Deep Space Extra

Here is a list of news that were published in our Newsletter the week of August 26, 2024:

Human Space Exploration:

• What time is Blue Origin’s private NS-26 astronaut launch on August 29 (and how to watch live)
• With successful airlock test, Lockheed Martin invests in inflatable space structures
  Coalition Member in the News – Lockheed Martin;
• FAA grounds SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets pending investigation of rare offshore crash-landing;
• How 2 fatal shuttle disasters weighed on NASA’s decision to bring Boeing Starliner astronauts home on SpaceX Dragon
  Coalition Member in the News – Boeing;
• Launch delay: SpaceX pushes Polaris Dawn astronaut launch due to splashdown weather concerns
  Coalition Member in the News – Axiom Space;
• NASA IG issues another harsh report on NASA management of Mobile Launcher-2
  Coalition Members in the News – Bechtel, Boeing;
• Launch delay: SpaceX pushes Polaris Dawn astronaut launch due to ‘a ground-side helium leak’
  Coalition Member in the News – Axiom Space;
• How can we protect humans on Mars from dangerous solar storm radiation?
• SpaceX completes static fire test of its Falcon 9 rocket in preparation for the Polaris Dawn astronaut mission;
• Blue Origin sets date for next New Shepard flight after completing parachute investigation
  Coalition Member in the News – Boeing;
• After weeks of debate, NASA rules out bringing astronauts home on Boeing’s Starliner
  Coalition Members in the News – Axiom Space, Boeing;

Space Science

• Astronaut John McFall explains how the Paralympic Games shaped his space career (exclusive);
• What if you flew your warp drive spaceship into a black hole?
• Incoming ‘daylight comet’ is still alive;
• NASA’s DART asteroid crash really messed up its space rock target;
• Valve problem blamed for Peregrine lunar lander failure;
• Europe’s JUICE probe snaps hi-res pics of Earth and the Moon on its way to Jupiter (photos);
• Life needs black holes to survive;
• Japan’s space agency ends Moon probe operation;
• Chinese researchers devise new strategy for producing water on the Moon;
• NASA challenged the public to make ‘deep space food’  here are the winners;

Opinion

• CT’s key role in NASA’s Artemis mission
  Coalition Members in the News – Boeing, Collins Aerospace, L3Harris, Lockheed Martin, Northrop GrummanConnecticut Post (8/27): Connecticut is home to more than 40 companies with a stake in NASA’s efforts to initiate a new era of human space exploration with the Artemis program. “The investments made in Artemis translate into tangible benefits right here in Connecticut, supporting a new generation of engineers, technicians and manufacturers across the state,” according to Paul Lavoie, the state of Connecticut’s chief manufacturing officer, in a Bridgeport op-ed. “These companies are not only fostering economic growth and creating high-quality jobs but are also solidifying Connecticut’s reputation as a hub for aerospace excellence. Moreover, the ripple effects of Connecticut’s involvement in space exploration are felt in our local communities.”

Other News;

• Sparks are flying day and night as SpaceX preps Starship pad to catch a rocket;
• Fire, fed by leaking engines, destroyed ABL Space Systems rocket;
• SpaceX booster on Starlink mission tips over on return to Earth;
• Firefly Aerospace’s lunar lander begins pre-launch environmental tests;
• U.S. military space domain awareness lags behind expectations;
• Second Tower complete at Starbase as Flight 5 preps continue;
• Supreme Court case could affect orbital debris mitigation rules;

Major Space Related Activities for the Week

• As part two of its Boeing Starliner Flight Readiness Review, NASA anticipates a decision by Thursday on when the uncrewed Starliner will undock from the ISS for an anticipated descent into New Mexico for a parachute and airbag assisted landing.
• Early Tuesday, the four-person Polaris Dawn private astronaut mission is to launch from the Kennedy Space Center. The five-day mission is to feature the first private spacewalk from the SpaceX Crew Dragon module.
• Blue Origin’s next six-person suborbital New Shepard mission is to launch from West Texas on Thursday.
• Thursday also marks the fifth anniversary of the U.S. Space Command’s re-establishment by former President Trump.
• The NASA Advisory Council’s Human Exploration and Operations Committee will also meet virtually on Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT for a discussion of the NASA Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate programs, including the Moon to Mars strategy.
• A NASA Webex meeting with the Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Board, which was established in 2020, is to follow from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT.

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter:
Don’t miss the latest developments in space policy, science, and exploration with Deep Space Extra, delivered directly to your inbox from Monday to Friday.