Scientists suspect there's ice hiding on the moon, and a host of missions from the US and beyond are searching for it
Wednesday, 15 November 2023 16:40
Building a space station on the moon might seem like something out of a science fiction movie, but each new lunar mission is bringing that idea closer to reality. Scientists are homing in on potential lunar ice reservoirs in permanently shadowed regions, or PSRs. These are key to setting up any sort of sustainable lunar infrastructure.
In late August 2023, India's Chandrayaan-3 lander touched down on the lunar surface in the south polar region, which scientists suspect may harbor ice. This landing marked a significant milestone not only for India but for the scientific community at large.
Isar Aerospace Aquila rocket engine test
Wednesday, 15 November 2023 15:24
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Scenes from testing the Aquila engine, designed, built and tested by Isar Aerospace at their engine test site in Esrange, Sweden.
Isar Aerospace finished engine hotfire testing for its Aquila engines in October 2023 by firing an Aquila engine for 260 seconds multiple times – more than it needs to fire for a flight. The test exceeded expectations by firing one of the engines six separate times without refurbishment.
Munich-based Isar Aerospace was supported by ESA’s Business Incubation Centre and previous Boost! contracts in 2020 and 2021. Its Spectrum rocket will be 28 m tall, 2 m in diameter
Italy's Mount Etna spews lava
Wednesday, 15 November 2023 13:00
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One of the world’s most active volcanoes, Mount Etna, erupted on Sunday – spewing lava and clouds of ash high over the Mediterranean island of Sicily. This image, captured on 13 November by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission, has been processed using the mission’s shortwave-infrared bands Press conference with ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt
Wednesday, 15 November 2023 13:00
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Watch the replay of the press conference with ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt taking place at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne (Germany) as he prepares for his first mission to the International Space Station.
He was joined by another ESA astronaut, Matthias Maurer. Marcus’s mission, called Muninn, is supported by ESA and the Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA).
The mission will last up to 14 days, in which Marcus will take part in microgravity research and educational outreach activities. Marcus will be a mission specialist on Ax-3 and his launch is scheduled on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft no earlier
White House proposal would split mission authorization between Commerce and Transportation
Wednesday, 15 November 2023 13:00
Spacelab-1: 40 years on
Wednesday, 15 November 2023 12:25
Forty years ago this month, the first European-built Spacelab was launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on board Space Shuttle Columbia. Also on board was Ulf Merbold, who became ESA's first astronaut in space. The 10-day Spacelab-1 mission marked ESA's entry into human spaceflight activities.
Deterring a looming Space Pearl Harbor through better public discourse
Wednesday, 15 November 2023 12:15
Training for space
Wednesday, 15 November 2023 12:00
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Overview of ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt’s training for his mission to space.
The Swedish astronaut will travel to the International Space Station on Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) no earlier than January 2024. He will spend up to 14 days in orbit conducting microgravity research and educational activities.
Marcus Wandt started intensive training for his mission in June 2023. Lessons on payloads and simulators take place in training facilities and space centres around the world. Each of the partners is in charge of training astronauts on the elements that they contribute to the International Space Station.
Marcus’s training in Europe
Muninn mission name and patch explained
Wednesday, 15 November 2023 12:00
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ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt explains his mission name and patch.
Marcus’s first mission to space, Muninn, takes its name from Norse mythology and the two raven accomplices of the god Odin – Muninn and Huginn. Together, the two symbolise the human mind. Huginn is the name of ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen’s Space Station mission.
According to the myth, the ravens serve as messengers and advisors to their god, sharing all they see and hear. Muninn comes from the Old Norse word munr, that can be translated as mind and passion. Huginn is the name of ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen’s mission.
SaxaVord Spaceport to host HyImpulse orbital rocket launches
Wednesday, 15 November 2023 10:24
Blast from the past: Gamma-ray burst strikes Earth from distant exploding star
Wednesday, 15 November 2023 10:07
An enormous burst of gamma rays, detected by ESA's Integral space telescope, has struck Earth. The blast caused a significant disturbance in our planet's ionosphere. Such disturbances are usually associated with energetic particle events on the Sun but this one was the result of an exploding star almost two billion light-years away. Analysing the effects of the blast could provide information ab Study finds strongest evidence yet for local sources of cosmic ray electrons
Wednesday, 15 November 2023 10:07
A new study using data from the CALorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET) instrument on the International Space Station has found evidence for nearby, young sources of cosmic ray electrons, contributing to a greater understanding of how the galaxy functions as a whole.
The study included more than seven million data points representing particles arriving at CALET's detector since 2015, and C Spire Global launches innovative constellation management platform
Wednesday, 15 November 2023 10:07
In a significant advancement for the satellite services industry, Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR), a frontrunner in space-based data, analytics, and space services, has unveiled its latest innovation at Space Tech Expo Europe. The newly introduced Constellation Management Platform, a web-based application, is set to streamline satellite constellation operations through its intuitive interface. T AI-Powered Space Situational Awareness Boosted by Neuraspace-Deimos Collaboration
Wednesday, 15 November 2023 10:07
Neuraspace, a leader in smarter space traffic management, has announced a strategic partnership with Elecnor Deimos, a renowned name in Space Surveillance and Awareness solutions. This collaboration is set to revolutionize the way space debris is tracked, significantly enhancing the safety and security of space operations.
Utilizing critical data from Elecnor Deimos, Neuraspace aims to bol Momentus testing new spacecraft engine and solar array design
Wednesday, 15 November 2023 10:07
Momentus Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTS), a U.S. commercial space company that offers satellite buses, transportation, and other in-space infrastructure services, continues to advance in-space testing of its Microwave Electrothermal Thruster (MET) and recently completed initial in-space testing of its Tape Spring Solar Array (TASSA).
The MET is the Vigoride Orbital Service Vehicle's (OSV) primary prop