What colour is an asteroid? The latest instrument being prepared for ESA’s Hera mission for planetary defence will observe its target Dimorphos asteroid in a range of colours far beyond the limits of the human eye. In the process Hera’s HyperScout H hyperspectral imager will help prospect the asteroid’s mineral makeup – in the process helping to deduce how best to deflect future asteroids which might one day endanger Earth.

Washington DC (SPX) Apr 24, 2023
The CAPSTONE mission team has provided an update on the spacecraft's operations since performing the Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) insertion maneuver on November 13th, 2022. The spacecraft has spent 154 days operating in the NRHO, completing 23 NRHO revolutions, and executing six Orbit Maintenance Maneuvers (OMM) using approximately 1.8 m/s of fuel. Despite issues with a thruster valv

Beijing, China (SPX) Apr 24, 2023
On November 21, 2022, President Xi Jinping pointed out in his congratulatory letter to the United Nations/China Space Exploration and Innovation Global Partnership Symposium that there is no end to space exploration. China is willing to work with other countries to strengthen exchanges and cooperation, jointly explore the mysteries of the universe, use outer space peacefully, and promote space t

Greenbelt MD (SPX) Apr 24, 2023
In celebration of Earth Day, it's important to recognize the role of open science in protecting our planet and advancing NASA's research efforts. Through initiatives like NASA's Transform to Open Science (TOPS), researchers can collaborate and share data, promoting transparency and scientific integrity. By sharing research findings and data publicly, NASA is enabling scientists and the pub

Starbase TX (AFP) Apr 23 2023
Flying chunks of concrete, twisted metal sheets, craters blasted deep into the ground: the thunderous power of SpaceX's first test flight of Starship - the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built - inflicted serious damage on its Texas launch site. Repairing the damage from Thursday's unmanned test flight is expected to take months, potentially delaying further launch attempts and slow

Washington DC (UPI) Apr 21, 2023
Even as SpaceX said its Starship "flight termination system" worked as designed, Thursday's spectacular launch failure in Texas also revealed another potential issue with the program locally: explosive debris. The SpaceX rocket launch explosion rained debris over a wide area, shaking homes and covering nearby Port Isabel with brown grime for miles. Rob Nixon of San Benito, who wa

Virgin Orbit says it is moving ahead with plans to return its LauncherOne rocket to flight later this year even though there is no certainty the company will emerge from bankruptcy.

The U.S. Space Force in its 2024 budget allocated $59 million to buy satellite communications services from SES’ new broadband constellation in medium Earth orbit known as O3b mPower.

The U.S.