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- The Space Race - Weekly Roundup Jan 7th
The Space Race - Weekly Roundup Jan 7th
Juan Fernández
January 07, 2025
i there, space fans! 🚀 Happy new year! 🎉
This week is full of action. India has launched the SpaDeX mission to test critical on-orbit docking technology. SpaceX is gearing up for the Starship 7th test flight, while New Glenn is set for its maiden flight. ESA is preparing for BepiColombo's final flyby of Mercury, and NASA's Deep Space Network has just welcomed a massive new antenna.
Let’s dive deep into these stories! 😊
🛰️ India's PSLV Space Docking Leap
India successfully launched the PSLV-C60 rocket from Sriharikota, carrying the SpaDeX mission to test on-orbit docking technology. This critical experiment involves two spacecraft, SDX01 and SDX02, aimed at demonstrating autonomous docking capabilities. The successful mission paves the way for India's ambitious space goals, including lunar missions and the development of a space station.
🚀 SpaceX's Next Starship Milestone
SpaceX is gearing up for the seventh test flight of its Starship vehicle, featuring significant upgrades and the first payload deployment. Scheduled for January 10, this flight will test a new generation of the Starship upper stage with enhanced design elements and avionics. It will also attempt reentry experiments and return the Super Heavy booster to the launch site, marking a crucial step towards a fully reusable vehicle.
🌍 Record 263 Launches in 2024!
In 2024, the world witnessed a historic high with 263 orbital rocket launches, surpassing the previous records significantly. The United States led with 158 launches, followed by China with 68. This milestone underscores a vibrant era for space exploration, with contributions from modern rocketry innovations and advanced landing technologies, such as SpaceX's reusable Falcon 9 first stage, which showcased tons of precision landings on drone ships.
🪐 Final BepiColombo Mercury Flyby
On January 8, 2025, ESA and JAXA's BepiColombo mission will make its final flyby of Mercury, passing just 295 km above the surface. This maneuver will decelerate the spacecraft and alter its trajectory in preparation for orbital insertion in late 2026. The flyby will capture crucial photographs and conduct measurements to refine the operations of its scientific instruments, providing valuable data before the main mission phase begins.
📡 New Antenna Joins NASA's Deep Space Network
On December 18, 2024, NASA enhanced its Deep Space Network by installing the 133-ton reflector dish for Deep Space Station 23 at the Goldstone Complex in California. This new antenna will support a growing number of space missions by improving communication capabilities. Set to become operational in 2026, it will aid in data transmission for missions like Perseverance and Voyager, and support future deep space exploration efforts.
🇮🇳 India's Ambitious Space Year
India's space agency, ISRO, has an ambitious schedule for 2025, planning 10 orbital launches, which could set a new record for the country. These missions include various vehicle types and purposes, from satellite deployments for defense and remote sensing to preparatory launches for human spaceflight under the Gaganyaan program. The year will also mark a significant step with the commercial arm of ISRO, NewSpace India Limited, conducting its first mission, showcasing the growing synergy between public and private space organizations in India.
🐉 Unseen Stars Revealed Beyond Dragon Arc
Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have observed 44 individual stars in a distant galaxy behind the "Dragon Arc," nearly 6.5 billion light-years away. This discovery, facilitated by gravitational lensing, marks a significant advancement in studying distant celestial bodies and could help unravel the mysteries of dark matter. It represents the largest number of individual stars ever detected at such a distance, highlighting JWST's capabilities.
🌌 Must-Watch Space Missions 2025
In 2025, the space exploration agenda is packed with amazing missions!
Key highlights include NASA's Artemis Moon initiative and SpaceX’s Starship tests, crucial for future Lunar and Martian missions. China's first asteroid sample return mission is set to mark a key milestone. The year will also see multiple lunar missions like Falcon 9's launches of Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost and ispace’s Hakuto-R Mission 2 landers. NASA’s Twin ESCAPADE spacecraft aims to study the Martian atmosphere, while missions like ESA’s Lunar Pathfinder will provide critical data on the Moon. Additionally, NASA’s Europa Clipper, ESA's Hera, and JUICE missions will perform vital planetary flybys, enriching our understanding of the solar system.
📹 Our latest videos
In case you missed them, here are the latest videos we've published on our YouTube channel
🚀 Upcoming Rocket Launches
Get ready for the next rocket launches 🚀
Wednesday, January 8th:
Falcon 9 Block 5 (SpaceX, USA) – Starlink Group 12-11. Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA. Launch window opens: 16:24 UTC.
Friday, January 10th:
Falcon 9 Block 5 (SpaceX, USA) – NROL-153. Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. Launch window opens: 04:19 UTC.
New Glenn (Blue Origin, USA) – Maiden Flight. Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA. Launch window opens: 07:00 UTC.
Falcon 9 Block 5 (SpaceX, USA) – Starlink Group 12-12. Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA. Launch window opens: 16:27 UTC.
Starship (SpaceX, USA) – Flight 7. SpaceX Starbase, TX, USA. Launch window opens: 23:00 UTC.
And that wraps up this week's newsletter. Stay curious!
Juan and the team at The Space Race