Weekly Roundup for SpacePolicyOnline.com: May 27-June 2, 2024

Weekly Roundup for SpacePolicyOnline.com: May 27-June 2, 2024

Here are links to all the articles published on SpacePolicyOnline.com over the  last week, May 27-June 2, 2024 including our “What’s Happening in Space Policy” for this coming week. Click on each title to read the entire article.

What’s Happening in Space Policy June 2-9, 2024

June 2, 2024. Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the week plus a day of June 2-9, 2024 and any insight we can offer about them. The House and Senate are in session for at least part of the week.

Starliner Ready for Third Try on Wednesday, June 5

June 2, 2024.  NASA, Boeing and the United Launch Alliance said today the ground equipment problem that scrubbed yesterday’s launch of the Starliner Crew Flight Test is remedied. They are ready to try again on Wednesday. This will be the third attempt to launch the first crewed flight of Boeing’s Starliner commercial crew spacecraft since May 6.

China Lands Sample Return Probe on the Far Side of the Moon

June 1, 2024. China’s Chang’e-6 lunar sample return mission landed on the far side of the Moon this evening Eastern Daylight Time. China is the only country to land on the lunar farside, first with a lander/rover in 2020 and now with this mission that will return samples to Earth.

Elon Musk’s First Starship Customer Calls it Quits

June 1, 2024.  The first customer to buy a flight on Elon Musk’s Starship rocket is calling it quits. Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa said today it is taking too long for Starship to be ready to send him and a group of companions around the Moon and he needs to get on with his life. His “Dear Moon” project has come to an end.

Another Scrub For Starliner Crew Flight Test

June 1, 2024. The second attempt to launch Boeing’s Starliner Crew Flight Test was halted today less than four minutes before liftoff.  A computer called an automated ground launch sequencer that controls the launch in those last four minutes triggered the hold. The cause is still being determined and a new launch date is pending. NASA said late this afternoon they will not try tomorrow. The next opportunity is June 5.

Butch, Suni, Starliner, Atlas Ready to Go; Weather Maybe

May 31, 2024.  NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are ready for launch tomorrow on Boeing’s Starliner Crew Flight Test. This is their second try after a faulty valve on the United Launch Alliance’s Atlas rocket scrubbed the mission on May 6 and technical glitches later discovered in Starliner delayed it until now. NASA, Boeing, ULA and the crew are convinced the problems are sufficiently understood, if not entirely remedied, to ensure a safe test flight. The weather forecast is 90 percent favorable, but there’s a chance onshore winds could be “feisty.”

Artemis Accords Gain Two More Signatories

May 30, 2024.  Peru and Slovakia signed the Artemis Accords today at NASA Headquarters, bringing the number of signatories up to 42. Countries from all six continents that have governments — Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America — have agreed to the U.S.-led non-binding principles for responsible behavior on the Moon, nine of them this year alone.

SLIM Sleeps in This Month

May 28, 2024.  Japan’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon did not wake up when JAXA sent a signal yesterday (EDT). The sturdy lander has surprised everyone by continuing to operate after repeated long, cold lunar nights that doom other landers that have only solar cells for power.  JAXA has not given up on SLIM and will try again next month when the Sun returns to the landing site.

North Korean Military Satellite Launch Fails

May 27, 2024.  North Korea’s attempt to launch a second military reconnaissance satellite into orbit today failed. Video of the rocket exploding during ascent was captured by Japan’s NHK television and North Korea acknowledged the failure. [Updated May 30 with State Department reaction.]

Weekly Roundup for SpacePolicyOnline.com: May 20-26, 2024

May 27, 2024.  Here are links to all the articles published on SpacePolicyOnline.com over the  last week, May 20-26, 2024, including our “What’s Happening in Space Policy” for this coming week. Click on each title to read the entire article.

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