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| Image credit: CALT |
Launch of Tianlian-3-01
CASC/CALT launched a Long March 7A (Chang Zheng 7A) from Wenchang in Hainan at 1150 UTC, or 1950 local time (CST). It was carrying Tianlian-3-01, a geosychronous relay satellite for supporting communications between satellites, crewed spacecraft, and ground stations. This is the first satellite in the third generation of Tianlian, just a few days after the final launch of the previous generation. This was the 28th flight of the Long March 7 rocket family, and the 17th flight of the 7A configuration. [Source: CALT]
Positive Noises Regarding Starliner
The CEO of Boeing has suggested that the company's Starliner vehicle might be ready for flight sooner than expected. The spacecraft, developed alongside SpaceX Crew Dragon as an alternative option for commercial crew missions, was grounded after it suffered malfunctions with its thrusters during its first crewed flight to the International Space Station back in 2024. Before it attempts to carry crew into space again, Starliner will make an uncrewed cargo flight. With the craft itself almost ready to fly, Ars Technica reports that the main obstacle is now scheduling a docking port on the station when there are already several crew and cargo missions queued up before the end of the year. The fact that SpaceX is planning to retire Crew Dragon in the early 2030s has provided additional incentive to get Starliner flying again so that the United States isn't left without any working crewed spacecraft, as was the case after the Space Shuttle was retired in 2011. [Source: Ars Technica]
International Space Station Activities
The crew of the International Space Station carried out routine research and maintenance as well as practising procedures for the first of several upcoming spacewalks. [Source: NASA]
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