Rocket Lab Installs Advanced Carbon Composite Manufacturing System for Neutron Rocket Production
Friday, 09 August 2024 21:43Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB), a global leader in launch services and space systems, has commenced the installation of a state-of-the-art automated fiber placement (AFP) machine at its Neutron rocket production facility in Middle River, Maryland. The machine, touted as the largest of its kind, is set to revolutionize the production of carbon composite structures for Rocket Lab's Neutron la
Rocket Lab Successfully Completes Initial Hot Fire Test of Archimedes Engine for Neutron Rocket
Friday, 09 August 2024 21:43Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has conducted the first hot fire test of its new Archimedes rocket engine, marking an important step toward the inaugural launch of its Neutron medium-lift rocket. The successful hot fire test took place in August 2024 at Rocket Lab's Engine Test Complex, located within NASA's Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Mississippi. During the test, Archimed
MSU Professor Receives $1.1M NASA Grant to Enhance Hypersonic Vehicle Design Tools
Friday, 09 August 2024 21:43NASA has awarded a $1.13 million grant to an assistant professor at Mississippi State University (MSU) to develop an advanced computational tool designed to improve the design process of hypersonic vehicles for space exploration. Vilas Shinde, a faculty member in MSU's Department of Aerospace Engineering, secured the funding to create a new tool for flow stability and transition analysis.
Engineering Students Invited to Enter NASA's 2025 Lunabotics Challenge
Friday, 09 August 2024 21:43NASA is calling on teams from colleges, universities, and technical schools nationwide to showcase their engineering talents in the 2025 Lunabotics Challenge. Applications for the competition open at 5 p.m. EDT on Friday, Sept. 6. This event is designed to motivate Artemis Generation students to engage deeply with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines, contributing to adv
Good viewing conditions expected for peak of this week's Perseid meteor shower
Friday, 09 August 2024 21:43The annual Perseid meteor shower is set to peak later this week with ideal viewing conditions anticipated in most places, according to reports. Commonly known as the "Perseids," the Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak Sunday night and before dawn the next morning on Monday, and is seen annually every four years by mid-July to late August. NASA says the Perseid is considered the "b
Scientists lay out revolutionary method to warm Mars
Friday, 09 August 2024 21:43Ever since we learned that the surface of planet Mars is cold and dead, people have wondered if there is a way to make it friendlier to life. In a groundbreaking study published Aug. 7 in Science Advances, researchers from the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and the University of Central Florida have proposed a revolutionary approach towards terraforming Mars. This new meth
Gaia Telescope Uncovers Hundreds of Potential Asteroid Moons
Friday, 09 August 2024 21:43ESA's Gaia mission, originally launched to survey stars, has demonstrated its prowess in asteroid exploration by identifying potential moons around more than 350 asteroids that were not previously known to have companions. Gaia has previously examined asteroids known to possess moons, termed 'binary asteroids,' and confirmed the presence of these tiny satellites using its highly accurate a
NASA Concludes NEOWISE Mission After Over a Decade of Asteroid Monitoring
Friday, 09 August 2024 21:43NASA's NEOWISE mission has officially ended after more than 10 years of detecting asteroids and comets, including those that could potentially threaten Earth. Engineers commanded the spacecraft to power down its transmitter for the final time on Thursday, marking the conclusion of its significant role in planetary defense. The final shutdown command was issued from NASA's Jet Propulsion La
UK Space Agency Backs Missions to Study Stellar Influence on Habitable Worlds
Friday, 09 August 2024 21:43Two proposed UK space missions, led by the University of Leicester, aim to explore how the Sun and other stars influence the atmospheres, space weather, and potential habitability of planets. These missions could also provide insights into the space between stars, known as the interstellar medium. The UK Space Agency has awarded nearly GBP 500,000 to teams at Space Park Leicester, a GBP 10
AST SpaceMobile Prepares for September Launch with Arrival of First Commercial Satellites at Cape Canaveral
Friday, 09 August 2024 21:43AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTS), first space-based cellular broadband network directly accessible by everyday smartphones, has reported arrival of its first five commercial satellites, known as BlueBirds, at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The satellites are set to be launched during a seven-day window in September. The BlueBird satellites are equipped with the largest commercial communicati
EPC Space Publishes Guide on Optimizing Gate Drive for Rad Hard eGaN Devices
Friday, 09 August 2024 21:43EPC Space has released a comprehensive application note designed to assist engineers in effectively driving the gate of their Rad Hard eGaN FETs and ICs. This guide provides essential insights and best practices to optimize performance in high-reliability applications. The document, titled "Driving the Gate of a EPC Space Rad Hard eGaN Device," explores the unique features of EPC's gallium
Astronauts on Tiangong Space Station Complete Fire Safety Drill
Friday, 09 August 2024 21:43The Shenzhou XVIII crew aboard China's Tiangong space station has successfully completed a series of tasks, including a critical fire alarm test, the China Manned Space Agency reported. Led by mission commander Senior Colonel Ye Guangfu, alongside Lieutenant Colonel Li Guangsu and Lieutenant Colonel Li Cong, the astronauts tested the space station's fire safety systems by activating temper
Shenzhou-18 Crew Tests Fire Alarms and Conducts Medical Procedures in Space
Friday, 09 August 2024 21:43The crew aboard China's Shenzhou-18 spacecraft recently conducted a critical fire alarm test to assess the functionality of the station's fire detection systems across its three modules. In video footage released by the China Manned Space Agency, the three taikonauts were shown utilizing specialized equipment to activate the station's temperature and smoke sensors. These sensors successful
NASA tests deployment of Roman Space Telescope's 'visor'
Friday, 09 August 2024 16:46The "visor" for NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope recently completed several environmental tests simulating the conditions it will experience during launch and in space. Called the Deployable Aperture Cover, this large sunshade is designed to keep unwanted light out of the telescope. This milestone marks the halfway point for the cover's final sprint of testing, bringing it one step closer to integration with Roman's other subsystems this fall.
Designed and built at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, the Deployable Aperture Cover consists of two layers of reinforced thermal blankets, distinguishing it from previous hard aperture covers, like those on NASA's Hubble.