Monthly Dose of Space - July 2024
Welcome to our tenth Monthly Dose of Space! In this monthly newsletter, we bring you major news from the past month we haven't covered in our weekly newsletters. July has been less busy on the launch front, but the space industry has kept up speed anyway, so let's jump into it!
SpaceX
Work at Starbase began on July 1st with the rollout of Ship 31 to the Massey’s test site. This followed inspection and repairs after a small fire a few weeks prior. On the same day, hardware installations on tower sections for the second orbital launch tower were spotted, including plumbing for fueling Starship and electrical lines. Teams were also seen repairing the ship quick disconnect arm's supports and continuing work on the base of the second orbital launch tower.
In the early hours of July 3rd, the first tower segment for the second launch tower was moved next to the base of the tower. Ship 31 underwent two cryo-proofing tests at Massey’s on the same day and, having presumably passed these tests, returned to the production site on July 6th.
On July 9th, Booster 12 was rolled out from the production site to the launch site and lifted onto the orbital launch mount in preparation for testing. Two days later, on July 11th, Booster 12 conducted a tanking test on the orbital launch mount, leaving frost on the exterior. Additionally, the first module of the second launch tower was installed on the base of the tower that day.
On July 12th, Booster 12 was loaded with small amounts of liquid methane and liquid oxygen for a spin prime test of its thirty-three engines. The second module for the second launch tower arrived at the launch site, with preparations for its installation beginning on July 13th.
Testing culminated on July 15th when Booster 12 began propellant loading. The oxygen tank was almost completely filled, and the methane tank was partially filled. Booster 12 then lit all thirty-three of its engines for a full-duration static fire test, according to SpaceX.
The following morning, the second module of the second launch tower was lifted and attached. Later, Booster 12 was removed from the orbital launch mount, placed on a transport stand, and moved back to the production site.
In the early hours of July 17th, the third module for the second launch tower was rolled out to the launch site. This module was attached to the crane overnight and lifted onto the tower on July 18th. On July 19th, an unknown test tank left the production site for Massey’s test site. SpaceX has not disclosed the specifics of these test articles. Also, on July 19th, some scaffolding around Ship 30 was removed, suggesting that work on replacing its thermal protection tiles was nearly complete.
On July 21st, Ship 30 was rolled out from the production site to Massey’s test site ahead of a planned static fire in the coming days. Early the next morning, the fourth module of the second launch tower was moved next to the tower in preparation for stacking.
On July 25th, the fourth tower module was lifted onto the second launch tower, bringing it to nearly half its potential height. The morning after the lift, the fifth tower module was rolled out and parked next to the second launch tower. On July 26th, Ship 30 performed a six-engine static fire at Massey’s test site, becoming the second static fire for the ship following the replacement of its thermal protection tiles and engines.
The 27th Ship 30 was rolled back from the Massey's test to the production site. In the early hours of the 28th, Ship 30 was moved into the 'rocket garden' at the production site, where it will be kept until further testing. Late on the 30th, the sixth module of the second launch tower was rolled out to the launch site, work on preparing to lift it began on the 31st.
News of the Month
July saw orbital debris being imaged, the U.S. Space Force acquiring more launches, and Rocket Lab preparing to ship spacecraft bound for Mars!
Artemis II core stage arrives at Kennedy Space Center
NASA's Space Launch System's core stage for the Artemis II mission arrived at the Kennedy Space Center on July 23rd. The core stage arrived at the Kennedy Space Center via the agency's Pegasus barge. After being unloaded from the barge, it was slowly moved into the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) over several hours, being driven around by two remotely controlled self-propelled modular transporters.
Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, the core stage will undergo additional hardware installation and inspection ahead of stacking for launch in September 2025. Stacking for the Artemis II mission will begin months ahead of launch with the two solid rocket boosters many segments, with the core stage being placed between them later.
Currently, Artemis II is expected to carry four astronauts, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, around the Moon. It will also be the closest humans have been to the Moon since Apollo 17, in 1972.
Astranis completes 200 million funding round
Astranis announced on July 24th that it had completed its Series D funding round, raising an additional 200 million United States Dollars for the company. To date, the company has raised 750 million United States Dollars.
This funding round was led by a16z Growth and Bam Elevate, with thirteen other firms contributing funding. With this new funding, Astranis hopes to produce four satellites this year, five next year, and an eventual increase of up to twenty-four.
Currently, Astranis has twelve satellites ordered, with ten expected to be launched before the end of 2025. Astranis' long-term goal is to launch one hundred of its 'MicroGEO' satellites by 2030, with its more capable Omega platforms development now fully funded.
Astroscale flies around orbital debris
Astroscale announced that its ADRAS-J, Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan, mission had completed its closest fly-around of orbital debris on July 30th. The fly-around was at a distance of 50 meters.
The ADRAS-J spacecraft was launched in February of 2024. with it approaching the upper-stage within a few kilometers in April. The first 'fixed-point' observations of the 'dead' H2 upper-stage took place in May, with a second in June. In late June, Astroscale verified the spacecraft's collision avoidance system with its first fly-around of the upper-stage
The closest fly-around of the upper-stage began on July 14th when the ADRAS-J spacecraft moved within 50 meters from the debris. July 15th and 16th would have the spacecraft perform two fly around to image the debris. These fly-arounds obtained the closest and highest fidelity images of another object in orbit from a spacecraft. (Military spacecraft may have produced higher quality images but these are not known to the public).
Rocket Lab nearing hand-off of Mars spacecraft
Rocket Lab announced on July 29th that it had completed integration and testing of the two spacecraft it is producing for NASA's ESCAPADE Mars mission. The two spacecraft, which Rocket Lab calls Blue and Gold, will orbit Mars for NASA's ESCAPADE, Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, mission.
Blue and Gold were designed, built, integrated, and tested at Rocket Lab’s Spacecraft Production Complex, located in California. These spacecraft were also based off of Rocket Lab's configurable and high-energy interplanetary Explorer spacecraft platform.
Peter Beck, Rocket Lab's Chief Executive Officer and founder, said the following about the two spacecraft for the ESCAPADE mission:
“Building one Mars spacecraft is an achievement, but building two and doing it on an accelerated timeline is testament to our team’s deep experience and our vertical integration strategy,” – “We are immensely proud to once again partner with NASA and support the UCB (University of California, Berkeley) team to deliver new and important science from Mars.”
Rocket Lab currently expects to ship the two spacecraft to Florida in August ahead of launch. Launch is planned for late 2024 onboard Blue Origin's New Glenn launch vehicle.
USSF to spend 1.8 billion on more launches
The United States Space Force has increased the value of its National Security Space Launch Phase 2 program by 1.8 billion United States Dollars to acquire fifteen more launches.
The increase in value will see SpaceX's contract value increase by 661 million and United Launch Alliance's contract value rise by 1.1 billion, for a new total for the contract of approximately 8.5 billion United States Dollars between the two. With the new launch acquisitions, United Launch Alliance is expected to launch roughly 54% of the mission and SpaceX will launch the remaining 46%, a change from the former 60/40 split supposedly linked to delays with Vulcan.
These new launch acquisitions are not expected to affect the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 program.
Launches of the Month
This month saw thirteen launches worldwide, if you want to know what each launch was we have them all listed below!
July 1st - H3 with ALOS-4
Beginning the July, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries launched Japan's third H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center carrying the ALOS-4, Advanced Land Observing Satellite-4, satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit. ALOS-4 will observe the Earth below using a phased array L-band synthetic aperture radar.
July 3rd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 8-9
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, carrying twenty Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B0173, flying for the sixteenth time, which landed downrange on the drone ship 'A Shortfall Of Gravitas'.
July 4th - Firefly Alpha for 'Noise of Summer'
Firefly Aerospace launched its Alpha rocket from Space Launch Complex 2W, in California, to a sun-synchronus orbit. Alpha carried eight satellites into orbit as part of NASA's ELaNa 43 program. For more about this mission click here.
July 4th - Long March 6A with Tianhui-5 Group 02
A Long March 6A, which had a stretched 4.2-meter diameter fairing, lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying two satellites to a sun-synchronous orbit as part of the second group of Tianhui-5 satellites. The two satellites are expected to be used for geographic mapping, land resources surveys, and scientific experiments.
July 9th - Falcon 9 with Türksat 6A
A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, in Flordia, carrying Türksat 6A to a geostationary transfer orbit. The booster supporting this mission was B1076 on its fifteenth flight and landing downrange on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions'.
July 9th - Ariane 6 for its maiden flight
Ariane 6 flew on its maiden mission carrying seventeen payloads into low Earth orbit from Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 4 (Ariane Launch Complex 4), in French Guiana. Sadly one of the second-stages auxiliary propulsion units failed, causing the stage to remain stranded in orbit with two of its payloads. Details on the payloads and failure can be found here.
July 11th - Hyperbola-1 with three Yunyao-1 satellites
i-Space attempted to start its launches for 2024 with the launch of its seventh Hyperbola-1 from Launch Area 95A at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, in northern China. However, Hyperbola-1 experienced an anomaly during its fourth-stage burn, leading to a loss of the vehicle and payloads.
July 12th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-3
SpaceX launched what looked to be a typical Starlink mission atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E in California, however the second-stage experienced an anomaly during its second burn. This anomaly would cause the twenty Starlink satellites to be released in a significantly lower orbit than planned, resulting in their eventual re-entry. The booster supporting this mission was B1063, on its nineteenth flight, which successfully landed on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' downrange. Details on the failure can be found here.
July 19th - Long March 4B with Gaofen 11-05
This week's only launch was a Long March 4B lifting off from Launch Complex 9 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 4B carried the Gaofen 11-05 satellite into a sun-synchronus orbit. Gaofen 11-05 will reportedly provide urban and road construction planning, land mapping, agricultural yield forecasting, and disaster prevention and mitigation services.
July 27th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-9
As part of a return to flight mission, SpaceX launched twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A, in Florida. The booster supporting this mission was B1069 making its seventeenth flight and successfully landing on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' downrange.
July 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-4
Another Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying twenty-three Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1077 on its fourteenth flight and landing successfully on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' downrange.
July 28th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 9-4
Twenty-one more Starlink satellites were delivered to low Earth orbit after a launch atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E. The booster for this mission was B1071 making its seventeenth launch and landing, with it landing downrange on the drone ship 'Of Couse I Still Love You' for this mission.
July 30th - Atlas V for USSF-51
United Launch Alliance launched an Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 for the USSF-51 mission. The payload onboard is unknown to the public due to its classified military nature.
Launches to look out for in August!
August looks to be another busy month with Falcon 9 back in action. Listed below are all of the launches expected or very likely to happen next month, launches on the 1st of August may have already occurred due to when this newsletter is published.
August 1st - Long March 3B/E with a to-be-announced payload
A Long March 3B/E is expected to launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying a currently unknown payload. The rocket is expected to deliver whatever payload is onboard to a geostationary transfer orbit.
August 2nd - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 10-6
SpaceX is expected to launch a Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A, in Flordia, carrying a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission is unknown but it is expected to land downrange on a drone ship.
August 3rd - Falcon 9 with Cygnus NG-21
SpaceX is expected to launch the twentieth Cygnus resupply mission to the International Space Station from Space Launch Complex 40, in Florida, atop of Falcon 9. Cygnus is expected to bring science experiments, equipment, and consumables to the crew aboard the station.
August 4th - Falcon 9 with Starlink Group 11-1
Another batch of Starlink satellites are expected to be delivered into low Earth orbit atop of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E, in California. The booster for this mission is also unknown but it will land downrange on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You'.
August 6th - Long March 6A with a to-be-announced payload
A Long March 6A is expected to launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carrying another currently unknown payload.
August 7th - SSLV for 'Flight 3'
India is expected to launch its third SSLV rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre carrying a currently unknown number of payloads. Two of the known payloads are IITMSAT and Space Rickshaw-0.
August 15th - Falcon 9 with Transporter 11
SpaceX may launch its eleventh Transporter dedicated rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E. Falcon 9 will carry dozens of small satellites to a sun-synchronous orbit.
August 15th - Soyuz 2.1a with Progress MS-28
A Progress resupply spacecraft is expected to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome and head to the International Space Station. The Progress spacecraft will be carried into low Earth orbit by a Soyuz 2.1a.
August 18th - Falcon 9 with Crew-9
SpaceX is expected to begin its ninth operational crew mission for NASA by launching four astronauts to low Earth orbit aboard of a Crew Dragon spacecraft atop of a Falcon 9, lifting off from Launch Complex 39A. The astronauts of the Crew-9 mission are Zena Cardman (NASA), Nick Hague (NASA), Stephanie Wilson (NASA), and Aleksandr Gorbunov (Roscosmos).
