by David Todd | Jul 17, 2019 | NASA, SpaceX
The post-flight ground test destruction of the previously flown (in uncrewed condition) Crew Dragon DM-1 capsule, during a SuperDraco thruster engine firing test on 20 April 2019, was caused by a leak of nitrogen tetroxide, a preliminary investigation by SpaceX...
by David Todd | Jul 11, 2019 | exploration, NASA
In a mini “Night of the Long Knives”, NASA’s Administrator Jim Bridenstine has demoted its head of its Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) Mission Directorate Bill Gerstenmaier and his deputy Bill Hill. Gerstenmaier becomes a special adviser to...
by David Todd | Jul 9, 2019 | Launches, NASA, Satellites, Science
NASA has formally awarded a contract for the launch of the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission. This will take place on a Falcon 9 rocket flying from the Kennedy Space Centre on April 2021. The launch will use a preflown reusable first stage. The...
by David Todd | Jul 3, 2019 | NASA, Orion, Technology, test
While NASA left off the parachutes for schedule reasons (the parachute system has already been tested) the Orion crew module capsule (in unmanned condition) had its tractor rocket tower escape system fitted above it, successfully fired in a test on 2 July 2019 to...
by David Todd | Jul 1, 2019 | exploration, NASA, Satellites, Seradata News
On 27 May 2019, NASA selected the Dragonfly eight-rotor drone craft as a New Horizons mission to land on and make flights between points on Saturn’s moon Titan. The mission is due to be launched in 2026, and, will arrive at Titan eight years later after making...
