Photonic crystals could be exactly what Breakthrough Starshot is looking for
Monday, 18 December 2023 19:33
Light sail technology is a fascinating concept and a step change in rocket propulsion. It may not be big and impressive like the Saturn V, the Space Shuttle or the new Starship rocket but when it comes to traveling among the stars, light sails could just be the answer.
NASA's BurstCube passes milestones on journey to launch
Monday, 18 December 2023 19:31
Scientists and engineers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, have completed testing for BurstCube, a shoebox-sized spacecraft designed to study the universe's most powerful explosions. Members of the team have also delivered the satellite to their partner Nanoracks (part of Voyager Space) in Houston, Texas, where it will be packed for launch.
Report: Hypersonic weapons challenge Pentagon tracking capabilities
Monday, 18 December 2023 18:00
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin pushes back return to space
Monday, 18 December 2023 15:12
Blue Origin on Monday postponed its long-awaited return to space, citing technical reasons and promising to try again later this week.
Jeff Bezos' space company has not launched a rocket since an uncrewed September 2022 crash placed its program on hold while it carried out fixes and awaited regulatory approval.
The company finally announced a December 18 launch from its base near Van Horn, Texas. But on the day itself it first pushed back the takeoff window because of cold weather, then declared it was off.
"We're scrubbing #NS24 today due to a ground system issue the team is troubleshooting. We'll provide a new launch target for this week soon," Blue posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Though the rocket will carry a payload of science experiments, not people, mission NS-24 must succeed before Blue Origin can return to taking wealthy thrill-seekers to the final frontier.
On September 12, 2022, a Blue Origin rocket became engulfed in flames shortly after launch.
Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin heads back to space in critical launch
Monday, 18 December 2023 15:12
Blue Origin is set Monday to launch its New Shepard rocket for the first time since an uncrewed crash more than a year ago, a mission that is critical in reviving the fortunes of Jeff Bezos' space company.
Cold weather at the launch site near Van Horn, Texas, pushed back the takeoff window, which now starts at 9:30 am local time (15H30 GMT), Blue Origin said on X, formerly Twitter.
Though the rocket will carry a payload of science experiments, not people, mission NS-24 must succeed before Blue Origin can return to taking wealthy thrill-seekers to the final frontier.
On September 12, 2022, a Blue Origin rocket became engulfed in flames shortly after launch. The capsule, fixed to the top of the rocket, successfully initiated an emergency separation sequence and floated safely to the ground on parachutes.
The accident prompted a year-long probe by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which found it was caused by the failure of an engine nozzle that experienced higher-than-expected engine operating temperatures.
Webb rings in the holidays with the ringed planet Uranus
Monday, 18 December 2023 14:00
The NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope recently trained its sights on weird and enigmatic Uranus, an ice giant that orbits on its side. What Webb found is a dynamic world with rings, moons, storms and other atmospheric features – including a seasonal polar cap. The image expands upon a two-colour version released earlier this year, adding additional wavelength coverage for a more detailed look.
2023: ESA's year in space
Monday, 18 December 2023 14:00
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2023’s highlight was the highly anticipated launch of Juice, Europe’s Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer. The Juice spacecraft was placed on course to Jupiter on the second-to-last Ariane 5 launch vehicle in April. After an eight-year journey, Juice will begin observing the giant gas planet and its three large ocean-bearing moons – Ganymede, Calisto and Europa.
The Euclid space telescope was launched in July with the aim of unravelling the enigmas of ‘dark matter’ and ‘dark energy’. Euclid’s first images were released in November, revealing razor-sharp astronomical images with detail never before seen by a telescope across such a
Satellite navigation startup TrustPoint announces partnership with SpiderOak
Monday, 18 December 2023 13:00
Competition: developing Europe's space cargo return service
Monday, 18 December 2023 12:00
ESA is launching a competition which initiates a first phase of activities for European companies to eventually demonstrate a complete cargo delivery service to and from space stations in low-Earth orbit by 2028.
Space Force’s first six missile-defense satellites in medium orbit to cost about $500 million
Monday, 18 December 2023 12:00
Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin headed back into space after accident
Monday, 18 December 2023 04:59
The American company Blue Origin plans to launch its rocket Big Shepard Monday for the first time since an accident more than a year ago, as the firm founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos heads back into space.
The launch window from the pad in west Texas opens at 8:30 am local time (14H30 GMT), said Blue Origin, which plans to live stream the event.
This mission known as NS-24 will not carr