The hottest catalog of the year: the most comprehensive list of slow-building solar flares yet
Thursday, 01 February 2024 20:44
Solar flares occur when magnetic energy builds up in the Sun's atmosphere and is released as electromagnetic radiation. Lasting anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, flares usually reach temperatures around 10 million degrees Kelvin. Because of their intense electromagnetic energy, solar flares can cause disruptions in radio communications, Earth-orbiting satellites and even result in blac eROSITA's first Survey marks a new era in X-ray Astronomy with 900,000 sources
Thursday, 01 February 2024 20:44
In a significant stride for X-ray astronomy, the German eROSITA consortium has unveiled data from the first all-sky survey by the eROSITA telescope, stationed on the Spectrum-RG (SRG) satellite. This landmark release, encapsulating around 900,000 distinct X-ray sources, forms the largest X-ray catalogue to date. The consortium also issued a series of scientific papers today, spanning topics from BlackSky advances to final phase in IARPA's SMART Program to enhance Broad Area Search
Thursday, 01 February 2024 20:44
BlackSky Technology Inc. (NYSE: BKSY), a leader in geospatial intelligence and global monitoring, has achieved a significant milestone by advancing to the third and final phase of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity's (IARPA) multi-year Space-based Machine Automated Recognition Technique (SMART) program. This progression underscores BlackSky's pivotal role in enhancing the capab Blue Canyon Technologies completes key milestones in DARPA's Blackjack program
Thursday, 01 February 2024 20:44
Raytheon Technologies Corporation (NYSE: RTX), through its small-satellite manufacturer and mission services provider, Blue Canyon Technologies (BCT), has announced a significant progression in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Blackjack program. BCT has successfully completed critical milestones activities, marking a pivotal step in the development of a novel network of smal Government Connectivity Enters New Era: MetTel and Partners Highlight LEO Satellite Solutions
Thursday, 01 February 2024 20:44
MetTel, a company recognized by Gartner for its leadership in Managed Network Services, is planning a private event in Washington, D.C., on February 7. The event, named "Space Age Communications: Bridging Network Gaps for Government Agencies," aims to present the capabilities of low earth orbit (LEO) satellites for government network connectivity.
The need for dependable, efficient, and se BAE Systems nears completion of next-gen military GPS user equipment
Thursday, 01 February 2024 20:44
BAE Systems (LON: BA), a leader in defense and aerospace technology, has reached a pivotal phase in its development of an advanced military Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver and a cutting-edge semiconductor. The company recently announced the successful completion of the Critical Design Review (CDR) for its Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE) Increment 2 Miniature Serial Interface (MSI) pr Carbice and Blue Canyon Technologies partner to enhance satellite thermal management
Thursday, 01 February 2024 20:44
Carbice Corporation, an innovator in the field of thermal management solutions, recently announced its collaboration with RTX's Blue Canyon Technologies, a leader in small satellite solutions. This partnership marks a significant step in the integration of advanced materials in aerospace technology, particularly for critical spacecraft programs.
At the core of this collaboration is the Car NanoAvionics Partners with LANL on Pioneering ESRA Space Mission
Thursday, 01 February 2024 20:44
Kongsberg NanoAvionics US, a leader in smallsat mission integration, has entered into a new partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), a premier U.S. science and technology institution, for the development of a CubeSat mission aimed at enhancing our understanding of space radiation.
The mission, designated the Experiment for Space Radiation Analysis (ESRA), will employ a 12U C Ariane 6 test model cryogenic system disconnection
Thursday, 01 February 2024 14:30
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Teams from ESA, France’s space agency CNES and ArianeGroup successfully completed the disconnection and retraction of the Ariane 6 cryogenic systems on 30 January 2024.
These operations mark the start of dismantling the Ariane 6 test model to make way for its first launch. The combined test phase for Ariane 6 using propellants is now over and the European rocket is on track for its inaugural launch.
The test model that is on the launch pad at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, stands 62 m high. It is exactly the same as the ‘production model’ Ariane 6 rockets
XMM-Newton spots a black hole throwing a tantrum
Thursday, 01 February 2024 12:00
Black holes are like temperamental toddlers. They spill food all the time, but ESA’s XMM-Newton has caught a black hole in the act of ‘flipping over the table’ during an otherwise civilised meal.
This act prevents the galaxy surrounding the black hole from forming new stars, giving us insight into how black holes and galaxies co-evolve.
Picturing Proba-3 for safer double satellite control
Thursday, 01 February 2024 09:11
Controlling a single satellite in orbit is tough enough, but to oversee a pair of satellites as they fly in close formation around one another is likely to be extremely challenging. To simplify oversight of ESA’s coming double-satellite Proba-3 mission, its team is making sure controllers will obtain visualisations of the satellites’ relative positions in real time.
ESA’s cloud mission in the limelight
Thursday, 01 February 2024 09:00
Dedicated to delivering a wealth of new information on exactly how clouds and aerosols affect Earth’s climate, ESA’s EarthCARE satellite has had the chance to show off prior to engineers embarking upon the careful task of packing it up for its journey to the launch site in the US.
Human vs. hover-machine
Thursday, 01 February 2024 09:00
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Human vs. hover-machine Cupola in 360° – Muninn
Thursday, 01 February 2024 09:00
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Join ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt inside the seven-windowed cupola, the International Space Station's "window to the world" and and pan around to enjoy the view.
The ESA - European Space Agency-built Cupola is the favourite place of many astronauts on the International Space Station. It serves not only as a unique photo spot, but also for observing robotic activities, arriving spacecraft and spacewalks.
Marcus was launched to the International Space Station on the Dragon spacecraft as part of Axiom Mission 3 on 18 January 2024. His two-week mission on board is known as Muninn.
Follow Marcus’s journey on the