Astronauts board China's new space station for first time
Friday, 18 June 2021 03:56Three Chinese astronauts have entered the core module of China's permanent space station to embark on their three-month mission, becoming the module's first occupants and pioneers in one of the nation's grandest space endeavors. Major General Nie Haisheng, Major General Liu Boming and Senior Colonel Tang Hongbo floated into the core module, named Tianhe, or Harmony of Heavens, at 6:48 pm o
Joint Livermore Tyvak space telescope goes into orbit
Friday, 18 June 2021 03:56Thousands of images of Earth and space have been taken by a compact space imaging payload developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers and its collaborator Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems. Known as GEOStare2, the payload has two space telescopes that together have taken more than 4,500 pictures for space domain awareness, astronomy and Earth observations that have be
US Space Force launches first tactically responsive launch mission
Friday, 18 June 2021 03:56The U. S. Space Force successfully launched the Tactically Responsive Launch-2 (TacRL-2) mission on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base on June 13 at 4:11 a.m. EDT, delivering a technology demonstration satellite to Low Earth Orbit. Pegasus, the world's first privately-developed commercial space launch vehicle, is an air-launched three staged rocket carrie
South Australia startups target international space opportunities
Friday, 18 June 2021 03:56All based in Adelaide, South Australia, the companies include Fleet Space Technologies, Inovor Technologies and Southern Launch. Southern Launch has been approved to conduct three rocket test launches from its site at Whalers Way reserve on the southern tip of the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. The State Commission Assessment Panel has approved Southern Launch to build the infras
Sierra Space and Rhodium Scientific exploring viability of science operations on Sierra Space Life Habitat
Friday, 18 June 2021 03:56Sierra Space has announced the signing of a joint agreement with Rhodium Scientific, an innovative provider of space microgravity science mission and logistics services. Specializing in space-based scientific research, Rhodium Scientific will test the viability of science operations on Sierra Space's LIFE habitat for scientific payloads planned to fly to space on a future CRS-2 mission.
Boost for UK space sector as new facility offers cheaper and greener rocket testing
Friday, 18 June 2021 03:56The centre will allow UK companies and academics to test state-of-the-art propulsion engines which are used to move small satellites in space at a more affordable rate than having to go abroad. It will also allow new types of more sustainable propellants to be tested, such as Hydrogen Peroxide and Liquid Oxygen which are more environmentally friendly in sourcing, storage and combustion. Ba
Russian scientists demonstrate perfect light absorption by single nanoparticle
Friday, 18 June 2021 03:56Scientists from ITMO University and Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) have proven that small objects, just like big ones, are capable of perfect light absorption. The results of this research will be helpful in the development of new technologies for wireless transfer of energy and data. The paper was published in Laser and Photonics Reviews. Light can interact with matter
Young star system reveals gravitational instabilities of planet formation process
Friday, 18 June 2021 03:56A chaotic, young star system, located 400 light-years from Earth, has offered astronomers new insights into the planet formation process. Observations of the stellar system Elias 2-27 - made using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, or ALMA - confirmed the presence of significant gravitational instabilities, a phenomenon scientists have long suspected played an important
Operations Underway to Restore Payload Computer on NASA's Hubble Space Telescope
Friday, 18 June 2021 03:56computer halted on Sunday, June 13, shortly after 4 p.m. EDT. After analyzing the data, the Hubble operations team is investigating whether a degrading memory module led to the computer halt. The team is preparing to switch to one of several backup modules on Wednesday, June 16. The computer will then be allowed to run for approximately one day to verify that the problem has been solved. The tea
Successful program ignited by modest spark of an idea
Friday, 18 June 2021 03:56It was in August 1958 that Chinese scientists started to float the idea of sending Chinese astronauts to space. At that time, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the country's top scientific body, had formed a panel of distinguished scientists to discuss the research and development of satellites. Whether and how China should start a manned space program was also included on the agenda, three
Capella Space wins research contract from U.S. Space Development Agency
Thursday, 17 June 2021 22:21WASHINGTON — Radar satellite imagery startup Capella Space on June 14 received a $3 million research contract in support of the Space Development Agency’s National Defense Space Architecture.
Capella Space was selected through a “broad agency announcement” issued by the space agency in January seeking proposals on a wide range of technologies for “National Defense Space Architecture Systems, Technologies, and Emerging Capabilities.
Senate confirms NASA deputy administrator, NOAA administrator
Thursday, 17 June 2021 20:43Updated 6 p.m. Eastern with NASA and Coalition for Deep Space Exploration statements.
WASHINGTON — The Senate confirmed the nominations June 17 of a former astronaut to be the deputy administrator of NASA and of an ocean scientist to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
After 9 years and $10M, Georgia spaceport nears FAA approval
Thursday, 17 June 2021 20:08Japan passes space resources law
Thursday, 17 June 2021 20:07WASHINGTON — Japan’s parliament approved legislation that allows companies to extract and utilize space resources as the head of Russia’s space agency criticized similar national laws on the subject.
The House of Councilors, the upper house of the National Diet of Japan, passed the bill June 15.
Former defense secretary Mark Esper joins CAES board
Thursday, 17 June 2021 19:34TAMPA, Fla. — Space-compatible electronics supplier CAES has added former U.S. defense secretary Mark Esper to its board in a push for more government customers.
Arlington, Virginia-based CAES, which used to be part of British defense and aerospace contractor Cobham, said Esper will engage in mission-critical solutions across its space, air, sea and land platforms.