Telescope photographs the next target asteroid for Hayabusa2
On December 10, 2020 (Hawai'i Standard Time), the Subaru Telescope imaged the small asteroid 1998 KY26, the target of Hayabusa2's extended mission. The positional data for 1998 KY26 collected during the observations will be used to more accurately determine the orbital elements of this object.
Operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the asteroid explorer Hayabusa2 delivered a reentry capsule to Earth containing samples from the asteroid (162173) Ryugu on December 6 (Japan Standard Time).
U.S. Space Force members are now guardians
WASHINGTON — The members of the U.S. Space Force finally have a name: Guardians.
Vice President Mike Pence revealed the name Dec. 18 at a ceremony at the White House for the Space Force’s one-year anniversary.
SpaceX wraps up 2020 with Falcon 9 launch of classified NRO satellite
WASHINGTON — A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched a classified mission for the National Reconnaissance Office Dec. 19. It was the company’s 26th and final launch of 2020.
The Falcon 9 carrying the NROL-108 mission lifted off at 9:00 a.m.
NASA moves Mars Sample Return program into next phase of development
WASHINGTON — NASA is moving ahead with work on a pair of Mars sample return missions, although some in the planetary science community worry how the cost of that effort will affect other projects.
NASA announced Dec.
Russian cosmonaut says new air leak on ISS Zvezda module not critical
Russian cosmonaut and former commander of the International Space Station (ISS) Pavel Vinogradov told Sputnik on Saturday that the new air leak on the ISS Zvezda module did not pose any serious danger.
On Friday, experts from the Moscow Region-based Mission Control Center asked the ISS crew to help locate the air leak in the Russian module Zvezda, as the station's gas reserves to compensat SpaceX launches U.S. spy satellite; Falcon 9 first stage returns
orlando FL (UPI) Dec 21, 2020
SpaceX launched the company's second spy satellite mission for the U.S. government Saturday morning.
The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 9 a.m. EST from Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The payload fairing separated about 2 1/2 minutes after liftoff.
The reusable Falcon 9 rocket landed at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station about 8 1/2 minutes afte Mission accomplished, now on to the next: China Daily editorial
The Chang'e 5 lunar mission has been declared a complete success after the reentry capsule carrying rock and soil samples from the moon landed safely in the designated area early on Thursday.
Congratulations to all those who have participated in and contributed to this groundbreaking accomplishment. This is no doubt a solid step forward for the indigenous space industry, and potentially of Success of lunar mission hailed
President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message on Thursday on the success of the Chang'e 5 mission, China's most sophisticated and challenging space adventure, which has brought back the world's first lunar samples in more than 40 years.
On behalf of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission, Xi extended warm congratulations a China plans to launch four manned spacecraft in next two years
China plans to launch four manned spacecraft as part of its space station construction program in the next two years, said an official with the China National Space Administration (CNSA) Thursday.
China's manned space program will be very busy in 2021 and 2022, said Wu Yanhua, vice administrator of the CNSA, at a press conference on China's Chang'e-5 lunar mission.
Wu said a total of Lunar rocks, soil brought back by Chang'e 5 handed over to scientists
About 1,700 grams of lunar rocks and soil brought back by China's Chang'e 5 robotic probe were transferred to Chinese scientists for research on Saturday morning, according to the China National Space Administration.
The samples were handed over by Zhang Kejian, head of the space administration, to Hou Jianguo, president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, at a delivery ceremony in Beijing 
