Three, two, one: astronomers predict SpaceX space junk will hit the Moon
Wednesday, 26 January 2022 19:16
A chunk of a SpaceX rocket that blasted off seven years ago and was abandoned in space after completing its mission will crash into the Moon in March, experts say.
The rocket was employed in 2015 to put in orbit a NASA satellite called the Deep Space Climate Observatory.
Since then the second stage of the rocket, or booster, has been floating in what mathematicians call a chaotic orbit, astronomer Bill Gray told AFP Wednesday.
It was Gray who calculated the space junk's new collision course with the Moon.
The booster passed by pretty close to the Moon in January in a rendezvous that altered its orbit, said Gray.
He is behind Project Pluto, software that allows for calculating the trajectory of asteroids and other things in space and is used in NASA-financed space observation programs.
Scientific hardware, experiments return to Earth on SpaceX CRS-24 Dragon
Wednesday, 26 January 2022 19:14
A retired microscope and samples from studies on colloids and cellular signaling are among the cargo returning from the International Space Stationaboard the 24th SpaceX commercial resupply services mission. The Dragon craft, which arrived at the station Dec. 22, 2021, was scheduled to undock Jan. 22 with splashdown the next afternoon off the coast of Florida.
These quick return flights allow scientists to make additional observations and analyses of their experiments at Kennedy Space Center, minimizing the effects of gravity on samples.
Star Trek tribute mission to fly on ULA’s Vulcan inaugural launch
Wednesday, 26 January 2022 17:07
Celestis, a company that provides space memorial services, will launch a Star Trek tribute mission on the first flight of United Launch Alliance’s new rocket Vulcan Centaur, ULA announced Jan. 26.
The post Star Trek tribute mission to fly on ULA’s Vulcan inaugural launch appeared first on SpaceNews.
Athens under snow
Wednesday, 26 January 2022 14:00
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An unusual snowstorm has blanketed parts of Turkey and Greece, causing power cuts and chaos on the roads and flight cancellations. Two images from Copernicus Sentinel-2 show Athens before and after the snowstorm. GEO satellite operators seek multi-orbit strategies
Wednesday, 26 January 2022 13:25
Beyond the technical challenges of combining GEO satellites with constellations is figuring out how to work with those constellations — and if those constellations want to work with them.
The post GEO satellite operators seek multi-orbit strategies appeared first on SpaceNews.
Beaming with science
Wednesday, 26 January 2022 13:15
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Astronauts aboard the International Space Station farewelled over 2000 kg of scientific experiments and hardware on Sunday 23 January as a cargo Dragon spacecraft began its return to Earth.
ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer captured the resupply vehicle in all its glory as it departed the orbital outpost at 15:40 GMT/16:40 CET. It splashed down approximately 29 hours later off the coast of Florida, USA.
The SpaceX spacecraft arrived at the Space Station just before Christmas, bringing new experiments alongside Christmas treats. It returned with a bellyful of science, including several European experiments that were quickly transported to NASA’s Space Station
Satellogic completes SPAC merger
Wednesday, 26 January 2022 11:43
Earth observation company Satellogic will start trading as a public company Jan. 26 after completing a delayed merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).
The post Satellogic completes SPAC merger appeared first on SpaceNews.
Blue Origin to acquire Honeybee Robotics
Wednesday, 26 January 2022 10:32
Blue Origin is buying Honeybee Robotics, a company that develops robotic systems for space and other extreme environments.
The post Blue Origin to acquire Honeybee Robotics appeared first on SpaceNews.
China growing space capabilities represent 'Pacing Challenge' for US, Pentagon Says
Wednesday, 26 January 2022 09:19
China and Russia are both developing space capabilities but the difference is the speed with which China is progressing and it represents a "pacing challenge" for the United States, US Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. John Raymond said.
"I think they both are developing capabilities for their own use," Raymond said on Wednesday. "I think what's different is that China has gone ve How US Weaponises NATO to Maintain Its Own Space Dominance and Deter Russia and China
Wednesday, 26 January 2022 09:19
NATO released its "overarching" space policy on 17 January, stipulating that any space-based attack on an ally could trigger the alliance's collective defence policy under the bloc's Article 5. What's behind the renewed US focus on space and expansion of NATO activities there?
NATO's newly released space doctrine expands on the alliance's 2019 Space Policy - which recognised space as a new Israel Knocks out simulated Iranian missile using Arrow-3 Interceptor
Wednesday, 26 January 2022 09:19
The Arrow-3 is one of several missile and drone defence systems in Israel's arsenal, and is meant to counter threats including long-range ballistic and cruise missiles. Unlike the Iron Dome air defence system - which has seen plenty of testing against simple Hamas rockets, the Arrow-3's capabilities have yet to be proven in a real-life conflict.
The Israeli military completed a test of the ULA launches two new Space Force tracking satellites into orbit
Wednesday, 26 January 2022 09:19
United Launch Alliance sent two space tracking satellites into orbit for the U.S. Space Force from Florida on Friday afternoon.
The Atlas V rocket lifted off as planned at 2 p.m. EST into a mostly cloudy sky from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station near Kennedy Space Center. The single solid rocket booster strapped to the rocket also ignited, contributing to the rocket's fi Teaming up to deliver a new Airborne ISR SATCOM capability for MilGov Operators
Wednesday, 26 January 2022 09:19
Eclipse Global Connectivity, Smiths Interconnect and ST Engineering iDirect (iDirect) has announced their collaboration to deliver an integrated airborne Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (A-ISR) satellite communications (SATCOM) capability for military and government aircraft.
The solution, drawing on the extensive expertise of the three companies, will initially address the be Providing GPS-quality timing accuracy without GPS
Wednesday, 26 January 2022 09:19
Synchronizing time in modern warfare - down to billionths and trillionths of a second - is critical for mission success. High-tech missiles, sensors, aircraft, ships, and artillery all rely on atomic clocks on GPS satellites for nanosecond timing accuracy. A timing error of just a few billionths of a second can translate to positioning being off by a meter or more. If GPS were jammed by an adver Dramatic Changes at Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai
Wednesday, 26 January 2022 09:19
When a volcano in the South Pacific Kingdom of Tonga began erupting in late-December 2021 and then violently exploded in mid-January 2022, NASA scientist Jim Garvin and colleagues were unusually well positioned to study the events. Ever since new land rose above the water surface in 2015 and joined two existing islands, Garvin and an international team of researchers have been monitoring changes