Skynet 4-18-20 “The NASA Twins Study: The Kelly Astronauts” 9PM CT

scott-kelly-twinSKYNET!!!! 9PM CT – 10:30PM CT

Saturday’s Topic: “NASA Twins Study: The Kelly Astronauts”

Net Control: Brenda WB5OZL

Afterglow Movie 10:30PM:
“This Island Earth” (1955)

2-Meter Repeater W5FC: 146.880MHz, PL 110.9, –
Echolink: W5FC-R, node 37247.

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Saturday’s DARC SkyNet is at 9PM CT.

Discussion Topic of the Evening.
NASA Twins Study: The Kelly Astronauts

Astronaut Scott Kelly
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Eqno37eZCtHwByxDiDySf7-970-80.jpg
Space Exploration and Space History
Current News:

NASA Joins California Team to Develop COVID-19 Solutions
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/afrc2020-0058-032.jpg?itok=sEdsmqA5

NASA Satellite Data Show 30 Percent Drop In Air Pollution Over Northeast U.S.

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/2020_no2_w_colorbar_date_print.jpg

April 16
1972 – Apollo 16 Launches
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full_width_feature/public/as16-113-18339.jpg

April 17
1970 – Apollo 13 Returns to Earth
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GwUwQkTRVJBa8qvBCdoie6-1024-80.jpg
Waz Up?

Chaz KF5JHA
Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Month/Topic of the Week
I want to roll out the SKYNET poll:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1lB19M7CrXChNlDKqgJQc0bKGXI052eka8lOQ9U8pfOA/edit?usp=sharing

I will send the link to the poll to anyone who asks. Just send me an email to: saturdayskynet@gmail.com
And put POLL in the subject. Probably will keep it open for about 2 weeks.

Space Launches For This Week
Space Coast Launches

Upcoming Rocket Launch List

Space Flight Now Launch Schedule

Launch Schedule

April
Kuaizhou 1A • Xingyun 2-01 & 2-02
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Jiuquan, China
A Chinese Kuaizhou 1A rocket will launch the first two satellites for China’s planned Xingyun Internet of Things communications and data relay constellation. [April 13]
April 23Falcon 9 • Starlink 6
Launch time: 1916 GMT (3:16 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is expected to launch the seventh batch of approximately 60 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink 6. Delayed from April 16. [April 15]

TBD
GSLV Mk.2 • GISAT 1
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India
India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk. 2 (GSLV Mk.2), designated GSLV-F10, will launch India’s first GEO Imaging Satellite, or GISAT 1. The GISAT 1 spacecraft will provide continuous remote sensing observations over the Indian subcontinent from geostationary orbit more than 22,000 miles (nearly 36,000 kilometers) above Earth. Delayed from Jan. 15, February and March 5. [March 13]

TBD
Electron • “Don’t Stop Me Now”
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket will launch on its 12th flight on a rideshare mission. The rocket will carry three payloads into orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office, the U.S. government’s spy satellite agency, and the ANDESITE CubeSat for Boston University and NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative, which will study Earth’s magnetosphere and Space Weather. The M2 Pathfinder satellite, a collaboration between the Australian government and the University of New South Wales Canberra Space, will also be launched on a communications and technology demonstration mission. Rocket Lab has nicknamed the launch “Don’t Stop Me Now.” Delayed from March 29 due to coronavirus pandemic. [March 25]

TBD
Falcon 9 • SAOCOM 1B
Launch time: 2321 GMT (7:21 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the SAOCOM 1B satellite for CONAE, Argentina’s space agency. SAOCOM 1B is the second of two SAOCOM 1-series Earth observation satellites designed to provide radar imagery to help emergency responders and monitor the environment, including the collection of soil moisture measurements. Delayed from 4th Quarter of 2019, January and February. This mission was originally scheduled to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Delayed from March 30 due to coronavirus pandemic. [March 25]
TBDLauncherOne • Inaugural Flight
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Cosmic Girl (Boeing 747), Mojave Air and Space Port, California
A Virgin Orbit LauncherOne rocket will make its first orbital test flight after dropping from a modified Boeing 747 carrier aircraft over the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. Delayed from early 2019 and summer 2019. [Dec. 13]

TBD
Vega • SSMS POC
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: ZLV, Kourou, French Guiana
An Arianespace Vega rocket, designated VV16, will launch on the Small Spacecraft Mission Service (SSMS) Proof of Concept mission with 42 microsatellites, nanosatellites and CubeSats for commercial and institutional customers. This rideshare launch is the first flight of a multi-payload dispenser funded by the European Space Agency to allow the Vega rocket to deliver numerous small satellites to orbit on a single mission. Delayed from August, Sept. 10 and February. Delayed from March 23 due to coronavirus outbreak. [March 20]

April
Long March 5B • Test Flight
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Wenchang, China
A Chinese Long March 5B rocket will launch on a test flight with an unpiloted prototype for China’s next-generation human-rated crew capsule designed for missions to the country’s planned space station and for human expeditions to the moon. This will be the first flight of the Long March 5B variant of China’s most powerful rocket family. The Long March 5B is designed to launch elements of China’s future space station in low Earth orbit. [Jan. 21]
April 24/25Soyuz • Progress 75P
Launch time: 0151 GMT on 25th (9:51 p.m. EDT on 24th)
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 75th Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station. Delayed from April 16. [April 7]

TBD
SSLV • Demonstration Launch
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India
India’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) will launch on its first orbital test flight. Consisting of three solid-fueled stages and a liquid-fueled upper stage, the SSLV is a new Indian launch vehicle designed to carry small satellites into low Earth orbit. Delayed from September, December and January.

[Jan. 25]
TBDSoyuz • Falcon Eye 2
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: ELS, Sinnamary, French Guiana
An Arianespace Soyuz rocket, designated VS24, will launch on a mission from the Guiana Space Center in South America. The Soyuz will carry the Falcon Eye 2 high-resolution Earth-imaging satellite for the United Arab Emirates. Built by Airbus Defense and Space with an optical imaging payload from Thales Alenia Space, Falcon Eye 2 is the second of two surveillance satellites ordered by the UAE’s military. The Soyuz 2-1a (Soyuz ST-A) rocket will use a Fregat upper stage. Delayed from Oct. 15 and November. Switched from a Vega launcher after the launch failure with the Falcon Eye 1 spacecraft. Delayed from March 6 and April 14. [March 20]

TBD
PSLV • RISAT 2BR2
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India
India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), designated PSLV-C49, will launch the RISAT 2BR2 radar Earth observation satellite for the Indian Space Research Organization. The PSLV will also launch four Kleos Scouting Mission radio surveillance nanosatellites for Kleos Space, a Luxembourg-based company, and multiple Lemur 2 CubeSats for Spire Global. The mission will likely use the “Core Alone” version of the PSLV with no strap-on solid rocket boosters. Delayed from December. [Feb. 11]

TBD
Minotaur 4 • NROL-129
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Pad 0B, Wallops Island, Virginia
A U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman Minotaur 4 rocket will launch a classified spy satellite cargo for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. Delayed from 4th Quarter 2019, Feb. 15 and March 31.

[Feb. 26]
TBD
LauncherOne • ELaNa-20
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Cosmic Girl (Boeing 747), Mojave Air and Space Port, California
A Virgin Orbit LauncherOne rocket will launch on its second flight after dropping from a modified Boeing 747 carrier jet. The flight will be conducted under contract to NASA’s Venture Class Launch Services Program, carrying 14 CubeSats to orbit for NASA field centers, U.S. educational institutions and laboratories on the ELaNa-20 rideshare mission. Delayed from Aug. 1, Sept. 1, November, Dec. 1 and mid-February. [Feb. 1]
Recent Astronomical Discoveries

In a first, NASA measures wind speed on a brown dwarf
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/04/200409142409.htm
Visible satellite passages over the next couple of days.
ISS
https://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=25544&lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST

Apr. 25
https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=25544&mjd=58964.463673111&type=V

Apr. 26
https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=25544&mjd=58965.4308581236&type=V