EXPLODING SATELLITE DEBRIS POSES "GRAVITY" STYLE SPACE THREAT - Spacecraft are at risk from dangerous debris which is currently hurtling around Earth at enormous speed following the explosion of a US satellite, scientists have warned. The crisis echoes the plot of Hollywood science fiction blockbuster Gravity, in which Sandra Bullock and George Clooney were left stranded when fast-moving space junk collides with the Hubble Telescope during a repair mission. Now scientists at the University of Southampton claim that other missions, spacecraft and satellites are at risk from 50,000 pieces of debris which are no bigger than the ball of a ball-point pen.    More
(Source: Telegraph.co.uk - May 8)

NASA GIVES MORE INFORMATION ON ITS EXPERIMENT ABOARD THE X-37B - In addition to carrying an Air Force electric propulsion thruster test, a materials research investigation sponsored by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center will be flying aboard the X-37B miniature spaceplane later this month. Liftoff is targeted for May 20 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Pentagon officials recently disclosed that the two experiments are flying aboard this fourth Orbital Test Vehicle mission, and now NASA has provided a bit more detail on its investigation that will ride up and down on the reusable X-37B.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - May 8)

DOOMED RUSSIAN SPACECRAFT IS FALLING FROM SPACE, BUT WHERE WILL IT FALL? - Round and round it goes, but exactly where a failed Russian space cargo ship will fall to Earth on this week is a guessing game. On April 28, Russia's uncrewed Progress 59 supply ship streaked into orbit atop a Soyuz launcher, intended to dock with the International Space Station. But shortly after liftoff, the vessel experienced technical difficulties. Subsequently, a Russian mission control team could not command the cargo vessel packed with nearly 3 tons of supplies. Current forecasts predict that the Progress should fall to Earth in an uncontrolled, destructive nose-dive on Thursday (May 8) between 3:11 a.m. and 5:26 a.m. EDT (0711-0826 GMT). Some media reports from Russia are citing a Friday re-entry target. A more refined re-entry date and time will become available, according to experts tracking the spacecraft.   More
(Source: Space.com - May 6)

N. KOREA'S KIM VOWS MORE SATELLITE LAUNCHES - North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un vowed to launch more "satellites" in order to become a space power, state media said Sunday, despite global condemnation on past launches, dubbed disguised ballistic missile tests. Kim, during a visit to the North's newly-built satellite command center, urged scientists to work harder to "further glorify the (North) as a space power," state-run KCNA said. "The status of the (North) as a satellite producer-launcher remains unchanged though the hostile forces deny it and its space development can never be abandoned, no matter who may oppose," Kim was quoted as saying.   More
(Source: DefenseNews.com - May 4)

SPACEX TARGETS MAY 6 FOR PAD ABORT TEST OF NEW CREW SPACECRAFT - SpaceX now is targeting Wednesday, May 6, for a pad abort test of its Crew Dragon, a spacecraft under final development and certification through NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP). The test window will open at 7 a.m. EDT. NASA Television will provide live coverage of the test, which will simulate an emergency abort from a test stand on Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida.   More
(Source: NASA - May 4)

TELENOR SATELLITE BEGINS POST-LAUNCH MANEUVERS ACCORDING TO PLAN - Space Systems/Loral reports that a satellite designed and built for Telenor Satellite Broadcasting (TSBc), was successfully launched and is performing post-launch maneuvers according to plan. The satellite, THOR 7, deployed its solar arrays on schedule following its launch aboard an Ariane 5 launch vehicle from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. It began firing its main thruster earlier this week in order to propel it toward its final geosynchronous orbit.   More
(Source: Space Daily - May 2)

INDIA TO LAUNCH 6 MORE SATELLITES BY NEXT YEAR END - India will launch six more satellites during 2015-16 of which two would be communication satellites, three navigation satellites and one space science satellite ASTROSAT, parliament was told on Thursday. In a written reply, Jitendra Singh, minister of state in the prime minister's office, told the Rajya Sabha: "Six more satellites are planned to be launched during 2015-16. These are two communication satellites GSAT-6 and GSAT-15; three navigation satellites IRNSS-1E, IRNSS-1F & IRNSS-1G; and one space science satellite ASTROSAT."   More
(Source: NDTV - May 1)

U.S. AIR FORCE PLANS TO LAUNCH 1990S-BUILT WEATHER SATELLITE - The U.S. Air Force on Wednesday said it plans to launch an aging weather satellite at an expected cost of hundreds of millions of dollars to prevent a gap in forecasting capability and provide another competitive launch opportunity for privately held Space Exploration Technologies Inc, or SpaceX. General John Hyten, who heads Air Force Space Command, and Air Force Secretary Deborah James, said a decision had been made to launch the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Flight 20 satellite, which was built in the 1990s.   More
(Source: Reuters - Apr 30)

RUSSIA GIVES UP ON PROGRESS SUPPLY SHIP DOCKING - Russian flight controllers have given up attempting to salvage a Progress cargo ship loaded with 3 tons of supplies and equipment intended for the International Space Station. Astronaut Scott Kelly, on board the lab for a year-long mission, said Wednesday the Progress will not be docking and instead will plunge back into the atmosphere. In an interview with The Associated Press, Kelly said the crew was told the Russian federal space agency Roscosmos had determined “the Progress will not be docking and will re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere here some days in the future, to be determined. But this Progress is not coming to the space station.”   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Apr 30)

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