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Saturday’s DARC SkyNet is at 9PM CT.
Discussion Topic of the Evening.
The SpaceX Starship (Part 1) “What is It?”
Starship “Hop” Test
https://mk0spaceflightnoa02a.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/sn5hop1.jpg
Hop Test Video
Heavy Booster Comparisons
Starhopper
Starship with NASA Telescope Payload
SpaceX BFR Presentation Sheet
Falcon “Super Heavy” Concept
BFR Superheavy Launch
Space Exploration and Space History
Waz Up/Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week
Space Launches For This Week
Space Coast Launches
Space Flight Now Launch Schedule
Aug. 14
Ariane 5 • Galaxy 30, MEV 2 & BSat 4b
Launch window: 2133-2220 GMT (5:33-6:20 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana
Arianespace will use an Ariane 5 ECA rocket, designated VA253, to launch the Galaxy 30 communications satellite, the second Mission Extension Vehicle satellite servicing spacecraft, and the BSat 4b broadcasting payload. Galaxy 30 is owned by Intelsat, and will provide video and television broadcast services over the United States. Galaxy 30 also hosts a navigation augmentation payload for the Federal Aviation Administration to support civilian air travel. MEV 2 is the second robotic servicing vehicle for Space Logistics LLC, and will dock with the Intelsat 1002 communications satellite in geostationary orbit to extend its commercial life. BSat 4b will provide direct-to-home 4K and 8K ultra HD broadcast services over Japan and neighboring regions for the Japanese operator B-SAT. Galaxy 30 and MEV 2 were built by Northrop Grumman, and BSat 4b was manufactured by Maxar. Delayed from July 28 to perform additional checks under the fairing. Scrubbed on July 31 by liquid hydrogen tank sensor issue. [Aug. 4]
Mid-August
Falcon 9 • Starlink 10/SkySats 19-21
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch 58 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink 10. Three SkySat Earth-imaging satellites for Planet will launch as rideshare payloads on this mission. Delayed from late July. [July 22]
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
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]
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
SSLV • BlackSky Global
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India
India’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) will launch on its first commercial mission with four Earth observation satellites for BlackSky Global, a Seattle-based company. The rideshare mission for BlackSky is being arranged by Spaceflight. Delayed from November, late 2019 and early 2020. [Jan. 25]
August
Falcon 9 • Starlink 11
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 12th batch of approximately 60 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink 11. [July 10]
Late August
Soyuz • Glonass K
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch a Glonass K navigation satellite. The Glonass K satellites are upgraded spacecraft for Russia’s Glonass positioning and timing network. The rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1b configuration with a Fregat upper stage. Delayed from Aug. 6. [Aug. 4]
Aug. 26
Delta 4-Heavy • NROL-44
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-37B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket will launch a classified spy satellite cargo for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The largest of the Delta 4 family, the Heavy version features three Common Booster Cores mounted together to form a triple-body rocket. Delayed from June. [May 9]
Recent Astronomical Discoveries
Huge ring-like structure on Ganymede’s surface may have been caused by violent impact
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200807102339.htm?fbclid=IwAR3STHOZpBB5xMLqlsKs1W9OAHQp9bPduWU6VN0C23q-7kW17dzyBknDlyo
Visible satellite passages over the next couple of days.
All times are “local” (Dallas) time.
X-37B
Aug. 9
Hubble Space Telescope
Aug. 11
Aug. 12
Aug. 13
Aug. 14
Aug. 15
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