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They say it takes a village to raise a child. To launch a rocket, we have the combined expertise and passion of Space Team Europe. Sergi Inglada, Control Bench Technical Manager for GTD, is one of many making the first Ariane 6 launch possible and has been interviewed as part of a series highlighting some of the people that make up this dream team.

Sergi has been interested in space ever since he was a child and studied engineering at INSA in Rennes, France. After discovering the dynamism, operations, diversity and technology at Europe’s Spaceport he started working

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jun 27, 2024
The acceleration of space exploration, spurred by astronaut recruitment and private space travel, signals a future where space travel becomes more common. However, many questions remain about the physical changes humans experience in space. Known effects of weightlessness include muscle atrophy, reduced bone density, and fluid distribution changes. Recent research on mice and other organis

Grand Forks ND (SPX) Jun 27, 2024
Imagine being an astronaut on NASA's envisioned long-haul flight to Mars, and the unthinkable happens: components on your spacesuit break. Given that Mars is roughly 140 million miles from Earth, getting replacement parts or a new suit is not an option. But Pablo de Leon, chair of UND's Department of Space Studies, has come up with a system to manufacture spacesuits and other parts while o

Paris, France (SPX) Jun 27, 2024
ESA scientists have been exploring how a future Moon base might be built from materials on the lunar surface. Inspired by LEGO building, they have used dust from a meteorite to 3D-print 'space bricks' to test the idea. ESA's space bricks are on display in selected LEGO Stores from 20 June to 20 September, helping to inspire the next generation of space engineers. The idea seems simple. Rat

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 27, 2024
Intelsat, operator of the world's largest integrated satellite and terrestrial network, has entered into a contract with Starfish Space for the use of a Starfish Otter servicing vehicle to extend the life of an Intelsat geostationary satellite, starting in 2026. This important agreement underscores Intelsat's dedication to employing satellite servicing technologies to enhance the value provided

Paris, France (SPX) Jun 27, 2024
Look Up Space has reported a significant milestone in space history with over 10,000 active satellites now in orbit. As of June 19, 2024, the company counted 10,019 active satellites, with two-thirds (6,646) belonging to Starlink, SpaceX's satellite constellation founded by Elon Musk. Most of these satellites (9,254) are situated in low-Earth orbits, primarily between 400 and 1,200 kilometers fr

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Jun 27, 2024
Space Machines Company, an Australian-Indian in-space servicing firm, has signed a significant Launch Service Agreement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a government entity under the Department of Space and the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This collaboration will facilitate the launch of Space Machines Company's second Optimus spacecraft, weighing 450

ESA’s Hera mission is due to launch in October this year on a quest to survey the Didymos binary asteroid system and study the results of the first-ever test of asteroid deflection.

The spacecraft is currently undergoing its final system tests in the Netherlands in preparation for transport to its launch site in the USA. Meanwhile, in Germany, Hera’s Mission Control Team recently began launch preparations of their own.

The two Proba-3 satellites were set facing each other across a cleanroom as cameras, LEDs, a laser and shadow sensors were activated in turn, testing the systems that will let the pair sense their precise positions relative to each other, allowing them to line up precisely in orbit down to a single millimetre.