In Today’s Deep Space Extra… Landsat 9 is ‘go’ for launch today. United Launch Alliance and others win Space Force contracts for rocket technology projects.
Human Space Exploration
NASA’s Artemis astronauts could catch a new ride to the launchpad
Nextgov (9/24): Between 1984 and the end of the space shuttle era in 2011, NASA astronauts would ride in an Astrovan—a modified 1983-model Airstream motorhome—from the Operations and Checkout Building at the Florida Kennedy Space Center (KSC) to the launch pad for liftoff. For its modern Artemis missions, the space agency aims to use an “Artemis Crew Transportation Vehicle,” or CTV that’s up-to-date, eco-friendly and capable of seating at least eight to ferry the astronauts from suit-up to launch.
China eyes sending 1st female astronaut to new space station
Space.com (9/24): Expected to launch around October 3, China’s three-person Shenzhou 13 crew is likely to include the first woman to live and work aboard the core module of the country’s Tiangong space station. She’s Wang Yaping, who became the second Chinese woman in space in 2013 on Shenzhou 10. Shenzhou 10 launched to Tiangong 1, an orbital space lab testbed.
Space Science
Landsat 9, NASA’s most powerful Landsat satellite ever, is ‘go’ for launch on Monday
Coalition Member in the News – United Launch Alliance
Space.com (9/26): NASA has cleared its newest powerful Earth-observing satellite for a launch into orbit from the California coast today. The satellite, called Landsat 9, is on track to lift off from the Vandenberg Space Force Base atop an Atlas V rocket provided by the United Launch Alliance (ULA). Liftoff is targeted for 2:12 p.m. EDT
Lucy’s Principal Investigator discusses upcoming mission to Jupiter’s Trojans
Coalition Member in the News – United Launch Alliance
NASAspaceflight.com (9/25): Lucy, NASA’s first-ever mission to study the Trojan asteroids grouped ahead of and behind Jupiter as it orbits the sun, is planned for launch no earlier than October 16. The 12-year mission to six Trojans and one main belt asteroid could provide new insight into the role asteroids played in early planet formation. The Lucy spacecraft will launch on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.
Scientists say new technique could turn Martian air into rocket fuel
Futurism (9/24): A technique that involves a reactor utilizing new chemical catalysts, unveiled recently in the journal Nature Communications, would convert the carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere to methane and ethylene rocket fuel. According to the research, the technique would be sufficient for a return mission to Earth without having to carry any fuel to Mars for that purpose. On Earth, the same method could potentially extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to help mitigate climate change.
Other News
Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, SpaceX, ULA win Space Force contracts for rocket technology projects
Coalition Member in the News – United Launch Alliance
SpaceNews.com (9/25): Under $24.3 million agreements, ULA will focus on uplink command and control for Centaur 5, the upper stage of the new Vulcan Centaur rocket; Rocket Lab will work on upper stage development for its new Neutron rocket; and Blue Origin will work on cryogenic fluid management in the second stage of the New Glenn rocket. SpaceX will receive $14.4 million for testing technologies for its Raptor rocket engine.
An alarm went off on SpaceX’s all-tourist space flight. The problem was the toilet
CNN (9/25): During their three-orbit flight earlier this month, the Inspiration4 crew heard an alarm. It was their toilet, explains the mission’s leader, Jared Isaacman. The problem was solved by working with ground controllers and without making a mess, according to Isaacman. Sanitation has been a challenge throughout human space flight.
Blue Origin plans to blast William Shatner into space on its New Shepard rocket in October, reports say
Business Insider (9/25): William Shatner, Captain Kirk in the Star Trek television series, will lift off aboard a Blue Origin New Shepard suborbital rocket from West Texas in October, according to news reports. At 90, he would become the oldest person to reach space.
Major Space Related Activities for the Week
Major space related activities for the week of September 26 – October 2, 2021
Coalition Member in the News – United Launch Alliance
Spacepolicyonline.com (9/26): The week begins with uncertainty over passage by Congress of a budget continuing resolution (CR) in place of formal passage of a federal budget for the 2022 fiscal year that begins October 1. Without a CR, most federal agencies face a shutdown. Meanwhile, Congressional debate continues over adjusting the debt limit as well as $1 trillion and $3.5 trillion traditional and human infrastructure bills. The latter includes $4.4 billion for NASA. Meanwhile, the NASA/U.S. Geological Survey Landsat 9 satellite is planned for launch on Monday at 2:12 p.m. EDT, from Vandenberg Space Force Base. NASA’s deputy administrator Pam Melroy and associate administrator Bob Cabana will speak before the Washington and Maryland space business roundtables on Wednesday and Thursday. Three of the International Space Station’s (ISS) cosmonauts and astronauts will relocate their Russian Soyuz MS-18 capsule from one docking port to another on the ISS’s Russian segment early Tuesday. On Tuesday at 2 p.m. EDT, NASA will brief on the upcoming Lucy mission to Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids, which is planned for launch no sooner than October 16. The event will be aired on NASA TV and streamed at www.nasa.gov/nasalive.