Tiandu satellites enhance Earth-Moon communication with successful transmission tests
Wednesday, 17 April 2024 20:25![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/china-lunar-tiandu-experimental-satellites-bg.jpg)
Aegis Aerospace completes key acquisition of ProXopS assets
Wednesday, 17 April 2024 20:25![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/nasa-kennedy-space-center-blood-moon-total-lunar-eclipse-bg.jpg)
Firefly Aerospace collaborates with Klepsydra Technologies for space-based edge computing
Wednesday, 17 April 2024 20:25![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/firefly-aerospace-exploration-park-manufacturing-facility-bg.jpg)
Space ISAC establishes LEO satellite operators group
Wednesday, 17 April 2024 20:07Astronauts to patch up NASA's NICER telescope
Wednesday, 17 April 2024 20:02![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![This image, obtained June 8, 2018, shows NASA's NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer) on the International Space Station, where it studies neutron stars and other X-ray sources. NICER is about the size of a washing machine. The sunshades of its X-ray concentrators are visible as an array of circular features. Credit: NASA Astronauts to patch up NASA's NICER telescope](https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800a/2024/astronauts-to-patch-up.jpg)
NASA is planning to repair NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer), an X-ray telescope on the International Space Station, during a spacewalk later this year. It will be the fourth science observatory in orbit serviced by astronauts.
NASA to hoist its sail: Solar sail mission gets ready for launch
Wednesday, 17 April 2024 19:34![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![An artist’s concept of NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System spacecraft in orbit. Credit: NASA/Aero Animation/Ben Schweighart NASA to hoist its sail: Solar sail mission gets ready for launch](https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800a/2024/nasa-to-hoist-its-sail.jpg)
A NASA mission testing a new way of navigating our solar system is ready to hoist its sail into space—not to catch the wind, but the propulsive power of sunlight. The Advanced Composite Solar Sail System is targeting launch on Tuesday, April 23 (Wednesday, April 24 in New Zealand) aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from the company's Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula of New Zealand.
Rocket Lab's Electron rocket will deploy the mission's CubeSat about 600 miles above Earth—more than twice the altitude of the International Space Station. To test the performance of NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System, the spacecraft must be in a high enough orbit for the tiny force of sunlight on the sail—roughly equivalent to the weight of a paperclip resting on your palm—to overcome atmospheric drag and gain altitude.
NASA's Roman space telescope's 'eyes' pass first vision test
Wednesday, 17 April 2024 19:30![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![This photo shows the entire optics system for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. It consists of 10 mirrors, including the 7.9-foot (2.4-meter) primary mirror seen at the base in this image, and is called the IOA (Imaging Optical Assembly). Engineers recently integrated and tested the IOA at L3Harris Technologies in Rochester, New York. Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn NASA's Roman Space Telescope's 'Eyes' Pass First Vision Test - NASA](https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800a/2024/nasas-roman-space-tele.jpg)
Engineers at L3Harris Technologies in Rochester, New York, have combined all 10 mirrors for NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
NASA's Dragonfly rotorcraft mission to Saturn's moon Titan confirmed
Wednesday, 17 April 2024 18:44![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![Artist’s concept of Dragonfly soaring over the dunes of Saturn’s moon Titan. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben NASA's Dragonfly rotorcraft mission to Saturn's moon Titan confirmed](https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800a/2024/nasas-dragonfly-rotorc.jpg)
NASA has confirmed its Dragonfly rotorcraft mission to Saturn's organic-rich moon Titan. The decision allows the mission to progress to the completion of the final design, followed by the construction and testing of the entire spacecraft and science instruments.
"Dragonfly is a spectacular science mission with broad community interest, and we are excited to take the next steps on this mission," said Nicky Fox, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "Exploring Titan will push the boundaries of what we can do with rotorcraft outside of Earth."
In early 2023, the mission successfully passed all the success criteria of its Preliminary Design Review. At that time, however, the mission was asked to develop an updated budget and schedule to fit into the current funding environment. This updated plan was presented and conditionally approved in November 2023, pending the outcome of the fiscal year 2025 budget process.
NASA's near space network enables PACE climate mission to 'phone home'
Wednesday, 17 April 2024 18:21![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![An artistic rendering of multiple Earth-observing satellites around the globe using NASA’s Near Space Network to send back critical data. Credit: NASA/Kasey Dillahay NASA's near space network enables PACE climate mission to 'phone home'](https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800a/2024/nasas-near-space-netwo-2.jpg)
The PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission has delivered its first operational data back to researchers, a feat made possible in part by innovative, data-storing technology from NASA's Near Space Network, which introduced two key enhancements for PACE and other upcoming science missions.
As a satellite orbits in space, its systems generate critical data about the spacecraft's health, location, battery life, and more. All of this occurs while the mission's science instruments capture images and data supporting the satellite's overall objective.
This data is then encoded and sent back to Earth via radio waves through NASA's Near Space Network and Deep Space Network—but not without challenges.
One challenge is extreme distances, where disruptions or delays are common.
On-demand nutrient production system for long-duration space missions
Wednesday, 17 April 2024 17:36![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![NASA astronaut and Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Nicole Mann works in the International Space Station’s Harmony module on the BioNutrients-2 investigation that uses genetically engineered microbes to provide nutrients, and potentially other compounds and pharmaceuticals, on-demand in space. Credit: NASA On-demand nutrient production system for long-duration space missions](https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800a/2024/on-demand-nutrient-pro.jpg)
When astronauts embark on long space missions, they'll need to grow their own food because pre-packaged meals from Earth lose their nutritional value over time. The BioNutrients project at Ames Research Center's Space Biosciences Division has solved this problem by using genetic engineering to create microbially-based food that can produce nutrients and compounds, such as medicines, with minimal resources.
The process involves storing dried microbes and food-grade media in small bioreactors, which can be rehydrated and grown years later.
BioNutrients-3 yields fresh kefir in lunar analog mission
Wednesday, 17 April 2024 16:48![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/food-spix-bg.jpg)
Boeing Starliner rolls to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station ahead of May launch
Wednesday, 17 April 2024 16:48![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/ula-atlas-5-starliner-stack-pad-night-bg.jpg)
Ariane 6 debut includes Portugal's first university CubeSat for aircraft tracking
Wednesday, 17 April 2024 16:48![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/ariane-spix-bg.jpg)
NASA seeks community input to refine space technology priorities
Wednesday, 17 April 2024 16:48![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/nasa-spix-bg.jpg)
Comet Geyser: Perseverance's 24th Rock Core
Wednesday, 17 April 2024 16:48![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/mars-robot-spix-bg.jpg)