The Sun as you’ve never seen it before
Powerful flares, breathtaking views across the solar poles, and a curious solar ‘hedgehog’ are amongst the haul of spectacular images, movies and data returned by Solar Orbiter from its first close approach to the Sun. Although the analysis of the new dataset has only just started, it is already clear that the ESA-led mission is providing the most extraordinary insights into the Sun’s magnetic behaviour and the way this shapes space weather.
Kongsberg orders spy satellites for Norwegian maritime surveillance
Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has ordered three spy microsatellites to keep tabs on vessels operating clandestinely in the North Sea.
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Blue Origin delays next flight over technical issues
Jeff Bezos' space company Blue Origin said it would push back the launch of its fifth crewed rocket, originally scheduled for Friday, over technical issues.
"During our final vehicle check-outs, we observed one of New Shepard's back-up systems was not meeting our expectations for performance," the company said in a statement Wednesday, referring to its suborbital spaceship.
"In an abundance of caution, we will be delaying the NS-21 launch," it continued, adding there would be further updates.
Blue Origin is a leading player in the nascent space tourism market, offering passengers a roughly ten minute hop from its base in west Texas to just beyond the atmosphere, and back again.
Ticket prices are a closely guarded secret.
The fifth flight is to include engineer Katya Echazarreta, who at 26 is set to become the youngest American woman in space.
Her spot was sponsored by the "Space for Humanity" program, which seeks to democratize access to space and selected her from among 7,000 candidates.
Blue flew its founder Bezos in its maiden crewed flight in July 2021, and has also flown Star Trek icon William Shatner and Laura Shepard Churchley, the daughter of the first American in space.
Military buyers challenged to stay up on the latest commercial space innovations
Space Force Lt. Gen. Michael Guetlein said commercial innovation today is "outpacing the demand signal from the government."
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Ball and Raytheon win weather instrument study contracts
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. and Raytheon Intelligence & Space will begin developing technologies for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s next generation of weather satellites under contracts announced May 17.
The post Ball and Raytheon win weather instrument study contracts appeared first on SpaceNews.
Kongsberg orders satellites for Norwegian maritime surveillance
Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has ordered three microsatellites to keep tabs on vessels operating clandestinely in the North Sea.
The post Kongsberg orders satellites for Norwegian maritime surveillance appeared first on SpaceNews.
Engineers investigating NASA's Voyager 1 telemetry data
While the Voyager 1 spacecraft continues to return science data and otherwise operate as normal, the mission team is searching for the source of a system data issue.
The engineering team with NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft is trying to solve a mystery: The interstellar explorer is operating normally, receiving and executing commands from Earth, along with gathering and returning science data. But readouts from the probe's attitude articulation and control system (AACS) don't reflect what's actually happening onboard.
The AACS controls the 45-year-old spacecraft's orientation. Among other tasks, it keeps Voyager 1's high-gain antenna pointed precisely at Earth, enabling it to send data home. All signs suggest the AACS is still working, but the telemetry data it's returning is invalid.
NASA puts ISS spacewalks on hold to investigate water leak
NASA is continuing to investigate water that leaked into a spacesuit helmet during a spacewalk earlier this year and is holding off on future spacewalks until engineers can resolve the problem.
Boeing's Starliner to launch uncrewed test flight to International Space Station
Boeing and NASA are ready to launch the company's Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station on Thursday.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is scheduled to blast off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 6:54 p.m. EDT for Operation Flight Test-2, or OFT-2.
The long-delayed test will see Starliner conduct an uncrewed flight Blue Origin scrubs Friday launch over vehicle issue
Aerospace manufacturer Blue Origin will delay its next sub-orbital spaceflight because of a vehicle issue, the company announced Wednesday.
Originally scheduled to take place Friday, the launch would have been the fifth manned flight for the Washington state-based company's New Shephard space vehicle.
"During our final vehicle checkouts, we observed one of New Shepard's backup system 
