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Saturday’s DARC SkyNet is at 9PM CT.
Discussion Topic of the Evening.
Intuitive Machines at NASA
CLPS Landing Sites
Waz Up
Space Exploration and Space History
Astronaut Birthdays
- January 21, 1950: Joseph Tanner (STS-66, STS-82, STS-97, STS-115)
- January 22, 1955: Thomas David Jones (STS-59, STS-68, STS-80, STS-98)
- January 23, 1930: William Pogue (Skylab 4)
- January 23, 1943: Robert Cabana, KC5HBV (STS-41, STS-53, STS-65, STS-88; Deputy Admin. of NASA; Dir. KSC)
- January 23, 1973: Kjell Lindgren, KO5MOS (Exp. 44/45, SpaceX Crew-4 – Exp 67/68)
- January 23, 1974: Jack Fischer, K2FSH (Exp. 51/52)
- January 24, 1952: William F. Readdy (STS-42, STS-51, STS-79)
- January 26, 1952: Mario Runco Jr. (STS-44, STS-54, STS-77)
Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week
Orion the Hunter
Space Launches For This Week
Space Flight Now Launch Schedule
January 28 Falcon 9 • Starlink 6-38
Launch time: 6:04-10:04 p.m. EST (2304-0304 UTC)
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch another batch of second-generation Starlink V2 Mini internet satellites. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Updated: January 19
January 30 Falcon 9 • NG-20
Launch time: 12:07 p.m. EST (1707 UTC)
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. Delayed from Jan. 29.
Updated: January 26
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
NET February 14 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: January 23
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
Late-February Falcon 9 • Crew 8
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Crew Dragon spacecraft on the program’s 13th 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 astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin will launch on a Crew Dragon spacecraft to begin a six-month expedition on the International Space Station. The Crew Dragon will return to a splashdown at sea off the coast of Florida.
Updated: January 23
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: January 15
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.
Updated: October 26
NET April 2024 Atlas 5 • CST-100 Starliner Crew Flight Test
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-085, will launch Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft on its first mission with astronauts, known as the Crew Test Flight, to the International Space Station. The capsule will dock with the space station, then return to Earth to landing in the Western United States. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will fly on the mission. The rocket will fly in a vehicle configuration with two solid rocket boosters and a dual-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from August and 1st Quarter of 2020. Delayed from mid-2020 after Boeing decision to refly the Orbital Flight Test. Delayed from early 2021, June 2021, and late 2021. Delayed from late 2022 to implement fixes on the Starliner spacecraft after OFT-2. Delayed from April 2023 and July 21, 2023.
Updated: October 26
Recent Astronomical Discoveries
Moon Rocks with Unique Dust Found
Reiner K Crater
https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800a/2024/moon-rocks-with-unique.jpg
Visible satellite passages over the next couple of days.
All times are “local” (Dallas) time.
ISS
Feb. 1
Feb. 2
Feb. 4
Tiangong
Feb. 3
Feb. 5