Take a look back at the important space-related events of the previous month, which ranged from innovative rockets to breakthroughs in space station construction.
SpaceX's Starship mega-rocket stole the spotlight on November 18, with the surreal sight of 33 Raptor engines generating over 16 million pounds of thrust leaving an indelible mark on space enthusiasts worldwide.
However, Starship's first successful space launch from Boca Chica, Texas, ended in an explosion above the Gulf of Mexico due to an unknown trigger of its self-destruct function. The rocket booster, which separated minutes earlier, also blew up. According to Nature, the US Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the incidents, and future tests will require their approval. NASA's lunar landing plans hinge on Starship's success but with no demonstrated successful flights yet, achieving the goal may require at least 15 Starships.
SpaceX's Starship rocket launches from Starbase during its second test flight in Boca Chica, Texas, on November 18, 2023. SpaceX on November 18, 2023, carried out the second test launch of Starship, the largest rocket ever built that Elon Musk hopes will one day colonize Mars, while NASA awaits a modified version to land humans on the Moon. It comes after a first attempt to fly the spaceship in its fully-stacked configuration back in April ended in a spectacular explosion over the Gulf of Mexico.
A more unexpected sighting came from the Virtual Telescope Project 2.0, capturing an image of the ISS crew lock bag adrift in space. Lost during a spacewalk by astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O'Hara, the bag now orbits Earth at a breakneck speed of 17,500 mph, visible to the naked eye, as reported by Gizmodo.
Further into the cosmos, NASA's Lucy spacecraft encountered a celestial surprise. Approaching the Dinkinesh asteroid, Lucy revealed not one but two moons orbiting the space rock, marking the first observation of a contact binary moon around an asteroid.
China's Space Station Photos Released
November also unveiled the complete Tiangong space station in all its glory. China's Shenzhou 16 mission recently released the first full images of the Tiangong Space Station using a high-definition camera as they departed for Earth. Before leaving, the crew handed control to the Shenzhou 17 team, arriving on Oct. 26. The Shenzhou 16 astronauts returned on Oct. 30, marking their successful mission.
🤩Amazing photos of the @CNSpaceStation in its entirety!
— Chinese Space Station (@CNSpaceStation) November 29, 2023
It's the first time that China has obtained in-orbit images of its space station with Earth visible in the backdrop. They were taken by the Shenzhou XVI crew using a HD camera during a flyby, before their return to Earth. pic.twitter.com/63Yclnx2T8
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On Earth's doorstep, Sierra Space unveiled the Dream Chaser spaceplane, named Tenacity. This innovative vehicle, capable of runway landings, represents a leap in commercial orbital spaceplanes. With a NASA contract for ISS resupply missions, Tenacity is set to debut atop the United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur rocket in April 2024.
Looking to the future, Thales Alenia Space's artistic rendering teased humanity's first permanent lunar habitat. Dubbed the Multi-Purpose Habitat (MPH), this lunar base is a collaborative effort with the Italian Space Agency and NASA, promising a new chapter in lunar exploration.
Rocket and Thruster Development
NASA announced plans to launch ESCAPADE aboard Blue Origin's New Glenn within a year. The $20 million contract, granted in February, is on track despite rocket readiness concerns, as per Space News. Ariane Cornell, an official with Blue Origin, revealed at the Satellite 2023 conference in March that while the exact launch window for ESCAPADE is unknown, Blue Origin guarantees it will be an early mission.
In August, Max Evans, a spaceflight photographer, captured a rare glimpse of the first-stage section of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket.
Back on home turf, NASA's Glenn Research Center tested the Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS) in a vacuum chamber. This 12-kilowatt Hall thruster, glowing with a distinctive blue hue, is a linchpin for future Moon and deep-space missions, supporting the Artemis program and laying the groundwork for human exploration of Mars.
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