The Space Race - Weekly Roundup July 30th

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Hi, space fans! 

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Space Race Weekly Roundup, sponsored by Hubspot. Get ready to explore the latest news from the final frontier!

⛰ Intriguing Mars Rock Discovery

NASA's Perseverance Rover has found a rock on Mars, named "Cheyava Falls," that could indicate ancient microbial life. This arrowhead-shaped rock, with its unique chemical signatures and structures, was collected on July 21 in the Neretva Vallis. It contains organic compounds and distinctive spots possibly linked to past microbial activity, but further research is required to confirm these findings.
👉 NASA’s Perseverance Rover Scientists Find Intriguing Mars Rock

🚀 SpaceX's Rapid Return to Flight

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket returned to orbit just two weeks after an in-flight anomaly. The successful Starlink 10-9 mission marks a swift recovery, showcasing SpaceX's efficiency in resolving technical issues and maintaining its launch schedule.
👉 SpaceX roars back to orbit barely two weeks after in-flight anomaly

🛰️ Starlink Daily Collision-Avoidance Maneuvers

SpaceX reports that its Starlink satellites perform 275 collision-avoidance maneuvers daily, highlighting concerns about increasing orbital traffic. Each satellite, on average, fires thrusters 14 times over six months. This high frequency of maneuvers emphasizes the need for better space traffic management as the number of satellites increases.
👉 SpaceX reports Starlink satellites make 275 collision-avoidance maneuvers daily

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🌌 Webb Telescope Images Cold Exoplanet

The James Webb Space Telescope has imaged Epsilon Indi Ab, a cold exoplanet 12 light-years away. This Jupiter-like planet, one of the coldest observed, offers a unique opportunity to study similar atmospheric compositions to those in our Solar System. The discovery aids in understanding planetary formation and characteristics.
👉 Webb images new, cold exoplanet 12 light-years away

🛠️ Boeing's Starliner Challenges

NASA and Boeing are addressing thruster and helium leak issues in the Starliner spacecraft. Despite delays, they aim to ensure a safe return for the current crew and plan future operational flights. Tests continue to resolve these propulsion system problems.
👉 NASA nears decision on what to do with Boeing’s troubled Starliner spacecraft

⚛️ Rolls-Royce's Space Micro-Reactor Updates

The UK Space Agency has funded Rolls-Royce with £4.8m to develop a space nuclear Micro-Reactor. This innovative technology aims to provide continuous power for satellites and future lunar bases, leveraging Rolls-Royce's expertise in nuclear reactors.
👉 The new Rolls-Royce Micro-Reactor Funded for Space Power

🚀 Free Access to MIURA 5 Launches!

PLD Space's MIURA 5 SPARK Programme offers free access to the first two MIURA 5 launches for educational and research institutions globally. This initiative, backed by Spanish and European space agencies, aims to foster innovation by providing satellite launch services at no cost. The selected projects will address Earth's challenges from space.
👉 MIURA 5 SPARK Programme, presented by PLD Space, offering free access to first two MIURA 5 flights to promote space innovation

🇨🇳 Tiangong Space Station Emergency Drill

China's Shenzhou XVIII crew conducted an emergency drill on the Tiangong space station, simulating a response to space debris impact. The crew efficiently identified and sealed leaks, ensuring station safety. This exercise was part of their broader mission tasks, including device replacements and mental health evaluations.
👉 Shenzhou XVIII Crew Conducts Emergency Drill on Tiangong Space Station

🌙 VOLT Rover Passes Lunar Tests

Astrobotic's VOLT rover successfully completed stability tests at NASA's Glenn Research Center. Designed to deploy vertical solar arrays on the Moon, VOLT demonstrated its ability to operate on steep slopes, crucial for future lunar power infrastructure.
👉 The New Lunar Rover VOLT Passed Stability Tests at SLOPE

📹 Our latest videos

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

• What Happened When The USA Nuked Space (declassified)

• NASA Isn't Landing On The Moon...

• NASA's Underwater Moon Base

🚀 Upcoming Rocket Launches

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

• Tuesday, July 30th: Atlas V 551 (United Launch Alliance, USA) - USSF-51 mission

• Tuesday, July 30th: Electron (Rocket Lab, New Zealand) - Owl for One, One for Owl (StriX 5) mission

• Wednesday, July 31st: Ceres-1S (Galactic Energy) - Unknown Payload mission

• Friday, August 2nd: Falcon 9 Block 5 (SpaceX, USA) - Starlink Group 10-6 mission

• Saturday, August 3rd: Falcon 9 Block 5 (SpaceX, USA) - Cygnus CRS-2 NG-21 mission

And that’s all for this week! 

Stay tuned for more updates and keep looking up.

Juan from The Space Race team