Any thoughts on two very recent space launches?

China launches yet another high-resolution Earth observation satellite, drops rocket debris

By Andrew Jones 2 days ago

While apparently routine, the mission had some new aspects to it. The Long March 3B rocket usually sends satellites towards geostationary orbits, which have an altitude of 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers).

Sunday’s launch, however, saw the Long March 3B send a satellite into a much lower orbit — sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), around 310 miles (500 km) up, for the first time.

https://www.space.com/china-gaofen-14-earth-observation-satellite-launch-rocket-debris

Delta IV Heavy Launches Long-Delayed NROL-44 Mission

By Ben Evans, on December 10th, 2020

It was the 12th launch of a Heavy since December 2004, marking the beginning of the end for an impressive rocket which has now lifted eight classified NRO payloads, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, the final Defense Support Program (DSP) early-warning satellite and the inaugural voyage of the Orion deep-space exploration vehicle. But tonight’s mission with NROL-44, despite all the media attention it has received for the wrong reasons since August, is completely shrouded in mystery.

Judging from the Heavy’s lifting credentials—about 63,470 pounds (28,790 kg) to low-Earth orbit and up to 31,350 pounds (14,220 kg) to geostationary altitude—it would appear that NROL-44 is a heavyweight payload with a particularly high-energy-orbit requirement. It has been suggested that it may be an Advanced Orion/Mentor signals-intelligence satellite, perhaps weighing as much as 11,500 pounds (5,200 kg) and bound for a geostationary “slot” some 22,600 miles (35,900 km) above the Home Planet.

https://www.americaspace.com/2020/12/10/delta-iv-heavy-launches-long-delayed-nrol-44-mission/

This is a space force launch BTW:

https://www.ulalaunch.com/about/news/2020/08/07/united-launch-alliance-wins-multi-year-competitive-contract-award-to-launch-critical-national-security-space-missions-for-the-u.s.-space-force

Dianne Feinstein ‘seriously struggling’ with cognitive decline: report

By Ebony Bowden

December 10, 2020 | 1:58pm | Updated

WASHINGTON — Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the oldest member of the Senate at age 87 and the most senior Democrat on its powerful Judiciary Committee, is “seriously struggling” with cognitive decline, a new report says.

People familiar with the California lawmaker’s situation told the New Yorker on Wednesday that Feinstein’s short-term memory has grown so poor that she “often forgets she has been briefed on a topic, accusing her staff of failing to do so just after they have.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has had several “painful” discussions with Feinstein about stepping aside, but the octogenarian reportedly soon forgets about their talks, forcing Schumer to confront her again, one source said.

“It was like Groundhog Day, but with the pain fresh each time,” the source said.

Overtures were also reportedly made to Feinstein’s billionaire husband, Richard C. Blum.

Grumblings over Feinstein’s performance have grown increasingly loud, leading to her decision to step down last month as ranking member of the elite Judiciary Committee.

Pundits were unhappy with Feinstein’s handling of the confirmation of President Trump’s most recent Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett.

The lawmaker bungled several questions and then caused a furor when she concluded Barrett’s hearings by hugging Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and praising him for “one of the best set of hearings that I have participated in.”

Schumer was reportedly so concerned about Feinstein’s performance that he “installed a trusted former aide, Max Young, to ’embed’ in the Judiciary Committee to make sure the hearings didn’t go off the rails,” the New Yorker reported.

Dianne Feinstein

Dianne Feinstein

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call/Sipa USA

He did the same during the 2018 confirmation hearings for Justice Brett Kavanaugh, according to the article.

“The staff is in such a bad position,” one former Senate aide told the publication. “They have to defend her and make her seem normal.”

Some people familiar with the situation blamed Schumer for not talking Feinstein out of running for re-election in 2018, with her term now due to end in 2024, when she will be 91 years old. Schumer’s office declined to comment.

Feintein’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

https://nypost.com/2020/12/10/dianne-feinstein-struggling-with-cognitive-decline-report/

>>11979575

You're terrible at this.

>>11979644

Seeing 17 over and over

>>11979801

Dog and pony show.

>>11979944

Tough to sleep even.

>>11979994

What's fredo doing there?