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🚀 SpaceX
SpaceX will use Starlink on SN15 starship (5 mins read)
SpaceX has fitted SN15, which is currently on the pad undergoing testing, with a Starlink dish, this will hopefully lead to a more reliable video feed and allow the starship teams to gather more accurate telemetry. SpaceX asked the FCC for permission to operate a Starlink dish in Boca Chica and for the 60 day test period to start on April 20th which probably means that we won't see a high altitude flight test of SN15 until at least the 20th of April.
SpaceX SN15 Cryogenic test and new heat shield tiles (19 mins video)
After transporting SN15 to the testing pad, it has undergone a successful Cryogenic test which checks for any leaks before starting the static fire testing regime. We can also see that this prototype has more heat shield tiles than its predecessors, there were also more tiles attached to the vehicle after the cryogenic test ended.
🛰️ NASA
Delays with Mars Ingenuity (4 mins read)
After spending its first night on the Mars surface, the Ingenuity helicopter conducted a high-speed rotor-spinning test on Friday, April 9th that didn't go as planned. The Ingenuity team will conduct minor modifications and reinstall Ingenuity's flight software with the aim of an initial test flight next week.
💰Space Money
ARK launches Space ETF (10 mins read)
Ark investments recently launched their ARK Space Exploration ETF (ARKX) to help exposure to companies involved in space-related businesses like reusable rockets, satellites, drones, and other orbital and sub-orbital aircrafts. Some of the fund's holding includes companies like TRIMBLE INC, LOCKHEED MARTIN, Nvidia, or even Ark's own 3D printing EFT.
🔭 Discoveries
Brand new physics (6 mins read)
The Initial data from the Muon g-2 experiment at the Fermi National Laboratory in Batavia is suggesting the existence of an undiscovered fundamental particle. The experimental result differs from the theoretical prediction of how a muon should behave which likely proves that the standard model of physics is not complete. This is just initial data and we'll likely see more information and papers come out over the coming months.
🧑🚀Launches
Soyuz takes off (3 mins read)
The Soyuz spacecraft launched on April 9th carrying two Russian and one American astronauts to the Internation Space Station. With two vehicles currently transporting astronauts to the ISS (SpaceX dragon and the Soyuz), we'll be seeing more launches and an increase in operations at the ISS like the undocking and redocking last week. With this last Sozuy mission, the number of people on the ISS temporarily increased to 10 people, two Russian cosmonauts will return to Earth on April 17th.
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