Short Takes – 7-6-24 – Space Geek Edition

Powerful Ariane 6 rocket poised to restore Europe’s access to space. Nature.com article. Pull quote: “Ariane 6 has already been booked for around 30 launches, including for commercial customers, and ESA’s Planetary Transits and Oscillations of Stars (PLATO) mission, expected to lift off in 2026. But on 28 June, the European organization EUMETSAT cancelled its contract to launch a weather satellite on Ariane 6 next year — announcing that it had hired SpaceX Falcon 9 instead. This is an ominous sign, Forczyk says. Ariane 6 could eventually gain customers’ trust the same way that Ariane 5 did, “but at this point, it doesn’t have that predictability”.”

China fortifies Tiangong space station after Russian satellite explosion. SCMP.com article. A bit of click-bait headline. The ‘new protective devices’ were almost certainly planned before Russian satellite problem. Pull quote: ““The spacewalk primarily focused on installing protective devices on external cables and pipelines to mitigate risks posed by potential space debris collisions, enhancing the long-term safety and stability of the space station,” said Liu Ming, of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV.”

SpaceX targeting July 31 for launch of historic Polaris Dawn astronaut mission.  Pull quote: “"The additional time continues to provide necessary developmental time to ensure both the completion of these mission goals and a safe launch and return of Dragon and the crew," the Polaris Program said via X at the time.”

Orion Spacecraft to Take a Test Spin in the Vacuum of Space Without Leaving Earth. SciTechDaily.com article. Pull quote: “A 30-ton crane returned Orion to the recently renovated altitude chamber where it underwent electromagnetic testing. The spacecraft will now undergo a series of vacuum chamber qualification tests. The testing will subject the spacecraft to a near-vacuum environment by removing air, thus creating a space where the pressure is extremely low. This results in no atmosphere, similar to the one the spacecraft will experience during future lunar missions.:’’

Foust Forward: Who’s afraid of the big bad Starship? SpaceNews.com article. Europe underestimating SpaceX again. Pull quote: “Another argument is that Starship is optimized for missions to low Earth orbit, with refueling likely required to send large payloads to higher orbits. “Starship is really good to get a large mass to LEO,” said Clint Hunt, director of intelligence and defense programs at ULA, at the panel. “If you want to go do direct inject to GEO, there may be a better option for you than Starship.””