The Space Race - Weekly Roundup Sept 10th

Hi, space fans! 

Welcome to another exciting edition of The Space Race Weekly Roundup.

🐉 Polaris Dawn Launches Historic Private Spacewalk Mission!

SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission launched after two weeks of weather delays, marking the most ambitious private spaceflight to date. Led by billionaire Jared Isaacman, the crew aims to reach an apogee of 1,400 km and conduct the first private spacewalk. The five-day mission also includes scientific research and Starlink communication tests.

Read more 👉 Polaris Dawn takes to the skies

 🚀 New Glenn's Maiden Flight Loses Mars Passenger

NASA has removed the ESCAPADE Mars mission from Blue Origin's inaugural New Glenn launch to avoid significant costs and technical challenges related to fuel removal in case of delays. The twin ESCAPADE smallsats will not launch in October, with the next opportunity now set for spring 2025. Blue Origin will proceed with the New Glenn's debut launch in November, carrying technology for its Blue Ring orbital transfer vehicle instead.

Read more 👉 NASA removes ESCAPADE from inaugural New Glenn launch

 🌠 Starliner is back home

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft has returned to Earth without crew, concluding a problematic Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission. Now the future of Starliner remains uncertain. NASA and Boeing are investigating the thruster problems, but the jettisoned service module's destruction during reentry complicates the analysis. While NASA remains committed to having two crew transport options, it's unclear if Starliner will meet its August 2025 target for operational flights. The possibility of another test flight before certification has not been ruled out.

Read more 👉 Starliner is Safely Back on Earth

🌙 China Eyes Underground Moon Bases in Lava Tubes

Chinese researchers are increasingly focusing on the potential of lunar lava tubes as viable sites for future Moon bases. These natural formations offer unique advantages, such as protection from harmful radiation and extreme temperature fluctuations that occur on the lunar surface. A series of new papers highlight how the exploration of these lava tubes could lead to sustainable habitats for astronauts, enabling longer missions and deeper exploration of the Moon's resources.

Read more 👉 China is taking a keen interest in lava tubes as possible lunar habitats

🖨️ ESA's Space-Age Manufacturing: First Metal 3D Print in Orbit

The European Space Agency (ESA) has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by successfully conducting the first metal 3D print in space aboard the ISS. This achievement demonstrates the potential for in-situ manufacturing in space, which could revolutionize how we build and maintain equipment for long-duration missions. The printed metal parts can be used for repairs and replacements, reducing the need for resupply missions from Earth and paving the way for more sustainable space exploration.

Read more 👉 ESA Achieves First Metal 3D Print in Space

 🔴 Red Planet Retrieval: China Sets Sights on Mars Samples

China has announced its plans to launch a Mars sample return mission in 2028, with the ambitious goal of bringing Martian soil samples back to Earth by 2031.

The mission involves two Long March-5 rocket launches, sending an orbiter/Earth-returner and a lander/ascent-vehicle. It will collect about 600 grams of samples using multi-point surface sampling, in-depth drilling, and in-flight sampling. The mission's primary goal is to search for signs of life, with additional focus on Martian climate and geology.

Read more 👉 China Will Launch its Mars Sample Return Mission in 2028

 🚀 Vega's Grand Finale: Sentinel-2C Launch Marks End of an Era

The first generation of the Vega rocket has successfully completed its final mission by launching the Sentinel-2C Earth observation satellite into orbit. This mission marks a significant milestone for the Vega program, which has been instrumental in supporting various Earth observation initiatives. With the successful deployment of Sentinel-2C, the Vega rocket retires having contributed to global environmental monitoring and disaster management efforts over the years.

Read more 👉 First-gen Vega rocket retired after successful Sentinel-2C launch

 🛸 China's Mystery Spaceplane Completes Record-Breaking Orbital Mission

China's experimental reusable spaceplane has successfully returned to Earth after an impressive 267 days in orbit, showcasing the country's advancements in reusable space technology. This extended secret mission demonstrated rendezvous and proximity operations with a small object or satellite.

Read more 👉 China's secretive reusable spaceplane lands after 267 days in orbit

🕳️ Twin Supermassive Black Holes Caught in Orbital Dance

NASA's Hubble and Chandra space telescopes have made a remarkable discovery of a pair of supermassive black holes orbiting each other, providing new insights into the dynamics of galactic mergers. This finding offers a rare glimpse into the processes that occur when galaxies collide and merge, shedding light on the formation of supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies. The research enhances our understanding of gravitational waves and the evolution of the universe.

Read more 👉 NASA's Hubble, Chandra Find Supermassive Black Hole Duo

 🌓 Russia's Luna-27 to Explore Both Lunar Poles?

Lev Zeleny, scientific director of the Academy of Sciences, recently revealed some interesting details about the upcoming Luna-27 mission to the Moon. The mission aims to explore both the North and South Poles, focusing on lunar dust, soil composition, and electromagnetic fields. A lander will be sent to each pole, allowing for comparative studies. If successful, Russia will become the first country to land on both poles of the Moon.

Read more 👉 Luna-27: Two Poles are Better than One

📹 Our latest videos

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

• What Actually Happened To The Boeing Starliner

• NASA Has A New Problem With The Moon Mission (Artemis)

• The Real Reason Sierra Space Is About To Take Over

🚀 Upcoming Rocket Launches

Mark your calendars! Here are the upcoming rocket launches

• Wednesday, Sep 11th: Soyuz 2.1a | Soyuz MS-26 ROSCOSMOS, Russia

• Thursday, Sep 12th: Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 9-6
  SpaceX, USA

• Thursday, Sep 12th: H-IIA 202 | IGS Radar 8
  Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Japan

• Thursday, Sep 12th: Falcon 9 Block 5 | BlueBird Block 1
  SpaceX, USA

• Friday, Sep 13th: Ceres-1 | Unknown Payload, Galactic Energy, China

• Monday, Sep 16th: Falcon 9 Block 5 | Galileo L13 (FOC FM26 & FM32)
  SpaceX, FL, USA

• Tuesday, Sep 17th: Electron | Kinéis Killed the RadIoT Star (Kinéis 6-10)
  Rocket Lab, New Zealand

And that’s all for this week! Stay tuned for more updates :)

Juan from The Space Race team