Washington DC (UPI) Sep 5, 2024
The beleaguered Boeing Starliner spacecraft that took two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station will attempt to make its uncrewed return to Earth on Friday evening, the company has announced. NASA on Thursday issued a timeline and a set of criteria for the Starliner's departure from the ISS and return to Earth. The space capsule has faced a host of issues since well

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Sep 05, 2024
On September 4, the European environmental satellite "Sentinel-2C" is set for launch aboard a European Vega rocket from Kourou. Beyond Gravity has supplied critical components for this mission, including the satellite's onboard computer and navigation receiver. "The opportunity to contribute essential elements to this environmental mission, which aims to enhance our understanding of climat

Seoul (AFP) Sept 5, 2024
South Korea's new space agency said Thursday it was looking to grow its share of the industry and take on Elon Musk's SpaceX, as it unveiled plans to create a "space passageway". The Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) opened in May with the goal of turning the land of K-pop into a new space powerhouse, following the United States, Russia, and China. Seoul, which is also locked in a sp

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 06, 2024
Since deploying its sail last week, NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System spacecraft has been transmitting data and images, helping the mission team assess the performance of the boom technology demonstration. The main objective of the mission is to carry out the deployment operation and gather insights that will inform the future use of large-scale solar sails in space exploration. The te

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 05, 2024
Benchmark Space Systems, a prominent developer and integrator of in-space mobility solutions, has been awarded a significant two-year, $4.9 million contract by the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). The contract aims to advance the company's non-catalytic propulsion systems, ranging from 22 Newton to 100 Newton, to support government missions using the high-performance ASCENT monopropellant. A

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 05, 2024
Sierra Space, a prominent player in the commercial space sector and defense technology, has announced the successful completion of acoustic testing for its Shooting Star cargo module at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. This achievement marks an important milestone as the spacecraft nears launch readiness. The testing, conducted within the Space Systems Processing Facility (SSPF) for the first time,

Paris (AFP) Sept 5, 2024
A spacecraft carrying European and Japanese probes passed closer to Mercury than originally planned overnight after thruster problems delayed the mission to study the little-known, Sun-scorched planet. The BepiColombo mission launched in 2018 on a winding path that had been intended to enter the orbit of the planet closest to the Sun in December 2025. But in April, a glitch with the sp

Kourou (AFP) Sept 5, 2024
Europe's Vega rocket launched Wednesday from French Guiana, an AFP journalist said, carrying a satellite which will help combat natural disasters. Delayed by a day due to "electrical issues on the ground links", according to French firm Arianespace, the launch in Kourou finally took place at 10:50 pm (0150 GMT Thursday). "Successful lift-off for the last Vega mission from Europe's spacep

Boston MA (SPX) Sep 05, 2024
The members of the MIT First Nations Launch team had never built a drone before when they faced the 2024 NASA First Nations Launch High-Power Rocket Competition. This year's challenge invited teams to design, build, and launch a high-power rocket carrying a scientific payload that deploys mid-air and safely returns to the ground, integrating Indigenous methodologies. The eight-student team

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 05, 2024
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has announced the launch window for its 53rd Electron mission. This mission will be the second of five dedicated launches for the French company Kineis. The mission, named 'Kineis Killed the RadIOT Star,' is set to launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, within a 14-day window starting on September 17, 2024, NZST. Following just th