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.
How Do Planets Get Rings?
Saturn Fully Formed Rings (Cassini’s Wide Field Camera, April 25, 2016)
Rings of Neptune
Jupiter Rings
Waz Up
Space Exploration and Space History
Space Exploration News
NASA requests proposals for 2nd moon lander for Artemis astronauts
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ryZumw4vtSscXnoHB5NFWP-1920-80.png.webp
A massive solar flare knocked out radio in Africa and the Middle East Friday
_1639373804152_1663323743057_1663323743057.jpg){kind=link}
China tests new engine for huge Long March 9 moon rocket
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rd3wbyxYeM3TgyTSennVfT-1920-80.jpeg.webp
Space-Related Birthdays
Robert Crippen Sep 11, 1937 STS-1, STS-7, STS-41-C, STS-41-G
Randolph Bresnik Sep 11, 1967 STS-129, Soyuz MS-05 (Expedition 52/53)
Anousheh Ansari Sep 12, 1966 Soyuz TMA-9/8
Roger K. Crouch Sep 12, 1940 STS-83, STS-94
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/Roger_Crouch.jpg/220px-Roger_Crouch.jpg
John Herrington Sep 14, 1958 STS-113
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Herrington.jpg/220px-Herrington.jpg
Eugene H. Trinh Sep 14, 1950 STS-50
Warren Hoburg Sep 16, 1985 SpaceX Crew-6 (Expedition 68/69)
Kevin R. Kregel Sep 16, 1956 STS-70, STS-78, STS-87, STS-99
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/KevinRKregel.jpg/220px-KevinRKregel.jpg
Samuel T. Durrance Sep 17, 1943 STS-35, STS-67, STS-61-E
Pamela Melroy Sep 17, 1961 STS-92, STS-112, STS-120
Thomas P. Stafford Sep 17, 1930 Gemini 6A, Gemini 9A, Apollo 10, Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
Edgar Mitchell Sep 17, 1930 Apollo 14
This Week in Space History
September 15, 2017
Casini spacecraft ends its mission when it crashed into the surface and we lost contact.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FcuL5pwWIAMU9TM?format=png&name=small
Xena re-named
On September 14, 2006, the International Astronomical Union announced the dwarf planet previously known as Xena would be named Eris after the Greek goddess of discord.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FcoLYXuX0AE0Pq8?format=jpg&name=small
Kennedy’s Speech at Rice University
On Sept. 12, 1962, President Kennedy addressed a large crowd at Rice University in Houston during a two-day tour of space facilities across the country.
Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week
Constellations Vulpecula the Little Fox & Sagitta the Arrow
Space Launches For This Week
Space Coast Launches
Space Flight Now Launch Schedule
Late September
Falcon 9 • Starlink 4-35
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, 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. Delayed from Sept. 19 in ripple effect from Starlink 4-34 delays. [Sept. 16]
Sept. 21
Soyuz • ISS 68S
Launch time: 1354 GMT (9:54 a.m. EDT)
Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
A Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the crewed Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft to the International Space Station with the next team of three cosmonauts and astronauts to live and work on the complex. The crew is led by commander Sergey Prokopyev, who will be joined by Russian flight engineer Dmitry Petelin and NASA astronaut Frank Rubio. The rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1a configuration. [Aug. 31]
Sept. 24
Delta 4-Heavy • NROL-91
Launch time: 2050-2312 GMT (4:50-7:12 p.m. EDT; 1:50-4:12 p.m. PDT)
Launch site: SLC-6, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
A United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket will launch a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, the U.S. government’s spy satellite agency. This will be the final Delta 4 launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Delayed from August. [Sept. 13]
NET
Sept. 27
Space Launch System • Artemis 1
Launch window: 1537-1647 GMT (11:37 a.m.-12:47 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: LC-39B, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
NASA’s Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket will launch on its first test flight with an uncrewed Orion spacecraft. The mission, known as Artemis 1, will place the Orion spacecraft into orbit around the moon before the capsule returns to Earth for splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Ten small CubeSat rideshare payloads will also launch on the Artemis 1 mission. Delayed from February, March, April, May, and June. Scrubbed on Aug. 29 by engine cooling issue. Scrubbed on Sept. 3 by hydrogen leak. Delayed from no earlier than Sept. 23 to allow more time to prepare for tanking test. [Sept. 13]
Late September
Falcon 9 • Starlink 4-36
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, 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. Delayed from Sept. 26 in ripple effect from Starlink 4-34 delays. [Sept. 16]
Sept. 29
Alpha • Demo Flight 2
Launch window: 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 small satellites. Delayed from May. Scrubbed due to drop in helium pressure on Sept. 11 and scrubbed due to bad weather on Sept. 12. Delayed from Sept. 19 due to poor weather forecast and range unavailability. [Sept. 16]
Sept. 30
Atlas 5 • SES 20 & SES 21
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will launch the SES 20 and SES 21 communications satellites for SES of Luxembourg. SES 20 and 21 will provide C-band television and data services over the United States. The rocket will fly in the 531 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, three solid rocket boosters, and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from August. [Sept. 9]
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
Astronomy: Is “Overeating” to Blame for Bulges in Milky Way Bar?
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/09/220909094542.htm
The “Milky Way Bar”
https://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/kunder-figure-lg.jpg
Visible satellite passages over the next couple of days.
All times are “local” (Dallas) time.
Tiangong
Sept. 18
X-37B
Sept. 22
Sept. 23
Envisat
Sept. 19
Sept. 20
Sept. 22
Sept. 25