Month: April 2019

Progress and o3b reach orbit

April 4 saw two orbital missions, one space probe milestone, and a rocket ground test.

  • (ROSCOSMOS TV)
  • (NASA TV)
  • Progress MS-11 docks alongside Soyuz MS-12 (NASA TV)

The Progress MS-11 resupply mission reached the International Space Station at 1422 UT, following two orbits and a launch from Baikonur on a Soyuz-2 rocket at 1101. The capsule delivered 3.4 t of spare parts, fuel, and consumables. The successful mission is another sign that life is returning to normal on the station, which returned to a full crew of six astronauts after Soyuz MS-12 arrived three weeks ago.

Soyuz VS22 carries 4 o3b commsats to MEO (Arianespace)

At 1704, Arianespace launched four commsats for SES/o3b on Soyuz mission VS22. Much like the existing o3b fleet, the new satellites will operate at a 8000-km medium-earth orbit, and provide high-speed internet through targetable spot-beams. Though other firms are building low-earth orbit Internet constellations, for the moment o3b is the highest-performance option among systems that are fully operational. It is also relatively expensive and mainly filling an enterprise backhaul role for ISPs and wireless providers, rather than a direct-to-consumer model.

Continue reading “Progress and o3b reach orbit”

Fargo Orbit set to launch

We are happy to announce The Fargo Orbit, which will provide news on aerospace and scientific endeavours in central North America, from the Great Plains to Hudson’s Bay, from the Great Lakes to the Rockies, and beyond!

We are inspired by new frontiers in space and knowledge, and plan to share the latest events with the general public with clarity and exactitude. Together with the expert artists, businesspeople, educators, engineers, journalists, and scientists who are our peers and sources, we will provide a vital dialogue to advance the state of the arts and the boundaries of human existence.

We will maintain our honesty and editorial independence to the best of our abilities. We will put the truth first, not revenue or pageloads. Our supporters can expect to review on a regular basis, our full report of our operation.

The Fargo Orbit is published by Table Heavy Industries LLC in a special project for the public benefit.