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Saturday’s DARC SkyNet is at 9PM CT.

The SN8 Test Flight  – by Jackie Wattles

Fueling SN8

Launch Perspective

https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/201210103307-06-spacex-starship-test-1209-liftoff-screengrab-exlarge-169.jpg

Launch Video

The Belly-flop

Flight Landing Profile

Final Landing Profile

Actual Landing

Kaboom!

 Waz Up

Space Exploration and Space History 

Space Exploration News

Artemis Team Selected

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.slashgear.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F12%2Fartemis_iii_report_graphic_crop.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Starliner

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/dec8cm2_r34320jnp008_cm2_back_shells_installed.jpg?itok=knbmlnvG

Space-Related Birthdays

Steven Hawley – December 12, 1951

Robb Kulin – December 7, 1983

Francisco Rubio – December 11, 1975 – Artemis team

Matthew Dominick – December 7, 1981 – Artemis team

Kenneth Ham – December 12, 1964

This Week in Space History

December 11, 1972 – Apollo 17 lands on the lunar surface.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/NASA_Apollo_17_Lunar_Roving_Vehicle.jpg/260px-NASA_Apollo_17_Lunar_Roving_Vehicle.jpg

Gemini 6 and 7 in Orbit

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/gemini_6_photo_of_7_s65-63194.jpg?itok=O30d-iCy

Gemini VI at Stafford Air and Space Museum

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/gemini_6_at_oklahoma_stafford_air_and_space_museum.jpg?itok=kSeS27ST

Gemini VII at Udvar Hazy Center

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/gemini_7_at_nasm_udvar_hazy.jpg?itok=ombge2cw

Interesting side-note. The first musical instruments played in space were a harmonica and bells, on Gemini VI.

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/gemini_6_harmonica_nasm.jpg?itok=j3kOQwLX

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/gemini_6_bells.jpg?itok=F1ntou5I

Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week

Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week– December 19, 2020 

“The Star of Bethlehem”

Space Launches For This Week

Space Coast Launches

Upcoming Rocket Launch List

Space Flight Now Launch Schedule

Launch Schedule

Dec. 14

Angara-A5 • Test Flight

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia

A Russian government Angara-A5 rocket will launch on its second orbital test flight. Delayed from December and 2nd Quarter. Delayed from Nov. 3, Nov. 24, and Nov. 28. [Nov. 27]

December

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. [Oct. 6]

NET Dec. 17

PSLV • CMS 1

Launch time: Approx. 0930 GMT (4:30 a.m. EST)

Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India

India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), designated PSLV-C50, will launch the CMS 1 communications satellite. CMS 1 was formerly known as GSAT 12R, and is designed to replace the GSAT 12 communications satellite launched in 2011. The mission will use the PSLV-XL version of the PSLV with six strap-on solid rocket boosters. Delayed from Dec. 7 and Dec. 14. [Dec. 9]

Dec. 17

Falcon 9 • NROL-108

Launch window: TBD

Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a classified spacecraft payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The mission is designated NROL-108. The first stage booster is expected to attempt a return to launch site landing at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Delayed from Oct. 25. [Dec. 5]

Dec. 17

Soyuz • OneWeb 4

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: Vostochny Cosmodrome, Russia

A Russian Soyuz rocket will launch 36 satellites into orbit for OneWeb, which is developing a constellation of hundreds of satellites in low Earth orbit for low-latency broadband communications. The Soyuz-2.1b rocket will use a Fregat upper stage. Delayed from mid-2020 by OneWeb bankruptcy. [Nov. 9]

Dec. 19

LauncherOne • ELaNa-20

Launch window: 1800-2200 GMT (1:00-5:00 p.m. EST; 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. PST)

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, mid-February, July 1 and Aug. 14. [Nov. 30]

Dec. 20

Long March 8 • XJY 7

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: Wenchang, China

A Chinese medium-lift Long March 8 rocket will launch on its inaugural flight with a secret payload designated XJY 7. [Nov. 30]

Dec. 28

Soyuz • CSO 2

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: ELS, Sinnamary, French Guiana

An Arianespace Soyuz rocket, designated VS25, will launch on a mission from the Guiana Space Center in South America. The Soyuz will carry into polar orbit the second Composante Spatiale Optique military reconnaissance satellite for CNES and DGA, the French defense procurement agency. The CSO 2 satellite is the second of three new-generation high-resolution optical imaging satellites for the French military, replacing the Helios 2 spy satellite series. The Soyuz-2.1b (Soyuz ST-B) rocket will use a Fregat upper stage. Delayed from April 10 in ripple effect from Falcon Eye 2’s launch delay. [Nov. 9]

Recent Astronomical Discoveries 

A Look at the Sun’s Dusty Environment

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201210112131.htm

Visible satellite passages over the next couple of days.

All times are “local” (Dallas) time.

ISS

https://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=25544&lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST

Dec. 20

https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=25544&mjd=59203.5160206509&type=V

Dec. 21

https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=25544&mjd=59204.482927272&type=V

Envisat

https://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=27386&lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST

Dec. 14

https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=27386&mjd=59197.5182274165&type=V

Dec. 17

https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=27386&mjd=59200.5103198306&type=V

Dec. 19

https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=27386&mjd=59202.5279341531&type=V

Dec. 19

https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=27386&mjd=59202.99319991&type=V

Dec. 20

https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=27386&mjd=59203.5024062453&type=V