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Saturday’s DARC SkyNet is at 9PM CT.
Discussion Topic of the Evening.
What’s UP There?
Space Exploration and Space History
Bennu samples
https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/53210646183_c08c1305c8_o.jpg
Psyche launch
NASA has postponed the launch of the asteroid mission Psyche a week to update the configuration of thrusters on the spacecraft.
https://spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/53213229385_ea592a9520_k-1200×800.jpg
New Horizons
NASA has agreed to extend operations of its New Horizons spacecraft through late this decade to support “multidisciplinary” science that could include another Kuiper Belt object flyby.
https://spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/newhorizons-kboflyby-1200×918.jpg
Space-Related Birthdays
John Young Sep 24, 1930 Gemini 3, Gemini 10, Apollo 10, Apollo 16, STS-1, STS-9
Nick Hague Sep 24, 1975 Soyuz MS-10, Soyuz MS-12 (Expedition 59/60)
Clifton Williams Sep 26, 1932 Selected for NASA Group 3, but never flew to space because he died in a plane crash in 1967
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Williams-c.jpg/220px-Williams-c.jpg
Stephanie Wilson Sep 27, 1966 STS-121, STS-120, STS-131
Bill Nelson Sep 29, 1942 STS-61-C, 14th NASA Administrator
James D. Halsell Sep 29, 1956 STS-65, STS-74, STS-83, STS-94, STS-101
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/James_Halsell.jpg/220px-James_Halsell.jpg
Livingston L. Holder Jr. Sep 29, 1956 No flights
Stephen Frick Sep 30, 1964 STS-110, STS-122
This Week in Space History
September 27, 2007
Here’s a Delta II rocket carrying the Dawn spacecraft launching on September 27th, 2007, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Pad 17B.
September 29, 1988.
On this date in 1988, STS-26 Discovery lifted off triumphantly from Kennedy Space Center’s LC-39B, marking the Space Shuttle Program’s post-Challenger return to flight.
Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week
Microscopium, the Microscope
‘Space Launches For This Week
Space Coast Launches
Space Flight Now Launch Schedule
October 4/5 Vega • THEOS-2 & FORMOSAT-7R/TRITON
Launch time: 10:36 p.m. GMT on Oct. 4(9:36 p.m. EST Oct. 4, 0136 UTC on Oct. 5)
Launch site: ZLV, Kourou, French Guiana
Arianespace will launch a Vega rocket, designated VV23, sending a collection of 12 satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit. The main payload is the THailand Earth Observation System-2 (THEOS-2), which is an Earth-observing satellite built by Airbus Defense and Space on behalf of the Kingdom of Thailand. It’s designed to complement THEOS-1, which launched in 20008. The secondary payload is FORMOSAT-7R/TRITON, which was developed by the Taiwanese Space Agency (TASA). It’s Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) tool will help meteorologists gather wind data over oceans to help with forecasting the trajectory and intensity of typhoons.
Updated: August 31
October 6 Atlas 5 • Project Kuiper Protoflight
Launch time: 2 p.m. EDT (1800 UTC)
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
The first two demonstration satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper broadband constellation will launch on an Atlas 501 rocket. These satellites were originally scheduled to fly on the first Vulcan rocket.
Updated: September 28
NET October 12 Falcon Heavy • Psyche
Launch time: 10:16 a.m. EDT (1416 UTC)
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch NASA’s Psyche asteroid mission. The Maxar-built spacecraft will travel to the metallic asteroid Psyche, where it will enter orbit in 2029. This is the first spacecraft to explore a metal-rich asteroid, which may be the leftover core of a protoplanet that began forming in the early solar system more than 4 billion years ago. The Falcon Heavy’s two side boosters will return to Landing Zones 1 and 2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for recovery. The center core will be expended. Delayed from 2022 due to payload software issues. Moved forward from Oct. 10, 2023. Delayed from Oct. 5.
Updated: September 28
TBD Falcon 9 • WorldView Legion 1 & 2
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
A 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: September 19
October Falcon 9 • O3b mPOWER 5 & 6
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A 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, June 9 and Aug. 27.
Updated: August 22
TBD Falcon 9 • USSF-124
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch a mission for the U.S. Space Force and Missile Defense Agency.
Updated: September 28
November 1 Falcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 29
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Dragon 2 spacecraft on a 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 29th mission by SpaceX conducted under a Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA.
Updated: August 20
Nov. 15 Falcon 9 • IM-1
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A 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: August 17
November Long March 2F • Shenzhou 17
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Jiuquan, China
A Chinese Long March 2F rocket will launch the Shenzhou 17 spacecraft with three Chinese astronauts to rendezvous and dock with the Chinese space station in low Earth orbit. This is China’s 12th crewed space mission, and the sixth to the Chinese space station. The crew members have not been announced by China.
Updated: March 22
4th Quarter Falcon 9 • ASBM
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission, consisting of two satellites owned by Space Norway. The Falcon 9 will launch the two Northrop Grumman-built satellites into a highly elliptical orbit that lingers over the Arctic region. The satellites carry communications payloads for the Norwegian Ministry of Defense, the U.S. Space Force, and Inmarsat.
Recent Astronomical Discoveries
Brenda WB5OZL
Science Daily
Hidden supermassive black holes reveal their secrets through radio signals |
Visible satellite passages over the next couple of days.
All times are “local” (Dallas) time.
ISS
Oct. 3
Oct. 5
Tiangong
Oct. 1
Oct. 8
Oct. 9