Stoke raises seed round to work on fully reusable rockets
Wednesday, 24 February 2021 17:05
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WASHINGTON — A startup founded by a group of former Blue Origin and SpaceX employees has raised a seed round of funding to support their effort to make a fully reusable launch vehicle.
Stoke Space Technologies announced Feb.
Book excerpt | Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX
Wednesday, 24 February 2021 16:37 Write a comment
A fat, red sun sank into the Texas horizon as Elon Musk bounded toward a silvery spaceship. Reaching its concrete landing pad, Musk marveled up at the stainless steel, steampunk contraption looming above, which shone brilliantly in the dying light.
South Korea to spend $553 million on space projects in 2021
Wednesday, 24 February 2021 16:12 Write a comment
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea will spend 615 billion won ($553.1 million) in 2021 on space activities aimed at bolstering its capacity to produce satellites, rockets and other key equipment. The Ministry of Science and ICT announced the budget on Feb.
Blue Origin delays first launch of New Glenn to late 2022
Wednesday, 24 February 2021 15:53 Write a comment
WASHINGTON — Blue Origin is pushing back the first launch of its New Glenn rocket to late 2022, saying it “re-baselined” the development of the launch vehicle after losing a key Pentagon contract last year.
ExoMars orbiter images Perseverance landing site
Wednesday, 24 February 2021 15:00 Write a comment
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ExoMars orbiter images Perseverance landing site ExoMars orbiter images Perseverance landing site (labelled)
Wednesday, 24 February 2021 15:00 Write a comment
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ExoMars orbiter images Perseverance landing site (labelled) ExoMars orbiter images Perseverance at landing site
Wednesday, 24 February 2021 15:00 Write a comment
The ESA-Roscosmos Trace Gas Orbiter has spotted NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, along with its parachute, heat shield and descent stage, in the Jezero Crater region of Mars.
Successful engine test brings Australian space launch capability a step closer
Wednesday, 24 February 2021 13:36 Write a comment
An Australian research consortium has successfully tested a next generation propulsion system that could enable high-speed flight and space launch services.
The team's rotating detonation engine, or RDE, is a major technical achievement and an Australian first.
It was designed by RMIT University engineers and is being developed by a consortium led by DefendTex, with researchers from RMIT, University of Sydney and Universität der Bundeswehr in Germany.
How it works
While conventional rocket engines operate by burning fuel at constant pressure, RDEs produce thrust by rapidly detonating their propellant in a ring-shaped combustor. Once started, the engine is in a self-sustaining cycle of detonation waves that travel around the combustor at supersonic speeds greater than 2.5km a second.
Using this type of combustion has the potential to significantly increase engine efficiency and performance, with applications in rocket propulsion and high-speed airbreathing engines—similar to ramjets.
Benefits over existing engines include better fuel efficiency, simpler flight systems and a more compact engine, allowing for larger payloads and reduced launch costs.
Iceye releases images from latest SAR satellites
Wednesday, 24 February 2021 13:00 Write a comment
SAN FRANCISCO – Iceye published the first images Feb. 25 from three synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites the Finnish company launched in January on a SpaceX rideshare mission.
“All three spacecraft have successfully completed initial operations and are now progressing through the calibration process,” Iceye said in a Feb.
NASA says maintaining competition a priority for lunar lander procurement
Wednesday, 24 February 2021 12:06 Write a comment
WASHINGTON — With NASA “down to the wire” in reviewing lunar lander proposals, agency officials say a priority is to maintain competition for a later procurement.
During a session of the 47th Spaceport Summit Feb.
Cosmic Kiss goes symphonic
Wednesday, 24 February 2021 10:07 Write a comment
An epic ‘Space Symphony’ composed by Germany’s BigCityBeats is set to add musical goosebumps to the preparations of ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer for his Cosmic Kiss space mission, thanks to a new cooperation with ESA.
Deal signed to boost secure satellite communications
Wednesday, 24 February 2021 08:00 Write a comment
Disruptive services and innovative features of the next generation of secure satellite communications will be analysed following the signing of a new memorandum of understanding.
MDA awarded contract to use satellite based data fusion and analytics to counter illegal fishing
Wednesday, 24 February 2021 07:48 Write a comment
MDA has announced that it has been awarded a three-year contract with the Government of Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Defence Research and Development Canada to use satellite technology to detect vessels engaging in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The contract will run for a period of three years.
The Dark Vessel Detection (DVD) program uses satellite tec UCF joins project to develop composites for spacecraft, NASA missions
Wednesday, 24 February 2021 07:48 Write a comment
Sometimes big things come in small packages, and the new thin but strong materials the University of Central Florida is helping NASA develop are no exception.
These materials, known as thin-ply composites, are as thin as carpenter's measuring tape but strong enough to support satellite payloads, such as solar sails for solar-powered space travel, or serve as supports for large spacecraft. Mastcam-Z's First 360-Degree Panorama
Wednesday, 24 February 2021 04:50 Write a comment
NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover got its first high-definition look around its new home in Jezero Crater on Feb. 21, after rotating its mast, or "head," 360 degrees, allowing the rover's Mastcam-Z instrument to capture its first panorama after touching down on the Red Planet on Feb 18. It was the rover's second panorama ever, as the rover's Navigation Cameras, or Navcams, also located on the