U.S. Army conducts live fire test of its first Iron Dome Defense System Battery
Wednesday, 25 August 2021 06:46
The U.S. Army has successfully executed live-fire test of its first Iron Dome Defense System (IDDS-A) Battery, the branch announced Monday.
The execution of the live-fire test of the first of two IDDS-A batteries, which the U.S. Army acquired from Israel, at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico was "a critical step" forward, the U.S. Army said in a statement.
Soldiers from After meeting with ULA and Blue Origin, Air Force secretary cautiously optimistic about Vulcan
Wednesday, 25 August 2021 00:52
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall on Aug. 24 met with the chiefs executives of United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin and was briefed on the Vulcan Centaur.
Accelerated digital transformations on Earth are a boost for deep space missions
Tuesday, 24 August 2021 21:00
Efforts to digitize spacecraft manufacturing processes to support remote workers during the pandemic are also creating operational advantages for deep space missions, according to a Lockheed Martin executive.
After negotiations, Space Development Agency was able to get reduced pricing for national security launch
Tuesday, 24 August 2021 20:23
SDA Director Derek Tournear said initially he did not want to use NSSL because it’s significantly more expensive than commercial launches but worked out an agreement with the Space Force to get the cost reduced
Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket ready for first launch
Tuesday, 24 August 2021 19:44
Firefly Aerospace is ready to make its first orbital launch attempt next week as the company balances a transition to operations with plans to develop new rockets and spacecraft.
Orbion wins contract to demonstrate high-thrust propulsion
Tuesday, 24 August 2021 19:10
Orbion Space Technology announced a U.S. Air Force contract to develop and demonstrate high-thrust propulsion to help small satellites quickly dodge satellites or space debris.
Kendall reorganizes Space Force acquisition office, wants faster merger with Space Development Agency
Tuesday, 24 August 2021 19:07
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall announced Aug. 24 he is reorganizing the office that oversees Space Force acquisition programs.
Astronaut: Spacewalk postponed due to pinched nerve in neck (Update)
Tuesday, 24 August 2021 18:41
NASA is delaying a spacewalk at the International Space Station this week because of an undisclosed medical issue involving one of its astronauts.
NRO Director highlights cooperation and innovation
Tuesday, 24 August 2021 18:39
The National Reconnaissance Office is working closely with the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command after signing a document that clearly defines each organization's roles and responsibilities, NRO Director Christopher Scolese said Aug. 24 at the 36th Space Symposium.
Moran: two shots to increase NASA funding this year
Tuesday, 24 August 2021 18:31
A key senator said he will work to fund NASA priorities like its Artemis lunar exploration program through both the conventional appropriations process as well as a multi trillion-dollar budget reconciliation package.
Updated intelligence report calls for improved monitoring of cislunar space
Tuesday, 24 August 2021 17:39
An upcoming report from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) discusses international activities beyond Earth’s orbit and helps to explain the U.S. Space Force’s effort to improve observation capabilities for cislunar space.
Dickinson: U.S. Space Command is now a ‘warfighting force,’ needs permanent home
Tuesday, 24 August 2021 16:56
The head of U.S. Space Command Army announced Aug. 24 that the command has reached “initial operational capability."
OneWeb unveils its smallest user terminal for LEO broadband
Tuesday, 24 August 2021 16:31
OneWeb has unveiled a briefcase-sized electronically steered user terminal called OW1, which it says is the smallest yet that is capable of connecting to its low Earth orbit constellation.
Raymond unveils new Space Force ad: ‘Space is hard’
Tuesday, 24 August 2021 15:55
Chief of Space Operations Gen. John Raymond unveiled a new Space Force recruiting ad Aug. 24 aimed at attracting technically skilled candidates.
Russia postpones lunar mission over 'problems during testing'
Tuesday, 24 August 2021 15:43
Russia revealed Tuesday it postponed its first mission to the moon's surface in decades as a result of "problems" encountered during tests of the Luna-25 spacecraft.
The country's space agency Roscosmos announced last week that the mission—originally scheduled for October 1—from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Far East had been moved to May 2022.
The Luna-25 mission to the Moon's south pole aims to probe ice deposits there. It is set to be Russia's first mission to the moon's surface in 45 years and the first in its post-Soviet history.
The chief engineer of Russia's state NPO Lavochkin design bureau explained the delay Tuesday saying that "more time" was needed to complete successful trials.
"We have encountered certain problems during testing," Alexander Shirshakov told the Interfax news agency.
"A safe landing system is of crucial importance and we are working on Luna-25's soft landing system," Shirshakov said.
The race back to the moon is in full swing after China in December 2020 became the first country to return samples from the moon since the Soviet Luna-24 mission in 1976.