A Russian launch ISS resupply mission early tomorrow (5:32 a.m. Eastern US time) only orbits Earth twice before docking.
[URL="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-to-televise-international-space-station-cargo-ship-launch-docking-0"]NASA to Televise International Space Station Cargo Ship Launch, Docking[/URL]
[QUOTE][URL="http://www.nasa.gov/live"]NASA Television[/URL] will provide live coverage of the launch and docking of a Russian cargo spacecraft delivering almost three tons of food, fuel and supplies to the International Space Station beginning at 5:15 a.m. EDT Thursday, Oct. 12.

Launch of the unpiloted Russian Progress 68 is scheduled for 5:32 a.m. (3:32 p.m. Baikonur time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

The spacecraft is set to dock to the Pirs Docking Compartment on the Russian segment at 8:56 a.m. Docking comes just three and a half hours, or two orbits of Earth, after launch to demonstrate an expedited capability for potential use on future Russian cargo and crew launches. NASA TV coverage of rendezvous and docking will begin at 8:15 a.m. Progress 68 will remain docked at the station for more than five months before departing in March for its deorbit into Earth’s atmosphere.

Keep up with the International Space Station, and its research and crews, at:

[url]http://www.nasa.gov/station[/url]

Get breaking news, images and features from the station on Instagram and Twitter:

[url]http://instagram.com/iss[/url]

[url]http://www.twitter.com/Space_Station[/url][/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=only_human;469664]A Russian launch ISS resupply mission early tomorrow (5:32 a.m. Eastern US time) only orbits Earth twice before docking.
[URL="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-to-televise-international-space-station-cargo-ship-launch-docking-0"]NASA to Televise International Space Station Cargo Ship Launch, Docking[/URL][/QUOTE]

Launch scrubbed today within last minute. Next launch no earlier than Saturday the 14th of October.

The rescheduled Progress 68 cargo mission to the ISS proceeded well but did not include the originally intended quick two orbits before docking test.

Another Satellite into space...
[URL="https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/10/30/live-coverage-third-falcon-9-launch-of-the-month-set-for-monday/"]Live coverage: Third Falcon 9 launch of the month set for Monday[/URL]
[QUOTE]Liftoff is set for 3:34 p.m. EDT (1934 GMT) Monday from pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. SpaceX’s live video webcast begins around 15 minutes prior to launch.[/QUOTE]

Does anyone know the per pound expense for putting things in orbit? Inflation aside, I've heard it said that that's one of the best metrics for determining how accessible space tech is.

[QUOTE=jasong;471062]Does anyone know the per pound expense for putting things in orbit? Inflation aside, I've heard it said that that's one of the best metrics for determining how accessible space tech is.[/QUOTE]

SpaceX is less than $2500 per pound.

[QUOTE=Mark Rose;471063]SpaceX is less than $2500 per pound.[/QUOTE]

It can vary wildly by what form the pound is in and what orbit exactly you're targeting.

[QUOTE=Dubslow;471070]It can vary wildly by what form the pound is in and what orbit exactly you're targeting.[/QUOTE]It cost much more, for instance, to put something in orbit around Saturn than it does for a low earth orbit.

[QUOTE=xilman;471084]It cost much more, for instance, to put something in orbit around Saturn than it does for a low earth orbit.[/QUOTE]

I of course in context meant geocentric orbits :smile: There are also plenty of such orbits which are significantly harder than LEO.

The following is closer, but only just, to the spirit of the original posts in this thread. Once round tuits become freely available again I will attempt to contribute in the original theme.

For the time being, take a look at a speculative view of what [URL="https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/your-bedroom-mars-will-look-lot-different-ncna816976"]Martian home furnishing[/URL] might look like.

In other news, a new SpaceX Block 5 Merlin Engine blew up Sunday during testing.
[URL="https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/8/16624022/spacex-merlin-rocket-engine-failure-mcgregor-texas-falcon-9"]SpaceX rocket engine explodes during test at Texas facility[/URL][QUOTE]However, the explosion isn’t expected to have too much of an impact, since the Merlin engine being tested was for the upcoming Block 5 configuration of the Falcon 9. The Block 5 is the final upgrade to the rocket that SpaceX has been developing this last year, which will supposedly have even higher thrust and improved landing abilities. Until that upgrade is finalized, though, SpaceX has been flying a transitional version of the Falcon 9 known as the Block 4.

Now, SpaceX plans to suspend all Block 5 engine testing at McGregor until the accident investigation is included, though Block 4 engine testing will proceed. The company will also start repairing the test bay the engine exploded on, which should take two to four weeks to complete. SpaceX expects repairs to be done before the investigation is over, but just in case, the company has an additional test bay at McGregor it can use. However, that second test bay sustained some minor damage in the explosion, too, but repairs should only take two to three days before testing can resume.

In the meantime, the company will forge ahead with its launches, and SpaceX says it hopes to give public updates on the investigation in the coming weeks.[/QUOTE]
Ars Technica [URL="https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/11/an-experimental-spacex-rocket-engine-has-exploded-in-texas/"]says[/URL]:
[QUOTE]Sunday's explosion, which was first reported by The Washington Post, occurred before the engine was lit, a source told Ars. It happened during a procedure known as LOX drop, in which liquid oxygen is added to the engine to determine if there are any leaks. At that point, something caused the fluids within the rocket engine to ignite. Testing of the Block 5 Merlin engine will be suspended until the cause of that ignition is found and fixed.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=jasong;471062]Does anyone know the per pound expense for putting things in orbit? Inflation aside, I've heard it said that that's one of the best metrics for determining how accessible space tech is.[/QUOTE]
As for ISS resupply, [URL="https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/11/in-depth-study-commercial-cargo-program-a-bargain-for-nasa/"]Commercial cargo program a bargain for NASA[/URL]
[QUOTE]According to the new research paper by Edgar Zapata, who works at Kennedy Space Center, the supply services offered by SpaceX and Orbital ATK have cost NASA two to three times less than if the space agency had continued to fly the space shuttle. For his analysis, Zapata attempted to mak[B][/B]e an "apples to apples" comparison between the commercial vehicles, through June 2017, and the space shuttle.

Specifically, the analysis of development and operational expenses, as well as vehicle failures, found that [B]SpaceX[/B] had cost NASA about [B]$89,000 per kg[/B] of cargo delivered to the space station. By the same methodology, he found [B]Orbital ATK[/B] had cost [B]$135,000 per kg[/B]. Had the shuttle continued to fly, and deliver cargo via its Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, it would have cost $272,000 per kg.[/QUOTE]