On Tuesday, June 30, 2020, at 16:10 EDT local time (20:10 UTC), SpaceX has put the third satellite in the GPS III constellation into orbit for the US Space Force. The launch has taken place from the Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. SpaceX successfully landed stage 1 of its Falcon9 on the droneship "Just read the instructions", stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

  The deployment of the satellite was deployed 1H30 after the launch. With this mission, the private American aerospace company confirms its position as a leader in the launch of military satellites, after winning the contract from the United Launch Alliance (ULA) and the Lockheed Martin / Boeing duo. More powerful and accurate, using the latest technologies in the field, the GPS III constellation is the renewal of the American GPS system, initiated by the United States in the 1970s. 

  Review the launch of the GPS III mission :  

 Mardi 30 juin 2020, à 16h10 EDT heure locale (20h10 UTC), SpaceX a mis sur orbite le troisième satellite de la constellation GPS III, pour le compte de l'US Space Force. Le lancement a eu lieu depuis le site du Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) à la station de l'armée de l'air de Cape Canaveral en Floride. SpaceX a réussit à faire atterrir l'étage 1 de sa Falcon9 sur la barge "Just read the instructions", stationnée dans l'Océan Atlantique.

  Le déploiement du satellite s'est déroulé 1H30 après le lancement. Avec cette mission, l'entreprise aérospatiale privée américaine confirme sa position de leader en matière de lancement de satellites militaires, après avoir rafler le contrat au dépend de l'United Launch Alliance (ULA) et du duo Lockheed Martin / Boeing. Plus performante et précise, utilisant les dernières technologies du domaine, la constellation GPS III est le renouvellement du système GPS américain, initié par les Etats-Unis depuis les années 70. 

  Revoyez le lancement de la mission GPS III : 

  On Friday, June 26, 2020, NASA astronauts Chris Cassidy and Robert Behnken performed the 228th spacewalk (EVA) as part of the assembly, maintenance and modernization of the International Space Station (ISS). Cassidy and Behnken exited the station's Quest airlock to replace old nickel-hydrogen batteries in one of the two starboard truss power channels with new lithium-ion batteries that arrived on a Japanese cargo ship last month. The EVA, which lasted just over 7 hours, went off without a hitch. 

  Watch the full video of the spacewalk on Friday, June 26, 2020: 

  Ce vendredi 26 juin 2020, les astronautes de la NASA Chris Cassidy et Robert Behnken ont effectué la 228ème sortie dans l'espace, dans le cadre de l'assemblage, de l'entretien et de la modernisation de la Station Spatiale Internationale (ISS). Les astronautes Cassidy et Behnken sont sortis du sas Quest de la station orbitale pour remplacer les vieilles batteries nickel-hydrogène de l'un des deux canaux d'alimentation de la poutrelle tribord, par de nouvelles batteries au lithium-ion qui sont arrivées sur un vaisseau cargo japonais le mois dernier. La sortie extra-véhiculaire, qui a duré un peu plus de 7 heures, s'est déroulée sans problème. 

  Revoyez en intégralité la vidéo de la sortie spatiale du vendredi 26 juin 2020 : 

  Available on Amazon, ASTRVM IMPERIVM : the duality of shadows [Tome2] is released this 24th June 2020, in two versions, paperback book at $9.99 and eBook Kindle at $4.99. This books trilogy is an anticipation/adventure story during the 28th century (XXVIII), a vision about our future, between space exploration and mining, high technologies, robots and A.I., within the Empire of the United Nations. This book takes part at the Amazon literary contest "StorytellerUK2020". More informations about the ASTRVM IMPERIVM on the official website https://www.astrvmimperivm.com. 

​  Summary : Second volume of the Astrvm Imperivm, an anticipation of our world taking place more than 700 years after our era, within the Empire of the United Nations. Accompany Charles, Madior and Aki on their return to Earth. While obscure events are brewing within the empire, the threats are not always those we believe. In this spring of 2770, these dark plans threaten to change the face of Human Civilization and its future, taking souls and freezing destinies...

  About a week ago, the Starlink website has been online. You can now subscribe to the newsletter in order to receive the next information about the satellite broadband internet project. You will also be notified of the availability of services in your area, and possibly be part of the beta testers. The Starlink project, initiated by the private aerospace company SpaceX, is expected to be commissioned initially in 2020/2021 for North America (USA and Canada). The rest of the world will be able to take advantage of the Starlink service, starting in 2021, according to schedule. The company is counting on the year 2025 for optimal satellite coverage.

  Very interesting video from the Youtube Launch Pad Astronomy channel, explaining the Starlink project and answering questions related to astronomy :

 Depuis environ une semaine, le site internet Starlink a été mis en ligne. Vous pouvez, dès maintenant, vous inscrire à la newsletter afin de recevoir les prochaines informations sur le projet d'internet haut débit par satellites. Vous serez également avertis de la disponibilité des services dans votre région, et éventuellement faire partie des béta-testeurs. Le projet Starlink, initié par la société aérospatiale privée SpaceX, devrait être mis en service dans un premier temps, en 2020/2021 pour l'Amérique du Nord (USA et Canada). Le reste du monde pourra profiter du service Starlink, à partir de 2021, selon le calendrier. L'entreprise compte sur l'année 2025 pour une couverture satellitaire optimale.  

  Vidéo très intéressante de la chaîne Youtube Astro-cdlc48, expliquant en français, le projet Starlink et répondant aux questions liées à l'astronomie : 
"La communauté astro s'enflamme à chaque lancement de satellites Starlink de SpaceX : Vont-ils sonner le glas de l'astronomie? Je vous propose de voir ce qu'il en sera réellement :
- combien de satellites, et quelles seront leurs orbites ?
- comment les observer (pour ceux qui aiment) ?
​- quels seront les impacts en visuel et en astrophotographie? - mais surtout, quelles solutions pour pallier aux nuisances? 

  The Defense Minister Florence Parly and the French Armed Forces General Staff announced the successful firing of an M51.2 ballistic missile from the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine "Le Téméraire" (SNLE) off the French coast of south Finistère, from the Bay of Audierne. The aim of this test firing, in real simulation, was to validate the achievements of the French military force in terms of nuclear deterrence. The M51.2 ballistic missile was fired on Friday 12 June 2020, at 8:20 a.m. local time, and landed as planned off the Azores.

  The 12-metre-long M51.2 strategic ballistic missile has reached the speed of Mach 15 (18522 km/h) in a few minutes. The missile, which was disarmed during the test, can hold 10 nuclear warheads. France confirmed its third position among the countries classified as Nuclear Military Powers, with 280 operational warheads and 20 other types of warheads. France remains far behind the first two, the United States and Russia, with respectively 1600 operational warheads and 5250 other types of warheads for the USA, and 1750 operational warheads supplemented by 4700 other types of warheads for Russia.

  Florance Parly has announced that missile tests would continue until mid-July. 
Review the previous test launch of the M51 ballistic missile, dated 30 September 2015 :

  La ministre de la Défense, Florence Parly, et l'Etat Major français des armées ont annoncé le tir réussi d'un missile balistique M51.2 du sous-marin nucléaire lanceur d'engins "Le Téméraire" (SNLE), au large des côtes françaises du sud-Finistère, depuis la baie d'Audierne. Ce tir test, en simulation réelle, a eu comme but de valider les acquis de la force militaire française en matière de dissuasion nucléaire. Le missile balistique M51.2 a été tiré le vendredi 12 juin 2020, à 8h20 heure locale, et a amerri comme prévu au large des Açores. 
  
  Le missile balistique stratégique M51.2, d'une longueur de 12 mètres, a atteint la vitesse de Mach 15 (18522 km/h) en quelques minutes. L'engin, qui était désarmé durant le test, peut contenir 10 têtes nucléaires. La France confirme sa troisième position au sein des pays classés Puissances Militaires Nucléaires, avec 280 ogives opérationnelles et 20 autres types d'ogives. La France reste très loin derrière les deux premiers, les Etats-Unis et la Russie, possédant respectivement 1600 ogives opérationnelle et 5250 autres types d'ogives pour les USA, et 1750 ogives opérationnelles complété par 4700 autres d'ogives pour la Russie. 

  Florance Parly a annoncé que des tests de missiles allaient se poursuivre jusqu'à la mi-juillet. 
Revoir le précédent tir test du missile balistique M51, daté du 30 septembre 2015 :    

 This Saturday, June 13, 2020 was marked by three rocket launches, at different locations on the Blue Planet. As mentioned in the previous article, SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 and its Starlink-9 payload, 58 satellites accompanied by 3 Planet's SkySat, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. But they weren't the only ones who wanted to reach space this Saturday. 

  The privately owned New Zealand company Rocket Lab successfully launched its 12th Electron rocket. The launch of the "Don't Stop Me Now" mission took place at 05:12 UTC from the Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand . Under the launcher's bonnet, a military satellite entrusted by the US Air Force (USAF), and its department the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The satellite was successfully placed into a polar orbit a few minutes after launch. This military satellite increases the intelligence capability of the Space Force, the new space department of the US Army.

  Since its creation in June 2006, Rocket Lab has successfully sent 53 satellites into low orbit.
Review the launch on Saturday, June 13, 2020 : 

  In another launch this Saturday, Japan's first privately-owned aerospace company Interstellar Technologies Inc. attempted a test flight with its prototype MOMO F5 rocket from Taiki Aerospace Research Field in Taiki Hokkaido, Japan. Everything went according to plan until the sudden loss of control of the rocket 1 minute 7 seconds after it left the launch pad. The uncontrollable MOMO F5 broke apart in the air before falling into several pieces in the Pacific Ocean. The young company Interstellar Technologies Inc., founded in 2017 by Takafumi Horie, has a bright future ahead of it. The rocket design process is full of failures before it reaches success. This is the price to pay for access to space, but the ultimate reward is even greater. To be continued...

  Review the MOMO F5 launch attempt :