This week in SF history

— 2013 September 7: launch of LADEE (wikipedia.org)(nasa.gov)

— Twilight rays (nasa.gov)

— Science results (PDF: nasa.gov)

— Impacted near the eastern rim of Sundman V crater (wikipedia.org)

Spaceflight news

— ISS leak (reddit.com/r/SpaceXLounge)(space.com) (twitter.com/Space_Station)

— We discussed slow leak issues with Tess Caswell (theorbitalmechanics.com)

— Cody’s Lab explored whether it hurts to plug a hole with your finger (youtube.com)

— Successfully repaired (blog.nasa.gov) (space.com)

— Ultrasonic sensors were developed in 2004 for slow leaks like this. (newatlas.com)

— Deadline for Oppy to wake up (space.com) (spacenews.com)

— Mike Seibert: "It still seems like it's walking away early." (twitter.com/mikeseibert)

— Scott Maxwell says current Tau cutoff was picked seemingly arbitrarily (twitter.com/marsroverdriver)

Short & Sweet

— India wants to launch astronauts by 2022. (space.com)

— Launcherone undergoes flight tests (spacenews.com)

This week in SF history

— September 1, 1960. Project Apollo formed. (hq.nasa.gov)

Spaceflight news

— Starliner spotlight (nasaspaceflight.com) (youtube.com)

— Soyuz 32 landed autonomously (HT Sam Moore: wikipedia.org)

— Kepler mission nearing its end (spacenews.com)

— Scott Manley describes the issues that took out gyros on multiple spacecraft (youtube.com)

Short & Sweet

— Stratolaunch is expanding its range of launch vehicles. (spacenews.com)

— Oppy should be waking up any day now. (spaceflightnow.com)

Questions, comments, corrections

— Smarter Every Day covers the Parker Solar Probe (HT /u/Nerobro: youtube.com)

— MOMO-2 explosion in detail: (phys.org)

This week in SF history

— August 25, 1949. XS-1 flight #124 (wikipedia.org)

— Smithsonian exhibit page of the T-1 partial pressure suit (HT Csaba: airandspace.si.edu)

Spaceflight news

— Smithsonian renovation (politico.com)

— More unusual Russian satellite activity (space.com)

Short & Sweet

— Crew access coming to Pad 39-A (spaceflightnow.com)

— RS-25 test fire was cut short. (nasaspaceflight.com)

Questions, comments, corrections

— Parker Solar Probe updates from /u/Nerobro (reddit.com/r/orbitalpodcast)

— Season 3 post on Patreon (patreon.com)

This week in SF history

— 19 August 1960: Korabl-Sputnik 2 (wikipedia.org)

Spaceflight news

— Firefly is making real progress. (spacenews.com) (PDF: fireflyspace.com)

— Ursa Major wants to be the first engine specialist (spacenews.com)

— NSF discussion (nasaspaceflight.com)

— Rocket Lab now scheduled for November launch. (spacenews.com)

Short & Sweet

— Self-regulation for smallsat security (spacenews.com)

— Stellar Exploration is making thrusters for microsats. (spacenews.com)

This week in SF history

— 15 August 2007: Rick Mastracchio finds a hole in his glove (wikipedia.org) (nasaspaceflight.com) (universetoday.com)

Spaceflight news

— Dragon and Starliner updates

— Flight test dates (americaspace.com)

— Astronaut assignments (spacenews.com) (parabolicarc.com)

Short & Sweet

— Starliner needs a minor design change (spacenews.com)

— SLS Core stage gets rid of its waxy build-up. (nasaspaceflight.com)

Questions, comments, corrections

— Peter Zink via email: more info on solar physics and Parker Solar Probe (phys.org)

This week in SF history

— August 5, 1930: Birth of Neil Armstrong (wikipedia.org)

Spaceflight news

— Starliner had a pad abort anomaly. (arstechnica.com)

— Spaceship Two goes even higher. (spacenews.com)

— Oppy Update (spaceflightinsider.com)

Short & Sweet

— Mars Express finds evidence for liquid water on Mars. (nasaspaceflight.com)

— TESS is now operational. (spaceflightnow.com)

This week in SF history

— 27 July 1972, birth of Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor (wikipedia.org)

— “Guidelines for Performing Islamic Rites at the International Space Station” (DOC: wired.com)

Spaceflight news

— Blue Origin does a high altitude escape. (spaceflightnow.com)

— Cygnus reboosted the ISS (nasaspaceflight.com)

Short & Sweet

— Parker Solar Probe B is pushed back to August the 6th (spaceflightnow.com)

— Scotland gets a launch site. (spaceflightnow.com)

— Astra Space successfully conducts first launch! (twitter.com/kdmgabe)

Questions, comments, corrections

— Everyone, via everything: Ben said Curiosity, not Opportunity RE: Mars operational record

This week in SF history

— July 20, 1976: Viking 1 landing (wikipedia.org) (mars.nasa.gov)

Spaceflight news

— Crew Dragon for test flight arrives at Cape. (spaceflightnow.com)

— Landspace is building a methalox rocket for launch in 2020. (spacenews.com)

Short & Sweet

— LC-17 has been demolished. (nasaspaceflight.com)

Questions, comments, corrections

— Ron W via email: AR-22 engines are spaceflown! (HT Sam Moore: spacenews.com)

This week in SF history

— 12 July 2000. Launch of Zvezda module (wikipedia.org)

Spaceflight news

— CHEOPS nears flight (nasaspaceflight.com) (space.com)

— Phantom Express engine testing (spacenews.com) (HT Sam Moore: parabolicarc.com) (wikipedia.org)

Short & Sweet

— ISRO works steadily towards human missions (isro.gov.in) (HT Sam Moore: youtube.com)

— SpaceX may attempt an RTLS at Vandenberg later this year. (spaceflightnow.com)

— Our planetary protection methods may need an update (spacenews.com)

Questions, comments, corrections

— Jason Friesen via email: Shuttle recovery followup

— STS-3xx (wikipedia.org)

This week in SF history

— 8 July, 2011. Last flight of Atlantis, STS-135 (wikipedia.org)

— Two iPhones 4 on board (space.com)

Spaceflight news

— Captive carry test for LauncherOne (spacenews.com)

— Momo-2 crashes (japantimes.co.jp) (PDF: istellartech.com)

— Momo-1 also failed (youtube.com)

Short & Sweet

— Rogozin says no more Protons. (spacenews.com)

— Electron delay feels a bit familiar (spacenews.com)

Questions, comments, corrections

— Leon R and James Maxy: RFNA is red fuming, not red foaming. (twitter.com/LeonRunningMan)(twitter.com/james_maxcy)

— Jeff Snively: LOP-G isn’t scheduled for EM-2 (twitter.com/Jeff_Snively)

— PPE on commercial launch? (nasa.gov) (wikipedia.org)