tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30837066022810019082024-02-07T20:37:15.516-05:00The Coalition to Save Manned Space ExplorationAbout Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.comBlogger171125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-81435068091218027612023-04-20T23:59:00.025-04:002023-05-10T13:57:33.526-04:00SpaceX Starship Launch: Success or Failure?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7tfHocirQRPN44VhlOTHXjD6x8gMZDkMnC9LK750jt_fDj6gxdy7CAsLU6IiZbWjiNWj3uYAsYVLfmA8n5jvSS-qbJV83vDTEneNRhsGUWbVhgnraABx-r9wNqUSi2WbQs0pCryWqojvbSBSbKi2hgf4tIrkRP_OrWFX5JLdUvzw9-6EKN2H1BQX/s1373/starship%20launch.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="1373" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7tfHocirQRPN44VhlOTHXjD6x8gMZDkMnC9LK750jt_fDj6gxdy7CAsLU6IiZbWjiNWj3uYAsYVLfmA8n5jvSS-qbJV83vDTEneNRhsGUWbVhgnraABx-r9wNqUSi2WbQs0pCryWqojvbSBSbKi2hgf4tIrkRP_OrWFX5JLdUvzw9-6EKN2H1BQX/s320/starship%20launch.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>The April 20 launch of SpaceX's Starship was eagerly awaited and riveted viewers to their screens amid cheers from the launch team and spectators.</p><p>Some say the fact that the rocket blew up and the launch pad was torn up means that the mission was a failure. </p><p>Not so! Elon Musk humorously refers to catastrophic destruction of his spacecraft as "rapid unscheduled disassembly," or "RUD," but SpaceX learns a tremendous amount from such failures. </p><p>Hold that thought, and we'll first go through the four minutes of the launch and flight.</p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/-1wcilQ58hI"><b>Watch the Video of the Launch!</b></a><br /></p><p>At T-0, the engines lit and gradually built up thrust. The spacecraft very slowly cleared the pad and rocketed away. </p><p>But the moment the thrust hit the ground, it broke up the cement underneath and dug a huge crater under the launch pad. Enormous clouds of dirt, cement and debris engulfed the rocket and damaged many nearby tanks and other infrastructure. It appears from videos that the force of the dust cloud might have pushed the rocket slightly. </p><p>Due to the absence of a flame trench to safely divert the exhaust, and the absence of a water 'deluge' system to dampen sonic and shock waves, there were no means to limit the damage to the pad or damage to the rocket from flying debris. Virtually all other rocket launches use such systems.</p><p>It's possible this debris may have damaged some of the engines and other parts of the rocket.</p><p>However, the rocket roared to the heavens, reaching about 25 miles above earth. Along the way it passed a key hurdle, the "Max-Q" point of the maximum dynamic forces on the spacecraft. It continued unfazed.</p><p>Along the way, at least six engines failed, causing a loss of about 20% of its thrust. Several bright flashes were observed in the flame plume, possibly when engines or hydraulics failed.</p><p>At the point where the second stage was supposed to separate and fly to splash-down near Hawaii, the staging did not occur, and the complete rocket 'stack' was observed to rotate several times, perhaps due to an imbalance of remaining engines or loss of thrust vectoring. Then at the 4-minute mark, it was commanded to self-destruct via the autonomous self-destruct system, designed to prevent an out of control rocket from endangering others.</p><p>That's what everyone saw. Now let's look at what went RIGHT.</p><p>Elon Musk's low expectations for a completely untested rocket was just hoping it would at least clear the launch tower. Starship aced that!</p><p>The SuperHeavy booster flew for four minutes, in spite of several engines failing. The only test in advance had been a seven-second 'static fire' of the engines. </p><p>By contrast, the Artemis SLS rocket core stage was fired for about two full minutes at NASA's Stennis Space Center's test stand, and tested again briefly at the Kennedy Space Center. </p><p>The rocket held together for about three complete spins, experiencing high G-forces.</p><p>The autonomous self-destruct system did its job.</p><p>So what's that mean?</p><p>SpaceX now has terabytes of data to help discover what worked flawlessly or partially, and what failed. </p><p>They learned the hard way that they need a flame trench and a water deluge system. Both at Boca Chica and at the Kennedy Space Center. There's a reason NASA designed launch pads 39-A&B to be as robust as they are.</p><p>NASA may over-test, and SpaceX may under-test--but learn via "RUDs." Each method can provide similar data. 'Build-fly-crash-build-fly-crash-build-fly-succeed' method can result in more rapid advancement, whereas the more risk-adverse NASA may take many years longer to arrive at the same eventual result. Because of the lessons learned from the few failed Falcon-9 launches at the beginning, that rocket system may have the best safety record of any launch system.</p><p>All this proves the aviation and space industry maxim, "why we test." And from failures come solutions.</p><p>'Success' for testing an entirely new spacecraft, that is more powerful than any other rocket in the world, isn't necessarily fully completing the intended flight to Hawaii. Just proving that the massive SuperHeavy booster could fly was a success.</p><p>Elon Musk offered the possibility of another launch in a few months. Due to the extent of the damage at the pad, that might be an optimistic estimate, but it's likely that one or two Starships will fly before the end of the year.</p><p>Musk congratulated the SpaceX team and declared the test launch a success.</p><p>Photo credit: SpaceX</p>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-21729428133574744132023-04-18T18:00:00.005-04:002023-04-19T00:11:05.404-04:00Starship Launch Rescheduled for April 21 or Between 23rd and 28th<p>Get ready to watch the next launch attempt of the SpaceX Starship, now scheduled for the following launch opportunities: April 21, 23-28. Likely sometime between 8:00 and noon Eastern Time.</p><p>Check back for updates. As always, launches can be delayed for technical reasons, as well as bad weather or even boats offshore.</p><p>Launch coverage at SpaceX.com will begin about 45 minutes before the launch. Various space news sites will have independent coverage starting earlier.</p><p>SpaceX Viewing link: <a href="https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-test">https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-test</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starship flight mission profile</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAiMHtCih8KhNf4UH8l7uAeV0vf6it0MyBEfdUnp8a4_a_K49x_MxWmJdPUTVH80J66LYIQtlV7eySIPu-jFzQ2NefIzM-Hw-2Bk4gmjfQSPtXkrzIVDqtUqs9tUbNVTOAQPRQyXabzKGgxQ2utMbmSFK-xLAw5ju1h4OuM5JESzvN_HG5LmiS34i9/s1610/starship%203.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1610" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAiMHtCih8KhNf4UH8l7uAeV0vf6it0MyBEfdUnp8a4_a_K49x_MxWmJdPUTVH80J66LYIQtlV7eySIPu-jFzQ2NefIzM-Hw-2Bk4gmjfQSPtXkrzIVDqtUqs9tUbNVTOAQPRQyXabzKGgxQ2utMbmSFK-xLAw5ju1h4OuM5JESzvN_HG5LmiS34i9/w640-h310/starship%203.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Photo credit SpaceX</p>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-54991518962226171502023-04-17T08:50:00.005-04:002023-04-17T09:24:29.588-04:00Scrubbed for Today -- Watch SpaceX Starship Launch 9:20 AM ET 4/17/23<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUhzv9BKJETm6yl98ij4iwfrEJfgAHQI8HobcvhbE3uVfov4hkU5ntb6_qcg33qBlUHP1y9Q3sG4nQfyHMKLdAQ4VSRFBzradEPVXvF1kP99wrbxszUFMlFg1_uKjE9CyxrAvzlOI36Ke7INLjoodFlojjbE-S7Js5-Zgz3y2GJ8KcpCAZNF2xs9A/s523/starship%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="523" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUhzv9BKJETm6yl98ij4iwfrEJfgAHQI8HobcvhbE3uVfov4hkU5ntb6_qcg33qBlUHP1y9Q3sG4nQfyHMKLdAQ4VSRFBzradEPVXvF1kP99wrbxszUFMlFg1_uKjE9CyxrAvzlOI36Ke7INLjoodFlojjbE-S7Js5-Zgz3y2GJ8KcpCAZNF2xs9A/s320/starship%202.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>A stuck pressure valve will prevent today's launch. There's a minimum of 48 hours to reschedule the launch. Stay tuned. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L5QXreqOrTA" width="320" youtube-src-id="L5QXreqOrTA"></iframe></div><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-test">https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-test </a></p>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-60231963909873147132023-04-14T09:47:00.006-04:002023-04-15T21:37:48.769-04:00Possible Starship Launch April 17<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Possible SpaceX Starship launch on Monday, 8:00-11:00 AM ET. </b></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Watch live at <a href="https://t.co/TO5rpI5TxC">http://SpaceX.com</a></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioX4dUwVIyoQ71SeURD3lb2lqBZztA5rYlOrMGG8Cs8Dt51lN-AMFeGzrpcFzKez98_CfAdlxMBXWOX31i55NvzQ0_xDunb3_V00r17JXZN0Q0ADBKsIH-FLegnPB6BKABoYHA7R9YcidAYGs-BdEpBgZotnpXwSUAenHYaU322L2FjBlIxLRKcMY5/s1703/starship%20notam.jfif.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1703" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioX4dUwVIyoQ71SeURD3lb2lqBZztA5rYlOrMGG8Cs8Dt51lN-AMFeGzrpcFzKez98_CfAdlxMBXWOX31i55NvzQ0_xDunb3_V00r17JXZN0Q0ADBKsIH-FLegnPB6BKABoYHA7R9YcidAYGs-BdEpBgZotnpXwSUAenHYaU322L2FjBlIxLRKcMY5/w254-h400/starship%20notam.jfif.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZicwQL7UugbJXSQAjb1Iyj5Pn_sTjSKsXIsMSsb6h13ETyaUKEbf_jZKOxuQz7SGmuMD1Yo_1Ls3f51mvSZGLdyP1P0jiDoLzhFNVfNQkN4eur_pIYLfQC2qeYMYiUligAQK7Awef3BVzjb5VzGUk5svRo5EyR4wbPZe6Bwe_t-AFpv6oJT1PDnP/s1779/starship%20on%20pad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1779" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZicwQL7UugbJXSQAjb1Iyj5Pn_sTjSKsXIsMSsb6h13ETyaUKEbf_jZKOxuQz7SGmuMD1Yo_1Ls3f51mvSZGLdyP1P0jiDoLzhFNVfNQkN4eur_pIYLfQC2qeYMYiUligAQK7Awef3BVzjb5VzGUk5svRo5EyR4wbPZe6Bwe_t-AFpv6oJT1PDnP/w400-h186/starship%20on%20pad.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Photo credit SpaceX</div><br />About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-17144817588296919082023-02-21T17:50:00.009-05:002023-04-11T22:51:59.234-04:00Starship Launch--Soon!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltsF1yK0KlcW6BYFx4nM0do_VWriqKBWGZegPGJ0KZDuYbUmDZV7KAN252PUrSdJsobDlZPSOPknEaYQlLRHId40kXWPo7drHgPPuHGL05JYW0PZgLhntkwNr5O41_bcHlOefPR026nYaoe6sGdtu-Om1pJa-cqDv0YndBC75BRpHS5H4_Z_AFzk4/s1169/Starship.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1169" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltsF1yK0KlcW6BYFx4nM0do_VWriqKBWGZegPGJ0KZDuYbUmDZV7KAN252PUrSdJsobDlZPSOPknEaYQlLRHId40kXWPo7drHgPPuHGL05JYW0PZgLhntkwNr5O41_bcHlOefPR026nYaoe6sGdtu-Om1pJa-cqDv0YndBC75BRpHS5H4_Z_AFzk4/s320/Starship.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Scheduled for mid April, currently April 17-21, the world's largest rocket ever will be fueled and ready on its pad. Millions around the world will watch online, as well as perhaps the greatest gathering of people near SpaceX's "Starbase" launch and construction facility in Boca Chica, Texas.<p></p><p>The mighty Starship and the Super Heavy booster will launch to orbit, travel three quarters of the way around the earth, and Starship will descend near Hawaii, for a planned gentle splashdown in the ocean.</p><p>If successful, we may see a full orbital mission this summer, followed by test flights to refuel a Starship in orbit, and later, an uncrewed landing on the Moon. Because this is the very first test of this rocket, it could go wrong in a spectacular way. But that's what testing is all about, and the lessons learned will make the spacecraft safer.</p><p>This is indeed the most powerful rocket ever built. It dwarfs the Artemis SLS rocket and even the mighty Saturn V that took Americans to the Moon. </p><p>Starship will be used in combination with NASA's Orion and SLS for Artemis III and later crewed lunar landings. The Starship crew ship would be outfitted to land American astronauts on the Moon.</p><p>Be sure you watch the launch! <a href="http://SpaceX.com">SpaceX.com</a> and many space news sites will offer coverage and updates on the schedule.</p><p>Learn more about Starship:<br /><a href="https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/">spacex.com/vehicles/starship</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOzEjQHEpsfZ2RaTjZjw5Kk6kaTMUEzuUEixk7ZIuLJ6CpUBvdXtZFkqhkBTb7KQhkHzsyxfCXkOf6MeFUy6bBcAcAJm86h36k3BEIEu7CvlZ4uLRgFLqzhyCHm5dEq1HU7GnTcmffWk-tM4pLrYxXCdj8cDhD-e6JWwlPld87LdivGBTVUcyA7JDD/s985/spacex_starship_hls_artemis_iii_2_crew_0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="985" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOzEjQHEpsfZ2RaTjZjw5Kk6kaTMUEzuUEixk7ZIuLJ6CpUBvdXtZFkqhkBTb7KQhkHzsyxfCXkOf6MeFUy6bBcAcAJm86h36k3BEIEu7CvlZ4uLRgFLqzhyCHm5dEq1HU7GnTcmffWk-tM4pLrYxXCdj8cDhD-e6JWwlPld87LdivGBTVUcyA7JDD/s320/spacex_starship_hls_artemis_iii_2_crew_0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Photo credits SpaceX</p>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-61829387935278927372022-11-23T10:18:00.001-05:002022-11-23T10:18:26.545-05:00Artemis At The Moon<p>The incredible Artemis rocket launched to the Moon on November 16, and has begun to orbit the Moon to spectacular results.</p><p>During its journey lasting until December 11, Artemis will fly low over the landing sites of Apollo 11, 12 and 14, and fly from a low of 81 miles above the lunar surface to a high of 52,000 miles above the Moon. So far, the spacecraft is performing 100% perfectly, and success in this unmanned mission will help advance plans for Artemis II in 2024 which will fly around the Moon with astronauts aboard, and for Artemis III in 2025 where for the first time in fifty years, Americans will again land on the Mon, making history for a new generation. </p><p>Future missions will prepare for a permanent crewed base on the Moon.</p><div class="tg-wrap"><table class="tg">
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<td class="tg-0lax"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_d5StlusPojk8ZVkMhOmnrAtHr9FH9-mkLeYMQHjrUndD_ab1YpwkhK8G74L1lrL6xsYKQvBWCzCPDW2MA4zJhtoTWnzkNA_tHL9N9b0Y31gLyay8BVTfomLPApD3HjcCvx3S3dfyAHlFo_pJi88BYHuceE_kwLjziyc9fDWJaqO7TMbVNDRvkpXd/s2000/_IMG8639-Edit-4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1333" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_d5StlusPojk8ZVkMhOmnrAtHr9FH9-mkLeYMQHjrUndD_ab1YpwkhK8G74L1lrL6xsYKQvBWCzCPDW2MA4zJhtoTWnzkNA_tHL9N9b0Y31gLyay8BVTfomLPApD3HjcCvx3S3dfyAHlFo_pJi88BYHuceE_kwLjziyc9fDWJaqO7TMbVNDRvkpXd/w133-h200/_IMG8639-Edit-4.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Liftoff of Artemis to the Moon!</div></td>
<td class="tg-0lax"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhryT-xYc3PK11kZ73VuIsSRDbSrWUyVZCselmvlqCM7-7Ey_MQQ-sNqngI2lUaJScMelhPKqmNnOa_y8jZS8eo3Ud94L6H-khgpihi6tN1nQCczRQ2N3vVX8BOL_OZSpa4Pbe7JT5hN2sbYmF6oS2jLlylGl02WUfOExgcdP5nwvepR31xRB35sQqL/s2000/_IMG8778-Edit-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhryT-xYc3PK11kZ73VuIsSRDbSrWUyVZCselmvlqCM7-7Ey_MQQ-sNqngI2lUaJScMelhPKqmNnOa_y8jZS8eo3Ud94L6H-khgpihi6tN1nQCczRQ2N3vVX8BOL_OZSpa4Pbe7JT5hN2sbYmF6oS2jLlylGl02WUfOExgcdP5nwvepR31xRB35sQqL/w150-h200/_IMG8778-Edit-3.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />The four main engines</div></td>
<td class="tg-0lax"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqnUBZgfGWTkmjxkSxqbUv_JXLz3pnaJMCxu8lB1DoUr6puHFF4fsgMmwHvFIeqothgflZCGdovArjYqBRNVs409pkQHybc5hyigV1G-8zWokMLdG0KEJ1Pc9evbrmblDfhwBe2ZY2oc8CMMVrqc2wpKm_REueXXCn2iySBGsHaU1co_5G_pAtS_l/s2000/_DSC1026-Edit-2-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1645" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqnUBZgfGWTkmjxkSxqbUv_JXLz3pnaJMCxu8lB1DoUr6puHFF4fsgMmwHvFIeqothgflZCGdovArjYqBRNVs409pkQHybc5hyigV1G-8zWokMLdG0KEJ1Pc9evbrmblDfhwBe2ZY2oc8CMMVrqc2wpKm_REueXXCn2iySBGsHaU1co_5G_pAtS_l/w164-h200/_DSC1026-Edit-2-2.jpg" width="164" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Rocket contrail illuminated by the Moon</div></td>
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</table><br /></div><p></p><p>Photos credit: Art Harman Save Manned Space.com</p>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-32217915144242365642022-08-16T17:28:00.006-04:002022-08-23T12:23:06.955-04:00Artemis to the Moon! Aug 29<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQj18H0qp8EujcaeIeEovzEAMhtYOG8ZSECPFXD5q4YRhTbE8E28xk993_36Tq5wY7x9JB2qFyTV1yfLPuQPGWhBIgrwS9xKIoKbpcin_rIQW05fzggC_p431hE8rX-NPRAouuQP9F2L5ic1Ri_ezqMtx3YqVwbEu6SUzi-04zCTwzGqkCa1ctvje/s1041/artemis_i_3_28_22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="1041" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQj18H0qp8EujcaeIeEovzEAMhtYOG8ZSECPFXD5q4YRhTbE8E28xk993_36Tq5wY7x9JB2qFyTV1yfLPuQPGWhBIgrwS9xKIoKbpcin_rIQW05fzggC_p431hE8rX-NPRAouuQP9F2L5ic1Ri_ezqMtx3YqVwbEu6SUzi-04zCTwzGqkCa1ctvje/s320/artemis_i_3_28_22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Mark your calendar for August 29 at 8:33 AM EDT for the spectacular launch of <b>Artemis I</b>, the 42-day uncrewed NASA mission to the Moon. Backup dates for weather or technical issues will be on September 2 and 5.</p><p>If you've never watched a rocket launch in person--or if you've seen many, consider going to the space coast in Florida to see and hear the launch. The launch will be carried all over the news and social media, and at <a href="http://NASA.gov/live">NASA.gov/live</a>. </p><p>This will be the greatest 'shakedown' mission ever, which will set the stage for launching American astronauts first to lunar orbit on Artemis II, and then in Artemis III to land on the Moon perhaps by 2025 for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972.</p><p>Read NASA's detailed 124-page booklet with all the facts on the rocket, spacecraft and the incredible test mission:<br /><a href="https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/orion_reference_guide_0.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/orion_reference_guide_0.pdf </a></p><p>The complete system for Artemis III will include the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft to launch our astronauts on Orion, which will then rendezvous with a SpaceX Starship spaceship that will carry the crew to and from the Moon. Following their time exploring the Moon, the astronauts will transfer back to Orion for the return to Earth and worldwide acclaim.</p><p><b>Follow Save Manned Space:</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://twitter.com/SaveMannedSpace">Twitter.com/SaveMannedSpace</a></li><li><a href="https://www.Facebook.com/SaveMannedSpace">Facebook.com/SaveMannedSpace</a></li></ul><p></p><p><i>(Photo courtesy NASA)</i></p>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-64336945034962329202022-07-19T22:09:00.006-04:002022-07-27T20:45:34.348-04:00New Roscosmos Head<p>The surprise news of the week was that Dmitry Rogozin, the head of the Russian space program, Roscosmos, was suddenly replaced by the now former Russian deputy prime minister, Yuri Borisov. Rogozin was also a former deputy prime minister.</p><p>Reports or rumors claim the fiery Rogozin would be transferred to take charge of military operations in Russian occupied regions in eastern Ukraine. As a close associate of Vladimir Putin, this might not be a demotion, though the official Kremlin announcement just said he was "dismissed" as head of Roscosmos--a somewhat harsh statement if he will be sent to lead forces in Ukraine. </p><p>For a deputy prime minister and former deputy minister of defense to be sent to run Russia's ailing space program might be seen as a demotion, as it may have been for Rogozin himself.</p><p>On the other hand, given Rosgozin's inflammatory remarks about nuclear war with NATO, as well as threats to end the ISS partnership by 2025, build their own small space station, plans for a new generation of spacecraft, and signing on to China's planned lunar base as a junior partner, Rogogin's replacement by a top-level official might mean Putin would be willing to dump serious money into rebuilding their space program.</p><p>Rogozin's tenure at Roscosmos was to all observers marked by continual decent towards irrelevance and endemic quality control issues and even sabotage, raising the question if his new responsibilities in Ukraine might also harm the Russian war effort.</p><p>As a possible sign of a ramping down of space station tensions under Borisov, a new crew seat barter agreement was signed, to allow for continued flights by Americans on Soyuz and Russians on Crew Dragon. </p><p>Stay tuned!</p><p>Update: Roscosmos reiterated that Russia will leave ISS partnership in 2025, with the intent of building their own space station. There was no mention if they would try to remove any of their modules from ISS (if they even have the ability to do so). NASA reported they have not yet received any official communication regarding this, but stated that NASA would work to replace lost functions such as propulsion within that time.</p><p><br /></p>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-17867961840718287382022-07-07T21:45:00.003-04:002022-07-27T20:51:03.908-04:00China: "We Won't Claim Moon"--Just like "We Won't Militarize South China Sea"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiq6Vm7L1YZy4IzCXFXKOzA9I0obqYdlcwtHnT07_WG0aXOgEdOj2wSnFddVXszYMSh-OlKou3DXwCtfs6Qvz8MtqcbScbPnNNdQtRGzyC3LSck2GNA0oI7S7h45Cbzhq5UzOQoKryZWD-YeuuyIHBJEwqcT8pQYlRPUcSp2sRUhBTJk7ZtZbZ1T1d/s1919/Bill%20Nelson%20ksc-20220328-ph-kls01_0046_large.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1919" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiq6Vm7L1YZy4IzCXFXKOzA9I0obqYdlcwtHnT07_WG0aXOgEdOj2wSnFddVXszYMSh-OlKou3DXwCtfs6Qvz8MtqcbScbPnNNdQtRGzyC3LSck2GNA0oI7S7h45Cbzhq5UzOQoKryZWD-YeuuyIHBJEwqcT8pQYlRPUcSp2sRUhBTJk7ZtZbZ1T1d/s320/Bill%20Nelson%20ksc-20220328-ph-kls01_0046_large.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />Remember when China denied they would militarize the fake "islands" they dredged up in violation of the Law of the Sea Treaty? In 2015, Chinese dictator Xi Jinping pledged “China does not intend to pursue militarization” of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. Of course, that's exactly what they did, building extensive military bases all across the sea.<br /><br />Fast forward to last week, when China's foreign minister objected to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson calling out the Chinese regime for having similar plans to claim key areas of the moon, which would be in violation of the Outer Space Treaty.<div><br /></div><div>This is no secret, in fact, they have boasted they would claim the Moon and Mars. In 2017, the head of China's lunar program, Ye Peijian, compared the Moon and Mars to islands they are trying to illegally seize in the South and East China Seas:<br /><blockquote>The universe is like the ocean, the moon is like the <a href="https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/senkaku.htm">Diaoyu Islands</a>, and Mars is like <a href="https://freebeacon.com/national-security/china-plan-for-military-buildup-disputed-island/">Huangyan Island</a>.</blockquote></div><div>The "Diaoyu Islands" are in fact Japan's sovereign Senkaku Islands. "Huangyan Island" is in fact the Philippines’ sovereign Scarborough Shoal, which China seized and completely militarized in violation of the Law of the Sea Treaty.</div><div><br /></div><div>So when China's government objects to Nelson stating what everyone knows and what Ye Peijian described so poetically, it's like the criminal pointing at an innocent person and shouting, "there's the thief!" That's called "projection" or "mirroring," and it's a staple of Chinese Communist Party propaganda. </div><div><br /></div><div>Back to Bill Nelson. He just warned what everyone in defense and space policy knows. That China is instigating a “new race to space” with the long-term goal of “tak[ing] over” the moon.<br /><br /></div><div>“We must be very concerned that China is landing on the moon and saying, ‘It’s ours now and you stay out,’” He continued, describing the Chinese space program for what it is, a military agency dedicated to establishing military control of space. "China's space program is a military space program," where they are learning "how to destroy other people's satellites," and that the south pole of the moon is "hotly contested."<br /><br />The new CCP space station is not like ours, it's a military post for developing space weapons and espionage. Ever seen a real photo of the complete station? We show off thousands of photos of ISS, but China won't release more than a few, very limited angles, raising the suspicions they are hiding spy equipment and perhaps even weapons. That wouldn't be a new idea. After all, the Soviet Almaz space station was armed with a 14.5mm cannon (5,000 rounds per minute!) and espionage equipment. </div><div><br /></div><div>What does this verbal exchange mean? America and our allies had better light the rockets under everyone and accelerate our return to the Moon. 2025 may be almost too late. China has an unlimited budget and no political fights. 2026, 2027 or 2028 may see a Chinese flag and "keep out" signs on the water-ice bearing craters on the lunar south pole.</div><div><br /></div><div>That means Bill Nelson needs to ask Congress for the funds to accelerate everything. SLS, lander (SpaceX's Starship), spacesuits, and everything else needed to have 'boots on the ground' on the Moon by early 2025. Go to three shifts if that's what it takes. If necessary, cancel or delay the Gateway to shift that funding to getting to the Moon absent the Gateway. Consider bypassing SLS if it's running behind and go entirely on SpaceX spacecrafts.</div><div><br /></div><div>Just keep in mind that we are in a struggle between the free world having civilian and commercial access to orbital and cis-lunar space and to the surfaces of the Moon and Mars, or a dark future where access is either denied outright, or allowed only as per current Chinese commercial rules (in violation of WTO) that require a 51% Chinese partner (often associated with the government or military), surrendering all of a company's technology, and remaining silent on human rights and labor abuses in China. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our mere presence on the Moon will help restrain Xi's worst instincts. Ready? Let's go!<br /><br /><i>(Photo credit NASA)</i><br /><br /></div>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-38434749411682667352022-06-29T01:31:00.004-04:002022-07-07T22:01:31.049-04:00Would Russia Destroy Orbital Space?<br />Save Manned Space uniquely looks at the strategic side of space exploration and threats to free world access to orbital and cis-lunar and the lunar surface. <div><br /></div><div>The Russians under Putin could render orbital space unusable by anyone for centuries if they start WW-III, by creating a never-ending 'Kessler-syndrome' cascade of collisions from destroyed satellites.<div><br /></div><div>Andrey Gurulyov, a former deputy commander of Russia's southern military district, made the threat during a discussion about Lithuania's blockade of the neighboring Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.</div><div><br />"We'll destroy the entire group of enemy's space satellites during the first air operation, he told the program Vremya Pakazhet (Time will Tell) on Wednesday.<br /><br />"No-one will care if they are American or British, we would see them all as NATO," he said, adding, that Russia would then "mitigate the entire system of anti-missile defense" and that "we certainly won't start from Warsaw, Paris or Berlin.</div><div><br /></div><div>Gurulvov went on to threaten to atom bomb London. </div><div><br /></div><div>Such a barbaric attack could create a cold-war-magnitude nuclear exchange, and Russia would not be a victor--nobody would. But that rarely causes totalitarian leaders to come to their senses. In addition to killing millions and destroying cities, humanity's use of orbital space could be rendered essentially useless from billions of lethal particles enveloping the earth, each particle impacting others to create a never-ending swarm of particles covering the earth. This is known as the Kessler syndrome.<br /><br />China may have made similar calculations. Both might consider a launching a 'space Pearl Harbor' for short-term terrestrial gains, each hoping they would win effective control of the world, and wouldn't need access to space.</div><div><br /></div><div>Russian war planners may have made the calculation that destroying orbital space for centuries would be worth it if they won a nuclear war. Make no mistake, since the Cold War, Russian/Soviet military doctrine includes 'winning' a limited nuclear war. Bizarrely, Russian war planners actually call their first use of nuclear weapons “de-escalation.” </div><div><br /></div><div>A city-sized bunker in the Ural mountains would shelter Putin, his elite and military leaders, and enough Russian citizens to keep the elite living in luxury, oblivious to the end of their dreams of reconstituting the Soviet Union. China has similar underground cities to keep their dictators safe after a nuclear war.</div><div><br /></div><div>Is the Russian threat designed to gain concessions? A genuine intent to start WW-III regardless of the costs to humanity or the costs to their own economy? Would China object to some of their satellites being destroyed in the process, or be glad the free world became defenseless in space? </div><div><br /></div><div>We can't answer those questions, but our leaders must restore deterrence against Russia, China, Iran (foolish to believe they don't already have a nuclear arsenal) and North Korea--the cabal of nuclear-armed tyrannies with ICBMs. Let's restore peace through strength.</div><br /><div><a href="#">https://www.newsweek.com/putin-ally-first-city-russia-strike-world-war-3-ukraine-1719157?amp=1</a></div></div>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-89903466207315927552022-06-22T08:58:00.001-04:002022-06-22T20:29:18.289-04:00SLS and Starship Advance!<p>In recent news, SLS achieves goals in the 'wet dress rehearsal' where they filled the propellant tanks and tested all the systems through the countdown to just before ignition.</p><p>And the FAA finally gave SpaceX environmental clearance to launch from Boca Chica in Texas, pending complying with ridiculous regulations.</p><p>Therefore, we may see launches for both SLS and Starship this year, both of which are advances to actually putting American boots on the ground on the Moon, hopefully in advance of China.</p><p>Beating China to the Moon is a serious issue, for they have already declared their plan to follow their illegal actions in the South China Sea and make claims to the water ice-rich craters in the lunar south pole. China's military uses of the Moon would be a strategic game-changer--to seize the high frontier, weaponize it, and build their designed military radar to map the world's military assets every 24 hours.</p>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-88217140261481543572022-06-22T08:41:00.005-04:002022-06-22T08:48:53.689-04:00Russian Plans to Leave ISS, Join China<br />Watch this Chinese Communist Party TV interview with Russian Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin. <div><br /></div><div>In the interview, Rogozin outlines Russian plans to leave the International Space Station (ISS) in 2025 and to build their own new station in a spysat orbit. Russia's space program serves the needs of their aggressive military plans.</div><div><br /></div><div>Russia can't reach the Chinese military space station with their Soyuz rockets, which would have been embarrassing if they joined the Chinese station but had to ride as passengers in Chinese spacecraft.</div><div><br /></div><div>Russia will become a junior partner with China's military lunar base on the south pole of the Moon.</div><div><br /></div><div>A question would be if the imploding Russian space program can muster the budget, talent and quality needed to achieve any of these goals.</div><div><br /></div><div>Rogozin concludes his interview by threatening the U.S. with nuclear war.</div><div><br /></div><div>The danger to the entire world is that the nuclear tyrannies may end up ruling the world in this decade as the US has abandoned peace through strength--as seen in the ending of deterrence in Afghanistan and Ukraine and perhaps soon in Taiwan. The present White House doesn't appear to see or care about the shift of world power to the tyrannies, and appears to aid and abet the shift. Space will be one of the key battlegrounds, and preserving free-world and commercial access to orbital space and the Moon will be decisive.</div><div><br /></div><div>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0l7u_3Rtdc <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b0l7u_3Rtdc" width="320" youtube-src-id="b0l7u_3Rtdc"></iframe></div><br /></div>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-35619393269489008312022-04-02T11:34:00.010-04:002022-04-03T17:30:52.268-04:00Roscosmos to End ISS Cooperation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDMO2YCKxQZ07mOJ-EsFG4LlO-xc1BIsko2qRMNEyGULHPwq-2iXIOfDAUwCgG134t3eerWyKVgJ-4MkaVov26VBD_9rj6AbU6WZJI21ks5heR9ugFXd5KEKGOyXO5jJ-bdWW1w9rVQ5yJmQZYghcpMeKQa0QwreI7CPwvipoctpzo8nIYHp0Ae7t/s947/iss%20question%20mark.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="947" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDMO2YCKxQZ07mOJ-EsFG4LlO-xc1BIsko2qRMNEyGULHPwq-2iXIOfDAUwCgG134t3eerWyKVgJ-4MkaVov26VBD_9rj6AbU6WZJI21ks5heR9ugFXd5KEKGOyXO5jJ-bdWW1w9rVQ5yJmQZYghcpMeKQa0QwreI7CPwvipoctpzo8nIYHp0Ae7t/w200-h130/iss%20question%20mark.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />Russia's announcement is perhaps the final word that Roscosmos will end its International Space Station partnership. <br /><br />The International Space Station will survive thanks to the reboosting capabilities of SpaceX & Northrop Grumman. <br /><br />But Russia will end up with zero manned space program except perhaps occasional Soyuz flights to nowhere or being a junior partner with China. Soyuz would have difficulty reaching the Chinese space station, ruling out such a partnership unless cosmonauts ride as passengers in Chinese spacecraft.<br /><br />A sad end, especially for Russian kids and scientists. <br /><br />Successfully removing Russian modules from ISS may be highly difficult or impossible, and Russia may not have the resources to keep them functional. <div><br /></div><div>Everyone hopes the ending of the partnership will be smooth, peaceful and cooperative. However, NASA's due diligence must include being alert and prepared to rapidly respond in case the latest Russian cosmonauts or crew remotely from the ground might disable the Russian modules, sabotage equipment or attempt to disconnect their modules.</div><br />A hopeful example was set on March 29 when departing Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov transferred command of ISS to U.S. astronaut Thomas Marshburn. Shkaplerov said, "People have problem on Earth. On orbit we are one crew, and I think ISS is like a symbol of the friendship and cooperation, and a symbol of the future of exploration of space." Further, the Russian crew allowed NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei to return as scheduled on the Soyuz.<div><div><div data-block="true" data-editor="cqpcu" data-offset-key="677np-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Because ISS can continue to be reboosted by American spacecraft, Russia gains no revenge, but only costs their country their manned space program. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sadly for the Russian people, the future of Russian manned spaceflight will now be in jeopardy. Roscosmos may do occasional Soyuz flights to nowhere, to maintain the pretense and avoid a giant talent drain. Russia could become a junior partner on their space station, however because Soyuz cannot reach the orbit of China's space station, cosmonauts would always ride as passengers on Chinese spacecraft. Perhaps cooler heads will prevail.</div><div><br /></div>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-70987204361583804172022-03-11T15:57:00.005-05:002022-03-16T22:34:21.863-04:00Protecting the International Space Station<p>A tragic casualty of the Russian war on Ukraine may be international cooperation with Russia on existing and future space projects. None are of course more important than the International Space Station (ISS), where Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, has at least threatened to destroy the station.</p><p>In advance of the war, Save Manned Space warned members of Congress to get briefed by NASA on contingency plans to assure continuity of operations in the event of a Russian withdrawal, and to take legislative action giving NASA the funding and authorization to build a propulsion module and other systems so ISS may continue in service until 2030 or beyond.</p><p>Both the new Cygnus and Dragon can offer reboosting services, and it is therefore likely that ISS can safely continue operations at least until a US propulsion module, perhaps based on Cygnus, could be launched.</p><p>Curiously, while Roscosmos could depart ISS and either remove or disable their Svezda propulsion module, ISS would survive perhaps until the scheduled retirement in 2031. The only difference would be while ISS would still do important science and advance long duration spaceflight, Russia would have essentially zero crewed space program and would be forced to be a very junior partner with China. </p><p>One positive sign is that, at present, astronaut Mark Vande Hei, who will soon reach 355 days on ISS, is still scheduled to return to earth as planned on Soyuz.</p>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-17547944526231378112022-01-23T17:52:00.018-05:002022-03-18T18:15:28.728-04:00ISS Contingency Planning for Continuity of Operations <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPZObYntdXbumOjyscPNS3yzW5j-N-NFQay06Ft10uRgvEWdkt58g_WXupTEeOOiIO9w7ZsAwoDyIBEFKDWRr6Bt3Bcar06INWz7n5_BPtfEFI9NKlRpn5J0x7OQhWi64Mrm5tWuA7ZbIb5d_L1nrgNChV7bAk7w8Vxag3iAi0R0EiGvxdsJ4A9G2u=s947" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="947" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPZObYntdXbumOjyscPNS3yzW5j-N-NFQay06Ft10uRgvEWdkt58g_WXupTEeOOiIO9w7ZsAwoDyIBEFKDWRr6Bt3Bcar06INWz7n5_BPtfEFI9NKlRpn5J0x7OQhWi64Mrm5tWuA7ZbIb5d_L1nrgNChV7bAk7w8Vxag3iAi0R0EiGvxdsJ4A9G2u=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br />There is currently a high possibility of a Russian war against Ukraine, that might even threaten Poland and the Baltics. Further, military actions and protests in Kazakhstan raise the possibility of losing safe use of the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Russian cosmonauts and Progress cargo flights for some period of time. <br /><br />Therefore, it would be wise for NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy to develop or update contingency plans to continue to operate ISS, the International Space Station in the event of any possible loss of cooperation by Roscosmos, or during a temporary Russian loss of access to Baikonur.<div><br /></div><div>Members of Congress, in their oversight role, should urgently seek such answers. Due to the timeframe, a meeting with the Administrator and members of Congress would be in order.<br /><div><br /></div><div>A graceful exit might include a handover of the Zvezda module with controls unlocked and fully functional. The worst case might be Russians locking or damaging their controls and abruptly departing the station on orders from the Kremlin to create a crisis or hold ISS as ransom for dropping sanctions. It would be hoped that cosmonauts and Roscosmos ground control personnel would not obey any orders that might harm ISS.</div><div><br />If there are existing contingency plans, perhaps any developed at the time of the 2014 Russian invasion of Ukraine--when Russia actually did threaten to deny US crew from launching on Soyuz--then the sole crew transport to ISS, they should be updated to include the capabilities of SpaceX's Dragon, Northrup Grumman's Cygnus and Boeing's forthcoming Starliner for crew transport and reboosting. <div><br /></div><div>Aside from reboosting, planning would include duplicating if necessary other Zvezda-based critical capabilities, should those be locked or disabled in spite. Planning might fit into two categories. Immediate work and equipment necessary to maintain temporary control of the station. Once secured, the focus would be on permanent modifications or additions for reliable operation for the life of ISS--to at least 2030.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the event of a full departure from the ISS partnership, it would be wise to invite other nations to join ISS as partners, such as India, UAE and South Korea.<br /><br />By themselves, contingency plans could help deter a Russian leap to war, as one bit of leverage the Kremlin may threaten to encourage U.S. acquiescence to Russian military goals in Ukraine could be to obstruct the continued operation or survival of ISS. If ISS can survive without Russian systems, then they only 'spite themselves,' and would look weak while we continue operating ISS in their absence.<br /><br />There are of course a great many contingency plans for every possible emergency on ISS. NASA and other international partners have a responsibility to add or update such plans to assure continuity of operations no matter what happens in the coming months in Ukraine. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Update: 2/19/22 The Cygnus supply spacecraft just launched to ISS has a new reboost capability, and will be on ISS until May. This added ability to independently change the orbit of ISS weakens any leverage Putin may have to threaten the survival of ISS unless the U.S. drops war sanctions.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>If there is no crisis, we would be better prepared should the need ever arise in the future, such as through accident or equipment failure.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Photo of ISS credit NASA.</i></div></div></div>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-90987257927887834932022-01-08T01:12:00.003-05:002022-01-08T01:12:41.407-05:00Nelson: Need More $ to Beat China. OK, Ask Congress--Now!<p>In an interview, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson was asked, "could China beat the U.S. back to the moon?" His initial response was encouraging. "Not if I have anything to say about it, and not if Joe Biden has anything to say about it."</p>Following up, the Time reporter asked, "And yet the plans to have American boots on the lunar surface have already slipped from 2024 to 2025 at the very earliest. Part of the problem is that NASA’s funding allows for only one launch per year of the SLS moon rocket. Back in the Apollo era, we launched nine crewed moon missions from just 1968 to 1972."<br /><br />Here's where Nelson's response contradicted the reality. "For a sustained landing program we’ve got to have more money. That’s in the 2023 budget." <div><br /></div><div>But it's not. The funding is NOT sufficient to allow us to beat China, which intends to beat the U.S. to the Moon and has unlimited funding to do so. And to wait till FY 2023 to accelerate work on SLS, space suits and other key elements is too late.</div><div><br /></div><div>A personal address to Congress by the Administrator on both the incredible promise of returning to the Moon and the strategic necessity to beat China to preserve free world access to the Moon would result in bipartisan support for the necessary funding.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then go to three shifts to get it done, like we did with Apollo. Alternatively, empower SpaceX to run a lunar-direct mission with Starship. Either way, the stakes are higher than during the Soviet Cold War. Then the stakes were merely demonstrating with system was better, tyranny or freedom. Today, the stakes are access to space, the Moon and eventually Mars. Administrator Nelson, are you ready for 'launch?' Go!<br /><br /><p><a href="https://time.com/6133021/bill-nelson-nasa/" target="_blank">https://time.com/6133021/bill-nelson-nasa/ </a> </p></div>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-48259974390985851312021-11-17T00:07:00.003-05:002021-12-03T11:27:15.941-05:00Space Wars by Russia and China<p>Thecriminally irresponsible Russian test of an anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon could have destroyed or seriously damaged the International Space Station (ISS) and killed Russian Cosmonauts as well as the American and German astronauts. </p><p>But this was predictable, a risk that Putin was willing to take in order to help scare the U.S. and Ukraine into submission. He knew what happens when you smash together two satellites in a crowded orbit.</p><p>In July, Putin issued a <a href="http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/66181" target="_blank">revanchist statement</a> arguing for seizing Ukraine as well as Poland and Lithuania. Such a war for Ukraine, or a Chinese war for Taiwan may start with destroying U.S. military and commercial satellites to blind our response and make GPS-guided weapons useless.</p><p>China similarly and recklessly tested their ASAT weapon in 2007, creating an incredible cloud of destructive space particles--essentially bullets that could perhaps damage or destroy their new military-led space station.</p><p>The lesson is that both Russia and China may be willing to sacrifice--for all humanity--future access to space for their immediate goals of military conquest and global domination. Both countries may also be willing to start nuclear wars to serve their ends--potentially destroying life on earth or vast portions of it. Any war today would at the first moments involve destroying U.S. satellites, making orbital space unusable for centuries or longer, absent presently-unknown technologies to remove billions of bullet-like particles from various orbital levels.</p><p>It may not be 'popular' or comfortable to hear this, but the nature of dictators has not changed throughout history.</p><p>Those are the stakes as Xi and Putin gear up for their intended wars of conquest in this decade. </p><p>The Kremlin backed up their potentially-lethal show of force with a threat to destroy all U.S. GPS satellites. The rubble from their demonstration remains potentially-lethal, as the hundreds of thousands of large and tiny pieces will continue to threaten the space station and anything in low earth orbit for years or decades. </p><p>Many in the 'space community' throughout the free world find the concept of militarizing space abhorrent, as they should. "Can't we all get along," they wonder. "Can't we have the aggressors sign or obey treaties?" Certainly international pressure is essential to get Russia and China to de-escalate, however treaties are the wrong way to go.</p><p>Treaties 'are made to be broken' in the minds of dictators; treaties only tie the hands of the free nations, just like gun control laws only disarm the peaceful and leave families helpless to stop armed criminals. Worse though, treaties lull to sleep the free world into believing that no country would militarize space or would risk destroying all access to space for present-day military gains. The ASAT tests by Russia and China should dispel that myth to careful observers.</p><p>The history of reckless military conquests that create only ultimate defeat and destruction does not apparently faze today's dictators. Each is blinded by the allure of victory that they have certainty they will gain. For example, Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany simultaneously declared war on the United States, each assured of victory in their own minds, yet both nations were utterly defeated and devastated. </p><p>Who would buy Russian oil and gas or Chinese products in a post-war depression or societal collapse? Again, these considerations of their own economies collapsing are dim in the minds of those fantasizing about the world at last under their exclusive domination. </p><p>In the present era of American military weakness and an absence of strong leaders here and among some of our allies, we invite a space 'Pearl Harbor" as a prelude to Chinese and Russian wars of conquest. In such wars, the United States may well be defeated, but our current weakness may lower the nuclear threshold, engulfing the world in a nuclear holocaust.</p><p>All who want to go to Mars and the Moon, or even to visit or live in earth orbit should raise the alarm that access to space is endangered by the reckless ASAT tests by both Russia and China, and their known plans for a space Pearl Harbor that in fact would destroy access to orbital space for centuries.</p><p> </p>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-11316894747666107412021-07-22T13:26:00.002-04:002021-07-22T13:26:52.304-04:00Apollo 11 and the Democratization of Space<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFhVkrEdVvqo_srPnQnTsB18Ep8GI0SCWtq-SDZzrhDP4o-CQGLPd_2lA75Hxz-kXBsITTaUgCs9_RtX4ewhuInDjnGE-Y2IFWL-oYyZGaVL2KNIcOlrVxHiLsz2SZMJ4Qyff25OYfgE/s854/blue-origin-first-human-flight-l0-apogee+%2528Small%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="854" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFhVkrEdVvqo_srPnQnTsB18Ep8GI0SCWtq-SDZzrhDP4o-CQGLPd_2lA75Hxz-kXBsITTaUgCs9_RtX4ewhuInDjnGE-Y2IFWL-oYyZGaVL2KNIcOlrVxHiLsz2SZMJ4Qyff25OYfgE/s320/blue-origin-first-human-flight-l0-apogee+%2528Small%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />July 20 will always be remembered for the historic landing of Apollo 11 on the Moon in 1969. This year, the anniversary shares the date with the opening of commercial space ventures. Blue Origin, led by Jeff Bezos, achieved its first passenger flight to space, following by just days Richard Branson's flight to space on Virgin Galactic.<p></p><p>This is huge, and ushers in the era of the democratization of space travel, that in coming years and decades will eventually bring suborbital and orbital flights at prices affordable to millions. </p><p>You can see the parallels in your life. The first flat panel TVs cost a fortune, but now huge TVs are available everywhere for a few hundred dollars. Early computers filled buildings and cost millions until Apple and IBM invented personal computers--and today you carry a phone far more powerful than the Apollo spacecraft computers. Likewise, air travel was initially so costly that only the wealthy could fly coast to coast, but for many decades now, domestic and international flights have been affordable for the millions. See, it took the efforts of the creative and determined relative few to bring these ideas to market and through mass production in our free enterprise system, make them affordable and plentiful.</p><p>The next step will be orbital flights by SpaceX, Blue Origin and others, where you will be able to travel anywhere on earth within an hour or travel to orbit--and in less than 20 years, these may cost little more than a luxury cruise.</p><p>Oddly, some are criticizing Branson and Bezos for their incredible achievements. Envy? Perhaps they would have similarly criticized Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Steve Jobs, Neil Armstrong and all the other 'right stuff' doers, inventors, developers, and creators that built the most prosperous and healthy society in the history of mankind. </p><p>The future of humanity will include hundreds, then thousands, then millions living and working in space, with cities in orbit and on the Moon and Mars. Children will point with awe at the lights on the Moon. The question is will it be a future of freedom in space as developed and protected by the U.S., or a dystopian future of tyranny on and off earth, all owned and controlled by China's dictators? </p><p>Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins pioneered the way, NASA is on the path to returning Americans to the Moon--hopefully by 2024, and now private entrepreneurs will bring space travel to the thousands and eventually the millions. </p><p>Humanity advances and during this lunar landing week, we should all applaud not only the Apollo pioneers but the new generation of spacefarers who may indeed sell <b>you</b> a ticket to space.</p><p>(Photo credit Blue Origin)</p><br />About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-27941769049068030722021-07-16T22:49:00.003-04:002021-07-16T23:35:14.864-04:0052 Years Past Apollo 11--When Will We Return to the Moon?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi8MPq1OFv2Lxt0nnXTaz9CPNcLooZQuJX-v9S2mEAUtU4bE1Mr00IE_xasTl0X9JKdXMjbc_i_3ro22O19vlukr-fmTEgkP0GIA4usaIadMGvFhNOqAyruDzJw7AijCUWvVFwH1fO04E/s693/Apollo+11+Launch+%2528Small%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi8MPq1OFv2Lxt0nnXTaz9CPNcLooZQuJX-v9S2mEAUtU4bE1Mr00IE_xasTl0X9JKdXMjbc_i_3ro22O19vlukr-fmTEgkP0GIA4usaIadMGvFhNOqAyruDzJw7AijCUWvVFwH1fO04E/w139-h200/Apollo+11+Launch+%2528Small%2529.jpg" width="139" /></a></div><p>Fifty-two years ago, the entire world united for a week. Everyone forgot their differences and together as one tuned in on radio and TV to watch the greatest feat in the history of humanity.</p><p>The first step on another world transformed us in so many ways. Just months before on Apollo 8, we saw for the first time Earth from afar, and then the famous "Earthrise" photo, of the Earth rising above the Moon. </p>Imagine this: It is July 16, 1969, and hundreds of thousands of people camped out near the Kennedy Space Center overnight waiting for the launch of Apollo 11. Millions more around the world are glued to their TVs and radios, awaiting the magical moment. It's a bright sunny morning and Apollo 11 is gleaming on the launch pad as technicians check the million-plus systems that all must work perfectly.<br /><br />The astronauts wave to the cameras as they depart for the pad, and ascend 365 feet to the top of the Saturn V rocket. The hatch is closed and the world awaits...<br /><br />All systems are GO! The time is 9:32 AM. The world holds its breath!<br /><br />10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0! Smoke and fire billow from the mighty engines and slowly the rocket rises, then faster and faster. Humanity cheers on the launch of Apollo 11 on its historic mission to land Americans on the moon.<br /><br />Apollo 11 is now in orbit. Two hours and 44 minutes later, the engines fired to take the spacecraft out of earth orbit and towards the moon, still a quarter of a million miles distant.<br /><br />The adventure begins.<div><br /></div><div>Now it's time to return. we CAN make 2024 with the support of the White House, Congress and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. We MUST return before China beats us back and claims the water-ice bearing craters at the south pole as theirs, just as they do in the South China Sea. </div><div><br /></div><div>You can help: Call your Members of Congress in support of the 2024 return to the Moon. 202-224-3121.</div>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-81782429044191165212021-05-10T00:40:00.000-04:002021-05-10T00:40:00.839-04:00Bravo to SpaceX -- Successful Starship SN15 Landing<p>Following previous failures to successfully land prototypes of the Starship spacecraft, SN-15 scored a 100% success in completing the complex flight profile and landing gracefully on the pad. </p><p>This is an important landmark towards making Starship a reliable and cost-effective spacecraft for orbital, point-to-point and lunar missions, as well as to take the first astronauts to Mars.</p><p>We may see SN-15 being used again and again to further advance the development. </p>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-35039674490503809292021-05-10T00:31:00.004-04:002021-07-16T22:07:07.404-04:00China Violated Their Own Promises with Long March 5B CrashChina's second reckless abandonment of Long March (LM) 5B boosters for uncontrolled reentry violated their own 2016 "White Paper on China’s space activities" because the 5B has no deorbit thruster, so every past and future 5B will threaten lives and property on earth.<br /><br /><b>"9. Space debris. </b>China has improved the monitoring and mitigation of and early warning and protection against space debris... China has also made breakthroughs in protection design technologies, applying them to the protection projects of spacecraft against space debris. In addition, all Long March carrier rockets have upper stage passivation, and discarded spacecraft are moved out of orbit to protect the space environment."<p><a href="http://english.gov.cn/archive/white_paper/2016/12/28/content_281475527159496.htm" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">http://english.gov.cn/archive/white_paper/2016/12/28/content_281475527159496.htm</a></p>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-24486149496773597182021-04-17T00:34:00.001-04:002021-04-17T00:34:07.201-04:00SpaceX Wins Lunar Lander Contract<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHu9JMBX8Sbv1q7gPKifmgu0K_70V8oA6mYLJoAZKFslVIT7p1www_iCi0Vq9x3A2XqZoiE8xnjCzu3EmO6yl4xfdhgg1pt_0skrDdRZC-r2WfYPsedM834rZH3UAV1-ppybS2xTpyWms/s1872/SpaceXTweet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1872" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHu9JMBX8Sbv1q7gPKifmgu0K_70V8oA6mYLJoAZKFslVIT7p1www_iCi0Vq9x3A2XqZoiE8xnjCzu3EmO6yl4xfdhgg1pt_0skrDdRZC-r2WfYPsedM834rZH3UAV1-ppybS2xTpyWms/s320/SpaceXTweet.jpg" /></a></div><br />Congratulations to SpaceX for winning the contract for the human lander for the Artemis project to the Moon.<br /><br /> NASA has awarded to SpaceX the sole $2.89 billion contract to land Americans on the Moon. Most had expected NASA to select two landers from the three awarded an earlier development contact: Dynetics, Blue Origin and SpaceX's Starship. While redundancy is vital in human spaceflight--Commercial crew was awarded to both SpaceX and Boeing, it is possible the single award was made for budgetary reasons (ridiculous in an era of multi-trillion spending bills). <div><br /></div><div>Current plans would call for astronauts to be launched on Orion to the Gateway, then transfer to a Starship for the descent to the Moon. And do the reverse for the return trip. </div><div><br /></div><div>On the surface, this is incredibly overcomplicated, involving completion of the expensive Gateway, launches on SLS/Orion and a launch by a Starship. If NASA is going to use Starship as a lunar lander, it makes more sense to do a Moon-direct flight on Starship and cancel the Gateway. That would make 2024 more possible.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now the administration has to back up the award with funding, and the just released budget request has only minor funding for the lander. The contract raises many questions that require clarification.</div><div><br /></div><div>Congress must fully fund the lander and should cancel the Gateway.</div><div><br /></div><div>Call Congress at 202-224-3121.</div>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-1987177984573353092021-03-22T14:37:00.020-04:002021-03-27T00:20:24.563-04:00Sen. Nelson to become NASA Administrator. Excellent, but what orders will he have to obey?<p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.86px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCF6pprsrIMICIe3o1WVfXJ9iKp3AW-hTZlsIcqy46nBud3FnCO5gviUzZ3it3OmF8kHk_dwOqvPBGr9hg_3M1fY8geTXEahRoVIFbSA4yApSNXkfRpbsLfP3tBXzCZRb0xDTqw9NR3KQ/s303/220px-Bill_Nelson.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="303" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCF6pprsrIMICIe3o1WVfXJ9iKp3AW-hTZlsIcqy46nBud3FnCO5gviUzZ3it3OmF8kHk_dwOqvPBGr9hg_3M1fY8geTXEahRoVIFbSA4yApSNXkfRpbsLfP3tBXzCZRb0xDTqw9NR3KQ/w145-h200/220px-Bill_Nelson.jpg" width="145" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.86px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><br />President Biden is nominating former Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) to be the NASA Administrator. The Deputy Administrator is expected to be retired NASA astronaut Colonel Pamela Melroy. <br /><br />This is qualified good news for America's space program. Senator Nelson was a strong supporter of the space program during his service in the House and Senate. He opposed President Obama's cancellation of the return to the Moon and flew on space shuttle Columbia in the 1986 STS-61-C mission while serving in the House of Representatives.<br /><br />Col. Melroy is a retired Air Force test pilot and former NASA astronaut who flew three missions in space: as space shuttle pilot during STS-92 in 2000 and STS-112 in 2002, and as Space Shuttle Commander during STS-120 in 2007. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkaE3d82t4sphNQJXtz9et0N07ZMy83FDzdxbqyopdOZjdPk9tULv_yxejJ-XnU8PJB_n7wWDmhNV4XcwJAg5uU3Wfc8e-R_wb0BoZgWyWv0dcNPyc70QoBvNoHszbu2xPEOaiN0P_aSk/s400/800px-Pamela_Melroy+%2528Mobile%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="320" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkaE3d82t4sphNQJXtz9et0N07ZMy83FDzdxbqyopdOZjdPk9tULv_yxejJ-XnU8PJB_n7wWDmhNV4XcwJAg5uU3Wfc8e-R_wb0BoZgWyWv0dcNPyc70QoBvNoHszbu2xPEOaiN0P_aSk/w160-h200/800px-Pamela_Melroy+%2528Mobile%2529.jpg" width="160" /></a></div>Nelson's nomination is expected to pass in the Senate near-unanimously, and Save Manned Space endorses both.<br /><br />The two may be the ideal leadership team to continue our journeys to the Moon and Mars. If the reverse happens, it would not be their decision or goals, but a return of similar presidential orders as those that cancelled the return to the Moon in 2010.<div><br /></div><div>President Obama's NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and Deputy Lori Garver carried out orders to kill the return to the Moon, handing China a 10-15-year head-start which they are exploiting with the stated intention to claim areas of the Moon and Mars as their own. </div><div><br /></div><div>Another U.S. delay or cancellation seals the deal for China, and would see SpaceX and others unable to operate freely in space. We hope that Nelson and Melroy will be given orders to continue or accelerate Artemis, not delay it until after China denies us access.<br /><br />Today the future of NASA is in great doubt, worrying space advocates, industry, our international partners, and every American who wants to see the triumphant return to the Moon--and eagerly followed by China's regime. <br /><br />NASA has already announced the cancellation of the 2024 goal for Artemis without naming a new target date.<br /><br />Without a date, we will never get there. Had President John F. Kennedy not set the famous "in this decade" target, we may never have reached the Moon at all--bureaucracy, cost overruns and diminishing public support would have delayed Apollo forever, and a decade or two later, the Soviet Union could have beaten us to the Moon.<br /><br />Save Manned Space wishes Godspeed and full support for Sen. Nelson and Col. Melroy to keep Artemis on target for 2024 or 2025, and counsels that later dates--or worse, no date--only encourages China's worst instincts to claim the strategic ice-bearing craters on the lunar south pole, as in the South China Sea. <br /><br />The first task for Nelson and Melroy--and a serious test--will be to prepare a budget with sufficiently additional funding for Artemis to build the lander and accelerate, not slow the program. President Biden's legacy should include getting Americans back to the Moon and on the road to Mars, not to emulate President Obama's legacy of cancellations and wasting almost a decade's progress in crewed space exploration.<br /><br />We literally could be on the Moon today and preparing for a Mars landing but for Obama's unwise decision to kill the lunar program.<br /><br />Another test will be to resist the 'China lobby's' suddenly-ramped-up campaign to drop the vital restrictions on cooperating and sharing space technology with China. We must work with the free world and commercial space to explore space and protect access to space, the Moon and Mars, not empower China to use our highest technologies for military purposes and to deny free-world and commercial access to space.<br /><br />Yet another test will be to avoid repeating the many terrible policies of the Obama administration, including robbing funding for crewed space exploration and turning the agency into more of a left-wing ideological advocacy agency.<br /><br />Sen. Nelson and Col. Melroy have the amazing opportunity to continue and advance the American space renaissance that can see Americans returning to the Moon, building a permanent research base, and then leading the way to Mars. All that's needed is to keep following the successes of Jim Bridenstine's leadership and, by asking for modest budget increases, meet the 2024 or 2025 timeframe. <br /><br />Let's together unify Americans on a breathtaking return to the Moon, and by our presence, keep true "we came in peace for all mankind." Then with lessons learned, venture to Mars! <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Os9AaZCwEzgcULiY9eRb5NSzacyXcE36mwwjK0fIaPSHzOzNsJl89Yct-AP7Hi_g94_p41eSKLgADkvZdm3QenHS90p2P9Uzdnm-MyqOGaHSRMItkW80lyCtA2yPsYnINGeWTdIXT7c/s396/MSFC-75-SA-4105-2C+%2528Mobile%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="396" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Os9AaZCwEzgcULiY9eRb5NSzacyXcE36mwwjK0fIaPSHzOzNsJl89Yct-AP7Hi_g94_p41eSKLgADkvZdm3QenHS90p2P9Uzdnm-MyqOGaHSRMItkW80lyCtA2yPsYnINGeWTdIXT7c/w200-h162/MSFC-75-SA-4105-2C+%2528Mobile%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.86px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.86px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </div></div>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-90368916568370338002021-01-29T10:21:00.021-05:002021-02-10T11:10:58.159-05:00Will Biden Keep or Kill the Return to the Moon? China Wins With Delays<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUTgwfZl7vsdTApoLtdpxYlqkVEdATiI_W74RTkTFa99wTtlvZza3OLeyb49c-TYcee8p8QVTELLelbKjnANhD250mTOXVUHgSEWWRRMVcy0dUy-bag2puRn3_HTFGOtDxYODlm038Eo/s1995/NASA+america_to_the_moon_2024_09-16-2019.bmp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1122" data-original-width="1995" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUTgwfZl7vsdTApoLtdpxYlqkVEdATiI_W74RTkTFa99wTtlvZza3OLeyb49c-TYcee8p8QVTELLelbKjnANhD250mTOXVUHgSEWWRRMVcy0dUy-bag2puRn3_HTFGOtDxYODlm038Eo/s320/NASA+america_to_the_moon_2024_09-16-2019.bmp" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>President Joe Biden has the opportunity to continue and accelerate progress on America's proud return to the Moon and beginning the journey to Mars. <br /><br />In fact, during his term, with just a few extra bucks and following the roadmap already prepared under President Trump and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, Biden could actually preside over the launch of the first woman and next man to set foot on the Moon. <br /><br />Or he could give in to the anti-science and anti-American leadership elements and delay perhaps forever our return--and then we would become mere spectators to China's triumphant landings and expected illegal territorial claims on the Moon. <br /><br />That is the choice, and the decisions made this year will decide the fate of American, free-world and commercial access to the Moon and beyond for decades to come. Those are factually the stakes. <br /><br />Since the president's election, space industries, policy experts and commercial ventures have been hoping for a positive signal from the new administration that they will not outright cancel America's return to the Moon, or not delay it so long that China can complete their anti-access strategy to achieve their intended dominance of space. <br /><br />This is not a trivial matter. The entire future exploration and habitation of the Moon depends upon free access to water-ice craters on the poles, free access to cis-lunar space, and the ability to establish landing sites, habitats and eventually colonies. <br /><br />China recognizes no sovereignty but their own, as evidenced by claiming and militarizing the South China Sea against 400 years of freedom of the seas and invading the sovereign territories of many nations. <br /><br />Don't get it? Consider this 2017 shot across the bow by Ye Peijian, the head of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program: “The universe is like the ocean, the moon is like the Diaoyu Islands and Mars is like Huangyan Island.” Diaoyu is the CCP's name for Japan’s sovereign Senkaku Islands, and Huangyan is actually Scarborough Shoal which belongs to the Philippines. <div><br /></div><div>You read that right, China is openly declaring they will claim and militarize the Moon, and deny open access to the free world and commercial ventures.<br /><br />China often obscures their intentions to lull the west to sleep, but here the Communist leadership was being honest and threatening, perhaps to bully the U.S. and free world into submission. America left a plaque on the Moon proclaiming, "we came in peace for all mankind," but China does not share in a desire for peace or for "all mankind."<br /><br />In our absence, China will make territorial claims on the Moon and eventually Mars. If we abandon and destroy the International Space Station--America's national presence in orbit, expect China to make good their threat to claim "vertical sovereignty" which means all space above Chinese territory--essentially all orbital space. <br /><br />A Chinese-dominated moon might allow foreigners and commercial ventures IF they obey rules similar to their WTO-violating rules to share their high technology, have a 51% Chinese partner, and never say a bad word about China's regime. That would end U.S. NASA and commercial leadership in space technology. <br /><br />Therefore, let's look at targets to watch during the next four years: <br /><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Read the president's budget request for NASA. If we see cuts to Artemis and the lunar lander, and shifting funds instead to yet more climate change studies, we will know returning to the Moon is being effectively cancelled by delaying it forever. This may be the first real clue to the administrations intentions. Rhetoric is meaningless or a diversion to not look at real actions by the administration.</li><li>If Artemis I, the un-crewed mission around the Moon, doesn't launch late this year or next year at the latest, that's a signal the return to the Moon is again on the cancellation or forever-delay list--and China wins.</li><li>If Artemis II, the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit in almost 50 years, is delayed beyond 2023 or 2024 at the latest, China wins.</li><li>If Artemis III, America's exciting return to the surface of the Moon is delayed beyond 2024 or 2025, China wins. </li></ol>For years, western media and many independent observers discounted and even ridiculed China's space program. They do not see--or do not wish to see the threat from Chinese dominance of space. <br /><br />But they ignored the evidence hiding in plain sight. China may have apparently moved slowly over the past decade, but they were building their infrastructure, building new generations of rockets and spacecraft--and we are now in the early stages of their Apollo-scale 'breakout' to dominate space in all realms. <br /><br />Witness:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>China has built a huge launch complex, Wenchang Launch Center on Hainan Island, which rivals the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral. It will even have a theme park and a "space city." This is where high-visibility launches will take place. </li><li>China's SLS/Starship-class rocket, the Long March-9, is under construction, and unlike SLS, has not been constrained by bureaucracy and politics. Similar progress continues on lunar landers and other elements for a crewed landing in the near future.</li><li>China has test-launched their new, indigenous, deep space (Orion-class) crewed spacecraft. This is what will carry their astronauts to the Moon, Mars and beyond.</li><li>China is building reusable rockets, looking like smaller clones of SpaceX's Falcon-9, and it is not hard to imagine they would already have stolen the plans for SpaceX's Starship. Imagine the advantages of being able to land hundreds of troops anywhere on Earth within an hour.</li><li>China is planning a similar spacecraft to NASA’s abandoned <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockwell_X-30">X-30 National Aerospace Plane</a>. The airplane/spacecraft would be able to takeoff and land on regular runways anywhere in the world, unlike SpaceX's Starship which is tethered to remote launch or landing stations. Aerospace planes will eventually become the standard for reusable spacecraft.</li><li>China has had five successful robotic missions to the Moon. The latest one, Chang'e 5, returned lunar soil samples to China, and the next is planned to return lunar ice from the south pole.</li><li>China will launch the first module of their permanent military-run space station this year, and perhaps have one or two crewed missions as well this year, followed by routine ISS-like missions. Whenever ISS may be decommissioned, China may have the only crewed national presence in orbit, and a military presence at that, which is a danger to all free-world nations and commercial ventures.</li><li>Long-term plans exist for orbital solar satellites that would beam megawatts and eventually gigawatts of power to China. Like everything China does with technology, there's always a military side. The same beam that could send a gigawatt of energy to receiving stations could instead be directed to destroy foreign cities or military assets, as well as foreign satellites. </li><li>Another plan is in development for a tremendous military radar array on the Moon that could map most military assets on Earth every 24 hours, compared to the small swatches captured from orbital spy satellites.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5I5aDoQYTsazaeVKCrUGQy8M7IEqeZPjtHjLGPwLT6hoVd3ohG85eATkGKlnYrzma1HeINNQWTwzH1yQ_kjX7kLl1WyKLkRSo6j4Fzd-JI48XO62uOmaTksWbwfpfp-sKDfi5lbWCjM/s448/China-Moon+Radar+black.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="244" data-original-width="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5I5aDoQYTsazaeVKCrUGQy8M7IEqeZPjtHjLGPwLT6hoVd3ohG85eATkGKlnYrzma1HeINNQWTwzH1yQ_kjX7kLl1WyKLkRSo6j4Fzd-JI48XO62uOmaTksWbwfpfp-sKDfi5lbWCjM/s320/China-Moon+Radar+black.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Chinese Lunar Military Radar Concept</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div>Unlike the U.S., Europe and other free nations, there are no budget constraints in China's military-led space program. None. It is not a civilian but a military program. <br /><br />China publicly claims that they will not attempt a crewed landing on the Moon before the late 2020s or early 2030s. This is typical Chinese strategic deception. When you look at the elements that are already coming together--spacecraft, launch facilities, rocket factories, robotic lunar landers, 2025 would be more realistic. In fact, China's lunar program revealed presentations that show landings in the 2025 timeframe. Here's one showing the start of a crewed lunar research base on the Moon in the 2025 timeframe.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXqoNIZcgOTYY2dKuhIC9yfpP271EnczXdrwLfSOILYgntxAqNDDNwcaqn17mseicyZFDuiDCsXT_6e2Nu3aJtQgxWqjC4r63TYzHx_68quro7ya4sBHHn32sto6zmys_z_NoMPwxyY0/s2000/Chinese+moon+not+lop-g.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1241" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXqoNIZcgOTYY2dKuhIC9yfpP271EnczXdrwLfSOILYgntxAqNDDNwcaqn17mseicyZFDuiDCsXT_6e2Nu3aJtQgxWqjC4r63TYzHx_68quro7ya4sBHHn32sto6zmys_z_NoMPwxyY0/s320/Chinese+moon+not+lop-g.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><i>Chinese Lunar Timeline</i></div><br />America's future in space can be wonderful and help propel our economy, jobs and technology to new heights. If decisions made by President Biden this year don't abandon existing progress and cede the high frontier to China.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-IallW0yGjm87yUOVS97Dyh3yXyqSOBG2E2NB_oUMGcnZYiHVkE-uiIcLkAktTWgS4IA1eTQJxwVkb05K9bUI4ekoyENcFmB2y8NM61GDps7GcCEGo7Qu0XfA_KVRhrJSLck9VcgW-Q/s1600/Moon+launches+2024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-IallW0yGjm87yUOVS97Dyh3yXyqSOBG2E2NB_oUMGcnZYiHVkE-uiIcLkAktTWgS4IA1eTQJxwVkb05K9bUI4ekoyENcFmB2y8NM61GDps7GcCEGo7Qu0XfA_KVRhrJSLck9VcgW-Q/s320/Moon+launches+2024.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><i>Artemis Missions to the Moon</i></div><b><br />What should you do to help retain American and commercial leadership in space?</b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Contact your members of Congress in support of full funding and keeping Artemis on schedule for landing Americans in 2024—and to help block China’s territorial claims on the Moon. </li><li>Contact the White House with the same message. </li><li>Write op-eds and letters to the editor as well as call talk shows in support as well. </li><li>Share this on social media and promote the message to the space community and industries.</li></ul></div><div><p></p><p></p></div>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083706602281001908.post-80313462350902111272020-12-09T22:12:00.001-05:002020-12-09T22:23:23.682-05:00Congratulations to SpaceX for Starship Successes!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6c0gdwuACJjZTHa00AyAdlP8rpB2pcOvmAuUci2BABcwwtW78bdKiZCtYwbgognuvOQ4ehw8SfQmWnzb02x2zizF_TPIXtZvVnmN-xKxHnu9wIoAsIqcIyRu6xwriCrUaCju5MZL-J0/s868/starship-cruise.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="868" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6c0gdwuACJjZTHa00AyAdlP8rpB2pcOvmAuUci2BABcwwtW78bdKiZCtYwbgognuvOQ4ehw8SfQmWnzb02x2zizF_TPIXtZvVnmN-xKxHnu9wIoAsIqcIyRu6xwriCrUaCju5MZL-J0/s320/starship-cruise.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Today was a spectacular and historic demonstration of technologies never before demonstrated. <br /></div><div><br /></div>SpaceX's Starship SN8 launched perfectly, got to altitude powered by three Raptor engines perfectly, shut down the engines one at a time perfectly, pitched horizontally perfectly, flew with fins steering it perfectly--amazing, fired up its engines perfectly, pivoted back to vertical perfectly, and descended perfectly. It crashed on landing due to low pressure in a propellant tank, but that can be fixed for future tests.<div><br /></div><div><div>The media predictably focused on the crash landing, but they only like to report bad news and make everything sound worse than it is. The successes--ahhh, that's the story!</div><div><br /></div><div>The engineers will be delighted with the data from the test, and Starship SN9 will get many improvements as a result, including to propellant pressurization systems. Future tests will take Starship to orbit and eventually to the Moon and Mars. </div><div><br /></div><div>SpaceX already has a development contract with NASA for demonstrating Starship's ability to land American astronauts on the Moon. Today's test is an important step towards that goal, as well as a milestone on the road to taking humans to Mars.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>Bravo to the SpaceX team and Elon Musk for a successful test of so many systems, and here's hoping the next one is 100% perfect. #WhyWeTest</div></div></div>About Save Manned Space!http://www.blogger.com/profile/09477726924912971096noreply@blogger.com0