Kourou (AFP) Sept 5, 2024
Europe's Vega rocket launched Wednesday from French Guiana, an AFP journalist said, carrying a satellite which will help combat natural disasters. Delayed by a day due to "electrical issues on the ground links", according to French firm Arianespace, the launch in Kourou finally took place at 10:50 pm (0150 GMT Thursday). "Successful lift-off for the last Vega mission from Europe's spacep

Paris (AFP) Sept 5, 2024
A spacecraft carrying European and Japanese probes passed closer to Mercury than originally planned overnight after thruster problems delayed the mission to study the little-known, Sun-scorched planet. The BepiColombo mission launched in 2018 on a winding path that had been intended to enter the orbit of the planet closest to the Sun in December 2025. But in April, a glitch with the sp

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 05, 2024
Benchmark Space Systems, a prominent developer and integrator of in-space mobility solutions, has been awarded a significant two-year, $4.9 million contract by the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). The contract aims to advance the company's non-catalytic propulsion systems, ranging from 22 Newton to 100 Newton, to support government missions using the high-performance ASCENT monopropellant. A

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 06, 2024
Since deploying its sail last week, NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System spacecraft has been transmitting data and images, helping the mission team assess the performance of the boom technology demonstration. The main objective of the mission is to carry out the deployment operation and gather insights that will inform the future use of large-scale solar sails in space exploration. The te

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Sep 05, 2024
On September 4, the European environmental satellite "Sentinel-2C" is set for launch aboard a European Vega rocket from Kourou. Beyond Gravity has supplied critical components for this mission, including the satellite's onboard computer and navigation receiver. "The opportunity to contribute essential elements to this environmental mission, which aims to enhance our understanding of climat

Washington DC (UPI) Sep 5, 2024
The beleaguered Boeing Starliner spacecraft that took two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station will attempt to make its uncrewed return to Earth on Friday evening, the company has announced. NASA on Thursday issued a timeline and a set of criteria for the Starliner's departure from the ISS and return to Earth. The space capsule has faced a host of issues since well

Washington DC (UPI) Sep 4, 2024
A small asteroid burned up after it entered the Earth's atmosphere Wednesday afternoon over the Philippines. It did not cause any harm to humans or infrastructure. The European Space Agency discovered the small asteroid early Wednesday and said it would enter the atmosphere at 12:46 p.m. EDT over the western Pacific Ocean near the Philippines' island of Luzon. Qbout 3 foot

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Sep 06, 2024
Geological evidence has long shown that volcanic activity occurred on the Moon, but the duration of this activity has remained uncertain. A recent discovery by Prof. LI Qiuli's lab at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS), has provided new insights into the Moon's volcanic history. The team identified three volcanic glass beads from lunar soil samples coll