Greenbelt MD (SPX) Jun 28, 2022
According to a new NASA laboratory experiment, rovers may have to dig about 6.6 feet (two meters) or more under the Martian surface to find signs of ancient life because ionizing radiation from space degrades small molecules such as amino acids relatively quickly. Amino acids can be created by life and by non-biological chemistry. However, finding certain amino acids on Mars would be consi

Paris (ESA) Jun 28, 2022
A beautiful sequence of 56 images taken by the monitoring cameras on board the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission as the spacecraft made its second close flyby of its destination planet Mercury on 23 June 2022. The compilation includes images from two monitoring cameras (MCAM) onboard the Mercury Transfer Module, which provides black-and-white snapshots at 1024 x 1024 pixel resolution. The MCAMs

Luxembourg (SPX) Jun 28, 2022
SES reports that SES-22 is currently being prepared for launch from SpaceX's Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on June 29, 2022 at 5:04 pm / 23:04 pm. Built by Thales Alenia Space, SES-22 will operate in the 135 degrees West orbital slot and will deliver TV and radio to millions of American homes and provide other critical data transmission services. SES-22 is e

London, UK (SPX) Jun 28, 2022
Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, has issued a far-reaching report on sustainability in space calling on industry operators, national governments and regulators to take coordinated action to reduce space debris, enhance safety and better manage the expansion of mega constellations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The report, produced in partnership with resear

Tehran, Iran (IRNA) Jun 26, 2022
Spokesman of the Space Department of the Iranian Defense Ministry Ahmad Hosseini said on Sunday that Iran launched a second homemade "Zoljanah" satellite carrier. Hosseini said that the performance of the three-stage carrier, which uses compound fuel, can be evaluated in each launch. The second homemade 'Zoljanah' satellite carrier is a sub-orbital satellite carrier that was conducte

Chandler AZ (SPX) Jun 24, 2022
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) was awarded a firm fixed price Other Transaction (OT) Agreement modification to exercise options by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to continue the development of the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) supporting the MDA's regional hypersonic missile defense program to deter and defeat hypersonic missile threats. This modification is a follow-on to the

Beijing, China (SPX) Jun 28, 2022
The Tibetan Plateau, known as the "Third Pole" of the world, is not only the highest plateau on the Earth, but it is also considered the "Asian Water Tower". Its watershed nourishes more than ten major rivers in Asia. Like the North and South Poles, the Tibetan Plateau is also extremely vulnerable to climate change. Glaciers on it have been retreating extensively in recent decades. Atmosph

Washington DC (UPI) Jun 27, 2021
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has launched a satellite to the Moon for NASA from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula. The launch window opened at 09:50 UTC on June 28th. Designed and built by Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, a Terran Orbital Corporation, and owned and operated by Advanced Space on behalf of NASA, the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) CubeSat will be the first spacecraft to test the Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) around the Moon.

ESA has awarded a contract worth €160 million to Airbus in the UK to build the Earth Explorer FORUM satellite. This exciting new mission will yield unique insight into the planet’s radiation budget and how it is controlled – thereby filling in a critical missing piece of the climate jigsaw.

Short for Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring, FORUM is ESA’s ninth Earth Explorer mission.