LeoLabs and ClearSpace partner to advance a safer, more sustainable space environment
Monday, 03 April 2023 23:24
LeoLabs, the world's leading commercial provider of low Earth orbit (LEO) Space Situational Awareness and Space Traffic Management services, has announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with ClearSpace, the Swiss-based, in-orbit satellite servicing company. The MOU recognizes the two companies' shared vision of a safe and sustainable space ecosystem and their mutual efforts in making this v Integral safe at last
Monday, 03 April 2023 23:24
In 2020, the thrusters on ESA's Integral spacecraft failed. To keep the scientific mission alive, the Integral team at ESA's ESOC mission control centre quickly set to work developing a new series of specialised manoeuvres that would enable them to continue flying the spacecraft using only its reaction wheels - the rotating wheels inside a satellite that allow it to store and use angular momentu Improving the accuracy of orbit prediction and position error covariance prediction
Monday, 03 April 2023 23:24
With continuous developments in the space industry, the space near the earth was occupied by a variety of spacecraft whose number is increasing dramatically every year. To avoid a collision, huge computation power was spent to determine the possibility of a collision between two space objects. However, there were various uncertainties in the collision prediction process, which aggravated the bur Thuraya invests in Astrocast’s LEO constellation
Monday, 03 April 2023 20:37
Thuraya is providing Swiss small satellite operator Astrocast a $17.5 million financial lifeline in a deal that marks the Emirati company’s first investment in a low Earth orbit constellation.
First woman, Black astronaut to make 2024 flight around Moon
Monday, 03 April 2023 20:11
NASA unveiled the crew on Monday for its first human mission to the Moon in more than 50 years –- including the first woman and Black man to participate in a lunar flight.
Three Americans and one Canadian will fly around the Moon next year, becoming the first astronauts to venture that deep into space since the historic Apollo missions ended in 1972.
The flight, dubbed Artemis II, is scheduled to take place in November 2024 and is a prelude to returning humans to the lunar surface for the first time in a half century.
The three NASA astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch—named to Artemis II have all spent time on the International Space Station (ISS) while Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency will be making his first space flight.
The four astronauts, dressed in blue flight suits, were introduced by NASA administrator Bill Nelson at an event at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
A practical method to improve the accuracy of orbit prediction and position error covariance prediction
Monday, 03 April 2023 20:02
With continuous developments in the space industry, the space near the Earth is occupied by a variety of spacecraft whose number is increasing dramatically every year. To avoid a collision, huge computation power is necessary to determine the possibility of a collision between two space objects. However, there are various uncertainties in the collision prediction process, which aggravates the burdens on space safety management.
Since the collision probability is usually applied to evaluate a dangerously close encounter, improving the precision of orbit prediction and covariance prediction is key.
In a research paper recently published in Space: Science & Technology, Zhaokui Wang, from Tsinghua University, proposed an efficient method with a back propagation (BP) neural network to improve the accuracy of orbit prediction and position error covariance prediction of space targets.
Wang's team also applied the proposed method to estimate the collision probability for the Q-Sat and space debris with NORAD ID of 49863.
Lockheed Martin selected by Australia for military satcom project
Monday, 03 April 2023 19:22
Lockheed Martin was selected as the “preferred bidder” for a multibillion-dollar Australian military project to build military communications satellites and supporting infrastructure.
NASA plans 2 super pressure balloon test flights from New Zealand
Monday, 03 April 2023 19:21
NASA's Scientific Balloon Program is scheduled to conduct two super pressure balloon (SPB) launches from Wānaka, New Zealand, to further test and qualify the technology, which can offer cost savings compared to space missions.
While the two launches are primarily to test the SPB technology, NASA is also flying science payloads as missions of opportunity on each balloon. The balloons may also be visible from the ground during their flights, which are planned for up to 100 days or more.
"The super pressure balloon technology is a real game-changer for conducting cutting-edge science at the edge of space at a fraction of the cost of flying into space," said Debbie Fairbrother, NASA's Balloon Program Office chief based at the agency's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
First woman, Black astronaut, Canadian to make 2024 flight around Moon
Monday, 03 April 2023 19:07
NASA unveiled the crew on Monday for its first human mission to the Moon in more than 50 years - including the first woman and Black man to participate in a lunar flight.
Three Americans and one Canadian will fly around the Moon next year, becoming the first astronauts to venture that deep into space since the historic Apollo missions ended in 1972.
The flight, dubbed Artemis II, is sch Kleos Space, Spire Global get contract extensions from NRO
Monday, 03 April 2023 17:31
Kleos Space and Spire Global have been awarded contract extensions by the National Reconnaissance Office for commercial radio-frequency (RF) data, the companies announced April 3.
Japanese company successfully operates its water-based propulsion system in orbit
Monday, 03 April 2023 16:38
New in-space propulsion techniques seem to be popping out of the woodwork. The level of innovation behind moving things around in space is astounding, and now a company from Japan has just hit a significant milestone. Pale Blue, which I assumed was named as a nod to a beloved Carl Sagan book, recently successfully tested their in-orbit water-based propulsion system, adding yet another safe, affordable propulsion system to satellite designers' repertoires.
Using water to jet around space might seem relatively simplistic. However, despite its simplicity and relatively low cost, water jets for satellitepropulsion systems have not yet been widely adopted. This first Pale Blue system, which launched with Sony's EYE satellite as part of its STAR SPHERE program to take pictures of the Earth, was the first time the company successfully tested its system in space.
They did so by operating it for approximately two minutes in early March and adjusting the EYE satellite's orbit in LEO.
NASA announces crew for Artemis 2 mission
Monday, 03 April 2023 15:03
NASA announced April 3 the three Americans and one Canadian who will be on the crew of the Artemis 2 mission, the first humans to travel beyond low Earth orbit in more than half a century.
Kenya to launch first operational satellite next week
Monday, 03 April 2023 14:22Kenya will launch its first operational satellite next week in a landmark achievement for the country's space program, the government said on Monday.
Taifa-1, or Nation-1 in Swahili, is scheduled to be launched on April 10 aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
"The mission is an important milestone," the defense ministry and Kenya Space Agency said in a joint statement, adding that it would contribute significantly to the country's "budding space economy".
The observation satellite is "fully designed and developed" by Kenyan engineers and will be used to provide data on agriculture and food security, among other areas, the statement said.
Testing and manufacturing of the parts were done in collaboration with a Bulgarian aerospace manufacturer, it added.
An East African economic powerhouse, Kenya is suffering its worst drought in decades after five failed rain seasons.
The satellite launch will add to a push by African nations for scientific innovation and the development of space programs.
Egypt was the first African country to send a satellite into space in 1998.
In 2018, Kenya launched its first experimental nano-satellite from the International Space Station.
As of 2022, at least 13 African countries had manufactured 48 satellites, according to Space in Africa, a Nigeria-based firm that tracks African space programs.
Testing the Promise of Harnessing Ocean Energy with Satellite Technology
Monday, 03 April 2023 12:18
The Earth is embraced by its oceans and seas. And so are we. We depend on them for more than half of the oxygen we breathe.