Scientists use NASA data to predict appearance of December 14, 2020 eclipse
Wednesday, 16 December 2020 09:06On Dec. 14, 2020, the Moon's shadow raced across Chile and Argentina, casting a thin ribbon of land into brief, mid-day darkness.
Those in the path of this total solar eclipse glimpsed the solar system in motion.
ESA Council appoints Josef Aschbacher as next ESA Director General
Wednesday, 16 December 2020 08:56Today, the ESA Council appointed Dr Josef Aschbacher as the next Director General of ESA, for a period of four years. He will succeed Prof. Jan Wörner, whose term of office ends on 30 June 2021.
Cholera outbreaks predicted using climate data and AI
Wednesday, 16 December 2020 08:40Climate data taken from Earth orbiting satellites, combined with machine learning techniques, are helping to better predict outbreaks of cholera and potentially save lives.
Chinese craft returns to Earth with Moon rocks
Wednesday, 16 December 2020 08:29An unmanned Chinese spacecraft carrying rocks and soil from the Moon returned safely to Earth early Thursday, completing another chapter in China's effort to become a space superpower. The mission was the first in four decades to collect lunar samples, emulating the feats of the United States and the Soviet Union from the 1960s and 1970s - and going a few steps further. Scientists hope
AFRL demonstrates critical new warhead technologies for high speed weapons
Wednesday, 16 December 2020 08:29The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) successfully demonstrated new warhead technologies for high speed weapons at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, Nov. 18, 2020. AFRL and two small business partners, Energetic Materials and Products Inc. and Hydrosoft International, developed the warhead technologies. Holloman's 846th Test Squadron conducted the test on their High Speed Test Track.
US Space Force May need a Battlestar
Wednesday, 16 December 2020 08:29Should the US Space Force be planning a human military presence in space? So far there has been no urgent or justifiable argument for an in-orbit armed "fort." However, a new version of the game of "Hide and Seek" has been evolving in outer space. Earlier this year, Gen. John Raymond, the U.S. Space Force Chief, mentioned that Russian "inspector" satellites are
IMDO and MDA complete intercept test of the David's Sling Weapon System
Wednesday, 16 December 2020 08:29The Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) of the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR and D) of the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD), together with the Missile Defense Agency, successfully completed a series of flight tests of the David's Sling Weapon System (DSWS) in an advanced system configuration against current and emerging threats. During the campaign, designate
The farthest galaxy in the universe
Wednesday, 16 December 2020 08:29A team of astronomers used the Keck I telescope to measure the distance to an ancient galaxy. They deduced the target galaxy GN-z11 is not only the oldest galaxy but also the most distant. It's so distant it defines the very boundary of the observable universe itself. The team hopes this study can shed light on a period of cosmological history when the universe was only a few hundred million yea
Amazon unveils flat-panel customer terminal for Kuiper constellation
Wednesday, 16 December 2020 02:12WASHINGTON — Amazon has tested what it describes as a low-cost flat-panel antenna for use with its Project Kuiper constellation, an innovation that could be essential to the long-term success of satellite broadband.
Amazon announced Dec. 16 that it developed a Ka-band phased-array antenna that is much smaller and less expensive that traditional antennas that operate at those frequencies.
AST & Science to go public via special purpose acquisition
Wednesday, 16 December 2020 01:09SAN FRANCISCO — AST & Science LLC announced plans Dec. 16 to become a publicly traded company through a special purpose acquisition company.
In what is becoming a trend in the industry, AST & Science is merging its business with New Providence Acquisition Corp.
Chinese craft carrying Moon rocks returns to Earth: Xinhua
Wednesday, 16 December 2020 00:10An unmanned Chinese spacecraft carrying rocks and soil from the Moon returned safely to Earth early Thursday in the first mission in four decades to collect lunar samples, the Xinhua news agency said. The capsule carrying the samples collected by the Chang'e-5 space probe landed in northern China's Inner Mongolia region, Xinhua said, quoting the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
NASA awards launch services contract to Blue Origin for New Glenn launch services
Wednesday, 16 December 2020 00:10NASA has awarded a NASA Launch Services (NLS) II contract to Blue Origin and their New Glenn launch service in accordance with the contract's on-ramp provision. The New Glenn launch service will be available to NASA's Launch Services Program (LSP) to use for future missions in accordance with the on-ramp provision of NLS II. The NLS II is a multiple-supplier, multiple-award, indefinite-del
NASA Supports America's National Strategy for Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion
Wednesday, 16 December 2020 00:10President Donald Trump has issued a new Space Policy Directive that will help propel NASA and humanity's next giant leap - creating a sustainable presence on the Moon and sending astronauts to Mars. The president issued Space Policy Directive-6 (SPD-6), the Nation's Strategy for Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion (SNPP), Wednesday, Dec. 16. Space nuclear systems power spacecraft for missio
Universities prepare to launch experiments with NASA, Virgin Orbit
Wednesday, 16 December 2020 00:10Experiments on a NASA educational satellite mission planned this month include two devices intended to inspect other spacecraft in space, a box of quartz marbles that will float in microgravity and a weather observation satellite to monitor storms. Ten small satellites, or CubeSats, on the mission are packed for launch as early as next week from California. Nine of the craft were design
Innovative Hydraulics awarded contract to support NASA's Artemis program
Wednesday, 16 December 2020 00:10Innovative Hydraulics LLC has been awarded a contract to design and manufacture fluid power products in support of NASA's Artemis program. With the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before. NASA will collaborate with commercial and international partners and establis