Russian MoD: US Perfectly Aware Fragments of Downed Satellite Pose No Threat to Space Activities
Thursday, 18 November 2021 07:30On Monday, State Department spokesman Ned Price accused Russia of "recklessly" carrying out a destructive satellite test using an anti-satellite missile against a defunct Soviet satellite. Washington claims the test generated "over 1,500 pieces of trackable orbital debris" which now "threaten the interests of all nations." The Russian military confirmed Tuesday that it has carried out a su
Russian Military Publishes First Video From Successful Anti-Satellite Missile Test
Thursday, 18 November 2021 07:30Earlier in the day, the Defence Ministry confirmed that Russia had successfully conducted an anti-satellite test on Monday, hitting a long-defunct Soviet satellite floating lifelessly in orbit. The military dismissed claims made by US officials that the test creates thousands of pieces of debris "threatening the interests of all nations." The Russian Ministry of Defence published a video T
Sino-Russian center for space weather monitoring operational
Thursday, 18 November 2021 07:30A space weather center set up by China and Russia began operating on Tuesday to provide services for aviation operators around the world. The China-Russia Consortium Global Space Weather Center monitors space weather events including solar activities and releases advisories for aviation operators, said Zhang Xiaoxin, director of the National Satellite Meteorological Center's space weather
Transform our inventions into commercial applications
Thursday, 18 November 2021 07:30ESA develops a vast array of innovative technologies and applications to make Europe's space endeavours happen. Many of these inventions are protected by patents, resulting in a portfolio of around 580 patents or patent applications. ESA is now offering you the opportunity to find and mature real-world applications of these inventions.
Musk predicts first Starship orbital launch in early 2022
Thursday, 18 November 2021 00:13SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk said he expects this first orbital flight of his company’s Starship vehicle to take place as soon as January, pending regulatory approvals.
Virgin Orbit bullish on national security launch
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 23:59Virgin Orbit is actively pursuing new business in the national security market, executives said Nov. 17 during an “Investors Day” event.
Commercial spaceports seen as the future for European launch
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 21:23Actors engaged in the emerging European commercial launch sector are looking to European commercial spaceports to be established rather than shipping rockets farther afield.
Space Development Agency a potential ‘path to market’ for commercial satellite imagery
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 20:59The Space Development Agency would allow satellite imagery vendors to send data directly to DoD transport satellites.
U.S. officials: Anti-satellite test another sign of Russia’s aggressive intentions in space
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 20:19U.S. Space Force officials Nov. 17 condemned Russia’s missile strike that destroyed a defunct satellite in low Earth orbit.
Op-ed | Lessons to learn from Russia’s Nudol ASAT test
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 17:16Russia’s generation of a large amount of space debris deserves condemnation from the United States and others. However, we must also understand why Russia did what it did.
The Incredible Adventures of the Hera mission – Episode 2
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 15:00Meet Hera, our very own asteroid detective. Together with two CubeSats – Milani the rock decoder and Juventas the radar visionary – Hera is off on an adventure to explore Didymos, a double asteroid system that is typical of the thousands that pose an impact risk to planet Earth.
Suitable for kids and adults alike, this episode tells the story of the discovery of asteroids, in ‘The Curious Case of the Missing Planet’. Astronomers in the 18th century were sure there was a planet in the wide gap between Mars and Jupiter – and even formed a group
NASA extends Hubble operations contract, provides mission update
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 14:06The Hubble Space Telescope, a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency), has fundamentally changed the way we view our universe time and again. Now in its 32nd year in space, Hubble has delivered unprecedented insights about the cosmos, from the most distant galaxy observed so far to familiar planets in our neighborhood, including Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
"Hubble, with its beautiful images and decades-long series of new discoveries about our universe, has captured the imagination of countless individuals and inspired so many," said Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate at the agency's Headquarters in Washington.
With Hubble continuing to make groundbreaking discoveries, the agency has awarded a sole source contract extension to the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) in Washington for continued Hubble science operations support at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, which AURA operates for NASA. The award extends Hubble's science mission through June 30, 2026, and increases the value of the existing contract by about $215 million (for a total of about $2.4 billion).
Alien organisms: Hitchhikers of the galaxy?
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 13:01Scientists warn that without good biosecurity measures, 'alien organisms' on Earth may become a reality stranger than fiction.
Published in international journal BioScience, a team of scientists, including Dr. Phill Cassey, Head of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Adelaide, are calling for greater recognition of the biosecurity risks ahead of the space industry.
"In addition to government-led space missions, the arrival of private companies such as SpaceX has meant there are now more players in space exploration than ever before," said Associate Professor Cassey. "We need to take action now to mitigate those risks."
Space biosecurity concerns itself with both the transfer of organisms from Earth to space (forward contamination) and vice-versa (backward contamination). While the research points out that at present the risk of alien organisms surviving the journey is low, it's not impossible.
Dr. Cassey said: "Risks that have low probability of occurrence, but have the potential for extreme consequences, are at the heart of biosecurity management. Because when things go wrong, they go really wrong."
The research provides clear evidence of how humans have spread organisms to the remotest regions of the earth and sea, and even into space.
China silent, South Korea ‘concerned’ over debris created by Russia’s anti-satellite missile test
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 12:10South Korea’s foreign ministry expressed concern over the “numerous pieces of debris” created in low Earth orbit when Russia destroyed a Soviet-era satellite with a missile strike earlier this week but stopped short of criticizing Russia.
Arianespace to launch Australian Optus-11 on Ariane 6
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 11:58Arianespace has secured a contract with Australian operator SingTel Optus to launch the Optus-11 communications satellite using Ariane 6 in 2023.