Space Force backs development of commercial orbital debris removal systems
Thursday, 16 September 2021 02:22
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A Space Force general endorsed the development of commercial systems for removing space debris, saying they can address congestion in Earth orbit without the policy concerns a government-run alternative might have.
SpaceX sends all-civilian crew into orbit
Thursday, 16 September 2021 01:27 Write a comment
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying four space tourists blasted off Wednesday night from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the first mission to orbit the globe with an all-civilian crew. A huge fireball illuminated the sky as the rocket's nine engines began to pull away from Earth at 8:02 pm (0002 GMT Thursday). Around 12 minutes later, the Dragon capsule separated from the rocket's send stage as the crew entered orbit, while the re-usable first stage made its way back to Earth for a vertical landing on a sea barge. SpaceX launches Crew Dragon on first private mission
Wednesday, 15 September 2021 23:43 Write a comment
SpaceX successfully launched a Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying four nonprofessional astronauts on its first private crewed mission Sept. 15, a long-awaited milestone in the commercialization of spaceflight.
SpaceX aiming for night launch of 4 on 1st private flight
Wednesday, 15 September 2021 19:09 Write a comment
SpaceX aimed to blast a billionaire into orbit Wednesday night with his two contest winners and a health care worker who survived childhood cancer.
It's the first chartered passenger flight for Elon Musk's SpaceX and a big step in space tourism by a private company.
Space SPACs struggle to lift off
Wednesday, 15 September 2021 17:26 Write a comment
None of the companies that recently completed SPAC deals have seen a dramatic increase in share price. Meanwhile, share SPAC redemptions are growing, indicating a lack of enthusiasm.
California continues to burn
Wednesday, 15 September 2021 15:00 Write a comment
While wildfires are a natural part of California’s landscape, a severe drought, coupled with extreme temperatures, have sustained several major fires for much of August. As of 14 September, more than 7000 wildfires have been recorded, burning over 900 000 hectares across the state.
Combined tests start for Ariane 6 at Europe’s Spaceport
Wednesday, 15 September 2021 13:45 Write a comment
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Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana is performing the first combined test in preparation for the inaugural flight of Ariane 6 Image: Space men at work
Wednesday, 15 September 2021 11:06 Write a comment
If you are spacewalking and you know it, raise your hand.
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet (left) and JAXA astronaut Aki Hoshide (right) performed a spacewalk on Sunday 12 September to prepare another section of the International Space Station for its solar panel upgrade.
The new solar arrays, called IROSA or ISS Roll-Out Solar Array, are being gradually installed over the existing arrays to boost the International Space Station's power system.
Thomas and NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough prepared and installed two IROSA solar panels across three spacewalks in June. The arrays were taken from their storage area outside the Space Station and passed from spacewalker to spacewalker to the worksite. There the rolled arrays were secured, unfolded, connected and then unfurled.
Aki and Thomas prepared the P4 truss for its IROSA installation. This is the same area as where Thomas and Shane installed two IROSA's but closer to the main body of the Space Station, in an area called the 4A channel. Only one new solar array will be installed here, on a later spacewalk.
While Sunday's extravehicular activity or EVA was already the fourth spacewalk during Thomas' Alpha mission, it was his first with Aki and the first time a spacewalking pair did not feature a US or Russian astronaut.
Commercial spaceflight industry sees Inspiration4 as a pathfinder but not a model
Wednesday, 15 September 2021 11:06 Write a comment
SpaceX’s first fully commercial Crew Dragon mission is being closely watched by both NASA and other companies in the commercial human spaceflight sector, who see it as a pathfinder for future missions but not necessity a model for them.
‘Taiwan must secure a strategic position in space industry’s supply chain’: president
Wednesday, 15 September 2021 11:01 Write a comment
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said Sept. 14 the country “must secure a strategic position in the space industry’s supply chain” by leveraging its competitive edge in semiconductor and precision engineering.
SpaceX's first tourists all set for 'camper van' trip to space
Wednesday, 15 September 2021 09:23 Write a comment
The weather seems cooperative and the passengers are raring to go: SpaceX's first space tourists were a picture of calm Tuesday as they prepared to blast off on a three-day mission to orbit the Earth.
"No jitters, excited to get going!" American billionaire Jared Isaacman told reporters when asked his state of mind at a press conference.
Behind him towered the giant Falcon 9 rocket, whic SpaceX's Inspiration4 civilian crew hopes mission will inspire world
Wednesday, 15 September 2021 09:23 Write a comment
When the first all-private orbital space mission is launched this week, it will be powered by philanthropist and ambitious businessman Jared Isaacman's vision of making the world a better place.
Isaacman, also a pilot and the mission commander, told UPI when he began assembling his civilian crew in February that he has a long history of tying flights and adventures to fundraising effort Visionary tech concepts could pioneer the future in Space
Wednesday, 15 September 2021 09:23 Write a comment
NASA missions make it seem like the future is now - rovers exploring Mars with cutting-edge gadgets, a spacecraft venturing home with an asteroid sample, and a complex space telescope peering at the early universe. So, what's the next big thing? What might space missions in 2050 and beyond set out to discover?
One small NASA program aims to see what could be possible. The NASA Innovative A MDA awarded contract for Japan's Martian Moons Exploration Mission
Wednesday, 15 September 2021 09:23 Write a comment
MDA Ltd. been awarded the full contract from Mitsubishi Electric in Japan to provide a Laser Rangefinder (LRF) altimeter for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) mission.
MDA will be providing two redundant flight units (laser range finder - LRF) altimeters and one engineering development unit (EDU) LRF altimeter.
Scheduled to launch in Japane Curtin research shines a light on Moon's oldest geologic imprints
Wednesday, 15 September 2021 09:23 Write a comment
New Curtin research has found the Moon may have been subjected to much greater impacts from asteroids and other bodies than previously thought, building on our understanding of the Moon's earliest geologic evolution.
Published in Nature Communications, the research provides a greater insight of how the oldest impact events on the Moon may have left near-invisible cratering imprints, offeri