At the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Milan this week, ESA signed a contract for Element #1, the first phase of the HydRON Demonstration System. HydRON, which stands for High thRoughput Optical Network, is set to transform the way data-collecting satellites communicate, using laser technology that will allow satellites to connect with each other and ground networks much faster.

With the initial images from each of the instruments aboard ESA’s EarthCARE satellite now in hand, it's time to reveal how these four advanced sensors work in synergy to measure exactly how clouds and aerosols influence the heating and cooling of our atmosphere. 

Kennedy Space Center, United States (AFP) Oct 14, 2024
NASA's Europa Clipper probe blasted off from Florida on Monday, bound for an icy moon of Jupiter to discover whether it has the ingredients to support life. Lift-off aboard a powerful SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket took place shortly after noon (1600 GMT), with the probe set to reach Jupiter's moon Europa in five and a half years. NASA later confirmed that it had successfully acquired a sign

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 13, 2024
The United States Space Force's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV-7) has initiated a novel aerobraking maneuver to adjust its orbit around Earth and safely dispose of service module components, adhering to space debris mitigation guidelines. Since December 28, 2023, the X-37B has been involved in radiation experiments and Space Domain Awareness technology testing, with support from the Air Force R

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Oct 11, 2024
When three massive objects encounter one another in space, their gravitational interactions are typically unpredictable and chaotic. However, a new discovery from a University of Copenhagen researcher suggests that these encounters can sometimes follow regular patterns, defying the conventional understanding of chaos. This finding could significantly enhance our knowledge of gravitational waves

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 11, 2024
Imagine a room filled with grandfather clocks, each ticking at a unique pace. Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have created an atomic-scale equivalent of that scene. Their work may lead to new types of optical atomic clocks, which track time by measuring the natural oscillations of atoms. The new quantum clock, b