threelonmusketeers

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Firefly Aerospace "Message In A Booster" Launch Thread in c/spaceflight@sh.itjust.works
[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Statements from Firefly FLTA006 mission page:

April 29, 2025, 8 am PDT: Following a nominal liftoff of Firefly’s Alpha rocket, there was a mishap during first stage separation for the FLTA006 mission that impacted the Stage 2 Lightning engine nozzle. We are working with our Lockheed Martin customer, the Space Force, and FAA to conduct a thorough investigation and determine the root cause. As more information is available, we will be providing updates here.

April 29, 2025, 11 am PDT: Today, Firefly’s Alpha FLTA006 launch began with a nominal liftoff and progressed through first stage flight, reaching target separation velocity. The rocket then experienced a mishap between stage separation and second stage ignition that led to the loss of the Lightning engine nozzle extension, substantially reducing the engine’s thrust.

Initial indications showed Alpha’s upper stage reached 320 km in altitude. However, upon further assessment, the team learned the upper stage did not reach orbital velocity, and the stage and payload have now safely impacted the Pacific Ocean in a cleared zone north of Antarctica.

Firefly recognizes the hard work that went into payload development and would like to thank our mission partners at Lockheed Martin for their continued support. The team is working closely with our customers and the FAA to conduct an investigation and determine root cause of the anomaly. We will provide more information on our mission page after the investigation is completed.

Damn, this sucks for Firefly. I was hoping that they could put some of Alpha's early failures behind them and start building up a success streak, but it seems that Alpha still has issues to work out.

Starship Development Thread April 2025 in c/spacex@sh.itjust.works
[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Starbase activities (2025-04-29):

  • Apr 28th cryo delivery tally.
  • Apr 28th addenda: In Megabay 2, S35 is lifted onto the static fire test/transport stand. This is the first lift of this kind to be completed using the ship catch pin sockets. (Planatus666)
  • Photo highlighting some missing tiles in one of the catch pin areas on S35. (Starship Gazer)
  • Having completed a couple rounds of cryo testing, S36 rolls back from Massey's to Megabay 2. Shortly after, S35 rolls out from Megabay 2 to Massey's presumably for static fire testing. (NSF 1, NSF 2, LabPadre, ViX, Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, Gisler)
  • Build site: S36 is attached to lifting jig in Megabay 2. (ViX)
  • Clamp arms continue to arrive at Sanchez for installation on the launch mount for Pad B. (ViX)
  • Highbay demolition resumes; four staircase sections are removed. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
  • Starfactory window removal continues. (ViX)
  • Launch site: Demolition of the container wall to the right of the D2 gate has begun. (ViX)
  • Massey's: 2-hour road delay is posted for between Apr 29th 22:00 and Apr 30th 04:00 for transport from factory to Massey’s.
  • S35 venting and potential long-duration static fire attempt. (ViX 1, ViX 2, NSF livestream)
Firefly Aerospace "Message In A Booster" Launch Thread in c/spaceflight@sh.itjust.works
[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 12 hours ago

Jonathan McDowell: https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3lnxsllfh6k2q

It now seems somewhat unclear whether FLTA0006 did in fact reach orbit. We'll see whether or not Space Force orbit data emerges later in the day. I am provisionally assuming a failure to reach orbit, and assigning it GCAT launch designation 2025-F05 (fifth orbital failure of the year)

https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3lnxsolgi3s2q

Remaining questions for Firefly: What was the final perigee height? (guessing from -1000 km to +150 km range). What was the estimated reentry location?(assuming no orbit was reached). Poss. but unlikely it could have reached Madagascar; equatorial Pacific more likely IMO.

https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3lnxstvbnus2q

Or possibly 2025-U01, designating it a marginal-orbit launch.

ESA Vega-C BIOMASS Launch Thread in c/esa@feddit.nl
[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 16 hours ago

Nominal launch and payload deploy.

Firefly Aerospace "Message In A Booster" Launch Thread in c/spaceflight@sh.itjust.works
[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Webcast coverage ended. Firefly will post mission updates on their website and social media, once they reestablish communications after the expected blackout.

Firefly Aerospace "Message In A Booster" Launch Thread in c/spaceflight@sh.itjust.works
[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 2 points 17 hours ago

SECO confirmed. Vehicle seemed to have a slight spin afterwards.

Expected loss of signal.

Firefly Aerospace "Message In A Booster" Launch Thread in c/spaceflight@sh.itjust.works
[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 17 hours ago

MECO, stage separation, Lightning engine ignition, and fairing jettison.

Firefly Aerospace "Message In A Booster" Launch Thread in c/spaceflight@sh.itjust.works
Firefly Aerospace "Message In A Booster" Launch Thread in c/spaceflight@sh.itjust.works
[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 17 hours ago

Engine chill has started.

Firefly Aerospace "Message In A Booster" Launch Thread in c/spaceflight@sh.itjust.works
[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 18 hours ago

Go no-go poll is complete, they are go for launch.

Firefly Aerospace "Message In A Booster" Launch Thread in c/spaceflight@sh.itjust.works
[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 18 hours ago

Firefly Aerospace are live for another launch attempt today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkusoizm-Zk

Toyota unveils two sleek new EVs launching in China soon: Meet the bZ7 and Lexus ES in c/electricvehicles@slrpnk.net
[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 2 points 22 hours ago

Better late than never, I suppose.

10
ESA Vega-C BIOMASS Launch Thread (sh.itjust.works)
 

Welcome everyone!

| Scheduled for (UTC) | 2025-04-29 09:15 | |

|

| | Scheduled for (local) | 2025-04-29 06:15 (GFT) | | Launch site | ELV, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana, France | | Launch vehicle | Vega C | | Payloads | BIOMASS | | Payload mass | 1,170.0 kg | | Target orbit | Sun-Synchronous Orbit |

Livestreams

| Stream | Link | |

|

| | Arianespace (English) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEhmFO_Y_WE | | Arianespace (Français) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0UP77VUpqE | | Arianespace (Italiana) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIvpiMRFEz4 | | ESA | https://www.youtube.com/@EuropeanSpaceAgency/streams | | Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u5ZEmXmBds |

Stats

☑️ 1st Vega-C mission of 2025, 5th mission overall

☑️ 1st Vega mission of 2024, 26th mission overall

☑️ 2nd Arianespace mission of 2025, 301st mission overall

Payload info

ESA BIOMASS mission page

NextSpaceflight page

ESA’s Earth Observation Programme Board has selected Biomass in May 2013 to become the seventh Earth Explorer mission. The innovative satellite aims to map and monitor one of Earth’s most precious resources.

The satellite will be designed to provide, for the first time from space, P-band radar measurements that are optimised to determine the amount of biomass and carbon stored in the world’s forests with greater accuracy than ever before.

This information, which is poorly known in the tropics, is essential to our understanding of the role of forests in Earth’s carbon cycle and in climate change.

Reliable knowledge of tropical forest biomass also underpins the implementation of the UN Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) initiative – an international effort to reduce carbon emissions from deforestation and land degradation in developing countries.

In addition, the measurements made by Biomass offer the opportunity to map the elevation of Earth’s terrain under dense vegetation, yielding information on subsurface geology and allowing the estimation of glacier and ice-sheet velocities, critical to our understanding of ice-sheet mass loss in a warming Earth.

Please feel free to post updates and questions in the comments!

2
Starlink 12-10 launch bulletin (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works to c/spacex@sh.itjust.works
6 comments fedilink
 

Starlink Group 12-10 launch out of LC-39A in Florida is currently scheduled for 2025-04-29 02:34 UTC, or 2025-04-28 22:34 local time (EDT). Booster to land on A Shortfall of Gravitas.

Webcasts:

10
ULA Project Kuiper (KA-01) launch thread! (take two) (sh.itjust.works)
 

Welcome everyone!

This follows a previous launch attempt on April 10th, which was scrubbed due to weather.

| Scheduled for (UTC) | 2025-04-28 23:01 | |

|

| | Scheduled for (local) | 2025-04-28 19:01 (EDT) | | Launch site | SLC-41, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA. | | Launch vehicle | Atlas V 551 | | Launch provider | United Launch Alliance (ULA) | | Customer | Amazon Kuiper Systems | | Payload | KA-01 | | Target orbit | LEO |

Livestreams

| Stream | Link | |

|

| | ULA | https://www.youtube.com/@unitedlaunchalliance/streams | | NASASpaceflight | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw96eOC2iPs | | Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQuTcF_d6Ls | | Spaceflight Now | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cJ21DHYtbQ | | The Launch Pad | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlQfiGzmjd8 | | Everyday Astronaut | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_he20zjJZTw |

Launch statistics

☑️ 1st Atlas V mission of 2025

☑️ 1st ULA mission of 2025

☑️ 102nd Atlas V mission overall

☑️ 164th ULA mission overall

Mission Details 🚀

Project Kuiper is a mega constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit that will offer broadband internet access managed by Kuiper Systems LLC, a subsidiary of Amazon. This constellation is planned to be composed of 3,236 satellites. The satellites are projected to be placed in 98 orbital planes in three orbital layers, one at 590 km, 610 km, and 630 km altitude.

Previous ULA launch: Vulcan Cert-2

Next ULA launch: TBD

11
Firefly Aerospace "Message In A Booster" Launch Thread (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 3 hours ago) by threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works to c/spaceflight@sh.itjust.works
15 comments fedilink
 

Message In A Booster

| Scheduled for UTC | 2025-04-29 13:37 | |

|

| | Scheduled for (local) | 2025-04-29 06:37 (PDT) | | Launch site | SLC-2W, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA | | Launch provider | Firefly Aerospace | | Launch vehicle | Alpha | | Customer | Lockheed Martin | | Payload | LM400 Demo | | Target orbit | LEO |

Livestreams

| Stream | Link | |

|

| | Firefly Aerospace | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkusoizm-Zk (scrub) | | NASASpaceflight | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o35dNjHwWuc (scrub) | | Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9k7jMf0FQ0 (scrub) |

Payload info (NextSpaceflight):

First of up to 25 launches of Low Earth Orbit technology demonstration satellites to be built and operated by Lockheed Martin.

Demonstration mission for Lockheed Martin LM400 satellite bus, which will carry a communications payload. The satellite bus is customizable to support different missions — including remote sensing, communications, imagery and radar — as well as orbits and launch configurations.

Stats

  • 1st launch of Firefly Alpha in 2025.
  • 6th launch of Firefly Alpha overall.

Firefly mission page

Please post small launch updates, discussions, and questions here! Also feel free to leave feedback or suggestions for the mod team. We’re still a relatively small sub, so feedback from the community is very valuable!

8
Starlink 12-23 launch bulletin (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works to c/spacex@sh.itjust.works
5 comments fedilink
 

Starlink Group 12-23 launch out of SLC-40 in Florida is currently scheduled for 2025-04-28 02:09 UTC, or 2025-04-27 22:09 local time (EDT). Booster B1077-20 to land on Just Read the Instructions.

Webcasts:

5
Starlink 11-9 launch bulletin (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works to c/spacex@sh.itjust.works
5 comments fedilink
 

Starlink Group 11-9 launch out of SLC-4E in California is currently scheduled for 2025-04-28 20:42 UTC, or 2025-04-28 13:42 local time (PDT). Booster 1063-25 to land on Of Course I Still Love You.

Webcasts:

65
Squirrels by Vadim Trunov (lemmy.world)
 
8
Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft arrives at Tiangong space station (spacenews.com)
19
[Stephen Clark] Reusable rockets are here, so why is NASA paying more to launch stuff to space? (arstechnica.com)
6
[Andrew Jones] China Report: Debris risks, startup funding and previewing Space Day (spacenews.com)
submitted 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) by threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works to c/spaceflight@sh.itjust.works
0 comments fedilink
13
Every damn time (sh.itjust.works)
 

Source

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NASA cancels lease for Earth science office in New York (spacenews.com)
 

In an April 24 email to Goddard employees, Makenzie Lystrup, director of Goddard Space Flight Center, said that the lease the agency has for office space in a Columbia University building will end May 31. Those offices host the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), part of Goddard’s Earth science division.

Lystrup said the decision to terminate the lease was linked to ongoing reviews by the current administration of all government leases, but did not give further details on the decision, including whether it was made by NASA or outside the agency, such as the Department of Government Efficiency.

While NASA is terminating the lease on the GISS offices, it is not closing the institute itself. Lystrup said in the email that it will help employees move “to remote work agreements in the short-term as the agency seeks a new, permanent space for the team.”

“And while the lease is ending, the Institute’s mission continues,” she added. “The work of the GISS team is considered critical for the Earth Science Division, particularly as the Division looks to the future of its modeling work and capabilities.”

However, agency sources said they are concerned that GISS could become a victim of budget cuts.

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