Short Takes – 9-12-24 – Space Geek Edition

Polaris Dawn Flight Day 2 Update. @PolarisProgram X.com post. Pull quote: “After completing six orbits of Earth at this altitude [1,400 km], Dragon performed a series of descent burns to reach an orbit of ~190 x 700 km for Thursday’s spacewalk while simultaneously continuing to safely lower its interior’s pressure, bringing the cabin environment closer to conditions required for the EVA. The crew also spent a few hours demonstrating the suit’s pressurized mobility, verifying positions and accessibility in microgravity along with preparing the cabin for the EVA.”

First Private Spacewalk in SpaceX Capsule Achieves New Milestone. NYTimes.com article. Pull quote: “The Polaris Dawn crew’s cautious approach was a reminder that space is an inherently inhospitable and dangerous environment, and during spacewalks astronauts are enclosed in a small bubble of air — their spacesuits — that keep them from suffocating in the vacuum of space.”

Odds of asteroid 99942 Apophis striking Earth slightly higher than thought. Phys.org article. Pull quote: “For this new study, Wiegert considered the possibility of a smaller object striking Apophis and changing its course slightly. What were the odds, he wondered, of such a strike putting Apophis on a collision course with Earth?”

Starliner stranding: commercial space partnerships and international law. TheSpaceReview.com article. Pull quote: “The legal and policy implications of the Williams-Wilmore dilemma extend beyond the immediate concern of their return to Earth. This case sets a precedent for how similar situations may be handled in the future, particularly as commercial space activities continue to expand. It underscores the need for clearer international guidelines on extended astronaut stays and the responsibilities of various actors—states, international organizations, and private companies—in ensuring astronaut safety and timely return. Furthermore, the Starliner problem highlights the importance of developing more comprehensive legal frameworks for commercial space activities. As private companies play an increasingly outsized role in space exploration, there is a growing need for legal clarity on issues such as liability, rescue operations, and the intersection of commercial contracts with international obligations.”

China’s secretive reusable spaceplane lands after 267 days in orbit. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “The system’s development fits into a broader trend of China pushing to increase its access to space and developing reusable solutions for spaceflight. The amount of time between landing and the next launch of the vehicle could provide some insight into progress on reusability.”

FAA Wants to Force a Two Month Delay for Starship Orbital Flight 5. NextBigFuture.com article. Pull quote: “SpaceX recently received a launch license date estimate of late November from the FAA, the government agency responsible for licensing Starship flight tests. This is a more than two-month delay to the previously communicated date of mid-September. This delay was not based on a new safety concern, but instead driven by superfluous environmental analysis. The four open environmental issues are illustrative of the difficulties launch companies face in the current regulatory environment for launch and reentry licensing.”