Paris, France (SPX) Jun 30, 2025
Asteroid 2024 YR4 gained attention after its discovery in late December 2024, when automated systems indicated a small chance of Earth impact in 2032. This probability briefly rose to 3%, prompting a global planetary defence response. However, further observations by early 2025 eliminated the threat to Earth. Despite this reassurance, the final recorded trajectory of 2024 YR4 left a ling

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 30, 2025
Sierra Space has launched a new facility in Broomfield, Colorado, to ramp up production of its Surface Mount Technology (SMT) solar power systems, including those for national defense applications. The "Power Station," a 70,000-square-foot complex, is designed to meet growing demand for high-performance, defense-hardened solar arrays and complements Sierra Space's newly formed defense division a

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 30, 2025
Sceye, the U.S.-based aerospace firm developing High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS), has announced a strategic investment from SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO:9434) as part of its Series C funding round. The agreement includes both funding and the purchase of a pre-commercial HAPS demonstration flight scheduled for 2026 in Japan. This collaboration underscores SoftBank's continued commitment to ad

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Jun 30, 2025
Rocket Lab Corporation (Nasdaq: RKLB) has successfully launched its 68th Electron mission, marking a new record for the company with two missions from the same site in under 48 hours. The latest launch, named 'Symphony In The Stars,' lifted off from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand on June 28 at 7:08 p.m. local time (07:08 UTC). The mission carried a single satellite for a confidenti

Pasadena CA (JPL) Jun 30, 2025
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is testing a series of large spacecraft rolls that will help it hunt for water. After nearly 20 years of operations, NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is on a roll, performing a new maneuver to squeeze even more science out of the busy spacecraft as it circles the Red Planet. Engineers have essentially taught the probe to roll over so that it's nearly

Chicago IL (SPX) Jun 30, 2025
The earliest light in the universe has been traveling across space since just after the Big Bang. Known as the cosmic microwave background, it is imperceptible to the human eye. But if scientists can capture it, using some of the most sensitive detectors ever made, it can tell us about how our universe formed and evolved over time. Researchers have released unprecedentedly sensitive measur

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Jun 30, 2025
ICEYE and the Finnish Ministry of Defense have signed a Letter of Intent that will allow Finland's Defense Forces to acquire ICEYE Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites. This partnership is intended to enhance the country's space-based intelligence and surveillance capabilities. The agreement includes a preliminary delivery schedule and outlines the technical systems required to create

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Jun 30, 2025
Astronomers at Heidelberg University's Konigstuhl Observatory have found that Earth-sized planets are particularly prevalent around low-mass stars, according to new findings from the CARMENES project. The study led to the discovery of four new exoplanets and offers compelling evidence that stars with less than one-sixth the mass of our Sun frequently host terrestrial worlds. The observatio

Image: A starburst shines in infrared (MIRI)

Video: 00:01:38

On 11 June, engineers at OHB’s facilities in Germany joined together the two main parts of ESA’s Plato mission. 

They used a special crane to lift Plato’s payload module, housing its 26 ultra-sensitive cameras, into the air and carefully line it up over the service module. The supporting service module contains everything else that the spacecraft needs to function, including subsystems for power, propulsion and communication with Earth. 

With millimetre-level precision, the engineers gently lowered the payload module into place. Once perfectly positioned, the team tested the electrical connections. 

Finally, they securely closed a panel that connects