The Artemis 2 SLS rocket that will launch the next astronauts around the moon is all put together inside NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building. SPACE reports, “Integrity, the Orion spacecraft that will fly NASA’s Artemis 2 crew around the moon as early as February 2026, was recently transported across NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) and hoisted atop SLS, completing the rocket’s assembly ahead of launch.”
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Tag: Prepares
Space Ops: Blue Origin Prepares to Leapfrog SpaceX to the Moon
Aviation Week reports, “Blue Origin plans to attempt a lunar landing this year. If successful, the MK1, which is 26 ft. tall and 10 ft. in diameter, would become the largest vehicle to touch down on the surface of the Moon, eclipsing the Apollo program’s Lunar Modules (LM) that landed crews six times in 1969-72. Fully fueled, the MK1 weighs 47,000 lb., compared with the 36,200-lb. mass of the extended Apollo LM.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Japan’s Resilience Lander Set for Lunar Flyby
SPACE reports, “The second lunar lander from Japanese space exploration company ispace is ready for a flyby of the moon as part of its elongated moon landing journey. ispace’s Resilience lander launched on Jan. 15 atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, along with Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander. It is taking an energy-efficient, circuitous route to the moon, and only last week performed a crucial maneuver to raise its orbit and set up the lunar flyby.”
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Boom Prepares XB-1 Demonstrator for Maiden Supersonic Flight
Aviation24.be reports, “The world is on the verge of witnessing a historic moment in aviation. Boom Supersonic, the company pioneering the return of commercial supersonic travel, is preparing for the maiden supersonic flight of its XB-1 demonstrator. After a rigorous program of 11 successful test flights at increasing speeds, XB-1 is poised to break the sound barrier. This groundbreaking event will be livestreamed globally, allowing the public to witness this pivotal moment in aviation history. The livestream is scheduled for January 28, 2025, at 06:45 PST/09:45 EST/14:45 GMT.”
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ULA Preparing Vulcan Rocket for First National Security Mission
Spaceflight Now reports, “Less than a month after the second of two planned certification launches, United Launch Alliance is getting a Vulcan rocket ready for its first national security mission: United States Space Force 106 (USSF-106). On Monday, ULA shared photos of the 109.2-foot-long (33.3 m) booster being hoisted into the Vertical Integration Facility to begin the stacking process. In the days and possibly weeks to come, the 38.5-foot-long (11.7 m) Centaur 5 upper stage will be added along with four solid rocket boosters and the payload fairings.”
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Sierra Space Prepares Dream Chaser for Pre-launch Trek to KSC
Spaceflight Now reports, “Sierra Space is getting one step closer to finally seeing its Dream Chaser spaceplane reach the launch pad. The spacecraft completed its environmental testing at NASA’s Armstrong Test Facility last week … Sierra Space is now preparing to load up Dream Chaser and Shooting Star for shipment down to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Once it arrives, teams will finish adding the thermal protection tiles and perform additional checkouts, like acoustic testing.”
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Intuitive Machines’ Moon Lander Lying on Its Side but Still Functional
The New York Times reports “The Odysseus spacecraft was drifting horizontally as it set down, and a landing strut may have hit an obstacle on the surface….
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Intuitive Machines’ Lunar Lander Enters Moon’s Orbit Ahead of Landing Attempt
The Washington Post reports, “The Odysseus spacecraft, developed by Intuitive Machines, is vying to become the first U.S. vehicle to land on the moon in more than 50 years. The spacecraft, developed by Intuitive Machines, was in ‘excellent health,’ the … company said, circling the moon at an altitude of about 57 miles, as it made its preparations to land on the moon Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time.”
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Watch Live via NASA TV
5 p.m. — Coverage of Intuitive Machines-1 lunar landing. Landing scheduled for 6:24 p.m
NASA Live: Official Stream of NASA TV
Intuitive Machines’ Lunar Lander ‘Odysseus’ to Land on the Moon Thursday
Flying Magazine reports that Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C robotic lunar lander “Odysseus” is on track to execute the first U.S. moon landing in more than 50 years on Thursday. The lander is expected to touch down on the moon Thursday at 5:49 p.m. EST. The article describes what to expect.
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Watch Live via NASA TV
5 p.m. — Coverage of Intuitive Machines-1 lunar landing. Landing scheduled for 6:24 p.m
NASA Live: Official Stream of NASA TV
ULA’s Vulcan Centaur Rocket Set to Launch on January 8
Gizmodo reports United Launch Alliance’s “202-foot-tall (61.6-meter) Vulcan Centaur rocket is set to launch from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral” on Monday, January 8. According to Gizmodo, this is a “huge deal, as it marks the debut of ULA’s first new rocket design in 18 years. While the (mostly) expendable Vulcan Centaur may not be revolutionary from a technological perspective, it represents a significant evolutionary step for ULA.”
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