New report calls for U.S. strategy to boost space economy
Thursday, 18 November 2021 16:28
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U.S. national security space organizations released a report Nov. 18 proposing ways to boost the nation’s space economy and technology base.
NASA: Space station remains at risk from weapons test debris
Thursday, 18 November 2021 16:03 Write a comment
Minerva’s plan to revolutionize space domain awareness with NFTs
Thursday, 18 November 2021 14:46 Write a comment
After securing a $150 million credit facility, Minerva intends to create an ecosystem where information on space objects can be collected, compared and verified with non-fungible, meaning unique, digital tokens.
Live coverage from the Intermediate Ministerial Meeting
Thursday, 18 November 2021 14:30 Write a comment
Government ministers in charge of space activities in ESA’s Member States meet on 19 November at an Intermediate Ministerial Meeting in Matosinhos, Portugal. Join us on ESA Web TV for live coverage, including an inflight call with ESA Astronaut Matthias Maurer on the International Space Station.
NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration: 6 things you need to know
Thursday, 18 November 2021 14:28 Write a comment
NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) will use laser communications systems to transmit data from space to Earth. Below are six things you need to know about NASA's revolutionary LCRD mission.
1. Laser communications will transform how NASA gets info to and from space
Since the dawn of space exploration, NASA has used radio frequency systems to communicate with astronauts and spacecraft. However, as space missions generate and collect more data, the need for enhanced communications capabilities increases. LCRD leverages the power of laser communications, which uses infrared light rather than radio waves, to encode and transmit information to and from Earth.
Both radio waves and laser infrared light waves are forms of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths at different points on the spectrum. Missions encode their scientific data onto the electromagnetic signals to send back to Earth.
The infrared light used for laser communications differs from radio waves because it occurs at a much higher frequency, allowing engineers to pack more data into each transmission.
Tyvak wins $8.4 million military contract for experiment in very low Earth orbit
Thursday, 18 November 2021 14:04 Write a comment
The Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate awarded an $8.4 million contract to Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems for an experiment in very low Earth orbit projected to launch in 2024.
Outpost to return satellites and payloads from orbit
Thursday, 18 November 2021 13:00 Write a comment
Two Made In Space co-founders teamed up with a paragliding expert to found Outpost, a startup focused on returning satellites and payloads from orbit.
Washington state flooding
Thursday, 18 November 2021 12:50 Write a comment
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The US State of Washington is under a state of emergency following days of severe wind and rain leading to extensive flooding in parts of the state. Different satellites in orbit carry different instruments that can provide us with a wealth of complementary information to understand and to SES orders two replacement satellites for broadcast market
Thursday, 18 November 2021 12:39 Write a comment
SES is underlining its confidence in Europe’s broadcast market with the order of two replacement geostationary (GEO) Ku-band satellites.
Iceye and U.S. Army forge collaborative research pact
Thursday, 18 November 2021 12:00 Write a comment
Iceye U.S. announced a cooperative research and development agreement with the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Technical Center.
Rocket Lab launches BlackSky satellites
Thursday, 18 November 2021 09:38 Write a comment
Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket placed two BlackSky imaging satellites into orbit Nov. 17 on the rocket’s first launch in three and a half months.
NASA selects Intuitive Machines for CLPS lunar landing mission
Thursday, 18 November 2021 09:02 Write a comment
NASA awarded a $77.5 million contract to Intuitive Machines Nov. 17 for the delivery of four payloads to the surface of the moon in 2024.
Solar Orbiter returns to Earth before starting its main science mission
Thursday, 18 November 2021 09:00 Write a comment
Solar Orbiter is returning to Earth for a flyby before starting its main science mission to explore the Sun and its connection to ‘space weather’. During the flyby Solar Orbiter must pass through the clouds of space debris that surround our planet, making this manoeuvre the riskiest flyby yet for a science mission.
Solar Orbiter returns to Earth
Thursday, 18 November 2021 09:00 Write a comment
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Solar Orbiter’s crucial flyby of Earth on 27 November will place the spacecraft onto the correct orbit for its science phase to begin. But the manoeuvre is not without risk. At closest approach, the spacecraft will be around 460 km above our planet. This is in the Low Earth Orbit zone, where the International Space Station and many other spacecraft can be found. It is also home to a lot of space debris, meaning that there is a small risk of a collision between Solar Orbiter and some space junk. To reach this region, Solar Orbiter will