Main Engine Cut Off

The roadmap for SLS got a little murkier this week thanks to some additional details in the GAO report regarding its cost and schedule. SpaceX test fired a landed core three times in three days last week, paving the way for reuse of the CRS-8 core. GAO Report Indicates EM-2 Plans to Fly Crew - Main Engine Cut Off U.S. GAO - NASA Human Space Exploration: Opportunity Nears to Reassess Launch Vehicle...

Before Mars and exploration-centric talk, I talk about Orbital ATK’s agreement for exclusive use of LMP-103S . Then I take a hard look at the post-EM-1 roadmap for SLS , and theorize some potential uses for SpaceX’s giant Mars-bound rocket —lovingly referred to as the Big F…alcon… Rocket (BFR). Orbital ATK and ECAPS Sign Agreement for Exclusive Use of LMP-103S - Main Engine Cut Off Orbital ATK New...

SpaceX had a great night launching the CRS-9 mission, and it’s all good signs for their future. The Senate hearing, as I predicted, was focused on maintaining the status quo . US and Russian engineers and scientists have some ideas on the future of international space policy. Good Signs from SpaceX’s CRS-9 Success - Main Engine Cut Off Post-Launch Status of SpaceX Resupply Mission to the ISS - You...

Ted Cruz called a hearing on NASA’s space exploration policy in the next president’s administration. The president of France’s CNES discussed some policy statements , and I went on a rant about his thoughts on Ariane 6 and its competition. Cruz Calls Hearing on Future of Space Under New Administration - Main Engine Cut Off Cruz Calls Hearing on Future of Space Under New Administration - Press Rele...

SpaceX printed a public notice in Florida Today on July 3rd outlining plans for LZ-1 expansion . Sierra Nevada Corporation and the United Nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding future use of Dream Chaser by UN member countries. China solidified partnerships with The Netherlands and Poland , continuing the growth of the China-ESA relationship. Public Notice of SpaceX’s LZ-1 Expansio...

This week I talked to Logan Kamperschroer , a Graduate Research Assistant at the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University. Logan’s research focuses on hypergolic rocket fuels —specifically the push to move away from the toxic storable propellants (hydrazine and its derivatives) to “greener” alternatives. We talked about the current state of storable propellants, and where things...

The ExoMars 2020 rover received a funding boost and a reassessed schedule , the 2016 orbiter/lander set its sights on Mars , NASA and ESA coordinated a practice communication session , and China opens up to the international space community . European Space Agency still backing Mars rover project - BBC News Mars Express chats with Curiosity: Practice makes perfect | Mars Express ESA - Robotic Expl...

Masten Space Systems released a video of test flights of their two latest vehicles. Blue Origin was awarded a NASA Flight Opportunities contract , is planning the 4th flight of New Shepard , and began clearing land for their factory just outside Kennedy Space Center. Introducing Xodiac and XaeroB | Masten Space Systems Xeus | Masten Space Systems Lunar CATALYST | NASA NASA SBIR & STTR Program...

Some interesting tidbits emerged from interviews with Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk at Code Conference. And a hard look at the economics of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan . Jeff Bezos | Full interview | Code Conference 2016 Elon Musk | Full interview | Code Conference 2016 Vulcan Centaur and Vulcan ACES - United Launch Alliance ULA needs commercial customers to close Vulcan rocket business case – Spac...

Orbital ATK shared some more details about their next-generation launch vehicle, SpaceX is working out their certification process for reflown stages , and how these events affect the industry and other competitors in the near future. Details of Orbital ATK’s proposed heavy launcher revealed – Spaceflight Now SpaceX to brief underwriters on the road to Falcon 9 reusability - SpaceNews.com First St...

Orbital ATK and Lockheed Martin unveiled proposals for space stations around the Moon by 2020 , and Mars by 2028 . ExoMars 2016 completed a functionality analysis test ahead of its October arrival at Mars. China revealed plans for its third space station , and is set to launch a new rocket , with a new spacecraft, from a new launch site in June. Orbital ATK Advocates Cislunar Outpost as America's...

Boeing announced a 6 month delay in the schedule for their CST-100 crew vehicle. SpaceX’s Dragon 2 is in the lead to be the first Commercial Crew vehicle to fly. The most recently-returned Falcon 9 took a ton of damage on its way back to the drone ship and won’t fly again, but will provide a ton of data for SpaceX to use to make improvements to future Falcon 9 stages. Boeing delays first crewed CS...

SpaceX landed another Falcon 9 first stage on their drone ship—this time on a GTO launch, which is a major milestone on their way to full reusability and Falcon Heavy flights . Orbital ATK’s Antares launch vehicle is set for an early July return to flight , and they’re in the planning stages of a new heavy-launch vehicle . Falcon 9 launches with JCSAT-14 – lands another stage | NASASpaceFlight.com...

SpaceX officially announced their first Red Dragon mission to Mars , which will pave the way for future missions. They also posted new performance metrics for Falcon 9 and Heavy, which position the launch vehicles very differently in the market. And a brief discussion of the potential political fallout over the OA-6 launch anomaly . By the Numbers: How close Atlas V came to Failure in this Week’s...

An analysis of NASA’s human spaceflight programs, Orion and the Space Launch System . How we got here, where we’re going, and how things could shake out with an eventful November in US politics coming up. Space Launch System Orion Space Station Freedom Vision for Space Exploration Constellation Program Ares I-X KSC meeting portrays SLS as scrambling for a manifest plan NASA facilities, teams ramp...

An analysis of the intricate dance between United Launch Alliance , SpaceX , and Blue Origin as we enter the next era of spaceflight. Launch Mega-Session at the 32nd Annual Space Symposium (Photo) ULA and SpaceX see the future of space launching very differently By the Numbers: How close Atlas V came to Failure in this Week’s Cygnus Launch Lockheed-Boeing rocket venture needs commercial orders to...