Author: ChrisDMarshall

  • Mars 2020 Rover Instruments revealed

    Today NASA announced the seven instruments that will be flown on the Mars 2020 Rover.  The rover uses the same design as Curiosity that is currently operating on the surface of Mars today.  The final requirements for the whole rover will be complete about a year from now.  A landing site has not yet been…

  • Last ATV begins journey to the station

    This evening the second of three planned launches this week lifted off carrying the final European Automated Transfer Vehicle to orbit. The Ariane 5 rocket lifted off at 7:47:38 p.m. EDT from French Guiana carrying the ATV spacecraft, 64 minutes after liftoff the vehicle is scheduled to separate from the upper stage to begin it’s two…

  • The Little Rover that could

    This week the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity broke the off-world driving record previously held by the Soviet Union’s Lunokhod 2 rover. Opportunity which has been operating on the surface of Mars for 10 years, 6 months has now traveled more than 25.01 miles. Opportunity and it’s twin Spirit were originally expected to last 90 sol’s…

  • Delta 4 launches on 5th Attempt

    Following one delay due to a technical issue and three due to bad weather a United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket finally lifted off this evening carrying Twin inspector spacecraft and a micro-satellite test-bed.  The launch was delayed several times this evening also due to weather but finally a window opened and they were able…

  • Launch of Progress M-24M (56P)

    The first of two launches scheduled for today was completed successfully when the Soyuz rocket placed the Progress M-24M spacecraft in orbit to begin it’s six hour journey to the International Space Station. Once in orbit the spacecraft deployed it’s solar arrays and antenna’s before firing its engines to being travelling to the station. Update…

  • SpaceX Falcon 9 return video

    SpaceX have posted a video of the Orbcomm first stage returning to earth after the mission, you can clearly see the engine firings during the return as well as the landing legs deploying. Another great step towards the goal of having re-usable rockets in the future.

  • The SpaceX EELV debate

    There has been quite a heated debate about the whole SpaceX Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle issue recently on twitter and in the press. This article discusses this debate and our views on the situation. As you may remember SpaceX filed suit last month Elon Musk announced that SpaceX were filing a suit against the US…

  • SpaceX Launches Six Orbcomm Satellites

    Fourth time is a charm for SpaceX as they finally launch six Orbcomm OG2 satellites to orbit.  This morning’s launch which was delayed slightly to resolve a ground system issue lifted off at 11:15 am EDT when the nine Merlin 1D engine’s on the first stage roared to life.  Ten minutes later the second stage…

  • The SpaceX Delays

    As most of us have seen SpaceX have suffered a number of delays recently, one of these was due to a customer concern, another due to a range failure. However the majority have been due to problems internal to SpaceX. I have seen many posts complaining about these delays and the lack of information from…

  • Antares launches Cygnus for Orb2 mission

    This afternoon an Orbital Sciences Antares Rocket launched the SS Janice Voss Cygnus spacecraft to orbit to begin it’s mission to the International Space Station.   The launch, which had been delayed several times due to investigations into a failure of one of the AJ26 engines used by Antares during it’s testing cycle and due…