Outer solar system is more populated than previously thought, research reveals
Thursday, 05 September 2024 12:38
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Survey observations using the Subaru Telescope's ultra-widefield prime focus camera have revealed that there may be a population of small bodies further out in the Kuiper Belt waiting to be discovered.
The results, which are important for an understanding of the formation of the solar system, were obtained through an international collaboration between the Subaru Telescope and the New Horizons spacecraft traveling through the outer solar system.
NASA's New Horizons spacecraft was launched in 2006 with the critical mission of observing the surfaces of outer solar system bodies up close for the first time in human history; it successfully completed a flyby of the Pluto system in 2015, and in 2019 it made a flyby of one of the Kuiper Belt objects, (486958) Arrokoth.
There have been five spacecraft that have flown to the outer solar system (including New Horizons), but New Horizons is the only spacecraft that has flown through the Kuiper Belt while observing Kuiper Belt objects.
BepiColombo's best images yet highlight fourth Mercury flyby
Thursday, 05 September 2024 12:30 Write a comment
The ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission has successfully completed its fourth of six gravity assist flybys at Mercury, capturing images of two special impact craters as it uses the little planet’s gravity to steer itself on course to enter orbit around Mercury in November 2026.
The closest approach took place at 23:48 CEST (21:48 UTC) on 4 September 2024, with BepiColombo coming down to around 165 km above the planet’s surface. For the first time, the spacecraft had a clear view of Mercury’s south pole.
China to launch Mars sample return mission in 2028, will follow planetary protection guidelines
Thursday, 05 September 2024 12:10
Canopy wins Air Force contracts to develop thermal protection systems
Thursday, 05 September 2024 12:00
Blue Origin set to test fire New Glenn stage at Canaveral launch pad
Thursday, 05 September 2024 11:50 Write a comment
Blue Origin has only 40 days to go to be ready for its first launch of its heavy lift New Glenn rocket, but has a lot of boxes to tick before liftoff.
That includes a test fire in the coming days of the rocket's second stage, which the company rolled out to the pad Tuesday at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Launch Complex 36.
Jeff Bezos' rocket company is targeting Oct. 13 for liftoff of NG-1, a mission to send a pair of satellites built by fellow rocket company RocketLab on a mission for NASA to Mars called ESCAPADE, which stands for Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers.
"We're looking forward to firing up those two BE-3Us on New Glenn's second stage in a few days," the company posted on X after the hardware's trip to the pad.
When it launches, the second stage and its engines will be tasked with deploying the twin ESCAPADE spacecraft on an 11-month trip to the Red Planet where they will study Mars' plasma and magnetic fields.
The launch, though, will be the culmination of years of development for New Glenn, which is constructed at Blue Origin's nearby factory on Merritt Island.
Senegal among new members of China’s ILRS moon base project
Thursday, 05 September 2024 10:30
Small, harmless asteroid burns up in Earth's atmosphere over the Philippines
Thursday, 05 September 2024 07:09 Write a comment
A small asteroid discovered on Wednesday harmlessly burned up in Earth's atmosphere the same day, NASA said.
The asteroid—about 3 feet (1 meter) across—was spotted by astronomers in Arizona and broke apart over the coast of the Philippines hours after the discovery.
This space rock, dubbed 2024 RW1, is only the ninth to have been spotted before its impact. Asteroids around this size hurtle toward Earth about every two weeks without posing any danger.
The asteroid was discovered through the Catalina Sky Survey, which is run by the University of Arizona and funded by NASA.
Sentinel-2C launch highlights
Thursday, 05 September 2024 06:00 Write a comment
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00:14:09
The Copernicus Sentinel-2C satellite lifted off on 5 September at 03:50 CEST (4 September 22:50 local time) aboard the last Vega rocket, flight VV24, from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
Sentinel-2C will continue the legacy of delivering high-resolution data that are essential to Copernicus – the Earth observation component of the EU Space Programme. Developed, built and operated by ESA, the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission provides high-resolution optical imagery for a wide range of applications including land, water and atmospheric monitoring.
Sentinel-2C was the last liftoff for the Vega rocket – after 12 years of service this was the final
Sentinel-2C joins the Copernicus family in orbit
Thursday, 05 September 2024 02:15 Write a comment
The third Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite launched today aboard the final Vega rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Sentinel-2C will continue providing high-resolution data that is essential to Copernicus – Europe’s world leading Earth observation programme.
Sentinel-2C launched into orbit on 5 September at 03:50 CEST (4 September 22:50 local time) and separated from the Vega rocket at approximately 04:48 CEST.
Final original Vega launches Sentinel-2C
Thursday, 05 September 2024 02:01
Last Vega with Sentinel-2C on the launch pad
Thursday, 05 September 2024 00:37 Write a comment
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Last Vega with Sentinel-2C on the launch pad SpaceX satellites with Tesat terminals achieve first laser data exchange for U.S. military
Wednesday, 04 September 2024 21:06
NASA prepares for Starliner return from ISS
Wednesday, 04 September 2024 20:36
NASA admits tension with Boeing over space rescue plan
Wednesday, 04 September 2024 19:02 Write a comment
NASA admitted on Wednesday there was "tension" during meetings with Boeing executives about how to bring home two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station, but denied reports of shouting matches.
The US space agency is enlisting SpaceX to rescue the astronauts because of safety concerns with Boeing's Starliner capsule, which encountered thruster malfunctions and helium leaks on its way to the orbital outpost.
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched in June for what was meant to be around a weeklong stay, but they now aren't expected back until February 2025 when the SpaceX Crew-9 mission returns.