of what is built there. The act of claiming territory through reactor placement would also contradict Article IV, which states that celestial bodies must be used for peaceful purposes. While nuclear reactors for power generation are legal in other circumstances, deploying them to create territorial claims moves the objective from peaceful exploration to occupation, which the treaty prohibits. Furthermore, any territorial claims would violate Article I's notion that space exploration should be conducted for the benefit and interests of all countries. By claiming exclusive control of the South Pole region, which contains important water ice deposits, the U.S. would prevent other countries from accessing those resources and conducting their own scientific research, directly contradicting the treaty's vision of space as a common realm for humanity. The Trump Administration, however, may see no issue with violating the Outer Space Treaty, as it [attempts to rewrite it](https://www.thebigq.org/2020/06/02/the-artemis-accords-and-the-law-is-the-moon-back-in-business/?ref=proximareport.com) with the non-binding U.S.-led Artemis Accords. So far, the accords have [gathered fifty-six countries](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemis%5FAccords?ref=proximareport.com#List%5Fof%5FParties) as signatories, motivated by removal limits on non-government space activity and [ownership of celestial assets](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abd3402?ref=proximareport.com), alongside being a requirement of joining Artemis missions. ## No Moon race In the American plans to head out to the Moon, it suffers from excessive complexity, requiring coordination between multiple contractors and up to twenty Starship flights alongside the Space Launch System with the Orion capsule carrying astronauts just to get to the lunar surface. As initial Artemis missions with Starship need dozens of launches, delays or failure with one supporting mission will have a large knock-on effect, while the overall program is already facing [delays](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-faces-major-setback-with-testing-anomaly) and [issues](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasa-identifies-cause-of-artemis-i-orion-heat-shield-char-loss/?ref=proximareport.com) with both vehicles. In comparison, China's approach is more streamlined, with only two Long March 10 launches carrying the specifically designed Mengzhou capsule and Lanyue lander vehicles. This simpler architecture reduces complexity and reduces chances for failure while maintaining unified control for better schedule predictability and technical coordination. With only two launches needed, delays have smaller repercussions on the schedule. As such, the U.S. frames its return to the Moon as a race against China, with officials routinely 'warning' that China could land there first. This rhetoric often [veers into sinophobic territory](https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3257028/sinophobia-us-rails-and-blocking-paths-progress?ref=proximareport.com), portraying China's space achievements as inherently threatening rather than natural technological progress. But China [doesn't see it as a race](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-is-not-racing-to-the-moon?ref=proximareport.com). While the U.S. uses rhetoric of competition to secure political support, China treats its lunar program as part of long-term national development plans. China's centralized system allows for stable, multi-year planning through the Communist Party, National People's Congress, and advisory bodies that set consistent objectives. This contrasts sharply with America, where NASA faces shifting political priorities every four to eight years, like [Trump's massive defunding attempts](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-six-months-trump). The Artemis program must repeatedly win support from changing administrations and Congress, making long-term planning difficult. With Wu Weiren, Chief Designer of China's Lunar Exploration Program, [observing](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-23/china-s-lunar-chief-knocks-us-on-shifting-space-priorities?ref=proximareport.com): > “When the president changes, his policies change,” — “We in China may anchor our goals and always draw a blueprint until the end, so we have always moved forward smoothly and firmly, which is the difference between our two countries.” Framing Artemis as a race helps NASA build urgency and secure funding, but this stems from structural political limitations that China's system avoids through consistent, long-term policy continuity. ### Weekly Dose of Space (27/7-2/8) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-27-7-2-8/ Last updated: 2025-08-08T23:55:05.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw ten launches worldwide, with half dedicated to supporting internet mega-constellations. News during the week had progress toward Starship-Super Heavy's tenth flight made, another crew boarding the International Space Station, and a Chinese launch company looking to go public. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *July 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-2* From Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, a Falcon 9 launched twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was B1075, making its nineteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 flying for the Starlink Group 17-2 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/Gw2DtpPa8AAHhH8.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 flying for the Starlink Group 17-2 mission. ©SpaceX ### *July 27th - Long March 6A with GuoWang Group 05* A Long March 6A flew from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center into a polar orbit carrying five satellites for the GuoWang constellation. GuoWang aims to provide space-based internet services, with 39 spacecraft in orbit following the launch. ![The Long March 6A Y14 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/008iEnCgly1i3subw2slqj335r1z3qv5-1.jpg) The Long March 6A Y14 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ### *July 29th - Hyperbola-1 with Kunpeng-03* iSpace’s Hyperbola-1 rocket soared from Launch Area 95A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, for its return-to-flight, carrying the Kunpeng-03, also called Enshi Selenium Capital Mountain Spring Satellite, to sun-synchronous orbit. The satellite is planned to gather data for natural resources monitoring, agricultural planning, and ocean resource management. ![The Hyperbola-1 Y10 vehicle blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/688876a3a310c26f68945544-1.jpeg) The Hyperbola-1 Y10 vehicle blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *July 29th - Eris-1 for its debut flight* Gilmour Space's Eris-1 rocket performed its debut flight from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in northeastern Australia. During the flight, the rocket [headed skyward momentarily](https://proximareport.com/articles/eris-1-debut-flight?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), before falling back toward the ground and destroying itself next to its launch pad. > Liftoff completed, launch tower cleared, stage 1 tested. > Awesome result for a first test launch. [pic.twitter.com/EYbNbGDz3l](https://t.co/EYbNbGDz3l?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Gilmour Space (@GilmourSpace) [July 30, 2025](https://twitter.com/GilmourSpace/status/1950395515721711703?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Eris-1's brief test flight from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport, via [Gilmour Space on Twitter](https://x.com/GilmourSpace/status/1950395515721711703?ref=proximareport.com). ### *July 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-29* Another Twenty-eight Starlink satellites were launched atop of a Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1069 supported this mission for its twenty-sixth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *July 30th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 06* For the first time, a Long March 8A flew from Commercial Launch Pad 1 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site carrying nine satellites into low Earth orbit. The nine satellites are the latest addition to the GuoWang constellation, bringing it up to 48 spacecraft in orbit. ![The Long March 8A Y3 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/GxR39DLbEAAD-rZ-1.jpg) The Long March 8A Y3 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site. ### *July 30th - GSLV Mk-II with NISAR* The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) spacecraft [blasted off](https://proximareport.com/articles/nisar-launch?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, heading to sun-synchronous orbit atop of a GSLV Mk-II. NISAR is planned to gather data on ecosystem disturbances, polar ice changes, natural hazards, sea level rise, and groundwater issues. ![GSLV Mk-II during first-stage flight carrying the NISAR spacecraft. ©ISRO](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/gslv_f16_005.jpg-1.webp) GSLV Mk-II during first-stage flight carrying the NISAR spacecraft. ©ISRO ### *July 31st - Kuaizhou-1A with PRSC-S1* ExPace performed Kuaizhou-1A's return-to-flight mission with the rockets 'Pro' variant with a launch out of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying Pakistan’s PRSC-S1 to low Earth orbit. The spacecraft is planned to provide monitoring for natural disasters, including floods, landslides, earthquakes, glacier melting, and deforestation, as well as aiding in agricultural monitoring, natural resource management, urban planning, infrastructure development, and mapping of transportation networks. ![Kuaizhou-1A 'Pro' during first-stage flight carrying Pakistan's PRSC-S1.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/006aWhMSgy1i3x48bq3whj34mo2ls1a2-1.jpg) Kuaizhou-1A 'Pro' during first-stage flight carrying Pakistan's PRSC-S1. ### *July 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 13-4* Nineteen Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit by Falcon 9 yet again, flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster supporting this mission was B1071, flying for the twenty-seventh time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *August 1st - Falcon 9 for Crew-11* NASA's [Crew-11 mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/crew-11-launch), with astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, as well as JAXA's Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos' Oleg Platanov, to the International Space Station blasted off atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1094, for its third mission, and landing at Landing Zone 1 back at Cape Canaveral. ![Falcon 9 lifts off from Launch Complex 39A for the Crew-11 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/08/GxUf_WnboAANhd3.jpg) Falcon 9 lifts off from Launch Complex 39A for the Crew-11 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Crew-11 boards International Space Station* > Dragon above the [@Space\_Station](https://twitter.com/Space%5FStation?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) as it approaches for docking [pic.twitter.com/Q3kBjO02Zp](https://t.co/Q3kBjO02Zp?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 2, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1951525652940857710?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) A view of the International Space Station from Crew Dragon C206 'Endeavour' during its approach, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1951525652940857710?ref=proximareport.com). Following launch on August 1st, Crew Dragon 'Endeavour' carrying Zena Cardman, Michael Fincke, Kimiya Yui, and Oleg Platonov onboard arrived at the International Space Station on August 2nd. [Docking to the space-facing port](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/08/02/crew-11-docks-to-station-aboard-spacex-dragon/?ref=proximareport.com) of the Harmony module, part of the U.S. segment, occurred at 06:27 am Universal Coordinated Time, with leak checks between Crew Dragon and the module beginning shortly after. Just [over an hour later](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/08/02/hatches-open-crew-11-enters-station-and-joins-expedition-73/?ref=proximareport.com), at 07:46 am, the hatches between the space station and Crew Dragon were opened, allowing the Crew-11 team to enter and be greeted by the seven astronauts already onboard. Now onboard the International Space Station, the Crew-11 astronauts are now part of the 73rd Expedition to the station and will be part of the 74th. The crew will also spend around six months on board, but their stay [could be extended](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/08/with-trumps-cutbacks-crew-heads-for-iss-unsure-of-when-theyll-come-back/?ref=proximareport.com) due to budgetary pressures. ### *Ship 37 completes static fires* > Full-duration static fire for the Starship preparing for our tenth flight test [pic.twitter.com/sWcKPDb2lJ](https://t.co/sWcKPDb2lJ?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 2, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1951433951119286327?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 37 performing its static fire on August 1st, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1951433951119286327?ref=proximareport.com). Ahead of the tenth test flight of Starship-Super Heavy, Ship 37 has recently completed two static fires. A single sea-level Raptor fired up [on July 31st](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1951030322767994912?ref=proximareport.com), followed by a multiple-engine firing on [August 1st](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1951433951119286327?ref=proximareport.com) (SpaceX did not disclose how many engines were lit). The two static fires of Ship 37 took place on the Orbital Launch Mount, modified to have the Ship sit higher than a Super Heavy booster would, along with modifying propellant lines to reach the vehicles' quick disconnect ports for fueling. Those modifications were necessary for SpaceX to continue with Starship-Super Heavy's test campaign after the vehicle previously set for the tenth flight, Ship 36, [exploded ahead of its second static fire](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-faces-major-setback-with-testing-anomaly). That explosion heavily damaged the Massey's test site used to perform static fires of the Starship upper-stage. ### *LandSpace eyes Shanghai IPO* Chinese launch company LandSpace, currently flying the Zhuque-2E rocket and developing the reusable Zhuque-3 (both burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen), has [submitted the necessary filings](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/landspace-eyes-ipo-on-shanghai-stock?ref=proximareport.com) to begin the multi-month process for an initial public offering. If approved by regulators, following the submittal of further paperwork, the company will be public on the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s Science and Technology Innovation Board. At the current stage of the process to go public, it is unknown how much of LandSpace will be available to buy on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, along with how much dilution of shares will take place with prior investors. One of the larger shareholders in the company is LandSpace’s Founder Zhang Changwu, who owns about 14.68 percent. A listing on Shanghai's Science and Technology Innovation Board could be advantageous for LandSpace, as it does not require the company to be profitable yet, so long as the company has demonstrated good growth potential via a foundation of technological innovation. This can be helpful for LandSpace and companies like it that need investment over a long period of time to develop and field innovative technologies. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *August 3rd - New Shepard for NS-34* Blue Origin is planning to conduct a sub-orbital tourism mission using its New Shepard vehicle to carry Arvi Bahal, Gökhan Erdem, Deborah Martorell, Lionel Pitchford, J.D. Russell, and Justin Sun. ### *August 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-30* SpaceX is preparing to launch twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *August 4th - Long March 12 with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 12 may be preparing to launch from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, carrying a currently unknown payload to Earth orbit. ### *August 5th - Electron for 'The Harvest Goddess Thrives'* Rocket Lab is preparing to launch a synthetic aperture radar satellite to low Earth orbit for iQPS, from Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand. ### *August 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-25* More Starlink satellites are planned to be launched to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E via a Falcon 9. ### *August 7th - Falcon 9 with KF-02* Another twenty-four Kuiper satellites are set to be launched to low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 for Amazon, from Space Launch Complex 40. ### Monthly Dose of Space - July 2025 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-july-2025/ Last updated: 2025-08-01T19:52:32.000Z Welcome to our twenty-second Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month. The end of July continues a busy year, so let's jump into the past month! ## **News of the Month** News during July had China update its commercial space regulation, NASA funding restoration efforts being delayed, New Glenn preparing to fly again, Axiom Space testing its lunar spacesuit, and findings from Betelgeuse. ### Axiom tests spacesuit with astronaut ![Astronaut Koichi Wakata in Axiom's AxEMU spacesuit in NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. ©NASA/Axiom Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/686d5b8b20eb4e18f646c384_jsc2025e058605.webp) Astronaut Koichi Wakata in Axiom's AxEMU spacesuit in NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. ©NASA/Axiom Space Axiom Space [announced on July 8th](https://www.axiomspace.com/news/axiom-space-next-gen-spacesuit-is-crew-tested-for-first-time-in-nasa-neutral-buoyancy-lab?ref=proximareport.com) that two months ago, astronaut Koichi Wakata, also the company's Chief Technology Officer, tested the AxEMU spacesuit for the first time with a human inside, in NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory used for spacewalk training. According to the company, Wakata's testing of the AxEMU saw him accompanied by engineers to properly test the operations and capabilities of the communications, breathing, and cooling systems of the spacesuit in the facility. Axiom did not disclose the outcomes of its testing, but it is believed to have gone well. At the moment, the AxEMU spacesuit is expected to have its Critical Design Review later this year, ahead of the Artemis III mission to the lunar surface in 2027\. Further testing and training with the spacesuit are planned to support the mission and its crew. ### New Glenn targets Mars! Blue Origin [shared on July 17th](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/blue-origin%5Fnew-glenns-second-mission-ng-2-will-send-activity-7351646604610727937-UWsb/?rcm=ACoAADPrrp0B42OTD3pICNiphuCaOsv8nlxTxn4&ref=proximareport.com) that the second flight of its New Glenn rocket will target Mars later this year. It is currently expected that the flight will occur no earlier than [mid-August](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/twin-nasa-mars-probes-will-fly-on-2nd-ever-launch-of-blue-origins-huge-new-glenn-rocket?ref=proximareport.com). The mission will carry two [Rocket Lab-built](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/1945930661480783969?ref=proximareport.com) spacecraft for NASA's ESCAPADE mission to study the planet's magnetosphere, while demonstrating low-cost exploration missions. Also set to be onboard is a technology demonstration from Viasat in support of NASA's Communications Services Project, [aiming to develop](https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/somd/space-communications-navigation-program/communications-services-project/?ref=proximareport.com) relay services near Earth. In recent weeks, Blue Origin Chief Executive Officer, Dave Limp, [has shared](https://x.com/davill/status/1943717655145590959?ref=proximareport.com) that the seven first-stage BE-4 engines for the mission were ready to be installed on the second New Glenn vehicle, while the two second-stage BE-3U engines were fired up [in April](https://x.com/davill/status/1915469439501570202?ref=proximareport.com) and [ready to fly](https://x.com/davill/status/1943748142601843167?ref=proximareport.com). > Another view… [https://t.co/Zu73mWk1pj](https://t.co/Zu73mWk1pj?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/4mzkhOesqV](https://t.co/4mzkhOesqV?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Dave Limp (@davill) [April 24, 2025](https://twitter.com/davill/status/1915492442037772404?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Glenn's second-stage performing a static fire in April ahead of the rocket's second mission, via [Dave Limp on Twitter](https://x.com/davill/status/1915492442037772404?ref=proximareport.com). ### NASA funding held up Currently, U.S. politicians are [moving to restore science funding](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-six-months-trump?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) to NASA slashed by the Trump Administration, through a series of bills signed. The Commerce-Justice-Science bill to do so [has been progressing through](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/whats-happening-in-space-policy-july-20-26-2025/?ref=proximareport.com) the legislative process. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson (Republican) has [sent American lawmakers off](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/epstein-files-fight-leads-us-house-republicans-start-summer-break-day-early-2025-07-22/?ref=proximareport.com) to an early five-week summer recess, on July 22nd, that will last until September 2nd, just four weeks until agency funding deadlines. The early recess was called due to [political upheaval](https://www.rte.ie/news/2025/0723/1524901-us-house/?ref=proximareport.com), on both sides of the U.S. political aisle, that could have seen the release of files related to the notorious disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which would have fully detailed President [Donald](https://www.wsj.com/politics/trump-jeffrey-epstein-birthday-letter-we-have-certain-things-in-common-f918d796?ref=proximareport.com) [Trump's](https://www.wsj.com/politics/justice-department-told-trump-name-in-epstein-files-727a8038?ref=proximareport.com) [involvement](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-mired-in-epstein-controversy-as-wall-street-journal-reports-on-2003-letter?ref=proximareport.com). If the bill is not passed before a deadline of October 1st, [Ars Technica reports](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/07/a-huge-fight-looms-over-the-nasa-budget-this-fall/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) that officials from the Trump Administration intend to go with its intended cuts to NASA. That would cut NASA science by half and end many working and almost ready-to-launch missions. ### Commercial space regulations updated in China The China National Space Administration [shared updates to](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-updates-commercial-space-regulation?ref=proximareport.com) China's commercial space regulations on Just 21st, with the new rules approved a few days prior on July 16th. These rules update laws around quality control, accountability, and requirements for the nation’s growing commercial space sector. The new regulations are made up of thirty-nine points across eight key areas: General Requirements, Quality Management Systems, Research and Development and Production, Ground Testing, Launch Implementation, On-Orbit Operations, Services, Recovery, and Decommissioning, Product Quality Supervision, and Accident Investigation and Disposal. Officials from the China National Space Administration [told Xinhua](http://www.news.cn/tech/20250721/d062bb4a9d234398bdc0b7d4840b9a15/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) that the new regulations standardize responsibilities across the mentioned areas. ### Betelgeuse companion star found ![An image of Betelgeuse, the yellow-red star, and the signature of its close companion, the faint blue object. ©National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory/NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/c-betelgeuse-20241209-466-16bit-cc2-crop-12x.png) An image of Betelgeuse, the yellow-red star, and the signature of its close companion, the faint blue object. ©National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory/NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory Betelgeuse, a supergiant star best known for being expected to go supernova anytime between now and one hundred thousand years from now, has [been found to have](https://www.nasa.gov/science-research/astrophysics/nasa-scientist-finds-predicted-companion-star-to-betelgeuse/?ref=proximareport.com) a companion star this month. The companion star is yet to be named, although [informally called the Betelbuddy](https://www.sciencenews.org/article/betelgeuse-companion-star-revealed?ref=proximareport.com). Fluctuations in the brightness of Betelgeuse had puzzled scientists with what's happening with the star, those fluctuations were found to be the companion star moving in front. For many decades, Betelgeuse's overpowering brightness hid its companion, with observations of it only being possible in certain parts of the smaller star's orbit around the supergiant. Better observations of Betelgeuse's companion will be possible around November 2027, when they are at their furthest separation from one another. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw **24** launches worldwide, continuing a busy year. If you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *July 1st - Falcon 9 with MTG-S1* A Falcon 9 launched the MTG-S1 spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, to a geostationary transfer orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1085, for its ninth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *July 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-25* Another Falcon 9 launched twenty-seven Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1067 supported this launch for its twenty-ninth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *July 3rd - Long March 4C with Shiyan-28B-01* A Long March 4C blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying Shiyan-28B-01 to low Earth orbit. Shiyan-28B-01 is planned to be utilized for space environment detection and related technical tests, which may include tracking other spacecraft and debris. ### *July 3rd - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-31* A Soyuz 2.1a launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the Progress MS-31 spacecraft toward the International Space Station. Following launch, Progress MS-31 docked to the Poisk module on the Russian segment of the space station. ### *July 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-28* A Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 40, in Floirda, carrying twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1077 for its twenty-second flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *July 13th - Falcon 9 with Dror-1* Heading to a geostationary transfer orbit, a Falcon 9 launched the Israel Aerospace Industries' Dror-1 communications satellite from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1083 for its thirteenth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. This was also Falcon 9's [500th mission](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1944290066328670264?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). ### *July 14th - Long March 7 with Tianzhou-9* From Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, a Long March 7 blasted off carrying the Tianzhou-9 cargo resupply spacecraft, heading for low Earth orbit and eventually the Tiangong Space Station ([docking about](https://english.news.cn/20250715/2a2dd482c4684c7cb093d6164120a437/c.html?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) three hours after launch). Onboard the spacecraft are scientific experiments, two new and improved Feitian spacesuits, along with food and other consumables. Propellant will also be transferred to the space station for its maneuvering and attitude control systems. ### *July 16th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-2* Twenty-six Starlink satellites headed to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1093 supported this launch for its fourth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *July 16th - Falcon 9 with KF-01* A Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 40 headed for low Earth orbit, carrying twenty-four Kuiper satellites for Amazon, bringing the [constellation up to](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-kuiper-falcon-first?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) seventy-eight satellites. In support of the mission was a brand new Falcon 9 booster, B1096, was performing its first flight, and landing in the Atlantic Ocean on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *July 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-3* Another twenty-four Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. Booster B1082 supported the mission, for its fourteenth flight, along with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *July 22nd - Falcon 9 with two O3b mPOWER satellites* SpaceX launched two O3b mPOWER communications satellites to a medium Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, atop of a Falcon 9\. Supporting this mission was booster B1090, for its sixth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *July 23rd - Falcon 9 for multiple missions* A Falcon 9 is to lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying NASA's TRACERS (Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites), PExT (Polylingual Experimental Terminal), and Athena EPIC (Economical Payload Integration Cost) missions to sun-synchronous orbit alongside Dartmouth College's REAL (Realistic Electron Atmospheric Loss) mission. Booster B1081 supported this mission for its sixteenth flight, landing back at Landing Zone 4 inside the Vandenberg Space Force Base. ### *July 25th - Soyuz 2.1b with two Ionosfera-M satellites* A Soyuz 2.1b launched two Ionosfera-M ionospheric and magnetospheric research satellites to sun-synchronous orbit from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. Eighteen other small spacecraft were also onboard, [including the Iranian](https://english.news.cn/20250725/55bff5c7f9c5450dbfbb5f4e6f2e2f13/c.html?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) Nahid-2 telecommunications satellite. ### *July 26th - Vega-C with CO3D & MicroCarb* Vega-C launched from the Guiana Space Centre carrying five satellites to sun-synchronous orbit for CO3D and MicroCarb missions.Four CO3D spacecraft for Earth observations were onboard, while the MicroCarb satellite is planned to map sources and sinks of carbon dioxide. ### *July 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-26* Twenty-eight Starlink satellites were launched to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 via a Falcon 9\. Booster B1078 supported this mission for its twenty-second flight, landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *July 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-2* From Space Launch Complex 4E, a Falcon 9 launched twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was B1075, making its nineteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *July 27th - Long March 6A with GuoWang Group 05* A Long March 6A flew from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center into a polar orbit carrying five satellites for the GuoWang constellation. GuoWang aims to provide space-based internet services, with 39 spacecraft in orbit following the launch. ### *July 29th - Hyperbola-1 with Kunpeng-03* iSpace’s Hyperbola-1 rocket soared from Launch Area 95A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Area, for its return-to-flight, carrying the Kunpeng-03, also called Enshi Selenium Capital Mountain Spring Satellite, to sun-synchronous orbit. The satellite is planned to gather data for natural resources monitoring, agricultural planning, and ocean resource management. ### *July 29th - Eris-1 for its debut flight* Gilmour Space's Eris-1 rocket performed its debut flight from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in northeastern Australia. During the flight, the rocket [headed skyward momentarily](https://proximareport.com/articles/eris-1-debut-flight), before falling back toward the ground and destroying itself next to its launch pad. ### *July 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-29* Another Twenty-eight Starlink satellites were launched atop of a Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1069 supported this mission for its twenty-sixth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *July 30th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 06* For the first time, a Long March 8A flew from Commercial Launch Pad 1 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site carrying nine satellites into low Earth orbit. The nine satellites are the latest addition to the GuoWang constellation, bringing it up to 48 spacecraft in orbit. ### *July 30th - GSLV Mk-II with NISAR* The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) spacecraft [blasted off](https://proximareport.com/articles/nisar-launch) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, heading to sun-synchronous orbit. NISAR is planned to gather data on ecosystem disturbances, polar ice changes, natural hazards, sea level rise, and groundwater issues. ### *July 31st - Kuaizhou-1A with PRSC-S1* ExPace performed Kuaizhou-1A's return-to-flight mission with the rockets 'Pro' variant with a launch out of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying Pakistan’s PRSC-S1 to low Earth orbit. The spacecraft is planned to provide monitoring for natural disasters, including floods, landslides, earthquakes, glacier melting, and deforestation, as well as aiding in agricultural monitoring, natural resource management, urban planning, infrastructure development, and mapping of transportation networks. ### *July 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 13-4* Nineteen Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit by Falcon 9 yet again, flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster supporting this mission was B1071, flying for the twenty-seventh time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ## Launches to look out for in August! August will continue a busy year for worldwide launches. Listed below are all of the launches expected or likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of August may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *August 1st - Falcon 9 for Crew-11* NASA's Crew-11 mission, with astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, as well as JAXA's Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos' Oleg Platanov, to the International Space Station is expected to launch atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. ### *August 3rd - New Shepard for NS-34* Blue Origin is planning to conduct a sub-orbital tourism mission using its New Shepard vehicle to carry Arvi Bahal, Gökhan Erdem, Deborah Martorell, Lionel Pitchford, J.D. Russell, and Justin Sun. ### *August 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-30* SpaceX is preparing to launch twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *August 4th - Long March 12 with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 12 may be preparing to launch from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, carrying a currently unknown payload to Earth orbit. ### *August 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-25* More Starlink satellites are planned to be launched to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E via a Falcon 9. ### *August 9th - Vulcan with USSF-106* United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket is preparing to launch the USSF-106 mission to geostationary space on behalf of the U.S. military. ### *August 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-4* A Falcon 9 is set to carry a batch of Starlink satellties to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *August 13th - Ariane 6 with METOP-SG A1* Europe's Ariane 6 is planning to launch a second-generation polar-orbiting operational meteorological satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit. ### *August 20th - Soyuz 2.1a with Bion-M No. 2* A Soyuz 2.1a is set to launch a recoverable satellite carrying various experiments and instruments to low Earth orbit. ### *August 21st - Falcon 9 with CRS-33* SpaceX is preparing to launch its thirty-third cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station via a Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft, launched atop of a Falcon 9. ### *August 21st - Falcon 9 with USSF-36* Another Falcon 9 is set to launch the USSF-36 mission, carrying the U.S. military's X-37B spaceplane, to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A. ### *August 24th - Falcon 9 with Bandwagon-4* From Space Launch Complex 4E, a Falcon 9 will launch SpaceX's fourth mid-inclination dedicated rideshare mission. ### Crew-11 Mission Begins with Falcon 9 Launch URL: https://proximareport.com/crew-11-launch/ Last updated: 2025-08-01T17:17:25.000Z Zena Cardman, Michael Fincke, Kimiya Yui, and Oleg Platonov are heading to the International Space Station following a launch from the Kennedy Space Center, in Florida. Liftoff of the Crew-11 mission occurred at 15:43 pm Universal Coordinated Time when a Falcon 9 headed skyward, carrying Crew Dragon spacecraft, from Launch Complex 39A, beginning a roughly nine-minute flight into low Earth orbit. Almost ten minutes after launch atop Falcon 9, Crew Dragon C206 'Endeavour' separated from the Falcon 9's second stage to begin its sixth mission, and a chase to the space station. 'Endeavour' has previously flown for Demo-2, Crew-2, Axiom-1, Crew-6, and Crew-8. The astronauts on board 'Endeavour' are [expected to enter](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-sets-coverage-for-agencys-spacex-crew-11-launch-docking/?ref=proximareport.com) the International Space Station via the U.S. segment's Harmony module around twenty hours following launch, on August 2nd. Supporting the launch of the four astronauts atop Falcon 9 was booster B1094, for its third mission, and landing at Landing Zone 1 back at Cape Canaveral. This booster has previously supported the Starlink Group 12-10 mission in April and Axiom-4 in June. > Falcon 9 has landed, completing our final planned landing at LZ-1 [pic.twitter.com/ZlW1Ptp7DG](https://t.co/ZlW1Ptp7DG?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 1, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1951310276814578086?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster B1094 landing at Landing Zone 1 after supporting the launch of Crew-11, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1951310276814578086?ref=proximareport.com). While spending around six months in space, a few members of the crew as [set to participate in](https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/nasas-spacex-crew-11-to-support-health-studies-for-deep-space-travel/?ref=proximareport.com) a series of simulated Moon landings to fly through simulated scenarios resembling the lunar South Pole region that the Artemis program will visit. The experiment is expected to allow researchers to evaluate how different gravitational forces may disorient astronauts and affect their ability to pilot a lunar lander. Some simulated landings have been performed before launch, with others set to come after a return to Earth. Other experiments and studies planned for the crew are CIPHER (Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research), which measures how systems within the human body change in space, and Spaceflight Standard Measures, which collects physical data and biological samples from astronauts for other comparative studies. The space station's broad science portfolio will also be attended to by the Crew-11 team. A prior attempt to launch Crew-11 occurred on July 31st, but was scrubbed due to weather. Before the first launch attempt, Roscosmos Chief Dmitry Bakanov [visited the crew](https://www.friendsofnasa.org/2025/07/roscosmos-russian-officials-meet-crew.html?ref=proximareport.com) during a trip to the Kennedy Space Center. [*Reuters* reports](https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/astronauts-set-launch-iss-us-russian-space-chiefs-plan-rare-meeting-2025-07-31/?ref=proximareport.com) that Bakanov [met with Acting NASA Administrator](https://x.com/joroulette/status/1951042395312718065?ref=proximareport.com) Sean Duffy, the first time the two space agencies' heads have met since 2018, to discuss a seat-swap agreement between the two (where NASA astronauts fly on Russian rockets and Roscosmos cosmonauts fly on American rockets) and other areas for cooperation. ## Who's onboard? ![The Crew-11 astronauts after arriving at the Kennedy Space Center on July 26th, from left to right: Kimiya Yui, Zena Cardman, Oleg Platonov, and Mike Fincke. ©Derek Newsome](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/IMG_5100.jpg) The Crew-11 astronauts after arriving at the Kennedy Space Center on July 26th, from left to right: Kimiya Yui, Zena Cardman, Oleg Platonov, and Mike Fincke. ©[Derek Newsome](https://www.derekspace.com/?ref=proximareport.com) **Zena Cardman**, from the U.S., is the Commander of the Crew-11 mission, flying to space for the first time. She was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017 after having worked with the Palmer Long-Term Ecological Research group in Antarctica. Before that, she was a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow at the Pennsylvania State University **Mike Fincke**, also from the U.S., is the Pilot for the Crew-11 mission as part of his fourth trip to space. He has previously flown to the International Space Station onboard Soyuz TMA-4, Soyuz TMA-13, and STS-134, with a total time in space of 381 days. Fincke has also spent over two days performing spacewalks. **Kimiya Yui**, from Japan, is a Mission Specialist for the Crew-11 mission, for his second trip to the space station. He previously headed to the station on board Soyuz TMA-17M, which lasted 141 days. Before a career in space, Yui served in the Japan Air Self-Defense Force where he achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. **Oleg Platonov**, from Russia, is also a Mission Specialist for the Crew-11 mission, as part of his first trip to space. He was selected by Roscosmos as a cosmonaut in 2018\. Before selection, Platonov served in the Russian Air Force and achieved the rank of Major. ## What is Crew Dragon? Crew Dragon, or Dragon 2, is a partially reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX. The primary use for Crew Dragon is to send crew to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX also performs free-flight missions with the spacecraft. Crew Dragon consists of the capsule and trunk. The trunk is used to store unpressurized cargo as well as to have solar panels mounted on one side, to generate power, and radiators on the other, to dissipate heat generated inside. The trunk is not reused and burns up in the atmosphere after each mission. The capsule is where the crew is during launch, landing, and while on their way to space. Unlike the original Dragon capsule, the Crew Dragon capsule has a launch abort system consisting of eight SuperDraco engines. This abort system [can also](https://x.com/dpoddolphinpro/status/1839785424618697197?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) be used to bring the capsule to a soft touchdown in the event of four parachute failures. The capsule also has a nosecone that will fold out of the way in space to protect the docking hardware and forward-facing thrusters during launch and landing. The forward-facing thrusters are the main propulsion system for performing maneuvers while in flight. Up to four parachutes will deploy from the capsule during descent to allow it to splash down for recovery. Crew Dragon was developed as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program to regain crew access to the International Space Station from the United States of America after the retirement of the Space Shuttle. SpaceX currently has five active Crew Dragon capsules: Endeavour, Resilience, Endurance, Freedom, and Grace. ### India Launches Joint Earth Monitoring Mission with NASA URL: https://proximareport.com/nisar-launch/ Last updated: 2025-07-30T15:35:24.000Z The joint [1.5 billion United States Dollar](https://theconversation.com/a-3-tonne-1-5-billion-satellite-to-watch-earths-every-move-is-set-to-launch-this-week-258283?ref=proximareport.com), [2,393 kilogram](https://www.isro.gov.in/media%5Fisro/pdf/GSLV%5FF16NISAR%5FLaunch%5FBrochure.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) spacecraft was carried to a 747-kilometer, 98.4-degree sun-synchronous orbit earlier today. Launch of NISAR atop of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark II occurred at 12:10 Universal Coordinated Time from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre's Second Launch Pad, located on the coast of Andhra Pradesh. The flight to get into orbit took about nineteen minutes using the rocket's three stages, the first a combination of hypergolic liquid-fueled and solid boosters, followed by a hypergolic fuel second-stage, and completed with a liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen stage. Moments after reaching orbit, NISAR was separated from the rocket's third-stage, to substantial celebrations in the launch control rooms. Now floating free in space, NISAR will gradually power on and deploy [its various systems](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/nisar/about-the-satellite/?ref=proximareport.com), including its massive twelve-meter Radar Antenna Reflector held by a nine-meter-long deployable boom. A commissioning period for the spacecraft is planned to last ninety days to ensure all systems are functioning as designed. The spacecraft's reflector will focus radar signals sent out by the L-Band (24 centimeter wavelength) and S-Band (12 centimeter wavelength) synthetic aperture radars and bounce them toward the Earth. After reaching the ground, the signals will be returned up to the spacecraft for processing and measurements. ![A labeled render of the NISAR spacecraft, highlight what space agency made what. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/NISAR_Beauty_02-annotated.png) A labeled render of the NISAR spacecraft, highlight what space agency made what. ©NASA Once operating as designed, NISAR will gather data on ecosystem disturbances, polar ice changes, natural hazards, sea level rise, and groundwater issues. Data collected is [expected to help](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/nisar/5-things-to-know-about-powerful-new-u-s-india-satellite-nisar/?ref=proximareport.com#hds-sidebar-nav-1) understand natural disasters such as landslides and earthquakes, and assist in responses to disasters like hurricanes, floods, and volcanic eruptions. NISAR will observe the entire Earth every twelve days, repeating the process over [at least three years](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/press-kits/nisar/?ref=proximareport.com) to watch for changes. With the satellite being in a sun-synchronous orbit, all areas of the planet will be observed along a perpetual sunrise. Throughout its mission, NISAR will gather around one hundred petabytes of data, for around eighty terabytes a day. To ensure as much of the data as possible can be utilized, the spacecraft has a high-capacity solid-state recorder as well as a 3.5 gigabit per second Ka-band communication system. The NISAR mission is part of a recent flurry of an American-Indian partnership in space. In June 2023, [India joined](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-welcomes-india-as-27th-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) the U.S.-led non-binding Artemis Accords while a NASA payload got a ride to the lunar surface onboard the [Chandrayaan-3 Moon mission](https://www.isro.gov.in/Chandrayaan3%5FDetails.html?ref=proximareport.com). Most recently, an Indian astronaut, Shubhanshu Shukla, [flew to the International Space Station](https://proximareport.com/articles/axiom-4-iss) on board a SpaceX Crew Dragon. Leaders in India and the U.S. [expect further space cooperation](https://space.commerce.gov/u-s-india-joint-statement-highlights-space-cooperation/?ref=proximareport.com) between the two countries in the future. ### Eris-1 Falters for Australia's First Domestic Space Launch URL: https://proximareport.com/eris-1-debut-flight/ Last updated: 2025-07-30T05:45:22.000Z Australia's first domestically-made rocket, Eris-1, developed by Gilmour Space, made its first brief debut test flight earlier on July 29th. The debut mission of Eris-1 has been in work for several years, with the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in northeastern Australia [opening in April 2024](https://proximareport.com/articles/australias-first-orbital-spaceport-opens-in), with Gilmour Space receiving a launch permit in [November 2024](https://www.gspace.com/post/australia-we-have-permission-for-liftoff?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). [Back in May](https://proximareport.com/articles/australia-prepares-eris-1), the company began preparing for flight attempts, with early attempts scrubbed due to [weather](https://x.com/GilmourSpace/status/1940170727866736700?ref=proximareport.com) and a premature [payload fairing deployment](https://x.com/GilmourSpace/status/1928385753769275776?ref=proximareport.com). Liftoff of Eris-1 finally occurred at 22:35 pm Universal Coordinated Time when the rocket ignited its four Sirius hybrid motors to generate enough thrust to carry the vehicle skyward for a few dozen meters. > Liftoff completed, launch tower cleared, stage 1 tested. > Awesome result for a first test launch. [pic.twitter.com/EYbNbGDz3l](https://t.co/EYbNbGDz3l?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Gilmour Space (@GilmourSpace) [July 30, 2025](https://twitter.com/GilmourSpace/status/1950395515721711703?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Eris-1 momentarily lifts off from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport, via [Gilmour Space on Twitter](https://x.com/GilmourSpace/status/1950395515721711703?ref=proximareport.com). Not long after liftoff, Eris-1 began to drift away from the launch pad and lose thrust with a short hover. Following the hover, the vehicle quickly lost altitude before contacting the ground, and then falling over. The test flight ended when the rocket appeared to have been severely damaged or destroyed itself. In total, the test flight lasted [around fourteen seconds](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gilmour-space-technologies%5Faustralianmade-activity-7356128006915964928-%5Fak%5F?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAADPrrp0B42OTD3pICNiphuCaOsv8nlxTxn4), with thrust generated by the rocket for about twenty-three seconds. Due to Eris-1 being a rocket utilizing hybrid rocket motors, it needs to flow a liquid fuel over a solid propellant to generate the thrust required for flight. With enough thrust generated for liftoff, it's probable that motor systems lacked the necessary flow of fuel needed for proper ignition or sustained thrust. Shortly after the test flight, Adam Gilmour, Chief Executive Officer of Gilmour Space, wrote [the following on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adam-gilmour-03313489%5Fgot-off-the-pad-i-am-happy-of-course-activity-7356091809900478464-3Tdo/?rcm=ACoAADPrrp0B42OTD3pICNiphuCaOsv8nlxTxn4&ref=proximareport.com): > "Got off the Pad, I am happy. Of course I would have liked more flight time but happy with this" Several hours after the flight, the [Australian Space Agency added](https://www.space.gov.au/news-and-media/first-launch-attempt-of-aussie-made-rocket?ref=proximareport.com) that the vehicle was lost and came down within a set safe area, while congratulating the company for their efforts. > Welcome back Astra > > clip from [@aussienaut](https://twitter.com/aussienaut?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/fYLaYwjeVe](https://t.co/fYLaYwjeVe?ref=proximareport.com) > > — TheSpaceEngineer (@mcrs987) [July 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/mcrs987/status/1950325805680337290?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The brief flight of Eris-1 as seen from afar, via [TheSpaceEngineer on Twitter](https://x.com/mcrs987/status/1950325805680337290?ref=proximareport.com). This mission was the first time a launch was conducted from Australia [since 1971](https://www.esa.int/Science%5FExploration/Space%5FScience/28%5FOctober?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), when the United Kingdom's Black Arrow delivered the Prospero satellite into low Earth orbit. It is currently unknown when Gilmour Space will attempt another flight of Eris-1. Gilmour Space's Eris-1 rocket is on the smaller side for an orbital rocket, being just 25 meters tall but consisting of three stages. Stage one has a diameter of 2 meters, while the second-stage has a diameter of 1.5 meters along with the fairing. For payload capacity, Eris-1 is [claimed to be able to](https://www.gspace.com/launch?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) lift around 300 kilograms to low Earth orbit. Powering Eris-1's first-stage at liftoff are four Sirius hybrid rocket motors, burning a mixture of solid propellant and liquid fuel, to generate a combined 46.9 tons of thrust. A single Sirius motor powers the second-stage to generate 11.7 tons of thrust. Both the first and second stages burn for around 100 seconds. For reaching orbit, a Phoenix liquid propellant engine burns for around 120 seconds. In later flights, as soon as 2026, [Eris-1 is planned to be improved](https://createdigital.org.au/australias-first-homegrown-rocket-launch/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) via a 'Block 2' version, boosting its payload capacity to 1,000 kilograms. An even more capable variant of the rocket, Eris Heavy, is planned to lift 4,000 kilograms into orbit several years from now. ### Weekly Dose of Space (20/7-26/7) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-20-7-26-7/ Last updated: 2025-07-27T17:05:50.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week, once again, had five launches worldwide, with the majority performed by Falcon 9\. News during the week saw the Artemis Accords gaining another member, some details on the first Blue Ring mission, and the launch pad for Rocket Lab's Neutron nearing completion. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *July 22nd - Falcon 9 with two O3b mPOWER satellites* SpaceX launched two O3b mPOWER communications satellites to a medium Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, atop of a Falcon 9\. Supporting this mission was booster B1090, for its sixth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying two 03b mPOWER satellites. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/Gwf_1LZXYAADcu8-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying two 03b mPOWER satellites. ©SpaceX ### *July 23rd - Falcon 9 for multiple missions* A Falcon 9 is to lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying NASA's TRACERS (Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites), PExT (Polylingual Experimental Terminal), and Athena EPIC (Economical Payload Integration Cost) missions to sun-synchronous orbit alongside Dartmouth College's REAL (Realistic Electron Atmospheric Loss) mission. Booster B1081 supported this mission for its sixteenth flight, landing back at Landing Zone 4 inside the Vandenberg Space Force Base. ![Falcon 9 booster B1081 touching down at Landing Zone 4. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/GwlPOYwaEAAfjUs-1.jpg) Falcon 9 booster B1081 touching down at Landing Zone 4\. ©SpaceX ### *July 25th - Soyuz 2.1b with two Ionosfera-M satellites* A Soyuz 2.1b launched two Ionosfera-M ionospheric and magnetospheric research satellites to sun-synchronous orbit from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. Eighteen other small spacecraft were also onboard, [including the Iranian](https://english.news.cn/20250725/55bff5c7f9c5450dbfbb5f4e6f2e2f13/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) Nahid-2 telecommunications satellite. ![Soyuz 2.1b during first-stage flight after lifting off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. ©Roscosmos](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/Gwrvfu0XcAA-5RL-1.jpg) Soyuz 2.1b during first-stage flight after lifting off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. ©Roscosmos ### *July 26th - Vega-C with CO3D & MicroCarb* Vega-C launched from the Guiana Space Centre carrying five satellites to sun-synchronous orbit for CO3D and MicroCarb missions.Four CO3D spacecraft for Earth observations were onboard, while the MicroCarb satellite is planned to map sources and sinks of carbon dioxide. > 🎬 Want more of the lift off? Here is the replay! > > Vega C flight [#VV27](https://twitter.com/hashtag/VV27?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) has lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport, carrying 4 CO3D satellites and MicroCarb to orbit. > Enjoy the launch moment again👇 (1/2) [pic.twitter.com/RFBybDTr8X](https://t.co/RFBybDTr8X?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Arianespace (@Arianespace) [July 26, 2025](https://twitter.com/Arianespace/status/1948933895094755344?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Vega-C lifting off from the Guiana Space Center, via [Arianespace on Twitter](https://x.com/Arianespace/status/1948933895094755344?ref=proximareport.com). ### *July 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-26* Twenty-eight Starlink satellites were launched to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 via a Falcon 9\. Booster B1078 supported this mission for its twenty-second flight, landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Senegal signs the Artemis Accords* Senegal has signed the U.S.-led non-binding Artemis Accords [on July 24th](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-welcomes-senegal-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com), becoming the fifty-sixth country to do so. Director General of the Senegalese space agency Maram Kairé signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of Senegal, [hosted by](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/senegal-visit-signals-the-real-nasa-management-structure/?ref=proximareport.com) NASA chief of staff Brian Hughes. Commenting after the signing, Kairé shared: > "Senegal’s adherence to the Artemis Accords reflects our commitment to a multilateral, responsible, and transparent approach to space," – "This signature marks a meaningful step in our space diplomacy and in our ambition to contribute to the peaceful exploration of outer space." Although not present at the signing, Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy added the following via the NASA press release: > "Following a meeting between Senegal President Faye and President Trump, today, NASA built upon the strong relations between our two nations as the Senegalese Agency for Space Studies signed the Artemis Accords," – "With Senegal as the 56th signatory, I am proud to further President Trump’s strong legacy of global cooperation in space." With the signing of the accords, Senegal joins Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay as a signatory. ### *First Blue Ring To Demonstrate Space Awareness Sensor* Blue Origin [announced on July 24th](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/first-blue-ring-mission-to-demonstrate-space-domain-awareness-with-scout-space-sensor?ref=proximareport.com) that the first mission of its Blue Ring spacecraft will support a next-generation space domain awareness sensor from Scout Space onboard. This mission is expected to begin in Spring 2026 via a launch into a geostationary transfer orbit followed by operations in geostationary orbit. Scout Space's space domain awareness sensor, called Owl, is designed to enhance real-time tracking, characterization, and assessment of space objects via advanced optical sensing, onboard artificial intelligence-driven processing, and autonomous decision-making capabilities to deliver intelligence in space in support of U.S. government customers. Speaking on using the Owl sensor on Blue Ring, Paul Ebertz, Senior Vice President of Blue Origin’s In-Space Systems business unit, stated: > "Integrating Scout’s Owl sensor on this first mission marks a significant step forward in advancing \[space domain awareness\] capabilities and underscores our commitment to supporting the nation’s mission requirements," – We’re thrilled to bring Blue Ring to market and support Scout with unmatched mission maneuverability, versatility, and capacity in \[geostationary orbit\] and beyond." Philip Hover-Smoot, Chief Executive Officer of Scout Space, added: > "We’ve always believed that no single company can bring the best space superiority capabilities to the market alone," – "We’re thrilled to work with Blue Origin to bring Scout’s secure solutions onboard this historic first Blue Ring mission." ### *Work continues at Launch Complex 3* Since announcing its partially reusable Neutron rocket, fuelled by liquid methane and liquid oxygen, Rocket Lab has been busy building the vehicle's launch pad in Wallops, Virginia. Recently, the company has [shared new images ](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/1948522908223218156?ref=proximareport.com)of the launch pad, taken from above, with work on the rocket's launch mount, propellant systems, and water deluge equipment appearing complete or near complete. According to [the company's Principal](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/emma-comrie-thomson-cenvp-30b30b38%5Frocket-labs-launch-complex-3-in-wallops-ugcPost-7354292559059251200-4zAL?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop&rcm=ACoAADPrrp0B42OTD3pICNiphuCaOsv8nlxTxn4) of Environmental Innovation and Sustainability, the launch pad should be ready for an official opening next month. This follows a [series of various updates](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/05/neutron-update-051625/?ref=proximareport.com) on Neutron, including tests of the launch pad, as well as the vehicle's Archimedes engines, payload fairing systems, and guidance fins. The company also announced a sea-based landing platform, dubbed 'Return On Investment'. > Launch Complex 3 is almost complete and on track for its official opening next month 🏗️ Our team in Virginia is deep into launch pad activation, going system by system to prepare for test operations once flight hardware arrives ahead of Neutron’s first launch. [pic.twitter.com/6aqwVkCKw7](https://t.co/6aqwVkCKw7?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [July 24, 2025](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1948522908223218156?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 3 as seen from above, via [Rocket Lab on Twitter](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/1948522908223218156?ref=proximareport.com). ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *July 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-2* SpaceX intends to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *July 27th - Long March 6A with GuoWang satellites* A Long March 6A will liftoff from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying a group of GuoWang satellites into polar orbit. ### *July 28th - Eris for its debut flight* Gilmour Space is planning to perform the debut flight of its Eris rocket from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport, in Australia. ### *July 29th - Hyperbola-1 with a to-be-annouced payload* iSpace is preparing to perform its second return-to-flight mission with its small, solid-fuelled Hyperbola-1 rocket for its eighth overall mission. ### *July 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-29* Another Falcon 9 is planning to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *July 30th - Long March 8A with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 8A is preparing to liftoff from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, possibly with either a batch of GuoWang or Qianfan internet mega-constellation satellites. ### *July 30th - GSLV MK II with NISAR* The Indian Space Research Organisation is expecting to launch its joint spacecraft with NASA (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, or NISAR) to sun-synchronous orbit atop of a GSLV Mk II rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Center. ### *July 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 13-4* Yet more Starlink satellites are expected to be launched from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of a Falcon flying to low Earth orbit. ### *July 31st - Electron for a HASTE mission* Rocket Lab is believed to be preparing for an Electron flight in its HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) configuration, flying out of Wallops, Virginia, on a suborbital trajectory. ### *July 31st - Falcon 9 for Crew-11* NASA's Crew-11 mission, with astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, as well as JAXA's Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos' Oleg Platanov, to the International Space Station is expected to launch atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. ### Starlink Outage Disconnects Civilian, Military Users URL: https://proximareport.com/starlink-outage-2025/ Last updated: 2025-07-25T19:21:31.000Z For around six million users, SpaceX's Starlink internet service, provided by almost 8,000 satellites, suddenly went down for two and a half hours globally, affecting civilian and government users yesterday. The outage is the first in almost two years, when [in September 2023](https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2023/09/spacexs-starlink-suffered-major-broadband-outage-last-night.html?ref=proximareport.com), the network also went down worldwide. According to SpaceX's [Starlink Twitter account](https://x.com/Starlink/status/1948474586699571518?ref=proximareport.com), the outage was acknowledged at 20:05 pm Universal Coordinated Time on July 24th. Just over four hours later, the issue [was said](https://x.com/Starlink/status/1948538318838530304?ref=proximareport.com) to be resolved. Following the first Starlink posts on the outage, Michael Nicolls, Vice President of Starlink Engineering, took [to Twitter to state](https://x.com/michaelnicollsx/status/1948509258024452488?ref=proximareport.com): > "Starlink has now mostly recovered from the network outage, which lasted approximately 2.5 hours. The outage was due to failure of key internal software services that operate the core network. We apologize for the temporary disruption in our service; we are deeply committed to providing a highly reliable network, and will fully root cause this issue and ensure it does not occur again." In the day following the global outage, reports of problems [via *Downdetector*](https://downdetector.com/status/starlink/?ref=proximareport.com)are around sixty times that of normal services. Among those affected by the outage were Ukrainian military forces, battling an invading Russia in the conflict's fourth year. [According to *Reuters*](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/ukraine-says-starlinks-global-outage-hit-its-military-communications-2025-07-25/?ref=proximareport.com), over fifty thousand Starlink terminals deployed across the frontline went down, causing communications and drone operations to stop with it. Starlink has been an essential part in Ukraine's warfighting capabilities, often to the point of overreliance on SpaceX, which has [led Elon Musk to shut down](https://www.reuters.com/investigations/musk-ordered-shutdown-starlink-satellite-service-ukraine-retook-territory-russia-2025-07-25/?ref=proximareport.com) the service periodically to appease Russian President Vladimir Putin. This reliance has led Ukrainian forces to explore alternatives if available. Other forces possibly affected by the outage include the [U.S. Army and Navy](https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/11/15/pentagon-silent-elon-musk-and-starlink-risks-military-use-expands.html?ref=proximareport.com). Hundreds of [Starshield spacecraft](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/05/spacex-unveils-starshield-a-military-variation-of-starlink-satellites.html?ref=proximareport.com), the military version of Starlink (which may interconnect with and hide in the Starlink constellation), used by the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office and Space Development Agency, may have been affected too. ### *Not the only internet constellation in orbit* The outage comes as Amazon's Kuiper space-based internet service, to be provided by up to 3,236 satellites, is ramping up its deployment rate. So far the constellation has 78 spacecraft in orbit, 24 deployed [by a Falcon 9](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-kuiper-falcon-first) and two groups of 27 [launched by](https://proximareport.com/articles/kuiper-blasts-off-atop-atlas?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) [Atlas V](https://proximareport.com/articles/atlas-second-kuiper-amazon?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). After deployment of further satellites, services from Kuiper are planned to be available later this year at speeds of [up to one gigabit per second](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/heres-your-first-look-at-project-kuipers-low-cost-customer-terminals?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), giving Starlink its first capable western competitor. To assist in competing against SpaceX's internet constellation, [Amazon has partnered with](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-project-kuiper-aws?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) Japan's Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, America's Verizon, and the UK's Vodafone to bring services directly to consumers. Furthermore, the company is [teaming up with Airbus](https://aircraft.airbus.com/en/newsroom/web-story/2025-04-airbus-and-amazons-kuiper-team-up-to-offer-leo-satellite-network-for?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) to provide its airliners with in-flight connectivity. Alongside the two privately developed American constellations are two Chinese ones. One with more satellites in orbit, 90, is the Shanghai Government-backed [Qianfan](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/147539531/qianfan?ref=proximareport.com), and the Central Government-backed [GuoWang](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/147539531/guowang?ref=proximareport.com), with 34 satellites in space. China's approach to space-based internet constellations is [fundamentally different](https://proximareport.com/articles/china-two-mega-constellations#why-launch-these-constellations-) from the U.S. one; rather than building out the constellations to generate revenue or to bolster existing services (AWS in Amazon's case), they are viewed as essential new infrastructures. As a new infrastructure, the constellations will not only provide internet services but enable 6G networks, smart autonomous ports, alongside general internet-of-things uses. With the constellations being viewed as infrastructure, [it is believed](https://www.cnbc.com/video/2024/12/15/chinese-competitors-aiming-to-challenge-spacexs-starlink-satellites.html?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) that the Chinese government is willing to invest without a guaranteed return on investment, with both networks being a possible redundancy for the other. However, the two Chinese constellations are massively trailing Starlink due to a bottleneck in launch opportunities, which is expected to be eased once reusable rockets begin to fly. Despite this, the operators of the Qianfan constellation have already signed agreements with [Brazil](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/152042772/qianfan-goes-international?ref=proximareport.com), [Kazakhstan](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/156263437/qianfan-sets-up-kazakh-subsidiary?ref=proximareport.com), and [Malaysia](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/qianfan-operator-partners-for-services?ref=proximareport.com) to introduce its services when available, while eying expansion throughout Africa, Central Asia, and South America. ### NASA Loses Another Director, Employees' Confidence URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-director-employees-confidence/ Last updated: 2025-07-22T19:03:06.000Z Makenzie Lystrup, Director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in the state of Maryland, shared on July 21st that she was resigning from the space agency. In her letter of resignation, Lystrup did not mention why she was leaving, but stated: > "After much reflection, I have made the difficult decision that it is time for me to step aside as Director of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. As mentioned in the official announcement, my last day will be August 1," – "I am grateful for the opportunity to have led during both triumphant moments and challenging times. Together we have achieved remarkable things, from returning samples from an asteroid, to supporting farmers and fellow citizens with critical Earth observations, to keeping the Roman Space Telescope on budget and on schedule, to starting the brilliant work for Habitable Worlds Observatory, the next step in a long line of breakthrough science, engineering, and technology." – "As I have said before, we are not in a sprint or a marathon – it’s a relay race in which each of us is handed a baton by someone, and after our run we hand it off to another. Thank you." *The full letter has been* [*shared by NASA Watch*](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/nasa-goddard-center-director-makenzie-lystrup-resigns/?ref=proximareport.com)*.* NASA's Acting Associate Administrator Vanessa Wyche [thanked Lystrup](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/nasa-gsfc-director-is-leaving/?ref=proximareport.com) for her support of various agency missions, including the James Webb Space Telescope and the Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer. Before becoming Director of Goddard in [April 2023](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-administrator-names-new-goddard-center-director/?ref=proximareport.com), being the first woman to lead the center, Lystrup was previously Ball Aerospace's (today BAE Systems) Vice President and General Manager of Civil Space Programs. Lystrup is the second head of a major NASA facility to leave under the Trump Administration, following Laurie Leshin's departure from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, [announced in early March](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/laurie-leshin-steps-down-as-jpl-director/?ref=proximareport.com). Leshin left the laboratory for personal reasons but remains as a Professor of Geochemistry and Planetary Science at Caltech, which runs the facility for NASA. The Goddard Space Flight Center and Jet Propulsion Laboratory are both heavily involved with NASA's broad science portfolio, which the Trump Administration is [looking to cut](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-ends-nasa-global). U.S. legislators are [hoping to restore](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-six-months-trump) science funding to the space agency. Meanwhile, the agency is [losing thousands](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-six-months-trump) of employees due to a push by its former Acting Administrator. And NASA Chief of Staff Brian Hughes [has ordered](https://nasawatch.com/budget/nasa-chief-of-staff-action-items/?ref=proximareport.com) employees to stop issuing press releases celebrating new scientific results and achievements, and not to expect restorations to their programs' funding if cut. ## The Voyager Declaration In response to actions from the Trump Administration, 287 current and former NASA employees and scientists have issued [The Voyager Declaration](https://www.standupforscience.net/nasa-voyager-declaration?ref=proximareport.com) to lambast proposed wide-reaching cuts. In the declaration, the signatories, 131 public and 156 anonymous, affirm their support of NASA's mission while formally dissenting on: - Changes to NASA's Technical Authority capacities that are driven by anything other than safety and mission assurance. - The closing out of missions for which Congress has appropriated funding which represents a permanent loss of capability to the United States both in space and on Earth. - Implementing indiscriminate cuts to NASA science and aeronautics research that will leave the American people without the unique public good that NASA provides. - Non-strategic staffing reductions that will jeopardize NASA's core mission. - Canceling NASA's participation in international missions that would abandon America's allies. - The termination of NASA contracts and grants for reasons unrelated to performance which weakens state and local economies across the country. - The elimination of programs aimed at developing and supporting NASA's workforce that undermines the agency's power to innovate for the benefit of humanity. Alongside the above points, the signatories also highlight: > "Major programmatic shifts at NASA must be implemented strategically so that risks are managed carefully. Instead, the last six months have seen rapid and wasteful changes which have undermined our mission and caused catastrophic impacts on NASA's workforce. We are compelled to speak up when our leadership prioritizes political momentum over human safety, scientific advancement, and efficient use of public resources. These cuts are arbitrary and have been enacted in defiance of congressional appropriations law. The consequences for the agency and the country alike are dire." *The full letter is available on the* [*Stand Up For Science website*](https://www.standupforscience.net/nasa-voyager-declaration?ref=proximareport.com)*.* The declaration was also shared after employee [protests on "Moon Day"](https://universemagazine.com/en/nasa-employees-protest-on-historic-anniversary/?ref=proximareport.com) in Washington D.C., the U.S. capital, took place regarding the NASA cuts. Those protests follow similar ones from late June [outside the agency's headquarters](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-trump-appeasement#protests-at-nasa) and at Johnson Space Center in March. > Need we say more?? #savenasascience #nasaneedshelp > > — [ (@nasa-needs-help.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:dcqlvdmqmxtbimcqlihxnq2p?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) [2025-07-20T21:43:37.204Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:dcqlvdmqmxtbimcqlihxnq2p/post/3lugh2aqq3k2y?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) Protestors in Washington D.C. opposing the NASA cuts, via [nasa-needs-help.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/nasa-needs-help.bsky.social/post/3lugh2aqq3k2y?ref=proximareport.com). ### Weekly Dose of Space (13/7-19/7) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-13-7-19-7/ Last updated: 2025-07-26T08:30:28.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had five launches occurring worldwide, the majority for internet mega-constellations. News from the week saw four astronauts returning to Earth, a new Acting Administrator for NASA, and continued possible budget perils. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *July 13th - Falcon 9 with Dror-1* Heading to a geostationary transfer orbit, a Falcon 9 launched the Israel Aerospace Industries' Dror-1 communications satellite from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1083 for its thirteenth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. This was also Falcon 9's [500th mission](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1944290066328670264?ref=proximareport.com). ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 carrying Dror-1 from Florida. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/GvuBaZAWIAAzdC0.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 carrying Dror-1 from Florida. ©SpaceX ### *July 14th - Long March 7 with Tianzhou-9* From Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, a Long March 7 blasted off carrying the Tianzhou-9 cargo resupply spacecraft, heading for low Earth orbit and eventually the Tiangong Space Station ([docking about](https://english.news.cn/20250715/2a2dd482c4684c7cb093d6164120a437/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) three hours after launch). Onboard the spacecraft are scientific experiments, two new and improved Feitian spacesuits, along with food and other consumables. Propellant will also be transferred to the space station for its maneuvering and attitude control systems. > China has successfully launched its Tianzhou-9 supply ship, painting the sky with rocket clouds like a jellyfish as it delivers supplies to taikonauts! [pic.twitter.com/gzVq9JUGjQ](https://t.co/gzVq9JUGjQ?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Mao Ning 毛宁 (@SpoxCHN\_MaoNing) [July 16, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpoxCHN%5FMaoNing/status/1945380102570676574?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The Long March 7 during booster seperation and first-stage staging during its ascent into low Earth orbit, via [Spokesperson Mao Ning on Twitter](https://x.com/SpoxCHN%5FMaoNing/status/1945380102570676574?ref=proximareport.com). ### *July 16th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-2* Twenty-six Starlink satellites headed to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1093 supported this launch for its fourth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. > Deployment of 26 [@Starlink](https://twitter.com/Starlink?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) satellites confirmed [pic.twitter.com/I68Pa2PTIh](https://t.co/I68Pa2PTIh?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [July 16, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1945320592066121946?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Deployment of twenty-six Starlink satellites from Falcon 9's second-stage, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1945320592066121946?ref=proximareport.com). ### *July 16th - Falcon 9 with KF-01* A Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 40 headed for low Earth orbit, carrying twenty-four Kuiper satellites for Amazon, bringing the [constellation up to](https://proximareport.com/articles/amazon-kuiper-falcon-first) seventy-eight satellites. In support of the mission was a brand new Falcon 9 booster, B1096, was performing its first flight, and landing in the Atlantic Ocean on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying Kuiper satellites. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/Gv9zNcqWsAAxlB4-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying Kuiper satellites. ©SpaceX ### *July 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-3* Another twenty-four Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. Booster B1082 supported the mission, for its fourteenth flight, along with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Axiom-4 crew return to Earth* > Dragon’s four main parachutes have deployed [pic.twitter.com/oGfRfqCymB](https://t.co/oGfRfqCymB?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [July 15, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1945053642090012804?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Crew Dragon 'Grace' floating toward the ocean with its four parachutes deployed, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1945053642090012804?ref=proximareport.com). [Since June 26th](https://proximareport.com/articles/axiom-4-iss), the Axiom-4 crew, consisting of Peggy Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, and Tibor Kapu, were aboard the International Space Station for eighteen days, performing over sixty science experiments and returning astronauts to space for India, Poland, and Hungary after a decades-long gap. [On July 14th](https://www.axiomspace.com/mission-blog/ax4-departs-station?ref=proximareport.com), the four astronauts left the station inside Crew Dragon 'Grace'. Following the undocking, Crew Dragon 'Grace' performed a series of burns to head to the East coast of America, eventually [splashing down](https://www.axiomspace.com/mission-blog/ax4-splashes-down?ref=proximareport.com) in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. After splashdown, Whitson, Shukla, Uznański-Wiśniewski, and Kapu were recovered by SpaceX personnel. ### *New Acting NASA Administrator appointed* > Wrapping up my day at [@NASA](https://twitter.com/NASA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) \- spoke with the smart leaders of our mission directorates. We agree- America MUST dominate space and our critical moon mission, [#ARTEMIS](https://twitter.com/hashtag/ARTEMIS?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com), must be as known & supported by America just as Apollo was! It's a race to the moon. Clock is ticking. > > I'm fired… [pic.twitter.com/QSqtNVy9lo](https://t.co/QSqtNVy9lo?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy (@SecDuffyNASA) [July 18, 2025](https://twitter.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1946351031287443529?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Sean Duffy at NASA, via his [Acting NASA Administrator account on Twitte](https://x.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1946351031287443529?ref=proximareport.com)[r](https://x.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1946351031287443529?ref=proximareport.com). In a surprise move, Donald Trump [announced on July 9th](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/reality-show-star-sean-duffy-to-head-nasa-on-interim-basis/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) that he was appointing Sean Duffy, already Secretary of Transportation, as Interim Administrator of NASA. It's unknown why Trump chose Secretary Duffy to lead NASA for the foreseeable future, although part of the reason may be that he [previously stood up to Elon Musk](https://onemileatatime.com/news/elon-musk-sean-duffy-firing-air-traffic-controllers/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) regarding air traffic controllers. As someone the Senate has already approved of, Duffy may continue [some of](https://glaad.org/gap/sean-duffy/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) previous Acting Administrator [Petro's work](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-begins-witchhunt-within-nasa?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) on behalf of Trump, albeit as a pre-established loyalist. As of writing, Duffy has not halted the bleeding of talent from NASA, [pushed by Petro](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-trump-appeasement). Around July 18th, Sean Duffy is believed to have made his first visit to NASA in his new role, [stating the following](https://x.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1946351031287443529?ref=proximareport.com) via a new Twitter account: > "Wrapping up my day at NASA - spoke with the smart leaders of our mission directorates. We agree - America MUST dominate space and our critical moon mission, ARTEMIS, must be as known & supported by America just as Apollo was! It's a race to the moon. Clock is ticking. I'm fired up and ready to launch!" That message does not sound like someone who is heading an ostensibly civilian space agency. ### *NASA funding still in peril?* U.S. politicians have [moved to restore funding](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-six-months-trump) to NASA slashed by the Trump Administration through a series of bills signed, and awaiting to be, by the President. Funding restored is directed toward two more Artemis Moon missions using the Space Launch System rocket and the agency's broad science portfolio. Although some of the funding being restored still has to go through the lengthy process of getting to the President's desk, and it needs to do so before a deadline of October 1st. If not passed in time, [Ars Technica reports](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/07/a-huge-fight-looms-over-the-nasa-budget-this-fall/?ref=proximareport.com), officials from the Trump Administration intend to go with its intended cuts to NASA. In support of NASA, sources told Ars, legislators have been signaling that they intend to prevent the cuts and are not supportive of them, especially in states with NASA activities. As such, American legislators are attempting to restore funding before the deadline. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *July 21st - Falcon 9 with two O3b mPOWER satellites* SpaceX is planning to launch two O3b mPOWER communications satellites to a medium Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *July 22nd - Falcon 9 for multiple missions* A Falcon 9 is planned to lift off from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying NASA's TRACERS (Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites), PExT (Polylingual Experimental Terminal), and Athena EPIC (Economical Payload Integration Cost) missions to sun-synchronous orbit alongside Dartmouth College's REAL (Realistic Electron Atmospheric Loss) mission. ### *July 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-26* Another batch of Starlink satellites is planned to head to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *July 25th - Soyuz 2.1b with two Ionosfera-M satellites* Two Ionosfera-M ionospheric and magnetospheric research satellites are planned to launch to sun-synchronous orbit atop of a Soyuz 2.1b from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. ### *July 26th - Vega-C with CO3D & MicroCarb* A Vega-C is preparing to launch from the Guiana Space Centre carrying two missions to sun-synchronous orbit, CO3D for Earth observations and MicroCarb to map sources and sinks of carbon dioxide. ### *July 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-2* SpaceX intended to launch another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *July 26th - Eris for its debut flight* Gilmour Space is planning to perform the debut flight of its Eris rocket from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport, in Australia. ### Kuiper Constellation Continues Growth with Falcon 9 Launch URL: https://proximareport.com/amazon-kuiper-falcon-first/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T19:04:24.000Z A Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, at 06:30 am UTC on July 16th, heading for low Earth orbit carrying a batch of Kuiper satellites for Amazon. In [support of the mission](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=kf-01&ref=proximareport.com) was a brand new Falcon 9 booster was performing its first flight, and landing in the Atlantic Ocean on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. > Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship [pic.twitter.com/paR1pYhTyW](https://t.co/paR1pYhTyW?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [July 16, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1945372694674813360?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9's first-stage lands on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas', via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1945372694674813360?ref=proximareport.com). For the mission, Falcon 9 [delivered the 24 Kuiper satellites](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/project-kuiper-satellite-rocket-launch-progress-updates?ref=proximareport.com) to an orbital altitude of 465 kilometers, where they were deployed from the rocket's second-stage over around eight minutes. Following the separation, the constellations operations team took over control of the satellite group. With the launch of a third group of satellites, Amazon now has 78 spacecraft in orbit, out of a planned total of 3,236\. The group of 24 follows two groups of 27 launched atop of United Launch Alliance's Atlas V in [April](https://proximareport.com/articles/kuiper-blasts-off-atop-atlas?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) and [June](https://proximareport.com/articles/atlas-second-kuiper-amazon). Those and the new Kuiper satellites are currently headed to an orbital altitude of around 630 kilometers, with an inclination of 51.9 degrees, to begin offering internet services to customers. Following the deployment of further satellites, services from Kuiper are planned to be available later this year at speeds of [up to one gigabit per second](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/heres-your-first-look-at-project-kuipers-low-cost-customer-terminals?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). In order to meet a deadline with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, half of the Kuiper constellation, around 1,600 satellites, will need to be launched by mid-2026\. Currently, Amazon [has bought over eighty launches](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-makes-historic-launch-investment-to-advance-project-kuiper?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) to deploy the constellation from a variety of American and European launch providers. Additionally, Amazon has invested 140 million United States Dollars in a [spacecraft storage and integration facility at Cape Canaveral](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/project-kuiper-satellite-investment-expansion-florida?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) to streamline launch preparations. ![Falcon 9's fairing with 24 Kuiper satellites inside departs Amazon's spacecraft integration facility in Florida. ©Amazon](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/Gv2zLInWEAA74Jx.jpg) Falcon 9's fairing with 24 Kuiper satellites inside departs Amazon's spacecraft integration facility in Florida. ©Amazon To assist in competing against other internet mega-constellations, [Amazon has partnered with](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-project-kuiper-aws?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) Japan's Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, America's Verizon, and the UK's Vodafone to bring services directly to consumers. Furthermore, the company is [teaming up with Airbus](https://aircraft.airbus.com/en/newsroom/web-story/2025-04-airbus-and-amazons-kuiper-team-up-to-offer-leo-satellite-network-for?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) to provide its airliners with in-flight connectivity. Rather ironically, the provider of today's Kuiper launch, SpaceX, has its own internet mega-constellation known as Starlink, which had [a launch from California](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1945320592066121946?ref=proximareport.com) hours prior. The Starlink constellation is currently the dominant player for low Earth orbit-based satellite internet, with [around 6,000 satellites](https://planet4589.org/space/con/star/stats.html?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in orbit and [over five million customers](https://x.com/Starlink/status/1895559922991153367?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) receiving services. SpaceX's synergy of having both Starlink and Falcon 9 allows for more frequent additions to the constellation, with at least one launch per week. ## Minimizing astronomical impacts As Amazon expands its Kuiper constellation, its planned thousands of satellites could have an impact on astronomy. In June, [the company announced](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/policy-news-views/amazon-project-kuiper-nsf-agreement?ref=proximareport.com) that it had signed a coordination agreement with the U.S. National Science Foundation to support both the expansion of the constellation and the continuation of astronomical science. The coordination agreement reportedly establishes clear protocols and processes to ensure Kuiper can deliver its services to customers worldwide while minimizing interference with astronomical observations. Ensuring this, the agreement is based on months of technical collaboration between Amazon's teams and the National Science Foundation's Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory and Radio Astronomy Observatory, alongside feedback from the astronomy community. Speaking on the collaboration, Chris Hofer, Head of Kuiper's International Spectrum Management and Strategy, stated: > "We’ve been engaged with the astronomy community since the initial design and development of Project Kuiper, and we’re pleased to build on that collaboration with a formal coordination agreement with \[National Science Foundation\]," – "This agreement underscores our commitment to responsible space operations and our belief that satellite broadband and ground-based astronomy can successfully coexist, and we look forward to continuing that work as we deploy our full satellite constellation." To continue to mitigate impacts into the future, the agreement and its framework are set to evolve alongside technological advancements in both satellite operations and astronomical research. --- ## What is Falcon 9? Falcon 9 is currently the world's only operational partially reusable medium-lift launch vehicle. The rocket is manufactured and operated by the American space company SpaceX. Falcon 9 currently launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, and Cape Canaveral, in Florida. For recovery, Falcon 9 has four grid fins and four landing legs on the first-stage. The first stage either lands vertically on a drone ship or a landing pad back near its launch site, landing back at the launch site causes a reduction in payload capacity. SpaceX claims that Falcon 9 can send up to 22,800 kilograms into low Earth orbit when expended or 18,400 kilograms when reused. Similarly, it can send up to 8,300 kilograms into geosynchronous transfer orbit when expended or 5,500 kilograms when reused. The first-stage is powered by nine Merlin 1D engines burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 771 tons of thrust. The second-stage is powered by a single Merlin 1D vacuum engine burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 95 tons of thrust. On the pad, the rocket is 70 meters tall with the first and second stages 3.7 meters in diameter, the fairing is 5.2 meters in diameter and tapers out from the top of the second-stage. Fully fuelled Falcon 9 weighs approximately 549,000 kilograms. ### Firefly Eyes Public Listing Following Lunar Success URL: https://proximareport.com/firefly-public-listing/ Last updated: 2025-07-15T16:13:07.000Z *Disclaimer: All funding figures are in United States Dollars. This article is not investment advice; consult a financial advisor before investing.* Firefly Aerospace [announced on July 11th](https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-files-registration-statement-for-proposed-initial-public-offering/?ref=proximareport.com) that it is filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering of shares of its common stock. Firefly intends to list its common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol 'FLY'. The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined. Filings from the company for the initial public offering [have revealed that](https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/11/firefly-aerospace-files-for-an-ipo/?ref=proximareport.com) Firefly has 176.9 million in cash and cash equivalents, which is expected to allow the company to operate for at least the next twelve months, alongside 1.1 billion in contract backlogs for launch and lunar missions. Although the filings also disclosed that the company operated at a net loss of 231.1 million during fiscal year 2024, while it has 173.6 million in debt, with 136.1 million of it part of a loan with a 13.87% interest rate. Despite that, Firefly expects to experience growth in the years ahead, as part of a boom in the global space industry, via more launches of its Alpha rocket, its [Elytra orbital transfer vehicle](https://interestingengineering.com/military/fireflys-elytra-dawn-to-power-pentagons-push-for-orbital-missions?ref=proximareport.com), and [lunar missions](https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/06/18/firefly-aerospace-aims-to-deploy-1st-commercial-lunar-imaging-service/?ref=proximareport.com), as well as its in-development larger, partially reusable rocket known as Eclipse, made in [partnership with Northrop Grumman](https://payloadspace.com/northrop-grumman-invests-50m-in-fireflys-eclipse/?ref=proximareport.com). However, Firefly's Alpha rocket has had a [rocky flight history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly%5FAlpha?ref=proximareport.com#Launch%5Fhistory) since its debut in 2021\. Alpha's debut ended shortly after launch in September 2021, followed by a partial failure in October 2022 when the rocket failed to reach its intended altitude, with a first success occurring in September 2023 for the rapid response VICTUS NOX mission. Another partial failure then followed in December 2023 when a target orbit was not achieved, but a quick bounce back to success happened in July 2024 for the launch of eight NASA CubeSats. The most recent flight of Alpha sadly failed due to a mishap during staging, where the second-stage's engine had its nozzle destroyed, resulting in the mission not reaching orbital speed. Firefly's commercially operated lunar lander program has had more success than Alpha out of the gate. Blue Ghost Mission-1 breezed through all its milestones on its way out to the Moon and regarding a landing on the lunar surface, which [occurred on March 2nd 2025](https://proximareport.com/articles/firefly-lands-on-the-moon). Two more Blue Ghost missions are set for [2026](https://fireflyspace.com/missions/blue-ghost-mission-2/?ref=proximareport.com) and [2028](https://fireflyspace.com/missions/blue-ghost-mission-3/?ref=proximareport.com) to reattempt the first mission's feats and prove the reliability of the lander. Given Alpha's shaky launch history and the large gaps between lunar missions, along with possible delays to Eclipse, it remains to be seen if potential investors will act in the company's best interest. Missions with the Elytra orbital transfer vehicle may boost confidence with investors, due to contracts with [the U.S. military](https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-awarded-dod-contract-for-responsive-on-orbit-mission-with-elytra-spacecraft/?ref=proximareport.com). Firefly Aerospace is not the first U.S. space company, where orbital launch is a substantial part of the company's portfolio, moving to become publicly traded. The first to do so was Astra in early 2021, although it was [later delisted in early 2024](https://proximareport.com/articles/astra-private-bid-afloat) due to the company's failure on seven out of its nine launches with its small-lift orbital rocket. Following them was Virgin Orbit, with its Boeing 747-launched small-lift rocket, in December 2021\. By mid-2023, the company had filed for bankruptcy, [auctioning off its assets](https://www.space.com/virgin-orbit-ceases-operations-sells-assets?ref=proximareport.com), following a launch failure and failure to secure additional financing. So far, the only publicly traded company performing orbital launches to survive and thrive after an initial public offering is Rocket Lab, with its small-lift carbon fiber Electron launch vehicle. The company has managed to thrive thanks to a series of strategic acquisitions to position itself within the satellite manufacturing business, producing necessary [components](https://www.satellitetoday.com/finance/2025/05/09/peter-beck-mynaric-acquisition-puts-rocket-lab-in-europe-supports-constellation-opportunity/?ref=proximareport.com), [instruments](https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/rocket-lab-enters-payload-market-with-agreement-to-acquire-geost-adding-electro-optical-and-infrared-systems-to-its-end-to-end-space-solutions/?ref=proximareport.com), or [entire spacecraft](https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/new-blog-post-16/?ref=proximareport.com). This has enabled the company to work with customers from satellite design to orbital deployment. However, following [launch failures](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/19/rocket-lab-stock-drops-after-first-electron-launch-failure-in-years.html?ref=proximareport.com) and complex [hardware announcements](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/rocket-lab-sinks-10-short-160950899.html?guccounter=1&ref=proximareport.com), the stock does experience drops. ### Weekly Dose of Space (6/7-12/7) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-6-7-12-7/ Last updated: 2025-07-13T20:25:37.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw just one launch taking place. News from the week saw moves to restore more NASA funding, optical communication tests in deep space, a cargo resupply mission being prepared, and a space company preparing to go public. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *July 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-28* A Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 40, in Floirda, carrying twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1077 for its twenty-second flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-28 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/GvU6hJraYAIJH_D-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-28 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Tiangong resupply mission prepared for launch* ![The Long March 7 Y10 rocket arriving at Launch Complex 201 ahead of the Tianzhou-9 mission.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/1752342214085.jpg) The Long March 7 Y10 rocket arriving at Launch Complex 201 ahead of the Tianzhou-9 mission. [On July 12th](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/tianzhou-9-prepares-for-launch?ref=proximareport.com), China's latest resupply mission for its Tiangong Space Station, Tianzhou-9, was rolled out to the launch pad atop of a Long March 7 rocket. The rollout had the rocket head from its assembly building to Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. Cargo heading for the space station aboard the Tianzhou-9 resupply spacecraft includes food and other consumables for the current Shenzhou-20 crew and future Shenzhou-21 mission, along with scientific experiments that will be performed over the next few months and years. Two new spacesuits are also being delivered alongside improvements for microgravity exercise equipment. Scientific experiments that will be performed over the next few months and years are onboard too. At the moment, the launch of the Tianzhou-9 mission to Tiangong is expected at around 21:40 pm Universal Coordinated Time on July 14th. In the hours after launch, the resupply spacecraft will dock to the aft port of the Tianhe module, which was recently vacated by the previous cargo resupply mission. ### *ESA performs deep-space optical communication link* The European Space Agency [shared on July 10th](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Operations/Europe%5Fs%5Ffirst%5Fdeep-space%5Foptical%5Fcommunication%5Flink?ref=proximareport.com) that it has performed Europe's first optical communication link with a spacecraft in deep space. That optical link was made via two high-precision optical ground stations to NASA's Psyche spacecraft, around 265 million kilometers away, and its Deep Space Optical Communications experiment. The optical ground stations for the communication link were the Kryoneri Observatory and Helmos Observatory, 37 kilometers apart and both in Greece. To test the optical link, a high-power laser beacon was directed toward Psyche, carrying no data, but designed to have a return signal sent back. Regarding the challenges of sending a signal to Psyche and back, Sinda Mejri, project manager of the ESA's Ground Laser Receiver system, stated: > "Enabling this two-way optical handshake meant overcoming two major technical challenges: developing a laser powerful enough to hit a distant spacecraft with pinpoint accuracy; and building a receiver sensitive enough to detect the faintest return signal, sometimes just a few photons, after a journey of hundreds of millions of kilometres." Building on the optical link demonstration, the European Space Agency plans to build its Advancing Solar System Internet and GrouNd (ASSIGN) network. [ASSIGN aims](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Operations/Safeguarding%5FEurope%5Fs%5Frole%5Fin%5FSolar%5FSystem%5FInternet%5FFirst%5FStop%5Fthe%5FMoon?ref=proximareport.com) to federate existing and planned networks into a secure and resilient interoperable network of networks, a solar system internet, for ESA’s missions as well as institutional and commercial ones. ### *Senate moves to restore science funding* Through July 9th and 10th, a Senate Subcommittee Markup of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act is aiming to keep NASA [science funding at Fiscal Year 2024 levels](https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/subcommittee-markup-of-the-commerce-justice-science-and-related-agencies-appropriations-act?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), a full restoration from the [proposed Trump cuts](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-ends-nasa-global). This would see around 7.3 billion United States Dollars provided to the space agency for its science missions. However, at the moment the bill [currently remains](https://punchbowl.news/article/washington/government-funding-mess/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in the Senate. In the coming weeks, the Senate's restoration of funding for science will have to pass through the House of Representatives, where it will likely experience cuts. ### *Firefly eyes initial public offering* Firefly Aerospace [announced on July 11th](https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-files-registration-statement-for-proposed-initial-public-offering/?ref=proximareport.com) that it is filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering of shares of its common stock. Firefly intends to list its common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol 'FLY'. The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, J.P. Morgan, Jefferies, and Wells Fargo Securities are acting as lead bookrunning managers for the proposed offering. Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank Securities, and Cantor are acting as joint bookrunners. Roth Capital Partners and Academy Securities will serve as co-managers. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *July 13th - Electron with JAKE 4* Electron is believed to be preparing for a suborbital military-related mission from Wallops, Virginia. ### *July 13th - Falcon 9 with "Commercial GTO 1"* SpaceX may be preparing for a launch to geostationary transfer orbit with Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *July 14th - Long March 7 with Tianzhou-9* The China Manned Space Agency is preparing its Tianzhou-9 cargo resupply spacecraft for a launch to the Tiangong Space Station atop of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology's Long March 7 from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ### *July 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-2* A batch of twenty-six Starlink satellites is planned to head to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. ### *July 15th - Eris for its debut flight* Gilmour Space is planning to perform the debut flight of its Eris rocket from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport, in Australia. ### *July 16th - Falcon 9 with KF-01* Amazon may launch its first batch of Kuiper satellites atop of a Falcon 9, in a mission dubbed KF-01 (Kuiper Falcon-01), from Space Launch Complex 40 to low Earth orbit. ### *July 17th - Starlink Group 17-3* From Space Launch Complex 4E, a Falcon 9 is planning to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### NASA's First Six Months Under Trump 2.0 URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-six-months-trump/ Last updated: 2025-08-18T19:45:04.000Z Donald Trump returned to the White House back in January, [promising lofty goals](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-wants-boots-on-mars) for the country's space agency, including sending astronauts to the Moon and Mars. In the six months since however, plans ([if there are any](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-no-space-plan)) have gone awry due to massive defunding pushes and political spats. Potential Mars plans began to derail in early June when Trump and Elon Musk, head of SpaceX, had a very public falling out and continued feud. That feud saw SpaceX's numerous [government contracts threatened](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3wd2215q08o?ref=proximareport.com) with cancellation, followed by Musk stating he would decommission the U.S.' only operational crewed spacecraft (he later backed out of decommissioning Crew Dragon). The Trump-Musk feud also saw the President's nominee for NASA Administrator, billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman, pulled. [Trump viewed Isaacman as](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/trump-explains-why-he-pulled-jared-isaacmans-nomination-for-nasa-chief?ref=proximareport.com) not aligned with his political agenda and a tool of Musk. Before and during the feud, the Trump Administration outlined [6 billion United States Dollars in cuts](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-ends-nasa-global) to NASA, to end over forty science missions, cancel the America's only Moon rocket after the Artemis III mission, and remove support for various international programs. In a pushback against the Trump cuts, the recently passed '[One Big, Beautiful Bill](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cddz3n6vz0go?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io)' [includes 10 billion dollars for NASA](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/trump-megabill-includes-billions-for-artemis-iss-moving-a-space-shuttle-to-texas-and-more/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). Key funding for Artemis in the bill is; 4.1 billion for Space Launch System (SLS) rockets for Artemis IV and Artemis V, 2.6 billion to fully fund the Gateway lunar space station being built with international cooperation, and 20 million for a fourth Orion crew spacecraft for use with Artemis IV and reuse on subsequent missions, among [other items](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-29-6-5-7#sls-funded-in-reconciliation-bill). Meanwhile, a Senate Subcommittee Markup of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act is aiming to keep NASA [science funding at Fiscal Year 2024 levels](https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/subcommittee-markup-of-the-commerce-justice-science-and-related-agencies-appropriations-act?ref=proximareport.com), a full restoration. But the bill [currently remains](https://punchbowl.news/article/washington/government-funding-mess/?ref=proximareport.com) in the Senate. In the coming weeks, the Senate's restoration of funding for science will have to pass through the House of Representatives, where it will likely experience cuts. Despite the rush to return funding to NASA, agency employees are already leaving the agency after acting agency leadership began a push to remove over 5,500 people. As of July 9th, [*Politico* reports](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/09/nasa-staff-departures-00444674?ref=proximareport.com) that at least 2,145 employees have left, with those leaving at [various stages of their careers](https://soundcloud.com/keith-cowing/nasawatch-on-bloomberg-layoffs-and-budgets?ref=proximareport.com). The majority of those who have left so far are reported to belong to science or human spaceflight mission directorates. NASA, in the meantime, has been headed by Acting Administrator Janet Petro, previously Director of the Kennedy Space Center, since Trump returned to office. As Acting Administrator, [Petro has signed off](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-begins-witchhunt-within-nasa) on an anti-diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility witchhunt along with [attempting to reorganize](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-trump-appeasement) the agency in vague and [internally](https://bsky.app/profile/derekdotspace.bsky.social/post/3ltl4btk65s2o?ref=proximareport.com) unpopular ways while pushing through Trump's budget cuts, despite them not yet being law. Recently, in a surprise move, Donald Trump [announced on July 9th](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/reality-show-star-sean-duffy-to-head-nasa-on-interim-basis/?ref=proximareport.com) that he was appointing Sean Duffy, already Secretary of Transportation, as Interim Administrator of NASA. It's unknown why Trump chose Secretary Duffy to lead NASA for the foreseeable future, although part of the reason may be that he [previously stood up to Elon Musk](https://onemileatatime.com/news/elon-musk-sean-duffy-firing-air-traffic-controllers/?ref=proximareport.com) regarding air traffic controllers. But as someone the Senate has already approved of, Duffy may continue [some of](https://glaad.org/gap/sean-duffy/?ref=proximareport.com) Petro's work on behalf of Trump, albeit as a pre-established loyalist. Six months in, with forty-two more to go, NASA and its personnel have gone from widely [enjoying where they work](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-annual-employee-survey-aes-results.pdf?emrc=6788d50a42503&ref=proximareport.com) to [feeling like dirt](https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/inside-trump-and-musks-takeover-of-nasa?ref=proximareport.com) while being pushed to leave. Over one in ten employees have already left the agency, likely forever, and taking their talents with them. Budgetary pressures are part of why NASA is shedding personnel, and with four more years of it ahead, many more people may leave. Funding is on the way to being partly restored this year, but there's no stopping the Trump Administration from trying to push through its funding cuts again next year. Trump has many months ahead of him to try and win political support to his side to push through his national plans, of which NASA is a part. ### UK Moves Forward On Space Debris Mission URL: https://proximareport.com/uk-moves-forward-on-space-debris-mission/ Last updated: 2025-07-09T12:37:51.000Z The government of the United Kingdom [announced on July 3rd](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-launches-tender-for-mission-to-clean-up-space-and-safeguard-vital-services?ref=proximareport.com) that it is allocating 75.6 million British Pounds (around 102 million United States Dollars) for the country's first space debris mitigation mission. That mission will launch a spacecraft before the end of 2028 to bring a defunct satellite from its orbit. Following the announcement of the tender, a single supplier for the spacecraft is being sought to commit to a five-year research and development contract. Known as the Active Debris Removal (ADR) mission, the spacecraft for it will be equipped with robotic arms and autonomous orbital navigation technology. Utilizing the necessary hardware and software, the ADR spacecraft is planned to capture two non-functioning UK-licensed satellites from low Earth orbit. After capture, the satellites will be brought into Earth's atmosphere to safely burn up. In deorbiting the satellites, further orbital debris won't be created or pose a threat to critical orbit infrastructure such as positioning, weather forecasting, and communications spacecraft. Currently, there is an estimated 140 million pieces of space debris smaller than 1 centimeter, and over 54,000 tracked objects larger than 10 centimeters currently orbiting Earth, which could cause catastrophic damage to satellites. At the moment, ClearSpace is developing the necessary technologies for the ADR mission. [As of May](https://clearspace.today/news/clearspace-completes-phase-2-of-mission-clear-strengthening-uk-s-leadership-in-in-orbit-services?ref=proximareport.com), the company has derisked the spacecraft’s robotic capture system and developed the image processing algorithms. Late last year, the company was [moving toward a Critical Design Review](https://clearspace.today/news/clear-debris-removal-mission-uk?ref=proximareport.com), following a [Preliminary Design Review in April 2024](https://clearspace.today/news/clear-debris-removal-mission-reaches-key-development-milestone-with-preliminary-design-review-maturity?ref=proximareport.com). The UK government views the ADR mission as a critical step in addressing space debris, allowing for the long-term sustainability of the orbital environment and protecting space infrastructure. Speaking on the mission, UK Minister for Space, Sir Chris Bryant, commented: > "By tackling the growing threat of space debris head-on, we are protecting the infrastructure that supports everything from national security to everyday connectivity whilst also creating high-skilled jobs and securing the UK’s leadership in the growing space economy." The tender for the ADR mission follows an 11 million British Pound (about 14.9 million United States Dollars) investment in [feasibility studies](https://clearspace.today/news/clearspace-secures-a-major-uk-contract-to-help-clean-up-space?ref=proximareport.com) and design work into the mission's technologies. It also comes after the space agencies of New Zealand and the UK [signed a blueprint in October 2024](https://www.ukspace.org/uk-and-new-zealand-agree-blueprint-for-satellite-removal-and-servicing-missions/?ref=proximareport.com) for the removal and servicing of operational satellites that are at risk of creating debris. Before the ADR mission, the UK was part of the RemoveDEBRIS spacecraft [international consortium](https://www.ukspace.org/removedebris-mission-completes-in-orbit-commissioning/?ref=proximareport.com). Between 2018 and 2019, the spacecraft demonstrated the deployment of a [debris-capturing net](https://www.ukspace.org/removedebris-net-successfully-snares-space-debris/?ref=proximareport.com) followed [by a harpoon](https://www.ukspace.org/harpoon-successfully-captures-space-debris/?ref=proximareport.com) designed to retrieve target satellites. If successful, the UK's ADR mission would be the second to prove it can move a non-cooperative satellite from one orbit to another. The first mission to demonstrate this was [China's Shijian-21](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc%5Fsdat/sj-21.htm?ref=proximareport.com) between December 2021 and January 2022, towing a defunct BeiDou satellite from geostationary orbit. ### Weekly Dose of Space (29/6-5/7) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-29-6-5-7/ Last updated: 2025-07-06T16:32:13.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw five launches globally, with one suborbital mission. News from the week included NASA and the U.S. Space Force receiving additional funding, as well as Europe's reusable rocket program slowly progressing. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *June 29th - New Shepard with NS-33* Blue Origin performed New Shepard's suborbital NS-33 mission from its West Texas launch site, carrying Allie Kuehner, Carl Kuehner, Leland Larson, Freddie Rescigno, Owolabi Salis, and James Sitkin above the Kármán line. The vehicles used during the mission were booster NS5, flying for the fourth time, and capsule RSS Kármán Line, making its third flight. > 🔁 NS-33 Replay: Booster Touchdown! [pic.twitter.com/VSobIfhu5v](https://t.co/VSobIfhu5v?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) [June 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1939379680819179794?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Shepard booster NS5 landing after supporting the NS-33 mission, via [Blue Origin on Twitter](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1939379680819179794?ref=proximareport.com). ### *July 1st - Falcon 9 with MTG-S1* A Falcon 9 launched the MTG-S1 spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, to a geostationary transfer orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1085, for its ninth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A carrying MTG-S1. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/Gu0dYuuX0AIeA2F-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A carrying MTG-S1\. ©SpaceX ### *July 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-25* Another Falcon 9 launched twenty-seven Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1067 supported this launch for its twenty-ninth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-25 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/Gu1jh2NXgAAu8N--1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-25 mission. ©SpaceX ### *July 3rd - Long March 4C with Shiyan-28B-01* A Long March 4C blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying Shiyan-28B-01 to low Earth orbit. Shiyan-28B-01 is planned to be utilized for space environment detection and related technical tests, which may include tracking other spacecraft and debris. ![The Long March 4C Y63 vehicle during first-stage flight carrying Shiyan-28B-01.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/_com.apple.Pasteboard.Qy5ell-1.jpeg) The Long March 4C Y63 vehicle during first-stage flight carrying Shiyan-28B-01. ### *July 3rd - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-31* A Soyuz 2.1a launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the Progress MS-31 spacecraft toward the International Space Station. Following launch, Progress MS-31 docked to the Poisk module on the Russian segment of the space station. > [pic.twitter.com/sTRh82vhYI](https://t.co/sTRh82vhYI?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [July 3, 2025](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1940861494289485890?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Soyuz 2.1a launching Progress MS-31 from Baikonur, via [robert\_savitsky on Twitter](https://x.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1940861494289485890?ref=proximareport.com). ## **In Other Space News** ### *SLS funded in reconciliation bill* The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have [recently passed President Trump's 'One Big, Beautiful Bill'](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cddz3n6vz0go?ref=proximareport.com), with it being signed into law on July 4th. Over the next decade, the bill is expected to spend trillions on defence and tax cuts while cutting social security and healthcare programs to fund the former. Also included in the bill is 10 billion dollars for NASA [amid major budget cuts](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-ends-nasa-global) and [agency restructuring](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-trump-appeasement). Funding for NASA includes the following, [via SpacePolicyOnline.com](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/trump-megabill-includes-billions-for-artemis-iss-moving-a-space-shuttle-to-texas-and-more/?ref=proximareport.com): - 4.1 billion for SLS rockets for Artemis IV and Artemis V. - 2.6 billion to fully fund the Gateway lunar space station being built in cooperation with Europe, Japan, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates as part of the Artemis program. - 20 million for a fourth Orion crew spacecraft for use with Artemis IV and reuse on subsequent missions. - 1.25 billion for the ISS to ensure there is no gap between when the ISS ends in 2030 and new commercial space stations are in orbit to replace it. - 325 million for the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle to propel the ISS from orbit into the Pacific Ocean at the end of its lifetime. - 1 billion in “improvements” at five NASA fields centers: Stennis in Mississippi (120 million), Kennedy in Florida (250 million), Johnson in Texas (300 million), Marshall in Alabama (100 million), and Michoud in Louisiana (30 million). - 700 million for a Mars Telecommunications Orbiter (MTO) that would be delivered by December 31, 2028. - 85 million for Space Vehicle Transfer for “a space vehicle” to be transferred to a NASA Center involved in the Commercial Crew Program and placed on public exhibition. Meanwhile, 'One Big, Beautiful Bill' is [providing the U.S. Space Force with 40.1 billion](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/reconciliation-bill-passes-congress-with-billions-for-u-s-space-force/?ref=proximareport.com) in funding for 2026\. It is unknown what the Space Force will spend its new billions on, but options include the 'Golden Dome' system, itself unclear in use, or on-orbit military assets. Funding provided through the bill is expected to last both agencies for ten years. ### *Europe's Themis moves closer to testing* ![Themis arrives at the Esrange Space Centre for testing. ©ESA/ArianeGroup](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/Themis_on_the_way_to_Kiruna.jpg) Themis arrives at the Esrange Space Centre for testing. ©ESA/ArianeGroup Europe's Themis reusable booster demonstrator, built by ArianeGroup, [has recently arrived](https://europeanspaceflight.com/themis-demonstrator-completes-3000-km-journey-to-launch-site/?ref=proximareport.com) at the Esrange Space Centre, located in Sweden, after completing a journey of over 3,000 kilometers (\~1,860 miles) from France. At Esrange, the demonstrator is being prepared for a series of tests regarding reusability, like a wet dress rehearsal, static fires, and a series of hops. According to Andrew Parsonson of EuropeanSpaceflight.com, Themis represents Europe’s first full-scale demonstrator of a reusable rocket's first-stage, and is part of an initiative to foster the key technologies of future reusable launch systems. The Themis demonstrator is said to be 28 meters long. Alongside the demonstrator arriving in Sweden, the vehicle's engine, known as Prometheus, [completed a series of tests](https://europeanspaceflight.com/arianegroup-completes-key-prometheus-rocket-engine-tests/?ref=proximareport.com) in June but was announced on July 2nd. Those tests included four ignitions in one day, at a test facility in France, to advance the development of the reusable rocket engine. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *July 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-28* A batch of Starlink satellites is expected to head to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### Third Interstellar Visitor Spotted by Astronomers! URL: https://proximareport.com/third-interstellar-visitor-spotted/ Last updated: 2025-07-03T06:07:46.000Z A newly found interstellar comet, called 3I/ATLAS, is currently whipping through the solar system at a [speed of around](https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3lszkiure4s2s?ref=proximareport.com) 58 kilometers per second (130,000 miles per hour). 3I/ATLAS is believed to be coming through our solar system from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius and is around 670 million kilometers (420 million miles) away from Earth. Within our solar system, the comet will pass between the orbits of Earth and Mars. At its closest approach to Earth, the comet will be around 240 million kilometers (150 million miles) away due to the planet's orbit. In a [July 2nd blog post](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/planetary-defense/2025/07/02/nasa-discovers-interstellar-comet-moving-through-solar-system/?ref=proximareport.com) by NASA's Science Editorial Team, the U.S. space agency shared that the interstellar visitor was found to be from outside our solar system by the NASA-funded ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) survey telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile. Since then, further observations with ATLAS, located worldwide across Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania, have taken place to better understand 3I/ATLAS. Although at the end of the blog post, NASA noted: > "The interstellar comet’s size and physical properties are being investigated by astronomers around the world. 3I/ATLAS should remain visible to ground-based telescopes through September, after which it will pass too close to the Sun to observe. It is expected to reappear on the other side of the Sun by early December, allowing for renewed observations*.*" Meanwhile, [*New Scientist* has reported](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2486670-interstellar-visitor-spotted-hurtling-through-the-solar-system/?ref=proximareport.com) that the interstellar comet is around twenty kilometres wide and will accelerate as it comes closer to the sun, thanks to orbital mechanics. At the moment, 3I/ATLAS will come closest to the Sun in October, then passing Jupiter around March 2026, before leaving our solar system. > Interstellar visitor confirmed. [#A11pl3Z](https://twitter.com/hashtag/A11pl3Z?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) is now known as 3I/ATLAS. It is only the third confirmed object from beyond our solar system. [pic.twitter.com/jLsRRXUZPG](https://t.co/jLsRRXUZPG?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Tony Dunn (@tony873004) [July 2, 2025](https://twitter.com/tony873004/status/1940550506512109796?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The trajectory of 3I/ATLAS through our solar system, via [Tony Dunn on Twitter](https://x.com/tony873004/status/1940550506512109796?ref=proximareport.com). Spotting interstellar visitors is a difficult feat, but ATLAS is designed for challenging observations like it, and also for finding potentially dangerous asteroids within the solar system. Regarding the challenge, John Tonry, a University of Hawai'i Institute for Astronomy astronomer and professor, [shared](https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2025/07/02/possible-interstellar-visitor-discovered-by-uh/?ref=proximareport.com): > "Spotting a possible interstellar object is incredibly rare, and it’s exciting that our \[University of Hawai'i\]-operated system caught it," – "These interstellar visitors provide an extremely interesting glimpse of things from solar systems other than our own. Quite a few come through our inner solar system each year, although 3I/ATLAS is by far the biggest to date." Sadly, any missions to possibly head to the interstellar comet are already too late with current technologies, due to the insane speeds needed in a short time. > Here's our images of interstellar object #A11pl3Z from Deep Random Survey's 0.43-meter scope @ Chile. The telescope was following A11pl3Z's motion, so stars appear smeared. Weather got worse by the end, so still hard to tell if it's a comet. 600-sec exposures, from 2025 Jul 2, 00:42-01:23 UT 🔭☄️ > > — [astrafoxen (@astrafoxen.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:bxxv3ty2lwpzyivx3axvq3fy?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) [2025-07-02T03:06:59.351Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:bxxv3ty2lwpzyivx3axvq3fy/post/3lsxaaycpis2l?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) Observations of 3I/ATLAS on July 2nd, via [astrofoxen on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/astrafoxen.bsky.social/post/3lsxaaycpis2l?ref=proximareport.com). --- *Coincidentally, news of 3I/ATLAS is coming out at the same time as fans of the 1996 blockbuster '*[*Independence Day*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence%5FDay%5F%281996%5Ffilm%29?ref=proximareport.com)*' are* [*posting the film's events in real time*](https://bsky.app/profile/1996id4.bsky.social?ref=proximareport.com)*.* --- 3I/ATLAS is not our solar system's first interstellar visitor, and is believed to be the third (that we have observed). The first was the [small asteroid ʻOumuamua](https://www.nasa.gov/solar-system/small-asteroid-or-comet-visits-from-beyond-the-solar-system/?ref=proximareport.com) (designated 1I/2017 U1), found in October 2017\. Our first visitor is believed to have come from [roughly around the direction](https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/astronomers-spot-first-known-interstellar-comet/?ref=proximareport.com) of Vega in the constellation Lyra while reaching a peak speed of 87.71 kilometers per second (196,200 miles per hour), along with passing closer to the Sun than the orbit of Mercury. ![The path of ‘Oumuamua through our solar system. ©NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/comet20171025-16.gif) The path of ‘Oumuamua through our solar system. ©NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech Following ‘Oumuamua, [comet 2I/Borisov](https://www.sciencenews.org/article/astronomy-interstellar-comet-space?ref=proximareport.com) (found in 2019) blazed through our solar system at over 32 kilometers per second (71,500 miles per hour), skimming the orbit of Mars, from the [direction of the borders of constellations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2I/Borisov?ref=proximareport.com#Trajectory) Cassiopeia and Perseus. 2I/Borisov was also a small visitor, but [produced a tail](https://news.yale.edu/2019/11/26/new-image-offers-close-view-interstellar-comet?ref=proximareport.com) over 160,000 kilometers (100,000 miles) long, about fourteen times the size of Earth. ![2I/Borisov during its closest approach to the Sun, seen by the Hubble Space Telescope. ©D. Jewitt/NASA/ESA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/heic1922b.png) 2I/Borisov during its closest approach to the Sun, seen by the Hubble Space Telescope. ©D. Jewitt/NASA/ESA ### Acting NASA Leadership Shifts to Trump Appeasement URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-trump-appeasement/ Last updated: 2025-07-02T15:10:24.000Z NASA leadership, consisting of Janet Petro, Acting NASA Administrator, Brian Hughes, NASA Chief of Staff, Vanessa Wyche, Acting NASA Associate Administrator, Casey Swails, Deputy Associate Administrator, held an [agency-wide 'Town Hall' meeting](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/audio-from-todays-nasa-town-hall/?ref=proximareport.com) on June 25th to update the space agency's workforce on its reorganization. The reorganization is due to [Donald Trump's budget cuts at NASA](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-ends-nasa-global) for fiscal year 2026, slashing 6 billion United States Dollars from the space agency for the [smallest amount since 1961](https://www.planetary.org/articles/nasa-2026-budget-proposal-in-charts?ref=proximareport.com). However, the [Trump Administration has no discernible plans](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-no-space-plan) for the U.S. space program despite lofty rhetoric about returning to the Moon and reaching Mars. Although the massive budget cut still needs to pass through the proper legislative process, acting NASA leadership is already moving to reorganize and downsize the agency. This reorganization, [SpaceNews reports](https://spacenews.com/nasas-acting-leadership-planning-new-agency-structure/?ref=proximareport.com), is not expected to go below the center level, with three approaches being considered. The first would organize the agency through [mission directorates](https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/?ref=proximareport.com), another would be based around NASA's centers across the U.S., while the final would be a product line model, with no explanation or elaboration. Closing some centers is being considered to facilitate these approaches. Acting Administrator Janet Petro shared, [in an internal memo](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/janet-petros-embrace-the-challenge-update-27-june-2025-voluntary-workforce-shaping/?ref=proximareport.com) on June 27th, her reasoning for reorganizing ahead of budget approval: > "Reorganizations are a process – and will take time. I expect to decide on the top-level structure and begin engaging our stakeholders in the coming weeks. That structure will only go down to the center level initially. What happens below that will take shape over time, and I ask for your patience as this reshaping effort takes place – it will take time before we know how this impacts individuals. We are reorganizing to become the most efficient and effective organization we can be – aligned to the mission we are charged with and the resources we expect to receive." Recently, [NASAWatch has reported](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/nasa-wants-yall-to-quit/?ref=proximareport.com) that agency leadership is pushing agencywide management to [quietly](https://nasawatch.com/culture/nasa-say-it-dont-write-it/?ref=proximareport.com) 'encourage' more employees to leave [without Congressional approval](https://payloadspace.com/nasa-begins-workforce-cuts-without-a-spending-plan/?ref=proximareport.com), with 1,600 people having left NASA already. The fiscal year 2026 budget looks to eliminate over 5,500 people. Related to this, Petro's memo stated: > "We are offering a limited window of voluntary workforce shaping tools to avoid any involuntary separations. For civil servants, the opt-in period for the Deferred Resignation Program, Voluntary Early Retirement Authority, and Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment is open through July 25\. We do not plan to offer these programs again." At present as well, NASA has no one nominated for its next Administrator, [following the removal of White House support](https://spacenews.com/white-house-to-withdraw-isaacman-nomination-to-lead-nasa/?ref=proximareport.com) for the billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman. Janet Petro currently expects to remain Acting Administrator, likely into next year. As part of plans to streamline NASA, acting leadership still expects to perform many science missions through various existing and future spacecraft despite a cut of almost half the agency's science budget. Those cuts would [end over forty missions](https://www.planetary.org/articles/billions-wasted-mysteries-unsolved-the-missions-nasa-may-be-forced-to-abandon?ref=proximareport.com), active and close to launch, including Mars Sample Return (set to be [years after China's equivalent mission](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/tianwen-3-set-to-search-for-martian?ref=proximareport.com)), the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, OSIRIS-APEX, and Juno. Once offline, those missions [won't be able to collect any more](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/07/trump-administration-moves-to-tighten-the-noose-around-nasa-science-missions/?ref=proximareport.com) scientific data. Effects of the reorganization and budget cuts are expected to be felt beyond NASA, as much of the agency's budget is used to pay contractors. Those contracts have many tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of employees of their own. Meanwhile, under President Donald Trump's 'One Big, Beautiful Bill', the U.S. [Space Force's budget will be increased to 39.9 billion](https://spacenews.com/trumps-one-big-beautiful-bill-would-give-space-force-a-nearly-40-billion-budget/?ref=proximareport.com) United States Dollars in 2026, a massive increase from its 2025 budget of 28.7 billion. Contrasted against NASA's budget troubles, it is becoming rather clear where American priorities in space are. ## Protests at NASA While agency leadership yields to the White House, outside of NASA facilities, like the [Glenn Research Center](https://www.cleveland.com/news/2025/06/protesters-fight-nasa-budget-cuts-affecting-clevelands-glenn-research-center.html?ref=proximareport.com) and the [agency's headquarters](https://nasawatch.com/activism/todays-budget-protest-at-nasa-headquarters/?ref=proximareport.com) (a similar one [took place at Johnson Space Center](https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/nasa/2025/03/17/516193/labor-unions-protest-federal-workforce-cuts-at-nasas-johnson-space-center-in-houston/?ref=proximareport.com) in March), protests have been taking place in an attempt to bring more awareness to the budget cuts. These protests did not prevent anyone from entering the facilities and [were not a picket line](https://nasawatch.com/activism/budget-protest-at-nasa-headquarters/?ref=proximareport.com). NASA Headquarters leadership was not happy with the protests, [advising employees](https://nasawatch.com/activism/nasa-headquarters-budget-protest-on-monday/?ref=proximareport.com) not to participate and to [avoid members of the media](https://nasawatch.com/activism/nasa-hq-demonstration-memo/?ref=proximareport.com). Alongside this, advocacy groups looking to reverse the NASA budget cuts [made no mention](https://nasawatch.com/activism/budget-protest-people-spoke-out-advocacy-groups-did-nothing/?ref=proximareport.com) of the protests. > Over 100 people are protesting budget cuts to [@NASA](https://twitter.com/NASA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) at [#NASA](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NASA?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) HQ in Washington DC a short distance from White House & Congress. Local media were here. Yet [@exploreplanets](https://twitter.com/exploreplanets?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Planetary Society could not even be bothered to make any mention. WTF? [pic.twitter.com/RLriOwK4DE](https://t.co/RLriOwK4DE?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) [June 30, 2025](https://twitter.com/NASAWatch/status/1939692642385698856?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Various protest signs displayed outsite of NASA Headquarters, via [NASA Watch on Twitter](https://x.com/NASAWatch/status/1939692642385698856?ref=proximareport.com). > One of the many signs at the [@NASA](https://twitter.com/NASA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) HQ budget protest. [pic.twitter.com/4ZYBw3oAEv](https://t.co/4ZYBw3oAEv?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) [June 30, 2025](https://twitter.com/NASAWatch/status/1939653089885393015?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) A "Make America Last in Space Again", a play on the MAGA slogan, protest sign with the flag of China on the Sputnik satellite, via [NASA Watch on Twitter](https://x.com/NASAWatch/status/1939653089885393015?ref=proximareport.com). ### Monthly Dose of Space - June 2025 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-june-2025/ Last updated: 2025-07-01T14:59:41.000Z Welcome to our twenty-first Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month. The end of June brings us to the midpoint of the year, so let's jump into the past month! ## **News of the Month** News during June has seen new discoveries and images of the universe beyond our solar system, new commercial launch systems progressing through key tests, the latest in a series of collaborative satellites, and a space-related budget increase? ### Tianwen-2 photographs the Earth & Moon ![The Earth and Moon seen by Tianwen-2’s Asteroid Narrow Angle Camera from 590,000 kilometers away. ©China National Space Administration](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/a008Jt69Vly1i2xvcanhh4j33ya2yo7wh.png) The Earth and Moon seen by Tianwen-2’s Asteroid Narrow Angle Camera from 590,000 kilometers away. ©China National Space Administration The Tianwen-2 asteroid sample return mission is currently over 12 million kilometers away from Earth as it heads out to asteroid 2016HO3/469219 Kamoʻoalewa, with a planned arrival in the [summer of 2026](https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202507/01/WS68632faaa31000e9a5739681%5F2.html?ref=proximareport.com), where it will gather between 200 and 1,000 grams of samples. Around 2029, those samples will be returned to Earth during a flyby. Recently, in the last hours of the month, the [China National Space Administration shared two images](https://www.cnsa.gov.cn/n6759533/c10684432/content.html?ref=proximareport.com) captured by the spacecraft’s Asteroid Narrow Angle Camera. Those images were of the Earth and Moon, seen from a distance of 590,000 kilometers as the probe left the Earth-Moon system for interplanetary space. The new images follow the first one shared from the mission in early June, of the spacecraft's circular solar panel fully unfurled. Further images are likely to come from Tianwen-2 in the future, as the mission is said to be housing deployable cameras that will image the spacecraft from a third-person perspective. ![One of Tianwen-2’s circular solar panels seen by an onboard camera. ©China National Space Administration](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/07/008hZGnZly1i25hkjwqjdj30u00u076j.jpg) One of Tianwen-2’s circular solar panels seen by an onboard camera. ©China National Space Administration ### U.S. Space Force eyes 40 billion budget [*SpaceNews* is reporting](https://spacenews.com/trumps-one-big-beautiful-bill-would-give-space-force-a-nearly-40-billion-budget/?ref=proximareport.com) that under President Donald Trump's 'One Big, Beautiful Bill', the U.S. Space Force's budget will be increased to 39.9 billion United States Dollars in 2026, a massive increase from its 2025 budget of 28.7 billion. The 2026 budget would provide the military space branch with 26.1 billion in traditional funding, along with 13.8 billion through a reconciliation package. This major increase in funding is reportedly due to Trump wanting an overall budget of one trillion dollars for the U.S. military. It is unknown what the Space Force will spend its new billions on, but options include the 'Golden Dome' system, itself unclear in use, or on-orbit military assets. Additionally, the funding provided through a reconciliation package is expected to last ten years. A potentially massive funding increase for the Space Force comes as [NASA is facing dramatic cuts](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-ends-nasa-global) across its scientific and exploration portfolio. It is also becoming rather clear where American priorities in space are. ### Brazil, China begin work on Earth resource satellite Brazil [enacted the legal protocols for the sixth](https://agenciagov.ebc.com.br/noticias/202506/brasil-promulga-protocolo-complementar-para-desenvolvimento-do-cbers-6-com-a-china?ref=proximareport.com) China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite, commonly shortened to CBERS, on June 10th formally authorizing joint development of the spacecraft. Prior legal documents were signed over [the last two years](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-11-17/China-Brazil-deepen-cooperation-on-sustainable-development-1yzIqSPQQEM/p.html?ref=proximareport.com). Work on the satellite will be conducted by the China Academy of Space Technology and Brazil’s Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (National Institute for Space Research). A preliminary design review for the spacecraft was [completed by both sides in mid-2024](https://www.gov.br/aeb/pt-br/assuntos/noticias/revisao-preliminar-de-projeto-do-satelite-cbers-6-foi-concluida-com-sucesso?ref=proximareport.com), and in December of the same year, [Brazil approved](https://www12.senado.leg.br/noticias/materias/2024/12/18/aprovado-acordo-com-a-china-para-producao-de-satelites?ref=proximareport.com) the beginning of spacecraft production. CBERS-6 is set to use Brazil’s Multi Mission Platform to support necessary spacecraft systems. Instruments planned to be onboard the spacecraft include an X-band synthetic aperture radar, provided by the Chinese side, with an imaging resolution as low as 1 meter, which will enable all-day, any-weather, any-condition imaging of the Earth's surface. Following satellite development, CBERS-6 will head to a sun-synchronous orbit in 2028\. Data collected by the spacecraft is planned to be used for planning, monitoring, and control of deforestation, border surveillance, urban planning, water resources and vegetation monitoring, coastal surveillance, and agricultural support. This data will also be complemented by previous CBERS satellites. ### CAS Space performs static fires > It's official! We have completed the first-stage hot fire testing, very successfully, at the dedicated CAS Space engine testing center located in Conghua, Guangzhou. > > The test center is currently the sole engine and propulsion system test center in southern China. The complex… [pic.twitter.com/7Kknj2sDTi](https://t.co/7Kknj2sDTi?ref=proximareport.com) > > — CAS Space (@cas\_space) [June 12, 2025](https://twitter.com/cas%5Fspace/status/1932981222772207626?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Kinetica-2's first-stage booster performing its static fire, via [CAS Space on Twitter](https://x.com/cas%5Fspace/status/1932981222772207626?ref=proximareport.com). CAS Space, one of China's commercial launch companies and operator of the Kinetica series of rockets, fired hardware for both its orbital and suborbital rockets during June. Beginning on June 11th, CAS Space has [fired up one of the first-stage boosters](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ODSBVjfEMW84UJF273wiiA?ref=proximareport.com) of its Kinetica-2 launch vehicle at the company’s dedicated engine firing center in Conghua, Guangzhou, Guangdong province. The test static fired one Kinetica-2’s first-stage booster equipped with three YF-102 engines burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. For the test, the three engines fired for approximately 169 seconds while generating around 255 tons of thrust. In its blog post about the static fire, the company stated that the test had: > "\[Fully\] verified the coordination and matching between the rocket's first-stage pressurization and delivery system and the engine system, as well as the correctness of the system interfaces such as power, structure, avionics, and launch support." Just over a week later, CAS Space also [fired up the engine](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/SsDfUDLHgmB18MTO-V636A?ref=proximareport.com) for its Lihong-2 reusable suborbital tourist vehicle, known as Liqing-1 or Kinecore-1\. The test firings saw the engine fired twice, a first firing lasted for 100 seconds while the second lasted for 80 seconds. > We have successfully tested the Kinecore (Liqing) - 1 engine with a 180s hot fire test. The 294 kN (ground thrust) engine will power the Lihong-2 reusable suborbital vehicle. > The engine is developed in-house, featuring a pintle injector mechanism, and is constructed from… [pic.twitter.com/hPJMjp9hcH](https://t.co/hPJMjp9hcH?ref=proximareport.com) > > — CAS Space (@cas\_space) [June 19, 2025](https://twitter.com/cas%5Fspace/status/1935716899813212617?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The Liqing-1 engine during its two test firings, via [CAS Space on Twitter](https://x.com/cas%5Fspace/status/1935716899813212617?ref=proximareport.com). Liqing-1 burns liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene to generate 30 tons of thrust, via a gas generator cycle with a pintle injector to provide fuel and a regeneratively cooled nozzle. This is said to allow a throttle range between fifty to one hundred percent of the engine’s thrust while starting up to three times. Five Liqing-1 engines are designed to power the company’s Lihong-2 tourism vehicle. Following those tests, on June 25th the company [fired up Kinetica-2's second-stage](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/zQO3c4cCuVqFBtDASxMCHg?ref=proximareport.com) for two static fires, on the same test stand used for the first-stage booster. The first static fire lasted for around 280 seconds while the second lasted for just 25 seconds. Both test firings simulated flight conditions and durations while testing the YF-102V engine’s ability to gimbal while producing thrust, around 85 tons. During the test, two start-ups and shut-downs were performed to demonstrate the second-stage mission profile. Kinetica-2 is currently expected to perform its debut flight from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in September of this year, while Lihong-2 may not fly until around 2026 or 2027\. Lessons learned with Lihong-2 may be applied to Kinetica-2 once it is equipped for reusable operation around 2028. ### Rubin Observatory shares first images ![Clouds of gas and dust comprising the Trifid and Lagoon nebula's. ©National Science Foundation/Department of Energy/Vera C. Rubin Observatory](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/b929f9818eb34b95b750ecdb0c8a705d.png) Clouds of gas and dust comprising the Trifid and Lagoon nebula's. ©National Science Foundation/Department of Energy/Vera C. Rubin Observatory The U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science [shared the first images](https://rubinobservatory.org/news/first-imagery-rubin?ref=proximareport.com) from its Vera C. Rubin Observatory, located in Chile, on June 23rd. The observatory is named after U.S. astronomer Vera C. Rubin, who found conclusive evidence of vast quantities of invisible material known as dark matter. Utilizing its 8.4-meter telescope, said to be the largest digital camera ever built, the Rubin Observatory revealed new ultra-high-definition images of galaxies, nebulae, and over 2,100 never-before-seen asteroids (found in just ten hours). Luckily, none of these asteroids are expected to pose a threat to Earth. Speaking on the new observatory, Brian Stone, Acting Director of the National Science Foundation, said: > "\[The\] Rubin Observatory will capture more information about our Universe than all optical telescopes throughout history combined," – "Through this remarkable scientific facility, we will explore many cosmic mysteries, including the dark matter and dark energy that permeate the Universe." This bounty of data will help scientists make new discoveries about the Universe and will serve as an become a resource for scientific exploration for years to come. ### James Webb finds new exo-planet ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/Zgdtd2No3u4puhAfCT4CNj-650-80.png.webp) the CE Antilae Star as seen by both ESO's Very Large Telescope SPHERE instrument, with JWST's MIRI image overlayed. the area marked "CC #1" is the location of the sub-Jovian planet Since its launch on Christmas Day, 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope has been a powerful asset to astronomers across the globe. Recently, the powerful eye in the sky [found a new exoplanet](https://phys.org/news/2025-06-webb-telescope-captures-image-exoplanet.html?ref=proximareport.com), dubbed TWA 7b, orbiting around the (relatively) young CE Antilae star, which is just a few million years old. Besides being Webb's first exoplanet find, TWA 7b is the smallest exoplanet humanity has directly imaged. The planet has a mass 100 times that of Earth or about 0.3 times that of Jupiter. Since the 1999s CE Antilae has been a closely studied star due to its unique "pole" position relative to Earth. Simply put, we see the CE Antilae system from a top-down view, allowing us to see structures we normally cannot. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw **26** launches worldwide, continuing a busy year. If you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *June 3rd - Electron for 'Full Stream Ahead'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand, carrying a single satellite to low Earth orbit for BlackSky Technology. BlackSky's satellite will provide images with a 50-centimeter resolution to customers. ### *June 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-19* Twenty-three Starlink satellites were launched atop of a Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit out of Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. In support of this mission was booster B1077, for its twenty-first flight with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. This was also the 500th launch for SpaceX's family of Falcon rockets, including Falcon 1, Falcon 9, and Falcon Heavy. ### *June 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-22* Twenty-seven Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1063 supported this launch for its twenty-sixth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *June 5th - Long March 6A with GuoWang Group 04* A Long March 6A launched from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying five satellites into polar orbit for GuoWang's fourth satellite group. With this launch, the GuoWang mega-constellation has 34 satellites in orbit out of a possible 13,000, which will eventually provide worldwide internet services. ### *June 7th - Falcon 9 with SXM-10* SpaceX launched SiriusXM's SXM-10 satellite to geostationary transfer orbit with a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. The SXM-10 satellite will be used to transmit SiriusXM's programming to its listeners' radios. ### *June 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-8* Twenty-six Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1088 flying for the seventh time, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *June 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-24* Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-three more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Booster B1083 supported this mission for its twelfth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *June 11th - Electron for 'The Mountain God Guards'* Rocket Lab once again flew its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1A on the Māhia Peninsula, carrying a synthetic aperture radar satellite to low Earth orbit, on behalf of iQPS. The satellite is part of a planned thirty-six satellite constellation that can image a chosen part of the Earth every ten minutes. ### *June 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-6* Another twenty-six Starlink satellites headed to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this mission was booster B1081, flying for the fifteenth time with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *June 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-26* Twenty-three more Starlink satellites rode into low orbit Earth atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1078 supported this mission for its twenty-first flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *June 14th - Long March 2D with Zhangheng-1-02* A Long March 2D blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying the Chinese-Italian Zhangheng-1-02, also known as China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite 02, to sun-synchronous orbit. The satellite is expected to provide natural disaster monitoring and prediction, as well as space environment monitoring and forecasting. ### *June 17th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-9* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-six Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1093, making its third flight, and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *June 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-18* Another twenty-eight Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1090 supported this mission for its fifth flight, with a downrange landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *June 19th - Angara-A5 with an unknown payload* An Angara-A5 flew for what is believed to be its first operational flight from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. The payload atop of the rocket is unknown, [possibly a military satellite](https://russianspaceweb.com/angara5-flight5.html?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), but heading toward geostationary orbit. ### *June 20th - Long March 3B/E with ChinaSat-9C* A Long March 3B/E blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, for the rocket's ninth flight of the year, carrying ChinaSat-9C to a geostationary transfer orbit. ChinaSat-9C is planned to replace ChinaSat-9, currently residing over China, along with its radio, television, and communication services. ### *June 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-23* A Falcon 9 flew from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-seven Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1069, performing its twenty-fifth flight, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *June 23rd - Atlas V with KA-02* United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket roared from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, carrying the second batch of twenty-seven satellites for Amazon's Kuiper internet-providing mega-constellation into low Earth orbit. With the launch of a second group of satellites, Amazon now has 54 spacecraft in orbit, out of a planned total of 3,236. ### *June 23rd - Falcon 9 with Transporter-14* SpaceX performed its Transporter-14 rideshare mission, carrying seventy small satellites, with a Falcon 9 flying to sun-synchronous orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1071 supported this mission for its twenty-sixth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *June 25th - Falcon 9 with Axiom-4* Axiom Space's Axiom-4 mission departed from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, atop of a Falcon 9, carrying Peggy Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, and Tibor Kapu toward the International Space Station. Crew Dragon 'Grace' is flying for the first time during this mission, while the launch was supported by booster B1094, performing its second flight and landing back at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. Details on the mission are available [here](https://proximareport.com/articles/axiom-4-iss?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). ### *June 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-16* Another twenty-seven Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this mission was booster B1080, flying for the twentieth time, and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *June 26th - Electron for 'Get The Hawk Outta Here'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket flew again from Launch Complex 1A, carrying three satellites into low Earth orbit for HawkEye 360\. The satellites aim to provide precise mapping of radio frequency emissions worldwide. ### *June 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink 10-34* Falcon 9 once again launched twenty-seven Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1092, flying for the fifth time, supported this mission, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *June 28th - Electron for 'Symphony In The Stars'* Another Electron flew from Launch Complex 1B for a mission to sun-synchronous orbit. The customer for this mission is unknown. ### *June 28th - H-IIA with GOSAT-GW* Japan's H-IIA rocket blasted off from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying a single payload to sun-synchronous orbit. The satellite riding atop of the rocket was GOSAT-GW (Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite, Greenhouse gases and Water cycle), which will monitor greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere. This was also the final flight of Japan's H-II series of rockets. ### *June 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-7* Twenty-six more Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E by a Falcon 9\. Booster B1088 supported this mission for its eighth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *June 29th - New Shepard with NS-33* Blue Origin performed New Shepard's suborbital NS-33 mission from its West Texas launch site, carrying Allie Kuehner, Carl Kuehner, Leland Larson, Freddie Rescigno, Owolabi Salis, and James Sitkin above the Kármán line. The vehicles used during the mission were booster NS5, flying for the fourth time, and capsule RSS Kármán Line, making its third flight. ## Launches to look out for in July! July will continue a busy year for worldwide launches. Listed below are all of the launches expected or likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of July may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *July 1st - Falcon 9 with MTG-S1* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch the MTG-S1 spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A to a geostationary transfer orbit. ### *July 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-25* Twenty-seven more Starlink satellites are planned to head to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *July 2nd - Eris for its debut flight* Gilmour Space is planning to perform the debut flight of its Eris rocket from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport, in Australia. ### *July 3rd - Long March 4B with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 4B may lift off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, heading for low Earth orbit. ### *July 3rd - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-31* A Soyuz 2.1a is preparing to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome with the Progress MS-31 spacecraft bound for the International Space Station. ### *July 16th - GLSV Mk II with NISAR* The Indian Space Research Organisation is expecting to launch its joint spacecraft with NASA (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, or NISAR) to sun-synchronous orbit atop of a GSLV Mk II rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Center. ### *July 25th - Soyuz 2.1b with two Ionosfera-M satellites* Two Ionosfera-M ionospheric and magnetospheric research satellites are planned to launch to sun-synchronous orbit atop of a Soyuz 2.1b from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. ### *July 26th - Vega-C with CO3D & MicroCarb* A Vega-C is preparing to launch from the Guiana Space Centre carrying two satellites to sun-synchronous orbit, CO3D for Earth observations and MicroCarb to map sources and sinks of carbon dioxide. ### *July 31st - Falcon 9 with Crew-11* NASA's Crew-11 mission, with astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, as well as JAXA's Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos' Oleg Platanov, to the International Space Station is expected to launch atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. ### Weekly Dose of Space (22/6-28/6) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-22-6-28-6/ Last updated: 2025-06-29T15:20:24.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had ten launches worldwide, with the majority heading to low Earth orbit. During the week, a new booster bound for SLS in the 2030s experienced an anomaly, and another spacewalk aboard the Tiangong Space Station was performed. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *June 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-23* A Falcon 9 flew from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-seven Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1069, performing its twenty-fifth flight, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *June 23rd - Atlas V with KA-02* United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket roared from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, carrying the second batch of twenty-seven satellites for Amazon's Kuiper internet-providing mega-constellation into low Earth orbit. With the launch of a second group of satellites, Amazon now has 54 spacecraft in orbit, out of a planned total of 3,236. > Bird’s eye view of Kuiper 02 looking down from one of the lightning towers. (Turn up the volume) [#Kuiper](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kuiper?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/jvGwGiifG9](https://t.co/jvGwGiifG9?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Tory Bruno (@torybruno) [June 24, 2025](https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1937566673047007446?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Atlas V lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41 for the KA-02 mission, via [Tory Bruno on Twitter](https://x.com/torybruno/status/1937566673047007446?ref=proximareport.com). ### *June 23rd - Falcon 9 with Transporter-14* SpaceX performed its Transporter-14 rideshare mission, carrying seventy small satellites, with a Falcon 9 flying to sun-synchronous orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1071 supported this mission for its twenty-sixth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Transporter-14 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/GuK_lkHbEAAISJx.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Transporter-14 mission. ©SpaceX ### *June 25th - Falcon 9 with Axiom-4* Axiom Space's Axiom-4 mission departed from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, atop of a Falcon 9, carrying Peggy Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, and Tibor Kapu toward the International Space Station. Crew Dragon 'Grace' is flying for the first time during this mission, while the launch was supported by booster B1094, performing its second flight and landing back at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. Details on the mission are available [here](https://proximareport.com/articles/axiom-4-iss). ![Falcon 9 booster B1094 landing at Landing Zone 1 after supporting the Axion-4 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/GuR4X8lbkAA9m89.jpg) Falcon 9 booster B1094 landing at Landing Zone 1 after supporting the Axion-4 mission. ©SpaceX ### *June 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-16* Another twenty-seven Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this mission was booster B1080, flying for the twentieth time, and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-16 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/GuUbtekbEAQDfwP.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-16 mission. ©SpaceX ### *June 26th - Electron for 'Get The Hawk Outta Here'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket flew from Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying three satellites into low Earth orbit for HawkEye 360\. The satellites aim to provide precise mapping of radio frequency emissions worldwide. > 100% mission success and another new camera shot. [pic.twitter.com/tO9ImfsxCT](https://t.co/tO9ImfsxCT?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Peter Beck (@Peter\_J\_Beck) [June 26, 2025](https://twitter.com/Peter%5FJ%5FBeck/status/1938330075885408292?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron blasting off for 'Get The Hawk Outta Here', via [Peter Beck on Twitter](https://x.com/Peter%5FJ%5FBeck/status/1938330075885408292?ref=proximareport.com). ### *June 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink 10-34* Falcon 9 once again launched twenty-seven Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1092, flying for the fifth time, supported this mission, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *June 28th - Electron for 'Symphony In The Stars'* Another Electron flew from Launch Complex 1B, also on the Māhia Peninsula, for a mission to sun-synchronous orbit. The customer for this mission is unknown. > LIFT-OFF! Electron has cleared the launch pad and is on its way to space for ‘Symphony In The Stars’ 🎶 [pic.twitter.com/48RBxRMyGk](https://t.co/48RBxRMyGk?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [June 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1938857297255772293?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron lifting off for 'Symphony In The Stars', via [Rocket Lab on Twitter](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/1938857297255772293?ref=proximareport.com). ### *June 28th - H-IIA with GOSAT-GW* Japan's H-IIA rocket blasted off from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying a single payload to sun-synchronous orbit. The satellite riding atop of the rocket was GOSAT-GW (Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite, Greenhouse gases and Water cycle), which will monitor greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere. This was also the final flight of Japan's H-II series of rockets. > 🚀 Liftoff! JAXA's H-IIA F50 launches GOSAT-GW from Tanegashima [https://t.co/VEhHTh2DSk](https://t.co/VEhHTh2DSk?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/70kGPrjEzu](https://t.co/70kGPrjEzu?ref=proximareport.com) > > — China 'N Asia Spaceflight 🚀𝕏 🛰️ (@CNSpaceflight) [June 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1939002021358772374?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) H-IIA lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying GOSAT-GW, via [CNSpaceflight on Twitter](https://x.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1939002021358772374?ref=proximareport.com). ### *June 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-7* Twenty-six more Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E by a Falcon 9\. Booster B1088 supported this mission for its eighth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 15-7 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/GujRiD4XgAABpe0-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 15-7 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *New SLS booster suffers anomaly* > Close up slow motion footage of the unexpected event(s) during Northrop Grumman’s BOLE DM-1 stb test today. [@NASASpaceflight](https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) > > Rewatch the livestream here: [https://t.co/c3mHSLrzV2](https://t.co/c3mHSLrzV2?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/FcrZXjwLVD](https://t.co/FcrZXjwLVD?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jack Beyer (@thejackbeyer) [June 26, 2025](https://twitter.com/thejackbeyer/status/1938342841195040888?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Slow motion video of the anomaly during the BOLE firing, via [Jack Beyer on Twitter](https://x.com/thejackbeyer/status/1938342841195040888?ref=proximareport.com). On June 26th, Northrop Grumman was firing a new booster bound for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, no earlier than the Artemis 9 mission in the mid-2030s currently, when an anomaly was experienced. The anomaly saw the exhaust from the solid rocket motor escape before the nozzle, eventually obliterating the nozzle into thousands of pieces, around 100 seconds into the test. Despite the nozzle missing and the end of the motor heavily damaged, the motor burned for its planned duration, somewhat unaffected. Speaking on the test, Northrop Grumman's Vice President of Propulsion Systems, Jim Kalberer, [shared](https://news.northropgrumman.com/launch/Northrop-Grumman-Tests-Most-Powerful-Segmented-Solid-Rocket-Booster-Ever-Built?ref=proximareport.com): > "Today’s test pushed the boundaries of large solid rocket motor design to meet rigorous performance requirements. While the motor appeared to perform well through the most harsh environments of the test, we observed an anomaly near the end of the two-plus minute burn. As a new design, and the largest segmented solid rocket booster ever built, this test provides us with valuable data to iterate our design for future developments." The test where the anomaly was experienced was for the Booster Obsolescence and Life Extension (BOLE) five-segment solid rocket booster, planned to be the key part of SLS' 'Block 2' upgrade. That upgrade with see the boosters' burn profile be more optimized for the rocket, use carbon-fiber composites rather than steel for its casings, and switch to an electronic thrust vector control mechanism for the nozzle. All ultimately increasing the payload capacity of SLS. ### *Shenzhou-20 crew conducts second spacewalk* ![Chen Dong and Chen Zhongrui moving a space debris protection panel. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/685dffdda310a04a967b1f67.jpeg) Chen Dong and Chen Zhongrui moving a space debris protection panel. ©China Manned Space Agency Also on June 26th, the Shenzhou-20 crew [conducted their second spacewalk](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/taikonauts-install-new-external-hardware?ref=proximareport.com) onboard the Tiangong Space Station. For the spacewalk, Chen Dong and Chen Zhongrui exited the station for around six and a half hours via the Wentian modules airlock, with crewmate Wang Jie supporting the duo from inside. While outside the station, the two spacewalkers installed space debris protection devices, like their previous and many other Tiangong spacewalks, along with new interface and foot restraint adapters on external platforms. Alongside installing new hardware, inspections of the station's three modules were performed. Tiangong's robotic arm also helped with these tasks. This spacewalk came just five weeks after the duo performed their previous spacewalk. At present, the three taikonauts of the Shenzhou-20 mission have over four months left in their mission. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *June 29th - New Shepard with NS-33* Blue Origin is planning to fly New Shepard's suborbital NS-33 mission from its West Texas launch site, carrying Allie Kuehner and her husband, Carl Kuehner, Leland Larson, Freddie Rescigno, Owolabi Salis, and James Sitkin. ### *July 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-25* Twenty-seven more Starlink satellites are planned to head to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *July 1st - Falcon 9 with MTG-S1* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch the MTG-S1 spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A to a geostationary transfer orbit. ### *July 1st - Eris for its debut flight* Gilmour Space is planning to perform the debut flight of its Eris rocket from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport, in Australia. ### *July 3rd - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-31* A Soyuz 2.1a is preparing to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome with the Progress MS-31 spacecraft bound for the International Space Station. ### Axiom-4 Arrives at International Space Station URL: https://proximareport.com/axiom-4-iss/ Last updated: 2025-06-26T15:07:17.000Z Axiom Space's Axiom-4 mission [blasted off](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/06/25/axioms-fourth-private-mission-launches-to-station-aboard-dragon/?ref=proximareport.com) from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, atop of a Falcon 9 at 07:31 am Universal Coordinated Time on June 25th, carrying Peggy Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, and Tibor Kapu into low Earth orbit to chase down the International Space Station. Onboard the Axiom-4 mission are India, Hungary, and Poland's first astronauts in decades. Shubhanshu Shukla is the first Indian since [Rakesh Sharma](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rakesh%5FSharma?ref=proximareport.com) in 1984, a 41-year gap. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland is the first since [Mirosław Hermaszewski](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miros%C5%82aw%5FHermaszewski?ref=proximareport.com) in 1978, a 47-year gap. Hungary's Tibor Kapu is the first since [Bertalan Farkas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertalan%5FFarkas?ref=proximareport.com) in 1980, a 45-year gap. Those flights were all through the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics' Interkosmos program.[](https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/25/science/axiom-space-iss-leak-zvezda-module?ref=proximareport.com) The crew of four spent around a day catching up to the space station in their Crew Dragon spacecraft, which they named 'Grace'. Whitson expanded on the name, [sharing](https://www.axiomspace.com/mission-blog/ax4-dragon-name?ref=proximareport.com): > "*We had an incredible ride uphill, and we now set our course for the International Space Station aboard the newest member of the Dragon fleet — our spacecraft, ‘Grace’. Grace is more than a name. It reflects the elegance with which we move through space against the backdrop of Earth. It speaks to the refinement of our mission, the harmony of science and spirit, and the unmerited favor we carry with humility. Grace reminds us that spaceflight is not just a feat of engineering, but an act of goodwill —for the benefit of every human, everywhere*." Supporting the crew and Crew Dragon 'Grace' into orbit was Falcon 9 booster B1094, performing its second flight and landing back at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. > Falcon 9’s first stage booster has landed at Landing Zone 1 [pic.twitter.com/I5gI376fca](https://t.co/I5gI376fca?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [June 25, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1937762946538701096?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster B1094 landing after supporting the launch of the Axiom-4 mission, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1937762946538701096?ref=proximareport.com). Crew Dragon 'Grace' safely carried its crew to the space station, [docking](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/06/26/axiom-mission-4-astronauts-dock-to-station-inside-dragon/?ref=proximareport.com) to the Harmony modules space-facing port at 10:31 am Universal Coordinated Time on June 26th. Almost [two hours later](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/06/26/axiom-mission-4-astronauts-enter-station-begin-research-mission/?ref=proximareport.com), following a series of leak and safety checks, Whitson, Shukla, Uznański-Wiśniewski, and Kapu entered the International Space Station. While onboard the space station, the Axiom-4 crew will carry out a plethora of science. Research experiments from the Indian Space Research Organization focuses on microalgae studies and crop seed development in microgravity; the European Space Agency is researching extensive astronaut health monitoring, bone loss, and pharmaceutical testing; Hungary is looking into human microbiomes, cognitive function, and innovative propulsion systems; while Axiom Space's experiments specializes in supporting astronauts with medical conditions and cancer research in space. The full list of experiments is available [here](https://www.axiomspace.com/mission-blog/ax4-researchoverview?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). The Axiom-4 quartet is [planned to spend](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-partners-to-welcome-fourth-axiom-space-mission-to-space-station/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) two weeks on the International Space Station. ## Who's onboard? ![Tibor Kapu (left), Shubhanshu Shukla (center left), Peggy Whitson (center right), and Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (right) inside Crew Dragon during training. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/axiom-space-mission-4-crew-image-1.png) Tibor Kapu (left), Shubhanshu Shukla (center left), Peggy Whitson (center right), and Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (right) inside Crew Dragon during training. ©SpaceX **Peggy Whitson**, from the U.S.,is the [Commander of the Axiom-4 mission](https://www.axiomspace.com/astronaut/peggy-whitson?ref=proximareport.com), flying to space for the fifth time. She previously commanded the Axiom-2 mission in 2023 and participated in three long-duration spaceflights during her career at NASA. In total, she has spent 675 days in space. **Shubhanshu Shukla**, from India, is the [Pilot of the Axiom-4 mission](https://www.axiomspace.com/astronaut/shubhanshu-shukla?ref=proximareport.com) for his first trip to space. He was selected in 2024 as one of India's first four astronauts in the 21st century, possibly to fly aboard the first crewed Gaganyaan mission within a few years. Prior to astronaut selection, he was a pilot in the Indian Air Force. **Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski**, from Poland, is a [Mission Specialist for the Axiom-4 mission](https://www.axiomspace.com/astronaut/slawosz-uznanski?ref=proximareport.com), as part of his first spaceflight. He was selected as a member of the European Space Agency’s Astronaut Reserve Class of 2022 for potential missions to the International Space Station. Notably before his space career, he was the Engineer in Charge for the Large Hadron Collider from 2018 to 2020. **Tibor Kapu**, from Hungary, is a [Mission Specialist for the Axiom-4 mission](https://www.axiomspace.com/astronaut/tibor-kapu?ref=proximareport.com) for his first trip to space. In 2023, he was one of four Hungarians chosen for the Hungarian to Orbit Astronaut Program. Before being selected, he focused on space radiation protection at an aerospace technology company. ## What is Crew Dragon? Crew Dragon, or Dragon 2, is a partially reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX. The primary use for Crew Dragon is to send crew to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX also performs free-flight missions with the spacecraft. Crew Dragon consists of the capsule and trunk. The trunk is used to store unpressurized cargo as well as to have solar panels mounted on one side, to generate power, and radiators on the other, to dissipate heat generated inside. The trunk is not reused and burns up in the atmosphere after each mission. The capsule is where the crew will be during launch, landing, and while on their way to space. Unlike the original Dragon capsule, the Crew Dragon capsule has a launch abort system consisting of eight SuperDraco engines. This abort system [can also](https://x.com/dpoddolphinpro/status/1839785424618697197?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) be used to bring the capsule to a soft touchdown in the event of four parachute failures. The capsule also has a nosecone that will fold out of the way in space to protect the docking hardware and forward-facing thrusters during launch and landing. The forward-facing thrusters are the main propulsion system for performing maneuvers while in flight. Up to four parachutes will deploy from the capsule during descent to allow it to splash down for recovery. Crew Dragon was developed as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program to regain crew access to the International Space Station from the United States of America after the retirement of the Space Shuttle. SpaceX currently has four other active Crew Dragon capsules: Endeavour, Resilience, Endurance, and Freedom. ### Atlas V Delivers Second Batch of Amazon Kuiper Satellites URL: https://proximareport.com/atlas-second-kuiper-amazon/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T19:01:56.000Z United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket roared from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, carrying the second batch of 27 satellites for Amazon's Kuiper internet-providing mega-constellation into low Earth orbit on June 23rd. In the hours following launch, it was announced that the KA-02 (for Kuiper Atlas 2) mission had deployed the satellites from Atlas V's Centaur upper-stage. This mission, [like the previous Kuiper launch](https://proximareport.com/articles/kuiper-blasts-off-atop-atlas), utilized Atlas V's most powerful configuration, with five solid rocket boosters, a five-meter fairing, and a single RL-10 engine on Centaur, to lift the group of satellites. Six more Atlas V's are being prepared to launch Amazon's Kuiper satellites, before switching to United Launch Alliance's new Vulcan rocket. Gary Wentz, United Launch Alliance Vice President of Government and Commercial Programs, commented on the partnership to deploy Kuiper, [saying](https://newsroom.ulalaunch.com/releases/united-launch-alliance-and-amazon-launch-the-future-of-global-connectivity?ref=proximareport.com): > "We are proud to continue our strong partnership with Amazon and empower their mission to bridge the digital divide through reliable satellite technology," – "ULA, working as a catalyst to global connectivity in collaboration with Amazon, enables delivery of these critical satellites designed to drive innovation and connect the world." With the launch of a second group of satellites, Amazon now has 54 spacecraft in orbit, out of a planned total of 3,236\. Kuiper satellites are currently headed to an orbital altitude of around 630 kilometers, with an inclination of 51.9 degrees, to begin offering internet services to customers. > Take a look at this [@ULAlaunch](https://twitter.com/ulalaunch?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) clip of the first Kuiper satellites being released into low Earth orbit approximately 280 miles above the planet. Deployment takes place over a 15-minute period after launch, with satellites released three at a time from the dispenser system. [pic.twitter.com/bZ1zUy3IWs](https://t.co/bZ1zUy3IWs?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Project Kuiper (@ProjectKuiper) [May 2, 2025](https://twitter.com/ProjectKuiper/status/1918363321285148854?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Deployment of 27 Kuiper satellites following the KA-01 mission in April, via [Amazon's Kuiper on Twitter](https://x.com/ProjectKuiper/status/1918363321285148854?ref=proximareport.com). Following the deployment of further satellites, services from Kuiper are planned to be available later this year at speeds of [up to one gigabit per second](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/heres-your-first-look-at-project-kuipers-low-cost-customer-terminals?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). Teams working on Kuiper have been moving quickly to ensure routine launches for the constellation, with Rajeev Badyal, Vice President of Technology for Kuiper, [noting](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rajeev-badyal-807b3233%5Fthe-success-of-our-first-full-scale-kuiper-activity-7339130854608121857-JFEN/?rcm=ACoAADPrrp0B42OTD3pICNiphuCaOsv8nlxTxn4&ref=proximareport.com): > "The success of our first full-scale Kuiper mission in April meant we could move immediately to our next launch. All 27 satellites for our KA-02 mission were fully integrated within 17 days of that first launch ... Thanks to the entire team for the quick turnaround." In order to meet a deadline with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, half of the Kuiper's constellation, around 1,600 satellites, will need to be launched by mid-2026\. Currently, Amazon [has bought over eighty launches](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-makes-historic-launch-investment-to-advance-project-kuiper?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) to deploy the constellation, including launches atop of Europe's Ariane 6, Blue Origin's New Glenn, [United Launch Alliance's Atlas V](https://spacenews.com/amazon-contracts-nine-atlas-5-missions-for-kuiper-broadband-satellites/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) and Vulcan, [as well as SpaceX's Falcon 9](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-project-kuiper-spacex-launch?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). Additionally, Amazon has invested 140 million United States Dollars in a [spacecraft storage and integration facility at Cape Canaveral](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/project-kuiper-satellite-investment-expansion-florida?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) to streamline launch preparations. To assist in competing against other internet mega-constellations, [Amazon has partnered with](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-project-kuiper-aws?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) Japan's Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, America's Verizon, and the UK's Vodafone to bring services directly to consumers. Furthermore, the company is [teaming up with Airbus](https://aircraft.airbus.com/en/newsroom/web-story/2025-04-airbus-and-amazons-kuiper-team-up-to-offer-leo-satellite-network-for?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) to provide its airliners with in-flight connectivity. ## RocketGPT Ahead of today's Kuiper mission, [*SpaceNews* reported](https://spacenews.com/ula-testing-openais-government-compliant-chatbot/?ref=proximareport.com) that United Launch Alliance is trialing a version of OpenAI's government-compliant artificial intelligence chatbot to streamline the company's operations. Currently, the system, dubbed 'RocketGPT', is being utilized by about 150 employees via Microsoft's Azure cloud platform. Deploying 'RocketGPT' is reported to have taken several months to ensure security compliance requirements while fitting the company's specific needs. Chief Executive Officer of United Launch Alliance, Tory Bruno, expects the tool to help with “tedious, time-consuming things” like report writing, government proposals, and flight telemetry analysis while boosting productivity. However, Bruno also emphasized that artificial intelligence functions as a research assistant rather than a job replacement, requiring extensive training on large datasets and human oversight for final products. --- ## What is Atlas V? Atlas V is United Launch Alliance's oldest two-stage rocket in service. The rocket is currently planned to be [replaced by Vulcan](https://proximareport.com/articles/vulcan-second-certification-flight?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) when it retires before 2030. The first-stage is powered by a single RD-180 generating 390 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen for four minutes and thirteen seconds. The RD-180 is manufactured by NPO Energomash in Russia. The second-stage is powered by either one or two RL-10 engines generating 10 tons of thrust each while burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for up to fourteen minutes and two seconds. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies Company, manufactures the RL-10 engines. Atlas V can also launch with between zero and five GEM-63 solid rocket motors to augment the rocket's thrust and payload capability. Each booster burns a solid propellant, consisting of Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and Aluminum-Ammonium perchlorate, generating 169 tons of thrust each for a believed one minute and thirty-four seconds. Northrop Grumman manufactures the solid rocket boosters for use with United Launch Alliance. Atlas V also has eleven different configurations with the following payload capacities: up to 18,814 kilograms to low Earth orbit, up to 8,900 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, or up to 3,850 kilograms to geostationary orbit. ### Weekly Dose of Space (15/6-21/6) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-15-6-21-6/ Last updated: 2025-06-22T14:55:32.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw four launches globally, with an even split between low Earth and geostationary orbit missions. News of the week saw China performing tests of its new crewed spacecraft, Honda performing a rocket hop, and Zhuque-3 firing up! As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *June 17th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-9* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-six Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1093, making its third flight, and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 15-9 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/Gtnz8NQbEAAGHlS.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 15-9 mission. ©SpaceX ### *June 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-18* Another twenty-eight Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1090 supported this mission for its fifth flight, with a downrange landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-18 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/GttWCDZbwAAqlgI-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-18 mission. ©SpaceX ### *June 19th - Angara-A5 with an unknown payload* An Angara-A5 flew for what is believed to be its first operational flight from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. The payload atop of the rocket is unknown, [possibly a military satellite](https://russianspaceweb.com/angara5-flight5.html?ref=proximareport.com), but heading toward geostationary orbit. > More Angles [pic.twitter.com/weDjSyyGqG](https://t.co/weDjSyyGqG?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [June 19, 2025](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1935624402827153545?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Angara-A5 lifts off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome on June 19th, via [robert\_savitsky on Twitter](https://x.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1935624402827153545?ref=proximareport.com). ### *June 20th - Long March 3B/E with ChinaSat-9C* A Long March 3B/E blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, for the rocket's ninth flight of the year, carrying ChinaSat-9C to a geostationary transfer orbit. ChinaSat-9C is planned to replace ChinaSat-9, currently residing over China, along with its radio, television, and communication services. ![The Long March 3B/E blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying ChinaSat-9C.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/008iEnCggy1i2m4hrqox4j311s1e0qsj-1.jpg) The Long March 3B/E blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying ChinaSat-9C. ## **In Other Space News** ### *China's Mengzhou completes abort test* ![The Mengzhou capsule separating from its launch escape system during the test.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/006Su8pSgy1i2ifn3hdrij335s23v4qp-1.jpg) The Mengzhou capsule separating from its launch escape system during the test. On June 17th, China took another step toward the Moon for its crewed lunar program with the [launch pad abort test of the Mengzhou](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/mengzhou-soars-for-zero-altitude?ref=proximareport.com) capsule at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The test saw the capsule sever connections to a dummy service module and ignite the launch escape system, pulling the vehicle skyward for twenty seconds. After which the escape system separated. Free of the escape system, Mengzhou gradually rocked toward a stable descent angle before deploying two drogue parachutes to slow it enough to release the three large main parachutes. Under the main parachutes, the capsule's heat shield was released to allow airbags underneath it to inflate. Two minutes after the launch escape system had ignited, Mengzhou touched down and awaited retrieval by recovery and test teams. This test was regarded as a success by the China Manned Space Agency, [which shared](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/J7OKUhGYHLFq9FxSz%5FyRmQ?ref=proximareport.com): > “Mengzhou spacecraft system assumes the overall function of escape and is fully responsible for the two tasks of escape and life-saving. Through the test, the escape life-saving subsystem and related large systems of the Mengzhou manned spacecraft were comprehensively assessed, and the correctness and matching of the design of escape timing, escape separation, escape ballistic closed-loop control were verified, and the escape real flight parameters were obtained.” Later in the year, Mengzhou is expected to complete an in-flight abort test, likely on a customer vehicle akin to [NASA’s Orion in-flight abort](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/ascent-abort-2/?ref=proximareport.com) test, either at Jiuquan or the Wenchang Space Launch Sites. ### *LandSpace fires up Zhuque-3* ![Zhuque-3's first-stage booster performing its static fire test.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/zq3-staticfire-1.jpg) Zhuque-3's first-stage booster performing its static fire test. LandSpace, one of China's leading commercial rocket firms, [fired up its reusable stainless steel Zhuque-3](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/QuOPfldSORfGEZxznj5Ikw?ref=proximareport.com) first-stage booster on June 20th on its launch pad at Jiuquan for a static fire, one of the few remaining tests ahead of the launch vehicle's debut flight. For the static fire, the booster was fully loaded with liquid methane and liquid oxygen, to mimic its conditions at liftoff and to weigh the stage down, before its nine TQ-12A engines ignited. Once ignited, the nine engines burned together for forty-five seconds, generating around 769 tons of thrust. This test was hailed as a success, verifying control systems for the nine engines, ensuring they’re generating the same level of thrust, starting up and shutting down at the same time, and gimbaling as wanted, as well as the first-stage’s structure, tank pressurization, and avionics. As such, following the test LandSpace stated: > “This test is not only a comprehensive system exercise that is highly close to the flight state, but also a powerful verification of LandSpace's overall integration capabilities in the research and development of liquid oxygen and methane launch vehicle propulsion systems. It marks that China's liquid rocket propulsion system has achieved important breakthroughs in key technologies such as multi-engine synchronous start-up, multi-engine propellant distribution and combustion stability. It also lays a solid foundation for the upcoming maiden flight of the Zhuque-3 reusable rocket and the engineering of China's reusable launch vehicle technology.” LandSpace is hoping to [fulfill an ambitious year](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/landspace-ispace-galactic-energy?ref=proximareport.com) with Zhuque-3 in 2025, targeting three flights and the landing of a first-stage, along with twelve flights in 2026 if all goes as planned this year. ### *Honda performs reusable rocket test* > 再使用型ロケット実験機の > 離着陸実験に成功 🎉 > > 本日、自社開発の再使用型ロケットの実験機を用いて、Honda初となる高度300mまでの離着陸実験を行いました。 > > 今回の成功により、再使用型ロケットの研究段階を一歩進めることができました！… [pic.twitter.com/IGxMxZ5RyN](https://t.co/IGxMxZ5RyN?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Honda 本田技研工業 (@HondaJP) [June 17, 2025](https://twitter.com/HondaJP/status/1934940854247997745?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Honda's reusable rocket performing its June 17th test, via [Honda on Twitter](https://x.com/HondaJP/status/1934940854247997745?ref=proximareport.com). In a surprise entry for reusable rocket development, Honda, best known as an automaker, [performed a hop test on June 17th](https://global.honda/en/topics/2025/c%5F2025-06-17ceng.html?ref=proximareport.com) with a small rocket in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. The vehicle used for the test was developed by the company and stood 6.3 meters in height, 85 centimeters in diameter, while weighing 1,312 kilograms fully fuelled (900 kilograms without). For the test, Honda's experimental reusable rocket flew for 56.6 seconds and reached a height of 271.4 meters. The landing saw the vehicle touch down 37 centimeters from its target. Additionally, in a rare occurrence for reusable rocket tests, the vehicles' landing legs tucked into the vehicle after liftoff and redeployed before landing (usually landing legs are fixed in place or a vehicle is launched from a stand with legs deployed for landing). According to Honda, this test demonstrated key technologies essential for rocket reusability, such as flight stability during ascent and descent, as well as landing capabilities. Global Chief Executive Officer of Honda, Toshihiro Mibe, commented on the test, saying: > "We are pleased that Honda has made another step forward in our research on reusable rockets with this successful completion of a launch and landing test. We believe that rocket research is a meaningful endeavor that leverages Honda’s technological strengths. Honda will continue to take on new challenges—not only to offer our customers various services and value through our products, while addressing environmental and safety issues, but also to continue creating new value which will make people’s time and place more enjoyable." ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *June 22nd - Starlink Group 10-23* From Space Launch Complex 40, a Falcon 9 is expected to send twenty-seven Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *June 22nd - New Shepard with NS-33* Blue Origin is planning to fly New Shepard's suborbital NS-33 mission from its West Texas launch site, carrying Allie Kuehner and her husband, Carl Kuehner, Leland Larson, Freddie Rescigno, Owolabi Salis, and James Sitkin. ### *June 22nd - Falcon 9 with Transporter-14* SpaceX is preparing to fly its fourteenth Transporter sun-synchronous orbit small satellite rideshare mission with a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *June 23rd - Atlas V with KA-02* United Launch Alliance is preparing to launch Amazon's second group of twenty-seven Kuiper satellites to low Earth orbit to build the space-based internet mega-constellation. ### *June 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-34* Another batch of Starlink satellites is planned to head to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *NET coming week? - Falcon 9 with Axiom-4* SpaceX is expecting to launch the Axiom-4 mission on a Crew Dragon spacecraft, carrying Peggy Whitson from the U.S., Shubhanshu Shukla from India, Sławosz Uznański from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, to the International Space Station atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. ### Starship Faces Major Setback with Testing Anomaly URL: https://proximareport.com/starship-faces-major-setback-with-testing-anomaly/ Last updated: 2025-06-19T13:21:01.000Z In the early morning of June 19th, SpaceX was testing Ship 36 at the Massey's test site down the road from the company's South Texas launch site. This test was planned to build on a [single-engine static fire from days prior](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1935016991858835827?ref=proximareport.com), expecting to fire up all six Raptor engines on the vehicle. In preparation for the test, propellant was loaded into Ship 36's liquid methane and liquid oxygen main and landing tanks. During that process, the vehicle experienced a rapid disassembly from the top of the vehicle downward. > An extra-slowed down and cropped view Ship 36's RUD tonight. > 📺: [https://t.co/wL0tTdxtla](https://t.co/wL0tTdxtla?ref=proximareport.com) > 📸: [@NASASpaceflight](https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/dZjEcpGMpJ](https://t.co/dZjEcpGMpJ?ref=proximareport.com) > > — D Wise (@dwisecinema) [June 19, 2025](https://twitter.com/dwisecinema/status/1935571311771680949?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Slow motion video of Ship 36's anomlay, via [D Wise on Twitter](https://x.com/dwisecinema/status/1935571311771680949?ref=proximareport.com). Footage of the disassembly appears to show propellant bursting out from the heat shield near the top of the vehicle, then heading down toward the main propellant tanks. Once at the main tanks, the cloud of propellant quickly turned into a fireball, destroying the rest of Ship 36. Shortly after Ship 36's testing anomaly, SpaceX shared the [following statement](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1935572705941880971?ref=proximareport.com): > "On Wednesday, June 18 at approximately 11 p.m. CT, the Starship preparing for the tenth flight test experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase. A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for." > "Our Starbase team is actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials. There are no hazards to residents in surrounding communities, and we ask that individuals do not attempt to approach the area while safing operations continue" Despite SpaceX saying there are no hazards to the public, [several tons of silica fiber](https://x.com/mcrs987/status/1935565435811885225?ref=proximareport.com) from the vehicle's heat shield were ejected [toward populated areas](https://x.com/geerlingguy/status/1935573211850424540?ref=proximareport.com). Silica fiber can be hazardous if inhaled, similar to asbestos. In the hours after the anomaly, the Massey's test site was [on fire for a few hours](https://x.com/Blobifie/status/1935586310309503393?ref=proximareport.com) [before it subsided](https://x.com/Blobifie/status/1935624918793855172?ref=proximareport.com) ahead of sunrise, thanks to [emergency responders from nearby localities](https://x.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1935555395612741675?ref=proximareport.com). Once the Sun was up, it was clear that [plumbing to the test stand was gone](https://x.com/Blobifie/status/1935665998696485034?ref=proximareport.com), along with damage to [much of the site](https://x.com/clwphoto1/status/1935681757577166904?ref=proximareport.com). Despite this, Elon Musk, head of SpaceX, [took to Twitter](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1935638560276926914?ref=proximareport.com) to [say](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1935660973827952675?ref=proximareport.com): > "Just a scratch" – "Preliminary data suggests that a nitrogen COPV in the payload bay failed below its proof pressure. If further investigation confirms that this is what happened, it is the first time ever for this design." Ship 36's testing anomaly is the latest setback for SpaceX's in-development fully reusable Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle this year. In January, [Ship 33 was lost due to a fire](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-7) in its engine section. Next in March, [Ship 34 was also lost](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-8?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) via a fire in the engine section. Then in May, [Ship 35 was destroyed during atmospheric reentry](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-nine) following a spin induced by leakages in the engine section. All of the failures were using a 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage. Before the loss of Ship 36 during testing, SpaceX was believed to be [working toward June 29th](https://x.com/LabPadre/status/1935367523324571701?ref=proximareport.com) for the tenth test flight of Starship-Super Heavy. With the Massey's test site quite likely damaged following the testing anomaly, rebuilding and extensive repairs will be necessary before Ship 37 can complete its testing campaign before flying the tenth test flight. Those repairs will take anywhere from a few weeks to many months. Arguably, the Starship program has regressed significantly in terms of progress this year. 2023 saw two failures of the launch system, followed by one in 2024 ahead of three successes that year, including the first tower catch of the Super Heavy booster. Whereas this year, all Starship upper-stages have succumbed to failures, with two out of three boosters repeating the feat of being caught. 2025 had been poised to be critical for the Starship program with a Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer demonstration for NASA. The propellant transfer between two vehicles is critical for getting the Starship lunar lander out to the Moon, and returning American astronauts to the surface, [for one mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-2026-budget?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), through the Artemis program. SpaceX had also been hoping to fly [Starships to Mars in 2026](https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-mars-launches-2026-elon-musk?ref=proximareport.com). --- *The lead image is compliant with* [*NASASpaceflight's Content Use Policy*](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content-use-policy/?ref=proximareport.com)*.* ### Chinese Satellites Preparing for In-Space Refueling Test URL: https://proximareport.com/chinese-in-space-refueling-test/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T16:19:50.000Z China launched its Shijian-25 refueling spacecraft atop of a Long March 3B/E back [at the beginning of the year](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-launches-experimental-refueling?ref=proximareport.com). Since then, the spacecraft has been heading toward its likely target, Shijian-21, to dock. Over the past week, Shijian-25 has [been observed heading through](https://x.com/COMSPOC%5FOPS/status/1932512601059307748?ref=proximareport.com) the geostationary satellite belt toward the four-year-old Shijian-21, which itself was [drifting for several months](https://x.com/COMSPOC%5FOPS/status/1930742474307141638?ref=proximareport.com). The two spacecraft were expected to meet, based on observations, around June 11th, but slowed their approach as the distance closed. And as of June 14th, Slingshot Aerospace, a space situational awareness firm, [noted](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7339432554724323328/?ref=proximareport.com): > "\[The Shijian-25 and Shijian-21\] spacecraft operate within 3 km of one another at an average altitude of 35,750 km and inclination of 10.6 degrees" As the two Chinese spacecraft are heading toward each other, U.S. military satellites USA-270 and USA-271 [are also nearby](https://x.com/COMSPOC%5FOPS/status/1932170356069978493?ref=proximareport.com), likely to monitor them. Shijian-25 is stated to be a technological demonstration mission for refueling other spacecraft in orbit, allowing for an extension in a satellite's operational life. Details on the spacecraft are scarce, however [at the 2021 Zhuhai Airshow](https://weibo.com/6142289604/P8pFa8kv2?ref=proximareport.com) plans for a similar spacecraft boasted approximately 1,300 kilograms of propellant available for refueling services. At the same time as the airshow, Shijian-21 was launched into geostationary orbit to prove space debris mitigation technologies and practices. Doing so in [January of 2022](https://spacenews.com/chinas-shijian-21-spacecraft-docked-with-and-towed-a-dead-satellite/?ref=proximareport.com) by towing a defunct BeiDou satellite to a graveyard orbit. Shijian-21 is likely designed for the tests Shijian-25 is aiming to perform, with the airshow description indicating both satellites have robotic arms to allow either spacecraft to grab the other. Docking operations for the spacecraft described at the airshow say: > "When it arrives within about 2 meters of the satellite, with the cooperation of the robotic arm, it will achieve a close connection with the satellite refueling port and deliver fuel to the satellite.” ![A model of what is possibly the service section of the Shijian-21 or Shijian-25 satellite.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/f1610c51a0d9439f94e41caab49ddbab-1.jpeg) A model of what is possibly the service section of the Shijian-21 or Shijian-25 satellite. It's unknown when Shijian-25 is planned to dock with Shijian-21, as is expected with a mission from the Shijian program, along with when a spacecraft-to-spacecraft refueling test may take place. China's space agencies and enterprises may announce the success of the test anywhere from a few hours to several weeks afterwards. China isn't the only country currently interested in developing in-space refueling capabilities. The United States currently has three companies pursuing the technology, namely SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Northrop Grumman, all of which are largely privately funded and developing it independently. SpaceX is leading the U.S. efforts with a transfer of propellant [between its Starship vehicles' landing and main tanks](https://www.spacevoyaging.com/news/2024/04/28/starship-in-space-refueling-technology-is-getting-real/?ref=proximareport.com), but the vehicle has been stuck with [regular failures](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-nine), holding up orbital flights needed for the next major step in development like a Starship-to-Starship propellant transfer. Meanwhile, Northrop Grumman is in a [similar stage of development](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/satellites/2-private-satellites-undock-after-pioneering-life-extension-mission?ref=proximareport.com) to Shijian-21, with refueling in space [set to come later](https://spacenews.com/northrop-grummans-orbital-refueling-port-selected-for-u-s-military-satellites/?ref=proximareport.com). Lastly, Blue Origin is [still undergoing development](https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-updates-work-on-transporter-for-blue-moon-lunar-lander/?ref=proximareport.com) on Earth for its technology, planned to be used in support of its lunar landers. The U.S. had tested an initial form of the technology, which Shijian-25 is set to demonstrate, back in 1984 aboard the Space Shuttle STS-41G mission with the Orbital Refueling System experiment. That experiment [saw some propellant transferred](https://www.nasa.gov/history/35-years-ago-sts-41g-a-flight-of-many-firsts/?ref=proximareport.com) via some astronaut-installed piping between two tanks to simulate a connection to another spacecraft. A Shijian-25-like U.S. mission was [in development until March of 2024](https://spacenews.com/nasa-cancels-osam-1-satellite-servicing-technology-mission/?ref=proximareport.com), when it was cancelled due to technical, cost, and schedule challenges. ### Weekly Dose of Space (8/6-14/6) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-8-6-14-6/ Last updated: 2025-06-15T15:41:50.000Z Welcome Back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw six launches worldwide, with the majority carrying Starlink satellites. News from the week had demolition work taking place at Cape Canaveral as well as New Glenn moving toward its second flight, and the White House possibly moving against SpaceX. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *June 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-8* Twenty-six Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1088 flying for the seventh time, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *June 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-24* Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-three more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Booster B1083 supported this mission for its twelfth flight, landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 12-24 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/GtFvzFua4AADoZi-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 12-24 mission. ©SpaceX ### *June 11th - Electron for 'The Mountain God Guards'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1A on the Māhia Peninsula, carrying a synthetic aperture radar satellite to low Earth orbit, on behalf of iQPS. The satellite is part of a planned thirty-six satellite constellation that can image a chosen part of the Earth every ten minutes. > Another day, another QPS-SAR satellite deployed to space by Electron 🛰️🛰️🛰️🛰️ > > ‘The Mountain God Guards’ was the 4th of 8 missions launching on Electron to build the [@QPS\_Inc](https://twitter.com/QPS%5FInc?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Earth-imaging constellation. Each satellite is deployed with our Motorized Lightband separation system… [pic.twitter.com/VgQLFo0Blh](https://t.co/VgQLFo0Blh?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [June 13, 2025](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1933349609394626893?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Deployment of iQPS' satellite from Electron's kick-stage following its launch from New Zealand, via [Rocket Lab on Twitter](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/1933349609394626893?ref=proximareport.com). ### *June 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-6* Another twenty-six Starlink satellites headed to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this mission was booster B1081, flying for the fifteenth time with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *June 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-26* Twenty-three more Starlink satellites rode into low orbit Earth atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1078 supported this mission for its twenty-first flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 12-26 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/GtVuZeobMAYmPZC-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 12-26 mission. ©SpaceX ### *June 14th - Long March 2D with Zhangheng-1-02* A Long March 2D blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying the Chinese-Italian Zhangheng-1-02, also known as China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite 02, to sun-synchronous orbit. The satellite is expected to provide natural disaster monitoring and prediction, as well as space environment monitoring and forecasting. ![The Long March 2D Y42 vehicle during first-stage flight, with pre-launch thermal protection covers falling away.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/005PxpDoly1i2eym2lfk1j335f4q21l0-1.jpg) The Long March 2D Y42 vehicle during first-stage flight, with pre-launch thermal protection covers falling away. ## **In Other Space News** ### *White House reviewing SpaceX contracts* [Reuters is reporting](https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/white-house-reviews-spacex-contracts-trump-musk-feud-simmers-sources-say-2025-06-13/?ref=proximareport.com) that the White House has directed the Department of Defense and NASA to collect details on the approximately 22 billion United States Dollars in government contracts bound for SpaceX, following a [public feud](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3wd2215q08o?ref=proximareport.com) between President Donald Trump and his [major backer Elon Musk](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-benefited-trump). According to the report, the White House ordered the agencies to scrutinize Musk’s contracts to prepare possible retaliation against the businessman and his companies, while Pentagon officials are simultaneously [considering whether to reduce the role](https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/after-trump-feud-role-musks-spacex-golden-dome-missile-shield-question-2025-06-12/?ref=proximareport.com) that SpaceX may play in 'Golden Dome'. Nothing firm has been decided with SpaceX's government contracts yet, with Reuters being informed that the review is intended for quick retaliation against Musk should the need arise. At present, SpaceX operates the only U.S. spacecraft [capable of carrying astronauts](https://proximareport.com/articles/starliner-astronauts-return-aboard-crew-9) to the International Space Station while being [deeply involved with American intelligence](https://booty.substack.com/p/elon-musk-is-helping-us-intelligence?triedRedirect=true) gathering capabilities. ### *SLC-37 falls to make way for Starship* > End of an era: [@elonmusk](https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) not wasting time as LC-37 was cleared Thursday morning, making way for Starship. [pic.twitter.com/pg614jPPGr](https://t.co/pg614jPPGr?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Michael Seeley (@Mike\_Seeley) [June 12, 2025](https://twitter.com/Mike%5FSeeley/status/1933170127836778856?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Launch infrastructure for the Delta IV rocket being demolished, via [Michael Seeley on Twitter](https://x.com/Mike%5FSeeley/status/1933170127836778856?ref=proximareport.com). [On June 12th](https://eu.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2025/06/13/ula-rocket-towers-felled-spacex-build-starship-complex-at-cape-canaveral-space-force-station-florida/84167853007/?ref=proximareport.com), launch infrastructure at Space Launch Complex 37, used to support United Launch Alliance's Delta IV rockets, fell from the Cape Canaveral skyline thanks to explosives installed by Space Launch Delta 45\. The infrastructure at the launch pad supported its final launch back in April 2024 for the [last flight of Delta IV Heavy](https://proximareport.com/articles/delta-iv-heavy-finale). [Plans for Space Launch Complex 37](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/06/slc-37-starship-draft-eis/?ref=proximareport.com) will see SpaceX take over the launch complex, making it the company's third in Florida, for its Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. Two launch pads are planned to be built in support of 76 launches per year. SpaceX is [currently expanding](https://www.spacex.com/updates/?ref=proximareport.com#building-starship) its Starship-Super Heavy operations in Florida, with the construction of a production facility for the vehicle underway. Completion of facilities at Cape Canaveral is set for 2026 at present. ### *New Glenn set for second flight in August* Blue Origin's Chief Executive Officer, Dave Limp, [shared on June 9th](https://x.com/davill/status/1932113352714825833?t=4MCEg89x5YKfWSmAaSoK2w&ref=proximareport.com) that the company is aiming to fly New Glenn's second mission in August of this year, following the vehicle's [debut flight in January](https://proximareport.com/articles/new-glenn-soars-in-debut-mission). Sharing the launch target, Dave Limp wrote: > "New Glenn’s second mission will take place NET August 15th. Following in the footsteps of our first booster, we’ve chosen the name “Never Tell Me The Odds” for Tail 2\. One of our key mission objectives will be to land and recover the booster. This will take a little bit of luck and a lot of excellent execution. We’re on track to produce eight GS2s this year, and the one we’ll fly on this second mission was hot-fired in April." It's currently unknown what payload will be atop of New Glenn in August but [Ars Technica is reporting](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/06/second-new-glenn-launch-slips-toward-fall-as-program-leadership-departs/?ref=proximareport.com) that NASA's ESCAPADE mission to Mars could be onboard. Last year, Blue Origin's leadership expected New Glenn to fly eight times in 2025 and is now likely to fall short of that goal, while still producing enough second-stages for those flights. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *June 16th - Atlas V with KA-02* United Launch Alliance is preparing to launch Amazon's second group of twenty-seven Kuiper satellites to low Earth orbit via an Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 to build the space-based internet mega-constellation. ### *June 17th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-9* SpaceX is planning to launch another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of Falcon 9. ### *June 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-18* Another Falcon 9 is planned to launch more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *June 19th - Angara A5 with an unknown payload* An Angara A5 may launch from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying a currently unknown satellite into Earth orbit. ### *June 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-23* Yet another batch of Starlink satellites are planned to head to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *June 20th - Long March 3B/E with a currently undisclosed payload* A Long March 3B/E may launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying a currently unnaocued payload to geostationary transfer orbit. ### *June 20th - Falcon 9 with Transporter-14* SpaceX is preparing to fly its fourteenth Transporter sun-synchronous orbit small satellite rideshare mission with a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### Axiom-4 Remains in Florida Amid Various Leaks URL: https://proximareport.com/axiom-4-remains-in-florida/ Last updated: 2025-06-13T12:33:43.000Z Axiom Space, SpaceX, and NASA have been preparing for the launch of the Axiom-4 mission for the past week now, with liftoff atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A delayed [multiple](https://x.com/NASASpaceOps/status/1932106392862687698?ref=proximareport.com) [times](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1932599956336173058?ref=proximareport.com) now. The [latest delay to the mission](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/06/12/nasa-axiom-space-delay-axiom-mission-4-launch-to-space-station/?ref=proximareport.com) stems from an issue onboard the International Space Station, particularly the aft of the Zvezda module in the Russian segment, with NASA sharing the following details: > "Cosmonauts aboard the space station recently performed inspections of the pressurized module’s interior surfaces, sealed some additional areas of interest, and measured the current leak rate. Following this effort, the segment now is holding pressure. The postponement of Axiom Mission 4 provides additional time for NASA and Roscosmos to evaluate the situation and determine whether any additional troubleshooting is necessary." An air leak onboard the space station has been [known for several years](https://spacenews.com/nasa-and-roscosmos-disagree-on-cause-and-severity-of-iss-air-leak/?ref=proximareport.com), but with Roscosmos and NASA disagreeing on the severity and root cause. Previous delays to the mission were [also related to a leak](https://x.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1932199665383948347?ref=proximareport.com), but on Falcon 9's first-stage booster. SpaceX teams utilized the delay to install mitigations to the issue and swap out other faulty hardware. Axiom Space is currently happy to wait on the ground while issues are resolved, with the company's executive Chairman, Kam Ghaffarian, [stating](https://x.com/Axiom%5FSpace/status/1933167120822497447?ref=proximareport.com): > "We appreciate all the incredible work of our customers, NASA, and SpaceX on this Mission. This is the right thing to do for Axiom Space, for NASA, and for our customers. We will continue to work with all of our partners to finalize a new launch date and look forward to flying the Ax-4 Mission soon." Flying onboard the Axiom-4 mission are India, Hungary, and Poland's first astronauts in decades, along with a variety of customer payloads, scientific and commercial. Axiom-4 is [planned to spend](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-partners-to-welcome-fourth-axiom-space-mission-to-space-station/?ref=proximareport.com) two weeks docked to the International Space Station once the mission launches. While onboard, the crew is expected to perform lots of science, as well as outreach and commercial activities. ## Who's onboard? ![Tibor Kapu (left), Shubhanshu Shukla (center left), Peggy Whitson (center right), and Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (right) inside Crew Dragon during training. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/axiom-space-mission-4-crew-image.png) Tibor Kapu (left), Shubhanshu Shukla (center left), Peggy Whitson (center right), and Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (right) inside Crew Dragon during training. ©SpaceX **Peggy Whitson**, from the U.S.,is the [Commander of the Axiom-4 mission](https://www.axiomspace.com/astronaut/peggy-whitson?ref=proximareport.com), flying to space for the fifth time. She previously commanded the Axiom-2 mission in 2023 and participated in three long-duration spaceflights during her career at NASA. In total, she has spent 675 days in space. **Shubhanshu Shukla**, from India, is the [Pilot of the Axiom-4 mission](https://www.axiomspace.com/astronaut/shubhanshu-shukla?ref=proximareport.com) for his first trip to space. He was selected in 2024 as one of India's first four astronauts in the 21st century, possibly to fly aboard the first crewed Gaganyaan mission within a few years. Prior to astronaut selection, he was a pilot in the Indian Air Force. **Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski**, from Poland, is a [Mission Specialist for the Axiom-4 mission](https://www.axiomspace.com/astronaut/slawosz-uznanski?ref=proximareport.com), as part of his first spaceflight. He was selected as a member of the European Space Agency’s Astronaut Reserve Class of 2022 for potential missions to the International Space Station. Notably before his space career, he was the Engineer in Charge for the Large Hadron Collider from 2018 to 2020. **Tibor Kapu**, from Hungary, is a [Mission Specialist for the Axiom-4 mission](https://www.axiomspace.com/astronaut/tibor-kapu?ref=proximareport.com) for his first trip to space. In 2023, he was one of four Hungarians chosen for the Hungarian to Orbit Astronaut Program. Before being selected, he focused on space radiation protection at an aerospace technology company. ## What research will be performed? The Axiom-4 mission is [aiming to perform a bounty of science](https://www.axiomspace.com/mission-blog/ax4-researchoverview?ref=proximareport.com) during the crew's brief stay onboard the International Space Station, with experiments from organizations in the U.S., India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, and much of Europe. Areas and items for study, along with what organizations or countries they're from, are as follows: - Indian Space Research Organization: - Investigating the physical and cognitive impact of computer screens in microgravity. - Studying the growth, metabolism, and genetics of three microalgae strains in microgravity vs. ground. - Comparing growth, cellular responses, and biochemistry of two cyanobacteria strains in microgravity. - Identifying pathways of skeletal muscle dysfunction in microgravity and exploring therapies. - Examining spaceflight impacts on six crop seed varieties. - Investigating the impacts of spaceflight on the germination and growth of crop seeds. - Identifying molecular mechanisms of resilience in extreme environments.**‍** - European Space Agency: - Studying astronauts' mental and behavioral health on the International Space Station. - Monitoring bone loss upon re-entry after space missions. - Examining bone markers to predict recovery behavior. - Evaluating neurofeedback for stress reduction and performance. - Investigating gut microbiome changes during short-term space stays. - Examining immune cell adaptation to microgravity. - Monitoring astronauts' soft tissue health during missions. - Exploring muscle electrical stimulation to protect muscle mass in microgravity. - Using brain imaging technology to develop a human-computer interface in microgravity. - Testing methods to extend pharmaceutical shelf-life in space. - Testing an acoustic monitor on the International Space Station. - Advancing onboard data processing for space and Earth applications. - Measuring space radiation levels with a monitor in the Columbus module. - Assessing six wearable biomonitor devices for function and stability in space. - Investigating red microalgae for long-duration space missions. - Investigating a tardigrade gene in yeast for microgravity protection. - Hungary: - Examining how space conditions affect human bacterial, viral, and fungal microbiomes. - Investigating microgravity's effect on cognitive function and motor skills. - Demonstrating application of nanofibrous eye inserts in microgravity. - Examining low-melting-point metal behavior for next-generation ion-jet propulsion systems. - Monitoring crew radiation exposure and environmental conditions with a personal dosimetry device. - Mimicking planet-scale atmospheric dynamics with a novel way of spinning a water sphere in microgravity. - Investigating how fruit flies fight radiation-induced DNA damage with enhanced biochemical processes. - Studying plant germination, microgreen production, and leaf development. - Examining microfluidic drug testing chips in space. - Studying associative learning and visual processing in space. - Examining changes in cardiovascular and balancing systems. - Understanding cerebral blood flow adaptation to spaceflight. - Validating clothing heat transfer simulation in different gravity environments for improved astronaut thermal comfort. - Testing precise position tracking with standard inertial sensors in space. - Exploring spaceflight effects on 3D printed materials. - Studying upper atmospheric thunderstorms. - Demonstrating gravitational curiosities during a joint physics class with students from across Hungary. - Axiom Space: - Researching how to support astronauts with insulin-dependent diabetes during short-duration missions in microgravity. - Examining microgravity's impact on the brain and cognitive risks. - Collecting physiological and psychological data from astronauts to understand how humans adapt to space. - Studying the effects of short spaceflights on joints and blood flow. - Assessing astronaut ‘readiness’ using a wearable device, iPhone software, and AWS Snowcone analytics. - Developing infrastructure for wearable device data processing during the Ax-4 mission. - Investigating cancer growth in space, focusing on triple-negative breast cancer. - Understanding the effects on blood stem cells during spaceflight.**‍** ### Weekly Dose of Space (1/6-7/6) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-1-6-7-6/ Last updated: 2025-06-08T16:03:23.000Z Welcome Back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw five launches worldwide, with at least one from both hemispheres. News from the week had the U.S. Senate moving to guarantee future Artemis missions and Impulse Space raising a few hundred million dollars. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *June 3rd - Electron for 'Full Stream Ahead'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand, carrying a single satellite to low Earth orbit for BlackSky Technology. BlackSky's satellite will provide images with a 50-centimeter resolution to customers. > LIFT-OFF for Electron's 65th mission! [pic.twitter.com/ehP4y7QbeH](https://t.co/ehP4y7QbeH?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [June 2, 2025](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1929688988564312262?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron lifting off for the 'Full Stream Ahead' mission, via [Rocket Lab on Twitter](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/1929688988564312262?ref=proximareport.com). ### *June 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-19* Twenty-three Starlink satellites were launched atop of a Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit out of Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. In support of this mission was booster B1077, for its twenty-first flight with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. This was also the 500th launch for SpaceX's family of Falcon rockets, including Falcon 1, Falcon 9, and Falcon Heavy. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 12-19 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/Gsfz_tyawAAuyoM.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 12-19 mission. ©SpaceX ### *June 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-22* Twenty-seven Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1063 supported this launch for its twenty-sixth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 11-22 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/GspXF5qasAUOG1Y.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 11-22 mission. ©SpaceX ### *June 5th - Long March 6A with GuoWang Group 04* A Long March 6A launched from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying five satellites into polar orbit for GuoWang's fourth satellite group. With this launch, the GuoWang mega-constellation has 34 satellites in orbit out of a possible 13,000, which will eventually provide worldwide internet services. ![The Long March 6A Y8 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 9A carrying the fourth group of GuoWang satellites.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/006Su8pSgy1i25e5vw4oqj30yj1e07t9-1.jpg) The Long March 6A Y8 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 9A carrying the fourth group of GuoWang satellites. ### *June 7th - Falcon 9 with SXM-10* SpaceX launched SiriusXM's SXM-10 satellite to geostationary transfer orbit with a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. The SXM-10 satellite will be used to transmit SiriusXM's programming to its listeners' radios. > Deployment of SXM-10 confirmed [pic.twitter.com/1eC1tUt3ub](https://t.co/1eC1tUt3ub?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [June 7, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1931221638458008062?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The SXM-10 satellite being released from Falcon 9's second-stage, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1931221638458008062?ref=proximareport.com). ## **In Other Space News** ### *Senate looks to save SLS, Orion, Gateway* Senator Ted Cruz, Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, [shared a proposal on June 5th](https://spacenews.com/cruz-seeks-10-billion-for-nasa-programs-in-budget-reconciliation-bill/?ref=proximareport.com) to add 10 billion United States Dollars to NASA via a budget reconciliation bill to save key hardware critical to the Artemis program. This proposal was brought forward in response to [major cuts from the Trump White House](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-ends-nasa-global), which would retire major Artemis hardware after two more missions. Cruz's proposal seeks to provide NASA with additional funding that would be available for the space agency to spend through to 2032, with the largest part of it, around 4.1 billion, going toward the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft to perform the Artemis 4 and Artemis 5 missions. The proposal would allocate 2.6 billion for the Gateway lunar space station, ensuring it launches and heads out to the Moon. Smaller funding amounts in the proposal will provide 1 billion for improvements and repairs to the Kennedy, Johnson, Marshall and Stennis space centers, along with the Michoud Assembly Facility, where the SLS rocket is made. Additionally, 700 million would be set aside for a Mars Telecommunications Orbiter, with 250 million for extra International Space Station funding from 2025 through to 2029. ### *Impulse Space raises 300 million in new funding* [Impulse Space announced on June 3rd](https://www.impulsespace.com/updates/impulse-space-secures-300-million-dollar-series-c-to-accelerate-the-future-of-in-space-mobility?ref=proximareport.com) that it has completed its Series C funding round, raising 300 million United States Dollars to bring the company's total capital raised to 525 million. This latest funding round was led by Linse Capital with DFJ Growth, Valor Equity Partners, Founders Fund, Lux Capital, RTX Ventures, DCVC, Airbus Ventures, Spring Tide, First Principles Group, Balerion Space Ventures, Tamarack Global, and Trousdale Ventures participating. The new funding is expected to allow for the scaling up of production for the companies' Mira and Helios orbital vehicles, greater research efforts to explore electric propulsion for long-duration missions, and an increased headcount to allow for the extra production and research. Speaking on the new funding round and the future, Tom Mueller, Chief Executive Officer at Impluse Space, stated: > "We’ve proven that we can build fast and fly successfully. Now, the market is demanding more," – "This raise helps us scale production and technical capabilities to meet that demand head-on." – "Achieving a true space age is going to require new levels of in-space mobility to move payloads quickly and precisely, both within and between orbits. That capability is what we’re building at Impulse." With prior funding, Impulse Space has launched two Mira vehicles, performed what the company believes were the two largest orbital maneuvers ever by a nitrous-based propulsion system, secured dozens of government and commercial contracts, and has begun preparing its Helios vehicle for a debut mission in 2026 ahead of geostationary orbit rideshare missions in 2027. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *June 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-8* Twenty-six Starlink satellites is planned to head to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *June 10th - Falcon 9 with Axiom-4* SpaceX is expecting to launch the Axiom-4 mission on a Crew Dragon spacecraft, carrying Peggy Whitson from the U.S., Shubhanshu Shukla from India, Sławosz Uznański from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, to the International Space Station atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. ### *June 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-24* Another group of Starlink satellites are planned to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 and head to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9. ### *June 10th - Electron for 'The Mountain God Guards'* Rocket Lab is expecting to launch a synthetic aperture radar satellite to low Earth orbit, on behalf of iQPS, with its Electron rocket, from Launch Complex 1A on the Māhia Peninsula. ### *June 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-6* From Space Launch Complex 4E, more Starlink satellites are set to go to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9. ### *June 13th - Long March 2D with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 2D may launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying a currently unannounced payload. ### *June 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-26* Even more Starlink satellites are planned to be delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *June 13th - Atlas V with KA-02* United Launch Alliance is preparing to launch Amazon's second group of twenty-seven Kuiper satellites to low Earth orbit to build the space-based internet mega-constellation. ### Another Hakuto-R Has Hit the Moon URL: https://proximareport.com/second-ispace-moon-mission/ Last updated: 2025-06-07T06:35:28.000Z ispace launched its second Hakuto-R spacecraft for a lunar landing mission [back in mid-January](https://proximareport.com/articles/falcon-9-firefly-ispace-moon), with the spacecraft spending the last five months heading to the Moon on a slow but fuel-efficient trajectory. On May 31st, the spacecraft [entered lunar orbit](https://ispace-inc.com/news-en/?p=7578&ref=proximareport.com) in preparation for its landing attempt. That landing attempt began on June 5th as planned, with Hakuto-R moving from an altitude of 100 to 20 kilometers before firing up its main engine for a powered descent toward the surface. The powered descent went as planned until around two minutes before a planned touchdown, with telemetry occasionally dropping out. In the final two minutes of the mission, telemetry indicated that Hakuto-R was losing altitude fast but still maintaining a speed to high for a soft landing. [ispace currently believes](https://ispace-inc.com/news-en/?p=7664&ref=proximareport.com) that the laser rangefinder used to measure the distance to the lunar surface experienced delays in obtaining valid measurement values, leading to a higher-than-intended speed in the final moments of descent toward the lunar surface. Due to this, the company is assuming that the spacecraft performed a hard landing. Following the hard landing, Takeshi Hakamada, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ispace, stated: > "Given that there is currently no prospect of a successful lunar landing, our top priority is to swiftly analyze the telemetry data we have obtained thus far and work diligently to identify the cause," – "We will strive to restore trust by providing a report of the findings to our shareholders, payload customers, HAKUTO-R partners, government officials, and all supporters of ispace." ispace has [previously flown](https://ispace-inc.com/missions?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) one other Hakuto-R mission, which made it a few kilometers above the lunar surface before being lost after the spacecraft believed it was on the surface when it was actually five kilometers up. After the thrusters ran out of fuel from maintaining altitude, the spacecraft plummeted toward the surface. ## What is Hakuto-R? Hakuto-R is Japanese lunar exploration company ispace's privately developed lunar lander, capable of delivering various payloads, including rovers, to the Moon's surface. ispace explains the journey of developing Hakuto-R as [follows](https://hakuto.r.ispace-inc.com/hakuto-r/eng/about/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io): > "“HAKUTO” means “white rabbit” in Japanese. In legendary folklore in Japan, it is said that a white rabbit lives on the Moon. This was the inspiration for the name HAKUTO, one of the 5 finalists in the Google Lunar XPRIZE competition—a race for the first private lunar exploration mission." > "Managed by ispace, and supported by sponsors, a passionate crew of volunteers, a large fan club in Japan, HAKUTO competed in the race for the greater part of the past decade. In 2015, the team achieved a $500,000 milestone prize, and in 2017, it completed and delivered a flight-ready rover to its launch location. However, since ispace relied on a partner for the lander and launch, which were not fulfilled, and as no other contestants were capable of completing the mission, the competition ended in March 2018 without a winner. As a result, Team HAKUTO officially closed." > "Now, six months later, ispace has brought back the “HAKUTO” name as the Program Name for its first two lunar missions. Thus, the “R” stands for “Reboot” in the spirit of reenergizing our motivation and drive toward our goal. As an evolution of the HAKUTO logo, the HAKUTO-R logo combines the concepts of a lunar orbit and the Moon’s surface, which together forms the design of a white rabbit similar in shape to an “H” for HAKUTO." Various payloads, including a UNESCO memory disk, were [onboard the lander](https://ispace-inc.com/news-en/?p=6734&ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) and were as follows: - **Water electrolyzer equipment**: From Takasago Thermal Engineering Co. - **Food production experiment**: A self-contained module from Euglena Co. - **Deep space radiation probe**: Developed by the Department of Space Science and Engineering, National Central University, Taiwan - **Commemorative alloy plate**: Developed by Bandai Namco Research Institute, Inc. and modeled after “Charter of the Universal Century” from the animation Mobile Suit Gundam UC - **TENACIOUS micro rover**: Developed by ispace-EUROPE, this rover will explore the landing site, collect lunar regolith, and relay data back to the lander. It will be equipped with a forward-mounted HD camera and a shovel. - **Moonhouse**: A model house by Swedish artist Mikael Genberg that will be mounted on the rover ### Trump to End NASA's Global Leadership with Major Cuts URL: https://proximareport.com/trump-ends-nasa-global/ Last updated: 2025-06-04T10:33:24.000Z *Note: All funding figures are in United States Dollars.* NASA released details on its [fiscal year 2026 budget](https://www.nasa.gov/fy-2026-budget-request/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) on May 30th, confirming details on what the Trump Administration, [which has few plans for space](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-no-space-plan), would like to cut, [first disclosed in a budget overview](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-2026-budget?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) in early May. With the budget proposal, $6 billion in agency funding would be lost, along with major programs However, before we touch on the budget, revealed amid the fallout of understanding the details of what's being cut, the Trump White House announced it was withdrawing its support for [Jared Isaacman as the Administrator of NASA](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-nasa-hearing). Following the withdrawal, Donald Trump [took to social media to state](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/the-white-house-appointee-review-process/?ref=proximareport.com): > "After a thorough review of prior associations, I am hereby withdrawing the nomination of Jared Isaacman to head NASA. I will soon announce a new Nominee who will be Mission aligned, and put America First in Space." The withdrawal [came a week after](https://spacenews.com/senate-sets-up-early-june-vote-on-isaacman-nomination-to-lead-nasa/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) the U.S. Senate planned to vote on his position. In the lead-up to a now-cancelled Senate vote, Isaacman was [able to secure support](https://spacenews.com/white-house-to-withdraw-isaacman-nomination-to-lead-nasa/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) from both sides of U.S. politics as well as from industry. Coincidentally, or as planned, the withdrawal of White House support for Isaacman came as billionaire head of SpaceX Elon Musk was [leaving his position in the U.S. government](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz9y4exj822o?ref=proximareport.com), having [greatly benefited](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-benefited-trump). Musk is a [strong supporter](https://proximareport.com/articles/musk-nasa-puppets) of Jared Isaacman, with the two aligning politically since Trump's election win. Now, for the bloodbath of a budget proposal. The proposed fiscal year 2026 budget for NASA is a dramatic 24 percent funding cut that would reduce the agency from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion, while eliminating 5,538 jobs, nearly one-third of NASA's workforce. Science programs in particular face the steepest cuts with a nearly 50 percent reduction. The proposed cuts restructure the agency's human spaceflight programs by canceling the Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule after the Artemis III mission in 2027, as well as the Gateway lunar space station before it can launch. Meanwhile, the International Space Station would see cuts exceeding $500 million. These systems would then be replaced with commercial alternatives as part of a redesigned program architecture, while the International Space Station would be wound down for retirement and replaced by privately owned space stations. NASA's science programs face devastating reductions, with the Science Mission Directorate cut by nearly 50 percent and astrophysics slashed by 70 percent. Major active missions would be terminated, including Mars Sample Return, Mars Odyssey, MAVEN, Juno, New Horizons, and OSIRIS-APEX. Flagship telescopes aren't spared from the cuts, with the James Webb Space Telescope facing a 20 percent cut while Hubble's budget drops to around $85 million annually. Earth science programs face severe cuts under the budget proposal, as the Earth Science Division is among those experiencing the biggest reductions as part of the overall science budget slash. The budget eliminates climate research programs and cancels the $2 billion Landsat Next mission, which was scheduled to launch by 2030-2031 to provide improved Earth observation capabilities. Instead, NASA is directed to find "more affordable ways to maintain the continuity of Landsat imagery" while deprioritizing what the administration considers "low-priority climate monitoring satellites", unsurprising for a White House that [doesn't believe in climate change](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/gop-transitioned-climate-denial-climate-misrepresentation-experts/story?id=113056571&ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). Like other programs, space technology is facing devastating cuts with funding slashed by $531 million, or approximately half the directorate's budget. Most significantly, the budget cancels the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program, a joint NASA-DARPA initiative that [awarded Lockheed Martin a $499 million contract in 2023](https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2023-07-26-Lockheed-Martin-Selected-to-Develop-Nuclear-Powered-Spacecraft?ref=proximareport.com) to develop nuclear thermal propulsion technology with testing planned for 2026-2027\. The cuts eliminate NASA's development of nuclear thermal and nuclear electric propulsion technologies that could dramatically reduce travel times to Mars and other deep space destinations. Alongside slashing items in space, NASA's Mission Support Directorate faces an over $1.1 billion cut in funding. This will force the agency to drastically reduce facility maintenance, construction, and center operations funding alongside the massive workforce cuts. Meaning the agencies' aging infrastructure at centers like Kennedy, Goddard, JPL, and Marshall would face deferred maintenance, reduced operational capacity, and potential facility closures or mothballing of less critical buildings. Education and outreach programs would be completely eliminated under the budget, with all STEM engagement funding and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs cut entirely. The effects of the budget cuts go beyond just affecting U.S. space efforts too. Notably, the European Space Agency has been contributing to the Orion spacecraft, providing its service module, and hardware for the Gateway space station in exchange for flight opportunities. Additionally, the budget proposes ending NASA’s involvement in the Rosalind Franklin Mars rover mission, leaving it without a rocket to head to Mars ([again](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-60782932?ref=proximareport.com)) and a radioisotope heater unit to generate power and survive the Martian night. Cancelling European hardware intended for Artemis and withdrawing support for the Rosalind Franklin rover is a major geopolitical upset that will undermine the continent's trust in U.S. space endeavors. These cuts will gut institutional knowledge, terminate crucial climate and space missions, eliminate critical technologies like as nuclear propulsion, and upset a key international partner. Infrastructure cuts would further reduce NASA's operating capabilities, while growing reliance on commercial technologies could stifle innovation. The long-term consequences could be irreversible, transforming NASA from a world-class R&D agency to a contract management organisation with limited scientific and strategic capabilities. Despite the overall reduction of $6 billion at NASA, some parts of the agency have a planned funding increase, primarily for commercial space systems and Mars exploration. The budget allocates over $7 billion for lunar exploration programs, maintaining substantial funding for moon missions while shifting from NASA-developed systems to commercial alternatives, as mentioned previously. This includes funding to replace the canceled Space Launch System and Orion capsule with "more cost-effective commercial systems", basically funding a new rocket and spacecraft. The budget also introduces $1 billion in new investments specifically for Mars-focused programs, creating a new funding stream despite canceling existing Mars missions like Mars Sample Return and active planetary missions. This Mars funding appears designed to support future human exploration of the red planet through commercial partnerships rather than a traditional NASA mission architecture. However, few companies are actively developing hardware for potential crewed Mars missions, likely meaning human-rated lander and transfer vehicle contracts will go to SpaceX with its [Starship-Super Heavy](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-nine) rocket. Current Acting Administrator and [yes-man of Trump wishes](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-begins-witchhunt-within-nasa?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) at NASA, Janet Petro, sent out two short agency-wide messages following the detailed [fiscal year 2026 budget](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/heres-that-wonderful-nasa-budget-news/?ref=proximareport.com) and the [withdrawal of support for Jared Isaacman](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/janet-petro-wants-you-all-to-be-happy/?ref=proximareport.com), ending with her standard "Embrace the Challenge". Those messages were grounded in the reality of the dramatic shifts, compared to her previous bizarre support of the cuts, where [she stated](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/president-trumps-fy26-budget-revitalizes-human-space-exploration/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io): > “This proposal includes investments to simultaneously pursue exploration of the Moon and Mars while still prioritizing critical science and technology research,” – “I appreciate the President’s continued support for NASA’s mission and look forward to working closely with the administration and Congress to ensure we continue making progress toward achieving the impossible.” At the moment, the 2026 budget proposal would need to pass through Congress to be enacted. However, Congress is Republican controlled so there's a good chance it will. Surprisingly, the [*Miami Herald* reports](https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article307008361.html?ref=proximareport.com) citing a Marquette Law School Poll, most Americans are in favor of slashing NASA's budget in order to relieve American debt, despite the space agency's budget making up under 0.5 percent of the U.S. government budget each year. Additionally, a majority of those questioned believe that sending astronauts to the Moon or Mars shouldn't be a priority. Oh, and alongside the massive budget cuts, NASA is [changing its performance criteria](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/new-nasa-performance-criteria-are-here/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) for agency personnel. Instead of being measured on innovation, collaboration, personnel growth, and program results, employees will now be evaluated on faithfulness to Presidential policies, efficiency, and organizational goals. ### Monthly Dose of Space - May 2025 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-may-2025/ Last updated: 2025-06-01T16:17:28.000Z Welcome to our twentieth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month. May has been another busy month, so let's jump into it! ## **News of the Month** News in May has seen another reusable rocket test vehicle performing a short hop, a first major contract for Impulse Space, the beginning of deployment for an AI compute constellation, and Firefly receiving new investment for its reusable rocket. ### Tianwen-2 mission begins! China's Tianwen-2 asteroid sample return mission has begun its journey out to asteroid 2016HO3/469219 Kamoʻoalewa following a launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on May 28th. With the launch, the spacecraft started its trek through deep space to its target asteroid, with arrival set for [sometime in 2027](https://proximareport.com/articles/tianwen-2-a-stepping-stone-into-deep-space#objectives). After arriving, the probe will fly alongside the asteroid and search for a suitable sampling site before collecting between 200 and 1,000 grams of samples via touch-and-go as well as anchor-and-attach methods. The anchor-and-attach method will utilize [four small robotic arms](https://proximareport.com/articles/tianwen-2-a-stepping-stone-into-deep-space#the-spacecraft) to secure the spacecraft, while a touch-and-go approach will be more akin to [NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission](https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/31244?ref=proximareport.com). Once samples are collected and secured in the spacecraft’s sample container, Tianwen-2 will head back toward Earth and drop off the samples around 2029 during a flyby. After the sample canister is released for retrieval by teams back on Earth, Tianwen-2 will begin its extended mission to asteroid 311P/PanSTARRS out in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Throughout the early 2030s, Tianwen-2 is planned to thoroughly study 311P whilst doubling as a test of China’s deep space communications infrastructure ahead of the Tianwen-4 mission to Jupiter in the 2030s. When the mission returns samples, China will be the third nation to collect samples from an asteroid, after the United States and Japan. ### Space Epoch performs China's latest reusable rocket test ![The Yuanxingzhe-1 vertical takeoff vertical landing test vehicle hovering prior to its splashdown. ©Space Epoch](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/006aWhMSgy1i1wfb72ry7j30zk0k0ae0.jpg) The Yuanxingzhe-1 vertical takeoff vertical landing test vehicle hovering prior to its splashdown. ©Space Epoch The latest [reusable rocket test from China occurred on May 29th](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/space-epoch-conducts-reusable-rocket?ref=proximareport.com) when Space Epoch flew its Yuanxingzhe-1 vertical takeoff vertical landing test vehicle from a launch stand on the coast of Haiyang. This test had the vehicle in flight for 125 seconds, with a peak altitude of 2.5 kilometers achieved. During the test, the vehicle performed a powered ascent and in-flight engine shutdown, followed by an unpowered descent before the engine restarted to perform a hover and splashdown. The vehicle used for the test was powered by a single Longyun engine burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen, which generates 70 tons of thrust, from commercial engine provider Jiuzhou Yunjian. It weighs approximately 57,000 kilograms, being made out of stainless steel, with a diameter of 4.2 meters and a height of 26.8 meters. Four fins are also on the test vehicle for improved stability during unpowered descent. Space Epoch expects the recent hop test to inform the development of its two-stage, partially reusable, Yuanxingzhe-1 launch vehicle. That vehicle is planned to be 4.2 meters in diameter and 64 meters tall while utilizing nine engines on the first-stage and one on the second-stage, sourced from Jiuzhou Yunjian. Yuanxingzhe-1 is expected to lift 6,500 kilograms to a 1,100-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit and more to lower, less energy-costly orbits. Recovery of the vehicle's first-stage will have it land at sea while being oriented by a series of small thrusters. ### Northrop Grumman invests in Firefly Aerospace [Firefly Aerospace shared on May 29th](https://fireflyspace.com/news/northrop-grumman-invests-50-million-in-firefly-aerospace-to-advance-medium-launch-vehicle-named-eclipse/?ref=proximareport.com) that Northrop Grumman has invested fifty million United States Dollars into the company to advance production and development of their joint reusable launch vehicle called Eclipse, which is set to debut in 2026. Eclipse is based upon Northrop Grumman’s Antares and Firefly’s Alpha rockets while boasting improved lift capability and cost savings. According to Firefly Aerospace, the rocket maintains flight-proven avionics from the Antares program with additional upgrades, including a larger 5.4-meter payload fairing. Eclipse also utilizes the same first stage Firefly is developing for Antares 330 and retains scaled-up versions of Alpha’s propulsion systems and carbon composite structures, allowing the team to rapidly build and test Eclipse with significant production efficiencies and economies of scale. Speaking on Eclipse, Wendy Williams, Vice President and General Manager, launch and missile defense systems at Northrop Grumman, stated: > “Eclipse gives customers the right balance between payload capacity and affordability,” – “Our partnership with Firefly builds on our capacity to provide crucial space-based communication, observation, and exploration for civil and national security customers.” Additionally, Jason Kim, Chief Executive Officer at Firefly Aerospace, added the following: > “Firefly is incredibly grateful for Northrop Grumman’s investment that further solidifies our first-of-its-kind partnership to build the first stage of Antares 330 and jointly develop Eclipse,” – “Eclipse represents two powerful forces coming together to transform the launch market with decades of flight heritage, a rapid, iterative approach, and bold innovation. With a 16 metric ton to orbit capability, Eclipse is a sweet spot for programs like NSSL Lane 1 and a natural fit to launch proliferated constellations in LEO, MEO, GEO, and TLI.” ### Impulse Space and SES enter a multi-launch agreement, a first for the companies Helios tug ![Members from Impulse and SES pose for a photo-op after signing a Multi launch contract at the Impulse Space HQ in Redondo Beach, California. ©Impulse Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/254096720b3cddd7267157252b643c850e063bd3-3120x1755.webp) Members from Impulse and SES pose for a photo-op after signing a Multi launch contract at the Impulse Space HQ in Redondo Beach, California. ©Impulse Space [Impulse Space](https://www.impulsespace.com/?ref=proximareport.com), an in-space transportation service provider founded by ex-SpaceX engineer Tom Mueller, has recently entered a multi-launch agreement with [SES](https://www.ses.com/?ref=proximareport.com)—a connectivity service provider. The contract will span multiple launches starting in 2027, with satellites being launched onboard a dedicated medium lift launcher into LEO. Once in a basic orbit, Impulse Space's [Helios](https://www.impulsespace.com/helios?ref=proximareport.com), an absurdly powerful and efficient tug will propel SES satellite's directly to a Geostationary orbit in mere hours. This will greatly speed up how SES is able to expand their constellation in GEO, with Impulse providing unparalleled performance. > "We believe MEO and GEO play a critical role in the space economy, but operators today face the challenges of slow, expensive, and inflexible access to these essential orbits. Helios changes that—it’s built to move large payloads to high-energy orbits quickly and reliably. SES has a long history of embracing innovation and pushing our industry forward, and we’re proud they’ve chosen Helios to support the next phase of their deployment strategy." - Tom Mueller, founder and CEO of Impulse Space ### ADA Space begins building AI compute constellation Chinese satellite manufacturer [ADA Space started deploying satellites](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/ada-space-eyes-launching-2800-ai?ref=proximareport.com) for its 'Three-Body Computing Constellation' on May 14th, with the launch of twelve satellites. The twelve satellites are the first of up to two thousand eight hundred satellites for integrating space and ground computing into a single AI infrastructure, to allow for faster spacecraft data utilization across multiple industries. In regulatory filings, ADA Space explains why they are building the constellation: > "\[Our satellites are\] designed to interconnect space-based computing network supported by AI satellites with ground-based computing network, forming an integrated infrastructure that enables high-quality algorithm deployment, seamless satellite remote sensing data processing, advanced computing power and efficient communication between space and ground. Through \[the satellites\], we aim to drive the intelligent transformation of industries worldwide, enhancing our industry impact and solidifying our market position.” Research enterprise Zhejiang Lab is providing additional expertise for the computing constellation. In order for the satellites to operate as intended, each spacecraft is equipped with onboard artificial intelligence processors, laser inter-satellite communication links capable of speeds up to 100 gigabits per second, and space-based computing systems capable of performing up to 744 trillion operations per second. The satellites also carry large-scale AI models with up to eight billion parameters. To deploy the few thousand satellites planned, two types of spacecraft are being utilized. One type is stackable, allowing numerous spacecraft of the same design to be placed on top of each other. The other design is a more conventional CubeSat, allowing it to be a secondary payload for other missions with extra payload capacity left. Similar efforts to ADA Space's exist in the West, with [Relativity Space's Eric Schmidt wanting to put data centers](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/05/eric-schmidt-apparently-bought-relativity-space-to-put-data-centers-in-orbit/?ref=proximareport.com) in orbit. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw **30** launches worldwide, speeding up a busy year. If you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *May 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-75* Twenty-eight Starlink satellites were launched to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1080 supported this mission for its eighteenth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *May 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-84* From Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, a Falcon 9 blasted off carrying twenty-nine Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1078, for its twentieth flight with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *May 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-93* Twenty-eight more Starlink satellites headed to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1085 supported this mission for its seventh flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *May 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-3* Another twenty-six Starlink satellites departed from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, atop of a Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit. In support of this mission was booster B1081 for its fourteenth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *May 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-91* Falcon 9 launched another twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Flying for the eleventh time was booster B1083, which landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *May 11th - Long March 6A Yaogan-40 Group-02* A Long March 6A lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying three satellites into polar orbit for Yaogan-40 Group-02\. The three satellites are expected to perform electromagnetic environment monitoring of areas of the Earth below. ### *May 12th - Long March 3C/E with TJSW-19* The first Long March 3C/E in almost four years blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the TJSW-19 satellite to geostationary orbit. TJSW-19 is said to provide communications, radio, television, and data transmission, as well as testing and verification for multi-band high-speed throughput communications technologies. ### *May 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-4* A Falcon 9 departed from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-six Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1088, for its sixth flight, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *May 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-83* Another batch of twenty-eight Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Booster B1067 supported this mission on its twenty-eighth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange'. ### *May 14th - Long March 2D with Three-Body Computing Constellation Group-01* A Long March 2D blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying the first 12 satellites for ADA Space's Three-Body Computing Constellation into sun-synchronous orbit. This constellation could have up to 2,800 satellites in orbit for AI-enabled processing of spacecraft data in space. ### *May 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-67* Twenty-eight more Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, atop of a Falcon 9\. In support of this mission was booster B1090, performing its fourth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *May 16th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-5* Yet another Falcon 9 delivered another twenty-six Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. Booster B1093, on its second flight, supported this mission, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *May 17th - Zhuque-2E with six Tianyi satellites* LandSpace's Zhuque-2E rocket performed its second flight from Launch Area 96A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying six Tianyi satellites to a sun-synchronous orbit. The satellites, developed by Spacety, are Tianyi-29, Tianyi-34, Tianyi-35, Tianyi-42, Tianyi-45, and Tianyi-46\. They will be used for Earth imaging, geological monitoring, radar-based change detection, laser communication tests, and space science research. ### *May 17th - Electron for 'The Sea God Sees'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying one of iQPS' synthetic aperture radar satellites to low Earth orbit. The satellite is planned to be part of a constellation of thirty-six satellites that will repeatedly image parts of Earth every ten minutes. ### *May 18th - PSLV-XL with RISAT-1B* A PSLV-XL rocket launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, in India, hoping to deliver the RISAT-1B synthetic aperture radar imaging satellite to low Earth orbit. Sadly during the third-stage underperformed during its burn, leading in a failure to reach orbit. ### *May 19th - Ceres-1S with four Tianqi satellites* Galactic Energy's Ceres-1S delivered four Tianqi satellites to a 850-kilometer 45-degree inclination low Earth orbit from the coast of Rizhao in the Yellow Sea. The satellites being launched were Tianqi-16, Tianqi-17, Tianqi-19, and Tianqi-20 for Guodian Gaoke's Internet-of-Things constellation. ### *May 20th - Long March 7A with ChinaSat-3B* A Long March 7A lifted off from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site carrying the ChinaSat-3B satellite to geostationary transfer orbit. ChinaSat-3B is expected to provide communications, radio, and television transmission services, while complementing ChinaSat-3A. ### *May 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-15* Twenty-three Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1095 supported this mission, believed to be on its first flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *May 21st - Kinetica-1 for its return-to-flight mission* CAS Space's Kinetica-1 rocket performed its return to flight mission from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying six satellites to sun-synchronous orbit. The satellites onboard were Taijing-3-04, Taijing-4-02A, Xingrui-11, Xingjiyuan-1, Lifang108-001 (also known as Tadahuyang-1), and Xiguang-1-02. ### *May 23rd - Soyuz 2.1b with Kosmos 2588* A Soyuz 2.1b launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying a military spacecraft into low Earth orbit. ### *May 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-16* Twenty-seven more Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this launch was booster B1075 for its eighteenth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' down range. ### *May 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-22* Another twenty-three Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit with SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1069 supported this launch on its twenty-fourth flight, landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *May 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-1* Twenty-four Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1082 on its thirteenth flight, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *May 27th - Starship-Super Heavy for its ninth flight test* SpaceX launched its in-development fully reusable Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle [on its ninth flight test](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-nine), using Ship 35 and Booster 14, from its south Texas launch site. During the flight test, Booster 14 exploded very shortly into its landing burn and Ship 35 lost control following the shutdown of its engines. ### *May 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-32* From Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, another Falcon 9 sent twenty-seven Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Booster B1080, flying for the nineteenth time, supported this mission, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' afterwards. ### *May 28th - Long March 3B/E with Tianwen-2* China's Tianwen-2 asteroid sample return mission Tianwen-2 blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center atop of a Long March 3B/E, flying out of the Earth-Moon system. Tianwen-2 is journeying to asteroid 2016HO3/469219 Kamoʻoalewa to gather between 200 and 1,000 grams of samples. ### *May 29th - Long March 4B with Shijian-26* A Long March 4B lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying the Shijian-26 spacecraft to a sun-synchronous orbit. Shijian-26 is expected to serve land census and environmental monitoring efforts to inform agricultural policy. ### *May 30th - Falcon 9 with GPS-III SV08* SpaceX's Falcon 9 flew to medium Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying the GPS-III SV08 satellite for the U.S. military. In support of this mission was booster B1092, flying for the fourth time, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ### *May 31st - New Shepard for NS-32* Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket conducted another suborbital tourist mission from the company's West Texas launch site. Onboard were Aymette Medina Jorge, Dr. Gretchen Green, Jaime Alemán, Jesse Williams, Mark Rocket, and Paul Jeris. ### *May 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-18* Another Falcon 9 launched a batch of twenty-seven Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. Booster B1071 supported this mission for its twenty-fifth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ## Launches to look out for in June! June will continue a busy year for worldwide launches. Listed below are all of the launches expected or likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of June may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *June 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-19* SpaceX is planning to launch another batch of Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 to low Earth orbit. ### *June 3rd - Electron for 'Full Stream Ahead'* Rocket Lab is aiming to launch its Electron rocket from the company's launch site on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand, carrying a single satellite to low Earth orbit for BlackSky Technology. ### *June 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-22* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *June 7th - Falcon 9 with SXM-10* A Falcon 9 is planning to launch SiriusXM's SXM-10 satellite to geostationary transfer orbit with a launch from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *June 8th - Falcon 9 with Axiom-4* SpaceX is expecting to launch the Axiom-4 mission on a Crew Dragon spacecraft, carrying Peggy Whitson from the U.S., Shubhanshu Shukla from India, Sławosz Uznański from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, to the International Space Station atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. ### *June 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-8* Yet another group of Starlink satellites is planned to head to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *June 13th - Atlas V with KA-02* United Launch Alliance is preparing to launch Amazon's second group of twenty-seven Kuiper satellites to low Earth orbit to build the space-based internet mega-constellation. ### *June 18th - GSLV Mk-II with NISAR* The Indian Space Research Organization is planning to launch its GSLV Mk-II rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Center carrying the NISAR satellite, developed with NASA, to sun-synchronous orbit. ### *June 21st - Falcon 9 with Transporter-14* SpaceX is preparing to fly its fourteenth Transporter sun-synchronous orbit small satellite rideshare mission with a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *June 23rd - H-2A with GOSAT-GW* A H-2A rocket is planning to fly from the Tanegashima Space Center for the final time carrying GOSAT-GW (Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite Greenhouse gases and Water cycle) to sun-synchronous orbit. ### Weekly Dose of Space (25/5-31/5) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-25-5-31-5/ Last updated: 2025-06-01T09:41:56.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw eight launches taking place, including one flying into deep space. News from the week has more details on NASA's budget cuts and SpaceX's Starship plans. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *May 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-1* Twenty-four Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1082 on its thirteenth flight, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *May 27th - Starship-Super Heavy for its ninth flight test* SpaceX launched its in-development fully reusable Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle [on its ninth flight test](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-nine), using Ship 35 and Booster 14, from its South Texas launch site. During the flight test, Booster 14 exploded very shortly into its landing burn and Ship 35 lost control following the shutdown of its engines. ![Starship-Super Heavy lifting off from South Texas for its ninth test flight. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/GsAXstrXcAA8LnB.jpg) Starship-Super Heavy lifting off from South Texas for its ninth test flight. ©SpaceX ### *May 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-32* From Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, another Falcon 9 sent twenty-seven Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Booster B1080, flying for the nineteenth time, supported this mission, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' afterwards. ### *May 28th - Long March 3B/E with Tianwen-2* China's Tianwen-2 asteroid sample return mission Tianwen-2 blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center atop of a Long March 3B/E, flying out of the Earth-Moon system. Tianwen-2 is journeying to asteroid 2016HO3/469219 Kamoʻoalewa to gather between 200 and 1,000 grams of samples. ![The Long March 3B/E Y110 vehicle lifting off from Xichang for the Tianwen-2 mission.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/008Ehf5Jly1i1vs2izxlvj32dc35cx6q.jpg) The Long March 3B/E Y110 vehicle lifting off from Xichang for the Tianwen-2 mission. ### *May 29th - Long March 4B with Shijian-26* A Long March 4B lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying the Shijian-26 spacecraft to a sun-synchronous orbit. Shijian-26 is expected to serve land census and environmental monitoring efforts to inform agricultural policy. ![The Long March 4B Y62 vehicle lifting off from Jiuquan with Shijian-26.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/006aWhMSgy1i1wcryjnfjj30zk1hbwrx-1.jpg) The Long March 4B Y62 vehicle lifting off from Jiuquan with Shijian-26. ### *May 30th - Falcon 9 with GPS-III SV08* SpaceX's Falcon 9 flew to medium Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying the GPS-III SV08 satellite for the U.S. military. In support of this mission was booster B1092, flying for the fourth time, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 with GPS-III SV08. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/06/GsORpORWcAAzQ6--1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 with GPS-III SV08\. ©SpaceX ### *May 31st - New Shepard for NS-32* Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket conducted another suborbital tourist mission from the company's West Texas launch site. Onboard were Aymette Medina Jorge, Dr. Gretchen Green, Jaime Alemán, Jesse Williams, Mark Rocket, and Paul Jeris. > 🔁 NS-32 Replay: Booster Touchdown! [pic.twitter.com/o0RjbA3yCg](https://t.co/o0RjbA3yCg?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) [May 31, 2025](https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1928837712741629959?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Shepard touching down in West Texas on May 31st, via [Blue Origin on Twitter](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1928837712741629959?ref=proximareport.com). ### *May 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-18* Another Falcon 9 launched a batch of twenty-seven Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. Booster B1071 supported this mission for its twenty-fifth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Isaacman's NASA Administrator bid withdrawn* In a highly surprising move, the Trump White House [announced on May 31st](https://spacenews.com/white-house-to-withdraw-isaacman-nomination-to-lead-nasa/?ref=proximareport.com) that Jared Isaacman would no longer be moving forward to become NASA's next Administrator. It's unclear why the White House is no longer moving forward with Jared Isaacman, but a spokesperson stated: > “The Administrator of NASA will help lead humanity into space and execute President Trump’s bold mission of planting the American flag on the planet Mars,” – “It’s essential that the next leader of NASA is in complete alignment with President Trump’s America First agenda and a replacement will be announced directly by President Trump soon.” The withdrawal [comes a week after](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-18-5-24-5#senate-plans-isaacman-nomination-vote) the U.S. Senate planned to vote on whether Jared Isaacman would be the NASA Administrator. ### *NASA gutted under new budget* NASA released details on its [fiscal year 2026 budget](https://www.nasa.gov/fy-2026-budget-request/?ref=proximareport.com) on May 30th, confirming details on what the Trump Administration would like to cut, [first disclosed in a budget overview](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-2026-budget). With the budget proposal, six billion dollars in agency funding would be lost, along with the layoff of thousands of employees. [Jeff Foust for SpaceNews has a solid overview](https://spacenews.com/nasa-budget-would-cancel-dozens-of-science-missions-lay-off-thousands/?ref=proximareport.com) of the cuts, with some extracts as follows: > "\[Cuts\] include the Mars Sample Return (MSR) program, which the skinny budget highlighted for cancellation, and Landsat Next, a future Earth observation program that was the other science mission mentioned in the skinny budget. NASA will instead work to restructure Landsat Next in unspecified ways through a separate program, Sustainable Land Imaging." > "In Earth science, the budget proposes to cancel missions in the Earth System Observatory line of missions recommended by the most recent decadal survey other than GRACE-Continuity, the latest in a series of missions to monitor the planet’s gravity field." > "In addition to MSR, the budget proposes to end funding for the Mars Odyssey and MAVEN missions orbiting Mars. It would also cancel NASA’s support for the European Space Agency’s Rosalind Franklin Mars rover mission, where NASA agreed to provide thrusters, radioisotope heating units and a launch vehicle." > "The budget would terminate many ongoing astrophysics missions, including the Chandra X-Ray Observatory and Fermi. It would cancel the Astrophysics Probe program, which was studying concepts for a billion-dollar space telescope, as well as smaller Explorer-class missions in development such as the Compton Spectrometer and Imager as well as Ultraviolet Explorer." If you have the time, please do read the full SpaceNews article, or the NASA budget proposal itself. *The Proxima Report team is currently short on time to cover the budget properly, a dedicated article on the budget is in the early stages of writing.* ### *SpaceX wants five Mars landings in 2026* SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk [delivered a presentation on May 29th](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1928185351933239641?ref=proximareport.com) regarding the future of the Starship program. This talk had been planned to take place live ahead of [Starship's ninth flight test](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-nine), but was pushed back to afterward before being released as a recording following the failed flight test. Although details were scarce, Musk shared that he hopes the Starship will perform a catchback at the launch site this year, which will require an orbital flight, along with the debut of the 'Block 3' Starship-Super Heavy vehicle. The 'Block 3' vehicle we see both the booster and ship lengthened, and utilizing the Raptor 3 engine, along with a matured hot-staging ring design that won't be separated following a booster boost-back burn. A 'Block 4' vehicle was also hinted at with a boasted increase in thrust, propellant onboard, and likely payload capacity. Musk also stated that SpaceX teams are working on increasing the production capacity of its Starship-Super Heavy production facility in Starbase, Texas, to produce one thousand vehicles per year. This would be complemented by a second production site in Florida. Regarding Mars, Musk is hopeful that five Starships will head to Mars in 2026 carrying ten tons of payload each to the planet. This would be followed by twenty Starships in 2028 with seventy-five tons of payload, then one hundred Starships in 2030 with one hundred and fifty tons of cargo, and next five hundred Starships with three hundred tons of payload each. The flights in the 2030s are hoped to be sufficient to allow a Mars outpost to begin to become self-sustaining. Missions in support of NASA's Artemis program were not mentioned, a Moon base was briefly touched on. However, it was disclosed that the Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer has been delayed to next year. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *June 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-19* SpaceX is planning to launch another batch of Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 to low Earth orbit. ### *June 3rd - Electron for 'Full Stream Ahead'* Rocket Lab is aiming to launch its Electron rocket from the company's launch site on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand, carrying a single satellite to low Earth orbit for BlackSky Technology. ### *June 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-22* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *June 7th - Falcon 9 with SXM-10* A Falcon 9 is planning to launch SiriusXM's SXM-10 satellite to geostationary transfer orbit with a launch from Space Launch Complex 40. ### NASA is Directionless, the Moon is Chinese URL: https://proximareport.com/moon-is-chinese/ Last updated: 2025-05-31T22:09:01.000Z Congratulations to the People's Republic of China on returning humans to the lunar surface! But they haven't performed a crewed lunar mission yet? No, China hasn't, but the United States' plans for NASA are an [utter mess](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-no-space-plan) of [underfunding](https://spacenews.com/nasa-budget-would-cancel-dozens-of-science-missions-lay-off-thousands/?ref=proximareport.com) and [headlessness](https://spacenews.com/white-house-to-withdraw-isaacman-nomination-to-lead-nasa/?ref=proximareport.com). Imminent budget changes eliminate the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion capsule, along with the Gateway lunar space station. And now with Jared Isaacman likely no longer heading toward NASA leaves the agency directionless at the whims of the White House. For those outside of the know, SLS is the only rocket in the U.S. capable of delivering the Orion capsule to a trans-lunar trajectory. This capability made it critical for plans to send astronauts around the Moon in 2026, followed by a rendezvous with SpaceX's Starship Human Landing System (HLS) in lunar orbit for the crewed mission to the lunar surface since 1972. However, the program to return American astronauts to the Moon, known as Artemis, is [rife with delays](https://cosmicnxws.com/nasa-delays-artemis-ii-2026?ref=proximareport.com). And now it appears that these delays have killed the only parts of the program proven to work. With SLS heading toward retirement and no alternative ready, how might the U.S. send astronauts to the Moon, after China does? The simplest option would be to put Orion atop of another rocket capable of sending it to low Earth orbit where it would then rendezvous with another stage to send it out to the Moon. Currently, the two options capable of putting Orion in low Earth orbit are Blue Origin's New Glenn and SpaceX's Falcon Heavy. Another New Glenn, launching with no payload, would likely then be used to send Orion out toward the Moon. Another option, if more cuts to Artemis are on the table, is to get rid of Orion altogether and use just SpaceX vehicles instead. In this approach, a Starship HLS would be sent to lunar orbit as planned for Artemis III, while another stripped-down HLS is placed in low Earth orbit, with both fully refueled. The crew would then launch aboard Crew Dragon on a Falcon 9 and dock with the HLS in low Earth orbit. From there, the HLS carrying the crew would perform a trans-lunar burn to rendezvous with the other HLS in lunar orbit, where the landing mission would proceed as planned. After completing the surface mission, the crew would return to lunar orbit and then back to low Earth orbit aboard the same HLS that initially transported them. Finally, Crew Dragon would dock with the returning HLS and bring the astronauts safely back to Earth. This option, which seemed unrealistic just a few years ago, is shockingly realistic as Elon Musk, head of SpaceX, [bought the second Trump presidency](https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/01/politics/elon-musk-2024-election-spending-millions/index.html?ref=proximareport.com). Both of those options would take considerable time, capital, and resources. None of which will help another landing occur before 2030\. And Orion would not need to be retired along with SLS. SLS' winding down also begs the question: does the U.S. actually want to return to the Moon? NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative has been trying to cultivate a commercial ecosystem for sending payloads to the Moon, but its success is questionable. So far, all of the CLPS missions, and many future missions, are [dependent on NASA funding](https://jatan.space/nasa-clps-moon-missions/?ref=proximareport.com) to deliver a few hundred kilograms of cargo, [sometimes to the Moon](https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/08/world/peregrine-lunar-lander-anomaly-astrobotic-nasa-scn/index.html?ref=proximareport.com). If a return is not desired, the U.S. could alternatively abandon its Moon plans and go all in on a crewed Mars mission. This mission has long been a dream of Elon Musk, and now, having brought a presidency, [Trump wants to see it happen too](https://cosmicnxws.com/trump-wants-boots-on-mars?ref=proximareport.com). In Trump's inauguration speech, he mentioned a crewed Mars mission stating: > "The United States will once again consider itself a growing nation, one that increases our wealth, expands our territory, builds our cities, raises our expectations and carries our flag into new and beautiful horizons. And we will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, **launching American astronauts to plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars.**" Now, with SLS retiring and no replacement ready, the next missions with hardware almost ready are Chinese. China announced a few years ago that it would send taikonauts to the Moon and return them to Earth before 2030\. However, those close to the program believe it can occur sooner than the 2030 target. Both the Mengzhou crew capsule and Lanyue lunar lander are currently undergoing testing, [with steady progress](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/chinas-crewed-lunar-program-progressing?ref=proximareport.com), on the ground for testing in space in the coming years. In addition, the Long March 10A, a single-core version of the Long March 10 Moon rocket, will fly for the first time in 2026, while the three-core Long March 10 will fly in 2027. Additionally, China's crewed lunar program is not only just meant for short-term surface exploration missions, it is [also aiming to develop](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-is-not-racing-to-the-moon?ref=proximareport.com) stations for long-term Moon missions. These stations will be implemented by the various members of the International Lunar Research Station, at least one will be on the lunar surface while another may be in lunar orbit. > "The United States now sleeps under a \[red\] moon" > *\-* [*Nikita Khrushchev*](https://www.uvic.ca/humanities/history/assets/docs/Honours%20Thesis%20-%20Stephen%20Grundmanis%2020171.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) --- *Lead image is photoshopped, the original is U.S. astronaut David Scott saluting the American flag during the Apollo 15 mission on August 1st 1971\. You can find the original image* [*here*](https://science.nasa.gov/resource/astronaut-david-scott-gives-salute-beside-us-flag-during-eva/?ref=proximareport.com)*.* *Disclaimer: Parts of this post have been ready for release since January 21st 2025 when rumours around a new direction began. Additionally, there is still time for the U.S. to change course via direction from Congress, assuming Donald Trump doesn't end any bill hoping to do so.* ### SpaceX Loses Starship and Super Heavy in Ninth Flight URL: https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-nine/ Last updated: 2025-05-28T00:27:11.000Z SpaceX's prototype fully-reusable Starship-Super Heavy blasted off from South Texas on May 27th at 23:36 pm Universal Standard Time for the vehicle's ninth test flight. This test flight utilized Ship 35, the third 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage, and Super Heavy Booster 14, flying for a second time. Prior to the flight, [SpaceX shared](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-pre-flight-nine) that Booster 14 would not perform a catch due to a number of reuse experiments onboard, while Ship 35 would aim to deploy eight dummy Starlink satellites and perform an in-space burn before splashing down in the Indian Ocean. As is routine for the Super Heavy boosters now, all thirty-three of Booster 14's Raptor engines, with twenty-nine having flown before, along with one flying for the third time, ignited carrying the vehicle skyward over the Gulf of Mexico. > Liftoff of Starship! [pic.twitter.com/aXAwLkRbuK](https://t.co/aXAwLkRbuK?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [May 27, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1927509601001341037?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Starship-Super Heavy lifting off from South Texas for the vehicle's ninth flight test, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1927509601001341037?ref=proximareport.com). All of Booster 14's engines remained running throughout its second ascent to space, with all but three shutting down for hot-staging where Ship 35 ignited its six engines to head onward without the booster. > Starship’s Raptor engines ignite during hot-staging separation. Super Heavy is boosting back towards its splashdown site and preparing for its high angle of attack entry [pic.twitter.com/aQBwsvSrl0](https://t.co/aQBwsvSrl0?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [May 27, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1927510220835635706?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 35 hot-staging from Booster 14, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1927510220835635706?ref=proximareport.com). During the boost-back burn, all thirteen engines needed to be restarted to send Booster 14 back toward land relit and burned as planned. After a few minutes of unpowered flight, Booster 14 relit twelve out of thirteen engines for a splashdown, momentarily slowing down before the vehicle exploded. While the booster was heading toward the Gulf of Mexico, Ship 35 was powering through its ascent. During that ascent, propellant was seen leaking from the engine section, but the vehicle flew through to engine cutoff to place it on its desired trajectory. However, with the engine cutoff a spin of Ship 35 occurred due to the propellant leak. Due to an issue with the payload bay door, the eight dummy Starlink satellites could not be deployed and remained onboard. The in-space Raptor engine restart was also forgone. By the time Ship 35 reached atmospheric re-entry, it was still suffering from a spin, with attitude control lost and surrounded by what appeared to be its propellant that had leaked out. Due to the uncontrolled re-entry, Ship 35 was lost on descent. Flight ten had been expected to head into orbit, had the ninth flight put 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage development back on track. An orbital flight is now likely pushed back to flight eleven at the earliest, toward the end of the year. 2025 had been poised to be a key year for the Starship program with a Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer demonstration for NASA. The propellant transfer between two vehicles is critical for getting the Starship lunar lander out to the Moon, and returning American astronauts to the surface, [for one mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-2026-budget?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), through the Artemis program. ## How does it compare to flight eight? In good news for the Super Heavy booster but bad news for the Starship upper-stage, [flight eight was a repeat](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-8?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) of the prior test flight. During that flight, Booster 15 ignited all thirty-three Raptor engines, propelling the vehicle toward space. All engines ran until 'most engines cut-off,' at which point Ship 34 lit its six engines for hot staging. Booster 14 then headed back to the launch site via a boost back burn. > Mechazilla has caught the Super Heavy booster! [pic.twitter.com/JFeJSdnQ5x](https://t.co/JFeJSdnQ5x?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [March 6, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1897794546781532408?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster 15 being caugt back at the launch site, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1897794546781532408?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). Following the boost back burn, Booster 15 fell back toward the launch site, lighting thirteen engines and then shutting down all but three for a third successful catch of the Starship program. While the booster was flying as planned, Ship 34, like Ship 33, was encountering several problems. Over the course of a few minutes, Ship 34's Raptor engines gradually failed, some together, and almost nine minutes into the flight, telemetry from the vehicle was lost for good. SpaceX [currently believes](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-pre-flight-nine) the loss of Ship 34 was due to unintended propellant mixing within the Raptor engines, despite occurring near the same point in flight as Ship 33 was lost to [harmonic stresses](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-reattempt-failed-net-28th), which damaged propulsion systems. ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-four meters tall and weighs 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ### What is Starship? Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Starship is believed to weigh 1,300,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. In order to survive re-entry for reuse, Starship has several thousand thermal protection tiles on one side of the vehicle and on all four of its aerodynamic control surfaces. The four control surfaces help guide the vehicle during re-entry and prior to landing inside the atmosphere at a pre-determined location. Starship also has a series of small thrusters to control the vehicle in space before re-entry. SpaceX is believed to be working on a few variants of Starship for use as a Moon lander, propellant tanker, space station, Mars lander, and as a crewed spacecraft. ### What is Super Heavy? Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. To enable the reuse of Super Heavy, the vehicle has four large grid fins placed in the interstage to assist in guiding and controlling during descent. Super Heavy also has four chines running along the lower third of it to generate lift and assist in stabilization. Shortly after completing the ascent, Super Heavy restarts ten engines, as three were running during staging, and performs a 'boost back' burn in order to return to the launch site. After the 'boost back' burn is completed the engines shut down with Super Heavy being guided by a series of small thrusters and its grid fins. Once Super Heavy is at the correct altitude above its landing location three engines start back up for the landing burn. SpaceX currently plans to have Super Heavy land back at the launch site, or at sea if a problem is detected during descent Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ### Weekly Dose of Space (18/5-24/5) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-18-5-24-5/ Last updated: 2025-05-25T11:16:56.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw seven launches taking place worldwide, with one failure. News from the week saw the Shenzhou-20 taikonaut trio conducting their first spacewalk, China's Tianwen-2 asteroid sample return probe preparing for launch, and Jared Isaacman moving closer to being NASA Administrator. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *May 18th - PSLV-XL with RISAT-1B* A PSLV-XL rocket launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, in India, hoping to deliver the RISAT-1B synthetic aperture radar imaging satellite to low Earth orbit. Sadly during the third-stage underperformed during its burn, leading in a failure to reach orbit. ### *May 19th - Ceres-1S with four Tianqi satellites* Galactic Energy's Ceres-1S delivered four Tianqi satellites to a 850-kilometer 45-degree inclination low Earth orbit from the coast of Rizhao in the Yellow Sea. The satellites being launched were Tianqi-16, Tianqi-17, Tianqi-19, and Tianqi-20 for Guodian Gaoke's Internet-of-Things constellation. ![Galactic Energy's Ceres-1S Y5 vehicle during first-stage flight.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/682afa93a310a04a9678b838-1.jpeg) Galactic Energy's Ceres-1S Y5 vehicle during first-stage flight. ### *May 20th - Long March 7A with ChinaSat-3B* A Long March 7A lifted off from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site carrying the ChinaSat-3B satellite to geostationary transfer orbit. ChinaSat-3B is expected to provide communications, radio, and television transmission services, while complementing ChinaSat-3A. ![The Long March 7A Y15 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/0080MYmPly1i1m8n2syfqj30zk0npaeb-1.jpg) The Long March 7A Y15 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ### *May 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-15* Twenty-three Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1095 supported this mission, believed to be on its first flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *May 21st - Kinetica-1 for its return-to-flight mission* CAS Space's Kinetica-1 rocket performed its return to flight mission from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying six satellites to sun-synchronous orbit. The satellites onboard were Taijing-3-04, Taijing-4-02A, Xingrui-11, Xingjiyuan-1, Lifang108-001 (also known as Tadahuyang-1), and Xiguang-1-02. ![CAS Space's Kinetica-1 Y7 vehicle blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/008iEnCggy1i1n0jhqjmrj30zk0npdjb.jpg) CAS Space's Kinetica-1 Y7 vehicle blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *May 23rd - Soyuz 2.1b with Kosmos 2588* A Soyuz 2.1b launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying a military spacecraft into low Earth orbit. ### *May 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-16* Twenty-seven more Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this launch was booster B1075 for its eighteenth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' down range. > Falcon lands for the 450th time! [pic.twitter.com/zoZdVHulSp](https://t.co/zoZdVHulSp?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [May 23, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1926045830563115375?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 first-stage booster B1075 landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You', via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1926045830563115375?ref=proximareport.com). ### *May 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-22* Another twenty-three Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit with SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1069 supported this launch on its twenty-fourth flight, landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Shenzhou-20 crew conducts first spacewalk* ![Chen Dong heading into the Tianhe module’s airlock to end the Shenzhou-20 mission’s first spacewalk. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/008iEnCgly1i1odzo04t8j32dv197kc6.jpg) Chen Dong heading into the Tianhe module’s airlock to end the Shenzhou-20 mission’s first spacewalk. ©China Manned Space Agency Chen Dong and Chen Zhongrui conducted the [Shenzhou-20 mission's first spacewalk](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/more-debris-protection-devices-installed?ref=proximareport.com) on May 22nd, spending eight hours outside of the space station. Their crewmate, Wang Jie, stayed inside the Tianhe module to support the two spacewalkers. While outside the space station, the spacewalkers installed various space debris protection devices, having collected them from the Mengtian modules cargo airlock, which placed them outside the station prior. Additionally, inspections of the space stations three modules were conducted to ensure Tiangong is operating as expected, allowing it to remain in orbit into the late 2030s. In a rarity on Tiangong, the Shenzhou-20 crews spacewalk was performed from the Tianhe module. The last time Tianhe's airlock was used was in December 2021 as all spacewalks since have used the Wentian modules airlock. Currently, the Shenzhou-20 crew has spent just over one month onboard the space station, with five months left in their mission. Additional spacewalks may occur before the three taikonauts return to Earth in October. ### *Tianwen-2 prepares for launch* ![Part of the team for the Tianwen-2 mission pose with the spacecraft, in its protective container, during its lift toward the top of its Long March 3B/E rocket.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/GrPSA3OWkAA62Pk.jpg) Part of the team for the Tianwen-2 mission pose with the spacecraft, in its protective container, during its lift toward the top of its Long March 3B/E rocket. On May 18th, the China Academy of Space Technology shared that the Tianwen-2 probe, which will collect samples from a near-Earth asteroid, was [moved to Launch Complex 2](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/9ch1Ndz7Ni%5F9TblnYT63SA?ref=proximareport.com) at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. In the weeks prior, the spacecraft was loaded with its propellant to perform its mission and wrapped up final testing. Tianwen-2 has been at Xichang since late February for launch preparations. Hazard notices indicate that liftoff for Tianwen-2 atop of the Long March 3B/E could occur as soon as May 28th. Following launch the spacecraft will begin its long journey out to asteroid 2016HO3, arriving sometime in 2027\. While flying alongside the asteroid Tianwen-2 will search for a suitable sampling site before collecting between 200 and 1,000 grams of samples via touch-and-go as well as anchor-and-attach methods. Once these samples are secured in a sample container, the spacecraft will head back toward Earth and drop off the samples around 2029 during a flyby. After the sample canister is released for retrieval by teams back on Earth, Tianwen-2 will begin its extended mission to asteroid 311P out in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Throughout the early 2030s, Tianwen-2 is planned to thoroughly study 311P whilst doubling as a test of China’s deep space communications infrastructure ahead of the Tianwen-4 mission to Jupiter. If the mission is successful, China will be the third nation to collect samples from an asteroid, after the United States and Japan. With more samples on Earth, greater scientific breakthroughs related to the birth and creation of the solar system can be made. ### *Senate plans Isaacman nomination vote* [SpaceNews is reporting](https://spacenews.com/senate-sets-up-early-june-vote-on-isaacman-nomination-to-lead-nasa/?ref=proximareport.com) that the U.S. Senate is planning its vote on confirming Jared Isaacman as Administrator of NASA in June. This vote follows a hearing by the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation, where [Jared Isaacman denied](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-nasa-hearing) that Elon Musk, Head of SpaceX, was present during his meetings with then-President-elect Donald Trump regarding NASA. It is unknown how Isaacman, as NASA Administrator, will manage the space agency with a [massively reduced budget](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-2026-budget) and [no firm plans](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-no-space-plan). ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *May 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 17-1* A batch of Starlink satellites is planned to launch to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *May 27th - Starship-Super Heavy for its ninth flight test* SpaceX is [planning to conduct](https://proximareport.com/articles/spacex-pre-flight-nine) Starship-Super Heavy's ninth flight test from Starbase, Texas, to put development back on track for the 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage after two back-to-back failures. ### *May 28th - Electron for 'Full Stream Ahead'* Rocket Lab is aiming to launch its Electron rocket from the company's launch site on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand, carrying a single satellite to low Earth orbit for BlackSky Technology. ### *May 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-32* Another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to head to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. ### *May 28th - Long March 3B/E with Tianwen-2* The [Tianwen-2 asteroid sample return mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/tianwen-2-a-stepping-stone-into-deep-space) is planning to launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center atop of a Long March 3B/E. Following launch, the spacecraft will head to asteroid 469219 Kamoʻoalewa and return samples in 2029. ### *May 29th - Long March 2D with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 2D may launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying a currently unknown payload into Earth orbit. ### *May 30th - Falcon 9 with GPS-III SV08* A Falcon 9 is planning to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying the GPS-III SV08 satellite to medium Earth orbit for the U.S. military. ### *May 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-18* Yet another batch of Starlink satellites is planned to launch to low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### SpaceX to Attempt Third 'Block 2' Starship Flight Following Repeat Failures URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-pre-flight-nine/ Last updated: 2025-05-23T19:00:25.000Z SpaceX is currently working toward the ninth flight test of its in-development fully reusable Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. This flight test is hoped to put development back on track for the 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage after [two back-to-back](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-8), eerily similar, failures. Following the failure of the eighth flight test, similar to the previous flight, SpaceX is conducting a length anomaly investigation. So far, the company [believes the following](https://www.spacex.com/updates/?ref=proximareport.com#flight-8-report) is the root cause of the two failures: > "The most probable root cause for the loss of Starship was identified as a hardware failure in one of the upper stage’s center Raptor engines that resulted in inadvertent propellant mixing and ignition. Extensive ground testing has taken place since the flight test to better understand the failure, including more than 100 long-duration Raptor firings at SpaceX’s McGregor test facility." > "To address the issue on upcoming flights, engines on the Starship’s upper stage will receive additional preload on key joints, a new nitrogen purge system, and improvements to the propellant drain system. Future upgrades to Starship will introduce the Raptor 3 engine which will include additional reliability improvements to address the failure mechanism." > "While the failure manifested at a similar point in the flight timeline as Starship’s seventh flight test, it is worth noting that the failures are distinctly different. The mitigations put in place after Starship’s seventh flight test to address harmonic response and flammability of the ship’s attic section worked as designed prior to the failure on Flight 8." An [investigation into the eighth flight test is still ongoing](https://x.com/bccarcounters/status/1925573807898567149?t=4MCEg89x5YKfWSmAaSoK2w&ref=proximareport.com), with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration [approving of mitigations in place](https://x.com/spcplcyonline/status/1925571710935277862?t=4MCEg89x5YKfWSmAaSoK2w&ref=proximareport.com) for the ninth test flight. Additionally, [larger](https://x.com/mcrs987/status/1923209977088393407?ref=proximareport.com) and [more numerous](https://x.com/dpoddolphinpro/status/1925574000064737333?t=4MCEg89x5YKfWSmAaSoK2w&ref=proximareport.com) airspace closures are in place for this flight test. SpaceX currently expects to fly the ninth flight test as soon as May 27th, utilizing Ship 35 and Booster 14, which is flying for a second time. Some details on the next flight test [are as follows](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-9&ref=proximareport.com): > "The upcoming flight test marks the first launch of a flight-proven Super Heavy booster, which previously launched and returned on Starship’s seventh flight test. In addition to the reuse milestone, Super Heavy will fly a variety of experiments aimed at generating data to improve performance and reliability on future boosters. The Starship upper stage will repeat its suborbital trajectory and target objectives not reached on the previous two flight tests, including the first payload deployment from Starship and multiple reentry experiments geared towards returning the vehicle to the launch site for catch." > "After the conclusion of the boostback burn, the booster will attempt to fly at a higher angle of attack during its descent. By increasing the amount of atmospheric drag on the vehicle, a higher angle of attack can result in a lower descent speed which in turn requires less propellant for the initial landing burn. Getting real-world data on how the booster is able to control its flight at this higher angle of attack will contribute to improved performance on future vehicles, including the next generation of Super Heavy." Meanwhile, Ship 35 is aiming to perform a full mission profile, not seen since flight six, and hopefully becoming the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage to do so. During a coast phase in space, Ship 35 will also attempt to deploy eight dummy Starlink satellites and perform an in-space Raptor engine relight. As with the other eight flight tests, this mission will fly from [Starbase, Texas](https://proximareport.com/articles/starbase-company-town), using SpaceX's only operational launch pad at its Starship test site. If the ninth flight test is successful, flight ten could head into orbit, potentially for the first tower catch of a Starship. 2025 is a key year for the Starship program as a Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer is expected this year by NASA. Propellant transfer between two vehicles is critical for getting the Starship lunar lander out to the Moon, and returning American astronauts to the surface, [for one mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-2026-budget), through the Artemis program. ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-four meters tall and weighs 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ### What is Starship? Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Starship is believed to weigh 1,300,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. In order to survive re-entry for reuse, Starship has several thousand thermal protection tiles on one side of the vehicle and on all four of its aerodynamic control surfaces. The four control surfaces help guide the vehicle during re-entry and prior to landing inside the atmosphere at a pre-determined location. Starship also has a series of small thrusters to control the vehicle in space before re-entry. SpaceX is believed to be working on a few variants of Starship for use as a Moon lander, propellant tanker, space station, Mars lander, and as a crewed spacecraft. ### What is Super Heavy? Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. To enable the reuse of Super Heavy, the vehicle has four large grid fins placed in the interstage to assist in guiding and controlling during descent. Super Heavy also has four chines running along the lower third of it to generate lift and assist in stabilization. Shortly after completing the ascent, Super Heavy relights ten engines, as three were running during staging, and performs a 'boost back' burn in order to return to the launch site. After the 'boost back' burn is completed the engines shut down with Super Heavy being guided by a series of small thrusters and its grid fins. Once Super Heavy is at the correct altitude above its landing location three engines start back up for the landing burn. SpaceX currently plans to have Super Heavy land back at the launch site, or at sea if a problem is detected during descent Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ### How Has SpaceX Benefited From Trump's Return? URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-benefited-trump/ Last updated: 2025-05-21T21:47:08.000Z Elon Musk, the billionaire head of SpaceX, annouced recently that he will [become less involved with politics](https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/elon-musk-says-hes-going-to-do-a-lot-less-political-spending/ar-AA1F8st9?ref=proximareport.com) following around a year long effort to have Trump returned to the White House. This effort has cost him [almost 300 million](https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/01/politics/elon-musk-2024-election-spending-millions/index.html?ref=proximareport.com) United States Dollars during the election campaign, and an [additional 25 million](https://www.newsweek.com/elon-musk-wisconsin-supreme-court-election-loss-2053668?ref=proximareport.com) in Wisconsin for its Supreme Court election. [Musk's reasoning](https://www.ft.com/content/b1dfa77b-cbc6-4274-9362-cffc21025d5c?ref=proximareport.com) for cutting back? > "I think I've done enough." It's not clear what Musk considers 'enough' to be, following the 'Department of Government Efficiency's' [failure to save 2 trillion dollars](https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/20/musks%5Fdoge%5Fpromises%5Ffail/?ref=proximareport.com) per year, and with the [debt raised by another 4 trillion](https://apnews.com/article/house-republicans-budget-blueprint-trump-tax-cuts-ff2bddf31f4e7cb0928139072392a091?ref=proximareport.com). But 'enough' may be policies that have benefited Musk's companies, including SpaceX. Following the [announcement of sweeping tariffs](https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/04/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-declares-national-emergency-to-increase-our-competitive-edge-protect-our-sovereignty-and-strengthen-our-national-and-economic-security/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) from the Trump Administration, and with Musk's closeness to the administration, a handful of countries quickly cozied up to SpaceX. One nation was the small African nation of Lesotho, hit with 50 percent tariffs, which [quickly approved services of the Starlink constellation](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/05/07/elon-musk-starlink-trump-tariffs/?pwapi%5Ftoken=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzQ2NTkwNDAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzQ3OTcyNzk5LCJpYXQiOjE3NDY1OTA0MDAsImp0aSI6ImQ1Mjg1MDNhLWIwNTUtNGZlYy04MWJjLTI3Y2ZjNjA3OTVlNCIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9idXNpbmVzcy8yMDI1LzA1LzA3L2Vsb24tbXVzay1zdGFybGluay10cnVtcC10YXJpZmZzLyJ9.104WaOwnVDIWegH4am8aiQ3pV0P5O8dKXqF6zxA4kqY&ref=proximareport.com) with a decade-long license. The granting of Starlink's license was not part of a wider agreement with the U.S., but instead to build goodwill with the administration. [Another nation was India](https://smestreet.in/space-tech/from-tariffs-to-telecom-starlinks-strategic-entry-into-the-indian-market-9049721?ref=proximareport.com), with a population of 1.4 billion people and thus a massive potential market. [Pakistan and Bangladesh also approved](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/04/30/elon-musk-starlink-bangladesh-tariffs/?ref=proximareport.com) a license for Starlink, with [Vietnam removing a rule](https://www.marketscreener.com/news/latest/Vietnam-to-allow-SpaceX-s-Starlink-satellite-internet-service-49432599/?ref=proximareport.com) until 2030 that requires SpaceX to partner with a local company. Across more of Africa too, Starlink is entering new nations markets, with [aggressive support from the U.S. State Department](https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-musk-starlink-state-department-gambia-africa-pressure?ref=proximareport.com). All of these nations have granted licenses for the same reason as Lesotho: to build goodwill with Trump and his allies. Related to Starlink's push aboard with the Trump Administration, the constellation is [reported to be replacing](https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-starlink-spacex-faa-bbe9495978cac61b60c2971168e2921f?ref=proximareport.com) the Federal Aviation Administration's communications systems. Officials have suggested that [Starlink will be used in the short term](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/musks-starlink-says-not-taking-150039291.html?ref=proximareport.com), but that remains to be seen. Alongside benefits from tariffs, there's also the 'Golden Dome' pipe dream, which will cost anywhere [between 175](https://www.twz.com/space/trumps-golden-dome-missile-shield-what-we-just-learned-and-its-implications?ref=proximareport.com) to [542 billion dollars](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-05/us-space-based-missile-defense-could-cost-542-billion-cbo-says?ref=proximareport.com) if not more. SpaceX has reportedly [emerged as a frontrunner](https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/musks-spacex-is-frontrunner-build-trumps-golden-dome-missile-shield-2025-04-17/?ref=proximareport.com) for 'Golden Dome', utilizing its Starlink and Starshield constellations to support a new constellation solely tracking missiles and hosting weapon systems. Criticism of 'Golden Dome' has been aplenty from both [inside the U.S.](https://www.commondreams.org/news/the-golden-dome?ref=proximareport.com) and abroad, with Chinese Foreign Ministry [Spokesperson Mao Ning noting](https://english.news.cn/20250521/59530a1a89254b07818f5d997fff087b/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) that the project was a gross violation of the Outer Space Treaty, which the U.S. spearheaded the creation of. Meanwhile at NASA, Trump is [looking to cut back on billions](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-2026-budget) for scientific programs in order to allocate money towards a crewed Mars mission. Trump notably[ endorsed the idea during his inauguration](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-wants-boots-on-mars?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) speech, but has [no clue how to go about it](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-no-space-plan). This would likely end up with SpaceX being the sole or major contracted enterprise to put a few people on Mars. In favour of this, SpaceX will have [two stronger supporters](https://proximareport.com/articles/musk-nasa-puppets?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), in NASA's [Administrator](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-nasa-hearing?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) and [Chief Financial Officer](https://proximareport.com/articles/close-ally-autry-navarro?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), who will move in benefit of the company. With new contracts flowing SpaceX's way from the Trump Administration, the company stands to receive billions more dollars in government funds. ## Not all easy business Despite the new money coming from the U.S. government, Trump's policies are hurting SpaceX's commercial customers. The tariffs in early April hit everything, [including satellites](https://spacenews.com/foreign-spacex-launch-customers-seek-relief-from-u-s-tariffs/?ref=proximareport.com) headed to space atop of Falcon 9\. One customer, Canada-based satellite startup Galaxia, got hit with a 25 percent duty to send its spacecraft to SpaceX for a launch in June. While not disclosing the cost, Galaxia chose to absorb the cost for one satellite while considering options for the future. Additionally, due to Musk's support of Trump's rhetoric toward Canada and Mexico has led to the company [losing a 100 million dollar contract](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/ontario-starlink-1.7475817?ref=proximareport.com) in Ontario and potentially [billions in investment from Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim](https://www.livemint.com/companies/carlos-slim-cuts-ties-with-elon-musk-s-starlink-invests-22-billion-in-independent-network-11741364444516.html?ref=proximareport.com). ### Weekly Dose of Space (11/5-17/5) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-11-5-17-5/ Last updated: 2025-05-18T20:25:39.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw nine launches taking place, with only one carrying a single satellites. News from the week had the Artemis Accords gaining a new signatory while the European Space Agency is seeking more funding. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *May 11th - Long March 6A Yaogan-40 Group-02* A Long March 6A lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying three satellites into polar orbit for Yaogan-40 Group-02\. The three satellites are expected to perform electromagnetic environment monitoring of areas of the Earth below. ![The Long March 6A Y9 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/006aWhMSgy1i1bxhy6nm9j30zk0np0zs.jpg) The Long March 6A Y9 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ### *May 12th - Long March 3C/E with TJSW-19* The first Long March 3C/E in almost four years blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the TJSW-19 satellite to geostationary orbit. TJSW-19 is said to provide communications, radio, television, and data transmission, as well as testing and verification for multi-band high-speed throughput communications technologies. ![The Long March 3C/E lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/GqywOuka4AAfzcs.jpg) The Long March 3C/E lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ### *May 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-4* A Falcon 9 departed from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-six Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1088, for its sixth flight, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 15-4 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/GqzxhvSbAAE32y4-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 15-4 mission. ©SpaceX ### *May 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-83* Another batch of twenty-eight Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Booster B1067 supported this mission on its twenty-eighth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange'. ### *May 14th - Long March 2D with Three-Body Computing Constellation Group-01* A Long March 2D blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying the first 12 satellites for ADA Space's Three-Body Computing Constellation into sun-synchronous orbit. This constellation could have up to 2,800 satellites in orbit for AI-enabled processing of spacecraft data in space. ![The Long March 2D Y107 mission carrying twelve satellites from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/0077Nzxhly1i1exg2ldfaj31sl2oxe81-1.jpg) The Long March 2D Y107 mission carrying twelve satellites from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *May 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-67* Twenty-eight more Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, atop of a Falcon 9\. In support of this mission was booster B1090, performing its fourth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *May 16th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-5* Yet another Falcon 9 delivered another twenty-six Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. Booster B1093, on its second flight, supported this mission, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. > Falcon 9 deploys 26 [@Starlink](https://twitter.com/Starlink?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) satellites, completing our 125th mission from pad 4E in California [pic.twitter.com/aUOU57erDG](https://t.co/aUOU57erDG?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [May 16, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1923452439979610535?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9's second-stage deploying Starlink satellites for the Group 15-5 mission, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1923452439979610535?ref=proximareport.com). ### *May 17th - Zhuque-2E with six Tianyi satellites* LandSpace's Zhuque-2E rocket performed its second flight from Launch Area 96A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying six Tianyi satellites to a sun-synchronous orbit. The satellites, developed by Spacety, are Tianyi-29, Tianyi-34, Tianyi-35, Tianyi-42, Tianyi-45, and Tianyi-46\. They will be used for Earth imaging, geological monitoring, radar-based change detection, laser communication tests, and space science research. ![Zhuque-2E lifting off from Launch Area 96A for its second flight.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/008iEnCggy1i1ieeluyizj32801o045u.jpg) Zhuque-2E lifting off from Launch Area 96A for its second flight. ### *May 17th - Electron for 'The Sea God Sees'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying one of iQPS' synthetic aperture radar satellites to low Earth orbit. The satellite is planned to be part of a constellation of thirty-six satellites that will repeatedly image parts of Earth every ten minutes. ![Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1A. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/GrJD4E-WMAArDq0-1.jpg) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1A. ©Rocket Lab ## **In Other Space News** ### *Norway signs Artemis Accords* Norway has signed the U.S.-led non-binding Artemis Accords [on May 15th](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-welcomes-norway-as-55th-nation-to-sign-artemis-accords/?ref=proximareport.com), becoming the fifty-fifth country to do so. A signing ceremony took place at the Norwegian Space Agency in Oslo, with Norway's Minister of Trade and Industry, Cecilie Myrseth, signing on behalf of the country. Following signing, Myrseth stated: > “We are pleased to be a part of the Artemis Accords,” – “This is an important step for enabling Norway to contribute to broader international cooperation to ensure the peaceful exploration and use of outer space.” NASA's acting Administrator Janet Petro added: > “We’re grateful for the strong and meaningful collaboration we’ve already had with the Norwegian Space Agency,” – “Now, by signing the Artemis Accords, Norway is not only supporting the future of exploration, but also helping us define it with all our partners for the Moon, Mars, and beyond.” With the signing of the accords, Norway joins Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay as a signatory. ### *ESA head calls for more funding* ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher [called for increased funding](https://spacenews.com/aschbacher-calls-on-europe-to-increase-space-spending/?ref=proximareport.com) at the European Space Agency (ESA) on May 13th in front of the European Parliament. Speaking to the parliament, Aschbacher said it was a miracle that Europe has its position as a leader in space with its limited funding. Aschbacher noted that Europe contributes around ten percent of the global government spending for space, behind both China and the United States. As such, he argued that: > "All the space budgets in Europe need to increase. It cannot be that we are a world economic powerhouse but in space we are relatively modest in terms of our investment." This call for increased funding is in the wake of [massive proposed cuts to NASA](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-2026-budget?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) programs that [ESA supports](https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/ESA%5FDirector%5FGeneral%5Freaction%5Fto%5Fa%5Freduced%5Fbudget%5Fproposal%5Ffor%5FNASA?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). Regarding the U.S., Aschbacher added: > "Europe needs to strengthen its autonomy, strengthen its independence, build up capacity and therefore be ready. We cannot wait until ’28." ESA is currently preparing for its next three-year budget, which will be decided following a meeting of member states in November. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *May 18th - PSLV-XL with RISAT-1B* A PSLV-XL rocket is preparing to launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, in India, to deliver the RISAT-1B synthetic aperture radar imaging satellite to low Earth orbit. ### *May 19th - Ceres-1S with a to-be-annouced payload* Galactic Energy's Ceres-1S is expected to launch from a sea launch platform off the waters of Rizhao in the Yellow Sea, possibly carrying four Tianqi internet-of-things satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *May 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-15* SpaceX is planning to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, via a Falcon 9. ### *May 20th - Long March 7A with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 7A is preparing to launch from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, carrying a currently undisclosed payload toward geostationary orbit. ### *May 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-16* Another batch of Starlink satellites are planning to be launched to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of a Falcon 9. ### *May 21st - Kinetica-1 for its return to flight* CAS Space could conduct Kinetica-1's return to flight as soon as May 21st with a launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *May 22nd - Starship-Super Heavy's ninth flight test* The in-development fully reusable Starship-Super Heavy rocket may fly its ninth flight test as early as May 22nd. But SpaceX is still [waiting for full regulatory](https://x.com/jeff%5Ffoust/status/1923150940850270448?ref=proximareport.com) go-ahead. ### Trump Has No Space Plans, Politico Reports URL: https://proximareport.com/trump-no-space-plan/ Last updated: 2025-05-15T19:57:20.000Z [*Politico* reported on May 14th](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/14/trump-space-policy-leadership-void-00349131?ref=proximareport.com) that the Trump Administration has no unified plan or individual in charge of its space policy. This is in the wake of [six billion dollars in planned cuts](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-2026-budget) at NASA. Those cuts stand to cripple NASA science in the long term, cancel the long await [Mars Sample Return mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-mars-sample-return-2026?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), put the International Space Station in jeaporady, and cancel the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft after the [Artemis III mission in 2027](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-delays-artemis-ii-2026?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). The cuts to the Artemis program in particular, through eliminating SLS and the Orion capsule, removes the only proven systems for sending humans beyond low Earth orbit and turns the program into a flags-and-footprints project, like Apollo, instead of routine long-term missions to the Moon. In a so-called race to the Moon with China, which is [really a marathon](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-is-not-racing-to-the-moon?ref=proximareport.com), eliminating the only working system is effectively giving up. At the moment, the proposed cuts would need to pass through Congress, which is Republican controlled, so there's a good chance it will. By the time these cuts are real policy, [Elon Musk](https://proximareport.com/articles/us-space-controlled-musk?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), major stakeholder in Mars missions and the Trump Administration, will have two '[puppets](https://proximareport.com/articles/musk-nasa-puppets?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io)' in NASA, in the agency's [Administrator](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-nasa-hearing?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) and [Chief Financial Officer](https://proximareport.com/articles/close-ally-autry-navarro?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). Meanwhile, *Politico* reports a chaotic approach inside the White House, where no clear leader is guiding space policy. The National Space Council, which [Trump is looking to revive](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/09/trump-national-space-council-00337874?ref=proximareport.com), remains unstaffed, NASA awaits a confirmed administrator, and agencies are left to guess who is in charge. Despite lofty rhetoric about returning to the Moon and reaching Mars, the plans and interim goals needed to shape and implement space policy simply does not exist. Instead, budget decisions appear to be driven by the Office of Management and Budget, with little input from scientific or space policy experts. Industry officials told *Politico* they’re confused, with multiple agencies and offices offering conflicting guidance, if any. The lack of coordination has left critical programs, like Artemis, vulnerable and the broader U.S. space program adrift. Additionally last week, the [*Houston Chronicle* reported](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/space/article/nasa-space-station-budget-shortfall-astronaut-20313660.php?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) that the International Space Station will perform a reduced amount of science and be home to fewer astronauts due to a shrinking budget, with station operations losing a billion dollars. This has been exacerbated by the [Trump Administration's planned cut of 508 million](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-2026-budget?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) United States Dollars to the space station. To address the shrinking budget, the *Houston Chronicle* reports that NASA will have three crew members on the station instead of four starting next year, dropping the station’s overall crew to six people, as Russia will continue flying three cosmonauts. Additionally, future missions will also be longer than those currently underway, similar to Roscosmos' [crew transfers every eight months](https://spacenews.com/nasa-extends-seat-barter-agreement-with-roscosmos-into-2027/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). With one less crew member onboard, it is expected that research performed onboard the International Space Station will be reduced by half. Longer missions with three crew members are expected to begin with Crew-12, atop of SpaceX's Crew Dragon, in 2026. Alongside the problems the budget cuts will cause, NASA is [changing its performance criteria](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/new-nasa-performance-criteria-are-here/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) for agency personnel. Instead of being measured on innovation, collaboration, personnel growth, and program results, employees will now be evaluated on faithfulness to Presidential policies, efficiency, and organizational goals. Oh, and there's an [ideological witchhunt](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-begins-witchhunt-within-nasa?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) within the agency. Somehow, through all of this chaos, Trump [wants boots on Mars](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-wants-boots-on-mars). [Keith Cowing of NASAWatch](https://nasawatch.com/trumpspace/chaos-is-not-a-plan/?ref=proximareport.com) summarizes what's going on best: > "All the space policy ‘experts’ claim that the Administration has a firm “plan” for NASA. If indeed it exists, then the chaos at NASA – programs gutted, people unsure if they have a job, research halted for no reason, paranoid behavior by management, must all be part of that plan, right? Chaos is not a plan. It just \*\*\*\*\*\* people off, wastes money, and reduces productivity. This is not the way to keep America Great In Space." ### Australia Prepares to Launch First Domestically Made Rocket URL: https://proximareport.com/australia-prepares-eris-1/ Last updated: 2025-07-24T14:22:54.000Z Gilmour Space, an Australian space launch company, [is preparing](https://x.com/GilmourSpace/status/1922200358937358672?ref=proximareport.com) to launch its Eris-1 rocket on its first flight, as soon as May 15th. For the first flight, the company has a ten-hour-long launch window from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in northeastern Australia. Should the launch go ahead on the 15th, it would be the first orbital launch from Australia in over fifty years and the first time an Australian-made rocket reaches orbit. The last time a launch was conducted from the country [was in 1971](https://www.esa.int/Science%5FExploration/Space%5FScience/28%5FOctober?ref=proximareport.com) when the United Kingdom's Black Arrow delivered the Prospero satellite into low Earth orbit. ![The mission patch for Eris-1's first flight. ©Gilmour Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/71c469_19e7326e3653493080a09a082450585f-mv2a.png) The mission patch for Eris-1's first flight. ©Gilmour Space The Eris-1 rocket is on the smaller side for an orbital rocket, being just 25 meters tall but consisting of three stages. Stage one has a diameter of 2 meters, while the second-stage has a diameter of 1.5 meters along with the fairing. For payload capacity, Eris-1 is [claimed to be able to](https://www.gspace.com/launch?ref=proximareport.com) lift around 300 kilograms to low Earth orbit. Powering Eris-1's first-stage at liftoff will be four Sirius hybrid rocket motors, burning a mixture of solid propellant and liquid fuel, to generate a combined 46.9 tons of thrust. A single Sirius motor will power the second-stage to generate 11.7 tons of thrust. Both the first and second stages will burn for around 100 seconds. For reaching orbit, a Phoenix liquid propellant engine will burn for around 120 seconds. ![A render of the Eris-1 rocket. ©Gilmour Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/ERIS-08-2020-render-painted_208_edited_pa.png) A render of the Eris-1 rocket. ©Gilmour Space In later flights, as soon as 2026, [Eris-1 will be improved](https://createdigital.org.au/australias-first-homegrown-rocket-launch/?ref=proximareport.com) via a 'Block 2' version, boosting its payload capacity to 1,000 kilograms. An even more capable variant of the rocket, Eris Heavy, is planned to lift 4,000 kilograms into orbit several years from now. Eris-1's first flight has been in the works for a few months, with the company expecting to fly back in March, having received a launch permit in [November 2024](https://www.gspace.com/post/australia-we-have-permission-for-liftoff?ref=proximareport.com). Ahead of a possible March launch, the company in late February, quoting Adam Gilmour, their Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, [highlighted three points](https://www.gspace.com/post/gilmour-space-announces-launch-window-for-australia-s-first-sovereign-orbital-rocket?ref=proximareport.com) to keep in mind during the launch campaign: > "Firstly, it's important to understand that delays or 'scrubs' are a normal part of rocket launches. These can last anywhere from hours to days, or even weeks, and are often caused by weather conditions, technical issues, or other factors. "Safety is always the top priority. We'll only launch when we're ready, and when conditions are appropriate," he said." > "Secondly, the first launch is always the hardest. Reaching orbit is a highly complex engineering challenge, and every successful rocket company has faced setbacks in their early attempts—SpaceX, for one, did it on their fourth attempt. "It's almost unheard of for a private rocket company to launch successfully to orbit the first time. Whether we make it off the pad, reach max Q, or get all the way to space, what's important is that every second of flight will deliver valuable data that will improve our rocket's reliability and performance for future launches."" > "Thirdly, this is the road we must take to build sovereign space capability that will be critical for Australia's future. Launching Australian-owned and controlled rockets from home soil means more high-tech jobs, greater security, economic growth, and technological independence. "Only six countries in the world are launching regularly to space using their own technology, and Australia could soon be one of them."" Wrapping up the press release from February, Adam Gilmour added: > "I want to thank our incredible team at GIlmour Space for all their hard work and dedication in getting to this critical first flight. Whatever happens next, know that you've already made history—we now build rockets in Australia. And this is only the beginning." ### Weekly Dose of Space (4/5-10/5) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-4-5-10-5/ Last updated: 2025-05-11T18:39:52.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw four launches taking place, all in support of the Starlink constellation. News from the week regarded the fallout of the Trump Administration's proposed cuts to NASA and the departure of the head of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *May 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-84* From Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, a Falcon 9 blasted off carrying twenty-nine Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1078, for its twentieth flight with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 6-84 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/GqGP5dxa4AAr9qH-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 6-84 mission. ©SpaceX ### *May 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-93* Twenty-eight more Starlink satellites headed to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1085 supported this mission for its seventh flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-93 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/GqUBDoSbAAMGMHa-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-93 mission. ©SpaceX ### *May 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-3* Another twenty-six Starlink satellites departed from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, atop of a Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit. In support of this mission was booster B1081 for its fourteenth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 15-3 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/GqjfeTSWcAEjQA2-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 15-3 mission. ©SpaceX ### *May 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-91* Falcon 9 launched another twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Flying for the eleventh time was booster B1083, which landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-91 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/Gqktlh5WwAA4QqD-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-91 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *ESA on NASA cuts* On May 3rd, the Trump Administration [shared an overview of its 2026 fiscal budget](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-2026-budget), proposing billions in cuts to NASA. That budget plans to effectively cripple NASA science, end the Artemis program via the cancelation of the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft after Artemis III, cancel the planned Gateway space station in lunar orbit, and kill the agency's Mars Sample Return mission. The European Space Agency (ESA) is a part of several of these programs and provides key parts of Orion, Gateway, and the Mars Sample Return mission. Trump's proposed cancellation of the mission would throw away untold billions in European investment. As such, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher released a press release about the NASA budget on May 5th, [which is as follows](https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/ESA%5FDirector%5FGeneral%5Freaction%5Fto%5Fa%5Freduced%5Fbudget%5Fproposal%5Ffor%5FNASA?ref=proximareport.com): > On 2 May 2025, the White House Office of Management and Budget released a 'skinny’ version of the President's Budget Request (PBR) for fiscal year 2026\. The more detailed version of the request is expected to be released in late May-early June. The Budget Request release marks the beginning of the appropriation process in US Congress culminating in the President’s signature of the budget bill passed by the House and the Senate – thus it should be kept in mind that this is still very much a work in progress. > NASA has briefed ESA about the Budget Request, and while some questions still remain about the full repercussions, follow-up meetings are already taking place with NASA. ESA remains open to cooperation with NASA on the programmes earmarked for a reduction or termination but is nevertheless assessing the impact with our Member States in preparation for ESA’s June Council. > ESA and NASA have a long history of successful partnership, particularly in exploration – a highly visible example of international cooperation – where we have many joint activities forging decades of strong bonds between American and European colleagues. Space exploration is an endeavour in which the collective can reach much farther than the individual. Thus, ESA has strong partnerships with space agencies from around the globe and is committed to not only being a reliable partner, but a strong and desirable partner. > At ESA’s June Council, based on further developments, there will be an assessment with our Member States of potential actions and alternative scenarios for impacted ESA programmes and related European industry. Later in the year, ESA will hold its Council at Ministerial level and is determined to raise Europe's potential in space – for the ultimate benefit of Europe, ESA’s Member States and their citizens. ### *Planned Cuts Trim ISS Operations* The [*Houston Chronicle* is reporting](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/space/article/nasa-space-station-budget-shortfall-astronaut-20313660.php?ref=proximareport.com) that the International Space Station will perform a reduced amount of science and be home to fewer astronauts due to a shrinking budget for station operations by a billion dollars. This has been exacerbated by the [Trump Administration's planned cut of 508 million](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-2026-budget) United States Dollars to the space station. To address the shrinking budget, the *Houston Chronicle* reports that NASA will have three crew members on the station instead of four starting next year, dropping the station’s overall crew to six people, as Russia will continue flying three cosmonauts. Additionally, future missions will also be longer than those currently underway, similar to Roscosmos' [crew transfers every eight months](https://spacenews.com/nasa-extends-seat-barter-agreement-with-roscosmos-into-2027/?ref=proximareport.com). With one less crew member onboard, it is expected that research performed onboard the International Space Station will be reduced by half. Longer missions with three crew members are expected to begin with Crew-12, atop of SpaceX's Crew Dragon, in 2026. ### *JPL head steps down* NASA's [Jet Propulsion Laboratory shared on May 7th](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/dave-gallagher-named-11th-director-of-jpl-as-laurie-leshin-steps-down/?ref=proximareport.com) that its Director, Laurie Leshin, would step down on June 1st. Replacing Leshin will be David Gallagher, Associate Director of Strategic Integration at the Laboratory. In January 2022, Leshin was named as Director of the Laboratory in January 2022 and has overseen the EMIT, SWOT, Psyche, PREFIRE, Europa Clipper, and SPHEREx missions reach space. Alongside those in space, she has also overseen the NASA-Indian NISAR mission and Roman Space Telescope (which the [Trump Administration plans to cut](https://orbitaltoday.com/2025/04/24/they-built-it-now-they-might-kill-it-nasas-roman-space-telescope-faces-a-brutal-budget-cut/?ref=proximareport.com)) through development. Speaking on her time at the Laboratory, Leshin said: > "I am proud of the many things JPL has accomplished over the past three years," – "In addition to the long list of missions that have launched or moved toward launch during that time, we saved Voyager more than once and flew into history on Mars with Ingenuity. We have made more amazing scientific discoveries than I can name, including finding potential ancient Martian biomarkers with Perseverance. And we’ve driven the forefront of technology on Earth and in space. I know those achievements will continue under Dave’s capable leadership." She added the [following on social media](https://bsky.app/profile/laurieofmars.bsky.social/post/3loly52cc5c2f?ref=proximareport.com), also on the 7th: > "Leading JPL has been the honor of a lifetime. I am proud of the many things we accomplished together – launching and making progress on a long list of missions, driving the forefront of technology on Earth and in space, and making more amazing scientific discoveries than I can name." ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *May 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-83* A Falcon 9 is planning to launch from Launch Complex 39A carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *May 11th - Long March 6A with three Yaogan satellites* A Long March 6A is expected to launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, carrying three Yaogan to a polar orbit. ### *May 12th - Long March 3C/E with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 3C/E may launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying a currently unknown payload to a geostationary transfer orbit. ### *May 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-4* Another batch of Starlink satellites is planning to launch to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of a Falcon 9. ### *May 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-67* More Starlink satellites are expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit. ### *May 15th - Zhuque-2E with a to-be-annocued payload* LandSpace is preparing to launch its second Zhuque-2E rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying a currently unknown payload toward sun-synchronus orbit. ### *May 16th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-5* Yet another Falcon 9 is planning to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *May 17th - Electron for 'The Sea God Sees'* Rocket Lab is expected to launch its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1A, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying one of iQPS' synthetic aperture radar satellites to low Earth orbit. ### SpaceX Succeeds in Company Town Move at Starbase, Cleared for More Launches URL: https://proximareport.com/starbase-company-town/ Last updated: 2025-05-07T22:22:01.000Z SpaceX head Elon Musk has [long endeavored](https://qz.com/elon-musk-spacex-starbase-company-town-snailbrook-tesla-1851720533?ref=proximareport.com) to gain greater control over the company's Starbase facility, where the Starship-Super Heavy rocket is built and tested, in South Texas. To this end, SpaceX employees living close to the site petitioned for the establishment of a city and [voted to incorporate](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c39j8rj4nmmo?ref=proximareport.com) it on May 3rd. [According to local news](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/space/article/starbase-vote-saturday-south-texas-spacex-20294913.php?ref=proximareport.com), employees living near the site voted 212 to 6 for the Starbase site to become the city of Starbase. Only 283 of those living in the new city were eligible to vote despite a population of around 500\. Additionally, all but ten homes in the new city are owned by SpaceX, questioning if this decision was entirely the employees' own. As a new city, [officials had to be elected](https://www.expressnews.com/opinion/editorial/article/texas-beach-closed-spacex-starbase-20251320.php?ref=proximareport.com) too. Running unopposed for mayor was Boddy Pedan, Vice President of Test and Launch of SpaceX in Texas. The two candidates for city commissioners were Jordan Buss, Senior Director of Environmental Health and Safety at SpaceX, and Jenna Petrzelka, reportedly linked to Joe Petrzelka who is SpaceX's Vice President of Spacecraft Engineering. With SpaceX's employing the city officials and owning most homes, Starbase is a de facto company town. This new town should not be confused with SpaceX's [other company town](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/elon-musk-building-town-texas-what-know?ref=proximareport.com) in Texas. One of the first things the new city and government will have to do is find out what services are needed, like utilities, law enforcement, and education, to support Starbase's population. Once those are figured out, a budget will need to be set to allow the implementation of those services. That budget will end up derived from taxes and locals and corporations, which would just be SpaceX. However, SpaceX is headquartered in Starbase and Musk isn't [keen on paying taxes](https://itep.org/tesla-reported-zero-federal-income-tax-in-2024/?ref=proximareport.com). As Starbase officials are also senior employees at SpaceX, it brings into question how they will write city law and whether it will heavily bring benefits to the company. A [notable citizen of Starbase](https://www.fancypantshomes.com/celebrity-homes/where-does-elon-musk-live-now/?ref=proximareport.com) is Elon Musk, with city laws possibly shaped to his benefit for [numerous legal challenges](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal%5Faffairs%5Fof%5FElon%5FMusk?ref=proximareport.com#Legal%5Fmatters%5Fafter%5F2020). Furthermore, paperwork submitted by SpaceX to Starbase may be massively streamlined due to pressure on officials from their employer, adding risk to an already [tenuous](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/12/spacex-repeatedly-polluted-waters-in-texas-tceq-epa-found.html?ref=proximareport.com) [environmental record](https://www.popsci.com/science/spacex-mercury-water-pollution/?ref=proximareport.com) surrounding the new city. ![SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy vehicle kicking up a large amount of dust and small debris during the eighth flight test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/GljebvTaYAEC3Pk-1.jpg) SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy vehicle kicking up a large amount of dust and small debris during the eighth flight test. ©SpaceX The U.S. government and federal authorities have however, decided that SpaceX can proceed with Starship-Super Heavy operations out of Starbase, via a [new finding of no significant impact](https://www.faa.gov/media/94336?ref=proximareport.com) released on May 6th. In the new document, the Federal Aviation Administration is allowing Starship-Super Heavy to launch twenty-five times per year, with three launches at night. Despite the government go-ahead, locals living near Starbase are not happy with SpaceX. Native American groups have had access to their [religiously important sites denied](https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/south-texas/article/starbase-texas-city-spacex-reaction-20310435.php?ref=proximareport.com), houses outside of the immediate vicinity of Starbase have had their [foundations damaged](https://spacenews.com/faa-gives-environmental-approval-for-increased-starship-launch-rate/?ref=proximareport.com), and biodiversity in the surrounding area [has been majorly damaged](https://www.kut.org/energy-environment/2025-05-06/spacex-starbase-starship-launch-texas-faa-environment-approval?ref=proximareport.com). Alongside this, the [last two Starship-Super Heavy flights](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-8) have [spread debris across](https://www.newsweek.com/map-shows-starship-rocket-debris-2041081?ref=proximareport.com) the Bahamas, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and damaged the Turks and Caicos Islands, damaging environments hundreds of miles away from the launch pad. These views from the public become clear once it is realised that a [low-income community](https://youtu.be/5cZEZoa8rW0?si=Bvatt1aXys4h5oLf&ref=proximareport.com) is rapidly becoming gentrified following the [economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic](https://www.investopedia.com/most-americans-feel-they-are-financially-worse-off-now-than-in-2020-what-the-data-says-election-economy-8734610?ref=proximareport.com), along with SpaceX's lack of explaining what they're doing and how they intend to support the local economy. SpaceX's lack of explaining to the public is the company's own fault, as it has consistently pivoted on its plans for Starbase. First Starbase was a [Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch facility](https://web.archive.org/web/20170809211134/http://blog.chron.com/sciguy/2014/08/texas-spacex-announce-spaceport-deal-near-brownsville/), then a [test site for Starship](https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/03/inside-elon-musks-plan-to-build-one-starship-a-week-and-settle-mars/?ref=proximareport.com) vehicles, and now as a factory and highly active launch site for the future of the Starship-Super Heavy rocket. ### Weekly Dose of Space (27/4-3/5) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-27-4-3-5/ Last updated: 2025-05-04T17:16:04.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had nine launches occurring, with satellites for three mega-constellations reaching orbit. News from the week had progress continuing for Artemis II as well as Jared Isaacman getting closer to becoming NASA Administrator. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *April 27th - Long March 3B/E with a Tianlian-2-05* A Long March 3B/E launched from Launch Complex 2 the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, carrying the Tianlian-2-05 satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit. Tianlian-2-05 will provide data and communications relay services for China's crewed spacecraft, including the Tiangong Space Station. ![A Long March 3B/E lifting off from Launch Complex 2 carrying Tianlian-2-05.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/008iEnCggy1i0vupc9pfyj34e03341kx.jpg) A Long March 3B/E lifting off from Launch Complex 2 carrying Tianlian-2-05. ### *April 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-23* SpaceX launched twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9, flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1077 supported this launch, for its twentieth flight with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *April 28th - Long March 5B with GuoWang Group 03* A Long March 5B lifted off from Launch Complex 101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site heading to a polar orbit with a third batch of GuoWang satellites. Ten satellites were onboard the rocket, and deployed by a Yuanzheng-2 upper-stage. > A [#LongMarch5B](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LongMarch5B?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) carrier rocket with a Yuanzheng-2 upper stage launched the third group of low Earth orbit satellites for an internet satellite constellation from the [#Wenchang](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wenchang?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Space Launch Site in southern Hainan Province on early Tuesday (April 29). [https://t.co/BMvd2BsTMh](https://t.co/BMvd2BsTMh?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/H70hYtGRoh](https://t.co/H70hYtGRoh?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Wu Lei (@wulei2020) [April 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/wulei2020/status/1917027218955346278?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The Long March 5B with GuoWang Group 03 lifting off from Launch Complex 101, via [Wu Lei on Twitter](https://x.com/wulei2020/status/1917027218955346278?ref=proximareport.com). ### *April 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-9* Twenty-seven Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this launch was B1063 on its twenty fifth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *April 29th - Atlas V with KA-01* An Atlas V launched from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, carrying the first twenty-seven satellites for Amazon's Kuiper internet mega-constellation to low Earth orbit. Details on the constellation and future launches are available [here](https://proximareport.com/articles/kuiper-blasts-off-atop-atlas?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). ![Atlas V lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41 for KA-01. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/liftoff-atlas-v-kuiper-1_54484281085-1.jpg) Atlas V lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41 for KA-01\. ©United Launch Alliance ### *April 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-10* Another twenty-three Starlink satellites were launched from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, atop of a Falcon 9 flying to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1094, landing for the first time on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ### *April 29th - Vega-C with Biomass* A Vega-C blasted off from Ensemble de Lancement Vega at the Guiana Space Centre carrying the Biomass spacecraft, which will measure the density of carbon stored in the world's forests, to sun-synchronous orbit. Despite a minor [underperformance](https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=49364.msg2682352&ref=proxima-report.ghost.io#msg2682352) of the solid rocket stages, the liquid-fuelled fuelled upper-stage [delivered](https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=49364.msg2682354&ref=proxima-report.ghost.io#msg2682354) Biomass to its target orbit successfully. ![Vega-C blasting off from Guiana with the Biomass spacecraft. ©S. Martin/European Space Agency/Arianespace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/Biomass_takes_to_the_skies.jpg) Vega-C blasting off from Guiana with the Biomass spacecraft. ©S. Martin/European Space Agency/Arianespace ### *April 29th - Firefly Alpha for 'Message in a Booster'* Firefly Aerospace launched its Alpha rocket to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 2W, in California, with a satellite from Lockheed Martin. However, during stage separation, the second-stages engine nozzle was [destroyed](https://x.com/mcrs987/status/1917216990105608536?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) leading to underperformance of the rocket, reaching a [lower-than-intended orbit](https://x.com/Firefly%5FSpace/status/1917232137260159016?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). ### *May 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-75* Twenty-eight more Starlink satellites were launched to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1080 supported this mission for its eighteenth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Artemis II preparations continue* ![The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage being stacked onto the Artemis II SLS. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/05/ksc-20250430-ph-ilw01-0096.jpg) The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage being stacked onto the Artemis II SLS. ©NASA On May 1st, the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis II mission had its [testing and assembly completed](https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2025-05-01-Lockheed-Martin-Completes-Orion-Development-for-Artemis-II-Mission-to-the-Moon?ref=proximareport.com) by Lockheed Martin, and then was handed over to NASA's Exploration Ground Systems teams at the Kennedy Space Center. Now in the possession of NASA, Artemis II's Orion will undergo further preparations ahead of receiving its launch abort system and being placed atop of the Space Launch System (SLS). Lockheed Martin's Vice President of Human Space Exploration and Orion Program Manager, Kirk Shireman, congratulated the company's teams, stating: > "This achievement is a testament to our employees and suppliers who have worked tirelessly to get us to this important milestone." – "It's exciting to think that soon, humans will see the Earth rise over the lunar horizon from our vehicle, while also traveling farther from Earth than ever before." Also on May 1st, SLS's Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage [was lifted and placed](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2025/05/02/rocket-upper-stage-integrated-as-preparations-for-artemis-ii-continue/?linkId=810197419&ref=proximareport.com) on the Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter. With the stacking of the upper-stage, all non-Orion systems for the Artemis II mission are ready inside the Vehicle Assembly Building. At the moment, Artemis II will be the first test flight of the SLS rocket, Orion spacecraft, and supporting ground system with crew aboard. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen will venture around the Moon and back. With [new proposals for the Artemis program](https://proximareport.com/articles/trumps-2026-budget), Artemis II will be the mid-point of the program before it concludes with Artemis III. ### *Isaacman nomination sent to Senate* The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee [voted on April 30th](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/isaacman-nomination-clears-senate-commerce-committee/?ref=proximareport.com) to advance the nomination of [Jared Isaacman](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-nasa-hearing), a billionaire repeat space tourist, as the next Administrator of NASA. The twenty-eight members of the committee voted nineteen to nine to progress Isaacman's nomination to a full vote by the U.S. Senate. All Republican members of the committee voted in favour along with four Democrats, with all nine against being Democrats. Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell voiced skeptical support for Isaacman following the vote, saying: > "Mr. Isaacman’s nomination comes before us with a wealth of business experience and space experience. I do think that innovators at this point in time, with a commitment to keeping onto the Moon mission, is the key requirement that we have to have in this position. While it’s not clear to me where the Trump Administration will ultimately end up on the NASA budget, and I have concerns about some of their proposed cuts today, Mr. Isaacman seems committed to the current plan for both lander redundancies, Space Launch System and returning to the Moon as fast as possible." Jared Isaacman has a few potential conflicts of interest ahead of becoming NASA's Administrator. He is already a repeat customer of SpaceX's human spaceflight services and has plans to book at least [two more](https://polarisprogram.com/?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) missions with his own company, Shift4, holding [millions](https://x.com/xdNiBoR/status/1864388835032920435?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io)[ of dollars](https://investors.shift4.com/sec-filings/all-sec-filings/content/0001564590-21-011368/0001564590-21-011368.pdf?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) of SpaceX stock while being [a partner](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/10/shift4-stock-surges-after-spacex-starlink-payments-deal.html?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) too. Online, Isaacman has been an [enthusiastic](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1859745540897972261?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) [supporter](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1700592740310913070?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) of Musk and [Trump](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1890551689142239679?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), while [expecting and supporting](https://www.defensenews.com/space/2024/12/11/trumps-nasa-pick-says-military-will-inevitably-put-troops-in-space/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) the militarization of space, questioning whose interests he will act on behalf of. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *May 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-84* Twenty-nine more Starlink satellites are expected to launch from Launch Complex 39A atop of a Falcon 9 heading to low Earth orbit. ### *May 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-3* Another Falcon 9 carrying a batch of Starlink satellites, this time with twenty-six spacecraft, is planning to launch to Low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *May 5th - Long March 12 with GuoWang Group 04?* The second Long March 12 is preparing to fly from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site's Commercial Launch Pad 2, possibly carrying the fourth group of GuoWang Satellites. ### *May 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-93* Yet another group of Starlink satellites is planned to be head to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *May 9th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-91* More Starlink satellites are expected to head to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 with a Falcon 9. ### *May 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-4* From Space Launch Complex 4E another batch of Starlink satellites will once again be atop of Falcon 9 heading to low Earth orbit. ### Trump's 2026 Budget Gives up on NASA URL: https://proximareport.com/trumps-2026-budget/ Last updated: 2025-05-03T12:43:59.000Z While NASA has been preparing for a half dozen Artemis missions to the Moon, the Trump Administration has spent its first few months back in the White House planning ways to end the program. Today, on [National Space Day](https://nationaltoday.com/national-space-day/?ref=proximareport.com), the administration [released an overview](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/trump-proposes-6-billion-cut-to-nasa/?ref=proximareport.com) of its fiscal year 2026 budget, and it slashes billions from NASA and kills the Artemis program. The proposed cuts to NASA total six billion United States Dollars. Reducing the budget from 24.8 billion to 18.8 billion, a drop of 24.3 percent. The cuts across the agency are [as follows](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/fiscal-year-2026-discretionary-budget-request-nasa-excerpts.pdf?ref=proximareport.com), along with the administration's reasoning: > **Space Science**: 2,265 million dollars in budget reduction. Reasoning: In line with the Administration’s objectives of returning to the Moon before China and putting a man on Mars, the Budget would reduce lower priority research and terminate unaffordable missions such as the Mars Sample Return mission that is grossly overbudget and whose goals would be achieved by human missions to Mars. The mission is not scheduled to return samples until the 2030s. > **Mission Support**: 1,134 million dollars in budget reduction. Reasoning: The Budget refocuses NASA on beating China back to the Moon and putting the first human on Mars. To achieve these objectives, it would streamline the workforce, IT services, NASA Center operations, facility maintenance, and construction and environmental compliance activities. > **Earth Science**: 1,161 million dollars in budget reduction. Reasoning: The Budget eliminates funding for low-priority climate monitoring satellites and restructures the gold-plated, two-billion-dollar Landsat Next mission while NASA studies more affordable ways to maintain the continuity of Landsat imagery, which is used by natural resource managers, States, and industry. > **Legacy Human Exploration Systems**: 879 million dollars in budget reduction. Reasoning: The Budget phases out the grossly expensive and delayed Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion capsule after three flights. SLS alone costs $4 billion per launch and is 140 percent over budget. The Budget funds a program to replace SLS and Orion flights to the Moon with more cost-effective commercial systems that would support more ambitious subsequent lunar missions. The Budget also proposes to terminate the Gateway, a small lunar space station in development with international partners, which would have been used to support future SLS and Orion missions. > **Space Technology**: 531 million dollars in budget reduction. Reasoning: The Budget reduces Space Technology by approximately half, including eliminating failing space propulsion projects. The reductions also scale back or eliminate technology projects that are not needed by NASA or are better suited to private sector research and development. > **International Space Station**: 508 million dollars in budget reduction. Reasoning: The Budget reflects the upcoming transition to a more cost-effective commercial approach to human activities in space as the space station approaches the end of its life cycle. The Budget reduces the space station’s crew size and onboard research, preparing for a safe decommissioning of the station by 2030 and replacement by commercial space stations. Crew and cargo flights to the station would be significantly reduced. The station’s reduced research capacity would be focused on efforts critical to the Moon and Mars exploration programs. > **Aeronautics**: 346 million dollars in budget reduction. Reasoning: The Budget eliminates climate-focused “green aviation” spending while protecting the development of technologies with air traffic control and defense applications, producing savings. > **Office of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Engagment**: 143 million dollars in budget reduction. Reasoning: NASA’s primary role is space exploration and, similar to prior generations that were inspired by the Apollo lunar landings, NASA will inspire the next generation of explorers through exciting, ambitious space missions, not through subsidizing woke STEM programming and research that prioritizes some groups of students over others and have had minimal impact on the aerospace workforce. With the billions in cuts, the administration did provide an increase in one program's funding: > **Human Space Exploration**: 647 million dollar budget increase. Reasoning: By allocating over $7 billion for lunar exploration and introducing $1 billion in new investments for Mars-focused programs, the Budget ensures that America’s human space exploration efforts remain unparalleled, innovative, and efficient. In short, the budget changes would cripple NASA science in the long term, cancel the long await [Mars Sample Return mission](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-mars-sample-return-2026), put the International Space Station in jeaporady, majorly descope the DRACO nuclear propulsion demonstration mission\*, and cancel the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft after the [Artemis III mission in 2027](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-delays-artemis-ii-2026). Somehow, with all the cuts, a pivot to crewed Mars missions would be facilitated. Eliminating SLS and the Orion capsule following Artemis III removes the only proven systems for sending humans beyond low Earth orbit. No commercial launch vehicle or spacecraft can currently fill this role. This poses a serious risk to long-term goals, as America's capacity for sustained human presence in deep space before Mars missions would no longer exist. It also makes the Artemis program a flags-and-footprints program, like Apollo, instead of regular long-term missions to the Moon. Cuts to Earth Science, the International Space Station, and STEM outreach is a retreat from NASA's broader mission. Reducing Earth science budgets eliminates satellites vital to climate monitoring, and underfunding the [aging as well as increasingly risky](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/nasa-safety-panel-worried-about-aging-iss-need-for-successor/?ref=proximareport.com) International Space Station could create a gap in low Earth orbit U.S. missions. Eliminating STEM engagement programs undermines the future space workforce by reducing opportunities for students and young talent, hindering companies not affiliated with NASA too. The claimed seven billion for lunar exploration is confusing, as what is it going towards with SLS and Orion gone? And what is one billion for crewed Mars for? Starship contracts at best? Together, these changes move NASA to a contractor-heavy organization, relying heavily on commercial firms like SpaceX to carry out missions once led by science-driven teams. These shifts in funds are not based on program performance and are instead politically motivated. Republicans and Trump were already [known for denying climate change](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/gop-transitioned-climate-denial-climate-misrepresentation-experts/story?id=113056571&ref=proximareport.com), but now ultra-wealthy [oligarchs within the administration](https://apnews.com/article/donald-trumps-cabinet-wealth-billionaires-0d5147df74c7f0a851df296aeab2e164?ref=proximareport.com) are reshaping programs to suit their own financial benefit, [collecting on the billions spent](https://www.commondreams.org/news/billionaires-election-americans-for-tax-fairness-musk?ref=proximareport.com) on buying the 2024 election. Bizarrely, Acting NASA Administrator and yes-man of an [ideological witchhunt](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-begins-witchhunt-within-nasa) within the agency, Janet Petro, praised the 2026 budget proposal, [saying](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/president-trumps-fy26-budget-revitalizes-human-space-exploration/?ref=proximareport.com): > “This proposal includes investments to simultaneously pursue exploration of the Moon and Mars while still prioritizing critical science and technology research,” – “I appreciate the President’s continued support for NASA’s mission and look forward to working closely with the administration and Congress to ensure we continue making progress toward achieving the impossible.” At the moment, the 2026 budget proposal would need to pass through Congress, which is Republican controlled, so there's a good chance it will. By the time these cuts are real policy, [Elon Musk](https://proximareport.com/articles/us-space-controlled-musk), major stakeholder in Mars missions and the Trump Administration, will have two '[puppets](https://proximareport.com/articles/musk-nasa-puppets)' in NASA, in the agency's [Administrator](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-nasa-hearing) and [Chief Financial Officer](https://proximareport.com/articles/close-ally-autry-navarro). Alongside the problems the massive budget cuts will cause, NASA is [changing its performance criteria](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/new-nasa-performance-criteria-are-here/?ref=proximareport.com) for agency personnel. Instead of being measured on innovation, collaboration, personnel growth, and program results, employees will now be evaluated on faithfulness to Presidential policies, efficiency, and organizational goals. NASA's main mission is undermined when it is run on the basis of efficiency and political loyalty rather than innovation and scientific brilliance. It puts more emphasis on compliance and bureaucracy than on exploration and discovery, which can hinder long-term success, discourage top personnel, and inhibit creativity. These changes run the risk of jeopardising NASA's status as the global leader and the integrity of its scientific work when combined with the proposed budget cuts. --- *\*Sources have informed Proxima Report.* ### Monthly Dose of Space - April 2025 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-april-2025/ Last updated: 2025-05-04T23:49:30.000Z Welcome to our nineteenth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month. April has been a human spaceflight mission focused month, so let's jump into it! ## **News of the Month** News in April has seen the early stages of planning for a new Asian spaceport, planned booster reuse for the Starship program, China sharing lunar surface samples, and the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope. ### Crew rotations on both space stations April saw six astronauts launch to Earth orbit, with three to both the International Space Station and China's Tiangong Space Station. The first saw a [Soyuz 2.1a](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/04/08/new-crew-lifts-off-aboard-soyuz-rocket-toward-station/?ref=proximareport.com) lift off on April 8th with the [Soyuz MS-27 mission](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/04/08/crew-from-nasa-roscosmos-approaching-station-aboard-soyuz-spacecraft/?ref=proximareport.com) carrying NASA astronaut Jonathan Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky to the ISS' [Russian Segments Prichal module](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/04/08/new-crew-docks-to-station-aboard-soyuz-spacecraft/?ref=proximareport.com) for docking. Almost six hours after launch, the three crewmembers [boarded the station](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/04/08/hatches-open-new-crew-enters-station-and-begins-research-mission/?ref=proximareport.com), greeted by its seven inhabitants. MS-27's crew is planned to spend eight months onboard the station, returning to Earth in December. ![The MS-27 crew, Jonny Kim (left), Sergey Ryzhikov (center), and Alexey Zubritskoy (right), in the front row with the rest of the International Space Station's crew on April 8th. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/blog-exp72-crew-greeting-040825.jpg) The MS-27 crew, Jonny Kim (left), Sergey Ryzhikov (center), and Alexey Zubritskoy (right), in the front row with the rest of the International Space Station's crew on April 8th. ©NASA Almost two weeks later, on April 20th, the [Soyuz MS-26 mission concluded](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/04/19/astronaut-returns-to-earth-on-70th-birthday-with-soyuz-crew/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) following undocking from the station, bringing NASA astronaut Don Pettit and Roscosmos' cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner back to Earth. The three MS-26 crew members spent 220 days onboard the International Space Station, having launched in September 2024\. With the end of the mission, Pettit completed his fourth trip to space with 590 days now spent in orbit, Ovchinin also completed his fourth spaceflight with 595 days now accumulated, while Vagner was flying for the second time with 416 days now spent in space. Following health checks shortly after landing, Pettit flew back to NASA's Johnson Space Center and [arrived by April 21st](https://x.com/NASA%5FJohnson/status/1914173145277215053?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). On April 24th, a Long March 2F/G blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center [carrying the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft and its crew](https://proximareport.com/articles/shenzhou-20-tiangong-arrives), Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie, into Earth orbit to chase down the Tiangong Space Station. Following just over six and a half hours of catching up to the station, the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft docked to the Tianhe’s modules' Earth-facing docking port, and a few hours after that the spacecraft's crew [boarded Tiangong](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-19-crew-welcomes-shenzhou?ref=proximareport.com). Following a few days of adjusting to microgravity, the Shenzhou-20 crew took part in a ‘key’ handover ceremony on April 27th to take command of the station from the Shenzhou-19 crew, consisting of Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, and Wang Haoze, for the next six months. ![Left to Right: The Shenzhou-19 crew, Wang Haoze, Song Lingdong, and Cai Xuzhe, and the Shenzhou-20 crew, Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie, following handover of command of the space station. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/bafkreifkdbo7my6ekg54vy6tgwovayal2xczsc3glpkbztpirxyqzuesfy.jpg) Left to Right: The Shenzhou-19 crew, Wang Haoze, Song Lingdong, and Cai Xuzhe, and the Shenzhou-20 crew, Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie, following handover of command of the space station. ©China Manned Space Agency Having been relieved of their duties, the Shenzhou-19 crew prepared for a return to Earth, initially set for April 29th but delayed to the 30th due to bad weather. Once the weather was suitable, the Shenzhou-19 spacecraft undocked from Tiangong and performed a deorbit burn eight hours after undocking. Finally, [at 05:08 am Universal Coordinated Time](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-19-trio-return-to-earth?ref=proximareport.com), the Shenzhou-19 spacecraft’s descent capsule touched down in the Inner Mongolia region, ending the six-month mission. Not long after landing and initial health checks, the crew was whisked off to Beijing for thorough medical checks and readjustment to life back on Earth. ### Hubble celebrates 35th anniversary ![Left to Right: Mars, a small portion of the Rosette Nebula, part of planetary nebula NGC 2899, barred spiral galaxy NGC 5335. ©NASA/ESA/STScI/Joseph DePasquale/Alyssa Pagan](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/Hubble_35th_Header_STScI-01JQ7P75PCZEZK0EC29F3GS11W.jpg) Left to Right: Mars, a small portion of the Rosette Nebula, part of planetary nebula NGC 2899, barred spiral galaxy NGC 5335\. ©NASA/ESA/STScI/Joseph DePasquale/Alyssa Pagan From Launch Complex 39B, in Cape Canaveral, Florida, Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off carrying the Hubble Space Telescope on April 24th. The day after launch, April 25th, Hubble was released into low Earth orbit, beginning a long life imaging the universe. Thirty-five years later, Hubble is still actively imaging the universe, albeit less frequently due to its age. To date, Hubble has made nearly 1.7 million observations, looking at approximately 55,000 astronomical targets. Hubble discoveries have resulted in over 22,000 papers and over 1.3 million citations as of February 2025\. All the data collected by Hubble is archived and currently adds up to over 400 terabytes! As part of a [celebratory press release](https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/nasa-celebrates-hubbles-35th-year-in-orbit/?ref=proximareport.com), Shawn Domagal-Goldman, acting director of the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters, commented: > “Hubble opened a new window to the universe when it launched 35 years ago. Its stunning imagery inspired people across the globe, and the data behind those images revealed surprises about everything from early galaxies to planets in our own solar system,” – “The fact that it is still operating today is a testament to the value of our flagship observatories, and provides critical lessons for the Habitable Worlds Observatory, which we plan to be serviceable in the spirit of Hubble.” ### Booster reflight set for Starship's ninth test ![Booster 14 during its static fire in early April. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/GnojyEOWUAAn6Lm-1.jpg) Booster 14 during its static fire in early April. ©SpaceX Super Heavy Booster 14 flew its first mission during Starship's seventh flight test in mid-January, coming back to South Texas for the program's second tower catch of a booster. At the beginning of this month, Booster 14 [fired up](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1907876664274473132?ref=proximareport.com) its thirty-three Raptor engines for its first post-flight static fire. Shortly after the static fire, SpaceX announced that Booster 14 would fly its second mission, for the first booster reuse of the Starship program, during Starship's ninth flight test. Additionally, the company boasted that twenty-nine of the engines had flown previously, likely from boosters 12 (flight five) and 15 (flight eight). Refurbishment efforts ahead of flight have been underway since the days after Booster 14's catch, SpaceX has not disclosed how it prepares Super Heavy boosters for reflight. In mid-April, Booster 14 [received its 'hot staging ring'](https://youtu.be/yUwgG4c-AaE?si=MnUDI3yVjQZCL-T-&t=474&ref=proximareport.com), which is needed to allow Starship's upper-stage to separate from the vehicle. Currently, it is unknown when the ninth test flight of Starship-Super Heavy will take place, due to pending mishap investigations following the [repeat loss](https://proximareport.com/articles/starship-flight-8) of the upper-stage during ascent. ### Malaysia to explore spaceport development Veteran reporter of China's space efforts, Chen Lan, [reported on April 28th](https://m.guancha.cn/ChenLan/2025%5F04%5F28%5F773910.shtml?ref=proximareport.com), citing the [*New Starit Times*](https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2025/04/1206738/pahang-agrees-one-year-feasibility-study-southeast-asias-first-spaceport?ref=proximareport.com), that Malaysia is exploring the possibility of developing its own spaceport. This spaceport, called Pahang International Spaceport, would be on the East coast of the Malaysian Peninsula, around three degrees north of the equator. Possible flight paths from the Pahang spaceport would be Northeast over the Philippines and as far north as Taiwan, while a Southeast trajectory would need to fly north of Indonesia's Java island. China is expected to support efforts for the establishment of the spaceport, with Malaysian officials on the project set to visit the two Wenchang launch sites to understand spaceport operations, as part of a feasibility study lasting one year. The commercial side of Wenchang is notable for having one "universal" launch pad, with two more "universal" pads under construction. Chinese involvement in the project comes from a cooperation agreement signed between the two nations' leaders in [mid-April](https://www.mfa.gov.cn/web/ziliao%5F674904/1179%5F674909/202504/t20250417%5F11595807.shtml?ref=proximareport.com). Chairman of Malaysia's State Investment, Industries, Science, Technology and Innovation Committee, Datuk Mohamad Nizar Najib, commented possible spaceport, saying: > "This is a one-in-a-million proposal. Pahang Invest typically receives proposals for factories or oil palm plantations, but rarely for space ports. If successful, the project could materialise within three to five years." – "On April 15, Pahang State Development Corporation signed a letter of intent with China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) and Lestari Angkasa Sdn Bhd to establish a strategic collaboration in the space technology sector." – "Next month, Pahang State Development Corporation and Lestari Angkasa will visit Wenchang Space City in Hainan, China, to hold further discussions on the Pahang International Spaceport project." ### China shares Chang'e 5 samples [On April 24th](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-annouces-change-8-partners?ref=proximareport.com), China announced that it would share its latest round of Chang'e 5 lunar surface samples with several international institutions. Organizations selected will have a series of samples in their possession for a short period to conduct research, for around one year. At the end of their loan period, the lunar samples will be sent back to China so other researchers can request to study them. The newest batch of samples available for study will be sent to the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris in France, the University of Cologne in Germany, Osaka University in Japan, Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, the Open University in the United Kingdom, as well as the United States' Brown University and Stony Brook University, the American universities will have their samples briefly in the [possession of the FBI and other](https://www.yahoo.com/news/china-lend-moon-rocks-nasa-104336116.html?guccounter=1&ref=proximareport.com) security organizations due to U.S. law. Commenting on receiving the lunar samples, Professor Mahesh Anand of the United Kingdom’s Open University [stated](https://www.open.ac.uk/blogs/news/science-mct/ou-space-expert-among-worlds-first-to-receive-moon-rock-samples-for-research/?ref=proximareport.com): > *“It is a great honour and privilege for my team to be selected as one of the first international teams to receive lunar samples from the Chang’e-5 mission for research.” — “I look forward to working on these precious lunar samples and building new international collaborations and partnerships.”* The seven organizations were reportedly narrowed down from twenty-four applications for seventy-one sample sets collected during the Chang'e 5 mission. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw another **27** launches worldwide, speeding up a busy year. If you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *April 1st - Falcon 9 with Fram2* Fram2, the first crewed mission into a polar orbit of the Earth, was launched by a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A in Florida. Onboard Crew Dragon atop of the rocket was Mission Commander Chun Wang funded the mission, Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen was in command of Crew Dragon, along with Pilot Rabea Rogge, and Eric Philips was the Mission Specialist and Medical Officer. All four crew members were making their first trip to space. Details on the crew and mission are available [here](https://proximareport.com/articles/journey-over-the-ice-caps-fram-2?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) and [here](https://proximareport.com/articles/fram2-returns-after-100-visits-over-the-poles?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). The booster supporting the crewed missions launch was B1085, for its sixth launch with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *April 1st - Long March 2D with four satellite internet test spacecraft* A Long March 2D blasted off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying four satellite internet test spacecraft to low Earth orbit. The four spacecraft are expected to perform satellite internet technology testing and verification, including direct-to-device connections. ### *April 3rd - Long March 6 with Tianping-3A-02* A Long March 6 lifted off from Launch Complex 16 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying the Tianping-3A-02 satellite to low Earth orbit. Tianping-3A-02 is expected to provide atmospheric space environment surveys and orbital prediction model corrections, based on data gathered about the low Earth orbit environment. ### *April 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-13* Twenty-seven more Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, atop of a Falcon 9\. Booster B1088 supported this mission, flying for the fifth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *April 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-72* A Falcon 9 carried twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1078 supported this mission for its nineteenth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *April 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-11* Another Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-seven Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. B1093 supported this launch, for its first flight along with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *April 8th - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-27* The Soyuz MS-27 mission lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome atop of a Soyuz 2.1a, carrying the spacecraft toward the International Space Station. Onboard were NASA astronaut Jonathan Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky. ### *April 10th - Long March 3B/E with TJSW-17* A Long March 3B/E blasted off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the TJSW-17 satellite toward a geostationary transfer orbit. The spacecraft is expected to perform testing and verification for multi-band high-speed throughput communications technologies as well as providing communications, radio, television, and data transmission services. ### *April 12th - Falcon 9 with NROL-192* A batch of Starshield satellites, the military version of Starlink, was delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this mission was booster B1071, for its twenty-fourth flight with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *April 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-17* Twenty-one Starlink satellites launched from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, atop of a Falcon 9 heading to low Earth orbit. Booster B1083 supported this launch for its tenth launch, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *April 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-73* Twenty-seven more Starlink satellites were launched by a Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting this launch was booster B1067, for its twenty-seventh launch along with a landing onboard the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *April 14th - New Shepard for NS-31* Blue Origin's eleventh crewed New Shepard mission launched from its West Texas launch site for an eleven-minute suborbital flight, carrying Katy Perry, Gayle King, Lauren Sánchez, Kerianne Flynn, Aisha Bowe, and Amanda Nguyễn. Crew capsule RSS Kármán line carried the crew while NS-5 propelled the combined vehicle, for its third flight. ### *April 16th - Minotaur IV with NROL-174* A Minotaur IV launched from Space Launch Complex 8, in California, carrying classified payloads into Earth orbit for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. ### *April 18th - Long March 6A with Shiyan-27 01\~06* A Long March 6A blasted off from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying Shiyan-27 01/02/03/04/05/06 into a sun-synchronous orbit. The six satellites are planned to test space environment monitoring (called space domain awareness in the U.S.) technologies. ### *April 20th - Falcon 9 with NROL-145* A Falcon 9 launched the tenth batch of Starshield satellites, the military version of Starlink, from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1082 supported this mission for its twelfth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *April 21st - Falcon 9 with CRS-32* SpaceX launched its thirty-second International Space Station resupply mission, utilizing a Cargo Dragon V2 atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1092, performing its third mission with a landing back at Landing Zone 1. ### *April 22nd - Falcon 9 with Bandwagon-3* SpaceX performed its third dedicated mid-inclination orbit small satellite rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying South Korea's 425Sat-3, Tomorrow Companies Inc's Tomorrow-S7, and Atmos Space Cargo's Phoenix 1\. B1090 was the booster supporting this mission, landing at Landing Zone 2 for its third flight. ### *April 24th - Long March 2F/G with Shenzhou-20* A Long March 2F/G blasted off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying a Shenzhou spacecraft with taikonauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie onboard. This mission is the ninth to China's Tiangong Space Station. Further details on the mission are available [here](https://proximareport.com/articles/shenzhou-20-tiangong-arrives?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). ### *April 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-74* Twenty-eight Starlink satellites were launched from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9 flying to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1069 for its twenty-third flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ### *April 27th - Long March 3B/E with a Tianlian-2-05* A Long March 3B/E launched from Launch Complex 2 the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, carrying the Tianlian-2-05 satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit. Tianlian-2-05 will provide data and communications relay services for China's crewed spacecraft, including the Tiangong Space Station ### *April 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-23* SpaceX launched twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9, flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1077 supported this launch, for its twentieth flight with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' ### *April 28th - Long March 5B with GuoWang Group 03* A Long March 5B lifted off from Launch Complex 101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site heading to a polar orbit with a third batch of GuoWang satellites. Ten satellites were onboard the rocket, and deployed by a Yuanzheng-2 upper-stage. ### *April 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-9* Twenty-seven Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this launch was B1063 on its twenty fifth flight, landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *April 29th - Atlas V with KA-01* An Atlas V launched from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, carrying the first twenty-seven satellites for Amazon's Kuiper internet mega-constellation to low Earth orbit. Details on the constellation and future launches are available [here](https://proximareport.com/articles/kuiper-blasts-off-atop-atlas). ### *April 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-10* Another twenty-three Starlink satellites were launched from Launch Complex 39A atop of a Falcon 9 flying to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission has not been identified, but it did land on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ### *April 29th - Vega-C with Biomass* A Vega-C blasted off from Ensemble de Lancement Vega at the Guiana Space Centre carrying the Biomass spacecraft, which will measure the density of carbon stored in the world's forests, to sun-synchronous orbit. Despite a minor [underperformance](https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=49364.msg2682352&ref=proximareport.com#msg2682352) of the solid rocket stages, the liquid-fuelled fuelled upper-stage [delivered](https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=49364.msg2682354&ref=proximareport.com#msg2682354) Biomass to its target orbit successfully. ### *April 29th - Firefly Alpha for 'Message in a Booster'* Firefly Aerospace launched its Alpha rocket to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 2W, in California, with a satellite from Lockheed Martin. However, during stage separation, the second-stages engine nozzle was [destroyed](https://x.com/mcrs987/status/1917216990105608536?ref=proximareport.com) leading to underperformance of the rocket, reaching a [lower-than-intended orbit](https://x.com/Firefly%5FSpace/status/1917232137260159016?ref=proximareport.com). ## Launches to look out for in May! May will continue a busy year for worldwide launches. Listed below are all of the launches expected or likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of May may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *May 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-75* SpaceX is planning to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9. ### *May 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-3* A Falcon 9 is expecting to launch another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *May 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-93* Another batch of Starlink satellites are planned to be launched from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit. ### *May 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-84* Yet another Falcon 9 is expected to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A. ### *May 19th - PSLV-XL with EOS-09* A PSLV-XL rocket is planning to launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Center carrying the EOS-09 radar imaging satellite to low Earth orbit, where it will then provide all-weather imaging of Earth below. ### *May 29th - Falcon 9 with Axiom-4* Falcon 9 will launch Crew Dragon C213, the fifth and final unnamed crewed spacecraft in SpaceX's fleet, from Launch Complex 39A carrying Peggy Whitson from the U.S., Shubhanshu Shukla from India, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary to the International Space Station. ### *Late May - Long March 3B/E with Tianwen-2* A Long March 3B/E is planning to launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the Tianwen-2 asteroid sample return mission out of Earth's sphere of influence. Launch will begin long journey out to asteroid 2016HO3, arriving sometime in 2027\. While flying alongside the asteroid Tianwen-2 will search for a suitable sampling site before collecting between 200 and 1,000 grams of samples via touch-and-go as well as anchor-and-attach methods. Once these samples are secured in a sample container the spacecraft will head back toward Earth and drop off the samples around 2029 during a flyby. ### Kuiper Blasts Off Atop Atlas V! URL: https://proximareport.com/kuiper-blasts-off-atop-atlas/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T19:04:37.000Z Amazon's first Kuiper mission, KA-01 (for Kuiper Atlas 1), [blasted off](https://newsroom.ulalaunch.com/releases/united-launch-alliance-successfully-launches-amazons-first-operational-satellites?ref=proximareport.com) from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, atop of United Launch Alliance's Atlas V at 23:01 UTC on April 28th. This launch has placed the first group of the company's internet-providing mega-constellation satellites in low Earth orbit. The launch of Kuipers's first batch of satellites marks the beginning of full-scale deployment of the constellation. Before today, two test satellites [were launched back in late 2023](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-project-kuiper-protoflight-mission-november-2023-update?ref=proximareport.com). Those two satellites tested key technologies needed for the full constellation [before being deorbited](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-project-kuiper-deorbit-satellites?ref=proximareport.com). Amazon hopes that Kuiper, via over 3,200 satellites, will deliver high-speed, low-latency internet to any location on the planet. Rajeev Badyal, Vice President of Project Kuiper, shared the following [regarding the start of the constellation](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/project-kuiper-satellite-internet-first-launch?ref=proximareport.com): > “We’ve designed some of the most advanced communications satellites ever built, and every launch is an opportunity to add more capacity and coverage to our network,” – “We’ve done extensive testing on the ground to prepare for this first mission, but there are some things you can only learn in flight, and this will be the first time we’ve flown our final satellite design and the first time we’ve deployed so many satellites at once. No matter how the mission unfolds, this is just the start of our journey, and we have all the pieces in place to learn and adapt as we prepare to launch again and again over the coming years.” For Atlas V's heaviest payload ever launched, with twenty-seven Kuiper satellites onboard, the use of the rocket 551 configuration was necessary (551: five solid rocket boosters, a five-meter fairing, and a single RL-10 engine on Centaur). Atlas V's 551 configuration can deliver 18,814 kilograms to low Earth orbit, indicating that each Kuiper satellite could weigh as much as 690 kilograms. With a successful launch completed, Amazon is already working towards Kuiper's next launch, KA-02, atop of another Atlas V carrying another group of twenty-seven satellites. United Launch Alliance's Cheif Executive Officer Tory Bruno commented on today's launch and future ones, stating: > "This launch marks the first step towards the future of our partnership and increased launch cadence. We have been steadily modifying our launch facilities in Cape Canaveral to support the capacity for future Project Kuiper missions in a manner that will ultimately benefit both our commercial and government customers as we endeavor to save lives, explore the universe and connect the world." Following the deployment of further satellites, services from Kuiper are planned to be available later this year at speeds of [up to one gigabit per second](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/heres-your-first-look-at-project-kuipers-low-cost-customer-terminals?ref=proximareport.com). In order to meet a deadline with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, half of the Kuiper's constellation, around 1,600 satellites, will need to be launched by mid-2026\. Currently, Amazon [has bought over eighty launches](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-makes-historic-launch-investment-to-advance-project-kuiper?ref=proximareport.com) to deploy the constellation, including launches atop of Europe's Ariane 6, Blue Origin's New Glenn, [United Launch Alliance's Atlas V](https://spacenews.com/amazon-contracts-nine-atlas-5-missions-for-kuiper-broadband-satellites/?ref=proximareport.com) and Vulcan, [as well as SpaceX's Falcon 9](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-project-kuiper-spacex-launch?ref=proximareport.com). Additionally, Amazon has invested 140 million United States Dollars in a [spacecraft storage and integration facility at Cape Canaveral](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/project-kuiper-satellite-investment-expansion-florida?ref=proximareport.com) to streamline launch preparations. ## Competing with SpaceX and China With the first Kuiper launch, Amazon is facing an uphill battle in the internet mega-constellation satellite market. So far SpaceX has had a five-year advantage while China has had just under one year. Both also launched satellites for their [respective](https://www.youtube.com/live/VqcdYjapMA4?si=GgtK7oZXPLIHxJaJ&ref=proximareport.com) [mega-constellations](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/more-guowang-satellites-reach-orbit?ref=proximareport.com) in the hours prior to Kuiper's first mission. SpaceX's Starlink constellation is currently the dominant player for low Earth orbit-based satellite internet, with [around 6,000 satellites](https://planet4589.org/space/con/star/stats.html?ref=proximareport.com) in orbit and [over five million customers](https://x.com/Starlink/status/1895559922991153367?ref=proximareport.com) receiving services. Satellites are constantly being added to the constellation each week via Falcon 9, SpaceX's partially reusable rocket. In the last year, SpaceX has begun to offer direct-to-device services too. These services are provided via [T-Mobile in the U.S.](https://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/satellite-phone-service?ref=proximareport.com), [Optus in Australia](https://www.optus.com.au/living-network/coverage/leosat?ref=proximareport.com), [Rogers in Canada](https://about.rogers.com/news-ideas/rogers-signs-agreement-with-spacex-to-bring-satellite-to-phone-coverage-to-canada/?ref=proximareport.com), [One NZ in New Zealand](https://one.nz/why-choose-us/satellite/?ref=proximareport.com), and [KDDI in Japan](https://newsroom.kddi.com/english/news/detail/kddi%5Fpr%5Fsecret-63.html?ref=proximareport.com), among many others. [Several airlines have partnered](https://spaceexplored.com/starlink-airlines-list/?ref=proximareport.com) with SpaceX to provide in-flight service too. Outside of the U.S., [China has two mega-constellations](https://proximareport.com/articles/china-two-mega-constellations) currently being deployed. Those are Qianfan, [with 90 satellites](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/147539531/qianfan?ref=proximareport.com) of 15,000 deployed, and GuoWang, [with 29 satellites](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/147539531/guowang?ref=proximareport.com) of 12,000 deployed. Neither of the constellations are currently available to customers, but [agreements to expand ](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/qianfan-operator-partners-for-services?utm%5Fsource=publication-search)[abroad](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/qianfan-operator-partners-for-services?utm%5Fsource=publication-search) have already been signed. Strategic reasons are believed to be the driver behind China's constellation for now, specifically regarding the digital economy. One such is that satellite internet constellations could be major parts of future 6G networks, which currently have no established standards. China's 2024 Central Economic Work Conference [identified](https://www.china-briefing.com/news/chinas-central-economic-work-conference-cewc-key-takeaways-and-priorities-for-2025/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) 6G technologies as a critical developing industry for economic growth. Additionally, as part of national poverty alleviation programs, connecting individuals to the societal and economic benefits of China's increasingly digital environment could improve the lives of [roughly 300 million people](https://chinamarketingcorp.com/blog/2024-china-internet-users-data/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io). It's unclear when Qianfan and GuoWang will seek a return on investment, but Blaine Curcio, Founder of Orbital Gateway Consulting, [believes](https://www.cnbc.com/video/2024/12/15/chinese-competitors-aiming-to-challenge-spacexs-starlink-satellites.html?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) that the Chinese government is willing to invest in mega-constellations, without a guaranteed return on investment, due to the potential for unrealized or emerging technology needing services offered by these constellations. In Europe, there is also [Eutelsat's OneWeb constellation](https://spacenews.com/eutelsat-orders-100-leo-satellites-to-replenish-oneweb-constellation/?ref=proximareport.com) of over 600 satellites which the continent may favor for strategic autonomy following [political shifts in the U.S. since January](https://proximareport.com/articles/anyone-but-musk-and-america). To assist in competing, [Amazon has partnered with](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-project-kuiper-aws?ref=proximareport.com) Japan's Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, America's Verizon, and the UK's Vodafone to bring services directly to consumers. Furthermore, the company is [teaming up with Airbus](https://aircraft.airbus.com/en/newsroom/web-story/2025-04-airbus-and-amazons-kuiper-team-up-to-offer-leo-satellite-network-for?ref=proximareport.com) to provide its airliners with in-flight connectivity. --- ## What is Atlas V? Atlas V is United Launch Alliance's oldest two-stage rocket in service. The rocket is currently planned to be [replaced by Vulcan](https://proximareport.com/articles/vulcan-second-certification-flight) when it retires before 2030. The first-stage is powered by a single RD-180 generating 390 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen for four minutes and thirteen seconds. The RD-180 is manufactured by NPO Energomash in Russia. The second-stage is powered by either one or two RL-10 engines generating 10 tons of thrust each while burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for up to fourteen minutes and two seconds. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies Company, manufactures the RL-10 engines. Atlas V can also launch with between zero and five GEM-63 solid rocket motors to augment the rocket's thrust and payload capability. Each booster burns a solid propellant, consisting of Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and Aluminum-Ammonium perchlorate, generating 169 tons of thrust each for a believed one minute and thirty-four seconds. Northrop Grumman manufactures the solid rocket boosters for use with United Launch Alliance. Atlas V also has eleven different configurations with the following payload capacities: up to 18,814 kilograms to low Earth orbit, up to 8,900 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, or up to 3,850 kilograms to geostationary orbit. ### Weekly Dose of Space (20/4-26/4) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-20-4-26-4/ Last updated: 2025-04-27T14:57:02.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week, yet again, had five launches taking place, with one carrying a crew to one of two space stations in orbit. News from the week had a Soyuz mission concluding, New Glenn preparing to fly again, and the Chang'e 8 mission gaining international payloads. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *April 20th - Falcon 9 with NROL-145* A Falcon 9 launched the tenth batch of Starshield satellites, the military version of Starlink, from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1082 supported this mission for its twelfth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *April 21st - Falcon 9 with CRS-32* SpaceX launched its thirty-second International Space Station resupply mission, utilizing a Cargo Dragon V2 atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1092, performing its third mission with a landing back at Landing Zone 1. ![Falcon 9 booster B1092 landing at Landing Zone 1 after supporting the CRS-32 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/GpDQit9boAAcB1B.jpg) Falcon 9 booster B1092 landing at Landing Zone 1 after supporting the CRS-32 mission. ©SpaceX ### *April 22nd - Falcon 9 with Bandwagon-3* SpaceX performed its third dedicated mid-inclination orbit small satellite rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying South Korea's 425Sat-3, Tomorrow Companies Inc's Tomorrow-S7, and Atmos Space Cargo's Phoenix 1\. B1090 was the booster supporting this mission, landing at Landing Zone 2 for its third flight. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Bangwagon-3 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/GpG2kuBagAADw92-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Bangwagon-3 mission. ©SpaceX ### *April 24th - Long March 2F/G with Shenzhou-20* A Long March 2F/G blasted off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying a Shenzhou spacecraft with taikonauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie onboard. This mission is the ninth to China's Tiangong Space Station. Further details on the mission are available [here](https://proximareport.com/articles/shenzhou-20-tiangong-arrives). ![The Long March 2F/G launch vehicle during first-stage flight for the Shenzhou-20 mission.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/GpSwCGlbYAAtzH4-1.jpg) The Long March 2F/G launch vehicle during first-stage flight for the Shenzhou-20 mission. ### *April 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-74* Twenty-eight Starlink satellites were launched from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9 flying to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1069 for its twenty-third flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-74 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/GpWelCrbYAI9iVL-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-74 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *MS-26 mission concludes after 220 days* ![Don Pettit arriving in Houston, Texas, after his mission. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/GpCCSXUWEAAVEax.jpg) Don Pettit arriving in Houston, Texas, after his mission. ©NASA The [Soyuz MS-26 mission concluded](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/04/19/astronaut-returns-to-earth-on-70th-birthday-with-soyuz-crew/?ref=proximareport.com) at the very end of last week, April 20th, bringing NASA astronaut Don Pettit and Roscosmos' cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner back to Earth. Following health checks shortly after landing, Pettit flew back to NASA's Johnson Space Center and [arrived by April 21st](https://x.com/NASA%5FJohnson/status/1914173145277215053?ref=proximareport.com). The three MS-26 crew members spent 220 days onboard the International Space Station, having launched in September 2024\. With the end of the mission, Pettit completed his fourth trip to space with 590 days now spent in orbit, Ovchinin also completed his fourth spaceflight with 595 days now accumulated, while Vagner was flying for the second time with 416 days now spent in space. While onboard the space station, Pettit conducted research relating to enhancing in-orbit metal 3D printing capabilities, advanced water sanitization technologies, exploring plant growth under varying water conditions, and investigating fire behavior in microgravity, [NASA stated](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-astronaut-don-pettit-crewmates-complete-space-station-expedition/?ref=proximareport.com). Additionally as an avid photographer, [many stunning images taken from space](https://petapixel.com/2025/04/21/the-best-photos-taken-by-astronaut-don-pettit-on-his-most-recent-space-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) were shared throughout his mission. ### *New Glenn fires up ahead of second flight* Blue Origin [shared on April 24th](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1915471708011794452?ref=proximareport.com) that New Glenn's second-stage, dubbed GS2, had completed a fifteen-second static fire ahead of the rocket's second flight, currently expected a few weeks from now. This test took place at Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral in Florida. > Another view… [https://t.co/Zu73mWk1pj](https://t.co/Zu73mWk1pj?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/4mzkhOesqV](https://t.co/4mzkhOesqV?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Dave Limp (@davill) [April 24, 2025](https://twitter.com/davill/status/1915492442037772404?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Glenn's second-stage during its static fire on April 24th, via [Dave Limp on Twitter](https://x.com/davill/status/1915492442037772404?ref=proximareport.com). Following the test, Blue Origin's Chief Executive Officer David Limp [shared the following](https://x.com/davill/status/1915469439501570202?ref=proximareport.com) message on Twitter: > "January’s GS2 performed remarkably during our inaugural New Glenn launch, delivering our payload to orbit with less than 1% deviation from the target. Today, we completed a full duration 15-second hotfire test of the upper stage for our NG-2 mission. This time, we achieved enhanced performance from the BE-3U engine, increasing the maximum thrust from 173,000 lbf to 175,000 lbf per engine, further expanding New Glenn’s capabilities for our customers." No mentions were made of the [second-stage fragmenting in orbit](https://x.com/shell%5Fjim/status/1888297588027203803?ref=proximareport.com) following New Glenn's debut mission. ### *Chang'e 8 mission announces international payloads* The China National Space Administration [announced on April 24th](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-annouces-change-8-partners?ref=proximareport.com) the ten nations, plus Hong Kong, that had been invited to participate in for the Chang'e 8 mission, set to land near the Moon's south pole around 2028\. The ten partners set to join the mission are South Africa, Peru, Italy, Russia, Thailand, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Pakistan, Türkiye, and the International Society for Terrain-Vehicle Systems. International experiments and hardware for the mission are currently in the development stage, which is expected to end before August 2027\. Following development, hardware will be handed over to Chinese teams for work on integrating the Chang’e 8 spacecraft. Each partner is planned to provide the following experiments: - Pakistan and the International Society for Terrain-Vehicle Systems: a lunar rover. - Türkiye and STAR.VISION: an environmentally intelligent exploration robot. - South Africa and Peru: a radio astronomy array. - Italy: a laser retroreflector. - Russia: a lunar ion and high-energy neutral particle analyzer. - Thailand: a lunar neutron analyzer. - Bahrain and Egypt: a lunar surface visible light and infrared video system. - Iran: a monitor for lunar electric potentials. - Hong Kong: a Moon-based multi-function robot and mobile charging station on the surface. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *April 27th - Long March 3B/E with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 3B/E is expected to launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, possibly carrying the TJSW-18 satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit. ### *April 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-9* Twenty-seven Starlink satellites are planning to be delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying out of Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *April 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-23* SpaceX is planning to launch more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9, flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *April 28th - Firefly Alpha for 'Message in a Booster'* Firefly Aerospace is planning to launch its Alpha rocket to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 2W, in California, with a satellite from Lockheed Martin. ### *April 28th - Long March 5B with GuoWang Group 03* A Long March 5B is preparing to launch from Launch Complex 101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site to a polar orbit, possibly carrying another ten satellites for the GuoWang mega-constellation. ### *April 29th - Atlas V with KA-01* An Atlas V is preparing to launch from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, carrying the first twenty-seven satellites for Amazon's Kuiper internet mega-constellation to low Earth orbit. ### *April 29th - Vega-C with Biomass* A Vega-C is preparing to launch from Ensemble de Lancement Vega at the Guiana Space Centre carrying the Biomass spacecraft, which will measure the density of carbon stored in the world's forests, to sun-synchronous orbit. ### *May 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-75* With another batch of Starlink satellites, a Falcon 9 is expecting to fly to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *May 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-3* Yet another Falcon 9 is planning to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### Shenzhou-20 Crew Arrives at China's Tiangong Space Station URL: https://proximareport.com/shenzhou-20-tiangong-arrives/ Last updated: 2025-04-25T03:10:27.000Z China's Shenzhou-20 mission [blasted off](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-20-mission-blasts-off-long?ref=proximareport.com) earlier today from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center atop of a Long March 2F/G, chasing down the Tiangong Space Station in low Earth orbit. Following six hours and thirty-two minutes of catching up to the station, the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft [docked](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-19-crew-welcomes-shenzhou?ref=proximareport.com) to the Tianhe’s modules' Earth-facing docking port. Once a series of safety checks were performed, the new crew entered the space station, being greeted by Shenzhou-19's crew. [Onboard the Shenzhou spacecraft](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-announces-shenzhou-20-crew?ref=proximareport.com) for the mission are Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie. Chen Dong is the veteran taikonaut for this mission, having previously flown the Shenzhou-11 and Shenzhou-14 missions for 214 days in space. Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie are both performing their first spaceflight. Before becoming taikonauts, Chen Dong and Chen Zhongrui served in the People's Liberation Army Air Force while Wang Jie was an engineer at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Recieving the incoming crew are Shenzhou-19's Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, and Wang Haoze, who have been onboard the station for six months this October 2024\. Cai and Song also served People's Liberation Army Air Force, with Wang previously being a a senior engineer at the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. ![The Shenzhou-19 crew, Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, and Wang Haoze, (left) speaking with the new Shenzhou-20 crew, Wang Jie, Chen Zhongrui, and Chen Dong, (right). ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/82e4e451ly1i0sfygkpdlj23uw25ze85.jpg) The Shenzhou-19 crew, Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, and Wang Haoze, (left) speaking with the new Shenzhou-20 crew, Wang Jie, Chen Zhongrui, and Chen Dong, (right). ©China Manned Space Agency During their six-month stay on Tiangong, the Shenzhou-19 trio performed dozens of science experiments, hosted an [art exhibition](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/153180625/tiangong-hosts-fourth-art-exhibition?ref=proximareport.com), [tested robots](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/154945204/shenzhou-crew-test-robot-assistants?ref=proximareport.com) to assist with tasks, [produced rocket fuel](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/156263437/rocket-fuel-produced-in-orbit-aboard-tiangong?ref=proximareport.com) via artificial photosynthesis, and conducted various spacewalks. Three spacewalks have taken place: the [first in December 2024](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-19-crew-perform-worlds-longest?ref=proximareport.com) for a record-setting nine hours, the [second in January](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-19-crew-install-debris-protection?ref=proximareport.com), and the [third in March](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/spacesuits-gain-life-extension-with?open=false&ref=proximareport.com#%C2%A7meet-the-shenzhou-crew). All three were to install debris mitigation devices. Like prior missions, spacewalks to install more debris hardware are planned, while science and technology experiments are planned throughout the six-month Shenzhou-20 mission. [Some of those](https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202504/23/WS6808c433a3104d9fd3821205.html?ref=proximareport.com) experiments are related to life sciences, such as one for a zebra fish-hornwort co-cultivation ecosystem, the expression patterns of microbial active substances and enzymes in space environments, and [an investigation into](https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202504/24/WS68090e92a3104d9fd382124e.html?ref=proximareport.com) the regeneration of planarians in microgravity. The planarian experiments will study tissue regeneration in microgravity, while the zebrafish experiment will focus on microgravity-caused loss of bone mass and cardiovascular dysfunction. Currently, the Shenzhou-20 mission is planned to last until late October of this year. The Shenzhou-19 mission is expected to return to Earth around April 29th. ![The patch for the Shenzhou-20 crewed mission. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/Shenzhou-20-patch.png) The patch for the Shenzhou-20 crewed mission. ©China Manned Space Agency --- ### What is the Tiangong Space Station? The Tiangong Space Station, also called the Chinese Space Station, is a permanently crewed space station in low Earth orbit operated by the China Manned Space Agency and China National Space Administration. The space station consists of the Tianhe core module, the Wentian laboratory module, and the Mengtian laboratory module. With these modules, the station has three docking ports for visiting spacecraft to dock located on the Tianhe module, one port is located at the aft end of the module, and two and the forward end with one facing Earth. The combined habitable volume of the space station is believed to be 122 cubic meters, with a total pressurized volume of 340 cubic meters. Each of the three modules were launched by the Long March 5B, with Tianhe launching on the 29th of April 2021, followed by Wentian on the 24th of July 2022, with the latest edition being Mengtian on the 31st of October 2022\. China currently plans to launch the Xuntian space telescope which will co-orbit with the space station for periodic docking for servicing and maintenance by crews onboard. ### What are taikonauts? The word taikonaut has been used in this article so a small explanation of the word is necessary for those unfamiliar with it. Taikonaut is what China calls its astronauts, such as the country's first taikonaut Yang Liwei who flew into space in 2003. The word comes from a combination of the Chinese word for outer space, taikong, and the suffix, naut. ### African Space Agency Inaugurated at New Headquarters URL: https://proximareport.com/african-space-agency-inaugurated/ Last updated: 2025-04-21T02:01:31.000Z On April 20th 2025 in Egypt's Space City, the African Space Agency (AfSA) [was inaugurated](https://africanspaceagency.org/inauguration-of-the-african-space-agency-a-milestone-for-africas-space-development/?ref=proximareport.com) at its new permanent headquarters, located in Cairo. The inauguration comes after almost a decade of strategic planning by the African Union. With the inauguration, the AfSA will be the primary entity coordinating Africa’s space cooperation with various international partners while enhancing space missions across Africa, ensuring optimal access to space-derived data, information, services, and products. Additionally, once fully integrated into national, regional, and continental programmes, the agency aims to eliminate duplication and inefficiencies within the African space ecosystem. Various officials representing global space agencies [attended the inauguration](https://spaceinafrica.com/2025/04/20/african-space-agency-now-operational/?ref=proximareport.com), including NASA, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, among others, to begin cooperative relations between agencies. The European Space Agency notably signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Earth observation programs, joint training initiatives, and technical support with AfSA on April 20th. Prior to the inauguration, the African Union elected [AfSA's ten-member African Space Council](https://africanspaceagency.org/the-au-elects-the-final-member-of-the-african-space-council/?ref=proximareport.com) to lead the new space agency. The members elected to the council are Dr Tidiane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire as President, Dr Rakiya Babamaaji of Nigeria as Vice President, Dr Lisho Mundia of Namibia, Amal Layachi of Morocco, Aboubaker Hassan Ali of Djibouti, Dr Éliane Ubalijoro of Rwanda, Amin Mestar of Algeria, Fernand Guy Isseri of Cameroon, Fatimé Hamat Daoussa of Chad. According to AfSA, the role of the council is to advance the agency's operationalization, coordinate agency activity, while guiding continental space policymaking, allocating resources, overseeing regulations, and managing African space industry stakeholders, including governments and international partners, to facilitate favourable partnerships in space science and technology. The council is also expected to ensure that AfSA policy will align with the [Africa 2063 goals](https://au.int/en/agenda2063/overview?ref=proximareport.com). [Speaking in February](https://africanspaceagency.org/the-stars-belong-to-africa-too-2/?ref=proximareport.com), AfSA President Dr Tidiane Ouattara called on the continent to invest in space, stating: > *“Space is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity.* *From agriculture to security, from climate monitoring to disaster response, Africa’s survival and prosperity depend on its ability to harness space technologies.”* – "*Africa is a sleeping giant in the space economy*. *With a projected revenue of $22 billion by 2026, we are barely scratching the surface of our potential. We must move from being passive users to active creators of space knowledge, services, and solutions*.” – “*The future of space lies in collaboration.* *We must build a critical mass of skilled professionals and create an enabling environment for startups and \[*small and medium enterprises*\] to thrive.”* AfSA has currently outlined [two strategic goals](https://africanspaceagency.org/the-future-of-the-african-space-agency-afsa-towards-advancing-the-africa-we-want/?ref=proximareport.com) to drive the agency: ensuring space-derived products and services are harnessed to inform decision-making and address economic, political, social, and environmental challenges across the continent; and developing and expanding indigenous space capabilities within both the private and public sectors, fostering a coordinated, effective, and innovative African-led space programme that prioritizes self-reliance, collaboration, and sustainable growth. ![The logo of the African Space Agency. ©African Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/AfSA-logo.png) The logo of the African Space Agency. ©African Space Agency In the lead up to its inauguration, the AfSA selected its logo via a continent-wide call to young Africans for submissions. AfSA's logo was selected in February, with a submission by the 22-year-old [Remy Fadhil Bouelet from Cameroon winning](https://spaceinafrica.com/2025/02/18/cameroons-remy-bouelet-wins-afsa-logo-competition/?ref=proximareport.com). ### Weekly Dose of Space (13/4-19/4) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-13-4-19-4/ Last updated: 2025-04-20T13:25:09.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week once again had five launches taking place, with one on a suborbital mission. News from the week has China preparing for its latest crewed mission, concerns about the International Space Station, and the world's first satellite network to utilize a distant retrograde orbit. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *April 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-17* Twenty-one Starlink satellites launched from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, atop of a Falcon 9 heading to low Earth orbit. Booster B1083 supported this launch for its tenth launch, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 12-17 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/GoYgSBeWEAAeftH-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 12-17 mission. ©SpaceX ### *April 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-73* Twenty-seven more Starlink satellites were launched by a Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting this launch was booster B1067, for its twenty-seventh launch along with a landing onboard the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-73 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/GoeN_-aXkAAZlt0-1-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-73 mission. ©SpaceX ### *April 14th - New Shepard for NS-31* Blue Origin's eleventh crewed New Shepard mission launched from its West Texas launch site for an eleven-minute suborbital flight, carrying Katy Perry, Gayle King, Lauren Sánchez, Kerianne Flynn, Aisha Bowe, and Amanda Nguyễn. Crew capsule RSS Kármán line carried the crew while NS-5 propelled the combined vehicle, for its third flight. > Higher res version. [pic.twitter.com/5TCBLIU9Ay](https://t.co/5TCBLIU9Ay?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Dave Limp (@davill) [April 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/davill/status/1911887284217290895?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Shepard booster NS-5 landing in West Texas for the NS-31 mission, via [Dave Limp on Twitter](https://x.com/davill/status/1911887284217290895?ref=proximareport.com). ### *April 16th - Minotaur IV with NROL-174* A Minotaur IV launched from Space Launch Complex 8, in California, carrying classified payloads into Earth orbit for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. > On April 16th, 2025, a Northrop Grumman Corporation Minotaur IV rocket launched the NROL-174 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office. The launch took place from SLC 8 at Vandenberg Space Force Base Video credit: Staff Sgt. Joshua LeRoi, United States Space Force, Vandenberg Space Force Base > > — [NASASpaceflight.com (@nasaspaceflight.com)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:yifpqamzwvp3g4szr44mz37r?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) [2025-04-17T20:04:35.183Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:yifpqamzwvp3g4szr44mz37r/post/3lmzvomntgs2p?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) Minotaur IV lifting off from Space Launch Complex 8 for NROL-174, via [NASASPaceflight on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/nasaspaceflight.com/post/3lmzvomntgs2p?ref=proximareport.com). ### *April 18th - Long March 6A with Shiyan-27 01\~06* A Long March 6A blasted off from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying Shiyan-27 01/02/03/04/05/06 into a sun-synchronous orbit. The six satellites are planned to test space environment monitoring (called space domain awareness in the U.S.) technologies. ![The Long March 6A Y11 vehicle during first-stage flight to sun-synchronous orbit.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/0080MYmPly1i0lrrs7upsj31uo2s0x6p-1.jpg) The Long March 6A Y11 vehicle during first-stage flight to sun-synchronous orbit. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Shenzhou-20 mission prepares for liftoff* ![The Long March 2F/G Y20 vehicle arriving at its launch pad for the Shenzhou-20 mission.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/67ffc5b1a3104d9fd1560e9d-1.jpeg) The Long March 2F/G Y20 vehicle arriving at its launch pad for the Shenzhou-20 mission. In preparation for the launch of the Shenzhou-20 crewed mission to China's Tiangong Space Station, the Long March 2F/G rocket with the Shenzhou spacecraft on top [rolled out to its launch pad](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/long-march-2fg-prepares-to-support?ref=proximareport.com), on April 16th, at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. As is standard for Chinese crewed missions, the crew is not currently known and will be announced the day before launch at the earliest. Waiting for the new crew are Shenzhou-19’s Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, and Wang Haoze. Shenzhou-19’s taikonaut trio has been onboard the station since October 30th 2024, almost six months ago, and is expected to return to Earth before the end of the month. A launch date has not been announced for the mission, with several days in consideration, but a launch is likely on April 24th. In support of the launch, the Tiangong Space Station has performed maneuvers to adjust its position and orbit to allow the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft to catch up effectively. Major Chinese broadcaster CGTN has typically livestreamed its English-language launch coverage on [its YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@cgtn/streams?ref=proximareport.com). ### *NASA concerned about ISS condition* NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel is [reportedly concerned](https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/nasa-safety-panel-worried-about-aging-iss-need-for-successor/?ref=proximareport.com) about the condition of the International Space Station, [saying it has entered](https://spacenews.com/nasa-safety-panel-warns-of-increasing-risks-to-iss-operations/?ref=proximareport.com) its riskiest period in its history. The primary concerns of the panel are leaks from the Russian segment, deorbit preparations, and a less spare parts onboard for critical systems. One of the panels' priority items to understand is deorbit plans should the space station need to be brought out of orbit earlier than 2030\. The current plan is to have a SpaceX-made U.S. Deorbit vehicle on standby from 2028 with a launch in 2029, before deorbiting the station after a year docked. However, should the station need to be abandoned before 2029, concerns about where the station could fall are major. The item of highest concern is the air leaks from the Russian segment, which began back in 2019\. So far, the cause of the leaks has not been found, with the risks from the leaks mitigated while the source is searched for. NASA and Roscosmos are expected to meet in the coming months to discuss how best to mitigate the risk posed. Additionally, with delays to Northrop Grumman's NG-22 resupply mission and the first flight of Sierra Space's Dream Chaser resupply vehicle, spare parts for critical systems like life support are slowly depleting. Currently, SpaceX's Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft is the sole vehicle resupplying the U.S. segment, but with greater space given to crew supplies. ### *China deploys first DRO network* ![DRO-B (left) with a dislocated solar panel and DRO-A (right) with an unlocked solar panel.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/DRO-AB-photos.png) DRO-B (left) with a dislocated solar panel and DRO-A (right) with an unlocked solar panel. China's Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization and Innovation Academy for Microsatellites, both under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, announced [on April 16th](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-begins-operating-first-distant?ref=proximareport.com) that it had performed tests to verify its Distant Retrograde Orbit Exploration network. Notably, becoming the first to do so in a distant retrograde orbit (DRO). Tests performed with the network included a K-band microwave measurement and communication link between each of the satellites and the ground were performed at a distance of 1.17 million kilometers, as well as utilizing three hours of in-orbit inter-satellite measurement data to determine their orbit at a precision level that would typically require two days of ground-based tracking. Three satellites make up the network: DRO-A in a lunar distant retrograde orbit, DRO-B in an Earth-Moon resonance orbit, and DRO-L in a sun-synchronous orbit around Earth. The first satellite, DRO-L, was launched in February 2024, while DRO-A and DRO-B were launched a month later and headed out to the Moon as a single combined spacecraft, before separating in August. Speaking on the advantage of the network in a distant retrograde orbit, researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chief Architect of the program at the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization Wang Wenbin stated: > "DRO's unique position allows spacecraft to enter Earth-Moon space with minimal energy expenditure while maintaining stable positioning and full-domain accessibility," — "This three-satellite system lays crucial infrastructure for maintaining continuous human activities in the Earth-Moon sphere," — "The constellation provides essential navigation, communication and logistical support — much like building harbors and supply depots along new maritime routes during the Age of Exploration." ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *April 20th - Falcon 9 with NROL-145* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch the tenth batch of Starshield satellites, the military version of Starlink, from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *April 21st - Falcon 9 with CRS-32* SpaceX is planning to perform its thirty-second International Space Station resupply mission, utilizing a Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft that will be launched atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. ### *April 22nd - Falcon 9 with Bandwagon-3* Falcon 9's third dedicated mid-inclination orbit small satellite rideshare mission is planning to launch from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *April 22nd - Long March 8 with Qianfan satellites* A Long March 8 may launch from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Sites' Commercial Launch Pad 1 to a polar orbit carrying the sixth batch of eighteen Qianfan satellites, for the internet providing mega-constellation. ### *April 24th - Long March 2F/G for Shenzhou-20* A Long March 2F/G is preparing to launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center with a Shenzhou spacecraft with three taikonauts onboard for the Shenzhou-20 mission to the Tiangong Space Station. ### *April 25th -Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-74* A batch of Starlink satellites are planning to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9. ### *April 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-9* Another batch of Starlink satellites is planning to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E to low Earth orbit atop a Falcon 9. ### What's up with Blue Origin's Latest Tourist Flight? URL: https://proximareport.com/blue-origins-latest-tourist-flight/ Last updated: 2025-04-17T08:10:57.000Z Blue Origin's 11-minute NS-31 mission [occurred on April 14th](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-shepard-ns-31-mission?ref=proximareport.com), generating a [sizeable reaction](https://www.buzzfeed.com/abbyzinman/katy-perry-space-mission-reactions?ref=proximareport.com) online. It helped that Blue rolled out the red carpet for this mission with a [mission webcast](https://youtu.be/cSqyRWQooJM?si=4XrTvc3Oert9RBPH&ref=proximareport.com) over five times its usual length, along with a rarely seen post-mission [press conference](https://youtu.be/5yl7RclOqlY?si=S3gMypwUbe%5F6t9Np&ref=proximareport.com). The NS-31 mission was first [announced](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-shepard-ns-31-mission?ref=proximareport.com) back in February, having been [wholly funded](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/15/lauren-sanchez-katy-perry-space-blue-origin-female-flight?ref=proximareport.com) by Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos, who are engaged. In the lead-up to launch, Sánchez also [commissioned custom spacesuits](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/private-spaceflight/katy-perry-all-female-blue-origin-rocket-launch-get-monse-designer-flight-suits?ref=proximareport.com) for the crew of six, instead of using Blue Origin's standard suits. The crew itself was fairly star-studded. Lauren Sánchez was, of course, onboard with pop star Katy Perry, television personality Gayle King, film producer Kerianne Flynn, Bahamian-American STEM advocate Aisha Bowe, and Vietnamese-American Amanda Nguyễn who runs the [Rise foundation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rise%5F%28non-governmental%5Forganization%29?ref=proximareport.com). Combined, the crew has a net worth in excess of 400 million United States Dollars, with Perry, Sánchez, and King contributing the vast majority. [Bowe](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/aishabowe%5Fspace-opinion-blueorigin-ugcPost-7318276710376878081-Q1mm/?rcm=ACoAADPrrp0B42OTD3pICNiphuCaOsv8nlxTxn4&ref=proximareport.com) and [Nguyễn](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/30-under-30-honoree-amanda-nguyen-fighting-sexual-assault-survivors-n715661?ref=proximareport.com) are the only two members of the crew to have come from a space background. Additionally, Nguyễn was the first woman of Vietnamese descent to go to space, while Bowe was the first Bahamian woman. With a sizeable amount of attention on the flight, along with a seat cost [anywhere from](https://people.com/blue-origin-space-flight-cost-what-to-know-11714582?ref=proximareport.com) 150,000 to 28 million dollars, criticism of the flight was aplenty. To begin, no science was onboard the mission, [unlike some other](https://youtu.be/PenTzO3t2T8?si=J8QjiqhcFsRQMqNz&t=265&ref=proximareport.com) crewed New Shepard flights. With the costs of a seat on board New Shepard, that drew a portion of the criticism too. Sections of [an *NBC* show](https://ew.com/olivia-munn-perplexed-gluttonous-blue-origin-space-flight-11709215?ref=proximareport.com) and a [column in *The Guardian*](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/15/lauren-sanchez-katy-perry-space-blue-origin-female-flight?ref=proximareport.com) described the flight and the choice of custom spacesuits as gluttonous, citing the [costs of items](https://www.statista.com/statistics/190981/monthly-unadjusted-consumer-price-index-in-the-us-since-april-2010/?ref=proximareport.com) [like eggs](https://eggprices.org/national-data?ref=proximareport.com) for ordinary income individuals, and like a trip back to 2010s status quo capitalist feminism. One of the main criticisms of the flight was [pollution](https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/04/15/emily-ratajkowski-blue-origin-space-launch/?ref=proximareport.com). A Blue Origin spokesperson in [2021 told the *Associated Press*](https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-558398031858?ref=proximareport.com) the following on emissions from a New Shepard flight: > “Nearly 99% of New Shepard’s dry mass is reused, including the booster, capsule, ring fin, engine, landing gear, and parachutes,” – “New Shepard’s BE-3PM engine is fueled by highly efficient and clean liquid oxygen and hydrogen. During flight, the only byproduct of New Shepard’s engine combustion is water vapor with no carbon emissions.” However, it is important to note that water vapor is a [pollutant](https://greenly.earth/en-us/blog/ecology-news/is-water-vapor-a-greenhouse-gas?ref=proximareport.com) [above 10 kilometers](https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20010050736?ref=proximareport.com) in altitude, where the vehicle spends only a small portion of its flight. With a little math, you can find out that for every two kilograms of hydrogen burned, eighteen kilograms of water vapor are produced. And with more math, you can figure out that with the BE-3PM's \~445-second specific impulse and roughly two and a half minutes of burn time, each launch burns around 16,600 kilograms of propellant (over 2,300 kilograms of hydrogen and 14,000 kilograms of oxygen). This produces approximately 21,000 kg of water vapor, based on the combustion reaction of hydrogen and oxygen forming water. As for why these emissions are a problem, the average American [only emits](https://ourworldindata.org/co2-emissions?ref=proximareport.com) 14.3 tons of pollutants each year, while someone living in Europe emits 5.6 tons. Meanwhile, someone from the Global South emits just 2.1 tons (India) or as low as 0.4 tons (Kenya). To emit the same as the crew of six did in eleven minutes, the average American would need to exist for almost eighteen months, while a Kenyan would need to be around for over fifty years. Keep in mind, New Shepard flies many times per year now on tourist "sightseeing" missions. Furthermore, the [me-centricness and individualism](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/15/lauren-sanchez-katy-perry-space-blue-origin-female-flight?ref=proximareport.com) of the flight drew further criticism. Blue Origin hailed the flight as pushing the envelope forward, [stating](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-shepard-ns-31-mission?ref=proximareport.com): > "Each of these women is a storyteller who will use their voices—individually and together—to channel their life-changing experience today into creating lasting impact that will inspire people across our planet for generations." But what envelope does a suborbital tourist mission push? Wang Hoaze, a woman from China and rocket engineer, is [currently aboard](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/159552994/wang-haoze-%E7%8E%8B%E6%B5%A9%E6%B3%BD?ref=proximareport.com) the Tiangong Space Station, meanwhile Anne [McClain and Nichole Ayers are onboard](https://whoisinspace.com/?ref=proximareport.com) the International Space Station. Sunita Williams [commanded the International Space Station](https://www.space.com/suni-williams-takes-command-of-iss-exp-71?ref=proximareport.com) for the second time during her last spaceflight, not to mention the [four other women](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List%5Fof%5Fcommanders%5Fof%5Fthe%5FInternational%5FSpace%5FStation?ref=proximareport.com) who have commanded the station. There's also [Eileen Collins](https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/former-astronauts/eileen-m-collins/eileen-collins-nasas-first-female-shuttle-commander/?ref=proximareport.com) commanding two Space Shuttle missions, [Jasmin Moghbeli](https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/jasmin-moghbeli/?ref=proximareport.com), [Nicole Mann](https://www.nasa.gov/people/nicole-a-mann/?ref=proximareport.com), and [Anne McClain](https://www.nasa.gov/people/anne-c-mcclain/?ref=proximareport.com) leading NASA missions, and Sarah Gillis performing the highest spacewalk since the Apollo program and becoming the youngest person to do so. And [Peggy Whitson too](https://www.axiomspace.com/team/peggy-whitson?ref=proximareport.com), commander of one commercial spaceflight with a [second expected this year](https://www.axiomspace.com/missions/ax4?ref=proximareport.com). Yes, NS-31 was the first all-woman crew since [Valentina Tereshkova's Vostok-6](https://www.space.com/21571-valentina-tereshkova.html?ref=proximareport.com) mission. The difference is that Vostok-6 performed science and lasted for almost three days, not eleven minutes. According to the [European Space Agency](https://www.esa.int/Science%5FExploration/Human%5Fand%5FRobotic%5FExploration/Astronauts/Assigning%5Fan%5Fastronaut%5Fto%5Fa%5Fmission?ref=proximareport.com), crews for the International Space Station (ISS) are selected by the [Multilateral Crew Operations Panel](https://spaceref.com/status-report/principles-regarding-processes-and-criteria-for-selection-assignment-training-and-certification-of-iss-expedition-and-visiting-crewmembers/?ref=proximareport.com) based on consensus among ISS partners. Each partner proposes candidates who must meet strict criteria, including medical and behavioral fitness, language skills, and adherence to the [ISS Code of Conduct](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/1214.403?ref=proximareport.com). Selections are made well in advance to allow for mission-specific training and team coordination, with both prime and backup crews chosen at the same time. These reasons why are why an all-woman crew hasn't flown, as science onboard the space station requires specific skills. The same applies to China's Tiangong Space Station. It is possible to do good space tourism, so to say, too. The first crewed mission to polar orbit, [Fram2](https://proximareport.com/articles/fram2-returns-after-100-visits-over-the-poles), conducted a small bounty of science during a four-day mission. [Polaris Dawn](https://proximareport.com/articles/polaris-dawn-spacewalk) notably performed the first all-private spacewalk utilizing a modified Crew Dragon. And New Shepard will occasionally fly [missions dedicated to science](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-shepard-ns-29-mission?ref=proximareport.com) and research. ### Architect of U.S. Economic Woes to Steer NASA’s Finances URL: https://proximareport.com/close-ally-autry-navarro/ Last updated: 2025-04-15T18:01:58.000Z Since April 2, 2025, the U.S. economy has experienced dramatic swings following [sweeping tariff announcements](https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/04/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-declares-national-emergency-to-increase-our-competitive-edge-protect-our-sovereignty-and-strengthen-our-national-and-economic-security/?ref=proximareport.com) by President Donald Trump, who declared a universal 10% import tax alongside steep levies on Chinese and European goods. The abrupt policy shift triggered a historic two-day market crash, [wiping out over 6.6 trillion](https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-trump-tariffs-trade-war-04-07-25?ref=proximareport.com) United States Dollars in value and marking the largest loss in U.S. market history. Since then, continued uncertainty and the lingering economic impact of the tariffs have [kept markets volatile](https://www.marketwatch.com/story/top-strategists-say-stock-market-still-bogged-down-by-tariff-uncertainty-despite-trumps-pause-13d2e2e6?mod=home%5Flead&ref=proximareport.com). Tariffs and Trump are inseparable, having been present [since his first administration](https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-virus-outbreak-global-trade-trade-policy-mexico-39aadae9a6d18de2b91889f1e552b605?ref=proximareport.com). [MSNBC ran a story on April 5th highlighting](https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/the-ridiculous-real-story-behind-the-tariff-plan-that-turned-donald-trump-into-a-global-disaster-236611653893?ref=proximareport.com) that the Trump team got its plans to use tariffs via browsing book covers on Amazon. The one they went with was *Death by China*, written by Peter Navarro and Greg Autry. ## Who are these guys? Greg Autry is currently [nominated to become chief financial officer of NASA](https://spacenews.com/white-house-nominates-autry-to-be-nasas-chief-financial-officer/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), the second time Trump has tried to install him in the post having [nominated him to the office back in 2020](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/the-nasa-cfo-confirmation-hearing-will-go-ahead-why/?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), when Trump and his supporters believed they hadn't lost that year's election. Autry is a [keen supporter](https://x.com/GregWAutry/status/1842733489286005196?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) of the ["MAGA" movement](https://www.facebook.com/gregwautry/posts/pfbid022xErmKaJH4wyqeo6aySNdAmGXB1K2GsU2pHkG8nbfR2BqGGrz3w8pn7uxJkFLKLCl), [Elon Musk](https://x.com/GregWAutry/status/1852881759743975908?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), and [Trump](https://x.com/GregWAutry/status/1855264963129954406?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), following them along uncritically. He is also [ideologically uneducated](https://x.com/GregWAutry/status/1849509657427017943?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io), has [no issue with supporting](https://x.com/GregWAutry/status/1881095759543828723?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) European fascists, and [doesn't understand economics](https://www.facebook.com/ZoomingInShow/videos/greg-autry-no-signs-trade-war-has-hurt-us-economy/2185766415020892/). Professionally, Autry is a [self-described](https://gregautry.us/about?ref=proxima-report.ghost.io) "expert in the business of commercial space and a globally recognized leader in space policy" and a "serial technology entrepreneur". He is currently an Associate Provost at the University of Central Flordia and a visiting professor at Imperial College London. Peter Navarro, [also going by Ron Vara](https://leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2025/04/fact-check-peter-navarro-ron-vara.html?ref=proximareport.com), is [presently part of the Trump Administration](https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/people/peter-navarro/?ref=proximareport.com), as well as part of the first one, as a Senior Counselor. Navarro, has and does, play a central role in shaping [Trump’s trade wars](https://www.ft.com/content/4135f673-d3a8-4d78-9f81-81107cb7dd32?ref=proximareport.com) and pushing for protectionist economic policies, often grounded in [fringe economic theories](https://www.investopedia.com/articles/insights/012717/peter-navarro.asp?ref=proximareport.com) dismissed by mainstream economists.​ A loyal Trump ally, Navarro has been [one of the most vocal proponents of false claims](https://campaignlegal.org/common-questions-and-answers-about-2020-election-results?ref=proximareport.com) about the 2020 election, going so far as to [publish a series of reports alleging](https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2020/12/17/white-house-advisor-peter-navarro-releases-dubious-voter-fraud-report/?ref=proximareport.com) widespread voter fraud, claims thoroughly [debunked by court](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68086757.amp?ref=proximareport.com)[s](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68086757.amp?ref=proximareport.com), election officials, and bipartisan observers. He has not shown regret and has[ justified his acts as patriotic](https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/peter-navarro-treason-mike-pence-newsmax-b2121420.html?ref=proximareport.com) rather than seditious. ​ Navarro is known for his [conspiratorial mindset](https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d514f3449544e30457a6333566d54/index.html?ref=proximareport.com) and aggressive rhetoric, describing his opponents in terms [reminiscent of Cold War propaganda](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/peter-navarro-steve-bannon-overthrow-election%5Fn%5F61bd2f18e4b0bcd2193f2e99?ref=proximareport.com). Despite his academic background, [with a PhD in economics](https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/people/peter-navarro/?ref=proximareport.com) from Harvard, his work has been [widely criticized](https://web.archive.org/web/20161208134200/http://www.chronicle.com/article/What-You-Should-Know-About-the/238590) for [lacking rigor](https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/the-purge-of-april-trump-s-new-advisers-pour-on-the-gas-1.4705201?ref=proximareport.com) and cherry-picking data to fit predetermined narratives, as we will get into later.​ ## Autry and Navarro [Self-admittedly by Autry on Navarro's blog](https://peternavarro.substack.com/p/the-peter-navarro-i-know), the two have maintained a relationship rooted in shared beliefs, mutual ambition, and an unwavering commitment to a combative, nationalist economic agenda. What began with Autry as a student in Navarro’s University of California, Irvine classroom evolved into a professional alliance that blurred the lines between mentorship, advocacy, and political partisanship. > “Watching my friend pilloried and smeared in the media compelled me to share my inside view of America’s newest political prisoner.” From the outset, Autry casts Navarro not as a controversial figure under legal scrutiny, but as a wronged patriot. His narrative reframes defiance of a congressional subpoena as noble resistance and frames Navarro’s critics, including public health experts, economists, and elected officials, as enemies of truth. Their joint work, including *Death by China*, positions globalization and the Communist Party of China as existential threats, often with alarmist overtones. Autry writes: > “CCP proxies, organized Chinese students, and Chinese money wield great power in American universities.” It’s a claim that feeds into a wider conspiratorial worldview, one where academia, media, and multinational corporations are depicted as anti-American. The duo's rhetoric often reduces complex geopolitical and economic dynamics to a binary of patriots versus sellouts. Even Navarro’s COVID-era policy role is presented through a hero’s lens. Autry credits him with life-saving foresight and logistical brilliance, while blaming "globalists" for failures in execution: > “Navarro was in the Situation Room convincing President Trump to ban flights from China ... Trump’s prudent decision to back Peter afforded America a bit more time.” Yet Navarro’s critics argue he routinely sidelined expertise, sowed division, and overstepped his role. These concerns are absent from Autry’s narrative, which instead centers on loyalty and grievance. Alongside this, it's not hard to find [Autry praising](https://x.com/GregWAutry/status/1817208770642255893?ref=proximareport.com) Navarro [on Twitter](https://x.com/GregWAutry/status/1771238680398594403?ref=proximareport.com) [regularly](https://x.com/GregWAutry/status/1891725586306846888?ref=proximareport.com). It is difficult to find praise going the other way however. ## Some awful books Autry and Navarro have jointly written two awful, barely-based-in-fact, books about China, titled *Death by China* and *Red Moon Rising: How America Will Beat China on the Final Frontier*. Thanks to a little ingenuity, Proxima Report has found copies of both and worked through both to pull apart their arguments and solutions. ### 'Death by China' Published in 2011, *Death by China* opens not with scholarly analysis, but with a barrage of emotionally loaded language. Chapter titles like “Death by Chinese Junk,” “Death by Red Hacker,” and “When Mao Met Orwell” set the tone for a work that reads more like dystopian fiction than diplomatic or economic critique. It is less an investigation than an indictment, often painting the Chinese state and people in broad, undifferentiated strokes. The authors fail to distinguish between legitimate critiques of specific policies and systemic hostility toward an entire nation. The line between the Communist Party, Chinese businesses, and the general population is repeatedly blurred, if not outright erased. One of the book’s most glaring academic weaknesses is its use of anecdotal, decontextualized evidence. Tainted pet food, exploding electronics, and instances of labor abuse are marshaled not as part of a comparative analysis, but as proof of systemic rot. What the authors fail to disclose is that such issues are not unique to China; similar problems can be found in supply chains from many [developing nations](https://web.stanford.edu/class/e297c/trade%5Fenvironment/wheeling/hnike.html?ref=proximareport.com). And even in [Western ones](https://apnews.com/article/slaughterhouses-child-labor-qsi-jbs-perdue-46d0193545ed2a5aaad8ea7643edbc8a?ref=proximareport.com). Moreover, the omission of China’s globally acknowledged achievements, such as lifting [hundreds of millions out of poverty](https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/04/01/lifting-800-million-people-out-of-poverty-new-report-looks-at-lessons-from-china-s-experience?ref=proximareport.com), technological innovation, or its [evolving environmental reforms](https://www.ft.com/content/fe397ced-432c-430f-b6e4-336ba5084e5b?ref=proximareport.com), reveals a strong case of confirmation bias. This is not a balanced inquiry, it is a narrative-driven, one-sided polemic. The two author’s unwavering faith in U.S.-style capitalism and liberal democracy borders on dogma. Navarro and Autry treat these systems not as models open to critique, but as default moral baselines. China’s market socialism, called “state capitalism” throughout, is painted as a nefarious deviation rather than a sovereign model with its own logic and historical justification. Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of *Death by China* is that it squanders its potential to raise valid concerns. Issues such as trade imbalances, intellectual property disputes, and labor conditions are real topics worthy of debate. However, by cloaking these issues in Cold War-style rhetoric and ignoring the role of U.S. multinational corporations in enabling offshoring and deregulation, the book reduces complex global dynamics to a crude morality play. In some of the book's last pages, Autry and Navarro veer into speculative fiction, claiming China is preparing a space-based military assault, framing satellite programs like Beidou as precursors to orbital weaponry. Navarro and Autry invoke Chinese military theorists without context, interpreting hypothetical writings as direct intent. Those pages ignore the reality that all major spacefaring nations, including the U.S., [develop dual-use](https://saisreview.sais.jhu.edu/the-dual-use-nature-of-space-launch-vehicles-and-ballistic-missiles-and-the-complexities/?ref=proximareport.com) technologies. Omitted entirely is America’s space militarization, including its anti-satellite tests and the pushes for what would become the U.S. Space Force. ### 'Red Moon Rising' Published in 2024, *Red Moon Rising: How America Will Beat China on the Final Frontier* presents itself as a sober strategic analysis of space policy but quickly reveals itself to be a continuation of the same ideological framework found the duo's earlier anti-China book. While its tone is less incendiary than that of *Death by China*, its underlying assumptions remain rooted in a worldview that sees China not as a peer competitor or collaborator, but as an existential adversary to American supremacy. The book opens with quotations from Sun Tzu, but this invocation is largely aesthetic. Classical Chinese strategy is selectively quoted to serve a narrative that promotes preemption, dominance, and the necessity of space-based militarization. The deeper philosophical underpinnings of Sun Tzu’s writing, emphasizing caution, flexibility, and the avoidance of unnecessary conflict, are noticeably absent. *Red Moon Rising*’s title itself betrays its combative posture. The “final frontier” is not portrayed as a realm for shared human advancement, but as a new theater for great-power competition, where America must "beat" China. The premise rests on the assumption that space is inherently a domain of rivalry, with the United States as its rightful steward. In this framing, China’s growing presence in orbit is treated less as a sovereign nation's scientific advancement and more as an encroachment. Programs like the Beidou network, the Tiangong Space Station, and China's lunar missions are recast as provocations or precursors to military escalation, rather than evidence of a parallel model of development rooted in peaceful use and global partnerships. What is most striking is the book’s near-total omission of America’s own aggressive posture in space. The establishment of the U.S. Space Force, [past anti-satellite weapons tests](https://www.theweek.in/news/sci-tech/2019/03/27/history-anti-satellite-weapon-us-asat-missile.html?ref=proximareport.com), and the consolidation of [military-civilian](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/pentagon-influences-us-colleges?ref=proximareport.com) [dual-use](https://spacenews.com/sierra-space-developing-dual-use-spacecraft-with-military-potential/?ref=proximareport.com) efforts are all omitted or ignored. Instead, the narrative focuses on speculative interpretations of China’s intentions, often through decontextualized readings of military documents or policy statements. This mirrors the same rhetorical technique used in *Death by China*, where isolated examples are elevated into existential threats, while equivalent or more expansive actions by the United States are either minimized or cast as defensive necessities. Another area where the book betrays its geopolitical bias is in its treatment of space regulation. It presents the Artemis Accords as the logical framework for international cooperation, despite their explicit design to exclude China and consolidate U.S.-aligned partnerships. There is no serious engagement with the global debate over space law, nor any recognition of China’s [longstanding support](https://www.unoosa.org/documents/pdf/copuos/lsc/space-resources/LSC2024/English%5FChinas%5Fsubmission%5Fto%5Fthe%5Fworking%5Fgroup%5Fon%5Fspace%5Fresources.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) for the Outer Space Treaty and [calls for banning](https://un.china-mission.gov.cn/eng/chinaandun/disarmament%5Farmscontrol/unga/202105/t20210501%5F9126875.htm?ref=proximareport.com) space weapons. In this respect, *Red Moon Rising* functions less as an analysis of space policy than as an extension of American exceptionalism, extending out into orbit. Rather than considering the possibility of peaceful coexistence or joint stewardship of space, the book treats competition as inevitable and consensus as naive. This not only reflects a misreading of China’s actual space doctrine but also reveals a deeper anxiety within the duo's American-centric strategic thoughts. As with *Death by China*, the ultimate concern is not that China seeks to dominate space, but that it might succeed in doing so without mimicking the [West’s model](https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-carriers-usa-navy-e7904f8dd1ba1f65a9d07a31fd9fb8eb?ref=proximareport.com) of [power projection](https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2023/08/05/us-france-intervention-niger-west-africa/?ref=proximareport.com) or [exploitation](https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/5/6/rich-countries-drained-152tn-from-the-global-south-since-1960?ref=proximareport.com). ## Why should NASA be worried? [According to NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/ocfo/ocfo-functions/?ref=proximareport.com), the Chief Financial Officer is responsible for managing the agency’s financial planning and ensuring that public funds are used effectively and responsibly. This role includes leading the development of NASA’s yearly budget requests, overseeing financial reporting, and advising the Administrator, [soon-to-be Jared Isaacman](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-nasa-hearing), on all financial matters. The Chief Financial Officer helps ensure that NASA remains financially sound as it carries out its missions. However, Autry's financial management skills are questionable. His most recent position is, [he claims](https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregwautry/details/experience/?profileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd%5Fprofile%3AACoAAAJYQwUBcRr6QJMiMjiDRFZj0oQ145ot%5FqA&ref=proximareport.com), as a board member and co-founder of a carbon fiber recycling company. Other than that it's almost a decade ago in 2016 as part of the first Trump transition team at NASA, then a series of lecturing gigs. It is clear that through his books, Autry seeks to position himself as a major thought leader, with the thought based on a barely fact-based reality. The job as NASA's head of finances is to push for, and sometimes beg, for increased funding. It is not to politically "kiss the ring". Autry is an uncritical believer in the imagined "MAGA" worldview, not someone who will do what is best for the reality-based NASA. If sent to NASA through a [U.S. Senate vote](https://spacenews.com/senate-confirms-nasa-cfo/?ref=proximareport.com), Autry will likely worsen the [looming situation](https://proximareport.com/articles/sls-can-stay-everything-else-must-go) across the agency, choosing to please President Trump with whatever he asks. ### SLS Can Stay, Everything Else Must Go. URL: https://proximareport.com/sls-can-stay-everything-else-must-go/ Last updated: 2025-04-14T16:51:04.000Z NASA's budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 would send billions in cuts across the space agency while leaving the over-budget and behind-schedule Space Launch System (SLS) rocket unaffected. The proposed cuts come not even a week after the agency's nominated administrator [promised a Mars program](https://proximareport.com/articles/isaacman-nasa-hearing) while sustaining existing agency programs. [Ars Technica's Eric Berger first reported](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/04/trump-white-house-budget-proposal-eviscerates-science-funding-at-nasa/?ref=proximareport.com) the proposed cuts on April 11th, having gained access to the White House’s budget proposal, which was sent to NASA the day prior by the Office of Management and Budget. Berger also states that the cuts are in line with [planned cuts shared in early March](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/03/white-house-may-seek-to-slash-nasas-science-budget-by-50-percent/?ref=proximareport.com), slashing NASA science by half. The cuts, if implemented, would wipe out five billion United States Dollars from NASA's budget, around twenty percent of what it currently receives. According to the documents, NASA's science programs would receive nearly a fifty percent cut in funding, with a two-thirds reduction to astrophysics bringing it down to 487 million dollars, a greater than two-thirds cut to heliophysics reducing it to 455 million dollars, more than a 50 percent cut to Earth science lowering it to 1.033 billion dollars, and a 30 percent cut to planetary science bringing it down to 1.929 billion dollars. Additionally, major missions would be canceled. Two such missions would be the [DAVINCI](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/davinci/?ref=proximareport.com) (Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging) mission to investigate the former habitability of Venus and the long-awaited, [and delayed](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-mars-sample-return-2026), Mars Sample Return mission. The budget proposal would allow for continued operation of the Hubble and James Webb space telescopes, but would kill the on-schedule and under-budget [Nancy Grace Roman Telescope](https://roman.gsfc.nasa.gov/?ref=proximareport.com), set to launch next year. Current acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro, who has [facilitated Trump's moves at NASA](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-begins-witchhunt-within-nasa), has denied any budget proposals. On [April 7th Petro called](https://spacenews.com/nasa-developing-options-for-agency-restructuring-in-unsettling-environment/?ref=proximareport.com) the planned cuts uncredible rumors. [SpaceNews' Jeff Foust states](https://spacenews.com/white-house-proposal-would-slash-nasa-science-budget-and-cancel-major-missions/?ref=proximareport.com) that various NASA missions have been given direction to prepare for termination. Unaffected is NASA's SLS rocket, which the agency [spends 4.2 billion dollars](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/nasa-fiscal-year-2025-budget-summary.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) on each year. SLS exists to send the Orion spacecraft, also unaffected, around the Moon for the agency's Artemis program, which [continually delays missions](https://proximareport.com/articles/nasa-delays-artemis-ii-2026). Alongside the NASA cuts, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is [set to see its fiscal year 2026 budget cut too](https://spacenews.com/noaa-budget-proposal-would-affect-weather-satellite-other-space-programs/?ref=proximareport.com), also based on documents from the White House. The cuts would see major changes to NOAA's weather satellite, space weather, and space traffic programs. NOAA's cuts would see a major overhaul of its Geostationary Extended Observations program, mainly through the removal of instruments focused on the climate rather than weather, despite the two being incredibly intertwined for Earth's weather. NASA would also be cut out of the program, possibly jeopardizing it due to a sudden lack of spacecraft experience. Other changes at NOAA would be moving its Space Weather Prediction Center to the Department of Homeland Security, which would likely just be to continue emergency notifications of newly forming extreme weather events like hurricanes or tornados. Another change would be to move the [burgeoning](https://spacenews.com/tracss-moves-into-next-phase-of-development/?ref=proximareport.com) Traffic Coordination System for Space, used to provide basic space situational awareness services, to a private entity. The cuts and unaffectedness of SLS and Orion are not that surprising, given [President Trump](https://www.factcheck.org/2024/09/trump-clings-to-inaccurate-climate-change-talking-points/?ref=proximareport.com) and the [Republican Party's denial](https://www.americanprogress.org/article/climate-deniers-of-the-118th-congress/?ref=proximareport.com) of climate change, which NASA thoroughly researches, and fear of [China being a peer competitor](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-on-track-to-be-preeminent-space?ref=proximareport.com) in all fields. And the [one trillion dollar budget for the Pentagon](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/07/hegseth-trump-1-trillion-defense-budget-00007147?ref=proximareport.com) was going to come from somewhere. This also begs the question, what [other](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/14/science/astrogeology-mars-maps-spacex.html?unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.%5Fk4.GSAj.uZMOZHMM435j&smid=url-share&ref=proximareport.com) currently unknown cuts are planned at NASA? ### Weekly Dose of Space (6/4-12/4) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-6-4-12-4/ Last updated: 2025-04-13T17:18:00.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had five launches taking place, with Falcon 9 performing the majority. News this week saw a new crew arriving onboard the International Space Sation, Northrop Grumman completing a satellite life extension mission, and the Artemis Accords gaining its fifty-fourth signatory. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *April 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-72* A Falcon 9 carried twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1078 supported this mission for its nineteenth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off for the Starlink Group 6-72 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/Gn0zc65bYAISnjb-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off for the Starlink Group 6-72 mission. ©SpaceX ### *April 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-11* Another Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-seven Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. B1093 supported this launch, for its first flight along with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 11-11 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/Gn-ccP6bwAAWg1o.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 11-11 mission. ©SpaceX ### *April 8th - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-27* The Soyuz MS-27 mission lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome atop of a Soyuz 2.1a, carrying the spacecraft toward the International Space Station. Onboard were NASA astronaut Jonathan Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky. ### *April 10th - Long March 3B/E with TJSW-17* A Long March 3B/E blasted off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the TJSW-17 satellite toward a geostationary transfer orbit. The spacecraft is expected to perform testing and verification for multi-band high-speed throughput communications technologies as well as providing communications, radio, television, and data transmission services. ![The Long March 3B/E vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on April 10th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/00686eaKgy1i0c9puyv5gj30u013twiv-1.jpg) The Long March 3B/E vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on April 10th. ### *April 12th - Falcon 9 with NROL-192* A batch of Starshield satellites, the military version of Starlink, was delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. Supporting this mission was booster B1071, for its twenty-fourth flight with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. > Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship [pic.twitter.com/dWosHWKoPm](https://t.co/dWosHWKoPm?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [April 12, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1911035202501267865?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 booster B1071 landing on 'Of Course I Still Love You', via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1911035202501267865?ref=proximareport.com). ## **In Other Space News** ### *Soyuz MS-27 crew arrives at ISS* ![Soyuz 2.1a lifting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for the Soyuz MS-27 mission. ©Joel Kowsky/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/nhq202504080004.jpg) Soyuz 2.1a lifting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for the Soyuz MS-27 mission. ©Joel Kowsky/NASA On April 8th at 05:47 am Universal Coordinated Time, the Soyuz MS-27 mission [blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-astronaut-crewmates-arrive-safely-at-space-station/?ref=proximareport.com) carrying three astronauts to the International Space Station. A few hours later at 08:57 am the Soyuz spacecraft docked with the Prichal module, on the Russian segment of the station. The crew of the Soyuz MS-27 are Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky as well as NASA astronaut Jonathan Kim. Ryzhikov is flying to the station for the third time, while Zubritsky and Kim are heading to space for the first time. At present, the Soyuz MS-27 mission is [planned to last](https://www.russianspaceweb.com/soyuz-ms-27.html?ref=proximareport.com) into early December for a return to Earth eight months from now. NASA stated that throughout Kim's stay onboard, he will conduct scientific research in technology development, Earth science, biology, and human research, among others. ### *Northrop Grumman completes life extension mission* ![Intelsat's IS-901 satellite seen by Northrop Grumman's MEV-1 spacecraft. ©Northrop Grumman](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/Northrop-Grumman-Achieves-First-Ever-Undocking-Between-Two-Commercial-Spacecraft-in-Geosynchronous-Orbit_c22308e0-a0fd-4db1-8d81-59f51a4477c0-prv.png) Intelsat's IS-901 satellite seen by Northrop Grumman's MEV-1 spacecraft. ©Northrop Grumman [Northrop Grumman shared on April 9th](https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/northrop-grumman-achieves-first-ever-undocking-between-two-commercial-spacecraft-in-geosynchronous-orbit?ref=proximareport.com) that its Mission Extension Vehicle-1 (MEV-1) has successfully undocked with Intelsat’s IS-901 satellite after completing its lift extension service mission. The company claims that this was the first undocking between two commercial spacecraft in geosynchronous earth orbit. Additionally, Northrop shared a few key points: MEV-1 provided five years of life-extension services to IS-901, allowing Intelsat to operate the satellite beyond its design life; in 2020, MEV-1 successfully proved docking with IS-901 was possible in the GEO graveyard orbit and brought IS-901 back into operation in GEO; and with life-extension services complete, MEV-1 released the IS-901 satellite back into the GEO graveyard and is relocating to the next servicing mission. Speaking on the feat, Northrop's President of Space Logistics Robert Hauge stated: > “The first-of-its-kind technology that extended a satellite’s life is paving the way for an entire infrastructure of future on-orbit satellite servicing missions for a variety of customers. We are continuing to invest in next-generation capabilities to deliver the most technologically advanced servicing capabilities to support and maintain new and existing space-based assets.” With the moving of IS-901 to a graveyard orbit, Northrop Grumman has replicated a feat [performed by China](https://www.seradata.com/shi-jian-21-docks-with-beidou-2-g2-then-takes-it-to-a-graveyard-orbit/?ref=proximareport.com) between December 2021 and January 2022\. Northrop however had a complaint active satellite to work with, whereas China didn't. ### *Bangladesh signs Artemis Accords* [NASA announced on April 8th](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-welcomes-bangladesh-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) that Bangladesh has signed onto the U.S.-led Artemis Accords, in the country's capital city of Dhaka. Signing on behalf of the country was Ashraf Uddin, Secretary of Defense for Bangladesh, at the U.S. embassy. Following the signing, the Secretary of Defense stated: > “Bangladesh’s commitment to the Artemis Accords will enhance the country’s engagement with NASA and the international community,” – “By signing the accords, Bangladesh builds upon an important foundation for the open, responsible and peaceful exploration of space.” With the signing, Bangladesh becomes the fifty-fourth signatory and joins Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Chile, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Ukraine, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Brazil, Poland, Mexico, Israel, Romania, Bahrain, Singapore, Colombia, France, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Rwanda, the Czech Republic, Spain, Ecuador, India, Argentina, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Angola, Belgium, Greece, Uruguay, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Lithuania, Peru, Slovakia, Armenia, Estonia, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Austria, Thailand, Liechtenstein, and Finland. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *April 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-17* Twenty-one Starlink satellites are planned to be launched atop a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A. ### *April 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-73* Another twenty-seven Starlink satellites are planning to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9. ### *April 14th - New Shepard for NS-31* Blue Origin is planning to launch New Shepard from its West Texas launch site for a short suborbital flight. Six passengers are planned to be on board and are Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, Gayle King, Katy Perry, Kerianne Flynn, and Lauren Sánchez. ### *April 16th - Minotaur IV with NROL-174* A Minotaur IV rocket, derived from the LGM-118 Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missile, is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 8, in California, carrying a U.S. military payload possibly weighing up to 1,837 kilograms. ### *April 17th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-74* Another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to launch atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### Isaacman Wants Mars, Denies Having Meetings with Musk, During NASA Hearing URL: https://proximareport.com/isaacman-nasa-hearing/ Last updated: 2025-04-09T21:45:52.000Z The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation held its nomination hearing for Jared Isaacman, a [billionaire spacefarer of two flights](https://proximareport.com/articles/polaris-dawn-spacewalk), to become the fifteenth NASA Administrator. This comes five months after he was nominated by then-President-elect [Donald Trump in December](https://proximareport.com/articles/trump-picks-jared-isaacman). The hearing, [attached below](https://www.youtube.com/live/tqejrlbfB84?ref=proximareport.com), lasted just shy of three hours with [Chairman of the Committee Ted Cruz](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/chair?ref=proximareport.com) and [Ranking Member Maria Cantwell](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/rankingmember?ref=proximareport.com) leading. Additionally, Isaacman submitted a written testimony to the committee, which is attached in full at the end of this article. The first question put forward by the committee, from Ted Cruz, was regarding competition with China and the possibility of the U.S. landing on the Moon second this decade. Isaacman responded that America cannot lose, must lead the way, and must not cede a so-called ultimate high ground in space. Following that, Cruz highlighted that Isaacman had privately guaranteed that America would return to the Moon first while stating in his written testimony that Mars would be the priority. In response, Isaacman stated that at present the Artemis program costs too much, but that a Moon program should be determined on its economic, scientific, and national security benefits while a Mars program is underway alongside that. > .[@SenTedCruz](https://twitter.com/SenTedCruz?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com): "Do we have your commitment that you will not allow the scenario on the right on this poster to happen, that China will not beat us to the moon? > > NASA Administrator nominee Jared Isaacman ([@rookisaacman](https://twitter.com/rookisaacman?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com)): "Senator, I only see the left-hand side of that poster." [pic.twitter.com/kXsstsR07i](https://t.co/kXsstsR07i?ref=proximareport.com) > > — CSPAN (@cspan) [April 9, 2025](https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1910019931296366798?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Isaacman being pushed on competition with China, via [CSPAN on Twitter](https://x.com/cspan/status/1910019931296366798?ref=proximareport.com). Regarding using the Moon as a stepping stone to Mars, which Cruz cites is written into U.S. law, Isaacman was pushed if he acknowledges the existence of the current plan. Isaacman acknowledged the plans written into U.S. law while claiming that NASA could run both crewed Moon and Mars programs. Ranking Member Maria Cantwell's first question regarded the NASA budget, citing that the space agency generates over seventy billion United States Dollars in economic activity despite being constrained for its missions on the current funding levels, along with closing critical agency centers and infrastructure. Isaacman stated that NASA would keep the centers open to draw the U.S.'s best and brightest nationwide into the space program. On firm-fixed-priced contracts, Isaacman claims that he is a fan of them, having run a defense company, for commercial industry while NASA should work on the near-impossible before turning it over to private industry once it's understood. Firm-fixed-price for private industry but not for NASA. For a reduction in NASA's budget and workforce, via the 'Department of Government Efficiency' and Reduction-in-Force plans, Isaacman states that he wants to understand why reorganizations and reductions are underway to ensure the space agency can pursue critical goals. Later Isaacman added that he believes NASA can perform multiple 'flagship' missions under his leadership with a potentially reduced budget. Cantwell then pushed on if the Artemis program with the Space Launch System (SLS) has support. Isaacman stated that he wants to see the Artmis II mission fly around the Moon and later see Americans on the Moon's surface. He later added that SLS is currently the fastest way to send Americans to the Moon, but not the best for long-term exploration. Regarding a sustained presence on the Moon, Isaacman shared that America should get to the Moon to determine its economic, scientific, and national security benefits before committing to a sustained presence. On the Gateway lunar space station specifically, Isaacman made no commitment to the program beyond figuring out what was causing delays and cost overruns. For a question framed as going to Mars instead of the Moon, due to its potential economic, scientific, and national security benefits, Isaacman responded that he hopes the U.S. has many low Earth orbit space stations, a Moon station, and a Mars station. He added that the U.S. needs to figure out why it needs to stay on the Moon. On the future of low Earth orbit activity, Isaacman stated that the scientific potential of the International Space Station should be maximized before switching to commercially operated space stations. For the end of the space station, Isaacman added that he doesn't know of any reason to bring it out of orbit early. Regarding links to Elon Musk for the future of NASA, Isaacman claims that he has not had contact with Musk since his nomination. On keeping Musk's influence out of NASA, Isaacman added he is loyal to the U.S. and the space agency. It was later highlighted by the committee that Isaacman's company Shift4 has partnered with SpaceX for payment processing, in a deal worth tens of millions of dollars. When pushed if he met with Musk at Mar-a-Lago in late 2024, Isaacman stated he was at Mar-a-Lago to be interviewed by Donald Trump. The committee pushed Isaacman on the question three more times if he met Musk at Mar-a-Lago, his response all three times was that he was there to meet Trump. Isaacman denied, four times, that Musk was in the room for his interview with Trump. > .[@SenMarkey](https://twitter.com/SenMarkey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com): "It's not a difficult question. Was Elon Musk in the room when the president offered you the job?" > > NASA Administrator nominee Jared Isaacman ([@rookisaacman](https://twitter.com/rookisaacman?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com)): "My meeting was with the president of the United States." [pic.twitter.com/69vO45gwQd](https://t.co/69vO45gwQd?ref=proximareport.com) > > — CSPAN (@cspan) [April 9, 2025](https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1910016573542191171?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Isaacman being pushed on if Musk was in the room for his interview, via [CSPAN on Twitter](https://x.com/cspan/status/1910016573542191171?ref=proximareport.com). In a question regarding competition with China, Russia, Iran, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), Isaacman responded that competition works well from a commercial perspective to build up capabilities so long as the U.S. doesn't lose. To better compete, it was added that NASA should work with the Department of Defense and its various branches and agencies. On managing space objects and debris, Isaacman believes that efforts to track objects in orbit should be unified, stating that the biggest challenge during his two missions was orbital debris. Additionally, Isaacman would like to see the U.S. lead the way in reducing untrackable objects in orbit. For the future of NASA's Earth and climate science missions, Isaacman denied knowing of any intended cuts to Earth and climate science at the agency. Furthermore, Isaacman claimed he is passionate about both of those areas of science at NASA. During the hearing, various senators and members of the committee highlighted that Isaacman's responses were indirect and avoided a direct answer. Several questions were answered quite evasively. --- ## Isaacman's Written Testimony As hosted on the [U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation website](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/AF1E2124-BB39-4160-A28C-1F6CC2F020FD?ref=proximareport.com) on April 9th, 2025. > Thank you Chairman Cruz, Ranking Member Cantwell, and distinguished members of the committee. I am honored and very grateful to be here before you today as President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. I have lived the American dream and I owe this nation a great debt. I would happily serve President Trump in any capacity but to work alongside the people that have expanded the boundaries of exploration and brought humanity closer to the stars, would be the privilege of a lifetime > Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge my family—my parents, Sandy & Don Isaacman, my wife Monica and my two wonderful daughters, Mila and Liv. > I do recognize, I am a newcomer so I thought I would share a bit of my story, along with my understanding of the challenges and opportunities ahead. > I am an entrepreneur and my journey began when I took a risk and left school at age 16 to build a company in my parent’s basement. Despite my unconventional start, I found success very early in life and led my company into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise employing thousands. > I am a pilot with an aeronautics degree. Over the last 20 years, I’ve flown over seven thousand hours in jets and ex-military aircraft, setting world records and performing in airshows. My passion for aviation also led me to start another company–this time a defense aerospace business. As a company, we operated the world’s largest private air force. Our job was to fly fighter jets as adversaries, executing enemy tactics and training American warfighters. We managed hundreds of millions in defense contracts and saved taxpayers billions along the way. > I am also an astronaut. Alongside a talented team, I led two record-breaking missions to space. On my last mission, we tested a new space suit while performing a spacewalk and orbited farther away from Earth than any human has gone since the last time Americans walked on the Moon. Along the way, my two crewmates, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, became the women who have journeyed farthest from Earth… ever. > I am an advocate for science. During these missions to space, my crew & I performed approximately 50 science and research experiments. I have also publicly supported the Chandra x-Ray Observatory and offered to fund a mission to extend the life and capabilities of the Hubble space telescope. > I care about the people back at home and our collective future here on Earth. My space career did not burden the taxpayers. They were privately funded and aimed at inspiring and helping people all over the world. One example is the over $250 million we raised to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and their critical work to ensure no child dies in the dawn of life. Alongside these efforts, I have personally donated hundreds of millions to charitable endeavors. > I share all of this because I am not a typical nominee for this position. I have been relatively apolitical; I am not a scientist and I never worked at NASA. I do not think these are weaknesses. In fact, I believe President Trump found them to be strengths. And if confirmed, I will bring all my experience to the greatest adventure in human history—the quest to discover the secrets of the universe. > On that note, NASA is the most accomplished and respected space agency in the world—but for all of NASA’s historic achievements, the agency is not without challenges: > Presidents have called for a return to the Moon and a path to Mars since 1989 and well over a hundred billion has been spent without the intended results. > Most programs—new telescopes, rovers, X-planes, or entire spaceships—are over budget and behind schedule. > This is discouraging because people look up at the stars and wonder what is out there today, not decades down the road. > And I know it is not lost on any members of this committee that we have geopolitical rivals moving at impressive speeds. It is imperative—for our national security, our pride, and all that we stand to gain in space exploration—that we never come in second place. If confirmed, and with the support and guidance of President Trump and members of Congress, we will reinvigorate a mission-first culture at NASA with the following objectives: > First—American astronauts will lead the way in the ultimate ‘high ground’ of space. > As the President stated we will prioritize sending American astronauts to Mars. Along the way, we will inevitably have the capabilities to return to the Moon and determine the scientific, economic, and national security benefits of maintaining a presence on the lunar surface. We will focus our technology development efforts on the world’s greatest engineering challenges, such as the practical application of nuclear propulsion, so that we can truly unlock humankind’s ability to explore among the stars. > Second—We will ignite a thriving space economy in low Earth orbit. > By working alongside international partners and industry, we can unlock the true economic potential of space and deliver meaningful benefits to the American people–potentially charting a course for > NASA to become a financially self-sustaining agency. > Third—NASA will be a force multiplier for science. > We will leverage NASA’s scientific talent and capabilities to enable academic institutions and industry to increase the rate of world-changing discoveries. We will launch more telescopes, more probes, more rovers and endeavor to better understand our planet and the universe beyond. > If confirmed, I will work alongside & recruit the most talented minds this nation has to offer and we will concentrate our resources toward achieving the near-impossible– the objectives that no other agency, company or institution is capable of accomplishing. We will do so knowing the risks and ground-breaking opportunities that lie ahead—because some risks, like exploring the worlds beyond ours, are worth taking. > We will do this not just to expand our knowledge or strengthen our national security, but to improve all life on Earth and inspire the next generation to reach even further. This is why America needs NASA—why the world needs NASA—because there is no more important investment than inspiring our children to build a beaer, more exciting future. And the best way NASA can do that is by delivering on our mission and ushering in a new Golden Age of Science & Discovery—and we will not fail. > Thank You. ### Weekly Dose of Space (30/3-5/4) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-30-3-5-4/ Last updated: 2025-04-08T17:26:34.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw six launches taking place, including the first from Europe proper. News of the week had Kuiper finally heading to the launch pad, a module for NASA's lunar space station arriving in the U.S., and the USSF awarding billions for launches. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *March 30th - Spectrum for its debut flight* Isar Aerospace attempted to perform the debut flight of its Spectrum rocket from the Andøya Spaceport in Norway. The vehicle became the first rocket to fly from continental Europe for around half a minute before it fell back to Earth. More details on this flight are available [here](https://proximareport.com/articles/isar-first-flight). ![Spectrum lifting off from its launch pad at the Andøya Spaceport. ©Isar Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/GndQToRbsAAHfWR-1.jpg) Spectrum lifting off from its launch pad at the Andøya Spaceport. ©Isar Aerospace ### *March 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-80* Twenty-eight Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9, flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1080 supported this launch for its seventeenth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Twenty-eight Starlink satellites being deployed from Falcon 9's second-stage in orbit. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/GnZfm7mXMAADX0P.jpg) Twenty-eight Starlink satellites being deployed from Falcon 9's second-stage in orbit. ©SpaceX ### *April 1st - Falcon 9 with Fram2* Fram2, the first crewed mission into a polar orbit of the Earth, was launched by a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A in Florida. Onboard Crew Dragon atop of the rocket was Mission Commander Chun Wang funded the mission, Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen was in command of Crew Dragon, along with Pilot Rabea Rogge, and Eric Philips was the Mission Specialist and Medical Officer. All four crew members were making their first trip to space. Details on the crew and mission are available [here](https://proximareport.com/articles/journey-over-the-ice-caps-fram-2) and [here](https://proximareport.com/articles/fram2-returns-after-100-visits-over-the-poles). The booster supporting the crewed missions launch was B1085, for its sixth launch with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Fram2 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/GnfHmqoXUAAbmVH.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Fram2 mission. ©SpaceX ### *April 1st - Long March 2D with four satellite internet test spacecraft* A Long March 2D blasted off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying four satellite internet test spacecraft to low Earth orbit. The four spacecraft are expected to perform satellite internet technology testing and verification, including direct-to-device connections. ![The Long March 2D Y78 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/757dc9f5ly1i0186xuq3aj21hc0zk0wu.jpg) The Long March 2D Y78 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *April 3rd - Long March 6 with Tianping-3A-02* A Long March 6 lifted off from Launch Complex 16 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying the Tianping-3A-02 satellite to low Earth orbit. Tianping-3A-02 is expected to provide atmospheric space environment surveys and orbital prediction model corrections, based on data gathered about the low Earth orbit environment. ![The Long March 6 Y14 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/GnlBXnibwAAanJ7-1.jpg) The Long March 6 Y14 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ### *April 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-13* Twenty-seven more Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, atop of a Falcon 9\. Booster B1088 supported this mission, flying for the fifth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 11-13 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/GnqJvRDXQAAUIiy-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 11-13 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Amazon prepares for first Kuiper launch* ![Part of Atlas V's fairing with Kuiper satellites inside in a clean room in Florida. ©Amazon](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/about-amazon-hero-archive004-aa-kuiper-launch-comet3-2539-hero-8109x5409.jpg) Part of Atlas V's fairing with Kuiper satellites inside in a clean room in Florida. ©Amazon [Amazon shared on April 2nd](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/project-kuiper-satellite-internet-first-launch?ref=proximareport.com) that its first Kuiper mission, KA-01 (for Kuiper Atlas 1), is in the final stages of launch preparations. The first mission is [currently set for April 9th](https://www.ulalaunch.com/missions/next-launch/atlas-v-kuiper-1?ref=proximareport.com) atop of an Atlas V, from United Launch Alliance, flying to a roughly 450-kilometer low Earth orbit. Twenty-seven satellites are currently integrated for the launch and will be the first of over 3,200 spacecraft that make up the company's internet-providing mega-constellation. Amazon hopes that Kuiper will deliver high-speed, low-latency internet to any location on the planet, beginning later this year. Rajeev Badyal, Vice President of Project Kuiper, shared the following regarding the first launch: > “We’ve designed some of the most advanced communications satellites ever built, and every launch is an opportunity to add more capacity and coverage to our network,” – “We’ve done extensive testing on the ground to prepare for this first mission, but there are some things you can only learn in flight, and this will be the first time we’ve flown our final satellite design and the first time we’ve deployed so many satellites at once. No matter how the mission unfolds, this is just the start of our journey, and we have all the pieces in place to learn and adapt as we prepare to launch again and again over the coming years.” The twenty-seven satellites will be the heaviest payload ever flown on an Atlas V, according to Amazon, necessitating the use of the rocket 551 configuration (five solid rocket boosters, a five-meter fairing, and a single RL-10 engine on Centaur). Atlas V's 551 configuration can deliver 18,814 kilograms to low Earth orbit, indicating that each Kuiper satellite could weigh as much as 690 kilograms. Additionally, Amazon stated that the next Kuiper mission, KA-02, is already preparing for launch. ### *Gateway's HALO module arrives in the U.S.* ![The HALO module in its transport container being unloaded after its flight from Italy to Arizona. ©Josh Valcarcel/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/jsc2025e035259.jpg) The HALO module in its transport container being unloaded after its flight from Italy to Arizona. ©Josh Valcarcel/NASA [On April 4th NASA shared](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasa-welcomes-gateway-lunar-space-stations-halo-module-to-us/?ref=proximareport.com) that the HALO module for the Gateway space station, set to orbit the Moon, had arrived in Arizona after completing work in Italy on April 1st. The HALO, Habitation and Logistics Outpost, module had been undergoing manufacturing with Thales Alenia Space for the past few years. HALO is expected to provide astronauts a space to live, work, conduct scientific research, and prepare for missions to the lunar surface as well as supporting both internal and external science payloads, enabling research and technology demonstrations in the deep space environment. The module will include docking ports for visiting vehicles such as the crewed Orion spacecraft, lunar landers, and logistics modules. HALO is currently set to launch with the PPE module, Power and Propulsion Element, atop of a Falcon Heavy in 2027, utilizing the rocket's in-development extended fairing. ### *13.67 billion worth of U.S. military launches awarded* The [U.S. Space Force announced on April 4th](https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4146459/space-systems-command-awards-national-security-space-launch-phase-3-lane-2-cont/?ref=proximareport.com) that it had awarded SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, and Blue Origin fifty-four military launches, with a collective value of 13,676,254,515 United States Dollars. SpaceX was awarded 5,923,580,297 dollars for twenty-eight launches, United Launch Alliance was awarded 2,386,234,812 dollars for nineteen missions, and Blue Origin received 2,386,234,812 dollars in preparation for seven missions starting the year after the two other companies. The fifty-four missions are expected to be assigned through to 2029, and fly up until 2032\. Speaking on the mission, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration, Major General Stephen Purdy stated: > "America leads the world in space launch, and through these NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 contracts, we will ensure continued access to this vital domain," – "These awards bolster our ability to launch critical defense satellites while strengthening our industrial base and enhancing operational readiness." The awarding of these launches also came one week after the Space Force [on-ramped Rocket Lab's Neutron and Stoke Space's Nova](https://proximareport.com/articles/weekly-dose-of-space-23-3-29-3#ussf-greenlights-vulcan-on-ramps-new-rockets) to its launch options. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *April 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-72* A Falcon 9 is expected to liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying twenty-eight Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *April 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-11* Another twenty-seven Starlink satellites are expected to be delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *April 8th - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-27* A Soyuz 2.1a is preparing to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome with the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft to the International Space Station. Onboard Soyuz for the MS-27 mission are Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov, Alexey Zubritsky, and NASA astronaut Jonathan Kim. ### *April 9th - Atlas V with KA-01* An Atlas V is preparing to launch from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, carrying the first twenty-seven satellites for Amazon's Kuiper internet mega-constellation to low Earth orbit. ### *April 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-17* More Starlink satellites are expected to be delivered to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A with a Falcon 9. ### *April 14th - New Shepard for NS-31* Blue Origin is planning to launch New Shepard from its West Texas launch site for a short suborbital flight. Six passengers are planned to be on board and are Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, Gayle King, Katy Perry, Kerianne Flynn, and Lauren Sánchez. ### Fram2 Returns After 100+ Visits Over the Poles! URL: https://proximareport.com/fram2-returns-after-100-visits-over-the-poles/ Last updated: 2025-04-04T19:06:51.000Z Fram2, the first crewed mission into a polar orbit of the Earth, [left Earth on April 1st](https://proximareport.com/articles/journey-over-the-ice-caps-fram-2). After almost four days in orbit and completing [fifty-five laps around](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1908176901471883662?ref=proximareport.com) the planet, the mission aboard Crew Dragon splashed down off the coast of California. Following the splashdown and retrieval of Crew Dragon onboard a SpaceX recovery ship, the four crew members exited the spacecraft unassisted. A first for a Crew Dragon crew, and something not performed after the flight of a U.S. vehicle since the retirement of the Space Shuttle. The Fram2 mission, named after the historic Norwegian exploration vessel Fram, had a crew of four onboard. Mission Commander Chun Wang funded the mission, Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen was in command of Crew Dragon, along with Pilot Rabea Rogge, and Eric Philips was the Mission Specialist and Medical Officer. All four crew members were making their first trip to space. As the first crewed mission over the Earth's poles, many stunning views were shared. > First views of Earth's polar regions from Dragon [pic.twitter.com/3taP34zCeN](https://t.co/3taP34zCeN?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [April 1, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1906951397477929029?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Video from outside Crew Dragon, from its docking port cover, of the Earth's poles, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1906951397477929029?ref=proximareport.com). > Hello, Antarctica. > > Unlike previously anticipated, from 460 km above, it is only pure white, no human activity is visible. [pic.twitter.com/i7JawFYzW2](https://t.co/i7JawFYzW2?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Chun (@satofishi) [April 2, 2025](https://twitter.com/satofishi/status/1907345866421395867?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Views of Antarctica as seen during the Fram2 mission, via [Chun Wang on Twitter](https://x.com/satofishi/status/1907345866421395867?ref=proximareport.com). > Timelapse from Antarctica to the Arctic. [pic.twitter.com/B3qZzNPBzB](https://t.co/B3qZzNPBzB?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Chun (@satofishi) [April 3, 2025](https://twitter.com/satofishi/status/1907705976356221108?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Earth seen in daylight from orbit during the Fram2 mission, via [Chun Wang on Twitter](https://x.com/satofishi/status/1907705976356221108?ref=proximareport.com). > Flight Day 3 [pic.twitter.com/vLlbAKIOvl](https://t.co/vLlbAKIOvl?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Chun (@satofishi) [April 3, 2025](https://twitter.com/satofishi/status/1907753850557313304?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Views of Earth seen on the third day of the Fram2 mission, via [Chun Wang on Twitter](https://x.com/satofishi/status/1907753850557313304?ref=proximareport.com). > Flying over our launch site. [pic.twitter.com/eHatUsOJ20](https://t.co/eHatUsOJ20?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Chun (@satofishi) [April 3, 2025](https://twitter.com/satofishi/status/1907799118061199738?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Cape Canaveral, Florida, seen by Fram2 from orbit, via [Chun Wang on Twitter](https://x.com/satofishi/status/1907799118061199738?ref=proximareport.com). > I promised Svalbard I would wave to everyone there when I flew over them! Hi Svalbard 👋 and particular thank you to our auroral scientists and photographers [#SolarMaxMission](https://twitter.com/hashtag/SolarMaxMission?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) for participating in [#Fram2](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Fram2?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/12KqrnCsGM](https://t.co/12KqrnCsGM?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jannicke Mikkelsen (@astro\_jannicke) [April 4, 2025](https://twitter.com/astro%5Fjannicke/status/1907952467758960856?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Svalbard as seen from orbit, via [Jannicke Mikkelsen on Twitter](https://x.com/astro%5Fjannicke/status/1907952467758960856?ref=proximareport.com). > Flight Day 4 > > I woke up early and watched the launch of Starlink Group 11-13 on YouTube. Shortly after, SpaceX contacted us and informed us that we would be flying over Mongolia during the second stage deorbit burn. We opened the cupola and tried to observe the event, but had no… [pic.twitter.com/OyOlShGYLP](https://t.co/OyOlShGYLP?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Chun (@satofishi) [April 4, 2025](https://twitter.com/satofishi/status/1908020230561075521?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Earth seen during the fourth and final day of the Fram2 mission, via [Chun Wang on Twitter](https://x.com/satofishi/status/1908020230561075521?ref=proximareport.com). > Deorbit, Draco style. [pic.twitter.com/Rv3lKomOqB](https://t.co/Rv3lKomOqB?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Chun (@satofishi) [April 4, 2025](https://twitter.com/satofishi/status/1908175471923335276?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Crew Dragon deorbiting the Fram2 mission with Earth passing outside, via [Chun Wang on Twitter](https://x.com/satofishi/status/1908175471923335276?ref=proximareport.com). During [their time in orbit](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=fram2&ref=proximareport.com), the crew conducted the world's first X-ray in orbit on a human. Alongside that, other experiments performed were exercise studies to maintain muscle and skeletal mass, along with growing mushrooms in microgravity. ![The world's first X-ray (left) and the first X-ray taken in space (right). ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/04/GnoT-eoXUAAtylc.jpg) The world's first X-ray (left) and the first X-ray taken in space (right). ©SpaceX A [full list of the experiments](https://f2.com/research-announcement.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) flown are: - **SpaceXray** to capture the first human X-rays in space, paving the way for new clinical and research advancements. - **Egress** to assess astronauts' ability to safely configure and exit the lander after short and long missions. - **BFR Study** to test blood flow restriction exercise systems in Dragon to help maintain muscle and bone health on long missions. - **Mission MushVroom** to grow oyster mushrooms in space to support astronaut nutrition and sustainable agriculture. - **Sleep Study** using Oura Rings to track sleep and stress patterns before, during, and after spaceflight to improve astronaut recovery. - **Hyperfine MRI Study** to image astronauts immediately upon return to better understand spaceflight’s effects on the brain. - **Diabetes Study** to validate glucose monitoring in space to ensure safe, accurate care for diabetic astronauts. - **Women’s Health Study** to use Hormona to analyze the effects of space on female reproductive hormones. - **Space THAL** to examine how microgravity affects blood health and space-induced anemia. - **Motion Sickness Study** to measure severity and duration of space motion sickness across gravity transitions. - **Bone Health Study** to track bone microstructure changes to predict long-term skeletal impacts of Mars missions. Additionally, the mission [hosted a ham radio competition](https://fram2ham.com/?ref=proximareport.com) for high school and university students. The competition had images transmitted from the spacecraft but mixed into four separate pieces, requiring teams to tune in to multiple passes. ### Monthly Dose of Space - March 2025 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-march-2025/ Last updated: 2025-04-01T15:14:49.000Z Welcome to our eighteenth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month. March has been another busy month, so let's jump into it! ## **News of the Month** News in March saw more SLS stacking, two satellite communication breakthroughs from China, the end of ESA's Gaia mission, a new contract for the ExoMars mission, and Starship planning to launch NASA payloads. ### New Glenn mishap investigation complete Blue Origin's two-stage partially reusable New Glenn rocket flew its [debut mission just over two months ago](https://proximareport.com/articles/new-glenn-soars-in-debut-mission) on January 16th. During that flight the vehicle's second-stage reached orbit while the first-stage was lost on descent, beginning a mishap investigation into the launch. [On March 28th](https://x.com/jeff%5Ffoust/status/1906767498680156176?ref=proximareport.com), the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration completed its mishap investigation into the loss of New Glenn's first-stage, satisfied with Blue Origin's findings. That investigation found that the first-stage was lost due to the inability of the vehicle to relight three engines necessary for a reentry burn. With no entry burn, the first-stage succumbed to the heat of atmospheric reentry. The closing of the mishap investigation also allows New Glenn to return to flight, as long as corrective actions are undertaken prior to launch. [Blue Origin states](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1906753882375516247?ref=proximareport.com) that they are currently addressing necessary fixes for the vehicle's second flight, which is targeting late spring. Speaking on the next flight, Blue Origin Chief Executive Officer Dave Limp [shared](https://x.com/davill/status/1906792888262103206?ref=proximareport.com): > "Obviously the best data comes from flying, and we learned a lot from New Glenn’s first mission. We’re confident that the propellant and bleed control work we’re doing will increase our chances of landing the booster on our next flight. And like we’ve said all along, we’ll keep trying until we do." ### SLS core stage stacked ahead of Artemis II ![The core stage of SLS being placed between its two solid rocket boosters. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/GnN3b4fXIAAbIWi.jpg) The core stage of SLS being placed between its two solid rocket boosters. ©NASA NASA [shared on March 24th](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2025/03/24/nasas-artemis-ii-core-stage-integration-complete-at-kennedy/?linkId=786331303&ref=proximareport.com), that the day prior, it had moved the core stage of its SLS vehicle between its two solid rocket boosters on the mobile launcher platform for stacking. This stage of preparing the rocket for the Artemis II mission comes [over a month after](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2025/02/19/stacking-complete-on-artemis-ii-rocket-boosters/?ref=proximareport.com) the two boosters were completed. The core stage is the biggest part of the SLS vehicle that needs to be stacked, it also has four RS-25 engines at the base of the stage. With it now placed on the mobile launcher, SLS stands at around 65 meters tall (or 212 feet). Upcoming steps to prepare for the Artemis II mission are stacking of the launch vehicle stage adapter, interim cryogenic propulsion stage, Orion stage adapter, and the Orion spacecraft. NASA is believed to be working toward February 2026 as a completion date for preparations, ahead of testing and launch. ### ESA ends Gaia mission On March 27th, the [European Space Agency announced](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Operations/Farewell%5FGaia!%5FSpacecraft%5Foperations%5Fcome%5Fto%5Fan%5Fend?ref=proximareport.com) that it had ended the Gaia mission, launched in December 2013\. Gaia was a space observatory with a one billion-pixel camera used to image 1.8 billion objects. The mission uncovered evidence of past galactic mergers, identified new star clusters, contributed to the discovery of exoplanets and black holes, mapped millions of quasars and galaxies, and tracked hundreds of thousands of asteroids and comets. Additionally, it enabled the creation of the best visualization of [how our galaxy might look](https://www.esa.int/ESA%5FMultimedia/Images/2025/01/The%5Fbest%5FMilky%5FWay%5Fmap%5Fby%5FGaia?ref=proximareport.com). As part of the spacecraft retirement process, Gaia fired its thrusters to depart from the L2 Lagrange point into a solar orbit. To shut down the spacecraft's computers, Gaia's code was deliberately corrupted after all instruments and subsystems were offline. Regarding the process, Gaia Spacecraft Operator Tiago Nogueira stated: > “We had to design a decommissioning strategy that involved systematically picking apart and disabling the layers of redundancy that have safeguarded Gaia for so long, because we don’t want it to reactivate in the future and begin transmitting again if its solar panels find sunlight.” Julia Fortuno, Spacecraft Operations Engineer, added: > "I was in charge of corrupting Gaia’s processor modules to make sure that the onboard software will never restart again once we have switched off the spacecraft” ### Starship added to NASA Launch Services [NASA announced on March 28th](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-awards-launch-services-contract-for-spacex-starship/?ref=proximareport.com) that it has awarded SpaceX a modification under the NASA Launch Services II contract to add Starship to the company's offerings. With Starship added to the contract, SpaceX can begin to plan to bid on NASA launches with the vehicle. SpaceX can bid on launches with Starship once the vehicle's risk level is identified. NASA's risk categories are [as follows:](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/risk-classification-fact-sheet.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) **Category 1*: High Risk – New, common rocket configuration with little or no prior demonstrated flight history.* **Category 2*: Medium Risk – Rockets that have a limited history of successful flights representing an 89% demonstrated reliability.* **Category 3*: Low Risk – Rockets that have a more robust flight history representing a 95% demonstrated reliability.* So far Starship has not reached orbit, with the only payload carried into microgravity [being a banana](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-6?ref=proximareport.com). Additionally, the last [two](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-7?ref=proximareport.com) [flights](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-8?ref=proximareport.com), carrying dummy Starlink satellites, failed before Starship could complete its ascent. ### Airbus to build ExoMars lander ![A render of the Rosalind Franklin rover rolling toward the Martian surface. ©Airbus](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/Artist-view-ExoMars-Lander-1-CopyrightAirbus-1.webp) A render of the Rosalind Franklin rover rolling toward the Martian surface. ©Airbus [Airbus announced on March 29th](https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2025-03-airbus-to-design-and-build-esas-exomars-rover-lander-platform?ref=proximareport.com) that it has been selected by the European Space Agency to build key systems for the ExoMars lander. The ExoMars lander will deliver the Rosalind Franklin rover to Mars' surface in 2030. According to the company, Airbus teams will design the mechanical, thermal, and propulsion systems necessary for the landing platform. Part of those will include the landing structure, the large propulsion system used to provide the final braking thrust, and the landing gear to ensure the lander is stable on touchdown. Two ramps will also be present on opposite sides to enable the rover to be driven onto the Martian surface using the least risky route. Speaking on the contract award, Managing Director Airbus Defence and Space UK Kata Escot said: > “Getting the Rosalind Franklin rover onto the surface of Mars is a huge international challenge and the culmination of more than 20 years’ work. We are proud to have built the rover in our state-of-the-art Stevenage cleanroom and delighted now to develop the project to ensure its safe delivery to Mars. Rosalind Franklin will be the first Martian rover able to analyse samples from two metres below the surface in its search for past or present life. The mission will supercharge our space know-how in the UK, and will advance our collective understanding of our solar system." Regarding building the lander in the United Kingdom, UK Technology Secretary Peter Kyle added: > “This inspiring example of world-class British science will bring us one step closer to answering long-asked questions on potential life on Mars. Landing the first ever home-grown rover on Mars, Airbus will not only help Britain make history and lead the European space race but also bring hundreds of highly skilled jobs and investment as we secure Britain’s future through our Plan for Change.” The ExoMars mission, with the Rosalind Franklin rover, is currently set to launch in 2028\. A launch will take place from the United States due to NASA-provided Radioisotope Heater Units, which contain small amounts of Plutonium-238. ### China completes major satellite breakthroughs Science journal Nature [shared on March 19th](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00581-7?linkId=13530787&ref=proximareport.com) that a Chinese team has sent a message 12,900 kilometers, between Beijing and Stellenbosch University near Cape Town, South Africa, via the Jinan-1 satellites utilizing quantum communication technology. To demonstrate secure communications, the satellites and two ground stations utilized quantum key distribution while sending laser pulses over a vast distance. According to [China Daily](https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202503/20/WS67db7120a310c240449dbd37.html?ref=proximareport.com), the small size of the satellite, around 100 kilograms, and the use of two compact ground stations proved the potential for secure communications worldwide. In the near future, the research team behind the breakthrough is seeking to prove a practical and useful technology. In support of this China Telecom is planning to launch four small quantum communications satellites in 2026. The day prior to the quantum satellite breakthrough, [Laser Starcom shared](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/o7ZOP6Lsdz8bXlJeSNpNyA?ref=proximareport.com) that its Guangchuan 01 and Guangchuan 02 satellites had demonstrated a four hundred gigabits per second data transmission test. The two satellites for the demonstration were launched back in November 2024 atop of a Zhuque-2E. For the test, the two satellites utilized their laser terminals to transfer data back and forth for six minutes and forty-four seconds at a separation distance of 640 kilometers with minimal error. In theory, this allows for up to 14.4 terabytes of data throughput, with the ability to vary speeds from ten gigabits per second up to four hundred, depending on the receiver. Additionally, this test massively surpasses a [previous record-breaking](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/153777733/changguang-satellite-performs-gbps-test?ref=proximareport.com) in-orbit transfer speed set by Changguang Satellite Technology Co Ltd in December, with a speed of one hundred gigabits per second. That test was [already hailed](https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3293038/china-beats-starlink-hi-res-space-ground-laser-transmission-6g-standard?ref=proximareport.com) as surpassing transfer speeds available for Starlink. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw **27** launches worldwide, continuing a busy year. If you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *March 1st - Kuaizhou-1A with an unknown payload* ExPace attempted to launch its Kuaizhou-1A vehicle from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. This launch is [believed](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/expace-may-have-suffered-loss-of?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) to have failed very early into flight. ### *March 2nd - Soyuz 2.1b with Glonass-K2 No. 14* A Soyuz 2.1b lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying a Glonass-K2 satellite to medium Earth orbit. The new Glonass-K2 satellite is expected to improve Russia's Glonass navigation systems. ### *March 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-20* SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-one Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Booster B1086 supported this mission for its fifth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. However, booster B1086 was lost shortly after landing, after a fire damaged various systems, with the root cause of the fire [believed to be](https://x.com/SpcPlcyOnline/status/1898161440969597049?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) a fuel leak that began during flight. ### *March 6th - Ariane 6 with Composante Spatiale Optique-3* Arianespace launched its second Ariane 6 rocket to sun-synchronous orbit from Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 4 at the Guiana Space Centre, in French Guiana. The second Ariane 6 flew a completely successful mission to deploy the Composante Spatiale Optique-3 optical imaging satellite for the French military. ### *March 6th - Starship-Super Heavy for its Eighth flight test* SpaceX launched its eighth flight test of the Starship-Super Heavy vehicle from the company's launch site in South Texas, this flight test was utilizing Ship 34, the second 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage, and Super Heavy Booster 15\. During the test flight, the vehicle experienced its second catastrophic failure in a row. Further details are available [here](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-8?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io). ### *March 9th - Long March 3B/E with TJSW-15* A Long March 3B/E lifted off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the TJSW-15 satellite to geostationary transfer orbit. The TJSW-15 satellite is stated to be used for testing and verification for multi-band high-speed throughput communications technology as well as communications, radio, television, and data transmission. ### *March 11th - Long March 8 with Qianfan Polar Group 05* The fifth group of eighteen Qianfan satellites were launched atop of a Long March 8, flying from Commercial Launch Pad 1 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site. This launch brings the Qianfan internet mega-constellations' total satellite count up to ninety. ### *March 12th - Falcon 9 with SPHEREx and PUNCH* SpaceX launched Falcon 9 blasted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, into a polar orbit carrying NASA's SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) and PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) spacecraft. SPHEREx plans to survey the sky in near-infrared light, while PUNCH consists of four satellites that will study the Sun's corona and how it generates solar wind. The booster supporting this launch was B1088, performing its third flight and landing back on Landing Zone 4. ### *March 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-21* A Falcon 9 carried twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1069, making its twenty-second flight and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *March 14th - Falcon 9 with Crew-10* NASA's Crew-10 mission lifted off from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, carrying four astronauts, NASA's Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA's Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos' Kirill Peskov onboard Crew Dragon 'Endurance'. Supporting this launch was Falcon 9 Booster B1090 for its second launch and landing, returning to Landing Zone 1\. Details about this mission are available [here](https://cosmicnxws.com/crew-10-launch?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io). ### *March 15th - Electron for 'The Lightning God Reigns'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B, located on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, to low Earth orbit. Onboard the rocket was a synthetic aperture radar observation satellite into low Earth orbit for Japanese company iQPS. ### *March 15th - Long March 2D with SuperView Neo-3 02 & Tianyan-23* From Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 2D flew into sun-synchronous orbit carrying SuperView Neo-3 02 and Tianyan-23\. SuperView Neo-3 02 is a commercial optical imaging satellite with a resolution of 0.5 meters designed to work with SuperView Neo-3 01 to image key provinces and cities in China regularly, Tianyan-23 is a small Earth observations satellite with a claimed resolution of under a meter. ### *March 15th - Falcon 9 with Transporter-13* SpaceX launched its thirteenth dedicated Transporter small satellite rideshare mission to sun-synchronous orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, to deploy over seventy satellites. Booster B1081 supported this mission for its thirteenth flight, with a landing back at Landing Zone 4. ### *March 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-16* Twenty-three more Starlink satellites were launched atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this Starlink launch was B1078, for its eighteenth launch with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *March 16th - Angara 1.2 with Kosmos 2585, 2586, 2587* An Angara 1.2 was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying three Kosmos satellites, 2585, 2586, and 2587, to low Earth orbit. These satellites are said to provide military communications services. ### *March 17th - Ceres-1 with six Yunyao-1 and two AIRSATs* From Launch Area 95A, Galactic Energy launched its first Ceres-1 of the week carrying six Yunyao-1 meteorology satellites as well as Zhongke 06 and 07, also referred to as AIRSAT. The Yunyao-1 satellites are part of a planned ninety-satellite constellation to provide weather forecasting, while the two AIRSAT spacecraft will monitor environmental changes in rural and coastal regions. ### *March 18th - Electron for 'High Five'* Electron lifted off from Launch Complex 1A, located on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying the fifth and final group of five Kinéis satellites to low Earth orbit. This small Internet of Things constellation is aimed at boosting connectivity worldwide. ### *March 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-25* Twenty-three Starlink satellites were launched from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, atop of a Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit. The booster that supported this mission was B1077, flying for the nineteenth time and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *March 21st - Falcon 9 with NROL-57* The eighth batch of Starshield satellites, the military version of Starlink, were launched atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1088 supported this mission for its fourth flight, with a landing back at Landing Zone 4. ### *March 21st - Ceres-1 with six Yunyao-1 satellites* Ceres-1 lifted off again from Launch Area 95A, at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying another six Yunyao-1 satellites. This launch brought the total satellite count for the constellation up to fifty-two. ### *March 24th - Falcon 9 with NROL-69* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying a military satellite into Earth orbit for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The booster supporting this mission was B1092, making its second flight and landing back at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. ### *March 26th - Electron for 'Finding Hot Wildfires Near You'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B, located on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying eight satellites to low Earth orbit for Orora Technologies. The eight satellites will monitor wildfires worldwide via the use of infrared cameras. ### *March 26th - Long March 3B/E with Tianlian-2-04* A Long March 3B/E blasted off from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center heading to geostationary transfer orbit carrying Tialian-2-04\. Tianlian-2-04 is a relay satellite used to fill in communications dead zones for the Tiangong Space Station and Shenzhou spacecraft. ### *March 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-7* Twenty-seven Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1063 supported this launch for its twenty-fourth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *March 29th - Long March 7A with TJSW-16* The TJSW-16 communications technology verification satellite was delivered to a geostationary transfer orbit by a Long March 7A flying from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. TJSW-16 will reportedly provide communications services, radio, television, and data transmission, as well as testing and verification for multi-band high-speed throughput communications technologies. ### *March 30th - Spectrum for its debut flight* Isar Aerospace attempted to launch its Spectrum rocket from the Andøya Spaceport, carrying no satellites, for the rocket's debut mission. Shortly after liftoff control of the rocket was lost before it fell back to Earth. Further details on this launch are available [here](https://proximareport.com/articles/isar-first-flight). ### *March 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-80* Twenty-eight more Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9, flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1080 supported this launch for its seventeenth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ## Launches to look out for in April! April will continue a record year of launches. Listed below are all of the launches expected or likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of April may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *April 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-13* Another batch of Starlink satellites is planned to be launched from Space Launch Complex 4E to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9. ### *April 1st - Falcon 9 for Fram2* A Crew Dragon is expected to launch atop a Falcon 9 to polar orbit from Launch Complex 39A. Four astronauts are planned to be on board and are: Chun Wang from Malta, Jannicke Mikkelsen from Norway, Rabea Rogge from Germany, and Eric Philips from Australia. ### *April 1st - Long March 2D with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 2D may fly from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to low Earth orbit carrying a currently unknown payload. ### *April 3rd - Long March 6 with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 6 is expected to fly from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center to low Earth orbit, carrying an unknown payload. Rumors around the launch claim this could be the Long March 6's final flight. ### *April 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-11* SpaceX is planning to launch another batch of Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *April 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-72* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch more Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *April 8th - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-27* A Soyuz 2.1a is preparing to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome with the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft to the International Space Station. Onboard Soyuz for the MS-27 mission are Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov, Alexey Zubritsky, and NASA astronaut Jonathan Kim. ### *April 14th - New Shepard for NS-31* Blue Origin is planning to launch New Shepard from its West Texas launch site for a short suborbital flight. Six passengers are planned to be on board and are Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, Gayle King, Katy Perry, Kerianne Flynn, and Lauren Sánchez. ### *April 21st - Falcon 9 with CRS-32* SpaceX is preparing to conduct its thirty-second International Space Station resupply mission with the launch of a Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A. ### *April 29th - Vega-C with Biomass* Vega-C is planning to launch from Ensemble de Lancement Vega at the Guiana Space Center, in French Guiana, carrying the Biomass mission for the European Space Agency into sun-synchronous orbit. ### Journey Over the Ice Caps: Fram-2 URL: https://proximareport.com/journey-over-the-ice-caps-fram-2/ Last updated: 2025-04-04T15:43:45.000Z The Fram-2 mission, launched on April 1st, 2025 represents a new and exciting endeavor in human spaceflight. Operated by SpaceX, this 4-5 day private mission will propel a four-member civilian crew into a polar orbit, marking the first time humans have traversed over Earth's poles from low Earth orbit (LEO). Named after the historic Norwegian exploration vessel Fram, the mission embodies the spirit of discovery and aims to advance our understanding of our planets poles and human adaptability in microgravity. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/TheCrew.jpg) The crew of Fram-2\. From left to right: Mission specialist and medical officer Eric Phillips, vehicle commander Jannicke Mikkelsen, Mission commander Chun Wang and pilot Rabea Rogge. (Image credit: SpaceX) ### The Crew of Fram-2 The Fram-2 mission features an all-civilian crew of four individuals, each embarking on their inaugural journey into space. The selection underscores the growth in accessibility of space travel and highlights the growing role of private enterprises in human space exploration of the 21st century. ### Mission Commander: Chun Wang Chun Wang, a crypto entrepeneur and financier of the Fram-2 mission, serves as its mission commander. His entrepreneurial background has been instrumental in funding and organizing this historic mission. As commander, Wang is responsible for overseeing the mission's execution and ensuring its objectives are met. Wang was born in Tianjin, China but later moved to Thailand, and then South Korea. He then became a citizen of Malta and Saint Kitts and Nevis. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/82591214007-space-x-chun.jpeg) Mission Commander Chun Wang ### Vehicle Commander: Jannicke Mikkelsen Jannicke Mikkelsen is a Norwegian cinematographer born in Edinburgh, Scotland. In 2009, Mikkelsen was a camera operator specializing in stereoscopy in Germany working on 3D films. In 2019 she participated as a payload specialist in the first of its kind round the world flight "One More Orbit" Mission. It aimed at breaking the world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the Earth via both poles. she was also on the teams responsible for the visual effects of the science fiction film Stowaway. All these factors allow Jannicke to offer a very unique perspective for this mission. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/image-2.png) Jannicke Mikkelsen ### Pilot: Rabea Rogge Rabea Rogge serves as the pilot for Fram-2\. Rabea was born in Berlin and has a masters degree in electrical engineering. She has also been a member of the Swiss Academic Spaceflight Initiative. A unique radio experiment is being planned by the amateur radio club of Technische Universität Berlin in which Rabae will make contact with Earth directly from a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. A Berlin Livestream will braodcast the event directly from the University's radio room. Its known as the "Fram2Ham" experiment which she codeveloped. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/image-1.png) Rabae Rogge on the Swiss Academic Spaceflight initiative ### Mission Specialist and Medical Officer: Eric Philips Eric Philips assumes dual roles as mission specialist and medical officer. His responsibilities include conducting medical experiments and ensuring the crew's health throughout the mission. Philips was born in Australia and has a Bachelor of Education with a Graduate Diploma in Outdoor Education. Philips worked as a Field Training Officer for the Australian Antarctic division and in 2009 he semi-circumnavigated Greenland on board Greenpeace's icebreaker, Arctic Sunrise as part of their Climate Impacts expedition. Philips' expertise will be particularly valuable for experiments involving observations of the poles that he will fly over several times on his mission. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/Eric_Philips_Polar_Guide.jpg) Photo taken by Justin Evans of Eric Philips ### The Spacecraft: Crew Dragon Resilience The Fram-2 mission employs SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft Resilience, which has a storied history of successful missions. Designed for versatility and safety, Resilience epitomizes SpaceX's commitment to reusable spacecraft technology. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/Crew-1DockedtoISS.jpg) SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience docked to the ISS on a previous mission ### Past Missions of Resilience Resilience has previously completed three significant missions: - Crew-1: The spacecraft's maiden voyage involved transporting NASA astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) for a 167-day stay - Inspiration4: This marked the first all-civilian orbital mission, showcasing Resilience's capability to support private spaceflight endeavors - Polaris Dawn: This commercial flight included the first-ever commercial spacewalk, further demonstrating Resilience's versatility ## Mission Objectives and Scientific Experiments Fram-2 is not merely a milestone in human spaceflight; it is also a scientific expedition aimed at addressing critical questions about human health and environmental phenomena. ### Primary Objectives - Polar Exploration: By entering a polar orbit with a 90° inclination, Fram-2 will provide unprecedented views of Earth's polar regions. This trajectory allows for direct observation of phenomena such as auroras and other atmospheric emissions like STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement) - Human Adaptability: The mission will investigate how humans adapt to microgravity by conducting experiments on muscle preservation, bone density maintenance, and overall physiological changes - Space Technology Validation: The use of advanced imaging technologies like X-rays in microgravity will set new benchmarks for medical diagnostics in space ### Scientific Experiments Fram-2 will conduct 22 experiments across various disciplines - SpaceXray: The first-ever X-ray imaging of humans in orbit aims to evaluate bone density and internal organ health under microgravity conditions - Mission MushVroom: This experiment will explore mushroom cultivation as a potential food source for long-duration missions - Blood Flow Restriction Studies: These studies aim to develop exercise regimens that mitigate muscle atrophy during extended stays in space - Sleep Behavior Analysis: In collaboration with Oura Health, this study will monitor astronauts' sleep patterns before, during, and after their flight - Portable MRI Research: A compact MRI device will be used to examine changes in brain structure due to prolonged exposure to microgravity These experiments are designed not only to advance scientific knowledge but also to pave the way for future long-duration missions to destinations like Mars. ### Trajectory and Orbital Parameters Fram-2's trajectory sets it apart from previous human spaceflights by venturing into a polar orbit—a feat never before achieved from LEO. The spacecraft will maintain an altitude between 425 km and 450 km (264–280 miles) with an orbital period of approximately 93 minutes. This altitude allows for high-resolution observations of Earth's polar regions while minimizing exposure to radiation from those present in higher orbits. A polar orbit enables Fram-2 to pass directly over Earth's North and South Poles within each orbital cycle. This unique trajectory facilitates comprehensive studies of polar phenomena that are inaccessible from traditional equatorial or inclined orbits. This will also be SpaceXs first mission with dragon recovery operations off the coast of California Historically, human spaceflights have been limited to inclinations below 65°, leaving Earth's polar regions largely unexplored from LEO. Fram-2 seeks to bridge this gap by providing direct observational data that could inform climate science, atmospheric studies, and future exploration strategies. By venturing into uncharted orbital territory over Earth's poles, it aims to unlock new insights into both our planet and human adaptability in space. With its diverse crew, state-of-the-art spacecraft, and ambitious scientific agenda, Fram-2 is poised to set new benchmarks for private space exploration while contributing valuable data for humanity's collective journey into the cosmos. ### Musk Set to Gain Two 'Puppets' at NASA URL: https://proximareport.com/musk-nasa-puppets/ Last updated: 2025-03-31T13:57:46.000Z Elon Musk has bought his way to the highest level of American politics, spending [290 million United States Dollars](https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/elon-musk-spent-more-than-290-million-on-the-2024-election-year-end-fec-filings-show/ar-AA1yf4CH?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) to ensure the re-election of Donald Trump. In return, the [South African billionaire](https://gizmodo.com/watch-elon-musk-talk-about-being-illegal-immigrant-1851376973?ref=proximareport.com) has been granted the "[Department of Government Efficiency](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c23vkd57471o?ref=proximareport.com)" to cut costs and teams at federal agencies nationwide, regardless of [their criticality](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/doge-screw-up-nuclear-experts-fired-b2698732.html?ref=proximareport.com) to the functioning of the United States. Additionally, Musk has been given some sway over the nomination of key NASA figures for the new Trump Administration, with [Jared Isaacman for administrator](https://cosmicnxws.com/trump-picks-jared-isaacman?ref=proximareport.com) and [Greg Autry for chief financial officer](https://spacenews.com/white-house-nominates-autry-to-be-nasas-chief-financial-officer/?ref=proximareport.com). ## Greg Autry If the name Greg Autry sounds familiar for NASA's chief financial officer position, you wouldn't be mistaken. Autry was [nominated to the office back in 2020](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/the-nasa-cfo-confirmation-hearing-will-go-ahead-why/?ref=proximareport.com) when Trump and his supporters believed they hadn't lost that year's election. Autry is a [keen supporter](https://x.com/GregWAutry/status/1842733489286005196?ref=proximareport.com) of the ["MAGA" movement](https://www.facebook.com/gregwautry/posts/pfbid022xErmKaJH4wyqeo6aySNdAmGXB1K2GsU2pHkG8nbfR2BqGGrz3w8pn7uxJkFLKLCl), [Elon Musk](https://x.com/GregWAutry/status/1852881759743975908?ref=proximareport.com), and [Trump](https://x.com/GregWAutry/status/1855264963129954406?ref=proximareport.com), following them along uncritically. He is also [ideologically uneducated](https://x.com/GregWAutry/status/1849509657427017943?ref=proximareport.com) and has [no issue with supporting](https://x.com/GregWAutry/status/1881095759543828723?ref=proximareport.com) European fascists. Outside of being a fervent supporter of Trump, Autry is also a China-hawk, and a pretty awful one at that. Co-author of [*Red Moon Rising, How America Will Beat China on the Final Frontier*](https://gregautry.substack.com/p/liftoff-america-must-go), with [convicted felon Peter Navarro](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68606974?ref=proximareport.com), in which he argues for more free market capitalism to solve the failings of free market capitalism. Additionally, he has no clue about Chinese [ideology](https://x.com/GregWAutry/status/1630392477663531010?ref=proximareport.com), goals, [policy](https://x.com/GregWAutry/status/1883975951903605197?ref=proximareport.com), or the country itself. Professionally, Autry is a [self-described](https://gregautry.us/about?ref=proximareport.com) "expert in the business of commercial space and a globally recognized leader in space policy" and a "serial technology entrepreneur". He is currently an Associate Provost at the University of Central Flordia and a visiting professor at Imperial College London. ## Jared Isaacman Billionaire Jared Isaacman has become well known in the space sector, having led two private spaceflights. One of which saw a [Gemini program-esque spacewalk performed](https://cosmicnxws.com/polaris-dawn-spacewalk?ref=proximareport.com). For the two spacewalks, Isaacman has [paid SpaceX](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/elon-musks-space-business-partner-is-poised-to-take-over-nasa/ar-AA1BuuUv?ref=proximareport.com) at least tens of millions of dollars. Despite [claiming to be a "moderate"](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1854302927789449461?ref=proximareport.com), Isaacman quickly [closed ranks](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1890551689142239679?ref=proximareport.com) with "America First" rhetoric, [stating](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1864346915183157636?ref=proximareport.com): > "With the support of President Trump, I can promise you this: We will never again lose our ability to journey to the stars and never settle for second place." Additionally, Isaacman has [repeatedly](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1691900260870926464?ref=proximareport.com) [supported](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1861977462688592033?ref=proximareport.com) the [political](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1859745540897972261?ref=proximareport.com) moves of [Musk](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1700592740310913070?ref=proximareport.com). To amass his almost two billion dollar net worth, [Isaacman founded](https://observer.com/2024/12/jared-isaacman-billionaire-private-astronaut-nasa/?ref=proximareport.com) the payment platform Shift4 in 1999 and later the defense company Draken International in 2012\. Tangentially related to Draken, Isaacman [expects and supports](https://www.defensenews.com/space/2024/12/11/trumps-nasa-pick-says-military-will-inevitably-put-troops-in-space/?ref=proximareport.com) the militarization of space. ## What does Musk gain? To see what Musk may gain at NASA, one only needs to look to the U.S. Department of the Air Force, which oversees the U.S. Air Force and Space Force. The current nominee for the Department is Tory Meink, [who Musk recommended and backed](https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/troy-meink-elon-musks-man-in-the-pentagon?ref=proximareport.com). Despite Meink still [being grilled](https://spacenews.com/air-force-nominee-troy-meink-warns-u-s-risks-losing-edge-in-space/?ref=proximareport.com) by Congress, American policymakers are already worried about the potential [end to various spacecraft procurement contracts](https://spacenews.com/senator-raises-concerns-over-air-force-possibly-shifting-satellite-contracts-to-spacex/?ref=proximareport.com) in favor of SpaceX's offerings, notably Starlink's military variant known as Starshield. SpaceX currently has 1.8 billion United States Dollars [in defense contracts](https://abcnews.go.com/US/musk-works-slash-federal-spending-firms-received-billions/story?id=118589121&ref=proximareport.com) alone and has been the recipient of over 17 billion Dollars in government contracts since 2015\. One of its largest, for the Starship Moon lander variant, has an initial [value of 2.9 billion](https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT%5FAWD%5F80MSFC20C0034%5F8000%5F-NONE-%5F-NONE-?ref=proximareport.com) with 2.6 billion of it already paid out. 300 million Dollars is far too small of an amount to get Starship into orbit, demonstrate refueling, and perform an uncrewed Moon landing, followed by a crewed landing for the Artemis III mission later this decade. After the first landing, SpaceX stands to gain another 1.1 billion for further Artemis missions. However, SpaceX is looking for an out from the Artemis program, Proxima Report understands\*, to focus on its Mars plans. Musk having two puppets in key positions at NASA would allow for the company to easily leave its Artemis commitments, or gain more billions to remain. With Autry in charge of NASA's finances, Musk could also [gut parts of the space agency](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/greg-autry-nasas-dogefather/?ref=proximareport.com) he views as unimportant ([see the firing of NASA's Chief Scientist and Chief Climate Officer](https://spacenews.com/nelson-concerned-about-nasa-layoffs-and-other-changes/?ref=proximareport.com)). And [according to the *Wall Street Journal*](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-mission-over-nasa-010000863.html?%5Fguc%5Fconsent%5Fskip=1743353336&ref=proximareport.com), SpaceX is already working its way into NASA to reallocate the agency's resources. At present, SpaceX has a near [monopoly over U.S. launch](https://payloadspace.com/2024-orbital-launch-attempts-by-country/?ref=proximareport.com) capabilities with its Falcon 9 launch vehicle. If its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle can [live up to its claims](https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/the-starship-revolution-in-space/?ref=proximareport.com), the company could move into being a total monopoly. SpaceX monopolization is not surprising despite what company executives may say. Close confidant of Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, has [long promoted](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI7hbEuopLI&ref=proximareport.com) the idea of monopolies being a net good, [literally saying](https://genius.com/Peter-thiel-lecture-5-business-strategy-and-monopoly-theory-annotated?ref=proximareport.com): > "If you’re the founder, entrepreneur, starting a company **you always want to aim for monopoly** and you want to always avoid competition. And so hence competition is for losers." A SpaceX monopoly would be an overall negative for the American space sector, strangling out competition, and allowing Musk to charge whatever he wants to the U.S. government for key exploration missions or critical national security launches. --- *\*Multiple sources have informed Proxima Report. Nothing is concrete at present but plans are being considered.* ### Isar Makes A Splash With First Test Flight of Spectrum URL: https://proximareport.com/isar-first-flight/ Last updated: 2026-03-26T01:28:40.000Z On March 30th at 12:30 PM CEST (9:30 AM CEST, or 6:30 AM CST.) Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket lifted off on it's inaugural test flight from Andøya Spaceport in Norway, becoming the first orbital class rocket to launch from European soil. Approximately 18 seconds into flight the rocket appeared to lose thrust vector control and flipped upside down, eventually careening into the water near the launch site. > Isar Aerospace has conducted the first launch of its Spectrum rocket from Andøya Space As in Norway. Following a successful ignition of the first stage's nine Aquila engines, Spectrum lifted off from Orbital Launch Pad A and started to begin its intended pitchover maneuver. > > — [NASASpaceflight.com (@nasaspaceflight.com)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:yifpqamzwvp3g4szr44mz37r?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) [2025-03-30T10:50:17.177Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:yifpqamzwvp3g4szr44mz37r/post/3lllocv2jxc2g?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of Spectrum from the Andøya Spaceport, via [NASASpaceflight on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/nasaspaceflight.com/post/3lllocv2jxc2g?ref=proximareport.com). Shortly after Spectrum landed back near the launch pad, the Andøya Spaceport [quickly activated](https://andoyaspace.no/info-messages/hendelse-ved-andoya-spaceport/?ref=proximareport.com) its crisis management operations. The launch site is currently collaborating with the emergency services, and Isar Aerospace to gain an overview of the aftermath. [Isar states](https://isaraerospace.com/newsroom-first-test-flight?ref=proximareport.com) that all personnel remained safe during the flight test, along with the following: > "The launch vehicle was terminated after approx. 30 seconds in flight, and the vehicle fell directly into the sea. The launch pad seems to be intact. With this test flight, we were able to successfully gather valuable data and experience for future missions." > Footage of the Isar Aerospace Spectrum rocket narrowly missing the pad on its way down. Credit: Isar Aerospace / NSF [pic.twitter.com/TYRPMLHYGi](https://t.co/TYRPMLHYGi?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Andrew Parsonson (@AndrewParsonson) [March 30, 2025](https://twitter.com/AndrewParsonson/status/1906344175353635215?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Spectrum falling back to Earth near its launch pad, via [Andrew Parsonson on Twitter](https://x.com/andrewparsonson/status/1906344175353635215?s=46&t=4MCEg89x5YKfWSmAaSoK2w&ref=proximareport.com). Isar Aerospace's Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Daniel Metzler was quick to [celebrate](https://x.com/danielmetzler/status/1906307777242275881?ref=proximareport.com) the launch, [sharing](https://x.com/isaraerospace/status/1906308114900468041?ref=proximareport.com): > "WHAT A FLIGHT! On our first flight today we got to a clean liftoff, 30sec of flight, and didn't blow up the pad in the meantime." – "Our first test flight met all our expectations, achieving a great success. We had a clean liftoff, 30 seconds of flight and even got to validate our Flight Termination System." Despite the short flight, European Space Agency Director General Josef Aschbacher congratulated the company, [stating](https://x.com/AschbacherJosef/status/1906294869246587336?ref=proximareport.com): > "Success to get off the pad, and lots of data already obtained. I am sure Isar Aerospace will learn a lot. Rocket launch is hard. Never give up, move forward with even more energy!" Isar Aerospace is now working towards follow-up flights of Spectrum, which will hopefully reach a further stage of flight. [At least two](https://x.com/isaraerospace/status/1906307219890589900?ref=proximareport.com) more vehicles are in production. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/spectrum-test-flight-path@2x.jpg) The nominal trajectory for a Spectrum launch. Credit: Isar Aerospace ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/ISAR-F01-MissionPatch.png) The official mission patch for Spectrum's test flight "Going Full Spectrum" Credit: Isar Aerospace --- ## Spectrum Launch Vehicle ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/slide1.jpg) A diagram of the Spectrum launch vehicle. Credit: Isar Aerospace Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket is a two stage Small Satellite Launch Vehicle capable of delivering up to 1,000kg/1 Metric Ton (2,204lbs) of payload to Low Earth Orbit or 700kg (1,543lbs) to a Sun Synchronous Orbit. Spectrum is wider than other launch vehicles of it's class with a diameter of 2 meters (6.5 feet), but with a height of 28m (91.8ft) it is just a meter shorter than Firefly Aerospace's Alpha rocket. Unlike most liquid fueled rockets, which use either Kerosine, liquid Methane, or liquid Hydrogen, Spectrum uses liquid Propane to fuel its 9 first stage engines it's nd single second stage engine. Spectrum's second stage is also capable of re-igniting it's engine once in orbit to deliver multiple payloads to their precise destinations. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/20250327_114948.jpg) Illustrations of Isar's reusable rocket patent. Credit: World Intellectual Property Organization/Isar Aerospace While Spectrum is not currently reusable, it is worth noting that Isar Aerospace owns a unique patent for a reusable first stage that would comprise a drogue chute to slow and stabilize the stage on descent and a pilot parachute to help with the deployment of an inflatable blimp that would presumably deliver the first stage to a recovery area. --- ## About Isar Aerospace ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/--Isar-Aerospace_Assembly-area_1-800x450.jpg) Isar Aerospace's factory floor. Credit: Isar Aerospace Founded in 2018, Isar Aerospace is based out of Munich, Germany. The company, named after the Isar river that flows through Munich has a stated mission of "Engineering the future of space flight." > "Launching is the first step to space. By enabling access to space, we contribute to humanity’s progress and our planet’s sustainable technological and economic development." -Isar's website Isar currently has launch contracts with the Norwegian Space Agency, the European Space Agency, Airbus Defense and Space, ElevationSpace, Spaceflight Inc, D-Orbit, Exotrail, and EnduroSat, with more to come. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/Copyright-Isar-Aerospace_Fit-Check-am-Launch-Vehicle-Spectrum_2.webp) Spectrum's second stage mated to it's fairing. Credit: Isar Aerospace --- ## Andøya Spaceport ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/GmRKmcYXwAAoGYr.jpg) Spectrum at the Andøya Spaceport. Credit: Isar Aerospace The Andøya Spaceport, established in 2018 before opening in 2023, is located on Andøya Island in Norway. Andøya is located 300km (186mi) within the Arctic Circle and is the northernmost island of the Vesterålen archipelago. Before it was a spaceport, it was established as Andøya Rocket Range in 1962\. Over a thousand sub-orbital and sounding rockets have launched from Andøya, but Spectrum is the first orbital class rocket to launch from the island in addition to being the first orbital rocket launched from Europe. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/GmvhLe7WoAAYNPh.jpg) Spectrum awaits it's inaugural flight under the Aurora Borealis ### Weekly Dose of Space (23/3-29/3) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-23-3-29-3/ Last updated: 2025-03-30T16:26:52.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw five launches taking place, with at least three of them being dedicated to communications services. News from the week had NASA assigning its Crew-11 astronauts and the USSF preparing to book flights on more varied rockets. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *March 24th - Falcon 9 with NROL-69* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying a military satellite into Earth orbit for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The booster supporting this mission was B1092, making its second flight and landing back at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. ![Booster B1092 touching down at Landing Zone 1. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/Gm15hdBbQAAmD8O-1.jpg) Booster B1092 touching down at Landing Zone 1\. ©SpaceX ### *March 26th - Electron for 'Finding Hot Wildfires Near You'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B, located on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying eight satellites to low Earth orbit for Orora Technologies. The eight satellites will monitor wildfires worldwide via the use of infrared cameras. > Nice liftoff in the dark today! [pic.twitter.com/rIaMaQPWYR](https://t.co/rIaMaQPWYR?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Peter Beck (@Peter\_J\_Beck) [March 27, 2025](https://twitter.com/Peter%5FJ%5FBeck/status/1905057161329115220?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B, via [Peter Beck on Twitter](https://x.com/Peter%5FJ%5FBeck/status/1905057161329115220?ref=proximareport.com). ### *March 26th - Long March 3B/E with Tianlian-2-04* A Long March 3B/E blasted off from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center heading to geostationary transfer orbit carrying Tialian-2-04\. Tianlian-2-04 is a relay satellite used to fill in communications dead zones for the Tiangong Space Station and Shenzhou spacecraft. ![The Long March 3B/E lifting off from Launch Complex 2 on March 26th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/Gm_Ii8nbEAA7yNk-1.jpg) The Long March 3B/E lifting off from Launch Complex 2 on March 26th. ### *March 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-7* Twenty-seven Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1063 supported this launch for its twenty-fourth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/GnAUn-ZbQAAvqzu.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E. ©SpaceX ### *March 29th - Long March 7A with TJSW-16* The TJSW-16 communications technology verification satellite was delivered to a geostationary transfer orbit by a Long March 7A flying from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. TJSW-16 will reportedly provide communications services, radio, television, and data transmission, as well as testing and verification for multi-band high-speed throughput communications technologies. ![The Long March 7A Y11 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 201.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/GnOu4_Bb0AAHKm--1.jpg) The Long March 7A Y11 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 201. ## **In Other Space News** ### *NASA assigns Crew-11 astronauts* ![JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui (left), NASA astronaut Zena Cardman (center left), Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Plantonov (center right), and NASA astronaut Mike Fincke (right). ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/crew-11.jpg) JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui (left), NASA astronaut Zena Cardman (center left), Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Plantonov (center right), and NASA astronaut Mike Fincke (right). ©NASA NASA [announced on March 27th](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-shares-spacex-crew-11-assignments-for-space-station-mission/?ref=proximareport.com), the crew assigned aboard the Crew-11 mission, set to launch in July. The astronauts assigned to Crew-11 are NASA's Zena Cardman as mission Commander and Mike Fincke as the spacecraft Pilot, Mission Specialists onboard are JAXA's Kimiya Yui as well as Roscosmos' Oleg Platonov. Cardman and Platonov will be heading to space for the first time for Crew-11, with Yui heading to orbit for the second time while Fincke will be making his fourth spaceflight. Crew-11 is set to be the eleventh operational NASA Commercial Crew Program mission to take place, and the thirteenth carrying humans. ### *USSF greenlights Vulcan, on-ramps new rockets* The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command (USSFSSC) [announced on March 26th](https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Newsroom/Article/4136016/u-s-space-force-ussf-certifies-united-launch-alliance-ula-vulcan-for-national-s?ref=proximareport.com) that United Launch Alliance's (ULA) Vulcan rocket has been certified to perform National Security Space Launch (NSSL) missions. Speaking on the certification, ULA Chief Executive Officer Tory Bruno commented: > “We are proud to have launched 100 national security space missions and honored to continue serving the nation with our new Vulcan rocket,” – “We thank the Space Force for their collaboration and confidence, and we are honored to support our national security needs for many years to come.” Vulcan's certification was delayed several months due to an [anomaly during the rocket's second flight](https://cosmicnxws.com/vulcan-second-certification-flight?ref=proximareport.com). The rocket currently has two U.S. national security missions being prepared, USSF-87 and USSF-106, with Brigadier General Kristin Panzenhagen, Program Executive Officer for Assured Access to Space, adding: > “Assured access to space is a core function of the Space Force and a critical element of national security,” – “Vulcan certification adds launch capacity, resiliency, and flexibility needed by our nation’s most critical space-based systems.” In additional support of assured space access, the USSF on-ramped Rocket Lab's Neutron and Stoke Space's Nova, both reusable rockets, onto their Phase 3 Lane 1 contract [on March 27th](https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Newsroom/Article/4137680/space-systems-command-on-ramps-two-new-providers-to-national-security-space-lau?ref=proximareport.com). Phase 3 Lane 1 missions are intended to bring more competition to national security launches. Neither Neutron nor Nova have flown their debut missions yet, but the USSF is awarding both companies five million United States Dollars for a Firm Fixed-Price Task Order to conduct an initial capabilities assessment. After either of the rockets flies a successful mission, they will be eligible to fly national security missions. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *March 30th - Spectrum for it's debut flight* Isar Aerospace is preparing to perform the [debut mission](https://cosmicnxws.com/isar-aerospace-prepares-launch?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) of its Spectrum rocket from Norway's Andøya Spaceport, carrying no payloads. ### *March 30th - Firefly Alpha for 'Message in a Booster'* Firefly Aerospace is preparing to launch its Alpha rocket from Space Launch Complex 2W, in California, carrying a test satellite for Lockheed Martin. ### *March 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-80* SpaceX is planning to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *April 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-13* Another batch of Starlink satellites is planned to be launched from Space Launch Complex 4E to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9. ### *April 1st - Falcon 9 for Fram2* A Crew Dragon is expected to launch atop a Falcon 9 to polar orbit from Launch Complex 39A. Four astronauts are planned to be on board and are: Chun Wang from Malta, Jannicke Mikkelsen from Norway, Rabea Rogge from Germany, and Eric Philips from Australia. ### *April 1st - Long March 2D with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 2D may fly from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to low Earth orbit carrying a currently unknown payload. ### *April 3rd - Long March 6 with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 6 is expected to fly from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center to low Earth orbit, carrying an unknown payload. Rumors around the launch claim this could be the Long March 6's final flight. ### Europe's Shifting Space Policy: Anyone but the U.S. and Musk URL: https://proximareport.com/anyone-but-musk-and-america/ Last updated: 2025-03-28T12:54:24.000Z With the advent of the second Trump Administration, head of SpaceX Elon Musk has been elevated to a senior position in the U.S. government, bringing [certainty to SpaceX's greater grip](https://cosmicnxws.com/us-space-controlled-musk?ref=proximareport.com) over American space efforts. Meanwhile, President Trump is mulling over changes to NASA's focuses and agreements moving forward. During his inauguration speech two months ago, Trump outlined that he [wants boots on Mars](https://cosmicnxws.com/trump-wants-boots-on-mars?ref=proximareport.com), a goal long sought by Musk, possibly jeopardizing the existing Artemis program. Additionally, former NASA Deputy Administrator in the Obama administration Lori Garver [believes](https://spacenews.com/finland-signs-artemis-accords/?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) that the new administration won't stick with the [Artemis Accords](https://www.space.com/artemis-accords-explained?ref=proximareport.com) due to its slow-to-materialize benefits. However, Executive Secretary of the National Space Council Scott Pace, during the first Trump administration, [expects](https://spacenews.com/finland-signs-artemis-accords/?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) that the U.S. will remain in the accords until it can create a globally popular consensus on how space should be used in line with U.S. national interests. Possibly to replace the Outer Space Treaty which is [in need of updating](https://theconversation.com/laws-governing-space-are-50-years-old-new-ones-are-needed-to-prevent-it-becoming-a-wild-west-252014?ref=proximareport.com). What isn't being considered at length are changes for NASA's workforce, heads, suppliers, and future talent. So far, Trump's policy directives have [started a witchhunt](https://cosmicnxws.com/trump-begins-witchhunt-within-nasa?ref=proximareport.com) within the space agency, begun to [erase](https://nasawatch.com/education/you-can-still-read-nasas-deleted-first-woman-graphic-novels/?ref=proximareport.com) [minorities](https://cosmicnxws.com/nasa-lgbtq-policy-2025?ref=proximareport.com), cut [hundreds of millions from contracts](https://spacenews.com/nasa-terminating-420-million-in-contracts/?ref=proximareport.com) his lackeys won't specify, and [begun to layoff workers](https://spacenews.com/nasa-gets-extension-to-submit-layoff-plans/?ref=proximareport.com) from an [already overstretched](https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/24/science/nasa-layoffs-policy-office/index.html?ref=proximareport.com) workforce. Alongside all that, NASA's [science budget is looking to be halved](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/03/white-house-may-seek-to-slash-nasas-science-budget-by-50-percent/?ref=proximareport.com), with [puppets](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/greg-autry-nasas-dogefather/?ref=proximareport.com) for [Musk](https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2024/12/elon-musk-jared-isaacman-nasa/680884/?ref=proximareport.com) as in key positions, while the [U.S. Department of Education is dismantled](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2025/03/20/trump-abolishes-department-of-education-tiny-desk-children/?ICID=continue%5Fwithout%5Fsubscribing%5Freg%5Ffirst&ref=proximareport.com). As SpaceX tightens its grip over the U.S. launch market, transportation too when [Starship actually works](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-8?ref=proximareport.com), while [assisting in mass surveillance at an unfathomable scale](https://booty.substack.com/p/elon-musk-is-helping-us-intelligence?triedRedirect=true), traditional American allies in Europe are looking to distance themselves. European officials have [growing disdain](https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20250108-europe-s-leaders-have-had-enough-of-musk-s-meddling-but-can-they-stop-him?ref=proximareport.com) for Musk due to his [repeated backing of extreme](https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/01/29/germanys-eader-blasts-musks-support-for-right-wing-global-politicians-heres-where-else-hes-intervened/?ref=proximareport.com) right-wing or fascist groups on the continent. European officials have criticized and warned of the U.S.' new direction, citing their own experiences during the [early 20th century appearing in America](https://news.berkeley.edu/2024/09/09/fascism-shattered-europe-a-century-ago-and-historians-hear-echoes-today-in-the-u-s/?ref=proximareport.com). Thankfully for European space access, the continent has three new launch sites preparing to support the imminent debut of several rockets, alongside [another in South America](https://www.arianespace.com/the-guiana-space-center/?ref=proximareport.com) for the actively flying Vega-C and [Ariane 6](https://spacenews.com/arianespace-sees-stronger-institutional-demand-for-ariane-6-amid-shifting-geopolitics/?ref=proximareport.com). Those new spaceports are [Esrange](https://www.space.com/first-european-mainland-orbital-spaceport-swedish-rocket-range?ref=proximareport.com) in Sweden, [Andøya](https://cosmicnxws.com/isar-aerospace-prepares-launch?ref=proximareport.com) in Norway, and [Saxavord](https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25039220.scottish-spaceport-saxavord-to-see-uks-first-launch-year/?ref=proximareport.com) in Scotland (a semi-autonomous part of the United Kingdom). Currently, the newer spaceports will support various smaller rockets, but the European Space Agency is [looking to support](https://europeanspaceflight.com/esa-issues-call-for-european-launcher-challenge-proposals/?ref=proximareport.com) the development of larger vehicles. European institutions, both national and international, are calling for greater autonomous access to space technologies too. In the United Kingdom, [senior politicians are calling for](https://europeanspaceflight.com/uk-must-foster-sovereign-launch-capability-experts-tell-committee/?ref=proximareport.com) a truly sovereign launch capability, while the [European Space Agency is pushing](https://cosmicnxws.com/esa-goals-2040?ref=proximareport.com) for Europe to fully play into its technological strengths and innovations. Satellite companies based in Europe [like Eutelsat](https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/eutelsat-committed-boosting-europes-satellite-autonomy-continued-support-ukraine-2025-03-03/?ref=proximareport.com) have seen their valuations soar with new political support, and an [abandonment of businesses affiliated](https://www.reuters.com/world/musk-rallies-far-right-europe-tesla-is-paying-price-2025-03-04/?ref=proximareport.com) with Musk. However, Europe's own investments in space can go so far. Recently the European Space Agency and Japan have agreed to [jointly venture](https://eandt.theiet.org/2024/11/22/european-and-japanese-space-agencies-strengthen-tie-explore-asteroids-moon-and-beyond?ref=proximareport.com) to near-Earth asteroids with further possibilities of collaboration on the Moon. In addition, if Europe is looking for a partner with a [larger space budget](https://payloadspace.com/china-to-invest-heavily-in-its-race-to-the-moon/?ref=proximareport.com) with a [focus on addressing climate change](https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/10/12/china-s-transition-to-a-low-carbon-economy-and-climate-resilience-needs-shifts-in-resources-and-technologies?ref=proximareport.com), further [existing](https://cosmicnxws.com/change-6-moon-bound?ref=proximareport.com#international-science-experiments-on-change-6) [cooperation](https://cosmicnxws.com/svom-blasts-off-from-xichang?ref=proximareport.com) [with China](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/157614226/china-and-europe?ref=proximareport.com) is a possibility, as the continent is [rushing to fix up relations](https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3303729/trump-battered-europe-eyes-china-launch-diplomatic-flurry-beijing?ref=proximareport.com). Unlike the U.S., China has outlined plans for [continued space innovation](https://cosmicnxws.com/china-space-goals-2050?ref=proximareport.com), [planetary exploration](https://spacenews.com/china-unveils-planetary-exploration-roadmap-targeting-habitability-and-extraterrestrial-life/?ref=proximareport.com), and is open to [international collaboration on flagship missions](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/158887449/cnsa-seeking-international-partners-on-tianwen?ref=proximareport.com). Securing independent access to space for Europe will require immense financial and political backing from European governments to ensure the continent is not at the whims of an increasingly rogue U.S. controlled by oligarchs like Musk, with Jérôme Barbier, Head of Outer Space, Digital and Economic Issues, telling [FRANCE24](https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20250108-europe-s-leaders-have-had-enough-of-musk-s-meddling-but-can-they-stop-him?ref=proximareport.com): > “I think the Musk issue will not be solved only by legal means, it needs to have political backing by member states, and significantly by the larger member states. Most of Musk’s wealth comes from the defence industry. So clearly, this needs political will among some member states.” ### Weekly Dose of Space (16/3-22/3) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-16-3-22-3/ Last updated: 2025-03-24T03:24:00.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw six launches taking place, with many satellites being added to small constellations. News from the week saw Starliner's crew finally return, another spacewalk onboard China's Tiangong Space Station, and imminent cuts at NASA. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *March 16th - Angara 1.2 with Kosmos 2585, 2586, 2587* An Angara 1.2 was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying three Kosmos satellites, 2585, 2586, and 2587, to low Earth orbit. These satellites are said to provide military communications services. > Video of today's Angara-1.2 launch from Plesetsk, carrying military satellites for the Ministry of Defense. > > MoD also said that the satellites reached their planned orbit. [pic.twitter.com/AxmfTYPqkw](https://t.co/AxmfTYPqkw?ref=proximareport.com) > > — afec7032 🇷🇺 (@robert\_savitsky) [March 16, 2025](https://twitter.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1901269008273265111?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of Angara 1.2 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, via [robert\_savitsky on Twitter](https://x.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1901269008273265111?ref=proximareport.com). ### *March 17th - Ceres-1 with six Yunyao-1 and two AIRSATs* From Launch Area 95A, Galactic Energy launched its first Ceres-1 of the week carrying six Yunyao-1 meteorology satellites as well as Zhongke 06 and 07, also referred to as AIRSAT. The Yunyao-1 satellites are part of a planned ninety-satellite constellation to provide weather forecasting, while the two AIRSAT spacecraft will monitor environmental changes in rural and coastal regions. ![The Ceres-1 Y10 vehicle lifting off from Launch Area 95A.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/007uIBCRly1hzkakr29btj32623944qq-1-1.jpg) The Ceres-1 Y10 vehicle lifting off from Launch Area 95A. ### *March 18th - Electron for 'High Five'* Electron lifted off from Launch Complex 1A, located on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying the fifth and final group of five Kinéis satellites to low Earth orbit. This small Internet of Things constellation is aimed at boosting connectivity worldwide. > The views just keep getting better. Electron on its way to space for its 62nd launch. [pic.twitter.com/2rZLbJgXnx](https://t.co/2rZLbJgXnx?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [March 18, 2025](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1901867778937585912?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1A for 'High Five' as seen by a drone, via [Rocket Lab on Twitter](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/1901867778937585912?ref=proximareport.com). ### *March 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-25* Twenty-three Starlink satellites were launched from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, atop of a Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit. The booster that supported this mission was B1077, flying for the nineteenth time and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *March 21st - Falcon 9 with NROL-57* The eighth batch of Starshield satellites, the military version of Starlink, were launched atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1088 supported this mission for its fourth flight, with a landing back at Landing Zone 4. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the NROL-57 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/Gmk5FJZaAAA5aVK.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the NROL-57 mission. ©SpaceX ### *March 21st - Ceres-1 with six Yunyao-1 satellites* Ceres-1 lifted off again from Launch Area 95A, at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying another six Yunyao-1 satellites. This launch brought the total satellite count for the constellation up to fifty-two. ![The Ceres-1 Y17 vehicle lifting off from Launch Area 95A carrying six Yunyao-1 satellites.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/007pC894ly1hzotu348l9j32v44aonpe-1.jpg) The Ceres-1 Y17 vehicle lifting off from Launch Area 95A carrying six Yunyao-1 satellites. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Starliner crew back on Earth* ![Butch Wilmore (left) and Suni Williams (right) arriving in Houston following splashdown a few hours earlier. ©Robert Markowitz/Helen Arase Vargas/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/New-Project.png) Butch Wilmore (left) and Suni Williams (right) arriving in Houston following splashdown a few hours earlier. ©Robert Markowitz/Helen Arase Vargas/NASA After an unexpectedly long stay aboard the International Space Station, Starliner astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore [returned to Earth](https://cosmicnxws.com/starliner-astronauts-return-aboard-crew-9?ref=proximareport.com) aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon on March 18th. Their return spacecraft was launched back in September for the Crew-9 mission bringing two new faces to the station with it, NASA's Nick Hague and Roscosmos' Aleksandr Gorbunov. Butch and Suni launched to the station back in June 2024 for an initial eight-day mission. Following concerns and issues with various systems aboard Starliner, NASA decided to return the spacecraft uncrewed, deorbiting it in September and moving the two astronauts onto the Crew-9 mission. Due to this, the duo spent 286 days in space. With the uncrewed return last year, NASA and Boeing are evaluating what the next steps with Starliner are. Manager of the agency's Commercial Crew Program Steve Stich [is expecting](https://spacenews.com/nasa-examining-options-for-another-starliner-test-flight/?ref=proximareport.com) another test flight, possibly with a crew, before it is used for routine crew rotation missions. ### *Third Shenzhou-19 spacewalk aboard Tiangong* ![Cai Xuzhe preparing Tiangong's robotic arm for use during the spacewalk.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/Gmm9QKkaEAAU83a.jpg) Cai Xuzhe preparing Tiangong's robotic arm for use during the spacewalk. March 21st saw taikonauts Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong venture outside the Tiangong Space Station, via the Wentian modules airlock, for their [third spacewalk](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/spacesuits-gain-life-extension-with?ref=proximareport.com) of the six-month mission. Once again, Wang Haoze remained inside the station to provide support. While outside of the station for seven hours, the two spacewalkers installed various debris protection panels to mitigate micrometeorite damage and to provide the stations robotic arm with an additional grapple point. Additionally, routine inspections of external hardware and the three modules were conducted. This spacewalk was the third of Song's career, making him one of the most experienced 'post-80s' taikonauts while Cai Xuzhe was performing his fifth overall, for around 35 hours of spacewalking overall. The three Shenzhou-19 crew members have just over one month left onboard the Tiangong Space Station, having arrived in October 2024, with a return expected in late April or Early May. The trio will leave the station once the Shenzhou-20 mission arrives and takes over responsibilities. ### *Layoff plans at NASA delayed* NASA [told reporters](https://spacenews.com/nasa-gets-extension-to-submit-layoff-plans/?ref=proximareport.com) on March 14th that it received a one-week extension to a government request to reorganize and reduce its workforce, citing a busy week with the return of Crew-9, the launch of Crew-10, and other missions. The space agency has been complying with various executive orders from the second Trump Administration to “achieve efficiencies” and perform Reductions in Force (RIF). To comply, NASA has frozen hiring and begun identifying positions to be cut, and will soon move offices and individuals to "less-costly" parts of the United States. Since Trump returned to the White House,[ NASA has had its](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/nasa-terminates-chief-scientist-role-closes-policy-office-2025-03-10/?ref=proximareport.com) Office of the Chief Scientist, the Office of Science, Policy, and Strategy, and the diversity, equity, and inclusion branch within the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity shuttered, taking their staff with them. In a pending catastrophic move, the White House is [considering cutting](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/03/white-house-may-seek-to-slash-nasas-science-budget-by-50-percent/?ref=proximareport.com) NASA's Science Mission Directorate budget by half. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *March 24th - Spectrum for it's debut flight* Isar Aerospace is preparing to perform the [debut mission](https://cosmicnxws.com/isar-aerospace-prepares-launch?ref=proximareport.com) of its Spectrum rocket from Norway's Andøya Spaceport, carrying no payloads. ### *March 24th - Falcon 9 with NROL-69* A Falcon 9 is planning to liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying a military payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, the booster is planned to return to Cape Canaveral after supporting the launch. ### *March 26th - Firefly Alpha for 'Message in a Booster'* Firefly Aerospace is preparing to launch its Alpha rocket from Space Launch Complex 2W, in California, carrying a test satellite for Lockheed Martin. ### *March 26th - Electron for 'Finding Hot Wildfires Near You'* Rocket Lab is planning to launch its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B, located on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying eight satellites to low Earth orbit for Orora Technologies. ### *March 26th - Long March 3B/E with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 3B/E is expected to launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, carrying a currently unknown payload out toward geostationary orbits. ### *March 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-7* SpaceX is preparing to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### ESA Outlines Key Goals for 2040 URL: https://proximareport.com/esa-goals-2040/ Last updated: 2025-03-21T02:29:39.000Z Recently, the European Space Agency (ESA) released its '[Strategy 2040](https://www.esa.int/About%5FUs/ESA%5FStrategy%5F2040?ref=proximareport.com)' document, outlining key goals in five major areas that the agency will pursue over the next fifteen years. The document is a follow-up to '[Agenda 2025](https://www.esa.int/About%5FUs/ESA%5FPublications/Agenda%5F2025?ref=proximareport.com)', released March 2021. ESA and its Director General, Josef Aschbacher, hope that 'Strategy 2040' will be ‘a living document’ to that continues to adapt to the needs of the space agency. 'Strategy 2040' is also intended to inform decisions made a Ministerial meetings, where each [member state votes](https://www.esa.int/About%5FUs/Law%5Fat%5FESA/Ministerial%5FCouncil%5FMeetings2?ref=proximareport.com) on [programs and a budget](https://www.aviaspace-bremen.de/en/2024/07/08/bremen-wird-austragungsort-der-esa-ministerratskonferenz-2025-2/?ref=proximareport.com). Speaking on Strategy 2040, Josef Aschbacher [stated](https://www.esa.int/ESA%5FMultimedia/Videos/2025/03/What%5Fis%5FStrategy%5F2040?ref=proximareport.com): > "Strategy 2040 is a high-level strategy, it's a vision that we have elaborated with our member states. We have a very robust, a very strong space industry today. Some of the best companies actually worldwide. And this is the good news. The times are very turbulent, but every challenge is an opportunity. I'm working very hard with \[the\] member states, with \[our\] colleagues to make sure that we get a very strong ESA Ministerial, because this is a precondition in order for industry to really develop enormously ambitious, exciting programmes in the next year or even decades to come." > "That means to build up its strength, also in space, not only in defense or security or in the political context, but really also in space. \[This\] is really an opportunity to make sure that Europe is providing the answers to its member states and international partners in order to have a strong space capability." The five target areas for 'Strategy 2040' are planetary protection, exploration, autonomy, competitiveness, and inspiration. For each goal, ESA has outlined necessary strategic actions. Regarding planetary protection, ESA is focused on challenges from both Earth itself and the rest of the solar system. Climate change is one of those Earth-based challenges with the agency seeking to utilize cutting-edge Earth observation satellites to assist in the identification of imminent environmental disasters. Off of Earth, the agency is retaining its commitment to a 'zero space debris framework' alongside establishing a space weather service to monitor solar activity and track near-Earth asteroids. For exploration in a post-International Space Station world, ESA is aiming to continue collaboration with major space agencies while deploying infrastructure for regular lunar operations, both robotic and crewed, to lay the foundations for Mars missions. Other major missions across the solar system are also planned, to search for life within the solar system and to understand nearby galaxies. Concerning autonomy, ESA is seeking performant, sustainable, and affordable launch solutions to ensure Europe retains independent access to space, via commercial reusable rockets. Independent access to space will assist in the deployment of European-owned space infrastructure to improve life back on Earth. To ensure competitiveness, ESA hopes Europe will utilize affordable European launch solutions and space infrastructure to drive new innovations and economic growth, keeping its member states competitive internationally in space and by harnessing it. Existing terrestrial research facilities are planned to be leveraged too to provide Europe with a steady flow of needed talent and breakthrough technologies. And for inspiration, ESA is looking to reinforce its diversity and inclusion initiatives to ensure Europe's various minorities and communities are represented. Partnerships with European Union nations are desired too to guarantee the agency's initiatives align with national policies. An expansive and thorough list of strategic actions and policy suggestions can be found [here](https://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/corporate/ESA%5FStrategy%5F2040%5FInDepth.pdf?ref=proximareport.com). ESA expects these actions to change over time as progress is made. Additionally, the full goals for 'Strategy 2040' are as follows: 1. **Protect our planet and climate** 1. Develop the technologies, missions, applications and services that will enable progress in acting to address climate change, degradation of the environment, and pressure on natural resources. By 2040, ESA will support Europe through space-based systems and digital twins of our planet to foster scientific understanding of the processes of Earth’s natural systems. 2. Spearhead a greener, circular economy in space with global standards for sustainability and a zero-debris environment. ESA will pursue a zero debris future by 2030 via stringent targets of collision probabilities for spacecraft below 1 in 1000 and maintaining a 99% or greater likelihood of successful disposal, and a fully sustainable use of space with the establishment of a circular space economy by 2040. 3. Position Europe as a global leader in space safety by expanding capabilities in space weather services and planetary defence. The impact of extraterrestrial events should not be underestimated–a moderate solar event could cost Europe 15 billion Euros or more. ESA aims to play a key role at global level in space weather and planetary defence from solar storms and Near-Earth Objects. 2. **Explore and discover** 1. Elevate ESA’s global leadership in Earth and space science to unravel the mysteries of our planet and the Universe. Science has shaped European identity for centuries, fostering reason, empirical evidence, and progress – a legacy that continues today as we continue to seek answers to the most fundamental questions of our time. The agency will continue developing world-class missions characterised by scientific excellence, enormous discovery potential, and tremendous technological innovation, along with deep public engagement. 2. Expand ESA’s unique capabilities and roles in the new space exploration era in low Earth orbit, around and on the Moon, and towards Mars. As we enter a new epoch of space exploration, ESA must build on its pioneering accomplishments and unique strengths to remain a key partner in exploration, securing a foothold on nearby destinations to enable the next leaps in the exploration of our Solar System. 3. **Strengthen European autonomy and resilience** 1. Secure autonomous and competitive access to and mobility in space through new transportation systems, solutions and services. ESA will boost Europe’s space access and mobility by 2040, making it a key player in space transportation. Recognising that launch costs dictate competitiveness in space, the agency will reduce reliance on non-European entities and strengthen its own capabilities. 2. Develop the next generation technologies and systems in connectivity, Positioning, Navigation & Timing and Earth Observation for a more connected and safer future for citizens. By 2040, ESA will contribute to strengthening Europe’s connectivity, navigation and remote sensing capabilities by developing and enhancing resilience and robustness of these systems and exploiting the potential of the quantum revolution in the coming generations of systems. 3. Develop state-of-the-art space solutions for the prediction and management of natural and anthropogenic disasters and emergencies. Natural and human-made threats are becoming bigger and more complex. Europe must continue expanding its crisis response capabilities by improving infrastructure and creating services, building on its current strengths while addressing critical gaps in these domains. 4. **Boost European growth and competitiveness** 1. Accelerate innovation by spearheading the development of cutting-edge competitive European space technologies in key strategic domains. As part of ESA’s 2040 Technology Vision, European space technology capabilities and leadership will be further advanced by ESA investing in cutting-edge innovations that serve transversal purposes, foster a thriving space industry, and in tandem facilitate broader strategic aims. 2. Strengthen industrial capacity and competitiveness to unlock new markets and drive economic growth, fostering a more prosperous society. Building these new technologies in a competitive and innovative space sector requires strong European industrial capacity. ESA will enable the cost-effective, efficient and scalable production of space technologies that create new commercial avenues and seed new markets for the broader benefit of Europe and society at large. 3. Position Europe as a commercial hub in the booming global space economy, able to attract significant private investment. By 2040, Europe should become a leading commercial hub for the global space economy. ESA will enable this via private investment, strategic partnerships (including public-private), and leveraging Europe’s strong industrial pedigree and talent, both inside and outside of the space industry. 4. Establish Europe as a space research hub, by leveraging world-class technical facilities, and by investing in and attracting top STEM talent. ESA believes it is vital that Europe becomes a global epicentre for space research by harnessing its elite technical facilities and supporting its top STEM talent – thus maintaining its position as one of the leaders in space more broadly. 5. **Inspire Europe** 1. Reinforce the European space ecosystem through world-class project management and intensified co-operation among key stakeholders. The importance of inspiring the next generation is obvious. It requires a more united European space ecosystem, where Member States, the European Union and key stakeholders closely collaborate to foster excitement. 2. Position ESA as a model for leveraging space activities inclusively to inspire young people and future generations from diverse backgrounds. Meeting today's challenges is only one aspect of securing Europe's leadership – we must also pass our knowledge and excitement to future generations through fostering fascination, encouraging exploration and ensuring equal access to all. 3. Enable ESA Member States and the EU to harness space capabilities for greater influence in international diplomacy and global affairs. Space for diplomacy (capabilities supporting informed policy and decision-making) and diplomacy for space (enhancing strategic partnerships with stakeholders) can strengthen Europe’s global leadership. ### Starliner Astronauts Return Aboard Crew-9 URL: https://proximareport.com/starliner-astronauts-return-aboard-crew-9/ Last updated: 2025-03-19T17:55:32.000Z Late last night, March 18th, a SpaceX Crew Dragon [splashed down](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/03/18/nasas-spacex-crew-9-splashes-down-off-coast-of-florida/?ref=proximareport.com) off the coast of Florida, ending the Crew-9 mission. [Crew-9 launched](https://cosmicnxws.com/nasa-crew-9?ref=proximareport.com) almost six months ago bringing just two astronauts to the International Space Station. > The unplanned welcome crew! > > Crew-9 had some surprise visitors after splashing down this afternoon.🐬 [pic.twitter.com/yuOxtTsSLV](https://t.co/yuOxtTsSLV?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NASA's Johnson Space Center (@NASA\_Johnson) [March 18, 2025](https://twitter.com/NASA%5FJohnson/status/1902124589636784140?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Some dolphins greeting the Crew-9 astronauts after splashdown, via [NASA's Johnson Space Center on Twitter](https://x.com/NASA%5FJohnson/status/1902124589636784140?ref=proximareport.com). The two astronauts launched back in September, NASA's Nick Hague and Roscosmos' Aleksandr Gorbunov, with two additional crew members bumped from the mission to allow [Starliner's astronauts](https://cosmicnxws.com/starliner-carries-first-crew-after-years-of-delays?ref=proximareport.com) to have a safe ride back to Earth. Those astronauts are NASA's Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore. In August 2024, NASA made the decision that Starliner was unfit to return Suni and Butch to Earth, eight weeks into their eight-day mission to verify the spacecraft for routine crewed missions to the station. With the decision made by NASA, Starliner returned to Earth [uncrewed in September](https://cosmicnxws.com/starliner-returns-home-alone?ref=proximareport.com), touching down at White Sands Space Harbor, in New Mexico. For [time in space](https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3lkoohoxrzs2a?ref=proximareport.com) since launch, Suni and Butch spent 286 days in space while Nick and Aleksandr were in space for 171 days. Following the splashdown, Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Manager, [said the following](https://www.youtube.com/live/XJVKM90SdKs?si=AEDxICvca3C335CT&t=859&ref=proximareport.com) regarding crew health: > "The crew's doing great, they'll spend a little time on the recovery ship getting checked out, making sure they're healthy and ready to go. And then eventually they'll make their way back to Houston." As is standard for crew rotations aboard the International Space Station, the Crew-9 mission remained on station for the [arrival of Crew-10](https://x.com/NASA%5FJohnson/status/1901149221610271099?ref=proximareport.com) a few days ago, following a [launch last week](https://cosmicnxws.com/crew-10-launch?ref=proximareport.com). After a few days of working together, Crew-9 [departed the station](https://x.com/NASA%5FJohnson/status/1901867226610720913?ref=proximareport.com) earlier in the week for its return to Earth, bringing Butch and Suni home after eight months. ### Next up for Starliner At present, Boeing anticipates six more Starliner launches aboard United Launch Alliance's Atlas V. Boeing cannot book any more Atlas V's due to United Launch Alliance having shifted its focus towards its new launch vehicle, [Vulcan](https://cosmicnxws.com/vulcan-second-certification-flight?ref=proximareport.com). As a result, Starliner can only complete a limited number of possible crewed missions before being tested to fly on top of another rocket. However, NASA currently doesn't [appear ready](https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/09/after-another-boeing-letdown-nasa-isnt-ready-to-buy-more-starliner-missions/?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) to fly more than three Starliner missions before the retirement of the International Space Station. This could have Starliner flying once a year, alongside SpaceX's Crew Dragon, between 2026 and 2029, as the space station is set to deorbit around 2030\. The agency would still like to have Starliner as an additional spacecraft in the event of problems with Crew Dragon. Additionally, since the uncrewed return of Starliner, Boeing has remained near radio silent regarding the vehicle and its future. ### A political fiasco While Butch and Suni were aboard the International Space Station, U.S. President Donald Trump and his [bankroller](https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/elon-musk-spent-more-than-290-million-on-the-2024-election-year-end-fec-filings-show/ar-AA1yf4CH?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) Elon Musk, Head of SpaceX, [espoused false claims](https://spacenews.com/musk-and-trump-repeat-inaccurate-claims-about-starliner-astronauts/?ref=proximareport.com) that the previous Biden Presidential Administration had [abandoned](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/03/can-nasa-remain-nonpartisan-when-basic-spaceflight-truths-are-shredded/?ref=proximareport.com) the duo. Recently, NASA's Acting Administrator Janet Petro repeated this to a degree [stating](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/welcome-home-nasas-spacex-crew-9-back-on-earth-after-science-mission/?ref=proximareport.com): > “Per President Trump’s direction, NASA and SpaceX worked diligently to pull the schedule a month earlier. This international crew and our teams on the ground embraced the Trump Administration’s challenge of an updated, and somewhat unique, mission plan, to bring our crew home." Butch and Suni were never stranded aboard the station and always had a spacecraft to return them in the event of an emergency. First Starliner, then Crew-8's Crew Dragon, and finally Crew-9's Crew Dragon. NASA chose to keep the two astronauts onboard, and fly two less for Crew-9, in order to maximize the station's schedule and science with little risk or cost, flying an extra rescue spacecraft up would have cost hundreds of millions of Dollars at minimum to the agency. Last month in February Butch [told CNN](https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/13/science/boeing-starliner-astronauts-stuck-space/index.html?ref=proximareport.com) the following: > “We don’t feel abandoned” – “We don’t feel stranded. I understand why others may think that. We come prepared. We come committed.” Despite this, Elon Musk kept repeating the lie of abandoned astronauts, even while [being called out](https://cosmicnxws.com/us-space-controlled-musk?ref=proximareport.com) by other astronauts, and claiming he offered to return the astronauts, [which he did not](https://bsky.app/profile/jackiewattles.bsky.social/post/3lknwqikbqs26?ref=proximareport.com). This eventually led to him calling for an early end to the International Space Station in 2027, conveniently when SpaceX is no longer contracted to fly Crew Dragon as the U.S.' sole operational crew vehicle to the station. With their safe return yesterday, the Trump White House [has claimed](https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/1902124106843132309?ref=proximareport.com) that the duo's return was a Trump victory. This is false as their return with Crew-9 was decided by NASA under the Biden Administration, with Trump's sole contribution being a request to move the mission a few days due to [delays with a new](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/02/nasa-moves-up-target-to-return-butch-and-suni-but-not-for-political-reasons/?ref=proximareport.com) SpaceX Crew Dragon vehicle. --- ## Who's returning? ![The Crew-9 astronauts in their SpaceX spacesuits ahead of their departure from the station; Suni Williams (top left), Butch Wilmore (top right), Aleksandr Gorbunov (bottom left), and Nick Hague (bottom right). ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/nasas-spacex-crew-9-members-inside-international-space-station-1.jpg) The Crew-9 astronauts in their SpaceX spacesuits ahead of their departure from the station; Suni Williams (top left), Butch Wilmore (top right), Aleksandr Gorbunov (bottom left), and Nick Hague (bottom right). ©NASA **Suni Williams** flew aboard Starliner for its flight test to the space station for her third trip to space. She first flew to the International Space Station on STS-116, with a return on STS-117 after a 192-day stay onboard. Her second trip to space was on Soyuz TMA-05M, which also headed to the International Space Station, where she was onboard for 124 days. **Butch Wilmore** also flew to the station aboard Starliner for the flight test and is for his third trip to space. He first flew to space aboard STS-129 which delivered cargo to the International Space Station as part of an almost 11 mission. His second trip to space was on Soyuz TMA-14M for a 166-day stay aboard the International Space Station. **Nick Hague** is the Commander of the Crew-9 mission for his third trip above the Kármán line, and second to the International Space Station. Hague's first trip into space was during the launch of Soyuz MS-10 which experienced booster failure leading to a high-altitude abort. His first trip to the International Space Station was during the Soyuz MS-12 mission, where he spent 203 days in space. **Aleksandr Gorbunov** is a Mission Specialist for the Crew-9 mission for his first trip to space. Gorbunov was selected as a cosmonaut in 2018 having studied engineering at the Moscow Aviation Institute as well as working at Rocket Space Corp. Energia supporting cargo spacecraft launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. ## What is Crew Dragon? > Dragon separation confirmed! [pic.twitter.com/xjToQWAsLm](https://t.co/xjToQWAsLm?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [March 18, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1901862782435545186?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Crew Dragon departing the International Space Station for the Crew-9 mission, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1901862782435545186?ref=proximareport.com). Crew Dragon, or Dragon 2, is a partially reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX. The primary use for Crew Dragon is to send crew to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX also performs free-flight missions with the spacecraft. Crew Dragon consists of the capsule and trunk. The trunk is used to store unpressurized cargo as well as have solar panels mounted on one side, to generate power, and radiators on the other, to dissipate heat generated inside. The trunk is not reused and burns up in the atmosphere after each mission. The capsule is where the crew will be during launch, landing, and while on their way to space. Unlike the original Dragon capsule, the Crew Dragon capsule has a launch abort system consisting of eight SuperDraco engines. This abort system [can also](https://x.com/dpoddolphinpro/status/1839785424618697197?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) be used to bring the capsule to a soft touchdown in the event of four parachute failures. The capsule also has a nosecone that will fold out of the way in space to protect the docking hardware and forward-facing thrusters during launch and landing. The forward-facing thrusters are the main propulsion system for performing maneuvers while in flight. Up to four parachutes will deploy from the capsule during descent to allow it to splash down for recovery. Crew Dragon was developed as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program to regain crew access to the International Space Station from the United States of America after the retirement of the Space Shuttle. SpaceX currently has four active Crew Dragon capsules; Endeavour, Resilience, Endurance, and Freedom. A fifth Crew Dragon capsule is under construction and is expected to be finished in 2025. ### Isar Aerospace Prepares to Perform First Launch from Europe URL: https://proximareport.com/isar-aerospace-prepares-launch/ Last updated: 2025-03-17T22:06:06.000Z German launch company Isar Aerospace [announced today](https://www.isaraerospace.com/press/isar-aerospace-receives-ncaa-permit-for-launch-and-is-ready-for-first-test-flight?ref=proximareport.com), March 17th, that it has received regulatory approval from the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority to launch its Spectrum launch vehicle. With regulatory approval, the company is now preparing for the debut launch of Spectrum possibly as Early as Thursday, March 20th. No payloads will be onboard Spectrum for the debut mission as the company is [aiming to test](https://x.com/danielmetzler/status/1901698966078595298?ref=proximareport.com) as much of the rocket as possible during flight. Speaking on the first flight, Isar's Vice President Mission and Launch Operations Alexandre Dalloneau said: > “Our goal is to test each and every component and system of the launch vehicle” – “No matter how far we come with this test flight, Mission ‘Going Full Spectrum’ will be a reason for our entire team to be very proud, a success for Isar Aerospace and our close partner Andøya Spaceport, and a huge step forward for European access to space.” Despite no payloads being put on the first launch, various spacecraft, from [Airbus](https://www.satellitetoday.com/launch/2021/04/22/isar-aerospace-signs-launch-deal-with-airbus-defence-and-space/?ref=proximareport.com), the [Norwegian Space Agency](https://www.isaraerospace.com/press/norwegian-space-agency-and-isar-aerospace-sign-contract-for-satellite-launch-from-and%C3%B8ya-spaceport?ref=proximareport.com), the [German Aerospace Center](https://spacewatch.global/2021/12/isar-aerospace-announces-payloads-for-spectrums-first-flight/?ref=proximareport.com), [EnduroSat](https://www.satellitetoday.com/launch/2021/10/25/endurosat-signs-launch-contract-with-german-isar-aerospace/?ref=proximareport.com), [Astrocast](https://www.satellitetoday.com/launch/2021/12/15/astrocast-taps-isar-aerospace-for-upcoming-launch/?ref=proximareport.com), and [Spaceflight Inc](https://www.satellitetoday.com/launch/2023/01/26/isar-aerospace-signs-rideshare-deal-with-spaceflight-works-toward-first-flight/?ref=proximareport.com), have already booked launches, allowing more European satellites to launch on European rockets. Launch vehicles like Isar's Spectrum will allow for greater European autonomy in space, with the company's Chief Executive Officer Daniel Metzler adding: > “In today's geopolitical climate, our first test flight is about much more than a rocket launch: Space is one of the most critical platforms for our security, resilience and technological advancement. In the next days, Isar Aerospace will lay the foundations to regain much needed independent and competitive access to space from Europe.” Spectrum's first launch is set to occur from Norway's Andøya Spaceport for the site's first orbital launch, which will also be the first time a rocket heads to orbit from continental Europe. Andøya can [reach a handful](https://andoyaspace.no/spaceport/?ref=proximareport.com) of polar, high inclination, and sun-synchronous orbits between inclinations of 90 and 110.6 degrees due to the site being located within the Arctic Circle. Isar hopes that Andøya can support thirty Spectrum launches per year. In the coming years, Isar also [plans to fly](https://www.isaraerospace.com/press/isar-aerospace-selected-to-be-first-privately-funded-launch-services-company-flying-satellites-from-guiana-space-centre?ref=proximareport.com) Spectrum from the Guiana Space Centre, located in French Guiana. Launches from Guiana will open up many more orbits for Spectrum to carry customers to while allowing for an increased launch cadence. > Designed, built and tested ✅ Pending regulatory approval, we are Go for flight. > > Read more: [https://t.co/F4nmx0zyPO](https://t.co/F4nmx0zyPO?ref=proximareport.com)[#fromisartospace](https://twitter.com/hashtag/fromisartospace?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/qHkmE9scvJ](https://t.co/qHkmE9scvJ?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Isar Aerospace (@isaraerospace) [February 21, 2025](https://twitter.com/isaraerospace/status/1892861859880935769?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Production and testing of Spectrum, via [Isar Aerospace on Twitter](https://x.com/isaraerospace/status/1892861859880935769?ref=proximareport.com). The Spectrum launch vehicle is a fairly small two-stage rocket compared to other European rockets, standing 28 meters tall while being 2 meters wide. Unlike Europe's other rockets, Spectrum has been designed, developed, and manufactured [in-house](https://www.isaraerospace.com/spectrum?ref=proximareport.com) by Isar. Spectrum's payload capacity is currently stated to be 1,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit or 700 kilograms to sun-synchronous orbit, with plans to increase capacity up to 1,500 kilograms. Propelling the rocket and its payload into space are nine Aquila engines on the first-stage and a single Aquila engine on the second-stage, these engines will burn propane and liquid oxygen. ![The Spectrum launch vehicle being transported to its launch pad at the Andøya Spaceport. ©Isar Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/GmQrxfpW0AAYsTG-1.jpg) The Spectrum launch vehicle being transported to its launch pad at the Andøya Spaceport. ©Isar Aerospace ### Weekly Dose of Space (9/3-15/3) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-9-3-15-3/ Last updated: 2025-03-16T18:25:57.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw nine launches occurring, with five taking place within fourteen hours. Meanwhile, News during the week had China's Mars sample return mission opening up to international partners and a solar eclipse seen from the Moon! As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *March 9th - Long March 3B/E with TJSW-15* A Long March 3B/E lifted off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the TJSW-15 satellite to geostationary transfer orbit. The TJSW-15 satellite is stated to be used for testing and verification for multi-band high-speed throughput communications technology as well as communications, radio, television, and data transmission. ![A Long March 3B/E lifting off from Launch Complex 3 with TJSW-15.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/006HGq7agy1hzb9u3jcyoj34802tctpq-1.jpg) A Long March 3B/E lifting off from Launch Complex 3 with TJSW-15. ### *March 11th - Long March 8 with Qianfan Polar Group 05* The fifth group of eighteen Qianfan satellites were launched atop of a Long March 8, flying from Commercial Launch Pad 1 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site. This launch brings the Qianfan internet mega-constellations' total satellite count up to ninety. ![The Long March 8 Y6 vehicle lifting off from Commercial Launch Pad 1.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/006HGq7agy1hzdkg9tdkxj31kn10dqv5-1.jpg) The Long March 8 Y6 vehicle lifting off from Commercial Launch Pad 1. ### *March 12th - Falcon 9 with SPHEREx and PUNCH* SpaceX launched Falcon 9 blasted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, into a polar orbit carrying NASA's SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) and PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) spacecraft. SPHEREx plans to survey the sky in near-infrared light, while PUNCH consists of four satellites that will study the Sun's corona and how it generates solar wind. The booster supporting this launch was B1088, performing its third flight and landing back on Landing Zone 4. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E with SPHEREx and PUNCH. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/Gl0VIclbgAALNTe-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E with SPHEREx and PUNCH. ©SpaceX ### *March 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-21* A Falcon 9 carried twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting this mission was booster B1069, making its twenty-second flight and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *March 14th - Falcon 9 with Crew-10* NASA's Crew-10 mission lifted off from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, carrying four astronauts, NASA's Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA's Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos' Kirill Peskov onboard Crew Dragon 'Endurance'. Supporting this launch was Falcon 9 Booster B1090 for its second launch and landing, returning to Landing Zone 1\. Details about this mission are available [here](https://cosmicnxws.com/crew-10-launch?ref=proximareport.com). ![Booster B1090 landing at Landing Zone 1 after supporting the Crew-10 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/GmDNNx7bcAMo0c5-1.jpg) Booster B1090 landing at Landing Zone 1 after supporting the Crew-10 mission. ©SpaceX ### *March 15th - Electron for 'The Lightning God Reigns'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B, located on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, to low Earth orbit. Onboard the rocket was a synthetic aperture radar observation satellite into low Earth orbit for Japanese company iQPS. > A stunning day to go to space. [pic.twitter.com/GJiPsmmQ19](https://t.co/GJiPsmmQ19?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [March 15, 2025](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1900717172114288729?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B for 'The Lightning God Reigns', via [Rocket Lab on Twitter](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/1900717172114288729?ref=proximareport.com). ### *March 15th - Long March 2D with SuperView Neo-3 02 & Tianyan-23* From Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, a Long March 2D flew into sun-synchronous orbit carrying SuperView Neo-3 02 and Tianyan-23\. SuperView Neo-3 02 is a commercial optical imaging satellite with a resolution of 0.5 meters designed to work with SuperView Neo-3 01 to image key provinces and cities in China regularly, Tianyan-23 is a small Earth observations satellite with a claimed resolution of under a meter. ![The Long March 2D Y100 vehicle lifting off from Launch Area 4.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/008r129Lgy1hzhjypi1tbj34ao2v41l1-1.jpg) The Long March 2D Y100 vehicle lifting off from Launch Area 4. ### *March 15th - Falcon 9 with Transporter-13* SpaceX launched its thirteenth dedicated Transporter small satellite rideshare mission to sun-synchronous orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, to deploy over seventy satellites. Booster B1081 supported this mission for its thirteenth flight, with a landing back at Landing Zone 4. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 lifting off for Transporter-13 and booster B1081 returning. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/GmEjUjuWIAAZffH.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 lifting off for Transporter-13 and booster B1081 returning. ©SpaceX ### *March 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-16* Twenty-three more Starlink satellites were launched atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this Starlink launch was B1078, for its eighteenth launch with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Dark times ahead for Blue Ghost…* > Blue Ghost turns red! Our lander downlinked more imagery from the Moon captured around 2:30 am CDT during the totality of the solar eclipse last night. These images - rapidly captured by our top deck camera with different exposure settings - were stitched together in a quick… [pic.twitter.com/BjKPXXhMLx](https://t.co/BjKPXXhMLx?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Firefly Aerospace (@Firefly\_Space) [March 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/Firefly%5FSpace/status/1900619346788929541?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) A solar eclipse as seen from the surface of the Moon, via [Firefly Aerospace on Twitter](https://x.com/Firefly%5FSpace/status/1900619346788929541?ref=proximareport.com). …In the literal lighting sense, as the lunar night is on the way for Firefly’s Moon lander. While waiting for the lunar night to occur, the Blue Ghost lunar lander witnessed a solar eclipse, with the Earth passing in front of the Sun, on March 14th. During the occasion, the company [stated](https://fireflyspace.com/news/blue-ghost-mission-1-live-updates/?ref=proximareport.com): > "Blue Ghost caught her first look at the solar eclipse from the Moon around 12:30 am CDT. Notice the glowing ring of light emerge in the reflection of our solar panel as Earth began to block the sun." – "During the eclipse, the surface temperatures dropped from 40°C to -170° C." [Since landing](https://cosmicnxws.com/firefly-lands-on-the-moon?ref=proximareport.com) near Mons Latreille on the lunar surface on March 2nd, Firefly has been busy conducting various experiments its lander carried onboard. One such experiment sucked up lunar soil, while another drilled beneath the surface and through layers of regolith. The witnessing of an eclipse also came when [NASA officials hailed](https://spacenews.com/nasa-hails-blue-ghost-1-mission-as-proof-positive-of-clps-program/?ref=proximareport.com) the mission as a success for the agency's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, as the lander is carrying various NASA and commercial payloads. So far Firefly's first CLPS mission has been the sole outright success for the program after two Inutitive Machines' landers fell over during landing while another company failed to get to the Moon. ### *China's Mars sample mission opens up* On March 11th, the China National Space Administration [announced](https://www.cnsa.gov.cn/n6758823/n6758839/c10652182/content.html?ref=proximareport.com) that it has opened up its Tianwen-3 Mars sample return mission for international experiments. These experiments will fly alongside the main mission onboard the orbiter-return module or lander-ascent module’s service module. Any international organization that would like to be onboard Tianwen-3 needs to submit a letter of intent by June. After that, preliminary selections will take place in July and August before submissions of selected proposals are needed by the end of September. In October 2025, the China National Space Administration will make its final selection on international payloads. When international payloads and experiments are confirmed, the China National Space Administration will require them to be delivered in 2027 for preparation ahead of a 2028 launch, and return to Earth around 2030/31\. Payloas selected are limited to some strict power and weight requirements, any experiment must use less than forty watts of power while withstanding lows of negative fifty degrees and highs of seventy degrees Celsius. If an experiment is on the orbiter-return module, it will need to be designed to operate for around three years and weigh under fifteen kilograms, while if an experiment is onboard the lander-ascent module’s service module, it will need to weigh around five kilograms and be designed to survive five years. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *March* 16th - Angara 1.2 with Kosmos satellites An Angara 1.2 is set to liftoff from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying a few Kosmos satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *March 17th - Ceres-1 with a to-be-confirmed payload* Galactic Energy is preparing to launch its Ceres-1 rocket from Launch Area 95A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and head to sun-synchronous orbit. ### *March 18th - Electron for 'High Five'* Rocket Lab is planning to launch Kinéis' fifth, and currently final, batch of five Internet of Things satellites to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 1A, located on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand. ### *March 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-25* SpaceX is aiming to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *March 20th - Falcon 9 with NROL-57* A batch of Starshield satellites, the military version of Starlink, are expected to launch atop a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *March 21st - Ceres-1 with a to-be-confirmed payload* Another Ceres-1 is preparing to launch from Launch Area 95A and also flying into sun-synchronous orbit. ### *March 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-7* Another batch of Starlink satellites is planned to head to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### Crew-10 Heads to the ISS to Relieve Starliner Astronauts URL: https://proximareport.com/crew-10-launch/ Last updated: 2025-03-19T17:55:41.000Z NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission has lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at 23:03 pm Universal Coordinated Time with Crew Dragon 'Endurance' atop of a Falcon 9 rocket. Onboard Crew Dragon 'Endurance' are four astronauts, NASA's Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA's Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos' Kirill Peskov. > Liftoff of Crew-10! [pic.twitter.com/OOLMFQgA52](https://t.co/OOLMFQgA52?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [March 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1900684974078259482?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1900684974078259482?ref=proximareport.com). At present, the Crew-10 mission is expected to dock to the International Space Station's Harmony module around twenty-eight hours after liftoff. Once docked, the Crew Dragon spacecraft and its crew will remain with the station until their departure in July. For the first time with Crew Dragon, Crew-10 will return to Earth with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. SpaceX has shifted its Dragon recovery operations from the coasts around Florida to California after [various](https://www.space.com/nasa-confirms-debris-spacex-crew-dragon?ref=proximareport.com) [pieces](https://youtu.be/R56aZdWss-0?ref=proximareport.com) of debris from the spacecraft's service module survived reentry, and landed inside the United States. The Crew-10 mission also signifies a return to normal crew rotations aboard the station, as the four incoming crew are reliving [Crew-9](https://cosmicnxws.com/nasa-crew-9?ref=proximareport.com)'s Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov as well as [Starliner](https://cosmicnxws.com/starliner-carries-first-crew-after-years-of-delays?ref=proximareport.com)'s Suni Willaims and Butch Wilmore. Suni and Butch have been onboard the station for eight months after Boeing's Starliner spacecraft was [deemed unfit to return](https://cosmicnxws.com/starliner-returns-home-alone?ref=proximareport.com) the duo after three months into an eight day mission. Crew Dragon 'Endurance' is supporting this approximately five-month mission as its fourth trip into orbit. 'Endurance' has previously supported NASA's Crew-3, Crew-5, and Crew-7 missions, spending 532 days in orbit. Supporting this launch was Falcon 9 Booster B1090 for its second launch and landing. Following staging and a boost back burn, B1090 headed back to Cape Canaveral to touch down at Landing Zone 1. NASA's Crew-10 mission, the tenth operational NASA Commercial Crew Program mission to take place, and the twelfth carrying humans with the Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission in 2020 and Starliner's problematic Crewed Flight Test in the middle of last year. With Crew-10, SpaceX has now supported sixteen crewed missions with its Crew Dragon spacecraft. ![NASA Crew-10 mission patch (left) and SpaceX's Crew-10 patch (right). ©NASA/SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/Crew_10_patches.png) NASA Crew-10 mission patch (left) and SpaceX's Crew-10 patch (right). ©NASA/SpaceX ## Who's on board? ![The Crew-10 crew inside SpaceX's booster refurbishment facility, Kirill Peskov (left) of Roscosmos, Takuya Onishi (center left) of JAXA, along with NASA Astronauts Anne McClain (center right) and Nichole Ayers (right). ©NASA/SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/spacex-crew-10-members-stand-in-front-of-a-falcon-9-first-stage-booster_54209395564.jpg) The Crew-10 crew inside SpaceX's booster refurbishment facility, Kirill Peskov (left) of Roscosmos, Takuya Onishi (center left) of JAXA, along with NASA Astronauts Anne McClain (center right) and Nichole Ayers (right). ©NASA/SpaceX **Anne McClain** is the Commander of the Crew-10 mission for her second mission to the International Space Station. McClain previously spent 203 days onboard the station as part of the Soyuz MS-11 mission, during which she performed two spacewalks. In [June 2013](https://www.nasa.gov/people/anne-c-mcclain/?ref=proximareport.com) McClain was selected as a NASA astronaut, before which she served in the U.S. Army. Prior to that she earned a Master's of Science in aerospace engineering from the University of Bath and a Master's of Science in international relations from the University of Bristol, both in the UK. **Nichole Ayers** is the Crew Dragon Pilot for the Crew-10 mission, making her first trip into space. [Before being selected](https://www.nasa.gov/people/nasa-astronaut-nichole-ayers/?ref=proximareport.com) as a NASA astronaut in December 2021, Ayers served with the U.S. Air Force as an instructor in both the T-38A and F-22 Raptor. During her time in the Air Force, Ayers earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and later a master’s degree in computational and applied mathematics from Rice University, in Houston, Texas. **Takuya Onishi** is [an astronaut from](https://humans-in-space.jaxa.jp/en/astronaut/onishi-takuya/?ref=proximareport.com) the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) making his second trip to space as a Mission Specialist for the Crew-10 mission, previously he spent 115 days aboard the station for the Soyuz MS-01 mission. Prior to becoming an astronaut, Onishi earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Aeronautical and Space Engineering from the University of Tokyo. **Kirill Peskov** is a Russian cosmonaut making his [first trip to space](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-shares-its-spacex-crew-10-assignments-for-space-station-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) as a Mission Specialist for the Crew-10 mission, having been selected for cosmonaut training in 2018\. Before becoming a cosmonaut, Peskov earned a degree in Engineering from the Ulyanovsk Civil Aviation School. ## What is Crew Dragon? ![Crew Dragon C210 'Endurance' during rollout to Launch Complex 39A with it's Falcon 9. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/GlnSTFYaIAEBAiS-1.jpg) Crew Dragon C210 'Endurance' during rollout to Launch Complex 39A with it's Falcon 9\. ©SpaceX Crew Dragon, or Dragon 2, is a partially reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX. The primary use for Crew Dragon is to send crew to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX also performs free-flight missions with the spacecraft. Crew Dragon consists of the capsule and trunk. The trunk is used to store unpressurized cargo as well as have solar panels mounted on one side, to generate power, and radiators on the other, to dissipate heat generated inside. The trunk is not reused and burns up in the atmosphere after each mission. The capsule is where the crew will be during launch, landing, and while on their way to space. Unlike the original Dragon capsule, the Crew Dragon capsule has a launch abort system consisting of eight SuperDraco engines. This abort system [can also](https://x.com/dpoddolphinpro/status/1839785424618697197?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) be used to bring the capsule to a soft touchdown in the event of four parachute failures. The capsule also has a nosecone that will fold out of the way in space to protect the docking hardware and forward-facing thrusters during launch and landing. The forward-facing thrusters are the main propulsion system for performing maneuvers while in flight. Up to four parachutes will deploy from the capsule during descent to allow it to splash down for recovery. Crew Dragon was developed as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program to regain crew access to the International Space Station from the United States of America after the retirement of the Space Shuttle. SpaceX currently has four active Crew Dragon capsules; Endeavour, Resilience, Endurance, and Freedom. A fifth Crew Dragon capsule is under construction and is expected to be finished in 2025. ### Relativity Space Returns From Brief "Hiatus" URL: https://proximareport.com/relativity-space-returns-from-posting-hiatus-2/ Last updated: 2025-03-11T04:57:31.000Z In August, Tim Ellis co-founder and then CEO of Relativity Space posted this tweet hinting at Terran R hardware. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/sn5.PNG) [Tweet](https://x.com/thetimellis/status/1828514446152761749?ref=proximareport.com) from Tim Ellis The following day, Relativity Space unveiled the hardware Tim was referring to, two giant fairings. However, some quickly noticed that these fairings were made by Beyond Gravity and weren't even for Terran R but rather for Ariane 6\. While Beyond Gravity is going to make Terran R's fairings, the lack of communication and substance left people underwhelmed or upset. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/sn2.PNG) Daniel Chrétien [points out](https://x.com/Astro%5FDanyboy/status/1828919478379258183?ref=proximareport.com) the blunder. (We are not claiming that Daniel was upset or anything with Relativity) Since then and the following (not so positive) social media buzz from some people, Relativity and Tim, have been relatively (see what I did there) silent. Many online even feared the company was going through very, very tough times on the brink of bankruptcy and potentially leaving the launch provider business as a whole. However, today, Relativity Space dropped a whole bunch of new information, from renders, quick facts and even staff changes! Firstly, the space company has a new CEO, Eric Schmidt, a former CEO at Google. Schmidt is also bringing in a huge amount of financial backing to the space startup. As for Tim? He is staying on-board as a board member and co-founder! Now before we dive into all the juicy information Relativity Space has shared with us, I highly recommend you go and check out this update video from Relativity Space as this article is essentially just a brief overview of it! ## Terran R Gunning for Q4 2026 Maiden Launch Terran R is now in its ”Critical Design Review” phase of development less than a year and a half after the initial design process began. This essentially means that teams at Relativity are putting their final touches and changes on the rocket before it begins flying customer payloads! ### Progress, Progress and More Progress ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/2024-Design--1-.png) From Top Left to Bottom Right: Terran R tank barrel, LC-16 pad progress underway, dual-bay test stand at Stennis, three of the six (cropped out) first flight domes! ****Credit: Relativity Space** During the break from posting regularly, a lot of progress has been made in getting the manufacturing lines, hardware, and infrastructure needed to get Terran R ready for its maiden launch and beyond. According to Kevin Wu, Chief Technology Officer, > The thing that really drives us is making a commercially viable product that can be produced." Here are just a few quick, rapid facts of what the company has done since they last gave us updates: ✦ Since February 2025 160+ CDRs have been completed ✦ Terran R is halfway through its design review process ✦ All six domes for the first flight are built ✦ All second stage tank barrels are built and are currently being welded ✦ As of last month 500+ valve tests have been performed ✦ 68 lasers are printing Aeon R development and flight hardware ✦ 6,500+ seconds of engine testing on all iteration ✦ Thrust Structure construction is well underway ✦ GNC teams have been running simulations and refining hardware for Terran R's maiden flight ✦ Work on LC-16 and test stands for Aeon R is going swimmingly We also learned some more about the propulsion system that will power Terran R on its way to orbit. Of the 13 Aeon engines located on the first stage, 9 of them will be able to gimble while four will be fixed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/GltQ3xnbQAAuzgU.jpg) Terran R power pack diagram. Yellow engines are fixed, Blue are able to gimble providing control on ascent and during the re-entry and landing burn phases! ****Credit: Relativity Space/NoLifeJordan** on Twitter The Aeon-R engines are mostly made via additive manufacturing based on legacy hardware and practices from Aeon-1\. Ryan Kraft, VP of Integrated Performance, said that, > In areas where we know that we need to iterate to learn we use manufacturing processes that our really nimble." Propulsion teams at Relativity are currently in the process of developing Aeon-R 1.4 building off of the success of 1.3\. They intend to use AR 1.4 on the maiden launch of Terran R. Currently AR 1.3 is the closest the company has to a flight-like engine, it has even done tests with flight avionics giving teams at Relativity more insight into how their upcoming rocket will perform. As of February, 2,000+ component tests have been done on the Aeon-R rocket. Mind you Aeon-R first static fire back in December of 2023, less than two years ago. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/sn3.PNG) Aeon-R 1.3 Sea Level (Left) and Vacuum (Right) information sheet ****Credit: Relativity Space** ### Terran R Change’s its style (again) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/2024-Design.png) Terran R in 2023 vs Terran R in 2025 ****Credit: Relativity Space** (made by yours truly) During the development of any product, or in this case, a rocket, the beginning and end designs differ a bit. That is especially true for Terran R, as we have a closer look at what the rocket will look like when it's all put together. One of the significant changes from the previous version (bar no cool decals) is the new grid fins. Made out of Titanium, four non-deployable grid fins will help guide and control the first stage back to its landing zone. These grid fins definitely took some inspiration from SpaceX's Super-Heavy booster! While the bulk of Terran R is made of 2195 aluminum, the first stage has stringers running along the tank barrels to reduce strain and decrease the chance of buckling under pressure. These stringers are made of 2196 aluminum. The fairings are carbon composite and, as mentioned above, are built by Beyond Gravity. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/sn4.PNG) While Terran R is still over a year away from flying, Relativity Space is already planning the block two and three designs of the rocket. These variants intend to further the performance and reusability of the launch vehicle. There is still a long road ahead, but man, am I hyped for Terran R! Best of luck to Relativity Space; I can't wait to hear more. ### Weekly Dose of Space (2/3-8/3) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-2-3-8-3/ Last updated: 2025-03-09T17:00:06.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw four launches, a small drop from the last two weeks. News during the week had the X-37B returning to Earth and various spacecraft running into trouble in deep space. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *March 2nd - Soyuz 2.1b with Glonass-K2 No. 14* A Soyuz 2.1b lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying a Glonass-K2 satellite to medium Earth orbit. The new Glonass-K2 satellite is expected to improve Russia's Glonass navigation systems. ### *March 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-20* SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-one Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Booster B1086 supported this mission for its fifth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. However, booster B1086 was lost shortly after landing, after a fire damaged various systems, with the root cause of the fire [believed to be](https://x.com/SpcPlcyOnline/status/1898161440969597049?ref=proximareport.com) a fuel leak that began during flight. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 12-20 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/GlFrngpXMAAPaeV-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 12-20 mission. ©SpaceX ### *March 6th - Ariane 6 with Composante Spatiale Optique-3* Arianespace launched its second Ariane 6 rocket to sun-synchronous orbit from Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 4 at the Guiana Space Centre, in French Guiana. The second Ariane 6 flew a completely successful mission to deploy the Composante Spatiale Optique-3 optical imaging satellite for the French military. ![Araine 6 lifting off from French Guiana for its second mission. ©S. Corvaja/European Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/Ariane_6_VA263_liftoff-1.jpg) Araine 6 lifting off from French Guiana for its second mission. ©S. Corvaja/European Space Agency ### *March 6th - Starship-Super Heavy for its Eighth flight test* SpaceX launched its eighth flight test of the Starship-Super Heavy vehicle from the company's launch site in South Texas, this flight test was utilizing Ship 34, the second 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage, and Super Heavy Booster 15\. During the test flight, the vehicle experienced its second catastrophic failure in a row. Further details are available [here](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-8?ref=proximareport.com). ![Starship-Super Heavy during first-stage flight during its latest flight test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/GlZ82OLWcAIcElq-1.jpg) Starship-Super Heavy during first-stage flight during its latest flight test. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Boeing's X-37B ends seventh mission* ![The X-37B spaceplane on the runway at Vandenberg Space Force Base at the end of its mission. ©United States Space Force](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/GlePRTIW0AAu0de-1.jpg) The X-37B spaceplane on the runway at Vandenberg Space Force Base at the end of its mission. ©United States Space Force Boeing's highly secretive X-37B [returned](https://onfirstup.com/boeing/BNN/articles/x-37b-completes-latest-mission-proves-new-technologies?bypass%5Fdeeplink=true&ref=proximareport.com) from space on March 7th, landing at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 07:22 am Universal Coordinated Time. This mission was the X-37B's seventh for the United States Space Force and spent 434 days in space, having launched [back in December 2023](https://cosmicnxws.com/falcon-heavy-ussf-52?ref=proximareport.com) atop a Falcon Heavy. According to the [U.S. Space Force](https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4112259/x-37b-orbital-test-vehicle-concludes-seventh-successful-mission/?ref=proximareport.com), the mission demonstrated a novel aerobraking maneuver to show off the vehicle's flexible and agile capabilities. The mission also tested space domain awareness technologies. Speaking on the mission, General Chance Saltzman, U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations, stated: > “Mission 7 broke new ground by showcasing the X-37B’s ability to flexibly accomplish its test and experimentation objectives across orbital regimes. The successful execution of the aerobraking maneuver underscores the U.S. Space Force’s commitment to pushing the bounds of novel space operations in a safe and responsible manner.” Boeing's Vice President of Space Mission Systems, Michelle Parker added: > “The X-37B’s achievements are a testament to our team’s dedication and innovation. Each mission is an opportunity to improve and augment the platform, ensuring it remains at the forefront of space technology. The X-37’s accomplishments reinforce the significance of our work.” ### *Trouble in deep space for various U.S. missions* Just over a week ago [on February 27th](https://cosmicnxws.com/im-2-astroforge-nasa?ref=proximareport.com), three U.S. exploration missions were sent out to the Moon and beyond atop of a Falcon 9\. Since the launch, those three missions have run into various troubles. To begin, [NASA's Lunar Trailblazer mission](https://blogs.nasa.gov/trailblazer/2025/03/04/nasa-continuing-efforts-to-contact-command-lunar-trailblazer/?ref=proximareport.com) to search for lunar ice is currently stuck in a slow spin in a low-power state. Due to this, the spacecraft has missed a trajectory correction maneuver to send it toward lunar orbit. At present, the mission team is working to reestablish communications with the spacecraft to allow it to receive enough power to support a high-power state. Additionally, [AstroForge's Odin mission](https://www.astroforge.com/updates/odint-mission-debrief?ref=proximareport.com) to prospect an asteroid in deep space ended early after the spacecraft became stuck in a tumble with partially deployed solar panels. As such the spacecraft cannot proceed toward its target and is now drifting in deep space. Luckily for the company, they claim that Odin was built for just 3.5 million United States Dollars, with AstroForge's Chief Executive Officer Matt Gialich adding: > "We know how to build these craft. These have been built before. They just cost a billion f\*\*\*\*\*\* dollars. How do we do it for a fraction of the cost?" – "At the end of the day, like, you got to f\*\*\*\*\*\* show up and take a shot, right? You have to try." Lastly after an almost entirely successful mission, [Intuitive Machines' IM-2 lander](https://cosmicnxws.com/intuitive-machines-second-landing?ref=proximareport.com) tipped over, again, during its landing attempt on the Moon at Mons Mouton. With its orientation after tipping over, the lander could not remain power positive and ran out of power shortly after. A few payloads did manage to be run on the surface before power ran out. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *March 9th - Falcon 9 with SPHEREx and PUNCH* A Falcon 9 is planned to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E into a polar orbit carrying NASA's SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) and PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) spacecraft. ### *March 9th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-21* Another batch of Starlink satellites is expected to head to low Earth orbit from Space launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9. ### *March 9th - Long March 3B/E with a to-be-annouced payload* A Long March 3B/E is expected to launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying a currently unknown payload. ### *March 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-16* Falcon 9 is expected to launch another batch of Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 to low Earth orbit. ### *March 11th - Long March 8 with a batch of Qianfan satellites* A Long March 8 is expected to launch from Commercial Launch Pad 1 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site carrying a batch of Qianfan satellites into low Earth orbit for the internet mega-constellation. ### *March 12th - Falcon 9 with Transporter-13* A Falcon 9 is planned to launch SpaceX's thirteenth dedicated Transporter rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *March 12th - Falcon 9 with Crew-10* Crew Dragon is expected to launch atop of a Falcon 9 for NASA's Crew-10 mission carrying NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos astronaut Kirill Peskov to the International Space Station. ### *March 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-25* SpaceX is planning to launch another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *March 15th - Firefly Alpha for 'Message in a Booster'* Firefly Aerospace is planning to launch its Alpha rocket from Space Launch Complex 2W, in California, to low Earth orbit carrying a test communications satellite for Lockheed Martin. ### *March 15th - Electron for 'The Lightning God Reigns'* Rocket Lab is planning to launch its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B, located on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying a synthetic aperture radar observation satellite into low Earth orbit for Japanese company iQPS. ### Celebrating International Women's Day in Space! URL: https://proximareport.com/international-womens-day-2025/ Last updated: 2025-03-08T21:09:47.000Z Happy [International Women's Day](https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Timeline?ref=proximareport.com) 2025 to all of our female-identifying readers! According to the World Economic Forum, at the current rate of progress it will take until 2158 to reach full gender parity. As such, [IWD2025's theme](https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Theme?ref=proximareport.com) is: > "Focusing on the need to **Accelerate Action** emphasizes the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality. It calls for increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face, both in personal and professional spheres." To celebrate, our team has gone and found, translated, and compiled various celebratory posts from worldwide space agencies. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/Women_powering_up_space-1.jpg) ## European Space Agency Europe’s human spaceflight ambitions are reaching new heights, and ESA’s Astronaut Reserve is a key part of this journey. Selected in 2022, these talented individuals are undergoing Astronaut Reserve Training (ART) to ensure they are ready for future missions. Among these remarkable women from across Europe are [Meganne Christian](https://www.esa.int/Science%5FExploration/Human%5Fand%5FRobotic%5FExploration/Astronauts/Meganne%5FChristian?ref=proximareport.com), a materials scientist from the UK, [Anthea Comellini](https://www.esa.int/Science%5FExploration/Human%5Fand%5FRobotic%5FExploration/Astronauts/Anthea%5FComellini?ref=proximareport.com), an aerospace engineer from Italy, and [Carmen Possnig, ](https://www.esa.int/Science%5FExploration/Human%5Fand%5FRobotic%5FExploration/Astronauts/Carmen%5FPossnig?ref=proximareport.com)a medical doctor from Austria, who recently completed their first ART training block at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany. Their diverse scientific backgrounds reflect the wide-ranging expertise needed for human spaceflight, whether as part of ESA’s astronaut class, mission planners, or scientists shaping the future of space exploration. Beyond their work with ESA, they are also driving innovation, advancing research, and strengthening the broader space sector. Women play key roles across ESA and beyond, contributing as leaders and experts in these areas. Meganne, Anthea and Carmen recently completed their first ART training block at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany. In this image, they are pictured inside a mockup of the Columbus module, Europe’s permanent laboratory on the International Space Station. The training covered key areas such as human behaviour and performance to develop teamwork and decision-making skills in high-pressure environments. They also received physical fitness training, scuba certification in ESA’s Neutral Buoyancy Facility, and media training to effectively communicate the importance of space exploration to the public. In addition to technical and operational skills, they explored fundamental science, including biology experiments conducted on the International Space Station. Their training also includes insights into space policy, mission operations, and the latest advancements in space technology. While members of the Astronaut Reserve are not yet assigned to specific missions, their training ensures that they are prepared for potential future opportunities through commercial spaceflight. *Original ESA text* [*here*](https://www.esa.int/ESA%5FMultimedia/Images/2025/03/Women%5Fpowering%5Fup%5Fspace?ref=proximareport.com)*.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/Wang-Haoze-Wave.gif) ## China Manned Space Agency **Via taikonaut Wang Haoze onboard the Tiangong Space Station* Hello everyone, I'm Wang Haoze, an astronaut of the Shenzhou-19 mission currently carrying out a six-month mission aboard the China Space Station. We're now halfway through our time in orbit, and our space life remains busy yet fulfilling. In my leisure moments, I often gaze through the observation window at Earth, the breathtaking beauty of the blue planet suspended in the vast cosmos never fails to move me. At such times, I always remember that small but tenacious girl back on Earth who firmly believed education could change her destiny. The girl who refused to bow to repeated hardships, who courageously embarked on her own journey to reach for the stars. She was me in the past, and she represents every woman who dares to dream and perseveres in pursuit of her aspirations. As International Women's Day approaches, I send my blessings from space to all my female compatriots: May you become the bright moon that illuminates the night, the twinkling stars that adorn the sky, or your own radiant sun that shines with unique brilliance. In this season of spring's warmth and vibrant scenery, let's continue striving together. Happy Women's Day! *Orignal video* [*here*](https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:5142028485591067?from=old%5Fpc%5Fvideoshow&ref=proximareport.com)*. Translation by* [*Brie Archambault*](https://x.com/BanhmiBrieoche/status/1898443774373593555?ref=proximareport.com)*, of Cosmic Nxws.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/Roberta_Bondar2.jpg) ## Canadian Space Agency This International Women’s Day, let's celebrate women's achievements as well as one stellar woman: Dr. Roberta Bondar, the first Canadian woman and the first neurologist in space. ✨ She is an astronaut, neurologist, physician, science researcher, photographer, author, and public speaker. ✨ She launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on Mission STS-42\. During the 8-day mission, she conducted over 40 scientific experiments in the International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-1) to study the effects of microgravity on the human body and its ability to recover. *Original CSA post* [*here*](https://www.instagram.com/p/DG8KpE0s1k9/?img%5Findex=1&ref=proximareport.com)*. Additionally, the CSA reposted the following* [*infographic*](https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/multimedia/search/image/8609?ref=proximareport.com)*.* ![©Canadian Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/Stellar-women.jpg) ©Canadian Space Agency ## NASA *NASA has not released a celebratory post due to the present hostile administration in the United States, however history cannot be erased. As such, we are sharing the agency's article from* [*2023's International Women's Day*](https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/womens-history-month-nasa-celebrates-women-of-artemis-launch-team/?ref=proximareport.com)*.* On this International Women’s Day, March 8, 2023, NASA celebrates the women responsible for helping return humanity to the Moon, including the first woman and first person of color under NASA’s Artemis missions. Artemis launch director – and NASA’s first woman launch director – Charlie Blackwell-Thompson leads her launch team, which is composed of about 30% women, into a new era of space exploration. Since the early days at NASA, starting with the Mercury Program, women have helped pave the way for some of the agency’s greatest achievements, and their roles continue to grow today. When Apollo 11 lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA’s JoAnn Morgan was the only woman engineer working in Firing Room 1 of Kennedy’s Launch Control Center. The number of women holding positions within Artemis has grown exponentially across the agency and NASA remains dedicated to maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. Through Artemis, NASA will establish long-term lunar science and exploration capabilities on the Moon and inspire the next generation of explorers – the Artemis Generation. ![From top left to bottom right: Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space, Eileen Collins, the first woman to command a U.S. space mission, and Katherine Johnson, a mathematician key in getting Americans into space. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/879834521.png) From top left to bottom right: Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space, Eileen Collins, the first woman to command a U.S. space mission, and Katherine Johnson, a mathematician key in getting Americans into space. ©NASA ### Intuitive Machines Performs Second Moon Landing Despite Uncertain Status URL: https://proximareport.com/intuitive-machines-second-landing/ Last updated: 2025-03-07T14:47:18.000Z Intuitive Machines has [landed](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2025/03/06/intuitive-machines-mission-lands-near-south-pole-carrying-nasa-science/?ref=proximareport.com) its second Nova-C lander on the Moon's surface as part of its IM-2 mission on March 6th, funded by NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. This mission [lifted off](https://cosmicnxws.com/im-2-astroforge-nasa?ref=proximareport.com) just over a week ago on February 27th atop of SpaceX's Falcon 9. The company's second landing occurred at [approximately 17:28](https://x.com/amsatdl/status/1897708906115174537?ref=proximareport.com) Universal Coordinated Time. But [like its previous mission](https://cosmicnxws.com/america-returns-to-the-moon?ref=proximareport.com), this landing was not a total success. Shortly after the expected landing, Intuitive Machines' Chief Executive Officer Steve Altemus confirmed that while the Nova-C lander was intact, it was not in its [expected](https://bsky.app/profile/genejm1017.bsky.social/post/3ljqflhzy4c2t?ref=proximareport.com) orientation and generating [less power](https://bsky.app/profile/jackiewattles.bsky.social/post/3ljq6npnf3c2r?ref=proximareport.com) than desired. In an attempt to balance the spacecraft's power, various systems were [deactivated](https://bsky.app/profile/genejm1017.bsky.social/post/3ljq2ny2zcc2z?ref=proximareport.com). However, some [external observers](https://x.com/coastal8049/status/1897891938373685720?ref=proximareport.com) of the mission are beginning to believe Nova-C has run out of power. ![Nova-C laying on its side on the Moon. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/GlcbhlcX0AAHDl9-1.jpg) Nova-C laying on its side on the Moon. ©Intuitive Machines With the [sideways](https://x.com/Int%5FMachines/status/1898018154380427501?ref=proximareport.com) orientation, some payloads may run into issues depending on what side the lander is resting. One is PRIME-1 which is intended to drill a meter into the lunar regolith in order to test technologies ahead of crewed Artemis missions. Another is Lunar Outposts MAPP rover, which will likely need the lander to be upright to be deployed correctly ahead of roving across the surface. Additionally, Intuitive Machines Micro Nova Hopper may run into issues before it can hop between risky areas. Other payloads, like those attached to the vehicle and the Yaoki rover, do not need the lander to be upright. All payloads do need power however. Despite the off-nominal landing, the lander is believed to be near its expected landing site atop of Mons Mouton, [five degrees from](https://bsky.app/profile/genejm1017.bsky.social/post/3ljqfuczz3c2t?ref=proximareport.com) the Moon's south pole. Further refinement and confirmation is expected to come in a few days when NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter flies over the landing site. At a [NASA hosted post-landing press conference](https://www.youtube.com/live/q-mMJxIttBc?si=IaODKtJCD8cjbl%5FN&t=212&ref=proximareport.com), Steve Altemus declared that he was considering the IM-2 mission a success. He also noted that the vehicle was communicating better than after the IM-1 missions landing. **Update (14:40 UTC March 7th)**: Intuitive Machines did not operate the IM-2 spacecraft for long on the surface, with the company [stating](https://www.intuitivemachines.com/im-2?ref=proximareport.com): > "Intuitive Machines, Inc., a leading space exploration, infrastructure, and services company, has announced the IM-2 mission lunar lander, Athena, landed 250 meters from its intended landing site in the Mons Mouton region of the lunar south pole, inside of a crater. This was the southernmost lunar landing and surface operations ever achieved." > "Images downlinked from Athena on the lunar surface confirmed that Athena was on her side. After landing, mission controllers were able to accelerate several program and payload milestones, including NASA’s PRIME-1 suite, before the lander’s batteries depleted." > "With the direction of the sun, the orientation of the solar panels, and extreme cold temperatures in the crater, Intuitive Machines does not expect Athena to recharge. The mission has concluded and teams are continuing to assess the data collected throughout the mission." > "This southern pole region is lit by harsh sun angles and limited direct communication with the Earth. This area has been avoided due to its rugged terrain and Intuitive Machines believes the insights and achievements from IM-2 will open this region for further space exploration." ## What payloads are onboard? Various payloads from NASA and private companies are onboard Nova-C for the IM-2 missions, those payloads are: - **PRIME-1 (Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment 1)** from NASA's Kennedy Space Center will demonstrate drilling into the Moon’s surface where it lands, drill down to one-meter below the surface, and use a mass spectrometer to look for the possible presence of volatiles. The PRIME-1 payload is a two-instrument suite made up of a meter-long drill (TRIDENT, The Regolith Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain) and a mass spectrometer (MSolo, Mass Spectrometer observing lunar operations). - **LRA (Laser Retro-reflector Array)** from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center is a collection of eight approximately half-inch retro-reflectors, a unique collection of mirrors that is used for measuring distance, mounted to the lander. The mirror system reflects laser light directly backward to the orbiting spacecraft that emitted the laser light to precisely determine the lander’s location on the surface of the Moon. - **Nokia Lunar Surface Communications System** aims to demonstrate that cellular technologies can offer dependable, high-capacity and efficient connectivity and communication capabilities for both crewed and uncrewed lunar and planetary missions for tasks including voice, video, data communication, telemetry and biometric data. - **Yaoki Rover** is a small, lightweight rover from Dymon Co. Ltd. that will examine and demonstrate mobility and adaptability on the lunar surface close to the lander. High-level objectives from the YAOKI rover are to capture images of the lunar surface while maneuvering quickly and efficiently within a 50-meter radius of the lander. The rover also will demonstrate the versatility of the design, which will enable it to be dropped in any orientation without a mechanism. - **Freedom** is part of Lonestar Data Holdings' plans to provide global backup, global refresh, and global restore, by establishing the first physical data center beyond Earth, offering Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS), premium data backup services, and edge processing capabilities from the ultimate edge, cislunar space and the lunar surface. Freedom is serving a host of data storage and edge processing customers. - **MAPP (Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform) Rover** is a small rover from Lunar Outpost that uses visual cues and sensors to autonomously navigate and avoid hazards, ensuring reliable performance in the challenging lunar environment. Its specialized wheels and rocker arm suspension allow it to traverse difficult terrain with precision, granting access to previously unreachable regions. - **Omni-Heat Infinity and Omni-Shade Sun Deflector** is part of Intuitive Machines' partnership with Columbia Sportswear. Omni-Heat Infinity is a heat-reflective insulation used across the spacecraft, Omni-Shard Sun Deflector is applied on select areas to prevent overheating from solar radiation. - **LRAD (Lunar Radiometer)** will study surface temperatures at the Moon’s South Pole, particularly in permanently shadowed regions where water ice may be stable. Developed by the Institute of Planetary Research at DLR and Freie Universität Berlin, LRAD is integrated into Intuitive Machines’ Micro Nova Hopper, which will make a series of short flights across the lunar terrain to collect critical thermal data. - **PLWS (Puli Lunar Water Snooper)** is a neutron spectrometer developed by Hungary-based Puli Space Technologies. This miniature instrument, weighing just 400 grams, will collect water ice indicator data from the Moon’s South Pole region. Mounted on Intuitive Machines’ Micro Nova Hopper, PLWS will conduct the first-ever direct surface measurements from a permanently shadowed crater, supporting critical in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) efforts for future lunar exploration. - **Micro Nova Hopper** is a propulsive drone that is designed to land, deploy, and hop on the company’s IM-2 mission. The Micro Nova Hopper can accommodate up to 10 kg of scientific payloads and expand the exploration footprint for up to 25 kilometers from the initial landing location. ## What is Nova-C? Nova-C is Intuitive Machines' lunar lander spacecraft, developed by the company. On the lunar surface, the spacecraft stands 4.759 meters tall with its six landing legs making it 4.33 meters wide. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oxygen, Nova-C weighs 2,120 kilograms, with a single engine burning the fuel during major maneuvers. Intuitive Machines claims Nova-C can deliver 130 kilograms of cargo to the lunar surface, such as rovers and surface hoppers. ![A render of the Nova-C lander (left) and the Micro Nova hopper (right), not to scale. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/im-2-spacecraft.png) A render of the Nova-C lander (left) and the Micro Nova hopper (right), not to scale. ©Intuitive Machines Nova-C can also bring along a smaller spacecraft to explore harder to reach areas of the Moon. This spacecraft is known as Micro Nova and stands at 0.975 meters tall and 0.714 meters wide with its six landing legs, while weighing 39 kilograms. The spacecraft is powered by various small thrusters burning hydrazine, allowing the spacecraft to carry payloads weighing up to 10 kilograms into risky areas of the lunar surface, such as permanently shadowed craters. ## Who is Intuitive Machines? Intuitive Machines is an American company headquartered in Houston, Texas. The company was founded in 2013 by Stephen Altemus, Kam Ghaffarian, and Dr. Tim Crain. The company has performed two lunar landing missions with two more planned as part of its lunar program, which will provide lunar surface access, lunar orbit delivery, and communications at lunar distances. ### SpaceX Suffers Second Catastrophic Failure During Starship Test Flight URL: https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-8/ Last updated: 2025-03-07T00:39:36.000Z SpaceX conducted Starship-Super Heavy's eighth flight test yesterday, lifting off at 23:30 Universal Coordinated Time. This flight test was utilizing Ship 34, the second 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage, and Super Heavy Booster 15. As with previous flight tests, Super Heavy Booster 15 lit all thirty-three of its Raptor engines, blasting off from SpaceX's Starbase launch site, near Boca Chica in south Texas, and heading out over the Gulf of Mexico. > Liftoff of Starship! [pic.twitter.com/OL7moLdZ2u](https://t.co/OL7moLdZ2u?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [March 6, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1897792820242792942?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Starship-Super Heavy lifting off for its eighth flight test, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1897792820242792942?ref=proximareport.com). Booster 15's Raptor engines remained running as planned up until hot-staging, where all but three were shut off. With three engines running on the booster, Ship 34 staged, and Booster 15 began heading back to the launch site. > Starship’s Raptor engines ignite during hot-staging separation. Super Heavy is boosting back towards the launch site [pic.twitter.com/9oK3m4xJaq](https://t.co/9oK3m4xJaq?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [March 6, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1897793489468797402?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 34 staging from Booster 15 during ascent, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1897793489468797402?ref=proximareport.com). For the boost-back burn to return, two Raptor engines failed to restart, but that did not prevent a return. After a few minutes of unpowered flight, Booster 15 relit twelve out of thirteen engines for a catch, rapidly slowing down before dropping down to three. With three engines running, the booster maneuvered between the launch tower's arms for the Starship program's third catch! > Mechazilla has caught the Super Heavy booster! [pic.twitter.com/JFeJSdnQ5x](https://t.co/JFeJSdnQ5x?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [March 6, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1897794546781532408?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster 15 being caugt back at the launch site, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1897794546781532408?ref=proximareport.com). While the booster was flying as expected, Ship 34 was beginning to run into problems. Near Starship engine cutoff, a fire was observed spreading in the engine bay with debris falling away. After a little while, Raptor engines, both sea level and vacuum, began to fail, inducing a violent spin. This spin, or the triggering of the flight termination system, resulted in the breakup of the vehicle. > Engine failure on stage two - Activate DRA's now! > > — [ (@scottmanley.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:uwe7uhjncj4ducqvn5xmma7b?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) [2025-03-06T23:40:08.038Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:uwe7uhjncj4ducqvn5xmma7b/post/3ljqo5ezpoc2x?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 34 tumbling in space following failure of various systems, via [Scott Manley on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/scottmanley.bsky.social/post/3ljqo5ezpoc2x?ref=proximareport.com). SpaceX had been planning to fly Ship 34 to the Indian Ocean for a reentry and landing. On the way there, four Starlink simulators were planned to be deployed. > [#Starship](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Starship?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) reentering as viewed from Cape Canaveral, Florida. [#FLwx](https://twitter.com/hashtag/FLwx?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/4FvcVGIBa1](https://t.co/4FvcVGIBa1?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Nick Stewart (@NStewWX) [March 6, 2025](https://twitter.com/NStewWX/status/1897795175633592384?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Debris from Ship 34 seen reentering from Florida following its loss, via [Nick Stewart on Twitter](https://x.com/NStewWX/status/1897795175633592384?ref=proximareport.com). Shortly after the failure, SpaceX took to Twitter to [state the following](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1897803612098900131?ref=proximareport.com): > During Starship's ascent burn, the vehicle experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly and contact was lost. Our team immediately began coordination with safety officials to implement pre-planned contingency responses. > We will review the data from today's flight test to better understand root cause. As always, success comes from what we learn, and today’s flight will offer additional lessons to improve Starship's reliability. The failure of Ship 34 is [incredibly similar](https://cosmicnxws.com/spacex-reattempt-failed-net-28th?ref=proximareport.com) to Ship 33 during the [seventh flight test](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-7?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io). This begs a few questions, did SpaceX properly find the root cause of the failure? Did Ship 34 have proper mitigations installed? And is SpaceX conducting proper pre-flight QA checks? Due to the similarities of the failures, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration may open an extensive investigation into Starship-Super Heavy before allowing it to fly again. Flight nine had been expected to head into orbit should the eighth flight succeed. An orbital flight is now pushed back to flight ten at the earliest, likely in the second half of the year. SpaceX had been planning to conduct Starship-Super Heavy's first mission into orbit in the coming months as well as a Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer demonstration. Both of these missions are critical milestones for NASA's [Artemis III mission](https://cosmicnxws.com/nasa-delays-artemis-ii-2026?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io), which is planned to be the first Crewed mission to the Lunar surface since 1972. ## How does it compare to flight seven? For the [seventh flight test](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-7?ref=proximareport.com), Booster 14 ignited all thirty-three Raptor engines, propelling the vehicle toward space. All engines ran until 'most engines cut-off,' at which point Ship 33 lit its six engines for hot staging. Booster 14 then performed a boost back burn, heading back to the launch site. > Mechazilla has caught the Super Heavy booster! [pic.twitter.com/aq91TloYzY](https://t.co/aq91TloYzY?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [January 16, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1880024050048589841?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster 14 during its tower catch at Starbase, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1880024050048589841?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io). Following the end of the boost back burn, Booster 14 descended back toward the launch site, lighting thirteen engines and then shutting down all but three for a second successful catch of the Starship program. As the booster was flying as planned, Ship 33 was running into several problems. Over several minutes, Ship 33's Raptor engines gradually failed one by one and almost nine minutes into flight, telemetry from the vehicle was lost. SpaceX claims Ship 33 was lost due to [harmonic stresses](https://cosmicnxws.com/spacex-reattempt-failed-net-28th?ref=proximareport.com) which damaged propulsion systems. ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-four meters tall and weighs 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ### What is Starship? Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Starship is believed to weigh 1,300,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. In order to survive re-entry for reuse, Starship has several thousand thermal protection tiles on one side of the vehicle and on all four of its aerodynamic control surfaces. The four control surfaces help guide the vehicle during re-entry and prior to landing inside the atmosphere at a pre-determined location. Starship also has a series of small thrusters to control the vehicle in space before re-entry. SpaceX is believed to be working on a few variants of Starship for use as a Moon lander, propellant tanker, space station, Mars lander, and as a crewed spacecraft. ### What is Super Heavy? Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. To enable the reuse of Super Heavy, the vehicle has four large grid fins placed in the interstage to assist in guiding and controlling during descent. Super Heavy also has four chines running along the lower third of it to generate lift and assist in stabilization. Shortly after completing the ascent, Super Heavy relights ten engines, as three were running during staging, and performs a 'boost back' burn in order to return to the launch site. After the 'boost back' burn is completed the engines shut down with Super Heavy being guided by a series of small thrusters and its grid fins. Once Super Heavy is at the correct altitude above its landing location three engines start back up for the landing burn. SpaceX currently plans to have Super Heavy land in the ocean with launch site landing attempts happening with later flights. Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ### Neutron Aiming For Debut in Second Half of 2025, Ocean Landings in 2026 URL: https://proximareport.com/neutron-debut-2025-ocean-2026/ Last updated: 2025-03-06T13:38:06.000Z At the end of February, Rocket Lab conducted its [fourth quarter earnings call](https://investors.rocketlabusa.com/events-and-presentations/events/event-details/2025/Fourth-Quarter-2024-Financial-Results-Update-and-Conference-Call/default.aspx?ref=proximareport.com), the last regarding 2024, and provided an update on Neutron, new hardware for the vehicle, and new spacecraft. To begin, Rocket Lab highlighted that Neutrons' launch site at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, in Wallops Virginia, is making steady progress with completion expected in the second quarter of 2025 (April to June). This includes the rocket's launch pad as well as various commodity and support systems. Of course the launch site needs a rocket to utilize it, and Neutron has all of its hardware in production, and most in testing, according to Rocket Lab. Structures for both the first and second stages are undergoing testing needed ahead of full vehicle assembly. During the update, the rocket's hungry hippo-style payload fairing was in action for a test, both halves will remain attached to the vehicle. Rocket Lab also added that the liquid methane and liquid oxygen burning Archimedes engine is continuing qualification and testing. Despite the progress on the rocket, Neutron has had its debut pushed back a few months to the second half of 2025, a small delay from mid-2025\. At present, the few major milestones left for Neutron ahead of its debut are static fires of both stages, vehicle integration, and a wet dress rehearsal. Regarding the leadup to launch, Rocket Lab's Chief Executive Officer Peter Beck added: > "This isn’t our first rodeo and we’re no strangers to bringing a new rocket to the pad. We run aggressive schedules and at the end of the day, as I always say, it’s a rocket program. But right now we’re planning for first launch in the second half of this year." It was also noted that Neutron's debut mission would not be attempting to bring the vehicle back to the launch site, instead aiming for a soft splashdown at sea. ![A render of Neutron landing downrange on a modified barge. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/FINAL-Neutron-Landing-Platform-Return-On-Investment.jpg-SML-2-1.jpg) A render of Neutron landing downrange on a modified barge. ©Rocket Lab In support of coming Neutron missions following its debut, Rocket Lab has [recently acquired](https://www.rocketlabusa.com/updates/rocket-lab-reveals-ocean-platform-for-neutron-rocket-landings-at-sea/?ref=proximareport.com) a landing platform called 'Return On Investment'. 'Return On Investment' is a 122-meter long modified barge currently undergoing preparations for operation in 2026\. Modifications on the barge include autonomous ground support equipment to capture and secure a landed Neutron, blast shielding to protect equipment during Neutron landings, and station-keeping thrusters for precise positioning in the Atlantic Ocean. Landings on 'Return On Investment' will allow Rocket Lab to fully utilize Neutrons capabilities while recovering the rocket's first-stage, while providing customers greater payload capacities unavailable on return to launch site recovery profiles. ![A render of Rocket Lab's Flatellite spacecraft in low Earth orbit. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/03/Rocket-Lab-Flatellite-web-1.png) A render of Rocket Lab's Flatellite spacecraft in low Earth orbit. ©Rocket Lab As part of efforts for end-to-end space solutions, Rocket Lab also [unveiled](https://www.rocketlabusa.com/updates/rocket-lab-announces-flatellite-a-new-satellite-designed-for-mass-manufacture-and-tailored-for-large-constellations/?ref=proximareport.com) a new spacecraft platform named Flatellite. Flatellite aims to be mass producible for large constellations, numerous spacecraft will be launched atop of a Neutron rocket during a single launch, stacked on top of each other. A fleet of Flatellite spacecraft will aim to make up a scalable, high-power, secure, resilient remote sensing and connectivity network. Speaking about the new spacecraft, Peter Beck stated: > “The need for large, reliable satellite constellations continues to grow across defense and commercial markets. The industry is hungry for versatile satellites that are affordable and built fast in high volumes. This is why we created Flatellite,” – “Flatellite is more than just a new product developed to serve our customers’ ever-evolving needs. It’s a bold, strategic move toward completing the final step in Rocket Lab’s ultimate vision of being a truly end-to-end space company, operating its own constellation and delivering services from space. By having our own rides to space with Neutron and Electron and being able to build our own spacecraft in high volumes, we're at a distinct advantage when it comes to deploying constellations with speed and cost-efficiency.” As mentioned by Beck, Rocket Lab has the advantage of launching its internally produced spacecraft, allowing customers to stay with the company from mission planning to launch. SpaceX is the only other American space company to notably utilize this capability with its Starlink and Starshield spacecraft, which have been a success with commercial and government customers, while demonstrating a growing launch cadence. Rocket Lab is likely eyeing some of those customers, mainly the U.S. Department of Defense [wants to operate](https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/11/nro-chief-you-cant-hide-from-our-new-swarm-of-spacex-built-spy-satellites/?ref=proximareport.com) vast fleets of spy satellites. Launching batches of Flatellites routinely will allow the company to demonstrate Neutrons' reliability and capabilities while posing no risk to customers' spacecraft. ## Who is Rocket Lab? Rocket Lab is an American spaceflight company founded in June 2006 and headquartered in Long Beach, California. Rocket Lab currently operates the Electron small satellite launch vehicle and is developing the partially reusable medium-lift Neutron launch vehicle. The company also owns a number of other spaceflight companies to provide an end-to-end solution from mission planning to launch. ### Weekly Dose of Space (23/2-1/3) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-23-2-1-3/ Last updated: 2025-03-02T18:56:57.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week once again saw five launches taking place, with missions heading out toward the Moon and deep space. News from the week had Pakistan planning to fly to China's space station, Virgin Galactic set to begin work on new spaceplanes, and Blue Origin announcing the crew of the NS-31 mission. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *February 25th - New Shepard for NS-30* Blue Origin launched New Shepard's tenth crewed mission from the company's West Texas launch site. Onboard New Shepard were passengers Lane Bess, Jesús Calleja, Elaine Chia Hyde, Dr. Richard Scott, Tushar Shah, and an undisclosed sixth individual. > Making memories above the Kármán line. [pic.twitter.com/o7JbVnBoWq](https://t.co/o7JbVnBoWq?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) [February 26, 2025](https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1894830229589229817?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Blue Origin's recap of the NS-30 mission, via [Blue Origin on Twitter](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1894830229589229817?ref=proximareport.com). ### *February 27th - 27th - Falcon 9 with Nova-C IM-2 and other payloads* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Launch Complex 39A carrying Intuitive Machines' second Nova-C lander for the IM-2 mission, NASA's Lunar Trailblazer satellite, and an unknown commercial satellite to a lunar transfer orbit, more details on the payloads are available [here](https://cosmicnxws.com/im-2-astroforge-nasa?ref=proximareport.com). The booster supporting this mission was B1083, making its ninth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A carrying IM-2 and other missions. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/GkwzGQ6aoAIa0vG-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A carrying IM-2 and other missions. ©SpaceX ### *February 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-13* Twenty-one more Starlink satellites were launched to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster that supported this mission may have been B1092, flying for the first time and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 12-13 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/GkxQyUmXEAAx8mF-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 12-13 mission. ©SpaceX ### *February 27th - Long March 2C with SuperView Neo-1 03 & 04* A Long March 2C lifted off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying two satellites to sun-synchronous orbit. The two satellites were the SuperView Neo-1 03 and 04 commercial remote sensing satellites. ![The Long March 2C Y81 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/008iEnCggy1hyz7jffzxkj30zk1ln164-1.jpg) The Long March 2C Y81 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *February 27th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progres MS-30* A Soyuz 2.1a flying from the Baikonur Cosmodrome launched the Progress MS-30 spacecraft into low Earth orbit where it began its journey to the International Space Station. ### *March 1st - Kuaizhou-1A with an unknown payload* ExPace attempted to launch its Kuaizhou-1A vehicle from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. This launch is [believed](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/expace-may-have-suffered-loss-of?ref=proximareport.com) to have failed very early into flight. ## **In Other Space News** ### *All woman NS-31 crew to include Katy Perry* ![Blue Origin's promotional image for the NS-31 mission. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/NS31_AstroGrid.jpg) Blue Origin's promotional image for the NS-31 mission. ©Blue Origin On February 27th, [Blue Origin announced](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-shepard-ns-31-mission?ref=proximareport.com) who would be flying on the NS-31 mission, the company's eleventh crewed New Shepard flight. The names and some details (courtesy of Blue Origin) about the crew are as follows: **Katy Perry** is the biggest-selling female artist in Capitol Records’ history and one of the best-selling music artists of all time with over 115 billion streams. Aside from being a global pop superstar, Katy is an active advocate of many philanthropic causes, including as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador where she uses her powerful voice to ensure every child’s right to health, education, equality, and protection, and her own Firework Foundation, which empowers children from underserved communities by igniting their inner light through the arts. **Gayle King** is an award-winning journalist, co-host of *CBS Mornings*, editor-at-large of *Oprah Daily*, and the host of *Gayle King in the House* on SiriusXM radio. In a career spanning decades, King has been recognized as a gifted, compassionate interviewer able to break through the noise and create meaningful conversations. **Aisha Bowe** is a former NASA rocket scientist, entrepreneur, and global STEM advocate. She is the CEO of STEMBoard, an engineering firm recognized twice on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies, and the founder of LINGO, an edtech company on a mission to equip one million students with essential tech skills. **Amanda Nguyen** is a bioastronautics research scientist. She graduated from Harvard, and conducted research at Harvard Center for Astrophysics, MIT, NASA, and International Institute for Astronautical Sciences. Amanda worked on the last NASA shuttle mission, STS-135, and the Kepler exoplanet mission. For her advocacy for sexual violence survivors, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and awarded TIME’s Woman of the Year. **Kerianne Flynn** has spent the last decade, following a successful career in fashion and human resources, channeling her energy into community-building through board service and nonprofit work with The Allen-Stevenson School, The High Line, and Hudson River Park. Passionate about the transformative power of storytelling, Kerianne has produced thought-provoking films such as *This Changes Everything* (2018), which explores the history of women in Hollywood, and *LILLY* (2024), a powerful tribute to fair-pay advocate Lilly Ledbetter. **Lauren Sánchez** is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, New York Times bestselling author, pilot, Vice Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, and mother of three. In 2016, Sánchez, a licensed helicopter pilot, founded Black Ops Aviation, the first female-owned and operated aerial film and production company. Sánchez released her New York Times bestselling debut children's book, *The Fly Who Flew to Space,* in 2024\. Her work in aviation earned her the Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award in 2024 for her expertise as a helicopter pilot and aviation businesswoman. The six women will be part of the first all-female mission above the Kármán line since the flight of [Valentina Tereshkova in June 1963](https://cosmicnxws.com/vostok-1-6?ref=proximareport.com). New Shepard is currently set to perform the NS-31 mission in the Spring of this year. ### *Pakistan to fly to China's Tiangong Space Station* The China Manned Space Agency and Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission [announced on February 28th](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/pakistani-astronaut-to-be-tiangongs?ref=proximareport.com) that the two space agencies had signed an agreement to fly a Pakistani astronaut to the Tiangong Space Station. Part of the announcement from the Chinese side states: > *“According to the plan, the two sides will use about a year to complete the selection work, and Pakistani astronauts will receive comprehensive and systematic training in China. According to the flight mission planning arrangement of the Chinese space station, Pakistani astronauts will be arranged to enter the Chinese space station with Chinese astronauts to perform short-term flight missions in the next few years.”* The two space agencies have not yet provided a timeline for when a Pakistani astronaut will fly to Tiangong. However, with around a year needed for selection, followed by training, a mission carrying Pakistan's astronaut may occur in late 2026 or 2027\. Additionally, this astronaut is expected to fly for a short-duration mission, possibly only being onboard during a crew handover period. For China, flying a Pakistani astronaut will likely allow the country to develop a solid framework for future missions with more international astronauts, both to Tiangong and the Moon. ### *Virgin Galactic to begin work on new spaceplane* [Executives at Virgin Galactic](https://spacenews.com/virgin-galactic-to-start-assembly-of-first-new-spaceplane-in-march/?ref=proximareport.com) announced in an earnings call on February 26th that it would start work on assembling its first next generation spaceplanes, expected to fly in mid-2026\. As part of the call, Virgin Galactic's Chief Executive Officer, Michael Colglazier stated: > “The production and launch timeline for the new \[Delta\] ships remains on track, with our first commercial research spaceflight expected in the summer of 2026, and the first private astronaut spaceflight in the fall of 2026,” – “We are able to be more specific with projecting our timelines because we now have line of sight to the delivery dates of each and every tool and part that supports assembly.” Last year the company retired its Unity line of spaceplanes to develop the improved Delta spaceplanes. Once flying next year, the Delta spaceplanes are intended to bring Virgin Galactic to profitability. When pushed about development, Mike Moses, Virgin Galactic's spaceline president, added: > “Unity required moving in small incremental steps to build up the knowledge about the spaceship’s performance and limits,” – “The test flights of Delta will be much more like regression testing, where we are incrementally expanding how Delta flies, but doing so by comparing it to how we know Unity flew.” Virgin Galactic expects the Delta spaceplanes to quickly pass through testing to meet its mid-2026 target. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *March 2nd -* Soyuz 2.1b with Glonnass-K2 A Soyuz 2.1b may liftoff from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying a Glonass-K2 satellite to medium Earth orbit. ### *March 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-20* Another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to launch atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *March 3rd - Ariane 6 with Composante Spatiale Optique-3* An Ariane 6 is expected to fly into sun-synchronous orbit from the Guiana Space Center carrying the Composante Spatiale Optique-3 optical imaging satellite for the French military. ### *March 3rd - Starship-Super Heavy for its eighth flight test* SpaceX could be attempting Starship-Super Heavy's eighth flight test on February 26th utilizing Ship 34 and Booster 15. ### *March 5th - Falcon 9 with SPHEREx and PUNCH* A Falcon 9 is planned to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E into a polar orbit carrying NASA's SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) and PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) spacecraft. ### *March 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-21* Yet another batch of Starlink satellites may launch from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9. ### *March 6th - Falcon 9 with Transporter-13* A Falcon 9 is planned to launch SpaceX's thirteenth dedicated Transporter rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *March 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-16* Even more Starlink satellites may launch from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9. ### *March 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-7* And yet more Starlink satellites may launch from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of a Falcon 9. ### Firefly Lands on the Moon! URL: https://proximareport.com/firefly-lands-on-the-moon/ Last updated: 2025-03-02T14:29:15.000Z Firefly Aerospace's first Blue Ghost lunar landing mission, named '*Ghost Riders in the Sky*', began its journey to the Moon early on [January 15th](https://cosmicnxws.com/falcon-9-firefly-ispace-moon?ref=proximareport.com), entering lunar orbit just over [two weeks ago](https://fireflyspace.com/news/blue-ghost-mission-1-live-updates/?ref=proximareport.com). Today, Blue Ghost has [successfully touched down](https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-becomes-first-commercial-company-to-successfully-land-on-the-moon/?ref=proximareport.com) on the Moon! Descent toward the lunar surface began at 08:19 am Universal Coordinated Time when the GO command was given to Blue Ghost, the descent burn then began at 08:22\. Over the next nine minutes all of the spacecraft's engines fired until the main engine was shut down to fine tune the landing velocity. Under the power of eight smaller engines, Blue Ghost touched down on the lunar surface at 08:34 am. According to Firefly, Blue Ghost completed its landing within 100 meters of its target in Mare Crisium, landing near a volcanic feature called Mons Latreille. With the landing, Firefly has also become the first company part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative to achieve a wholly successful lunar mission. Now on the Moon's surface, Blue Ghost will spend the next lunar day, fourteen Earth days, running its various scientific payloads. Some of these payloads include lunar subsurface drilling, sample collection, X-ray imaging, and dust mitigation experiments. Several experiments already began collecting data en-route to the Moon, gathering around twenty-seven gigabytes of data, with Firefly Aerospace's Chief Technology Officer Shear Ferring stating: > “With the hardest part behind us, Firefly looks forward to completing more than 14 days of surface operations, again raising the bar for commercial cislunar capabilities,” – “Just through transit to the Moon, Firefly’s mission has already delivered the most science data to date for the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative." At the end of the current lunar day, Firefly is hoping to observe a lunar sunset to provide data on how lunar dust levitates due to solar influences and creates a lunar horizon glow. After the sunset, Blue Ghost will operate for a few more hours before succumbing to the extreme cold. With the success of Blue Ghost's first mission, two more capable missions are set for [2026](https://fireflyspace.com/missions/blue-ghost-mission-2/?ref=proximareport.com) and [2028](https://fireflyspace.com/missions/blue-ghost-mission-3/?ref=proximareport.com) respectively. Regarding future missions to the Moon, Firefly Aerospace's Chief Executive Officer, Jason Kim added: > “Firefly is literally and figuratively over the Moon,” – “Our Blue Ghost lunar lander now has a permanent home on the lunar surface with 10 NASA payloads and a plaque with every Firefly employee’s name. This bold, unstoppable team has proven we’re well equipped to deliver reliable, affordable access to the Moon, and we won’t stop there. With annual lunar missions, Firefly is paving the way for a lasting lunar presence that will help unlock access to the rest of the solar system for our nation, our partners, and the world.” ## What payloads are onboard? For Blue Ghost's first mission, the lander is carrying ten payloads. Those payloads are: - **Lunar Instrumentation for Subsurface Thermal Exploration with Rapidity (LISTER)**, which aims to characterize heat flow from the interior of the Moon by measuring the thermal gradient and conductivity of the lunar subsurface. - **Lunar PlanetVac (LPV)**, which is aiming to demonstrate pneumatic sample collection of lunar regolith by collecting and sorting regolith within its sample collection chamber. - **Next Generation Lunar Retroreflector (NGLR)**, which hopes to support the determination of the distance between Earth and the Moon by reflecting very short laser pulses from Earth-based Lunar Laser Ranging Observatories and measuring the laser pulse transit time to the Moon and back - **Regolith Adherence Characterization (RAC)**, which aims to determine how lunar regolith sticks to a range of materials exposed to the Moon’s environment throughout the lunar day. - **Radiation Tolerant Computer (RadPC)**, which is aiming to demonstrate a computer that can recover from faults caused by ionizing radiation. - **Electrodynamic Dust Shield (EDS)**, which hopes to demonstrate an active dust mitigation technology that uses electric fields to move dust from surfaces and to prevent dust accumulation on surfaces. - **Lunar Environment heliospheric X-ray Imager (LEXI)**, which is aiming to capture a series of X-ray images to study the interaction of solar wind and the Earth’s magnetic field that drives geomagnetic disturbances and storms. - **Lunar Magnetotelluric Sounder (LMS)**, aims to characterize the structure and composition of the Moon’s mantle by measuring electric and magnetic fields. - **Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE)**, is hoping to receive and track signals from the GPS and Galileo navigation satellite constellations during the Earth-to-Moon transit and throughout a full lunar day on the Moon’s surface. - **Stereo CAmera for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies (SCALPSS)**, which is aiming to use stereo imaging photogrammetry to capture the impact of rocket plume on lunar regolith as the Blue Ghost lander descends on the Moon’s surface. ## What is Blue Ghost? Blue Ghost is Firefly Aerospace's privately developed lunar lander, capable of delivering 150 kilograms to the lunar surface or 2,700 kilograms into the Moon's orbit. The lander stands at just 2 meters tall while being 3.5 meters wide. Firefly is hoping to perform yearly missions with Blue Ghost with launches across a variety of rockets, including its own in-development medium-lift launch vehicle. In arguing why customers, like NASA, should choose Blue Ghost, the company [says](https://fireflyspace.com/blue-ghost/?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io): > "Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander is designed and built to be easily adapted to serve each customer’s unique cislunar needs. Our vertically integrated approach with shared components across our vehicles further enables scaled efficiencies, quality assurance, and lower costs that we pass on to our customers." ![A render of Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander. ©Firefly Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/BGM1-Landed-NEW-July-2024-v01-1-e1722025440926-1601x2048-1.webp) A render of Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander. ©Firefly Aerospace ### Monthly Dose of Space - February 2025 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-february-2025/ Last updated: 2025-03-01T16:43:11.000Z Welcome to our seventeenth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month. February has continued last month's momentum, so let's jump into it! ## **News of the Month** News in February saw SpaceX being awarded another NASA launch, the OneWeb constellation testing 5G, Artemis II's SLS boosters completing stacking, and the Einstein Probe making discoveries. ### Trouble ahead for SLS & Artemis Back in the first week of February, Boeing warned employees working on NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) of potential layoffs that may occur within 60 days. With the warning to employees, Boeing also told [Ars Technica](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/02/boeing-has-informed-its-employees-that-nasa-may-cancel-sls-contracts/?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) and [SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/boeing-warns-sls-employees-of-potential-layoffs/?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io): > "To align with revisions to the Artemis program and cost expectations, today we informed our Space Launch Systems team of the potential for approximately 400 fewer positions by April 2025," – "This will require 60-day notices of involuntary layoff be issued to impacted employees in coming weeks, in accordance with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. We are working with our customer and seeking opportunities to redeploy employees across our company to minimize job losses and retain our talented teammates." According to Ars Technica's sources, senior leadership at NASA including acting administrator Janet Petro, who has been a yes man of [policy](https://cosmicnxws.com/trump-begins-witchhunt-within-nasa?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) [since](https://cosmicnxws.com/nasa-lgbtq-policy-2025?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) the inauguration, have been urging the White House not the cancel the rocket before the Artemis III mission returns American Astronauts to the moon around 2027. SLS has been criticized routinely due to an estimated cost of 2 billion United States Dollars per launch, but it is the only way the Orion spacecraft can be sent toward the Moon. No alternatives for launching Orion currently exist but those against SLS argue in favor of using a commercial launch vehicle, none of which would be able to send the spacecraft toward the Moon. Additionally, NASA's associate administrator Jim Free [retired from NASA](https://spacenews.com/jim-free-nasa-associate-administrator-to-retire/?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io), effective from February 22nd. The day before, three unnamed key officials [also reportedly](https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202502/21/WS67b7e30fa310c240449d684d.html?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) retired from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, located in Huntsville Alabama, who were key parts of the agency's Artemis program in its current setup. Free's retirement came during a transition period for the agency as it navigates the shifting plans of the second Trump administration. Free had been set to become acting NASA administrator for the transition but was passed up for [Janet Petro](https://spacenews.com/second-trump-administration-begins-with-confusion-on-acting-nasa-leadership/?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io), head of the Kennedy Space Center, instead. Neither NASA nor the White House have provided a reason why Free was not selected but it is said to have been on grounds of political beliefs. During the transition period, NASA is [also dealing with](https://spacenews.com/house-members-seek-more-details-on-doge-activities-at-nasa/?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) the 'Department of Government Efficiency' and its attempts to slash the space agency's workforce. The so-called efficiency department is headed by Elon Musk and aims to remove trillions of dollars from government spending with no oversight or transparency. A few days ago Musk's efficiency department tried, and thankfully failed, to reduce NASA's workforce by a level not seen [since the end of the Apollo program](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/casey-dreier-7371a054%5Ftodays-indiscriminate-layoffs-at-nasa-represent-activity-7297633311626072064-aP%5Fb/?rcm=ACoAADPrrp0B42OTD3pICNiphuCaOsv8nlxTxn4&ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) in the 1970s. Alongside these developments, [Ars Technica is reporting](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/02/long-time-advocate-of-sls-rocket-says-its-time-to-find-an-off-ramp/?ref=proximareport.com) that long-time supporter of the SLS Scott Pace, executive secretary of the National Space Council during Trump's first term, has had a change of tune and is now supporting alternatives to the vehicle. Scott Pace was quoted by Ars as stating that reliance on SLS needs an off-ramp and that NASA should instead look to buy a services with a commercial heavy lift rocket. Additionally, Pace believes a commercial vehicle could allow for multiple missions per year. Having key figures within NASA leave, while policymakers no longer support SLS, and possibly canceling SLS before it can perform the Artemis III mission may allow China to send people to the lunar surface before Americans can return. This would be a major blow to the U.S.'s image of being a leading science and exploration power. *Part of this story was taken from* [*Weekly Dose of Space (2/2-8/2)*](https://cosmicnxws.com/weekly-dose-of-space-2-2-8-2?ref=proximareport.com) *and* [*Weekly Dose of Space (16/2-22/2)*](https://cosmicnxws.com/weekly-dose-of-space-16-2-22-2?ref=proximareport.com)*.* ### *Artemis II booster stacking completed* ![The two solid rocket boosters of NASA's Space Launch System after stacking off all segments was completed. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/ksc-20250219-ph-kls01-0001.jpg) The two solid rocket boosters of NASA's Space Launch System after stacking off all segments was completed. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA Despite potential troubles, NASA [announced on February 19th](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2025/02/19/stacking-complete-on-artemis-ii-rocket-boosters/?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) that it had completed the stacking of its Space Launch System's (SLS) two solid rocket boosters ahead of the Artemis II mission next year. Both of the boosters consist of five segments, an avionics package, and a nosecone, with a total height of 54 meters (177 feet). Stacking of the two boosters began back in November 2024, with teams gradually stacking all of the hardware over the last four months. Throughout the remainder of the year, teams will lift SLS' core stage between the boosters, followed by attaching the Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter atop of the core before the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Station is stacked too. Eventually, the Orion spacecraft, including its service module and launch abort system, will be stacked to complete the vehicle. NASA's Artemis II mission, which will utilize the SLS currently being stacked, is currently set to launch around [April 2026](https://cosmicnxws.com/nasa-delays-artemis-ii-2026?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io). This mission will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day journey around the Moon. *This story is from* [*Weekly Dose of Space (16/2-22/2*](https://cosmicnxws.com/weekly-dose-of-space-16-2-22-2?ref=proximareport.com)*).* ### Eutelsat performs 5G test with LEO satellites [SpaceNews is reporting](https://spacenews.com/eutelsat-hails-pioneering-5g-test-over-leo/?ref=proximareport.com) that Eutelsat has successfully performed a 5G connectivity test using its fleet of over six hundred OneWeb satellites in low Earth orbit. The tests were reportedly performed using a MediaTek 5G chipset and a 5G base station on a private network. Quoted by SpaceNews, Daniele Finocchiaro, Eutelsat’s head of R&D and technology roadmap, said: > “The target was to demonstrate feasibility, so we do not have performance measures to share at this stage,” – “This opens the way to a smoother integration between terrestrial and satellite networks, as many components (both hardware and software) will be identical or very similar.” If the technology is proven at scale, Eutelsat will be able to utilize its OneWeb fleet to remove service deadzones worldwide. Notably, Eutelsat is also set to be the operator of Europe's IRIS² constellation, which will have a few hundred satellites in low Earth orbit by the 2030s. ### Einstein Probe detects unusual celestial pair The joint Chinese Academy of Sciences-European Space Agency Einstein Probe has been in orbit for [just over a year](https://cosmicnxws.com/china-launches-einstein-probe?ref=proximareport.com) and is already making discoveries. In late February, the [European Space Agency shared](https://www.esa.int/Science%5FExploration/Space%5FScience/Einstein%5FProbe%5Fcatches%5FX-ray%5Fodd%5Fcouple?ref=proximareport.com) that the Wide-field X-ray Telescope on the Einstein Probe spotted X-rays coming from the Small Magellanic Cloud. These X-rays were coming from a new source labeled EP J0052\. Additionally, Alessio Marino, a researcher at the Institute of Space Sciences in Spain, explains: > *“We were chasing fleeting sources, when we came across this new spot of X-ray light in the Small Magellanic Cloud. We realised that we were looking at something unusual, that only Einstein Probe could catch,” — “We soon understood that we were dealing with a rare discovery of a very elusive celestial couple” — “The unusual duo consists of a massive star that we call a Be star, weighting 12 times the Sun, and a stellar ‘corpse’ known as a white dwarf, a compact and hyper-dense object, with a mass similar to that of our star.”* The European Space Agency also states that the two stars closely orbit each other, and the white dwarf’s intense gravitational field pulls matter from its companion. As more and more material rains down on the compact object, its strong gravity compresses it, until a runaway nuclear explosion is initiated. This creates a bright flash of light across a wide range of wavelengths from visible light to UVs and X-rays. Speaking to [China Daily](https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202502/22/WS67b9136ca310c240449d6a2f.html?ref=proximareport.com), Yuan Weimin, the Einstein Probe's principal investigator, added: > *“The discovery opens a new way to explore how massive stars interact and evolve, confirming the unique power of the mission to uncover fleeting X-ray sources in the sky,” — "We hope the Einstein Probe satellite will continue to drive advancements in high-energy time-domain astronomy"* ### SpaceX selected to launch NEO Surveyor NASA [announced on February 21st](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-awards-planetary-defense-space-telescope-launch-services-contract/?ref=proximareport.com) that it had selected SpaceX to launch its NEO Surveyor spacecraft atop of a Falcon 9 no earlier than September 2027\. The contract to launch the spacecraft is valued at approximately 100 million United States Dollars. NASA's NEO Surveyor mission is aiming to last around five years while finding at least two-thirds of the potential near-Earth asteroids that are larger than 140 meters in diameter. To find asteroids, NEO Surveyor has a single approximately 20-inch diameter telescope that will operate in two heat-sensing infrared wavelengths. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw **twenty-two** launches worldwide, continuing a hectic year. If you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *February 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-4* Beginning the month was a batch of twenty-two Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9, flying from Space Launch Complex 4E in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1075, making its seventeenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *February 2nd - H3 with Michibiki-6* Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' H3 rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center, in southern Japan, carrying the Michibiki-6 satellite to geostationary transfer orbit. Michibiki-6 is a navigation satellite for providing services in urban centers and mountainous regions. ### *February 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-3* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-one Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The booster supporting this mission was b1069, flying for the twenty-first time and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instruction' downrange. ### *February 4th - New Shepard for NS-29* New Shepard performed a suborbital flight from Blue Origin's West Texas launch site carrying thirty payloads above the Kármán line and simulating lunar gravity. The booster for this mission is believed to have been NS-5, flying for the second time. More details about this mission are available [here](https://cosmicnxws.com/new-shepard-lunar-gravity?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io). ### *February 4th - Falcon 9 with WorldView Legion 5 & 6* Two more satellites for Maxar's WorldView Legion constellation were launched from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, to low Earth orbit. Supporting this launch was booster B1086 on its fourth flight, with a landing back at Landing Zone 1 in Florida. ### *February 5th - Soyuz 2.1v with three Kosmos satellites* What is believed to have been the [last](https://russianspaceweb.com/spacecraft-military-soyuz2-1v-2025-0205.html?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) Soyuz 2.1v lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying three Kosmos satellites into a polar orbit. ### *February 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-9* Another Falcon 9 carried twenty-one Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. B1078 supported this mission for its seventeenth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *February 8th - Electron for 'IoT 4 You and Me'* Rocket Lab launched Kinéis' fourth group of five satellites for a planned Internet of Things constellation, consisting of five satellites. This mission was launched onboard Electron from Launch Complex 1 on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand. ### *February 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-10* SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The booster supporting this launch was B1071, making its twenty-third flight and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *February 11th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 02* The first Long March 8A blasted off from LC-201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Center, in China's southern Hainan Province, carrying the second batch of satellites for the GuoWang satellite internet mega-constellation into low Earth orbit. This batch of satellites is [believed](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/straight-into-business-with-guowang?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) to have consisted of nine satellites, bringing the constellation up to nineteen satellites of a planned 13,000 by the 2030s. ### *February 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-18* A Falcon 9 blasted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-one Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Booster B1077 supported this launch for its eighteenth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *February 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-8* Twenty-one more Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. B1067 supported this launch for its twenty-sixth flight, landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange afterward. ### *February 18th - Electron for 'Fasten Your Space Belts'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying a commercial imaging satellite into low Earth orbit from BlackSky. ### *February 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-12* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting the launch was booster B1080 on its sixteenth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *February 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-14* Another Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying another twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth Orbit. This launch was supported by B1076 on its twenty-first flight, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *February 22nd - Long March 3B/E with ChinaSat-10R* A Long March 3B/E lifted off from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the ChinaSat-10R spacecraft to a geostationary transfer orbit. The ChinaSat-10R spacecraft is a replacement for the aging ChinaSat-10 and will provide communications and data services for China and other Belt and Road initiative nations. ### *February 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-1* Twenty-two more Starlink satellites were carried into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1082 supported this launch, for its eleventh flight with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Couse I Still Love You' downrange. ### *February 25th - New Shepard for NS-30* Blue Origin launched New Shepard's tenth crewed mission from the company's West Texas launch site. Onboard New Shepard were passengers Lane Bess, Jesús Calleja, Elaine Chia Hyde, Dr. Richard Scott, Tushar Shah, and an undisclosed sixth individual. ### *February 27th - 27th - Falcon 9 with Nova-C IM-2 and other payloads* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Launch Complex 39A carrying Intuitive Machines' second Nova-C lander for the IM-2 mission, NASA's Lunar Trailblazer satellite, and an unknown commercial satellite to a lunar transfer orbit, more details on the payloads are available [here](https://cosmicnxws.com/im-2-astroforge-nasa?ref=proximareport.com). The booster supporting this mission was B1083, making its ninth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *February 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-13* Twenty-one more Starlink satellites were launched to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster that supported this mission may have been B1092, flying for the first time and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *February 27th - Long March 2C with SuperView Neo-1 03 & 04* A Long March 2C lifted off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying two satellites to sun-synchronous orbit. The two satellites were the SuperView Neo-1 03 and 04 commercial remote sensing satellites. ### *February 27th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progres MS-30* A Soyuz 2.1a flying from the Baikonur Cosmodrome launched the Progress MS-30 spacecraft into low Earth orbit where it began its journey to the International Space Station. ## Launches to look out for in March! March will continue a hectic year of launches. Listed below are all of the launches expected or very likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of March may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *March 1st - Falcon 9 with SPHEREx and PUNCH* A Falcon 9 is planned to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E into a polar orbit carrying NASA's SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) and PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) spacecraft. ### *March 1st - Kuaizhou-1A with a to-be-announced payload* ExPace's Kuaizhou-1A may launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying a to-be-announced payload into sun-synchronous orbit. ### *March 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-20* Another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to launch atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *March 2nd - Ceres-1 with a to-be-announced payload* Galactic Energy's Ceres-1 may launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying a to-be-announced payload to a sun-synchronous orbit. ### *March 2nd - Soyuz 2.1b with Glonnass-K2* A Soyuz 2.1b may liftoff from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying a Glonass-K2 satellite to medium Earth orbit. ### *March 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-21* Yet another batch of Starlink satellites may launch from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9. ### *March 3rd - Ariane 6 with Composante Spatiale Optique-3* An Ariane 6 is expected to fly into sun-synchronous orbit from the Guiana Space Center carrying the Composante Spatiale Optique-3 optical imaging satellite for the French military. ### *March 3rd - Starship-Super Heavy for its eighth flight test* SpaceX could be attempting Starship-Super Heavy's eighth flight test on February 26th utilizing Ship 34 and Booster 15. ### *March 4th - Falcon 9 with Transporter-13* A Falcon 9 is planned to launch SpaceX's thirteenth dedicated Transporter rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *March 12th - Falcon 9 with Crew-10* Crew Dragon is expected to launch atop of a Falcon 9 for NASA's Crew-10 mission carrying NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos astronaut Kirill Peskov to the International Space Station. ### *March 12th - Long March 8 with Qianfan satellites* A Long March 8 may launch from Commercial Launch Pad 1 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site carrying a batch of Qianfan satellites into low Earth orbit. ### NASA, Intuitive Machines, AstroForge Launch in Search of Space Resources URL: https://proximareport.com/im-2-astroforge-nasa/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T00:38:49.000Z Early in the evening, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida carrying NASA's Lunar Trailblazer, Intuitive Machines' Nova-C "Athena", and AstroForge's Odin, all intended to prospect for resources at the Moon and beyond. > Liftoff of IM-2! [pic.twitter.com/iJ3BCekqJs](https://t.co/iJ3BCekqJs?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [February 27, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1894904947332051048?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) --- ## Lunar Trailblazer ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/jpegPIA26390.jpg) Lunar Trailblazer deploying it's solar arrays. Credit: Lockheed Martin Lunar Trailblazer was selected by NASA in 2019 as part of the Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) program. Its mission is to map the distribution of water ice on the moon, which will help scientists understand the Lunar water cycle and pave the way for future human missions with Artemis that will utilize water ice and other lunar resources in-situ, allowing for a sustained human presence at the Moon. Water ice can be extracted and purified into liquid water for drinking and industrial purposes, the water can also be split into hydrogen for rocket fuel and oxygen for air. Lunar Trailblazer is expected to reach the moon in four to seven months. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/https-3a-2f-2fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2f197bf622-b79c-4132-a914-ff8b780f75a0_1250x1250-jpeg.jpg) Lunar Trailblazer will map the distribution of water ice on the lunar surface. Credit: Lockheed Martin --- ## IM-2 Nova-C "Athena" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/Intuitive_Machines.width-880.png) Nova-C "Athena" lander for the IM-2 mission. Credit: Intuitive Machines IM-2 is Intuitive Machines' second mission under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. On the previous mission, IM-1's Nova-C "Odysseus" lander tipped over after landing but still managed to conduct some experiments and send back images. The primary payload of IM-2 is NASA's Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) which will drill for water ice samples on the lunar surface and use the Msolo mass spectrometer to measure the water ice concentration in the samples. While on the surface, Nova-C will also deploy a Micro-Nova Hopper "Grace" which will fly into the permanently shadowed craters at the lunar south pole in search of water ice. Nova-C is also carrying two lunar rovers, MAPP (Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform) built by Lunar Outpost will map the surface of the landing site, collect thermal data, and inspect regolith samples. The rover will also deploy another rover, AstroAnt, built by MIT. AstroAnt is about the size of a matchbox and will ride on top of MAPP where it's radiators are located and collect thermal data. MAPP will also demonstrate 4G cellular connectivity on the Moon between itself and the Nova-C "Atehna" lander using equipment developed in a collaboration between NASA and Nokia Bell Labs. The lander will also test this technology with the Micro-Nova Hopper "Grace". IM-2 is expected to land at Shackleton Connecting Ridge at the lunar south pole in early March. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/IM-2_Traj--1-.png) IM-2 mission trajectory. Credit: Intuitive Machines --- ## AstroForge's Odin ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/20250222_201702.jpg) Odin testing it's long range imagers on some birds. Credit: AstroForge AstroForge's Odin spacecraft will travel for about 300 days to perform a flyby of asteroid 2022 OB5 in order to determine whether it is metallic. The next mission, Vestri, will return to 2022 OB5 and land on it to extract metals after launching on a rideshare mission with IM-3\. AstroForge's previous mission, Brokkr-1, launched on Transporter-7, successfully operated in Earth orbit but was unable to use it's metal refinery technology demonstration. AstroForge states that their company’s mission is to mine asteroids for their valuable Platinum Group Metals, which can be used for important technologies such as catalytic converters, clean energy technologies, and medical equipment, at a lower price and with less carbon footprint than terrestrial mining on Earth. If Odin is successful, it will become the first privately built spacecraft to venture into deep space, paving the way for a future deep space space economy beyond the Earth-Moon system and unlocking the vast untapped resources of our solar system. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/20250222_211037.jpg) Odin tests it's solar arrays. ​Credit: AstroForge ### SpaceX to reattempt failed flight NET February 28th URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-reattempt-failed-net-28th/ Last updated: 2025-02-24T18:18:31.000Z A little over a month ago, SpaceX flew [Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-7?ref=proximareport.com). During that flight test the company managed to repeat the feat of catching the booster but the upper-stage exploded during its ascent into orbit. Regarding the failure of Starship during the previous flight test, [SpaceX stated the following](https://www.spacex.com/updates/?ref=proximareport.com#flight-7-report): > "After vehicle separation, Starship's six second stage Raptor engines powered the vehicle along its expected trajectory. Approximately two minutes into its burn, a flash was observed in the aft section of the vehicle near one of the Raptor vacuum engines. This aft section, commonly referred to as the attic, is an unpressurized area between the bottom of the liquid oxygen tank and the aft heatshield. Sensors in the attic detected a pressure rise indicative of a leak after the flash was seen." > "Roughly two minutes later, another flash was observed followed by sustained fires in the attic. These eventually caused all but one of Starship’s engines to execute controlled shut down sequences and ultimately led to a loss of communication with the ship. Telemetry from the vehicle was last received just over eight minutes and 20 seconds into flight." > "The most probable root cause for the loss of ship was identified as a harmonic response several times stronger in flight than had been seen during testing, which led to increased stress on hardware in the propulsion system. The subsequent propellant leaks exceeded the venting capability of the ship’s attic area and resulted in sustained fires." Since the last flight, SpaceX has been working toward flying again while [being grounded](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2yyxrz9kvo?ref=proximareport.com) by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Despite this, SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk has stated that the eighth flight test could occur as early as [Friday February 28th](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1894085388936831363?ref=proximareport.com). > The seventh flight test of Starship ended before reaching its ambitious goals. Lessons learned are being applied to future vehicles to make them more reliable. A technical summary of the investigation can be found here → [https://t.co/bPVruJ0uY7](https://t.co/bPVruJ0uY7?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/9noR4rrs7W](https://t.co/9noR4rrs7W?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [February 24, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1894084592958587045?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) SpaceX's recap video of the seventh flight test, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1894084592958587045?ref=proximareport.com). So far Musk and SpaceX have shared a few details about the eighth flight test, but as the last flight failed before any major criteria could be completed it will be aiming to achieve the same goals. These goals will hopefully be achieved by Ship 34, the second 'Block 2' Starship, and Booster 15\. Some details on the upcoming flight [are as follows](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-8&ref=proximareport.com): > "The upcoming flight will target objectives not reached on the previous test, including Starship’s first payload deployment and multiple reentry experiments geared towards returning the upper stage to the launch site for catch. The flight also includes the launch, return, and catch of the Super Heavy booster." > "Extensive upgrades to Starship’s upper stage debuted on the previous flight test, focused on adding reliability and performance across all phases of flight. Starship’s forward flaps have been upgraded to significantly reduce their exposure to reentry heating while simplifying the underlying mechanisms and protective tiling. Redesigns to the propulsion system, including a 25 percent increase in propellant volume over previous generations, add additional vehicle performance and the ability to fly longer duration missions. And the vehicle’s avionics underwent a complete redesign, adding additional capability and redundancy for increasingly complex missions like propellant transfer and ship return to the launch site." Like last time, Ship 34 will also attempt to deploy Starship's first payloads with a handful of Starlink satellite simulators being released. These payloads will be destroyed upon reentry due to the flight tests' suborbital trajectory. An in-space Raptor relight test is also planned. Various pieces of hardware for Starship upper-stage tower catches are also flying on Ship 34 to thermally test the equipment. Experimental tiles are also on the Ship to test alternative thermal protection systems, such as active cooling, along with some being removed to stress test potential weak spots. As a 'Block 2' Starship hopefully survives more than a few minutes this time, Booster 15 will be heading back to the launch site to repeat the feat of being caught by the launch tower. This feat has so far been proven twice during the previous flight test as well as the [fifth flight test](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-5?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io). If the eighth flight test is successful, flight nine could head into orbit potentially for the first tower catch of a Starship. 2025 is set to be a key year for the Starship program as a Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer is expected this year by NASA. Propellant transfer between two vehicles is critical for getting the Starship lunar lander out to the Moon, and returning American astronauts to the surface through the Artemis program. ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-four meters tall and weighs 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ### What is Starship? > Starship long-duration static fire ahead of the eighth flight test [pic.twitter.com/KJmSKdxDCC](https://t.co/KJmSKdxDCC?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [February 12, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1889799254472098080?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 34 performing a static fire test ahead of the eighth flight test, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1889799254472098080?ref=proximareport.com). Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Starship is believed to weigh 1,300,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. In order to survive re-entry for reuse, Starship has several thousand thermal protection tiles on one side of the vehicle and on all four of its aerodynamic control surfaces. The four control surfaces help guide the vehicle during re-entry and prior to landing inside the atmosphere at a pre-determined location. Starship also has a series of small thrusters to control the vehicle in space before re-entry. SpaceX is believed to be working on a few variants of Starship for use as a Moon lander, propellant tanker, space station, Mars lander, and as a crewed spacecraft. ### What is Super Heavy? ![Booster 15 during rollout for testing at the launch site.©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/GjSw7EXaYAAiZ9P-1.jpg) Booster 15 during rollout for testing at the launch site.©SpaceX Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. To enable the reuse of Super Heavy, the vehicle has four large grid fins placed in the interstage to assist in guiding and controlling during descent. Super Heavy also has four chines running along the lower third of it to generate lift and assist in stabilization. Shortly after completing the ascent, Super Heavy relights ten engines, as three were running during staging, and performs a 'boost back' burn in order to return to the launch site. After the 'boost back' burn is completed the engines shut down with Super Heavy being guided by a series of small thrusters and its grid fins. Once Super Heavy is at the correct altitude above its landing location three engines start back up for the landing burn. SpaceX currently plans to have Super Heavy land in the ocean with launch site landing attempts happening with later flights. Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ### Weekly Dose of Space (16/2-22/2) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-16-2-22-2/ Last updated: 2025-02-23T15:31:41.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had five launches taking place, with most carrying Starlink satellites. News this week had the Artemis II SLS boosters completing stacking, a new European rocket preparing to launch, PLD Space planning launches from Oman, and some key figures leaving NASA. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **Launches This Week** ### *February 18th - Electron for 'Fasten Your Space Belts'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying a commercial imaging satellite into low Earth orbit from BlackSky. ![Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B for the 'Fasten Your Space Belts' mission. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/GkQel2abAAQhaiO-1.jpg) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B for the 'Fasten Your Space Belts' mission. ©Rocket Lab ### *February 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-12* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting the launch was booster B1080 on its sixteenth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. > Falcon 9 aboard the Just Read the Instructions droneship after successfully completing our first international landing off the coast of The Bahamas [pic.twitter.com/o59NcQhRXP](https://t.co/o59NcQhRXP?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [February 19, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1892340771703181676?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster B1080 aboard 'Just Read The Instructions' heading back to Florida, via [SpaceX on Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1892340771703181676?ref=proximareport.com). ### *February 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-14* Another Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying another twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth Orbit. This launch was supported by B1076 on its twenty-first flight, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 12-14 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/GkVFuc-aoAIqN5u-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 12-14 mission. ©SpaceX ### *February 22nd - Long March 3B/E with ChinaSat-10R* A Long March 3B/E lifted off from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the ChinaSat-10R spacecraft to a geostationary transfer orbit. The ChinaSat-10R spacecraft is a replacement for the aging ChinaSat-10 and will provide communications and data services for China and other Belt and Road initiative nations. ![The Long March 3B/E Y101 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 2.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/008Ehf5Jly1hytp98z0vxj31hc0zk44f-1.jpg) The Long March 3B/E Y101 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 2. ### *February 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-1* Twenty-two more Starlink satellites were carried into low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1082 supported this launch, for its eleventh flight with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Couse I Still Love You' downrange. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Artemis II booster stacking completed* ![The two solid rocket boosters of NASA's Space Launch System after stacking off all segments was completed. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/ksc-20250219-ph-kls01-0001.jpg) The two solid rocket boosters of NASA's Space Launch System after stacking off all segments was completed. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA NASA [announced on February 19th](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2025/02/19/stacking-complete-on-artemis-ii-rocket-boosters/?ref=proximareport.com) that it had completed the stacking of its Space Launch System's (SLS) two solid rocket boosters ahead of the Artemis II mission next year. Both of the boosters consist of five segments, an avionics package, and a nosecone, with a total height of 54 meters (177 feet). Stacking of the two boosters began back in November 2024, with teams gradually stacking all of the hardware over the last four months. Throughout the remainder of the year, teams will lift SLS' core stage between the boosters, followed by attaching the Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter atop of the core before the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Station is stacked too. Eventually, the Orion spacecraft, including its service module and launch abort system, will be stacked to complete the vehicle. NASA's Artemis II mission, which will utilize the SLS currently being stacked, is currently set to launch around [April 2026](https://cosmicnxws.com/nasa-delays-artemis-ii-2026?ref=proximareport.com). This mission will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day journey around the Moon. ### *Isar Aerospace conducts static fires* ![The first-stage of the Spectrum launch vehicle conducting a static fire. ©Isar Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/c-Isar-Aerospace-Photo-Wingmen-Media-_9-Engine-Hot-Fire-Stage-1_small.png) The first-stage of the Spectrum launch vehicle conducting a static fire. ©Isar Aerospace On February 21st, European launch company [Isar Aerospace announced](https://www.isaraerospace.com/press/isar-aerospace-successfully-completes-stage-1-2-static-fire-tests-final-preparations-for-test-flight-begin?ref=proximareport.com) that it had completed static fires for both stages of its Spectrum launch vehicle. These static fires were completed in Norway, ahead of a maiden flight from the Andøya Spaceport. Isar Aerospace states that all nine first-stage engines were lit for a static fire on February 14th, while the second-stage performed a static fire back in quarter three 2024\. Commenting on the successful tests and the upcoming first flight, Daniel Metzler, Isar's Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, said: > “We are almost ready for the test flight. All we need is the license” – “By enabling space access from mainland Europe, we provide a critical resource for ensuring sovereignty and resilience." – “I am extremely proud of our international team from over 50 nations. Reaching this milestone is a huge success in itself. And while Spectrum is ready for its first test flight, launch vehicles for flights two and three are already in production.” No target dates have been shared for Spectrum's maiden flight but Isar is currently awaiting regulatory approval and a launch license from the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority. ### *PLD Space to launch Miura-5 from Oman* Spanish Launch Company [PLD Space announced](https://www.pldspace.com/en/news/corporate/pld-space-expands-its-global-launch-capacity-with-its-second-spaceport-etlaq-in-oman?ref=proximareport.com) on February 20th that it had signed an agreement with Oman's Etlaq Spaceport to launch its Miura-5 rockets. Etlaq will be the company's second launch site, which is already working on a launch pad at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. PLD Space states that the choice to set up a launch site in Etlaq was due to dry and predictable weather, large swaths of oceans downrange, and the ability to launch into either a polar, sun-synchronous, or 50-degree low Earth orbit. Speaking on the need for the site, Co-Founder of PLD Space Raúl Verdú stated: > "Given the current shortage of launch infrastructure, we are excited to announce this strategic collaboration with Etlaq, which presents itself as a strategic solution to meet the needs of our customers globally," – "We will begin working with Etlaq on the design, engineering, and construction of our launch base with the goal of performing the first MIURA 5 flight from there in 2027." PLD Space expects Miura-5 to fly from Etlaq in 2027 followed by other rockets of its Miura launch vehicle series, including the larger reusable Miura Next vehicles. The company is also looking into flying its LINCE crew capsule from the site. Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Etlaq Spaceport, His Highness Sayyid Azzan bin Qais Al Said, commented on the agreement with PLD Space adding: > “We are proud to reach this milestone with PLD Space. This collaboration with PLD Space demonstrates the increasing role of Oman in the global space sector. By working with international launch providers, we aim to enhance our capabilities and contribute to the growing demand for flexible, efficient, and well-positioned spaceports. We look forward to continuing to build partnerships that strengthen Etlaq’s role as a key player in the industry.” ### *Jim Free and other key Artemis officials leave NASA* Effective from February 22nd, [announced on February 19th](https://spacenews.com/jim-free-nasa-associate-administrator-to-retire/?ref=proximareport.com), NASA's associate administrator Jim Free has retired from NASA. The day before three unnamed key officials [also reportedly](https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202502/21/WS67b7e30fa310c240449d684d.html?ref=proximareport.com) retired from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, located in Huntsville Alabama, who were key parts of the agency's Artemis program in its current setup. Reminiscing on his time at NASA, Jim Free [said](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-associate-administrator-jim-free-to-retire-after-30-years-service/?ref=proximareport.com): > “It has been an honor to serve NASA and walk alongside the workforce that tackles the most difficult engineering challenges, pursues new scientific knowledge in our universe and beyond, develops technologies for future exploration endeavors, all while prioritizing safety every day for people on the ground, in the air, and in space,” – “I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of the NASA family and contribute to the agency’s mission for the benefit of humanity.” Free's retirement has come during a transition period for the agency as it navigates the shifting plans of the second Trump administration. Free had been set to become acting NASA administrator for the transition but was passed up for [Janet Petro](https://spacenews.com/second-trump-administration-begins-with-confusion-on-acting-nasa-leadership/?ref=proximareport.com), head of the Kennedy Space Center, instead. Neither NASA nor the White House have provided a reason why Free was not selected but it is said to have been on grounds of political beliefs. During the transition period, NASA is [also dealing with](https://spacenews.com/house-members-seek-more-details-on-doge-activities-at-nasa/?ref=proximareport.com) the 'Department of Government Efficiency' and its attempts to slash the space agency's workforce. The so-called efficiency department is headed by Elon Musk and aims to remove trillions of dollars from government spending with no oversight or transparency. A few days ago Musk's efficiency department tried, and thankfully failed, to reduce NASA's workforce by a level not seen [since the end of the Apollo program](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/casey-dreier-7371a054%5Ftodays-indiscriminate-layoffs-at-nasa-represent-activity-7297633311626072064-aP%5Fb/?rcm=ACoAADPrrp0B42OTD3pICNiphuCaOsv8nlxTxn4&ref=proximareport.com) in the 1970s. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ### *February 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-13* SpaceX is expecting to launch a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *February 25th - Ceres-1 with a to-be-announced payload* Galactic Energy may launch its Ceres-1 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying several unannounced satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit. ### *February 25th - New Shepard for NS-30* Blue Origin is planning to launch its tenth suborbital crewed mission carrying Lane Bess, Jesús Calleja, Elaine Chia Hyde, Dr. Richard Scott, Tushar Shah, and one more unannounced crew member above the Kármán line. ### *February 26th - Starship-Super Heavy for its eighth flight test* SpaceX could be attempting Starship-Super Heavy's eighth flight test on February 26th utilizing Ship 34 and Booster 15. ### *February 27th - Falcon 9 with Nova-C IM-2 and other payloads* A Falcon 9 is planned to launch from Launch Complex 39A carrying Intuitive Machines second Nova-C lander for the IM-2 mission, NASA's Lunar Trailblazer satellite, and an unknown commercial satellite to a lunar transfer orbit. ### *February 27th - Long March 2C with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 2C may launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying a currently unannounced payload. ### *February 27th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-30* A Progress resupply spacecraft is expected to launch to the International Space Station atop of a Soyuz 2.1a flying from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. ### *February 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-20* Another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to head to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *March 1st - Falcon 9 with SPHEREx and PUNCH* A Falcon 9 is planned to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E into a polar orbit carrying NASA's SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) and PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) spacecraft. --- *We have dropped the two SpaceX Starbase segments from our newsletter due to an increasing lack of publicly visible activity at the site. We will still report major goings-on in the 'In Other Space News' segment.* ### The U.S. Space Program is Controlled by a Fascist, Monopolizing, Oligarch URL: https://proximareport.com/us-space-controlled-musk/ Last updated: 2025-02-20T19:27:39.000Z In his latest crashout, or confidence in newly bought power, Elon Musk has taken to Twitter to insult professional astronaut Andreas Mogensen, who commanded the International Space Station. But what was Musk insulting Mogensen about? Being corrected for a blatant lie about two NASA astronauts! The full spat by Musk was [as](https://bsky.app/profile/timfernholz.bsky.social/post/3limnqsl6n22o?ref=proximareport.com) [follows](https://x.com/Jack%5FFrodo/status/1892637677893091822?ref=proximareport.com): > **Mogensen**: "What a lie" – "And from someone who complains about lack of honesty from the mainstream media" > **Musk**: "You are fully r\*\*\*\*\*\*\*." – "SpaceX could have brought them back several months ago." – "I OFFERED THIS DIRECTLY to the Biden administration and they refused." – "Return WAS pushed back for political reasons." – "Idiot." > **Mogensen**: "Elon, I have long admired you and what you have accomplished, especially at SpaceX and Tesla." – "You know as well as I do, that Butch and Suni are returning with Crew-9, as has been the plan since last September. Even now, you are not sending up a rescue ship to bring them home. They are returning on the Dragon capsule that has been on the ISS since last September." > **Musk**: "And this so-called "Commander" doesn't know his a\*\* from a hole in the ground." – "Dude has no clue what's really going on." – "He's a passenger." To begin with, Butch and Suni have always had a safe ride back to Earth ready in the event of an emergency. Starliner, despite being deemed unfit to return crew, was still available for emergency return until it departed, after which Crew-8 had preparations made for six astronauts. And since September, [Crew-9](https://cosmicnxws.com/nasa-crew-9?ref=proximareport.com) has been ready to bring Butch and Suni home after launching with just two crew. However Musk isn't well known for considering safety after dropping rocket debris on [two different](https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/spacex-starship-debris-littered-islands-turks-caicos-rcna188223?ref=proximareport.com) [countries](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62z3vxjplpo?ref=proximareport.com) recently. Additionally, if it's true that SpaceX did offer to send up a spacecraft to retrieve Butch and Suni, it would cost a small fortune. This would have cost [at least](https://x.com/DrPhiltill/status/1892602575691641143?ref=proximareport.com) 250 million United States Dollars, which NASA does not have the budget for, at minimum. Costs of launching in such a short timeframe are likely to have ballooned costs too, taking more money that NASA doesn't have! Following his attack on Mogensen after being rightly called out, Musk began to campaign [for ending](https://bsky.app/profile/derekdotspace.bsky.social/post/3limtdcjguc2a?ref=proximareport.com) the International Space Program years early. In his tweets, Musk "recommends" bringing the station down in two years, around 2027, which would be three years earlier than what was [agreed upon](https://www.nasa.gov/faqs-the-international-space-station-transition-plan/?ref=proximareport.com) by NASA and its international partners, including Europe, Russia, and Japan. But what grounds does he "recommend" bring the ISS to an end? "It has served its purpose" and "There is little utility", completely ignoring all of the ongoing science being performed for the benefit of Earth and the gap in a destination for U.S. astronauts! This would also conveniently line up with when SpaceX is no longer contracted to fly Crew Dragon as the U.S.' sole operational crew vehicle to the station. So what does Musk stand to gain out of all this? A further monopoly over the U.S. space program. America is already nearly completely reliant on SpaceX for launching anything into orbit, and is totally reliant on the company for launching astronauts. Musk's company also controls the majority of satellites in low Earth orbit, disguising a few hundred spy satellites based on its commercial satellites which [are also supporting](https://booty.substack.com/p/elon-musk-is-helping-us-intelligence?triedRedirect=true) those spy spacecraft. For the [second time](https://cosmicnxws.com/faa-barring-starship?ref=proximareport.com) in six months, Musk has utilized SpaceX's fantastic public image for his personal political and capital gains. Except this time it is not for minor political gain, instead as an overt display of control he has over the Trump administration and the Republican party for the [low cost of 290 million](https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/elon-musk-spent-more-than-290-million-on-the-2024-election-year-end-fec-filings-show/ar-AA1yf4CH?ref=proximareport.com) United States Dollars. Everything Musk is doing is serving his own interests. He is a [beneficiary](https://www.independent.co.uk/space/elon-musk-made-money-rich-b2212599.html?ref=proximareport.com) of South African [apartheid](https://www.democracynow.org/2025/2/11/elon%5Fmusk%5Fwas%5Fraised%5Funder%5Fracist?ref=proximareport.com), an [illegal immigrant](https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/29/us/elon-musk-immigration-gray-area-cec/index.html?ref=proximareport.com) [oligarch](https://www.vox.com/money/387348/elon-musk-trump-president-billionaire-oligarchy?ref=proximareport.com), and a [neo](https://www.newsweek.com/80-years-after-auschwitz-elon-musk-keeps-fascist-salute-alive-opinion-2021400?ref=proximareport.com)\-[fascist](https://theconversation.com/musks-inauguration-salute-is-not-the-only-apparent-fascist-signal-from-trumps-administration-248517?ref=proximareport.com). --- *Part of this article's header has been blurred to comply with European laws regarding hate speech and Nazi iconography.* ### Tianwen-2, A stepping stone into deep space URL: https://proximareport.com/tianwen-2-a-stepping-stone-into-deep-space/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T07:10:40.000Z China’s Tianwen-2 mission (originally known as ZhengHe), scheduled for launch in May 2025, represents a bold step in planetary exploration. This ambitious mission aims to return samples from the enigmatic near-Earth asteroid (469219) Kamo’oalewa, followed by a rendezvous with the active main-belt asteroid 311P/PANSTARRS. As the first asteroid sample-return mission led by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), Tianwen-2 seeks to address critical questions about the origin, evolution, and surface processes of small celestial bodies, while advancing our understanding of the solar system’s history. In this Article we'll review all the available information to understand the Tianwen-2 mission on an indepth level. ## Mission Description It will fly on a Long March 3B carrier rocket in May of this year. It will use solar electric propulsion and deploy a nano orbiter and nano lander to conduct remote sensing observations. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/1000091985.jpg) Long March 3B at the pad ### The Spacecraft The spacecraft consists of a satellite bus and two circular solar panels that are folded up during launch. It has four small modular robotic arms with 4 joints, these robotic arms act as landing legs, support sample transfer and for crawling/adjustment on the asteroid. Its also been depicted with a radio dish and is to use solar-electric propulsion. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/1000091982.png) It has an ultrasonic drill for anchoring to the asteroid and collecting samples, this method of collecting samples on an asteroid has never been attempted before and will be a massive test of China's space program. It has a sample container within which the samples will be stored and then ejected during a pass near earth returning that part of the spacecraft to earth. several drop tests of this compartment have been performed. In a full process scale test an anchoring force of >=200N was achieved on sandstone, the drill penetration depth was 22-24 mm in 120 seconds. And Successful sample transfer was performed to the return capsule. In tests of the Grinding tool it proved effective on sandstone, granite and steel. Side-edge grinding outperformed surface grinding in sample yield. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/1000091981.png) ### Objectives Tianwen-2 is a dual-phase mission and the two phases consist of the following: - Sample Return from Kamo’oalewa: The spacecraft will orbit and collect regolith samples from Kamo’oalewa, with return to Earth expected in 2027\. (This is the primary mission of Tianwen-2) - Exploration of 311P/PANSTARRS: After sample delivery, the probe will journey to 311P/PANSTARRS, a rare active asteroid linked to the Flora family, for detailed characterization by 2035. The mission's success hinges on advanced autonomous navigation and sampling technologies. The asteroids small size and faint magnitude also pose observational challenges. Preliminary spectroscopic observations using the Gran Telescopio CANARIAS revealed a surface composition dominated by silicate minerals. ## Kamo'oalewa Kamo'oalewa, discovered in 2016 is a rather unique Earth co-orbial asteroid. While not a true satellite, it remains within 38-100 lunar distances from earth making it a very accessible near earth object for exploration. The asteroid is roughly 69m by 58m by 51m. It is one of the smallest aseroids ever targeted for exploration. It has a rapid spin period of 27.37 minutes, near the critical limit for rubble-pile stability. This suggests a rather monolithic structure. Its covered in fine regolith with low thermal inertia indicative of a mature, space-weathered layer. Scientists noticed that Kamo-oalewa has a special dip in its spectrum at a wavelength of 0.984 micrometers. This is what we call an absorption band, this dip tells us that the asteroid contains certain minerals like olivine and pyroxene which are common in a type of meteorite called LL ordinary chondrites. This implies that the asteroid is rather rocky and rich in iron but not made of metal or ice. One of the most interesting things about Kamo-oalewa is its reddish color. This is called its spectral slope and itsmuch redder than most other asteroids. Over millions of years, the asteroid has been bombarded by tiny space particles and exposed to solar wind.. This process darkens and reddens the surface just like how the sun can fade and change the color of objects on earth over time. The fine dust on the asteroids surface also contribute to its reddish colour as it coats the asteroid in this red-brown powder. This suggests that Kamo-oalewa's surface has been exposed to the harsh space environment for around 50 to 100 million years. This makes it a rather interesting subject to be explored and part of why it was chosen for the Tianwen-2 mission. By studying Kamo'oalewa's spectrum and composition, scientists can learn where it cam efrom, how space weathering works and what its made of. Knowing its composition helps prepare for mining asteroids or more accurately predicting the composition of similar asteroids we may observe. ### Challenges of the Tianwen-2 mission The spacecraft must navigate Kamo-oalewa's weak gravity and unstable regolith, targeting stable polar regions for sample collection. This will be a rather delicate procedure to avoid critical damage to the spacecraft. Tianwen-2 will also demonstrate China's capability in deep-space navigation, autonomous sampling and multi target exploration. Building upon the experience gained from the Chang'e 1 and 2 lunar orbiters, their extended deep space missions, and the Chang'e 5 and 6 sampling missions, as well as preparing for future endeavors like the Mars sample return mission Tianwen-3, Tianwen-2 represents a critical step in advancing technological developments and paving the way for more complex missions. ### John McFall Cleared for Flight as First Disabled Astronaut URL: https://proximareport.com/john-mcfall-cleared-flight/ Last updated: 2025-02-17T12:20:09.000Z On February 14th the European Space Agency [provided an update](https://youtu.be/vXJWc%5FVxUqc?si=JlkOK3ToCJB3149j&ref=proximareport.com) on its Fly! Feasibility Study. In the update, the agency announced that astronaut John McFall was cleared for flight to the International Space Station! The [Fly! Feasibility Study](https://www.esa.int/Science%5FExploration/Human%5Fand%5FRobotic%5FExploration/Fly?ref=proximareport.com) was kicked off in November 2022 to explore if an astronaut with a physical disability could embark on a long-duration mission to the International Space Station. Over eighty topics are said to be included in the study in areas such as spacecraft operations and training. Speaking on hardware and efforts related to the study, McFall stated: > "I have been connected with a company called Ottobock for well over a decade, they're a German global market leader in human bionics. I've been using their prosthetic hardware for a number of years and they have been designing wearable technology for over a hundred years . . . at the center of their business is making lives better by what they do. I think this is something that's really important with the message that we're doing, that we're sending out, here at ESA." > "With regards to the nuts and bolts of the hardware certification, anything that flies to the space station . . . has to be certified to fly, and that is a long rigorous detailed process. So we've been working with our independent safety office at ESA with our independent safety engineers closely with Ottobock to achieve work toward certification. By October this year we're hoping to get to what we call phase two of the safety review process so that should a flight opportunity become available we are positioned ready to complete that certification process without rushing. It gives us time to develop solutions to problems that we might come across. > "In fact some of the things we have identified so far in working through this certification process we have already developed a couple of technologies, which are going to trickle down and have benefits for prosthetic users in wider society. . . This is very much what we're about with this concept of space for Earth, that what we do in space also benefits people on Earth" Through the study, the European Space Agency is aiming to assist in the development of innovative solutions for people with physical disabilities facing space-related challenges, such as microgravity adaptation, fitness, and technology integration. For the in-space phase of Fly!, McFall mentioned that there are opportunities for academia and industry to submit proposals for experiments that could be conducted during a disabled astronaut's mission. John McFall, a reserve astronaut for the European Space Agency, is the project expert for the Fly! study. McFall was selected as an astronaut in 2022 and has been undergoing training alongside the study since. Prior to being selected as an astronaut, McFall won a bronze medal at the Beijing Paralympic Games 2008, became the International Amputee and Wheelchair Sports Federation 100m and 200m world champion in 2007, among several other medals. Alongside being a former Paralympian, McFall is also a surgeon, having obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, along with receiving a handful of medical awards. A mission for McFall has not been selected yet, but he is in consideration for upcoming missions along with the European Space Agency's entire astronaut corps. Additionally as an astronaut from the United Kingdom, he could fly onboard an all-UK astronaut mission with Axiom Space as the company signed an [agreement with the UK government](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-space-agency-and-axiom-space-sign-agreement-on-plans-for-historic-human-spaceflight-mission?ref=proximareport.com) back in October 2023. ### Weekly Dose of Space (9/2-15/2) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-9-2-15-2/ Last updated: 2025-02-16T21:17:38.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had four launches taking place with all of them carrying satellites for mega-constellations. News from the week had Firefly entering lunar orbit, China's internet constellation operators expanding abroad, and Blue Origin cutting a significant chunk of its workforce. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on February 9th when the launch site tank farm was spotted spooling up and loading liquid methane and liquid oxygen into Booster 15\. A few hours later Booster 15 performed a thirty-three-engine static fire, lighting all of its Raptor engines for a few seconds. Late on the 9th and in the early hours of the 10th, Ship 34 was rolled out from the production site to the Massey's test site to complete its pre-flight testing. At the same time, Booster 15 was lifted off of the Orbital Launch Mount. At midday, Booster 15 was moved from the launch site to the production site. Toward sunset on February 11th, Ship 34 was spotted being loaded with liquid methane and liquid oxygen. Lighting up the night at Massey's, Ship 34 performed a fifty-seven-second long static fire lighting it three sea-level and three vacuum Raptor engines. > Starship long-duration static fire ahead of the eighth flight test [pic.twitter.com/KJmSKdxDCC](https://t.co/KJmSKdxDCC?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [February 12, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1889799254472098080?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 34 performing its static fire on February 11th, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1889799254472098080?ref=proximareport.com). Following its successful static fire, Ship 34 returned to the production site from the Massey's test site late on February 12th. On the 13th, the launch tower was spotted performing tests of the Ship's quick disconnect arm and the catch arms landing rails. ## **Launches This Week** ### *February 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-10* SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The booster supporting this launch was B1071, making its twenty-third flight and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![A long-exposure photo of Falcon 9 for the Starlink Group 11-10 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/Gjg9rDJXkAAxaHq.jpg) A long-exposure photo of Falcon 9 for the Starlink Group 11-10 mission. ©SpaceX ### *February 11th - Long March 8A with GuoWang Group 02* The first Long March 8A blasted off from LC-201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Center, in China's southern Hainan Province, carrying the second batch of satellites for the GuoWang satellite internet mega-constellation into low Earth orbit. This batch of satellites is [believed](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/straight-into-business-with-guowang?ref=proximareport.com) to have consisted of nine satellites, bringing the constellation up to nineteen satellites of a planned 13,000 by the 2030s. ![The Long March 8A Y1 vehicle lifting off from LC-201 for its debut mission.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/67abdd24a310a2ab87b6c42b-1.jpeg) The Long March 8A Y1 vehicle lifting off from LC-201 for its debut mission. ### *February 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-18* A Falcon 9 blasted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-one Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Booster B1077 supported this launch for its eighteenth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 12-18 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/GjiDwUYXUAArT-F-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 12-18 mission. ©SpaceX ### *February 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-8* Twenty-one more Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. B1067 supported this launch for its twenty-sixth flight, landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange afterward. > Falcon 9 lands on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, completing the first 26th launch and landing of an orbital class rocket [pic.twitter.com/x18IxIGtNk](https://t.co/x18IxIGtNk?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [February 15, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1890648069353373799?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster B1067 landing on 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas', via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1890648069353373799?ref=proximareport.com). ## **In Other Space News** ### *Firefly enters lunar orbit!* > One last shot...for now! [#BGM1](https://twitter.com/hashtag/BGM1?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/KMQ91wtxqK](https://t.co/KMQ91wtxqK?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Firefly Aerospace (@Firefly\_Space) [February 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/Firefly%5FSpace/status/1890460776994898271?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Images from Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander in orbit around the Moon, via [Firefly on X](https://x.com/Firefly%5FSpace/status/1890460776994898271?ref=proximareport.com). As part of Blue Ghost's first mission, Firefly Aerospace has entered lunar orbit with the lunar lander ahead of a landing set to take place as early as March 2nd. A [few days ago](https://x.com/Firefly%5FSpace/status/1889423587141960148?ref=proximareport.com) the lander performed its trans-lunar trajectory burn and on [February 14th](https://x.com/Firefly%5FSpace/status/1890224790696263965?ref=proximareport.com) entered lunar orbit. Now in lunar orbit, Blue Ghost will further refine its orbit, undergo systems checks, and monitor its various payloads before committing to a descent to the surface. Details about Blue Ghost and its payloads are available [here](https://cosmicnxws.com/falcon-9-firefly-ispace-moon?ref=proximareport.com). ### *Blue Origin cuts 10% of its workforce* On February 13th, Dave Limp, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Origin, notified employees of layoffs effecting approximately ten percent of the company's workforce. In an email obtained by [SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-to-lay-off-10-of-its-workforce/?ref=proximareport.com) and [Ars Technica](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/02/citing-too-much-bureaucracy-blue-origin-to-cut-10-percent-of-its-workforce/?ref=proximareport.com), Dave Limp stated: > "We grew and hired incredibly fast in the last few years, and with that growth came more bureaucracy and less focus than we needed," – "It also became clear that the makeup of our organization must change to ensure our roles are best aligned with executing these priorities. Sadly, this resulted in eliminating some positions in engineering, R&D, and program/project management and thinning out our layers of management" These layoffs to various parts of Blue Origin have come just one month after [New Glenn's debut mission](https://cosmicnxws.com/new-glenn-soars-in-debut-mission?ref=proximareport.com), along with plans to ramp up the vehicle's launch cadence. Blue is still expecting to hire hundreds of people this year to refine launch and manufacturing operations, as stated by Limp in the layoff email. In late 2023 Dave Limp was brought in as the new Chief Executive Officer at Blue Origin to oversee a more decisive and competitive launch company after years of development work. ### *China's satellite services expand across ASEAN nations* Recently two satellite constellation operators from China have signed agreements with members of the ASEAN economic union. These agreements were between Shanghai Spacesail Technologies Co Ltd and Malaysia's MEASAT as well as GalaxySpace and Thailand's True Corporation. On [February 6th](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/qianfan-operator-partners-for-services?ref=proximareport.com) MEASAT and Shanghai Spacesail Technologies Co Ltd, the operator of the Qianfan constellation signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the two companies. The memorandum is aimed at collaboration and bringing the Qianfan constellations services to Malaysia and possibly further abroad thanks to MEASAT's existing services. Speaking after the signing MEASAT’s Chief Operating Officer Yau Chyong Lim stated: > “We firmly believe in a multi-orbit satellite network to achieve progress in society and are pleased to have the opportunity to integrate the capabilities of Spacesail’s \[Qianfan\] megaconstellation with MEASAT’s fleet of Geostationary Orbit satellites. In regions where MEASAT operates, satellites have immense potential in further bridging the digital divide and overcoming geographical challenges.” This week on [February 12th](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/cmsa-names-lunar-surface-hardware?ref=proximareport.com), GalaxySpace and True Corporation also signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation on low Earth orbit satellite communications technology, direct-to-device communications, and space-based network solutions. GalaxySpace currently has twelve satellites in orbit with plans to operate a hundreds strong satellite communications and internet network. Manat Manavutiveth of True Corporation said the following on the signing between the two companies: > "Low-orbit satellite internet represents a significant leap forward in global communications, poised to drive transformative changes in socio-economic development both in Thailand and worldwide," — "We are thrilled that this collaboration will bring cutting-edge innovative technologies to Thai consumers." ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is currently preparing for Starship-Super Heavy's eighth flight test, utilizing Ship 34 and Booster 15\. Both vehicles have completed static fires and cryogenic testing needed before flight. ### *February 17th - Falcon 9 with NROL-57* A Falcon 9 is expected to liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4E heading to low Earth orbit with a batch of Starshield satellites, which is the military version of Starlink. ### *February 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-12* A batch of Starlink satellites is expected to head to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9. ### *February 18th - Electron for 'Fasten Your Space Belts'* Rocket Lab is planning to launch an Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying a commercial imaging satellite for BlackSky Technology. ### *February 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 15-1* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying a batch of Starlink satellites. ### *February 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-14* Another batch of Starlink satellites are planned to head to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 40. ### Space Was Always Political, Now It's Partisan URL: https://proximareport.com/space-was-always-political/ Last updated: 2025-02-14T08:04:26.000Z *Disclaimer: This article contains the opinion of the writer and not Cosmic Nxws as a whole.* Almost seventy years ago the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics terrified the halls of American power with the launch of Sputnik, beating U.S. efforts to place the first artificial satellites into Earth orbit. In the decades that followed both the U.S. and the USSR used space to demonstrate both peaceful and military-technological prowess, culminating in the Apollo Moon landings, a variety of Soviet space stations, and two very similar-looking reusable winged crewed spacecraft. The two superpowers sought to utilize international alliances between nations of similar ideologies to claim the peaceful nature of their programs, while simultaneously signing military agreements. The space race and continued competition afterward were both born from geopolitical competition between the U.S. ideology of liberal democracy with free markets and the USSR's ideology of Soviet-style socialism with state-managed economics. International space agreements between the two nations were also largely formed along these ideological lines, bringing up much political debate in the partner nations regarding autonomy in space for economic benefit and defense. Both superpowers were shielded from political debate on space hardware thanks to having all of their launch sites, manufacturing bases, and communications and support facilities in their own territory. Yet, that quickly fell apart for the USSR in the 1990s which dissolved into fifteen states taking the nation's premier launch site with it. Today Russia has to negotiate with Kazakhstan to use the Baikonur Cosmodrome, resulting in much political debate in each country. While this was happening abroad, space policy in the United States enjoyed broad bipartisan support. Presidents, senators, and lawmakers across the U.S.' narrow political spectrum saw NASA and military space efforts as essential to national prestige, scientific progress, and defense even after the collapse of the USSR, America's only peer competitor for the 20th century. However beginning in the 2000s an increasing amount of financial resources, both government and private, began to be poured into for-profit space companies. With the success of SpaceX in various NASA contracts and a fleet of reusable rockets by 2020, U.S. politicians began to argue for further privatization of typical government-run space activity. This was for everything from climate satellites, Earth observation systems, and military space infrastructure. This shift toward privatization has increasingly become a partisan effort with Republicans championing deregulation and private-sector dominance while Democrats plead for maintaining the status quo. SpaceX in particular has become a point of contention in this thanks to its Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk. As head of SpaceX, Musk holds enormous influence over both commercial and government space operations, having a monopoly on U.S. human spaceflight capability and operating a massive network of communications satellites. Leaving the market to compete against SpaceX would have been a viable solution had Musk stayed out of electoral politics, which he did not. Over the past few years, Musk has increasingly inserted himself into U.S. politics, shifting from a once-ambiguous, innovation-focused entrepreneur to a vocal critic of Democratic policies during the Biden administration. This was further accelerated after he acquired Twitter (now "X"), using it to promote his political beliefs through his over hundred million followers and via changes to the algorithm. His grievances with the Biden administration leading up to the 2024 election aligned him closely with the Trump campaign. This culminated in Musk committing hundreds of millions of dollars directly to the Trump campaign and supporting it through his ownership of Twitter. After the election was won and Trump's second turn began Musk was appointed as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, cementing his place in partisan politics within the U.S. system. Musk's transition from head of a private for-profit space company to a key part of the Trump administration in emblematic of a wider trend within the U.S. political system. For decades large corporations have lobbied various administration for specific changes to policy, sometimes placing someone loyal to the company within the government. But never before has someone like Musk entered partisan politics, with vast wealth and ownership of a key piece of public communication media. And Musk won’t be the only one. Other space company owners, like Jeff Bezos and Peter Thiel, are already deeply embedded in politics, using their influence to shape policy and advance their own interests. Bezos, with his billions and ties to Amazon and Blue Origin, has kept a lower profile but could easily follow Musk’s path if he sees the rewards of political power outweigh the risks. Thiel, a major SpaceX investor, has long used his wealth to push the Republican agenda and his reach could easily expand into more direct control over government policy. As the U.S. space industry grows, so too will the stakes in controlling it. What Musk's begun may be the beginning of a new political reality, where corporations with their hands in space technology also have a huge say over power in the White House. ### Weekly Dose of Space (2/2-8/2) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-2-2-8-2/ Last updated: 2025-02-09T20:13:44.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw seven launches take place, with all but one heading into orbit. News this week had Boeing warning of potential cuts to SLS, VAST delaying the launch of its space station, Pakistan joining the Chang'e 8 mission, and Russia replacing the head of its space agency. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began early on February 4th when a test tank was rolled out from the production site to the Massey's test site, with testing objectives not disclosed by SpaceX but it may be for testing a new [booster design](https://x.com/StarshipGazer/status/1888289072910573773?ref=proximareport.com). At Massey's various cranes were spotted inspecting the tank on the 5th. A few days later on February 7th Ship 32, a 'Block 1' Starship, was rolled from the rocket garden into the high bay, likely for scrapping. Over at the second launch tower, a lead line for cabling was spotted being run between the arms traveling block and the top of the tower. In the late hours of the 7th, Booster 15 was rolled out from the production site to the launch site and parked next to the Orbtial Launch Mount. A few hours later Booster 15 was placed onto the launch mount, ahead of a static fire test for Starship-Super Heavy's Eighth flight test. > B15 is in her nest. [@LabPadre](https://twitter.com/LabPadre?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/hDenUn5AdK](https://t.co/hDenUn5AdK?ref=proximareport.com) > > — VixXi (@VickiCocks15) [February 8, 2025](https://twitter.com/VickiCocks15/status/1888210865012330954?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster 15 being lifted onto the Orbtial Launch Mount, via [VickiCocks15 on X](https://x.com/VickiCocks15/status/1888210865012330954?ref=proximareport.com). ## **Launches This Week** ### *February 2nd - H3 with Michibiki-6* Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' H3 rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center, in southern Japan, carrying the Michibiki-6 satellite to geostationary transfer orbit. Michibiki-6 is a navigation satellite for providing services in urban centers and mountainous regions. ![H3 lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center. ©JAXA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/fd3d7c245e40a0e510797b115d82e7d9-1.jpg) H3 lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center. ©JAXA ### *February 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-3* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-one Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The booster supporting this mission was b1069, flying for the twenty-first time and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instruction' downrange. ### *February 4th - New Shepard for NS-29* New Shepard performed a suborbital flight from Blue Origin's West Texas launch site carrying thirty payloads above the Kármán line and simulating lunar gravity. The booster for this mission is believed to have been NS-5, flying for the second time. More details about this mission are available [here](https://cosmicnxws.com/new-shepard-lunar-gravity?ref=proximareport.com). > New Shepard's reaction control system put a new spin on lunar gravity. Here is a cool (albeit dizzying) video of booster and capsule separation showing spin up. We achieved our target of 0.16g, creating a Lunar-G environment for our payloads that lasted continuously for 140… [pic.twitter.com/sCeFrHAdh0](https://t.co/sCeFrHAdh0?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Dave Limp (@davill) [February 6, 2025](https://twitter.com/davill/status/1887642502468980769?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Shepard spinning up its capsule for the NS-29 mission, via [Dave Limp on X](https://x.com/davill/status/1887642502468980769?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io). ### *February 4th - Falcon 9 with WorldView Legion 5 & 6* Two more satellites for Maxar's WorldView Legion constellation were launched from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, to low Earth orbit. Supporting this launch was booster B1086 on its fourth flight, with a landing back at Landing Zone 1 in Florida. ![Falcon 9 booster B1086 touching down at Landing Zone 1. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/Gi_T8UsbUAAKmLA-1.jpg) Falcon 9 booster B1086 touching down at Landing Zone 1\. ©SpaceX ### *February 5th - Soyuz 2.1v with three Kosmos satellites* What is believed to have been the [last](https://russianspaceweb.com/spacecraft-military-soyuz2-1v-2025-0205.html?ref=proximareport.com) Soyuz 2.1v lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying three Kosmos satellites into a polar orbit. ### *February 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-9* Another Falcon 9 carried twenty-one Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. B1078 supported this mission for its seventeenth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 12-9 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/GjSs38Ya8AAnnOW-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 12-9 mission. ©SpaceX ### *February 8th - Electron for 'IoT 4 You and Me'* Rocket Lab launched Kinéis' fourth group of five satellites for a planned Internet of Things constellation, consisting of five satellites. This mission was launched onboard Electron from Launch Complex 1 on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand. ![Electron during first-stage flight for the 'IoT 4 You and Me' mission. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/GjTEFTLbYAAhsZ1-1.jpg) Electron during first-stage flight for the 'IoT 4 You and Me' mission. ©Rocket Lab ## **In Other Space News** ### *Russia replaces head of Roscosmos* ![Dmitry Bakanov at a recent Roscosmos meeting.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/GjMyHQzXcAAtGcN-1.jpg) Dmitry Bakanov at a recent Roscosmos meeting. On February 6th, the Russian government [dismissed](https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/kremlin-fires-boss-russias-space-agency-2025-02-06/?ref=proximareport.com) the head of Roscosmos, Yuri Borisov, as part of what Borisov is calling a 'rotation' of leadership to develop the space agency. Borisov had been the head of Roscosmos for two and a half years, since July 2022. The new head of Roscosmos was announced to be Dmitry Bakanov, who has previously run a satellite company before working for the government. According to [RussianSpaceWeb](https://russianspaceweb.com/roskosmos.html?ref=proximareport.com#2025), Bakanov worked at the Ministry of Transport from August 2019 as Director of Digital Transformation Department, before becoming Deputy Minister in April 2022. At a recent Roscosmos meeting after his appointment to the agency, Bakanov [said](https://x.com/robert%5Fsavitsky/status/1887907764401303993?ref=proximareport.com): > "It's an honor for me to be appointed to such a responsible position. Space is not just a word for me, it's my destiny. I was born in Baikonur, and my dad was engaged in military space and I myself worked for eight years in the structures of then the federal space agency, later the state corporation so it's a huge challenge for me, and I will do my best to meet your expectations." > "Exactly as we said yesterday, there is a number of priorities but we will need to start by setting goals, since our leadership has a number of questions to this area. Also, as soon as possible, on Monday, I will hold an operational meeting with all the deputies we will identify all the pain points. On the next day we will meet with the head of main industry enterprises to also understand the situation, since the state corporation is essentially a management company over enterprises and their condition directly affects condition of Roscosmos. Well, that's it, in short. ### *Boeing warns of SLS cancelation* Boeing is warning employees working on NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) of potential layoffs that may occur within 60 days. With the warning to employees, Boeing also told [Ars Technica](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/02/boeing-has-informed-its-employees-that-nasa-may-cancel-sls-contracts/?ref=proximareport.com) and [SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/boeing-warns-sls-employees-of-potential-layoffs/?ref=proximareport.com): > "To align with revisions to the Artemis program and cost expectations, today we informed our Space Launch Systems team of the potential for approximately 400 fewer positions by April 2025," – "This will require 60-day notices of involuntary layoff be issued to impacted employees in coming weeks, in accordance with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. We are working with our customer and seeking opportunities to redeploy employees across our company to minimize job losses and retain our talented teammates." According to Ars Technica's sources, senior leadership at NASA including acting administrator Janet Petro, who has been a yes man of [policy](https://cosmicnxws.com/trump-begins-witchhunt-within-nasa?ref=proximareport.com) [since](https://cosmicnxws.com/nasa-lgbtq-policy-2025?ref=proximareport.com) the inauguration, have been urging the White House not the cancel the rocket before the Artemis III mission returns American Astronauts to the moon around 2027. SLS has been criticized routinely due to an estimated cost of 2 billion United States Dollars per launch, but it is the only way the Orion spacecraft can be sent toward the Moon. One such [critic](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1871997501970235656?ref=proximareport.com) is head of SpaceX Elon Musk, who now holds a key position in the new Trump administration after spending [290 million Dollars](https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/01/politics/elon-musk-2024-election-spending-millions/index.html?ref=proximareport.com) on the election. No alternatives for launching Orion currently exist but those against SLS argue in favor of using a commercial launch vehicle, none of which would be able to send the spacecraft toward the Moon. Canceling SLS before it can perform the Artemis III mission may also allow China to send people to the lunar surface before Americans can return. ### *Haven-1 completes first test, delays launch* ![Haven-1 during testing in Mojave, California. ©Vast Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/67a38c55f30d422d5f099894_AD_4nXfKOuDtgpScF64o32RnZ_FdXISUQsGBNFBXSuFxCOecqdWzvKKzjElScEcJcjb5Y2WuXDhdIrXt39e6o9U8dhNXbX8-85M1oH7W7wAZoZJMcr4569KmI1mEKEbFRwFGMhsB1VnIAw-1.jpeg) Haven-1 during testing in Mojave, California. ©Vast Space Vast Space [announced on February 6th](https://www.vastspace.com/updates/vast-passes-critical-haven-1-test-milestone?ref=proximareport.com) that its Haven-1 space station qualification article had successfully passed its primary structure qualification proof test, on the company's first attempt. This testing took place on January 31st with pressures and leak rates remaining within expected specifications. The proof test also comes just fifteen months after Vast began work on manufacturing the qualification article, with the entire structure built in-house by the company. In the coming months, Vast expects that they will complete testing of forces experienced during launch and orbital operations as well as conduct various load tests with a pressurized test article. With the proof test complete, Vast has also updated its timeline for the first launch of Haven-1\. Originally set to launch in August 2025, the flight article of Haven-1 will now launch no earlier than May 2026, with the first crew arriving in mid-2026. ### *Pakistan joins China's Chang'e 8 mission* During the week as part of Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari's trip to China for the Ninth Asian Winter Games and talks with President Xi Jinping for economic cooperation, the two nations [signed a memorandum of Understanding](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/change-8-mission-to-deliver-pakistani?ref=proximareport.com) for the Chang'e 8 mission. With the signing, China's Chang'e 8 mission to the lunar south pole in 2028 will deliver Pakistan's first lunar rover to the Moon's surface. Pakistan's rover is set to weigh 35 kilograms and be made of indigenously developed components while carrying out a few scientific experiments, with one from a joint Chinese-European team. On the surface, the rover will be controlled by Pakistani scientists and will study lunar soil composition, measure radiation on the Moon's surface, along with mapping various areas. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is currently preparing for Starship-Super Heavy's eighth flight test, utilizing Ship 34 and Booster 15\. Both vehicles have conducted cryogenic testing needed ahead of static fires, which are expected in the coming weeks. ### *February 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-10* SpaceX is expecting to launch a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *February 11th - Long March 8A for its debut flight* The Long March 8A may perform its debut mission from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ### *February 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-18* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *February 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-8* Yet another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to head to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### "Go back in the closet" - Demands New Informal NASA Policy URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-lgbtq-policy-2025/ Last updated: 2025-02-07T23:03:41.000Z [NASA Watch is reporting](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/you-must-hide-your-pride-at-nasa/?ref=proximareport.com) based on internal sources at NASA Headquarters, that LGBTQIA+ iconography is no longer allowed within the agency as a new unwritten policy. The new restrictions are effectively banning flags, lapel pins, lanyards, Microsoft Teams backgrounds, clothing, and stickers that have LGBTQIA+ pride iconography. Consequences for violating these restrictions will result in the employee in question being placed on administrative leave, whether they are LGBTQIA+ or not. What this new informal policy is demanding is a blatant violation of the [First](https://www.britannica.com/topic/First-Amendment?ref=proximareport.com), [Fifth](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fifth-Amendment?ref=proximareport.com), and [Fourteenth](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fourteenth-Amendment?ref=proximareport.com) Amendments of the Constitution of the United States. Additionally, it also violates [Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964](https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/en/insights/articles/what-is-title-vii-civil-rights-act?ref=proximareport.com). Alongside this policy, a day earlier NASA sent out an [agency-wide email](https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/removing-pronouns-at-nasa/?ref=proximareport.com) demanding the removal of pronouns from all official emails, statements, and messages alongside those from agency contractors. Any employee that currently has pronouns as part of their emails will have them scrubbed from NASA systems within 90 days. As part of outright stupid and bigoted executive orders from Trump's second term in the White House, NASA has been [systematically](https://nasawatch.com/tag/diversity/?ref=proximareport.com) [erasing](https://nasawatch.com/tag/deia/?ref=proximareport.com) all mentions of diversity, accessibility, inclusivity, or equity. This includes [posts celebrating](https://nasawatch.com/astronauts/another-nasa-deia-thing-to-purge/?ref=proximareport.com) NASA's first people of color and female astronauts. Erasure of what NASA called DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility) began very quickly into Trump's new term with [memos quickly sent off](https://cosmicnxws.com/trump-begins-witchhunt-within-nasa?ref=proximareport.com) encouraging agency employees to report one another, as well as contractors, to report each other for alleged DEIA. These policies were focused on talent cultivation to ensure the space agency had a wide range of talent available to hire from nationwide. Without these programs, NASA now has a weaker knowledge base to draw from for its programs. In its past, several of NASA's achievements would not have been possible without figures from DEIA backgrounds. Including the ability to [send the first Americans into orbit](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/forgotten-black-women-mathematicians-who-helped-win-wars-and-send-astronauts-space-180960393/?ref=proximareport.com), the development of the [software needed](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Margaret-Hamilton-American-computer-scientist?ref=proximareport.com) to land humans on the Moon, and the technology needed for the [Hubble Space Telescope](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nancy-Grace-Roman?ref=proximareport.com) to operate. NASA has also had many capable astronauts who are [people of color](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/16/us/african-american-astronauts.html?ref=proximareport.com), a [woman](https://www.theverge.com/23869799/sally-ride-nichelle-nichols-six-women-astronauts-nasa-space-spacex?ref=proximareport.com), or [queer](https://www.sentintospace.com/post/lgbtq-in-the-space-industry-pride-month?ref=proximareport.com). ![Robert Curbeam (left), a veteran of several spacewalks, Katherine Johnson (center), a mathematician key in getting Americans into space, and Sally Ride (right), the first queer astronaut. ©NASA/Historical Stock Photos](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/nasa278873.png) Robert Curbeam (left), a veteran of several spacewalks, Katherine Johnson (center), a mathematician key in getting Americans into space, and Sally Ride (right), the first queer astronaut. ©NASA ### New Shepard Successfully Simulates Lunar Gravity! URL: https://proximareport.com/new-shepard-lunar-gravity/ Last updated: 2025-02-06T23:23:55.000Z Yesterday, February 4th, Blue Origin performed its [twenty-ninth New Shepard mission](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-shepard-ns-29-mission?ref=proximareport.com) carrying a variety of payloads above the Kármán line. For this mission following the separation of the booster, New Shepard's capsule spun itself up to eleven revolutions per minute to simulate the Moon's gravity. As such around two minutes of the mission was simulating lunar gravity for various payloads out of the missions just over ten minutes of flight. Through providing lunar gravity simulations on New Shepard, Blue Origin is aiming to offer lower-cost longer-duration opportunities than available elsewhere to various academic and aerospace customers. Phil Joyce, Senior Vice President of New Shepard, added: > “New Shepard’s ability to provide a lunar gravity environment is an extremely unique and valuable capability as researchers set their sights on a return to the Moon,” – “This enables researchers to test lunar technologies at a fraction of the cost, rapidly iterate, and test again in a significantly compressed timeframe.” > New Shepard's reaction control system put a new spin on lunar gravity. Here is a cool (albeit dizzying) video of booster and capsule separation showing spin up. We achieved our target of 0.16g, creating a Lunar-G environment for our payloads that lasted continuously for 140… [pic.twitter.com/sCeFrHAdh0](https://t.co/sCeFrHAdh0?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Dave Limp (@davill) [February 6, 2025](https://twitter.com/davill/status/1887642502468980769?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Shepard spinning up its capsule for the NS-29 mission, via [Dave Limp on X](https://x.com/davill/status/1887642502468980769?ref=proximareport.com). Various technologies, such as dust mitigation, advanced habitation systems, small spacecraft components, and in-situ resource utilization, were tested across the various payloads during the flight. A few of the payloads on board New Shepard, highlighted by Blue Origin, for the NS-29 mission were: - **Electrostatic Dust Lofting (EDL)** from NASA Kennedy Space Center is a project studying how Moon dust gets electrically charged and lifted up when exposed to ultraviolet light. Insights from this study will help future lunar missions address dust problems. The project was created by NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida along with the University of Central Florida and the University of Colorado, Boulder. - **Fluidic Operations in Reduced Gravity Experiment (FORGE)** from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) will test how to manage liquids and gases in space. This technology is critical for instruments that may monitor water quality for astronauts or search for evidence of life on ocean worlds in our solar system. - **Honey Bubble Excitation Experiment (H-BEE)** from Honeybee Robotics is a tool evaluating how bubbles behave in thick liquids on the Moon. The insights will help better predict how oxygen bubbles will act in melted Moon rock during a process called molten regolith electrolysis. - **Soil Properties Assessment Resistance and Thermal Analysis (SPARTA)** from JPL is a toolkit designed for geomechanical testing below the lunar surface. The test aims to understand how lunar gravity affects its performance. SPARTA was created by JPL in Southern California and developed by Honeybee Robotics. - **Lunar-g Combustion Investigation (LUCI)** from NASA Glenn Research Center is an experiment to study how materials catch fire in the Moon's gravity compared to Earth's. The findings will help NASA and its partners create safer living and working habitats for people on the Moon. This project is developed by NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, together with Voyager Technologies. - **Film Evaporation MEMS Tunable Array Micropropulsion System (FEMTA)** from Purdue University is a water-based micro-propulsion system in development by researchers at Purdue. This small thruster helps precisely control the direction and positioning of small satellites. The experiments are measuring how well FEMTA and its passive propellant delivery system work in the low-gravity environment of space. The experiment was flown on New Shepard's booster. Blue Origin stated that thirty payloads in total were aboard New Shepard for NS-29, with half through NASA’s [Flight Opportunities program](https://www.nasa.gov/stmd-flight-opportunities/?ref=proximareport.com). Additionally, many postcards were flown onboard too as part of Blue Origin's '[Postcards to Space](https://www.clubforfuture.org/postcards?ref=proximareport.com)' program. ![Blue Origin's patch for the NS-29 mission. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/Adobe-Express---file-1-.png) Blue Origin's patch for the NS-29 mission. ©Blue Origin As a reusable vehicle, New Shepards booster, believed to be NS-5, was flying for the second time. NS-5 flew its first mission a few months ago in October 2024. Blue Origin's fleet of vehicles for New Shepard missions currently consists of three capsules and two boosters. So far these vehicles have supported over one hundred and seventy-five payloads as well as carrying forty-seven people. --- *If you'd like to rewatch New Shepard simulate lunar gravity the NS-29 mission webcast is embedded* [*below*](https://youtu.be/l65LQcL2jUU?ref=proximareport.com)*:* --- ### What is New Shepard? New Shepard is a single-stage reusable sub-orbital launch vehicle flown and manufactured by American aerospace company Blue Origin. New Shepard commonly carries tourists and microgravity science missions. The capsule of New Shepard can carry either six passengers or an undisclosed mass of science experiments. The capsule also has an abort motor in the event of failure during the boosters phase of flight. The booster of New Shepard is powered by one BE-3 engine generating a believed 50 tons of thrust burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for up to two-minutes and twenty-one seconds. The BE-3 engine is capable of restarting in-flight enabling the booster to be recovered and reused. New Shepard's booster also has numerous aerodynamic surfaces to allow the booster to guide itself during unpowered flight. ### China's Challenge to Starlink URL: https://proximareport.com/china-challenge-to-starlink/ Last updated: 2025-02-03T23:39:57.000Z SpaceX's Starlink mega-constellation is currently the premier choice for space-based internet, with the constellation boasting [well over 7,000 satellites](https://planet4589.org/space/con/star/stats.html?ref=proximareport.com) launched since 2019\. However, in recent years China has been aiming to challenge Starlinks dominance, with not one, not two, but [five mega-constellations](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/chinas-mega-constellations-mega-article?ref=proximareport.com), all aimed at providing space-based connectivity. So far 145 satellites have been launched since 2018, with a major increase last year, bringing four out of the five constellations into orbit. ## Why deploy these constellations? Connectivity is a major reason for launching the various constellations. A network of a few hundred satellites in low Earth orbit can provide high throughput connections for internet browsing and communications. Costs are also lower compared to launching a single equivalent geostationary orbit satellite due to the mass manufacturing of various components. Risk around launch is also lower as networks of satellites need multiple launches, compared to just one. Revenues for operating space-based connectivity constellations can also be massive a few years into operation. Starlink is believed to have over 4.6 million subscribers and a revenue of [around 8.2 billion](https://payloadspace.com/estimating-spacexs-2024-revenue/?ref=proximareport.com) dollars in 2024, both near double figures from the year before. SpaceX has not stated how much it invested into Starlink but the company turned a [substantial profit](https://www.reuters.com/business/elon-musks-spacex-turns-profit-first-quarter-revenue-soars-wsj-2023-08-17/?ref=proximareport.com) just four years after Starlink's first launches, following two years of losses. Launching satellite constellations consisting of hundreds or thousands of satellites requires countless launches. SpaceX is utilizing Starlink launches to currently grow Falcon 9's launch cadence and expects to do the same with Starship in a few years. In turn, this lowers costs, demonstrates the reliability of both vehicles, and proves partial reuse for Falcon 9 as well as full reuse for Starship. Similarly, China is aiming to foster a launch market of various reusable launch vehicles with around a dozen companies seeking contracts to launch the [state-backed](https://cosmicnxws.com/china-two-mega-constellations?ref=proximareport.com) constellations. Few details have been shared about contracts around China's constellations, based on the size of planned satellite batches and launch providers' understanding they could be similar to an indefinite-quantity indefinite-delivery contract. Each of China's constellations is also expected to be completed around 2030. Additionally, satellite connectivity constellations may play a part for in-development or unrealized emerging technologies. One emerging technology is 6G telecommunications which will boast high-speed connectivity. Another technology is autonomous air and ground vehicles operating within cities and major cargo hubs, which need low-latency connections to a control facility. ## Who to choose? With China launching its own mega-constellations in direct competition with Starlink, nations will soon be able to choose services from either of the world's superpowers. Starlink has been available to customers since 2021 across almost one hundred nations and regions. However, there is the drawback of Elon Musk, SpaceX's Chief Executive Officer, being a strong supporter of President Donald Trump and other far-right politicians worldwide. A few months ago these problems caused Starlink to be [cut off in Brazil](https://www.reuters.com/technology/starlink-tells-brazil-regulator-it-will-not-comply-with-x-suspension-2024-09-02/?ref=proximareport.com) and more recently the tearing up of an [agreement with Ontario](https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/elon-s-trump-alignment-costs-him-canada-starlink-contract-oh-well/ar-AA1ylEai?ref=proximareport.com), a province of Canada. SpaceX has also aligned itself with U.S. allies regarding its use in [Palestine](https://www.space.com/elon-musk-israel-starlink-gaza?ref=proximareport.com) and [Iran](https://web.archive.org/web/20240328163708/https://www.itu.int/dms%5Fpub/itu-r/md/24/rrb24.1/sp/R24-RRB24.1-SP-0002!!PDF-E.pdf). China's constellations are yet to provide services to a large number of individual consumers but [recent tests](https://chinaspacemonitor.substack.com/p/biweekly-brain-droppings-spacesail) have been successful, along with preemptively [expanding market access](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/156263437/qianfan-sets-up-kazakh-subsidiary?ref=proximareport.com). Critically for the adoption of China's mega-constellations, the country has a tool the U.S. doesn't, the [Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence](https://africachinacentre.org/the-five-principles-of-peaceful-coexistence-chinas-path-to-a-global-community-with-a-shared-future/?ref=proximareport.com), one of which is non-interference in internal affairs. Blaine Curcio, Founder of Orbital Gateway Consulting, [explains](https://www.cnbc.com/video/2024/12/15/chinese-competitors-aiming-to-challenge-spacexs-starlink-satellites.html?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) this as China's constellation operators willingly complying with local regulations, specifically regarding online censorship. So, who do you choose? If your country is a U.S. ally the choice is easily Starlink due to it already being available and owned by your ally, but if you're a developing nation with bouts of instability China's networks look like a much more tempting option. ### Weekly Dose of Space (26/1-1/2) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-26-1-1-2/ Last updated: 2025-02-02T19:27:06.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw four launches take place, with half for Starlink. News this week had Butch and Suni perform a spacewalk on the International Space Station, Boom going supersonic with the first civilian jet, and Starliner making progress in its post-flight investigation. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on January 27th when the second towers arms were lifted off of their temporary support structure and onto the tower itself, supported by an LR11000 crane. By the following morning, the arms were lowered onto their stopping point on the tower before being released from the crane. The 28th also had the temporary support structure disassembled. > Bit late...laptop drama...but the choppies are now on Tower 2! Seems a lifetime since we first saw them at the Cape! I have a few angles, but they'll have to wait until tomorrow now...03:30 already and I'm out tomorrow morning! 💤😴[@LabPadre](https://twitter.com/LabPadre?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/0xf0mKgp8G](https://t.co/0xf0mKgp8G?ref=proximareport.com) > > — VixXi (@VickiCocks15) [January 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/VickiCocks15/status/1884087941347287441?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The second towers arms being lifted, via [VickiCocks15 on X](https://x.com/VickiCocks15/status/1884087941347287441?ref=proximareport.com). A few days later on January 31st, the aft section of Ship 35 was spotted leaving the Starbase factory and into the second 'megabay' ahead of the completion of Ship 35's main body. To begin work for February on the 1st, the second towers arms received their traveling block, which once attached to various cables will allow the arms to travel up and down the tower. ## **Launches This Week** ### *January 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-7* Falcon 9 flew to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-one satellites. The booster supporting this mission was B1076, making its twentieth flight and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 12-7 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/GiVnn-pbAAAGHQs-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 12-7 mission. ©SpaceX ### *January 29th - GSLV MkII with NVS-02* A GLSV MkII rocket carried the NVS-02 (IRNSS-1K) satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit from India's Satish Dhawan Space Center. NVS-02 is part of the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC). This launch was also the [100th from the Satish Dhawan Space Center](https://cosmicnxws.com/india-100th-launch-satish-dhawan?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io). > 🌍 A view like no other! Watch onboard footage from GSLV-F15 during the launch of NVS-02. > > India’s space programme continues to inspire! 🚀 [#GSLV](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GSLV?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [#NAVIC](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NAVIC?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [#ISRO](https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISRO?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/KrrO3xiH1s](https://t.co/KrrO3xiH1s?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ISRO (@isro) [January 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/isro/status/1884475614112989321?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The launch of GSLV MkII with NVS-02, via [ISRO on X](https://x.com/isro/status/1884475614112989321?ref=proximareport.com). ### *January 30th - Falcon 9 with SpainSat NG-I* SpaceX launched the SpainSat NG-I spacecraft, a satellite for the Spanish military, atop of Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Booster B1073 supported this mission for its twenty-first and final flight. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A with SpainSat NG-I. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/GihCEn8aIAAzJ7M-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A with SpainSat NG-I. ©SpaceX ### *February 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-4* Another batch of twenty-two Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9, flying from Space Launch Complex 4E in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1075, making its seventeenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 11-4 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/GivsSa5bsAEc5vt.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 11-4 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Suni and Butch conduct ISS spacewalk* ![NASA astronauts Suni Williams (left) and Butch Wilmore (right) preparing for their spacewalk. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/blog_suni_butch_012825.jpg) NASA astronauts Suni Williams (left) and Butch Wilmore (right) preparing for their spacewalk. ©NASA NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who flew to the International Space Station on [Boeing's Starliner spacecraft](https://cosmicnxws.com/starliner-carries-first-crew-after-years-of-delays?ref=proximareport.com), conducted a spacewalk outside of the station [on January 30th](https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2025/01/30/spacewalkers-complete-radio-hardware-removal-and-microbe-search/?ref=proximareport.com). NASA states that both spacewalkers completed their primary objects outside of the station, including removing a radio frequency group antenna assembly from the station’s truss and collecting samples of surface material for analysis from the Destiny laboratory and the Quest airlock. This spacewalk was Williams' ninth and Wilmore's fifth, the duo spent 5 hours and 26 minutes outside of the station. For the spacewalk Suni wore a suit with red stripes while Butch wore an unmarked suit, these marking help ground controllers assist and observe the spacewalkers. With the spacewalk Suni surpassed Peggy Whitson’s record for most total spacewalking time by a female astronaut of 60 hours and 21 minutes, bringing the record to 62 hours and 6 minutes. After the spacewalk, NASA gave the astronauts [a half-day off](https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2025/01/31/astronauts-relax-after-spacewalk-cosmonauts-work-physics-and-exercise-research/?ref=proximareport.com) from usual work onboard the station. The following day Butch and Suni spent an afternoon servicing their spacesuits and cleaning the Quest airlock. Some readers may recall that Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have been onboard the International Space Station since early June, almost eight months ago, due to problems with the Starliner spacecraft. Both astronauts are currently expected to return on the [Crew-9 Crew Dragon](https://cosmicnxws.com/nasa-crew-9?ref=proximareport.com) spacecraft with Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov in late March. ### *Boom goes supersonic* ![Boom's XB-1 demonstrator aircraft during its first supersonic flight. ©Boom Technology](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/02/xb-1-milestone-2025-01-flight-12.jpg) Boom's XB-1 demonstrator aircraft during its first supersonic flight. ©Boom Technology On January 28th [Boom performed](https://boomsupersonic.com/flyby/boom-achieves-supersonic-flight?ref=proximareport.com) the first supersonic flight of a civilian jet from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California in the company's latest test flight using its XB-1 demonstrator aircraft. This test flight was flown by Boom's Chief Test Pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg. During the supersonic test flight, XB-1 flew at an altitude of 35,290 feet and reached a top speed of Mach 1.122 (roughly 750 miles per hour). Speaking after the test flight Boom's founder and Chief Executive Officer Blake Scholl said: > “XB-1’s supersonic flight demonstrates that the technology for passenger supersonic flight has arrived. A small band of talented and dedicated engineers has accomplished what previously took governments and billions of dollars. Next, we are scaling up the technology on XB-1 for the Overture supersonic airliner. Our ultimate goal is to bring the benefits of supersonic flight to everyone.” By next year Boom is hoping to begin test flights of its Overture supersonic airliner, slated to carry between sixty-five and eighty-eight passengers while traveling at speeds of Mach 1.7\. Regular flights of Overture are currently expected around 2030 with one hundred and thirty aircraft on order for American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines. ### *Starliner investigation making "significant progress"* According to [SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/safety-panel-reports-progress-in-starliner-investigation/?ref=proximareport.com), NASA and Boeing teams are making "significant progress" on solving issues of the Starliner spacecraft from its crewed flight test that began in June last year. According to Paul Hill, a member of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, at a public meeting, NASA-Boeing teams have begun closing out flight observations and in-flight anomalies. However, investigations into the spacecraft propulsion systems will remain open pending the results of test campaigns. No timeline for another Starliner flight has been provided by NASA yet but Hill stated that the agency is keeping its options available for a certification flight in 2025\. It is unknown whether the next flight will carry a crew. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is currently preparing for Starship-Super Heavy's eighth flight test, utilizing Ship 34 and Booster 15\. Both vehicles have conducted cryogenic testing needed ahead of static fires, which are expected in the coming weeks. ### *February 2nd - H3 with Michibiki-6* A H3 rocket is planning to liftoff from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying a navigation satellite to geostationary transfer orbit. ### *February 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-3* A Falcon 9 is expected to carry a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *February 3rd - Electron for 'IoT 4 You and Me'* Rocket Lab is planning to perform its fourth Electron launch for Kinéis' Internet of Things constellation with liftoff expected from the company's facility on the Māhia Peninsula. ### *February 3rd - Falcon 9 with WorldView Legion 5 & 6* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Launch Complex 39A carrying two WorldView Legion satellites into low Earth orbit for Maxar. ### *February 4th - New Shepard with NS-29* Blue Origin is planning to perform a sub-orbital mission with its New Shepard vehicle from its West Texas launch site carrying various science experiments briefly above the Kármán line. ### *February 5th - Soyuz 2.1v with a to-be-announced payload* A Soyuz 2.1v is expected to liftoff from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome no earlier than February 5th. ### *February 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-9* Yet another Falcon 9 is expected to liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 with a batch of Starlink satellites bound for low Earth orbit. ### Monthly Dose of Space - January 2025 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-january-2025/ Last updated: 2025-02-01T17:26:34.000Z Welcome to our sixteenth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month we haven't covered in our weekly newsletters. January has kicked off 2025 with great momentum, so let's jump into it! ## **News of the Month** January saw news of a major contract award for ESA's Argonaut lunar lander, the Wenchang Commerical Space Launch Site expanding, Orbex receiving more state funding, China's Qianfan mega-constellation expanding into Kazakhstan, and continued progress toward NASA's Artemis II mission. ### OSIRIS-REx may have found life? ![A top-down view of the OSIRIS-REx Touch-and-Go-Sample-Acquisition-Mechanism head with the lid removed, revealing samples of asteroid Bennu inside. ©Erika Blumenfeld/Joseph Aebersold/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/O-REx_PE_F-1_20240117.jpeg) A top-down view of the OSIRIS-REx Touch-and-Go-Sample-Acquisition-Mechanism head with the lid removed, revealing samples of asteroid Bennu inside. ©Erika Blumenfeld/Joseph Aebersold/NASA NASA [announced on January 29th](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-asteroid-bennu-sample-reveals-mix-of-lifes-ingredients/?ref=proximareport.com) that after studying samples from asteroid Bennu that the asteroid hosted several of the ingredients needed for life. These samples were retrieved back on Earth in late September 2023\. The details about what was found are a little complicated and NASA does a good job of explaining so we'll let them do the explaining, which is as follows: > "In research papers published Wednesday in the journals Nature and Nature Astronomy, scientists from NASA and other institutions shared results of the first in-depth analyses of the minerals and molecules in the Bennu samples, which OSIRIS-REx delivered to Earth in 2023." > "Detailed in the Nature Astronomy paper, among the most compelling detections were amino acids – 14 of the 20 that life on Earth uses to make proteins – and all five nucleobases that life on Earth uses to store and transmit genetic instructions in more complex terrestrial biomolecules, such as DNA and RNA, including how to arrange amino acids into proteins." > "Scientists also described exceptionally high abundances of ammonia in the Bennu samples. Ammonia is important to biology because it can react with formaldehyde, which also was detected in the samples, to form complex molecules, such as amino acids – given the right conditions. When amino acids link up into long chains, they make proteins, which go on to power nearly every biological function." > "These building blocks for life detected in the Bennu samples have been found before in extraterrestrial rocks. However, identifying them in a pristine sample collected in space supports the idea that objects that formed far from the Sun could have been an important source of the raw precursor ingredients for life throughout the solar system." > "Ranging from calcite to halite and sylvite, scientists identified traces of 11 minerals in the Bennu sample that form as water containing dissolved salts evaporates over long periods of time, leaving behind the salts as solid crystals." > "Although scientists have previously detected several evaporites in meteorites that fall to Earth’s surface, they have never seen a complete set that preserves an evaporation process that could have lasted thousands of years or more. Some minerals found in Bennu, such as trona, were discovered for the first time in extraterrestrial samples." To summarise, the study of the Bennu asteroid samples found crucial building blocks for life, such as amino acids, nucleobases, ammonia, and formaldehyde, indicating that asteroids may have provided life's key ingredients. The samples also contained water-evaporated minerals, some of which were discovered for the first time in an extraterrestrial material, providing new insights into the early chemistry of the solar system. For a better understanding of the solar system and what was found, more sample retrieval missions to more asteroids will be needed along with those to other celestial bodies. Speaking about the study, OSIRIS-REx project scientist at NASA Goddard Jason Dworkin said: > “Data from OSIRIS-REx adds major brushstrokes to a picture of a solar system teeming with the potential for life. Why we, so far, only see life on Earth and not elsewhere, that’s the truly tantalizing question.” ### Artemis II booster stacking continues ![NASA teams stacking SLS' solid rocket boosters inside the Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/ksc-20250122-ph-kls01-0016.jpg) NASA teams stacking SLS' solid rocket boosters inside the Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA NASA [shared on January 24th](https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/artemis-ii-stacking-operations-update/?ref=proximareport.com) that it had stacked the sixth solid rocket booster segment for Artemis II's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. So far the agency has stacked two of the left booster segments and four of the right booster segments. In the coming weeks, NASA stated that its teams will return to stacking the left booster, bringing it to three segments tall. All parts needed for SLS boosters are believed to be at the Kennedy Space Center for each booster to be five segments tall along with their avionics and nose assemblies. Later this year NASA is expecting to stack the SLS core stage between the two solid rocket boosters, followed by the rockets interstage and then the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. Artemis II's Orion spacecraft is also undergoing testing at the Kennedy Space Center before it is placed atop SLS. NASA is currently hoping to have SLS at Launch Complex 39B no later than April 2026. ### ESA awards near billion-dollar contract for lunar lander Thales Alenia Space [announced on January 30th](https://www.thalesaleniaspace.com/en/press-releases/thales-alenia-space-signs-contract-esa-develop-argonaut-lunar-lander-cargo-delivery?ref=proximareport.com) that it had signed a contract with the European Space Agency worth 862 million Euros (approximately 897.9 million United States Dollars) for the agency's Argonaut lunar lander. Thales Alenia Space's contract will see the company develop Argonaut's Lunar Descent Element, critical for powering the spacecraft to the lunar surface after launch. Speaking on the contract award, Thales Alenia Space's Chief Executive Officer Hervé Derrey said: > “Thanks to this astonishing space vehicle, tons of cargo will be delivered to the Moon’s surface, including rovers, scientific missions and many more. This new element of the Artemis program will serve at facilitating long-duration manned lunar exploration missions and will be crucial to increase European autonomy in lunar exploration. The Moon will also serve as a stepping stone for crewed missions into deep space, with Mars being the next stage of the journey." The European Space Agency's Argonaut lunar lander is planned to be capable of carrying 2,000 kilograms of cargo to the lunar surface in support of NASA's Artemis Program. Argonaut's cargo is said to include rovers, crewed mission supplies, as well as lunar power infrastructure. The first mission for the spacecraft is planned for around 2031. ### Wenchang Commercial begins second construction phase Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co., Ltd. announced on January 25th that it had started [phase two of construction](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/hainan-and-coastal-launch-facilities?ref=proximareport.com) at the Wenchang Commerical Space Launch Site. This second phase of construction is set to take place across approximately 1.4 square kilometers to build two new launch pads, as well as another command and control center, a rocket assembly and testing building, and a tracking, telemetry, and command station. These new launch pads, dubbed Commercial Launch Pad 3 and 4, are set to be liquid propellant multi-user launch pads, supporting various privately and state-developed rockets. Once operational the two new pads could be capable of supporting around sixteen launches per year each for well over at least fifty missions annually able to be supported across the launch site, thanks to the existing multi-user pad and the Long March 8 series pad. Officials of Wenchang Commercial believe they can have the two new launch pads and their support facilities complete within twenty-four months, with a hopeful completion date eighteen months out. A representative of Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co., Ltd. told Chinese media the following about the expansion: > "The expansion of the project will greatly enhance the launch capabilities of the spaceport, help meet the growing demand for commercial launches in China, drive the continuous improvement of the aerospace industry chain, and create a hub for leading talent and technological innovation" ### Qianfan moves into Kazakhstan [Reported on January 24th](https://www.samenacouncil.org/samena%5Fdaily%5Fnews?news=104093&ref=proximareport.com), Spacesail, operator of the Qianfan mega-constellation, has set up a Kazakh subsidiary called Spacesail Kazakhstan with 17 million United States Dollars in registered capital. Through the subsidiary, Spacesail is reported to be planning to establish a local facility to integrate its satellite internet services with Kazakhstan’s communication infrastructure. According to the report, Kazakhstan's Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry is expected to formalize cooperation with Spacesail by signing a memorandum of understanding within the year, after which a detailed timeline for the satellite internet rollout in Kazakhstan will be announced. Currently, Spacesail is expecting to provide regular internet coverage in China and surrounding regions by the end of 2025, and regular internet coverage worldwide by the end of 2027. Qianfan is set to compete with SpaceX's Starlink services in the coming years by offering a service from a more predictable partner, the Chinese government, compared to a U.S. company. A few months ago on November 19th, [Brazil signed](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/152042772/qianfan-goes-international?ref=proximareport.com) an agreement with Spacesail to introduce the constellations services to the country. ### Orbex receives new state funding On January 29th the government of the [United Kingdom announced](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/scottish-rocket-launch-boost-to-get-britain-back-into-space-race?ref=proximareport.com) that it would award Orbex, a British launch company, 20 million British pounds (approximately 24.9 million United States Dollars) in investment. The small island nation's government hopes that the investment will position Britain as a leading international partner and cooperator in Europe’s access to space. Speaking on the funding award Technology Secretary Peter Kyle stated: > "By investing £20 million in this rocket launch, we are not only helping the country to become a leading destination for small satellite launches in Europe but bringing highly skilled jobs and investment to communities and organisations across the UK" – "Supporting Orbex’s launch will also turbocharge the country’s position in the space sector and inspire our next generation of space professionals, who will be able to design, test, build and launch British rockets, carrying British satellites, from British soil." Orbex was founded in 2015 to conduct a private robotic lunar mission but pivoted into a launch company in 2016 after underfunding its lunar goals. Currently, Orbex is developing its Prime launch vehicle, capable of carrying 180 kilograms into Earth orbit. So far the only hardware shown off for Prime was an inert 'prototype' in [May 2022](https://spacenews.com/orbex-unveils-prototype-of-rocket-preparing-for-uks-first-vertical-launch/?ref=proximareport.com). This new funding has been [criticized](https://www.northern-times.co.uk/news/msp-ariane-burgess-calls-for-clarity-on-whether-governments-373249/?ref=proximareport.com) by a member of the Scottish Parliament, a semi-autonomous region of the United Kingdom. Ariane Burgess is urging Orbex to clarify how they will use the new state funding as the company recently mothballed a launch site in Scotland's Sutherland region, for which they received 14.24 million British pounds (17.7 million United States Dollars). The majority of that funding came from the Scottish government. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw **twenty-two** launches worldwide, beginning a busy year. If you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *January 4th - Falcon 9 with Thuraya 4-NGS* Beginning 2025's launches was a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40 with the Thuraya 4-NGS communications, on behalf of UAE-based Al Yah Satellite Communications, to a geostationary transfer orbit. Supporting this year's first mission was B1073 for its twentieth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *January 6th - Long March 3B/E with Shijian-25* China’s first launch of 2025 blasted off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center with a Long March 3B/E sending Shijian-25 toward geostationary transfer orbit. Shijian-25 is stated as being a technological demonstration mission for refueling other spacecraft along with extending their operational lives. ### *January 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-71* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this launch was booster B1077, making its seventeenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *January 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-11* Another Falcon 9 carried twenty-one Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Booster B1086 supported this mission for its third flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *January 10th - Falcon 9 with NROL-153* SpaceX launched another Falcon 9 with a batch of Starshield satellites, the military version of Starlink, from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. This mission was supported by booster B1071, making its twenty-second flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *January 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-12* Another batch of Starlink satellites were launched to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1067 supported this launch for its twenty-fifth flight, with it landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *January 13th - Jielong-3 with ten CentiSpace-1 satellites* A Jielong-3 blasted off from the Dongfang Hangtiangang launch platform off the coast of Haiyang in the Yellow Sea carrying ten CentiSpace-1 satellites into low Earth orbit. The CentiSpace-1 satellites are part of a planned constellation of up to 190 satellites to provide high-accuracy global navigation services. ### *January 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-4* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-one Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. This launch was supported by booster B1080, making its fifteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *January 14th - Falcon 9 with Transporter-12* SpaceX performed its twelfth dedicated rideshare mission to sun-synchronous orbit carrying 131 satellites atop of Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was B1088 on its second flight, landing at Landing Zone 4 back in California. ### *January 15th - Falcon 9 with two lunar landers* From Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, Falcon 9 rocket blasted off to a lunar transfer orbit carrying Firefly's Blue Ghost and ispace's Hakuto-R lunar landers. Supporting the launch of the two landers was booster B1085, for its fifth mission and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. Details about both lunar landers are available [here](https://cosmicnxws.com/falcon-9-firefly-ispace-moon?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io). ### *January 16th - New Glenn for its maiden flight* Blue Origin performed the first mission for its New Glenn launch vehicle, sending its second-stage and the Blue Ring prototype into medium Earth orbit. New Glenn's first-stage booster, called 'So You're Telling Me There's a Chance', was aiming to land on the drone ship, named 'Jacklyn', downrange but the booster was lost during descent. More details about the maiden mission are available [here](https://cosmicnxws.com/new-glenn-soars-in-debut-mission?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io). ### *January 16th - Starship-Super Heavy for its seventh flight test* SpaceX conducted Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test from the company's Starbase launch site, near Boca Chica in south Texas. This flight test utilized Ship 33 and Booster 14\. During the test flight Booster 14 was caught by the tower back at the launch site while Ship 33 was lost during ascent. More details about this flight test are available [here](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-7?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io). ### *January 17th - Long March 2D with PRSC-EO1 and two other satellites* A Long March 2D blasted off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying three satellites into sun-synchronous orbit. These satellites were Pakistan's PRSC-EO1 resource monitoring satellites, the Lantan-1 ocean monitoring satellite, and the Tianlu-1 remote sensing satellite. ### *January 20th - Ceres-1 with Jitianxing-A-05 & four Yunyao-1 satellites* Galactic Energy launched its Ceres-1 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying Jitianxing-A-05 and four Yunyao-1 satellites to low Earth orbit. Jitianxing-A-05 is an optical remote-sensing satellite part of a planned small constellation and the four Yunyao-1 satellites, numbered 37 through 40, are part of Yunyao Aerospace’s meteorology constellation. ### *January 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 13-1* Falcon 9 lifted off from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, carrying twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster supporting this mission was B1083 for its eighth mission, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *January 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-8* Another Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-seven Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1082, flying for the tenth time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *January 23rd - Long March 6A with Qianfan Polar Group 06* A Long March 6A blasted off from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying eighteen Qianfan satellites into low Earth orbit, for the fourth launch of the constellation. With the launch of Polar Group 06 the Qianfan constellation now has seventy-two satellites in orbit. ### *January 23rd - Long March 3B/E with TJSW-14* A Long March 3B/E lifted off from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the TJSW-14 satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit. TJSW-14's uses may include satellite communications, radio, television, data transmission, as well as technology testing and verification. Sadly either the [first-stage or booster](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/155548259/post-release-update?ref=proximareport.com), it is unknown which at this time, fell close to a residential area at roughly 23:50 pm local time. As is standard after booster-related incidents, nearby residents were asked to shelter outside and away from the debris. Meanwhile, teams closed off and cleaned up the debris shortly after. ### *January 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-6* SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites. Booster B1063 supported this launch for its twenty-thrid mission, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *January 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-7* Another Falcon 9 flew to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying twenty-one satellites. The booster supporting this mission was B1076, making its twentieth flight and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *January 29th - GSLV MkII with NVS-02* A GLSV MkII rocket carried the NVS-02 (IRNSS-1K) satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit from India's Satish Dhawan Space Center. NVS-02 is part of the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC). This launch was also the [100th from the Satish Dhawan Space Center](https://cosmicnxws.com/india-100th-launch-satish-dhawan?ref=proximareport.com). ### *January 30th - Falcon 9 with SpainSat NG-I* SpaceX launched the SpainSat NG-I spacecraft, a satellite for the Spanish military, atop of Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. Booster B1073 supported this mission for its twenty-first and final flight. ## Launches to look out for in February! February will continue the busy year of launch, possibly with another rocket's maiden flight. Listed below are all of the launches expected or very likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of February may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *February 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-4* A SpaceX Falcon 9 is expected to carry a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *February 2nd - H3 with Michibiki-6* A H3 rocket is planning to liftoff from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying a navigation satellite to geostationary transfer orbit. ### *February 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-3* A Falcon 9 is expected to carry a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *February 3rd - Electron for 'IoT 4 You and Me'* Rocket Lab is planning to perform its fourth Electron launch for Kinéis' Internet of Things constellation with liftoff expected from the company's facility on the Māhia Peninsula. ### *February 3rd - Falcon 9 with WorldView Legion 5 & 6* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Launch Complex 39A carrying two WorldView Legion satellites into low Earth orbit for Maxar. ### *February 4th - New Shepard with NS-29* Blue Origin is planning to perform a sub-orbital mission with its New Shepard vehicle from its West Texas launch site carrying various science experiments briefly above the Kármán line. ### *February 11th - Long March 8A for its maiden flight* The Long March 8A may perform its debut mission from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ### *February 26th - Ariane 6 with Composante Spatiale Optique-3* An Ariane 6 is expected to fly into sun-synchronous orbit from the Guiana Space Center carrying the Composante Spatiale Optique-3 optical imaging satellite for the French military. ### India Performs 100th Launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre! URL: https://proximareport.com/india-100th-launch-satish-dhawan/ Last updated: 2025-01-29T19:26:43.000Z Early in the morning of January 29th, the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India's premier spaceport, hosted its [100th launch](https://www.isro.gov.in/GSLV-F15%5FNVS-02%5FMission.html?ref=proximareport.com) when a GSLV MkII rocket blasted off from the space centre's second launch pad! For the 100th launch, GLSV MkII carried the [NVS-02 (IRNSS-1K) satellite](https://www.isro.gov.in/media%5Fisro/pdf/GSLVF15/GSLV-F15%5FNVS-02%5FEngBrochure240125.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) to a geostationary transfer orbit. NVS-02 is part of the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) to provide an alternative to the American GPS network, China's BeiDou constellation, and Russia's GLONASS network. According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the NavIC network will be used in Terrestrial, aerial, and maritime navigation, precision agriculture management, geodetic surveying, location-based services in mobile devices, emergency response services, and strategic applications among others. The GSLV MkII vehicle launching NVS-02 was the seventeenth built using India's eleventh indigenously developed cryogenic upper-stage. [GSLV MkII](https://www.isro.gov.in/GSLV%5FCON.html?ref=proximareport.com) is a three-stage launch vehicle with a solid propellant core on the first-stage with four hypergolic boosters augmenting its performance, the second-stage also burns hypergolic propellants after hot-staging from the first-stage, and lastly the third-stage burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to finalize ascent into low Earth orbit or to head out to geostationary transfer orbit. When prepared for launch GSLV MkII stands 51.73 meters tall and weighs just over 420,000 kilograms. ![GSLV MkII during rollout from the assembly building to its launch pad ahead of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre's 100th launch. ©ISRO](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/33.jpg-1.webp) GSLV MkII during rollout from the assembly building to its launch pad ahead of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre's 100th launch. ©ISRO As mentioned in the beginning, this was the Satish Dhawan Space Centre's 100th launch. The space centre, named after former ISRO Chairman Satish Dhawan, [hosted its first](https://www.isro.gov.in/media%5Fisro/pdf/List%5Fof%5Flaunches.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) launch back in August 1979 and took just shy of fifteen years to reach its tenth launch in October 1994\. Fourteen years after the tenth the centre hosted its twenty-fifth launch in January 2008, followed by its fiftieth in December 2015, and its seventh-fifth in July 2019, increasing India's launch cadence with each milestone. Speaking after the launch, ISRO's Chairman Dr V. Narayanan [said](https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/isro-100th-launch-gslv-f15-mission-nvs-02-sriharikota-live-updates/article69152223.ece?ref=proximareport.com): > “I am extremely happy to announce from the spaceport of ISRO that the first launch of this year has been successfully accomplished. The GSLV-F15 vehicle launch vehicle precisely injecting the navigation satellite NVS-02 into orbit. This mission is the 100th launch from our launch pads which is a significant milestone for India.” – “Our Space programme was conceived and started by a visionary leader Vikram Sarabhai and taken forward by a generation of leaders. Till today, we have developed six generations of launch vehicles. The first launch vehicle was developed under the guidance of Satish Dhawan with APJ Abdul Kalam as the project director in 1979\. From that till today, including today’s launch, we have accomplished 100 launches” Notable missions launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre include India's first lunar orbiter Chandrayaan-1, its first lunar landing attempt Chandrayaan-2, India's first Moon landing mission Chandrayaan-3, the country's first Mars mission Mangalyaan[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars%5FOrbiter%5FMission?ref=proximareport.com#cite%5Fnote-11), the Aditya-L1 solar research mission, and the XPoSat X-ray observatory. Currently, the space center has two launch pads. The First Launch Pad is the older of the two and is capable of supporting launches of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV). The Second Launch Pad is the larger of the two and can support launches of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) MkII, the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3), as well as PSLV. In the future, the Second Launch Pad is planned to support human missions to low Earth orbit. In recent weeks the Indian government also [approved plans](https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2093360&ref=proximareport.com) for the Third Launch Pad. The Third Launch Pad is planned to support launches of the LVM3, both human and cargo, as well as the in-development Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV). The Next Generation Launch Vehicle will be India's largest and most capable vehicle once operational and will be used for the county's planned Bharatiya Antariksha Station in Low Earth orbit as well as proposed human Moon missions around 2040. This year India is also aiming to [perform at least ten launches](https://cosmicnxws.com/weekly-dose-of-space-29-12-4-1?ref=proximareport.com#india-plans-ten-launches-in-2025) from the Satish Dhawan Space Center. India's 2025 launches, excluding today's mission, are set to include three Gaganyaan test flights atop of LVM3, a fourth LVM3 for AST SpaceMobile, three GSLV missions to launch navigation, remote sensing, and imaging satellites, three PSLV missions for commercial and defense satellites, one SSLV mission, and the debut flight of Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 rocket. According to former ISRO Chairman S. Somanath, the limiting factor for the launch goal is the manufacturing capacity for the various rockets. ### Weekly Dose of Space (19/1-25/1) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-19-1-25-1/ Last updated: 2025-01-26T19:45:42.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw six launches take place, with launches for two mega-constellations. News this week had Amazon's mega-constellation heading to the launch site, another spacewalk aboard the Tiangong Space Station, and Finland singing the Artemis Accords. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began late on January 18th, and early on the 19th, when Ship 34 was transported from the Massey's test site to the production site, after completing a round of cryogenic testing. The following morning on the 20th Starbase's second tower had its catch arms rolled out to the launch site, while teams began constructing a temporary structure for preparing the arms. A few days later on January 24th one of the two arms was lifted upright and supported by the temporary structure. Then just hours later the second arm was moved upright, followed by the locking of the two arms into one moveable structure. > The 2nd chopstick has been fitted to the carriage and the mahoosive pin, that locks the 3 pieces into 1 set, has been (very easily) dropped into place.[@LabPadre](https://twitter.com/LabPadre?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/5BjIbQQJbN](https://t.co/5BjIbQQJbN?ref=proximareport.com) > > — VixXi (@VickiCocks15) [January 25, 2025](https://twitter.com/VickiCocks15/status/1882968515801735376?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The second arm being lifted and locked, via [VickiCocks15 on X](https://x.com/VickiCocks15/status/1882968515801735376?ref=proximareport.com). ## **Launches This Week** ### *January 20th - Ceres-1 with Jitianxing-A-05 & four Yunyao-1 satellites* Galactic Energy launched its Ceres-1 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying Jitianxing-A-05 and four Yunyao-1 satellites to low Earth orbit. Jitianxing-A-05 is an optical remote-sensing satellite part of a planned small constellation and the four Yunyao-1 satellites, numbered 37 through 40, are part of Yunyao Aerospace’s meteorology constellation. ![Galactic Energy's Ceres-1 Y6 vehcile lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/9da82ba5gy1hxrfzcnxm6j22ba3gyhdt-1.jpg) Galactic Energy's Ceres-1 Y6 vehcile lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *January 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 13-1* Falcon 9 lifted off from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, carrying twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster supporting this mission was B1083 for its eighth mission, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 13-1 mision. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GhzQFfIagAA3zEB-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 13-1 mision. ©SpaceX ### *January 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-8* Another Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-seven Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1082, flying for the tenth time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. > Falcon lands for the 400th time! [pic.twitter.com/pwNCwAb3SK](https://t.co/pwNCwAb3SK?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [January 21, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1881732223831080967?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 booster B1082 landing on 'Of Course I Stil Love You', via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1881732223831080967?ref=proximareport.com). ### *January 23rd - Long March 6A with Qianfan Polar Group 06* A Long March 6A blasted off from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying eighteen Qianfan satellites into low Earth orbit, for the fourth launch of the constellation. With the launch of Polar Group 06 the Qianfan constellation now has seventy-two satellites in orbit. ![The Long March 6A Y6 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 9A.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/757dc9f5ly1hxupyv0bsvj23lj2edb2b.jpg) The Long March 6A Y6 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 9A. ### *January 23rd - Long March 3B/E with TJSW-14* A Long March 3B/E lifted off from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the TJSW-14 satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit. TJSW-14's uses may include satellite communications, radio, television, data transmission, as well as technology testing and verification. Sadly either the [first-stage or booster](https://x.com/AJ%5FFI/status/1882695517702078839?ref=proximareport.com), it is unknown which at this time, fell close to a residential area at roughly 23:50 pm local time. As is standard after booster-related incidents, nearby residents were asked to shelter outside and away from the debris. Meanwhile, teams closed off and cleaned up the debris shortly after. ![The Long March 3B/E Y106 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 2.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/9da82ba5gy1hxv5w4dg09j2187187aiz.jpg) The Long March 3B/E Y106 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 2. ### *January 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-6* SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites. Booster B1063 supported this launch for its twenty-thrid mission, with a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 during the Starlink Group 11-6 mision. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GiErNLsaMAAOYuk-1.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 during the Starlink Group 11-6 mision. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *First Kuiper satellites head to Florida* ![A create containing Kuiper satellites being loaded onto a truck. ©Amazon](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GiE020Da8AA2VV2.jpg) A create containing Kuiper satellites being loaded onto a truck. ©Amazon Amazon [announced on January 24th](https://x.com/amazon/status/1882844628745170992?ref=proximareport.com) that it had shipped a batch of Kuiper satellites from one of its facilities to Cape Canaveral, Florida, ahead of the constellation's first launch later this year. In the announcement, Amazon stated: > "Project Kuiper update! Another batch of production satellites for our low Earth orbit internet constellation is on its way to Cape Canaveral, FL. These satellites, built to withstand the harsh conditions of space and the journey there, will be processed upon arrival to get them ready for launch." > "Before shipping these satellites, we put each one through a series of tests that include: > Performance testing in a vacuum chamber to replicate outer space. > Vibration and acoustic testing to simulate rocket launch conditions. > Thermal heating and cooling cycles that simulate temperature changes the satellites will experience in space." > "These satellites will bring fast, reliable internet to customers even in remote areas. Stay tuned for our first launch this year." Amazon did not state who would provide the first launch for the satellite internet mega-constellation but with the satellites heading to Florida the launch provider is likely to be United Launch Alliance, using either the Atlas V or Vulcan rocket. Amazon is planning to launch over 3,200 satellites for the Kuiper constellation by 2029, with at least 1,600 satellites planned to be in orbit by mid-2026\. Once a sufficient number of satellites are in orbit the constellation will begin providing space-based satellite internet. Back in October 2023, two prototype satellites were delivered to orbit for testing. ### *Shenzhou-19 crew conducts second spacewalk* ![Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong leaving the Wentian module. ©Xinhua](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GhwejHxW0AAJ2wk.jpg) Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong leaving the Wentian module. ©Xinhua January 20th saw the Shenzhou-19 crew conducting their [second spacewalk](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/shenzhou-19-crew-install-debris-protection?ref=proximareport.com), spending approximately eight hours and seventeen minutes outside of the Tiangong Space Station. For the spacewalk, Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong exited the station while Wang Haoze remained inside providing support. According to the China Manned Space Agency, Cai and Song left through the Wentian modules airlock to install various space debris protection devices with the help of the station’s robotic arm, controlled by a team on the ground. Additionally, inspections of the station's three modules were also conducted. So far the Shenzhou-19 crew have spent three months aboard Tiangong, completing half of their mission. Additional spacewalks may take place when needed, for hardware installation or repairs, but the China Manned Space Agency has not yet announced plans for more spacewalks. The three taikonauts are currently not set to return to Earth until late April or Early May. ### *Finland signs Artemis Accords* On January 23rd Finland [signed](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-welcomes-finland-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) the Artemis Accords at the Aalto University’s Winter Satellite Workshop 2025 in Espoo, Finland. Finland's minister of economic affairs, Wille Rydman, signed on behalf of the country. After singing, Rydman said: > “Finland has been part of the space exploration community for decades with innovations and technology produced by Finnish companies and research institutions,” – “The signing of the Artemis Accords is in line with Finland’s newly updated space strategy that highlights the importance of international cooperation and of strengthening partnerships with the Unites States and other allies. We aim for this cooperation to open great opportunities for the Finnish space sector in the new era of space exploration and in the Artemis program.” With the signing, Finland becomes the fifty-third signatory and joins Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Chile, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Ukraine, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Brazil, Poland, Mexico, Israel, Romania, Bahrain, Singapore, Colombia, France, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Rwanda, the Czech Republic, Spain, Ecuador, India, Argentina, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Angola, Belgium, Greece, Uruguay, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Lithuania, Peru, Slovakia, Armenia, Estonia, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Austria, Thailand, and Liechtenstein. ### *Janet Petro to lead NASA temporarily* Through [conflicting statements and announcements](https://spacenews.com/second-trump-administration-begins-with-confusion-on-acting-nasa-leadership/?ref=proximareport.com), Janet Petro, Director of the Kennedy Space Center, was announced as acting Administrator of NASA. Petro will now lead NASA in the interim following the retirement of Bill Nelson, head of NASA during the Biden administration, and until Jared Isaacman, [NASA Administrator nominee from Donald Trump](https://cosmicnxws.com/trump-wants-boots-on-mars?ref=proximareport.com#nasas-new-administrator), is sworn in following a confirmation hearing by the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee. Petro has already begun work as acting Administrator signing agency-wide messages to all of NASA's employees. Two such messages have [quickly targeted](https://cosmicnxws.com/trump-begins-witchhunt-within-nasa?ref=proximareport.com) NASA's diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programs. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is currently preparing for Starship-Super Heavy's eighth flight test, utilizing Ship 34 and Booster 15\. Both vehicles have conducted cryogenic testing needed ahead of static fires. ### *January 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-7* SpaceX is planning to launch a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *January 29th - New Shepard for NS-29* Blue Origin is planning to perform a sub-orbital mission with its New Shepard vehicle from its West Texas launch site carrying various science experiments briefly above the Kármán line. ### *January 29th - GSLV MkII with IRNSS-1K* A GSLV MkII rocket is expected to liftoff from the Satish Dhawan Space Center, in India, carrying a satellite for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System to geostationary transfer orbit. ### *January 29th - Falcon 9 with SpainSat NG-1* Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Launch Complex 39A carrying SpainSat NG-1 to a geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of the Spanish government. ### *January 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-3* SpaceX is hoping to launch another Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *January 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-4* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *February 1st - H3 with Michibiki-6* A H3 rocket is planning to liftoff from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying a navigation satellite to geostationary transfer orbit. ### Trump Begins Witchhunt Within NASA URL: https://proximareport.com/trump-begins-witchhunt-within-nasa/ Last updated: 2025-02-07T21:49:38.000Z We are less than a week into the [second Trump administration](https://cosmicnxws.com/trump-wants-boots-on-mars?ref=proximareport.com) and the new president is already sending shockwaves through NASA. In two internal memos sent through the space agency, Trump has targeted NASA's various diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programs. These internal memos, signed by Janet Petro, acting agency Administrator and Director of the Kennedy Space Center, read as follows: ### [Memo One](https://nasawatch.com/trumpspace/internal-nasa-memo-on-diversity-erasure/?ref=proximareport.com) > Dear agency employees, > > We are taking steps to close all agency DEIA offices and end all DEIA-related contracts in accordance with President Trump's executive orders titled Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Prefrencing and Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions. > > These programs divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination. > > We are aware of efforts by some in government to disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language. If you are aware of a change in any contract description or personnel position description since November 5, 2024 to obscure the connection between the contract and DEIA or similar ideologies, please report all facts and circumstances to DEIAtruth@opm.gov within 10 days. > > There will be no adverse consequences for timely reporting this information. However, failure to report this information within 10 days may result in adverse consequences. > > Thank you for your attention to this important matter. > > **Janet Petro** ### [Memo Two](https://nasawatch.com/trumpspace/nasa-orders-a-halt-to-all-funded-deia-activities/?ref=proximareport.com) > MEMORANDUM FOR NASA CONTRACTOR AND GRANTEE COMMUNITY > > SUBJECT: Initial Guidance Regarding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility (DEIA) Executive Orders > > On January 20, 2025, the President of the United States of America signed an Executive Order (E.O.) titled, "Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions", which repeals Executive Order 14035, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce". The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a memorandum, dated January 21, 2025, titled, "Initial Guidance Regarding DEIA Executive Orders" to federal agencies. > > To implement the E.O. requirements, OPM directed federal agencies to take immediate action to identify and terminate DEIA initiatives and programs and remove final or pending documents, directives, orders, materials, and equity plans issued in response to the now- repealed Executive Order 14035, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) in the Federal Workforce (June 25, 2021). To date, the following directions are provided: > > **Contracts and Grants**. NASA Contractors and Grantees immediately shall cease and desist all DEIA activities required of their contracts or grants. In accordance with FAR 52.242-15, Stop Work clause, a stop work order may have been issued to stop all or any part of the DEIA related activity. Additionally, FAR 52.249, Terminations clause modifications may also be issued to implement this change. This work may include but is not limited to: DEIA plan requirement, training, reporting, considerations for staffing, or any other direct or indirect contract or grant activity. All Contractors and Grantees shall notify their Contracting Officer or Grant Officer if they identify requirements within their contracts or grants that are in violation this guidance. > > **Guidance**. Consistent with the DEIA E.O. and the Regulatory Freeze Pending Review E.Q, additional guidance will be issued to further implement the executive order requirements, such as updating and removing DEIA related policy guidance in the NASA FAR Supplement, Grant and Cooperative Agreement Manual, Grant and Cooperative Agreement Procedures, and the Grant and Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions. > > **Websites, social media, accounts, etc**. NASA Office of Procurement has removed external and internal facing contract and grant websites that include DEIA related policies and documents, and these website were taken offline as of Spm January 22, per OPM guidance. NASA's diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programs were focused on talent cultivation to ensure the space agency had a wide range of talent available to hire from nationwide. Removing these programs will decrease the quantity and quality of new employees available to the agency. With the memo's encouraging agency employees to report one another, as well as contractors, NASA could unintentionally immobilize itself once bogus investigations are opened into key figures within the space agency. This could quite quickly [further delay](https://cosmicnxws.com/nasa-delays-artemis-ii-2026?ref=proximareport.com) Artemis missions or jeopardize the International Space Station program. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility policy in the United States can trace its roots back to the civil rights movement of the 1960s and has prevented employers from discriminating against employees based on race, gender, sexuality, and disabilities. Former NASA Administrator Bill Nelson [spoke on the need](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-names-two-diversity-champions-for-agency/?ref=proximareport.com) for such policy, after appointing Stephen Shih and Elaine Ho to the agency's Office of Diversity, saying: > “Now, more than ever, NASA is leading all of humanity on an unprecedented journey of discovery, exploration and innovation,” – “To be successful in our missions, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility must continue to be at the forefront. Steve and Elaine’s leadership will help NASA continue to ensure our workforce reflects all of America and to inspire partners throughout our nation – for the benefit of all humanity.” ### Trump wants boots on Mars URL: https://proximareport.com/trump-wants-boots-on-mars/ Last updated: 2025-02-07T21:49:51.000Z Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States of America on January 20th, becoming the first convicted felon to hold the office. After being sworn in for his second term in the United States Capitol Building in Washington D.C., Trump delivered a [long inauguration speech](https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/20/donald-trump-inauguration-speech-full-text-transcript/77839163007/?ref=proximareport.com) including the following, emphasis added: > "The United States will once again consider itself a growing nation, one that increases our wealth, expands our territory, builds our cities, raises our expectations and carries our flag into new and beautiful horizons. And we will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, **launching American astronauts to plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars.**" – "Americans are explorers, builders, innovators, entrepreneurs and pioneers. The spirit of the frontier is written into our hearts. The call of the next great adventure resounds from within our souls." The speech made no mention of sending astronauts to the Moon or NASA's Artemis program, which [recently delayed](https://cosmicnxws.com/nasa-delays-artemis-ii-2026?ref=proximareport.com) its first mission to the lunar surface to mid-2027. Trump wanting boots on Mars is not a major surprise to anyone who was following the 2024 election as Elon Musk, head of SpaceX, poured at least [260 million United States Dollars](https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/05/politics/elon-musk-trump-campaign-finance-filings/index.html?ref=proximareport.com) into Trump's election campaign. For his massive financial support, Musk is set to head a [new department](https://news.sky.com/story/elon-musks-starring-role-in-donald-trumps-government-confirmed-by-inauguration-proceedings-and-pledge-to-go-to-mars-13293344?ref=proximareport.com), dubbed the Department of Government Efficiency, with the purpose of cutting budgets, programs, and departments nationwide, and [possibly allowing](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/20/us/politics/elon-musk-federal-agencies-contracts.html?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) Musk to overrule government agencies that regulate his companies. Musk has long wanted to send humans to Mars to create a "backup" for human consciousness. For this aim, SpaceX has spent several years developing its Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. So far Starship-Super Heavy has flown seven test missions with none reaching orbit, and four major failures. If Trump wants boots on Mars by the end of his second term, in 2028, SpaceX is likely the only company capable of doing so. As such SpaceX may become the recipient of various billion-dollar contracts to do so, strengthening the company's already near-defacto monopoly over the U.S. space program. ## NASA's new Administrator [Back in December](https://cosmicnxws.com/trump-picks-jared-isaacman?ref=proximareport.com) Trump made his nomination for NASA Administrator, putting forward Jared Isaacman, a billionaire commercial astronaut. Unlike previous administrators of the space agency, Isaacman has no experience as a public servant, scientist, engineer, or in academia but has been to space twice. Isaacman's two trips to space were for the Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn missions. Inspiration4 had Isaacman and three other commercial astronauts orbit the Earth to raise awareness and money for St. Judes Children's Research Hospital. Polaris Dawn had Isaacman perform the first [commercial spacewalk](https://proximareport.com/polaris-dawn-spacewalk/), demonstrating similar spacesuit extravehicular capabilities of the Gemini program. Both of these missions used SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. Isaacman's total time in space is seven days and twenty-one hours. Jared Isaacman has a few potential conflicts of interest ahead of becoming NASA's Administrator. He is already a repeat customer of SpaceX's human spaceflight services and has plans to book at least [two more](https://polarisprogram.com/?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) missions with his own company, Shift4, holding [millions](https://x.com/xdNiBoR/status/1864388835032920435?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io)[ of dollars](https://investors.shift4.com/sec-filings/all-sec-filings/content/0001564590-21-011368/0001564590-21-011368.pdf?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) of SpaceX stock while being [a partner](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/10/shift4-stock-surges-after-spacex-starlink-payments-deal.html?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) too. Online Isaacman has been an [enthusiastic ](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1863313530314698939?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io)[supporter](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1861977462688592033?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) of Musk, questioning whose interest he will act on behalf of. Isaacman's nomination will be handled by the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee before he takes on the position of NASA Administrator. A date for Isaacman's confirmation hearing has not yet been set. ## Goodbye to Artemis? During the election campaign, Trump ran on an "America First" philosophy relating to foreign policy. Marco Rubio, the new Secretary of State, has been ordered to follow this rhetoric with an [executive order stating](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/america-first-policy-directive-to-the-secretary-of-state/?ref=proximareport.com): > "From this day forward, the foreign policy of the United States shall champion core American interests and always put America and American citizens first." – "As soon as practicable, the Secretary of State shall issue guidance bringing the Department of State’s policies, programs, personnel, and operations in line with an America First foreign policy, which puts America and its interests first." This rhetoric has brought into question whether the second Trump administration will remain a part of, or disband, the Artemis Accords. The Artemis Accords were created late into Trump's first term with the aim of creating an internationally agreed-upon set of principles for the peaceful utilization of space, repeating much of the UN's Outer Space Treaty while being non-binding and allowing for commercial use of celestial bodies. Lori Garver, former NASA Deputy Administrator in the Obama administration, [believes](https://spacenews.com/finland-signs-artemis-accords/?ref=proximareport.com) that the new administration won't stick with the accords due to its slow-to-materialize benefits. Scott Pace, executive secretary of the National Space Council from the first Trump administration, believes that the U.S. will remain in the accords until it can create a globally popular consensus on how space should be used in line with U.S. national interests, possibly replacing the Outer Space Treaty. However, the Artemis Accords are just one part of the Artemis program. NASA's Orion capsule and its Space Launch System (SLS) are major parts of America's plan to return astronauts to the Moon, but both are billions of dollars over budget. Calls to cancel one of, or both, vehicles have been [shared in recent months](https://spacenews.com/do-the-space-launch-system-and-orion-have-a-future-under-the-trump-administration/?ref=proximareport.com) [citing](https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-10-17/michael-bloomberg-nasa-s-artemis-moon-mission-is-a-colossal-waste?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTcyOTE3OTAxMSwiZXhwIjoxNzI5NzgzODExLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJTTEhUMEhEV1gyUFMwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiI5MTM4NzMzNDcyQkY0QjlGQTg0OTI3QTVBRjY1QzBCRiJ9.OB2Mbh1SIcPtaw2KjjDTXvNRKLwRqQlCg9UCYGqHRiw&ref=proximareport.com) the budget overruns along with the success of commercial launch providers, mainly SpaceX. Replacing SLS and Orion would be a costly endeavor, in terms of budget and schedule, but not impossible given Musk's heavy backing of Trump. ## Brewing political disaster Donald Trump quickly got to work [singing executive orders](https://abc30.com/post/list-executive-orders-president-trump-signed-first-day-office/15821421/?ref=proximareport.com), about [eighty in total](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-prepares-slew-day-1-orders-immigration-gender-rcna187164?ref=proximareport.com), after the inauguration. [Signed orders](https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/the-most-significant-executive-orders-trump-signed-on-day-one-of-his-second-us-presidency-term/ar-AA1xwUsU?ref=proximareport.com) include pulling the United States from the World Health Organisation and Paris Climate Agreement, invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, applying 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico beginning February 1st, ending birthright citizenship, pardoning those involved in an attempted overthrow of U.S. democracy on January 6th 2021, and declaring a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border along with declaring Mexican cartels as terror organizations while hinting at deploying the military to Mexico and its border. Elon Musk was also busy after the inauguration, speaking at the Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. to a crowd of Trump supporters, and [performing a Nazi salute](https://time.com/7208614/elon-musk-nazi-salute-reactions-debate-controversy-adl-trump-inauguration/?ref=proximareport.com). Confirming what many already knew about the [misogynist](https://www.pcmag.com/opinions/elon-musk-is-a-misogynist-and-it-matters?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io), [racist](https://futurism.com/civil-rights-groups-horrified-elon-musk-racist?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io), and [neo](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-08/musk-hands-spotlight-to-nazi-slogan-used-by-german-extremist?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io)\-[nazi](https://futurism.com/the-byte/elon-musk-deletes-nazi-apologist-tweet?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io). > um > > — [Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) [2025-01-20T19:58:05.706Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc/post/3lg74qw7q5x2n?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=proximareport.com) Elon Musk performs a Nazi salute during a speech, via [Aaron Rupar on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lg74qw7q5x2n?ref=proximareport.com). ### Weekly Dose of Space (12/1-18/1) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-12-1-18-1/ Last updated: 2025-01-25T13:33:53.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw seven launches take place, with two of them being ginormous reusable launch vehicles. News this week had India becoming the fourth country to dock two spacecraft, Stoke Space completing its largest funding round, and Rocket Factory Augsburg gaining its launch license. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on January 12th when Ship 33 was lifted back on top of Booster 14 for the final time ahead of the seventh flight test. A few days later on January 14th, the Ship transport stand left the launch site for the production site, a sign that the next flight was imminent as Ship 33 could no longer be destacked. On January 15th Ship 34, destined to fly for the eighth flight test, was moved from the production site to the Massey's test site. Finally on [January 16th at 22:37 pm](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-7?ref=proximareport.com) Universal Coordinated Time, Starship-Super Heavy lifted off from Starbase with Booster 14 running all thirty-three of its Raptor engines up to staging. Upon separating Booster 14 began its trip back to the launch site while Ship 33 continued on to space. Almost seven minutes after it left Booster 14 was caught by the launch tower! Sadly Ship 33 was lost not long after with all six of its engines gradually failing after a fire was believed to have broken out. ![Booster 14 during its catch attempt during the seventh flight test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GhluEiaacAAt0Za-1.jpg) Booster 14 during its catch attempt during the seventh flight test. ©SpaceX In the evening after the catch, the booster transport stand made its way from the production site to the launch site ahead of operations to bring Booster 14 back for post-flight inspections. The following day on the 17th Ship 34 underwent cryogenic testing at the Massey's test site, filling both its liquid methane and liquid oxygen tanks. Late on the 17th Booster 14 was removed from the orbital launch mount, where it had been placed after the catch, onto its transport stand, and then moved to the production site. Before sunrise on the 18th, the second launch tower's arm carriage was moved from the production site to the launch site ahead of installation. Preparations to install the carriage were seen too. More cryogenic testing of Ship 34 was also spotted on the 18th. ## **Launches This Week** ### *January 13th - Jielong-3 with ten CentiSpace-1 satellites* A Jielong-3 blasted off from the Dongfang Hangtiangang launch platform off the coast of Haiyang in the Yellow Sea carrying ten CentiSpace-1 satellites into low Earth orbit. The CentiSpace-1 satellites are part of a planned constellation of up to 190 satellites to provide high-accuracy global navigation services. ![The Jielong-3 Y5 vehicle lifting off from Dongfang Hangtiangang in the Yellow Sea.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/9dbe2c5fly1hxj8lljfegj212g0tpkbc-1.jpg) The Jielong-3 Y5 vehicle lifting off from Dongfang Hangtiangang in the Yellow Sea. ### *January 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-4* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-one Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. This launch was supported by booster B1080, making its fifteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 12-4 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GhMZ9CXXIAA2uVP.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 12-4 mission. ©SpaceX ### *January 14th - Falcon 9 with Transporter-12* SpaceX performed its twelfth dedicated rideshare mission to sun-synchronous orbit carrying 131 satellites atop of Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was B1088 on its second flight, landing at Landing Zone 4 back in California. ![Booster B1088 landing at Landing Zone 4 after supporting the Transporter-12 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GhTNn6GboAAmzHD.jpg) Booster B1088 landing at Landing Zone 4 after supporting the Transporter-12 mission. ©SpaceX ### *January 15th - Falcon 9 with two lunar landers* From Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, Falcon 9 rocket blasted off to a lunar transfer orbit carrying Firefly's Blue Ghost and ispace's Hakuto-R lunar landers. Supporting the launch of the two landers was booster B1085, for its fifth mission and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. Details about both lunar landers are available [here](https://cosmicnxws.com/falcon-9-firefly-ispace-moon?ref=proximareport.com). ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A carrying Blue Ghost and Hakuto-R. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GhUlP-vbUAAMHot.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A carrying Blue Ghost and Hakuto-R. ©SpaceX ### *January 16th - New Glenn for its maiden flight* Blue Origin performed the first mission for its New Glenn launch vehicle, sending its second-stage and the Blue Ring prototype into medium Earth orbit. New Glenn's first-stage booster, called 'So You're Telling Me There's a Chance', was aiming to land on the drone ship, named 'Jacklyn', downrange but the booster was lost during descent. More details about the maiden mission are available [here](https://cosmicnxws.com/new-glenn-soars-in-debut-mission?ref=proximareport.com). ![New Glenn lifting off from Launch Complex 36 for the vehicles debut mission. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GhhAp9OXQAE65hS.jpg) New Glenn lifting off from Launch Complex 36 for the vehicles debut mission. ©Blue Origin ### *January 16th - Starship-Super Heavy for its seventh flight test* SpaceX conducted Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test from the company's Starbase launch site, near Boca Chica in south Texas. This flight test utilized Ship 33 and Booster 14\. During the test flight Booster 14 was caught by the tower back at the launch site while Ship 33 was lost during ascent. More details about this flight test are available [here](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-7?ref=proximareport.com). ![Starship-Super Heavy during first-stage flight for the vehicles seventh flight test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GhlrDvpbsAAM75I-1-1.jpg) Starship-Super Heavy during first-stage flight for the vehicles seventh flight test. ©SpaceX ### *January 17th - Long March 2D with PRSC-EO1 and two other satellites* A Long March 2D blasted off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying three satellites into sun-synchronous orbit. These satellites were Pakistan's PRSC-EO1 resource monitoring satellites, the Lantan-1 ocean monitoring satellite, and the Tianlu-1 remote sensing satellite. ![The Long March 2D Y101 vehicle during first-stage flight.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/007ZZPDSly1hxnnzz7pgdj34ao2v47wh-1.jpg) The Long March 2D Y101 vehicle during first-stage flight. ## **In Other Space News** ### *India becomes fourth country to dock spacecraft!* > ISRO successfully completed docking of two SPADEX satellites (SDX-01 & SDX-02) in the early hours of 16 January, 2025.[#SPADEX](https://twitter.com/hashtag/SPADEX?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [#ISRO](https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISRO?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/UJrWpMLxmh](https://t.co/UJrWpMLxmh?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ISRO (@isro) [January 17, 2025](https://twitter.com/isro/status/1880277647391137947?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ISRO's annoucment of the successful docking during the SpaDeX mission, via [ISRO on X](https://x.com/isro/status/1880277647391137947?ref=proximareport.com). On January 16th, the Indian Space Research Organization [announced](https://x.com/isro/status/1879749119759311078?ref=proximareport.com) that India had become the fourth country to demonstrate the ability to dock two spacecraft in orbit during the SpaDeX mission! India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the space agency on the achievement [saying](https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1879755467964256701?ref=proximareport.com): > "Congratulations to our scientists at \[the Indian Space Research Organization\] and the entire space fraternity for the successful demonstration of space docking of satellites. It is a significant stepping stone for India’s ambitious space missions in the years to come." With the docking achieved, the two SpaDeX spacecraft will test transferring power between each other. The two spacecraft will also eventually undock to commence their extended missions as well. The [SpaDeX mission consists](https://www.isro.gov.in/mission%5FSpaDeX.html?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) of two 220-kilogram CubeSats with docking hardware and independent propulsion, as well as solar panels to generate power. One of the satellites acted as the 'target' while the other was the 'chaser'. Over the course of a few weeks, the two spacecraft progressively closed from a distance of 20 kilometers to 5 kilometers, 1.5 kilometers, 500 meters, 225 meters, 15 meters, and finally 3 meters ahead of docking. Lessons learned from the SpaDeX mission will ultimately benefit the Chandrayaan-4 lunar sample return mission, the Gaganyaan crewed spacecraft, and India's modular space station in the future. ### *Stoke Space raises 260 million dollars in additional funding* ![A render of Stoke Space's Nova launch vehicle. ©Stoke Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/Frame-28819-1035x1200-1.png) A render of Stoke Space's Nova launch vehicle. ©Stoke Space Stoke Space [announced on January 15th](https://www.stokespace.com/stoke-space-announces-260-million-in-new-investment/?ref=proximareport.com) that it had completed its Series C funding round, with Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Glade Brook Capital Partners, Industrious Ventures, Leitmotif, Point72 Ventures, Seven Seven Six, the University of Michigan, Woven Capital, and Y Combinator investing, among others. This latest funding round brings 260 million United States Dollars to the company, bringing total funding raised to 480 million. With the funding, Stoke Space is developing a fully reusable medium-lift launch vehicle, called Nova, for a debut sometime in 2025\. To power Nova the company is also developing a liquid methane and liquid oxygen burning engine called Zenith for the first-stage as well as an aerospike-like liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen burning engine for the second-stage, which will also double as a regeneratively cooled heatshield. Andy Lapsa, Stoke Space's Cheif Executive Officer and Co-founder, commented on the latest funding round saying: > “We deeply appreciate the confidence investors have placed in Stoke and our mission,” – “This new investment validates our progress and enables us to accelerate the development of technologies that will redefine access to and from space.” – “Rapid and reliable reuse of a rocket’s upper stage is the last big challenge to solve before mobility to and from space becomes akin to other forms of transportation,” – “It represents a significant inflection in the space economy, and in turn opens the door to an incredible set of business opportunities that make life more vibrant on and off Earth.” ### *Rocket Factory Augsburg gains launch license* The United Kingdom's [Civil Aviation Authority granted](https://www.caa.co.uk/newsroom/news/uk-s-first-vertical-launch-approved-by-civil-aviation-authority/?ref=proximareport.com) Rocket Factory Augsburg a launch license for its RFA One rocket last week on January 16th. This launch license is the first time the island nation has granted regulatory approval for a vertical launch. Speaking on the launch license, Head of the Civil Aviation Authority, Rob Bishton, said: > “This is a new era for aerospace and granting the first vertical launch license from UK soil builds towards a historic milestone for the nation." – “This license is the culmination of extensive hard work behind the scenes to put appropriate safety and environmental measures in place before launch." – “Through effective licensing and regulation we are enabling the expanding space sector to reach new heights.” With the regulatory approval now granted Rocket Factory Augsburg plans to launch its RFA One launch vehicle from the SaxaVord Spaceport, located on the Shetland Islands in Scotland. This launch is expected in the coming months due to the company needing to build another first-stage after the first was [lost during a test](https://cosmicnxws.com/rfa-suffers-loss-of-vehicle-during-a-static-fire?ref=proximareport.com). Rocket Factory Augsburg's Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Jörn Spurmann, also commented on the granting of regulatory approval stating: > “This license marks Europe’s bold step toward independent, competitive, and sustainable space access. By enabling cost-effective and flexible launches from European main land, we are laying the foundation for a new era of space exploration and commercialization, ensuring Europe remains at the forefront of the global space race." – “Together with the CAA and our partners, we are driving the future of accessible and reliable spaceflight, unlocking opportunities that will shape industries and inspire generations.” ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is currently preparing for Starship-Super Heavy's eighth flight test, utilizing Ship 34 and Booster 15\. Both vehicles have conducted cryogenic testing needed ahead of static fires. With the catastrophic loss of Ship 33 on the previous flight test, various hardware changes may be needed for Ship 34 along with possible additional testing. ### *January 20th - Ceres-1 with a to-be-announced payload* Galactic Energy's Ceres-1 launch vehicle is expected to fly from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and head to sun-synchronous orbit. ### *January 20th - Falcon with Starlink Group 11-8* A Falcon 9 is set to carry a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *January 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 13-1* SpaceX is planning to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A. ### *January 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-6* Another Falcon 9 is planning to fly from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *January 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-12* Yet another batch of Starlink satellites is expected to launch atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### SpaceX Catches Booster, Starship Becomes a Firework URL: https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-7/ Last updated: 2025-01-17T09:31:40.000Z Yesterday, January 16th, SpaceX conducted Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test, beginning at 22:37 pm Universal Coordinated Time. This flight test utilized Ship 33, the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage, and Super Heavy Booster 14. Like most previous test flights, Super Heavy Booster 14 lit all thirty-three of its Raptor engines, lifting off from SpaceX's Starbase launch site, near Boca Chica in south Texas. > Liftoff of Starship! [pic.twitter.com/7lrFjGXzAi](https://t.co/7lrFjGXzAi?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [January 16, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1880021718661521611?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Starship-Super Heavy lifting off from Starbase on January 16th, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1880021718661521611?ref=proximareport.com). All of Booster 14's engines remained running throughout ascent with all but three shutting off for hot-staging. Ship 33 then lit its three sea-level and three vacuum engines to hot-stage for Booster 14. > Starship’s Raptor engines ignite during hot-staging separation. Super Heavy is returning to launch site for catch attempt [pic.twitter.com/JaU8XJGua1](https://t.co/JaU8XJGua1?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [January 16, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1880022600799105510?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 33 hotstaging from Booster 14, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1880022600799105510?ref=proximareport.com). Following hot-staging Booster 14 relit nine of its ten engines for a boost back burn. Twelve of the Raptor engines propelled the Super Heavy booster back toward the launch site and catch tower. > Mechazilla has caught the Super Heavy booster! [pic.twitter.com/aq91TloYzY](https://t.co/aq91TloYzY?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [January 16, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1880024050048589841?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster 14 during its tower catch at Starbase, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1880024050048589841?ref=proximareport.com). At almost seven minutes into flight, Booster 14 performed its landing burn, relighting thirteen engines and then shutting down all but three. With three engines running Booster 14 maneuvered between the launch towers arms, becoming the second Super Heavy booster to be caught, repeating a milestone last [performed during flight five](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-5?ref=proximareport.com). While Booster 14 was returning to the launch site, Ship 33 was continuing on toward space. Over several minutes Ship 33's Raptor engines gradually failed one by one and almost nine minutes into flight telemetry from the vehicle was lost. Once telemetry was lost Ship 33 underwent a rapid unscheduled disassembly scattering thousands of pieces of debris across the Caribbean, between South Florida, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Due to the debris falling at near-orbital speeds across a long area, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration [diverted numerous flights](https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/16/faa-had-to-divert-flights-because-of-spacex-starship-explosion/?ref=proximareport.com) away from Starship-Super Heavy's flight path, effecting the travel of at least a few thousand people. SpaceX had been planning to fly Ship 33 on the same flight plan as previous tests along with testing deployment of ten Starlink simulators as well as another in-space Raptor relight. > 33, you'll be missed🫡 > > [pic.twitter.com/ZTMQZBIR4j](https://t.co/ZTMQZBIR4j?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Deven Perez (@devenperez) [January 17, 2025](https://twitter.com/devenperez/status/1880104994034315481?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Debris fragments from Ship 33 as seen from an aircraft nearby, via [devenperez on X](https://x.com/devenperez/status/1880104994034315481?ref=proximareport.com). The seventh flight test is being considered a failure due to the Federal Aviation Administration likely needing an anomaly investigation into why the Starship upper-stage was lost and what caused it. SpaceX's Chief Executive Officer, Elon Musk, [believes](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1880060983734858130?ref=proximareport.com) that the vehicle was lost due to a propellant leak and subsequent fire. Following the test flight SpaceX shared the following [on its website](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-7&ref=proximareport.com), emphasis added: > "The first Starship flight test of 2025 flew with ambitious goals: seeking to repeat our previous success of launching and catching the world’s most powerful launch vehicle while putting a redesigned and upgraded Starship through a rigorous set of flight demonstrations." > "It served as a reminder that development testing by definition is unpredictable. > On its seventh flight test, Starship successfully lifted off from Starbase in Texas at 4:37 p.m. CT on Thursday, January 16\. At launch, all 33 Raptor engines powered the Super Heavy booster and Starship on a nominal ascent. Following a successful hot-stage separation, the booster successfully transitioned to its boostback burn, with 12 of the planned 13 Raptor engines relighting, to begin its return to the launch site." > "Super Heavy then relit all 13 planned middle ring and center Raptor engines and performed its landing burn, including the engine that did not relight for boostback burn. The landing burn slowed Super Heavy down and maneuvered itself to the launch and catch tower arms, resulting in the second successful catch of a Super Heavy booster." > "Following stage separation, the Starship upper stage successfully lit all six Raptor engines and performed its ascent burn to space. **Prior to the burn’s completion, telemetry was lost with the vehicle after approximately eight and a half minutes of flight. Initial data indicates a fire developed in the aft section of the ship, leading to a rapid unscheduled disassembly.**" > "**Starship flew within its designated launch corridor – as all U.S. launches do to safeguard the public both on the ground, on water and in the air. Any surviving pieces of debris would have fallen into the designated hazard area.** If you believe you have identified a piece of debris, please do not attempt to handle or retrieve the debris directly. Instead, please contact your local authorities or the SpaceX Debris Hotline at 1-866-623-0234 or at recovery@spacex.com." > "As always, success comes from what we learn, and this flight test will help us improve Starship’s reliability as SpaceX seeks to make life multiplanetary. **Data review is already underway as we seek out root cause. We will conduct a thorough investigation, in coordination with the FAA, and implement corrective actions to make improvements on future Starship flight tests.**" > "The ship and booster for Starship’s eighth flight test are built and going through prelaunch testing and preparing to fly as we continue a rapid iterative development process to build a fully and rapidly reusable space transportation system." SpaceX had been planning to conduct Starship-Super Heavy's first mission into orbit in the coming months as well as a Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer demonstration. Both of these missions are critical milestones for NASA's [Artemis III mission](https://cosmicnxws.com/nasa-delays-artemis-ii-2026?ref=proximareport.com), which is planned to be the first Crewed mission to the Lunar surface since 1972. Vehicles for the next test flight, Ship 34 and Booster 15, are currently undergoing hardware installation and testing at SpaceX's Starbase facility. Elon Musk believes both vehicles can fly in a few weeks, but in reality it may be a few months before Starship-Super Heavy flies again. ## How does it compare to flight six? On the [last flight](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-6?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io), Booster 13 ignited all thirty-three Raptor engines, propelling the vehicle toward space. All engines ran until 'most engines cut-off,' at which point Ship 31 lit its six engines for hot staging. Booster 13 then performed a boost back burn, but was unable to meet safety conditions for a return and splashed down safely in the Gulf of Mexico. Meanwhile, Ship 31 flew on a suborbital trajectory ahead of reentry over the Indian Ocean. During coast, SpaceX completed the first in-space Raptor relight, an important step in orbital flight preparations. Following a forty-minute coast, Ship 31 began reentry, suffering some damage where some heatshield tiles were missing but avoiding structural failure of its control surfaces. Ship 31 appeared in daylight over the Indian Ocean and headed down at sub-sonic speeds in a nose-down position. Under a kilometer above the surface, Ship 31's three Raptor engines ignited for the 'flip-and-burn' maneuver, allowing for a soft splashdown and completing the sixth flight test. > Splashdown confirmed! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on an exciting sixth flight test of Starship! [pic.twitter.com/bf98Va9qmL](https://t.co/bf98Va9qmL?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [November 19, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1859010620471079361?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 31 splashing down in the Indian Ocean, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1859010620471079361?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io). During the flight, a banana was also onboard Ship 31 throughout the test, attached to the Starlink satellite deployment mechanism and doubling as a microgravity indicator. ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-four meters tall and weighs over 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ![Starship-Super Heavy on the launch pad ahead of its seventh flight test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GhSTpkXakAAi_yX-1.jpg) Starship-Super Heavy on the launch pad ahead of its seventh flight test. ©SpaceX ### What is Starship? Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty two meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Starship is believed to weigh approximately 1,600,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. ![Ship 33 atop of Booster 14 during a wet dress rehearsal. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GhD-PzyWoAA2A7O-1.jpg) Ship 33 atop of Booster 14 during a wet dress rehearsal. ©SpaceX In order to survive re-entry for reuse, Starship has several thousand thermal protection tiles on one side of the vehicle and on all four of its aerodynamic control surfaces. The four control surfaces help guide the vehicle during re-entry and prior to landing inside the atmosphere at a pre-determined location. Starship also has a series of small thrusters to control the vehicle in space before re-entry. SpaceX is believed to be working on a few variants of Starship for use as a Moon lander, propellant tanker, space station, Mars lander, and as a crewed spacecraft. ### What is Super Heavy? Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. ![Booster 14 on the launch pad during its test campaign. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GeJqs7cWUAAHMSz-1.jpg) Booster 14 on the launch pad during its test campaign. ©SpaceX To enable the reuse of Super Heavy, the vehicle has four large grid fins placed in the interstage to assist in guiding and controlling during descent. Super Heavy also has four chines running along the lower third of it to generate lift and assist in stabilization. Shortly after completing the ascent, Super Heavy relights ten engines, as three were running during staging, and performs a 'boost back' burn in order to return to the launch site. After the 'boost back' burn is completed the engines shut down with Super Heavy being guided by a series of small thrusters and its grid fins. Once Super Heavy is at the correct altitude above its landing location three engines start back up for the landing burn. SpaceX currently plans to have Super Heavy land in the ocean with launch site landing attempts happening with later flights. Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ### New Glenn soars in debut mission! URL: https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-soars-in-debut-mission/ Last updated: 2025-01-16T09:54:58.000Z Under the power of seven BE-4 engines, New Glenn soared from Launch Complex 36, heading to space for the first time! Following [liftoff](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1879786524612726816?ref=proximareport.com) the first and second stages [separated](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1879787280011010272?ref=proximareport.com) a few minutes later, beginning descent of the booster. The booster, named 'So You're Telling Me There's a Chance', relit three BE-4 engines to slow its descent through the atmosphere. > New Glenn lifts off, successfully reaching orbit on its first attempt! > 📸 - [@NASASpaceflight](https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/FXRkY6vvyK](https://t.co/FXRkY6vvyK?ref=proximareport.com) > > — D Wise (@dwisecinema) [January 16, 2025](https://twitter.com/dwisecinema/status/1879801091615015019?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Glenn lifting off for the first time in slow motion, via [dwisecinema on X](https://x.com/dwisecinema/status/1879801091615015019?ref=proximareport.com). At almost nine minutes into flight New Glenn's first stage booster was expected to touch down on Blue Origin's drone ship, dubbed 'Jacklyn', downrnage in the Atlantic. Sadly ahead of the landing, the booster was lost but came very close to landing. Despite the loss of the booster, the second-stage continued on into [orbit](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1879806562774204531?ref=proximareport.com) and [performe](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1879801008026746909?ref=proximareport.com)[d another](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1879801331998994841?ref=proximareport.com) burn later on. In the hours after the mission, Dave Limp, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Origin, [said](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-glenn-ng-1-mission?ref=proximareport.com): > “I’m incredibly proud New Glenn achieved orbit on its first attempt,” – “We knew landing our booster, *So You’re Telling Me There’s a Chance*, on the first try was an ambitious goal. We’ll learn a lot from today and try again at our next launch this spring. Thank you to all of Team Blue for this incredible milestone.” Today's mission is the first of many with Blue Origin hoping to fly New Glenn at least twelve times per year, with a [potential increase](https://youtu.be/h3aKN81FUE8?si=rx2qy5oNXfBFuCo8&t=74&ref=proximareport.com) over several years to just shy of fifty. To enable this cadence several boosters will needed, with Jeff Bezos, the company founder, [saying](https://payloadspace.com/jeff-bezos-opens-up-about-new-glenn-discusses-reusability-and-manufacturing/?ref=proximareport.com): > “We’re going to keep producing GS1s \[boosters\],” – “\[For\] rate manufacturing, you have to have a rate. You can’t just say you’re going to produce a certain number and then stop.” Of course, each booster will also be reused with the company aiming to fly each first-stage twenty-five times, with an interest in increasing that number to one hundred if possible. The desired turnaround time of each booster, from landing downrange to placement back on the launchpad, is a hopeful sixteen days. Speaking on an increased cadence after the first launch, Jarrett Jones, Senior Vice President of New Glenn, [stated](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-glenn-ng-1-mission?ref=proximareport.com): > "Today marks a new era for Blue Origin and for commercial space," – "We're focused on ramping our launch cadence and manufacturing rates. My heartfelt thanks to everyone at Blue Origin for the tremendous amount of work in making today's success possible, and to our customers and the space community for their continuous support. We felt that immensely today." Blue Origin has only one launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida, Launch Complex 36\. To increase the cadence and redundancy in pad access, a second launch pad is currently being planned. > Hello New Glenn!!! > What a launch! Congratulations [@blueorigin](https://twitter.com/blueorigin?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [@JeffBezos](https://twitter.com/JeffBezos?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) > 📸 - [@NASASpaceflight](https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) > 📺 - [https://t.co/pFKGbBv7XT](https://t.co/pFKGbBv7XT?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/MP4LlBH0Fk](https://t.co/MP4LlBH0Fk?ref=proximareport.com) > > — D Wise (@dwisecinema) [January 16, 2025](https://twitter.com/dwisecinema/status/1879796612916187395?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Glenn's seven BE-4 engines firing during first-stage flight, via [dwisecinema on X](https://x.com/dwisecinema/status/1879796612916187395?ref=proximareport.com). This first flight was not without delays, Blue Origin had been aiming to debut New Glenn in [late 2024](https://cosmicnxws.com/new-glenn-debut-october?ref=proximareport.com) carrying NASA's ESCAPADE twin spacecraft mission to Mars. The two spacecraft were [removed](https://blogs.nasa.gov/escapade/2024/09/06/nasa-stands-down-from-october-launch-for-escapade-to-mars/?ref=proximareport.com) from the debut mission due to the potential risk of missing the Mars transfer window and having to remove the dangerous hypergolic fuels from onboard. The next flight of New Glenn is likely not far out, being set for spring, with most of the second vehicle's hardware already in Florida. New Glenn's next flight will incorporate the data gathered from its maiden flight, hopefully allowing for a booster landing. New Glenn's debut mission comes almost a year after a nearly complete vehicle was seen in [February 2024](https://cosmicnxws.com/blue-origin-new-glenn-testing?ref=proximareport.com) for various tanking tests. Since appearing, a second-stage static fire was conducted in [September](https://cosmicnxws.com/gs2-is-hot-to-go?ref=proximareport.com) followed by a first-stage static fire in [December](https://cosmicnxws.com/new-glenn-fires-up?ref=proximareport.com), with a complete flight vehicle on the launch pad. Future missions for New Glenn include at least a dozen launches for [Amazon's Kuiper](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/amazon-selects-new-glenn-for-kuiper?ref=proximareport.com) internet constellation, [NASA's ESCAPDADE](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/nasa-awards-mars-science-mission-launch-to-blue-origin-new-glenn?ref=proximareport.com) mission to study Mars' atmosphere, various launches for [Telesat's](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/blue-origin-to-launch-telesats-advanced-global-leo-satellite-constellation?ref=proximareport.com)[ low Earth orbit](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/blue-origin-to-launch-telesats-advanced-global-leo-satellite-constellation?ref=proximareport.com) constellation, [crew and cargo Moon landers](https://www.blueorigin.com/blue-moon?ref=proximareport.com) in support of NASA's Artemis Program, as well as classified missions for the [U.S. military](https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-gets-u-s-space-force-funding-for-new-glenn-integration-studies/?ref=proximareport.com). > [pic.twitter.com/Y2jjkkZsQv](https://t.co/Y2jjkkZsQv?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) [January 16, 2025](https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1879799319693603137?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Glenn lifting off from Launch Complex 36, via [Jeff Bezos on X](https://x.com/JeffBezos/status/1879799319693603137?ref=proximareport.com). ## What is New Glenn? New Glenn is Blue Origin's in-development partially reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle. The rocket currently flies solely from Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, located in Florida. The payload capacity of New Glenn, when recovering the booster downrange, is currently as follows: - 45,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit - 13,600 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit - 7,000 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory ![New Glenn at Launch Complex 36 ahead of its first mission. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/new-glenn_upend-1.jpg) New Glenn at Launch Complex 36 ahead of its first mission. ©Blue Origin The first-stage is planned to be powered by seven [BE-4 engines](https://cosmicnxws.com/be-4?ref=proximareport.com) burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen to generate 1,746 tons of thrust. The second-stage is planned to be powered by two BE-3U engines burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to generate 145 tons of thrust. For recovery, New Glenn plans to use four fins located near the top of the booster, to control the boosters' descent when unpowered, and six landing legs that are stowed at the bottom of the booster during flight. It is currently believed that Blue Origin only plans to land the first-stage booster downrange on a drone ship. On the launch pad, the rocket is 98 meters tall and 7 meters in diameter, Blue Origin has not yet said how much the launch vehicle weighs fully fuelled. ## Who is Blue Origin? Blue Origin is an American aerospace company founded in September of 2000 and headquartered in Kent, Washington, in the United States. The company currently operates the New Shepard sub-orbital reusable launch vehicle and the heavy-lift partially reusable orbital launch vehicle called New Glenn. Blue Origin was founded, and is still owned, by Jeff Bezos with the following long-term vision: > "Blue Origin was founded with a vision of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. Blue Origin envisions a time when people can tap into the limitless resources of space and enable the movement of damaging industries into space to preserve Earth, humanity’s blue origin." ### Falcon 9 launches two landers toward the Moon! URL: https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-firefly-ispace-moon/ Last updated: 2025-01-15T21:11:31.000Z From Launch Complex 39A, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket [blasted off](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1879411447786274990?ref=proximareport.com) at 06:06 am Universal Coordinated Time carrying two lunar landers into their lunar transfer orbits. The two landers are Firefly's Blue Ghost and ispace's Hakuto-R. To allow the two landers to fly on the same rocket, Blue Ghost was placed atop of a payload adapter, with Hakuto-R inside the adapter. In orbit Blue Ghost was deployed first, followed by part of the payload adapter, then finally Hakuto-R. Ahead of the deployment of Hakuto-R, Falcon 9's second-stage performed a tiny burn to enable the lander's desired trans-lunar trajectory. ![Part of the Firefly's team in front of Blue Ghost, sitting atop an adapter, and Hakuto-R, placed inside the adapter. ©Firefly Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/1736811271301-1.jpg) Part of the Firefly's team in front of Blue Ghost, sitting atop an adapter, and Hakuto-R, placed inside the adapter. ©Firefly Aerospace Supporting the launch of the two landers was a relatively young Falcon 9 booster, B1085\. This booster [landed](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1879413422896611648?ref=proximareport.com) on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange from the launch site in the Atlantic Ocean after stage separation. B1085 has [previously supported](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=firefly-blueghost-mission-1&ref=proximareport.com) four launches, NASA's Crew-9 mission, the U.S. Space Force's RRT-1 mission, and two Starlink missions. ## What is Blue Ghost? Blue Ghost is Firefly Aerospace's privately developed lunar lander, capable of delivering 150 kilograms to the lunar surface or 2,700 kilograms into the Moon's orbit. The lander stands at just 2 meters tall while being 3.5 meters wide. Firefly is hoping to perform yearly missions with Blue Ghost with launches across a variety of rockets, including its own in-development medium-lift launch vehicle. In arguing why customers, like NASA, should choose Blue Ghost, the company [says](https://fireflyspace.com/blue-ghost/?ref=proximareport.com): > "Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander is designed and built to be easily adapted to serve each customer’s unique cislunar needs. Our vertically integrated approach with shared components across our vehicles further enables scaled efficiencies, quality assurance, and lower costs that we pass on to our customers." ![A render of Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander. ©Firefly Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/BGM1-Landed-NEW-July-2024-v01-1-e1722025440926-1601x2048-1.webp) A render of Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander. ©Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost's [first mission](https://fireflyspace.com/missions/blue-ghost-mission-1/?ref=proximareport.com) is named '*Ghost Riders in the Sky*' and is targeting a landing at Mare Crisium near Mons Latreille, while carrying ten payloads. These payloads are: - **Lunar Instrumentation for Subsurface Thermal Exploration with Rapidity (LISTER)**, which aims to characterize heat flow from the interior of the Moon by measuring the thermal gradient and conductivity of the lunar subsurface. - **Lunar PlanetVac (LPV)**, which is aiming to demonstrate pneumatic sample collection of lunar regolith by collecting and sorting regolith within its sample collection chamber. - **Next Generation Lunar Retroreflector (NGLR)**, which hopes to support the determination of the distance between Earth and the Moon by reflecting very short laser pulses from Earth-based Lunar Laser Ranging Observatories and measuring the laser pulse transit time to the Moon and back - **Regolith Adherence Characterization (RAC)**, which aims to determine how lunar regolith sticks to a range of materials exposed to the Moon’s environment throughout the lunar day. - **Radiation Tolerant Computer (RadPC)**, which is aiming to demonstrate a computer that can recover from faults caused by ionizing radiation. - **Electrodynamic Dust Shield (EDS)**, which hopes to demonstrate an active dust mitigation technology that uses electric fields to move dust from surfaces and to prevent dust accumulation on surfaces. - **Lunar Environment heliospheric X-ray Imager (LEXI)**, which is aiming to capture a series of X-ray images to study the interaction of solar wind and the Earth’s magnetic field that drives geomagnetic disturbances and storms. - **Lunar Magnetotelluric Sounder (LMS)**, aims to characterize the structure and composition of the Moon’s mantle by measuring electric and magnetic fields. - **Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE)**, is hoping to receive and track signals from the GPS and Galileo navigation satellite constellations during the Earth-to-Moon transit and throughout a full lunar day on the Moon’s surface. - **Stereo CAmera for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies (SCALPSS)**, which is aiming to use stereo imaging photogrammetry to capture the impact of rocket plume on lunar regolith as the Blue Ghost lander descends on the Moon’s surface. Following its launch earlier today, Blue Ghost will spend roughly forty-five days heading to the Moon. Much of that time will be spent in Earth orbit conducting health checks on each subsystem and turning on each payload. After heading out to and entering orbit of the Moon, two weeks will be spent in orbit before a landing attempt is made. On the Moon, Firefly is hoping to capture imagery of the lunar sunset as well as an eclipse during the Moon's day. After operating during the lunar day for a few Earth days, the company is hoping to observe how lunar regolith reacts during lunar dusk conditions then Blue Ghost is planned to spend several hours operating during the night. ## What is Hakuto-R? Hakuto-R is Japanese lunar exploration company ispace's privately developed lunar lander, capable of delivering various payloads, including rovers, to the Moon's surface. ispace explains the journey of developing Hakuto-R as [follows](https://hakuto.r.ispace-inc.com/hakuto-r/eng/about/?ref=proximareport.com): > "“HAKUTO” means “white rabbit” in Japanese. In legendary folklore in Japan, it is said that a white rabbit lives on the Moon. This was the inspiration for the name HAKUTO, one of the 5 finalists in the Google Lunar XPRIZE competition—a race for the first private lunar exploration mission." > "Managed by ispace, and supported by sponsors, a passionate crew of volunteers, a large fan club in Japan, HAKUTO competed in the race for the greater part of the past decade. In 2015, the team achieved a $500,000 milestone prize, and in 2017, it completed and delivered a flight-ready rover to its launch location. However, since ispace relied on a partner for the lander and launch, which were not fulfilled, and as no other contestants were capable of completing the mission, the competition ended in March 2018 without a winner. As a result, Team HAKUTO officially closed." > "Now, six months later, ispace has brought back the “HAKUTO” name as the Program Name for its first two lunar missions. Thus, the “R” stands for “Reboot” in the spirit of reenergizing our motivation and drive toward our goal. As an evolution of the HAKUTO logo, the HAKUTO-R logo combines the concepts of a lunar orbit and the Moon’s surface, which together forms the design of a white rabbit similar in shape to an “H” for HAKUTO." Hakuto-R has [previously flown](https://ispace-inc.com/missions?ref=proximareport.com) one mission already, making it a few hundred meters above the lunar surface before suffering from a failure. ![A render of ispace's Hakuto-R lander and TENACIOUS rover on the lunar surface. ©ispace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/26_Mission2_Moon-surface-exploration_2024_Final_EN_Low-scaled.jpg) A render of ispace's Hakuto-R lander and TENACIOUS rover on the lunar surface. ©ispace With the second mission, ispace is hoping to successfully touch down in Mare Frigoris for Japan's second-ever lunar landing. Over almost five months Hakuto-R will venture toward the Moon, utilizing an efficient low-energy trajectory. Various payloads, including a UNESCO memory disk, are [onboard the lander](https://ispace-inc.com/news-en/?p=6734&ref=proximareport.com) and are as follows: - **Water electrolyzer equipment**: From Takasago Thermal Engineering Co. - **Food production experiment**: A self-contained module from Euglena Co. - **Deep space radiation probe**: Developed by the Department of Space Science and Engineering, National Central University, Taiwan - **Commemorative alloy plate**: Developed by Bandai Namco Research Institute, Inc. and modeled after “Charter of the Universal Century” from the animation Mobile Suit Gundam UC - **TENACIOUS micro rover**: Developed by ispace-EUROPE, this rover will explore the landing site, collect lunar regolith, and relay data back to the lander. It will be equipped with a forward-mounted HD camera and a shovel. - **Moonhouse**: A model house by Swedish artist Mikael Genberg that will be mounted on the rover ## What is Falcon 9? Falcon 9 is currently the world's only operational partially reusable medium-lift launch vehicle. The rocket is manufactured and operated by American aerospace company SpaceX. Falcon 9 currently launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, and Cape Canaveral, in Florida. For recovery, Falcon 9 has four grid fins and four landing legs on the first-stage. The first stage either lands vertically on a drone ship or on a landing pad back at its launch site, landing back at the launch site causes a reduction in payload capacity. SpaceX claims that Falcon 9 can send up to 22,800 kilograms into low Earth orbit when expended or 18,400 kilograms when reused. Similarly, it can send up to 8,300 kilograms into geosynchronous transfer orbit when expended or 5,500 kilograms when reused. The first-stage is powered by nine Merlin 1D engines burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 771 tons of thrust for up to two-minutes and forty-two seconds of burn time. The second-stage is powered by a single Merlin 1D vacuum engine burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 95 tons of thrust for up to six minutes and thirty-seven seconds of burn time. On the pad, the rocket is 70 meters tall with the first and second stages 3.7 meters in diameter, the fairing is 5.2 meters in diameter and tapers out from the top of the second-stage. Fully fuelled Falcon 9 weighs approximately 549,000 kilograms. ### Weekly Dose of Space (5/1-11/1) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-5-1-11-1/ Last updated: 2025-01-12T20:00:07.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had five launches occur again, with most delivering Starlink satellites. News this week had JPL temporarily close, Toyota investing in orbital rockets, and a water-fueled thruster planned to be tested in space. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began late on January 6th when Ship 33 was spotted being prepared for Starlink simulators to be loaded inside the payload section ahead of its rollout for Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test. Over on the Orbital Launch Mount Booster 14 had its hot-staging ring temporarily removed, likely to allow for final pre-launch checks. January 7th had Ship 33 loaded with the Starlink simulators along with Booster 14's hot-staging ring being reinstalled. A few days later on January 9th Ship 33 was rolled out from the production site to the launch site, later in the day Ship 33 was lifted atop of Booster 14\. A couple of days later on January 11th Booster 14 and Ship 33 performed a wet dress rehearsal of the launch countdown, loading both vehicles with liquid methane and liquid oxygen. Following the test Ship 33 was destacked from Booster 14 for final pre-launch checkouts. ![Ship 33 and Booster 14 during a wet dress rehersal on January 11th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/Gg-0gECboAAIUiF-1.jpg) Ship 33 and Booster 14 during a wet dress rehersal on January 11th. ©SpaceX ## **Launches This Week** ### *January 6th - Long March 3B/E with Shijian-25* China’s first launch of 2025 blasted off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center with a Long March 3B/E sending Shijian-25 toward geostationary transfer orbit. Shijian-25 is stated as being a technological demonstration mission for refueling other spacecraft along with extending their operational lives. ![The Long March 3B/E launch vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center with Shijian-25.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/640_005.png) The Long March 3B/E launch vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center with Shijian-25. ### *January 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-71* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this launch was booster B1077, making its seventeenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink 6-71 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/Ggpa5S4WYAARS3S-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink 6-71 mission. ©SpaceX ### *January 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-11* Another Falcon 9 carried twenty-one Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Booster B1086 supported this mission for its third flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink 12-11 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GgyajiiaMAAWyhn.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink 12-11 mission. ©SpaceX ### *January 10th - Falcon 9 with NROL-153* SpaceX launched another Falcon 9 with a batch of Starshield satellites, the military version of Starlink, from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. This mission was supported by booster B1071, making its twenty-second flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the NROL-153 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/Gg6V3TEaMAEt61x-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the NROL-153 mission. ©SpaceX ### *January 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-12* Another batch of Starlink satellites were launched to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1067 supported this launch for its twenty-fifth flight, with it landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. > This one life-leading Falcon rocket alone launched four Dragon missions (including eight astronauts) to the [@Space\_Station](https://twitter.com/Space%5FStation?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) and more than 430 spacecraft to orbit in the past four years [pic.twitter.com/WhodgPye4B](https://t.co/WhodgPye4B?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [January 10, 2025](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1877798231951683751?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster B1067 landing on 'Just Read The Instructions' for the Starlink Group 12-12 mission, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1877797603510992979?ref=proximareport.com). ## **In Other Space News** ### *JPL closed due to fire risk* ![A map of fires near NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/bafkreicxugzex5zh5j7o55usrz4hhbdqe2eqypi2sza3snetavylw2mlge.jpg) A map of fires near NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, via [firemap.live](https://www.firemap.live/?lng=-118.17409&lat=34.19942&zoom=14.32&ref=proximareport.com) Since January 7th a series of [major wildfires](https://apnews.com/article/california-fires-things-to-know-winds-f93d41dc901e352b63e86ab67ef7790e?ref=proximareport.com) have been spreading across the Los Angeles area, these fires have burned an estimated 36,700 acres, roughly 148 square kilometers. Due to the fires, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) was closed by mandatory evacuations, with JPL [stating](https://emergency.jpl.nasa.gov/?ref=proximareport.com): > "The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is within the mandatory evacuation zone for the Eaton Fire and is closed to employees and visitors on Wednesday, Jan. 8\. The laboratory will remain closed until Monday, Jan 13\. Additional updates on the Laboratory’s status will be posted on this site ([emergency.jpl.nasa.gov](https://emergency.jpl.nasa.gov/?ref=proximareport.com))." – "Currently, JPL facilities, labs and hardware are secured and protected. Deep Space Network operations, normally conducted at JPL, have been moved offsite to a back-up operations center." – "As of Tuesday night, employees were directed to work from home, with only a small number of critical personnel on-site Wednesday morning. Our Protective Services Department is maintaining constant communication with the Eaton Fire emergency command center, and the Laboratory is currently receiving assistance from the LA County Fire Department." – "The safety of our employees is our top priority. We also keep our neighboring communities—many of which are home to our employees and their families—in our thoughts as they endure the challenges and devastation of this fire." JPL's Director, Laurie Leshin, [added](https://x.com/LaurieofMars/status/1877033688539468061?ref=proximareport.com) on January 8th: > "JPL is closed except for emergency personnel. No fire damage so far (some wind damage) but it is very close to the lab. Hundreds of JPLers have been evacuated from their homes & many have lost homes. Special thanks to our emergency crews. Pleases keep us in your thoughts & stay safe." On January 10th JPL announced that essential personnel would be allowed back on site, in order to run and assemble various deep space spacecraft and missions. A fire crew is [reportedly](https://www.msn.com/en-us/public-safety-and-emergencies/fire-and-rescue/los-angeles-wildfires-force-tens-of-thousands-to-evacuate-nasa-jpl-closed/ar-AA1xcdnu?ref=proximareport.com) on-site at the Laboratory to protect its facilities. With the extensive damage caused across the Los Angeles area, JPL and Caltech have set up a disaster relief fund to support employees and their families who have been displaced. More details on this fund can be found [here](https://caltech.imodules.com/controls/email%5Fmarketing/view%5Fin%5Fbrowser.aspx?sid=1709&gid=3&sendId=5779747&ecatid=29&puid=84fbff86-9423-4e53-8fb9-7850e026e4c4&ref=proximareport.com). ### *Pale Blue to test water-based propulsion in space* Pale Blue, a Japanese space startup, [announced on January 8th](https://pale-blue.co.jp/news/543/?ref=proximareport.com) that it had signed an agreement with D-Orbit, an Italian in-space transportation company, to conduct two demonstrations of a small water-fuelled thruster in orbit during 2025\. The thruster for the test is expected to be Pale Blue's 1U+ Water Ion Thruster. Pale Blue describes the thruster as follows: 1U+ Water Ion Thruster (PBI) is a fully integrated propulsion system with its outstanding total impulse achieving 7,000 Ns, which makes it one of the highest options on market under this form factor. By using water as a propellant, the propulsion system has a number of additional advantages such as safety, ease of handling as well as propellant availability. Furthermore, this compact system is clusterable to meet a wider range of satellite missions. Speaking on the agreement, Jun Asakawa, Co-founder and Cheif Executive Officer of Pale Blue, said: > “We are incredibly excited to conduct in-orbit demonstration of the world-first water-based ion thruster that is innovative and sustainable propulsion solutions to the space industry,” – “By partnering with D-Orbit, we are taking a significant step forward in validating the performance and reliability of our propulsion technology. This collaboration will enable us to meet the growing demand, while contributing to space sustainability. We are confident that our water-based propulsion system will redefine the future of satellite missions and open up new possibilities for space exploration.” The two tests of the thruster are expected to launch on two separate D-Orbit ION Satellite Carrier spacecraft in [June and October](https://www.dorbit.space/media/5/55.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) of 2025. ### *Toyota invests in orbital rockets* On January 6th, Akio Toyoda, Chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation announced that the automaker is exploring the development and production of orbital rockets, [via an investment](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/06/toyota-exploring-orbital-rocket-development.html?ref=proximareport.com) in Interstellar Technologies Inc. [Speaking](https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/space-exploration/toyota-announces-move-into-rocket-launches-at-ces-2025-with-45m-investment-in-japanese-startup/ar-AA1x7Dgh?ref=proximareport.com) on the investment, Toyoda said: > “We are exploring rockets too, because the future of mobility shouldn’t be limited to just earth or just one car company, for that matter” Toyota's investment into Interstellar Technologies was 7 billion Japanese Yen, approximately 44.4 million United States Dollars, and was done through Toyota's Woven City initiative. Interstellar Technologies is a Japanese space launch company established in 2013 that has so far flown suborbital rockets. The company is currently developing a small rocket, set to debut in 2025, capable of carrying 250 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. A partially reusable rocket is also being worked on with a similar recovery plan to [SpaceX's Super Heavy booster](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-5?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) or [Cosmoleap's Leap](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/cosmoleap-tests-rocket-recovery-tower?ref=proximareport.com). ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is currently preparing to perform [Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test](https://cosmicnxws.com/starships-seventh-flight-january-10th?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io) utilizing Booster 14 and Ship 33, the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage. This launch may take place no earlier than [January 15th](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-7&ref=proximareport.com). Both vehicles needed for flight have also completed pre-launch static fires and individual tests. ### *January 13th - Jielong-3 with a to-be-announced payload* A Jielong-3 rocket may liftoff from a sea-based launch platform in the Yellow Sea and head to low Earth orbit. ### *January 13th - New Glenn for its debut flight* Blue Origin may launch its first New Glenn rocket from Space Launch Complex 36, in Florida. New Glenn's first stage, called 'So You're Telling Me There's a Chance', will attempt to land downrange on the drone ship 'Jacklyn'. ### *January 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-4* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *January 14th - Falcon 9 with Transporter 12* Another Falcon 9 is expected to perform the Transporter 12 dedicated rideshare mission to sun-synchronous orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying payloads for dozens of customers. ### *January 15th - Falcon 9 with two lunar landers* Yet another Falcon 9 is planning to launch Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander and ispace's Hakuto-R lunar lander to a lunar transfer orbit from Launch Complex 39A. ### *January 15th - Starship-Super Heavy for its seventh flight test* SpaceX may perform its seventh flight test for its Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle with liftoff and possible booster catch from the company's launch site in south Texas. The vehicles for this flight will be Ship 33, the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage, and Super Heavy Booster 14. ### *January 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-8* Another batch of Starlink satellites is expected to be launched into low Earth orbit atop Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### NASA to decide Mars Sample Return approach in 2026 URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-mars-sample-return-2026/ Last updated: 2025-01-07T20:06:38.000Z NASA [announced today](https://www.youtube.com/live/Y6-hE6Sadzs?si=HABN6IvNkDOj9so8&ref=proximareport.com), January 7th, that it will [pursue two architectures](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-to-explore-two-landing-options-for-returning-samples-from-mars/?ref=proximareport.com) for returning surface samples from Mars, with a decision expected in 2026\. The agency hopes that pursuing two architectures will encourage competition, innovation, and cost savings. One of the architectures would utilize existing experience and proven technologies with a skycrane landing, whereas the other would lean on commercial partners to develop a larger lander. The skycrane approach would cost between 6.6 billion and 7.7 billion United States Dollars, while a commercial approach would cost between 5.8 billion and 7.1 billion. Both methods would need to utilize a European Space Agency-developed orbiter and return spacecraft to bring the samples from Mars orbit to Earth's atmosphere. Currently, NASA expects the Orbital elements to launch in 2030 while surface hardware is launched in the following year. This surface hardware is planned to carry a smaller version of the envisioned Mars Ascent Vehicle. Solar panels are not expected to be used on the surface and will instead be replaced with a radioisotope power system that can provide power and heat through the dust storm season on Mars. A total of thirty sample tubes currently aboard the Perseverance rover are planned for return. While the agency has not disclosed specific timeline details, the Mars samples are expected to arrive back on Earth between 2035 and 2039, depending on budget allocation. Speaking on the re-architecting of the mission, NASA's outgoing Administrator Bill Nelson, said: > “Pursuing two potential paths forward will ensure that NASA is able bring these samples back from Mars with significant cost and schedule saving compared to the previous plan,” – “These samples have the potential to change the way we understand Mars, our universe, and – ultimately – ourselves.” Head of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Nicky Fox added: > “NASA’s rovers are enduring Mars’ harsh environment to collect ground-breaking science samples,” – “We want to bring those back as quickly as possible to study them in state-of-the-art facilities. Mars Sample Return will allow scientists to understand the planet’s geological history and the evolution of climate on this barren planet where life may have existed in the past and shed light on the early solar system before life began here on Earth. This will also prepare us to safely send the first human explorers to Mars.” Questions about China's Mars sample return mission, Tianwen-3, were also asked to NASA during the press conference. Administrator Bill Nelson was dismissive of the mission stating that it was a "grab and go" plan, despite it being scheduled a few years ahead. Currently the Tianwen-3 mission is planned to [begin in 2028](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-11-28/China-plans-to-retrieve-Martian-samples-around-2031-1yTg843rjIQ/p.html?ref=proximareport.com) via the launch of two Long March 5 vehicles. One Long March 5 will launch the Mars orbiter-Earth return spacecraft while the other will launch the Mars lander and ascent vehicle. After the samples are launched from the Martian surface and delivered to the orbiter, the spacecraft will begin its journey back to Earth, for arrival [around 2031](https://www.planetary.org/articles/tianwen-3-china-mars-sample-return-mission?ref=proximareport.com). ### Weekly Dose of Space (29/12-4/1) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-29-12-4-1/ Last updated: 2025-01-05T17:08:14.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had five launches occur, with the majority utilizing Falcon 9\. News this week had India planning a record-breaking launch cadence for the coming year and OneWeb's services temporarily going down. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on December 29th when Booster 15 was rolled back to the production site from the Massey's test site, having complete cryogenic testing. On the following day, Booster 14 was rolled from the production site to the launch site, and then lifted onto the Orbital Launch Mount on December 31st, ahead of Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test. Two days into the new year, on January 2nd, Booster 14 performed a movement test of its four grid fins to ensure that the system is working ahead of flight. Late on the 2nd teams were spotted installing flight termination explosives on Booster 14, to quickly destroy the vehicle if there is a risk to public safety. January 3rd also had the booster stabilizer pins removed from the Orbtial Launch Mount, to allow the vehicle to liftoff during the flight test. ## **Launches This Week** ### *December 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-3* Another Falcon 9 blasted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-two Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this launch was B1075, flying for the sixteenth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 for the Starlink Group 11-3 mission above California. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/Gf8sShcawAQNfRK.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 for the Starlink Group 11-3 mission above California. ©SpaceX ### *December 29th - Falcon 9 with four Astranis MicroGEO satellites* SpaceX launched four of Astranis' MicroGEO satellites to geostationary transfer orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Booster B1083 supported this launch for its seventh flight and landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 with four satellites for Astranis. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/Gf8sVuwaoAA8ptt-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 with four satellites for Astranis. ©SpaceX ### *December 30th - PSLV with SpaDeX* A Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle launched India's SpaDeX, Space Docking Experiment, mission to low Earth orbit from the Satish Dhawan Space Center. This mission will demonstrate autonomous docking between two satellites, a capability India is yet to perform ahead of its future lunar and human spaceflight missions. ![PSLV lifting off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center for the SpaDeX mission. ©ISRO](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/009-1.jpg) PSLV lifting off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center for the SpaDeX mission. ©ISRO ### *December 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-6* Ending last year's launches was a Falcon 9 carrying twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Booster B1078 supported this final mission of 2024 for its sixteenth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 12-6 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GgJY7Y3WUAAAURG-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 12-6 mission. ©SpaceX ### *January 4th - Falcon 9 with Thuraya 4-NGS* Beginning 2025's launches was a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40 with the Thuraya 4-NGS communications, on behalf of UAE-based Al Yah Satellite Communications, to a geostationary transfer orbit. Supporting this year's first mission was B1073 for its twentieth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 with Thuraya 4-NGS. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GgbIwrJXsAAWECA.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 with Thuraya 4-NGS. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *India plans ten launches in 2025* India is planning to at least [double](https://www.upi.com/Science%5FNews/2025/01/03/India-unveils-plans-10-missions-2025-successful-space-docking-launch/4931735931607/?ref=proximareport.com) its launch cadence in 2025 with ten launches planned to occur, according to Indian Space Research Organization Chairman S. Somanath following the launch of SpaDex in late December. If all missions remain on schedule India will launch thirteen missions, over doubling last years five. The launch schedule for the coming year includes three Gaganyaan test flights atop of LVM3, a fourth LVM3 for AST SpaceMobile, four GSLV missions to launch navigation, remote sensing, and imaging satellites, three PSLV missions for commercial and defense satellites, one SSLV mission, and the debut flight of Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 rocket. An increased cadence will also challenge India's aerospace contractors with S. Somanath [saying](https://spacenews.com/india-eyes-record-year-for-space-with-10-planned-launches/?ref=proximareport.com): > “Our ability to build a GSLV and launch is going to be challenging,” – “So we are looking at how we can ramp up by a little more investment, and also look at how the commercial models can be generated” This year the Satish Dhawan Space Center will also see its one hundredth launch mission take place, with ninety-eight having taken place so far since August 1979. ### *OneWeb goes down over New Years* From December 31st 2024 to January 2nd 2025 Eutelsat's OneWeb constellation experienced a [temporary outage](https://www.satellitetoday.com/connectivity/2025/01/02/oneweb-service-is-restored-after-a-48-hour-outage/?ref=proximareport.com). This outage disabled the 654 satellites constellation from providing services to customers. This software issue was due to OneWeb's systems timings failing to take into account the fact that 2024 was a leap year. The company's statement on the outage was as [follows](https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2025/01/oneweb-leo-broadband-satellites-suffer-major-outage-due-to-silly-glitch.html?ref=proximareport.com): > "The root cause was identified as a software issue within the ground segment. Eutelsat was fully mobilized and worked with the vendor to restore full service, while maintaining a constant dialogue with affected customers. The constellation is operating nominally once again." Eutelsat also operates thirty-five communications satellites in geostationary orbit which were unaffected, but not used as a backup for OneWeb services during the outage. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is currently preparing to perform [Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test](https://cosmicnxws.com/starships-seventh-flight-january-10th?ref=proximareport.com) utilizing Booster 14 and Ship 33, the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage. This launch may take place no earlier than [January 10th](https://x.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1872654746684912014?ref=cosmic-nxws.ghost.io), the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has also [recently granted](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacexs-starship-flight-7-test-flight-gets-faa-launch-license-but-when-will-it-fly?ref=cosmicnxws.com) a launch license for the mission. Both vehicles needed for flight have also completed pre-launch static fires and individual tests. ### *January 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-71* Falcon 9 is preparing to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 to low Earth orbit with a batch of Starlink satellites. ### *January 6th - Long March 3B/E with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 3B/E is expected to fly from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center to a geostationary transfer orbit. ### *January 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-11* Another Falcon 9 is preparing to launch from Launch Complex 39A with a batch of Starlink satellites bound for low Earth orbit. ### *January 8th - New Glenn for its debut flight* Blue Origin is expected to launch its first New Glenn rocket from Space Launch Complex 36, in Florida. New Glenn's first stage, called 'So You're Telling Me There's a Chance', will attempt to land downrange on the drone ship 'Jacklyn'. ### *January 10th - Falcon 9 with NROL-153* SpaceX is expecting to launch a Falcon 9 for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office from Space Launch Complex 4E with a batch of Starshield satellites, the military variant of Starlink. ### *January 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-12* Yet another Falcon 9 is expected to launch to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 with a batch of Starlink satellites. ### *January 10th - Starship-Super Heavy for its seventh flight test* SpaceX plans to perform its seventh flight test for its Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle with liftoff and possible booster catch from the company's launch site in south Texas. The vehicles for this flight will be Ship 33, the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage, and Super Heavy Booster 14. ### 2024 Space Wrapped: Dawn of the Reusable Era URL: https://proximareport.com/2024-space-wrapped-dawn-of-the-reusable-era/ Last updated: 2025-01-03T19:10:10.000Z 2024 has been another amazing year for the global space industry, so let's go over the highlights of this year! ## Starship cadence doubles ![Starship-Super Heavy during first-stage flight for the vehicles sixth flight test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/Gc1vZNGb0AEZXC8.jpg) Starship-Super Heavy during first-stage flight for the vehicles sixth flight test. ©SpaceX This year saw SpaceX fly its Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle in March, June, October, and November for four test flights, doubling last year's cadence for the rocket. [March's flight test](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-super-heavy-flies-its-third-test?ref=proximareport.com) had liftoff occur with all 33 Raptor engines firing, and Ship 28 successfully hot-staging from Booster 10, marking SpaceX’s second use of this technique. Booster 10 became the first Super Heavy to relight 10 engines for a full boost-back burn and survived descent without re-entry relighting but spun out before the landing burn, igniting only three engines before crashing into the ocean. Meanwhile, Ship 28 reached second-stage engine cutoff, tested its payload bay door opening, and attempted in-space fuel transfer, but its planned Raptor engine restart did not occur. To end March's flight, Ship 28 tumbled from engine cutoff onward and was lost during re-entry over the Indian Ocean. [June's flight test](https://cosmicnxws.com/spacex-launches-starship-super-heavy-for-its-fourth-flight-test?ref=proximareport.com) began with Booster 11 lifting off with 32 of 33 engines firing and performing a boost-back burn. Ship 29 hot-staged off Booster 11, which jettisoned its hot-staging ring and splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico despite one engine failing during its landing burn. Ship 29 continued into space, shutting down its Raptor engines as planned, regaining control after minor rolls, and successfully managing atmospheric entry with its flaps and heat shield. Despite burn-through damage to its forward flaps during re-entry, Ship 29 endured peak heating and maximum dynamic pressure, completing a controlled descent and flipping for a successful splashdown in the Indian Ocean to end June's flight test. [October's monumental flight test](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-5?ref=proximareport.com) started with Booster 12 lifting off on all 33 engines and Ship 30 hot-staging off the booster after "most engines cut-off." Booster 12 performed a successful boost-back burn and became the first Super Heavy booster to be caught by the launch tower's 'chopsticks'. Meanwhile, Ship 30 entered a suborbital trajectory toward a targeted reentry site over the Indian Ocean. Despite some debris shedding and burn-through on its flaps during reentry, Ship 30 passed through atmospheric entry without major structural failure, completing a controlled descent and executing a flip-and-burn maneuver for a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean. This flight test proved the 'chopstick' tower recovery for the first time along with an accurate reentry of the Starship upper-stage. With a small step forward for the Starship program, [November's flight test](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-6?ref=proximareport.com) carried the first payload, a banana, onboard to perform a real but trial process of having Starship-Super Heavy approved regulatorily to fly payloads. For the flight test itself, Booster 13 lifted off with all 33 Raptor engines firing, and after "most engines cut-off," Ship 31 hot-staged using its six Raptor engines. Although Booster 13 completed a boost-back burn, safety criteria prevented a return to the launch site, leading to a successful splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. Ship 31 continued into a suborbital trajectory, achieving SpaceX's first in-space Raptor engine relight, a critical milestone for orbital flight. During reentry, minor steel deformations and debris shedding occurred due to missing heat shield tiles, but no structural failures were reported. After atmospheric reentry, Ship 31 descended nose-down to test stress limits, successfully performing a flip-and-burn maneuver with three Raptor engines before softly splashing down in the Indian Ocean, completing the test. 2025 is looking to be an even more impressive year for Starship with the 'Block 2' upper-stage set to fly in the first few weeks of the year. SpaceX is also hoping to prove the Ship-to-Ship propellant transfer demonstration this year. ## *China returns first lunar far-side samples* ![The Chang’e 6 spacecraft on the lunar surface during lunar sample gathering. ©China National Space Administration](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GPM6-yIXEAADJa3.jpg) The Chang’e 6 spacecraft on the lunar surface during lunar sample gathering. ©China National Space Administration China successfully began its Chang’e 6 lunar far-side sample return mission on [May 3rd](https://cosmicnxws.com/change-6-moon-bound?ref=proximareport.com) from LC-101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. Despite rainy conditions, the Long March 5 rocket performed flawlessly, sending the spacecraft into a trans-lunar trajectory. This mission, part of China’s fourth lunar exploration phase, marked the first time humanity retrieved surface samples from the Moon’s far side. After entering lunar orbit on May 8th, the Chang’e 6 lander separated from the orbiter and landed in the South Pole–Aitken Basin at 41°38′18.6″S, 153°59′6.72″W. Using a robotic scoop and drill, it collected 1935.3 grams of samples, which were secured in a vacuum-sealed canister. The ascent module then returned the samples to the orbiter for the journey back to Earth. On [June 25th](https://cosmicnxws.com/change-6-sample-landing?ref=proximareport.com), after a 53-day mission, the re-entry capsule landed in China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Recovery teams quickly secured the capsule and its contents, ensuring the samples were preserved for transport to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The samples, retrieved from the Moon, are expected to provide valuable data on the differences between the near and far sides of the Moon, including insights into impact history and lunar crust composition. Scientists believe the findings could answer fundamental questions about the Moon’s evolution and early solar system history. [Some samples](https://www.china-in-space.com/i/153777733/new-batch-of-lunar-samples-approved?ref=proximareport.com) from the mission have already been shared with research institutions. ## America returns to the Moon's surface ![The Odysseus Nova-C lander on the lunar surface. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GHcYOWVXMAAeTRm.jpg) The Odysseus Nova-C lander on the lunar surface. ©Intuitive Machines On [February 15th](https://cosmicnxws.com/intuitive-machines-takes-aim-on-the-moon?ref=proximareport.com) a Falcon 9 launched from Cape Canaveral, carrying Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander on the IM-1 mission to the Moon. This mission was significant as it was the first U.S. mission to the Moon since Apollo 17 but, it was also part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. The Nova-C lander, also named "Odysseus," aimed to land near the lunar South Pole, an area of great interest for future exploration and potential resource utilization. Despite facing a rough landing and falling on its side after touchdown, the mission was been deemed a success, with the lander continuing to operate as planned for a few days. Nova-C's successful landing took place on [February 22nd](https://cosmicnxws.com/america-returns-to-the-moon?ref=proximareport.com) and marked the first time a U.S. commercial company landed on the Moon. The mission carried a variety of scientific experiments and technological demonstrations designed to enhance our understanding of the Moon and advance capabilities for future sustainable exploration. These experiments include instruments to study the lunar surface environment, such as measuring plasma and dust, as well as advanced technologies for precise landing and navigation. ## Lunar spacesuits revealed ![The AxEMU spacesuit (left) and China's lunar spacesuit (right). ©Axiom Space/Xinhua](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/AxEMU_Prada_Spacesuit_Mockup_20241007_085-1.png) The AxEMU spacesuit (left) and China's lunar spacesuit (right). ©Axiom Space/Xinhua Axiom Space and the China Manned Space Agency revealed their spacesuit designs for lunar exploration in 2024. Axiom Space, in partnership with Prada, [unveiled](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-13-10-19-10/#axiom-unveils-lunar-spacesuit-design) the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan. Designed for NASA’s Artemis III mission, now set for 2027, the AxEMU focuses on flexibility, safety, and specialized tools for exploring the Moon’s south pole. Prada contributed innovative materials and production techniques. Axiom is planning for a critical design review of the suit in 2025. China [revealed](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-manned-space-agency-unveils?ref=proximareport.com) its unnamed lunar spacesuit at the Spacesuit Technology Forum in Chongqing. Development of the suit began in 2020, resulting in a lightweight, flexible suit with features such as glare-proof helmet visors, dual cameras for mission support, and improved mobility for walking, crouching, sample retrieval, and experiment deployment. Both suits are designed to withstand the Moon’s harsh conditions and may see testing in low Earth orbit ahead of use on the lunar surface. Axiom's suit will likely see use on the lunar surface first as China plans to utilize its spacesuit on the Moon before 2030. ## 2024's new rockets United Launch Alliance's [Vulcan rocket](https://cosmicnxws.com/ula-aces-vulcan-centaurs-first-flight?ref=proximareport.com) was 2024's first debut and flew from Space Launch Complex 41 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. This first mission delivered Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander toward the Moon. Vulcan would also fly a second mission in [October](https://cosmicnxws.com/vulcan-second-certification-flight?ref=proximareport.com). China’s first rocket to debut this year was [OrienSpace’s Gravity-1](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/orienspace-nails-its-first-launch?utm%5Fsource=publication-search), flying from a sea-launch platform in January. The all-solid fuelled 405,000-kilogram rocket carried three weather satellites into orbit for its first mission. Space One debuted its KAIROS, or [Kii-based Advanced & Instant ROcket System](https://cosmicnxws.com/japans-first-private-rocket-debuts?ref=proximareport.com), four-stage solid fuelled launch vehicle in early March from Spaceport Kii for five seconds during its first flight. In [December](https://cosmicnxws.com/kairos-flight-two?ref=proximareport.com) KAIROS flew again making it three minutes into flight. Later in the year in May, the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology debuted the [Long March 6C](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/another-long-march-long-march-6c) launch vehicle from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying four satellites. The Long March 6C is based on the Long March 6A but has a smaller second-stage and no solid rocket boosters, two YF-100 engines and one YF-115 power the rocket. [Ariane 6](https://cosmicnxws.com/ariane-6-debut?ref=proximareport.com) finally flew this year with a debut in July from Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 4 (Ariane Launch Complex 4) at the Guiana Space Centre, in French Guiana. Despite heading into orbit as planned, the rocket's second-stage suffered from an anomaly with one of its auxiliary propulsion units, stranding the stage in orbit along with a few experimental reentry capsules. LandSpace debuted the improved [Zhuque-2E](https://cosmicnxws.com/zq-2e-lm-12-debut?ref=proximareport.com) rocket in late November while carrying two satellites into orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Zhuque-2E is largely based off the existing Zhuque-2 vehicle but features a restartable TQ-15A engine, all engines powering the rocket burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen. For their second debut of the year the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology flew the [Long March 12](https://cosmicnxws.com/zq-2e-lm-12-debut?ref=proximareport.com) from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, which was also the first mission for the launch site. The Long March 12 is China’s widest single-core rocket with a diameter of 3.8 meters while also being powered by four of the nation’s most advanced rocket-grade kerosene engine, the YF-100K. The final debut of the year came in December from ExPace with an improved version of the Kauizhou-1A rocket. This improved version was dubbed ‘[Kaizhou-1A Pro](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/upgrades-people-upgradeskauizhou?ref=proximareport.com)’ and features a wider restartable fourth as well as a larger 1.8-meter diameter fairing. ## Artemis gains delays NASA's Artemis Program [began 2024](https://cosmicnxws.com/nasa-delays-artemis-2-into-2025?ref=proximareport.com) with delays to the Artemis II and Artemis III missions, moving them to September 2025 and September 2026 respectively. These initial delays at the beginning of the year were due to problems associated with first-time developments, operations, and integration. Progress on various Artemis missions has been slow but steady for this year. Lockheed Martin is working on at least three Orion capsule pressure vessels at the Kennedy Space Center. This year, the European Space Agency-produced Artemis III service module [was attached](https://www.flickr.com/photos/europeanspaceagency/54040015171/?ref=proximareport.com) to Orion's Crew Module Adapter in April. Artemis II's core stage was delivered to the Kennedy Space Center this year along with the beginning of stacking for that mission, with the two solid rocket boosters. To end the year, the Artemis II and Artemis III missions were [delayed again](https://cosmicnxws.com/nasa-delays-artemis-ii-2026?ref=proximareport.com). Artemis II is now expected to take place around April 2026 while Artemis III is scheduled for mid-2027\. The second delays this year was due to an issue with the Orion spacecraft's heatshield, with Artemis II set to use a different reentry trajectory instead of replacing it. ## Looking into 2025 2025 is already looking to be full of activity with new rockets flying, low Earth orbit becoming ever more developed, and various spacecraft flying around the solar system. ### More rocket debuts Last year saw a handful of new rockets performing debut missions with 2025 set to see the maiden flights of dozens of rockets, many of which are reusable. Most of the new rockets set to fly next year are listed below. **Blue Origin's New Glenn** launch vehicle is set to conduct its maiden flight in January 2025\. While recovering the first-stage booster downrange New Glenn will be capable of carrying 45,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 13,600 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, and 7,000 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory. The **Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology's Long March 8A** rocket is scheduled to conduct its debut mission in January 2025\. This rocket is expendable and will be capable of carrying 8,400 kilograms to low Earth orbit and 7,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous. **Gilmour Space's Eris-1** launch vehicle is planned to perform its maiden flight in January 2025\. Eris-1 will debut in a 'Block 1' configuration capable of carrying 300 kilograms to low Earth orbit, a 'Block 2' version is set to fly in 2026 with a carrying capacity of 1,000 kilograms. **Space Pioneer’s Tianlong-3** is set to make its first flight in May 2025\. It will be capable of delivering 17,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit or 14,000 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit. **LandSpace’s Zhuque-3** is scheduled for a June 2025 debut, and will be able to lift up to 21,300 kilograms to low Earth orbit in expendable mode. When utilizing a downrange landing, it will carry 18,300 kilograms, while returning to the launch site will allow for 12,500 kilograms of payload capacity. **Rocket Factory Augsburg's RFA One** rocket is expected to fly its maiden mission in early 2025\. RFA One is planned to carry 1,600 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 1,300 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, 450 kilograms to a geostationary transfer orbit, and 300 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory. **Deep Blue Aerospace’s Nebula-1** is scheduled for its debut in early 2025\. Initially, it will carry up to 2,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, with planned upgrades increasing this capacity to 6,000 kilograms. **Rocket Lab's Neutron** launch vehicle is planned to fly in mid-2025 for its debut mission. Neutron will be capable of carrying 15,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit while expended, 13,000 kilograms with a downrange booster landing, and 8,000 kilograms when returning the booster to the launch site. **CAS Space’s Kinetica-2** is planned to debut in September 2025\. Once operational, the rocket will be capable of carrying 12,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit or 8,000 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit. **RKTs Progress'** **Irtysh** (Soyuz-5) rocket may conduct its maiden flight in December 2025\. Irtysh is planned to carry 18,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit or 5,000 kilograms to a geostationary transfer orbit. **Galactic Energy’s Pallas-1 is** planned to debut in 2025, and will be able to carry 8,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit. For missions to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, it will handle up to 5,000 kilograms. **Stock Space's Nova** rocket may perform its debut mission in 2025\. Nova is set to be capable of carrying 7,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit while expending both stages or 3,000 kilograms when reusing both stages. **iSpace’s Hyperbola-3** is expected to launch in 2025\. It will carry up to 13,600 kilograms to low Earth orbit in expendable mode and 8,600 kilograms when reused. A three-core version will be capable of lifting 32,200 kilograms to low Earth orbit when expended or 14,100 kilograms when reused. **Orbex's Prime** launch vehicle may perform its maiden flight in 2025\. Prime is expected to carry up to 180 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. **OrienSpace’s Gravity-2** is planned for a 2025 debut. In reusable mode, it will carry 17,400 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 11,900 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, or 3,900 kilograms to a geostationary transfer orbit. When expended, it will be capable of lifting 21,500 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 15,000 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, or 5,900 kilograms to a geostationary transfer orbit. **Cosmoleap's Leap** launch vehicle may conduct its debut mission in 2025\. The payload capacity of Leap is planned to be 6,250 kilograms with booster recovery or 10,400 kilograms with the booster expended to a low Earth orbit altitude of 1000 kilometers. ### In low Earth orbit Ahead of the country's first human spaceflight mission in 2026, India is set to conduct a series of increasingly ambitious test flights for its Gaganyaan program. 2025 should see three uncrewed test flights of Gaganyaan launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Center atop the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 rocket. Vast is aiming to have its Haven-1 commercial space station in low Earth orbit no earlier than August, becoming the first if successful. Haven-1 is planned to support four astronauts for thirty days via other visiting crewed spacecraft. Amazon may have regular launches for its Kuiper internet mega-constellation begin this year, two test satellites were launched in 2023\. China is set to expand its own mega-constellation efforts in 2025, Qianfan, Tianqi, and Geely's Future Mobility Constellation could all have hundreds of satellites in orbit by the year's end. Of course, SpaceX will continue to add thousands of satellites to its Starlink internet mega-constellation too. In February NASA is planning to launch its next observatory to low Earth orbit. This observatory is SPHEREx, Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer, with NASA planning to map over 450 million galaxies in the near-infrared wavelengths. With both the International Space Station and Tiangong Space Station in low Earth orbit at least six crewed missions will be launched in 2025, two each by the United States, China, and Russia. SpaceX is expected to also fly a polar orbit private astronaut mission, Fram2, during the year as well. ### Beyond low Earth orbit China is expecting to launch its Tianwen-2 asteroid sample return mission in May of this year atop of a Long March 3B/E from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. Tianwen-2 is planned to collect 100 grams of samples from asteroid 469219 Kamoʻoalewa and return them around 2027. Blue Origin is hoping to conduct a demonstration mission with its MK1 Blue Moon lunar lander this year. This mission would have the lander head to the Moon's surface to demonstrate the company's ability to perform a lunar mission ahead of delivering hardware for future Artemis missions. Various missions traveling across the solar system are set to conduct flybys of various planets and targets in 2025\. BepiColombo is set to conduct its sixth Mercury gravity assist in January, Europa Clipper and Hera will perform a gravity assist with Mars in March, Lucy will flyby asteroid 52246 Donaldjohanson at a distance of roughly 920 kilometers in April, and JUICE will perform a gravity assist at Venus in August. In September NASA is planning to end its Juno mission by sending the spacecraft into Jupiter's atmosphere. Juno has been conducting science around the gas giant since July 2016, after being launched in 2011. ### Starship's seventh flight set for no earlier than January 10th URL: https://proximareport.com/starships-seventh-flight-january-10th/ Last updated: 2025-01-06T15:43:22.000Z Just over a month and a half ago, SpaceX's in-development fully reusable Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle performed its sixth flight test. Since that test, the company has been preparing to expand the vehicle's capabilities. Today, SpaceX released an update regarding flight seven, along with a [short recap](https://youtu.be/CMGiNKcVSek?si=6o%5FNaYMDX8ONBC1e&ref=proximareport.com) of the previous test. Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test is planned to utilize Ship 33, the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage, and Super Heavy Booster 14 on a suborbital trajectory from Starbase to the west coast of Australia. SpaceX has not announced a launch date but [regulatory filings](https://x.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1872654746684912014?ref=proximareport.com) have the test flight taking place on January 10th. As mentioned Ship 33 is a new version of the Starship upper-stage with SpaceX listing the [design changes](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-7&ref=proximareport.com) as: > "A block of planned upgrades to the Starship upper stage will debut on this flight test, bringing major improvements to reliability and performance. The vehicle’s forward flaps have been reduced in size and shifted towards the vehicle tip and away from the heat shield, significantly reducing their exposure to reentry heating while simplifying the underlying mechanisms and protective tiling. Redesigns to the propulsion system, including a 25 percent increase in propellant volume, the vacuum jacketing of feedlines, a new fuel feedline system for the vehicle’s Raptor vacuum engines, and an improved propulsion avionics module controlling vehicle valves and reading sensors, all add additional vehicle performance and the ability to fly longer missions. The ship’s heat shield will also use the latest generation tiles and includes a backup layer to protect from missing or damaged tiles." Various pieces of hardware for Starship upper-stage tower catches is flying on Ship 33 to thermally test the equipment. Experimental tiles are also on the Ship to test alternative thermal protection systems, such as active cooling, along with some being removed to stress test potential weak spots. Ship 33 will also attempt to deploy Starship's first payloads with ten Starlink satellite simulators planned to be released. These payloads will be destroyed upon reentry due to the flight tests suborbital trajectory. Another in-space Raptor relight test is also planned. Booster 14 will be attempting to perform the Starship program's second tower catch, repeating what occurred on the [fifth flight test](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-5?ref=proximareport.com) but was aborted on the [sixth](https://cosmicnxws.com/starship-flight-6?ref=proximareport.com). Some upgrades and flown hardware will also be used on this flight test with SpaceX [stating](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-7&ref=proximareport.com): > "The Super Heavy booster will utilize flight proven hardware for the first time, reusing a Raptor engine from the booster launched and returned on Starship’s fifth flight test. Hardware upgrades to the launch and catch tower will increase reliability for booster catch, including protections to the sensors on the tower chopsticks that were damaged at launch and resulted in the booster offshore divert on Starship’s previous flight test." As with the previous tower catch attempts, various vehicle and tower safety criteria will need to be met along with a manual command from the mission’s flight director to allow for a catch. If the criteria is not met Booster 14 will divert offshore. If the seventh flight test is successful, flight eight may head for orbit to allow for a tower catch of the Starship upper-stage. ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-four meters tall and weighs 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ### What is Starship? ![Ship 33 at the Massey's test site during its single engine static fire. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/twittervid.com_SpaceX_aba0a2-1.jpeg) Ship 33 at the Massey's test site during its single engine static fire. ©SpaceX Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Starship is believed to weigh 1,300,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. In order to survive re-entry for reuse, Starship has several thousand thermal protection tiles on one side of the vehicle and on all four of its aerodynamic control surfaces. The four control surfaces help guide the vehicle during re-entry and prior to landing inside the atmosphere at a pre-determined location. Starship also has a series of small thrusters to control the vehicle in space before re-entry. SpaceX is believed to be working on a few variants of Starship for use as a Moon lander, propellant tanker, space station, Mars lander, and as a crewed spacecraft. ### What is Super Heavy? ![Booster 14 during its thirty-three engine static fire on the Orbital Launch Mount. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/GeYXnm9bUAAJDtZ-1.jpg) Booster 14 during its thirty-three engine static fire on the Orbital Launch Mount. ©SpaceX Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. To enable the reuse of Super Heavy, the vehicle has four large grid fins placed in the interstage to assist in guiding and controlling during descent. Super Heavy also has four chines running along the lower third of it to generate lift and assist in stabilization. Shortly after completing the ascent, Super Heavy relights ten engines, as three were running during staging, and performs a 'boost back' burn in order to return to the launch site. After the 'boost back' burn is completed the engines shut down with Super Heavy being guided by a series of small thrusters and its grid fins. Once Super Heavy is at the correct altitude above its landing location three engines start back up for the landing burn. SpaceX currently plans to have Super Heavy land in the ocean with launch site landing attempts happening with later flights. Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ### Monthly Dose of Space - December 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-december-2024/ Last updated: 2025-01-02T18:40:55.000Z Welcome to our fifteenth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month we haven't covered in our weekly newsletters. December has been an amazing month for space globally, so let's jump into it! ## **News of the Month** December saw news of India beginning another milestone for its space program, Europe signing contracts for its own internet mega-constellation, Blue Origin's massive reusable rocket being cleared for flight, China investing 260 million United States Dollars into its space sector, a Hong Kong university working on part of the Chang'e 8 mission, and NASA signing four contracts for its Near Space Network. ### *India begins SpaDeX mission!* ![PSLV lifting off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center with the SpaDeX mission. ©ISRO](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/012-1.jpg) PSLV lifting off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center with the SpaDeX mission. ©ISRO The Indian Space Research Organisation kicked off its SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) mission on December 30th with the launch of a PSLV rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Center. The SpaDeX mission, if successful, will have India demonstrate the ability to dock in orbit, so far only three countries have proved this capability, the United States, China, and Russia. To prove this capability, [SpaDeX consists](https://www.isro.gov.in/mission%5FSpaDeX.html?ref=proximareport.com) of two 220-kilogram CubeSats with docking hardware and independent propulsion, as well as solar panels to generate power. One of the satellites will act as the 'target' while the other will be the 'chaser'. Over the course of multiple orbits, the two spacecraft will progressively close from a distance of 20 kilometers to 5 kilometers, 1.5 kilometers, 500 meters, 225 meters, 15 meters, and finally 3 meters ahead of docking. The Indian Space Research Organisation is expecting to have the two spacecraft dock by January 7th. Once docking is confirmed both satellites will also demonstrate the transfer of electrical power before undocking for their two-year secondary missions. Lessons learned from the SpaDeX mission will ultimately benefit the Chandrayaan-4 lunar sample return mission, the Gaganyaan crewed spacecraft, and India's modular space station. ![The two SpaDeX satellites in a cleanroom prior to integration on the PSLV rocket. ©ISRO](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/spadex_mission_1.png) The two SpaDeX satellites in a cleanroom prior to integration on the PSLV rocket. ©ISRO ### *EU signs IRIS² contracts* The [European Commission announced](https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/commission-takes-next-step-deploy-iris2-secure-satellite-system-2024-12-16%5Fen?ref=proximareport.com) on December 16th that it had signed contracts with an industrial consortium for the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite constellation, shorted to IRIS². According to [SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/europe-signs-contracts-for-iris%c2%b2-constellation/?ref=proximareport.com), this constellation is expected to cost 10.6 billion Euros, approximately 10.97 billion United States Dollars. IRIS² is expected to consist of 290 satellites in orbit by 2031 with the SpaceRISE Consortium implementing the project. The SpaceRISE Consortium includes the SES SA, Eutelsat SA, and Hispasat S.A. network operators and Thales Alenia Space, OHB, Airbus Defence and Space, Telespazio, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Hisdesat, and Thales SIX subcontractors. The IRIS² constellation aims to provide the European Union with secure connectivity between member states and governments, including high-speed broadband. The European Union also hopes to limit its reliance on SpaceX's Starlink internet constellation, Amazon's future Kuiper network, and China's various mega-constellations. ### *NASA chooses four companies for Near Space Network* NASA [announced on December 20th](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-four-commercial-companies-to-support-near-space-network/?ref=proximareport.com) that it had selected four commercial companies to expand the agency's Near Space Network to provide direct-to-Earth communications services. The four companies chosen in the press release are: - **Intuitive Machines**: Awarded two task orders to support NASA’s Lunar Exploration Ground Segment, easing demand on the Deep Space Network and enabling missions in elliptical orbits. - **Kongsberg Satellite Services**: Awarded two task orders to support low Earth orbit science missions and NASA’s Lunar Exploration Ground Segment, easing demand on the Deep Space Network. - **SSC Space U.S. Inc.**: Awarded two task orders to support low Earth orbit science missions and missions in elliptical orbits. - **Viasat, Inc.**: Awarded a task order to support low Earth orbit science missions. NASA states that the contracts for the company s will be firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity and run from February 2025 to September 2029, with an option for an additional five-year extension. The total value of the four contracts will be 4.82 billion United States Dollars. ### *New Glenn cleared for flight!* ![New Glenn during its first full-stack static fire. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2025/01/ILV_HF_Image_001.jpg) New Glenn during its first full-stack static fire. ©Blue Origin On December 27th, Blue Origin [received a launch license](https://x.com/SciGuySpace/status/1872739438134284556?ref=cosmicnxws.com) from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to perform the first flight of the company's massive New Glenn rocket. A few hours later in the [early hours of December 28th](https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-fires-up/), New Glenn's seven BE-4 engines roared to life for twenty-four seconds burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen for the rockets pre-flight static fire test. For the static fire, a complete New Glenn vehicle, consisting of the first and second stages as well as a payload test article comprised of manufacturing test demonstrator fairings, a high-capacity fixed adapter flight unit, and a 45,000 pound (20,411 kilogram) payload mass simulator, was on the launch pad [according to Blue Origin](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-glenn-completes-integrated-launch-vehicle-hotfire?ref=cosmicnxws.com). Following the static fire, Senior Vice President of New Glenn, Jarret Jones, said: > “This is a monumental milestone and a glimpse of what’s just around the corner for New Glenn’s first launch,” – “Today’s success proves that our rigorous approach to testing–combined with our incredible tooling and design engineering–is working as intended.” [Previous tests](https://proximareport.com/gs2-is-hot-to-go/) ahead of launch over the past few weeks included a tanking test, tests of the flight computers' ability to handle the launch countdown, and a full wet dress rehearsal where both stages of the rocket were fully fueled and a launch countdown initiated, stopping just before engine ignition. Blue Origin has not yet shared a firm date for New Glenn's debut mission but an [airspace advisory](https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-test-fires-new-glenn-first-stage-ahead-of-inaugural-launch/?ref=cosmicnxws.com) is present for January 6th, along with a backup opportunity the day after. *This story originally appeared in* [*Weekly Dose of Space (22/12-28/12)*](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-22-12-28-12/#new-glenn-cleared-for-flight)*.* ### *Hong Kong University to lead development of Chang’e 8 robot* The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, often shortened to HKUST, [announced on December 17th](https://hkust.edu.hk/news/research-and-innovation/hkust-leads-change-8-international-cooperation-project?ref=proximareport.com) that it had been selected by the China National Space Administration to lead the development of a multi-purpose robot for use during the Chang’e 8 mission, planned for 2028. This robot is expected to weigh 100 kilograms and conduct multi-functional lunar surface operations while being dexterous and housing a mobile wireless charging station. These requirements are planned to assist in the development of deep space exploration technologies along with the early operations of the International Lunar Research Station. HKUST will lead the development of the robot and collaborate with a team of experts from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the City University of Hong Kong, the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Shenzhen University, and the South African National Space Agency. To keep the development moving forward along with organizing the international team, the Hong Kong Space Robotics and Energy Center will also be established. Speaking about potential challenges with the robot, Yu Hongyu, Director of the HKUST Space Science and Technology Institute, outlined the following: > *"First, our robot venturing into the lunar south pole will encounter extremely low temperatures. To ensure its reliable performance, the use of advanced materials and temperature management systems is essential. Secondly, the absence of satellite navigation on the Moon means a smart design is required to effectively address the complexities of positioning, navigation, autonomous movement and operational control. At the same time, the robot must stay lightweight while handling multiple precision tasks and serving as a charger for other lunar equipment. By leveraging the unique strengths of each team member, we will create an innovative robot by optimizing the design with advanced materials and manufacturing techniques. The project will adhere to China's aerospace quality assurance mechanism to ensure the national mission is accomplished with flying colors."* Further details shared by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology are available in English [here](https://hkust.edu.hk/news/research-and-innovation/hkust-leads-change-8-international-cooperation-project?ref=proximareport.com). ### *China allocates 1.9 billion Yuan for launch and satellites* On December 25th a [reporter for Securities Times](https://www.stcn.com/article/detail/1467284.html?ref=proximareport.com) was informed by LandSpace that the company had recently had 900 million Yuan, 123.3 million United States Dollars, invested from China's National Manufacturing Transformation and Upgrading Fund. According to the Securities Times, this investment is the largest from a single entity into LandSpace. Five days later, Genesat [announced on December 30th](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/sW1Qiwh2qskU3KrfTRRMZA?ref=proximareport.com) that the company had completed its Series A+ funding round and raised 1 billion Yuan, approximately 137 million United States Dollars. The investors behind this funding round were China’s National Manufacturing Transformation and Upgrading Fund, China Development Bank Science and Technology Innovation, Guosheng Capital, SIMIC Capital, and Shanghai FTZ Fund. Both of these capital investments total 1.9 billion Yuan, approximately 260.3 million United States Dollars, and is a significant investment for the two companies heading into 2025\. The funding for LandSpace will reportedly support the development, testing, and production of a reusable rocket, which would be Zhuque-3\. Genesat did not state what the funding was for but it is likely for expanding satellite manufacturing facilities in support of the Qianfan mega-constellation. ## **SpaceX** This month at Starbase began on December 2nd when a crane was spotted lifting Ship 34's raceways for installation onto the vehicle, this raceway protects electrical and commodity lines during flight. Overnight Ship 34 was moved onto the center stand inside the 'mega bay' for engine installation, this was spotted on December 3rd. A few days later on December 6th, Booster 14 was rolled out from the production site to the launch site. Not long after arriving the booster was lifted onto the Orbital Launch Mount. Testing of the booster on the launch mount was underway on December 7th with propellant loaded into the vehicle and the boosters thirty-three Raptor engines performing a spin prime test. Three days later on December 9th, Booster 14 was spotted being loaded with propellant. Not long after the booster performed a static fire on the Orbital Launch Mount with its thirty-three Raptor engines. In the early hours of the day after its test, December 10th, Booster 14 was lifted off of the Orbital Launch Mount. During the lift, the booster was held at the catch height for a little while. Once the booster was back on the ground it was rolled out of the launch site to the production site. Two days later on December 11th, Ship 33 was rolled out from the production site to the Massey's test site. Ship 33 is the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage. Later that night, movement tests of the launch towers 'chopsticks' took place. A few days later, December 13th, Ship 33 began testing at the Massey's site. This testing had propellants loaded into the vehicle's liquid methane and liquid oxygen tanks as well as having its six Raptor engines perform a spin prime test. Another two days later on December 15th, Ship 33 conducted a six-engine static fire at the Massey's test site, three sea-level and three vacuum Raptor engines were ignited. The following day, the 16th, Ship 33 performed its second static fire, igniting one sea-level Raptor engine to demonstrate an in-space burn. Following the two static fires, Ship 33 returned from the Massey's test site to the production site in the early hours of December 17th. A few hours later teams were spotted removing the SpaceX sign at the entrance to the launch site. That evening SpaceX also performed a Christmas parade with an inflatable astronaut and Starship. By December 19th, teams had removed all parts of the SpaceX sign at the launch site. A little later the beam the sign was on was also removed, possibly to allow boosters and ships to head to the second launch pad through that entrance. Super Heavy Booster 15 left the production site early on December 21st heading for the Massey's test site, likely for cryogenic testing. Booster 15 is currently expected to fly for Starship-Super Heavy's eighth test flight. December 22nd had what is believed to be Booster 14's hot-staging ring was rolled out from Starbase's factory and parked outside of the 'mega bays'. The next day this hot-staging ring was moved into the smaller of the two 'mega bays'. After a few days of limited activity over Christmas, Ship 35's Starlink 'Pez' dispenser and nose section was moved into the larger 'mega bay' for stacking on December 26th. Ship 35 could be the third 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage and may fly for Starship-Super Heavy's ninth flight test. The next day, December 27th, had Booster 15 undergoing cryogenic testing at the Massey's test site. This testing had the methane tank fully loaded over the course of a couple hours. A repeat of Booster 15's cryogenic testing also occurred on December 28th. Following both tests Booster 15 was rolled back to the production site on December 29th. Closing into the end of 2024, Booster 14 was rolled from the production site to the launch site on December 30th, ahead of Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test. In the early hours of December 31st, Booster 14 was lifted onto the Orbital Launch Mount. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw thirty-one launches worldwide, if you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *December 3rd - Long March 3B/E with TJSW-13* A Long March 3B/E lifted off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center for its one-hundredth mission. For this mission, the rocket flew to geostationary transfer orbit carrying the Technology Experimental Satellite-13, the satellite will be used for radio, television, data transmission, satellite communications, and technology testing. ### *December 4th - Kuaizhou-1A with Haishao-1* An upgraded Kuaizhou-1A flew its first mission from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the Haishao-1 (海哨一号) satellite into low Earth orbit. Haishao-1 will be used to monitor ocean properties and changes. ### *December 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-70* Falcon 9 delivered a batch of twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1067 for its twenty-fourth mission, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ### *December 4th - Soyuz 2.1b with Kosmos 2580* A Soyuz 2.1b lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying a secret payload to low Earth orbit. ### *December 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-14* Another Falcon 9 launched a batch of twenty Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1081, making its twelfth flight and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *December 5th - Long March 6A with Qianfan Polar Group 03* A Long March 6A blasted off from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying the third batch of Qianfan satellites into polar orbit. The Qianfan constellation aims to provide regular internet coverage in China by the end of 2025, followed by regular coverage worldwide by the end of 2027. ### *December 5th - PSLV with Proba-3* The Indian Space Research Organisation's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center carrying the Proba-3 mission into an elliptical orbit. Proba-3 consists of two spacecraft flying 150 meters from one another to create artificial solar eclipses between the satellites. ### *December 5th - Falcon 9 with SXM-9* SiriusXM's SXM-9 satellite lifted off atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, heading for geostationary transfer orbit. The SXM-9 spacecraft will be used to allow SiriusXM's programming to reach its customers. ### *December 5th - Vega-C with Sentinel-1C* Vega-C performed its return-to-flight mission from Ensemble de Lancement Vega at the Guiana Space Center, in French Kourou, carrying the Sentinel-1C satellite to sun-synchronous orbit successfully. The Sentinel-1C satellite will provide an all-weather, day-and-night supply of imagery of Earth’s surface. ### *December 6th - Simorgh with Fakhr-1 & Sama-1* Iran launched its Simorgh rocket to low Earth orbit from the Imam Khomeini Space Launch Terminal in the north of the country. Fakhr-1 is a CubeSat to test locally produced spacecraft components and a communications payload. Saman-1 is a test spacecraft for sending satellites into a higher orbit using solid propellant. ### *December 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-5* Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster supporting this mission was B1086, making its second flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *December 12th - Long March 2D with five High-Speed Laser Diamond satellites* A Long March 2D blasted off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying five High-Speed Laser Diamond satellites into low Earth orbit. The satellites are expected to test inter-satellite laser communication across three different orbits, which they were deployed into by a Yuanzheng-3 upper-stage. ### *December 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-2* Another Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-two Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1082 flying for the ninth time, and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *December 14th - Electron for a HASTE mission* Electron performed a Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron (HASTE) mission from Launch Complex 2, in Virginia, on a suborbital trajectory. The customer for this mission is unknown but they are likely linked to the U.S. Department of Defense. ### *December 16th - Long March 5B with GuoWang Group 01* The first ten satellites of China's GuoWang internet mega-constellation were sent into a polar orbit by the Long March 5B, China’s second largest rocket, with a Yuanzheng-2 upper-stage. Details about the GuoWang mega-constellation are available [here](https://proximareport.com/china-two-mega-constellations/). ### *December 16th - Long March 2D with four PIESAT-2 spacecraft* A Long March 2D lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying four PIESAT-02 satellites into sun-synchronous orbit. The PIESAT-2 spacecraft are part of Zhuzhou Space Interstellar Satellite Technology's commercial synthetic aperture radar imaging constellation which will have sixteen satellites once complete, twelve have been launched to date. ### *December 17th - Falcon 9 with GPS-III SV07* Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, for the Rapid Response Trailblazer-1 mission carrying the GPS-III SV07 spacecraft into a medium Earth orbit. The Rapid Response Trailblazer-1 mission was a test between the U.S. Space Force and SpaceX to observe how fast a spacecraft could be prepared for launch, it is [reported](https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-u-s-space-force-rapid-response-gps-mission/?ref=cosmicnxws.com) that the mission took six months to reach the launch pad. The booster that supported this mission was B1085, flying for the fourth time, which landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *December 17th - Falcon 9 with NROL-149* Another Falcon 9 blasted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying a batch of Starshield satellites, the military version of Starlink, to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1063 performing its twenty-second mission, and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *December 17th - Falcon 9 with O3b mPower 7 & 8* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, carrying two communications satellites into medium Earth orbit for SES. Booster B1090 supported this mission, for its first flight and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *December 18th - KAIROS with five satellites* Space One performed its second launch attempt of its KAIROS rocket from Spaceport Kii, on Japan's east coast. Following a successful liftoff, the rocket experienced an anomaly and was lost along with its five payloads. Details about this launch and the payloads are available [here](https://proximareport.com/kairos-flight-two/). ### *December 19th - Ceres-1S with four Tianqi satellites* Galactic Energy performed its fourth sea-based Ceres-1 mission from a launch platform in the Yellow Sea. Four satellites for Guodian Gaoke's Tianqi Internet-of-Things constellation. ### *December 20th - Long March 3B/E with TJSW-12* A Long March 3B/E lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the TJSW-12 satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit. TJSW-12, known as Communication Technology Experimental Satellite-12 in English, is reported for use in satellite communications, radio, television, data transmission, as well as technology testing. ### *December 21st - Falcon 9 with Bandwagon 2* SpaceX performed its second mid-inclination rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying satellites from KOREA ADD, Arrow Science and Technology, Exolaunch, HawkEye 360, Maverick Space Systems, Sidus Space, Tomorrow Companies Inc., True Anomaly, and Think Orbital into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1071, flying for the twenty-first time and landing back at Landing Zone 4 in California. ### *December 21st - Electron for 'Owl The Way Up'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying one of Synspective's synthetic aperture radar satellites into low Earth orbit. This satellite is expected to provide imagery of the Earth below that can detect millimeter-level changes. ### *December 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-2* SpaceX launched twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. The booster supporting this mission was B1080, making its fourteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *December 25th - Soyuz 2.1b with Resurs-P No.5* A Soyuz 2.1b lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the commercial Earth observation satellite Reusrs-P No.5 into a sun-synchronus orbit. This was also the 2000th launch of an [R-7 rocket](https://russianspaceweb.com/resurs-p5.html?ref=cosmicnxws.com)! ### *December 27th - Kinetica-1 with eleven satellites* CAS Space's Kinetica-1 rocket blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center planning to carry eleven satellites into orbit. Sadly this launch failed, and was safely terminated, due to an issue three seconds into the third-stage burn. ### *December 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-3* Another Falcon 9 blasted off from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying twenty-two Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this launch was B1075, flying for the sixteenth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *December 29th - Falcon 9 with four Astranis MicroGEO satellites* SpaceX launched four of Astranis' MicroGEO satellites to geostationary transfer orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. Booster B1083 supported this launch for its seventh flight and landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *December 30th - PSLV with SPADEX* A Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle launched India's SPADEX, Space Docking Experiment, mission to low Earth orbit from the Satish Dhawan Space Center. This mission will demonstrate autonomous docking between two satellites, a capability India is yet to perform ahead of its future lunar and human spaceflight missions. ### *December 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-6* Ending 2024's launches was a Falcon 9 carrying twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Booster B1078 supported this final mission of the year for its sixteenth flight, with a landing downrange on the droneship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ## Launches to look out for in January! January will begin a busy year of launches in 2025 and is already looking quite hectic. Listed below are all of the launches expected or very likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of January may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *January 2nd - Falcon 9 with Thuraya 4-NGS* Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying the Thuraya 4-NGS communications satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of UAE-based Al Yah Satellite Communications. ### *January 6th - New Glenn for its debut flight* Blue Origin may launch its first New Glenn rocket from Space Launch Complex 36, in Florida. New Glenn's first stage, called 'So You're Telling Me There's a Chance', will attempt to land downrange on the drone ship 'Jacklyn'. ### *January 6th - Long March 3B/E with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 3B/E is expected to fly from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center to a geostationary transfer orbit. ### *January 10th - Starship-Super Heavy for its seventh flight test* SpaceX may perform its seventh flight test for its Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle with liftoff and possible booster catch from the company's launch site in south Texas. The vehicles for this flight will be Ship 33, the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage, and Super Heavy Booster 14. ### *January 10th - Ceres-1 with a to-be-announced payload* Galactic Energy's Ceres-1 launch vehicle is expected to fly from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and head to sun-synchronous orbit. ### *January 12th - Jielong-3 with a to-be-announced payload* A Jielong-3 rocket may liftoff from a sea-based launch platform in the Yellow Sea and head to low Earth orbit. ### *January 19th - Long March 8 with Qianfan Group 4* A Long March 8 may launch from Commercial Launch Pad 1 the Wenchang Commerical Space Launch Site carrying the fourth batch of Qianfan satellites into orbit. ### *January 20th - Long March 8A for its debut flight* The Long March 8A may perform its debut mission from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ### *January 23rd - Long March 3B/E with a to-be-announced payload* Another Long March 3B/E is expected to fly from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center to a geostationary transfer orbit. ### *January 28th - Falcon 9 with SpainSat NG-1* Falcon 9 is expected to launch SpainSat NG-1 to a geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of the Spanish government. ### Weekly Dose of Space (22/12-28/12) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-22-12-28-12/ Last updated: 2024-12-29T17:18:42.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had three launches occur, with sadly one failure. News this week had New Glenn eagerly approaching launch along with the Parker Solar Probe passing incredibly close to the Sun. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on December 22nd when what is believed to be Booster 14's hot-staging ring was rolled out from Starbase's factory and parked outside of the 'mega bays'. The next day this hot-staging ring was moved into the smaller of the two 'mega bays'. After a few days of limited activity over Christmas, Ship 35's Starlink 'Pez' dispenser and nose section was moved into the larger 'mega bay' for stacking on December 26th. Ship 35 could be the third 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage and may fly for Starship-Super Heavy's ninth flight test. The next day, December 27th, had Booster 15 undergoing cryogenic testing at the Massey's test site. This testing had the methane tank fully loaded over the course of a couple hours. A repeat of Booster 15's cryogenic testing also occurred on December 28th. ## **Launches This Week** ### *December 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-2* SpaceX launched twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. The booster supporting this mission was B1080, making its fourteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 12-2 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/Gfdt3MsasAAWRiy-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 12-2 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 25th - Soyuz 2.1b with Resurs-P No.5* A Soyuz 2.1b lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the commercial Earth observation satellite Reusrs-P No.5 into a sun-synchronus orbit. This was also the 2000th launch of an [R-7 rocket](https://russianspaceweb.com/resurs-p5.html?ref=proximareport.com)! ![Soyuz 2.1b lifting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for the 2000th launch of an R-7 rocket. ©Roscosmos](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/GfoOtoQWUAA9jtA.jpg) Soyuz 2.1b lifting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for the 2000th launch of an R-7 rocket. ©Roscosmos ### *December 27th - Kinetica-1 with eleven satellites* CAS Space's Kinetica-1 rocket blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center planning to carry eleven satellites into orbit. Sadly this launch failed, and was safely terminated, due to an issue three seconds into the third-stage burn. ## **In Other Space News** ### *New Glenn cleared for flight!* > Next stop launch [pic.twitter.com/GQFz4XxEt5](https://t.co/GQFz4XxEt5?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) [December 28, 2024](https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1872824935732916265?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket performing a static fire on December 28th, via [Jeff Bezos on X](https://x.com/JeffBezos/status/1872824935732916265?ref=proximareport.com). On December 27th, Blue Origin [received a launch license](https://x.com/SciGuySpace/status/1872739438134284556?ref=proximareport.com) from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to perform the first flight of the company's massive New Glenn rocket. A few hours later in the [early hours of December 28th](https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-fires-up/), New Glenn's seven BE-4 engines roared to life for twenty-four seconds burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen for the rockets pre-flight static fire test. For the static fire, a complete New Glenn vehicle, consisting of the first and second stages as well as a payload test article comprised of manufacturing test demonstrator fairings, a high-capacity fixed adapter flight unit, and a 45,000 pound (20,411 kilogram) payload mass simulator, was on the launch pad [according to Blue Origin](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-glenn-completes-integrated-launch-vehicle-hotfire?ref=proximareport.com). Following the static fire, Senior Vice President of New Glenn, Jarret Jones, said: > “This is a monumental milestone and a glimpse of what’s just around the corner for New Glenn’s first launch,” – “Today’s success proves that our rigorous approach to testing–combined with our incredible tooling and design engineering–is working as intended.” [Previous tests](https://proximareport.com/gs2-is-hot-to-go/) ahead of launch over the past few weeks included a tanking test, tests of the flight computers' ability to handle the launch countdown, and a full wet dress rehearsal where both stages of the rocket were fully fueled and a launch countdown initiated, stopping just before engine ignition. Blue Origin has not yet shared a firm date for New Glenn's debut mission but an [airspace advisory](https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-test-fires-new-glenn-first-stage-ahead-of-inaugural-launch/?ref=proximareport.com) is present for January 6th, along with a backup opportunity the day after. ### *Parker Solar Probe makes closest approach to the Sun!* NASA's Parker Solar Probe made its [closest approach](https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/heliophysics/nasas-parker-solar-probe-makes-history-with-closest-pass-to-sun/?ref=proximareport.com) to the Sun on December 24th, flying just 3.8 million miles above the star's surface at a speed of 430,000 miles per hour! Flying this close to the Sun will allow the spacecraft to conduct unrivaled scientific measurements to further expand our understanding of the universe. Speaking on the probes closest approach of the Sun, Nour Rawafi, the project scientist for Parker Solar Probe at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, said: > “Parker Solar Probe is braving one of the most extreme environments in space and exceeding all expectations,” – “This mission is ushering a new golden era of space exploration, bringing us closer than ever to unlocking the Sun’s deepest and most enduring mysteries.” For passing this close to the Sun, the Parker Solar Probe relies on a carbon foam shield to protect it from the extreme heat in the upper solar atmosphere called the corona, which can exceed 1 million degrees Fahrenheit (555,537 degrees Celsius). The shield was designed to reach temperatures of 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit (1,426 degrees Celsius), hot enough to melt steel, while keeping the instruments behind it cool at room temperature. Since beginning its mission back in 2018, the Parker Solar Probe has made discoveries across the inner solar system such as showing how coronal mass ejections vacuum up dust as they sweep across the solar system, documenting Venus' natural radio emissions from its atmosphere, and completing the first image of Venus' orbital dust ring. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is currently preparing to perform Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test utilizing Booster 14 and Ship 33, the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage. This launch may take place no earlier than [January 10th](https://x.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1872654746684912014?ref=proximareport.com), the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has also [recently granted](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacexs-starship-flight-7-test-flight-gets-faa-launch-license-but-when-will-it-fly?ref=cosmicnxws.com) a launch license for the mission. Both vehicles needed for flight have also completed pre-launch static fires and individual tests. ### *December 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-3* A Falcon 9 is set to liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. ### *December 29th - Falcon 9 with Astranis MicroGEO satellites* SpaceX is expecting to launch Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying four of Astranis' MicroGEO communications satellites into a geostationary transfer orbit. ### *December 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-6* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Launch Complex 39A carrying another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *December 30th - PSLV with SPADEX* A Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle is expected to launch the SPADEX, Space Docking Experiment, to low Earth orbit. The mission will demonstrate autonomous docking between two satellites, a capability India is yet to perform ahead of its future lunar and human spaceflight missions. ### *January 2nd - Falcon 9 with Thuraya 4-NGS* Yet another Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying the Thuraya 4-NGS communications satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of UAE-based Al Yah Satellite Communications. ### New Glenn Fires Up URL: https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-fires-up/ Last updated: 2024-12-28T05:29:18.000Z Tonight New Glenn ignited all seven of its BE-4 engines together for the first time! The 24 second static fire was the culmination of a weeks-long testing campaign of the full New Glenn stack including the GS1 first stage, GS2 second stage, payload fairing, and mass simulator. The static fire was nearly flawless, but the onboard computers experienced an anomaly that is (believed) to have been caused by a software glitch, resulting in a premature shutdown. However, the team is confident in pursing a launch as soon as possible! > Next stop launch [pic.twitter.com/GQFz4XxEt5](https://t.co/GQFz4XxEt5?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) [December 28, 2024](https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1872824935732916265?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The previous tests from the past few weeks included a tanking test, tests of the flight computers ability to handle the launch countdown, and a full wet dress rehearsal where both stages of the rocket were fully fueled and a launch countdown initiated, but ending just prior to engine ignition. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/20241227_210335.jpg) New Glenn fires its engines. Credit: Dave Limp/Blue Origin Earlier in the day, Blue Origin was granted a launch license by the FAA; so all that is left on the checklist for New Glenns first launch is rollback for integration of its Blue Ring Pathfinder payload, along with some final checkouts before launch, according to Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp. ### Weekly Dose of Space (15/12-21/12) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-15-12-21-12/ Last updated: 2024-12-22T18:13:56.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had ten launches occur, with most in support of satellite constellations. News this week had two taikonauts break the record for the longest spacewalk, the Artemis Accords gain two more members, and two lunar landers possibly heading out to the Moon together. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on December 15th when Ship 33 conducted a six-engine static fire at the Massey's test site, three sea-level and three vacuum Raptor engines were ignited. The following day, the 16th, Ship 33 performed its second static fire, igniting one sea-level Raptor engine to demonstrate an in-space burn. > Static fire of Flight 7 Starship [pic.twitter.com/3Xa2bYFkdp](https://t.co/3Xa2bYFkdp?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [December 15, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1868436135468552361?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 33 performing its six-engine static fire, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1868436135468552361?ref=proximareport.com). > Single engine static fire demonstrating a flight-like startup for an in-space burn [pic.twitter.com/jELpcCOaO5](https://t.co/jELpcCOaO5?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [December 17, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1869080468160995439?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 33 performing its single-engine static fire, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1869080468160995439?ref=proximareport.com). Following the two static fires, Ship 33 returned from the Massey's test site to the production site in the early hours of December 17th. A few hours later teams were spotted removing the SpaceX sign at the entrance to the launch site. That evening SpaceX also performed a Christmas parade with an inflatable astronaut and Starship. By December 19th, teams had removed all parts of the SpaceX sign at the launch site. A little later the beam the sign was on was also removed, possibly to allow boosters and ships to head to the second launch pad through that entrance. Super Heavy Booster 15 left the production site early on December 21st heading for the Massey's test site, likely for cryogenic testing. Booster 15 is currently expected to fly for Starship-Super Heavy's eighth test flight. ## **Launches This Week** ### *December 16th - Long March 5B with GuoWang Group 01* The first ten satellites of China's GuoWang internet mega-constellation were sent into a polar orbit by the Long March 5B, China’s second largest rocket, with a Yuanzheng-2 upper-stage. Details about the GuoWang mega-constellation are available [here](https://proximareport.com/china-two-mega-constellations/). ![The Long March 5B Y6 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/006aWhMSgy1hwn13le7h7j347x2tax6p-1.jpg) The Long March 5B Y6 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ### *December 16th - Long March 2D with four PIESAT-2 spacecraft* A Long March 2D lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying four PIESAT-02 satellites into sun-synchronous orbit. The PIESAT-2 spacecraft are part of Zhuzhou Space Interstellar Satellite Technology's commercial synthetic aperture radar imaging constellation which will have sixteen satellites once complete, twelve have been launched to date. ![The Long March 2D Y99 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/Ge8prqbbwAEKLGJ-1.jpg) The Long March 2D Y99 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ### *December 17th - Falcon 9 with GPS-III SV07* Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, for the Rapid Response Trailblazer-1 mission carrying the GPS-III SV07 spacecraft into a medium Earth orbit. The Rapid Response Trailblazer-1 mission was a test between the U.S. Space Force and SpaceX to observe how fast a spacecraft could be prepared for launch, it is [reported](https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-u-s-space-force-rapid-response-gps-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) that the mission took six months to reach the launch pad. The booster that supported this mission was B1085, flying for the fourth time, which landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Rapid Response Trailblazer-1 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/Ge-Wg2AbwAMCR9G-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Rapid Response Trailblazer-1 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 17th - Falcon 9 with NROL-149* Another Falcon 9 blasted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying a batch of Starshield satellites, the military version of Starlink, to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1063 performing its twenty-second mission, and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9's nine Merlin engines firing as the rocket lifts off for the NROL-149 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/GfDPQ1FXUAAQc6g.jpg) Falcon 9's nine Merlin engines firing as the rocket lifts off for the NROL-149 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 17th - Falcon 9 with O3b mPower 7 & 8* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, carrying two communications satellites into medium Earth orbit for SES. Booster B1090 supported this mission, for its first flight and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A carrying two satellites for SES. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/GfDPO-NW0AAo6Px-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A carrying two satellites for SES. ©SpaceX ### *December 18th - KAIROS with five satellites* Space One performed its second launch attempt of its KAIROS rocket from Spaceport Kii, on Japan's east coast. Following a successful liftoff, the rocket experienced an anomaly and was lost along with its five payloads. Details about this launch and the payloads are available [here](https://proximareport.com/kairos-flight-two/). > 【速報】小型ロケット「カイロス2号機」打ち上げ失敗 > 上昇中にトラブル > > 打ち上げの失敗はことし3月の初号機に続いて2回連続で、企業が詳しい状況を調べています。 > ↓【詳細はこちらで】↓[https://t.co/zaA5Cpf20b](https://t.co/zaA5Cpf20b?ref=proximareport.com)[#nhk\_video](https://twitter.com/hashtag/nhk%5Fvideo?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/N2z8c5aAD2](https://t.co/N2z8c5aAD2?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NHKニュース (@nhk\_news) [December 18, 2024](https://twitter.com/nhk%5Fnews/status/1869210873585398149?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) KAIROS' second launch from Spaceport Kii, via [NHK on X](https://x.com/nhk%5Fnews/status/1869210873585398149?t=4MCEg89x5YKfWSmAaSoK2w&ref=cosmicnxws.com). ### *December 19th - Ceres-1S with four Tianqi satellites* Galactic Energy performed its fourth sea-based Ceres-1 mission from a launch platform in the Yellow Sea. Four satellites for Guodian Gaoke's Tianqi Internet-of-Things constellation. ![The Ceres-1S Y4 vehicle lifting off from the Dongfang Hangtiangang launch ship off the coast of Rizhao.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/006Su8pSgy1hwqgnfam6jj336e1zjnpe-1.jpg) The Ceres-1S Y4 vehicle lifting off from the Dongfang Hangtiangang launch ship off the coast of Rizhao. ### *December 20th - Long March 3B/E with TJSW-12* A Long March 3B/E lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the TJSW-12 satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit. TJSW-12, known as Communication Technology Experimental Satellite-12 in English, is reported for use in satellite communications, radio, television, data transmission, as well as technology testing. ![The Long March 3B/E Y99 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/005SySbsly1hwruvo22toj30zk1hcam3-1.jpg) The Long March 3B/E Y99 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ### *December 21st - Falcon 9 with Bandwagon 2* SpaceX performed its second mid-inclination rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying satellites from KOREA ADD, Arrow Science and Technology, Exolaunch, HawkEye 360, Maverick Space Systems, Sidus Space, Tomorrow Companies Inc., True Anomaly, and Think Orbital into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1071, flying for the twenty-first time and landing back at Landing Zone 4 in California. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Bandwagon 2 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/GfVzabxaUAAHgtS.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Bandwagon 2 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 21st - Electron for 'Owl The Way Up'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying one of Synspective's synthetic aperture radar satellites into low Earth orbit. This satellite is expected to provide imagery of the Earth below that can detect millimeter-level changes. > Lift-off! We’re going [#OwlTheWayUp](https://twitter.com/hashtag/OwlTheWayUp?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/ZZXnCFfxhd](https://t.co/ZZXnCFfxhd?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [December 21, 2024](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1870474035886534927?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B for 'Owl The Way Up', via [Rocket Lab on X](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/1870474035886534927?ref=proximareport.com). ## **In Other Space News** ### *Thailand and Lichtenstein sign Artemis Accords* ![Supamas Isarabhakdi (left), Pakorn Apaphant (center left), Robert Godec (center right), and Suwat Jangyodsuk (right) posing for a photo after Thailand signed the Artemis Accords. ©U.S. State Department](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/thailand-artemis-accords-state-12-16.webp) Supamas Isarabhakdi (left), Pakorn Apaphant (center left), Robert Godec (center right), and Suwat Jangyodsuk (right) posing for a photo after Thailand signed the Artemis Accords. ©U.S. State Department NASA [announced](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-welcomes-thailand-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) on December 16th that Thailand became the fifty-first signatory of the U.S.-led Artemis Accords. The signing ceremony took place in Bangkok, Thailand's capital, with Supamas Isarabhakdi, Thailand’s Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Pakorn Apaphant, Executive Director of GISTDA, Suwat Jangyodsuk, Chairman of GISTDA, and Robert Godec, U.S. Ambassador to Thailand, participate. GISTDA, Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, is Thailand's space agency. NASA's outgoing Administrator, Bill Nelson, commented on the singing via a pre-recorded message saying: > “Thailand’s commitment to the Artemis Accords will enhance the country’s engagement with NASA and the international community,” – “By signing the accords, Thailand builds upon an important foundation and shows great leadership for the open, responsible and peaceful exploration of space.” A little over eight months ago, [back in April](https://spacenews.com/thailand-joins-china-led-ilrs-moon-base-initiative/?ref=proximareport.com), Thailand also joined the China-led International Lunar Research Station. Having now signed the Artemis Accords, Thailand is the first nation to agree to both international lunar agreements, according to U.S. officials nothing prevents other countries from following Thailand's example. At the 19th Annual Eilene M. Galloway Symposium on December 13th, [Brian Wessel](https://spacenews.com/thailand-signs-artemis-accords/?ref=proximareport.com), an attorney in international space law, said that the Artemis Accords are a set of principles while the International Lunar Research Station is a program of cooperation. [Four days later](https://www.state.gov/united-states-welcomes-liechtensteins-signing-of-the-artemis-accords/?ref=proximareport.com) Liechtenstein also signed the Artemis Accords, becoming the fifty-second signatory. Rainer Schnepfleitner, Director of Liechtenstein’s Office for Communications, signed on behalf of Liechtenstein with Georg Sparber, Ambassador of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the United States, Scott C. Miller, U.S. Ambassador to the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein, and Pam Melroy, NASA Deputy Administrator, taking part in the signing ceremony at NASA Headquarters. With the signing, Thailand and Liechtenstein join Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Chile, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Ukraine, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Brazil, Poland, Mexico, Israel, Romania, Bahrain, Singapore, Colombia, France, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Rwanda, the Czech Republic, Spain, Ecuador, India, Argentina, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Angola, Belgium, Greece, Uruguay, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Lithuania, Peru, Slovakia, Armenia, Estonia, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Panama, and Austria. ### *Shenzhou-19 set new spacewalk record!* ![Cai Xuzhe emerging from the Wentian module to begin the spacewalk on December 17th. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/82e4e451ly1hwoa747cxmj22en17bhdu.jpg) Cai Xuzhe emerging from the Wentian module to begin the spacewalk on December 17th. ©China Manned Space Agency On [December 17th](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/shenzhou-19-crew-perform-worlds-longest), taikonauts Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong performed the first spacewalk of the Shenzhou-19 mission, leaving the Tiangong Space Station through the Wentian modules airlock. Wang Haoze, the third crew member for the mission, remained inside the station to support the two spacewalkers. While outside the station, Cai and Song performed maintenance and inspections of external hardware along with installing protective materials to mitigate the impact of space debris and micrometeorites. This spacewalk lasted from 12:51 pm to 21:57 pm China Standard Time (or 04:51 am to 13:57 pm Universal Coordinated Time), with a total duration of nine hours and six minutes. The length of this spacewalk broke the existing record by ten minutes, having been set by James Voss and Susan Helms in [March 2001 for the STS-102](https://web.archive.org/web/20210513021355/https://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-102/sts-102-day-04-highlights.html) mission. The record-breaking spacewalk was Cai Xuzhe's third spacewalk of his career while it was Song Lingdong's first. With this spacewalk, Song also became the first 'post-1990' taikonaut to perform one. ### *Firefly and ispace to share a Falcon 9* [SpaceNews is reporting](https://spacenews.com/firefly-ispace-lunar-landers-to-share-falcon-9-launch/?ref=proximareport.com) that Firefly's Blue Ghost 1 and ispace's second Hakuto-R mission will fly to the Moon on the same Falcon 9 launch. This report also follows a story published by [Bloomberg on December 11th](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-12-11/trump-s-nasa-pick-isaacman-gets-handed-an-artemis-moon-delay?srnd=undefined&ref=proximareport.com) citing sources familiar with the launch manifest. On December 17th during [ispace's pre-launch keynote](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJA0lAEMqaw&ref=proximareport.com), the company stated that Hakuto-R's second mission will launch alongside another private company's lunar lander on the same rocket. With both landers flying on the same Falcon 9, Firefly's Blue Ghost 1 mission will be released first before the rocket reignites its second-stage, then deploying Hakuto-R. The two landers will then head out to the Moon under their own power. Both Firefly and SpaceX refused to responded to SpaceNews' questions about the two landers flying on one Falcon 9\. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is currently preparing to perform Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test utilizing Booster 14 and Ship 33, the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage. This launch may take place in [early January 2025](https://x.com/Alexphysics13/status/1860842070455246865?ref=proximareport.com), but the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has [recently granted](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacexs-starship-flight-7-test-flight-gets-faa-launch-license-but-when-will-it-fly?ref=proximareport.com) a launch license for the mission. Both vehicles needed for flight have also completed pre-launch static fires and individual tests. ### *December 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-2* SpaceX is expecting to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A atop of a Falcon 9. ### *December 25th - Annual Unidentified Flying Object* An unidentified flying object that travels around the globe each year, at [0.5% of light speed](https://le.ac.uk/news/2018/december/21-calculations-reveal-how-quickly-santa-travels?ref=proximareport.com), is expected to make another trip across the planet. This unidentified object is [reported to be a sleigh](https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2024/how-aerodynamic-is-santa?ref=proximareport.com) powered by nine reindeer. [NORAD is preparing to track](https://www.noradsanta.org/en/?ref=proximareport.com) the unidentified flying object. ### *December 25th - Soyuz 2.1b with Reusrs-P No. 5* A Soyuz 2.1b is expected to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the commercial Earth observation satellite Reusrs-P No.5 into a sun-synchronus orbit. ### *December 26th - Kinetica-1 with a to-be-announced payload* CAS Space's Kinetica-1 rocket may launch its sixth mission with a launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *December 27th - Falcon 9 with Thuraya 4-NGS* Yet another Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying the Thuraya 4-NGS communications satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of UAE-based Al Yah Satellite Communications. ### KAIROS Inches Closer to Orbit With Failed Second Launch URL: https://proximareport.com/kairos-flight-two/ Last updated: 2026-06-12T18:03:11.000Z Japanese launch company Space One launched its second KAIROS vehicle at 11:00 am Japan Standard Time (02:00 am Universal Coordinated Time) from Spaceport Kii. KAIROS' second flight appeared to be going well throughout liftoff and the first-stage burn however around the time of separation of the first and second stages the vehicle was [observed tumbling](https://x.com/Kosmograd%5FInfo/status/1869249352155447359?ref=proximareport.com). According to Space One, KAIROS experienced an anomaly around eighty seconds into flight, with flight terminated after three minutes once the rocket clearly left its flight path. > 【速報】小型ロケット「カイロス2号機」打ち上げ失敗 > 上昇中にトラブル > > 打ち上げの失敗はことし3月の初号機に続いて2回連続で、企業が詳しい状況を調べています。 > ↓【詳細はこちらで】↓[https://t.co/zaA5Cpf20b](https://t.co/zaA5Cpf20b?ref=proximareport.com)[#nhk\_video](https://twitter.com/hashtag/nhk%5Fvideo?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/N2z8c5aAD2](https://t.co/N2z8c5aAD2?ref=proximareport.com) > > — NHKニュース (@nhk\_news) [December 18, 2024](https://twitter.com/nhk%5Fnews/status/1869210873585398149?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) KAIROS' second launch from Spaceport Kii, via [NHK on X](https://x.com/nhk%5Fnews/status/1869210873585398149?t=4MCEg89x5YKfWSmAaSoK2w&ref=proximareport.com). Following the failed launch, Space One held a [press conference](https://www.youtube.com/live/A0aNPyTafr4?ref=proximareport.com) where the company's President and Cheif Executive Officer, Masakazu Toyoda, said: > “We apologize to our customers and those involved in the launch for the failure to achieve the mission to the end, and we are very sorry that we did not meet the expectations of everyone who supported us,” – “We will quickly investigate the cause of this outcome and clarify measures to prevent a recurrence,” – “We do not consider this incident a failure,” – “The data and experience gained from this event are extremely valuable.” [Five payloads](https://www.space-one.co.jp/news/news%5F20241112%5Fe.html?ref=proximareport.com) were riding atop of KAIROS for its second mission, four being 3U CubeSats, and were: - **TATARA-1**: a 50-kilogram satellite hosting [various technology demonstrations](https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000019.000069329.html?ref=proximareport.com) from [Terra Space](https://www.terraspace.jp/projects?ref=proximareport.com#h.ehqm8vs3kwnr). - **SC-Sat1**: a 3U CubeSat for testing an independently developed spacecraft computer from [Space Cubics](https://spacecubics.com/product?ref=proximareport.com). - **PARUS-T1A**: a [3U CubeSat for testing](https://www.tasa.org.tw/en-US/missions/detail/43eec19f-e76f-4b85-b8c7-ea6d7474fa6c?ref=proximareport.com) technologies for a remote sensing and communications constellation developed by Pyras Technology and the Taiwan Space Agency. - **ISHIKI**: a 3U CubeSat developed by [Hiroo Gakuen Hgh School](https://lagrapo.co.jp/topics/20241031%5F2200/?ref=proximareport.com) (広尾学園 中学校 高等学校) in Tokyo with assistance from [LAGRAPO](https://lagrapo.co.jp/topics/20241114%5F2330/?ref=proximareport.com). The fifth payload is undisclosed at the time of writing. ![The layout of the five payloads atop of KAIROS' fourth stage, the four 3U CubeSats were stored in four deployers. ©Space One](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/KAIROS-2_1.jpg) The layout of the five payloads atop of KAIROS' fourth stage, the four 3U CubeSats were stored in four deployers. ©Space One This mission was the second launch from Spaceport Kii (スペースポート紀伊), located near Kushimoto (串本) in the Wakayama Prefecture (和歌山). The first mission was the [debut flight of KAIROS](https://proximareport.com/japans-first-private-rocket-debuts/) back in March. The first flight of KAIROS was terminated five seconds into flight by the autonomous flight termination system after the vehicle's speed and thrust were [lower than expected](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2024/08/26/companies/space-one-second-rocket-launch/?ref=proximareport.com). Spaceport Kii started construction in 2019 and was completed in 2021\. The location of the spaceport allows the rocket to reach inclinations as high as 33 degrees and as low as 97 degrees. Space One has a launchpad and integration facilities at the spaceport, this includes a moving vertical integration building and a larger integration building. The vertical integration building is believed to be for stacking the rocket prior to launch, with the larger one likely being for spacecraft encapsulation and attachment to the fourth-stage. Back in March, ahead of the first flight, Japan's Ministry of Defense [signed a contract](https://x.com/ModJapan%5Fjp/status/1766024283556544663?ref=proximareport.com) with Space One to develop an improved version of KAIROS. This improved version will stretch the third-stage and likely have an engine that burns liquid methane and liquid oxygen. The stated reason for the contract is to increase the domestic carrying capacity of Japanese rockets to help launch various constellations in a variety of orbits. ![The improved version of KAIROS (top) and the current version of KAIROS (bottom). ©Japan Ministry of Defense](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/GIItub9a8AAiPu4.jpg) The improved version of KAIROS (top) and the current version of KAIROS (bottom). ©Japan Ministry of Defense ## What is KAIROS? KAIROS (カイロスロケット), or Kii-based Advanced & Instant ROcket System, is a four-stage launch vehicle developed by Space One in Japan. The specifics of each stage is not known publically, but the first three stages are solid fuelled with the fourth being a liquid propellant rocket stage. ![A render of the KAIROS rocket. ©Space One](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/KAIROS-wide.png) A render of the KAIROS rocket. ©Space One The rocket is capable of delivering 250 kilograms to a 500-kilometer low Earth orbit or 150 kilograms to a 500-kilometer low Earth orbit. KAIROS' stages are 1.35 meters in diameter with its fairing being 1.5 meters in diameter. The rocket is 18 meters tall on the launch pad and weighs approximately 23,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. ## Who is Space One? Space One is a commercial launch provider headquartered in Japan and founded in July 2018\. The company is aiming to offer the shortest time from contract signing to launch as well as frequent launches. In addition, they are believed to be aiming for twenty launches per year by the 'mid-2020s'. Space One's Chief Executive Officer and President is Masakazu Toyoda (豊田正和), the company currently has the following shareholders: CANON ELECTRONICS Co LTD, IHI AEROSPACE Co Ltd, Shimizu Corporation, Development Bank of Japan Inc, The Kiyo Bank Ltd, K4 Ventures GK, Taiyo Group Co Ltd, MUFG Bank Ltd, Azuma House Co Ltd, and Okuwa Co Ltd. ### China Now Has Two State-Backed Mega-Constellations in Orbit URL: https://proximareport.com/china-two-mega-constellations/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:41:25.000Z Yesterday, December 16th, China began deployment of its GuoWang internet mega-constellation with the [launch of a Long March 5B](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/guowang-begins-long-march-5byz-2) from the Wenchang Space Launch Site carrying ten satellites. Plans for GuoWang were kicked off [around 2020 and 2021](https://spacenews.com/china-is-developing-plans-for-a-13000-satellite-communications-megaconstellation/?ref=proximareport.com) by China's National Development and Reform Commission and the country's 14th Five-year plan with satellite internet services and communications services being listed as part of new infrastructures to develop. Earlier plans had two separate smaller constellations, Hongyan and Hongyun, providing a similar service that was later rolled into GuoWang. Yet GuoWang is not the only mega-constellation China is currently launching, with the Qianfan constellation, also aimed at providing internet services, having three launches so far in [August](https://proximareport.com/china-begins-mega-constellation/), [October](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/its-space-internet-time-long-march), and [December](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/mega-constellation-in-a-winter-wonderland) of this year. Both of the constellations have a combined satellite count of sixty-four. ## So what are these constellations? ### GuoWang The GuoWang (郭望) mega-constellation is operated by China Satellite Network Group with the aim of providing regular internet coverage of China, along with any other country that signs an agreement with the operator. GuoWang is backed by the [Chinese government](http://www.sasac.gov.cn/n2588030/n2588924/c18286531/content.html?ref=proximareport.com) as a state-owned enterprise. Plans for the constellation in the long term will have [13,000 satellites](https://www.163.com/dy/article/G9VNNRIF05522QC9.html?ref=proximareport.com) in orbit in the 2030s. Each GuoWang satellite is believed to weigh 600 kilograms, equipped with an electric propulsion system for maneuvers, in a 'flat pack' design. ### Qianfan The Qianfan (千帆) mega-constellation, formerly called G60 Starlink, is operated by Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology to also provide regular internet coverage of China in the coming years. Qianfan is [backed](https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/shanghai-backed-firm-raises-933-mln-build-satellite-constellation-2024-02-01/?ref=cosmicnxws.com) by the municipal government of Shanghai as part of [Shanghai's](https://www.shanghai.gov.cn/nw12344/20231120/5e53f1fe1b1543f38a49153eb563cfbb.html?ref=cosmicnxws.com) plan to foster a strong local space industry between 2023 and 2025. Long-term [plans](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/OO7QB2qSqwrfK6%5FsMP4jIw?ref=cosmicnxws.com) for the constellation will have it provide regular coverage of China by the end of 2025, and regular coverage worldwide by the end of 2027\. By the end of 2030, 15,000 satellites are planned to be in orbit. Each satellite is [believed](https://weibo.com/2645044133/5064512556500422?ref=cosmicnxws.com) to weigh 300 kilograms using a 'flat pack' design along with an electric hall-effect thruster for maneuvering. ## Why launch these constellations? Compared to SpaceX with Starlink, China's plans to launch and operate internet mega-constellations appears puzzling. However, there are a few reasons the Chinese government could be investing in internet constellations. First, as part of national poverty alleviation programs, connecting individuals to the societal and economic benefits of China's increasingly digital environment could improve the lives of [roughly 300 million people](https://chinamarketingcorp.com/blog/2024-china-internet-users-data/?ref=proximareport.com), who are currently not connected to the internet. Satellite internet constellations may also play a role in future 6G networks, which currently have no established standards. China's 2024 Central Economic Work Conference [identified](https://www.china-briefing.com/news/chinas-central-economic-work-conference-cewc-key-takeaways-and-priorities-for-2025/?ref=proximareport.com) 6G technologies as a critical developing industry for economic growth, while 5G technology is currently anticipated to [contribute billions](https://www.gsma.com/newsroom/press-release/chinas-5g-market-is-set-to-add-almost-260-billion-to-the-chinese-economy-in-2030-with-connections-set-to-top-1-billion-this-year/?ref=proximareport.com) to China's economy. Strengthening geopolitical strategy may be a driver of investment for the internet constellations. The China-led Belt and Road Initiative is [already improving](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308596123001830?ref=proximareport.com) communications and internet infrastructure in the developing world with terrestrial solutions, a space-based solution backed by the Chinese government could be cheaper than those on the ground. For example, Brazil has recently [signed](https://phazzee.substack.com/i/152042772/qianfan-goes-international) an agreement with Qianfan's operator to provide connectivity to the country’s most remote regions, which would be costly to connect otherwise. Lastly, Blaine Curcio, Founder of Orbital Gateway Consulting, [believes](https://www.cnbc.com/video/2024/12/15/chinese-competitors-aiming-to-challenge-spacexs-starlink-satellites.html?ref=proximareport.com) that the Chinese government is willing to invest in mega-constellations, without a guaranteed return on investment, due to the potential for unrealized or emerging technology needing services offered by these constellations. One of the technologies that stand to benefit are autonomous air and ground vehicles operating within cities and major cargo hubs, needing low latency connections to a control facility. ### Weekly Dose of Space (8/12-14/12) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-8-12-14-12/ Last updated: 2024-12-20T03:12:30.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had four launches occur, with half of them using Falcon 9\. News this week had the Artemis Accords reaching fifty signatories and NASA moving hardware for the Artemis II mission. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on December 9th when Booster 14 was spotted being loaded with propellant. Not long after the booster performed a static fire on the Orbital Launch Mount with its thirty-three Raptor engines. ![Booster 14 performing its static fire on the Orbital Launch Mount. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/GeYXnm9bUAAJDtZ-1.jpg) Booster 14 performing its static fire on the Orbital Launch Mount. ©SpaceX In the early hours of the day after its test, December 9th, Booster 14 was lifted off of the Orbital Launch Mount. During the lift, the booster was held at the catch height for a little while. Once the booster was back on the ground it was rolled out of the launch site to the production site. Two days later on December 11th, Ship 33 was rolled out from the production site to the Massey's test site. Ship 33 is the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage. Later that night, movement tests of the launch towers 'chopsticks' took place. A few days later, December 13th, Ship 33 began testing at the Massey's site. This testing had propellants loaded into the vehicle's liquid methane and liquid oxygen tanks as well as having its six Raptor engines perform a spin prime test. ## **Launches This Week** ### *December 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-5* Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster supporting this mission was B1086, making its second flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 during the Starlink Group 12-5 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/GeScE2YbUAAbRzH.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 during the Starlink Group 12-5 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 12th - Long March 2D with five High-Speed Laser Diamond satellites* A Long March 2D blasted off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying five High-Speed Laser Diamond satellites into low Earth orbit. The satellites are expected to test inter-satellite laser communication across three different orbits, which they were deployed into by a Yuanzheng-3 upper-stage. ![The Long March 2D Y60 vehicle lifting off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/00686eaKgy1hwical6c8ej30u0191jw2-1.jpg) The Long March 2D Y60 vehicle lifting off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *December 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-2* Another Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-two Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1082 flying for the ninth time, and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 11-2 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/GeucqaJbAAAxILa-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 11-2 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 14th - Electron for a HASTE mission* Electron performed a Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron (HASTE) mission from Launch Complex 2, in Virginia, on a suborbital trajectory. The customer for this mission is unknown but they are likely linked to the U.S. Department of Defense. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Artemis II SLS core stage lifted* ![The SLS vehicles core stage for the Artemis II mission being lifted from VAB's transfer aisle. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/GenxmhXX0AE4PqR.jpg) The SLS vehicles core stage for the Artemis II mission being lifted from VAB's transfer aisle. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA NASA [announced](https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/artemis-ii-core-stage-goes-vertical/?linkId=687132810&ref=proximareport.com) on December 10th that it had lifted the Space Launch System's (SLS) core stage from the Vehicle Assembly Building's (VAB) transfer aisle into High Bay 2, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Moving the core stage into High Bay 2 will allow NASA and Boeing teams to have 360-degree access while installing hardware needed ahead of further vehicle stacking. With the core stage out of the transfer aisle, more room is available for [simultaneous work](https://x.com/NASAGroundSys/status/1867277401698230490?ref=proximareport.com) on staking the two solid rocket boosters. Stacking for the Artemis II mission could take approximately four months, from the first solid rocket booster segments to the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. However, the mission was [recently delayed](https://proximareport.com/nasa-delays-artemis-ii-2026/) from September 2025 to April 2026. ### *Artemis Accords reaches fifty signatories* ![Panama (left) after signing the Artemis Accords and Austria (right) signing the Accords. ©Joel Kowsky/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/artemisaccord50.png) Panama (left) after signing the Artemis Accords and Austria (right) signing the Accords. ©Joel Kowsky/NASA On December 11th, Panama and Austria [signed](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/artemis-accords-reach-50-signatories-as-nasa-welcomes-panama-austria/?ref=proximareport.com) the United States-led non-binding Artemis Accords, bringing the total number of signatories up to fifty. NASA's outgoing Administrator Bill Nelson said the following in celebration of fifty signatories: > “NASA welcomes Panama and Austria to the Artemis Accords community and celebrates 50 countries united by shared principles for the safe and responsible exploration of space,” – “More than ever before, NASA is opening space to more nations and more people for the benefit of all. Together we are building long-term and peaceful deep space exploration for the Artemis Generation.” Panama's ambassador to the U.S., José Miguel Alemán Healy, signed on behalf of the country, and stated the following afterward: > “Today, Panama takes its place among many other nations looking not just to our own horizons, but to the horizons beyond our planet – exploring, learning, and contributing to humanity’s collective knowledge,” – "This moment represents far more than a diplomatic signature. It is a bold commitment to peaceful exploration, scientific discovery, and international collaboration." Signing on behalf of Austria was the country's ambassador to the U.S., Petra Schneebauer. Schneebauer commented on the signing saying: > “Austria is proud to sign the Artemis Accords, an important step in fostering international cooperation for the civil exploration of the Moon and expanding humanity’s presence in the cosmos,” – “By signing the Accords, we reaffirm our commitment to the peaceful, responsible, and cooperative use of space while emphasizing our support for strong multilateral partnerships and scientific progress. This cooperation will open new prospects for Austrian businesses, scientists, and research institutions to engage in pioneering space initiatives.” With the signing, Panama and Austria join Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Chile, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Ukraine, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Brazil, Poland, Mexico, Israel, Romania, Bahrain, Singapore, Colombia, France, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Rwanda, the Czech Republic, Spain, Ecuador, India, Argentina, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Angola, Belgium, Greece, Uruguay, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Lithuania, Peru, Slovakia, Armenia, Estonia, Denmark, and the Dominican Republic. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* As we have reported for the past few weeks, SpaceX has still not yet announced when they will be targeting the launch of Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test. The seventh flight test is expected to utilize Booster 14 and Ship 33, the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage. Both vehicles still need to complete static fire tests while SpaceX seeks regulatory approval, this mission [will likely](https://x.com/Alexphysics13/status/1860842070455246865?ref=cosmicnxws.com) take place in early January 2025. ### *December 16th - Long March 5B with the first batch of GuoWang satellites* A Long March 5B is expected to liftoff from the Wenchang Space Launch Site carrying the first batch of satellites for the [GuoWang (郭望)](https://phazzee.substack.com/i/147539531/guowang) mega-constellation into a polar orbit. A Yuanzheng-2 upper-stage is also expected to be onboard to prevent the core stage from entering orbit along with delivering the satellites into a higher orbit. ### *December 16th - Long March 2D with four remote sensing satellites* A Long March 2D is expecting to liftoff from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center possibly carrying four remote sensing satellites into sun-synchronous orbit. The four satellites are rumored to belong to the sixteen spacecraft PIESAT remote sensing constellation. ### *December 16th - Falcon 9 with O3b mPower 7 & 8* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Launch Complex 39A carrying two communication satellites to medium Earth orbit for SES. ### *December 17th - Falcon 9 with NROL-149* Another Falcon 9 is expecting to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying a batch of Starshield satellites into low Earth orbit. Starshield is the military version of Starlink. ### *December 17th - Electron for 'Owl The Way Up'* Rocket Lab is planning to launch Electron from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula, carrying a synthetic aperture radar satellite into low Earth orbit for Synspective. ### *December 17th - Falcon 9 with Astranis MicroGEO satellites* SpaceX is expecting to launch Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying four of Astranis' MicroGEO communications satellites into a geostationary transfer orbit. ### *December 19th - Ceres-1S with a to-be-announced payload* Galactic Energy's Ceres-1S rocket, a sea-launched version of its Ceres-1 vehicle, is expected to launch from the Yellow Sea to low Earth orbit. Four [Tianqi (天启)](https://phazzee.substack.com/i/147539531/tianqi) satellites are rumored to be on board for Guodian Gaoke's (国电高科) Internet-of-Things constellation. ### *December 20th - Falcon 9 for Bandwagon 2* SpaceX is planning to conduct its second mid-inclination low Earth orbit rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E, heading to low Earth orbit. ### *December 21st - Falcon 9 with Thuraya 4-NGS* Yet another Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying the Thuraya 4-NGS communications satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of UAE-based Al Yah Satellite Communications. ### *December 21st - Falcon 9* with Starlink Group 12-2 SpaceX is expecting to launch another Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A carrying a batch of Starlink satellites. ### What nations may send astronauts to Tiangong? URL: https://proximareport.com/nations-send-astronauts-tiangong/ Last updated: 2024-12-12T19:46:08.000Z China is currently operating its Tiangong Space Station in low Earth orbit. So far the station has only been home to Chinese astronauts (taikonauts). Despite only flying taikonauts to Tiangong, China is open to flying foreign astronauts to the station and has been since the development stage of the modular space station. Offers [as low as free](https://x.com/SciGuySpace/status/1866875841746972680?ref=proximareport.com) have recently been made to potential foreign partners, this offer massively undercuts the current for-profit services from Axiom space and future commercial space stations. So, where could Tiangong's international astronauts come from? ### Europe The European Space Agency (ESA) already has a strong astronaut corps, alongside this the agency has also conducted joint training with the China Manned Space Agency. The first joint training between the two agencies had [Ye Guangfu head to Italy](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-1-12-7-12/) to join ESA's Cooperative Adventure for Valuing and Exercising human behavior and performance Skills (CAVES) underground training course back in July 2016\. This training course had Ye working with astronauts from Japan, Russia, Spain, and the United States to complete climbing, exploration, and surveying. A little over a year later in August 2017 two ESA astronauts, Samantha Cristoforetti and Matthias Maurer, head to China to train alongside over a dozen taikonauts for [sea survival training](https://www.esa.int/Science%5FExploration/Human%5Fand%5FRobotic%5FExploration/Astronauts/ESA%5Fand%5FChinese%5Fastronauts%5Ftrain%5Ftogether?ref=proximareport.com). Cristoforetti and Maurer worked alongside two taikonauts each to practice sea-based rescue procedures, which would occur after a relatively late abort during launch in the real world. Speaking on the training, Cristoforetti said: > "Importantly, we were welcomed as colleagues and friends by the ‘taikonauts’ and the instructors. Language and cultural differences are obviously a challenge, but also adds value, as we are all focused on the common goal of space exploration." ![Samantha Cristoforetti (right) during sea survival training. ©ESA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/Sea_survival_training_China-1.jpg) Samantha Cristoforetti (right) during sea survival training. ©ESA Both joint training activities came from a 2015 agreement to boost collaboration between ESA and the China Manned Space Agency with the eventual goal of flying European astronauts to the Tiangong Space Station. [By 2023 however](https://spacenews.com/esa-is-no-longer-planning-to-send-astronauts-to-chinas-tiangong-space-station/?ref=proximareport.com), ESA's Director General, Josef Aschbacher, disclosed that there was neither the budget nor political will to send astronauts to Tiangong. At the time of writing it is unclear if the potential offer of a free mission to Tiangong has rekindled ESA's interest. ESA has also provided [two instruments](https://proximareport.com/change-6-moon-bound/#international-science-experiments-on-change-6) for the Chang'e lunar mission, which returned the first lunar samples from the far side. The instruments provided were Negative Ions on Lunar Surface (NILS) and INstrument for landing-Roving laser Retroreflector Investigations (INRRI). France, ESA's [second largest](https://www.planetary.org/space-images/esa-funding-for-2024-by-participating-country?ref=proximareport.com) funding contributor, is also currently conducting a joint scientific mission with China called [SVOM](https://www.svom.eu/en/the-svom-mission/?ref=proximareport.com), which is dedicated to studying gamma-ray bursts. ### Brazil Brazil is one of China's oldest space partners, with both nations signing the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite program (CBERS) in July 1988\. Since the program's establishment five satellites have been placed into operational orbits for [use in surveying](https://english.news.cn/20240206/24d8a9154edf498fb8cf81d663653829/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) natural resources, agriculture, forestry, geology, water resources, as well as for urban planning and environmental protection. [Two more](https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202411/19/WS673bcc0da310f1265a1ce30b.html?ref=proximareport.com) CBERS satellites are currently under development too. In [April 2023](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-11-17/China-Brazil-deepen-cooperation-on-sustainable-development-1yzIqSPQQEM/p.html?ref=proximareport.com) China and Brazil signed a supplementary protocol on cooperation for a 2023-2032 space cooperation plan between both nation's space programs, this agreement is expected to materialize in collaboration around the Moon and in deep space. Brazil was also the first country to [sign an agreement](https://phazzee.substack.com/i/152042772/qianfan-goes-international) allowing for one of China's internet mega-constellations, Qianfan (千帆), to provide services. So far Brazil has had one astronaut, Marcos Cesar Pontes. Pontes flew to space in 2006 aboard the Soyuz TMA-8 mission and proceeded to spend nine days and twenty-one hours in space before returning to Earth with the Soyuz TMA-7 crew. ![Marcos Pontes inside the Destiny module of the International Space Station in 2006. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/Marcos_Pontes_in_US_Lab-1.jpg) Marcos Pontes inside the Destiny module of the International Space Station in 2006\. ©NASA ### Pakistan Pakistan and China have been cooperating in space [since the 1980s](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373100549%5FChina-Pakistan%5FSpace%5FCooperation%5FPath%5FMotivation%5FAnd%5FThe%5FFuture?ref=proximareport.com), making them another one of China's oldest space partners, and are both members of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization. This cooperation was initially focused on technical assistance, personnel training, and infrastructure development. In the opening months of the 1990s, Pakistan's first satellite, Badr-1 (بدر-۱), was sent into orbit by a Long March 2E. Since then the two countries have worked together on PakSAT-1R, launched by a Long March 3B/E, [PaksSAT-MM1R](https://proximareport.com/china-launches-pakistans-communications/), also launched by a Long March 3B/E, as well as PakTES-1A and PRSS-1, launched together by a Long March 2C. Pakistan also contributed to the Chang'e 6 mission with the [ICUBE-Q](https://proximareport.com/change-6-moon-bound/#international-science-experiments-on-change-6) satellite, designed to verify nanosatellite technologies for deep space exploration. To date Pakistan has one astronaut, [Namira Salim](https://www.namirasalim.com/?ref=proximareport.com) (نمیرا سلیم). Salim spent approximately fifteen minutes in space as part of the suborbital Galactic 04 mission, before which she visited the North Pole in 2007, the South Pole in 2008, and participated in a [Mount Everest Skydive](https://www.asianimage.co.uk/news/9808445.being-first-pakistani-in-space-will-be-an-honour/?ref=proximareport.com) in 2008. ![Namira Salim at the North Pole in 2007.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/Namira-Salim-first-Pakistani-woman-at-the-North-Pole.jpg) Namira Salim at the North Pole in 2007. ### What does China get out of this? With the potential of offering free missions to Tiangong, some eyebrows have been raised about what China is possibly getting out of flying international astronauts to its space station. A possibility is that China may be hoping to make Tiangong an unofficial successor to the International Space Station project, which has conducted science collaboratively in orbit since 1999\. International science experiments have already been conducted aboard Tiangong, with [plans to send experiments](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/china-at-the-75th-international-astronautical) from Poland, India, Switzerland, Germany, Kenya, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Peru to the station via the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs in the coming years. A nation sending an astronaut up to Tiangong would be a likely next step for a country already conducting several experiments onboard. In return for flying international experiments, and possibly people soon, to Tianong, China gets part of the results from the experiments as well as prestige in the international community, both political and scientific. This prestige may make Tiangong a premier destination for science in Earth orbit until its decommissioning in the 2040s. --- ## What is the Tiangong Space Station? The Tiangong Space Station, also called the Chinese Space Station, is a permanently crewed space station in low Earth orbit operated by the China Manned Space Agency and China National Space Administration. The space station consists of the [Tianhe](https://proximareport.com/tiangong-space-station-1000-days/#whats-tianhe) core module, the [Wentian](https://proximareport.com/tiangong-space-station-1000-days/#whats-wentian) laboratory module, and the [Mengtian](https://proximareport.com/tiangong-space-station-1000-days/#whats-mengtian) laboratory module. With these modules, the station has three docking ports for visiting spacecraft to dock located on the Tianhe module, one port is located at the aft end of the module, and two and the forward end with one facing Earth. The combined habitable volume of the space station is believed to be 122 cubic meters, with a total pressurized volume of 340 cubic meters. Each of the three modules were launched by the Long March 5B, with Tianhe launching on the 29th of April 2021, followed by Wentian on the 24th of July 2022, with the latest edition being Mengtian on the 31st of October 2022\. China currently plans to launch the Xuntian space telescope which will co-orbit with the space station for periodic docking for servicing and maintenance by crews onboard. For more about the space station and its future click [here.](https://proximareport.com/tiangong-space-station-1000-days/) ### Weekly Dose of Space (1/12-7/12) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-1-12-7-12/ Last updated: 2024-12-20T03:13:32.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had ten orbital launches taking place, with most occurring in one day. News this week had Artemis gaining more delays, Orbex moving launch sites, and Space Pioneer possibly making a return. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on December 2nd when a crane was spotted lifting Ship 34's raceways for installation onto the vehicle, this raceway protects electrical and commodity lines during flight. Overnight Ship 34 was moved onto the center stand inside the 'mega bay' for engine installation, this was spotted on December 3rd. A few days later on December 6th, Booster 14 was rolled out from the production site to the launch site. Not long after arriving the booster was lifted onto the Orbital Launch Mount. Testing of the booster on the launch mount was underway on December 7th with propellant loaded into the vehicle and the boosters thirty-three Raptor engines performing a spin prime test. ![Booster 14 on the orbital launch mount ahead of testing. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/GeJqs7cWUAAHMSz.jpg) Booster 14 on the orbital launch mount ahead of testing. ©SpaceX ## **Launches This Week** ### *December 3rd - Long March 3B/E with TJSW-13* A Long March 3B/E lifted off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center for its one-hundredth mission. For this mission, the rocket flew to geostationary transfer orbit carrying the Technology Experimental Satellite-13, the satellite will be used for radio, television, data transmission, satellite communications, and technology testing. ![The Long March 3B/E Y103 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/006Su8pSgy1hw7qgld97xj30zk1ezkf4-1.jpg) The Long March 3B/E Y103 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ### *December 4th - Kuaizhou-1A with Haishao-1* An upgraded Kuaizhou-1A flew its first mission from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the Haishao-1 (海哨一号) satellite into low Earth orbit. Haishao-1 will be used to monitor ocean properties and changes. ![Kuaizhou-1A lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/00686eaKgy1hw8thxrm1oj34mo334qv7-1.jpg) Kuaizhou-1A lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ### *December 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-70* Falcon 9 delivered a batch of twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1067 for its twenty-fourth mission, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-70. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/Gd88wzBa0AAWBH9-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-70\. ©SpaceX ### *December 4th - Soyuz 2.1b with Kosmos 2580* A Soyuz 2.1b lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying a secret payload to low Earth orbit. ### *December 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-14* Another Falcon 9 launched a batch of twenty Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Supporting this mission was booster B1081, making its twelfth flight and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![A long-exposure photo of Falcon 9 during the Starlink Group 9-14 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/GeBIPJSa0AUiFgU.jpg) A long-exposure photo of Falcon 9 during the Starlink Group 9-14 mission. ©SpaceX ### *December 5th - Long March 6A with Qianfan Polar Group 03* A Long March 6A blasted off from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying the third batch of Qianfan satellites into polar orbit. The Qianfan constellation aims to provide regular internet coverage in China by the end of 2025, followed by regular coverage worldwide by the end of 2027. ![The Long March 6A Y22 vehicle during first-stage flight.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/006Su8pSgy1hwa1zk8iwxj30xc1e0tbw-1.jpg) The Long March 6A Y22 vehicle during first-stage flight. ### *December 5th - PSLV with Proba-3* The Indian Space Research Organisation's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center carrying the Proba-3 mission into an elliptical orbit. Proba-3 consists of two spacecraft flying 150 meters from one another to create artificial solar eclipses between the satellites. ![PSLV-XL during first-stage flight for the Proba-3 mission. ©ISRO](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/GeCC94qXkAAdw3I-1.jpg) PSLV-XL during first-stage flight for the Proba-3 mission. ©ISRO ### *December 5th - Falcon 9 with SXM-9* SiriusXM's SXM-9 satellite lifted off atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, heading for geostationary transfer orbit. The SXM-9 spacecraft will be used to allow SiriusXM's programming to reach its customers. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A carrying SXM-9. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/GeElcipaUAAm0Bz-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A carrying SXM-9\. ©SpaceX ### *December 5th - Vega-C with Sentinel-1C* Vega-C performed its return-to-flight mission from Ensemble de Lancement Vega at the Guiana Space Center, in French Kourou, carrying the Sentinel-1C satellite to sun-synchronous orbit successfully. The Sentinel-1C satellite will provide an all-weather, day-and-night supply of imagery of Earth’s surface. ![Vega-C lifting off from the Guiana Space Center for its return to flight mission. ©ESA/CNES/Arianespace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/GeEk9Q1XIAAJyb4.jpg) Vega-C lifting off from the Guiana Space Center for its return to flight mission. ©ESA/CNES/Arianespace ### *December 6th - Simorgh with Fakhr-1 & Sama-1* Iran launched its Simorgh rocket to low Earth orbit from the Imam Khomeini Space Launch Terminal in the north of the country. Fakhr-1 is a CubeSat to test locally produced spacecraft components and a communications payload. Saman-1 is a test spacecraft for sending satellites into a higher orbit using solid propellant. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Artemis II delays to 2026* NASA announced on December 5th that the Artemis II mission would be delayed from September 2025 to April of 2026 due to issues with Orion's heat shield found during an investigation due to a large amount of material loss. Speaking on the delay, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said the following: > “The Artemis campaign is the most daring, technically challenging, collaborative, international endeavor humanity has ever set out to do,” – “We have made significant progress on the Artemis campaign over the past four years, and I’m proud of the work our teams have done to prepare us for this next step forward in exploration as we look to learn more about Orion’s life support systems to sustain crew operations during Artemis II. We need to get this next test flight right. That’s how the Artemis campaign succeeds.” The announcement of a delay also came with the disclosure of the investigation into Orion's heat shield following the Artemis I mission. NASA engineers determined that as Orion was returning through the atmosphere from its first mission around the Moon gases generated inside the heat shield’s ablative outer material, called Avcoat, were not able to escape and dissipate as expected. This caused pressure to build up and cracking to occur, causing some charred material to break off in unexpected areas. Further details about the delay and the heat shield issue are available [here](https://proximareport.com/nasa-delays-artemis-ii-2026/). ### *Orbex moves launches to SaxaVord* Orbex [announced](https://orbex.space/news/orbex-to-begin-development-of-medium-sized-launch-behicle-and-switch-launch-operations-to-saxavord-spaceport?ref=proximareport.com) on December 4th that it has decided to pause work on its own spaceport in Sutherland, instead launching its rockets out of the SaxaVord Spaceport on Scotland's Shetland Islands. Orbex plans to retain its lease to build and operate its own spaceport in Sutherland in hopes of giving the company flexibility to increase launch capacity in the future. Alongside the announcement of shifting launches to SaxaVord, the company also plans to develop a new medium-sized launch vehicle called Proxima. The company still plans to launch its smaller rocket, Prime, in 2025 and is increasing manufacturing capacity to meet customer demand. Orbex's Chief Executive Officer, Phil Chambers, commented on both announcements saying: > “Orbex is first and foremost a launch services specialist. Our primary goal is to support the European space industry by achieving a sustainable series of satellite launches into low Earth orbit. This is best achieved by focusing our resources and talents on developing launch vehicles and associated launch services. This decision will help us to reach first launch in 2025 and provides SaxaVord with another customer to further strengthen its commercial proposition. It’s a win-win for UK and Scottish space.” – “Medium-sized space rockets will play an important role in the European space industry in years to come. It is part of our strategic plan to offer the market a medium-sized launcher that will compete in Europe for larger payloads. Pausing the construction of our own spaceport enables us to now focus on developing this offering.” ### *Space Pioneer returns* Space Pioneer, a Chinese commercial launch company, was previously thought to have been on its last legs from external pressures due to a [very dynamic static fire](https://proximareport.com/tianlong-3-accident/) in June earlier this year. However, [activity](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/space-pioneer-is-back) from the company and [statements](https://phazzee.substack.com/i/152667428/tianlong-to-debut-soon) from a manager indicate that the company may fly again soon. In November, Kang Yonglai (康永来), Space Pioneer’s Founder and Chairman, reportedly led a team from Space Pioneer to learn more about industrial planning and development in the Guizhou Shuanglong Airport Economic Zone. Three weeks later on November 26th, activity was spotted at Space Pioneer’s Gongyi facility, where the company tested engines and performed the “static” fire in June. A People's Daily report from December 6th about the success of the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site had Ma Lei (马磊), Deputy General Manager of Space Pioneer’s Hainan subsidiary, share that a launch of Tianlong-3 from Commercial Launch Pad 2 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site would occur soon. No additional information was provided other than that Space Pioneer's Hainan facilities are currently being constructed to prepare for the mission, the progress of construction was also not stated. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX, as we have reported for the past few weeks, has not yet announced when they will be targeting the launch of Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test. The seventh flight test is expected to utilize Booster 14 and Ship 33, the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage. Both vehicles still need to complete static fire tests while SpaceX seeks regulatory approval, this mission [will likely](https://x.com/Alexphysics13/status/1860842070455246865?ref=cosmicnxws.com) take place in early January 2025. ### *December 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-5* A batch of twenty-three Starlink satellites is planned to be launched to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 atop a Falcon 9. ### *December 12th - Ceres-1 with a to-be-announced payload* Galactic Energy may launch a Ceres-1 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying a currently unannounced payload. ### *December 12th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-2* SpaceX is expecting to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *December 12th - Falcon 9 with O3b mPower 7 & 8* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Launch Complex 39A carrying two communication satellites to medium Earth orbit for SES. ### *December 14th - KAIROS for its second flight* Japanese launch company Space One is planning to launch its KAIROS launch vehicle into sun-synchronous orbit from Spaceport Kii. The first flight [failed after five seconds](https://proximareport.com/japans-first-private-rocket-debuts/) back in March. ### NASA delays Artemis II to April 2026, discloses root cause of heat shield issue URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-delays-artemis-ii-2026/ Last updated: 2024-12-05T21:07:40.000Z Today, December 5th, NASA [announced](https://www.youtube.com/live/mAP-ywsh%5FHI?si=Qo7MJlBEnReUhO6b&ref=proximareport.com) that the Artemis II mission will be delayed to April 2026\. Due to the new delay for the next Artemis mission, the first landing mission, Artemis III, has been delayed to mid-2027. This mission delay announcement was shared at a press conference at NASA Headquarters with the following speakers: - NASA Administrator Bill Nelson - NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy - NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free - Amit Kshatriya, Deputy Associate Administrator, Moon to Mars Program Office, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate - Reid Wiseman, NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander The decision to delay Artemis II to 2026 is due to the results of the Artemis I heat shield issue investigation. That investigation identified the technical cause of unexpected char loss across the spacecraft’s heat shield. This delay is the [second](https://proximareport.com/nasa-delays-artemis-2-into-2025/) for Artemis II within twelve months, that delay saw the mission move from November 2024 to September 2025. Artemis II will fly with the same heat shield technology used on the previous mission but will instead opt to use a different atmospheric reentry trajectory. Speaking on the delay, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said the following: > “The Artemis campaign is the most daring, technically challenging, collaborative, international endeavor humanity has ever set out to do,” – “We have made significant progress on the Artemis campaign over the past four years, and I’m proud of the work our teams have done to prepare us for this next step forward in exploration as we look to learn more about Orion’s life support systems to sustain crew operations during Artemis II. We need to get this next test flight right. That’s how the Artemis campaign succeeds.” Adding onto Administrator Nelson's comments, Catherine Koerner, Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, via an [official press release](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-shares-orion-heat-shield-findings-updates-artemis-moon-missions/?linkId=680780061&ref=proximareport.com) stated: > “Throughout our process to investigate the heat shield phenomenon and determine a forward path, we’ve stayed true to NASA’s core values; safety and data-driven analysis remained at the forefront,” – The updates to our mission plans are a positive step toward ensuring we can safely accomplish our objectives at the Moon and develop the technologies and capabilities needed for crewed Mars missions.” Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman added that the Artemis II crew are excited to fly their mission along with being thankful for NASA's willingness to weigh all options and make decisions in the best interest of safety for human spaceflight. The Artemis II mission will be the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972, spending a planned ten days in space. The mission will utilize NASA's Space Launch System rocket to carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Gloover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen around the Moon inside the Orion spacecraft. Stacking of the Space Launch System vehicle that will be used for the mission is [currently underway](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-17-11-23-11/#in-other-space-news) at the Kennedy Space Center inside NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building, in Florida. Stacking began on November 20th with the bottom segment of the left side solid rocket booster, by [December 1st](https://x.com/NASAKennedy/status/1863236616606589118?ref=proximareport.com) the right side bottom segment was also stacked. Stacking is expected to take approximately four months, from the first solid rocket booster segments to the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, all hardware is believed to be at the Kennedy Space Center. ## Issue with Orion's heat shield Today's announcement also had NASA [finally disclose](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasa-identifies-cause-of-artemis-i-orion-heat-shield-char-loss/?ref=proximareport.com) the root cause of unexpected material loss across the Artemis I Orion capsule heat shield. NASA engineers determined that as Orion was returning through the atmosphere from its first mission around the Moon gases generated inside the heat shield’s ablative outer material, called Avcoat, were not able to escape and dissipate as expected. This caused pressure to build up and cracking to occur, causing some charred material to break off in unexpected areas. ![The Orion spacecraft's heat shield after the Artemis I mission at the Kennedy Space Center. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/12/ksc-20240203-em1-cm-320-0-0001-1.jpeg) The Orion spacecraft's heat shield after the Artemis I mission at the Kennedy Space Center. ©NASA Prior to Artemis I, ground tests used higher heating rates than in flight, allowing the char layer to form and ablate as expected. However, recent upgrades to NASA's arc jet facilities have allowed researchers to replicate the actual Artemis I reentry conditions, confirming the cracking behavior observed during flight. Despite the char loss, the heat shield outperformed expectations by keeping cabin temperatures within acceptable limits. Flight data showed that if the mission had been crewed, astronauts would have been safe. With a deeper understanding of the interaction between materials and reentry conditions, NASA is confident in the Artemis II heat shield’s safety. Operational adjustments during reentry will further ensure the safety of future missions, reinforcing the agency’s flight rationale for crewed exploration. NASA's full findings, research process, and future advancements for Orion's heat shield can be found [here](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasa-identifies-cause-of-artemis-i-orion-heat-shield-char-loss/?ref=proximareport.com). ## Beating China NASA Administrator Bill Nelson also made several remarks regarding China's efforts to land on the Moon [this decade](https://proximareport.com/us-china-moon-missions/), those familiar with the program believe that a landing could come as soon as 2028\. [Hardware](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/cmsa-shares-first-look-at-lanyue) for the spacecraft and rockets needed is currently being tested ahead of test missions in the coming years. Nelson argued that the U.S. must land first so it can set the standards regarding the use of lunar resources through the non-binding Artemis Accords, specifically those around the Moon's south pole. The administrator is particularly worried that China may establish no-fly zones around its lunar equipment in possibly resource-rich areas, the U.S. has been [trying](https://phys.org/news/2022-08-underway-conflict-spacecraft-international-moon.html?ref=proximareport.com) to establish no-fly zones near Apollo hardware [since 2011](https://www.space.com/13346-nasa-guidelines-protect-apollo-moon-landing-sites.html?ref=proximareport.com). In the long term, NASA plans to conduct one lunar surface mission per year using the Space Launch System rocket, the Orion spacecraft, and a commercial lunar lander. China plans to conduct two missions per year using the Mengzhou spacecraft, the Lanyue lunar lander, and the Long March 10 launch vehicle, of which two will be needed per landing mission. ### Trump picks Jared Isaacman as new NASA head URL: https://proximareport.com/trump-picks-jared-isaacman/ Last updated: 2025-02-07T21:54:03.000Z On December 4th, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced via social media that his nominee for NASA administrator during his second-term would be Jared Isaacman. Writing online, Trump [said the following](https://x.com/StephenClark1/status/1864340835526909985?ref=proximareport.com) about his decision to choose Isaacman: > "I am delighted to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, as Administrator of NASA. Jared will drive NASA's mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in space science, technology, and exploration." – "Jared's passion for space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new era." Isaacman responded shortly after via a [post on X](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1864346915183157636?ref=proximareport.com) (formerly Twitter), accepting the nomination and stating: > "I am honored to receive President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Administrator of NASA. Having been fortunate to see our amazing planet from space, I am passionate about America leading the most incredible adventure in human history." – "I can confidently say this second space age has only just begun. Space holds unparalleled potential for breakthroughs in manufacturing, biotechnology, mining, and perhaps even pathways to new sources of energy. There will inevitably be a thriving space economy—one that will create opportunities for countless people to live and work in space." – "I was born after the Moon landings; my children were born after the final space shuttle launch. With the support of President Trump, I can promise you this: We will never again lose our ability to journey to the stars and never settle for second place. We will inspire children, yours and mine, to look up and dream of what is possible. Americans will walk on the Moon and Mars and in doing so, we will make life better here on Earth." – "It is the honor of a lifetime to serve in this role and to work alongside NASA’s extraordinary team to realize our shared dreams of exploration and discovery." Isaacman will likely be sworn in as NASA Administrator shortly after Trump's second inauguration in January 2025\. When sworn in he will replace current Administrator Bill Nelson, who has been serving as head of NASA since May 2021. ## Who is Jared Isaacman? Jared Isaacman is a billionaire commercial astronaut who has flown into space twice. He is also the founder of U.S. military contractor Draken International and Chief Executive Officer of the Shift4 payment processing company. Isaacman's two trips to space were for the Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn missions. Inspiration4 had Isaacman and three other commercial astronauts orbit the Earth to raise awareness and money for St. Judes Children's Research Hospital. Polaris Dawn had Isaacman perform the first [commercial spacewalk](https://proximareport.com/polaris-dawn-spacewalk/), demonstrating similar spacesuit extravehicular capabilities of the Gemini program. Both of these missions were using SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. Jared Isaacman's total time in space is seven days and twenty-one hours. ## A conflict of interest? Isaacman is already a repeat customer of SpaceX's human spaceflight services and has plans to book at least [two more](https://polarisprogram.com/?ref=proximareport.com) missions with the company. He was also a major advocate in flying to the Hubble Space Telescope and performing a servicing mission using Crew Dragon and a SpaceX spacesuit, an idea that NASA chose [not to go ahead](https://www.space.com/spacex-polaris-program-hubble-servicing-mission?ref=proximareport.com) with due to a lack of sufficiently demonstrated hardware and safety to Hubble. One of Isaacman's companies, Shift4, is also holding [millions](https://x.com/xdNiBoR/status/1864388835032920435?ref=proximareport.com)[ of dollars](https://investors.shift4.com/sec-filings/all-sec-filings/content/0001564590-21-011368/0001564590-21-011368.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) of SpaceX stock along with being [a partner](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/10/shift4-stock-surges-after-spacex-starlink-payments-deal.html?ref=proximareport.com) with the company. SpaceX is a key NASA contractor and already has a [defacto monopoly](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/12/spacex-near-rocket-market-monopoly-is-huge-concern-lazard-banker.html?ref=proximareport.com) when not forced to compete. Online Isaacman has been an [enthusiastic ](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1863313530314698939?ref=proximareport.com)[supporter](https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1861977462688592033?ref=proximareport.com) of Elon Musk (Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX and X (formerly Twitter)) and his plans to gut the U.S. Federal Government via a '[Department of Government Efficiency](https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/20/24301975/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-doge-plan?ref=proximareport.com)'. This new department [could allow](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/20/us/politics/elon-musk-federal-agencies-contracts.html?ref=proximareport.com) Musk to overrule government agencies that regulate his companies. ### Monthly Dose of Space - November 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-november-2024/ Last updated: 2024-12-01T20:45:17.000Z Welcome to our fourteenth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month we haven't covered in our weekly newsletters. November has been an incredible month for space worldwide, so let's jump into it! ## **News of the Month** November saw various NASA missions assigned payloads, destined for the Moon and beyond, the second SLS vehicle beginning stacking, Firefly's first lunar mission nearing launch, and infrastructure for one of China's reusable rockets beginning construction. ### *NASA selects SpaceX & Blue Origin for future lunar hardware delivery* ![Concept renders of SpaceX's (left) and Blue Origin's (right) lunar cargo landers. ©SpaceX/Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/human-lunar-landing-systems-cargo-variants-conceptual-renderings.jpg) Concept renders of SpaceX's (left) and Blue Origin's (right) lunar cargo landers. ©SpaceX/Blue Origin NASA [announced](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-plans-to-assign-missions-for-two-future-artemis-cargo-landers/?ref=proximareport.com) on November 19th that it is intending to award contracts to SpaceX and Blue Origin for the delivery of lunar hardware that will be used as part of Artemis missions in the 2030s. The vehicles that will be used to deliver cargo to the surface will be cargo versions of SpaceX's Starship Human Landing System and Blue Origin's Blue Moon MK2. Lisa Watson-Morgan, Program Manager for NASA’s Human Landing System, revealed that SpaceX would deliver Japan's pressurized rover to the surface in 2032 to support the Artemis 6 mission. Blue Origin's delivery would take place no earlier than a year after, in 2033, carrying a surface habitat, likely for the Artemis 7 mission. Speaking on why the two landers were chosen, Stephen D. Creech, Assistant Deputy Associate Administrator (Technical) for the Moon to Mars Program, said the following: > “NASA is planning for both crewed missions and future services missions to the Moon beyond Artemis V,” – **“**The Artemis campaign is a collaborative effort with international and industry partners. Having two lunar lander providers with different approaches for crew and cargo landing capability provides mission flexibility while ensuring a regular cadence of Moon landings for continued discovery and scientific opportunity.” NASA expects that assigning cargo missions to SpaceX and Blue Origin will mature the designs of both company's human and cargo-carrying lunar landers, increasing safety and reliability for Artemis missions. Blue Origin is currently expecting to conduct a lunar landing demonstration mission in 2027 while SpaceX is planning for its demonstration to take place in 2025. ### *Firefly prepares for first lunar mission* ![FIrefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander after it completed environmental testing. ©Firefly Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/BG_GlamourShot-2-1024x683.jpg) FIrefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander after it completed environmental testing. ©Firefly Aerospace Firefly Aerospace [announced](https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-blue-ghost-mission-1-to-the-moon-readies-for-launch/?ref=proximareport.com) on November 25th that its Blue Ghost lunar lander had successfully completed environmental testing ahead of its first mission. That mission is currently expected to launch in mid-January of 2025 atop of a Falcon 9. Environmental testing of Blue Ghost took place a few weeks ago in mid-October at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, subjecting the vehicle to a vacuum environment and extreme heat. Firefly's Chief Executive Officer, Jason Kim, commented on the testing and mission ahead saying: > “Blue Ghost aced environmental testing and proved the lander is performing 100% as expected, which is a testament to the incredible Firefly team,” – “This team has gone above and beyond with innovative testing approaches to ensure Blue Ghost is flight ready. While we know there will be more challenges ahead, I’m confident this team has what it takes to softly touch down on the lunar surface and nail this mission.” Blue Ghost's [first mission](https://fireflyspace.com/missions/blue-ghost-mission-1/?ref=proximareport.com) has been named 'Ghost Riders in the Sky' by Firefly with it carrying ten payloads for NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. The mission is planned to last sixty days, spending forty-five days heading to the Moon and fourteen days operating on the surface in Mare Crisium. This mission will end a few hours after the lunar night begins due to the incredibly cold temperatures. ### *iSpace breaks ground on Hainan factory, begins drone ship construction* ![Officials from iSpace's Beijing and Hainan subsidiaries, along with officials from Wenchang and Hainan's administration take part in a ceremony beginning work on iSpace's Hainan facility. ©iSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/640.webp) Officials from iSpace's Beijing and Hainan subsidiaries, along with officials from Wenchang and Hainan's administration take part in a ceremony beginning work on iSpace's Hainan facility. ©iSpace iSpace [announced on November 16th](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/YHLna8kMnjrwINB3kH3jeA?ref=proximareport.com) that it had broken ground on its Hainan factory and offices, with representatives from the company’s Beijing headquarters and Hainan subsidiary along with officials for Wenchang and Hainan attending the groundbreaking ceremony. The Hainan facility represents an investment of 540 million Yuan, or approximately 74.5 million United States Dollars (at the time of writing on November 30th), to support at least thirty-six launches of the Hyperbola-3 rocket series per year. iSpace’s Hainan facility is planned to consist of a suborbital and upper-stage special factory, a machine processing factory, a production workshop, three first-stage production and refurbishment factories, and a support building. Once complete the facility will occupy an area of approximately ninety acres. A few days after breaking ground on the Hainan facility, iSpace [also announced](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/P0VHJXD5%5F0NGtmxl7mP-2A?ref=proximareport.com) work had begun on the company’s first drone ship. This drone ship will be used as a floating landing platform for the first-stage booster recovery, necessary for non-return to launch site missions of Hyperbola-3 from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site. The drone ship will have a displacement of 10,000 tons once sea-faring and make iSpace the owner of the fifth ship meant for booster recovery, Blue Origin owns one and SpaceX owns three, having decommissioned one as well. Production of the ship is planned to be in partnership with Shanghai Chunhe Marine Technology Group (上海春和海洋科技集团有限公司) and Jiangsu Runyang Shipbuilding (江苏润扬船业有限公司). *Story republished from* [*China Space Updates*](https://phazzee.substack.com/i/152042772/ispace-begins-work-on-hainan-factory-and-drone-ship) *with* [*permission*](https://phazzee.substack.com/about?ref=cosmicnxws.com#%C2%A7republication-of-articles)*.* ### *The Exploration Company raises 160 million* On November 18th it was [announced](https://www.satellitetoday.com/space-economy/2024/11/18/the-exploration-company-raises-160m-to-advance-european-space-capsule-ambitions/?ref=proximareport.com) that The Exploration Company had raised 160 million United States Dollars in its Series B funding round. This funding round was led by Balderton Capital and Plural, with participation from Bessemer Venture Partners, NGP Capital, French Tech Souveraineté, DeepTech & Climate Fonds, and Bayern Kapital. Hélène Huby, Chief Executive Officer of The Exploration Company, [commented](https://www.balderton.com/news/the-exploration-company-raises-160-million-to-build-the-first-european-space-capsule/?ref=proximareport.com) on the funding round saying: > "This significant raise is a reflection of not only the talent and commitment of the team at TEC but also that building global companies with European roots can only be done through fostering trust and cooperation between European countries. 98% of our shareholders are European, demonstrating that the continent can finance bold entrepreneurs. Space will play a critical role in shaping humanity’s future, and I want to contribute to building a future which is peaceful and cooperative and our European DNA fits perfectly with this mission." The Exploration Company is currently working on its Nyx cargo resupply capsule for the International Space Station and future space station. Nyx is planned to deliver up to 2,500 kilograms of pressurized cargo in its capsule and 1,400 kilograms of unpressurized cargo in its service module, similar to how SpaceX does with its Dragon spacecraft. So far The Exploration Company has raised approximately 230 million United States Dollars. The company has also [been awarded a contract](https://spacenews.com/esa-selects-thales-alenia-space-and-the-exploration-company-for-commercial-cargo-program/?ref=proximareport.com) from the European Space Agency to deliver cargo to the International Space Station by 2028. ### *Falcon Heavy to launch Dragonfly in 2028* SpaceX was [awarded](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-awards-launch-services-contract-for-dragonfly-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) a launch contract, on November 25th, for Falcon Heavy to launch NASA's Dragonfly mission in July 2028\. This launch will have Falcon Heavy send the spacecraft to Saturn's moon Titan via an Earth gravity assist. The launch contract for Dragonfly has a value of 256.6 million United States Dollars. Part of this cost is related to certifying Falcon Heavy to carry the spacecraft's nuclear radioisotope thermoelectric generator, which will be used to generate power within Titan's thick atmosphere. Dragonfly will be unlike all other NASA exploration missions as the spacecraft will fly around Titan, visiting various sites to perform science. NASA hopes to characterize the habitability of Titan’s environment, investigate the progression of prebiotic chemistry on Titan, and search for chemical indications of whether water-based or hydrocarbon-based life once existed on Titan. NASA currently expects Dragonfly to arrive on Titan in 2034. ### *Stacking of Artemis II SLS begins!* NASA [announced on November 20th](https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2024/11/20/nasa-stacks-first-artemis-ii-segment-on-mobile-launcher/?ref=cosmicnxws.com) that it had begun the stacking of the Space Launch System (SLS) vehicle that will be used for the Artemis II mission, scheduled to begin in September 2025\. Stacking is expected to take approximately four months, from the first solid rocket booster segments to the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. The first step of [stacking the SLS vehicle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps-2%5FoPkdYQ&ref=cosmicnxws.com) is placing the aft solid rocket booster segments onto Mobile Launcher 1, which has just begun inside NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After this, eight more solid rocket booster segments will be stacked too for two five-segment solid rocket boosters. Once both boosters are stacked, the liquid-fueled core stage will be placed between them, followed by the Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter, the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, and finally the Orion spacecraft. Concerns had been held about [Orion's heat shield](https://spacenews.com/nasa-finds-but-does-not-disclose-root-cause-of-orion-heat-shield-erosion/?ref=cosmicnxws.com) after erosion was disclosed following the Artemis I mission. With the beginning of stacking, [Stephen Clark, for Ars Technica](https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/11/nasa-begins-assembling-rocket-to-send-astronauts-around-far-side-of-the-moon/?ref=cosmicnxws.com), believes that it bodes well for the conclusion of the investigation into the heat shield erosion, which NASA has still not disclosed the root cause of. *This news story is originally from* [*Weekly Dose of Space (17/11-23/11)*](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-17-11-23-11/#in-other-space-news)*.* ## **SpaceX** This month at Starbase began late on November 1st when Ship 33 was rolled from the Massey's test site to the production site. After the Ship 33 returned, Starbase was relatively quiet in early November leading up to flight six of Starship Super Heavy. Activity ahead of launch was spotted on November 11th when the water deluge system was activated as part of a test ahead of flight six. That night Ship 31 was also rolled out from the production site to the launch site, after arriving it was parked near the Orbital Launch Mount. A few days later on November 14th, Booster 13 was rolled out from the production site to the launch site. Shortly after arriving at the launch site, Booster 13 was lifted onto the Orbital Launch Mount, for the final time ahead of flight. The next day, November 15th, Ship 31 was lifted on top of Booster 13, fully stacking the flight six Starship-Super Heavy vehicle. Booster 13 also performed a grid fin 'wiggle' to test their movement ahead of flight. The Orbital Launch Mounts detonation suppression system was also tested on the fifteenth. Installation of the flight termination system explosives was believed to have been completed on November 16th. These explosives are placed on Ship 31 and Booster 13 to quickly terminate the flight in case of an anomaly. The following day, November 17th, Ship 31 and Booster 13 performed a propellant loading test on the launch pad, partially filling both vehicle liquid methane and liquid oxygen tanks. The following day, the 18th, equipment was moved out of the launch site and back to the production site, ahead of the sixth flight test. November 19th had the sixth flight test occur at 22:00 pm Universal Coordinated Time, having both Ship 31 and Booster 13 leave the launch site for the final time. Both vehicles splashed down at sea after tower catch criteria were unfulfilled. After the flight test on November 20th, Ship 26 was moved into one of the high bays where teams began scrapping the vehicle. Ship 26 was a unique vehicle as it had no flaps or thermal protection tiles, in the past year the vehicle was believed to have been used for experimental testing on Suborbital Pad A, Suborbital Pad B, and performing the first static fire at the Massey's test site. Almost a week later on November 25th teams were spotted painting the launch towers 'chopsticks'. That night also had the 'chopsticks' raised near their maximum height, the following morning of the 26th the 'chopsticks' were still near the top of the tower. The evening of the 26th also had Ship 26's nosecone moved out of one of the high bays, as the vehicle is now being scrapped. More parts of Ship 26 were spotted leaving the high bays on November 27th, most of the vehicle will likely end up in a scrapyard. The 27th also had a brand new LR11000 crane rise for the first time. This crane will be used to assist in constructing the second launch pad at Starbase. With SpaceX's efforts to consolidate Starship manufacturing within its gigantic factory at Starbase in recent months, very little hardware work was spotted in the remainder of the month. SpaceX has not yet announced when they will be targeting the launch of Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test. The seventh flight test is expected to utilize Booster 14 and Ship 33, the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage. Both vehicles still need to complete static fire tests while SpaceX seeks regulatory approval, this mission [will likely](https://x.com/Alexphysics13/status/1860842070455246865?ref=proximareport.com) take place in early January 2025. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw thirty-two launches worldwide, if you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *November 4th - H3 with DSN-3* Beginning the month of November, a H3 rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying the DSN-3, also called Kirameki 3, satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit. The satellite will be used for Japanese military communications. ### *November 4th - Soyuz 2.1b with Ionosfera-M 1 & 2* A Soyuz 2.1b lifted off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome carrying two Ionosfera-M satellites to sun-synchronous orbit. The Ionosfera-M satellites are part of a small constellation for ionospheric and magnetospheric research. ### *November 5th - Falcon 9 with CRS-31* SpaceX began its thirty-first cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station on November 5th. This mission is delivering 2,762 kilograms of cargo and performing a reboost test. More details about this mission are available [here](https://proximareport.com/cargo-dragon-crs-31/). ### *November 5th - Electron for 'Changes in Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, and headed to a sun-synchronous orbit. Aboard Electron was one satellite that is rumored to be owned by E-Space. ### *November 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-77* Twenty-three Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster supporting this mission was B1085, making its third flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *November 9th - Long March 2C with four PIESAT-2 satellites* A Long March 2C lifted off from Launch Area 4 at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying four PIESAT-2 satellites to a sun-synchronous orbit. The PIESAT-2 satellites are X-band synthetic aperture radar imaging spacecraft, as part of a potential constellation of sixteen. ### *November 9th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-10* Another Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1081 on its eleventh flight, and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *November 11th - Kinetica-1 with 15 payloads* CAS Space's fifth Kinetica-1 launched from the Jiquan Satellite Launch Center carrying fifteen payloads into sun-synchronus orbit using a 3.35-diameter fairing for the first time. The payloads onboard were Jilin-1 Gaofen 05B for a high-resolution imaging technology demonstration, Jilin-1 Pintai 02A03 for optical remote-sensing, Xiguang-1 04 for methane monitoring, Xiguang-1 05 for hyperspectral remote sensing, Oman's Intelligent Remote Sensing Satellite-1, six Yunyao-1 meteorological satellites, and three Shiyan-26 technology demonstration satellites. ### *November 11th - Falcon 9 with Koreasat 6A* SpaceX launched the Koreasat 6A satellite to geostationary transfer orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Supporting this launch was booster B1067, on its twenty-third mission and landing back at Landing Zone 1. ### *November 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-69* A batch of twenty-four Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. This launch was supported by booster B1080, flying for the twelfth time and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *November 13th - Long March 4B with Haiyang-4 01* A Long March 4B blasted off from Launch Complex 9 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying the Haiyang-4 01 satellite into sun-synchronous orbit. The Haiyang-4 01, also called Ocean-4 01, satellite will support ecological forecasting, water-cycle monitoring, marine environmental forecasting, short-term climate prediction, and global climate change research. ### *November 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-11* Another batch of twenty Starlink satellites were launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, atop of Falcon 9\. Booster B1082 supported this mission for its eighth flight, and landed downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *November 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-68* Twenty-four more Starlink satellites were launched atop of Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this launch was booster B1076 for its eighteenth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *November 15th - Long March 7 with Tianzhou-8* A Long March 7 lifted off from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site carrying the Tianzhou-8 cargo resupply spacecraft into low Earth orbit, where the spacecraft began to chase down the Tiangong Space Station afterward. ### *November 17th - Falcon 9 with Optus-X* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, carrying the secretive Optus-X to a geostationary transfer orbit. Supporting this launch was B1077, flying for the sixteenth time, and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ### *November 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-12* A batch of twenty Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1071 was supporting this launch for its twentieth flight, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *November 18th - Falcon 9 with GSAT-20* The Indian GSAT-20 communications satellite was delivered to geostationary transfer orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting the launch of GSAT-20 was booster B1073, flying for the nineteenth time and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read the Instructions' downrange. ### *November 19th - Starship-Super Heavy for flight test six* As mentioned earlier, SpaceX performed the sixth flight test of its Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle from the company's launch site in south Texas. Ship 31 successfully landed in the Indian Ocean following reentry and Booster 13 splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico after tower catch criteria were not met. More details about this flight are available [here](https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-6/). ### *November 21st - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-29* A Soyuz 2.1a lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the Progress MS-29 cargo resupply spacecraft into low Earth orbit. After launch the spacecraft began to chase down the International Space Station in order to deliver fresh supplies. ### *November 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-66* Another Falcon 9 delivered a batch of twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this launch was booster B1069, flying for the twentieth time, and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ### *November 22nd - New Shepard for NS-28* Blue Origin conducted its [ninth human spaceflight mission](https://proximareport.com/ns-28-blue-origin/) onboard New Shepard carrying Emily Calandrelli, Sharon Hagle, Marc Hagle, Austin Litteral, James (J.D.) Russell, and Henry (Hank) Wolfond above the Kármán line. The booster supporting this mission, New Shepard-4, was flying for the twelfth time while the capsule, R.S.S. First Step, was flying for the eleventh time. ### *November 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-13* A Falcon 9 launched with it lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying a batch of twenty Starlink satellites. The booster supporting this launch was B1075 for its fifteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *November 24th - HASTE with Leidos* Rocket Lab conducted a HASTE launch from Launch Complex 2, in Virginia, believed to be on behalf of Leidos and Dynetics. HASTE, Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron, is a suborbital version of the company's Electron launch vehicle. ### *November 24th - Long March 2C with Siwei Gaojing-2 03 & 04* A Long March 2C lifted off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying two Siwei Gaojing-2 satellites to low Earth orbit for China Siwei Survey and Mapping Technology. The two satellites will provide all-day, all-weather, high-resolution imagery via the use of a phased array radar instrument. ### *November 25th - Electron for 'Ice AIS Baby'* Rocket Lab conducted another Electron launch from Launch Complex 1B, in New Zealand on the Māhia Peninsula, carrying five satellites to low Earth orbit for Kinéis. The satellites are for Kinéis' planned twenty-five spacecraft Internet of Things constellation. Further details on this launch are available [here](https://proximareport.com/electron-launch-twice-24-hours/). ### *November 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-1* Another Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1080 for its thirteenth flight and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *November 27th - Zhuque-2E with Guangchuan 01 & 02* LandSpace debuted its upgraded Zhuque-2E launch vehicle with a mission from Launch Area 96A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Two Guangchuan satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit to test inter-satellite communications. More details about this rocket are available [here](https://proximareport.com/zq-2e-lm-12-debut/). ### *November 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-76* A batch of twenty-four Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. This mission was supported by booster B1078, making its fifteenth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ### *November 29th - Soyuz 2.1a with Kondor-FKA No. 2* A Soyuz 2.1a lifted off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome carrying the Kondor-FKA N0\. 2 satellite into sun-synchronous orbit. Kondor-FKA N0\. 2 is a civilian Earth observation satellite with a resolution between 1 to 30 meters, depending on the imaging mode. ### *November 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-65* Another Falcon 9 carried a batch of twenty-four Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this mission was booster B1083, making its sixth flight, and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *November 30th - Falcon 9 for NROL-126* Falcon 9 also launched the NROL-126 mission from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying what was likely a batch of Starshield satellites, the military version of Starlink. The booster for this mission was brand new and is believed to be B1088. ### *November 30th - Long March 12 for its debut mission* The Long March 12, developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, made its debut flight at the end of November, flying from Commercial Launch Pad 2 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site into low Earth orbit. Two satellites were also onboard for the debut flight, with them being Satellite Internet Technology Test Satellite and Technology Test Satellite 03\. More details about this rocket are available [here](https://proximareport.com/zq-2e-lm-12-debut/). ## Launches to look out for in December! December will round out the launches for 2024, and with it looking to be another busy month. Listed below are all of the launches expected or very likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of December may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *December 2nd - Long March 6A with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 6A is expected to liftoff from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The payload is currently unknown but it is rumored to be the third batch of eighteen satellites for the Qianfan mega-constellation. ### *December 3rd - Long March 3B/E with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 3B/E is expected to liftoff from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, carrying an unknown payload. This will be the 100th flight of the Long March 3B rocket too. ### *December 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-14* SpaceX is expecting to launch a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *December 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-70* Another batch of Starlink satellites will be delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *December 4th - PSLV with Proba-3* The Indian Space Research Organisation's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL rocket is planned to launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Center carrying the Proba-3 mission into an elliptical orbit. Proba-3 consists of two spacecraft flying 150 meters from one another to create artificial solar eclipses between the satellites. ### *December 5th - Falcon 9 with Sirius SXM-9* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Launch Complex 39A carrying the SXM-9 satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit for SiriusXM. The spacecraft will be used to allow SiriusXM's programming to reach its customers. ### *December 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-2* Falcon 9 will carry another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *December 14th - KAIROS for its second flight* Japanese launch company Space One is planning to launch its KAIROS launch vehicle into sun-synchronous orbit from Spaceport Kii. The first flight [failed after five seconds](https://proximareport.com/japans-first-private-rocket-debuts/) back in March. ### *December 20th - PSLV with SPADEX* A Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle is expected to launch the SPADEX, Space Docking Experiment, to low Earth orbit. The mission will demonstrate autonomous docking between two satellites, a capability India is yet to perform ahead of its future lunar and human spaceflight missions. ### *December 29th - Falcon 9 for Bandwagon 2* SpaceX may conduct its second mid-inclination low Earth orbit rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *December 31st - GSLV Mk II with IRNSS-1K* India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark II may launch the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System-1K satellite to geostationary transfer orbit. This spacecraft will replace an older satellite for India's alternative to the U.S.-controlled GPS. ### Weekly Dose of Space (24/11-30/11) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-24-11-30-11/ Last updated: 2024-12-01T17:50:28.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had eleven orbital launches taking place, with two new rocket debuts. News this week had a lunar lander preparing for launch and SpaceX winning yet another launch contract. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on November 25th when teams were spotted painting the launch towers 'chopsticks'. That night also had the 'chopsticks' raised near their maximum height, the following morning of the 26th the 'chopsticks' were still near the top of the tower. The evening of the 26th also had Ship 26's nosecone moved out of one of the high bays, as the vehicle is now being scrapped. More parts of Ship 26 were spotted leaving the high bays on November 27th, most of the vehicle will likely end up in a scrapyard. The 27th also had a brand new LR11000 crane rise for the first time. This crane will be used to assist in constructing the second launch pad at Starbase. With SpaceX's efforts to consolidate Starship manufacturing within its gigantic factory at Starbase in recent months, very little hardware work was spotted in the remainder of the week. The next flight of Starship-Super Heavy is however expected in early January, which we will touch on later. ## **Launches This Week** ### *November 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-13* A Falcon 9 launch began this weeks launches with it lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying a batch of twenty Starlink satellites. The booster supporting this launch was B1075 for its fifteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 during the Starlink Group 9-13. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GdIWaQragAA7fyg.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 during the Starlink Group 9-13\. ©SpaceX ### *November 24th - HASTE with Leidos* Rocket Lab conducted a HASTE launch from Launch Complex 2, in Virginia, believed to be on behalf of Leidos and Dynetics. HASTE, Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron, is a suborbital version of the company's Electron launch vehicle. ![Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 2 for a HASTE mission. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GdNWr90bkAAujU8.jpg) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 2 for a HASTE mission. ©Rocket Lab ### *November 24th - Long March 2C with Siwei Gaojing-2 03 & 04* A Long March 2C lifted off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying two Siwei Gaojing-2 satellites to low Earth orbit for China Siwei Survey and Mapping Technology. The two satellites will provide all-day, all-weather, high-resolution imagery via the use of a phased array radar instrument. ![The Long March 2C Y88 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/757dc9f5ly1hvy60fv681j24ao2v4u11-1-1.jpg) The Long March 2C Y88 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *November 25th - Electron for 'Ice AIS Baby'* Rocket Lab conducted another Electron launch from Launch Complex 1B, in New Zealand on the Māhia Peninsula, carrying five satellites to low Earth orbit for Kinéis. The satellites are for Kinéis' planned twenty-five spacecraft Internet of Things constellation. Further details on this launch are available [here](https://proximareport.com/electron-launch-twice-24-hours/). ![Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B for the 'Ice AIS Baby' mission. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GdNWvxIbwAAhdnS-1.jpg) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B for the 'Ice AIS Baby' mission. ©Rocket Lab ### *November 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-1* Another Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1080 for its thirteenth flight and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 12-1 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GdOeSaObMAAlWPQ-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 12-1 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 27th - Zhuque-2E with Guangchuan 01 & 02* LandSpace debuted its upgraded Zhuque-2E launch vehicle with a mission from Launch Area 96A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Two Guangchuan satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit to test inter-satellite communications. More details about this rocket are available [here](https://proximareport.com/zq-2e-lm-12-debut/). ![Zhuque-2E Y1 vehicle during first-stage flight for its maiden flight.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/006aWhMSgy1hw1m1k79mpj30qo1400wv-1.jpg) Zhuque-2E Y1 vehicle during first-stage flight for its maiden flight. ### *November 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-76* A batch of twenty-four Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. This mission was supported by booster B1078, making its fifteenth flight, with a landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 6-76 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GdZrVUfaYAAvxq7.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 6-76 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 29th - Soyuz 2.1a with Kondor-FKA No. 2* A Soyuz 2.1a lifted off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome carrying the Kondor-FKA N0\. 2 satellite into sun-synchronous orbit. Kondor-FKA N0\. 2 is a civilian Earth observation satellite with a resolution between 1 to 30 meters, depending on the imaging mode. ### *November 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-65* Another Falcon 9 carried a batch of twenty-four Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this mission was booster B1083, making its sixth flight, and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-65 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GdnKkxrboAAjYi4-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-65 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 30th - Falcon 9 for NROL-126* Falcon 9 also launched the NROL-126 mission from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying what was likely a batch of Starshield satellites, the military version of Starlink. The booster for this mission was brand new and is believed to be B1088. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the NROL-126 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GdplhORWgAEiNRr-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the NROL-126 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 30th - Long March 12 for its debut mission* The Long March 12, developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, made its debut flight at the end of November, flying from Commercial Launch Pad 2 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site into low Earth orbit. Two satellites were also onboard for the debut flight, with them being Satellite Internet Technology Test Satellite and Technology Test Satellite 03\. More details about this rocket are available [here](https://proximareport.com/zq-2e-lm-12-debut/). ![The Long March 12 Y1 vehicle lifting off from Commercial Launch Pad 2 for its debut mission.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GdqtGHsXIAADRh2-1.jpg) The Long March 12 Y1 vehicle lifting off from Commercial Launch Pad 2 for its debut mission. ## **In Other Space News** *This newsletter was written with* [*November's Monthly Dose of Space*](https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-november-2024/)*, as such these stories also appear there.* ### *Firefly prepares for first lunar mission* ![FIrefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander after it completed environmental testing. ©Firefly Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/BG_GlamourShot-2-1024x683-1.jpg) FIrefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander after it completed environmental testing. ©Firefly Aerospace Firefly Aerospace [announced](https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-blue-ghost-mission-1-to-the-moon-readies-for-launch/?ref=proximareport.com) on November 25th that its Blue Ghost lunar lander had successfully completed environmental testing ahead of its first mission. That mission is currently expected to launch in mid-January of 2025 atop of a Falcon 9. Environmental testing of Blue Ghost took place a few weeks ago in mid-October at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, subjecting the vehicle to a vacuum environment and extreme heat. Firefly's Chief Executive Officer, Jason Kim, commented on the testing and mission ahead saying: > “Blue Ghost aced environmental testing and proved the lander is performing 100% as expected, which is a testament to the incredible Firefly team,” – “This team has gone above and beyond with innovative testing approaches to ensure Blue Ghost is flight ready. While we know there will be more challenges ahead, I’m confident this team has what it takes to softly touch down on the lunar surface and nail this mission.” Blue Ghost's [first mission](https://fireflyspace.com/missions/blue-ghost-mission-1/?ref=proximareport.com) has been named 'Ghost Riders in the Sky' by Firefly with it carrying ten payloads for NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. The mission is planned to last sixty days, spending forty-five days heading to the Moon and fourteen days operating on the surface in Mare Crisium. This mission will end a few hours after the lunar night begins due to the incredibly cold temperatures. ### *Falcon Heavy to launch Dragonfly in 2028* SpaceX was [awarded](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-awards-launch-services-contract-for-dragonfly-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) a launch contract, on November 25th, for Falcon Heavy to launch NASA's Dragonfly mission in July 2028\. This launch will have Falcon Heavy send the spacecraft to Saturn's moon Titan via an Earth gravity assist. The launch contract for Dragonfly has a value of 256.6 million United States Dollars. Part of this cost is related to certifying Falcon Heavy to carry the spacecraft's nuclear radioisotope thermoelectric generator, which will be used to generate power within Titan's thick atmosphere. Dragonfly will be unlike all other NASA exploration missions as the spacecraft will fly around Titan, visiting various sites to perform science. NASA hopes to characterize the habitability of Titan’s environment, investigate the progression of prebiotic chemistry on Titan, and search for chemical indications of whether water-based or hydrocarbon-based life once existed on Titan. NASA currently expects Dragonfly to arrive on Titan in 2034. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX has not yet announced when they will be targeting the launch of Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test. The seventh flight test is expected to utilize Booster 14 and Ship 33, the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage. Both vehicles still need to complete static fire tests while SpaceX seeks regulatory approval, this mission [will likely](https://x.com/Alexphysics13/status/1860842070455246865?ref=proximareport.com) take place in early January 2025. ### *December 2nd - Long March 6A with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 6A is expected to liftoff from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The payload is currently unknown but it is rumored to be the third batch of eighteen satellites for the Qianfan mega-constellation. ### *December 3rd - Long March 3B/E with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 3B/E is expected to liftoff from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, carrying an unknown payload. This will be the 100th flight of the Long March 3B rocket too. ### *December 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-14* SpaceX is expecting to launch a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *December 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-70* Another batch of Starlink satellites will be delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *December 4th - PSLV with Proba-3* The Indian Space Research Organisation's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL rocket is planned to launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Center carrying the Proba-3 mission into an elliptical orbit. Proba-3 consists of two spacecraft flying 150 meters from one another to create artificial solar eclipses between the satellites. ### *December 5th - Falcon 9 with Sirius SXM-9* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Launch Complex 39A carrying the SXM-9 satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit for SiriusXM. The spacecraft will be used to allow SiriusXM's programming to reach its customers. ### *December 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-2* Falcon 9 will carry another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### China debuts two new rockets to end November URL: https://proximareport.com/zq-2e-lm-12-debut/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:37:43.000Z China has performed over a half dozen launches in November, debuting two new launch vehicles. One of these is from a state-owned enterprise while the other is from a privately-held company, and builds off of previous successes. ![LandSpace’s Zhuque-2E Y1 vehicle lifting off from Launch Area 96A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/006aWhMSgy1hw0n2mz524j30zk13wqba.jpg) LandSpace’s Zhuque-2E Y1 vehicle lifting off from Launch Area 96A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ©LandSpace The first debut took place on [November 27th](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/zhuque-2e-soars-for-its-first-mission) with LandSpace’s improved Zhuque-2E launch vehicle lifting off from Launch Area 96A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. This mission was primarily a test flight of the upgraded launch vehicle but also carried two payloads. Zhuque-2E shares many commonalities with Zhuque-2, keeping the first-stage and upgrading the second-stage. This upgraded second-stage uses a common bulkhead design to save weight and has switched to using a single TQ-15A engine, replacing the TQ-12 engine and four TQ-11 vernier thrusters. The TQ-15A engine will allow the second-stage to reignite, opening up a wider range of missions not previously possible and strengthening LandSpace’s market position. Two relights of the TQ-15A engine on the second-stage are believed to have taken place due to the [stage's distance](http://orbitalfocus.uk/Diaries/Launches/Launches.php?year=2024&ref=proximareport.com#221) from the payloads following launch. The two payloads that were onboard for Zhuque-2E's first flight were Guangchuan 01 (光传01) and Guangchuan 02 (光传02), with the payload's name literally meaning ‘Light Transmission’ in English. These satellites are believed to be for testing inter-satellite optical laser link technologies for large satellite constellations. LandSpace believes that Zhuque-2E's first flight performed a series of firsts for a Chinese commercial launch company, with some of the firsts being: the use of a common bulkhead tank design, the first niobium alloy nozzle extension, the first use of cold gas thrusters for stage separation, and the first relightable liquid rocket engine. ![The Long March 12 Y1 vehicle lifting off from Commercial Launch Pad 2 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site. ©Shanghai Academy of Space Technology/CCTV](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GdpEhEeWgAAoOsz-1.jpg) The Long March 12 Y1 vehicle lifting off from Commercial Launch Pad 2 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site. ©Shanghai Academy of Space Technology/CCTV The second debut came at the very end of the month, on [November 30th](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/new-rocket-new-launch-pad-new-launch). This debut mission had the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology's Long March 12 launch vehicle liftoff from Commercial Launch Pad 2 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province. The Long March 12's debut made it the widest diameter single-core Long March vehicle to date, with a diameter of 3.8 meters, while also carrying the 5.2-meter diameter fairing, becoming the largest diameter non-inline fairing used on a Long March rocket. Four YF-100K engines, upgraded YF-100 engines with a \~5-tons of thrust improvement, were powering the debut flight. These engines will also be used for the Long March 10 Moon rocket. Two payloads were also onboard for this mission, with the rocket deploying Satellite Internet Technology Test Satellite (将卫星互联网技术试验卫星) and Technology Test Satellite 03 (技术试验卫星03) into low Earth orbit after its successful first mission. Both of these debut missions come partway through China's transition away from older hypergolic fuelled launch vehicles. This transition has both state-owned and privately held companies developing many new kerosene-oxygen, methane-oxygen, and solid-fuelled launch vehicles. Focus has also been placed on making these new vehicles cheap to manufacture for reduced launch costs while maintaining reliability. ## *What are these launch vehicles?* ### Zhuque-2E Zhuque-2E is LandSpace’s privately-developed commercial launch vehicle, and is largely based on the company’s Zhuque-2 vehicle. The vehicle consists of two stages both burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - 6,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit - 4,000 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit ![Zhuque-2E Y1 on the launchpad at Launch Area 96A prior to its debut mission on November 27th. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/0076pMobly1hw0ie0r4ijj31hc0u04qq-1.jpg) Zhuque-2E Y1 on the launchpad at Launch Area 96A prior to its debut mission on November 27th. ©LandSpace Four TQ-12 engines power the first stage to generate 282 tons of thrust while burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen. The second-stage is powered by a single TQ-15A engine, also burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen, to generate 85 tons of thrust. On the launch pad, Zhuque-2E is 47.3 meters tall and weighs 219,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first-stage, second-stage, and fairing have a diameter of 3.35 meters. So far LandSpace's Zhuque-2 rocket series has only flown from Launch Area 96A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, in the west of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the north of Gansu province. Further upgrades are planned for Zhuque-2E to increase the first-stage thrust to 327 tons via the introduction of the TQ-12A engine, with an increased liftoff weight of 264,000 kilograms too. These upgrades will also likely introduce the change to a 4.2-meter diameter fairing and an increase in vehicle length to 55 meters. ### Long March 12 The Long March 12 is a new launch vehicle from the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. Both stages of the launch vehicle burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *12,000 kilograms to a low Earth orbit* - *6,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit* ![The Long March 12 Y1 vehicle at Commercial Launch Pad 2 ahead of its debut mission on November 30th. ©Shanghai Academy of Space Technology/CCTV](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/dce7b83a80cc4b9c961edf6aa4abd326-1.jpeg) The Long March 12 Y1 vehicle at Commercial Launch Pad 2 ahead of its debut mission on November 30th. ©Shanghai Academy of Space Technology/CCTV Powering the first-stage are four YF-100K engines generating a combined thrust of 510 tons while burning liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene. The second-stage is powered by two YF-115 engines generating 36 tons of thrust, also burning liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene. On the launchpad, the rocket stands a believed 59 meters in height, while having a first and second stage diameter of 3.8 meters. Fully fuelled the Long March 12 is believed to weigh 433,000 kilograms. The fairing of the Long March 12 is also believed to have options for either a 3.8, 4.2, or 5.2-meter diameter, depending on the needs of the mission. Currently, the Long March 12 has only flown from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province. ### Electron launches twice in under 24 hours! URL: https://proximareport.com/electron-launch-twice-24-hours/ Last updated: 2024-12-15T20:43:20.000Z Rocket Lab ended its launches for November with a record-setting doubleheader launch for the company. This record had the company launch two Electron vehicles from two launch sites, in different hemispheres, a little under twenty-two hours apart. The first of these launches [occurred on November 24th](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/1860780281986535895?ref=proximareport.com) from Launch Complex 2, in Virginia, while flying on a suborbital trajectory into the Atlantic Ocean. Not much is known about this launch due to its U.S. Department of Defense connections, the mission is however believed to have been the [second of four for Leidos](https://www.spacevoyaging.com/news/2024/11/24/rocket-lab-launches-second-haste-mission-for-leidos/?ref=proximareport.com) to develop advanced weapons technology. As such Electron was flying in its Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron (HASTE) configuration. > Mission success. > > 2 launches in less than 24 hours from 2 pads in 2 different hemispheres. [pic.twitter.com/sYK24CoxMW](https://t.co/sYK24CoxMW?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [November 25, 2024](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1860913265121038639?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B for the 'Ice AIS Baby' mission, via [Rocket Lab on X](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/1860913265121038639?ref=proximareport.com). Completing the doubleheader was a launch from Launch Complex 1B, in New Zealand on the Māhia Peninsula, heading to low Earth orbit. The mission was called 'Ice AIS Baby' and launched five Internet of Things satellites on behalf of the French company [Kinéis](https://www.kineis.com/en/success-3rd-mission-ice-ais-baby/?ref=proximareport.com). Following the launch, Kinéis [said the following](https://x.com/KineisIoT/status/1860918387099992151?ref=proximareport.com): > "Five new satellites have successfully joined our constellation, thanks to another flawless launch with Rocket Lab! This brings us closer to completing our full constellation of 25 nanosatellites dedicated to revolutionizing Global IoT Connectivity and maritime tracking." > "Along our Global IoT Connectivity, Kinéis' Satellite AIS (S-AIS) technology, we're delivering high-performance connectivity that provides the most reliable S-AIS data 24/7\. This mission strengthens our commitment to enhancing maritime safety and surveillance by enabling companies to: Protect and prevent ships from incidents like collisions and groundings; Monitor traffic within exclusive economic zones; Detect suspicious activities to ensure security." As mentioned earlier, both of these launches occurred just under twenty-two hours apart. Rocket Lab's Chief Executive Officer Peter Beck [shared](https://x.com/Peter%5FJ%5FBeck/status/1860913217788112959?ref=proximareport.com) that both launches occurred 21 hours, 55 minutes, and 18 seconds apart a few hours later. The launch doubleheader also set a record turnaround time between Eletron launches, having previously been just over a week back in March of this year. Having completed both of these missions, Rocket Lab has launched a total of fourteen times in 2024\. Electron has now also performed a total of fifty-six launches. Rocket Lab is hoping to fly Electron up to [four more](https://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-signs-first-neutron-launch-customer/?ref=proximareport.com) times this year too. ## What is Electron? Electron is a two-stage launch vehicle developed by Rocket Lab. Electron utilizes the first electric-pump-fed engines to power its small rocket on both stages and is made of carbon fiber for its tanks. Rocket Lab claims Electron can launch 300 kilograms into low Earth orbit or 200 kilograms into Sun-Syncronous orbit. The first-stage is powered by nine Rutherford engines generating 23 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The second-stage is powered by a single vacuum version of the Rutherford engine generating 2.6 tons of thrust, also burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. ## Who is Rocket Lab? Rocket Lab is an American spaceflight company founded in June 2006 and headquartered in Long Beach, California. Rocket Lab currently operates the Electron small satellite launch vehicle and is developing the partially reusable medium-lift Neutron launch vehicle. The company also owns a number of other spaceflight companies to provide an end-to-end solution from mission planning to launch. ### Weekly Dose of Space (17/11-23/11) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-17-11-23-11/ Last updated: 2024-11-24T18:45:03.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week once again had seven orbital launches occur, with the majority being Falcon 9\. News this week had the Artemis II SLS vehicle begin stacking, China sharing new looks at its crewed lunar landing spacecraft, and the Artemis Accords gaining another member. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on November 17th when Ship 31 and Booster 13 performed a propellant loading test on the launch pad, partially filling both vehicle liquid methane and liquid oxygen tanks. The following day, the 18th, equipment was moved out of the launch site and back to the production site, ahead of the sixth flight test. November 19th had the sixth flight test occur at 22:00 pm Universal Coordinated Time, having both Ship 31 and Booster 13 leave the launch site for the final time. Both vehicles splashed down at sea after tower catch criteria were unfulfilled. After the flight test on November 20th, Ship 26 was moved into one of the high bays where teams began scrapping the vehicle. Ship 26 was a unique vehicle as it had no flaps or thermal protection tiles, in the past year the vehicle was believed to have been used for experimental testing on Suborbital Pad A, Suborbital Pad B, and performing the first static fire at the Massey's test site. In the days following the sixth flight test, SpaceX teams have been evaluating data and inspecting the launch site ahead of testing for Booster 14 for the seventh flight test in the coming months. ## **Launches This Week** ### *November 17th - Falcon 9 with Optus-X* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, carrying the secretive Optus-X to a geostationary transfer orbit. Supporting this launch was B1077, flying for the sixteenth time, and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 39A carrying the Optus-X spacecraft. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GcoZhDRXUAEAw1f.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 39A carrying the Optus-X spacecraft. ©SpaceX ### *November 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-12* A batch of twenty Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Booster B1071 was supporting this launch for its twentieth flight, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9's launch for the Starlink Group 9-12 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GcsPIf-bcAI_eM-.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9's launch for the Starlink Group 9-12 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 18th - Falcon 9 with GSAT-20* The Indian GSAT-20 communications satellite was delivered to geostationary transfer orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Supporting the launch of GSAT-20 was booster B1073, flying for the nineteenth time and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read the Instructions' downrange. > Deployment of [@NSIL\_India](https://twitter.com/NSIL%5FIndia?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) GSAT-N2 confirmed [pic.twitter.com/AHYjp9Zn6S](https://t.co/AHYjp9Zn6S?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [November 18, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1858587524383584652?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Separation of the GSAT-20 satellite from Falcon 9's second-stage, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1858587524383584652?ref=proximareport.com). ### *November 19th - Starship-Super Heavy for flight test six* As mentioned earlier, SpaceX performed the sixth flight test of its Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle from the company's launch site in south Texas. Ship 31 successfully landed in the Indian Ocean following reentry and Booster 13 splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico after tower catch criteria were not met. More details about this flight are available [here](https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-6/). ![Starship-Super Heavy in first-stage flight during the vehicle's sixth flight test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/Gc1vZNKakAAvr_x.jpg) Starship-Super Heavy in first-stage flight during the vehicle's sixth flight test. ©SpaceX ### *November 21st - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-29* A Soyuz 2.1a lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the Progress MS-29 cargo resupply spacecraft into low Earth orbit. After launch the spacecraft began to chase down the International Space Station in order to deliver fresh supplies. ### *November 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-66* Another Falcon 9 delivered a batch of twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this launch was booster B1069, flying for the twentieth time, and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-66 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/Gc7fWYHaAAEMwdx.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-66 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 22nd - New Shepard for NS-28* Blue Origin conducted its [ninth human spaceflight mission](https://proximareport.com/ns-28-blue-origin/) onboard New Shepard carrying Emily Calandrelli, Sharon Hagle, Marc Hagle, Austin Litteral, James (J.D.) Russell, and Henry (Hank) Wolfond above the Kármán line. The booster supporting this mission, New Shepard-4, was flying for the twelfth time while the capsule, R.S.S. First Step, was flying for the eleventh time. > Booster touchdown! ⬇️🌎 [#NewShepard](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewShepard?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [#NS28](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NS28?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/WV8pDkBuSh](https://t.co/WV8pDkBuSh?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) [November 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1860020632576000103?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Shepard's booster landing during the NS-28 mission, via [Blue Origin on X](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1860020632576000103?ref=proximareport.com). ## **In Other Space News** ### *Stacking of Artemis II SLS begins!* ![NASA teams stacking the first solid rocket booster segment inside the Vehicle Assembly Building. ©Glenn Benson/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/KSC-20241120-PH-GEB01_0016_b6857f.jpg) NASA teams stacking the first solid rocket booster segment inside the Vehicle Assembly Building. ©Glenn Benson/NASA NASA [announced on November 20th](https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2024/11/20/nasa-stacks-first-artemis-ii-segment-on-mobile-launcher/?ref=proximareport.com) that it had begun the stacking of the Space Launch System (SLS) vehicle that will be used for the Artemis II mission, scheduled to begin in September 2025\. Stacking is expected to take approximately four months, from the first solid rocket booster segments to the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. The first step of [stacking the SLS vehicle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps-2%5FoPkdYQ&ref=proximareport.com) is placing the aft solid rocket booster segments onto Mobile Launcher 1, which has just begun inside NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After this, eight more solid rocket booster segments will be stacked too for two five-segment solid rocket boosters. Once both boosters are stacked, the liquid-fueled core stage will be placed between them, followed by the Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter, the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, and finally the Orion spacecraft. Concerns had been held about [Orion's heat shield](https://spacenews.com/nasa-finds-but-does-not-disclose-root-cause-of-orion-heat-shield-erosion/?ref=proximareport.com) after erosion was disclosed following the Artemis I mission. With the beginning of stacking, [Stephen Clark, for Ars Technica](https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/11/nasa-begins-assembling-rocket-to-send-astronauts-around-far-side-of-the-moon/?ref=proximareport.com), believes that it bodes well for the conclusion of the investigation into the heat shield erosion, which NASA has still not disclosed the root cause of. ### *China shares new look at lunar landing spacecraft* ![A prototype of the Lanyue lunar lander (left) and a prototype of the Mengzhou crew capsule (right). ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/ccll-vehicle.png) A prototype of the Lanyue lunar lander (left) and a prototype of the Mengzhou crew capsule (right). ©China Manned Space Agency On November 21st the China Manned Space Agency [shared new images](https://weibo.com/2196038737/P1iPsrZ5y?ref=proximareport.com) of its Lanyue (揽月) lunar lander and Mengzhou (梦舟) crew capsule via the release of a promotional video for the Sixth Manned Spaceflight Academic Conference, in Shenzhen in Guangdong Province. Few details were shared about the vehicles in the video itself but a report from the [Xinhua News Agency](https://english.news.cn/20241121/6cac183ecc664d92b239394f84dc936b/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) afterward stated that production and ground prototyping is currently underway. Also stated by Xinhua was that necessary production and test facilities have been completed. China Manned Space Agency's promotional video also included a plan for a [three-day](https://x.com/CNSAWatcher/status/1859532516014665863?ref=proximareport.com) lunar surface excursion utilizing a lunar rover, which will most likely be the conventional surface mission time after initial landings. China's rovers, like the Apollo program's lunar rovers, will be folded up during transit to the surface and then unfolded while hanging from a small crane. ### *Denmark signs Artemis Accords* Denmark has become the forty-eighth nation to join the U.S.-led Artemis Accords following a [signing ceremony](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-welcomes-denmark-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) in the country's capital, Copenhagen, on November 13th. Christina Egelund, Minister of Higher Education and Science, signed on behalf of the nation. After signing, Christina Egelund said the following: > “With the Artemis program, the United States is leading the way back to the moon, and Denmark wants to strengthen the strategic partnership with the United States and other partners for the benefit of both science and industry,” – “The signing of the Accords is in line with the Danish government’s upcoming strategy for space research and innovation. As part of the strategy, Denmark seeks to strengthen ties with our allies such as the United States. Space holds great potential, and we want – in cooperation with other countries – to advance scientific breakthroughs and influence the development and use of the space sector in the future.” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson also stated the following on behalf of the United States: > “We welcome Denmark’s signing of the Artemis Accords today,” – “Denmark, as a founding member of the European Space Agency (ESA), has contributed to space exploration for decades, including collaborating with NASA on Mars exploration. Denmark’s signing of the Artemis Accords will further international cooperation and the peaceful exploration of space.” With the signing, Denmark joins Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Chile, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Ukraine, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Brazil, Poland, Mexico, Israel, Romania, Bahrain, Singapore, Colombia, France, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Rwanda, the Czech Republic, Spain, Ecuador, India, Argentina, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Angola, Belgium, Greece, Uruguay, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Lithuania, Peru, Slovakia, Armenia, Estonia, and the Dominican Republic. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX has not yet announced when they will be targeting the launch of Starship-Super Heavy's seventh flight test. The seventh flight test is expected to utilize Booster 14 and Ship 33, the first 'Block 2' Starship upper-stage. Both vehicles still need to complete static fire tests while SpaceX seeks regulatory approval, likely pushing the seventh flight toward the end of December or into 2025. ### *November 24th - HASTE with Leidos-2* Rocket Lab is believed to be conducting a HASTE launch from Launch Complex 2, in Virginia, on behalf of Leidos and Dynetics. HASTE, Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron, is a suborbital version of the company's Electron launch vehicle. ### *November 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-13* SpaceX is expecting to launch a Falcon 9 carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *November 24th - Long March 2C with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 2C is expected to launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying a currently unannounced payload to orbit. ### *November 25th - Electron for 'Ice AIS Baby'* Electron is expected to launch five Internet of Things satellites to low Earth orbit, from Launch Complex 1 on the Māhia Peninsula, on behalf of the French company Kinéis. ### *November 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 12-1* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *November 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-76* Yet another batch of Starlink satellites will be delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. ### *November 27th - Zhuque-2E for its maiden flight* Chinese launch company LandSpace is planning to conduct the first flight of its improved Zhuque-2E launch vehicle, built off of the company's Zhuque-2 vehicle, which was the first methane-powered rocket to reach space and orbit. This launch will take place from Launch Area 96 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, payloads onboard are currently unknown and possibly will be delivered to a polar orbit. ### *November 27th - Soyuz 2.1b with a to-be-announced payload* A Soyuz 2.1b is expected to launch from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying an unannounced payload to orbit. ### New Shepard flys Emily Calandrelli and two repeat space tourists URL: https://proximareport.com/ns-28-blue-origin/ Last updated: 2024-11-23T14:44:23.000Z On Friday, November 22nd, 2024, Blue Origin [launched](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1859992538356109644?ref=proximareport.com) its ninth human spaceflight mission, carrying six passengers, at 15:30 pm Universal Coordinated Time. > Liftoff! 🚀 [#NewShepard](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewShepard?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [#NS28](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NS28?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/Iu2g4Y9gk3](https://t.co/Iu2g4Y9gk3?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) [November 22, 2024](https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1860012706754965595?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of New Shepard for the NS-28 mission, via [Blue Origin on X](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1860012706754965595?ref=proximareport.com). The mission took place from the company's west Texas launch site and reached an altitude of 107 kilometers, passing above the Kármán line briefly. Safe touchdown of the capsule occurred at T+10:14, while the booster safely landed using its engines three minutes prior. Following the crew's egress from the capsule, the company [stated](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-shepard-ns-28-mission?ref=proximareport.com) the following: > "Today, Blue Origin successfully completed its ninth human spaceflight and the 28th flight for the New Shepard program. The astronaut crew included: Emily Calandrelli, Sharon Hagle, Marc Hagle, Austin Litteral, James (J.D.) Russell, and Henry (Hank) Wolfond. Sharon and Marc Hagle both flew for the second time. Including today’s crew, New Shepard has now flown 47 people to space." Emily Calandrelli was a major focus of Blue Origin's commentary during its [webcast](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1859974622684274872?ref=proximareport.com) as she was the [one-hundredth woman](https://x.com/TheSpaceGal/status/1858852830531989975?ref=proximareport.com) to fly into space, recognized as 50 miles, or 80.5 kilometers, in altitude by the U.S. government. Also onboard were two repeat passengers for New Shepard, Sharon Hagle and Marc Hagle. Both of them previously flew for the NS-20 mission back in [March of 2022](https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-flies-six-on-first-new-shepard-suborbital-flight-of-2022/?ref=proximareport.com). The booster supporting this mission, New Shepard-4, was flying for the twelfth time while the capsule, R.S.S. First Step, was flying for the eleventh time. ![Blue Origin's patch for the NS-28 mission. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/NS-28-patch.png) Blue Origin's patch for the NS-28 mission. ©Blue Origin According to [Blue Origin](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-shepard-ns-28-mission?ref=proximareport.com), NS-28's mission patch has a few embedded symbols including; the color pink and the girl in the signature pink overalls represents Emily Calandrelli, the centerline in the “2” represents Sharon and Marc Hagle’s second flight on New Shepard, the stars represent Austin Litteral’s vision for people among the stars, the people at the bottom represents J.D. Russell’s hope for generations of people expanding their understanding of the world, and the wolf in the crew capsule’s window represents Hank Wolfond. ## Who was flying to space? ![The NS-28 Crew (left to right): Sharon Hagle, Marc Hagle, Emily Calandrelli, J.D. Russell, Hank Wolfond, and Austin Litteral. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/NS28_AstronautPortrait-Crew.jpg) The NS-28 Crew (left to right): Sharon Hagle, Marc Hagle, Emily Calandrelli, J.D. Russell, Hank Wolfond, and Austin Litteral. ©Blue Origin #### Emily Calandrelli Emily is an MIT engineer, Emmy-nominated TV host, and #1 NYTimes best-selling author known as @TheSpaceGal online. Host of Netflix’s Emily’s Wonder Lab, Emily's Science Lab on YouTube, and author of nine books, Emily works to inspire young people to see themselves in STEAM. #### Sharon Hagle Sharon is the founder of SpaceKids Global, a nonprofit she created in 2015 whose mission is to inspire elementary students to excel in STEAM education, ensuring girls are equally represented. Sharon and her husband, Marc, first flew to space on NS-20 on March 31, 2022, becoming the first married couple to launch on a commercial space vehicle. #### Marc Hagle Marc is president and CEO of Tricor International, a residential and commercial property development corporation. Marc and his wife, Sharon, are avid philanthropists for numerous arts, sciences, health, and education-related charities. Marc first flew to space on NS-20 on March 31, 2022\. #### Austin Litteral Austin works as a risk management professional in the financial services industry. He’s a husband and a father of two daughters. Austin spends his free time hiking in state parks with his family and cheering for the local sports teams. This trip will fulfill a childhood dream of becoming an astronaut, having grown up with photos of NASA shuttle launches in his bedroom. Austin’s seat is sponsored by Whatnot, and won his seat as part of the Whatnot to the Moon giveaway. #### James (J.D.) Russell J.D. is a serial entrepreneur and founder of InfoHOA, a leader in technology-based community management solutions. He founded the Victoria Russell Foundation to honor the memory of his deceased daughter. The foundation is dedicated to supporting children’s education and assistance to families of first responders, and is a proud partner with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to bring the love of reading to children by gifting books free of charge to children. #### Henry (Hank) Wolfond Henry is Chairman and CEO of Bayshore Capital in Toronto, Canada. A lifelong aviator, Henry holds an Airline Transport Pilots license for fixed wing aircraft and a Commercial Pilots License for Helicopters. He moonlights as a professional pilot on charter, medevac, and organ retrieval flights. *Passenger descriptions largely from Blue Orign's* [*pre-flight press release*](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-shepard-ns-28-mission?ref=proximareport.com)*.* ## What is New Shepard? New Shepard is a single-stage reusable sub-orbital launch vehicle flown and manufactured by American aerospace company Blue Origin. New Shepard commonly flies tourists and microgravity science missions. The capsule of New Shepard can carry either six passengers or an undisclosed mass of science experiments. The capsule also has an abort motor in the event of failure during the boosters phase of flight. The booster of New Shepard is powered by one BE-3 engine generating a believed 50 tons of thrust burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for up to two-minutes and twenty-one seconds. The BE-3 engine is capable of restarting in-flight enabling the booster to be recovered and reused. New Shepard's booster also has numerous aerodynamic surfaces to allow the booster to guide itself during unpowered flight. ### Totally Bananas! SpaceX Lands Starship and Super Heavy at Sea! URL: https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-6/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:38:45.000Z From SpaceX's Starbase launch site, near Boca Chica in south Texas, Starship-Super Heavy flew its sixth flight test at 22:00 pm Universal Coordinated Time. This flight test utilized Ship 31 and Super Heavy Booster 13\. In a first for the Starship program, a payload was onboard. This payload was a [banana](https://x.com/Starlink/status/1858987465136369766?ref=proximareport.com) attached to the Starlink satellite deployment mechanism, doubling as a microgravity indicator too. > Liftoff of Starship! [pic.twitter.com/rSLQ2DDy63](https://t.co/rSLQ2DDy63?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [November 19, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1858994002311475519?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of Starship-Super Heavy for the fifth flight test, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1858994002311475519?ref=proximareport.com). Once again the Super Heavy booster lit all thirty-three Raptor engines, carrying the entire vehicle skyward. All engines remained running up until 'most engines cut-off'. With 'most engines cut-off', Ship 31 lit all six of its Raptor engines to hot-stage from the booster. After Ship 31 hot-staged, Booster 13 began its boost back burn to head back towards the launch site. The boost back burn was performed as planned but safety criteria were not fulfilled for a return to the launch site. With the criteria unfulfilled, Booster 13 headed for the Gulf of Mexico instead, and successfully splashed down. > Super Heavy initiates its landing burn and softly splashes down in the Gulf of Mexico [pic.twitter.com/BZ3Az4GssC](https://t.co/BZ3Az4GssC?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [November 19, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1858995728783384815?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Super Heavy Booster 13 during its landing burn and splashdown, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1858995728783384815?ref=proximareport.com). While the booster was splashing down, Ship 31 completed its ascent to a barely sub-orbital trajectory. This trajectory sent the vehicle to the targeted reentry site in the Indian Ocean. While coasting towards atmospheric reentry, SpaceX performed its first [in-space Raptor relight](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1859003365382033668?ref=proximareport.com). This relight of a Raptor engine in the microgravity environment is a key technology milestone ahead of an orbital flight of Starship. After coasting through space for a little over forty minutes, plasma began to build in front of Ship 31's heatshield for atmospheric reentry. During reentry, some of the steel on Ship 31 began to deform in areas where thermal protection tiles had been removed while debris were spotted falling away. A few burn-throughs were seen, but no structural failures are believed to have occurred. > Live views brought to you by [@Starlink](https://twitter.com/Starlink?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/QryeQ62yiP](https://t.co/QryeQ62yiP?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [November 19, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1859005124494156063?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 31 during atmospheric reentry, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1859005124494156063?ref=proximareport.com). Following atmospheric reentry Ship 31 emerged in daylight over the Indian Ocean. Not long after Ship 31 was traveling at sub-sonic speeds in a nose-down position to test stress limits on the vehicle. Under a kilometer above the ocean surface, three Raptor engines relit for the 'flip-and-burn' maneuver. With the engines relit Ship 31 softly splashed down in the Indian Ocean, completing the sixth flight test. > Splashdown confirmed! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on an exciting sixth flight test of Starship! [pic.twitter.com/bf98Va9qmL](https://t.co/bf98Va9qmL?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [November 19, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1859010620471079361?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 31 splashing down in the Indian Ocean, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1859010620471079361?ref=proximareport.com). Shortly after splashdown of Ship 31, Elon Musk, SpaceX's Chief Executive Officer, [stated](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1859036912348262787?ref=proximareport.com) that Starship would perform one more ocean landing ahead of the first ship catch attempt, meaning the first catch of a ship could occur in early 2025\. A few hours after the end of the sixth flight test, SpaceX also said the following [on its website](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-6&ref=proximareport.com): > "The sixth flight test of Starship launched from Starbase on November 19, 2024, seeking to expand the envelope on ship and booster capabilities and get closer to bringing reuse of the entire system online." > > "The Super Heavy booster successfully lifted off at the start of the launch window, with all 33 Raptor engines powering it and Starship off the pad from Starbase. Following a nominal ascent and stage separation, the booster successfully transitioned to its boostback burn to begin the return to launch site. During this phase, automated health checks of critical hardware on the launch and catch tower triggered an abort of the catch attempt. The booster then executed a pre-planned divert maneuver, performing a landing burn and soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico." > > "Starship completed another successful ascent, placing it on the expected trajectory. The ship successfully reignited a single Raptor engine while in space, demonstrating the capabilities required to conduct a ship deorbit burn before starting fully orbital missions. With live views and telemetry being relayed by Starlink, the ship successfully made it through reentry and executed a flip, landing burn, and soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean." > > "Data gathered from the multiple thermal protection experiments, as well as the successful flight through subsonic speeds at a more aggressive angle of attack, provides invaluable feedback on flight hardware performing in a flight environment as we aim for eventual ship return and catch." > > "With data and flight learnings as our primary payload, Starship’s sixth flight test once again delivered. Lessons learned will directly make the entire Starship system more reliable as we close in on full and rapid reusability." ## How does it compare to flight five? On the last flight, Super Heavy Booster 12 lit all thirty-three of its Raptor engines successfully. All engines remained running up until 'most engines cut-off' for hot-staging, with Ship 30 lighting all six of its engines to head into space. After hot-staging, Booster 12 relit ten of its engines to perform its boost back burn to head back to the launch site. Once the boost back burn was complete, Booster 12 separated the hot-staging ring and passed through its descent. Following descent Booster 12 lit all thirteen engines again, before going down to three, for the first successful Super Heavy Booster catch of SpaceX's Starship program! > Thousands of distinct vehicle and pad criteria had to be met prior to catching the Super Heavy booster. Thanks to the tireless work of SpaceX engineers, we succeeded with catch on our first attempt. [pic.twitter.com/6wa5v6xHI0](https://t.co/6wa5v6xHI0?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 13, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1845542074609004971?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Super Heavy Booster 12 during its landing burn and tower catch, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1845542074609004971?ref=proximareport.com). While the booster was being caught back in Texas, Ship 30 was heading toward reentry over the Indian Ocean. Ship 30 passed through atmospheric reentry with only minor burn-throughs, retaining precise control throughout. Following reentry Ship 30 kept accurate control during sub-sonic descent for a few minutes as planned. Once the vehicle was low enough three Raptor engines relit to perform the 'flip-and-burn' maneuver to successful splashdown in close proximity to SpaceX's pre-placed cameras. > Starship flip maneuver and landing burn on its fifth flight test. Vehicle improvements ensured flaps were protected from high heating, resulting in a controlled entry and high accuracy splashdown at the targeted area in the Indian Ocean [pic.twitter.com/nLIQLLVMv1](https://t.co/nLIQLLVMv1?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 18, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1847368836947071496?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 30 during its 'flip-and-burn' to splashdown in the Indian Ocean, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1847368836947071496?ref=proximareport.com). ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-one meters tall and weighs 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ### What is Starship? ![Ship 31 during a tanking test in mid-November. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GcnMn2racAAD2MJ-1.jpg) Ship 31 during a tanking test in mid-November. ©SpaceX Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Starship is believed to weigh 1,300,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. In order to survive re-entry for reuse, Starship has several thousand thermal protection tiles on one side of the vehicle and on all four of its aerodynamic control surfaces. The four control surfaces help guide the vehicle during re-entry and prior to landing inside the atmosphere at a pre-determined location. Starship also has a series of small thrusters to control the vehicle in space before re-entry. SpaceX is believed to be working on a few variants of Starship for use as a Moon lander, propellant tanker, space station, Mars lander, and as a crewed spacecraft. ### What is Super Heavy? ![Booster 13 during rollout from the production site in mid-November. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GcXoW_naYAAfG5m-1.jpg) Booster 13 during rollout from the production site in mid-November. ©SpaceX Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. To enable the reuse of Super Heavy, the vehicle has four large grid fins placed in the interstage to assist in guiding and controlling during descent. Super Heavy also has four chines running along the lower third of it to generate lift and assist in stabilization. Shortly after completing the ascent, Super Heavy relights ten engines, as three were running during staging, and performs a 'boost back' burn in order to return to the launch site. After the 'boost back' burn is completed the engines shut down with Super Heavy being guided by a series of small thrusters and its grid fins. Once Super Heavy is at the correct altitude above its landing location three engines start back up for the landing burn. SpaceX currently plans to have Super Heavy land in the ocean with launch site landing attempts happening with later flights. Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ### Weekly Dose of Space (10/11-16/11) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-10-11-16-11/ Last updated: 2024-11-27T16:23:18.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had seven orbital launches occur, with the majority of them carrying Starlink satellites. News this week had China deliver supplies to its space station, New Glenn awarded a launch contract, and JPL laying off part of its workforce. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on November 11th when the water deluge system was activated as part of a test ahead of flight six. That night Ship 31 was rolled out from the production site to the launch site, after arriving it was parked near the Orbital Launch Mount. A few days later on November 14th, Booster 13 was also rolled out from the production site to the launch site. Shortly after arriving at the launch site, Booster 13 was lifted onto the Orbital Launch Mount, hopefully for the final time ahead of flight. The next day, November 15th, Ship 31 was lifted on top of Booster 13, fully stacking the flight six Starship-Super Heavy vehicle. Booster 13 also performed a grid fin 'wiggle' to test their movement ahead of flight. The Orbital Launch Mounts detonation suppression system was also tested on the fifteenth. Installation of the flight termination system explosives was believed to have been completed on November 16th. These explosives are placed on Ship 31 and Booster 13 to quickly terminate the flight in case of an anomaly. ![Ship 31 and Booster 13 on the Orbital Launch Mount ahead of flight six. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GcebFG0aMAICcR4-1.jpg) Ship 31 and Booster 13 on the Orbital Launch Mount ahead of flight six. ©SpaceX ## **Launches This Week** ### *November 11th - Kinetica-1 with 15 payloads* CAS Space's fifth Kinetica-1 launch began this weeks launches carrying fifteen payloads into sun-synchronus orbit using a 3.35-diameter fairing for the first time. The payloads onboard were Jilin-1 Gaofen 05B for a high-resolution imaging technology demonstration, Jilin-1 Pintai 02A03 for optical remote-sensing, Xiguang-1 04 for methane monitoring, Xiguang-1 05 for hyperspectral remote sensing, Oman's Intelligent Remote Sensing Satellite-1, six Yunyao-1 meteorological satellites, and three Shiyan-26 technology demonstration satellites. ![Kinetica-1 Y5 during first-stage flight from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/_com.apple.Pasteboard.LMOGkH-1.jpeg) Kinetica-1 Y5 during first-stage flight from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *November 11th - Falcon 9 with Koreasat 6A* SpaceX launched the Koreasat 6A satellite to geostationary transfer orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Supporting this launch was booster B1067, on its twenty-third mission and landing back at Landing Zone 1. ![Booster B1067 landing at Landing Zone 1 during the Koreasat 6A mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GcIOpXSasAk7kmo.jpg) Booster B1067 landing at Landing Zone 1 during the Koreasat 6A mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-69* A batch of twenty-four Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. This launch was supported by booster B1080, flying for the twelfth time and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-69 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GcI4Ze0asAIVCqr-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-69 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 13th - Long March 4B with Haiyang-4 01* A Long March 4B blasted off from Launch Complex 9 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying the Haiyang-4 01 satellite into sun-synchronous orbit. The Haiyang-4 01, also called Ocean-4 01, satellite will support ecological forecasting, water-cycle monitoring, marine environmental forecasting, short-term climate prediction, and global climate change research. ![The Long March 4B Y53 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 9.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/0080MYmPgy1hvlfb2t50wj31jk2bc7wi-1.jpg) The Long March 4B Y53 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 9. ### *November 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-11* Another batch of twenty Starlink satellites were launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, atop of Falcon 9\. Booster B1082 supported this mission for its eighth flight, and landed downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 9-11 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GcVFvfsbkAAIKnL-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 9-11 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-68* Twenty-four more Starlink satellites were launched atop of Falcon 9 to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this launch was booster B1076 for its eighteenth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 6-68 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GcWtc-eXwAA22ra-1-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 6-68 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 15th - Long March 7 with Tianzhou-8* A Long March 7 lifted off from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site carrying the Tianzhou-8 cargo resupply spacecraft into low Earth orbit, where the spacecraft began to chase down the Tiangong Space Station afterward. ![The Long March 7 Y9 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 201 for the Tianzhou-8 mission.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/757dc9f5gy1hvndag1x1oj225o38ie81-1.jpg) The Long March 7 Y9 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 201 for the Tianzhou-8 mission. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Tianzhou-8 docks to China's space station* ![The Tianzhou-8 spacecraft docking to the aft docking port of the Tianhe core module. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/d2729742c6754e05a0d5495d6f46e58f.gif) The Tianzhou-8 spacecraft docking to the aft docking port of the Tianhe core module. ©China Manned Space Agency A little over three hours after launch on November 15th, the Tianzhou-8 cargo resupply spacecraft [docked](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-11-16/China-s-Tianzhou-8-cargo-spacecraft-docks-with-space-station-combination-1yyRFWguipq/p.html?ref=proximareport.com) at the aft docking port of the Tianhe core module of China's Tiangong Space Station, at 18:32 pm Universal Coordinated Time. [Onboard](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/tianzhou-8-heads-for-tiangong-long) the spacecraft are clothes, food, and other consumables to support the Shenzhou-19 and Shenzhou-20 crewed missions. Also onboard are gift packages for Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Dragon Boat Festival as well as birthday gifts for some of the crew, believed to be [Wang Haoze](https://proximareport.com/shenzhou-19-launch/#wang-haoze) (王浩泽) and [Cai Xuzhe](https://proximareport.com/shenzhou-19-launch/#cai-xuzhe) (蔡旭哲). Lunar brick samples are also onboard to test their thermal and mechanical performance as well as the impacts of cosmic radiation. If these tests are successful a new material will be available for construction on the lunar surface. The first brick is expected to return for study toward the end of 2025\. Other scientific experiments onboard are in the fields of materials science, microgravity fluid physics, space life, and biotechnology. A total of thirty-six experiments are being delivered, massing a total of 458 kilograms. ### *AST SpaceMobile to launch on New Glenn* AST SpaceMobile [stated](https://spacenews.com/ast-spacemobile-leans-on-blue-origin-to-ramp-up-satellite-launches/?ref=proximareport.com) on November 14th that it had booked an undisclosed number of launches on Blue Orign's New Glenn launch vehicle to deploy its Block 2 BlueBird satellites. The launches of Block 2 BlueBird satellites aboard New Glenn are [expected](https://www.satellitetoday.com/launch/2024/11/15/ast-spacemobile-signs-new-glenn-launch-deal-with-blue-origin/?ref=proximareport.com) in 2025 and 2026 carrying eight satellites within the rockets seven meter diameter fairing. New Glenn's launch schedule after its maiden flight in the coming weeks is somewhat vague, other customers for the rocket are Telesat Lightspeed, Amazon’s Project Kuiper, Eutelsat Communications, among others, possibly restricting launch opportunities of BlueBird satellites. Between 45 and 60 Block 2 satellites are needed for AST SpaceMobile's space-based cellular broadband constellation to provide coverage over the United States. Other launch providers are also contracted to launch Block 2 BlueBird satellites, with one satellite for launch on India's GSLV and eight satellites on two of SpaceX's Falcon 9. ### *JPL cuts 5% of its workforce* NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) [announced](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/jpl-workforce-update%5F-/?ref=proximareport.com) on November 12th that it was cutting five percent of its workforce due to funding constraints. The five percent reduction will have 325 people laid off from JPL. Laurie Leshin, JPL's Director, wrote the following about the layoffs: > "Despite this being incredibly difficult for our community, this number is lower than projected a few months ago thanks in part to the hard work of so many people across JPL. The workforce assessment conducted as part of this process has been both extensive and thorough, and although we can never have perfect insight into the future, I sincerely believe that after this action we will be at a more stable workforce level moving forward." This is also the second time this year that JPL has had to cut its workforce. Back in [February](https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/11/for-the-second-time-this-year-nasas-jpl-center-cuts-its-workforce/?ref=proximareport.com) 530 employees were let go. JPL is now left with approximately 5,500 employees having reduced its total workforce by roughly 1/8th. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is targeting the launch of its [sixth flight test](https://proximareport.com/starships-sixth-november-18th/) of its Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle no earlier than [November 19th](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1857624156952735839?ref=proximareport.com). This flight test will utilize Ship 31 and Super Heavy Booster 13 to repeat the booster catch and possibly perform an in-space Raptor relight. ### *November 17th - Falcon 9 with Optus-X* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Launch Complex 39A carrying the Optus-X satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit. ### *November 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-12* A batch of Starlink satellites is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of a Falcon 9. ### *November 18th - Falcon 9 with GSAT-20* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying the Indian GSAT-20 communications satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit. ### *November 19th - Starship-Super Heavy for flight test six* SpaceX is planning to conduct its sixth flight test of its Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle using Ship 31 and Booster 13 from its launch site in south Texas. ### *November 20th - HASTE with Leidos-2* Rocket Lab is believed to be conducting a HASTE launch from Launch Complex 2, in Virginia, on behalf of Leidos and Dynetics. HASTE, Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron, is a suborbital version of the company's Electron launch vehicle. ### *November 21st - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-29* The Progress MS-29 mission is expected to lift off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome atop of a Soyuz 2.1a and head to the International Space Station. ### *November 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-66* Yet another Falcon 9 is expecting to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *November 23rd - Electron for 'Ice AIS Baby'* Electron is expected to launch five Internet of Things satellites to low Earth orbit, from Launch Complex 1 on the Māhia Peninsula, on behalf of the French company Kinéis. ### Rocket Lab shares update on Neutron development, Mars sample mission bid URL: https://proximareport.com/rocket-lab-q3-2024/ Last updated: 2024-11-13T13:16:11.000Z Rocket Lab held its [fiscal year 2024 third-quarter financial results update and conference call](https://investors.rocketlabusa.com/events-and-presentations/events/event-details/2024/Third-Quarter-2024-Financial-Results-Update-and-Conference-Call/default.aspx?ref=proximareport.com) on November 12th. During the call, the company shared progress updates on the partially reusable Neutron rocket, its bid for the U.S. Mars Sample Return mission, Electron missions, and the company's outlook for the near future. Neutron was a major focus of Rocket Lab's presentation with the company quickly mentioning that the launch vehicle has already had two launches booked for a commercial constellation, at Rocket Lab's targeted price. The company believes that Neutron may possibly launch the entire constellation, the constellations operator was not mentioned in the presentation. Rocket Lab also expects Neutron to be positioned well for the on-ramp to the U.S. Space Force’s National Security Space Launch Lane 1 program, due to company experience with Electron. Hardware progress for Neutron has been actively underway ahead of a maiden launch in 2025\. Second-stage testing recently culminated in a wet dress rehearsal of the stage in a flight configuration with avionics, fluids, and propellant management systems present. Progress on the first-stage is close behind as teams have recently passed manufacturing milestones ahead of testing similar to what the second-stage recently passed. Neutron's fairings have also completed assembly and integration ahead of its testing campaign. The two halves will remain attached to the first-stage and protect the second-stage and payload during ascent, ahead of opening to allow the second-stage to reach orbit. ![One of Neutron's fairing halves with Peter Beck, Rocket Lab's CEO, for scale. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GcP3yjkasAEeQth.jpg) One of Neutron's fairing halves with Peter Beck, Rocket Lab's CEO, for scale. ©Rocket Lab Testing of the Archimedes engine is stated as being in full swing with multiple engines participating in firing tests and refurbishment between tests. Rocket Lab believes that the engine is proving its durability and design while reaching performance expectations. Engine testing is said to have doubled along with an increased production rate, figures were not given. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GcO6TvwasAEuIa9.jpg) An Archimedes engine during a firing test. ©Rocket Lab Construction for Neutron's launch pad at Launch Complex 3, at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia, is well underway with fabrication of the launch mount currently ongoing along with testing of launch vehicle hold-down mechanisms. Recent weeks have had ground-side propellant tanks installed and concrete poured for the vehicle's flame trench. Installation of Neutron's launch mount in Virginia is expected soon. The assembly, integration, and test facility three miles from the launch pad has also completed construction ahead of delivery of the first flight vehicle next year. Another major key point of Rocket Lab's presentation was the company's proposal for NASA's Mars Sample Return mission, having been selected [back in October](https://proximareport.com/rocket-lab-mars-sample-return/) as a potential choice. Rocket Lab believes they already possess the expertise to return NASA's Mars samples due to delivering the two ESCAPADE Mars orbit spacecraft, having designed a spacecraft that returned to Earth from orbit, supporting proximity operations for Astroscale and U.S. Space Force missions, along with being an industry leader in mission software and routine small satellite launch. Due to company acquisitions Rocket Lab's teams have already worked on the Insight Lander, Perseverance Rover, Ingenuity Helicopter, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN mission, and the Mars Science Laboratory Cruise Stage. With all this expertise Rocket Lab is confident in their chances to win the Mars Sample Return contract. NASA is expected to decide on the contract later this year. ![A render of Rocket Lab's proposal for NASA's Mars Sample Return mission. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/RocketLab-MSR.PNG) A render of Rocket Lab's proposal for NASA's Mars Sample Return mission. ©Rocket Lab Electron has remained the workhorse of Rocket Lab's launch operations, with it becoming the third most launched rocket in 2024 so far with 12 launches. The two rockets ahead of it are SpaceX's Falcon 9 with 105 launches and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology's Long March 2 series with 14 launches, as of November 5th. Quarter three had three Electron missions occur for Synspective, Capella Space, and Kinéis, all repeat customers. Highlighted in the presentation, Electron's most recent mission had Rocket Lab sign a contract with a currently unnamed customer, [rumored to be E-Space](https://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-launches-undisclosed-commercial-payload/?ref=proximareport.com), ten weeks before launch, demonstrating a real-world rapid turnaround. Rocket Lab believes it is the only small launch provider capable of a rapid turnaround service due to its mass production of Electron, reliable capabilities, and team experience. The [U.S. military is reportedly](https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/09/firefly-and-space-force-demonstrate-ability-to-rapidly-launch-a-satellite/?ref=proximareport.com) highly interested in this capability. Currently, Rocket Lab has a 1.048 billion United States Dollar backlog on orders for launches and space systems. Launches make up 326.4 million of the backlog with space systems making up the other 721.2 million. Rocket Lab believes they can clear half of the backlog within 12 months and the rest afterward. This over billion-dollar backlog was an eighty percent year-on-year increase, largely driven by the U.S. Space Development Agency and Electron launch bookings, according to the company. In the next quarter of fiscal year 2024, Rocket Lab is expecting to increase its launch cadence for Electron along with growing its space systems revenue. Next fiscal year the company is planning to begin flying Neutron too. ## Who is Rocket Lab? Rocket Lab is an American spaceflight company founded in June 2006 and headquartered in Long Beach, California. Rocket Lab currently operates the Electron small satellite launch vehicle and is developing the partially reusable medium-lift Neutron launch vehicle. The company also owns a number of other spaceflight companies to provide an end-to-end solution from mission planning to launch. ### Weekly Dose of Space (3/11-9/11) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-3-11-9-11/ Last updated: 2024-11-27T16:20:51.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had seven orbital launches occur, with the majority being Falcon 9\. News this week had China's previous human spaceflight mission end and SpaceX's Cargo Dragon spacecraft boosting the International Space Station's orbit. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase has been a quiet one, with hardware for future launch infrastructure and vehicles largely staying out of sight. However SpaceX did announce this week that the sixth flight test would launch on November 18th, a littler over a week from now. The vehicles for that next flight are believed to be Ship 31 and Booster 13. > Starship’s fifth flight test was a seminal moment in iterating towards a fully and rapidly reusable launch system. > > Next up: the sixth flight test of Starship is targeted to launch as early as Monday, November 18 → [https://t.co/oIFc3u9laE](https://t.co/oIFc3u9laE?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/5496ApNHkA](https://t.co/5496ApNHkA?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [November 6, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1854230607603360190?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The announcement of flight six's launch date and recap of the previous flight test, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1854230607603360190?ref=proximareport.com). ## **Launches This Week** ### *November 4th - H3 with DSN-3* A H3 rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying the DSN-3, also called Kirameki 3, satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit. The satellite will be used for Japanese military communications. ![H3 lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying the DSN-3 satellite. ©JAXA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/6cddb2fd2ce76c3608ca23da9fd74aef-1.jpg) H3 lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying the DSN-3 satellite. ©JAXA ### *November 4th - Soyuz 2.1b with Ionosfera-M 1 & 2* A Soyuz 2.1b lifted off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome carrying two Ionosfera-M satellites to sun-synchronous orbit. The Ionosfera-M satellites are part of a small constellation for ionospheric and magnetospheric research. ### *November 5th - Falcon 9 with CRS-31* SpaceX began its thirty-first cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station on November 5th. This mission is delivering 2,762 kilograms of cargo and performing a reboost test. More details about this mission are available [here](https://proximareport.com/cargo-dragon-crs-31/). ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the CRS-31 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GboRYWwWoAAp7mK-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the CRS-31 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 5th - Electron for 'Changes in Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, and headed to a sun-synchronous orbit. Aboard Electron was one satellite that is rumored to be owned by E-Space. > Up, up and away for the 54th time 🚀 [pic.twitter.com/1vMHPRbEuc](https://t.co/1vMHPRbEuc?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) [November 6, 2024](https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1854247564805328922?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B on November 5th, via [Rocket Lab on X](https://x.com/RocketLab/status/1854247564805328922?ref=proximareport.com). ### *November 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-77* Twenty-three Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster supporting this mission was B1085, making its third flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 6-77 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/Gb0LmrnbgAA_aT6-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 6-77 mission. ©SpaceX ### *November 9th - Long March 2C with four PIESAT-2 satellites* A Long March 2C lifted off from Launch Area 4 at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying four PIESAT-2 satellites to a sun-synchronous orbit. The PIESAT-2 satellites are X-band synthetic aperture radar imaging spacecraft, as part of a potential constellation of sixteen. ![The Long March 2C Y55 vehicle during first-stage flight.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/707031d8ly1hvfvib87wij21bf1z41ky-1.jpg) The Long March 2C Y55 vehicle during first-stage flight. ### *November 9th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-10* Another Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1081 on its eleventh flight, and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 9-10 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/Gb7X2uLbwAIoYrs-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 9-10 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Dragon boosts the International Space Station* ![Cargo Dragon C208 firing its Draco thrusters as part of a test to reboost the International Space Station. ©Don Pettit/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/25664d0a2b1f86dc8f95b8fc4fc99043.jpg) Cargo Dragon C208 firing its Draco thrusters as part of a test to reboost the International Space Station. ©Don Pettit/NASA SpaceX's Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft [performed](https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2024/11/08/dragon-spacecraft-boosts-station-for-first-time/?ref=proximareport.com) its first reboost of the International Space Station, on November 8th, as part of the [CRS-31](https://proximareport.com/cargo-dragon-crs-31/) mission. The first reboost was part of a test of hardware and systems to inform the development of the [U.S. Deorbit Vehicle](https://proximareport.com/dragon-deorbit-iss/), and [lasted](https://x.com/spacex/status/1854964198926671912?t=4MCEg89x5YKfWSmAaSoK2w&ref=proximareport.com) twelve and a half minutes. According to NASA, the reboost changed the altitude of the station by 7/100 of a mile at the lowest point in its orbit and 7/10 of a mile at the lowest point in the orbit. The average orbit of the International Space Station is [now approximately](https://x.com/segeryu/status/1855158567940325615?t=4MCEg89x5YKfWSmAaSoK2w&ref=proximareport.com) five hundred meters higher. With a successful test this week, NASA may contract SpaceX to periodically reboost the International Space Station during future Crew or Cargo Dragon missions. Currently, only Northrop Grumman's Cygnus and Roscosmos' Progress vehicles have the capability to reboost the station. To maintain its orbit, the station requires reboost burns a few times each year. ### *Shenzhou-18 crew return to Earth* ![The Shenzhou-18 crew after being recovered from their reentry capsule: Ye Guangfu (left), Li Cong (center), and Li Guangsu (right).](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/SZ18-crew-recover.png) The Shenzhou-18 crew after being recovered from their reentry capsule: Ye Guangfu (left), Li Cong (center), and Li Guangsu (right). On [November 3rd](https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202411/04/WS6727b212a310f1265a1cb189.html?ref=proximareport.com), the Shenzhou-18 mission came to an end as the spacecraft reentry capsule touched down at 17:24 pm Universal Coordinated Time at the Dongfeng Landing Site, within the Gobi Desert in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. As with all six-month missions to the Tiangong Space Station, three crew were onboard and were: Commander Ye Guangfu (叶光富), Operator Li Cong (李聪), and System Operator Li Guangsu (李广苏). Li Cong and Li Guangsu were both flying to space for the first time, and Ye Guangfu was in space for the second time. In a first for China's human spaceflight program, Ye Guangfu has become the first taikonaut to spend over a year in space, with a total of 374.5 days. Ye will hold his record for China's astronaut core for at least six months as Cai Xuzhe (蔡旭哲), of the Shenzhou-19 mission, is currently aboard the Tiangong Space Station for six months and already has spent 182 days in orbit. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is targeting the sixth flight test of its Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle no earlier than [November 18th](https://proximareport.com/starships-sixth-november-18th/). This flight test will utilize Ship 31 and Super Heavy Booster 13 to repeat the booster catch and possibly perform an in-space Raptor relight. ### *November 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-69* SpaceX is expecting to launch another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *November 11th - Kinetica-1 with fifteen payloads* CAS Space's Kinetica-1 launch vehicle is expected to launch from Launch Site 130 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying fifteen payloads to sun-synchronous orbit. ### *November 11th - Falcon 9 with Koreasat-6A* Koreasat-6A is expecting to be delivered to a geostationary transfer orbit by a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. ### *November 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-68* Another batch of Starlink satellites are expecting to be delivered to low Earth orbit by a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *November 13th - Long March 4C with a to-be-confirmed payload* A Long March 4C is believed to be launching from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying an unknown payload. ### *November 14th - Starlink Group 9-11* Yet another batch of Starlink satellites are planned to be launch from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of a Falcon 9. ### Starship's sixth flight to launch on November 18th URL: https://proximareport.com/starships-sixth-november-18th/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:39:01.000Z A little over a month ago, SpaceX flew the [fifth flight test](https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-5/) of its Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. Since the previous flight test, the company has been working quickly towards the sixth flight test and [announced today](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1854230607603360190?ref=proximareport.com) that this mission could occur as soon as November 18th. This flight test is expected to be performed by Ship 31 and Booster 13\. These vehicles have already performed static fire tests and had cryogenic propellants loaded into the vehicles for testing. SpaceX did not perform a wet dress rehearsal for the last flight, so it is unlikely that one will occur for flight six. Unlike the last flight, SpaceX is [planning](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-6&ref=proximareport.com) to relight a Raptor engine in space. Relighting a Raptor engine in space is believed to be a needed milestone before Starship is allowed to enter orbit on a future flight. This test had been [planned](https://proximareport.com/starships-third-flight-to-happen-as-early-as-thursday/) for Starship's [third flight test](https://proximareport.com/starship-super-heavy-flies-its-third-test/), but it did not occur due to uncontrolled rolls during its coast phase in space. SpaceX is also planning on removing parts of Ship 31's heatshield and reentering at a steeper angle for the sixth flight, with the company's reasoning as follows: > "The flight test will assess new secondary thermal protection materials and will have entire sections of heat shield tiles removed on either side of the ship in locations being studied for catch-enabling hardware on future vehicles. The ship also will intentionally fly at a higher angle of attack in the final phase of descent, purposefully stressing the limits of flap control to gain data on future landing profiles." The sixth flight test will also be [hoping](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-6&ref=proximareport.com) to reenter the atmosphere in daylight, to allow for better visual observations during the most unknown part of Starship's flight profile. To allow for a daylight reentry, liftoff is planned for 16:00 pm U.S. Central Time, or 22:00 pm Universal Coordinated Time. > Thousands of distinct vehicle and pad criteria had to be met prior to catching the Super Heavy booster. Thanks to the tireless work of SpaceX engineers, we succeeded with catch on our first attempt. [pic.twitter.com/6wa5v6xHI0](https://t.co/6wa5v6xHI0?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 13, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1845542074609004971?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Super Heavy Booster 12 during its landing burn and tower catch for the fifth flight test, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1845542074609004971?ref=proximareport.com). SpaceX is also planning to catch Super Heavy Booster 13 during the sixth flight test, gathering more data for 'rapid reuse' repeating the technical marvel from the last flight. Improvements have also been made for unloading propellant after the booster is caught by the launch tower. Thousands of criteria, and a command from the ground, will still be needed before Booster 13 is caught. The sixth flight test will also be the final mission for a 'Block 1' Starship second-stage. Flight seven and beyond will be using 'Block 2' Starship second-stages, which feature redesigned forward flaps, larger propellant tanks, and a more advanced heat shield. In a first for the Starship program, SpaceX has a launch license for this mission already. The license for flight six was [granted](https://spacenews.com/spacex-plans-next-starship-flight-for-mid-november/?ref=proximareport.com) along with flight five's, despite some changes to the flight plan. ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-one meters tall and weighs 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ### What is Starship? ![Ship 31 during a six-engine static fire test in late September. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GXzva1UboAAHN1c.jpg) Ship 31 during a six-engine static fire test in late September. ©SpaceX Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Starship is believed to weigh 1,300,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. In order to survive re-entry for reuse, Starship has several thousand thermal protection tiles on one side of the vehicle and on all four of its aerodynamic control surfaces. The four control surfaces help guide the vehicle during re-entry and prior to landing inside the atmosphere at a pre-determined location. Starship also has a series of small thrusters to control the vehicle in space before re-entry. SpaceX is believed to be working on a few variants of Starship for use as a Moon lander, propellant tanker, space station, Mars lander, and as a crewed spacecraft. ### What is Super Heavy? ![Booster 13 during transportation to SpaceX's launch site in south Texas. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GahecZ5aAAEX7GX-1.jpg) Booster 13 during transportation to SpaceX's launch site in south Texas. ©SpaceX Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. To enable the reuse of Super Heavy, the vehicle has four large grid fins placed in the interstage to assist in guiding and controlling during descent. Super Heavy also has four chines running along the lower third of it to generate lift and assist in stabilization. Shortly after completing the ascent, Super Heavy relights ten engines, as three were running during staging, and performs a 'boost back' burn in order to return to the launch site. After the 'boost back' burn is completed the engines shut down with Super Heavy being guided by a series of small thrusters and its grid fins. Once Super Heavy is at the correct altitude above its landing location three engines start back up for the landing burn. SpaceX currently plans to have Super Heavy land in the ocean with launch site landing attempts happening with later flights. Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ### Dragon arrives at ISS ahead of reboost test URL: https://proximareport.com/cargo-dragon-crs-31/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:46:12.000Z SpaceX's thirty-first Cargo Re-Supply (CRS) mission arrived at the International Space Station on November 5th, at 14:52 pm Universal Coordinated Time. This mission carries 2,762 kilograms of cargo, with 327 kilograms of unpressurized cargo. Notably, for the first time during a Dragon spacecraft's mission to the space station, Dragon's Draco thrusters [will be performing](https://x.com/SpoxSpace/status/1853546827196301316?ref=proximareport.com) a reboost burn. This burn is expected to last twelve and a half minutes on [November 8th](https://spacenews.com/falcon-9-launches-cargo-dragon-mission-to-iss-2/?ref=proximareport.com) to test Dragon's systems and collect data to inform the development of the [U.S. Deorbit Vehicle](https://proximareport.com/dragon-deorbit-iss/), which SpaceX won the contract for back in July. If this test is successful, NASA may contract SpaceX to periodically reboost the International Space Station during future Crew or Cargo Dragon missions. Currently, only Northrop Grumman's Cygnus and Roscosmos' Progress vehicles have the capability to reboost the station. To maintain its orbit, the station requires reboost burns a few times each year. [Liftoff of the CRS-31](https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2024/11/04/nasas-spacex-crs-31-dragon-launches-at-929-p-m-est/?ref=proximareport.com) mission occurred at 02:29 am Universal Coordinated Time, on November 5th, from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. This launch was also SpaceX's [400th successful](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1853653474300621098?ref=proximareport.com) Falcon launch overall, including Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Falcon 1. > Falcon 9’s first stage has landed at LZ-1 [pic.twitter.com/tQ4TJQUwTk](https://t.co/tQ4TJQUwTk?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [November 5, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1853627806976295362?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster B1083 landing at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, in Florida, via [SpaceX on X.](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1853627806976295362?ref=proximareport.com) The booster supporting the CRS-31 mission was B1083, performing its fifth launch and landing. This booster has previously supported the Crew-8, Starlink Group 6-48, Starlink Group 6-56, and Polaris Dawn missions. The Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft conducting the resupply mission is believed to be C208, making its fifth trip to the International Space Station. C208 has been actively supporting resupply missions since December 2020, having flown for the CRS-21, CRS-23, CRS-25, and CRS-28 missions. NASA plans for Cargo Dragon C208 to be docked at the space station for approximately one month before it returns to Earth toward the end of the year. While at the station, C208 will remain docked at the Harmony modules forward-facing docking port. ![SpaceX's CRS-31 mission patch (left) and NASA's CRS-31 mission patch (right). ©SpaceX/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/NASA-SpaceX-patch.png) SpaceX's CRS-31 mission patch (left) and NASA's CRS-31 mission patch (right). ©SpaceX/NASA ## Notable research experiments onboard *The items from these sections are from NASA and can be found along with more information* [*here*](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/station/commercial-resupply/spacex-crs/nasa-spacex-31st-commercial-resupply-mission-overview/?ref=proximareport.com#hds-sidebar-nav-1)*.* ### Measuring Solar Wind The CODEX ([COronal Diagnostic EXperiment](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/codex/?ref=proximareport.com)) examines the solar wind, creating a globally comprehensive data to help scientists confirm theories for what heats the solar wind, which is a million degrees hotter than the Sun’s surface, and sends it streaming out at almost a million miles per hour. ### Antarctic Moss in Space A radiation tolerance experiment, [ARTEMOSS](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/station/research-explorer/investigation/??ref=proximareport.com#id=9228), uses a live Antarctic moss, Ceratodon purpureus, to study how some plants better tolerate exposure to radiation and to examine the physical and genetic response of biological systems to the combination of cosmic radiation and microgravity. Little research has been done on how these two factors together affect plant physiology and performance, and results could help identify biological systems suitable for use in bioregenerative life support systems on future missions. ### Exposing Materials to Space The [Euro Material Ageing](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/station/research-explorer/investigation/??ref=proximareport.com#id=8829) investigation from the European Space Agency includes two experiments studying how certain materials age while exposed to space. The first experiment, developed by Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales, includes materials selected from 15 European entities. The second experiment looks at organic samples and their stability or degradation when exposed to ultraviolet radiation not filtered by Earth’s atmosphere. ### Repairing Spacecraft from the Inside [Nanolab Astrobeat](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/station/research-explorer/investigation/??ref=proximareport.com#id=9225) investigates using cold welding to repair perforations in the outer shell or hull of a spacecraft from the inside. Less force is needed to fuse metallic materials in space than on Earth, and cold welding could be an effective way to repair spacecraft. ## What's going up on Dragon? - **Potable Water Dispenser Filter:** The filter unit, installed into the potable water dispenser on the station, will provide the capability to remove iodine from the water before the crew consumes it in food and drink packages. - **Reducer Cylinder Assembly & Emergency Portable Breathing Apparatus:** Together, this hardware provides 15 minutes of oxygen to a crew member in case of an emergency (smoke, fire, alarm). Two are launching to maintain minimum in-orbit spare requirement. - **Multifiltration Bed:** Supporting the water processor assembly, this spare unit will continue the International Space Station program’s effort to replace a degraded fleet of units in orbit that improve water quality through a single bed. - **Pump Package Assembly:** A variable speed pump, reservoir, accumulator assembly used for circulating coolant through the internal active thermal control system loops. This assembly is being flown to maintain the minimum in-orbit spare requirement. - **Microbial Removal Filter Cartridge Bag Assembly:** Used with the microbial removal filter to offload stowed water to water tank, the assembly will operate under suction to pull water through the filter. These assemblies are replacing current systems that are expiring. - **Advanced Restrictive Exercise Device Cable Arm Rope Assembly:** Distributes exercise loads through a series of pulleys. The ropes have a limited life cycle, and it is necessary to replace ropes that have achieved their cycle-life limit. This unit is being launched as an in-orbit spare. - **International Docking Adapter Planar Reflector Assembly:** With an aluminum base and reflective element, visiting vehicles reflect a laser to compute relative range, velocity and attitude to the space station. The current unit is scheduled to be retrieved and replaced during an upcoming spacewalk. ## What's coming back on Dragon later? - **Hydrogen Dome:** includes all hydrogen and oxygen electrolysis components within the space station’s oxygen generation assembly. These items are contained in a sub-ambient dome maintained at near vacuum pressure, designed to contain an explosion or fire in the electrolysis cell stack during operation. The dome provides a second barrier to protect against cabin air internal leakage and external leakage into the rack environment and is pressurized with nitrogen gas for launch. The dome is returning for repair and re-flight. - **Microgravity Experiment Research Locker Incubator Drawer:** An aluminum temperature-controlled container designed to maintain conditions for scientific experiments and is returning for refurbishment and re-flight. - **Catalytic Reactor:** The catalytic reactor replacement unit oxidizes volatile organics from the wastewater so they can be removed by the gas separator and ion exchange bed replacement units as part of the station’s water recycling system. This unit failed in orbit and is being returned for analysis and refurbishment. - **Ethylene Scrubber:** This container removes ethylene, a plant-produced gas, from the plant growth chamber and helps keep vegetables fresh. This unit will return for refurbishment and re-flight. - **Environmental Control System Module:** An aluminum box that holds the environmental control system for the plant growth chamber. The environmental control system controls the humidity and other environmental factors within the plant habitat. This module is returning for refurbishment and re-flight. - **Ion Exchange Bed:** The ion exchange bed unit consists of a pair of tubes in series containing ion exchange resins, which remove organic acids from the catalytic reactor effluent, and microbial check valve resin, which injects iodine into the water as a biocide agent. This unit is returning for repair and re-flight. - **Catalytic Oxidizer:** Allows the trace containment control system to remove molecular contaminants from in-orbit atmosphere. This item is returning for repair and re-flight. - **Urine Processor Assembly Pressure Control and Pump Assembly:** This multi-tube purge pump enables the removal of non-condensable gas and water vapor from the distillation assembly within the greater urine processing assembly subsystem. This unit is returning to the ground for repair and refurbishment in support of the legacy environmental control and life support system fleet. - **Potable Water Dispenser Filter:** The filter unit, installed into the potable water dispenser on the station, will provide the capability to remove iodine from the water before the crew consumes it in food and drink packages. This unit will return and be refurbished for re-flight. ## What is Cargo Dragon V2? Cargo Dragon V2 is a partially reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX. The primary use for Cargo Dragon V2 is to send cargo to and from the International Space Station. Cargo Dragon V2 consists of the capsule and trunk. The trunk is used to store unpressurized cargo as well as have solar panels mounted on one side, to generate power, and radiators on the other, to dissipate heat generated inside. The trunk is not reused and burns up in the atmosphere after each mission. Unlike Crew Dragon, Cargo Dragon V2's trunk has two fins due to it lacking the ability to escape from Falcon 9 in the event of a launch failure. The capsule is used to store pressurized cargo, this could include small living creatures that will undergo experiments onboard the International Space Station. The capsule also has a nosecone that will fold out of the way in space to protect the docking hardware and forward-facing thrusters during launch and landing. The forward-facing thrusters are the main propulsion system for performing maneuvers while in flight. Cargo Dragon V2's capsule is the only part of the spacecraft that can survive returning to Earth. The original Cargo Dragon was developed as part of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program to deliver cargo to the International Space Station. Cargo Dragon V1 would provide SpaceX with valuable insights and experience for it to develop Crew Dragon, which led to the introduction of Cargo Dragon V2. --- *Lead image from* [*Sen's 4K cameras*](https://youtu.be/AHiswqvU6NE?si=xz1ouOjOZDpeACFQ&ref=proximareport.com) *outside of the International Space Station.* ### Weekly Dose of Space (27/10-2/11) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-27-10-2-11/ Last updated: 2024-11-03T12:34:26.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had four orbital launches occur, with one crewed launch. News this week had New Glenn heading to Launch Complex 36, two commercial cargo contracts being awarded, and Impulse Space making progress on Helios. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on October 27th when Booster 12 was moved outside from the 'mega-bay' and arrived in the 'rocket garden' at the production site on October 28th. The same day the 'chopsticks' on the launch tower were seen undergoing movement testing near the highest point they can move to. On October 29th, Ship 33 underwent cryogenic propellant loading tests, partially loading both its liquid methane and liquid oxygen tanks with propellant. The next day, the 30th, Ship 33 performed another cryogenic propellant loading test, filling its tanks with liquid methane and liquid oxygen tanks propellant. October 31st had Ship 33 perform another cryogenic propellant loading test. SpaceX hasn't shared how it's testing Ship 33, the first 'Block 2' Starship, but they may be performing more thorough tests to see how some possible major changes handle certain vehicle states. After all this testing, Ship 33 returned from the Massey's test site to the production site overnight between November 1st and 2nd, possibly to receive six Raptor engines ahead of a static fire. ## **Launches This Week** ### *October 29th - Long March 2F/G with Shenzhou-19* Taikonauts Cai Xuzhe (蔡旭哲), Wang Haoze (王浩泽), and Song Lingdong (宋令东) blasted off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center atop of a Long March 2F/G for the Shenzhou-19 mission to the Tiangong Space Station. Details about this mission can be found [here](https://proximareport.com/shenzhou-19-launch/). ![The Long March 2F/G Y19 vehicle lifting off for the Shenzhou-19 mission. ©Gu Jianwen/China Daily](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/67215557a310f1268d83c27a-1.jpeg) The Long March 2F/G Y19 vehicle lifting off for the Shenzhou-19 mission. ©Gu Jianwen/China Daily ### *October 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-9* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying twenty Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1075, flying for the fourteenth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 9-9 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GbJW4k_W0AAmDZI-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 9-9 mission. ©SpaceX ### *October 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-13* From Space Launch Complex 40, another Falcon 9 carried twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1078, making its fourteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-13 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GbLQMriaUAAHSAH-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 10-13 mission. ©SpaceX ### *October 31st - Soyuz 2.1a with Cosmos 2579* A Soyuz 2.1a lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying the secretive Cosmos 2579 satellite. Cosmos 2579 is believed to be a Bars-M electro-optical imaging satellite with a resolution of approximately one meter. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Impulse Space receives first Helios dome* ![One of the domes for the Helios kick-stage, partially unboxed and surrounded by Impulse Space's team. ©Impulse Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/1730394154242.jpg) One of the domes for the Helios kick-stage, partially unboxed and surrounded by Impulse Space's team. ©Impulse Space On [October 31st](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/impulse-space%5Fimpulsespace-helios-spaceinnovation-activity-7257799215974670336-56cN?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop), Impulse Space revealed that they have received the first tank dome of its Helios high-energy kick-stage. The Helios kick-stage plans to burn 13,500 kilograms of liquid methane and liquid oxygen in the company's in-house developed Deneb engine to generate 6.8 tons of thrust. Impulse Space states that three tank domes will be needed to make up the Helios kick-stage along with an outer tank barrel section. The three domes and barrel will be laser-welded together to make up the stage, one dome will also serve as a common bulkhead between the two propellant tanks. Helios' first flight is currently planned for 2026\. The kick-stage can deliver up to 4,500 kilograms directly into geostationary orbit, 7,500 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory, and more to [many other destinations](https://www.impulsespace.com/helios?ref=proximareport.com). ### *New Glenn's first-stage arrives at LC-36* ![New Glenn's first-stage during transportation to Launch Complex 36.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/11/GbO1zvtXYAE0tnZ-1.jpg) New Glenn's first-stage during transportation to Launch Complex 36. On [October 30th](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7257488758290137089/?ref=proximareport.com), Blue Origin rolled out the first stage of their New Glenn launch vehicle, transferring the rocket stage from the assembly building to the launch and integration facility at Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to Blue Origin's Chief Executive Officer, [Dave Limp](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/davelimp%5Fnewglenn-activity-7257265929099587584-bwqR?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop), transporting the first-stage took multiple hours due to the 23-mile route needed for safe transportation. Moving the first-stage was what Blue has nicknamed GERT, Giant Enormous Rocket Truck, a repurposed U.S. Army Oshkosh M1070 tank transporter. During transportation, the first-stage was secured by a 'strongback assembly' resting on two connected trailers. With New Glenn's first-stage now at Launch Complex 36, Blue Origin is expecting to conduct a static fire of the stage, with [both flight stages](https://x.com/davill/status/1851728828919652730?ref=proximareport.com) integrated for launch. Following a successful static fire, New Glenn's first flight is expected to occur in November. ### *CMSA awards cargo contracts* Ahead of the Shenzhou-19 launch, the China Manned Space Agency revealed its two choices to develop new cargo transportation spacecraft to help serve operations onboard the Tiangong Space Station. The two companies chosen were the Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute and the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute's proposed spacecraft is the Haolong (昊龙) cargo spaceplane. Haolong's design has the wings in a fixed position throughout the flight with its solar panels and radiators protected by two deployable ‘doors’, a cargo capacity was not shared. The Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences proposed design is the Qingzhou (轻舟) spacecraft. Qingzhou is a more traditional cargo delivery spacecraft design, being most similar to Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft. A cargo capacity was shared with the spacecraft carrying 2,750 kilograms to the Tiangong Space Station and 2,900 kilograms for disposal in the atmosphere. Both spacecraft are expected to fly in the coming years, no specific timeline was given but a Qingzhou prototype may fly in late 2025\. More updates from the China Manned Space Agency shared recently are available [here](https://proximareport.com/cmsa-update-sz19/). ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX has yet to reveal when it will targeting launch the next test flight of Starship-Super Heavy. The license for the previous flight does allow for another test flight, so long as no major alterations are made to the flight plan. Ship 31 and Super Heavy Booster 13 have already performed static fire and propellant loading tests. The final major hardware milestones ahead of the next flight are believed to be combined testing of the two vehicles and installation of flight termination explosives. ### *November 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-77* SpaceX is expecting to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *November 4th - H3 with DSN-3* Japan's H3 launch vehicle is expected to launch the DSN-3 satellite to geostationary transfer orbit from the Tanegashima Space Center. This satellite will be used for Japanese military communications. ### *November 4th - Soyuz 2.1b with Ionosfera-M 1 & 2* A Soyuz 2.1b is expected to fly to a sun-synchronous orbit carrying two Ionosfera-M satellites. The Ionosfera-M satellites are part of a small constellation for ionospheric and magnetospheric research. ### *November 5th - Falcon 9 with CRS-31* SpaceX's 31st resupply mission is expected to launch atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A in early November. The booster for this mission is unknown but it is expected to land back at Cape Canaveral. ### *November 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-10* A Falcon 9 is expected to carry a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *November 5th - Electron for 'Changes in Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes'* Rocket Lab is expected to launch an Electron rocket into a sun-synchronous orbit from Launch Complex 1B, located on the Māhia Peninsula. The customer and payload for this mission have not been stated. ### Monthly Dose of Space - October 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-october-2024/ Last updated: 2024-11-01T19:45:53.000Z Welcome to our thirteenth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month we haven't covered in our weekly newsletters. October has been another busy month worldwide, so let's jump into it! ## **News of the Month** October saw one of the largest in-development reusable launch vehicles move toward launch, Crew-8 return home after a series of delays, the Artemis Accords gaining more members, and a satellite breaking up in geostationary orbit. ### *Crew-8 returns to Earth* ![NASA's Crew 8 crew inside Crew Dragon after returning to Earth, Alexander Grebenkin (left), Michael Barratt (center left), Matthew Dominick (center right), and Jeanette Epps (right) ©Joel Kowsky/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/nhq202410250003.webp) NASA's Crew-8 crew inside Crew Dragon after returning to Earth, Alexander Grebenkin (left), Michael Barratt (center left), Matthew Dominick (center right), and Jeanette Epps (right) ©Joel Kowsky/NASA October 25th had NASA's Crew-8 mission [return](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/back-on-earth-nasas-spacex-crew-8-mission-splashes-down-off-florida/?ref=proximareport.com) to Earth after over 235 days in space. Splashdown occurred at 07:29 am Universal Coordinated Time off the coast near Pensacola, Florida. Flying onboard the Crew-8 mission for almost eight months were NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, along with cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin from Roscosmos. Crew-8's return to Earth was [delayed](https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2024/10/07/crew-8-return-no-earlier-than-oct-13/?ref=proximareport.com) by two weeks due to adverse weather off the coast of Florida as well as Hurricane Milton. In the hours following splashdown, NASA [disclosed](https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2024/10/25/nasa-provides-update-on-agencys-spacex-crew-8-health/?ref=proximareport.com) that the four astronauts were flown together to Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola, in Florida, after one of the crew experienced a medical issue. Three of the crew have since been discharged from the hospital, all underwent medical checks out of an abundance of caution. With this medical issue, NASA stated the following: > "After medical evaluation at the hospital, three of the crew members departed Pensacola and have arrived at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston." – "The one astronaut who remains at Ascension is in stable condition under observation as a precautionary measure. To protect the crew member’s medical privacy, specific details on the individual’s condition or identity will not be shared." The following day, NASA shared an [update](https://blogs.nasa.gov/crew-8/2024/10/26/nasas-spacex-crew-8-astronaut-returns-to-houston/?ref=proximareport.com) saying the following: > "After an overnight stay at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola in Florida, the NASA astronaut was released and returned to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston Saturday. The crew member is in good health and will resume normal post-flight reconditioning with other crew members." ### *New Glenn's first flight booster arrives at LC-36* ![New Glenn's first-stage arriving at Launch Complex 36. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GbHYLn6bQAE57jY.jpg) New Glenn's first-stage arriving at Launch Complex 36\. ©Blue Origin On [October 30th](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7257488758290137089/?ref=proximareport.com), Blue Origin rolled out the first stage of their New Glenn launch vehicle, transferring the rocket stage from the assembly building to the launch and integration facility at Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to Blue Origin's Chief Executive Officer, [Dave Limp](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/davelimp%5Fnewglenn-activity-7257265929099587584-bwqR?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop), transporting the first-stage took multiple hours due to the 23-mile route needed for safe transportation. Moving the first-stage was what Blue has nicknamed GERT, Giant Enormous Rocket Truck, a repurposed U.S. Army Oshkosh M1070 tank transporter. During transportation, the first-stage was secured by a 'strongback assembly' resting on two connected trailers. With New Glenn's first-stage now at Launch Complex 36, Blue Origin is expecting to conduct a static fire of the stage, with [both flight stages](https://x.com/davill/status/1851728828919652730?ref=proximareport.com) integrated for launch. Following a successful static fire, New Glenn's first flight is expected to occur in November. ### *Chile and Cyprus sign Artemis Accords* NASA announced on October 23rd and 25th that the [Republic of Cyprus](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-welcomes-republic-of-cyprus-as-46th-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) and [Chile](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-welcomes-chile-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) had signed onto the Artemis Accords, bringing the total number of signatories up to forty-seven. Nicodemos Damianou, deputy minister of research, innovation, and digital policy, signed the accords on behalf of Cyprus. Once having signed, Damianou stated: > “Today marks a significant milestone for Cyprus as we officially sign the Artemis Accords,” – “As we embark on this exciting journey, we reaffirm our commitment to a safe and responsible space exploration, as well as our strong belief in the importance of international cooperation in ensuring space is utilized to the benefit of all humanity. Cyprus, an European Union member state**,** is capitalizing on its geostrategic location between three continents**,** and aspires to play an integral role in the international space community.” Signing on behalf of Chile was Aisén Etcheverry, minister of science, technology, knowledge and innovation. After signing, Etcheverry said the following: > “The signing marks a significant milestone for Chile, particularly as our government is committed to advancing technological development as a key pillar of our national strategy,” – “Chile has the opportunity to engage in the design and development of world-leading scientific and technological projects. Moreover, this collaboration allows us to contribute to areas of scientific excellence where Chile has distinguished expertise, such as astrobiology, geology, and mineralogy, all of which are critical for the exploration and colonization of space.” With the signings at the end of October Cyprus and Chile join Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Ukraine, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Brazil, Poland, Mexico, Israel, Romania, Bahrain, Singapore, Colombia, France, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Rwanda, the Czech Republic, Spain, Ecuador, India, Argentina, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Angola, Belgium, Greece, Uruguay, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Lithuania, Peru, Slovakia, Armenia, Estonia, and the Dominican Republic. ### *Intelsat-33e breaks up in geostationary orbit* On October 19th, Intelsat stated in a [press release](https://www.intelsat.com/newsroom/intelsat-reports-is-33e-satellite-loss/?ref=proximareport.com) that the Intelsat-33e communications satellite was suffering from a service outage, as the spacecraft serves customers in Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia. Two days later, the company confirmed that the satellite had broken up, saying: > "Intelsat reported today that the anomaly previously disclosed on October 19 has resulted in the total loss of the Intelsat 33e satellite. We are coordinating with the satellite manufacturer, Boeing, and government agencies to analyze data and observations. A Failure Review Board has been convened to complete a comprehensive analysis of the cause of the anomaly. Since the anomaly, Intelsat has been in active dialogue with affected customers and partners." Following the breakup, over five hundred pieces of debris were tracked in geostationary orbit by ExoAnalytic Solutions, according to [SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/exoanalytic-observes-500-pieces-of-debris-from-intelsat-33e-breakup/?ref=proximareport.com). What caused Intelsat-33e's breakup has not yet been disclosed but the debris will remain in orbit for a few thousand years. Intelsat-33e was based on Boeing's BSS-702MP satellite platform and launched in August of 2016\. The satellite entered service in early 2017 after reaching its geostationary slot, 60 degrees East, after a delay due to propulsion system issues. ### *Astra wins defense contract* Astra [announced](https://astra.com/news/dod-awards-astra-contract-44-mill/?ref=proximareport.com) on October 23rd that it had been awarded a contract from the Defense Innovation Unit with a maximum value of 44 million United States dollars. The contract is expected to advance and scale up the production of Astra's supposedly "unique tactically responsive launch system", which will have the company's Rocket 4 vehicle fly from the United States, Australia, or others. Two of Astra's founders, Chris Kemp, currently Astra's Chief Executive Officer, and Dr. Adam London, currently Astra's Chief Technical Officer, commented on the contract award saying: > *“This award is a testament not only to our team’s perseverance this past year, but also a validation of our vision for tactically responsive space,” – “We’re proud to have so many partners who understand and support the importance of point-to-point space delivery for national security and defense applications.”* > *\- Chris Kemp* > *“This is a major vote of confidence in Astra and the continued development of Rocket 4 and our next gen launch system,” – “We are honored to partner with the Defense Innovation Unit as we bring Rocket 4 to market with a renewed focus on reliability and scale.”* > *\- Dr. Adam London* The company also added in its press release that they are currently in the process of moving all of its design and manufacturing efforts into Astra's 250,000-square-foot campus in Alameda, California. Astra was [taken private](https://proximareport.com/astra-private-bid-afloat/) back in March of this year following a sharp decline in share price due to a [less-than-stellar](https://proximareport.com/astra-impressively-awful/) flight history. It remains to be seen if or when Rocket 4 will fly. ## **SpaceX** This month at Starbase began on October 3rd when Booster 14 was rolled out from the production site to the Massey's test site during the early hours of the morning. The following day had water bags arrive at the launch site ahead of testing of the launch towers 'chopsticks', using a specially made piece of hardware these bags were attached to the 'chopsticks' a little later. The water bags were filled with water on the evening of October 4th to conduct loading tests on the 'chopsticks'. Previous tests like this have been done in the past, recent months have seen the launch towers 'chopsticks' receive minor modifications. A few days later on October 7th, Booster 12 and Ship 30 conducted a partial tanking test on the orbital launch mount. In the early hours of October 8th the launch pad deluge system conducted a test, flowing thousands of gallons of water underneath the orbital launch mount. In the sunlight hours of the 8th, Ship 30 was destacked from Booster 12 and placed near the launch tower. October 9th had what is believed to be the installation of the flight termination system explosives on Booster 12 and Ship 30\. Testing of the launch towers 'chopsticks' also occurred late on the 9th. On October 11th, Ship 30 was lifted back onto Booster 12 for the final stacking ahead of the fifth flight test. The following day, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration [granted](https://x.com/BCCarCounters/status/1845147269089116580?ref=cosmicnxws.com) SpaceX a launch license for the fifth flight test, removing the last major obstacle to launch. October 13th saw the [fifth flight test](https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-5/) of Starship-Super Heavy launch with Ship 30 and Booster 12, liftoff occurred at 12:25 pm Universal Coordinated Time. Almost seven minutes after launch, Booster 12 returned to the launch site and was caught by the launch towers 'chopsticks'. ![Super Heavy Booster 12 being caught by the launch towers 'chopsticks' on October 13th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GZ45r9MagAAPXbL-1.jpg) Super Heavy Booster 12 being caught by the launch towers 'chopsticks' on October 13th. ©SpaceX After having caught Booster 12, the 'chopsticks' lowered the booster onto the Orbital Launch Mount. The 14th had teams remove the booster flight termination system explosives removed. October 15th had Booster 12 removed from the Orbital Launch Mount, placed onto a transport stand, and then moved to the production site. On October 17th, a few days after Booster 12 left the launch site, the Orbital Launch Mounts alignment pins were reinstalled. These pins are used to fine-tune the placement of Super Heavy boosters during stacking, ahead of testing or flight. The 17th also saw the 'chopsticks' open and move for the first time since catching Booster 12 on flight five. A little over a week after the fifth flight, SpaceX was spotted recovering Booster 12's hot staging ring, as it had jettisoned it ahead of being caught for flight five, out in the Gulf of Mexico. Not long after, Booster 13 was rolled out to the launch site to undergo testing ahead of flight six of Starship-Super Heavy. Late on October 22nd, Booster 13 was lifted onto the Orbital Launch Mount by the launch towers 'chopsticks'. Two days later on October 24th, Booster 13 underwent a propellant loading test, followed by propellant unloading a little later. Near sunset propellant was flowed back into the booster and it performed a static fire, presumably with all thirty-three of its Raptor engines. The day after performing a static fire, Booster 13 was moved off of the Orbital Launch Mount and rolled back to the production site. October 26th had Ship 33, the first 'Block 2' Starship vehicle, rolled out from the production site to the Massey's test site in the early morning hours. Booster 13 was also spotted being lifted for hardware installation inside one of the 'mega-bays' a few hours later. The next day, the 27th, Booster 12 was moved outside from the 'mega-bay' and arrived in the 'rocket garden' at the production site on October 28th. The same day the 'chopsticks' on the launch tower were seen undergoing movement testing near the highest point they can move to. On October 29th, Ship 33 underwent cryogenic propellant loading tests, partially loading both its liquid methane and liquid oxygen tanks with propellant. The next day, the 30th, Ship 33 performed another cryogenic propellant loading test, filling its tanks with liquid methane and liquid oxygen tanks propellant. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw twenty-one launches worldwide, if you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *October 4th - Vulcan for Cert-2* The first launch this month was the second flight of United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket. This mission lifted off from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, carrying an inert payload and some experiments. Vulcan's second flight was a success according to the company. An anomaly was observed during the launch as one of the two GEM-63XL solid rocket boosters was seen liberating its nozzle. The first-stage and Centaur V second-stage compensated for the loss of performance to enter the targeting orbit as planned. Further details about this launch are available [here](https://proximareport.com/vulcan-second-certification-flight/). ### *October 7th - Falcon 9 with Hera* A Falcon 9 launched the European Space Agency's Hera mission from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Hera is heading to the Didymos binary asteroid system to study the effects of NASA's DART mission to improve understanding of planetary defense missions. Supporting this mission was booster B1061, making its twenty-third and final flight. ### *October 10th - Long March 3B/E with WHG-03* The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology's Long March 3B/E lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the WHG-03, also known as internet high-orbit satellite, to a geostationary transfer orbit. This was also the 99th launch of a Long March 3B launch vehicle. ### *October 13th - Starship-Super Heavy for Flight 5* The most anticipated launch of the month was Starship-Super Heavy's fifth flight test from SpaceX's launch site near Boca Chica, in south Texas. The flight test had Super Heavy Booster 12 successfully perform the first catch between the launch towers 'chopsticks' while Ship 30 splashed down in the Indian Ocean after passing through atmospheric reentry in one piece. More details about this flight are available [here](https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-5/). ### *October 14th - Falcon Heavy with Europa Clipper* Falcon Heavy launched from Launch Complex 39A on October 14th carrying NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft to an Earth-escape, beginning its journey to Jupiter's moon Europa. Details about this mission are available [here](https://proximareport.com/europa-clipper/). Supporting this launch were boosters B1089, flying for the first time, B1065, flying for the sixth time, and B1064, also flying for the sixth time. ### *October 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-10* SpaceX launched a batch of twenty-three Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, atop of Falcon 9\. The booster for this mission was B1080, flying for the eleventh time, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *October 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-7* Another batch of twenty Starlink satellites were launched atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster supporting this mission was B1071, making its nineteenth flight, and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *October 15th - Long March 6A with Qianfan Polar Group 02* A Long March 6A launched a second batch of eighteen Qianfan satellites to a polar orbit from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, in the north of Shanxi province. ### *October 16th - Long March 4C with Gaofen-12 05* The Gaofen-12 05 satellite was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center atop of a Long March 4C. Following launch, Gaofen-12 05 was [tracked](https://x.com/planet4589/status/1846426201813823701?ref=cosmicnxws.com) to a 586 by 599-kilometer 97.9-degree orbit. ### *October 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-19* Falcon 9 launched another batch of twenty Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this mission was booster B1076, flying for the seventeenth time, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *October 20th - Falcon 9 with OneWeb 20* Another Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty internet satellites into a polar orbit for OneWeb. Supporting this mission was booster B1082, flying for the seventh time, and landing back at Landing Zone 4. ### *October 22nd - Long March 6 with Tianping-3* A Long March 6 lifted off from Launch Complex 16 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying three Tianping-3 satellites to sun-synchronous orbit. The Tianping-3 satellites are expected to provide space environment surveys, orbital prediction model corrections, supporting imaging tests for ground optical equipment, and detection and monitoring tests of the low Earth orbit environment. ### *October 23rd - Long March 2C with Yaogan-43 Group 03* A Long March 2C blasted off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying three satellites for Group 03 of the Yaogan-43 constellation into low Earth orbit. The Yaogan-43 satellites are expected to test technologies for low Earth orbit constellations along with providing data for land surveying, disaster prevention, and monitoring of the Earth below as remote sensing satellites. ### *October 23rd - New Shepard with NS-27* Blue Origin completed a suborbital flight of New Shepard with a brand new booster and capsule ahead of flying passengers above the Kármán line. This mission also carried twelve payloads onboard instead of passengers. Seven of these payloads were in the capsule while five were on the booster. ### *October 23rd - Falcon 9* with Starlink Group 6-61 Falcon 9 delivered another twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission for B1073, on its eighteenth flight, and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ### *October 24th - Falcon 9 with NROL-167* Falcon 9 launched the NROL-167 mission, likely carrying a batch of Starshield satellites, into an undisclosed orbit. Booster B1063 was supporting this mission, flying for the twenty-first time, and landed on the drop ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *October 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-8* Twenty-two more Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. This mission's booster was B1069, making its nineteenth flight, and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *October 29th - Long March 2F/G with Shenzhou-19* Taikonauts Cai Xuzhe (蔡旭哲), Wang Haoze (王浩泽), and Song Lingdong (宋令东) blasted off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center atop of a Long March 2F/G for the Shenzhou-19 mission to the Tiangong Space Station. Details about this mission can be found [here](https://proximareport.com/shenzhou-19-launch/). ### *October 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-9* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying twenty Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1075, flying for the fourteenth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *October 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-13* From Space Launch Complex 40, another Falcon 9 carried twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. Supporting this mission was booster B1078, making its fourteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *October 31st - Soyuz 2.1a with Cosmos 2579* A Soyuz 2.1a lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying the secretive Cosmos 2579 satellite. Cosmos 2579 is believed to be a Bars-M electro-optical imaging satellite with a resolution of approximately one meter. ## Launches to look out for in November! November looks to be another busy month of launches. Listed below are all of the launches expected or very likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of November may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *November 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-77* SpaceX is expecting to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *November 4th - H3 with DSN-3* Japan's H3 launch vehicle is expected to launch the DSN-3 satellite to geostationary transfer orbit from the Tanegashima Space Center. This satellite will be used for Japanese military communications. ### *November 4th - Electron for 'Changes in Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes'* Rocket Lab is expected to launch an Electron rocket into a sun-synchronous orbit from Launch Complex 1B, located on the Māhia Peninsula. The customer and payload for this mission have not been stated. ### *November 4th - Soyuz 2.1b with Ionosfera-M 1 & 2* A Soyuz 2.1b is expected to fly to a sun-synchronous orbit carrying two Ionosfera-M satellites. The Ionosfera-M satellites are part of a small constellation for ionospheric and magnetospheric research. ### *November 5th - Falcon 9 with CRS-31* SpaceX's 31st resupply mission is expected to launch atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A in early November. The booster for this mission is unknown but it is expected to land back at Cape Canaveral. ### *November 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-10* A Falcon 9 is expected to carry a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *November 21st - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-29* The Progress MS-29 International Space Station resupply mission is expected to launch atop of a Soyuz 2.1a from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. ### *NET November - New Glenn for its maiden flight* Blue Origin is expecting to launch its first New Glenn launch vehicle from Launch Complex 36 in November. The booster called 'So Your Telling Me There's A Chance' is planning to land on the drone ship 'Jacklyn' downrange. ### *NET November - Long March 8 with a Qianfan group* A Long March 8 is believed to be targeting launch sometime in the coming weeks from the Wenchang Commerical Space Launch Site. The payload is also believed to be the third batch of [Qianfan](https://proximareport.com/china-begins-mega-constellation/) satellites. ### China launches Shenzhou-19 taikonauts to its space station URL: https://proximareport.com/shenzhou-19-launch/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:39:16.000Z China launched its eighth crewed mission to its Tiangong Space Station at 04:27 am China Standard Time (October 29th), or 20:47 pm Universal Coordinated Time (October 30th). This new crew will take over from the outgoing Shenzhou-18 crew, after sharing the station with them for a few days. > The [#LongMarch2F](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LongMarch2F?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Y19 rocket, carrying [#Shenzhou19](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Shenzhou19?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) manned spaceship, blasted off at 4:27am BJT on Oct 30, from [#Jiuquan](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jiuquan?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. > About 10 minutes after the launch, the spaceship separated from the rocket and entered its designated orbit. 🎉🎉🎉 [pic.twitter.com/A3JVcNpTct](https://t.co/A3JVcNpTct?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Wu Lei (@wulei2020) [October 29, 2024](https://twitter.com/wulei2020/status/1851372840244920388?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The Shenzhou-19 mission lifting off atop of a Long March 2F/G from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, via [Wu Lei on X](https://x.com/wulei2020/status/1851372840244920388?ref=proximareport.com). The mission launched from Launch Area 4 of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, located in the north of China, atop of a Long March 2F/G rocket. According to the [China Manned Space Agency](https://english.news.cn/20241030/56ba281c577c44f8a8d7414c5aa5d7a5/c.html?ref=proximareport.com), the Shenzhou-19 launch mission was a complete success with plans to 'fast rendevous' with the Tiangong Space Station beginning shortly after. This rendevous brought the spacecraft close to the space station within six hours. After completing its 'fast rendevous', docking is [reported](https://english.news.cn/20241030/457fe702b1ba42efbc3db5cdc887c1ec/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) to have occurred at 11:00 am China Standard Time, or 03:00 am Universal Coordinated Time, at the Tianhe modules forward docking port. Launch to docking took a little over six hours. Leak checks took a few hours before the new crew entered the Tianhe core module. ![The two Shenzhou crews meet inside the Tiangong Space Station; Ye Guangfu (bottom left), Cai Xuzhe (bottom right), Li Guangsu (top left), Li Cong (top center left), Song Lingdong (top center right), and Wang Haoze (top right). ©China Central Television](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/SZ19-SZ18.png) The two Shenzhou crews meet inside the Tiangong Space Station; Ye Guangfu (bottom left), Cai Xuzhe (bottom right), Li Guangsu (top left), Li Cong (top center left), Song Lingdong (top center right), and Wang Haoze (top right). ©China Central Television With the Shenzhou-19 crew adjusting to the microgravity environment aboard the space station, the Shenzhou-18 crew will begin preparing for their journey back to Earth. Return of the Shenzhou-18 crew is currently expected no earlier than November 4th. ## *Meet the Shenzhou-19 crew* ### Cai Xuzhe ![Official photo of Cai Xuzhe for the Shenzhou-19 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/Cai-Xuzhe-1.png) Official photo of Cai Xuzhe for the Shenzhou-19 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency The commander of the Shenzhou-19 mission is Cai Xuzhe (蔡旭哲), making his second trip to the space station. Cai Xuzhe's first flight was for the sixth-month Shenzhou-14 mission, lasting from June to December of 2022, this mission saw the Wentian and Mengtian modules dock as well as having the first crew handover, when the Shenzhou-15 crew arrived. Cai is from Shenzhou, in Hebei province, and has served in the People's Liberation Army Air Force. In 2010 he was selected as part of the second group of taikonauts. After the Shenzhou-14 mission, Cai was awarded the honorary title of "Heroic Astronaut" in [March 2023](https://english.www.gov.cn/news/topnews/202303/04/content%5FWS64027a5cc6d0a757729e7937.html?ref=proximareport.com). ### Wang Haoze ![Official photo of Wang Haoze for the Shenzhou-19 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/Wang-Haoze-1.png) Official photo of Wang Haoze for the Shenzhou-19 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency The science operator for the Shenzhou-19 mission is Wang Haoze (王浩泽), making her first trip to space. Wang Haoze is part of the third group of Taikonauts and was selected in 2020. Wang is from Chengde, in Hebei province, and was previously a senior engineer at the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. During her time working as a propulsion engineer, she notably [co-authored a paper](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332627906%5FSystem%5FDesign%5FSelection%5Fand%5FParametric%5FOptimization%5FAnalysis%5Fof%5F110%5FkN%5FNuclear%5FThermal%5FRocket%5FEngine?ref=proximareport.com) about nuclear thermal rocket engines. ### Song Lingdong ![Official photo of Song Lingdong for the Shenzhou-19 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/Song-Lingdong-1.png) Official photo of Song Lingdong for the Shenzhou-19 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency The operator for the Shenzhou-19 mission is Song Lingdong (宋令东), making his first trip to space. Like his crewmate, Song Lingdong is part of the third group of Taikonauts and was selected in 2020. Song is from Caoxian county, in Shandong Province, and has served in the People's Liberation Army Air Force. Having joined the PLAAF in 2008, Song went on to earn the rank of Lieutenant Colonel along with flying Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-35 aircraft for [international joint exercises](https://mil.huanqiu.com/article/9CaKrnKgO7q?ref=proximareport.com). ### What will the crew do during their stay? Throughout their stay aboard the Tiangong Space Station, the Shenzhou-19 crew will [complete and assist](https://english.news.cn/20241030/e6c655962cb14466a53145008261d556/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) with various experiments running in the orbiting laboratory. Some of these experiments are in the fields of microgravity fundamental physics, space material science, space life science, new space technologies, and space medicine. The crew will also conduct extravehicular activities, also called spacewalks, to perform maintenance to the space station. In addition to this, the three taikonauts will also participate in public interest and science education activities. As briefly mentioned already, one of the first activities the crew will perform is taking over from the outgoing Shenzhou-18 crew, once they have adjusted to the microgravity environment. The Shenzhou-18 crew, consisting of Ye Guangfu (叶光富), Li Cong (李聪), and Li Guangsu (李广苏), are set to return to Earth on [November 4th](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-10-29/China-s-Shenzhou-18-crew-to-return-to-Earth-on-November-4-1y5p9VwErKg/p.html?ref=proximareport.com), ending a six-month mission that began [back in April](https://proximareport.com/shenzhou-18-china/). A few weeks into the mission, the crew will oversee the arrival of the Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft in [mid-November.](https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202410/29/WS672038b8a310f1265a1ca1de.html?ref=proximareport.com) The cargo spacecraft had been planned to arrive during the Shenzhou-18 mission but was delayed due to Super Typhoon Yagi hitting Hainan province and coming close to the Wenchang launch sites. Tianzhou-8 will be carrying new supplies, consumables, and experiments to the space station. ![The patch for the Shenzhou-19 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/shenzhou-19-patch-1.png) The patch for the Shenzhou-19 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency --- ### What is the Shenzhou spacecraft? The Shenzhou spacecraft is China’s only operational crewed spacecraft and is currently used to ferry its crews to and from the Tiangong space station. The spacecraft has a pressurized volume of almost fifteen cubic meters with a habitable volume of seven cubic meters. Currently, the Shenzhou spacecraft has a crew capacity of three. Shenzhou consists of a service module, a re-entry module, and an orbital module. The only part of the spacecraft that the crew cannot access is the service module, which also houses the four main engines for performing in-space maneuvers. For generating power, the Shenzhou spacecraft has two solar wings with four panels each that are unfolded after launch, a rotating fixture also attaches them to the service module. ![The Shenzhou-14 spacecraft during launch preparations. ©China News Service](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/Shenzhou_14-1.jpg) The Shenzhou-14 spacecraft during launch preparations. ©China News Service During launch and return to Earth, the crew is seated in the re-entry module. The re-entry module is the only part of the spacecraft that can survive the heat of re-entry and has parachute systems and a landing motor to safely land after return from space. Inside the module, the crew can take control of the spacecraft, access some of the cargo stored during launch and landing, and look out the windows from their seats. The Shenzhou spacecraft currently launches on the Long March 2F/G rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, at which it has an exclusive launch pad called SLS-1/921\. Each Shenzhou spacecraft has a believed launch weight of 8,100 kilograms and an in-space mass of 7,840 kilograms. Shenzhou refers to both China's crewed space missions and the Shenzhou spacecraft. To date nineteen Shenzhou missions have been launched, with the latest being the fourteenth crewed one. ### What is the Long March 2F/G? The [Long March](https://proximareport.com/long-march-2024/) 2F/G is China's only human-rated launch vehicle, with it developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. All flights of the Long March 2F/G have had the boosters, first, and second-stage burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *8,400 kilograms to low Earth orbit* ![The Long March 2F/G vehicle for the Shenzhou 19 mission during rollout to its launchpad. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/82e4e451ly1huvc9322jwj22dc35sx6p-1.jpg) The Long March 2F/G vehicle for the Shenzhou 19 mission during rollout to its launchpad. ©China Manned Space Agency Powering the first-stage are four YF-20B generating a combined 332 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. Augmenting the thrust of the first-stage are four boosters, each powered by one YF-20B each generating 83 tons of thrust each for a combined booster thrust of 332, while also burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The combined thrust of the first-stage and four boosters is 664 tons of thrust. The second-stage of the vehicle is powered by one YF-24B generating 85 tons of thrust, once again burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. On the launchpad, the Long March 2F is 62 meters tall, with the Shenzhou spacecraft's launch escape system, and weighs 464,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages have a diameter of 3.35 meters, with the four boosters having a diameter of 2.3 meters, and the Shenzhou spacecraft's protective fairing has a maximum diameter of 3.6 meters. So far the Long March 2F has only flown from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, in the west of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the north of Gansu province. ### What is the Tiangong Space Station? The Tiangong Space Station, also called the Chinese Space Station, is a permanently crewed space station in low Earth orbit operated by the China Manned Space Agency and China National Space Administration. The space station consists of the [Tianhe](https://proximareport.com/tiangong-space-station-1000-days/#whats-tianhe) core module, the [Wentian](https://proximareport.com/tiangong-space-station-1000-days/#whats-wentian) laboratory module, and the [Mengtian](https://proximareport.com/tiangong-space-station-1000-days/#whats-mengtian) laboratory module. With these modules, the station has three docking ports for visiting spacecraft to dock located on the Tianhe module, one port is located at the aft end of the module, and two and the forward end with one facing Earth. The combined habitable volume of the space station is believed to be 122 cubic meters, with a total pressurized volume of 340 cubic meters. Each of the three modules were launched by the Long March 5B, with Tianhe launching on the 29th of April 2021, followed by Wentian on the 24th of July 2022, with the latest edition being Mengtian on the 31st of October 2022\. China currently plans to launch the Xuntian space telescope which will co-orbit with the space station for periodic docking for servicing and maintenance by crews onboard. For more about the space station and its future click [here.](https://proximareport.com/tiangong-space-station-1000-days/) ### What are taikonauts? The word taikonaut has been used in this article so a small explanation of the word is necessary for those unfamiliar with it. Taikonaut is what China calls its astronauts, such as the country's first taikonaut [Yang Liwei](https://proximareport.com/20-years-chinese-human-spaceflight/) who flew into space in 2003. The word comes from a combination of the Chinese word for outer space, taikong, and the suffix, naut. ### CMSA Awards Commercial Cargo Contracts, and Gives Moon Mission Updates URL: https://proximareport.com/cmsa-update-sz19/ Last updated: 2024-10-30T07:11:43.000Z During and coinciding with Shenzhou-19's press conference the China Manned Space Agency and other agencies released many new updates on the trajectory for China's space programme. This includes new cargo spacecraft in development, lunar contract development, and further pushing for the development of crewed spacecraft by the nonpublic aerospace sphere along with updates in regards to China's manned lunar program. ## Cargo Spacecraft Development In order to increase the capacity of the Tiangong space station last year in 2023 the CMSA asked for cargo spacecraft proposals. This program shares a lot of similarities with the US' very successful Commercial Cargo and Crew programs. While China's state-owned companies and agencies are not at all ending their capability to deliver crew and cargo to their space station there has been a push in all spheres to encourage development throughout all parts of the aerospace industry, On October 28th China released a long-awaited update on the progress of this proposal request. Detailed design phase has reportedly begun after the second round of selection. Chengdu Aerospace Corporation and IAMCAS both won this final phase of contracts to develop two separate cargo vehicles ### Hao Long-1 (昊龙-1) The Chengdu aerospace corporation has developed many vehicles used by the PLAAF *(Peoples Liberation Army Air Force)* and is no stranger to aerospace, with a large wealth of capital and decades of design experience they proposed a spaceplane proposal called Hao Long-1 cargo shuttle. It plans on being a reusable commercial spacecraft designed to carry out low-cost space station cargo transportation missions. Little is known about the specific design and architecture or when it will launch. Chengdu Aerospace Corporation has said the upcoming Zhuhai Airshow in mid-November will feature Halong's model and more details on display. ![A render of Hao Long approaching the Tiangong Space Station.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/1000069995.jpg) A render of Hao Long approaching the Tiangong Space Station. ![A render of Hao Long docked to the Tiangong Space Station.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/1000069994-2-1.jpg) A render of Hao Long docked to the Tiangong Space Station. ### Qing Zhou (轻舟) Qing Zhou meaning light vessel is a cargo spacecraft being developed by a subsidiary of CAS. is an IAMCAS *(Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of Chinese Academy of Sciences)* proposal. IAMCAS has experience in satellite construction, building several science satellites for the Chinese space program. IAMCAS is specialized in satellite engineering, remote sensing, microsatellites, and scientific research. They are more akin to a research institute then any kind of company. The Qing Zhou will be the first payload to launch on Kinetica-2, CAS-Space's latest cargo spacecraft, is set to launch next September, offering an impressive 2.75-ton payload capacity and 2.9-ton trash disposal capability. With a cost of ¥100 million per ton, this spacecraft introduces a more affordable solution for space cargo missions, promising to enhance access to orbital logistics. Leveraging a function chain design, the Qing Zhou integrates a high-performance yet low-cost electronic system, setting a new standard for efficiency in space tech. The Qing Zhou js advanced logistics networking, fully digital design, with capability for autonomous operations. Its space-to-Earth logistics streamline cargo movement, while advanced manufacturing reduces production time and costs. With high autonomy, it is said to complete complex tasks reliably. ![CAS' Qing Zhou infographic](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/1000069993.jpg) CAS' Qing Zhou infographic ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/1000070159.jpg) Render of Qing Zhou on its approach to the Tiangong Space Station The Chinese Manned Space Agency also urged the commercial sphere to develop human-rated launch vehicles and spacecraft. Possibly hinting at commercial participation in delivering crew to Tiangong, similar to commercial crew evolving from the commercial cargo program in the United States. ## Lunar Rover Contract CMSA has reviewed many proposals and narrowed their choices down to two Lunar Rover proposals for China's first phase of crewed lunar landings. The two proposals come from SAST *(Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight)* and CAST (*China Academy of Space Technology).* Along with this they announced a naming contest for the lunar rover that ends November 30th 2024. The lunar rover development team for China's first manned lunar mission will eventually be selected from these two, based on a comparison of the results achieved by their respective prototypes, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/bPxyDCkCW_zQf-fkXqJxfalajOQ_CGpfyD49Y8g-PWM.webp) Two final lunar rover designs shown in render (SOURCE: CMSA) ### SAST Founded in 1961 and headquartered in Shanghai, the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) is a key member of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). As one of China's largest suppliers of aerospace technology, SAST plays a crucial role in the R&D of launch vehicles, satellites, and spacecraft. Its advanced technologies also support civil applications, leading to the development of industries in areas like photovoltaic systems and lithium batteries. ### CAST Founded in 1968, the China Association for Science and Technology has evolved into a leading spacecraft designer and manufacturer, employing over 22,000 individuals by 2023\. The company specializes in delivering comprehensive space-ground system solutions to clients worldwide. CAST’s expertise encompasses the entire spectrum of spacecraft development, from system-level design to equipment and components. They serve diverse sectors, including telecommunications, remote sensing, navigation, human spaceflight, and space science exploration. In addition to spacecraft delivery, CAST offers dedicated services such as design and integration testing, satellite ground applications, and tailored customer support, including training and consulting on orbital and frequency management. ## Taikonaut training A group of ten Taikonauts chosen back in August will participate in a training program focused on preparing for manned lunar landing missions. These taikonauts will learn to maneuver spacecraft and operate lunar rovers, as well as master techniques for conducting geological surveys. Their training will also involve more traditional experiences that China is more familiar with such as weightlessness in orbit. They will also train for new challenges such as that of moving under lunar gravity on the moon's surface. Last month, the CMSA revealed the exterior design of a moon-landing spacesuit for the first time. This suit is constructed from protective materials designed to effectively shield China's taikonauts from the moon's thermal environment and dust. This is the first batch of taikonauts to have training heavily focused and specific to the manned lunar program. Astronaut Liu Yang has also stated that China is targeting their circumlunar mission by 2028 and a lunar landing by 2030 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/image-13.png) Lin Xiqiang, spokesperson for the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), speaks at a press conference on the Shenzhou-19 spaceflight mission to China's Tiangong space station, at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, in China, Oct 29, 2024\. (PHOTO / REUTERS) At the press conference, the spokesperson announced that China is in talks to select and train astronauts from partner countries to take part in its space station missions. The CMSA is open to welcoming international counterparts to join the flight missions of the country's space station. > "Regardless of which nation takes part, this is a shared human effort to explore the mysteries of the cosmos," Lin remarked, emphasizing that manned space missions represent "the most immediate human endeavor in utilizing space resources." The Shenzhou-19 press conference ended by reaffirming the potential for international collaboration onboard Tiangong. Earlier this month, the CMSA also showed plans for expansion of Tiangong's crew capacity and livable space further supporting China's aspirations to be a world leader in space. ### Weekly Dose of Space (20/10-26/10) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-20-10-26-10/ Last updated: 2024-10-27T18:55:06.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had eight orbital launches occur, with the majority carrying Starlink satellites. News this week had Shenzhou-19 prepped for launch, Blue Origin moving ever closer to New Glenn's first flight, and Boeing potentially leaving the space business. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on October 22nd out in the Gulf of Mexico when SpaceX was spotted recovering Booster 12's hot staging ring, as it had jettisoned it ahead of being caught for flight five. Not long after, Booster 13 was rolled out to the launch site to undergo testing ahead of flight six of Starship-Super Heavy. ![Super Heavy Booster 13 leaving the production site and heading for the launch site. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GaheddqbsAAzGXg.jpg) Super Heavy Booster 13 leaving the production site and heading for the launch site. ©SpaceX Late on October 22nd, Booster 13 was lifted onto the Orbital Launch Mount by the launch towers 'chopsticks'. Two days later on October 24th, Booster 13 underwent a propellant loading test, followed by propellant unloading a little later. Near sunset propellant was flowed back into the booster and it performed a static fire, presumably with all thirty-three of its Raptor engines. > STATIC FIRE! Booster 13 fires up ahead of Flight 6 of Starship. Its partner, Ship 31, has already been Static Fired. > > This has happened less than two weeks after Flight 5. > > Live on X and YT: [https://t.co/JYgUHWAJm7](https://t.co/JYgUHWAJm7?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/5lmDfRnL49](https://t.co/5lmDfRnL49?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Chris Bergin - NSF (@NASASpaceflight) [October 25, 2024](https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1849604721696252327?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster 13's static fire on October 24th, via [NASASpaceflight on X](https://x.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1849604721696252327?ref=proximareport.com). The day after performing a static fire, Booster 13 was moved off of the Orbital Launch Mount and rolled back to the production site. ## **Launches This Week** ### *October 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-19* SpaceX delivered a batch of twenty Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for thus mission was B1076 making its seventeenth flight, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![A long exposure photo of the Falcon 9 for the Starlink Group 8-19 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GaNq3g_bUAIL8L8.jpg) A long exposure photo of the Falcon 9 for the Starlink Group 8-19 mission. ©SpaceX *This launch occurred very late last week and was not included in the previous Weekly Dose of Space.* ### *October 20th - Falcon 9 with OneWeb 20* Another Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty internet satellites into a polar orbit for OneWeb. Supporting this mission was booster B1082, flying for the seventh time, and landing back at Landing Zone 4. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the OneWeb 20 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GaWCmWQXcAE9QWe.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the OneWeb 20 mission. ©SpaceX ### *October 22nd - Long March 6 with Tianping-3* A Long March 6 lifted off from Launch Complex 16 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying three Tianping-3 satellites to sun-synchronous orbit. The Tianping-3 satellites are expected to provide space environment surveys, orbital prediction model corrections, supporting imaging tests for ground optical equipment, and detection and monitoring tests of the low Earth orbit environment. ![The Long March 6 Y13 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 16 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/008hZGnZly1huuwo5v74aj31900u0ah2.jpg) The Long March 6 Y13 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 16 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ### *October 23rd - Long March 2C with Yaogan-43 Group 03* A Long March 2C blasted off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying three satellites for Group 03 of the Yaogan-43 constellation into low Earth orbit. The Yaogan-43 satellites are expected to test technologies for low Earth orbit constellations along with providing data for land surveying, disaster prevention, and monitoring of the Earth below as remote sensing satellites. ![The Long March 2C Y87 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/0080MYmPly1huw30kjk0jj339s26o4qr-1.jpg) The Long March 2C Y87 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ### *October 23rd - New Shepard with NS-27* Blue Origin completed a suborbital flight of New Shepard with a brand new booster and capsule ahead of flying passengers above the Kármán line. This mission also carried twelve payloads onboard instead of passengers. Seven of these payloads were in the capsule while five were on the booster. > Booster touchdown. [#NS27](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NS27?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/f3xcljjrVR](https://t.co/f3xcljjrVR?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) [October 23, 2024](https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1849172964941406456?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Blue Origin's New Shepard booster landing in Texas during the NS-27 mission, via [Blue Origin on X](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1849172964941406456?ref=proximareport.com). ### *October 23rd - Falcon 9* with Starlink Group 6-61 Falcon 9 delivered another twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission for B1073, on its eighteenth flight, and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-61 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GanJVfZbkAAigm6-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-61 mission. ©SpaceX ### *October 24th - Falcon 9 with NROL-167* Falcon 9 launched the NROL-167 mission, likely carrying a batch of Starshield satellites, into an undisclosed orbit. Booster B1063 was supporting this mission, flying for the twenty-first time, and landed on the drop ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4e for the NROL-167 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GasG6rMakAAU_cI.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4e for the NROL-167 mission. ©SpaceX ### *October 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-8* Twenty-two more Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Space Launch Complex 40\. This mission's booster was B1069, making its nineteenth flight, and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Deployment of twenty-two Starlink satellites during the Starlink Group 10-8 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/Ga2erm1XgAAwIgb.jpg) Deployment of twenty-two Starlink satellites during the Starlink Group 10-8 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ### *Shenzhou-19 spacecraft rolled out for launch* ![A Long March 2F/G rolling out from its assembly building for the Shenzhou-19 mission. ©Wang Jiangbo/China Daily](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/6717a384a310f1268d834722.jpeg) A Long March 2F/G rolling out from its assembly building for the Shenzhou-19 mission. ©Wang Jiangbo/China Daily China's next crewed mission to its Tiangong Space Station, Shenzhou-19, had its spacecraft and launch vehicle, a Long March 2F/G, moved to the launchpad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on [October 22nd](https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202410/22/WS67177bfda310f1265a1c8f77.html?ref=proximareport.com). Now at the launch pad, the Shenzhou-19 spacecraft and Long March 2F/G launch vehicle will undergo final testing and launch rehearsals. The launch site and facilities are reportedly in good condition ahead of launch, according to the China Manned Space Agency. Launch of the Shenzhou-19 mission is currently [expected](https://weibo.com/6142289604/ODdVu4Ihr?ref=proximareport.com) as soon as October 29th. The crew for the mission has not yet been announced by the China Manned Space Agency, as is tradition in China. Once at the Tiangong Space Station, the Shenzhou-19 will take over the [Shenzhou-18](https://proximareport.com/shenzhou-18-china/) crew's duties and stay aboard the station for approximately six months. The current crew aboard the station are Ye Guangfu (叶光富), Li Cong (李聪), and Li Guangsu (李广苏). ### *Blue Origin completes New Glenn engine installation* ![Seven BE-4 engines installed on New Glenn's first-stage. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GaqSA8jXkAAwPMX.jpg) Seven BE-4 engines installed on New Glenn's first-stage. ©Blue Origin Blue Origin [announced](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1849451360946737346?ref=proximareport.com) on October 24th that it had completed engine installation on New Glenn's first-stage. Seven BE-4 engines are now installed on the vehicle, to generate a combined thrust of 1744 tons at liftoff. Dave Limp, Blue Origin's Chief Executive Officer, [said](https://x.com/davill/status/1849459575998583268?ref=proximareport.com) the following after engine installation: > "Great job by the engineering, operations and engine teams on the installation. The seven BE-4 engines in this image will deliver more than 3.8 million pounds of thrust for New Glenn. Three of the seven engines gimbal to provide the control authority for New Glenn during ascent, re-entry, and landing on Jacklyn, our recovery vessel downrange at sea. That gimbal capability, along with the landing gear and Reaction Control System thrusters, are key to making our booster fully reusable." With all seven engines now installed, Blue Origin is expecting to conduct a static fire of the stage at its launch pad, Launch Complex 36 in Florida. Following a successful static fire, New Glenn's first flight is expected to occur in November. ### *Boeing possibly looking to exit space* Initially reported by the [Wall Street Journal](https://www.wsj.com/science/space-astronomy/boeing-explores-sale-of-space-business-fa7fa3a9?mod=hp%5Flead%5Fpos1&ref=proximareport.com) on October 25th, Boeing is possibly looking to sell its space division. This division manages International Space Station operations, the Starliner spacecraft, the highly secretive X-37B spaceplane, and the core stage of NASA's Space Launch System rocket to name a few. The move to possibly sell the company's space business is [reportedly](https://qz.com/boeing-nasa-space-business-1851681727?ref=proximareport.com) a move by Boeing's new Chief Executive Officer, Kelly Ortberg, to cut costs and simplify the company's portfolio. Boeing's defense and space division has already lost 3.1 billion United States Dollars in the first three quarters of 2024\. Total losses on the Starliner spacecraft have also [reached](https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/10/boeing-is-still-bleeding-money-on-the-starliner-commercial-crew-program/?ref=proximareport.com) 1.85 billion Dollars. Boeing has also [disl](https://www.defensenews.com/air/2024/07/23/boeing-says-it-will-shun-fixed-price-contracts-for-drone-wingmen/?ref=proximareport.com)[iked](https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/10/boeing-says-it-cant-make-money-with-fixed-price-contracts/?ref=proximareport.com) the U.S. government's move to fixed-price contracts in recent years, meaning that the company, and not the government, would absorb cost overruns. One of the company's most lucrative contracts is its [cost-plus contract](https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/10/nasa-will-award-boeing-a-cost-plus-contract-for-up-to-10-sls-rockets/?ref=proximareport.com), meaning the government is on the hook for cost overruns, for NASA's Space Launch System's core stage. This contract pushes the vehicle's [cost per launch](https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/03/nasa-inspector-general-says-sls-costs-are-unsustainable/?ref=proximareport.com) to 2.2 billion Dollars, and 4.1 billion Dollars once the Orion spacecraft, its service module, and ground system costs are accounted for. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is yet to reveal when it is targeting the next flight of Starship-Super Heavy. The license for the previous flight does allow for another test flight, so long as no major alterations are made to the flight plan. Ship 31 and Super Heavy Booster 13 have already performed static fire and propellant loading tests. The final major hardware milestones ahead of the next flight are believed to be combined testing of the two vehicles and installation of flight termination explosives. ### *October 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-9* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *October 29th - Long March 2F/G with Shenzhou-19* Three taikonauts will head to space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center atop of a Long March 2F/G for the Shenzhou-19 mission to the Tianong Space Station. ### *October 30th - H3 with DSN-3* Japan's H3 launch vehicle is expected to launch the DSN-3 satellite to geostationary transfer orbit from the Tanegashima Space Center. This satellite will be used for Japanese military communications. ### *October 30th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-13* SpaceX is expecting to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### *November 2nd - Falcon 9 with CRS-31* SpaceX's 31st resupply mission is expected to launch atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A in early November. The booster for this mission is unknown but it is expected to land back at Cape Canaveral. ### Get to know China's Long March rockets URL: https://proximareport.com/long-march-2024/ Last updated: 2025-02-10T10:16:17.000Z ***This article may take a while to load as where possible a relevant image is used.*** China currently operates well over a dozen Long March launch vehicles. Some of these vehicles were designed in the 1960s and 1970s, while others were developed after the year 2000. This article has been written to briefly explain each of the launch vehicles. Each vehicle has also been placed into one of four categories: modern, legacy, in-development, and retired. But before we get to the launch vehicles, a brief explanation of the nomenclature is needed along with why so many Long March rockets exist. ### Why are the rockets called Long March? The Long March launch vehicle series is named after the various retreats of communist forces in the Chinese Civil War from October 1934 to October 1936\. These forces traveled a believed 12,500 kilometers from Jiangxi, located in the south, to Yan'an, in the north. Due to the threat of attack by nationalist forces and warlords, communist forces had to take an indirect route to Yan'an. This led to them traveling across fourteen provinces. During the Long March, Mao Zedong emerged as the head of the Communist Party of China. The Communist Party would later go on to win the Chinese Civil War, and found the People's Republic of China on October 1st 1949. China's early launch vehicle development occurred during the Cultural Revolution (lasting from 1966 to 1976), which placed emphasis on the revolutionary history of the Communist Party. Despite the nomenclature's origins in an uncomfortable period of modern China's history, the name has endured. ### Why so many Long March rockets? Introducing new rockets is not a trivial process and requires overlap between the old and new launch vehicles. New launch vehicles also need to prove their reliability and safety while carrying payloads. China's state-owned launch vehicle providers and manufacturers are working towards the country's goal of phasing out its hypergolic fuelled launch vehicles. These new rockets are designed to burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen instead of Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. But why move away from the older Long March vehicles? The fuel of the older Long March launch vehicles are Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine, both of which are dangerous to be around without specialist protective equipment. They were also designed in the 1970s and 1980s so production methods and design techniques have improved massively since, especially in China which is now a world-class manufacturer. ## Modern operational Long March rockets This section includes Long March launch vehicles based on newer designs that have entered service in the past decade and largely do not use hypergolic fuels. ### Long March 5 ![A Long March 5 during rollout at the Wenchang Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-5-1.png) A Long March 5 during rollout at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. The Long March 5 is China's largest and most capable launch vehicle currently in service, and was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The two-and-a-half-stage launch vehicle is fuelled with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in its first and second stages along with rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in four boosters. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *15,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit* - *14,000 kilograms to a geostationary transfer orbit* - *13,000 kilograms to medium Earth orbit* - *9,400 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory* - *6,700 kilograms to a 2,000-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit* - *6,000 kilograms to a trans-martian trajectory* - *5,100 kilograms to geostationary orbit* The Long March 5's first-stage is powered by two YF-77 engines, which produce 143 tons of thrust using liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. To assist with liftoff, the rocket is equipped with four side boosters, each powered by two YF-100 engines that generate 245 tons of thrust using rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, providing a combined booster thrust of 979 tons. Together, the first stage and boosters deliver a total thrust of 1,122 tons. The second stage features two YF-75D engines, generating 18 tons of thrust with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. On the launchpad, the Long March 5 stands at up to 63.2 meters tall, with the longer of its two fairing options, and weighs up to 851,800 kilograms fully fuelled. The first and second stages have a diameter of five meters, while the four boosters have a diameter of 3.35 meters, and the fairing has a diameter of 5.2 meters. So far the Long March 5 has only flown from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province. ### Long March 5B ![A Long March 5B during first-stage flight after lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-5B-1.png) A Long March 5B during first-stage flight after lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. The Long March 5B is China's most capable vehicle for sending payloads to low Earth orbit, and was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The one-and-a-half-stage launch vehicle is fuelled with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in its first-stage along with rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in four boosters. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *25,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit* The Long March 5B's first-stage is powered by two YF-77 engines, which produce 143 tons of thrust using liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. To assist with liftoff, the rocket is equipped with four side boosters, each powered by two YF-100 engines that generate 245 tons of thrust using rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, providing a combined booster thrust of 979 tons. Together, the first stage and boosters deliver a total thrust of 1,122 tons. On the launchpad, the Long March 5B stands at up to 53.66 meters tall and weighs up to 837,500 kilograms fully fuelled. The first-stage has a diameter of five meters, while the four boosters have a diameter of 3.35 meters, and the fairing has a diameter of 5.2 meters. So far the Long March 5B has only flown from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province. ### Long March 6 ![A Long March 6 lifting off from Launch Complex 16 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-6-1-1.png) A Long March 6 lifting off from Launch Complex 16 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. The Long March 6 was the first 'green-propellant' Long March launch vehicle with it being developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. The first two stages of the vehicle burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, with the third-stage burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *1,080 kilograms into a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit* The first-stage is powered by a YF-100 engine producing 122 tons of thrust and fuelled by rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The second-stage is powered by a YF-115 generating 18 tons of thrust while also burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The third-stage is powered by a YF-50E engine generating 0.66 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. On the launchpad, the Long March 6 is believed to be 29 meters tall and weighs 103,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first-stage has a diameter of 3.35 meters, with a second-stage diameter of 2.25 meters, and a fairing diameter of 2.6 meters. So far every Long March 6 has launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, in the north of Shanxi province. ### Long March 6A ![A Long March 6A lifting off from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-6A.png) A Long March 6A lifting off from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 6A is the first new-generation launch vehicle in China to utilize a combination of solid and liquid propellants. This vehicle was developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology and utilizes a two-and-a-half-stage design, the boosters burn an unspecified solid propellant with the first and second stages burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *8,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *4,500 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit* The first-stage is powered by two YF-100 engines, generating a combined thrust of approximately 244 tons using rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The first-stage is augmented by four solid rocket boosters, each producing 124 tons of thrust from an unspecified solid propellant, resulting in a combined booster thrust of 492 tons. Together, the first-stage and boosters generate a total thrust of 736 tons. The second stage is powered by a single YF-115 engine, producing 18 tons of thrust using also burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. On the launchpad, the Long March 6A is believed to be up to 52 meters tall, two fairings are available with one 2 meters taller than the other, and weighs 530,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages of the vehicle have a diameter of 3.35 meters while the solid-fuelled boosters have a diameter of 2 meters, the fairing has a diameter of 4.2 meters. So far every Long March 6A has launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, in the north of Shanxi province. ### Long March 6C ![A Long March 6C lifting off from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-6C-1.png) A Long March 6C lifting off from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 6C is one of the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology's newest launch vehicles. Both the first and second stages of the launch vehicle burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *4,500 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *2,400 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit* - *2,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit* The first-stage is powered by two YF-100 engines to generate a combined thrust of approximately 244 tons of thrust while burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The second-stage also burns rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen and is powered by a single YF-115 engine generating 18 tons of thrust. On the launchpad, the Long March 6C is believed to be 43 meters tall and weighs 217,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first-stage has a diameter of 3.35 meters, the second-stage has a diameter of 2.9 meters, and the fairing has a believed diameter of 3.35 meters. So far every Long March 6C has launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, in the north of Shanxi province. ### Long March 7 ![A Long March 7 at Launch Complex 2 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-7-1.png) A Long March 7 at Launch Complex 2 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. The Long March 7, developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, is a key part of China's crewed space efforts and launches at least one Tianzhou spacecraft each year. This vehicle utilizes a two-and-a-half-stage design and is fuelled by rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in its boosters, first, and second stages. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *13,500 kilograms to Low Earth orbit* The Long March 7's first stage is equipped with two YF-100 engines that produce 245 tons of thrust using rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, complemented by four boosters, each with a YF-100 engine generating 122 tons of thrust, resulting in a combined thrust of approximately 733 tons. The second stage is powered by four YF-115 engines, which together generate 72 tons of thrust using the same fuel combination. On the launchpad, the Long March 7 stands at 53.1 meters tall and weighs 597,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second-stage have a diameter of 3.35 meters, the four boosters are 2.25 meters in diameter, and the fairing has a diameter of 4.2 meters. So far the Long March 7 has only flown from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province. ### Long March 7A ![A Long March 7A during rollout at the Wenchang Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-7A-1.png) A Long March 7A during rollout at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. The Long March 7A is the new-generation workhorse for beyond low Earth orbit missions, and was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. This vehicle utilizes a three-and-a-half-stage design and is fuelled by rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in its boosters, first, and second stages long with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in the third-stage. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *7,000 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit* - *5,500 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit* - *5,000 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory* The Long March 7A's first stage is equipped with two YF-100 engines that produce 245 tons of thrust using rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, complemented by four boosters, each with a YF-100 engine generating 122 tons of thrust, resulting in a combined thrust of approximately 733 tons. The second stage is powered by four YF-115 engines, which together generate 72 tons of thrust using the same fuel combination. The third stage of the Long March 7A features two YF-75 engines, providing 17 tons of thrust by burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. On the launchpad, the Long March 7A stands at 60.13 meters tall and weighs 573,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second-stage have a diameter of 3.35 meters, the four boosters are 2.25 meters in diameter, and the third-stage has a diameter of 3 meters, while the fairing has a diameter of 4.2 meters. So far the Long March 7A has only flown from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province. ### Long March 8 ![A Long March 8 lifting off from Launch Complex 2 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-8-1.png) A Long March 8 lifting off from Launch Complex 2 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. The Long March 8 is commonly considered a cheaper, and less capable, version of the Long March 7A, and was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. This vehicle utilizes a two-and-a-half-stage design and is fuelled by rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in its first-stage and boosters along with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in the second-stage. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *8,100 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *5,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit* - *2,800 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit* - *1,500 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory* The Long March 8's boosters and first-stage are powered by YF-100 engines, with two engines on the first stage and one on each of the two boosters, generating a combined thrust of 490 tons at liftoff. The second-stage is equipped with two YF-75 engines which produce 17 tons of thrust. On the launchpad, the Long March 8 stands at 50.34 meters tall and weighs 356,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first-stage has a diameter of 3.35 meters, the two boosters have a diameter of 2.25 meters, while the second-stage has a diameter of 3 meters, and the fairing has a believed diameter of 4 meters. So far the Long March 8 has only flown from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province. ### Long March 8 (Core Alone) ![A Long March 8 (Core Alone) lifting off from Launch Complex 2 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-8-core-alone-1.png) A Long March 8 (Core Alone) lifting off from Launch Complex 2 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. The core alone Long March 8 is an even cheaper, and less capable, version of the Long March 7A, and was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. This vehicle utilizes a two stage design and is fuelled by rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in its first-stage along with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in the second-stage. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *3,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *1,400 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit* The core alone Long March 8's first-stage is powered by two YF-100 engines generating 245 tons of thrust. The second-stage is equipped with two YF-75 engines which produce 17 tons of thrust. On the launchpad, the core alone Long March 8 stands at 48 meters tall and weighs 198,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first-stage has a diameter of 3.35 meters, the second-stage has a diameter of 3 meters, and the fairing has a believed diameter of 4 meters. So far the core alone Long March 8 has only flown from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province. ### Long March 8A The Long March 8A is an improved and more cost-efficient upgrade of the Long March 8 and the future workhorse of its developer, the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The vehicle utilizes a two-and-a-half-stage design and is fuelled by rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in its first-stage and boosters along with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in the second-stage. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *8,400 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *7,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit* The Long March 8A's boosters and first-stage are powered by YF-100 engines, with two engines on the first stage and one on each of the two boosters, generating a combined thrust of 490 tons at liftoff. The second-stage is equipped with two YF-75H engines which produce 20 tons of thrust. On the launchpad, the core alone Long March 8 stands at 50.5 meters tall and weighs 371,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second-stage have a diameter of 3.35 meters, the two boosters have a diameter of 2.25 meters, while the fairing has a diameter of 5.2 meters. Currently, the Long March 8A is only flown from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province. ### Long March 11 ![A Long March 11 during first-stage flight.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-11-1.png) A Long March 11 during first-stage flight. The Long March 11 is the smallest Long March vehicle, in terms of size and lift capability, currently in service and was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. All four stages of the Long March 11 burn an unknown solid propellant. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *700 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *350 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit* At ignition the Long March 11 is powered by a solid rocket motor burning an unknown solid propellant to generate 122 tons of thrust, the three other stages have no publically known details. On the launchpad, the Long March 11 stands at 20.8 meters tall and weighs 58,000 kilograms when prepped for launch. The first and second-stage have a diameter of 2 meters while the fairings, third, and fourth stages have a diameter of 1.6 meters. So far the Long March 11 has flown from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, and various sea launch platforms. ### Long March 12 ![A Long March 12 during rollout to the launch pad at the Wenchang Commerical Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-12-1.png) A Long March 12 during rollout to the launch pad at the Wenchang Commerical Space Launch Site. The Long March 12 is another new launch vehicle from the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. Both stages of the launch vehicle burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *12,000 kilograms to a low Earth orbit* - *6,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit* Powering the first-stage are four YF-100K engines generating a combined thrust of 510 tons while burning liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene. The second-stage is powered by two YF-115 engines generating 36 tons of thrust, also burning liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene. On the launchpad, the rocket stands a believed 59 meters in height, while having a first and second stage diameter of 3.8 meters. Fully fuelled the Long March 12 is believed to weigh 433,000 kilograms. The fairing of the Long March 12 is also believed to have options for either a 3.8, 4.2, or 5.2-meter diameter, depending on the needs of the mission. Currently, the Long March 12 is only flown from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province. ## Legacy operational Long March rockets This section includes Long March launch vehicles based on older designs that use hypergolic propellants, as well as being designed before the year 2000. ### Long March 2C ![A Long March 2C during first-stage flight after lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-2C-1.png) A Long March 2C during first-stage flight after lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 2C is one of the oldest launch vehicles from China performing missions regularly to low earth and sun-synchronous orbits by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The two stages of the launch vehicle both burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *3,850 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *1,900 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit* - *1,250 kilograms to a geostationary transfer orbit* The first-stage is powered by four YF-21C engines, which generate 302 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The second-stage is powered by a single YF-22E engine and four YF-23C verniers that generate 80 tons of thrust while also burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. On the launch pad, the Long March 2C is 42 meters tall and weighs 233,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages have a diameter of 3.35 meters, with the fairing having a diameter of either 3.35 or 4.2 meters. So far the Long March 2C has flown from all three inland launch sites, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, and the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ### Long March 2D ![A Long March 2D on the launch pad at Launch Complex 9 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-2D.png) A Long March 2D on the launch pad at Launch Complex 9 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 2D is also one of the oldest launch vehicles from China performing missions regularly to low earth and sun-synchronous orbits by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, as a two-stage version of the Long March 4 vehicles. The two stages of the launch vehicle both burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *3,500 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *1,300 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit* The first-stage is powered by four YF-21C engines, which generate 302 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The second-stage is powered by a single YF-22C engine and four YF-23C verniers that generate 80 tons of thrust while also burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. On the launch pad, the Long March 2D is 41.05 meters tall and weighs 232,250 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages have a diameter of 3.35 meters, with the fairing having a diameter of either 3.35 or approximately 4 meters. So far the Long March 2D has flown from all three inland launch sites, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, and the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ### Long March 2F ![A Long March 2F/G during rollout to its launchpad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-2F-1.png) A Long March 2F/G during rollout to its launchpad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 2F is the only human-rated launch vehicle currently active in China, with it developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. Two versions of the launch vehicle are currently active, the 2F/G and 2F/T. The Long March 2F/G launches the Shenzhou spacecraft, while the 2F/T launches China's reusable spaceplane and did launch the first two Tiangong space stations. All versions of the Long March 2F have had the boosters, first, and second-stage burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *8,400 kilograms to low Earth orbit* Powering the first-stage are four YF-20B generating a combined 332 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. Augmenting the thrust of the first-stage are four boosters, each powered by one YF-20B each generating 83 tons of thrust each for a combined booster thrust of 332, while also burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The combined thrust of the first-stage and four boosters is 664 tons of thrust. The second-stage of the vehicle is powered by one YF-24B generating 85 tons of thrust, once again burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. On the launchpad, the Long March 2F is 62 meters tall, with the Shenzhou spacecraft's launch escape system, and weighs 464,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages have a diameter of 3.35 meters, with the four boosters having a diameter of 2.3 meters, and the Shenzhou spacecraft's protective fairing has a maximum diameter of 3.6 meters. So far the Long March 2F has only flown from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, in the west of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the north of Gansu province. ### Long March 3B ![A Long March 3B/E during first-stage flight after lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-3B-1.png) A Long March 3B/E during first-stage flight after lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 3B is the older generation geostationary orbit workhorse of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The first two stages and four boosters of the rocket burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine, with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in the third-stage. Over the rocket's almost twenty-eight-year launch history, two versions of the vehicle have flown, the 3B and 3B/E. Since 2012 only the 3B/E variant has flown due to its increased payload capacity. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *11,500 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *7,100 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit* - *5,500 kilograms into a geostationary transfer orbit* - *2,000 kilograms into geostationary orbit* The first-stage is powered by four YF-21C engines that burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine to generate 302 tons of thurst, while the boosters are powered by one YF-25 engine burning the same fuel to generate 72 tons of thrust each. Combined the four boosters and first stage generate a thrust of 590 tons. The second stage is powered by one YF-22E and four YF-23F vernier engines that also burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine to generate 81 tons of thrust. The third-stage is powered by two YF-75 engines that burn liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to generate 17 tons of thrust. On the launch pad, the Long March 3B/E is 56.3 meters tall and weighs 458,970 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second-stage have a diameter of 3.35 meters, while the third-stage has a diameter of 3 meters, along with the four boosters diameter of 2.25 meters, and the fairing has a diameter of 4.2 meters. So far every Long March 3B launch has occurred from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, in the south of Sichuan province. ### Long March 3C ![A Long March 3C at Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-3C.png) A Long March 3C at Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 3C is the less capable derivative of the Long March 3B designed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology to be a cheaper offering for customers who don't have a satellite heavy enough for a more capable vehicle. The first two stages and two boosters of the rocket burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine, with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in the third-stage. Over the rocket's almost sixteen-year launch history, two versions of the vehicle have flown, the 3C and 3C/E. Since 2016 only the 3C/E variant has flown due to its increased payload capacity. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *8,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *3,900 kilograms into a geostationary transfer orbit* The first-stage is powered by four YF-21C engines that burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine to generate 302 tons of thurst, while the boosters are powered by one YF-25 engine burning the same fuel to generate 72 tons of thrust each. Combined the two boosters and first stage generate a thrust of 446 tons. The second stage is powered by one YF-22E and four YF-23F vernier engines that also burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine to generate 81 tons of thrust. The third-stage is powered by two YF-75 engines that burn liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to generate 17 tons of thrust. On the launch pad, the Long March 3B/E is 55.6 meters tall and weighs 345,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second-stage have a diameter of 3.35 meters, while the third-stage has a diameter of 3 meters, along with the two boosters diameter of 2.25 meters, and the fairing has a diameter of 4.2 meters. So far every Long March 3C launch has occurred from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, in the south of Sichuan province. ### Long March 4B ![A Long March 4B lifting off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-4B-1.png) A Long March 4B lifting off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 4B is an older generation low Earth and sun-synchronous orbit workhorse of the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. All three stages of the rocket burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine, with no engine restart capability. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *4,200 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *2,800 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit* - *1,500 kilograms to a geostationary transfer orbit* The first-stage is powered by four YF-21C engines, which generate 302 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The second-stage is powered by a single YF-22C engine and four YF-23C verniers that generate 80 tons of thrust while also burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The third-stage is propelled by two YF-40 engines that provide 10 tons of thrust by once again burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. On the launch pad, the Long March 4B is 44.1 meters tall and weighs 249,200 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second-stage have a diameter of 3.35 meters, while the third-stage has a diameter of 2.9 meters, and a fairing diameter of either 3.8 or 4.2 meters. So far the Long March 4B has flown from all three inland launch sites, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, and the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ### Long March 4C ![A Long March 4C lifting off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-4C-1.png) A Long March 4C lifting off from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 4C is another older generation low Earth and sun-synchronous orbit workhorse of the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. All three stages of the rocket burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine, with the third-stage capable of engine restart. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows: - *4,200 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *2,800 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit* - *1,500 kilograms to a geostationary transfer orbit* The first-stage is powered by four YF-21C engines, which generate 302 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The second-stage is powered by a single YF-22C engine and four YF-23C verniers that generate 80 tons of thrust while also burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The third-stage is propelled by two YF-40A engines that provide 10 tons of thrust by once again burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. On the launch pad, the Long March 4C is 45.9 meters tall and weighs 249,200 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second-stage have a diameter of 3.35 meters, while the third-stage has a diameter of 2.9 meters, and a fairing diameter of 3.8 meters. So far the Long March 4C has flown from all three inland launch sites, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, and the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ## In-development Long March rockets This section includes in-development Long March launch vehicles that are expected to debut in the coming decade. ### Long March 10 ![The cargo (left) and crew (right) variants of the Long March 10.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-10-10A-2-1.jpg) The cargo (left) and crew (right) variants of the Long March 10. The Long March 10 is the most important in-development launch vehicle from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. Three stages and two boosters will be used on the rocket burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in the first two stages and boosters, with the third-stage burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Currently, the Long March 10 is expected to be able to lift the following: - *70,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *27,000 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory* The first-stage will utilize seven YF-100K engines to generate 892 tons of thrust by burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, while the boosters will also use seven YF-100K engines for a total combined thrust of 2,676 tons. The second-stage will feature two YF-100M engines capable of producing 298 tons of thrust while consuming rocket-grade fuel and liquid oxygen. The third-stage will use three YF-75E engines capable of producing 28 tons of thrust while burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The third-stage is intended to be used for missions to the Moon. At the time of writing, the Long March 10 is expected to make its maiden launch in 2027\. The Long March 10's boosters may be recovered and reused, as its first-stage and booster engines are restartable. Landing legs will not be used for recovery, instead they will be caught on 'tensioned wires' with 'hooks' on the booster, likely to be downrange on a ship. On the launch pad, the Long March 10 is expected to weigh up to 2,189,000 kilograms while fully fuelled and be up to 93.2 meters tall when on the launch pad. All three stages, the boosters, and fairing are currently expected to have a diameter of 5 meters. ### Long March 10A ![The cargo (left) and crew (right) variants of the Long March 10A.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-10-10A-1.jpg) The cargo (left) and crew (right) variants of the Long March 10A. The Long March 10A is a single-core version of the in-development Long March 10 and is believed to be solely for low Earth orbit missions. Two stages will be used on the rocket burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. Currently, the Long March 10A is believed to be able to lift the following: - *18,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit when expended* - *14,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit with booster recovery* The first-stage will use seven YF-100K engines to produce 892 tons of thrust by burning rocket-grade fuel and liquid oxygen. The second-stage will have two YF-100M engines which will produce 149 tons of thrust while burning rocket-grade fuel and liquid oxygen. At the time of writing, the Long March 10A is expected to make its maiden launch around 2025\. The Long March 10A is expected to have its first-stage boosters reused and reflown, three of the YF-100K's will be used to land the booster with grid fins guiding the booster during unpowered flight. Landing legs will not be used for recovery, instead the booster will be caught on 'tensioned wires' with 'hooks' on the booster, likely to be downrange on a ship. On the launch pad, the Long March 10A is expected to weigh 740,000 kilograms while fully fuelled and be approximately 67 meters tall. The two stages are expected to have a diameter of 5 meters with a possible fairing diameter of up to 6.2 meters. ### Long March 9 ![A diagram of a three-stage Long March 9 (left), a two-stage Long March 9 (center), and a fully reusable Long March 9 (right).](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-9-1.png) A diagram of a three-stage Long March 9 (left), a two-stage Long March 9 (center), and a fully reusable Long March 9 (right). The Long March 9 is the largest in-development launch vehicle from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. Up to three stages will be used on the rocket with it burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen on the first and second stages, with the third-stage burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Currently, the Long March 9 is expected to be able to lift the following: - *150,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *54,000 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory* - *44,000 kilograms to a trans-martian trajectory* The first-stage will consist of thirty unidentified engines to generate a total of 6000 tons of thrust by burning liquid methane and oxygen. The second-stage will also use two unidentified engines, most likely an air-startable variant of the first-stage engines, to generate a planned 400 tons of thrust while consuming liquid methane and oxygen. The third-stage will feature four YF-79 engines that will provide 102 tons of thrust by burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. This third stage will be utilized primarily for flights beyond low Earth orbit. At the time of writing, the Long March 9 is expected to make its maiden launch around 2033\. Plans for reusing the first-stage are currently unknown outside of China, but it may be in a similar fashion to the Long March 10A's boosters. On the launch pad, the Long March 9 is expected to weigh 4,369,000 kilograms when fully fuelled and be roughly 114 meters tall. All three stages and the fairing are believed to have a diameter of 10.6 meters. ## Retired Long March rockets This section includes Long March launch vehicles that have not flown in several years, or have officially been retired. ### Long March 1 ![A Long March 1 on the launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-1-1.png) A Long March 1 on the launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 1 was China's first orbital launch vehicle, and was derived from the early Dong Feng 4 ballistic missiles. Three stages allowed the vehicle to enter orbit, the first two stages burned Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Nitric Acid while the third-stage burned a Polysulfide and Ammonium perchlorate solid propellant. When operational, the Long March 1 was able to lift the following: - *300 kilograms to low Earth orbit* The Long March 1's first-stage was powered by four YF-1A engines generating 112 tons of thrust while burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Nitric Acid. The second-stage was powered by a single YF-3A engine which generated 33 tons of thrust, also burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Nitric Acid. The third-stage was a solid rocket motor that generated 18 tons of thrust by burning a Polysulfide and Ammonium perchlorate propellant. On the launch pad, the Long March 1 was 29.86 meters tall and weighed 81,570 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages had a diameter of 2.25 meters, while the third-stage had a diameter of 2.05 meters, and the fairing had a diameter of 2 meters. The Long March 1 flew both of its missions from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in 1970 and 1971. ### Long March 1D ![A Long March 1D lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-1D-1.png) A Long March 1D lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 1D is the only Long March vehicle not to have flown an orbital mission, with the vehicle developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. Three stages propelled the vehicles suborbital payloads, the first two stages burned Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide while the third-stage burned a Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and Ammonium perchlorate solid propellant mixture. Despite never flying to orbit, the Long March 1D was able to lift the following: - *930 kilograms to low Earth orbit* The Long March 1D's first-stage was powered by four YF-1B engines generating 112 tons of thrust while burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The second-stage was powered by two YF-40 engines t generate 10 tons of thrust, also burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The third-stage was an FG-36 solid rocket motor burning a solid propellant mixture of Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and Ammonium perchlorate. On the launch pad, the Long March 1D was 28.22 meters tall and weighed 81,650 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages had a diameter of 2.25 meters, while the third-stage had a diameter of 0.77 meters, The Long March 1D flew all three of its missions from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center between 1995 and 2002, two were successful ### Long March 2A ![A Long March 2A lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-2A-1.png) A Long March 2A lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 2A is the grandfather of the legacy operational Long March rockets and was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. Two stages powered the vehicle into orbit, both burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. When operational, the Long March 2A was able to lift the following: - *2,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit* The Long March 2A's first-stage was powered by four YF-20A engines generating 280 tons of thrust while burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The second-stage was powered by a YF-22 engine and four YF-23 vernier engines to generate 78 tons of thrust, also burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. On the launch pad, the Long March 2A was 32 meters tall and weighed 190,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages had a diameter of 3.35 meters, fairing diameters varied between missions. The Long March 2A flew all four of its missions from the Jiuqan Satellite Launch Center between 1974 and 1978, three were successful. *The Long March 2A's first flight was as the Long March 2, the 2A nomenclature remained on subsequent flights due to modifications to the design.* ### Long March 2E ![A Long March 2E lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-2E-1.png) A Long March 2E lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 2E was the first Long March vehicle to have side boosters augmenting the first-stage thrust, with the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology developing the vehicle. Two stages and four boosters allowed the vehicle to deliver payloads as far away as geostationary orbit. When operational, the Long March 2A was able to lift the following: - *9,500 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *3,500 kilogram to geostationary transfer orbit* The Long March 2E's first-stage was powered by four YF-20B engines generating 302 tons of thrust, while augmented by four boosters each with a YF-20B to generate 75 tons of thrust, while burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. Combined the first-stage and boosters generate 604 tons of thrust. The second-stage was powered by a YF-22B engine and four YF-23B vernier engines to generate 80 tons of thrust, also burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. On the launch pad, the Long March 2E was 49.7 meters tall and weighed 460,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages had a diameter of 3.35 meters, while the four boosters had a diameter of 2.25 meters, and the fairing had a diameter of 4.2 meters. The Long March 2E flew all seven of its missions from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center between 1990 and 1995, with one total failure. ### Long March 3 ![A Long March 3 lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-3.png) A Long March 3 lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 3 was the first Long March vehicle to have a liquid hydrogen stage, with the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology developing the vehicle. The first two stages of the vehicle burned Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide while the third-stage burned liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to send payloads out to geostationary orbit. When operational, the Long March 3 was able to lift the following: - *5,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *1,500 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit* The Long March 3's first-stage was powered by four YF-21B engines generating 302 tons of thrust while burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The second-stage was powered by a YF-22D engine and four YF-23F vernier engines to generate 76 tons of thrust, also burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The third-stage was powered by a single YF-73 engine generating 4.5 tons of thrust while burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. On the launch pad, the Long March 3 was 43.25 meters tall and weighed 204,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages had a diameter of 3.35 meters, while the third-stage had a diameter of 2.25 meters, and the fairing had a diameter of 3 meters. The Long March 3 flew all thirteen of its missions from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center between 1984 and 2000, with two total failures. ### Long March 3A ![A Long March 3A during first-stage flight after lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-3A-1.png) A Long March 3A during first-stage flight after lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 3A was the workhorse of the early Beidou Navigation Satellite System, and was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The first two stages of the vehicle burned Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide while the third-stage burned liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to send payloads out as far as the Moon. When operational, the Long March 3A was able to lift the following: - *8,500 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *2,600 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit* - *1,600 kilograms to a heliocentric orbit* The Long March 3A's first-stage was powered by four YF-21C engines generating 302 tons of thrust while burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The second-stage was powered by a YF-22E engine and four YF-23C vernier engines to generate 80 tons of thrust, also burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The third-stage was powered by two YF-75 engines generating 17 tons of thrust while burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. On the launch pad, the Long March 3A was 52.52 meters tall and weighed 241,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages along with the fairing had a diameter of 3.35 meters, while the third-stage had a diameter of 3 meters. The Long March 3A flew all twenty-seven of its missions from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center between 1994 and 2018. ### Long March 4A ![A Long March 4A lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/LM-4A.png) A Long March 4A lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 4A was one of the first liquid propellant three-stage vehicles in China, with the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology developing the vehicle. All three stages burned Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide to deliver payloads to a variety of orbits. When operational, the Long March 2A was able to lift the following: - *4,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit* - *1,500 kilograms to sun-synchronous orbit* - *1,100 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit* The Long March 4A's first-stage was powered by four YF-20B engines generating 302 tons of thrust while burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The second-stage was powered by a YF-25 engine and four YF-23 vernier engines to generate 85 tons of thrust, also burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The third-stage, once again burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide, was powered by two YF-40 engines to generate 10 tons of thrust. On the launch pad, the Long March 4A was 41.9 meters tall and weighed 249,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages had a diameter of 3.35 meters, while the third-stage and fairing had a diameter of 2.9 meters. The Long March 4A flew its two missions from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center between 1988 and 1990. --- ### *Notes from the author* I am aware that the Long March 12 and Long March 8A are yet to fly at the time of writing, October 2024\. Both of these vehicles are planned to fly for the first time by the end of 2024\. As a result, I've categorized them as operational because I don't anticipate any further Long March vehicles being revealed in the next few years, meaning this article won't be updated and re-released for a while. If you know of any information that should be added feel free to reach out to me via the links on my [author page](https://proximareport.com/author/jack/) or [Linktree](https://linktr.ee/phazzee?ref=cosmicnxws.com). ### LandSpace nearing launch of upgraded Zhuque-2 URL: https://proximareport.com/landspace-zhuque-2e-dev/ Last updated: 2024-10-23T15:43:33.000Z LandSpace [announced](https://weibo.com/6507732051/OCAYzreGf?ref=proximareport.com) on October 21st that it had successfully conducted a static fire test with its TQ-15A engine and a new second-stage design. The duration of the test was not shared. The new second-stage is stated as utilizing a common bulkhead design along with replacing the TQ-12 engine and four TQ-11 vernier thrusters with a single TQ-15A vacuum-optimized engine. Switching to a single TQ-15A engine, generating up to 85 tons of thrust, will allow the second-stage to reignite, opening up a wider range of missions. ![LandSpace's TQ-15A engine during the static fire test on October 21st. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/Gad1f1iWMAAC_2B.jpg) LandSpace's TQ-15A engine during the static fire test on October 21st. ©LandSpace With the successful test, LandSpace also finally named the long-discussed upgraded Zhuque-2 launch vehicle, [calling it](https://weibo.com/6507732051/OCHHdsMp4?ref=proximareport.com) Zhuque-2E. Few details were shared by the company about Zhuque-2E, but LandSpace did say the [following](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/yFLEFZ6wKlvTRBxoCWHVqw?ref=proximareport.com): > "The successful success of this second-stage static ignition test marks the full validation of LandSpace's new second-stage programme for the Zhuque-2E, providing important data support and technical assurance for LandSpace to conduct the first flight test mission of the Zhuque-2E model and the regular launch mission." Following a visit by reporters to LandSpace back in [March](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/landspaces-ceo-shares-plans-for-the), Zhuque-2E was speculated as having two slightly stretched stages while using four improved TQ-12A engines on the first-stage and a single TQ-15A on the second-stage. LandSpace has also been occasionally sharing improvements made to the Zhuque-2 family earlier this year. [March](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/landspaces-tq-15a-passes-tests-and?utm%5Fsource=publication-search) had one of the first TQ-15A engines completing an acceptance run, [mid-April](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/recapping-the-last-two-weeks-of-china) had overall weigh savings made to the launch vehicles, and [late April](https://phazzee.substack.com/i/146379293/april-th-tq-a) had a TQ-15A complete firings with a niobium alloy nozzle. Back in April, Zhang Changwu (张昌武), LandSpace's founder and Chief Executive Officer, also [said to reporters](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/late-april-china-space-catch-up-2842024) that four launches were planned in 2024 along with eight in 2025\. So far this year LandSpace has only flown [two hops](https://proximareport.com/landspace-hop-two/) of its Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 test vehicle. The four launches for 2024 could also be planned to occur before the Chinese New Year in 2025\. At least three of the launches in 2025 are believed to be for LandSpace's partially reusable [Zhuque-3](https://proximareport.com/what-is-the-zhuque-3-rocket/) launch vehicle. LandSpace is currently believed to be targeting winter for the first launch of Zhuque-2E, this could be in late November or December. ## Who is LandSpace? LandSpace Technology Corporation is a Chinese private space launch provider based out of the city of Beijing and was founded by Zhang Changwu (张昌武) in 2015. The company launched its first rocket, Zhuque-1, on the 27th of October 2018 but failed to reach orbit. Zhuque-1 was a three-stage solid propellant rocket that was aiming to lift 300 kilograms into orbit until its cancellation in favor of Zhuque-2\. LandSpace has so far flown Zhuque-2 three times, with two successes. The vehicle can carry 6,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit or 4,000 kilograms to sun-synchronus orbit. Zhuque-2 was also the first rocket to utilize liquid methane to reach space and [deliver payloads](https://proximareport.com/zhuque-2-first-payloads-to-space/) to orbit. --- *Lead image has been altered, rotated ninety degrees left.* ### Weekly Dose of Space (13/10-19/10) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-13-10-19-10/ Last updated: 2024-10-20T18:17:42.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had seven orbital launches occur, with most of them carrying satellites for mega-constellations. News this week had Axiom unveiling its AxEMU spacesuit, yet more delays for Starliner, the Artemis Accords gaining another member, and NASA's TDRS system nearing capacity. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on October 13th when the fifth flight test of Starship-Super Heavy occurred. Almost seven minutes after launch, Booster 12 returned to the launch site and was caught by the launch towers 'chopsticks'. ![Booster 12 heading towards the launch tower for a catch on October 13th. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GZ33URNWoAA7o66.jpg) Booster 12 heading towards the launch tower for a catch on October 13th. ©SpaceX After having caught Booster 12, the 'chopsticks' lowered the booster onto the Orbital Launch Mount. The 14th had teams remove the booster flight termination system explosives removed. October 15th had Booster 12 removed from the Orbital Launch Mount, placed onto a transport stand, and then moved to the production site. On October 17th, a few days after Booster 12 left the launch site, the Orbital Launch Mounts alignment pins were reinstalled. These pins are used to fine-tune the placement of Super Heavy boosters during stacking, ahead of testing or flight. The 17th also saw the 'chopsticks' open and move for the first time since catching Booster 12 on flight five. ## **Launches This Week** ### *October 13th - Starship-Super Heavy for Flight 5* Starting off this week strong was Starship-Super Heavy's fifth flight test from SpaceX's launch site near Boca Chica, in south Texas. The flight test had Super Heavy Booster 12 successfully perform the first catch between the launch towers 'chopsticks' while Ship 30 splashed down in the Indian Ocean after passing through atmospheric reentry in one piece. More details about this flight are available [here](https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-5/). ![Starship-Super Heavy lifting off during its fifth flight test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GZ45qu4b0AQUv5F-1.jpg) Starship-Super Heavy lifting off during its fifth flight test. ©SpaceX ### *October 14th - Falcon Heavy with Europa Clipper* Falcon Heavy launched from Launch Complex 39A on October 14th carrying NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft to an Earth-escape, beginning its journey to Jupiter's moon Europa. Details about this mission are available [here](https://proximareport.com/europa-clipper/). Supporting this launch were boosters B1089, flying for the first time, B1065, flying for the sixth time, and B1064, also flying for the sixth time. ![Falcon Heavy during first-stage flight for the launch of Europa Clipper. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GZ4CAMubQAA-z9a-1.jpg) Falcon Heavy during first-stage flight for the launch of Europa Clipper. ©SpaceX ### *October 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-10* SpaceX launched a batch of twenty-three Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, atop of Falcon 9\. The booster for this mission was B1080, flying for the eleventh time, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-10 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GZ6i-cCW0AA4Hn4.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-10 mission. ©SpaceX ### *October 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-7* Another batch of twenty Starlink satellites were launched atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster supporting this mission was B1071, making its nineteenth flight, and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. > Falcon 9’s first stage booster lands for the 19th time ahead of recovery and refurbishment for its next mission [pic.twitter.com/I7LO8wLWmK](https://t.co/I7LO8wLWmK?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 15, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1846106345818173878?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 booster B1071 landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You', via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1846106345818173878?ref=proximareport.com). ### *October 15th - Long March 6A with Qianfan Polar Group 02* A Long March 6A launched a second batch of eighteen Qianfan satellites to a polar orbit from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, in the north of Shanxi province. ![The Long March 6A Y20 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/00686eaKgy1huniauo8whj30wa1cf48h.jpg) The Long March 6A Y20 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ### *October 16th - Long March 4C with Gaofen-12 05* The Gaofen-12 05 satellite was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center atop of a Long March 4C. Following launch, Gaofen-12 05 was [tracked](https://x.com/planet4589/status/1846426201813823701?ref=proximareport.com) to a 586 by 599-kilometer 97.9-degree orbit. ![The Long March 4C Y59 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/0080MYmPly1hunx9iv4xkj33do294x6q-1-1.jpg) The Long March 4C Y59 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *October 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-19* Falcon 9 launched another batch of twenty Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. Supporting this mission was booster B1076, flying for the seventeenth time, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ## **In Other Space News** ### *Axiom unveils lunar spacesuit design* ![A mockup of Axiom Space's lunar spacesuit. ©Axiom Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/Ax-suit-comp-1.png) A mockup of Axiom Space's lunar spacesuit. ©Axiom Space While at the 75th International Astronautical Congress in Milan, Italy, Axiom Space and Prada [unveiled](https://www.axiomspace.com/release/prada-axiom-suit?ref=proximareport.com) the flight design of the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit. The suit will be used for the first time on the lunar surface as part of the Artemis III mission in 2026, but more likely in 2028. Axiom Space and Prada jointly developed the materials used in the spacesuit to bring together in-depth knowledge and experience on materials and production processes along with engineering expertise. As part of the reveal, Matt Ondler, Axiom Space's President, said the following about the partnership: > “Our elite teams have redefined spacesuit development, establishing new pathways to innovative solutions and applying a state-of-the-art design approach for the AxEMU. We have broken the mold. The Axiom Space-Prada partnership has set a new foundational model for cross-industry collaboration, further expanding what’s possible in commercial space.” According to Axiom Space, the AxEMU spacesuit provides increased flexibility, performance, and safety, as well as specialized tools for exploring the Moon's south pole. Axiom's suits will also fit a wide range of crewmembers. Currently, the AxEMU suit is believed to be undergoing testing at NASA's neutral buoyancy facility as well as integrated tests with the Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicle prototypes. The suit is expected to enter a critical design review in 2025. ### *First operational Starliner mission moved to 2026* NASA [announced](https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2024/10/15/nasa-updates-2025-commercial-crew-plan/?ref=proximareport.com) on October 15th that both U.S. crew rotation missions to the International Space Station for 2025 would be flown by SpaceX, as the Crew-10 and Crew-11 missions. The agency had been hoping to assign one of these missions to Boeing's Starliner, but the decision to return its astronauts on a separate spacecraft has delayed the first operational mission. NASA's rationale for pushing the first operational flight to 2026 is as follows: > "The timing and configuration of Starliner’s next flight will be determined once a better understanding of Boeing’s path to system certification is established. This determination will include considerations for incorporating Crew Flight Test lessons learned, approvals of final certification products, and operational readiness." – "Meanwhile, NASA is keeping options on the table for how best to achieve system certification, including windows of opportunity for a potential Starliner flight in 2025." While no firm path forward was stated, Starliner may likely have to fly another test mission to the International Space Station. NASA may also want to see an end-to-end mission with crew onboard to certify the spacecraft. So far Starliner has flown three times. The first time for Orbital Flight Test-1, which failed to reach the space station, the second time for Orbital Flight Test-2, which flew a largely successful mission to the space station, and the third time for [Crew Flight Test-1](https://proximareport.com/starliner-returns-home-alone/), which had to return uncrewed. ### *Estonia signs Artemis Accords* On October 13th Estonia [signed](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-welcomes-estonia-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) onto the U.S.-led Artemis Accords. Erkki Keldo, Estonia’s minister of economy and industry, signed the agreement on behalf of the country. Keldo said the following after the signing: > *“Estonia is well known as the leading country in e-governance, and it is a great honor for us to enter a next level in space exploration" – “We are more than interested to share our knowledge with the global space community to make future collaboration in space exploration a success for humankind. I am sure that joining the Artemis Accords will open attractive opportunities to Estonian enterprises too, to share their valuable knowledge and competences.”* Estonia is the forty-fifth nation to sign the agreement, joining Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Ukraine, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Brazil, Poland, Mexico, Israel, Romania, Bahrain, Singapore, Colombia, France, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Rwanda, the Czech Republic, Spain, Ecuador, India, Argentina, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Angola, Belgium, Greece, Uruguay, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Lithuania, Peru, Slovakia, Armenia, and the Dominican Republic. ### *NASA's TDRS system near capacity* [Via Satellite](https://www.satellitetoday.com/government-military/2024/10/16/nasas-tdrs-system-to-stop-onboarding-new-missions-in-november/?ref=proximareport.com) reported on October 16th that NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite system will stop onboarding new missions to the network, effective [November 8th](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/tdrs/nasa-to-embrace-commercial-sector-fly-out-legacy-relay-fleet/?ref=proximareport.com). NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, commonly abbreviated to TDRS, network is used to communicate with the Hubble space telescope and International Space Station, among many other spacecraft. A dozen satellites were launched for the network between 1983 and 2017. Speaking to Via Satellite, Julian Coltre, public affairs officer for NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation program, explained that future missions that have already set up services to work with TDRS can still use NASA's Near Space Network to communicate directly with Earth, but limiting communication time. NASA is currently working on transitioning to a commercially owned and operated satellite communications services for near-Earth missions. The agency's reasoning for the transition is to utilize the U.S. industry’s investment in satellite communications and become one of many customers. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* It's currently unknown when the next test flight of Starship-Super Heavy will occur, but the license for flight five does allow for another flight if no major alternations are made to the flight plan. Super Heavy Booster 13 and Ship 31 have already undergone some pre-flight testing, likely allowing for a much shorter wait to the next flight. ### *October 20th - Falcon 9 with OneWeb 20* Falcon 9 is believed to be targeting a launch from Space Launch Complex 4E with twenty satellites for OneWeb's satellite internet constellation. ### *October 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-61* SpaceX is expecting to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster supporting this mission is currently unknown, but it will target a landing downrange on one of SpaceX's drone ships. ### *October 26th - H3 with DSN-3* Japan's H3 launch vehicle is expected to launch the DSN-3 satellite to geostationary transfer orbit from the Tanegashima Space Center. This satellite will be used for Japanese military communications. ### China shares space science goals for 2050 URL: https://proximareport.com/china-space-goals-2050/ Last updated: 2024-10-15T16:13:28.000Z On October 15th, the China National Space Administration, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the China Manned Space Agency announced a plan for the next twenty-five years of space exploration. These three agencies released a document, titled [National Space Science Medium-and Long-Term Development Plan (2024-2050)](https://www.cnsa.gov.cn/n6758823/n6758838/c10616360/content.html?ref=proximareport.com), which outlines general objectives for China to work towards. The full translated text from the three agencies is as follows: *To implement the guidelines of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the decisions of the Second and Third Plenary Sessions of the 20th Central Committee, and to promote comprehensive development in space science, space technology, and space applications, this plan has been formulated to guide the deployment of space science missions and research in the current and future periods.* ### *I. Development Goals* #### *(1) Overall Goal* *Gradually plan and implement national space science missions, integrate and strengthen mission-driven basic research, build a high-level talent team in space science, continuously achieve significant original results with major international impact, and realize high-quality development in space science. This will drive innovations in space technology, promote upgrades in space applications, and position China at the forefront internationally, becoming a leading power in space science.* #### *(2) Phased Goals* ***By 2027*** - *Achieve a substantial improvement in scientific research levels, continuously obtaining world-class results in disciplines where there is a foundation and advantage, such as high-energy time-domain astronomy, Sun-Earth connection, the formation and evolution of the Moon and Mars, microgravity physics, and space life sciences.* - *Implement a series of space science missions, establishing 5 to 8 space science tasks in scientific frontiers like dark matter, extreme universe, gravitational waves, protostellar clouds, exoplanets, solar activity, and solar system and Earth system exploration. This includes 2 to 3 major missions expected to produce significant landmark results.* - *Make significant progress in creating a new space development landscape, cultivate leading figures and pioneers in the field of space science, enhance the talent team, and strengthen international status and influence.* ***2028–2035*** - *Lead in key areas internationally, with significant clusters of original achievements emerging in fields like mid- and low-frequency gravitational waves, the dark ages of the universe, discovery of habitable Earth-like planets, solar activity, Earth system response, lunar in-situ resource utilization, signs of life on Mars, black holes and neutron stars, and dark matter and dark energy.* - *Implement a series of space science missions, establishing about 15 space science tasks in frontier areas such as the early universe, new physics in extreme celestial bodies, nearby habitable exoplanets, solar system early archaeology, extraterrestrial life exploration, solar flares, coronal heating mechanisms, and solar system boundary detection, including 4 to 5 large missions.* - *Achieve comprehensive development in space science, space technology, and space applications, establishing a competitive advantage in talent, with China’s strategic talent pool and leading experts ranking among the top in the world.* ***2036–2050*** - *Achieve global leadership in key areas, becoming a world power in space science. Attain revolutionary breakthroughs in basic research on the origins and evolution of the universe, the nature of space-time, the solar system, and the origins of life, expanding the boundaries of human knowledge and advancing human civilization.* - *Lead global space science development, carrying out more than 30 space science missions, possessing core competitiveness and strong leadership in the new round of scientific and technological revolution.* - *Gather world-leading scientific teams and establish China as a major global center for space science and innovation, marking an important milestone in becoming a modern socialist power.* ### *II. Priority Development Areas* *Focusing on the frontiers of global space science and China’s major strategic needs, and building on China’s existing advantages in disciplines, talent, and engineering, five major scientific themes and their priority directions are identified for breakthrough opportunities.* - **Extreme Universe Theme*: Explore the origin and evolution of the universe and reveal the physical laws under extreme conditions. Priority directions include dark matter and the extreme universe, the origin and evolution of the universe, and baryonic matter detection. Major scientific problems to be solved include the nature of dark matter particles, sources of high-energy cosmic radiation, the nature of dark energy, dynamic universe detection and transient source mechanisms, the dark ages and reionization history, and the origin and evolution of stellar and planetary systems.* - **Ripples in Space-Time Theme*: Detect mid- and low-frequency gravitational waves and primordial gravitational waves, revealing the nature of gravity and space-time. Priority direction is space-based gravitational wave detection. Major scientific problems include the formation of supermassive and seed black holes, their co-evolution with host galaxies, detailed structures of strong gravitational fields near black holes, and the distribution and physical properties of compact celestial bodies, as well as testing early cosmological models.* - **Sun-Earth Panorama Theme*: Explore the Earth, Sun, and heliosphere to reveal the physical processes and laws governing the complex Sun-Earth system and the overall solar system connection. Priority directions include Earth’s circulation system, integrated Earth-Moon observation, space weather detection, solar stereoscopic detection, and outer heliosphere exploration. Major problems to solve include solar magnetic activity characteristics and origins, the three-dimensional propagation and evolution of solar wind disturbances, mechanisms of energy transfer and dissipation across scales from solar wind to the magnetosphere, magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere coupling, multi-scale interactions in Earth’s system layers, and solar wind–interstellar medium interactions.* - **Habitable Planet Theme*: Explore the habitability of celestial bodies within the solar system and exoplanets, and search for extraterrestrial life. Priority directions include sustainable development, solar system archaeology, planetary layer characterization, extraterrestrial life exploration, and exoplanet detection. Major scientific issues to address include the Moon’s deep material, structural layers, and early impact history, the origin and evolution of asteroids/comets, the evolution of Mars' habitable environment and signs of life, interactions between solar wind and Jupiter’s magnetosphere, detection of habitability and life signals on icy moons and ice giants, and the habitability and biosignatures of exoplanets.* - **Material and Life in Space Theme*: Uncover the principles of matter and life under space conditions, deepening the understanding of fundamental physics such as quantum mechanics and general relativity. Priority directions include microgravity science, quantum mechanics and general relativity, and space life science. Major scientific problems involve complex fluid physics under new microgravity systems, quantum effects in gravitational fields, high-precision testing of general relativity, new physics explorations, and the adaptability and survival strategies of Earth life in space.* ### *III. Development Roadmap* *Focusing on the five major scientific themes and priority directions, the plan proposes a three-phase roadmap for scientific mission implementation up to 2050.* - **First Phase, by 2027*: Operate China’s space station, carry out manned lunar exploration, the fourth phase of the lunar exploration program, and planetary exploration projects, achieving internationally influential original results. Select 2–3 large missions from areas such as multi-band space-based X-ray observation, space X-ray baryon detection, space-based gravitational wave detection pathfinders, and solar polar exploration. Also, select 3–5 medium and small or opportunity-based missions from areas like dark matter detection, space-based terahertz imaging, long-wavelength space observation, and exoplanet exploration.* - **Second Phase, 2028–2035*: Achieve original results at the forefront of global space science through first-phase missions. Operate China’s space station and implement lunar exploration, lunar research station, solar system boundary exploration, giant planet system exploration, and Venus atmosphere sampling return missions. Select 4–5 large missions from areas like high-precision space-based infrared observation, space high-energy X-ray detection, and ring-Sun exploration, along with 10–11 medium, small, or opportunity-based missions.* - **Third Phase, 2036–2050*: Achieve global leadership in key space science fields, implementing 5–6 large missions and around 25 medium, small, and opportunity-based missions.* *To achieve these goals, China will strengthen organizational efforts, ensure financial investment, solidify foundational capabilities, deepen international cooperation, and promote public science education to achieve major original and leading scientific breakthroughs, supporting the development of China as a space power and technological power.* *(If there are any problems with this translation please reach out and correct* [*me*](https://linktr.ee/phazzee?ref=proximareport.com)*.)* Following the release of this document, China's State Council Information Office held a press conference to answer questions from the media. Some of the questions and answers from the conference are summarized below. Regarding China's science satellites, what achievements have been made? Last decade China launched several science satellites but operates fewer than other space powers. By 2050 China is seeking to catch up in this area and become a leading space power. For deep space exploration, what progress is being made? Chang'e 7 and Chang'e 8 are undergoing work for launch in 2026 and 2028 respectively, also for lunar exploration the International Lunar Research Station is currently undergoing research and development as well as planning with partner organizations and countries. Tianwen-2, Tianwen-3, and Tianwen-4 are also actively being worked towards, with Tianwen-2 set to launch in 2025 to retrieve samples from an asteroid. Tianwen-3 will also launch in 2028 to retrieve samples from Mars. Tianwen-4 will head to Jupiter in 2030 to study the planet as well as the Jovian system. Concerning international cooperation, China is willing to work with others in space science as the results benefit all of humanity. This year China has jointly worked on the [SVOM mission](https://proximareport.com/svom-blasts-off-from-xichang/) with France, the [Einstein Probe](https://proximareport.com/china-launches-einstein-probe/) with the European Space Agency, as well as the [SMILE mission](https://phazzee.substack.com/i/149881447/smile-completes-development-work-in-china) next year also with Europe. Instruments from international partners also flew on the [Chang'e 6](https://proximareport.com/change-6-moon-bound/) lunar mission. In regards to working with African nations, officials responded that they are willing to support developing nation's peaceful space ambitions. --- *Article republished from* [*China Space Updates*](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/china-releases-25-year-plan-for-space) *with* [*permission*](https://phazzee.substack.com/about?ref=cosmicnxws.com#%C2%A7republication-of-articles)*.* ### Europa Clipper begins journey to Jupiter atop Falcon Heavy URL: https://proximareport.com/europa-clipper-launch/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:44:37.000Z At 16:06 pm Universal Coordinated Time, Europa Clipper began its long journey to Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Launch lasted for almost an hour to escape Earth's gravity, with the spacecraft separating from Falcon Heavy's second-stage at T+1:02:39\. Now in space, Europa Clipper is beginning its long trek to Europa. In February 2025 the spacecraft will perform a gravity assist with Mars, followed by one with Earth in December 2026\. A few years later, the spacecraft will arrive at Jupiter in April of 2030\. The first flyby of Europa is expected in the spring of 2031. > Falcon Heavy lifts off from pad 39A in Florida for the 11th time! [pic.twitter.com/tcZu1LOOOm](https://t.co/tcZu1LOOOm?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 14, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1845858952199942613?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon Heavy lifting off from Launch Complex 39A carrying Europa Clipper, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1845858952199942613?ref=proximareport.com). Ahead of successful spacecraft deployment, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson [said](https://x.com/SenBillNelson/status/1845871496893194404?ref=proximareport.com): > "Today, we embark on a new journey across the solar system in search of the ingredients for life within Jupiter's icy moon." – "Our next chapter in space exploration has begun." Supporting the launch of Europa Clipper was SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, the most capable commercial launch vehicle currently in service. To give the spacecraft all of the speed it needed, Falcon Heavy was flying in a fully expendable configuration. Usual Falcon Heavy missions would have had the two side boosters return to Cape Canaveral. The boosters flying for this Falcon Heavy mission were B1089, flying for the first time, B1065, flying for the sixth time, and B1064, also flying for the sixth time. This was also the eleventh flight of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy launch vehicle. ### What is Europa Clipper? [Europa Clipper](https://proximareport.com/europa-clipper/) is a NASA exploration mission to Jupiter's moon Europa. The spacecraft will take approximately five and a half years to reach Europa, where it will search for possible signs of life. NASA's main objectives for the mission are as follows: Investigate Europa’s Composition, Characterize the Geology of Europa, Determine the Thickness of Europa’s Icy Shell & How the Ocean Interacts With the Surface. ![A render of the Europa Clipper spacecraft with its instruments and solar panels deployed. ©NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/Europa_Clipper_spacecraft_model.png) A render of the Europa Clipper spacecraft with its instruments and solar panels deployed. ©NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory NASA [states](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/europa-clipper/?ref=proximareport.com) that the spacecraft will orbit Jupiter and conduct forty-nine flybys of Europa over its planned four-year mission. Europa Clipper won't orbit Europa itself due to the extreme radiation environment. Onboard the spacecraft are a handful of scientific instruments. They are: SUrface Dust Analyzer (SUDA), MAss Spectrometer for Planetary EXploration/Europa (MASPEX), Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface (REASON), Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding (PIMS), Europa Clipper Magnetometer (ECM), Mapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europa (MISE), Europa Ultraviolet Spectrograph (Europa-UVS), Europa Thermal Emission Imaging System (E-THEMIS), and Europa Imaging System (EIS). Europa Clipper will also use its radio antenna to perform experiments to study the moon's gravitational field. More details about these instruments are available [here](https://proximareport.com/europa-clipper/). ### What is Falcon Heavy? Falcon Heavy is the super-heavy lift variant of SpaceX's extremely reliable Falcon-9 rocket. Like the single-core Falcon 9, it is also partially reusable. SpaceX [claims](https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/falcon-heavy/?ref=proximareport.com) that Falcon Heavy can send up to 63,800 kilograms to low Earth orbit and 26,700 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit when fully expended, or 8,000 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit when all three cores are reused. ![Falcon Heavy at Launch Complex 39A the night before launch. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/54066602858_2b05b6b15c-1.jpg) Falcon Heavy at Launch Complex 39A the night before launch. ©SpaceX Falcon Heavy's boosters, first, and second stages are powered by SpaceX's Merlin 1D engines, burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The boosters, each equipped with nine engines, generate a combined thrust of 1,542 tons for up to two minutes and thirty-four seconds. The first-stage also utilizes nine engines, producing 771 tons of thrust for up to three minutes and seven seconds. Combined the boosters and first-stage have a maximum thrust of 2,313 tons. Meanwhile, the second-stage is powered by a single Merlin 1D vacuum engine generating 95 tons of thrust. For recovery, each booster, and sometimes the first stage, has four grid fins and four landing legs. The boosters either land vertically on a drone ship or on a landing pad back at its launch site, landing back at the launch site causes a reduction it payload capacity. On the pad, the rocket is 70 meters tall with the first and second stages 3.7 meters in diameter as well as the boosters, with the booster attached the rocket has a width of 12.2 meters. The fairing is 5.2 meters in diameter and tapers out from the top of the second-stage. Fully fuelled Falcon Heavy weighs approximately 1,420,000 kilograms. ### Weekly Dose of Space (6/10-12/10) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-6-10-12-10/ Last updated: 2024-10-13T18:56:07.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had two orbital launches occur, one each from the major space powers. News this week had Falcon 9 cleared to return to flight, a new 40-meter radio telescope nearing completion, and a new signatory of the Artemis Accords. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on October 7th when Ship 30 and Booster 12 conducted another partial tanking test on the orbital launch mount. A wet dress rehearsal ahead of the fifth flight test has not yet occurred, and at the time of writing likely won't. In the early hours of October 8th after the tanking test, the launch pad deluge system conducted a separate test, flowing thousands of gallons of water underneath the orbital launch mount. In the sunlight hours of the 8th, Ship 30 was destacked from Booster 12 and placed near the launch tower. October 9th had what is currently believed to be the installation of the flight termination system explosives on Booster 12 and Ship 30, these explosives will only be used in the event of major vehicle failure or risk to public safety. Testing of the launch towers 'chopsticks' also occurred late on the 9th. On October 11th, Ship 30 was lifted back onto Booster 12 for the final stacking ahead of the fifth flight test. The following day, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration [granted](https://x.com/BCCarCounters/status/1845147269089116580?ref=proximareport.com) SpaceX a launch license for the fifth flight test, removing the last major obstacle to launch. ## **Launches This Week** ### *October 7th - Falcon 9 with Hera* A Falcon 9 launched the European Space Agency's Hera mission from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. Hera is heading to the Didymos binary asteroid system to study the effects of NASA's DART mission to improve understanding of planetary defense missions. Supporting this mission was booster B1061, making its twenty-third and final flight. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for ESA's Hera mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GZT66ugWUAAM1cB-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for ESA's Hera mission. ©SpaceX ### *October 10th - Long March 3B/E with WHG-03* The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology's Long March 3B/E lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the WHG-03, also known as internet high-orbit satellite, to a geostationary transfer orbit. This was also the 99th launch of a Long March 3B launch vehicle. ![The Long March 3B/E Y99 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/y99-liftoff.gif) The Long March 3B/E Y99 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ## **In Other Space News** ### *40-meter-aperture radio telescope installed in Xizang* ![The main reflector for the antenna system of the 40-meter-aperture radio telescope being lifted onto its mount.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/twittervid.com_wulei2020_0a0526.gif) The main reflector for the antenna system of the 40-meter-aperture radio telescope being lifted onto its mount. On [October 7th](https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202410/09/WS67064d92a310f1265a1c6b44.html?ref=proximareport.com) the main reflector of the antenna system of the 40-meter-aperture radio telescope was lifted and installed in the Xizang Autonomous Region, located in western China. The telescope was reportedly jointly developed by the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the 39th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation. Completion of the telescope in Xizang is currently expected by the end of 2024, with observation and system testing appending in early 2025. The 40-meter-aperture radio telescope is part of China's very-long-baseline interferometry network. China's very-long-baseline interferometry network currently consists of four observatories, in Beijing, Shanghai, Urumqi, and Kunming, that together accurately track lunar and deep-space probes. Another 40-meter radio telescope is also under construction in Jilin province to further expand the network. ### *Dominican Republic joins the Artemis Accords* The Dominican Republic has become the 44th country to [sign onto](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-welcomes-dominican-republic-as-44th-artemis-accords-signatory/?ref=proximareport.com) the U.S.-led Artemis Accords, on October 7th. Sonia Guzmán, ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the United States, signed the accords on behalf of the country. Guzmán said the following after the signing: > *“This marks a historic step in our commitment to international collaboration in space exploration,” – “This is not just a scientific or technological milestone – it represents a future where the Dominican Republic contributes to the shared goals of peace, sustainability, and innovation beyond our planet. By joining the global effort to explore the Moon, Mars, and beyond, we are also expanding the opportunities particularly for our young Dominicans in science, education, and economic development.”* NASA Administrator Bill Nelson welcomed the nation to the accords after the singing. Nations that have signed the Artemis Accords so far are: Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Ukraine, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Brazil, Poland, Mexico, Israel, Romania, Bahrain, Singapore, Colombia, France, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Rwanda, the Czech Republic, Spain, Ecuador, India, Argentina, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Angola, Belgium, Greece, Uruguay, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Lithuania, Peru, Slovakia, and Armenia. ### *Falcon 9 cleared to return to flight* On October 11th, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration cleared SpaceX to return Falcon 9 to flight. Falcon 9 was grounded following an [anomaly](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1840245345118498987?ref=proximareport.com) during second-stage disposal after the Crew-9 mission. The [statement](https://x.com/wapodavenport/status/1844849096470704292?ref=proximareport.com) from the agency is as follows: > “The FAA notified SpaceX on Oct. 11 that the Falcon 9 vehicle is authorized to return to regular flight operations. The FAA reviewed and accepted the SpaceX-led investigation findings and corrective actions for the mishap that occurred with the Crew-9 mission (Sept. 28)." > > "Also on Oct. 11, FAA closed the SpaceX-led investigations for the Falcon 9 mishaps that occurred with the Starlink 9-3 (July 11) and Starlink 8-6 (Aug. 28) missions.” ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is expecting to launch Starship-Super Heavy on Sunday October 13th, or [already has](https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-5/) due to when this newsletter is published. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, on October 12th, also [granted](https://x.com/BCCarCounters/status/1845147269089116580?ref=proximareport.com) SpaceX a launch license for the fifth flight test. For this flight, Ship 30 is aiming to survive atmospheric reentry while Booster 12 is hoping to be caught back at the launch site. Whatever happens for this flight test, excitement is absolutely guaranteed. *Due to when this newsletter is published, some of these missions may have already launched.* ### *October 13th - Starship-Super Heavy for Flight 5* SpaceX is [targeting](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1845146075574972633?ref=proximareport.com) October 13th to launch the fifth flight test of its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle. As already mentioned, for this flight Ship 30 is aiming to survive atmospheric reentry while Booster 12 is hoping to be caught back at the launch site. ### *October 14th - Falcon Heavy with Europa Clipper* Falcon Heavy is expected to fly a fully expendable mission carrying NASA's [Europa Clipper](https://proximareport.com/europa-clipper/) mission from Launch Complex 39A. Europa Clipper will head to Jupiter's moon Europa to study it. ### *October 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-10* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *October 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-7* Another Falcon 9 is aiming to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *October 15th - Long March 6A with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 6A is believed to be targeting a launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The payload onboard is unknown, rumors about this launch have it carrying the second batch of eighteen Qianfan satellites. ### *October 16th - Long March 4C with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 4C is believed to be targeting a launch with an unknown payload from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *October 16th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-19* Falcon 9 is targeting a launch from Space Launch Complex 40 to low Earth orbit carrying another batch of Starlink satellites. ### SpaceX nails first Super Heavy booster catch! URL: https://proximareport.com/starship-flight-5/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:45:30.000Z At 12:25 pm Universal Coordinated Time, SpaceX launched its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle on its fifth flight test. This test flight once again occurred from Starbase's launch site, near Boca Chica in south Texas. > Liftoff of Starship! [pic.twitter.com/WyNRN1fLbd](https://t.co/WyNRN1fLbd?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 13, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1845440879844261938?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of Starship-Super Heavy for the fifth flight test, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1845440879844261938?ref=proximareport.com). Super Heavy Booster 12 successfully lit all thirty-three of its Raptor engines, lifting the vehicle skyward. All engines remained running up until 'most engines cut-off'. Following 'most engines cut-off', Ship 30 lit all six of its Raptor engines to hot-stage from the booster. After Ship 30 separated from the booster, Booster 12 began its boost back burn and relit ten of its engines. The boost back burn lasted until T+3:41 to send the booster back to the launch site. > Mechazilla has caught the Super Heavy booster! [pic.twitter.com/6R5YatSVJX](https://t.co/6R5YatSVJX?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 13, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1845442658397049011?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Super Heavy Booster 12 during its landing burn and tower catch, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1845442658397049011?ref=proximareport.com). At T+6:30 Booster 12 relit thirteen engines to start its landing burn, after burning off enough speed the booster kept three engines running. With three engines running, Booster 12 positioned itself between the launch towers 'chopsticks' and successfully became the first Super Heavy booster to be caught! While the booster was being caught back in Texas, Ship 30 completed its ascent into a barely sub-orbital trajectory. This trajectory sent the vehicle to the targeted reentry site over the Indian Ocean. > Views brought to you by [@Starlink](https://twitter.com/Starlink?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/34VK16OsoH](https://t.co/34VK16OsoH?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 13, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1845453305344033254?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 30 during atmospheric reentry, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1845453305344033254?ref=proximareport.com). After coasting in space for almost forty minutes, plasma began to build in front of Ship 30's heat shield and atmospheric reentry began. During reentry, debris were seen falling from the vehicle, like parts of the heat shield. Some burn-through was spotted with Ship 30's forward and aft flaps, but no major structural failure occurred. > Splashdown confirmed! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on an exciting fifth flight test of Starship! [pic.twitter.com/FhCGznq9RO](https://t.co/FhCGznq9RO?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [October 13, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1845457555650379832?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 30 during its 'flip-and-burn' to land at sea, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1845457555650379832?ref=proximareport.com). Once Ship 30 successfully passed through reentry, the vehicle began scrubbing off speed in the atmosphere above its targeted landing site. A few hundred meters above the ocean surface, Ship 30 performed its 'flip-and-burn' using three Raptor engines to splashdown softly in the Indian Ocean. Following splashdown, Ship 30 performed a rapid unscheduled disassembly, ending the fifth flight test. A few hours after the end of the mission, [SpaceX said](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-5&ref=proximareport.com) the following: > "Starship’s fifth flight test lifted off on October 13, 2024, with our most ambitious test objectives yet as we work to demonstrate techniques fundamental to Starship and Super Heavy’s fully and rapidly reusable design." > > "And on our first try, Mechazilla caught the booster." > > "Following a successful liftoff, ascent, stage separation, boostback burn, and coast, the Super Heavy booster performed its landing burn and was caught by the chopstick arms of the launch and catch tower at Starbase. Thousands of distinct vehicle and pad criteria had to be met prior to the catch attempt, and thanks to the tireless work of SpaceX engineers, we succeeded with catch on our first attempt." > > "Prior to catch, Starship executed another successful hot-staging separation, igniting its six Raptor engines and completing ascent into outer space. It coasted along its planned trajectory to the other side of the planet before executing a controlled reentry, passing through the phases of peak heating and maximum aerodynamic pressure, before executing a flip, landing burn, and splashdown at its target area in the Indian Ocean. The flight test concluded at splashdown 1 hour, 5 minutes and 40 seconds after launch." > > "The entire SpaceX team should take pride in the engineering feat they just accomplished. The world witnessed what the future will look like when Starship starts carrying crew and cargo to destinations on Earth, the Moon, Mars and beyond." ## How does it compare to flight four? Last time, Super Heavy Booster 11 successfully lit all thirty-three Raptor engines at lift-off, one engine did shut down early at T+4 seconds. The other thirty-two engines did last up until 'most engines cut-off'. ![Starship-Super Heavy lifting off from Starbase, Texas, for the fourth flight test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GPZhaNjbEAAh6wx.jpg) Starship-Super Heavy lifting off from Starbase, Texas, for the fourth flight test. ©SpaceX Following the successful hot-staging of Ship 29, Booster 11 completed its 'boost back' burn using thirteen of its engines. Super Heavy Booster 11 passed through its descent toward the Gulf of Mexico with no issues called out. The landing burn began at T+7:08 with twelve out of the required thirteen engines starting. Despite having one engine out, Booster 11 successfully splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico at T+7:30 at a speed of ten kilometers per hour, or six miles per hour. At a similar time, Ship 29 also shut down its engines to reach its targeted landing area. Atmospheric entry of Ship 29 began at T+45:24 when plasma was seen beginning to build on the heatshield side of the Ship. Flight controllers called out that Ship 29 had control of its entry orientation via its flaps and attitude control system not long after the start of entry. Ship 29 successfully passed through peak heating on entry, proving that the thermal protection tiles can withstand the heat. At T+57:12 however a burn-through was seen beginning on the starboard forward flap of Ship 29, this burn-through would intensify through entry until at least one of its actuators also disintegrated. To end the last flight, Ship 29 achieved its terminal velocity of 368 kilometers per hour, or 228 miles per hour, at T+1:05:29\. Not long after at T+1:05:38 Ship 29 began its 'flip-and-burn' maneuver leading to a successful splashdown in the Indian Ocean at T+1:05:57. Unlike the third flight, flight four made it to booster and ship splashdown. ## What changes were on Ship 30 & Booster 12? *All information in this section was spotted and gathered by the team at the* [*Ringwatchers*](https://ringwatchers.com/?ref=cosmicnxws.com)*.* ### [Ship 30](https://ringwatchers.com/article/s30-tps?ref=proximareport.com) Compared to Ship 29, Ship 30 had an entirely new heatshield applied. This heatshield had an ablative layer beneath the thousands of thermal protection tiles, which were also supposedly [stronger](https://ringwatchers.com/article/s30-tps?ref=proximareport.com#new-heat-tiles). Various gaps in weak spots, such as those that nearly destroyed the starboard forward flap, have also been reduced or filled. ### [Booster 12 ](https://ringwatchers.com/article/b12-updates?ref=proximareport.com) Booster 12 is largely a twin of Booster 11, but a few changes are present. The most visible one was a paint job near the top of the booster. This black paint job was [theorized](https://ringwatchers.com/article/b12-updates?ref=proximareport.com#vehicle-aesthetics) to be a visual indicator of where the towers 'chopsticks' made contact with the vehicle. A new [Starlink terminal](https://ringwatchers.com/article/b12-updates?ref=proximareport.com#communications-amp-antennas) design was also spotted on top of Booster 12's chines to improve external data connection. [Protective material](https://ringwatchers.com/article/b12-updates?ref=proximareport.com#engine-shielding) just above the boosters Raptor engines has also been removed. ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-one meters tall and weighs 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ### What is Starship? ![Ship 30 being lifted onto Booster 12 in early October. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GZom5k0aoAA9F04.jpg) Ship 30 being lifted onto Booster 12 in early October. ©SpaceX Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Starship is believed to weigh 1,300,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. In order to survive re-entry for reuse, Starship has several thousand thermal protection tiles on one side of the vehicle and on all four of its aerodynamic control surfaces. The four control surfaces help guide the vehicle during re-entry and prior to landing inside the atmosphere at a pre-determined location. Starship also has a series of small thrusters to control the vehicle in space before re-entry. SpaceX is believed to be working on a few variants of Starship for use as a Moon lander, propellant tanker, space station, Mars lander, and as a crewed spacecraft. ### What is Super Heavy? ![Booster 12 during a lift test with the launch towers 'chopsticks' in late September. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GX7tsLCWUAA0g2Y.jpg) Booster 12 during a lift test with the launch towers 'chopsticks' in late September. ©SpaceX Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. To enable the reuse of Super Heavy, the vehicle has four large grid fins placed in the interstage to assist in guiding and controlling during descent. Super Heavy also has four chines running along the lower third of it to generate lift and assist in stabilization. Shortly after completing the ascent, Super Heavy relights ten engines, as three were running during staging, and performs a 'boost back' burn in order to return to the launch site. After the 'boost back' burn is completed the engines shut down with Super Heavy being guided by a series of small thrusters and its grid fins. Once Super Heavy is at the correct altitude above its landing location three engines start back up for the landing burn. SpaceX currently plans to have Super Heavy land in the ocean with launch site landing attempts happening with later flights. Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ### China's first reusable satellite successfully returns URL: https://proximareport.com/reusable-satellite-shijian-19/ Last updated: 2024-10-11T19:29:12.000Z China's first reusable satellite, Shijian-19, returned to Earth on October 11th. According to the [China National Space Administration](https://www.cnsa.gov.cn/n6758823/n6758838/c10615180/content.html?ref=proximareport.com), the Shijian-19 spacecraft's capsule touched down in the Dongfeng Landing Site, located inside the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, at 10:39 am China Standard Time, or 02:39 am Universal Coordinated Time. Shijian-19 (实践十九号) was [delivered](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/chinas-first-reusable-satellite-launched) into orbit a little over two weeks ago atop of a Long March 2D, flying from Launch Site 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. While in orbit, the spacecraft is [reported](https://english.news.cn/20241011/6110522102a54585a3dbdcde0a73576c/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) to have run experiments with plant seeds, microorganism samples, technology demonstration devices, and experimental space instruments. The seeds flying onboard the spacecraft were provided by The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hainan Province, and Anhui Province. Some of these experiments were from [international](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-10-11/China-recovers-its-first-reusable-returnable-test-satellite-1xCb48vg7Nm/p.html?ref=proximareport.com) partners and nations, with Thailand and Pakistan being the only two mentioned. Cultural items [were also](https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202410/11/WS6708ea3aa310f1265a1c71ed.html?ref=proximareport.com) onboard. After landing in the Dongfeng Landing Site, teams began the recovery process for the numerous payloads onboard. Once the payloads were recovered and secure Shijian-19's capsule was also recovered, to be taken away for study and possible refurbishment ahead of another flight. ![The Shijian-19 capsule and its parachute being recovered at the Dongfeng Landing Site. ©China National Space Administration](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/10615188.jpg) The Shijian-19 capsule and its parachute being recovered at the Dongfeng Landing Site. ©China National Space Administration Following the successful touchdown, the [China Academy of Space Technology](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/bxbSPeDeAqHPasXeMzZhOA?ref=proximareport.com), which developed the spacecraft, said the following as part of a celebratory blog post: > "The flight test made breakthroughs in key technologies such as reusability, non-destructive recovery, and high microgravity guarantee, and verified the technical indicators of the new generation of high-performance reusable and recoverable space test platforms, achieving the expected test results." Prior to the Shijian-19 mission, China had flown thirty recoverable satellites, but none were reusable. This spacecraft is thought to be a demonstration mission ahead of launches of the fifth-generation Fanhui Shi Weixing (返回式卫星) recoverable satellites. These satellites will also perform experiments in orbit for durations as little as a few days to many months. Microgravity experiments are also performed aboard the Tiangong Space Station but there are only three opportunities to launch experiments each year, with only two chances to return with the results six months apart. Some experiments may also want, or need, a more controlled environment not offered on the space station. Advances with reusable satellites will likely help China’s various state-owned space contractors improve processes ahead of the refurbishment of [Mengzhou](https://proximareport.com/china-names-its-new-crewed-spacecraft/) capsules, as the in-development crewed spacecraft also has plans to be reused. ### Starship could launch as soon as October 13th for flight five URL: https://proximareport.com/starship-ift5-october-13th/ Last updated: 2024-10-08T12:30:12.000Z A little over four months ago, SpaceX flew the [fourth flight](https://proximareport.com/spacex-launches-starship-super-heavy-for-its-fourth-flight-test/) test of its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle. Since then, the company has been working towards the fifth flight test and today [announced](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1843435573861875781?ref=proximareport.com) that this test could come as soon as October 13th. For this test flight, Ship 30 and Booster 12 are expected to fly. Both of these vehicles have completed static fire tests and partial propellant loading tests, it is unknown if a wet dress rehearsal will occur before launch. As much as SpaceX would like this test to happen on October 13th, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has not yet provided the necessary regulatory approval. SpaceX has also updated the [schedules](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-5&ref=proximareport.com) for both the countdown and flight plan with them now being as follows: ***Countdown*** | 01:15:00 | SpaceX Flight Director conducts poll and verifies GO for propellant load | | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | 00:49:50 | Ship fuel (liquid methane) load underway | | 00:48:40 | Ship LOX (liquid oxygen) load underway | | 00:40:40 | Booster fuel load underway | | 00:34:03 | Booster LOX load underway | | 00:19:40 | Raptor begins engine chill on booster and ship | | 00:03:20 | Ship propellant load complete | | 00:02:50 | Booster propellant load complete | | 00:00:30 | SpaceX flight director verifies GO for launch | | 00:00:10 | Flame deflector activation | | 00:00:03 | Raptor ignition sequence begins | | 00:00:00 | Excitement guaranteed | ***Flight Test Timeline*** | 00:00:02 | Liftoff | | -------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | | 00:01:02 | Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket) | | 00:02:33 | Super Heavy MECO (most engines cut off) | | 00:02:41 | Hot-staging (Starship Raptor ignition and stage separation) | | 00:02:48 | Super Heavy boostback burn start | | 00:03:41 | Super Heavy boostback burn shutdown | | 00:03:43 | Hot-stage jettison | | 00:06:08 | Super Heavy is supersonic | | 00:06:33 | Super Heavy landing burn start | | 00:06:50 | *Super Heavy splashdown if no catch attempt* | | 00:06:56 | Super Heavy landing burn shutdown and catch attempt | | 00:08:27 | Starship engine cutoff | | 00:48:03 | Starship entry | | 01:02:34 | Starship is transonic | | 01:03:43 | Starship is subsonic | | 01:05:15 | Landing flip | | 01:05:20 | Landing burn | | 01:05:34 | An exciting landing! | Compared to the [previous flight test](https://proximareport.com/starship-super-heavys-fourth-net-june/), the fuelling of liquid methane into the Ship starts fifty seconds sooner, and liquid oxygen loading starts one hundred seconds sooner. Booster fuelling also starts forty seconds earlier for liquid methane, with liquid oxygen loading starting almost three minutes later. Propellant loading is completed at the same time as flight four, likely due to the new propellant farm at the launch site. In flight, booster 'most engines cut off' is now expected to occur eight seconds earlier along with hot-staging of the ship occurring four seconds sooner. The boosters 'boost back' burn is now starting one second sooner and ending eleven seconds earlier. Separation of the hot staging ring is still expected two seconds after this burn. Unlike the previous flight, SpaceX is hoping that Booster 12 will fly back to Starbase for a catch on the launch tower. This test will have the booster hover above the launch site for a few seconds while the towers 'chopsticks' move in to catch it. If the booster aborts the catch attempt it will splash down in the Gulf of Mexico. Like the previous flight text, the ship is expected to perform a 'flip and burn' for a landing following atmospheric reentry. The last flight had Ship 29 barely survive reentry and land, Ship 30 has a new heatshield design in the hopes of landing in one piece. ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-one meters tall and weighs 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ### What is Starship? ![Ship 30 atop Booster 12 during a partial propellant loading test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GYMXtKdakAM4RyU.jpg) Ship 30 atop Booster 12 during a partial propellant loading test. ©SpaceX Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Starship is believed to weigh 1,300,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. In order to survive re-entry for reuse, Starship has several thousand thermal protection tiles on one side of the vehicle and on all four of its aerodynamic control surfaces. The four control surfaces help guide the vehicle during re-entry and prior to landing inside the atmosphere at a pre-determined location. Starship also has a series of small thrusters to control the vehicle in space before re-entry. SpaceX is believed to be working on a few variants of Starship for use as a Moon lander, propellant tanker, space station, Mars lander, and as a crewed spacecraft. ### What is Super Heavy? ![Booster 12 during a lift test with the launch towers 'chopsticks' in late September. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GX7tsLCWUAA0g2Y.jpg) Booster 12 during a lift test with the launch towers 'chopsticks' in late September. ©SpaceX Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled with liquid methane and liquid oyxgen Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. To enable the reuse of Super Heavy, the vehicle has four large grid fins placed in the interstage to assist in guiding and controlling during descent. Super Heavy also has four chines running along the lower third of it to generate lift and assist in stabilization. Shortly after completing the ascent, Super Heavy relights ten engines, as three were running during staging, and performs a 'boost back' burn in order to return to the launch site. After the 'boost back' burn is completed the engines shut down with Super Heavy being guided by a series of small thrusters and its grid fins. Once Super Heavy is at the correct altitude above its landing location three engines start back up for the landing burn. SpaceX currently plans to have Super Heavy land in the ocean with launch site landing attempts happening with later flights. Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ### Rocket Lab selected to study Mars Sample Return URL: https://proximareport.com/rocket-lab-mars-sample-return/ Last updated: 2024-10-07T17:36:48.000Z Today Rocket Lab announced NASA has chosen them to conduct a study on returning samples from the surface of Mars. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/aozjVZqDLAwNMQXqTxTQ2k-970-80.jpg.webp) A Mars sample collected by the Perseverance rover that may one day be returned to Earth by Rocket Lab or another company ©NASA Rocket Lab is the most recent company selected by NASA to study Mars Sample Return. Earlier this year NASA selected ten other companies to study and craft proposals for various aspects of MSR, including industry giants like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin, and Aerojet Rocketdyne. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/PIA25326_-_MSR_FAMILY_20220725_1200pm_WITH_E.height-1024.jpg) Artist's concept of Mars Sample Return (MSR) ©NASA Despite it's name, Rocket Lab is no stranger to spacecraft. They have worked on everything from their Photon Kickstage, their Pioneer reentry vehicle, the twin Mars probes for NASA's ESCAPADE mission, and much more. They also plan to develop and launch a spacecraft for the first ever private science mission to Venus to discover if possible life exists in it's clouds. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/20241007_085024.jpg) (Left to right) Photon, Pioneer, and one of the two ESCAPADE spacecraft ©Rocket Lab Here's what Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck had to say about being selected to conduct a study for MSR: > **“Retrieving samples from Mars is one of the most ambitious and scientifically important endeavors humanity has ever embarked upon. We’ve developed an innovative mission concept to make it happen affordably and on an accelerated schedule, Rocket Lab has been methodically implementing a strategy for cost-effective planetary science in recent years, making us uniquely suited to deliver a low cost, rapid Mars Sample Return. We’ve demonstrated this strategy by delivering a NASA mission to the Moon, enabling rendezvous and proximity operations in orbit, successfully re-entering a capsule from orbit to Earth, delivering two spacecraft to NASA for a Mars mission, and much more. We look forward to bringing our proven capabilities together to deliver a compelling, innovative mission solution that puts Mars rocks in the hands of scientists sooner.”** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/272_MarsInSight_poster-jpg.webp) Mars, the red planet ©NASA Whether or not Rocket Lab is ultimately selected for Mars Sample Return, it is clear that NASA is shifting gears towards a faster, more cost-effective approach for returning Mars samples to Earth, which bodes well for the future scientific exploration of the Red Planet, and by extension the Solar System. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/SbE7F2qtUkUNCmeMmJN4fN.jpg.webp) Earth as seen from Mars ©NASA What we learn from these samples could give us powerful insight into Mars' past, and if it was once host to life, which could have massive implications for the potential abundance of life in the Universe. ### Weekly Dose of Space (29/9-5/10) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-29-9-5-10/ Last updated: 2024-10-06T16:25:05.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had only one orbital launch occur. News this week had a pioneer of human spaceflight posthumously receive an award, Blue Origin unveiling another booster, and Voyager 2 shutting down an instrument. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on September 30th when the Ship Quick Disconnect Arm was seen retracting from the Ship 30, a little later the arm was spotted being swung off to the side to move out of the way of a Ship destack. Shortly after this, Ship 30 was destacked from Booster 12 with the launch towers 'chopsticks'. Ship 30 was then moved out of the way of the chopsticks atop of its transport stand. The hot-staging ring was also removed from Booster 12 while the sun set on Starbase. It is unknown what SpaceX is planning to do with both vehicles ahead of the next flight. October 3rd had Booster 14 rollout from the production site to the Massey's test site during the early hours of the morning. The following day had water bags arrive at the launch site ahead of testing of the launch towers 'chopsticks', using a specially made piece of hardware these bags were attached to the 'chopsticks' a little later. The water bags were filled with water on the evening of October 4th to conduct loading tests on the 'chopsticks'. Previous tests like this have been done in the past, recent months have seen the launch towers 'chopsticks' receive minor modifications. > SpaceX tests the chopsticks with load test bags in preparation for a Flight 5 catch attempt, Booster 14 rolls to Massey's for testing, and work continues all over Starbase pushing the Starship Mars rocket program ahead. > > ➡️[https://t.co/rbL48JkAuq](https://t.co/rbL48JkAuq?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/TCWqRD5DRW](https://t.co/TCWqRD5DRW?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Chris Bergin - NSF (@NASASpaceflight) [October 5, 2024](https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1842613780708040808?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The launch towers 'chopsticks' during load testing with the water bags, via [NASASpaceflight on X](https://x.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1842613780708040808?ref=proximareport.com). ## **Launches This Week** ### *October 4th - Vulcan for Cert-2* The sole launch this week was the second flight of United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket. This mission lifted off from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida, carrying an inert payload and some experiments. Vulcan's second flight was a success according to the company. An anomaly was observed during the launch as one of the two GEM-63XL solid rocket boosters was seen liberating its nozzle. The first-stage and Centaur V second-stage compensated for the loss of performance to enter the targeting orbit as planned. Further details about this launch are available [here](https://proximareport.com/vulcan-second-certification-flight/). ![Vulcan lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41 for the Cert-2 mission. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/launch-vulcan-cert-2_54041469552-1.jpg) Vulcan lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41 for the Cert-2 mission. ©United Launch Alliance ## **In Other Space News** ## *Wang Yongzhi posthumously awarded* ![Wang Yongzhi with the Shenzhou spacecraft's launch abort system during transportation to the vehicle assembly building.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/202409142008272813.jpg) Wang Yongzhi with the Shenzhou spacecraft's launch abort system during transportation to the vehicle assembly building. Wang Yongzhi (王永志), one of China's space pioneers, was posthumously [awarded](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-09-29/President-Xi-presents-the-Medal-of-the-Republic-to-awardees--1xhGGcxgvWE/p.html?ref=proximareport.com) the Medal of the Republic on September 27th. The Medal of the Republic is the highest honorary medal awarded in the People's Republic of China. Awardees are chosen by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, and the medal is presented to the recipients by the President of China. Wang Yongzhi was born on November 17th 1932 in Liaoning province and attended the prestigious Tsinghua University starting in 1952\. In 1955 he traveled to the Moscow Aviation Institute for further studies into aeronautics. Beginning in 1961, Wang began working at what is today known as the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology where he was pivotal in the development of the Dongfeng-2 and Dongfeng-5 ballistic missiles. By 1978 Wang was appointed as the head of the general design department and later became president of the academy in 1986\. Following a gap in the launch market in 1986 after the Challenger Disaster, Wang proposed the Long March 2E rocket. In 1988 the vehicle won its first launch contract and development work began. Eighteen months later the vehicle was ready for launch and successfully lifted of on July 16th 1990 carrying a mass simulator of the Australian Optus B spacecraft and Pakistan's Badr-1 satellite. In 1992 Wang Yongzhi was named as the first chief planner of China's human spaceflight efforts, then called Project 921\. Wang would work in this position for fifteen years overseeing the first six missions and two human spaceflight missions. In 2007 Wang retired from China's space efforts in an official capacity. During retirement, Wang still offered insights to teams working on the Tiangong Space Station and the crewed lunar landing effort. Wang Yongzhi passed away on June 11th 2024\. Wang Danyang, his wife, said that in his last few months he "still kept talking about things in space, about lunar landing". ## *Voyager 2 turns off instrument* ![An artist's illustration of a Voyager spacecraft in deep space. ©NASA/JPL/California Institute of Technology](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/pia17462.webp) An artist's illustration of a Voyager spacecraft in deep space. ©NASA/JPL/California Institute of Technology NASA [shared](https://blogs.nasa.gov/voyager/2024/10/01/nasa-turns-off-science-instrument-to-save-voyager-2-power/?ref=proximareport.com) on October 1st that it had turned off Voyager 2's plasma science instrument to save on the reduced power the spacecraft has. Voyager 2 is [currently](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/voyager/where-are-they-now/?ref=proximareport.com) a little over 19 light hours, or almost 12.8 billion miles, away from Earth. According to NASA, the Voyager 2 team has avoided shutting down the instrument in orbit to gather as much science beyond our solar system's heliosphere, the region of space dominated by our Sun. The plasma science instrument measured the amount of plasma along with the direction it was flowing. Both Voyager spacecraft are powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, a nuclear battery that uses the heat of decaying material to generate electricity. These power sources output less heat the longer they are used, and as such generate less power. With this instrument now turned off, teams are continuing to monitor the spacecraft's health in order to maximize the amount of science obtained in interstellar space. ## *NS-27 to fly new capsule and booster* ![Blue Origin's newest New Shepard booster inside the company's factory ahead of its debut flight. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/NS27_NewLivery_Gallery.webp) Blue Origin's newest New Shepard booster inside the company's factory ahead of its debut flight. ©Blue Origin Blue Origin [announced](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/blue-origin-debuts-second-human-rated-new-shepard-rocket?ref=proximareport.com) on October 4th that the NS-27 mission with New Shepard would be flying a brand new booster and capsule. NS-27 will also be flying uncrewed to verify both vehicles for human-carrying flights. The new crew capsule has been named RSS Kármán Line and features undisclosed technology upgrades. New Shepard's new booster also features accommodations to allow for payloads to fly on the booster. A brand new black and white livery is also present, but only the booster was shown off. Blue Origin's NS-27 mission will fly twelve payloads, seven in the capsule and five on the booster. Payloads onboard include new navigation systems developed for New Shepard and New Glenn; two different LIDAR sensors for the Lunar Permanence program; ultra-wideband proximity operations sensors flying as part of a NASA TechFlights grant with Blue Origin’s Space Systems Development group; and a commercial payload that is a reproduction of black monoliths from *2001: A Space Odyssey.* These monoliths are flying on behalf of Spacemanic for a special edition printed by Croatian publisher Amaranthine Books, according to Blue Origin. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* No more official information regarding the next flight has been released, so as we have been reporting for the last few weeks, the fifth test flight of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy vehicle is still awaiting regulatory approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. This latest flight test requires a change in the flight plan, notably a potential landing of Booster 12 back at the launch site on the launch towers 'chopsticks'. The Federal Aviation Administration is currently not expected to approve this launch until November due to environmental concerns and SpaceX's late submission of information. Both vehicles for flight five, Booster 12 and Ship 30, are ready for flight pending a possible wet dress rehearsal. ### *October 7th - Falcon 9 with Hera* SpaceX is [expected](https://x.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1842946233574498667?ref=proximareport.com) to launch the European Space Agency's Hera asteroid exploration mission from Space Launch Complex 40\. Hera plans to inspect the asteroid system Didymos that NASA's DART mission impacted in 2022. ### *October 7th - New Shepard for NS-27* New Shepard is expected to fly the uncrewed NS-27 mission from Blue Origin's West Texas suborbital launch site. Twelve experiments will be onboard the vehicle. ### *October 9th - Falcon 9 with OneWeb 20* Falcon 9 is believed to be targeting a launch from Space Launch Complex 4E with twenty satellites for OneWeb's satellite internet constellation. ### *October 10th - Falcon Heavy with Europa Clipper* Falcon Heavy is expected to fly a fully expendable mission carrying NASA's [Europa Clipper](https://proximareport.com/europa-clipper/) mission from Launch Complex 39A. Europa Clipper will head to Jupiter's moon Europa to study it. ### The BE-4: Blue Origin's Beast URL: https://proximareport.com/be-4/ Last updated: 2024-10-05T16:28:07.000Z Blue Origin's BE-4 recently demonstrated a great feat of resilience by compensating for a solid rocket booster anomaly on United Launch Alliance's second Vulcan certification flight, allowing the mission to successfully reach its targeted orbit. In this article I will go over the past, present, and future of this incredible rocket engine. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/be4-at-4670_sunset.jpg) BE-4 on test stand 4670 in Huntsville, Alabama. ©Blue Origin Blue Origin's mission is to preserve our planet for future generations by outsourcing our heavy industries, including mining and manufacturing, offworld. With millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. The physics of spaceflight has already been worked out, it's a solved problem. The problem Blue Origin hopes to solve is the overwhelming cost of spaceflight, which starts with reusable rockets. And if you're gonna build a reusable rocket, you're gonna need a reusable engine for it, that's BE-4. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/blueorigin_be4_july2019hotfire_web-980x786.jpg) BE-4 hotfire test at Blue Origins West Texas facility. ©Blue Origin With 340 seconds of ISP, Blue Engine 4, or BE-4 runs on Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and Liquid Oxygen (LOX) in an oxygen-rich staged combustion cycle, in which the Liquid Oxygen is partially combusted with a small amount of LNG in a pre-burner. The hot gas from this partial combustion is used to drive both of BE-4’s turbopumps using a single turbine, the hot oxygen-rich gas then meets the rest of the LNG in the main combustion chamber where it combusts fully to produce the engine’s 550,000 lbs of thrust, making it the most powerful LNG-fueled rocket engine. It also has the capability to throttle to as low as 40% power, or 220,000 lbs of thrust. To allow for reusability and a longer lifespan of the engine, hydrostatic bearings are used in the turbopumps, which are basically a thin very thin layer of high pressure fluid moving in betweenthe surfaves of the bearings, this allows the bearings to have very little if any friction or wear, which drastically increases the lifespan and reusability of engine components. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/BlueOrigin_BE4_hotfirealternate4.jpg) BE-4 hotfire test. ©Blue Origin BE-4 was originally planned to have an upper stage varient used on New Glenn called BE-4U, but this was canceled and replaced with BE-3U. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/20241004_222948-1.jpg) Render of BE-4U, photo of two BE-3Us, ©Blue Origin BE-4 began development in 2011, but wasn't announced until 2014\. In 2018 United Launch Alliance announced it had selected BE-4 to power the first stage of its Vulcan Centaur rocket, Which it did on January 8th, 2024 for the Vulcan Cert-1 launch carrying Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander, and on Cert-2 yesterday carrying an inert payload and some experiments. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/vulcan_expanded-2022.jpg) Diagram of Vulcan Centaur. ©United Launch Alliance The BE-4 had previously been considered for the XS-1 space plane, but was not selected. The XS-1 program was canceled in 2020. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/C4ycxJbr2NES5EQXFkGvg6-2.jpg) XS-1\. ©Northrup Grummen In 2017 Blue Origin selected Huntsville, Alabama, colloquially known as Rocket City, as the location to build a manufacturing plant for BE-4, opening it for production in 2020. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/20241004_215354.jpg) BE-4 manufacturing. ©Blue Origin But Vulcan and XS-1 are not why Blue Origin developed the BE-4, the reusable engine was developed primarily for Blue Origin's orbital New Glenn rocket, which will be powered by 7 BE-4s on the first stage. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/itt_newglenn_home-hero.png) New Glenn at Launch Complex 36 for testing. ©Blue Origin New Glenn, named after Mercury 7 astronaut John Glenn, is about the same height as NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, and according to Blue Origin it will be the smallest of their orbital class rockets. It is capable of sending 45 metric tons to LEO and 13 metric tons to GTO. It's inaugural launch is planned for November, and will be launching "Blue Ring technology" as a tech demonstration for Blue Ring, a powerful satellite platform capable of delivering multiple payloads to multiple orbits. Other notable payloads for New Glenn will include NASA's ESCAPADE mission to study the interaction between Mars' magnetosphere and solar wind, Blue Moon Mk1 which will be able to land up to 3 tons of cargo on the lunar surface, Blue Moon Mk2 which will land humans on the moon for NASA's Artemis program starting with Artemis V, elements of Lockheed Martin's Cislunar Transporter which will transport Blue Moon Mk 2 to lunar orbit, modules for Blue Origin and Sierra Space’s joint Orbital Reef commercial space station, and eventually a Blue Origin crew capsule. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/20241004_222000.jpg) Blue Ring, ESCAPADE, Blue Moon Mk1, Blue Moon Mk 2, Cislunar Transporter, Orbital Reef. ©Blue Origin, NASA, Lockheed Martin, Sierra Space With two successful flights of Vulcan complete and the upcoming first flight of New Glenn next month, the future of BE-4 could not be more exciting! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/54042333131_973df1e1a1-1.jpg) Vulcan Centaur launches Cert-2\. ©United Launch Alliance ### Vulcan soars for second certification flight! URL: https://proximareport.com/vulcan-second-certification-flight/ Last updated: 2024-10-04T14:51:18.000Z Today's launch marks the final National Security Space Launch certification flight for United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket! This launch was also the second successful flight of Blue Origins BE-4 engines. At 11:25 am Universal Coordinated Time, ULA’s Vulcan Centaur lifted off from Launch Complex 41 for the second time. The mission was originally planned to launch Sierra Space’s Dreamchaser spacecraft, but due to delays it instead carried a payload mass simulator and some experiments, which it successfully inserted into the targeted orbit despite an anomaly occurring with one of the two GEM-63XL solid rocket boosters, for which its two BE-4s were able to compensate. ![Vulcan's solid rocket booster anomaly during its October 4th flight. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/20241004_082919.jpg) Vulcan's solid rocket booster anomaly during its October 4th flight. ©United Launch Alliance Details about this anomaly have not yet been shared by United Launch Alliance, but the anomaly is thought to be related to the liberation of the solid boosters nozzle. The throat of the nozzle is believed to have remained in place with just the lower section coming free. Some of these experiments onboard are believed to be related to United Launch Alliance's plans for long-duration cryogenic upper-stages for complex capability-needing missions in the future, possibly with burns months apart or for refueling and heading deeper into space. After the mission was declared [successful](https://x.com/ulalaunch/status/1842192533117702493?ref=proximareport.com), Tory Bruno, United Launch Alliance's President and Chief Executive Officer, said: > “The success of Vulcan’s second certification flight heralds a new age of forward-looking technology committed to meeting the ever-growing requirements of space launch and supporting our nation’s assured access to space. We had an observation on one of our solid rocket boosters that we are reviewing but overall, we are pleased with the rocket’s performance and had a bullseye insertion” The next flight of Vulcan is planned to loft USSF-106 into orbit on the vehicle's first National Security Space Launch mission later this year. It will also be the debut of Vulcan's VC4S configuration and will be powered by the 5th and 6th Blue Origin BE-4s to fly, meaning that Vulcan will have flown almost the same amount of BE-4s present on New Glenn's first stage. Vulcan's [previous flight](https://proximareport.com/ula-aces-vulcan-centaurs-first-flight/) also flew perfectly toward the Moon while carrying the eventually unsuccessful Peregrine lunar lander from Astrobotic. That mission served as the first certification mission for the United States Space Force. National Security Space Launch certification is handled by the United States Space Force to guarantee access to space for Department of Defense payloads and sensitive technology missions. These are missions like reconnaissance satellite launches for the National Reconnaissance Office, NASA's DRACO nuclear propulsion demonstration, or the X-37B spaceplane for the Space Force. United Launch Alliance is believed to have sold over seventy launches for Vulcan with eleven for the United States Space Force, six for the Sierra Nevada Corporation to carry its Dream Chaser spaceplane, and thirty-eight for Amazon to launch its 'Project Kuiper' satellites. The rest of the payloads flying on Vulcan-Centaur are not yet known publically. ### What is Vulcan? Vulcan, sometimes just called Vulcan-Centaur, is United Launch Alliance's in-development two-stage rocket. Vulcan is planned to replace the company's Atlas V and Delta IV Heavy launch vehicles in the coming decade. ![Vulcan at Space Launch Complex 41 during its wet-dress rehearsal on October 1st prior to its second certification mission. ©United Launch AllianceVulcan at Space Launch Complex 41 before its wet-dress rehearsal on October 1st. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/sunset-vulcan-cert-2_54034881521.jpg) Vulcan at Space Launch Complex 41 before its wet-dress rehearsal on October 1st. ©United Launch Alliance The first-stage is powered by two BE-4 engines generating 500 tons of thrust burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen for four minutes and fifty-nine seconds. Blue Origin manufactures the BE-4 engines for use with United Launch Alliance as well as Blue Origin's upcoming New Glenn rocket. The second-stage is powered by two RL-10 engines generating 22 tons of thrust burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Aerojet Rocketdyne manufactures the RL-10 engines for use with United Launch Alliance. This stage is also called Centaur V due to the rocket stages' heritage. Vulcan-Centaur can also launch with either zero, two, four, or six GEM-63XL solid rocket motors to augment the rockets thrust and capabilities. Each booster burns a solid propellant, consisting of Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and Aluminum-Ammonium perchlorate, generating 224 tons of thrust each for a believed one minute and fifty seconds. The solid rocket boosters are manufactured by Northrop Grumman for use with United Launch Alliance. Two fairing sizes are offered for Vulcan to suit customer needs, both 5.4 meters in diameter. The standard fairing is 15.5 meters long while the extended long fairing is 21.3 meters long. A 'multi-manifest' version of the 21.3-meter long fairing is also available for launching multiple spacecraft on a single launch. In the table below, United Launch Alliance claims Vulcan-Centaur can deliver the following amount of payload in its four potential configurations. | Vulcan Centaur VC0 | 10,800 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 3,500 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit, or 2,300 kilograms to a trans-lunar injection | | ------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Vulcan Centaur VC2 | 19,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 8,400 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit, or 6,300 kilograms to a trans-lunar injection | | Vulcan Centaur VC4 | 24,600 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 11,700 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit, or 9,200 kilograms to a trans-lunar injection | | Vulcan Centaur VC6 | 27,200 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 15,300 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit, or 12,100 kilograms to a trans-lunar injection | The naming scheme of each Vulcan-Centaur configuration is as follows: V stands for Vulcan, C stands for Centaur, 0/2/4/6 stands for the amount of solid rocket motors, and S/L stands for the payload fairing length. For example, Dream Chaser would use the VC4L configuration and Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander would use the VC2S configuration. ![Vulcan during its rollout to Space Launch Complex 41 for its second certification mission. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/roll-to-pad-vulcan-cert-2_54033039031.jpg) Vulcan during its rollout to Space Launch Complex 41 for its second certification mission. ©United Launch Alliance ### Who is United Launch Alliance? United Launch Alliance is an American aerospace company founded in December of 2006 as a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing. The company currently operates the Atlas V and Vulcan launch vehicles. ### Europa Clipper - A Journey to a far away yet familiar world URL: https://proximareport.com/europa-clipper/ Last updated: 2024-10-03T23:04:54.000Z Since the dawn of space exploration, the quest for water has been intertwined with our search for life in the cosmos. Now, a world of water beckons, waiting to reveal its secrets—Europa, one of Jupiter's moons. If humanity is to truly grasp its place in the universe, we must answer the question: is Earth the only cradle of life? Beneath its icy crust, Europa holds a saltwater ocean—one of the most promising places to seek environments where life may thrive beyond our world. ## **Europa** The amount of water suspected to be within Europa is several times over the amount of water in earths oceans combined. It is littered with ice volcanos that eject materials to enormous altitudes. Intense Geothermal activity lies within the core of Europa that could facilitate life. It also may have the chemical elements that are key ingredients to life, all of these factors combined make it a very similar world to our own and yet vastly different. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/Screenshot-2024-10-03-at-08-39-05-Europa---NASA-Science.png) This view of Jupiter's icy moon Europa was captured by JunoCam, the public engagement camera aboard NASA's Juno spacecraft, during the mission's close flyby on Sept. 29, 2022.Image data: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS | Image processing: Kevin M. Gill CC BY 3.0 Europa, the smallest of Jupiter's four Galilean moons and the sixth-closest of the planet's 95 known satellites, offers intriguing mysteries. It is also the sixth-largest moon in the Solar System. Europa was independently discovered by Galileo Galilei and Simon Marius, with Marius naming it after Europa, the Phoenician princess and lover of Zeus, who corresponds to Jupiter in Roman mythology. Slightly smaller than Earth's Moon, Europa is primarily made of silicate rock, covered by a water-ice crust, and likely possesses an iron-nickel core. Its atmosphere is extremely thin and made mostly of oxygen. Europa’s surface, geologically young and striking in its smoothness, is crisscrossed by tan-colored cracks and streaks, with few visible impact craters. Both Earth-based telescopes and a series of spacecraft flybys, starting in the 1970s, have offered glimpses of Europa. In September 2022, NASA’s Juno spacecraft passed within 320 kilometers (200 miles) of the moon, providing a close-up look at its icy terrain. Europa's surface is the smoothest of any known solid object in the Solar System. This smoothness, along with its youthful appearance, points to a vast ocean of water hidden beneath its frozen exterior—a world waiting to reveal whether life might exist beyond Earth. The leading theory suggests that Europa's subsurface ocean remains liquid due to heat generated by tidal flexing, which also causes the ice on its surface to move in a way similar to plate tectonics. This process could allow chemicals from the surface to mix with the ocean beneath, potentially creating conditions suitable for life. In May 2018, astronomers found new evidence supporting the presence of water plumes on Europa, based on a reanalysis of data from the Galileo space probe, which orbited Jupiter between 1995 and 2003\. These plumes could provide a way to study Europa’s subsurface ocean without the need to land on the moon, offering a promising opportunity for the search for life. However, in March 2024, new research suggested that Europa's surface may contain less oxygen than previously thought. The majority of what we know about Europa comes from NASA’s Galileo mission, launched in 1989\. While no spacecraft has landed on the moon yet, multiple missions have been proposed to explore Europa further. The European Space Agency's Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer (JUICE), launched in April 2023, is currently en route to study Jupiter’s moon Ganymede, with plans to make two flybys of Europa along the way. Europa, slightly smaller than Earth's Moon, has a diameter of just over 3,100 kilometers (1,900 miles), making it the sixth-largest moon and the fifteenth-largest object in the Solar System. Although it is the least massive of Jupiter's Galilean moons by a significant margin, it is still more massive than all known moons smaller than itself combined. Europa's bulk density indicates a composition similar to that of terrestrial planets. Magnetic-field data from the Galileo orbiter shows that Europa has an induced magnetic field through interaction with Jupiter's, which suggests the presence of a subsurface conductive layer. This subsurface conductive layer is our main indication of saltwater. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/image.png) ## Europa Clipper Background and Objectives The Europa Clipper mission was initially suggested by NASA as the Europa Orbiter mission in 1997, however it was not chosen at that time. Subsequently, the Europa orbiter mission was announced by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). During this time, the Galileo spacecraft—which had been orbiting Jupiter since 1995—completed its primary mission in December 1997 and turned its attention to studying Europa. Galileo made multiple flybys of Europa, collecting data for two days on each visit. The Europa Clipper mission seeks to emulate Galileo by performing larger-scale flybys with more sophisticated sensors. As it moved through the steps of permission, design, and construction, the budget grew with time. The European Space Agency was invited by NASA in 2015 to submit concepts for a companion mission to Europa Clipper. NASA chose nine experiments to be installed aboard the orbiter later that year. The spacecraft is scheduled to launch in October 2024 after passing its prelaunch assessment in September 2024, when construction on the vessel ended. Europa lies deep within Jupiter's intense radiation field, which presents a challenge for any spacecraft operating nearby. Even radiation-hardened spacecraft in close orbit around Europa would only remain functional for a few months due to the extreme conditions. Another limitation is the rate at which data can be transmitted back to Earth, as there are only a limited number of antennas available to receive it. While the instruments onboard can collect data quickly, the transmission of that data is much slower, making the available time to send it back a key factor in mission success. To overcome these challenges, the Europa Clipper mission is designed to perform multiple flybys of Europa, allowing it to gather crucial data without remaining in close orbit for long. This approach, which includes months between each flyby to transmit the collected data, enables the $2 billion Europa Clipper mission to gather nearly three times as much data as the canceled $4.3 billion Europa Orbiter concept, all while reducing the spacecraft’s exposure to radiation. Between each of the 44 planned flybys, the spacecraft will have about seven to ten days to transmit its data. Rather than orbiting Europa itself, the Clipper will orbit Jupiter and use gravity assists from Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto to adjust its trajectory. This will allow it to conduct flybys of Europa at altitudes ranging from 25 to 2,700 kilometers (16 to 1,678 miles) over its 3.5-year mission. Each flyby will cover different regions of Europa, creating a global topographic survey and providing data on ice thickness. The Clipper could also fly through water vapor plumes erupting from beneath Europa’s icy crust, potentially sampling the subsurface ocean without landing or drilling. The spacecraft is expected to endure a total ionizing dose of 2.8 megarads from Jupiter’s radiation belt. To protect its electronics, Europa Clipper will be equipped with a radiation vault made of aluminum alloy walls that are 0.3 inches (7.6 mm) thick, with the electronics nestled in the spacecraft’s core for additional shielding. ## Flight Plan and Mission Specifications The Europa Clipper spacecraft, gearing up for its highly anticipated launch on October 10, 2024, with a launch window extending until November 6\. While the exact launch time is still pending, following an investigation into an off-nominal stage 2 deorbit burn on Crew-9, the mission is all set to embark on an epic journey to the icy moon Europa. Aboard the mighty Falcon Heavy—standing tall at 70 meters and packing a punch with 22,819 kilonewtons of thrust—the Clipper will conduct a thorough survey of Europa without any sub-satellites in tow. For those keeping score, this two-stage vehicle, which will launch from the iconic LC-39A, boasts a fairing diameter of 5.2 meters and a height of 13 meters, all for a price of $97 million. Not bad for a ticket to the outer solar system! The propulsion subsystem, an impressive feat engineered by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, is part of the spacecraft’s Propulsion Module, owned by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. This towering module, measuring 3 meters tall and 1.5 meters in diameter, constitutes about two-thirds of the spacecraft's main body. It carries nearly 2,700 kilograms of monomethyl hydrazine and dinitrogen tetroxide propellant—perfect for executing a Jupiter orbit insertion burn that could last between six to eight hours. With 24 rocket engines rated at 27.5 N thrust for attitude control and propulsion, the Europa Clipper is more than ready to navigate the Jovian system. Powering this ambitious mission posed an interesting dilemma: solar panels or a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG)? While solar power only captures 4% of the sunlight intensity found in Earth’s orbit, the successful Juno mission demonstrated that solar panels can still work wonders at Jupiter. Ultimately, the mission team opted for solar arrays over plutonium-fueled generators. This decision not only saved money but also kept the spacecraft's mass within acceptable limits. Once launched, the Europa Clipper will embark on a carefully planned 5.5-year journey to reach its destination, using gravity assists from Mars in February 2025 and Earth in December 2026\. After this extensive cosmic road trip, the spacecraft is set to arrive at Europa in April 2030\. The mission's trajectory might take longer than a trip to the grocery store (seriously, it might), but it ensures that Clipper arrives well-prepared to study the moon's intriguing potential for harboring life. The Clipper’s cruise and science phases will conveniently overlap with the European Space Agency’s JUICE spacecraft, which launched in April 2023 and will arrive at Jupiter in July 2031\. Despite launching eighteen months later, Europa Clipper will beat JUICE to Jupiter by a whopping fifteen months, thanks to its robust launch vehicle and streamlined flight plan—proof that sometimes, slow and steady doesn't win the race; it just takes a different route! The Europa Clipper was initially set to launch on NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS). However, realizing that SLS availability might be a gamble, NASA opted to explore commercial launch options instead. The decision to use Falcon Heavy not only cut estimated launch costs by $2 billion but also spared the spacecraft from the excessive vibrations that come with SLS’s solid rocket boosters. With a successful launch on the horizon, the Europa Clipper is poised to unravel the mysteries of Europa, one icy layer at a time. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/20241003_131526.webp) Europa Clipper Solar Panels ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/zEsvtqaZs6crQgkQPrkFa9-650-80.jpg.webp) Europa Clipper Main Body ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/image-12.png) Europa Clipper -- Artistic Representation ## Scientific instruments Europa Clipper has a suite of nine instruments that will work together to collect data necessary to accomplishing the mission’s science objectives. During each flyby, the full array of instruments will gather measurements and images that will be layered together to analyze Europa. ### Cameras Europa Clipper’s visible-light cameras will map Europa at significantly better detail than earlier missions. The two infrared cameras on board the spacecraft will map the temperature, roughness, and composition of the moon's surface. Together, the cameras and other devices will reveal much about Europa’s chemistry and geologic activities. **Europa Imaging System (EIS)** The Europa imaging system will capture Europa's valleys, ridges, dark bands and other features in significant detail. It has a wide-angle camera (WAC) and a narrow-angle camera (NAC). Each of these cameras work together and has an eight-megapixel sensor sensitive to visible wavelengths of light, and a small range of near-infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths. The NAC pivots 60 degrees on two axes, while both cameras will produce stereoscopic images and have filters to acquire colour images. > “During flybys, the WAC will cover a swath of the surface in stereo and in color…stereo topography will reveal a lot about the surface structure.” > **\- Elizabeth Turtle, principal investigator for EIS** The NAC is a reflecting telescope that gathers light using a big mirror. Next, a concentrated beam is directed by additional mirrors and lenses onto a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) detector, which is an eight-megapixel sensor. CMOS detectors are a type of detector used in digital cameras and cell phones. They are maybe the most used NASA spinoff technology worldwide. The WAC has the same kind of sensor, but is a refracting telescope instead of a reflecting telescope. It lets light in directly and focuses it onto its detector using lenses. > “With the narrow-angle camera, we’ll image certain areas of Europa at half a meter per pixel…We’ll see features on the surface that we haven’t seen before.” > **\- Lynnae Quick, member of the EIS team** Scientists will use EIS to study surface features and how they relate to each other and to sub-surface structures. The instrument will search for signs of recent geologic activity on the moon’s surface. It will also look for potential plumes venting material into space. EIS’s three-dimensional views will allow scientists to measure surface heights. Color images will provide information about Europa’s surface materials. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/image-1.png) Europa Imaging system **Europa Thermal Emission Imaging System (E-THEMIS)** Everything in the universe with a temperature above absolute zero gives off light. everything emits light in the form of radio and infrared waves.. Although Europa is much farther from the Sun than Earth, making its surface extremely cold, it still emits infrared light. That’s what the Europa Clipper’s thermal imager will closely examine. The Europa Thermal Emission Imaging System (E-THEMIS) will map the moon’s temperatures, searching for signs of activity like cryovolcanoes or areas where its hidden ocean might be closer to the surface. E-THEMIS will use the spacecraft’s motion to scan strips of Europa’s surface. > “It’s like the panorama feature on a smart phone,” said Sylvain Piqueux, a JPL planetary scientist on the E-THEMIS science team. “But instead you have three phones next to each other, each observing a different color.” E-THEMIS will scan Europa's surface for areas of relatively warm ice, which could indicate recent resurfacing or suggest that the moon's hidden ocean is closer to the surface in certain spots. Once identified, other instruments can focus on these regions to study the subsurface chemistry and gain deeper insights into Europa's potential for harboring life. In addition, E-THEMIS will measure how quickly different parts of the surface cool after Europa rotates out of sunlight. Smaller, granular materials cool faster than larger blocks, and these cooling rates will reveal important details about the texture of the surface. Mapping the surface temperature and water distribution will not only help understand Europa's properties but could also guide the selection of landing sites for future missions, ensuring the surface is stable enough for exploration. ### Spectrometry Atoms and molecules each emit, absorb and reflect various wavelengths of light. This means, light carries information about materials it has interacted with. Telescopes from far away distances use this to analyze the makeup of planetary bodies and stars. Upclose Europa Clipper can gather even more data to dissect incoming infrared and ultraviolet light. Decoding this information is the key to understanding the composition of Europa's surface and of particles in space near Europa. Spectrometry involves analyzing the interactions between light and matter, as well as measuring the intensity and wavelengths of radiation. Essentially, it is a technique used to study and quantify specific spectra, making it a crucial tool for spectroscopic analysis of various materials. Through this method, scientists can gain detailed insights into the composition and properties of a given sample by examining how it absorbs, emits, or reflects light across different wavelengths. It plays an important role in Europa Clippers analysis of Europa. Spectrometry has a staggering number of other applied uses; magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-ray machines utilise a form of radio-frequency spectroscopy. These are all very similar instruments to what will be flying on Europa Clipper. **Europa Ultraviolet Spectrograph (Europa-UVS)** Europa Clipper’s Ultraviolet Spectrograph (Europa-UVS) will play a crucial role in helping scientists answer key questions about Europa's mysterious ocean and surface. One of the mission's primary objectives is to determine if a liquid water ocean exists beneath Europa’s icy shell, and whether this ocean periodically erupts into space, allowing for direct sampling. By analyzing the materials on Europa’s surface, scientists aim to uncover what substances, besides ice, compose its frozen exterior. Additionally, they will investigate how Jupiter’s intense radiation alters the moon's surface materials over time. Ultraviolet data will provide more accurate identification of these substances than ever before. Europa-UVS operates by collecting ultraviolet light with a telescope and then separating it into its different wavelengths using an optical grating. Much like a prism creates a rainbow from visible light, this instrument breaks ultraviolet light into distinct wavelengths. By analyzing images of the light spectrum, scientists can identify the chemical composition of Europa's surface materials. This powerful tool, with a field of view of 7.5 degrees and a spectral range of 55 to 210 nanometers, offers a detailed examination of the moon's surface and helps to address fundamental questions about its potential to harbor life. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/image-2.png) Europa-UVS Final Configuration **Mapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europa (MISE)** Just as animals interpret environmental cues—such as a lion's roar signaling danger or daylight prompting activity—the analysis of images and colors can reveal important information about their source. Similarly, Europa Clipper’s Mapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europa (MISE) will study the infrared spectrum reflected from Europa's surface. By measuring the presence, absence, and intensity of various wavelengths, MISE will provide detailed data on the moon’s composition. Infrared light enters MISE through a narrow slit, where mirrors direct it toward a calcium fluoride lens. This lens focuses the light onto a diffraction grating, which disperses the light into its individual wavelengths. These separated wavelengths are then captured by a detection system that records and analyzes the data, which is transmitted back to Earth for interpretation. This allows scientists to study Europa's surface composition and understand the processes shaping the moon. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/image-3.png) Mapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europa (MISE) ### Plasma and Magnetic Field The Europa Clipper Magnetometer (ECM) is a critical instrument designed for the upcoming Europa Clipper mission. Its primary function is to accurately measure the magnetic field of Europa during a series of flybys. This data will help scientists investigate the existence of a hypothesized subsurface ocean beneath the moon's icy crust. Should such an ocean be confirmed, the ECM will provide vital information regarding its depth, salinity, and the thickness of Europa's icy shell. The ECM is equipped with high-sensitivity fluxgate sensors that can detect subtle variations in Europa's magnetic field, allowing researchers to assess how these variations change over time and across different locations on the moon. During the launch phase, the magnetometer will be housed in a protective canister and will extend to its full length of 8.5 meters (25 feet) shortly after launch. To mitigate magnetic interference from the spacecraft itself, which has over 300 sources of potential contamination—including magnets within propulsion valves and current loops in solar arrays—the ECM will be mounted on an 8.5-meter boom. This strategic placement aims to minimize the impact of these artificial magnetic sources, although careful calibration will still be necessary to ensure accurate measurements. Initially, the mission planned to incorporate a more sophisticated multi-frequency magnetometer, known as ICEMAG. However, due to budget constraints and cost overruns, this instrument was ultimately replaced with the ECM. This streamlined design allows for effective magnetic field analysis while maintaining the mission's scientific objectives within budgetary limits. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/image-4.png) Europa Clipper team deploys Magnetometer Boom **Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding (PIMS)** The Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding (PIMS) is a crucial component of the Europa Clipper mission, designed to analyze how plasma affects the magnetic field disturbances detected by the Europa Clipper Magnetometer. PIMS comprises four Faraday Cup plasma spectrometers, which utilize voltage-biased gridded apertures to analyze the plasma in the space environment around Europa. When charged particles from the plasma collide with the instrument’s metal collector plates, they generate a measurable current. This current is processed using sensitive preamplifiers and electronics, allowing scientists to assess the plasma properties in the vicinity of Europa, thereby providing more precise measurements of the magnetic field associated with the moon's subsurface ocean. To understand how PIMS works, it's important to know a few key scientific concepts. Plasma is often referred to as the fourth state of matter, consisting of charged particles, including ions and electrons. It is created when gas is energized, resulting in a mixture of charged particles and neutral atoms. In the context of Europa, plasma can come from various sources, including the moon's interaction with Jupiter's strong magnetic field and the radiation environment surrounding the planet. The Faraday Cup sensors in PIMS are specifically designed to capture and analyze these charged particles. Each sensor has a 90° full-width field of view and is strategically positioned on the spacecraft to provide comprehensive data. By measuring both ions and electrons, the instrument can offer insights into the magnetospheric and ionospheric conditions around Europa. PIMS is engineered to withstand the harsh environment of Europa, ensuring that it can effectively operate in extreme cold and radiation. The instrument features two separate voltage ranges to optimize the analysis of different plasma environments, which helps in refining the data gathered by the magnetometer. Through this study, researchers aim to better understand the subsurface ocean of Europa and its potential for hosting life, as well as the moon's overall geological and geophysical characteristics. This detailed analysis will enhance our knowledge of both Europa and the broader dynamics of celestial bodies within the Jupiter system. The Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding (PIMS) features four Faraday Cups (FCs) situated on two sensors (PIMS Upper and PIMS Lower) located on opposite sides of the Europa Clipper spacecraft. These sensors are designed to measure two types of plasma: one from Jupiter’s magnetic field (the Jovian magnetosphere) and the other from Europa itself (the Europa ionosphere). Each Faraday Cup collects data by detecting the current generated when charged particles, such as ions and electrons, strike a segmented collector plate. Each plate is divided into three segments, known as "tridents," that allow for precise measurements. When a charged particle hits one of these collector plates, it generates a current based on its energy-to-charge ratio (E/q). The Faraday Cups are equipped with a special grid that modulates the high voltage (HV) applied to it, which helps control which particles can pass through. For example, when a specific voltage waveform is applied to the grid, particles with an energy level higher than this threshold will pass through and contribute to a steady current. In contrast, particles that fall below this energy threshold are reflected back out of the sensor. Those that are right at the threshold produce an alternating current (AC), which is the primary data that PIMS measures. Inside the PIMS instrument, electronic components amplify and digitize the current detected by each collector plate. They perform synchronous detection, a process that enhances the AC component of the current that corresponds to the modulation frequency set by the high voltage. By combining the currents from all three segments of each collector plate, scientists can calculate the total number of particles striking the plates (referred to as particle flux). Additionally, analyzing the differences in current between the segments helps determine the direction from which the plasma is flowing. The PIMS is designed to measure the plasma with a very high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), meaning it can detect even small changes in the current produced by the plasma, which has noise levels as low as 1-10 picoamperes (pA). This level of precision ensures that the measurements reflect the overall properties of the plasma accurately. By capturing these details, PIMS plays a vital role in enhancing our understanding of the plasma environment around Europa and its potential implications for the moon's subsurface ocean. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/image-5.png) [The Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding (PIMS) on the Europa Clipper Mission](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11214-023-01002-9?ref=proximareport.com) ### Radar & Gravity Gravity exerts a stronger pull on Europa’s side facing Jupiter than on its far side. This discrepancy is due to Europa's elliptical orbit, which causes its distance from Jupiter to fluctuate. As gravity follows an inverse-square law, the closer Europa is to Jupiter, the greater the gravitational difference felt between its near and far sides. Consequently, Europa becomes elongated when it is nearer to Jupiter and more spherical when it is farther away. This changing shape also affects Europa's gravity field. To study these gravitational effects, the Europa Clipper spacecraft conducts experiments using radio signals. Ground-based antennas send a signal to the spacecraft, which then transmits back at a coherent frequency. The gravity science team on Earth meticulously analyzes the Doppler shift and other characteristics of the received signal to trace its path. As the Clipper flies through Europa's gravity field at various distances from Jupiter, scientists will examine how its trajectory is influenced by Europa's gravity. This data will help them understand how the moon flexes, ultimately providing insights into its internal structure. > “It's like when a firetruck goes by and the pitch of the siren changes,” **said Dustin Buccino, a JPL scientist and engineer, and co-investigator for the gravity investigation.** “We measure the difference between the frequency the spacecraft sent and the frequency Earth received. It gives us details about the spacecraft’s motion, which gives us details about Europa’s gravity field.” **Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface (REASON)** The Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface (REASON) is a sophisticated ice-penetrating radar system featuring multiple frequencies and channels. This instrument will be part of the Europa Clipper mission to Jupiter's moon Europa. REASON is designed to deliver the first direct measurements of both the surface characteristics of Europa's ice shell and its subsurface structure. By utilizing its advanced radar capabilities, REASON will enable scientists to analyze the thickness of the ice, identify potential liquid water layers beneath the surface, and assess the overall geology of Europa. This data is crucial for understanding the moon's potential habitability and the processes that shape its icy exterior. The REASON instrument utilizes advanced radar technology and various analyses of plasma and particles to study Europa. It operates using two different frequencies: high-frequency (HF) radar at 9 MHz and very high-frequency (VHF) radar at 60 MHz, which allows it to conduct both shallow and deep sounding of the moon's icy surface. The radar antennas are mounted on a single boom, which helps to minimize the overall weight of the equipment. In addition to mapping the ice shell, REASON will function as a nadir altimeter, measuring tides to help validate theories about Europa’s ice shell and subsurface ocean. This capability will also enable scientists to assess the surface roughness, which is crucial for identifying potential landing sites for a future lander mission to Europa. Through these measurements, REASON will provide valuable insights into the moon's geology and the potential for life beneath its icy crust. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/image-6.png) Artist's impression of the Europa Clipper's REASON instrument in action, using dual-frequency radar to map Europa's ice layer ## A Message in a Bottle There's a legacy of NASA spacecraft carrying inspirational messages from Earth, from the Pioneer Plaque and the Voyager Golden Record, to engravings carried aboard NASA's Mars rovers. Now, as NASA sends a new mission from one ocean world to another, the Europa Clipper spacecraft continues this tradition, inspiring global interest and connection through its journey. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/image-7.png) Voyager Golden Record The theme for Europa's vault plate, which will go with the Europa Clipper to the icy moon can be summed up in one word--Water. water connects our planet to Earth. The Europa Clipper mission aims to confirm that a vast ocean exists beneath Europa's surface. This shared element of water has influenced every aspect of the vault plates design. The plate, made of tantalum metal 1mm thick and about 7 by 11 inches is part of the structure that will protect Europa Clipper's electronics. The outward-facing side features a piece called "Water Words" which is a visual representation of the word for water in 103 spoken languages, extending from a central symbol that represents the sign for water in ASL. Audio recordings of these words are engraved on the vault plate as waveforms. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/image-8.png) Europa's Vault plate - Outward facing side ### "In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa" This original poem, penned by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón in her own handwriting, is engraved on the vault plate. It intertwines the two water worlds: Earth, which yearns to grasp what makes a world habitable, and Europa, poised with secrets yet to be uncovered. The poem can be listened to along with a stunning animation on NASAs very own youtube channel. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/image-9.png) The lower half of Europa Clipper’s vault plate, showing the poem by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón (lower right), a drawing representing the Jovian system that will host the names of 2.6 million people flying with mission on a microchip (top right), a tribute to planetary scientist Ron Greeley (bottom left), and the radio emission lines known a the ‘Water Hole’ (center). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Millions of individuals across the globe share a remarkable connection: their names are embarking on a journey to Europa aboard the Europa Clipper spacecraft. Each name, submitted through NASA’s Message in a Bottle campaign, is etched on a silicon chip the size of a fingernail. This chip is affixed to a tantalum metal vault plate, which is integrated into a beautiful illustration representing the Jovian system and the orbits of its four largest moons. At the heart of this drawing is a bottle, symbolizing NASA's Message in a Bottle campaign, serving as a testament to humanity's quest for knowledge and exploration. This mission embodies our collective dreams and aspirations, reminding us that together, we are reaching for the stars, driven by curiosity and the promise of discovery. Engraved in the handwriting of renowned astrophysicist and astrobiologist Frank Drake (1930–2022), the Drake Equation stands as a tribute to the groundbreaking concept that the probability of discovering extraterrestrial life is quantifiable. This mathematical formula estimates the likelihood of finding advanced, communicative civilizations within the Milky Way galaxy. Since its inception, the Drake Equation has served as a guiding framework, inspiring scientific inquiry across various disciplines linked to astrobiology—the study of life's origin, evolution, and distribution in the universe. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/image-10.png) In the field of astronomy, the term "water hole" refers to a specific range of radio frequencies that are relatively free from background noise, making them ideal for interstellar communication. This frequency range lies between the hydrogen emission line at 1420 megahertz and the hydroxyl line at 1660-1666 megahertz. The lines featured on the vault plate of the Europa Clipper spacecraft symbolize the connection between water and the ongoing quest for life beyond Earth. They provide a scientific and mathematical representation of water; the chemical symbols for hydrogen (H) and hydroxyl (OH) illustrate the components produced when water molecules (H₂O) are separated. Like the Drake Equation, these radio emission lines exemplify our capacity to harness the language of science in pursuit of knowledge. In our exploration of Europa and other celestial bodies, the allure of water continues to captivate human curiosity, prompting us to reach out and listen for potential messages from the cosmos. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/image-11.png) ### Concluding Thoughts I hope this article taught you at the very least one new thing about Europa or the Europa Clipper mission. As we yearn for our connection to Europa, and as we yearn for this endeavour of exploration remember this: > " It is not darkness that unites us, not the cold distance of space, but the offering of water" ### Monthly Dose of Space - September 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-september-2024/ Last updated: 2024-10-01T21:27:17.000Z Welcome to our twelfth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month we haven't covered in our weekly newsletters. September has been an action-packed month worldwide, so let's jump into it! ## **News of the Month** September saw more reusable launch vehicles progressing toward launch, Earth gaining another moon, more crewed lunar landing progress, and Falcon 9 halting flights again. ### *Crew-9 arrives at the International Space Station* ![Crew Dragon 'Freedom' docked to the International Space Station on September 29th ©Sen](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Sen---LIVE-Watch-SpaceX-s-Crew-9-Dragon-capsule-dock-with-the-ISS-from-Sen-s-4K-cameras--ZDCiEaseY8k---1248x702---8h16m09s-.png) Crew Dragon 'Freedom' docked to the International Space Station on September 29th ©[Sen](https://www.sen.com/video/15a68f1b-9354-4f74-b9c0-381ecb7d3b84?ref=proximareport.com) After a launch on September 28th, Crew Dragon 'Freedom' arrived at the International Space Station carrying NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. 'Freedom' docked to the space station's Harmony module forward port at 21:30 pm, Universal Coordinated Time. With the docking, the Crew-9 mission aboard the International Space Station has begun. The Crew-9 crew is expected to perform science and station maintenance until February 2025. The arrival of Crew-9 is also providing NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore with a ride home. Williams and Wilmore had flown to the space station aboard Boeing's [Starliner](https://proximareport.com/starliner-carries-first-crew-after-years-of-delays/). NASA [ruled](https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-august-2024/#starliner-crew-to-return-in-2025) Starliner too risky to bring the crew back home after three months of troubleshooting problems while docked. Starliner would go on to return uncrewed on [September 7th](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-1-9-7-9/#starliner-returns-uncrewed). ### *Earth gains another Moon?* As of September 29th Earth has gained another moon. This new moon is the small asteroid known as [2024 PT5](https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2515-5172/ad781f?ref=proximareport.com), which is believed to be approximately ten meters in diameter. 2024 PT5 won't be visible to the naked eye due to its small size and it staying at a distance beyond the Moon. The asteroid is also about three-hundred thousand times smaller than Earth's Moon. 2024 PT5 is expected to stay with Earth until November 25th and won't complete a full orbit around our planet. If you have a telescope and want to try and spot 2024 PT5 you can track it [here](https://theskylive.com/2024pt5-info?ref=proximareport.com). ### *China progresses with reusable rockets* ![LandSpace's Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 vehicle after landing on its test landing pad (left) and Deep Blue Aerospace's Nebula-1 test vehicle during its landing burn (right). ©LandSpace/Deep Blue Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/hoppers.png) LandSpace's Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 vehicle after landing on its test landing pad (left) and Deep Blue Aerospace's Nebula-1 test vehicle during its landing burn (right). ©LandSpace/Deep Blue Aerospace September has had China make great strides with development of two more reusable launch vehicles. This last month had LandSpace and Deep Blue Aerospace conducting high-altitude flight tests of test vehicles to assist in development of Zhuque-3 and Nebula-1\. LandSpace's [test](https://proximareport.com/landspace-hop-two/) took place on September 10th and had the Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 test vehicle fly up to 10 kilometers. During the test, the vehicle shut down its only engine and then reignited it to come in for a soft landing. According to LandSpace, this hop test verified control during unpowered flight, the reusability of the company's engines, and the technology to light an engine during descent in flight. Deep Blue Aerospace's [test](https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-22-9-28-9/#deep-blue-aerospace-performs-high-altitude-hop-test) occurred almost two weeks later on September 22nd. The company's Nebula-1 test vehicle completed almost every major milestone during the test, except for a soft landing. Major test criteria were still completed, such as ascent with three engines, shut down for two of the engines, descent with one engine firing, and deployment of four landing legs ahead of landing. These tests from both companies bring China's high-altitude rocket test total up to three, as a government effort between China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology performed the first back in late June. China views reusable rockets as being a key piece in a dynamic and competitive space industry. Reusable launch vehicles are also being developed to replace the already low-cost hypergolic Long March vehicles. ### *China reveals lunar surface spacesuit* ![Movement demonstrations from China Manned Space Agency's video. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/CMSA-demo-gif-1.gif) Movement demonstrations from China Manned Space Agency's video. ©China Manned Space Agency At the third Spacesuit Technology Forum hosted by the China Astronaut Research and Training Center in Chongqing, the China Manned Space Agency revealed a lunar surface spacesuit on September 28th. This suit is the third-generation of China's domestically produced extravehicular spacesuits. The new spacesuit will be worn by Chinese astronauts later this decade, as the country aims to put a crew on the lunar surface before 2030\. These suits might potentially be worn aboard the Tiangong Space Station to conduct tests in the vacuum of space. Training with the suits on Earth is already believed to be underway to support development along with practicing use with crews in a simulated lunar environment. Not many details were revealed about the suit beyond more flexible gloves, a panoramic glare-proof helmet visor, joints designed for low gravity, and an easy-to-use control panel for controlling suit systems. Movement demonstrations were also conducted with the suits and can be found [here](https://proximareport.com/china-unveils-lunar-spacesuit/). ### *SpaceX suspends Falcon 9 launches* SpaceX [announced](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1840245345118498987?ref=cosmicnxws.com) on social media that Falcon 9's second-stage experienced an anomaly during its de-orbit burn after supporting the [Crew-9](https://proximareport.com/nasa-crew-9/) launch. This anomaly caused the second-stage to fall into the ocean outside of its targetted area. SpaceX's statement on the event is as follows: > "After today’s successful launch of Crew-9, Falcon 9’s second stage was disposed in the ocean as planned, but experienced an off-nominal deorbit burn. As a result, the second stage safely landed in the ocean, but outside of the targeted area. We will resume launching after we better understand root cause." Additional details about the anomaly were not provided. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is also [requiring](https://x.com/spaceflightnow/status/1840850756552872244?ref=proximareport.com) an investigation. It is unknown when SpaceX will begin flying Falcon 9 again, but it will likely be for a Starlink mission. This is also the third time Falcon 9 has suffered from an anomaly this year, having experienced a second-stage failure back in [July](https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-failure-starlink/) and a first-stage landing failure in [August](https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-grounded-for-the-second-time-in-2024/). ### *ULA rolls out Vulcan ahead of second test flight* > This week's Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) will see the [#Cert2](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cert2?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [#VulcanRocket](https://twitter.com/hashtag/VulcanRocket?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) loaded with a million pounds of cryogenic propellants at Space Launch Complex-41 and put through a complete countdown procedure as part of certification. [https://t.co/eWLyIiIUE6](https://t.co/eWLyIiIUE6?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/vt7suqfO4g](https://t.co/vt7suqfO4g?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ULA (@ulalaunch) [September 30, 2024](https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1840764700293841079?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The Vulcan rocket rolling out to Space Launch Complex 41, via [United Launch Alliance on X](https://x.com/ulalaunch/status/1840764700293841079?ref=proximareport.com). September 30th saw United Launch Alliance roll out the second Vulcan rocket to the launch pad ahead of its second certification mission for the United States Space Force. Launch of the second Vulcan is currently expected no earlier than 10:00 am, Universal Coordinated Time, on October 4th. This launch was initially delayed a few months ago when the original payload, Sierra Space's Dream Chaser cargo spaceplane, would not be on track for a launch this year. Due to delays with Dream Chaser, United Launch Alliance is instead opting to fly an inert payload to complete the second and final certification mission of Vulcan, to allow it to launch sensitive U.S. military payloads. For this mission the vehicle will fly in the VC2S configuration; that is a Vulcan first-stage booster, a Centaur V second-stage, two GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters, and the 15.5-meter long 5.4-meter diameter fairing. Had Dream Chaser been on schedule Vulcan would have flown in the VC4L configuration, with four GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters, and the 21.3-meter long 5.4-meter diameter fairing. ## **SpaceX** This month at Starbase began on September 2nd when workers were seen underneath Starhopper preparing to move it. On September 3rd, one of the self-propelled modular transporters rolled under Starhopper, and workers installed stands to enable Starhopper's move. Starhopper was also chained to the transporter. Late on the 3rd, Starhopper was moved out of the launch site and into one of SpaceX's spare lots neighboring the launch site. A few days later on the 5th of September, the 'chopsticks' of Orbital Launch Tower 1 were raised for testing. These tests are believed to have been simulating part of a booster catch, which is expected to occur on the next flight test of Starship-Super Heavy. September 6th had Ship 31 roll out from the production site to the Massey's test site, possibly ahead of a static fire. Ship 31 is currently expected to fly on the sixth flight test. A few days later on September 8th Ship 31 was spotted being loaded with propellant at the Massey's test site, no engine testing is believed to have happened with nothing said by SpaceX. Two days later a test tank, also at the Massey's test site, was spotted being loaded with propellant for testing, it's unknown what this test tank is for. Over at the launch site on September 13th teams were spotted installing various commodity pipes to the the second launch tower. More testt of Ship 31 was also spotted on September 14th, but no engine testing is believed to have occurred. Three days later on September 17th teams were spotted removing hardware from Starhopper, mainly the outer sheet metal layer. It's unknown what teams are doing to Starhopper or what the future of the old test vehicle is. The first launch towers 'chopsticks' were spotted performing movement tests on the 17th. Ship 31 fired up its engines on the 18th for its six-engine static fire at the Massey's test site. Ship 31 is currently expected to fly on the sixth flight of Starship-Super Heavy. ![Ship 31 during its static fire at the Massey's test site. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GXzva1UboAAHN1c-1.jpg) Ship 31 during its static fire at the Massey's test site. ©SpaceX Removal of hardware from Starhopper continued through the 18th with its mast being removed from it on the 19th, the mast was used to hold weather monitoring equipment. Early in the morning of the 20th, Ship 31 rolled back from the Massey's test site to the production site. While Ship 31 was heading back to the production site, Booster 12 and its hot-staging ring left for the launch site. After sunrise, Booster 12 was lifted as high as the towers 'chopsticks' can travel before being placed onto the orbital launch mount. Following the lift of Booster 12, Ship 30 was also rolled out to the launch site. While Ship 30 was waiting to be lifted in the early hours of the 21st, Booster 12's hot-staging ring was installed ontop of the booster. Ship 30 was then lifted atop of Booster 12 during the day. On September 23rd Booster 12 and Ship 30 performed a partial propellant loading test on the launchpad. Liquid methane and liquid oxygen propellants were loaded into both vehicles, with SpaceX confirming it as a successful test a few hours later. ![Ship 30 during the partial propellant loading test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GYMXtKdakAM4RyU-1.jpg) Ship 30 during the partial propellant loading test. ©SpaceX During the latter half of September SpaceX went [fishing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyMn1mIJUUE&ref=proximareport.com) for parts of Booster 11\. Booster 11 flew on Starship-Super Heavy's fourth flight test and landed in the Gulf of Mexico near Starbase. Following its landing at sea, the vehicle exploded for unknown reasons. Once SpaceX teams recovered hardware from Booster 11 on the seabed, the remains were delivered to the Massey's test site. It's unknown what SpaceX plans to do with the recovered hardware. Several of the engines were [spotted](https://x.com/interstellargw/status/1838056287914938838?ref=cosmicnxws.com) full of sand, having been resting on the seabed for the last three months. Ending the month at Starbase, Ship 30 was destacked from Booster 12 on September 30th. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw twenty-three launches worldwide, if you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *September 3rd - Long March 4B with Yaogan-43 Group-02* September's launches started with a Long March 4B lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying a believed six satellites into low Earth orbit. These satellites were the second group of spacecraft launched for Yaogan-43, which is stated as being for testing low Earth orbit constellation technologies. ### *September 5th - Vega with Sentinel-2C* Arianespace launched its final Vega rocket from Ensemble de Lancement Vega at the Guiana Space Center, in French Guiana. Sentinel-2C was successfully delivered to sun-synchronous orbit, where it will begin providing high-resolution imagery for land surveying. ### *September 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-11* SpaceX launched twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1o77 flying for the fifteenth time, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read the Instructions'. ### *September 5th - Long March 6 with Group-03 of Geespace's constellation* A Long March 6 launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying ten satellites into low Earth orbit. The ten satellites were for Geespace’s Geely Future Mobility Constellation. ### *September 6th - Falcon 9 with NROL-113* Another Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, for the NROL-113 mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, believed to be carrying a batch of Starshield satellites for military use. The booster for this mission was B1063, flying for the twentieth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *September 10th - Falcon 9 with Polaris Dawn.* Polaris Dawn finally lifted off from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, atop Falcon 9 at 09:23 am, Universal Coordinated Time, on September 10th heading to low Earth orbit. Crew Dragon C207 'Resilience' is carrying four astronauts for this mission, they are Commander Jared Isaacman, Pilot Scott Poteet, Mission Specialist Anna Menon, and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis. The booster for this mission, B1083, was flying for the fourth time and successfully landed on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *September 11th - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-26* A Soyuz 2.1a blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome heading into low Earth orbit to allow the Soyuz MS-26 mission to chase down the International Space Station. Onboard the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft are Roscosmos' Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner as well as NASA's Donald Pettit. ### *September 12th - Falcon 9 with BlueBird Block 1* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying five satellites into low Earth orbit for AST SpaceMobile’s broadband constellation. The booster for this mission was B1078 flying for the thirteenth time and landing back at Landing Zone 1. ### *September 13th - Starlink Group 9-6* Another Falcon 9 carried a batch of twenty-one satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster supporting this mission was B1071 flying for the eighteenth time and landing down range on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *September 14th - Qaem 100 with Chamran-1* A Qaem 100 rocket lifted off from the Shahroud Missile Test Site in Iran and headed for low Earth orbit. The rocket carried the Chamran-1 technology demonstration satellite, which is believed to weigh 60 kilograms. ### *September 17th - Angara 1.2 with Kosmos 2577 & 2578* An Angara 1.2 lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying two unknown military satellites into sun-synchronous orbit for the Russian government. ### *September 17th - Falcon 9 with Galileo L13* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying two Galileo satellites into medium Earth orbit for Europe. The booster for this mission was B1067 flying for the twenty-second time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' after the most daring re-entry of a Falcon 9 booster so far. Details about this mission and booster landing are available [here](https://proximareport.com/falcon-galileo-13/). ### *September 19th - Long March 3B/E with BeiDou 59 & 60* A Long March 3B/E blasted off from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying two third-generation BeiDou navigation satellites. These satellites were deployed into a medium Earth orbit thanks to the use of a Yuanzheng-1 upper-stage, allowing the spacecraft to reserve onboard propellant for their ten-year operational lives. ### *September 20th - Long March 2D with six Jilin-1 satellites* Six Jilin-1 satellites, as part of the Kuanfu-02B group, were delivered to a sun-synchronus orbit by a Long March 2D flying from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. These satellites are believed to be remote-sensing spacecraft offering imaging resolutions between 0.5 and 4 meters to customers. ### *September 20th - Kuaizhou-1A with four Tianqi satellites* Another launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center occurred on the 20th with a Kuaizhou-1A lifting off to low Earth orbit. Onboard this launch was four Tianqi Internet-of-Things spacecraft as part of a thirty-eight satellite constellation, with thirty-two spacecraft already in orbit. ### *September 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-17* SpaceX launched another Falcon 9 carrying twenty Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for this mission was B1075 making its thirteenth flight and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *September 20th - Electron for 'Kinéis Killed the RadIoT Star'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket launched its second batch of Kinéis Internet of Things satellites from Launch Complex 1A on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand, to low Earth orbit. Five satellites were onboard Electron for the 'Kinéis Killed the RadIoT Star' mission. ### *September 24th - Jielong-3 with 8 satellites* A Jielong-3 rocket lifted off from a sea launch platform off fo the coast of Haiyang, in eastern China, carrying 8 satellites to a sun-synchronus orbit. Details about the various technology demonstrations and research spacecraft are available [here](https://proximareport.com/kinetica-1-busy-launches/). ### *September 25th - Kinetica-1 with 5 satellites* CAS Space's Kinetica-1 blasted off from Launch Site 130 at the Jiuquan satellite launch Center heading for sun-synchronus orbit carrying five satellites for three customer's constellations. Details about these constellations are available [here](https://proximareport.com/kinetica-1-busy-launches/). ### *September 25th - Starlink Group 9-8* SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying 20 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1081 flying for the tenth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Couse I Still Love You' downrange. ### *September 26th - H2A with IGS Radar 8* A H2A rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying the IGS Radar 8 reconnaissance satellites for the Japanese government. The IGS Radar 8 satellite is expected to serve Japan's military as well as natural disaster monitoring and relief efforts. ### *September 27th - Long March 2D with Shijian-19* A Long March 2D lifted off from Launch Site 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying the Shijian-19 spacecraft to low Earth orbit. Shijian-19 is China's first returnable and reusable satellite and will demonstrate best operational practices ahead of flights of similar spacecraft. ### *September 28th - Falcon 9 with Crew-9* NASA's Crew-9 mission blasted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at 17:17 pm Universal Coordinated Time with Crew Dragon 'Freedom' atop of a Falcon 9 rocket. On board Crew Dragon 'Freedom' are two astronauts, NASA's Nick Hague and Roscosmos' Aleksandr Gorbunov. Further details about the mission are available [here](https://proximareport.com/nasa-crew-9/). ## Launches to look out for in October! October looks to be another busy month of launches. Listed below are all of the launches expected or very likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of October may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *October 4th - Vulcan for Cert-2* United Launch Alliance is expecting to launch Vulcan's second certification flight from Space Launch Complex 41 carrying an inert payload to demonstrate capabilities for the United States Space Force. If successful the vehicle will be allowed to fly sensitive military payloads for the United States' government. ### *October 7th - Falcon 9 with Hera* SpaceX is expected to launch the European Space Agency's Hera asteroid exploration mission from Space Launch Complex 40\. Hera plans to inspect the asteroid system Didymos that NASA's DART mission impacted in 2022. ### *October 10th - Falcon Heavy with Europa Clipper* Falcon Heavy is expected to fly a fully expendable mission carrying NASA's Europa Clipper mission from Launch Complex 39A. Europa Clipper will head to Jupiter's moon Europa to study it. ### *October 20th - H3 with DSN-3* A H3 rocket is expected to launch to a geostationary transfer orbit from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying the DSN-3 communications satellite for the Japanese military. ### *Late October - Vulcan with USSF-106* United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket may launch the USSF-106 mission for the United States Space Force in late October depending on the outcome of the vehicle's second certification flight. ### *Late October - Falcon 9 with CRS-31* Depending on the International Space Station's schedule, SpaceX's 31st resupply mission may launch atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 in late October. ### Cosmic Curiosities - October 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/cosmic-curiosities-october-2024/ Last updated: 2024-10-01T17:32:22.000Z Hello and welcome to the third installment of the "Cosmic Curiosities" newsletter! In this monthly newsletter, we will go over the big astronomy events you should expect in the coming month. From meteor showers to planetary aligning's and anything in between. We also will dive into all of the out-of-this-world discoveries and big stories from the past month! ## What's up this month? ### *Perfect time to view Andromeda - October 1st* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/M31_09-01-2011_-cropped---1-.jpg) Andromeda ****Credit: Torben Hansen** Kicking off the first of the month, Andromeda, our closest galactic neighbor at 2.5 million light-years, will be very visible in our night sky. The galaxy will rise to its highest point in the sky around midnight on the 1st. With each subsequent day, the point at which Andromeda is the highest in our night sky will be reached four minutes earlier. To spot Andromeda, look to the East near the constellations Cassiopeia or the "great square." While Andromeda can be seen with the naked eye if the conditions are right, a small telescope or binoculars are recommended! ### *New Moon at Apogee and a Solar Eclipse - October 2nd* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/ring-of-fire-solar-eclipse.jpg) Ring of fire as seen by the Hinode optical telescope ****Credit: JAXA/NASA** On the second of October, the Moon will restart its lunar cycle, meaning the sky's are at their darkest. The Moon will also be at its orbital apogee (furthest point in an orbit), meaning the Moon will appear a little smaller than usual as it is the farthest away from Earth. A solar eclipse will also occur, and it will be visible from the Southern hemisphere, particularly parts of South America, like Chile and Argentina. If you are lucky enough to live within the narrow corridor of the eclipse's path, you should be able to see a ring of fire! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/path2d-380.png) Path of the solar eclipse ****Credit: Time and Date** If the weather permits, this will be an excellent time to head outside and look at the stars. And if you live in South America, be sure to head outside and try to catch a glimpse of the solar eclipse! ### Comet to make historic flyby of Earth - October 8th/9th ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/o3nvtmriidrd1.jpeg) Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS seen just before sunrise ****Credit: u/darioharari** In January 2023, the Purple Mountain Observatory (Tsuchinshan) in China discovered what appeared to be an asteroid. However, in February, as more data poured in, the object's classification changed to a Comet. With the new information gathered on this interplanetary voyager, scientists could calculate the object's orbit and the last time it came close to our planet. The Comet last flew by Earth some 80,000 years ago, which makes this a genuinely historic flyby. You may have already seen the images from [Don Pettit ](https://x.com/astro%5FPettit/status/1837863486015131799?ref=proximareport.com)or [Matthew Dominick](https://x.com/dominickmatthew/status/1839078148844970390?ref=proximareport.com) aboard the ISS, among others, who have captured the Comet rising above the horizon in the Early morning hours. However, ATLAS is believed to appear even brighter in the second week of October. On the 8th and 9th of October, the Comet could appear as bright as Venus, which will be the best time to view it. However, the Comet should remain visible, but far dimmer, up until the 26th of October, if not longer. To try and capture a glimpse of the Comet, look low and to the west/southwest after sunset. As time passes, the Comet will rise into the night sky but slowly dim. It is visible to the unaided eye, but using a telescope or binoculars will give you the best view! ### Hunters Moon - October 17th ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/c02dbc3b-4f44-4a3b-93e6-b414086de024-Hunters_moon_17.webp) 2021's Hunter Moon ****Credit: Gerry Broome** In the last edition of this newsletter, September featured a "harvester" Moon, which farmers gave the name due to its usefulness in helping with crop harvesting at the latter parts of the night. In a time before electricity, or at least the widespread use of electricity, the Moon and its cycles were crucial to various industries. The same applies to hunters, hence the name "Hunters" Moon. The name was coined due to the reliance on Moonlight for hunting late at night, especially to stock up on food for the coming winter. The Moon will also be a supermoon, which means it's at its closest to Earth! ## Two Meteor Showers ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/xh4fxqav6m381.webp) Milky Way band and a plethora of shooting stars ****Credit: u/peeweekid** ### Draconid - October 7th This is the first of the two meteor showers set to take place in October. The shower will begin on the 6th, peak on the 7th, and last until the 12th. With a peak of 10 shooting stars an hour, this is the more minor meteor shower of the month. The meteor shower will originate from the constellation Draco, so for your best chance to spot this dazzling light show, look towards the North after sunset! The biggest plague to stargazing is either light pollution or weather. So, if you miss the Draconid meteor shower, don't fret, as the show is only about to begin! ### Orionid - October 21st The Orionid meteor shower began in late September and will end in late November. Despite its long duration, the Orionid peaks in October, on the 21st, to be exact. At its peak, it will see double the number of shooting stars compared to Draconid. For the best viewing possible, look toward the southwestern sky after sunset, towards the constellation Orion. Happy star-watching! ## Interstellar news from September ### *Hubble finds that black hole beams promote stellar eruptions* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/hubble-m87-26sept24-stsci-01j6ws5znbgmg8hdhqthzb7ac6.webp) Close up image of the M87 galaxy, showcasing the 3,000 light year long plasma jet that originates from the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy. ****Credit: NASA/Hubble** Hubble has spotted some weird behavior from the black hole at the center of the elliptical galaxy, M87\. The supermassive black hole has ejected a 3,000-light-year jet of plasma out into the galaxy. Scientists have noticed that stars on the edge of this jet are prone to "explode" twice as much as stars elsewhere in the galaxy. These explosions are referred to as Novae, and they are surprisingly common in the universe. Every day, at least one novae erupts in M87 alone, and astronomers believe 1 million novae explode every second in the entire universe. While scientists don't know why Novae are more common near this jet of plasma, the sheer prevalence of eruptions closer to the jet, compared to data collected from the rest of the galaxy, leads astronomers to believe the plasma jet stream is causing this. A leading theory is that the path of the plasma is "snowplowing" hydrogen into stars, leading to an explosion. However, more data is needed to better understand what is going on. If this is the case, it shows that black holes can play a significant role in keeping the stellar cycle alive despite the insane destruction they cause as these stellar eruptions will lead to the formation of new stars. ### Hubble and MAVEN team up to solve a Martian mystery ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/mars-from-hope.jpg) Mars as seen by the UAE's Hope orbiter ****Credit: UAESA/Planetary Society** NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft teamed up to solve one of the big mysteries surrounding Mars. Looking at Mars now, you see this dry, desert world. It would be hard to believe that some billions of years ago, the red planet harbored oceans spanning hundreds of kilometers. There were some theories about how Mars lost its oceans, but nothing has been proven. That was until these images from Hubble allowed scientists to see hydrogen atoms escaping Mars into space. (Image rotated to fit the site better, [source image here](https://science.nasa.gov/image-detail/hubble-maven-mars-annotated-stsci-01j6a1t00q0jdpwn14jyqxyr95/?ref=proximareport.com)) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/Untitled-design--14-.png) Mars at its closest point to the Sun (left) and furthest (right) as captured by Hubble. You can see the difference in how far the planet's atmosphere extends, a sign of atoms escaping due to the Sun's added strength at Mars' Perihelion Credit: ****NASA/HUBBLE** > There are only two places water can go. It can freeze into the ground, or the water molecule can break into atoms, and the atoms can escape from the top of the atmosphere into space....to understand how much water there was and what happened to it, we need to understand how the atoms escape into space." - John Clarke of the Center for Space Physics at Boston University in Massachusetts While Hubble did take the definitive image to prove that hydrogen atoms, broken up by sunlight, were indeed escaping into space, MAVEN played a massive role in this discovery. With MAVEN, scientists knew that hydrogen and deuterium (a hydrogen molecule with a neutron in its nucleus), which is commonly referred to as "heavy hydrogen," were being broken apart. However, being heavier than hydrogen, deuterium is escaping the red planet's atmosphere far slower. With this in mind, scientists back on Earth are using this data and creating models that can "wind the clock" on how much water was on Mars and how much water escaped for any given year, dating billions of years back. ### *JWST finds "missing link" to star formation* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/Galaxy_GS-NDG-9422_article.jpg) Galaxy GS-NDG-9422 home to a peculiar speck of light ****Credit: NASA/JWST/ESA** Using data from Webb, astronomers Alex Cameron and Harley Katz have made a compelling discovery that may further piece together the formation of the early Universe. They found a collection of gas heated by scorching and massive stars, stars hotter than those in our more evolved and local Universe. These stars were heating this gas so much to the point it actually outshone the stars. Typically, stars at the more prominent and hotter end reach temperatures of 40,000-50,000 Celsius. However, Cameron and his team believe that galaxy 9422 has/had stars with temperatures reaching 80,000 Celsius, which is a massive difference compared to stars today. While it makes sense that stars formed while the Universe was relatively young and would differ from stars today, this discovery may be a missing link in early star formation. The team of astronomers and scientists believe that Galaxy 9422 was in the midst of an intense star formation period fueled by a dense cloud of gas. The team plans to look at other similarly aged galaxies to determine how common or rare this phenomenon was at the time. > My first thought in looking at the galaxy’s spectrum was, ‘that’s weird,’ which is exactly what the Webb telescope was designed to reveal: totally new phenomena in the early Universe that will help us understand how the cosmic story began.” - Alex Cameron Lead Research at the University of Oxford, UK. ### *China's FAST radio telescope to expand* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/fast-629503542.webp) Ariel shot of the FAST telescope located in southwest China ****Credit: Liu Xu** China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope, or FAST radio, is the largest diameter single-dish radar telescope in the world. However, it is currently undergoing an expansion in the form of 24 moveable radio telescopes, each with a dish spanning 40 meters in diameter. This expansion will allow for a much greater resolution, enabling better study of deep space objects, such as fast radio bursts, gravitational waves, black hole tidal disruptions, and supernova, among other things. This expansion will also allow communication with probes, situational awareness, and the discovery of new small solar system objects. The expansion's construction began recently, on September 25th, the 8th anniversary of FAST's completion. FAST is located in a remote part of Guizhou, southwest China. The giant radio observatory fully came online in 2020, and since then, it has discovered 900+ pulsars. ### *NASA continues working on Lunar time zone* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/gHvjmC5EthYrxK6UfPS4vg-650-80.jpg.webp) Artist depiction of Astronauts working on the Lunar South pole ****Credit: NASA** As robotic and crewed missions become more prevalent in the coming decade(s), distinguishing lunar time to Earth time and vice versa is crucial. That is why NASA, still a few years away from landing humans on the Moon, is pushing forward to create a coordinated lunar time (LTC). Having a dedicated time zone, similar to coordinated universal time (UTC) here on Earth, will allow for better mission planning and management between space agencies. It will also allow for telescopes on the lunar surface to be synced, science experiments time-stamped, and complex spacecraft events, such as orbital burns or docking, to be completed without a hitch. To create the lunar time zone, a collection of atomic clocks will be placed at various points around the Moon, giving a fairly accurate time zone. Despite the extreme accuracy of atomic clocks, I say "fairly" as the Moon being tidally locked with Earth has its issues. Gravity can mess with the speed of these instruments, which can make two different clocks a few dozen milliseconds off by the end of the day. While that sounds like a little, it adds up and can be problematic, especially for spacecraft operating at absurd speeds. Regardless, a time zone made for the Moon is a significant first step as humanity implements plans to enable a lunar economy. The White House has given NASA until Dec 31st, 2026, to plan the creation and implementation of LTC. > The existence of a common time reference is the basis of our everyday life activities on Earth, and the same will be true on the Moon with the development of a lunar economy and the expansion of lunar exploration." - Javier Ventura-Traveset, Moonlight Project navigation manager at the European Space Agency (ESA) ### Hubble spots a plethora of ancient black holes ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/hubble-hudf-blackholes-stsci-01j6yyr79qdyypjx8b8eecym73.webp) Hubble deep field shows proof of supermassive black holes at the center of ancient galaxies ****Credit: NASA/Hubble** NASA's Hubble space telescope, a legendary piece of science equipment that has been operating for decades, is still making discoveries today. Recently, the orbital observatory has spotted a large number of ancient black holes, shocking astronomers. These black holes were formed not long after the Big Bang (relatively), and while this alone isn't shocking, the shocking part is just how massive and common they are. > Many of these objects seem to be more massive than we originally thought they could be at such early times — either they formed very massive or they grew extremely quickly." - Alice Young, a PhD student from Stockholm University There are a few potential explanations for how the black holes formed, such as the collapse of supermassive pristine stars, collapsing gas/dust clouds, the merging of star clusters, and potentially primordial black holes that formed just after the Big Bang. However, this is the least supported explanation. Astronomers will be keen to collect more data, which will be needed to fully validate any theories. To aid in these newly discovered black holes, The James Webb Space Telescope also looks back to early black holes to help astronomers better understand the formation of galaxies and the early universe. ## Celestial spotlight To cap off another Cosmic Curiosities, lets go over the space image of the month! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/GYohMY7WsAA_Ejo.png) Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS as seen from the ISS ****Credit: Matthew Dominick/NASA** Matthew was the runner-up last time, but this month, he redeemed himself with this magnificent photo taken during his stay aboard the ISS! As mentioned earlier, we have pictured the Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS rising above the planet just before orbital sunrise. I genuinely feel like I don't have to explain the reasoning as to why I picked this image as the image of the month; I mean, look at it. It is genuinely breathtaking. The green aurora, purple sky, a hint of the Sun, and a passing by interplanetary voyager are just perfect. If I had a limited number of photos, I could show someone why space exploration matters and why it is so captivating; this would be one of them. Matthew is such a talented photographer. I highly recommend checking out his Twitter, as he has a lot of incredible work. Here is a time-lapse Matthew also took: > Comet rises above the horizon just before orbital sunrise amongst aurora and swirling satellites. > > Timelapse composed from 1/4s, 50mm, f1.2, ISP 6400 images played at 30fps. [pic.twitter.com/mdb8KpzlAo](https://t.co/mdb8KpzlAo?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Matthew Dominick (@dominickmatthew) [September 29, 2024](https://twitter.com/dominickmatthew/status/1840398906670133414?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) This is one of the rarer images, and the fact that the ISS has two skilled astrophotographers onboard has been a blessing to all of us back on the ground. That is all from us this month, see you back at the start of November! ### Top Five Greatest Achievements in China's Space Exploration Efforts URL: https://proximareport.com/top-five-in-china-space-2024/ Last updated: 2024-10-01T15:37:24.000Z October 1st, 2024, is the day when the People's Republic of China turns 75! As such we'd like to celebrate by recapping what we believe to be some of the greatest achievements of China's space exploration efforts. Before we begin do understand that this list is subjective, and your ranking may differ. With that out of the way, let's begin! ## *#5* \- Chang'e 2 ![Chang'e 2 during pre-launch preparations at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center without its outer layer of golden-colored multi-layer insulation installed.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Change2_AutoB-1.jpeg) Chang'e 2 during pre-launch preparations at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center without its outer layer of golden-colored multi-layer insulation installed. Starting the list off strong is Chang'e 2, which began its journey to the Moon on October 1st 2010 atop of a Long March 3C flying from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The mission entered lunar orbit on October 6th. Chang'e 2's mission objectives around the Moon were to: demonstrate the orbital brake technology and capture by the Moon, perform technology tests on a 100-kilometer x 15-kilometer lunar orbit, capture high-resolution imagery of a possible landing area in the Sinus Iridum, test an X-band telemetry, tracking, and command measurement system, and finally to demonstrate the landing camera system ahead of Chang'e 3\. Scientific objectives for the mission were: to obtain three-dimensional images of the lunar surface with a spatial resolution of less than 10 meters, explore the composition of lunar surface material, and to observe the Earth-Moon and near-moon space environment. All of the mission objectives were completed by November 8th 2010! After completion of lunar mission objectives, the spacecraft departed for the Earth-Sun L2 Lagrange point in June 2011 and arrived a few months later on August 25th. Chang'e 2 became China's first spacecraft to enter the L2 point and remained there until the 15th of April 2012\. Upon departing the L2 point Chang'e 2 began its journey toward asteroid 4179 Toutatis, which it arrived at in December 2012 making China the fourth nation to visit an asteroid. The closest Chang'e 2 came to 4179 Toutatis was 3.2 kilometers. Contact with Chang'e 2 was lost in 2014 due to its distance from Earth, but it could return around 2027\. Despite this Chang'e 2 thoroughly tested China's deep space communications capabilities ahead of further lunar and deep space missions. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Asteroid_4179_Toutatis_close-up.jpg) 4179 Toutatis imaged by Chang'e 2 during a flyby. ©[Yun Jiang, Jianghui Ji, Jiangchuan Huang, Simone Marchi, Yuan Li, Wing-Huen Ip](https://www.nature.com/articles/srep16029?ref=proximareport.com) ## *#4* \- Tianwen-1 ![The Tianwen-1 lander (right) and Zhurong rover (left) photographed on the surface of Mars by a small deployable camera.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Zhurong-with-lander-selfie.png) The Tianwen-1 lander (right) and Zhurong rover (left) photographed on the surface of Mars by a small deployable camera. It's difficult not to mention the Tianwen-1 mission due to the incredible strides in deep space exploration the mission represented. Tianwen-1 was the nation's first mission to the red planet and consisted of an orbiter, a lander, and a rover. Each one of the mission's major elements would have been an impressive feat by itself, but completing them all in one represented a major leap in China's capabilities for deep space exploration. Objectives for the Tianwen-1 mission were: to study the characteristics of the Martian topography and geological structure, to study the characteristics of the soil on the Martian surface and the distribution of water ice, to investigate the substance composition of the Martian surface, to study the ionosphere, surface climate and environmental characteristics of Mars, and lastly to study the Martian physical fields (electromagnetic, gravitational) and internal structure. Tianwen-1 began its voyage to Mars from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on July 23rd 2020 atop of a Long March 5\. The orbiter brought the orbiter-lander-rover combination into Mars orbit in February 2021\. Over the next three months, the spacecraft surveyed the planet's surface ahead of committing to a landing. This landing occurred on May 14th, bringing the lander and Zhurong onto the surface. Zhurong rolled onto the surface of Mars on May 22nd beginning its trek across the surface. The rover spent a year exploring the red planet's surface, traveling almost two kilometers. Sadly due to dust accumulation on the solar panels, Zhurong ran out of power and has been in 'hibernation' since the middle of 2022\. Tianwen-1's orbiter remains in Mars orbit to this day conducting science and imaging Mars. ![The Tianwen-1 orbiter with the lander and rover still inside the atmospheric descent capsule photographed in deep space by a deployable camera.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/tianwen_1_cruise.jpg) The Tianwen-1 orbiter with the lander and rover still inside the atmospheric descent capsule photographed in deep space by a deployable camera. ## *#3* \- Chang'e 5 & Chang'e 6 ![The Chang'e 5 sample return capsule back on Earth (left) and the Chang'e 6 lander on the lunar surface (right).](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/Chang-e-5-6.png) The Chang'e 5 sample return capsule back on Earth (left) and the Chang'e 6 lander on the lunar surface (right). The twin spacecraft Chang'e 5 and Chang'e 6 are hard not to mention, having returned the newest lunar samples in fifty years. Both missions utilized a combination of an orbiter, a re-entry capsule, a lander, and an ascent vehicle. The orbiter allows the entire spacecraft to enter lunar orbit; the lander allows it and the ascent vehicle to travel down to the lunar surface to collect surface samples; the ascent vehicle carried the samples from the surface into lunar orbit where it rendezvoused with the orbiter; and the re-entry capsule allowed the lunar surface samples to survive re-entry and touchdown back on Earth. Chang'e 5 conducted its mission between November and December of 2020 landing near Mons Rümker in the north of Oceanus Procellarum. The spacecraft's return capsule touched down on Earth with 1,731 grams of samples on December 16th. These samples led to the discovery of the material Changesite-(Y), a phosphate mineral in the merrillite group, which also contains the rare helium-3 isotope. Chang'e 6 conducted its mission a few years later, between May and June 2024 landing in the Apollo Basin, which itself is in the lunar South Poles Aitken basin, on the Moon's far side. The spacecraft's return capsule came back to Earth with 1,953.3 grams of Samples on June 25th. Both missions brought China's Lunar Exploration Program to the forefront of unmanned exploration of Earth's closest neighbor in the universe. ## *#2* \- Tiangong Space Station ![The Tiangong Space Station during the departure of the Shenzhou-16 crew. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/--_-------------1-1.jpg) The Tiangong Space Station during the departure of the Shenzhou-16 crew. ©China Manned Space Agency China's Tiangong Space Station is a technological marvel in low Earth orbit, being one of two permanently crewed space stations. Construction of the space station in orbit began in April 2021 and was completed in October 2022\. The space station consists of the Tianhe core module, the Wentian laboratory module, and the Mengtian laboratory module. With visiting Shenzhou and Tianzhou spacecraft, the station weighs approximately 100,000 kilograms. Various types of science are performed aboard the space station in fields such as ecology, biotechnology, material science, combustion science, the effects of microgravity, and how the human body adapts to life in space. In between the conducting science, crews aboard Tiangong enjoy various types of food including fruit, vegetables, pre-prepared food, and hot meals using their microwave, which is the first of its kind in space. To date, the space station has been visited by seven crews and six cargo spacecraft. The Tiangong Space Station is expected to remain inhabited by at least a crew of three until the mid-2030s. ![Wang Yaping (王亚平) inside the Tianhe module during the Shenzhou-13 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/--_-----------4-.jpg) Wang Yaping (王亚平) inside the Tianhe module during the Shenzhou-13 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency ## Honorable Mentions In addition to the mission so far, and ahead of what is number one, there are of course some honorable mentions due to how many pioneering missions China has flown in the past two decades. ### Chang'e 3 & Chang'e 4 ![Chang'e 3 on the lunar surface as seen from the Yutu rover (left) and Chang'e 4 seen from the Yutu-2 rover on the lunar surface (right).](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/10/Chang-e-3-4.png) Chang'e 3 on the lunar surface as seen from the Yutu rover (left) and Chang'e 4 seen from the Yutu-2 rover on the lunar surface (right). The Chang'e 3 and Chang'e 4 spacecraft twins blazed a path back to the Moon for exploration of the lunar surface, and are well deserving of a mention as such. Chang'e 3 became the first time China would land a spacecraft on the lunar surface, becoming the third nation to do so and the first mission since 1976\. The mission launched back on December 1st 2013 atop of a Long March 3B and would land almost two weeks later on December 14th. On the surface, Chang'e 3 would deploy the Yutu rover as well as conducting experiments related to Earth observation, astronomy, and probing of the lunar regolith. Chang'e 4 is China's first mission to the Moon's far side, as well as the first mission to do so in history. This mission launched back on December 7th 2018, also atop of a Long March 3B, and would land almost a month later on January 3rd 2019\. Chang'e 4 would begin its surface mission shortly after landing, including deployment of the Yutu-2 rover, to conduct science experiments related to solar weather monitoring, plant growth in lunar gravity, and sub-surface activity. The Chang'e 4 spacecraft is also still operating on the lunar surface today, expanding our understanding of the much lesser explored far side. ### Shenzhou-9 ![Liu Yang (left), Liu Wang (bottom), and Jing Haipeng (top) inside the Tiangong-1 space station.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/SZ9-in-Tiangong-1.png) Liu Yang (left), Liu Wang (bottom), and Jing Haipeng (top) inside the Tiangong-1 space station. The Shenzhou-9 mission to the Tiangong-1 space station was the first time a Chinese woman flew into space, as well as the first repeat flight of a taikonaut, along with the first crew to visit China's first space station. Shenzhou-9's crew were Jing Haipeng (景海鹏), the first repeat flyer, Liu Yang (刘洋), the first Chinese woman in space, and Liu Wang (刘旺). The Tiangong-1 space station was launched on September 29th 2011, with the Shenzhou-9 crew launching on the 16t June 2012, and docking on the 18th. While aboard the station for almost eight days, the crew conducted experiments, tested station systems, and performed two docking tests with their Shenzhou spacecraft. ### Shenzhou-7 ![Zhai Zhigang outside of the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft wearing a Feitian space suit.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/shenzhou_7-big-1.jpeg) Zhai Zhigang outside of the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft wearing a Feitian space suit. The Shenzhou-7 mission was another major human spaceflight mission as it saw the first spacewalk by a taikonaut. This spacewalk was performed by Zhai Zhigang (翟志刚) from the orbital module of the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft. Also onboard the for the mission were Liu Boming (刘伯明), in a Russian Orlan spacesuit to support Zhai from inside the orbital module, and Jing Haipeng (景海鹏), inside the capsule taking care of the spacecraft. The primary goal of the Shenzhou-7 mission was to demonstrate the capabilities of the first-generation Feitian space suit by leaving the spacecraft and retiring an experiment that had been running outside. This experiment was a solid lubricant that had been exposed to the vacuum of space for forty hours. A satellite, weighing 40 kilograms, was also deployed from the spacecraft following the spacewalk to image the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft and prove 'mini-satellite' technology. ## *#1* \- Shenzhou-5 ![Yang Liwei after unfurling the flags of the United Nations (left) and the People's Republic of China (right) inside the Shenzhou-5 spacecraft in orbit.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/240a9904bf4d40afb56e4b7a56a743d3.jpeg) Yang Liwei after unfurling the flags of the United Nations (left) and the People's Republic of China (right) inside the Shenzhou-5 spacecraft in orbit. October 15th 2003 is a day that will live on forever in China's space industry as it was the first time the nation conducted a human spaceflight mission, becoming the third to do so. Taikonaut Yang Liwei (楊利偉) flew onboard the Shenzhou-5 spacecraft for the historic mission. Shenzhou-5 spent twenty-one hours, twenty-two minutes, and forty-five seconds in orbit, completing fourteen orbits, demonstrating China's ability to send humans into orbit and return them safely. During his time in orbit, Yang Liwei ate various meals, took photos looking around and out of the spacecraft, spoke with his family, napped, and monitored how he felt adapting to space for mission controllers. Following his flight, Yang received the title of 'Space Hero' from then-outgoing paramount leader Jiang Zemin (江泽民), the Gagarin Medal from Russia, and an honorary doctorate from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Yang Liwei is currently working as deputy chief designer of the China Manned Space Engineering Office. The orbital module for the Shenzou-5 mission was detached before a deorbit burn to perform various experiments, with staying in orbit until the 30th of May 2004. ![Yang Liwei after emerging from the Shenzhou-5 capsule following his mission.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/shenzhou-5_recovery_2.jpg) Yang Liwei after emerging from the Shenzhou-5 capsule following his mission. --- ### *What are taikonauts?* The word taikonaut has been used in this article so a small explanation of the word is necessary for those unfamiliar with it. Taikonaut is what China calls its astronauts. It comes from a combination of the Chinese word for outer space, taikong, and the suffix, naut. --- *A similar post was written for the United States on* [*July 4th*](https://proximareport.com/the-united-states-top-five-greatest-aerospace-moments/)*, in line with* [*our mission*](https://proximareport.com/ourmission/) *this article was written too.* ### Weekly Dose of Space (22/9-28/9) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-22-9-28-9/ Last updated: 2024-09-29T16:12:49.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had six orbital launches occur, with the majority lifting off from Asia. News this week had Starlink expanding onto two major airlines, another reusable rocket test from China, and Blue Origin steadily progressing on the path to flight. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase has been quieter than most, nevertheless it began on September 23rd when Booster 12 and Ship 30 performed a partial propellant loading test on the launchpad. Liquid methane and liquid oxygen propellants were loaded into both vehicles, with [SpaceX confirming](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1838339364600057951?ref=proximareport.com) it as a successful test a few hours later. ![Ship 30 and Booster 12 during the partial propellant loading test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GYMXy8nbIAA-P20-1.jpg) Ship 30 and Booster 12 during the partial propellant loading test. ©SpaceX While regular activity toward future flights has been happening at Starbase, SpaceX has also [gone fishing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyMn1mIJUUE&ref=proximareport.com). More specifically fishing for parts of Booster 11\. Booster 11 flew on Starship-Super Heavy's fourth flight test and landed in the Gulf of Mexico near Starbase. Following its landing at sea, the vehicle exploded for unknown reasons. Once SpaceX teams recovered hardware from Booster 11 on the seabed, the remains were delivered to the Massey's test site. It's unknown what SpaceX plans to do with the recovered hardware. Several of the engines were [spotted](https://x.com/interstellargw/status/1838056287914938838?ref=proximareport.com) full of sand, having been resting on the seabed for the last three months. > Booster 11's engine section at Massey's after being recovered from the Gulf of Mexico. > > More flyover pics to be released tomorrow and Sunday, so make sure to follow! [pic.twitter.com/X6U9aXA60a](https://t.co/X6U9aXA60a?ref=proximareport.com) > > — RGV Aerial Photography (@RGVaerialphotos) [September 28, 2024](https://twitter.com/RGVaerialphotos/status/1839865375468503259?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Part of Booster 11's engine section at the Massey's test site, from [RGV Aerial Photography on X](https://x.com/RGVaerialphotos/status/1839865375468503259?ref=proximareport.com). ## **Launches This Week** ### *September 24th - Jielong-3 with 8 satellites* A Jielong-3 rocket lifted off from a sea launch platform off fo the coast of Haiyang, in eastern China, carrying 8 satellites to a sun-synchronus orbit. Details about the various technology demonstrations and research spacecraft are available [here](https://proximareport.com/kinetica-1-busy-launches/). ![Jielong-3 lifting off from its sea launch platform near Haiyang.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GYOIIvoakAABNWH-1.jpg) Jielong-3 lifting off from its sea launch platform near Haiyang. ### *September 25th - Kinetica-1 with 5 satellites* CAS Space's Kinetica-1 blasted off from Launch Site 130 at the Jiuquan satellite launch Center heading for sun-synchronus orbit carrying five satellites for three customer's constellations. Details about these constellations are available [here](https://proximareport.com/kinetica-1-busy-launches/). ![Kinetica-1 lifting off from Launch Site 130 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/0077Nzxhly1htzno07uduj32t21ve7wi-2-1.jpg) Kinetica-1 lifting off from Launch Site 130 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *September 25th - Starlink Group 9-8* SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying 20 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1081 flying for the tenth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Couse I Still Love You' downrange. > Falcon 9’s first stage booster lands on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship using a single Merlin engine [pic.twitter.com/7mWS1efnZh](https://t.co/7mWS1efnZh?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [September 25, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1838793211722240027?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster B1081 landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You', via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1838793211722240027?ref=proximareport.com). ### *September 26th - H2A with IGS Radar 8* A H2A rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying the IGS Radar 8 reconnaissance satellites for the Japanese government. The IGS Radar 8 satellite is expected to serve Japan's military as well as natural disaster monitoring and relief efforts. ![H2A lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center on September 26th. ©Mitsubishi Heavy Industries](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/24092602.jpg.webp) H2A lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center on September 26th. ©Mitsubishi Heavy Industries ### *September 27th - Long March 2D with Shijian-19* A Long March 2D lifted off from Launch Site 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying the Shijian-19 spacecraft to low Earth orbit. Shijian-19 is China's first returnable and reusable satellite and will demonstrate best operational practices ahead of flights of similar spacecraft. ![The Long March 2D Y78 vehicle lifting off from Launch Site 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/006aWhMSgy1hu2ij1foj7j34ao2v47wi-1.jpg) The Long March 2D Y78 vehicle lifting off from Launch Site 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *September 28th - Falcon 9 with Crew-9* NASA's Crew-9 mission blasted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at 17:17 pm Universal Coordinated Time with Crew Dragon 'Freedom' atop of a Falcon 9 rocket. On board Crew Dragon 'Freedom' are two astronauts, NASA's Nick Hague and Roscosmos' Aleksandr Gorbunov. Further details about the mission are available [here](https://proximareport.com/nasa-crew-9/). ![Falcon 9 lifting off for Crew-9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GYl3P57asAAzExK.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off for Crew-9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ## *Deep Blue Aerospace performs high-altitude hop test* ![The Nebula-1 test vehicle during its hard landing at the end of its high-altitude hop test. ©Deep Blue Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Nebula-1-landing-Sep-22nd-2.gif) The Nebula-1 test vehicle during its hard landing at the end of its high-altitude hop test. ©Deep Blue Aerospace On September 22nd Deep Blue Aerospace became the second privately-held commercial launch company in China to [conduct](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/jwYBZ1tlt9AcgtW2eG3gOg?ref=proximareport.com) a high-altitude hop test for development of a reusable launch vehicle. This test was the third from China in 2024 following similar tests from China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and LandSpace. According to the company, the test completed ten of eleven test criteria. This test criteria included ascent with three engines, shut down for two of the engines, descent with one engine firing, and deployment of four landing legs, among others. The only piece of the criteria not completed during the test was a successful soft landing of the test vehicle, as it touched down hard due to an error on landing. With the hard landing, a small explosion occurred due to the sudden mixing of leftover propellants, resulting in the loss of the vehicle's bottom portion. Despite this Deep Blue Aerospace is currently planning to conduct another hop test in November, with a vehicle already being prepared. ## *Blue Origin conducts first New Glenn firing* > Water, smoke, and fire from three angles today. GS2 hotfire complete! [https://t.co/DUeh6F8Jws](https://t.co/DUeh6F8Jws?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/qUjxu52XGI](https://t.co/qUjxu52XGI?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) [September 23, 2024](https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1838366663684616582?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) New Glenn's second-stage during its test firing, via [Blue Origin on X](https://twitter.com/i/status/1838366663684616582?ref=proximareport.com). Blue Origin successfully [conducted](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-glenn-completes-second-stage-hotfire?ref=proximareport.com) a hot-fire of New Glenn's second-stage on September 24th. This test had the stage loaded with propellant and then ignite the two BE-3U engines, followed by shutdown fifteen-seconds later. Following the test, Blue Origin announced that it had demonstrated the tank pressurization control system, the thrust vector control system, and the start-up and shut-down sequences for the BE-3U engines. Procedures for future missions were also practiced. New Glenn's first flight is currently targeting November of this year. More details about the firing and the vehicle's first flight are available [here](https://proximareport.com/gs2-is-hot-to-go/). ## *Starlink expands onto United & Air France* United Airlines [announced](https://united.mediaroom.com/2024-09-13-The-Inflight-Wi-Fi-Revolution-Now-Arriving-United-Signs-Starlink-Deal-to-Provide-Industry-Leading-Connectivity-in-the-Sky-For-Free?ref=proximareport.com) back on September 13th that it would begin installing Starlink internet across its fleet of aircraft in 2025\. A few weeks later on September 26th Air France [announced](https://corporate.airfrance.com/en/press-releases/air-france-launches-free-ultra-high-speed-wi-fi-board-all-its-aircraft?ref=proximareport.com) that it too would begin installing Starlink across its fleet in the near future. Both airlines have a combined fleet count of over 1,200 aircraft and previously relied on geostationary satellites to provide internet connectivity. The two airlines also boasted about Starlink's ability to provide high-speed, low-latency Wi-Fi during flight. In United Airline's announcement the company's Chief Executive Officer, Scott Kirby, stated the following about the improved experience while flying: > "Everything you can do on the ground, you'll soon be able to do onboard a United plane at 35,000 feet, just about anywhere in the world," – "This connectivity opens the door for an even better inflight entertainment experience, in every seatback – more content, that's more personalized. United's culture of innovation is, once again, delivering big for our customers." ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* As we have been reporting for the last few weeks, the fifth test flight of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy vehicle is still awaiting regulatory approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. This latest flight test requires a change in the flight plan, notably a potential landing of Booster 12 back at the launch site on the launch towers 'chopsticks'. The Federal Aviation Administration is currently not expected to approve this launch until November due to environmental concerns and SpaceX's late submission of information. Both vehicles for flight five, Booster 12 and Ship 30, are ready for flight pending a possible wet dress rehearsal. ### *October 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-10* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40. [*Dependent on findings from an anomaly after the launch of Crew-9.*](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1840245345118498987?ref=proximareport.com) ### *October 4th - Vulcan for Cert-2* United Launch Alliance is expecting to launch Vulcan's second certification flight from Space Launch Complex 41 carrying an inert payload to demonstrate capabilities for the United States Space Force. If successful the vehicle will be allowed to fly sensitive military payloads for the United States' government. ### Scientists may have "cracked the code" with Solar Wind URL: https://proximareport.com/scientists-may-have-cracked-the-code-with-solar-wind/ Last updated: 2024-09-29T00:08:03.000Z Since the Soviet spacecraft Luna 1 made its first measurements of solar wind in 1959, scientists have wondered how solar wind continues to receive energy in the form of velocity after leaving the Sun. Well, a group of scientists may have just cracked the code using data from two spacecraft. Before diving into the rest of the article, I want to cover [solar wind](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/solar-wind?ref=proximareport.com#:~:text=The%20solar%20wind%20continuously%20flows,of%20different%20speeds%20and%20densities.) quickly. Solar wind is a flow of particles, particularly electrons and photons, originating from the Sun's outermost layer, the corona. Solar wind is constantly present in our solar system, and while it is mostly harmless, it can sometimes interfere with man-made technologies, such as satellites and power grids. Knowing what drives solar wind can allow humanity to better predict surges of solar energy, reducing its impact on our lives, but we'll cover this more later in the article. ### Parker Solar Probe finds something shocking In 2021, NASA's [Parker Solar Probe](https://science.nasa.gov/mission/parker-solar-probe/?ref=proximareport.com) (PSP) made history by being the first artificial object to enter the Sun's magnetic atmosphere. Since then, the probe has been conducting crucial science and has helped astronomers and astrophysicists better understand our host star. One of these discoveries was just how common magnetic switchbacks were throughout solar wind, both near the Sun and further out in the solar system. These switchbacks were first discovered by NASA/ESA's Ulysses spacecraft, but astronomers never really knew how prevalent they were until PSP arrived at the Sun. Think of these switchbacks as a winding road along a mountain. But instead of a road, it is a "lane" of supercharged and smoldering hot electrons and protons in the form of plasma. During PSP's many close flybys of the Sun, scientists noticed that the switchbacks were more distinct and powerful when near the Sun's surface. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Switchbacks_on_the_Sun-1.gif) Artistic rendition of the solar wind "switchbacks" ****Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Conceptual Image Lab/Adriana Manrique Gutierrez** ### Teamwork makes the dream work While this new data helped piece together some of the mysteries with solar wind, scientists still needed more information before determining how solar wind seemingly sped up well after leaving the corona. That is until about a year later when a cosmic coincidence occurred. NASA's Parker Solar Probe was studying a "strand" of switchbacks up close. Unbeknownst to scientists, the [Solar Orbiter](https://www.esa.int/Science%5FExploration/Space%5FScience/Solar%5FOrbiter?ref=proximareport.com), a joint spacecraft mission by ESA and NASA, was studying that same strand of solar wind from a further distance two days after PSP did. What the two spacecraft found was shocking. When Parker observed the solar wind, the probe was riding the edge of the Sun's magnetic atmosphere. It noticed that the solar wind was slow and full of switchbacks. Then, several days later, Solar Orbiter studied a high-speed solar wind beam with very few switchbacks. > We didn't initially realize that Parker and Solar Orbiter were measuring the same thing at all. Parker saw this slower plasma near the Sun that was full of switchback waves, and then Solar Orbiter recorded a fast stream which had received heat and with very little wave activity..........When we connected the two, that was a real eureka moment.” - Samuel Badman, astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics and a co-lead of the study Before this discovery, scientists knew that solar wind moved around the Sun's corona through "[Alfvén waves.](https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4560?ref=proximareport.com)" These waves transport energy through plasma, which makes up the solar wind. However, these waves could never be precisely measured due to the sheer distance between the Sun and Earth. However, due to PSP's record-breaking flybys of the Sun, more data was collected on these waves. The Parker Solar Probe would study how much energy was stored in the wave's velocity and magnetic fluctuations while close to the star. Then, the Solar Orbiter would study waves further away, looking for the amount of energy stored in these fluctuations. Comparing said data from waves up close to waves farther away, scientists have highlighted that the energy used in Alfvén waves, in the form of switchbacks, is enough to account for the heating and velocity of the fast solar wind streams. While more data is needed to fully develop this new theory, what we've seen so far is quite promising. ## What causes the switchbacks? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/rsz_switchbacks_infographic-1.webp) Potential causes of solar switchbacks ****Credit: NASA** Well, the short answer at the time of writing this is that we don't exactly know. But within the scientific community, there are a few ideas circulating, with two being clear favorites. ### ***Magnetic Reconnection*** Some scientists believe switchbacks are caused by interacting magnetic lines. Imagine these lines as flowing ribbons in the wind or closed systems that loop back to the Sun's surface. This theory was first proposed in 1996, based on data collected from Ulysses. In 2020, scientists Justin Kasper and Len Fisk [reexplored this theory](https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/abb828?ref=proximareport.com) with the new data from PSP. When an open and closed part of the magnetic field interacts, they can connect, causing a snap that leads to energy expulsion. This is referred to as interchange reconnection. The sudden snap creates an S-shaped bend in the open magnetic line before closing again. > Magnetic reconnection is a little like scissors and a soldering gun combined into one” - Gary Zank, a solar physicist at the University of Alabama Huntsville ### *Going with the Flow* On the other hand, some scientists, using computer animations such as Johnathan Squire, are [studying how solar wind evolves](https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/ab74e1?ref=proximareport.com). They believe that the switchbacks seen originate from turbulent activity from the Sun's rotation. Imagine these waves as a tumultuous river. The rubbing of slow and fast streams of water (in this instance, plasma) creates a swirl effect, similar to eddies in a river. These swirls then grow larger and more powerful, becoming switchbacks. > They start out first as wiggles, but then what we see is as they grow even further, they turn into switchbacks,” - Jonathan Squire, Space physicist at the University of Otago While the magnetic theory seems to be the more popular answer, scientists will continue to conduct experiments and collect data to find the correct answer. There is also a strong possibility that both processes aid in the formation of switchbacks. ## What this means going forward Studying solar wind is crucial, especially as we enter the solar maxima when the Sun is the most active, which occurs roughly every 11 years. During this maxima, solar activity increases, which can interfere with satellites in orbit. These satellites are crucial to our everyday lives, and if they get knocked out, communication and navigation will be disrupted. Solar storms can also mess with power grids on Earth, further increasing their impact on our lives. ### Better forecasting and damage limitation ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Space_Situational_Awareness_Space_Weather.jpg) Artist rendition of satellites being damaged by solar wind ****Credit: ESA** Solar wind and increased solar activity can be quite consequential for life on Earth. While it doesn't harm humans directly, increased solar activity and large amounts of solar wind pelting our planet have caused some damage to satellites in orbit and even power grids. While I couldn't find an accurate number, damages from solar winds can cost billions of dollars to repair. That only grows as humanity increasingly utilizes GPS, communication systems, and electricity. For instance, in 2022, 40 recently deployed SpaceX Starlink satellites were lost due to a solar storm. While we can't just stop the solar wind, the best tool we have to limit the damage is forecasting storms before they hit Earth. It takes light from the Sun 8 minutes to reach Earth, which means we only have 8 minutes to take the necessary actions, such as powering down sensitive hardware. This is not much time, but if we can better forecast solar wind, companies with satellites in orbit and power grids on Earth have just a little more time to react and potentially negate all possible damage. By understanding how solar wind formulates, humanity can better predict when it will be at its worst for Earth, saving tens of billions, if not more, in damages. ### Solar wind the future of space travel? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/nLVrzrKXqpxgkcRRkY9GoK-650-80.png.webp) Artist rendition of the ASC3 spacecraft in LEO ****Credit: NASA** To wrap everything up, I want to quickly cover a fantastic benefit of better understanding solar wind. Knowing what causes or aids solar wind can help us better forecast it, as well as how it interacts with objects in its sphere of influence and, most importantly, Earth. However, knowing more about solar wind may very well help us navigate the solar system. About a month ago, NASA's [Advance Composite Solar Sail System](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/acs3/?ref=proximareport.com) (ASC3) deployed its solar sail while in Earths orbit to further test solar wind as a form of propulsion. Solar sails work because high-speed photons/electrons hit the reflective sail, pushing the spacecraft forward. While this doesn't provide the most thrust, due to the lack of air resistance (drag) in space, using a solar sail to propel a spacecraft may be vital to unlocking more of the solar system. ASC3 wasn't the first time a solar sail was deployed in orbit; in fact, the first solar sail spacecraft was JAXA's [IKAROS](https://global.jaxa.jp/countdown/f17/overview/ikaros%5Fe.html?ref=proximareport.com) probe. This probe, launched in 2010, propelled itself all the way to Venus solely by using this technology. By understanding how solar wind works, we can predict how to best use it as a form of propulsion, quite literally propelling humanity into the future. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/1280px-IKAROS_solar_sail.jpg) Render of JAXA's IKAROS spacecraft on its way to Venus ****Credit: JAXA** ### China unveils lunar spacesuit! URL: https://proximareport.com/china-unveils-lunar-spacesuit/ Last updated: 2024-09-28T21:06:09.000Z Sixteen years and one day after taikonauts Zhai Zhigang (翟志刚) and Liu Boming (刘伯明) performed China’s [first spacewalk](https://x.com/CNSpaceStation/status/1839595173246079446?ref=proximareport.com), the China Manned Space Agency unveiled the spacesuit that will be used by taikonauts on the lunar surface later this decade! The currently unnamed spacesuit was [unveiled](https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202409/28/WS66f773d2a310f1265a1c5683.html?ref=proximareport.com) to the public at the third Spacesuit Technology Forum, which was hosted by the China Astronaut Research and Training Center in Chongqing (重庆). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/66f7edb0a310f1268d81fc6a-1.jpeg) China's lunar spacesuit on stage at the Spacesuit Technology Forum in Chongqing. ©[Wang Quanchao/Xinhua](https://english.news.cn/20240928/9ab0008f3ab14f23be7b258eb4cc4539/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) China Manned Space Agency is hosting a [competition](https://www.cmse.gov.cn/xwzx/202409/t20240927%5F55768.html?ref=proximareport.com) to name the spacesuit. [Requirements](https://x.com/wulei2020/status/1839877014234489041?ref=proximareport.com) for the name are: a Chinese name of no more than four characters, indicating a connection with the Feitian spacesuits, and highlighting intelligent manufacturing in China. ![Movement demonstrations from China Manned Space Agency's video. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/CMSA-demo-gif.gif) Movement demonstrations from China Manned Space Agency's video. ©China Manned Space Agency A [video](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/iXB00Qjb8lSiqvoVD%5FjZqg?ref=proximareport.com) was released by China Manned Space Agency shortly after the suit was revealed showcasing a wide range of movement. In the suit taikonauts Wang Yaping (王亚平) and Zhai Zhigang (翟志刚) demonstrated the ability to walk, crouch, kneel, and climb a ladder. Military Affairs Time (新闻频道军情时间到) also shared a [video](https://weibo.com/3179451142/5083514936494980?ref=proximareport.com) from the forum in Chongqing where the suit was brought on stage to showcase movement. Said video had someone wearing the spacesuit on stage, demonstrating the wide range of arm movement, ability to lean far forward, another crouch, and ease of walking. ![The on-stage demonstration of the lunar spacesuits movement. ©新闻频道军情时间到](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/stage-demo-gif.gif) The on-stage demonstration of the lunar spacesuits movement. ©新闻频道军情时间到 Development of the spacesuit is [reported](https://english.news.cn/20240928/9ab0008f3ab14f23be7b258eb4cc4539/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) to have begun in 2020 with a series of technological breakthroughs since. According to Li Meng, of the China Astronaut Research and Training Center, the [goal](http://www.china.org.cn/china/Off%5Fthe%5FWire/2024-09/28/content%5F117456708.htm?ref=proximareport.com) of development was to produce lightweight, compact, highly reliable, and safe lunar suits. The new suits [feature](https://english.news.cn/20240928/589e873f21794681b17b6031284b7c52/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) more flexible gloves, a panoramic glare-proof helmet visor, and joints designed for low gravity. These improvements will greatly help activities on the lunar surface, such as surface sample retrieval and experiment deployment. Two cameras are also present on the helmet with a short and long focal length, to enable mission controllers back on Earth to assist taikonauts on the surface. Materials used on the suit will shield the wearer from the Moon’s thermal environment and dust. The control panel on the suit’s front is reportedly easy to operate for controlling suit systems. Previous spacesuits developed by China for crewed missions were designed for use outside of the Shenzhou spacecraft and Tiangong Space Station. As such the legs had limited mobility and were fairly rigid. The second-generation suit is primarily for performing maintenance outside of the space station. ![The first-generation Feitian spacesuit (left), the second-generation Feitian spacesuit (center), and the lunar space suit (right). ©风之清扬, Shujianyang, and Wang Quanchao/Xinhua.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Feitian-1-2-CLS.png) The first-generation Feitian spacesuit (left), the second-generation Feitian spacesuit (center), and the lunar space suit (right). ©[风之清扬](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shenzhou%5F7%5Fextravehicular%5Fspacesuit.JPG?ref=proximareport.com), [Shujianyang](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Feitian%5Fspace%5Fsuit%5Fat%5FNMC%5F01.jpg?ref=proximareport.com), and [Wang Quanchao/Xinhua](https://english.news.cn/20240928/9ab0008f3ab14f23be7b258eb4cc4539/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) People’s Daily [shared](https://weibo.com/5386897742/5083511423242116?ref=proximareport.com) an infographic about the lunar space suit going over the design of the suit. The suit's shape is inspired by traditional armor in order to appear resolute; the red bands on the arm are designed to resemble the elegant and flowing "flying apsaras" of Dunhuang art; the red bands along the legs are intended to enhance a visual sense of strength; and the lower leg decoration is designed to resemble a rocket taking off. The first mission to use the new spacesuits are planned to occur before 2030, a more specific date is expected to be revealed in the coming years. Taikonauts are already believed to be training with these suits in a simulated lunar environment. --- *Article republished from* [*China Space Updates*](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/china-manned-space-agency-unveils) *with* [*permission*](https://phazzee.substack.com/about#%C2%A7republication-of-articles)*.* ### NASA's Crew-9 mission blasts off! URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-crew-9/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:49:17.000Z NASA's [SpaceX Crew-9](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/nasas-spacex-crew-9/?ref=proximareport.com) mission blasted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at 17:17 pm Universal Coordinated Time with Crew Dragon 'Freedom' atop of a Falcon 9 rocket. On board Crew Dragon 'Freedom' are two astronauts, NASA's Nick Hague and Roscosmos' Aleksandr Gorbunov. > Liftoff of Crew-9! [pic.twitter.com/laQRTLp4vC](https://t.co/laQRTLp4vC?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [September 28, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1840078609463361813?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of Crew-9 from Space Launch Complex 40, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1840078609463361813?ref=proximareport.com). Currently, the Crew-9 mission is expected to dock to the International Space Station's Harmony module at approximately 22:30 pm on September 29th. Crew Dragon is currently planned to remain docked at the forward port for approximately 30 days before relocating to the zenith port for the remainder of the mission. Crew-9 is unlike most operational Commercial Crew Program missions as four crew are not onboard Crew Dragon for launch. This is due to problems with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft during its first human-carrying mission. NASA ruled Starliner too risky to bring Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth. As such Crew-9's Crew Dragon will be bringing the two astronauts back home. This mission will also be relieving [Crew-8](https://proximareport.com/spacex-crew-8-to-iss/) of their duties on board the station ahead of their return to Earth preparations. Crew-8's four crew, Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Alexander Grebenkin, have been aboard the station since March of this year. With the current International Space Station schedule Crew-9 will return to Earth in February 2025. Crew Dragon C212 'Freedom' is supporting this mission and is making its fourth flight. 'Freedom' previously supported the Crew-4, Axiom-2, and Axiom-3 missions. The booster supporting the launch of Crew-9 was B1085 making its second flight. Following second-stage ignition B1085 headed back to Cape Canaveral to land at Landing Zone 1. > Falcon 9’s first stage booster has landed at Landing Zone 1 [pic.twitter.com/UIyD4UoLGn](https://t.co/UIyD4UoLGn?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [September 28, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1840080778719572293?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 booster B1085 landing at Landing Zone 1, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1840080778719572293?ref=proximareport.com). This was also the first crewed launch from Space Launch Complex 40, as SpaceX completed construction of the crew access tower in late 2023. NASA's Crew-9 mission is the ninth operational NASA Commercial Crew Program mission to take place and the eleventh carrying humans, including the Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission in 2020 and [Starliner's Crewed Flight Test](https://proximareport.com/starliner-carries-first-crew-after-years-of-delays/) earlier this year. ![NASA's Crew-9 mission patch (left) and SpaceX's Crew-9 mission patch (right). ©NASA/SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Crew-9-Patches.png) NASA's Crew-9 mission patch (left) and SpaceX's Crew-9 mission patch (right). ©NASA/SpaceX ## Who's on board? ![Roscosmos' Aleksandr Gorbunov (left) and NASA's Nick Hague (right) posing for NASA's official crew portrait for the Crew-9 mission. ©Josh Valcarel/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/jsc2024e061425.jpg) Roscosmos' Aleksandr Gorbunov (left) and NASA's Nick Hague (right) posing for NASA's official crew portrait for the Crew-9 mission. ©Josh Valcarel/NASA **Nick Hague** is the Commander of the Crew-9 mission for his third trip above the Kármán line, and second to the International Space Station. Hague's first trip into space was during the launch of Soyuz MS-10 which experienced booster failure leading to a high-altitude abort. His first trip to the International Space Station was during the Soyuz MS-12 mission, where he went on to spend 203 days in space as well as conducting three spacewalks. **Aleksandr Gorbunov** is a Mission Specialist for the Crew-9 mission for his first trip to space. Gorbunov was selected as a cosmonaut in 2018 having studied engineering at the Moscow Aviation Institute as well as working at Rocket Space Corp. Energia supporting cargo spacecraft launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. ## What is Crew Dragon? Crew Dragon, or Dragon 2, is a partially reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX. The primary use for Crew Dragon is to send crew to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX also performs free-flight missions with the spacecraft. ![Crew Dragon C212 'Freedom' during launch preparations at SpaceX's integration facility at Space Launch Complex 40. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/ksc-20240924-ph-spx01_0001_54019179343.jpg) Crew Dragon C212 'Freedom' during launch preparations at SpaceX's integration facility at Space Launch Complex 40\. ©SpaceX Crew Dragon consists of the capsule and trunk. The trunk is used to store unpressurized cargo as well as have solar panels mounted on one side, to generate power, and radiators on the other, to dissipate heat generated inside. The trunk is not reused and burns up in the atmosphere after each mission. The capsule is where the crew will be during launch, landing, and while on their way to space. Unlike the original Dragon capsule, the Crew Dragon capsule has a launch abort system consisting of eight SuperDraco engines. This abort system [can also](https://x.com/dpoddolphinpro/status/1839785424618697197?ref=proximareport.com) be used to bring the capsule to a soft touchdown in the event of four parachute failures. The capsule also has a nosecone that will fold out of the way in space to protect the docking hardware and forward-facing thrusters during launch and landing. The forward-facing thrusters are the main propulsion system for performing maneuvers while in flight. Up to four parachutes will deploy from the capsule during descent to allow it to splash down for recovery. Crew Dragon was developed as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program to regain crew access to the International Space Station from the United States of America after the retirement of the Space Shuttle. SpaceX currently has four active Crew Dragon capsules; Endeavour, Resilience, Endurance, and Freedom. A fifth Crew Dragon capsule is under construction and is expected to be finished in 2024. ### Kinetica-1 wraps up busy week of launches from China URL: https://proximareport.com/kinetica-1-busy-launches/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:47:43.000Z In the past week, five rockets have blasted off from China's various launch sites carrying two dozen satellites into orbit. These launches also bring China's total number of launches this year up to 45! ### *September 19th - Long March 3B/E* Beginning the busy week of launches was a Long March 3B/E [lifting off](https://english.news.cn/20240919/ebea413e00674426a0b449be5b8b643c/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. Onboard the rocket for this launch were the 59th and 60th BeiDou satellites heading to medium Earth orbit. ![The Long March 3B/E Y80 vehicle during first-stage flight on September 19th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/0080MYmPly1htsyayv3qkj33px2haqv5-1.jpg) The Long March 3B/E Y80 vehicle during first-stage flight on September 19th. These satellites were also the [last](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/need-a-guide-long-march-3be-yz-1) of the third generation BeiDou satellites as effort is shifted toward the next generation of the network. The two final satellites for the third generation also carried some upgrades such as improved atomic clocks and new inter-satellite link terminals. Deployment of the 59th and 60th BeiDou was successful after the Yuanzheng-1 upper-stage performed its burns to place the satellites into 21,882 x 22,234 kilometers and 21,537 x 22,199 kilometers orbits respectively, with an inclination of 55.0 degrees, according to [astronomer Jonathan McDowell](https://x.com/planet4589/status/1836770247166075368?ref=proximareport.com). ### *September 20th - Long March 2D* The second Long March [launch](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/SitnfT6CZjc4msX6K%5FMm9w?ref=proximareport.com) of the week occurred from Launch Site 9 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center into some dense fog allowing the rocket to disappear into sun-synchronus orbit. ![The Long March 2D Y99 vehicle lifting off from Launch Site 9 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on September 20th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/0080MYmPly1htu2pnsyo5j34802tcqv6-1.jpg) The Long March 2D Y99 vehicle lifting off from Launch Site 9 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on September 20th. This Long March 2D launch carried [six](https://english.news.cn/20240920/539f29155dcf41cd971636ad57326b96/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) Jilin-1 (吉林一号) satellites as part of the Jilin-1 Kuanfu02B (吉林一号宽幅02B) group. These satellites are believed to have imaging resolutions between 0.5 and 4 meters as part of Changguang Satellite Technology's (长光卫星技术股份有限公司) broader satellite fleet of over 130 satellites. [Four](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/theres-a-launch-in-that-fog-long) Kuanfu satellites were in orbit before September 20th's launch having been launched in January 2020, July 2021, May 2022, and August 2023 respectively. ### *September 20th - Kuaizhou-1A* Hours after the previous launch, ExPace's Kuaizhou-1A vehicle [blasted off](https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202409/20/WS66ed5550a3103711928a8f67.html?ref=proximareport.com) from its mobile launch platform at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center heading for low Earth orbit. ![Kuaizhou-1A lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on September 20th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/66ed6ed8a3103711c348a5e5.jpeg) Kuaizhou-1A lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on September 20th. The Kuaizhou-1A vehicle carried four Tianqi (天启) Internet-of-Things satellites for Guodian Gaoke's (国电高科) constellation of the same name. This constellation aims to provide internet and communications connections to areas unserved by terrestrial services and enhances automated transportation services for taxis, drones, and shipping port operations. Currently, 32 satellites are in orbit with six more satellites expected to launch for the constellation. Kuaizhou-1A was flying its [27th](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Na0nmMURZj3HdwGeQuYjWQ?ref=proximareport.com) mission with launch on the 20th, and the [33rd](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/business-in-the-mountains-kuaizhou) for ExPace. ### *September 24th - Jielong-3* A sea launch also occurred during the week with a Jielong-3 [lifting off](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-09-24/Commercial-Chinese-rocket-launches-8-satellites-from-sea-1x9FCuoTZgA/p.html?ref=proximareport.com) from a sea launch platform off of the coast of Haiyang, in the province of Shandong in eastern China. This launch had the vehicle fly to a sun-synchronous orbit. ![The Jielong-3 Y4 vehicle lifting off from its sea launch platform near Haiyang on September 24th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/006Su8pSgy1htyqkkv11ij31hc0u0tgs.jpg) The Jielong-3 Y4 vehicle lifting off from its sea launch platform near Haiyang on September 24th. A [variety](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/business-from-sea-to-space-jielong) of payloads were onboard for this launch. These included Tianyi-41 (天仪41), a 285-kilogram synthetic aperture radar satellite from Zhangye Constellation Space Technology (张掖星座空间科技有) with an imaging resolution of 1 meter. Another payload was Luojia-4 01 (珞珈四号01), a 60-kilogram imaging satellite developed by the People's Hospital of Wuhan University (武汉大学人民医院健), which is equipped with both a visible light hyperspectral camera and an ultraviolet multispectral camera. Additionally, Fudan-1 (复旦一号), a research satellite, carried a solar ultraviolet spectrometer and a millimeter-wave atmospheric humidity profiler for observing the Sun and Earth. The Xingshidai-21 (星时代21) and Xingshidai-22 (星时代22) technological demonstration spacecraft were also launched to verify a two-way laser-based communication system capable of ten gigabits per second. Xingshidai-15 (星时代15), another technological demonstration spacecraft, was equipped with an optical camera and high-performance computing hardware to test a ‘space server’ and train an AI model in space. Finally, Tianyan-15 (天雁15) was onboard as a technology demonstration spacecraft designed to image Earth and conduct onboard data processing and compression of these images. [Other ](https://content-static.cctvnews.cctv.com/snow-book/index.html?item%5Fid=11089037122459203155&ref=proximareport.com)[spacecraft](https://content-static.cctvnews.cctv.com/snow-book/index.html?item%5Fid=11089037122459203155&ref=proximareport.com) on board the rocket were Yuxing-2 05 (驭星二号05) and Jitianxing-A01 (吉天星A01). Yuxing-2 05 may be another name for the Luojia-4 01 spacecraft. This launch was also the [4th flight](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/51PCRlFdHCnJPD2-uds62Q?ref=proximareport.com) of Jielong-3, which is offered commercially by a subsidiary of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. ### *September 24th - Kinetica-1* Wrapping up the busy week of launches was [CAS Space's](https://proximareport.com/get-to-know-cas-space/) Kinetica-1 vehicle lifting off from Launch Site 130 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, and flying to sun-synchronus orbit. This final launch carried five satellites for [three](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/business-is-good-for-cas-space-kinetica) customers. ![The Kinetica-1 Y4 vehicle lifting off from Launch Site 130 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 24th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/83a8556bcf20473b92acb54df12e1cb8.jpeg) The Kinetica-1 Y4 vehicle lifting off from Launch Site 130 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 24th. The first of these satellites were Zhongke-1 01 (中科卫星01) and Zhongke-1 02 (中科卫星02) which are the first two spacecraft for [China Science and Technology Satellite's (中科卫星)](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/mxa4g8VWl5qkprAxFdfDyQ?ref=proximareport.com) AIRSAT constellation. These two satellites are Ku-band synthetic aperture radar spacecraft with an imaging resolution of approximately 1 meter. Once commissioned in orbit, they will provide data for agriculture, disaster prevention, urban planning, and natural resource utilization. Another satellite onboard was from Changguang Satellite Technology (长光卫星技术股份有限公司) adding to the aforementioned Jilin-1 satellite fleet. This satellite is Jilin-1 SAR01A (吉林一号SAR01A) and is a remote-sensing satellite that will utilize X-band observations to achieve sub-meter imaging resolution in all weather conditions at any point in the day. Two more remote sensing satellites were onboard, called Yunyao-1 21 (云遥一号21) and Yunyao-1 22 (云遥一号22) and developed by [Tianjin Yunyao Aerospace Technology (功将天津云遥宇航科)](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ZuFuVWyxk3GpJIQYU481GQ?ref=proximareport.com). These satellites join the company's meteorological satellite constellation to provide data on humidity, pressure, atmospheric temperature, and ionospheric electron density to improve weather forecasts. Like Jielong-3, this was the [4th flight](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/oVmw4f2AehVaFAmSkNupRQ?ref=proximareport.com) of Kinetica-1 and continued the vehicle's [high-accuracy](https://x.com/cas%5Fspace/status/1838733014903169245?ref=proximareport.com) orbital insertions. ### *Still on for 100 launches?* Back in [February](https://proximareport.com/china-launch-100-2024/) the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation released its 'blue paper' outlining various goals for 2024\. One of these goals was to conduct 100 launches, with state-owned corporations launching 70 times and the privately held launch providers conducting 30 launches. With a little over three months left this year the chance for China to launch 55 more times is quite slim, as a launch would need to occur every 1.76 days at the time of writing. It is also rumored that due to a combination of payload readiness, launch pad turnaround time, and [Super Typhoon Yagi](https://english.news.cn/20240907/36eeffe14ba84d79b1b29607d620810e/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) hitting the [Wenchang](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/aftermath-of-super-typhoon-yagi-to) launch sites, that this objective is no longer as high as one-hundred. What it has been reduced to is unknown outside of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. ### GS2 is HOT TO GO! URL: https://proximareport.com/gs2-is-hot-to-go/ Last updated: 2024-09-27T19:29:04.000Z Blue Origin’s Glenn Stage 2 (GS2) has successfully lit up its dual BE-3U engines for the first time at Launch Complex 36! > Water, smoke, and fire from three angles today. GS2 hotfire complete! [https://t.co/DUeh6F8Jws](https://t.co/DUeh6F8Jws?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/qUjxu52XGI](https://t.co/qUjxu52XGI?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) [September 23, 2024](https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1838366663684616582?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Video footage of the hot fire ****Credit: Blue Origin** After weeks of anticipation, Blue Origin has finally static fired the second stage of its humongous New Glenn rocket. The two expander bleed cycle BE-3U engines lit for a total of 15 seconds before successfully shutting down. This test also demonstrated many other aspects of GS2, including the Helium pressurization system, thrust vector control, launch operations, and much more. The BE-3U uses LH2 (liquid hydrogen) and LOX (liquid oxygen), a portion of the LH2 is pumped through the walls of the combustion chamber and the nozzle, the hydrogen gains kinetic energy from the heat it absorbs from the combustion of the rest of the LH2 and LOX in the chamber, and this kinetic energy is used to power the turbines to pump the LH2 and LOX into the combustion chamber. Unlike closed expander cycles, the BE-3U dumps the hydrogen used to power the turbopumps overboard. Another fascinating characteristic of the BE-3U is its in-line, counter-rotating turbines for the LOX and LH2 pumps, which are highly efficient for squeezing every extra second of ISP out of the engine. Each BE-3U produces a maximum of 173,000 lbf. This key milestone comes just weeks after NASA delayed the launch of ESCAPADE to Spring 2025 over concerns regarding the cost associated with removing the hypergolic fuel from the two spacecraft should the launch be delayed, in a statement on Twitter, Blue said they stand with NASA’s decision, adding that they are now targeting November for New Glenns’ inaugural launch, which will instead carry “Blue Ring technology” related to their Blue Ring satellite platform. The next step on Blue Origin’s road to orbit will be static-firing the BE-4 engines on the NG-1 flight booster named, “So You're Telling Me There's a Chance.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/IMG_7173.jpeg) First stage of New Glenn that will support its maiden launch ****Credit: Dave Limp/Blue Origin** Blue Origin is just getting started. ### Weekly Dose of Space (15/9-21/9) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-15-9-21-9/ Last updated: 2024-09-22T14:47:56.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had seven orbital launches occur, with most happening on the 20th. News this week had India approve several major space projects and SpaceX possibly moving to sue the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on September 17th when teams were spotted removing hardware from Starhopper, mainly the outer sheet metal layer. It's unknown what teams are doing to Starhopper or what the future of the old test vehicle is. The first launch towers 'chopsticks' were spotted performing movement tests on the 17th. Ship 31 fired up its engines on the 18th for its six-engine static fire at the Massey's test site. Ship 31 is currently expected to fly on the sixth flight of Starship-Super Heavy. ![Ship 31 during its static fire at the Massey's test site. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GXzva1UboAAHN1c.jpg) Ship 31 during its static fire at the Massey's test site. ©SpaceX Removal of hardware from Starhopper continued through the 18th with its mast being removed from it on the 19th, the mast was used to hold weather monitoring equipment. Early in the morning of the 20th, Ship 31 rolled back from the Massey's test site to the production site. While Ship 31 was heading back to the production site, Booster 12 and its hot-staging ring left for the launch site. After sunrise, Booster 12 was lifted as high as the towers 'chopsticks' can travel before being placed onto the orbital launch mount. Following the lift of Booster 12, Ship 30 was also rolled out to the launch site. While Ship 30 was waiting to be lifted in the early hours of the 21st, Booster 12's hot-staging ring was installed ontop of the booster. Ship 30 was then lifted atop of Booster 12 during the day. ## **Launches This Week** ### *September 17th - Angara 1.2 with Kosmos 2577 & 2578* An Angara 1.2 lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying two unknown military satellites into sun-synchronous orbit for the Russian government. ### *September 17th - Falcon 9 with Galileo L13* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying two Galileo satellites into medium Earth orbit for Europe. The booster for this mission was B1067 flying for the twenty-second time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' after the most daring re-entry of a Falcon 9 booster so far. Details about this mission and booster landing are available [here](https://proximareport.com/falcon-galileo-13/). ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Galileo L13 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GXubxyGakAQH--1-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Galileo L13 mission. ©SpaceX ### *September 19th - Long March 3B/E with BeiDou 59 & 60* A Long March 3B/E blasted off from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying two third-generation BeiDou navigation satellites. These satellites were deployed into a medium Earth orbit thanks to the use of a Yuanzheng-1 upper-stage, allowing the spacecraft to reserve onboard propellant for their ten-year operational lives. ![The Long March 3B/E Y80 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/66ebe88aa3103711c3488e15.jpeg) The Long March 3B/E Y80 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ### *September 20th - Long March 2D with six Jilin-1 satellites* Six Jilin-1 satellites, as part of the Kuanfu-02B group, were delivered to a sun-synchronus orbit by a Long March 2D flying from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. These satellites are believed to be remote-sensing spacecraft offering imaging resolutions between 0.5 and 4 meters to customers. ![The Long March 2D carrying Jilin-1 Kuanfu-02B lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/0080MYmPly1htu2pl63hdj34802tcqv7-1.jpg) The Long March 2D carrying Jilin-1 Kuanfu-02B lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ### *September 20th - Kuaizhou-1A with four Tianqi satellites* Another launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center occurred on the 20th with a Kuaizhou-1A lifting off to low Earth orbit. Onboard this launch was four Tianqi Internet-of-Things spacecraft as part of a thirty-eight satellite constellation, with thirty-two spacecraft already in orbit. ![Kuaizhou-1A lifting off from Xichang while firing one of its attitude control thrusters.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/419848a1-19d7-4302-9470-3d42e944bfbe_3180x4000.jpg) Kuaizhou-1A lifting off from Xichang while firing one of its attitude control thrusters. ### *September 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-17* SpaceX launched another Falcon 9 carrying twenty Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for this mission was B1075 making its thirteenth flight and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. > Liftoff! [pic.twitter.com/u4pefHLdda](https://t.co/u4pefHLdda?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [September 20, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1837127244092768545?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 9-17 mission, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1837127244092768545?ref=proximareport.com). ### *September 20th - Electron for 'Kinéis Killed the RadIoT Star'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket launched its second batch of Kinéis Internet of Things satellites from Launch Complex 1A on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand, to low Earth orbit. Five satellites were onboard Electron for the 'Kinéis Killed the RadIoT Star' mission. ![Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1A for the 'Kinéis Killed the RadIoT Star' mission. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GX9cIeya8AA0kII.jpg) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1A for the 'Kinéis Killed the RadIoT Star' mission. ©Rocket Lab ## *SpaceX moving to sue the FAA* ![SpaceX's four pages of complaints against the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/SpaceX-FAA-case.png) [SpaceX's four pages of complaints against the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1836765012855287937?ref=proximareport.com) In a post on [X, formerly Twitter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1836765012855287937?ref=proximareport.com), SpaceX announced it's complaints about the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on September 19th, a few days after the company's Chief Executive Officer, Elon Musk, suggested the company would sue the federal agency. In the post, SpaceX said the following in regard to the company's reasoning: > "For nearly two years, SpaceX has voiced its concerns with the FAA’s inability to keep pace with the commercial spaceflight industry. It is clear that the Agency lacks the resources to timely review licensing materials, but also focuses its limited resources on areas unrelated to public safety." > "These distractions continue to directly threaten national priorities and undercut American industry's ability to innovate." SpaceX's move to against the Federal Aviation Administration came two days after the agency [proposed](https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-proposes-633009-civil-penalties-against-spacex?ref=proximareport.com) 633,009 United States Dollars in fines for failing to follow its license requirements during two launches in 2023\. These violations are conducting a launch from a new control room without the T-2 hour readiness poll on June 18th 2023 and the use of an unapproved rocket propellant on July 28th 2023\. When proposing these fines, the agency stated: > “Safety drives everything we do at the FAA, including a legal responsibility for the safety oversight of companies with commercial space transportation licenses,” – “Failure of a company to comply with the safety requirements will result in consequences.” What SpaceX seeks to gain is largely unclear beyond a 'faster acting' Federal Aviation Administration for approving Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Starship-Super Heavy operations. However for Elon Musk, SpaceX's Chief Executive Officer, this could be a [political maneuver](https://proximareport.com/faa-barring-starship/) as part of the 2024 United States election. ## *Indian government approves multiple major space projects* On September 18th the Indian government approved plans for the Chandrayaan-4 lunar sample return mission, a Venus orbiter mission, the first module of the nation's space station, and a reusable launch vehicle. These projects have been allocated approximately 2.7 billion United States Dollars. The government allocated the Chandrayaan-4 lunar sample return mission 21 billion rupees, approximately 253 million United States Dollars. This mission is set to launch on two LVM-3 launch vehicles no earlier than 2027. For India's human spaceflight program, the government increased the budget of the Gaganyaan program to 201 billion rupees, approximately 432 million United States dollars. The first module of India's Bharatiya Antariksh Station was also approved. Four Gaganyaan missions are set to be completed by 2026, with technologies being demonstrated for the first station modules by the end of 2028. To support the nation's space efforts in the next decade, the Next Generation Launch Vehicle's development was approved and allocated 82.4 billion rupees, approximately 994 million United States Dollars, for development. Three test flights are expected to occur over eight years. Once operational the vehicle is expected to lift up to 30,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, between 8,500 and 24,000 kilograms to a geostationary transfer orbit, and between 7,000 to 22,500 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory. A mission to Venus was also approved and allocated 20.56 billion rupees, approximately 248 million United States Dollars, for a launch no earlier than early 2028\. This mission is expected to study the planet's geology, evolution, and atmosphere from orbit. ## *ULA to fly final Vulcan test mission in October* United Launch Alliance announced on September 17th that it is now targeting no earlier than October 4th, 2024, for the second certification mission of its Vulcan launch vehicle. This launch was initially delayed a few months ago when the original payload, Sierra Space's Dream Chaser cargo spaceplane, would not be on track for a launch this year. Due to delays with Dream Chaser, United Launch Alliance is instead opting to fly an inert payload to complete the second and final certification mission of Vulcan, to allow it to launch sensitive U.S. military payloads. During the mission, the Centaur V second-stage is also expected to conduct technology demonstrations for future improvements of the stage, like being able to last month in orbit between burns. For this mission the vehicle will fly in the VC2S configuration; that is a Vulcan first-stage booster, a Centaur V second-stage, two GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters, and the 15.5-meter long 5.4-meter diameter fairing. Had Dream Chaser been on schedule Vulcan would have flown in the VC4L configuration, with four GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters, and the 21.3-meter long 5.4-meter diameter fairing. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* As we have been reporting for the last few weeks, the fifth test flight of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy vehicle is still awaiting regulatory approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. This latest flight test requires a change in the flight plan, notably a potential landing of Booster 12 back at the launch site on the launch towers 'chopsticks'. The Federal Aviation Administration is currently not expected to approve this launch until November due to environmental concerns and SpaceX's late submission of information. Both vehicles for flight five, Booster 12 and Ship 30, are ready for flight pending a possible wet dress rehearsal. ### *September 24th - Jielong-3 with a to-be-announced payloads* A Jielong-3 rocket is believed to be targeting launch on September 24th from a sea launch platform in the Yellow Sea. The payloads for this launch remain to be announced. ### *September 24th - Kinetica-1 with to-be-announced payloads* A Kinetica-1 launch vehicle is believed to also be targeting launch on September 24th from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The payloads for this launch also remain to be announced. ### *September 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-8* Another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to be launched from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of a Falcon 9\. The booster for this mission is currently unknown. ### *September 26th - Falcon 9 with Crew-9* SpaceX is expected to launch Crew-9 atop of Falcon 9 carrying Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov to the International Space Station. The booster supporting this mission will be B1085, flying for the second time and landing back at Landing Zone 1. ### Intuitive Machines to develop U.S. lunar relay network URL: https://proximareport.com/intuitive-machines-lunar-relay/ Last updated: 2024-09-19T17:58:41.000Z [NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-lunar-relay-contractor-for-near-space-network-services/?ref=proximareport.com) announced on September 17th that it had awarded [Intuitive Machines](https://www.intuitivemachines.com/post/nasa-awards-intuitive-machines-near-space-network-contract-with-a-maximum-potential-value-of-4-82-b?ref=proximareport.com) with a contract to develop a lunar relay network. This contract is a firm-fixed-price, multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity task order and has a maximum potential value of 4.82 billion United States dollars and will run from October 1st 2024 to September 30th 2029, with a possible extension to September 30th 2034. The lunar relay network is expected to provide communication and navigation services for the exploration and scientific study of the Moon’s South Pole region, according to NASA. Without the lunar relays, NASA would face limited landing opportunities during its Artemis missions later in the decade due to limited, and aging, communications infrastructure. Intuitive Machines believes this contract will help the company's vision to commercialize lunar activities and hopes to grow in three areas of lunar commercialization with this new contract: - **Delivery:* Scaling lunar lander capabilities to support cargo and infrastructure delivery.* - **Data Transmission Services:* Establishing a network of satellites capable of delivering 4K resolution video data and navigation services, assisting in landing site selection and resource prospecting.* - **Autonomous Operations:* Developing infrastructure, logistics, and mapping solutions on the Moon to facilitate exploration and operations.* In the company's press release about being awarded the contract, Steve Altemus, Chief Executive Officer of Intuitive Machines, said the following: > “This contract marks an inflection point in Intuitive Machines’ leadership in space communications and navigation,” – “We’re pleased to partner with NASA, as one team, to support the Artemis campaign and endeavors to expand the lunar economy.” NASA expects the lunar relay network to support the various human landing systems, the lunar terrain vehicles, and Commercial Lunar Payload Services flights throughout the Artemis program. As the lunar relay network matures, NASA anticipates being able to reduce its reliance on the Deep Space Network for the Artemis program. The lunar relay network is currently planned to be operated by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center as part of the Near Space Network. Intuitive Machines' lunar relay network would also provide a possible alternative to the Chinese government-backed Queqiao lunar communications and positioning network for other nations' lunar exploration projects. With both of these networks, agencies like the European Space Agency, Roscosmos, JAXA, and the Indian Space Research Organisation would be able to decide which network suits their needs, and budget. ## Who is Intuitive Machines? Intuitive Machines is an American company headquartered in Houston, Texas. The company was founded in 2013 by Stephen Altemus, Kam Ghaffarian, and Dr. Tim Crain. The company currently has performed one lunar landing mission with three more planned as part of its lunar program, which will provide lunar surface access, lunar orbit delivery, and communications at lunar distance. ### Falcon 9 lands fastest booster during Galileo launch! URL: https://proximareport.com/falcon-galileo-13/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:50:35.000Z Falcon 9 has launched its second set of Galileo satellites on behalf of the European Galileo navigation system. This launch occurred from Space Launch Complex 40, in Flordia. > Liftoff! [pic.twitter.com/yG7YajyF2k](https://t.co/yG7YajyF2k?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [September 17, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1836176310969717114?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of the Galileo L13 mission atop of Falcon 9, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1836176310969717114?ref=proximareport.com). The previous Galileo launch on Falcon 9 had the launch vehicle flying in an expendable configuration in [April](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=galileol12&ref=proximareport.com). With this mission, SpaceX attempted to recover the booster with the company [saying](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=galileol13&ref=proximareport.com): > "Rapid and reliable reusability is key to making life multiplanetary – every mission is an opportunity to learn and inform future missions. During the Galileo L12 mission earlier this year, the Falcon 9 booster was expended to provide the additional performance needed to deliver the payload to its orbit. Data from that mission informed subtle design and operational changes, including mass reductions and trajectory adjustments, that will allow us to safely recover and reuse this booster. Falcon 9 is ready to safely deliver Galileo L13 to orbit and return to the droneship in the Atlantic Ocean." > > "The booster reentry trajectory will result in higher heating and dynamic pressure on the booster than many of our historical landings. Although the reentry conditions are on the higher end of past missions, they are still acceptable. This landing attempt will test the bounds of recovery, giving us valuable data on the design of the vehicle in these elevated entry conditions. This in turn will help us innovate on future vehicle designs to make our vehicles more robust and rapidly reusable while expanding into more challenging reentry conditions." For this challenging landing, booster B1067 was flying for the twenty-second time. Ascent for this booster was nominal, with it supporting the Galileo L13 mission up to staging. After staging, B1067 performed its re-entry burn at the fastest speed ever experienced by a Falcon 9 booster before continuing on its unpowered descent. B1067 then lit its engines once again to land on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. > Falcon 9’s first stage lands on the Just Read the Instructions droneship [pic.twitter.com/YhH3fP7svM](https://t.co/YhH3fP7svM?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [September 17, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1836178688230199768?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster B1067 landing on 'Just Read The Instructions' after the fastest re-entry of a Falcon 9 booster, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1836178688230199768?ref=proximareport.com). Two Galileo satellites were on top of Falcon 9 for this launch. To deliver those satellites into medium Earth orbit, the second-stage was equipped with a mission extension kit to keep the propellants warm over several hours in space. ![A render of two Galileo satellites separating from Falcon 9's second-stage. ©P. Carill/European Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Galileo_L12.jpg) A render of two Galileo satellites separating from Falcon 9's second-stage. ©P. Carill/European Space Agency ## What is Galileo? Galileo is the European Union-funded alternative to the U.S.-controlled Global Positioning System (GPS), the Russian-controlled GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System), and the People's Republic of China-controlled BeiDou Navigation Satellite System. The Galileo system is [claimed](https://www.esa.int/Applications/Satellite%5Fnavigation/Two%5Fnew%5Fsatellites%5Fjoin%5Fthe%5FGalileo%5Fconstellation2?ref=proximareport.com) to be the most precise satellite navigation system. Galileo gets its funding directly from the European Union and is managed by the European Commission. The European Space Agency is responsible for the design, development, and qualification of the space and ground systems, as well as launch procurement. The European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) is responsible for overseeing market share increase as well as acting as the service provider. Before launch on September 17th, Galileo had thirty satellites in across three different medium Earth orbit planes. Twenty-four of the satellites are believed to be active, with six acting as spares in the event a satellite goes offline. ## What is Falcon 9? Falcon 9 is currently the world's only operational partially reusable medium-lift launch vehicle. The rocket is manufactured and operated by American aerospace company SpaceX. Falcon 9 currently launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, and Cape Canaveral, in Florida. For recovery, Falcon 9 has four grid fins and four landing legs on the first-stage. The first stage either lands vertically on a drone ship or on a landing pad back at its launch site, landing back at the launch site causes a reduction in payload capacity. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Galileo L13 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GXubxyGakAQH--1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Galileo L13 mission. ©SpaceX SpaceX claims that Falcon 9 can send up to 22,800 kilograms into low Earth orbit when expended or 18,400 kilograms when reused. Similarly, it can send up to 8,300 kilograms into geosynchronous transfer orbit when expended or 5,500 kilograms when reused. The first-stage is powered by nine Merlin 1D engines burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 771 tons of thrust for up to two-minutes and forty-two seconds of burn time. The second-stage is powered by a single Merlin 1D vacuum engine burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 95 tons of thrust for up to six minutes and thirty-seven seconds of burn time. On the pad, the rocket is 70 meters tall with the first and second stages 3.7 meters in diameter, the fairing is 5.2 meters in diameter and tapers out from the top of the second-stage. Fully fuelled Falcon 9 weighs approximately 549,000 kilograms. ### Weekly Dose of Space (8/9-14/9) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-8-9-14-9/ Last updated: 2024-09-15T16:37:42.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week once again had five orbital launches occur, with one being crewed. News this week had the first-ever commercial spacewalk and a Chinese company performing a major reusable rocket test. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase was slower compared to previous weeks due to storm-related flooding, nevertheless it began on September 8th, when Ship 31 was spotted being loaded with propellant at the Massey's test site, no engine testing is believed to have happened with nothing said by SpaceX. Two days later a test tank, also at the Massey's test site, was spotted being loaded with propellant for testing, it's unknown what this test tank is for. Over at the launch site on September 13th teams were spotted installing various commodity pipes to the the second launch tower. More test of Ship 31 was also spotted on September 14th, but once again no engine testing is believed to have occurred. ## **Launches This Week** ### *September 10th - Falcon 9 with Polaris Dawn.* Polaris Dawn finally lifted off from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, atop Falcon 9 at 09:23 am, Universal Coordinated Time, on September 10th heading to low Earth orbit. Crew Dragon C207 'Resilience' is carrying four astronauts for this mission, they are Commander Jared Isaacman, Pilot Scott Poteet, Mission Specialist Anna Menon, and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis. The booster for this mission, B1083, was flying for the fourth time and successfully landed on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for Polaris Dawn. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GXHdyISWoAAhFVR.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for Polaris Dawn. ©SpaceX ### *September 11th - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-26* A Soyuz 2.1a blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome heading into low Earth orbit to allow the Soyuz MS-26 mission to chase down the International Space Station. Onboard the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft are Roscosmos' Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner as well as NASA's Donald Pettit. ![Soyuz 2.1a lifting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying Soyuz MS-26. ©Bill Ingalls/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GXNf0raWQAAAP1U.jpg) Soyuz 2.1a lifting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying Soyuz MS-26\. ©Bill Ingalls/NASA ### *September 12th - Falcon 9 with BlueBird Block 1* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying five satellites into low Earth orbit for AST SpaceMobile’s broadband constellation. The booster for this mission was B1078 flying for the thirteenth time and landing back at Landing Zone 1. ### *September 13th - Starlink Group 9-6* Another Falcon 9 carried a batch of twenty-one satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster supporting this mission was B1071 flying for the eighteenth time and landing down range on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *September 14th - Qaem 100 with Chamran-1* A Qaem 100 rocket lifted off from the Shahroud Missile Test Site in Iran and headed for low Earth orbit. The rocket carried the Chamran-1 technology demonstration satellite, which is believed to weigh 60 kilograms. > Video of Iran's satellite launch by Qaem 100 SLV. [pic.twitter.com/6ElO2RyW1a](https://t.co/6ElO2RyW1a?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Tal Inbar (@inbarspace) [September 14, 2024](https://twitter.com/inbarspace/status/1835021460512903228?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Launch of Qaem 100 from the Shahroud Missile Test Site, via [inbarspace on X](https://x.com/inbarspace/status/1835021460512903228?ref=proximareport.com). ## **In Other Space News** ## *Polaris Dawn mission completes first commercial spacewalk!* ![Polaris Dawn's Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis during her spacewalk. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GXTYzdrWIAAcX1i.jpg) Polaris Dawn's Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis during her spacewalk. ©SpaceX After three days in orbit, Sarah Gillis and Jared Isaacman conducted the first commercial spacewalk out of the front of Crew Dragon C207 'Resilience' after a two-day pre-breathe. The spacewalk was performed to conduct mobility tests as well as verifying the first SpaceX-designed suit for use in a vacuum. Both Gillis and Isaacman performed these tests, emerging from Crew Dragon individually. For this mission, SpaceX has swapped out the docking port on the front of the vehicle with its 'Skywalker' structure. 'Skywalker' is designed to help the crew exit Crew Dragon, and move back inside after the spacewalk. If you want to know more about Polaris Dawn consider checking out our coverage of [pre-launch](https://proximareport.com/what-is-polaris-dawn/), [launch](https://proximareport.com/polaris-dawn-launch/), and [in-orbit activity](https://proximareport.com/polaris-dawn-spacewalk/). ## *LandSpace performs major rocket reuse test* ![LandSpace's Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 vehicle during landing. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GXO9YRGagAAFfMZ-1.jpg) LandSpace's Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 vehicle during landing. ©LandSpace LandSpace, one of the leaders of China's commercial launch industry, performed a 10-kilometer hop test on September 10th with the company's Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 vehicle. This was the second 10-kilometer hop test in China following one in late June, as a joint effort between the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. The test vehicle flew for 3 minutes and 20.7 seconds with the engine igniting twice, once for liftoff and once for landing. This test had the vehicle land a few miles away where it landed just 1.7 meters off-center at a speed of 1.65 meters per second, or 3.7 miles per hour (5.95 kilometers per hour). According to LandSpace, this hop test verified control during unpowered flight, the reusability of the company's engines, and the technology to light an engine during descent in flight. Further details about LandSpace and Zhuque-3 are available [here](https://proximareport.com/landspace-hop-two/). ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* As we have been reporting for the last few weeks, the fifth test flight of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy vehicle is still awaiting regulatory approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. This latest flight test requires a change in the flight plan, notably a potential landing of Booster 12 back at the launch site on the launch towers 'chopsticks'. The Federal Aviation Administration is currently not expected to approve this launch until November due to environmental concerns and SpaceX's late submission of information. Both vehicles for flight five, Booster 12 and Ship 30, are ready for flight pending a possible wet dress rehearsal. ### *September 15th - Falcon 9 with Galileo FM26 & FM32* Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying two Galileo satellites for Europe. The booster for this mission is unknown, but it is expected to land downrange on a drone ship. ### *September 16th - H2A with IGS Radar 8* A H2A rocket is expected to launch from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying a reconnaissance satellite to sun-synchronus orbit. ### *September 17th - Electron with 'Kinéis Killed the RadIoT Star'* Rocket Lab's Electron rocket is expecting to deliver its second batch of Kinéis Internet of Things satellites from Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand, to low Earth orbit. ### *September 17th - Anagara 1.2 with an unknown payload* An Angara 1.2 is believed to be launching from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying an unknown payload to a sun-synchronous orbit. ### *September 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-17* SpaceX is believed to be launching another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for this mission is also unknown, but it is expected to land downrange on a drone ship. ### Polaris Dawn completes first commercial spacewalk! URL: https://proximareport.com/polaris-dawn-spacewalk/ Last updated: 2024-09-14T20:10:55.000Z Back on September 10th, the [Polaris Dawn](https://proximareport.com/what-is-polaris-dawn/) mission [lifted off](https://proximareport.com/polaris-dawn-launch/) from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, at 09:23 am, Universal Coordinated Time. The mission is utilizing Crew Dragon C207 'Resilience', which was launched atop of a Falcon 9 with its booster, B1083, flying for the fourth time. So far the crew of Polaris Dawn has spent four days in orbit, so let's recap ahead of them returning home on September 15th (Universal Coordinated Time). ### [Day One](https://x.com/PolarisProgram/status/1833648070011109784?ref=proximareport.com) The crew's first day in orbit was the beginning of the two-day pre-breathe, ahead of a spacewalk on day three. This pre-breathe has Crew Dragon slowly lower pressure while increasing oxygen levels. During the first day, the crew also tested the Starlink laser-based connections along with various science experiments. Day one also had Crew Dragon make its first pass through the South Atlantic Anomaly, an area of the Van Allen belt that has more radiation particles closer to Earth. ### [Day Two](https://x.com/PolarisProgram/status/1834035322608328747?ref=proximareport.com) The beginning of the second day in orbit had Crew Dragon reach an apogee of 1,400 kilometers, becoming the highest the spacecraft has traveled as well as the furthest humans have traveled from Earth since the Apollo program. After this Crew Dragon performed a series of burns to manoevur down to an orbit of 190 x 700 kilometers. Like the previous day, the crew conducted science experiments, this time with a focus on monitoring initial changes to eyesight and ocular health, studying how fluid shifts and exposure to microgravity affect blood flow, and assessing how medications are processed by the body while in orbit. More tests of Starlink's laser-based connections were performed via video calls to the crews' families as well as a book reading from Crew Dragon to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. > Join Polaris Dawn's [@annawmenon](https://twitter.com/annawmenon?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) for an on-orbit reading of her book alongside her family and patients from [@StJude](https://twitter.com/StJude?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) ✨ > > Published by Penguin Random House, Kisses from Space was authored by Anna Menon and Keri Vasek and was illustrated by Andy Harkness. > > After her book reading,… [pic.twitter.com/kSrjgP7Mhx](https://t.co/kSrjgP7Mhx?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Polaris (@PolarisProgram) [September 12, 2024](https://twitter.com/PolarisProgram/status/1834021877821661188?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Polaris Dawn's on-orbit book reading, via [PolarisProgram on X](https://x.com/PolarisProgram/status/1834021877821661188?ref=proximareport.com). ### [Day Three](https://x.com/PolarisProgram/status/1834329942043271268?ref=proximareport.com) The third day in orbit was the big day with all four crew members donning their spacesuits, having completed a pre-breathe for the past two days. At 10:15 am, Universal Coordinated Time, on September 12th the 106-minute spacewalk from Crew Dragon began. Mission Commander Jared Isaacman was the first to perform a spacewalk out of the front of the spacecraft. After Isaacman had performed his spacewalk, Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis also exited the front of the spacecraft to perform a spacewalk. Neither were out of Crew Dragon at the same time. Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet and Mission Specialist Anna Menon also remained seated inside Crew Dragon during the spacewalk. Both spacewalkers performed mobility tests during the spacewalk, as this was the first time a SpaceX-designed suit had been used in the vacuum of space. This was also the first commercial spacewalk performed in almost sixty years of spacewalking. > SpaceX and the Polaris Dawn crew have completed the first commercial spacewalk! > > “SpaceX, back at home we all have a lot of work to do, but from here, Earth sure looks like a perfect world.” — Mission Commander [@rookisaacman](https://twitter.com/rookisaacman?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) during Dragon egress and seeing our planet from \~738 km [pic.twitter.com/lRczSv5i4k](https://t.co/lRczSv5i4k?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Polaris (@PolarisProgram) [September 12, 2024](https://twitter.com/PolarisProgram/status/1834210476156129761?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Polaris Dawn's Commander Jared Isaacman's spacewalk from Crew Dragon, via [PolarisProgram on X](https://x.com/PolarisProgram/status/1834210476156129761?ref=proximareport.com). ### [Day Four](https://x.com/PolarisProgram/status/1834747047872020550?ref=proximareport.com) After the spacewalk the day before, the crew spent day four performing science and research experiments. A few of the experiments that have been focused on since launch are the effects of microgravity on the human airway and veinous system, the effects of microgravity on ocular health to help contribute to both preventative and post-diagnosis treatments, as well as a commercial off-the-shelf device that can collect and integrate measurements of health along with ultrasound imaging capabilities. Polaris Dawn's crew also performed one of the biggest tests for Starlink's laser-based connections by sending a video of Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis playing “Rey’s Theme” by John Williams on the violin back down to Earth. > HARMONY OF RESILIENCE: Recorded in space and sent to Earth via [@SpaceX](https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com)’s [@Starlink](https://twitter.com/Starlink?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) constellation, Polaris Dawn crewmember and violinist [@Gillis\_SarahE](https://twitter.com/Gillis%5FSarahE?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) invites you to enjoy this music moment in support of [@StJude](https://twitter.com/StJude?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) & [@ElSistemaUSA](https://twitter.com/ElSistemaUSA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) → [https://t.co/My8cUwAWzg](https://t.co/My8cUwAWzg?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/OoxTllCZNP](https://t.co/OoxTllCZNP?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Polaris (@PolarisProgram) [September 13, 2024](https://twitter.com/PolarisProgram/status/1834557770374296010?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Sarah Gillis' performance of "Rey's Theme" synched with orchestras around the world, via [PolarisProgram on X](https://x.com/PolarisProgram/status/1834557770374296010?ref=proximareport.com). ## Who's flying on Polaris Dawn? The four crew members onboard Crew Dragon C207 'Resilience' are Commander Jared Isaacman, Pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet, Mission Specialist Anna Menon, and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis. ![Jared Isaacman (left), Scott Poteet (center left), Sarah Gillis (center right), and Anna Menon (right) in their Polaris Dawn spacesuits. ©Polaris Program](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/image.psd.png) Jared Isaacman (left), Scott Poteet (center left), Sarah Gillis (center right), and Anna Menon (right) in their Polaris Dawn spacesuits. ©Polaris Program **Jared Isaacman** is the Mission Commander for Polaris Dawn. Isaacman is the only member of the crew to have traveled into orbit before, he previously commanded the Inspiration4 mission in 2021. Within Earth's atmosphere, Isaacman has over 7,000 hours of flight experience in various experimental and ex-military aircraft. In these aircraft, he has performed two 'speed around the world' flights to raise money for charity, as well as participating in over one hundred airshows. **Scott “Kidd” Poteet** is the Mission Pilot for the Polaris Dawn mission. This is his first trip to space. Poteet is also a retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel who served 20 years in various roles including Commander of the 64th Aggressor Squadron, USAF Thunderbird #4 Demonstration Pilot, USAF Weapons School Graduate, Operational Test & Evaluation Pilot, and Flight Examiner. During his time flying within the atmosphere, Poteet has over 3,200 hours of flight experience in aircraft such as the F-16, A-4, T-38, T-37, T-3, and Alpha Jet. **Sarah Gillis** is the Mission Specialist for the Polaris Dawn mission. This is her first trip to space. Gillis is a Lead Space Operations Engineer at SpaceX, and is responsible for the company's training of NASA and commercial astronauts training with the Crew Dragon spacecraft. On Earth, she has supported operations for cargo resupply missions to and from the International Space Station and as a crew communicator for human spaceflight missions **Anna Menon** is the Mission Specialist and Medical Officer for the Polaris Dawn mission. This will is also her first trip to space. Menon is also a Lead Space Operations Engineer at SpaceX and manages the development of crew operations, as well as working in mission control as both a Mission Director and crew communicator. While at SpaceX, she has been in mission control for the Demo-2, Crew-1, CRS-22, CRS-23, Crew-3, Crew-4, and Axiom-1 missions, while also developing responses to emergencies with Crew Dragon, like depressurization and fires. ## What is Crew Dragon? Crew Dragon, or Dragon 2, is a partially reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX. The primary use for Crew Dragon is to send crew to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX also performs free-flight missions with the spacecraft. ![A render of Crew Dragon with an astronaut exiting the front of the spacecraft. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/Polaris-Dawn-EVA-rendering-small.jpg) A render of Crew Dragon with an astronaut exiting the front of the spacecraft. ©SpaceX For the Polaris Dawn mission, Crew Dragon has been modified to support a spacewalk. SpaceX has swapped out the docking port on the front of the vehicle with its 'Skywalker' structure. 'Skywalker' is designed to help the crew exit Crew Dragon, and move back inside after the spacewalk. Crew Dragon consists of the capsule and trunk. The trunk is used to store unpressurized cargo as well as have solar panels mounted on one side, to generate power, and radiators on the other, to dissipate heat generated inside. The trunk is not reused and burns up in the atmosphere after each mission. The capsule is where the crew will be during launch, landing, and while on their way to space. Unlike the original Dragon capsule, the Crew Dragon capsule has a launch abort system consisting of eight SuperDraco engines. The capsule also has a nosecone that will fold out of the way in space to protect the docking hardware and forward-facing thrusters during launch and landing. The forward-facing thrusters are the main propulsion system for performing maneuvers while in flight. Crew Dragon was developed as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program to regain crew access to the International Space Station from the United States of America after the retirement of the Space Shuttle. SpaceX currently has four active Crew Dragon capsules; Endeavour, Resilience, Endurance, and Freedom. A fifth Crew Dragon capsule is under construction and is expected to be finished in 2024. ### No, the FAA isn't deliberately barring Starship flights. URL: https://proximareport.com/faa-barring-starship/ Last updated: 2024-09-13T21:56:07.000Z *Disclaimer: This article contains the opinion of the writer and not Cosmic Nxws as a whole.* SpaceX has decided to go on the offensive against the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, as the company's upper management had become irritated with the regulatory body. In a lengthy update released on September 10th titled [*Starships Are Meant To Fly*](https://www.spacex.com/updates/?ref=proximareport.com#starships-fly), SpaceX claimed that the Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. regulatory body that ensures public safety during commercial space launches, was preventing the fifth flight of Starship-Super Heavy. In support of their argument, SpaceX said the following: > "We recently received a launch license date estimate of late November from the FAA, the government agency responsible for licensing Starship flight tests. This is a more than two-month delay to the previously communicated date of mid-September. This delay was not based on a new safety concern, but instead driven by superfluous environmental analysis." As well as: > "It's understandable that such a unique operation would require additional time to analyze from a licensing perspective. Unfortunately, instead of focusing resources on critical safety analysis and collaborating on rational safeguards to protect both the public and the environment, the licensing process has been repeatedly derailed by issues ranging from the frivolous to the patently absurd." What SpaceX avoids sharing about the delay are their own decisions that contributed to it. According to the Federal Aviation Administration on September 11th, SpaceX has been submitting information related to the next flight after flight four with additional new information being submitted as late as a few weeks ago, in mid-August. In response, speaking via NASASpaceflight, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration [said](https://x.com/bccarcounters/status/1833960344886063318?t=4MCEg89x5YKfWSmAaSoK2w&ref=proximareport.com) the following: > "SpaceX's current license authorizing the Starship Flight 4 launch also allows for multiple flights of the same vehicle configuration and mission profile. SpaceX Chose to modify both for its proposed Starship Flight 5 launch which triggered a more in-depth review. In addition, SpaceX submitted new information in mid-August detailing how the environment impact of Flight 5 will cover a larger area than previously reviewed. This requires the FAA to consult with other Agencies. > SpaceX must meet all safety, environmental and other licensing requirements prior to FAA launch authorization." The fifth flight of Starship-Super Heavy aims to once again send the Starship second-stage on a barely sub-orbital trajectory with the new goal of landing the Super Heavy first-stage booster back on the launch towers 'chopsticks'. Environmental concerns were naturally raised with this flight as a nearly 300-ton vehicle carrying potentially explosive propellants will be coming back towards U.S. soil, just 5.06 miles (8.15 kilometers) from a populated area. The launch pad at Starbase will also activate the water deluge system twice a few minutes apart, raising additional concerns about the amount of water being released into the local ecosystem in a short time. In addition, SpaceX has [recently](https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/spacex-fine-epa-clean-water-violations-19757884.php?ref=proximareport.com) been fined 148,378 United States Dollars for violating clean water laws and for a fuel spill. There is also a significant chance that the landing attempt will go awry and cause substantial damage to the launch site. These concerns and SpaceX's late submissions of additional information are leading to a slow-looking regulatory process. The Federal Aviation Administration is also [notoriously underfunded](https://www.npr.org/2023/01/13/1149206979/aviation-leaders-call-for-better-faa-tech-funding-after-flight-computer-failure?ref=proximareport.com), unintentionally preventing the world's largest launch vehicle from flying a test mission. Despite this, SpaceX and its Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk, a known [misogynist](https://www.pcmag.com/opinions/elon-musk-is-a-misogynist-and-it-matters?ref=proximareport.com), [racist](https://futurism.com/civil-rights-groups-horrified-elon-musk-racist?ref=proximareport.com), and [neo](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-08/musk-hands-spotlight-to-nazi-slogan-used-by-german-extremist?ref=proximareport.com)\-[nazi](https://futurism.com/the-byte/elon-musk-deletes-nazi-apologist-tweet?ref=proximareport.com), have assisted in fanning the flames of deregulation via the lack of Starship-Super Heavy launches. Musk is notably linked to the Republican Presidential Campaign as a [close ally](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/18/us/politics/elon-musk-trump.html?ref=proximareport.com) of Donald Trump, who aims to overhaul the federal government after taking office if elected. Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump has [offered](https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elon-musk-government-efficiency-commission-e831ed5dc2f6a56999e1a70bb0a4eaeb?ref=proximareport.com) Elon Musk a position in government [heading](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74lgwkrmrpo?ref=proximareport.com) a so-called 'government efficiency commission'. This commission would supposedly cut "trillions of dollars" in federal government spending as part of "drastic reforms", [according](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/05/us/politics/trump-elon-musk-efficiency-commission.html?ref=proximareport.com) to Trump. Musk stands to gain substantially should he be given a position in government heading this 'government efficiency commission'. SpaceX is a major recipient of federal government cash and contracts, this position could allow the company to become an absolute monopoly in the launch market and exempt from some rules, likely running with 'defense concerns' to pull it off politically. What Musk has done due to the slow regulatory process is using SpaceX's most valuable tool in its arsenal, its public image. SpaceX has a fantastic public image due to pioneering commercially viable reusable rockets. By gambling it in this way they hope to galvanize people and politicians into loosening regulations over the Starship-Super Heavy development program as a whole. In short, SpaceX's recent offensive against the Federal Aviation Administration is a calculated political maneuver by Elon Musk for his own political and capital benefit. ### LandSpace breezes through second reusable rocket test! URL: https://proximareport.com/landspace-hop-two/ Last updated: 2024-09-11T17:53:27.000Z LandSpace, a Chinese commercial launch company, [announced](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/nZj8cRYdV6c5EbT5hJOw9w?ref=proximareport.com) that they had completed a 10-kilometer hop test. The hop test was using the company's Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 vehicle, with it launching and landing inside the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for the test. This test was the first time a privately held commercial space company performed a 10-kilometer hop test, with LandSpace beating Deep Blue Aerospace who are also expected to hop soon. It was also the first time a rocket-engine-propelled vehicle has been reused in China, VTVL-1 previously flew back in January for a 350-meter hop test. Shortly after the test, LandSpace shared a celebratory post on [Weibo](https://weibo.com/6507732051/5077402331385171?ref=proximareport.com) saying the following: > "This mission is the first time in China to achieve technical verification such as the secondary ignition of vertical take-off and landing return rockets in the air, the joint guidance and control of "grid rudder-cold air attitude control-engine" under transonic high dynamic pressure environment, and the engineering application of high-altitude wind real-time wind repair technology, which indicates that China's commercial aerospace has made a major breakthrough in reusable launch vehicle technology, for the future to achieve large capacity, low cost, high frequency, reusable space launch has taken a key step!" ![The Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 vehicle in-flight during the 10-kilometer hop test. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GXK41n1bkAEtYMm.jpg) The Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 vehicle in-flight during the 10-kilometer hop test. ©LandSpace LandSpace [stated](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/fsJ6eqh4P2e6yw%5FD%5FYA-2g?poc%5Ftoken=HKYm4WajFxi3XpGFV0lN0SR7fZM-u4iidm6tXi%5FQ&ref=proximareport.com) that the flight time of the test was 200.7 seconds, 3 minutes & 20.7 seconds. [Powered ascent](https://x.com/PhazzeeYeehaw/status/1833737071682261079?ref=proximareport.com) of the vehicle lasted for 113 seconds until the engine was shut down allowing inertia to carry the vehicle to a [maximum height](https://weibo.com/6507732051/5077401440882086?ref=proximareport.com) of 10,002 meters above the ground. While passing the peak altitude, the four grid fins and various reaction control thrusters guided the vehicle until the engine relighted at an altitude of 4,640 meters. [Powered descent](https://x.com/dsshhh114/status/1833739987118145662?ref=proximareport.com) then brought the vehicle down to its [landing pad](https://x.com/PhazzeeYeehaw/status/1833885067384361374?ref=proximareport.com), where it landed 1.7 meters off-center at a speed of 1.65 meters per second, or 3.7 miles per hour (5.95 kilometers per hour). ![LandSpace's Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 vehicle after landing. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/0076pMobly1htjvntb0ljj327g18kb2b.jpg) LandSpace's Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 vehicle after landing. ©LandSpace In a post-test flight blog post on their official [WeChat/Weixin account](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/fsJ6eqh4P2e6yw%5FD%5FYA-2g?poc%5Ftoken=HKYm4WajFxi3XpGFV0lN0SR7fZM-u4iidm6tXi%5FQ&ref=proximareport.com), LandSpace highlighted four areas fulfilled by the test: - Verified the technology for lighting engines in flight in similar conditions to reusable rocket boosters. - Verified the grid fin and reaction control system thruster control system with the landing algorithm at high speed and altitude. - Verified reusability by reflying a stainless steel rocket body, avionics, and engine. - Demonstrated real-time wind correction technology solutions to reduce loads on the vehicle as well as increasing reliability and performance. With this second test, LandSpace believes they have laid a solid foundation for the first flight and booster landing of Zhuque-3\. Zhuque-3 is currently expected to perform its debut flight in 2025, followed by a first booster landing in 2026. ![The patch for the 10-kilometer hop test. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Hop2-patch.png) The patch for the 10-kilometer hop test. ©LandSpace The vehicle that performed this test is what LandSpace is calling Zhuque-3 VTVL-1, VTVL stands for Vertical Take-off Vertical Landing. The engine on the vehicle is a TQ-12A burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen to generate 80 tons of thrust. As previously mentioned, four grid fins and a series of reaction control thrusters guide and orient the vehicle during unpowered flight. Three fixed legs are also installed to allow for a stable landing. ![LandSpace's Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 vehicle ahead of its second hop. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GXK_oYxaAAAX-BK-1.jpg) LandSpace's Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 vehicle ahead of its second hop. ©LandSpace ## What is Zhuque-3? Zhuque-3 is LandSpace's in-development two-stage partially reusable medium to heavy lift launch vehicle. Zhuque-3 plans to burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen propellants in its engines on both stages, which will be built out of stainless steel. LandSpace claims that Zhuque-3 will be able to lift up to 21,300 kilograms to low Earth orbit when expended, 18,300 kilograms when landing downrange on a drone ship or landing pad, or 12,500 kilograms when returning to the launch site. ![A render of LandSpace's Zhuque-3 rocket. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Zhuque-3-GIF--Smaller--1.gif) A render of LandSpace's Zhuque-3 rocket. ©LandSpace The first-stage of Zhuque-3 is planned to be powered by nine TQ-12B engines generating an approximate combined 900 tons of thrust while burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen. LandSpace is also looking to fly each first-stage twenty times, with the potential to certify them for more flights. The second-stage of Zhuque-3 is planned to be powered by one TQ-15B generating a believed 100 tons of thrust while also burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen. To facilitate reuse of the first-stage, three engines will be lit during re-entry followed by one being lit again for landing on a drone ship or landing pad. For boost-back burns, the booster will turn around in-flight after separation and relight one engine. The boosters and second stage are currently planned to have a diameter of 4.5 meters. The fairing is planned to be 5.2 meters in diameter and split into two halves. The total height of Zhuque-3 is currently planned to be 76.6 meters with it having a fully fuelled mass of approximately 660,000 kilograms. ## Who is LandSpace? LandSpace Technology Corporation is a Chinese private space launch provider based in Beijing and founded by Zhang Changwu in 2015. The company launched its first rocket, Zhuque-1, on the 27th of October 2018 but failed to reach orbit. Zhuque-1 was a three-stage solid propellant rocket that was aiming to lift 300 kilograms into orbit until its cancellation in favor of Zhuque-2, which has so far launched three times with two successes. LandSpace has so far launched all of its rockets from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, located in the Gobi Desert in northern China. LandSpace is also actively developing Zhuque-3 for a maiden flight planned in 2025. ### Polaris Dawn blasts off! URL: https://proximareport.com/polaris-dawn-launch/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:55:55.000Z After a few weather-related launch scrubs, Polaris Dawn lifted off from Launch Complex 39A atop of Falcon 9 at 09:23 am, Universal Coordinated Time, on September 10th. Crew Dragon C207 'Resilience' separated from Falcon 9 at T+12:16 after being [delivered](https://x.com/planet4589/status/1833509517839028397?ref=proximareport.com) to a 195 by 1200 kilometer orbit. > Falcon 9 launches [@PolarisProgram](https://twitter.com/PolarisProgram?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com)'s Polaris Dawn, Dragon’s 14th human spaceflight mission [pic.twitter.com/DCd0s0Tl8P](https://t.co/DCd0s0Tl8P?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [September 10, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1833479178269630697?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A carrying Polaris Dawn, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1833479178269630697?ref=proximareport.com). Now in orbit, the crew will begin pre-breathe over two days before performing a spacewalk out of the front of Crew Dragon as soon as September 12th. The suits for this spacewalk were developed by SpaceX and based off of the Crew Dragon intravehicular space suits. These suits are more flexible for greater mobility, use better thermal management materials, and have a 'state-of-the-art' heads-up display inside the helmet. Alongside the spacewalk, the mission will also test communications between Crew Dragon and Starlink, SpaceX's low Earth orbit internet mega-constellation. Thirty-six experiments are also onboard, according to [SpaceX](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=polarisdawn&ref=proximareport.com). Crew Dragon has been modified to support a spacewalk from the spacecraft. SpaceX has swapped out the docking port on the front of the vehicle with its 'Skywalker' structure. 'Skywalker' will help the crew exit Crew Dragon, and move back inside after the spacewalk. ![SpaceX's 'Skywalker' structure is on Crew Dragon for the Polaris Dawn mission, seen from inside the spacecraft. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GXFv2FeWEAAxBzs.jpg) SpaceX's 'Skywalker' structure is on Crew Dragon for the Polaris Dawn mission, seen from inside the spacecraft. ©SpaceX The Crew Dragon spacecraft for the Polaris Dawn mission is C207 'Resilience'. This is the third time 'Resilience' is heading to space, having previously flown for Crew-1 and Inspiration4. Supporting the launch of Polaris Dawn was booster B1083\. B1083 was flying for the fourth time, and successfully landed on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![The patch for the Polaris Dawn mission.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/Polaris_Dawn_Patch-1-.png) The patch for the Polaris Dawn mission. ## Who's flying on Polaris Dawn? ### *Jared Isaacman* Jared Isaacman is the Mission Commander for Polaris Dawn. Isaacman is the only member of the crew to have traveled into orbit before, he previously commanded the Inspiration4 mission in 2021. Within Earth's atmosphere, Isaacman has over 7,000 hours of flight experience in various experimental and ex-military aircraft. In these aircraft, he has performed two 'speed around the world' flights to raise money for charity, as well as participating in over one hundred airshows. ![Jared Isaacman in his Polaris Dawn spacesuit. ©Polaris Program](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/jared.jpg.webp) Jared Isaacman in his Polaris Dawn spacesuit. ©Polaris Program ### *Scott Poteet* Scott “Kidd” Poteet is the Mission Pilot for the Polaris Dawn mission. This will be his first trip to space. Poteet is also a retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel who served 20 years in various roles including Commander of the 64th Aggressor Squadron, USAF Thunderbird #4 Demonstration Pilot, USAF Weapons School Graduate, Operational Test & Evaluation Pilot, and Flight Examiner. During his time flying within the atmosphere, Poteet has over 3,200 hours of flight experience in aircraft such as the F-16, A-4, T-38, T-37, T-3, and Alpha Jet. ![Scott Poteet in his Polaris Dawn spacesuit. ©Polaris Program](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/scott.jpg.webp) Scott Poteet in his Polaris Dawn spacesuit. ©Polaris Program ### *Sarah Gillis* Sarah Gillis is the Mission Specialist for the Polaris Dawn mission. This will be her first trip to space. Gillis is a Lead Space Operations Engineer at SpaceX, and is responsible for the company's training of NASA and commercial astronauts training with the Crew Dragon spacecraft. On Earth, she has supported operations for cargo resupply missions to and from the International Space Station and as a crew communicator for human spaceflight missions ![Sarah Gillis in her Polaris Dawn spacesuit. ©Polaris Program](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/sarah.jpg.webp) Sarah Gillis in her Polaris Dawn spacesuit. ©Polaris Program ### *Anna Menon* Anna Menon is the Mission Specialist and Medical Officer for the Polaris Dawn mission. This will be her first trip to space. Menon is also a Lead Space Operations Engineer at SpaceX and manages the development of crew operations, as well as working in mission control as both a Mission Director and crew communicator. While at SpaceX, she has been in mission control for the Demo-2, Crew-1, CRS-22, CRS-23, Crew-3, Crew-4, and Axiom-1 missions, while also developing responses to emergencies with Crew Dragon, like depressurization and fires. ![Anna Menon in her Polaris Dawn spacesuit. ©Polaris Program](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/anna.jpg-1.webp) Anna Menon in her Polaris Dawn spacesuit. ©Polaris Program ## What is Crew Dragon? Crew Dragon, or Dragon 2, is a partially reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX. The primary use for Crew Dragon is to send crew to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX also performs free-flight missions with the spacecraft. ![A render of Crew Dragon with an astronaut exiting the front of the spacecraft. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/Polaris-Dawn-EVA-rendering-small.jpg) A render of Crew Dragon with an astronaut exiting the front of the spacecraft. ©SpaceX Crew Dragon consists of the capsule and trunk. The trunk is used to store unpressurized cargo as well as have solar panels mounted on one side, to generate power, and radiators on the other, to dissipate heat generated inside. The trunk is not reused and burns up in the atmosphere after each mission. The capsule is where the crew will be during launch, landing, and while on their way to space. Unlike the original Dragon capsule, the Crew Dragon capsule has a launch abort system consisting of eight SuperDraco engines. The capsule also has a nosecone that will fold out of the way in space to protect the docking hardware and forward-facing thrusters during launch and landing. The forward-facing thrusters are the main propulsion system for performing maneuvers while in flight. Crew Dragon was developed as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program to regain crew access to the International Space Station from the United States of America after the retirement of the Space Shuttle. SpaceX currently has four active Crew Dragon capsules; Endeavour, Resilience, Endurance, and Freedom. A fifth Crew Dragon capsule is under construction and is expected to be finished in 2024. ### Weekly Dose of Space (1/9-7/9) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-1-9-7-9/ Last updated: 2024-09-08T17:17:44.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had five orbital launches occur, with one being the final flight of a European launch vehicle. News this week had Tianwen-3's launch moving two years closer, another nation joining the International Lunar Research Station, and Starliner returning to Earth. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on September 2nd when workers were seen underneath Starhopper preparing to move it. On September 3rd, one of the self-propelled modular transporters rolled under Starhopper, and workers installed stands to enable Starhopper's move. Starhopper was also chained to the transporter. Late on the 3rd, Starhopper was moved out of the launch site and into one of SpaceX's spare lots neighboring the launch site. A few days later on the 5th of September, the 'chopsticks' of Orbital Launch Tower 1 were raised for testing. These tests are believed to have been simulating part of a booster catch, which is expected to occur on the next flight test of Starship-Super Heavy. September 6th had Ship 31 roll out from the production site to the Massey's test site, possibly ahead of a static fire. Ship 31 is currently expected to fly on the sixth flight test. ## **Launches This Week** ### *September 3rd - Long March 4B with Yaogan-43 Group-02* A Long March 4B lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying a believed six satellites into low Earth orbit. These satellites were the second group of spacecraft launched for Yaogan-43, which is stated as being for testing low Earth orbit constellation technologies. ![The Long March 4B lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on September 3rd.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/0077Nzxhly1htaaxzy306j31pl18v144-1.jpg) The Long March 4B lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on September 3rd. ### *September 5th - Vega with Sentinel-2C* Arianespace launched its final Vega rocket from Ensemble de Lancement Vega at the Guiana Space Center, in French Guiana. Sentinel-2C was successfully delivered to sun-synchronous orbit, where it will begin providing high-resolution imagery for land surveying. ![Vega lifting off from the Guiana Space Center with Sentinel-2C. ©European Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Copernicus_Sentinel-2C_takes_to_the_skies-1-1.jpg) Vega lifting off from the Guiana Space Center with Sentinel-2C. ©European Space Agency ### *September 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-11* SpaceX launched another twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1o77 flying for the fifteenth time, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read the Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 8-11 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GWuvSxRbYAAG6WB-1-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 8-11 mission. ©SpaceX ### *September 5th - Long March 6 with Group-03 of Geespace's constellation* A Long March 6 launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying ten satellites into low Earth orbit. The ten satellites were for Geespace’s Geely Future Mobility Constellation. ![The Long March 6 Y11 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/0080MYmPly1htdg7trc7lj34802tcnpd-1.jpg) The Long March 6 Y11 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ### *September 6th - Falcon 9 with NROL-113* Another Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, for the NROL-113 mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, believed to be carrying a batch of Starshield satellites for military use. The booster for this mission was B1063, flying for the twentieth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the NROL-113 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GWzdEKyW8AERnPA-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the NROL-113 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ## *Senegal joins the ILRS project* ![Li Guoping (李国平), Chief Engineer of the China National Space Administration (left), and Maram Kairé, Director of the Senegalese Space Agency (right), signing the memorandum of understanding on the International Lunar Research Station on September 5th. ©DSEL](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Senegal-joins-ILRS-sept-2024-DSEL.webp) Li Guoping (李国平), Chief Engineer of the China National Space Administration (left), and Maram Kairé, Director of the Senegalese Space Agency (right), signing the memorandum of understanding on the International Lunar Research Station on September 5th. ©DSEL Senegal became the thirteenth country to sign onto the China-led International Lunar Research Station on September 5th, [announced](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/YxRHlv0fz395gURxw%5F6iHQ?ref=proximareport.com) by China's Deep Space Exploration Laboratory. The Memorandum of Understanding on the International Lunar Research Station was signed by Maram Kairé, Director of the Senegalese Space Agency, on behalf of the Republic of Senegal and Li Guoping (李国平), Chief Engineer of the China National Space Administration, on behalf of the People's Republic of China. Senegal now joins Kazakhstan, Serbia, Nicaragua, Thailand, Egypt, Belarus, Russia, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, South Africa, Venezuela, and China as a member nation on the project, which hopes to have an operational lunar research base by the end of 2035. Alongside this signing, the Belgrade Observatory in Serbia, Spacetalk in Switzerland, the Emirates Orbital Space Company, the Panama Space Science Innovation Center, Banda Lampung University in Indonesia, the National University of Science and Technology in Pakistan, the Belt and Road Science and Technology Association, the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory, the Africa Ten international organizations including the Space Development Foundation and the African Business Alliance also signed Memorandums of Understanding for the lunar station as subnational partners, which was also announced by the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory. ## *Starliner returns uncrewed* ![Starliner descending to the White Sands Space Harbor, in New Mexico, under parachute. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/screenshot-21-2-1.webp) Starliner descending to the White Sands Space Harbor, in New Mexico, under parachute. ©NASA Starliner's Crew Flight Test mission finally came to a close on September 7th when it touched down at the White Sands Space Harbor, in New Mexico. Boeing and NASA had originally intended for Starliner to spend a little over eight days at the International Space Station, it instead spent almost three months docked. Starliner returned from the space station uncrewed due to NASA's lack of confidence in the vehicle. Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who launched onboard Starliner, remain aboard the International Space Station and are set to return in February 2025, on a Crew Dragon for the Crew-9 mission. During its return to Earth, Starliner is not believed to have run into any major issues. Further details about the mission, crew decision, and the future are available [here](https://proximareport.com/starliner-returns-home-alone/). ## *Tianwen-3 expected to launch NET 2028* ![A diagram representing the mission profile for the Tianwen-3 mission.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GW4dJ6Ja8AAS6yr.jpg) A diagram representing the mission profile for the Tianwen-3 mission. Xinhua [reported](https://english.news.cn/20240905/944b33b609194696849c65d126a6f31e/c.html?ref=proximareport.com) on September 5th that the Tianwen-3 Mars sample return mission is slated to launch no earlier than 2028\. The mission was originally believed to be targeting 2030. Liu Jizhong, Chief Designer of the Tianwen-3 mission, spoke to Xinhua and said the following about the mission: > "China has retrieved the first ever samples from the far side of the moon with the Chang'e-6 mission this year. Since Mars is much farther away than the moon, it will take two launches to carry out the Mars sample-return mission due to the limited carrying capacities of our current rockets. Two Long March-5 carrier rockets will be used for the mission" The Tianwen-3 mission will utilize two launches to send the major mission elements to Mars. These major elements are an Orbiter-Return module and a Lander-Ascent module. The Orbtier-Return module will enter orbit of Mars and perform various scientific experiments while awaiting the samples. The Lander-Ascent module will land on Mars, gather samples, and deliver those samples to the Returner. Once the samples are onboard, the Orbiter-Return will begin the journey back to Earth, the Return capsule will separate from the module in the days before reentry. If successful, the samples will arrive back on Earth around 2031. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* As we have been reporting for the last few weeks, the fifth test flight of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy vehicle is still awaiting regulatory approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. This latest flight test requires a change in the flight plan, notably a potential landing of Booster 12 back at the launch site on the launch towers 'chopsticks'. Both vehicles for flight five, Booster 12 and Ship 30, are ready for flight pending a possible wet dress rehearsal. ### *September 9th - Falcon 9 with Polaris Dawn* The Polaris Dawn mission is expected to launch from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, on a Falcon 9 carrying it to low Earth orbit with four crew onboard. In addition to conducting medical research, the mission would test extravehicular spacesuits made by SpaceX and laser-based Starlink communications on Crew Dragon. The crew for Polaris Dawn is Commander Jared Isaacman, Pilot Scott Poteet, Mission Specialist Anna Menon, and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis. ### *September 11th - H2A with IGS-Radar 8* A H2A rocket is expected to launch from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying the IGS-Radar 8 reconnaissance satellite to a sun-synchronus orbit. ### *September 11th - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-26* A Soyuz rocket is expected to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying three astronauts aboard the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft. The three astronauts are Roscosmos' Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner as well as NASA's Donald Pettit. ### *September 12th - Falcon 9 with BlueBird Block 1* SpaceX is expecting to launch five commercial cellphone-compatible broadband satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 for AST SpaceMobile’s broadband constellation. The booster for this mission is unknown, but it is expected to land back at Landing Zone 1. ### Starliner returns home alone URL: https://proximareport.com/starliner-returns-home-alone/ Last updated: 2024-09-07T20:10:18.000Z After almost three months docked to the International Space Station, Starliner finally began its return to Earth late on Friday the 6th of September, at 22:04 Universal Coordinated Time. > Superb close-up of last night's [@Boeing](https://twitter.com/Boeing?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Starliner undock from the Space Station. Zoom in, you can see every bit. > (video: 4K SpaceTV-1 from the good folks [@sen](https://twitter.com/sen?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) \- brand new, freely accessible to the public soon) [pic.twitter.com/XPyqk8pK7v](https://t.co/XPyqk8pK7v?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr\_Hadfield) [September 7, 2024](https://twitter.com/Cmdr%5FHadfield/status/1832407699687907825?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Starliner undocking from the International Space Station, via [Cmdr\_Hadfield on X](https://x.com/cmdr%5Fhadfield/status/1832407699687907825?t=4MCEg89x5YKfWSmAaSoK2w&ref=proximareport.com). Approximately five hours after leaving the space station, Starliner performed its deorbit burn at 03:17 am, on September 7th. Shortly after, the capsule of Starliner separated from its service module, leaving its faulty thrusters to burn up in the atmosphere. After traveling through the fires of atmospheric reentry, both Starliners drogue and main parachutes deployed, followed by jettison of the heat shield, and eventually touching down at the White Sands Space Harbor, in New Mexico. Speaking [after](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-boeing-welcome-starliner-spacecraft-to-earth-close-mission/?ref=proximareport.com) Starliner touched down, Ken Bowersox, Associate Administrator of NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, said the following about the Crew Flight Test mission and the future: > “Even though it was necessary to return the spacecraft uncrewed, NASA and Boeing learned an incredible amount about Starliner in the most extreme environment possible. NASA looks forward to our continued work with the Boeing team to proceed toward certification of Starliner for crew rotation missions to the space station.” As of writing, Starliner is believed to have performed well without any major issues appearing during its return to Earth. Boeing remained confident in Starliner throughout the mission despite concerns from NASA. NASA decided back in August to have Starliner return uncrewed. ### *What happens to the crew?* The two crew that went up on Starliner back in [June](https://proximareport.com/starliner-carries-first-crew-after-years-of-delays/), Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, are now expected to return on the Crew-9 mission in February 2025\. Crew-9 is currently expected to launch in late September with two empty seats. Returning next February has increased the time Starliner's crew will spend in orbit from just over eight days to eight months. This mission extension is not expected to have any major negative health effects, as several astronauts have spent twelve months in space for one trip. Until Crew-9 launches, the emergency return spacecraft for the Starliner crew is the Crew-8 Crew Dragon. If an emergency were to occur, the Crew-8 spacecraft would bring six people back to Earth, with Starliner's crew secured beneath the four seats currently installed. Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are both experienced astronauts, with this being the third mission for both. So far, Williams has spent over 410 days in space, with Wilmore having spent over 270 days in space. ![Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore aboard the International Space Station in July 2024. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GSKSMHFWoAAOTY3.jpg) Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore aboard the International Space Station in July 2024\. ©NASA Speaking about NASA's decision on [August 24th](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-decides-to-bring-starliner-spacecraft-back-to-earth-without-crew/?ref=cosmicnxws.com), NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said the following about the agency's reasoning: > “Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe, nor routine. The decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring Boeing’s Starliner home uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety" ### *What's next for Starliner?* Boeing and NASA have not yet announced when another test flight of Starliner will occur. It's also unknown if that next flight will be crewed. What is known is that Boeing anticipates six more Starliner launches aboard United Launch Alliance's Atlas V. Boeing cannot book any more Atlas V's due to United Launch Alliance having shifted its focus towards its new launch vehicle, Vulcan. As a result, Starliner can only complete a limited number of possible crewed missions before being tested to fly on top of another rocket. Alongside this, NASA currently doesn't [appear ready](https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/09/after-another-boeing-letdown-nasa-isnt-ready-to-buy-more-starliner-missions/?ref=proximareport.com) to fly more than three Starliner missions before the retirement of the International Space Station. This could have Starliner flying once a year, alongside SpaceX's Crew Dragon, between 2026 and 2029, as the space station is set to deorbit around 2030. --- ### *What is Starliner?* Starliner is Boeing's crew capsule that operates under NASA's Commercial Crew program, alongside SpaceX's Crew Dragon. The spacecraft can carry four astronauts and 100 kilograms of cargo to the International Space Station, in an emergency it can support seven astronauts. Astronauts inside the capsule of Starliner have access to eleven cubic meters of space. ![Starliner docked to the International Space Station during its Crewed Flight Test mission. ©Boeing](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GTXRCERW0AAAXxE.jpg) Starliner docked to the International Space Station during its Crewed Flight Test mission. ©Boeing Starliner consists of a capsule and a service module. The capsule houses the astronauts and the docking system that allows its passengers to enter the International Space Station. The capsule is also designed to be reused up to ten times with a six-month turnaround between missions. Starliner's service module is expended for each mission, it provides power and propulsion to the spacecraft alongside housing the abort system. The abort system of Starliner uses four Rocketdyne RS-88 engines burning Monomethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide to push the spacecraft away from a failing launch vehicle. Fully fuelled atop of a launch vehicle Starliner weighs approximately 13,000 kilograms. ### Monthly Dose of Space - August 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-august-2024/ Last updated: 2024-09-01T21:07:12.000Z Welcome to our eleventh Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month we haven't covered in our weekly newsletters. August has been yet another busy month worldwide, so let's jump into it! ## **SpaceX** This month at Starbase began on August 1st when the fifth module of the second launch tower was lifted and secured to the tower on August 1st. August 2nd saw the sixth module beginning preparations to lift. The following day, August 3rd, the sixth module was lifted onto the second launch tower, work to secure it started shortly after the lift. A day later, August 4th, the CC 8800-1 crane used for stacking the second launch tower was lowered, ahead of extending it for stacking the final modules of the tower. The following day, August 5th, workers were spotted removing thermal protection tiles from Ship 31's nose, beginning the replacement of its tiles like Ship 30\. Early the next morning, August 6th, Ship 30 was once again rolled out to Massey's for testing, as the vehicle had one of its engines swapped out. August 7th had the B14.1 test tank rolled back out to the launch site, possibly ahead of more catch testing using the towers 'chopsticks'. These tests would have the test tank sit on the orbital launch mount while the 'chopsticks' move around it. B14.1 was lifted onto the orbital launch mount later the same day. Ship 30 performed a spin prime test with an unknown number of engines late on August 7th, most likely to test the replaced engine. August 9th would have Ship 30 return to the production site from Massey's. A few days later, August 13th, the seventh module of the second launch tower was rolled out to the launch site. Two days later, while module seven was waiting to be stacked, the eighth module also rolled out to the launch site. The morning of the 15th of August had module seven lifted and attached to the second launch tower. The following day, August 16th, B14.1 and the launch towers 'chopsticks' performed several tests to test catching a booster. Some of these tests had only one arm move, or both, with one occurring above B14.1, likely where SpaceX expects the booster to shut down its engines. August 17th had B14.1 removed from the orbital launch mount and rolled back to the production site. A few hours later, a test tank was seen rolling out from the production site to the Massey's test site. The same day also had module eight stacked onto the second launch tower. A couple of days later, August 19th, the ninth, and final, module of the second launch tower rolled out to the launch site. Two days later, on August 21st, the ninth module was lifted onto the launch tower. After the lift, teams quickly got to work securing the module and connecting various systems ahead of further hardware installation. After a few days, on the 27th when Ship 31 was spotted still undergoing work to replace its thousands of thermal protection tiles. Work on replacing these tiles is believed to be nearing completion. The same day crews were also spotted working inside of Ship 30's payload bay, it's unknown what they were working on inside. On the 28th teams working on the second launch tower were seen installing a stop for the towers 'chopsticks' to prevent it from moving too far down once installed. The 28th also had workers removing some of the scaffolding needed to work on Ship 31 thermal protection tiles, indicating that work on the tiles will be finished soon. A couple of days later on the 30th teams were once again seen moving into Ship 30's payload bay. Workers were also seen working underneath Starhopper, possibly ahead of moving it into SpaceX's new office building at Starbase. ## **News of the Month** August saw Falcon 9 being grounded and returning to flight, China's first mega-constellation reaching orbit, Starliner's crew staying onboard the International Space Station until 2025, and Intuitive Machines fourth moon mission gaining NASA payloads. *Three stories in this month's news are from recent Weekly Dose of Space issues due to how close these newsletters were written, we believe these stories are of sufficient importance to be included here too.* ### *Rocket Lab made Mars satellites reach Florida!* The Rocket Lab made Mars-bound satellites for NASA's ESCAPADE mission were shipped to Florida on [August 16th](https://www.rocketlabusa.com/updates/rocket-lab-ships-twin-satellites-to-launch-site-for-nasa-mars-mission/?ref=proximareport.com), and arrived on [August 18th](https://blogs.nasa.gov/escapade/2024/08/20/nasas-2-escapade-spacecraft-arrive-in-florida-for-launch/?ref=proximareport.com). The two satellites are currently at the Astrotech Space Operations Facility in Titusville, Florida, where they are undergoing inspection ahead of final assembly and fuelling. ESCAPADE's Principal Investigator, Rob Lillis, from the University of California, Berkeley, Space Sciences Laboratory, said the following about the delivery of the satellite duo: > “The successful delivery of the spacecraft marks a significant milestone and the culmination of over three years of dedicated teamwork from individuals across the project,” – “Now, we’re thrilled to embark on this first step of our journey to Mars!” Fuelling of the two ESCAPADE spacecraft is expected to occur sometime in September, ahead of integration on Blue Origin's launch vehicle. The ESCAPADE, Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, mission is currently planned to launch to Mars in early October onboard Blue Origin's New Glenn launch vehicle. ### *Intuitive Machines fourth lunar mission to carry NASA payloads* Intuitive Machines announced on [August 29th](https://www.intuitivemachines.com/post/intuitive-machines-strengthens-lunar-service-capabilities-with-116-9-million-nasa-lunar-contract-aw?ref=proximareport.com) that it had been awarded a contract worth 116.9 million United States Dollars by NASA to carry science and technology payloads to the lunar surface. These payloads are expected to fly on the company's IM-4 mission which is currently slated for 2027, and will land at the lunar south pole. The payloads are currently expected to be as follows: - **PROSPECT** \- *Package for Resource Observation and In-Situ Prospecting for Exploration, Characterization, and Testing* is a suite of instruments that will extract samples from beneath the lunar surface to identify possible volatiles trapped at extremely cold temperatures. - **LRA** \- *Laser Retroreflector Array* is a collection of eight retroreflectors that enable precision lasers to measure the distance between the orbiting or landing spacecraft to the reflector on the lander. - **SEAL** \- *Surface Exosphere Alterations by Landers* is expected to investigate the chemical response of lunar regolith to the thermal, physical, and chemical disturbances generated during a landing and evaluate contaminants injected into the regolith by the lander. - **MAG** \- *Fluxgate Magnetometer* is expected to characterize certain magnetic fields to improve the understanding of energy and particle pathways at the lunar surface. - **L-CIRiS** \- *Lunar Compact Infrared Imaging System* is planned to deploy a radiometer to explore the Moon’s surface composition, map its surface temperature distribution, and demonstrate the instrument’s feasibility for future lunar resource utilization activities. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center will manage MAG, SEAL, and LRA; the European Space Agency will manage PROSPECT; and the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado at Boulder will manage L-CIRiS. Speaking about the contract award, Steve Altemus, Chief Executive Officer of Intuitive Machines, said the following: > “Over the last several years, we’ve witnessed NASA’s successful Artemis I mission and the campaign’s progress toward sustainably returning humans to the surface of the Moon, highlighting the importance of autonomous missions that advance humanity’s understanding of the Moon and the commercial services required to support the industry,” – “Intuitive Machines looks forward to working closely with the NASA team to deliver mission success once again.” ### *Falcon 9 returns to flight in 71 hours* ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 during ascent for the Starlink Group 8-10 mission, seen from Launch Complex 39A with the Polaris Dawn mission prepared for launch. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GWTVcTUX0AM1KwN-1.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 during ascent for the Starlink Group 8-10 mission, seen from Launch Complex 39A with the Polaris Dawn mission prepared for launch. ©SpaceX SpaceX suffered from its first booster landing in years on [August 28th](https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-grounded-for-the-second-time-in-2024/). Almost three days later, Falcon 9 would [return to flight](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1829787313708073333?ref=proximareport.com) from Space Launch Complex 40\. This is believed to have been the fastest return to flight of a privately operated orbital launch vehicle, with the total time grounded between flights at approximately 71 hours and 47 minutes. Falcon 9 was grounded after an anomaly occurred with booster B1062 during landing. During the landing, booster B1062 appeared to come down toward the drone ship too fast, causing at least one of its legs to fail. The failed leg resulted in the booster tipping over and being lost. The unplanned loss of the vehicle triggered a mishap investigation by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration [allowed](https://x.com/SciGuySpace/status/1829647464464568677?ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 to return to flight on August 30th while the mishap investigation is still ongoing. SpaceX then launched two Falcon 9's an hour and five minutes apart after being given regulatory approval. SpaceX's team expects the solution to the anomaly to be a simple fix, as booster B1062 had performed twenty-three flights, and twenty-two landings, before being lost while also being a few years old. The problem is also currently believed to be affecting [recovery hardware](https://x.com/edwards345/status/1828885347037786343?ref=proximareport.com), a fix to this problem is already believed to be in place on newer Falcon 9 boosters. ### *China's first mega-constellation sets sail* ![The first eighteen satellites of the Qianfan constellation as seen from the Long March 6A's second-stage.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GUZTnKDXEAAGU3O.jpg) The first eighteen satellites of the Qianfan constellation as seen from the Long March 6A's second-stage. China's first of three mega-constellations headed into orbit on [August 6th](https://proximareport.com/china-begins-mega-constellation/). This first launch was for the Shanghai-backed Qianfan (千帆) constellation, with eighteen satellites being launched. Up to five more launches for the Qianfan constellation may possibly occur this year, to complete plans to have 108 satellites on orbit before the year's end. However following satellite deployment, the Long March 6A's second-stage suffered from an anomaly during passivization and broke up into hundreds of pieces of debris. U.S. Space Command initially [tracked](https://x.com/US%5FSpaceCom/status/1821615199230816555?t=vv-s2Hh-rtvqVoW%5F9A4fTw&ref=proximareport.com) 300 pieces of debris, with LeoLabs later [tracking](https://x.com/LeoLabs%5FSpace/status/1821674976245670386?ref=proximareport.com) between 700 and 900 debris pieces. It's unknown what caused the breakup of the second-stage, but a similar event was observed in November of last year. The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology has reportedly resolved this problem before, but it has reappeared for a currently unknown reason. The Long March 6A team is likely keen to resolve this issue, as keeping low Earth orbit clear of debris would save China's three mega-constellation projects a significant amount of capital, as satellites wouldn't need to be replaced as often. The three mega-constellation projects underway in China are the aforementioned Shanghai-backed Qianfan (千帆) constellation, the government-backed GuoWang (郭望) constellation, and the LandSpace-Hongqing Technology joint venture called Honghu-3. ### *Starliner crew to return in 2025* NASA has [decided](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-decides-to-bring-starliner-spacecraft-back-to-earth-without-crew/?ref=cosmicnxws.com), on August 24th, that the two astronauts onboard Starliner for its Crew Flight Test will return on the Crew-9 SpaceX Crew Dragon in February of 2025\. Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore launch to the International Space Station aboard Starliner back on [June 5th](https://proximareport.com/starliner-carries-first-crew-after-years-of-delays/). The two astronauts were originally slated to spend just over eight days aboard the International Space Station and have now been up there for over two months. Returning with Crew-9 would increase their total time aboard the station to eight months. Starliner will return to Earth uncrewed after a planned undocking no earlier than September 6th. After Starliner departs, and while Crew-8 is still at the station, the Crew-8 Crew Dragon spacecraft will be the lifeboat for Sunita and Butch. Crew-9 will launch to the space station in late September with only two astronauts onboard, while bringing spacesuits for Sunita and Butch. Those two astronauts heading up on Crew-9 will be NASA's Nick Hague and Roscosmos' Aleksandr Gorbunov. Speaking at a press conference about the decision, Steve Stich, Manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, said the following about the spacecraft: > “Starliner is a very capable spacecraft and, ultimately, this comes down to needing a higher level of certainty to perform a crewed return,” – “The NASA and Boeing teams have completed a tremendous amount of testing and analysis, and this flight test is providing critical information on Starliner’s performance in space. Our efforts will help prepare for the uncrewed return and will greatly benefit future corrective actions for the spacecraft.” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson also spoke at the press conference saying: > “Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe, nor routine. The decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring Boeing’s Starliner home uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety: our core value and our North Star,” – “I’m grateful to both the NASA and Boeing teams for all their incredible and detailed work.” Both Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are in orbit for the third time. ### *Jason Kim to become CEO of Firefly* Firefly [announced](https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-names-jason-kim-as-new-chief-executive-officer/?ref=proximareport.com) on August 29th that Jason Kim would become the Chief Executive Officer of the company, effective October 1st 2024. Jason Kim has previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of Millennium Space Systems as well as in leadership roles at Raytheon Intelligence & Space, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, and the U.S. Air Force. In the company's press release, Jason Kim said the following: > “I have long admired Firefly’s relentless drive and innovative spirit, particularly during our collaboration on the VICTUS NOX mission for the U.S. Space Force,” – “I am honored to join this unstoppable team and look forward to building on Firefly’s success and leading the company into a new era of category-defining achievements in the industry.” In the same press release, Firefly Aerospace's Chairman of the Board, Kirk Konert, said the following about the company's new Chief Executive Officer: > “Jason Kim’s deep industry expertise, coupled with his proven ability to lead high-performing teams and execute on strategic growth initiatives, makes him the ideal leader for Firefly Aerospace,” – “We are confident that under his leadership, Firefly will continue to achieve major milestones across our launch, lunar, and on-orbit programs.” ### *ABL reveals Flight 2 lost in fire* ABL Space Systems [shared an update](https://x.com/ablspacesystems/status/1828182472439611528/photo/1?ref=proximareport.com) on its investigation into the loss of its Flight 2 RS1 vehicle on August 26th. Initially, the company [stated](https://x.com/ablspacesystems/status/1815476558385311900?ref=proximareport.com) that the vehicle was lost during a static fire. ABL believes that all eleven engines on RS1's first-stage ignited successfully for 0.5 seconds before shutting down due to a low-pressure reading in one of the engines. After shutdown, a fire is believed to have started, which was then sustained by fuel leaks from two engines. ABL states that offloading of the rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants began at T+4:20 and T+9:20 respectively. At T+11:30 ABL believes that water used in the launchpad's fire suppression system ran out, leading to the loss of propellant offloading followed by first-stage telemetry. By T+23:24 RS1's structural thermal limits are believed to have been exceeded, causing the vehicle to collapse on the launchpad. ABL's current leading theory is that differences between propellant feed systems between Flight 1 and 2 led to a high-energy startup, causing combustion instability in two out of the eleven engines. The anomaly investigation is still ongoing currently, as such ABL may discover additional causes for the failure. A few days after the press release about Flight 2, ABL Space Systems Chief Executive Officer, Harry O'Hanley, [announced on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7235303025525846016/?ref=proximareport.com) that the company was laying off an unspecified number of employees. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw twenty-two launches worldwide, if you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *August 1st - Long March 3B/E with WHG-02* Beginning this month was a Long March 3B/E lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying a new communications satellite to a geosynchronous transfer orbit. The satellite was the second ‘Internet high-orbit satellite’ (Weixing Hulianwang Gaogui, WHG) spacecraft. ### *August 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-6* SpaceX launched its first twenty-three Starlink satellites for the month to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1078 on its twelfth flight, with it landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ### *August 2nd - Electron for 'Owl for One, One for Owl'* Rocket Lab launched its first Electron of the month from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula, carrying a synthetic aperture radar satellite to a sun-synchronous orbit for Synspective. ### *August 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-1* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1082 making its sixth flight, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *August 4th - Falcon 9 with Cygnus NG-21* Also on August 4th, a Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying Northrop Grumman's twentieth Cygnus resupply mission to the International Space Station. The booster for this mission was B1080 flying for the tenth time and landing back at Landing Zone 1. ### *August 6th - Long March 6A with Qianfan Polar Group 01* A Long March 6A lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying the first 18 satellites for China's Qianfan constellation. These satellites are believed to have been deployed at an altitude of approximately 800 kilometers. Details about this constellation are available [here](https://proximareport.com/china-begins-mega-constellation/). ### *August 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-3* Another Falcon 9 launched carrying twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, this time from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1067 for its twenty-first time and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *August 11th - Electron for 'A Sky Full of SARs'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula, carrying a synthetic aperture radar Earth-imaging satellite to low Earth orbit for Capella Space. ### *August 12th - Falcon 9 with Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission* SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission satellites, shortened to ASBM 1 & 2, for Space Norway. These satellites were built by Northrop Grumman with cooperation and payloads from the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, the United States Air Force, and Inmarsat. The booster for this mission was B1061 making its 22nd flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *August 12th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-7* Another Falcon 9 launched later on the same day carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1073 flying for the 17th time and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ### *August 15th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-28* A Soyuz 2.1a lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the Progress MS-28 spacecraft to low Earth orbit. Progress MS-28 is carrying supplies for the crew currently onboard the International Space Station, and began chasing down the station once on orbit. Docking to the station's Zvezda module occurred on August 17th at 05:53 am Universal Coordinate Time. ### *August 15th - Falcon 9 with WorldView Legion 3 & 4* Yet another Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying two of Maxar's WorldView Legion satellites to a low Earth orbit. These satellites are part of a group of six Earth observation spacecraft with a 30 cm resolution. The booster for this mission was B1076 on its 16th flight and landing back at Landing Zone 1. ### *August 16th - SSLV with EOS-08* The Indian Space Research Organisation launched an SSLV rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Center carrying the EOS-08 satellite into low Earth orbit. EOS-08 is a small 175.5-kilogram Earth observation satellite. Details about the launch and satellite are available [here](https://proximareport.com/india-final-development-sslv/). ### *August 16th - Long March 4B with Yaogan-43 Group 01* A Long March 4B lifted off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying what is believed to be nine satellites to low Earth orbit. The rocket is also believed to have flown with a new 4.2-meter diameter fairing too. ### *August 16th - Falcon 9 for Transporter 11* Falcon 9 lifted off once again this week heading to sun-synchronus orbit for the Transporter 11 mission out of Space Launch Complex 4E. Onboard the rocket were 116 payloads for both commercial and government customers. The booster for this mission was B1075 on its 12th flight at landing at Landing Zone 4, near the launch site. ### *August 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-5* SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-two Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1085, making its first flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ### *August 22nd - Long March 7A with ChinaSat-4A* The second Long March 7A launch of 2024 carried ChinaSat-4A to a geostationary transfer orbit from LC-201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ChinaSat-4A will reportedly be used to provide data, radio, voice, and television transmission services. ### *August 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-6* SpaceX launched yet another batch of twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission, B1062, was flying for the twenty-third time but was [lost](https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-grounded-for-the-second-time-in-2024/) shortly after touching down on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ### *August 29th - Ceres-1S for 'How Far I'll Go'* Galactic Energy's fourth Ceres-1 of 2024 launched from a sea launch platform in the Yellow Sea carrying six satellites to a sun-synchronus orbit. The six satellites were Yunyao-1 15 (云遥一号15), Yunyao-1 16 (云遥一号16), Yunyao-1 17 (云遥一号17), Jitianxing A-03 (吉天星A-03), Suxing-1 01 (苏星一号01), and Tianfu Gaofen-2 (天辅高分二号). ### *August 29th - New Shepard with NS-26* Blue Origin flew another sub-orbital space tourism mission from their launch site in West Texas. The passengers for this flight were Ephraim Rabin, Nicolina Elrick, Eugene Grin, Rob Ferl, Karsen Kitchen, and Eiman Jahangir. ### *August 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-10* Another Falcon 9 carried twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1069 flying for the eighteenth time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read the Instructions'. ### *August 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-5* Yet another batch of twenty-one Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster for this mission was B1081 on its ninth flight, and landed on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ## Launches to look out for in September! September looks to be another busy month of launches. Listed below are all of the launches expected or very likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of September may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *September 3rd - Long March 4B with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 4B is believed to be targeting launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The payload onboard the rocket is currently unknown. ### *September 4th - Vega with Sentinel-2C* The final Vega launch vehicle is expected to launch to sun-synchronous orbit carrying the Sentinel-2C Earth observation satellite, for use with land surveying services. Vega is planned to be replaced with Vega-C. ### *September 4th - Falcon 9 with Polaris Dawn* The Polaris Dawn mission is expected to launch from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, on a Falcon 9 carrying it to low Earth orbit with four crew onboard. In addition to conducting medical research, the mission would test extravehicular spacesuits made by SpaceX and laser-based Starlink communications on Crew Dragon. The crew for Polaris Dawn is Commander Jared Isaacman, Pilot Scott Poteet, Mission Specialist Anna Menon, and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis. ### *September 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-11* SpaceX is expecting to launch another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of Falcon 9. ### *September 5th - Long March 6 with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 6 is believed to be targeting launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The payloads are currently unknown. ### *September 11th - H2A with IGS-Radar 8* A H2A rocket is expected to launch from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying the IGS-Radar 8 reconnaissance satellite to a sun-synchronus orbit. ### *September 11th - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-26* A Soyuz rocket is expected to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying three astronauts aboard the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft. The three astronauts are Roscosmos' Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner as well as NASA's Donald Pettit. ### *September 13th - Falcon 9 with Galileo FM26 & 28* SpaceX is expecting to launch two of Europe's Galileo satellites to medium Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Florida. ### *September 16th - Vulcan for Certification Flight 2* United Launch Alliance is expecting to launch its second certification flight to demonstrate Vulcan's capabilities for its United States government customers. These certification flights are needed ahead of Vulcan carrying military spacecraft. ### *September 24th - Falcon 9 with Crew-9* SpaceX is expected to launch Crew-9 atop of Falcon 9 carrying Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov to the International Space Station. The booster supporting this mission will be B1085, flying for the second time. ### Cosmic Curiosities - September 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/cosmic-curiosities-september-2024/ Last updated: 2024-09-01T18:52:02.000Z Hello and welcome to the second "Cosmic Curiosities" newsletter! In this monthly newsletter, we will go over the big astronomy events you should expect in the coming month. From meteor showers to planetary aligning and anything in between. We also will dive into all of the out-of-this-world discoveries and big stories from the past month! ## **What's up this month?** September is packed with space events making it a perfect month for both amateur stargazers and professional astrophotographers. Let's quickly dive into all the major celestial events happening in September! ### *New Moon - September 3rd* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Untitled-design--12-.png) Kicking off the month, the Moon will hit its "New Moon" phase on the 3rd. A new Moon occurs when the Moon is directly between the Earth and the Sun, making the Moon nearly impossible for the unaided eye to see. New Moons occur about once a month because that is nearly how long the lunar cycle is. As the days count down, the Moon will only be apparent in the night sky by thin lighting seen on the edges of our celestial neighbor. As we get closer to the third, this crescent of light will dim. If you are lucky to have clear skies at the beginning of September, definitely look up at the night sky, as the Moon's light won't interfere with the fainter stars, making stargazing a lot more enjoyable! ### *Saturn opposition - September 8th* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Saturn-opposition-visual-aide.png) Saturn opposition visual aide (by yours truly) Less than a week after the Moon restarts its lunar cycle, Saturn will be at opposition, making it the brightest it will be this year. Opposition refers to when Saturn is "opposite" of the Sun. Earth will fall in between the ringed gas giant and our host star, meaning Saturn's plane will be completely illuminated from our perspective. Soon after sunset on Sunday the 8th, be sure to look towards the East and you'll be sure to see Saturn, that is if local weather cooperates. You will easily be able to see Saturn (as a bright light in the night sky) with the naked eye, however, if you have the ability, using a telescope or binoculars will enhance the experience even more as you should be able to see the gas giants rings! ### *Partial Lunar Eclipse - September 17th* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/DQPz9XN8nG2jpSopxvmj4C-650-80.jpg.webp) Partial lunar eclipse as seen by NASA Astronaut Christina Koch back in 2019 while aboard the ISS ****Credit: Christina Koch/NASA/ISS** As you may (or may not) know, a lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon goes behind the Earth. Meaning the Earth is "in-between" the Moon and the Sun. However, a partial lunar eclipse is when only part of the Moon is covered by the Earth's umbral shadow, while the other part is lit as normal. This is caused when the celestial objects aren't exactly aligned; Making part of the Moon appear red and far dimmer, while the rest will be lit up by the glaring sun. Below you can see where the partial lunar eclipse will be best seen on Earth as well as the best times to view the eclipse, based on a few cities. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Untitled-design--13-.png) Map image - ****Credit: Dominic Ford** Data table - ****Credit: Time and Date** ### *Super Harvest Moon - September 18th* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/Harvest-moon-Elmarie-van-Rooyen-Smoky-Lake-Alberta-Canada-Sep-10-2022-e1694888231907.jpeg) 2022's Super Harvest Moon ****Credit: Elmarie Van Rooyen** A day after the partial lunar eclipse, the Moon will enter its "super harvest" phase. A harvest Moon is the name given to the full Moon that falls closest to the autumnal equinox. The name was given to the Moon as before electricity farmers used the light of the Moon to help them harvest crops into the later parts of the evening. Though, it doesn't stop there as this is also a super Moon, making Wednesday's Moon a "Super Harvest Moon." A "super" Moon is the name given to our cosmic neighbor when it is both at its fullest luminosity and its closest to Earth (at its orbital perigee). ### September Equinox - September 22nd ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/equinoxes-and-solstices-e1692746198109.png) Orbital view of Equinoxes and Solstices ****Credit: NASA** Closing out the month we have the September equinox, marking the beginning of Autumn! An equinox is when the Sun appears directly above the equator, rather than just north or south of it. Because of this, the sunlight is nearly completely uniform on the surface of the Earth, making night and day approximately equal in length. Once the equinox is done those in the north can expect the days to get shorter and shorter, while the nights get longer and longer; the opposite will occur in the southern hemisphere. ## **Interstellar news from August** Now let's dive into the biggest news stories in our solar system and beyond from the past month! ### *NASA's Roman Grace Telescope aims to investigate galactic fossils* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/rEjCPwMF86GuMbsMMWVJUA.jpg) Artist rendition of the Roman telescope Credit: NASA/GSFC/SVS Set to launch in 2027, NASA's upcoming Roman-Grace telescope will boast a field of view 100 times larger than that of Hubble and will probe the Universe in infrared. Far part of its scientific observation, astronomers will use the telescope to study galactic "fossils" helping scientists understand how galaxies form and evolve. Studying galactic fossils is very hard, as most galaxies we observe are already (or nearly) fully evolved. There are small instances where scientists have been able to piece together the evolution of galaxies based on small factors. One of these small factors is looking at the stellar structure within a galaxy. The structure of galaxies, as you know, is made up of stars. Thus, if you study the stars closely, scientists can piece together the evolution of galaxies. Astronomers are now setting up potential observations under the name RINGS (Roman Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey). Under this, Roman will study ancient stars that can hint at a galaxy's evolution as well as the chemical makeup of the ever-changing galaxy. It isn't known yet if this will be added to the orbital observatories science roster, but let's hope it is! NASA's Roman telescope and Hubble will likely team up to better study key targets. Roman's vast wide field view is a great complimentary aide to Hubble's more narrow view. ### *Event Horizon Telescope gets performance boost* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/eso2411b.jpg) Locations of the several telescopes/arrays utilized by the EHT to capture images of black holes ****Credit: EHT** The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) teamed up recently, obtaining the highest resolution ever observed from the surface of the Earth. The two telescope clusters were able to detect light from the center of distance galaxies at a frequency of 345 GHz (equivalent to a wavelength of 0.87mm). Astronomers estimate that breakthroughs with this growing collaborative effort will make black hole images 50% more detailed than previously possible. This increased capability will allow astronomers the ability to further study the area immediately around these cosmic titans. Fun fact: EHT and ALMA have paired up in the past to image the first black hole ever at the center of the M87 galaxy back in 2019 and later the Sagittarius A black hole at the center of our very own, Milky Way galaxy. ### *Perseverance begins a hike up the Jezero crater* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/e2_-_PIA26374_-_Rim_Drive_Map_-_Final.png) The approximate route NASA's Perseverance rover will take up the Jezero Crater (from Serpentine Rapids to Witch Hazel hill) ****Credit: NASA/JPL** After spending three and a half years exploring the floor of the Jezero crater, NASA's Perseverance rover embarked on a hike up to the crater rim on August 19th. This slow hike will take over a month to be completed and marks a new leg of the robotic surveyor's scientific mission. Once the rover safely ascends the nearly 300-meter (1,000ft) wall of the crater, it will begin to conduct science on the crater rim. Two points of interest have been set up in advance, one named "Pico Turquino” and the other “Witch Hazel Hill." Based on imagery collected by various NASA Mars orbiters, planetary scientists believe that the two sites have geological signs (in the form of fractures) that could very easily have been caused by ancient hydrothermal activity on the red planet. > Our samples are already an incredibly scientifically compelling collection, but the crater rim promises to provide even more samples that will have significant implications for our understanding of Martian geologic history” - Eleni Ravanis, Scientist and one of the Crater Rim Campaign science leads. ## **Celestial Spotlight** Finally, lets go over the space image of the month captured by NASA's Hubble space telescope! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/and-field1-new-flat-2-cont-final.jpg) Stars and ionized gas within one of the Andromeda galaxies many spiral arms as seen by Hubble ****Credit: NASA/Hubble/ESA** ### Hubble probes Andromeda's rosy tendrils NASA's Hubble Space Telescope (HST) took this truly breathtaking image of the Milky Way's galactic neighbor, Andromeda. Andromeda, also known as M31 is a galaxy located some 2.5 million light years away from our own. This stood out to the team here as a breathtaking and fascinating image. I mean think about it, we are looking at hundreds of thousands of stars OUTSIDE of our galaxy. All with likely a handful of planets each, worlds as unaware of our existence, as we are unaware of theirs. Using Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) and Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3), astronomers were able to zoom into the spiral arms of our galactic counterparts. The red gas you see is a clear indicator of recent (at a universal scale) star-forming activities. The study of these tendrils has given scientists a large sample size of stars, furthering our understanding of the galaxy's stellar diversity and history, as well as more insight into stellar formation and evolution. Due to Andromeda's scale in our night sky and relative proximity to our galaxy, it is the perfect night sky object for astronomers, professional or amateur to further explore the mysteries of the universe. Studying Andromeda allows scientists around the world the ability to better understand our galaxy as well as how galaxies billions of light years away operate, so to speak. ### Honorable Mention As promised last time, we want to slowly expand upon this portion of the newsletters, so here is an honorable mention for this month's Celestial spotlight! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/09/GUvCvxUWUAA0ate.jpg) Earth and the Milky Way as pictured aboard the International Space Station ****Credit Matthew Dominick** ### Cosmic sea, home and the ISS Taken by Astronaut Matthew Dominick while aboard the International Space Station, this is truly an amazing image and could easily be this month's celestial spotlight. Matthew always delivers when it comes to capturing the beauty of the universe from aboard the ISS, showcasing the Milky Way in ways we never have seen before! The atmosphere being illuminated by the Sun and the slight aurora effect due to particles being charged in the upper atmosphere is the icing on the cake in this image. It reminds us of the famous Sagan quote that goes as follows: > We have lingered long enough on the shores of the cosmic ocean, we are ready at last to set sail for the stars." - Carl Sagan, Cosmos That is all from us today, we hope you enjoy the second edition of Cosmic Curiosities, we plan on continually refining and improving this newsletter, so stay tuned! Until next time, happy star-watching! ### Weekly Dose of Space (25/8-31/8) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-25-8-31-8/ Last updated: 2024-09-01T16:04:45.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had five launches above the Kármán line worldwide. News this week had Firefly Aerospace bring a new Chief Executive Officer onboard, and ABL Space Systems sharing an update into its recent static fire anomaly. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on the 27th when Ship 31 was spotted still undergoing work to replace its thousands of thermal protection tiles. Work on replacing these tiles is believed to be nearing completion. The same day crews were also spotted working inside of Ship 30's payload bay, it's unknown what they were working on inside. On the 28th teams working on the second launch tower were seen installing a stop for the towers 'chopsticks' to prevent it from moving too far down once installed. The 28th also had workers removing some of the scaffolding needed to work on Ship 31 thermal protection tiles, indicating that work on the tiles will be finished soon. A couple of days later on the 30th teams were once again seen moving into Ship 30's payload bay. Workers were also seen working underneath Starhopper, possibly ahead of moving it into SpaceX's new office building at Starbase. ## **Launches This Week** ### *August 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-6* SpaceX launched a batch of twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission, B1062, was flying for the twenty-third time but was [lost](https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-grounded-for-the-second-time-in-2024/) shortly after touching down on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 8-6 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GWFgYQ0agAAFrGr.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 8-6 mission. ©SpaceX ### *August 29th - Ceres-1S for 'How Far I'll Go'* Galactic Energy's fourth Ceres-1 of 2024 launched from a sea launch platform in the Yellow Sea carrying six satellites to a sun-synchronus orbit. The six satellites were Yunyao-1 15 (云遥一号15), Yunyao-1 16 (云遥一号16), Yunyao-1 17 (云遥一号17), Jitianxing A-03 (吉天星A-03), Suxing-1 01 (苏星一号01), and Tianfu Gaofen-2 (天辅高分二号). ![The Ceres-1S Y3 vehicle lifting off from its launch platform in the Yellow Sea.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/66d0828aa3106063b594cd5c.jpeg) The Ceres-1S Y3 vehicle lifting off from its launch platform in the Yellow Sea. ### *August 29th - New Shepard with NS-26* Blue Origin flew another sub-orbital space tourism mission from their launch site in West Texas. The passengers for this flight were Ephraim Rabin, Nicolina Elrick, Eugene Grin, Rob Ferl, Karsen Kitchen, and Eiman Jahangir. > An epic journey. [#NS26](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NS26?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/FzQeMuQNB6](https://t.co/FzQeMuQNB6?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) [August 30, 2024](https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1829641872983408912?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Blue Origin's post-flight recap of the NS-26 mission, [via X](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1829641872983408912?ref=proximareport.com). ### *August 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-10* Another Falcon 9 carried twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1069 flying for the eighteenth time and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read the Instructions'. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 during ascent for the Starlink Group 8-10 mission, seen from Launch Complex 39A with the Polaris Dawn mission prepared for launch. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GWTVcTUX0AM1KwN.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 during ascent for the Starlink Group 8-10 mission, seen from Launch Complex 39A with the Polaris Dawn mission prepared for launch. ©SpaceX ### *August 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-5* Yet another batch of twenty-one Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster for this mission was B1081 on its ninth flight, and landed on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 during ascent for the Starlink Group 9-5 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GWTVYqXbcAA4tm3.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 during ascent for the Starlink Group 9-5 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ## *Jason Kim to become CEO of Firefly* ![Firefly Aerospace's announcement image for Jason Kim becoming the company's Chief Executive Officer. ©Firefly Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/Jason-Kim-1024x576.webp) Firefly Aerospace's announcement image for Jason Kim becoming the company's Chief Executive Officer. ©Firefly Aerospace Firefly [announced](https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-names-jason-kim-as-new-chief-executive-officer/?ref=proximareport.com) on August 29th that Jason Kim would become the Chief Executive Officer of the company, effective October 1st 2024. Jason Kim has previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of Millennium Space Systems as well as in leadership roles at Raytheon Intelligence & Space, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, and the U.S. Air Force. In the company's press release, Jason Kim said the following: > “I have long admired Firefly’s relentless drive and innovative spirit, particularly during our collaboration on the VICTUS NOX mission for the U.S. Space Force,” – “I am honored to join this unstoppable team and look forward to building on Firefly’s success and leading the company into a new era of category-defining achievements in the industry.” In the same press release, Firefly Aerospace's Chairman of the Board, Kirk Konert, said the following about the company's new Chief Executive Officer: > “Jason Kim’s deep industry expertise, coupled with his proven ability to lead high-performing teams and execute on strategic growth initiatives, makes him the ideal leader for Firefly Aerospace,” – “We are confident that under his leadership, Firefly will continue to achieve major milestones across our launch, lunar, and on-orbit programs.” ## *ABL reveals Flight 2 lost in fire* ABL Space Systems [shared an update](https://x.com/ablspacesystems/status/1828182472439611528/photo/1?ref=proximareport.com) on its investigation into the loss of its Flight 2 RS1 vehicle on August 26th. Initially, the company [stated](https://x.com/ablspacesystems/status/1815476558385311900?ref=proximareport.com) that the vehicle was lost during a static fire. ABL believes that all eleven engines on RS1's first-stage ignited successfully for 0.5 seconds before shutting down due to a low-pressure reading in one of the engines. After shutdown, a fire is believed to have started, which was then sustained by fuel leaks from two engines. ABL states that offloading of the rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants began at T+4:20 and T+9:20 respectively. At T+11:30 ABL believes that water used in the launchpad's fire suppression system ran out, leading to the loss of propellant offloading followed by first-stage telemetry. By T+23:24 RS1's structural thermal limits are believed to have been exceeded, causing the vehicle to collapse on the launchpad. ABL's current leading theory is that differences between propellant feed systems between Flight 1 and 2 led to a high-energy startup, causing combustion instability in two out of the eleven engines. The anomaly investigation is still ongoing currently, as such ABL may discover additional causes for the failure. A few days after the press release about Flight 2, ABL Space Systems Chief Executive Officer, Harry O'Hanley, [announced on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7235303025525846016/?ref=proximareport.com) that the company was laying off an unspecified number of employees. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* Once again, the fifth test flight of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy vehicle is still awaiting regulatory approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. This latest flight test requires a change in the flight plan, notably a potential landing of Booster 12 back at the launch site on the launch towers 'chopsticks'. Despite this, both vehicles for flight five, Booster 12 and Ship 30, are ready for flight pending a possible wet dress rehearsal. ### *September 3rd - Long March 4B with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 4B is believed to be targeting launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The payload onboard the rocket is currently unknown. ### *September 4th - Vega with Sentinel-2C* The final Vega launch vehicle is expected to launch to sun-synchronous orbit carrying the Sentinel-2C Earth observation satellite, for use with land surveying services. Vega is planned to be replaced with Vega-C. ### *September 4th - Falcon 9 with Polaris Dawn* The Polaris Dawn mission is expected to launch from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, on a Falcon 9 carrying it to low Earth orbit with four crew onboard. In addition to conducting medical research, the mission would test extravehicular spacesuits made by SpaceX and laser-based Starlink communications on Crew Dragon. The crew for Polaris Dawn is Commander Jared Isaacman, Pilot Scott Poteet, Mission Specialist Anna Menon, and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis. ### *September 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-11* SpaceX is expecting to launch another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of Falcon 9. ### *September 5th - Long March 6 with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 6 is believed to be targeting launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The payloads are currently unknown. ### The Unusual Crew-9 Mission URL: https://proximareport.com/unusual-crew-9/ Last updated: 2024-08-29T18:59:03.000Z Set to launch no earlier than September 24 atop a Falcon-9 is SpaceX's ninth Commercial Crew Program mission and will become the company's 15th crewed flight when it launches. Every crewed mission is special, but this mission will be a little more interesting than usual. ## The Crew Crew-9 was originally planned to include NASA astronauts Stephanie Wilson as mission specialist, Nich Hague as the pilot, and Zena Cardman as the spacecraft's commander, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov as the flight engineer. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/nasas-spacex-crew-9.jpg) Gorbunov, Hague, Cardman, and Wilson, the original Crew-9 | ****Credit: NASA** This has changed due to recent problems such as helium leaks and thruster failures with Boeing's Starliner capsule. NASA is not confident in Starliner's ability to bring the two astronauts it transported to the ISS, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, back home safely. This means that Butch and Suni have to return in another capsule, that being the Crew-9's Dragon, Freedom. The Crew Dragon only has four seats, and because of NASA's seat barter agreement with Roscosmos, we know that Aleksandr Gorbunov's seat is secured and his role will most likely be upgraded to pilot of the spacecraft. This will be the first time a Russian has piloted Dragon. As to what two crew members will have to wait for their turn to fly, it is currently unknown, but rumor has it that it will most likely be Hague and Wilson, as Cardman's role as commander is essential for the mission's success. ## Launch Pad Because of Starliner's extended stay at the ISS, the Crew-9 mission, originally slated to launch on August 18th, was pushed back to September 24th so NASA could decide what to do with Starliner. This is because Starliner is docked to the Harmony module's forward port, which Crew-9 will also dock to. This delay also meant that the Crew-9 launch would suddenly come too close to NASA's Europa Clipper mission's 21-day launch window in October, which is also planned to launch from LC-39A. Another delay in Crew-9 could cause the launch to slip into October and prevent Europa Clipper from reaching its intended Jupiter orbit. To avoid these scheduling conflicts, the Crew-9 mission was moved to SLC-40, which will be the first crewed launch from this pad as it received its crew access arm and other crew capabilities in November 2023. ## Falcon-9 SpaceX's workhorse and 75% reusable rocket Falcon-9 will be carrying out the heavy part of the mission: getting out of the thicker atmosphere. The current Block 5 version of Falcon-9 debuted in 2018, while Falcon-9 goes way back to 2010. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/image-13.png) Falcon 9 launching the Crew-5 mission back in 2022 | ****Credit: NASA** With its nine open-cycle kerolox Merlin engines and a single vacuum-optimized Merlin on the upper stage, the Falcon-9 has earned its status as one of the most reliable and cheapest rockets ever to fly. By landing its reusable booster on one of SpaceX's three drone ships or making a return-to-launch-site landing, it enables the company to increase launch cadence and reduce the cost of going to space. With more launches, SpaceX also gets more data on their vehicle for safer travel and better performance. ## Booster Since Crew-5, SpaceX has used new boosters with no flight record for CCP missions. This is set to change on this flight, as B1085 will take the two astronauts to space. The booster has previously launched Starlink Group 10-5. NASA spokesperson Stephanie Schierholz stated the following in 2020 after the Demo-2 mission: > SpaceX has proposed to reuse future Falcon 9 and/or Crew Dragon systems or components for NASA missions to the International Space Station because they believe it will be beneficial from a safety and/or cost standpoint. Crew-2, Crew-3, and Crew-4 would then go on to be launched with the reused boosters B1061, B1067, and B1067, respectively, as well as Inspiration4, Axiom-1, Axiom-3, and soon, Polaris Dawn with B1062, B1062, B1080, and 1083, respectively. ## Launch Falcon-9 will first accelerate Dragon to about 6,000 km/h at an altitude of \~70 km. After stage separation, the second stage will take over and further accelerate the crew to an orbital velocity of \~28,000 km/h on the ISS' 51,6**°** orbital inclination, while the booster will land at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral after its boostback, entry, and then landing burn. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/image-12.png) Polaris Dawn capsule, Resilience (left) and Crew-9 capsule, Freedom (right) | ****Credit: SpaceX** Dragon will then catch up with the ISS and make small positional changes with the Draco RCS thrusters. Docking with the ISS will then take place. First a soft capture and then a hard capture where power and data can be transferred to Dragon. ## Return The crew will stay onboard the ISS, where they will conduct science experiments, perform spacewalks, maintain the station, etc., until February 2025, when the two Crew-9 astronauts will undock, but they will be accompanied by two other astronauts, Butch and Suni. Dragon will most likely be carrying a couple of extra IVA suits for the two Boeing astronauts, as these suits help cool the astronauts during re-entry, adjust the air mixture they breathe, and shield the astronauts in case of an emergency. Crew-9 may become the final crew to splash down in the Atlantic Ocean, as SpaceX will be moving those operations to the West Coast in the future. This is due to some trunk pieces previously having crashed down in Australia and North Carolina. The new deorbit trajectory will hopefully prevent this issue. ## To Summarize... It will always be exciting to see more humans roaming the cosmos, and new challenges will inevitably be faced at times, but that is part of evolving as a species. Good thing that some of the brightest people in the world are working together on whatever issues may arise. We wish Crew-9, whoever they may be, a safe journey to space and thank them for their involvement in growing humanity's dominance over the sky and beyond. --- *In memory of Booster 1062\. Fly high.* ### Falcon 9 grounded for the second time in 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-grounded-for-the-second-time-in-2024/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:56:52.000Z SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket has suffered its second anomaly of 2024\. In response to this, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has [grounded](https://x.com/wapodavenport/status/1828848081875669094?t=4MCEg89x5YKfWSmAaSoK2w&ref=proximareport.com) the vehicle and is requiring a mishap investigation. This anomaly occurred during the booster landing of the Starlink Group 8-6 mission, with the satellites successfully deployed from the second-stage. During the landing, booster B1062 appeared to come down toward the drone ship too fast, causing at least one of its legs to fail. The failed leg resulted in the booster tipping over and being lost. > Starlink 8-6 and Starlink 8-9 landing side-by-side comparison > > Video credit: [@SpaceX](https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/NE3gLfgs9O](https://t.co/NE3gLfgs9O?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rockets Are Awesome! (@rockets\_awesome) [August 28, 2024](https://twitter.com/rockets%5Fawesome/status/1828812740779020725?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The booster landings for the Starlink Group 8-6 (top) and Group 8-9 (bottom) missions side-by-side, via [rockets\_awesome on X](https://x.com/rockets%5Fawesome/status/1828812740779020725?ref=proximareport.com). The immediate effects on SpaceX's launch schedule may have the [Polaris Dawn](https://proximareport.com/what-is-polaris-dawn/) mission delayed into next week, which has so far been delayed twice due to helium leaks. NASA's Crew-9 mission, which is targeting late September for launch, may also be effected depending on how long it takes to complete the mishap investigation. Crew-9 is also set to bring back the crew of Starliner after NASA [ruled](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-decides-to-bring-starliner-spacecraft-back-to-earth-without-crew/?ref=cosmicnxws.com) it too risky to return with crew. It's unknown when Falcon 9 may return to flight. Based on the previous anomaly this year, it is likely that SpaceX will be flying again in a little over a week. As mentioned before, this was the second time Falcon 9 has been grounded this year. The previous anomaly occurred on [July 12th](https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-failure-starlink/), with a return to flight on [July 27th](https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-returns/). The booster that was lost due to this anomaly, B1062, was flying for the twenty-third time. B1062 had supported the launches of GPS III Space Vehicle 04, GPS III Space Vehicle 05, Inspiration4, Ax-1, Nilesat 301, OneWeb Launch 17, ARABSAT BADR-8, and sixteen Starlink missions. ## Still on track? SpaceX is still believed to be aiming to complete 148 launches of Falcon 9 in 2024\. In 2023, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launched a combined total of 96 times. Currently, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy have performed 83 launches this year. For SpaceX to reach 148 Falcon-series launches, a Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy would have to launch every 1.9 days. Current estimates place Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy completing around 127 launches for 2024. > The 2024 goal for [@SpaceX](https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) is 148 launches (Falcon). > This is 52 launches more than 2023. > > SpaceX is currently on track for 127 launches this year. > > 2024 stats: > 🚀 82x F9 > 🚀 1x FH > 🚀 2x Starship > 🐉 3x Dragon ( 2x 🧑‍🚀, 1x 📦) [pic.twitter.com/25rETc5nbr](https://t.co/25rETc5nbr?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX 2024 Progress (@SpaceX\_Deimos) [August 28, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX%5FDeimos/status/1828704185367376203?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) SpaceX's launch progress for 2024, via [SpaceX\_Deimos on X](https://x.com/SpaceX%5FDeimos/status/1828704185367376203?ref=proximareport.com). ### What is Polaris Dawn? URL: https://proximareport.com/what-is-polaris-dawn/ Last updated: 2024-09-10T09:26:18.000Z Polaris, better known as "The North Star," holds significant importance in many cultures around the world. In Norse mythology, Polaris was considered a jewel that held the sky together. In various societies, the star was believed to protect travelers and help those who passed away find their place in the afterlife. By the 5th century, it was noted that Polaris’s position never changed, making it an undying light that guided humanity wherever it needed to go. That same passion is being rekindled in the modern day. A spacecraft, embodying the resilience necessary to push the boundaries of what private spaceflight has achieved, a stepping stone to what humanity can achieve. Let me introduce you to the Polaris Dawn mission, and its predecessor Inspiration4. ### Inspiration4 Inspiration-4 was the world’s first all-civilian mission to orbit, led by Jared Isaacman, CEO of Shift4 Payments and an experienced pilot. The mission launched from Kennedy Space Center's historic Launch Complex 39A, the mission took a three-day journey around low-Earth orbit, covering over 90% of Earth's population. The mission, which raised over $240 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, marked a significant milestone in the era of human spaceflight and exploration. The mission included ultrasounds, microbe samples, and various health experiments on untrained civilians, in collaboration with SpaceX, TRISH at Baylor College of Medicine, and Weill Cornell Medicine. These experiments aimed to study the effects of spaceflight on human health. During the journey, an alarm went off due to a toilet malfunction. On September 18, 2021, the spacecraft Resilience safely splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cape Canaveral and was recovered by the ship GO Searcher. The crew members exited the spacecraft in the following order: Arceneaux, Proctor, Sembroski, and Isaacman. This mission in many ways was what sparked the start of Polaris although not the formal start. The Polaris program was announced by Jared Isaacman in February 2022, five months after the first all-private astronaut mission, ## Background Funded by Isaacman and operated in close collaboration with SpaceX teams, the program's first launch, titled "Polaris Dawn," features Isaacman as the commander alongside three crewmates: Pilot Scott Poteet, Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis (who also oversees SpaceX's astronaut training program), and Medical Officer Anna Menon (who manages SpaceX crew operations and serves in mission control). The Polaris Dawn crew aims to build on the achievements of Inspiration4, with Isaacman stating, > "On Polaris Dawn, we endeavor to achieve the highest Earth orbit ever flown." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/53943883979_a79d496d00_k.jpg) At its peak altitudes, the Polaris Dawn mission will pass through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt — the donut-shaped swaths of magnetically-trapped, highly-energetic charged particles that surround Earth — providing the crew the opportunity to collect data on the effects of space radiation exposure on human health as among the mission's science research objectives. ## The Ride Every great mission needs its iconic vehicle. Yuri Gagarin roared off the pad in the Iconic R7 Vostok, Apollo 11 roared on top of a Saturn V, and Polaris Dawn soars on top of Falcon9! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/52409637548_047af33d1e_k.jpg) The launch of Crew-5 to the ISS. Consisting of a Falcon 9 Block 5 and a Crew Dragon. > Falcon 9 is a reusable, two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of people and payloads into Earth orbit and beyond. Falcon 9 is the world’s first orbital class reusable rocket. Reusability allows SpaceX to refly the most expensive parts of the rocket, which in turn drives down the cost of space access. > \- SpaceX's website Falcon 9 has achieved 255 consecutive landings as of August 25th. The Falcon 9 in conjunction with Crew Dragon has been delivering crew to and from the ISS since 2020\. The current iteration, Falcon 9 Block 5, has been flying since 2018. ### Crew Dragon ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/image-10.png) Artistic representation of Crew Dragon on Orbit The Crew Dragon spacecraft has a diameter of 4m and a height of 8.1\. It has a pressurized volume of 9.3 m^3 and a trunk volume of 37 m^3\. Crew Dragon incorporates an integrated pusher launch escape system consisting of eight SuperDraco engines, capable of accelerating the capsule away from the launch vehicle in an emergency. The spacecraft also utilizes custom-fitted IVA suits in the case of a cabin depressurization event. Dragon is also designed for reusability excluding the trunk. the capsule was initially to be used for just 5 missions but is now certified for up to 15. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/51582820247_d9287cb21f_c.jpg) ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer wearing the SpaceX spacesuit. > The Dragon spacecraft is capable of carrying up to 7 passengers to and from Earth orbit, and beyond. It is the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts *of* cargo to Earth, and is the first private spacecraft to take humans to the \[international\] space station. > \- Spacex.com Crew Dragon marked the return of human spaceflight to the United States and remains a vital part of US space operations. ### Resilience Just like the resilience that Polaris has brought humanity, Polrais Dawn will launch on a just as resilient spacecraft. If you couldn't tell already, the capsule that launched inspiration4 and will launch Polaris Dawn is called *Resilience*. Resilience fulfilled SpaceX's first-ever crew rotation to the ISS, and has been specially modified with an airlock for the EVA on Polaris Dawn. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/51083465318_e41f384707_k.jpg) The SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience is pictured 20 meters away from the International Space Station's international docking adapter on the forward port of the Harmony module. Docking port section This special modification will replace the docking port section present on most dragon capsules with a hatch for EVA operations. ## Mission Profile & Changes No earlier than (NET) September 8th SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Polaris Dawn mission from Florida. Dragon and the Polaris Dawn crew will spend up to five days in orbit, during which they will work towards several key objectives to further SpaceX's goal of making life multi-planetary. The Polaris Dawn mission represents a significant advancement in space exploration by leveraging the full capabilities of SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Dragon spacecraft. This mission aims to reach the highest Earth orbit ever achieved by a Dragon vehicle, traversing the Van Allen radiation belts. A key focus of Polaris Dawn is to enhance our understanding of spaceflight and radiation impacts on human health. One of the mission's highlights is the first-ever commercial extravehicular activity (EVA), which will occur at approximately 700 kilometers above Earth. The crew will wear SpaceX-designed spacesuits specifically upgraded for EVA. This endeavor is crucial as it lays the groundwork for the development of spacesuits needed for future lunar bases and Martian colonies. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/53697910731_2690221b56_k.jpg) SpaceX developed EVA suit within a Crew Dragon capsule In addition, the Polaris Dawn crew will pioneer the use of Starlink's laser-based communication technology in space. This innovative system aims to provide essential data that will support the development of advanced communication infrastructure for future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The mission will also focus on groundbreaking health research. The crew will utilize ultrasound to monitor and quantify venous gas emboli (VGE), aiding studies on decompression sickness. They will gather data on the radiation environment to better understand its effects on human biology and contribute biological samples for a long-term Biobank. Research will also address Spaceflight Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS), a significant concern for long-duration missions. Polaris Dawn is a collaborative effort involving SpaceX and several research institutions, including the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH), BioServe Space Technologies at the University of Colorado Boulder, Space Technologies Lab at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Weill Cornell Medicine, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the U.S. Air Force Academy. This flight will lead to new scientific research that is not commonly performed. It will take full advantage of its peculiar orbit to better understand how humans can live in space. To reduce the risk of micrometeorite impacts, SpaceX has a flexible launch schedule for the Polaris Dawn mission, enabling them to choose a time with minimal orbital debris. The Dragon capsule will first enter a highly elliptical orbit, reaching up to 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) from Earth and passing through the South Atlantic Anomaly at a low altitude of 190 kilometers (120 miles). This trajectory will expose the crew to radiation levels equivalent to three months on the International Space Station within just a few orbits. Within an hour after launch, the crew will begin a pre-breathing protocol to reduce nitrogen in their bodies and minimize the risk of decompression sickness during the planned spacewalk on day three. During this first hour in space, the crew will conduct thorough checks of the Dragon capsule for any launch-related damage. If no issues are found, the Draco thrusters will fire, propelling the crew up to 1,400 kilometers (870 mi) away from Earth, the highest orbit of the planet ever flown by a crewed spacecraft, breaking the record set by Gemini 11, Flight day three is dedicated to the first-ever extravehicular activity (EVA) on a commercial spaceflight mission. After extensive preparations, all four crew members will don their EVA suits, The Crew Dragon will then be fully depressurized, and Jared Isaacman along with Sarah Gillis will have the opportunity to go out for 15 to 20 minutes each to conduct various tests of the EVA suit. Compared to the IVA suits discussed earlier, thermal management has been improved and the helmet received thermal insulation and an anti-fog treatment. During the spacewalk, a heads-up display will provide information on suit metrics. An umbilical will provide life support for these suits, similar to early Gemini suits, as opposed to the self-contained EMUs used on the ISS ## Concluding Thoughts All one can wish for is safe travels for this spaceflight mission. Polaris Dawn aims to jump off of decades of achievements. It will grasp at whats possible, and whats just out of reach! Just like how The North Star guided travelers who pushed the boundary home, Polaris will guide humanity into the future of spaceflight. ### Weekly Dose of Space (18/8-24/8) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-18-8-24-8/ Last updated: 2024-08-25T17:22:40.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had two orbital launches occur worldwide, one each from both major space powers. News this week had NASA finally deciding how to end the Starliner Crew Flight Test mission, and Rocket Factory Augsburg losing its first flight booster. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on August 19th when the ninth, and final, module of the second launch tower rolled out to the launch site. Two days later, on August 21st, the ninth module was lifted onto the launch tower. After the lift, teams quickly got to work securing the module and connecting various systems ahead of further hardware installation. ![The two launch towers at SpaceX's Starbase facility, the second launch tower is in the foreground with the operational launch tower in the background. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GVhtbz7XQAEQrji.jpg) The two launch towers at SpaceX's Starbase facility, the second launch tower is in the foreground with the operational launch tower in the background. ©SpaceX Activity at Starbase was relatively quieter after the stacking, so let's go over what needs to be done ahead of Starbase having two operational launchpads. The most obvious is an orbital launch mount, although a different design is expected to be built, possibly with a flame trench. SpaceX already has the second towers 'chopsticks' assembled and ready for installation. Before installing the 'chopsticks', teams need to install the tower's pulley system that will allow the 'chopsticks' to move vertically, for operations like vehicle stacking and booster catches. ## **Launches This Week** ### *August 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-5* SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty-two Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1085, making its first flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GVbpBsmaMAAfhSX.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40\. ©SpaceX ### *August 22nd - Long March 7A with ChinaSat-4A* The second Long March 7A launch of 2024 carried ChinaSat-4A to a geostationary transfer orbit from LC-201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ChinaSat-4A will reportedly be used to provide data, radio, voice, and television transmission services. ![The Long March 7A Y9 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/640_002-1.webp) The Long March 7A Y9 vehicle lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ## **In Other Space News** ## *Starliner crew to return in 2025* ![Butch Wilmore (top) and Sunita Williams (bottom) on June 13th 2024 during the Starliner Crew Flight Test. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/iss071e183650medium-1.webp) Butch Wilmore (top) and Sunita Williams (bottom) on June 13th 2024 during the Starliner Crew Flight Test. ©NASA NASA has [decided](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-decides-to-bring-starliner-spacecraft-back-to-earth-without-crew/?ref=proximareport.com), on August 24th, that the two astronauts onboard Starliner for its Crew Flight Test will return on the Crew-9 SpaceX Crew Dragon in February of 2025\. Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore launch to the International Space Station aboard Starliner back on [June 5th](https://proximareport.com/starliner-carries-first-crew-after-years-of-delays/). The two astronauts were originally slated to spend just over eight days aboard the International Space Station and have now been up there for over two months. Returning with Crew-9 would increase their total time aboard the station to eight months. Starliner will return to Earth uncrewed after a planned undocking in early September. After Starliner departs, and while Crew-8 is still at the station, the Crew-8 Crew Dragon spacecraft will be the lifeboat for Sunita and Butch. Crew-9 will launch to the space station in late September with only two astronauts onboard, while bringing spacesuits for Sunita and Butch. Speaking at a press conference about the decision, Steve Stich, Manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, said the following about the spacecraft: > “Starliner is a very capable spacecraft and, ultimately, this comes down to needing a higher level of certainty to perform a crewed return,” – “The NASA and Boeing teams have completed a tremendous amount of testing and analysis, and this flight test is providing critical information on Starliner’s performance in space. Our efforts will help prepare for the uncrewed return and will greatly benefit future corrective actions for the spacecraft.” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson also spoke at the press conference saying: > “Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe, nor routine. The decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring Boeing’s Starliner home uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety: our core value and our North Star,” – “I’m grateful to both the NASA and Boeing teams for all their incredible and detailed work.” Both Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are in orbit for the third time. ## *NASA awards contracts to three OTV companies* On August 22nd, NASA [announced](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-three-new-venture-class-launch-service-providers/?ref=proximareport.com) that it had selected three new companies for its Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) contract bidding process. These three newly selected companies are; Impulse Space, Arrow Science and Technology, and Momentus Space. The selection of these companies is somewhat unconventional for a VADR bidding process, as it is typically for launching small satellites that will accept higher-risk launch services. None of the three own or operate an orbital launch vehicle, and instead book slots on vehicles like SpaceX's Falcon 9. Impulse Space is currently operates its Mira orbital transfer vehicle, and is developing a high-energy kick stage under the name Helios. Momentus Space also operates orbital transfer vehicles. Arrow Science and Technology manufactures satellite deployment solutions. ## *RFA ONE first flight delayed to 2025* > UPDATE on our S1 test anomaly! > > Our first stage is gone – but we have collected a significant amount of data and film footage. After reviewing it, we want to share some insights into the technical analysis, preliminary conclusions and our next steps ⬇️ [pic.twitter.com/FnGHjTCS2g](https://t.co/FnGHjTCS2g?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Rocket Factory Augsburg (@rfa\_space) [August 23, 2024](https://twitter.com/rfa%5Fspace/status/1827030581986611696?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Rocket Factory Augsburg's update about its test anomaly [on X](https://x.com/rfa%5Fspace/status/1827030581986611696?ref=proximareport.com). Back on [Monday](https://proximareport.com/rfa-suffers-loss-of-vehicle-during-a-static-fire/), August 19th, Rocket Factory Augsburg experienced an anomaly when testing its first-stage of its upcoming RFA ONE launch vehicle. This anomaly led to the loss of the first-stage. The company released an [update](https://x.com/rfa%5Fspace/status/1827030581986611696?ref=proximareport.com) about the anomaly on August 23rd, saying that the most likely cause of the anomaly was a fire in the oxygen pump in one of the Helix engines. It was also stated that another first-stage is in production, with over one hundred design changes and fixes. [SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/rfa-pushes-maiden-flight-to-2025-after-launchpad-explosion/?ref=proximareport.com) reached out to Rocket Factory Augsburg and found out that another firing at the SaxaVord Spaceport won't occur this year, and that the maiden flight of RFA ONE is now expected next year. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* The fifth test flight of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy vehicle is still awaiting regulatory approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. This latest flight test requires a change in the flight plan, notably a potential landing of Booster 12 back at the launch site on the launch towers 'chopsticks'. Both vehicles for flight five, Booster 12 and Ship 30, are ready for flight pending a possible wet dress rehearsal. ### *August 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-5* SpaceX is expecting to fly a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *August 27th - Falcon 9 with Polaris Dawn* The Polaris Dawn mission is expected to launch from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, on a Falcon 9 carrying it to low Earth orbit with four crew onboard. In addition to conducting medical research, the mission would test extravehicular spacesuits made by SpaceX and laser-based Starlink communications on Crew Dragon. The crew for Polaris Dawn is Commander Jared Isaacman, Pilot Scott Poteet, Mission Specialist Anna Menon, and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis. ### *August 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-6* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *August 29th - Ceres-1S with a to-be-announced payload* Galactic Energy is believed to be targeting August 29th for another launch of Ceres-1S from a sea launch platform. The launch platform for this launch will be positioned in the Yellow Sea, off the East coast of China. ### *August 29th - New Shepard for NS-26* New Shepard is expected to fly another six passengers on a sub-orbital mission above the Kármán line. The passengers are Ephraim Rabin, Nicolina Elrick, Eugene Grin, Rob Ferl, Karsen Kitchen, and Eiman Jahangir. This mission will fly from Blue Origin's launch site in West Texas. ### *August 30th - Falcon 9 with NROL-113* SpaceX is expected to launch another batch of classified reconnaissance satellites, on behalf of the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### New Glenn set to debut in October! URL: https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-debut-october/ Last updated: 2024-08-23T22:32:27.000Z Blue Origin [announced](https://x.com/blueorigin/status/1827079568470995106?ref=proximareport.com) on August 23rd that the first launch of New Glenn would occur no earlier than October 13th, 2024\. This first launch will be carrying the two ESCAPADE spacecraft, as well as sending them toward Mars! This maiden launch date comes a few years after the company's original goal of a [2020](https://www.geekwire.com/2016/jeff-bezos-lifts-curtain-blue-origin-rocket-factory-vision-space/?ref=proximareport.com) debut for New Glenn. Blue Origin was awarded the launch contract for the ESCAPADE spacecraft duo in February of [2023](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/nasa-awards-mars-science-mission-launch-to-blue-origin-new-glenn?ref=proximareport.com). The two ESCAPADE spacecraft are tiny in comparison to New Glenn, weighing [about](https://escapade.ssl.berkeley.edu/spacecraft/?ref=proximareport.com) 180 kilograms each and with a mission budget of about 80 million United States Dollars. For the launch, Blue Origin is [reported](https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-wins-first-nasa-business-for-new-glenn/?ref=proximareport.com) to have been awarded 20 million from NASA. ![A render of one of the ESCAPADE spacecraft. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/ESCAPADE-Turntable-Loop_1920px_1-1-1.gif) A render of one of the ESCAPADE spacecraft. ©Rocket Lab The ESCAPADE, Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, mission is a dual spacecraft mission to Mars for studying the planet's magnetosphere as well as solar wind. This mission is led by the University of California, Berkeley, Space Sciences Laboratory, who will be responsible for mission management, systems engineering, science leadership, navigation, operations, the electron & ion electrostatic analyzers, and science data processing and archiving. The two spacecraft were manufactured by Rocket Lab, based off of their Explorer spacecraft bus. [Some](https://escapade.ssl.berkeley.edu/about/?ref=proximareport.com) of the components and instruments were also contributed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. Advanced Space LLC has also assisted with mission design. ## What is New Glenn? New Glenn is Blue Origin's partially reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle. The vehicle will launch from Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, located in Florida. Blue Origin claims that New Glenn will be able to send up to 45,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit when reused. It is also claimed that it plans to send 13,600 kilograms to a geosynchronous transfer orbit when reused. ![A render of New Glenn during first-stage flight. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/a8a6f833-a9c0-4de0-8605-d125dc02ed69_blueorigin_newglenn_ascent_web-1.jpg) A render of New Glenn during first-stage flight. ©Blue Origin The first-stage is powered by seven BE-4 engines burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen to generate 1,746 tons of thrust. New Glenn's second-stage is powered by two BE-3U engines burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to generate 145 tons of thrust. For recovery, New Glenn plans to use four fins located near the top of the booster, to control the boosters' descent when unpowered, and six landing legs that are stowed at the bottom of the booster during flight. On the launchpad, the rocket is 98 meters tall and 7 meters in diameter, Blue Origin has not yet said how much the launch vehicle weighs fully fuelled. ## Who is Blue Origin? Blue Origin is an American aerospace company founded in September of 2000 and headquartered in Kent, Washington, in the United States. The company currently operates the New Shepard sub-orbital reusable launch vehicle and the heavy-lift partially reusable orbital launch vehicle called New Glenn. Blue Origin was founded, and is still owned, by Jeff Bezos with the following long-term vision: > "Blue Origin was founded with a vision of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. Blue Origin envisions a time when people can tap into the limitless resources of space and enable the movement of damaging industries into space to preserve Earth, humanity’s blue origin." ### RFA suffers loss of vehicle during a static fire URL: https://proximareport.com/rfa-suffers-loss-of-vehicle-during-a-static-fire/ Last updated: 2024-08-20T01:03:42.000Z On the evening of August 19th, Rocket Factory Augsburg was performing a nine-engine static fire on the first-stage of its RFA ONE launch vehicle. However a few seconds into the firing an anomoly occured, leading to the loss of the first-stage. Rocket Factory Augsburg has not yet stated the cause of the anomaly. The most reasonable unofficial theory is that one of the engines failed semi-explosively causing one of the propellant tanks to rupture. > First time I think we’ve seen flamey end ignition sideways [pic.twitter.com/qTrqTbVfHK](https://t.co/qTrqTbVfHK?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Perigee | commissions open (@Orbital\_Perigee) [August 19, 2024](https://twitter.com/Orbital%5FPerigee/status/1825644134616490485?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The first-stage of RFA ONE during the failed test, via [Orbital\_Perigee on X](https://x.com/Orbital%5FPerigee/status/1825644134616490485?ref=proximareport.com). Shortly after the anomaly, Rocket Factory Augsburg released a [statement](https://x.com/rfa%5Fspace/status/1825634436794245548?ref=proximareport.com) saying the following: > "On Monday Evening, RFA (Rocket Factory Augsburg) conducted a hot fire its first stage at their launch site at SaxaVord Spaceport." > "This resulted in an anomaly that led to the loss of the stage. No one was injured in the process. The launch pad has been saved and is secured, the situation is under control, and any immediate danger has been mitigated. We are now working closely with SaxaVord Spaceport and the authorities to gather data and info to eventually resolve what happened." > "We will take our time to analyze the situation." > "We develop iteratively with an emphasis on real testing. This is part of our philosophy and we were aware of the higher risks attached to this approach. Our goal is to return to regular operations as soon as possible" > "We will keep you updated on our channels. Until then we kindly ask for your patience" The nine-engine test anomaly occurred on the company's launch pad at the SaxaVord Spaceport, on the Scottish Island of Shetland, part of the United Kingdom. A spokesperson for the SaxaVord Spaceport said the following to [state-affiliated](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy54wqzz0kvo?ref=proximareport.com) media of the United Kingdom: > "This was a test, and test campaigns are designed to identify issues prior to the next stage." – "We will work with RFA to understand and learn from the causes and support them as they move forward to the next phase of their preparations." The loss of the first-stage of RFA ONE has likely pushed the debut flight of the launch vehicle into 2025\. Rocket Factory Augsburg had been targeting a launch in September of this year. It is unknown when another first-stage will be ready to perform the flight, but the second-stage and third-stage are at the SaxaVord Spaceport, along with the payloads. Had this first-stage survived the test, Rocket Factory Augsburg would have had a good chance of becoming the first company to launch a rocket into orbit from continental Europe. ## Who is Rocket Factory Augsburg? Rocket Factory Augsburg is a German launch company founded in August of 2018, and is headquartered in Augsburg, Germany. The company is developing a two-stage launch vehicle to carry up to 1,300 kilograms of payloads into polar orbits. This rocket is called RFA ONE and stands 30 meters tall on the launchpad. Ten Helix engines will power RFA ONE, with nine on the first-stage and one on the second-stage. These engines will burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The company is also working on an orbital transfer stage called Redshift to increase RFA ONE's capabilities. Redshift will be powered by a single Fenix engine, with the engine burning nitromethane and nitrous oxide. ### Weekly Dose of Space (11/8-17/8) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-11-8-17-8/ Last updated: 2024-08-18T19:04:12.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had eight orbital launches occur worldwide, with Falcon 9 making up half. News this week had another commercial Crew Dragon mission announced, as well as two moves in the military space sector. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on August 13th when module seven of the second launch tower was rolled out to the launch site. Two days later, while module seven was waiting to be stacked, the eighth module also rolled out to the launch site. The morning of the 15th of August had module seven lifted and attached to the second launch tower. The following day, August 16th, B14.1 and the launch towers 'chopsticks' performed several tests to test catching a booster. Some of these tests had only one arm move, or both, with one occurring above B14.1, likely where SpaceX expects the booster to shut down its engines. August 17th had B14.1 removed from the orbital launch mount and rolled back to the production site. A few hours later, a test tank was seen rolling out from the production site to the Massey's test site. The same day also mad module eight stacked onto the second launch tower. ## **Launches This Week** ### *August 11th - Electron for 'A Sky Full of SARs'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula, carrying a synthetic aperture radar Earth-imaging satellite to low Earth orbit for Capella Space. ![Electron lifting off for 'A Sky Full of SARs'. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GUtbbPuaYAEUcxJ.jpg) Electron lifting off for 'A Sky Full of SARs'. ©Rocket Lab ### *August 12th - Falcon 9 with Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission* SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission satellites, shortened to ASBM 1 & 2, for Space Norway. These satellites were built by Northrop Grumman with cooperation and payloads from the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, the United States Air Force, and Inmarsat. The booster for this mission was B1061 making its 22nd flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. > Falcon 9’s first stage lands on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship – completing this booster’s 22nd launch and landing! [pic.twitter.com/nk4xwQnAMw](https://t.co/nk4xwQnAMw?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 12, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1822818815774019954?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) B1061 landing on 'Of Course I Still Love You', via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1822818815774019954?ref=proximareport.com). ### *August 12th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-7* Another Falcon 9 launched later on the same day carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1073 flying for the 17th time and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for Starlink Group 10-7. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GUx3pzuawAAunCU.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for Starlink Group 10-7\. ©SpaceX ### *August 15th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-28* A Soyuz 2.1a lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the Progress MS-28 spacecraft to low Earth orbit. Progress MS-28 is carrying supplies for the crew currently onboard the International Space Station, and began chasing down the station once on orbit. Docking to the station's Zvezda module occurred on August 17th at 05:53 am Universal Coordinate Time. ### *August 15th - Falcon 9 with WorldView Legion 3 & 4* Yet another Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying two of Maxar's WorldView Legion satellites to a low Earth orbit. These satellites are part of a group of six Earth observation spacecraft with a 30 cm resolution. The booster for this mission was B1076 on its 16th flight and landing back at Landing Zone 1. > Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on Landing Zone 1 [pic.twitter.com/uDkh5ueR3o](https://t.co/uDkh5ueR3o?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [August 15, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1824070931909882271?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) B1076 landing at Landing Zone 1, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1824070931909882271?ref=proximareport.com). ### *August 16th - SSLV with EOS-08* The Indian Space Research Organisation launched an SSLV rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Center carrying the EOS-08 satellite into low Earth orbit. EOS-08 is a small 175.5-kilogram Earth observation satellite. Details about the launch and satellite are available [here](https://proximareport.com/india-final-development-sslv/). ![SSLV during first-stage flight carrying EOS-8. ©ISRO](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GVFGJ0IaMAAh2gj-1.jpg) SSLV during first-stage flight carrying EOS-8\. ©ISRO ### *August 16th - Long March 4B with Yaogan-43 Group 01* A Long March 4B lifted off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying what is believed to be nine satellites to low Earth orbit. The rocket is also believed to have flown with a new 4.2-meter diameter fairing too. ![The Long March 4B Y72 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/9da82ba5gy1hspt2q8rs3j24mo334kjo-1.jpg) The Long March 4B Y72 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ### *August 16th - Falcon 9 for Transporter 11* Falcon 9 lifted off once again this week heading to sun-synchronus orbit for the Transporter 11 mission out of Space Launch Complex 4E. Onboard the rocket were 116 payloads for both commercial and government customers. The booster for this mission was B1075 on its 12th flight at landing at Landing Zone 4, near the launch site. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for Transporter 11. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GVJeHi8WMAARBLh.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for Transporter 11\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ## *Crew Dragon to fly over Earth's polar regions* ![A render of Crew Dragon over one of Earth's poles. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GVMkfX6a8AAv3pG.jpg) A render of Crew Dragon over one of Earth's poles. ©SpaceX SpaceX is expecting to conduct another commercial flight of Crew Dragon as soon as late this year. This mission will be a first for human spaceflight, as it will fly over Earth's north and south poles. This mission is named Fram2, named in honor of the ship that helped explorers first reach Earth’s Arctic and Antarctic regions. Fram2 is funded by Chun Wang, who will be flying on Crew Dragon with three other crew members. Those additional crew members are Jannicke Mikkelsen from Norway, Eric Philips from Australia, and Rabea Rogge from Germany. The mission is expected to be in orbit for three to five days while flying at altitudes between 425 and 450 kilometers. Crew Dragon will also be equipped with a cupola instead of a docking port to allow for clear views of Earth below. ## *Terran Orbital to be acquired by Lockheed Martin* On August 15th, Lockheed Martin [announced](https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2024-08-15-Lockheed-Martin-to-Acquire-Terran-Orbital?ref=proximareport.com) that it would acquire Terran Orbital for 0.25 United States Dollars per share for a total cost of 450 million. The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024\. Lockheed Martin expects to combine Terran Orbital's high throughput, robotic manufacturing capacity, and high-performing modular space vehicle designs with their record of performance and innovation to offer a broader range of capabilities and value to customers. Robert Lightfoot, President of Lockheed Martin Space, said the following about the acquisition: > "We've worked with Terran Orbital for more than seven years on a variety of successful missions," – "Their capabilities, talent and business momentum align with Lockheed Martin Space's strategic plans – and we're looking forward to welcoming them to our team. Our customers require advanced technology and even faster product development, and that's what we can achieve together." ## *Sierra Nevada to expand RF monitoring satellite fleet* Sierra Nevada Corporation is expecting to expand its fleet of radio frequency monitoring satellites according to Chris Morgan, Sierra Nevada Corporation’s Vice President, while speaking to [SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/snc-scaling-up-its-fleet-of-radio-frequency-monitoring-satellites/?ref=proximareport.com). The company currently has four CubeSats as part of its radio frequency monitoring satellite fleet, but is looking to add an additional twenty. These satellites are expected to be deployed over five years as well as switching to an ESPA-class satellite size. ESPA, or EELV (Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle) Secondary Payload Adapter, satellites can be included as a rideshare payload for most missions without causing impact to the primary payloads mission. This increase is reportedly driven by an increase in demand for radio frequency data by the U.S. and allied militaries, who seek greater intelligence about GPS jamming and enemy movements. Some demand is also reportedly from commercial applications. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is still awaiting regulatory approvals for the fifth flight, due changes in its flight plan for the fifth test flight. The change are a potential landing of Booster 12 back at the launch site, on the launch towers 'chopsticks'. Both vehicles for flight five, Booster 12 and Ship 30, are ready for flight pending a possible wet dress rehearsal. ### *August 20th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-5* Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *August 21st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-5* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E, carrying yet more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### *August 22nd - Long March 7A with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 7A is believed to be targeting a launch on August 22nd from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, the payload aboard the rocket is still yet to be revealed. ### Re-entry: Hot Enough to Boil Steel URL: https://proximareport.com/re-entry-hot-enough-to-boil-steel/ Last updated: 2024-08-17T19:55:01.000Z One thing is going to space; another is coming back. The art of entering the Earth's atmosphere is something scientists and engineers are still working on perfecting, as temperatures from the hot plasma hitting the vehicle can reach up to 3800°C (7000°F), although in most cases they only reach about 1500-2700°C (2700-5000°F). By having a heatshield, you eliminate the extra complexity and fuel consumption of only relying on propulsively slowing down and landing your rocket stage, which is why many have utilized this technology in the past and many are pursuing it now. But how do they protect against the extremely high temperatures, and what can we learn from previous attempts? Will it ever be possible to develop a rapidly reusable heatshield? What alternatives exist? Let's find out! ## The First Atmospheric Entry Well, the first entry was probably done by some meteor a few billion years ago. The first human-made entry, however, was performed by the German MW 18014 A-4 rocket, also known as the V2 rocket, which reached an apogee of 176 km in 1944\. The first manned re-entry was made when the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin returned from his 108-minute long flight around the globe and re-entered in the Vostok 3KA's descent module. At a 7-kilometer altitude, he ejected and parachuted to the ground. ## Let It Burn! Before taking a look at other re-entry vehicles, we have to understand the two main types of heatshields and how they work their magic. The first one is the ablative heatshield. Descent modules such as the Vostok, Voskhod, Apollo, Dragon, Shenzhou, Soyuz, Mercury, Gemini, and Orion have all used ablative shielding for their missions. When the module is coming in hot at hypersonic speeds of up to 11 km/s, the surrounding air molecules have a lot of kinetic energy relative to the vehicle. Knowing the mass of the Apollo Command Module is 5557 kg, we can make out a rough number of 340 GJ of kinetic energy at its top speed. When the air molecules hit the vehicle, carrying this tremendous amount of energy with them, the electrons get knocked out of their orbits as a result of the extra kinetic energy from vibrations, making them jump to higher orbits until the electrostatic potential can't hold them and a plasma is created. The vibrations cause higher temperatures, as temperature is proportional to the kinetic energy per particle. The ablative heatshield absorbs the thermal energy and then burns away, thereby "burning the kinetic energy away" and slowing down the vessel while also thermally protecting it—truly genius engineering. The ablative material is typically made of either silica or carbon phenolics. Silica phenolics are normally cheaper than carbon phenolics, as the silica fabric is only half the cost of its carbon equivalent. The silica fabric makes up over 95% of the heatshield, as the phenolics only act as resin, holding the fabric sheets together. The capsule often has a blunt shape facing the heat. It's made in this way to mitigate the shock waves coming from the supersonic air hitting the vehicle. By having a blunt surface instead of a sharper surface with a low ballistic coefficient, you prevent oblique shock waves from forming that create more pressure, and you create a boundary layer around it. This boundary layer works as a shield layer, protecting against the shock waves that will form. In the boundary layer, a stagnation point will form, which is where the velocity of the fluid is zero, and thus the pressure is the highest in this region according to the Bernoulli principle. This is bad, but it's better than shock waves hitting the vehicle. The blunt shape also helps prevent the incoming air from further accelerating the vehicle by pushing the molecules to the sides instead of behind the capsule. The denser boundary layer plasma will also convect more heat away. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-09-110751-1.png) Charring of amorphous carbon and burned phenolic resin | ****Credit: BPS.space** As seen in the image above, amorphous carbon is charred after undergoing intense heating, while the "cracks" are formed after the resin burns away, which also happens on re-entry. In the case of the Dragon capsule's PICA-X, the pieces are shaped into tiles that fit the spacecraft. Filler materials such as hollow glass spheres are still being researched, but they provide lower thermal conductivity, lower density, and better thermal stability. Hollow glass spheres are small chambers or "bubbles" inside the heatshield filled with an inert gas and are only about 50 microns in size. ## Again, Again, Again! Let's say you make it through re-entry and you had such a good time that you want to do it again immediately. You look at your capsule, only to find out that all the resin has burned away and your silica is all charred. It will take months to replace, and you cannot wait that long. You need to do it again as soon as possible. Well, I have good news for you. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GPY-zr6bcAEec9h.jpg) Ship 29 intentionally missing two tiles, and testing a thinner one | ****Credit: SpaceX** Reusable heatshields, a.k.a. refractory insulation, also work by converting energy, but not entirely in the same way as the ablative does. While the ablative gets rid of the kinetic and thermal energy by burning it away, the reusable heatshield radiates it away. So to treat the two heatshields fairly, let's go over the conversion of energy again, this time for the reusable one. The kinetic energy from the incoming air makes everything vibrate on a subatomic level, thereby creating thermal energy. The thermal energy is then emitted away by the heatshield in the form of thermal radiation, although the hot plasma around the surface also convects a significant amount away, as plasma makes an excellent heat conductor because of its free electrons. The heatshield tiles on the Space Shuttle's Orbiter had an upper layer of fine borosilicate glass, a material with very low thermal expansion and, consequently, a high resilience to thermal shocks. These shocks occur when materials expand differently as a result of a rapid temperature change and then come into contact with each other. This causes mechanical stress on the parts and can result in a crack. If your capsule enters the Earth's atmosphere at hypersonic speeds, you can imagine the temperature will surely rise very quickly, and because of that, you really want to have a material resilient to thermal shocks to take the worst heating. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/image.png) Microscopic look at the silica fiber structure | ****Credit: IOP Publishing** After a comparatively thin layer of borosilicate glass, a thicker part was made of silica fibers. Because of the fiber structure, the tiles were very light and consisted of 90% air, which may be visible in the image above. By having a gas take up most of the space, the heat has a hard time being conducted through, because of the low density of molecules and consequently low heat transfer + you save a lot of mass. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/image-6.png) The backside of a standard Starship heatshield tile | ****Credit: Ron Parker** In some of Starship's heatshield tiles, there are also "pockets" of just air. However, there is a sweet spot where the air takes up a good part of the volume, but not enough to start circulating around and thereby convecting the heat to the spacecraft's surface. Usually, this part is about 1.5 cm thick, although it may vary. Besides being a poor heat conductor, silica, or silicon dioxide, is very heat-resistant too, with a melting point of 1600–1700 °C, depending on its configuration. Silica on its own has the chemical formula SiO2, but silica is often in a structure with other silica molecules and has the formula SiO4. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/image-2.png) Electron dot diagram of SiO4 | ****Credit: Jeppe Kastrup** Since there are four oxygen atoms, each wanting two extra electrons to satisfy the octet rule, and one silicon atom wanting four, they make SiO4 as seen in the image above, where the silicon forms four strong covalent bonds. This, however, does not satisfy all the electrons' needs, as they still need one more electron each. This is where the structure we talked about comes into play. Each oxygen atom then borrows an electron from a silicon atom in another molecule beside it to satisfy the octet rule. This is what makes the silica so heat-resistant. Each silicon atom has four covalent bonds in its own molecule, each with a bond energy of 621,7 kJ/mol, meaning that 621,7 kJ of thermal energy would be needed to break one mole of silica, and all the silica molecules are connected in one big structure. This high bond energy comes from the fact that the difference between oxygen and silicon electronegativity (the tendency to attract electrons) is 1.7, which is pretty high. Whoa, that was a bunch of chemistry. Now back to the macroscopic world! ## The Future of Re-entry The Space Shuttle's Orbiter had about 24,300 tiles, and as you may know, it had some trouble keeping them all attached. On STS-27, a large TPS (Thermal Protection System) tile was lost due to debris from the SRB's hitting it. Since the Orbiter's frame was made of aluminum, the re-entry plasma would have burned through and caused another catastrophic failure if it had not been for the steel plate the antenna rested on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/image-3.png) Close-up of the missing tile from the STS-27 mission | ****Credit: Wikipedia** This was just one of the numerous times when the Space Shuttle was at risk of total failure due to missing tiles, so how are aerospace companies planning on mitigating this problem in the future? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/image-4.png) Tenacity and the Shooting Star cargo module | ****Credit: Sierra Space** ### Dreamchaser Sierra Space's Tenacity and its cargo module, Shooting Star, are currently undergoing final testing and launch preparations in the Space Systems Processing Facility, where components going to the ISS are staged. Tenacity will be the first Dreamchaser to fly, and its inaugural flight to the ISS is currently expected by the end of 2024, atop ULA's Vulcan Centaur. Dreamchaser will be able to deliver over 6 tons of cargo to the Internal Space Station and an additional 4.5 tons with the Shooting Star attached. They will berth with the ISS and separate when undocked from the station. The Shooting Star will burn up in the atmosphere, but Dreamchaser will re-enter. Dreamchaser also uses a reusable heatshield, but with larger tiles than what was used on the Space Shuttle's Orbiter. This gives each tile a larger surface area to attach to, making them less vulnerable to falling off. It also means fewer points of failure compared to the Orbiter, as Dreamchaser only uses around 2000 tiles. In addition, SNC engineers have used newer manufacturing technologies than what was used during the Shuttle program to make the tiles lighter, stronger, and cheaper—the three magic words in the aerospace industry. ### Starship SpaceX's Starship, like the Shuttle, has had problems keeping its tiles attached during flight, static fires, and simply resting in the rocket garden. During the first integrated test flight on April 20, 2023, many tiles were seen falling off, and even though SpaceX's silica-based TUFROC material is similar to that of Shuttle's, SpaceX has taken a lot of measures to fix the attachment problem. First, we need to understand how the tiles are attached. SpaceX uses a combination of pins, adhesive, and a secondary containment material, as well as a newly added feature, to do this. On the first four flights, the majority of the tank section was covered with pinned tiles as well as a white blanket behind. In the days leading up to the fourth flight, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk stated the following on X: > This is a matter of execution, rather than ideas. Unless we make the heat shield relatively heavy, as is the case with our Dragon capsule, where reliability is paramount, we will only discover the weak points by flying. > > Right now, we are not resilient to loss of a single tile in most places, as the secondary containment material will probably not survive. A likely cause of flight 4's burn-through of the right flap, was too wide of a gap between some of the tiles, allowing the hot plasma to make its way to the steel behind it. The white blanket (the secondary containment material) likely also serves as a filler material to mitigate this type of issue. SpaceX also applies a gap filler to places like the upper nosecone and the aerocovers, as these are the most curved surfaces on the ship, naturally causing a larger gap. Red glue (originally blue) is also used in these places, as well as the flap hinges, seams, and other places. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/IMG_8870.jpg) Flap hinge with red glue applied | ****Credit: Starship Gazer** Said to make its debut on flight 5, is a new black ablative, although only in certain places, like the shielded side of the flaps and on most of the tank section and nose cone. SpaceX also installed an additional layer of white felt over the ablative layer to make sure those places are as thick as where the white blanket is installed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/IMG_8871.webp) New ablative material installed on Ship 30 | ****Credit: Starship Gazer** New tiles have also been installed on most of the ship. Elon has stated that they are twice as strong as the previous ones, most likely referring to their mechanical strength. They look just like before, but that may be a good thing. Sure, they're stronger and probably have better insulation, but their looks are the same, and that's a sign of SpaceX being pretty confident in their current design. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/IMG_8872-1.webp) The new heatshield tile | ****Credit: Starship Gazer** ### Orion NASA's Orion capsule, which will take humans back to the moon in 2025, faced some problems on the Artemis I re-entry. The capsule's ablative heatshield saw more char losses than expected, as shared by the NASA Office of Inspector General. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/image-8.png) The condition of Orion's heatshield after re-entry | Credit: NASA is still working on understanding the root cause of the problem, but they have recreated some of the problems at NASA's Ames facility and figured out some important aspects of the problem, according to Artemis II astronaut Victor Glover. The higher speeds of a lunar trajectory, compared to that of a vehicle returning from LEO, makes the engineering that goes into creating the heatshield a lot harder. Different trajectories have been proposed for Artemis II to limit the heat, but NASA has yet to decide whether to scrap the current free-return trajectory in favor of other re-entry angles. ### Nova In February 2021, Stock Space announced its 100% reusable launch vehicle, Nova. This, of course, means that the orbital second stage also has to be recovered. Stoke is planning to do this by making an RTLS (Return To Launch Site) propulsive landing, an accomplishment yet to be achieved by any orbital rocket. The second stage's downward-facing side (the one that will take the extreme heat) is no "ordinary" heatshield, if you can call any heatshield that, as the spacecraft's propellants cryogenically cool the steel surface. Around the hot end, there will be a ring of 30 thrusters. They are pointed at an angle, creating an aerospike effect together. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/image-7.png) The X-33's XRS-2200 being tested | ****Credit: NASA-MSFC** The aerospike engine is a special type of rocket engine that maintains its efficiency even at high altitudes where the lack of air pressure would normally cause the flow to expand. If the ambient pressure is lower than a traditional rocket engine's exhaust, it expands, and it is said to be underexpanded. *Wait, *under*expanded? That's exactly what it isn't!* The wording may seem weird at first, but what it describes is how that flow has been expanded inside the nozzle. If the flow is underexpanded inside the nozzle, that is, if its pressure is too high relative to the outside, then it will go out to all sides and create thrust in directions the rocket does not gain much forward thrust from. If the flow is overexpanded, the pressure is too low, and the exhaust will be compressed by the atmosphere, leading to flow separation in the nozzle, causing violent vibrations and a big boom, but not the kind of boom you want in your rocket engine. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/image_2024-08-14_203516777-1.png) An illustration of a compressed aerospike engine flow | ****Credit: Everyday Astronaut** What Stoke Space is trying to do is to run their cryogenic liquid hydrogen (<−253°C or −423°F) through the steel surface. This does two very beneficial things. 1. It cools the surface by absorbing the re-entry heat. 2. It works as an expander cycle because it vaporizes the fuel and spins the turbines, which turn the pumps, which pump more cryogenic fuel to the thrusters and also cool the steel surface even more. This means that as the surface is heated, more cryo-propellant is automatically pumped through and cools it proportionally. More mass flow is also directed to the thrusters, which slows the stage down even more, thereby decreasing the amount of re-entry heat hitting the surface. ## Conclusion So, to summarize how heatshields do their magic—well, in many different ways, but mainly, they work by converting the thermal energy to some other form of energy or convecting it away. There are multiple new heatshields in development from aspiring aerospace companies such as SpaceX, Stoke Space, and Sierra Space, each taking a unique approach to re-entering the Earth's atmosphere. It will be interesting to see if one type succeeds over the others or if each company has chosen the right type for their particular vehicle. With the measures being taken by SpaceX to protect Starship with redundant shielding and attachments, it's certainly starting to seem more likely that we will see a rapidly reusable vehicle in the future that will take us to Mars and beyond. Whether that will be in the near or distant future has yet to become obvious, but with rising competition in the reusable launch market such as Stoke, Rocket Lab, Relativity, and Blue Origin, SpaceX's pace may accelerate even more than it currently is, as may the rest of the industry. ### India completes final development flight for SSLV URL: https://proximareport.com/india-final-development-sslv/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T20:09:34.000Z At 03:47 am Universal Coordinated Time on August 16th, India launched its third development flight for its SSLV launch vehicle. This third, and final, development flight flew from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. Atop of SSLV for this launch was the EOS-08 satellite, a small 175.5 kilogram Earth observation satellite. EOS-08 also has new domestic technologies onboard, such as flexible solar panels. According to the Indian Space Research Organisation, the three [payloads](https://www.isro.gov.in/media%5Fisro/pdf/Missions/SSLVD3/SSLV-D3%5FMission%5FBrochure130824.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) of EOS-08 are: - **EOIR**, Electro Optical Infrared Payload, is designed to image in mid-wave and long-wave infrared spectrums to provide satellite-based surveillance, disaster monitoring, and environmental monitoring. - **GNSS-R,** Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry payload, is designed to demonstrate GNSS-R based remote sensing in applications such as ocean surface winds, soil moisture, cryosphere applications over the Himalayan Region, and flood detection. - **SiC UV Dosimeter** is a demonstration payload to monitor Ultraviolet radiation for eventual use on the crewed Gaganyaan spacecraft, the payload will also test a high dose alarm. ![EOS-08 during launch preparations. ©ISRO](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GUX8B2qa8AIg17q.png) EOS-08 during launch preparations. ©ISRO After separating from the launch vehicle, EOS-08 is believed to be in a 475-kilometer orbit, on a 37.4 degree inclination. A tiny 200-gram satellite called SR-O DEMOSAT, developed by Space Kidz India, was also onboard and deployed minutes after EOS-08. Speaking after the successful deployment of both satellites, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation, S. Somanath, [said](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/isros-sslv-d3-mission-successful-eos-08-and-sr-0-demosat-satellites-placed-in-orbit/articleshow/112556542.cms?ref=proximareport.com): > "The rocket has placed the satellites into precise orbit. With this, we declare that the SSLV development process is completed." – "With the successful launch, ISRO is moving into the operation phase of SSLV." Once the operational phase begins, the agency expects SSLV to be a low-cost fast-turnaround launch vehicle offering both rideshare and dedicated launch to low Earth orbit or sun-synchronus orbit. SSLV had been performing development flights since August of 2022, with two successful missions occurring out of three flights. This launch of SSLV on August 16th also ended a [seven-month](https://www.isro.gov.in/LaunchMissions.html?ref=proximareport.com) orbital launch hiatus from India, as its last launch was performed by GSLV on February 17th 2024. ## What is SSLV? Small Satellite Launch Vehicle, commonly called SSLV, is a small-lift launch vehicle operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation. SSLV can lift up to 500 kilograms to low Earth orbit or 300 kilograms to sun-synchronous orbit. ![SSLV on its launchpad ahead of the SSLV-D3/EOS-08 mission. ©ISRO](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/SSLVD3_Image_05.JPG) SSLV on its launchpad ahead of the SSLV-D3/EOS-08 mission. ©ISRO SSLV uses four stages to deliver its payloads to orbit. The first stage consists of a large solid rocket motor that burns hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and generates 255 tons of thrust. The second stage is another solid rocket motor that burns Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and generates 24 tons of thrust. The third stage is SSLV's final solid rocket motor, which burns Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and generates 16 tons of thrust. The fourth and final stage is known as the Velocity Trimming Module, and it is propelled by two bipropellant thrusters that produce 10 kilograms of thrust using Monomethylhydrazine and Mixed oxides of nitrogen as liquid fuel. On the launchpad, SSLV stands at a height of 34 meters tall, with a weight of approximately 120,000 kilograms. ### Weekly Dose of Space (4/8-10/8) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-4-8-10-8/ Last updated: 2024-08-11T19:18:49.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had four launches occur worldwide, with one launch starting work on a new mega-constellation. News this week had Rocket Lab fire up a new engine, and NASA weighing its options for Starliner's crew. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase started on August 4th when the CC 8800-1 crane used for stacking the second launch tower was lowered, ahead of extending it for stacking the final modules of the tower. The second launch tower is also six modules tall currently with the crane barely taller than it. The following day, August 5th, workers were spotted removing thermal protection tiles from Ship 31's nose, beginning the replacement of its tiles like Ship 30\. Early the next morning, August 6th, Ship 30 was once again rolled out to Massey's for testing, as the vehicle had one of its engines swapped out. August 7th had the B14.1 test tank rolled back out to the launch site, possibly ahead of more catch testing using the towers 'chopsticks'. These tests would have the test tank sit on the orbital launch mount while the 'chopsticks' move around it. B14.1 was lifted onto the orbital launch mount later the same day. Ship 30 performed a spin prime test with an unknown number of engines late on August 7th, most likely to test the replaced engine. August 9th would have Ship 30 return to the production site from Massey's. ## **Launches This Week** ### *August 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-1* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1082 making its sixth flight, and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 during the Starlink Group 11-1 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GUIB-YMaEAAUVd8.jpg) A long exposure photo of Falcon 9 during the Starlink Group 11-1 mission. ©SpaceX ### *August 4th - Falcon 9 with Cygnus NG-21* Also on August 4th, a Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying Northrop Grumman's twentieth Cygnus resupply mission to the International Space Station. The booster for this mission was B1080 flying for the tenth time and landing back at Landing Zone 1. ![Falcon 9 booster B1080 landing back at Landing Zone 1 after supporting the Cygnus NG-21 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GUKMFS4a8AAq-gC.jpg) Falcon 9 booster B1080 landing back at Landing Zone 1 after supporting the Cygnus NG-21 mission. ©SpaceX ### *August 6th - Long March 6A with Qianfan Polar Group 01* A Long March 6A lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying the first 18 satellites for China's Qianfan constellation. These satellites are believed to have been deployed at an altitude of approximately 800 kilometers. Details about this constellation are available [here](https://proximareport.com/china-begins-mega-constellation/). ![The Long March 6A Y21 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ©Zhu Xingxin/China Daily](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/66b2cfa9a3104e74e4a72126-1.jpeg) The Long March 6A Y21 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ©Zhu Xingxin/China Daily ### *August 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-3* Another Falcon 9 launched carrying twenty-one Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, this time from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1067 for its twenty-first time and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 8-3 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GUoHXVEaQAACn99.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 8-3 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ## Archimedes *breathes fire!* ![Rocket Lab's Archimedes engine during a test firing at the Stennis Space Center. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GUfFuyTXEAEjm62.jpg) Rocket Lab's Archimedes engine during a test firing at the Stennis Space Center. ©Rocket Lab Rocket Lab announced on August 8th that it fired its liquid methane and liquid oxygen burning Archimedes engine! According to Rocket Lab, the firing had Archimedes running at 102% of its maximum thrust. Speaking to Business Wire, Peter Beck, Rocket Lab's Chief Executive Officer, said the following about the firing: > “Hot firing Archimedes is a major development milestone for Neutron and our team has done it on an accelerated timeline. Taking a new staged combustion liquid rocket engine from cleansheet design to hot fire in just a couple of years is industry-leading stuff." – "From the day we started designing Archimedes we focused on delivering a flight engine, rather than an early-stage prototype destined for multiple reworks and adjustments, so it's gratifying to see this strategy bear fruit.” Ten Archimedes engines will power Rocket Lab's in-development partially reusable Neutron launch vehicle, with nine sea-level optimized engines on the first-stage and one vacuum-optimized engine powering the second-stage. Neutron's debut flight is currently expected to occur in 2025. ## *Starliner crew may return on Crew Dragon* ![Boeing's Starliner spacecraft docked to the International Space Station seen from SpaceX's Crew-8 Dragon spacecraft. ©NASA/Boeing](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GTXRCERW0AAAXxE.jpg) Boeing's Starliner spacecraft docked to the International Space Station seen from SpaceX's Crew-8 Dragon spacecraft. ©NASA/Boeing NASA is currently evaluating issues on the Starliner spacecraft docked to the International Space Station for the Crew Flight Test mission. In a press briefing on August 7th, NASA said they expect to decide if the crew of Starliner's human-carrying mission will return with the spacecraft or on an alternative vehicle. Since launch on June 5th, 2024, Starliner has been experiencing thruster failures and helium leaks. Multiple thrusters malfunctioned on approach to the International Space Station, however all but one thruster are believed to have been fixed since then. Despite these issues, Boeing has remained confident in Starliner's ability to return its crew to Earth safely. NASA does not yet have full confidence in Starliner, and has brought in experts from across the agency to review data from testing the spacecraft to search for possible unknown hardware failure modes. Testing back on Earth has shown that heating from the thrusters could cause Starliner's Teflon seal or poppet to expand and extrude, potentially limiting propellant flow and causing performance loss. NASA would prefer to understand a potential worst-case scenario for Starliner before making its decision. The agency has not shared a final date for its decision beyond mid-August, this decision is expected to come from Administrator Bill Nelson, or possibly someone higher up in the United States' political hierarchy as another election looms. One of the possibilities for returning the two crew of Starliner is sending up the Crew-9 Dragon spacecraft with two astronauts onboard instead of four, to ensure the safe return of all astronauts on the International Space Station. This would extend the Starliner crews' mission into March 2025, for a total stay in space of eight months. Additionally, this option would have Starliner return uncrewed, likely with extra cargo onboard. The Crew-9 mission has already been delayed from August 18th to September 24th due to Starliner's unexpectedly long mission. The two crew of the Starliner Crew Flight Test mission are Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, both in orbit for the third time. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* Once again, SpaceX is still awaiting regulatory approvals for changes in its flight plan for the fifth test flight. Regulatory approval for this flight is needed due to a potential landing of Booster 12 back at the launch site, on the launch towers 'chopsticks'. Both vehicles for flight five, Booster 12 and Ship 30, are ready for flight pending a possible wet dress rehearsal. ### *August 11th - Electron for 'A Sky Full of SARs'* Electron is expected to launch from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula, carrying a synthetic aperture radar Earth imaging satellites to low Earth orbit for Capella Space. ### *August 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-7* SpaceX is expected to launch another twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. The booster for this mission is believed to be B1073 for its seventeenth flight. ### *August 12th - Falcon 9 with Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission* SpaceX is also expected to launch the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission satellites, shortened to ASBM 1 & 2, for Space Norway. The two satellites were built by Northrop Grumman with cooperation from the Norwegian Ministry of Defence and Inmarsat. The Falcon 9 booster for this mission is believed to be B1061 for its twenty-second flight. Landing of the booster is expected downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *August 14th - Falcon 9 with WorldView Legion 3 & 4* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40, carrying Maxar's WorldView Legion 3 & 4 Earth observation spacecraft to a sun-synchronus orbit. The booster for this mission is currently unknown but it is expected to land back at Landing Zone 1. ### *August 15th - Falcon 9 for Transporter 11* SpaceX may launch its eleventh Transporter rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E to sun-synchronus orbit. ### *August 15th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-28* A Progress resupply spacecraft is expected to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome and head to the International Space Station. The Progress spacecraft will be carried into low Earth orbit by a Soyuz 2.1a. ### *August 15th - SSLV with EOS-08/Microsat-2C* The Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO, is expected to launch its SSLV rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Center to low Earth orbit. Onboard the rocket are ISRO's Earth observation micro-satellite, which will test new technologies, along with the CubeSats Rickshaw-0 and IITMSAT. ### China begins mega-constellation construction! URL: https://proximareport.com/china-begins-mega-constellation/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T20:02:45.000Z At 14:42 pm China Standard Time, or 06:42 am Universal Coordinated Time, on August 6th, the first batch of satellites for the Shanghai-backed Qianfan mega-constellation was sent skyward! This first batch of 18 satellites were sent to a [polar orbit](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/rIcRESUikn6l5Ka4LWPqBA?ref=proximareport.com) atop of a Long March 6A from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The Qianfan (千帆) mega-constellation, formerly called G60 Starlink, is operated by Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology, which is [partly backed](https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/shanghai-backed-firm-raises-933-mln-build-satellite-constellation-2024-02-01/?ref=proximareport.com) by the municipal government of Shanghai. Qianfan is also part of [Shanghai's](https://www.shanghai.gov.cn/nw12344/20231120/5e53f1fe1b1543f38a49153eb563cfbb.html?ref=proximareport.com) plan to foster a strong space industry between 2023 and 2025. > Qianfan/G60 satellite render by CCTV [pic.twitter.com/NizMHjeqJ0](https://t.co/NizMHjeqJ0?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Phazzee 🐼🚀 | 中国航天 🇨🇳 | 🇵🇸🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 (@PhazzeeYeehaw) [August 6, 2024](https://twitter.com/PhazzeeYeehaw/status/1820844178101719060?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Each Qianfan satellite is [believed](https://weibo.com/2645044133/5064512556500422?ref=proximareport.com) to weigh 300 kilograms with a 'flat pack' design to fit as many satellites as possible inside the rocket fairing. For maneuvering on orbit, each satellite has an electric hall-effect thruster burning krypton to generate 20 millinewtons of thrust, with a specific impulse of 1,385 seconds. For 2024, 108 satellites are [planned](https://spacenews.com/china-launches-first-satellites-for-thousand-sails-megaconstellation/?ref=proximareport.com) to be launched, possibly for five more launches this year if they are launched in groups of 18\. Longer-term [plans](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/OO7QB2qSqwrfK6%5FsMP4jIw?ref=proximareport.com) for the constellation will have it provide regular coverage of China by the end of 2025, and regular coverage worldwide by the end of 2027\. By the end of 2030, 15,000 satellites are planned to be on-orbit. Qianfan is one of three mega-constellation plans currently being pursued in China. The other two plans are the state-backed GuoWang, which plans to be comprised of 13,000 satellites, and LandSpace's joint venture with Hongqing Technology called Honghu-3, which aims to have 10,000 satellites. These three constellations would have China operating 38,000 satellites in low Earth orbit. This launch was also the 7th launch of the Long March 6A, and the 214th launch for the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. For the Long March launch vehicle family, this was the [530th](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/aMqwHOeTXM-cT2kCt2ioAw?ref=proximareport.com) launch. This was also the 35th launch from China this year, as the country hopes to perform 100 launches in 2024. ![The launch mission patch of the Long March 6A Y21 mission.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GUST0VIaAAA8HCB-2-1.png) The launch mission patch of the Long March 6A Y21 mission. ## What is the Long March 6A? The Long March 6A is one of the newer rockets from the Long March series of launch vehicles to debut in recent years, as it first flew in March of 2022\. It is manufactured by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, who also manufacture the Long March 6 and 6C. It is believed that the Long March 6A is capable of delivering 4,500 kilograms to a 700-kilogram sun-synchronous orbit. A higher payload capacity is believed to be available for lower-altitude sun-synchronus orbits, but this has not been widely shared. ![The Long March 6A Y21 vehicle at Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center ahead of launch.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/640.webp) The Long March 6A Y21 vehicle at Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center ahead of launch. The first-stage is powered by two YF-100 engines to generate a combined thrust of approximately 244 tons of thrust, while burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The first-stage is reportedly 3.35 meters in diameter. The Long March 6A's first-stage is augmented by four solid rocket boosters attached to the side of the vehicle. These solid rocket boosters reportedly generate 124 tons of thrust each burning their solid propellant, each booster is also believed to be 2 meters in diameter. The solid rocket boosters generate a combined thrust of 492 tons of thrust. Combined with the first-stage they generate a total of 736 tons of thrust. The second-stage is powered by a single YF-115 engine generating 18 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The second-stage is believed to be 3.35 meters in diameter, like the first stage. On the launchpad, the rocket reportedly weighs 530,000 kilograms and is fifty meters tall. The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology has not shared the burn time for either of the stages or solid booster, at the time of writing. ### Weekly Dose of Space (28/7-3/8) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-28-7-3-8/ Last updated: 2024-08-04T19:19:48.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week had six launches occur, with half being performed by Falcon 9\. News this week had two International Space Station-related crew announcements, and SpaceX unveil its newest iteration of the Raptor engine. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began in the early hours of the 28th when Ship 30 was moved into the 'rocket garden' at the production site, after it returned from the Massey's test site the day before. Late on the 30th, the sixth module of the second launch tower was rolled out to the launch site, and work on preparing to lift the fifth and sixth modules began on the 31st. After waiting a few days, the fifth module of the second launch tower was lifted and secured to the tower on August 1st. August 2nd saw the sixth module beginning preparations to lift. The following day, August 3rd, the sixth module was lifted onto the second launch tower, work to secure it started shortly after the lift. ## **Launches This Week** ### *July 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-4* Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1077 on its fourteenth flight and landing successfully on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-4 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GTjbdtkbEAA06Vh.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-4 mission. ©SpaceX ### *July 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-4* Twenty-one Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit after a launch atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster for this mission was B1071 making its seventeenth launch and landing, with it landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Couse I Still Love You' for this mission. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 9-4 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GTmBD5_bEAABhA3-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 9-4 mission. ©SpaceX ### *July 30th - Atlas V for USSF-51* United Launch Alliance launched an Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 for the USSF-51 mission. The payload onboard is unknown to the public due to its classified military nature. > Here’s one from the Lightning Tower. [#AtlasV](https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [#USSF51](https://twitter.com/hashtag/USSF51?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/SGDBLtVV69](https://t.co/SGDBLtVV69?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Tory Bruno (@torybruno) [August 2, 2024](https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1819336847996129390?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Atlas V lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for USSF-51, via [Tory Bruno on X.](https://x.com/torybruno/status/1819336847996129390?ref=proximareport.com) ### *August 1st - Long March 3B/E with WHG-02* A Long March 3B/E lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying a new communications satellite to a geosynchronous transfer orbit. The satellite was the second ‘Internet high-orbit satellite’ (Weixing Hulianwang Gaogui, WHG) spacecraft. ![The Long March 3B/E Y97 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/640b-1.webp) The Long March 3B/E Y97 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ### *August 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-6* SpaceX launched another twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1078 on its twelfth flight, with it landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 10-6 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GT9Qhc9XQAArRSx-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 10-6 mission. ©SpaceX ### *August 2nd - Electron for 'Owl for One, One for Owl'* Rocket Lab launched an Electron from Launch Complex 1B, on the Māhia Peninsula, carrying a synthetic aperture radar satellite to a sun-synchronous orbit for Synspective. > Turn it up. [pic.twitter.com/BEcw94jWdv](https://t.co/BEcw94jWdv?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Peter Beck (@Peter\_J\_Beck) [August 2, 2024](https://twitter.com/Peter%5FJ%5FBeck/status/1819441373549924676?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B for 'Owl for One, One for Owl', via [Peter Beck on X.](https://x.com/Peter%5FJ%5FBeck/status/1819441373549924676?ref=proximareport.com) ## **In Other Space News** ## *SpaceX unveils first Raptor 3 engine* ![SpaceX's three Raptor engine versions: Raptor 1 (left), Raptor 2 (center), Raptor 3 (right). ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/GUEhFjla8AANpDp.jpg) SpaceX's three Raptor engine versions: Raptor 1 (left), Raptor 2 (center), Raptor 3 (right). ©SpaceX In a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, SpaceX and Elon Musk, SpaceX's Chief Executive Officer, revealed the details about the newest version of the company's Raptor engine, called Raptor 3. The posts from SpaceX state that the thrust of a Raptor 3 sea-level variant is 280 tons, with a specific impulse of 350 seconds. Raptor 3's mass has also seen a small decrease from Raptor 2, with Raptor 3 weighing 1,525 kilograms and Raptor weighing 1,630 kilograms. Compared to Raptor 2, Raptor 3 has increased the engines thrust by 50 tons and the specific impulse by 3 seconds. Raptor 3 has also simplified a significant amount of the externals of the engine. SpaceX hopes the Raptor 3 will enable rapid reuse of its fully reusable Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle, when it begins to fly Raptor 3 engines. ## *Indian astronaut to fly to the ISS* ![India's astronauts Shubhanshu Shukla (left) and Balakrishnan Nair (right). ©ISRO/The Indian Express](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/India-Space.png) India's astronauts Shubhanshu Shukla (left) and Balakrishnan Nair (right). ©ISRO/The Indian Express The Indian Space Research Organisation announced on August 2nd that Shubhanshu Shukla will fly to the International Space Station as the pilot for the Axiom-4 mission. Shubhanshu Shukla and his backup, Balakrishnan Nair, will train for the mission in the United States, beginning in early August. In the announcement, the agency said the following: > "Towards the goal of mounting a joint ISRO-NASA effort, the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) of ISRO has entered into a Space Flight Agreement (SFA) with NASA-identified service provider M/s Axiom Space Inc.,USA for its upcoming Axiom-4 mission to the ISS. A National Mission Assignment Board has recommended two Gaganyatris as prime and backup Mission Pilot for this mission. These are Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (Prime) and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair (Backup). The assigned crewmembers will be finally approved to fly to the International Space Station by the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP)." The Axiom-4 mission is expected to carry four astronauts, Peggy Whitson (United States), Shubhanshu Shukla (India), Sławosz Uznański (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary). The mission is expected to launch in October 2024. India also calls its astronauts Gaganyatri. ## *NASA reveals Crew-10 astronauts* ![The Crew-10 crew: Nichole Ayers (left), Kirill Peskov (center left), Anne McClain (center right), and Takuya Onishi (right). ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/jsc2024e034372-alt-1.jpg) The Crew-10 crew: Nichole Ayers (left), Kirill Peskov (center left), Anne McClain (center right), and Takuya Onishi (right). ©NASA On August 1st, NASA announced the astronauts for its Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station. The crew are Commander Anne McClain (NASA), Pilot Nichole Ayers (NASA), Mission Specialist Takuya Onishi (JAXA), and Mission Specialist Kirill Peskov (Roscosmos). The four Crew-10 astronauts will spend approximately six months onboard the International Space Station, conducting science and maintaining the station. Launch is currently expected no earlier than February of 2025 onboard of SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule, being sent into orbit by Falcon 9 from Florida. The Crew Dragon capsule for the Crew-10 mission will also be a new spacecraft, and the crew will name it once on orbit. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* As is usual now, SpaceX is still awaiting regulatory approvals for changes in its flight plan for the fifth test flight. Regulatory approval for this flight is needed due to a potential landing of Booster 12 back at the launch site, on the launch towers 'chopsticks'. With static fires performed by both flight vehicles, Booster 12 and Ship 30, the final major hardware milestone is still expected to be a wet dress rehearsal for both vehicles on the launch pad. ### *August 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-1* SpaceX is expected to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for this mission is also unknown but it will land downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *August 4th - Falcon 9 with Cygnus NG-21* SpaceX is targeting August 4th to launch the twentieth Cygnus resupply mission to the International Space Station from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, atop of Falcon 9\. Cygnus is expected to bring science experiments, equipment, and consumables to the crew aboard the station. ### *August 6th - Long March 6A with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 6A is expected to launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying another currently unknown payload. ### *August 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-3* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch yet another batch of Starlink Satellites from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission is unknown but it is expected to land downrange on a drone ship. ### Radiation on Our Interplanetary Journeys URL: https://proximareport.com/radiation-mars-and-beyond/ Last updated: 2024-08-03T19:57:38.000Z Polaris Dawn is coming up and will take humans farther than we have been since 1972, when Apollo 17, the last crewed mission to the Moon, took place. Now the Polaris Dawn crew will travel to an apogee of \~1,400 km on a 5-day journey where they too will face the dangers of space. They will experiment with and encounter higher levels of radiation than what the astronauts on the ISS experience, an already significant amount. This precious research and knowledge will be used for future interplanetary missions like the great journey to our red neighboring planet and when we build a base on the Moon, but how will these future missions deal with the intense radiation of space and what measures are already being taken to shield astronauts from these hazards? ## Origins If you've ever seen images of the Sun's photosphere, that is, the surface of the Sun, you have probably seen the effects of solar flares. These are large coronal mass ejections reaching as long as a quarter of the way to Earth, or about 0.25 AU. The cause is due to the twisting of magnetic field structures in the Sun's lower corona. At some point, typically around the peak of solar activity when the Sun's magnetic field flips, the structures realign with other magnetic field structures. This is called magnetic reconnection and causes the reconnected masses to create a loop that breaks and shoots the upper part away from the Sun. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/image_2024-07-27_210857330.png) Close-up image of a solar flare | ****Credit:** NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory Inside the Sun's core, hydrogen is fused into helium. During this process, the protium isotope of hydrogen fuses with another protium isotope to create a deuterium isotope. The deuterium isotope fuses with one more protium isotope to create helium-3, and during this process, gamma-radiation is released as a result of leftover mass from the reaction. The charged particles and their radiation are constantly emitted from the Sun and in some cases, focused in the direction of the coronal mass ejection, causing solar storms that occasionally hit Earth, knocking out power grids and satellites. Another type of radiation, alpha radiation (α), is released from the Sun's corona when electrons in the coronas plasma gather sufficient speeds to boost helium nuclei to escape velocities of over 600 km/s. The helium nuclei (alpha particles) then reach the Earth's magnetosphere where they're trapped. The Earth's magnetosphere consists of two main radiation belts called the inner- and outer Van Allen belts which extend to an altitude of about 58,000 km. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/image.png) An illustration of the Van Allen belts | Credit: Wikipedia Because the Earth's equatorial plane is inclined at a 23.5° angle relative to the ecliptic plane and the Moon's orbital inclination is 5.1°, Apollo missions only spent 52 minutes in the belts as they flew through the thinner part of the outer belt. This exposure is only about 13 rad, well below the harmful dose of 100 rad. A lesser but similar inclination can be flown when going to Mars, making the time spent in the Van Allen belts short for Mars trajectories as well. ## Interplanetary Radiation The real danger arises once the spacecraft has to spend a long time in space. In the German-American rocket scientist Werner Von Braun's specification on a journey to Mars, The Mars Project, one of the few shortcomings of the book was the effects of radiation exposure on humans. Although staying in space for long periods is nothing new to us, on interplanetary missions the spacecraft has no magnetosphere or atmosphere to protect it like the ISS has, but that doesn't mean similar technologies used on the ISS can't be used here. In places such as the sleeping quarters on the ISS, where the astronauts spend a significant amount of time, hydrogen-rich shielding such as polyethylene is used because of its low density. This may seem counter-intuitive, as high-density materials such as lead and concrete are often regarded as being the most effective blockers of radiation, and while that is true, they also create more secondaries. Secondaries arise when the radiation and the material it hits interact, creating particles such as ions, electrons, photons, and neutrons, a secondary radiation particle, hence the name. A heavier and more dense material has a higher probability of interacting with the particles hitting it, and the secondaries can actually be worse for the astronauts' health than the primary radiation. A lightweight polyethylene, RFX1, has shown 50% better shielding against the incoming radiation from solar flares compared to aluminum. The shielding material needs to be light but thick enough to stop the primary radiation. This thickness will add a lot of "dead mass" to the spacecraft, thereby limiting the payload and fuel capacity and increasing nightmare fuel for an aerospace engineer. ### Magnetic Shielding Another proposed option is for the spacecraft to create its own little magnetosphere to protect against the high energy galactic cosmic- and solar rays. In this technology, a high current is passed through some coils to create strong magnetic fields, but this one has drawbacks too. Calculations have shown that around 20 tesla are needed to create these strong magnetic fields, and for that, you need a high current. To create a high current, you need a lot of power from what will presumably be solar panels, and you need to cryo-cool the superconductors to limit the vibrations of the atoms inside the coils. Although SpaceX's Starship already uses cryogenic methane and oxygen, a whole new system across a good chunk of Starship's surface needs to be implemented, adding a lot of "dead mass". Another problem is the concern for the astronauts' health. Most MRI scanners only operate at 1,5 or 3 Tesla and on the surface of the Earth we only feel about 0.00005 Tesla so you can imagine 20 Tesla constantly bombarding the astronauts' body for 9 months is suboptimal. ### Electrostatic Shielding Electrostatic shielding can work by using Van De Graaf generators to create high electric potential across the surface of the spacecraft. When protons from galactic cosmic rays or alpha particles hit the spacecraft, they're deflected by the electric field. This method is far lighter and less complex, but it is still unclear how effective it is, as higher currents than are currently possible with this setup may be needed. ### Dietary Countermeasures A great deal of research has also been put into how our bodies can protect against radiation instead of relying on hydrogen-rich shielding, electrostatic shielding, and sunscreen. Nutrients like vitamins A and C have been shown to remove radiation-produced free-radicals that can change DNA and damage cells, ultimately leading to cancer or tumors. Specific diaries have also been shown to have a positive effect on protection against radiation. Another method is the use of drugs and medication. Radioprotectants can stimulate the growth of stem cells. Unspecialized stem cells can divide into specialized stem cells in a process called differentiation, and the specialized stem cells can then repair the radiation-damaged DNA and cells. ## Conclusion Taking all of this into account shows, that one single method probably won't do the job, as of now, and the spacecraft will have to merge different systems. It could consist of electrostatic shielding combined with a relatively thin layer of light polyethylene in frequently occupied areas of the spacecraft, and a good diet containing some amount of radioprotectants. There could also be some sort of supermaterial in development, with the ability to absorb all incoming cosmic and solar rays without creating secondaries, but we simply don't know yet. The future will be an amazing sight to see, and it has already started. ### Get to know CAS Space! URL: https://proximareport.com/get-to-know-cas-space/ Last updated: 2024-08-02T22:40:01.000Z CAS Space is one of China's many commercial launch providers, and it currently operates one of the most capable launch vehicles available in the Chinese commercial launch market. However, outside of aerospace enthusiast circles, CAS Space remains somewhat unknown in the West. So who is CAS Space? and what rockets do they launch? ## Launch Vehicles Both of CAS Space's vehicles are called Kinetica globally or 力箭 (Lì jiàn in Pinyin, or Power Arrow directly translated to English) in China. CAS Space's Marketing & Planning Department summarised the naming process as follows: > "There had been some confusion about the name in the global community. Before it was named in Chinese as “力箭”, it had an internal code of “中科一号A”， a.k.a. ZK-1A. The code was a nod to the root of the Chinese Academy of Science for many of our engineers prior to their venture into the commercial sector. The code was discontinued in favor of “力箭” as we updated our roadmap. It received an updated internal R&D code of “PR-1”, literally “Power Rocket 1”. The name was used in our engineering and sometimes was seen in public as well. We decided that it was not a good name to publicize internationally, so a different name had to be chosen. The most obvious choice is the transliteration of “力箭一号”, that is, “Lijian-1”. However, for non-mandarin-speakers, the name may be pronounced like “Laji”, meaning ‘junk’. Many of us voted the name off for this reason. Eventually, a version to translate “力箭” by conveying the meaning behind it was chosen." > "Now the launcher series is called “力箭” in Chinese and “Kinetica” globally." ### *Kinetica-1 (*力箭一号*)* Kinetica-1 is CAS Space's first launch vehicle, which has so far launched three times, all successfully. The launch vehicle consists of four stages, all burning solid fuel. The Kinetica-1 launch vehicle can carry up to 2,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit or 1,500 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. CAS Space offers the ability to launch a single satellite to utilize all of the rocket's payload capacity, however more 'rideshare' missions occur for multiple satellites to be delivered in one launch. ![Kinetica-1 on its launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ©CAS Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/0884ea1fcad492b4252b4ed6dff57e3.jpg) Kinetica-1 on its launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ©CAS Space Each of Kinetica-1's stages are as follows: - **First-stage:** The first stage is propelled by a solid rocket booster that burns an undisclosed solid fuel to produce 200 tons of thrust. - **Second-stage:** The second stage is propelled by another solid rocket booster that generates 110 tons of thrust using the same unidentified solid propellant. - **Third-stage:** The third stage is propelled by another solid rocket booster that generates 110 tons of thrust using the same undisclosed solid propellant. - **Fourth-stage:** The fourth stage is propelled by a solid rocket booster, which burns the same unidentified solid propellant to provide 8 tons of thrust. Currently, all three of Kinetica-1's launches have occurred from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, in Northern China. However, CAS Space, like OrienSpace and Galactic Energy, has shown an interest in launching from a sea launch platform, likely from a ship based out of the Haiyang sea launch spaceport. On its launch pad, Kinetica-1 weighs 135,000 kilograms and stands at 30 meters tall. The first two stages and fairing have a diameter of 2.65 meters, giving the rocket is unique look. ![Kinetica-1 during first-stage flight after lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ©CAS Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/030cec6e77ce65ed0aab74f7f1cbb04.jpg) Kinetica-1 during first-stage flight after lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ©CAS Space ### *Kinetica-2 (*力箭二号*)* Kinetica-2 is CAS Space's in-development two-stage partially reusable launch vehicle, with a first flight scheduled for Summer of 2025\. Unlike most reusable rockets in development currently, Kinetica-2 will recover the three 'common booster cores' as one. CAS Space is currently hoping to have Kinetica-2 carry payloads weighing up to 12,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, or 8,000 kilograms to a sun-synchronus orbit. ![A render of CAS Space's Kinetica-2 rocket lifting off from its launch pad. ©CAS Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/Kinetica-2--HQ-.png) A render of CAS Space's Kinetica-2 rocket lifting off from its launch pad. ©CAS Space Each of Kinetica-2's stages are as follows: - **First-stage:** The first-stage of Kinetica-2 consists of three 'common boosters cores' each with three YF-102 engines generating 85 tons of thrust each. With three cores the launch vehicle has nine YF-102 engines for a total thrust of 766 tons. For propellant, the first-stage will burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. - **Second-stage:** The second-stage of Kinetica-2 will have one vacuum-optimized YF-102 engine while generating a believed thrust of over 85 tons. It will also burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. Each 'common booster core' is 3.35 meters in diameter, along with the second stage. For landing of the first-stage, the three boosters will land as one unit downrange on a landing pad or drone ship. The landing legs and grid fins for recovering the first-stage will be placed across the three cores to enable landing. On the launch pad, Kinetica-2 will be 52 meters tall and weigh 625,000 kilograms fully fuelled. Kinetica-2's fairing will also be 4.2 meters in diameter. ![A render of Kinetica-2 (left) and Kinetica-2H (right). ©CAS Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/K2-K2H.png) A render of Kinetica-2 (left) and Kinetica-2H (right). ©CAS Space CAS Space is also considering a more capable version of Kinetica-2, called Kinetica-2H. Kinetica-2H will have five 'common booster cores' on the first stage, having 15 YF-102's generating 1276 tons of thrust at liftoff. With the additional 'common booster cores', Kinetica-2H's expected payload capacity is 22,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, or 15,000 kilograms to a sun-synchronus orbit. On the launch pad, Kinetica-2H will be 56 meters tall and weigh 913,000 kilograms fully fuelled. Kinetica-2H will also allow the customers to choose between a 4.2 or 5-meter diameter fairing. ## Questions for CAS Space While talking with CAS Space's Marketing & Planning Department for this article, I asked the company a handful of questions. The company's answers to each question is listed below. **Is the inaugural launch the only flight planned of Kinetica-2 in 2025?** > "The second flight is planned for Q1 2026\. We do have a few missions queued so it is quite likely that we will have two launches eventually in 2025." **In the years after the inaugural launch what is the desired launch frequency of Kinetica-2?** > "Our expectation is there will be half a dozen launches for 2026, and about 20 launches each year afterwards." **Will Kinetica-2's first stage be capable of flying back to the launch site for re-use, or will it be limited to landings downrange from the launch site?** > "It will land downrange to a landing site or a sea platform." **How many flights are the Kinetica-2 first stages planned to perform via re-use?** > "More than 20 times." **Leading up to the first stage landing, will CAS Space perform sub-orbital hops with a vertical-takeoff vertical-landing vehicle?** > "We have monthly R&D milestones planned out for reusability. The tests will be planned from more of an engineering perspective than from a PR perspective, and we will share more details once the milestones prior to the test are completed." **Is Kinetica-2 still planning to use the YF-102 kerosene-oxygen rocket engine, if so how many per launch vehicle?** > "There will be ten YF-102s in total. Nine will be used on the first stage (3 on each booster), and a vacuum version of the YF-102 will be used on the second stage." **Alongside launching China's ten thousand spacecraft+ constellations, are there still plans for car-pooling/rideshare launches as we have seen with Kinetica-1?** > "Yes! While the primary payloads do come first, we always welcome ridesharing to provide the most efficient and accessible options to smaller satellites globally." **Will Kinetica-1 be gradually phased out in favor of Kinetica-2 once it begins reliable frequent flights?** > "Kinetica-1 and Kinetica-2 serve a different spectrum of missions. The flight frequency for each launcher will be determined by market demands. Our expectation is that the demand for Kinetica-1 will continue to be strong. Either launcher is financially sustainable for us so there is really no plan in phasing out Kinetica-1\. " ## Who is CAS Space? CAS Space, or Chinese Academy of Sciences Space, is a Chinese launch provider partially owned by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The company was founded in 2018 in Beijing but is currently headquartered in Guangzhou, in the province of Guangdong in southern China. The company has wholly-owned subsidiaries located in Guangzhou, Beijing, and Xi'an for manufacturing as well as research and development. The Beijing subsidiary focuses on research and development, the Guangzhou subsidiary focuses on CAS Space's manufacturing operations, and the Xi'an subsidiary focuses on various propulsion technologies. CAS Space also operates its own launch facilities at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. This facility includes a launchpad along with space to store payloads and up to ten launch vehicles. The company's 'mission and vision' is to build simple, sophisticated, and reliable launch vehicles to usher in an inclusive, accessible, and peaceful era of space exploration. To achieve this, CAS Space employs approximately 300 people, with its team consisting of new industry talent and veterans of the Long March rocket programs. ![The logo of CAS Space as of 2024. ©CAS Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/logo.png) The logo of CAS Space as of 2024\. ©CAS Space *Part of the information, and images, in this article would not have been available without the patience and efforts of CAS Space's Marketing & Planning Department, whom I would like to thank for answering some of my questions and understanding my somewhat basic Chinese writing.* ### Cosmic Curiosities - August 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/cosmic-curiosities-aug24/ Last updated: 2024-08-01T18:52:17.000Z Hello and welcome to the very first "Cosmic Curiosities" newsletter! In this new monthly newsletter, we will go over the big astronomy events you should expect in the coming month. From meteor showers to planetary aligning and anything in between. We also will dive into all of the out-of-this-world discoveries and big stories from the past month! (note: this is the first edition of this newsletter and it will be improved and refined down the line) ## **What's up this month?** August is going to be full of awesome space events, so get your telescope (or eyes) ready as we go over what's up this month! ### *The Perseid Meteor Shower - August 11-12th* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/perseids-radiant-credit-preston-dyches-cc-by-nc-2-0.webp) Perseid meteor shower in full force ****Credit: NASA/Preston Dyches** August is home to one of the most exciting meteor showers, Perseid. The popular shooting star spectacle will peak on Sunday, August 11th, and into the early morning hours of Monday, August 12th. You should also see some shooting stars here and there a couple of days before and after the meteor shower peaks. This may be one of the best showers this year due to the nice weather in the northern hemisphere, as well as the dim Moon. When the Perseid meteor shower peaks, the Moon will be in a Waxing Crescent phase, with an illumination of about 40%. If you watch this cosmic ballet at its peak, you should expect to see upwards of 60 shooting stars per hour! ### *Blue Moon - August 19th* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/moon-1859616_1920.jpg) Blue Moon (sadly not actually blue in real life) ****Credit: Robert Karkowski** A week after the peak of Perseid, the Moon will steal the show as it becomes a "Blue" Moon. Sadly, our celestial neighbor won't turn blue, it is just the third full Moon in a season that has four, making it a "seasonal blue moon." The first full Moon of this season was on June 21st, the second on July 21st and the fourth will be September 18th. Referring to the third full Moon in a season came from the now defunct Maine Farmers' Almanac that if one of the four seasons in a year, contained four full Moons instead of the conventional three, the third should be called a "blue moon" to sort of honor the occasion. This will be the first (and only) Blue Moon of the year. The next monthly blue Moon will be in May of 2026 and the next seasonal blue Moon will occur in August of 2027\. So, while the Moon sadly will remain the same color, it is still something to look forward to this month! ### *Moon and Saturn (ft. Neptune) - August 20th* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/Moon-Saturn-Neptune-1.webp) Visual aid to show you what the Moon/Saturn side by side will look like ****Credit: AccuWeather** Just a day after taking all the limelight, the Moon once again is the star of the show as it and Saturn are going to be side by side all night. After the sun sets on Tuesday, Saturn, one of the easiest to spot planets in the night sky will rise just above our celestial neighbor. This will be an amazing thing to see, especially if you own binoculars or a telescope. Neptune will also make an appearance during this event down to the left of the Moon and Saturn. However, you unfortunately won't be able to see the far-out ice giant with the naked eye. ## **Interstellar news from July** Last month was quite up and down when it came to rocket launches. However, while Falcon 9 was grounded and then returned to flight, Ariane 6 suffered a second-stage anomaly, and Starliner extended its stay aboard the ISS; astronomers and planetary scientists around the world continued to explore our cosmos. Here are some of the big discoveries and news events from the wacky month in space, that was July! ### *Perseverance spots an interesting rock* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/1-PIA26368-Perseverance_Finds_a_Rock_with_Leopard_Spots.png) Image captured by NASA's Perseverance rover shows the Cheyava falls rock ****Credit: NASA/JPL** In the Jezero Crater on Mars, Perseverance spotted an interesting rock that could hint at potential microbial life billions of years ago. The reddish rock, nicknamed "cheyava falls" is littered with leopard spots. These spots are theorized to have supported microbial life via chemical reactions within the rock, but other explanations are being looked into. According to Ken Farley, the Perseverance project scientist of Caltech: > Cheyava Falls is the most puzzling, complex, and potentially important rock yet investigated by Perseverance......On the one hand, we have our first compelling detection of organic material, distinctive colorful spots indicative of chemical reactions that microbial life could use as an energy source, and clear evidence that water necessary for life once passed through the rock. On the other hand, we have been unable to determine exactly how the rock formed and to what extent nearby rocks may have heated Cheyava Falls and contributed to these features.” After spotting such an interesting rock, the six-wheeled explorer conducted an onboard analysis of the rock using a suite of instruments; which proved that the rock contained all the necessary properties to potentially host microbial life. Adding that, with the fact that the area the rock was in once had flowing water, things are looking hopeful that life once inhabited this now barren world. However, we need to learn more about the rock before we jump to conclusions. For the sake of time, we cannot dive completely into the intricacies of this discovery, so if you want to read the full press release from JPL, [click here](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-perseverance-rover-scientists-find-intriguing-mars-rock?ref=proximareport.com)! ### *Webb images a cold exo-planet 12 light years away* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/1-MAIN-miri_exoplanet_image.jpg) Host star (black circle with white outline) Epsilon Indi A and Gas giant Epsilon Indi Ab seen by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope ****Credit: NASA** Epsilon Indi Ab, a gas giant several times the mass of Jupiter is one of the coldest exoplanets we have observed to date. This exoplanet orbits the K-type star Epsilon Indi A, which is around the age of our Sun, just slightly cooler. Using the coronagraph on Webb's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) an international team of Astronomers observed the 12th closest exoplanet to us in great detail. While Epsilon Indi Ab is warmer than gas giants within our solar system by about 82 degrees Celsius or 180 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it is the coldest exo-planet we have ever observed, this is because as planets age, they become cooler and thus are harder to spot at great distances. > Cold planets are very faint, and most of their emission is in the mid-infrared. Webb is ideally suited to conduct mid-infrared imaging, which is extremely hard to do from the ground. We also needed good spatial resolution to separate the planet and the star in our images, and the large Webb mirror is extremely helpful in this aspect.” - Elisabeth Matthews of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany Because Epsilon Indi Ab is so close to Earth (relatively) its cooler temperature doesn't hinder our ability to spot it. This provides astronomers on Earth an amazing chance to study a star system that is an analog to our own. Astronomers on Earth didn't expect the gas giant to be as faint as it is, which leads them to believe that the atmosphere of the planet is comprised significantly of methane, carbon dioxide, and monoxide, absorbing the shorter wavelengths of light. The gas giant also could just have a very cloudy atmosphere. ### *Chandra celebrates 25 years since its launch* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/x25th.webp) 25 Chandra images to celebrate 25 years of exploration and discovery! ****Credit: NASA** NASA's flagship x-ray telescope, Chandra celebrated 25 years in space after its launch on July 23rd, 1999\. Since getting flung into low Earth orbit by Space Shuttle Columbia Chandra helped humanity unravel the mysteries of the universe. Being 8x more powerful than any other X-ray telescope, Chandra is a true pillar in the space industry that has captured some truly jaw-dropping images. To date, Chandra has observed 25,000+ objects over its quarter-of-a-century mission. Despite being one of NASA's "Great Observatories" along with the Hubble telescope, Chandra is at threat due to budget cuts. Two of the other great observatories, Spitizer and Compton have been retired, however, both were due to either mechanical failures or running out of fluids. It would be a true shame that Chandra, a perfectly healthy telescope with no predecessor in the works would fall victim to bureaucracy. While nothing is completely set in stone yet, NASA's 2025 budget envisions Chandra as being essentially retired in 2029 as its budget goes from 60 million USD in 2023 to just 6 million USD in 2029\. Hopefully, the necessary allocation of funds and resources can be given to those overseeing Chandra, as this is truly the best x-ray observatory we have built as a species. So, while the future is uncertain, let's hope Chandra has many more anniversaries and scientific discoveries! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/PIA17254-orig_WEB.webp) Artist rendition of the NEOWISE telescope ****Credit: NASA** On July 31st, NASA's NEOWISE telescope officially retired and will soon burn up into the Earth's atmosphere in the coming days. Originally the Wide-field Infrared Surveyor Explorer (WISE) was intended to explore the universe in Infrared wavelength. Launched in 2009 onboard a Delta II rocket, WISE would go on to repeatedly map the night sky and catalog billions of objects. From faint and cold brown dwarfs to dazzling galaxies. After over a year of scientific exploration, WISE completed its main scientific objectives and was put into hibernation. However, in late 2013 the orbital observatory was brought back to life and given a new mission dedicated to identifying and characterizing the population of near-Earth objects, giving it the name ”NEO” WISE. Since then, the orbital telescope has observed upwards of 3,000 near-Earth objects, helped humanity further develop and refine planetary defense strategies, and helped support NASA’s missions to asteroids. All in all, NEOWISE has truly been a pillar of humanity's cosmic observation. From the universe at large, to specks of rock near our planet, NEOWISE has undoubtedly helped man better understand our place in the cosmos. It is sad to see such an icon finally being put to rest, but we should celebrate all the achievements little NEOWISE made! ## Celestial Spotlight Finally, lets quickly go over the best astrophoto of the previous month. In the next edition of this newsletter, this segment will be expanded upon to include the best astrophoto from each week as well as the best of the month. However, to keep it simple, today we are just going to cover the best astrophoto of July. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/chandrawebb3-macs.jpg) Galaxy Cluster MACS J0416 as seen by Chandra and JWST ****Credit: NASA** ### Galactic Cluster J0416 as seen by Chandra and JWST Of course, the best astrophoto of July had to be this image taken by the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the James Webb Space Telescope. As part of Chandra's 25th anniversary, NASA unveiled a bunch of photos to celebrate the occasion. This one immediately caught our eye and is one of the most stunning deep-space photos to be released this year. Combining data from both Chandra and Webb, astronomers got this image in return. This particular galactic cluster is some 4.3 BILLION light-years away, for comparison, the closest galaxy to our own, Andromeda, is a relatively close 2.5 million light-years away, give or take. The purple you see arching across the image is a reservoir of superheated gas that was captured by the Chandra telescope. There are hundreds of galaxies in this image, all with hundreds of billions of stars. The universe is truly a mysterious and beautiful thing and we are so lucky to experience it. Well, that wraps up everything for this month’s Cosmic Curiosities! We truly hope you enjoyed this new newsletter. If you read this far, thank you and we look forward to seeing you back in September! ### Monthly Dose of Space - July 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-july-2024/ Last updated: 2024-08-01T14:50:41.000Z Welcome to our tenth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month we haven't covered in our weekly newsletters. July has been less busy on the launch front, but the space industry has kept up speed anyway, so let's jump into it! ## **SpaceX** Work at Starbase began on July 1st with the rollout of Ship 31 to the Massey’s test site. This followed inspection and repairs after a small fire a few weeks prior. On the same day, hardware installations on tower sections for the second orbital launch tower were spotted, including plumbing for fueling Starship and electrical lines. Teams were also seen repairing the ship quick disconnect arm's supports and continuing work on the base of the second orbital launch tower. In the early hours of July 3rd, the first tower segment for the second launch tower was moved next to the base of the tower. Ship 31 underwent two cryo-proofing tests at Massey’s on the same day and, having presumably passed these tests, returned to the production site on July 6th. On July 9th, Booster 12 was rolled out from the production site to the launch site and lifted onto the orbital launch mount in preparation for testing. Two days later, on July 11th, Booster 12 conducted a tanking test on the orbital launch mount, leaving frost on the exterior. Additionally, the first module of the second launch tower was installed on the base of the tower that day. On July 12th, Booster 12 was loaded with small amounts of liquid methane and liquid oxygen for a spin prime test of its thirty-three engines. The second module for the second launch tower arrived at the launch site, with preparations for its installation beginning on July 13th. Testing culminated on July 15th when Booster 12 began propellant loading. The oxygen tank was almost completely filled, and the methane tank was partially filled. Booster 12 then lit all thirty-three of its engines for a full-duration static fire test, according to SpaceX. ![Booster 12 during its static fire on the orbital launch mount. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/GSjLS-uawAASjkW-1.jpg) Booster 12 during its static fire on the orbital launch mount. ©SpaceX The following morning, the second module of the second launch tower was lifted and attached. Later, Booster 12 was removed from the orbital launch mount, placed on a transport stand, and moved back to the production site. In the early hours of July 17th, the third module for the second launch tower was rolled out to the launch site. This module was attached to the crane overnight and lifted onto the tower on July 18th. On July 19th, an unknown test tank left the production site for Massey’s test site. SpaceX has not disclosed the specifics of these test articles. Also, on July 19th, some scaffolding around Ship 30 was removed, suggesting that work on replacing its thermal protection tiles was nearly complete. On July 21st, Ship 30 was rolled out from the production site to Massey’s test site ahead of a planned static fire in the coming days. Early the next morning, the fourth module of the second launch tower was moved next to the tower in preparation for stacking. On July 25th, the fourth tower module was lifted onto the second launch tower, bringing it to nearly half its potential height. The morning after the lift, the fifth tower module was rolled out and parked next to the second launch tower. On July 26th, Ship 30 performed a six-engine static fire at Massey’s test site, becoming the second static fire for the ship following the replacement of its thermal protection tiles and engines. ![Ship 30 performing a static fire at Massey's. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/GThhn7lbkAAWy11-1.jpg) Ship 30 performing a static fire at Massey's. ©SpaceX The 27th Ship 30 was rolled back from the Massey's test to the production site. In the early hours of the 28th, Ship 30 was moved into the 'rocket garden' at the production site, where it will be kept until further testing. Late on the 30th, the sixth module of the second launch tower was rolled out to the launch site, work on preparing to lift it began on the 31st. ## **News of the Month** July saw orbital debris being imaged, the U.S. Space Force acquiring more launches, and Rocket Lab preparing to ship spacecraft bound for Mars! ### *Artemis II core stage arrives at Kennedy Space Center* ![The core stage of the Space Launch System for Artemis II being moved into NASA's VAB at Kennedy Space Center. ©Isaac Watson/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/sHpDrhjVvhEvqjQyqhxXs9-970-80.jpg.webp) The core stage of the Space Launch System for Artemis II being moved into NASA's VAB at Kennedy Space Center. ©Isaac Watson/NASA NASA's Space Launch System's core stage for the Artemis II mission arrived at the Kennedy Space Center on July 23rd. The core stage arrived at the Kennedy Space Center via the agency's Pegasus barge. After being unloaded from the barge, it was slowly moved into the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) over several hours, being driven around by two remotely controlled self-propelled modular transporters. Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, the core stage will undergo additional hardware installation and inspection ahead of stacking for launch in September 2025\. Stacking for the Artemis II mission will begin months ahead of launch with the two solid rocket boosters many segments, with the core stage being placed between them later. Currently, Artemis II is expected to carry four astronauts, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, around the Moon. It will also be the closest humans have been to the Moon since Apollo 17, in 1972. ### *Astranis completes 200 million funding round* ![A render of one of Astranis' satellites in space. ©Astranis](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/Omega_With_Beams-scaled.webp) A render of one of Astranis' satellites in space. ©Astranis Astranis announced on July 24th that it had completed its Series D funding round, raising an additional 200 million United States Dollars for the company. To date, the company has raised 750 million United States Dollars. This funding round was led by a16z Growth and Bam Elevate, with thirteen other firms contributing funding. With this new funding, Astranis hopes to produce four satellites this year, five next year, and an eventual increase of up to twenty-four. Currently, Astranis has twelve satellites ordered, with ten expected to be launched before the end of 2025\. Astranis' long-term goal is to launch one hundred of its 'MicroGEO' satellites by 2030, with its more capable Omega platforms development now fully funded. ### *Astroscale flies around orbital debris* ![An image taken by ADRAS-J of a 'dead' upper-stage from Japan's H2 launch vehicle. ©Astroscale](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/20240715_fly_VISCam-T05_resized-e1722239195633-768x576.jpg) An image taken by ADRAS-J of a 'dead' upper-stage from Japan's H2 launch vehicle. ©Astroscale Astroscale announced that its ADRAS-J, Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan, mission had completed its closest fly-around of orbital debris on July 30th. The fly-around was at a distance of 50 meters. The ADRAS-J spacecraft was launched in February of 2024\. with it approaching the upper-stage within a few kilometers in April. The first 'fixed-point' observations of the 'dead' H2 upper-stage took place in May, with a second in June. In late June, Astroscale verified the spacecraft's collision avoidance system with its first fly-around of the upper-stage The closest fly-around of the upper-stage began on July 14th when the ADRAS-J spacecraft moved within 50 meters from the debris. July 15th and 16th would have the spacecraft perform two fly around to image the debris. These fly-arounds obtained the closest and highest fidelity images of another object in orbit from a spacecraft. (Military spacecraft may have produced higher quality images but these are not known to the public). ### *Rocket Lab nearing hand-off of Mars spacecraft* ![The two spacecraft produced by Rocket Lab for NASA's ESCAPADE mission. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/08/IMG-2070-Edit-xsm.jpg) The two spacecraft produced by Rocket Lab for NASA's ESCAPADE mission. ©Rocket Lab Rocket Lab announced on July 29th that it had completed integration and testing of the two spacecraft it is producing for NASA's ESCAPADE Mars mission. The two spacecraft, which Rocket Lab calls Blue and Gold, will orbit Mars for NASA's ESCAPADE, Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, mission. Blue and Gold were designed, built, integrated, and tested at Rocket Lab’s Spacecraft Production Complex, located in California. These spacecraft were also based off of Rocket Lab's configurable and high-energy interplanetary Explorer spacecraft platform. Peter Beck, Rocket Lab's Chief Executive Officer and founder, said the following about the two spacecraft for the ESCAPADE mission: > “Building one Mars spacecraft is an achievement, but building two and doing it on an accelerated timeline is testament to our team’s deep experience and our vertical integration strategy,” – “We are immensely proud to once again partner with NASA and support the UCB (University of California, Berkeley) team to deliver new and important science from Mars.” Rocket Lab currently expects to ship the two spacecraft to Florida in August ahead of launch. Launch is planned for late 2024 onboard Blue Origin's New Glenn launch vehicle. ### *USSF to spend 1.8 billion on more launches* The United States Space Force has increased the value of its National Security Space Launch Phase 2 program by 1.8 billion United States Dollars to acquire fifteen more launches. The increase in value will see SpaceX's contract value increase by 661 million and United Launch Alliance's contract value rise by 1.1 billion, for a new total for the contract of approximately 8.5 billion United States Dollars between the two. With the new launch acquisitions, United Launch Alliance is expected to launch roughly 54% of the mission and SpaceX will launch the remaining 46%, a change from the former 60/40 split supposedly linked to delays with Vulcan. These new launch acquisitions are not expected to affect the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 program. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw thirteen launches worldwide, if you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *July* *1st - H3 with ALOS-4* Beginning the July, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries launched Japan's third H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying the ALOS-4, Advanced Land Observing Satellite-4, satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit. ALOS-4 will observe the Earth below using a phased array L-band synthetic aperture radar. ### *July 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-9* SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B0173, flying for the sixteenth time, which landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *July 4th - Firefly Alpha for 'Noise of Summer'* Firefly Aerospace launched its Alpha rocket from Space Launch Complex 2W, in California, to a sun-synchronus orbit. Alpha carried eight satellites into orbit as part of NASA's ELaNa 43 program. For more about this mission click [here.](https://proximareport.com/firefly-kicks-off-2024/) ### *July 4th - Long March 6A with Tianhui-5 Group 02* A Long March 6A, which had a stretched 4.2-meter diameter fairing, lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying two satellites to a sun-synchronous orbit as part of the second group of Tianhui-5 satellites. The two satellites are expected to be used for geographic mapping, land resources surveys, and scientific experiments. ### *July 9th - Falcon 9 with Türksat 6A* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Flordia, carrying Türksat 6A to a geostationary transfer orbit. The booster supporting this mission was B1076 on its fifteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *July 9th - Ariane 6 for its maiden flight* Ariane 6 flew on its maiden mission carrying seventeen payloads into low Earth orbit from Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 4 (Ariane Launch Complex 4), in French Guiana. Sadly one of the second-stages auxiliary propulsion units failed, causing the stage to remain stranded in orbit with two of its payloads. Details on the payloads and failure can be found [here.](https://proximareport.com/ariane-6-debut/) ### *July 11th - Hyperbola-1 with three Yunyao-1 satellites* i-Space attempted to start its launches for 2024 with the launch of its seventh Hyperbola-1 from Launch Area 95A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, in northern China. However, Hyperbola-1 experienced an anomaly during its fourth-stage burn, leading to a loss of the vehicle and payloads. ### *July 12th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-3* SpaceX launched what looked to be a typical Starlink mission atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E in California, however the second-stage experienced an anomaly during its second burn. This anomaly would cause the twenty Starlink satellites to be released in a significantly lower orbit than planned, resulting in their eventual re-entry. The booster supporting this mission was B1063, on its nineteenth flight, which successfully landed on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. Details on the failure can be found [here.](https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-failure-starlink/) ### *July 19th - Long March 4B with Gaofen 11-05* This week's only launch was a Long March 4B lifting off from Launch Complex 9 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 4B carried the Gaofen 11-05 satellite into a sun-synchronus orbit. Gaofen 11-05 will reportedly provide urban and road construction planning, land mapping, agricultural yield forecasting, and disaster prevention and mitigation services. ### *July 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-9* As part of a return to flight mission, SpaceX launched twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. The booster supporting this mission was B1069 making its seventeenth flight and successfully landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *July 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-4* Another Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1077 on its fourteenth flight and landing successfully on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ### *July 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-4* Twenty-one more Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit after a launch atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster for this mission was B1071 making its seventeenth launch and landing, with it landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Couse I Still Love You' for this mission. ### *July 30th - Atlas V for USSF-51* United Launch Alliance launched an Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 for the USSF-51 mission. The payload onboard is unknown to the public due to its classified military nature. ## Launches to look out for in August! August looks to be another busy month with Falcon 9 back in action. Listed below are all of the launches expected or very likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of August may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *August 1st - Long March 3B/E with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 3B/E is expected to launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying a currently unknown payload. The rocket is expected to deliver whatever payload is onboard to a geostationary transfer orbit. ### *August 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-6* SpaceX is expected to launch a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A, in Flordia, carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission is unknown but it is expected to land downrange on a drone ship. ### *August 3rd - Falcon 9 with Cygnus NG-21* SpaceX is expected to launch the twentieth Cygnus resupply mission to the International Space Station from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, atop of Falcon 9\. Cygnus is expected to bring science experiments, equipment, and consumables to the crew aboard the station. ### *August 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-1* Another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to be delivered into low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for this mission is also unknown but it will land downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *August 6th - Long March 6A with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 6A is expected to launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying another currently unknown payload. ### *August 7th - SSLV for 'Flight 3'* India is expected to launch its third SSLV rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre carrying a currently unknown number of payloads. Two of the known payloads are IITMSAT and Space Rickshaw-0. ### *August 15th - Falcon 9 with Transporter 11* SpaceX may launch its eleventh Transporter dedicated rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E. Falcon 9 will carry dozens of small satellites to a sun-synchronous orbit. ### *August 15th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-28* A Progress resupply spacecraft is expected to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome and head to the International Space Station. The Progress spacecraft will be carried into low Earth orbit by a Soyuz 2.1a. ### *August 18th - Falcon 9 with Crew-9* SpaceX is expected to begin its ninth operational crew mission for NASA by launching four astronauts to low Earth orbit aboard of a Crew Dragon spacecraft atop of a Falcon 9, lifting off from Launch Complex 39A. The astronauts of the Crew-9 mission are Zena Cardman (NASA), Nick Hague (NASA), Stephanie Wilson (NASA), and Aleksandr Gorbunov (Roscosmos). ### Falcon 9 returns! URL: https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-returns/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:57:04.000Z Falcon 9 returned to flight on July 27th at 05:45 am, Universal Coordinated Time, from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. The launch vehicle had been grounded for approximately fifteen days after a second-stage [failure](https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-failure-starlink/). This return-to-flight mission carried twenty-three Starlink satellites atop of the vehicle. SpaceX's decision to carry its own Starlink satellites removes the risk of potentially losing a customer payload, while closely replicating flight conditions present during the failure. > Falcon 9 lifts off from pad 39A in Florida! [pic.twitter.com/ozYLYUxCss](https://t.co/ozYLYUxCss?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [July 27, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1817073961840386185?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of Falcon 9 for its return to flight mission, via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1817073961840386185?ref=proximareport.com) The booster supporting this mission was B1069 making its seventeenth flight. B1069 successfully landed on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' in the Atlantic Ocean after separating from the second-stage. Previous missions for B1069 include Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13F, OneWeb 1, CRS-24, SES-18 and SES-19, and twelve Starlink missions. > Falcon 9 lands on the Just Read the Instructions droneship [pic.twitter.com/56KSGFLeON](https://t.co/56KSGFLeON?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [July 27, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1817075984358846532?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Landing of B1069 on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions', via [SpaceX on X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1817075984358846532?ref=proximareport.com) ## What caused the failure? SpaceX [currently](https://www.spacex.com/updates/?ref=proximareport.com#falcon-9-returns-to-flight) believes that the [failure](https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-failure-starlink/) of the previous mission resulted from a crack on a pressure sensor line. This crack is believed to be the source of the noticeable propellant leak. The crack in the pressure sensor line was part of the second-stage liquid oxygen system and was damaged due to fatigue from vibrations along with 'looseness' in a clamp that would have secured the line. ![Falcon 9's second-stage MVac engine during its first burn before its failure, some ice can be seen forming near the engine. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/image.psd-1-.png) Falcon 9's second-stage MVac engine during its first burn before its failure, some ice can be seen forming near the engine. ©SpaceX This would ultimately culminate in a 'hard start' of the second-stage engine, leading to a supposed loss of the engine and attitude control. After this, SpaceX claims that the second-stage completed the process to safe itself, via venting of stored energy, along with deploying the Starlink satellites that were onboard. To mitigate this issue, SpaceX has removed the pressure sensor line that caused the failure. This pressure sensor line is claimed to have no impact on the flight termination system, with other sensors capable of monitoring the safe use of the second-stage engine. The change was also tested at the company's McGregor test facility prior to the return-to-flight mission. ## Still on track? SpaceX is still believed to be aiming to complete 148 launches of Falcon 9 in 2024, 2023 saw Falcon 9 launch 96 times. Currently Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy have performed 73 launches this year. Since the return to flight mission on the 27th, two more Falcon 9 launches have occurred. Both missions carried a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. For SpaceX to reach 148 Falcon-series launches, a Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy would have to launch every two days. Current estimates place Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy completing around 130 launches for 2024. > The 2024 goal for [@SpaceX](https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) is 148 launches (Falcon). > This is 52 launches more than 2023. > > SpaceX is currently on track for 128 launches this year. > > 2024 stats: > 🚀 72x F9 > 🚀 1x FH > 🚀 2x Starship > 🐉 3x Dragon ( 2x 🧑‍🚀, 1x 📦) [pic.twitter.com/c7X36NKCxX](https://t.co/c7X36NKCxX?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX 2024 Progress (@SpaceX\_Deimos) [July 28, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX%5FDeimos/status/1817491595521904827?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) SpaceX's launch progress for 2024, via [SpaceX\_Deimos on X](https://x.com/SpaceX%5FDeimos/status/1817491595521904827?ref=proximareport.com) ### Weekly Dose of Space (21/7-27/7) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-21-7-27-7/ Last updated: 2024-07-28T15:02:44.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week once again had one orbital launch occur, this one however was a return to flight mission. News from this week had, Sierra Space burst a space station module, SpaceX win another launch contract, and a change in Dragon recovery operations. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on July 21st when Ship 30 was rolled out from the production site to the Massey's test site ahead of a static fire in the coming days. Early the following morning, the fourth module of the second launch tower was moved next to the tower ahead of stacking. July 25th saw the fourth tower module lifted onto the second launch tower, making the tower almost half of its potential height. The morning after the lift, the fifth tower module was rolled out and parked next to the second launch tower. The 26th of July also saw Ship 30 perform a six-engine static fire at the Massey's test site. This was the second static fire for the ship following the replacement of its thermal protection tiles and engines. ![Ship 30 performing its static fire at the Massey's test site. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/GThhn6JbcAE2V_I-1.jpg) Ship 30 performing its static fire at the Massey's test site. ©SpaceX ## **Launches This Week** ### *July 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-9* As part of a return to flight mission, SpaceX launched twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. The booster supporting this mission was B1069 making its seventeenth flight and successfully landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 10-9 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/GTeduQjagAAidHE.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Starlink Group 10-9 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ## *Dragon recovery moving to U.S. West Coast* ![A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft approaching the International Space Station. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/Dragon_West_Coast_Recovery_8afdffe48d.jpg) A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft approaching the International Space Station. ©SpaceX SpaceX announced on July 26th that future Crew and Cargo Dragon missions will splashdown off of the west coast of the United States, beginning in 2025\. This switch was prompted by debris from the Dragon spacecraft's trunk falling back to Earth. SpaceX discovered back in 2022 that the materials from Dragon's trunk could survive atmospheric reentry after part of it was discovered in Australia. Discovery of parts of Dragon trunks continued intermittently into 2024\. Dragon's trunks are left in low Earth orbit prior to a de-orbit burn, this is believed to lower the risk to crew during return to Earth. Once the Dragon trunk is left in orbit it will slowly decay due to drag and ideally burn up, but with no control over where. To mitigate this, SpaceX is switching to recovering Dragon spacecraft on the West Coast along with separating the trunk after performing a de-orbit burn. Both of these are thought to increase public safety as the trunk is burning up over the Pacific Ocean, and if any parts survive they will fall into a sparsely populated area of the ocean. ## *SpaceX wins JPSS-4 launch contract* ![A render of the JPSS-4 spacecraft. ©National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/JPSS-4-view1B.jpg) A render of the JPSS-4 spacecraft. ©National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NASA announced on July 22nd that it had selected SpaceX to launch the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's JPSS-4 satellite. JPSS-4, or Joint Polar Satellite System 4, is part of a small group of satellites collecting global multi-spectral radiometry and other specialized meteorologic, oceanographic, and solar-geophysical data via remote sensing of land, sea, and atmospheric properties. The contract is a firm fixed price with SpaceX receiving approximately 112.7 million United States for a single Falcon 9 launch from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. Currently the launch of JPSS-4 is expected to occur in 2027. ## *Sierra Space bursts module for science* ![Sierra Space's test inflatable space station module during testing. ©Sierra Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/Sierra-Space-Heralds-Giant-Leap-in-Microgravity-Research-and-Manufacturing-scaled-qrleq98j5nz3tczerzxdhc96t1twohxy5s7v3mb7ls.jpg) Sierra Space's test inflatable space station module during testing. ©Sierra Space On July 25th Sierra Space revealed that it had successfully conducted its second 'Ultimate Burst Pressure' test on June 18th. The test had Sierra Space's inflatable module reach a pressure of 74 psi, surpassing NASA's recommended safety level of 60.8 psi by twenty-two percent, with a believed internal volume of 300 meters cubed. Speaking in the press release about the test, Tom Vice, Chief Executive Officer of Sierra Space, said the following: > “Our revolutionary, expandable space station technology reinvents the space station. Our technology, for the first time, will enable the right unit economics that will usher in the full commercialization of space. Our biotech and industrial partners will utilize our factories of the future to innovate new products that will massively disrupt terrestrial markets and benefit life on Earth.” This was the second major burst test performed on a test inflatable module by the company, the previous test reached a pressure of 77 psi. With two successful tests, with results within five percent of each other, Sierra Space believes they can speed up the flight certification process for its modules. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is still awaiting regulatory approvals for changes in its flight plan for the fifth test flight, due to this a launch is now expected to occur in August. Regulatory approval for the flight is needed due to a potential landing of Booster 12 back at the launch site, on the launch towers 'chopsticks'. With static fires completed on both flight vehicles, Booster 12 and Ship 30, the final major hardware milestone is still believed to be a wet dress rehearsal involving both vehicles on the launch pad. ### *July 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-4* Another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to head to low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9, this time from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida. The booster for this mission is currently unknown but it is expected to land downrange on a drone ship. ### *July 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-4* Yet more Starlink satellites are expected to be sent into low Earth orbit aboard Falcon 9, this launch will occur from Space Launch Complex 4E. This mission's booster is also unknown but it is expected to land on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *July 30th - Atlas V for USSF-51* A United Launch Alliance Atlas V is expected to launch the USSF-51 mission from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida. The payload is unknown to the public due to its classified military uses. ### *July 30th - Electron for 'Owl for One, One for Owl'* Rocket Lab is planning to launch its Electron rocket to a sun-synchronous orbit carrying a synthetic aperture radar satellite. The satellite will be operated by Synspective once on orbit. ### *July? - Ceres-1S with a to-be-announced payload* Galactic Energy may launch a Ceres-1S from a sea launch platform, the company has also not yet announced what payloads will be onboard. ### *August 3rd - Falcon 9 with Cygnus NG-21* SpaceX is expected to launch the twentieth Cygnus resupply mission to the International Space Station from Space Launch Complex atop of Falcon 9\. Cygnus is expected to bring science experiments, equipment, and consumables to the crew aboard the station. ### Chinese launch sites and China's launchsite bottleneck URL: https://proximareport.com/chinese-launch-bottleneck/ Last updated: 2024-07-22T13:39:00.000Z In the vast deserts of northwest China is where the country's space dreams once took off. More than four decades ago at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center**,** China's first satellite was launched. It was called Dong Fang Hong 1. JSLC is usually used to launch vehicles into lower and medium orbits with large orbital inclination angles, as well as testing medium to long-range missiles. The center also has housing for around 20,000 people for employees and launch support equipment initially modeled after the Soviet Union's designs. The launch site was chosen deep inland during the Cold War so that it could not be easily struck in an attack on China. The space launch site is still in operation today, launching legacy vehicles as well as supporting the Shenzhou crewed program. In the late 2010s the launch site also hosted some private entities' launch vehicles such as i-Space and their Hyperbola-1. ![Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/Jiuquan.webp) Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center Similar to many space programs, China's was a spinoff of its missile program. Due to this, their rockets use what many countries deem outdated propellants. The propellants they use are extremely toxic and dangerous, their fumes are deadly. These propellants are classified as hypergolics, they are used usually due to their ease of storing for long periods of time and their highly combustible nature. Their second launch site, Taiyuan was built for polar launches. The facility was built as part of China's Third Front campaign to develop basic industry and national security in China's rugged interior in case of invasion by the Soviet Union or the United States. The facility is still in operation today launching rockets from China's Long March series. ![Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/b0c4ad81-1d05-4e09-b3c9-de9843bee5c9.jpeg) Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre Taiyuan sits at an altitude of 1500 meters and its dry climate makes it an ideal launch site. The site is primarily used to launch meteorological satellites, Earth resource satellites, and scientific satellites. The final launch site apart of China's Third Front campaign was Xichang. The facility became operational in the early 1980s and launches many international cooperative payloads. It also launches science and military satellites. ## The Booster problem When choosing the best candidate for a launch site many factors come into play, rockets typically pitch eastward to enter orbit. Launch sites closer to the equator also benefit from extra speed from the rotation of the earth. (there are exceptions but these are the broad strokes) In a rush to catch up with Soviet and American space industries' safety standards over the years, China has ramped up its cadence of rocket launches, still launching from legacy missile test facilities. As China has ramped up cadence there have been horrible tragedies where people have been exposed to carcinogenic propellants, had their property damaged or destroyed, and put under immense stress. Nobody as of 2024 has died directly from the boosters falling due to a few limiting factors. Most notably evacuation notices sent out beforehand by predicting where the boosters will fall and sending out exclusion zones to the local government. Cleanup crews are also often quickly dispatched usually consisting of local police and trained crews. However there have been many incidents where people have found and touched debris before crews could get there, and incidents where local governments have failed to evacuate regions. Although deaths and injuries have been highly limited it is still a poor safety practice often looked down upon. The worst danger from the boosters falling is the cancerous fumes, while exposure is limited it does pose a real danger. ## Xichang Xichang is an especially hazardous launch site due to its need to launch GEO payloads it was constructed in Southern, China. It has been the worst offender of boosters dropping near populated zones due to its proximity. ![Xichang Satellite Launch Center](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/Xichang.jpg) Xichang Satellite Launch Center China's more relaxed legislation makes this a highly controversial launch site and its continued operation is debated. The Long March 3B launches from this launch site especially has also had several issues due to its architecture. Not all legacy vehicles have the same issues, the Long March 3b has been the worst offender and has also been the focus of most scrutiny. ![](https://www.cgwic.com/images/launch/LM-3b02.jpg) Long March 3B with four side boosters When the Long March 3b launches it discards the four side boosters which then tumble out of control, they're harder to predict and multiple of them make predicting their landing zones harder. Over the years China at first just issued normal evacuation notices but after those didn't work they issued evacs, and told the entire surrounding villages to turn off their power grid, and to not go near the boosters, CAST (the specific launch operator for the Long March 3B) then started using parachutes on the 3B boosters to better predict where their landing zones would be more accurately predicted. SAST has also employed grid fins on Long March 2D boosters to redirect them and again more accurately predict their landing zones. All of these are China's attempts at mitigating the booster problem and it has been largely successful. We've also found up close pictures have gotten exceedingly rare. Of course, mishaps happen in spaceflight all the time and the relaxed safety concerns are not at all to be accepted as a long-term solution. As China ramps up cadence this is where China's launchsite bottleneck issue is most clear. As China develops, and as China's space program develops they have to implement more permanent solutions. ## Wenchang Wenchang has been constructed and continues to be expanded on the coast of Hainan. This launch center is very modest with only a handful of launches each year has the possibility to be the most active spaceport in the world. The most notable feature of Wenchang is its China's first coastal spaceport. Meaning all debris is guaranteed to fall into the ocean. It is China's attempt to move more launches away from the overused launch sites in the inland of China. It also almost exclusively uses more modern rockets that do not utilize hypergolics making them even less of a hazard. It is a part of China's modernization approach for their space program. Up until the 2010s China relied on three landlocked launch centers as we discussed earlier, they launch the older generation Long March 2-4\. These launch pads have the booster problem we mentioned earlier. While these villages are typically evacuated beforehand and they minimize exposure through several ways it's not a sustainable model as China's cadence ramps up. Another contributing factor to China's launch site bottleneck issue is the size of their rockets. Chinese rocket parts are usually transported through the national railway system. The maximum diameter they can fit is 3.35 meters. None of these traditional launch sites are also ideal for launching to a Geostationary orbit as opposed to Wenchang. China's new modern rocket the Long March 5 for instance uses a 5m diameter in its core. The Wenchang space project was validated in 2007 with construction starting in 2009\. The 2000s and 2010s were arguably the worst time for China's booster problem. It became a glaringly obvious issue with photos circulating of people directly being exposed to the rocket debris. Most modern incidents have been better at predicting where they'd fall and recovering them however. Yet China has received widespread criticism due to the frequent failures such as this year when a rocket launch from Xichang landed over a populated area that the local government failed to evacuate. The Wenchang Space Launch Site was officially declared an operational space launch facility in 2016\. Wenchang Space Launch Site gained its name from the large city nearby named Wenchang. However, it's technically located inside of *Longlou* with that being the nearest population zone to it. The Wenchang launch center can send 7-15% more payload than Xichang, the location and proximity to the sea help with the booster issue. Its rocket parts are also not delivered by rail but instead by port with rocket parts being mainly constructed in Tianjin. They are then brought to the launch site finally by road. There's a VAB for the Long March 5 and a medium for smaller rockets. They use a mobile launch platform that then brings the rocket to the launch pad. There are LC-101 and LC-201\. The cadence of launch however remains rather modest. Yet similarly to the US China's cadence has been gradually increasing and more focus is being placed on the Wenchang infrastructure. With Long March 10 under construction, two commercial pads under construction, and a rocket factory under production. China plans on launching 50 Long March 8A's a year from Wenchang alone. The newest pad is actually debuting this year, with the Long March 12\. This pad is also compatible with numerous commercial rockets such as the Tianlong-3, Zhuque-3, and more. As China develops Wenchang, crewed launches will be taking place there, their crewed lunar missions will take place there, their super heavy-lift rocket will launch from there. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/Wenchang_Space_Launch_Site_82f133d2db.jpeg) Wenchang Space Launch Centre ## Reusability Launch, land, and reuse. Ever since the success of SpaceX, and the growth in the constellation market Chinese launch providers have focused more and more on reuse. China was already aware of its launch site issue, and reusability was seen as a way to ensure that it would be controlled. They also saw the clear economic benefits and immediately jumped on it. China's launch sector is immensely cut off from the rest of the world due to bans placed on China by the US so many private companies have pitched SpaceX-like rockets to be China's SpaceX. Yet State-owned enterprises have also been heavily interested in reuse, pitching starship and Falcon 9-inspired designs. New policies and regulations started to be written that allowed commercial rockets in China. Over a dozen commercial launch companies were founded. A group of engineers from China's space sector would then start their own company and pitch for funding from the government and venture capitalists. Slowly these companies whittled down. These companies gained some recognition after successfully delivering payloads to orbit using lightweight solid-fuel rockets. Others had a more rocky start but bounced back, such as LandSpace who pivoted purely towards liquid rockets. In the 2020s, many companies then took a pivot towards liquid-fueled rockets. Chinese launch startups generally developed their own engines with reusability in mind. Several companies, including state-owned enterprises, then did low-level hops of test prototypes to gain experience in landing. Deep Blue Aerospace, Landspace, SAST, and more all went down this path. With CALT also announcing and working on their Long March 10 rocket that would reportedly use reuse on different configurations. State-owned enterprises also explored reuse of the Long March 8\. They also reviewed reusing older rocket parts as they started recovering them by parachute. This was a very noticeable shift in China's space sector that would open up possibly more launches from older launch sites, as LandSpace has wanted to launch their Zhuque-3 from Jiuquan. The Zhuque-3 using reuse would mean that theoretically it launching was not an issue as it could propulsively land and guide itself onto a landing pad. China also catered to this large influx of Commercial operators by opening up the commercial pad in Wenchang which would ensure more traffic to that space port. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/35246a29-c8f9-44b4-a1f9-42393fb536ba_620b7df4.webp) SAST hop vehicle ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/Landspace.webp) Landspace hop vehicle ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/665DF9AD-7A71-476D-9DA5-439C2C7A4F0F.jpg) Deep Blue Aerospace hop vehicle ## Sea Launch Haiyang Spaceport, on the coast of the eastern province of Shandong. This province being the place of a spaceport is highly unusual but it becomes more clear when you see that it is a rather unconventional spaceport. The spaceport uses sea launch platforms that go out into the sea to launch what are typically light-lift solid rockets. It further shows how China wants to diversify away from inland launch sites. China carried out its first sea launch in June of 2019 using the Long March 11\. The new capability shows rapid response capabilities. It also shows a shift to a safer launch system. With more launch providers pivoting or opening up sea launch as an option. Such as Galactic Energy previously stating it could launch their Pallas-1 rocket from sea. This spaceport opened up when China's space launch cadence was rapidly increasing. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/Lm11.jpg) Long March 11 launching from sea ## Kazakhstan The most recent news that could contribute to solving China's launch site bottleneck issue comes from an unlikely place. Kazakhstan hosts what is quite possibly the most famous spaceport, Baikonur. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/800px-Baikonur_Cosmodrome_Soyuz_launch_pad.jpg) Baikonur launch site, in Kazakhstan The Minister of Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan wrote in a social media post > "In addition, within the framework of another memorandum signed, it is planned that the parties will cooperate in the process of establishing and utilizing the International Scientific Moon Station. With this, our specialists will gain competence and experience in applying high technology in the field of deep space exploration." Along with this, several grants and cooperation agreements were signed. This involved cooperation between Kazakh and Chinese industries. A notable aspect of this growing cooperation is the potential for commercial use of each other’s spaceports by Kazakhstan and China. This move could diversify Kazakhstan’s space activities and reduce its dependence on Russian facilities. More notably it could also reduce China's dependence on its inland facilities. As Chinese rockets are typically delivered by rail it remains theoretically possible. It would most likely have to be the older rockets or a solid-fueled rocket. As some of China's more modern rockets can't be delivered by rail. ## Concluding Thoughts As China seeks to modernize their space sector, and ramp up cadence it opens up several pathways to deal with their limiting launch-site locations. Plagued by more relaxed safety standards and uncharted territory China has had many failures on the part of the launch provider and local government. They've also had many successes and remain dedicated towards diversifying away from inland launch sites. ### Weekly Dose of Space (14/7-20/7) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-14-7-20-7/ Last updated: 2024-07-21T17:17:48.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw only one orbital launch worldwide. This week, Artemis II hardware was also on the move, Astra was returned to private ownership, and a leadership change occurred at Firefly. As always, we'll also look ahead to what the worldwide launch schedule might look like next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on the 15th when Booster 12 began propellant loading. Not too long after propellant loading began the oxygen tank was almost completely filled and the methane tank was partially filled. This was for a static fire as Booster 12 lit all thirty-three of its engines for a full-duration test, according to SpaceX. > DAMN 🤩 [https://t.co/2gZ6XbUipy](https://t.co/2gZ6XbUipy?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/8Esj4OslVw](https://t.co/8Esj4OslVw?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Cosmic Nxws (@cosmicnxws) [July 15, 2024](https://twitter.com/cosmicnxws/status/1812931592140001752?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) One of the views released by SpaceX of Booster 12 performing its static fire via [CosmicNxws on X.](https://x.com/cosmicnxws/status/1812931592140001752?ref=proximareport.com) The following morning, the second module of the second launch tower at Starbase was lifted and attached. Not long after that Booster 12 was lifted off of the orbital launch mount and placed on a transport stand, a little later on it was moved from the launch site to the production site. In the early hours of the 17th, the third module for the second launch tower was rolled out from to the launch site. This module was attached to the crane overnight and lifted onto the tower on the 18th. The following day, July 19th, an unknown test tank left the production site and headed to the Massey's test site, SpaceX doesn't say what these test articles will be tested for. July 19th also had some of the scaffolding around Ship 30 come down, as work on replacing its thousands of thermal protection tiles is believed to be almost done. ## **Launches This Week** ### *July 19th - Long March 4B with Gaofen 11-05* This week's only launch was a Long March 4B lifting off from Launch Complex 9 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 4B carried the Gaofen 11-05 satellite into a sun-synchronus orbit. Gaofen 11-05 will reportedly provide urban and road construction planning, land mapping, agricultural yield forecasting, and disaster prevention and mitigation services. ![The Long March 4B Y58 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center with Gaofen 11-05.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/F7U78CqoPvlv19kB-1.jpg) The Long March 4B Y58 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center with Gaofen 11-05. ## Apollo 11 Anniversary ![Buzz Aldrin's footprint left in the Lunar Regolith. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/IMG_6025.jpeg) Buzz Aldrin's footprint left in the Lunar Regolith. ©NASA On July 16th at *13:32* UTC, three men would embark on a truly cosmic voyage to the Moon. Launching aboard the mighty and titanic Saturn V, man's dream of touching that shimmering light in the sky, was being realized in real time. This wasn't the first time man had ventured to the Moon, in fact both Apollo 8 and Apollo 10 did flybys of our celestial neighbor, in test runs to help prepare for the real deal. Well, this was the real deal. Humanity was on course to touch another world, to conquer our closest celestial neighbor as we thrusted our flag into its regolith. Every second the Saturn V slowly grew smaller and smaller as it inched closer and closer to the end goal, a near decade of hard work was coming to fruition. For nearly a decade, the two largest superpowers this world had ever seen, were aiming for one thing, and that thing was in the Saturn V's crosshairs. What would follow this historic launch, this historic leap towards the Moon, would triumph a generation and the generations to follow. After four days of coasting and getting ready in lunar orbit, Neil and Buzz descended to the Lunar surface while Michael Collins stayed in the Command Service Module (CSM). Neil Armstrong would leave the Lunar Module on July 20th at *20:17* UTC, becoming the first human to set foot on the surface. When Neil stepped foot on the lunar regolith, he spoke words that would endure eternally: > "One small step for \[a\] man, one giant leap for mankind." ![The commemorative plaque attached to the Apollo 11 Lunar Module celebrating the first time humans stepped foot on the Moon's surface. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/5052124811_d7a8e67533.jpg) The commemorative plaque attached to the Apollo 11 Lunar Module celebrating the first time humans stepped foot on the Moon's surface. ©NASA ## **In Other Space News** ## *Artemis II core stage begins journey to Florida* ![The Artemis II Space Launch System core stage being moved toward NASA's Pegasus barge. ©Eric Bordelon/Michael DeMocker/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/maf-20240716-cs2-rollout-uas21orig.jpg) The Artemis II Space Launch System core stage being moved toward NASA's Pegasus barge. ©Eric Bordelon/Michael DeMocker/NASA On July 16th, the core stage of NASA's Space Launch System rocket for the Artemis II mission was rolled out from the agency's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, located in Louisiana. The Artemis II core stage was rolled out to NASA's Pegasus barge where it will be shipped to the Kennedy Space Center, approximately 900 miles away by sea. The 212-foot tall, or 64.6 meters, core stage is the largest part of the Space Launch System rocket and will deliver the second-stage and Orion spacecraft into low Earth orbit. Once at the Kennedy Space Center, the core stage will be moved into the Vehicle Assembly Building ahead of stacking for the Artemis II mission. Currently, Artemis II is expected to carry four astronauts, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, around the Moon. It will also be the closest humans have been to the Moon since Apollo 17, in 1972. ## *Firefly Aerospace removes CEO* ![The logo of Firefly Aerospace as of 2024.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/image.psd.png) The logo of Firefly Aerospace as of 2024. Firefly Aerospace announced on July 17th that Bill Weber is no longer the Chief Executive Officer at the company. Firefly's reasoning for the removal of Weber was not shared but it did state that Peter Schumacher, from the company's board, will serve as the Chief Executive Officer while the company searches for a suitable replacement. This news comes after [Payload](https://payloadspace.com/firefly-aerospace-investigates-ceos-alleged-inappropriate-relationship/?ref=proximareport.com) reported an alleged inappropriate relationship between Bill Weber and an unnamed employee. These allegations were reportedly brought to Firefly's board by a departing executive. According to Payload, Firefly issued the following comment regarding the allegations: > “Firefly was made aware of the allegations from a former employee at the same time they were reported to Payload,” – “We are looking into them. Our initial findings do not support any facts behind this speculation.” Bill Weber had been Chief Executive Officer at Firefly since September of 2022. ## *Astra returns to private ownership* ![The logo of Astra as of 2024.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/Astra_Space_logo.svg.png) The logo of Astra as of 2024. Astra announced on July 18th that it had successfully been taken back into private ownership. The company is being taken private by Chris Kemp, Astra's Chief Executive Officer, and Dr. Adam London, Astra's Chief Technology Officer, via the acquisition of all of the company's shares. When publicly traded Astra was valued at over two billion United States Dollars at its peak, with it falling to roughly twelve million United States Dollars today. According to [SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/astra-completes-deal-to-go-private/?ref=proximareport.com), Chris Kemp had to raise an undisclosed amount of money to take the company private. ## *Curiosity rover spots some pure sulfur crystals, a first for Mars* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/1-PIA26309-Curiosity_Views_Sulfur_Crystals_Wi.width-1320.png) Crushed rock shows pure sulfur crystals ©NASA/JPL For nearly 12 years, NASA's Curiosity rover has been slowly satisfying our curiosity on the red planet of Mars. This week was no different as on Thursday JPL announced that the ever-curious Mars rover has found an interesting rock. This rock (as seen above) was cracked open by the robotic explorer as it drove over it, which exposed the yellow-ish pure sulfur crystals. This is a huge find and a first of its kind on the red planet as sulfur in this form had yet to be seen. Sulfur found before Curiosity stumbled onto this rock was only ever found in sulfur based minerals. In other words, sulfur on the red planet has always been mixed with other elements or compounds. > Finding a field of stones made of pure sulfur is like finding an oasis in the desert,” said Curiosity’s project scientist.....It shouldn’t be there, so now we have to explain it. Discovering strange and unexpected things is what makes planetary exploration so exciting.” - Ashwin Vasavada of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory You may (or may not) know that sulfur is a key part of life as two essential amino acids require sulfur to be made! ## *First disabled Astronaut is given the green light for spaceflight* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/TELEMMGLPICT000357727089_17214023433520_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqALc_t5KjuK6SvfNY518gx-EC9F60mXp540Ul7DddmBc.webp) ESA Astronaut John McFall doing some Zero G training! ©ESA In November of 2022, British Paralympian John McFall was selected by the European Space Agency to be a part of the "Fly!" feasibility study. Under this program, ESA would look into how people with disabilities, such as McFall with a prosthetic leg, can be affected in space and how to overcome any challenges they may face. ESA says the "Fly!" program was created to; > "Improve our understanding of, and overcome, the barriers space flight presents for astronauts with a physical disability." After two years of study, training, and insight, McFall has been given the green light to head beyond Earth's atmosphere. Of course, this doesn't mean that McFall is guaranteed a ride to space, however, it is very promising, both for him and other aspiring Astronauts with physical disabilities. While McFall would be the first disabled Astronaut to head to space, during Inspiration 4, Private Astronaut Hayley Arceneaux flew to space back in 2021, with a Titanium thigh bone. She along with her fellow crew, orbited the Earth \~45 times. Hayley suffered from childhood bone cancer, which led to the titanium replacement. So, some could argue McFall isn't exactly the first Astronaut with a disability cleared to head to space, but regardless, this is a huge step forward on all fronts! Space becoming more and more accessible is truly an amazing thing to see. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* Both vehicles for the fifth test flight of Starship-Super Heavy have performed static fires, these being Booster 12 and Ship 30\. SpaceX may opt to have Ship 30 perform a second static fire as its thermal protection tiles have been entirely replaced. The last major hardware milestone after the static fires is still believed to be a wet dress rehearsal involving both vehicles on the launch pad. It's currently unclear if SpaceX is still targeting a launch in July, with an August launch seeming more likely. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and SpaceX are still working through approval of a flight plan that could have Booster 12 land back at the launch site, on the launch towers 'chopsticks'. ### *July? - Falcon 9 on its return to flight?* Falcon 9 might return to flight next week depending on the outcome of a request SpaceX sent to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. SpaceX requested a public safety determination that would allow them to fly Falcon 9's while the mishap investigation, for the failed Starlink Group 9-3 mission, is ongoing. Alongside this SpaceX has been requesting NOTAMs and other hazard notices necessary for launches. However, SpaceX has not yet publically announced when its next launch will take place. ### NASA cancels VIPER lunar rover URL: https://proximareport.com/nasa-cancels-viper-lunar-rover/ Last updated: 2024-07-18T14:51:01.000Z NASA [announced](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-ends-viper-project-continues-moon-exploration/?linkId=510381760&ref=proximareport.com) on July 17th that it was ending its work on the VIPER lunar rover. VIPER, or Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, was a Lunar Discovery and Exploration Program mission that would search for the location of water ice and other potential resources on the surface of the Moon. The agency's reasoning for canceling the VIPER lunar rover mission were: cost overruns, schedule delays, and risks to other Commercial Lunar Payload Services missions. VIPER was originally set to liftoff in late 2023 but was delayed to after September 2025 before cancellation. The original budget for the VIPER mission was 433.5 million United States Dollars to meet a 2023 landing, but this was later raised to 505.4 million as delays to the landing date arose. Joel Kearns, Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration in NASA's Science Mission Directorate, [said](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd2ES2H6UQc&ref=proximareport.com) the latest cost estimate for a 2025 landing would have further increased cost to 609.8 million. After a launch on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, VIPER would have been delivered to the lunar surface onboard Astrobotic's Griffin lunar lander. With the lunar rover now no longer heading to space, a mass simulator will take the place of VIPER on Griffin as NASA is still paying for a landing via the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. This landing is currently scheduled for no earlier than fall of 2025. ![VIPER inside a cleanroom at the Johnson Space Center. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/viper-rover-2.webp) VIPER inside a cleanroom at the Johnson Space Center. ©NASA NASA currently plans to disassemble VIPER to reuse its instruments and components on other lunar missions where applicable. Disassembly will go ahead in August after the agency considers 'expressions of interest' from its international partners and U.S. industry for the use of VIPER and its systems, so long as it costs the U.S. government nothing. NASA's blog post announcing the cancellation of VIPER stated that the agency will pursue 'alternative methods' of achieving the scientific goals of the mission. Nicola Fox, Associate Administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said the following about the agency's lunar exploration plans moving forward: > “We are committed to studying and exploring the Moon for the benefit of humanity through the CLPS program,” – “The agency has an array of missions planned to look for ice and other resources on the Moon over the next five years. Our path forward will make maximum use of the technology and work that went into VIPER, while preserving critical funds to support our robust lunar portfolio.” The cancellation of VIPER is expected to save NASA 84 million United States Dollars in cost by no longer continuing development of the rover. NASA is still obligated to pay Astrobotic for Griffin, as mentioned earlier, for a total of 323 million, as the company completes milestones. ### How SpaceX's New Dragon Will Deorbit the ISS URL: https://proximareport.com/dragon-deorbit-iss/ Last updated: 2024-07-17T21:26:37.000Z With the International Space Station being at the end of its lifetime, SpaceX has been selected as the provider for the United States Deorbit Vehicle (USDV) that will deorbit the 25-year-old station. Such an operation has never been done before, so how will SpaceX perform it? On July 17th, NASA and SpaceX provided an update, via a teleconference, on the USDV and the deorbit operation. A render of SpaceX's new Cargo Dragon-derived spacecraft was released too and shows an unknown Cargo Dragon of the current SpaceX fleet equipped with a trunk, twice the size of the standard one, carrying 16 tons of propellant. ### The Launch of the USDV It was announced that NASA expects the re-entry of the ISS to occur somewhere around January 2031, and the USDV to launch a year and a half before that ( around July 2030). It should be noted that a weakness the Source Evaluation Board found in SpaceX's approach was the uncertainty of SpaceX's ability to make it in time. With the dry mass of the new Dragon likely being over 10 tons and the new Dragon carrying 16 tons of propellant, the Falcon-9 does not have enough performance to get it to the desired orbit and inclination, and a heavier class launch vehicle will be needed, presumably a Falcon-Heavy. ### Steering It was confirmed on the teleconference that the steering and docking of the USDV will likely be a combination of autonomous steering and input from mission control, just like it is for the Cargo Dragon. ### The Engine Setup The render also shows the trunk equipped with what was confirmed to be 30 of SpaceX's current Draco thrusters as well as the usual 16 on the capsule. SpaceX appears to have gained even more confidence in controlling numerous engines, as this setup will total 46 Dracos. It was also stated that up to 26 Dracos will be firing simultaneously. Assuming they all fire at maximum power, a thrust of 10400 Newtons will be achieved. Doing a bit of math, we can calculate an acceleration of 0.023 m/s². In a whitepaper released on June 26th, NASA claimed a delta-v of 57 m/s would be needed to deorbit the station. This would make a very long burn of 2478 seconds or about 41 minutes, making it one of, if not the, longest chemical burn ever performed in space. ### Deorbit Just after the last crew exchange, the USDV will launch and dock to the ISS on what looks to be the IDA 2\. The ISS will then be allowed to drift down, which it will do for about a year. The crew will stay until about 6 months before the re-entry when the station is a little under 300 km high, where they will then say their final goodbye to the ISS and undock one last time. When the station has drifted to an altitude of about 220 km, the USDV will perform some set-up burns to orient the station, before eventually performing the deorbit burn. According to NASA, the solar arrays and other smaller components will burn up entirely, while other things will potentially splash down in a 2000 km long zone in the South Pacific Ocean. ### Questions NASA did not provide any information on whether the station will see upgrades to its structural integrity to avoid space debris, or if reinforcements will be made to the forward port where the USDV will dock since it will have to take the load of 26 Dracos. It also appears that NASA does not know whether mementos of the station will be brought back to Earth before re-entry. ### ### ### Long March 12 appears for testing ahead of debut next month URL: https://proximareport.com/long-march-12-appears-for-testing-ahead-of-debut-next-month/ Last updated: 2024-07-17T15:24:52.000Z On July 16th a Long March 12 'simulator' was spotted being transported around the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site (文昌商业航天发射场), in China's southernmost province of Hainan. The simulator of the launch vehicle is believed to be for final 'fit' testing and rehearsals ahead of a maiden launch in August. > Full walk through of CZ-12\. video via [https://t.co/rTP5jh5lJ8](https://t.co/rTP5jh5lJ8?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/8NGvWEtd6i](https://t.co/8NGvWEtd6i?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Ace of Razgriz (@raz\_liu) [July 16, 2024](https://twitter.com/raz%5Fliu/status/1813022053404147964?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The Long March 12 simulator on the launch vehicle erector during transportation at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site via [raz\_liu on X.](https://x.com/raz%5Fliu/status/1813022053404147964?ref=proximareport.com) The Long March 12, which will be the first rocket to use the YF-100K engines, is a part of China's transition away from its older Long March launch vehicles, which are fueled by hypergolic propellants. The YF-100K is a more powerful variant of the YF-100 and will also be utilized on the in-development Long March 10 carrier rocket, which will enable crewed lunar missions. According to Zeng Wenhua, a structural designer at the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, will be used to launch satellite constellations, having said the following to [China Daily](https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202402/26/WS65dc463ca31082fc043b91fc.html?ref=proximareport.com) in late February: > "The Long March 12 incorporates a number of new technologies and will feature high reliability and multiple functions. Its service will extensively improve our country's capability to send spacecraft to a sun-synchronous orbit and deploy multi-satellite networks in low orbits." The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology's Long March 12 will be the second of three 'next generation' Long March carrier rockets to make its debut in 2024, after the inaugural flight of the Long March 6C in [May](https://proximareport.com/long-march-6c-debut/) and Long March 8A later this year. It will also be the first launch from China's fifth orbital launch site, the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site which is next door to the Wenchang Space Launch Site. Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site was [declared](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/E4T8gW1X3xTocNIDHvGUfQ?ref=proximareport.com) capable of performing launches at the beginning of July after two years of construction. Final tests, inspections, and rehearsals have been performed across the launch site in recent [months](https://phazzee.substack.com/p/wenchang-is-gearing-up-to-operate). ## What is the Long March 12? The Long March 12 is a two-stage launch vehicle manufactured by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. The launch vehicle is part of China's 'next generation' of carrier rockets and burns rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The believed payload capacity of the Long March 12 is approximately 12,000 kilograms to a low Earth orbit or 6,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronus orbit. ![The Long March 12 simulator on Commercial Launch Pad 2 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/GSkeEkIW8AAbqPC-1.jpg) The Long March 12 simulator on Commercial Launch Pad 2 at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site. Powering the first-stage are four YF-100K engines generating a combined thrust of 510 tons while burning liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene. The second-stage is powered by two YF-115 engines generating 36 tons of thrust, also burning liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene. On the launchpad, the rocket stands a believed 59 meters in height, while having a first and second stage diameter of 3.8 meters. Fully fuelled the Long March 12 is believed to weigh 433,000 kilograms. The fairing of the Long March 12 is also believed to have options for either a 4.2 or 5.2-meter diameter, depending on the needs of the mission. ## Why so many Long March rockets? Introducing new rockets is an extensive process requiring overlap between old and new launch vehicles. New launch vehicles also have to demonstrate reliability and safety when carrying payloads. China's state-owned launch vehicle providers and manufacturers are working towards the country's goal of phasing out its hypergolic fuelled launch vehicles. These new rockets are designed to burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen instead of Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The new rockets are the Long March 5, Long March 6, Long March 7, Long March 8, Long March 10, and Long March 12 series' of rockets. But why transition from the older Long March vehicles? The older Long March launch vehicles use Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine as propellants, both of which are hazardous if not handled properly. They were also designed in the 1970s and 1980s, thus manufacturing processes and design approaches have advanced significantly since then, particularly in China, which is now a world-class manufacturer. ### Weekly Dose of Space (7/7-13/7) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-7-7-13-7/ Last updated: 2024-07-14T17:43:39.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw four orbital launch attempts occur, with only one completely succeeding. This week also had a test aircraft gain clearance to go supersonic and one of NASA's planetary exploration missions encounter a potential hardware problem. As always, we'll also look ahead to the worldwide launch schedule for next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on July 9th when Booster 12 was rolled out from the production site and headed for the launch site. Once at the launch site, Booster 12 was lifted onto the orbital launch mount ahead of testing. Two days later, on July 11th, Booster 12 conducted a tanking test on the orbital launch mount, leaving frost on the outside for some time afterward. July 11th also saw the first module of the second launch tower be installed on the base of the tower, this module moved not long after we wrapped up last week's newsletter. The next day Booster 12 was loaded with a small amount of both liquid methane and liquid oxygen for a spin prime test of its thirty-three engines. The 12th of July also had the second module for the second launch tower arrive at the launch site, with preparations for its installation underway on the 13th. ## **Launches This Week** ### *July 9th - Falcon 9 with Türksat 6A* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Flordia, carrying Türksat 6A to a geostationary transfer orbit. The booster supporting this mission was B1076 on its fifteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Türksat 6A mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/GSAm0rxagAEgjur-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Türksat 6A mission. ©SpaceX ### *July 9th - Ariane 6 for its maiden flight* Ariane 6 flew on its maiden mission carrying seventeen payloads into low Earth orbit from Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 4 (Ariane Launch Complex 4), in French Guiana. Sadly one of the second-stages auxiliary propulsion units failed, causing the stage to remain stranded in orbit with two of its payloads. Details on the payloads and failure can be found [here.](https://proximareport.com/ariane-6-debut/) ![Ariane 6 lifting off from Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 4. ©S. Corvaja/European Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/53846945890_244cfe4637-1.jpg) Ariane 6 lifting off from Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 4\. ©S. Corvaja/European Space Agency ### *July 11th - Hyperbola-1 with three Yunyao-1 satellites* i-Space attempted to start its launches for 2024 with the launch of its seventh Hyperbola-1 from Launch Area 95A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, in northern China. However, Hyperbola-1 experienced an anomaly during its fourth-stage burn, leading to a loss of the vehicle and payloads. > Ah, the launch of the Hyperbola-1 carrier rocket this morning failed. The original plan was to send the satellite to the SSO, but there was an anomaly during the flight.😦 [pic.twitter.com/OZgZbChoeS](https://t.co/OZgZbChoeS?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ᯅ̈?! (@dsshhh114) [July 11, 2024](https://twitter.com/dsshhh114/status/1811228104016457788?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The launch of the Hyperbola-1 Y8 vehicle via dsshhh114 [on X.](https://x.com/dsshhh114/status/1811228104016457788?ref=proximareport.com) ### *July 12th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-3* On July 12th, SpaceX launched what looked to be a typical Starlink mission atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E in California, however the second-stage experienced an anomaly during its second burn. This anomaly would cause the twenty Starlink satellites to be released in a significantly lower orbit than planned, resulting in their eventual re-entry. The booster supporting this mission was B1063, on its nineteenth flight, which successfully landed on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. Details on the failure can be found [here.](https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-failure-starlink/) ## **In Other Space News** ## *Dawn Aerospace receives approval for supersonic flight* ![Dawn Aerospace's Mk-II Aurora test aircraft during a test flight. ©Dawn Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/1.jpg) Dawn Aerospace's Mk-II Aurora test aircraft during a test flight. ©Dawn Aerospace Dawn Aerospace announced on July 11th that New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority had issued a certificate allowing the company to fly the Mk-II Aurora test aircraft above 80,000 feet, and up to "unlimited" speeds. The certificate also allows the aircraft to fly beyond visual line of sight outside of restricted airspace. With the certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority, Dawn Aerospace will perform a series of test flights in the coming months working up to a speed of Mach 0.7\. These tests will eventually allow the company to fly the Mk-II Aurora test aircraft at Mach 1.1. Dawn Aerospace's ambitions for the Mk-II Aurora test aircraft include eventually flying missions up to 100 kilometers altitude for microgravity research, as well as proving technologies for its Mk-III Aurora air-launch platform for satellite launches. ## *Europa Clipper facing radiation vulnerability problems* ![Europa Clipper inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at Kennedy Space Center. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/ksc-20240528-ph-kls02-0025orig.jpg) Europa Clipper inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at Kennedy Space Center. ©Kim Shiflett/NASA NASA announced in a blog post on July 11th that transistors onboard its Europa Clipper spacecraft may not withstand the radiation environment around Jupiter. The Europa Clipper team was reportedly informed of this issue in May 2024 when similar parts used failed at lower radiation doses. The manufacturer of the transistors and the Europer Clipper team are working together to understand the potential risks of using those parts on the spacecraft. NASA expected some of the transistors to fail if they are used near Jupiter, the agency is currently working to understand how many of the transistors will be susceptible to the issue and how long they would last in flight. NASA is expecting preliminary analysis into the problem to be completed in late July, and is still expecting the mission to launch in October 2024. ## *JWST celebrates over two years of research* ![An image from the James Webb Space Telescope of the galaxies NGC 2936 and NGC 2937. ©NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency/Space Telescope Science Institute](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/53852202289_48fd81ca74.png) An image from the James Webb Space Telescope of the galaxies NGC 2936 and NGC 2937\. ©NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency/Space Telescope Science Institute NASA, the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency, and the Space Telescope Science Institute recently celebrated the second anniversary of the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope, which had its first images shared on July 11th 2022\. To celebrate, the telescope team released images of the galaxies NGC 2936 and NGC 2937, which look like a penguin and an egg according to the teams. The James Webb Space Telescope team explained the image of the two galaxies as follows: *Two interacting galaxies, observed in near- and mid-infrared light. At left is NGC 2937, nicknamed the Egg. Its center is the brighter and whiter. There are six diffraction spikes atop its gauzy blue layers. At right is NGC 2936, nicknamed the Penguin. Its beak-like region points toward and above the Egg. Where the eye would be is a small, opaque yellow spiral. The Penguin’s distorted arms form the bird’s beak, back, and tail. The tail is wide and layered, like a beta fish’s tail. A semi-transparent blue hue traces the Penguin and extends from the galaxy, creating an upside-down U over top of both galaxies. At top right is another galaxy seen from the side, pointing roughly at a 45-degree angle. It is largely light blue. Its length appears approximately as long as the Egg’s height. One foreground star with large, bright blue diffraction spikes appears over top of the galaxy and another near it. The entire black background is filled with tiny, extremely distant galaxies.* Mark Clampin, Director of NASA's Astrophysics Division at its Headquarters in Washington, commented on the two-year anniversary saying: > “In just two years, Webb has transformed our view of the universe, enabling the kind of world-class science that drove NASA to make this mission a reality,” – “Webb is providing insights into longstanding mysteries about the early universe and ushering in a new era of studying distant worlds, while returning images that inspire people around the world and posing exciting new questions to answer. It has never been more possible to explore every facet of the universe.” ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is still awaiting regulatory approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, as they are hoping to catch the Super Heavy booster during the fifth flight test. However, SpaceX is still believed to be targeting the launch of the fifth flight test of Starship-Super Heavy this month. ### *July 20th - Electron for 'A Sky Full of SARs'* Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle is expected to liftoff from Launch Complex 1B, located on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand. Electron is expected to carry a single Earth imaging synthetic aperture radar spacecraft to low Earth orbit for Capella Space. ### Falcon 9 experiences in-flight anomaly for the first time in nine years URL: https://proximareport.com/falcon-9-failure-starlink/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:57:19.000Z SpaceX launched what appeared to be a regular Starlink mission atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, on July 12th at 02:35 Universal Coordinated Time. During the second-stage's ascent to orbit, a build-up of ice was noticed on SpaceX's launch stream. The MVac engine powering Falcon 9's second-stage did complete its first of two burns, however the anomaly for this mission occurred shortly into the second burn. Elon Musk, SpaceX's CEO, stated [on X](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1811620381590966321?ref=proximareport.com) (formerly Twitter) that the anomaly occurred during the second burn of the MVac engine, which eventually led to its disintegration. SpaceX currently does not know the root cause of the failure but they do know that the second-stage was [leaking](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-9-3&ref=proximareport.com) liquid oxygen, which also led to the visible ice build-up. The company's current understanding of what occurred is as follows: > "Falcon 9’s second stage performed its first burn nominally, however a liquid oxygen leak developed on the second stage. After a planned relight of the upper stage engine to raise perigee – or the lowest point of orbit – the Merlin Vacuum engine experienced an anomaly and was unable to complete its second burn. Although the stage survived and still deployed the satellites, it did not successfully circularize its orbit, but it did passivate itself as normally performed at the end of each mission." The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is aware of the anomaly and has [grounded](https://x.com/BCCarCounters/status/1811769572552310799?ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9\. SpaceX and the Federal Aviation Administration will be conducting a mishap investigation before conducting a return-to-flight mission. Twenty Starlink satellites were on board Falcon 9 when it failed, and they were later released from the second stage in an attempt to move them into a usable orbit. SpaceX was able to make contact with [ten](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1811804948675617115?ref=proximareport.com) of the satellites, but their low thrust was [inadequate](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1811805238699131093?ref=proximareport.com) to counteract the drag, and they re-entered the Earth's atmosphere after a few orbits. NASA would likely prefer Falcon 9 to conduct a return-to-flight mission ahead of its Crew-9 mission, carrying four astronauts, currently scheduled for late August. The Polaris Dawn mission, which was scheduled for the end of July, may also be delayed as it is another crewed mission, that has plans to conduct the first spacewalk from a Crew Dragon spacecraft. SpaceX's other customers may prefer that the mishap investigation and return-to-flight mission be completed before flying on Falcon 9 again. A batch of Starlink satellites is the most likely payload for a return-to-flight mission, given their mass and the need for an MVac relight to circularise the orbit. This was also SpaceX's first in-flight failure since June 28th 2015, when the second-stage liquid oxygen tank ruptured during the [CRS-7](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/public%5Fsummary%5Fnasa%5Firt%5Fspacex%5Fcrs-7%5Ffinal.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) mission over nine years ago. Almost eight years ago the last Falcon 9 was lost when it exploded on the launchpad on September 1st 2016, ahead of the [AMOS-6](https://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-amos-6/spacex-completes-falcon-9-amos-6-failure-investigation/?ref=proximareport.com) mission. Sadly the failure also brings an end to Falcon 9 Block 5's perfect flight record, with it successfully completing two-hundred and ninety-seven missions, and ending a successful mission streak for Falcon 9 at three-hundred and thirty-four. Luckily the booster landing streak is still ongoing at [two-hundred and forty-three.](https://falcon9landings.com/?ref=proximareport.com) > Falcon 9’s first stage lands on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, completing our 70th mission of the year! [pic.twitter.com/PKxveAEju5](https://t.co/PKxveAEju5?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [July 12, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1811592656222580749?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) SpaceX confirming the landing of booster B1063 during the Starlink Group 9-3 mission [via X.](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1811592656222580749?ref=proximareport.com) The booster that was supporting this specific mission was B1063 making its nineteenth flight overall. ### What commercial reusable rockets are on the horizon from China? URL: https://proximareport.com/commercial-reusable-rockets-china/ Last updated: 2024-07-10T16:39:21.000Z *Disclaimer: Launch vehicles that have recently been announced or have had minimal details shared are not included.* SpaceX has slashed the cost of sending satellites into orbit since the introduction of its Falcon 9 launch vehicle in 2010\. Over its fourteen-year history, Falcon 9 has flown almost 350 times while capable of lifting up to 22,800 kilograms for a relatively affordable average of sixty million dollars to customers, internal launch costs are thought to be below twenty million dollars. Most impressively, at least half of Falcon 9's launches have occurred in the last three years. The success of Falcon 9 can be linked to the reuse of its first-stage boosters, which have landed over 300 times and reflown over 270 times to date. Reusing the first-stage boosters has allowed SpaceX to reach its high cadence while keeping costs low, due to the majority of the costly launch vehicle components being in the first-stage. While SpaceX has been routinely flying Falcon 9, a handful of Chinese launch companies have been working on their own reusable launch vehicles, with most set to debut in the next two years! But what are these launch vehicles? ## Zhuque-3 Zhuque-3 is LandSpace's in-development two-stage partially reusable medium to heavy lift launch vehicle targeting a debut in 2025, the debut flight may also see the first landing of a Zhuque-3 first-stage booster. Zhuque-3 plans to burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen propellants in its engines on both stages, which will be built out of stainless steel. LandSpace claims that Zhuque-3 will be able to lift up to 21,300 kilograms to low Earth orbit when expended, 18,300 kilograms when landing downrange on a drone ship or landing pad, or 12,500 kilograms when returning to the launch site. ![A render of LandSpace's Zhuque-3 rocket. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/Zhuque-3-GIF--Smaller-.gif) A render of LandSpace's Zhuque-3 rocket. ©LandSpace The first-stage of Zhuque-3 is planned to be powered by nine TQ-12B engines generating an approximate combined 900 tons of thrust while burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen. LandSpace is also looking to fly each first-stage twenty times, with the potential to certify them for more flights. The second-stage of Zhuque-3 is planned to be powered by one TQ-15B generating a believed 100 tons of thrust while also burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen. To facilitate reuse of the first-stage, three engines will be lit during re-entry followed by one being lit again for landing on a drone ship or landing pad. For boost-back burns, the booster will turn around in-flight after separation and relight one engine. The boosters and second stage are currently planned to have a diameter of 4.5 meters. The fairing is planned to be 5.2 meters in diameter and split into two halves. The total height of Zhuque-3 is currently planned to be 76.6 meters with it having a fully fuelled mass of approximately 660,000 kilograms. ## Tianlong-3 Space Pioneer is developing its Tianlong-3 partially reusable two-stage launch vehicle for a debut flight no earlier than late 2024\. Tianlong-3 is planned to launch from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, and sea-launch platforms. Space Pioneer currently claims that Tianlong-3 will be able to deliver up to 17,000 kilograms of payload to a low Earth orbit, or 14,000 kilograms to a sun-synchronus orbit. ![A render of Space Pioneer's Tianlong-3 rocket. ©Space Pioneer](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/TL-product3_03.7aed698.png) A render of Space Pioneer's Tianlong-3 rocket. ©Space Pioneer The first-stage of Tianlong-3 is powered by nine TH-12 engines generating a combined thrust of 820 tons while burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. Tianlong-3's first-stage is currently planned to be reused ten times. The second-stage is powered by a single vacuum-optimized TH-12 engine generating a believed 137 tons of thurst burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. For reuse of the first-stage, the booster will land vertically on a landing pad or drone ship by relighting between one and three of its engines. Unpowered descent of the first-stage will be guided by four grid fins near the top of the stage. Tianlong-3's first and second stages are planned to have a diameter of 3.8 meters. The fairing for the launch vehicle is currently planned with a diameter of 4.2 meters and a length of 12 meters. On the launch pad, Tianlong-3 is expected to be 71 meters tall and weigh 590,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. ## Pallas-1 Pallas-1 is Galactic-Energy's in-development medium-lift partially reusable launch vehicle with a debut flight expected no earlier than November of 2024\. The company currently plans to have the rocket launch from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center and Wenchang Space Launch Site once in commercial operation. Galactic Energy has claimed that Pallas-1 will be able to lift up to 8,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit or 5,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. The fairing of Pallas-1 can fit a payload up to 3.8 meters in diameter and 8 meters tall. ![A render of Galactic Energy's Pallas-1 rocket. ©Galactic Energy](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/Render-c179df13471cd23943631b83d881a50.jpg) A render of Galactic Energy's Pallas-1 rocket. ©Galactic Energy Pallas-1's first-stage is powered by seven Welkin engines burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 350 tons of thrust. The second-stage is powered by a single Welkin vacuum-optimized engine also burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 60 tons of thrust. For reuse, Pallas-1 has four grid fins and four landing legs on the first-stage. The first-stage is planned to be landed vertically, like SpaceX's Falcon 9\. It is currently unclear if Pallas-1 will be able to land back at its launch site due to its smaller size. On the launchpad, the rocket is 42 meters tall with the first and second stages being 3.35 meters in diameter, the fairing is 4.1 meters in diameter and tapers out from the top of the second-stage. Fully fuelled Pallas-1 weighs a believed 283,000 kilograms. ## Kinetica-2 CAS Space is currently developing its Kinetica-2 launch vehicle for a debut flight in the Summer of 2025\. After a debut in 2025, CAS Space hopes it can recover, and potentially refly, a first-stage booster before 2027\. Kinetica-2 has a claimed payload capacity of 12,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, or 8,000 kilograms to a sun-synchronus orbit. CAS Space is considering a Falcon Heavy-like configuration to increase the launch vehicles payload capacity. ![A render of CAS Space's Kinetica-2 rocket. ©CAS Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/Kinetica-2.jpg) A render of CAS Space's Kinetica-2 rocket. ©CAS Space The first-stage of Kinetica-2 is believed to be powered by nine 85 tons of thrust engines that burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen for a total of 766 tons of thrust. Kinetica-2's second-stage is thought to be powered by a vacuum-optimized version of the same engine. Both the first and second stages of Kinetica-2 will have a diameter of 3.35 meters, along with the boosters of a Falcon Heavy-like configuration. The first-stage boosters will be landed vertically for later reuse. On the launchpad, Kinetica-2 is 53 meters tall and weighs 625,000 kilograms fully fuelled. ## Hyperbola-3 Hyperbola-3 is i-Space's in-development launch vehicle that plans to burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen in both of its stages. i-Space is currently targeting a debut flight in 2025 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. i-Space has claimed that when expended Hyperbola-3 will be able to carry 13,600 kilograms into low Earth orbit, or 8,600 kilograms when reused, in the single-core version. A Falcon Heavy-like three-core version of the launch vehicle will be able to lift 32,200 kilograms to low Earth orbit when expended, or 14,100 kilograms when reused. ![A render of i-Space's Hyperbola-3 rocket. ©i-Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/Hyperbola-3.png) A render of i-Space's Hyperbola-3 rocket. ©i-Space Hyperbola-3's first-stage will be powered by nine JD-2 engines producing an approximate combined thrust of 765 tons, 85 tons each, while burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen. The second-stage will be powered by a single vacuum-optimised JD-2 engine producing approximately 105 tons of thrust. The first landing of a Hyperbola-3 first-stage booster is currently targeted for 2026, where it will land vertically using between one and three of its JD-2 engines. On the launchpad, Hyperbola-3 is expected to be approximately 69 meters tall. ## Gravity-2 OrienSpace is currently developing its Gravity-2 launch vehicle with plans for reuse of the first-stage booster. The debut flight of Gravity-2 is currently planned for 2025\. OrienSpace has claimed that Gravity-2 will be able to carry 17,400 kilograms to a low Earth orbit, 11,900 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronus orbit, or 3,900 kilograms to a geostationary transfer orbit when reused. If expended Gravity-2 would be able to carry 21,500 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 15,000 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronus orbit, or 5,900 kilograms to a geostationary transfer orbit. A configuration using two of [Gravity-1's](https://proximareport.com/orienspace-nails-first-launch/) solid rocket boosters is being considered by OrienSpace to increase the payload capacity of Gravity-2\. ![A render of OrienSpace's Gravity-2 rocket. ©OrienSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/ori2.png) A render of OrienSpace's Gravity-2 rocket. ©OrienSpace Gravity-2's first-stage will be powered by nine Force-85 engines generating a combined 990 tons of thrust while burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The second-stage of Gravity-2 will be powered by a single vacuum-optimized Force-85 engine generating over 100 tons of thrust while also burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. Reuse of Gravity-2's first-stage will have the booster land vertically down range from the launch site, like SpaceX's Falcon 9\. During unpowered descent, the first-stage will be guided by four grid fins near the top of the stage. On the launchpad, Gravity-2 is 70 meters tall with the first and second stages being 4.2 meters in diameter, the fairing is 5.2 meters in diameter and 15 meters long. Fully fuelled Gravity-2 weighs approximately 715,000 kilograms. ## Nebula-1 Nebula-1 is Deep Blue Aerospace's in-development launch vehicle which is expected to debut no earlier than late 2024\. A timeline for the first re-flight of a Nebula-1 booster is currently unclear. Deep Blue Aerospace has said that initial flights of Nebula-1 will be able to carry 2,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, with a later increase to 6,000 kilograms. ![A render of Deep Blue Aerospace's Nebula-1 rocket. ©Deep Blue Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/---1.png) A render of Deep Blue Aerospace's Nebula-1 rocket. ©Deep Blue Aerospace The first-stage of Nebula-1 will be powered by nine 'Thunder-R' engines generating an approximate combined thrust of 180 tons while burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. Nebula-1's second stage will have a single vacuum-optimized 'Thunder-R' engine generating approximately 20 tons of thrust. Deep Blue Aerospace hopes their first-stage boosters of Nebula-1 can initially be reused twenty times, with an eventual increase beyond as they increase their cadence. Both the first and second stage of Nebula-1 are 3.35 meters in diameter, with the fairing being 4.2 meters in diameter. The boosters of Nebula-1 are expected to land downrange vertically on a landing pad or floating platform, depending on the launch site. ### Ariane 6 spreads its wings for the first time! URL: https://proximareport.com/ariane-6-debut/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T20:14:19.000Z Europe has finally returned its domestic access to space with the debut launch of Ariane 6 on July 9th. The first Ariane 6 launch vehicle lifted off from Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 4 (Ariane Launch Complex 4) located at the Guiana Space Centre, in French Guiana in the north of South America, at 16:00 pm French Guiana Time, or 19:00 pm Universal Coordinated time. Ariane 6's boosters, first-stage Vulcain 2.1 engine, and second-stage Vinci engine all performed as planned to carry the vehicle into low Earth orbit as part of 'Phase 1' of the flight plan, this phase was to demonstrate launch-to-orbit capabilities. 'Phase 2' of the flight saw the Vinci engine re-ignite for the first time, to demonstrate restart capabilities, and to allow the satellites onboard separate, this second burn did not run for its full duration however. Almost three hours into the mission, the European Space Agency confirmed that the launch vehicle's second-stage had suffered from an anomaly with one of its auxiliary propulsion units. At the time of publication, the next steps to solve this issue are unknown. ![Ariane 6 during first-stage flight ©M. Pédoussaut/European Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/GSEb_dGXcAAaGSB-1.jpg) Ariane 6 during first-stage flight ©M. Pédoussaut/European Space Agency Ariane 6 carried seventeen payloads, including a handful of CubeSats released from the second stage to orbit, a few experiments that remained attached, and two re-entry capsules released following the final ignition of the Vinci engine. The payloads on board were: - [SpaceCase SC-X01](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Flaunches%5Fthe%5Fcase%5Ffor%5FSpaceCase%5FSC-X01?ref=proximareport.com) is a test article for a heat resistance carbon-resin material, the test article will detach from Ariane 6 prior to atmospheric re-entry. - [Nyx Bikini](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Flaunches%5Fsplashdown%5Ffor%5FNyx%5FBikini?ref=proximareport.com) is another re-entry test article, this one however is hoping to prove capabilities on a small scale for ESA's cargo transportation initiative. - [PariSat](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Flaunches%5FPariSat%5Fphysics%5Fin%5Fspace%5Fafter%5Fschool?ref=proximareport.com) is an experiment that will observe which materials work best to get rid of heat on orbit. - [Peregrinus](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Flaunches%5FPeregrinus%5Fstudents%5Ftake%5Fon%5Fthe%5FSun?ref=proximareport.com) is a small experiment that hopes to measure the correlation between Earth’s magnetic field and the intensity of hard X-ray and soft gamma radiation. - [LIFI](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Flaunches%5FLIFI%5Flight-speed%5Fsecure%5Fcommunications?ref=proximareport.com) is another small experiment, this one hopes to prove Li-Fi, Light Fidelity, connections in space. - [SIDLOC](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Flaunches%5FSIDLOC%5Fopening%5Fup%5Ftools%5Ffor%5Fsafer%5Fspace?ref=proximareport.com) is another experiment that hopes to demonstrate a method for spacecraft identification via a small module broadcasting on a broad-spectrum signal deliberately spread out over a large radio bandwidth, via the use of the Doppler effect the experiment hopes to provide accurate tracking of its position from the ground. - [YPSat](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Flaunches%5FYPSat%5Fthe%5Fwitness?ref=proximareport.com) is a small payload that hopes to record, and transmit, from fairing separation to re-entry of the second-stage, this payload was designed by ESA's Young Professionals group. - [OOV-Cube](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Fflies%5FOOV-Cube%5FInternet%5Fof%5Fwild%5FThings?ref=proximareport.com) is a small 'Internet of Things' satellite that hopes to test technology that can be linked to miniaturized transmitters carried by animals and image processing in orbit using Artificial Intelligence. - [Curium One](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Flaunches%5FCurium%5FOne%5Fspace%5Ffor%5Fall?ref=proximareport.com) is a small satellite that aims to contribute to CubeSat and amateur radio communities through testing and developing open-source hardware and software. - [RAMI](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Flaunches%5FRAMI%5Fthe%5Finterplanetary%5Fdeployer?ref=proximareport.com) is a CubeSat deployer that will carry a 6U and two 3U CubeSats onboard during the launch, and will deploy them once on orbit. - [ExoPod NOVA](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Flaunches%5FExolaunch%5Fs%5FEXOpod%5FNova?ref=proximareport.com) is another CubeSat deployer, this one will carry four CubeSats onboard and deploy them on orbit. - [ISTSat](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Flaunches%5Fis%5Fit%5Fa%5Fplane%5FAircraft%5Fspotting%5Fwith%5FISTSat?ref=proximareport.com) is a tiny, 10 centimeters wide, CubeSat that will attempt to receive signals for a system called Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast, which is used by aircraft, ahead of future satellites potentially providing space-baed reception for the system. - [3Cat-4](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Flaunches%5F3Cat-4%5Freflecting%5Fon%5FEarth?ref=proximareport.com) is an Earth observation CubeSat developed by graduate and undergraduate students at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, in Spain. - [GRBBeta](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Flaunches%5FGRBBeta%5Fsmall%5Fsatellite%5Fbig%5Fastrophysics?ref=proximareport.com) is a CubeSat that will conduct astrophysics research after being separated from Ariane 6, notably attempting to detect gamma-ray bursts. - [ROBUSTA-3](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Flaunches%5FRobusta-3A%5Ffor%5Fweather%5Fand%5Fradiation?ref=proximareport.com) is a CubeSat that is hoping to collect water vapor data over the Mediterranean Sea to improve weather forecasts ahead of severe rain. - [CURIE](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Flaunches%5FNASA%5Fs%5Fradio%5Fdetective%5FCURIE?ref=proximareport.com) is a mission from NASA that has two satellites, initially bolted together, that hopes to measure radio waves coming from the Sun and other radio sources in space. - [Replicator](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Flaunches%5FReplicator%5F3D%5Fprinting%5Fin%5Fopen%5Fspace?ref=proximareport.com) is a technology demonstrator that is hoping to test 3D printing on orbit, which may potentially allow for the efficient printing of complex structures due to the lack of gravity. ![The various payloads onboard Ariane 6 for the first flight. ©European Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/Ariane_6_first_passengers_with_names.jpg) The various payloads onboard Ariane 6 for the first flight. ©European Space Agency With today's launch of Ariane 6, the European Space Agency has hopefully finally ended its 'launcher crisis' and returned independent European access to space. This crisis was caused by a combination of issues, including delays in Ariane 6 development, the retirement of Ariane 5, the loss of Soyuz launch vehicles due to deteriorating relations with Russia, and the failure of Vega C in December 2022. The next Ariane 6 launch is expected before the end of 2024, according to Stéphane Israël of Arianespace. Ariane 6 also has twenty-nine missions in its backlog for launch in the coming years, these missions are for commercial, government, and institutional customers. ## What is Ariane 6? Ariane 6 is ArianeGroup's latest launch vehicle in the Ariane family of rockets, ArianeGroup has been manufacturing and marketing the Ariane launch vehicles on behalf of the European Space Agency since Ariane 4\. Two versions of the Ariane 6 rocket will be initially available, Ariane 62 and Ariane 64. These two versions share the first and second stages. The first stage of Ariane 6 burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in a single Vulcain 2.1 engine, producing 139 tons of thrust. The second stage of Ariane 6 also burns liquid hydrogen and oxygen, but in a single Vinci engine that generates 18 tons of thrust. Each of the solid rocket boosters burn a mixture of aluminum and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene to produce 474 tons of thrust each. This allows Ariane 62 to generate 1088 tons of thrust at liftoff, while Ariane 64 can generate 2036 tons of thrust. ![Ariane 6 at Ariane Launch Complex 4 ahead of its maiden flight. ©European Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/Ariane_6_revealed_as_nine-story_mobile_building_rolls_back_from_the_launch_pad-1.jpg) Ariane 6 at Ariane Launch Complex 4 ahead of its maiden flight. ©European Space Agency ### Ariane 62 Ariane 62 is the cheaper of the two configurations because it opts to use two solid rocket boosters. The lift capacity of Ariane 62 is as follows: 10,350 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 7,200 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, 4,500 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, or 3,500 kilograms to a lunar transfer orbit. On the launch pad, Ariane 62 weighs approximately 530,000 kilograms with a first-stage, second-stage, and faring diameter of 5.4 meters. Ariane 62 stands 56 meters tall ahead of launch. ### Ariane 64 Ariane 64 is the more capable of the two configurations due to it opting for four solid rocket boosters. The lift Capacity of Ariane 64 is as follows: 21,650 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 15,500 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, 11,500 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, 8,600 kilograms to a lunar transfer orbit, or 5,000 kilograms to geostationary orbit. On the launch pad, Ariane 62 weighs approximately 860,000 kilograms with a first-stage, second-stage, and faring diameter of 5.4 meters, exactly the same as Ariane 62\. Ariane 64 is eight meters taller than Ariane 62 and is 62 meters tall ahead of launch. ### Weekly Dose of Space (1/7-6/7) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-1-7-6-7/ Last updated: 2024-07-07T15:55:41.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw four orbital launches occur, with a fifty-fifty split between Asia and North America. This week also saw another country join the International Lunar Research Station and SpaceX win yet another launch contract. As always, we'll also look ahead to the worldwide launch schedule for next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase started on July 1st when Ship 31 was rolled out to the Massey's test site, after being inspected and repaired following its small fire a few weeks ago. Hardware was also spotted being installed on tower sections for the second orbital launch tower on the 1st, this includes plumbing for fuelling Starship and electrical lines. Teams were also seen repairing the ship quick disconnect arm's supports and continuing work on the base of the second orbital launch tower. A few days later in the early hours of the 3rd of July, the first tower segment, for the launch second tower, was moved next to the base of the tower. Ship 31 was also spotted undergoing what is believed to have been two cryo-proofing tests on the 3rd at Massey's. Ship 31 is believed to have passed these two tests as it returned to the production site on 6th. ## **Launches This Week** ### *July* *1st - H3 with ALOS-4* Mitsubishi Heavy Industries launched Japan's third H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying the ALOS-4, Advanced Land Observing Satellite-4, satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit. ALOS-4 will observe the Earth below using a phased array L-band synthetic aperture radar. ![The H3 rocket lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center for its third mission. ©JAXA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/160a957cbc507792352ca7b0410c08df-1.jpg) The H3 rocket lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center for its third mission. ©JAXA ### *July 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-9* SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B0173, flying for the sixteenth time, which landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 8-9 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/GRjfj7-aAAAMvJd-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 8-9 mission. ©SpaceX ### *July 4th - Firefly Alpha for 'Noise of Summer'* Firefly Aerospace launched its Alpha rocket from Space Launch Complex 2W, in California, to a sun-synchronus orbit. Alpha carried eight satellites into orbit as part of NASA's ELaNa 43 program. For more about this mission click [here.](https://proximareport.com/firefly-kicks-off-2024/) > We were honored to provide a rocket light show to kick off the Fourth of July - Happy Independence Day from our Firefly family to yours. [#NoiseOfSummer](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NoiseOfSummer?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) > > Photo Credit: Shawn McCormick I Phoenix, Arizona [pic.twitter.com/KuewyAjG2I](https://t.co/KuewyAjG2I?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Firefly Aerospace (@Firefly\_Space) [July 4, 2024](https://twitter.com/Firefly%5FSpace/status/1808897345788260550?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Firefly Aerospace celebrating the U.S. Independence Day holiday on [X](https://x.com/Firefly%5FSpace/status/1808897345788260550?ref=proximareport.com) with imagery from its 'Noise of Summer' mission. ### *July 4th - Long March 6A with Tianhui-5 Group 02* A Long March 6A, which had a stretched 4.2-meter diameter fairing, lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying two satellites to a sun-synchronous orbit as part of the second group of Tianhui-5 satellites. The two satellites are expected to be used for geographic mapping, land resources surveys, and scientific experiments. ![The Long March 6A Y7 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/9da82ba5gy1hrcu6ernvgj20zk1hbteg.jpg) The Long March 6A Y7 vehicle lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ## **In Other Space News** ## *Kazakhstan joins the ILRS* ![An artistic render of the International Lunar Research Station. ©China National Space Administration/China Central Television.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/ILRS-utilization-phase-1024x572.png) An artistic render of the International Lunar Research Station. ©China National Space Administration/China Central Television. Kazakhstan has become the latest country to join the International Lunar Research Station, a China-led endeavor to establish a crewed base on the lunar surface to perform research and science. Kazakhstan is the twelfth country to sign onto the lunar station agreement, joining Venezuela, South Africa, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Russia, Belarus, Egypt, Thailand, Nicaragua, Serbia, and China. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs published the joint statement of the two countries with both countries saying: > “Two sides support exchanges and cooperation between the two countries’ aerospace agencies and enterprises in the peaceful use of outer space, promote mutually beneficial cooperation in the Moon and deep space, and reception and exchange of remote sensing data.” The memorandum of cooperation for the International Lunar Research Station was one of thirty documents signed between the two nations. These documents were signed during a visit by China's President, Xi Jinping. ## *SpaceX to launch COSI in 2027* ![A render of the Compton Spectrometer and Imager spacecraft. ©Jim Willis/Northrop Grumman/European Southern Observatory](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/COSI-eso1032a-750px.jpg) A render of the Compton Spectrometer and Imager spacecraft. ©Jim Willis/Northrop Grumman/European Southern Observatory NASA announced on July 2nd that it had selected SpaceX's Falcon 9 as the launch vehicle for its Compton Spectrometer and Imager, COSI, spacecraft small explorer-class mission no earlier than August of 2027\. The launch of the spacecraft will cost the agency sixty-nine million United States Dollars for Falcon 9 to carry it to low Earth orbit. The COSI spacecraft is expected to study gamma rays, uncover nucleosynthesis sites in the galaxy, and search for the origins of positrons. COSI is also part of NASA's Small Explorers, or SMEX, program, which are science missions that are not expected to cost the agency over one-hundred and twenty million United States Dollars. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is still believed to be targeting a launch this month, July, for the fifth flight test of Starship-Super Heavy. However, due to some changes to the flight plan, notable a potential tower catch of a Super Heavy booster, they are still awaiting regulatory approval. ### *July 8th - Falcon 9 with Türksat 6A* A Falcon 9 is expected to liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying the Türksat 6A satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit. The spacecraft is expected to provide communications services to Türkiye, Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, India, and Indonesia. ### *July 9th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-3* SpaceX is expected to launch another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for this mission is currently unknown but it is expected to land downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *July 9th - Ariane 6 for its maiden flight* Arianespace is finally expected to launch its Ariane 6 launch vehicle on its first flight. The launch is expected to occur from Ariane Launch Area 4 at the Guiana Space Center. ### Firefly kicks off 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/firefly-kicks-off-2024/ Last updated: 2024-07-05T14:33:24.000Z Firefly's Alpha rocket lifted off today on July 4th 2024, 12:04 AM EDT from Pad SLC-2W, at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA. Alpha is a small sat launcher priced at 15 million US dollars a launch. Alpha is designed to be the most reliable and responsive launch option for its class. It is capable of taking 1,030 kg to 300 km above the surface in a LEO (Low Earth Orbit). This mission was carrying several payloads into low earth orbit. The ELaNa 43 (Educational Launch of Nanosatellites 43) mission includes eight CubeSats flying on Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket for its “Noise of Summer” Lets look at how the launch went and what are the payloads! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/FIR24-FLTA005-Print.webp) In 2020, NASA awarded Firefly Aerospace a fixed-price contract to launch small satellites, or CubeSats, under the Venture-Class Launch Services Demonstration 2 contract. In May of that year, NASA certified Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket as Category 1, authorizing its use for missions with high-risk tolerance. NASA’s Launch Services Program oversees the launch of rockets carrying spacecraft designed to observe Earth, visit other planets, and explore the universe. Many of the satellites on this mission follow whats called a standard design, particularly the 6U. A 6U CubeSat is a type of nanosatellite that adheres to the CubeSat standard, which is defined by units (U) based on a basic 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm cube. The "6U" designation means that the satellite is composed of six such units, resulting in a structure that is typically 10 cm x 20 cm x 30 cm in size. CubeSats are popular in scientific and educational space missions due to their compact size, standardization, and lower cost compared to traditional satellites. The 6U CubeSat offers a balance between small size and sufficient space for more complex instrumentation and systems, making it suitable for a wide range of missions, including technology demonstrations, Earth observation, and scientific research. #### CatSat CatSat is a 6U CubeSat being built and tested by University of Arizona students, faculty, and staff. The inflatable antenna will be used to communicate to the ground at \~50 Mbps and transmit HD video in real-time. A second, identical camera is onboard and will be used to image and verify deployment of the inflatable antenna. A secondary goal of the mission will be to deploy a whip antenna to measure Earth’s ionosphere. ![](https://space.skyrocket.de/img_sat/catsat_uoa__1.jpg) During the mission’s six-month expected lifetime, CatSat will detect high-frequency signals from HAM radio operators all around the globe with its WSPR antenna, demonstrate its inflatable antenna for high bandwidth transmission, and provide high-resolution imaging of the Earth. The data this satellite provides will give insights into the variation of the ionosphere and the technical capabilities of the new systems being tested. #### KUbe-Sat-1 This mission represents the inaugural step towards developing a comprehensive satellite program at the University of Kansas (KU). A successful launch will pave the way for KU to expand the initiative, facilitating collaborations with public schools and other educational institutions. The enhanced capabilities provided by this program will offer more opportunities for amateur satellite services, enabling grade schools to launch payloads into orbit and fostering greater engagement in STEM activities. A successful initial launch and the establishment of robust infrastructure are critical for the planned expansion of the satellite program. Furthermore, KUbeSat1 will generate data that can be utilized worldwide in the study of deep-space particles. Analyzing the particles that pass through Earth's atmosphere is crucial for understanding issues ranging from solar storms to deep space radiation. Consequently, amateur operators around the globe may contribute valuable scientific data essential for advancing our knowledge of space. ![](https://www.nanosats.eu/img/sat/KUbeSat1_Rendering_ReSize.png) KUbe-Sat-1 rendered on orbit ### MESAT1 Maine's inaugural small satellite, MESAT, features three payloads created by students from Falmouth High School, Fryeburg Academy, and Saco Middle School. Engineering teams from UMaine and USM are working together to construct and prepare the satellite for launch, in partnership with AMSAT and NERRS. The CubeSat's launch is financed by the NASA CSLI program, while its design and development are supported by NASA, MSGC, and UMaine. ![https://www.mainebiz.biz/sites/default/files/styles/article_small_cover_image/public/2024-06/satellite.jpg?h=cb046801&itok=fe6xBl9z](https://www.mainebiz.biz/sites/default/files/styles/article_small_cover_image/public/2024-06/satellite.jpg?h=cb046801&itok=fe6xBl9z) MESAT1 ### **R**​**5-S4, R5-S2-2.0 ­­­­­** R5-S4 and R5-S2-2.0, both 6U CubeSats designed by NASA's Johnson space center, will be the first R5 spacecraft launched to orbit to test an innovative, streamlined spacecraft design. The team will closely monitor the performance of each component, including the computer, software, radio, propulsion system, sensors, and cameras, while in low Earth orbit. In the near term, R5 aims to demonstrate new processes that enable faster and more cost-effective development of high-performance CubeSats. These improvements in cost and schedule will allow R5 to offer higher-risk ride options to low-Technology Readiness Level payloads, facilitating more on-orbit demonstrations. ![https://images-assets.nasa.gov/image/KSC-20240424-PH-FRF01_0007/KSC-20240424-PH-FRF01_0007~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1445&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint](https://images-assets.nasa.gov/image/KSC-20240424-PH-FRF01_0007/KSC-20240424-PH-FRF01_0007~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1445&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint) ### Serenity – Teachers in Space Serenity, a 3U CubeSat equipped with data sensors and a camera, will engage with students on Earth via amateur radio signals, transmitting images back to them. This initiative, led by Teachers in Space, aims to launch satellites as educational experiments to inspire students across North America to pursue interests in space science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). ### SOC-i – University of Washington, Seattle The Satellite for Optimal Control and Imaging (SOC-i), a 2U CubeSat, serves as a technology demonstration mission for advanced attitude control. It will test an algorithm designed to support autonomous operations with constrained attitude guidance maneuvers computed in real-time aboard the spacecraft. SOC-i will autonomously orient its camera to capture images, showcasing its ability to maintain precise orientation relative to the Earth, Sun, or other celestial bodies. ### TechEdSat-11 (TES-11) – NASA’s Ames Research Center, California’s Silicon Valley TechEdSat-11, a 6U CubeSat, is a collaborative project between NASA researchers and students aimed at evaluating new technologies for small satellites. This mission will test advancements in communications, a radiation sensor suite, and experimental solar panels, as well as explore methods to reduce the time required for de-orbiting. TechEdSat-10 contains 150 watt-hours of power storage, eight radios, nine processors, and a graphics processing unit. Additionally, the small satellite carries four cameras, including a stereoscopic virtual reality camera experiment. ![](https://space.skyrocket.de/img_sat/techedsat-11__2.jpg) ## What a mission! This mission represents how space can unite institutions and groups of people. Developing American space industry and most of all furthering science for all mankind. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/Firefly-Aerospace-Jul-3-2024-Long-Expo-8389-1024x683.jpg) ### The Top Five Greatest Moments in US Spaceflight URL: https://proximareport.com/the-united-states-top-five-greatest-aerospace-moments/ Last updated: 2024-07-04T16:31:18.000Z To celebrate the Fourth of July, I wanted to cover the top five greatest moments in US spaceflight. Whether you love or hate the country, no one can doubt its historical importance, especially in the out-of-this-world arena of spaceflight. Before we dive into this top five, you have to understand that this is a PERSONAL ranking. Your top five greatest US spaceflight moments might differ from mine. With that preposition out of the way, let's go into the ranking! ## #5 Opportunity Rover ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/i--2-.png) Opportunity being tested at the KSC before heading on her voyage ****Credit: NASA** Of course, we had to talk about the little rover that could. Opportunity and her twin rover, Spirit were meant to last just 90 days on the Martian planet. However, Oppy would go on to defy all odds and explore the red world for 14 years. Her older twin, Spirit lasted less than half of that time, at just over 6 years. These rovers would cement themselves as legends, in both the science community and pop culture. Many remember this Martian explorer for "saying" the famous, "My batteries are low, and it's getting dark" line. While this wasn't exactly what the rover said, it captured the hearts of millions. After the last contact was made, teams at NASA attempted to wake up the rover for over 200 Earth days. Sadly, they never heard back from Oppy and the mission was finally declared over in February of 2019\. Here are some of her accomplishments over her 14-year odyssey: ✦ Discovered signs of ancient flowing water on the planet. ✦ Studied how craters form and erode over time. ✦ Studied Mars's atmosphere (clouds/dust) for over a decade. On Mars, the rover pair took hundreds of thousands of photos and Oppy traveled some 45 kilometers (28 miles). Lasting over 60x more than expected, Opportunity helped humanity better understand one of the most enticing celestial bodies in the solar system. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/240125-ingenuity.webp) A selfie of Perseverance and Ingenuity taken in 2021 ****Credit: NASA/JPL** Honestly, the United States is an obvious leader in Mars exploration. With a plethora of landers, rovers, and orbiters being sent to the Martian system. Ingenuity is another huge resounding success from the United States, seeing the first powered flight on another planet. The InSight lander, as well as the Curiosity and Perseverance rover, have also provided amazing looks into our celestial neighbor. The Mars program has been an amazing part of the US space industry and one that will only grow from here on out! ## #4 Hubble Space Telescope ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/27946391011_d40ff10573_h-jpg.webp) Hubble seen in orbit after its second servicing mission in 1997\. ****Credit: NASA** Next, we have the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). If you follow the world of spaceflight/exploration, you have undoubtedly heard of this telescope. Hubble was not the first space telescope ever, however, it is by far the most famous. Many deep space images shared around the web likely originate from this telescope. Not limited by the distorting atmosphere and pesky light pollution, Hubble was genuinely the first time humanity was able to look deep into the Universe. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/potw2050a.jpg) Rings of Relativity as seen by Hubble ****Credit: ESA** Since its launch in 1990 onboard Space Shuttle Discovery, Hubble has been peering into the cosmos. Many may know that it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows in the beginning though. A mirror misalignment caused the first Hubble images to be blurry and fuzzy. The problem was so bad, that NASA had to launch servicing missions to the orbital telescope using the Shuttle. In all, Hubble was serviced, modified, and boosted five times. These missions greatly expanded the life and capabilities of Hubble and made way for an immense amount of discoveries. Here are just a few of the Hubble Space Telescope's biggest impacts: ✦ Helped Scientists determine a rough age for the Universe (\~13.8 billion). ✦ Data from Hubble has been used in over 21,000 published scientific papers. ✦ The orbiting space telescope has made some 1.6 million discoveries since its mission started in 1990\. Because Hubble hasn't been serviced since 2009, the telescope's orbit has been slowly decaying, and hardware on the orbital observatory has started to show its age. While there have been talks to service the space telescope with SpaceX's Crew Dragon, no mission has been set. We sadly may be approaching the end of one of the greatest scientific pieces of hardware, ever. Regardless, Hubble has truly been one of the United State's bests technological feats. ## #3 Voyager 1 and 2 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/artwork-showing-voyager-1-leaving-saturn-david-a-hardyscience-photo-library.jpg) Artist rendition of Voyager 1 leaving Saturn ****Credit: David A. Hardy** The twin spacecraft of Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 are truly icons of humanity's emerging space age. The name "voyager" alone is so indicative of the importance of these two probes. Launched just weeks apart in 1977, the two Voyagers have gone on an interstellar odyssey. You may be surprised to hear it, but since Voyager 2 made the first flyby of Uranus in 1986 and Neptune in 1989, no other spacecraft, from any nation has ever revisited these ice giants. While Pioneer was first to the Jovian and Saturn systems, Voyager was the first to reach the outermost planets, as well as every single gas and ice giant. Voyager 2 being the first (and only) probe to give us closeup views and data on the planets of Uranus and Neptune is great enough to put it on this ranking in of itself. But, it doesn't stop there. While Voyager 2 was busy studying all of the outermost planets, Voyager 1 was FLYING towards the edge of our solar system. After making its flyby of Saturn, Voyager 1 used a gravity assist to help push itself further away from the Sun. And after 35 years of traveling, Voyager finally broke beyond the heliopause and made it to interstellar space in 2012\. Between the two probes, so much was uncovered. Below are some of the greatest achievements of these two cosmic voyagers: ✦ Discovered that all the gas/ice giants had rings and also discovered 24 moons! ✦ Data from Voyager 1 and 2 hinted at a potential sub-surface ocean on Europa, as well as Volcanic activity on IO and a nitrogen rich atmosphere on Titan! ✦ Is an interstellar "time capsule" of sorts with the Golden Record plaque on both probes, with information about Earth, humanity and our knowledge of the universe. ✦ First humanmade object to reach interstellar space! ✦ Took one of the most breathtaking images ever (Pale Blue Dot) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/1_X1tvo3pdw8JFYkVD3yECqQ-1.jpg) Pale Blue Dot as seen by Voyager 1 in 1990 ****Credit: NASA/JPL** Sadly, despite breaking out of the interstellar medium, little is known about this region just beyond our star. This is due to the age of Voyager, its RTG, which is essentially a little nuclear reactor using plutonium, has decayed to the point it is outputting far less energy than required. This means a lot of the scientific instruments have been shut down, with a bulk of the power used to communicate with scientists back on Earth. The Voyager probes were willed into existence by the United States and the science community should be so incredibly thankful they were. Truly a once in a lifetime mission that pushed the envelope in all regards. ## #2 Reusable Rockets ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/52796462670_8fd2791a0e_k.jpg) SpaceX's Falcon 9 booster comes in for a landing ****Credit: SpaceX** From the Space Shuttle to Falcon 9 the United States has truly paved the way in the reuse of rockets. This is an insanely important next step that will allow for more, cost-effective missions to new worlds. While you may think this is placed pretty high at number two, this is just the beginning of humanity's shared effort to make affordable ways to go further into the cosmos. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/IMG_0134-2.jpeg) A Space Shuttle coming in for landing at the Cape, as seen by a T-38 ****Credit: NASA** While many may argue that the Space Shuttle wasn't reusable and more "refurbish-able" its design was based on the idea of cost-effectiveness. While the cadence and cost goals were never obtained, it was a great effort to try and reduce the price tag on space missions. The Space Shuttle is also an insanely important part of US spaceflight. The Shuttle enabled Hubble servicing missions and helped with the construction of the ISS, among other things. The real star here, however, is undoubtedly SpaceX's Falcon 9\. It is a rocket like no other, with absurd cost effectiveness the Shuttle could only dream of. Its high cadence and reuse have reduced the cost per kg immensely. For the Space Shuttle, the cost per kilogram was around $54,000\. Falcon 9 has an estimated cost per kg of just $2,720\. It truly is only becoming more and more easy to access the cosmos, which allows for more science and discovery. Here are some reasons why reusable rockets are such an incredible piece of tech, pioneered by the US: ✦ Far lower cost per kilogram, allowing for better accessibility to space. ✦ Doesn't waste as much hardware ✦ Partially reusable rockets are paving the way for fully reusable ones, which will only drop the costs further. The best part about reusable rockets? This is just the very beginning of it all. SpaceX has had such a positive impact on the launch provider industry, that we are seeing a true "reusable rocket" wave, with more and more partial/fully reusable rockets in development than ever before. ## Honorable Mentions Of course, no top-five list is complete without some honorable mentions. While these are placed in no real order, these are also other amazing achievements from the United States that deserve to be mentioned! ### New Horizons ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/5165--1-.webp) Best photo of Pluto before and after New Horizon's maiden (and only) flyby! ****Credit: NASA** Before New Horizons flew by Pluto in 2015, we knew very little of this infamous dwarf planet. Such a historic mission deserves some recognition. The New Horizon flyby of Pluto uncovered the last major celestial body in our solar system. New Horizon also flew by the Kuiper Belt Object Arrokoth another first for the spacecraft. ### Pioneer 10 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/jupiter_pioneer_10_art-jpg.webp) Artist depiction of Pioneer 10 at Jupiter ****Credit: NASA** This is one of the most underrated robotic spaceflight missions ever. Pioneer 10 was the first space mission to: be sent on a trajectory away from the sun, cross the asteroid belt, and leave the inner solar system, and finally, it was the first flyby of Jupiter. This was humanity's first step into the outer solar system and it helped unmask a ton of information, particularly about Jupiter's atmosphere and magnetic field. ### James Webb Space Telescope ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/52259221868_b757d6cdea_k.jpg) Carina Nebula as seen by the James Webb Space Telescope ****Credit: NASA** While JWST is the direct predecessor to Hubble, it didn't make the list as it still has a long road ahead of itself. JWST is an amazing piece of technology that has taken insane images, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. As the Webb telescope continues its journey through the cosmos, it will cement itself as a legendary scientific tool. Webb will also play a crucial role in better understanding the atmospheric composition of exoplanets. This is crucial as we try to find hotspots for potential extra-terrestrial life. ## #1 Man on the Moon ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/51358485474_2eaa551bef_k.jpg) Apollo 15 Astronaut Dave Scott and the LRV at Hadley Rille ****Credit: NASA/Project Apollo Archive** This is probably no surprise, but of course, the first (and only) nation to send humans to another celestial body would be the greatest moment in all of the United State's spaceflight history. As it stands, no one compares, quite literally. That will change in the coming decade(s) with the likes of the Artemis Accords and the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). However, no matter the space fairing future man is heading towards, it will always be cemented as an American first, to land humans on a new world. Apollo saw 12 men over six missions land on the surface of the Moon. Here are some of the amazing discoveries/moments from the Apollo program: ✦ Apollo 11 was the first mission to collect and retrieve samples from the Lunar surface. Over the course of all Apollo surface missions, 382 kilograms (842lbs) of Lunar samples were collected. ✦ The oldest Moon rocks are older than the oldest rocks on Earth. This is due to the fact that conditions on Earth are constantly changing due to geological activity. ✦ The Moon once had an ocean of magma on its surface. And by far the biggest and most important discovery of the Apollo program was that of Earth. As astronauts looked back at home, at a distance unfathomable just years before, we could finally take in the absurdity of our existence. A blue dot in a vast sea of darkness. Life never looked more brilliant nor as fragile. In the words of Astronaut William Anders.... > We came all this way to explore the moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/p08530wr.jpg) ### Unexpected Liftoff - Space Pioneer's static fire incident URL: https://proximareport.com/tianlong-3-accident/ Last updated: 2024-07-04T00:53:08.000Z *Disclaimer: This article contains the speculation of the writers due to the ongoing accident investigation by Space Pioneer and authorities in China.* Space Pioneer has recently become a well-known name in China's commercial aerospace industry, but for the wrong reasons. The company escalated to the spotlight outside of China after its new launch vehicle failed catastrophically during a static fire. ### What happened? Space Pioneer's Tianlong-3 rocket was progressing very smoothly for a 2024 debut. The first stage was spotted several times, all nine engines were tested beforehand, and the first stage was successfully integrated on the test stand. The test stand was a modified Tianlong-2 test stand, the company's smaller rocket, located inside a former quarry. ![Space Pioneer's Tianlong-3 test stage on its static fire stand during fuelling.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/GRR5TdFbIAEUIbU.jpg) Space Pioneer's Tianlong-3 test stage on its static fire stand during fuelling. This test was supposed to be a simple static fire, but at 7:43 UTC on June 30th, the nine Tianhuo-12 engines worked as expected, reaching 820 tons of thrust. However, the stage escaped from its mounts and flew away. ![The Tianlong-3 test stage lifting off from its static fire stand.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/liftoff-gif.gif) The Tianlong-3 test stage lifting off from its static fire stand. Its accidental flight ended after just 50 seconds when the Tianlong-3 crashed into a hilly area near Gongyi, initially presumed to be Qinglong Mountain and appearing to be within those ranges, creating a massive fireball that some onlookers caught on video. After lifting off the computer on the rocket shut down after wire connections were severed between the pad and the booster. The rocket crashed deep into a mountain 1.5 kilometers southwest of the test site, satellite imagery places this at approximately [1,470 meters](https://x.com/mcrs987/status/1807589774452273257?ref=proximareport.com) away. > “Before the test, we worked with the local government to improve safety measures and organised the evacuation of people in surrounding areas in advance. After investigations, there were no casualties,” Space Pioneer reported [Local news](https://baijiahao-baidu-com.translate.goog/s?id=1803384544436444414&wfr=spider&for=pc&searchword=%E5%8E%9F%E6%9C%AC%E5%9C%A8%E8%AF%95%E8%BD%A6%E8%BF%87%E7%A8%8B%E4%B8%AD%E6%B2%A1%E6%9C%89%E8%AE%A1%E5%88%92%E8%B5%B7%E9%A3%9E%E3%80%82%E2%80%9C%E6%9C%AC%E6%9D%A5%E5%B0%B1%E4%B8%8D%E8%83%BD%E8%B5%B7%E9%A3%9E%E7%9A%84,%E8%BF%99%E6%AC%A1%E7%A1%AE%E5%AE%9E%E6%98%AF%E6%B2%A1%E6%8B%89%E4%BD%8F%E5%B0%B1%E8%B5%B7%E9%A3%9E&source=ucbrowser&%5Fx%5Ftr%5Fsl=auto&%5Fx%5Ftr%5Ftl=en&%5Fx%5Ftr%5Fhl=en-GB) outlets also interviewed local village residents who were relocated to a nearby village for the test. They lived around a mile away from the launch site. While people up to 5 kilometers away from the crash site caught it on video. No casualties were reported after response teams were dispatched. Space Pioneer's [response](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/6K2mdDWviOlk30oU-JH90Q?ref=proximareport.com) at first was met with criticism in regards to how it was handled, mentioning the distance from Gongyi, and then boasting about the Tianlong-3's capability. > “It was apparently not far from the densely populated area of Gongyi, and the rocket was out of control,” one Weibo user wrote. > “However, the company did not even call it an accident in their statement. Instead, they were busy talking about the rocket parameters.” Space Pioneer then responded with a formal [apology](https://weibo.com/7929387643/5051707207192364?ref=proximareport.com), two days later, to the residents nearby and to the city of Gongyi. All damages to people's houses are currently being assessed according to the company. They also stated they would compensate for people's losses, according to the statement. ### What caused this? Based on imagery of the stand afterward, [views](https://x.com/BanhmiBrieoche/status/1807360563145576628?ref=proximareport.com) of the stage during flight, and [patents](https://x.com/mcrs987/status/1807622897243988344?ref=proximareport.com) for the stand, it is likely that Space Pioneer did not accurately account for the weight of the rocket and the total potential thrust, given that it lifted off mere seconds after ignition. The stand itself was rated to hold down a vehicle producing up to 600 tons of thrust. Space Pioneer has not disclosed how much propellant was loaded into the test stage, but estimates of remaining fuel, based on the explosion, place it at between 220-300 tons at the time of impact. The company also did not say if they fully loaded just one or both tanks to try and hold down the stage. As an example, SpaceX loads extra 'ballast' liquid oxygen into its Super Heavy boosters during static fires, and only the liquid methane needed to perform the necessary tests. ![The static fire stand after the test stage broke free.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/07/GRib9nTbEAAGSbh.jpg) The static fire stand after the test stage broke free. Space Pioneer has [said](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/6K2mdDWviOlk30oU-JH90Q?ref=proximareport.com) that the rocket broke free due to a structural failure, but did not say what part of the stand or vehicle. Based on [images](https://x.com/J1NFENG/status/1808366737508950410?ref=proximareport.com) of the aftermath and during the production of the vehicle, it appears that the part of the engine section where hold-down bolts were attached ripped apart from the rest of the vehicle upon it reaching a high enough thrust. The connections to the stand at the base of the stage are also the only structural connections that were planned to keep it in place, compared to SpaceX's Falcon 9 static fire stands that secure boosters at the base and top of the stage. ### Immediate Impact? With the loss of this specific first-stage the maiden flight scheduled for September of this year is likely delayed toward later this year, or pushed into 2025\. Two more first-stages are [believed](https://author.baidu.com/home?from=bjh%5Farticle&app%5Fid=1536770968939927&ref=proximareport.com) to be in production, along with their engines, but their production status is unknown. Static fire tests are [expected](https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1803353652217136023&wfr=spider&for=pc&searchword=1%E5%A4%A9%E5%85%B5%E7%A7%91%E6%8A%80%E5%B7%A9%E4%B9%89%E7%8E%B0%E5%9C%BA%E5%B7%A5%E4%BD%9C%E4%BA%BA%E5%91%98:%E6%AD%A3%E5%9C%A8%E5%AF%BB%E6%89%BE%E9%BB%91%E5%8C%A3%E5%AD%90%E3%80%81%E6%94%B6%E9%9B%86%E7%81%AB%E7%AE%AD%E6%AE%8B%E9%AA%B8&ref=proximareport.com) to no longer be performed at Space Pioneer's Gongyi test site and will likely move to the company's launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, which is still under construction. Individual tests are still expected to occur at Gongyi, due to the more mature test stands for single engines. ### Long-Term Problems? This accident may have deterred potential future investors away from Space Pioneer. Some of the company's prior investors may also now be less willing to provide greater investment, or be looking to remove their investment. Depending on the attitude of Space Pioneer's investors, this could be a significant problem for the company's long-term visions. Trouble could also be ahead for Space Pioneer depending on the outcome of an accident investigation into the incident. Law in China [dictates](https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/2007-04/19/content%5F2602474.htm?eqid=a7d5c0fc000f0f8e0000000464882309&ref=proximareport.com) that a company can be fined for accidents that cause "personal injury, death or direct economic losses in production and business activities", if the local government decides that this was a production accident. At best this could see Space Pioneer fined for an amount equal to 30% of last year's income, possibly including investment, and 80% at worst. 2023 saw the company bring in a [believed](https://orbitaltoday.com/2023/11/03/space-pioneer-receives-funding-for-tianlong-3-rocket/?ref=proximareport.com) 700 million Yuan Renminbi, or 95 million United States Dollars, in investor funding. Ahead of an anticipated rise in launch activity in coming years, China's central government offices and officials may also use the recent accident to push through new regulations to further govern the commercial space sector. The central government [notably](https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3227753/timeline-chinas-32-month-big-tech-crackdown-killed-worlds-largest-ipo-and-wiped-out-trillions-value?ref=proximareport.com) cracked down on growing risks in the tech sector in recent years over the span of thirty-two months. ## *Who is Space Pioneer?* Space Pioneer is a privately owned commercial launch company, providing launch services to China's satellite manufacturers, and is headquartered in Beijing. The company was founded in 2019 by Kang Yonglai, the company's current Chief Executive Officer. As of the end of [June 2024](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/eWmNpxcE9wRanBosIaLiiQ?ref=proximareport.com), the company has raised 4 billion Yuan Renminbi, approximately 552 million United States Dollars, through fifteen funding rounds. So far the company has made it to orbit once, with its Tianlong-2 launch vehicle in April of 2023. ### Monthly Dose of Space - June 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-june-2024/ Last updated: 2024-07-01T17:09:49.000Z Welcome to our ninth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month we haven't covered in our weekly newsletters. June has been an incredible month for spaceflight and ends the first half of 2024, so let's jump into it! ## **SpaceX** Work at Starbase this month started on the 2nd when SpaceX teams were seen clearing out hardware from the proximity of the orbital launch site. Over at the Massey's test site on the 3rd, Ship 26 performed a static fire on the newly installed static fire stand, all future Ship firings are expected at Massey's with the recent demolition of the final suborbital pad late last month. A few days later on June 6th, Ship 29 atop of Booster 11 lifted off from Texas on the fourth flight test at 2:50 pm Universal Coordinated Time, or 07:50 am Central Time. The flight was a major success with the Booster and Ship landing in close proximity to their targets. After the flight, work picked up again on the 11th when workers were spotted removing thermal protection tiles near the nose of Ship 30, all of Ship 30's tiles are believed to be replaced ahead of flight five. That same day, parts for a new CC 8800-1 crane were delivered and unloaded at the construction site of Orbital Pad B. The following day on June 12th, Ship 26 returned to the production site from the Massey's test site, it had recently tested a new static fire stand. More parts for the CC 8800-1 crane were also delivered on the 12th. The 12th also saw the 'chopsticks' landing rail perform testing possibly ahead of the fifth flight, this rail dampens the boosters landing on the 'chopsticks'. Work on the base of the second orbital launch tower at the launch site began on the 13th, with two of the bases for tower sections being installed by the 14th. Walls for the base of the tower were installed between these two points not long after. By the 14th, Ship 30 had a large number of its thermal protection tiles entirely removed. A few days later, on the 18th, the ship was quick disconnected was straightened, and returned to its normal position for connecting to Starships. On the 19th, the scrapping of yet another old tank shell from the vertical tank farm began, these old tanks were planned to be adequate to fuel a full Starship-Super Heavy stack but their height has made them prone to debris strikes during flight tests. Booster 14.1, a shorter test article, was spotted departing the Massey's test site, on the 21st, and arrived at the launch site. After arriving it was lifted onto the orbital launch mount. Testing with Booster 14.1 began on the 26th one of the 'chopsticks' was seen moving multiple times toward Booster 14.1 for what appeared to be catch testing. The 'chopsticks' were also raised after moving toward Booster 14.1\. This testing was also repeated on the 27th. The 27th also saw Booster 14.1 lifted off of the orbital launch mount and moved out of the launch site. The following day, June 28th, saw tower sections arrive from Kennedy Space Center, along with the 'chopsticks' for the second orbital launch tower. SpaceX's Starbase teams ended the month of June by preparing for the removal of the final vertical tank farm tanks, continued work on Ship 30's thermal protection tiles, and more construction work on the second orbital launch tower. ## **News of the Month** June saw Vulcan change its Cert-2 mission payload, one of NASA's spacesuit providers end its contract, Space Pioneer accidentally performing a maiden flight, and LandSpace win an award! ### *Firefly Aerospace to gain two new launch pads!* ![A render of Firefly's Alpha launch vehicle lifting off from the Esrange Space Center (left) and on the pad at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (right). ©Firefly Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/Firefly-Alpha-Rocket-Esrange-Rendering-1024x576.png) A render of Firefly's Alpha launch vehicle lifting off from the Esrange Space Center (left) and on the pad at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (right). ©Firefly Aerospace Firefly Aerospace announced on June 24th that it will operate its Alpha launch vehicle out of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, MARS, in Virginia as early as 2025\. Firefly's Alpha launch vehicle would launch from Pad-0A, which would also support the company's in-development Medium Launch Vehicle and Northrop Grumman's Antares 330\. The company would also operate a launch control center, horizontal integration facility, and administrative office space in Virginia to support rapid launch capabilities. A few days later on June 27th the company also announced that it will operate its Alpha launch vehicle from the Esrange Space Center in Sweden no earlier than 2026\. According to Firefly, modifications are already underway at the space center for Alpha to fly from Launch Complex 3C. Launches from Esrange are expected to support European launch demands and short-term notice military launches. In the announcement about gaining a launch pad in Europe, Bill Weber, Cheif Executive Officer of Firefly Aerospace, said: > “The future of spaceflight requires more orbital launch sites across the globe as we continue to see growing demand among domestic and international launch customers,” – “Firefly is incredibly humbled to partner with SSC and become the first U.S. company to launch from continental Europe. Together, we’re unlocking a long-awaited capability for the European satellite market, and we invite those waiting to fly with us on our flight-proven Alpha vehicle.” ### *Collins Aerospace backs out of ISS EVA suit contract* ![Collins Aerospace's spacesuit during a demonstration in September 2021. ©Collins Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/Collins-spacesuit-2.jpg) Collins Aerospace's spacesuit during a demonstration in September 2021\. ©Collins Aerospace NASA announced on June 26th that it and Collins Aerospace had mutually agreed to descope the existing task orders from NASA and awarded in 2022 and 2023, for delivery of a new extravehicular spacesuit and advanced capabilities. The task orders were under NASA's Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services contract and would have had Collins Aerospace deliver new spacesuits to NASA for use during spacewalks outside of the International Space Station. The descoping of the task orders includes the ending of the Collins Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services contract and the company performing no further work on the contract. NASA and Collins Aerospace agreed upon these actions after Collins recognized its development timeline would not support NASA's schedule and mission objectives. The ending of the Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services is expected to have no impact on current spacewalking abilities on the International Space Station as Collins is expected to continue to support NASA's Extravehicular Activity Mobility Unit spacesuits, which were developed for the Space Shuttle in the 1980s. ### *Vulcan's second flight to carry an inert payload* ![The Vulcan Cert-2 mission booster ahead of departure from United Launch Alliance's factory in Decatur, Alabama. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/53790863106_01267d607b.jpg) The Vulcan Cert-2 mission booster ahead of departure from United Launch Alliance's factory in Decatur, Alabama. ©United Launch Alliance United Launch Alliance announced on June 26th that Sierra Space's Dream Chaser is no longer planned to fly on the second Vulcan mission. Dream Chaser allegedly cannot meet the current September 2024 launch date that United Launch Alliance wants to fly its Vulcan Cert-2 mission. The Cert-2 mission is one of the final milestones to be completed before U.S. national security payloads can fly on Vulcan. The new payload for the Cert-2 mission will be inert and remain attached to the Centaur upper-stage of Vulcan. Once the Cert-2 Centaur upper-stage is in orbit it is now expected to carry out technology demonstrations and experiments according to Tory Bruno, Chief Executive Officer of United Launch Alliance. He also said the following: > "We’ll conduct some maneuvers post the basic mission just to help us better understand the full capabilities of the Centaur V and to measure some of its attributes" Tory Bruno also believes that if the Cert-2 mission is successful, Vulcan will fly two additional missions this year, the USSF-87 and USSF-106\. Sierra Space and United Launch Alliance are also looking at the next possible launch date for Dream Chaser's demonstration mission to the International Space Station, with it likely now delayed into 2025. ### *Tianlong-3 static fire takes flight* > Wow. This is apparently what was supposed to be a STATIC FIRE TEST today of a Tianlong-3 first stage by China's Space Pioneer. That's catastrophic, not static. Firm was targeting an orbital launch in the coming months. [https://t.co/BY9MgJeE7A](https://t.co/BY9MgJeE7A?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/L6ronwLW1N](https://t.co/L6ronwLW1N?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Andrew Jones (@AJ\_FI) [June 30, 2024](https://twitter.com/AJ%5FFI/status/1807339807640518690?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) A video of the unintentional flight during Tianlong-3's static fire via [@AJ\_FI on X.](https://x.com/AJ%5FFI/status/1807339807640518690?ref=proximareport.com) Privately owned Chinese launch company Space Pioneer was performing a static fire of its in-development Tianlong-3 launch vehicle when it unexpectedly took flight. Based on a video, and audio, of the test, the vehicle was firing for a believed five seconds on the test stand before entering unintentional powered flight for approximately fourteen seconds. Space Pioneer's official statement about the incident is that a structural failure occurred between the test stage of the rocket and the static fire stand. The company's statement also said that the test stage fell into a mountain range 1.5 kilometers from the test stand near the City of Gongyi, located in the province of Henan. Satellite imagery and triangulation using available footage place the test stage's impact approximately 1,470 meters from the test stand. News from local and national outlets in China have reported no casualties, with minor damage to buildings inside the established evacuation zone. ### *LandSpace wins national award for rocket engine components!* ![LandSpace's Liu Lei (刘磊) outside of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing holding the award certificate that the company received. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/landspace-ghotp-1.png) LandSpace's Liu Lei (刘磊) outside of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing holding the award certificate that the company received. ©LandSpace On June 24th LandSpace's R&D department won one of China's National Science and Technology Progress Awards at a conference held by the Chinese Government in Beijing. The award was for what LandSpace calls its "Key Technology and Engineering Application of Centrifugal Pumps in Complex and Variable Working Conditions" project which was headed by Liu Lei (刘磊), who is the General Manager of the company's R&D department. In simpler terms, the award was for LandSpace's work on the turbopumps of its liquid methane and liquid oxygen-burning engines that will be used on its Zhuque series of launch vehicles. LandSpace is believed to be at the forefront of the development and operational use of liquid methane and liquid oxygen-burning engines in China, with this award further reinforcing that belief. Part of LandSpace's official statement on receiving the award stated the following: > "Winning this award is not only an affirmation of Blue Arrow Aerospace’s (LandSpace) innovative capabilities and technical strength, but also reflects the company’s sense of responsibility and mission to respond to and implement national strategies with practical actions. Blue Arrow Aerospace (LandSpace) has always focused on the country's major strategic needs, achieved breakthroughs in key core technologies, and focused on and strengthened original scientific and technological research as its top priority." LandSpace is also the first privately owned launch company in China to receive an award for its science and technology efforts. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw nineteen launches worldwide, if you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *June 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-64* SpaceX kicked off yet another month of launches when a batch of Starlink satellites headed low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1076, on its fourteenth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ### *June 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-5* Another Falcon 9 launched a few days later with twenty Starlink satellites headed to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1067 making its twentieth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read the Instructions'. ### *June 5th - Electron for 'PREFIRE And Ice'* Rocket Lab launched NASA's second PREFIRE, Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment, satellite to polar orbit from Launch Complex 1B. The PREFIRE mission consists of two satellites that will measure the Earth's temperatures at each pole. ### *June 5th - Atlas V with Starliner Crewed Flight Test* Boeing's Starliner spacecraft finally carried its first crew into orbit for its first crewed flight atop of an Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41\. The two crew onboard are Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore. For more about this launch click [here.](https://proximareport.com/starliner-carries-first-crew-after-years-of-delays/) ### *June 6th - Ceres-1 with four spacecraft* Galactic Energy launched its third Ceres-1 of 2024 carrying Naxing-3A (纳星三号A星), Naxing-3B (纳星三号B星), TEE-01B (or 地球之眼1号卫星), and Eros into a sun-synchronus orbit. Eros is Galactic Energy's new orbital test platform that can host customer experiments and satellites. ### *June 6th - Starship-Super Heavy flight four* SpaceX launched its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle for the fourth time on June 6th for its latest test flight. The test flight saw Booster 11 successfully splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico and Ship 29 survive re-entry and splashdown in the Indian Ocean. For more about this mission click [here.](https://proximareport.com/spacex-launches-starship-super-heavy-for-its-fourth-flight-test/) ### *June 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-1* Yet another Falcon 9 launched carrying twenty-two Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1069 on its sixteenth flight and successfully landed on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *June 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-8* Yet another batch of Starlink satellites were launched atop of Falcon 9, this time from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster for this mission was B1061 making its twenty-first flight and successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *June 8th - SpaceShipTwo for Galactic 07* Virgin Galactic launched its seventh, and final, commercial suborbital spaceflight mission using VSS Unity. The mission had four passengers and two crew fly into space on a brief hop. VSS Unity's passengers were Andy Sadhwani, Irving Izchak Pergament, Giorgio Manenti, and Tuva Cihangir Atasever. The two crew were Jameel Janjua, and Nicola Pecile. Except for Nicola Pecile, who was on her fourth spaceflight, everyone on board was making their first trip into space. ### *June 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-1* SpaceX broke a nearly two-week launch lull with a Falcon 9 carrying twenty Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for this mission was B1082 on its fifth flight, with it successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *June 20th - Electron for 'No Time Toulouse'* Rocket Lab launched its fiftieth Electron rocket with it carrying five satellites for Kinéis' 'Internet of Things' constellation. The rocket flew from Launch Complex 1B, located on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, to sun-synchronus orbit. ### *June 20th - Falcon 9 with Astra 1P/SES-24* SpaceX performed its first commercial Falcon 9 launch of June from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying SES's Astra 1P/SES-24 spacecraft to a geostationary transfer orbit. The booster for this mission was B1080 making its ninth flight and landing successfully on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *June 22nd - Long March 2C with SVOM* A Long March 2C blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the French-Chinese SVOM spacecraft, which will help detect gamma-ray bursts. The Long March 2C successfully placed the spacecraft into its desired low Earth orbit, where it is expected to begin operation in the coming weeks. Unfortunately, during this mission, the Long March 2C booster landed near a residential area. Although the booster was in one of the designated disposal zones, the local government failed to properly evacuate the surrounding area. As a result, people could have been harmed. Instances like this are not acceptable, but the Chinese government is thankfully taking action. It was also reported that Chinese officials cleaned up the debris and other toxic material shortly after the booster crashed. For more about this specific mission click [here.](https://proximareport.com/svom-blasts-off-from-xichang/) ### *June 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-2* SpaceX kicked off last week's launches with a Falcon 9 carrying twenty-two Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1078, on its eleventh flight, which successfully landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ### *June 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-2* SpaceX launched another twenty Starlink satellites atop of Falcon 9, this time from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for this mission was B1075, flying for the eleventh time, with it successfully landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *June 25th - Falcon Heavy with GOES-U* SpaceX's tenth Falcon Heavy mission lifted off from Launch Complex 39A, in Flordia, carrying the GOES-U satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The boosters for this mission were B1087, making its first and only flight, B1086, flying for its first mission and landing back at Landing Zone 2, and B1072, also flying for its first mission and landing back at Landing Zone 1. ### *June* 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-3 Yet another Falcon 9 carried twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1062 making its twenty-second flight, a new record in the Falcon 9 booster fleet, and landing downrange on the droneship 'Just Read the Instructions'. ### *June 29th - Falcon 9 with NROL-186* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying a batch of satellites to low Earth orbit on behalf of the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The booster for this mission was B1081 flying for the eighth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *June 29th - Long March 7A with ChinaSat-3A* China conducted its thirtieth launch of the year with a Long March 7A lifting off from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, in the southernmost province of Hainan. The payload atop of the Long March 7A was ChinaSat-3A, which was successfully placed into a geostationary transfer orbit. ## **Launches to look out for in July!** July once again looks to be another busy month for the global space sector. Listed below are all of the launches expected or very likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of July may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *July* *1st - H3 with ALOS-4* The third H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center is expected to carry the ALOS-4, Advanced Land Observing Satellite-4, satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit. ALOS-4 will observe the Earth's surface using a phased array L-band synthetic aperture radar. ### *July* 2*nd* \- *Hyperbola-1 carrying a to-be-confirmed payload* iSpace is believed to be targeting the launch of its Hyperbola-1 rocket on July 2nd from Launch Area 95A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. iSpace has not yet revealed any details about possible payloads. ### *July* 2*nd* \- *Firefly Alpha for 'Noise of Summer'* Firefly Aerospace is expected to launch its Firefly Alpha rocket from Space Launch Complex 2W, in California, carrying eight CubeSats for NASA's ELaNa 43 mission. The rocket will place the eight satellites into a low Earth orbit. ### *July 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-9* SpaceX is expected to launch a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 to low Earth orbit carrying another batch of Starlink satellites. The booster and drone ship for this mission is currently unknown. ### *Jul*y *5th - Long March 6A carrying a to-be-confirmed payload* A Long March 6A is believed to be targeting launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying a currently unknown payload on July 5th. ### *July 8th - Falcon 9 with Türksat 6A* SpaceX is expected to launch Türksat 6A to a geostationary transfer orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster and drone ship for this mission are not yet known. ### *July 9th - Ariane 6 for its debut flight* Arianespace is finally expected to launch its Ariane 6 launch vehicle on its first flight. The launch is expected to occur from Ariane Launch Area 4 at the Guiana Space Center. ### *NET mid-July - Falcon 9 with Polaris Dawn* The Polaris Dawn mission is expected to occur in July with a Falcon 9 carrying it to low Earth orbit with four crew onboard. In addition to conducting medical research, the mission would test extravehicular spacesuits made by SpaceX and laser-based Starlink communications on Crew Dragon. ### Weekly Dose of Space (23/6-30/6) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-23-6-30-6/ Last updated: 2024-06-30T15:25:36.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw six orbital launches worldwide, with half being for SpaceX's Starlink constellation. This week also saw NASA select the U.S. International Space Station deorbit vehicle, and the China National Space Administration revealed how much Moon rock Chang'e 6 brought back! As always, we'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase started on the 23rd when the final outer shell for the older vertical tank farm was removed, ahead of the removal and scrapping of the remaining vertical tanks. Scrapping of the shell began the following day on the 24th. On the 26th one of the 'chopsticks' was seen moving multiple times toward Booster 14.1 for what appeared to be catch testing. The 'chopsticks' were also raised after moving toward Booster 14.1\. This testing was also repeated on the 27th. The 27th also saw Booster 14.1 lifted off of the orbital launch mount. The 28th saw tower sections arrive from Kennedy Space Center, along with the 'chopsticks' for the second orbital launch tower. Additionally, Ship 30 was still having work done last week to replace all of its thermal protection tiles ahead of flight. ## **Launches This Week** ### *June 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-2* SpaceX kicked off last week's launches with a Falcon 9 carrying twenty-two Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1078, on its eleventh flight, which successfully landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 10-2. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GQxy7QsakAAzV1p-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 10-2\. ©SpaceX ### *June 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-2* SpaceX launched another twenty Starlink satellites atop of Falcon 9, this time from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for this mission was B1075, flying for the eleventh time, with it successfully landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for Starlink Group 9-2. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GQ0OqFebYAAqX-E-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for Starlink Group 9-2\. ©SpaceX ### *June 25th - Falcon Heavy with GOES-U* SpaceX's tenth Falcon Heavy mission lifted off from Launch Complex 39A, in Flordia, carrying the GOES-U satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The boosters for this mission were B1087, making its first and only flight, B1086, flying for its first mission and landing back at Landing Zone 2, and B1072, also flying for its first mission and landing back at Landing Zone 1. ![Falcon Heavy carrying GOES-U from Launch Complex 39A. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GQ9uFIcbwAA2Lt8.jpg) Falcon Heavy carrying GOES-U from Launch Complex 39A. ©SpaceX ### *June* 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-3 Yet another Falcon 9 carried twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1062 making its twenty-second flight, a new record in the Falcon 9 booster fleet, and landing downrange on the droneship 'Just Read the Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 10-3. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GRFHwy-bQAA0uFV.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 10-3\. ©SpaceX ### *June 29th - Falcon 9 with NROL-186* A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying a batch of satellites to low Earth orbit on behalf of the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The booster for this mission was B1081 flying for the eighth time and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for NROL-186. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GRONX9EboAAfeqP.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for NROL-186\. ©SpaceX ### *June 29th - Long March 7A with ChinaSat-3A* China conducted its thirtieth launch of the year with a Long March 7A lifting off from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, in the southernmost province of Hainan. The payload atop of the Long March 7A was ChinaSat-3A, which was successfully placed into a geostationary transfer orbit. ![The Long March 7A Y8 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/006HGq7agy1hr6lgfj7roj30rs15o7a4-1.jpg) The Long March 7A Y8 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ## **In Other Space News** ## *SpaceX selected by NASA to deorbit ISS* ![The International Space Station in November of 2021. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/51751616813_2fcf0101c8-1.jpg) The International Space Station in November of 2021\. ©NASA NASA announced on June 26th that it had selected SpaceX to develop and deliver the U.S. deorbit vehicle for the International Space Station. This vehicle will be used to ensure that the International Space Station re-enters the atmosphere over a remote point in the Pacific in 2030\. Ken Bowersox, Associate Administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, said the following in NASA's press release about the selection: > “Selecting a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle for the International Space Station will help NASA and its international partners ensure a safe and responsible transition in low Earth orbit at the end of station operations. This decision also supports NASA’s plans for future commercial destinations and allows for the continued use of space near Earth.” SpaceX is expected to develop the deorbit spacecraft with NASA taking ownership after development, along with operating it throughout its mission. The contract had a total potential value of 843 million United States Dollars, with the launch contract of the spacecraft expected to be procured sometime in the future. ## *Chang'e 6 brings back 1,935 grams of Moon rock* ![The Chang'e 6 re-entry capsule being opened during a ceremony at the China Academy of Space Technology in Beijing. ©Xinhua](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/667cba82a31095c551b425ad.jpeg) The Chang'e 6 re-entry capsule being opened during a ceremony at the China Academy of Space Technology in Beijing. ©Xinhua During a handover ceremony of the lunar surface samples brought back by Chang'e 6, the China National Space Administration announced that the mission brought back 1,935.3 grams of samples. The handover ceremony had Zhang Kejian, Head of the China National Space Administration, hand over the Chang'e 6 sample container to Ding Chibiao, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. During the ceremony, Ge Ping, Spokesperson for the Chang'e 6 mission, spoke to the press and said: > "We have found that the samples brought back by Chang'e-6 were more viscous compared to previous samples, with the presence of clumps. These are observable characteristics" The lunar surface samples are expected to be distributed to various research laboratories in the coming weeks, both in China and internationally. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is still awaiting regulatory approval to fly the fifth flight test of Starship-Super Heavy. Additionally, some testing still needs to be performed prior, most notably a wet dress rehearsal of the countdown with both vehicles. It also remains to be seen if SpaceX will aim to land the booster back at the launch site. ### *July* *1st - H3 with ALOS-4* The third H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center is expected to carry the ALOS-4, Advanced Land Observing Satellite-4, satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit. ALOS-4 will observe the Earth's surface using a phased array L-band synthetic aperture radar. ### *July* 2*nd* \- *Hyperbola-1 carrying a to-be-confirmed payload* iSpace is believed to be targeting the launch of its Hyperbola-1 rocket on July 1st from Launch Area 95A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. iSpace has not yet revealed any details about possible payloads. ### *July* 2*nd* \- *Firefly Alpha for 'Noise of Summer'* Firefly Aerospace is expected to launch its Firefly Alpha rocket from Space Launch Complex 2W, in California, carrying eight CubeSats for NASA's ELaNa 43 mission. The rocket will place the eight satellites into a low Earth orbit. ### *July 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-9* SpaceX is expected to launch a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 to low Earth orbit carrying another batch of Starlink satellites. The booster and drone ship for this mission is currently unknown. ### *Jul*y *5th - Long March 6A carrying a to-be-confirmed payload* A Long March 6A is believed to be targeting launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying a currently unknown payload on July 5th. ### Falcon Heavy launches GOES-U URL: https://proximareport.com/falcon-heavy-launches-goes-u/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:57:34.000Z On June 25th, 2024 a Falcon Heavy lifted off from the pad carrying 'GOES-U' to GTO. GOES-U will provide advanced imagery and atmospheric measurements of Earth’s weather, oceans, and environment, as well as real-time mapping of total lightning activity and improved monitoring of solar activity and space weather. This tenth flight of a Falcon Heavy rocket is also the first time that a GOES-R series satellite launched on this vehicle. ## Lift-off! The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket lifted off from LC-39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Boosters flying on this mission were B1087 which was expended, B1072 which landed at Landing Zone 1, and B1086 which landed at Landing Zone 2\. Falcon Heavy has three cores and one second stage to carry the spacecraft into orbit with the second stage also expended. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/Screenshot-from-2024-06-25-17-33-49.png) ## The GOES-U Spacecraft ![An artist's concept of the GOES-U satellite in space.](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/goes-u.png) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) is a collaborative NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and NASA program providing continuous imagery and data on atmospheric conditions and solar activity. GOES-U will provide advanced detection and monitoring of environmental phenomena that directly affect public safety, protection of property, and the nation’s economic health. NOAA’s GOES-U is the fourth and final satellite in the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) – R Series, the most advanced weather-observing and environmental-monitoring system for the Western Hemisphere. GOES-U will be renamed GOES-19 once it reaches geostationary orbit. After successfully completing on-orbit checks of its instruments and systems, NOAA plans to make GOES-19 operational, replacing GOES-16 as GOES East. GOES-19 will operate in tandem with GOES-18\. GOES-U is equipped with a suite of instruments designed to enhance the detection of approaching space weather hazards. The Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI) and Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray Irradiance Sensors (EXIS) provide imaging of the sun and detect solar flares. The Compact Coronagraph-1 (CCOR-1) images the solar corona, the outer layer of the sun’s atmosphere, to detect and characterize coronal mass ejections (CMEs). CCOR-1 is a new instrument for GOES-U and is part of NOAA’s Space Weather Follow-On mission. Additionally, the Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS) and the Magnetometer monitor energetic particles and magnetic fields, respectively. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/image.png) short list of the capabilities associated with the GOES-U spacecraft The GOES-U satellite carries several advanced instruments designed to improve our ability to detect and respond to space weather events. One of these instruments, the Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI), along with the Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray Irradiance Sensors (EXIS), captures images of the sun and identifies solar flares. These solar flares can have significant impacts on Earth, such as disrupting communications and power systems. ![https://usradioguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/53774148088_3648fae858_k.jpg](https://usradioguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/53774148088_3648fae858_k.jpg) Another key instrument on GOES-U is the Compact Coronagraph-1 (CCOR-1), which is a new addition specifically for this mission. CCOR-1 takes images of the sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona, to spot and analyze coronal mass ejections (CMEs). CMEs are large expulsions of plasma and magnetic field from the sun’s corona that can cause severe space weather effects when they reach Earth. CCOR-1 is part of NOAA's broader Space Weather Follow On mission, aimed at enhancing our space weather monitoring capabilities. Additionally, the satellite features the Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS) and a Magnetometer. SEISS measures energetic particles in space, while the Magnetometer tracks changes in the magnetic field. These measurements are crucial because variations in space weather can lead to disruptions in power grids, satellite operations, and communication and navigation systems. By combining the data from these instruments, scientists can provide more accurate space weather forecasts and early warnings, helping to protect technology and infrastructure on Earth. The Goes-U's Coronagraph is what makes this GOES satellite so unique. This satellite will be more focused on solar observations This is another step forward in not just science but actively helping assist life on earth. The successful launch of GOES-U aboard a Falcon Heavy on June 25, 2024, marks a significant milestone in advancing mankinds capabilities for weather observation and environmental monitoring. As the fourth and final satellite in the GOES-R Series, GOES-U—soon to be renamed GOES-19—will enhance NOAA’s ability to detect and respond to space weather hazards, providing critical data to safeguard life and property. With its state-of-the-art instruments, GOES-19 will replace GOES-16 as GOES East, operating in tandem with GOES-18 to deliver unparalleled coverage and insight into atmospheric and solar phenomena. This launch represents a major leap forward in ensuring the resilience and safety of communities across the Western Hemisphere. ### Lunar far-side samples brought to Earth by Chang'e 6! URL: https://proximareport.com/change-6-sample-landing/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T21:56:35.000Z China's Chang'e 6 probe [departed](https://proximareport.com/change-6-moon-bound/) for the Moon's far side a little over fifty-three days ago, it would later [land](https://proximareport.com/change-6-landed/) on the Moon at the start of June. Today, the Chang'e 6 probes re-entry capsule touched down at the landing site located in Siziwang Banner, inside the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in northern China. Chang'e 6's re-entry capsule entered the atmosphere at 13:41 pm China Standard Time, or 05:41 am Universal Coordinated Time, with it touching down under a parachute a little over 20 minutes later at 14:07 pm, or 06:07 am. After the soft landing teams secured the re-entry capsule for transportation. The samples will be kept inside a vacuum canister, inside the capsule, until they are distributed from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, to ensure they remain in as similar conditions to the Moon as possible. ![Part of the recovery team working to secure the re-entry capsule and its samples. ©Lian Zhen/Xinhua](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/667a7aeaa31095c551b40d4a.jpeg) Part of the recovery team working to secure the re-entry capsule and its samples. ©Lian Zhen/Xinhua This mission is the first to retrieve lunar samples from the far side of the Moon and bring them back to Earth for study. It was also the second time China landed a spacecraft on the far side of the Moon, as it landed Chang'e 4 back in January 2019 where it is still believed to be operating today. China's space and scientific agencies expect the Chang'e 6 mission to have brought back a little under 2,000 grams of samples. ![The Chang'e 6 re-entry capsule being lifted for transportation ahead of a flight to Beijing. ©Lian Zhen/Xinhua](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/3uHgMtBlKPKsNPV1.jpg) The Chang'e 6 re-entry capsule being lifted for transportation ahead of a flight to Beijing. ©Lian Zhen/Xinhua The lunar samples brought back by Chang'e 6 are from the Apollo basin's rim in the South Pole-Aitken basin, as researchers hope to understand the differences between the composition, terrain, and lunar crust thickness of each side of the Moon. Shared by the [Global Times](https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202406/1314764.shtml?ref=proximareport.com), Yue Zongyu, a Researcher at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the following about what researchers hope to discover: > "Chang'e 6 has obtained samples from the far side of the moon for the first time, which is expected to reveal one of the most fundamental scientific questions in lunar science research: what causes the differences between the two sides of the moon?" – “What I most hope for is that the samples brought back by Chang'e 6 contain some impact melt materials from the Apollo impact craters and the South Pole-Aitken basin, which can provide crucial clues for studying the early impact flux on the moon." Yue added that the far-side samples could also significantly help us understand the early history of the Moon and solar system. As part of their return coverage, [CGTN](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-06-25/China-s-Chang-e-6-probe-successfully-returns-to-Earth-1uICYHXDn6o/p.html?ref=proximareport.com) spoke to Yang Wei, another Researcher at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics Chinese Academy of Sciences, who said the following about the significance of the mission: > "The Chang'e 6 mission represents a significant milestone in the history of human lunar exploration, and it will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of lunar evolution, " – "New samples will inevitably lead to new discoveries." Based on the lunar geological characteristics of the sample location they are expected to consist of lunar volcanic rock that is approximately 2.5 million years old, the Apollo basin is thought to be formed from an impact over 4 billion years ago. More information about the Chang'e 6 landing and sample site, along with what materials it contains, can be found [here](https://proximareport.com/the-change-6-samples-why-apollo-basin/). This was the second lunar sample return mission performed by China, with the previous one being Chang'e 5 in late 2020\. Chang'e 5's lunar samples led to the discovery of Changesite-(Y), which may have potential uses for nuclear fusion due to it containing Helium-3. ## Journey of Chang'e 6 Chang'e 6's lunar voyage began on May 3rd when it was carried skyward by the Long March 5 rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. The Long March 5 performed perfectly for the launch to send Chang'e 6 toward the Moon. Lunar operations began on May 8th when the spacecraft performed a braking burn to enter lunar orbit. The lander remained attached to the orbiter for three weeks in Lunar orbit before it began landing preparations. After almost two days flying alone, the Chang'e 6 lander touched down on the southern side of the Apollo Basin, at 41.6385°S 153.9852°W. Surface and sampling operations lasted almost forty-nine hours, as a drill and scoop were used to retrieve a variety of samples. ![The Chang'e 6 lander on the lunar surface with the ascender on top, with the photo captured by a small rover. ©China National Space Administration](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GPM6-yIXEAADJa3.jpg) The Chang'e 6 lander on the lunar surface with the ascender on top, with the photo captured by a small rover. ©China National Space Administration Once the samples were secured inside a canister on the ascent module it blasted off from the lunar far side on June 4th. The ascent module would spend two days approaching the Chang'e 6 orbiter before docking on June 6th. After docking the sample canister was transferred into the re-entry capsule, once the canister was confirmed to be secure the ascent module was undocked ahead of the return to Earth. On June 21st the Chang'e 6 orbiter performed its Earth-bound burn to leave lunar orbit, beginning the four-day journey home. A few hours before atmospheric entry the re-entry capsule was separated from the orbiter, this allowed the capsule to enter the atmosphere and give the orbiter enough time to perform a burn to avoid burning up. Finally, on June 25th the re-entry capsule touched down in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, ending the almost fifty-three day mission. ## What's next for China's lunar exploration? Chang'e 7 is targeting launch in 2026 for a lunar landing on the southeastern ridge of the Shackleton crater near the lunar south pole. At Shackleton crater the spacecraft will survey the south pole's environment and search for potential water ice. Chang'e 8 is targeting launch in 2028 for a landing near the lunar south pole, the specific landing location is still being decided. The mission will be similar to Chang'e 7 but it will also test in-situ resource utilization ahead of long-term human stays on the surface. China is also planning to land at least two people on the surface of the Moon, and return them to Earth, as part of a short-duration mission before 2030\. This will be enabled by their in-development Mengzhou crew spacecraft and Lanyue lunar lander, both will launch on their own Long March 10's and meet in lunar orbit. ### Weekly Dose of Space (16/6-22/6) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-16-6-22-6/ Last updated: 2024-06-23T16:47:58.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw four orbital launch attempts worldwide, with all successfully delivering their payloads. This week also saw Ariane 6 move closer to launch, Starliner extending its stay at the International Space Station, and Rocket Lab receiving its largest launch contract. As always, we'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on the 16th, when teams were spotted installing walls between each corner of the base of the second orbital launch tower, the remaining two corners were installed between the publication of last week's newsletter and the 16th. Ship 30 was also still having its thermal protection tiles replaced ahead of the fifth test flight. A couple of days later on the 18th, the Ship quick disconnected was straightened and returned to its normal position for connecting to Starships. On the 19th, the scrapping of yet another old tank shell from the vertical tank farm began, these old tanks were planned to be adequate to fuel a full Starship-Super Heavy stack but their height has made them prone to debris strikes during flight tests. Booster 14.1, which is a test article, was spotted departing the Massey's test site, on the 21st, and arrived at the launch site. After arriving it was lifted onto the orbital launch mount. The reasoning for SpaceX doing this is unknown as Booster 14.1 is shorter than the Starships. ## **Launches This Week** ### *June 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-1* SpaceX broke last week's launch lull with a Falcon 9 carrying twenty Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for this mission was B1082 on its fifth flight, with it successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for Starlink Group 9-1. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GQaZsofaIAAll8L-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for Starlink Group 9-1\. ©SpaceX ### *June 20th - Electron for 'No Time Toulouse'* Rocket Lab launched its fiftieth Electron rocket with it carrying five satellites for Kinéis' 'Internet of Things' constellation. The rocket flew from Launch Complex 1B, located on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, to sun-synchronus orbit. ![Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B for 'No Time Toulouse'. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GQiqdrpakAAmCCQ-1.jpg) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B for 'No Time Toulouse'. ©Rocket Lab ### *June 20th - Falcon 9 with Astra 1P/SES-24* Another Falcon 9 launched last week, this time from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying SES's Astra 1P/SES-24 spacecraft to a geostationary transfer orbit. The booster for this mission was B1080 making its ninth flight and landing successfully on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying Astra 1P/SES-24. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GQj34bnb0AEVKeq-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying Astra 1P/SES-24\. ©SpaceX ### *June 22nd - Long March 2C with SVOM* A Long March 2C blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the French-Chinese SVOM spacecraft, which will help detect gamma-ray bursts. The Long March 2C successfully placed the spacecraft into its desired low Earth orbit, where it is expected to begin operation in the coming weeks. Sadly, this mission saw the Long March 2C booster landing near a residential area. While the booster was within one of the designated disposal zones, the local government did not evacuate the surrounding area properly. Thus, people could have been put in harms way. Instances like this aren’t excusable, but they are thankfully being tackled by the Chinese government. It was also reported that the debris and other toxic material was cleaned up properly by Chinese officials shortly after the booster crashed. For more about this specific mission click [here.](https://proximareport.com/svom-blasts-off-from-xichang/) ![The Long March 2C Y50 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying SVOM. ©Chen Haojie/Xinhua](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/be436d8f0e1141c68aead391fc504c48-1.jpg) The Long March 2C Y50 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying SVOM. ©Chen Haojie/Xinhua ## **In Other Space News** ## *Starliner return delayed into July* ![The Starliner spacecraft during the Crew Flight Test while docked to the International Space Station with an aurora behind it. ©Matt Dominick/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/53799633322_05c1f7dae7.webp) The Starliner spacecraft during the Crew Flight Test while docked to the International Space Station with an aurora behind it. ©Matt Dominick/NASA Boeing and NASA have 'indefinitely' delayed the return of the Starliner spacecraft from the International Space Station, as both organizations work to understand ongoing propulsion and helium leak problems on the spacecraft. Starliner is currently docked to the International Space Station as part of the the Crew Flight Test mission, carrying astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry E. Wilmore. Steve Stich, NASA's Commercial Crew Program Manager, said the following about the delay: > “We are taking our time and following our standard mission management team process,” – “We are letting the data drive our decision making relative to managing the small helium system leaks and thruster performance we observed during rendezvous and docking.” NASA has previously said that the Starliner spacecraft for the Crew Flight Test mission can stay docked for up to forty-five days if needed. In the event that the crew of the flight test has to stay aboard the station, NASA believes that there are enough supplies onboard to accommodate the two additional astronauts. NASA currently believes that Williams and Wilmore will return to Earth aboard the Starliner spacecraft. ## *China conducts first 10-kilometer altitude landing test* ![SAST's vertical takeoff vertical landing test vehicle during its landing burn. ©Hu Lanyue (胡蓝月)/SAST](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GQvNea_bcAA17G5.jpg) SAST's vertical takeoff vertical landing test vehicle during its landing burn. ©Hu Lanyue (胡蓝月)/SAST The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology completed China's first 10-kilometer vertical-takeoff vertical-landing test 'hop' on June 23rd. This test occurred at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, with three engines igniting to carry the test vehicle skyward. The test vehicle is claimed to have three engines installed to produce 70 tons of thrust each while burning liquid oxygen and liquid methane. The flight profile for the test had all three engines igniting for ascent, with the outer two shutting off near the peak of the flight profile to begin descent. After the vehicle had passed through the descent phase, it performed a partial hover at fifty meters above the landing site while deploying its four landing legs. From liftoff to landing, the flight is reported to have lasted approximately six minutes. Both the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology and China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation have said the test was a success and the first of its kind. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation believes that the test had a maximum altitude of just over 12 kilometers. ## *Ariane 6 completes wet dress rehearsal ahead of debut flight* ![Ariane 6 in the A62 configuration before its wet dress rehearsal on the 20th. ©ESA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/Ariane_6_before_wet_dress_rehearsal.jpg) Ariane 6 in the A62 configuration before its wet dress rehearsal on the 20th. ©ESA The European Space Agency announced on June 21st that the agency and its various partners had completed a wet dress rehearsal of Araine 6 the day before, on June 20th. The rehearsal had the rocket fully loaded with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in its first and second stages, as well as going through the countdown almost up until engine ignition. The European Space Agency stated that it would take up until June 26th to go through all the data from the wet dress rehearsal. The agency also believes there are currently no 'showstoppers' ahead of launch on July 9th. ## *Synspective orders Rocket Labs' largest launch contract* ![Motoyuki Arai (left), Chief Executive Officer of Synspective, and Peter Beck (right), Chief Executive Officer of Rocket Lab, after signing the launch contract. ©Synspective](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/DSC03189-1024x683.jpg) Motoyuki Arai (left), Chief Executive Officer of Synspective, and Peter Beck (right), Chief Executive Officer of Rocket Lab, after signing the launch contract. ©Synspective On June 17th, Rocket Lab and Synspective announced that they had signed a contracted for ten Electron rocket launches, the biggest order of Electron launches to date. The contract between the two companies covers the launch of individual StriX synthetic aperture radar satellites, manufactured by Synspective, from 2025 to 2027\. These ten launches are to support Synspective's plans for a constellation of thirty StriX spacecraft by 2030\. Motoyuki Arai, Chief Executive Officer of Synspective, said the following about the order of ten launches: > “We look to accelerate building our satellite constellation and expand our services in the future. We appreciate Rocket Lab’s significant role in moving our business forward.” Rocket Labs Peter Beck also commented on the contract signing saying: > “We are honored that the Synspective team has once again entrusted Rocket Lab with the deployment of their constellation and we’re proud to be their launch partner for another ten missions" ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is still in the process of preparing both vehicles for the fifth flight test of Starship-Super Heavy. This week the U.S. Federal Communications Commission gave SpaceX the necessary approval to use certain communications frequencies between the ground and both vehicles. The approval also hinted that the company may be aiming to land the Super Heavy booster back at Starbase, on the 'chopsticks' of the launch tower. At the time of writing, SpaceX has not received a launch license to legally launch the next flight test. ### *June 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-2* SpaceX is expected to launch a Falcon 9 carrying another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, from Florida. The booster is believed to be B1078 on its eleventh flight. ### *June 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-2* SpaceX is expected to launch another batch of Starlink Satellites atop of Falcon 9, from California. The booster is believed to be B1075 also on its eleventh flight. ### *June 25th - Falcon Heavy with GOES-U* A Falcon Heavy is expected to liftoff from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, next week carrying the GOES-U satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit on behalf of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The core booster is B1087 on its first and final flight, the two side boosters are B1072 and B1086 making their first flight and landing attempts back in Florida. ### *June 27th - Firefly Alpha for 'Noise of Summer'* Firefly Aerospace is expected to launch its Firefly Alpha rocket from Space Launch Complex 2W, in California, carrying eight CubeSats for NASA's ELaNa 43 mission. The rocket will place the eight satellites into a low Earth orbit. ### *June 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-3* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch next week, carrying yet more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission is currently unknown. ### Franco-Chinese gamma-ray burst mission blasts off from Xichang! URL: https://proximareport.com/svom-blasts-off-from-xichang/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T20:03:17.000Z A Long March 2C rocket lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center earlier today carrying the SVOM, or Space Variable Objects Monitor, spacecraft into a low Earth orbit. The launch is said to have occurred at 15:00 pm China Standard Time, or 07:00 am Universal Coordinated Time. The launch of SVOM from Xichang is the culmination of twenty years of planning, and ten years of development. SVOM is a joint gamma-ray burst mission between France and China, with a full list of collaborators from each nation available [here](https://www.svom.eu/en/le-consortium-2-en/?ref=proximareport.com). Wei Jianyan, SVOM's Chinese Principal Investigator, said the following about the mission after the launch: > "We are looking forward to some important discoveries, such as the earliest gamma-ray bursts that occurred when the universe was still in its childhood, which will help us study cosmic evolution" Bertrand Cordier, SVOM's French Principal Investigator, also commented on the mission after the launch saying: > "By using the gamma-ray bursts as a tool to observe the early universe, we can observe maybe the first stars," – "This is very interesting because this is the only way to get information about the universe at this age." The team behind SVOM consists of roughly one-hundred scientists, with approximately sixty percent from China and forty percent from France. Each team member has equal access to all of the scientific data, along with the rest of the scientific community, according to collaborators from both nations. This was also the 525th launch of a Long March rocket. ![The launch mission patch for the Long March 2C carrying SVOM.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/SVOMpatch-1.png) The launch mission patch for the Long March 2C carrying SVOM. ## What is SVOM? SVOM, or Space Variable Objects Monitor, is a small 950-kilogram X-ray telescope spacecraft developed by France's Centre national d'études spatiales, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the China National Space Administration. Initially, the SVOM spacecraft will operate in low Earth orbit for three years. ![The SVOM spacecraft prior to encapsulation in the Long March 2C's fairing.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/006Su8pSgy1hqy7id0yylj30z90rfkdw.jpg) The SVOM spacecraft prior to encapsulation in the Long March 2C's fairing. The objectives of the SVOM mission are to: detect all known types of gamma-ray bursts, provide fast and reliable gamma-ray burst position information, measure the broadband spectral shape and temporal evolution of the early and late afterglow via visible X-rays, quickly identify afterglows of detected gamma-ray burst in X-ray and optical wavelengths, and measure the broadband spectral shape and temporal properties of emissions from gamma-ray bursts. In order to perform its observations, SVOM has some of its instruments on the spacecraft in space, and some on the ground in China, France, and other nations. ### Spacecraft-based mission elements The **ECLAIRs telescope** is a key part of SVOM and will autonomously detect and locate gamma-ray bursts via observing the sky in the X-ray and gamma-ray wavelengths. Teams expect ECLAIRs to detect approximately seventy gamma-ray bursts per year. SVOM's **gamma-ray monitor** consists of three gamma-ray detectors operating in the 15 kilo-electronvolt 5 mega-electronvolt energy range with a field of view of 2.6 [steradians](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steradian?ref=proximareport.com). The gamma-ray monitor will be responsible for measuring the spectrum and the variation of gamma emissions during a burst. The **Microchannel X-ray Telescope** will observe gamma-ray bursts in the X-ray range at an energy between 0.2 and 10 kilo-electronvolt. It will also locate sources of gamma-ray bursts at a higher accuracy than ECLAIRs. The telescope was also jointly developed by France's Centre national d'études spatiales and Institut de recherche sur les lois fondamentales de l'Univers, the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, and the Max-Planck Institute für extraterrestische Physik in Germany. The **Visible Telescope** is SVOM's dedicated optical tracking telescope that will observe the emissions of a gamma-ray burst in the visible light wavelength. Teams expect the Visible Telescope to detect approximately sixty gamma-ray bursts per year. ### Ground-based mission elements The **Ground-based Wide Angle Camera** for the SVOM mission is forty cameras on ten mounts, each carrying four cameras. The ground-based cameras will observe in the visible light wavelength from the Xinglong Observatory, north of Beijing, and the Muztagh Ata Observatory, in western China. SVOM's **Ground Follow-up Telescope** is actually two telescopes located on different sides of the Pacific. The French Ground Follow-up Telescope is located at the National Astronomical Observatory (OAN) of San Pedro Mártir, in Mexico, and can make observations in the infrared and visible light wavelengths. The Chinese Ground Tracking Telescope is located at Ali Observatory, in western China, and will monitor gamma-ray bursts found by SVOM within fifteen minutes of its being detected. SVOM also has an **Alert Network** of over forty very high frequency antennae located across the globe. The Alert Network allows the SVOM spacecraft to alert teams on the ground that it has detected a gamma-ray burst, while above almost any point on the planet, and relay that information to its mission control center in France. The antennas are located between thirty degrees north and south of the equator, a full list of the antennas can be found [here](https://www.svom.eu/en/reseau-dalerte-en/?ref=proximareport.com). Signals from the spacecraft can also be sent through China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System when available. The **French Science Center** is where the Alert Network relays information from the SVOM spacecraft to. The science center will analyze the data shortly after receiving it and distribute needed information for follow-up observations using ground-based mission elements. ## What is the Long March 2C? The Long March 2C is a two-stage rocket manufactured by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology and burns Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine in its first and second stages. The Long March 2C is claimed to be able to lift up to 3,850 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 1,900 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, or 1,250 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit. ![The Long March 2C on the launchpad ahead of carrying SVOM into low Earth orbit. ©China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/640_003-1.webp) The Long March 2C on the launchpad ahead of carrying SVOM into low Earth orbit. ©China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology The first stage is powered by four YF-21C engines which generates 302 tons of thrust from burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The second stage is powered by a single YF-24E engine that produces 80 tons of thrust while also burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. On the launchpad, the launch vehicle stands at 42 meters tall and weighs 233,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. ### Weekly Dose of Space (9/6-15/6) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-9-6-15-6/ Last updated: 2024-06-16T17:56:53.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw zero orbital launch attempts worldwide. Despite the lack of launches, this week saw a new country sign onto the Artemis Accords, a Moon rocket begin a new testing phase, and the passing of two space legends. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase began on the 11th when workers were spotted removing thermal protection tiles near the nose of Ship 30, all of Ship 30's tiles are believed to be replaced ahead of flight five. That same day, parts for a new CC 8800-1 crane were delivered and unloaded at the construction site of Orbital Pad B. The following day on June 12th, Ship 26 returned to the production site from the Massey's test site, it had recently tested a new static fire stand. More parts for the CC 8800-1 crane were also delivered on the 12th. The 12th also saw the 'chopsticks' landing rail perform testing possibly ahead of the fifth flight, this rail dampens the boosters landing on the 'chopsticks'. Work on the base of the second orbital launch tower at the launch site began on the 13th, with two of the bases for tower sections being installed by the 14th. Walls for the base of the tower were installed between these two points not long after. By the 14th, Ship 30 had a large number of its thermal protection tiles entirely removed. ## **Launches This Week** For the first time since we began publishing Weekly Doese of Space, no orbital launches have occurred in the last week. SpaceX had been planning to launch two Starlink missions and one customer mission, these have since been delayed with one of the Starlink launches scrubbing its launch at T-0. ## **In Other Space News** ## *Bill Anders, Apollo 8 astronaut, killed in plane crash at 90* ![Bill Anders with a model of the Gemini spacecraft and its docking target vehicle in his 1964 NASA portrait. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/ZNTp7k2HUrmuqeK5nMpdWb-970-80-1.jpg) Bill Anders with a model of the Gemini spacecraft and its docking target vehicle in his 1964 NASA portrait. ©NASA Bill Anders, Apollo 8 astronaut and photographer behind the famous Earthrise photo, was confirmed to have been killed in a plane crash on June 7th at the age of 90\. Anders was confirmed to have been the pilot of a crashed Beechcraft T-34 Mentor aircraft off the coast of Jones Island in San Juan Channel. Anders was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1963 and flew his only mission in 1968, which was Apollo 8 on a trip to lunar orbit. During his six-day mission, he captured the famous Earthrise photo while in lunar orbit for 20 hours. During his life Anders was awarded many medals and awards with a few being: NASA's Distinguished Service Medal, the U.S. Air Force's Distinguished Service Medal, the National Geographic Society's Hubbard Medal for Exploration, and the American Astronautical Society's Flight Achievement Award. ## *Wang Yongzhi, Chinese space pioneer, dies at 91* ![Wang Yongzhi's portrait.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/Wang-Yongzhi-1.jpg) Wang Yongzhi's portrait. Wang Yongzhi, a leading mind behind China's crewed spaceflight missions, passed away on June 11th. During his career, Wang served as the Chief Designer of China's Manned Space Program between 1992 and 2007, and oversaw the first six Shenzhou missions. Wang's career with China's aerospace efforts started in 1961 when he joined the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, formerly the Ministry of National Defense's Fifth Academy, where he helped develop domestic rocketry technology. In 1978 he was appointed as the head of the General Design Department of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology and later became the president of the Academy in 1986\. Over his decades-long career, Wang received many awards and honors with a few being: the National Science Conference Award in 1978, the National Highest Science and Technology Award in 2003, the People's Liberation Army First-Class Hero and Model Medal in 2005, and the honorary title of "Meritorious Scientist of Manned Spaceflight" in 2005. ## *International Space Station has emergency scare* ![The International Space Station in November of 2021. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/51751616813_2fcf0101c8.jpg) The International Space Station in November of 2021\. ©NASA On June 12th audio from a training simulation on the ground was accidentally aired on NASA's live broadcast from the International Space Station indicating that a crew member was experiencing decompression sickness. At the time of the simulation airing, crew members onboard were in an allocated sleep period with no real emergency present. NASA issued a statement about the accidental public airing of a simulation on [X via the Internation Space Station account](https://x.com/Space%5FStation/status/1801043194253127963?ref=proximareport.com) which reads as follows: > There is no emergency situation going on aboard the International Space Station. At approximately 5:28 p.m. CDT, audio was aired on the NASA livestream from a simulation audio channel on the ground indicating a crew member was experiencing effects related to decompression sickness (DCS). This audio was inadvertently misrouted from an ongoing simulation where crew members and ground teams train for various scenarios in space and is not related to a real emergency. ## *Long March 10 begins new testing wave* > Another clip of the CZ-10’s hot fire test [pic.twitter.com/iD4rz1VLxI](https://t.co/iD4rz1VLxI?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Ace of Razgriz (@raz\_liu) [June 14, 2024](https://twitter.com/raz%5Fliu/status/1801636640018075936?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) The three-engine hot fire test via [raz\_liu on X.](https://x.com/raz%5Fliu/status/1801636640018075936?ref=proximareport.com) On June 14th, three YF-100K engines were ignited in China, beginning a new wave of testing for the Long March 10 launch vehicle, which will be used for initial crewed lunar missions. The engines produced a total of 382 tons of thrust, or approximately 127 tons each, while demonstrating stable start-up and shutdown. The test used only three engines likely due to it occurring on an older stand that may or may not have been rated to withstand the full thrust of all seven engines. Another test with the remaining four engines is rumored to occur soon. According to the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, the test verified propellant loading, engine fuelling systems, and combined engine start-up procedures. ## *Armenia becomes 43rd Artemis Accord Signatory* ![Acting Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Jennifer Littlejohn (left), NASA Administrator Bill Nelson (center left), Minister of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia Mkhitar Hayrapetyan (center right), and Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United States Lilit Makunts (right) during Armenia's signing of the Artemis Accords. ©Joel Kowsky/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/armeniaaccords-.webp) Acting Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Jennifer Littlejohn (left), NASA Administrator Bill Nelson (center left), Minister of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia Mkhitar Hayrapetyan (center right), and Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United States Lilit Makunts (right) during Armenia's signing of the Artemis Accords. ©Joel Kowsky/NASA Armenia became the forty-third country to sign onto the U.S.-led Artemis Accords on June 12th with Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, Minister of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia, signing on behalf of Armenia. After signing Hayrapetyan said: > “By signing these accords, Armenia joins a community of nations dedicated to advancing the frontiers of human knowledge and capability in space,” – “Our involvement will not only enhance our technological capabilities, but also inspire a new generation of Armenians to dream big, to innovate and to explore the world and universe.” The signing took place in Washington D.C. at NASA Headquarters. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is already gearing up for the fifth flight of Starship-Super Heavy with the aspirational launch date being sometime in July. The Federal Aviation Administration has also confirmed that a mishap investigation will not need to be completed ahead of the fifth flight, so minimal regulatory issues will slow hold up the flight unless SpaceX decides to change to flight plan to something dissimilar to flight four. ### *June 18th - Electron for 'No Time Toulouse'* Electron is expected to liftoff from Launch Complex 1B, located on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying five satellites to low Earth orbit for the French Kinéis 'Internet of Things' constellation. ### *June 18th - Falcon 9 with Astra 1P/SES-24* A Falcon 9 is believed to be targeting launch on the 15th carrying the Astra 1P/SES-24 satellites to a geostationary transfer orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission is currently unknown but it is expected to land downrange on one of SpaceX's drone ships. ### *June 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-1* SpaceX is also believed to be targeting June 14th for the launch of the Starlink Group 9-1 atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for this mission is also currently unknown but it is expected to land on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *June 22nd - Long March 2C with SVOM* A Long March 2C is expected to launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the SVOM, Space Variable Objects Monitor, spacecraft into a low Earth orbit. The spacecraft is an X-ray telescope that will study gamma-ray bursts and was developed by the China National Space Administration and France's Centre National d'Études Spatiales. ### Ariane 6 begins preparing for first launch NET July 9th URL: https://proximareport.com/ariane-6-first-launch-net-july-9th/ Last updated: 2024-06-13T19:40:22.000Z Ariane 6 is finally less than a month away from its inaugural launch from Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 4 (Ariane Launch Complex 4) at the Guiana Space Centre, located in French Guiana in the north of South America. The launch date of no earlier than July 9th was [announced](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Ariane%5F6%5Finaugural%5Flaunch%5Ftargeted%5Ffor%5F9%5FJuly?ref=proximareport.com) by European Space Agency Director General Josef Aschbacher at the 2024 ILA Berlin Air Show on June 5th. With the debut of Ariane 6 in July, the European Space Agency hopes to end its 'launcher crisis' and return independent European access to space. This crisis was caused by a mixture of issues such as delays to Ariane 6 development, the retirement of Ariane 5, the loss of Soyuz launch vehicles due to deteriorated relations with Russia, and the failure of Vega C in December of 2022\. Chief Executive Officer of ArianeGroup, Martin Sion, was present at the announcement and said: > “The announcement of the scheduled date for Ariane 6’s first flight puts us on the home stretch of the launch campaign and we are fully engaged in completing the very last steps. – Ariane 6 is a powerful, versatile and scalable launcher that will ensure Europe’s autonomous access to space” Ariane 6 may also fly a second time this year as Arianespace seeks to increase its cadence with Stéphane Israël saying: > “With 30 missions in our order book, Ariane 6 has already gained the trust of institutional and commercial customers. We are preparing to make Ariane 6’s second launch by the end of the year, followed by a steady rise to around ten launches a year once we reach cruising speed. It represents a splendid challenge for Arianespace and our partners” Arianespace is confident in the first launch of Ariane 6 as seventeen customer payloads are onboard. The payloads of the first flight are: SpaceCase SC-X01 from ArianeGroup, Nyx Bikini from The Exploration Company, PariSat from GAREF, LIFI from OLEDCOMM, SIDLOC from Libre Space, YPSat from the European Space Agency, OOV-Cube from RapidCube, Curium One from Planetary Transportation Systems, RAMI from UARX Space, ExoPod NOVA from EXOLaunch, ISTSat from the University of Lisbon, 3Cat-4 from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, GRBBEta from Spacemanic, ROBUSTA-3 from CSUM, CURIE from NASA, and Replicator from RIDE!space and Orbital Matter. For more about each payload, further information can be found [here.](https://www.esa.int/Enabling%5FSupport/Space%5FTransportation/Ariane/Flying%5Ffirst%5Fon%5FAriane%5F6?ref=proximareport.com) ![A render of Ariane 6 during the first flight during fairing separation. ©ESA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/Ariane_6_first_flight_fairing_separation.jpg) A render of Ariane 6 during the first flight during fairing separation. ©ESA ## What is Ariane 6? Ariane 6 is ArianeGroup's latest launch vehicle in the Ariane family of rockets, ArianeGroup has been manufacturing and marketing the Ariane launch vehicles on behalf of the European Space Agency since Ariane 4\. Two versions of the Ariane 6 rocket will be initially available for launches shortly after the debut, Ariane 62 and Ariane 64\. These two versions do share their first and second stages. The first-stage of Ariane 6 burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in one Vulcain 2.1 engine producing 139 tons of thrust. The second-stage of Ariane 6 also burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen but in one Vinci engine producing 18 tons of thrust. Each of the solid rocket boosters burn a mixture of aluminum and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene to produce 474 tons of thrust each. This allows Ariane 62 to generate 1088 tons of thrust at liftoff, while Ariane 64 can generate 2036 tons of thrust. ![A render of Ariane 62 (left) with the short fairing option and Ariane 64 (right) with the long fairing option. ©D. Ducros/ESA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/Artist_s_view_of_both_Ariane_6_booster_configurations.jpg) A render of Ariane 62 (left) with the short fairing option and Ariane 64 (right) with the long fairing option. ©D. Ducros/ESA ### Ariane 62 Ariane 62 is the cheaper of the two configurations because it opts to use two solid rocket boosters. The lift capacity of Ariane 62 is as follows: 10,350 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 7,200 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, 4,500 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, or 3,500 kilograms to a lunar transfer orbit. On the launch pad, Ariane 62 weighs approximately 530,000 kilograms with a first-stage, second-stage, and faring diameter of 5.4 meters. ### Ariane 64 Ariane 64 is the more capable of the two configurations due to it opting for four solid rocket boosters. The lift Capacity of Ariane 64 is as follows: 21,650 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 15,500 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, 11,500 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, 8,600 kilograms to a lunar transfer orbit, or 5,000 kilograms to geostationary orbit. On the launch pad, Ariane 62 weighs approximately 860,000 kilograms with a first-stage, second-stage, and faring diameter of 5.4 meters, exactly the same as Ariane 62\. ### Fairing Options Ariane 6 offers two different fairing lengths, both being 5.4 meters in diameter, which are 14 or 20 meters. The 14-meter fairing is intended for a single main spacecraft with smaller rideshare payloads and European Galileo missions. The 20-meter fairing is intended for large single or heavy spacecraft, space science telescopes, constellations, or the dual launch of geostationary spacecraft. ![The fairing options for Ariane 6. ©ArianeGroup/ESA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/Ariane_6_possible_missions_and_configurations.png) The fairing options for Ariane 6\. ©ArianeGroup/ESA ### China completes fourth taikonaut batch selection ahead of lunar missions URL: https://proximareport.com/china-completes-fourth-taikonaut-batch/ Last updated: 2024-06-11T16:22:15.000Z The China Manned Space Agency announced on June 11th that it had completed the selection of its fourth batch of taikonauts. Applications were received from the Chinese mainland and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao. From the applications, the agency narrowed its selection down to ten taikonauts, eight spacecraft pilots and two payload specialists. The payload specialists of the fourth batch are from Hong Kong and Macao, with one from each. Initial selection of the fourth batch began in October of 2022\. The identities of the new taikonauts are not yet known to the public, which is standard practice for the China Manned Space Agency who prefer to reveal crews shortly before their missions. Previous taikonauts selection saw an initial fourteen taikonauts being chosen in 1998, with seven more selected in 2010, and eighteen more in 2020 as part of the previous batch. To date, China has selected and trained forty-nine taikonauts, with five currently retired from active duty. Only twenty-two of the taikonauts ever selected have currently flown to space as part of thirteen missions. Taikonauts from the fourth batch are not expected to fly for another two and a half years, as they still have training to complete. The China Manned Space Agency also expects international astronauts to train alongside their fourth batch. Speaking to CGTN, Huang Weifen (黄伟芬), Cheif Designer of the Manned Space Program's Astronaut System, said the following about the training of the new Taikonauts: > "For the training of our existing second and third batches of astronauts, as well as the upcoming fourth batch, we have opened fundamental courses related to geology. We have also arranged for the astronauts relevant training, including field studies and geological surveys. When the development of training simulators for manned lunar missions is completed, we will be able to unfold more substantive training tasks" – "Currently, we are making preliminary preparations and involving both our existing astronauts and the newly selected astronauts in engineering development work to allow them to study in the frontline of scientific research and to make the technical reserve for future missions" Taikonauts from the fourth batch are also likely to be assigned to China's crewed lunar exploration missions, which are expected to occur before 2030\. China Manned Space Agency has implied that crews assigned to lunar missions must have spent time aboard the county's Tiangong Space Station in low Earth orbit prior. ### The Story of Chinese Starlink: An overview of Guowang, G60 and more URL: https://proximareport.com/chinese-starlink/ Last updated: 2024-06-10T17:40:02.000Z Guowang is China's national answer to Starlink. Back in early 2015 SpaceX announced the Starlink project to provide global internet access. This is not the first of their proposals but what makes Starlink so successful is the scale of their operation and them launching their own satellites at a high rate. The Chinese have been observing these new capabilities and working on constellations on their own as the economic, strategic, and political benefits became increasingly obvious Starlink has truly changed the space sphere as it is a crucial reason for SpaceX's extremely high cadence. It extends internet access, draws a large amount of customers across various industries, and even played a part in the Russian-Ukraine conflict. CASC announced Hongyan in response to this. It would be a satellite constellation similar to Starlink but less capable and covering more fields of use. The project received 20 billion yuan in investment and was supposed to deploy 60 satellites by 2022 and start full-scale deployment in 2025\. At the same time however CASIC (Another State-owned space conglomerate) pursued a similar project, it announced the Hongyun constellation with 156 satellites and plans to build the factories came together. At first, these plans materialized very quickly as the manufacturing sights popped up immediately and each launched concept validation satellites. In 2019 CASC expanded its plans to 864 satellites, but the aggressive timeline fell apart after this. In 2020 China's broadband constellations then merged into one. The NDRC (National Development and Reform Commission) flagged the satellite internet project as a critical infrastructure component of the country. The NDRC is in charge of planning private and state-owned enterprises' direction in the economy. This is how China facilitates the application of their long-term plans such as their high-speed rail project, BeiDou satellite constellation, and more. The NDRC flagging this project of such great importance essentially guarantees China's commitment to challenging this domain, similar to how China has challenged the electric vehicle industry. China then sent in two Spectrum Allocation filings for large constellations that would total up to around 12 thousand satellites. This is when the name Guowang emerged which means National Network. China initially spearheaded a super constellation and established a new company called China SATNET which would be the operator of Guowang. ![Illustration of a satellite of the Guowang constellation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/2.webp) Illustration of a Guowang satellite ## Private Sector In 2014 China started opening up their space industry to the private sector and this led to the emergence of a new era for Chinese space. Several satellite and rocket manufacturers started to come online but the private sector still had to be very much so led by national plans and SOEs. China's developmental contracts essentially guide the development of these companies and one key avenue has been the deployment of the Guowang constellation. Although the deployment has not begun, several new rockets in China meet very specific specifications that would fit the capabilities necessary for China's internet constellation. Beijings perspective was that satellite internet would have to be wholly state-owned so it limited any private industries to ever operate a satellite internet constellation. Yet manufacturing was opened up to the private sector. This led to several state and private sectors opening up mega factories to construct the Guowang constellation. China SATNET has much more flexibility with who it gets its manufacturing from, this opened up an emerging space industry in China. As the space sector matured more and more state restrictions subsided but state influence did not. China still wants to guide the direction of these emerging programs. We can see this with LandSpace's latest constellation announcement that has a mixture of private and state-owned backers. In 2022 China said it would fly its Long March 5B, which has a launch capacity of 25 tons, into LEO to launch Guowang satellites. The rocket would be used with a modified upper stage to deploy satellites for Guowang. The Long March 5B might still launch this constellation however it launches very infrequently so it would only be for test flights. To reach a significant launch cadence China is looking at multiple private reusable rockets coming online that aspire to reach double-digit reuse. China also is building a production facility in Wenchang to mass produce a modified Long March 8 that hopes to launch 50 times a year to support Guowang deployment. ## Launch Plans Some reports claim China is expected to launch the first satellites for Guowang later this year, but they currently lack the capacity to build out the entire constellation in a timely manner. Now, China is building production and testing facilities as well as new launch pads at Wenchang spaceport on Hainan island to enable a much greater launch cadence for new rockets. The Long March 8 set a national record of 22 satellites on a single launch in February 2022 as a commercial carpooling test. But it also verified its use for launching batches of satellites. Large scale deployment will start in the coming years as the factory comes online, and several private launch companies unveil their larger rockets. > “To put it simply, we have hammered out a ‘carpooling’ solution to launch many small satellites in one successful launch mission ,” Xiao Yun, chief commander of the Long March 8 rocket program, told CCTV ![Illustration of the Guowang satellite constellation over china](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/1.png) Illustration of Guowang network A new pad at Wenchang is becoming operational this year and it too should be able to support a wide variety of commercial and state owned rockets for the deployment of Guowang. The initial plan for the Long March 5Bis rumored to have been pushed back as it would in some ways be overkill for the initial deployment. Instead many believe that a Long March 6A launch scheduled for late this year will deploy 18 Guowang satellites to verify the technology. With several large-scale factories online after this initial test Guowang deployment can officially begin. Guowang offers a chance not only to increase China's infrastructure but also to grow its space sector providing a steady stream of launch contracts. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/Erector.jpg) **The construction site of the No.2 launch pad at Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in Wenchang, south China's Hainan Province, June 6, 2024\. An erector capable of supporting multiple rockets is visible (Photo: China News Service/Luo Yunfei)* ## G60 Constellation China's national plans as covered earlier have been merged into one constellation known as Guowang. However some municipalities close together in China have agreed to work together to start their own SpaceX Starlink rival known as G60\. This constellation becomes even more reputable when looking at its backers, most notably Shanghai which serves as a satellite manufacturing powerhouse and a crucial part of China's space industry. It has produced its first commercial satellite on December 27th 2023, according to authorities in the city’s Songjiang district with production facilities ramping up. However G60 is behind Guowang it will emerge as well to help foster and grow China's space industry. In the coming years launches from China will largely consist of Guowang and G60 launches. One G60 factory is expected to have a production capacity of 300 satellites per year, according to Cao Jin, general manager of Shanghai Gesi Aerospace Technology, a state-owned company established in 2022 to run the G60 Starlink factory. Under the factory’s mass production capabilities, the time required to build one satellite would be reduced from about two to three months to one and a half days, Cao added. But the timeline is still lower than the daily production rate of six satellites by SpaceX’s Starlink. China has increased its efforts to foster the commercial satellite market that is expected to play a significant role in frontier technology amid an escalating rivalry with the United States. The 12,000-satellite G60 Starlink project, along with what is now a 13,000-satellite GuoWang national network which is currently under construction, is widely seen as China’s answer to Starlink. China's aerospace information industry is projected to grow to 44.69 billion yuan (US$6.26 billion) by 2025, up from 29.3 billion yuan in 2021, according to an August report by China Fortune Securities. The report also noted that the aerospace information sector accounted for 73 percent of the global commercial space market, which was valued at approximately US$384 billion in 2022\. This represents a clear sign of China's growing relevance in the space sector ## Concluding Thoughts With several rocket debuts, satellite manufacturing, and rocket manufacturing ramping up along with infrastructure development for various launch services. China is placing itself as a rising power once again, now eyeing the Satellite internet game to develop its own industry but also to grow itself into a modern space power. As China's industry grows and accessing space becomes easier and easier we become closer to the cosmos. ### Weekly Dose of Space (2/6-8/6) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-2-6-8-6/ Last updated: 2024-06-09T20:20:53.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw eight orbital launch attempts worldwide, with one being the flight of the world's largest rocket. This week also saw a major funding round for a new reusable rocket and new Moon rocks being prepared for return. As always, we'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase saw a significant amount of SpaceX's teams preparing for the fourth flight and clearing out hardware from the proximity of the orbital launch site. Over at the Massey's test site on the 3rd, Ship 26 performed a static fire on the newly installed static fire stand, all future Ship firings are expected at Massey's with the recent demolition of the final suborbital pad. A few days later on June 6th, Ship 29 atop of Booster 11 lifted off from Texas on the fourth flight test at 2:50 pm Universal Coordinated Time, or 07:50 am Central Time. The flight was a major success with the Booster and Ship landing extremely close to their targets. In the time since the test flight, teams have been spotted investigating and cleaning up the launch site. It's not unlikely that new test vehicles could be tested at the site in the following weeks. ## **Launches This Week** ### *June 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-5* Kicking off another week of launches was a Falcon 9 launching twenty Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1067 making its twentieth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read the Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 8-5 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GPR8IMia8AA1scn-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 8-5 mission. ©SpaceX ### *June 5th - Electron for 'PREFIRE And Ice'* Rocket Lab launched NASA's second PREFIRE, Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment, satellite to polar orbit from Launch Complex 1B. The PREFIRE mission consists of two satellites that will measure the Earth's temperatures at each pole. ![Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B for 'PREFIRE And Ice'. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/launch-of-prefire-and-ice-from-rocket-lab-launch-complex-1_53770662538.jpg) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B for 'PREFIRE And Ice'. ©Rocket Lab ### *June 5th - Atlas V with Starliner Crewed Flight Test* Boeing's Starliner spacecraft finally carried its first crew into orbit for its first crewed flight atop of an Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41\. The two crew onboard are Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore. For more about this launch click [here. ](https://proximareport.com/starliner-carries-first-crew-after-years-of-delays/) ![Atlas V lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41 with Starliner. ©Joel Kowsky/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/53771925733_a34cd79219.jpg) Atlas V lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41 with Starliner. ©Joel Kowsky/NASA ### *June 6th - Ceres-1 with four spacecraft* Galactic Energy launched its third Ceres-1 of 2024 carrying Naxing-3A (纳星三号A星), Naxing-3B (纳星三号B星), TEE-01B (or 地球之眼1号卫星), and Eros into a sun-synchronus orbit. Eros is Galactic Energy's new orbital test platform that can host customer experiments and satellites. ![Ceres-1 Y13 lifting off from Launch Area 95 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GPXfqJCbsAAUBxJ.jpg) Ceres-1 Y13 lifting off from Launch Area 95 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *June 6th - Starship-Super Heavy flight four* SpaceX launched its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle for the fourth time on June 6th for its latest test flight. The test flight saw Booster 11 successfully splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico and Ship 29 survive re-entry and splashdown in the Indian Ocean. For more about this mission click [here.](https://proximareport.com/spacex-launches-starship-super-heavy-for-its-fourth-flight-test/) ![Ship 29 and Booster 11 during first-stage flight during the fourth flight test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GPaVPdLbQAAlW2f.jpg) Ship 29 and Booster 11 during first-stage flight during the fourth flight test. ©SpaceX ### *June 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-1* Another Falcon 9 launched last week carrying twenty-two Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1069 on its sixteenth flight and successfully landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-1 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GPhSh2GbIAAFhJg.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 10-1 mission. ©SpaceX ### *June 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-8* Yet another batch of Starlink satellites were launched atop of Falcon 9, this time from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster for this mission was B1061 making its twenty-first flight and successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. > Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on Of Course I Still Love You droneship, completing our 60th launch of the year [pic.twitter.com/6d354pAhYH](https://t.co/6d354pAhYH?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [June 8, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1799427937617453482?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 booster B1061 landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' via SpaceX on [X.](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1799427937617453482?ref=proximareport.com) ### *June 8th - SpaceShipTwo for Galactic 07* Virgin Galactic launched its seventh, and final, commercial suborbital spaceflight mission using VSS Unity. The mission had four passengers and two crew fly into space on a brief hop. > Successful take-off from [@Spaceport\_NM](https://twitter.com/Spaceport%5FNM?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) confirmed! Let’s go [#Galactic07](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Galactic07?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com)! [pic.twitter.com/liY1s0mGRq](https://t.co/liY1s0mGRq?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) [June 8, 2024](https://twitter.com/virgingalactic/status/1799451722068500546?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) VMS Eve taking off carrying VSS Unity ahead of its suborbital flight via Virgin Galactic on [X.](https://x.com/virgingalactic/status/1799451722068500546?ref=proximareport.com) ## **In Other Space News** ## *Chang'e 6 Moon rocks prepared for return!* ![An image of the surface of the Moon's far side captured by the panoramic camera on the lander of Chang'e-6 probe. ©CNSA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/2b365203ba174115af821f1ad9d9ad35.jpeg) An image of the surface of the Moon's far side captured by the panoramic camera on the lander of Chang'e-6 probe. ©CNSA China's Chang'e 6 lunar far-side surface sample return mission has been busy on the far side of the Moon since landing last week. Not long after its initial landing the lander began drilling for surface samples in the Southern side of the Apollo Basin. On June 3rd the ascender of Chang'e 6 blasted off from the surface with potentially up to 2,000 grams of samples onboard. The ascender spent until June 6th approaching the Chang'e 6 orbiter. After docking on the 6th, the ascender passed the samples into the return capsule, currently housed inside the orbiter. With the docking and handover in lunar orbit, the samples are expected to return to Earth in late June. ## *Space Pioneer raises 1.5 billion Yuan in new funding* ![The first-stage of Tianlong-3 undergoing hardware installation. ©Space Pioneer](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/640_002.png) The first-stage of Tianlong-3 undergoing hardware installation. ©Space Pioneer Space Pioneer announced on June 6th that it had received 1.5 billion Yuan Renminbi, approximately 207 million United States Dollars, as part of a C+ funding round. The new funding will reportedly be used to increase production capacity for its in-development partially reusable Tianlong-3 rocket, which is expected to make its debut flight later this year. Also according to the company, this was the fifteenth time it has raised funds from investors for a total of 4 billion Yuan Renminbi, approximately 552 million United States Dollars. With this funding, Space Pioneer is hoping to increase its production capacity for up to thirty launches per year of Tianlong-3 by the end of 2025\. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* After this week's launch, SpaceX's teams at Starbase will be performing clean-up and inspections of the launch site ahead of testing of new vehicles for the fifth flight test. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration will also decide if the mishap investigation needs to be closed ahead of a fifth flight, this is in case debris fell outside of designated areas on the last flight. ### *June 12th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-2* SpaceX is believed to be targeting June 12th for the launch of the Starlink Group 10-2 atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster and drone ship for this mission are currently unknown. ### *June 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-1* SpaceX is also believed to be targeting June 14th for the launch of the Starlink Group 9-1 atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster and drone ship for this mission are also currently unknown. ### *June 15th - Falcon 9 with Astra 1P/SES-24* A Falcon 9 is believed to be targeting launch on the 15th carrying the Astra 1P/SES-24 satellites to a geostationary transfer orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission is currently unknown. ### ### SpaceX launches Starship-Super Heavy for its fourth flight test! URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-launches-starship-super-heavy-for-its-fourth-flight-test/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:58:42.000Z SpaceX successfully launched its fourth flight test of Starship-Super Heavy, its in-development fully reusable super-heavy lift rocket, from Boca Chica in Texas at 12:50 pm Universal Coordinated Time, or 07:50 am Central Time. > Slow motion liftoff of Starship on Flight 4 [pic.twitter.com/9itFbrfxW7](https://t.co/9itFbrfxW7?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [June 6, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1798730164232421498?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 29 and Booster 11 lifting off in slow motion via SpaceX on [X.](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1798730164232421498?ref=proximareport.com) Super Heavy Booster 11 successfully lit all thirty-three Raptor engines lifting the rocket off of the pad, one engine did shutdown early at T+4 seconds. The remaining thirty-two engines did successfully continuously fire up until 'most engines cut-0ff', where all but three engines are shut off. At T+2:52 Ship 29 lit all six of its Raptor engines, three sea-level and three vacuum, and 'hot-staged' off of Booster 11\. Six seconds later Booster 11 relit ten engines and began its boost backburn, which uses thirteen of its engines. > Starship’s Raptor engines have ignited during hot-staging separation. Super Heavy is executing the flip maneuver and boostback burn [pic.twitter.com/TsdIKpqLJH](https://t.co/TsdIKpqLJH?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [June 6, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1798699979336544647?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 29 hot-staging from Booster 11 via SpaceX on [X.](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1798699979336544647?ref=proximareport.com) Booster 11 ended its boost backburn at T+3:56 with no early engine shutdowns. At T+4:10 visual confirmation of successful hot-staging ring jettisonning was observed, the ring was detached to save some excess mass for landing. > Hot stage jettison [pic.twitter.com/J48QtQD1Ae](https://t.co/J48QtQD1Ae?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [June 6, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1798700284191166849?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster 11's hot-staging ring being jettisoned via SpaceX on [X.](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1798700284191166849?ref=proximareport.com) Super Heavy Booster 11 passed through its descent toward the Gulf of Mexico with no issues called out. The landing burn began at T+7:08 with twelve out of the required thirteen engines starting. Despite having one engine out, Booster 11 successfully splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico at T+7:30 at a speed of ten kilometers per hour, or six miles per hour. > Super Heavy has splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico [pic.twitter.com/hIY3Gkq57k](https://t.co/hIY3Gkq57k?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [June 6, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1798701489097183286?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Booster 11's landing and splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico via SpaceX on [X.](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1798701489097183286?ref=proximareport.com) Ship 29 shut down its three Raptor Vacuum engines at T+8:09, with its three sea-level Raptors doing the same at T+8:37\. Minor uncontrolled rolls were thought to be observed not long after engine cutoff but by atmospheric entry the Ship had control over its attitude. > Starship coasting in space [pic.twitter.com/kphbuXuEMr](https://t.co/kphbuXuEMr?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [June 6, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1798710087869153446?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 29 coasting in space during flight four via SpaceX on [X.](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1798710087869153446?ref=proximareport.com) Atmospheric entry of Ship 29 began at T+45:24 when plasma was seen beginning to build on the heatshield side of the Ship, the plasma is caused by the atmosphere not being able to move out of the way fast enough leading to superheating. Flight controllers called out that Ship 29 had control of its entry orientation via its flaps and attitude control system not long after the start of entry. > Peaking heating. Starship on a good entry trajectory [pic.twitter.com/H0Gv6hyvt2](https://t.co/H0Gv6hyvt2?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [June 6, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1798712506933985408?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Ship 29 during atmospheric entry via SpaceX on [X.](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1798712506933985408?ref=proximareport.com) Ship 29 successfully passed through peak heating on entry, proving that the thermal protection tiles can withstand the heat. At T+57:12 however a burn-through was seen beginning on the starboard forward flap of Ship 29, this burn-through would intensify through entry until at least one of its actuators also disintegrated. Based on similar debris seen flying past the camera, the port forward flap may have also experienced a similar burn-through. Despite the burn-throughs, at T+1:01:46 flight controllers called out that Ship 29 had passed through maximum dynamic pressure on descent, which is where the most stress is experienced by the vehicle. By T+1:03:48 Ship 29 had passed through the supersonic portion of descent successfully. Nearing the end of its flight, Ship 29 achieved its terminal velocity of 368 kilometers per hour, or 228 miles per hour, at T+1:05:29\. Not long after at T+1:05:38 Ship 29 began its 'flip-and-burn' maneuver leading to a successful splashdown in the Indian Ocean at T+1:05:57\. ## How does it compare to flight three? During flight three, Ship 28 and Booster 10 completed a nominal ascent with all thirty-three raptors running successfully on Super Heavy, and Starship successfully lighting all six engines and hot-staging as expected. ![Ship 28 and Booster 10 during first-stage flight during the third flight test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GIpGLaPWMAARNwL.jpg) Ship 28 and Booster 10 during first-stage flight during the third flight test. ©SpaceX The first problem in flight three was during the Boosters 'boost back' burn where all thirteen engines needed relit successfully before six engines shut down early. These six engines shutting down early led to a shorter 'boost back' burn but did not prevent a landing burn attempt. The landing burn was then attempted but with the six engines disabled leading to only seven being commanded to start, only two successfully started with one appearing to burn off nominally. SpaceX believes the most likely root cause of this issue was a continuous filter blockage for liquid oxygen to the engines, which led to a loss of inlet pressure in the oxygen turbopumps. Observers combing through footage from the last flight also believe the hot-staging ring was ripped off by aerodynamic forces, which may have led to the erratic grid fin movement seen before its destruction. The other major issue faced during the last flight test was a loss of attitude control of the Ship after it began its in-space coast phase. This led to the Ship rolling along all three axes. The lack of control also had the ship reenter Earth's atmosphere off nominally and heating both the protected and unprotected sides of the vehicle. SpaceX believes the cause of this issue was clogging of the valves responsible for roll control in-space. Unlike the second flight, flight three made it to Ship re-entry and past the majority of the booster's descent. ## What changes were on Ship 29 & Booster 11? *All information in this section was spotted and gathered by the teams of the* [*Ringwatchers*](https://ringwatchers.com/?ref=cosmicnxws.com) *and a more in-depth list can be found* [*here.*](https://ringwatchers.com/article/s29-b11-updates?ref=proximareport.com) ### Ship 29 Ship 29 is largely a twin of Ship 28, which flew on flight three, and had very few changes compared to its twin, but a few differences are present. One of the less obvious changes is additional attitude control system thrusters, specifically for additional roll control. A slightly more obvious change is that a horizontal seam is now not present as SpaceX seeks to simplify the heatshield, a new glue is also believed to be used on certain parts of Ship 29 to prevent tile loss. ### Booster 11 Booster 11 had quite a few publically known changes, as SpaceX rarely offers views inside vehicles. The first change is the shortening of the engine chill pipe which now stops just above the grid fins, the pipe helps divert gasses from Ship 29's six Raptor engines. Booster 11's liquid methane tank had been massively reinforced as it now features seventy-four internal stringers, compared to twenty-four on previous boosters. The four 'cowbell' deflectors on Booster 11 had also been reinforced, these diverters redirect vented gasses. ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-one meters tall and weighs 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ### What is Starship? ![Ship 29 next to Booster 11 ahead of stacking for flight four. ©Michael France for Cosmic Nxws](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/53770551951_ae3e25c824_k-1.jpg) Ship 29 next to Booster 11 ahead of stacking for flight four. ©[Michael France](https://flickr.com/photos/199211787@N06/?ref=proximareport.com "Go to Michael France’s photostream") for Cosmic Nxws Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled Starship is believed to weigh 1,300,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. The total burn time for the Starship second-stage remains unknown outside of SpaceX but is known to burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen in its engines. In order to survive re-entry for reuse, Starship has several thousand thermal protection tiles on one side of the vehicle and on all four of its aerodynamic control surfaces. The four control surfaces help guide the vehicle during re-entry and prior to landing inside the atmosphere at a pre-determined location. Starship also has a series of small thrusters to control the vehicle in space before re-entry. SpaceX is believed to be working on a few variants of Starship for use as a Moon lander, tanker, space station, Mars lander, and as a crewed spacecraft. ### What is Super Heavy? ![Booster 11 on the orbital launch mount with Ship 29 next to it. ©Michael France for Cosmic Nxws](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/53770899192_9b5f2f2d8b_k-1.jpg) Booster 11 on the orbital launch mount with Ship 29 next to it. ©[Michael France](https://flickr.com/photos/199211787@N06/?ref=proximareport.com "Go to Michael France’s photostream") for Cosmic Nxws Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. The total burn time of Super Heavy remains unknown outside of SpaceX but is known to burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen in its engines. To enable the reuse of Super Heavy, the vehicle has four large grid fins placed in the interstage to assist in guiding and controlling during descent. Super Heavy also has four chines running along the lower third of it to generate lift and assist in stabilization. Shortly after completing the ascent, Super Heavy relights ten engines, as three were running during staging, and performs a 'boost back' burn in order to return to the launch site. After the 'boost back' burn is completed the engines shut down with Super Heavy being guided by a series of small thrusters and its grid fins. Once Super Heavy is at the correct altitude above is landing location three engines start backup for the landing burn. SpaceX currently plans to have Super Heavy land in the ocean with launch site landing attempts happening with later flights. Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ### Starliner carries first crew after years of delays URL: https://proximareport.com/starliner-carries-first-crew-after-years-of-delays/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:51:02.000Z Boeing's Starliner spacecraft has finally carried its first crew into orbit for its first crewed flight test today. The Altas V launch vehicle carrying the spacecraft had an instantaneous launch window and lifted off at 14:52 pm Universal Coordinated Time from Space Launch Complex 41, in Florida. The United Launch Alliance Atlas V successfully carried the spacecraft out of Earth's atmosphere and onto its desired slightly sub-orbital low Earth orbit, the lowest point of this orbit is just below the atmosphere to allow the Centaur upper-stage to burn up without additional maneuvers. Approximately thirty-three minutes after launch, Starliner completed its first maneuver to raise its orbit to prevent an early re-entry. > Let’s relive liftoff of [#AtlasV](https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) carrying [#Starliner](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Starliner?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [#CFT](https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFT?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) for [@NASA](https://twitter.com/NASA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) and [@BoeingSpace](https://twitter.com/BoeingSpace?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com)! [pic.twitter.com/MxlAZE45aK](https://t.co/MxlAZE45aK?ref=proximareport.com) > > — ULA (@ulalaunch) [June 5, 2024](https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1798371722032189537?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Starliner's liftoff atop of Atlas V via United Launch Alliance on [X.](https://x.com/ulalaunch/status/1798371722032189537?ref=proximareport.com) NASA Administrator Bill Nelson commented on the successful launch saying: > “Two bold NASA astronauts are well on their way on this historic first test flight of a brand-new spacecraft,” – “Boeing’s Starliner marks a new chapter of American exploration. Human spaceflight is a daring task – but that’s why it’s worth doing. It’s an exciting time for NASA, our commercial partners, and the future of exploration. Go Starliner, Go Butch and Suni!” While en route to the International Space Station, the two crew onboard Starliner will perform a variety of tests related to manual control before docking procedures begin. The spacecraft is expected to dock at approximately 16:00 pm, Universal Coordinated Time. Starliner's hatch is expected to open two hours after docking, allowing Sunita Willams and Barry Wilmore to interact with the crews onboard the International Space Station. ### Who's onboard Starliner? *Sunita Williams* \- Sunita Willaims is flying aboard Starliner for the flight test on her third trip to space. She first flew to the International Space Station on STS-116, with a return on STS-117 after a one-hundred-and-ninety-two-day stay onboard. Her second trip to space was on Soyuz TMA-05M, which also headed to the International Space Station, where she was onboard for five months. *Barry E. Wilmore* \- Barry Wilmore is also flying aboard Starliner for the flight test and is also on his third trip to space. He first flew to space aboard STS-129 which delivered cargo to the International Space Station as part of an almost eleven-day mission. His second trip to space was on Soyuz TMA-14M for a one-hundred-and-sixty-six-day stay aboard the International Space Station. ![Sunita Williams (left) and Barry Wilmore (right) in the official crew photo of the Starliner Crewed Flight Test mission. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/Boeing_CFT_Crew_Portrait-Sunita_Williams_and_Barry_Wilmore_-KSC-20240404-PH-NAS01_0001-.jpg) Sunita Williams (left) and Barry Wilmore (right) in the official crew photo of the Starliner Crewed Flight Test mission. ©NASA ### What is Starliner? Starliner is Boeing's crew capsule that operates under NASA's Commercial Crew program, alongside SpaceX's Crew Dragon. The spacecraft can carry four astronauts and 100 kilograms of cargo to the International Space Station, in an emergency it can support seven astronauts. Astronauts inside the capsule of Starliner have access to eleven cubic meters of space. ![Starliner approaching the International Space Station in May of 2022. ©Bob Hines/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/Boeing-s_Starliner_crew_ship_approaches_the_space_station_-iss067e066735-_-cropped--1.jpg) Starliner approaching the International Space Station in May of 2022\. ©Bob Hines/NASA Starliner consists of a capsule and a service module. The capsule houses the astronauts and the docking system that allows its passengers to enter the International Space Station. The capsule is also designed to be reused up to ten times with a six-month turnaround between missions. Starliner's service module is expended for each mission, it provides power and propulsion to the spacecraft alongside housing the abort system. The abort system of Starliner uses four Rocketdyne RS-88 engines burning Monomethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide to push the spacecraft away from a failing launch vehicle. Fully fuelled atop of a launch vehicle Starliner weighs approximately 13,000 kilograms ### What is Atlas V? Atlas V is United Launch Alliance's oldest two-stage rocket in service. The rocket is currently planned to be replaced by Vulcan when it retires before 2030. ![Atlas V in the N22 configuration during rollout to the launchpad with Boeing's Starliner on top. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/roll-to-pad-atlas-v-starliner-cft_53698833260-1.jpg) Atlas V in the N22 configuration during rollout to the launchpad with Boeing's Starliner on top. ©United Launch Alliance The first-stage is powered by a single RD-180 generating 390 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen for four minutes and thirteen seconds. The RD-180 is manufactured by NPO Energomash in Russia. The second-stage is powered by either one or two RL-10 engines generating 10 tons of thrust each while burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for fourteen minutes and two seconds. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies Company, manufactures the RL-10 engines. Atlas V can also launch with between zero and five GEM-63 solid rocket motors to augment the rocket's thrust and payload capability. Each booster burns a solid propellant, consisting of Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and Aluminum-Ammonium perchlorate, generating 169 tons of thrust each for a believed one minute and thirty-four seconds. Northrop Grumman manufactures the solid rocket boosters for use with United Launch Alliance. Atlas V also has eleven different configurations with the following payload capacities: up to 18,850 kilograms to low Earth orbit, up to 8,900 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit, or up to 3,850 kilograms to geostationary orbit. ### LandSpace's 'golden ticket' payload? URL: https://proximareport.com/landspaces-golden-ticket-payload/ Last updated: 2024-06-04T21:55:31.000Z *Disclaimer: This article contains the opinion and speculation of the writer and not Cosmic Nxws as a whole.* LandSpace, a commercial launch provider in China, and Hongqing Technology have recently filed with the International Telecommunications Union for a mega constellation via a joint venture called Shanghai LandSpace Hongqing Technology Co LTD. The filing via the joint venture lists the number of satellites for the constellation at ten-thousand across one-hundred and sixty orbital planes, these satellites would communicate in the Ka-band between each other and Earth. This mega constellation, currently called Honghu-3, is believed to operate in low Earth orbit and provide internet and communication services to those on the ground below, similar to SpaceX's Starlink mega constellation, in coming years. Honghu-3 is the third proposal for a mega constellation in low Earth orbit from China, and the first not from a state-owned enterprise such as GuoWang and G60. Shanghai Lanjian Hongqing Technology Company, commonly shortened to Hongqing Technology, is partnering with LandSpace to bring their expertise in spacecraft manufacturing, notably their Jinwu-200 krypton propellant Hall effect engine which has been conducting in-space tests since December 2023, to the mega constellation. LandSpace on the other hand will bring launch services to the mega constellation via its in-development Zhuque-3 launch vehicle, which is currently scheduled to debut in 2025\. A partnership between the two companies was not unexpected as LandSpace holds a forty-eight percent stake in Hongqing Technology. ### Potential benefits of Honghu-3 Depending on the fine details between the two companies, Honghu-3 can potentially become LandSpace's equivalent of Starlink. Starlink has allowed SpaceX to greatly increase the cadence of its Falcon 9 rocket over the past five years alongside decreasing its internal cost, which is thought to be under twenty million United States Dollars per launch. LandSpace, like SpaceX, wants to operate a fleet of reusable first-stage boosters at a low cost and a high cadence. Zhuque-3 first-stage boosters are believed to be targeting twenty flights initially for a launch that could cost as low as 40,000 Yuan Renminbi per kilogram, which is approximately 5,500 United States Dollars, it is currently unclear if this is the cost a customer will pay or the internal cost. This cost is expected to go down as Zhuque-3 increases its cadence, it is also likely that LandSpace sells initial flights at a loss. The partnership, and large stake, with Hongqing Technology, likely has LandSpace as the sole launch provider for the constellation. Being the sole launch provider would provide a significant boost to LandSpace's launch manifest, alongside launching parts of China's two other mega constellations, GuoWang and G60. Details on the Honghu-3 satellites are very few currently, as such the size and mass of them are unknown to the public. At this time, it is difficult to pinpoint how many launches will be needed to bring the mega constellation to a capacity in which it is profitable. However like SpaceX's Starlink, it is thought that a few hundred launches will be needed, as 170 Starlink launches have occurred with 6,551 satellites placed into orbit since May of 2019\. Using Honghu-3 as a consistent and regular payload should allow LandSpace to comfortably increase the cadence of Zhuque-3, alongside lowering its cost over time as more first-stage boosters are built and reused. ### Challenges ahead for Honghu-3 The largest challenge for Honghu-3 is that Zhuque-3 is yet to fly on its maiden launch, which is believed to be targeting mid-2025\. LandSpace is seeking to bring as much commonality and pre-launch testing to Zhuque-3 as possible, by flying its engines on Zhuque-2 along with extensive testing of new components on the ground. Zhuque-3, and its components, will also feature a substantial amount of robotic automation in production which will remove human error from production, this also decreases workplace safety incidents as a side effect. LandSpace may face a potential bottleneck with second-stage production while increasing launch cadence via Honghu-3 missions. The company is already scaling its engine production from thirty a year currently to one-hundred per year by 2025\. Zhuque-3 using stainless steel for its tanks and structure also decreases complexity in manufacturing. They may also be exploring robotic production of propellant tanks so production can continue 24/7\. Hongqing Technology needs to further test its spacecraft components in-space ahead of launching the full constellation. The company is testing its Jinwu-200 krypton propellant Hall effect engine that will enable each spacecraft to perform maneuvers. They will also need to produce engines, solar panels, communications antennae, and possibly laser links at a consistent rate and quality for the mega constellation to operate effectively, they could also opt to buy these components instead. Any plans or information around ground-based hardware have not been shared, one of the bigger obstacles Starlink had was the initial cost investment for customers to start receiving internet via the service. Honghu-3 may use a common ground-based antenna that will also be used by GuoWang or G60, but this remains to be seen. ## What is Zhuque-3? Zhuque-3 is LandSpace's in-development two-stage partially reusable medium to heavy lift launch vehicle targeting a debut in 2025\. Zhuque-3 plans to burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen propellants in its engines on both stages, which will be built out of stainless steel. LandSpace claims that Zhuque-3 will be able to lift up to 21,300 kilograms to low Earth orbit when expended, 18,300 kilograms when landing downrange on a drone ship or landing pad, or 12,500 kilograms when returning to the launch site. ![A render of LandSpace's Zhuque-3 launch vehicle. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/Zhuque-3-GIF--Smaller-.gif) A render of LandSpace's Zhuque-3 launch vehicle. ©LandSpace The first-stage of Zhuque-3 is planned to be powered by nine TQ-12B engines generating an approximate combined 900 tons of thrust while burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen. LandSpace is also looking to fly each first-stage twenty times, with the potential to certify them for more flights. The second-stage of Zhuque-3 is planned to be powered by one TQ-15B generating a believed 100 tons of thrust while also burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen. To facilitate reuse of the first-stage, three engines will be lit during re-entry followed by one being lit again for landing on a drone ship or landing pad. For boost-back burns, the booster will turn around in-flight after separation and relight one engine. ![An infographic on Zhuque-3's flight plans. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GA9ULn8aEAAnwmG.jpg) An infographic on Zhuque-3's flight plans. ©LandSpace The boosters and second stage are currently planned to have a diameter of 4.5 meters. The fairing is planned to be 5.2 meters in diameter and split into two halves. The total height of Zhuque-3 is currently planned to be 76.6 meters with it having a fully fuelled mass of approximately 660,000 kilograms. ## Who is LandSpace? LandSpace Technology Corporation is a Chinese private space launch provider based in Beijing and founded by Zhang Changwu in 2015. The company launched its first rocket, Zhuque-1, on the 27th of October 2018 but failed to reach orbit. Zhuque-1 was a three-stage solid propellant rocket that was aiming to lift 300 kilograms into orbit until its cancellation in favor of Zhuque-2, which has so far launched three times with two successes. LandSpace has so far launched all of its rockets from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, located in the Gobi Desert in northern China. LandSpace is also actively developing Zhuque-3 for a maiden flight planned in 2025. ![The logo of LandSpace as of 2022.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/LandSpace_Logo-_2022.png) The logo of LandSpace as of 2022. ### Weekly Dose of Space (26/5-1/6) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-26-5-1-2/ Last updated: 2024-06-09T20:21:03.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw eight orbital launch attempts worldwide, with all but one succeeding. This week also saw the European Space Agency kick off a new agreement and a long-awaited lunar mission be canceled. As always, we'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase started on the 26th, Ship 29 was once again stacked atop of Booster 11 using the 'chopsticks' of the launch tower. Not long after the stacking, the Ship quick disconnect arm was seen performing a disconnect test, this mimics what part of the arm will go through during flight. On the 27th, the deluge system under the orbital launch mount, which protects the launch pad from the energy of thirty-three Raptor engines, was seen performing a deluge test at a low power setting. The next day on the 28th, Ship 29 and Booster 11 once again went through a wet dress rehearsal, this time fully fuelling the liquid oxygen and liquid methane tanks in both vehicles. Once filled with propellant, they remained full for almost thirty minutes, likely simulation a hold in the countdown. After both vehicles had been unloaded of propellant, a full power test of the deluge system was performed. ![Ship 29 and Booster 11 during the second wet dress rehearsal ahead of flight four. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GOwbR-VaIAEeP4W.jpg) Ship 29 and Booster 11 during the second wet dress rehearsal ahead of flight four. ©SpaceX The 29th saw Ship 29 being destacked from Booster 11 once again, however this destack allowed SpaceX teams to install flight termination system explosives on both vehicles on the 30th. The next day on the 31st, the LR11000 crane was lowered, this is usually a sign that launch is imminent, followed not long after by Ship 29 being stacked on Booster 11 once again, and hopefully for the final time. ## **Launches This Week** ### *May 27th -* Chŏllima-1 *with Malligyong-1-1* The Democratic People's Republic of Korea attempted what is believed to have been a fourth launch of its Chŏllima-1 launch vehicle from the Sohae Satellite Launching Station, which is on the Yellow Sea, headed to a sun-synchronus orbit. A few minutes into flight the flight ended when it disintegrated mid-air, destroying the rocket. The payload onboard is believed to have been another military reconnaissance satellite. ### *May 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-63* SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 carrying a batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, twenty-three satellites were onboard for this mission. The booster for this mission was B1078 making its tenth flight and landing successfully on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for Starlink Group 6-63. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GOraK02bIAAHTa9.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for Starlink Group 6-63\. ©SpaceX ### *May 28th - Falcon 9 with EarthCARE* The European Space Agency's EarthCARE, Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer, mission lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of a Falcon 9 with it being successfully delivered to a sun-synchronus orbit. The booster for this mission was B1081 making its seventh flight and successfully landing back at Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg Space Force Base. For more about the EarthCARE mission click [here](https://proximareport.com/esa-earthcare/). ![B1081 landing at Landing Zone 4 after supporting the EarthCARE launch. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GOuP0ruaEAE0tRD-1.jpg) B1081 landing at Landing Zone 4 after supporting the EarthCARE launch. ©SpaceX ### *May 29th - Ceres-1S with Tianqi No. 25-28* Galactic Energy kicked off its launches for the year with a Ceres-1S launching from the Dong Fang Hang Tian Gang sea launch vessel approximately three miles off of the coast of the city of Rizhao in the Yellow Sea. The payloads atop of the rocket were four Tianqi satellites for a commercial 'internet of things' and communications network of spacecraft in low Earth orbit. ![Ceres-1S Y2 lifting off from its launch ship in the Yellow Sea.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GOu-87qbcAAfwRm-1.jpg) Ceres-1S Y2 lifting off from its launch ship in the Yellow Sea. ### *May 30th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-27* Roscosmos launched a Progress resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station atop of a Soyuz 2.1a from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Aboard the Progress MS-27 spacecraft are approximately 2,500 kilograms of supplies for the crew and various new experiments. ### *May 30th - Long March 3B/E with Paksat MM1R* China launched its second Long March 3B/E of the month carrying Paksat MM1R to a geosynchronous transfer orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. Paksat-MM1R is claimed as being able to provide television, radio, and regional communications in Pakistan. For more about this launch and the spacecraft click [here](https://proximareport.com/china-launches-pakistans-communications/). ![The Long March 3B/E Y96 lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GIF-LM3B-Y96.gif) The Long March 3B/E Y96 lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ### *May 31st - Ceres-1 with five satellites* A second Ceres-1 launched during May, and a day and a half after the last, this time from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Aboard the rocket were Jiguang-01, Jiguang-02, Yunyao-1 14, Yunyao-1 25, and Yunyao-1 26\. All five satellites are believed to be healthy in an approximately 535-kilometer sun-synchronus orbit. ![Ceres-1 Y12 lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GO3kqCbaoAEpp1Q.jpg) Ceres-1 Y12 lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *June 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-64* SpaceX launched another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit at the start of June from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1076, on its fourteenth flight, with a landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 6-64. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GO9W0t2aQAANS7H.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 6-64\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ## *Starship circumlunar flight canceled* ![Starship in its 2018 design near the Moon. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/Starship_passing_the_Moon-2018_version.jpg) Starship in its 2018 design near the Moon. ©SpaceX SpaceX Starship's first planned lunar tourism mission was abruptly canceled on June 1st by its billionaire backer Yusaku Maezawa. The mission was supposedly canceled due to delays related to Starship's development, as the vehicle is yet to successfully enter Earth orbit and return. Yusaku Maezawa booked the mission back in 2018 with it expected to take place in 2023, this did not take place due to Starship debuting in April of 2023 and only making one other test flight that year. The notice of cancelation was very brief and did not expand on why Maezawa chose to cancel it outright instead of delaying it into the coming years. The crew was expected to be: Yusaku Maezawa, Steve Aoki, Tim Dodd, Yemi Akinyemi Dele, Rhiannon Adam, Karim Iliya, Brendan Hall, Dev Joshi, Choi Seung-hyun, Kaitlyn Farrington, and Miyu. ## *ESA starts agreement for zero orbital debris by 2030* ![The European Space Agency's patch logo.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/ESA_Patch_2022.png) The European Space Agency's patch logo. The European Space Agency has recently started the 'Zero Debris Charter' which aims for no additional orbital debris on orbit by 2030\. The 'Zero Debris Charter' is a non-binding agreement and currently has twelve signatories. The current signatories of the charter are: Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Estonia Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom. According to European Space Agency Director General, Josef Aschbacher, one-hundred expressions of interest to sign the charter have been received. Quentin Verspieren, Space Safety Program Coordinator at the European Space Agency, said the following about the charter in a statement: > “The Zero Debris Charter signals Europe’s unwavering commitment to be a global leader on space debris mitigation and remediation, fostering collective action of a large community of space actors from all around the world” The charter is reportedly not limited to just European countries or companies but any non-European expression of interest to sign are not yet known. ## *Chang'e 6 lands on the Moon!* ![A render of the Chang'e 6 spacecraft on the lunar surface.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/GPBb5a9XQAAXwlL.jpg) A render of the Chang'e 6 spacecraft on the lunar surface. China's latest lunar exploration mission, Chang'e 6, touched down on the Moon at 22:23 pm Universal Coordinated Time on the 1st of June. The spacecraft will operate on the surface for forty-eight hours, gathering surface samples and performing a handful of experiments. Once the spacecraft has gathered surface samples and secured them onboard, it will liftoff from the lunar surface and rendevous with its orbiter in lunar orbit ahead of a return to Earth. For more about the Chang'e 6 landing click [here.](https://proximareport.com/change-6-landed/) ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is targeting June 6th for the fourth flight test of Starship-Super Heavy. The only remaining obstacle left ahead of launch is regulatory approval via a launch license from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. The two vehicles SpaceX is expected to fly for the test are Ship 29 and Booster 11, both vehicles have completed static fire tests and two wet dress rehearsals ahead of flight. For more details on the next flight test click [here](https://proximareport.com/starship-super-heavys-fourth-net-june/). ### *June 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-5* Another Starlink batch is expected to head to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9\. The booster and drone ship for this mission are currently unknown. ### *June 5th - Electron for 'PREFIRE And Ice'* Rocket Lab is expected to carry NASA's second PREFIRE, Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment, satellite to polar orbit from Launch Complex 1B. The PREFIRE mission consists of two satellites that will measure the Earth's temperatures at each pole. ### *June 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-8* Yet another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to be launched atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster and drone ship for this mission are also currently unknown. ### *June 5th - Atlas V with Starliner Crewed Flight Test* United Launch Alliance is expected to launch Boeing's Starliner spacecraft into low Earth orbit carrying astronauts Barry Wilmore and Suni Williams onboard. The mission is the first crewed test flight of the Starliner spacecraft, and its second trip to the space station. ### *June 6th - Starship-Super Heavy flight four* SpaceX is believed to be targeting no earlier than June 6th for the fourth flight test of Starship-Super Heavy. The two vehicles SpaceX is expected to fly for the test are Ship 29 and Booster 11. ### *June 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-1* Another batch of Starlink satellites is expected to be launched from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of Falcon 9\. The booster and drone ship for this mission are once again unknown. ### Chang'e 6 has landed! Whats next? How did it go? URL: https://proximareport.com/change-6-landed/ Last updated: 2024-06-01T23:05:04.000Z China kicked off its Chang'e 6 lunar far-side sample return mission at 17:27 pm China Standard Time, or 09:27 am Universal Coordinated Time, May 3rd. The Long March 5 vehicle carrying the Chang'e 6 lifted off at the start of its launch window. Ascent into low Earth orbit atop of the launch vehicle occurred as planned. China's Chang'e-6 mission's orbiter-lander entered lunar orbit on May 8, 2024\. After a series of maneuvers on June 1st the ascender-lander separated from the orbiter-return platform preparing for the landing procedure. China's Chang'e 6 landing procedure was then set for early in the morning of June 2nd, Beijing time. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/Chang-e-5_mockup_at_ZHAL_01.jpg) Full stack mockup with the lander pictured on the top of the stack with the orbiter on bottom. The lander on the surface will use its drill and scooping device to collect about 2 kg of samples from 2 meters below the surface. The samples will then be placed in an attached ascent vehicle to be launched into lunar orbit to rendezvous and dock with the orbiter. Upon transfering the samples the orbiter will then begin its journey back to Earth. The landing process only had a short window of 15 minutes, which can be said to be the biggest test for the scientific research team. The landing coordinates are located on the back of the moon at 42.1 degrees south latitude and 154.4 degrees west longitude. The Chang'e 6 lander completed its landing procedures at 6:23 Beijing time. How many things does Chang'e 6 have to do in these precious 15 minutes? First, it has to slow down so that it can't crash into the moon like a rocket. Then, it has to adjust its attitude to ensure that it approaches the lunar surface steadily. The sampling process and the moon landing process takes only 48 hours in total. After the sampling is completed, the ascender will take off, send the samples to the lunar orbit, and dock with the orbiter-return assembly. This process must be very precise, because the environment in the lunar orbit is very complex, and failure may occur if you are not careful. > Chang'e 6 is expected to land in a little over three hours! Attached is the Chang'e 5 landing back in 2020, the two spacecraft are twins. > > Around frame 260 you can see the lander cancel out most of its horizontal velocity and begin final descent. The lander also hovers for a few… [pic.twitter.com/cG7F69WbcQ](https://t.co/cG7F69WbcQ?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Phazzee 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 | 中国航天爱好者 🇨🇳 | 🇵🇸 (@PhazzeeYeehaw) [June 1, 2024](https://twitter.com/PhazzeeYeehaw/status/1796992674471252213?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Footage of the Chang'e 5 descent towards the lunar surface. After the docking is successful, the samples are safely transferred to the returner. Then, the orbiter-returner assembly will enter an orbit back to Earth, ready to bring the samples back to Earth. Finally, the return capsule will enter the Earth's atmosphere, just like the meteors we usually see. However, this meteor is different. It must land precisely at the landing site in China. When the return capsule successfully lands, it means that the Chang'e 6 mission has been successfully completed! Chang'e 6 is also a large scale international collaboration. it holds scientific research equipment from countries such as France, ESA, Italy, and Pakistan on board Chang'e-6 to participate in this lunar exploration. These samples will be the first ever to be retrieved from the lunar far side and from this region. Chang'e 6 landing is a massive step towards the completion of the mission. According to CNSA sampling is about to begin and the Chang'e 6 now has only sampling, launch, rendezvous and return left. Let's all wish Chang'e 6 safe travels and congratulations to China and the CNSA ### Monthly Dose of Space - May 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-may-2024/ Last updated: 2024-06-01T17:15:05.000Z Welcome to our eighth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month we haven't covered in our weekly newsletters. May has once again been an incredibly busy month for 2024, so let's jump into it! ## **SpaceX** Work at Starbase this month started on the 2nd of May, Booster 13 was rolled from the Massey's test site to the production site, the booster has completed cryo tests of both tanks at Massey's. Also on the 2nd, teams were seen partially demolishing the wall that houses the 'Gateway to Mars' sign, it's unknown if the entire wall will be demolished to build a second launch pad. The ship quick disconnect arm was also seen performing a retraction test on the same day. A few days later on the 7th the Ship static fire stand was moved from the Massey's test site to the production site. A few hours later Ship 30 performed a partial fuel load alongside testing of the launch site's fuelling systems. Not long after that, Ship 26 was lifted onto the Ship static fire stand in the production site. In the early hours of the 8th, Ship 26 was taken from the production site to the Massey's test site atop of the Ship static fire stand. The 8th also saw Ship 30 fire up all six of its engines on suborbital Pad B for a static fire test ahead of the fifth flight of Starship-Super Heavy, the fourth flight is still yet to happen. On the 10th, Ship 30 was lifted off of suborbital Pad B ahead of being transported back to the production site. A few hours later Ship 30 was rolled from the launch site back to the production site. That evening, Booster 11 was rolled out from the production site to the launch site. Early in the morning of the 11th, Ship 31 also left the production site and headed to the Massey's test site. The 11th also saw Booster 11 being lifted onto the orbital launch mount for testing. Ship 29 was also moved to the launch site at the very end of the week, where it is was waiting to be stacked atop of Booster 11\. A day later on the 12th, Ship 31 was conducting tests at the Massey's test site where an anomaly occurred, it's unknown what it was but the Ship was emptied of fuels shortly after with it taking a few hours. On the 14th, Ship 29 was moved away from the orbital launch mount where teams were spotted inspecting the vehicle, it is unknown what they were looking for. Late on the 14th, Ship 31 was moved back to the production site from the Massey's test site, likely for repairs and a thorough investigation. In the early hours of the 15th, Ship 29 was moved back next to the orbital launch mount and into the 'chopsticks'. Ship 29 was later lifted onto Booster 11 shortly after. The same day, flight termination system explosives were delivered to Starbase where they were moved into the designated, and isolated, storage. The 16th saw Booster 11 and Ship 29 conduct a tanking test ahead of a full wet dress rehearsal. Four days later on the 20th, Ship 29 and Booster 11 conducted a wet dress rehearsal of the launch countdown. This test fully loads both vehicles with propellant and heads through the launch countdown to T- ten seconds. The next day, Ship 29 was destacked from Booster 11 and placed next to the orbital launch mount, likely for final preparation work ahead of flight. On the 22nd, workers were seen testing the thermal protection tiles of Ship 29, likely to ensure as few as possible are liberated during flight. This tile work continued into the morning of the 24th. A couple of days later on the 26th, Ship 29 was once again stacked atop of Booster 11 using the 'chopsticks' of the launch tower. Not long after the stacking, the Ship quick disconnect arm was seen performing a disconnect test, this mimics what part of the arm will go through during flight. On the 27th, the deluge system under the orbital launch mount, which protects the launch pad from the energy of thirty-three Raptor engines, was seen performing a deluge test at a low power setting. The next day on the 28th, Ship 29 and Booster 11 once again went through a wet dress rehearsal, this time fully fuelling the liquid oxygen and liquid methane tanks in both vehicles. Once filled with propellant, they remained full for almost thirty minutes, likely simulation a hold in the countdown. After both vehicles had been unloaded of propellant, a full power test of the deluge system was performed. The 29th saw Ship 29 being destacked from Booster 11 once again, however this destack allowed SpaceX teams to install flight termination system explosives on both vehicles on the 30th. At the time of writing on the 31st, Ship 29 has been moved back into the 'chopsticks' of the launch tower ahead of what is hopefully the final time it will be stacked atop of Booster 11\. ## **News of the Month** May saw news of new signatories for deep space exploration agreements and of new methane engines firing up! ### *Relativity completes full-duration Aeon R firing!* > On the test stand Aeon R fires at 100% power for 180 seconds 🔥 > > 📍 [@NASAStennis](https://twitter.com/NASAStennis?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com), R Complex > 🚀 180 seconds of hot fire = the max duration for a Terran R first stage flight plus margin. > 🔁 Test, learn, iterate, repeat. [pic.twitter.com/pXW1uNUrbF](https://t.co/pXW1uNUrbF?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Relativity Space (@relativityspace) [May 31, 2024](https://twitter.com/relativityspace/status/1796608014235078774?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Aeon R's 180-second firing via [Relativity Space on X.](https://x.com/relativityspace/status/1796608014235078774?ref=proximareport.com) Relativity Space completed a full-duration firing of its Aeon R engine running at maximum thrust for 180 seconds! The Aeon R engine can produce 126 tons of thrust while burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen. According to Relativity Space, this test demonstrated the capability of the Aeon R, its production processes, and the skills of the engineering team ahead of the production of flight-quality engines. Fourteen Aeon R engines will be needed for the debut flight of Terran R in 2026, with thirteen on the first-stage and one on the second-stage. ### *CASC conducts first firing from new test stand!* ![A liquid methane and liquid oxygen engine firing at the Laiyuan Test Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/006aWhMSgy1hq7v68o4l0j30zk0k042k.jpg) A liquid methane and liquid oxygen engine firing at the Laiyuan Test Center. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, commonly shortened to CASC, has conducted the first firing from a new test stand located near Laiyuan, in the province of Hebei located in the north of China. The new test stand is part of the Laiyuan Test Center of the 101st Institute of the Sixth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology Group and will test liquid propellant rocket engines that can produce up to 500 tons of thrust. The new test stand can also support the testing of two engines in close proximity to one another with them burning either liquid methane and liquid oxygen or liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. CASC has said that the test stand integrates remote command and real-time fault diagnostic systems. CASC did not say what engine performed the first firing from the stand on the 30th, but it is believed to have been the in-development YF-209 engine that burns liquid methane and liquid oxygen to produce 80 tons of thrust. ### *Peru becomes 41st Artemis Accords Signatory* ![Ambassador of Peru to the United States Alfredo Ferrero Diez Canseco (left), Peruvian Foreign Minister Javier González-Olaechea (center left), NASA Administrator Bill Nelson (center right), and United States Department of State Acting Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Jennifer R. Littlejohn (right) during the Artemis Accords signing ceremony. ©NASA/Keegan Barber](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/artemis-accords-peru.png) Ambassador of Peru to the United States Alfredo Ferrero Diez Canseco (left), Peruvian Foreign Minister Javier González-Olaechea (center left), NASA Administrator Bill Nelson (center right), and United States Department of State Acting Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Jennifer R. Littlejohn (right) during the Artemis Accords signing ceremony. ©NASA/Keegan Barber Peru has become the forty-first country to sign onto the U.S. led Artemis Accords on May 30th. The signing of the Artemis Accords by Peru took place at NASA Headquarters, in Washington D.C., and was overseen by Ambassador of Peru to the United States Alfredo Ferrero Diez Canseco, Peruvian Foreign Minister Javier González-Olaechea, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, and United States Department of State Acting Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Jennifer R. Littlejohn. Javier González-Olaechea, Peruvian Foreign Minister, commented on the signing saying: > “Peru, by joining the Artemis Accords, seeks not only to express a common vision with the other member countries but also to establish cooperation mechanisms with these countries, especially with the United States, to participate in activities of exploration and sustainable use of resources found in space, as well as to promote aerospace scientific development in our country” Peru was also the sixth country in South America to sign onto the Artemis Accords. ### *Slovakia becomes 42nd country to sign the Artemis Accords* ![Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the United States Radovan Javorcik (left), Slovak Republic Minister of Education, Research, Development, and Youth Tomáš Drucker (center left), NASA Administrator Bill Nelson (center right), and United States Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Sonata Coulter (right) during the Artemis Accords signing ceremony. ©NASA/Keegan Barber](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/image.psd-1.png) Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the United States Radovan Javorcik (left), Slovak Republic Minister of Education, Research, Development, and Youth Tomáš Drucker (center left), NASA Administrator Bill Nelson (center right), and United States Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Sonata Coulter (right) during the Artemis Accords signing ceremony. ©NASA/Keegan Barber Slovakia is the latest country to sign onto the Artemis Accords, having signed on on May 30th not long after Peru. The signing also took place at NASA headquarters with it being overseen by Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the United States Radovan Javorcik, Slovak Republic Minister of Education, Research, Development, and Youth Tomáš Drucker, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, and United States Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Sonata Coulter. Tomáš Drucker, Slovak Republic Minister of Education, Research, Development, and Youth, said the following after signing the Artemis Accords: > “Slovakia perceives the Artemis Accords as a great opportunity for this generation to positively define guidelines and principles for the responsible and sustainable exploration and use of outer space” ### *LandSpace and Hongqing Technology file for* a *mega constellation* ![LandSpace's facility at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center after the arrival of the second Zhuque-2 rocket. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/0076pMobgy1hdvqs82jf4j31jk0pg4gx.jpg) LandSpace's facility at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center after the arrival of the second Zhuque-2 rocket. ©LandSpace LandSpace and Hongqing Technology have filed for a ten-thousand spacecraft low Earth orbit mega constellation with the International Telecommunication Union in late May. The constellation is believed to be called Honghu-3 and will consist of 10,000 satellites across one-hundred and sixty orbital planes. The filing is the third plan for a mega constellation from China after GuoWang and G60, with a total of 32,000 satellites planned across all three. Also according to the filing, the operator of the constellation will be a new company called Shanghai LandSpace Hongqing Technology Co LTD. LandSpace and Hongqing Technology have not said much publically since the filing as it serves as a notification to member states of the International Telecommunication Union for the intention to launch. The filing also allows members to review the proposed network and assess potential interference with existing or planned satellites in similar orbits. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw twenty-seven launches past the Kármán line worldwide, if you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *May 2nd - Falcon 9 with WorldView Legion 1 & 2* SpaceX kicked off May's when it launched two WorldView Legion for Maxar into sun-synchronus orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, atop of Falcon 9\. The booster for this mission was B1061 making its twentieth flight and landing back at Landing Zone 4 at the Vandenberg Space Force Base. ### *May 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-55* Following it a day later, twenty-three Starlink satellites were sent into low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1067 making its nineteenth flight and landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ### *May 3rd - Long March 5 with Chang'e 6* China kicked off its fourth lunar landing mission with the Chang'e 6 lunar far-side sample return mission from LC-101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, located in the province of Hainan. The mission is part of the country's fourth phase of its lunar exploration program and the first mission aiming to retrieve samples from the far-side of the Moon. For more about the launch, mission, and spacecraft click [here.](https://proximareport.com/change-6-moon-bound/) ### *May 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-57* SpaceX once again launched a Falcon 9 carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1069 making its fifteenth flight and successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *May 7th - Long March 6C on its debut flight* The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology debuted its new Long March 6C launch vehicle from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying four payloads into a sun-synchronus orbit. For more on the Long March 6C and its first launch click [here.](https://proximareport.com/long-march-6c-debut/) ### *May 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-56* SpaceX launched another twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit at of Falcon 9 from Florida, this time from Launch Complex 39A. The booster for this mission was B1083 making its third flight and successfully landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *May 9th - Long March 3B/E with Smart SkyNet 1A & 1B* The first of two Long March 3B/E's this month lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center to medium Earth orbit. The two Smart SkyNet satellites will test communications technologies in space before launching more satellites later in the year. For more on the launch and payloads click [here.](https://proximareport.com/china-cz-3b-y97/) ### *May 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-2* Another Falcon 9 launched not long after the last sending twenty Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for this mission was B1082 making its fourth flight and successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *May 11th - Long March 4C with Shiyan-23* The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology launched a second rocket during may with a Long March 4C lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to a sun-synchronus orbit. The payload was Shiyan-23 which is believed to be operated by the Chinese military. ### *May 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-58* SpaceX launched yet another Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1073 making its fifteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' successfully. ### *May 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-7* SpaceX launched, you guessed it, another Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying twenty Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1063 making its eighteenth flight and successfully landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *May 16th - Soyuz 2.1b with Kosmos 2576* Russia launched a Soyuz 2.1b from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome during May carrying a military spacecraft. The Soyuz 2.1b with a Fregat-M upper-stage placed the Kosmos 2576 satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit. ### *May 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-59* SpaceX launched another Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying wenty-three Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1062 making its 21st flight, a new record for a booster, and successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *May 19th - New Shepard with NS-25* Blue Origin returned New Shepard to crewed flights on the 19th of May when the NS-25 mission lifted off in West Texas carrying the six-person crew above the Kármán line. Onboard were Ed Dwight, Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, Kenneth Hess, Carol Schaller, and Gopi Thotakura. ### *May 20th - Long March 2D with Beijing 3C* The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology launched a third rocket during May with a Long March 2D carrying four Beijing 3C Earth observation satellites into a sun-synchronus orbit from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The four Beijing 3C satellites will provide data for map surveying, land surveying, forestry surveying, urban planning, as well as disaster monitoring and relief. This launched also tested a new grid fin design during the descent of the first-stage. ### *May 21st -Kuaizhou-11 with four satellites* ExPace launched a Kuaizhou-11 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying four satellites into a sun-synchronus orbit. The four satellites were Wuhan-1, Chutian 001, Tianyan 22, and Lingque-3 01\. Notably, Wuhan-1 is a 'ultra-low-orbit' technology demonstrator spacecraft. ### *May 22nd - Falcon 9 with NROL-146* SpaceX launched the NROL-146 mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying what is believed to be the first batch of a spy satellite constellation in low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1071, on its sixteenth flight, with it landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *May 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-62* A day after the last, another Falcon 9 launched carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1080, making its eighth flight, and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ### *May 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-63* Falcon 9 once again launched another twenty-three Starlinks to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A. The booster for this mission was B0177, on its thirteenth flight, with it landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read the Instructions'. ### *May 25th - Electron for 'Ready, Aim, PREFIRE'* Rocket Lab launched an Electron rocket to polar orbit from Launch Complex 1B carrying the first of two PREFIRE, Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment, satellites for NASA. The PREFIRE satellites will collect data on emissions in far infrared wavelength near the north and south poles. ### *May 27th -* Chŏllima-1 *with Malligyong-1-1* The Democratic People's Republic of Korea attempted what is believed to have been a fourth launch of its Chŏllima-1 launch vehicle from the Sohae Satellite Launching Station, which is on the Yellow Sea, headed to a sun-synchronus orbit. A few minutes into flight the flight ended when it disintegrated mid-air, destroying the rocket. The payload onboard is believed to have been another military reconnaissance satellite. ### *May 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-63* SpaceX launched another Falcon 9 carrying yet more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, twenty-three satellites were onboard for this mission. The booster for this mission was B1078 making its tenth flight and landing successfully on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *May 28th - Falcon 9 with EarthCARE* The European Space Agency's EarthCARE, Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer, mission lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of a Falcon 9 with it being successfully delivered to a sun-synchronus orbit. The booster for this mission was B1081 making its seventh flight and successfully landing back at Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg Space Force Base. ### *May 29th - Ceres-1S with Tianqi No. 25-28* Galactic Energy kicked off its launches for the year with a Ceres-1S launching from the Dong Fang Hang Tian Gang sea launch vessel approximately three miles off of the coast of the city of Rizhao in the Yellow Sea. The payloads atop of the rocket were four Tianqi satellites for a commercial 'internet of things' and communications network of spacecraft in low Earth orbit. ### *May 30th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-27* Roscosmos launched a Progress resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station atop of a Soyuz 2.1a from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Aboard the Progress MS-27 spacecraft are approximately 2,500 kilograms of supplies for the crew and various new experiments. ### *May 30th - Long March 3B/E with Paksat MM1R* China launched its second Long March 3B/E of the month carrying Paksat MM1R to a geosynchronous transfer orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. Paksat-MM1R is claimed as being able to provide television, radio, and regional communications in Pakistan. For more about this launch and the spacecraft click [here](https://proximareport.com/china-launches-pakistans-communications/). ### *May 31st - Ceres-1 with five satellites* A second Ceres-1 launched during May, and a day and a half after the last, this time from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Aboard the rocket were Jiguang-01, Jiguang-02, Yunyao-1 14, Yunyao-1 25, and Yunyao-1 26\. All five satellites are believed to be healthy in an approximately 535-kilometer sun-synchronus orbit. ## **Launches to look out for in** June! June looks to be another busy month with a few notable missions. Listed below are all of the launches expected or very likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of June may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *June 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-64* SpaceX is hoping to launch another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit at the start of June from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission is believed to be B1076, on its fourteenth flight, with a landing attempt on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ### *June 1st - Electron for 'PREFIRE And Ice'* Rocket Lab is expected to carry NASA's second PREFIRE, Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment, satellite to polar orbit from Launch Complex 1B. The PREFIRE mission consists of two satellites that will measure the Earth's temperatures at each pole. ### *June 1st - Atlas V with Starliner Crewed Flight Test* United Launch Alliance is expected to launch Boeing's Starliner spacecraft into low Earth orbit carrying astronauts Barry Wilmore and Suni Williams onboard. The mission is the first crewed test flight of the Starliner spacecraft, and its second trip to the space station. ### *June 5th - Starship-Super Heavy flight four* SpaceX is believed to be targeting no earlier than June 5th for the fourth flight test of Starship-Super Heavy. The two vehicles SpaceX is expected to fly for the test are Ship 29 and Booster 11, both vehicles have completed static fire tests and a wet dress rehearsal ahead of flight. Like the previous flight tests, the only obstacle left ahead of launch is regulatory approval via a launch license from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. For more details on the next flight test click [here](https://proximareport.com/starship-super-heavys-fourth-net-june/). ### *June 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-5* Another Starlink batch is expected to head to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9\. The booster and drone ship for this mission are currently unknown. ### *June 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-8* Yet another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to be launched atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster and drone ship for this mission are also currently unknown. ### *June 25th - Falcon Heavy with GOES-U* SpaceX is believed to be planning to launch a Falcon Heavy from Launch Complex 39A carrying the GOES-U geostationary weather satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit. The boosters for this mission are thought to be B1072, B1086, and B1087\. B1087 will be expended with no recovery attempt, B1072 and B1086 however will attempt a return to launch site landing. ### *June 30th - H3 with ALOS-4* The third H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center is expected to carry the ALOS-4, Advanced Land Observing Satellite-4, satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit. ALOS-4 will observe the Earth's surface using a phased array L-band synthetic aperture radar. ### Deep Blue Aerospace: An Overview and Update URL: https://proximareport.com/deep-blue-aerospace/ Last updated: 2024-07-22T04:45:44.000Z Chinese rocket company Deep Blue Aerospace has secured new funding for its reusable rocket plans, with the first launch scheduled for later this year. While just two years ago Deep Blue Aerospace preformed hop tests of a smaller vehicle, and completed several firings of their Nebula-1 rocket architecture. The company completed B and B1 funding rounds, raising hundreds of millions of yuan (tens of millions of dollars). According to a statement, this funding will provide “strong momentum into the development of reusable rockets.” Deep Blue Aerospace plans to launch its first Nebula-1 rocket from a new commercial spaceport in Wenchang, Hainan Island, before the end of the year. The company will also attempt to land the rocket’s first stage using retro-propulsion and landing legs, marking what is likely to be China’s first attempt at launching and landing an orbital rocket. Another likely candidate is Tianlong-3 from Space Pioneer. ![Deep Blue Aerospace completes China's 1st liquid reusable rocket test - CGTN](https://video.cgtn.com/news/2022-05-09/Deep-Blue-Aerospace-completes-China-s-1st-liquid-reusable-rocket-test-19TUaQ3Bzig/video/c0628702325343aba7befec77baffa95/c0628702325343aba7befec77baffa95.jpg) In October 2021, China's commercial aerospace company, Deep Blue Aerospace (DBA), completed the country's first-ever test of kilometer-level vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) for its reusable liquid rocket scheduled to launch later this year as mentioned. After traveling one kilometer away from the ground, the rocket returned and made its landing less than 0.5 meters away from the target landing point. This funding marks a huge step in Deep Blue Aerospace's journey to becoming an established launch provider in the Chinese space sector. A brief timeline of the company goes as follows. January 2022, the company secured nearly $31.5 million in funding. May 6, 2022 the Nebula M1 completed a one kilometer test, and this recent development further sets the stage for DBAs 2024 launch. In June 2023, Deep Blue Aerospace successfully tested its independently developed reusable engine, "LT-R1," on a newly commissioned vertical test bench. On June 29, the "LT-R1" system was tested again, entering the normal testing phase. In July, Deep Blue Aerospace completed China's first fairing separation test using a non-pyrotechnic connection unlocking mechanism. In August, the "LT-R1" engine underwent a successful 120-second test on the vertical test bed, followed by three successful tests on August 15\. On August 23, the company completed three start-up tests of the first domestic liquid oxygen and kerosene engine in a full flight sequence. On October 18, a 420-second long-duration test run of the "LT-R1" was successful. On November 20, the "Thunderbolt R1" engine successfully completed a 40%-100% variable thrust test. In December, the landing leg deployment test for the "Nebula-1" liquid recoverable launch vehicle was also successfully completed. In March 2024, the testing of the three engine state power system of the first sub stage of the Deep Blue Space "Nebula-1" rocket was successfully completed. This is the most recent technical development ## **Nebula-1** Carrying capacity: 2-8 tons to LEO. It has a diameter of 3.35 meters and runs on Liquid Oxygen and Kerosene. it is a reusable launch vehicle that will help prove technologies for Nebula-2 (release set for 2025) as multiple reusable launchers come online we will see an increase in cadence in China's space sector. Deep Blue Aerospace is not one to be overlooked! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/06/---1-1-.png) Nebula-1 Graphic ​Nebula-2, their planned reusable medium to heavy-lift liquid-fuelled rocket will be powered by liquid oxygen and kerosene rocket capable of lifting 20,000 kg of payload into LEO! In conclusion, Deep Blue Aerospace's recent funding success and advancements in reusable rocket technology mark significant milestones in the company's journey and China's burgeoning space sector. The completion of multiple test phases, including the groundbreaking kilometer-level VTVL test and various engine trials, demonstrates the company's capability and ambition. As Deep Blue Aerospace prepares for the inaugural launch and landing of its Nebula-1 rocket from Wenchang, Hainan Island, later this year, it positions itself as a pivotal player in the global space race. With future plans for the medium to heavy-lift Nebula-2 rocket, the company is set to further propel its status in the aerospace industry, showcasing innovation and competitiveness. ### A gift to future generations: EarthCARE URL: https://proximareport.com/esa-earthcare/ Last updated: 2024-05-31T16:43:34.000Z A new Earth-observation mission has lifted off and into orbit. A Falcon 9 carrier rocket lifted the Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer satellite into orbit from Vandenberg Space Force base. This payload, known as EarthCARE, is a European-Japanese cooperative mission meant to examine the role that clouds and aerosols play in reflecting solar radiation into space. Gaining a deeper understanding of the dynamics at play with solar radiation emitted and absorbed by our planet is crucial for addressing climate issues. ![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Mtiecti9GzQrf2dpmBry5W-970-80.jpg.webp](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Mtiecti9GzQrf2dpmBry5W-970-80.jpg.webp) The European-Japanese EarthCARE satellite deploys from the upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on May 28, 2024\. (Image credit: ESA/SpaceX) EarthCARE will also measure the distribution of water droplets and ice crystals in the clouds above our planet to imrpove the accuracy of cloud development, and weather models. These improve weather prediction that can greatly benefit humanity. It is incremental missions like this that build upon our understanding of our own planet that makes space so viable to future generations. Its primary mission while only expected to last three years is an important step in caring for our planet. The mission aims to deliver a detailed depiction of the three-dimensional spatial and temporal structure of the radiative flux field at the top of the atmosphere, within the atmosphere, and at the Earth's surface. Utilizing advanced lidar and radar technology along with the synergistic integration of various remote sensing techniques onboard EarthCARE, the mission will generate unprecedented datasets. These datasets will enable scientists to study the relationships between clouds, aerosols, and radiation with unprecedented accuracy, significantly enhancing our understanding of these highly variable parameters. This information will be crucial for improving weather forecasts and future climate predictions. Its instruments include but are not limited to, **Atmospheric LIDar (ATLID)** \- Developed by ESA and Airbus Space Toulouse, this instrument operates at 354.8 nm and uses high-spectral resolution and depolarization techniques to measure aerosols in the atmosphere. **Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR)** \- Developed by JAXA and NICT, this radar has a sensitivity of 36 dBZ and provides data with a 500 m horizontal and 100 m vertical sampling resolution. It operates at 94.05 GHz and has Doppler capability to profile cloud structures and movements. Using its capability it provides vertical profiles measurements of clouds and observes vertical velocities of cloud particles **Multi-Spectral Imager (MSI)** \- Developed by ESA, this imager features 7 spectral channels, covers a 150 km swath, and has a 500 m pixel resolution. It is used to capture data on clouds and aerosols. **Broad-Band Radiometer (BBR)** \- Developed by ESA, this radiometer has 2 channels and provides 3 viewing angles (nadir, fore, and aft). It measures radiative fluxes to study radiation at the top of the atmosphere, within the atmosphere, and at the Earth's surface. This is the largest and most complex Earth Explorer to date, and is a valuable tool for scientists in years to come. Ultimately this is what spaceflight is about, improving the quality of life and deepening our understanding of not just the universe but this pale blue dot we call home. ![Attendees of the EarthCARE science workshop](https://earth.esa.int/documents/d/earth-online/earthcare-pre-launch-banner) [**Attendees of the EarthCARE science workshop*](https://earth.esa.int/eogateway/news/earthcare-pre-launch-science-workshop-a-success/attendees-of-the-earthcare-science-worshop?ref=proximareport.com) (image credit: ESA) This mission is a long time in the making, first being thought up in the early 2000s. This latest workshop had discussions on training machine learning algorithms on EarthCARE's datasets! This data can also be used with similar observation satellites such as CALIPSO/CloudSat and future ones. Besides the many expected technical applications of the mission it was a great opportunity to foster international collaboration with JAXA. In this new age, to truly give the gift of space to future generations we have to not only look after our planet but learn how to deepen collaboration with other agencies and peoples. What is often overlooked as just another science mission may not be landing on the moon, but in many ways, it is just as exciting. ### China launches Pakistan's newest communications satellite URL: https://proximareport.com/china-launches-pakistans-communications/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T20:03:39.000Z Pakistan's newest communications satellite headed to a geosynchronous transfer orbit atop of a Long March 3B/E from the Xinchang Satellite Launch Center's Launch Complex 2, located in southern China. Liftoff occurred at 20:12 pm, China Standard Time, on May 30th, or 12:12 pm Universal Coordinated Time. The spacecraft atop of the Long March 3B/E was Paksat-MM1R, which is built on the China Academy of Space Technology's Dongfanghong-4 enhanced platform. Paksat-MM1R is claimed as being able to provide television, radio, and regional communications in Pakistan, with the satellite residing at 38.2 degrees east geosynchronous orbit. ![Paksat-MM1R in a cleanroom ahead of launch.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GO1IoHlbAAARFtg.jpg) Paksat-MM1R in a cleanroom ahead of launch. Paksat-MM1R is equipped with nine antennas and forty-eight multi-band transponders that will communicate in the C, Ku, Ka, and L bands to enable services in Pakistan and neighboring regions. The spacecraft is expected to operate for fifteen years on orbit after a set commissioning period, where the satellite will undergo final tests of its systems. The launch of this spacecraft from Xichang is also believed to be playing a positive role in deepening friendship and cooperation between China and Pakistan via the Belt and Road Initiative. It is also the second time Pakistan and China have collaborated on a communications satellite for use by Pakistan, with the last time being in 2011\. This was also the five-hundred and twenty-fourth launch of a Long March rocket, the ninety-sixth launch of the Long March 3B series, and the twenty-sixth orbital launch from China in 2024\. ![The launch mission patch for the Long March 3B/E Y96.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/LM3B-Y96-Patch.png) The launch mission patch for the Long March 3B/E Y96. ### What is the Long March 3B/E? The Long March 3B/E is a three-stage rocket manufactured by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology that burns Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine in its first and second stages as well as its boosters. The third-stage burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. ![The Long March 3B/E Y96 vehicle at Launch Complex 2 of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/006aWhMSgy1hq7uhaf7wij30u00k0q4u-1.jpg) The Long March 3B/E Y96 vehicle at Launch Complex 2 of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 3B/E is claimed as being able to lift up to 11,500 kilograms to a low Earth orbit, 7,100 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, 5,500 kilograms to a geosynchronous transfer orbit, 2,000 kilograms to a geostationary orbit, or 3,300 kilograms to a heliocentric orbit. On the launch pad, the launch vehicle weighs 458,970 kilograms fully fuelled, and stands 56.3 meters tall. The first-stage is powered by four YF-21C engines generating 302 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine for two minutes and thirty-eight seconds. Around the first-stage are four boosters, each powered by one YF-25 engine generating 75 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine for two minutes and twenty seconds. These four boosters have a combined thrust of 302 tons of thrust. The boosters and first-stage have a combined thrust of 604 tons. One YF-24E engine powers the launch vehicle's second-stage, which burns unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and dinitrogen tetroxide for three minutes and five seconds while generating 80 tons of thrust. ![The third-stage of the Long March 3B/E being transported to the launch pad.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/640c-2-1.png) The third-stage of the Long March 3B/E being transported to the launch pad. The third-stage is powered by two YF-75 engines that generate 17 tons of thrust while burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for seven minutes and fifty-eight seconds. ### Weekly Dose of Space (19/5-25/5) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-19-5-25-5/ Last updated: 2024-05-26T16:43:45.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw six launches worldwide, with half of them being Falcon 9's. This week also saw Boeing's Starliner being delayed, again, and news of the first potential astronaut from Hong Kong. As always, we'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase started on the 20th with Ship 29 and Booster 11 conducting a wet dress rehearsal of the launch countdown. This test fully loads both vehicles with propellant and heads through the launch countdown to T- ten seconds. ![Ship 29 and Booster 11 during a wet dress rehearsal. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GOCvo5xWgAAgebm-1.jpg) Ship 29 and Booster 11 during a wet dress rehearsal. ©SpaceX The next day, Ship 29 was destacked from Booster 11 and placed next to the orbital launch mount, likely for final preparation work ahead of flight. On the 22nd, workers were seen testing the thermal protection tiles of Ship 29, likely to ensure as few as possible are liberated during flight. This tile work continued into the 24th. ## **Launches This Week** ### *May 20th - Long March 2D with Beijing 3C* Starting off this week's launches was the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology with the launch of a Long March 2D carrying four Beijing 3C Earth observation satellites into a sun-synchronus orbit from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The four Beijing 3C satellites will provide data for map surveying, land surveying, forestry surveying, urban planning, as well as disaster monitoring and relief. ![The Long March 2D Y98 vehicle during first-stage flight.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/664ae143a31082fc2b6e5396-1.jpeg) The Long March 2D Y98 vehicle during first-stage flight. ### *May 21st -Kuaizhou-11 with four satellites* ExPace launched a Kuaizhou-11 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying four satellites into a sun-synchronus orbit. The four satellites were Wuhan-1, Chutian 001, Tianyan 22, and Lingque-3 01\. Notably, Wuhan-1 is a 'ultra-low-orbit' technology demonstrator spacecraft. ![The Kuaizhou-11 Y4 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GOFHmXpbYAAip9C.jpg) The Kuaizhou-11 Y4 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *May 22nd - Falcon 9 with NROL-146* SpaceX launched the NROL-146 mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying what is believed to be the first batch of a spy satellite constellation in low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1071, on its sixteenth flight, with it landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the NROL-146 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GOMH4_ma4AE32Md-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the NROL-146 mission. ©SpaceX ### *May 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-62* A day later, another Falcon 9 launched carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1080, making its eighth flight, and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 6-62. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GOO_kUWaYAAEX8-.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 6-62\. ©SpaceX ### *May 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-63* Falcon 9 launched another twenty-three Starlinks to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A. The booster for this mission was B0177, on its thirteenth flight, with it landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read the Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for Starlink Group 6-63. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GOUJrNTacAEv8g5.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for Starlink Group 6-63\. ©SpaceX ### *May 25th - Electron for 'Ready, Aim, PREFIRE'* Rocket Lab launched an Electron rocket to polar orbit from Launch Complex 1B carrying the first of two PREFIRE, Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment, satellites for NASA. The PREFIRE satellites will collect data on emissions in far infrared wavelength near the north and south poles. ![Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GObzXb1WgAApg4V-1.jpg) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B. ©Rocket Lab ## **In Other Space News** ## *Policewoman expected to become Hong Kong's first taikonaut* ![Lai Ka-ying at an official event in Hong Kong.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GOY6qFZbUAAyjRk-1.jpg) Lai Ka-ying at an official event in Hong Kong. Lai Ka-ying, a Chief Inspector of the Hong Kong Police Force, is believed to have been selected as Hong Kong's first taikonaut, as a payload specialist for the China Manned Space Agency. The news broke via Sing Tao Daily and was confirmed by The Standard, based in Hong Kong, and the South China Morning Post. Sources for all three publications have said that Lai Ka-ying has obtained a doctoral degree and has been training in Beijing since sometime in 2023\. She is currently expected to fly with the fourth batch of taikonauts, who were initially selected in 2022. The China National Space Administration and the China Manned Space Agency have not yet confirmed the identities of those part of its fourth taikonaut batch, but an announcement is expected in the coming months. China's fourth batch of taikonauts are expected to be from the mainland and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions. ## *Starliner has more teething issues, delayed till early June* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/dHtYiPbP2VRo7BJURc7J95-650-80.jpg.webp) Starliner mated to the Atlas V rocket Boeing's Starliner has experienced a whole host of teething issues as it nears its first crewed launch for NASA. Originally, Starliner was supposed to send two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, to the ISS on May 6th from launch complex 41\. However, just two hours from launch, the Atlas V team realized there was an issue with an oxygen relief valve. The launch was sent back into the Vertical Integration Facility, where the valve was replaced. Just 6 days after the scrub, the rocket was good to go, but another issue arose, this time with the crew capsule. Crews realized that there was a small helium leak from the Starliner space capsule and figuring out how to solve such an issue has seen the launch date fall further, and further down the line. The helium leak isn't a major issue, the leak is in just one of 27 reaction control system thrusters. However, during the flight's mission, the leak could cause a loss of pressure in these crucial attitude thrusters. Now, the earliest estimate for launch is June 1st, with multiple backup dates in the following days. However, ULA cannot wait forever, in late June-early July, the explosive "flight termination system" will need to be replaced, which would postpone the flight even further. And as delays continue, other launches can be affected, creating a domino effect. Hopefully, the NASA, Boeing, and Aerojet teams can find a solution soon and launch Starliner in early June! ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is believed to be targeting no earlier than June 5th for the fourth flight test of Starship-Super Heavy. The two vehicles SpaceX is expected to fly for the test are Ship 29 and Booster 11, both vehicles have completed static fire tests and a wet dress rehearsal ahead of flight. Like the previous flight tests, the only obstacle left ahead of launch is regulatory approval via a launch license from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. For more details on the next flight test click [here](https://proximareport.com/starship-super-heavys-fourth-net-june/). ### *May 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-60* SpaceX is expected to launch another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission is believed to be B1078, for its tenth flight, with a landing expected on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ### *May 28th - Falcon 9 with EarthCARE* SpaceX is planning to launch the European Space Agency's EarthCARE, Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer, mission from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster for this mission is currently unknown, but it is expected to land at Landing Zone 4\. ### *May 29th - Ceres-1S with a to-be-annouced payload* Galactic Energy is believed to be targeting a launch of its Ceres-1S rocket carrying a currently unknown payload into orbit from a sea launch platform in the Yellow Sea. This will be the second launch of the Ceres-1S, which is the sea launch version of Ceres-1, and the twelfth orbital launch attempt of a Ceres-1 rocket. ### *May 30th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-27* Roscosmos is planning to launch the Progress MS-27 mission atop of a Soyuz 2.1a from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The mission will carry new supplies to crews aboard the International Space Station. ### *May 30th - Long March 3B/E with Paksat MM1R* A Long March 3B/E is expected to launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center to a geostationary transfer orbit. Paksat MM1R is a communications satellite that will reside in geostationary orbit. ### *May 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-64* SpaceX is expected to launch yet another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Florida. Both the booster and drone ship for this mission are currently unknown. ### *May 31st - Ceres-1 with a to-be-announced payload* Galactic Energy is believed to be launching another Ceres-1, this time from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. This would be the thirteenth orbital launch attempt of a Ceres-1 rocket. ### *June 1st - Atlas V with Starliner Crewed Flight Test* United Launch Alliance is expected to launch Boeing's Starliner spacecraft into low Earth orbit carrying astronauts Barry Wilmore and Suni Williams onboard. The mission is the first crewed test flight of the Starliner spacecraft, and its second trip to the space station. ### Starship-Super Heavy's fourth flight targeting NET June 5th URL: https://proximareport.com/starship-super-heavys-fourth-net-june/ Last updated: 2024-05-24T17:34:07.000Z A little over two and a half months ago, SpaceX launched the third flight test of its in-development Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle, which made it further than the previous two tests. Today, May 24th, the company announced it is targeting no earlier than June 5th for the fourth flight test, pending regulatory approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. > The fourth flight test of Starship could launch as soon as June 5, pending regulatory approval[https://t.co/XjreI7nQOp](https://t.co/XjreI7nQOp?ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/2tv2s1yJ5F](https://t.co/2tv2s1yJ5F?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [May 24, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1794000049858597253?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) SpaceX's no earlier than announcement on [X](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1794000049858597253?ref=proximareport.com), formerly Twitter. The two vehicles SpaceX is expected to fly for the test are Ship 29 and Booster 11, both vehicles have completed static fire tests and a wet dress rehearsal ahead of flight. Like the previous flight tests, the only obstacle left ahead of launch is regulatory approval via a launch license from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. SpaceX has also updated the [schedules](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-4&ref=proximareport.com) for both the countdown and flight plan with them now being as follows: ***Countdown*** | T-01:15:00 | SpaceX Flight Director conducts poll and verifies GO for propellant load | | ---------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | T-00:49:00 | Ship fuel (liquid methane) load underway | | T-00:47:00 | Ship LOX (liquid oxygen) load underway | | T-00:40:00 | Booster fuel (liquid methane) load underway | | T-00:37:00 | Booster LOX (liquid oxygen) load underway | | T-00:19:40 | Raptor begins engine chill on booster and ship | | T-00:03:20 | Ship propellant load complete | | T-00:02:50 | Booster propellant load complete | | T-00:00:30 | SpaceX flight director verifies GO for launch | | T-00:00:10 | Flame deflector activation | | T-00:00:03 | Raptor ignition sequence begins | | T-00:00:00 | Excitement guaranteed | ***Flight Test Timeline*** | T+00:00:02 | Liftoff | | ---------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | | T+00:01:02 | Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket) | | T+00:02:41 | Super Heavy MECO (most engines cut off) | | T+00:02:45 | Hot-staging (Starship Raptor ignition and stage separation) | | T+00:02:49 | Super Heavy boostback burn startup | | T+00:03:52 | Super Heavy boostback burn shutdown | | T+00:03:54 | Hot-stage jettison | | T+00:06:39 | Super Heavy is transonic | | T+00:06:43 | Super Heavy landing burn startup | | T+00:07:04 | Super Heavy landing burn shutdown | | T+00:08:23 | Starship engine cutoff | | T+00:47:25 | Starship entry | | T+01:03:11 | Starship is transonic | | T+01:04:01 | Starship is subsonic | | T+01:05:38 | Landing flip | | T+01:05:43 | Landing burn | | T+01:05:48 | An exciting landing! | Compared to the [previous flight test](https://proximareport.com/starships-third-flight-to-happen-as-early-as-thursday/), propellant fuelling of liquid methane and liquid oxygen for the Ship now starts four minutes later and finishes ten seconds later, likely due to improvements with the ground service equipment. Booster propellant fuelling also starts a minute later for liquid methane and five minutes later for liquid oxygen, the end of propellant fuelling has not changed. The flight test timeline has also seen some events removed and shifted around. The first of these is Max Q, where the launch vehicle experiences the maximum amount of stress, which is now expected ten seconds later into flight. Booster 'most engines cut off' is now one second later along with hot-staging. The 'boost back' burn is now also expected to start six seconds earlier, and end two seconds later. SpaceX is also hoping to jettison the hot-staging ring during booster descent during the flight ahead of a landing burn. The landing burn for flight four is also expected to occur seven seconds earlier than flight three's, with the shutdown having no change. The Ship is expected to end its ascent burn twelve seconds earlier with no events planned while it is in space, last flight the ship tested a payload bay door and had planned a Raptor relight test that did not occur. SpaceX also believes that the Ship will start reentry into Earth's atmosphere a minute and forty seconds sooner than the previous flight did. Starship's last flight did not have the Ship survive reentry but SpaceX is planning to perform a 'flip and burn' to land if it survives the heat of atmospheric reentry, this was not included in the last three flight plans. ## What happened during flight three? ![Ship 28 and Booster 10 during first-stage flight during the third flight test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GIt7MzibIAAFOq9.jpg) Ship 28 and Booster 10 during first-stage flight during the third flight test. ©SpaceX SpaceX also shared an update today on what went wrong during flight three and what mitigations and preventions flight four has to prevent similar issues. During flight three, ship 28 and Booster 10 completed a nominal ascent with all thirty-three raptors running successfully on Super Heavy, and Starship successfully lighting all six engines and hot-staging. The first problem in flight three was during the Boosters 'boost back' burn where all thirteen engines needed started successfully before six engines shut down early. These six engines shutting down early led to a shorter 'boost back' burn but did not prevent a landing burn attempt. The landing burn was then attempted but with the six engines disabled leading to only seven being commanded to start, only two successfully started with one appearing to burn off nominally. SpaceX believes the most likely root cause of this issue was a continuous filter blockage for liquid oxygen to the engines, which led to a loss of inlet pressure in the oxygen turbopumps. Ahead of flight four, SpaceX has said they are implementing software and hardware changes in hopes of preventing this. The other major issue faced during the last flight test was a loss of attitude control of the Ship after it began its in-space coast phase. This led to the Ship rolling along all three axes. The lack of control also had the ship reenter Earth's atmosphere off nominally and heating both the protected and unprotected sides of the vehicle. SpaceX believes the cause of this issue was clogging of the valves responsible for roll control in-space. In order to prevent a similar issue, additional roll control thrusters have been added along with upgraded hardware with resilience to the blockage. ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-one meters tall and weighs 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ### What is Starship? ![Ship 29 being stacked atop of Booster 11. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GNqZdM5aUAENAP9-1-1.jpg) Ship 29 being stacked atop of Booster 11\. ©SpaceX Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled Starship is believed to weigh 1,300,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. The total burn time for the Starship second-stage remains unknown outside of SpaceX but is known to burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen in its engines. In order to survive re-entry for reuse, Starship has several thousand thermal protection tiles on one side of the vehicle and on all four of its aerodynamic control surfaces. The four control surfaces help guide the vehicle during re-entry and prior to landing inside the atmosphere at a pre-determined location. Starship also has a series of small thrusters to control the vehicle in space before re-entry. SpaceX is believed to be working on a few variants of Starship for use as a Moon lander, propellant tanker, space station, Mars lander, and as a crewed spacecraft. ### What is Super Heavy? ![Booster 11 during a static fire test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GKcV931bMAAvlw1.jpg) Booster 11 during a static fire test. ©SpaceX Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. The total burn time of Super Heavy remains unknown outside of SpaceX but is known to burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen in its engines. To enable the reuse of Super Heavy, the vehicle has four large grid fins placed in the interstage to assist in guiding and controlling during descent. Super Heavy also has four chines running along the lower third of it to generate lift and assist in stabilization. Shortly after completing the ascent, Super Heavy relights ten engines, as three were running during staging, and performs a 'boost back' burn in order to return to the launch site. After the 'boost back' burn is completed the engines shut down with Super Heavy being guided by a series of small thrusters and its grid fins. Once Super Heavy is at the correct altitude above its landing location three engines start back up for the landing burn. SpaceX currently plans to have Super Heavy land in the ocean with launch site landing attempts happening with later flights. Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ### Weekly Dose of Space (12/5-18/5) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-12-5-18-5/ Last updated: 2024-05-19T16:05:07.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw five launches worldwide, four orbital and one sub-orbital. This week also saw more countries joining agreements for deep space exploration. As always, we'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week. ## **SpaceX** Late last week at Starbase Ship 29 arrived at the launch site where it was parked next to Booster 11, which is on the orbital launch mount. Also on the 12th, Ship 31 was conducting tests at the Massey's test site where an anomaly occurred, it's unknown what it was but the Ship was emptied of fuels shortly after with it taking a few hours. On the 14th, Ship 29 was moved away from the orbital launch mount where teams were spotted inspecting the vehicle, it is unknown what they were looking for. Late on the 14th, Ship 31 was moved back to the production site from the Massey's test site, likely for repairs and a thorough investigation. In the early hours of the 15th, Ship 29 was moved back next to the orbital launch mount and into the 'chopsticks'. Ship 29 was later lifted onto Booster 11 shortly after. The same day, flight termination system explosives were delivered to Starbase where they were moved into the designated, and isolated, storage. The 16th saw Booster 11 and Ship 29 conduct a tanking test ahead of a full wet dress rehearsal in the future. ![Ship 29 being lifted onto Booster 11. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GNqZdM5aUAENAP9.jpg) Ship 29 being lifted onto Booster 11\. ©SpaceX ## **Launches This Week** ### *May 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-58* SpaceX kicked off another week of launches with Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1073 making its fifteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' successfully. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-58. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GNbJ-37bsAAMDHz-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-58\. ©SpaceX ### *May 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-7* SpaceX launched another Falcon 9 last week with Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying twenty Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1063 making its eighteenth flight and successfully landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 8-7. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GNkEdDXbAAg8yB9-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for the Starlink Group 8-7\. ©SpaceX ### *May 16th - Soyuz 2.1b with Kosmos 2576* Russia launched a Soyuz 2.1b from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. The Soyuz 2.1b with a Fregat-M upper-stage placed the Kosmos 2576 satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit. ### *May 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-59* SpaceX launched a third Falcon 9 this week with it lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying wenty-three Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1062 making its 21st flight, a new record for a booster, and successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-59. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GN01zZkbYAA6qQq.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Starlink Group 6-59\. ©SpaceX ### *May 19th - New Shepard with NS-25* Blue Origin returned New Shepard to crewed flights on the 19th when the NS-25 lifted off in West Texas carrying the six-person crew above the Kármán line. Onboard were Ed Dwight, Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, Kenneth Hess, Carol Schaller, and Gopi Thotakura. ![New Shepard lifting off for the NS-25 mission. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GN8vB4VWsAAIY1I.jpg) New Shepard lifting off for the NS-25 mission. ©Blue Origin ## **In Other Space News** ## *Lituania joins the Artemis Accords* ![Lithuanian Minister of Economy and Innovation, Aušrinė Armonaitė, (center) signing the Artemis Accords with United States Ambassador, Kara C. McDonald, (left) present. ©Lithuanian Innovation Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/lithuaniasign.webp) Lithuanian Minister of Economy and Innovation, Aušrinė Armonaitė, (center) signing the Artemis Accords with United States Ambassador, Kara C. McDonald, (left) present. ©Lithuanian Innovation Agency Lituania has become the latest, and fortieth, country to sign onto the American-led Artemis Accords. The country signed onto the accords on May 15th at the Radisson Blu Lietuva hotel in Vilnius, located in Lithuania. Aušrinė Armonaitė, Lithuanian Minister of Economy and Innovation, commented on the signing saying: > “The Lithuanian space sector has been growing steadily, with our innovative companies working in this field making significant strides,” – “The Artemis Accords mark a new chapter and chart a course for future space exploration, underscoring our commitment to a responsible, sustainable, and cooperative presence in space.” The Artemis Accords were established in 2020 by NASA and the U.S. Department of State along with seven other countries. ## *Serbia joins the ILRS* ![Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia, and Xi Jinping (习近平), President of the People's Republic of China in 2017. ©Getty Images](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/c6091376-bdf1-11eb-9b2e-758b3029e26f_image_hires_173926.png) Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia, and Xi Jinping (习近平), President of the People's Republic of China in 2017\. ©Getty Images On May 10th, Serbia became the newest country to sign onto the Chinese-led International Lunar Research Station. This was done by Serbia’s Ministry of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation who signed a memorandum of understanding with the China National Space Administration on cooperation for the International Lunar Research Station. Serbia is the fourteenth country to join the International Research Station. The other members are: Nicaragua, Turkey, Kenya, Ethiopia, Thailand, Egypt, Belarus, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, South Africa, Venezuela, Russia, and China. The signatories part of the International Lunar Research Station will aim to build and maintain a scientific experiment facility on the lunar surface that will be visited by robotic spacecraft and people. The robotic stage of the station is expected to start with Chang'e 7 in 2026, with the crewed stage currently expected to start around 2035. ## *Ed Dwight finally reaches space!* ![The crew of the NS-25 mission: (from left to right) Gopi Thotakura, Carol Schaller, Ed Dwight, Sylvain Chiron, Mason Angel, and Ken Hess. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/ns25-training-day-2-crew_gallery.jpg) The crew of the NS-25 mission: (from left to right) Gopi Thotakura, Carol Schaller, Ed Dwight, Sylvain Chiron, Mason Angel, and Ken Hess. ©Blue Origin Edward Joseph Dwight Jr., better known as Ed Dwight, has finally flown to space on May 19th 2024 after waiting sixty years to do so. Ed had previously trained as an astronaut in the U.S. Air Force in the 1960s and applied as a NASA astronaut but never flew due to political reasons. In the time between leaving the U.S. Air Force in 1966, with the rank of Captain, and his flight on New Shepard he has created over 129 memorial sculptures and 18,000 gallery pieces. His flight on New Shepard also made him the oldest person to pass the Kármán line at age 90\. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* With Ship 29 and Booster 11 stacked at the launch site, and having completed a tanking test, it is likely we could see a wet dress rehearsal very soon. This is one of the last tests ahead of the fourth flight. SpaceX still believes that they can launch the fourth flight test of Starship-Super Heavy this month but they are still going through the process of a mishap investigation into the previous flight with the Federal Aviation Administration. ### *May 21st - Kuaizhou-11 with a to-be-announced payload* ExPace is currently believed to be launching a Kuaizhou-11 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying an unknown payload into orbit. ### *May 21st - Falcon 9 with NROL-146* SpaceX is expected to launch a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying a reconnaissance satellite to a currently unknown orbit for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. ### *May 22nd - Electron for 'Ready, Aim, PREFIRE'* Rocket Lab is expected to launch an Electron from Launch Complex 1B carrying one of NASAs Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment satellites to a polar orbit. ### *May 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-62* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch next week with it expected to carry another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster is currently unknown but it is believed to be aiming to land on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *May 25th - Atlas V with Starliner Crewed Flight Test* United Launch Alliance is expected to launch Boeing's Starliner spacecraft into low Earth orbit carrying astronauts Barry Wilmore and Suni Williams onboard. The mission is the first crewed test flight of the Starliner spacecraft, and its second trip to the space station. ### Humanities Journey to Interstellar Space URL: https://proximareport.com/how-humanity-will-reach-for-the-stars/ Last updated: 2024-05-18T16:53:41.000Z Seemingly, since man first looked into the night, we have always yearned to explore the cosmos. But, despite hundreds of thousands of years of evolution, from our earliest ancestors to the present era, we have only recently begun to venture “far” away from our home. At the time of the release of this article, the furthest man-made object, Voyager 1, is roughly 24.3 billion kilometers (15.1 billion miles) or 162.7 Astronomical Units (AU) from Earth. Voyager 1 was launched back in 1977 and after some 35 years of coasting through the solar system, it finally entered "interstellar space" after it ventured beyond the Sun's heliopause. The heliopause is the theoretical boundary for the Sun's heliosphere. In essence, the heliosphere is the region in space under the influence of the magnetic field and solar wind of the host star(s). Thus, any spacecraft that crosses the heliopause, traveling into the interstellar medium, has officially entered interstellar space. While humanity technically reached interstellar space in 2012, very little is known about the region just beyond the heliopause. This has to do with the fact that the Voyager probes were intended to be outer planet explorers, not interstellar ones. While the journey to interstellar space was an added benefit, it wasn’t the primary objective. By the time the Voyagers reached the edge of the heliosphere, it had been over 40 years since they first left home. At this point in their life span, their RTGs were outputting far less power, meaning most of the science equipment onboard was shut down to ensure the spacecraft could stay in contact with Earth. Thus, very little is known about the outer heliosphere, the heliopause, and the region just beyond this boundary. That is where the John Hopkins University of Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL) proposed interstellar probe comes into play. This mission proposal intends to push humanity further into the cosmos than ever before. ## Science Objectives ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Interstellar_3.webp) One artist depiction of the unnamed Interstellar probe ****Credit: JHUAPL** Of course, any deep space mission needs a spacecraft and despite being nameless at the time of posting, John Hopkin's proposed interstellar probe is quite the spacecraft. The probe would have two main science priorities, one would be the study of the spectral line of hydrogen (or other electron atoms). While the other portion of the scientific payload would be in charge of both visible and infrared imagery of flyby targets. As mentioned above, little is known about the heliopause and what lies beyond, despite the Voyagers passing the invisible boundary between our solar system and the interstellar medium about 8 years ago. Understanding this region will immensely help scientists better understand how a star's magnetic field and solar winds interact with interstellar space. This will also help man piece together how the Universe as a whole works. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/Captureahktyuksf-1.PNG) Overview of the mission (sorry if the image is blurry) ****Credit: JHUAPL** With this information in mind, you can kind of guess what science would be conducted and its purpose. Below are some of the main and potential goals of this proposed mission. ✦ How the heliosphere interacts with both the Sun and Interstellar medium ✦ Uncover the nature of the Interstellar Medium ✦ Viewing the Sun from beyond the heliopause These objectives are the bread and butter of what this mission will do. The main objectives all have to do with adding to information discovered by the Voyager probes. There also is a potential science benefit depending on when the mission is given the green light. Outbound Gas Giant/Dwarf planet flybys could be a secondary point of scientific discovery. Here is the split of science the interstellar probe would conduct: | 30% | Charged Particles | | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------ | --- | | 19% | Field and Waves | | | 14% | Energetic Neutral Atom Imaging | | | 12% | Dust | | | 11% | Neutrals | | | 14% | Lyman-Alpha | | | Hardware Specs of the ProbeRough radio dish size comparison Of course, this interstellar voyager needs to beam back its findings to Earth. That is where its 5m in diameter radio antenna comes into play. This powerful radio transmitter allows for maximum data rates between 365-2592bps. Such a wide data rate discrepancy is mainly caused by distance, but other factors can slow it down. Still, this is an immensely high data rate at the absurd distances the probe intends to go. For comparison, New Horizon has a data rate maximum of 800bps and Voyager only 160bps. Not only will the spacecraft have better data rate maximums, but it can achieve these rates at further distances. However, it is important to note that these numbers account for the next generation Very Large Array (ngVLA). If the probe has to use the Deep Space Network (DSN) instead, it would likely achieve much smaller data rates, as ngVLA has more sensitive radio dishes.To make sure both the science can be collected and sent back home, the probe needs a fair bit of power. This power would be supplied by two 16-module NextGen RTGs with a shunt regulation unit. The Shunt unit ensures a stable voltage output from the unstable power input. This architecture is similar to that seen on New Horizon and the Parker Solar Probe, so it is not an unproven technology. New Horizon and her RTGs (sorry if the image is blurry) Credit: NASA/JPLIn all, the probe weighs about 860kgs (1900lbs) at launch and has an estimated cost of 1.7 billion USD; with an additional 230 million USD every decade for operational costs. Launch hardwareWhile the science objectives and probe hardware are just one part of the puzzle; escaping the Sun's gravity is no easy feat and while it has been done, it takes IMMENSE power to achieve. That is why the team at Hopkins envisions this interstellar explorer to be flung out of our solar system on board an SLS Block 2, with an Atlas V Centaur third stage and a Northrop Grumman STAR 48BV fourth stage. Two potential stack configurations for the mission along with performance for various other potential stacks. Credit: JHUAPLThis pairing would be absolutely monstrous, especially considering the small liftoff mass of the probe. SLS Block 2 is planned to be capable of lifting up to 130 metric tons to LEO, the interstellar probe, weighing in at 890kgs is only 0.65% of that. Of course, once you account for the weight of the third and fourth stages it isn't so absurd (\~19%), but this really highlights just how much power is needed for such a mission.Trajectory and launch datesWhile all this delta-v isn't needed to escape the solar system necessarily, it allows for a higher exit speed. This means the heliopause and interstellar medium can be reached earlier in the mission. The earlier the probe reaches the outer parts of the solar system, the healthier the RTGs powering the probe are. Two example trajectories to help propel the spacecraft to interstellar space Credit: JHUAPLDue to the mission's uncertainty, the team at Johns Hopkins has to prepare for many possible trajectories. As it stands those working on this mission proposal assume the launch would occur within the years of 2036-2041\. The baseline trajectory using a Jupiter gravity assist would launch sometime in the year 2036, but this can differ depending on when the probe is actually ready to launch. Because launch windows are crucial and aerospace is full of delays, secondary trajectories in the following years are also accounted for. As mentioned above, science gained from outer planet flybys could be an added benefit depending on when the probe begins its voyage. Timeline of events | Event | Met | | Launch | September 2036 | | | JGA | 0.78 year | | | 100 AU | 14.8 years | | | 344 AU | 50 years | | | 1000 AU | 144.7 years | | | If the interstellar traveler launches sometime within the year 2036 it will reach 100 AU in less than 15 years. For comparison, it took Voyager 1 about 30 years to reach the 100 AU mark. Alternate time frames for various launch dates Credit: JHUAPLLike most space missions redundancy is planned from the get-go, so other launch dates have their estimated time frames accounted for. Closing remarksTo wrap everything up, the John Hopkins interstellar probe is an amazing mission proposal that would do a lot of good for very little cost. In my opinion, it truly would be one of man's greatest feats as it would be the first, true interstellar mission. If this mission comes to fruition, we could genuinely see another "pale blue dot" level photo, as the probe faces its cameras toward Sol and snaps a photo of our star. Ignoring the potential flyby of Kuiper Belt Objects, the additional science collected at the Jovian system and the core mission in itself has immense value. And while the Voyagers that came before it were the first to step beyond our solar system, the interstellar probe would truly mark the beginning of man's interstellar era. | | | ### China delays launch of Xuntian space telescope to late 2026 URL: https://proximareport.com/china-delays-launch-of-xuntian-space-telescope-to-late-2026/ Last updated: 2024-05-17T11:34:09.000Z Yesterday, the 16th of May, the [South China Morning Post](https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3262886/chinas-giant-xuntian-space-telescope-faces-further-delay-until-late-2026?campaign=3262886&module=perpetual%5Fscroll%5F0&pgtype=article&ref=proximareport.com), referred to as SCMP from here, was able to verify with those close to the program that the launch of the Xuntian (巡天) space telescope has been delayed to late 2026\. Unofficial reports about a delay were shared on the 14th of May after two presentation slides from the Chinese Space Station Telescope Science Conference, in Hangzhou, were leaked online. This is the second delay Xuntian has faced in the last six months, after its launch was delayed from late-2023 to mid-2025 in [November of 2023](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/china-delays-launch-of-its-xuntian-space-telescope/?ref=proximareport.com). Based on the leaked presentation slides, several major components of the space telescope have been completed and are undergoing pre-launch testing. According to the slides, the timeline from now until the launch is as follows: - By December 30th 2024, comprehensive thermal testing of major components will be completed. - By January 30th 2025, general inspections of major components will be completed. - By late February 2025, the Xuntian space telescope will be joined together, between the instrument section and service module. - By late May 2025, various integration tests will be completed on a fully assembled spacecraft. - By early May 2026, pre-launch vibration tests will be completed. - By late September 2026, the Xuntian space telescope will be shipped to the Wenchang Space Launch Site. - By December 21st 2026, the Xuntian space telescope will be in 'launch status' ahead of a launch to low Earth orbit atop of a Long March 5B. Xuntian will operate in low Earth orbit after launch in a co-orbit with the Tiangong Space Station to allow for occasional servicing by crews onboard. Its main instrument will feature a 2.5-billion-pixel camera to allow it to survey up to forty percent of the sky over its initial ten-year planned mission. ### What is Xuntian? The Xuntian (巡天) space telescope, or Survey the Heavens in English, is a 2-meter aperture space telescope planned to be operated by the China National Space Administration. The dry mass of the space telescope is believed to be 15,500 kilograms. The primary mission for Xuntian will be high-resolution large-area multiband imaging, slitless spectroscopy surveys, and for precise cosmology. Xuntian has a total of five instruments [onboard](https://www.sciengine.com/CSB/doi/10.1360/TB-2021-0016;JSESSIONID=6af27db9-633e-4362-8525-096d51f213a2?ref=proximareport.com) for its mission: a survey camera, a terahertz receiver, a multichannel imager, an integral field spectrograph, and a cool planet imaging coronagraph. ![A model of the Xuntian space telescope at the National Museum of China. ©Shujianyang/Wikimedia Commons](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/Xuntian_Combined.png) A model of the Xuntian space telescope at the National Museum of China. ©[Shujianyang/Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Shujianyang?ref=proximareport.com) For servicing and repair, Xuntian will occasionally dock with the Tiangong Space Station so astronauts can maintain the telescope. NASA's Hubble space telescope has been serviced in the past due to it being in low Earth orbit, however each servicing required a new launch of crew and cargo. ### The Chang'e 6 samples: Why Apollo Basin? URL: https://proximareport.com/the-change-6-samples-why-apollo-basin/ Last updated: 2024-05-14T14:52:53.000Z With Chang'e 6 in lunar orbit after a perfect launch, there are a couple of looming questions that remain. Why on the dark side of the moon? Why such a complex mission? Why is it landing in the Apollo Basin? The landing site chosen for the Chang'e 6 mission holds significant importance both from an engineering and scientific perspective. Situated in the southern half of the Apollo basin rim within the larger SPA( South Pole-Aitken ) basin on the Moon. The SPA basin, the largest known impact basin on the Moon, is ancient, dating back approximately 4.3 billion years. It's believed to have material from the lunar mantle, resulting in a distinctive surface composition characterized by iron and thorium anomalies and pyroxene-dominated mineralogy. Despite later geological processes potentially altering the original material, the surface of SPA still retains its uniqueness. This basin has been divided into mineralogical zones, with distinct trends in composition from inner to outer annuli. ![Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/Chang-e-6-site-CNSA.png) The Apollo basin, situated within SPA, formed around 3.9 to 4.1 billion years ago. Its location suggests differences in composition between its northeastern and southwestern rims. Previous studies indicate that the interior of the Apollo basin contains materials from both impact events and volcanic activities, offering a mix of geological features. The CE-6 landing zone lies at the boundary between the central region SPA compositional anomaly and the Mg-pyroxene-rich annulus. This positioning provides an opportunity to collect diverse samples, potentially including materials from both volcanic and impact events. The area also boasts favorable terrain for landing, with a majority of the region having slopes below the maximum threshold for a safe touchdown. Moreover, the landing zone is rich in craters, with over 26,000 identified within the area, ranging from 100 meters to 1 kilometer in diameter. These craters, along with their associated features like secondary craters and crater chains, offer valuable opportunities for sample collection and enhancing the mission's scientific goals. Furthermore, this landing will be situated on the far side of the moon, which means that Chang'e 6 will have to utilize the relay satellites. The mapping of the Chang'e 6 landing site was performed by the Chang'e 1 and 2 orbiters to create a detailed topography and choose this landing site. China's Chang'e program has been dedicated to increasingly complicated missions and the Chang'e 6 mission will help further technological capabilities for China's future lunar ambitions. These capabilities include docking in lunar orbit, landing in a difficult terrain of the moon covered with craters, and landing with minimal communication. The South Pole–Aitken basin as we've discussed is the largest, deepest, and oldest basin recognized on the Moon. Its discovery dates all the way back to the early Luna and Zond missions. Most importantly, none of the samples obtained from the American Apollo and Russian Luna missions, nor the handful of identified lunar meteorites, have comparable compositions. This means that these Chang'e 6 samples will be significantly different from all other samples gathered from the moon as of writing this article. It utilizes a highly similar architecture to Chang'e 5 and verified technologies from Chang'e 4 thus giving CNSA high confidence for the success of this mission. NASA's GRAIL (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory) mission found that, on average, the far side's crust is 20 kilometers (12 miles) thicker than the near side's crust. The origins of this phenomenon can be traced back approximately 4.5 billion years ago, during the formation of the Moon from debris resulting from a collision between Earth and a Mars-sized protoplanet. As the Moon coalesced from this debris in the vicinity of a battered Earth, it became tidally locked, ensuring that one side perpetually faces our planet. The colossal impact rendered Earth's surface entirely molten, emitting heat towards the near side of the Moon, which remained molten for a longer duration. Scientists propose that rock vaporized on the near side and then condensed on the cooler far side, contributing to the formation of a thicker crust on the far side. However, the landing site for Chang'e 6 will be a region where the lunar mantle is partially available due to volcanic activity. ![undefined](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/Moon_back-view_%28Clementine%2C_cropped%29.png/800px-Moon_back-view_%28Clementine%2C_cropped%29.png) The South Pole–Aitken basin is the darker area at the bottom of this image of the far side of the moon. China, being the only country to ever operate on the far side of the moon's surface, also very likely has more information on the composition of the SPA basin due to analysis from the Yutu-2 rover onboard Chang'e 4. > The fundamental finding indicates that the crustal thickness discrepancy between nearside and far side may be the primary cause of lunar asymmetrical volcanism" said Yuqi Qian of the University of Hong Kong in a statement. Qian is one of the lead authors of a new study that suggests sample material to be brought back to Earth by Chang'e-6 could test this theory. The lunar landscape presents a fascinating puzzle regarding volcanic activity, with crust thickness playing a pivotal role. On the far side of the Moon, where the crust is notably thicker, magma struggles to breach the surface through fractures in the rock. Conversely, areas with thinner crust, like the near side, facilitate magma breakthroughs, leading to volcanic eruptions. However, the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) and Apollo basins, located on the lunar far side, present a perplexing contradiction. Despite their far-side location, these basins have penetrated deeply into the lunar crust, resulting in thinner crust layers at their bases. Although volcanic plains exist within these basins, only a small fraction—around 5%—is covered by basaltic lava flows. This discrepancy challenges the conventional notion that volcanic activity correlates directly with crustal thickness, introducing a longstanding paradox in lunar science. An alternative hypothesis proposes a different explanation, suggesting that the near side of the Moon may harbor a higher concentration of radioactive elements compared to the far side. The presence of these elements could generate additional heat, leading to increased melting in the lower mantle and subsequently more magma production. Consequently, the near side experiences higher levels of volcanism and exhibits a thinner crust compared to its far-side counterpart. This hypothesis offers a compelling perspective on the complex interplay between geological processes and lunar volcanic activity. Nonetheless, by landing on one of the few volcanic plains on the far side, Chang'e-6 can bring back samples to directly test such theories. In particular, the region of the Apollo basin where Chang'e-6 will land contains diverse materials that warrant investigation. > The result of our research is a great contribution to the Chang'e-6 lunar mission" said Zhao. > It sets a geological framework for completely understanding the soon-returned Chang'e-6 samples and will be a key reference for the upcoming sample analysis for Chinese scientists." As humanity sends more missions delving into the deep dark of space with more complex objectives, we should all wish Chang'e 6 a safe landing. As the landing of Chang'e 6 will be a massive achievement for scientific discovery. ### Space Farming: The Unspoken Benefits URL: https://proximareport.com/space-farming-the-unspoken-benefits/ Last updated: 2024-05-12T17:59:33.000Z A lot of people get skeptical when hearing the term "space farming", and they're right. Ever since the Agricultural Revolution 30,000 years ago, humans have only ever farmed on the soil of our home planet Earth. However, with our advancing technology, we can grow crops in our space stations and labs. As odd as it sounds, there are surprisingly many benefits and reasons to explore this world of science. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/spacefarming.webp) The interior of the Biomass Production Chamber at Kennedy replicated the closed growing environment astronauts will use in space or on other planets to grow fresh crops. As the first controlled environment vertical farm in the United States, the chamber helped NASA provide critical data for the indoor farming industry. NASA scientists Bill Knott, left, and Tom Dreschel examine the growth of crops. ****Credits: NASA** ## What is space farming? Space farming is the process of cultivating crops outside of Earth, such as on space stations or other planets. It studies how plants grow in microgravity by conducting various research and controlling the environmental conditions in which the plants are being grown. Space farming dates back to the 20th century, when "specially developed strains of seeds" were launched on a U.S. V-2 rocket (which was never recovered, by the way). The first successful agricultural space mission occurred on the 30th of July 1946, when maize seeds were launched and recovered. Furthermore, most plant experiments and research took place on the International Space Station (ISS), including NASA's Vegetable Production System (Veggie). Many plants such as lettuces, radishes, cabbage, and peas were tested during these experiments. ## Why growing food in space matters ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/astronaut-serena-harvest-iss.webp) Astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor harvests red Russian kale and dragoon lettuce from Veggie on Nov. 28, 2018, just in time for Thanksgiving. ****Credit: ESA** When traveling to space for long periods, astronauts are provided with nutritious food to keep them strong and healthy throughout their entire flight. However, when it comes to deep space travel and landing on other planets, it is important that they can grow their food to ensure their needs are met, and reduce the payload of the spaceship. Moreover, it has been proven that agriculture can improve the mental health of astronauts, as it provides a reminder of their home: Earth. ## Space agriculture could solve the global food crisis According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the number of food-insecure people could reach 840 million by 2030\. Adding up, climate change is directly impacting plant growth, therefore causing a major threat to food security. To avoid these catastrophic events, experts are searching for more sustainable ways of growing crops using less energy, chemicals, and fertilizers to reach people located in less developed regions of the world. One of the proposed solutions was space farming, as it significantly reduces environmental impacts. > **Plants grown aeroponically require far less water and fertilizer, don't need pesticide, are much less prone to disease, and grow up to three times faster than plants grown in soil**. Loura Hall, August 10, 2015, "Space farming yields a crop of benefits for Earth" NASA article While in-space farming could not only help food security back on Earth, technological advances can significantly impact agriculture, biotechnology, robotics, and many more areas in STEM fields in the near future. For example, satellite technology can identify threats of early pests and reduce the need for fertilizers, therefore increasing crop yield globally. According to the World Economic Forum, if these solutions are applied on a large scale, around 800 million tonnes of crops could be saved from damage annually. Furthermore, 2.8 billion liters of fresh water and 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions could be avoided as the need for fertilizers is reduced. New solutions for cost reduction, productivity enhancement, and resource management could open new doors of opportunity for the world of agriculture. ## The economic potential Space agriculture has the potential for commercialization and the development of new industries, both in space and back at home. Therefore providing more job opportunities for people interested in STEM fields and enhancing food production sustainably and efficiently. This ongoing innovation seems to be the key to solving major world problems and food shortages around the globe, even if the idea itself sounds strange at first. ***Thank you for reading, hope you learned something new!*** ### Weekly Dose of Space (5/5-11/5) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-5-5-11-5/ Last updated: 2024-05-12T16:38:01.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw six launches worldwide, with a fifty-fifty split between the U.S. and China. This week also saw the latest lunar exploration mission enter lunar orbit along with auroras heading south due to a rare phenomenon. As always, we'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase started on the 7th when the Ship static fire stand was moved from the Massey's test site to the production site. A few hours later Ship 30 performed a partial fuel load alongside testing of the launch site's fuelling systems. Not long after that, Ship 26 was lifted onto the Ship static fire stand in the production site. In the early hours of the 8th, Ship 26 was taken from the production site to the Massey's test site atop of the Ship static fire stand. The 8th also saw Ship 30 fire up all six of its engines on suborbital Pad B for a static fire test ahead of the fifth flight of Starship-Super Heavy, the fourth flight is still yet to happen. ![Ship 30 during its six-engine static fire. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GNFa77rboAQVyNm.jpg) Ship 30 during its six-engine static fire. ©SpaceX On the 10th, Ship 30 was lifted off of suborbital Pad B ahead of being transported back to the production site. A few hours later Ship 30 was rolled from the launch site back to the production site. That evening, Booster 11 was rolled out from the production site to the launch site. Early in the morning of the 11th, Ship 31 also left the production site and headed to the Massey's test site. The 11th also saw Booster 11 being lifted onto the orbital launch mount for testing. Ship 29 was also moved to the launch site at the very end of the week, where it is now waiting to be stacked atop of Booster 11\. ## **Launches This Week** ### *May 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-57* SpaceX once again started the launches this week with a Falcon 9 carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1069 making its fifteenth flight and successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 6-57. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GM66EU3bQAEbxmL.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 6-57\. ©SpaceX ### *May 7th - Long March 6C on its debut flight* The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology debuted its new Long March 6C launch vehicle from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying four payloads into a sun-synchronus orbit. For more on the Long March 6C and its first launch click [here.](https://proximareport.com/long-march-6c-debut/) ![The Long March 6C Y1 vehicle during first-stage flight.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/0077Nzxhly1hpgt6gv14qj31du22q17e-1.jpg) The Long March 6C Y1 vehicle during first-stage flight. ### *May 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-56* SpaceX launched another twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit at of Falcon 9 from Florida, this time from Launch Complex 39A. The booster for this mission was B1083 making its third flight and successfully landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for Starlink Group 6-56. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GNFN2f8aIAIe_8z-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for Starlink Group 6-56\. ©SpaceX ### *May 9th - Long March 3B/E with Smart SkyNet 1A & 1B* Another rocket launched from China this week with a Long March 3B/E flying from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center to medium Earth orbit. The two Smart SkyNet satellites will test communications technologies in space before launching more satellites later in the year. For more on the launch and payloads click [here.](https://proximareport.com/china-cz-3b-y97/) ![The Long March 3B/E Y97 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/640f-1.png) The Long March 3B/E Y97 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ### *May 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-2* Another Falcon 9 launched during the week with it delivering twenty Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for this mission was B1082 making its fourth flight and successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for Starlink Group 8-2. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GNMe-_QaQAAHZL8.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for Starlink Group 8-2\. ©SpaceX ### *May 11th - Long March 4C with Shiyan-23* The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology launched a second rocket during the week with a Long March 4C lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to a sun-synchronus orbit. The payload was Shiyan-23 which is believed to be operated by the Chinese military. ![The Long March 4C Y50 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/CZ4C-Y50-Liftoff.png) The Long March 4C Y50 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ## **In Other Space News** ## *Chang'e 6 enters lunar orbit!* ![The Moon as seen by ICUBE-Q. ©China National Space Administration/SUPARCO](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GNNUZpfXAAAj0BE.jpg) The Moon as seen by ICUBE-Q. ©China National Space Administration/SUPARCO Chang'e 6 has become the latest spacecraft to enter lunar orbit after successfully completing a braking burn on May 8th at 02:12 am Universal Coordinated Time. In lunar orbit, the spacecraft will perform a few more burns to place it in the optimal orbit for the lander's descent, and later for rendevous and docking between the orbiter and ascent module. The Chang'e 6 spacecraft also deployed the ICUBE-Q CubeSat from Pakistan in lunar orbit on May 8th. The ICUBE-Q spacecraft will search for ice on the surface using its two optical cameras to image the lunar surface. Reportedly, ICUBE-Q was jointly developed by Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Pakistan's Institute of Space Technology. The Chang'e 6 lander aims to land and collect samples from the southern side of the Apollo Basin, at 43.0°S 154.0°W, sometime in mid to late May. If all goes according to plan the samples are expected to touch down safely on Earth no earlier than June 25th in China's Inner Mongolia region. For more about the Chang'e mission and other international payloads click [here.](https://proximareport.com/change-6-moon-bound/) ## *Solar storm causes auroras to head south* ![An aurora seen in Weimar, Germany, near midnight. ©CFP](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/4847c4df157d40c7b1e86536bcedd2be.jpeg) An aurora seen in Weimar, Germany, near midnight. ©CFP Auroras, sometimes referred to as 'the northern lights', were spotted as far south as Florida on May 10th after a series of coronal mass ejections from the Sun. These coronal mass ejections lead to a series of warnings being issued from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center and China's National Center for Space Weather with it being classified as an 'extreme' geomagnetic storm. The storm is harmless to almost all people on Earth along with those in low Earth orbit aboard the International Space Station and Tiangong Space Station. It did however cause some interference with electrical and radio systems in Earth's atmosphere while disrupting satellites directly in the path of the coronal mass ejection. ## *Cosmic Store launches!* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/COSMIC-STORE.png) Some products that can be found on our store! (note: a portion of the proceeds go to various non-profit organizations) Saturday was a big day for us, as we released [our store](https://store.cosmicnxws.com/?ref=proximareport.com)! There are a bunch of cool products on there, such as posters, patches, notebooks, and some Cosmic Nxws branded apparel! But, we wanted to do more, so a portion of all proceeds go to various non-profit organizations, helping young minds and women across the globe pursue a career in STEM! There is a lot more to expect from this store, with new products rolling out in the coming days! So stay tuned and keep up to date with our twitter for more information. To help show our love for all the people who read our weekly space recaps, use this discount code: CNWDOS! and get 15% off your order! ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* With Booster 11 at on the orbital launch mount, and Ship 29 next to it at the launch site, its likely that we could see a wet dress rehearsal with both vehicles soon. This is one of the last tests ahead of the fourth flight. SpaceX still believes that they can launch the fourth flight test of Starship-Super Heavy this month but they are still going through the process of a mishap investigation into the previous flight with the Federal Aviation Administration. ### *May 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-58* SpaceX is believed to be planning to launch another batch of Starlink satellites atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster is believed to be B1073 making its fifteenth flight where it will land downrange on a drone ship. ### *May 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-7* Another Falcon 9 is believed to be launching a day later from Space Launch Complex 4E carrying more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster is currently unknown but it is believed to be aiming to land on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *May 17th - Atlas V with Starliner Crewed Flight Test* United Launch Alliance is expected to launch Boeing's Starliner spacecraft into low Earth orbit carrying astronauts Barry Wilmore and Suni Williams onboard. The mission is the first crewed test flight of the Starliner spacecraft, and its second trip to the space station. ### *May 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-59* Yet another Falcon 9 is believed to be targeting a launch next week, currently the booster and launch pad for the mission are unknown. It is still believed that the booster will land downrange on a drone ship. ### China launches new experimental communication satellites URL: https://proximareport.com/china-cz-3b-y97/ Last updated: 2024-05-09T19:52:47.000Z China has continued to ramp up its launch cadence for 2024 with a Long March 3B/E lifting off at 09:43 am China Standard Time, or 01:43 am Universal Coordinated Time, from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, located in the country's Sichuan province, on May 9th. The launch vehicle carried two satellites to a medium Earth orbit, Smart SkyNet (智慧天网) 1A and 1B. The Smart SkyNet 1A and 1B satellites will operate in a 20,000-kilometer medium Earth orbit where they will perform technology verification and testing ahead of the launch of the operational Smart SkyNet (智慧天网) constellation. Smart SkyNet 1A has a 'multi-beam high-speed' microwave link and a two-way laser link, as well as an onboard digital processing and forwarding platform. Smart SkyNet 1B also has a laser link that it will use for testing with the 1A satellite. ![One of the Smart SkyNet satellites undergoing final testing in a clean room.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/00686eaKgy1hpj28ywkp0j30zk0np131.jpg) One of the Smart SkyNet satellites undergoing final testing in a clean room. Once operational, the two satellites will perform inter-satellite and space-to-ground tests. These two satellites are expected to be part of a technology demonstration mission that will lay the basis for a group of eight satellites to be launched in the coming years. Smart SkyNet's 1A and 1B satellites were built by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology for Tsingshen Technology, based out of Shanghai and with connections to Tsinghua University. Tsingshen Technology is considering a second group of Smart Skynet satellites once the initial group of eight is done for a total of sixteen, as well as four groups for thirty-two if demand for the network is high enough. The Smart SkyNet (智慧天网) constellation will also help China's space-based internet infrastructure development as it can act as a link between low and high Earth orbit satellites, of which they are currently looking to launch two low Earth orbit internet constellations and already operate the BeiDou network of communications satellites. These separate constellations working together could also support 6G communications worldwide, including direct data links from the Antarctic to mainland China. The Long March 3B/E launch vehicle delivering the two satellites to their desired orbit also had an improvement made since previous missions. This was the first use of a Ka-band space-based measurement subsystem, replacing the S-band system. The new system has a higher bandwidth than the previous system and can achieve a higher speed of data transmission to the ground. ![The Long March 3B/E Y97 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/twittervid.com_Cstechbeat_a766e9-ezgif.com-video-to-gif-converter.gif) The Long March 3B/E Y97 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. This launch was also China's 21st of the year as it aims to perform 100 launches in 2024\. It was also the 521st launch of a Long March series launch vehicle. ### What is the Long March 3B/E? The Long March 3B/E is a three-stage rocket manufactured by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology that burns Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine in its first and second stages as well as its boosters. The third-stage burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. ![The Long March 3B/E Y97 vehicle during first-stage flight.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/008iEnCgly1hpj2hy8yukj34mo2lsq7g-1.jpg) The Long March 3B/E Y97 vehicle during first-stage flight. The Long March 3B/E is claimed as being able to lift up to 11,500 kilograms to a low Earth orbit, 7,100 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit, 5,500 kilograms to a geosynchronous transfer orbit, 2,000 kilograms to a geostationary orbit, or 3,300 kilograms to a heliocentric orbit. The first-stage is powered by four YF-21C engines generating 302 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine for two minutes and thirty-eight seconds. Around the first-stage are four boosters, each powered by one YF-25 engine generating 75 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine for two minutes and twenty seconds. These four boosters have a combined thrust of 302 tons of thrust. The boosters and first-stage have a combined thrust of 604 tons. ![One of the boosters of the Long March 3B/E launch vehicle.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/640c-1-1.png) One of the boosters of the Long March 3B/E launch vehicle. One YF-24E engine powers the launch vehicle's second-stage, which burns unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and dinitrogen tetroxide for three minutes and five seconds while generating 80 tons of thrust. The third-stage is powered by two YF-75 engines that generate 17 tons of thrust while burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for seven minutes and fifty-eight seconds. On the launch pad, the launch vehicle weighs 458,970 kilograms fully fuelled, and stands 56.3 meters tall. ### Long March 6C debuts from Taiyuan! URL: https://proximareport.com/long-march-6c-debut/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T20:03:53.000Z Lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center at 11:21 am China Standard Time, or 03:21 am Universal Coordinated Time, was China's newest launch vehicle. The Long March 6C flew from Launch Complex 9A carrying four payloads into a sun-synchronus orbit. The four payloads onboard for the debut flight were: - Haiwangxing-01 - A 239-kilogram X-band synthetic aperture radar satellite built by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology for Zhihui Space Tech. - Zhixing-1C - A X-band radar satellite for Smart Satellite Technology. - Two other imaging satellites were reportedly also onboard, but little was shared about them. Minimal modification appears to have been done at Launch Complex 9A to support the launch of the Long March 6C. This is due to it sharing significant hardware heritage with the Long March 6A, in both stages engines and the first-stage structure. ![The Long March 6C during first-stage flight.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/008fvaT0ly1hpgt7tg97kg30dc0a0kjm.gif) The Long March 6C during first-stage flight. According to the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, the launch vehicle is the first in China to adopt 'adaptive augmented control' which allows the vehicle to aim for the most optimal flight path. The second-stage of the rocket is also a new development as the fuel tanks have made both space and mass savings compared to other similarly sized stages, which had the knock-on effect of improving the performance of the rocket. This launch was the 20th of the year and the 520th of a Long March rocket overall. China is currently aiming for one-hundred launches this year. ![Launch Mission patch for the Long March 6C Y1.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/640f.png) Launch Mission patch for the Long March 6C Y1. ## What is the Long March 6C? The Long March 6C is a two-stage launch vehicle burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, along with being the newest rocket in the Long March series. It is manufactured by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, who also manufacture the Long March 6 and 6A which the rocket is derived from. ![The Long March 6C Y1 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 9A from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/0077Nzxhly1hpgt8uiiqlj32b33gn7wj-1.jpg) The Long March 6C Y1 vehicle lifting off from Launch Complex 9A from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. It is believed that the Long March 6C is capable of delivering 2,400 kilograms of payload to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, or 2,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. The first-stage is powered by two YF-100 engines to generate a combined thrust of approximately 244 tons of thrust, while burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The first-stage is reportedly 3.35 meters in diameter. The second-stage is powered by a single YF-115 engine generating 18 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The second-stage is believed to be 2.9 meters in diameter. ![The Long March 6C's first and second stages during integration with engineers from the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GM8qXwzWMAAtvrl-1.jpg) The Long March 6C's first and second stages during integration with engineers from the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. On the launchpad, the rocket reportedly weighs 215,000 kilograms and is forty-three meters tall. The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology has not shared the burn time for either of the stages, at the time of writing. ## Why so many Long March rockets? Introducing new rockets is not a trivial process and requires overlap between the old and new launch vehicles. New launch vehicles also need to prove their reliability and safety while carrying payloads. China's state-owned launch vehicle providers and manufacturers are working towards the country's goal of phasing out its hypergolic fuelled launch vehicles. These new rockets are designed to burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen instead of Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The new rockets are the Long March 5, Long March 6, Long March 7, Long March 8, Long March 10, and Long March 12 series' of rockets. But why move away from the older Long March vehicles? The fuel of the older Long March launch vehicles are Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine, both of which are dangerous to be around without specialist protective equipment. They were also designed in the 1970s and 1980s so production methods and design techniques have improved massively since, especially in China which is now a world-class manufacturer. ### Weekly Dose of Space (28/4-4/5) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-28-4-4-5/ Last updated: 2024-05-05T17:15:17.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw four launches worldwide, with one headed out into deep space. This week also saw news of space science and new commercial space capabilities. As always, we'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase started on the 29th, when Booster 13's liquid oxygen tank also underwent a cryo-proofing test at the Massey's test site, SpaceX also did not comment on the testing. A day later on the 30th, SpaceX conducted a fast-moving test of the 'chopsticks' along with the tank farm. Also late on the 30th, Ship 30 was rolled out from the production site to the launch site, where it was placed onto suborbital Pad B. Two days later on the 2nd of May, Booster 13 was rolled from the Massey's test site to the production site, the booster has completed cryo tests of both tanks at Massey's. Also on the 2nd, teams were seen partially demolishing the wall that houses the 'Gateway to Mars' sign, it's unknown if the entire wall will be demolished to build a second launch pad. The ship quick disconnect arm was also seen performing a retraction test on the same day. ## **Launches This Week** ### *April 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-54* This week's launches started with a Falcon 9 launching twenty-three Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1076 making its thirteenth flight and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during ascent for Starlink Group 6-54. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GMScYHjaEAEuKrA.jpg) Falcon 9 during ascent for Starlink Group 6-54\. ©SpaceX ### *May 2nd - Falcon 9 with WorldView Legion 1 & 2* SpaceX launched two WorldView Legion for Maxar into sun-synchronus orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, atop of Falcon 9\. The booster for this mission was B1061 making its twentieth flight and landing back at Landing Zone 4 at the Vandenberg Space Force Base. ![Booster B1067 landing at Landing Zone 4. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GMoJWtqaMAAJ8af-1-1.jpg) Booster B1067 landing at Landing Zone 4\. ©SpaceX ### *May 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-55* Another twenty-three Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1067 making its nineteenth flight and landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 6-55. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GMoJYFdaIAAwUWV.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 6-55\. ©SpaceX ### *May 3rd - Long March 5 with Chang'e 6* China kicked off its Chang'e 6 lunar far-side sample return mission from LC-101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, located in the province of Hainan. The mission is part of the country's fourth phase of its lunar exploration program and the first mission aiming to retrieve samples from the far-side of the Moon. For more about the launch, mission, and spacecraft click [here.](https://proximareport.com/change-6-moon-bound/) ![The Long March 5 Y8 vehicle lifting off from LC-101 for the Chang'e 6 mission. ©China National Space Administration](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GMqfj5BaYAEBYf7.jpg) The Long March 5 Y8 vehicle lifting off from LC-101 for the Chang'e 6 mission. ©China National Space Administration ## **In Other Space News** ## *SpaceX unveils EVA suit* ![The SpaceX extravehicular activity suit. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GMvd5rMW0AAYdrO.jpg) The SpaceX extravehicular activity suit. ©SpaceX SpaceX unveiled its extravehicular activity suit on May 4th with the Polaris Dawn crew. The suit is based on the company's intravehicular activity suit that astronauts wear inside of the Crew Dragon spacecraft. The suit's visor is externally coated with copper and indium tin oxide to provide thermal insulation and act like sunglasses while on the sun-lit side of Earth, the inside of the visor also has a heads-up display to show the astronaut inside temperature, humidity, and suit pressure. This new suit also uses a new textile-based thermal garment material which provides greater mobility along with thermal management. These suits won't feature onboard life support systems however and will remain tethered to the Crew Dragon spacecraft. Four of these suits will be used on the Polaris Dawn mission later in the year as two members of the crew perform the first privately funded spacewalk. ## *Shenzhou-17 experiment samples delivered* ![A scientist investigating a sample from the Shenzhou-17 mission. ©Science and Technology Daily](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/600baa7e1d4743b5990ef57fcdd498fd.png) A scientist investigating a sample from the Shenzhou-17 mission. ©Science and Technology Daily Samples from experiments performed on the Shenzhou-17 mission have reportedly been delivered to the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on May 1st. The delivery reportedly only took eight hours from touchdown to handover. These samples are believed to have come from experiments on human bone cells, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, protein crystals, living organic molecules, and seeds. Material samples were also reportedly delivered. Scientists in China will conduct analyses of the samples to look for new ways to prevent disease and mitigate the decay of the human body in microgravity. They will also diffract protein samples in hopes of obtaining higher accuracy three-dimensional structures of the proteins for use in drug and vaccine development. ## *First crewed Starliner moved to launchpad* ![Starliner atop of an Atlas V at Space Launch Complex 41. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/roll-to-pad-atlas-v-starliner-cft_53697483557.jpg) Starliner atop of an Atlas V at Space Launch Complex 41\. ©United Launch Alliance United Launch Alliance has moved an Atlas V onto the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 ahead of launch on May 7th. This launch will be carrying the Boeing Starliner spacecraft for its first crewed mission with astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams onboard. The mission will demonstrate the full end-of-end capabilities of the Starliner spacecraft to deliver crews to and from the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. Boeing's Starliner is one of two commercial crew vehicles under NASA's Commercial Crew Program, the other is SpaceX's Crew Dragon which performed a similar mission almost four years ago. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX believes that they can launch the fourth flight test of Starship-Super Heavy this month. Both vehicles, Ship 29 and Booster 11, for the next flight have performed static fires with a wet dress rehearsal expected ahead of the flight. However, the company is still going through the process of a mishap investigation into the previous flight with the Federal Aviation Administration. ### *May 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-56* SpaceX is expected to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission is currently unknown, but a downrange drone ship landing is expected. ### *May 7th - Atlas V with Starliner Crewed Flight Test* United Launch Alliance is expected to launch Boeing's Starliner spacecraft into low Earth orbit carrying astronauts Barry Wilmore and Suni Williams onboard. The mission is the first crewed test flight of the Starliner spacecraft, and its second trip to the space station. ### *May 7th - Long March 6C on its debut flight* The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology is believed to be debuting its Long March 6C rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, it will be the third member of the Long March 6 series of launch vehicles. The payload onboard the rocket is currently unknown. ### *May 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-57* Another Starlink mission is expected next week atop of a Falcon 9 flying from Launch Complex 39A. The booster for this mission is also unknown, but a landing on a drone ship is expected. ### *May 8th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-2* A third Starlink launch is also expected to launch, this launch will be from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster for the missions is unknown, but it is expected to land on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *May 9th - Long March 3B/YZ-1 with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 3B rocket is expected to launch with a Yuanzheng-1 upper-stage from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The payload is unknown but the launch is believed to be headed to a medium Earth orbit. ### Chang'e 6 is Moon-bound after a perfect launch! URL: https://proximareport.com/change-6-moon-bound/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T20:04:14.000Z China kicked off its Chang'e 6 lunar far-side sample return mission at 17:27 pm China Standard Time, or 09:27 am Universal Coordinated Time, from LC-101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, in the southern province of Hainan. This mission is part of the country's fourth phase of its lunar exploration program. Despite rain moving into the launch site, the Long March 5 vehicle carrying the Chang'e 6 lifted off at the start of its launch window. Ascent into low Earth orbit atop of the launch vehicle occurred as planned with the weather providing no effect on the launch, the Long March 5 is designed to launch in inclement weather conditions. After a short coast phase in Earth orbit, the Long March 5's second-stage engines relit and performed the trans-lunar trajectory burn as planned. The Chang'e 6 spacecraft separated from the second-stage not long after the end of the burn. Chang'e 6 also unfolded solar panels on the orbiter and lander ahead of appearing from Earth's shadow. ![The Long March 5 Y8 vehicle lifting off from LC-101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site carrying Chang'e 6. ©China National Space Administration](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/GMqWegAbkAAiGN5.jpg) The Long March 5 Y8 vehicle lifting off from LC-101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site carrying Chang'e 6\. ©China National Space Administration So far the launch mission has been declared a success by the China National Space Administration, but the mission is just beginning. The length of the mission is reportedly fifty-three days, with ten of those being heading to and returning from the Moon. This mission is also hoping to achieve a world-first, collecting and returning surface samples from the far-side of the Moon, the Chang'e 6 spacecraft is reportedly going to return 2,000 grams of surface samples. The far side of the Moon largely unexplored, compared to the near-side, due to the requirement of relay satellites to communicate with spacecraft there. China has two relay satellites around the Moon, with the second launched back in [March](https://proximareport.com/china-queqiao-2/). Wu Weiren, Cheif Designer of China's Lunar Exploration Program, commented on the significance of the mission to Xinhua saying: > "Collecting and returning samples from the far side of the moon is an unprecedented feat. Now we know very little about the moon's far side. If the Chang'e-6 mission can achieve its goal, it will provide scientists with the first direct evidence to understand the environment and material composition of the far side of the moon, which is of great significance" Chang'e 6 is aiming to collect the samples after a landing in mid-May from the southern side of the Apollo Basin, at 43.0°S 154.0°W. The samples are expected to touch down safely on Earth no earlier than June 25th in China's Inner Mongolia region. ![The Chang'e 6 mission patch. ©China National Space Administration](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/CE-6-Patch.png) The Chang'e 6 mission patch. ©China National Space Administration ### *What makes up the Chang'e 6 spacecraft?* The Chang'e 6 spacecraft consists of four major components: an orbiter, a re-entry capsule, a lander, and an ascent vehicle. All four of these components have a combined mass at launch of 8,350 kilograms. The China Academy of Space Technology also reportedly manufactured Chang'e 6 as a backup for Chang'e 5. ![The Chang'e 6 spacecraft during integration. ©China Academy of Space Technology](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/640-a.png) The Chang'e 6 spacecraft during integration. ©China Academy of Space Technology The orbiter allows the entire spacecraft to enter lunar orbit a few days into the mission. Before descent to the surface, the lander is attached atop of the orbiter with the re-entry capsule in a hollow space between the two. The orbiter will also perform the return to Earth with the re-entry capsule and be destroyed upon atmospheric entry. The lander allows it and the ascent vehicle to travel down to the lunar surface to collect surface samples. It also houses a drill and scooping device that will collect the samples, these samples will be deposited into the ascent vehicle on top. The ascent vehicle will carry the samples from the surface into lunar orbit where it will rendevous with the orbiter. After the rendevous, it will dock with and transfer the samples into the re-entry capsule. The re-entry capsule allows the lunar surface samples to survive re-entry and touchdown back on Earth, but it will remain with the orbiter for most of the mission duration. ### *International Science Experiments on Chang'e 6?* Onboard the Chang'e 6 spacecraft are four international science experiments. They are from SUPARCO, CNES, and ESA. SUPARCO is providing the ICUBE-Q CubeSat made by Pakistan. The small spacecraft weighs approximately seven kilograms and will be released in lunar orbit. ICUBE-Q will search for ice on the surface using its two optical cameras to image the lunar surface. CNES is providing the French-made DORN instrument, which stands for Detection of Outgassing Radon. DORN will study the lunar regolith and lunar exosphere. ESA is providing two instruments for the Chang'e 6 mission, one from Sweden and another from Italy. Sweden is providing the NILS instrument, which stands for Negative Ions on Lunar Surface. NILS will detect and measure negative ions reflected by the surface of the Moon. Italy is providing the INRRI instrument, which stands for INstrument for landing-Roving laser Retroreflector Investigations. INRRI will test out laser range-finding for lunar landers, this experiment is believed to be somewhat passive. ### *What does the Chang'e 6 mission look like?* The Chang'e 6 mission is expected to last approximately fifty-three days from launch. The mission plan is believed to be as follows: The spacecraft will be launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Site atop of a Long March 5 rocket and be placed onto a trans-lunar trajectory leaving the spacecraft bound for the Moon. After separation from the Long March 5, once headed toward the Moon, the service module will bring the spacecraft into its desired orbit of the Moon. Once in orbit of the Moon, the lander will separate from the service module, with the ascent unit on top, and land on the surface. ![A render of Chang'e 6 during descent towards the lunar surface. ©China Academy of Space Technology](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/640-c.png) A render of Chang'e 6 during descent towards the lunar surface. ©China Academy of Space Technology On the surface, the lander and ascent unit will perform various experiments and gather the required samples. After the samples are secured in the ascent unit, the ascent unit will liftoff and rendezvous with the service module, which will still house the return vehicle. The two spacecraft will then dock and transfer the samples into the return vehicle. After the samples are transferred into the return vehicle and secured the ascent unit will separate leaving the service module and return vehicle. Once at a safe distance from the ascent unit, the service module will light its engine to send the spacecraft on a return trajectory to Earth. At a predetermined point prior to entry into Earth's atmosphere, the spacecraft will angle itself for entry and separate the return vehicle from the service module. ![A render of Chang'e 6 prior to re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. ©China Academy of Space Technology](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/640-h.png) A render of Chang'e 6 prior to re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. ©China Academy of Space Technology Once through the heat of entry into Earth's atmosphere at speeds of over 11,000 meters a second, or roughly 24,500 miles per hour, the return vehicle will deploy its parachute and touchdown on land inside the People's Republic of China. ## What is the Long March 5? The Long March 5 is a two-stage launch vehicle that burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in its first and second stages as well as burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in its boosters. It is the largest and most capable rocket in operation for the People's Republic of China and has supported its lunar and crewed space science programs, along with various other missions. The Long March 5 rocket can place up to 25,000 kilograms into low Earth orbit, 14,000 kilograms into geosynchronous transfer orbit, up to 9,400 kilograms on a trans-lunar injection, 5,100 kilograms directly into geostationary orbit, and up to 15,000 kilograms into sun-synchronous orbit. ![The Long March 5 at LC-101 ahead of the Chang'e 6 mission.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/662c6b2fa31082fc2b6cf3ee.jpeg) The Long March 5 at LC-101 ahead of the Chang'e 6 mission. The first-stage is powered by two YF-77 engines generating 143 tons of thrust burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for eight minutes and twelve seconds. To allow the rocket to lift off, the first-stage has four boosters attached to the sides powered by two YF-100 engines each generating 245 tons of thrust each burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen for two minutes and fifty-three seconds. These four boosters have a combined thrust of 979 tons of thrust. The combined thrust of the first-stage and boosters is 1,122 tons of thrust. The second-stage is powered by two YF-75D engines generating 18 tons of thrust burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for eleven minutes and forty seconds. The Long March 5 is manufactured by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology and weighs up to 854,500 kilograms fully fuelled. When on the pad the rocket can be over 60 meters tall. ### A History of the Chang'e program URL: https://proximareport.com/history-of-the-change-program/ Last updated: 2024-05-15T16:51:15.000Z Chang'e (嫦娥) is a figure in Chinese mythology known as the goddess of the moon. A woman who stole immortality and fled to the moon, and when mankind touched down onto the lunar surface flight controller Ronald Evans told Michael Collins the story of Chang'e. Collins learned of how she lived on the moon with a white rabbit and Collins knew to keep his eye out. Many decades later, the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (嫦娥工程) began. This programs first phase is better known as the Chang'e program. In October of 2007 Chang'e 1 launched from the Xichang satellite launch center, Chang'e 2 in 2010 sent another mission to the moon both of these initial missions were orbiters mapping the moon. Chang'e 3 launched in December of 2013 and successfully soft landed on the moon and deployed the Yutu-1 rover. These were all achievements that had been done before but were great accomplishments furthering China's lunar ambitions. ![undefined](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Chang%27e-2_mockup_at_BASM.jpg/1024px-Chang%27e-2_mockup_at_BASM.jpg) Mockup of Chinese lunar orbiter The Chang'e 1 mission was scheduled to continue for a year, but was later extended and the spacecraft operated until 1 March 2009, when it was taken out of orbit. It impacted the surface of the Moon at 08:13 UTC. Chang'e 1 was the first lunar probe to conduct passive, multi-channel, microwave remote sensing of the Moon by using a microwave radiometer. Chang'e 1 had four major goals to further Chinese lunar ambitions. Chang'e 1 aimed to obtain three dimensional images of the landforms and geological structures of the lunar surface, analyze and map the abundance and distribution of chemical elements on the lunar surface, probe the features of the lunar soil to assess its depth and estimate the amount of certain elements presence, probe the space environment recording data on the solar wind and study the impact of solar activity. It mastered the basic technology of placing satellites in lunar orbit and formed the basis of the entire Chang'e program, this was the first venture of China's space program outside the cradle of humanity and outside of Earth orbit. Chang'e 2 was the backup of the Chang'e 1 probe and it had been modified for its own mission. While Chang'e 1 operated in a 200-km orbit, Chang'e 2 flew at only 100 km, allowing for higher-resolution images and more precise science data. The Chang'e 2 orbiter however instead of being simply impacted into the moon after its mission ended was sent to the L2 Lagrange point to help verify technologies for China's future lunar reconnaissance satellites. Chang'e 2 left its position at L2 on April 15, 2012, embarking on a journey towards the asteroid 4179 Toutatis. It accomplished the flyby successfully on December 13, 2012, at 16:30:09 Beijing Time (08:30:09 GMT), capturing close-up images of the asteroid. These images, boasting resolutions of up to 10 meters (33 feet) per pixel, were subsequently released online. ![Photograph of an elongated, rocky asteroid, on the black background of space, taken by a space probe.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Asteroid_4179_Toutatis_close-up.jpg) Toutatis imaged by Chang'e 2 during its flyby Chang'e 2 started as a backup for Chang'e 1, became a scientific orbiter achieving more and more precise data, verified technologies for reconnaissance satellites, and then became a deep space probe gathering more information in deep space operations. In February 2012, the Chinese government released a complete lunar map constructed from Chang'e 2's data. It was the highest-resolution map of the entire Moon yet recorded. ## The 21st century's return to the Lunar Surface After the mission of Chang'e 1 and 2 China was ready to send a fully fledged lander to the moon and with Chang'e 3 they did exactly that. The lander soft landed successfully and deployed a rover named Yutu, or Moon Rabbit/Jade Rabbit, following an online poll, after the mythological rabbit that lives on the Moon as a pet of the Moon goddess. ![undefined](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/Yutu_rover.jpg/1024px-Yutu_rover.jpg) Chang'e 3 entered lunar orbit on December 6, 2013, followed by a successful landing on December 14, 2013\. This marked the first soft landing on the Moon since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 in 1976, and made China the third nation to achieve this feat. On December 28, 2015, Chang'e 3 made a significant discovery, identifying a new type of basaltic rock rich in ilmenite, a black mineral. The primary mission objective of Chang'e 3 was to accomplish China's inaugural soft landing and exploration with a rover on the Moon, while also showcasing and advancing key technologies for future missions. Scientifically, the goals of Chang'e 3 include surveying lunar surface topography and geology, assessing lunar material composition and resources, detecting the Sun-Earth-Moon space environment, and conducting astronomical observations from the lunar surface. One of its groundbreaking endeavors involves directly measuring the structure and depth of lunar soil to a depth of 30 meters (98 feet) and investigating the lunar crust's structure to several hundred meters deep. ![undefined](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Chang%27e-3_lunar_landing_site.jpg/800px-Chang%27e-3_lunar_landing_site.jpg) The rover of Chang'e 3 was equipped with two solar panels, ensuring its energy supply during lunar days while also recharging its batteries. At night, the rover significantly reduced its power consumption and utilized several radioisotope heater units (RHUs) fueled by plutonium-238 to prevent it from getting excessively cold. These RHUs provided thermal energy exclusively, without generating electricity. Deployed from the lander, the rover made its initial contact with the lunar surface on December 14 at 20:35 UTC. By December 17, all scientific instruments, except the spectrometers, had been activated, and both the lander and rover were reported to be operational despite the unexpectedly harsh lunar conditions. However, between December 16 and 20, the rover remained stationary, shutting down its subsystems due to extreme temperature differentials caused by direct solar radiation, reaching over 100°C (212°F) on the sunlit side while dropping below zero on the shaded side. Subsequently, both the lander and rover completed their mutual imaging tasks and initiated their respective scientific missions. The rover's mission scope aimed to explore a designated area of 3 square kilometers (1.2 square miles) over three months, with a maximum travel distance of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). It successfully endured its first lunar night when reactivated on January 11, 2014\. However, on January 25, 2014, Chinese state media reported a "mechanical control abnormality" attributed to the challenging lunar surface conditions. Despite intermittent transmissions until September 6, 2014, the rover ceased to transmit data in March. ## The bridge between Earth and the Moon The inspiration for its name is drawn from the timeless Chinese tale "The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl," the Queqiao relay satellite stands as a pivotal component in China's Lunar Exploration Program. Launched by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) on May 20, 2018, Queqiao marks a historic milestone as the first-ever communication relay and radio astronomy satellite positioned at the Earth-Moon L2 Lagrange point. Queqiao's primary mission encompasses serving as a crucial communication bridge for the Chang'e 4 mission, facilitating vital data transmission from the unexplored far side of the Moon to Earth. Additionally, it assumes the role of a sophisticated deep space radio astronomy observatory, further enriching China's capabilities in space exploration. The significance of Queqiao lies in overcoming the inherent challenge of establishing direct communication with Earth from the far side of the Moon, where transmissions are obstructed by the lunar mass. By orbiting at the Earth-Moon L2 Lagrangian point, Queqiao ensures an uninterrupted line of sight between the Moon's hidden surface and our home planet, enabling seamless data exchange without the hindrance of lunar interference. While traditional circular orbits risk periodic signal disruptions, Queqiao's strategic placement at the Earth-Moon L2 point offers a stable vantage, ensuring continuous communication between lunar assets and Earth-based mission control. This innovative approach not only streamlines communication logistics but also underscores China's commitment to pushing the boundaries of space exploration. Queqiao embodies the fusion of technological innovation and historical inspiration, heralding a new era of lunar exploration and deep space communication for China. ![undefined](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/QueqiaoDFH.jpg/800px-QueqiaoDFH.jpg) Queqiao lunar relay ## First of its kind ![undefined](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/ChangE-4_-_PCAM.png/1024px-ChangE-4_-_PCAM.png) Chang'e 4 lander In December of 2018 China launched the Chang'e 4 mission with a similar mission architecture to the Chang'e 3 lander. Once it landed on the moon it was announced that seeds sprouted in the lunar landers biological experiment bay. The spacecraft similar to Chang'e 1/2 was a backup of Chang'e 3 only to be reconfigured for its new mission. Chang'e 4 however landed on the farside of the moon and utilized the lunar relay to explore this new region of the moon. As apart of Chang'e 4 there were two microsatellites named Longjiang 1 and 2 that flew onboard Queqiao-1\. Longjiang-1 failed but 2 succeeded in reaching their lunar orbits until being deliberately directed to crash into the moon. These satellites were meant to observe the sky at very low frequencies, Due to the Earth's ionosphere no observations in this range have been done in Earth orbit. This gave the satellites a unique opportunity to break new ground. The Chang'e 4 lander performed several radio astronomy experiments and broke the lunar longevity record of 322 earth days, previously held by the Lunokhod 1 rover. It was also equipped with a Yutu-2 rover that is nearly identical to the Yutu rover on Chang'e 3. ## Sample Retrieval Chang'e 5 was the fifth lunar exploration mission of the program. It launched from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site and then landed in December of 2020\. Chang'e 5 was the first lunar sample return mission since Luna 24 in 1976\. This mission made China the third country to return samples from the moon. The mission architecture consisted of a lander, ascender, orbiter, and returner. The four components were launched together and flew to the moon as a combined unit. The Lander/Ascender then separated and after sample collection they docked in lunar orbit marking the first autonomous docking in lunar orbit. The Orbiter/Returner spacecraft returned to Earth and carried samples back to the moon. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/image-1.png) Chang'e 5 carried four scientific instruments onboard, comprising a Landing Camera, a Panoramic Camera, a Lunar Mineralogical Spectrometer, and a Lunar Regolith Penetrating Radar. It utilized two distinct sampling techniques: drilling for subsurface samples and scooping for surface samples. The scooping mechanism, developed by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, featured Sampler A, Sampler B, Near-field Cameras, and a Sealing and Packaging System. The Lander/Ascender touched down on the lunar surface on December 1, 2020, at 15:11 UTC. Situated at coordinates 43.1°N latitude and 51.8°W longitude, the Chang'e 5 landing site lies within the Northern Oceanus Procellarum, near the prominent volcanic complex known as Mons Rümker. This location, designated as 'Eratosthenian Mare' by the USGS, harbors the Chang'e 5 landing site, named Statio Tianchuan. It resides within the Procellarum KREEP Terrain, characterized by elevated heat-producing elements, a thin crust, and prolonged volcanic activity. Remarkably, this area boasts some of the Moon's youngest mare basalts, estimated to be approximately 1.21 billion years old. Notably absent from previous sampling efforts by the American Apollo program and the Soviet Luna program, this region exhibits heightened levels of titanium, thorium, and olivine abundances, offering a unique opportunity for scientific exploration. ![Chinese mission returned nearly 4 pounds of lunar samples – Spaceflight Now](https://spaceflightnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/139602643_16083580118751n.jpg) ## Queqiao-2 Queqiao-2, the successor to the original Queqiao relay satellite, was launched independently from the Chang'e 7 probe, following a project revision by the Center for Lunar Exploration and Space Projects at CNSA. Unlike its predecessor, Queqiao-2 is designed to orbit the Moon itself in a stable frozen elliptic orbit, ensuring consistent communication capability without the need for frequent fuel consumption for orbit correction. Scheduled for deployment in support of the Chang'e 6 sample return mission, Queqiao-2 is based on the CAST 2000 bus from DFH Satellite, equipped with advanced features such as precise alignment capability and improved fuel efficiency. Its primary function is to serve as a relay satellite and radio observatory, facilitating communication between lunar missions and Earth. With a payload capacity of 488 kg, Queqiao-2 carries three scientific instruments: 1. Grid-based Energetic Neutral Atom imager (GENA) for observing the terrestrial magnetosphere. 2. Extreme Ultraviolet Camera (EUC) for capturing lunar surface images. 3. Lunar Orbit VLBI Experiment, utilizing a 4.2 m antenna as a radio telescope to study radio sources outside the Milky Way and track spacecraft positions. Powered by rotatable solar cell wings and equipped with accumulators for blackout periods, Queqiao-2 is expected to operate efficiently for at least 8 to 10 years, contributing significantly to lunar exploration and scientific research. This relay sat lays the foundations for the future larger navigation and communication network that Chian is planning on establishing. This will be primarily meant for the Chang'e 7 and 8 missions which is set for the south pole and setting the basis for the International Lunar Research Station. Queqiao-2 also carries two smaller communication satellites, Tiandu 1 and 2 which are meant to verify lunar communication and navigation constellation based on the Queqiao technology. After launch, the two satellites underwent lunar orbit insertion on 24 March 2024 at 17:43\. This satellites will perform various maneuvers and testing to verify technologies for the wider more interconnected network that China is planning. ## Concluding Thoughts This is merely the beginning of China's lunar exploration efforts but it is an amazing story of advancement. Chang'e 6 plans to be launched in May of 2024 and will use a highly similar architecture to Chang'e 5\. Chang'e 7 will explore the south pole and Chang'e 8 will verify ISRU technologies for ILRS. After this China will transition into their crewed exploration phase. Just as that elegant young woman fled to the moon and just as Collins kept his eyes out for Yutu China is going to the moon to stay. As we reunite with the moon we help extend humanity in the same way Chang'e was able to make her conquest of immortality these missions will forever live in infamy as massive achievements for China. ### Monthly Dose of Space - April 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-april-2024/ Last updated: 2024-05-01T15:41:03.000Z Welcome to our seventh Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month we haven't covered in our weekly newsletters. April has been another busy month, so let's jump into it! ## **SpaceX** Work at Starbase this month started with the removal of thermal protection tiles from the nose of Ship 29, this may be from some data gathered from flight three about the performance of the tiles. Work continued on the tiles into the morning of the 2nd when some tiles were added back onto the nose. The 2nd also saw the Orbital Launch Mount do what is believed to be a test of one of its vents. On the 3rd, teams were once again spotted working on the nose tiles of Ship 29. Late at night on the 3rd, Booster 11 was rolled out to the launch site before being parked next to the Orbital Launch Mount. Not long after arrival, Booster 11 was moved into the 'chopsticks' and lifted onto the launch mount in the early hours of the 4th. Also on the 4th, Ship 29 was moved outside which revealed that large number of heat tiles were being replaced along the vehicle. Early on the 5th of April, scaffolding was removed from the Orbital Launch Mount along with a crew access platform ahead of a static fire. The 5th saw Booster 11 come to lift and perform what was believed to be a thirty-three engine static fire for over five seconds. SpaceX did not share how many engines lit or the duration. ![Booster 11 performing a static fire at Starbase. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GKcV931bMAAvlw1-1.jpg) Booster 11 performing a static fire at Starbase. ©SpaceX After this static fire, Booster 11 was removed from the Orbital Launch Mount on the 7th. In the late hours of the 7th, Booster 11 was rolled back to the production site and moved into one of the 'mega bays'. A few days later on the 9th, workers were spotted still working on Ship 29's nose cone thermal protection tiles. Early on the 10th, workers were seen removing the front cover of the booster quick disconnect on the Orbital Launch Mount. The 10th also saw workers installing almost all of the missing thermal protection tiles on Ship 29's nose cone. A few days later, the 12th saw a new actuator being installed on the 'chopsticks' of the launch tower as well as a new booster quick disconnect front cover being installed. Activity then slowed until the 16th, when workers were spotted on the launch towers 'chopsticks' conducting what are believed to be upgrades ahead of the fourth flight of Starship-Super Heavy. A day later on the 17th, the LR 11000 crane was seen moving to the orbital tank farm, likely to continue removal of the older tanks. Also on the 17th, the 'chopsticks' were seen opening and closing, mostly likely testing new upgraded hardware. Late on the 18th, the 'chopsticks' were seen moving again along with the removal of one of the booster quick disconnect fuel lines. Another day later on the 19th, the outer shell of one of the tanks of the orbital tank farm was almost entirely removed and lifted by the LR11000 crane. The outer shell was then moved next to the road where crews began scrapping it. Work on the now removed tank continued and it was in pieces by the roadside by the early morning of the 22nd. In the early morning of the 23rd, the tank that now has no shell was removed from the tank farm by the LR11000 crane with scrapping work beginning shortly after. A day later on the 24th, the booster quick disconnect cover was spotted being reinstalled on the orbital launch mount. Later in the evening, the 'chopsticks' were also seen moving, likely to test an actuator that was installed last week. Also that evening, Booster 13 was moved from the production site to the Massey's test site for a cryo-proofing test. A couple days later on the 26th the 'chopsticks' were seen moving again, this time moving faster than previously observed. Booster 13 underwent a cryo-proofing test early on the 27th fully loading its liquid methane tank, this test is believed to have been successful but SpaceX did not confirm this. Two days later on the 29th, Booster 13's liquid oxygen tank also underwent a cryo-proofing test at the Massey's test site, SpaceX also did not comment on the testing. To end the month on the 30th, SpaceX conducted another fast test of the 'chopsticks' along with the tank farm. ## **News of the Month** April saw news from both space stations in low Earth orbit, a new lunar spacesuit, and a new rocket breathing fire ahead of launch! ### *Long March 12's engines fire up!* ![The four YF-100K engines during a test firing. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GMTMg-haIAAnvva.jpg) The four YF-100K engines during a test firing. ©China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation The Cina Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation conducted a test firing of four YF-100K engines together for the first time on the 28th of April. A single one of these engines generates 130 tons of thrust for a combined 520 tons of thrust during the test, however it was not revealed how long the test firing lasted. This test was reported as testing a liftoff-like scenario according to Li Bin, a Deputy Head of the Xi'an Academy where the engines were tested. The test is believed to have proven that the engines can handle the thermal environment and are ready for flight, more tests may occur however. The YF-100K engines will be used on the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology's Long March 12 vehicle, which is 3.8 meters in diameter and has two stages, with both burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The claimed payload capacity is 10,000 kilograms to a low Earth orbit or 6,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. A maiden flight is currently rumoured to occur before the end of October. ### *Axiom's lunar suit completes first dive* ![The AxEMU suit in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory for testing. ©Axiom Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GMVx1-HWUAARigX.jpg) The AxEMU suit in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory for testing. ©Axiom Space Axiom Space's AxEMU lunar spacesuit completed a test recently in NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, this was the first time the suit was submerged for testing. For these tests, the suit was unoccupied with weights inside instead to simulate a person standing in 1/6th gravity on the lunar surface. The tests were reportedly a success with another test already planned in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, but with an astronaut inside. Axiom Space's AxEMU, Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit, spacesuit is currently expected to be the suit astronauts will use during the Artemis III mission. The suit is reportedly building off of NASA's xEMU, Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit, spacesuit which began being designed as a replacement for the spacesuits used on the International Space Station. ### *SpaceX completes CRS-30 mission* ![SpaceX's Cargo Dragon V2 departing from the International Space Station. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GMZJaJ3aoAAtVFv.jpg) SpaceX's Cargo Dragon V2 departing from the International Space Station. ©NASA SpaceX concluded its thirtieth cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station on the 30th of April. The mission launched back on the 21st of March, docked with the space station two days later on the 23rd, and departed on the 28th of April. The Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft that flew on the mission was C209, making its fourth flight. The spacecraft is also believed to have returned the following items from the International Space Station (via [NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/commercial-resupply/nasa-spacex-30th-commercial-resupply-mission-overview/?ref=proximareport.com)): - **Common Cabin Air Assembly Heat Exchanger** – The exchanger performs heat-transfer functions and removes moisture from the ambient on-orbit air. This unit is being returned for analysis and repair and then returned on a later flight. - **Oxygen Generation Assembly Pump** – The pump converts potable water from the water recovery system into oxygen and hydrogen. The oxygen is sent to the crew cabin and the hydrogen is either vented or used to produce additional water. The pump is being returned for repair and will return on a later flight. - **Air Quality Monitor –** The monitor is intended to improve the air analysis aboard the space station by measuring volatile organic compounds. The monitor is being returned for potential refurbishment of some of its components. - **Water Separator Orbital Replacement Unit** – The unit draws air and condensate mixture from a condensing heat exchanger and separates the two components. The air is returned to the cabin air assembly outlet air-flow stream and the water is delivered to the condensate bus. The unit is being returned for repair. - **Emergency Mask** –This unit will be returned to replace retaining rings. - **Emergency Portable Breathing Apparatus O2 Reducer Cylinder Assembly** – A cylinder tank that provides 15 minutes of oxygen to a crew member in case of an emergency and is used with a quick don mask. This unit has been depressed and will be inspected, placed in line for refill, and relaunched at a later date. - **Remote Power Controller Module** – The module distributes 120 volts of direct current electrical power and provides current limiting and fault protection to secondary loads aboard the space station. Both units are degraded, returning for repair, and will be reworked. - **Separator Plumbing Assembly** – Supporting the urine processor assembly, the separator plumbing assembly receives steam condensate from the pressure control and pump assembly and recovers water from the orbital replacement unit. The separator plumbing assembly also controls the flow of water to the fluids control and pump assembly and can detect a pressure regulator failure. It is being returned for refurbishment. ### *Crew rotation on China's space station* ![The Shenzhou-17 and 18 crews floating through the Tianhe module; Jiang Xinlin (top left), Tang Shengjie (middle left), Tang Hongbo (bottom left), Li Guangsu (top right), Li Cong (middle right), and Ye Guangfu (bottom right). ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GMYGV5KWYAEFakR.jpg) The Shenzhou-17 and 18 crews floating through the Tianhe module; Jiang Xinlin (top left), Tang Shengjie (middle left), Tang Hongbo (bottom left), Li Guangsu (top right), Li Cong (middle right), and Ye Guangfu (bottom right). ©China Manned Space Agency The China Manned Space Agency has conducted a crew rotation for its Tiangong Space Station to maintain a permanent presence aboard the station. A new crew, [Shenzhou-18](https://proximareport.com/shenzhou-18-china/) with Ye Guangfu (叶光富), Li Cong (李聪), and Li Guangsu (李广苏), launched to the space station on the 25th of April at 12:59 pm Universal Coordinated Time. Upon docking and opening the hatch, they were met by the [Shenzhou-17](https://proximareport.com/shenzhou-17-return-to-earth/) crew, Tang Hongbo (汤洪波), Tang Shengjie (唐胜杰), and Jiang Xinlin (江新林), who had been on board since late October of 2023\. A few days after the arrival of the new crew, the two crews held a handover ceremony where the 'keys' to the station were handover to Ye Guangfu from Tang Hongbo, making Ye the commander of the station. ![Tang Hongbo (left) handing over the 'keys' to the station to Ye Guangfu (right). ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/twittervid.com_SegerYu_d8b73f.gif) Tang Hongbo (left) handing over the 'keys' to the station to Ye Guangfu (right). ©China Manned Space Agency The two crews spent five days together before the Shenzhou-17 boarded their spacecraft and undocked from the station on April 30th. They safely returned to Earth a few hours later and touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in the Inner Mongolia region of northern China. ### *SES to acquire Intelsat* ![SES' logo (left) and Intelsat's logo (right).](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/05/image.psd.png) SES' logo (left) and Intelsat's logo (right). SES and Intelsat announced on April 30th that Intelsat would be acquired by SES in a 3.1 billion United States dollar, or 2.4 billion Euro, deal. Both companies' press releases say that the acquisition will create a stronger multi-orbit operator with greater coverage, improved resiliency, expanded suite of solutions, enhanced resources to profitably invest in innovation, and benefit from the collective talent, expertise, and track record of both companies. The press releases of both SES and Intelsat also highlight four key points: - *Value accretive transaction underpinned by €2.4 billion (NPV) of readily executable synergies.* - *Creating a stronger multi-orbit operator with \~60% of revenue in high growth segments.* - *Enhances competitive offerings to deliver customer value through segment-relevant solutions.* - *Expanded cash flows, profitable growth outlook, & strong balance sheet drive total shareholder return.* The acquisition is currently undergoing relevant regulatory clearances and filings, which are expected to be completed in the second half of 2025\. Once the acquisition is complete SES will own 100% of Intelsat. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw nineteen launches worldwide, if you want to know each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *April 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-18* SpaceX started the launches for April from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, with twenty-two Starlink satellites being placed into low Earth orbit by Falcon 9\. The booster for this mission was B1071 making its fifteenth flight and landing successfully on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *April 2nd - Long March 2D with Yaogan-42A* China launched its first mission of the month with a Long March 2D lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the Yaogan-42A satellite into low Earth orbit. Yaogan-42A is a remote-sensing satellite intended to help with land surveying, disaster prevention, and monitoring of the Earth below. ### *April 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-47* SpaceX launched twenty-three more Starlink satellites, this time from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1069 making its fourteenth flight and successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ### *April 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-1* SpaceX launched another twenty-one Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster for this mission was B1081 making its sixth flight and landed on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange successfully. ### *April 8th - Falcon 9 with Bandwagon 1* SpaceX launched its first Bandwagon dedicated mid-inclination rideshare mission to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Payloads aboard the Falcon 9 were Capella Space’s Acadia-4, iQPS’s QPS-SAR No. 7, South Korea’s 425SAT, Tyvak International’s Centauri-6, ata Advanced Systems Limited’s TSAT-1A, and HawkEye 360’s Clusters 8 & 9. The booster for this mission was B1073 making its fourteenth flight and landing successfully back at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral. ### *April 9th - Delta IV Heavy with NROL-70* The final Delta IV Heavy took off from Space Launch Complex 37B carrying a classified satellite on behalf of the United States' National Reconnaissance Office. Despite the payload being classified, it likely was an Orion signals intelligence satellite. For more about the launch and Delta IV Heavy see [here.](https://proximareport.com/delta-iv-heavy-finale/) ### *April 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-48* Twenty-three Starlink satellites were carried into low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1083 making its second flight and successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *April 11th - Angara A5 for a test flight* An Angara A5 launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome carrying a mass simulator payload for a test flight to geostationary orbit. The rocket successfully completed the test flight to geostationary orbit, and manoevoured into a graveyard orbit afterwards. ### *April 11th - Falcon 9 with USSF-62* SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying the Weather System Follow-on satellite into a polar orbit on behalf of the United States Space Force and Department of Defense. The booster for this mission was B1082 making its third flight and successfully landing back at Landing Zone 4 at the Vandenberg Space Force Base. ### *April 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-49* Another twenty-three Starlink satellites were carried into low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1062 making its twentieth flight, a new record for a Falcon 9 booster, and landed successfully on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' down range. ### *April 15th - Long March 2D with Gaojing-3 (01)* China launched its second mission in April, with a Long March 2D lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to a sun-synchronus orbit. Onboard the rocket was the Gaojing-3 (01) satellite built by the China Association for Science and Technology for use with China Siwei Survey and Mapping Technology Co Ltd for commercial Earth observation services. ### *April 17th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-51* SpaceX added another twenty-three Starlink satellites to its low Earth orbit internet constellation from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1077 making its twelfth flight and landing successfully downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *April 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-52* Another batch of Starlink satellites were launched atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, into low Earth orbit. The booster was B1080 making its seventh flight and successfully landed on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *April 21st - Long March 2D with Yaogan 42B* A Long March 2D launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the Yaogan 42B satellite to low Earth orbit, this was China's third launch of the month. The satellite is a remote-sensing satellite and will help with land surveying, disaster prevention, and monitoring of the Earth below. ### *April 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-53* SpaceX launched another Falcon 9 launching twenty-three more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1078 making its ninth flight and landing successfully on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ### *April 23rd - Electron for 'Beginning Of The Swarm'* A few minutes later on the same day, Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand. The rocket was carrying two payloads onboard: NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System technology demonstration mission, and NeonSat-1 from South Korea. ### *April 25th - Long March 2F/G with Shenzhou-18* For its fourth launch of April, China launched another crew to its Tiangong Space Station from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center atop of a Long March 2F/G rocket. The crew aboard the Shenzhou-18 mission are Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu. For more about the Shenzhou-18 crew and their mission click [here.](https://proximareport.com/shenzhou-18-china/) ### *April 28th - Falcon 9 with Galileo L12* Europe had two of its Galileo satellites launched atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. The satellites were delivered to a medium Earth orbit by the Falcon 9's second-stage. The booster for this mission was B1060 making its twentieth and final flight as it was expended due to performance requirements. ### *April 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-54* Ending the launches for April, SpaceX launched yet another Falcon 9 carrying twenty-three more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1076 making its thirteenth flight and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ## **Launches to look out for in** May! May looks to be another busy month with a few notable missions. Listed below are all of the launches expected or very likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of May have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *May 1st - Falcon 9 with WorldView Legion 1 & 2* SpaceX is expected to launch two WorldView Legion satellites for Maxar to a sun-synchronus orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for the mission is currently unknown but is planned to land at Landing Zone 4, at Vandenberg Space Force Base. ### *May 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-55* SpaceX is expected to launch yet another batch of Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission is currently unknown. ### *May 3rd - Long March 5 with Chang'e 6* China is expected to launch its Chang'e 6 lunar far-side sample return mission from LC-101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. This will be the eighth launch of the Long March 5. ### *May 4th - Starlink Group 8-2* SpaceX is once again expected to launch another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. This launch is expected to occur from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### *May 7th - Atlas V with Starliner Crewed Flight Test* United Launch Alliance is expected to launch Boeing's Starliner spacecraft into low Earth orbit carrying astronauts Barry Wilmore and Suni Williams onboard. The mission is the first crewed test flight of the Starliner spacecraft, and its second trip to the space station. ### *May 22nd - Electron for 'Ready, Aim, PREFIRE'* Rocket Lab is expected to launch two CubeSats for NASA's PREFIRE, Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment, mission. The launch is expected to occur from Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand. ### Shenzhou-17 crew safely returns to Earth URL: https://proximareport.com/shenzhou-17-return-to-earth/ Last updated: 2024-04-30T19:06:04.000Z China's twelfth crewed space mission has successfully returned to Earth at 09:46 am Universal Coordinated Time on April 30th, the capsule touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in the Inner Mongolia region. Returning from the Tiangong Space Station were, Tang Hongbo (汤洪波), Tang Shengjie (唐胜杰), and Jiang Xinlin (江新林). ![Tang Hongbo emerging from the Shenzhou-17 capsule (left), Tang Shengjie after being recovered from the capsule (center), and Jiang Xinlin also after being recovered from the capsule (right). ©Xinhua](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/SZ17-Dongfeng-recovery.png) Tang Hongbo emerging from the Shenzhou-17 capsule (left), Tang Shengjie after being recovered from the capsule (center), and Jiang Xinlin also after being recovered from the capsule (right). ©Xinhua The three taikonauts spent a little over one-hundred and eighty-seven days in space, with one-hundred and eighty-six days spent aboard the Tiangong Space Station. During their time aboard two spacewalks took place, all three astronauts performed spacewalks during the mission, the first by Tang Hongbo and Tang Shengjie with the second by Tang Hongbo and Jiang Xinlin. Both spacewalks aboard the station were to perform maintenance and repair to systems outside. The first spacewalk took place in late December and saw two taikonauts repairing the solar panels attached to the Tianhe module. Three months later in early March the second spacewalk occurred which saw maintenance for the Tianhe module's power systems alongside inspection of the three modules. Both of these spacewalks occurred from the airlock of the Wentian module. ![The Shenzhou-17 capsule firing its retro-rockets to soften the touchdown at the Dongfeng landing site. (via Seger YU on X)](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/twittervid.com_dsshhh114_b90b6f-ezgif.com-video-to-gif-converter.gif) The Shenzhou-17 capsule firing its retro-rockets to soften the touchdown at the Dongfeng landing site. (via [Seger YU](https://twitter.com/SegerYu/status/1785280708342431827?ref=proximareport.com) on X) Shenzhou-17 was the first time Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin flew to space, and the second for Tang Hongbo. Tang Hongbo has now spent over two-hundred and seventy-nine days in space, which makes him the record holder for time in space by a taikonaut. While aboard the space station, the crew participated in eighty-four experiments and space application tests, which reportedly produced two-hundred samples in the fields of space life science and biotechnology, space medicine, and space material science. These samples were also returned to Earth with the crew on the 30th. They also oversaw the arrival of the [Tianzhou-7](https://proximareport.com/china-launch-sixth-resupply-mission/) cargo resupply spacecraft in mid-January, which was carrying supplies, clothing, and food to the space station to support their mission and the now-onboard Shenzhou-18 crew. Now back on Earth, the crew will enter a medical quarantine period and undergo medical examinations before meeting the public and press again. It is believed all three will remain in China's taikonaut corps to fly again on future missions. The Tiangong Space Station is now being operated and maintained by the [Shenzhou-18](https://proximareport.com/shenzhou-18-china/) crew, Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu, as they were handed the 'key' to the station on the 27th. ### Weekly Dose of Space (21/4-27/4) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-21-4-27-4/ Last updated: 2024-04-28T15:18:01.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week once again saw four launches worldwide, with launches occurring in both hemispheres. This week also saw lots of space exploration news from China too. As always, we'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase started with workers scrapping one of the tank shells that was removed last week, the tank was in pieces by the roadside by the early morning of the 22nd. In the early morning of the 23rd, the tank that now has no shell was removed from the tank farm by the LR11000 crane with scrapping work beginning shortly after. A day later on the 24th, the booster quick disconnect cover was spotted being reinstalled on the orbital launch mount. Later in the evening, the 'chopsticks' were also seen moving, likely to test an actuator that was installed last week. Also that evening, Booster 13 was moved from the production site to the Massey's test site for a cryo-proofing test. A couple days later on the 26th the 'chopsticks' were seen moving again, this time moving faster than previously observed. Booster 13 underwent a cryo-proofing test early on the 27th fully loading its methane tank, this test is believed to have been successful but SpaceX did not confirm this. ## **Launches This Week** ### *April 23rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-53* SpaceX kicked off the launches this week with a Falcon 9 launching twenty-three Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1078 making its ninth flight and landing successfully on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 6-53. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GL43B4BaUAAL1f5.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 6-53\. ©SpaceX ### *April 23rd - Electron for 'Beginning Of The Swarm'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand. The rocket was carrying two payloads onboard: NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System technology demonstration mission, and NeonSat-1 from South Korea. ![Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B for the 'Beginning Of The Swarm' mission. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/beginning-of-the-swarm-launch_53674689931.jpg) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B for the 'Beginning Of The Swarm' mission. ©Rocket Lab ### *April 25th - Long March 2F/G with Shenzhou-18* China launched another crew to its Tiangong Space Station from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center atop of a Long March 2F/G rocket. The crew aboard the Shenzhou-18 mission are Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu. For more about the Shenzhou-18 crew and their mission click [here.](https://proximareport.com/shenzhou-18-china/) ![The Long March 2F/G lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ©Bei He/Xinhua](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/XqDxL9c1ihIGYSKo.png) The Long March 2F/G lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ©Bei He/Xinhua ### *April 28th - Falcon 9 with Galileo L12* Europe had two of its Galileo satellites launched atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. The satellites were delivered to a medium Earth orbit by the Falcon 9's second-stage. The booster for this mission was B1060 making its twentieth and final flight as it was expended due to performance requirements. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for Galileo L12. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GMN4fEtaUAAtqEo.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for Galileo L12\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ## *Chang'e 6 moved to the launch pad!* ![The Long March 5 Y8 during rollout to LC-101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site for the Chang'e 6 mission.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GMI61GkaMAAZB9h-1.jpg) The Long March 5 Y8 during rollout to LC-101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site for the Chang'e 6 mission. On the 27th of April, the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology rolled out its Long March 5 launch vehicle to LC-101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. The Long March 5 will start China's Chang'e 6 lunar far-side sample return mission, which if successful would be the first mission to do so. Over the days leading up to the launch teams will perform final tests and load some propellants into the launch vehicle, the amount was not stated so this could be a full launch rehearsal. The launch of the Chang'e 6 mission is currently scheduled for no earlier than May 3rd, with the spacecraft targeting a landing in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the lunar far side. ## *Einstein beams back first images* ![A view from the Einstein Probe's Wide-field X-ray Telescope pointing at the center of the Milky Way. ©The National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GMKaPUlWgAAFEI-.jpg) A view from the Einstein Probe's Wide-field X-ray Telescope pointing at the center of the Milky Way. ©The National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Also on the 27th, the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences revealed the first images from the Einstein Probe at the 2024 Zhongguancun Forum in Beijing. The probe was launched back in early January and has recently completed commissioning tests to confirm the functionality and performance of the spacecraft and its instruments. The [Einstein Probe](https://proximareport.com/china-launches-einstein-probe/) is a science mission by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in collaboration with the European Space Agency as well as the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, based in Germany. The goals of the mission are to discover high-energy transients and monitor variable objects in the sky. It will do this with two instruments, the Wide-field X-ray Telescope and the Follow-up X-ray Telescope. ## *China gains three new lunar partners* ![A render of the robotic phase of the International Lunar Research Station. ©China National Space Administration](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/6a4d78fb5b714552aab1f580316937c3.png) A render of the robotic phase of the International Lunar Research Station. ©China National Space Administration China has gained three new international partners for its International Lunar Research Station, they are Nicaragua, the Arab Union, and the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, according to the [Global Times](https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202404/1311177.shtml?ref=proximareport.com) while attending the opening ceremony of the Space Day of China 2024. It was reported that China will cooperate with the three partners via engineering implementation, operation, and application of the International Lunar Research Station. Nicaragua was the tenth country to sign onto the program and joins Pakistan, Azerbaijan, South Africa, Venezuela, Russia, Belarus, Egypt, Thailand, Ethiopia, China, Kenya, and Turkiye. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX belives that they can launch the fourth flight test of Starship-Super Heavy sometime in May. The company is still going through the process of a mishap investigation into the previous flight with the Federal Aviation Administration. Currently, both vehicles, Ship 29 and Booster 11, for the next flight have performed static fires with a wet dress rehearsal expected ahead of the flight. ### ***April 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-54*** SpaceX is expected to launch yet another Falcon 9 carrying more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The launch is expected to occur from Space Launch Complex 40 with the booster believed to be B1076 making its thirteenth flight. ### *May 1st - Falcon 9 with WorldView Legion 1 & 2* SpaceX is also expected to launch two WorldView Legion satellites for Maxar to a sun-synchronus orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for the mission is currently unknown but is planned to land at Landing Zone 4, at Vandenberg Space Force Base. ### *May 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-55* SpaceX is planning to launch yet another batch of Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 next week. The booster for the mission is currently unknown. ### *May 3rd - Long March 5 with Chang'e 6* China is expected to launch its Chang'e 6 lunar far-side sample return mission from LC-101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. This will be the eight launch of the Long March 5. ### *May 4th - Starlink Group 8-2* SpaceX is once again expected to launch another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. This launch is expected to occur from Space Launch Complex 4E. ### Shenzhou-18 taikonauts board China's space station! URL: https://proximareport.com/shenzhou-18-china/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:53:26.000Z China has launched its seventh crewed mission to its Tiangong Space Station on the 25th of April at 20:59 pm China Standard Time, or 12:59 pm Universal Coordinated Time. The crew, Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu, are expected to stay aboard the station for six months. They will also take over from the outgoing Shenzhou-17 crew, after five days of sharing the station with them. The mission launched from Launch Area 4 (SLS-1/921) of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, located in the north of China, atop of a Long March 2F/G rocket. According to Chinese media, the Shenzhou-18 launch mission was a complete success, with the crew beginning plans to rendevous with the Tiangong Space Station shortly after. ![The Long March 2F lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for the Shenzhou 18 mission. ©Li Gang/Xinhua](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/ucDqQWSMyDUVFuEN-1.png) The Long March 2F/G lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for the Shenzhou 18 mission. ©Li Gang/Xinhua Once the Shenzhou-18 spacecraft was in low Earth orbit, the spacecraft performed a 'fast rendevous' with the Tiangong Space Station. The rendevous led to the docking occurring a little over six and a half hours after launch. The spacecraft carrying the three taikonauts docked at the nadir port of the Tianhe module, with them entering the module at 05:04 am China Standard Time, or 21:04 pm Universal Coordinated Time, and being greeted by the Shenzhou-17 crew. ![The two Shenzhou crews meet inside the Tiangong Space Station; Tang Hongbo (bottom left), Jiang Xinlin (top left), Tang Shengjie (top center left), Li Cong (top center right), Li Guangsu (top right), and Ye Guangfu (bottom right). ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GMCyanPasAIHsZO.jpg) The two Shenzhou crews meet inside the Tiangong Space Station; Tang Hongbo (bottom left), Jiang Xinlin (top left), Tang Shengjie (top center left), Li Cong (top center right), Li Guangsu (top right), and Ye Guangfu (bottom right). ©China Manned Space Agency With the Shenzhou-18 crew now onboard and adjusting to the microgravity environment, the Shenzhou-17 crew will prepare for their return to Earth. According to the China Manned Space Agency, the Shenzhou-17 crew will touch down at the Dongfeng landing site in the north of China on the 30th of April. ### Meet the Shenzhou-18 crew The commander of the Shenzhou-18 mission is Ye Guangfu (叶光富), making his second trip to space and to the space station. Ye Guangfu's first flight was for the six-month Shenzhou-13 mission which began in October of 2021. Ye is from Chengdu, in the Sichuan province, has previously served in the People's Liberation Army from 1998 as a fighter pilot. He was selected as part of the second group of taikonauts in May of 2010. ![Official photo of Ye Guangfu for the Shenzhou-18 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/6629be99a31082fc2b6ccb29-1.jpeg) Official photo of Ye Guangfu for the Shenzhou-18 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency The operator of the Shenzhou-18 mission is Li Cong (李聪), who is making his first trip to space of his taikonaut career. Li is from Handan, in the Hebei province, and has previously served as a deputy group commander and was a second-grade pilot in the People's Liberation Army Airforce. He was selected as a taikonaut in September of 2020 as part of the third group. ![Official photo of Li Cong for the Shenzhou-18 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/6629be99a31082fc2b6ccb2c-1.jpeg) Official photo of Li Cong for the Shenzhou-18 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency The system operator of the Shenzhou-18 mission is Li Guangsu (李广苏), who is also making his first trip to space of his taikonaut career. Li is from Peixian county, in the Jiangsu province, and has previously served as a deputy group commander and was a first-grade pilot in the People's Liberation Army Airforce, which he joined in 2006\. He was also selected as a taikonaut in September of 2020 as part of the third group. ![Official photo of Li Guangsu for the Shenzhou-18 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/6629be99a31082fc2b6ccb2f-1.jpeg) Official photo of Li Guangsu for the Shenzhou-18 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency ### What will the crew do during their stay? According to the China Manned Space Agency, the crew is expected to carry out experiments onboard the space station, conduct extravehicular activities, and engage in public outreach events. They will also be onboard the station when the Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft arrives carrying new supplies and consumables. The experiments the crews will assist in are reported to be in the fields of basic physics in microgravity, space material science, space life science, space medicine, and space technology according to Lin Xiqiang, Deputy Director of the China Manned Space Agency. During their six-month stay onboard the station, the crew may perform up to three extravehicular activities to install space debris impact mitigation hardware on the exterior of the station. They may also venture outside to conduct repairs when needed, the Shenzhou-17 crew did this after a micrometeorite severed a power connection. ![Ye Guangfu (left), Li Guangsu (center), and Li Cong (right) conducting extravehicular activity training. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/66299322a31082fc2b6cc520.jpeg) Ye Guangfu (left), Li Guangsu (center), and Li Cong (right) conducting extravehicular activity training. ©China Manned Space Agency While onboard the astronauts will also assist in the research using a small aquarium 1.25-liter aquarium that would house four small fish, which are believed to be zebrafish. The study of the fish in-space is hoping to develop a breakthrough in breeding vertebrates in the microgravity environment. If the study is successful the China Manned Space Agency hopes that taikonauts will be able to keep some fish long-term in the future to use as a fresh food source, crews already grow some plants onboard as food to vary their diet. The first task of the Shenzhou-18 crew however is to take over from the Shenzhou-17 crew, this will be signified when both crews conduct a handover ceremony. The crew will be in charge of space station maintenance, operations, and experiments after the handover ceremony, prior to this the crew will be adjusting to the microgravity environment. ### What is the Shenzhou spacecraft? The Shenzhou spacecraft is China’s only operational crewed spacecraft and is currently used to ferry its crews to and from the Tiangong space station. The spacecraft has a pressurized volume of almost fifteen cubic meters with a habitable volume of seven cubic meters. Currently, the Shenzhou spacecraft has a crew capacity of three. ![A render of the Shenzhou spacecraft as seen from above. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/--_--------1-1-2-1.png) A render of the Shenzhou spacecraft as seen from above. ©China Manned Space Agency Shenzhou consists of a service module, a re-entry module, and an orbital module. The only part of the spacecraft that the crew cannot access is the service module, which also houses the four main engines for performing in-space maneuvers. For generating power, the Shenzhou spacecraft has two solar wings with four panels each that are unfolded after launch, a rotating fixture also attaches them to the service module. During launch and return to Earth, the crew is seated in the re-entry module. The re-entry module is the only part of the spacecraft that can survive the heat of re-entry and has parachute systems and a landing motor to safely land after return from space. Inside the module, the crew can take control of the spacecraft, access some of the cargo stored during launch and landing, and look out the windows from their seats. The Shenzhou spacecraft also has an orbital module to allow the crew to have extra room during free flight to and from the Tiangong Space Station, it also has the docking system on the front. The docking system of the spacecraft is based on the Androgynous Peripheral Attach System and is 800 millimeters in diameter. ![The Shenzhou 14 spacecraft during ground operations in 2022 with all three modules attached. ©China News Service](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Shenzhou_spacecraft_ground_test.png) The Shenzhou 14 spacecraft during ground operations in 2022 with all three modules attached. ©China News Service The Shenzhou spacecraft currently launches on the Long March 2F/G rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, at which it has an exclusive launch pad called SLS-1/921\. Each Shenzhou spacecraft has a believed launch weight of 8,100 kilograms and an in-space mass of 7,840 kilograms. Shenzhou refers to both China's crewed space missions and the Shenzhou spacecraft. To date eighteen Shenzhou missions have been launched, with the latest being the thirteenth crewed one. ### What is the Long March 2F/G? The Long March 2F/G is a two-stage rocket burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine in both of its stages and boosters. So far the Long March 2F/G has been launched twenty-two times, this also included launches of the Long March 2F/T, with no failures since entering service in November of 1999\. It has currently been exclusively launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The launch vehicle is specifically designed for low Earth orbit launches and has a payload capacity of 8,400 kilograms to low Earth orbit. ![The Long March 2F/G vehicle for the Shenzhou 18 mission during rollout to its launchpad. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/007vTuMzgy1hotts4xlraj30zk1hcdoy-1.jpg) The Long March 2F/G vehicle for the Shenzhou 18 mission during rollout to its launchpad. ©China Manned Space Agency Powering the first-stage are four YF-20B generating a combined 332 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine for two minutes and forty-six seconds. The first-stage is also augmented by four booster, each powered by one YF-20B each generating 83 tons of thrust each burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine for two minutes and eight seconds. The combined thrust of the first-stage and four boosters is 664 tons of thrust. The second-stage of the launch vehicle is powered by one YF-24B generating 85 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine for five minutes, which completes the ascent to orbit. On its launch pad, the Long March 2F/G is 62 meters tall with a diameter of 3.35 meters for the first and second stages, the boosters have a diameter of 2.3 meters. Fully fuelled the launch vehicle weighs 464,000 kilograms. ### What is the Tiangong Space Station? The Tiangong Space Station, also called the Chinese Space Station, is a permanently crewed space station in low Earth orbit operated by the China Manned Space Agency and China National Space Administration. The space station consists of the Tianhe core module, the Wentian laboratory module, and the Mengtian laboratory module. The station has three docking ports for visiting spacecraft to dock located on the Tianhe module, one port is located at the aft end of the module, and two and the forward end with one facing Earth. The combined habitable volume of the space station is believed to be 122 cubic meters, with a total pressurized volume of 340 cubic meters. ![The Tiangong Space Station with a Tainzhou (left) and Shenzhou (right) spacecraft docked. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/--_-------------1.jpg) The Tiangong Space Station with a Tainzhou (left) and Shenzhou (right) spacecraft docked. ©China Manned Space Agency Each of the three modules were launched by the Long March 5B, with Tianhe launching on the 29th of April 2021, followed by Wentian on the 24th of July 2022, with the latest edition being Mengtian on the 31st of October 2022\. China currently plans to launch the Xuntian space telescope which will co-orbit with the space station for periodic docking for servicing and maintenance by crews onboard. For more about the space station and its future see [here.](https://proximareport.com/tiangong-space-station-1000-days/) ### What are taikonauts? The word taikonaut has been used in this article so a small explanation of the word is necessary for those unfamiliar with it. Taikonaut is what China calls its astronauts, such as the country's first taikonaut [Yang Liwei](https://proximareport.com/20-years-chinese-human-spaceflight/) who flew into space in 2003. The word comes from a combination of the Chinese word for outer space, taikong, and the suffix, naut. ### Why is China building the Long March 9? URL: https://proximareport.com/why-long-march-9/ Last updated: 2024-04-23T22:54:11.000Z *Disclaimer: Information on earlier versions of the Long March 9 is few and often contradictory.* China is a world-leading launch provider and has been planning to build one of the world's most capable launch vehicles since 2016\. The Long March 9 has been compared to NASA's Saturn V and SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy vehicle as it has evolved since being announced. Few in the Western world however know what the giant next-generation launch vehicle will be used for. ## Evolution of the Long March 9 ### Initial design (2016) The first version of the Long March 9, from 2016, was similar to previous rocket designs from China but much more massive. The first design had the rocket boasting a payload capacity of 150 tons to low Earth orbit, with approximately 50 tons to a trans-lunar trajectory. So far the Long March 9 has only undergone work at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, and potentially its subsidiaries. This initial design had the rocket with a 9.5-meter diameter first-stage powered by four twin-nozzle YF-130 engines believed to be burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. These four engines are rumored to have had a total combined thrust of 1,958 tons of thrust. The gigantic first-stage would also have been augmented by four 5-meter diameter boosters, each with two twin-nozzle YF-130 engines. The eight YF-130 engines across the four boosters would provide an additional 3,916 tons of thrust for a combined thrust of 5,874 tons at liftoff. ![The old design of the Long March 9 (left) and the Long March 5 (right). ©POCKN via X](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/EwbWBOQVgAY7R_b-1-1-1.jpg) The old design of the Long March 9 (left) and the Long March 5 (right). ©POCKN [via X](https://twitter.com/KidoDong/status/1371018462533840897/photo/1?ref=proximareport.com) The 2016 version Long March 9 would also have had two stages burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The larger of these two stages, the second-stage of the rocket, would have been powered by two YF-90 engines generating a combined thrust of 449 tons. The third and final stage of the rocket would have been powered by four YF-79 engines generating 99 tons of thrust combined. On the launch pad, the 2016 version of the Long March 9 would have stood 103 meters tall and is believed to have had a fully fuelled weight of 3,997,000 kilograms. This version is also believed to have had two additional variants, the 9A which would have only had two boosters leading to a payload capacity drop to 100 tons to low Earth orbit, and the 9B which would have no boosters leading to a low Earth orbit payload capacity of 50 tons. ### Reusable design (2021-present) The Long March 9 in its modern form has been studied as well as being under development since early 2021, officially. This new design is larger than the 2016 one with the change to partially reusing the launch vehicle, via recovery of the first-stage. It also switched to a liquid methane and liquid oxygen fuelled first-stage. The payload capacity of the current Long March 9 design is believed to be 150 tons to low Earth orbit, 54 tons to a trans-lunar trajectory, and 44 tons to a trans-mars trajectory. The new design for the first-stage is 10.6-meters in diameter with thirty YF-215 engines burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen to generate 200 tons of thrust each for a combined 6000 tons of thrust, higher thrust versions are also believed to be in development to increase the thrust to 6100 tons. It's currently unclear how the first-stage will be recovered, whether it be downrange or returning to the launch site, but due to the lack of landing legs in any current designs it will likely be similar to that of the Long March 10, which plans for first-stage boosters to be caught on a tensioned wire system. ![A model of the present Long March 9 design at 2022 Airshow China in Zhuhai. ©Shujianyang/Wikimedia Commons](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/CZ-9_mockup_2022-1.jpg) A model of the present Long March 9 design at 2022 Airshow China in Zhuhai. ©[Shujianyang/Wikimedia Commons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CZ-9%5Fmockup%5F2022.jpg?ref=proximareport.com) The newer design of the Long March 9 has however retained the liquid hydrogen fuelled third-stage with a new plan for the second-stage. For the new second-stage of the launch vehicle, it will be powered by two YF-215 engines generating 400 tons of thrust, initial plans have this stage expended but there is an ongoing study about the reuse of the second-stage. The third-stage is planned to be powered by four YF-79 engines, the same as the 2016 design, to generate 99 tons of thrust burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. With current plans for the Long March 9, the third-stage will only be used for missions headed beyond low Earth orbit. On the launch pad, the Long March 9 will stand 114 meters tall and will have an approximate fully fuelled weight of 4,400,000 kilograms. For launches to low Earth orbit the vehicle will be in a two-stage configuration, with launches beyond using the liquid hydrogen third-stage as previously mentioned. ## What is the Long March 9 designed for? China has two major uses planned for the Long March 9: to support a growing presence on and around the Moon, and for building space-based solar power facilities in Earth orbit. ### Lunar outpost In support of an eventual permanent human presence on the surface of the Moon, thousands of tons of cargo will be needed to build and maintain a crewed outpost. This cargo could be anything from building supplies to consumables used by the crew, such as food, water, or clothes. For building this outpost, at least a few dozen launches of the rocket are to be expected once it starts flying. It's unclear if each launch headed for the surface will have a lander, as China's plans for a reusable lander around the Moon are currently unclear, but the 50 tons of cargo to a trans-lunar trajectory is not insignificant to help build an outpost. The construction of China's lunar outpost is expected to begin in the mid-2030s after its initial planned crewed lunar landings before 2030\. The lunar outpost is part of the country's International Lunar Research Station plans. ### Space-based solar power stations China is also looking to build space-based solar power stations around the altitude of geostationary orbit, these stations would appear to stay stationary from the ground and would be a visible dot in the sky. The idea for space-based solar power is not a new idea with the idea having existed since at least the 1970s. China is keen to utilize space-based solar power stations to reach its carbon-neutral goal by 2060\. The payload capacity of the Long March 9 into a geostationary orbit, or a geostationary transfer orbit, is currently not specified by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology with a handful of launches believed to be required to send up the resources required to build each space-based solar power station. Under current space-based solar power plans, low Earth orbit testing is expected in 2028, with a geostationary test planned for 2030\. Full-scale construction is expected to begin after the Long March 9 starts flying regularly, likely around 2040\. ## Where is the Long March 9 now? The Long March 9 is currently still in the development stage with some test hardware built for the vehicle's structure and engines. Development of the launch vehicle was signed off by the government of China in 2021\. Currently, the Long March 9 is in a "project establishment (立项)" phase where the development will be fully defined and understood, this phase is believed to be planned to end at the start of 2025. ![A 9.5-meter diameter test tank for the Long March 9. ©China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/640.webp) A 9.5-meter diameter test tank for the Long March 9\. ©China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology A maiden flight of the launch vehicle is currently not expected to occur until the first half of the 2030s. The rocket is believed to be planned to only launch out of the Wenchang Space Launch Site, located in the Hainan province in the south of China. ### The Rise of BeiDou Satellite Network: China's challenge against GPS URL: https://proximareport.com/beidou-china/ Last updated: 2024-04-22T03:54:42.000Z BeiDou is a global radio navigation system operated by China's National Space Administration. This system bears many similarities to Russia's GLONASS, Europe's Galileo, and America's GPS. BeiDou is one of many significant projects that grant China independent capabilities in the realm of space. BeiDou's evolution can be traced all the way back to the early 2000s with BeiDou-1 coming online, providing navigation services for China. This network then laid the groundwork for BeiDou-2, and subsequently, BeiDou-3\. The current BeiDou network finished construction in 2020 and provides higher accuracy in the Asia-Pacific region than the GPS network. BeiDou has also been an integral part of China's national infrastructure plans while aiding State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) like CASC and CALT. China also has plans to expand the BeiDou network and integrate it with their future lunar communications network. The history behind BeiDou is even more interesting than the system itself. For decades, the United States was the leading power in global satellite navigation technology. The GPS was originally designed for military use but has become indispensable to the lives of its citizens and even other countries. A global satellite navigation system aids transportation, construction, agriculture, tracking, military operations, communication, and more. Reports show that if the United States GPS were taken offline, it would cost 1 trillion dollars a day in losses. Similar integration has been becoming more and more clear with the BeiDou network in China. ![](https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d414e32456a4e31457a6333566d54/img/ef17c33ca3274dd6bd97f178e6e0d518/ef17c33ca3274dd6bd97f178e6e0d518.jpg) Image depicting a BeiDou based automated driving car utilizing the BeiDou system Credit: CGTN In 2020, China finished its own satellite navigation system and started intensely challenging GPS dominance in space. The network first hyper-focused on China and then became a system of global coverage. Shortly after, the integration of BeiDou into China's economy was substantial. All of this was accomplished in the span of 20 years, showcasing the true strength of Chinese capability. BeiDou-1, which began construction in 2000, was a very small rudimentary network only offering services to China and had very few commercial applications. Now, China's BeiDou constellation is a strong and robust system offering many benefits to China. What we can see in China's expansion in only 20 years goes well beyond the eye-catching Shenzhou crewed missions; it is a clear representation of rapid development. China's BeiDou started in 2000, with the first taikonaut in 2003, the first lunar orbiter launched in 2007, and now they have a fully-fledged navigation system, operational long-term space station, and have operated two rovers on the moon, one of which in a previously unexplored region, and received lunar samples. BeiDou is an often-overlooked example of how China quickly develops. The history behind BeiDou is even more interesting then the system itself. For decades, the United States was the leading power in global satellite navigation technology. The GPS was originally designed as a military school but has become indispensable to the lives of its citizens and even other countries. A global satellite navigation system helps transportation, construction, agriculture, tracking, military operations, communication, tracking and more. Reports show that if the United States GPS was taken offline it would cost 1 trillion dollars a day in losses, similar integration has been becoming more and more clear with the BeiDou network in China. In 2020, China finished its own satellite navigation system and started intensely challenging GPS dominance in space. The network first hyperfocused on China and then became a system of global coverage, quickly after that the integration of BeiDou into China's economy was huge. This was all accomplished in the span of 20 years, showcasing the true strength of Chinese capability. BeiDou-1 which began construction in 2000 was a very small rudimentary network only offering services to China and had very little commercial applications. Now, China's BeiDou constellation is a strong and robust system offering many benefits to China. What we can see in China's expanse in only 20 years goes well beyond the eye-catching Shenzhou crewed missions, it is a clear representation of rapid development. China's BeiDou started in 2000, first taikonaut in 2003, and first lunar orbiter launched in 2007 and now they have a fully fledged navigation system, operational long-term space station, and operated two rovers on the moon one of which in a never before explored region and received lunar samples. BeiDou is an often overlooked example of how China quickly develops. ![](https://img2.chinadaily.com.cn/images/201811/16/5bee1b49a310eff369069aa6.jpeg) ## GPS vs BeiDou The United States started launching its navigation satellite system in 1978, and today we have four global systems. BeiDou being the newest addition gives it the added benefit of being able to use more modern tech from the beginning. However, the US navigation system has modernized over the years. GPS has largely been the satellite system of choice. Today's GPS constellation is made up of 31 satellites working with ground stations and antennas. Finally, devices equipped with receivers track signals from satellites to triangulate the position of the receiver. Historically, satellite navigation technology has offered the use of their systems for free. This means companies can use multiple navigation systems. This is entirely dependent on the hardware of your phone, meaning it does the selection. Android, Samsung, Huawei, and many others automatically support all of them. China has said that when they lost the ability to track missiles during the Taiwan Strait crisis, they needed to develop their own system for China. China's national infrastructure plans have largely been about independent development and sovereignty, so this expansion comes as no surprise. ![GPS surpassed by BeiDou in China - Geospatial World](https://geospatialmedia.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Beid.jpg) **BeiDou satellite navigation system model. Credit: CGTN* China's BeiDou constellation consists of 45 satellites, with 30 of them being the modern BeiDou-3\. BeiDou works with 120 ground stations and served 1.1 billion users in 2022\. China did this through heavy subsidies for ground station construction, State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), and by servicing countries that specifically weren't well covered by other navigation systems. BeiDou utilizes more satellites, more modern technology, and more advanced ground stations. One of the many modern systems on the BeiDou constellation is its ability to facilitate two-way messaging. This means in areas without ground cell coverage, there can be instant communication through BeiDou. BeiDou is helping China secure global influence along with helping many companies and many countries. The United States has been working heavily to modernize its own GPS system, but there have been significant delays, as only six of the U.S.' satellites make up its network as opposed to the 30 modern satellites that make up BeiDou. The US hopes to modernize its system by 2033, and BeiDou plans on expanding by the 2030s as well. China was able to rapidly develop a navigation system and expand it through its Belt and Road Initiative thus becoming a prominent leader in space infrastructure. ## Concluding thoughts The rise of the BeiDou satellite network marks a significant milestone in China's quest for technological independence and global influence. As the newest addition to the global navigation system landscape, BeiDou not only provides China with advanced capabilities in space but also challenges the dominance of established systems like GPS. With its rapid evolution since the early 2000s, BeiDou has expanded from a regional service to a global powerhouse, boasting higher accuracy and innovative features such as two-way messaging. China's strategic investments and commitment to independent development have propelled BeiDou to become a vital component of its national infrastructure, offering benefits to industries, companies, and countries worldwide. As BeiDou continues to expand and modernize, it exemplifies China's prowess in technological innovation and its aspirations for global leadership in space navigation. ### Weekly Dose of Space (14/4-20/4) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-14-4-20-4/ Last updated: 2024-04-21T17:10:26.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw four launches worldwide, with it being an even split between SpaceX and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. This week saw plenty of space policy news too. As always, we'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase started on the 16th when workers were spotted on the launch towers 'chopsticks' conducting what are believed to be upgrades ahead of the fourth flight of Starship-Super Heavy. A day later on the 17th, the LR 11000 crane was seen moving to the orbital tank farm, likely to continue removal of the older tanks. Also on the 17th, the 'chopsticks' were seen opening and closing, mostly likely testing new upgraded hardware. Late on the 18th, the 'chopsticks' were seen moving again along with the removal of one of the booster quick disconnect fuel lines. Another day later on the 19th, the outer shell of one of the tanks of the orbital tank farm was almost entirely removed and lifted by the LR11000 crane. The outer shell was then moved next to the road where crews began scrapping it. ## **Launches This Week** ### *April 15th - Long March 2D with Gaojing-3 (01)* China kicked off this week's launches with a Long March 2D lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to a sun-synchronus orbit. Onboard the rocket was the Gaojing-3 (01) satellite built by the China Association for Science and Technology for use with China Siwei Survey and Mapping Technology Co Ltd for commercial Earth observation services. ![The Long March 2D Y97 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuqan Satellite Launch Center with Gaojing-3 (01).](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GLLxV_ibsAAV1lG.jpg) The Long March 2D Y97 vehicle lifting off from the Jiuqan Satellite Launch Center with Gaojing-3 (01). ### *April 17th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-51* SpaceX added another twenty-three Starlink satellites to its low Earth orbit internet constellation from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1077 making its twelfth flight and landing successfully downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for Starlink Group 6-51. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GLZtoU-aUAAUc7J.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for Starlink Group 6-51\. ©SpaceX ### *April 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-52* Another batch of Starlink satellites were launched atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, into low Earth orbit. The booster was B1080 making its seventh flight and successfully landed on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 6-52 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GLfIPPUagAEycBq.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 6-52 mission. ©SpaceX ### *April 21st - Long March 2D with Yaogan 42B* A Long March 2D launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the Yaogan 42B satellite to low Earth orbit. The satellite is a remote-sensing satellite and will help with land surveying, disaster prevention, and monitoring of the Earth below. ![The Long March 2D Y103 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center with Yaogan 42B.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GLpxVpnbEAAA57Q.jpg) The Long March 2D Y103 vehicle lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center with Yaogan 42B. ## **In Other Space News** ## *Three new countries sign onto the Artemis Accord* ![NASA Administrator Bill Nelson (left) and Swiss Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin (right) after signing the Artemis Accords. ©NASA/Keegan Bar](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/screenshot-83.webp) NASA Administrator Bill Nelson (left) and Swiss Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin (right) after signing the Artemis Accords. ©NASA/Keegan Bar Last week Switzerland, Sweden, and Slovenia signed on onto the United States' Artemis Accords. Switzerland signed the accords on the 15th, Sweden signed on a day later on the 16th, and Slovenia signed on the 19th. The Artemis Accords now make up thirty-nine countries. Administrator Bill Nelson commented on the signing saying the following when Switzerland joined: > “As we welcome you into the Artemis Accords family, we expand our commitment to explore the unknown openly and peacefully. Discovery strengthens goodwill on Earth, and we are excited to expand our countries’ shared values and principles to the cosmos.” NASA and the United States reiterated that the Artemis Accords reinforce the 1968 Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space. ## *China creates Aerospace Force* ![Spokesperson Wu Qian speaking to journalists. ©Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/16302145_0581c4c234f6793bb19fb7100cb27816.jpg) Spokesperson Wu Qian speaking to journalists. ©Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China China recently [announced](http://www.mod.gov.cn/gfbw/tp%5F214132/16302145.html?ref=proximareport.com) the creation of the Aerospace Force on the 19th. The country reaffirmed its stance on the use of space with ministry spokesperson Wu Qian saying: > "Space is a shared asset of humanity. Space security provides strategic assurance for national and social development. Building the Aerospace Force is of great significance to strengthening the capacity to safely enter, exit and openly use space, enhancing crisis management and the efficacy of comprehensive governance in space and promoting peaceful utilization of space. China’s space policy is clear. We are committed to peaceful utilization of space and stand ready to work with all countries with the same commitment to strengthen exchanges, deepen cooperation and contribute to lasting peace and common security in space." China is likely to continue using space technologies to improve the country's infrastructure and conduct space science aboard its Tiangong Space Station in low Earth orbit. The Aerospace Force is likely only going to work on managing China's in-space orbital assets in the short term, with long-term goals harder to pin point at this time. This may also be a response to the creation of the United States Space Force back in 2019. ## *Boeing plans to cut SLS workforce* ![The Artemis I SLS core stage in January of 2020 during transportation to NASA's Stennis Space Center. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/maf_20200108_artemis_roll_out_dn-5673_0.jpg) The Artemis I SLS core stage in January of 2020 during transportation to NASA's Stennis Space Center. ©NASA According to a source of [Ars Techinca's Eric Berger](https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/04/amid-schedule-uncertainty-boeing-will-shed-workers-on-sls-rocket-program/?ref=proximareport.com), Boeing held an all-hands meeting for its SLS workforce where it announced cuts to the workforce due to external factors. The reasons for the cuts are reportedly NASA's Artemis mission schedule as only three missions are planned before 2030\. Boeing is currently believed to be working on the SLS core stages for Artemis II through IV. The Artemis II core stage is believed to be nearing completion, with the Artemis III core stage halfway through production. The Artemis IV core stage is believed to be in early production. ## *Shenzhou-18 rolled out* ![The Long March 2F for the Shenzhou-18 mission during rollout to its launch pad. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/661f6c61a31082fc2b6c4d7a.jpeg) The Long March 2F for the Shenzhou-18 mission during rollout to its launch pad. ©China Manned Space Agency Ahead of launch on the 25th of April, the China Manned Space Agency has rolled out the Long March 2F launch vehicle to its launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The Shenzhou-18 mission will be China's thirteenth crewed spaceflight mission and the first of the year. The crew is still not known outside of the China Manned Space Agency, the announcement is expected not long before launch. The China Manned Space Agency has also recently completed a rehearsal of the launch, which tested all of the systems for the mission. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX belives that they can launch the fourth flight test of Starship-Super Heavy in early May. So far both Ship 29 and Booster 11 have performed the necessary static fires for flight, it's believed that a wet dress rehearsal of the countdown will take place before the flight. Ahead of the flight, SpaceX needs to complete the mishap investigation into the previous flight with the Federal Aviation Administration, the investigation is still believed to be ongoing. ### *April 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-53* SpaceX is expected to launch another batch of Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission is currently unknown. ### *April 23rd - Electron for 'Beginning Of The Swarm'* Rocket Lab is planning to launch its Electron rocket to sun-synchronus orbit from Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand. The payloads for the mission are expected to be NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System technology demonstration mission and NeonSat-1 from South Korea. ### *April 24th - Falcon 9 with WorldView Legion 1 & 2* SpaceX is expected to launch two WorldView Legion satellites for Maxar to a sun-synchronus orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for the mission is currently unknown but is planned to land at Landing Zone 4, at Vandenberg Space Force Base. ### *April 25th - Long March 2F with Shenzhou 18* The China Manned Space Agency is targeting no earlier than the 25th of April for the Shenzhou 18 crewed mission. The launch will occur from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the three taikonaut crew is still unknown outside of the China Manned Space Agency. ### *April 26th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-51* SpaceX is expected to launch yet another batch of Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission is currently unknown. ### China plans to conduct a Moon mission and crew rotation in under a week? URL: https://proximareport.com/china-moon-mission-crew-rotation/ Last updated: 2024-04-20T03:54:51.000Z China has three major events happening in its space program at the of April and beginning of May. These three events are; the launch of Shenzhou-18 to the Tiangong Space Station, the return of the Shenzhou-17 crew to Earth, and the launch of the Chang'e 6 lunar far-side sample return mission. The first of these three is the launch of Shenzhou-18 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center atop of a Long March 2F launch vehicle. Despite the crew still not being known to anyone outside of the China Manned Space Agency, the Long March 2F launch vehicle for the mission was rolled out to its launch pad on the 17th ahead of the mission. The Long March 2F will carry the three taikonauts aboard the Shenzhou spacecraft into low Earth orbit where they will chase down the Tiangong Space Station. The three unannounced crew are expected to be greeted by Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie, and Jiang Xinlin who are currently on board for the six-month Shenzhou-17 mission. The current expected time from launch to docking is still believed to be six hours, docking will occur at the nadir port of the Tianhe module of the space station. ![The Long March 2F for the Shenzhou-18 mission during rollout to its launch pad. ©China Manned Space Agency/Xinhua](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GLVUSVwaAAAXclG-1.jpg) The Long March 2F for the Shenzhou-18 mission during rollout to its launch pad. ©China Manned Space Agency/Xinhua Planned a few days after the arrival of the Shenzhou-18 crew aboard the Tiangong Space Station, the three taikonauts of the Shenzhou-17 crew are expected to return to Earth. The crew, Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie, and Jiang Xinlin, have been onboard the space station since October 26th of 2023, and have spent almost six months aboard in microgravity. While onboard, the trio has conducted two spacewalks and completed dozens of science experiments. Tang Hongbo also set a record for time spent in space by a citizen of China during the mission, having spent 268 days in space at the time of writing. China Manned Space Agency has not announced when the Shenzhou-17 mission will return, but it is expected to be before the end of April. Shenzhou-17 was Tang Hongbo's second spaceflight, with it being the first for Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin. ![Jiang Xinlin (left), Tang Hongbo (center), and Tang Shengjie (right) sharing a meal as part of the Chinese New Year celebrations aboard China's space station. ©China Manned Space Agency/China Central Television](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/44e09ef2-4b0a-40e4-96d2-f081791f95bd_ggcxfnmbkaeho0j.jpg) Jiang Xinlin (left), Tang Hongbo (center), and Tang Shengjie (right) sharing a meal as part of the Chinese New Year celebrations aboard China's space station. ©China Central Television The last of the three events planned to occur is the launch of the Chang'e 6 lunar far-side sample return mission. Chang'e 6 is the latest part of China's Lunar Exploration Program and the second mission for it this year, Queqiao-2 launched back in late March. The mission is expected to bring back approximately 2,000 grams of surface samples. Parts of the launch vehicle, the Long March 5, are already at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, and likely undergoing final assembly at the time of writing, along with the Chang'e 6 spacecraft. The China National Space Administration has shared many updates since the spacecraft and launch vehicle arrived, but it is known that the two will be tested together in one of the assembly buildings ahead of rollout to the launchpad. The rollout of the Long March 5 with Chang'e 6 is not expected to be until a few days ahead of the launch, likely at the very start of May. The launch is currently expected to occur on the 3rd of May from LC-101 of the Wenchang Space Launch Site, located in the province of Hainan in the south of China. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Chang-e-5_mockup_at_ZHAL_01.jpg) A full-scale model of the Chang'e 5/6 spacecraft at Zhuhai Aerospace Land. ©[Shujianyang/Wikimedia Commons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chang%27e-5%5Fmockup%5Fat%5FZHAL%5F01.jpg?ref=proximareport.com) ### How the U.S. and China plan to land humans on the Moon before 2030 URL: https://proximareport.com/us-china-moon-missions/ Last updated: 2024-04-17T21:59:04.000Z Both the United States of America and the People's Republic of China are planning to perform crewed missions to the Moon before the year 2030\. The two countries have different ideas on how these missions should be performed in terms of launch plans and public-private partnerships. But how do their plans differ and how are they supported? ## What does America's Moon mission look like? The United States has several Moon landing plans under the Artemis program. For this article, we will be using Artemis III as it is the first landing mission for Artemis. With that out of the way, the mission plan is believed to be as follows: A Starship propellant depot will launch from the West coast of the United States, the depot would be a larger version of Starship that cannot return to Earth but can refuel other Starship spacecraft. Following the depot Starship, between four and fourteen Starships would launch to the depot Starship carrying extra propellant to refill the depot. These launches would take a few weeks. ![A diagram of the Starship refueling phase of the Artemis III mission. ©NASA/SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/image.psd-2.png) A diagram of the Starship refueling phase of the Artemis III mission. ****©**NASA/SpaceX After the depot Starship is sufficiently fuelled, the Starship Human Landing System will launch into low Earth orbit from the West coast of the United States. The Human Landing System Starship would then rendezvous with the depot and be refueled. Once the Starship Human Landing System is refueled, it would depart on a trans-lunar trajectory before entering a near-rectilinear halo orbit of the Moon. After arriving at the Moon it would await the Orion spacecraft and its crew. A few weeks after the start of Starship launches, a Space Launch System rocket would launch from Launch Complex 39B, in Florida, carrying four crew onboard Orion. The rocket would spent a few hours in low Earth orbit before starting up it's second-stage to place the Orion spacecraft onto a trans-lunar trajectory. After a few days of flight towards the Moon, Orion would enter a near-rectilinear halo orbit. Not long after arriving at the Moon Orion would then rendevous the the Starship Human Landing System. After rendevous in lunar space, Orion and Starship would dock and allow the crew to move between the two spacecraft. ![A render of an Orion spacecraft near the Moon. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/artemis-i-artists-concept---earthrise_51476783749.jpg) A render of an Orion spacecraft near the Moon. ****©**NASA Once the Starship Human Landing System has completed a series of checks by the crew it would undock from Orion and begin descent towards the lunar surface, two crew would have also moved into Starship. After Starship is at a safe distance from Orion, it would burn to head for the surface, Starship may move into a lower orbit of the Moon prior to final descent to the surface. After the descent to the lunar surface is complete and soft contact is complete with the descent engines shutoff the two crew onboard would then prepare to step out onto the surface. While the Starship Human Landing System is on the surface of the Moon, the two crew members are planned to conduct four extra-vehicular activities on the surface. The two crew would deploy science experiments and gather samples from the surface. After spending a week on the surface, the Starship Human Landing System would liftoff and head into orbit of the Moon to rendevous with the Orion spacecraft. The two spacecraft would then dock, with the surface crew and samples being moved into Orion. Once the crew and samples are secure inside the Orion spacecraft it would undock from the Starship, after undocking the Starship would be sent to a heliocentric orbit. Orion would also burn to return to Earth a few days after undocking. The four crew would then spend a few days aboard Orion while it travels back to Earth. ![A render of an Orion spacecraft returning to Earth under a parachute after atmospheric re-entry. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/artemis-i-artists-concept---parachutes_51476968340.jpg) A render of an Orion spacecraft returning to Earth under a parachute after atmospheric re-entry. ****©**NASA Once Orion passes a predetermined point, it would separate the capsule from the service module and begin re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. Once through the heat of entry into Earth's atmosphere at speeds of over 11,000 meters a second, or roughly 24,500 miles per hour, the capsule will deploy its parachutes to safely splash down at sea. Once the crew is recovered safely back on Earth, the mission is complete. ## What does China's Moon mission look like? China's crewed lunar landing mission will utilize two Long March 10 launches from the Wenchang Space Launch site, the mission plan is believed to be as follows: The first Long March 10 will take off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site carrying the Lanyue spacecraft to a trans-lunar trajectory. After the Long March 10 completes the trans-lunar burn the spacecraft will separate and spend the next few days flying towards the Moon. ![A render of the Long March 10 during first-stage flight. ©China Manned Space Agency/China Central Television](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Dongfang-Hour---China-s-Plan-for-a-CREWED-Lunar-Landing-in-2029--I-KrMfIkDdg---1194x672---8m24s--1.png) A render of the Long March 10 during first-stage flight. ©China Manned Space Agency/China Central Television Once near the Moon, the Lanyue spacecraft will light its propulsion module engine to enter an orbit of the Moon. The spacecraft will then wait in lunar orbit for the Mengzhou spacecraft. A few days later a second Long March 10 will take off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site carrying three crew taikonauts aboard the Mengzhou spacecraft to a trans-lunar trajectory. After the Long March 10 completes the trans-lunar burn, the spacecraft will fly towards the Moon over the next few days. Once the Mengzhou spacecraft is near the moon it will light its engines to enter orbit of the Moon. The spacecraft will then rendezvous with the Lanyue spacecraft in orbit. After rendezvous, the two spacecraft will dock allowing the crew to move between the two spacecraft. After checkouts of the two spacecraft are completed in lunar orbit the two spacecraft will undock with two crew being headed for the surface and one remaining on orbit. It is believed the propulsion module will still be attached to the Lanyue spacecraft and will perform its final burn to send the spacecraft bound for the surface. After a predetermined coast phase, the Lanyue spacecraft will separate from the propulsion module and light its engines for landing. The exact landing profile is unknown but it is likely to be similar to the Lunar Module of the Apollo program. Once the Lanyue spacecraft has confirmed its engines shut off and has soft contact with the lunar surface the crew will prepare to exit the spacecraft. The two taikonauts will exit the spacecraft a few hours after the landing. ![A render of two taikonauts on the lunar surface. ©China Manned Space Agency/China Central Television](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/9da82ba5gy1hfu9vb9vppj21eg0pw79t.jpg) A render of two taikonauts on the lunar surface. ©China Manned Space Agency/China Central Television The two taikonauts will spend a believed eight hours outside on the lunar surface gathering various samples and deploying science equipment, including a rover to traverse large distances. After spending up to eight hours outside the two taikonauts will board the Lanyue spacecraft and safely store the gathered samples. Once the two taikonauts are prepared to leave the lunar surface the Lanyue spacecraft will relight its engines and return to lunar orbit where it will rendezvous with the Mengzhou spacecraft. The two spacecraft will once again dock where the crew will transfer themselves and lunar samples out of the lander. After the samples are removed from the Lanyue spacecraft and any planned cargo is transferred between the two spacecraft they will undock for the second and final time. The Mengzhou spacecraft will then move to a safe distance away before it lights its engines again to carry the three taikonauts aboard on a trajectory back to Earth. The three crew members will then spend a few days inside the 'Mengzhou spacecraft as it travels back to Earth. At a predetermined point before entry into Earth's atmosphere, the capsule of the Mengzhou spacecraft will separate from its service module and orient itself for entry. Once through the heat of entry into Earth's atmosphere at speeds of over 11,000 meters a second, or roughly 24,500 miles per hour, the capsule will deploy its parachutes to either touchdown on land or splashdown at sea for recovery of the three taikonauts and the lunar samples. Once the crew is recovered safely back on Earth, the mission is complete. ## What are America's Lunar spacecraft? ### Orion ![A render of NASA's Orion spacecraft. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/artemis-i-orion-spacecraft_50942526198-1.png) A render of NASA's Orion spacecraft. ****©**NASA Orion is NASA's crewed spacecraft for lunar orbit operations. The spacecraft can carry up to four astronauts onboard for twenty-one days. The spacecraft has four solar panels mounted on the service module to generate power. Orion weighs 26,520 kilograms when atop of the Space Launch System. Orion consists of a service module, to power the spacecraft and allows it to enter lunar orbit, and a crew module, to house the crew. The service module gets a large amount of its thrust from the Orbital Maneuvering System engine, refurbished from the Space Shuttle, with it generating 2.7 tons of thrust. ### Starship Human Landing System ![A render of the Starship Human Landing System on the Moon. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/hls_artemis_iii.jpg) A render of the Starship Human Landing System on the Moon. ****©**SpaceX The Starship Human Landing System is SpaceX's bid for NASA's crewed lunar lander as part of the Artemis program. The spacecraft would be able to carry four astronauts to the surface, this number could increase in the future. The Human Landing System Starship will be fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, it will have three sea-level Raptor engines and three vacuum Raptor engines as well as a ring of smaller engines for the final descent. For power, the spacecraft will have solar panels that are either static and mounted around the sides or deployable, which would be stowed during launch. The entire vehicle will ascend from the surface with no staging occurring for the vehicle. SpaceX claims that the Starship Human Landing System will be able to deliver 100,000 kilograms of payload to the lunar surface. ## What are China's lunar spacecraft? ### Mengzhou ![A render of the Mengzhou spacecraft. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Mengzhou.png) A render of the Mengzhou spacecraft. ****©**China Manned Space Agency The Mengzhou spacecraft is China's in-development crewed spacecraft for low Earth orbit and lunar orbit operations. The spacecraft is believed to be able to carry up to seven taikonauts to low Earth orbit or three taikonauts to lunar orbit. The spacecraft will have two large solar panels to power its systems and life support for the crew. The spacecraft is believed to weigh 26,000 kilograms fully fuelled for a lunar mission. It is currently unknown what changes will be made for the low Earth orbit version of the Mengzhou spacecraft. The Mengzhou spacecraft consists of a command module, to house the crew, and a service module, to power the spacecraft and allow it to enter lunar orbit. ### Lanyue ![A render of the Lanyue spacecraft. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Lanyue.png) A render of the Lanyue spacecraft. ****©**China Manned Space Agency The Lanyue spacecraft is China's in-development lunar lander spacecraft for lunar landing missions. The spacecraft will be able to carry two taikonauts to and from the lunar surface in its current design. The spacecraft will have two large circular solar panels to power its systems and life support for the crew. The spacecraft is believed to weigh 26,000 kilograms fully fuelled with its propulsion module. The Lanyue spacecraft consists of a lander module, to perform lunar landings and house the crew for their mission, and the propulsion module, which will allow the spacecraft to enter lunar orbit. ## What are America's launch vehicles for a Moon mission? ### Space Launch System The Space Launch System, or SLS, is NASA's Moon rocket for sending crew and cargo toward the Moon, or deep space. Currently, the Space Launch System can deliver 27,000 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory, with plans to increase it up to 46,000 kilograms. There are currently no plans to reuse any part of the Space Launch System. On the launch pad, the Space Launch System is nintey-eight meters tall and weighs 2,610,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The core stage has a diameter of 8.4 meters with the second stage diameter of 5.1 meters, the two boosters have a diameter of 3.6 meters. ![NASA's Space Launch System rocket on the launchpad for Artemis I. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/prelaunch_with_full_moon_ksc-20220614-ph-csh01_0068-1.webp) NASA's Space Launch System rocket on the launchpad for Artemis I. ****©**NASA The core stage of the rocket burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in four RS-25 engines for a little over eight minutes. Each engine generates 232 tons of thrust for a total of 928 tons of thrust with all four engines. The two boosters that provide the majority of the rockets thrust at liftoff burn polybutadiene acrylonitrile and an ammonium perchlorate composite for a little over two minutes. Each booster generates 1,633 tons of thrust for a total 3,265 tons of thrust with both boosters. The second-stage of the Space Launch System is called the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, or ICPS. The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage is built by United Launch Alliance. The stage burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in a single RL10B-2 engine. The single RL10B-2 generates 11.2 tons of thrust for almost nineteen minutes. There are also plans to replace the second-stage with a more powerful one beginning with Artemis IV, the two boosters are also looking to be upgraded starting from Artemis IX. ### Starship-Super Heavy Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-one meters tall and weighs 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ![Starship-Super Heavy during its third flight test. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GIo7gbLbIAAFmL7-1.jpg) Starship-Super Heavy during its third flight test. ****©**SpaceX Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled Starship is believed to weigh 1,300,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. The total burn time for the Starship second-stage remains unknown outside of SpaceX but is known to burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen in its engines. SpaceX is working on a depot and lunar lander, Starship Human Landing System, variants of the Starship second-stage for NASA's Artemis programs. Details on these are largely unknown outside of observer predictions. Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. The total burn time of Super Heavy remains unknown outside of SpaceX but is known to burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen in its engines. Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ## What are China's launch vehicles for a Moon mission? ### Long March 10 The Long March 10 is a three-stage rocket in development by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, with a debut flight expected to occur in 2025\. The rocket plans to burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in its boosters, first, and second-stage. The third-stage currently plans to burn liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The Long March 10's planned payload is believed to be 70,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, or 27,000 kilograms to a trans-lunar injection. ![A mockup of the Long March 10 displayed at the National Museum of China. ©Shujianyang/Wikimedia Commons](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Long_March_10_mockup_-_NMC-1.jpg) A mockup of the Long March 10 displayed at the National Museum of China. ©Shujianyang/Wikimedia Commons The boosters currently plan to use seven YF-100K engines generating 892 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The combined thrust of the two boosters is 1,785 tons of thrust. The expected burn time is currently unknown. The first-stage is currently planning to use seven YF-100K engines generating 892 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. Once again the expected burn time is also unknown currently. The second-stage is currently planning to use two YF-100M engines generating 298 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The burn time of the second-stage is also unknown currently. The third-stage is currently planning to use three YF-75E engines generating 28 tons of thrust burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The burn time of the thrid-stage is currently unknown. The Long March 10 is expected to weigh up to 2,189,000 kilograms while fully fuelled and be up to 93.2 meters tall when on the launch pad. There are also plans to recover the boosters of the Long March 10 by making the engines restartable and adding grid fins to guide the boosters. The Long March 10 currently does not plan to have landing legs to land and will instead be caught on 'tensioned wires' with 'hooks' on the booster. This is likely to be downrange on a ship. ![A GIF of the Long March 10's booster demonstrating its landing system. ©China Central Television/China National Space Administration/China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/LM-10-Booster.gif) A GIF of the Long March 10's booster demonstrating its landing system. ****©**China Central Television/China National Space Administration/China Manned Space Agency ## How is China's space program organized? China's space activities are largely coordinated by the China National Space Administration (CNSA). This governing body operates under the People's Republic of China's government. The CNSA operates very similarly to NASA with direct governmental spending allocated by Congress for NASA and the Ministry of Finance as well as the National Peoples Congress (NPC) for the CNSA. The Ministry of Finance handles most of the national budget allocation but the national budget is subject to review by the National Peoples Congress (NPC). It is also subject to review by the State Council. The CNSA operates as a more traditional governmental agency for organizing space sector endeavors. ![The 12th National People's Congress in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in March of 2013.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/F84E0B23-999F-495F-8556-2A6674EE634D_w1597_n_st.jpg) The 12th National People's Congress in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in March of 2013. Differing from NASA, China utilizes state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and other agencies that work in collaboration. One of these agencies is the CMSA (China Manned Space Agency). CMSA's functions include development strategy, planning, overall technology, research and production, infrastructure construction, flight missions organization and implementation, utilization and promotion, international cooperation and news-release, etc. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Science and Technology play key elements in funding of aerospace SOEs. The Ministry of Science and Technology is the executive department of the Central Science and Technology Commission, which coordinates science and technology activities. State-owned enterprises however can often act very similar to commercial entities, receiving bonds through commercial activities, bonds, and bank loans. These institutions often act as contractors for the CNSA and CMSA while working in close collaboration. Such as the Chinese Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), the Chinese government can provide different funding to these agencies that can develop and be pushed before independently but also have a centralized operation by holding political control to push these industries towards accomplishing their respective tasks. Political support for China's space program operates under national goals of economic development, scientific advancement, and national security. China's space program also operates under more long-term strategic planning to outline long-term goals that are pushed for directly through councils in state-owned enterprises. In contrast, NASA's budget can fluctuate a lot more with changes in political leadership, congressional priorities, and budgetary constraints. While NASA often operates under multi-year authorization bills and annual budgets, political support for specific programs and initiatives may vary depending on political dynamics. Due to how China's various agencies and state-owned enterprises are funded through overarching national plans and objectives, China has more clear goals of advancement that are established by the larger government and advocated for by different councils leading the development of certain technologies. In regards to China's moon program, the plans for Chinese development has been lead by large projects such as Project 921 which led to the developmental choices of China's space agency. This is similar to how Congress and administrations may set objectives for NASA but China's is more spread out across multiple agencies and councils. ## How is the United States' Space sector managed? In the United States, NASA operates within a complex political and organizational framework that differs from China's in how it approaches space exploration. Similar to the China National Space Administration (CNSA), NASA receives direct funding from the government, with its budget allocated by Congress and subject to review and approval. However, unlike the CNSA's funding process, NASA's budget allocation involves negotiations between Congress and the executive branch, including the President's budget proposal and appropriations bills passed by Congress. ![U.S. Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC in January 2021. ©Erin Scott/Pool via AP](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/congress-oath.webp) U.S. Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC in January 2021\. ©Erin Scott/Pool via AP NASA's collaboration with industry partners also differs from China's use of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). In recent years, NASA has increasingly relied on public-private partnerships through programs like the Commercial Crew Program. Under this approach, NASA contracts with private companies like SpaceX and Boeing to develop spacecraft and launch systems, reducing reliance on traditional government contractors. However, old contractors like Boeing still wield significant influence due to their long-standing relationships with NASA. These private partnerships have allowed increasing and steady development of the United States' space sector as NASA struggles with maintaining a stable budget along with support, these partnerships and programs fostered by the government have inspired similar policies in China. Programs like the Commercial Crew Program have led to varying levels of success but it has produced and played a major role in the rise of SpaceX. These partnerships and diversification are also similar to China's segmentation of its space program and how it is governed by multiple bodies. NASA's collaboration with industry partners also differs from China's use of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). In recent years, NASA has increasingly relied on public-private partnerships through programs like the Commercial Crew Program. Under this approach, NASA contracts with private companies like SpaceX and Boeing to develop spacecraft and launch systems, reducing reliance on traditional government contractors. However, old contractors like Boeing still wield significant influence due to their long-standing relationships with NASA. Similar to China's collaboration between CNSA and SOEs, NASA works closely with organizations like the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which is managed by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) but funded by NASA. JPL operates as a federally funded research and development center, conducting robotic space missions, planetary exploration, and space technology research in collaboration with NASA. This partnership model allows NASA to leverage expertise from external organizations while maintaining control over mission objectives and outcomes. Despite these differences, political support for NASA's space program operates within similar parameters of national goals and objectives, including scientific advancement, technological innovation, and national security. However, NASA's budgetary constraints and fluctuating political dynamics can impact the agency's ability to pursue long-term strategic planning and achieve its objectives consistently. ## China's Lunar Exploration Program ### Progression from Chang'e to Crewed Lunar Missions China's lunar exploration program has evolved methodically over the years, marked by a series of successful Chang'e missions. These robotic missions laid the groundwork for crewed lunar endeavors, showcasing China's technological capabilities and paving the way for ambitious future missions. The transition from robotic to crewed missions represents a significant leap forward in China's space exploration aspirations. This landmark mission will involve scientific research, sample collection, and the deployment of innovative technologies, and advancing the technologies needed for longer stays in deep space. ![The Chang'e 4 lander as seen by the Yutu-2 rover. ©China National Space Administration/Thomas Appéré](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Hi-res-release-ChangE4-Yutu2-PCAM-Moon-CNSA-CLEP-2.jpg) The Chang'e 4 lander as seen by the Yutu-2 rover. ©China National Space Administration/Thomas Appéré In 2019, China started reviewing preliminary studies for a crewed lunar landing mission in the 2030s and building an outpost near the lunar south pole. As of 2024, China's current goal is to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030 using the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft and the Lanyue crewed lunar lander as outlined above. In 2021, China and Russia announced a joint endeavor towards building a moon base together. Several other countries have signed onto this Sino-Russian endeavor and is more comparable to the US-led Artemis program. During the robotic phase, one of the most significant hurdles encountered was the operation of the TT&C system(Telemetry, Tracking, and Command). This challenge arose from the need for the system's transmission capability to cover sufficient range to communicate effectively with the probes in lunar orbit. China's standard satellite telemetry boasted a range of 80,000 kilometers (50,000 miles), yet the distance between the Moon and the Earth can exceed 400,000 kilometers (250,000 miles) during certain orbital configurations. Moreover, the Chang'e probes were required to perform numerous attitude maneuvers both en route to the Moon and while operating in lunar orbit. Compounding the issue, China spans approximately 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) from east to west, posing an additional challenge to the continuity of TT&C operations. The expansion of the Queqiao network, led by Queqiao-1/2, will serve very useful for the transition towards crewed operations on the moon. The Chang'e lunar exploration missions have been pivotal in advancing the necessary technologies and procedures for successful lunar operations. During the second phase of the program, innovative hazard avoidance systems were developed to ensure safe landings, while in lunar orbit, complex three-vector control processes were employed to maintain proper orientation and attitude. These missions also demonstrated sophisticated orbit design and navigation techniques for lunar operations, providing valuable experience in navigating the complex three-body system of the Earth, Moon, and spacecraft. Additionally, incorporating automated docking procedures in missions such as Chang'e 5 and Chang'e 6 streamlines docking operations and reduces the risk of human error, essential for future rendezvous operations. Overall, the Chang'e missions have laid a solid foundation for lunar exploration, boosting confidence in China's capabilities for future missions. ### Technological Advancements and Collaborative Efforts China's progress towards crewed lunar missions is bolstered by technological advancements and collaborative initiatives. The development of the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft and Lanyue lunar lander signifies China's dedication to enhancing its space capabilities. Moreover, partnerships with international entities, such as Russia, demonstrate China's commitment to fostering global cooperation in space exploration. Recent milestones, including tank tests, static fires, and the testing of rudimentary versions of the Mengzhou capsule and reentry simulators, highlight China's steady progress towards crewed lunar missions. These achievements underscore China's position as a formidable player in the global space arena, poised to make significant contributions to lunar exploration and beyond. ### History and Development China's lunar ambitions have not experienced as many delays as the US' program, and they have a less ambitious timeline. However, China is a less developed nation with a less developed space program, and the lunar landing is not meant to serve as a competitor to the Artemis program but as a development of the Chinese program. China frequently has shown that its space endeavors meet deadlines and achieve lofty goals. The crewed lunar program was first announced in May of 2023\. Later that same year, we saw test firings of China's main engine for their moon rocket. The first flights of this rocket are slated for 2025 as well as 2026\. This will include the LEO and Lunar variants. A variant of the YF-100 (the main engine to be used on the Long March 10) has also reportedly made several key test firings as of April 2024\. This variant will be useful for the reuse of the Long March 10\. These test firings also prove useful in understanding as well as building in confidence in the engine design for the lunar operations. Tank sections and simulators have been reported as well to prove the structural integrity of the design for the Long March 10 building confidence for the lunar program. > China's 130-ton level reusable [#liquid](https://twitter.com/hashtag/liquid?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) oxygen-kerosene engine has passed 2 ground ignition tests recently. > So far, the engine has completed 15 repeated tests & 30 ignition tests. The total test time has exceeded [#3900seconds](https://twitter.com/hashtag/3900seconds?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com)! [pic.twitter.com/8qZC7A3r1J](https://t.co/8qZC7A3r1J?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Wu Lei (@wulei2020) [April 14, 2024](https://twitter.com/wulei2020/status/1779332168231329892?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) A firing of an upgraded YF-100 engine in April of 2024 via [Wu Lei on X](https://twitter.com/wulei2020/status/1779332168231329892?ref=proximareport.com). Several journals and papers have reported extensive studies towards the use of Long March 10A (LEO variant) for crew and cargo missions after 2026\. Yet reports of the lunar rocket can be traced all the way back to the 2020 China Space Conference in Fuzhou, located in east China, and reports from 2018\. Development for both Mengzhou, Lanyue, and the Long March 10 can be traced before the announcement of a timeline in 2023\. There is not only a clear evolutionary timeline from Chang'e to the crewed phase but also from the Long March 5 to the Long March 10\. As shown by Project 921 (the national project to build the Tiangong space station and China's manned space program), China has a history of reaching its goals once it has set them. Political support also stays strong with national objectives defined with CNSA, CMSA, CALT, and CASC. The lunar program represents an extension of the Chinese Manned space program but also an extension of the robotic program. ## Progress of America's planned return to the Moon The United States of America has been working towards returning to the Moon since the presidency of George W. Bush with the Constellation program, which led to the creation of the Orion spacecraft. Constellation would end up canceled by the Obama administration and changed into a crewed mission to an asteroid, this is also where the Space Launch System rocket would be born. Plans for a crewed asteroid mission would end up being snubbed by the Trump presidency with the plan of returning America to the Moon by the mid-2020s. Despite the political setbacks, the United States has flown its lunar crew capsule, Orion, on two test flights. The first was in December of 2014 when Orion flew into low Earth orbit atop of a Delta IV Heavy. Orion's second test flight took place in November of 2022 when it was launched atop of the Space Launch System rocket out toward the Moon. The second test flight would last twenty-five days and have the capsule spend approximately two weeks in cislunar space. ![NASA's Orion spacecraft during the Artemis I near the Moon. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/approaching-the-moon_52515102232.jpg) NASA's Orion spacecraft during the Artemis I near the Moon. ©NASA The United States has also landed a robotic lunar lander on the surface of the Moon in recent months, the first time a spacecraft from America landed on the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972\. The landing mission was part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, through which the agency hopes to have low-cost and frequent access to the lunar surface, and was performed by a company called Intuitive Machines. ## Closing remarks from the authors This article is neither short nor simple with some facts likely to change in the near future as both programs progress. If you know of any information that should be added or corrected reach out to the links available in [Brie](https://proximareport.com/author/brie/) and [Jack's](https://proximareport.com/author/jack/) author pages. ### Weekly Dose of Space (7/4-13/4) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-7-4-13-4/ Last updated: 2024-04-14T16:17:10.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw six launches occur worldwide, with four being from SpaceX. As always, we'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week too. ## **SpaceX** Last week at Starbase saw Booster 11 being removed from the Orbital Launch Mount on the 7th. In the late hours of the 7th, Booster 11 was rolled back to the production site and moved into one of the 'mega bays'. A few days later on the 9th, workers were spotted working on Ship 29's nose cone thermal protection tiles. Early on the 10th, workers were seen removing the front cover of the booster quick disconnect on the Orbital Launch Mount. The 10th also saw workers installing almost all of the mission thermal protection tiles on Ship 29's nose cone. The 12th saw a new actuator being installed on the 'chopsticks' of the launch tower as well as a new booster quick disconnect front cover being installed, SpaceX's reasoning for doing this is unknown but could have been due to damage sustained over the last three launches. ## **Launches This Week** ### *April 8th - Falcon 9 with Bandwagon 1* SpaceX kicked off the launches this week with its Bandwagon 1 dedicated mid-inclination rideshare mission to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Payloads aboard the Falcon 9 were Capella Space’s Acadia-4, iQPS’s QPS-SAR No. 7, South Korea’s 425SAT, Tyvak International’s Centauri-6, ata Advanced Systems Limited’s TSAT-1A, and HawkEye 360’s Clusters 8 & 9. The booster for this mission was B1073 making its fourteenth flight and landing successfully back at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/IMG_4320-1.jpeg) Liftoff of Bandwagon 1 ****©** SpaceX ### *April 9th - Delta IV Heavy with NROL-70* The final Delta IV Heavy took off from Space Launch Complex 37B carrying a classified satellite on behalf of the United States' National Reconnaissance Office. Despite the payload being classified, it likely was an Orion signals intelligence satellite. For more about the launch and Delta IV Heavy see [here.](https://proximareport.com/delta-iv-heavy-finale/) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/53643497081_813cb637ae.jpeg) Delta takes off, for the last time ****©** United Launch Alliance ### *April 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-48* Twenty-three Starlink satellites were carried into low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1083 making its second flight and successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/IMG_4319.jpeg) Long exposure shot of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 booster sending 23 starlink’s to LEO ****©** SpaceX ### *April 11th - Angara A5 for a test flight* An Angara A5 launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome carrying a mass simulator payload for a test flight to geostationary orbit. The rocket successfully completed the test flight to geostationary orbit, and manoevoured into a graveyard orbit afterwards. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/IMG_4322.jpeg) Angara 5 lifts off ****©** Roscosmos ### *April 11th - Falcon 9 with USSF-62* SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying the Weather System Follow-on satellite into a polar orbit on behalf of the United States Space Force and Department of Defense. The booster for this mission was B1082 making its third flight and successfully landing back at Landing Zone 4 at the Vandenberg Space Force Base. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/IMG_4318.jpeg) Liftoff of USSF-62 ****©** SpaceX ### *April 13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-49* Another twenty-three Starlink satellites were carried into low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1062 making its twentieth flight, a new record for a Falcon 9 booster, and landed successfully on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' down range. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/IMG_4317.jpeg) Liftoff of B1062’s historic 20th flight ****©** SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ## *Solar Eclipse hits North America* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/IMG_4291.jpeg) Solar Eclipse seen from the ISS ****©** NASA On the 8th of April, the long awaited 2024 solar eclipse struck the North American continent. While the weather wasn’t ideal, many people still flocked to places amongst the eclipse line, hoping to capture a view of totality. The next Solar eclipse won’t strike the continent until August of 2045\. ## *Eris goes vertical at Bowen* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/IMG_4316.jpeg) This week, Australia’s first commercial spaceport, Bowen Orbital, achieved a major milestone. Gilmour Space Technologies, operates both the nations first spaceport and the first, privately developed and owned rocket, Eris. This three stage rocket is capable of putting \~300kg’s into a 500km orbit. Currently, Eris is targeting a May 4th launch. This would be the first time since the 70s that an orbital launch attempt has taken place on the continent. ## *China’s second lunar relay satellite dubbed a success* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/IMG_4324.jpeg) Queqiao 2 seen shortly after separating from its LM 8 ride and deploying its solar panels ****©** CNSA After completing all of its in-orbit communication tests, China’s second lunar relay was officially dubbed a complete mission success! The satellite joined its brother in orbit around the Moon back in late March. Both of these satellites will work together to provide communications to the upcoming Chang’e 6 lunar mission. Chang’e 6 plans on landing on the Lunars far side, making communications without these relay satellites, impossible. Chang’e 6 is slated to launch sometime in May and its historic goal of collecting and returning samples from the Moon’s far-side is dependent on these two orbital communication satellites. While the primary purpose of these satellites is to serve as a communication relay, they also have other objectives. such as radio astronomy. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX believes that they can launch the fourth flight of Starship-Super Heavy early next month. So far both Ship 29 and Booster 11 have performed the necessary static fires for flight, it's believed that a wet dress rehearsal of the countdown will take place before the flight. However, SpaceX needs to complete the mishap investigation into the previous flight with the Federal Aviation Administration, the investigation is still believed to be ongoing. ### *April 15th - Long March 2D with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 2D is believed to be launching from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center's Launch Area 4\. The payload has not yet been announced. ### *April 17th - Falcon 9 with WorldView Legion 1 & 2* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E to a sun-synchronous orbit carrying two WorldView Legion satellites. The booster is currently unknown but the landing is expected to be at Landing Zone 4. ### *April 17th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-51* Another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to launch from Launch Complex 39A atop of a Falcon 9\. The booster for the mission is unknown but it is expected to land downrange on a drone ship. ### *April 18th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-52* Yet another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 atop of a Falcon 9\. The booster for the mission is also unknown but it is expected to land downrange on a drone ship. ### Angara's Past, Present, and Future: A Chronicle of Aspirations and Uncertainties URL: https://proximareport.com/angaras-past-present-and-future/ Last updated: 2024-04-10T18:04:16.000Z The Soviet Space Program while "losing its dominance" after the space race remained a strong space power on par with NASA capabilities in many respects. Yet after the collapse of the Soviet Union there was a huge issue with the distribution of Soviet assets which led to lengthy cooperation that halted what was now Roscosmos. The Russian led space program still relied on diplomacy to maintain many launch vehicles and to maintain their main launch site In Kazakhstan. The Russians then as a response to this set the course toward the development of a new launch vehicle, whose design and launch facilities would not rely on contractors outside Russia. This was a bold plan to bring back Russian dominance in space and reclaim the legacy of the Soviet program. ## **The Proton** Having its origins from the beginning of the Space Race like most Russian spacecrafts and launchers the proton was a heavy lift launcher meant to support the L1 program. The L1 program aimed to send two cosmonauts on a circumlunar trajectory on the moon to verify and establish key technologies for the lunar landing program (L3). By the end of the 1990s, after the disillusion of the Soviet Union, Russian aerospace engineers worked on modernizing the Proton rocket with new algorithms, new construction methods, increased accuracy and so on. The Proton however had varying levels of success in the actual commercial market with the rise of Arianespace. ![Successful Proton launch deploys Eutelsat satellite, first Mission Extension Vehicle – Spaceflight Now](https://spaceflightnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/4218827046.jpg) Proton launching EutelSat Russia was not only utilizing decades old launch vehicle designs but these launch vehicle designs failed to stay competitive or reliable. ## **Development of Angara** The design of the Angara would use heritage technology from the most advanced aspects of the soviet space program, Energia and Zenit. The four chambered RD-170 essentially was diminished to a singular chamber. Angara also utilized the much more modern fuel that is Kerolox as opposed to the hypergolics used by Proton. Proton has had to deal with a myriad of critiques both political and technical wise about its use of toxic hypergolic propellants, that toxicity is not prevalent in Kerolox rockets. Angara's main engine also has the benefit of being a relatively matured design with tons of flight time with various engines that it shares considerable heritage with. These engines include the RD-180 on the Atlas V, the RD-171 on the Zenit, The RD-170 on Energia, and extensive static fires verifying the high throttle capabilities of the engine. The main engine is also considerably efficient due to it being a closed cycle engine. ![Angara-A5 Persei - Gunter's Space Page](https://space.skyrocket.de/img_lau/angara-a5_blok-dm-03__ipn-1__2.jpg) Angara A5 Angara was designed at first to be merely a proton replacement but it evolved into a plan for a highly modular domestic rocket program that would use shared architecture across a myriad of Angara vehicles for commonality. Yet the core of the Angara rocket was the idea of a fully domestic rocket, with designs in Russia, components made in Russia, engines made in Russia, launch from Russia etc. Angara was set to be a highly adaptable vehicle from Angara 1, a small launch vehicle, to Angara 100, a SHLV. Plans were even laid out for flyback versions of the common core design designated Baikal, after a Siberian lake. These boosters would utilize wings and aerodynamic surfaces to land similar to that of a plane to be refurbished and re-flown to decrease costs. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/image-3.png) Baikal model at a Russian air show After finishing the infrastructure and development of many key aspects of Angara, they started with a suborbital testflight to verify the universal core module. The second flight was a real configuration, the Angara 5, that carried a test object into a geostationary orbit that then shifted into a graveyard orbit. It then carried another mass simulator testing the same configuration. This same configuration flew again carrying another mass simulator. These are all spaced out over several years, as Russia could not get any buyers their latest flagship rocket has long resorted to dummy payloads. Two operational satellites were launched in 2022 by Angara and operated by Roscosmos. The April 2024 launch set to be from Vostochny Cosmosdrome is a verification of the new launch site more then anything and again has no real payload. Angara is currently set for another launch later this year, a communications satellite in 2025, and then aid in the assembly of Russia's new orbital service station. With the rapid decline of Roscosmos and the many failures plaguing its program and failure to evolve from Soviet era technology after decades many question Russia's ability to maintain a dominant space power. ## **Concluding Thoughts** It becomes evidently clear after looking at Angara's tragic history that this was a rocket born from aspirational goals to reclaim a legacy that appears to be long gone. After Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine, Russia continues to face inreasing issues with securing collaboration with other space programs. Russia's biggest ally in Space is China currently. While Russia claims lofty goals little progress has been seen on not only their ambitious future claims but the very basis of their only fully domestic rocket program. In the solemn annals of space exploration, Angara stands as a poignant symbol of aspirations unfulfilled and promises left drifting in the void. Conceived from the remnants of the once-mighty Soviet space program, it was envisioned as a beacon of Russian innovation and resurgence, a testament to a nation's enduring legacy in the cosmos. Yet, as the pages of time turn, Angara's trajectory has veered tragically off course, failing to ascend to the lofty heights it was destined for. In its inception, Angara held the promise of a new era in Russian space dominance, with its sleek design and ambitious modular architecture. It was heralded as the harbinger of a fully domestic rocket program, a manifestation of Russian prowess from conception to launch. However, reality has proven to be a harsh adversary, as Angara's journey has been fraught with setbacks and disappointments. The initial test flights, once filled with anticipation, now serve as haunting reminders of unmet expectations. Dummy payloads replace the envisioned satellites, and the once-heralded launch sites stand as silent witnesses to missions that never materialize. With each passing year, Angara's narrative becomes more somber, its once-bright future dimming against the backdrop of geopolitical turmoil and technological stagnation. ### Delta IV Heavy soars for the final time URL: https://proximareport.com/delta-iv-heavy-finale/ Last updated: 2024-04-10T08:40:53.000Z On the 9th of April, the final Delta IV Heavy took off from Space Launch Complex 37B, at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This launch was on behalf of the United States' National Reconnaissance Office with the payload being classified. The payload aboard the final Delta IV Heavy is classified with the National Reconnaissance Office not sharing any details about the spacecraft. Based on the previous spacecraft launched on the Delta IV Heavy, it is likely that the payload was an Orion signals intelligence satellite. The Orion satellites are believed to operate in geostationary orbit and intercept radio, mobile phone, and various data signals on Earth below. ![Delta IV Heavy lifting off from Space Launch Complex 37B for NROL-70. ©United Launch Alliance ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/liftoff-delta-iv-heavy-nrol-70_53643956950.jpg) Delta IV Heavy lifting off from Space Launch Complex 37B for NROL-70\. ©United Launch Alliance The Delta IV Heavy has been described as 'the most metal rocket' due to it creating a fireball around the base of the vehicle before liftoff. This is caused by the hydrogen valve of the RS-68A engines being opened ahead of the oxygen valve. The headstart for the hydrogen allows it to build outside of the engine which allows the fireball to form upon ignition. United Launch Alliance has said repeatedly that the fireball is an expected part of the countdown. With the sixteenth and final launch today, Delta IV Heavy wraps up nearly twenty years of operation. The Delta nomenclature has been in American rocketry since 1960 with the first launch on the 13th of May 1960\. This was also the three-hundred and eighty-ninth launch of a Delta rocket since its introduction. Tory Bruno, Chief Executive Officer and President of United Launch Alliance, [commented](https://newsroom.ulalaunch.com/releases/marking-the-end-of-an-era-united-launch-alliance-successfully-launches-final-delta-iv-heavy-rocket?ref=proximareport.com) on the future of United Launch Alliance after the launch saying: > “The Delta rocket played a pivotal role in the evolution of space flight since the 1960s,” – “This final Delta mission signals ULA’s evolution to the new Vulcan rocket, providing even higher performance than our three-core Delta IV Heavy rocket in a single-core rocket to launch heavy-class missions for the nation. We will continue to deliver our superior reliability and unprecedented orbital precision for all our customers across the national security, civil and commercial markets.” Delta has continued to upgrade to fit the U.S. government's launching needs for almost sixty-four years, but is now being replaced by Vulcan-Centaur and other commercial launch vehicles. Hardware heritage from the Delta rockets will continue to exist in Japan's H3 rocket and NASA's Space Launch System 'Block 1' rocket before they too are replaced. ## What was the Delta IV Heavy rocket? Delta IV Heavy was United Launch Alliance's largest and most capable vehicle, and formerly the most capable launch vehicle in the world. The rocket utilized a two-and-a-half stage design to deliver payloads into orbit. It consisted of two Common Booster Cores attached to the sides of the first-stage Common Booster Core with a second stage atop to complete ascent to orbit. The two side Common Booster Cores are each powered by a single RS-68A engine burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Each booster burns for four minutes and two seconds. The RS-68A engines generate 320 tons of thrust each for a combined 640 tons of thrust. Each Common Booster Core was 40.8 meters tall and 5.1 meters wide. ![One of the Delta IV Heavy's side Common Booster Cores being transported. ©United Launch Alliance ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/rs-rocketship-offload-delta-iv-heavy_53584003385-1-1.jpg) One of the Delta IV Heavy's side Common Booster Cores being transported. ©United Launch Alliance The first-stage Common Booster Core was powered by a single RS-68A engine burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. This stage burns for five minutes and twenty-eight seconds. The RS-68A engine generates 320 tons of thrust, for up to a combined 960 tons of thrust with the boosters. The first-stage Common Booster Core was 40.8 meters tall and 5.1 meters wide. The second-stage was powered by a single RL10-B-2 engine burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. This stage burns for seven minutes and thirty-five seconds. The RL-10-B-2 engine generates 11 tons of thrust. The second-stage was 13.7 meters tall and 5.1 meters wide. ![The Delta IV Heavy being moved to a vertical position ahead of the NROL-70 mission. ©United Launch Alliance ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/launch-vehicle-on-stand-delta-iv-heavy_53583907414-1.jpg) The Delta IV Heavy being moved to a vertical position ahead of the NROL-70 mission. ©United Launch Alliance In the table below, United Launch Alliance claims Delta IV Heavy can deliver the following amount of payload to the listed orbits: | Geostationary Orbit | 6,580 kilograms | | ------------------------------ | ---------------- | | Geostationary Transfer Orbit | 14,210 kilograms | | Low Earth Orbit (28.7 Degrees) | 28,370 kilograms | | Low Earth Orbit (90 Degrees) | 23,560 kilograms | For protecting payloads during the launch, Delta IV Heavy had a 19.1-meter tall fairing that is 5.1 meters in diameter. The fairing splits into three parts once the rocket has passed through most of Earth's atmosphere on ascent. Fully fuelled on the launch pad, Delta IV Heavy weighed 733,000 kilograms. The rocket stood seventy-two meters tall for all but one flight, Exploration Flight Test-1. ## Notable missions for Delta IV Heavy ### *Exploration Flight Test-1* One of Delta IV Heavy's most important missions was for NASA when it carried the Orion spacecraft as part of the Exploration Flight Test-1 mission in December of 2014\. ![Delta IV Heavy with Orion atop of it at Space Launch Complex 37B in December of 2014. ©United Launch Alliance ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/on-the-launch-pad-delta-iv-heavy-eft-1_40008529165.jpg) Delta IV Heavy with Orion atop of it at Space Launch Complex 37B in December of 2014\. ©United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy lifted off from Space Launch Complex 37B on the 5th of December carrying the 21,000-kilogram Orion spacecraft to 185 by 888 kilometer parking orbit before raising the orbits to apogee 5794 kilometers. The launch vehicle functioned perfectly allowing NASA to collect important data about Orion and verify its systems ahead of the Artemis 1 mission. ![Delta IV Heavy lifting off from Space Launch Complex 37B carrying the Orion Spacecraft in December of 2014. ©United Launch Alliance ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/liftoff-delta-iv-heavy-eft-1_27031652578.jpg) Delta IV Heavy lifting off from Space Launch Complex 37B carrying the Orion Spacecraft in December of 2014\. ©United Launch Alliance Both the launch vehicles second-stage and Orion completed two orbits of the Earth. Orion successfully touched down in the ocean after re-entering the Earth's atmosphere, with the second-stage being destroyed due to not being designed to survive re-entry. ### *Parker Solar Probe* The only science mission to launch atop of Delta IV Heavy was NASA's Parker Solar Probe in August of 2018\. Unlike most launches, this mission required a specific transfer orbit so was only in Earth orbit for twelve minutes before the second-stage relit to escape Earth's gravity well as fast as possible. ![The Parker Solar Probe being encapsulated inside of the Delta IV Heavy's fairing. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/encapsulation-delta-iv-heavy-parker-solar-probe_51156318191-1.jpg) The Parker Solar Probe being encapsulated inside of the Delta IV Heavy's fairing. ©United Launch Alliance United Launch Alliance's Delta IV Heavy lifted off from Space Launch Complex 37B carrying the 685-kilogram spacecraft to its desired trajectory. All parts of the rocket performed as planned, including an extra solid motor upper-stage built by Northrop Grumman to further accelerate the Parker Solar Probe. ![Delta IV Heavy lifting off from Space Launch Complex 37B carrying the Parker Solar Probe in August of 2018. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/liftoff-delta-iv-parker-solar-probe_43089713985.jpg) Delta IV Heavy lifting off from Space Launch Complex 37B carrying the Parker Solar Probe in August of 2018\. ©United Launch Alliance The Parker Solar Probe is still orbiting the Sun and breaking speed records as well as getting closer and closer to the Sun. NASA is currently expecting the probe to make its seventh and final Venus flyby in November of 2024, the probe uses Venus flybys to lower its orbit around the Sun. ## Delta lives on? United Launch Alliance has built three Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stages for the first three Artemis missions using the Space Launch System rocket. The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage propels the Orion spacecraft out towards the Moon. ![The Artemis 3 Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/icps-artemis-iii_53122781154.jpg) The Artemis 3 Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. ©United Launch Alliance The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage shares hardware and design heritage with the Delta IV and Delta IV Heavy second-stages. The stage has lengthened liquid hydrogen tank as well as a second hydrazine bottle for thruster propellant attitude control. Currently United Launch Alliance has built the three Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stages, with one of them having flown on the Artemis 1 mission. This heritage has also led some to jokingly refer to NASA's Space Launch System rocket as Delta V. ## Who is United Launch Alliance? United Launch Alliance is an American aerospace company founded in December of 2006 as a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing. The company currently operates the Atlas V and Vulcan-Centaur launch vehicles. ![The logo of United Launch Alliance.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/ULA-Logo.png) The logo of United Launch Alliance. ### Dongfanghong-2 - 40 years ago today URL: https://proximareport.com/dongfanghong-2-40-years/ Last updated: 2024-04-08T19:09:45.000Z On the 8th of April 1984, a Long March 3 lifted off from Launch Complex 3 of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center bound for a geostationary transfer orbit. Aboard the rocket was the Dongfanghong-2 communications satellite. Dongfanghong-2 was part of the Shiyong Tongbu Tongxing Weixing (實用定位通訊衛星), which literally means Operational Geostationary Communications Satellite in English, group of geostationary communications satellites, the group was commonly abbreviated to STTW. Dongfanghong-2 was also believed to be the name of the satellite bus used for the STTW satellites. The satellite was the first communications satellite from China to enter geostationary orbit, making China the fifth country to do so. It would also be the first of five Dongfanghong-2 satellites to do so. ![The Long March 3 lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GKpJwyracAA0jFm-1.jpg) The Long March 3 lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The Shiyong Tongbu Tongxing Weixing (實用定位通訊衛星) satellites were developed as part of Project 331 in the 1970s and 1980s with support from Deng Xiaoping, defacto leader of China from 1978 to 1990, and Zhou Enlai, Premier of China from 1954 to 1976, as a part of efforts to improve China's communications infrastructure. ![A Shiyong Tongbu Tongxing Weixing (實用定位通訊衛星) satellite in a cleanroom.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/dfh-2_2-1.jpg) A Shiyong Tongbu Tongxing Weixing (實用定位通訊衛星) satellite in a cleanroom. The first STTW satellite to be launched did not enter geostationary orbit. STTW-T1 was launched on the 29th of January 1984 and was stranded in low Earth orbit after the third-stage engine of the Long March 3 failed to re-ignite. However, Teams on the ground did test the satellites' systems while it was in low Earth orbit and over China. The second, launched on the 8th of April 1984, and third, launched on the 1st of February 1986, STTW satellites, dubbed STTW-T2 and STTW-T3, were both successfully placed into a geostationary transfer orbit by the Long March 3 as planned. To enter geostationary orbit, both satellites had an FG-15 small solid rocket motor kick-stage that was designed specifically to put the spacecraft into their intended orbits. The first three STTW satellites, built on the Dongfanghong-2 bus, led the way for the next four communications satellites, built on the Dongfanghong-2A bus. The following four STTW satellites would later be dubbed ChinaSat 1 through 4 and would serve both civilian and military communication needs. ChinaSat 4 however was lost when the third-stage of the Long March 3 failed during its burn to geostationary transfer orbit. The four satellites using the Dongfanghong-2A bus would use an FG-15B small solid rocket motor kick-stage to enter geostationary orbit. ![A Shiyong Tongbu Tongxing Weixing (實用定位通訊衛星) satellite in a cleanroom.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GKpJwyia4AE0BC4.jpg) A Shiyong Tongbu Tongxing Weixing (實用定位通訊衛星) satellite in a cleanroom. The Shiyong Tongbu Tongxing Weixing (實用定位通訊衛星) satellites were 2.1 meters in diameter and 3.1 meters tall, the satellites were believed to be 8.5 meters tall once the antenna was deployed in space. In geostationary orbit, the satellites weighed approximately 441 kilograms. The solid rocket motor kick-stages that placed the satellites in geostationary orbit are believed to have weighed 580 kilograms. For power, the satellites had twenty-thousand solar cells attached to the sides, while behind the Earth the spacecraft used battery power. The spacecraft also had a parabolic antenna mounted on the top, which would be rotated to be kept aligned with receiving stations on the Earth below. Each satellite was believed to have provided two-hundred telephone lines and fifteen television and radio channels. They also provided a communications link between eastern China and its coastal regions in the west. At the end of each of the satellites' operations in geostationary orbit, they were sent to a graveyard orbit higher than their previous orbits. Each satellite had a designed operating life of four and a half years. ### Weekly Dose of Space (31/3-6/4) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-31-3-6-4/ Last updated: 2024-04-07T17:59:51.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw five launches worldwide, with three being from SpaceX. This week saw NASA select three companies for lunar rovers for Artemis missions and another country joins the International Lunar Research Station. As always, we'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week too. ## **SpaceX** Work at Starbase this week started with the removal of thermal protection tiles from the nose of Ship 29, this may be from some data gathered from flight three about the performance of the tiles. Work continued on the tiles into the morning of the 2nd when some tiles were added back onto the nose. The 2nd also saw the Orbital Launch Mount do what is believed to be a test of one of its vents. On the 3rd, teams were once again spotted working on the nose tiles of Ship 29. Late at night on the 3rd, Booster 11 was rolled out to the launch site before being parked next to the Orbital Launch Mount. Not long after arrival, Booster 11 was moved into the 'chopsticks' and lifted onto the launch mount in the early hours of the 4th. Also on the 4th, Ship 29 was moved outside which revealed that large number of heat tiles were being replaced along the vehicle. Early on the 5th of April, scaffolding was removed from the Orbital Launch Mount along with a crew access platform ahead of a static fire. The 5th saw Booster 11 come to lift and perform what was believed to be a thirty-three engine static fire for over five seconds. SpaceX did not share how many engines lit or the duration. ![Booster 11 performing a static fire at Starbase. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GKcV931bMAAvlw1.jpg) Booster 11 performing a static fire at Starbase. ©SpaceX ## **Launches This Week** ### *March 31st - Soyuz 2.1b with Resures-P No. 4* A Soyuz 2.1b launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying a Resurs-P to a sun-synchronus orbit. The satellite is believed to be a commercial Earth observation satellite. ### *April 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-18* SpaceX started its launches for the week from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, with twenty-two Starlink satellites being placed into low Earth orbit by Falcon 9\. The booster for this mission was B1071 making its fifteenth flight and landing successfully on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from SLC-4E for Starlink Group 7-18. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GKIYjHGaAAAVDNn.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from SLC-4E for Starlink Group 7-18\. ©SpaceX ### *April 2nd - Long March 2D with Yaogan-42A* China launched a Long March 2D from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the Yaogan-42A satellite into low Earth orbit. Yaogan-42A is a remote-sensing satellite intended to help with land surveying, disaster prevention, and monitoring of the Earth below. ![Liftoff of the Long March 2D Y102 via 我们的太 on Weibo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/0077Nzxhly1hodbu0pq4uj340e60h1la-1.jpg) Liftoff of the Long March 2D Y102 via [我们的太 on Weibo](https://weibo.com/6528178851/O7XZIe8wM?ref=proximareport.com) ### *April 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-47* Another twenty-three Starlink satellites were launched, this time from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1069 making its fourteenth flight and successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from SLC-40 for Starlink Group 6-47. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GKZOLXObUAAWfSf-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from SLC-40 for Starlink Group 6-47\. ©SpaceX ### *April 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-1* SpaceX launched another twenty-one Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster for this mission was B1081 making its sixth flight and landed on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange successfully. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from SLC-4E for Starlink Group 8-1. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GKiOqSubcAAXPkJ-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from SLC-4E for Starlink Group 8-1\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ## *Thailand joins the ILRS* ![Officials from China and Thailand inspecting models of Chang'e 5 and Tianwen 1 missions. ©China National Space Administration](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/10496998.jpg) Officials from China and Thailand inspecting models of Chang'e 5 and Tianwen 1 missions. ©China National Space Administration Announced on the 5th of April, China And Thailand signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in exploration and peaceful use of outer space as well as a memorandum of understanding on cooperation with the International Lunar Research Station. According to the memorandum of understanding, China and Thailand will establish a joint committee and a joint working group to plan and implement joint space projects, scientific exchange projects, and personnel training plans, exchange data and information, and joint organize symposiums and scientific workshops to strengthen cooperation between the two countries. ## *NASA selects Artemis rover providers* ![A render of NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/image.psd-1.png) A render of NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle. ©NASA On the 3rd of Apri, NASA announced that it had selected Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab to develop a lunar terrain vehicle. The agency seeks to leverage its existing expertise in developing and operating rovers to build commercial capabilities that support scientific discovery and long-term human exploration of the Moon. NASA intends to begin using a commercial lunar terrain vehicle with crew during the Artemis V mission. Between Artemis missions, the lunar terrain vehicle will operate remotely to support NASA’s scientific objectives as needed. Jacob Bleacher, Chief Exploration Scientist in the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, said the following about the usage of the lunar vehicles: > “We will use the LTV to travel to locations we might not otherwise be able to reach on foot, increasing our ability to explore and make new scientific discoveries,” – “With the Artemis crewed missions, and during remote operations when there is not a crew on the surface, we are enabling science and discovery on the Moon year around.” ## *Blue Origin announces NS-25 passengers* ![The passengers of the NS-25 mission. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/ns25_astrogrid.jpg) The passengers of the NS-25 mission. ©Blue Origin Blue Origin announced on the 4th of April who would fly aboard New Shepard's twenty-fifth mission. The crew are as follows: - **Ed Dwight**: Previously served in the U.S. Air Force and was chosen in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy to enter training at the Aerospace Research Pilot School of the U.S. Air Force. In 1963, he was recommended for the NASA Astronaut Crops but never flew. - **Mason Angel**: Is the founder of Industrious Ventures and hoping to use the flight to inspire children and advance partnerships with nonprofits focused on STEM in early education. - **Sylvain Chiron**: Is the founder of the Brasserie Mont Blanc having previously served in the French military. - **Kenneth Hess**: Is a software engineer and entrepreneur who shaped today's technology-based family history industry when he developed the Family Tree Maker product, which was acquired by Ancestry in 2003\. Ken also founded Science Buddies which is a nonprofit created to level the playing field and improve STEM literacy by inspiring students through free projects in all areas of science, including space exploration. - **Carol Schaller**: Has traveled to twenty-five countries worldwide, including Mount Everest Base Camp and the South Pole. Traveling to the edge of space will fulfill a lifelong dream. - **Gopi Thotakura**: Is a pilot and aviator who co-founded Preserve Life Corp located near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Gopi is also a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The flight date has not yet been announced by Blue Origin, but is expected to be soon. ## *Australia’s first commercial orbital spaceport is ready to go* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/IMG_0119.jpeg) Aerial view of the Bowen Spaceport ©Gilmour Space Technologies Australia is one step closer to bringing orbital launches back to the continent for the first time since the 70s. On the fourth of April, Bowen orbital spaceport, owned and operated by Gilmour Space Technologies, opened for business! Gilmour expects to see the first launch from this facility, sometime in the coming weeks. One of Gilmour’s “Eris” rockets is already at the facility, fully assembled and ready to go! The Bowen spaceport is located in North Queensland and is capable of launching payloads to various low to mid-equatorial orbits, ranging in inclination from 20 to 65 degrees. [If you want a full article on this matter, click this link](https://proximareport.com/australias-first-orbital-spaceport-opens-in/i). ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX believes that they can launch the fourth flight of Starship-Super Heavy next month. So far both Ship 29 and Booster 11 have performed the necessary static fires for flight, it's believed that a wet dress rehearsal of the countdown will take place before flight. However, SpaceX needs to complete the mishap investigation into the previous flight with the Federal Aviation Administration. ### *April 8th - Falcon 9 with Bandwagon-1* SpaceX is expected to launch its first Bandwagon rideshare mission atop of its Falcon 9 rocket. The launch is expected to occur from Launch Complex 39A with the booster landing at Landing Zone 1. ### *April 9th - Angara A5 for a test flight* Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center is believed to be launching its Angara A5 rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome for a test flight, the payload will be a mass simulator. ### *April 9th - Delta IV Heavy with NROL-70* United Launch Alliance is expected to launch a classified satellite to an unknown orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office. This will also be the final flight of the Delta IV Heavy ever. The launch is expected to occur from Space Launch Complex 37B, in Florida. ### *April 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-48* SpaceX is believed to be targeting the 10th to launch yet another batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The launch is expected to occur from Space Launch Complex 40. ### STS-1 - An icon spreads her wings URL: https://proximareport.com/sts-1/ Last updated: 2024-04-06T17:54:17.000Z On the 12th of April 1981, a new launch vehicle took to the skies for the first time from the United States. This debut flight would be like no other as crew were onboard too, with a plan to land a part of the vehicle on a runway too. The vehicle would be none other than the Space Shuttle. On board Space Shuttle Columbia for the first flight were Commander John Young and Pilot Robert Crippen. This flight was Young's fifth trip to space and the first time Crippen would head into orbit. Young was chosen due to his nineteen years of experience at NASA, having flown for both Gemini and Apollo programs. Crippen was chosen due to his test flight background and as an expert in the Space Shuttle's computer systems. ![John Young (left) and Robert Crippen (right) with a model of the Space Shuttle in April 1979. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/S79-31775-large.jpg) John Young (left) and Robert Crippen (right) with a model of the Space Shuttle in April 1979\. ©NASA Having scrubbed two days earlier due to a timing problem with Columbia's computers, the Space Shuttle lifted off for the first time at 7:00:03 am, Eastern Standard Time, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, in Florida. The objective of STS-1 was to prove a safe ascent to orbit and return to Earth safely with a landing of the orbiter. Two minutes and eleven seconds after liftoff the two solid rocket boosters separated successfully for the first time, followed six minutes and twenty-three seconds later by the three main engines on Columbia shutting down. Eighteen seconds later the external tank separated to allow the orbiter to enter orbit, which Columbia did with two burns of its Orbital Manoevruing System engines. Following the two burns, Columbia was in a 274 by 246 kilometer orbit of the Earth. ![Columbia during ascent for STS-1 shortly after booster separation. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/s81-33179-1.jpg) Columbia during ascent for STS-1 shortly after booster separation. ©NASA Upon entering low Earth orbit, the crew onboard was tasked with opening Columbia's payload bay doors. This needed to be done as the Orbiter's radiators are part of the doors, and need to be exposed to space to manage the internal temperature. As this was the first time the doors were opened, they were opened slowly starting with the starboard (right) door opening closing and then opening again to make sure the launch had not damaged the door, or if microgravity had affected the door's shape. The same was also done with the port (left) side door too. While on orbit, Young and Crippen noticed that several tiles near the aft of Columbia were damaged with engineers believing up to seventeen were damaged. It was later determined that no tiles were missing from the underside of Columbia and that the lost tiles would not affect re-entry due to their location. A minor issue that was noticed during the duration of the mission was that one of the Development Flight Instrumentation recorders, located in the payload bay, would not turn off and could run out of tape before re-entry, where NASA wanted to gather data ahead of future flights. This problem was solved by cycling the circuit breaker that fed power to the instrument when needed. ![A view of Columbia's payload bay during STS-1 with the two Development Flight Instrumentation boxes inside. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/sts-1_launch_22_payload_bay_on_orbit_sts001-012-0331_1.png) A view of Columbia's payload bay during STS-1 with the two Development Flight Instrumentation boxes inside. ©NASA During their time on orbit, the crew received a telephone call from Vice President George H.W. Bush, located in the White House. Bush told the crew: > "Your trip is going to ignite the excitement and the forward thinking for the country.” and “We’ll be watching that re-entry and the landing with great interest on behalf of the whole country.” Young and Crippen also practiced putting on their pressure suits in microgravity, as well as testing the payload doors, prior to re-entry the following day. As the crew slept during their second, and final, night in space, an alarm woke the crew due to the temperature in one of Columbia's three auxiliary power units, these were used to control the aerodynamic control surfaces during atmospheric flight. It was thought that the heater for the power unit had failed with mission control advising the crew to switch on a backup heater, which was believed to have solved the problem. Young and Crippen went back to sleep after solving the problem. Not long after waking up, mission control informed the crew that the backup power unit heater had also failed but was believed to be operational during return to Earth. Ahead of performing re-entry, Young and Crippen got into their pressure suits and closed the payload bay doors. Columbia was then oriented for the de-orbit burn where its engines then burned for two-minutes and forty seconds, beginning return to Earth. After passing over the island of Guam, Columbia encountered the upper atmosphere beginning sixteen minutes of communications blackout. Communications with Columbia were re-established after is passed over the coast of California while traveling at ten times the speed of sound. Not long after communications were re-established, Crippen said the following upon seeing California: > “What a way to come to California!” Columbia remained supersonic until it passed over Edwards Airforce Base at 51,000 feet. The orbiter was lined up with Runway 23 at Edwards Airforce Base by Young after the orbiter performed a 210-degree turn. The landing gear was lowered at 400 feet during final approach with Columbia touching down on the runway at 211 miles per hour. The orbiter came to a stop on the runway after it rolled almost 9000 feet down the runway. After landing Young commented: > “This is the world’s greatest flying machine, I’ll tell you that. It worked super.” Columbia's first mission lasted two days, six hours, twenty minutes, and fifty-three seconds having orbited Earth thirty-six times. ![Columbia touching down on Runway 23 at Edwards Airforce Base ending the STS-1 mission. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/sts-1_landing_7_s81-30746.png) Columbia touching down on Runway 23 at Edwards Airforce Base ending the STS-1 mission. ©NASA ## What was the Space Shuttle? The Space Shuttle was NASA's most flown crewed spacecraft having launched into orbit one-hundred and thirty-four times over its thirty-year history. NASA's shuttle was comprised of three major pieces; the Orbiter, an external tank, and two solid rocket boosters. The orbiters were built by Boeing and Rockwell International, the external tanks were built by Lockheed Martin, and the solid rocket booster were built by Thoikol. ![A 1975 diagram of the Space Shuttle. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/0102616-1.jpg) A 1975 diagram of the Space Shuttle. ©NASA On the launch pad, the Space Shuttle stood 56.1 meters tall and weighed 2,030,000 kilograms fully fuelled. All one-hundred and thirty-five shuttle missions launched from Cape Canaveral, in Florida. Powering the Space Shuttle into orbit were three Space Shuttle Main Engines, sometimes referred to as RS-25s, and two large four-segment solid rocket boosters. The three engines and two boosters would generate 3186 tons of thrust at liftoff to carry the vehicle skyward. NASA also designed the Space Shuttle to be partially reusable, of which it was the first spacecraft to be. The orbiter would be recovered by landing on a runway after re-entry and the two boosters would be recovered after landing at sea under parachute. ### How Radiation Affects the Future of Artemis URL: https://proximareport.com/how-radiation-affects-the-future-of-artemis/ Last updated: 2024-04-05T04:30:12.000Z The biological consequences of radiation exposure is a major source of study for future missions within deep space. Whether its putting astronauts on the moon, inhabiting gateway, or on trips to Mars we have to broaden our understanding of how radiation effects the human body. Yet often times radiation is misrepresented as a minor issue that can be countered with enough shielding. Its difficult to quantify exactly how radiation is interacting with tissue and its even more difficult to evaluate and quantify how that will develop later on in life beyond immediate issues. Even with our studies of radiation in LEO there is an even larger number of variables as we try and venture outside the safety of humanities bubble. In the harsh environment of space, DNA damage induced by radiation poses a significant threat to human health and safety. Radiation-induced DNA damage is primarily caused by high-energy particles such as protons, which possess sufficient energy to penetrate spacecraft shielding and human tissue. Upon exposure, the body initiates repair mechanisms in an attempt to mitigate the damage. However, the efficacy of these repair processes is often compromised due to the sheer intensity and complexity of space radiation. Consequently, the accumulation of mutations within DNA can occur, leading to a myriad of potential health complications for astronauts. On Earth, radiation exposure is typically low-level and manageable due to the presence of the atmosphere and magnetic field, which serve as natural shields. Additionally, terrestrial activities allow for the implementation of time limits and shielding measures to minimize radiation exposure. However, in the vacuum of space, these protective mechanisms are inadequate against the relentless bombardment of high-energy radiation. Even the most advanced forms of radiation shielding prove ineffective when confronted with the galactic scale and the formidable velocities at which space radiation propagates. Thus, the challenge of mitigating radiation risks in space exploration remains a paramount concern, necessitating innovative strategies and technologies to safeguard the well-being of astronauts during prolonged missions beyond Earth's protective confines. In assessing the potential health risks posed by space radiation to astronauts, scientists have conducted extensive evaluations of various biological effects. One recent area of significant focus revolves around understanding the risks associated with exposure to solar particle event (SPE) radiation. These evaluations encompass a range of effects, including changes in gene expression linked to processes like programmed cell death and remodeling of the extracellular matrix, oxidative stress, bacterial translocation in the gastrointestinal tract, activation of the immune system, changes in peripheral hematopoietic cell counts, occurrences of emesis, alterations in blood coagulation, impacts on skin, behavior and fatigue (including aspects such as social exploration, submaximal exercise treadmill performance, and spontaneous locomotor activity), cardiac function, changes in biological markers related to astronaut vision issues (examined through lumbar puncture, intracranial pressure measurement, ocular ultrasound, and histopathology studies), as well as assessing survival rates and potential long-term consequences like cancer and cataract development. Numerous countermeasures have been identified that hold promise in mitigating or preventing the adverse biological effects stemming from exposure to space radiation. These countermeasures represent a crucial aspect of space exploration health management, aiming to safeguard astronaut well-being during extended missions. Radiation has to be considered for every single mission in deep space, from the materials, from the procedures, from the plan and more. One of these countermeasures as will be utilized by the Artemis program and their Orion capsule is the concept of a radiation shelter. ![Engineers Conduct Testing and Evaluate Procedures](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/top_view_test_start1.jpg?w=1893) Engineers conducted testing in a representative Orion to evaluate procedures that will be used to protect astronauts during radiation events in space. ****Credits: NASA** NASA is frequently conducting many tests with their hardware available to evaluate procedures and tasks to use the equipment on board to form a radiation shield for getting astronauts protected as quickly as possible. Most of these are about long term effects of radiation and these tests/studies are crucial as we venture out to Mars. NASA also studies the consequences of radiation by actual in space testing, such as with Artemis 1, a spacecraft decked out with radiation sensing mannequins simulating different areas of the human body and sensors all over. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/image-2.png) Commander Moonikin Campos is packed within a transport crate at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 10, 2023 following deloading from the Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft. (Image credit: NASA/Cory Huston) In interplanetary space, the primary sources of radiation are galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and solar cosmic radiation (SCR). GCR originates from outside our Solar System and is composed mostly of baryons (particles made up of quarks) and electrons. Specifically, 87% of GCR consists of protons (the nuclei of hydrogen atoms), 12% are alpha particles (helium nuclei), and the remaining 1% comprises heavier nuclei with atomic numbers up to 92, including uranium. Among these heavier nuclei are highly energetic, heavy, charged particles known as HZE particles. Notably, a specific type of HZE particle, 56Fe ions, though constituting less than 1% of the GCR particle fluxes, significantly contributes to the total radiation dose received by individual cells. This is because the radiation dose to a cell is not only influenced by the particle's energy but also by its effective charge, a property that is dependent on its atomic structure. Understanding the composition and properties of these cosmic rays is crucial for assessing the potential risks they pose to astronauts during space travel. For instance, while GCR primarily consists of protons, alpha particles, and heavier nuclei, it's the heavier particles like 56Fe ions that can have a disproportionate impact on cellular radiation doses due to their higher effective charge. By comprehensively analyzing these radiation components, scientists can develop better strategies and technologies to protect astronauts from the harmful effects of space radiation, thereby ensuring the safety and success of future space missions. Solar cosmic radiation (SCR) encompasses two main types: the continuous flow of low-energy solar wind particles from the Sun and sporadic bursts of highly energetic charged particles known as solar particle events (SPEs). SPEs originate from magnetically disturbed regions on the Sun and can emit bursts of energetic charged particles unpredictably, lasting from several hours to several days. Predominantly composed of protons, SCR also contains a small fraction of helium ions and even fewer heavy ions and electrons. The protons, particularly those around 50 MeV, are the primary concern for biological effects during SPEs. Ground-based research focuses on understanding the biological consequences of proton radiation at the energies, doses, and dose-rates expected during these events. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/image-1.png) In this specific figure, the relationship between the sunspots cycle, galactic cosmic rays (GCRs), and the state of our near-space environment is depicted. Sunspots are dark spots on the surface of the Sun caused by magnetic activity, and their frequency and intensity follow a cyclical pattern known as the sunspot cycle. Galactic cosmic rays are the high-energy particles originating from outside our solar system that interact with the solar system's magnetic fields and other phenomena. The graph illustrates how variations in the sunspot cycle can affect the influx of galactic cosmic rays into our near-space environment, which encompasses the region of space surrounding Earth. Understanding this relationship is important for studying space weather and its potential impacts on technology, astronaut health, and other aspects of space exploration and satellite operations. In the context of the Artemis program and forthcoming deep space expeditions, solar particle events (SPEs) and galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) stand as critical factors impacting astronaut safety and mission success. SPEs, characterized by sudden outbursts of energetic particles from the Sun's magnetically disturbed regions, pose acute radiation threats during activities like spacewalks and extended missions outside Earth's protective atmosphere. Monitoring solar activity and implementing real-time radiation detection systems are integral strategies in mission planning to provide timely warnings and enable astronauts to take precautionary measures, such as seeking shelter or modifying their tasks during SPE occurrences. Meanwhile, galactic cosmic rays, relentless streams of high-energy particles from beyond our solar system, present a continuous radiation hazard throughout deep space journeys. Unlike SPEs, GCR exposure persists over long durations and can penetrate spacecraft shielding, potentially leading to cumulative health risks like increased cancer susceptibility. Consequently, effective shielding technologies and countermeasures are imperative for mitigating GCR exposure and ensuring radiation doses remain within acceptable limits during Artemis missions and future deep space ventures. Understanding the biological effects of GCRs and implementing robust radiation protection protocols are integral components in the comprehensive planning and execution of missions beyond Earth's protective confines. ARS(Acute Radiation Sickness) can manifest with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue, typically occurring within hours to days post-exposure. Proton radiation, predominant in SPEs, can also compromise immune function, which is already influenced by the microgravity environment of space. Reduced peripheral T-cell counts, decreased Natural Killer (NK) cell number and functionality, and altered cytokine production are among the observed effects on the immune system during space travel. These alterations can increase susceptibility to infections and hinder immunosurveillance against tumor growth. As mitigation strategies, potential countermeasures include interferons, active hexose correlated compound supplementation, and dietary supplementation with vitamins and minerals to bolster immune function and resistance to infection. Given the inevitability of radiation exposure during space missions, such countermeasures are crucial for ensuring the health and success of astronauts on long-term missions beyond Earth's protective atmosphere. ![Acute Radiation Sickness | SpringerLink](https://media.springernature.com/lw685/springer-static/image/chp%3A10.1007%2F978-3-319-74615-9_7/MediaObjects/454417_1_En_7_Fig1_HTML.png) Affects of Space Radiation on the human body Credit: SpringerLeak As we gaze upward, contemplating the boundless expanse of space, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the cosmos. Yet, within this vastness lies a story of human courage and resilience, of individuals who dared to defy the odds and venture into the unknown. Consider the Apollo astronauts, pioneers who journeyed to the Moon and back, their spacecraft traversing through the harsh environment of space, exposed to the relentless barrage of radiation. In those moments, as they looked out upon the expanse of the lunar surface, they weren't just explorers; they were embodiments of human ambition and tenacity. Their story resonates with each of us on a deeply personal level. For within their footsteps lies the spirit of adventure that stirs within every human heart. It's the same spirit that drives us to push the boundaries of what is possible, to seek out new horizons, and to explore the uncharted territories of our universe. In the face of adversity, they persevered, confronting the challenges of space radiation with courage and determination. And in doing so, they left behind a legacy of inspiration for future generations of explorers. Today, as we stand on the precipice of a new era of space exploration, their example serves as a guiding light, illuminating the path forward. With each mission, we build upon their legacy, refining our understanding of space radiation and developing innovative technologies to safeguard the health and well-being of astronauts. As we contemplate the vastness of space, we find inspiration in the courageous endeavors of the Apollo astronauts who journeyed to the Moon and back. Their spacecraft, fortified with layers of shielding materials such as aluminum, polyethylene, and boronated polyethylene, served as a beacon of human ingenuity against the backdrop of space. Not just the final frontier but the most dangerous. One thats constantly trying to kill us and radiation is only one way. We flee to these specks of dust, these celestial bodies that seem so ground for some sort of grounding comforts. Through meticulous testing and analysis, scientists honed their understanding of particle interactions, refining shielding strategies to minimize astronauts' exposure to radiation. Their triumphs echo through the cosmos, reminding us of the indomitable spirit that propels humanity forward in our quest for exploration and discovery. As we embark on new missions into the unknown, let us heed the lessons of the past and carry forward the legacy of the Apollo astronauts. Their unwavering resolve in the face of adversity exemplifies the boundless potential of human endeavor. With each step we take into the cosmic expanse, may we draw strength from their example, knowing that our journey is guided by the spirit of exploration that unites us all. Together, let us continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, forging a path towards a future where the stars are within our reach. ### Australia's first orbital spaceport opens in North Queensland URL: https://proximareport.com/australias-first-orbital-spaceport-opens-in/ Last updated: 2025-07-24T14:23:39.000Z Yesterday, the Queensland State Government put out a press release in regards to the nation's first, orbital spaceport, being opened. The Bowen Orbital Spaceport is a first of its kind in Australia, and it is poised to bring orbital flights back to the continent, for the first time since the 70s. However, these past orbital missions were flown by British or American made rockets, from the nations soil. Never before has an Australian-made rocket launched into orbit. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Gilmour_Space_BOS_copy-scaled-e1648513229148.jpg) Artist rendition of a Eris rocket launching from Bowen © Gilmour Space Technologies The spaceport is operated by Gilmour Space Technologies, an aerospace startup headquartered in the city of Gold Coast, Queensland. Gilmour is poised to be the first Australian entity, to fly a privately developed, orbital rocket. If successful in their endeavors, Gilmour will be leading the charge in Australia's emerging aerospace industry. ## Bowen Orbital Spaceport For any nation to successfully bolster an aerospace industry, especially one capable of launching payloads independently, you need a spaceport. And with Bowen recently coming online, Australia is one step closer to achieving this. In 2021, after the required environmental and technical studies were completed, Gilmour was given the green light to begin work on their spaceport; and on April 4th, 2024, Bowen officially became the first commercial spaceport, capable of orbital flights. > “The Bowen Orbital Spaceport will provide valuable access to space from Australia, enabled by rockets and satellites developed, manufactured, and launched right here in Queensland." Said Adam Gilmour, founder and CEO of Gilmour Space Technologies. Looking at photos of the spaceport, one can see it is very simple and compact. Bowen features a single launch pad, necessary ground stage equipment, as well as an assembly building for payload and stage integration. Various low to mid-equatorial orbits, ranging in inclination from 20° to 65° are accessible from this launch facility. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Bowen-Gilmour-800x600-1.jpg) Eris rocket at the Bowen Spaceport © Gilmour Space Technologies Gilmour intends to fly their Eris rocket out of the newly operational spaceport sometime in the coming weeks. An Eris rocket is already at the site and ready to go, all that is needed is good weather and a launch permit from the Australian Space Agency. > “With the Spaceport now open and the Eris rocket fully assembled on site, the countdown begins for this Queensland success story to soar to new heights.” - Cameron Dick, Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment. ## More about Eris ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Eris_in_space_Gilmour_Space-scaled.jpeg) Artist rendition of the Eris block one rocket © Gilmour Space Technologies Eris is a small lift launch vehicle capable of sending 305kg to a 500km SSO in its block 1 configuration. Eris is comprised of 3 stages, with the first being 2 meters in diameter. After the first stage, the second and third stage taper into a diameter of 1.5 meters. Overall, the rocket has a height of 25 meters. Powering Australia's first orbital class rocket are the rocket engines Sirius and Phoenix. Four Sirius engines power the first stage, while one powers the second stage. Each one of these engines is capable of outputting 115kn (11,000+ kg) of thrust. Sirius is a "hybrid" rocket engine that uses a liquid oxidizer, but a solid propellant. A single Phoenix rocket engine powers the last stage of the Eris rocket. Phoenix utilizes liquid oxygen and kerosene and is constructed using additive manufacturing processes. Little is known about this engine's thrust or specific impulse. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Untitled-design--2--1.png) Sirius (top) and Phoenix (bottom) rocket engines performing static fires © Gilmour Space Technologies (note: sorry for blurry pic, best I could find) ## About Gilmour Space Technologies Founded in 2012, by Adam and James Gilmour, two brothers from Gold Coast, Queensland, Gilmour Space Technologies is an end-to-end space company, that makes both satellites and as of 2015, rockets. The aerospace company has one goal in mind, bringing orbital capabilities to the nation and continent, of Australia. This goal will soon come to fruition, as the stage has been sent for the company's first orbital attempt in the coming weeks. Gilmour Space is estimated to be valued at 605 million USD and it employs around 200 people. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Gilmour_Space_Tech_Logo.png) Logo of Gilmour Space Technologies ### Radian One - Another attempt towards the holy grail? URL: https://proximareport.com/radian-one-another-attempt-towards-the-holy-grail/ Last updated: 2024-04-04T19:14:54.000Z American aerospace startup, Radian Aerospace re-introduced its Radian One single-stage-to-orbit spaceplane to the world recently via a series of posts on [X](https://twitter.com/RadianSpace?ref=proximareport.com) and [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/radianaerospace/posts/?feedView=all&ref=proximareport.com). Single-stage to orbit vehicles have long been considered as one of the holy grails of rocketry, due to a lack of complex staging events and aircraft-like potential operations. Radian had previously announced Radian One back in January of 2022 when it emerged from 'stealth mode' after it raised 27.5 million United States dollars in funding. Fine Structure Ventures [reportedly](https://www.geekwire.com/2022/radian-aerospace-comes-out-of-stealth-and-raises-27-5m-for-orbital-space-plane-development/?ref=proximareport.com) led its first funding round with EXOR, The Venture Collective, Helios Capital, SpaceFund, Gaingels, The Private Shares Fund, Explorer 1 Fund, Type One Ventures and other investors contributing too. ![Radian One's 2022 design (left) and Radian One's 2024 design (right). ©Radian Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Radian-One-Comp.png) Radian One's 2022 design (left) and Radian One's 2024 design (right). ©Radian Aerospace Radian One is being developed as a single-stage-to-orbit spaceplane that will be launched from a rocket sled on Earth. For landing, the spaceplane is claimed to be able to land on 'compatible' runways worldwide. Radian also lists some impressive [claims](https://www.radianaerospace.com/radian-one?ref=proximareport.com) for the spaceplane: - Fully reusable for up to 100 missions - 90-minute on demand capability - 48-hour turnaround between flights - Industry-leading downmass capability - Designed for dual-use applications These claims, while impressive, will be hard to prove until more hardware is built and tested for the spaceplane. So far Radian has only shown progress on a [small tank](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/radianaerospace%5Fsneak-peek-of-our-prototype-composite-tank-activity-7179145261368160256-IL8p?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop) and a [heat tile](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/radianaerospace%5Ftps-hypersonic-activity-7171539686203543552-XXow?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop) material publically. However the claim of *"industry-leading downmass capability"* is debatable while SpaceX's Starship vehicle is in development and not far from operation, along with similar vehicles in China. The current operational leader for downmass from space is SpaceX's Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft with a capacity of 2,507 kilograms. To reach the claims of *"48-hour turnaround"*, *"reusable for up to 100 missions"*, and *"90-minute on demand capability"* Radian will have to prove these claims once they start flying. Their spaceplane is likely designed around these claimed capabilities. By *"90-minute on demand capability"* Radian likely means that they will be capable of launching under 90 minutes from receiving the go-to-launch call from a customer, this is also a capability the United States military is highly interested in. The claim of *"dual-use applications"* is likely similar to what the Space Shuttle would have done on some of its missions. NASA's Space Shuttle flew missions during its flight history where it would perform various science and deploy spacecraft in the same mission. For Radian this could be hosting multiple customer missions on the same spaceplane. ![A render of Radian One in low Earth orbit. ©Radian Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Radian-LEO.3k3.jpg) A render of Radian One in low Earth orbit. ©Radian Aerospace Due to the constraints of being a single-stage-to-orbit system, Radian One will launch with the assistance of a 2-mile-long rocket sled to help the spacecraft gain speed, partially under its own power. After reaching a currently undisclosed speed, the spaceplane will be released from the sled and ascend to orbit using its five engines. Once in space, it is believed the spaceplane will use a smaller and more efficient engine to maneuver into different orbits, or to rendevous with a space station. Radian has shared few official details on the vehicle but has listed the following; the spaceplane will carry a minimum of two crew with a maximum of five, it will be able to carry 2,270 kilograms of cargo into low Earth orbit, and it will be able to return 4,540 kilograms of cargo back to Earth from orbit. They also list the dimensions of the payload bay as: 5.2 meters long, 3.8 meters wide at the front with it being 5.6 meters wide at the back, and 2.7 meters tall at the front with it being 4.0 meters tall at the back, for a payload bay volume of approximately 93 meters cubed. > The next generation of launch has arrived. Meet [#RadianOne](https://twitter.com/hashtag/RadianOne?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com). [pic.twitter.com/QBXY4c0zc9](https://t.co/QBXY4c0zc9?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Radian Aerospace (@RadianSpace) [April 3, 2024](https://twitter.com/RadianSpace/status/1775561399692828978?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Radian Aerospace's promotional video of Radian One showcasing its operations via [Radian Aerospace on X](https://x.com/RadianSpace/status/1775561399692828978?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) What Radian chose not to share was the fuel choice, any engine specifics, or dimensions for the vehicle. This is understandable as the spaceplane is still in early development with a [believed](https://www.yahoo.com/tech/radian-aerospace-updates-space-plane-233432445.html?ref=proximareport.com) debut flight planned for 2030\. Based off of the promotional video, Radian One may be utilizing an extendable nozzle to improve engine performance through ascent. The extendable nozzle is not a new idea with it being used most notable for the RL-10 series of engines, in order to decrease its size prior to staging. For Radian's use case, it likely allows for a 'higher thrust' mode early into ascent and a 'higher efficiency' mode later in ascent. Also based off of the video and current industry trends, Radian One could be planning to use liquid methane and liquid oxygen as the rocket plumes match that of an engine burning those fuels. The launch industry has been shifting towards liquid methane as rocket fuel for a little over a decade, due to it having close to the efficiency of liquid hydrogen engines and the thrust of rocket-grade kerosene engines. However, the plume color could have been an artistic choice. ![A render of Radian One in low Earth orbit. ©Radian Aerospace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Radian-LEO.3k2.jpg) A render of Radian One in low Earth orbit. ©Radian Aerospace Building a single-stage-to-orbit vehicle is a difficult engineering and material science challenge with the most well-known attempt being NASA and Lockheed Martin's [Venture Star](https://www.spaceflighthistories.com/post/x-33-venturestar?ref=proximareport.com) vehicle. Radian will have to develop a lightweight heat tile to protect the spaceplane from the immense heat of re-entry into the atmosphere, this heat tile is unlikely to be made of an ablative material due to the desired turnaround time. They also have to develop fuel tanks that are light enough for the spaceplane to lift under its own power to allow it to achieve orbital velocity. Radian also has the added challenge of making the vehicle safe for humans to travel aboard. ## Who is Radian Aerospace? Radian Aerospace is a Washington-based aerospace company operating in the United States. The company is working on what they call a next-generation aerospace vehicle which may be the world’s first fully reusable horizontal takeoff and landing single-stage-to-orbit spaceplane. ![The logo of Radian Aerospace.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Full-Logo--Black-.png) The logo of Radian Aerospace. ### Agile Space unveils new test fire facility URL: https://proximareport.com/agile-space-o/ Last updated: 2024-04-04T16:15:15.000Z On April 3rd, Agile Space, an aerospace startup located in Colorado, unveiled their new test fire facility, shortly after they commissioned and conducted the first hot fire there. The facility, dubbed "Animas" can support test fires of engines capable of producing over 1,200 newtons (136kg/300lbs) of thrust. This is the largest known, commercial testing facility, that can simulate a vacuum-based, space-like environment. The new Animas facility is poised to allow Agile access to the growing market for in-space propulsion. Due to various factors, such as deep space exploration, lower launch costs, stricter government deorbiting regulations, increased military threats, and environmental challenges, have led to a real demand for reliable, in-space propulsion systems. > “The industry has long been in need of a commercial facility to efficiently and safely test large hypergolic thrusters,” said Will Francis, Chief Commercial Officer at Agile. ## More about Animas ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/Animas_2.webp) Another image of the Animas testing facility © Agile Space Named after the Animas mountain in the company's hometown of Durango, Colorado, the two-story test stand is located on an acre of property and boasts some truly impressive characteristics, such as: ✦ Accommodates large-scale propulsion systems of over 1,200 newtons, including Agile's own A2200 rocket engine. ✦ Houses a sophisticated altitude and pressure system, capable of simulating the harsh in-space environment, reducing risk when it comes to the real deal. ✦ Offers a flexible and modular design, so, 3rd party systems can also be tested here, increasing the industry's capacity to test propulsion systems for either the US government or customer entities. ✦ On-site fuel mixing system that allows the production of M20 and other mixed fuels, for either internal or customer use. ✦ A modern and sophisticated data acquisition system with remote command and control, allows for rapid testing and iterations. To give the team at Agile the crucial data needed to ensure their propulsion systems are operating nominally, the Animas facility also boasts 500 instrumentation and control channels. These channels are capable of monitoring variables such as thrust, pressure, temperature, acceleration, and vibration. The stand also houses a plethora of visual and infrared cameras to help monitor hot fires as they happen. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/image_2024-04-03_233750435.png) Diagram of the Animas test facility © Agile Space With this new facility in their arsenal, Agile will be able to test their advanced hypergolic propulsion systems in realistic environmental settings. Preparing both the hardware and personnel when it comes to on-orbit missions. > “Today’s bottleneck of often having to wait years to get these types of engines tested not only stifles innovation but could also risk national security. We’re proud to unveil Animas, our new world-class facility, and continue to deliver a vertically integrated portfolio of innovative propulsion solutions that solve our commercial and government customers’ unique challenges.” - Will Francis, CCO at Agile Space Industries ## About Agile Space As mentioned earlier, Agile Space is an American aerospace startup, headquartered in Durango, Colorado. Originally the company was founded in 2009, under the name "Advanced Propulsion Mobile Test." The company would test customer propulsion systems, most notably [NASAs Talos](https://www.nasa.gov/stmd-game-changing-development/thruster-advancement-for-low-temperature-operation-in-space-talos/?ref=proximareport.com), which was developed at the company's other test stand, Sunshine. However, after a decade of testing customer hardware, the company rebranded into "Agile Space Industries" and began working on their own propulsion systems. The company specializes in additively manufactured hypergolic thrusters used for in-space situations. These thrusters range from small attitude control systems (ACS), to powerful, throttling engines, such as the A2200\. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GA3CZB3WUAAIsPV.jpg) Agile Space engineer holding up a LE144 engine © Agile Space > “2024 is proving to be an exciting year for Agile, launching new products, receiving valuable contracts, and debuting the test stand facility – all in the first quarter. We are encouraged by the industry’s response, and look forward to playing an essential role in the greater aerospace ecosystem, solving propulsion challenges with groundbreaking speed and performance.” - Will Francis, CCO of Agile Space Industries ### Astra's impressively awful flight history URL: https://proximareport.com/astra-impressively-awful/ Last updated: 2024-04-02T16:17:30.000Z *Disclaimer: All currency is in United States Dollars unless stated otherwise.* Astra was arguably one of the most prolific small payload launchers a few years ago, however for the past two years they've been stuck on the ground. While stuck on the ground they've faced no shortage of problems too. Astra was formerly one of the most valued publically traded aerospace companies with a valuation of over two billion dollars in February 2021\. By March of 2024 their valuation had fallen to twenty-three million dollars, the company was taken private in the same month with its value falling again to a little over eleven million dollars. The company had formerly claimed to be able to scale up to three-hundred launches per year at a 'low-cost'. Evidently, the company never scaled to that flight rate with Chris Kemp [on record](https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/13/astras-playing-the-long-game/?ref=proximareport.com) saying: > “I think what Astra has to do, really, is we have to have so many launches nobody thinks about it anymore.” Kemp, Astra's current Chief Executive Officer, had been hoping that their launch vehicles unreliability would have been overshadowed by their flight rate. According to [Tech Crunch](https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/13/astras-playing-the-long-game/?ref=proximareport.com), they hoped to gain a share in the launch market via 'low-cost' and 'high-volume' launches. The company's failure to reach the cadence also caused problems for customers looking to fly on Rocket 3\. Rocket 3 is rumored to have cost as low as 2.5 million dollars for launch, however it could have cost as much as SpaceX's Falcon 9, which is approximately 55 million dollars, once spacecraft insurance was included. Astra has pretty clearly seen the errors of this approach with its new vehicle, Rocket 4, being focused on reliability. Rocket 4 will have Astra source the engines externally from Firefly Aerospace, for the first-stage, and Ursa Major, for the second-stage. However, the company has removed most mentions to Rocket 4 from its site, excluding its news tab, which was announced in August of 2022\. ![A mockup of Rocket 4 in Astra's facility in California. ©Astra ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/23.04.27-R4-Beauty-Shots_12-2500px-1536x864-1.jpg) A mockup of Rocket 4 in Astra's facility in California. ©Astra Rocket 4 would have been 18.9 meters tall and 1.8 meters in diameter, its fuels would have been rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The first-stage would have been powered by two Chrion engines, which are modified Reaver engines from Firefly Aerospace, to generate 31.6 tons of thrust. The second-stage would have been powered by a single Hadley engine, from Ursa Major, to generate 2.9 tons of thrust. Astra claimed the payload capacity of Rocket 4 would be 550 kilograms to low Earth orbit. Recent footage leaks of an explosion in March of 2020 via Tech Crunch's [Aria Alamalhodaei](https://twitter.com/breadfrom/status/1774909200679788647?ref=proximareport.com) has had the conversation around Astra online start-up once again. ![Astra's Rocket 3 vehicle exploding on its launchpad at the Pacific Spaceport Complex, in Alaska. ©Tech Crunch](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/twittervid.com_breadfrom_4327f8.gif) Astra's Rocket 3 vehicle exploding on its launchpad at the Pacific Spaceport Complex, in Alaska. ©Tech Crunch With the focus back on Astra and its questionable future, I believe its time to look back at its flight history so far. *Authors Note: Astra was formerly called 'Stealth Space Company' in the media and shared very few details, details on early flights are scarce.* ### Flight One - July 20th 2018 The flight of Astra's first rocket is somewhat unknown with it reportedly being a suborbital flight for a commercial customer. Astra claims that the rocket didn't have a functioning second-stage and was intended to be suborbital. The mission is believed to have been a failure with details being hard to find, Astra claims the flight was a success for the company. ### Flight Two - November 29th 2018 ![Allegedly Astra's rocket on its second flight lifting off from the Pacific Spaceport Complex, in Alaska. ©Astra ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/200218-astra-630x354.png) Allegedly Astra's rocket on its second flight lifting off from the Pacific Spaceport Complex, in Alaska. ©Astra The flight plan for Astra's second flight was similar to its first with a commercial customer believed to be onboard for a suborbital flight. Astra claimed that the second flight had a second-stage 'simulator' onboard for the flight. The flight was [reportedly](https://spacenews.com/astra-space-suborbital-launch-fails/?ref=proximareport.com) very short with all five engines experiencing a failure, leading to the rocket falling back towards land. All debris from the launch reportedly fell inside the Pacific Spaceport Complex and caused no harm. Astra once again claimed the flight was a success. ### Flight Three - March 23rd 2020 ![Astra's Rocket 3 vehicle exploding on its launchpad at the Pacific Spaceport Complex, in Alaska. ©Tech Crunch](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/explosion-march.png) Astra's Rocket 3 vehicle exploding on its launchpad at the Pacific Spaceport Complex, in Alaska. ©Tech Crunch Astra does not consider what happened on the 23rd of March 2020 a flight but was attempting to launch for DARPA earlier the same month before failing to complete their launch challenge. The official word on what happened on the 23rd was an 'anomaly' at the launch pad leading to loss of the vehicle. It had been rumored that a fire broke out at the launch pad previously. With new footage of what happened on the 23rd, high-pressure helium was likely transferred from the second-stage to the first-stage causing the tank to overpressurise and explode, this was detailed further in the book *When the Heavens Went on Sale* by Ashlee Vance. Astra has not commented on the release of footage from [Tech Crunch.](https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/01/astra-rocket-explodes-2020-launch-failure-video-footage/?ref=proximareport.com) Officials of the Pacific Spaceport Complex requested, via [local media](https://kmxt.org/2020/03/anomaly-at-pacific-spaceport-complex-launch-rehearsal-no-injuries-as-a-result/?ref=proximareport.com), that the public not approach the launch site in the days following the explosion. ### Flight Four - September 12th 2020 > Volume up! Rocket 3.1's orbital launch attempt [pic.twitter.com/nm1bDewdl5](https://t.co/nm1bDewdl5?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Astra (@Astra) [September 12, 2020](https://twitter.com/Astra/status/1304884123882807296?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Liftoff of Astra's fourth flight via [Astra on X.](https://x.com/Astra/status/1304884123882807296?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) Astra's fourth flight was its first orbital launch attempt to leave the ground under the power of its engines. The rocket was carrying no payloads onboard, but was part of a series of three rockets that were part of the company's effort to reach low Earth orbit. The flight ended in a similar fashion to Astra's second flight, with all five of the engines shutting down a believed thirty seconds into flight. The cause of the shutdown was believed to be due the guidance system introducing unplanned roll oscillations. All debris reportedly fell inside the Pacific Spaceport Complex and caused no harm. ### Flight Five - December 15th 2020 ![The second-stage of Astra's fifth rocket in space. ©Astra ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/EpTtwrTVoAAfLoX.jpg) The second-stage of Astra's fifth rocket in space. ©Astra On their fifth flight, Astra passed the Kármán line and entered space for the first time. The second-stage reached the targeted altitude for the mission but failed to enter orbit. The failure was attributed to an issue with the propellant mixture ratio in the second-stage engine, causing it to run out of fuel before achieving orbital speed. The rocket carried no payload onboard, like the previous flight. Due to the speed of the second-stage, it was destroyed upon re-entering the upper atmosphere. Astra considered the flight a success, adding that it was a major step towards orbit. ### Flight Six - August 28th 2021 > Reviewing flight data and video, two things are very clear - 1) An engine shut down right after launch 2) Everything that happened next made me incredibly proud of our team. Space may be hard, but like this rocket, we are not giving up. [#AdAstra](https://twitter.com/hashtag/AdAstra?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/2g3n812EaW](https://t.co/2g3n812EaW?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Chris Kemp (@Kemp) [August 29, 2021](https://twitter.com/Kemp/status/1431812555324854272?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) 'Liftoff' of Astra's sixth flight via [Chris Kemp on X](https://x.com/Kemp/status/1431812555324854272?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) The sixth flight for Astra had one of the more peculiar failures in launch history. Shortly after liftoff, an engine appeared to fail causing the rocket to 'powerslide' away from the launchpad. The cause of the failure was believed to be caused by a leak in the rocket's fueling system, which led to the engine failing under a second into flight. The rocket was [reportedly](https://twitter.com/jeff%5Ffoust/status/1431771682767876100?ref=proximareport.com) terminated two and a half minutes later after it left its intended flight path. The rocket had the United States Space Force STP-27AD1 payload onboard, it was destroyed along with the rocket. ### Flight Seven - November 20th 2021 > Orbit. ✅ Astra successfully completed its first commercial orbital launch for the [@SpaceForceDoD](https://twitter.com/SpaceForceDoD?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) late Friday night, November 19, 2021, PST: [https://t.co/FakPzAvfxI](https://t.co/FakPzAvfxI?ref=proximareport.com) [#AdAstra](https://twitter.com/hashtag/AdAstra?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/icWXvAKjAn](https://t.co/icWXvAKjAn?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Astra (@Astra) [November 22, 2021](https://twitter.com/Astra/status/1462783873381593089?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) A recap video of Astra's seventh flight via [Astra on X](https://x.com/Astra/status/1462783873381593089?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) Astra's first undisputed success was on its seventh flight when it carried the STP-27AD2 payload into a 500-kilometer 86-degree orbit for the United States Space Force. The rocket is believed to have had all systems function as planned during the launch. No payload was physically separated as STP-27AD2 was a signal-simulating payload. ### Flight Eight - February 10th 2022 ![Liftoff of Astra's eight rocket flight. ©Astra ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/22.02.10-LV0008-BRADY_KENNISTON-Cape_Canaveral-Launch-4-1536x1024.jpg) Liftoff of Astra's eight rocket flight. ©Astra Three months after Astra's first successful flight to low Earth orbit their rocket failed again. The failure was in the second-stage of the vehicle with a flaw in the thrust vector system, a wiring error in the separation mechanism was also found. Astra was carrying four satellites as part of NASA's Educational Launch of Nanosatellites initiative. The four satellites were: Ionospheric Neutron Content Analyzer (INCA) from New Mexico State University, the BAMA-1 technology demonstrator from the University of Alabama, QubeSat from the University of California, and R5-S1 from the Johnson Space Center. Astra [claimed](https://astra.com/news/post-launch-investigation-what-we-found-and-next-steps/?ref=proximareport.com) to have 'upgraded' their systems onboard the rocket to make it more resilient in the future in case of a similar failure. ### Flight Nine - March 15th 2022 > Astra successfully deployed our first customer payloads for [@SpaceflightInc](https://twitter.com/SpaceflightInc?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) on Spaceflight's Astra-1 mission. [#AdAstra](https://twitter.com/hashtag/AdAstra?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) [pic.twitter.com/OnTitxcs7R](https://t.co/OnTitxcs7R?ref=proximareport.com) > > — Astra (@Astra) [March 16, 2022](https://twitter.com/Astra/status/1504115132225363973?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) A recap of Astra's ninth flight via [Astra on X](https://x.com/Astra/status/1504115132225363973?s=20&ref=proximareport.com) A little over a month later, Astra returned to flight carrying eighteen payloads into a sun-synchronus orbit as part of a rideshare mission for Spaceflight Inc. The rocket is believed to have had all systems function as planned during the launch with all but one payload deploying from the rocket, the payload that was not deployed was intended to stay onboard. ### Flight Ten - June 12th 2022 Astra's last flight to date was another failure for the company. The failure was believed to once again be related to the second-stage with it [reportedly](https://spacenews.com/astra-launch-of-nasa-tropics-cubesats-fails/?ref=proximareport.com) tumbling four minutes into its burn. According to [Astra](https://x.com/Astra/status/1536046415679393793?s=20&ref=proximareport.com), the rocket also failed to reach orbit, leaving the payloads unusable. Onboard the tenth flight were two Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats, or TROPICS, satellites which were from NASA. ## Conclusion So far Astra has attempted ten flights across four years with only two being clear successes. Astra is still hoping to come back to the launch industry in 2024 but it's unclear if they will manage to launch this year. Progress updates on Rocket 4 however have been few and far apart. It's also unclear how long the company will last and if they will manage to launch againWith the company going private regular updates on the company's finances and stability are unlikely to be public. ## Who is Astra? Astra is an American rocket company based in Alameda, California. The company was founded in October of 2016 and successfully made it to orbit in November of 2021, making it the fastest a company has gone from founding to orbit in the United States. ### Monthly Dose of Space - March 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-march-2024/ Last updated: 2024-04-01T15:49:59.000Z Welcome to our sixth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month we haven't covered in our weekly newsletters. March has been another busy month, so let's jump into it! ## **SpaceX** The last month saw SpaceX finally launch the third flight of its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle! Activity was still abuzz at Starbase as always so let's recap. The 1st of March had Ship 28 stacked atop of Booster 10 once again. Later on, Ship 29 was moved next to the orbital launch mount, we don't know why but this is likely for a photo shoot as no testing of Ship 29 was done. A test of the booster quick disconnect was also done on the 1st. Overnight on the 2nd, Ship 29 was moved back onto sub-orbital Pad B to undergo testing. A little later on the 3rd, Ship 28 and Booster 10 completed a wet dress rehearsal. The wet dress rehearsal was the third to be attempted using the two vehicles and is believed to be a success. A day later on the 4th, the boosters' grid fins were seen moving as part of a separate test. On the 5th, Ship 28 was destacked from Booster 10 as it was believed to be undergoing final checks and hardware changes ahead of the third flight test. The next day teams were seen working on the ship's thermal protection tiles. Part of one of Booster 10's chines were removed as well so teams could access the composite overwrapped pressure vessels. A few days later on the 8th, SpaceX teams were seen installing the flight termination system explosives on both Ship 28 and Booster 10\. These explosives were planned to destroy the vehicles in the event of a failure in flight where needed. The 10th saw hip 28 being stacked atop of Booster 10 at the launch site. Not long after stacking, a test of the water deluge system occurred. The next day Ship 28 was seen undergoing fuelling followed by a spin prime test of its engines. Booster 10 and Ship 28 were also heard testing their igniters on the 11th. Ahead of the launch, Ship 29 was moved back to the production site on the 12th to keep it at a safe distance. The 14th saw the big event, the third launch of Starship-Super Heavy! Ship 28 and Booster 10 took the skies above Texas at 13:25 pm Univerversal Coordinated Time with all engines successfully firing. Booster 10 however was lost during its landing burn and Ship 28 was lost during re-entry. ![Starship-Super Heavy lifting off from Starbase, Texas. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GIt7LweaoAAuxtY.jpg) Starship-Super Heavy lifting off from Starbase, Texas. ©SpaceX On the 20th, the protective rear hood for the booster quick disconnect arm was removed to allow workers to access the inside. Umbilical pipes were removed from the arm as they appear to have sustained heavy damage during the last flight. Workers were also seen working on connections to the launch towers 'chopsticks'. In the early hours of the 22nd, Ship 29 returned to the launch site and was placed onto suborbital Pad B for testing. The most recent events at Starbase were Ship 29's two static fires. The first was on the 25th when it fired all six of its engines. The second static fire occurred a few days later on the 27th when it fired a single engine. The next day on the 28th, Ship 29 was removed from suborbital Pad B. Early in the following morning, Ship 29 was also moved back to the production site. Ending out the month on the 30th, hoses that are part of the booster quick disconnect system were seen being re-installed along with the protective cover. ## **News of the Month** Last month saw news of future space partnerships, the beginning of end of a long-term mission, a major test flight, and a lawsuit. ### *Boeing looking to sue Virgin Galactic* ![VSS Unity during a suborbital flight in 2022. ©Virgin Galactic](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/VSS.PNG) VSS Unity during a suborbital flight in 2022\. ©Virgin Galactic Boeing and its subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences have filed a lawsuit against Virgin Galactic claiming that the company has failed to pay over twenty-six million United States Dollars and had 'misappropriated' trade secrets, reported [SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/boeing-sues-virgin-galactic-over-mothership-project/?ref=proximareport.com). The lawsuit was filed on the 21st of March in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia with claims that Virgin Galactic refused to destroy proprietary information that Aurora Flight Sciences provided alongside $26.4 million in invoices being left unpaid. The money and information are reportedly for a new carrier aircraft that would have replaced VMS Eve, the aircraft Virgin Galactic uses as part of its suborbital flights. While speaking to SpaceNews, a Virgin Galactic spokesperson said: > “We believe this lawsuit is wrong on the facts and the law, and we will vigorously defend ourselves in the appropriate forum” Boeing and Aurora Flight Sciences are reportedly seeking damages for the 'misappropriated' trade secrets and unpaid invoices. ### *NASA announces Artemis III surface experiments* ![Artist’s concept of an Artemis astronaut deploying an instrument on the lunar surface. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/image.psd.png) Artist’s concept of an Artemis astronaut deploying an instrument on the lunar surface. ©NASA On the 26th, NASA announced the first science experiments that will be carried to the lunar surface as part of the Artemis III mission in the second half of the 2020s. The experiments will be installed near the lunar south pole with the agency believing they will collect valuable data. The experiments are as follows: - **The Lunar Environment Monitoring Station (or LEMS)**: a compact, autonomous seismometer suite designed to carry out continuous, long-term monitoring of the seismic environment, namely ground motion from moonquakes, in the lunar south polar region. The instrument will characterize the regional structure of the Moon’s crust and mantle, which will add valuable information to lunar formation and evolution models. - **Lunar Effects on Agricultural Flora (or LEAF)**: will investigate the lunar surface environment’s effects on space crops. LEAF will be the first experiment to observe plant photosynthesis, growth, and systemic stress responses in space-radiation and partial gravity. Plant growth and development data, along with environmental parameters measured by LEAF, will help scientists understand the use of plants grown on the Moon for both human nutrition and life support on the Moon and beyond. - **The Lunar Dielectric Analyzer (or LDA):** will measure the regolith’s ability to propagate an electric field, which is a key parameter in the search for lunar volatiles, especially ice. It will gather essential information about the structure of the Moon’s subsurface, monitor dielectric changes caused by the changing angle of the Sun as the Moon rotates, and look for possible frost formation or ice deposits. For more information on the payload click [here.](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-first-lunar-instruments-for-artemis-astronaut-deployment/?ref=proximareport.com) ### *SpaceX launched third Starship-Super Heavy test flight* ![Ship 28 during its coast prior to re-entry during its flight. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GIwQyumbwAEHjsF.jpg) Ship 28 during its coast prior to re-entry during its flight. ©SpaceX SpaceX launched its third flight test of its in-development Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle on the 14th of March. The two vehicles used in the flight were Ship 28 and Booster 10. Liftoff occurred at 13:25 pm Univerversal Coordinated Time with all thirty-three Raptors engines firing. The ascent of the flight went as planned with Ship 28 successfully hot-staging from Booster 10 for the second time ever for SpaceX. Booster 10 became the first Super Heavy to successfully relight its ten engines and performed the full 'boost back' burn as planned. Booster 10 did attempt to start up for landing but only managed to light three engines before hitting the ocean at 1111 kilometers per hour, or 691 miles per hour. Ship 28 made it successfully to second-stage engine cutoff and proceeded to coast for a little over forty minutes. The ship unfortunately met a fiery end above the Indian Ocean and was lost on re-entry. During the webcast SpaceX claimed the re-entry was controlled however the vehicle was spinning upon the start of atmospheric re-entry, Ship 28 had been tumbling since second-stage engine cutoff. Shortly after the launch, SpaceX provided an update on what occurred during the flight. The company confirmed that the following events did happen: - For the second time, all 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy Booster started up successfully and completed a full-duration burn during ascent. - Starship executed its second successful hot-stage separation, powering down all but three of Super Heavy’s Raptor engines and successfully igniting the six second stage Raptor engines before separating the vehicles. - Following separation, the Super Heavy booster successfully completed its flip maneuver and completed a full boostback burn to send it towards its splashdown point in the Gulf of Mexico. - Super Heavy successfully lit several engines for its first ever landing burn before the vehicle experienced a RUD (that’s SpaceX-speak for “rapid unscheduled disassembly”). The booster’s flight concluded at approximately 462 meters in altitude and just under seven minutes into the mission. - Starship's six second stage Raptor engines all started successfully and powered the vehicle to its expected orbit, becoming the first Starship to complete its full-duration ascent burn. - While coasting, Starship accomplished several of the flight test’s additional objectives, including the opening and closing of its payload door (aka the pez dispenser,) and initiating a propellant transfer demonstration. Starship did not attempt its planned on-orbit relight of a single Raptor engine due to vehicle roll rates during coast. Results from these demonstrations will come after postflight data review is complete. - Starship went on to experience its first ever entry from space, providing valuable data on heating and vehicle control during hypersonic reentry. Live views of entry were made possible by Starlink terminals operating on Starship. - The flight test’s conclusion came during entry, with the last telemetry signals received via Starlink from Starship at approximately 49 minutes into the mission. As SpaceX lost Ship 28 and Booster 10, the company will need to complete a mishap investigation with the Federal Aviation Administration before being able to launch the fourth test flight. SpaceX reiterated several times that Starship-Super Heavy testing is using an iterative development approach while sharing updates. ### *Taobao considering point-to-point delivery* ![Space Epoch's Yuanxing-1 first-stage booster with a proposed cargo section highlighted in green. ©Space Epoch](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/b87aa346-78fc-46ee-a3fc-18daf222301a.png) Space Epoch's Yuanxing-1 first-stage booster with a proposed cargo section highlighted in green. ©Space Epoch Chinese e-commerce giant, Taobao, is reportedly looking into point-to-point delivery of parcels in under an hour anywhere on the planet. This comes as the company is considering partnering with Chinese launch startup Space Epoch. It's unclear how the transportation of items would work with the rocket as the booster is only planned to be recovered at sea with no known second-stage reuse plans. Items could be held near the interstage, with the believed carrying capacity atop of the booster being ten tons. Space Epoch is currently working on its Yuanxing-1 launch vehicle, which will be reusable in a similar way to SpaceX's Falcon 9\. Development of the rocket is reportedly going smoothly, with a static fire of the engine attached to a test tank having happened in 2023 along with a sea-based recovery test. ### *Shenzhou-17 mission enters final month* ![Jiang Xinlin (left), Tang Hongbo (center), and Tang Shengjie (right) during an art exhibition aboard the Tiangong Space Station. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/04/GG_7LSta0AAPXzr.jpg) Jiang Xinlin (left), Tang Hongbo (center), and Tang Shengjie (right) during an art exhibition aboard the Tiangong Space Station. ©China Manned Space Agency The crew currently aboard China's Tiangong Space Station in low Earth orbit are scheduled to return to Earth before the end of the month. Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie, and Jiang Xinlin have spent over five months aboard the station since arriving in late October of last year. Since arriving, the three taikonauts have completed two spacewalks, conducted hundreds of experiments, and held the third art exhibition aboard the space station. The Shenzhou-17 crew will depart from the space station after handing over the station to the Shenzhou-18 crew, who will arrive towards the end of April. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw twenty-two launches worldwide, if you want to know each launch was we have them all listed below! ### *March *4th - Falcon 9 with Crew-8** The first launch of the Month was Crew-8 from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. This mission sent four astronauts into orbit where they later boarded the International Space Station. The astronauts of the Crew-8 mission are Commander Matthew Dominick, Pilot Michael Barratt, Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps, and Mission Specialist Alexander Grebenkin. This mission used booster B1083 on its first flight, the booster landed back at Landing Zone-1, in Florida, as planned. The Crew Dragon capsule for Crew-8 is Endeavor on its fifth flight to orbit. ### *March *4th - Falcon 9 with Transporter 10** The next launch for March occurred on the same day and was Transporter 10 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. This mission delivered fifty-three satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit. The booster used for the Transporter-10 mission was B1081 making its fifth flight, the booster landed at Landing Zone 4, in California, as planned. B1081 has previously supported the Crew-7, CRS-29, Starlink Group 6-34, and PACE missions. ### *March *4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-41** Another launch also happened on the 4th and was Starlink Group 6-41 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. This mission sent twenty-three Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit to grow the company's space-based internet constellation. The booster for this mission was B1073 making its thirteenth flight, which landed on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange as planned. B1073 has previously supported the Starlink Group 4-15, SES-22, Starlink Group 4-25, Starlink Group 4-35, HAKUTO-, Amazonas Nexus, CRS-27, Starlink Group 6-2, Starlink Group 5-11, Starlink Group 6-12, Starlink Group 6-27, Starlink Group 6-37 missions. ### *March 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-43* Yet another Falcon 9 launched off from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1077, making its eleventh flight, with it successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *March 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-17* Next up was another Falcon 9 with another twenty-three Starlink satellites being delivered to low Earth orbit, this time from Space Launch Complex 4E in California. The booster for this mission was B1063, on its seventeenth flight, which made a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ### *March 12th - Electron for 'Owl Night Long'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand, on the 12th for the mission 'Owl Night Long'. The rocket was carrying the StriX-3 satellite for Synspective to a sun-synchronus orbit. ### *March 13th - KAIROS on its maiden flight* Japanese launch start-up Space One attempted to launch its new KAIROS launch vehicle from Spaceport Kii in Japan. Sadly five seconds into flight the rocket was destroyed by the automated flight termination system, Space One is currently unsure what caused the system to trigger. ### *March 13th - Long March 2C/YZ-1S with DRO-A & DRO-B* Another failure occurred in March, less than a day later when the Yuanzheng-1S upper-stage failed in flight carrying the DRO-A and DRO-B satellites to a trans-lunar trajectory. This launch occurred from Xichang Satellite Launch Center with the two stages of the Long March 2C working as planned. ### *March 14th - Starship-Super Heavy for Flight Test 3* The big launch of the Month was SpaceX finally launching its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle once again from Starbase, in Texas. The two vehicles used for the flight were Ship 28 and Booster 10. SpaceX believes the launch to have been a successful test mission with Booster 10 being lost during a landing attempt and Ship 28 being lost on re-entry. ### *March 16th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-44* SpaceX was also launching yet another Falcon 9 not long after carrying twenty-three more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, this time from Launch Complex 39A in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1062, making its nineteenth flight, with it successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. ### *March 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-16* After a few days, another Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty Starlink satellites with two other satellites onboard. The other satellites onboard are yet to be identified but are likely to be two Starsheild satellites for a United States government customer. The booster for this mission was B1075 flying for the tenth time and successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *March 20th - Long March 8 with Queqiao-2* The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology launched a Long March 8 rocket from Launch Complex 2 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, located in the Hainan province in southern China. The Queqiao-2 satellite was delivered to a translunar trajectory alongside two other small satellites, Tiandu-1 and Tiandu-2\. For more about this specific launch and the mission click [here.](https://proximareport.com/china-queqiao-2/) ### *March 21st - Long March 2D/YZ-3 with Yunhai-2 Group 02* A Long March 2D with a Yuanzheng-3 upper-stage launched from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying a believed six Yunhai-2 satellites. The satellites are believed to be tasked with surveying atmospheric factors, monitoring the space environment, providing data to support disaster prevention and mitigation efforts, and carrying out scientific experiments according to the China Academy of Space Technology Corporation commenting after the launch. ### *March 21st - Electron for 'Live and Let Fly'* Also on the 21st, Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 2, in Virginia, to an unknown low Earth orbit. The launch was for the National Reconnaissance Office. ### *March 21st - Falcon 9 with CRS-30* SpaceX launched its thirtieth cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station on behalf of NASA. The rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying a Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft into orbit. The booster for this mission was B1080 making its fifth flight and successfully landing back at Landing Zone 1\. The Cargo Dragon V2 capsule was also flying for its fourth trip to space. More details on the CRS-30 mission can be found [here.](https://proximareport.com/spacex-crs-30-iss/) ### *March 23rd - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-25* A Soyuz 2.1a lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying three astronauts aboard the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft. The three crew onboard are Commander Oleg Noitskiy, Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell-Dyson, and Flight Engineer Marina Vasilevskaya. Soyuz MS-25 is expected to dock at the International Space Station on the 25th of March. For more about Soyuz MS-25 click [here.](https://proximareport.com/crew-cargo-international-space-station/) ### *March 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-42* SpaceX launched another batch of Starlink satellites being delivered to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1060 making its nineteenth mission and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read the Instructions'. ### *March 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-46* SpaceX launched more of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of its Falcon 9 rocket the following day. The launch occurred from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, with the booster being B1078 on its eighth flight with it landing successfully on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *March 26th - Long March 6A with Yunhai 3-02* China launched a Long March 6A from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, located in northern China. The rocket was carrying the Yunhai 3-02 satellite to a sun-synchronous orbit. For more about the Long March 6A and the Yunhai 3-02 satellite click [here.](https://proximareport.com/china-long-march-6a-y3/) ### *March 30th - Falcon 9 with Eutelsat 36D* Another Falcon 9 launched a few days later, this time carrying Eutelsat 36D to a geostationary transfer orbit from Space Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Eutelsat 36D is a telecommunications satellite planning to provide services for parts of Africa, Europe, and Russia. The booster for this mission was B1076 making its twelfth flight and landing successfully downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ### *March 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-45* SpaceX also launched yet another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1067 making its eighteenth flight with it landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ### *March 31st - Soyuz 2.1b with Resures-P No. 4* A Soyuz 2.1b launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying a Resurs-P to a sun-synchronus orbit. The satellite is believed to be a commercial Earth observation satellite. ## **Launches to look out for in April!** April looks to be another busy month too. Listed below are all of the launches expected or very likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published. ### *April 1st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-18* SpaceX is expected to launch another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of a Falcon 9\. The booster is unknown but is expected to land downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *April 2nd - Long March 2C with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 2C is believed to launch from China carrying a to-be-announced payload. The launch is expected to occur from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ### *April 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-1* SpaceX is expected to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of a Falcon 9\. The booster is unknown but is expected to land downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *April 7th - Falcon 9 with Bandwagon-1* SpaceX is expected to launch its first Bandwagon rideshare mission atop of its Falcon 9 rocket. The launch is expected to occur from Launch Complex 39A. ### *April 8th - Delta IV Heavy with NROL-70* United Launch Alliance is expected to launch a classified satellite to an unknown orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office. This will also be the final flight of the Delta IV Heavy ever. The launch is expected to occur from Space Launch Complex 37B, in Florida. ### *April 9th - Angara A5 for a test flight* Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center is believed to be launching its Angara A5 rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome for a test flight, the payload will be a mass simulator. ### *April 22nd - Falcon 9 with two Galileo satellites* A Falcon 9 is believed to be planning to launch from Florida carrying two Galileo satellites to a medium Earth orbit. ### *April 25th - Long March 2F with Shenzhou 18* The China Manned Space Agency is believed to be targeting no earlier than the 25th of April for the Shenzhou 18 crewed mission. The launch will occur from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### Weekly Dose of Space (24/3-30/3) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-24-3-30-3/ Last updated: 2024-03-31T14:33:56.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw four launches worldwide, with three being from SpaceX. This week saw follow-up news for Queqiao-2 along with two major space agencies looking at collaboration. As always, we'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week too. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase saw Ship 29 perform two static fires. The first was on the 25th when it fired all six of its engines. The second static fire occurred a few days later on the 27th when it fired a single engine. Other than Ship 29s static fires, activity at Starbase is the same as last week with work continuing at the launch tower. Work is still continuing on 'Starfactory' as well as it has been for months. ## **Launches This Week** ### *March 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-46* SpaceX has started the launches for yet another week carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of its Falcon 9 rocket. The launch occurred from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, with the booster being B1078 on its eighth flight with it landing successfully on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 with Starlink Group 6-46. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GJjvTsAbYAAj2HD.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 with Starlink Group 6-46\. ©SpaceX ### *March 26th - Long March 6A with Yunhai 3-02* China launched a Long March 6A from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, located in northern China. The rocket was carrying the Yunhai 3-02 satellite to a sun-synchronous orbit. For more about the Long March 6A and the Yunhai 3-02 satellite click [here.](https://proximareport.com/china-long-march-6a-y3/) ![The Long March 6A lifting off from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center with Yunhai 3-02.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/008u7hKbly1ho56ovw7dmj31900u0q6h.jpg) The Long March 6A lifting off from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center with Yunhai 3-02. ### *March 30th - Falcon 9 with Eutelsat 36D* Another Falcon 9 launched during the week, this time carrying Eutelsat 36D to a geostationary transfer orbit from Space Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. Eutelsat 36D is a telecommunications satellite planning to provide services for parts of Africa, Europe, and Russia. The booster for this mission was B1076 making its twelfth flight and landing successfully downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A with Eutelsat 36D. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GJ-etHsa8AA56Gj-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A with Eutelsat 36D. ©SpaceX ### *March 31st - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-45* SpaceX also launched yet another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1067 making its eighteenth flight with it landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 with Starlink Group 6-45. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GJ-fKPzaEAAZb-M.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 with Starlink Group 6-45\. ©SpaceX ### *March 31st - Soyuz 2.1b with Resures-P No. 4* A Soyuz 2.1b launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying a Resurs-P to a sun-synchronus orbit. The satellite is believed to be a commercial Earth observation satellite. ## **In Other Space News** ## *Queqiao-2 enters lunar orbit!* ![Queqiao-2 during integration to the payload adapter of the Long March 8 Y3 vehicle.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GI4mCgAbwAAfK2m-2.jpg) Queqiao-2 during integration to the payload adapter of the Long March 8 Y3 vehicle. On the 25th of March, China's second lunar relay satellite entered lunar orbit after spending almost four days heading toward the Moon. The orbit it entered lunar orbit with is not its final orbit. Queqiao-2 will maneuver into its operational orbit to support the Chang'e 4 and Chang'e 6 missions before the end of April. The Tiandu-1 also entered lunar orbit on the same day, with the Tiandu-2 satellite still attached. These two satellites will prove technologies for a lunar positioning and communications relay. ## *ISRO and ESA looking at further cooperation* ![Chairman of ISRO S. Somanath and ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher ©ESA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GJs279EX0AA-n3h-1.jpg) Chairman of ISRO S. Somanath and ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher ©ESA The Indian Space Research Organisation and the European Space Agency are reportedly looking at further cooperation after the heads of both agencies held talks. On the 27th the European Space Agency Council also received a presentation from the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation which according to the Director General of the European Space Agency: > "Opened our eyes, first of all, to what is happening in India” Neither agency has shared what the two agencies would cooperate on but this announcement comes not long after India joined the Artemis accords. ## *U.S. Military satellite to be serviced in 2025* ![A render of a robotic servicing mission to attach a new sensor to a U.S. military satellite. ©Katalyst Space Technologies](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/Katalyst-In-Space-Upgrades-scaled.webp) A render of a robotic servicing mission to attach a new sensor to a U.S. military satellite. ©Katalyst Space Technologies Reported by [Space News](https://spacenews.com/on-orbit-servicing-mission-planned-for-military-satellite-in-2025/?ref=proximareport.com) on the 27th, a servicing spacecraft will attempt a rendezvous with a military and attach a new imaging sensor to the spacecraft. The mission is slated for 2025 and will occur near geostationary orbit. The mission will be overseen by the Defense Innovation Unit. The spacecraft will reportedly be built by Northrop Grumman, with Motiv Space providing robotics support, and Katalyst Space Technologies providing the imaging sensor. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* As scaffolding is still present on the launch mount, its unlikely we will see Booster 11 performing a static fire for flight four of Starship-Super Heavy. Testing on later flight vehicles may occur in the meantime however. With current hardware readiness, the 'long pole' item for flight four is likely still regulatory approval. ### *April 1st - Delta IV Heavy with NROL-70* United Launch Alliance is expected to launch a classified satellite to an unknown orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office. This will also be the final flight of the Delta IV Heavy ever. The launch is expected to occur from Space Launch Complex 37B, in Florida. ### *April 2nd - Long March 2C with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 2C is believed to launch from China carrying a to-be-announced payload. The launch is expected to occur from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ### *April 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-1* SpaceX is expected to launch a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E atop of a Falcon 9\. The booster is unknown but is expected to land downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ### *April 5th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-47* SpaceX is believed to be launching another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster is unknown but is believed to be landing downrange on a drone ship. ### HyPrSpace - A New Chapter in French Aerospace Innovation URL: https://proximareport.com/hyprspace-french-aerospace/ Last updated: 2024-04-01T01:52:40.000Z HyPrSpace is in the process of creating a novel orbital hybrid micro-launcher, poised to revolutionize space launch operations with its reusability, environmental friendliness, and cost-effectiveness compared to conventional launch systems. Their recent success in securing the France 2030 project bid and securing nearly 1.5 million euros in seed funding marks a significant milestone for the company. This strategic collaboration with Beyond Gravity, formerly known as RUAG Space, presents a remarkable opportunity for the burgeoning French startup. Beyond Gravity, an esteemed international player in the aerospace industry, boasting over four decades of expertise in composite materials and separation systems, brings invaluable knowledge and resources to the table. Through this partnership, HyPrSpace stands to benefit significantly from Beyond Gravity's proficiency in designing and producing structural composite components using their cutting-edge FlexLine technology platform. This collaboration is poised to propel the development of HyPrSpace's OB-1 micro-launcher, fostering innovation and expediting its journey towards realization. Before OB-1 however, HyPrSpace plans on developing their Baguette-1 rocket which will help prove key technologies for HyPrSpace's fleet. ![Baguette one, seriously ? - 9GAG](https://images-cdn.9gag.com/photo/aWG3974_700b.jpg) Baguette one is a suborbital rocket that uses a hybrid rocket engine with an aerospike nozzle. It plans on sending a maximum payload of 300kg on a suborbital trajectory. Just like Electron vs Neutron and Falcon 1 vs Falcon 9, every company must start somewhere to truly hone in and develop the skills required for their goals. ## What is a Hybrid Rocket Engine? What makes HyPrSpace unique? Hybrid rocket technology represents an intriguing frontier in propulsion systems, blending elements of both solid and liquid propellants. Unlike conventional solid or liquid rockets, hybrids employ a unique combination of fuel and oxidizer states. Typically, a solid fuel is paired with a liquid or gaseous oxidizer, creating a versatile and potentially safer propulsion solution. As HyPrSpace puts it > *"Hybrid Rocket Engine exists since the dawn of aerospace industry. The problem is: it does not scale. And that’s where we came in: we find a way to make it scalable. Basically, what we did is start hybrid rocket engine design from scratch and ended up completely modifying the whole engine architecture. What used to be technologically locked in 60 years of research is now feasible: scaling HRE to the size of the vehicle it powers. With great opportunities just ahead of us!"* Their first suborbital flights will be from a French Space Force base. From there they will likely move to orbital launches from Esrange in Sweden and from Guiana - as a French company there likely to get the go-ahead from CNES. After that, their ultimate goal is sea launch. They plan to be able to pull up a launch platform close to a customer, integrate the payload, and then launch. ### **Challenges in Hybrid Rocket Technology** Despite its promise, hybrid rocket technology presents several challenges. One significant obstacle lies in optimizing the combustion process. Achieving efficient fuel burning rates while maintaining stable combustion is essential for performance and reliability. Additionally, the compatibility of different fuel and oxidizer combinations must be carefully evaluated to prevent undesirable reactions or instability. The genesis of hybrid rockets traces back to the early 1930s, with pioneering research conducted by the Soviet Group for the Study of Reactive Motion. Notably, Mikhail Klavdievich Tikhonravov, a prominent figure who later oversaw the design of groundbreaking space missions such as Sputnik I and the Luna programme, spearheaded the first hybrid-propelled rocket launch, known as the GIRD-9, on 17 August 1933\. Despite reaching a modest altitude of 400 meters (1,300 feet), this achievement marked a pivotal moment in the exploration of hybrid propulsion technology. Parallel advancements unfolded in Germany at IG Farben and simultaneously in the United States at the California Rocket Society during the late 1930s. Within this context, Leonid Andrussow, working in Germany, contributed significant theoretical insights into hybrid propellant rockets. Collaborators such as O. Lutz, W. Noeggerath, and Andrussow conducted experiments involving a 10-kilonewton (2,200 lbf) hybrid rocket motor, utilizing coal and gaseous N2O as propellants. Concurrently, visionary minds like Oberth explored the potential of hybrid rocket motors employing LOX as the oxidizer and graphite as the fuel. However, despite these early strides, challenges emerged, particularly regarding the efficient operation of hybrid rocket motors. The high heat of sublimation of carbon posed a significant obstacle, leading to negligible burning rates and hampering overall efficiency. Nevertheless, these historical endeavors serve as valuable lessons, offering insights into the complexities and potential pitfalls associated with hybrid rocket technology. In the modern era, with advancements in materials science, propulsion systems, and computational modeling, there exists a renewed opportunity to build upon these foundational learnings and unlock the full potential of hybrid propulsion for future space exploration endeavors. ### **Aerospikes? What are they and what do they offer?** Aerospike engines represent an innovative approach to rocket propulsion, offering potential improvements in efficiency and performance over traditional bell-shaped rocket nozzles. Unlike conventional engines, which utilize a fixed nozzle design, aerospike engines feature a unique geometric configuration that adapts to varying atmospheric pressures during flight. The central component of an aerospike engine is the "spike," which protrudes from the center of the engine's exhaust chamber. This spike interacts with the surrounding airflow, forming a virtual bell-shaped nozzle. As the atmospheric pressure changes with altitude, the shape of the exhaust plume adjusts accordingly, optimizing thrust efficiency across a broader range of operating conditions. This allows for the rocket to be efficient at various altitudes and meaning that the Baguette rockets can soar far into the skies! ## What does the future of HyPrSpace look like? ![Image](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1180475255748300854/1222391353921769572/Schema-hybride-classique-1.png?ex=66160ba9&is=660396a9&hm=e61411eae0a32b1471f95254a1077aaa4910eba26ffd0a6a8b78f5ef3abf5db8&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=243&height=402) Looking at more recent graphics like this from HyPrSpace it appears that they might be focusing on more realistic architectures, planning on possibly scrapping the Aerospike engine for a more traditional bell. HyPrSpace appears to be adaptable to changing landscapes, with talk of possible orbital rockets being reusable the future of HyPrSpace is still hard to define. What is known is that HyPrSpace appears to be a serious player in a developmental stage and one who you should have a close eye on. The company's future prospects include the launch of microsatellites, keeping constellations in operational condition by replacing faulty satellites, enabling private customers like telecoms, satellite data providers, and public customers like governments, laboratories, and universities to help with a responsive launch service at a competitive price. HyPrSpace in collaboration with several other firms aims on developing itself by leveraging key players within the industry and creating a cheap, eco friendly alternative to space. In December of 2023 they received funding. The firms said in a statement after receiving funding, > "This disruptive innovation in space propulsion will permit cheaper access to space that better respects the environment" Here's to the future of the French aerospace industry! Good luck to CNES, and Good luck to HyPrSpace and all associated firms in sending "Baguettes" to the frontier of space! ### SpaceX aims to crush seven records with three Falcon 9's within five hours URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-aims-to-crush-previous-record-with-sub-five-hour-triple-header-launches/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:59:49.000Z SpaceX is never one to rest on their laurels. The last few years have demonstrated that each time they hit a bottleneck, the company manages to pull a rabbit out of a hat, to increase manufacturing rates, decrease turnaround times, decrease launch costs, and increase performance. **EDITOR'S NOTE:** Due to the density of statistics in this article and the likelihood of slight schedule slips or scrubs of one or more of the three launches being discussed, the body of the article will not be updated, but rather, corrections will be issued here as required. Saturday, the 30th of March 2024 is no different, for on this one day, SpaceX aims to break no fewer than *seven* of their own records with the back-to-back-to-back launches of Eutelsat 36D, Starlink Group 6-45 and Starlink Group 7-18. To summarize the records SpaceX is aiming to break: - LC-39A launch-to-launch turnaround at 6.78 days (between Starlink Group 6-42 to Group 6-45; previously set just last week at 8.12 days) - Droneship turnaround records for both *Just Read The Instructions* (7.79 to 6.78 days) and *A Shortfall of Gravitas* (7.14 to 5.06 days), and the fleet overall (previously held by *Of Course I Still Love You* at 5.23 days). - SpaceX overall launch-to-launch record at 1 hour 28 minutes (between Starlink Groups 6-45 and 7-18; previously 1 hour 51 minutes) - SpaceX launches in a given month (a total of 14, amounting to 13 Falcon 9's and 1 Starship-Super Heavy) - And possibly the most extraordinary of all: A SpaceX triple-header launch record of three launches within *4 hours and 38 minutes* (the previous record stands at 20 hours 3 minutes between Crew-8, Transporter-10*,* and Starlink Group 6-41). A typical article covering any given launch would go into extensive details on the payloads and the mission profile, but SpaceX continues to make launch so routine that it is simultaneously a miracle (and thus the most exciting part of the mission, eclipsing even what the satellites being launched will achieve), and so commonplace as to be "boring." But for completeness's sake: - Eutelsat 36D is a commercial communications satellite launching from LC-39A. It will utilize Falcon 9 B1076 on its 12th flight (which will land on droneship *Just Read The Instructions).* - Starlink Group 6-45 is a batch of 23 additional Starlink V2 Mini satellites in support of SpaceX's in-house low-earth orbit megaconstellation. It will launch from SLC-40, and utilize Falcon 9 B1067 on its 18th flight (which will land on droneship A *Shortfall of Gravitas*). This will bring the Starlink constellation to 6100 total satellites launched, with 2085 being of the more capable V2 Mini variant. - Starlink Group 7-18 is another batch of Starlink V2 Minis, this time merely 22 satellites, launching from SLC-4E aboard Falcon 9 B1071 on its 15th flight (which will land on the drone ship *Of Course I Still Love You*). This will up the count of launched Starlink satellites to 6122, with 2107 being V2 Minis. There are no words to properly convey just how much of a golden era we are entering in spaceflight. We are only at the beginning. Buckle up, folks - it gets crazier from here. *Special thanks to Randomname for obsessively following SpaceX launch statistics, making this article possible.* ### Top 10 Things You Don't Know About China's Space Station URL: https://proximareport.com/top-10-things-you-dont-know-about-tiangong/ Last updated: 2024-03-29T18:02:54.000Z China's space station, Tiangong, orbits Earth at an altitude between 340 to 450 kilometers, approximately the same orbital height as the International Space Station (ISS). China hopes to keep Tiangong continuously inhabited by a minimum of three astronauts for at least a decade. Over that stretch, the space station will host many experiments from both China and other countries. The Chinese Space Station is a huge achievement as the modular space station design pioneered by Mir , and continued by the ISS has been reproduced by China in the modern day. With the first module launching in 2021 China currently operates a fully operational space station. Yet unlike the highly documented history of Mir, Skylab, or even Salyut stations, Tiangong has many features that are often unaccounted for and aspects that make it relatively mysterious. As well a stark contrast to the constant presence of the ISS, Tiangong is a recent development in spaceflight. Top 10 things you didn't know about China's palace in the sky! ## **#1\. Ion Thrusters** Unlike previous space stations before it Tiangong is paving the way for ion thrusters used for station keeping. ![undefined](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/Tianhe_Core_Module_Rendering_01.png/800px-Tianhe_Core_Module_Rendering_01.png) Tianhe core module rendering The service bay of Tianhe is serviceable and utilizes a mixture of refillable chemical propulsion as well as 4 ion engines. This allows Tianhe to slowly move itself but will mainly be used for station keeping to maintain orbits. The Tianzhou cargo spacecraft can refuel the chemical propulsion similar to the Russian segment of the ISS. ## **#2\. Smart Home in space?!** ![r/pcmasterrace - Who's teaching the ISS folks cable management? Difference in the interior of the Chinese Tiangong Space Station and the International Space Station](https://preview.redd.it/2gp2x006msi81.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=25aeac4ad735b9e8b88d3d5ecefe51774f227549) Comparison between Tiangong and ISS Credits: CMSA, NASA Due to China's space station being made with much more modern technology despite being similar in diameter Tiangong actually utilizes Bluetooth connections and the internet to control itself! This leads to less clutter and better space utilization, however the module's lengths and use of panels help as well. China's Tiangong space station lights can also be controlled via Taikonauts cellular devices. Just like a smart home! How cool is that? ## **#3\. Foot Straps** Look at these Chinese Taikonauts. Do you notice anything unique about their stance? ![Three taikonauts are aboard the Tiangong Space Station - SpaceWatch.Global](https://spacewatch.global/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ce43b381-ad4f-4cd7-b79f-071fc4f2c16b.jpeg) Chinese Taikonauts tend to prefer utilizing straps alongside Tiangong's surfaces to stand upright for poses, eating, and other reasons. This is also viewed as more respectful to fellow crewmates and associate ground members. ## **#4\. Mythological Origins** If translated directly, "Tiangong" would be called a palace in the sky, but in fact it has a deeper cultural connotation. The "Heavenly Palace" actually refers to the place where the immortals and gods live in Chinese mythology, which has many mythological stories similar to the system of Norse mythology. Many spacecraft are named the same way, for example, the Mars rover is named after the god of fire, "Zhurong", because Mars is a red planet. The name of the lunar exploration program is named after the legendary goddess Chang'e who lives on the moon. ## **#5\. Not Their First Rodeo** If the name Tiangong sounds familiar to you it's because it's not the first! A part of Project 921 (the name for the current phase of China's manned space program) was the establishment of temporary outposts such as Tiangong-1 and Tiangong-2\. If Tiangong is a modern day Mir, then these were China's "Salyut"'s. These were single launch space stations that were very small, barely bigger then their crew ferry! They did however verify key technologies for Tiangong such as life support, docking, and more! ## #6\. Space Cuisine What you might not know about Tiangong is they have around 120 different foods! China's space travelers will select their meals from more than 120 dishes during their three-month stay in orbit. The drinks include teas, juices etc and the foods are usually solid, boneless, in small pieces, and selected to meet the personal tastes of the crew. Meals include shredded pork in garlic sauce, kung pao chicken, black pepper beef, pickled cabbage, and more! Tiangong is also the first space station to be equipped with a working microwave. Unlike the heating element of the ISS China's TIangong has access to a more immediate reheating option. ## **#7\. Education** Education is a very important and highlighted aspect of China's Manned Space Administration. China is very much so dedicated to encouraging more students to engage in STEM to boost capabilities in this sector. ![Tiangong science lecture aired for students worldwide ...](https://img2.chinadaily.com.cn/images/202309/22/650cd191a310d2dc6d28378e.jpeg) Chinese Taikonauts Giving Science lecture Credit: China Daily Taikonauts perform countless lectures onboard Tiangong and it seems as if this is just as important as the onboard scientific payloads. Students have also participated in experiments onboard Tiangong showing just how dedicated China is to education within their space program echoing the similar kind of lectures given by Space Shuttle astronauts. ## **#8\. Space Telescope Module** China has announced plans for a space station telescope called Xuntian. It will feature a 2-meter (6.6 foot) diameter primary mirror and is expected to have a field of view 300x larger than the Hubble Space Telescope. The Xuntian will be mostly free flying in a similar orbit but able to dock to Tiangong for maintenance, making it highly comparable to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. ![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/CSST%E6%83%B3%E8%B1%A1%E5%9B%BE.jpg/500px-CSST%E6%83%B3%E8%B1%A1%E5%9B%BE.jpg) Xuntian Space Telescope render ## **#9\. Robotic Arms!** The Tianhe Robotic arm has 7 adjustable levels just as flexible as a human arm allowing the Taikonauts to grapple onto the end of it for increased access to the space station for Maintenance procedures. The Mengtian lab mainly for scientific research has a special arm for releasing micro spacecrafts allowing for increased access to space, sling shotting out cubesats. This robotic arm can combine with the other one on Tianhe to form a giant arm nearly matching the capability of the Canadarm onboard the ISS. The robot arms don't end there! Onboard the space station are special robotic arms that moved Wentian and Mengtian into position. These might serve to be valuable in the future in regards to our next point ## **#10\. Space Station Expansion** The Tiangong space station while currently having a maximum capacity for 6 while usually only carrying 3 Taikonauts means limited capacity. Yet there are plans for Tiangong to grow to a possible 6 module configuration. When constructing Tianhe, two identical modules were built, so its possible that this second Tianhe maybe retrofitted for this expansion project. According to several Chinese space sources, Tiangong is set to expand to have a cross-shaped configuration. Also, the facility may include additional modules to double its size in the coming years. Yet another module added first to the port currently utilized mainly by visiting Shenzhous seems likely. ![Tiangong station will receive a multifunctional module](https://universemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/fgavti2uyaaswac-1024x576.jpg) Possible Future Configuration of Tiangong ## **China's growing space ambitions are always exciting to cover, yet many times while doing that we miss the brilliant space hardware right in front of us. China's palace in the skies will remain a firm fixture in space for many years to come. Hopefully**, **when you look up to the heavens you'll know a little more about the Heavenly Palace.** ### Latitude - returning launch to Europe? URL: https://proximareport.com/latitude-launch-to-europe/ Last updated: 2024-03-28T22:02:52.000Z French space startup Latitude is hoping to launch the first French-built rocket of the 21st century. Their rocket Zephyr is currently aiming for a maiden flight in 2025. Latitude is a self-described pioneering French rocket launch company on a mission to push the boundaries of space technologies, fostering a better and brighter future for all. The company is based of Reims and was founded back in 2019 as Prometheus Space, but rebranded to Venture Orbital Systems before becoming Latitude. The company is believed to be aiming to offer launches of Microsatellites for as little as 35,000 United States Dollars per kilogram, or 3.5 million per launch. Latitude believes that 10,000 small satellites will be built by 2030 with forty percent needing a dedicated launch, the hope to capitalize on the dedicated launches. After the debut flight of Zephyr in 2025, the company is hoping to ramp up to twenty launches in 2026 before increasing to one launch per week in the coming years. Latitude is believed to be working on a launch site in Scotland and French Guyana to reach this cadence. ## Zephyr Latitude is currently working on their Zephyr two-stage small-lift orbital launch vehicle to enable launches of small CubeSats from the European continent. Zephyr is believed to be 19 meters tall and 1.5 meters in diameter, the launch vehicle keeps the diameter up the entire rocket. Zephyr is planning to launch Microsatellites as a dedicated service instead of having to rely on a 'rideshare' service. ![A render of Zephyr during first-stage flight. ©Latitude](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GD3qaxiWgAAB-AI.jpg) A render of Zephyr during first-stage flight. ©Latitude Latitude claims the rocket will be able to launch 100 kilograms into a low Earth orbit, or 80 kilograms into a sun-synchronous orbit. The company has said that they plan to launch from Saxavord in Scotland and Kourou in French Guyana. Saxavord is an advantageous launch site for sun-synchronous launches due to it sitting far north of the equator, and having no inhabited land downrange. Kourou is already a well-established spaceport and is well suited for low Earth orbit missions due to its proximity to the equator, being close to the equator allows rockets to take advantage of the Earth's rotation while heading to orbit. ![An exploded view render of Zephyr with its first-stage, second-stage, and fairing. ©Latitude](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/63f4cdc6a1a8fc36a54a9b26_Sans-titre-4-p-1600-1.png) An exploded view render of Zephyr with its first-stage, second-stage, and fairing. ©Latitude Zephyr is planned to be powered by seven Navier sea-level engines on the first-stage, burn time for the first-stage is unknown along with the total thrust. The second-stage is also planned to be powered by a single Navier vacuum-optimized engine, the burn time and thrust has also not been shared. Latitude has kept details on Zephyr under wraps since unveiling the rocket so the current weight and thrust of the vehicle are unknown. Based on previous reports, the total first-stage thrust of Zephyr could be as high as 15.7 tons of thrust, this would have each Navier engine produce 2.2 tons of thrust. The fuels for both stages are currently planned to be rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. ## Navier Navier is Latitude's in-house developed rocket engine that will power Zephyr. The engine is believed to burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen as fuels. The engine is also reportedly 3D printed, which could help increase production. ![Teams at Latitude working on a Navier engine. ©Latitude](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/1707292698542.jpg) Teams at Latitude working on a Navier engine. ©Latitude Navier is believed to be an open-cycle gas-generator engine using High Test Peroxide to run its turbopumps. High Test Peroxide is used as a catalyst for the fuels and inside the engine. Previous plans for Navier had the engine be electric pump fed but those plans appear to have been dropped. The thrust of Navier has not been shared by Latitude at the time of writing but is believed to be between 1.2 and 2.2 tons of thrust. Comments online from Chief Executive Officer, Stanislas Maximin, point towards a higher thrust for Navier. ![Navier during a test firing. ©Latitude](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/FutPQg7XoAMhol7.jpg) Navier during a test firing. ©Latitude Navier is reported to have started test firings in January last year, with testing of a newer turbopump for the engine having occurred recently this March. Latitude has shared occasional updates on its engine development and is believed to have fired four different engines with more in production. ### Plants on the moon URL: https://proximareport.com/plants-on-the-moon/ Last updated: 2024-03-28T15:47:20.000Z Tests regarding growing food in the harsh environment of space have been going on since the 1970s. Onboard Salyut 1, a space station launched by the Soviet Union, the crew experimented with growing onions and peas in a sealed container. This experiment marked one of the first attempts to understand how plants grow in the microgravity environment of space and laid the foundation for further research into space agriculture. One well-known project is NASA's "Veggie" experiment aboard the International Space Station (ISS), which involves growing various crops such as lettuce, radishes, and zinnias in space using deployable growth chambers equipped with LED lighting to stimulate plant growth. The knowledge gained from such experiments not only contributes to the development of space agriculture but also has implications for sustainable agriculture practices on Earth, particularly in areas with limited arable land or resources. ![A photo of Zinnia plants from the Veggie ground control system at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/ksc-20160211-ph-sww0001-0093.jpg?w=2048) Zinnia plants from the Veggie ground control system are being harvested in the Flight Equipment Development Laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at Kennedy. A similar zinnia harvest was conducted by astronaut Scott Kelly on the International Space Station. The Chinese space station (CSS or also known as Tiangong space station) is another modern station that incorporates the growing of flora in space. This allows for more fresh food helping break up the cycle of rehydrated and packaged food. NASA themselves says it best, > As humans explore space, we will want to bring plants for both aesthetic and practical reasons. We already know from our pioneering astronauts that fresh flowers and gardens on the International Space Station create a beautiful atmosphere and let us take a little piece of Earth with us on our journeys. They’re good for our psychological well-being on Earth and in space. They also will be critical for keeping astronauts healthy on long-duration missions. Nowadays growing plants in limited gravity, areas with more radiation, we know is doable. NASA studies have led to hydroponics taking off and vertical farming. We've advanced so far as to have research projects growing plants in shipping containers all the way in Antarctica. ![iGrow Pre-Owned-Shipping Container Farm News-iGrow Pre-Owned](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57c8695d5016e11e71be1d83/1640087127277-P8GB5LIA4NWECM8JZCKD/ooedeniss.jpeg?format=1000w) Yet a more recent study goes over a new possibility. What if we could bring agriculture to the moon? A plant-growth study is one of three experiments that the Artemis 3 astronauts are expected to deploy on the lunar surface. The first astronauts to land as apart of the Artemis program plands on deploying a lunar mini greenhouse. The experiment is called LEAF (Lunar Effects on Agricultural Flora). Nasa definitely loves their acronyms! Nasa officials reported all of this on March 26th going on to elaborate > "Plant growth and development data, along with environmental parameters measured by LEAF, will help scientists understand the use of plants grown on [the moon](https://www.space.com/55-earths-moon-formation-composition-and-orbit.html?ref=proximareport.com) for both human nutrition and life support on the moon and beyond," China notably also has been testing the affects of flora on the moon with their Chang'e 4 mission carrying cotton. After Chang’e 4 landed on the far side of the moon, one of its experiments was to water some seeds in sealed capsules. These grew briefly, then were killed when the lunar night crossed over Chang’e 4 and dropped temperatures below -50C. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/image-10.png) Pictures taken from the interior of the lander’s biocapsule Yet NASAs is on a scale unheard of and hopefully the Artemis program will be able to further out understanding of how life interacts beyond LEO, NASA describes the mission as > \--The first experiment to observe plant photosynthesis, growth and systemic stress responses in space-radiation and partial gravity, Plant cultivation experiments in space typically involve small chambers separate from the life support system, focusing on studying plant behavior and development under reduced gravity and in closed environments. The initial Soviet Union flight experiment, Oasis 1, tested plant growth systems aboard the unmanned Cosmos 368 flight before its deployment on a manned mission to Salyut 1 in 1971\. Oasis 1 marked the beginning of successful series chambers, including Oasis 1 M, which addressed technical issues like water metering and nutrient delivery systems. The Soviet Union also developed the Vazon plant growth system, which flew on Soyuz 12 in 1973, relying on the spacecraft's lighting system for illumination. Additionally, experiments like Malachite, flown on Salyut 6, investigated the psychological benefits of crew interaction with plants, paving the way for bio-regenerative life support system (BLSS) research on the Mir space station with the SVET space greenhouse. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/image-8.png) Malachit plant growth system as exhibited in the Memorial Museum of Astronautics in Moscow NASA's involvement in plant growth experiments started with the Space Shuttle Program, culminating in experiments like the Plant Growth Unit (PGU) and the Advanced Astroculture (ADVASC) flown on the International Space Station (ISS). ADVASC, for instance, autonomously provides stable environmental conditions for plant cultivation under microgravity, utilizing lessons learned from previous experiments to improve efficiency and reliability. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/image-9.png) Advanced Astroculture ISS plant growth chamber These experiments have paved the way for future missions, such as NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon. Plans include deploying mini greenhouses on the lunar surface to study plant growth in a lunar environment. Insights gained from previous experiments in space agriculture will be invaluable for designing these lunar habitats, ensuring the sustainability of future human presence on the Moon and beyond. Growing plants on the Moon poses distinct challenges owing to its hostile environment and lack of atmospheric and terrestrial resources. The lunar surface experiences extreme temperature fluctuations, ranging from freezing lows during the lunar night to scorching highs in the lunar day, necessitating precise thermal regulation within plant growth systems. Furthermore, the absence of an atmosphere and soil means that all essential resources, including water, nutrients, and substrates, must be transported from Earth or acquired through complex in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) methods, adding logistical complexities to lunar missions. High levels of solar and cosmic radiation, compounded by the lack of a protective atmosphere and magnetic field, pose a threat to plant growth, necessitating effective shielding within growth habitats. Additionally, microgravity conditions on the Moon can disrupt crucial plant growth processes, emphasizing the need for innovative engineering solutions to mitigate these effects and provide adequate support for plant development. Lastly, managing lunar dust and regolith contamination within growth habitats is vital to safeguarding plant health and productivity. Addressing these multifaceted challenges requires rigorous research and experimentation to develop resilient plant growth systems tailored for lunar conditions, crucial for sustaining future human settlements and exploration endeavors on the Moon. Ultimately this technology is vital in not just establishing a permanent presence in the moon but extending ourselves outward into the Solar System. It represents concrete steps to not just understanding the infinite cosmos but understanding where we fit into it. ### The Future of Arianespace URL: https://proximareport.com/the-future-of-arianespace/ Last updated: 2024-04-01T01:52:50.000Z Arianespace is a long established French aerospace company that specializes in delivering satellites to a variety of orbits. They were established within a power vacuum allowing them to thrive and have developed alongside CNES and ESA to develop European space capabilities. With the upcoming launch of Ariane 6, a long awaited rocket, many are posing the question: Is Arianespace falling behind? For some, it's less of a question then a fact. The stated motivation for Ariane 6 when it was first conceptualized was to cut in half the cost compared to Ariane 5, while increasing the capacity for the number of launches per year from around 5-6 to 10-12\. Since then SpaceX has launched a couple launches short of 100 rockets a year in 2023\. SpaceX has brought down the cost of space and to many it makes older legacy companies seem outdated. Ariane 6 already will be able to compete in a much less developed market for European governmental payloads, have several contracts from Project Kuiper readily available, while expanding their capabilities. ![Ariane 6](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/image.psd-3.png) Ariane 6 Lets look at how Arianespace is adapting in this changing landscape of reusability. Due to Ariane 6 being an established architecture this far in development it is impossible and unrealistic to expect Arianespace to simply drop it and develop a falcon 9 like vehicle. The Ariane 6 rocket was crafted for utmost flexibility, capable of executing a diverse array of missions across all orbital paths. Moreover, its design facilitates continual adaptation through the integration of new technologies, owing to its modular structure. Ariane 6 ultimately was built to be a Swiss-army knife for the European launch market so that it could cover a wide array of usecases. It can reach low, medium, geostationary, sun synchronous, polar, to Lagrange points, the moon or deep space. Due to the two booster configuration vs four booster configuratio, large fairing, payload adapters etc. Ariane 6 also acknowledged the rise in constellations with its reignitable Vinci upper stage for optimization and flexibility. To remain competitive though and to reduce monopolies it is likely that we will see Europe take on legislation to provide funding towards companies like Arianespace. This will help avoid market disruptions while ensuring a smoother transition to more innovative architecture. This involves modifications such as the Astris kick stage, Multi Launch System for rideshare services, a new ultralight Innovative Carbon ARiane Upper Stage (Icarus) making use of carbon composites. Contracts are already underway and are expected to come online alongside the Ariane 6. ![ArianeGroup's approval from ESA to develop PHOEBUS to demonstrate future carbon upper stage for Ariane 6 – SatNews](https://news.satnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Screen-Shot-2022-11-21-at-11.00.02-PM.png) Arianespace also plans an upgraded booster, the P120+ solid rocket motor. This will be a slightly lengthened version of the existing booster and improve upon the Ariane 6 giving it increased capabilities. Ariane 6 will gain two tons from these upgraded boosters alone. Carbon composites, also known as carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs), are composite materials composed of carbon fibers embedded in a matrix material, typically epoxy resin. These materials have gained significant traction in aerospace engineering due to their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, stiffness, and resistance to corrosion and fatigue. One of the most significant advantages is weight reduction, a fundamental component in the rocket equation, by minimizing weight we open up more capabilities. Carbon Composites also allow for increased performance and more delta V via the weight reductions. Carbon composites exhibit exceptional stiffness and resistance to deformation allowing them to be lightweight yet robust. Carbon composites possess excellent thermal stability. This allows them to withstand high temperatures without significant degradation, this is a vital component for upper stages which undergo intense environmental changes. Carbon composites offer designers greater flexibility in shaping and optimizing structures to meet specific performance requirements. This flexibility allows for the integration of complex geometries and tailored load-bearing characteristics, resulting in more efficient and robust spacecraft designs. An engine in development right now but won't be seen on Ariane for a longer time is Prometheus. This engine is meant to utilize 3d printing technology, capable and optimized for reusability, and cheap to produce. Prometheus engines plan on being incorporated into the Ariane 6 to keep it even more competitive. ![ESA - Prometheus to power future launchers](https://www.esa.int/var/esa/storage/images/esa_multimedia/images/2017/12/prometheus_to_power_future_launch_vehicles/17306366-2-eng-GB/Prometheus_to_power_future_launch_vehicles_pillars.png) Prometheus The Prometheus engine is a liquid oxygen (LOx)-methane (CH4) reusable rocket engine developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) as part of its efforts to lower the cost of access to space and increase the sustainability of spaceflight. The development of the Prometheus engine marks a significant advancement in rocket propulsion technology. Led by the European Space Agency (ESA), the Prometheus project aims to create a reusable and cost-effective liquid methane-oxygen engine for future launch vehicles. The engine's development focuses on leveraging additive manufacturing techniques and innovative design principles to achieve high-performance capabilities while minimizing production costs. Prometheus engines are intended to be highly versatile, capable of powering various stages of space launch vehicles, including upper stages like those envisioned for the Ariane 6 rocket. Incorporating Prometheus engines into the Ariane 6 design offers several advantages, including improved fuel efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and enhanced reusability. Moreover, the compatibility of Prometheus engines with liquid methane propellant aligns with ESA's commitment to sustainable space exploration. As development progresses, the integration of Prometheus engines into the Ariane 6 architecture promises to enhance the rocket's overall performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness, positioning it as a competitive player in the global launch services market. Arianespace plans on leveraging this for liquid reusable boosters, and then in the future a one stick design more aesthetically similar to a Falcon 9 type vehicle. Ariane 6 in the future will also plan on using an upper stage called SUSIE. SUSIE is engineered as a fully-reusable spacecraft, designed for vertical takeoff and landing maneuvers. Featuring an internal cargo bay volume of 40 cubic meters, it boasts versatility, capable of accommodating up to five astronauts or carrying a maximum payload of seven tons in an automated cargo configuration. Its scalable design, without the need for significant aerodynamic adjustments, allows SUSIE to excel in various mission roles. The adaptable payload bay can be converted into additional habitable space for crew members during extended missions or replaced with propellant tanks and engines to function as a complete upper stage. For prolonged crewed missions, such as those beyond Earth orbit, the payload bay can be transformed into extra habitable volume to ensure crew comfort. Furthermore, it is envisioned to contribute to the construction of large orbital infrastructure and play a role in deorbiting end-of-life satellites and orbital debris. ![SUSIE, (Smart Upper Stage for Innovative Exploration) concept from ARIANE](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fc8bZ2iXoAAe165?format=jpg&name=large) Overall, Arianespace is working with what they were given. They are adapting to a changing landscape and have several studies, mission plans, and developments rolling out to stay competitive. Even if the European launch market needs regulation in order to avoid large market disturbances from the likes of SpaceX Arianespace will adapt as the world moves towards more routine, cheaper, ecofriendly, and diverse access to space. ### China launches Yunhai satellite atop of the fifth Long March 6A URL: https://proximareport.com/china-long-march-6a-y3/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T20:05:20.000Z China launched what was thought to be a Long March 6C in the Western world but later turned out to be a Long March 6A. The launch occurred from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, in northern China. Liftoff was at 10:51 pm Universal Coordinated Time on the 26th of March, which was 06:51 am China Standard Time on the 27th. Spaceflight observers in the Western world, including me, were initially led to believe that the debut flight of the Long March 6C was imminent due to released notices’ to mariners and keep-out zones. This would turn out to be incorrect upon news from official sources after the launch. ![The Long March 6A Y3 vehicle during first-stage flight.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GJpH2M1acAAxxnq-1.jpg) The Long March 6A Y3 vehicle during first-stage flight. Riding atop the Long March 6A Y3 rocket is currently believed to be a Yunhai-3 02 satellite. The satellite is reportedly healthy and in its desired orbit with the launch mission being considered a success. Yunhai-3 02 is believed to be in a sun-synchronus orbit of Earth at the time of writing. The Yunahi-3 satellite is reported to be tasked with surveying atmospheric factors, marine environment surveys, monitoring the space environment, providing data to support disaster prevention and mitigation efforts, and carrying out scientific experiments via the use of Global Navigation Satellite System Radio Occultation. It is believed that the Long March 6A will launch six more times in 2024 as the test flight period is believed to be over. Production lines for the Long March 6A are also reportedly working at a higher efficiency as well as being simplified. The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology is reported to have had the rocket in continuous development since its debut in 2022 to improve and refine the vehicle. This launch was the five-hundred and fourteenth Long March launch from China, the sixteenth of the Long March 6 series, and the fifth for the Long March 6A. ## What is the Long March 6A? The Long March 6A is one of the newest rockets from the Long March series of launch vehicles to debut in recent years, as it first flew in March of 2022\. It is manufactured by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, who also manufacture the Long March 6 which the rocket is derived from. Based on current information, it's likely that the Long March 6A will launch from only the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center for the foreseeable future. ![The Long March 6A Y3 vehicle on Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GJpH2MUbsAAUe2F-1.jpg) The Long March 6A Y3 vehicle on Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. It is believed that the Long March 6A is capable of delivering 4,500 kilograms to a 700-kilogram sun-synchronous orbit. A higher payload capacity is believed to be available for lower-altitude sun-synchronus orbits, but this has not been widely shared. The first-stage is powered by two YF-100 engines to generate a combined thrust of approximately 244 tons of thrust, while burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The first-stage is reportedly 3.35 meters in diameter. ![The first-stage of the Long March 6A Y3 vehicle during delivery to the launch site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/cz-6a-4-1-1.jpg) The first-stage of the Long March 6A Y3 vehicle during delivery to the launch site. During ascent, the first-stage is augmented by four solid rocket boosters attached to the side of the vehicle. The solid rocket boosters reportedly generate 124 tons of thrust each burning their solid propellant, each booster is also believed to be 2 meters in diameter. The solid rocket boosters generate a combined thrust of 492 tons of thrust. When combined with the first-stage they generate a total of 736 tons of thrust. The second-stage is powered by a single YF-115 engine generating 18 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The second-stage is believed to be 3.35 meters in diameter, like the first stage. On the launchpad, the rocket reportedly weighs 530,000 kilograms and is fifty meters tall. The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology has not shared the burn time for either of the stages or solid booster, at the time of writing. ## Why so many Long March rockets? China's state-owned launch vehicle providers and manufacturers are working towards the country's goal of phasing out its hypergolic fuelled launch vehicles. These new rockets are designed to burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen instead of Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The new rockets are the Long March 5, Long March 6, Long March 7, Long March 8, Long March 10, and Long March 12 series' of rockets. Introducing new rockets is not a trivial process and requires overlap between the old and new launch vehicles. New launch vehicles also need to prove their reliability and safety while carrying payloads. But why move away from the older Long March vehicles? The fuel of the older Long March launch vehicles are Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine, both of which are dangerous to be around without specialist protective equipment. They were also designed in the 1970s and 1980s so production methods and design techniques have improved massively since, especially in China which is now a world-class manufacturer. It's likely most of the older Long March vehicles will be retired by the start of the 2030s, with the last to retire likely to be the Long March 2F as it launches the Shenzhou crewed spacecraft. For more information on almost all of the Long March rockets see [here.](https://proximareport.com/what-are-chinas-long-march-rockets/) ### A Railgun Launched Chinese Spaceplane URL: https://proximareport.com/railgun-launched-chinese-spaceplane/ Last updated: 2024-03-27T01:56:38.000Z The Chinese National Manned Space Administration was given the designation of Project 921 in 1992\. This project was then segmented into three core phases, This included China launching their own crewed mission, a temporary space station, and then a permanent one. Among the considered crewed spacecrafts included the Soyuz style Shenzhou which won out were several spaceplane designs. This is where we can see the emergence of spaceplanes within China's space program. On December 11, 2007, pictures of a mysterious aircraft were uploaded to several domestic military websites. The aircraft was mounted on an H-6, and its surface was painted with a five-star red flag and the words 'Shenlong' (神龙) meaning divine dragon. In more recent times there's been reports of a Chinese spaceplane that seems to fulfill similar roles to the USA's X-37B and is believed to share a large amount of commonality with Shenlong. ![东方网图片：轰-6下挂载的神秘航天器。](https://web.archive.org/web/20121214200521im_/http://photocdn.sohu.com/20080111/Img254590648.jpg) Shenlong strapped to carrier aircraft (H-6) --- Yet there has been a more recent development within China's spaceflight program in regards to spaceplanes and it has the potential to be revolutionary! In the imminent horizon, the prospect of human space travel takes a quantum leap as visionary Chinese scientists and engineers orchestrate an extraordinary convergence of cutting-edge electromagnetic launch and hypersonic flight technologies. Picture this visionary endeavor: A colossal electromagnetic launch track poised to propel a hypersonic aircraft to the dizzying velocity of Mach 1.6\. Upon disengagement from the track, the aircraft ignites its engines, hurtling into the celestial realm at a breathtaking seven times the speed of sound. The celestial titan: a majestic space plane, boasting a formidable mass of 50 tonnes and surpassing the dimensions of a Boeing 737 airliner. This marvel of engineering represents a cornerstone of the illustrious "Tengyun project," unveiled amidst great fanfare in the annals of 2016\. Li Shaowei, a scientist with the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, stated "Electromagnetic launch technology provides a promising solution to overcome these challenges and has emerged as a strategic frontier technology being pursued by the world's leading nations," Li’s team has conducted computer simulations and wind tunnel tests. Their findings have revealed that as the aircraft breaches the sound barrier, numerous shock waves ripple along its underside, colliding with the ground and generating a cascade of reflections. These tests are crucial and show that China is very serious about the development of key Aerospace technology. Other aspects of Tengyun shown off via models at presentations, animations, and slideshows have depicted Tengyun as a two stage spaceplane concept with a carrier aircraft acting as the first stage. This would look similar to as depicted below ![China Working on Giant Rail Gun to Shoot Astronauts Into Space](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/eK4G_6XMN5eaj_aLP7NioQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTY0MDtoPTMzNg--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/futurism_981/291deae6a06f6e2a01e5bd0ebd2d4020) The Chinese spaceplane endeavors however are still early in their development. Meaning multiple avenues are most likely being considered and explored. This is comparable to how NASA takes bids from contractors while funding the research in feasibility studies. NASA has done this with the Space Shuttle, the USAF has done this with fighter jets so the diverse range of proposals out there is not unheard of within this realm of aerospace. China is not the first organization to consider rail launched spaceplane however and there is a long historical context on why it has not been done yet. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/image.png) Saenger 1 Spaceplane concept The German winged orbital launch vehicle, studied by MBB from 1962 to 1969, represents the culmination of Eugen Saenger's visionary concept for a spaceplane. This final iteration of the Saenger spaceplane envisioned the utilization of a rocket-propelled sled for horizontal launch, deploying delta-winged, rocket-propelled first and second stages. Alternatively, an alternate version considered vertical launch with horizontal landing, employing a two-stage winged launch vehicle. Although this project remained at the study stage, it epitomized Saenger's lifelong dream of manned winged spaceflight. The RT-8 sled operated through a steam rocket propulsion system, catapulting the first and second stages along a 3-kilometer track to achieve a release velocity of 900 kilometers per hour. An alternative launch approach involved utilizing a heavily modified B-52 bomber for a subsonic air release. Both stages were equipped with Lox/LH2 engines, each boasting a sea-level thrust of 50 metric tons and a specific impulse of 430 seconds. Following lift-off, the first stage ascended to a 60-kilometer altitude within 150 seconds, subsequently releasing the second stage before gliding back to the base. The second stage then proceeded to achieve a 300-kilometer altitude orbit. Notably, the first stage featured a shoulder-mounted delta wing with drooped wingtips, resembling the compression lift characteristics of the XB-70 bomber, while the upper stage mirrored this design in reverse, sporting a low-mounted seventy-degree double-delta wing with upturned tips akin to the X-20 Dynasoar. Yet spaceplanes have been largely confined to paper studies as costly testing facilities, computer simulations, modern day composites, advancements in material manufacturing were simply not available to these researchers. However they paved the way for concepts like what China is studying right now. Within the domain of electromagnetic space launch systems, China stands as a pioneering force, wielding distinct advantages that set it apart from other nations. Prominent defense entities such as CASIC have not only engineered their own hypersonic weapons but have seamlessly integrated them into the formidable arsenal of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), concurrently fostering substantial revenue streams for their originators. Moreover, China's preeminence in electromagnetic rail gun research is irrefutable, underscored by groundbreaking achievements encompassing the refinement of high-performance power supplies, mastery of precision control technology, formulation of resilient wear-resistant coatings, and the innovation of electronic components endowed with unparalleled resilience against potent electromagnetic interference. In essence, China's strategic investments and relentless pursuit of technological excellence have propelled it to the forefront of electromagnetic space launch endeavors, establishing a formidable lead that remains unparalleled on the global stage. Various Chinese spaceplane projects are in different stages of development, ranging from conceptualization to the creation of functional prototypes. CALT has spearheaded the design of at least three spaceplanes since 2016, potentially including the one tested in July, while others have emerged from aerospace startups established within the past five years. Notably, unlike the Shenlong, all these newer projects, including Tengyun, are officially designated for commercial applications. One of the primary advantages of spaceplanes lies in their reusability, which holds the potential to significantly diminish the expenses associated with space missions. Moreover, spaceplanes boast superior maneuverability in orbit, enabling them to undertake a broader array of missions and execute multiple tasks within a single mission. Additionally, horizontal-takeoff spaceplanes like Tengyun are well-suited for endeavors such as space tourism and point-to-point transportation, as they can depart from conventional airports and provide smoother journeys compared to traditional rockets. While the realization of hypersonic civil aviation may be distant, China's luxury space tourism sector is forecasted to reach $401.6 million by 2027. These very attributes have piqued the interest of both the U.S. and Chinese militaries. Beyond cost reduction, spaceplanes possess the capability to linger and maneuver in orbit for extended durations with minimal fuel consumption, thereby enhancing their operators' intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, as well as their communication networks. Furthermore, they could potentially be employed for orbital strikes against adversary satellites, aircraft, or ground targets, leveraging their speed and agility to outpace ground-based missile systems and evade conventional defenses. Consequently, the distinction between spaceplanes and hypersonic orbital gliders becomes increasingly blurred. In conclusion, while the realization of spaceplanes remains a multifaceted journey characterized by technological challenges and strategic considerations, China's proactive endeavors signal a paradigm shift in the aerospace landscape. With visionary fervor driving innovation and strategic foresight shaping applications, the trajectory of spaceplane development is poised for revolutionary ascent. ### Crew and Cargo arrive at the International Space Station URL: https://proximareport.com/crew-cargo-international-space-station/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:51:16.000Z Over the weekend, two vehicles from two different sides of the world arrived at the International Space Station. The first to arrive was a SpaceX Cargo Dragon V2 with the second, following by a few days, being Soyuz MS-25 carrying three astronauts. After spending almost two days catching up to the International Space Station, Cargo Dragon V2 C209 docked to the International Space Station via the Zenith port of the Harmony module, the Zenith port is located on top of the module and faces space. The spacecraft is carrying 2,841 kilograms of cargo for the crew onboard. Cargo Dragon C209 lifted off from Florida back on the 21st, for more about CRS-30 click [here.](https://proximareport.com/spacex-crs-30-iss/) ![SpaceX's C209 Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft during docking to the International Space Station. ©SpaceX/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GJWfUwnbEAA_QG4.jpg) SpaceX's C209 Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft during docking to the International Space Station. ©SpaceX/NASA A few hours later, at 12:36 pm Universal Coordinated Time, the Soyuz MS-25 mission lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, located in Kazakhstan, atop of a Soyuz 2.1a rocket. Aboard the rocket were Oleg Novitskiy, Marina Vasilevskaya, and Tracy Caldwell-Dyson. Novitsky and Vasilevskaya will contribute to research as part of Expedition 70, with Caldwell-Dyson staying into Expedition 71\. Expeditions are six-month periods aboard the International Space Station. At approximately 15:05 pm, Universal Coordinated Time, on the 25th, the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft docked at the nadir port of the Prichal module. The rendezvous to the station took almost two days instead of the usual six hours due to an aborted launch on the 21st. At the time of writing crews aboard the International Space Station and Soyuz MS-25 are preparing to open the hatch in a few hours. With Soyuz MS-25 now docked, Oleg Novitskiy and Marina Vasilevskaya will spend approximately twelve days aboard the International Space Station before returning. They will return in the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft with Loral O'Hara. ![NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell-Dyson (left), Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy (Center), and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya (right) during a press conference prior to launch. ©NASA/Bill Ingalls](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/53600144483_7be37f25f4.jpg) NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell-Dyson (left), Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy (Center), and Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya (right) during a press conference prior to launch. ©NASA/Bill Ingalls This is because Roscosmos plans to have Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub aboard the station for almost an entire year. Tracy Caldwell-Dyson will return to Earth in late September aboard the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft with Kononenko and Chub. ## Who's onboard Soyuz MS-25? ![Oleg Novitskiy during a press conference prior to launch. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/expedition-71-press-conference-nhq202403200025_53600251934.jpg) Oleg Novitskiy during a press conference prior to launch. ©NASA Oleg Novitskiy is the Commander of the Soyuz MS-25 mission and is making his fourth trip to space having previously flown on the Soyuz TMA-06M, Soyuz MS-03, and Soyuz MS-18 missions previously. Novitsky was selected as a cosmonaut in 2006 and first flew in 2012\. He has also been awarded the award 'Hero of the Russian Federation'. Oleg Novitskiy has currently spent a total of five-hundred and thirty-one days in space over his past three missions. ![Marina Vasilevskaya during a press conference prior to launch. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/expedition-71-press-conference-nhq202403200019_53600255744.jpg) Marina Vasilevskaya during a press conference prior to launch. ©NASA Marina Vasilevskaya is one of Soyuz MS-25's Flight Engineers and is making her first trip to space. She will also become the first woman from Belarus to fly to space since it formed as a country, as Belarusians had flown to space as part of the space program of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Marina Vasilevskaya was selected as a cosmonaut in May 2023 having previously worked as a flight instructor for Belavia. ![Tracy Caldwell-Dyson during a press conference prior to launch. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/expedition-71-press-conference-nhq202403200017_53600130823.jpg) Tracy Caldwell-Dyson during a press conference prior to launch. ©NASA Tracy Caldwell-Dyson is also one of Soyuz MS-25's Flight Engineers and is making her third trip to space having previously flown on the STS-118 and Soyuz TMA-18 missions. Caldwell-Dyson was selected as an astronaut in 1998 and first flew in 2007 aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour. She also graduated with a Bachelor of Science from California State University as well as graduating from the University of California with a Master of Science. Tracy Caldwell-Dyson has spent almost one-hundred and eighty-nine days in space over her past two missions. ## What is the Soyuz spacecraft? The Soyuz spacecraft consists of three modules; the orbital module, the descent module, and the instrumentation and service module. The orbital module is used to give the crew extra space once on orbit and to store cargo. The descent module is where the crew are during launch and landing is the only part of the spacecraft that survives re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. The instrumentation and service module is where the spacecraft's main engines are as well as its fuel. The solar panels to generate power for the spacecraft are also attached to the instrumentation and service module. ### Weekly Dose of Space (17/3-23/3) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-17-3-23-3/ Last updated: 2024-03-24T15:31:13.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw seven launches worldwide, like the week before. This week saw news of yet another Starliner delay and plans of an increased launch cadence from China. As always, we'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week too. ## **SpaceX** After last week's launch of Starship-Super Heavy vehicle workers were seen working in and around the orbital launch mount at the start of the week. A few days later, what is believed to be a Raptor engine maintenance platform was moved to the launch site along with the two-point lifter for Starship vehicles, the two-point lifter allows SpaceX's LR11000 crane to lift Starship onto suborbital Pad B. The next day on the 20th, the protective rear hood for the booster quick disconnect arm was removed to allow workers to access the inside. Umbilical pipes were removed from the arm as they appear to have sustained heavy damage during the last flight. Workers were also seen working on connections to the launch towers 'chopsticks'. On the night of the 21st, Booster 4 was moved into one of the 'mega bays' for scrapping, the booster was part of the first stack Starship-Super Heavy vehicle but never flew. ![Ship 29 being placed onto suborbital Pad B. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GJTP7_fbQAA6XFT.jpg) Ship 29 being placed onto suborbital Pad B. ©SpaceX A few hours later in the early hours of the 22nd, Ship 29 returned to the launch site and was placed onto suborbital Pad B for testing. The 22nd also saw Booster 4 cut in half inside one of the 'mega bays'. ## **Launches This Week** ### *March 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-16* SpaceX started off the launches this week with a Falcon 9 launching from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty Starlink satellites with two other satellites onboard. The other satellites onboard are yet to be identified but are likely to be two Starsheild satellites for a United States government customer. The booster for this mission was B1075 flying for the tenth time and successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for Starlink Group 7-16. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GJAl-RibMAA8SdI.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for Starlink Group 7-16\. ©SpaceX ### *March 20th - Long March 8 with Queqiao-2* The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology launched a Long March 8 rocket from Launch Complex 2 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, located in the Hainan province in southern China. The Queqiao-2 satellite was delivered to a translunar trajectory alongside two other small satellites, Tiandu-1 and Tiandu-2\. For more about this specific launch and the mission click [here.](https://proximareport.com/china-queqiao-2/) ![The Long March 8 during first-stage flight carrying Queqiao-2.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GJE_aXkasAAv00-.jpg) The Long March 8 during first-stage flight carrying Queqiao-2. ### *March 21st - Long March 2D/YZ-3 with Yunhai-2 Group 02* A Long March 2D with a Yuanzheng-3 upper-stage launched from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying a believed six Yunhai-2 satellites. The satellites are believed to be tasked with surveying atmospheric factors, monitoring the space environment, providing data to support disaster prevention and mitigation efforts, and carrying out scientific experiments according to the China Academy of Space Technology Corporation commenting after the launch. ![The Long March 2D/YZ-3 lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GJMh-M6XEAA4VAr.jpg) The Long March 2D/YZ-3 lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### *March 21st - Electron for 'Live and Let Fly'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 2, in Virginia, to an unknown low Earth orbit. The launch was for the National Reconnaissance Office. ![Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 2 for 'Live and Let Fly'. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/live--let-fly---image-credit-brady-kenniston_53600348297.jpg) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 2 for 'Live and Let Fly'. ©Rocket Lab ### *March 21st - Falcon 9 with CRS-30* SpaceX launched its thirtieth cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station on behalf of NASA. The rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying a Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft into orbit. The booster for this mission was B1080 making its fifth flight and successfully landing back at Landing Zone 1\. The Cargo Dragon V2 capsule was also flying for its fourth trip to space. More details on the CRS-30 mission can be found [here.](https://proximareport.com/spacex-crs-30-iss/) ![Booster B1080 landing at Landing Zone 1 during the CRS-30 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GJO4FP0asAAe44Z.jpg) Booster B1080 landing at Landing Zone 1 during the CRS-30 mission. ©SpaceX ### *March 23rd - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-25* A Soyuz 2.1a lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying three astronauts aboard the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft. The three crew onboard are Commander Oleg Noitskiy, Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell-Dyson, and Flight Engineer Marina Vasilevskaya. Soyuz MS-25 is expected to dock at the International Space Station on the 25th of March. ![Soyuz 2.1a lifting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/expedition-71-launch-nhq202403230010_53605707868.jpg) Soyuz 2.1a lifting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft. ©NASA ### *March 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-42* SpaceX ended the launches this week with another batch of Starlink satellites being delivered to low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1060 making its nineteenth mission and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read the Instructions'. > Countdown and liftoff, Go Falcon and Go Starlink! [pic.twitter.com/KqykW6Ft7g](https://t.co/KqykW6Ft7g?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [March 24, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1771736411374534960?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 lifting off from LC-39A for Starlink Group 6-42 via SpaceX on X. ## **In Other Space News** ## *Intuitive Machines confirms loss of lander* ![A photo from Intuitive Machines' lunar lander on the surface of the Moon during the IM-1 mission. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GHcYOWVXMAAeTRm.jpg) A photo from Intuitive Machines' lunar lander on the surface of the Moon during the IM-1 mission. ©Intuitive Machines Intuitive Machines confirmed on the 23rd of March that its lander did not survive the lunar night after it landed on the Moon. Teams were hoping that the lander could be powered down during the night and powered back up after the sun rose again. Sadly the lander did not power back up due to damage from the extreme cold of the lunar night. The company had been expecting to hear signals from the lander as early as the 20th. ## *Long March 8 ramping up cadence* ![The Long March 8 being transported to its launchpad ahead of launch on the 20th.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GI2AnugasAAoqpS-1.jpg) The Long March 8 being transported to its launchpad ahead of launch on the 20th. Speaking to news agencies after the launch of the Long March 8 carrying the Queqiao-2 satellite, Song Zhengyu, Chief Designer of the Long March 8 launch vehicles, said that the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology is looking to utilize the launch vehicles two launch pads. The launch vehicle currently launches from Launch Complex 2 and plans to launch from Commercial Launch Pad 1, both are at the Wenchang Space Launch Site located in the southern province of Hainan. Each pad would have a rocket liftoff once every two weeks for one launch a week, this would allow the rocket to launch up to fifty times a year. During the interviews, Song Zhengyu did acknowledge, but did not say explicitly, that the limiting factor is the production facilities for the Long March 8\. More production facilities are being constructed near Wenchang. It was also stated that six more launches would happen this year, with three being the rocket in its current design and the rest being in an updated design. ## *Boeing's Starliner delayed into May* ![Boeing's Starliner during integration atop of an Atlas V rocket. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/boeing_starliner.jpeg) Boeing's Starliner during integration atop of an Atlas V rocket. ©United Launch Alliance During press briefings on the 22nd, Boeing and NASA stated that they are working towards launching the first crewed flight of the Starliner spacecraft in early May of this year. The delay is due to the International Space Station's visiting spacecraft schedule as the Crew-8 Crew Dragon spacecraft is currently occupying the port needed. NASA and Boeing are still planning to have the spacecraft carry astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams onboard. Starliner last visited the International Space Station in May of 2022 as part of an uncrewed flight test. Fuelling of the spacecraft's propellants is reportedly underway ahead of integration to its Atlas V rocket from United Launch Alliance. The spacecraft is expected to lift off from Space Launch Complex 41 no earlier than May 1st. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* It's likely we could see Ship 29 perform a static fire this week, as it completed a spin prime test prior to last weeks flight. Booster 11 is unlikely to arrive at the launch site soon until replacement hardware is installed on the orbital launch mount. SpaceX's Chief Operating Officer, Gwynne Shotwell, believes that the fourth flight of Starship-Super Heavy could occur in six weeks. With current hardware readiness, the 'long pole' item for flight four is likely regulatory approval. ### *March 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-46* This first launch of next week is expected to be yet another Falcon 9 carrying even more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The launch is expected to occur from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. ### *March 26th - Long March 6C for its maiden flight!* China is rumored to be debuting its Long March 6C rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center next week. The payload for the rocket is unknown. The Long March 6C is part of China's development push away from its older hyperbolic rockets. If the launch is the debut of the Long March 6C we will work to cover it as fast as possible! ### *March 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-18* SpaceX is planning to launch another batch of Starlink satellites atop of Falcon 9 again next week. The launch is expected to occur from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. ### *March 28th - Delta IV Heavy with NROL-70* United Launch Alliance is expected to launch a classified satellite to an unknown orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office. This will also be the final flight of the Delta IV Heavy ever. The launch is expected to occur from Space Launch Complex 37B, in Florida. ### *March 30th - Soyuz 2.1b with Resures-P No. 4* A Soyuz 2.1b is expected to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying a Resurs-P to a sun-synchronus orbit. The satellite is believed to be a commercial Earth observation satellite. ### *March 30th - Falcon 9 with Eutelsat 36D* SpaceX is expected to launch a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying the Eutelsat 36D to a geostationary transfer orbit. Eutelsat 36D is a telecommunications satellite planning to provide services for parts of Africa, Europe, and Russia. ### SpaceX launches its 30th cargo resupply mission URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-crs-30-iss/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:51:26.000Z Late on the 21st of March, Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying a Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft into orbit where it has since begun to chase down the International Space Station. The mission is SpaceX's thirtieth overall commercial resupply mission it is conducting on behalf of NASA to deliver cargo to the International Space Station. This was the first time a Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft had been launched from this launchpad. Space Launch Complex 40 has launched resupply missions prior when SpaceX used Cargo Dragon V1, the last resupply flight from the pad was CRS-20 in March of 2020\. Cargo Dragon V2 is carrying 2,841 kilograms of cargo to the International Space Station, with 2,210 kilograms being pressurized cargo and 631 kilograms being unpressurized cargo. ![Cargo Dragon V2 C209 atop of Falcon 9 at Space Launch Complex 40 prior to launch. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GJI_PsmbkAABBI4.jpg) Cargo Dragon V2 C209 atop of Falcon 9 at Space Launch Complex 40 prior to launch. ©SpaceX The booster that supported the launch of this mission was B1080 making its sixth flight and landing back at Landing Zone 1 in Florida. B1080 has previously supported the following missions: Ax-2, ESA's Euclid Telescope, Starlink Group 6-11, Starlink Group 6-24, and Ax-3. The Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft conducting the resupply mission is believed to be C209 and is making its fourth trip to space. C209 has previously flown the following resupply missions: CRS-22 in June of 2021, CRS-24 in December of 2021, and CRS-27 in March of 2023. NASA currently plans to have Cargo Dragon C209 docked to the International Space Station for thirty days before it leaves and returns to Earth. C209 will dock to the Zenith, or space-facing, port of the Harmony module on the 23rd of March. While the Cargo Dragon V2 spacecraft docks it will be monitored by NASA astronauts Loral O'Hara and Dr. Michael Reed Barratt, as the spacecraft is capable of docking autonomously. ![SpaceX's CRS-30 mission patch (left) and NASA's CRS-30 mission patch (right). ©SpaceX/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/CRS30-Combined.png) SpaceX's CRS-30 mission patch (left) and NASA's CRS-30 mission patch (right). ©SpaceX/NASA ## What's going up on Dragon? *The items from this section are from NASA and can be found along with more information* [*here.*](https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/commercial-resupply/nasa-spacex-30th-commercial-resupply-mission-overview/?ref=proximareport.com#cargo) - **Oxygen Generation Assembly Pump:** The assembly pump converts potable water from the water recovery system into oxygen and hydrogen. The oxygen is sent to the crew cabin and the hydrogen is either vented or used to produce more water. This pump will maintain sparing on orbit. - **Pump Module Assembly:** The assembly provides coolant and regulated flow to the radiator in order to maintain proper temperature for the Direct Current to Direct Current Converter Unit, the Main Bus Switch Unit, and the interface heat exchanger. This unit will maintain sparing on orbit. - **ARED (Advance Resistant Exercise Device) Right Upper Stop Cable:** A cable mechanism attached to ARED bar which will allow crew to rack and unrack equipment during exercise. The mechanism will maintain sparing in orbit. - **Hatch Handle Alignment Guide:** The guide ensures the proper hatch handle configuration for return vehicle operations. - **Toilet Pretreatment Package (Dose Pump):** The toilet dose pump mixes water and alternate pretreat concentrate from separate sources, flows it through the toilet pretreat quality sensor, and injects it into the urine hose block. The toilet pretreat quality sensor measures the conductivity of the pretreat and water mixture. This installation will enable a new upgraded on-orbit toilet. - **Potable Water Dispenser Filter Assembly Unit:** The filter unit, installed into the potable water dispenser on the station, will provide the capability to remove iodine from the water before the crew consumes it in food and drink packages. The unit contains two filters, a de-iodination filter and a 0.2-micron filter, which will be launched as a spare. - **Animal Enclosure Module:** A next-generation design of the rodent habitat for the space station. The structure, an anodized aluminum enclosure with an internal stainless-steel cage, is a front breather with enhanced video, LED lighting, and sound reduction. An aluminum box provides water contained in pressurized bags to the specimens. The water can be refilled from the front quick disconnect and three-way valve. Inlet and outlet filters provide odor and waste containment. On orbit, the entire assembly is housed within a powered locker in the hardware storage rack. - **Animal Transporter:** A powered animal module containing live rodents for ascent, return, and animal transfer operations on orbit. In a powered configuration, the module provides air exchange, food, water, and lighting. In a passive configuration, live animals are not in the enclosure. The transporter has foam strips mounted externally to provide vibration isolation and is the prime physical interface to the locker used in transport to the space station. The transporter will launch with water, food bars, and up to 20 rodents. - **Catalytic Reactor Startup Filter:** The filter is used with the catalytic reactor installation to capture catalyst debris generated in the catalytic hardware during launch and before processing wastewater can begin. This will launch to maintain sparing. - **Vibration Isolation and Stabilization System Mass Tray:** The tray supports the Vibration Isolation and Stabilization System on the European Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device. Two numbered trays each will house two tungsten plates when assembled. The trays will be stacked together to become the upper counter mass in support of the exercise device technology demonstration. - **Nitrogen Oxygen Recharge System Regulator:** The regulator reduces pressure during transfer of oxygen to airlock supply systems. This will replace the existing unit noted to contain debris on the last restock and resupply of oxygen tanks. - **Crew Quarters Acoustic Blankets:** The blankets are used in the crew quarters to provide noise mitigation. These blankets will replace blankets in all four crew quarters. - **Compatible Water Container-Iodine:** The container, with a capacity approximately 45 pounds of fluid, stores iodinated water to be used in the coolant loop. - **Solid Fuel Ignition and Extinction Sample Spinner:** A hardware insert for the combustion integration rack that enables a range of solid material combustion and fire suppression studies. ## What's coming back on Dragon later? - **Common Cabin Air Assembly Heat Exchanger:** The exchanger performs heat-transfer functions and removes moisture from the ambient on-orbit air. This unit is being returned for analysis and repair and then returned on a later flight. - **Oxygen Generation Assembly Pump:** The pump converts potable water from the water recovery system into oxygen and hydrogen. The oxygen is sent to the crew cabin and the hydrogen is either vented or used to produce additional water. The pump is being returned for repair and will return on a later flight. - **Air Quality Monitor:** The monitor is intended to improve the air analysis aboard the space station by measuring volatile organic compounds. The monitor is being returned for potential refurbishment of some of its components. - **Water Separator Orbital Replacement Unit:** The unit draws air and condensate mixture from a condensing heat exchanger and separates the two components. The air is returned to the cabin air assembly outlet air-flow stream and the water is delivered to the condensate bus. The unit is being returned for repair. - **Emergency Mask:** This unit will be returned to replace retaining rings. - **Emergency Portable Breathing Apparatus O2 Reducer Cylinder Assembly:** A cylinder tank that provides 15 minutes of oxygen to a crew member in case of an emergency and is used with a quick don mask. This unit has been depressed and will be inspected, placed in line for refill, and relaunched at a later date. - **Remote Power Controller Module:** The module distributes 120 volts of direct current electrical power and provides current limiting and fault protection to secondary loads aboard the space station. Both units are degraded, returning for repair, and will be reworked. - **Separator Plumbing Assembly:** Supporting the urine processor assembly, the separator plumbing assembly receives steam condensate from the pressure control and pump assembly and recovers water from the orbital replacement unit. The separator plumbing assembly also controls the flow of water to the fluids control and pump assembly and can detect a pressure regulator failure. It is being returned for refurbishment. ## What is Cargo Dragon V2? Cargo Dragon V2 is a partially reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX. The primary use for Cargo Dragon V2 is to send cargo to and from the International Space Station. Cargo Dragon V2 consists of the capsule and trunk. ![Cargo Dragon V2 C209 atop of Falcon 9 at Space Launch Complex 40 prior to launch. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GJEXcCkaYAAR3nS.jpg) Cargo Dragon V2 C209 atop of Falcon 9 at Space Launch Complex 40 prior to launch. ©SpaceX The trunk is used to store unpressurized cargo as well as have solar panels mounted on one side, to generate power, and radiators on the other, to dissipate heat generated inside. The trunk is not reused and burns up in the atmosphere after each mission. Unlike Crew Dragon, Cargo Dragon V2's trunk has two fins due to it lacking the ability to escape from Falcon 9 in the event of a launch failure. The capsule is used to store pressurized cargo, this could include small living creatures that will undergo experiments onboard the International Space Station. The capsule also has a nosecone that will fold out of the way in space to protect the docking hardware and forward-facing thrusters during launch and landing. The forward-facing thrusters are the main propulsion system for performing maneuvers while in flight. Cargo Dragon V2's capsule is the only part of the spacecraft that can survive returning to Earth. The original Cargo Dragon was developed as part of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program to deliver cargo to the International Space Station. Cargo Dragon V1 would provide SpaceX with valuable insights and experience for it to develop Crew Dragon, which led to the introduction of Cargo Dragon V2\. ### China launches new lunar communications satellite! URL: https://proximareport.com/china-queqiao-2/ Last updated: 2024-03-20T17:11:59.000Z In the early hours of the 20th of March, a Long March 8 rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 2 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. Onboard the rocket were three satellites bound for the Moon. The three satellites are Queqiao-2, Tiandu-1, and Tiandu-2. The Long March 8 launch vehicle flew for the planned twenty-four minutes placing its second-stage and the three payloads onto a 200 by 420,000 kilometer orbit of Earth. Queqiao-2 separated from the second-stage first and successfully deployed its solar panels and antenna shortly after. Tiandu-1, carrying Tiandu-2, separated a reported two minutes later. All three of the spacecraft are reportedly health at this time as they head out towards the Moon. ![The Long March 8 Y3 lifting off from Launch Complex 2 in the background with a crowd watching in the foreground. ©黑白猫名字被占用 via Wu Lei](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GJE5qWnboAAvnYo-1-1.jpg) The Long March 8 Y3 lifting off from Launch Complex 2 in the background with a crowd watching in the foreground. ©黑白猫名字被占用 via Wu Lei Queqiao-2 is part of China's lunar exploration program and will assist in communications with the Chang'e 6, Chang'e 7, and Chang'e 8 robotic missions. The satellite currently has a planned lifespan of eight years. In order to support these missions, Queqiao-2 will be in a 300 by 8600 kilometer orbit of the Moon at an inclination of fifty-five degrees. This will allow it to have a line of site with the southern part of the Moon for most of its orbit. ![A render of the Queqiao-2 satellite near the Moon.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GJF-t58aMAAHDKN.jpg) A render of the Queqiao-2 satellite near the Moon. The satellite is building on top of experience gained with the Queqiao-1 satellite but is much larger weighing in at approximately 1,200 kilograms, Queqiao-1 is believed to have weighed 480 kilograms. Queqiao-2 will have a 4.2-meter parabolic antenna for its communication relay tasks. The satellite will reportedly communicate in S and Ka bands for Earth communications, with lunar communications with Chang'e spacecraft being in X and UHF bands. The parabolic antenna that is used on the spacecraft is made of gold-plated molybdenum wires that are under 30μm in diameter. ![Queqiao-2 being placed on a payload mount prior to encapsulation in the Long March 8's fairing.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GI4mCgAbwAAfK2m-1.jpg) Queqiao-2 being placed on a payload mount prior to encapsulation in the Long March 8's fairing. Queqiao-2 is also carrying some science experiments onboard. These are an array neutral atom imager, an Earth-moon length baseline very long baseline interferometry experiment, and an extreme ultraviolet camera. Also getting a ride to the Moon for this launch were the Tiandu-1 and Tiandu-2 spacecraft. The two spacecraft are experimental communications satellites that will help prove technologies for China's lunar communications relay and navigation constellation. ![A render of the Tiandu-1 spacecraft with Tiandu-2 still attached. ©Xinhua](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/Tiandu-1-and-2-1.jpeg) A render of the Tiandu-1 spacecraft with Tiandu-2 still attached. ©Xinhua Tiandu-1 is believed to have a Ka band communications dish as well as a laser reflector, the small spacecraft weighs just sixty-one kilograms. Tiandu-2 is believed to be planned to stay attached to Tiandu-1 until it reaches the Moon before separating, it is reportedly carrying technological experiments and weighs just fifteen kilograms. ![The Long March 8 Y3 launch mission patch (left) and the Tiandu-1 and Tiandu-2 joint mission patch (right).](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/combined-patches.png) The Long March 8 Y3 launch mission patch (left) and the Tiandu-1 and Tiandu-2 joint mission patch (right). ## What is the Long March 8? The Long March 8 is a two-stage launch vehicle manufactured by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology and debuted in 2020\. Prior to today's launch, the rocket had launched two times, both successfully. The launch vehicle burns rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in its first-stage and boosters with it burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in its second-stage. According to official sources, the Long March 8 can lift up to 8,100 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 5,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, or 2,800 kilograms to a geosynchronous transfer orbit. ![The Long March 8 Y3 vehicle at its Launch Complex 2 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GI13LsSbEAALdBD.jpg) The Long March 8 Y3 vehicle at its Launch Complex 2 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. The boosters and the first-stage are powered by the YF-100 engine, with two being on the first-stage and one on each booster. These four engines generate a combined 490 tons of thrust at liftoff with the burn time of these stages being unknown outside of China excluding approximations made from launch footage. The second-stage is powered by two YF-75 engines generating 17 tons of thrust burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The burn time is also unknown outside of approximations but is capable of restarting once in space. When fully fuelled ahead of launch the Long March 8 is believed to weigh 356,000 kilograms and stand 50.3 meters tall. The Long March 8 is also part of China's push away from the hyperbolic fuels that the older Long March rockets use over the coming years. There are also rumors of partial reusability for the Long March 8 with the first-stage and boosters landing together downrange on a drone ship. The first-stage would be guided by grid fins to the drone ship before relighting its engines and deploying landing legs to land, akin to SpaceX's Falcon 9 landings. ### Weekly Dose of Space (10/3-16/3) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-10-3-16-3/ Last updated: 2024-03-20T22:47:12.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw seven launches worldwide, and a long-awaited flight test. This week also saw news related to both human and robotic exploration of space. As always, we'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week too. ## **SpaceX** This week was a big week at Starbase, but it started with Ship 28 being stacked atop of Booster 10 at the launch site on the 10th. Not long after stacking, a test of the water deluge system occurred. The next day Ship 28 was seen undergoing fuelling followed by a spin prime test of its engines. Booster 10 and Ship 28 were also heard testing their igniters on the 11th. Ahead of the launch, Ship 29 was moved back to the production site on the 12th to keep it at a safe distance. The 14th saw the big event, the third launch of Starship-Super Heavy! Ship 28 and Booster 10 took the skies above Texas at 13:25 pm Univerversal Coordinated Time with all engines successfully firing. Booster 10 however was lost during its landing burn and Ship 28 was lost during re-entry. After the launch, minimal visible damage was seen around the launch site, similar to after the second flight test. SpaceX teams have been seen cleaning up and inspecting the site in the days following the launch. ## **Launches This Week** ### *March 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-43* The launches this week started with a Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1077, making its eleventh flight, with it successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from SLC-40 for Starlink Group 6-43. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GIXc9pbaQAAOoKV-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from SLC-40 for Starlink Group 6-43\. ©SpaceX ### *March 11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-17* Next up was another Falcon 9 with another twenty-three Starlink satellites being delivered to low Earth orbit, this time from Space Launch Complex 4E in California. The booster for this mission was B1063, on its seventeenth flight, which made a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from SLC-4E for Starlink Group 7-17. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GIXc9orbgAAH3Vq-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from SLC-4E for Starlink Group 7-17\. ©SpaceX ### *March 12th - Electron for 'Owl Night Long'* Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand, on the 12th for the mission 'Owl Night Long'. The rocket was carrying the StriX-3 satellite for Synspective to a sun-synchronus orbit. ![Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GIe8bI-a0AAYwkq-1.jpg) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1B. ©Rocket Lab ### *March 13th - KAIROS on its maiden flight* Japanese launch start-up Space One attempted to launch its new KAIROS launch vehicle from Spaceport Kii in Japan. Sadly five seconds into flight the rocket was destroyed by the automated flight termination system, Space One is currently unsure what caused the system to trigger. ![KAIROS during its rapid unscheduled disassembly.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/image.psd-2.png) KAIROS during its rapid unscheduled disassembly. ### *March 13th - Long March 2C/YZ-1S with DRO-A & DRO-B* Another failure occurred less than a day later when the Yuanzheng-1S upper-stage failed in flight carrying the DRO-A and DRO-B satellites to a trans-lunar trajectory. This launch occurred from Xichang Satellite Launch Center with the two stages of the Long March 2C working as planned. Xichang Satellite Launch Center is reportedly working on a way to safely dispose of the Yuanzheng-1S upper-stage, and potentially the two payloads. ### *March 14th - Starship-Super Heavy for Flight Test 3* The big launch of the week was SpaceX finally launching its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle once again from Starbase, in Texas. The two vehicles used for the flight were Ship 28 and Booster 10. SpaceX believes the launch to have been a successful test mission with Booster 10 being lost during a landing attempt and Ship 28 being lost on re-entry. A more in-depth article on the third flight can be found [here.](https://proximareport.com/starship-super-heavy-flies-its-third-test/) ![Starship-Super Heavy lifting off from Starbase, Texas. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GIt7LweaoAAuxtY.jpg) Starship-Super Heavy lifting off from Starbase, Texas. ©SpaceX ### *March 16th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-44* Ending the launches for the week was yet another Falcon 9 carrying twenty-three more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, this time from Launch Complex 39A in Florida. The booster for this mission was B1062, making its nineteenth flight, with it successfully landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. > Liftoff from pad 39A in Florida! [pic.twitter.com/VR4UihAiIZ](https://t.co/VR4UihAiIZ?ref=proximareport.com) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [March 16, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1768794901586804837?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=proximareport.com) Falcon 9 lifting off from LC-39A for Starlink Group 6-44 via SpaceX on X. ## **In Other Space News** ## *Fourth Taikonaut batch selection concludes* ![Tang Shengje (left) and Jiang Xinlin (right) aboard the Tiangong Space Station unrolling artwork for display during the Shenzhou 17 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GG_7LSmakAAOKgU.jpg) Tang Shengje (left) and Jiang Xinlin (right) aboard the Tiangong Space Station unrolling artwork for display during the Shenzhou 17 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency The China Manned Space Agency announced this week that it had concluded the selection of its fourth batch of Taikonauts. It is expected that between twelve and fourteen new taikonauts will be added to China's Taikonaut corp. According to reports from news outlets in China, payload experts from Hong Kong and Macao were selected for the first time. The selection process is believed to have started in 2022 with the applicants being narrowed down to twenty by August of 2023\. Those who have made it this far in the selection process are planned to undergo training over roughly the next three and half years. Taikonauts in the fourth batch are expected to start flying in late 2026 or early 2027. ## *Eighth Long March 5 arrives in Wenchang* ![A container containing the Long March 5 Y8 first-stage being unloaded. ©China Aerospace and Science and Technology Corporation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GIsw9smXcAAn1FO.jpg) A container containing the Long March 5 Y8 first-stage being unloaded. ©China Aerospace and Science and Technology Corporation The China National Space Administration announced on the 15th that hardware for the eighth flight of the Long March 5 had arrived in Wenchang after being transported by ship. While not confirmed, it is believed that the first and second stages were delivered with the whereabouts of the four boosters not shared, they could already be at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. These stages will support the launch of the Chang'e 6 mission in the coming months. The China Aerospace and Science and Technology Corporation shared that the rocket will be assembled and tested with the Chang'e 6 spacecraft prior to launch. A breakdown of the Chang'e 6 mission can be found [here.](https://proximareport.com/change-6-closer-to-launch/) ## *NASA's Crew-7 mission ends* ![Crew Dragon Endurance splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/Crew-7-Splashdown-3.png) Crew Dragon Endurance splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico. ©NASA On the 12th of March, NASA's Crew-7 mission splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico with astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli, Andreas Mogensen, Satoshi Furukawa, and Konstantin Borisov onboard. The crew had been aboard the International Space Station since late August of 2023, having left shortly after the arrival of Crew-8. The four astronauts are reported to have completed approximately two-hundred experiments while onboard, with Jasmin Moghbeli having completed a spacewalk during the mission. Crew-7 was part of the Expedition 69 and 70 International Space Station missions. The Crew Dragon spacecraft that supported the mission was Endurance on its third flight, having previously flown for Crew-3 and Crew-5. ## *SpaceX shares post-flight update for Starship-Super Heavy* ![Ship 28 during re-entry during Starship-Super Heavy's third flight. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GIwQ0nha4AACdYo-1.jpg) Ship 28 during re-entry during Starship-Super Heavy's third flight. ©SpaceX Less than a day after Starship-Super Heavy's third flight, SpaceX provided an update on what occurred during the flight. The company confirmed that the following did happen: - For the second time, all 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy Booster started up successfully and completed a full-duration burn during ascent. - Starship executed its second successful hot-stage separation, powering down all but three of Super Heavy’s Raptor engines and successfully igniting the six second stage Raptor engines before separating the vehicles. - Following separation, the Super Heavy booster successfully completed its flip maneuver and completed a full boostback burn to send it towards its splashdown point in the Gulf of Mexico. - Super Heavy successfully lit several engines for its first ever landing burn before the vehicle experienced a RUD (that’s SpaceX-speak for “rapid unscheduled disassembly”). The booster’s flight concluded at approximately 462 meters in altitude and just under seven minutes into the mission. - Starship's six second stage Raptor engines all started successfully and powered the vehicle to its expected orbit, becoming the first Starship to complete its full-duration ascent burn. - While coasting, Starship accomplished several of the flight test’s additional objectives, including the opening and closing of its payload door (aka the pez dispenser,) and initiating a propellant transfer demonstration. Starship did not attempt its planned on-orbit relight of a single Raptor engine due to vehicle roll rates during coast. Results from these demonstrations will come after postflight data review is complete. - Starship went on to experience its first ever entry from space, providing valuable data on heating and vehicle control during hypersonic reentry. Live views of entry were made possible by Starlink terminals operating on Starship. - The flight test’s conclusion came during entry, with the last telemetry signals received via Starlink from Starship at approximately 49 minutes into the mission. Observers during SpaceX's coverage of the flight believed most of these events had happened but had no way to confirm it. During the update, SpaceX reiterated that Starship-Super Heavy testing is using an iterative development approach and that loss of vehicles is expected and not a major setback. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* Ship 29 and Booster 11 are believed to be the vehicles for the fourth flight test and will undergo testing in the coming weeks. Ahead of the fourth flight, SpaceX will need to complete a mishap investigation with the Federal Aviation Administration to determine exactly how the last flight ended. This also had to happen following the last two flight tests. ### *March 19th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-16* SpaceX is planning to launch another batch of Starlink satellites atop of its Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E in California. ### *March 20th - Long March 8 with Queqiao-2* The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation is expected to launch the Queqiao-2 satellite to a trans-lunar trajectory from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. Queqiao-2 is a relay satellite that will support the Chang'e 6, 7, and 8 missions via the use of an elliptical 'frozen orbit' of 300 by 8600 kilometers around the Moon. ### *March 21st - Long March 2D with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 2D is expected to launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying a currently unannounced payload. Not much is known about the launch but a Yuanzheng-3 upper-stage may be onboard. ### *March 21st - Electron for 'Live and Let Fly'* Electron is expected to launch from Rocket Labs Launch Complex 2 in Wallops Island, located on the coast of Virginia, carrying a spacecraft for the United States National Reconnaissance Office. ### *March 21st - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-25* A Soyuz 2.1a is expected to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying three astronauts aboard a Soyuz spacecraft. The three astronauts are currently planned to be Oleg Novitskiy, Tracy Caldwell Dyson, and Marina Vasilevskaya. ### *March 21st - Falcon 9 with CRS-30* SpaceX is currently expected to launch its thirtieth cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station from Space Launch Complex 40\. The Falcon 9 with have a Cargo Dragon 2 spacecraft atop of it and will attempt a landing at Landing Zone 1 in Florida. ### *March 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-42* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch a day later from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, carrying yet another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ### Starship-Super Heavy flies its third test! URL: https://proximareport.com/starship-super-heavy-flies-its-third-test/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:59:24.000Z SpaceX launched its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle today for its third flight test! The two vehicles used in the flight were Ship 28 and Booster 10, with both making more progress than the previous two vehicles. Liftoff occurred at 13:25 pm Univerversal Coordinated Time with all thirty-three Raptors engines firing. The ascent of the flight went as planned with Ship 28 successfully hot-staging from Booster 10 for the second time ever for SpaceX. ![Booster 10 (left) during its unpowered coast after its 'boost back' burn and Ship 28 (right) during ascent on its way to space. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GIoq8IOakAAPCuk.jpg) Booster 10 (left) during its unpowered coast after its 'boost back' burn and Ship 28 (right) during ascent on its way to space. ©SpaceX Booster 10 became the first Super Heavy to successfully relight its ten engines and performed the full 'boost back' burn as planned. The booster successfully made it through descent, not needing to relight its engines again for re-entry, but began to spin shortly before the planned landing burn. Booster 10 did attempt to start up for landing but only managed to light three engines before hitting the ocean at 1111 kilometers per hour, or 691 miles per hour. While Booster 10 was flying back towards the launch site, Ship 28 was heading towards space. The ship made it successfully to second-stage engine cutoff and proceeded to coast for a little over forty minutes. During the coast, the vehicle successfully tested the opening of its payload bay door, although it did fail to close. A planned in-space startup of a Raptor engine was planned but did not occur, the reason why is not known outside of SpaceX. Ship 28 is also believed to have attempted to transfer fuel from its header tanks into the main tanks, with mission control callouts for the start and end of the test. ![Ship 28 during re-entry with plasma building up on the vehicle. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GIpaSXjbAAE_Blj.jpg) Ship 28 during re-entry with plasma building up on the vehicle. ©SpaceX Ship 28 unfortunately met a fiery end above the Indian Ocean and was lost on re-entry. During the webcast SpaceX claimed the re-entry was controlled however the vehicle was spinning upon the start of atmospheric re-entry, Ship 28 had been tumbling since second-stage engine cutoff. The launch mount and ground support equipment at the launch site are believed to have minimal or no damage. SpaceX teams will perform an investigation and cleanup of the launch site when the entire site is deemed safe. With the loss of both vehicles, SpaceX will need to complete a mishap investigation with the Federal Aviation Administration before being able to launch the fourth test flight. Due to the progress made on this flight, it is believed the mishap investigation may take less time. ## How does it compare to flight two? Back on the 18th of November 2023, Starship-Super Heavy made its second flight, SpaceX considered the flight a success despite ending with the loss of both vehicles, similar to this flight. Last flight the Super Heavy booster, Booster 9, lit all thirty-three of its engines with all of them lasting up until hot staging. Booster 9 was lost during its 'boost back' burn due to a filter blockage where liquid oxygen is supplied to the engines, which led to a loss of inlet pressure in engine oxidizer turbopumps that eventually resulted in one engine failing in a way that resulted in the rapid unscheduled disassembly of Booster 9. Ship 25, the Starship vehicle of flight two, was lost after continuing to power the second-stage flight for six minutes after hot-staging. Ship 25 was believed to have been lost due to a leak in the aft section of the vehicle that started when the vehicle's liquid oxygen dump had started. This is believed to have led to fires and loss of communications which caused the onboard computers to command a shutdown of the engines, and followed shortly after by the flight termination system commanding destruction of the vehicle. SpaceX believes that flight three allowed them to gather more data on how the Starship-Super Heavy vehicle flies, as well as gathering the first pieces of data for re-entry and booster landing. ## What changes were on Ship 28 & Booster 10? *All information in this section was spotted and gathered by the teams of the* [*Ringwatchers*](https://ringwatchers.com/?ref=proximareport.com) *and a more in-depth list can be found* [*here.*](https://ringwatchers.com/article/s28-b10-updates?ref=proximareport.com#starship-28) ### Ship 28 Ship 28 is believed to have had its vent and control thrusters moved on the vehicle, with the nose vents having diverters installed. The liquid oxygen tank vent 'cowbell' diverters were also removed. Starship is believed to have tested three new liquid oxygen vents located in the engine section of the vehicle. More thermal protection tiles were spotted on Ship 28, notably under the aero covers of the forward flaps. The tiles were also spotted as being more uniform than the past two ships. The four flaps also have small static wicks added to prevent a buildup of a dangerous static charge. It's also believed that more internal stringers, used to reinforce the tank walls, were added to Ship 28, along with larger flap mounts for the aft flaps. The most visible change to Ship 28 was four Starlink terminals to enable a more stable connection to the vehicle. One of the more important changes to the Ship was Electric Thrust Vector Control for the three sea-level Raptor engines. Ship 28 was the first to fly the Electric Thrust Vector Control, which allowed the hydraulic power unit to be removed from the vehicle. ### Booster 10 Booster 10 had few changes compared to Booster 9, which flew on flight two. The booster is known to feature a new common dome design allowing for a small mass savings. Booster 10 also had redesigned Starlink terminals which are also believed to enable a more stable connection to the booster. ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the largest rocket currently flying. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. On the launch pad, Starship-Super Heavy is one-hundred and twenty-one meters tall and weighs 5,000,000 kilograms fully fuelled. The diameter of both vehicles is nine meters, excluding aerodynamic control surfaces. ### What is Starship? ![Ship 28 being stacked atop of Booster 10 ahead of flight three. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GGPhTSlboAASRV6.jpg) Ship 28 being stacked atop of Booster 10 ahead of flight three. ©SpaceX Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be capable of multiple missions into orbit, after a short refurbishment. The vehicle is fifty meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four aerodynamic control surfaces. Fully fuelled Starship is believed to weigh 1,300,000 kilograms with an approximate weight of 100,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Starship second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines along with three vacuum-optimized Raptor engines. These sea-level engines are believed to generate 230 tons of thrust each with the vacuum-optimized engines generating 258 tons of thrust each for a total combined 1,500 tons of thrust for Starship. The vacuum-optimized Raptors are unable to gimbal requiring the sea-level Raptors for control of the second-stage on ascent and landing. The total burn time for the Starship second-stage remains unknown outside of SpaceX but is known to burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen in its engines. In order to survive re-entry for reuse, Starship has several thousand thermal protection tiles on one side of the vehicle and on all four of its aerodynamic control surfaces. The four control surfaces help guide the vehicle during re-entry and prior to landing inside the atmosphere at a pre-determined location. Starship also has a series of small thrusters to control the vehicle in space before re-entry. SpaceX is believed to be working on a few variants of Starship for use as a Moon lander, tanker, space station, Mars lander, and as a crewed spacecraft. ### What is Super Heavy? ![Booster 10 leaving the 'Mega Bay' ahead of flight three. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GGAD6hjbQAA7e6P.jpg) Booster 10 leaving the 'Mega Bay' ahead of flight three. ©SpaceX Super Heavy, also called 'the Super Heavy booster', is the first-stage of SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The giant Super Heavy first-stage is planned to be capable of multiple flights per day with minimal refurbishments and inspections. The vehicle is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters in diameter, excluding its four grid fins and chines. Fully fuelled Super Heavy is believed to weigh 3,600,000 kilograms with an approximate mass of 200,000 kilograms unfuelled. The Super Heavy first-stage is powered by thirty-three sea-level Raptor engines generating a combined thrust of 7,590 tons, with each engine generating 230 tons of thrust. The outer twenty Raptor engines are unable to gimbal with the inner thirteen being able to for control of the first-stage. The total burn time of Super Heavy remains unknown outside of SpaceX but is known to burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen in its engines. To enable the reuse of Super Heavy, the vehicle has four large grid fins placed in the interstage to assist in guiding and controlling during descent. Super Heavy also has four chines running along the lower third of it to generate lift and assist in stabilization. Shortly after completing the ascent, Super Heavy relights ten engines, as three were running during staging, and performs a 'boost back' burn in order to return to the launch site. After the 'boost back' burn is completed the engines shut down with Super Heavy being guided by a series of small thrusters and its grid fins. Once Super Heavy is at the correct altitude above is landing location three engines start backup for the landing burn. SpaceX currently plans to have Super Heavy land in the ocean with launch site landing attempts happening with later flights. Super Heavy also features a hot-staging ring atop of it to allow for a faster and simpler staging process, according to SpaceX. The hot-staging ring has dozens of gaps on the sides to allow for the Raptor engine exhaust of Starship to escape. ### Japan's first private rocket debuts... for five seconds URL: https://proximareport.com/japans-first-private-rocket-debuts/ Last updated: 2026-06-12T15:13:42.000Z Early on the morning of the 13th of March, a new rocket lifted off from Japan's newest spaceport before appearing to disintegrate a few seconds into flight. The rocket was aiming to deliver a satellite on behalf of the Japanese government into a sun-synchronous orbit but only reached under one-hundred meters in altitude. During the post-launch press conference, Space One shared that all debris fell within the Spaceport Kii property with no damage to private property and minor damage to the launch facilities. Space One hasn't shared a timeline for the failure investigation, which was to be expected given how early after the failure the press conference was, but they remain confident in working towards their planned cadence of thirty flights per year. Space One believes that the automated flight termination system destroyed the rocket but they are currently unsure what caused the system to trigger. Onboard the rocket was believed to be a small prototype satellite from Japan's Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Center. The satellite was likely below 100 kilograms in weight with its reconnaissance instruments having a resolution of under 1 meter. Not much more is known about the satellite due to its military application. The payload is believed to be heavily damaged and is unlikely to be recovered and refurbished for another launch. Observers of the launch were able to spot what is believed to have been the satellite onboard after the rocket disintegrated. ![The satellite that was atop of KAIROS after being liberated from the rocket.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GIha-P5bkAAR4y-.jpg) The satellite that was atop of KAIROS after being liberated from the rocket. The launch was also the first from Japan's new Spaceport Kii located near Kushimoto, in the Wakayama Prefecture. Spaceport Kii started construction in 2019 and was completed in 2021\. The location of the spaceport allows the rocket to reach inclinations as high as 33 degrees and as low as 97 degrees. ![A render of Space One's facilities and Spaceport Kii. ©Space One](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/SpaceOne-Kii.png) A render of Space One's facilities at Spaceport Kii. ©Space One Space One has a launchpad and integration facilities at the spaceport, this includes a moving vertical integration building and a larger integration building. The vertical integration building is believed to be for stacking the rocket prior to launch, with the larger one likely being for spacecraft encapsulation and attachment to the fourth-stage. ## What is KAIROS? KAIROS or, Kii-based Advanced & Instant ROcket System, is a four-stage launch vehicle developed by Space One in Japan. The specifics of each stage is not known publically, but the first three stages are solid fuelled with the fourth being a liquid rocket stage. ![A render of the KAIROS rocket. ©Space One](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/KAIROS-1-1.png) A render of the KAIROS rocket. ©Space One The rocket is capable of delivering 250 kilograms to a 500-kilometer low Earth orbit or 150 kilograms to a 500-kilometer low Earth orbit. KAIROS' stages are 1.35 meters in diameter with its fairing being 1.5 meters in diameter. The rocket is 18 meters tall on the launch pad and weighs approximately 23,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. ## Who is Space One? Space One is a commercial launch provider headquartered in Japan and founded in July of 2018\. The company is aiming to offer the shortest time from contract signing to launch as well as frequent launches. They are also believed to be aiming for twenty launches per year by the 'mid-2020s'. Space One's president is Masakazu Toyoda and currently has the following shareholders: CANON ELECTRONICS Co LTD, IHI AEROSPACE Co Ltd, Shimizu Corporation, Development Bank of Japan Inc, The Kiyo Bank Ltd, K4 Ventures GK, Taiyo Group Co Ltd, MUFG Bank Ltd, Azuma House Co Ltd, Okuwa Co Ltd, and Okuwa Co Ltd. ![The logo of Space One.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/head_logo.png) The logo of Space One. ### Electron flies 'Owl Night Long' URL: https://proximareport.com/electron-flight-45/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:54:14.000Z Early in the morning in New Zealand on the 13th of March, the 12th in Universal Coordinated Time, an Electron rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 1B on the Māhia Peninsula, located on New Zealand's northern island. The launch is Rocket Labs' third for the year and was carrying the StriX-3 satellite onboard. StriX-3 is a synthetic aperture radar satellite from the Japanese company Synspective. The satellite will gather images of the Earth at a resolution of approximately one meter from a sun-synchronus orbit. StriX-3 is believed to weigh one-hundred kilograms. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/2024_syns-rl_002_53581511996.jpg) The StriX-3 satellite ahead of encapsulation into Electron's fairing. ©Rocket Lab This was also the fourth time Rocket Lab has launched a spacecraft for Synspective having previously launched the StriX-α, StriX-β, and StriX-1 satellites. Dr. Motoyuki Arai, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Synspective, said the following about StriX-3 ahead of the launch in February: > "StriX-3 is our fourth satellite, enabling us to offer more data services to our new and existing customers. This year, we plan to expand our business through multiple launches, and StriX-3 will be the first satellite aimed at full-scale constellation operations." Synspective is planning to build a fleet of thirty StriX satellites to be launched during the 2020s with launches planned to sun-synchronus and other highly inclined orbits. The constellation would be able to acquire and analyze data within approximately 10 to 60 minutes of a disaster occurring anywhere in the world allowing the company to provide information that aids decision-makers in responding to disasters and other events. ![Synspective's StriX-3 patch (left) and Rocket Labs' forty-fifth mission patch (right). ©Synspective/Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/synspective-patch.png) Synspective's StriX-3 patch (left) and Rocket Labs' forty-fifth mission patch (right). ©Synspective/Rocket Lab ## What is Electron? Electron is a two-stage launch vehicle developed by Rocket Lab. Electron utilizes the first electric-pump-fed engines to power its small rocket on both stages and is made of carbon fiber for its tanks. Rocket Lab claims Electron can launch 300 kilograms into low Earth orbit or 200 kilograms into Sun-Syncronous orbit. ![Electron at Launch Complex 1B prior to its forty-fifth mission. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/wdr1_53581987278-1.jpg) Electron at Launch Complex 1B prior to its forty-fifth mission. ©Rocket Lab The first-stage is powered by nine Rutherford engines generating 23 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The second-stage is powered by a single vacuum version of the Rutherford engine generating 2.6 tons of thrust also burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. ## Who is Synspective? Synspective is a Japanese synthetic aperture radar satellite operator and manufacturer founded in 2018\. The company is hoping to operate a constellation of synthetic aperture radar satellites in the coming years. ![The logo of Synspective.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/logo_typo_hero_navy_logo_transparent_back.png) The logo of Synspective. ### First steps into the Universe: Vostok 1 & 6 URL: https://proximareport.com/vostok-1-6/ Last updated: 2024-03-11T20:10:54.000Z For almost the past sixty-three years people have been traveling to and from space with almost seven hundred people traveling past the Kármán line and looking back down on the Earth below. Few people are aware of the almost a dozen humans in space permanently now and even fewer know of the first man and woman to go into space. So let's briefly go over the missions of Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova. ## Flight of Yuri Gagarin ![Yuri Gagarin prior to the Vostok-1 mission.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/Gagarin1-1.jpg) Yuri Gagarin prior to the Vostok-1 mission. Yuri Gagarin's flight occurred on the 12th of April 1961 with the mission being dubbed Vostok 1\. Gagarin's flight took off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, which was part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and is now modern-day Kazakhstan, at 06:07 am Universal Coordinated Time. After an approximately ten-minute flight into orbit atop of a modified R-7 rocket, Gagarin was placed into aboard of the Vostok-1 spacecraft. During his time on orbit, several messages were sent to and from the spacecraft asking Gagarin about his health and the progress of tests. The tests of Vostok-1 were related to how the human body reacts to the environment of space. Gagarin spent 1 hour and forty-eight minutes in orbit aboard Vostok-1 with the capsule carrying him through re-entry. After re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, Gagarin was ejected seven kilometers up where he landed using his own parachute a few minutes later. The capsule of the Vostok-1 spacecraft also landed under a parachute shortly after. ## Flight of Valentina Tereshkova ![Valentina Tereshkova prior to the Vostok-6 mission.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/image.psd-1-1-1.png) Valentina Tereshkova prior to the Vostok-6 mission. Valentina Tereshkova's flight occurred on the 16th of June 1963 with the mission being dubbed Vostok-6\. Tereshkova's flight also took off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, which was part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and is now modern-day Kazakhstan, at 09:29 am Universal Coordinated Time. Tereshkova's Vostok spacecraft was also launched on a modified R-7 rocket with the launch lasting approximately ten minutes. During her time in orbit, Tereshkova kept a flight log, took photographs, and manually controlled the orientation of the spacecraft. Other tests of Vostok-6 were related to how a woman's body reacts to the environments of space and if there are any differences compared to men. The Vostok-6 mission lasted for two days twenty-two hours and fifty minutes with the capsule protecting Tereshkova during re-entry into the atmosphere. Similarly to Gagarin's flight, Tereshkova was ejected from the capsule and landed using her own parachute. ## What was the Vostok spacecraft? The Vostok spacecraft was used for six crewed missions and was composed of a capsule and a service module. The capsule was spherical and housed one astronaut and had a large part of its internal volume taken up by the ejection seat. The service module houses the spacecraft's fuel, electronics, and other instruments. Powering the reentry burns was a single S5.4 engine. ![A model of a Vostok spacecraft ©Novosti Kosmonavtiki](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/IMG_0102-1.jpg) A model of a Vostok spacecraft ©Novosti Kosmonavtiki ### Weekly Dose of Space (3/3-9/3) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-3-3-9-3/ Last updated: 2024-03-10T15:00:58.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw three launches, all from SpaceX in under a day. This week also saw a variety of hardware development and planetary exploration news. SpaceX is also believed to be closing in on its third flight test of its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle. As always, we'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week too. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase started on the 3rd with Ship 28 and Booster 10 completing a wet dress rehearsal. The wet dress rehearsal was the third to be attempted using the two vehicles and is believed to be a success. A day later on the 4th, the boosters' grid fins were seen moving as part of a separate test. ![Ship 28 and Booster 10 undergoing a wet dress rehearsal. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GH12uOZbYAEcWwR.jpg) Ship 28 and Booster 10 undergoing a wet dress rehearsal. ©SpaceX On the 5th, Ship 28 was destacked from Booster 10 as it's believed to be undergoing final checks and hardware changes ahead of the third flight test. The next day teams were seen working on the ship's thermal protection tiles. Part of one of Booster 10's chines were removed as well so teams could access the composite overwrapped pressure vessels. Ship 29, which will be used on the fourth flight test, was also seen moving its flaps as part of its test campaign. A few days later on the 8th, SpaceX teams were seen installing the flight termination system explosives on both Ship 28 and Booster 10\. These explosives will destroy the vehicles in the event of a failure in flight. As of writing on the 10th, Ship 28 is currently being stacked back ontop of Booster 10. ## **Launches This Week** ### *March *4th - Falcon 9 with Crew-8** The first launch of the week was Crew-8 from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. This mission sent four astronauts into orbit where they later boarded the International Space Station. The astronauts of the Crew-8 mission are Commander Matthew Dominick, Pilot Michael Barratt, Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps, and Mission Specialist Alexander Grebenkin. This mission used booster B1083 on its first flight, the booster landed back at Landing Zone-1, in Florida, as planned. The Crew Dragon capsule for Crew-8 is Endeavor on its fifth flight to orbit. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Crew-8 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GH3ntm0acAA1KGd-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Crew-8 mission. ©SpaceX ### *March *4th - Falcon 9 with Transporter 10** The next launch of the week occurred on the same day and was Transporter 10 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. This mission delivered fifty-three satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit. The booster used for the Transporter-10 mission was B1081 making its fifth flight, the booster landed at Landing Zone 4, in California, as planned. B1081 has previously supported the Crew-7, CRS-29, Starlink Group 6-34, and PACE missions. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for Transporter-10. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GH3ntoXboAAz6n2-2.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for Transporter-10\. ©SpaceX ### *March *4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-41** The final launch of last week also happened on the 4th and was Starlink Group 6-41 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. This mission sent twenty-three Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit to grow the company's space-based internet constellation. The booster for this mission was B1073 making its thirteenth flight, which landed on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange as planned. B1073 has previously supported the Starlink Group 4-15, SES-22, Starlink Group 4-25, Starlink Group 4-35, HAKUTO-, Amazonas Nexus, CRS-27, Starlink Group 6-2, Starlink Group 5-11, Starlink Group 6-12, Starlink Group 6-27, Starlink Group 6-37 missions. ![A long exposure photo showing the flight path of Falcon 9 during the Starlink Group 6-41 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GH3ntqCbgAAMTnm-2.jpg) A long exposure photo showing the flight path of Falcon 9 during the Starlink Group 6-41 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ## *Blue Origin aiming for 2025 lunar landing* ![A render of the Blue Moon Mark 1 lunar lander. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/mk1-social.png) A render of the Blue Moon Mark 1 lunar lander. ©Blue Origin As part of CBS' '60 Minutes' news program on the 3rd, Senior Vice President of Lunar Permanence at Blue Origin, John Couluris, said that Blue Origin was looking to launch its lunar lander between twelve and sixteen months from now. The lander for the mission is the Mark 1 version of the Blue Moon vehicle and will only be capable of delivering cargo to the surface of the Moon. Blue Origin believes that the lander is a suitable platform to develop its BE-7 engine and prove the company's technical capabilities ahead of the Artemis 5 mission, which Blue Origin is developing the lander for. The lander for the Artemis 5 mission is the Mark 2 version of Blue Moon and will be able to carry crew and cargo. Mark 1 is planned to be able to land using just one launch of New Glenn with Mark 2 believed to need three. ## *LandSpace's TQ-15A completes testing* ![LandSpace's TQ-15A during a test firing. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GIE1C_hWYAAhukc.jpg) LandSpace's TQ-15A during a test firing. ©LandSpace LandSpace released an update on the 7th saying that its TQ-15A engine had passed assembly and acceptance testing. The engine is a crucial step for the development of the Zhuque-3 rocket, which is planned to be re-usable with a debut planned for next year. The engine is also planned to be used on the Zhuque-2's second-stage and provide performance improvement of almost 12% increase in performance and a specific impulse improvement of 126m/s. The new TQ-15A engine is expected to debut on the second batch of the Zhuque-2 rocket and increase its payload capacity to a sun-synchronus orbit, this is believed to be a little over 4,000 kilograms now. The second batch is currently believed to have begun final assembly with three launches planned this year. ## *China aims for Mars sample mission in 2030* ![The Zhurong Mars rover on the surface of Mars as part of the Tianwen-1 mission. ©China National Space Administration](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/e16798e7517646bba0d792d9f259db27-1280.png) The Zhurong Mars rover on the surface of Mars as part of the Tianwen-1 mission. ©China National Space Administration In between the ongoing Two Sessions in China, Sun Zezhou, Chief Designer of the Tianwen-1 spacecraft, said that progress on Tianwen-3 is progressing smoothly with all technologies needed for the mission 'in place'. The Tianwen-3 mission is currently scheduled to take place in 2030 due to the complexities of the mission. To date, no country has returned samples from the surface of Mars. To retrieve the samples from around the landing site the Tianwen-3 teams are believed to be considering a small helicopter, similar to NASA's Ingenuity, or a six-wheeled rover. NASA is also aiming to complete a Mars sample return mission around 2031 but has faced funding and political support challenges with the cost now surpassing four billion United States Dollars. ## *Stratolaunch's Talon-A goes supersonic* ![Talon-A after being released from its Roc carrier plane. ©Stratolaunch/Ethan Wagner](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/Screenshot-2024-03-09-at-23-02-25-Stratolaunch-Celebrates-First-Powered-Flight-of-TA-1-Test-Vehicle.png) Talon-A after being released from its Roc carrier plane. ©Stratolaunch/Ethan Wagner In a largely secretive flight, Talon-A went supersonic for the first time. The experimental hypersonic aircraft is reported to have reached approximately Mach 5 at the "target altitude". The objectives for the flight were accomplishing safe air-launch release of the TA-1 vehicle, engine ignition, acceleration, sustained climb in altitude, and a controlled water landing. Talon-A is believed to have achieved these goals successfully. The flight is believed to have happened on the 9th of March. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* Next week SpaceX may launch Starship-Super Heavy for the third time, pending regulatory approval. The earliest launch date is the 14th of March. For a full rundown of the third flight test click [here.](https://proximareport.com/starships-third-flight-to-happen-as-early-as-thursday/) ### *March *10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-43** SpaceX is hoping to launch another twenty-three satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. The booster for the mission is believed to be B1077 making its eleventh flight. ### *March *11th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-17** SpaceX is planning to launch another Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California, carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission is believed to be B1063 making its seventeenth flight. ### *March *12th - Electron for 'Owl Night Long'** Rocket Lab is expected to launch Electron from Launch Complex 1B, in the Mahia Peninsula. Electron is planned to be carrying the StriX-3 satellite for Synspective. ### *March *13th -* KAIROS for its maiden flight* Space One is planning to launch its KAIROS launch vehicle from Space Port Kii in Japan. The launch vehicle is believed to be carrying a prototype 'quick response' satellite for the Japanese government. ### *March *13th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-44** SpaceX is once again aiming to launch its Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, carrying yet more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for the mission is currently unknown. ### *March *14th - Starship-Super Heavy for IFT-3** SpaceX is targeting no earlier than the 14th for the third flight test of its Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. The rocket will make it to a near orbital trajectory as part of the test flight. ### ### Astra to be taken private in bid to stay afloat URL: https://proximareport.com/astra-private-bid-afloat/ Last updated: 2024-03-08T20:32:36.000Z *Disclaimer: All currency is in United States Dollars unless stated otherwise.* Astra was the first publically traded launch provider in the United States debuting with a valuation of over two billion dollars. Today Astra has fallen to a valuation of twenty-three million dollars. Yesterday, the 7th of March, Astra announced it would be taken private at $0.50 per share, the closing stock price of the company was $0.86 the day before. This is via a merger with a new company founded by Chris Kemp, Astra's Chief Executive Officer, and Dr. Adam London, Astra's Chief Technology Officer. The two of them founded Astra in 2016. The new company acquiring Astra is believed to be owned by Astra's long-term investors, as well as Chris Kemp and Dr. Adam London. The acquisition is currently expected to close in Q2 of 2024\. Astra has had a troubled history with its launch vehicles only having two successful missions out of nine attempted. The company notably failed to deliver satellites safely to orbit for NASA and the United States Space Force. During the process of their initial public offering, or IPO, Astra was claiming to be able to scale to three-hundred launches per year at a 'low-cost'. The company has not stated publically the cost to launch but it is rumored to have cost as low as 2.5 million dollars all the way up to as much as SpaceX's Falcon 9, which is approximately 55 million dollars, once spacecraft insurance was included. Astra however is hoping to come back with their in-development Rocket 4 launch vehicle which they say will focus on reliability, instead of being low-cost and high cadence like their previous offerings. Progress updates on Rocket 4 however have been few and far apart. It's unclear how long the company will last and if they will manage to launch again after the acquisition. With the company going private regular updates on the company's finances and stability are unlikely to be public. ## Who is Astra? Astra is an American rocket company based in Alameda, California. The company was founded in October of 2016 and successfully made it to orbit in November of 2021, making it the fastest a company has gone from founding to orbit in the United States. ![The logo of Astra and the flag of the United States on Rocket 3. ©Astra](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/rocket-31--orbital-launch-attempt--fairing-at-sunset_50616804458.jpg) The logo of Astra and the flag of the United States on Rocket 3\. ©Astra ### Starship's third flight to happen as early as Thursday! URL: https://proximareport.com/starships-third-flight-to-happen-as-early-as-thursday/ Last updated: 2024-03-07T18:17:47.000Z In an update on X, formerly Twitter, SpaceX announced it was targeting no earlier than the 14th of March for the third flight of its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle. This comes almost four months after the second flight test. The vehicles that SpaceX intends to use for this flight are Ship 28 and Booster 10\. Both vehicles are believed to have completed the required testing ahead of flight three. The only obstacle that needs to be overcome for the flight is regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration via the issuing of an updated launch license. ![Ship 28 atop of Booster 10 at Starbase, Texas. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GGPhVVIbgAA_obJ-1.jpg) Ship 28 atop of Booster 10 at Starbase, Texas. ©SpaceX The liftoff is believed to be scheduled for 12:00 pm, Universal Coordinated Time, due to SpaceX stating the start of its coverage will begin thirty minutes prior, as it is currently scheduled for 11:30 am. SpaceX has stated the objectives for this mission are the following: successful ascent burn of both stages, opening and closing Starship’s payload door, a propellant transfer demonstration during the upper stage’s coast phase, the first ever re-light of a Raptor engine while in space, and a controlled reentry of Starship. Starship will not be aiming to land near Hawaii, unlike the past two flights, and will aim to land in the Indian Ocean if the in-space engine startup and burn is successful. The current schedule for Starship-Super Heavy's third flight is as follows, all times are approximate and assumes everything goes according to plan: | 01:15:00 | SpaceX Flight Director conducts poll and verifies GO for propellant load | | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | 00:53:00 | Ship LOX (liquid oxygen) load underway | | 00:51:00 | Ship fuel (liquid methane) load underway | | 00:42:00 | Booster LOX load underway | | 00:41:00 | Booster fuel load underway | | 00:19:40 | Raptor begins engine chill on booster and ship | | 00:03:30 | Booster propellant load complete | | 00:02:50 | Ship propellant load complete | | 00:00:30 | SpaceX flight director verifies GO for launch | | 00:00:10 | Flame deflector activation | | 00:00:03 | Raptor ignition sequence begins | | 00:00:00 | Excitement guaranteed | After launch the nominal plan is as follows: | 00:00:02 | Liftoff | | -------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | | 00:00:52 | Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket) | | 00:02:42 | Booster MECO (most engines cut off) | | 00:02:44 | Hot-staging (Starship Raptor ignition and stage separation) | | 00:02:55 | Booster boostback burn startup | | 00:03:50 | Booster boostback burn shutdown | | 00:06:36 | Booster is transonic | | 00:06:46 | Booster landing burn startup | | 00:07:04 | Booster landing burn shutdown | | 00:08:35 | Starship engine cutoff | | 00:11:56 | Payload door open | | 00:24:31 | Propellant transfer demo | | 00:28:21 | Payload door close | | 00:40:46 | Raptor in-space relight demo | | 00:49:05 | Starship entry | | 01:02:16 | Starship is transonic | | 01:03:04 | Starship is subsonic | | 01:04:39 | An exciting landing! | ## What progress was made last time? Back on the 18th of November 2023, Starship-Super Heavy made its second flight after a problematic maiden launch. The second flight was considered a successful test flight despite ending with the loss of both vehicles. Super Heavy Booster 9 lit all thirty-three of its engines with all of them lasting up until hot staging of Ship 25 from the booster. Booster 9 however experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly while attempting to perform its boostback burn. After hot staging, the six Raptor engines, three sea-level engines and three vacuum engines, continued to power the second stage flight for six minutes before Ship 25 also experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly. ![Starship-Super Heavy lifting off from Starbase, Texas, with Ship 25 and Booster 9. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/Flight_Test_2_Launch_Checkpoint_20231118_DSC_04675_2_723d9ca7e0.jpg) Starship-Super Heavy lifting off from Starbase, Texas, with Ship 25 and Booster 9\. ©SpaceX SpaceX believes that the booster was lost due to a filter blockage where liquid oxygen is supplied to the engines, which led to a loss of inlet pressure in engine oxidizer turbopumps that eventually resulted in one engine failing in a way that resulted in the loss of Booster 9. Ship 25 was believed to have been lost due to a leak in the aft section of the vehicle that started when the vehicle's liquid oxygen dump had started. This is believed to have led to fires and loss of communications which caused the onboard computers to command a shutdown of the engines, and followed shortly after by the flight termination system. ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle. SpaceX is currently aiming to have the launch vehicle deliver one-hundred and fifty tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two-hundred and fifty tons when expended, although there are rumors from SpaceX of an expendable payload capacity of three-hundred tons. ![Ship 28 and Booster 10 during a wet-dress rehearsal at Starbase, Texas. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GH12v1MbYAEZjyn-1.jpg) Ship 28 and Booster 10 during a wet-dress rehearsal at Starbase, Texas. ©SpaceX Starship is the second stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be reused. The Starship second-stage is fifty meters tall and nine meters wide. The second-stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines and three vacuum Raptor Engines with plans to increase it to six in the future, these engines burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen with a maximum thrust of 1500 tons. Starship is believed to weigh one-hundred tons empty and one-thousand three-hundred tons fully fuelled. For reusability, Starship will separate from the booster, Super Heavy, in flight and continue up toward orbit. After a few orbits Starship will perform a deorbit burn and re-enter the atmosphere, after re-entry, Starship will aim to land on the chopsticks' of the launch tower, also called Mechazilla. Super Heavy is the first-stage booster for the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be reused, it is also currently the most powerful rocket stage ever flown. The Super Heavy booster is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters wide. The booster is powered by thirty-three Raptor engines burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen with a maximum thrust of 7590 tons. Super Heavy is believed to weigh two-hundred tons empty and three-thousand six-hundred tons fully fuelled. For reusability, Super Heavy will launch from the Orbital Launch Mount and will then perform a boost back burn and land on the 'chopsticks' of the launch tower, also called Mechazilla, using its grid fins at the top for greater aerodynamic control during unpowered flight. Super Heavy also has a hot-staging ring atop of it to improve the performance of the Starship-Super Heavy stack and simplify the staging process. ### NASA's newest astronaut class graduates URL: https://proximareport.com/nasas-newest-astronaut-class-graduates/ Last updated: 2024-03-06T20:41:16.000Z This week NASA's newest astronauts graduated from their training on the 5th of March. The group of astronauts consists of twelve people, with two from the United Arab Emirates. The twelve were chosen from a group of over twelve thousand applicants and were selected for training in 2021, it's believed the training started in 2022\. The group has nicknamed themselves "The Flies". NASA has said that these new astronauts are now eligible for missions to the International Space Station, future orbiting destinations in Earth orbit, and potentially the Moon. ## Who are NASA's newest astronauts? ### *Nichole Ayers* ![Nichole Ayers in 2021. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/nichole-ayers-at-2021-ascan-announcement-ceremony_53486750671-1-1.jpg) Nichole Ayers in 2021\. ©NASA Nichole Ayers is a twin and was born in San Diego, California. She graduated from Woodland Park High School in Woodland Park, in Colorado, and earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics with a minor in Russian from the U.S. Air Force Academy, as well as earned a master’s degree in computational and applied mathematics from Rice University in Houston. Ayers currently has 1,400 flight hours in the T-38A/B/C/N and F-22 Raptor. She flew over 200 combat hours in Operation Inherent Resolve over Iraq and Syria and also was the assistant director of operations in the 90th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base, in Alaska. ### *Marcos Berríos* ![Marcos Berríos during training in the neutral buoyancy lab. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/marcos-berrios-nbl-training_53495521831.jpg) Marcos Berríos during training in the neutral buoyancy lab. ©NASA Marcos Gabriel Berríos was born in Fort Campbell, in Tennessee. He graduated from Antilles High School, in Bayamón Puerto Rico, and earned a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Cambridge Massachusetts, as well as earned a master of science in mechanical engineering and a doctorate in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford University, in Palo Alto California. He also graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, in Maryland. Berríos currently has over 1,400 flight hours across twenty-plus different aircraft. He has served as the commander of Detachment 1, of the 413th Flight Test Squadron and as deputy director of the CSAR Combined Task Force. ### *Chris Birch* ![Chris Birch boarding a T-38 aircraft. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/christina-birch-t-38-training_53486799521-1.jpg) Chris Birch boarding a T-38 aircraft. ©NASA Chris (Christina) Birch was born in Mesa, Arizona. She graduated from Gilbert High School in 2004, and earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biophysics from the University of Arizona in 2008, as well as earned a doctorate in biological engineering from MIT in 2015. Birch previously raced for the U.S. National Team as a track cyclist. During her cycling career, she earned eleven National Championships, three World Cup medals in the team pursuit and Madison races, and twice participated in the World Championships. She was also training with the U.S. National Team ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. ### *Deniz Burnham* ![Deniz Burnham's NASA portrait. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/deniz-burnham_53487072304-1.jpg) Deniz Burnham's NASA portrait. ©NASA Deniz Burnham was born on the Incirlik Air Base in Adana, Türkiye. She graduated from Vanden High School, in Fairfield California, and earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of California in 2007, as well as earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Southern California in 2017. Burnham served in the U.S. Navy Reserves as an Engineering Duty Officer alongside working in the energy industry as an onsite company representative and managed drilling optimization projects and emission reduction strategies for drilling rigs. ### *Luke Delaney* ![Luke Delaney in 2021. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/luke-delaney-during-ascan-announcement_53488677341-1.jpg) Luke Delaney in 2021\. ©NASA Luke Delaney was born in Miami, Florida. He graduated from Deltona High School in 1997, and earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of North Florida in 2006, as well as earned a master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in 2016\. He also completed the United States Naval Test Pilot School in 2014. Delany has flown almost fifty different aircraft and has accumulated over 3,900 flight hours. He has also been a NASA Langley Research Pilot and supported airborne science missions. ### *Andre Douglas* ![Andre Douglas during training in the neutral buoyancy lab. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/andre-douglas-nbl-training_53486877283.jpg) Andre Douglas during training in the neutral buoyancy lab. ©NASA Andre Douglas was born in Miami, Florida. He graduated from Western Branch High School, in Chesapeake Virginia, and earned a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 2008, as well as earned a master of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan in 2012 alongside earning a master of science in naval architecture and marine engineering, he has also earned a master of science in electrical and computer engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 2019\. He also holds a Doctorate in systems engineering from George Washington University since 2021. Douglas previously served with the United States Coast Guard where he led crewmembers through alien migrant interdictions, humanitarian relief efforts, and drug enforcement operations. After his time with the Coast Guard, he worked on a variety of research projects including NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test, DART, planetary defense mission. ### *Jack Hathaway* ![Jack Hathaway's NASA portrait. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/jack-hathaway_51729853255-1.jpg) Jack Hathaway's NASA portrait. ©NASA Jack Hathaway was born in South Windsor, Connecticut. He graduated from Windsor High School in 2000, and earned a bachelor’s in physics and history from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2004, as well as earned a master’s of science in flight dynamics from Cranfield University in 2014\. He also earned a master’s in national security and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College and graduated from Empire Test Pilot’s School in 2011 as part of Fixed Wing Class 70. Hathaway has over 2,500 flight hours in thirty types of aircraft as well as performing over five-hundred carrier landings. He has also been part of thirty-nine combat missions. ### *Anil Menon* ![Anil Menon during International Space Station tool training. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/anil-menon-during-iss-large-tools-training_53487191245-1.jpg) Anil Menon during International Space Station tool training. ©NASA Anil Menon was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He graduated from Saint Paul Academy and Summit School, in Saint Paul Minnesota, in 1995, earned a bachelor's degree in Neurobiology from Harvard University in 1999, as well as a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University in 2004\. He has also done and earned the following: - Doctor of Medicine, Stanford Medical School, 2006\. - Residency in Emergency Medicine, Stanford University, 2009. - Fellowship in Wilderness Medicine, Stanford University, 2010\. - Residency in Aerospace Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 2012\. - Master’s in Public Health, UTMB-Galveston, 2012. Menon has supported four long-duration crew members on the International Space Station as the deputy crew surgeon for Soyuz missions Soyuz 39 and Soyuz 43 and prime crew surgeon for Soyuz 52\. His research efforts have also led to the publication of over 20 scientific articles on emergency medicine and space medicine. ### *Christopher Williams* ![Christopher Williams' NASA portrait. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/nasa-astronaut-christopher-williams_53568046323-1.jpg) Christopher Williams' NASA portrait. ©NASA Christopher Williams was born in New York City, New York. He graduated from Montgomery Blair High School in 2001, earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Stanford University in 2005, as well as a doctorate in physics from MIT in 2012\. He has also completed residency training at the Harvard Medical Physics Residency Program in 2015. Williams performed research focusing on developing radio telescope instrumentation and data processing techniques for cosmology and was part of the team that built the Murchison Widefield Array. ### *Jessica Wittner* ![Jessica Wittner during training in the neutral buoyancy lab. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/jessica-wittner-nbl-training_53487063834-1.jpg) Jessica Wittner during training in the neutral buoyancy lab. ©NASA Jessica Wittner was born in Fresno, California. She graduated from Buchanan High School in 2001, earned a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Arizona in 2009, as well as earned a Master of Science in Engineering Science from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 2018. Wittner was previously the department head of the Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-151\. She has also led multiple engineering teams in the development and flight test of mission-critical capabilities for the F/A-18E-F Super Hornet. ### *Nora AlMatrooshi* ![Portrait of Nora AlMatrooshi. ©Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/Nora-Square-HS-copy.jpg) Portrait of Nora AlMatrooshi. ©Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center Nora AlMatrooshi is part of the United Arab Emirates' second batch of astronauts having previously been an engineer at the National Petroleum Construction Company. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the United Arab Emirates University and training from Vaasa University of Applied Sciences in Finland. ### *Mohammed Al Mulla* ![Portrait of Mohammed Al Mulla. ©Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/Mohammad-Square-HS-copy.jpg) Portrait of Mohammed Al Mulla. ©Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center Mohammed Al Mulla is part of the United Arab Emirates' second batch of astronauts having previously been Head of the Training Department of the Air Wing Centre at Dubai Police. He holds a bachelor’s degree in law and economics and an Executive Master of Public Administration from the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government. ### SpaceX breaks its launch record! URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-breaks-launch-record/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T20:01:38.000Z SpaceX has been keeping up its groundbreaking cadence so far this year after a record-breaking year of launches in 2023\. Between the Early hours of the 4th and 5th of March, SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket three times from three different launch pads on two sides of North America. This comes with a series of records that SpaceX has now broken. The three launches took place within the span of twenty hours and three minutes, and two of the launches took place one hour and fifty-one minutes apart. This was also the first time SpaceX is believed to have been operating two second-stages on orbit simultaneously. The record for three launches previously stood at twenty-three hours and four minutes. The previous record for two launches stood at two hours and fifty-five minutes. These records are broken as SpaceX is hoping to launch at least one-hundred and forty-eight times this year. To reach the goal SpaceX needs to launch twelve Falcon 9's each month. As of writing SpaceX has completed twenty-two of the launches needed for this goal. If SpaceX hits its goal it will raise the record again after the company achieved ninety-six launches last year with Falcon 9. ## What were the three missions? *(These times are in Universal Coordinated Time.)* ### *03:53 am March 4th - Crew 8* ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Crew-8 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GH3ntm0acAA1KGd.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A for the Crew-8 mission. ©SpaceX The first of the three missions was Crew-8 from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. This mission sent four astronauts into orbit where they will soon board the International Space Station. The astronauts of the Crew-8 mission are Commander Matthew Dominick, Pilot Michael Barratt, Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps, and Mission Specialist Alexander Grebenkin. This mission used booster B1083 on its first flight, the booster landed back at Landing Zone-1, in Florida, as planned. The Crew Dragon capsule for Crew-8 is Endeavor on its fifth flight to orbit. This was also the thirteenth time SpaceX has flown people into space overall. ### *10:05 pm March 4th - Transporter 10* ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for Transporter-10. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GH3ntoXboAAz6n2.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for Transporter-10\. ©SpaceX The second mission was Transporter 10 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. This mission delivered fifty-three satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit. This launch is, as the name suggests, the tenth mission under its Transporter dedicated smallsat rideshare program, which aims to offer an affordable launch option for small spacecraft. The mission had its final payload separation events early on the 5th of March. The booster used for the Transporter-10 mission was B1081 making its fifth flight, the booster landed at Landing Zone 4, in California, as planned. B1081 has previously supported the Crew-7, CRS-29, Starlink Group 6-34, and PACE missions. ### *11:56 pm March 4th - Starlink Group 6-41* ![A long exposure photo showing the flight path of Falcon 9 during the Starlink Group 6-41 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GH3ntqCbgAAMTnm.jpg) A long exposure photo showing the flight path of Falcon 9 during the Starlink Group 6-41 mission. ©SpaceX The third and final launch was Starlink Group 6-41 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida. This mission sent twenty-three Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit to grow the company's space-based internet constellation. This mission concluded with the booster landing and Starlink deployment in the early hours of the 5th of March. The booster for this mission was B1073 making its thirteenth flight, which landed on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange as planned. B1073 has previously supported the Starlink Group 4-15, SES-22, Starlink Group 4-25, Starlink Group 4-35, HAKUTO-, Amazonas Nexus, CRS-27, Starlink Group 6-2, Starlink Group 5-11, Starlink Group 6-12, Starlink Group 6-27, Starlink Group 6-37 missions. ## What is Falcon 9? Falcon 9 is currently the world's only operational partially reusable medium-lift launch vehicle. The rocket is manufactured and operated by American aerospace company SpaceX. Falcon 9 currently launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, and Cape Canaveral, in Florida. For recovery, Falcon 9 has four grid fins and four landing legs on the first-stage. The first stage either lands vertically on a drone ship or on a landing pad back at its launch site, landing back at the launch site causes a reduction in payload capacity. SpaceX claims that Falcon 9 can send up to 22,800 kilograms into low Earth orbit when expended or 18,400 kilograms when reused. Similarly, it can send up to 8,300 kilograms into geosynchronous transfer orbit when expended or 5,500 kilograms when reused. The first-stage is powered by nine Merlin 1D engines burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 771 tons of thrust for up to two-minutes and forty-two seconds of burn time. The second-stage is powered by a single Merlin 1D vacuum engine burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 95 tons of thrust for up to six minutes and thirty-seven seconds of burn time. On the pad, the rocket is 70 meters tall with the first and second stages 3.7 meters in diameter, the fairing is 5.2 meters in diameter and tapers out from the top of the second-stage. Fully fuelled Falcon 9 weighs approximately 549,000 kilograms. ### SpaceX launches tenth dedicated rideshare mission URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-launches-tenth-dedicated-rideshare-mission/ Last updated: 2024-03-05T14:03:03.000Z SpaceX launched its twenty-first mission of the year from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California. The mission was carrying a variety of commercial payloads as part of the Transporter-10 mission. This launch is part of SpaceX's Transporter dedicated smallsat rideshare program, which aims to offer an affordable launch option for small payloads. The launch is believed to have been carrying fifty-three payloads onboard. ![The payloads of the Transporter-10 mission during encapsulation into Falcon 9's fairing. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GHzkRnra4AEfaZE.jpg) The payloads of the Transporter-10 mission during encapsulation into Falcon 9's fairing. ©SpaceX The booster for this mission was B1081 making its fifth flight and landing back at Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California. The booster has previously supported the Crew-7, CRS-29, Starlink Group 6-34, and PACE missions. ## What were the payloads? *Disclaimer: Not all spacecraft onboard have been identified due to their operators not disclosing information.* *Tower 5 & 6* \- Tower 5 & 6 are two small satellites from Lynk Global. The two satellites are intended to be used for providing cell services from space. *MethaneSAT* \- Is a spacecraft from MethaneSAT.org, who are subsidiary of the Environmental Defense Fund. The satellite is intended to observe methane emissions from space with the organization providing the data for free to the public. *Gluon* \- Is a small test satellite by Atomos Nuclear and Space. The spacecraft is intended to work in collaboration with Quark-LITE for rendezvous and a small fuel transfer. *Quark-LITE* \- Is a small test satellite by Atomos Nuclear and Space. Quark-LITE is intended to attempt a rendezvous with Gluon after which it will dock and refuel from Gluon's tanks. *LizzieSat* \- LizzieSat is a payload platform for a variety of customers by Sidus Space. The spacecraft for this mission is hosting NASA's Autonomous Satellite Technology for Resilient Application as well as multiple other payloads for other customers. *Jackal* \- is an autonomous orbital vehicle by True Anomaly. There are believed to be two of these onboard to demonstrate rendezvous and proximity operations. *Aries* \- Is a demonstrator spacecraft from Apex. The satellite is believed to be the first one of its kind from Apex as it prepares to hand future Aries satellites off to customers. *AEROS* \- Is a Portuguese CubeSat from CEiiA. The satellite is believed to be a test spacecraft in order to learn how to operate a satellite in space ahead of a planned constellation. *Aerospacelab* \- Aerospacelab is believed to have four MicroSats onboard of Transporter-10 called Rose, Loulou, Riri, and Fifi. The satellites are believed to be intended for showcasing Very High Resolution and Radio Frequency Sensing payloads. *BRO-12 & 13* \- BRO-12 and BRO-13 are two CubeSats from Unseenlabs. The satellites are believed to be for reconnaissance using radio frequency surveillance. *ContecSat-1* \- Is a CubeSat from Contec. The satellite is believed to be an Earth observation satellite which will have its date used for detecting changes of urban, vegetation, and coastal areas. *HORACIO* \- Is a CubeSat from Satlantis. HORACIO is believed to be an Earth observation satellite providing data on agriculture, coastal, and environmental monitoring. *Hubble-1 & 2* \- Are believed to be CubeSats built by Spire for Hubble Network. The satellite are believed to support Hubble Networks' goal of connecting one billion devices via Bluetooth technology. *ICEYE X-36, 37, & 38* \- Are believed to be three MicroSats from ICEYE. The satellites are believed to be for synthetic-aperture radar observations. *IOD-6 Hammer* \- Is a CubeSat from Open Cosmos, likely for an Earth observation mission for a customer. *IRIS-F1* \- Is a CubeSat built by SATORO Space for the National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan. The satellite is believed to be for a technology demonstration. *LEMUR-2* \- Spire is believed to have two LEMUR-2 satellites onboard, the form factor of the satellite was not stated. *MuSat-2* \- Is a MicroSat by Muon Space meant to demonstrate and validate the on-orbit performance of Muon Space’s in-house microwave and hyperspectral sensors. *ÑuSat-44* \- Is a small satellite from Satellogic. The satellite is believed to be an Earth observation satellite for its already existing constellation. *OrbAstro-TR2* \- Is a CubeSat from OrbAstro for an undisclosed customer. *ONDOSAT-OWL-1 & 2* \- Is a pair of CubeSats from Mongolian ONDO Space. The satellites are believed to be for technology testing and to serve as a target for amateur operators on amateur UHF band radio antennas. *SONATE-2* \- Is believed to be a CubeSat from the Julius-Maximilians-Universität in Würzburg in Germany. The satellite is believed to have AI and imaging payloads onboard. *Veery-0E* \- Is a CubeSat from Care Weather. Veery-0E is a technology demonstrator satellite with tests that are believed to be radio data rate stress testing and radar detection of the Earth. *YAM-6* \- Is a MicroSat from Loft Orbital. The satellite is believed to be carrying a hyperspectral imager and multi-spectral imager as payloads. *LACE-A & B* \- Are believed to be two CubeSats from the US Naval Information Warfare Center and the Missile Defense Agency. It is believed the two satellites will evaluate optical laser communications in space and space-to-Earth network protocols. *M3* \- Is a CubeSat from Missouri University of Science & Technology. The satellite is believed to be testing a propulsion system in space for a few days before it runs out of power. *PYXIS* \- Is a MicroSat from Axelspace. The satellite is a demonstration spacecraft for their new AxelLiner satellite bus. It is also carrying a radio demonstration from SONY and two D-SAIL 'drag membranes' to test a faster re-entry using solar radiation. *Sentry/Scout-1* \- Is a CubeSat from Quantum Space. The satellite is believed to be used for tracking and observing objects in space. *Tiger-7 & 8* \- Are two CubeSats from OQ Technology. The satellites are believed to be for providing 5G connectivity. *GHOSt-4 & 5* \- Are believed to be two MicroSats from Orbital Sidekick. These satellites are believed to be for detecting methane emissions. *Pony Express 2 SV1 & 2* \- Are believed to be two CubeSats built by Tyvak carrying payloads for Lockheed Martin. It is believed that the payloads will test the following while kilometers apart: RF crosslinks, ranging, synchronization, and AI processing. *PY-4 1, 2, 3, & 4* \- Are four CubeSats from NASA for testing spacecraft-to-spacecraft ranging, on-orbit relative navigation, and coordinated multi-point radiation measurements. *RROCI-2* \- Is believed to be a CubeSat from Orion Space. The satellite is believed to be intended as a demonstration for the United States Space Force. *Optimus-1* \- The Optimus-1 orbital transfer vehicle is also onboard and is believed to have two satellites onboard. More payloads could also be onboard but not planned to be deployed. ## What is Falcon 9? Falcon 9 is currently the world's only operational partially reusable medium-lift launch vehicle. The rocket is manufactured and operated by American aerospace company SpaceX. Falcon 9 currently launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, and Cape Canaveral, in Florida. SpaceX claims that Falcon 9 can send up to 22,800 kilograms into low Earth orbit when expended or 18,400 kilograms when reused. Similarly, it can send up to 8,300 kilograms into geosynchronous transfer orbit when expended or 5,500 kilograms when reused. For recovery, Falcon 9 has four grid fins and four landing legs on the first-stage. The first stage either lands vertically on a drone ship or on a landing pad back at its launch site, landing back at the launch site causes a reduction it payload capacity. ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Intelsat G32/G31 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/52517919804_f5252c6342-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Intelsat G32/G31 mission. ©SpaceX The first-stage is powered by nine Merlin 1D engines burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 771 tons of thrust for up to two-minutes and forty-two seconds of burn time. The second-stage is powered by a single Merlin 1D vacuum engine burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 95 tons of thrust for up to six minutes and thirty-seven seconds of burn time. On the pad, the rocket is 70 meters tall with the first and second stages 3.7 meters in diameter, the fairing is 5.2 meters in diameter and tapers out from the top of the second-stage. Fully fuelled Falcon 9 weighs approximately 549,000 kilograms. ### SpaceX launches Crew-8 to the International Space Station URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-crew-8-to-iss/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:51:38.000Z At 03:53 am, Universal Coordinated Time, a Falcon 9 lifted off from Launch Complex 39A with Crew Dragon Endeavor atop of it carrying four astronauts onboard for the Crew-8 mission. The four astronauts are Commander Matthew Dominick, Pilot Michael Barratt, Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps, and Mission Specialist Alexander Grebenkin. Crew Dragon Endeavor, which is carrying the four astronauts, is expected to dock at the International Space Station approximately twenty-eight hours after it lifted off, which is approximately 08:00 am Universal Coordinated Time. Crew-8 is expected to spend six months onboard the space station before they return to Earth, which is currently planned for August. ![The Crew-8 astronauts in front of one of Falcon Heavy's boosters used for the Psyche mission, from left to right: Alexander Grebenkin, Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps. ©SpaceX/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/the-four-crew-members-that-comprise-the-spacex-crew-8-mission_53511529871.jpg) The Crew-8 astronauts in front of one of Falcon Heavy's boosters used for the Psyche mission, from left to right: Alexander Grebenkin, Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps. ©SpaceX/NASA Crew-8 will also be relieving Crew-7 of their duties aboard the space station as they prepare to return to Earth this month. The four astronauts of Crew-7 have been on the space station since August of 2023\. That mission is flying Crew Dragon Endurance and the crew consists of Konstantin Borisov, Andreas Mogensen, Jasmin Moghbeli, and Satoshi Furukawa. This is the eighth operational NASA Commercial Crew Program mission to take place and the ninth overall with the Demo-2 mission. So far SpaceX has flown all of these missions. While onboard the International Space Station as part of Expeditions 70 and 71 missions the crew will perform experiments on stem cells to create organoid models to study degenerative diseases, study the effects of microgravity and Ultraviolet radiation on plants at a cellular level, and test if wearing pressure cuffs on the legs could prevent fluid shifts and reduce health problems for astronauts. The Crew Dragon capsule for this mission, Endeavor, is heading to space for the fifth time having previously supported the Demo-2, Crew-2, Crew-6, and Ax-1 missions. The booster for this mission was flying for the first time and landed back at Landing Zone 1, this booster is B1083. ![The mission patch for the Crew-8 mission. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/the-official-insignia-of-the-spacex-crew-8-mission_53337206155.png) The mission patch for the Crew-8 mission. ©NASA ## Who's onboard? ### Matthew Dominick Matthew Dominick is the Commander of the Crew-8 mission, which is also his first trip to space. Dominick was selected by NASA to join the 2017 Astronaut Candidate Class and became one in August of 2017. ![Matthew Dominick during training. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/spacex-crew-8-commander-matthew-dominick_53511848904.jpg) Matthew Dominick during training. ©NASA Matthew Dominick graduated from D’Evelyn High School in Golden, Colorado. Earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of San Diego with minors in Physics and Mathematics. Earned a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. As well as graduating from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland. ### Dr. Michael Reed Barratt Dr. Michael Reed Barratt is the Pilot of the Crew-8 mission, this is his third trip to space having previously flown on the Soyuz TMA-14 and STS-133 missions. Barratt was selected by NASA in 2000 as an astronaut and first flew in 2009. ![Michael Reed Barratt during training. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/nasa-astronaut-and-spacex-crew-8-pilot-michael-barratt_53284446167.jpg) Michael Reed Barratt during training. ©NASA Dr. Michael Reed Barratt graduated from Camas High School, Camas, Washington, in 1977\. Obtained a Bachelor of Science in Zoology, University of Washington, in 1981\. Became a Doctor of Medicine from Northwestern University, in 1985\. Barratt completed a three-year residency in Internal Medicine at Northwestern University in 1988\. Also, completed a Chief Residency year at Veterans Administration Lakeside Hospital in Chicago in 1989\. As well as completing a residency and Master’s program in Aerospace Medicine at Wright State University in 1991\. He is also certified in Internal and Aerospace Medicine. ### Jeanette J. Epps Jeanette J. Epps is a Mission Specialist for the Crew-8 mission, which is her first trip to space. Epps was selected by NASA in 2009 as an astronaut. ![Jeanette J. Epps during training. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/nasas-spacex-crew-8-mission-specialist-jeanette-epps_53511963485.jpg) Jeanette J. Epps during training. ©NASA Jeanette J. Epps graduated from Thomas J. Corcoran High School, Syracuse, New York in 1988\. Obtained a Bachelor of Science in Physics, LeMoyne College, 1992\. Achieved a Master of Science and Doctorate of Philosophy in Aerospace Engineering, University of Maryland, 1994 and 2000. ### Alexander Grebenkin Alexander Grebenkin is a Mission Specialist for the Crew-8 mission, which is his first trip to space. Grebenkin was selected as a cosmonaut candidate in August of 2018 and completed training in December of 2020. ![Alexander Grebenkin during training. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/spacex-crew-8-mission-specialist-alexander-grebenkin-poses-for-a-photo_53511849234.jpg) Alexander Grebenkin during training. ©NASA Alexander Grebenkin graduated from Irkutsk High Military Aviation School, Irkutsk, Russia, majoring in engineering, maintenance, and repair of aircraft radio navigation systems in 2002\. He also graduated from Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics with a degree in radio communications, broadcasting, and television in 2011. ## What is Crew Dragon? Crew Dragon, or Dragon 2, is a partially reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX. The primary use for Crew Dragon is to send crew to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX has also flown a free flight of the spacecraft and is planning another for the second half of 2024. ![Crew Dragon departing from the International Space Station during the Crew-6 mission. ©SpaceX/NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/the-spacex-dragon-endeavour-undocks-from-the-space-station_53169178480-1.jpg) Crew Dragon departing from the International Space Station during the Crew-6 mission. ©SpaceX/NASA Crew Dragon consists of the capsule and trunk. The trunk is used to store unpressurized cargo as well as have solar panels mounted on one side, to generate power, and radiators on the other, to dissipate heat generated inside. The trunk is not reused and burns up in the atmosphere after each mission. The capsule is where the crew will be during launch, landing, and while on their way to space. Unlike the original Dragon capsule, the Crew Dragon capsule has a launch abort system consisting of eight SuperDraco engines. The capsule also has a nosecone that will fold out of the way in space to protect the docking hardware and forward-facing thrusters during launch and landing. The forward-facing thrusters are the main propulsion system for performing maneuvers while in flight. Crew Dragon was developed as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program to regain crew access to the International Space Station from the United States of America after the retirement of the Space Shuttle. SpaceX currently has four active Crew Dragon capsules; Endeavour, Resilience, Endurance, and Freedom. A fifth Crew Dragon capsule is under construction and is expected to be finished in 2024\. ### Weekly Dose of Space (25/2-2/3) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-25-2-2-3/ Last updated: 2024-03-03T17:26:56.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! Last week saw four launches take place worldwide and a plethora of human spaceflight news. SpaceX is believed to be closing in on preparations for its third flight of the Starship-Super Heavy vehicle. We'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week. ## **SpaceX** This week at Starbase started with the SpaceX teams moving Ship 29 into the 'high bay' for hardware installation for flight four of Starship-Super Heavy. The 26th saw Ship 28 perform a 'spin prime' test on sub-orbital Pad B. The launch tower was also seen venting during the test. A few days later on the 28th Super Heavy Booster 10 rolled from the production site to the launch site where it was later stacked during the day. Ship 28 was also removed from sub-orbital Pad B and moved next to the launch tower on the 29th. A few hours later Ship 29 was moved to the launch site and onto sub-orbital Pad B. The 1st of March had Ship 28 stacked atop of Booster 10 once again. Later on, Ship 29 was moved next to the orbital launch mount, we don't know why but this is likely for a photo shoot as no testing of Ship 29 can be done in its current location. A test of the booster quick disconnect was also done on the 1st. Overnight on the 2nd, Ship 29 was moved back onto sub-orbital Pad B to undergo testing. ## **Launches This Week** ## *February 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-39* SpaceX launched twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1069 making its thirteenth flight and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 6-39. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GHOEY7KbkAA6_d9.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 6-39\. ©SpaceX ## *February 29th - Soyuz 2.1b with Meteor-M No. 2-4* A Soyuz 2.1b lifted off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome carrying Meteor-M No. 2-4 to a sun-synchronus orbit. The satellites SITRO-AIS 13-28, Zorkiy-2M-2, and Pars 1 were also onboard. Pars 1 is believed to be a satellite from Iran. ![A Soyuz 2.1b lifting off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. ©Roscosmos/RussianSpaceWeb](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/meteor_m2_4_launch_1.jpg) A Soyuz 2.1b lifting off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. ©Roscosmos/[RussianSpaceWeb](https://www.russianspaceweb.com/meteor-m2-4.html?ref=proximareport.com) ## *February 29th - Long March 3B/E with WHG-01* Also on the 29th, a Long March 3B/E took off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center headed towards a geostationary transfer orbit carrying the WHG-01 satellite. The WHG-01 satellite is believed to be an internet satellite, as of writing it's unclear if the satellite will maneuver itself into a higher orbit. ![The Long March 3B/E Y95 rocket lifting off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ©Xiao Xinjiang/China Central Television](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GHg9jTLWYAAnc1I.jpg) The Long March 3B/E Y95 rocket lifting off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ©Xiao Xinjiang/China Central Television ## *February 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-40* The last launch of the month was a Falcon 9 carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1076 making its eleventh flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 6-40. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/GHhMmY7W8AArMzn.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for Starlink Group 6-40\. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ## *Shenzhou-17 crew completes second spacewalk* ![The two taikonauts working on the exterior of the Tiangong Space Station. ©Xinhua/China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/Pl7pLSCwPgmxM6Mc.png) The two taikonauts working on the exterior of the Tiangong Space Station. ©Xinhua/China Manned Space Agency As part of the ongoing Shenzhou-17 mission, Tang Hongbo and Jiang Xinlin conducted a spacewalk outside of the Tiangong Space Station to perform maintenance to the solar panels on the Tianhe module. Tang Shengjie supported the crew during the spacewalk from inside of the space station. The spacewalk is believed to have started at approximately 05:00 am Beijing time on the 2nd of March and concluded after 13:32 pm. The two spacewalkers also inspected the three modules at the station as part of their tasks. The spacewalk is believed to have lasted eight hours. This is also believed to have been the first time that a crew aboard the Tiangong Space Station have conducted external maintenance on the station. ## *India reveals its first astronauts!* ![India's astronauts at a training facility in Russia, from left to right: Shubhanshu Shukla, Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, Ajit Krishnan, and Angad Pratap. ©ISRO](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/image.psd.png) India's astronauts at a training facility in Russia, from left to right: Shubhanshu Shukla, Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, Ajit Krishnan, and Angad Pratap. ©ISRO India revealed its first astronauts on the 27th after training their chosen four for the first few Gaganyaan missions over the past year. The astronauts are Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla. It's unknown who of the four will fly first as India has also bought a seat on the Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station. India's own crewed spacecraft is planned to fly in 2025 with a capacity to carry three crew members. ## *Tang Hongbo breaks China's human space record!* ![Official photo of Tang Hongbo for the Shenzhou 17 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/7390077c-8b61-4a1a-a832-2fb8d5bf3a10_ghuhlhoauakgp-1.jpg) Official photo of Tang Hongbo for the Shenzhou 17 mission. ©China Manned Space Agency On the 27th of February, Tang Hongbo, commander of the Shenzhou 17 mission to the Tiangong Space Station, surpassed the previous record of days spent on orbit by a Taikonaut. The previous record is believed to have been held by Chen Dong who spent almost 214 days in space. Now Tang Hongbo now holds the record at approximately 218 days, at the time of writing. Tang Hongbo is currently commanding the Shenzhou 17 mission aboard China's Tiangong Space Station, which has recently entered its fifth month aboard with a planned end of the mission in April. The Shenzhou 17 mission is Tang Hongbo's second trip to space after having previously spent ninety-two days in space during the Shenzhou 12 mission. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is likely to launch Starship-Super Heavy this month for its third flight. Ship 28 and Super Heavy Booster 10 have completed almost all of their testing prior to launch. SpaceX is currently waiting on regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. ## *March 4th - Falcon 9 for Crew-8* SpaceX is expected to launch the Crew-8 mission for NASA, carrying Matthew Dominick, Michael Barrat, Jeanette Epps, and Alexander Grebenkin to the International Space Station. The launch is expected to take place from Launch Complex 39A and use booster B1083 for its first flight. The Crew Dragon capsule for this mission is believed to be Endeavour. ## *March 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-41* SpaceX is expected to launch another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit to grow the capabilities of its space-based internet service. ## *March 4th - Falcon 9 with Transporter 10* SpaceX is expected to launch its tenth Transporter rideshare mission. The launch will head to a sun-synchronus orbit after lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. ## *March 9th - KAIROS for its maiden flight* Space One is expected to launch its KAIROS launch vehicle from Space Port Kii in Japan. The launch vehicle is believed to be carrying a prototype 'quick response' satellite for the Japanese government. ## *March 9th - Electron for 'Owl Night Long'* Rocket Lab is expected to launch the StriX-3 satellite for Synspective from Launch Complex 1B, located on the Mahia Peninsula ### Monthly Dose of Space - February 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-february-2024/ Last updated: 2024-03-01T22:50:56.000Z Welcome to our fifth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month we haven't covered in our weekly newsletters. February has been another busy month, so let's jump into it! ## **SpaceX** The last month has seen SpaceX teams work towards the third flight of its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle. On the 6th, teams were seen at Ship 28 where it was having work done to its tiles towards the top of the vehicle. A few days later, on the 8th, a series of tests happened at the orbital launch mount which were likely purge tests of its quick disconnect systems. Also on the 8th Booster 10 finally headed back to the launch site, being transported on one of the self-propelled modular transporters. In the early hours of the 9th, Booster 10 was lifted onto the orbital launch mount. Ship 28 was also spotted being prepared for its return to the launch site not long after Booster 10's lift. The 11th saw Ship 28 being stacked atop of Booster 10 on the orbital launch mount. The next day on the 12th, Ship 28 was destacked from the Booster for unknown reasons, it is believed there may have been problems with the Ship quick disconnect arm. Another day later on the 13th, Ship 28 was stacked on top of Booster 10, again. Once stacked the ship performed a small test of its flaps. On the 14th, it's believed SpaceX attempted to perform a wet dress rehearsal but aborted the test, the water deluge system was tested however. A few days later early on the 16th, the fire suppression system was tested on the orbital launch mount. A few hours later another wet dress rehearsal was attempted but was once again aborted part way through the test. On the 19th with Ship 28 being moved from the launch tower to sub-orbital Pad B at the launch site. Later the same day four tower segments from Florida arrived ahead of the construction of a second launch tower at Starbase. A few hours into the night, Booster 10 was also lifted off of the orbital launch mount. The 20th had a truck deliver explosives to the launch site where SpaceX teams quickly took them to the bunker. The explosives are likely for the flight termination system in the event of a failure with Starship-Super Heavy's third flight. The 20th also saw Booster 10 being rolled back to the production site and lifted onto a work stand. The 26th saw Ship 28 perform a 'spin prime' test on sub-orbital Pad B. The launch tower was also seen venting during the test. A few hours later on the 26th, the Federal Aviation Administration closed its mishap investigation into the second flight of the Starship-Super Heavy vehicle, that launch occurred back on the 19th of November 2023. To end the month, the 28th had Super Heavy Booster 10 roll from the production site to the launch site where it was later stacked during the day. Ship 28 was also removed from sub-orbital Pad B and moved next to the launch tower on the 29th. As of writing on the 1st of March, Ship 28 is currently being stacked atop of Booster 10. ## **News of the Month** Last month saw news from upcoming space companies and a new giant launch vehicle set to debut within the year. ### *New Glenn tests on its launch pad* ![New Glenn on its launch pad at Launch Complex 36. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/itt_night_dsc03044_scaled.jpg) New Glenn on its launch pad at Launch Complex 36\. ©Blue Origin After rolling out to its launch pad on the 21st Blue Origin was spotted performing what is believed to be a fuelling test of the launch vehicle on the 28th. It is unclear at this time how much fuel was loaded onto the vehicle due to poor visibility from public viewing areas but venting was seen from its ground support equipment meaning that fuels were flowing towards, or into, the vehicle. Currently, the vehicle does not have any first-stage engines installed but will have them installed depending on the results of this testing. The hardware on this New Glenn vehicle mostly does not consist of flight hardware with reportedly only the first-stage tanks being destined for flight. The tank testing on the pad is a major milestone ahead of New Glenn's first launch, which Blue Origin is confident will happen this year. New Glenn is Blue Origin's in-development partially reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle. The rocket is expected to be manufactured almost entirely by the company. New Glenn is expected to launch from Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, located in Florida. ### *Space Circling secures $14 million in funding* ![Qialong-1 during a test firing. ©Space Circling](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/qiaolong1-testing-31jan2024-space-circling.webp) Qialong-1 during a test firing. ©Space Circling Chinese launch startup Space Circling, also known as Shaanxi Tianhui Aerospace Technology Co Ltd, announced on the 18th of February that it had secured more than 100 million Yuan Renminbi, approximately 14 million United States dollars, as part of its Series A funding in December 2023. Investors in this round of funding are believed to be Changsha Kaifu District Zhongxin High-tech Fund, Xi’an Fulao Fund, SIRI New Materials, Mianyang Kefa Fund, and Xi’an Talent Fund. The funding is believed to be going towards industrial infrastructure to allow the company to mass produce its Honglong-1 and Qialong-1 rocket engines. Space Circling is currently planning to develop a launch vehicle called Huilong-1 capable of delivering 5,000 kilograms to sun-synchronus orbit. Long term the company is working on a second launch vehicle called Huilong-2 capable of sending 9,000 kilograms to a geostationary transfer orbit or 25,000 kilograms to a low Earth orbit. ### *Vast looking to bid on ISS private astronauts mission* ![A render of SpaceX's Crew Dragon docking to Vast's space station. ©Vast Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/03/VAST-Haven-1_Docking_A2.jpg) A render of SpaceX's Crew Dragon docking to Vast's space station. ©Vast Space Vast Space is looking to bid on the fifth and sixth NASA private astronaut missions to the International Space Station. Max Haot, Chief Executive Officer of Vast, said that the company would bid on the two missions to the space station. The company believes that conducting these missions would allow them to build a better space station, which they plan to launch in the coming years, and offer practice on operating a space station. If Vast bids on the fifth and sixth private astronaut missions Axiom Space would need to compete with their bid. Axiom Space has been the sole bidder of the private astronaut missions since the Ax-3 mission, this led to Axiom winning what would become the Ax-3 and Ax-4 missions. ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw nineteen launches worldwide, if you want to know each launch was we have them all listed below! ## *February 2nd - Long March 2C for Geely Constellation* The first launch of the month was a Long March 2C launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying eleven satellites to low Earth orbit for Chinese automotive company Geely. Geely is building a constellation in low Earth orbit to support testing of autonomous driving in its cars as well as for inter-vehicle communications. ## *February 3rd - Smart Dragon 3 with a nine-satellite rideshare* A Smart Dragon 3 launched from a sea launch platform to a sun-synchronous orbit carrying nine satellites for its payload. The nine spacecraft were: DRO-L, Zhixing-2A, DongFangHuiYan-GF01, WeiHai-01 & 02, XingShiDai-18 & 19 & 20, and NEXSAT-1. ## *February 8th - Falcon 9 with PACE* On the 8th of February, a SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying NASA's PACE spacecraft to a sun-synchronous orbit. The booster for this mission was B1081 making its fourth flight and landed back at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. PACE, or Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem mission, is a NASA mission to advance information for assessing the condition of the ocean and atmosphere. ## *February 9th - Soyuz 2.1v with Kosmos 2575* A Soyuz 2.1v lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying the Kosmos 2575 satellite to a sun-synchronous orbit. Not much is known about the satellite other than it is believed to be for military purposes. ## *February 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-13* SpaceX launched twenty-two more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of its Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for the mission was B1071 making its fourteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You". ## *February 14th - Falcon 9 with USSF-124* Late on the 14th a Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying four Tranche 0 Tracking Layer missile warning satellites for the United States Space Force. The booster for this mission was B1078 making its seventh flight and landing at Landing Zone 2 back in Cape Canaveral. ## *February 15th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-26* A Soyuz 2.1a launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the Progress MS-26 spacecraft. The spacecraft is carrying 2,518 kilograms of cargo to the International Space Station for the crew onboard. ## *February 15th - Falcon 9 with Nova-C IM-1* On the 15th another Falcon 9 lifted off, this time from Launch Complex 39A, carrying the Nova-C lunar lander for Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission. This was the first time since Apollo 17 that a spacecraft was launched bound for the Moon from Launch Complex 39A. The booster for this mission is B1060 making its eighteenth flight and landing back at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. The lander has since landed on the Moon at 80.13 degrees South and 1.44 degrees East. This was also the first time since 1972 that an American spacecraft has landed on the lunar surface, the last being Apollo 17. ## *February 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-14* A third Falcon 9 lifted off this week, this time from Space Launch Complex 4E in California carrying another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1082 making its second flight and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ## *February 17th - H3 for Test Flight 2* Japan's H3 rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center on the 17th of February for its second test flight mission. The rocket was carrying three payloads to a sun-synchronous orbit for this launch: VEP 4, CE-SAT-1E, and TIRSAT. ## *February 17th - GSLV Mk II for INSAT-3DS* India launched a GLSV Mk II rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Center on the 17th carrying the INSAT-3DS satellite to a geosynchronous transfer orbit. INSAT-3DS is a weather satellite built by the Indian Space Research Organisation and is expected to be operated by the Indian National Satellite System. ## *February 18th - Electron for 'On Closer Inspection'* Rocket Lab launched an Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B in the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand. The rocket was carrying the ADRAS-J on behalf of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Astroscale. The ADRAS-J satellite plans to rendezvous and approach a piece of orbital debris to demonstrate a safe and secure approach. ## *February 20th - Falcon 9 with HTS-113BT* A Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying the HTS-113BT telecommunications satellites for PT Telkom Satelit Indonesia. The booster for the mission was B1067 making its seventeenth flight and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ## *February 23rd -Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-15* Another Falcon 9 launched carrying another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The mission occurred from Space Launch Complex 4E with the booster for the mission, B1061, making its nineteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ## *February 23rd - Long March 5 with TJS No. 11* A Long March 5 lifted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, for the rocket's seventh mission. The rocket was carrying what is believed to be TJS satellite No. 11 toward a geostationary transfer orbit. ## *February 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-40* SpaceX launched twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1069 making its thirteenth flight and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ## *February 29th - Soyuz 2.1b with Meteor-M No. 2-4* A Soyuz 2.1b lifted off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome carrying Meteor-M No. 2-4 to a sun-synchronus orbit. The satellites SITRO-AIS 13-28, Zorkiy-2M-2, and Pars 1 were also onboard. Pars 1 is believed to be a satellite from Iran. ## *February 29th - Long March 3B/E with WHG-01* Also on the 29th, a Long March 3B/E took off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center headed towards a geostationary transfer orbit carrying the WHG-01 satellite. The WHG-01 satellite is believed to be an internet satellite, as of writing it's unclear if the satellite will maneuver itself into a higher orbit. ## *February 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-40* The last launch of the month was a Falcon 9 carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission was B1076 making its eleventh flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'. ## **Launches to look out for in March!** March looks to be another busy month too. Listed below are all of the launches expected or very likely to happen next month. ## *March 3rd - Falcon 9 for Crew-8* SpaceX is expected to launch the Crew-8 mission for NASA, carrying Matthew Dominick, Michael Barrat, Jeanette Epps, and Alexander Grebenkin to the International Space Station. The launch is expected to take place from Launch Complex 39A and use booster B1083 for its first flight. The Crew Dragon capsule for this mission is believed to be Endeavour. ## *March 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-41* SpaceX is expected to launch another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit to grow the capabilities of its space-based internet service. ## *March 4th - Falcon 9 with Transporter 10* SpaceX is expected to launch its tenth Transporter rideshare mission. The launch will head to a sun-synchronus orbit after lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. ## *March 9th - KAIROS for its maiden flight* Space One is expected to launch its KAIROS launch vehicle from Space Port Kii in Japan. The launch vehicle is believed to be carrying a prototype 'quick response' satellite for the Japanese government. ## *March 9th - Electron for 'Owl Night Long'* Rocket Lab is expected to launch the StriX-3 satellite for Synspective from Launch Complex 1B, located on the Mahia Peninsula. ## *March 12th - Falcon 9 with CRS-30* SpaceX is also expected to launch its thirtieth resupply mission to the International Space Station next month. The cargo spacecraft will carry science payloads and supplies to the space station. ## *March 21st - Soyuz 2.1a with MS-25* Roscosmos is expected to launch the MS-25 mission to the International Space Station carrying a cosmonaut from Russia, a cosmonaut from Belarus, and an astronaut from the United States. ## *March 30th - Soyuz 2.1b with Resurs-P No.4* A Soyuz 2.1b is expected to launch the Resures-P No.4 satellite to a sun-synchronus orbit. Resures-P No.4 is a commercial Earth observation satellite with a resolution of one meter. ### America returns to the Moon! URL: https://proximareport.com/america-returns-to-the-moon/ Last updated: 2025-03-06T14:09:26.000Z Last week on the 22nd, the United States of America returned to the surface of the Moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972, which was fifty-two years ago. According to NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, the lander landed at 80.13 degrees South and 1.44 degrees East. However, shortly after the landing a few problems began to appear. The first was a planned communications blackout lasting longer than initially thought. This blackout was meant to last a few seconds after touching down but continued for several minutes afterward. The cause of the blackout was later determined to be poor reception from the antenna's onboard. The second problem the team at Intuitive Machines faced was the poor reception from the lander's antennae. This was later found to be due to the lander landing on its side after failing to lower its horizontal velocity, which caused some of its legs to collapse leading to the lander falling on its side. ![The Nova-C IM-1 lander on the surface of the Moon after performing its landing. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GHcYOWVXMAAeTRm.jpg) The Nova-C IM-1 lander on the surface of the Moon after performing its landing. ©Intuitive Machines These problems have reportedly been mitigated by teams at Intuitive Machines and the science experiments will carry out their missions as planned. The mission is carrying six experiments for NASA and a half-dozen payloads from companies as well. The mission is expected to operate normally until the lunar night when the spacecraft will be unable to generate power. Intuitive Machines does plan to attempt to power on the spacecraft once the next lunar day begins a few weeks later. NASA Administrator, Bill Nelson, commented on the successful landing saying: > “For the first time in more than half a century, America returned to the Moon. Congratulations to Intuitive Machines for placing the lunar lander Odysseus carrying NASA scientific instruments to a place no person or machine has gone before, the lunar South Pole,” – “This feat from Intuitive Machines, SpaceX, and NASA demonstrates the promise of American leadership in space and the power of commercial partnerships under NASA’s CLPS initiative. Further, this success opens the door for new voyages under Artemis to send astronauts to the Moon, then onward to Mars.” ![A render of the Nova-C IM-1 lander upright on the lunar surface. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/52342438613_44714f0b08-2.png) A render of the Nova-C IM-1 lander upright on the lunar surface. ©Intuitive Machines The landing mission was performed by American aerospace company Intuitive Machines as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program using its Nova-C lander. Nova-C is Intuitive Machines lunar lander capable of delivering 130 kilograms of payload to the lunar surface. The lander weighs approximately 1,900 kilograms fully fuelled after separation from its launch vehicle, which places it on a trajectory towards the Moon. The lander is powered by a single engine burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen to generate 0.31 tons of thrust. The lander also features five solar panels to generate electrical power for its onboard systems, four are located on the sides with one on top. The Nova-C lander for the IM-1 mission is also called Odysseus. ## What's on Nova-C? *Disclaimer: Payload descriptions come from NASA, Intuitive Machines, and the various companies.* ### ROLSES ROLSES, or Radio Observations of the Lunar Surface Photoelectron Sheath, will use a low-frequency radio receiver system to measure the electron plasma environment on the lunar surface acquire observations of solar and planetary radio sources from the lunar surface, sense near-surface charged dust, and provide a first-ever measurement of the radio environment between 10 kHz and 30 MHz at the lander. Since the Moon does not have a global magnetic field to protect it, charged particles can make it to the lunar surface and create a plasma environment on the lunar surface that will levitate fine dust particles. The plasma environment measurements will provide critical information for Artemis astronauts, and the design of rovers, space suits, and other exploration systems. ROLSES measurements of radio emissions from the Sun, planets, the galaxy, and even how radio-noisy the Earth is will also provide a much-needed baseline for future sensitive lunar radio astronomy systems. ### LRA LRA, or Laser Retro-Reflector Array, is a collection of eight approximately half-inch retro-reflectors, a unique collection of mirrors that is used for measuring distance, mounted to the lander. The mirror system reflects laser light directly backward to the orbiting spacecraft that emits the laser light to precisely determine the lander’s location on the surface of the Moon. LRAs are valuable because they can continue to be used as precision landmarks for guidance and navigation during the lunar day or night. ### NDL NDL, or Navigation Doppler Lidar for Precise Velocity and Range Sensing, is a LIDAR-based, Light Detection and Ranging, sensor composed of an optical head with three small telescopes and a box with electronics and photonics. NDL uses lasers to provide precise velocity and range sensing during the descent and landing of the lander. This instrument operates on the same principles of radar but uses pulses of light from a laser instead of radio waves and with very high accuracy. ### SCALPSS SCALPSS, or Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies, will capture images of the effects of the lander’s engine plume as it interacts with the lunar surface while the lander is descending, and as the dust plume settles after the spacecraft lands. This information is critical for validating predictive models on how particles on the lunar surface are moved by rocket engine exhaust and allows scientists to analyze the close-up imagery of the surface of the Moon. Data from SCALPSS can be used for future Artemis vehicle designs to ensure the safety of both the landers and any other surface assets nearby during landing. ### LN-1 LN-1, or Lunar Node 1 Navigation Demonstrator, is a small CubeSat-sized S-band radio navigation beacon that will demonstrate autonomous spacecraft positioning to support future lander, surface, and orbital operations. Radio beacons like LN-1 can guide incoming and outgoing spacecraft and landers with precision and reduce fuel consumption. This experiment will leverage NASA’s Deep Space Network for one-way ranging and Doppler tracking to provide real-time position information, like how GPS works on Earth. ### RFMG RFMG, or Radio Frequency Mass Gauge statement, technology uses radio waves and antennae in Nova-C’s tank to measure exactly how much propellant is available. RFMG could be crucial during future long-duration missions that will rely on spacecraft fueled by cryogenic propellants, like liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, or liquid methane. These propellants are highly efficient but are tricky to store as they can evaporate quickly, even at low temperatures. Being able to accurately measure spacecraft fuel levels will help scientists maximize resources as NASA moves toward its goal of returning humans to the Moon through Artemis. ### Omni-Heat Infinity for Columbia Sportswear In partnership with Intuitive Machines, Columbia is testing the limits of its innovations by sending Omni-Heat Infinity to the Moon. Originally inspired by the space blankets on the Apollo missions, the same Omni-Heat Infinity technology found in jackets on Earth will help protect the Nova-C lunar lander from the extreme temperatures of outer space. Intuitive Machines and Columbia tested the thermal reflective material to aerospace industry standards. Thermal modeling revealed that Omni-Heat Infinity provides a benefit for heat reflection when used as a panel covering, and that is where the technology will be used on Nova-C. Intuitive Machines engineers incorporated Columbia’s Omni-Heat Infinity thermal reflective technology onto one of Nova-C’s closeout panels to protect Nova-C’s cryogenic propulsion tank. ### Embry-Riddle EagleCam Intuitive Machines co-founder, Steve Altemus, challenged his alma mater to engineer an out-of-this-world selfie when he visited the university in 2019\. Students and faculty accepted Altemus’ challenge and created EagleCam, a camera system to capture the world’s first-ever third-person picture of a spacecraft making an extraterrestrial landing. Additionally, the device will test an electrostatic dust-removal system, which could lead to future advances in spacesuit technology. EagleCam was created in the university’s Space Technologies Laboratory. Eaglecam was designed to deploy off of Nova-C approximately 100ft, or 30m, above the lunar surface and capture images as the spacecraft touches down on the Moon. ### Moon Phases by Jeff Koons As a symbol of human curiosity and the desire to achieve, Jeff Koons: Moon Phases comprises 125 unique artworks, each consisting of 3 components: a sculpture that will be installed on the Moon, a sculpture that will stay on the Earth, and a 'Non-fungible token' that corresponds with the sculptures on the Moon and the Earth. The 125 miniature stainless steel Moon Phase sculptures will be displayed on the Moon in a cube, which was designed and built by 4Space in consultation with Koons. The Moon Phase artworks are associated with individuals who made important accomplishments in human history. The list of names is universal, from various cultures throughout the world, fields, and time periods. Displayed in front of each artwork, the names memorialize the figures. ### ILO-X for the International Lunar Observatory Association ILO-X is a precursor to the International Lunar Observatory Association Hawai’i flagship Moon South Pole Observatory ILO-1\. The \~0.6 kg ILO-X instruments, built for International Lunar Observatory Association by Toronto-based Canadensys Aerospace, includes a miniaturized dual-camera lunar imaging suite, one wide field, and one narrow field. It will aim to capture some of the first images of the Milky Way Galaxy Center from the surface of the Moon, as well as perform other celestial astronomy and local lunar environment observations and exploration technology validations, including functionality and survivability in the lunar environment. ### Lunaprise for Galactic Legacy Labs Galactic Legacy Labs aims to establish a secure lunar repository called the Lunaprise in support of Arch Missions Foundation’s billion-year archive, preserving human knowledge for eternity. These messages are called Lunagrams and can be submitted online as text, an image, or both. Music and video files are also accepted. An archive from the nonprofit Arch Mission Foundation, including the English Wikipedia, The Rosetta Project, Long Now Foundation content, Project Gutenberg content, and other cultural archive datasets are also included in the payload. ### Lonestar Data Holdings Lonestar Data Holdings’ payload is working to send increasingly capable data centers to the Moon to meet the needs of its customers for secure data storage and edge processing. Lonestar Data Holdings’ Independence payload represents a key technology demonstration of the company’s Disaster Recovery as a Service utilizing the unique operational properties offered from the Moon. Working with Intuitive Machines, Lonestar Data Holdings is storing digital data on board the Nova-C lander for its customers and transmitting the first documents off the planet for data storage to the Moon while in turn transmitting the first documents back from the Moon. ### China to launch 100 times in 2024! URL: https://proximareport.com/china-launch-100-2024/ Last updated: 2024-02-26T19:05:56.000Z Today, the 26th of February, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, CASC, released its 'blue paper' outlining China's space goals for the coming year. The 'blue paper' from CASC also noted that 2024 is the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and that the country is working hard to achieve the goals of the "14th Five-Year Plan", which is running from 2021 to 2025. As part of the 'blue paper' for the coming year, CASC stated it will launch seventy times this year to send two-hundred and ninety spacecraft into orbit. CASC believes that thirty launches will happen from China's space private sector to reach one-hundred launches from China in 2024\. Last year China carried out sixty-seven launches overall with forty-seven coming from the Long March series, this number of launches already broke China's record from the year before as the country seeks to do so again. ![Overview of the Chang'e-5/6 spacecraft. ©China Academy of Space Technology](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/Chang-e5_Auto11.jpeg) Overview of the Chang'e-5/6 spacecraft. ©China Academy of Space Technology The 'blue paper' also notes that 2024 will see the start of phase four of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program in May with the launch of Chang'e 6\. Chang'e 6 is a lunar sample return mission from the far side of the Moon, the first to do so, bringing up to 2,000 grams of lunar samples back to Earth for study, the mission will be launched atop of a Long March 5. Phase four of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program will be supported by the launch of the Queqiao-2 relay satellite in mid-March. The launch of Queqiao-2 will be on a Long March 8 for the first launch from Commercial Launch Pad 1 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, in Hainan. ![Models of the Long March 2D (left), Long March 6C (middle), and Long March 6A (right).](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/006aWhMSgy1hn7615jh3yj30zk1bjwmk.jpg) Models of the Long March 2D (left), Long March 6C (middle), and Long March 6A (right). CASC's 'blue paper' also stated that the Long March 6C and Long March 12 will debut this year. The Long March 6C shares hardware with the Long March 6 and 6A and is planned to be able to send up to 2,400 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, or 2,000 kilograms to a 700-kilogram sun-synchronous orbit. ![A render of what is believed to be the Long March 12 being transported to a launch pad.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/007ZZPDSly1hn77xqcnmfj312g0odtep.jpg) A render of what is believed to be the Long March 12 being transported to a launch pad. The Long March 12 also had a large amount of information shared by CASC. The rocket is believed to be 3.8 meters in diameter and has two stages, with both burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The believed payload capacity is 10,000 kilograms to a low Earth orbit or 6,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. The maiden flight of the rocket is believed to occur at the end of the year from Commercial Launch Pad 2 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. It is also believed the rocket will have two fairing options, with the diameters being either 4.2 meters or 5.2 meters. China also plans to launch two crew missions to the Tiangong Space Station this year, they are Shenzhou 18 and 19\. The crews of these missions are still not known to the wider public. The Tianzhou 8 spacecraft is also planned to launch in the second half of 2024. The 'blue paper' also says that the 'next-generation' spacecraft, Chang'e 7 and Tianwen-2, will continue 'high-intensity' development. It also mentions that two-hundred and thirty launch vehicles will be put into production for launches in the coming years. Two-hundred spacecraft are also reportedly in development ahead of launch, also in the coming years. ### Weekly Dose of Space (18/2-24/2) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-18-2-24-2/ Last updated: 2024-02-25T15:02:12.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! The last week in space saw four launches worldwide and a big Moon mission news. SpaceX has also continued to make good progress ahead of Starship-Super Heavy's third flight. We'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide for next week. ## **SpaceX** SpaceX started the week at Starbase on the 19th with Ship 28 being moved from the launch tower to sub-orbital Pad B at the launch site. Later the same day four tower segments from Florida arrived ahead of the construction of a second launch tower at Starbase. A few hours into the night, Booster 10 was also lifted off of the orbital launch mount. On the 20th, a truck delivered explosives to the launch site where SpaceX teams quickly took them to the bunker. The explosives are likely for the flight termination system in the event of a failure with Starship-Super Heavy's third flight. The 20th also saw Booster 10 being rolled back to the production site and lifted onto a work stand. On the 23rd, workers were seen making modifications to the 'chopsticks' lifting pins after having removed the old ones earlier. Ship 28 was also seen with a livery painted onto the vehicle. ## **Launches This Week** ## *February 18th - Electron for 'On Closer Inspection'* Rocket Lab launched an Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B in the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand. The rocket was carrying the ADRAS-J on behalf of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Astroscale. The ADRAS-J satellite plans to rendezvous and approach a piece of orbital debris to demonstrate a safe and secure approach. ![Electron during first stage flight for 'On Closer Inspection'. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/f44_liftoff-003_high_53537372675.jpg) Electron during first stage flight for 'On Closer Inspection'. ©Rocket Lab ## *February 20th - Falcon 9 with HTS-113BT* A Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying the HTS-113BT telecommunications satellites for PT Telkom Satelit Indonesia. The booster for the mission was B1067 making its seventeenth flight and landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GG0AXjPbIAEdkZR.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40\. ©SpaceX ## *February 23rd -Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-15* Another Falcon 9 launched carrying another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The mission occurred from Space Launch Complex 4E with the booster for the mission, B1061, making its nineteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GHABfBua8AAfhuH.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E. ©SpaceX ## *February 23rd - Long March 5 with TJS No. 11* A Long March 5 lifted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, for the rocket's seventh mission. The rocket was carrying what is believed to be TJS satellite No. 11 toward a geostationary transfer orbit. ![A Long March 5 lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/00686eaKgy1hn3o6bisq8j31900u0adj.jpg) A Long March 5 lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ## **In Other Space News** ## *Pallas-1 completes testing for launch campaign* ![Pallas-1 inside an assembly building. ©Galactic Energy](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/640c.jpg) Pallas-1 inside an assembly building. ©Galactic Energy Galactic Energy has recently reported that its Pallas-1 rocket has successfully completed a 'semi-physical simulation test of the Pallas-1 liquid reusable launch vehicle control system' ahead of its launch in a few months. The test proved that the rockets' servo mechanisms and 'stability systems' worked as intended. This test is believed to have verified both systems for flight. Pallas-1 is Galactic-Energy's in-development medium-lift partially reusable launch vehicle. The company currently plans to have the rocket launch from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center and Wenchang Space Launch Site. ## *Hardware for the third Long March 8 arrives* ![A container housing hardware for the Long March 8 being unloaded in Hainan. ©China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/640.jpg) A container housing hardware for the Long March 8 being unloaded in Hainan. ©China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology Hardware for flight three of the Long March 8 has arrived in the province of Hainan, where the Wenchang Space Launch Site is located, ahead of the planned launch on the 18th of March. The rocket is currently expected to carry the Queqiao-2 relay satellite as its primary payload to a trans-lunar injection as well as two small satellites, Tiandu-1 & Tiandu-2. It is also believed that this will be the first mission from Hainan Commercial Launch Pad 1, located at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ## *Nova-C lands on the Moon... but falls over* ![A view from Nova-C in lunar orbit before its landing. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/7c27f7_a9ef02ff09a44a36adc78a30a3959f9b-mv2.png) A view from Nova-C in lunar orbit before its landing. ©Intuitive Machines The Nova-C landed on the lunar surface on the 22nd of February, being the first mission from the United States to do so in fifty-two years. A day after the landing, Intuivie Machines shared that they believed the lander had fallen onto its side after its lateral motion was faster than desired. The lander is believed to have fallen on the side housing the 'Moon Phase' artwork and is not impacting any experiments onboard. Before landing the spacecraft's laser rangefinders were not working but managed to issue a software patch to use data from NASA's Navigation Doppler Lidar instrument instead to complete the mission. The company is still yet to share images from the Moon but are receiving signals from the spacecraft, believing that the signals are weaker than desired due to some of the antenna's pointing in the wrong direction. Intuitive Machines believes that they can fix these issues before the lunar night in a little over a week. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is believed to be confident about a launch for Starship-Super Heavy likely in March. It's believed Ship 28 and Super Heavy Booster 10 have completed almost all of their testing campaigns, both are expected to do a 'wet dress rehearsal' soon. Currently, SpaceX is still waiting on regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. ## *February 25th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-39* SpaceX is currently planning to launch twenty-four Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40\. The booster for this mission is believed to be B1069 making its thirteenth flight. ## *February 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-40* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 to deliver another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. ## *February 29th - Soyuz 2.1a with Meteor-M No. 2-4* A Soyuz 2.1a is expected to launch from the Vostochny Cosmodrome carrying three Meteor-M satellites to a sun-synchronus orbit. ## *February 29th - Long March 3B/E with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 3B/E is expected to launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The payload is unknown at this time. ## *March 1st - Falcon 9 with Crew-8* SpaceX is expected to launch the Crew-8 mission for NASA, carrying Matthew Dominick, Michael Barrat, Jeanette Epps, and Alexander Grebenkin to the International Space Station. ### China names its new crewed spacecraft! URL: https://proximareport.com/china-names-its-new-crewed-spacecraft/ Last updated: 2024-03-02T21:23:48.000Z Early on the 24th of February, the China Manned Space Engineering Office announced that it had selected the names for its two spacecraft that will be used for its crewed lunar exploration program. The applications had been open since August and ran until late 2023 with over two-thousand submissions received! The crewed spacecraft that will stay in orbit has been named Mengzhou (梦舟), or Dream Vessel in English. According to the China Manned Space Agency, the name represents China's dream of landing on the moon to embark on a new journey of space adventures. Reportedly the two versions of Mengzhou will be denoted differently with Mengzhou-Y being the lunar spacecraft variant. The 'zhou' part of the name also continues the nomenclature from the Shenzhou and Tianzhou spacecraft. The lunar lander spacecraft that will transport crews to the surface has been named Lanyue (揽月), or Grasping for the Moon in English. The spacecraft is named after a poem Chairman Mao Zedong wrote in 1965 according to the China Manned Space Agency. The poem, *Reascending Chingkangshan*, the name comes from reads as follows: *I have long aspired to reach for the clouds* *And I again ascend Chingkangshan.* *Coming from afar to view our old haunt, I find new scenes replacing the old.* *Everywhere orioles sing, swallows dart,* *Streams babble* *And the road mounts skyward.* *Once Huangyangchieh is passed* *No other perilous place calls for a glance.* *Wind and thunder are stirring,* *Flags and banners are flying* *Wherever men live.* *Thirty-eight years are fled* *With a mere snap of the fingers.* *We can clasp the moon in the Ninth Heaven* *And seize turtles deep down in the Five Seas:* *We'll return amid triumphant song and laughter.* *Nothing is hard in this world* *If you dare to scale the heights.* According to the China National Space Administration and China Manned Space Agency, the first crewed mission to the lunar surface will take place before 2030. ## So what is Mengzhou? ![A render of the Mengzhou spacecraft. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/Mengzhou.png) A render of the Mengzhou spacecraft. ©China Manned Space Agency The Mengzhou spacecraft is China's in-development crewed spacecraft for low Earth orbit and lunar orbit operations. The spacecraft is believed to be able to carry up to seven taikonauts to low Earth orbit or three taikonauts to lunar orbit. The spacecraft will have two large solar panels to power its systems and life support for the crew. The spacecraft is believed to weigh 26,000 kilograms fully fuelled for a lunar mission. It is currently unknown what changes will be made for the low Earth orbit version of the Mengzhou spacecraft. The Mengzhou spacecraft consists of a command module, to house the crew, and a service module, to power the spacecraft and allow it to enter lunar orbit. ## And what is Lanyue? ![A render of the Lanyue spacecraft. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/Lanyue.png) A render of the Lanyue spacecraft. ©China Manned Space Agency The Lanyue spacecraft is China's in-development lunar lander spacecraft for lunar landing missions. The spacecraft will be able to carry two taikonauts to and from the lunar surface in its current design. The spacecraft will have two large circular solar panels to power its systems and life support for the crew. The spacecraft is believed to weigh 26,000 kilograms fully fuelled with its propulsion module. The Lanyue spacecraft consists of a lander module, to perform lunar landings and house the crew for their mission, and the propulsion module, which will allow the spacecraft to enter lunar orbit. ## What does China's Moon mission look like? The mission is widely believed to take place in 2029 to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, which occurred on the 1st of October 1949\. The mission plan for the crewed landing is believed to be as follows: The first Long March 10 will take off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site carrying the Lanyue spacecraft to a trans-lunar trajectory. After the Long March 10 completes the trans-lunar burn the spacecraft will separate and spend the next few days flying towards the Moon. Once near the Moon the Lanyue spacecraft will light its propulsion modules engine to enter orbit of the Moon. The spacecraft will then wait in lunar orbit for the Mengzhou spacecraft. A few days later a second Long March 10 will take off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site carrying three crew taikonauts aboard the Mengzhou spacecraft to a trans-lunar trajectory. After the Long March 10 completes the trans-lunar burn, the spacecraft will fly towards the Moon over the next few days. Once the Mengzhou spacecraft is near the moon it will light its engines to enter orbit of the Moon. The spacecraft will then rendezvous with the Lanyue spacecraft in orbit. After rendezvous, the two spacecraft will dock allowing the crew to move between the two spacecraft. After checkouts of the two spacecraft are completed in lunar orbit the two spacecraft will undock with two crew being headed for the surface and one remaining on orbit. It is believed the propulsion module will still be attached to the Lanyue spacecraft and will perform its final burn to send the spacecraft bound for the surface. After a predetermined coast phase, the Lanyue spacecraft will separate from the propulsion module and light its engines for landing. The exact landing profile is unknown but it is likely to be similar to the Lunar Module of the Apollo program. Once the Lanyue spacecraft has confirmed its engines shut off and has soft contact with the lunar surface the crew will prepare to exit the spacecraft. The two taikonauts will exit the spacecraft a few hours after the landing. ![A render of two taikonauts on the lunar surface. ©China Manned Space Agency/China Central Television](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/9da82ba5gy1hfu9vb9vppj21eg0pw79t.jpg) A render of two taikonauts on the lunar surface. ©China Manned Space Agency/China Central Television The two taikonauts will spend a believed eight hours outside on the lunar surface gathering various samples and deploying science equipment, including a rover to traverse large distances. After spending up to eight hours outside the two taikonauts will board the Lanyue spacecraft and safely store the gathered samples. Once the two taikonauts are prepared to leave the lunar surface the Lanyue spacecraft will relight its engines and return to lunar orbit where it will rendezvous with the Mengzhou spacecraft. The two spacecraft will once again dock where the crew will transfer themselves and lunar samples out of the lander. After the samples are removed from the Lanyue spacecraft and any planned cargo is transferred between the two spacecraft they will undock for the second and final time. The Mengzhou spacecraft will then move to a safe distance away before it lights its engines again to carry the three taikonauts aboard on a trajectory back to Earth. The three crew members will then spend a few days inside the 'Mengzhou spacecraft as it travels back to Earth. At a predetermined point before entry into Earth's atmosphere, the capsule of the Mengzhou spacecraft will separate from its service module and orient itself for entry. Once through the heat of entry into Earth's atmosphere at speeds of over 11,000 meters a second, or roughly 24,500 miles per hour, the capsule will deploy its parachutes to either touchdown on land or splashdown at sea for recovery of the three taikonauts and the lunar samples. Once the crew is recovered safely the mission is complete. A full breakdown of publically available information on China's lunar mission is available [here](https://proximareport.com/china-moon-2030/). *(The article was written in January 2024 so some information may be outdated)* ### New Glenn emerges for testing URL: https://proximareport.com/blue-origin-new-glenn-testing/ Last updated: 2024-02-22T19:46:03.000Z Surprising almost everyone yesterday, Blue Origin rolled its New Glenn rocket to its launch pad at Launch Complex 36 from its assembly building where components have been for the past few weeks. This is the first time the general public has seen an almost complete New Glenn vehicle. The hardware on this New Glenn vehicle mostly does not consist of flight hardware with reportedly only the first-stage tanks being destined for flight. However, this vehicle will be at the launch pad for a few days to undergo tanking tests and connections to the ground support equipment. The tanking tests will see the vehicle potentially fully fuelled for the first time. Currently, the vehicle does not have any first-stage engines installed but will have them installed depending on the results of the pad testing. Blue Origin's Senior Vice President for New Glenn, Jarrett Jones, said the following as the reasoning for the decision: > “We made the decision to not put the engines on because it’s not part of the test,” – “We’ll fill the tank up, make sure everything works with the fluids systems. It’s an integrated vehicle test, but it’s not firing the engines.” ![New Glenn heading towards its launch pad at Launch Complex 36. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/Nooglin-1.png) New Glenn heading towards its launch pad at Launch Complex 36\. ©Blue Origin The tank testing on the pad is a major milestone ahead of New Glenn's first launch, which Blue Origin is confident will happen this year. The landing barge needed to test the rockets' first-stage landing is also reportedly nearly ready for operation. Blue Origin is also preparing the next three flights afterward having its fourth first-stage booster completing its assembly, the fairings for the first seven flights are also ready for flight. It is also believed that three second-stages are nearing completion for flight. Currently, Blue Origin is aiming to launch twice in 2024\. Dave Limp, Cheif Executive Officer of Blue Origin, commented on the company's readiness saying: > “We’re going to show a lot of progress this year. I think people are going to see how fast we can move.” Jarret Jones also disclosed that each New Glenn booster would be targeting a thirty-day turnaround time, from landing after a launch to being back on the pad. It was also disclosed that Blue Origin can launch twelve times in a year from beginning full operation with Jones adding: > "In reality, we can easily double that,” – “We’re bringing in equipment to get to 24 launches a year and we can do more.” Long term, the New Glenn teams are also looking at ways to recover the vehicles' fairings and second-stage to further lower costs with re-use. ![New Glenn in the horizontal integration facility at Launch Complex 36. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GEePClwXUAA76sf.jpg) New Glenn in the horizontal integration facility at Launch Complex 36\. ©Blue Origin ## What is New Glenn? New Glenn is Blue Origin's in-development partially reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle. The rocket is expected to be manufactured almost entirely by the company. New Glenn is expected to launch from Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, located in Florida. Blue Origin claims that New Glenn will be able to send up to 45,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit when reused. It is also claimed that it plans to send 13,600 kilograms to a geosynchronous transfer orbit when reused. Blue Origin has not yet released any expendable payload capacity figures at the time of writing. ![A render of New Glenn during first-stage flight. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/blueorigin_newglenn_ascent_web-1-1.jpg) A render of New Glenn during first-stage flight. ©Blue Origin The first-stage is planned to be powered by seven BE-4 engines burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen to generate 1,746 tons of thrust for a currently undisclosed amount of time. The second-stage is planned to be powered by two BE-3U engines burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to generate 145 tons of thrust, also for an undisclosed amount of time. For recovery, New Glenn plans to use four fins located near the top of the booster, to control the boosters' descent when unpowered, and six landing legs that are stowed at the bottom of the booster during flight. It is currently believed that Blue Origin only plans to land the first-stage booster downrange on a drone ship. On the launch pad, the rocket is 98 meters tall and 7 meters in diameter, Blue Origin has not yet said how much the launch vehicle weighs fully fuelled. ### What are the orbital launch sites of China? URL: https://proximareport.com/launch-sites-china/ Last updated: 2024-05-23T17:24:48.000Z Over the past decade, China has routinely been the second most prolific launcher of orbital rockets delivering thousands of satellites and spacecraft to space. To achieve this feat, the country has four launch sites inside its territory as well as sea-based launch-supporting platforms. But what are these launch sites and spaceports? ## *Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center* The oldest launch site in China is the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, founded in 1958 as a missile test facility. The site is located along the border of the Gansu and Inner Mongolia provinces in the north of the country. Jiuquan is home to six orbital launch pads for China's state and private launch providers. ![A Long March 2F during rollout at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for Shenzhou-7.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/005_RTX10ASE.jpg) A Long March 2F during rollout at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for Shenzhou-7. There are two launch pads for the Long March series of rockets at Jiuquan and are Site 901 and 9401\. Site 9401 supports the Long March 2C, 2D, 4B, and 4C rockets and has had a reported one hundred and ten launches from the pad. Site 901 only supports the Long March 2F/T, which launches the Shenzhou spacecraft and China's reusable spaceplane, and has had a reported twenty-two launches from the pad. Jiuquan is home to three launch pads for China's private launch companies and are Site 96, Site 120, and Site 130\. Site 130 is used by CAS Space to launch its Kientica 1 rocket and has launched three times from the site. Site 120 is currently used by Space Pioneer to launch its Tianlong-2 rocket, which has only launched once, Tianlong-3 may also launch from Site 120\. The third site used by a private launch company is Site 96 for LandSpace and its Zhuque-2 rocket, which has launched three times from the site and twice successfully to orbit. LandSpace may also use Site 96 for its upcoming Zhuque-3 rocket. ![Zhuque-2 on its launch pad at Site 96 in the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/20230620175633a47483238.jpg) Zhuque-2 on its launch pad at Site 96 in the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ©LandSpace Also at Jiuquan is a shared launch pad, between state and private launch companies, used for operating solid fuelled rockets called Site 95A. Site 95A has supported the following rockets: Kuaizhou-1, OS-M1, Zhuque-1, Kaituozhe-2, Kuaizhou-1A, Kuaizhou-11, Hyperbola-1, Ceres-1 , Jielong-1, and the Long March 11. Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center is also the only launch site in China able to support launching crews to orbit, having done so for twelve missions as of writing. Jiuquan to this day remains a mostly military area and off-limits to civilians, the site encompasses approximately two thousand eight hundred square kilometers of land. The site is named after the city of Jiuqan due to only being one hundred and ninety-four miles away, despite mostly residing in the province of Inner Mongolia. ## *Xichang Satellite Launch Center* The most active launch site in China is the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, founded in 1970 and beginning operation in 1984, having hosted two hundred launches, as of writing. The site is located in the province of Sichuan in the south of China. Xichang is home to two launch pads for state-owned launch providers. ![A Long March 3B lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ©Yin Gang/China Daily](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/5efe8adea3108348fcda3696.jpeg) A Long March 3B lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ©Yin Gang/China Daily The first operational launch pad at Xichang was Launch Complex 3, which had its first launch in January 1984\. Launch Complex 3 currently supports the Long March 2C, 2D, 3, 3A, 3B/E, 3C/E, and 4C rockets. It is believed that the launch pad has supported approximately eighty-three launches to date. The second launch pad at Xichang was Launch Complex 2, which had its first launch in July of 1990\. Launch Complex 2 currently supports the Long March 2E, 3A, 3B/E, and 3C/E rockets. It is believed that the launch pad has supported over one hundred and ten launches to date. ![A Long March 3B on the launch pad at Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ©China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/546564_239914_800_auto_jpg.jpg) A Long March 3B on the launch pad at Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ©China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology Xichang hosted the first launch of China's lunar exploration program in 2007 with the launch of Chang'e 1 to orbit the Moon. The site was also considered in the 1960s to be the launch site for the country's crew space program before the project was dissolved in 1972\. Xichang is also currently the 'go-to' launch site for geostationary launches in China. The site is named after the City of Xichang due to it being forty miles away from the city. ## *Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center* The second oldest launch site in China is the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, founded in 1966 as a military test facility. The site is located in the province of Shanxi in the north of China. Taiyuan is currently home to three operational launch pads for state and private launch providers. ![A Long March 4B lifting off from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ©Cao Yang/Xinhua](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/taiyuan-july-31-2018-china-launches-the-gaofen-11-717077.jpg) A Long March 4B lifting off from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ©Cao Yang/Xinhua The oldest launch pad in operation at Tiayuan is LC-9, which had its first launch in October of 2008\. LC-9 currently supports the Long March 2C, 2D, 4B, and 4C rockets. It is believed that LC-9 has supported seventy-six launches to date. One of the launch pads at Taiyuan is shared between state and private launch providers, that pad is LC-16\. LC-16 had its first launch in September of 2015 and is believed to have been used twelve times to date. LC-16 currently supports the Long March 6 and the Kuaizhou-1A. The newest launch site at Taiyuan is LC-9A having had its first launch in March of 2022\. LC-9A currently only supports the Long March 6A, having had the rocket liftoff from the pad four times. ![A Long March 6 lifting off from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ©Zheng Bin/Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/1d335e00b9b745b981e9d54533d1cdff.jpeg) A Long March 6 lifting off from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. ©Zheng Bin/Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center remains mostly a military facility and is off-limits to civilians. The site is named after the city of Taiyuan due to it being eighty-four miles away from the city. ## *Wenchang Space Launch Site* The newest launch site in China is the Wenchang Space Launch Site, founded in 2007 as a purpose-built space launch facility to support the crewed and lunar programs. The site is the southernmost orbital launch facility in China is located on the island province of Hainan. Wenchang is currently home to two launch pads with two more currently under construction. ![A Long March 7 on the pad at Launch Complex 2 in Wenchang Space Launch Site. ©CFP](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/e3e3e635-e92d-4dfd-830c-d1b08f18a26b.jpg) A Long March 7 on the pad at Launch Complex 2 in Wenchang Space Launch Site. ©CFP The first launch from Wenchang took place on June of 2016 from Launch Complex 2\. Launch Complex 2 can support the Long March 7, 7A, and 8 rockets. To date, the launch pad has supported sixteen missions. The second launch pad at Wenchang is Launch Complex 1 which had its first launch in November of 2016\. Launch Complex 1 can support China's largest operational rockets, the Long March 5 and 5B. There are also two more launch pads under construction at Wenchang called Hainan Commerical Pad 1 and 2 respectively. Commercial Launch Pad 1 will currently only support the Long March 8\. Commercial Launch Pad 2 is planned to support the following rockets: Pallas-1, Tianlong-3, Nebula-1, Gravity-2, Kinetica 2, and the Long March 12. ![A Long March 5 lifting off from Launch Complex 1 in Wenchang Space Launch Site. ©Cai Yang/Xinhua](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/c3718a8c-95ec-40b0-9656-348d0f4d2ccf.jpg) A Long March 5 lifting off from Launch Complex 1 in Wenchang Space Launch Site. ©Cai Yang/Xinhua Wenchang is China's most favorable launch site for launching rockets to geostationary transfer orbits due to its proximity to the equator. It is also located next to the sea meaning it is the only launch site in China where rocket stages won't fall back on land. Wenchang is also a favorite among space enthusiasts due to how easy it is to see a launch from the site. The site is named after the city of Wenchang due to it being only twelve miles away from the city. ## *Sea-based launch ships* China's state and private launch providers also launch from sea-based platforms due to how busy the 'land-based' launch sites are. Most of the sea launches are supported from Haiyang, in the province of Shandong. ![Gravity-1 lifting off from its sea launch platform. ©Wang Xiaoyu/China Daily](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/659f97b0a3105f211c85403d.jpeg) Gravity-1 lifting off from its sea launch platform. ©Wang Xiaoyu/China Daily Haiyang is a popular choice due to how simple it is to reach a polar or sun-synchronous orbit while avoiding overflying other nations. Galactic Energy, OrienSpace, and China Rocket are three companies believed to have facilities in Haiyang to support sea launch operations. China's current sea launch rockets are believed to be as follows: Ceres-1S, Jielong-3, Gravity-1, and the Long March 11\. In-development rockets like Pallas-1 also plan on launching from sea-based platforms. It is unknown exactly how many ships support China's sea launch capability or how far from their home port they can travel. ### Weekly Dose of Space (11/2-17/2) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-11-2-17-2/ Last updated: 2024-02-18T18:30:49.000Z Welcome back to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw six launches worldwide and a wealth of Moon-related news! SpaceX has also not slowed down its progress on its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle. We'll also look ahead to the launch schedule worldwide you can expect next week. ## **SpaceX** SpaceX teams have continued to make progress down at Starbase, in Texas, with Ship 28 arriving at the launch site late last week. On the 11th, Ship 28 was stacked atop of Booster 10 on the orbital launch mount. The next day on the 12th, Ship 28 was destacked from the Booster for unknown reasons, it is believed there may have been problems with the Ship quick disconnect arm. Another day later on the 13th, Ship 28 was stacked on top of Booster 10, again. Once stacked the ship performed a small test of its flaps. On the 14th, it's believed SpaceX attempted to perform a wet dress rehearsal but aborted the test, the water deluge system was tested however. A few days later early on the 16th, the fire suppression system was tested on the orbital launch mount. A few hours later another wet dress rehearsal was attempted but was once again aborted part way through the test. ![Ship 28 atop of Booster 10 at Starbase in Texas. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GGU_ALAbIAAStgS.jpg) Ship 28 atop of Booster 10 at Starbase in Texas. ©SpaceX ## **Launches This Week** ## *February 14th - Falcon 9 with USSF-124* Late on the 14th a Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying four Tranche 0 Tracking Layer missile warning satellites for the United States Space Force. The booster for this mission was B1078 making its seventh flight and landing at Landing Zone 2 back in Cape Canaveral. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for USSF-124. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GGV4DvcbsAAZVM_.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 for USSF-124\. ©SpaceX ## *February 15th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-26* A Soyuz 2.1a launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the Progress MS-26 spacecraft. The spacecraft is carrying 2,518 kilograms of cargo to the International Space Station for the crew onboard. ![Soyuz 2.1a lifting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for Progress MS-26. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/progress-lifts-off.png) Soyuz 2.1a lifting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for Progress MS-26\. ©NASA ## *February 15th - Falcon 9 with Nova-C IM-1* On the 15th another Falcon 9 lifted off, this time from Launch Complex 39A, carrying the Nova-C lunar lander for Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission. This was the first time since Apollo 17 that a spacecraft was launched bound for the Moon from Launch Complex 39A. The booster for this mission is B1060 making its eighteenth flight and landing back at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. ![Booster B1060 landing at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GGY7dobbEAAPk7V-1.jpg) Booster B1060 landing at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. ©SpaceX ## *February 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-14* A third Falcon 9 lifted off this week, this time from Space Launch Complex 4E in California carrying another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1082 making its second flight and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for Starlink Group 7-14. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GGaYeK4bYAAlUih.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E for Starlink Group 7-14\. ©SpaceX ## *February 17th - H3 for Test Flight 2* Japan's H3 rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center on the 17th of February for its second test flight mission. The rocket was carrying three payloads to a sun-synchronous orbit for this launch: VEP 4, CE-SAT-1E, and TIRSAT. ![H3 lifting off from Tanegashima Space Center. ©JAXA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GGhfTG5bwAADd8T-1.jpg) H3 lifting off from Tanegashima Space Center. ©JAXA ## *February 17th - GSLV Mk II for INSAT-3DS* India launched a GLSV Mk II rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Center on the 17th carrying the INSAT-3DS satellite to a geosynchronous transfer orbit. INSAT-3DS is a weather satellite built by the Indian Space Research Organisation and is expected to be operated by the Indian National Satellite System. ![GLSV Mk II on the launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Center for INSAT-3DS. ©ISRO](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GGcjFweasAAHMUd-1.jpg) GLSV Mk II on the launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Center for INSAT-3DS. ©ISRO ## **In Other Space News** ## *Nova-C is 'in excellent health' heading towards the Moon* ![A photo from Nova-C during the IM-1 mission as it heads towards the Moon. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/53535044819_9a8fcf61f2.png) A photo from Nova-C during the IM-1 mission as it heads towards the Moon. ©Intuitive Machines Intuitive Machines Nova-C lander is reportedly *'in excellent health'* as it heads towards the Moon to attempt its first landing. In a press release on the 15th, the company said the following: > "Following nominal launch vehicle separation, the spacecraft autonomously brought up all sensors and radios. Odysseus listened to the Inertial Measurement Unit to determine attitude rates and activated the Reaction Control System to nullify those attitude rates as designed. > Earlier today, Nova-C’s navigation system rejected star tracker data, but a patch has been sent to the spacecraft, and the star tracker updates have resumed nominal operations." The lander also performed the first-ever firing of a liquid methane and liquid oxygen engine in space! The firing was part of a trajectory correction burn to place the spacecraft on the correct trajectory as it travels out to the Moon. The lander is currently expected to touch down late on the 22nd of February. ## *Queqiao-2 moves closer to launch* ![A container containing components of the Long March 8 being loaded. ©China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/281261ea-1654-4d0a-abff-efd263145831.jpeg) A container containing components of the Long March 8 being loaded. ©China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology The Queqiao-2 spacecraft is moving closer to launch as components for the Long March 8 and support vessels are nearing the Wenchang Space Launch Site ahead of the launch on the 18th of March. As reported by the [Global Times](https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202402/1307096.shtml?ref=proximareport.com), the Long March 8 will be supported by the Yuanwang series transport and control ships for the first time with Zhang Junning, Deputy Director of the Long March-8 rocket project office, saying: > "The mission marks the first use of China's satellite maritime monitoring and control fleet, the Yuanwang series transport and control ships, by the Long March-8 rocket, as well as the rocket's first execution of the Earth-Moon transfer orbit mission. With a tight launch window, every moment is crucial to ensuring the successful completion of the mission" Queqiao-2 is a relay satellite to support the Chang'e-6, Chang'e-7, and Chang'e-8 missions. The satellite will utilize an elliptical 'frozen orbit' of 300 by 8600 kilometers around the Moon to allow consistent communications with spacecraft on the surface below. ## *Greece and Uruguay sign onto the Artemis Accords* ![Giorgos Gerapetritis, Greek foreign minister, signs the Artemis Accords (left), Uruguayan Ambassador to the United States Andrés Augusto Durán Hareau (right) after signing the Artemis Accords. ©NASA/U.S. State Department/Chuck Kennedy/Keegan Barber](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/image.psd-1.png) Giorgos Gerapetritis, Greek foreign minister, signs the Artemis Accords (left), Uruguayan Ambassador to the United States Andrés Augusto Durán Hareau (right) after signing the Artemis Accords. ©NASA/U.S. State Department/Chuck Kennedy/Keegan Barber Late last week on the 9th of February, Greece signed onto the United States led Artemis Accords. After the signing, NASA Administrator, Bill Nelson said: > “Congratulations to Greece on becoming the 35th country to join the Artemis Accords family,” – “The U.S. and Greece are long-time partners and friends, and we are excited to expand this partnership in the cosmos. Together, we are shaping the future of cooperation in space for the Artemis Generation.” The Foreign Minister of Greece, Giorgos Gerapetritis, also said: > “As humanity embarks on a great adventure, returning to the Moon and preparing for traveling beyond the Moon, the Artemis Accords serve as a beacon of collaboration and cooperation among nations, paving the way for a sustainable and peaceful exploration of space” Almost a week later on the 15th, Uruguay also signed onto the Artemis Accords with Omar Paganini, Foreign Minister of Uruguay said the following after the signing: > “We are honored to have the opportunity to introduce space cooperation as a new chapter in the robust bilateral agenda between Uruguay and the U.S.,” – “We are sure that this signing ceremony is not an end in itself, but the beginning of a new bilateral track based on knowledge-intensive activities and new opportunities for our people.” Bill Nelson also commented on Uruguay's signing saying: > “NASA welcomes Uruguay as the newest member of the Artemis Accords family,” – “The United States and Uruguay share a commitment to democracy and peace, and now, we expand these principles in the cosmos to commit to the safe and transparent exploration of space.” The Artemis Accords currently consists of the following countries: Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Uruguay. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX is believed to be confident about a February launch for Starship-Super Heavy, likely towards the end of the month, but it's believed the launch may now occur in March. It's believed Ship 28 and Super Heavy Booster 10 have completed almost all of their testing campaigns, both are expected to do a 'wet dress rehearsal' soon. Currently, SpaceX is still waiting on regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. ## *February 18th - Electron for 'On Closer Inspection'* Rocket Lab is expected to launch an Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B in the Māhia Peninsula, in New Zealand. The rocket is believed to be carrying the ADRAS-J on behalf of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. ## *February 20th - Falcon 9 with HTS-113BT* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying the HTS-113BT telecommunications satellites for PT Telkom Satelit Indonesia. ## *February 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-15* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch carrying yet another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The mission is believed to occur from Space Launch Complex 4E. ## *February 23rd - Long March 5 with a to-be-announced payload* A Long March 5 is expected to launch no earlier than 10:00 pm on the 23rd of February. The payload is currently unknown but the last time this configuration, the rocket with the larger fairing, was used it launched the [Yaogan 41](https://proximareport.com/what-were-the-two-secret-launches-from-china/) optical remote-sensing satellite. ## *February 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-39* Even more Starlink satellites are expected to launch next week atop of a Falcon 9\. This mission is believed to occur from Space Launch Complex 40. ### Japan's H3 rocket successfully returns to flight! URL: https://proximareport.com/h3-rocket-return-to-flight/ Last updated: 2026-06-12T15:14:00.000Z On the 17th of February, Japan's H3 rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center, in the south of Japan. The rocket was flying in its H3-22S configuration to a sun-synchronous orbit. A few hours after the launch the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency announced that the launch, payload separations, and its de-orbit maneuvers were a success! The H3 rocket was carrying three payloads for this launch: VEP 4, CE-SAT-1E, and TIRSAT. VEP 4, or Vehicle Evaluation Payload 4 is a 2,600-kilogram mass simulator and will be separated from the rocket after the second de-orbit burn to test the separating system. CE-SAT-1E is a Earth observation satellite weighing 70 kilograms from Canon Electronics, it is believed the satellite will have a resolution of one meter. TIRSAT is a 3U CubeSat from Japan Space Systems and will be used to test infrared sensors for Earth observation. ![VEP-4 (left), CE-SAT-1E render (center), and a model of TIRSAT (right).](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/h3payloads.png) VEP-4 (left), CE-SAT-1E render (center), and a model of TIRSAT (right). This was also the second test mission for the H3 rocket after it failed to light its second-stage engine during its debut flight on the 7th of March 2023, eleven months ago. ## What is the H3 rocket? The H3 rocket is a two-stage launch vehicle that Japan and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries hope to use to replace the H-II rockets. H3 has its components manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, IHI Corporation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and Toray. ![A render of the H3 rocket in the H3-22S configuration. ©JAXA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/H3-rocket-art-JAXA.jpg) A render of the H3 rocket in the H3-22S configuration. ©JAXA The first-stage is powered by either two or three LE-9 engines generating 150 tons of thrust each for up to six minutes and five seconds. The LE-9 engines burn liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The second-stage is powered by a single LE-5B-3 engine generating 14 tons of thrust for up to six minutes and twenty-eight seconds. The LE-5B-3 engine burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The first-stage can also have either two or four solid boosters attached when extra performance is necessary. The boosters generate 220 tons of thrust each and burn an unspecified solid propellant for one minute and forty-five seconds. ![The variants of the H3 rocket. ©JAXA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/H3-varaints-1.png) The variants of the H3 rocket. ©JAXA The H3 rocket is currently planned to fly in four configurations, pictured above, depending on the requirements of the mission and payload size. It is believed that H3 is targeting a price point of fifty million United States Dollars, matching the cost of SpaceX's Falcon 9, but is unclear for what variant. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries claims the H3 can deliver 4,000 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit or up to 7,900 kilograms to a geosynchronous transfer orbit, other payload capability numbers have not yet been stated. On the pad, H3 is 63 meters tall, with the larger fairing, and 5.27 meters in diameter, not including the added width of the solid rocket boosters. In the H3-24L configuration, the rocket weighs 574,000 kilograms, without a payload, fully fuelled. ### Intuitive Machines takes aim on the Moon! URL: https://proximareport.com/intuitive-machines-takes-aim-on-the-moon/ Last updated: 2024-02-15T16:21:44.000Z After a delay on the 14th of February, a Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 39A bound for the Moon, the first since Apollo 17! The Falcon 9 was carrying Intuitive Machine's Nova-C lander for the IM-1 mission. The launch took place at 06:05 am Coordinated Universal Time on the 15th of February from Cape Canaveral, in Florida. This launch was also the three-hundredth launch of a Falcon 9. ![B1060 landing at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GGY7dobbEAAPk7V.jpg) B1060 landing at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. ©SpaceX For the launch, SpaceX had to make modifications to Falcon 9's ground support equipment to be able to fuel the Nova-C lander with liquid methane and liquid oxygen, it is currently unknown how much the modifications cost Intuitive Machines to add the capability to the rocket. SpaceX was previously unable to load these fuels inside of Falcon 9's fairing but this modification allows for more complex spacecraft to be launched on the extremely reliable rocket, such as Impusle Space's Helios kick-stage. The booster for this mission is B1060, which flew for the first time on the 30th of June 2020, making its eighteenth flight and landed back at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. B1060 has previously flown the following missions: *GPS III SV03, Starlink V1.0 L11, Starlink V1.0 L14, Türksat-5A, Starlink V1.0 L18, Starlink V1.0 L22, Starlink V1.0 L24, Transporter-2, Starlink Group 4-3, Starlink Group 4-6, Starlink Group 4-9, Starlink Group 4-14, Starlink Group 4-19, Galaxy 33 & 34, Transporter-6, Starlink Group 5-15, Starlink Group 6-18.* ![Falcon 9 at Launch Pad 39A for the Nova-C IM-1 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GGKficLbQAAhCUX-1.jpg) Falcon 9 at Launch Pad 39A for the Nova-C IM-1 mission. ©SpaceX Nova-C is Intuitive Machines lunar lander capable of delivering 130 kilograms of payload to the lunar surface. The lander weighs approximately 1,900 kilograms fully fuelled after separation from its launch vehicle, which places it on a trajectory towards the Moon. The lander is powered by a single engine burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen to generate 0.31 tons of thrust. The lander also features five solar panels to generate electrical power for its onboard systems, four are located on the sides with one on top. The Nova-C lander for the IM-1 mission is also called Odysseus. The lander is expected to land on the lunar surface no earlier than the 22nd of February 2024 in the Malapert A crater, located at 80.4 degrees South and 3.4 degrees West, near the south pole of the Moon. ![A render of the Nova-C IM-1 lander on the lunar surface. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/52342438613_44714f0b08-1.png) A render of the Nova-C IM-1 lander on the lunar surface. ©Intuitive Machines Prior to the launch on February 6th Steve Altemus, Intuitive Machines Chief Executive Officer and President, said the following: > “As we prepare to embark on our IM-1 mission to the Moon, we carry with us the collective spirit of perseverance, fueled by the dedication and hard work of everyone on our team,” – “Their tireless efforts have brought us to this moment, where we stand on the precipice of history, humbled by the gravity of our mission, yet emboldened by the boundless possibilities that lie ahead.“ The Nova-C IM-1 mission is also the second mission of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, the first was Astrobotic's Peregrine, and is carrying six payloads for the agency. ## What are the NASA payloads? *Disclaimer: Payload descriptions come from NASA, Intuitive Machines, and the various companies.* ### ROLSES ![A render of the ROLSES instrument. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/ROLSES-Render.png) A render of the ROLSES instrument. ©Intuitive Machines ROLSES, or Radio Observations of the Lunar Surface Photoelectron Sheath, will use a low-frequency radio receiver system to measure the electron plasma environment on the lunar surface acquire observations of solar and planetary radio sources from the lunar surface, sense near-surface charged dust, and provide a first-ever measurement of the radio environment between 10 kHz and 30 MHz at the lander. Since the Moon does not have a global magnetic field to protect it, charged particles can make it to the lunar surface and create a plasma environment on the lunar surface that will levitate fine dust particles. The plasma environment measurements will provide critical information for Artemis astronauts, and the design of rovers, space suits, and other exploration systems. ROLSES measurements of radio emissions from the Sun, planets, the galaxy, and even how radio-noisy the Earth is will also provide a much-needed baseline for future sensitive lunar radio astronomy systems. ### LRA ![A render of the LRA instrument. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/LRA-Render.png) A render of the LRA instrument. ©Intuitive Machines LRA, or Laser Retro-Reflector Array, is a collection of eight approximately half-inch retro-reflectors, a unique collection of mirrors that is used for measuring distance, mounted to the lander. The mirror system reflects laser light directly backward to the orbiting spacecraft that emits the laser light to precisely determine the lander’s location on the surface of the Moon. LRAs are valuable because they can continue to be used as precision landmarks for guidance and navigation during the lunar day or night. ### NDL ![A render of the NDL instrument. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/NDL-Render.png) A render of the NDL instrument. ©Intuitive Machines NDL, or Navigation Doppler Lidar for Precise Velocity and Range Sensing, is a LIDAR-based, Light Detection and Ranging, sensor composed of an optical head with three small telescopes and a box with electronics and photonics. NDL uses lasers to provide precise velocity and range sensing during the descent and landing of the lander. This instrument operates on the same principles of radar but uses pulses of light from a laser instead of radio waves and with very high accuracy. ### SCALPSS ![A render of the SCALPSS instrument. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/SCALPSS-Render.png) A render of the SCALPSS instrument. ©Intuitive Machines SCALPSS, or Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies, will capture images of the effects of the lander’s engine plume as it interacts with the lunar surface while the lander is descending, and as the dust plume settles after the spacecraft lands. This information is critical for validating predictive models on how particles on the lunar surface are moved by rocket engine exhaust and allows scientists to analyze the close-up imagery of the surface of the Moon. Data from SCALPSS can be used for future Artemis vehicle designs to ensure the safety of both the landers and any other surface assets nearby during landing. ### LN-1 ![A render of the LN-1 Instrument. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/LN-1-Render.png) A render of the LN-1 Instrument. ©Intuitive Machines LN-1, or Lunar Node 1 Navigation Demonstrator, is a small CubeSat-sized S-band radio navigation beacon that will demonstrate autonomous spacecraft positioning to support future lander, surface, and orbital operations. Radio beacons like LN-1 can guide incoming and outgoing spacecraft and landers with precision and reduce fuel consumption. This experiment will leverage NASA’s Deep Space Network for one-way ranging and Doppler tracking to provide real-time position information, like how GPS works on Earth. ### RFMG ![A render of the RFMG instrument. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/RFMG-Render.png) A render of the RFMG instrument. ©Intuitive Machines RFMG, or Radio Frequency Mass Gauge statement, technology uses radio waves and antennae in Nova-C’s tank to measure exactly how much propellant is available. RFMG could be crucial during future long-duration missions that will rely on spacecraft fueled by cryogenic propellants, like liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, or liquid methane. These propellants are highly efficient but are tricky to store as they can evaporate quickly, even at low temperatures. Being able to accurately measure spacecraft fuel levels will help scientists maximize resources as NASA moves toward its goal of returning humans to the Moon through Artemis. ## What are the commercial payloads? ### Omni-Heat Infinity for Columbia Sportswear ![A render of one of the panels of Nova-C with Columbia's Omni-Heat Infinity. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/Columbia-Render.png) A render of one of the panels of Nova-C with Columbia's Omni-Heat Infinity. ©Intuitive Machines In partnership with Intuitive Machines, Columbia is testing the limits of its innovations by sending Omni-Heat Infinity to the Moon. Originally inspired by the space blankets on the Apollo missions, the same Omni-Heat Infinity technology found in jackets on Earth will help protect the Nova-C lunar lander from the extreme temperatures of outer space. Intuitive Machines and Columbia tested the thermal reflective material to aerospace industry standards. Thermal modeling revealed that Omni-Heat Infinity provides a benefit for heat reflection when used as a panel covering, and that is where the technology will be used on Nova-C. Intuitive Machines engineers incorporated Columbia’s Omni-Heat Infinity thermal reflective technology onto one of Nova-C’s closeout panels to protect Nova-C’s cryogenic propulsion tank. ### Embry-Riddle EagleCam ![A render of the EagleCam by Embry-Riddle. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/EagleCam-Render.png) A render of the EagleCam by Embry-Riddle. ©Intuitive Machines Intuitive Machines co-founder, Steve Altemus, challenged his alma mater to engineer an out-of-this-world selfie when he visited the university in 2019\. Students and faculty accepted Altemus’ challenge and created EagleCam, a camera system to capture the world’s first-ever third-person picture of a spacecraft making an extraterrestrial landing. Additionally, the device will test an electrostatic dust-removal system, which could lead to future advances in spacesuit technology. EagleCam was created in the university’s Space Technologies Laboratory. Eaglecam is designed to deploy off of Nova-C approximately 100ft, or 30m, above the lunar surface and capture images as the spacecraft touches down on the Moon. ### Moon Phases by Jeff Koons ![A render of the Moon Phases artwork by Jeff Koons. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/MoonPhasesArt-Render.png) A render of the Moon Phases artwork by Jeff Koons. ©Intuitive Machines As a symbol of human curiosity and the desire to achieve, Jeff Koons: Moon Phases comprises 125 unique artworks, each consisting of 3 components: a sculpture that will be installed on the Moon, a sculpture that will stay on the Earth, and a 'Non-fungible token' that corresponds with the sculptures on the Moon and the Earth. The 125 miniature stainless steel Moon Phase sculptures will be displayed on the Moon in a cube, which was designed and built by 4Space in consultation with Koons. The Moon Phase artworks are associated with individuals who made important accomplishments in human history. The list of names is universal, from various cultures throughout the world, fields, and time periods. Displayed in front of each artwork, the names memorialize the figures. ### ILO-X for the International Lunar Observatory Association ![A render of ILO-X instrument by International Lunar Observatory Association. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/ILO-X-Render.png) A render of ILO-X instrument by International Lunar Observatory Association. ©Intuitive Machines ILO-X is a precursor to the International Lunar Observatory Association Hawai’i flagship Moon South Pole Observatory ILO-1\. The \~0.6 kg ILO-X instruments, built for International Lunar Observatory Association by Toronto-based Canadensys Aerospace, includes a miniaturized dual-camera lunar imaging suite, one wide field, and one narrow field. It will aim to capture some of the first images of the Milky Way Galaxy Center from the surface of the Moon, as well as perform other celestial astronomy and local lunar environment observations and exploration technology validations, including functionality and survivability in the lunar environment. ### Lunaprise for Galactic Legacy Labs ![A render of the Lunaprise payload. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/LUNAPRISE-Render.png) A render of the Lunaprise payload. ©Intuitive Machines Galactic Legacy Labs aims to establish a secure lunar repository called the Lunaprise in support of Arch Missions Foundation’s billion-year archive, preserving human knowledge for eternity. These messages are called Lunagrams and can be submitted online as text, an image, or both. Music and video files are also accepted. An archive from the nonprofit Arch Mission Foundation, including the English Wikipedia, The Rosetta Project, Long Now Foundation content, Project Gutenberg content, and other cultural archive datasets are also included in the payload. ### Lonestar Data Holdings Lonestar Data Holdings’ payload is working to send increasingly capable data centers to the Moon to meet the needs of its customers for secure data storage and edge processing. Lonestar Data Holdings’ Independence payload represents a key technology demonstration of the company’s Disaster Recovery as a Service utilizing the unique operational properties offered from the Moon. Working with Intuitive Machines, Lonestar Data Holdings is storing digital data on board the Nova-C lander for its customers and transmitting the first documents off the planet for data storage to the Moon while in turn transmitting the first documents back from the Moon. ## What is Intuitive Machines? Intuitive Machines is an American company headquartered in Houston, Texas. The company was founded in 2013 by Stephen Altemus, Kam Ghaffarian, and Dr. Tim Crain. The company currently has three lunar landing missions planned as part of its lunar program, which will provide lunar surface access, lunar orbit delivery, and communications at lunar distance. ![The logo of Intuitive Machines.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/51954767338_fa65b3d449.png) The logo of Intuitive Machines. ### New Glenn: Just a bigger Falcon 9? URL: https://proximareport.com/new-glenn-just-a-bigger-falcon-9/ Last updated: 2024-02-12T21:27:30.000Z *Disclaimer: This article contains the opinion of the writer and not Cosmic Nxws as a whole.* SpaceX has continually proven to be an immovable industry leader with its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles, which has been landing for over seven years. However, Blue Origin, which is backed by Jeff Bezos, is hoping to disrupt SpaceX's dominance with its upcoming New Glenn launch vehicle. At a glance, New Glenn looks like a larger Falcon 9 with a bigger payload capacity. But looking into New Glenn the two launch vehicles have several differences. So how similar are Falcon 9 and New Glenn? And can Blue Origin compete? ### So what is New Glenn? New Glenn is Blue Origin's in-development partially reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle. The rocket is expected to be manufactured almost entirely by the company. New Glenn is expected to launch from Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, located in Florida. Blue Origin claims that New Glenn will be able to send up to 45,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit when reused. It is also claimed that it plans to send 13,600 kilograms to a geosynchronous transfer orbit when reused. Blue Origin has not yet released any expendable payload capacity figures at the time of writing. ![A render of New Glenn during first-stage flight. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/blueorigin_newglenn_ascent_web-1.jpg) A render of New Glenn during first-stage flight. ©Blue Origin The first-stage is planned to be powered by seven BE-4 engines burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen to generate 1,746 tons of thrust for a currently undisclosed amount of time. The second-stage is planned to be powered by two BE-3U engines burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to generate 145 tons of thrust, also for an undisclosed amount of time. ![A render of New Glenn with its landing legs deployed. ©Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/BlueOrigin_NewGlenn_FullLaunchSystemLegsOut-1.png) A render of New Glenn with its landing legs deployed. ©Blue Origin For recovery, New Glenn plans to use four fins located near the top of the booster, to control the boosters' descent when unpowered, and six landing legs that are stowed at the bottom of the booster during flight. It is currently believed that Blue Origin only plans to land the first-stage booster downrange on a drone ship. On the launch pad the rocket is 98 meters tall and 7 meters in diameter, Blue Origin has not yet said how much the launch vehicle weighs fully fuelled. ### And what is Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy? Falcon 9 is currently the world's only operational partially reusable medium-lift launch vehicle. The rocket is manufactured and operated by American aerospace company SpaceX. Falcon 9 currently launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, and Cape Canaveral, in Florida. SpaceX claims that Falcon 9 can send up to 22,800 kilograms into low Earth orbit when expended or 18,400 kilograms when reused. Similarly, it can send up to 8,300 kilograms into geosynchronous transfer orbit when expended or 5,500 kilograms when reused. ![Falcon 9 lifting off for the NROL-108 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/50740257323_e3e49fa2c6-1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off for the NROL-108 mission. ©SpaceX The first-stage is powered by nine Merlin 1D engines burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 771 tons of thrust for up to two-minutes and forty-two seconds of burn time. The second-stage is powered by a single Merlin 1D vacuum engine burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 95 tons of thrust for up to six minutes and thirty-seven seconds of burn time. For recovery, Falcon 9 has four grid fins and four landing legs on the first-stage. The first stage either lands vertically on a drone ship or on a landing pad back at its launch site, landing back at the launch site causes a reduction it payload capacity. On the pad, the rocket is 70 meters tall with the first and second stages 3.7 meters in diameter, the fairing is 5.2 meters in diameter and tapers out from the top of the second-stage. Fully fuelled Falcon 9 weighs approximately 549,000 kilograms. SpaceX also flies a larger rocket for missions that require it, called Falcon Heavy. SpaceX claims that Falcon Heavy can send up to 63,800 kilograms to low Earth orbit and 26,700 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit when fully expended, or 8,000 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit when all three cores are reused. ![Falcon Heavy lifting off for the Arabsat-6A mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/40628442293_9643eaf670-1.jpg) Falcon Heavy lifting off for the Arabsat-6A mission. ©SpaceX The boosters are powered by nine Merlin 1D engines each burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 771 each, 1542 tons of thrust combined, for up to two-minutes and thirty-four seconds of burn time. The first-stage and second-stage are the same as the Falcon 9, however the core can burn for up to three-minutes and seven seconds of burn time. For recovery, each booster, and sometimes the first stage, has four grid fins and four landing legs. The boosters either land vertically on a drone ship or on a landing pad back at its launch site, landing back at the launch site causes a reduction it payload capacity. On the pad, the rocket is 70 meters tall with the first and second stages 3.7 meters in diameter as well as the boosters, with the booster attached the rocket has a width of 12.2 meters. The fairing is 5.2 meters in diameter and tapers out from the top of the second-stage. Fully fuelled Falcon Heavy weighs approximately 1,420,000 kilograms. ### How do they compare? Initially, both vehicles seem similar, both plan to be partially reusable and support both companies' visions of humans living and working in space. Both seek to propulsively land using their engines on their first-stage requiring the capability to relight the engine in flight. SpaceX has Falcon 9 land back near its launch site or on a drone ship at sea, landing at sea needs the Merlin 1D to relight twice after launch with launch site landings needing three. During unpowered flight Falcon 9 deploys four grid fins to control the first-stage booster. Blue Origin currently, at the time of writing, only plans to land its booster downrange at sea requiring the BE-4 engine to relight at least once, a second relight may be required depending on the first-stage booster re-entry profile. For unpowered flight, New Glenn will use four fins to help guide the first-stage booster to its landing site. ![SpaceX's Merlin-1D engine (left) and Blue Origin's BE-4 engine (right) ©SpaceX/Blue Origin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/Merlin1D-BE4.png) SpaceX's Merlin-1D engine (left) and Blue Origin's BE-4 engine (right) ©SpaceX/Blue Origin Due to New Glenn's size, the second-stage is able to support a larger payload capacity to 'high-energy' orbits. The second-stage of New Glenn burns liquid hydrogen, compared to Falcon 9's rocket-grade kerosene. That allows New Glenn to deliver 13,600 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit compared to Falcon 9's 8,300 kilograms when expended. New Glenn also has the benefit of using two BE-3U engines allowing for a greater throttle range, which increases orbital accuracy, whereas Falcon 9 only has one Merlin-1D Vacuum engine which shortens its in-space burns due to its high thrust. ![Blue Origin's BE-3U engine (left) and SpaceX's Merlin-1D Vacuum engine (right) ©Blue Origin/SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/BE3U-MVac.png) Blue Origin's BE-3U engine (left) and SpaceX's Merlin-1D Vacuum engine (right) ©Blue Origin/SpaceX Also due to New Glenn's size, the rocket competes with SpaceX's Falcon Heavy launch vehicle, which is currently the most capable commercial launch vehicle in operation. New Glenn falls under Falcon Heavy's payload capability to both low Earth orbit and geosynchronous transfer orbit but has the benefit of being a simpler vehicle. Falcon Heavy consists of three boosters, with nine engines each, and a second-stage whereas New Glenn consists of one booster and a second-stage. ![SpaceX's Falcon 9 (left) and Falcon Heavy (center) with Blue Origin's New Glenn (right). ©Wikimedia Commons/Avialuh/XYZtSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/F9_and_Heavy_visu-1--1.png) SpaceX's Falcon 9 (left) and Falcon Heavy (center) with Blue Origin's New Glenn (right). ©Wikimedia Commons/[Avialuh](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:F9%5Fand%5FHeavy%5Fvisu.png?ref=proximareport.com)/[XYZtSpace](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:New%5FGlenn.svg?ref=proximareport.com) New Glenn currently does not have a public cost per launch but has bid the rocket on contracts for as low as twenty million dollars and has been awarded at least twelve launches for Amazon's Kuiper constellation, the rocket will also help build the Orbital Reef space station. SpaceX has its Falcon 9 rocket cost between sixty and eighty million dollars and Falcon Heavy costs between ninety and one-hundred and fifty million dollars, both costs are determined by booster landing location and reuse. ### Why does New Glenn exist? Blue Origin is seeking to have people living and working in space along with moving 'heavy industry' off of Earth. To support that goal the company is developing New Glenn as a carrier rocket for large payloads, such as their lunar lander as part of the Artemis program. By developing a vehicle as capable as New Glenn Blue Origin hopes to create a system capable of supporting the start of their long term goal. ### Conclusion on New Glenn It could be argued that New Glenn is a bigger Falcon 9 however I believe there are enough differences between the two launch vehicles for that not to be the case. Blue Origin has been flight-testing parts of the rocket since 2015 so is likely to make significant progress on its first flight before it ends or completely succeeds. New Glenn is likely currently slated to debut in the second half of 2024, it is unknown if this launch will also have a landing attempt. ## Who are the companies? This section of the article is here to provide some additional insight on SpaceX and Blue Origin for people who may not know much about the two companies. ### Who is Blue Origin? Blue Origin is an American aerospace company founded in September of 2000 and headquartered in Kent, Washington, in the United States. The company currently operates the New Shepard sub-orbital reusable launch vehicle and is developing the heavy-lift partially reusable orbital launch vehicle called New Glenn. Blue Origin was founded, and is still owned, by Jeff Bezos with the following long-term vision: > "Blue Origin was founded with a vision of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. Blue Origin envisions a time when people can tap into the limitless resources of space and enable the movement of damaging industries into space to preserve Earth, humanity’s blue origin." ![One of the logos of Blue Origin.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/logo-blue-origin-png-blue-origin-logo-985-1.png) One of the logos of Blue Origin. ### Who is SpaceX? SpaceX is an American commercial launch provider founded on the 14th of March 2002 and is headquartered in Hawthorne, in California. The company currently operates its partially reusable Falcon 9 liquid-fuelled rocket. SpaceX is also working on its fully reusable Starship-Superheavy launch vehicle. The company has the long-term vision of making humanity multi-planetary, notably developing a self-sustaining city on Mars. ![The logo of SpaceX.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/SpaceX_logo_black.svg.png) The logo of SpaceX. ### Weekly Dose of Space (4/2-10/2) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-4-2-10-2/ Last updated: 2024-02-11T19:57:12.000Z Welcome to Weekly Dose of Space and happy Lunar New Year! This week saw three launches to orbit and an abundance of human spaceflight events, SpaceX also hasn't slowed down for its next Starship-Super Heavy flight. We'll also look ahead to the busy launch schedule worldwide you can expect next week. ## **SpaceX** SpaceX as always has continued work towards the third flight of its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle as well as assembling hardware for flights after that. At the start of the week Booster 13 was brought to full height, minus its hot-staging ring, and a test of the booster's quick disconnect arm's hood was spotted. On the 6th, Ship 28 was seen having work done to its tiles towards the top of the vehicle. A few days later, on the 8th, a series of tests happened at the orbital launch mount which were likely purge tests of its quick disconnect systems. Also on the 8th Booster 10 finally headed back to the launch site, being transported on one of the self-propelled modular transporters. ![Booster 10 leaving during its move to the launch site. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GGAD6hjbQAA7e6P.jpg) Booster 10 leaving during its move to the launch site. ©SpaceX In the early hours of the 9th, Booster 10 was lifted onto the orbital launch mount. Ship 28 was also spotted being prepared for its return to the launch site not long after Booster 10's lift. In early on the 10th, Ship 28 was moved next to the launch tower and as of writing is waiting to be lifted atop of Booster 10. ![Ship 28 heading towards the launch site. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GGAD7sbbAAAgaxj-1.jpg) Ship 28 heading towards the launch site. ©SpaceX ## **Launches This Week** ## *February 8th - Falcon 9 with PACE* Starting the week on the 8th of February, a SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying NASA's PACE spacecraft to a sun-synchronous orbit. The booster for this mission was B1081 making its fourth flight and landed back at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. PACE, or Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem mission, is a NASA mission to advance information for assessing the condition of the ocean and atmosphere. You can read more about PACE [here](https://proximareport.com/pace-spacex/). ![B1081 landing at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GF1QWjXbcAEWEaZ.jpg) B1081 landing at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. ©SpaceX ## *February 9th - Soyuz 2.1v with Kosmos 2575* A Soyuz 2.1v lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying the Kosmos 2575 satellite to a sun-synchronous orbit. Not much is known about the satellite other than it is believed to be for military purposes. ![A Soyuz 2.1v lifting off in late December of 2023. Via RussianSpaceWeb](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/milsat_2024_0209_launch_1.jpg) A Soyuz 2.1v lifting off in late December of 2023\. Via [RussianSpaceWeb](https://www.russianspaceweb.com/spacecraft-military-soyuz2-1v-2024-0209.html?ref=proximareport.com) ## *February 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-13* SpaceX launched twenty-two more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of its Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for the mission was B1071 making its fourteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You". ![Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 7-13 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GF8NuAKbsAA5VAp-1.jpg) Falcon 9 during first-stage flight for the Starlink Group 7-13 mission. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ## *Axiom 3 crew returns from space* ![The crew of Axiom-3 inside the International Space Station (from left to right): Marcus Wandt, Michael López-Alegría, Alper Gezeravcı, and Walter Villadei. ©Axiom Space ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/ax03e007087.jpg) The crew of Axiom-3 inside the International Space Station (from left to right): Marcus Wandt, Michael López-Alegría, Alper Gezeravcı, and Walter Villadei. ©Axiom Space The Axiom-3 crew left the International Space Station on Wednesday the 7th of February and splashed down off the coast of Florida aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on Friday the 9th of February. The crew spent approximately eighteen days aboard the International Space Station performing a believed thirty science experiments and fifty outreach activities. Axiom Space's Chief Executive Officer, Michael Suffredini, commented on the mission saying: > “The successful return of our Ax-3 astronauts signifies more than just the completion of a human spaceflight mission; it marks a pivotal moment in commercial space exploration and significant milestone for Europe’s pursuits in low-Earth orbit,” – “Axiom Space’s first three commercial missions to the ISS are a testament to international advancement in space, with diverse crews representing eight nations, as well as — for the first time on Ax-3 — the European Space Agency. The success of these missions is an important step along our journey toward Axiom Station, underscoring our continuous efforts to expand access to low-Earth orbit.” ## *Shenzhou 17 crew celebrates Lunar New Year from space!* ![The Shenzhou 17 crew aboard the Tiangong Space Station (from left to right): Jiang Xinlin, Tang Hongbo, and Tang Shengjie. ©CMSA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GF5i_54b0AAp6gE.jpg) The Shenzhou 17 crew aboard the Tiangong Space Station (from left to right): Jiang Xinlin, Tang Hongbo, and Tang Shengjie. ©CMSA The Shenzhou 17 have begun celebrating the Lunar New Year aboard China's Tiangong Space Station. This year the celebrations are happening from the 2nd of February to the 24th, with the largest celebrations happening on the 10th. 2024 is the Year of the Loong, called Dragon in the Western world. The Tianzhou 7 spacecraft, which docked to the station in mid-January, delivered decorations and gifts to the crew onboard for the Lunar New Year, as well as supplies needed to stay on the station. The three crew also commented on the occasion saying: > "We have a full and happy Chinese Lunar New Year in space" - Tang Hongbo. > "It is a precious life experience for me to spend the Lunar New Year in space for the first time." - Tang Shengjie. > Jiang Xinlin the country, China, "vigorous and prosperous," and "good luck and good health" of all ethnic groups. The Shenzhou 17 is expected to return to Earth in May after Shenzhou 18 arrives. The crew of the mission are Commander Tang Hongbo, Operator Tang Shengjie, and System Operator Jiang Xinlin. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX stillremains confident about a February launch for Starship-Super Heavy, likely towards the end of the month. It's believed Ship 28 and Super Heavy Booster 10 have completed almost all of their testing campaigns. Currently, SpaceX is still waiting on regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. ## *February 14th - Falcon 9 with Nova-C IM-1* SpaceX is expected to launch Intuitive Machines' first lunar landing mission atop of its Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A. The lander will be delivered to a trans-lunar trajectory and the booster for the mission is believed to be landing back at Landing Zone 1. The Nova-C IM-1 mission is the second mission of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, the first was Astrobotic's Peregrine, and is carrying six payloads for the agency. ## *February 14th - Falcon 9 with USSF-124* SpaceX is also expected to launch the USSF-124 mission a few hours later to deliver two satellites to low Earth orbit. The satellites are believed to be for the 'Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor' mission. One satellites is built by Northrop Grumman with the other being built by L3Harris. ## *February15th - H3 with VEP-4, CE-SAT-1E, and TIRSAT* Japan's H3 rocket is expected to make its second test flight from the Tanegashima Space Center. The rocket is expected to be carrying three satellites, VEP-4, CE-SAT-1E, and TIRSAT, to a sun-synchronous orbit. ## *February15th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-26* A Soyuz 2.1a is expected to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the MS-26 spacecraft to low Earth orbit where it will attempt to rendezvous and dock with the International Space Station. ## *February 17th - GSLV Mk II with INSAT-3DS* India is expected to launch the INSAT-3DS satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit atop of its GSLV Mk II rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Center. The satellite is believed to be a weather satellite built by the Indian Space Research Organisation. ### Axiom-3 crew returns to Earth! URL: https://proximareport.com/axiom-3-crew-returns-to-earth/ Last updated: 2024-02-09T17:54:44.000Z Axiom Space's third commercial mission to the International Space Station has returned to Earth on the 9th of February. The mission launched back on the 18th of January from Launch Complex 39A, at Cape Canaveral in Florida, with SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Crew Dragon spacecraft with the crew inside. The crew spent approximately eighteen days aboard the International Space Station performing various experiments, which Axiom Space lists [here](https://www.axiomspace.com/missions/ax3/research?ref=cosmicnxws.com). ![The Axiom-3 crew inside the Cupola on the International Space Station. ©Axiom Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/ax03e007028_AxEdit.jpg) The Axiom-3 crew inside the Cupola on the International Space Station. ©Axiom Space Axiom-3 was also the first all-European commercial astronaut mission to the International Space Station, as well as the first time an astronaut from Türkiye has been to space. ### Who was onboard Axiom-3? ![The Axiom-3 crew in their spacesuits (from left to right); Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei, Alper Gezeravcı, and Marcus Wandt. ©Axiom Space ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/SpaceX-Michael-Lopez-Alegria-Ax-3-Commander.png) The Axiom-3 crew in their spacesuits (from left to right); Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei, Alper Gezeravcı, and Marcus Wandt. ©Axiom Space **Michael López-Alegría**, from the United States, was the Commander of the Axiom-3 mission for his sixth trip to space. He has previously flown on the following missions: STS-73, STS-92, and STS- 113, and Soyuz TMA-9. **Walter Villadei**, from Italy, was the Pilot of the Axiom-3 mission for his second trip to space. He has previously flown to space on the Galactic 01 mission with Virgin Galactic. **Alper Gezeravcı**, from Türkiye, was one of the Mission Specialists of the Axiom-3 mission for his first trip to space. He is also currently serving as a fighter pilot with the Turkish Air Force having flown the following aircraft: T-41, SF-260, T-37, T-38, F-5, KC-135, and F-16. **Marcus Wandt**, from Sweden, was the second Mission Specialist of the Axiom-3 mission also for his first trip to space. He has been an astronaut with the European Space Agency since November of 2022. ## What is Crew Dragon? ![Crew Dragon approaching the International Space Station on the 5th of April 2021. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/51117111494_fd969d7ae9-1.jpg) Crew Dragon approaching the International Space Station on the 5th of April 2021\. ©NASA Crew Dragon, or Dragon 2, is a partially reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX. The primary use for Crew Dragon is to send crew to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX has also flown a free flight of the spacecraft for the Inspiration4 mission and is planning another called Polaris Dawn in the summer of 2024. Crew Dragon consists of the capsule and trunk. The trunk is used to store unpressurized cargo as well as have solar panels mounted on one side, to generate power, and radiators on the other, to dissipate heat generated inside. The trunk is not reused and burns up in the atmosphere after each mission. The capsule is where the crew will be during launch, landing, and while on their way to the International Space Station. Unlike the original Dragon capsule, the Crew Dragon capsule has a launch abort system consisting of eight SuperDraco engines. The capsule also has a nosecone that will fold out of the way in space to protect the docking hardware and forward-facing thrusters during launch and landing. ### SpaceX sends PACE to Space URL: https://proximareport.com/pace-spacex/ Last updated: 2024-02-08T18:07:07.000Z Early on the morning of the 8th of February, a SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral, located in Florida. The rocket was carrying NASA's PACE spacecraft to a sun-synchronous orbit where it will perform its study of the Earth's health below. The booster that supported this mission, and landed back at Landing Zone 1, was B1081 making its fourth flight. SpaceX was able to land the booster back in Cape Canaveral due to PACE only weighing 1,694 kilograms, leaving enough propellant margin for a 'return to launch site' launch profile. ![PACE Observatory at Astrotech prior to encapsulation in its payload fairing. ©NASA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GSFC_20231120_PACE_033769_2000w.jpg) PACE Observatory at Astrotech prior to encapsulation in its payload fairing. ©NASA PACE, or Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem mission, is a NASA mission to advance information for assessing the condition of the ocean and atmosphere. PACE will orbit the Earth in a sun-synchronous orbit and gather data using two instruments. These Instruments are the Ocean Color Instrument and the Multi-angle Polarimeters. The **Ocean Color Instrument** is believed to be a spectrometer used to measure the intensity of light over portions of the electromagnetic spectrum: ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared, and several shortwave infrared bands. The Ocean Color Instrument will enable continuous measurement of light at finer wavelength resolution than previous NASA ocean color sensors, providing detailed information on our global ocean. The color of the ocean is determined by the interaction of sunlight with substances or particles present in seawater such as chlorophyll, a green photosynthetic pigment found in phytoplankton and land plants. The **Multi-angle Polarimeters** are believed to be comprised of radiometers used to measure how the oscillation of sunlight within a geometric plane, known as its polarization, is changed by passing through clouds, aerosols, and the ocean. Measuring polarization states of ultraviolet-to-shortwave light at various angles provides detailed information on the atmosphere and ocean, such as particle size and composition. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/PACE_Spacecraft.jpeg) A render of PACE deployed in space. ©NASA ## What is Falcon 9? Falcon 9 is currently the world's only operational partially reusable medium-lift launch vehicle. The rocket is manufactured and operated by American aerospace company SpaceX. Falcon 9 currently launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California, and Cape Canaveral, in Florida. SpaceX claims that Falcon 9 can send up to 22,800 kilograms into low Earth orbit when expended or 18,400 kilograms when reused. Similarly, it can send up to 8,300 kilograms into geosynchronous transfer orbit when expended or 5,500 kilograms when reused. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 in California in March 2023. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/52761312254_bc8a1caed1.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 in California in March 2023\. ©SpaceX For recovery, Falcon 9 has four grid fins and four landing legs on the first-stage. The first stage either lands vertically on a drone ship or on a landing pad back at its launch site, landing back at the launch site causes a reduction it payload capacity. The first-stage is powered by nine Merlin 1D engines burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 771 tons of thrust for up to two-minutes and forty-two seconds of burn time. The second-stage is powered by a single Merlin 1D vacuum engine burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 95 tons of thrust for up to six minutes and thirty-seven seconds of burn time. On the pad, the rocket is 70 meters tall with the first and second stages 3.7 meters in diameter, the fairing is 5.2 meters in diameter and tapers out from the top of the second-stage. Fully fuelled Falcon 9 weighs approximately 549,000 kilograms. ### Weekly Dose of Space (28/1-3/2) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-28-1-3-2/ Last updated: 2024-02-06T14:56:46.000Z Welcome to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw seven launches worldwide, preparations for another lunar mission, and the continuation of a 'secretive' mission in low Earth orbit. We'll also look ahead to the next week of launches worldwide. ## **SpaceX** SpaceX has continued to make progress toward the third integrated flight test of its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle over the past week, with Ship 28 being moved onto a work stand at the Rocket Garden on the 28th. The same day Ship 26 was moved off of its workstand, also at the Rocket Garden. The next day on the 29th, the launch towers 'chopsticks' were seen moving, likely as part of a test. A little after that, both quick disconnect arms were seen performing a simultaneous test. A day later, the 'Mega Bay' door was seen beginning to lower for the first time, preventing most views of the inside. The 31st had a Sea-level Raptor engine being spotted after removal from Ship 28, the reason for the removal is unknown outside of SpaceX. On the 2nd of February, teams were seen on the Orbital Launch Mount working on the booster quick disconnect arm. The 2nd also saw a Raptor Vacuum engine being removed from Ship 28. ## **Launches This Week** ## *January 28th - Simorgh with Mahda, Keyhan-2, and Hatef-1* Iran launched three satellites to low Earth orbit from the Imam Khomeini Spaceport. The three satellites were Mahda, a small test satellite, Keyhan-2, an attitude control systems test satellite, and Hatef-1, an internet communications test satellite. ## *January 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-38* Twenty-three more Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. The booster for this mission B1062 making its eighteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship "A Shortfall OF Gravitas". ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GE_fnDrbUAA2ewB.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Launch Complex 39A. ©SpaceX ## *January 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-12* SpaceX launched another twenty-two to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster for this mission was B1075 making its ninth flight and landed on the drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GE_fnEUbUAAHlrV.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E. ©SpaceX ## *January 30th - Falcon 9 with NG-20* SpaceX launched the NG-20 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida, the first time SpaceX has launched a Cygnus resupply spacecraft. This is Northrop Grumman's nineteenth resupply mission to the International Space Station. The Cygnus spacecraft for this mission is S.S. Patricia “Patty” Hilliard Robertson and the booster was B1077 making its tenth flight and landed at Landing Zone 1 back at Cape Canaveral. ![Falcon 9 booster B1077 landing at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GFIqK2bbAAAtHjY.jpg) Falcon 9 booster B1077 landing at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral. ©SpaceX ## *January 31st - Electron for "Four Of A Kind"* Rocket Lab performed its forty-third orbital launch attempt with the company's Electron rocket which took place from Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia peninsula, in New Zealand, carrying four satellites for NorthStar Earth and Space to a 530-kilometer low Earth orbit. ![Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/f43_liftoff_high-004_53500046880-1.jpg) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1\. ©Rocket Lab ## *February 2nd - Long March 2C for Geely Constellation* A Long March 2C launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying eleven satellites to low Earth orbit for Chinese automotive company Geely. Geely is building a constellation in low Earth orbit to support testing of autonomous driving in its cars as well as for inter-vehicle communications. ![A Long March 2C lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GFYFZh3bIAAEnc7-1.jpg) A Long March 2C lifting off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. ## *February 3rd - Smart Dragon 3 with a nine-satellite rideshare* A Smart Dragon 3 launched from a sea launch platform to a sun-synchronous orbit carrying nine satellites for its payload. The nine spacecraft were: DRO-L, Zhixing-2A, DongFangHuiYan-GF01, WeiHai-01 & 02, XingShiDai-18 & 19 & 20, and NEXSAT-1. ![Smart Dragon 3 lifting off from its sea launch platform.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GFYm0VMaEAA85ma.jpg) Smart Dragon 3 lifting off from its sea launch platform. ## **In Other Space News** ## *Intuitive Machines prepares for its lunar landing mission* ![Intuitive Machines Nova-C lunar lander for IM-1. ©Intuitive Machines](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/53251847169_dd72ee0d56.jpg) Intuitive Machines Nova-C lunar lander for IM-1\. ©Intuitive Machines Intuitive Machines is making its final preparations for its IM-1 mission to the lunar surface with the Nova-C lander reportedly having been recently encapsulated in a fairing ahead of launch. The company has not yet announced a launch date but has said that Nova-C will make a landing attempt on the 22nd of February. The launch date is widely believed to be the 14th, including a now-deleted NASA post online, but officially is still aiming for 'mid-February'. The launch is expected to be from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida, atop of SpaceX's Falcon 9 which will land back near the launch pad after stage separation. The Nova-C IM-1 mission is the second mission of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, the first was Astrobotic's Peregrine, and is carrying six payloads for the agency. ## *China's spaceplane continues to operate in space* ![The spaceplane vehicle's believed technology demonstrator underneath the H-6 bomber.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/unnamed.jpg) The spaceplane vehicle's believed technology demonstrator underneath the H-6 bomber. China's reusable spaceplane, similar to the United States X-37B spaceplane, has been operating in space since the 14th of December 2023 for its third mission. The spacecraft was launched into a 333 by 347 kilometer low Earth orbit on a fifty-degree inclination, this inclination allows the spaceplane to orbit as far south as New Zealand's southern island and as far north as the Canadian island of Newfoundland. Roughly a week into its mission the spacecraft raised its orbit to a 602 by 609 kilometer orbit, similar to its previous mission. Claims have been circulating that the spacecraft had released six satellites but these turned out to be debris from the launch vehicle used to enter orbit. The purpose of the mission is believed to be as follows, as reported by [Xinhua News](https://english.news.cn/20231214/013eca02d3824dc095e6e84a08d9b6a5/c.html?ref=cosmicnxws.com): > "During the in-orbit operation, the spacecraft will conduct verifications for reusable technologies and space science experiments to provide technical support for the peaceful use of space." The mission length is currently unknown but the spaceplane could spend a few hundred days in space before returning to Earth. The previous two missions were both launched on the same rocket at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The first launch is believed to have occurred on the 4th of September 2020 before returning to Earth two days later. The second launch occurred on the 4th of August 2022 spending two-hundred and seventy-six days on orbit before returning to Earth on the 8th of May 2023. ## *Shenzhou-17 crew prepare to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year* ![The crew of the Shenzhou 17 mission decorating the inside of the Tiangong space station. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GFd37KBakAA0oQo.jpg) The crew of the Shenzhou 17 mission decorating the inside of the Tiangong space station. ©China Manned Space Agency The crew currently aboard China's space station, Shenzhou-17, have begun decorating the space station for the Chinese Lunar New Year. This will be the second time the space station will be decorated for the celebrations. This year the celebrations are happening from the 2nd of February to the 24th, with the largest celebrations happening on the 10th. 2024 is the Year of the Loong, or Dragon in the Western world. The Shenzhou 17 is expected to return to Earth in May after Shenzhou 18 arrives. The crew of the mission are Commander Tang Hongbo, Operator Tang Shengjie, and System Operator Jiang Xinlin. ## *Xichang Satellite Launch Center passes 200th launch* ![A view of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, in southern China. ©CGTN](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/6baab031025d468dbe6439504623484b-1.jpeg) A view of the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, in southern China. ©CGTN The Xichang Satellite Launch Center, located in southern China, has recently surpassed its two-hundredth launch from the site. The mission to pass this milestone was a Long March 2C carrying eleven satellites for the Chinese automotive company Geely. Xichang Satellite Launch Center is based in the province of Sichuan and had its first launch occur in 1984 after being established in 1970\. On the 8th of April 1984, a Long March 3 rocket took off carrying the Dongfanghong-2 satellite towards geosynchronous orbit. Xichang is largely responsible for launching satellites to geosynchronous orbit. Notably the launch center had the first Chang'e and BeiDou missions start at the site. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceXremains confident about a February launch for Starship-Super Heavy. It's believed Ship 28 and Super Heavy Booster 10 have completed most of their testing campaigns currently. Currently, SpaceX is still waiting on regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. ## *February 6th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-13* SpaceX plans to launch another Starlink mission from Space Launch Complex 4E to low Earth orbit to continue to grow its space-based internet constellation. ## *February 6th - Falcon 9 with PACE* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying the PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) for NASA to a sun-synchronous orbit. ## *February 10th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-39* Another Starlink mission is expected to launch to low Earth orbit using SpaceX's Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40. ### Monthly Dose of Space - January 2024 URL: https://proximareport.com/monthly-dose-of-space-january-2024/ Last updated: 2024-02-03T16:17:22.000Z Welcome to our fourth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you all of the major news from the past month that we haven't covered in our weekly newsletters. January has been incredibly busy, so let's jump into it! But just before we begin, yes, we know we're a few days late this month. ## **SpaceX** ![A view of three boosters inside one of the 'Megabay's' at Starbase. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/IMG_3083.jpeg) A view of three boosters inside one of the 'Megabay's' at Starbase. ©SpaceX SpaceX has continued to make progress toward Starship-Super Heavy's third integrated flight test during January. On the 4th, Ship 30 was believed to be undergoing cryogenic proof testing at the Masseys test site. Ship 31 was also seen heading into the 'High Bay' at the production site, and Ship 28 was also spotted heading towards the production site too. The following day on the 5th Ship 31 was spotted receiving two of its flaps on the bottom of the vehicle. The 'chopsticks' were also seen to be receiving a new coat of paint. Through the night of the 5th and into the 6th teams were seen removing one of the water tanks of the 'orbital tank farm' ahead of scrapping. A few days Ship 30 was spotted rolling to the production site on the 10th from the Masseys test site after it was believed to have undergone testing. Booster 12 was seen undergoing 'cryo-testing' at Masseys the following day, the 11th. Later on the 11th Ship 32 was spotted heading to the 'rocket garden'. SpaceX was seen receiving the delivery of another horizontal tank on the 14th of January to expand the orbital tank farm at the launch site. On the 16th Super Heavy Booster 13 was seen receiving its 'forward barrel' during the stacking of this booster. The 16th also saw another horizontal tank being delivered to the launch site. A day later on the 17th the tank farm was seen operating, likely for a test as no vehicles were at the launch site on the orbital launch mount or suborbital pads. Another day later, on the 18th, the Ship quick disconnect arm was seen making a series of small movements with teams working around it. This was followed by two retraction tests later once teams had cleared the area. The 19th saw Super Heavy Booster 12 return to the production site from Massey's after it had undergone cryogenic testing. Booster 13 was also seen continuing stacking during this time. A couple of days later, Super Heavy Booster 12 seen leaving the rocket garden on the 23rd and rolling into one of the 'Mega Bay's' early on the 24th. Also on the 24th Booster 13 was spotted after having its liquid methane tank completed, bringing it almost to full height. Testing of the booster quick disconnect was seen at the launch site on the same day. The 26th saw Super Heavy Booster 10 receive its hot-staging ring again ahead of flight, hopefully in early February. Late on the 26th Ship 28 was also seen on the move appearing ready for flight! Ship 28 completed its move once it arrived at the rocket garden. SpaceX still believes they will be hardware-ready in the coming weeks. The launch would likely occur in mid-Febraury, pending regulatory approval and final hardware tests. ## **News of the Month** January was the month of Moon mission news as well as a potential competitor to SpaceX Starlink internet constellation. ### *Peregrine aims for the Moon but returns to Earth* ![A view of Earth seen from Peregrine. ©Astrobotic](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GEI0gKJWkAYToxY.jpg) A view of Earth seen from Peregrine. ©Astrobotic Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander was the first payload to fly on United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket, which completed its maiden flight perfectly, back on the 8th of January. However, shortly after separating from Vulcan Peregrine suffered from a rapid loss of propellant causing the spacecraft to enter a spin. Teams at Astrobotic did manage to slow the spin and generate power for the spacecraft but would not reach the Moon for a landing due to the lost propellant. Peregrine did manage to perform science with its payloads onboard despite the problems and missing its lunar landing. The original mission plan would have had the spacecraft land on the lunar surface on the 23rd of February but the spacecraft would end its mission upon entering the Earth's atmosphere on the 18th of January. Peregrine was Astrobotic's lunar lander designed to carry between 70 and 100 kilograms to the lunar surface while operating for at least eight days. Peregrine will land using five engines burning mono-methyl-hydrazine and dinitrogen tetroxide to generate 0.34 tons of thrust. The company does plan to fly Peregrine again but the details of its mission are currently unknown. Astrobotic believes the experience gained on this mission will lead to a successful landing with its Griffin lunar lander in late 2024. ### *Japan becomes the fifth country to land on the Moon!* ![A photo of the SLIM lunar lander as seen by LEV-2. ©JAXA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/GEq8kYaaYAAioZA.jpg) A photo of the SLIM lunar lander as seen by LEV-2\. ©JAXA On the 19th of January, Japan became the fifth country to land on the Moon when its SLIM lunar lander spacecraft touched down successfully. The lander had intended to land on five crumple landing feet but due to a software error landed front first. SLIM was launched back on the 6th of September 2023 atop of a H-IIA rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center and weighs just 590 kilograms fully fuelled. The spacecraft spent a little over four months heading out toward the Moon and entered lunar orbit on the 25th of December 2023. During its descent toward the surface, SLIM was believed to have lost one of its engine nozzles, likely leading to the spacecraft landing front first. Shortly before landing the spacecraft released two smaller spacecraft called LEV-1 and LEV-2. LEV-1 is a small lunar rover that travels across the surface by hopping. It also carries a thermometer, radiation monitor, and an inclinometer onboard. LEV-2 is another small lunar rover weighing only 250 grams. LEV-2 is ball-shaped for landing before deploying on the surface where it crawls to move. The small rover has a camera onboard. Shortly after landing SLIM was running low on power due to its landing position leading to the lander powering off a few hours after touching down. On the 29th, SLIM was powered on again successfully as the sun had moved into a position where the spacecraft could recharge using its solar panels. ### *Chinese Internet satellite constellation raises $940 million* ![The flag of the People's Republic of China flying in the wind.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/chinese_flag_photo_by_lucas_schifres-getty_images.png) The flag of the People's Republic of China flying in the wind. Recently Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology announced they had raised 6.7 billion Chinese Yuan, or 940 million United States Dollars, in their Series A funding round. The funding round was led by Shanghai Alliance Investment, who are backed by the government of Shanghai. Other investors are reportedly; CAS Investment Management, Hengxu Capital, Guotai Junan Securities, and CAS Star. It is believed the company will use the funding will be used for the production of the satellites needed for the low Earth orbit constellation. The constellation is currently planned to consist of twelve-thousand satellites launched on various rockets available in China. The first one-hundred and eight satellites are believed to be planned for launch in 2024, the launch vehicles for these missions are currently unknown. ### *Chang'e 7 looking to land at Shackleton crater* ![The Chang'e 4 lander as seen by the Yutu-2 rover. ©CNSA/Thomas Appéré](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/image.psd.png) The Chang'e 4 lander as seen by the Yutu-2 rover. ©CNSA/Thomas Appéré China is looking to land its Chang'e 7 lunar mission near the Shackleton crater close to the Moon's south pole. The crater is believed to have water ice in areas in permanent shade but the lander is looking to land in an area with permanent sunlight. The mission is expected to land in 2026 and will consist of an orbiter, lander, rover, and a hopping vehicle. Chang'e 7 is looking to provide valuable data on lunar exploration and is part of the reconnaissance phase of the International Lunar Research Station. Shackleton crater is also a candidate landing site for NASA's Artemis 3 mission, which is also expected to land in 2026 ### *Northrop Grumman's space refueling system to be used on U.S. defense spacecraft* ![A render of Northrop Grumman's Geosynchronous Auxiliary Support Tanker. ©Northrop Grumman](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/Northrop-Grumman-Satellite-Refueling-Technology-Selected-as-First-Preferred-Refueling-Solution-Interface-Standard-for-Space-Systems-Command_0574e8d8-3f73-456a-94d5-ba4b4e0130ae-prv.png) A render of Northrop Grumman's Geosynchronous Auxiliary Support Tanker. ©Northrop Grumman At the end of January, Northrop Grumman's Passive Refueling Module was selected as the preferred refueling solution interface standard for use on United States defense spacecraft. The selection was believed to be based on the project's maturity and the technical viability of its design. Northrop Grumman is also now contracted to begin development of the Geosynchronous Auxiliary Support Tanker spacecraft which will be used to refuel the U.S. spacecraft. Program manager of in-space refueling, Lauren Smith, said the following about the system in a press release upon the company being selected: > “Refueling is the key to enhanced maneuverability, enabling our DoD customers to categorically change the way they operate U.S. assets in space. Built on a strong foundation of satellite servicing innovation, we are prepared to deliver a complete refueling architecture solution.” ## **Launches of the Month** This month saw twenty-three launches this month worldwide! If you wanted to know what each launch was we have all of them listed below. ## *January1st - PSLV-DL with XPoSat* India launched XPoSat atop of a PSLV rocket in the DL configuration from the Satish Dhawan Space Center. XPoSat, or X-ray Polarimeter Satellite, is India's first dedicated mission to study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions. The XPoSat spacecraft was placed into low Earth orbit successfully. ## *January3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-9* SpaceX launched twenty-one more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California. The booster for this mission was B1082 making its first flight and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. ## *January 3rd - Falcon 9 with Ovzon-3* SpaceX launched another Falcon 9 this time from Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral, in Florida. The mission launched the Ovzon-3 communication satellite to geosynchronous transfer orbit. The booster for this mission was B1076 making its tenth flight and landing back at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. ## *January 5th - Kuaizhou-1A with Tianmu-1 15-18* ExPace launched a Kuaizhou-1A from Launch Area 95A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, in northern China, believed to be carrying four Tianmu-1 meteorology research satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit. ## *January 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-35* SpaceX once again launched a Falcon 9 sending another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The booster for this mission was B1067 making its sixteenth flight and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ## *January 8th - Vulcan-Centaur with Peregrine Mission One* At 07:18 am on the 8th of January, United Launch Alliance's Vulcan-Centaur rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 41, at Cape Canaveral in Florida, for the first time ever! The rocket delivered Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander to its desired orbit for its first trip to the Moon. ## *January 9th - Long March 2C with the Einstein Probe* On the 9th of January, a Long March 2C lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the Einstein Probe to a 600-kilometer low Earth orbit. The Einstein Probe is a science mission by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in collaboration with the European Space Agency as well as the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, based in Germany. ## *January 11th - Kuaizhou 1A with Tianxing-1-02* A Kuaizhou 1A lifted off from the Jiquan Satellite Launch Center on the 11th of January. The rocket was carrying the Tianxing-1-02 satellites to a sun-synchronous orbit to perform 'spatial environment measurements'. ## *January 11th - Gravity-1 for its maiden flight* OrienSpace conducted the maiden flight of its Gravity-1 launch vehicle on the 11th of January. The launch vehicle lifted off from its sea launch platform at 13:30 pm, Beijing Time, off the coast of Haiyang, located in the Shandong province. The rocket also carried three Yunyao-1 weather satellites into low Earth orbit. ## *January 12th - H-IIA with IGS Optical 8* The 12th of January saw a H-IIA rocket lift off the Tanegashima Space Center flying to sun-synchronous orbit with the IGS Optical 8 satellite. IGS Optical 8 spacecraft is an optical reconnaissance satellite operated by the Japanese military. ## *January 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-10* Another Falcon 9 launched on the 14th but from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California. The launch carried twenty-two Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1061 making its eighteenth flight and landed downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. This launch normally wouldn't have been included but launched successfully during the writing process of the newsletter. ## *January 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-37* SpaceX launched twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of its Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The booster for this mission was B1073 making its twelfth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ## *January 17th - Long March 7 with Tianzhou 7* A Long March 7 lifted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on Wednesday the 17th of January at 22:27 pm Beijing Time. The rocket was carrying the Tianzhou 7 cargo spacecraft to low Earth orbit where it chased down the Tiangong Space Station and docked to the Tianhe module at 02:07 am Beijing Time, on January 18th. ## *January 18th - Falcon 9 with Axiom-3* SpaceX launched the Axiom-3 mission to the International Space Station on the 18th of January. The Crew Dragon spacecraft for the mission is carrying Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei, Alper Gezeravcı, and Marcus Wandt onboard. The booster for this mission was B1080 making its fifth flight before it landed back at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral, in Florida. ## *January 20th - Qaem 100 with Soraya* Iran launched a Qaem 100 rocket to low Earth orbit believed to be carrying the Soraya satellite from the Shahrud Missile Test Site. The purpose of the satellite is unknown. ## *January 23rd - Kinetica-1 for Flight 3* At 04:03 am, Coordinated Universal Time, a Kinetica-1 rocket lifted off from Launch Area 130 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and flew to a sun-synchronous orbit of the Earth. CAS Space's Kinetica-1 carried five satellites for MINOSPACE. The satellites were; Taijing-1 03, Taijing-2 02 & 04, Taijing-3 02, and Taijing-4 03. ## *January 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-11* SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 this week from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California. The rocket was carrying twenty-two satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1063 making its sixteenth flight and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ## *January 26th - SpaceShipTwo for Galactic 06* Virgin Galactic flew its eleventh successful spaceflight mission carrying four customers onboard to an altitude of 290,000 feet. The customers for this flight of VSS Unity were Lina Borozdina, from Ukraine, Robie Vaughn, from the United States, Franz Haider, from Austria, and Neil Kornswiet, also from the United States. ## *January 28th - Simorgh with Mahda, Keyhan-2, and Hatef-1* Iran launched three satellites to low Earth orbit from the Imam Khomeini Spaceport. The three satellites were Mahda, a small test satellite, Keyhan-2, an attitude control systems test satellite, and Hatef-1, an internet communications test satellite. ## *January 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-38* Twenty-three more Starlink satellites were sent to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A. The booster for this mission B1062 making its eighteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship "A Shortfall OF Gravitas". ## *January 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-12* SpaceX launched another twenty-two to low Earth orbit atop of a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster for this mission was B1075 making its ninth flight and landed on the drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" downrange. ## *January 30th - Falcon 9 with NG-20* SpaceX launched the NG-20 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida, the first time SpaceX has launched a Cygnus resupply spacecraft. This is Northrop Grumman's nineteenth resupply mission to the International Space Station. The Cygnus spacecraft for this mission is S.S. Patricia “Patty” Hilliard Robertson and the booster was B1077 making its tenth flight and landed at Landing Zone 1 back at Cape Canaveral. ## *January 31st - Electron for "Four Of A Kind"* Rocket Lab performed its forty-third orbital launch attempt with the company's Electron rocket which took place from Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia peninsula, in New Zealand, carrying four satellites for NorthStar Earth and Space to a 530-kilometer low Earth orbit. ## **Launches to look out for in February!** February shows no signs of slowing down either! Listed below are all of the launches expected or very likely to happen in February. ## *February 2nd - Long March 2C for Geely Constellation* A Long March 2C is expected to launch from Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying eleven satellites to low Earth orbit for Chinese automotive company Geely. ## *February 3rd - Smart Dragon 3 with a to-be-announced payload* A Smart Dragon 3 is expected to launch from a sea launch platform carrying a to-be-announced payload. This is believed to be the second launch of the Smart Dragon 3. ## *February 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-13* SpaceX is expected to launch more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E in California. ## *February 6th - Falcon 9 with PACE* A Falcon 9 is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying the PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) for NASA to a sun-synchronous orbit. ## *February 14th - Falcon 9 with Nova-C IM-1* SpaceX is believed to be launching Intuitive Machine's Nova-C lunar lander on its first mission on the 14th of February. Falcon 9 will send the lander on a trans-lunar trajectory and land the booster back at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. ## *February 15th - H3 with VEP-4, CE-SAT-1E, and TIRSAT* H3 is expected to make its second test flight from the Tanegashima Space Center. The rocket is expected to be carrying three satellites, VEP-4, CE-SAT-1E, and TIRSAT, to a sun-synchronous orbit. ## *February 15th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-26* A Soyuz 2.1a is expected to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the MS-26 spacecraft to low Earth orbit where it will attempt to rendezvous and dock with the International Space Station. ## *February 29th - Soyuz 2.1a with Meteor-M No.2-4* A Soyuz 2.1a is expected to launch from the Vostochny Cosmodrome at the end of February carrying a Meteor-M meteorological satellite to a sun-synchronous orbit. ## **Conclusion** This month has been incredibly busy with space activity with hundreds of satellites being sent into various orbits worldwide. But this concludes our fourth 'Monthly Dose of Space' and the first of 2024\. We hope to have you back next month for the fifth 'Monthly Dose of Space'! Thank you for reading and.... **AD ASTRA PER ASPERA** ### Rocket Lab recovers booster after successful launch URL: https://proximareport.com/rocket-lab-recovers-booster-after-successful-launch/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:54:25.000Z Rocket Lab recently performed their forty-third orbital launch attempt with the company's Electron rocket early on the 31st of January. The launch took place from Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia peninsula, in New Zealand, carrying four satellites. The mission was called 'Four Of A Kind' and carried four Space Situational Awareness satellites for NorthStar Earth and Space to a 530-kilometer low Earth orbit. NorthStar's satellites will monitor in-space objects from low Earth orbit up to geostationary orbit. ![NorthStar's four satellites attached to rocket labs kick-stage. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/payload-integration_53501323655-1.jpg) NorthStar's four satellites attached to rocket labs kick-stage. ©Rocket Lab Both Peter Beck, Rocket Labs founder and Chief Executive Officer, and Stewart Bain, NorthStar Earth and Space founder and Chief Executive Officer, commented on the launch with Peter Beck saying: > “The success of today’s mission to deliver Spire & NorthStar to orbit, and the completion of our secondary mission to return Electron to Earth after launch, has been a fantastic start of what is set to be Rocket Lab’s busiest year ever. We have more missions booked in 2024 than we’ve ever scheduled before, and it is a real privilege to continue to deliver small launch reliability for our satellite customers on advanced missions like these and for all the missions to come in 2024.” And with Stewart Bain saying: > “I am intensely proud of our NorthStar team on this landmark occasion,” – “This mission is the first of its kind and is the physical manifestation of a decade long dream to deliver hope to future generations of space enthusiasts and to all of us who every day depend on a sustainable and clean space environment for the wellbeing of our planet. Special thanks are owed to the NorthStar team, our stakeholders, and partners at Rocket Lab, Spire, and ExoLaunch for achieving this smooth ride into orbit. Shortening the launch window to avoid other space objects heightens the importance of our mission. Now, the work begins at NorthStar to deliver the services to our eagerly awaiting clients. Our industry can start now to change the way we manage our essential space environment.” This mission also had the first stage of the rocket splashing down under a parachute as Rocket Lab is also attempting to make Electron partially reusable in the future. Electron recovery will be under a parachute due to being unable to take the payload penalty of saving propellant for landing, like SpaceX's Falcon 9\. Originally Rocket Lab was hoping to have the stages be caught by a helicopter but decided not to proceed with the helicopter strategy due to the risks and cost. ## What is Electron? Electron is a two-stage launch vehicle developed by Rocket Lab. Electron utilizes the first electric-pump-fed engines to power its small rocket on both stages and is made of carbon fiber for its tanks. ![Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1. ©Rocket Lab](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/02/f43_liftoff_high-005_53499931044-1.jpg) Electron lifting off from Launch Complex 1\. ©Rocket Lab The first-stage is powered by nine Rutherford engines generating 23 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The second-stage is powered by a single vacuum version of the Rutherford engine generating 2.6 tons of thrust also burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. Rocket Lab claims Electron can launch 300 kilograms into low Earth orbit or 200 kilograms into Sun-Syncronous orbit. ### Weekly Dose of Space (21/1-27/1) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-21-1-27-1/ Last updated: 2024-01-28T20:20:50.000Z Welcome to Weekly Dose of Space! This week saw four launches worldwide, the passing of a major milestone, and the end of a beloved mission. We'll also look ahead to the next week of launches worldwide. ## **SpaceX** SpaceX has continued to work towards the third integrated flight test of its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle over the past week, with Super Heavy Booster 12 seen leaving the rocket garden on the 23rd and rolling into one of the 'Mega Bay's' early on the 24th. Also on the 24th Booster 13 was spotted after having its liquid methane tank completed, bringing it almost to full height. Testing of the booster quick disconnect was seen at the launch site on the same day. The 26th saw Super Heavy Booster 10 receive its hot-staging ring again ahead of flight, hopefully in early February. Late on the 26th Ship 28 was also seen on the move appearing ready for flight! Ship 28 completed its move once it arrived at the rocket garden. ## **Launches This Week** ## *January 23rd - Kinetica-1 for Flight 3* At 04:03 am, Coordinated Universal Time, a Kinetica-1 rocket lifted off from Launch Area 130 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and flew to a sun-synchronous orbit of the Earth. CAS Space's Kinetica-1 carried five satellites for MINOSPACE. The satellites were; Taijing-1 03, Taijing-2 02 & 04, Taijing-3 02, and Taijing-4 03. ![Kinetica-1 lifting off from Launch Area 130 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ©CAS Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/008pUyAHly1hm3na4kmcrj32yo1o0npd.jpg) Kinetica-1 lifting off from Launch Area 130 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ©CAS Space ## *January 24th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-11* SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 this week from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California. The rocket was carrying twenty-two satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1063 making its sixteenth flight and landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/GEk9ZqlbAAAcYNL.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E. ©SpaceX ## *January 26th - SpaceShipTwo for Galactic 06* Virgin Galactic flew its eleventh successful spaceflight mission carrying four customers onboard to an altitude of 290,000 feet. The customers for this flight of VSS Unity were Lina Borozdina, from Ukraine, Robie Vaughn, from the United States, Franz Haider, from Austria, and Neil Kornswiet, also from the United States. ![A photo inside of VSS Unity near the peak of its flight path. ©Virgin Galactic](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/GEyz5YEbIAES-6q.jpg) A photo inside of VSS Unity near the peak of its flight path. ©Virgin Galactic ## *January 28th - Simorgh with Mahda, Keyhan-2, and Hatef-1* Iran launched three satellites to low Earth orbit from the Imam Khomeini Spaceport. The three satellites were Mahda, a small test satellite, Keyhan-2, an attitude control systems test satellite, and Hatef-1, an internet communications test satellite. ## **In Other Space News** ## *Ingenuity unable to fly again* ![A view of Ingenuity's broken blade shadow on the 18th of January 2024. ©NASA/JPL-Caltech](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/e1-PIA26243-Ingenuity_Spots_the_Shadow_of_its_Damaged_Rotor_Blade-1.jpg) A view of Ingenuity's broken blade shadow on the 18th of January 2024\. ©NASA/JPL-Caltech On the 25th of January, NASA announced that its Mars helicopter, Ingenuity, would no longer fly. The agency believes the blade made contact with the Martian surface causing it to break. Ingenuity has four blades made of carbon fiber to enable flight in Mars' thin atmosphere. This comes after Ingenuity made an emergency landing during its seventy-second flight a few days prior. ## *Tiangong passes 1000 days in space* ![The Tiangong Space Station, with Earth in the background. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/image.psd-1.png) The Tiangong Space Station, with Earth in the background. ©China Manned Space Agency On the 24th of January, China's Tiangong Space Station surpassed one-thousand days in space after launching the first module in late April of 2021\. The space station was constructed in three launches in a little over a year. To date, the space station has been visited by six crews and six cargo spacecraft. To read more about the TIangong Space Station's life on orbit click [here.](https://proximareport.com/tiangong-space-station-1000-days/) ## *ExPace conducts hop test* ![ExPace's hop test vehicle. ©ExPace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/GExKvXDaAAAlBwW.jpg) ExPace's hop test vehicle. ©ExPace Chinese launch provider ExPace became yet another company in China that conducted hop tests of a reusable launch vehicle. ExPace conducted the test on the 26th with the flight lasting for twenty-two seconds. The company believes this short hop test provides a solid foundation to develop a larger liquid oxygen and liquid methane burning rocket. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* SpaceX still believes they will be hardware-ready for the flight by the end of the month. The launch would likely occur in mid-Febraury, pending regulatory approval. ## *January 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-38* SpaceX is planning to launch more Starlink satellites to expand its space-based internet constellation. This mission is expected to take place from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. ## *January 29th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-12* Another Falcon 9 is expected to launch carrying another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. This mission is expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. ## *January 30th - Falcon 9 with NG-20* SpaceX is expected to launch the NG-20 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida. This will be Northrop Grumman's nineteenth resupply mission to the International Space Station. The Cygnus spacecraft for this mission is S.S. Patricia “Patty” Hilliard Robertson and the booster is expected to be B1077 making its tenth flight. ## *January 31st - Electron for 'Four Of A Kind'* Rocket Lab is expected to launch an Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B on the Mahia Peninsula, in New Zealand. Electron will be carrying four satellites to low Earth orbit for NorthStar Earth and Space. The booster of this Electron will also be attempting a recovery after splashing down at sea under a parachute. ## *February 2nd - Smart Dragon 3 with a to-be-announced payload* A Smart Dragon 3 is expected to launch from a sea launch platform carrying a to-be-announced payload. This is believed to be the second launch of the Smart Dragon 3. ### China's Tiangong Space Station passes 1000 days in space! URL: https://proximareport.com/tiangong-space-station-1000-days/ Last updated: 2024-01-27T22:35:27.000Z *Disclaimer: This article may take a while to load as where possible a relevant image is used.* As of the 24th of January 2024, China's Tiangong Space Station has surpassed one-thousand days in space! The space station was constructed in three launches, starting in late April of 2021\. To date, the space station has been visited by six crews and six cargo spacecraft. The Tiangong Space Station, also called the Chinese Space Station, is a permanently crewed space station in low Earth orbit operated by the China Manned Space Agency and China National Space Administration. The space station consists of the Tianhe core module, the Wentian laboratory module, and the Mengtian laboratory module. The station has three docking ports for visiting spacecraft to dock located on the Tianhe module, one port is located at the aft end of the module, and two and the forward end with one facing Earth. To celebrate the one-thousand days in space this article will go over what each module is, the missions to the space station, and its future. So let's begin! ## What's Tianhe? The Tianhe module is the core of the Tiangong Space Station and was the first of the three modules to be launched. Tianhe was launched on the 29th of April atop of a Long March 5B from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. Tianhe has a length of 16.6 meters and is 4.2 meters wide at its largest part, the module is believed to weigh 22,500 kilograms. The module features two large solar arrays, to generate electrical power, a robotic arm, to move experiments and taikonauts, five docking ports for spacecraft, two are permanently occupied by Wentian and Mengtian, as well as an airlock, to allow crews to perform spacewalks. ![A render of the Tianhe module in free flight. ©Shujianyang/Wikimedia Commons](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/Tianhe_Core_Module_Rendering_01.png) A render of the Tianhe module in free flight. ©[Shujianyang/Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Shujianyang?ref=proximareport.com#%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E7%A9%BA%E9%97%B4%E7%AB%99%5FChina%5FSpace%5FStation) Inside the habitable 51 cubic meters of Tianhe, the module has living quarters for the crew, storage spaces, communications equipment, and fire control equipment. The total pressurized volume of Tianhe is believed to be 113 cubic meters. To slow down Tiangong's orbital decay, Tianhe is fitted with four Hall effect ion thrusters to perform orbit-raising manoevours. The fuel for the ion thrusters is resupplied by visiting Tianzhou spacecraft. ## What's Wentian? The Wentian module is a laboratory and cabin module as part of the Tiangong Space Station and was the second of the three modules to be launched. Wentian was launched on the 24th of July 2022 atop of a Long March 5B from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ![A render of the Wentian module in free flight. ©Shujianyang/Wikimedia Commons](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/Wentian_lab_module_rendering.jpg) A render of the Wentian module in free flight. ©[Shujianyang/Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Shujianyang?ref=proximareport.com#%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E7%A9%BA%E9%97%B4%E7%AB%99%5FChina%5FSpace%5FStation) Wentian has a length of 17.9 meters and is 4.2 meters wide at its largest part, the module is believed to weigh 22,000 kilograms. The module features two massive solar arrays to generate electrical power. The module can also serve as a backup of Tianhe. Wentian has 39 cubic meters of habitable volume with the module being used for hosting microgravity experiments, microgravity is commonly called zero gravity. The Wentian module also has an airlock, which is larger than the one in the Tianhe module, to perform spacewalks outside of the station. Wentian's airlock has become the primary airlock on the Tiangong Space Station since the Shenzhou 14 mission. The pressurized volume of Wentian is 118 cubic meters. ## What's Mengtian? The Mengtian module is a laboratory and cabin module as part of the Tiangong Space Station and was the last of the three modules to be launched. Mengtian was launched on the 31st of October 2022 atop of a Long March 5B from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ![A render of the Mengtian module in free flight. ©Shujianyang/Wikimedia Commons](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/Mengtian_lab_module_rendering.jpg) A render of the Mengtian module in free flight. ©[Shujianyang/Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Shujianyang?ref=proximareport.com#%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E7%A9%BA%E9%97%B4%E7%AB%99%5FChina%5FSpace%5FStation) Similarly to Wentian, Mengtian has a length of 17.9 meters and is 4.2 meters wide at its largest part, the module is believed to weigh 22,000 kilograms. The module also features two massive solar arrays to generate electrical power. Mengtian has 32 cubic meters of habitable volume with the module being used for hosting microgravity experiments, similar to Wentian. Mengtian also has a materials airlock to expose science experiments to the space environment. The pressurized volume of Mengtian is 109 cubic meters. ## What's visited the Tiangong Space Station? The first spacecraft to visit China's space station was the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft, which launched and docked on the 29th of May 2021, one month into its life on orbit. Tianzhou 2 carried supplies and equipment for the first crew aboard the space station and conducted propellant transfer testing with Tianhe. The spacecraft would spend almost ten months docked to the space station before ending its mission on the 31st of March 2022. ![The launch of Tianzhou-2 atop of a Long March 7 from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/--_--------.jpg) The launch of Tianzhou-2 atop of a Long March 7 from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ©China Manned Space Agency The first taikonauts to enter the Tiangong Space Station were the crew of the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft. They were Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo who entered the station on the 17th of June 2021\. The crew would spend ninety-one days onboard and conduct two spacewalks to test the Feitian space suit and outfit the Tianhe module with equipment from inside the module. The three taikonauts would leave the station uncrewed on the 16th of September 2021 and return to Earth a day later. ![The crew of Shenzhou-12 during their walkout before launch, (from left to right) Tang Hongbo, Nie Haisheng, and Liu Boming. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/--_--------------------.jpg) The crew of Shenzhou-12 during their walkout before launch, (from left to right) Tang Hongbo, Nie Haisheng, and Liu Boming. ©China Manned Space Agency The third spacecraft to visit the space station was the Tianzhou-3 cargo spacecraft, which arrived on the 20th of September 2021\. Tianzhou-3 brought approximately six tons of supplies to the station for the Shenzhou-13 crew as it arrived a few days after Shenzhou-12 had returned to Earth. Similar to the previous cargo mission, Tianzhou-3 would spend almost ten months docked to the station and would end its mission on the 27th of July 2022. ![Tianzhou-3 during rollout atop of a Long March 7 prior to launch. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/--_--------------------------.jpg) Tianzhou-3 during rollout atop of a Long March 7 prior to launch. ©China Manned Space Agency The next taikonauts to enter China's space station would be Zhai Zhigang, Ye Guangfu, and Wang Yaping of the Shenzhou-13 mission on the 15th of October 2021\. The crew of Shenzhou-13 would be the first to spend six months onboard the Tiangong Space Station. During the six months onboard the crew would perform two spacewalks, the first of which made Wang Yaping the first woman from China to conduct a spacewalk! The crew would leave the station uncrewed for the final time on the 15th of April 2022 and would safely return to Earth a day later. ![Wang Yaping floating around inside the Tianhe module. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/--_----------.jpg) Wang Yaping floating around inside the Tianhe module. ©China Manned Space Agency The fifth spacecraft to visit Tiangong was Tianzhou-4, which launched on the 9th of May 2022 and docked the following day, carrying a believed 6,000 kilograms of supplies for the crew of Shenzhou-14 as well as equipment for the upcoming Wentian and Mengtian modules. Tianzhou-4 also carried the Zhixing-3A CubeSat onboard which was deployed from the spacecraft on the 13th of November 2022\. The spacecraft would be docked to Tiangong for almost six months and would end its mission on the 14th of November 2022. ![Tianzhou-4 and teams of engineers prior to integration onto a Long March 7 rocket. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/--_-------------------.jpg) Tianzhou-4 and teams of engineers prior to integration onto a Long March 7 rocket. ©China Manned Space Agency Tiangong would begin permanent crewed operations beginning with the arrival of the Shenzhou-14 crew on the 5th of June 2022\. The three taikonauts of Shenzhou-14 were Chen Dong, Liu Yang, and Cai Xuzhe spending six months aboard and overseeing the arrival of the Wentian and Mengtian modules. The crew would conduct three spacewalks to install equipment across all three modules and verify emergency rescue procedures for spacewalks. The Shenzhou-14 mission would end on the 4th of December 2022 when the crew returned to Earth. Before the Shenzhou-14 crew left the Shenzhou-15 crew arrived on the 29th of November 2022. ![Liu Yang leading a lesson from the Tiangong Space Station. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/--_------------------1.jpg) Liu Yang leading a lesson from the Tiangong Space Station. ©China Manned Space Agency The Wentian laboratory and cabin module would arrive at the Tiangong Space Station on the 24th of July 2022 for a permanent stay. The module was launched on the same day atop of a Long March 5B. ![The Wentian module atop of a Long March 5B prior to launch on the pad at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/--_---------------.jpg) The Wentian module atop of a Long March 5B prior to launch on the pad at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ©China Manned Space Agency A little over three months after Wentian, the Mengtian laboratory and cabin module would arrive at the space station on the 31st of October 2022\. The module was launched on the same day atop of a Long March 5B. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/--_-------------------1.jpg) The launch of the Mengtian module atop of a Long March 5B during first stage flight. ©China Manned Space Agency The seventh spacecraft to visit the Tiangong Space Station was the Tianzhou-5 cargo spacecraft, which launched and docked on the 12th of November 2022\. Tianzhou-5 was carrying supplies for the permanent crew operations and performed the fastest rendezvous and docking ever, doing so in just two hours and seven minutes. The spacecraft would spend almost ten months at the station and ended its mission on the 12th of September 2023. ![Tianzhou-5 atop of a Long March 7 ahead of rollout prior to launch. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/--_--------------1.png) Tianzhou-5 atop of a Long March 7 ahead of rollout prior to launch. ©China Manned Space Agency Shenzhou-15 would launch to the space station on the 29th of November 2022 and would arrive on the same day. For the first time in Tiangong's life on orbit, a prior crew would greet an incoming crew with Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming, and Zhang Lu being greeted by the crew of Shenzhou-14\. The crew of Shenzhou-15 would become the third crew to spend six months aboard the space station and would perform a total of four spacewalks. The crew of Shenzhou-15 would leave the space station would return to Earth on the 3rd of June 2023 after welcoming the incoming Shenzhou-16 crew. ![The Shenzhou-14 and Shenzhou-15 crews during a handover ceremony inside the Tianhe module, (from left to right) Zhang Lu, Deng Qingming, Fei Junlong, Cai Xuzhhe, Liu Yang, and Chen Dong. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/--_----------------1.jpg) The Shenzhou-14 and Shenzhou-15 crews during a handover ceremony inside the Tianhe module, (from left to right) Zhang Lu, Deng Qingming, Fei Junlong, Cai Xuzhhe, Liu Yang, and Chen Dong. ©China Manned Space Agency Tianzhou-6 became the ninth spacecraft to visit Tiangong on the 10th of May 2023, after launching on the same day. The spacecraft carried over seven tons of supplies for the crew, including science experiments and fruit! The Tianzhou-6 spacecraft would spend over eight months docked to the station before undocking on the 12th of January 2024, the spacecraft would end its mission on the 19th of January 2024. ![Tianzhou-6 during rollout atop of a Long March 6 before launch. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/--_-------------.jpg) Tianzhou-6 during rollout atop of a Long March 6 before launch. ©China Manned Space Agency Jing Haipeng, Zhue Yangzhu, and Gui Haichao would launch to the Tiangong Space Station as part of the Shenzhou-16 mission on the 30th of May 2023, and would dock on the same day. Shenzhou-16 had the first Chinese civilian to fly on a space mission with payload specialist Gui Haichao, who is an associate professor at Beihang University. The crew also performed a spacewalk during their five-month stay onboard the space station. The crew would greet the incoming Shenzhou-17 crew on the 26th of October before returning to Earth on the 31st of October, having left the space station the day before. ![The crew of Shenzhou-16 training with a Feitian space suit, (from left to right) Jing Haipeng, Zhu Yangzhu, and Gui Haichao. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/--_--------------.jpg) The crew of Shenzhou-16 training with a Feitian space suit, (from left to right) Jing Haipeng, Zhu Yangzhu, and Gui Haichao. ©China Manned Space Agency The Shenzhou-17 spacecraft would be the next to visit the space station carrying Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie, and Jiang Xinlin onboard. Shenzhou-17 launched on the 26th of October 2023 and docked a little over six hours later. So far the crew has performed one spacewalk during the mission. This mission is still ongoing currently and is planned to end in May of 2024. ![Shenzhou-17 on the launch pad atop of a Long March 2F at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/--_---------------2.jpg) Shenzhou-17 on the launch pad atop of a Long March 2F at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ©China Manned Space Agency The most recent visitor to the Tiangong Space Station is the Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft which launched on the 17th of January 2024 and docked on the same day. Tianzhou-7 is carrying supplies, clothing, and food to the space station to support the Shenzhou 17 and Shenzhou 18 missions. Also onboard the cargo spacecraft is 90 kilograms of fresh fruit for the crew. The end of the Tianzhou-7 mission is currently unknown outside of the China Manned Space Agency. ![The Tianzhou-7 spacecraft docking to the Tiangong Space Station. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/GEEFXw-W8AA5iof-1.jpg) The Tianzhou-7 spacecraft docking to the Tiangong Space Station. ©China Manned Space Agency ## What's the future of the space station? The China Manned Space Agency is planning to launch Shenzhou-18 in April of 2024\. The taikonauts for the mission have not yet been announced but are believed to be in training currently. Shenzhou-19 is also planned for this year with the launch expected towards the end of 2024\. It is believed that the Shenzhou-19 crew is also in training as they will serve as the backup crew for Shenzhou-18. Tianzhou-8 is believed to be launching later in 2024 to keep up with the desired cadence of three launches over a two-year period. In 2025 the China National Space Administration wants to launch the Xuntian space telescope to co-orbit with the Tiangong Space Station. The telescope would dock occasionally with the space station for servicing by taikonauts onboard. Xuntian is currently being built by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, also called CASC, for launch atop of a Long March 5B from the Wenchang Space Launce Site. ![A render of the Xuntian space telescope with Earth in the background. ©Chinese Academy of Sciences](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/CSST---.jpg) A render of the Xuntian space telescope with Earth in the background. ©Chinese Academy of Sciences The China Academy of Space Technology, also called CAST, and the China Manned Space Agency have said the space station will be expanded in the future to potentially six modules. The expansion would feature improved versions of Wentian and Mengtian as well as a module with six docking ports that would attach to the forward-facing port on Tianhe. The launch of new modules could also include more solar panels to be placed alongside the existing ones. ![A rendering of what the Tiangong Space Station might look like in the future. Via 星智科创 on Weibo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/006vSJVegy1h7l63ui5wzj31hc0u0kgl.jpg) A rendering of what the Tiangong Space Station might look like in the future. [**Via 星智科创 on Weibo*](https://weibo.com/5967909648/Mcqjg5BIg?layerid=4829610741336612&ref=proximareport.com) ## Some explanations of terms used This article has used Shenzhou, Tianzhou, and taikonaut lots with no prior explanation so this section serves as an explainer. ### What is Shenzhou? Shenzhou refers to both China's crewed space missions and the Shenzhou spacecraft. To date eighteen Shenzhou missions have flown. The Shenzhou spacecraft is China’s only operational crewed spacecraft and is currently used to ferry its crews to and from the Tiangong space station. The spacecraft has a pressurized volume of almost fifteen cubic meters with a habitable volume of seven cubic meters. Currently, the Shenzhou spacecraft has a crew capacity of three. ![A render of a Shenzhou spacecraft. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/--_--------1-1.png) A render of a Shenzhou spacecraft. ©China Manned Space Agency Shenzhou consists of a service module, a re-entry module, and an orbital module. During launch and return to Earth the crew are in the re-entry module which is the only part of the spacecraft that survives re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. The service module houses the main engines for the spacecraft as well as the two solar panels to generate power for the spacecraft. The orbital module houses the docking mechanism for the spacecraft and gives the crew additional room inside as well as space for cargo. The Shenzhou spacecraft currently launches on the Long March 2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ### What are taikonauts? The word taikonaut has been used lots in this article so a small explanation of the word is necessary. Taikonaut is what China calls its astronauts, such as the country's first taikonaut [Yang Liwei](https://proximareport.com/20-years-chinese-human-spaceflight/) who flew into space in 2003. The word comes from a combination of the Chinese word for outer space, taikong, and the suffix, naut. To date, China has flown twenty taikonauts to space, eighteen men and two women, across twelve missions. ### What is Tianzhou? Tianzhou refers to both China's cargo resupply missions and the Tianzhou spacecraft. There have been seven Tianzhou spacecraft launched so far. The Tianzhou spacecraft is an uncrewed cargo spacecraft developed by China to resupply the Tiangong space station. Tianzhou is derived from China’s first space stations, Tiangong-1 and Tiangong-2, and is capable of delivering 7,400 kilograms of cargo to their space station and weighs 14,000 kilograms. ![A render of a Tianzhou spacecraft with Earth in the background. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/--_-------.png) A render of a Tianzhou spacecraft with Earth in the background. ©China Manned Space Agency The spacecraft does not possess any way to return cargo back down to Earth and is destroyed on re-entry. Tianzhou is also capable of transporting pressurized, semi-pressurized, and un-pressurized cargo. Current versions of the spacecraft are powered by two panels to generate power for the spacecraft. So far all Tianzhou spacecraft have been launched on the Long March 7 rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. ### Mars helicopter Ingenuity to fly no more URL: https://proximareport.com/mars-helicopter-ingenuity-to-fly-no-more/ Last updated: 2024-01-25T21:04:00.000Z NASA announced late on the 25th of January that its Mars helicopter, Ingenuity, would no longer fly. This comes after Ingenuity made an emergency landing during its seventy-second flight. Ingenuity made its first flight back on the 19th of April 2021 after arriving on Mars with the Perseverance rover on the 18th of February 2021. ![A view of Ingenuity's broken blade shadow on the 18th of January 2024. ©NASA/JPL-Caltech](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/e1-PIA26243-Ingenuity_Spots_the_Shadow_of_its_Damaged_Rotor_Blade.jpg) A view of Ingenuity's broken blade shadow on the 18th of January 2024\. ©NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA had planned for Ingenuity to make five flights over thirty days but Ingenuity exceeded all expectations and flew seventy-two times over almost three years. The agency believes the blade made contact with the Martian surface causing it to break. Ingenuity has four blades made of carbon fiber to enable flight in Mars' thin atmosphere. In a press release, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said the following; > “The historic journey of Ingenuity, the first aircraft on another planet, has come to an end,” – “That remarkable helicopter flew higher and farther than we ever imagined and helped NASA do what we do best – make the impossible, possible. Through missions like Ingenuity, NASA is paving the way for future flight in our solar system and smarter, safer human exploration to Mars and beyond.” Ingenuity's teams are currently working on downloading the rest of the data and images to Earth along with some final tests not requiring flight. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory also released a video called #ThanksIngenuity to go along with the announcement, which is attached below. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory #ThanksIngenuity video. ### Kinetica-1 succeeds for the third time in a row URL: https://proximareport.com/kinetica-1-succeeds-third-time-in-a-row/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T20:05:58.000Z Early on the 23rd of January, CAS Space launched its first mission of the year carrying five satellites atop of its Kinetica-1 rocket. The Kinetica-1 rocket lifted off from Launch Area 130 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and flew to a sun-synchronous orbit of the Earth. The five satellites onboard were spatial observation spacecraft manufactured by the Chinese company MINOSPACE. The satellites were; Taijing-1 03, Taijing-2 02 & 04, Taijing-3 02, and Taijing-4 03. MINOSPACE, the primary customer of this mission for Kinetica-1, is a Chinese satellite R&D and manufacturing company. The company manufactures satellite platforms, commonly called a 'bus', along with entire satellites. They also offer manufacturing services for components such as; electronic communications, internal systems, and optical payloads. This was the third successful launch of the Kinetica-1 rocket, so far the Kinetica-1 has not failed during a mission. ![A traditional Chinese Loong on the side of the Kinetica-1 first stage. Via 航空物语 on Weibo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/001sJxoyly1hm3g8lzgksj62c0340u0x02.jpg) A traditional Chinese Loong on the side of the Kinetica-1 first stage. [**Via 航空物语 on Weibo*](https://m.weibo.cn/status/4993322143450989?ref=proximareport.com) The first stage booster of Kinetica-1 for this launch also had a traditional Chinese Loong, commonly called a Dragon in the Western world, painted on the first stage of the rocket. The logo was designed by the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism. It is believed the Loong was painted on the side to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year, which is on the 10th of February. ![A cup of instant noodles attached to Kinetica-1 in orbit during satellite deployment. Via 航天爱好者网 on Weibo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/GEgZpena4AAgaml.jpg) A cup of instant noodles attached to Kinetica-1 in orbit during satellite deployment. [**Via 航天爱好者网 on Weibo*](https://weibo.com/5549194014/NDadi75jM?ref=proximareport.com) In a believed partnership with the Chinese food brand Master Kong, CAS Space attached a pot of instant noodles to the payload adapter of Kinetica-1 for its third mission. The launch of the noodles is believed to be celebrating the support given by Master Kong to China's aerospace industry. In materials made by Master Kong the noodles attached to Kinetica-1 are reportedly 'aerospace-quality Chinese noodles'. ### What is Kinetica-1? Kinetica-1 is a four-stage launch vehicle that burns solid fuel in all of its stages. Kinetica-1 is currently manufactured and operated by launch provider CAS Space, or Chinese Academy of Sciences Space. The Kinetica-1 launch vehicle can carry up to 2,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit or 1,500 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. CAS Space offers the ability to launch a single satellite to utilize all of the rocket's payload capacity but commonly flies 'rideshare' missions for multiple satellites. ![A render of the Kinetica-1 rocket. ©CAS Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/new1-1.png) A render of the Kinetica-1 rocket. ©CAS Space So far the Kinetica-1 has been launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, in Northern China, but CAS Space has expressed interest in launching from a sea launch platform, likely from the Haiyang sea launch spaceport similarly to OrienSpace and Galactic Energy. The first-stage of Kinetica-1 is powered by a solid rocket booster burning an unspecified solid propellant to generate 200 tons of thrust. CAS Space is yet to disclose the burn time of the booster. The second-stage is powered by another solid rocket booster burning the same unspecified solid propellant to generate 110 tons of thrust. The burn time of the booster is unknown to the wider world. The third-stage is powered by a solid rocket booster burning the same unspecified solid propellant again to generate 45 tons of thrust. The burn time of the stage is currently unknown to the wider world. The fourth-stage is powered by a solid rocket booster again burning the same unspecified solid propellant to generate 8 tons of thrust. The burn time of this stage is currently unknown. Kinetica-1 weighs 135,000 kilograms when on its launch pad. The rocket is 30 meters tall with the fairing being 2.65 meters in diameter. Inferring from information on [CAS Space's website](http://www.cas-space.com/product?ref=proximareport.com), the Kinetica-1 rocket has a cost per kilogram of approximately 8460 United States Dollars with a launch cost of approximately 17 million United States Dollars. CAS Space may however be charging its customers less to compete with other launch providers. *(This cost information is using the exchange rate between the Chinese Yuan Renminbi and United States Dollars on the 23rd of January 2024.)* ### Who is CAS Space? CAS Space, or Chinese Academy of Sciences Space, is a Chinese launch provider partially owned by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The company was founded in 2018 in Beijing but is currently headquartered in Guangzhou. As of January 2024, the company has successfully launched thirty-seven satellites into orbit over three launches with no failures. ![The logo of CAS Space. ©CAS Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/WIi85gLa_400x400-1.jpg) The logo of CAS Space. ©CAS Space ### Weekly Dose of Space (14/1-20/1) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-14-1-20-1/ Last updated: 2024-01-21T16:57:39.000Z Welcome to Weekly Dose of Space, your all-inclusive one-stop place, for all things space! This week has been busy for the two Earth-orbiting space stations and has had no shortage of news for exploration. We'll also look ahead to the next week of launches worldwide. ## **SpaceX** SpaceX has continued work at Starbase with the delivery of another horizontal tank on the 14th of January to expand the orbital tank farm at the launch site. Two days later on the 16th Super Heavy Booster 13 was seen receiving its 'forward barrel' during the stacking of this booster. The 16th also saw another horizontal tank being delivered to the launch site. A day later on the 17th the tank farm was seen operating, likely for a test as no vehicles were at the launch site on the orbital launch mount or suborbital pads. Another day later, on the 18th, the Ship quick disconnect arm was seen making a series of small movements with teams working around it. This was followed by two retraction tests later once teams had cleared the area. The 19th saw Super Heavy Booster 12 return to the production site from Massey's after it had undergone cryogenic testing. Booster 13 was also seen continuing stacking during this time. ## **Launches This Week** ## *January 15th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-37* SpaceX started off the week launching twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit atop of its Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The booster for this mission was B1073 making its twelfth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'. ![Falcon 9 during first stage flight during the Starlink Group 6-37 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/GD2iljsbEAA8bIr.jpg) Falcon 9 during first stage flight during the Starlink Group 6-37 mission. ©SpaceX ## *January 17th - Long March 7 with Tianzhou 7* A Long March 7 lifted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on Wednesday the 17th of January at 22:27 pm Beijing Time. The rocket was carrying the Tianzhou 7 cargo spacecraft to low Earth orbit where it chased down the Tiangong Space Station and docked to the Tianhe module at 02:07 am Beijing Time, on January 18th. ![A Long March 7 lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site carrying Tianzhou 7. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/82e4e451gy1hlx0sr9b8dj22k71h9hdo.jpg) A Long March 7 lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site carrying Tianzhou 7\. ©China Manned Space Agency ## *January 18th - Falcon 9 with Axiom-3* SpaceX launched the Axiom-3 mission to the International Space Station on the 18th of January. The Crew Dragon spacecraft for the mission is carrying Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei, Alper Gezeravcı, and Marcus Wandt onboard. The booster for this mission was B1080 making its fifth flight before it landed back at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral, in Florida. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from LC-39A in Cape Canaveral for the Axiom-3 mission. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/GEKgzQlaAAAtxx7.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from LC-39A in Cape Canaveral for the Axiom-3 mission. ©SpaceX ## *January 20th - Qaem 100 with Soraya* Iran launched a Qaem 100 rocket to low Earth orbit believed to be carrying the Soraya satellite from the Shahrud Missile Test Site. The purpose of the satellite is unknown. ## **In Other Space News** ## *LandSpace performs Zhuque-3's first hop!* ![The Zhuque-3 test vehicle during powered flight at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ©LandSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/0076pMobly1hlz3jlyeh0j32801dz7ap.jpg) The Zhuque-3 test vehicle during powered flight at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ©LandSpace On the 19th of January LandSpace reported that they had successfully completed the first test hop for its upcoming Zhuque-3 rocket! The sixty-second test flight had the vehicle fly to a height of 350 meters and land near its launch pad at a landing zone, landing only 2.4 meters from the center of the landing zone. The next test flight is reportedly targeting a flight up to 10 kilometers! The hop test vehicle, called VTVL-1, is powered by a single TQ-12B engine burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen to generate a believed 80 tons of thrust. The vehicle is made of a high-strength stainless steel and has three static legs for landing. ## *Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander returns to Earth* ![A view of Earth seen from Peregrine. ©Astrobotic](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/GEI0gKJWkAYToxY.jpg) A view of Earth seen from Peregrine. ©Astrobotic On the 18th, Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander entered the Earth's atmosphere after suffering from an anomaly on the way to the Moon. Peregrine was destroyed during entry over the South Pacific. Shortly after Peregrine separated from United Launch Alliances Vulcan rocket the lunar lander suffered a loss of propellant from one of its tanks. With the loss of propellant, the lander was unable to enter orbit of the Moon or change its trajectory to avoid Earth's atmosphere. Astrobotic is reportedly performing an investigation into the root cause of the problem ahead of the flight of its next lunar lander, Griffin, in November. ## *Japan lands on the Moon!* ![A render of SLIM on the lunar surface. ©JAXA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/slim_main_001.jpg) A render of SLIM on the lunar surface. ©JAXA Also on the 19th of January, Japan's SLIM lunar lander touched down successfully on the lunar surface after an over four-month trip to the Moon. JAXA, Japan's space agency, confirmed the landing was a success two hours after landing however it was not generating power. The lander did deploy two other vehicles just before landing called LEV-1 and LEV-2 which will operate for a few days on the surface. Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, SLIM, is a seven-hundred kilogram lunar lander developed by JAXA, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The lander is meant to demonstrate precision landing technology from Japan. ## *Impulse unveils a new space tug* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/IMG_0063.png) Artist Rendition of Helios ****©** Impulse Space American aerospace company, Impulse Space, unveiled their up-and-coming space tug, Helios! This next-generation space tug is powered by a liquid methane/liquid oxygen 15,000lbf (67KN) staged combustion cycle rocket engine, dubbed “Deneb.”Which is capable of 3 to 9km/s of Delta V (depending on payload mass). Below are some of Helios' claimed capabilities: | Geostationary Orbit | 4,000 to 4,500 kilograms | | ---------------------------- | ------------------------- | | Geostationary Transfer Orbit | 7,500 to 10,500 kilograms | | Medium Earth Orbit | 5,500 to 6,500 kilograms | | Trans Lunar Injection | 6,000 to 7,500 kilograms | | Earth Escape (Mars Transfer) | 4,500 to 5,500 kilograms | To add to this all, Helios is capable of launching on a wide array of rocket platforms such as: Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, Terran R, Starship, Vulcan, and New Glenn. Impulse currently plans to send Helios on its maiden journey, sometime in 2026! [Click on this hyperlink](https://cdn.sanity.io/files/t7p1vude/production/7182a43adbd0168131f182e1aad45afa68071065.pdf?ref=proximareport.com) if you want to get access to a PDF covering Helios in more detail! ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* Hardware is still being prepared for Starship's third flight with SpaceX believing they will receive regulatory approval in February. SpaceX still believes they will be hardware-ready for the flight by the end of the month. The launch would likely occur in mid-Febraury. ## *January 22nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-11* SpaceX is expected to launch another Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E in California carrying more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster is believed to be B0163 making its sixteenth flight. ## *January 23rd - Kinetica 1 for Flight 3* CAS Space is expected to launch a Kinetica 1 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying five Earth observation satellites for MINOSPACE to a sun-synchronous orbit. ## *January 27th - Electron for 'Four Of A Kind'* Rocket Lab is expected to launch Electron from Launch Complex 1B on the Mahia Peninsula, in New Zealand. Electron is believed to be carrying four 'space situational awareness' satellites for NorthStar Earth and Space. ### SpaceX launches Axiom's third trip to the International Space Station URL: https://proximareport.com/spacex-launches-axioms-third-trip-to-the-international-space-station/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T19:53:02.000Z Axiom Space has begun its Axiom-3 mission bound for the International Space Station on the 18th of January at 21:49 pm Coordinated Universal Time. The mission was launched from Launch Complex 39A, at Cape Canaveral in Florida, with SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Crew Dragon spacecraft. This is the third time Axiom Space has flown a crew to the International Space Station to perform science during a short stay onboard. The crew of Axiom-3 is currently expected to spend at least eight days onboard the space station. The Crew Dragon spacecraft, carrying the four crew members, is expected to dock with the International Space Station on the 20th of January at 10:15 am Coordinated Universal Time. ![Falcon 9 booster B1080 landing at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/GEKiceDbAAAD4_x.jpg) Falcon 9 booster B1080 landing at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral. ©SpaceX This was SpaceX's sixth launch of the year so far and the twelfth time it has flown a crewed mission overall. The booster for this mission was B1080 making its fifth flight before it landed back at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral, in Florida. ### Who's onboard Axiom-3? ![The Axiom-3 crew (from left to right); Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei, Alper Gezeravcı, and Marcus Wandt. ©Axiom Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/Ax3.png) The Axiom-3 crew (from left to right); Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei, Alper Gezeravcı, and Marcus Wandt. ©Axiom Space **Michael López-Alegría**, from the United States, is the Commander of the Axiom-3 mission for his sixth trip to space. He has previously flown on the following missions: STS-73, STS-92, and STS- 113, and Soyuz TMA-9. **Walter Villadei**, from Italy, is the Pilot of the Axiom-3 mission for his second trip to space. He has previously flown to space on the Galactic 01 mission with Virgin Galactic. **Alper Gezeravcı**, from Türkiye, is one of the Mission Specialists of the Axiom-3 mission for his first trip to space. He is also currently serving as a fighter pilot with the Turkish Air Force having flown the following aircraft: T-41, SF-260, T-37, T-38, F-5, KC-135, and F-16. **Marcus Wandt**, from Sweden, is the second Mission Specialist of the Axiom-3 mission also for his first trip to space. He has been an astronaut with the European Space Agency since November of 2022. ![The Axiom-3 mission patch. ©Axiom Space](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/Ax-3-Patch.png) The Axiom-3 mission patch. ©Axiom Space ### What's onboard Axiom-3? *Disclaimer: The experiment descriptions are as described in one of Axiom Space's* [*pre-launch press releases*](https://www.axiomspace.com/missions/ax3/research?ref=proximareport.com) *before its third mission to the International Space Station.* Axiom-3 is also carrying over a dozen experiments onboard during its trip to space. Here are some of the more interesting experiments: **ARISS**: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station is a global volunteer organization running an educational program to inspire interest in STEAM careers by providing an opportunity to talk to astronauts on the ISS via amateur radio. **Virtual Reality-On-Board Training**: The ESA-sponsored Virtual Reality-On-Board Training project aims to perform training activities on the ISS via a virtual reality Head Mounted Display, which enables visualization and interaction with complex 3D models. This technology demonstration will evaluate the compatibility of VR equipment with the ISS environment, test how well real-time space-to-ground collaboration can occur, and compare the efficiency of training delivery via VR relative to standard training methods. **Brain-DTI**: When humans enter microgravity many changes to their body take place, such as to the brain and central nervous system which has to adapt to altered sensory information arriving from the eyes, ears, and muscles. This ongoing ESA-sponsored project aims to identify biomarkers for this adaptation via use of advanced MRI brain imaging methods such as Diffusion Tensor Imaging and resting state functional MRI. Identification of neural biomarkers related to sensorimotor adaptation after spaceflight could also lead to improved interventions for humans on Earth, for example after injury or stroke. **Crew Interactive MObile CompanioN**: This project is developing and testing an artificial intelligence powered free-flying companion, called CIMON, to support crew and help with mission efficiency during long-term missions. CIMON can fly freely through the ISS to support crew as they perform tasks and can respond to verbal commands. This technology development project is also looking at human machine interactions to build robots and other technologies that are intuitive and easy for humans to use and rely on. The work will help design technologies on Earth that will optimize performance for seamless integration into many sectors, such as manufacturing, aviation, and healthcare. **Uzman**: Algae have many properties that make them ideal organisms to support humans during long-duration spaceflight missions. Not only could they serve as a nutritional source included in astronaut menus, algae could also remove carbon dioxide and produce oxygen for spacecraft environmental control systems, help regulate spacecraft temperatures, recycle certain wastes, and even act as a source of fuel. The data generated from this experiment will be used to advance the development of microalgal life support systems for space missions and could impact the design of future carbon dioxide capture, oxygen conversion, wastewater treatment systems, and provide fertilizer options for other agricultural crops grown in space. **Vokalkord**: The Vokalkord experiment will focus on developing an artificial intelligence system to detect over 70 types of disease by analyzing respiratory, speaking, and cough sounds. This project further develops the software for use on Earth as a tool to identify and diagnose lung cancers, voice and vocal cord diseases, infectious diseases, and even cardiovascular and eye disease. **NUT**: NUT is a project from the Italian Space Agency aiming to shed light on the physiological adaptation mechanisms that human organisms put in place to cope with environmental conditions in space. In particular, the project aims to study the expression profile of different molecular markers before and after a space mission by discriminating the effects induced by microgravity and cosmic rays from those caused by confinement, isolation, and psychophysical stress. **Light Ion Detector, For Anomalous Long-Term Effects on Astronauts**: The LIDAL experiment from the Italian Space Agency monitors high-energy particles on the ISS, which has been functioning onboard the space station since 2020\. The project aims to develop the first real-time radiation risk meter on the ISS to keep the crew informed on the risks from cosmic radiation and space weather events. If you'd like to know all of the experiments onboard Axiom-3 you can read the rest [here](https://www.axiomspace.com/missions/ax3/research?ref=proximareport.com). ## What is Crew Dragon? ![Crew Dragon as seen during Crew-2.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/800px-The_SpaceX_Crew_Dragon_Endeavour_approaches_the_International_Space_Station_-iss065e002708-_-cropped-.jpg) Crew Dragon as seen during Crew-2. Crew Dragon, or Dragon 2, is a partially reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX. The primary use for Crew Dragon is to send crew to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX has also flown a free flight of the spacecraft for the Inspiration4 mission, and is planning another called Polaris Dawn. Crew Dragon consists of the capsule and trunk. The trunk is used to store unpressurized cargo as well as have solar panels mounted on one side, to generate power, and radiators on the other, to dissipate heat generated inside. The trunk is not reused and burns up in the atmosphere after each mission. The capsule is where the crew will be during launch, landing, and while on their way to the International Space Station. Unlike the original Dragon capsule, the Crew Dragon capsule has a launch abort system consisting of eight SuperDraco engines. The capsule also has a nosecone that will fold out of the way in space to protect the docking hardware and forward-facing thrusters during launch and landing. Crew Dragon was developed as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program in order to regain crew access to the International Space Station from the United States of America after the retirement of the Space Shuttle. SpaceX currently has four active Crew Dragon capsules; Endeavour, Resilience, Endurance, and Freedom. A fifth Crew Dragon capsule is under construction and is expected to be finished in 2024, this will be the last Crew Dragon capsule to be built. Each capsule is expected to be reused up to fifteen times. ### China launches sixth resupply mission to its space station URL: https://proximareport.com/china-launch-sixth-resupply-mission/ Last updated: 2024-03-20T23:25:43.000Z A Long March 7 lifted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on Wednesday the 17th of January at 22:27 pm Beijing Time. The rocket was carrying the Tianzhou 7 cargo spacecraft to low Earth orbit where it chased down the Tiangong Space Station. The Tianzhou 7 docked to the Tianhe module at 02:07 am Beijing Time, on January 18th, where the Shenzhou 17 crew will access the spacecraft's cargo and use the extra room it provides for additional storage. ![The Tianzhou 7 spacecraft docking at the Tiangong Space Station. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/GEEFXw-W8AA5iof.jpg) The Tianzhou 7 spacecraft docking at the Tiangong Space Station. ©China Manned Space Agency The Tianzhou 7 spacecraft is carrying supplies, clothing, and food to the space station to support the Shenzhou 17 and Shenzhou 18 missions. The spacecraft is also carrying 90 kilograms of fresh fruit onboard reportedly to boost moral during the six-month stay on the space station. China's Tiangong Space Station is currently crewed by Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie, and Jiang Xinlin as part of the [Shenzhou 17 mission](https://proximareport.com/shenzhou-17-chinas-space-station/). Shenzhou 18 is believed to be launching in May of 2024 to take over from the Shenzhou 17 crew. ![Long March 7 during roll out to its launchpad with Tianzhou 7 onboard at Wenchang Space Launch Site. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/82e4e451gy1hlu4lilqupj20u0140dkr.jpg) Long March 7 during roll out to its launchpad with Tianzhou 7 onboard at Wenchang Space Launch Site. ©China Manned Space Agency The Tianzhou spacecraft is an uncrewed cargo spacecraft developed by China to resupply the Tiangong Space Station. Tianzhou is derived from China’s first space station, Tiangong-1, and is capable of delivering 7,400 kilograms of cargo to their space station and weighs 14,000 kilograms. The spacecraft does not possess any way to return cargo back down to Earth and is destroyed on re-entry. So far all Tianzhou spacecraft have been launched atop of the Long March 7 rocket. Tianzhou is also capable of transporting pressurized, semi-pressurized, and un-pressurized cargo. Current versions of the spacecraft are powered by two solar panels to generate electrical power for the spacecraft. ![The mission patch of the Tianzhou 7 resupply mission. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/tianzhou25207_mission_patch_20240112110507.png) The mission patch of the Tianzhou 7 resupply mission. ©China Manned Space Agency ## What is the Tiangong Space Station? The Tiangong Space Station, also called the Chinese Space Station, is a permanently crewed space station in low Earth orbit operated by the China Manned Space Agency. The space station consists of the Tianhe core module, which was launched first on the 29th of April 2021, the Wentian laboratory module, which was launched second on the 24th of July 2022, and the Mengtian laboratory module, which was launched third on the 31st of October 2022\. China currently plans to launch the Xuntian space telescope which will co-orbit with the space station for periodic docking for servicing and maintenance. There are also rumors of a fourth module that would allow up to six spacecraft to dock with the space station. The station currently has a pressurized volume of three hundred and forty cubic meters with one hundred and twenty-two cubic meters of it being habitable. ![The Tiangong Space Station, with Earth in the background, with Shenzhou 17 and Tianzhou 6 docked, as seen by Shenzhou 16 during departure. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/--_------------.jpg) The Tiangong Space Station, with Earth in the background, with Shenzhou 17 and Tianzhou 6 docked, as seen by Shenzhou 16 during departure. ©China Manned Space Agency The Tianhe module functions as the core of the Tiangong space station and provides lift support and living quarters for three crew members. It also provides the guidance, navigation, and orientation control of the space station. Until the Wentian and Mengtian modules were docked it provided all of the space stations power. There is also an airlock to allow the crew to go on spacewalks outside the space station. The Wentian module functions as a research laboratory in a microgravity, commonly called zero gravity, environment. It also has additional navigation avionics, propulsion, and orientation systems as a backup for the Tianhe module. The module also has a five-meter-long arm to assist with extra-vehicular activities and attach scientific instruments to one of the modules' twenty-two standard adapters on the outside of the module. Wentian also has two large solar arrays, which are one hundred and ten square meters each, to generate power for the space station. There is also another airlock to allow the crew to go on spacewalks outside the space station. The Mengtian module functions as a microgravity, commonly called zero gravity, laboratory environment. The module also has a pair of experiment cargo doors to allow the experiments to be attached in a pressurized environment and then be moved outside without the need for extra-vehicular activities. Like Wentian, Mengtian has two large solar arrays, which are one hundred and ten square meters each, to generate power for the space station. ### Weekly Dose of Space (7/1-13/1) URL: https://proximareport.com/weekly-dose-of-space-7-1-13-1/ Last updated: 2024-01-14T19:03:07.000Z Welcome to Weekly Dose of Space! This week hasn't slowed down and saw two debut flights from two different countries! This week also had interesting news from NASA, JAXA, and Lockheed Martin. We'll also look ahead to the next week of launches. ## **SpaceX** SpaceX's teams at Starbase continued to remove and disassemble one of the water tanks at the 'orbital tank farm' at the start of the week. Ship 30 was spotted rolling to the production site on the 10th from the Masseys test site after it was believed to have undergone testing. Booster 12 was seen undergoing 'cryo-testing' at Masseys the following day, the 11th. Later on the 11th Ship 32 was spotted heading to the 'rocket garden'. Teams were also spotted starting construction on what is believed to be a flame trench at the Masseys test site. ## **Launches This Week** ## *January 7th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-35* SpaceX kicked off another week of launches sending another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The booster for this mission was B1067 making its sixteenth flight and landing on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas' downrange. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/GDRw76dboAEzTlH.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40\. ©SpaceX ## *January 8th - Vulcan-Centaur with Peregrine Mission One* At 07:18 am on the 8th of January, United Launch Alliance's Vulcan-Centaur rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 41, at Cape Canaveral in Florida, for the first time ever! The rocket delivered Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander to its desired orbit for its first trip to the Moon. ![Vulcan-Centaur lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41. ©United Launch Alliance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/GDluUbGWMAEod2g.jpg) Vulcan-Centaur lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41\. ©United Launch Alliance ## *January 9th - Long March 2C with the Einstein Probe* On the 9th of January, a Long March 2C lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the Einstein Probe to a 600-kilometer low Earth orbit. The Einstein Probe is a science mission by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in collaboration with the European Space Agency as well as the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, based in Germany. ![A Long March 2C lifting off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the Einstein Probe. ©Ling Siqin/Xinhua](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/659d09b2a3105f211c851fa4-1-1.png) A Long March 2C lifting off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying the Einstein Probe. ©Ling Siqin/Xinhua ## *January 11th - Kuaizhou 1A with Tianxing-1-02* A Kuaizhou 1A lifted off from the Jiquan Satellite Launch Center on the 11th of January. The rocket was carrying the Tianxing-1-02 satellites to a sun-synchronous orbit to perform 'spatial environment measurements'. ![Kuaizhou-1A lifting off from its launchpad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/GDiYv_zbIAA_hCT.jpg) Kuaizhou-1A lifting off from its launchpad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. ## *January 11th - Gravity-1 for its maiden flight* OrienSpace conducted the maiden flight of its Gravity-1 launch vehicle on the 11th of January. The launch vehicle lifted off from its sea launch platform at 13:30 pm, Beijing Time, off the coast of Haiyang, located in the Shandong province. The rocket also carried three Yunyao-1 weather satellites into low Earth orbit. ![Gravity-1 during first-stage flight. ©OrienSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/008yXfxTly1hlpo59ahhcj31hc280tdo-1.jpg) Gravity-1 during first-stage flight. ©OrienSpace ## *January 12th - H-IIA with IGS Optical 8* The 12th of January saw a H-IIA rocket lift off the Tanegashima Space Center flying to sun-synchronous orbit with the IGS Optical 8 satellite. IGS Optical 8 spacecraft is an optical reconnaissance satellite operated by the Japanese military. ![H-IIA lifting off from its launchpad at the Tanegashima Space Center. ©Mitsubishi Heavy Industries](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/GDnkb25aMAABZd9.jpg) H-IIA lifting off from its launchpad at the Tanegashima Space Center. ©Mitsubishi Heavy Industries ## *January 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 7-10* Another Falcon 9 launched on the 14th but from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, in California. The launch carried twenty-two Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1061 making its eighteenth flight and landed downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'. This launch normally wouldn't have been included but launched successfully during the writing process of the newsletter. ![Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/GD0PJ0-acAAFoqo.jpg) Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4E. ©SpaceX ## **In Other Space News** ## *1000th F-35 built by Lockheed Martin* ![An F-35C in flight. ©Lockheed Martin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/F-35C-JSF-turn-1.jpg) An F-35C in flight. ©Lockheed Martin Defense titan Lockheed Martin has recently completed construction of the one-thousandth F-35 Joint Strike Fighter airframe. This milestone comes as the company is currently in the middle of 'Tech Refresh-3', TR-3, of the F-35\. When Lockheed Martin was asked about the 1000th F-35 by [*The Warzone*](https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/the-1000th-f-35-has-been-built?ref=proximareport.com) they answered the following: > *"We continue to produce F-35s at rate and have jets in various stages of the final production process. Once these jets receive the necessary TR-3 hardware and final TR-3 software is available, they will continue through the production process, including parking, until they are delivered."* As of January 2024, the F-35 fleet has flown for over seven-hundred and seventy-three thousand hours and only lost ten airframes in accidents. ## *JAXA's Martian moon mission delayed to 2026* ![A render of JAXA's MMX spacecraft near Mars. ©JAXA](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/image.psd.png) A render of JAXA's MMX spacecraft near Mars. ©JAXA Announced just before Christmas last year via [social media](https://twitter.com/mmx%5Fjaxa%5Fen/status/1738107106988069037?ref=proximareport.com), JAXA's 'Martian Moons Exploration' is no longer targeting fiscal year 2024 and has been delayed to fiscal year 2026. No reason for the delay was given by JAXA or the Japanese government. If you would like to find out more about the mission you can find out more [here.](https://proximareport.com/jaxas-daring-mars-mission/) ## *NASA and Lockheed Martin unveil the X-59* ![NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft sat on a runway. ©Lockheed Martin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/eoeMsEDRnfodPibnxbViVe-970-80.jpg) NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft sat on a runway. ©Lockheed Martin NASA and Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works revealed the X-59 Quiet Supersonic Aircraft on the 12th of January. The X-59 is designed to gather data at supersonic speeds and potentially pave the way for a new generation of commercial aircraft. The X-59 is planned to fly later this year at speeds of 925 miles per hour, or roughly Mach 1.4\. The aircraft will perform several test flights at Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works before it eventually gets transferred to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in California. ## **What to Expect Next Week** ## *Starbase* Hardware is still being prepared for Starship's third flight with SpaceX believing they will receive regulatory approval in February. SpaceX believes they will be hardware-ready for the flight by the end of the month. ## *January 14th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 6-37* Falcon 9 is expected to deliver twenty-three more Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit early on the 14th of January from Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The booster is likely to be B1073 making its twelfth flight and landing downrange on one of SpaceX's drone ships. ## *January 17th - Long March 7 with Tianzhou 7* A Long March 7 is expected to launch from Wenchang Space Launch Site on the 17th of January. The rocket will carry the Tianzhou 7 spacecraft to low Earth orbit to perform the sixth cargo delivery mission to the Tiangong Space Station. ## *January 17th - Falcon 9 with Axiom-3* SpaceX is expected to launch Axiom Space's third mission to the International Space Station. The mission will carry Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei, Alper Gezeravci, and Marcus Wandt aboard Crew Dragon Freedom. The crew are expected to spend eight days aboard the International Space Station. ## *January 18th - Electron for 'Four Of A Kind'* Rocket Lab is expected to launch Electron from Launch Complex 1B on the Mahia Peninsula, in New Zealand. Electron is believed to be carrying four 'space situational awareness' satellites for NorthStar Earth and Space. ### Starship's third flight aims for near-orbit! URL: https://proximareport.com/starships-third-flight-aim-for-orbit/ Last updated: 2024-01-13T17:44:48.000Z In a SpaceX 'all-hands' meeting [posted to X](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1745941814165815717?ref=proximareport.com), formerly Twitter, Elon Musk, the company's CEO and founder, announced the goals for Starship-Super Heavy's next flight! Flight three of Starship-Super Heavy is likely going to be performed with Ship 28 and Super Heavy Booster 10 with the following goal according to Musk: > "Flight three we want to get to orbit and we want to do an in-space engine burn from the header tank and prove that we can reliably de-orbit." The flight plan will likely be similar to the past two flights but with an additional burn planned to demonstrate a de-orbit maneuver. When Starship reaches orbit it will be the largest object to enter orbit so proving it can safely de-orbit itself is highly likely to be necessary. So far no Starship-Super Heavy vehicle has survived flight or reached their planned flight path successfully. Musk also provided insight into why Ship 25 was lost during Starship-Super Heavy's second flight. Ship 25 was venting liquid oxygen from its tank which caused an unexpected fire on the ship followed shortly by an explosion, which would destroy the vehicle. Musk also added that if the ship wasn't venting liquid oxygen it would have made it to entry into Earth's atmosphere. ![A render of two Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicles on two launchpads side by side. ©SpaceX](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/GDrchD8XcAA5AKP.jpg) A render of two Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicles on two launchpads side by side. ©SpaceX It was finally confirmed that a second launch tower would begin construction in Texas. SpaceX has already been spotted moving hardware over from Florida to begin construction of the second tower. Two towers in Texas would support a faster flight cadence of Starship-Super Heavy while the vehicle is still in development. There were also hints of more upgrades to Starship-Super Heavy to lengthen the vehicle to up to 150 meters and to increase the thrust to 20 million pounds of thrust, or 9070 tons of thrust. Musk also provided insights into some of Falcon 9's milestones and goals for the upcoming year. It was revealed that so far Falcon 9 fairings have been reused three-hundred times, which saves SpaceX roughly six million United States dollars per reuse. Musk also said that the Falcon 9 boosters are looking at being flown up to forty times, an increase from the twenty that used to be planned. ![An astronaut performing an extravehicular activity from SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. ©SpaceX/Polaris Program](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/GDsAOL2W4AAwzhF.jpg) An astronaut performing an extravehicular activity from SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. ©SpaceX/Polaris Program The Polaris Dawn mission is also reportedly still planned for early 2024 which will see the first extravehicular activity from SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft during a 'free-flight' mission. Musk also said that the spacesuit for the mission needed to be one that could allow a person to be mobile and low cost. ## What is Starship-Super Heavy? Starship-Super Heavy is SpaceX's in-development fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle. SpaceX aims to have the launch vehicle deliver two hundred tons to low Earth orbit while reused or two hundred and fifty tons when expended. Starship is the second-stage of the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be reused. The Starship second stage is fifty meters tall and nine meters wide. The second stage is powered by three sea-level Raptor engines and three vacuum Raptor Engines with plans to increase it to six in the future, these engines burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen with a maximum thrust of 1500 tons. Starship is believed to weigh one hundred tons empty and one thousand three hundred tons fully fuelled. For reusability, Starship will separate from the booster, Super Heavy, in flight and continue up toward orbit. After a few orbits Starship will perform a deorbit burn and re-enter the atmosphere, after re-entry, Starship will aim to land on the chopsticks' of the launch tower, also called Mechazilla. Super Heavy is the first-stage booster for the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle and is planned to be reused, it is also currently the most powerful rocket stage ever flown. The Super Heavy booster is seventy-one meters tall and nine meters wide. The booster is powered by thirty-three Raptor engines burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen with a maximum thrust of 7590 tons. Super Heavy is believed to weigh two hundred tons empty and three thousand six hundred tons fully fuelled. For reusability, Super Heavy will launch from the Orbital Launch Mount and will then perform a boost back burn and land on the 'chopsticks' of the launch tower, also called Mechazilla, using its grid fins at the top for greater aerodynamic control during unpowered flight. Super Heavy also has a hot-staging ring atop of it to improve the performance of the Starship-Super Heavy stack and simplify the staging process. The Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle is currently 121 meters tall on the launch pad. The launch vehicle is believed to weigh 5,000,000 kilograms when fully fuelled before launch. ### How China plans to land crew on the Moon by 2030 URL: https://proximareport.com/china-moon-2030/ Last updated: 2024-01-18T08:28:22.000Z *Disclaimer: Translations from Chinese in this article may not be entirely accurate.* China currently has plans to land a crew on the surface of the Moon by 2030 but how do they plan to achieve this goal? And what spacecraft and rockets will be used? The goal was announced to the wider world online via Xinhua on their [Weibo account](https://weibo.com/1699432410/N9wGRix5U?refer%5Fflag=1001030103%5F&ref=proximareport.com) back on the 12th of January 2023\. The announcement reads as follows in English: > "The China Manned Space Engineering Office announced on the 12th a preliminary plan for China's manned moon landing, and plans to launch scientific exploration on the moon by 2030." > > "At the 9th China (International) Commercial Space Summit Forum held in Wuhan on the same day, Zhang Hailian, deputy chief designer of the China Manned Space Engineering Office, stated that my country plans to achieve manned landing on the moon to carry out scientific exploration by 2030, and will explore afterwards. Build a lunar scientific research test station to carry out systematic and continuous lunar exploration and related technical test verification." > > "It is understood that my country's preliminary plan for manned landing on the moon is to use two carrier rockets to send the lunar lander and the manned spacecraft to the earth-moon transfer orbit, the spacecraft and the lander rendezvous and dock in the orbit around the moon, and the astronauts enter from the spacecraft. Lunar lander. After that, the lunar lander will descend and land in a predetermined area of the lunar surface, and astronauts will land on the moon to carry out scientific investigation and sample collection. After completing the set mission, the astronauts will take the lander to orbit around the moon to rendezvous and dock with the spacecraft, and bring samples back to Earth on the spacecraft. In order to accomplish this task, Chinese researchers are developing the long March 10 carrier rocket, a new generation of manned spacecraft, lunar lander, lunar landing suit, manned lunar rover and other equipment." The mission is widely believed to take place in 2029 to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, which occurred on the 1st of October 1949\. The mission plan for the crewed landing is believed to be as follows: The first Long March 10 will take off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site carrying the 'Chinese crewed lunar lander' to a trans-lunar trajectory. After the Long March 10 completes the trans-lunar burn the spacecraft will separate and spend the next few days flying towards the Moon. Once near the Moon the 'Chinese crewed lunar lander' will light its propulsion modules engine to enter orbit of the Moon. The spacecraft will then wait in lunar orbit for the 'next-generation crewed spacecraft' A few days later a second Long March 10 will take off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site carrying three crew taikonauts aboard the 'next-generation crewed spacecraft' to a trans-lunar trajectory. After the Long March 10 completes the trans-lunar burn, the spacecraft will fly towards the Moon over the next few days. Once the 'next-generation crewed spacecraft' is near the moon it will light its engines to enter orbit of the Moon. The spacecraft will then rendezvous with the 'Chinese crewed lunar lander' in orbit. After rendezvous, the two spacecraft will dock allowing the crew to move between the two spacecraft. After checkouts of the two spacecraft are completed in lunar orbit the two spacecraft will undock with two crew being headed for the surface and one remaining on orbit. It is believed the propulsion module will still be attached to the 'Chinese crewed lunar lander' and will perform its final burn to send the spacecraft bound for the surface. After a predetermined coast phase the 'Chinese crewed lunar lander' will separate from the propulsion module and light its engines for landing. The exact landing profile is unknown but it is likely to be similar to the Lunar Module of the Apollo program. Once the 'Chinese crewed lunar lander' has confirmed its engines shut off and has soft contact with the lunar surface the crew will prepare to exit the spacecraft. The two taikonauts will exit the spacecraft a few hours after the landing. ![A render of two taikonauts on the lunar surface. ©China Manned Space Agency/China Central Television](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/9da82ba5gy1hfu9vb9vppj21eg0pw79t.jpg) A render of two taikonauts on the lunar surface. ©China Manned Space Agency/China Central Television The two taikonauts will spend a believed eight hours outside on the lunar surface gathering various samples and deploying science equipment, including a rover to traverse large distances. After spending up to eight hours outside the two taikonauts will board the 'Chinese crewed lunar lander' and safely store the gathered samples. Once the two taikonauts are prepared to leave the lunar surface the 'Chinese crewed lunar lander' will relight its engines and return to lunar orbit where it will rendezvous with the 'next-generation crewed spacecraft'. The two spacecraft will once again dock where the crew will transfer themselves and lunar samples out of the lander. After the samples are removed from the 'Chinese crewed lunar lander' and any planned cargo is transferred between the two spacecraft they will undock for the second and final time. The 'next-generation crewed spacecraft' will then move to a safe distance away before it lights its engines again to carry the three taikonauts aboard on a trajectory back to Earth. The three crew members will then spend a few days inside the 'next-generation crewed spacecraft' as it travels back to Earth. At a predetermined point before entry into Earth's atmosphere the capsule of the 'next-generation crewed spacecraft' will separate from its service module and orient itself for entry. Once through the heat of entry into Earth's atmosphere at speeds of over 11,000 meters a second, or roughly 24,500 miles per hour, the capsule will deploy its parachutes to either touchdown on land or splashdown at sea for recovery of the three taikonauts and the lunar samples. Once the crew is recovered safely the mission is complete. ### Where is the mission hardware now? According to the China Academy of Space Technology, [back in May](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/R4OK7WggOquLFkjjsDwInA?ref=proximareport.com), hardware for the mission has been in development for the mission since 2017\. Notably the YF-100 engines which will be used in the Long March 10\. The engines have currently flown on the Long March 5, Long March 6, Long March 7, and Long March 8 to prove their in-flight reliability. An upgraded version is needed for the Long March 10 in its current design. The upgraded versions are the YF-100K and the YF-100M. Twenty-one YF-100K engines will power the Long March 10 for its first stage and boosters. Two YF-100M engines will power the second stage of the Long March 10 to carry it almost all the way to orbit. ![A YF-100K/M during test firings. ©China Academy of Space Technology](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/640-transformed-1.png) A YF-100K/M during test firings. ©China Academy of Space Technology The upgraded YF-100 engines have been performing tests successfully since September of 2022, including restarts on the stands with no change of hardware needed. The YF-100K is reported to be successfully hitting its performance targets. The thrust of the YF-100K and YF-100M will be roughly 130 tons of thrust at sea level. A single YF-100K is believed to have been tested successfully for over three-thousand three-hundred seconds as of May 2023. The Long March 10 is also going to utilize an upgraded YF-75D engine which has been flying on the Long March 5 to prove its in-flight reliability. The upgraded engine is called the YF-75E and will power the third stage of the Long March 10\. Three YF-75E engines will send the third stage and its payload toward the Moon or deep space. ![A YF-75E during a test firing on its stand. ©China Academy of Space Technology](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/6401-transformed.jpeg) A YF-75E during a test firing on its stand. ©China Academy of Space Technology The YF-75E has been performing tests successfully since June of 2022\. Since October of 2022, the YF-75E has run over ten-thousand seconds of test runs. The YF-75E will have a higher specific impulse, thrust, and larger nozzle to enable the lunar mission on the Long March 10. The Long March 10 has also had structural test hardware and tanks being built since late 2019\. Teams have constructed fuel tanks to store rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen which have successfully passed pressure and load tests since 2020\. The third stage liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tank has also passed 'flight-like' load tests in late 2022. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/6403.png) A structural load test article for the Long March 10 and a test tank undergoing a 'flight-like' load test. ©China Academy of Space Technology/Sohu.com The Long March 10 is reportedly currently on track for its maiden flight in 2027 with test flights to low Earth orbit and beyond scheduled for 2027 and 2028. ![Engineers performing tests on materials for the 'next-generation crewed spacecraft'. ©China Academy of Space Technology](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/6404-1-.jpg) Engineers performing tests on materials for the 'next-generation crewed spacecraft'. ©China Academy of Space Technology The 'next-generation crewed spacecraft' has been in development since the mid-2010s and has flown two test flights to low Earth orbit. In 2016 the spacecraft flew as a smaller-scale prototype atop of a Long March 7 to prove the required technologies work in space and to survive entry into Earth's atmosphere. In 2020 the spacecraft flew atop of a Long March 5B to test its avionics and in-space performance over three days. The second flight ended when the capsule touched down in the People's Republic of China successfully testing an airbag to soften the landing and its heat shield technology. Information about progress on the 'Chinese crewed lunar lander' is closely guarded by both the China Academy of Space Technology and the China Manned Space Agency. However, components are being tested for the crewed lunar mission at their respective facilities. ### What needs to happen before the mission? One of the biggest milestones that needs to be completed successfully prior the the crewed lunar landing mission is a test of the Long March 10 in its three-stage configuration with the two boosters, also known as the lunar mission configuration. It is unconfirmed currently but a test of the lander in low Earth orbit will potentially occur in the late-2020s. More tests of the 'next-generation crewed spacecraft' will likely occur, potentially flying on the two-stage configuration of the Long March 10. China is currently aiming to land two probes at the lunar south pole, which may be one of the potential landing sites for the crewed mission, called Chang'e 7 and Chang'e 8\. Chang'e 7 will consist of an orbiter, lander, rover, and 'hoping' probe with Chang'e 8 likely consisting of the same. Chang'e 7 is notably looking to test laser communication, similar to NASA's Psyche spacecraft, as well as photograph the lunar surface at a resolution of 30 centimeters per pixel. Chang'e 7 is currently planned to launch in 2026 with Chang'e 8 planned for 2028 but both could launch sooner. China is also looking to expand its communications capabilities around the Moon with more relay satellites. China has had the Queqiao relay satellite in orbit of the Moon since 2018 and plans to have Queqiao-2 enter operation around the Moon in early 2024. ### So what is the 'next-generation crewed spacecraft'? ![A render of the 'next-generation crewed spacecraft'. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/W020230828467587381361.png) A render of the 'next-generation crewed spacecraft'. ©China Manned Space Agency The 'next-generation crewed spacecraft' is China's in-development crewed spacecraft for low Earth orbit and lunar orbit operations. The spacecraft is believed to be able to carry up to seven taikonauts to low Earth orbit or three taikonauts to lunar orbit. The spacecraft will have two large solar panels to power its systems and life support for the crew. It is believed the spacecraft will weigh 26,000 kilograms fully fuelled for a lunar mission. It is currently unknown what changes will be made for the low Earth orbit version of the 'next-generation crewed spacecraft'. The 'next-generation crewed spacecraft' consists of a command module, to house the crew, and a service module, to power the spacecraft and allow it to enter lunar orbit. The [China Manned Space Agency](https://www.cmse.gov.cn/gfgg/202308/t20230828%5F54220.html?ref=proximareport.com) is believed to have been open to either suggestions or a naming competition to name the 'next-generation crewed spacecraft'. The name should be revealed in the near future. ### And what is the 'Chinese crewed lunar lander'? ![A render of the 'Chinese crewed lunar lander'. ©China Manned Space Agency](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/W020230828467577981307.png) A render of the 'Chinese crewed lunar lander'. ©China Manned Space Agency The 'Chinese crewed lunar lander' is China's in-development lunar lander spacecraft for lunar landing missions. The spacecraft will be able to carry two taikonauts to and from and lunar surface in its current design. The spacecraft will have two large circular solar panels to power its systems and life support for the crew. The spacecraft is believed to weigh 26,000 kilograms fully fuelled with its propulsion module. The 'Chinese crewed lunar lander' consists of a lander module, to perform lunar landings and house the crew for their mission, and the propulsion module, which will allow the spacecraft to enter lunar orbit. The [China Manned Space Agency](https://www.cmse.gov.cn/gfgg/202308/t20230828%5F54220.html?ref=proximareport.com) is believed to have also been open to either suggestions or a naming competition to name the 'Chinese crewed lunar lander'. The name should also be revealed in the near future. ### Finally, what is the Long March 10? The Long March 10 is a three-stage rocket in development by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The rocket plans to burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in its boosters, first, and second-stage. The third-stage currently plans to burn liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The Long March 10 is currently expected to make its maiden flight in 2025. The Long March 10's planned payload is believed to be 70,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, or 27,000 kilograms to a trans-lunar injection. ![A mockup of the Long March 10 displayed at the National Museum of China. ©Shujianyang/Wikimedia Commons](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/Long_March_10_mockup_-_NMC.jpg) A mockup of the Long March 10 displayed at the National Museum of China. [©Shujianyang/Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Long%5FMarch%5F10%5Fmockup%5F-%5FNMC.jpg?ref=proximareport.com) The boosters currently plan to use seven YF-100K engines generating 892 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The combined thrust of the two boosters is 1785 tons of thrust. The expected burn time is currently unknown. The first-stage is currently planning to use seven YF-100K engines generating 892 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. Once again the expected burn time is also unknown currently. The second-stage is currently planning to use two YF-100M engines generating 298 tons of thrust burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The burn time of the second-stage is also unknown currently. The third-stage is currently planning to use three YF-75E engines generating 28 tons of thrust burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The burn time of the thrid-stage is currently unknown. The Long March 10 is expected to weigh up to 2,189,000 kilograms while fully fuelled and be up to 93.2 meters tall when on the launch pad. There are also plans to recover the boosters of the Long March 10 by making the engines restartable and adding grid fins to guide the boosters. The Long March 10 currently does not plan to have landing legs to land and will instead be caught on 'tensioned wires' with 'hooks' on the booster. This is likely to be downrange on a ship. ### Does China have future lunar plans? China currently plans to build a research base on the lunar south pole. This is a joint project between China, Russia, South Africa, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Belarus, Pakistan, and Venezuela. The project is called the International Lunar Research Station and aims to be built in the early 2030s. The project is believed to be open to any country seeking to join however some believe that it exists in opposition to the United States led [Artemis Accords](https://proximareport.com/what-are-the-artemis-accords/). ### What are taikonauts? The word taikonaut has been used lots in this article so a small explanation of the word is necessary. Taikonaut is what China calls its astronauts, such as the country's first taikonaut [Yang Liwei](https://proximareport.com/20-years-chinese-human-spaceflight/) who flew into space in 2003. The word comes from a combination of the Chinese word for outer space, taikong, and the suffix, naut. To date, China has flown twenty taikonauts to space, eighteen men and two women. ### OrienSpace nails its first launch! URL: https://proximareport.com/orienspace-nails-first-launch/ Last updated: 2025-01-01T20:08:23.000Z Aerospace startup OrienSpace conducted the maiden flight of its Gravity-1 launch vehicle today, the 11th of January. The launch vehicle lifted off from its sea launch platform at 13:30 pm, Beijing Time, off the coast of Haiyang, located in the Shandong province. The Gravity-1 rocket carried three Yunyao-1 weather satellites into low Earth orbit as part of a planned constellation of ninety satellites. The launch also made Gravity-1 the most powerful solid-fuel rocket to reach orbit. ![Gravity-1 during first-stage flight. ©OrienSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/008yXfxTly1hlpo59ahhcj31hc280tdo.jpg) Gravity-1 during first-stage flight. ©OrienSpace Speaking to CGTN's Wu Lei, OrienSpace's Co-CEO and Co-Founder, Yao Song, Gravity-1 is believed to be the cheapest commercial rocket in China. The company also believes the rocket is well suited to launch commercial and government constellations once Gravity-1 proves its reliability. Continuing speaking to Wu Lei, Yao Song said that the Gravity-2 rocket would perform recovery tests in a month and a half with a test flight in two months! Currently, OrienSpace is the fifth aerospace company in China to reach orbit with its own rocket following iSpace, Galactic Energy, Space Pioneer, and LandSpace. ### What is Gravity-1? Gravity-1 is a three-stage launch vehicle that burns solid fuel in all of its stages. The rocket can also be configured to include a kick-stage that burns rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen using a liquid rocket engine. The Gravity-1 launch vehicle can carry up to 6,500 kilograms to low Earth orbit or 4,200 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. ![A render of Gravity-1 in its launch configuration. ©OrienSpace](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/number_0.png) A render of Gravity-1 in its launch configuration. ©OrienSpace The first-stage is comprised of four solid rocket boosters burning an unspecified solid propellant to generate 150 tons of thrust each. The exact burn time has not yet been shared publicly. The second-stage is a high-altitude optimized solid rocket booster burning the same unspecified solid propellant to generate an unknown amount of thrust. The exact burn time has also not yet been shared publicly. The third-stage is another high-altitude optimized solid rocket booster burning the same unspecified solid propellant to generate an unknown amount of thrust. The exact burn time has once again not yet been shared publicly. Gravity-1 is manufactured and launched by OrienSpace and weighs 405,000 kilograms when on its launch platform. When on its launch platform the rocket is 30 meters tall. ### Who is OrienSpace? OrienSpace Technology Co Ltd, commonly called OrienSpace, is a Chinese space launch provider based out of the city of Beijing and was founded in 2020. The company plans to operate its Gravity series of rockets to serve both commercial and government customers. ![The logo of OrienSpace.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/15/c115fdad-529f-4ea1-9d82-260375a868a5/content/images/2024/01/008yXfxTly8hfdxedydzej30go0gomxo.jpg) The logo of OrienSpace. _Includes the latest 500 public posts. 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