NRO to conduct responsive space mission with Firefly and Xtenti
Tuesday, 08 August 2023 17:09![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://i0.wp.com/spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/rsz_1screenshot_2023-08-08_at_115438_am.png?fit=300%2C153&ssl=1)
The National Reconnaissance Office announced a contract Aug. 8 with Firefly Aerospace and Xtenti, a Texas-based space logistics startup, for a responsive space mission.
NOAA lifts many commercial remote sensing license conditions
Tuesday, 08 August 2023 16:45![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![Umbra 16-cm image](https://i0.wp.com/spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/umbra-16cm2.jpg?fit=300%2C300&ssl=1)
The agency that regulates commercial remote sensing satellite systems has loosened restrictions imposed on many companies’ licenses, enabling them to provide higher-resolution imagery or other services.
China could be planning a second broadband megaconstellation
Tuesday, 08 August 2023 16:04![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![Illustration of satellite coverage for telecommunications services.](https://i0.wp.com/spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/megaconstellation-coverage-ESA-science-office.jpg?fit=300%2C223&ssl=1)
The Shanghai government has expressed backing for a "G60 Starlink" broadband megaconstellation consisting of an initial 1,296 satellites.
ReOrbit: autonomous and inter-networking satellites for data flow needs in space. What, Why, How
Tuesday, 08 August 2023 15:53![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://i0.wp.com/spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-09-at-10.05.08-AM.jpg?fit=300%2C183&ssl=1)
When designing satellites, ReOrbit puts software in the spotlight. What is the rationale behind that approach? Typically, following the initial evolution of technology, you can see a prevailing pattern of […]
Exotrail establishes U.S. presence
Tuesday, 08 August 2023 14:40![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![Exotrail spacevan](https://i0.wp.com/spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/exotrail-spacevan.jpg?fit=300%2C169&ssl=1)
French space mobility company Exotrail has created two U.S. subsidiaries as part of efforts to serve a growing number of American customers.
Download your Tuesday ‘News from the 2023 Small Satellite show’ digital edition
Tuesday, 08 August 2023 14:19![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://i0.wp.com/spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-at-9.16.22-AM-half.png?fit=300%2C206&ssl=1)
The SpaceNews editorial team is producing a daily for the 2023 Small Satellite show, a nightly email newsletter and all-day web coverage during the 2023 Small Satellite show in Logan, Utah, the […]
How to change an asteroid into a space habitat, in just 12 years
Tuesday, 08 August 2023 14:13![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![Blender image of a large rotating space station similar to the one described in the study. Credit: David Jense, Serge Brunier, model by Doug Ellison How to change an asteroid into A space habitat—in just 12 years](https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800a/2023/how-to-change-an-aster.jpg)
The basic idea of turning an asteroid into a rotating space habitat has existed for a while. Despite that, it's always seemed relatively far off regarding technologies, so the concept hasn't received much attention over the years. But, if you're retired and have an underlying interest in researching space habitats, developing a detailed plan for turning an asteroid into one seems like a great use of time.
And that is precisely what David W. Jensen, a retired Technical Fellow at Rockwell Collins, recently did. He released a 65-page paper on the arXiv preprint server that details an easy-to-understand, relatively inexpensive, and feasible plan to turn an asteroid into a space habitat.
Dish and EchoStar agree terrestrial and space connectivity merger
Tuesday, 08 August 2023 13:42![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://i0.wp.com/spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Jupiter-3-launch.jpg?fit=300%2C244&ssl=1)
Satellite TV broadcaster and terrestrial wireless operator Dish Network announced plans Aug.
Portugal blaze
Tuesday, 08 August 2023 13:10![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![With Portugal in the grip of a heatwave, a wildfire broke out on 5 August south of Odemira in the Alentejo region in southern Portugal. This image, captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite mission, shows the fire on 7 August.](https://www.esa.int/var/esa/storage/images/esa_multimedia/images/2023/08/portugal_blaze/25039473-1-eng-GB/Portugal_blaze_card_full.jpg)
Space Development Agency to expand satellite ground operations in North Dakota
Tuesday, 08 August 2023 12:56![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://i0.wp.com/spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/F29PBSfXgAAXAZ3-scaled.jpeg?fit=300%2C225&ssl=1)
The Space Development Agency announced plans to build a new satellite testing facility at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota.
ExoTerra gains flight heritage for Halo thrusters
Tuesday, 08 August 2023 12:00![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://i0.wp.com/spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/rsz_blackjack_deploy_2.jpg?fit=300%2C139&ssl=1)
ExoTerra Resources has demonstrated its first Halo Hall-effect thrusters in orbit on DARPA Blackjack satellites.
The post ExoTerra gains flight heritage for Halo thrusters appeared first on SpaceNews.
Funded for further growth, Leaf Space prepares its ground station network for the upcoming SpaceX’s Transporter-9 mission and shares excitement for the sector
Tuesday, 08 August 2023 11:39![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://i0.wp.com/spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Leaf-Space-Coufounders.jpg?fit=300%2C166&ssl=1)
As recently announced by Leaf Space, the Italian company has now secured EUR 20M (USD 22M) in Series B funding, positioning itself among the world’s leading Ground Segment-as-a-Service (GSaaS) providers.
NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter flies again after unscheduled landing
Tuesday, 08 August 2023 11:32![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![This view of NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was generated using data collected by the Mastcam-Z instrument aboard the agency’s Perseverance Mars rover on Aug. 2, 2023, the 871st Martian day, or sol, of the mission, one day before the rotorcraft’s 54th flight. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter flies again after unscheduled landing](https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800a/2023/nasas-ingenuity-mars-h-1.jpg)
NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter successfully completed its 54th flight on Aug. 3, the first flight since the helicopter cut its July 22 flight short. The 25-second up-and-down hop provided data that could help the Ingenuity team determine why its 53rd flight ended early.
Flight 53 was planned as a 136-second scouting flight dedicated to collecting imagery of the planet's surface for the Perseverance Mars rover science team.
Boeing says troubled Starliner will be ready to fly crew by March
Tuesday, 08 August 2023 11:23![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/starliner-plan-view-earth-orbit-marker-bg.jpg)
Hypersonics Capability Center: Northrop Grumman's next step beyond Mach 5
Tuesday, 08 August 2023 11:23![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/northrop-grumman-hypersonic-factory-elkton-bg.jpg)