Well that does it for EUS, meanwhile the call for a "Vulcan Centaur V Upper Stage for Space Launch System" has been posted, it calls for 3 flight units (1 spare) interesting to see that they at least looked at Blue Origin’s New Glenn Upper Stage (NGUS)
sam.gov/workspace/co...
#ArtemisII
First and second stage of RFA's ONE launcher have arrived at Saxavord, first orbital launch planned for summer this year.
Source: www.rfa.space/rfa-ships-st...
The fact that it is seemingly "just sitting there", on its 4th mission I'd half expected some more maneuvering, possible release of sub satellites etc. etc. but it is early days of this mission so lets see...
;-)
if it would be actively maneuvering it would be a bigger change, this seems to be "just" orbital mechanics at work and maybe some very minor station keeping if even, example is at the start of the mission where there was clear maneuvering
good point, and tiny 49,9855 to 49,9862
Between F1, possible reentry fun and now being sleepy, had a look at the Chinese version of the X-37B... interesting...
As getting descent pictures these days is like getting water from a stone, I've tried to cobble together an overview of the ICPS aft umbilical connections, including the famous helium connection, so at least we can point to something...
Helium QD and seal pictures are still MIA...
#ArtemisII
Was looking for FTS battery pics, and then you find this...
(55% SHARC (Subsonic High Alpha Research Concept)
Some interesting Artemis news, it was already implied that the EUS upper stage would be changed to something else, however it seems ML-2 (Mobile Launcher 2) will also not be used...
Source: www.nasa.gov/directorates...
NASA just posted an update, seal in the quick disconnect was dislodged and was preventing helium flow, now resolved, investigation ongoing as to why the seal was dislodged
Pic of said seal and QD would be nice :)
Source: www.nasa.gov/blogs/missio...
#ArtemisII
Still fine-tuning, I already fixed the low contrast.
Oops, IFT-12 now NET 9 of April
🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿
Meanwhile, during my lunch break, I pulled my little X-37B website into the 21st century and ditched using M$ Excel to create a website, still uses a table but now just using simple HTML and JS, still a crappy website, I know, but does it's job for me :)
Meanwhile, some progress on the Soyuz access platform is being made in Baikonur to get good old pad 31 back up and running
Source: Roscosmos Telegram
#Soyuz #Baikonur
For those curious about the work seen here during Shuttle, this is showing seal removal from the ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP) after a hydrogen gas leak on the external fuel tank during STS-133
Source: images.nasa.gov/details/KSC-...
Just showing this isn't cutting it... IMHO
Just a thought, when you are explaining you are changing a seal/check valve/whatever, which is preventing humans from going around the Moon again after 50+ years, maybe show said seal/check valve/whatever...
Like you did previously, during Shuttle...
Some rumors flying about a possible mid-March roll-back to the pad for Artemis II, it would be good if dear old NASA would post an update on the repair/rework progress this week...
#ArtemisII
Blue Ring 1 in the Blue Origin factory and the Structural Test Asset (STA) at NASA Marshall
Source: @torybruno.bsky.social (although it seems he doesn't post here any longer, which is unfortunate...)
...
said EUS LH2/LOX plates...
Still catching up on the Artemis news, so it seems the EUS (Exploration Upper Stage) is dead (pending contractual "stuff" I'm sure) and Artemis IV on-wards seems to be using Centaur V as the upper stage, so we get to play with the EUSU right ? 😇
At least we have good views of the LH2/LOX plates 😋
and just to add this for ref.
ICPS / ICPSU helium leak digging....
#ArtemisII
and yes I could go on a whole rant here about the "vanilla" reporting in general on the whole Artemis topic, lacking technical depth etc. etc. but that seems like a waste of energy so I wont...but very tempted 😇
I'm catching up on the Artemis news and watching the presser from Friday, and it's probably my age or something but I was rather surprised that apparently the NASA deputy press secretary doesn't know who Bill Harwood is.... interesting....
From memory the second one was/is RFA, however as far as I know RFA will go the the former Diamant site (now ELM)
No, CNES "owns" this (ELS is now called ELM2) and there is already another place (ELM, the former Diamant site)
