Earth from Space: Fairbanks, Alaska
Friday, 10 December 2021 08:00
The city of Fairbanks, the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and its surroundings, are featured in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image.
James Webb Space Telescope moved to meet its rocket
Friday, 10 December 2021 07:36
On Dec. 7, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope was transferred to the final assembly building at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana to meet its Ariane 5 launch vehicle.
Stowed inside a special transport container and mobile clean room, Webb's vitals were meticulously monitored throughout the entire process of moving between buildings.
The Ariane 5 rocket Webb will ride to space was moved to the same building on Nov. 29. Here, adjustable platforms allow engineers to access the launch vehicle and its payload.
The next steps ahead are to safely lift Webb to an upper platform which has been prepared so that Webb can be connected to the Ariane 5's upper stage. After being connected to the rocket, technicians will move forward to encapsulate Webb inside Ariane 5's specially adapted fairing.
In preparation for a Dec. 22 launch, ground teams have already successfully completed the delicate operation of loading the spacecraft with the propellant it will use to steer itself while in space.
Astronaut applicants thanked as ESA contacts all candidates
Friday, 10 December 2021 07:09
Applicants to ESA’s astronaut selection are being thanked for their patience as thousands of acceptance or rejection notifications are distributed to candidates across Europe.
Five things to know about the James Webb Space Telescope
Friday, 10 December 2021 06:28
The James Webb Space Telescope, the most powerful space observatory ever built, is finally set for launch in late December after decades of waiting.
An engineering marvel, it will help answer fundamental questions about the Universe, peering back in time 13 billion years. Here are five things to know.
Giant gold mirror
The telescope's centerpiece is its enormous primary mirror, a concave structure 21.5 feet (6.5 meters) wide and made up of 18 smaller hexagonal mirrors. They're made from beryllium coated with gold, optimized for reflecting infrared light from the far reaches of the universe.
The observatory also has four scientific instruments, which together fulfill two main purposes: imaging cosmic objects, and spectroscopy—breaking down light into separate wavelengths to study the physical and chemical properties of cosmic matter.
Rocket Lab launches 109th satellite to orbit
Friday, 10 December 2021 06:18
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. has successfully deployed two satellites to orbit for real-time geospatial intelligence company BlackSky, bringing the total number of satellites deployed by Rocket Lab to 109.
The 'A Data With Destiny' mission, arranged for BlackSky through global launch services provider Spaceflight Inc., was Electron's 23rd liftoff from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand's M Spire Global selects Virgin Orbit for late-load addition to next flight
Friday, 10 December 2021 06:18
Leading launch company Virgin Orbit, which has announced a planned business combination with special purpose acquisition company NextGen Acquisition Corp. II, has announced alongside space-based data and analytics provider Spire Global, Inc. that they have received waiver approval from the Federal Aviation Authority to include Spire on Virgin Orbit's upcoming launch. The satellite, which was int Redwire announces supplier agreement with Terran Orbital to support satellite manufacturing
Friday, 10 December 2021 06:18
Redwire Corporation, a global leader in mission critical space infrastructure for the next generation space economy, has announced a three-year supplier agreement with Terran Orbital, a global leader and pioneer in the development, innovation and operation of small satellites and Earth observation solutions.
Through this agreement, Redwire will deliver a range of advanced components and so New rocket test facility under construction in Scotland
Friday, 10 December 2021 06:18
The UK Space Agency welcomes the news that British company Orbex is constructing a state-of-the-art rocket test facility in Kinloss, Scotland.
Ian Annett, Deputy CEO of the UK Space Agency, said:
The construction of this new facility marks another major milestone in our ambitions to become a modern, agile spacefaring nation. Orbex is an innovative spaceflight company developing its o Los Alamos National Laboratory awards satellite mission contract to NanoAvionics US
Friday, 10 December 2021 06:18
Smallsat mission integrator NanoAvionics US has received a mission contract by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), one of the largest science and technology institutions in the world. The 12U (1U equals 10 + 10 + 10 cm3) spacecraft, about the size of a microwave oven, will host the Mini Astrophysical MeV Background Observatory (MAMBO) mission.
The goal of MAMBO is to make the best-eve Kleos' Patrol Mission Satellites Ready and Shipped to Launch Site
Friday, 10 December 2021 06:18
Kleos Space S.A, a space-powered Radio Frequency Reconnaissance data-as-a- service (DaaS) company, confirms its Patrol Mission (KSF2) satellites are on track to launch onboard the
Transporter-3 SpaceX mission in January 2022, successfully passing the final technical milestone with satellite builder Innovative Solutions In Space (ISISPACE).
The Patrol Mission satellites are travelling Sol 3320: Flexibility is Key
Friday, 10 December 2021 06:18
Curiosity is currently located within "Maria Gordon notch," which is a rather tight canyon surrounded by high rock walls located at the transition onto the Greenheugh Pediment. Her views are currently magnificent - steep walls surround Curiosity and cast some rather dramatic shadows onto the workspace.
However, despite the beautiful views, today was a sobering lesson in the complexities of NASA Goddard helps ensure asteroid deflector hits target
Friday, 10 December 2021 06:18
Although the chance of an asteroid impacting Earth is small, even a relatively small asteroid of about 500 feet (about 150 meters) across carries enough energy to cause widespread damage around the impact site. NASA leads efforts in the U.S. and worldwide both to detect and track potentially hazardous asteroids and to study technologies to mitigate or avoid impacts on Earth.
If an asteroid Lower atmospheric processes are crucial to understanding Martian water loss
Friday, 10 December 2021 06:18
Lower atmospheric processes, such as convection, dust storms and gravity waves, are vital to understanding how Mars lost its water, writes Erdal Yigit in a Perspective. It's widely thought that most of Mars' water was slowly lost to space as hydrogen over several billion years.
According to standard models, water molecules, broken apart by sunlight in the lower Martian atmosphere, form fre NASA's eventual farewell to tiny Mars helicopter could be emotional
Friday, 10 December 2021 06:18
Tears most likely will flow at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., when the extremely successful Mars helicopter Ingenuity sends its last transmission and goes quiet on the Red Planet, according to those who have observed similar closures.
While the end of any space mission can be emotional simply because of a sudden change in routines and departure of colleagues, Ingenui Webb telescope aims to answer astronomy's 'biggest questions'
Friday, 10 December 2021 06:18
It's been three decades in the making: the largest and most powerful telescope ever to be launched into space is finally ready to take up its orbit and beam back new clues to the origins of the Universe and Earth-like planets beyond our solar system.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, named for a former director of the American space agency, follows in the footsteps of the legendary Hubble -