OrbitalHub

Wikipedia dicit:

The SpaceX Starship is a fully reusable second stage and space vehicle being privately developed by SpaceX. It is being designed to be a long-duration cargo- and passenger-carrying spacecraft. While currently it is tested on its own, it will be used on orbital launches with an additional booster stage, the Super Heavy, where Starship would serve as the second stage on a two-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle. The combination of spacecraft and booster is called Starship as well. Beginning in mid-2019, prototype versions are being flown with Starship as an independent rocket in its own right—without any launch vehicle booster stage at all—as part of an extensive suborbital flight testing program to get launch and landing working and iterate on a variety of design details, particularly with respect to atmospheric reentry of the vehicle.

Integrated system testing of Starship began in March 2019 with the addition of a single Raptor rocket engine to the first flight-capable propellant structure, Starhopper. Starhopper was used through August 2019 for static testing and low-altitude, low-velocity flight testing of vertical launches and landings in July/August. Two additional test articles, Starship orbital prototypes, are being built by competing teams in Texas and in Florida. They are planned to be used for high-altitude, high-velocity testing beginning in late 2019. All test articles have a 9-meter (30 ft)-diameter stainless steel hull.

Video Credit: SpaceX

Northrop Grumman dicit:

Northrop Grumman is developing the next generation of the GEM family of strap-on boosters to support intermediate- and large-class space launch vehicles. These boosters build on the company’s extensive history of the successful GEM 40, GEM 46, and GEM 60 motors. The GEM 63 and GEM 63XL motors will be capable of supporting national security, science and commercial payloads. The company is leveraging its industry-leading expertise in composite large solid rocket motor development and manufacturing to provide customers with a cost-effective, reliable, flexible, and on-time system, starting in 2019 for United Launch Alliance’s Atlas and Vulcan launch vehicles.

Video Credit: Northrop Grumman

NASA dicit:

Exploration Ground Systems continued to make sure the mobile launcher is ready for Artemis I with a multi-arm swing test on Friday, October 4, 2019 at Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Umbilical Arm Simultaneous Retract Test included retraction of the connections that will provide fuel, coolant and communications to the Space Launch System rocket up until launch. The umbilicals tested included the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage Umbilical (ICPSU), the Core Stage Forward Skirt Umbilical (CSFSU) and the Core Stage Intertank Umbilical (CSIU).

Video Credit: NASA

Wikipedia dicit:

The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (Orion MPCV) is a US-European spacecraft intended to carry a crew of four astronauts to destinations at or beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). As of August 2019, it is under development by NASA and the ESA for launch on the Space Launch System (SLS), Orion is intended to be the main crew vehicle of the Artemis lunar exploration program and other missions not far beyond lunar space. Artemis 1 is planned to be the first flight of Orion on SLS, Artemis 2 the first crewed flight, and Artemis 3 the first lunar landing via the Lunar Gateway.

The Orion MPCV uses the same basic configuration as the Apollo command and service module (CSM) that first took astronauts to the Moon, but with an increased diameter, updated thermal protection system, and a host of other modern technologies. Orion will support long-duration deep space missions with up to 21 days active crew time plus 6 months quiescent spacecraft life. During the quiescent period crew life support would be provided by another module, such as the proposed Deep Space Habitat. The spacecraft’s life support, propulsion, thermal protection, and avionics systems can be upgraded as new technologies become available. The Orion spacecraft includes both crew and service modules, and a spacecraft adapter. The Orion’s crew module is larger than Apollo’s and can support more crew members for short or long-duration missions. The European service module propels and powers the spacecraft as well as storing oxygen and water for astronauts.

Video Credit: Lockheed Martin

Northrop Grumman dicit:

SpaceLogistics LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Northrop Grumman, provides cooperative in-orbit satellite servicing to geosynchronous satellite operators using its fleet of commercial servicing vehicles. Our initial servicing vehicle, the Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV)™ docks with customers’ existing satellites providing the propulsion and attitude control needed to extend their lives. We have now introduced our next generation system, Mission Extension Pods (MEPs)™, which is a smaller and less expensive life extension service that only performs orbit control. The MEPs are installed by a robotic servicing vehicle called the Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV)™ which can perform all the functions of an MEV while adding new robotic capabilities for additional services.

Our life extension services are compatible with virtually all geosynchronous satellites with minimal interruption to operations. They enable satellite operators to significantly extend satellite mission life, activate new markets, drive asset value and protect their franchises. SpaceLogistics delivers life extension services that are flexible, scalable, capital-efficient and low-risk. Our breakthrough innovations provide satellite operators unprecedented flexibility in asset deployment, enabling game-changing advances in financial and operating flexibility, and risk mitigation.

Video Credit: Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman dicit:

Our Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV-1), the first of its kind spacecraft to extend another satellite’s life, is now in orbit. MEV is designed to rendezvous and dock with satellites running low on fuel.

Video Credit: Northrop Grumman