The Space Race - Weekly Roundup Nov 19th

Author

Juan Fernández
November 19, 2024

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Hello, dear space fans! 🚀

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This week’s newsletter is full of space updates! SpaceX prepares for its sixth Starship test flight, while Firefly Aerospace celebrates a major funding milestone. ESA explores reusable rocket designs, and China’s Tianzhou-8 mission advances lunar research. We’re also reliving the Philae lander’s historic comet touchdown and uncovering ancient Martian water clues.

Let’s dive in!

🚀 Starship's Sixth Test Flight Today!

SpaceX's sixth Starship flight test is just a few hours away, targeting liftoff today, November 19, at 4:00 PM C.T. The mission aims to expand capabilities for full reusability, including a booster return catch and testing heatshield upgrades. Key objectives involve reigniting a Raptor engine in space and improving reentry maneuvers. Don’t miss it—watch the live webcast in the link below!

Watch it here 👉🏻 Starship's Sixth Flight Test

🛠️ Roman Telescope Assembly Delivered

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has achieved a major milestone with the delivery of its Optical Telescope Assembly. This advanced assembly, featuring a 7.9-foot mirror and cutting-edge technology, will allow Roman to explore the cosmos with unprecedented clarity. Set for a 2027 launch, Roman will survey the universe and test groundbreaking technologies to image distant planets and cosmic phenomena.

 🌙 Intuitive Machines Unveils Lunar Rover

Intuitive Machines revealed its drivable Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) for NASA’s Artemis program. Designed for astronauts and equipped with advanced robotics, the LTV will enhance lunar exploration and enable sustainable Moon missions. The rover, developed with input from Apollo astronauts, combines versatility, durability, and innovative technology to support both crewed and autonomous operations, paving the way for long-term lunar and commercial use.

☄️ Mars Meteorite Reveals Ancient Water

A meteorite from Mars, discovered at Purdue University, shows evidence of liquid water on Mars 742 million years ago. Researchers found minerals in the Lafayette Meteorite formed by water from melting permafrost due to volcanic activity. This discovery provides critical insights into Mars' history and past conditions for water.

🛠️ NASA vs Roscosmos: ISS leak debate!

NASA and Roscosmos remain divided over the cause and severity of a persistent air leak in the Russian Zvezda module of the International Space Station. While Russian engineers attribute the issue to micro-vibrations, NASA highlights additional stress and material factors. Both agencies are working to assess structural risks, but no consensus has been reached, prompting independent reviews to ensure crew safety.

🔥 Dream Chaser's New Heat Shield

Sierra Space and Oak Ridge National Laboratory unveiled a cutting-edge new thermal protection system (TPS) for the Dream Chaser spacecraft. Built from silicon carbide and carbon fibers, the TPS can withstand extreme re-entry temperatures while maintaining reusability. This innovative shield reduces maintenance, optimizes payloads, and paves the way for routine space travel. Testing at NASA's Arc Jet Complex will finalize its readiness for future missions.

 🇨🇳 Tianzhou-8 Resupplies Tiangong Space Station

China's Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft successfully delivered 6,000 kilograms of supplies and experiments to the Tiangong space station. Key experiments include lunar habitat research and biological studies on microgravity's effects. The mission supports current and future crewed missions and marks an advancement in China's lunar and space exploration goals. This was China’s 56th orbital launch of 2024.

🌕 iSpace’s Lunar Mission 2 Delayed to January 2025

iSpace has announced that the launch of its Mission 2 lunar lander, RESILIENCE, is now scheduled for no earlier than January 2025, a delay from the previously planned December 2024 timeframe. This adjustment results from coordination with SpaceX, the mission's launch provider. Despite the postponement, preparations for RESILIENCE are progressing smoothly, with plans to ship the lander to Florida for final launch preparations proceeding as scheduled.

💰 Firefly Rebounds From Bankruptcy With $175M

Firefly Aerospace, once bankrupt, has secured $175 million in an oversubscribed Series D round, boosting its valuation to over $2 billion. The Texas-based company leads its competitors with four successful Alpha rocket launches and a diversified portfolio, including lunar landers and orbital vehicles. This funding will accelerate production and new developments, solidifying Firefly’s comeback as a leader in the commercial space industry.

✂️ JPL Faces Layoffs Amid Budget Cuts

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory will lay off 5% of its staff—around 325 employees—due to budget reductions, marking the second round of layoffs in less than a year. Citing fiscal challenges, JPL leadership aims to stabilize staffing at 5,500 employees for future projects. While uncertainty looms with administrative transitions, leaders are optimistic these cuts will suffice to align with fiscal year 2025 funding levels.

 🇪🇺 Europe Eyes Super Heavy-Lift Rocket Future

ESA’s studies reveal that developing a European super heavy-lift rocket capable of delivering 100 tonnes to low Earth orbit by 2030 is feasible but challenging, requiring immediate political action. Proposals from ArianeGroup and Rocket Factory Augsburg highlight reusable designs leveraging advanced engines like Prometheus and Helix. These rockets aim to compete globally, offering payload costs as low as €200/kg. But can Europe overcome technical and political hurdles to achieve this ambitious goal?

🌍 Ancient Impact That Shaped Life

A colossal meteorite impact 3.26 billion years ago, 200 times larger than the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs, triggered tsunamis and mixed Earth's oceans. This upheaval distributed nutrients like phosphorus, creating conditions that allowed microbial life to thrive. While temporarily disrupting marine life, the event had long-term benefits for habitability. Researchers continue to explore how such impacts influenced Earth's evolution and its suitability for life.

💶 $160M Boost for Nyx Spacecraft Development

The Exploration Company secured $160M in Series B funding to accelerate its reusable Nyx spacecraft, designed for cargo missions to orbit and the Moon. The next milestone is the 2025 launch of the Mission Possible capsule aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, marking Nyx's first payload delivery to orbit. With $770M in secured contracts, this mission is pivotal in proving Nyx's capabilities and scaling its ambitions.

☄️ Reliving Philae’s Historic Comet Landing

Ten years ago, Philae became the first spacecraft to land on a comet, marking a historic milestone in space exploration. Despite technical challenges, Philae completed 80% of its mission, discovering key insights into Comet 67P’s surface, structure, and chemistry, including organic compounds essential for life. ESA now celebrates this achievement while paving the way for future comet missions like Comet Interceptor.

📹 Our latest videos

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

🚀 Upcoming Rocket Launches

It’s another cool week of launches! Get ready! 🚀

  • Tuesday, Nov 19th: Starship (SpaceX, USA) – Integrated Flight Test 6. SpaceX Starbase, TX, USA

  • Thursday, Nov 21st:

    • Soyuz 2.1a (Roscosmos, Russia) – Progress MS-29 (90P). Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

    • Falcon 9 Block 5 (SpaceX, USA) – Starlink Group 6-66. Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

  • Friday, Nov 22nd:

    • HASTE (Rocket Lab, USA) – Leidos-2. Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA

    • Falcon 9 Block 5 (SpaceX, USA) – Starlink Group 9-13. Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

    • New Shepard (Blue Origin, USA) – NS-28. Corn Ranch, Van Horn, TX, USA

  • Saturday, Nov 23rd: Electron (Rocket Lab, New Zealand) – Ice AIS Baby (Kinéis 11-15). Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

  • Sunday, Nov 24th: Falcon 9 Block 5 (SpaceX, USA) – Starlink Group 12-1. Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

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

Juan from The Space Race team