IO Group: https://groups.io/g/DARCskynet/topics
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Saturday’s DARC SkyNet is at 9PM CT.
Discussion Topic of the Evening.
“6 Space Missions to Look Forward to in 2024”
Europa Clipper
https://d2pn8kiwq2w21t.cloudfront.net/images/EuropaClipper_Poster_08_2020_002_2_.width-1800.jpg
Artemis II Launch
https://plus.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/original-1.jpeg?w=976
VIPER
https://i.cdn.newsbytesapp.com/images/l56420210921190450.jpeg
Lunar Trailblazer and PRIME-1 Missions
Martian Moon eXploration Mission
https://www.mmx.jaxa.jp/en/mission/img/pic01.png
Hera Mission
Waz Up
Space Exploration and Space History
Space Exploration News
VICTUS HAZE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/e3PPNMfjfC4L2MqtMzBP8a-650-80.jpg.webp
NASA Finds New Homes for Artemis Generation of ‘Moon Trees’ Across US
https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/moon-tree1.jpg?resize=1536,2048
Private moon mission to carry NASA electric moon dust shield in 2024
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uDq92pG5L7TykoHrJFXenb-650-80.jpg.webp
Space-Related Birthdays
Yvonne Cagle 24-Apr-1959 No flights
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/Yvonne_Cagle.jpg/220px-Yvonne_Cagle.jpg
Ellen S. Baker 27-Apr-1953 STS-34, STS-50, STS-71
This Week in Space History
April 23, 1962 Ranger 4 launch
April 24, 1967 – Death of Vladimir Koromov
Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week
Space Launches For This Week
Space Flight Now Launch Schedule
Check-ins or comments
April 28 Falcon 9 • Starlink 6-54
Launch time: 5:50 p.m. EDT (2150 UTC)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a batch of 23 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. A little more than eight minutes after liftoff, the first stage booster, tail number B1076 in the SpaceX fleet, will land on the droneship ‘Just Read the Instructions’ out in the Atlantic Ocean. This will be the 13th flight for this booster.
Updated: April 27
TBD Falcon 9 • WorldView Legion 1 & 2
Launch time: Window opens 11:30 a.m. PDT (2:30 p.m. EDT / 1830 GMT)
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, June 2023, April 17 & 24, 2024.
Updated: April 24
NET May 6/7 Atlas 5 • CST-100 Starliner Crew Flight Test
Launch time: 10:34 p.m. ET (0234 UTC on the 7th)
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, July 2023 and April 2024.
Updated: April 06
TBD Eris • TestFlight1
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Pad 1, Bowen Orbital Spaceport
Gilmour Space in Australia is preparing to launch the inaugural flight of its Eris Block 1 rocket. The three-stage launch vehicle is 25 m (82 ft) tall and is equipped with 1.5 m (4.9 ft) diameter payload fairings. The rocket is designed to send up to 305 kg up to low Earth orbit. This first mission, called “TestFlight1,” does not appear to have a payload on board. Delayed from May 4 due to a lack of launch permit.
Updated: April 23
June 24 Long March 2C • SVOM
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People’s Republic of China
A Chinese Long March 2C rocket will launch the Space-based multi-band astronomical Variable Objects Monitor (SVOM) spacecraft. The satellite is a dual Franco-Chinese mission, which is “dedicated to the study of the most distant explosions of stars, the gamma-ray bursts.” There are four main instruments on board, two of which are French and two which are Chinese. The spacecraft will be launched to a 625-km Earth orbit and will operate for at least three years with an option to extend for another two years beyond that. Delayed from late 2023.
Updated: January 28
June 25 Falcon Heavy • GOES U
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy will launch the fourth and final satellite of the next-generation series of geostationary weather satellites for NASA and NOAA. GOES-U will orbit 22,300 miles above the equator to monitor weather conditions across the United States. The satellite will be renamed GOES-19 once it reaches its operational orbit. Delayed from April 30 and May.
Recent Astronomical Discoveries
Giant galactic explosion exposes galaxy pollution in action | ScienceDaily
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120728.htm
Galaxy Pollution in Action
https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.c_RFlmw3BrbSa8yx_-AoawHaHa?rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain
Visible satellite passages over the next couple of days.
All times are “local” (Dallas) time.
Tiangong
Apr. 29
Envisat
Apr. 29
Apr. 30
May 2
May 3
May 4
May 5