by National Space Society | Mar 27, 2020 | Commercial Space, NASA, Space Development
By Dale Skran, Chair of the NSS Executive Committee NASA today announced that SpaceX has been chosen to provide a cargo vehicle, the Dragon XL (illustrated above), to support the lunar Gateway as part of the Artemis program. It is expected that a second cargo provider...
by National Space Society | Jan 20, 2020 | Commercial Space, Space Development
By George Mancuso NASA and SpaceX successfully completed an in-flight abort demonstration of the Dragon 2 spacecraft from a Falcon 9 rocket on Sunday January 19, 2020. The launch abort test began at 10:30 a.m. EST with liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy...
by National Space Society | Jan 7, 2020 | Commercial Space, Space Development
By Dale Skran Rocket Lab had a great 2019, concluding with its 10th launch overall, with six in 2019 alone. All six launched from Rocket Lab’s LC-1 in Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. All launches used the two-stage lox-kerosene Electron rocket, which typically delivers...
by National Space Society | Jan 4, 2020 | Commercial Space, Space Development
By Dale Skran Chair of the Executive Committee, National Space Society This article will only focus on Boeing activities that relate to space development, not to everything Boeing is involved in, which would be a long list. Boeing made significant advances toward...
by National Space Society | Jan 1, 2020 | Commercial Space, Space Development
Having just written a recap of SpaceX activities in 2019, it seemed natural to follow with a preview of 2020. In no particular order, we can expect: January 11, 2020: The in-flight abort test that supports the Commercial Crew program. This test was delayed out of 2019...
by National Space Society | Dec 31, 2019 | Commercial Space, Space Development
By Dale Skran Just by the numbers SpaceX had a terrible year—only 13 launches, down from 21 in 2018, and 18 in 2017, although more than in 2016 and previous years. What gives? Was there a terrible disaster? Was another rocket lost on the launch pad? Let’s take a...
by National Space Society | Dec 28, 2019 | Commercial Space, Space Development
By Dale Skran With the setback just suffered by Boeing, in which a Starliner launched and landed successfully (photo above) but proved unable to dock with the ISS, the long knives are out. We are seeing articles with titles like “Boeing Blunder” and no doubt soon to...
by National Space Society | Dec 23, 2019 | Commercial Space, Space Development
By George Mancuso Since the Space Shuttle retirement in 2011 after 30 years of service, NASA has relied on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft for crew transport to the International Space Station (ISS). In 2010, NASA initiated multiple awards for the development of...
