SpaceX ferries astronauts back to Earth after half-year away
Saturday, 15 October 2022 17:17
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Four astronauts returned to Earth in a SpaceX capsule Friday, ending their nearly six-month space station mission with a splashdown in the Atlantic off Florida.
Wet and windy weather across Florida delayed their homecoming. SpaceX and NASA finally gave the all-clear on Friday, and the three Americans and one Italian departed the International Space Station, their residence since April.
The capsule parachuted into the ocean, just off Jacksonville, Florida, about five hours later.
DoD eyeing options to provide satcom in Ukraine as it continues talks with SpaceX
Saturday, 15 October 2022 16:01 Write a comment
The Pentagon is looking at options to provide satellite communications services for Ukraine’s military forces following Elon Musk’s warning that SpaceX will suspend Starlink internet services in Ukraine unless the U.S.
NASA's Lucy to fly past thousands of objects for Earth gravity assist
Saturday, 15 October 2022 09:07 Write a comment
Mission engineers will track NASA's Lucy spacecraft nonstop as it prepares to swoop near Earth on Oct. 16 to use this planet's gravity to set itself on a course toward the Jupiter Trojan asteroids.
But they also will be closely tracking something else: more than 47,000 satellites, debris, and other objects circling our planet. A greater than 1-10,000 chance that Lucy will collide with one of these objects will require mission engineers to slightly adjust the spacecraft's trajectory.
Although an adjustment is unlikely, and collisions are rare, the chances are increasing as the number of objects in Earth's orbit grows, NASA experts say.
The International Space Station, for instance, has maneuvered out of the way of space debris 31 times since 1999, including three times since 2020.
"Low-Earth orbit is getting more crowded, so that has to be part of the consideration nowadays, especially for missions that fly low, like Lucy," said Dr.
First Eurostar Neo satellite launched
Saturday, 15 October 2022 05:37 Write a comment
The first satellite to be built under ESA’s Eurostar Neo programme has launched.
Crew-4 returns to Earth
Friday, 14 October 2022 22:08 Write a comment
SpaceX completed its fourth operational commercial crew mission to the International Space Station Oct. 14 with the safe return of a Crew Dragon spacecraft with four American and European astronauts on board.
ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti returns from her second mission to the International Space Station
Friday, 14 October 2022 20:10 Write a comment
Press Release N° 53–2022
ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti returned to Earth alongside NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines and Jessica Watkins, marking the end of her second mission to the International Space Station (ISS), Minerva.
Merging Earth observation remains messy, time-consuming
Friday, 14 October 2022 20:07 Write a comment
In spite of progress, various Earth observation systems are not yet able to exchange information easily.
The post Merging Earth observation remains messy, time-consuming appeared first on SpaceNews.
Amazon to link Kuiper satellites to DoD’s mesh network in space
Friday, 14 October 2022 19:37 Write a comment
Amazon’s Project Kuiper will install DoD-compliant laser communications terminals on its internet satellites so they can transfer data from remote-sensing satellites directly into the military’s mesh network in low Earth orbit.
The post Amazon to link Kuiper satellites to DoD’s mesh network in space appeared first on SpaceNews.
Viasat’s Inmarsat takeover faces delay as UK expands merger review
Friday, 14 October 2022 16:44 Write a comment
The U.K launched an in-depth probe Oct. 14 that will likely delay Viasat’s plan to buy Inmarsat, following concerns it could harm competition in the fledgling inflight connectivity market.
The post Viasat’s Inmarsat takeover faces delay as UK expands merger review appeared first on SpaceNews.
Examining our options for automated in-orbit assembly of large structures
Friday, 14 October 2022 13:54 Write a comment
The construction of large structures such as space stations, space solar power stations, and space telescopes is one of the main development trends for space exploration in the future.
From Space to Rome
Friday, 14 October 2022 13:30 Write a comment
Video:
00:00:47
In October 2022, ESA Space Shop opened its first temporary concept store on one of Europe’s busiest shopping streets. Located in Rome’s city centre, the first physical ESA Space Shop outside an ESA establishment aims to bring ESA and its space missions closer to the general public. For a period of three months only, the store offers a mix of cosmic fashion, space fun and official ESA merchandise.
To mark the store’s opening in Rome, the ESA Space Shop brand also received an image boost! ESA clothing feels modern, cool and comfy, so you can have fun in
Homeward bound
Friday, 14 October 2022 13:10 Write a comment
Image:
ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti looks out the window of the cupola while the International Space Station flies above the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Peru.
Taken earlier this month, this image captures one of Samantha’s favourite things to do in space – in addition to performing research or spacewalks – looking down on our beautiful planet – and one of the precious last views she’ll get from the Station’s ‘window to the world’, known as the Cupola, as she wraps up the end of her mission Minerva.
Samantha and fellow expedition 68 crew members NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines
Week in images: 10-14 October 2022
Friday, 14 October 2022 12:09 Write a comment
Week in images: 10-14 October 2022
Discover our week through the lens
Amazon's Project Kuiper will now launch with ULA rockets
Friday, 14 October 2022 11:03 Write a comment
Amazon announced on Wednesday that Project Kuiper will launch prototype satellites on the first flight of United Launch Alliance's (ULA) new Vulcan Centaur rocket in 2023.
The goal of Project Kuiper is to launch a series of 3,236 satellites into low earth orbit to provide broadband access to areas of the globe that lack high-speed internet.
"We couldn't be more excited to join th Broccoli gas: A better way to find life in space
Friday, 14 October 2022 11:03 Write a comment
Broccoli, along with many other plants and microorganisms, emit gases to help them expel toxins. Scientists believe these gases could provide compelling evidence of life on other planets.
These types of gases are made when organisms add a carbon and three hydrogen atoms to an undesirable chemical element. This process, called methylation, can turn potential toxins into gases that float saf