Stars powered by dark matter may have been seen by the JWST 
Three Objects Originally Thought as Galaxies May be “Dark Stars”https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=20580&mjd=60165.4165270202&type=V
Dark Matter Power (Artist’s Concept)https://mediaproxy.salon.com/width/1200/https://media.salon.com/2023/07/supermassive_black_hole_at_the_center_of_a_galaxy_01.jpg
Supermassive Dark Starhttps://cdn.sci.news/images/2023/07/image_12096f-Dark-Star.jpg

Waz Up

Space Exploration and Space History 

Space Exploration News
SnoopyA new exhibit called “Snoopy in Orbit” has opened at the Charles Schultz museum in Santa Rosa, CA. It runs until January 2024.https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/365546863_823982119344774_3449678900724320393_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=nKhVmRSi2AUAX-d5TZO&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.xx&oh=00_AfC3oA_SfCoY0q8GmDTg_hOjeyaTyVuL0UP0BrhLsD6Lmg&oe=64D37ACD
Voyager 2 Updatehttps://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/pia21839-main.jpg?itok=348BNIiw
NASA’s Trio of Mini Rovers Will Team up to Explore the Moon
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/e1a-pia25666-cadre-merc-pair-edited-web2.jpg?itok=9B7o0yqc
NASA Helps Spot Wine Grape Disease From Skies Above Californiahttps://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/e1-thank-you-cornell-nasa-jpl-project-9.2020-photo-1-edited-1041.jpg?itok=gJzy7QpD

Space-Related Birthdays
Gregory C. Johnson Jul 30, 1954 STS-125https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/Gregory_Carl_Johnson.jpg/220px-Gregory_Carl_Johnson.jpg

Richard O. Covey Aug 01, 1946  STS-51-I, STS-26, STS-38, STS-61 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Covey.jpg/220px-Covey.jpg

Joan Higginbotham Aug 03, 1964 STS-116https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Joan_Higginbotham.jpg/220px-Joan_Higginbotham.jpg

Charles D. Gemar Aug 04, 1955 STS-38, STS-48, STS-62https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/CharlesDGemar.jpg/800px-CharlesDGemar.jpg

Andrew M. Allen Aug 04, 1955 STS-46, STS-62, STS-75 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Andrew_allen.jpg/220px-Andrew_allen.jpg
Michael J. McCulley Aug 04, 1943 STS-34 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Astronaut_michael_mcculley.jpg/220px-Astronaut_michael_mcculley.jpg

Neil Armstrong  Aug 05, 1930 Gemini 8, Apollo 11https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Neil_Armstrong_pose.jpg/220px-Neil_Armstrong_pose.jpg

This Week in Space History
LRVOn July 30, 1971 the first Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) was delivered to the surface of the Moon by the crew of Apollo 15. They explored the lunar surface until August 2nd before flying back home, leaving the LRV on the Moon. 
https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/363842242_300853898981638_2997517479741970925_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_p180x540&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=LXtcRAM3NVkAX8j1M6v&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=00_AfD98XJmXLR1TfBlM52IpW9WKnsF-F-KtT7kpDWXajy_gg&oe=64D12339

August 4, 2007 Launch of Phoenix
Phoenix was an uncrewed space probe that landed on the surface of Mars on May 25, 2008, and operated until November 2, 2008.https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Phoenix_landing.jpg/300px-Phoenix_landing.jpg

August 3, 2004, launch of Messenger
On this day in 2004, the MESSENGER spacecraft was launched to explore the planet closest to the Sun. During its mission, MESSENGER uncovered new facets of Mercury, such as an offset magnetic field, polar water ice, and evidence of volcanism. https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/362989439_593974329597992_8805977699710631988_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_p526x296&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=aDiijtq7tDsAX-9DmtW&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=00_AfDQmUjwMeW2bSIdlDmetEOtehRzW3Ky5z_3Xz_xGOzpDg&oe=64D23F07

Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week

Sagittarius, the Centaur

Space Launches For This Week

Space Coast Launcheshttps://www.spacecoastlaunches.com/blog/launch-list/
Space Flight Now Launch Schedulehttps://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/
August 6 Electron • ‘We Love the Nightlife’Launch time: 0500 UTC (1 a.m. EDT / 5 p.m. New Zealand time)Launch site: Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New ZealandA Rocket Lab Electron rocket is set to launch the first of Capella Space’s next-generation Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Earth-imaging satellites called “Acadia.” This will be the first launch of these four, new satellites. The mission is dubbed “We Love the Nightlife” since the SAR satellites allow for high-resolution imagery a night. The mission will launch from Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 (LC-1) on the Mahia Peninsula. Delayed from July 28. Launch aborted on July 30. Delayed from Aug. 4.
Updated: August 03
August 6/7 Falcon 9 • Starlink 6-8Launch time: 9 p.m. EDT (0100 UTC on 7th)Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FloridaA SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch another batch of 22 second-generation Starlink V2 Mini internet satellites. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on the drone ship, A Shortfall of Gravitas, in the Atlantic Ocean.
Updated: August 04
August 23 Soyuz • Progress 85PLaunch time: TBDLaunch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, KazakhstanA Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the 85th Progress cargo delivery ship to the International Space Station. The rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1a configuration.
Updated: August 04
Aug. 25 Falcon 9 • Crew 7Launch time: 3:49 a.m. EDT (0749 UTC)Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, FloridaA SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Crew Dragon spacecraft on the program’s 12th flight with astronauts. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will return to land at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov will launch on the Crew Dragon spacecraft, named Endurance, to begin a six-month expedition on the International Space Station. The Crew Dragon will return to a splashdown at sea. Delayed from Aug. 15, 17 and 21.
Updated: August 03
August 25/26 H-2A • XRISM & SLIMLaunch time: 1234 UTC (9:34:57 a.m. JST on Aug. 26 / 8:34 p.m. EDT on Aug. 25)Launch site: Launch Pad 1, Tanegashima Space Center, JapanA Japanese H-2A rocket, designated H-2A F47, will launch the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission, or XRISM, a joint project between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and NASA. XRISM is a replacement for the Hitomi X-ray astrophysics observatory, which failed about one month after launch in 2016. XRISM will perform high-resolution X-ray spectroscopic observations of the hot gas plasma wind that blows through the galaxies in the universe. These observations will enable us to determine flows of mass and energy, revealing the composition and evolution of celestial objects. JAXA’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM, mission will fly as a rideshare on this launch, heading to the moon to test precision landing technology. The H-2A rocket will fly in the 202 configuration with two strap-on solid rocket boosters. Delayed from 2nd Quarter after H3 launch failure.
Updated: August 01
Aug. 29 Atlas 5 • NROL-107Launch time: TBDLaunch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FloridaA United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will launch the NROL-107 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office. The NROL-107 mission will launch a classified payload known as Silent Barker. The mission is a partnership between the NRO and the U.S. Space Force, which have disclosed little information about the payload other than it will focus on satellite threat intelligence and space situational awareness.
Updated: July 29
TBD Falcon 9 • WorldView Legion 1 & 2Launch time: TBDLaunch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, CaliforniaA SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the first pair of WorldView Legion Earth observation satellites for Maxar Technologies. Maxar plans to deploy six commercial WorldView Legion high-resolution remote sensing satellites into a mix of sun-synchronous and mid-inclination orbits on three SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets. The first stage of the Falcon 9 will return to Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg Space Force Base for landing. Delayed from April and June.
Updated: July 24
TBD Falcon 9 • O3b mPOWER 5 & 6Launch time: TBDLaunch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FloridaA SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the third pair of O3b mPOWER broadband internet satellites into Medium Earth Orbit for SES of Luxembourg. The satellites, built by Boeing, will provide internet services over most of the populated world, building on SES’s O3b network. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Delayed from March and June 9.
Updated: July 24
TBD Falcon 9 • SDA Tranche 0BLaunch time: TBDLaunch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, CaliforniaA SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch 18 Tranche 0 demonstration satellites for the U.S. military’s Space Development Agency. The launch is the second of two Falcon 9 missions to carry SDA demonstration spacecraft for a future constellation of military missile tracking and data relay satellites. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will return to Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg. Delayed from June.
Updated: July 24
TBD Falcon 9 • WorldView Legion 3 & 4Launch time: TBDLaunch site: Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, or Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FloridaA SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the second pair of WorldView Legion Earth observation satellites for Maxar Technologies. Maxar plans to deploy six commercial WorldView Legion high-resolution remote sensing satellites into a mix of sun-synchronous and mid-inclination orbits on three SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets.
Updated: July 24
September Soyuz • Soyuz MS-24Launch time: TBDLaunch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, KazakhstanA Russian government Soyuz rocket will launch the crewed Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft to the International Space Station. The mission will carry Russian commander Oleg Kononenko, Russian flight engineer Nikolai Chub, and NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara into orbit for a long-duration flight on the space station. The rocket will fly in the Soyuz-2.1a configuration.
Updated: March 22
3rd Quarter Falcon 9 • IM-1Launch time: TBDLaunch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, FloridaA SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the IM-1 mission with the Nova-C lander built and owned by Intuitive Machines. The IM-1 mission will attempt to deliver a suite of science payloads to the surface of the moon for NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. Delayed from 3rd Quarter of 2022, December 2022, January 2023, March 2023, and June 2023.
Updated: May 24
4th Quarter Vulcan Centaur • PeregrineLaunch time: TBDLaunch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FloridaA United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur rocket will launch on its inaugural flight with the Peregrine commercial lunar lander for Astrobotic. The Peregrine robotic lander will carry multiple experiments, scientific instruments, and tech demo payloads for NASA and other customers. The mission will also launch two prototype satellites for Amazon’s Kuiper broadband constellation. The Vulcan Centaur rocket will fly in the VC2S configuration with two GEM-63XL solid rocket boosters, a short-length payload fairing, and two RL10 engines on the Centaur upper stage. Delayed from mid-2022 and late 2022. Delayed from 1st Quarter 2023 and May 4.

Recent Astronomical Discoveries 

New exoplanet discovery build better understanding of planet formationhttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230803213810.htm

Visible satellite passages over the next couple of days.

 All times are “local” (Dallas) time.
Tiangonghttps://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=48274&lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CSThttps://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=48274&lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST
Aug 7https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=48274&mjd=60164.0987258333&type=V
Aug 9https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=48274&mjd=60166.0834938496&type=V
Hubble Space Telescopehttps://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=20580&lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST
Aug 6https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=20580&mjd=60162.4475074295&type=V
Aug 7https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=20580&mjd=60163.4370856531&type=V
Aug 8https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=20580&mjd=60164.426657815&type=V
Aug 9https://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=33.0462&lng=-96.9942&loc=Lewisville&alt=0&tz=CST&satid=20580&mjd=60165.4165270202&type=V