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.
Recent Astronomical Discoveries
Astronomers close to solving mystery of how universe’s giant galaxies formed |
Discussion Topic of the Evening.
Lightning on Earth Knocks ‘Killer Electrons’ Loose in Orbit
Visualization showing how magnetic field lines, thin cyan lines, circling Earth can trap charged particles, thin yellow lines.
Atmospheric effects and signatures of high-energy electron precipitation
https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/3-s2.0-B978012813371200007X-f07-01-9780128133712.jpg
Waz Up
Space Exploration and Space History
Space Exploration News
Galaxy Lights
If you are looking for a fun trip these holidays, consider Galaxy Lights at Space Center Houston.
https://spacecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/galaxy-lights-star-ip-crop-849×1024.jpeg
NASA delays Artemis moon missions once again
https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1vll9P.img?w=768&h=432&m=6
Neuraspace installs second telescope to enhance space traffic monitoring
Space-Related Birthdays
Terry W. Virts Dec 1, 1967
STS-130
Soyuz TMA-15M (Expedition 42/43)
Steven Swanson Dec 3, 1960
STS-117
STS-119
Soyuz TMA-12M (Expedition 39/40)
Ronald M. Sega Dec 4, 1952
STS-60
STS-76
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Ronald_Sega.jpg/220px-Ronald_Sega.jpg
Bruce E. Melnick Dec 5, 1949 STS-41
STS-49
Robb Kulin Dec 7, 1983 No flights
Matthew Dominick Dec 7, 1981
SpaceX Crew-8 (Expedition 70/71/72)
This Week in Space History
December 4
On this day in space history, two big launches – Gemini 7 launched aboard a Titan II in 1965, while STS-88 Endeavour launched in 1998. https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/468854935_887755853553170_2928134988120531493_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s600x600&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=eUyzYyFWaaEQ7kNvgEe0lIc&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&_nc_gid=AlQ0iNarBi_MdIjZHUH47IX&oh=00_AYCtSzjDwlUdCooVXVJO3mxQQ7oXfW48u8CmD57pbtO7mw&oe=6756E22C
On December 4, 1978, the Pioneer Venus Orbiter entered an elliptical orbit around the mysterious, clouded planet. Its radar altimeter allowed the spacecraft to map much of Venus’ surface
Miss Carolyn’s Constellation of the Week
Constellations “Aries, the Ram” and “Triangulum, the Triangle”.
Space Launches For This Week
Space Flight Now Launch Schedule
December 8 Falcon 9 • Starlink 12-5
Launch time: Window opens at 12:10 a.m. EST (0510 UTC)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch another batch of Starlink V2 Mini satellites to low Earth obit. A little more than eight minutes after liftoff, the booster will land on a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Updated: December 05
December 12 Falcon 9 • O3b mPOWER 7&8
Launch time: Window opens at 3:55 p.m. EST (2055 UTC)
Launch site: Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the fourth pair of O3b mPOWER satellites to a medium Earth orbit on behalf of Luxembourg-based SES. A little more than eight minutes after liftoff, the first stage booster will land on a droneship positioned in the Atlantic Ocean.
Updated: December 06
NET December 17/18 Electron • ‘Owl the Way Up’
Launch time: Window 3:00-4:15 a.m. NZT (9:00-10:15 a.m. EST, 1400-1515 UTC)
Launch site: Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket will launch a StriX satellite for Synspective, a Japanese Earth observation company to continue building out its synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation. This will be the sixth launch out of 16 booked on Electron for Synspective.
Updated: December 06
TBD New Glenn • NG-1
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Launch Complex 36, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket will launch the company’s Blue Ring spacecraft, which is capable of both hosting and deploying multiple payloads. Blue Origin will attempt to land the first stage booster on its sea-based landing platform, ‘Jacklyn.’
Updated: November 20
NET Spring 2025 New Glenn • EscaPADE
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Launch Complex 36, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket will launch a pair of identical spacecraft on NASA’s Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (EscaPADE) mission. The two satellites, named Blue and Gold, will make a roughly 11-month journey to Mars where they will then perform about an 11-month science mission while orbiting the Red Planet. Blue and Gold were manufactured by Rocket Lab over about 3.5 years and carry science experiments from the University of California, Berkeley. This launch of the New Glenn rocket will also feature a landing attempt on its landing barge in the Atlantic Ocean. Delayed from October 13.
Updated: September 11
TBD 2025 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, December 2023, January 2024, April 2024 and September 2024.
Visible satellite passages over the next couple of days.
You can use the http://www.heavens-above.com website to find out what’s in orbit and
where to look during fly-overs
All times are “local” (Dallas) time.
ISS
Dec 11
Dec 13
Dec 14
Dec 15
Tiangong
Dec 9
Dec 11
Dec 12
Dec 14
Dec 15
Dec 16