I communicated once with JP once a long time ago. SO Long ago, I don't actually remember what it was about. I think I had a hare-brain idea of making an effort for a rockoon system during the old CATS prize. Memory foggy. But he and his team really are a great dedicated group. I don't understand what the propulsion method is supposed to be for Airship To Orbit, but I really like the idea of Dark Sky Station. I honestly could imagine that being a tourist draw. I'd pay to spend night up there.
If you get a chance, drop by your local library or bookstore and turn to page 35 of The Quest For Space, from NEW SCIENTIST: THE COLLECTION. There is a bit of art from Javier Munoz Fernandez had had me doubled over from laughing to where I pulled a muscle. https://www.garciamedia.com/blog/sp...ndez_storytelling_one_illustration_at_a_time/ I saw that: https://twitter.com/realChefJared/status/1159574601824972806/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1159574601824972806&ref_url=https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=47917.20 New lander www.nextbigfuture.com/2019/08/what-is-the-xeus-lander-and-how-does-it-work.html Orion battleships nextbigfuture.com/2019/08/animated-rendering-of-space-battles-with-nuclear-orion-spaceships.html nextbigfuture.com/2019/08/russian-nuclear-project-orion-battleship-might-happen.html
Final spacewalk on Friday at 2pm EDT to install International Docking Adaptor 3. This is the final installation of the IDA's and will convert all the APAS-95 docking systems to the new NASA Docking System (NDS) which will allow the new commercial vehicles like Starliner and Crew Dragon to visit the station. The spacewalk will be televised on NASA TV and on http://www.nasa.gov/live
The tortoise keeps crawling: Blue Origin still seems to be going for a New Shepard launch with humans aboard some time this year. to put things in perspective: Blue Origin is 19 years old this month.
It looks as if Boeing and SpaceX are going to be doing abort tests around the same time, supposedly this month. CST-100 would be having a pad abort test and SpaceX would be doing the in-flight abort test for Dragon soon. With all the work going on building the launch tower and equipment for Starship at LC 39A, it is going to be crowded over there.
VSS Unity will be flown from Mojave to Spaceport America in New Mexico before the end of the year to begin commercial operations sometime in 2020. Also VG is a publicly traded company, now .
Atlas 5 is at Launch Complex 41 for the Starliner orbital flight test. Launch is still slated for the 20th.
Virgin Galactic stock shot up 13% yesterday. Worth keeping a look at them in the weeks ahead. They seem to be about to open ticket sales for the first time in 6 years. The big thing to look for in civilian spaceflight THIS week, however is the In-Flight Abort Test for Crew Dragon, Saturday, 1300 UTC. It will be pretty dramatic, and the last hurdle for SpaceX before they start using Dragon for crew ferry services.
Some nice images of the test: https://www.universetoday.com/14467...de-boeings-starliner-during-its-first-flight/
Virgin Galactic sent White Knight 2 back to Mojave this weekend. Some speculation that it will be picking up VSS Unity and taking it to Spaceport America for operations. https://twitter.com/thejackbeyer/status/1223371159615328256
hot on VG's heels, Blue Origin has obtained FCC permits for New Shepard flight 13, to take place between Feb through March 15. They had previously had some trouble due to frequencies they needed being in use. The next flight would appear to be one in which they will finally fly their own corporate astros, prior to finally settling seats.
https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/sta....nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=46109.40 finally have a date for Crew Dragon demo flight: May 7, though could happen earlier or later.
You know--new footage was added to Rocketship XM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocketship_X-M#New_footage_added Time to update that: https://twitter.com/kimitalvitie/status/1226907503419691011 Starship Evolution chart https://twitter.com/kimitalvitie/status/1226229854904946688