NASA engineers innovate to keep Voyagers exploring interstellar space
Saturday, 21 October 2023 06:59
NASA's intrepid Voyager twins, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, launched in 1977, continue their unprecedented explorations of interstellar space. But as they reach farther distances from Earth-more than 15 billion miles for Voyager 1 and 12 billion for Voyager 2-keeping them operational requires strategic forethought.
One pressing concern relates to the gradual buildup of propellant residue in t India launches key test for manned orbital mission
Saturday, 21 October 2023 06:59
India on Saturday successfully launched the first unmanned trial run of its upcoming crewed orbital mission, in the latest milestone for its spacefaring ambitions.
The Gaganyaan ("Skycraft") mission is slated to send three astronauts into Earth's orbit in 2025, an important yardstick of the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) technical capabilities.
Saturday's rocket tested the India conducts space flight test ahead of planned mission to take astronauts into space in 2025
Saturday, 21 October 2023 05:23
Upgraded star trackers could give more satellites a debris-monitoring role
Friday, 20 October 2023 20:01
Space Development Agency awards York Space $615 million contract for 62 satellites
Friday, 20 October 2023 18:05
Pakistan becomes latest country to join China’s ILRS moon project
Friday, 20 October 2023 17:23
Canada’s budget boost for Radarsat is part of its climate strategy
Friday, 20 October 2023 16:38
NASA's Voyager team focuses on software patch, thrusters
Friday, 20 October 2023 16:12
Engineers for NASA's Voyager mission are taking steps to help make sure both spacecraft, launched in 1977, continue to explore interstellar space for years to come.
One effort addresses fuel residue that seems to be accumulating inside narrow tubes in some of the thrusters on the spacecraft. The thrusters are used to keep each spacecraft's antenna pointed at Earth. This type of buildup has been observed in a handful of other spacecraft.
Hera asteroid mission goes on trial
Friday, 20 October 2023 13:40
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At some point, statistically speaking, a large asteroid will impact Earth. Whether that’s tomorrow, in ten years, or a problem for our ancestors, ESA is getting prepared.
As part of the world’s first test of asteroid deflection, ESA’s Hera mission will perform a detailed post-impact survey of Dimorphos – the 160-metre asteroid struck, and successfully deflected, by NASA’s DART spacecraft.
Hera will soon study the aftermath. Launching in October 2024, Hera will turn this grand-scale experiment into a well-understood and hopefully repeatable planetary defence technique.
But before Hera and its two CubeSats fly, they’re rigorously tested at ESA’s ESTEC test
Week in images: 16-20 October 2023
Friday, 20 October 2023 12:10
Week in images: 16-20 October 2023
Discover our week through the lens
Next-generation rocket for China's manned space missions on track
Friday, 20 October 2023 09:49
China's forthcoming rocket designed for manned space missions, Long March 10, is on course for its initial launch around 2027, says a senior designer from the project team. The advanced launch vehicle is being developed at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), a primary contributor to rocketry in China and a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.
Zh China prepares to launch Shenzhou-17 crewed spaceship
Friday, 20 October 2023 09:49
The combination of the Shenzhou-17 crewed spaceship and a Long March-2F carrier rocket was transferred to the launching area on Thursday, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said.
According to the CMSA, the facilities and equipment at the launch site are in good condition, and various pre-launch function checks and joint tests will be carried out as planned. The spaceship will be launched