Space Development Agency a potential ‘path to market’ for commercial satellite imagery
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 20:59
The 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 20:19
U.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 17:16
Russia’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 15:00
Video:
00:03:27
Meet 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 14:06
The 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 13:01
Scientists 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 12:10
South 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 11:58
Arianespace has secured a contract with Australian operator SingTel Optus to launch the Optus-11 communications satellite using Ariane 6 in 2023.
Satellite attack: the mounting arms race in space
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 09:38
Last year a US general made an ominous revelation: two Russian satellites in orbit were stalking a US spy satellite high above the earth.
It wasn't clear if the Cosmos satellites could attack USA-245, an American surveillance spacecraft.
"It has the potential to create a dangerous situation in space," said General Jay Raymond, head of the Pentagon's Space Command.
The incident passed Testing mini-radar to peer inside asteroid
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 08:10
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Testing mini-radar to peer inside asteroid AFRL awards $1b contract to Space Dynamics Laboratory
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 06:58
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has awarded its largest-ever contract for space-related technology development and mission support.
The contract, worth up to $1B, was awarded to Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory (USU/SDL) a University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) to ensure an essential engineering, research, and development capability, provided by an educational Russia says S-550 more efficient at intercepting ICBMs than THAAD and Aegis
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 06:58
The new air defence system is being developed on the basis of the advanced S-500 Prometey (Prometheus), designed to destroy enemy targets within a range of around 600 kilometres (370 miles).
Russia's S-550 will become the world's first mobile special operation missile and airspace defence system capable of effectively destroying intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), two sources in th US calls Russian anti-satellite missile test reckless, irresponsible
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 06:58
The United States on Monday called a Russian anti-satellite missile test "reckless" and "irresponsible" after debris from the test endangered astronauts working aboard the International Space Station.
The seven astronauts were forced to take shelter in their space capsules as a cloud of space junk moved toward the station at high speeds.
While the debris eventually moved away from th US Space Force contracts Lockheed Martin for three more GPS IIIF satellites
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 06:58
The U.S. Space Force exercised its second contract option valued at approximately $737 million for the procurement of three additional GPS III Follow On (GPS IIIF) space vehicles (SVs) from Lockheed Martin on October 22, 2021.
This contract option is for GPS IIIF space vehicles 15, 16 and 17 (SV15-17).
GPS IIIF satellites build off the innovative design of Lockheed Martin's next gene US accuses Russia of generating orbital debris after 'destructive' satellite test, vows to respond
Wednesday, 17 November 2021 06:58
The United States has accused the Russian Federation of conducting a "destructive satellite test" that could put astronauts, cosmonauts, and global satellite operations at risk.
Through the U.S. State Department's spokesperson, Ned Price, it was revealed that the alleged test was conducted early Monday. Price went on to condemn the action, calling it "reckless."
The test was describe