House appropriators approve NASA spending bill with revised lunar lander and nuclear propulsion language
Friday, 16 July 2021 09:10
WASHINGTON — The House Appropriations Committee passed a spending bill July 15 that leaves intact overall funding for NASA but tweaks language regarding the Human Landing System and nuclear thermal propulsion.
The committee voted 33–26 to advance the commerce, justice and science (CJS) appropriations bill to the full House.
ERS: 30 years of outstanding achievements
Friday, 16 July 2021 08:30
ESA’s first Earth observation mission dedicated to understanding our planet, the European Remote Sensing satellite (ERS-1), was launched into orbit on 17 July 1991 – almost 30 years ago today. At the time of its launch, the ERS satellite was one of the most sophisticated spacecraft ever developed and launched by Europe, paving the way for satellite technology in the areas of atmosphere, land, ocean and ice monitoring. Today, we look back at some of the mission’s key accomplishments.
Week in images: 12 - 16 July 2021
Friday, 16 July 2021 07:56
Week in images: 12 - 16 July 2021
Discover our week through the lens
Earth from Space: Lima, Peru
Friday, 16 July 2021 07:00
Lima, the capital and largest city of Peru, is featured in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image.
Dutch teenager to fly on New Shepard
Thursday, 15 July 2021 21:10
WASHINGTON — An 18-year-old Dutch man will fly on Blue Origin’s first crewed New Shepard suborbital flight, taking the place of the unidentified winner of an auction last month for the seat.
Blue Origin announced July 15 that Oliver Daemen will be the fourth and final member of the crew of the New Shepard flight launching July 20 from the company’s West Texas spaceport.
Facebook underlines satellite commitment after team joins Amazon’s Project Kuiper
Thursday, 15 July 2021 16:59
TAMPA, Fla. — Facebook said it remains committed to using space-based technology for improving global connectivity, after agreeing to transfer a group of satellite experts to work on Amazon’s low-Earth-orbit megaconstellation Project Kuiper.
Blue Origin says will fly 18-year-old to space on July 20
Thursday, 15 July 2021 14:18
Blue Origin said Thursday an 18-year-old paying customer will fly to space on board the company's maiden crewed spaceflight on July 20, becoming the youngest ever astronaut.
Oliver Daemen, who graduated from high school in 2020 and holds a private pilot's license, is not the winner of a $28 million auction, who has asked to remain anonymous and will fly on a future mission, the company said.
"This marks the beginning of commercial operations for New Shepard, and Oliver represents a new generation of people who will help us build a road to space," said Bob Smith, CEO of Blue Origin.
Flying on New Shepard will fulfill a lifelong dream for Daemen, who has been fascinated by space, the Moon, and rockets since he was four, a statement said.
He plans to attend the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands to study physics and innovation management this September.
Daemen joins Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, Jeff's brother Mark, and Wally Funk aboard the first human flight involving the New Shepard spaceship.
At 18-years-old and 82-years-young, Daemen and Funk will be the youngest and oldest astronauts to travel to space.
18-year-old joining Blue Origin's 1st passenger spaceflight
Thursday, 15 July 2021 14:18 Blue Origin said Thursday an 18-year-old paying customer will fly to space on board the company's maiden crewed spaceflight on July 20, becoming the youngest ever astronaut.
Oliver Daemen, who graduated from high school in 2020 and holds a private pilot's license, is not the winner of a $28 million auction, who has asked to remain anonymous and will fly on a future mission, the company said.
"This marks the beginning of commercial operations for New Shepard, and Oliver represents a new generation of people who will help us build a road to space," said Bob Smith, CEO of Blue Origin.
Flying on New Shepard will fulfill a lifelong dream for Daemen, who has been fascinated by space, the Moon, and rockets since he was four, a statement said.
He plans to attend the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands to study physics and innovation management this September.
Daemen joins Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, Jeff's brother Mark, and Wally Funk aboard the first human flight involving the New Shepard spaceship.
At 18-years-old and 82-years-young, Daemen and Funk will be the youngest and oldest astronauts to travel to space.
Video: 30 years go, the ERS-1 sent its first image back to Earth
Thursday, 15 July 2021 13:11ESA's first Earth observation mission dedicated to understanding our planet, the European Remote Sensing satellite (ERS-1), was launched into orbit on 17 July 1991. At the time, it was the most sophisticated Earth observation spacecraft developed and launched by Europe.
Thirty years ago, as the team went through the launch and early-orbit phase, the first synthetic aperture radar images were awaited in Kiruna and Fucino. Featuring video footage taken in 1991, the team involved tells the story of the anxious moments and important breakthroughs they made as the first images arrived.
Explore further
Astranis accelerates production with four more small GEO satellites
Thursday, 15 July 2021 11:58
TAMPA, Fla. — Astranis has started building four very small geostationary orbit satellites as it gears up to produce dozens and later hundreds of them simultaneously.
“This is the beginning of a ramp-up of our production rate,” Astranis CEO John Gedmark said.
China’s Zhurong Mars rover visits own parachute
Thursday, 15 July 2021 11:18
HELSINKI — China’s Zhurong rover has approached and imaged the parachute and backshell which helped the vehicle land safely on Mars.
Blue Origin donates New Shepard auction proceeds to space nonprofit groups
Thursday, 15 July 2021 10:43
WASHINGTON — With less than a week before its first crewed suborbital spaceflight, Blue Origin is distributing some of the proceeds from an auction for one of the seats on that flight to a group of space-related nonprofit organizations.
NASA seeks proposals for commercial space station development
Thursday, 15 July 2021 10:01
WASHINGTON — NASA is seeking proposals for a program to support the development of commercial space stations, even as funding for that effort is in jeopardy in Congress.
NASA published a request for proposals July 12 for its Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development, or CLD, program.
New Vacancy: Director of Navigation
Thursday, 15 July 2021 10:00
The European Space Agency is currently looking for a new Director of Navigation to join its Executive Board and support the Director General, with responsibility for relevant ESA activities and overall objectives.
ERS-1: the first image
Thursday, 15 July 2021 07:00
Video:
00:23:29
ESA’s first Earth observation mission dedicated to understanding our planet, the European Remote Sensing satellite (ERS-1), was launched into orbit on 17 July 1991. At the time, it was the most sophisticated Earth observation spacecraft developed and launched by Europe.
Thirty years ago, as the team went through the launch and early-orbit phase, the first synthetic aperture radar images were awaited in Kiruna and Fucino. Featuring video footage taken in 1991, the team involved tells the story of the anxious moments and important breakthroughs they made as the first images arrived.
Features interviews with:
Stephen Coulson, Former Earth Observation