NASA Chief Showcases Soviet Voskhod‑2 Inflatable Airlock
NASA administrator's photo-tour of a space museum starts with an exhibit of the Soviet Voskhod-2 spacecraft featuring inflatable airlock (not a cosmonaut-shooting gun): https://t.co/UyIwE1iyL1
New ROS Guide Adds Outpost Thermal-Control System
Expanding our exclusive technical guide to the ROS complex with the introduction to the outpost's thermal-control system (subscription). CONTEXT: Home page for the ROS project: https://t.co/81bSOWHp9D https://t.co/upduOMWNYd
Soyuz-2-1a Launches Military Payload From Plesetsk
A Soyuz-2-1a rocket launched military payload from Plesetsk at 9:28 MSK today, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. Developing story: https://t.co/RigHJQbcKJ https://t.co/HKeC4ADywg
Roscosmos Chooses Modern Start‑1M as Light‑Weight Launcher
Roskosmos now positions Start-1M vehicle, (converted from Topol-M ICBM) as its prime candidate for a light-weight launcher through the Novy Start venture. Compare it to the Start-1 vehicle from the 1990s, based on previous-generation Topol. Context: https://t.co/qfFQGn2e0c https://t.co/rP18aP5xVL
US Space Force Confirms Russian Starlink Satellites Stay Near Rocket
Thanks to the US Space Force, there is finally tracking data for the "Russian Starlink" group, indicating that all 16 satellites are in their nearly original orbit, a few kilometers above the third stage of the Soyuz-2 rocket, which had...
Progress MS-35 Cargo Ship Heads to Baikonur for Sep 9 Launch
Progress MS-35 cargo ship, with a projected launch date of September 9, is on its way to Baikonur Cosmodrome after completion of assembly, according to Roskosmos. Context: https://t.co/kJIE9Wqspo https://t.co/pmHoAslwPB
Three Crews in Space, Artemis II Heads to Moon
In the unique moment in history, three crews are in space, including two on Earth-orbiting space stations and, for the first time, one simultaneously heading to the vicinity of the Moon. But things are not good on Earth, so only...
SLS Launches Orion Crew, First Moon‑bound Flight Since 1972
The SLS rocket lifts off with the Orion spacecraft and a crew of four on a mission to the vicinity of the Moon for the first time since the Apollo-17 expedition in 1972: https://t.co/biWISWldtE https://t.co/3pTosP7Qwk
Roscosmos Confirms Post‑ISS Station Built From New ISS Modules
Speaking at the Federation Council, Roskosmos chief also confirmed that the post-ISS station would be assembled at ISS out of (New) Node, Science & Power and Airlock modules (as I illustrated back in 2021 ;) Context: https://t.co/wVxTkUEbNa https://t.co/zOHPUfG7hC
Roscosmos Confirms First Methane‑Oxygen Engine Test Fired
According to Roskosmos chief, the "first firing of the methane-oxygen engine (presumably the RD-0177M demonstrator) took place just last week" (which would make it between March 23 and 29). Context: https://t.co/RwOb1eWwT3 https://t.co/lZc1VCXbeJ
Krikalev Vows Orel Descent Module Replica for Drop Tests
Since the beginning of the year, Roskosmos officials had made a couple of "proof of life" statements regarding the decade-late PTK Orel spacecraft. The latest being Sergei Krikalev's promise to complete a high-fidelity copy of the Descent Module, VA, for...
Plesetsk Launch Planned Early April to 63° Inclination
Local warnings and at least one NOTAM indicate an upcoming launch from Plesetsk between April 1 and 15 to an orbit with an inclination 63 degrees toward the Equator: https://t.co/EhSC0xsQVM https://t.co/E7nBV3xpBV
Soyuz‑5 Launch Delayed to March 29, Flight Early April
The rollout of the first Soyuz-5 rocket to launch pad Site 45 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, was postponed from today to March 29, in turn, pushing its inaugural flight to April 2, at the earliest, according to Kazakh media. Context: https://t.co/DBcHRiQe36 https://t.co/S8p6AAE3IL
Roscosmos Unveils First Image From Elektro‑L5 Satellite
Roskosmos published first image from the Elektro-L5 weather satellite which was launched in February. Full size version and context: https://t.co/XRGzszjsAK https://t.co/KYrEHQmwWr
ISS Captures Progress MS-33 Docking with Antenna Snag
Newly released images taken from the ISS of yesterday's docking with the Progress MS-33 cargo ship, with a stuck antenna clearly visible on the right of docking mechanism. More pics and context: https://t.co/GL29AvnJQ5 https://t.co/7idPQ8z9Ix
Soyuz Launch Reveals Unexpected Military‑style Payload Fairing
Note to illustrators: videos of last night's Soyuz launch show that it used a different ("military" style) payload fairing from the Ariane-4-derived 81KS type depicted by the satellite developer. Context: https://t.co/zaum1S7eWh https://t.co/7iPE8xWFls
NASA Switches Progress MS-33 Docking to Manual After Antenna Failure
NASA: All attempts to deploy 1 of 2 Progress MS-33 Kurs rendezvous antenna did not succeed, so the docking will be switched to manual mode as first planned yesterday... Progress MS-33 is now tracked by an ISS camera: https://t.co/P6h1cwOAXH...
Unveiling Plesetsk's Secret Unannounced Orbital Launch
OK, we will try to chronicle the curious case of an unprecedented/unannounced orbital launch from Plesetsk on the linked page (work in progress, of course): https://t.co/zaum1S7eWh
Eyewitness Claims Possible ICBM Launch Near Plesetsk
There is an eyewitness report on the Novosti Kosmonavtiki web forum from the Ukhta area (NE of Plesetsk) about a rocket launch and stage separation (in one piece), possibly indicating an ICBM launch: https://t.co/bElbE6hVlW https://t.co/adIadiu1hY
Progress MS-33 Antenna Failure Forces Manual TORU Docking
One of the rendezvous antennas aboard Progress MS-33 failed to deploy, likely prompting the use of the TORU manual-control by the ISS crew to guide the cargo ship to docking... https://t.co/snqlHtWeDl
Soyuz Launches Progress MS‑33 Cargo to the ISS
A Soyuz rocket lifts off from Baikonur launch site in Kazakhstan, carrying the Progress MS-33 cargo ship to the International Space Station. Mission details, updates: https://t.co/U0Mzlpkmer https://t.co/VKOSMpjPHC
Soyuz‑Progress Launch Set From Restored Site 31
A Soyuz rocket with a Progress cargo ship is ready to lift off from the newly restored launch pad at Site 31 in one hour: https://t.co/U0Mzlpkmer https://t.co/rFVE71MWiO
First Cargo Launch From Repaired Site 31 Tomorrow
A cargo mission to lift off from the repaired pad at Site 31 tomorrow for the first time (details, updates): https://t.co/U0Mzlpkmer
Roskosmos Launches Parallel Cargo Missions to Recover ISS Supply
Roskosmos conducts a rather rare parallel cargo ship launch campaigns in Baikonur, with Progress MS-34 in early tests and Progress MS-33 on the pad, in an effort to make up the ISS resupply schedule after the November pad accident. Context:...
Soyuz‑5 Test Launch Set for March 27, Officials Warn of Debris
Soyuz-5 rocket to fly its inaugural test mission on March 27, according to local authorities in the Yugra Region, warning population on fragments' impact; no confirmation from Roskosmos yet: https://t.co/DBcHRiQe36 https://t.co/wHpGAkKqBV
Progress MS-31 Departs ISS, Paving Path for Next Resupply
Progress MS-31 undocks from ISS to clear the way for the next resupply mission: https://t.co/8NFAf26ZvR https://t.co/rvJcBU6rTq
Progress MS-33 Sealed in Fairing for March 22 ISS Launch
Progress MS-33 cargo ship was encapsulated inside its fairing in preparation for an ISS resupply mission scheduled to lift off on March 22: https://t.co/mN4Hi2mIUG https://t.co/13WiUz4NSF
Russia's Comsat Failure Highlights Delayed Domestic Satellite Plans
Russia's Ekspress-AT1 comsat shuts down mysteriously as Roskosmos is struggling to transition to domestic development of communications satellites. The replacement is promised at the end of 2030... if money available. Details: https://t.co/OeG1s4wfhC https://t.co/gjAig4ks29
Next‑Gen Space Station Gets Major Life‑Support Upgrade
For our subscribers, a long read with exclusive details on the latest upgrades of the life-support system and food/water supply proposed for the next-generation space station. Full story is on the site... https://t.co/URv1wBb2k4
NASA's Lunar Plan: Three Super‑Heavy Rockets, Two Landers, One Transport
Key elements of NASA's lunar exploration architecture and milestones: (three dissimilar super-heavy launchers, two piloted lunar landers, one crew transport):
Cold War Lunar Lander Reappears After 55 Years
55 YEARS AGO: The Soviet lunar lander for a single cosmonaut reappears in the Earth's orbit. Details on the site (subscription)... https://t.co/aJuVReTuyb
Roscosmos Completes Solar Array Tests, Site 31 Repairs Near Finish
Roskosmos reports completion of solar array tests in the ongoing Progress MS-33 launch campaign in Baikonur, while construction crews are finishing repairs at Site 31: https://t.co/mN4Hi2mIUG https://t.co/ih3V7RDbih
Soviet Dogs Lead 1966 Secret Voskhod Mission Against Gemini
60 YEARS AGO TODAY: The USSR launches a Voskhod spacecraft with the dogs Ugolyok and Veterok on a secret mission to prepare a response to NASA's Gemini project. FULL STORY: https://t.co/AWISaZC2RC
Celebrating 40 Years of Mir with Virtual Reconstruction
40 YEARS AGO TODAY: The USSR launches the 1st element of the Mir orbital complex. To mark the occasion, I am working on the complete virtual reconstruction of the spacecraft, which will be used to illustrate 15 years of Mir's operation:...
Considering Soviet Space History Over Modern
I now have quite a collection of messages like the one below, so the only solution I see is shifting my focus from today's Russia to the Soviet space history, but I am open to other suggestions and, of course,...
Roskosmos Preps Progress MS-33 for Site 31 Return
Roskosmos resumes processing of the Progress MS-33 cargo ship in Baikonur in anticipation of the return to flight from the restored Site 31 after the service platform collapse last year: https://t.co/mN4Hi2mIUG https://t.co/dpnK9COwOB
Falcon‑9/Dragon Launches First 2026 ISS Crew
Falcon-9/Dragon lifts off from Cape Canaveral carrying the first International Space Station crew of 2026 (USCV-12). It is 303rd mission of the ISS poject: https://t.co/z0hQPyE0Zn https://t.co/113UjWl1F5
Proton Rocket Launches Elektro‑L5 Weather Satellite From Baikonur
Proton rocket lifts off from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, with the Elektro-L5 weather satellite. DETAILS, UPDATES: https://t.co/XRGzszk0qi https://t.co/3ZESECT8GH
New Platform Restores Soyuz Launch Pad at Baikonur
Replacement to the collapsed service platform, that disabled the only launch pad for piloted Soyuz rockets, was now installed at Site 31, according to rumors from Baikonur, marking a major milestone in the repairs of the facility: https://t.co/Gej3DU7zrd https://t.co/2jiuluTuxl
Proton Rocket Returns to Pad After Three Years
Proton rocket returned to launch pad this morning in preparation for its first flight in nearly three years on Thursday: https://t.co/DyHPm6OdhH https://t.co/KXqkCYSXcA
