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[10ebbor10]

Esa signed onto Orion last year. They now gave the contract to airbus.

[alway]

Also, this may not come as news to everyone else, but as I just found out, China has their own space station: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiangong
Well, an orbital lab with plans to expand it into a 60 tonne space station. I don't know why I only found out about this now, it's been up since 2011. I blame the media's americentrism.

Yeah, they've also got a moon program going on. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Lunar_Exploration_Program
The first lunar sample return since 1976, expected around 2017. There's also some talk of manned lunar missions, potentially including a moon base, which would occur in the mid 2020s.
http://www.universetoday.com/107716/china-considers-manned-moon-landing-following-breakthrough-change-3-mission-success/


In other news, it seems this is what SpaceX will be landing their reusable rocket stuff on: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/536262624653365248
However, the more interesting implications are here:
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/536263260056850432

Will allow refuel & rocket flyback in future.

Now I'm not entirely certain, but that sounds almost as if they were planning to automatically refuel the returning stages, then have them fly back to land or something.... Which I suppose makes some sense, if you want an extremely rapid turnaround. Quite the juggling act implied there.
And as per this: http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/commercial/launch-spacexs-crs-5-mission-iss-slips-dec-16/
There's a chance that their next mission some time in December/January may attempt to land on that platform; at the very least, they will be testing their new high-velocity control surfaces.
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/536258543675252739

[nogoodnames]

The Orion test flight is going to be launched in a couple hours and NASA has started its live coverage.

Link: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#.VIAoK8nYOUk

[kaian-a-coel]

The Orion test flight is going to be launched in a couple hours and NASA has started its live coverage.

Link: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#.VIAoK8nYOUk

Currently on hold due to ground winds. Should launch soon in about an hour.

The weather system over the launch site that is producing the wind gusts that have scrubbed the first two tries this morning is forecast to break in the next 45 minutes to an hour, reports Kathy Winters, weather officer with the 45th Weather Squadron. Our launch window this morning extends to 9:44 a.m. EST.

[nogoodnames]

New launch time is 8:26 am EST. Hopefully there won't be another sudden gust of wind.

Edit: Damn, another abort, this time because of fuel drain valves on the boosters not closing.

One final attempt before today's launch window closes. Nevermind, looks like they're scrubbing the launch for today and will try again tomorrow, same time.

[Dutrius]

Phew... Didn't want to miss this.

I was in school today so I could not have seen it if the launch went ahead.

Good thing there's no school tomorrow for me.

[alway]

"Same time" being 7 AM EST, since that wasn't explicitly mentioned.

[nogoodnames]

And it's in orbit! No delays for the launch today. In about an hour and a half it will extend its orbit to go beyond low Earth orbit before coming back for a high-speed reentry to test its heat shield.

[Dutrius]

Gah, had to go out this morning, so I missed the launch.

Still, glad that it made it to orbit.

[WillowLuman]

Finally, success! Here's to many more to come!

[alway]

For those who missed it, here's the launch video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEuOpxOrA_0

Additionally, the wiki page for Dec 16's SpaceX launch now says they will in fact be landing the first stage on their drone ship.

[Jervill]

It's good to see the Orion MPCV succeed.   But, that was never the problem, we still need the Space Launch System to be operational (and funded, a larger concern) for the future missions to succeed.

[smirk]

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft woke up on Saturday for its Pluto flyby!

http://io9.com/nasas-new-horizons-spacecraft-awakes-to-begin-pluto-mis-1667729735

Close-ups of Pluto and probably Charon as well are due in about six weeks, apparently. Then onward to the Kuiper Belt!

[alway]

So apparently quite some interesting stuff coming from the Curiosity rover:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS99yR1cooE

Seems they happened to put it down in an ancient lakebed, eroded away by wind over time to reveal tons of layers. So they're basically in absolutely the best possible location in which one could hope to do geology. Doubly so if you're interested in studying the hydrogeology of Mars.

[WillowLuman]

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft woke up on Saturday for its Pluto flyby!

http://io9.com/nasas-new-horizons-spacecraft-awakes-to-begin-pluto-mis-1667729735

Close-ups of Pluto and probably Charon as well are due in about six weeks, apparently. Then onward to the Kuiper Belt!

Excellent! I've been eagerly awaiting the pluto pictures!

So apparently quite some interesting stuff coming from the Curiosity rover:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS99yR1cooE

Seems they happened to put it down in an ancient lakebed, eroded away by wind over time to reveal tons of layers. So they're basically in absolutely the best possible location in which one could hope to do geology. Doubly so if you're interested in studying the hydrogeology of Mars.

Also excellent! Can't wait to see what they find!