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Saturday’s DARC SkyNet is at 9PM CT.
Discussion Topic of the Evening.
Do we Live in a Loop? (From Space.com)
Cosmic Map
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5WJVdg8VfLT4DBYAnpUx7U-1024-80.png.webp
Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Map
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Planck_satellite_cmb.jpg
The Perfect Universe
https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/dn23301-1_800.jpg?width=1546
Close, Open, or Flat Universe?
https://www2.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/images4/snap-universe-shape.gif
Waz Up
Space Exploration and Space History
Astronaut Birthdays:
- February 7, 1932: Alfred Worden (Apollo 15)
- February 7, 1963: Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (STS-115, STS-126)
- February 9, 1960: Peggy Whitson (STS-111/STS-113 (Exp 5), Exp 16, Exp 50/51/52)
- February 10, 1968: Garrett Reisman (STS-123/124 (Exp 16/17), STS-132)
- February 11, 1960: Richard Mastracchio (STS-106, STS-118, STS-131, Exp 38/39)
Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week
Lepus, the Hare
Space Launches For This Week
Feb. 10 – Soyuz One Web 13.
An Arianespace Soyuz rocket launched 34 new broadband satellites for the OneWeb constellation to space today (Feb. 10).
In its first mission of 2022, the European launch provider Arianespace launched Soyuz Flight VS27 from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana at 1:09 p.m. EST (3:09 p.m. local time, or 1809 GMT).
“There we have it! Liftoff of OneWeb’s launch 13 from Kourou in French Guiana,” launch commentator Georgie Barrat said during a live webcast of the mission. “Gosh, this is the moment that you tune in to watch a live rocket launch, isn’t it? To see it go from that launch pad and hurtle — and look at it hurtling — into orbit.”
Feb. 10 – Astra Rocket 3.3
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — The first operational launch of Astra’s Rocket 3.3 vehicle failed Feb. 10 when the rocket’s upper stage appeared to tumble out of control after stage separation.
The rocket, designated LV0008 by Astra, lifted off from Space Launch Complex 46 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 3 p.m. Eastern. The launch suffered several days of delays because of a range issue as well as a last-second scrub during the previous launch attempt Feb. 7.
Future Launches
Feb. 13/14
PSLV • RISAT 1A
Launch time: 0029 GMT on 14th (7:29 p.m. EST on 13th)
Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India
India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), designated PSLV-C52, will launch the Indian RISAT 1A radar Earth observation satellite. Delayed from 2021. [Feb. 8]
Feb. 13/14
Electron • BlackSky 16 & 17
Launch window: 0055-0300 GMT on 14th (7:55-10:00 p.m. EST on 13th)
Launch site: Launch Complex 1A, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket will launch two small second-generation satellites for BlackSky’s commercial fleet of Earth observation spacecraft. Rocket Lab has nicknamed this mission “Without Mission a Beat.” Delayed from September, December, and Feb. 4. [Feb. 2]
Feb. 14/15
Soyuz • Progress 80P
Launch time: 0425 GMT on 15th (11:25 p.m. EST on 14th)
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 80th Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station. The rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1a configuration. [Jan. 27]
Feb. 19
Antares • NG-17
Launch time: 1739 GMT (12:39 p.m. EST)
Launch site: Pad 0A, Wallops Island, Virginia
A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket will launch the 18th Cygnus cargo freighter on the 17th operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station. The mission is known as NG-17. The rocket will fly in the Antares 230+ configuration, with two RD-181 first stage engines and a Castor 30XL second stage. [Jan. 15]
Feb. 20
Falcon 9 • Starlink 4-8
Launch period: 1500-1900 GMT (10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. EST)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch with another batch of Starlink internet satellites. This mission is expected to have two instantaneous launch opportunities within the four-hour launch period. [Feb. 7]
Late FebruaryFalcon 9 • Starlink
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch with another batch of Starlink internet satellites. [Feb. 2]
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 and December 2019. Delayed from January and December 2020. Delayed from April. [March 31]
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. Delayed from early 2021 and July. [March 31]
Recent Astronomical Discoveries
How Life Came to Earth
Visible satellite passages over the next couple of days.
ISS
Feb. 19
Feb. 20
Envisat
Feb. 13
Feb. 14
Feb. 16
Feb. 19
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