NASA works to give satellite swarms a hive mind
Thursday, 02 September 2021 18:47
Swarms of small satellites could communicate amongst themselves to collect data on important weather patterns at different times of the day or year, and from multiple angles. Such swarms, using machine learning algorithms, could revolutionize scientists' understanding of weather and climate changes.
Engineer Sabrina Thompson is working on software to enable small spacecraft, or SmallSats, to communicate with each other, identify high-value observation targets, and coordinate attitude and timing to get different views of the same target.
"We already know that Saharan dust blowing over to the Amazon rainforests affects cloud formation over the Atlantic Ocean during certain times of the year," said Thompson, who works at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Examining asteroid Ryugu in opposition to Hayabusa2: A starkly lit distribution of dust and rock
Thursday, 02 September 2021 18:32
New analysis of Hayabusa2 data of the asteroid Ryugu reveals much of the surface reflects and scatters light in ways that are consistent with studies of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites in the lab.
NASA Mars rover may have snagged 1st rock sample for return
Thursday, 02 September 2021 18:28
NASA's newest Mars rover snags 1st rock sample for return
Thursday, 02 September 2021 18:28FAA bans Virgin Galactic launches while probing Branson trip
Thursday, 02 September 2021 18:25
US grounds Virgin Galactic after space flight 'mishap'
Thursday, 02 September 2021 17:55
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Thursday said it was grounding space flights by Virgin Galactic while it investigates why the company's July 11 voyage carrying Richard Branson deviated from its planned trajectory.
The move represents a blow to the private space company as it prepares to carry paying customers following its first fully-crewed test flight.
It is now unc NASA welcomes new Russian commitment to space station
Thursday, 02 September 2021 17:55
NASA welcomed reports Thursday that Russia's space agency is committed to supporting the International Space Station as long as it operates, administrator Bill Nelson said.
"I look forward to continued cooperation with Roscosmos on the International Space Station until 2030 and into the future," Nelson said in the emailed statement.
The space station's official decommission date NASA's Mars simulation hopefuls face tough application process
Thursday, 02 September 2021 17:55
NASA won't send astronauts to Mars for at least a decade, but the agency said interest is running high in applying for a year's stint in a simulated home base on the Red Planet.
The space agency's simulation is to begin in fall 2022 inside a 3D-printed habitat at Johnson Space Center in Houston. Applications are due Sept. 17.
And being chosen for this simulation seems as difficul OneWeb secures $1 billion insurance deal for remaining constellation
Thursday, 02 September 2021 17:41
OneWeb has signed an insurance policy worth more than $1 billion to cover the remaining 10 launches for its broadband constellation, after its previous policy expired following delays caused by its 2020 bankruptcy.
Virgin Orbit eyes growth in military ‘responsive’ launch
Thursday, 02 September 2021 14:35
Virgin Orbit is looking to grow its military business by proving that rockets launched from airplanes in flight can be instruments of national security.
Timelapse of Eutelsat Quantum launch
Thursday, 02 September 2021 12:00
Video:
00:03:42
Experience the preparation and launch of telecommunications satellite Eutelsat Quantum by watching this unique timelapse video.
Developed under an ESA Partnership Project with satellite operator Eutelsat and prime manufacturer Airbus, Eutelsat Quantum has pioneered a new generation of satellites with the European space industry.
The footage was captured at the Airbus facility in Toulouse – where the satellite was assembled and tested – and Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
The world’s first fully software-defined satellite – which will be used for communication in government, mobility and data markets – was launched on board an Ariane 5 on 30 July.
Following its
Connecting the Dots | Achieving sustainable space
Thursday, 02 September 2021 11:53
The visibility and attention space missions often get work to the industry’s advantage, from helping to attract top engineering talent to top investment dollars. But it also comes with heightened scrutiny that risks tripping up young space companies rushing to the commercial market.
Firefly emphasizes first Alpha launch a test flight
Thursday, 02 September 2021 10:28
Firefly Aerospace is ready for the first orbital launch attempt of its Alpha rocket on a flight that is as much about collecting vehicle data as it is about reaching orbit.
NASA plans yearlong Mars simulation to test limits of isolation
Thursday, 02 September 2021 09:51
NASA wants four people to test the limits of human isolation by placing them in a simulated Mars habitat for a year, cut off from the world except for delayed communication and possible simulated spacesuit walks.
The simulation, planned for Johnson Space Center in Houston, won't be the first time the space agency attempts to mimic a stay on Mars, but it will be one of the longest. The forecast for Mars? Otherworldly weather predictions
Thursday, 02 September 2021 09:51
As scientists prepare for crewed research missions to nearby planets and moons, they've identified a need for something beyond rovers and rockets.
They need accurate weather forecasts. Without them, any trip to the surface may be one dust storm away from disaster.
A new Yale study helps lay the foundation for more accurate, otherworldly forecasts by taking a phenomenon related to Ear