SCHOOL SSTV CUBESAT TO DEPLOY FROM ISS - A Slow Scan TV (SSTV) CubeSat developed by students at Saint Thomas More Cathedral School (STM) in Arlington, VA, is set to be deployed from the International Space Station between 1400 and 1500 UT on May 16. For latest date/time check here. STM student using amateur radio station STM student using amateur radio station STM is thought to be the first Elementary school to build their own satellite, even Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and First Grade students were involved in the project. The satellite, a 1U CubeSat called STMSat-1, will transmit a SSTV Robot36 mode signal on 437.800 MHz.   More
(Source: AMSAT-UK - May 11)

SPACEX MAIDEN FALCON HEAVY LAUNCH MAY CARRY SATELLITE IN NOVEMBER - Move over Arianespace and United Launch Alliance. SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket is set for its maiden launch this November. The long-awaited Falcon Heavy should be able to outperform both the Ariane 5 and the ULA Delta-4 Heavy, at least in some respects. The payload for the maiden voyage is uncertain so far. According to Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX’s President and CEO, a number of companies have expressed interest in being on the first flight. Shotwell has also said that it might make more sense for SpaceX to completely own their first flight, without the pressure to keep a client happy. But a satellite payload for the first launch hasn’t been ruled out.   More
(Source: Universe Today - May 10)

MESSAGE FROM SPACE: ISS CREW CONGRATULATES EARTHLINGS WITH VICTORY DAY - Members of the ISS expedition 47 – Oleg Skripochka, Alexei Ovchinin and Yuri Malenchenko have recorded a video address from the space station which was later posted on the Russian space agency Roscosmos’ official Facebook page. They also added that "working in space and living a peaceful life; scientific research, dreams and achievements – all of it is only possible in a world without war."    More
(Source: Sputnik International - May 10)

CHINA DEPLOYS NEW GENERATION ROCKET FOR SPACE MISSIONS - China is deploying a newly-built medium-sized rocket to take heavy payloads - of up to 13.5 tonnes - to its space missions especially the space station currently under construction. It has taken researchers eight years to develop the new-generation Long March-7 rocket, which can carry up to 13.5 tonnes to low Earth orbit, Li Hong, director of the Carrier Rocket Technology Research Institute with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, said.    More
(Source: Economic Times - May 9)

COMING SOON: SWARMS OF SPACE ROBOTS - In Earth orbit, a group of shoebox-size spacecraft swarms around the hull of a communication satellite, checking for damage. Further out in the solar system, a flock of glittering reflective spheres, each no bigger than a postage stamp, sweeps past an asteroid, measuring the pull of its gravity. A rain of wafer-thin circuit boards flutters down through the atmosphere of Titan, taking measurements as they fall. Precursors of these future space “swarm” missions are scheduled to begin flying this year. They’ll test basic functions like networking and communication; some will fly just to prove that extremely small, simple satellites can actually work in space.    More
(Source: Air & Space Magazine - May 7)

SPACEX LAUNCHES JAPANESE COMMUNICATIONS STATION - A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket roared to life and shot away from Cape Canaveral early Friday, lighting up the night sky with a streak of fiery exhaust as it boosted a powerful Japanese communications satellite into space. Chalking up a double success, the JCSAT-14 relay station was delivered to the intended preliminary orbit -- the primary goal of the mission -- and the rocket's first stage carried out a controlled landing on an offshore barge, or "droneship," the second such successful landing in a row.   More
(Source: CBS News - May 7)

NASA TV TO BROADCAST DRAGON DEPARTURE FROM INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION - After delivering almost 7,000 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station, including the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft is set to leave the orbital laboratory with valuable science research and return to Earth on Wednesday, May 11. NASA Television will provide live coverage of Dragon's departure beginning at 9 a.m. EDT. The Dragon spacecraft, which arrived at the station April 10, will be detached from the Earth-facing side of the station's Harmony module using the Canadarm2 robotic arm, operated by ground controllers at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Robotics controllers will maneuver Dragon into place and Expedition 47 robotic arm operator Tim Peake of ESA (European Space Agency) will execute the command for its 9:18 a.m. release.   More
(Source: PR Newswire - May 7)

ALIENS ATTACK! SPACE STATION ASTRONAUTS FIGHT VR INVASION WITH HOLOLENS - Pew, pew! While testing out a virtual reality system on the International Space Station, two humans suddenly found themselves in a battle against aliens. Luckily, the contest was all digital, with the astronauts moving around in microgravity to dodge "missiles" being fired at them. A short video from the European Space Agency (ESA) shows an epic contest between NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, now just returned from a one-year mission in space, and ESA astronaut Tim Peake. Kelly raised his arms at the end — perhaps he was the victor?   More
(Source: Space.com - May 6)

SPACEX SUCCESSFULLY LANDS ITS FALCON 9 ROCKET ON A FLOATING DRONE SHIP AGAIN - SpaceX successfully landed its Falcon 9 rocket on a drone ship at sea after launching it into space early Friday morning. It's the third time the company has recovered the vehicle post-launch, and the second time the rocket has landed intact on the ship. Now, SpaceX has both demonstrated that it can land the Falcon 9 at sea, and that the company can repeat the process. The logistics for this mission made sticking the landing unlikely, SpaceX said on Monday, but CEO Elon Musk upgraded the chances to "maybe even" just before launch.    More
(Source: The Verge - May 6)

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