Greenbelt MD (SPX) Oct 18, 2024
Due to launch in the early 2030s, NASA's DAVINCI mission will investigate whether Venus - a sweltering world wrapped in an atmosphere of noxious gases - once had oceans and continents like Earth. Consisting of a flyby spacecraft and descent probe, DAVINCI will focus on a mountainous region called Alpha Regio, a possible ancient continent. Though a handful of international spacecraft plunge

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Oct 22, 2024
In September 2024, AROBS Polska and AROBS Engineering, both part of the AROBS Group, initiated the "Close Proximity Operations Control Unit Development and Qualification" (CRIMSON) project. This initiative, funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) under its Clean Space program, addresses the critical need for a versatile control unit for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) missions, including Active Debris R

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 22, 2024
As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, it's clear that the stakes extend far beyond domestic issues like healthcare and the economy. The next administration will inherit a pivotal moment in space exploration - particularly NASA's Artemis program, which has faced growing scrutiny for cost overruns and delays. In a recent op-ed, Michael R. Bloomberg sharply criticized the program, fram

Image: Cities in Emilia-Romagna, a region in northern Italy, have been hit by severe flooding after heavy rainfall over the weekend. Flooded areas are visible in this multi-temporal image captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission. The comparison uses an

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 17, 2024
Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR) and Mission Control announced at the International Aeronautical Congress (IAC) a new initiative focused on advancing artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities in space through the Persistence Mission. This mission aims to demonstrate how AI can be effectively integrated into satellite operations, enabling real-time analysis and insights over extended periods.

Milan, Italy (SPX) Oct 21, 2024
The Copernicus Sentinel Expansion Missions are poised to significantly advance Europe's Earth observation capabilities, following the confirmation of funding for the development of all six missions. This progress is largely attributed to the United Kingdom's recent decision to rejoin the European Union's Copernicus programme, ensuring the completion of these important missions. The announcement

Edwards AFB CA (SPX) Oct 17, 2024
NASA research pilots are experts on how to achieve the right flight-test conditions for experiments and the tools needed for successful missions. It is that expertise that enables pilots to help researchers learn how an aircraft can fly their technology innovations and save time and money, while increasing the innovation's readiness for use. NASA pilots detailed how they help researchers f

Paris, France (SPX) Oct 18, 2024
A new advanced hardware system known as the Sub-Millimetre Wave Validation Standard Antenna, or VAST, will serve as a critical test target for Europe's satellite antenna test facilities. Though not designed for space missions directly, VAST is engineered to validate the measurement of complex radio frequencies used in future space operations. "The VAST is a well-characterised, mechanically

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Oct 18, 2024
For decades, astronomers have focused on distant galaxies as the source of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. However, new observations from the HAWC observatory have revealed that microquasars - compact binary systems within our own galaxy - are also capable of producing gamma photons with extremely high energies. Researchers from the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Gamma-Ray Observator