The Space Race - Weekly Roundup July 23rd

Author

Juan Fernández
July 23, 2024

Hi, space fans! 

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Space Race Weekly Roundup.

🚀 SpaceX Falcon 9 Set for Quick Return to Flight

After a recent failure of the upper-stage, SpaceX is ready to relaunch the Falcon 9 rocket within days. An upper-stage anomaly caused 20 Starlink satellites to burn up upon reentry. Engineers quickly identified and fixed the issue. The FAA is currently reviewing SpaceX's request to resume launches.

SpaceX aims to prove the rocket's reliability with three rapid launches before two upcoming crewed missions, including the Polaris Dawn mission and NASA's Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station.

🛰️ France Funds Satellite Capture and Inspection Mission

France has awarded Thales Alenia Space a contract to capture and inspect a small satellite by the end of the decade. The mission, supported by CNES and Bpifrance, aims to demonstrate orbital servicing capabilities using a robotic arm to handle a spinning target.

This project is part of the EROSS program, which includes inspection, attitude control takeover, refueling, and payload exchange projects, paving the way for active debris removal and future space sustainability efforts.

🌕 Enhanced Dragon Spacecraft to Deorbit ISS

During a briefing on July 17, NASA and SpaceX officials unveiled new information about the United States Deorbit Vehicle (USDV) spacecraft.

This spacecraft is the upgraded Dragon that SpaceX will develop for NASA to deorbit the International Space Station by the end of the decade.

This new spacecraft will feature enhanced capabilities, including more thrusters and larger propellant tanks, ensuring the controlled reentry. The USDV will safely guide the ISS into the ocean, preventing any potential risks associated with uncontrolled reentry.

🛰️ Maxar Releases First WorldView Legion Satellite Images

Maxar Intelligence unveiled the first images from its WorldView Legion satellites, launched in May. These high-resolution satellites will enhance Maxar’s imaging capacity for applications like defense, urban planning, and disaster response. The first pair of satellites is part of a planned constellation to be fully operational by the end of 2024, offering 30 cm-class imagery. This advancement will significantly increase revisit rates and the overall quality of Earth observation data available to various industries.

🌑 Moon Dust Threatens Lunar Water Purification

Lunar regolith poses a significant challenge for water purification on the Moon, potentially contaminating astronauts' water supplies. Researchers found that lunar dust can severely impact water quality and purification systems. Tests using a simulant of lunar regolith showed pH, turbidity, and aluminum levels exceeding safe benchmarks. This highlights the need for advanced filtration solutions to ensure sustainable water resources for long-term lunar exploration missions, as astronauts cannot rely solely on Earth-supplied water.

🇨🇳 Beijing Launches 'Rocket Street' for Space Sector

Beijing has unveiled the "Rocket Street" project to bolster its commercial space industry. Located in Beijing E-town, this hub will support over 70 aerospace companies with facilities for research, manufacturing, and innovation. The project includes a technological platform, manufacturing center, and an immersive exhibition hall. This initiative aims to enhance China's space industry by fostering collaboration among businesses, universities, and research institutions, aligning with the government's focus on commercial space growth.

Read more 👉 Beijing 'Rocket Street'

🪐 Curiosity Rover Discovers Pure Sulfur on Mars

NASA's Curiosity rover has discovered pure sulfur rocks on Mars, a first on the red planet. These findings, from the Gediz Vallis region, could provide new insights into Mars' geological history and the role of water in shaping its surface. Scientists were surprised to find yellow sulfur crystals within a rock Curiosity drove over, suggesting unique chemical processes that could inform our understanding of Mars' past environments and potential for ancient life.

🌑 SLS Core Stage Heads to Kennedy Space Center

NASA's second Space Launch System (SLS) core stage is en route to the Kennedy Space Center for the Artemis II mission. This stage will support a crewed lunar flyby scheduled for September 2025, following comprehensive testing and integration at the space center. The Artemis II mission marks a crucial step in NASA's Moon to Mars program, aiming to build on the success of Artemis I and further human exploration of deep space.

📹 Our latest videos

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

🚀 Upcoming Rocket Launches

Please note that these dates and times are tentative and subject to change:

  • Thursday, July 25th: Falcon 9 Block 5 (SpaceX) - Starlink 10-4 mission

  • Tuesday, July 30th: Atlas V 551 (ULA) - USSF-51 mission

  • Wed, July 31st: Falcon 9 Block 5 (SpaceX) - Starlink 10-9 mission

And that’s all for this week! 

Stay tuned for more updates and keep looking up.

Juan from The Space Race team