Listed here are a number of the stories you might have missed prior to now week. The primary week of August 2023 featured developments from the SpaceX Starship program, Falcon Heavy to Rocket Lab’s issues launching Electron.
Falcon Heavy launches heaviest GTO Satellite – The triple core heavy-lift rocket launched a 9,200-kg communications satellite to geostationary transfer orbit. The 2 side booster successfully landed back at LZ 1 & 2 and might be used on a future Falcon Heavy mission.
Falcon Heavy side boosters returning to Earth pic.twitter.com/jeOAaGSCoU
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 29, 2023
Last launch of Antares – Antares successfully launched from Launch Pad 0 on the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on August 2nd, sending the S.S. Laurel Clark Cygnus resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station and was berthed to the orbiting outpost on August 4th.
Rocket Lab launch abort – Rocket Lab has been running into a number of issues launching their next mission, ‘We Love the Nightlife,’ the primary attempt was aborted on the last second on account of low igniter pressure on a Rutherford engine, and their next attempt was aborted with just over 20 minutes before launch on account of “out of family sensor data.” Electron might be rolled back for inspection.
Falcon 9 launches Intelsat satellite – Falcon 9 Booster 1077 launched the Intelsat Galaxy-37/Horizons-4 satellite into Geostationary Transfer orbit. This marked the 52nd SpaceX launch of the yr between Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy.
Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/GVP7zobtv3
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 3, 2023
NASA awarded Axiom an ISS visit – The 4th Axiom crewed mission will lift off from Launch Complex 39A atop a Falcon 9 no sooner than August 2024.
NASA/SpaceX delay Crew 7 – The Crew 7 launch has been delayed to August twenty fifth to permit teams more time to transition from the Falcon Heavy launch configuration at LC-39A to Falcon 9 with a Dragon capsule.
SpaceX Booster 9 performs static fire – Following tests of the deluge system and spin prime test, SpaceX lit 33 Raptor engines, with 4 shutting down early in the course of the 2.74-second test. Outside of the shutdowns, every thing gave the impression to be nominal for the test.
Drone view of Booster 9 static fire test pic.twitter.com/ARv6H6njgu
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 6, 2023
What do you’re thinking that the highlight of the week was?
This coming week looks to be one other busy one, including a Starlink launch later tonight!
Thanks for reading the Weekly Space Recap!