Kilonova afterglow potentially spotted for first time
Tuesday, 01 March 2022 06:00For the first time, Northwestern University-led astronomers may have detected an afterglow from a kilonova. A kilonova occurs when two neutron stars - some of the densest objects in the universe - merge to create a blast 1,000 times brighter than a classical nova. In this case, a narrow, off-axis jet of high-energy particles accompanied the merger event, dubbed GW170817. Three-and-a-half y
China eyes Qinghai-Tibet Plateau site for new radio astronomy observatory
Tuesday, 01 March 2022 06:00Chinese astronomers plan to build a new submillimeter-wave observatory on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as "the roof of the world." Proposed by the Nanjing-based Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the observatory project includes a new submillimeter-wave telescope with a diameter of 15 meters, larger than China's current most advanced 13.7-meter radio telesc
Intelsat teams with Microsoft to demonstrate private cellular network
Tuesday, 01 March 2022 06:00Intelsat, operator of one of the world's largest and most advanced integrated satellite and terrestrial networks, has announced the successful demonstration of a first of its kind private cellular network with Microsoft Azure Private Multi-Access Edge Compute and FlexEnterprise, Intelsat's satellite-based global connectivity service. Held at Intelsat's office in McLean, VA, the demonstrati
China's new-generation rocket sends 22 satellites into space in record-setting mission
Tuesday, 01 March 2022 06:00China launched a Long March-8 rocket to place 22 satellites in space on Sunday, setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket. The rocket blasted off at 11:06 a.m. (Beijing Time) at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern Hainan Province before sending the satellites into preset orbit. These satellites will then be released in 12 groups. Th
China establishes deep space exploration laboratory
Tuesday, 01 March 2022 06:00China's deep space exploration laboratory has been officially inaugurated, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA). Co-established by the CNSA, Anhui Province and the University of Science and Technology of China, the laboratory is headquartered in Hefei. It will carry out science and technology research focusing on major national projects in the field of deep spa
Rocket Lab launches 2nd satellite for the Synspective SAR constellation
Tuesday, 01 March 2022 06:00Rocket Lab USA, Inc (Nasdaq: RKLB), a leading launch and space systems company, has successfully deployed a second Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite to orbit for data and solutions provider Synspective, bringing the total number of satellites deployed by Rocket Lab to 110. 'The Owl's Night Continues" mission is Rocket Lab's 24th Electron launch. "The Owl's Night Continues" mission w
Tycoons bound for ISS aren't tourists, insists space company
Tuesday, 01 March 2022 06:00Three tycoons and an ex-NASA astronaut are all set for the first fully private voyage to the International Space Station next month - just don't call them tourists. That's the word from Michael Lopez-Alegria, formerly of the US space agency and now commander of the Ax-1 mission, which will see the crew launch from the Kennedy Space Center on March 30 aboard a SpaceX Dragon, then spend eigh
SpaceX Axiom crew nears final training for first all-private mission to ISS
Tuesday, 01 March 2022 06:00NASA and Houston-based Axiom Space are in the final stages of training and preparation to launch the first all-private astronaut mission, Ax-1, to the International Space Station in late March, mission leaders said Monday. But don't call the crew - three billionaires paying $55 million each - space tourists, Michael Lopez-Alegria, former astronaut and Ax-1 mission commander, said du
EOS Data Analytics issues urgent plea for imagery of Ukraine
Tuesday, 01 March 2022 05:09EOS Data Analytics is asking Earth observation companies around the world to share up-to-date optical and radar satellite imagery of Ukraine.
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NASA exploring ways to keep ISS afloat without Russian help: official
Monday, 28 February 2022 19:22NASA is exploring ways to keep the International Space Station in orbit without Russian help, but doesn't see any immediate signs Moscow is withdrawing from the collaboration following the invasion of Ukraine, a senior official said Monday.
Kathy Lueders, who heads the agency's human spaceflight program, told reporters on a call that operations on the research platform were proceeding "nominally" and "we're not getting any indications at a working level that our counterparts are not committed.
Europe's joint Mars mission with Russia postponed by war
Monday, 28 February 2022 19:21The launch of a joint Europe-Russian mission to Mars this year is now "very unlikely" due to sanctions linked to the war in Ukraine, the European Space Agency said Monday.
Russia-Ukraine war raises questions for upcoming OneWeb launches
Monday, 28 February 2022 18:47Mounting international sanctions amid Russia’s war on Ukraine have thrown plans to launch 36 OneWeb satellites this week into uncertainty.
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SpaceX heeds Ukraine’s Starlink SOS
Monday, 28 February 2022 17:03SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said Saturday that he's sending Starlink terminals to Ukraine to help keep the embattled country connected to the outside world as Russia steps up its invasion.
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ESA says it’s “very unlikely” ExoMars will launch this year
Monday, 28 February 2022 16:38The European Space Agency said Feb. 28 that it is “very unlikely” that its ExoMars mission will launch this September because of sanctions on Russia from its invasion of Ukraine.
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Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, York Space selected to build DoD’s internet-in-space constellation
Monday, 28 February 2022 15:12The Space Development Agency announced Feb. 28 it awarded Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and York Space Systems contracts worth nearly $1.8 billion to produce 126 satellites for a global communications network in low Earth orbit.