Ivan Prock, P.Eng., BEng, MS’ Post

#NASA #SpaceX #CrewDragon #Boeing #Starliner "NASA will use SpaceX’s Crew Dragon for its two crew rotation missions to the International Space Station in 2025 as it continues to evaluate if it will require Boeing to perform another test flight of its Starliner spacecraft. In an Oct. 15 statement, NASA said it will use Crew Dragon for both the Crew-10 mission to the ISS, scheduled for no earlier than February 2025, and the Crew-11 mission scheduled for no earlier than July. Crew-10 will fly NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers along with astronaut Takuya Onishi from the Japanese space agency JAXA and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. NASA has not yet announced the crew for the Crew-11 mission. Earlier this year, NASA had hoped that Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner would be certified in time to fly the early 2025 mission. Problems with the Crew Flight Test mission, which launched in June with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on board, led NASA to conclude in July that the spacecraft would not be certified in time. It delayed that Starliner-1 mission from February to August 2025, moving up Crew-10 to February. NASA also announced then that it would prepare Crew-11 in parallel with Starliner-1 for launch in that August 2025 slot. “The timing and configuration of Starliner’s next flight will be determined once a better understanding of Boeing’s path to system certification is established,” NASA said in its statement about the 2025 missions. “NASA is keeping options on the table for how best to achieve system certification, including windows of opportunity for a potential Starliner flight in 2025.” NASA has not provided any updates on the reviews of Starliner’s Crew Flight Test mission, which ended Sept. 7 with an uncrewed landing in New Mexico after NASA concluded it was safer to have Wilmore and Williams return on the Crew-9 Crew Dragon mission in early 2025. At the time of Starliner’s return, agency officials suggested they could still proceed directly to Starliner-1 despite thruster problems and helium leaks with the spacecraft. “It’s under data review. We need to have a decision: do we need another test flight?” NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy said when asked about the status of the Starliner review at a press conference during the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) here Oct. 16. She added there was no timeline for completing that data review. ..."

#ElonMusk #SpaceX #Starlink "SpaceX is seeking approval for changes to Starlink that the company says will enable gigabit-per-second broadband service. In an application submitted to the Federal Communications Commission on October 11, SpaceX claims the requested "modification and its companion amendment will enable the Gen2 system to deliver gigabit-speed, truly low-latency broadband and ubiquitous mobile connectivity to all Americans and the billions of people globally who still lack access to adequate broadband." SpaceX said it is seeking "several small-but-meaningful updates to the orbital configuration and operational parameters for its Gen2 space station authorization to improve space sustainability, better respond to evolving demand, and more efficiently share spectrum with other spectrum users." SpaceX wants to lower the altitudes of satellites "at 525 km, 530 km, and 535 km to 480 km, 485 km, and 475 km altitude, respectively." The reconfiguration will increase the "potential maximum number of orbital planes and satellites per plane" while keeping the planned total number of second-generation satellites at 29,988 or less. The FCC has so far approved 7,500 Gen2 satellites. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote yesterday that "next generation Starlink satellites, which are so big that only Starship can launch them, will allow for a 10X increase in bandwidth and, with the reduced altitude, faster latency." SpaceX promised gigabit speeds in 2016, when the satellite system was just in the planning stages and didn't even have a name yet. "Once fully optimized through the Final Deployment, the system will be able to provide high bandwidth (up to 1Gbps per user), low-latency broadband services for consumers and businesses in the US and globally," SpaceX told the FCC in November 2016. As for actual speeds in 2024, Starlink's website says "users typically experience download speeds between 25 and 220Mbps, with a majority of users experiencing speeds over 100Mbps. Upload speeds are typically between 5 and 20Mbps. Latency ranges between 25 and 60 ms on land, and 100+ ms in certain remote locations." ..."

#GridScaleBatteries #Ontario #CapitalPower #IESO "... The Ontario government is adding to the power grid with a battery storage project just outside of Newmarket that it says will power up to 120,000 more homes in the province. Government officials broke ground on the project by the York Energy Centre today, Oct. 16. Capital Power — which owns the natural gas facility located in King just northwest of Newmarket — is building a new battery energy storage system. The system will operate independently of the York Energy Centre, storing power during off-hours and then putting it back into the power grid at peak times. The expansion is expected to store and release an additional 120 megawatts of electricity at the facility.  ... Facility operator and owner Capital Power has been constructing the expansion since last August and expects to complete the project by August 2025. The project will feature 136 battery units in weatherproof enclosures that will be used by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) in the province. ..."

#ISSReplacement #NASA #CommercialLEODestination #CLD #MaxHaot #AndrewFeustel #Vast "... With the planned retirement of the International Space Station (ISS) by 2030, NASA conceived the Commercial LEO Destination (CLD) program and is expected to select its Phase 2 winner(s) in mid-2026. Laser-focused on securing this prestigious contract to build the successor to the ISS, Vast has developed Haven-2, designed to offer the most compelling solution to ensure continued U.S. and international partner presence in low-Earth orbit (LEO). “Our focus this decade is to win the NASA Commercial LEO Destination (CLD) contract and build the successor to the International Space Station,” said Max Haot, Vast CEO. “To achieve this, we will first demonstrate our capability by building and operating the world’s first commercial space station, Haven-1, which is set to launch in 2025.” If selected in 2026, Vast plans to have the first module of Haven-2, an evolved and NASA-certified version of Haven-1, fully operational in orbit by 2028. This near-term timeline is made possible by leveraging Vast's significant private investment in the design, build, launch, and operation of Haven-1. The first Haven-2 Module will be 5m longer than Haven-1, offering nearly twice the livable volume of its predecessor while utilizing all the same proven systems. Vast’s demonstrated progress with Haven-1, combined with architecture based on this proven heritage, positions the company as the best choice to safeguard U.S. and international partner interests in space. Following the deployment of the first Haven-2 module, Vast plans to build and launch three additional modules over a two-year period. These modules will adhere to the same efficient and cost-effective design template, further expanding the station's usable volume, enhancing available facilities, and efficiently delivering additional critical life support systems and consumables. With each successive Haven-2 module delivery, Vast will introduce more advanced and efficient life support technologies. Each subsequent module will feature expanded payload facilities while maintaining the same fundamental module design and heritage. Andrew Feustel, a Vast advisor and veteran NASA astronaut with over 23 years of experience and three missions to the ISS, provided input into the features of the station design, noting that the potential for international collaboration is continued into the station’s architecture: “Haven-2 is being designed with compatibility in mind, ensuring that international partners can integrate seamlessly into this next-generation platform. This vision of global cooperation in space will create opportunities for scientific and technological advancements, benefiting new and current sovereign partners as well as industries around the world.” ..."

#FirstCommercialSpaceStation #PeterRussellClarke #AndrewFeustel #Vast #Haven1 "Vast, the US-based space habitation technology company pioneering the path to long-term living and thriving in space, today unveiled its interior design features aboard Haven-1, the world’s first commercial space station. Vast’s inaugural station combines the functionality of its state-of-the-art facilities for scientific research, technological advancement, and global collaboration in low-Earth orbit (LEO) with its remarkable dedication to sophisticated and human-centric design. Reflecting Vast’s commitment to prioritizing the well-being and experience of its astronauts and its vision for making space accessible to all, Haven-1 will launch in 2025 with a specific focus on ensuring form and function merge to provide greater comfort and quality of life for long-term missions. The interior design is warm and welcoming, while the exterior extends this design element by introducing a key new exterior element: a centralized window, allowing astronauts to experience a full view of Earth. Guided by the expertise of Peter Russell-Clarke, a world-renowned designer who has shaped some of Apple's most iconic products, Haven-1’s human-centric industrial design introduces new dimensions of bold creativity and efficiency, creating a new standard for interior design in space. "Astronauts living in zero gravity pose unique design challenges. Creating an environment that is both highly efficient and naturally comforting leads to totally new results. Haven-1 interiors are unprecedented, precisely engineered and sensitively designed to ensure its occupants thrive in space," said Russell-Clarke. Andrew Feustel, a veteran NASA astronaut with over 23 years of experience who has logged over 225 days in space on the ISS, played a critical role in advising the team as they developed the interior.  “I’ve flown three missions to space, and we are learning from those experiences and innovating to improve the way we can live and work on a space station. From communication and connectivity, to private space and interacting with others aboard, to advancing human progress on Earth and beyond, every detail has been designed with the astronaut experience at the core of our work,” added Feustel. Every detail of the Haven-1 interior has been implemented with an eye for detail, creating a visual hierarchy that allows the astronauts to focus on the task at hand, monitor the station's systems, and enjoy their experience onboard. After docking with a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, Haven-1 crew members open the Haven-1 exterior hatch and are greeted by a sleek, functional layout upon entry. A real-time display shows the station status with temperature and lighting controls, and optimized cargo compartments ensure essential supplies are stored efficiently. Notably, Haven-1’s interior surfaces are soft and padded to provide an added safety component for crew and visitors as they float throughout. ..."

#ExpeditedRocketLaunch #PeterBeck #RocketLab #Electron #ChangesInLatitudesChangesInAttitudes "Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced it has added a last-minute Electron launch to its launch manifest for a commercial mission that is scheduled to launch in just three days’ time. The mission, called ‘Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes’, will launch to space from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 during a launch window that opens October 19 th for a confidential commercial customer. The expedited mission will be Rocket Lab’s fastest turnaround to date: from signed contract to launch date in less than two months. Rocket Lab’s rapid call-up launch capability, its standardized and rapid production of Electron launch vehicles that ensures a rocket can be assigned a payload for on-demand launch within days, responsive launch sites, and its experienced team behind the second most frequently launched U.S. orbital rocket, are key enablers for this mission. The mission will be Rocket Lab’s 12 th launch of 2024, increasing the Company’s record number of Electron launches achieved annually since orbital launch services began in 2018. Rocket Lab has achieved a 100% increase in its Electron launch rate for the first half of this year compared with the same time in 2023, doubling its rocket production and launch cadence within a year. This increased launch and production rate bolsters Electron’s significance as a proven, sought-after capability for commercial satellite customers globally. Rocket Lab Founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck says: “Electron delivers what other rockets and rideshare programs can’t: a dedicated and responsive launch service that is tailored to each customer’s specific needs, allowing them to launch to precisely where they want and when they want on incredibly short notice. This quick turnaround from contract to launch is not only a showcase of Electron’s capability, but also of the relentless and fast-paced execution by the experienced team behind it that continues to deliver trusted and reliable access to space for our customers.” The launch will broadcast live at https://lnkd.in/gyiqDwME. For launch updates, follow Rocket Lab across its social media profiles. ..."

Fox News: *shakes head* Please read the attached "Newsweek" article for the details.

Wasting taxpayer dollars. #Hydrogen #HydrogenBuses #CityOfMississauga #MiWay

#GridScaleBatteries #IronAirBatterySystems #FormEnergy #JessicaUhl #GEVernova "American energy storage company Form Energy, Inc. announced a $405 million Series F financing round led by T. Rowe Price. The Series F brings Form Energy’s total funds raised to date at over $1.2B. In addition to participating in the Series F financing round, GE Vernova and Form Energy have signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding areas of strategic collaboration to support Form Energy as it continues to ramp manufacturing operations and commercial deployments of its iron-air battery systems. “To meet the urgent demands to modernize the grid and enable higher renewable energy generation, it’s essential to speed up the rollout of affordable technologies that can decarbonize the power grid while ensuring it remains secure, reliable and resilient," GE Vernova President Jessica Uhl said. "We’re proud to collaborate with Form Energy, sharing our deep manufacturing and engineering expertise, to support their ambitious journey to scale in the U.S. and globally. Form’s innovative 100-hour iron-air battery systems can be a game-changer, and we’re excited to play a role in helping them achieve global impact.” In May 2023, Form Energy broke ground on Form Factory 1, its first high-volume manufacturing facility in Weirton, West Virginia. Just a year later, the company completed the construction of the 550,000-square-foot facility, installed new manufacturing equipment and initiated trial production of its breakthrough iron-air batteries. With over 900 employees, including 300 at Form Factory 1, the company plans to grow its team further as it ramps up high-volume production in the coming months. By 2028, Form Factory 1 is projected to have more than 1 million square-feet of manufacturing space, employ at least 750 people and have an annual manufacturing capacity of 500 megawatts, at minimum."

#WindPower #WindTurbineBladeFailures #VineyardWind #DoggerBankWindFarm #GEVernova #LMWindPower #Haliade_X_WindTurbine "Two Vineyard Wind turbine blades left the staging area at the Port of New Bedford last Friday, but they were not headed out to be installed at the wind farm. Resting on the deck of the heavy lift vessel Rolldock Sun, the blades are instead on their way to Cherbourg, France, where Vineyard Wind's turbine provider, GE Vernova, has one of its two plants that manufacture blades for the Haliade-X turbines. Could this mean Vineyard Wind has discovered additional defective blades? The reason for the shipment is not yet clear, as officials for both GE Vernova and Vineyard Wind have declined repeated requests for comment from the Current since last Saturday. ... The Vineyard Wind project remains under a suspension order by the federal government following the disastrous turbine blade failure on July 13 that left Nantucket's beaches littered with styrofoam and fiberglass debris. That order was modified in August to allow Vineyard Wind to continue installing turbine towers and nacelles, but it is forbidden from producing power or installing blades. The turbine blade failure at Vineyard Wind was blamed on a “manufacturing deviation” - specifically insufficient bonding of the blade materials - that occurred at the LM Wind Power factory in Gaspé, Canada, the other location where the Haliade-X turbine blades are manufactured. LM Wind Power was acquired by GE Vernova for $1.65 billion in 2017. Following the blade failure in July, GE Vernova and Vineyard Wind announced all of the 150 turbine blades manufactured for the project so far - including those already installed on the 24 turbines constructed to date - would be re-inspected by reviewing the radiography testing records. The companies stated that the plan would include reviewing 8,300 ultrasound images, visual inspection of the blades with remote-controlled wheeled drones known as "crawlers" equipped with video cameras that can be inserted into the blades, and a new algorithm using existing sensors within the blades to monitor their health and provide warnings if trouble is detected. GE Vernova has previously stated that the "vast majority" of Vineyard Wind blades were sourced from the LM Wind Power plant in Canada. But an unknown number of blades were also manufactured at the plant in Cherbourg, France, where an “operational incident” in April 2024 reduced production capacity and resulted in damage to one of the moulds used to produce components for the Haliade-X turbines. ... At the only other place in the world where GE Vernova's Haliade X turbines are being installed - the Dogger Bank Wind farm off the coast of England - there have already been two blade failures so far this year. ..."