SpaceX Crew-12 9:15pm tonight!
Also had a Ariane 6, a Vulcan Centaur and even a Proton launch in the last 12 hours.
You’d know, any updates on the ISS? Seems like ages since we’ve added a component or two.
Why would they add anything to it?
It’s got, what, 4 years before they bring it down.
For reals? I thought given the module nature it could just continually be upgraded and built upon?
Yep. End date is 2030.
SpaceX is building a “deobriting” vehicle to bring it down.
There are a number of reliability issues with the ISS given its age.
ISS is an aluminum can after all. Not stainless like Starship so will definitely degrade and lose structural integrity over time.
As an example. The Russian Zvezda module is the only ISS module that can increase the orbit of the ISS to keep it up in Low earth orbit. Zvezda also has a lot of control capability and provides structural strength for the whole station. Zvezda can only be refueled by Russian Progress capsules as only it can dock with Zvezda. It has a history of leaks and seriously risks the crew. Recently they had to close hatch access to the Zvezda module as they couldn’t stop a leak. It’s resolved now but no one really knows how it resolved itself or how long it will keep pressure and oxygen supply.
Whilst Dragon can also lift the orbit, it doesn’t contain the same amount of fuel as Progress delivers.
And don’t forget, Russians.
Sad as it will be, it has to happen. I’ve watched videos of all launches so will definitely be sad.
Next generation of space stations are already in design and construction.
Vast will launch its Haven-1 single module station later this year. It’s a demonstrator to hopefully receive lots of NASA funding to pay for its next station. It will support astronauts for up to 30 days from memory. Some time after 2028 they will launch Haven-2 which will form the first module of an ISS replacement.
There will also be gateway which will be a permanent space station around the moon. Many of its modules are in different stages of being built and tested. It is a part of Artemis but I think it will never go to the moon and be used as another space station around the earth.
There are a few others planning space stations including Blue origin with Blue Reef. Axiom Spaceflight is building modules and is even planning to use the US ISS Harmony module from the ISS. There is also Starlab Space and Thunderbird Spqce but I don’t know much about them.
Don’t forget China. The Tiangong space station is also up there in Low earth orbit and is newer than the ISS so will be up there for a bit more time.
30 years!
I’m getting old…
Is the typo on purpose? 
No, but I’ll take it.
You’ll deobrit it.
ISS can’t safely de-orbit it self safely due to issues I mentioned above with the Zvezda module.
Hence they chose SpaceX to build a modified Dragon capsule with more thrusters that can carry more fuel. More info in links below.
Starbase Pad2 deluge test:l.
This is what displacing 1.6 million litres of water in 25 seconds looks like
Great view for the guy driving the ground equipment.
https://x.com/nasaspaceflight/status/2023540057316237631?s=46
interesting article from Adam Spencer re carbon on Mars
The changes are good.
Would have been better if they replaced SLS with New Glenn or Falcon heavy after Artemis 2. Orion can fly on both.
NASA wants higher launch cadence to practice more steps and make each flight harder.
Keeping SLS past Artemis 2 will not achieve that.
3 and a half years between Artemis 1 and 2. New Glenn and Falcon heavy could fly every few months.
Wasted opportunity by Isaacman. I know Congress wouldn’t allow him to ditch the SLS jobs program, but he needed to somehow get their agreement.
Shame.
Vera Rubin telescope began its LSST survey on Feb 24th. It resulted in 700,000 alerts being generated that night.
The alerts relate to moving, pulsating, fading, brightening, changing objects.
Once they fine tune their algorithms, they are expecting 10,000,000+ alerts per night.