 |
Talking SpaceAuthor: Gene Mikulka ,Mark Ratterman, Dr. Kat Robison, Larry Herrin, Heather Smith, and Sawyer Rosenstein (emeritus), Language: en Genres: News, News Commentary, Science Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
Listen Now...
Episode 1805: Space Flight is Not Simple
Saturday, 5 September, 2026
Hosts Gene Mikulka, Mark Ratterman, and Heather Smith review ISS crew transitions, wildfire threats to NASA's Deep Space Network, growing criticisms of the Artemis program architecture, and a 1960s navigation satellite still transmitting signals today on episode 1805 of Talking Space. ISS Crew Rotations & Soyuz History * Soyuz MS-28 Departure: The crew prepared to wrap up a 241-day stay aboard the International Space Station, with undocking scheduled for 3:03 AM and a landing in Kazakhstan at 6:25 AM. * Soyuz MS-29 Arrival: A fresh crew arrived following an 8-hour fast-track rendezvous, bringing NASA astronaut Dr. Anil Menon alongside Cosmonaut Anna Kikina and Commander Pyotr Dubrov. * Historic Visit: The launch marked the first visit by a NASA Administrator to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in eight years. * Soyuz Legacy: Continuously refined since its ill-fated 1967 debut, the Soyuz vehicle remains the longest-operating human-rated spacecraft design in spaceflight history. Madrid Deep Space Network Wildfire * Evacuation: Severe wildfires in Spain forced the emergency evacuation of the Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex (37 miles / 65 km west of Madrid) on July 24. * Damage Assessment: Onsite inspections on July 25 confirmed that fire damage was restricted to surrounding vegetation and pavement, leaving the primary antenna dishes and buildings structurally intact. * Redundant Operations: Spacecraft communications were seamlessly rerouted to sister stations in Goldstone, California, and Canberra, Australia, ensuring no loss of deep-space science data. See link to Deep Space Network Now for real time status. Artemis Program Concerns & Starship Testing * Bridenstine Criticisms: Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine publicly warned that Artemis's complex architecture—potentially requiring up to 15 orbital refueling launches per mission—lacks Apollo's single-launch simplicity and risks long-term delays. * Lander & Suit Delays: The hosts highlighted that Artemis III lacks a flight-ready, flyable lunar lander and fully integrated spacesuits, creating bottlenecks for upcoming landing schedules. * Starship Test Flight: SpaceX’s Ship 40 achieved a successful soft splashdown and satellite payload deployment, though its Super Heavy booster experienced engine anomalies during the backburn phase. * Dismantled Oversight: Key advisory bodies like the NASA Advisory Council (NAC) and various science analysis groups have been defunded or disbanded, limiting independent technical feedback. Transit 5B5 "Zombie" Satellite * Mission Background: Launched on December 28, 1964, via a Thor-Able rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Transit 5B5 provided pre-GPS Doppler navigation for U.S. Navy ballistic missile submarines. * Nuclear Power: Powered by a SNAP-3 Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG) fueled by Plutonium-238, the microwave-sized satellite continues transmitting its navigation signal at 136.658 MHz after more than 60 years in polar orbit. * 5B5 Links: See Space Daily for their article about 5B5 and SIGIDWIKI for audio samples of several 5B5 signals Host: Gene Mikulka Panelists/Editors: Mark Ratterman, Heather Smith
