China's BeiDou enters new phase of stable services, rapid development
Sunday, 13 March 2022 01:24
China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) has entered a new phase of sustained stable services and rapid development, according to the China Satellite Navigation Office on Friday.
Measured by the global continuous monitoring and evaluation system, the BDS-3 system shows an advanced performance index in providing global positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services, with more out In-orbit construction of China's space station going smoothly
Sunday, 13 March 2022 01:24
Construction work on the core module of China's Tiangong space station is proceeding steadily, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said on Friday.
The Shenzhou-13 mission astronauts currently working the project are all in good condition, said the CMSA, adding that they plan to return to Earth in April.
The key technologies for the construction of the space station have been fully v China planning global system for precision meteorological monitoring
Sunday, 13 March 2022 01:24
China is planning the construction of a new global system for gathering high-precision meteorological data based on the interpretation of signals beamed down from satellites, according to the second institute of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation Ltd. (CASIC).
The "global occultation meteorological detection constellation" will measure the frequency, phase and amplitude o China plans more planetary endeavors: scientist
Sunday, 13 March 2022 01:24
After the Tianwen-1 mission, China will have a number of Tianwen series of planetary endeavors to explore the universe, according to a Chinese scientist.
Wu Weiren, the chief designer of China's lunar exploration program, said the country's deep space exploration will continue and its Mars mission will be followed by the Tianwen-2, Tianwen-3, and Tianwen-4.
Launched on July 23, 2020, Arecibo Observatory reopens visitor center after telescope collapse
Sunday, 13 March 2022 01:24
The famous Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, once home to the world's most powerful radio telescope, has reopened to visitors more than a year after the giant facility collapsed.
The visitor center and observation deck are now open to visitors who make reservations in advance. From the outdoor deck, visitors can see the valley and remaining reflective dish - 1,000 feet in diameter. / From the archives | An untethered Ukraine seeks new orbits for its space industry
Saturday, 12 March 2022 20:35
Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 meant Ukraine lost access to a major satellite ground station located there. That annexation, and ongoing unrest in eastern Ukraine, have also cut off most business Ukraine's space industry had with Russia.
From the archives | How Crimea’s annexation hurt Ukraine’s space program
Saturday, 12 March 2022 20:02
Ukraine's space agency, and the country's small but highly specialized space industry, have been hit harder than Russia by the conflict over Crimea. The real problem was the political impact on Ukraine's industrial ties with Russia, the main customer for the two flagship enterprises of Ukraine's space industry.
Ingenuity still “as good as new” after nearly a year on Mars
Saturday, 12 March 2022 13:24
After nearly a year of operations, NASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter is still “as good as new” as it serves as a scout for the Perseverance rover.
The post Ingenuity still “as good as new” after nearly a year on Mars appeared first on SpaceNews.
Bahrain joins Artemis Accords
Saturday, 12 March 2022 11:32
Bahrain became the latest country to join the Artemis Accords as the agreement regarding principles for cooperation in space exploration continues to expand beyond traditional spacefaring nations.
The post Bahrain joins Artemis Accords appeared first on SpaceNews.
'We want to be the UPS or FedEx of the moon': A startup's big moonshot
Saturday, 12 March 2022 08:30
A California startup is joining much bigger players in the drive to explore settlement on the moon, as plans by NASA to send astronauts back there heats up the commercial lunar market.
Aerospace firm Venturi Astrolab Inc., better known as Astrolab, based in Hawthorn, California, is building an all-purpose truck that is intended to construct lunar infrastructure and also ferry astronauts around, enabling work that would make long-term settlement on the moon possible.
Companies are betting that NASA's drive to return to the moon in several years, along with technological and business advancements that have lowered launch costs, could be lucrative for businesses that get in there early and succeed.
"We are transitioning now from just the earliest phase of exploration to the early stage of settlement," said Chris Hadfield, a retired Canadian astronaut and advisory board member for Astrolab. "This is going to become part of human commerce and human geography," he said of early moon settlement.
NASA is aiming to launch astronauts to the moon no earlier than 2025 as part of its Artemis program, which aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the moon.
AST SpaceMobile books more SpaceX rides months after canceling Soyuz reservation
Friday, 11 March 2022 21:46
AST SpaceMobile is expanding a launch deal with SpaceX for its cellphone-compatible broadband constellation following a 2021 decision to move its upcoming BlueWalker-3 prototype mission from Russia’s now-embargoed Soyuz to a Falcon 9.
Op-ed | Ukrainian space companies are united in defending the country
Friday, 11 March 2022 14:21
As the world watches Ukraine fighting against Russian aggression, Ukrainian companies must ensure the safety of their employees. To do this, most companies have switched to remote work formats and flexible schedules.
Week in images: 7 - 11 March 2022
Friday, 11 March 2022 13:10
Week in images: 7 - 11 March 2022
Discover our week through the lens
China to open space station to commercial activity
Friday, 11 March 2022 11:10
China is planning to open its space station to commercial missions and activities, according to a senior human spaceflight program official.