Russia's Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft re-docks on ISS
Saturday, 20 March 2021 12:35The spacecraft is due to be relocated by the crew to another port of the International Space Station as part of preparatory work for the crew's next mission. Sputnik is live from the International Space Station (ISS) as the Soyuz MS-17 space vehicle is being relocated from the station's Rassvet module to its Poisk module port. The operation is being conducted by an international crew, name
Trinity researchers tackle the spiders from Mars
Saturday, 20 March 2021 12:35Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have been shedding light on the enigmatic "spiders from Mars", providing the first physical evidence that these unique features on the planet's surface can be formed by the sublimation of CO2 ice. Spiders, more formally referred to as araneiforms, are strange-looking negative topography radial systems of dendritic troughs; patterns that resemble branch
Swiss kids suit up for 'Mission to Mars'
Saturday, 20 March 2021 12:35Leo pulls on a shiny, silver suit and places the helmet gingerly over his head before marching with the other budding astronauts towards their spaceship. "Going to Mars is really my dream," the eight-year-old said, jumping excitedly from foot to foot. While the world has been riveted by the escapades of NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, a group of Swiss primary school children has been eag
Large asteroid to (safely) zip past Earth
Saturday, 20 March 2021 12:35The largest asteroid to pass by Earth this year will swing closest on Sunday, giving astronomers a rare chance for a good look at a space rock that formed at the dawn of our solar system. While in astronomical terms this marks a close encounter with the asteroid - called 2001 FO32 - NASA says there is no threat of a collision with our planet "now or for centuries to come". The nearest
Starlink reportedly courted by UK for rural broadband to get 'Gigafit'
Saturday, 20 March 2021 12:35Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's Starlink, technically a division within SpaceX, has already launched over 1,300 small, low orbit satellites to deliver high-speed broadband internet to consumers, with service currently limited to the northwest US, adjacent parts of Canada, parts of the UK and other areas. The British Government has reportedly been in talks with Elon Musk's satellite ne
Arianespace to hit its stride with next OneWeb launch
Saturday, 20 March 2021 12:35By operating this fifth flight on behalf of OneWeb, Arianespace will bring the total fleet to 146 satellites in Low Earth Orbit. Arianespace is proud to share in the fulfilment of its customer's ultimate ambition: providing internet access for everyone, everywhere. Flight ST30, the second commercial mission performed by Arianespace and its Starsem affiliate from the Vostochny Cosmodrome, w
Russian launches 38 satellites into orbit from Baikonur
Saturday, 20 March 2021 12:35The Fregat booster-equipped Soyuz-2 carrier rocket will deliver 38 satellites from 18 countries into low-Earth orbit. The launch of the Soyuz-2 carrier rocket from the Baikonur space centre has been postponed until Sunday, Russian state space corporation Roscosmos' chief, Dmitry Rogozin, told Sputnik on Saturday. "There was a power surge and we decided not to risk it [the launch]," R
Russia to test world's 1st ultra-light optics for nanosatellites in space
Saturday, 20 March 2021 12:35Russia's Samara University has said that its pioneer ultra-light optics for nanosatellites will be sent to space for testing. "Ultralight optical systems for remote sensing of Earth, developed by scientists of the Samara University named after [famed Soviet rocket engineer Sergei] Korolev, will be tested in space aboard Russian nanosatellites Cube SX-HSE and Cube SX Sirius HSE," the univer
Meteor streaks over Cuba, causes explosion
Friday, 19 March 2021 19:30What is believed to be a meteor lit the sky over eastern Cuba and caused an explosion, scientists on the island said Saturday. There were no reports of damage or injury.
The head of the National Seismological Service, Enrique Arango Arias, told the official Cubadebate news site that the phenomenon was noticed in the towns of Moa, Sagua de Tanamo and Maisí .
He said the service's instruments "registered the expansive wave" of the explosion.
Social media users reported seeing red and white light followed by an explosion at about 10:06 p.m. local time Friday.
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Decommissioned NOAA weather satellite breaks up
Friday, 19 March 2021 16:26WASHINGTON — A polar-orbiting weather satellite decommissioned nearly eight years ago has broken up, adding to the growing debris population in a key orbit.
The Space Force’s 18th Space Control Squadron said March 18 it hard confirmed the NOAA-17 satellite broke up March 10.
Soyuz-2 rideshare launch delayed for South Korea, Astroscale, dozens more
Friday, 19 March 2021 12:55SEOUL, South Korea — The launch of a Soyuz-2.1a rocket carrying a South Korean remote sensing satellite and three dozen smaller satellites was delayed Saturday due to a problem with the rocket’s upper stage, according to South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT, the primary customer for the GK Launch Services-brokered commercial rideshare mission.
Soyuz-2 rideshare launch for South Korea, Astroscale, dozens more delayed to March 22
Friday, 19 March 2021 12:55This story was updated March 20 at 4:30 p.m. EDT to add a Roscosmos statement about the new March 22 launch date for the mission.
SEOUL, South Korea — The launch of a Soyuz-2.1a rocket carrying a South Korean remote sensing satellite and three dozen smaller satellites was postponed Saturday due to a problem with the rocket’s upper stage, according to South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT, the primary customer for the GK Launch Services-brokered commercial rideshare mission.
Space Force to push conversation on spaceflight safety, orbital debris
Friday, 19 March 2021 00:27WASHINGTON — As more satellites are launched into space, there is a growing conversation about the need to keep the cosmos safe and establish rules of the road for orbital activities.
GAO to review Air Force process for selecting location of U.S. Space Command
Thursday, 18 March 2021 23:03WASHINGTON — The U.S. Government Accountability Office confirmed on March 19 that it will review the Air Force’s methodology and scoring that led to the decision to move U.S. Space Command headquarters from Colorado to Alabama.
Inmarsat gets funding to develop satellite-based telemetry relay network for rocket launches
Thursday, 18 March 2021 20:48TAMPA, Fla. — The UK Space Agency will partly fund the development of an in-orbit telemetry relay system called InRange, which will use British satellite operator Inmarsat’s L-band constellation to guide rocket launches.