Jerusalem (SPX) Oct 02, 2023
Superbolts are more likely to strike the closer a storm cloud's electrical charging zone is to the land or ocean's surface, a new study finds. These conditions are responsible for superbolt "hotspots" above some oceans and tall mountains. Superbolts make up less than 1% of total lightning, but when they do strike, they pack a powerful punch. While the average lightning strike contains arou

Washington DC (SPX) Oct 04, 2023
NASA has selected seven companies to provide commercial data in support of the agency's Earth science research. The Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition Program will acquire Earth observation data and related services from commercial sources for NASA. This fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple-award contract will be effective for a period of five years with an opti

Washington DC (UPI) Oct 3, 2023
NASA will begin the critical testing of updated engines for its Space Launch System rocket on Thursday, starting with turning power levels up to 111%, as the space agency prepares for future Artemis missions to the Moon. The assessments mark the final round of certification testing ahead of production of the RS-25 engines for the SLS rocket, NASA said in a statement. The engines are exp

Beijing (XNA) Oct 04, 2023
The Chang'e 8 robotic probe, the third to be placed on the moon during China's next lunar exploration endeavor, is open to foreign science payloads, according to the China National Space Administration. Wang Qiong, deputy head designer of the Chang'e 8 mission, said on Monday at the ongoing 74th International Astronautical Congress in Baku - capital of Azerbaijan - that there will be 200 k

Paris (ESA) Oct 04, 2023
Following the failure of the Vega-C launch (VV22) in December 2022, an Independent Enquiry Commission drew several conclusions and made recommendations to ensure a reliable return to flight and a robust exploitation. One of the recommendations was to implement a (delta-)qualification of the nozzle with a new Carbon-Carbon throat insert material different from that previously used on the Zefiro40

Huelva, Spain (SPX) Oct 04, 2023
MIURA 1 launch campaign kicks off. PLD Space has successfully concluded the two pre-launch tests of the first flight unit of the Spanish launcher, specifically the umbilical cable tests and the Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR). The positive results obtained during these tests effectively give the green light to the flight mission of the suborbital microlauncher. The launch will take place this Oc

San Antonio TX (SPX) Oct 04, 2023
A new study led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) Planetary Scientist and Associate Vice President Dr. Alan Stern posits that the large, approximately 5-kilometer-long mounds that dominate the appearance of the larger lobe of the pristine Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth are similar enough to suggest a common origin. The SwRI study suggests that these "building blocks" could guide further work o

Montreal, Canada (SPX) Oct 04, 2023
Lunar exploration is the catalyst behind an unprecedented surge in the space exploration sector which saw global government investment rise to an impressive $26 billion during 2023. Ambitious lunar missions are projected to boost investment to nearly $33 billion by 2032, a growth trajectory which underscores lunar exploration's pivotal role in shaping the future of space exploration. The figures

San Antonio TX (SPX) Oct 04, 2023
Southwest Research Institute scientists are using telescopes to observe the asteroid Psyche in the infrared, providing context for NASA's upcoming Psyche mission. Dr. Stephanie Jarmak is using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to look for water signatures on the metallic surface of Psyche, while Dr. Anicia Arredondo is using some of the last data collected by the Stratospheric Observatory fo

Washington (AFP) Oct 3, 2023
US authorities said they have issued a "breakthrough" first-ever fine over space debris, slapping a $150,000 penalty on a TV company that failed to properly dispose of a satellite. On Monday the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) came down on Dish for "failure to properly deorbit" a satellite called EchoStar-7, in orbit since 2002. "This marks a first in space debris enforcement by