Saturday’s DARC SkyNet is at 9PM CT.

Discussion Topic of the Evening.

Where Does Interstellar Space Begin?

https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/interstellar/en/

Waz Up

Space Exploration and Space History 

Space Exploration News

Moon Rock at White House

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3vvSJkmWceGvLbk2FPG5GT-970-80.jpg

New Sun Stamps

https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BB1cVTUs.img?h=530&w=799&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f

Scientists find black holes could reach ‘stupendously large’ sizes

https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800a/2021/3-scientistsfi.jpg

Space-Related Birthdays

Buzz Aldrin Jan 20, 1930

Jerry L. Ross Jan 20, 1948

Jeffrey Williams Jan 18, 1958

Robert D. Cabana Jan 23, 1943

William R. Pogue Jan 23, 1930

Kjell N. Lindgren Jan 23, 1973

Thomas David Jones Jan 22, 1955

Joseph R. Tanner Jan 21, 1950

Jack D. Fischer Jan 23, 1974

This Week in Space History

This Week in NASA History: Saturn I, S-I Stage Build-up – Jan. 18, 1961

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full_width_feature/public/thumbnails/image/6413240_orig.jpg

The U.S. Postal Service released a new stamp of Pluto in 2016 to commemorate the New Horizons encounter.

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

Moon Dust

https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fit,f_auto,fl_lossy,q_auto,w_728/v1555988852/shape/mentalfloss/harrison_schmitt.jpg?itok=SWpNKuyU

Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week

Taurus, the Bull

Space Launches For This Week

Space Coast Launches

Upcoming Rocket Launch List

Space Flight Now Launch Schedule

Launch Schedule

Jan. 23

Falcon 9 • Transporter 1

Launch window: 1440-1522 GMT (9:40-10:22 a.m. EST)

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Transporter 1 mission, a rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers. Delayed from Dec. 16, Jan. 14, Jan. 21, and Jan. 22. [Jan. 21]

NET Jan. 27Falcon 9 • Starlink V1.0-L17

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 18th batch of approximately 60 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink V1.0-L17. [Jan. 21]

February

Falcon 9 • Starlink V1.0-L18

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 19th batch of approximately 60 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink V1.0-L18. [Jan. 12]

1st Quarter

Electron • STP-27RM

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: Launch Complex 2, Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Wallops Island, Virginia

A Rocket Lab Electron rocket will launch on its first mission from a new launch pad at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island, Virginia. The launch customer is the U.S. Air Force, and the mission will launch an experimental mission for the Space Test Program called Monolith with a space weather instrument. The Monolith mission will demonstrate the ability of a small satellite to support large aperture payloads. Delayed from 2nd Quarter of 2019. Delayed from August 2020 and September 2020. Delayed from 4th Quarter of 2020. [Nov. 27]

February

Falcon 9 • Starlink V1.0-L19

Launch time: TBD

Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 20th batch of approximately 60 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink V1.0-L19. [Jan. 12]

Feb. 14/15

Soyuz • Progress 77P

Launch time: 0445 GMT on 15th (11:45 p.m. EST on 14th)

Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 77th Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station. The rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1a configuration. Delayed from Dec. 11. [Jan. 10]

Feb. 20

Antares • NG-15

Launch time: 1736 GMT (12:36 p.m. EST)

Launch site: Pad 0A, Wallops Island, Virginia

A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket will launch the 16th Cygnus cargo freighter on the 15th operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station. The mission is known as NG-15. The rocket will fly in the Antares 230 configuration, with two RD-181 first stage engines and a Castor 30XL second stage. Delayed from Feb. 1. [Dec. 28]

Recent Astronomical Discoveries 

Astronomers discover first cloudless, Jupiter-like planet

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/01/210121185411.htm

Visible satellite passages over the next couple of days. 

All times are “local” (Dallas) time.

X-37B

https://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=45606&lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST

Feb. 1

https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=45606&mjd=59247.0377857052&type=V

Envisat

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

Jan. 23

https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=27386&mjd=59237.5272202001&type=V

Jan. 24

https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=27386&mjd=59238.5016966551&type=V

Jan. 26

https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=27386&mjd=59240.5193228641&type=V

Feb. 1

https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=27386&mjd=59246.5034897164&type=V