The Space Race - Weekly Roundup June 18th

Author

Juan Fernández
June 18, 2024

Hello, fellow space enthusiasts! 👋

Brace yourselves for an exciting roundup of the latest news from the final frontier.

🌘 Frost on Mars Volcanoes!

In a groundbreaking discovery, the European Space Agency's Trace Gas Orbiter has spotted water frost on the towering Tharsis volcanoes of Mars, including the mighty Olympus Mons. This unexpected finding challenges our understanding of the Martian climate and water cycle. The frost coatings, though thin, cover vast areas and could potentially serve as a valuable resource for future human exploration. 

🛰️ Extended Stay for Starliner

NASA and Boeing have decided to keep the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft docked at the International Space Station for an additional four days, providing an invaluable opportunity for further testing and data collection. This extension will allow the team to conduct additional thruster tests, cabin air measurements, and hatch operations, paving the way for future long-duration docked missions. 

🌍 Detecting Technosignatures from Earth?

In a fascinating experiment, the Odysseus lunar lander has detected radio emissions from Earth, simulating the search for technosignatures from an exoplanet. 

This remarkable feat showcases our ability to potentially detect signs of advanced civilizations on distant worlds, opening up exciting possibilities in the quest for extraterrestrial intelligence. 

🚀 China Takes Another Step Towards the Moon

China has taken a significant step towards its goal of landing astronauts on the Moon by conducting a successful static fire test of the Long March 10 rocket's first stage. This powerful rocket, designed to carry crew and cargo to the lunar surface, is a crucial component of China's ambitious plans to establish a robotic and eventually inhabited moon base. 

🤖 Voyager 1 Resumes Science Operations

After overcoming a technical glitch, NASA's iconic Voyager 1 spacecraft has resumed gathering valuable data about the interstellar environment using all four of its science instruments. This remarkable achievement, nearly 47 years after its launch, highlights the resilience of these pioneering probes and our ongoing quest to explore the vast reaches of the cosmos. 

🛰️ SpaceX Launch Abort!

In a rare occurrence, SpaceX experienced a mission abort at the moment of engine ignition for the Starlink 10-2 mission, marking the third consecutive scrub in as many days. While the cause remains undisclosed, the company is expected to provide an updated launch date once the issue is resolved, highlighting the challenges and complexities of space operations. 

🌓 Pluto Lander Mission Study

NASA's Institute for Advanced Concepts has funded a mission study exploring the feasibility of landing on Pluto, one of the most intriguing dwarf planets in our solar system. The proposed mission involves aerobraking and deploying a hopping lander capable of visiting multiple sites, enabling unprecedented scientific exploration and in-situ analysis. While the launch window remains uncertain, this ambitious concept showcases our unwavering curiosity and determination to push the boundaries of space exploration. 

📹 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 all the launches scheduled for the next few days:

  • Tue Jun 18: Falcon 9 (SpaceX, USA) - Astra 1P/SES-24 mission 

  • Wed Jun 19: Falcon 9 (SpaceX, USA) - Starlink Group 9-1 mission 

  • Thu Jun 20: Electron (Rocket Lab, New Zealand) - No Time Toulouse (Kinéis 1-5) mission

  • Fri Jun 21: Falcon 9 (SpaceX, USA) - Starlink Group 10-2 mission 

  • Sat Jun 22: Long March 2C (China) - Space Variable Objects Monitor (SVOM) mission 

  • Tue Jun 25: Falcon Heavy (SpaceX, USA) - GOES-U mission

That's all for this week. We encourage you to explore the links for more in-depth details to fuel your cosmic curiosity 🚀

See you next week!
Juan, from The Space Race team