SpaceCast Notes 4/29/17

SpaceCast - 4/29/2017

Links

Cassini spacecraft on final series of orbits

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-cassini-mission-prepares-for-grand-finale-at-saturn

http://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/4/26/15420666/cassini-spacecraft-dives-saturn-rings-google-doodle

• Starting April 26, Cassini will dive through the region between Saturn and its rings (a 2400 km/1500 mi gap)
• No spacecraft has ever done this before
• The scientists in charge of Cassini hope to learn more about Saturn’s internal structure, take samples of its atmosphere, and take cool pics of its clouds and inner rings
• Cassini will take the final plunge on Sept. 15

China & ESA to collaborate on moon base

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/moon-base-outpost-china-europe-chinese-space-agency-collaboration-together-a7702936.html

• Reps from ESA and CNSA  have discussed collaboration on a moonbase and other projects
• The ESA rep, Pal Hvistendahl, said that international cooperation is necessary to explore space for peaceful purposes
• The moon base could serve as a launching pad for missions to Mars, or space tourism
• NASA, on the other hand, is still barred from working with China by US legislation (China also cannot participate in the international space station)

Tunnel boring machine has arrived at SpaceX

https://electrek.co/2017/04/27/elon-musk-tunnel-boring-machine-spacex-first-image/

• Elon Musk’s latest venture, the Boring Company, has taken delivery of its first TBM
• In february Musk was looking to purchase a used 400ft x 26ft diameter TBM, but it is unclear if it’s the same one that just arrived at SpaceX headquarters
• It has begun to dig a hole in the parking lot, of all places
• Musk’s eventual goal is to create a “vast transportation network” under the city of Los Angeles for cars (and possibly hyperloop)

Falcon 9 launching classified payload

https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/04/29/falcon-9-rocket-rolled-to-launch-pad-with-classified-payload/

• The payload is for the US gov’t’s National Reconnaissance Office
• The F9 booster was lifted into place on LC-39A this morning
• All the NRO has said about the payload is that is was “designed, built, and will be operated by” the NRO, meaning it’s most likely a spy satellite
• The mission, termed NROL-76, is SpaceX’s first dedicated national security payload
• The launch is scheduled for Sunday at 0600 CST

SLS launch date pushed back (unsurprisingly)

https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/04/28/nasa-confirms-first-flight-of-space-launch-system-will-slip-to-2019/

• The maiden flight of the SLS will be delayed from Nov. 2018 until sometime in 2019
• Major problems included a missed delivery for the Orion service module, issues with welding parts of the core stage, and a tornado at the New Orleans plant
• The first mission, EM-1, would send Orion around the moon then back to Earth, probably without astronauts (however, NASA was directed to evaluate whether it could carry astronauts)
• NASA will have spent $23 billion on SLS & Orion by the end of the 2018 fiscal year, but the agency cited concerns over low budgets which limits flexibility in the event of unexpected problems or delays