UK scientists have created an 'eternal engine' to keep the next generation of atomic clock ticking.
Thursday, 11 August 2022 09:57Atomic clock precision timing is essential for systems such as global navigation, satellite mapping, establishing the composition of exoplanets and the next generations of telecommunication. But atomic clocks are currently massive devices - weighing hundreds of kilograms - which need to be housed within precise, difficult-to-maintain conditions. That's why scientists around the world are racing
First stars and black holes
Thursday, 11 August 2022 09:57Just milliseconds after the universe's Big Bang, chaos reigned. Atomic nuclei fused and broke apart in hot, frenzied motion. Incredibly strong pressure waves built up and squeezed matter so tightly together that black holes formed, which astrophysicists call primordial black holes. Did primordial black holes help or hinder formation of the universe's first stars, eventually born about 100
Fermi confirms star wreck as source of extreme cosmic particles
Thursday, 11 August 2022 09:57Astronomers have long sought the launch sites for some of the highest-energy protons in our galaxy. Now a study using 12 years of data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope confirms that one supernova remnant is just such a place. Fermi has shown that the shock waves of exploded stars boost particles to speeds comparable to that of light. Called cosmic rays, these particles mostly ta
NanoAvionics extends its satellite bus range enabling advanced space missions
Thursday, 11 August 2022 09:57Global mission integrator NanoAvionics has added two microsatellite buses, the MP42H and the MP42D, to its product line based on its flagship MP42 bus. Capable to host customer payloads of up to 145 kg and a total satellite mass of up to 220 kg, the company has now one of the widest ranges of commercially available modular microsatellite buses in the industry. Designed to significantly red
Lunar Zebro
Thursday, 11 August 2022 08:30Lunar Zebro, a project of the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands wants to build a robot and be the first Dutch and European rover to walk on the Moon. Their lunar rover does not only distinguish itself by its small size taking up the same area as an A4 sheet of paper, but also by its unique locomotion. Driven by C-shaped legs instead of wheels, the six-legged rover from where it takes its name in Dutch “zes-benige robot”, will be able to climb over much taller obstacles than its wheeled counterparts, making it ideal for
Gaia reveals the past and future of the Sun
Thursday, 11 August 2022 08:00We all wish that we could sometimes see into the future. Now, thanks to the very latest data from ESA’s star mapping Gaia mission, astronomers can do just that for the Sun. By accurately identifying stars of similar mass and composition, they can see how our Sun is going to evolve in the future. And this work extends far beyond a little astrophysical clairvoyance.
Canada’s MDA eyes UK expansion
Wednesday, 10 August 2022 22:51Canada’s MDA sees a growing opportunity to expand its international space business from the United Kingdom, where it plans to double its team to 80 employees in the next 12 months.
Download your Wednesday ‘News from the 2022 Small Satellite show’ digital edition
Wednesday, 10 August 2022 22:07The SpaceNews editorial team is producing a daily for the 2022 Small Satellite show, a nightly email newsletter and all-day web coverage during the 2022 Small Satellite show in Logan, Utah the week of August 9.
The post Download your Wednesday ‘News from the 2022 Small Satellite show’ digital edition appeared first on SpaceNews.
Lockheed Martin’s venture fund to increase investments in space companies
Wednesday, 10 August 2022 22:03Lockheed Martin Ventures is increasing investments by $200 million and much of that will be focused on the space domain
The post Lockheed Martin’s venture fund to increase investments in space companies appeared first on SpaceNews.
Orbital Insight and Asterra join forces to monitor infrastructure
Wednesday, 10 August 2022 21:48Orbital Insight announced plans Aug. 9 to work with Israeli startup Asterra to jointly provide remote sensing analytics to water utilities, infrastructure organizations and other industries.
The post Orbital Insight and Asterra join forces to monitor infrastructure appeared first on SpaceNews.
SpaceX loses $900 million in rural broadband subsidies
Wednesday, 10 August 2022 20:41SpaceX has lost its bid for nearly $900 million in rural broadband subsidies for its Starlink broadband service.
The post SpaceX loses $900 million in rural broadband subsidies appeared first on SpaceNews.
Increased solar activity creates new challenges for smallsats
Wednesday, 10 August 2022 20:10A new solar activity cycle that may be stronger than forecast poses challenges for smallsat operators keeping their spacecraft in orbit and functioning.
The post Increased solar activity creates new challenges for smallsats appeared first on SpaceNews.
U.S. Army a key customer of BlackSky’s next-generation imaging satellite
Wednesday, 10 August 2022 19:55BlackSky will launch a new imaging satellite in 2023 that will be used exclusively by the U.S. Army for tests and experiments.
The post U.S. Army a key customer of BlackSky’s next-generation imaging satellite appeared first on SpaceNews.
Building on the moon and Mars? You'll need extraterrestrial cement for that
Wednesday, 10 August 2022 19:20Sustained space exploration will require infrastructure that doesn't currently exist: buildings, housing, rocket landing pads.
So, where do you turn for construction materials when they are too big to fit in your carry-on and there's no Home Depot in outer space?
DARPA selects companies for inter-satellite laser communications project
Wednesday, 10 August 2022 18:51Eleven organizations were selected by DARPA to help develop laser terminals and technical standards to connect satellites in space.
The post DARPA selects companies for inter-satellite laser communications project appeared first on SpaceNews.