https://www.scivillage.com/ Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:30:38 +0000 MyBB https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20755.html Tue, 30 Jun 2026 05:15:27 +0000 Yazata]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20755.html (Oct 17, 2025 08:35 PM)Yazata Wrote: SpaceX already launches and lands Falcon 9's from Launch Complex 4 (near the top in the photo below)

The plan is to adapt Launch Complex 6 (red marker towards the bottom) to launch Falcon 9's and Falcon Heavy's, including two new landing pads for returning boosters.

The plan is to have the new pad ready by the start of 2027.

SpaceX and the Space Force recently demolished the existing structures at Launch Complex 6 at Vandenberg. It was a sad moment, because this pad was originally intended to become a west coast Space Shuttle launch pad, and the huge structures were built to accomodate and service shuttles.

Then the Shuttle Challenger blew up during launch and the plans to launch shuttles from Vandenberg were scrapped.

Since then, ULA used Launch Complex 6 to launch their strikingly beautiful but now-retired Delta IV Heavy rockets, another iconic part of space lore.

Well, the Space Force aren't known for sentiment, so down it all came.

]]> (Oct 17, 2025 08:35 PM)Yazata Wrote: SpaceX already launches and lands Falcon 9's from Launch Complex 4 (near the top in the photo below)

The plan is to adapt Launch Complex 6 (red marker towards the bottom) to launch Falcon 9's and Falcon Heavy's, including two new landing pads for returning boosters.

The plan is to have the new pad ready by the start of 2027.

SpaceX and the Space Force recently demolished the existing structures at Launch Complex 6 at Vandenberg. It was a sad moment, because this pad was originally intended to become a west coast Space Shuttle launch pad, and the huge structures were built to accomodate and service shuttles.

Then the Shuttle Challenger blew up during launch and the plans to launch shuttles from Vandenberg were scrapped.

Since then, ULA used Launch Complex 6 to launch their strikingly beautiful but now-retired Delta IV Heavy rockets, another iconic part of space lore.

Well, the Space Force aren't known for sentiment, so down it all came.

]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20737.html Sat, 27 Jun 2026 23:26:09 +0000 Yazata]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20737.html
Starfall is a cheap capsule designed to carry about one metric ton of cargo and survive atmospheric reentry. It's a disk about 10 feet in diameter and about 2 1/2 feet in thickness. It will have cold-gas thrusters to keep it oriented properly. Other than that, it's basically just an aluminum cargo container with a heat shield. Hopefully it will be reusable.

One of its use-cases is for the Space Force to launch military cargo that's needed immediately at a battle-front somewhere on suborbital point to point trajectories. They should be able to reach any point on Earth in less than an hour that way. It will descend with parachutes and should be accurate enough to land at precise points. The military has already explored using Starship for point-to-point cargo delivery, but decided that it would be impractical to land giant spaceships in battle zones and then try to refuel them somehow with lox and liquid methane so as to fly them out of the battle zone for reuse. The Starfall capsules are far less expensive than a Starship, small enough to transport back home by air and don't contain any especially advanced technology that we wouldn't want to fall into enemy hands.

Another use-case is to return products of space manufacturing from orbit back to the surface. One thing that microgravity enables is growing almost perfect crystals, which might have many applications including pharmaceuticals, lasers, semiconductors, nanomaterials, thin films, advanced alloys, exotic glass, even quantum materials. There's also interest in the possibility of growing bio-printed organs in microgravity.

Starfall is more than just a 'vaporware' artists concept proposal. On June 23, 2026, SpaceX flew a prototype Starfall capsule atop a Falcon 9 and recovered it off the coast of California.

]]>
Starfall is a cheap capsule designed to carry about one metric ton of cargo and survive atmospheric reentry. It's a disk about 10 feet in diameter and about 2 1/2 feet in thickness. It will have cold-gas thrusters to keep it oriented properly. Other than that, it's basically just an aluminum cargo container with a heat shield. Hopefully it will be reusable.

One of its use-cases is for the Space Force to launch military cargo that's needed immediately at a battle-front somewhere on suborbital point to point trajectories. They should be able to reach any point on Earth in less than an hour that way. It will descend with parachutes and should be accurate enough to land at precise points. The military has already explored using Starship for point-to-point cargo delivery, but decided that it would be impractical to land giant spaceships in battle zones and then try to refuel them somehow with lox and liquid methane so as to fly them out of the battle zone for reuse. The Starfall capsules are far less expensive than a Starship, small enough to transport back home by air and don't contain any especially advanced technology that we wouldn't want to fall into enemy hands.

Another use-case is to return products of space manufacturing from orbit back to the surface. One thing that microgravity enables is growing almost perfect crystals, which might have many applications including pharmaceuticals, lasers, semiconductors, nanomaterials, thin films, advanced alloys, exotic glass, even quantum materials. There's also interest in the possibility of growing bio-printed organs in microgravity.

Starfall is more than just a 'vaporware' artists concept proposal. On June 23, 2026, SpaceX flew a prototype Starfall capsule atop a Falcon 9 and recovered it off the coast of California.

]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20680.html Sat, 20 Jun 2026 16:15:31 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20680.html https://www.supercluster.com/editorial/s...e-concerns

EXCERPTS: Six mysterious Russian satellites launched earlier this year have been creeping toward an observation spacecraft used by Ukraine. Experts worry the complex maneuvers may be a prelude to an attempt to destroy the satellite or disrupt its operations.

Something about the way in which Russia placed into orbit a batch of its Kosmos satellites in late April of this year piqued Greg Gillinger’s interest. Gillinger, the Senior Vice President at space intelligence company Integrity ISR, thought it was strange when Russia used its Soyuz rocket to drop off the first of the satellites at an altitude of 550 kilometers, then dispatched the rest to a different orbital plane using the Volga space tug.

The satellites, numbered 2609 to 2614, weigh about 600 kilograms each. But that’s about as much as Western analysts know about them. For Gillinger, the effort Russia put into fine-tuning its orbits raises alarms.

[...] “My assumption is that you don’t do this by accident,” said Gillinger. “It requires an enormous amount of energy to change orbital inclination. It’s not typical to see reconnaissance satellites or communication satellites or other types of satellites do anything like this.”

[...] Gillinger says that although the Russian sextet doesn’t “do anything dangerous or alarming” at the moment. The close approaches suggest that Russia may want to cause some harm to the ICEYE satellites or disrupt their operations.

“It’s a behavior we haven’t seen before,” Gillinger said. “It could be something as easy as an inspection mission. We don’t know. They might even want to interfere with the ICEYE satellite kinetically or non-kinetically.”

[...] Victoria Samson, the Chief Director for Space Security and Stability at the Secure World Foundation, said that although the Kosmos satellites are not the first Russian spacecraft to sneak up on Western spacecraft in orbit, the incident is a step-up from earlier Russian threats.

“This type of RPO (rendezvous and proximity operations) is not unusual for Russia,” Samson told Supercluster in an email. “Their Luch and Luch 2 satellites have gotten co-planar [orbiting in the same plane] with numerous US intelligence satellites. But this is the first time, as far as I know, that Russian satellites have gotten co-planar with a commercial satellite in low Earth orbit.”

[...] “We might want to start thinking about equipping satellites with their own space awareness capabilities,” he said. “If you really want to be certain what’s going on around your satellites, having an onboard capability to see the surrounding area will become more important..."

[...] Space security experts have been sounding the alarm for years about emerging threats in the space environment. Last year, China sent ripples through the space world by performing close-proximity maneuvers described as satellite dogfighting. U.S. military sources said at that time that five Chinese satellites had been moving around each other “in synchronicity and with control” in a way reminiscent of the acrobatic chases performed during the Second World War between German and British fighter aircraft.

In January this year, Germany’s State Secretary for Defence Jens Plötner said that European satellites experience interference from Russia and China “on an almost daily basis,” according to Euronews... (MORE - missing detail)]]> https://www.supercluster.com/editorial/s...e-concerns

EXCERPTS: Six mysterious Russian satellites launched earlier this year have been creeping toward an observation spacecraft used by Ukraine. Experts worry the complex maneuvers may be a prelude to an attempt to destroy the satellite or disrupt its operations.

Something about the way in which Russia placed into orbit a batch of its Kosmos satellites in late April of this year piqued Greg Gillinger’s interest. Gillinger, the Senior Vice President at space intelligence company Integrity ISR, thought it was strange when Russia used its Soyuz rocket to drop off the first of the satellites at an altitude of 550 kilometers, then dispatched the rest to a different orbital plane using the Volga space tug.

The satellites, numbered 2609 to 2614, weigh about 600 kilograms each. But that’s about as much as Western analysts know about them. For Gillinger, the effort Russia put into fine-tuning its orbits raises alarms.

[...] “My assumption is that you don’t do this by accident,” said Gillinger. “It requires an enormous amount of energy to change orbital inclination. It’s not typical to see reconnaissance satellites or communication satellites or other types of satellites do anything like this.”

[...] Gillinger says that although the Russian sextet doesn’t “do anything dangerous or alarming” at the moment. The close approaches suggest that Russia may want to cause some harm to the ICEYE satellites or disrupt their operations.

“It’s a behavior we haven’t seen before,” Gillinger said. “It could be something as easy as an inspection mission. We don’t know. They might even want to interfere with the ICEYE satellite kinetically or non-kinetically.”

[...] Victoria Samson, the Chief Director for Space Security and Stability at the Secure World Foundation, said that although the Kosmos satellites are not the first Russian spacecraft to sneak up on Western spacecraft in orbit, the incident is a step-up from earlier Russian threats.

“This type of RPO (rendezvous and proximity operations) is not unusual for Russia,” Samson told Supercluster in an email. “Their Luch and Luch 2 satellites have gotten co-planar [orbiting in the same plane] with numerous US intelligence satellites. But this is the first time, as far as I know, that Russian satellites have gotten co-planar with a commercial satellite in low Earth orbit.”

[...] “We might want to start thinking about equipping satellites with their own space awareness capabilities,” he said. “If you really want to be certain what’s going on around your satellites, having an onboard capability to see the surrounding area will become more important..."

[...] Space security experts have been sounding the alarm for years about emerging threats in the space environment. Last year, China sent ripples through the space world by performing close-proximity maneuvers described as satellite dogfighting. U.S. military sources said at that time that five Chinese satellites had been moving around each other “in synchronicity and with control” in a way reminiscent of the acrobatic chases performed during the Second World War between German and British fighter aircraft.

In January this year, Germany’s State Secretary for Defence Jens Plötner said that European satellites experience interference from Russia and China “on an almost daily basis,” according to Euronews... (MORE - missing detail)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20641.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 19:35:02 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20641.html https://www.supercluster.com/editorial/c...e-reusable

EXCERPT: Lux Aeterna’s Delphi demonstration mission, scheduled to launch in early 2027, will attempt to demonstrate what the future of reusable satellites might look like. The 200-kilogram satellite is fitted with a conical heat shield that will protect the spacecraft during the fiery return to Earth.

Taylor said that Lux Aeterna has tested the heat shield in cooperation with NASA ahead of the launch next year. During the test flight, Delphi will host a range of customer payloads, which will spend three months in space inside the spacecraft before splashing down to the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Australia.

The company has recently raised an oversubscribed $10 million seed round, which is enough to complete the mission, the company said.

UK-based Space Forge is also looking into returnable satellites. And although the company’s primary focus is on in-orbit manufacturing, its representatives have previously said that reusable satellites could help in the future slash the environmental impact of satellite re-entries.

California-based Arkysis wants to develop a network of orbital Ports — robotic space garages offering refueling and maintenance for satellites in orbit. Next year, the company plans to launch its demonstration space tug called the Cutter, designed to deliver spare parts, fuel, and broken spacecraft to the Port for repairs and upgrades.

Orbit Fab, headquartered in Colorado, is working on a network of orbital fuel depots and fuel shuttles intended to extend the lifetime of satellites beyond the limitations imposed by the size of their fuel tanks. The company launched a demonstration mission in 2021 and may conduct another by the end of 2026.

But analysts warn that weaning the space industry off its one-use-only mentality may not be that simple... (MORE - details)]]> https://www.supercluster.com/editorial/c...e-reusable

EXCERPT: Lux Aeterna’s Delphi demonstration mission, scheduled to launch in early 2027, will attempt to demonstrate what the future of reusable satellites might look like. The 200-kilogram satellite is fitted with a conical heat shield that will protect the spacecraft during the fiery return to Earth.

Taylor said that Lux Aeterna has tested the heat shield in cooperation with NASA ahead of the launch next year. During the test flight, Delphi will host a range of customer payloads, which will spend three months in space inside the spacecraft before splashing down to the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Australia.

The company has recently raised an oversubscribed $10 million seed round, which is enough to complete the mission, the company said.

UK-based Space Forge is also looking into returnable satellites. And although the company’s primary focus is on in-orbit manufacturing, its representatives have previously said that reusable satellites could help in the future slash the environmental impact of satellite re-entries.

California-based Arkysis wants to develop a network of orbital Ports — robotic space garages offering refueling and maintenance for satellites in orbit. Next year, the company plans to launch its demonstration space tug called the Cutter, designed to deliver spare parts, fuel, and broken spacecraft to the Port for repairs and upgrades.

Orbit Fab, headquartered in Colorado, is working on a network of orbital fuel depots and fuel shuttles intended to extend the lifetime of satellites beyond the limitations imposed by the size of their fuel tanks. The company launched a demonstration mission in 2021 and may conduct another by the end of 2026.

But analysts warn that weaning the space industry off its one-use-only mentality may not be that simple... (MORE - details)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20624.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 18:28:29 +0000 Yazata]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20624.html https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20620.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 20:24:39 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20620.html https://reason.com/2026/06/09/why-you-ca...ty-rights/

EXCERPT: Some of these countries are now demanding that you hand over a significant share of your profits to people who have never had anything to do with asteroid mining—many of whom couldn't even say exactly what an asteroid is, let alone launch rockets into orbit.

They invoke Article IV, Paragraph 1, and Article XI, Paragraphs 1 and 3, of the Moon Agreement, which state: "The exploration and use of the Moon shall be the province of all mankind and shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interest of all countries, irrespective of their degree of economic and scientific development. Due regard shall be paid to the interests of present and future generations as well as to the need to promote higher standards of living and conditions of economic and social progress and development in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations." So much for Article IV.

Article XI states: "The Moon and its natural resources are the common heritage of mankind. Neither the surface nor the subsurface of the Moon, nor any part thereof or natural resources in place, shall become property of any State, international intergovernmental or non-governmental organization, national organization or non-governmental entity or of any natural person."

The Moon Agreement, since signed by 22 countries and ratified by 18, was developed to work in the same way as seabed law, and a delegate from Sri Lanka explained in simple terms what the intention was: "If you touch the nodules [valuable mineral deposits on the seabed] at the bottom of the sea, you touch my property. If you take them away, you take away my property."

The plaintiffs now demand their "rightful share" of your profits, arguing that the platinum belongs not to you, but to all of humanity—and especially to developing countries, many of which are not yet engaged in space exploration. Should the plaintiffs win, neither you nor any other company would ever be able to attract investors again. Asteroid mining would be dead and buried after this very first attempt.

Suffice it to say: Investors can remain confident, as a lawsuit based on a treaty signed by only a small number of countries is unlikely to succeed. But consider a second thought experiment...

[...] The settlers have repeatedly attempted to establish private property rights and even create a digital land registry, but legal experts keep putting a stop to their efforts. This time, the problem is not the 1984 Moon Agreement, but the 1967 Outer Space Treaty (OST) ... What can be done when a treaty, in this case the OST, is open to so many different interpretations? First, it could be renegotiated...

[...] So, who should have the right to acquire property in space? My answer: those who have the financial means to get there, develop, and use the land. [...] However, we would need to tread carefully: If the Chinese were the first to reach Mars, it is possible they would declare the entire planet as belonging to China... (MORE - missing details)]]> https://reason.com/2026/06/09/why-you-ca...ty-rights/

EXCERPT: Some of these countries are now demanding that you hand over a significant share of your profits to people who have never had anything to do with asteroid mining—many of whom couldn't even say exactly what an asteroid is, let alone launch rockets into orbit.

They invoke Article IV, Paragraph 1, and Article XI, Paragraphs 1 and 3, of the Moon Agreement, which state: "The exploration and use of the Moon shall be the province of all mankind and shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interest of all countries, irrespective of their degree of economic and scientific development. Due regard shall be paid to the interests of present and future generations as well as to the need to promote higher standards of living and conditions of economic and social progress and development in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations." So much for Article IV.

Article XI states: "The Moon and its natural resources are the common heritage of mankind. Neither the surface nor the subsurface of the Moon, nor any part thereof or natural resources in place, shall become property of any State, international intergovernmental or non-governmental organization, national organization or non-governmental entity or of any natural person."

The Moon Agreement, since signed by 22 countries and ratified by 18, was developed to work in the same way as seabed law, and a delegate from Sri Lanka explained in simple terms what the intention was: "If you touch the nodules [valuable mineral deposits on the seabed] at the bottom of the sea, you touch my property. If you take them away, you take away my property."

The plaintiffs now demand their "rightful share" of your profits, arguing that the platinum belongs not to you, but to all of humanity—and especially to developing countries, many of which are not yet engaged in space exploration. Should the plaintiffs win, neither you nor any other company would ever be able to attract investors again. Asteroid mining would be dead and buried after this very first attempt.

Suffice it to say: Investors can remain confident, as a lawsuit based on a treaty signed by only a small number of countries is unlikely to succeed. But consider a second thought experiment...

[...] The settlers have repeatedly attempted to establish private property rights and even create a digital land registry, but legal experts keep putting a stop to their efforts. This time, the problem is not the 1984 Moon Agreement, but the 1967 Outer Space Treaty (OST) ... What can be done when a treaty, in this case the OST, is open to so many different interpretations? First, it could be renegotiated...

[...] So, who should have the right to acquire property in space? My answer: those who have the financial means to get there, develop, and use the land. [...] However, we would need to tread carefully: If the Chinese were the first to reach Mars, it is possible they would declare the entire planet as belonging to China... (MORE - missing details)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20326.html Thu, 30 Apr 2026 06:27:17 +0000 Yazata]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20326.html
If NASA moves, the leading candidate is Florida, which is lobbying hard to have the NASA Headquarters move to Cape Canaveral.

Texas is pushing its own proposal to have NASA Headquarters move to the Johnson Space Center outside Houston.

There are more long-shot proposals from Colorado and Ohio as well. Alabama wants NASA to move to Huntsville AL, the future home of the military's US space Command.]]>
If NASA moves, the leading candidate is Florida, which is lobbying hard to have the NASA Headquarters move to Cape Canaveral.

Texas is pushing its own proposal to have NASA Headquarters move to the Johnson Space Center outside Houston.

There are more long-shot proposals from Colorado and Ohio as well. Alabama wants NASA to move to Huntsville AL, the future home of the military's US space Command.]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20193.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:50:37 +0000 Yazata]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20193.html https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/up...rected.pdf

Jared is a big nuclear power in space guy and he likes it: "The time has come for America to get underway on nuclear power in space."

https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2044056202045477261

It envisions parallel NASA and Department of War/Space Force design competitions.

NASA

NASA will, within 30 days, begin design and development of a lunar fission surface power (FSP) reactor, with an option for a nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) reactor variant. In conjunction with private developers, NASA will proceed through a preliminary design review and early ground tests where necessary. Reactor designs should emphasize mid-size reactors, with options for smaller reactors if they offer lower cost and less time risk. The design should also be expandable to higher power reactors.

Within a year, NASA should down-select the two best designs, based on their assessed ability to meet cost, schedule and technical requirements. To the maximal extent possible, NASA should emphasize common nuclear thermal propulsion and nuclear electric propulsion components, such as shielding, radiation hardened instrumentation and controls and so on.

NASA should work with DoW to share costs and information.

Department of War

DoW will pursue deployment of mid-size space reactors by 2031, contingent on funding.

Within 90 days the DoW will brief the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Office of Management and Budget and the National Security Council on operationally relevant use cases for a mid power space reactor.

During the first year, DoW will contribute its funding to NASA's design studies.

Beginning in the second year, DoW should start work with at least two competing vendors. DoW should encourage proposals from the suppliers of NASA's two selected designs, so as to avoid duplication of efforts.

Again, DoW should be prepared to share costs and information with NASA.

Department of Energy

Should be ready to work with NASA and DoW to achieve these objectives. To this end they must provide an assessment of the US nuclear industrial industry to produce up to four space reactors in five years, including design, long-lead components and nuclear fuel. Coordinate with NASA and DoW on research and development and ground testing. Provide nuclear safety and security analysis.]]> https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/up...rected.pdf

Jared is a big nuclear power in space guy and he likes it: "The time has come for America to get underway on nuclear power in space."

https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2044056202045477261

It envisions parallel NASA and Department of War/Space Force design competitions.

NASA

NASA will, within 30 days, begin design and development of a lunar fission surface power (FSP) reactor, with an option for a nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) reactor variant. In conjunction with private developers, NASA will proceed through a preliminary design review and early ground tests where necessary. Reactor designs should emphasize mid-size reactors, with options for smaller reactors if they offer lower cost and less time risk. The design should also be expandable to higher power reactors.

Within a year, NASA should down-select the two best designs, based on their assessed ability to meet cost, schedule and technical requirements. To the maximal extent possible, NASA should emphasize common nuclear thermal propulsion and nuclear electric propulsion components, such as shielding, radiation hardened instrumentation and controls and so on.

NASA should work with DoW to share costs and information.

Department of War

DoW will pursue deployment of mid-size space reactors by 2031, contingent on funding.

Within 90 days the DoW will brief the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Office of Management and Budget and the National Security Council on operationally relevant use cases for a mid power space reactor.

During the first year, DoW will contribute its funding to NASA's design studies.

Beginning in the second year, DoW should start work with at least two competing vendors. DoW should encourage proposals from the suppliers of NASA's two selected designs, so as to avoid duplication of efforts.

Again, DoW should be prepared to share costs and information with NASA.

Department of Energy

Should be ready to work with NASA and DoW to achieve these objectives. To this end they must provide an assessment of the US nuclear industrial industry to produce up to four space reactors in five years, including design, long-lead components and nuclear fuel. Coordinate with NASA and DoW on research and development and ground testing. Provide nuclear safety and security analysis.]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20058.html Thu, 26 Mar 2026 04:57:06 +0000 Yazata]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-20058.html
America's first nuclear powered spacecraft (SR-1 means Space Reactor 1) planned to launch uncrewed to Mars in December 2028. It will carry JPL's Skyfall mission, designed to land three Ingenuity class Mars helicopters on Mars.

Nuclear spacecraft are sort of Jared Isaacman's dream and his new job gives him the opportunity to make his dreams reality. The project aims to establish regulatory and launch precedents for nuclear hardware in space, creating a foundation for future missions to the outer solar system where solar energy is insufficient. It will use a very small nuclear fission reactor to generate electricity, which will then power ion thrusters.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_thruster

Very preliminary design graphic. The SR-1 Freedom spacecraft is still being designed and the final version might change a lot.

(NASA graphic)

]]>
America's first nuclear powered spacecraft (SR-1 means Space Reactor 1) planned to launch uncrewed to Mars in December 2028. It will carry JPL's Skyfall mission, designed to land three Ingenuity class Mars helicopters on Mars.

Nuclear spacecraft are sort of Jared Isaacman's dream and his new job gives him the opportunity to make his dreams reality. The project aims to establish regulatory and launch precedents for nuclear hardware in space, creating a foundation for future missions to the outer solar system where solar energy is insufficient. It will use a very small nuclear fission reactor to generate electricity, which will then power ion thrusters.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_thruster

Very preliminary design graphic. The SR-1 Freedom spacecraft is still being designed and the final version might change a lot.

(NASA graphic)

]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-19980.html Mon, 16 Mar 2026 20:32:59 +0000 Yazata]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-19980.html
In 1919, now a young physics professor, he published what is now recognized as a landmark paper on the physics of space travel. The New York Times ridiculed him for thinking that rockets could work in a vacuum and claimed that he failed to understand even basic Newtonian physics.

So Goddard went quiet and kept working in secret.

And on March 16, 1926 he built a spindly little contraption that flew 41 feet in the air. No newspaper covered it. Nobody beyond his immediate friends, family and colleagues even knew.

It was the world's first liquid fueled rocket.

Since then liquid fueled rockets have become the basis of space travel, just as Goddard had hoped they would. They launched the first satellites, they flew humans to orbit, they took mankind to the Moon, and they took rovers to Mars and space probes all over the Solar System.

Then...

Now...

]]>
In 1919, now a young physics professor, he published what is now recognized as a landmark paper on the physics of space travel. The New York Times ridiculed him for thinking that rockets could work in a vacuum and claimed that he failed to understand even basic Newtonian physics.

So Goddard went quiet and kept working in secret.

And on March 16, 1926 he built a spindly little contraption that flew 41 feet in the air. No newspaper covered it. Nobody beyond his immediate friends, family and colleagues even knew.

It was the world's first liquid fueled rocket.

Since then liquid fueled rockets have become the basis of space travel, just as Goddard had hoped they would. They launched the first satellites, they flew humans to orbit, they took mankind to the Moon, and they took rovers to Mars and space probes all over the Solar System.

Then...

Now...

]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-19757.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 01:29:18 +0000 Yazata]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-19757.html
They are also changing their initial human spaceflight goal from creating a Mars colony to creating a lunar colony.

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2020640004628742577

Elon says (highlighting by me):

"For those unaware, SpaceX has already shifted focus to building a self-growing city on the Moon, as we can potentially achieve that in less than 10 years, whereas Mars would take 20+ years.

The mission of SpaceX remains the same: extend consciousness and life as we know it to the stars.

It is only possible to travel to Mars when the planets align every 26 months (six month trip time), whereas we can launch to the Moon every 10 days (2 day trip time). This means we can iterate much faster to complete a Moon city than a Mars city.

That said, SpaceX will also strive to build a Mars city and begin doing so in about 5 to 7 years, but the overriding priority is securing the future of civilization and the Moon is faster."

Elon seems be have come around to what many have long advocated: Make more use of Starship's heavy-lift orbital capability (which they propose to do with the AI data centers), and pay more attention to creating a human presence on the Moon, since it's much easier to do there than on Mars.

I do expect that SpaceX will probably be first to land humans on Mars though. (They are the only ones with a plausible Mars architecture currently under development, and not just an artist's conception render.)

The lunar emphasis will also align SpaceX more with NASA and its goal of a sustained human lunar presence. SLS with its cost, payload and launch cadence limitations obviously won't give NASA what it needs. So unless NASA has new and more capable vehicles on the drawing board, it will be up to SpaceX and Blue Origin to make NASA's dreams real. I see roles for both companies.

And it will create a vision that I (the science-fiction nut) have waited all my life to see: when I look up at the Moon at night, I want to see lights up there!

]]>
They are also changing their initial human spaceflight goal from creating a Mars colony to creating a lunar colony.

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2020640004628742577

Elon says (highlighting by me):

"For those unaware, SpaceX has already shifted focus to building a self-growing city on the Moon, as we can potentially achieve that in less than 10 years, whereas Mars would take 20+ years.

The mission of SpaceX remains the same: extend consciousness and life as we know it to the stars.

It is only possible to travel to Mars when the planets align every 26 months (six month trip time), whereas we can launch to the Moon every 10 days (2 day trip time). This means we can iterate much faster to complete a Moon city than a Mars city.

That said, SpaceX will also strive to build a Mars city and begin doing so in about 5 to 7 years, but the overriding priority is securing the future of civilization and the Moon is faster."

Elon seems be have come around to what many have long advocated: Make more use of Starship's heavy-lift orbital capability (which they propose to do with the AI data centers), and pay more attention to creating a human presence on the Moon, since it's much easier to do there than on Mars.

I do expect that SpaceX will probably be first to land humans on Mars though. (They are the only ones with a plausible Mars architecture currently under development, and not just an artist's conception render.)

The lunar emphasis will also align SpaceX more with NASA and its goal of a sustained human lunar presence. SLS with its cost, payload and launch cadence limitations obviously won't give NASA what it needs. So unless NASA has new and more capable vehicles on the drawing board, it will be up to SpaceX and Blue Origin to make NASA's dreams real. I see roles for both companies.

And it will create a vision that I (the science-fiction nut) have waited all my life to see: when I look up at the Moon at night, I want to see lights up there!

]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-19420.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 19:38:14 +0000 Yazata]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-19420.html https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-...periority/

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1.  Purpose.  Superiority in space is a measure of national vision and willpower, and the technologies Americans develop to achieve it contribute substantially to the Nation’s strength, security, and prosperity.  The United States must therefore pursue a space policy that will extend the reach of human discovery, secure the Nation’s vital economic and security interests, unleash commercial development, and lay the foundation for a new space age.

Sec. 2.  Policy.  My Administration will focus its space policy on achieving the following priorities:

(a)  Leading the world in space exploration and expanding human reach and American presence in space by:

(i)    returning Americans to the Moon by 2028 through the Artemis Program, to assert American leadership in space, lay the foundations for lunar economic development, prepare for the journey to Mars, and inspire the next generation of American explorers;

(ii)  establishing initial elements of a permanent lunar outpost by 2030 to ensure a sustained American presence in space and enable the next steps in Mars exploration; and

(iii)  enhancing sustainability and cost-effectiveness of launch and exploration architectures, including enabling commercial launch services and prioritizing lunar exploration;

(b)  Securing and defending American vital national and economic security interests in, from, and to space by:

(i)    developing and demonstrating prototype next-generation missile defense technologies by 2028 to progressively and materially enhance America’s air and missile defenses pursuant to Executive Order 14186 of January 27, 2025 (The Iron Dome for America);

(ii)  ensuring the ability to detect, characterize, and counter threats to United States space interests from very low-Earth orbit and through cislunar space, including any placement of nuclear weapons in space;

(iii)  creating a responsive and adaptive national security space architecture by accelerating acquisition reform, integrating commercial space capabilities, and enabling new market entrants; and

(iv)  strengthening ally and partner contributions to United States and collective space security, including through increased space security spending, operational cooperation, basing agreements, and ally and partner investments in America’s space industrial base;

©  Growing a vibrant commercial space economy through the power of American free enterprise by:

(i)    fostering economic growth, attracting at least $50 billion of additional investment in American space markets by 2028, and increasing launch and reentry cadence through new and upgraded facilities, improved efficiency, and policy reforms;

(ii)  demonstrating spectrum leadership across space applications to promote United States technology competitiveness, spectrum management efficiency, and global market access; and

(iii)  spurring private sector initiative and a commercial pathway to replace the International Space Station by 2030; and

(d)  Developing and deploying advanced capabilities and approaches to enable the next century of space achievements by:

(i)    optimizing space research-and-development investments to achieve my Administration’s near-term space objectives, use emerging technologies and scientific discoveries to advance mission capabilities, and enable scientific discovery for America’s long-term science and technology leadership;

(ii)  enabling near-term utilization of space nuclear power by deploying nuclear reactors on the Moon and in orbit, including a lunar surface reactor ready for launch by 2030;

(iii)  improving high-value space and Earth weather forecasting and operations to meet needs on Earth and beyond, utilizing improved business approaches such as firm fixed-price contracts and as-a-service models for both space and ground-based segments;

(iv)  enabling the sustainability of space operations through effective and responsible approaches to space traffic management; orbital debris mitigation and remediation; and terrestrial and cislunar positioning, navigation, and timing, including by establishing the United States as the standards and services leader in these areas; and

(v)    establishing ground, space, and lunar infrastructure and standards that enable implementation of space priorities and a robust space industrial base.

Sec. 3.  Implementation.  (a)  The Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (APST) shall coordinate the overall implementation of this order, including:

(i)  within 60 days of the date of this order, issuing guidance on establishing a National Initiative for American Space Nuclear Power to achieve the nuclear power policy priorities directed in this order, in coordination with the heads of relevant executive departments and agencies (agencies) identified by the APST; and

(ii)  within 120 days of the date of this order, propose revisions to Presidential Policy Directive 26 of November 21, 2013 (National Space Transportation Policy), to support implementation of this order.

(b)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the APST shall coordinate development of and integrate into one submission to the President the following:

(i)    a plan from the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy (APDP), for achieving the policy objectives in this order regarding leading the world in space exploration and expanding human reach and American presence in space, including plans for mitigating any technology, supply chain, or industrial capacity gaps relevant to achieving those goals within available funding;

(ii)  the results of comprehensive reviews by the Secretary of Commerce and the Administrator of NASA, in consultation with the Director of OMB, of their respective major space acquisition programs to identify any such programs that are more than 30 percent behind schedule based on the program’s acquisition baseline, 30 percent over cost based on the program’s baseline, unable to meet any key performance parameters, or unaligned with the priorities in this order, along with a description of their planned mitigation or remediation efforts; and

(iii)  a report from the Secretary of War, in coordination with the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), of any technology, supply chain, or industrial capacity gaps relevant to this order’s directive to progressively and materially enhance America’s air and missile defenses, and plans for mitigating such gaps within available funding.

©  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce and the Administrator of NASA shall each reform their respective agency’s space acquisition processes to support the space priorities in this order, and to further Executive Order 14271 of April 15, 2025 (Ensuring Commercial, Cost-Effective Solutions in Federal Contracts).  These reforms shall incorporate the following:

(i)    use of existing authorities to improve efficiency and expedite space acquisitions, including a first preference for commercial solutions and a general preference for Other Transactions Authority or Space Act Agreements, customary commercial terms, or any other pathways to promote effective or streamlined acquisitions;

(ii)  a detailed review of each functional support role within the agency’s Federal and contract workforce, to eliminate unnecessary tasks, reduce duplication, and accelerate decision-making;

(iii)  for the Department of Commerce, strengthening capabilities for conducting space acquisition and sustainment activities in a manner that supports collaboration with, but does not require acquisition assistance from, NASA, including by recommending legislative reforms as necessary; and 

(iv)  for NASA, aligning space-focused acquisition and procurement processes across NASA centers and activities to improve efficiency.

(d)  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the APNSA shall, in coordination with the Secretary of War, the DNI, the APST, and the heads of other relevant agencies:

(i)  implement a space security strategy that accounts for United States interests in, from, and to space; addresses current and projected threats to United States space interests from very low-Earth orbit through cislunar space; and incorporates a technology plan for detecting, characterizing, and countering potential adversary placement of nuclear weapons in space; and

(ii)  implement a plan for a responsive and adaptive national security space architecture to support the space security strategy and other relevant priorities established in this order.

(e)  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of War and the DNI, shall implement a plan to strengthen ally and partner contributions to United States and collective space security.

(f)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce shall coordinate with the APST, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the APDP, and the heads of relevant agencies to assert spectrum leadership, which shall include considering opportunities for reapportioning and sharing spectrum, as appropriate.

(g)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Administrator of NASA, in coordination with the Secretary of State and the APST, shall ensure that international civil space cooperation arrangements involving NASA support the policy priorities in this order, including by initiating new arrangements and modifying or terminating existing arrangements where appropriate and consistent with existing authorities and legal obligations.

Sec. 4.  Rescission.  (a)  This order supersedes Executive Order 14056 of December 1, 2021 (The National Space Council), which is hereby revoked.

(b)  Space Policy Directive 3 of June 18, 2018 (National Space Traffic Management Policy), is hereby revised as follows:

(i)  by replacing “free of direct user fees” with “for commercial and other relevant use” in subsections 3(b) and 4(d); and

(ii)  by replacing “provided free of direct user fees” with “available for commercial and other relevant use” in subsections 5(a)(ii) and 5(b)(ii). 

©  To the extent this order is inconsistent with any provision of any previous Executive Order, Presidential Memorandum, or Presidential Directive, this order shall control.

Sec. 5.  Definitions.  (a)  The term “commercial solutions” means any of the methods for procurement of a commercial product or service described in part 12 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, or other industry solutions funded by private investment that meet agency needs.

(b)  The term “Other Transactions Authority” means the ability of the United States Government to enter into contracts other than standard contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements.

Sec. 6.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i)  the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii)  the functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

©  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

(d)  The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

                              DONALD J. TRUMP

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    December 18, 2025.]]> https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-...periority/

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1.  Purpose.  Superiority in space is a measure of national vision and willpower, and the technologies Americans develop to achieve it contribute substantially to the Nation’s strength, security, and prosperity.  The United States must therefore pursue a space policy that will extend the reach of human discovery, secure the Nation’s vital economic and security interests, unleash commercial development, and lay the foundation for a new space age.

Sec. 2.  Policy.  My Administration will focus its space policy on achieving the following priorities:

(a)  Leading the world in space exploration and expanding human reach and American presence in space by:

(i)    returning Americans to the Moon by 2028 through the Artemis Program, to assert American leadership in space, lay the foundations for lunar economic development, prepare for the journey to Mars, and inspire the next generation of American explorers;

(ii)  establishing initial elements of a permanent lunar outpost by 2030 to ensure a sustained American presence in space and enable the next steps in Mars exploration; and

(iii)  enhancing sustainability and cost-effectiveness of launch and exploration architectures, including enabling commercial launch services and prioritizing lunar exploration;

(b)  Securing and defending American vital national and economic security interests in, from, and to space by:

(i)    developing and demonstrating prototype next-generation missile defense technologies by 2028 to progressively and materially enhance America’s air and missile defenses pursuant to Executive Order 14186 of January 27, 2025 (The Iron Dome for America);

(ii)  ensuring the ability to detect, characterize, and counter threats to United States space interests from very low-Earth orbit and through cislunar space, including any placement of nuclear weapons in space;

(iii)  creating a responsive and adaptive national security space architecture by accelerating acquisition reform, integrating commercial space capabilities, and enabling new market entrants; and

(iv)  strengthening ally and partner contributions to United States and collective space security, including through increased space security spending, operational cooperation, basing agreements, and ally and partner investments in America’s space industrial base;

©  Growing a vibrant commercial space economy through the power of American free enterprise by:

(i)    fostering economic growth, attracting at least $50 billion of additional investment in American space markets by 2028, and increasing launch and reentry cadence through new and upgraded facilities, improved efficiency, and policy reforms;

(ii)  demonstrating spectrum leadership across space applications to promote United States technology competitiveness, spectrum management efficiency, and global market access; and

(iii)  spurring private sector initiative and a commercial pathway to replace the International Space Station by 2030; and

(d)  Developing and deploying advanced capabilities and approaches to enable the next century of space achievements by:

(i)    optimizing space research-and-development investments to achieve my Administration’s near-term space objectives, use emerging technologies and scientific discoveries to advance mission capabilities, and enable scientific discovery for America’s long-term science and technology leadership;

(ii)  enabling near-term utilization of space nuclear power by deploying nuclear reactors on the Moon and in orbit, including a lunar surface reactor ready for launch by 2030;

(iii)  improving high-value space and Earth weather forecasting and operations to meet needs on Earth and beyond, utilizing improved business approaches such as firm fixed-price contracts and as-a-service models for both space and ground-based segments;

(iv)  enabling the sustainability of space operations through effective and responsible approaches to space traffic management; orbital debris mitigation and remediation; and terrestrial and cislunar positioning, navigation, and timing, including by establishing the United States as the standards and services leader in these areas; and

(v)    establishing ground, space, and lunar infrastructure and standards that enable implementation of space priorities and a robust space industrial base.

Sec. 3.  Implementation.  (a)  The Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (APST) shall coordinate the overall implementation of this order, including:

(i)  within 60 days of the date of this order, issuing guidance on establishing a National Initiative for American Space Nuclear Power to achieve the nuclear power policy priorities directed in this order, in coordination with the heads of relevant executive departments and agencies (agencies) identified by the APST; and

(ii)  within 120 days of the date of this order, propose revisions to Presidential Policy Directive 26 of November 21, 2013 (National Space Transportation Policy), to support implementation of this order.

(b)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the APST shall coordinate development of and integrate into one submission to the President the following:

(i)    a plan from the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy (APDP), for achieving the policy objectives in this order regarding leading the world in space exploration and expanding human reach and American presence in space, including plans for mitigating any technology, supply chain, or industrial capacity gaps relevant to achieving those goals within available funding;

(ii)  the results of comprehensive reviews by the Secretary of Commerce and the Administrator of NASA, in consultation with the Director of OMB, of their respective major space acquisition programs to identify any such programs that are more than 30 percent behind schedule based on the program’s acquisition baseline, 30 percent over cost based on the program’s baseline, unable to meet any key performance parameters, or unaligned with the priorities in this order, along with a description of their planned mitigation or remediation efforts; and

(iii)  a report from the Secretary of War, in coordination with the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), of any technology, supply chain, or industrial capacity gaps relevant to this order’s directive to progressively and materially enhance America’s air and missile defenses, and plans for mitigating such gaps within available funding.

©  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce and the Administrator of NASA shall each reform their respective agency’s space acquisition processes to support the space priorities in this order, and to further Executive Order 14271 of April 15, 2025 (Ensuring Commercial, Cost-Effective Solutions in Federal Contracts).  These reforms shall incorporate the following:

(i)    use of existing authorities to improve efficiency and expedite space acquisitions, including a first preference for commercial solutions and a general preference for Other Transactions Authority or Space Act Agreements, customary commercial terms, or any other pathways to promote effective or streamlined acquisitions;

(ii)  a detailed review of each functional support role within the agency’s Federal and contract workforce, to eliminate unnecessary tasks, reduce duplication, and accelerate decision-making;

(iii)  for the Department of Commerce, strengthening capabilities for conducting space acquisition and sustainment activities in a manner that supports collaboration with, but does not require acquisition assistance from, NASA, including by recommending legislative reforms as necessary; and 

(iv)  for NASA, aligning space-focused acquisition and procurement processes across NASA centers and activities to improve efficiency.

(d)  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the APNSA shall, in coordination with the Secretary of War, the DNI, the APST, and the heads of other relevant agencies:

(i)  implement a space security strategy that accounts for United States interests in, from, and to space; addresses current and projected threats to United States space interests from very low-Earth orbit through cislunar space; and incorporates a technology plan for detecting, characterizing, and countering potential adversary placement of nuclear weapons in space; and

(ii)  implement a plan for a responsive and adaptive national security space architecture to support the space security strategy and other relevant priorities established in this order.

(e)  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of War and the DNI, shall implement a plan to strengthen ally and partner contributions to United States and collective space security.

(f)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce shall coordinate with the APST, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the APDP, and the heads of relevant agencies to assert spectrum leadership, which shall include considering opportunities for reapportioning and sharing spectrum, as appropriate.

(g)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Administrator of NASA, in coordination with the Secretary of State and the APST, shall ensure that international civil space cooperation arrangements involving NASA support the policy priorities in this order, including by initiating new arrangements and modifying or terminating existing arrangements where appropriate and consistent with existing authorities and legal obligations.

Sec. 4.  Rescission.  (a)  This order supersedes Executive Order 14056 of December 1, 2021 (The National Space Council), which is hereby revoked.

(b)  Space Policy Directive 3 of June 18, 2018 (National Space Traffic Management Policy), is hereby revised as follows:

(i)  by replacing “free of direct user fees” with “for commercial and other relevant use” in subsections 3(b) and 4(d); and

(ii)  by replacing “provided free of direct user fees” with “available for commercial and other relevant use” in subsections 5(a)(ii) and 5(b)(ii). 

©  To the extent this order is inconsistent with any provision of any previous Executive Order, Presidential Memorandum, or Presidential Directive, this order shall control.

Sec. 5.  Definitions.  (a)  The term “commercial solutions” means any of the methods for procurement of a commercial product or service described in part 12 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, or other industry solutions funded by private investment that meet agency needs.

(b)  The term “Other Transactions Authority” means the ability of the United States Government to enter into contracts other than standard contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements.

Sec. 6.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i)  the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii)  the functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

©  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

(d)  The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

                              DONALD J. TRUMP

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    December 18, 2025.]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-19312.html Wed, 03 Dec 2025 03:24:28 +0000 Yazata]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-19312.html
After SpaceX's Falcon-9 which has been landing for 500+ times over the last ten years (!) and SpaceX's Starship Superheavy booster with its spectacular tower catches! Joined recently by Blue Origin's New Glenn which just accomplished it last month.

Nobody else is even close. Both Roscosmos and the European Space Agency have plans to build reusable rockets, but both are years away. Russia probably won't accomplish much as long as the Ukraine war is going, and Europe got off to much too late a start. (After originally dismissing reusable rockets as "a dream".) So it's just the US and China in the game at present.

---

There doesn't appear to be any live-stream.

X accounts that cover the Chinese space program (there are quite a few) are

https://x.com/CNSpaceflight

https://x.com/Cosmic_Penguin

Last information they had was that propellant load was underway]]>
After SpaceX's Falcon-9 which has been landing for 500+ times over the last ten years (!) and SpaceX's Starship Superheavy booster with its spectacular tower catches! Joined recently by Blue Origin's New Glenn which just accomplished it last month.

Nobody else is even close. Both Roscosmos and the European Space Agency have plans to build reusable rockets, but both are years away. Russia probably won't accomplish much as long as the Ukraine war is going, and Europe got off to much too late a start. (After originally dismissing reusable rockets as "a dream".) So it's just the US and China in the game at present.

---

There doesn't appear to be any live-stream.

X accounts that cover the Chinese space program (there are quite a few) are

https://x.com/CNSpaceflight

https://x.com/Cosmic_Penguin

Last information they had was that propellant load was underway]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-19235.html Fri, 21 Nov 2025 18:28:48 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-19235.html Dave Limp cut bureaucracy, brought efficiency and accelerated developments to Blue Origin
https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/11/bl...enn-rocket

EXCERPTS: One week after the successful second launch of its large New Glenn booster, Blue Origin revealed a roadmap on Thursday for upgrades to the rocket, including a new variant with more main engines and a super-heavy lift capability. [...] The enhancements will be phased in over time, starting with the third launch of New Glenn, which is likely to occur during the first half of 2026.

The most significant part of the update concerned an evolution of New Glenn that will transform the booster into a super-heavy lift launch vehicle. The first stage of this evolved vehicle will have nine BE-4 engines instead of seven, and the upper stage four BE-3U engines instead of two. In its update, Blue Origin refers to the new vehicle as 9×4 and the current variant as 7×2, a reference to the number of engines in each stage.

“New Glenn 9×4 is designed for a subset of missions requiring additional capacity and performance,” the company said. “The vehicle carries over 70 metric tons to low-Earth orbit, over 14 metric tons direct to geosynchronous orbit, and over 20 metric tons to trans-lunar injection. Additionally, the 9×4 vehicle will feature a larger 8.7-meter fairing.”

[...] Such a booster would be a notable vehicle, with a lift capacity nearly on par with NASA’s Space Launch System rocket. However, it would have a fully reusable first stage with a larger payload fairing and would likely cost less than one-tenth the estimated $2.2 billion cost of NASA’s super-heavy rocket.

[...] Blue Origin said that both its 7×2 and 9×4 variants will fly concurrently. This, the company said, will give “customers more launch options for their missions, including mega-constellations, lunar and deep space exploration, and national security imperatives such as Golden Dome.”

[...] Blue Origin revealed that it is working on developing a full-scale deployable aerobrake that will be useful for landing large payloads on Mars or slowing down payloads returning to Earth from the Moon.

The increased pace of announcements and execution appears to be part of a plan by the company’s chief executive, Dave Limp, to get Blue Origin moving more quickly. Hired by Jeff Bezos from Amazon, Limp has shaken up Blue Origin’s culture, which had stagnated under former CEO Bob Smith despite Bezos showering the company with billions of dollars annually.

In his nearly two years on the job, Limp has focused on expanding Blue Origin’s manufacturing capabilities and pushed for tighter execution on more rigorous deadlines. Before, it would have been possible to dismiss the rocket plans unveiled Thursday as distant goals. But last week’s launch and subsequent landing of the New Glenn rocket suggest the company is finally breaking out... (MORE - missing details)]]> Dave Limp cut bureaucracy, brought efficiency and accelerated developments to Blue Origin
https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/11/bl...enn-rocket

EXCERPTS: One week after the successful second launch of its large New Glenn booster, Blue Origin revealed a roadmap on Thursday for upgrades to the rocket, including a new variant with more main engines and a super-heavy lift capability. [...] The enhancements will be phased in over time, starting with the third launch of New Glenn, which is likely to occur during the first half of 2026.

The most significant part of the update concerned an evolution of New Glenn that will transform the booster into a super-heavy lift launch vehicle. The first stage of this evolved vehicle will have nine BE-4 engines instead of seven, and the upper stage four BE-3U engines instead of two. In its update, Blue Origin refers to the new vehicle as 9×4 and the current variant as 7×2, a reference to the number of engines in each stage.

“New Glenn 9×4 is designed for a subset of missions requiring additional capacity and performance,” the company said. “The vehicle carries over 70 metric tons to low-Earth orbit, over 14 metric tons direct to geosynchronous orbit, and over 20 metric tons to trans-lunar injection. Additionally, the 9×4 vehicle will feature a larger 8.7-meter fairing.”

[...] Such a booster would be a notable vehicle, with a lift capacity nearly on par with NASA’s Space Launch System rocket. However, it would have a fully reusable first stage with a larger payload fairing and would likely cost less than one-tenth the estimated $2.2 billion cost of NASA’s super-heavy rocket.

[...] Blue Origin said that both its 7×2 and 9×4 variants will fly concurrently. This, the company said, will give “customers more launch options for their missions, including mega-constellations, lunar and deep space exploration, and national security imperatives such as Golden Dome.”

[...] Blue Origin revealed that it is working on developing a full-scale deployable aerobrake that will be useful for landing large payloads on Mars or slowing down payloads returning to Earth from the Moon.

The increased pace of announcements and execution appears to be part of a plan by the company’s chief executive, Dave Limp, to get Blue Origin moving more quickly. Hired by Jeff Bezos from Amazon, Limp has shaken up Blue Origin’s culture, which had stagnated under former CEO Bob Smith despite Bezos showering the company with billions of dollars annually.

In his nearly two years on the job, Limp has focused on expanding Blue Origin’s manufacturing capabilities and pushed for tighter execution on more rigorous deadlines. Before, it would have been possible to dismiss the rocket plans unveiled Thursday as distant goals. But last week’s launch and subsequent landing of the New Glenn rocket suggest the company is finally breaking out... (MORE - missing details)]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-19197.html Sat, 15 Nov 2025 03:36:12 +0000 C C]]> https://www.scivillage.com/thread-19197.html Woman pleads guilty to lying about astronaut wife accessing bank account from Space Station
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/14/space-st...count.html

EXCERPTS: The guilty plea by Summer Worden, 50, on Thursday comes more than five years after she was indicted in the space case for lying about actions by her wife, Anne McClain, a U.S. Army colonel, West Point graduate and Iraq war combat veteran, while they were in the midst of a divorce.

The claim came at a time when Worden said that the couple was engaged in a custody battle over what Worden’s then-6-year-old son [...] The Kansas resident was accused of making false statements about McClain to NASA’s Office of Inspector General and the Federal Trade Commission, where she alleged that McCain had committed identity theft.

Worden in July “alleged her estranged spouse had guessed the password and illegally accessed her bank account while the spouse was deployed to the International Space Station” [...] “The investigation revealed Worden had granted her spouse access to her bank records from at least 2015, including her login credentials,” the statement said.

At the time of the alleged illegal access, McClain was preparing for what NASA billed as the first all-female space walk, which was later scrapped because the agency did not have enough spacesuits to fit the astronauts.

[...] McClain was aboard the Space Station from December 2018 through June 2019. She recently commanded the SpaceX Crew-10 crew mission to the Space Station from March this year until August.

Worden, who remains free on bond, is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 12. She faces a maximum possible sentence of up to five years in prison... (MORE - missing details)]]> Woman pleads guilty to lying about astronaut wife accessing bank account from Space Station
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/14/space-st...count.html

EXCERPTS: The guilty plea by Summer Worden, 50, on Thursday comes more than five years after she was indicted in the space case for lying about actions by her wife, Anne McClain, a U.S. Army colonel, West Point graduate and Iraq war combat veteran, while they were in the midst of a divorce.

The claim came at a time when Worden said that the couple was engaged in a custody battle over what Worden’s then-6-year-old son [...] The Kansas resident was accused of making false statements about McClain to NASA’s Office of Inspector General and the Federal Trade Commission, where she alleged that McCain had committed identity theft.

Worden in July “alleged her estranged spouse had guessed the password and illegally accessed her bank account while the spouse was deployed to the International Space Station” [...] “The investigation revealed Worden had granted her spouse access to her bank records from at least 2015, including her login credentials,” the statement said.

At the time of the alleged illegal access, McClain was preparing for what NASA billed as the first all-female space walk, which was later scrapped because the agency did not have enough spacesuits to fit the astronauts.

[...] McClain was aboard the Space Station from December 2018 through June 2019. She recently commanded the SpaceX Crew-10 crew mission to the Space Station from March this year until August.

Worden, who remains free on bond, is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 12. She faces a maximum possible sentence of up to five years in prison... (MORE - missing details)]]>