Archive for the ‘NanoRacks’ Category
Weekly Links
Down to Earth
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will take advantage on an open seat in an upcoming Soyuz flight to ISS and fly their first homegrown astronaut into orbit.
The US Air Force has awarded a contract to SpaceX to launch a DOD satellite on a Falcon Heavy in 2020.
Last week the President of the United States signed Space Policy Directive 3, which establishes a formal National Space Traffic Management Policy.
In Orbit
There were no orbital rocket launches or major mission events at the International Space Station last week. However, the NanoRacks Remove Debris (or RemDeb) satellite was deployed from the ISS. This satellite will demonstrate techniques for reducing orbital debris in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
Resistance wasn’t futile. @NanoRacks REMDEB satellite deployed on Wednesday morning from @Space_Station. pic.twitter.com/v9e5LYEo2W
— Ricky Arnold (@astro_ricky) June 22, 2018
The ISS crew continues to be busy with maintenance and science as always. Here’s a selection of some of their most interesting photos posted to Twitter last week.
The first photo I took out the window of our #Soyuz after launch. I have no idea where it is. But I was surprised to see the Earth move much faster in the lower Soyuz orbit, compared to ISS. #Horizons pic.twitter.com/AK7dh44S3l
— Alexander Gerst (@Astro_Alex) June 18, 2018
Sergey demonstrates how we use miniaturized astronauts for spacewalking. #EVA51 pic.twitter.com/iuudJSSuPn
— Ricky Arnold (@astro_ricky) June 18, 2018
Moon over Lake #Malawi #Africa. If that isn’t the title of a song, it probably should be. #Tanzania #Mozambique #Zambia pic.twitter.com/5Q0nZ8ow7x
— Ricky Arnold (@astro_ricky) June 19, 2018
Saw my first Aurora Australis on this mission today, my silent magical old friend. 6 nose prints on the window, despite being busy with #science. Quite fittingly, the ship in the foreground is the one that carried @AstroSerena, Sergey & me into space almost 2 weeks ago. #Horizons pic.twitter.com/vlQNvQwUDM
— Alexander Gerst (@Astro_Alex) June 20, 2018
The alluring #Azores and a sprinkling of popcorn clouds on a blue, marble floor. #Portugal pic.twitter.com/JDeX3VBHut
— Ricky Arnold (@astro_ricky) June 21, 2018
I think I finally found the answer to a question I've been asked a 1000 times. "Can we see the Great Wall of China from the #ISS?" Next to impossible with the naked eye. But I tried with an 800 mm tele lens. Still tough to spot. What do you think, is this it? #Horizons pic.twitter.com/NdlJvRCCNP
— Alexander Gerst (@Astro_Alex) June 21, 2018
#Palmanova is an unusual town in northeastern #Italy. It is an excellent example of star fort of the late Renaissance. pic.twitter.com/YRb5e1AEb9
— Oleg Artemyev (@OlegMKS) June 22, 2018
In upcoming launches, Rocket Lab will attempt to launch their next Electron rocket on Tuesday (New Zealand time) and SpaceX will launch their next Dragon resupply to ISS next Friday.
Around the Solar System
Japan’s Hayabusa-2 continues to get closer to its destination, asteroid Ryugu. Some more detailed images of the unexplored rock were downlinked last week.
NASA’s Dawn spacecraft has been slowly lowering its orbit around asteroid Ceres to get new unprecedented views of the dwarf planet.
The large dust storm on the surface of Mars continues, with no contact from the rover Opportunity. Rover Curiosity continues to operate in Gale Crater, sending back this recent dusty “selfie.”
Data from Japan’s Akatsuki spacecraft, which orbits Venus, has returned some interesting results about the variability of the planet’s day-night cycle.