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Saturday’s DARC SkyNet is at 9PM CT.
Discussion Topic of the Evening.
NASA May Pay $1 Billion to Destroy ISS
From Scientific American
ISS in Space
https://spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/iss-march2023.jpg
Fireball
https://media.sciencephoto.com/image/c0523505/800wm/C0523505-Deorbiting_of_the_ISS,_illustration.jpg
ATV ReEntry
https://nasawatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/280802main_ATV_full.jpg
Spacecraft Cemetery
https://qph.cf2.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-2e38dd8e61c4613b84837ab3b48cbce2-pjlq
Waz Up
Space Exploration and Space History
Astronaut Birthdays:
November 27, 1952: James Wetherbee (STS-32, STS-52, STS-63, STS-86, STS-102, STS-113)
November 29: Kenneth Cameron (STS-37, STS-56, STS-74)
December 1: Terry Virts (STS-130, Exp 42/43)
Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week
Constellation Andromeda, the Princess
Space Launches For This Week
Space Coast Launches
https://www.spacecoastlaunches.com/blog/launch-list/
Space Flight Now Launch Schedule
December 2/3 Falcon 9 • Starlink 6-31
Launch time: Approx. 11 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. EST (0400-0459 UTC)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch another batch of 23 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. The recovery vessel, ‘Doug,’ will be used to scoop up the fairing halves following the launch. Watch live coverage of the Starlink 6-31 launch starting at T-1 hour.
Updated: December 02
December 10 Falcon Heavy • USSF 52
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch the USSF 52 mission for the U.S. Space Force. The Falcon Heavy will launch the experimental X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle on this mission. This will be the seventh flight of this spacecraft on a mission also known as OTV-7. This will be the first launch of an X-37B using a Falcon Heavy rocket. Delayed from October 2021 and 2nd Quarter 2022. Delayed from October 2022 and June 23, delayed from July 6 and Dec 7.
Updated: November 29
NET December 13 Electron • ‘The Moon God Awakens’
Launch time: 0400-0600 UTC (5-7 p.m. NZDT)
Launch site: Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket will launch the QPS-SAR-5, also known as ‘TSUKUYOMI-I’, for the Japan-based Earth-imaging company the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS). This will be the 42nd flight of the Electron rocket and the first since a launch failure in September. Rocket Lab has nicknamed the mission ‘The Moon God Awakens’.
Updated: November 26
December Falcon 9 • Ovzon3
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Cape Canaveral
A Falcon 9 will launch a much delayed small geostationary satellite for the Swedish broadband internet provider Ovzon. Originally scheduled to launch on an Ariane 5, the satellite was moved to Falcon 9 due to delayed in manufacturing. Delayed from summer 2023.
Updated: November 08
December 24 Vulcan Centaur • Peregrine
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A 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.
Updated: October 24
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: October 07
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.
Updated: October 26
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: October 09
TBD Falcon 9 • WorldView Legion 3 & 4
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, or Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A 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: August 20
TBD Atlas 5 • USSF 51
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-101, will launch the USSF 51 mission for the U.S. Space Force. This mission will launch an undisclosed payload for the military.
Updated: July 24
January 10 Falcon 9 • Axiom Mission 3
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: TBD
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched a Crew Dragon spacecraft on the program’s 13th flight with astronauts. The commercial mission, managed by Axiom Space, is commanded by a former NASA astronaut. Three passengers, including a representative of the Turkish Space Agency, are expected to also fly on this two-week commercial mission to the International Space Station. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Updated: October 31
January 12 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, June 2023 and November 2023.
Updated: October 27
Early 2024 Vulcan Centaur • Dream Chaser 1
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur rocket will launch on its second demonstration flight with Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser cargo vehicle for the International Space Station. The Dream Chaser is a lifting body resupply spacecraft that will launch on top of a rocket and land on a runway. This will be the Dream Chaser’s first flight to space. The Vulcan Centaur rocket will fly in the VC4L configuration with four GEM-63XL solid rocket boosters, a long-length payload fairing, and two RL10 engines on the Centaur upper stage. Delayed from August 2022 and December 2023.
Recent Astronomical Discoveries
Meteorites Likely Source of Nitrogen for Early Earth
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231201123706.htm
Nitrogen Rich Meteorite
Visible satellite passages over the next couple of days.
All times are “local” (Dallas) time.
ISS
Dec 4
Dec 5
Dec 6
Tiangong
Dec 3