SSI News
From round ones to X-shaped rectangles for Orion’s solar arrays
Now that the European Space Agency (ESA) is charged with building the new service module for NASA’s Orion manned spacecraft (full story here), its solar arrays are now expected to use the X-configuration that the ATV vessel uses (ESA’s ATV is being used as the basis of the service module) rather that the previously planned round/circular ones.
First orbital launch of year: Rockot launches three Russian three military store/forward comsats
In what is the first orbital launch of the year, three Russian military satellites Cosmos 2482, Cosmos 2483 and Cosmos 2484 were successfully launched into low Earth orbit on 15 January 2013 a Rockot/Breeze KM rocket launched from Plesetsk in Northern Russia at 1625 GMT. The spacecraft which use the Strela-3 Improved/Rodnik bus design built by ISS Reshetnev are used in a store/forward communications application. The Russian Intelligence community are believed to be users.
Canadian Space Agency head Steve Maclean moves on
Former Canadian astronaut Steve Maclean has given notice has resigned from his position as President of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and will leave on 1st February to join a Physics research company. Maclean has held his post for over four years.
On a lighter note: Petition to build Death Star gets White House response…it’s too expensive
As Western governments try to convince their respective publics that they are truly listening, they have set up the capability for web petitions to be posted with a promise to respond if an individual petition receives enough backing. Thus a new petition in USA demanding the construction of a Star Wars “Death Star” by 2016 which received backing from 35,000 signatories has elicited the following response from the Obama administration.
Bigelow gets inflatable module contract from NASA
Bigalow has confirmed press reports that it has received a NASA contract to provide the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) for International Space Station. The contract is worth $17.8 million.
Opinion: British Army upgrades to a better pistol but not so for Russia’s cosmonauts
As the British Army (along with the Royal Navy/Royal Marines and the Royal Air Force) finally moves from its old 9mm Browning L9A1 (GP-35/Hi Power) semi-automatic pistol to the even higher magazine capacity (17 shots compared to 13), lighter (due to its partial polymer construction), and quicker-on-the-draw (due to its trigger-within-a-trigger safety catch) 9mm Glock 17 (Gen 4) for its standard service sidearm, it has to be noted that not all moves to new service weapons have been successful. And sometimes space travellers can be affected as well.
“Leave a Man…come back a Hero” promises Lynx/AXE spaceflight competition
Men dressed in space suits have been seen around London’s landmarks as part of marketing efforts for the Lynx Space Academy – a competition to pick and train astronauts from suborbial spaceflights. The competition’s advertising line for the flight is compelling: “Leave a Man…Come Back a Hero.”
EADS Astrium wins contract to build and deliver to orbit Express AMU-1
The European satellite manufacturer EADS Astrium has won a contract to construct the communications satelllite Express AMU-1 for the Russian Satellite Communications Company. The contract is expected to be signed shortly The satellite will be operated from Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and will be positioned over 36 degrees East location. The contract is valued at 6.35 billion Roubles ($210 million) and covers the construction launch and commissioning of the spacecraft. The launch of the satellite is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2015.
Arianespace to conduct 12 launches in 2013
Arianespace have announced that they intend to conduct 12 launches during 2013. This will consist of 11 launshes from Kourou in French Guiana. That will be six Ariane 5, four Soyuz and one Vega launch vehicles. They will also conduct one Soyuz launch from the Baikonur...
In space, no one can hear your lead…
Just to give an idea of lead times in spaceflight: Arianespace has begun loading cargo into the European Space Agency's fourth Automated Transfer Vehicle robotic supply ship, named Albert Einstein - which launches via Ariane 5 rocket for the International Space...
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