KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. (NASA PR) — After standing down on the Artemis I launch attempt Saturday, Sept. 3 due to a hydrogen leak, teams have decided to replace the seal on an interface, called the quick disconnect, between the liquid hydrogen fuel feed line on the mobile launcher and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket while at the launch pad. Performing the work at the pad requires technicians to set up an […]

by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

Due to the Labo(u)r Day holiday here in the U.S. and Canada, we got a little behind in our weekly launch updates. So, here’s what happened over the past 10 days.

This week on The Space Show with Dr. David Livingston: Tuesday, September 06 — 7 PM PDT (9 PM CDT; 10 PM EDT): We welcome back JOHN BUCKNELL of Virtus Solis Technologies for progress and update reports on his SSP development and work. Wednesday, September 07 — Hotel Mars pre-recorded. See the Upcoming Show Menu at www.thespaceshow.com for details. Friday, September 09 — 9:30-11 AM PDT; 11:30 AM- 1 PM […]

BOULDER, Colo. (Saber Astronautics PR) — Saber Astronautics recently won a $540K award as a part of the Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) Program by AFWERX, the innovation arm of the US Department of Air Force (US DAF). 

The TACFI award supports the further development and refinement of Saber’s space operations software, ‘Space Cockpit’. Developed with adherence to the latest in DevSecOps best practices, it received a renewal of its Certificate to Field (CtF) and is deployed to warfighters on NIPR and SIPR networks since 2020.

Space Cockpit originally won funding as part of the US Space Forces rapid acquisition program in 2019. Saber is able to update Space Cockpit in parallel to USSF Guardians’ developing needs with direct, continuous feedback from operators themselves. This ability to quickly and continuously upgrade software is a key benefit to the USSF.

KOUROU, French Guiana (Arianespace PR) — Due to adverse weather conditions at the Guiana Space Center (CSG), the flight VA258 – initially scheduled for September 6 – is being postponed. The Ariane 5 launch vehicle and EUTELSAT KONNECT VHTS (*) are in stable and safe conditions. The new earliest targeted launch date is September 7, 2022 at the earliest within the following launch window. 05:45 p.m. – 07:11 p.m. Washington, […]

by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

While the United States, China and Russia have conducted a total of 105 launches with 102 successes, the rest of the world is lagging far behind. Europe, India, South Korea and Iran have combined for only seven orbital launches with six successes with more than eight months of 2022 in the rearview mirror. Japan has yet to conduct a single orbital launch this year.

by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

Oxygen.

It’s really important for life. Especially on a planet like Mars, whose thin atmosphere is composed largely of unbreathable carbon dioxide. Astronauts would have a difficult time surviving on the Red Planet without oxygen. And it was expensive to bring it all with them.

MOSCOW (Roscosmos PR) — On Thursday, September 1, 2022, at the Yuri A. Gagarin (part of the Roscosmos State Corporation), a meeting of the interdepartmental commission was held, which summed up the readiness for space flight of the main and backup crews of the ISS-68.

The commission included representatives of Roskosmos, TsPK, Rocket and Space Corporation Energia named after S.P. Koroleva, Federal Medical and Biological Agency and others.

The satellites will be integrated aboard D-Orbits’ orbital transfer vehicle, ION Satellite Carrier. After performing a series of timed orbital maneuvers, ION will deploy the satellites in a helix formation

FINO MORNASCO, Italy (D-Orbit PR) — Space logistics and orbital transportation company D-Orbit won a public tender for the launch and deployment of satellites designed and built by TU Berlin’s Chair of Space Technology. The satellites will be integrated inside ION Satellite Carrier, D-Orbit’s proprietary orbital transfer vehicle (OTV). ION is a versatile and cost-effective orbital spaceraft designed to both precisely deploy satellites and perform technology demonstrations of third-party payloads in orbit. ION’s propulsion module also enables the vehicle to change altitude, inclination, and local time of the ascending node (LTAN).

MOSCOW (Roscosmos PR) — On participation in the ISS project and the creation of the Russian Orbital Station: “In the future, we will withdraw from the ISS project due to the technical and scientific aspects.

“Technical: The station has exceeded the warranty periods of existence, and there is a danger of an avalanche-like failure of the equipment. And no one can say exactly when this process will begin. It is necessary, without interrupting the manned program, to prepare for its further continuation, so Russia decided to create its own station.

MOSCOW (Roscosmos PR) — NPO Energomash (part of the Roscosmos State Corporation) has successfully completed hot fire tests of the RD-171MV rocket engine designed for the Soyuz-5 launch vehicle.

As part of the test program, the most powerful liquid rocket engine in the world (its thrust is 800 tons) worked for a total of 1,461 seconds in nine firing tests without being removed from the test bench. 

by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

Two companies on opposite sides of the globe have helped to put the world on a record pace for orbital launches this year. With 110 launches through Sept. 2, it’s virtually certain that the world’s launch providers will exceed the 146 launches conducted last year.

SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket 39 times through the end of August; a 40th launch is scheduled for this evening. Falcon 9 launches have amounted to almost 35.5 percent of the world’s 110 launch attempts, and 69.6 percent of the 56 launches by U.S. companies. The company might meet Elon Musk’s goal of 60 launches by the end of the year.