Space Stories: SpaceX ISS Launch, Israeli Space Telescope, and Japanese Asteroid Results

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Artist’s rendering of Israel’s ULTRASAT space telescope. (Weizmann Institute of Science)

Here are some recent stories of interest.

—Reuters News: “SpaceX Ready to Retry Launching NASA’s Next Space Station Crew“

Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX was ready to try again at sending NASA’s next long-duration crew of the International Space Station to orbit on Thursday, about 72 hours after a first attempt was scrubbed due to a clogged filter in the launch system. Two NASA astronauts will be joined by a Russian cosmonaut and an astronaut from the United Arab Emirates for a six-month science mission made up of experiments ranging from human cell growth in space to controlling combustible materials in microgravity.

—NASA: “NASA to Launch Israel’s First Space Telescope“

NASA will launch Israel’s first space telescope mission, the Ultraviolet Transient Astronomy Satellite (ULTRASAT). ULTRASAT, an ultraviolet observatory with a large field of view, will investigate the secrets of short-duration events in the universe, such as supernova explosions and mergers of neutron stars. Led by the Israel Space Agency and Weizmann Institute of Science, ULTRASAT is planned for launch into geostationary orbit around Earth in early 2026. In addition to providing the launch service, NASA will also participate in the mission’s science program.

—Carnegie Science: “Organic Molecules Found on First Primitive Asteroid Sample Returned to Earth“

Approximately 20,000 organic molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur were found in samples returned to Earth from the asteroid Ryugu by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Hayabusa2 mission, according to  new work published in two Science papers from an international team that included Carnegie’s George Cody, Jens Barosch, and Larry Nittler. Named after a Japanese folktale, Ryugu is a near-Earth object, half a mile across, shaped kind of like a spinning top that orbits the Sun every 16 months. Hayabusa2 was the first mission to bring material back to Earth from a primitive asteroid, offering unique insight into the building blocks from which our Solar System was formed and the possible origin of organic material that contributed to Earth’s habitability.

Traffic Delays: SpaceX Aborts Crewed Mission to ISS

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit):The SpaceX rocket with the Crew-6 mission at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (SpaceX)

Today’s SpaceX launch of a four-man crew to the International Space Station (ISS) has been delayed. Just three minutes before the planned launch of the Crew-6 mission, designed to carry astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren “Woody” Hoburg, cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, and Emerati astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, SpaceX experienced  a problem with the engine igniter fluid.

The next window for the launch is this Thursday in the hopes that better weather will be available (compared to tomorrow’s weather).

The four crew members’ photos are provided below. Below you can also find a profile on each crew member:

Credit: SpaceX

Continued Traffic to the International Space Station

Posted on by onespaceman2000
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is soyuz-ms-23-docking_blog.png
Image (Credit): Soyuz M-23 capsule approaching the ISS. (NASA)

Yesterday, Russia’s M-23 capsule has safely arrived at the International Space Station (ISS). It was carrying supplies but no crew. Now the M-22 crew has a safe way to return to Earth when the are ready.

And tomorrow, SpaceX is preparing to launch a new crew to the ISS:

SpaceX and NASA are targeting no earlier than Monday, February 27 for Falcon 9’s launch of Dragon’s sixth operational human spaceflight mission (Crew-6) to the International Space Station from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The instantaneous launch window is at 1:45 a.m. ET (6:45 UTC), with a backup opportunity available on Tuesday, February 28 at 1:22 a.m. ET (6:22 UTC).

Things are starting to return to normal up there. Boring is welcome at this point.

Image (Credit): SpaceX Crew 6 mission on the launchpad. (SpaceX)

The Rescue Mission to the ISS has Started

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Launch of Russia’s Soyuz M-23 mission to the ISS. (NASA)

Yesterday, Russia launched the uncrewed Soyuz M-23 mission from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan (it was actually “today” in Russian time). The spacecraft will replace the damaged M-22 capsule attached to the International Space Station (ISS).  As a result, the earlier M-22 crew of Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, and NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, will return in this replacement capsule.

NASA noted that the M-22 capsule will be studied by the Russian upon its return in March:

The damaged Soyuz MS-22 is scheduled to undock from the station in late March and return to Earth for an uncrewed parachute-assisted landing in Kazakhstan, and post-flight analysis by Roscosmos.

Given recent leaks on two Russian spacecraft, let’s hope the M-23 mission goes without a hitch. Fingers crossed.

SpaceX will also be shipping a new crew up to the ISS next week, so the space traffic continues even with these hiccups.

ChatGPT: The Roaming Roadster

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): The Tesla Roadster leaving Earth’s orbit. (SpaceX)

It’s time to check in again with ChatGTP to discuss another Elon Musk issue – the Tesla vehicle he launched into space using a SpaceX rocket. I recently asked ChatGPT, which was funded in part by Elon Musk, to provide a three paragraph summary discussing the launch of the Tesla Roadster into space as well as the current location of that Roadster. Here is the response:

In February 2018, Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched its Falcon Heavy rocket into space, making it the most powerful operational rocket in the world. The rocket was carrying a special payload: a Tesla Roadster, driven by a mannequin named Starman wearing a SpaceX suit, was put into orbit around the sun. The Roadster, which was live-streamed as it traveled through space, was meant to be a whimsical demonstration of the Falcon Heavy’s capabilities, but it also became a symbol of Musk’s audacity and his willingness to take risks.

The Tesla Roadster is still orbiting the sun, travelling as far out as the orbit of Mars and as close to the sun as the orbit of Earth. Its precise location can be tracked using the website whereisroadster.com, which provides real-time updates on the car’s location based on data from the JPL Horizons system. The Roadster’s journey through space is expected to continue for millions of years, making it one of the longest-lasting man-made objects in space.

Although the Roadster was not intended to be a scientific mission, it has provided valuable data for astronomers and space enthusiasts. For example, it has been used to test the accuracy of simulations of the solar system, and to study the effects of space radiation on electric vehicle batteries. In addition, the Roadster’s journey has inspired a new generation of space enthusiasts and has sparked interest in the possibilities of space travel and exploration. It is a testament to the power of innovation, creativity, and the human spirit, and it serves as a reminder of the incredible things that can be achieved when people are willing to take risks and pursue their passions.

The summary amusingly states that this floating Roadster has provided “valuable data” and “…sparked interest in the possibilities of space travel and exploration.” It appears Mr. Musk still has his fingers in the program code. I believe NASA can get the data it needs without the use of a wandering automobile. Besides, you only need to know the impact of radiation on an EV battery if you plant to drive to Mars. And while I would agree that his “audacious” claims about a trip to Mars on the SpaceX Starship may have stimulated a few souls, creating a new form of space junk was seen for what it was – a dumb stunt.

All stunts aside, I look forward to seeing Mr. Musk focus again on Mars rather than areas outside of his expertise, such as Twitter. We need less space junk and more space missions with a destination in mind.