London, UK (SPX) Sep 22, 2025
University of Warwick astronomers have identified the chemical signature of an icy, water-rich planetary fragment being devoured by a white dwarf star. The finding offers strong evidence that volatile-rich planetesimals, capable of delivering water and the raw ingredients for life, exist in systems beyond our Solar System. The team used ultraviolet spectroscopy from the Hubble Space Telesc

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Sep 22, 2025
A rare look inside the wintry north polar vortex of Mars has revealed that conditions are far colder than outside its boundary, and that the months of complete darkness allow ozone to accumulate in the martian atmosphere. "The atmosphere inside the polar vortex, from near the surface to about 30 kilometres high, is characterised by extreme cold temperatures, about 40 degrees Celsius colder

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Sep 22, 2025
Curtin University scientists have identified evidence of a giant asteroid impact hidden in tiny fragments of natural glass, known as tektites, found only in Australia. Tektites form when a space rock collides with Earth, melts surface material, and blasts molten debris across vast distances. The newly recognised tektites, discovered mainly in South Australia, mark a previously unknown impa

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 26, 2025
Northrop Grumman's Advanced Hypersonic Technology Inertial Measurement Unit (AHT IMU) has surpassed expectations in its third major test, this time onboard a sounding rocket. The trial confirmed the unit's ability to withstand extreme g-forces, altitudes, and velocities beyond projected limits. The navigation system demonstrated reliable operation in GPS-denied environments, validating its

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 26, 2025
Teledyne Labtech is leading a Welsh effort to rethink thermal management for spacecraft electronics through the Advanced Thermal Management for Space Electronics project, developed with Bangor University and supported by Airbus Endeavr, a joint initiative between Airbus and the Welsh Government. The collaboration targets one of space engineering's hardest problems: moving heat in vacuum. T

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 22, 2025
NASA has selected Blue Origin of Kent, Washington, for a new Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) task order, assigning the company an option to deliver the VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) to the Moon's South Pole. The rover will probe permanently shadowed regions to search for ice and other volatiles critical to future human missions on the Moon and Mars. "NASA

Washington DC (UPI) Sep 21, 2025
SpaceX launched 28 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit via a Falcon 9 rocket on Sunday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The first stage booster from the launch returned to the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean shortly after separating. It was the 11th time this first stage booster had been used by SpaceX, the aerospace company said.

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 26, 2025
NASA has launched the 2026 Human Lander Challenge, inviting U.S.-based university students to propose fresh concepts for life support and environmental systems vital to long-duration spaceflight. The program, part of the Artemis campaign, focuses on advancing Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) technologies needed to sustain astronauts on the Moon and future missions to Mars.

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Sep 26, 2025
Planet Labs GmbH has announced plans to establish a new satellite manufacturing facility in Berlin, marking a major expansion of its European operations. The site will focus on producing next-generation, high-resolution Pelican satellites to meet increasing demand for advanced Earth observation and intelligence solutions across Europe. The investment, expected to exceed eight figures, will

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Sep 26, 2025
A Chinese satellite network dedicated to Internet of Things (IoT) services has achieved global surface coverage, excluding polar regions, with the deployment of its first-phase constellation of 64 satellites. The milestone was reached following the launch of 11 Geely-06 satellites from a sea platform in Shandong province. The deployment marks the culmination of six launches between 2022 an