Scientists report 'benchmarks' for extreme space weather
Friday, 16 June 2023 08:01
High-energy 'relativistic' electrons - so-called "killer" electrons - are a major source of radiation damage to satellites and so understanding their patterns of activity is crucial. Bursts of charged particles and magnetic fields from the Sun can tear open the Earth's magnetic field, giving rise to geomagnetic storms. During these events the number of killer electrons in the outer radiation bel NASA Offers Fly-Fix-Fly Testing for SmallSat Planetary Observation
Friday, 16 June 2023 08:01
After a 12-day stratospheric flight, winners of NASA's first TechLeap Prize are now analyzing data from technologies that may improve autonomous observation capabilities for small spacecraft flying over Earth, the Moon, or other worlds. Their payloads were selected through the TechLeap Autonomous Observation Challenge No. 1, which asked teams to develop technologies to autonomously detect, locat Record-setting launch sends 41 satellites to space
Friday, 16 June 2023 08:01
China launched a Long March 2D carrier rocket on Thursday afternoon to send a total of 41 satellites into space, setting a new national record for the most spacecraft transported on a single mission.
The rocket blasted off at 1:30 pm from a service tower at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province. After a short flight, the second stage of the rocket successfully placed the 4 Navigating underground with cosmic-ray muons
Friday, 16 June 2023 08:01
Superfast, subatomic-sized particles called muons have been used to wirelessly navigate underground in a reportedly world first. By using muon-detecting ground stations synchronized with an underground muon-detecting receiver, researchers at the University of Tokyo were able to calculate the receiver's position in the basement of a six-story building. As GPS cannot penetrate rock or water, this Lunar Characterization Device Gets Early Funding
Friday, 16 June 2023 08:01
An innovative flashlight to allow scientists to see the dark areas of the Moon to better understand their composition has been selected to participate in NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program.
The EmberCore Flashlight: Long Distance Lunar Characterization with Intense Passive X- and Gamma-ray Source Phase 1 project is a 9-month concept feasibility study that will evaluate sour China conducts extravehicular radiation biological exposure experiment on space station
Friday, 16 June 2023 08:01
China has performed a radiation biological exposure experiment outside the country's Mengtian lab module for the first time, a milestone achievement in radiation biology and space science research, according to a report by Science and Technology Daily.
The experiment equipment was jointly developed by the National Space Science Center under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Dalian Ma Earth from Space: Eastern Mediterranean
Friday, 16 June 2023 07:00
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Copernicus Sentinel-3’s wide view captures the eastern edge of the Mediterranean and surrounding countries. Final launch of Europe's Ariane 5 rocket postponed
Friday, 16 June 2023 06:18
The final launch of Europe's Ariane 5 rocket has been postponed due to a technical problem, French firm Arianespace said on Thursday, in the latest blow to European space efforts.
After 27 years of launches, the Ariane 5's 117th and last mission had been scheduled to blast off between 2126-1001 GMT on Friday from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
But "it has come to light that there is a risk to the redundancy of a critical function on the Ariane 5," tweeted Arianespace, which operates the rocket.
"Consistent with safety requirements, Arianespace has decided to postpone the roll-out of the #VA261 launch vehicle," it added.
"Analyses are underway to determine a new launch date."
The rocket and its payload of one French and one German communication satellite "are in the final assembly building in stable and safe conditions," Arianespace added.
The postponement comes as Europe struggles to find a way to independently blast heavy-load missions into space due to repeated delays for the next-generation Ariane 6—and Russia withdrawing its Soyuz rockets because of sanctions over its war in Ukraine.
Virgin Galactic to send Italian researchers to space, then regular commercial flights
Friday, 16 June 2023 06:12
Technical problem postpones final Ariane 5 launch
Thursday, 15 June 2023 22:35
Arianespace has postponed the final launch of the Ariane 5, potentially for several weeks, after discovering a potential problem with pyrotechnical systems on the rocket.
Eutelsat reversing course with European retail broadband business sale
Thursday, 15 June 2023 21:05
Eutelsat told the Paris stock exchange June 15 it is selling its European retail broadband activities to “an experienced private operator” to return focus to wholesale services.
Virgin Galactic sets late June date for first commercial SpaceShipTwo flight
Thursday, 15 June 2023 19:10
Virgin Galactic announced June 15 that it plans to conduct the first commercial flight of its SpaceShipTwo suborbital vehicle in late June on a mission for the Italian Air Force.
Project Kuiper urges regulators to focus on satellite maneuverability rules
Thursday, 15 June 2023 15:45
Governments should consider requiring satellites over a certain altitude to be maneuverable to improve space sustainability, according to an executive for Amazon’s proposed Project Kuiper constellation.
Microfluidics in space to detect extraterrestrial life signatures and monitor astronaut health
Thursday, 15 June 2023 14:30
Former Spaceflight CEO joins law firm to support commercial space clients
Thursday, 15 June 2023 13:59
The former chief executive of Spaceflight has joined a major law firm to lead its efforts in supporting the commercial space industry.