SpaceX, Blue Origin, Dynetics await NASA lunar lander decision
Thursday, 24 December 2020 23:06Elon Musk's SpaceX, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and a lesser-known company, Huntsville, Ala.-based Dynetics, are preparing for a major decision by NASA early in 2021 about which company will build human-carrying landers for trips to the moon. The three space firms were selected in April to submit proposals early this month. Having done that, they now await NASA's decision, which is scheduled
China's lunar rover travels about 600 meters on moon's far side
Thursday, 24 December 2020 23:06China's lunar rover Yutu-2, or Jade Rabbit-2, has survived 719 Earth days and traveled 600.55 meters on the far side of the moon as of Tuesday. Both the lander and the rover of the Chang'e-4 probe have ended their work for the 25th lunar day, and switched to the dormant mode for the lunar night due to the lack of solar power, according to the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of t
Chandrayaan-2 Mission : Initial data release
Thursday, 24 December 2020 23:06India's second mission to the Moon, Chandrayaan-2 was launched on 22nd July 2019 from Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota. The Orbiter which was injected into a lunar orbit on 2nd Sept 2019, carries 8 experiments to address many open questions on lunar science. All experiments have been performing well and the data received, suggests excellent capability to deliver on the pre-launch promises
Northrop Grumman team recognized by NASA for successful control center relocation
Thursday, 24 December 2020 23:06Designed and built by Northrop Grumman, the Chandra X-ray Observatory is part of NASA's fleet of "Great Observatories," allowing scientists from around the world to explore very hot regions of exploded stars, clusters of galaxies and matter around black holes. In an elliptical orbit over 85,000 miles from the Earth, Chandra's X-ray images of some of the most extreme phenomena are leading to disc
New radiation vest technology protects astronauts, doctors
Thursday, 24 December 2020 23:06NASA is testing a space radiation protection vest aboard the International Space Station that could shield astronauts from deadly solar flares on missions to the moon and Mars. Solar storms with high doses of radiation are among the biggest threats to astronauts on deep space missions. The worst such storms could make space flyers too sick to function and eventually kill them. The ne
Dealing with dust: A back-to-the-moon dilemma
Thursday, 24 December 2020 13:34If the political, technical and budgetary stars align for NASA and its partners in coming years, the moon could be the go-to place as the century unfolds. Astronauts would again explore Earth’s celestial next-door neighbor, perhaps setting in motion future mining endeavors to extract ices likely lurking in sunlight-shy craters for processing into water, oxygen, and rocket propellant.
Op-ed | Not all space capabilities should reside in Space Force
Wednesday, 23 December 2020 20:00We are approaching a watershed moment in the future of the U.S. Space Force. Will all space systems be consolidated into the new service, or will the other services retain some capabilities and personnel? The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act requires the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the service chiefs to report on the space-related missions and expertise that should remain within each service.
Foust Forward | A tale of two launch vehicle programs
Wednesday, 23 December 2020 18:01There was no clearer set of contrasts between how SpaceX and NASA approach launch vehicle development than the dueling tests the two performed in early December of Starship and Space Launch System, respectively.
It was hard to miss the Dec.
Japanese spacecraft's gifts: Asteroid chips like charcoal
Wednesday, 23 December 2020 15:06Beyond exits: Entrepreneurs look back on forming and selling space startups
Wednesday, 23 December 2020 14:34In recent commercial space acquisitions, founders largely have remained with the businesses they established or moved on to form new space companies. Two exceptions are Roccor co-founder Doug Campbell and Scott Larson, who co-founded UrtheCast and Helios Wire.
Firefly Aerospace's debut Alpha launch set to demonstrate Space Electric Thruster System
Wednesday, 23 December 2020 07:49Space Electric Thruster System (SETS), a Noosphere Ventures aerospace company, will undergo field testing in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) as part of the debut launch of the Firefly Aerospace Alpha rocket, which is scheduled for the beginning of 2021 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, U.S.A. "The goal of the first SETS mission is to demonstrate and confirm the space worthiness and perfo
Voyager Space Holdings to buy all of Nanoracks
Wednesday, 23 December 2020 07:49Voyager Space Holdings has announced its intent to acquire a majority stake in XO Markets and its largest subsidiary Nanoracks. Nanoracks is the world's leading provider of commercial space services, offering low-cost, high-quality solutions to the most pressing needs for satellite deployment and basic and educational research in more than 30 nations worldwide. As part of the transaction,
Long March 8 rocket makes maiden flight
Wednesday, 23 December 2020 07:49Five days after China concluded its historic 23-day Chang'e 5 lunar mission, Chinese space engineers made a new achievement with the debut flight of the country's newest carrier rocket. The Long March 8, the latest in China's Long March launch vehicle fleet, lifted off at 12:37 pm on Tuesday from a coastal launchpad at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in southern China's Hainan province.
GomSpace signs a three-party cooperation contract to develop science and technology activities with the Colombian Air force and CODALTEC
Wednesday, 23 December 2020 07:49GomSpace has signed the second FACSAT-2 contract to support advanced science and technology activities to enhance the satellite capabilities of the Colombian Airforce. The contract and collaboration consist of a three-party agreement between CODALTEC / Colombian Air Force ("FAC") and GomSpace to continue the FACSAT-2 satellite mission and associated intensive virtual technology transfer program.
NTU Singapore scientists invent glue activated by magnetic field
Wednesday, 23 December 2020 07:49Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), have developed a new way to cure adhesives using a magnetic field. Conventional adhesives like epoxy which are used to bond plastic, ceramics and wood are typically designed to cure using moisture, heat or light. They often require specific curing temperatures, ranging from room temperature up to 80 degrees Celsiu