Space Industry Analysis
Oct 09, 2012
HOUSTON — SpaceX is sorting through a first-stage Falcon 9 engine anomaly that occurred when the two-stage booster lifted off for the International Space Station on Oct. 7 under a $1.6 billion NASA Commercial Resupply Services contract that signals the restoration of U.S. cargo delivery and return capabilities lost with the space shuttle’s 2011 retirement.
Oct 08, 2012
Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) CEO Elon Musk sounded a note of caution about the company’s upcoming first operational cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station, during an online question-and-answer session Oct. 5.
Oct 05, 2012
Today, each GPS satellite is launched from a single Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle
Oct 05, 2012
HOUSTON — The U.S.-led International Space Station mission management team on Oct. 4 approved the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon on a three-week resupply mission to the orbiting science lab, the first delivery carried out under the terms of the company’s $1.6 billion, 12-flight Commercial Re-Supply (CRS) contract awarded in late 2008.
Oct 05, 2012
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Oct 04, 2012
NAPLES, Italy — Crewmembers on China’s next mission to the Tiangong-1 mini-space station will practice on-orbit repairs and refueling techniques, as preparations continue for launch of a three-module station by the end of the decade. The Shenzhou 10 crew has not been selected yet, according to Wang Zhaoyao, director of the China Manned Space Engineering Office. The mission next year will continue work started with the Shenzhou 9 flight in June, Wang says, adding to China’s experience with rendezvous and docking.
Oct 04, 2012
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Oct 03, 2012
NAPLES, Italy — The European Space Agency (ESA) will propose making minor improvements to its new Vega rocket when the agency’s council of ministers meets in November to set ESA’s multiyear budget. One such improvement would involve boosting the fuel capacity of Vega’s P80 engine to compensate for a planned shift in the rocket’s launch trajectory, which Fabrizi says is necessary to ensure telemetry is accurately received from a ground-tracking station.