Not likely to be deserted soon … According to Roscosmos, the Nauka module will dock to the nadir port of the Russian service module on July 29. This long-delayed section of the spaceport station will add much-needed research study capability to the Russian side of the ISS, and it recommends that, in spite of recent bluster, the Russians intend to take part in the space station program for years to come. (submitted by EllPeaTea).
On July 20, Jeff Bezos will satisfy the dream of a life time by climbing aboard his New Shepard spacecraft and taking a trip into space. So far at least, his Blue Origin space company has actually been a less reliable supplier, Ars reports.
Sagging relationship … This has been particularly of issue to United Launch Alliance, which is relying on Blue Origin-built engines for its brand-new Vulcan rocket. The United States Space Force is likewise enjoying, as it is counting on the Vulcan booster to assist release some of its most valuable satellites into orbit. Independently, several sources informed Ars the relationship between Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance isnt good.
Comparing performance of heavy-lift rockets. As part of a meeting of the planetary sciences decadal study committee, NASAs Launch Service Program provided a chart of characteristic energy (C3) for various existing and near-term commercial launch vehicles. Press reporter Jeff Foust shared this chart on Twitter.
Digging into the details … There are plenty of intriguing numbers on this chart, which reveals that the expendable version of the Falcon Heavy rocket is the most effective booster offered today for a planetary objective, with a 50 percent greater performance than the Delta IV Heavy.
Do not anticipate SLS rocket to be used for science missions. In a rundown about the Space Launch System for members of the planetary science decadal survey today, Robert Stough of NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center said that, if researchers are contemplating missions that need the usage of the SLS, they need to be talking with NASA now to secure manifest slots no earlier than the late 2020s or early 2030s.
Book your launch for next decade now? While NASA has a goal of being able to introduce 3 SLS objectives in a 24-month duration and 2 in 12 months, the supply chain is presently restricted to one SLS per year, SpaceNews reports. Its not clear there is much demand from science objectives for an SLS launch, given its high cost.
Next three launches.
July 21: Proton
Star One D2, Eutelsat Quantum
Starliner OFT-2
18:53 UTC.

Expand/ Space shuttle Atlantis launched on Friday, July 8, 2011, at NASAs Kennedy Space. This was the final launch of the space shuttle program.

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The companys next launch of its Rocket 3 series is on track for later this summer season, and there are plans for 2 more launches this year. The James Webb Space Telescope is one step better to launch after an evaluation of its Ariane launch lorry, while NASA continues a different review of the name of the spacecraft itself, SpaceNews reports. While both NASA and ESA are keeping an official “launch-readiness date” of October 31 for JWST, the schedule of upcoming launches recommends Webb will launch no earlier than the second half of November. The countrys institutional area corporation prepares to launch more than 40 rockets this year. As part of a conference of the planetary sciences decadal survey committee, NASAs Launch Service Program provided a chart of characteristic energy (C3) for different existing and near-term business launch vehicles.

China releases 3 times in 4 days. China launched a data-tracking and relay interactions satellite Tuesday, marking the nations 3rd effective mission in four days, SpaceNews reports. A Long March 3C lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on Tuesday, sending a Tianlian-1 satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit.
Tuesdays launch was Chinas 22nd of 2021, consisting of one failure of an industrial rocket. The nations institutional area corporation plans to release more than 40 rockets this year. Chinese business are likewise planning launches this year, consisting of LandSpace, iSpace, Deep Blue Aerospace, ExPace, and CAS Space.
OneWeb reaches coverage turning point. Earlier this month Arianespace released its eighth objective for the satellite company OneWeb, growing its constellation to 254 spacecraft, SpaceNews reports. After the 36 brand-new satellites raise their orbit over the next month, they will complete OneWebs interim goal of expanding its footprint to the 50th parallel and above. They will cover Canada, Northern Europe, Alaska, the UK, and Arctic regions, ahead of partial business services before completion of this year.
Complete constellation next year? … Using the Europeanized version of the Russian Soyuz rocket, OneWeb is going for 4 or five more satellite launches this year, and it requires 10 more to provide global services with a constellation of 648 satellites. OneWeb seeks to partner with governments and enterprises to supply connection instead of delivering services straight to customers. (sent by Ken the Bin).
Nauka gets a brand-new launch date. After a hold-up due to a technical problem, Russia has rescheduled the launch of its roomy Nauka module to the International Space Station for July 21 at 14:54 UTC. The big science module will release into orbit on a Proton booster from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
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While both NASA and ESA are maintaining a formal “launch-readiness date” of October 31 for JWST, the schedule of upcoming launches suggests Webb will launch no earlier than the second half of November. Speaking at a June 30 “meeting of experts” held in location of an official conference of NASAs Astrophysics Advisory Committee, Eric Smith, program researcher for the telescope at NASA, decreased to offer a particular launch date. “Historically, they have actually taken about 60 days in between launches,” he stated.
Shuttle bus landing facility converted into commercial space. As Space Floridas Exploration Park fills up, the financial development firm is opening up new opportunities for business area near Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. After NASA turned the old Shuttle Landing Facility over to Space Florida, the entity is converting the center into a location called the “Launch and Landing Facility.”.
Great deals of runway offered … The utility-corridor task is more than a mile long and will supply power, water, and communications service to big portions of home surrounding to the landing center, Space Florida said. It will open “advancement opportunities for companies wanting to sign up with the Capes growing industrial space community,” the agency adds. Although Space Florida has not yet revealed possible occupants, it notes that the landing center has an air traffic control tower, navigational help, fire and EMS services, and more.

Welcome to Edition 4.06 of the Rocket Report! After years and years of guarantees, the era of suborbital space tourism is truly and really upon us. What a weekend we have showing up in launch: Richard Branson is set to make his long-awaited spaceflight aboard the rocket-powered VSS Unity on Sunday morning. Ill be onsite, in New Mexico, to take in the scene and report back.
As constantly, we invite reader submissions, and if you dont wish to miss out on a problem, please subscribe utilizing the box below (the kind will not appear on AMP-enabled variations of the site). Each report will include info on little-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets along with a quick appearance ahead at the next 3 launches on the calendar.
In an interview with Ars, Astra CEO Chris Kemp said the company is utilizing the funds raised from this transaction– about a half-billion dollars– to continue operations, speed up development toward a larger launch lorry, and to become a space services company. The companys next launch of its Rocket 3 series is on track for later this summer, and there are strategies for 2 more launches this year. The business hopes to reach a regular monthly cadence by the end of 2021, Kemp stated, and it is targeting a total of 15 launches next year.
Larger rocket, very same cost … Rocket 3 has a payload capacity of 50 kg to a 500-km orbit. Following about eight more launches of this little Rocket 3, the company will relocate to Rocket 4, which will have a single engine with 40,000 pounds of thrust instead of the 5 smaller sized engines that power Rocket 3. This brand-new rocket will have the capacity to raise about 200 kg to low Earth orbit. Notably, the businesss rate per launch, about $3.5 million, will not increase as its rockets become more capable. “We will continue to increase the efficiency as much as about 500 kgs, and we will drive scale up and costs down,” Kemp stated. Astra is also developing a spacecraft that Kemp envisions becoming the “iPhone” of space, where users can publish their “apps” onto the spacecraft, which currently has power, thrust, and other capabilities. The objective is to make it simple for companies or little groups to develop an usage case for area and test it in orbit– however not to actually have to construct the satellite.
Webb telescope passes launch review test. The James Webb Space Telescope is one action closer to launch after a review of its Ariane launch lorry, while NASA continues a different review of the name of the spacecraft itself, SpaceNews reports. The European Space Agency announced July 1 that it, along with Arianespace, had actually successfully completed the last mission-analysis review for the launch of JWST on an Ariane 5.
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