The Space Race - Weekly Roundup August 6th

Author

Juan Fernández
August 06, 2024

Hi, space fans! 

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Space Race Weekly Roundup. Today we have a ton of very interesting updates for you, so let's dive in!

🚀 Rare Glimpse of Space Junk: A 15-Year-Old Rocket Stage

Astroscale, a Japanese company specialized in on-orbit servicing, achieved a milestone by capturing the first publicly released image of space debris captured from another spacecraft using rendezvous and proximity operations.

Their ADRAS-J spacecraft photographed the H-IIA rocket upper stage, which has been in orbit for over 15 years. This mission marks the first time a satellite has approached and inspected an inactive rocket, revealing that despite its long exposure to space, the rocket remains largely intact. This demonstration is crucial for future debris removal missions.

🚀 Cygnus Spacecraft Encounters Issues After Launch

The Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft, launched on a Falcon 9, experienced issues post-launch, delaying its orbit-raising maneuvers to the ISS. Initially, a burn was missed due to late entry, followed by a low pressure state. Engineers are working on a new plan to ensure arrival at the ISS. Despite this, Cygnus successfully deployed its solar arrays and is carrying 3,857 kg of cargo, including scientific experiments and crew supplies.

🦾 Themis Landing Leg Testing

MT Aerospace has begun testing the landing legs for the Themis reusable booster. As part of the €39-million SALTO project funded by EU Horizon Europe, the seven-meter tall legs made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic successfully passed initial deployment tests. This development supports ESA’s Themis program aimed at enhancing reusable space technologies. The first hop test of the Themis demonstrator is expected next year at Esrange Space Centre.

🌕 Lunar Lava Tube Mapped from Space

Researchers have mapped the entrance of a lunar lava tube using radar reflections from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. This breakthrough, led by the University of Trento, reveals an accessible tunnel under the Moon’s surface, potentially ideal for future research stations. Lava tubes offer protection from extreme temperatures, radiation, and meteorite impacts, making them safer and cheaper options for establishing a lunar presence.

🌞 Gaia Spacecraft Overcomes Harsh Space Conditions

ESA's Gaia spacecraft has recovered from damage caused by a micrometeoroid and a powerful solar storm. The micrometeoroid impact created a gap that allowed stray sunlight to disrupt Gaia's sensors, while the solar storm damaged the spacecraft's electronics, leading to false star detections. After thorough investigations and adjustments by ESA's teams, Gaia has resumed its routine operations, continuing its mission to map the Milky Way.

🌍 A New Mission to Asteroid Apophis!

ESA's new Ramses mission will rendezvous with the asteroid Apophis before its close Earth flyby in 2029. The spacecraft will observe how Earth's gravity affects Apophis, providing valuable data for planetary defense. The mission will help understand asteroid composition and behavior, which is crucial for future asteroid deflection strategies. Ramses aims to launch in April 2028, with a detailed study of Apophis' structure and changes during the flyby.

💎 Mercury's Diamond Layer

NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft data reveals Mercury may have a diamond layer up to 10 miles thick beneath its crust. Scientists believe that Mercury's unique carbon-rich environment and intense pressure led to diamond formation over billions of years. This discovery helps explain the planet's rapid cooling and short volcanic period. Further insights are expected from the upcoming BepiColombo mission, which will refine our understanding of Mercury's internal structure.

💸 Boeing Faces Additional Losses on Starliner Program

Boeing has incurred an additional $125 million loss on its CST-100 Starliner commercial crew program due to delays in completing the Crew Flight Test mission. This adds to the $1.6 billion in charges previously taken on the program. The company faces ongoing challenges with fixed-price development contracts, including the KC-46A tanker and VC-25B aircraft. Boeing and NASA are working to finalize Starliner's return from the ISS, with preparations for potential returns in August.

🧪 Vast's Microgravity Lab on Haven-1 Station

Vast is launching the Haven-1 Lab, a microgravity research facility, on its commercial space station in 2025. Partnering with Redwire Space and Yuri, the lab will host ten payload slots for scientific experiments. The facility aims to demonstrate Vast's capability to develop and operate commercial space stations, offering more flight opportunities and fewer restrictions compared to the ISS.

🛰️ Callisto Test Flight Delayed

The inaugural test flight of CNES's Callisto reusable rocket demonstrator has been delayed to late 2025 or early 2026. Originally planned for 2024, the delay was announced as part of an updated timeline. The Callisto project, a collaboration between CNES, DLR, and JAXA, aims to advance reusable rocket technologies. The rocket will be powered by JAXA's RSR2 engine, with vehicle integration expected in Japan by 2025.

📹 Our latest videos

In case you missed them, here are the latest videos we've published on our YouTube channel

🚀 Upcoming Rocket Launches

Mark your calendars! Here are the upcoming rocket launches scheduled for the next week:

  • Wednesday, August 7th: Falcon 9 (SpaceX) - Starlink 8-3 mission

  • Saturday, August 10th: Falcon 9 (SpaceX) - Starlink 10-7 mission

  • Monday, August 12th: Falcon 9 (SpaceX) - ASBM mission

And that’s all for this week! 

Stay tuned for more updates and keep looking up.

Juan from The Space Race team