NASA Selects 4 Concepts for Small Missions to Study Universe's Secrets
Saturday, 09 January 2021 09:55NASA has chosen four small-scale astrophysics missions for further concept development in a new program called Pioneers. Through small satellites and scientific balloons, these selections enable new platforms for exploring cosmic phenomena such as galaxy evolution, exoplanets, high-energy neutrinos, and neutron star mergers. "The principal investigators of these concept studies bring innov
The world's first integrated quantum communication network
Saturday, 09 January 2021 09:55Chinese scientists have established the world's first integrated quantum communication network, combining over 700 optical fibers on the ground with two ground-to-satellite links to achieve quantum key distribution over a total distance of 4,600 kilometers for users across the country. The team, led by Jianwei Pan, Yuao Chen, Chengzhi Peng from the University of Science and Technology of China i
BlackSky awarded IARPA contract to develop next generation artificial intelligence platform
Saturday, 09 January 2021 09:55BlackSky has won an award from the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) for a multi-phase, multi-year research contract. IARPA is responsible for leading research programs to overcome difficult challenges relevant to the U.S. intelligence community. BlackSky has been selected to aid in the development of IARPA's Space-based Machine Automated Recognition Technique (SMART
Orbit Logic Leverages Blockchain for Constellation Communication over Dynamic Networks
Saturday, 09 January 2021 09:55Orbit Logic has been awarded a Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract sponsored by NASA to develop Space Communication Reconstruction and Mapping with Blockchain Ledgering (SCRAMBL) - a secure and distributed communication system that will facilitate cooperation among heterogeneous satellite assets to satisfy constellation-level mission requirements. The solution is being dev
NASA, FAA Partnership Bolsters American Commercial Space Activities
Saturday, 09 January 2021 09:55NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) reaffirming the agencies' longstanding relationship to foster robust American commercial space transportation capabilities, including commercial crew and cargo activities. The NASA-FAA MOU follows the success of NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 launch - the first crewed mission from American soil to be li
What happens when your brain can't tell which way is up or down?
Saturday, 09 January 2021 09:55What feels like up may actually be some other direction depending on how our brains process our orientation, according to psychology researchers at York University's Faculty of Health. In a new study published in PLoS One, researchers at York University's Centre for Vision Research found that an individual's interpretation of the direction of gravity can be altered by how their brain respo
Airbus signs multi-satellite contract with Intelsat for OneSat flexible satellites
Saturday, 09 January 2021 09:55Airbus has signed a contract with Intelsat to build two OneSat satellites operating in multiple frequency bands for Intelsat's next-generation software-defined network. The contract was signed on 31 December 2020. The satellites will be based on Airbus' OneSat product line, the latest generation of fully flexible, in orbit reconfigurable, Software Defined Satellites (SDS). OneSat is design
NASA Extends Exploration for Two Planetary Science Missions
Saturday, 09 January 2021 09:55As NASA prepares to send astronauts back to the Moon and on to Mars, the agency's quest to seek answers about our solar system and beyond continues to inform those efforts and generate new discoveries. The agency has extended the missions of two spacecraft, following an external review of their scientific productivity. The missions - Juno and InSight - have each increased our understanding
SpaceX launches Turkish satellite from Florida
Saturday, 09 January 2021 09:55SpaceX successfully launched a Turkish communications satellite, the Turksat 5A, from Florida on Thursday night. Liftoff occurred at 9:15 p.m. aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, which was about 45 minutes later than SpaceX had originally scheduled for the launch though well within its four-hour launch window.
Flexibility and resiliency define Arianespace's performance in 2020
Saturday, 09 January 2021 09:55Building on a year that confirmed Arianespace's unique capability to offer launch service solutions tailored for its customers' varied requirements, the company is well prepared for the future with its family of launchers and the capacity of three spaceports. CEO Stephane Israel said Arianespace continues to demonstrate its flexibility in responding to both commercial and institutional mar
Minuteman III missile should be scrapped, STRATCOM chief says
Saturday, 09 January 2021 09:55The Minuteman III program of 450 missiles, begun in1970, must be replaced and not extended, U.S. Strategic Command chief Adm. Charles Richard said. Richard's comments, made during a virtual briefing on Tuesday, come as President-elect Joe Biden's incoming administration considers ways to reduce the cost of a planned 30-year, $1.2 trillion modernization of the United States' nuclear defe
NASA selects four small astrophysics missions for study
Saturday, 09 January 2021 00:04WASHINGTON — NASA has selected four small astrophysics missions for further study, although the agency cautions that not all may ultimately be flown.
NASA announced Jan. 7 it selected three smallsat missions and one high-altitude balloon mission as the first in its new Astrophysics Pioneers program.
FCC grants permission for polar launch of Starlink satellites
Friday, 08 January 2021 16:55WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission will allow SpaceX to launch 10 Starlink satellites into polar orbit on an upcoming mission, but deferred a decision on a much broader modification of SpaceX’s license.
ESA director general to retire early
Thursday, 07 January 2021 23:33WASHINGTON — The outgoing director general of the European Space agency announced Jan. 8 that he will step down at the end of February, four months ahead of schedule.
In a blog post, Jan Wörner announced that, after consultation with the chair of the ESA Council, Anna Rathsman, he will resign at the end of February.
Space Force stands up new office to support U.S. intelligence community
Thursday, 07 January 2021 20:15WASHINGTON— The U.S. Space Force on Jan. 8 officially became the 18th member of the U.S. intelligence community.
The addition of the Space Force to the intelligence community was formalized at a ceremony Friday afternoon held at a classified facility in Bethesda, Maryland.