IO Group: https://groups.io/g/DARCskynet/topics
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Saturday’s DARC SkyNet is at 9PM CT.
NASA’s Sounding Rocket Program
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sounding-rockets/missions/index.html
Waz Up
Space Exploration and Space History
Space Exploration News
Scientists want to build a new, very different Arecibo Telescope to replace fallen icon
Arecibo Observatory’s massive radio dish
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KA3rd9gt8uAUZetpr92zHB-970-80.jpg
CYMI: The James Webb Space Telescope recently cleared three milestones!
Space-Related Birthdays
John Glenn Jul 18, 1921 Mercury-Atlas 6, STS-95, First American to orbit the Earth
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/John_Glenn_Low_Res.jpg
.
Elliot See Jul 23, 1927 No missions. Part of the second astronaut group and would have flown on Gemini
9. Died in a plane crash in 1966.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Elliot_See_-_S64-29933.jpg
Josh A. Cassada Jul 18, 1973 Boeing Starliner-1
Scott D. Tingle Jul 19, 1965 Soyuz MS-07
Roy D. Bridges Jr. Jul 19, 1943 STS-51-F
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Roy_Bridges.jpg
This Week in Space History
55 Years Ago: Gemini X Soars to New Heights
45 years ago: Viking 1 Touches Down on Mars
Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week
Serpens, the Snake
Space Launches For This Week
Space Coast Launches
Space Flight Now Launch Schedule
July
Falcon 9 • Starlink
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch on the first dedicated mission with Starlink internet satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base. This mission will deploy an unspecified number of Starlink satellites into a high-inclination orbit. [June 7]
July 27
Ariane 5 • Star One D2 & Eutelsat Quantum
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana
Arianespace will use an Ariane 5 ECA rocket, designated VA254, to launch the Star One D2 and Eutelsat Quantum communications satellites. Owned by the Brazilian operator Embratel Star One, the Star One D2 was built by Maxar and will deliver telecommunications, direct-to-home television services, and fast broadband to customers in South America, Mexico, Central America, and parts of the Atlantic Ocean. The Eutelsat Quantum satellite was built by SSTL and Airbus Defense and Space under the auspices of a public-private research and development project between the European Space Agency, Eutelsat and Airbus. Designed for coverage over the Middle East and North Africa, the software-defined satellite can be reprogrammed for new communications missions in orbit. Delayed from January, February, March 4, and May. [June 7]
July 30
Atlas 5 • CST-100 Starliner Orbital Flight Test 2
Launch time: 1853 GMT (2:53 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-082, will launch Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft on second unpiloted test flight to the International Space Station. This mission was added after Boeing’s decision to refly the Starliner’s Orbital Flight Test before proceeding with the Crew Flight Test. The rocket will fly in a vehicle configuration with two solid rocket boosters and a dual-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from 3rd Quarter. Delayed from Jan. 4. Moved forward from March 29, April 2 and May. [May 13]
Aug. 2
Soyuz • OneWeb 9
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian Soyuz rocket will launch 34 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. [May 13]
Aug. 10
Antares • NG-16
Launch time: 2155 GMT (5:55 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: Pad 0A, Wallops Island, Virginia
A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket will launch the 17th Cygnus cargo freighter on the 16th operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station. The mission is known as NG-16. The rocket will fly in the Antares 230+ configuration, with two RD-181 first stage engines and a Castor 30XL second stage. Delayed from July and Aug. 1. [July 13]
Mid-August
Vega • Pléiades Neo 4
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: ZLV, Kourou, French Guiana
An Arianespace Vega rocket, designated VV19, will launch the Pléiades Neo 4 Earth observation satellite for Airbus. Pléiades Neo 4 is the second of four Pléiades Neo high-resolution Earth observation satellites built, owned, and operated by Airbus. The Vega rocket will also launch multiple rideshare payloads. Delayed from February after VV17 launch failure. Delayed from June and July. [June 18]
Aug. 18
Falcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 23
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Dragon 2 spacecraft on its third cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. The flight is the 23rd mission by SpaceX conducted under a Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. [Feb. 23]
Aug. 26
Soyuz • OneWeb 10
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian Soyuz rocket will launch 34 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. [May 13]
Recent Astronomical Discoveries
Martian global dust storm ended winter early in the south
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/07/210722195003.htm
Visible satellite passages over the next couple of days.
All times are “local” (Dallas) time.
ISS
July 31
X-37B
July 29
July 30
Aug 1
Hubble Space Telescope
July 24 (10:02 – 10:07 PM tonight)
July 25
July 26
July 27