Short Takes – 7-15-24 – Space Geek Edition

SpaceX Rocket Fails in Orbit. NYTimes.com article (free). Pull quote: “But on Friday, SpaceX provided an update on its website that the second stage had experienced a liquid oxygen leak and was unable to complete a second, short engine burn needed to put 20 Starlink satellites in the correct orbit.”

NASA Mission to Europa Imperiled by Chips Aboard Spacecraft. NYTimes.com article. Pull quote: “Because it is expected that Europa Clipper would take more than five years to reach Jupiter after an October launch, engineers at the Jet Propulsion Lab would have time to find ways to salvage some of the mission’s science, likely through different trajectories that avoid the worst of the region’s radiation, among other strategies. But the data they return in that scenario may fall short of what scientists sought.”

This desert moss has the potential to grow on Mars. ScienceDaily.com article. Pull quote: “Finally, the researchers tested the moss's ability to endure Mars-like conditions using the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Planetary Atmospheres Simulation Facility. The simulator's Martian conditions included air composed of 95% CO2, temperatures that fluctuated from −60°C to 20°C, high levels of UV radiation, and low atmospheric pressure. Dried moss plants achieved a 100% regeneration rate within 30 days after being subjected to the Martian conditions for 1, 2, 3, and 7 days. Hydrated plants, which were only subjected to the simulator for one day, also survived, though they regenerated more slowly than their desiccated counterparts.”

China’s Long March 6A rocket appears to have an orbital debris problem. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “S2a systems, a Swiss company which develops and operates customized systems for optical space surveillance worldwide, detected a series of objects surrounding the Long March 6A upper stage.”

Stranded starliner spacecraft’s thrusters have been overheating, NASA admits. Futurism.com article. Pull quote: “Starliner's four thrusters are, as Ars explains, situated around the circumference of the rocket in propulsion pods that agency officials refer to as "doghouses." Due to a design flaw that appears to have been discovered during those tests, the doghouses result in a thermos-like insulation that keeps heat in, which in turn causes them to overheat.”