November 24, 2021

Contract Signed for Flight Demonstration of Spectrum Launch Vehicle (Source: Parabolic Arc)
Small and medium satellites can expect new launch opportunities on the Spectrum launch vehicle thanks to an ESA Boost! co-funding contract worth €11 million [US $12.39 million] with Isar Aerospace Technologies in Germany.

The flight demonstrations of Spectrum will pave the way for an extended availability of European launch service solutions for small satellites, delivering dedicated launch opportunities. Munich-based startup Isar Aerospace was initially supported by ESA’s Business Incubation Centre Bavaria and a previous Boost! contract awarded in November 2020. It is developing a 28 m high, 2 m diameter two-stage launch vehicle with a payload capability of up to one tonne to low Earth orbits. (11/23)

Branson Surprises Winner of Trip for Two with Virgin Galactic (Source: Omaze)
Watch Sir Richard Branson (Virgin Galactic) surprise an Omaze winner with the news that they’re going to launch into space on one of Virgin Galactic’s first space flights. A mother and daughter from Antigua won the opportunity to become that island nation's first astronauts. Click here. (11/24)

Soyuz Rocket Launches New Russian ISS Module (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
A Soyuz rocket launched a new International Space Station module this morning. A Soyuz-2.1b rocket lifted off at 8:08 a.m. Eastern from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. It deployed the Prichal module, attached to a modified Progress spacecraft, into low Earth orbit nine minutes later. Prichal, a node module, will arrive at the station and dock with the Nauka module Friday at 10:26 a.m. Eastern. (11/24)

NASA Launches DART to Nudge Asteroid (Source: Space News)
NASA's first planetary defense mission is on its way to a near Earth asteroid after a launch early Wednesday. A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off at 1:21 a.m. Eastern from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and deployed NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft about 55 minutes later. DART will travel to the near Earth asteroid Didymos and collide with its moon, Dimorphos, in 10 months to test the ability of such collisions to change the trajectory of asteroids. (11/24)

Rocket Lab Ready for Air-Snatch of Electron Booster (Source: Space News)
Rocket Lab says it's ready to attempt to catch an Electron booster as part of its reusability initiative. The company said Tuesday that, after recovering a booster from the ocean during a launch last week, it's ready to catch a descending booster with a helicopter, a final step before reusing the booster. That attempt will take place some time in the first half of next year. Last week's launch also marked a block upgrade of the Electron with a stretched second stage and new autonomous flight termination system, among other improvements. (11/24)

Australia May Launch Astronauts to ISS with Axiom (Source: Space News)
An Australian company is working with Axiom Space to fly Australian astronauts on future commercial ISS missions. Saber Astronautics, a space venture with operations in Australia and the United States, will use the agreement with Axiom to build up interest in human spaceflight and space-based research, giving Australian individuals and companies access to ISS facilities. Axiom will launch the first set of private astronauts to the ISS for a weeklong stay in February. (11/24)

Japan's Astronauts May Launch to Moon (Source: Space News)
The next astronaut class Japan is recruiting could go to the moon. The new astronaut recruitment, announced last week, is the first by the Japanese space agency in 13 years. The agency said that astronauts selected in the new class could go to the lunar Gateway or the surface of the moon as part of the Artemis program. JAXA will accept applications from Dec. 20 through March 4. (11/24)
 
Ingenuity Helecopter Makes 16th Mars Flight (Source: Space.com)
NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter has made its 16th flight on Mars. Ingenuity flew on Sunday, traveling 113 meters in a flight lasting 109 seconds. Ingenuity is conducting a series of hops to take it back to the landing site for the Perseverance rover, from which it will perform a new campaign of science flights. (11/24)

Nanoracks Deploys Tiny Satellite From ISS (Source: Nanoracks)
Nanoracks will deploy its smallest satellite yet from the ISS. FEES2 was developed by the Italian company GP Advanced Projects and is a 0.3U cubesat to test miniaturized components for use in future satellites. Nanoracks said it worked closely with NASA to ensure that the cubesat could be safely deployed and then tracked after deployment. (11/24)

Proton to Launch Comsats in December (Source: TASS)
A Proton launch of two communications satellites is scheduled for next month. Roscosmos said Wednesday that a Proton rocket will launch Dec. 12 carrying the Express-AMU3 and Express-AMU7 communications satellites. The launch slipped from early December to perform repairs to the rocket's upper stage. (11/24)