Weekly Spacecraft Mission News (English, German) – 09.05.19

Front Page / Titelseite





Rosetta ‚post-mission‘ – new findings relating to the temperature and nature of the comet’s surface

Two-and-a-half years have passed since the operational phase of the Rosetta mission came to an end in September 2016. However, scientific evaluation of the enormous amounts of data from the instruments on the spacecraft and the Philae lander is still ongoing.

via DLR Portal – News http://bit.ly/2SP1Nvl


Here’s an Update on Hayabusa2’s Crater-Creating Explosion

Hayabusa2’s SCI experiment fell toward Ryugu for 40 minutes before detonating about 300 meters above the surface.

read more … http://bit.ly/2LoygWI

via Planetary Society Blog http://bit.ly/QRHOCj


As Gaia Maps Our Galaxy, This Telescope Keeps an Eye on the Spacecraft

Europe’s star-mapping spacecraft, Gaia, streaks across the Milky Way in a new image captured by a ground telescope. The image will help refine scientists‘ knowledge of Gaia’s orbit.

read more … http://bit.ly/2VhxmA4

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi


Venus Missions? Interstellar Probes? Here Are 18 Wild Space Tech Ideas NASA Is Looking At

The NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program funds 18 project proposals. The projects are aimed to design and test technology concepts for potential future NASA missions.

read more … http://bit.ly/2VVBFk8

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi


Russische ISS-Kosmonauten erhalten nur am Tag des Sieges dienstfrei

Die beiden russischen Kosmonauten in der Internationalen Raumstation ISS erhalten zum Tag des Sieges (9. 5.) nicht so lange frei wie ihre Landsleute auf der Erde.

read more … http://bit.ly/2Yij4w1

via Gerhard Kowalski http://bit.ly/2sRnRXD

International Space Station / Internationale Raumstation

Energieproblem in der ISS behoben

Das Problem bei der Energieversorgung der Internationalen Raumstation ISS ist am Donnerstag behoben worden. Eine defekte Verteilerbox sei durch eine neue ersetzt worden, teilte das NASA-Kontrollzentrum in Houston (Texas) mit. Der Fehler war am Montag am US-Segment aufgetreten. Nach NASA-Angaben war dadurch die Stromversorgung der Station um […]

read more … http://bit.ly/2vzqhLR

via Gerhard Kowalski http://bit.ly/2sRnRXD

Station Back At Full Power While Crew Continues Important Research Studies

The crew of Expedition 59 was hard at work today setting up a litany of science experiments and conducting maintenance to the International Space Station that will help further NASA’s goal of returning to the Moon. Some unplanned maintenance to replace a failed Main Bus Switching Unit-3 (MBSU), which was completed this morning by robotics ground controllers through the use of the space station’s Canadarm2 and Dextre, also known as the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator (SPDM), restored the orbiting laboratory to a nominal power configuration. Ordinarily, this intensive procedure would have required the station residents to perform an emergency spacewalk. However, swapping out the MSBU entirely through robotics work demonstrated that some of the capabilities explorers will need for the Moon and destinations beyond are being tested right now in low-Earth orbit.

read more … https://go.nasa.gov/2LhVspF

via Space Station https://go.nasa.gov/1YeiiOv

Robotics Work Successful, Station Returned to Full Power

This morning, Robotics Ground Controllers in Mission Control Houston successfully completed an operation to remove a failed Main Bus Switching Unit-3 and replace it with a spare. The MBSU in question had failed on April 29 and reduced the station’s power supply by about 25%. There were no immediate concerns for the crew or the station. The crew had installed a series of jumpers in Node 1 following the failure to reroute power to experiments and hardware and ensure limited impact to continued station operations. Since the successful replacement, the MBSU was powered up and checked out successfully with all station systems back to nominal power configuration, including redundant power to the Canadarm2 robotic arm.

read more … https://go.nasa.gov/2Liu0rG

via Space Station https://go.nasa.gov/1YeiiOv

SpaceX Delays Dragon Cargo Ship Launch for NASA Due to Drone Ship Glitch

SpaceX postponed the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a used Dragon cargo ship for NASA Friday (May 3) due to an issue with the mission’s drone ship landing pad in the Atlantic Ocean. The next launch try will be Saturday, May 4.

read more … http://bit.ly/2DJQtrC

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

ISS: Algen auf außerirdischer Mission

Für einen Aufenthalt im Weltall sind Lebenserhaltungssysteme von entscheidender Bedeutung. Je weiter sich der Mensch dabei von der Erde entfernt, desto wichtiger sind Systeme, die möglichst unabhängig von regelmäßigen Nachschublieferungen arbeiten und vorhandene Ressourcen nutzen. Am Wochenende wurde ein Photobioreaktor zum Testen auf die Internationale Raumstation ISS geschickt.

read more … http://bit.ly/2JkOGwI

via astronews.com – Aktuelle Meldungen – Raumfahrt http://bit.ly/2WvevhU

Dragon-Frachter erreicht ISS –   Photobioreaktor von Airbus an Bord

Das private US-Frachtraumschiff Dragon hat am Montag mit 2,7 Tonnen Nachschub die Internationale Raumstation ISS erreicht. Da es über kein automatisches Kopplungssystem verfügt, wurde es um 13.01 Uhr deutscher Zeit vom kanadischen Astronauten David Saint-Jacques mit einem Roboterarm „eingefangen“. Später wird es dann an das US-Modul Harmony […]

read more … http://bit.ly/2Ww81yS

via Gerhard Kowalski http://bit.ly/2sRnRXD

US-Frachter auf dem Weg zur ISS

Ein privates US-Frachtraumschiff ist seit Samstag mit 2,7 Tonnen Nachschub auf dem Weg zur Internationalen Raumstation ISS. Dragon startete um 8.48 Uhr deutscher Zeit an der Spitze einer schweren Falcon 9-Trägerrakete vom Weltraumbahnhof Cape Canaveral (Florida). Die Kopplung an das Harmony-Modul ist für Montag geplant.

read more … http://bit.ly/2WuDIIE

via Gerhard Kowalski http://bit.ly/2sRnRXD

Busy Monday as Astronauts Grapple Dragon and Store Critical Experiments

This morning, just two days following its nighttime launch from the Florida coast, SpaceX’s Dragon cargo spacecraft was captured and installed on the Earth-facing side of the International Space Station’s Harmony module at 9:32 a.m. EDT.

read more … https://go.nasa.gov/2V61OYS

via Space Station https://go.nasa.gov/1YeiiOv

SpaceX Cargo Craft Attached to Station

Two days after its launch from Florida, the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft was installed on the Earth-facing side of the International Space Station’s Harmony module at 9:32 a.m. EDT.

read more … https://go.nasa.gov/2J4Mavs

via Space Station https://go.nasa.gov/1YeiiOv

Astronaut Commands Robotic Arm to Capture Dragon Cargo Craft

While the International Space Station was traveling over the north Atlantic Ocean, astronauts David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency and Nick Hague of NASA grappled Dragon at 7:01 a.m. EDT using the space station’s robotic arm Canadarm2.

read more … https://go.nasa.gov/2DQWLWh

via Space Station https://go.nasa.gov/1YeiiOv

SpaceX Dragon Delivers NASA Cargo to Space Station

A used SpaceX Dragon cargo ship arrived at the International Space Station Monday (May 6) to make its second cargo delivery for NASA.

read more … http://bit.ly/2LpNdIk

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

SpaceX Dragon Launches NASA Cargo to Space Station, Aces Predawn Rocket Landing

SpaceX successfully launched its 17th commercial cargo mission to the International Space Station today (May 4), then stuck a rocket landing on a ship at sea.

read more … http://bit.ly/2vDtNVq

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

New Science Being Unpacked and Worked Aboard Orbital Lab

Six spaceships are now parked at the International Space Station and the Expedition 59 crew is working on the newest science delivered Monday. Astronauts will continue to live and work in space longer and scientists want to know how humans and a variety of other organisms adapt to support these missions.

read more … https://go.nasa.gov/2VNQODJ

via Space Station https://go.nasa.gov/1YeiiOv

Earth / Erde

Global TanDEM-X forest map is available

Forests are Earth’s lungs; they help to reduce greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere and thus counteract global warming, while also providing protection and resources for humans, animals and plants – and they are being lost at an alarming rate. As the view from space reveals, forests cover about one third of Earth’s landmass today.

read more … http://bit.ly/2PQUhvW

via DLR Portal – News http://bit.ly/2SP1Nvl

Algae on an extraterrestrial mission – giving ISS astronauts air to breathe

Whether it involves an outpost on the Moon or a long flight through space, humans are unable to survive in space without technological systems that provide everything necessary for life. For long-term missions, it is necessary to close the resource cycle to the greatest extent possible in order to survive without relying on deliveries of fresh supplies.

read more … http://bit.ly/2PWL45u

via DLR Portal – News http://bit.ly/2SP1Nvl

Space debris report

ESA’s 2019 Space Debris Environment Report is now online, providing the latest facts and figures on the space junk surrounding our planet

read more … http://bit.ly/2VeZiEI

via ESA Operations http://bit.ly/1Canxo4

Solar System / Sonnensystem

NASA InSight Mars Lander

See a Martian Sunrise in Gorgeous NASA InSight Photos

A small, dim sun hangs near the Martian horizon in gorgeous new images captured by NASA’s InSight lander.

read more … http://bit.ly/2IUqGRB

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

Sonnenuntergang auf dem Mars

Wem die Sonne in diesem klassischen Dämmerungsbild zu klein erscheint, hat Recht. Denn zu sehen ist nicht ein irdischer Sonnenuntergang, sondern der Sonnenuntergang auf dem Mars. Die NASA-Landesonde Mars Insight hat dieses Bild am 25. April 2019 gemacht.

read more … http://bit.ly/2Ye5B8j

via scinexx | Das Wissensmagazin

InSight Sees Drifting Clouds on Mars

NASA’s InSight Mars Lander used its Instrument Context Camera beneath the lander’s deck to image these drifting clouds at sunset on the Red Planet.

read more … https://go.nasa.gov/2VJJvx9

via NASA

InSight Mars Lander Snaps Dusty Selfie on Red Planet (Photo)

NASA’s InSight Mars lander has taken its second selfie, and the newly released photo shows just how much has changed for the spacecraft over the past few months.

read more … http://bit.ly/2VoQzj4

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

For InSight, Dust Cleanings Will Yield New Science

The same winds that blanket Mars with dust can also blow that dust away. Catastrophic dust storms have the potential to end a mission, as with NASA’s Opportunity rover. But far more often, passing winds cleared off the rover’s solar panels and gave it an energy boost. Those dust clearings allowed Opportunity and its sister rover, Spirit, to survive for years beyond their 90-day expiration dates. Dust clearings are also expected for Mars‘ newest inhabitant, the InSight lander. Because of the spacecraft’s weather sensors, each clearing can provide crucial science data on these events, as well – and the mission already has a glimpse at that.

read more … https://go.nasa.gov/2J4Nz59

via NASA/JPL

Further News / Weitere Nachrichten

Water Found in Tiny Dust Particles from Asteroid Itokawa

Scientists have found traces of water in dust grains from the peanut-shaped asteroid Itokawa, and the discovery could shed light on how Earth got its water.

read more … http://bit.ly/2ZRRuXQ

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

Mars Used to Have Water, But We Can’t Explain How

Although we have acquired compelling evidence of flowing liquid water on early Mars, the fundamental question about how water could be stable under Martian atmospheric conditions remains unsolved.

read more … http://bit.ly/2VN6Pdm

via Planetary Society Blog http://bit.ly/QRHOCj

The Gaia Spacecraft Was Studying Stars, But It Found Something Else — 3 Asteroids

The Gaia spacecraft just did a bit of bonus science.

read more … http://bit.ly/2V3h5JZ

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

ExoMars laboratory passes Red Planet simulation

A key set of scientific instruments developed for the ExoMars rover Rosalind Franklin passed tests last month to ensure compatibility with the martian environment.

read more … http://bit.ly/2WwVhYy

via ESA Space Science http://bit.ly/1urjQU2

Beyond Solar System / Milchstraße & Kosmos

Hubble Assembles Wide View of the Distant Universe [heic1909]

Astronomers developed a mosaic of the distant Universe that documents 16 years of observations from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. The image, called the Hubble Legacy Field, contains roughly 265 000 galaxies that stretch back to just 500 million years after the Big Bang.

read more … http://bit.ly/2Le6PyO

via ESA Science & Technology http://sci.esa.int

This Epic Hubble Telescope Mosaic Is a Cosmic ‚History Book‘ of Galaxies

Astronomers have assembled a mosaic of nearly 7,500 images taken of the distant universe, creating the largest and most comprehensive „history book“ of galaxies ever made.

read more … http://bit.ly/2PMmaoV

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

Storm in a cosmic teacup

Space Science Image of the Week: XMM-Newton shows storm still going strong in Teacup quasar

read more … http://bit.ly/2WsyjSn

via ESA Space Science http://bit.ly/1urjQU2

Politics / Politik

Pence Reaffirms Trump Administration’s Support for Space

Vice President Mike Pence used a speech at a major space industry conference Monday (May 6) to restate the Trump administration’s space policy efforts.

read more … http://bit.ly/2DTk5Tn

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

Technology / Technologie

Algen auf außerirdischer Mission: Atemluft für die ISS-Astronauten

Süßwasser-Algen, die verbrauchte Luft mittels Photosynthese in Sauerstoff umwandeln: Ein neuartiges Experiment, der Photobioreaktor, verspricht einen großen Schritt in Richtung eines geschlossenen Ressourcenkreislaufs auf einer Raumstation.

read more … http://bit.ly/2vzNlKj

via DLR Portal – News-Archiv Raumfahrt https://www.dlr.de/dlr/

Observing Gaia from Earth to improve its star maps

While ESA’s Gaia mission has been surveying more than one billion stars from space, astronomers have been regularly monitoring the satellite’s position in the sky with telescopes across the world, including the European Southern Observatory in Chile, to further refine Gaia’s orbit and ultimately improve the accuracy of its stellar census.

read more … http://bit.ly/2GXXsiM

via ESA Operations http://bit.ly/1Canxo4

SpaceX Confirms Dragon Capsule Was Destroyed in Test ‚Anomaly‘, Could Affect Crew Launches

SpaceX on Thursday (May 2) confirmed the total loss of a Crew Dragon capsule during an engine test last month. It’s still too early to know exactly what went wrong.

read more … http://bit.ly/2Y2R1kc

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

Blue Origin’s New Shepard Spacecraft Launches Biggest Mission Yet, Sticks Landing

The reusable rocket-capsule combo aced its 11th test mission today (May 2), an uncrewed jaunt that toted more than three dozen science experiments to suborbital space and back.

read more … http://bit.ly/2JbFzP1

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

China’s iSpace to Make Private Orbital Launch Attempt in Early June

Launch firm iSpace in early June will attempt to become the first Chinese private company to place a satellite in orbit, following failed launches by two competitors.

read more … http://bit.ly/2Y7EvzC

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

Blue Origin’s Amazing NS-11 New Shepard Spacecraft Test Flight in Photos

See photos from the 11th test flight of Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft. The reusable rocket and capsule aced the launch and landing at Blue Origin’s West Texas test site on May 2, 2019.

read more … http://bit.ly/2JimURq

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

NASA Tweaks Call for Moon Lander Concepts

NASA has updated a planned call for proposals for lunar landers to enable a human mission in 2024, broadening the scope to include integrated lander concepts.

read more … http://bit.ly/2vMSS0t

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

Fire in the Sky: New Space Extinguisher Sucks in Flames Instead of Smothering Them

Scientists have come up with a new fire extinguisher for space.

read more … http://bit.ly/2H2c1AE

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

Green light for the first dedicated satellite for the European ’space data highway‘

The European Data Relay Satellite System (EDRS), also known as the ’space data highway‘, is setting a new standard in real-time data transfer. The innovative laser nodes can transport data volumes of up to 1.8 gigabits per second to Earth, with minimal delay. The programme’s first communication node, EDRS-A, was launched on 29 January 2016, and is already providing relay services for data transfer from the four Sentinel satellites of the EU Copernicus Earth observation programme.

read more … http://bit.ly/2VSJ5Ey

via DLR Portal – News http://bit.ly/2SP1Nvl

Grünes Licht für den ersten eigenen Satelliten der europäischen „Datenautobahn im All“

Das Europäische Datenrelais-Satellitensystem EDRS, auch bekannt als „Datenautobahn im All“, setzt einen neuen Standard in der Echtzeit-Datenübertragung: Die innovativen Laserknoten können Datenvolumen von bis zu 1,8 Gigabit pro Sekunde mit minimalem Zeitverzug auf die Erde transportieren. Der erste Kommunikationsknoten des Programms, EDRS-A, ist am 29. Januar 2016 gestartet und bietet seine Relais-Dienste schon für die Datenweitergabe von vier Sentinel-Satelliten des EU-Erdbeobachtungsprogramms Copernicus an.

read more … http://bit.ly/2VVJG8k

via DLR Portal – News-Archiv Raumfahrt https://www.dlr.de/dlr/

NASA Is Developing ‚Soft Robots‘ to Help Explore Other Worlds

Think robots are all square corners and rigid parts? Think again. Two interns at NASA are part of a larger group working on „soft robots“ that could be used for exploring worlds beyond Earth.

read more … http://bit.ly/2DZ0txf

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

World / Welt

RKZ Progress entlässt knapp 190 Mitarbeiter

Das Weltraumraketenzentrum RKZ Progress in Samara an der Wolga entlässt 189 Mitarbeiter. Das teilte Generaldirektor Dmitri Baranow der Nachrichtenagentur RIA Nowosti am Freitag mit. Er begründete die Maßnahme mit der Umsetzung der Strategie des Raumfahrtstaatskonzerns GK Roskosmos zur Optimierung der Ausgaben.

read more … http://bit.ly/2Wo1pma

via Gerhard Kowalski http://bit.ly/2sRnRXD

12. Internationales Kleinsatellitensymposium in Berlin

Vom 6. bis 10. Mai 2019 kommen Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler führender Raumfahrtnationen zum zwölften Internationalen Symposium der IAA (International Academy of Astronautics) zu Kleinsatelliten für die Erdbeobachtung in Berlin zusammen, um sich über die aktuellen Entwicklungen in der Kleinsatellitentechnik auszutauschen.

read more … http://bit.ly/2DS7WOM

via DLR Portal – News-Archiv Raumfahrt https://www.dlr.de/dlr/

Space Adventures Reaches Settlement with Would-Be Lunar Tourist

Space tourism company Space Adventures has reached a settlement in a lawsuit brought nearly two years ago by a man who signed up for the company’s proposed mission then sought a refund of his deposit.

read more … http://bit.ly/2H0L8x0

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

Scientists Lobby NASA for Additional Planetary Defense Missions

Scientists used an appearance by the NASA administrator to press him to fund additional missions that support the agency’s work in discovering and characterizing near Earth objects.

read more … http://bit.ly/2DTpJ8e

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

NASA Outlines Plan for 2024 Moon Landing

While the administration continues to work on a revised budget request for carrying out the new goal of landing humans on the moon in 2024, the technical plan for doing so is starting to take shape.

read more … http://bit.ly/2GXv52R

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

NASA Chief Plays Down Costs of 2024 Moon Landing

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine told Senate appropriators that while the administration is not yet ready to release a revised budget that accommodates an accelerated human lunar landing program.

read more … http://bit.ly/2Y9PEjz

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

Science / Wissenschaft

Boulders on Diamond-Shaped Asteroids Hint at Dusty Landslides

Scientists looked at the boulders found on two diamond-shaped asteroids to glean information about the way asteroids morphed over time.

read more … http://bit.ly/2JnUm9p

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

This Awesome Spiral Galaxy View from Hubble May Help Demystify Black Holes

NASA and the European Space Agency’s long-running Hubble Space Telescope just produced an amazing close-up of a spiral galaxy, similar to our own Milky Way.

read more … http://bit.ly/2WotV7a

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

Algae ‚Bioreactor‘ on Space Station Could Make Oxygen, Food for Astronauts

Astronauts on the International Space Station will begin testing an innovative algae-powered bioreactor to assess its feasibility for future long-duration space missions.

read more … http://bit.ly/306ThZh

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

History / Geschichte

Challenger: The Shuttle Disaster That Changed NASA

The space shuttle Challenger was one of NASA’s greatest triumphs and also its darkest tragedy.

read more … http://bit.ly/2tc1tqp

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

Richard Nixon’s Apollo 11 Artifacts on Display at Presidential Library

His signature landed there, he spoke to the astronauts on its surface and now, 50 years later, his museum is exhibiting the history of his connection to the moon.

read more … http://bit.ly/2VOrIom

via Space.com http://bit.ly/2WPkkGi

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