IO Group: https://groups.io/g/DARCskynet/topics
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/306498286059167/
Saturday’s DARC SkyNet is at 9PM CT.
Discussion Topic of the Evening.
See a rare alignment of all the planets in the night sky
From National Geographic website
From Space.com
https://www.space.com/rare-five-planets-alignment–photo-june-2022
Planetary Alignment in June
https://earthsky.org/upl/2022/05/2022-June-Planets-smaller-text.jpg
Wide Field View Alignment
Waz Up
Space Exploration and Space History
Brenda WB5OZL/Kelley K5KTX (Alternates Each Week)
Space Exploration News
Asteroid Day
Asteroid Mission on Hold
Space-Related Birthdays
Brian Duffy June 20, 1953 STS-45, STS-57, STS-72, STS-92
James Buchli June 20, 1945 STS-51-C, STS-61-A, STS-29, STS-48
Gary Payton June 20, 1948 STS-51-C
Donn F. Eisele June23, 1930 Apollo 7
Ellison Onizuka June 24, 1946 STS-51-C, STS-51-L (Challenger disaster)
Jasmin Moghbeli June 24, 1983 Space X Crew 7
Raja Chari June 24, 1977 Space X Crew 3 (Expedition 66/67)
This Week in Space History
June 25, 1997
A Progress refueling vehicle misses rendezvous & docking at the Russian Mir space station, and hits it violently.
Galileo declared a heretic
For his belief in heliocentrism, Galileo was declared “vehemently suspect of heresy” by the Vatican on June 22, 1633. The idea of a Sun-centered solar system was not new, having been rejected for centuries.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FV3l1WqXwAAmZoa?format=png&name=360×360
Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week
Scorpius, the scorpion.
Space Launches For This Week
Space Coast Launches
Space Flight Now Launch Schedule
June 25
Electron • CAPSTONE
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Launch Complex 1B, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket will launch NASA’s Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment, or CAPSTONE, mission to the moon. CAPSTONE will fly to the moon on Rocket Lab’s Photon space tug, entering a unique halo-like lunar orbit to test deep space navigation and communications in the same orbit to be used by NASA’s Gateway mini-space station. Moved from Launch Complex 2 in Virginia to Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. Delayed from 2021 due to COVID-related issues. Delayed from March 2022. Delayed from June 6 and June 13. [June 14]
Late June
Falcon 9 • Starlink 4-21
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch with another batch of Starlink internet satellites. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Moved forward from July. [June 17]
June
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 2021 and May 2022. [May 24]
June 28
Falcon 9 • SES 22
Launch time: 2104 GMT (5:04 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the SES 22 communications satellite for SES of Luxembourg. Built by Thales Alenia Space, SES 22 will provide C-band television and data services in the United States. [June 14]
June 29
Atlas 5 • USSF 12
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will launch the USSF 12 mission with Wide Field Of View, or WFOV, experimental missile warning satellite for the U.S. Space Force. WFOV hosts a new type of infrared staring sensor in geosynchronous orbit to detect the heat from missile launch plumes. The USSF 12 mission will include additional rideshare payloads. The rocket will fly in the 541 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, four solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from April at the request of the U.S. Space Force. [May 24]
June 30
LauncherOne • STP-28A
Launch window: 0500-0900 GMT (1:00-5:00 a.m. EDT; 10:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. PDT on 29th/30th)
Launch site: Cosmic Girl (Boeing 747), Mojave Air and Space Port, California
A Virgin Orbit LauncherOne rocket will launch on its fifth flight after dropping from a modified Boeing 747 carrier jet. The mission will be Virgin Orbit’s third operational launch, carrying seven small satellites for government agencies sponsored by the U.S. military’s Space Test Program. Virgin Orbit calls this mission “Straight Up.” [June 14]
July 7
Vega C • LARES 2
Launch time: 1113 GMT (7:13 a.m. EDT)
Launch site: ZLV, Kourou, French Guiana
An Arianespace Vega C rocket will launch the LARES 2 satellite for ASI, the Italian space agency. The spherical LARES 2 satellite is covered in laser mirrors to enable precise tracking from the ground, enabling research into geoodynamics and general relativity. This will mark the inaugural flight of Europe’s new Vega C rocket, featuring a more powerful first stage motor, an enlarged second stage, an improved liquid-fueled upper stage, and a new payload fairing design. Delayed from mid-2020 by coronavirus impacts. Delayed from December 2020, early 2021, April 2022, May, and June 2022. [June 14]
Summer
Alpha • Multi-payload
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-2W, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
A Firefly Alpha rocket will launch on its second test flight with a rideshare payload consisting of multiple unspecified small satellites. Delayed from May. [May 24]
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]
July 8
Falcon 9 • Starlink 3-1
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. This is the first dedicated mission deploying satellites into a new Starlink shell at an inclination of 97.6 degrees to the equator. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean. [June 14]
NET July 11
Falcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 25
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Dragon 2 spacecraft on its fifth cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The flight is the 25th mission by SpaceX conducted under a Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Delayed to June 9, June 10, June 12, and June 28. [June 13]
July
Long March 5B • Wentian
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Wenchang, China
A Chinese Long March 5B rocket will launch the Wentian laboratory module, the second major element of China’s space station in low Earth orbit. [April 20]
Check-ins or comments
At this point we should be reaching our 90 minute cut-off point, so NCS can decide whether to cut any of these topics due to lack of time.
Recent Astronomical Discoveries
Brenda WB5OZL
Scientist Identify a Possible Source of Charon’s Red Spot
Visible satellite passages over the next couple of days.
You can use the http://www.heavens-above.com website to find out what’s in orbit and
where to look during fly-overs
All times are “local” (Dallas) time.
ISS
Jun 26
Tiangong
Jun 27
Jul 4
Envisat
Jun 26
Jun 29
Jul 1