Rocket Lab says SPAC deal will accelerate development of Neutron rocket
Monday, 01 March 2021 12:42WASHINGTON — A growing realization of the need for a medium-class launch vehicle led Rocket Lab to speed up its plans to go public by merging with a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC).
Rocket Lab announced March 1 it would merge with Vector Acquisition Corporation, a SPAC established by venture fund Vector Capital.
Falling foam insulation caused Chinese commercial rocket failure
Monday, 01 March 2021 11:19HELSINKI — Chinese commercial launch company iSpace said Monday that an errant piece of foam insulation caused the loss of its Hyperbola-1 launch vehicle in February.
Crew-2 on schedule for April launch while next Starliner flight delayed
Monday, 01 March 2021 11:14WASHINGTON — NASA officials said March 1 that the next SpaceX commercial crew mission to the International Space Station remains on schedule for late April, but that a Boeing uncrewed test flight is facing further delays.
The Crew-2 mission, a flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying astronauts from NASA, the European Space Agency and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to the station, remains on track for a launch no earlier than April 20, agency officials said at a briefing.
Giant iceberg breaks off Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica
Monday, 01 March 2021 09:00Boeing Starliner test flight postponed
Monday, 01 March 2021 05:58An unmanned test mission of Boeing's Starliner space capsule, which is eventually to transport astronauts to the International Space Station, has had to be postponed, NASA said Monday. The test, which had previously been postponed until early April, will suffer another delay, this time due to unprecedented cold temperatures in Texas that caused extensive power outages in the southern US stat
NASA, SpaceX to launch 2nd Commercial Crew Rotation Mission to ISS
Monday, 01 March 2021 05:58NASA and SpaceX are continuing a regular cadence of missions with astronauts launching on an American rocket from American soil to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. NASA's SpaceX Crew-2 is the second crew rotation mission with four astronauts flying on a commercial spacecraft, and the first with two international partner astronauts. NASA's SpaceX Cr
Kentucky firm plans orbital mini space station in two years
Monday, 01 March 2021 05:58A Kentucky space firm that conducts science experiments on the International Space Station has plans to launch its own miniature, automated orbital research platform in about two years. Lexington-based Space Tango has small research containers, or CubeLabs, on the space station. Bustling business and growing need for such experiments in microgravity led the company to plan its own space
Rocket Lab unveils plans for bigger reusable rocket for mega-constellation deployment
Monday, 01 March 2021 05:58Rocket Lab has unveiled plans for its Neutron rocket, an advanced 8-ton payload class launch vehicle tailored for mega-constellation deployment, interplanetary missions and human spaceflight. Neutron will build on Rocket Lab's proven experience developing the reliable workhorse Electron launch vehicle, the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually since 2019. Where Electron prov
India launches PSLV-C51 carrying Brazil's Amazonia-1 and 18 Satellites
Monday, 01 March 2021 05:58The launch of the PSLV-C51 occurred on Sunday at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The latter is located on Sriharikota Island in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched the Brazilian satellite Amazonia-1 along with 18 other co-passenger satellites via the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C51). The event occurred on Sund
Getting your payload to orbit
Monday, 01 March 2021 05:58Launch vehicles and satellites are commonly built by different contractors in separate locations by two different talent pools. Satellite engineers and managers are not generally intimately familiar with launch vehicle design, manufacture and operations. Launch vehicle engineers and managers are not generally intimately familiar with satellite design, manufacture and operations. At some point
Perseverance Hardware One Day after Landing
Monday, 01 March 2021 05:58This first HiRISE image of the Perseverance Rover on the surface of Mars also shows many parts of the descent system that got it safely there. Each inset shows an area about 650 feet (200 meters) across. The rover itself sits at the center of a blast pattern created by the hovering skycrane (labeled as "descent stage") that lowered it there. The skycrane flew off to crash as at a safe dist
Ice frozen under Mars' surface offers major resource to aid future settlements
Monday, 01 March 2021 05:58Frozen water is hiding beneath the dust-covered surface of Mars, and scientist Ali Bramson wants to find it. She sees a chance to both sustain future human explorers and answer questions about the red planet's climate. Bramson, a Purdue University assistant professor of planetary science, was part of recent research to determine the location and depth of the subsurface ice. The results of
US Space Force Chief Sees 'Fused Connection' With Commercial Industry as Key to Success
Monday, 01 March 2021 05:58Because of its small size and high dependency on advanced technology, the US Space Force is perhaps better positioned than any branch of the US military to become a cash-cow for private industry. A top US Space Force official has praised the falling costs of space flight in recent years, saying that nearly all of its space activities are now capable of being performed by private industry.
China has over 300 satellites in orbit
Monday, 01 March 2021 05:58China's satellite application system has made great progress in 2020, with more than 300 satellites in orbit for various applications, according to a recent report released by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Among them are Beidou navigation satellites, remote sensing satellites for meteorological and marine monitoring, and communication satellites. China start
AFRL rocket propulsion division hosts virtual AIAA meeting
Monday, 01 March 2021 05:58The Air Force Research Laboratory's Rocket Propulsion Division hosted a virtual conference of the Management Committee (Integration and Outreach Division) of the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), chaired by Ray Flores, deputy director, Office of the Inspector General, HQ Air Force Materiel Command, February 23-24. Dr. Suren Singhal, deputy manager, Office of the C