This Week in Space 229

This week it's Rod and Tariq working through the most important space headlines. The big story: Starship could launch test flight 14 as early as Monday the 28th. We've seen lots of tests, but this is the first attempt at an orbital flight, the success of which is necessary for the lunar landing system and eventual retirement of the Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon. Also: Vast starts up a lunar division, Isaacman's relief over delays to China's lunar program, concerns over announced discontinuation of SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon, and yet more money for Boeing's troubled Starliner. This and more on this episode of TWiS!

Headlines:

• SpaceX Prepares for Big Starship Flight 14 Launch
• Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon Proposed Wind-down Sparks Industry Jitters
• Starship’s Role as Future Space Habitat Gains Traction
• Industry Faces Uncertainty as Falcon 9 Phaseout Looms
• Boeing Starliner and Alternative Crew Vehicles in Focus
• SpaceX’s Massive Louisiana Expansion Announced
• Jared Isaacman Comments on China’s Lunar Delays
• U.S. and China Jostle for Lunar Leadership
• Vast Unveils Lunar Habitat and Surface System Ambitions
• ESA’s JUICE and Ramses Missions Headline Upcoming Science
• NASA Selects PRIMA Probe for Far-Infrared Astrophysics
• New Study Details Disastrous Global Ice Loss

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• Transcripts: This Week in Space 229

Links

• 12.5 trillion tons of polar ice has disappeared since the 70s, longest satellite record shows
• SpaceX Starship Flight 14 live updates: Pre-launch wet dress rehearsal underway
• Isaacman says NASA ‘dodged a bullet’ with Chinese lunar mission delay
• NASA chief concerned China may deny access to parts of Moon’s south pole
• Vast Establishes Lunar Programs Division, Applying Haven Flight Heritage to Power, Communications, and Habitats on the Moon
• Coming to terms with the end of the Falcon 9
• SpaceX Is Retiring Crew Dragon, Forcing NASA to Bet Big on Boeing’s Troubled Starliner
• SpaceX begins hiring for Vermilion Parish spaceport. Here are the first 4 jobs