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.
NORAD’s Santa Tracker began with a typo and a good sport
Volunteers at NORAD answering phones for Santa Tracker
Harry Shoup, the Santa Colonel
Sears “Phone Santa” Ad
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Why_NORAD_Tracks_Santa.jpg
“Going High Tech”
https://govbooktalk.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/big-red-one-on-norad-radar.png
“NORAD Tracks Santa”
https://i0.wp.com/putinbaydaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/santatrackerimage.jpg?w=318&ssl=1
Waz Up
Special Presentation – “The Star of Bethlehem”
I have used several resources for this presentation including the Stellarium computer software.
http://stellarium.org/
If you want more information about the Star of Bethlehem you can visit the website:
http://www.bethlehemstar.com/
You can also check out the book: The Star of Bethlehem by Michael Molnar.
https://www.amazon.com/Star-Bethlehem-Legacy-Magi/dp/0813564719
Space Exploration and Space History
Brenda WB5OZL/Kelley K5KTX (Alternates Each Week)
Space Exploration News
Message in a Bottle
Send your name in a “message in a bottle” aboard the Europa Clipper. It’s heading for Jupiter orbit and Europa, with a target departure of October 2024 and target arrival of 2030. Go to go.nasa.gov/messageinabottle. It’s free.
NASA Asteroid Sampling Mission Renamed OSIRIS-APEX for New Journey
https://th.bing.com/th?id=OSK.c324e4434506daa440a5e568cfc75042&w=148&h=148&c=7&o=6&pid=SANGAM
Space-Related Birthdays
Andy Thomas Dec 18, 1951 STS-77, STS-89/91 (Mir EO-24/EO-25), STS-102, STS-114
Frederick W. Leslie Dec 19, 1951 STS-73
Michael E. Fossum Dec 19, 1957 STS-121, STS-124, Soyuz TMA-02M (Expedition 28/29)
Millie Hughes-Fulford Dec 21, 1945 STS-40
John L. Finley Dec 22, 1935 no missions, USAF MOL Group 1
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Captain_John_L._Finley_1960s.jpg
Karol J. Bobko Dec 23, 1937 STS-6, STS-51-D, STS-51-J
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/Bobko.jpg/220px-Bobko.jpg
This Week in Space History
Apollo 17 landing, December 19, 1972
December 22, 1966 HL-10 flight
On this day in NASA aviation in 1966: “The HL-10 Lifting Body completes its first research flight with a landing on Rogers Dry Lake at Edwards AFB, California, on December 22, 1966.
December 21, 1968 – Apollo 8 launch
Space Launches For This Week
Space Flight Now Launch Schedule
December 24 Falcon 9 • SARah 2 & 3
Launch time: 5:11 a.m. PST (8:11 a.m. EST / 1311 UTC)
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
A SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch two satellites with passive synthetic aperture radar reflectors for the German military. There is an 83 minute launch window. Delayed from Dec. 22.
Updated: December 23
December 28/29 Falcon Heavy • USSF-52
Launch time: 7-11 p.m. EDT (0000-0400 UTC)
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. There is a 10-minute launch window for this mission. Delayed from October 2021 and 2nd Quarter 2022. Delayed from October 2022 and June 23, delayed from July 6, Dec 7, 10, 11 and 12.
Updated: December 16
December 30 Falcon 9 • Starlink 7-9
Launch time: 7:17 p.m. PST (10:17 p.m. EST / 0317 UTC)
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch another batch 21 Starlink internet satellites from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E). The mission includes six satellites equipped to provide cellphone coverage. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on the drone ship ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ in the Pacific Ocean. Delayed from Dec. 14, 15 and 28.
Updated: December 22
NET January 8 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, May 4 and Dec. 24.
Updated: December 12
January Falcon 9 • Ovzon3
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
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. Delayed from Dec. 15, 16 & 17.
Updated: December 23
Mid-January 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 first stage booster will return to Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Updated: December 17
January 29 Falcon 9 • NG-20
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch Northrop Grumman’s 21st Cygnus cargo freighter on the 20th operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station. The mission is known as NG-20. The launch vehicle for this mission was changed from Northrop Grumman’s own Antares 230+ rocket to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ended engine and booster production for the Antares program. Delayed from October.
Updated: December 13
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: December 13
February 6 Falcon 9 • PACE
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol Cloud Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission. The spacecraft is equipped with instruments to assess the health of the oceans by measuring the distribution of phytoplankton, tiny plants and algae.
Updated: December 13
February 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: December 17
February 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: December 13
TBD Atlas 5 • ViaSat 3 EMEA
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-100, will launch launch the ViaSat 3 EMEA broadband communications satellite. ViaSat 3 Americas is the second of at least three new-generation Boeing-built geostationary satellites for Viasat. ViaSat EMEA will cover the Europe, Middle East, and Africa regions. Delayed from mid-2023.
Recent Astronomical Discoveries
Researchers study a million galaxies to find out how the universe began | ScienceDaily
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231222145443.htm
Webb Space Deep Field Image
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8YdEfW8BQVC4RoDEyxoYWM-1200-80.jpg.webp
Visible satellite passages over the next couple of days.
HEAVENS-ABOVE WEBSITE IS DOWN.