The Space Race - Weekly Roundup Sept 17th

Author

Juan Fernández
September 17, 2024

Hi, dear space fans! 👋🏻

Welcome to another edition of The Space Race Weekly Roundup.

🛰️ Polaris Dawn Mission Returns After Historic Spacewalk

The Polaris Dawn mission completed a historic spaceflight with a splashdown off Florida's coast on September 15, 2024. The Crew Dragon Resilience returned after reaching 1,400 kms, the highest altitude since 1972 and performing the first commercial spacewalk. All crew members safely landed, marking a private space exploration milestone.

Read more 👉 Polaris has returned home after landmark commercial spaceflight

🛑 FAA Defends Starship Licensing Delays

The FAA explained delays in issuing SpaceX’s Starship launch license, citing the need for additional environmental reviews and SpaceX's modifications: “The driver on the current schedule is the environmental review, in this case. The safety review is not done yet, either, but it’s on a shorter schedule”. Despite criticism, the FAA emphasized a “productive” relationship with SpaceX.

Read more 👉 FAA defends Starship licensing delays

🚀 Landspace Advances Reusable Rocket Development

Landspace completed a key 10-kilometer vertical takeoff and landing test for its Zhuque-3 (ZQ-3) rocket at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The rocket reached 10,002 meters, performed a mid-flight engine shutdown, and reignited at 4.6 km for a controlled landing, marking a first for Chinese VTVL tests. This test advances the development of the ZQ-3, a reusable methane-liquid oxygen rocket designed to carry up to 21,000 kg to low-Earth orbit, with an orbital launch planned for 2025

Read more 👉 Landspace completes 10-kilometer reusable rocket test


🧑‍🚀 Starliner Astronauts Adjust to Extended ISS Stay

NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore will remain on the ISS until early 2025 following technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner. Originally planned for a short mission, they are now part of Expedition 72. Despite personal challenges, such as missing family milestones, they remain positive and are actively participating in discussions about Starliner improvements

Read more 👉 Starliner astronauts adjust to long-term ISS stay


🛰️ Astroscale and ClearSpace Secure Funds for Satellite De-Orbit Mission

Astroscale and ClearSpace received £2.35 million each from the UK Space Agency to develop satellite de-orbit technologies, with a demonstration mission expected by March 2025.

Read more 👉 Astroscale and ClearSpace get funds to advance double satellite de-orbit mission

🌕 Second ispace Lunar Lander Set for December Launch

Japanese company iSpace plans to launch its second lunar lander, Resilience, in December 2024, targeting the Mare Frigoris region. This mission follows a failed attempt in 2023.

🌛 And more moon!

The Lunar Trailblazer orbiter and the IM-2 lander, part of NASA's ice-hunting missions, are set for a January 2025 launch. The IM-2 will search for water ice at the moon's south pole using the PRIME-1 experiment. Lunar Trailblazer will map water distribution from orbit. This mission aims to identify lunar ice, essential for future space missions. NASA’s efforts will compete with China's and Russia's south pole lunar exploration plans. The IM-2 mission will also deploy a Micro-Nova Hopper drone for surface exploration.

🤖 Airbus Demonstrates Autonomous Sample Collection for Mars Missions

Airbus recently tested an autonomous rover, called Codi, to collect planetary samples, which could be really helpful on future Mars missions. The tests also trialed a new navigation system to expedite rover missions.

Read more 👉 Airbus Demonstrates Autonomous Sample Collection for Mars Missions

📹 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! These exciting rocket launches are scheduled over the next week:

  • Tuesday, September 17th: Angara 1.2 – Kosmos (Unknown Payload) mission, Russia

  • Wednesday, September 18th: Falcon 9 (SpaceX, USA) – Galileo L13 mission.

  • Wednesday, September 18th: Falcon 9 (SpaceX, USA) – Starlink Group 9-17 mission.

  • Thursday, September 19th: Electron (Rocket Lab, New Zealand) – Kinéis Killed the RadIoT Star (Kinéis 6-10) mission.

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

Juan from The Space Race team