Private US moon lander still working after breaking leg and falling, but not for long
Thursday, 29 February 2024 08:42The first private U.S. spacecraft to land on the moon broke a leg at touchdown before falling over, according to company officials who said Wednesday it was on the verge of losing power.
Intuitive Machines, the company that built the lander, released new photos Wednesday, six days after the landing, that showed at least one broken leg on the six-legged spacecraft.
Russian space officials say air leak at International Space Station poses no danger to its crew
Thursday, 29 February 2024 07:58Russian space officials on Wednesday acknowledged a continuing air leak from the Russian segment of the International Space Station, but said it poses no danger to its crew.
Elve raises $15 million to speed up manufacturing of millimeter-wave amplifiers
Thursday, 29 February 2024 06:13Intuitive Machines and NASA call IM-1 lunar lander a success as mission winds down
Wednesday, 28 February 2024 23:00Research on dynamics and FNTSM control of spacecraft with a film capture pocket system
Wednesday, 28 February 2024 19:23In recent years, with the significant increase in space launch activities, the number of deorbited spacecraft has sharply risen, posing a serious impact on both active orbiting spacecraft and future space activities. Traditional rope net capture systems, serving as a technology for actively deorbiting spacecraft, hold vast potential in mitigating and clearing space debris.
However, rope systems face challenges such as difficulty in maintaining shape over extended periods, susceptibility to self-entanglement, energy losses, and a reduction in the effective capture area. In contrast, thin films can fold and unfold along regular shapes, offering greater flexibility and reliability compared to tethers. They emerge as an effective solution to the entanglement issue and present a promising method for space debris mitigation and removal.
In a review article recently published in Space: Science & Technology, Professor Wei Cheng's team at Harbin Institute of Technology, in collaboration with researchers from Beijing Institute of Control Engineering and Benha University, has designed a thin film capture pocket system.
Space Force top buyer keenly watching ULA and Blue Origin: ‘They need to scale’
Wednesday, 28 February 2024 19:13A new space mission: Astrobotic eyes an expansion of its North Side headquarters
Wednesday, 28 February 2024 18:07Astrobotic Technology's latest space-related venture won't take it far from home.
The lunar tech company is pitching a plan to build a new four-story facility next to its North Side headquarters on North Lincoln Avenue as part of a bid to "establish a new space campus for Pennsylvania."
Astrobotic outlined the basics of the proposed development in a request for $6 million in state redevelopment assistance capital grant funding.
According to its application, the North Side startup intends to demolish an existing building next to its headquarters to clear the way for the construction of the $18 million building.
Astrobotic plans to dedicate one 29,000-square-foot floor of the new facility to tenants that are engaged in space medical research, space test equipment and defense space programs. It will take 39,000 square feet in the structure, which will be connected to its current headquarters.
"Altogether, the completion of this $18 million facility project will establish a new space campus for Pennsylvania," the application stated.
Astrobotic added that it wants to build the new complex to help capitalize on the momentum generated by four missions to the moon currently under contract and to "expand into new commercial and [U.S.
HyImpulse readies SR75 rocket for historic maiden launch in Australia
Wednesday, 28 February 2024 17:51HyImpulse, a Germa-based rocket developer, is finalizing preparations for the maiden flight of its SR75 rocket, slated for late April to early May 2024 from the Koonibba Test Range in southern Australia. This launch will showcase a novel propulsion system that may redefine how rockets are transported and launched globally. The SR75, a single-stage rocket, embodies a leap in propulsion tech
Modi says India's first astronauts will inspire nation
Wednesday, 28 February 2024 17:51Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday toasted the four astronauts preparing for the nation's first crewed orbital mission, saying the latest advance in spacefaring would inspire the next generation. "The countdown of the rocket inspires thousands of children in India, and those making paper planes today dream of becoming scientists like you", Modi said. The Gaganyaan - or "Skyc
Korea simulates Moon's electrostatic surface conditions on Earth
Wednesday, 28 February 2024 17:51In a groundbreaking effort to simulate the Moon's unique surface environment, the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) has successfully developed an electrostatic environment on Earth. This pioneering research, led by Dr. Shin Hyusoung along with senior researcher Chung Taeil and Dr. Park Seungsoo, aims to replicate the
Odysseus moon lander mission cut short after botched landing
Wednesday, 28 February 2024 17:51The historic Odysseus moon landing mission was cut short Tuesday as flight controllers expected to lose contact with the private spacecraft after it toppled over during last week's botched landing. Intuitive Machines, the Houston space company that built the unmanned Odysseus, said it planned to collect data "until the lander's solar panels are no longer exposed to light," which is two
US Moon lander's battery likely has hours left: company
Wednesday, 28 February 2024 17:51An American lunar lander that tipped over during its historic touchdown last week likely only has hours left until its battery runs out, the private company operating it said Tuesday. The uncrewed Odysseus, built by Houston-based Intuitive Machines, made the first return by a US craft to the Moon in five decades - and the first such successful mission by the private sector. But one of t
CUTE's groundbreaking design paves the way for future small-scale space missions
Wednesday, 28 February 2024 17:51NASA's innovative approach to studying the atmospheres of distant worlds has taken a significant leap forward with the Colorado Ultraviolet Transit Experiment (CUTE) mission. Since its launch in September 2021, CUTE has been pioneering the observation of exoplanets using a uniquely designed small spacecraft, marking a milestone in space exploration technology. At the heart of CUTE's missio
Earth as a test object
Wednesday, 28 February 2024 17:51Life is indeed possible on Earth. This has been demonstrated in a study conducted by the Institute of Particle Physics and Astrophysics at ETH Zurich. Of course, the researchers' intention wasn't to answer the question itself. Instead, they used the Earth as an example to prove that the planned LIFE (Large Interferometer for Exoplanets) space mission can be a success - and that the planned measu
Axion stars: A potential key to solving the cosmic dark matter mystery
Wednesday, 28 February 2024 17:51In a significant advancement in astrophysics, a team of physicists from King's College London has introduced a groundbreaking approach to demystify dark matter, potentially bringing us closer to understanding one of the universe's most elusive constituents. The research, led by Liina Chung-Jukko alongside Professors Malcolm Fairbairn, Eugene Lim, Dr. David Marsh, and their collaborators, focuses