Week in images: 14-18 November 2022
Week in images: 14-18 November 2022
Discover our week through the lens
Shaun the Sheep mission patch
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Shaun the Sheep mission patch First ignition for ESA’s low-cost, reusable rocket engine
With first ignition, ESA’s reusable, next-generation Prometheus rocket engine development project has taken a step toward hot fire testing. Ongoing work at prime contractor ArianeGroup’s facilities in Vernon, France is being carried out using the Themis reusable stage demonstrator as a test bed.
The 100-ton thrust class Prometheus features extensive use of new materials and manufacturing techniques designed to reduce its cost to just a tenth of Ariane 5’s Vulcain 2, an upgraded version of which – Vulcain 2.1 – powers the core stage of Ariane 6.
Europe reaches funding deal for sovereign broadband constellation
The European Union reached a provisional agreement Nov. 17 to cover nearly half the 6 billion euro ($6.2 billion) cost of deploying a secure connectivity constellation by 2027.
The post Europe reaches funding deal for sovereign broadband constellation appeared first on SpaceNews.
Op-ed | SLS and Artemis warrant continued robust support
As U.S. adversaries seek to militarize space, SLS’s heavy-lift capability makes it a unique entity for NASA and national security. Robust congressional support for SLS, NASA's near-term Artemis missions and future configurations is more important than ever.
On National Security | It’s no secret: Keeping space allies in the dark hurts the U.S.
Secrecy is innate to military space, and it’s been that way since the start. But officials are increasingly expressing frustration with a classification system that at times appears to be doing more harm than good.
Japanese lunar lander slated to launch Nov. 28 at the earliest
Japan’s ispace expects SpaceX to launch its lunar lander Nov. 28 at the earliest for a mission to the moon’s surface roughly five months later.
The post Japanese lunar lander slated to launch Nov. 28 at the earliest appeared first on SpaceNews.
NOAA adopts Finland's CubeSat-proven space weather monitor
An advanced X-ray monitoring instrument tested for space aboard an ESA CubeSat will serve as an operational space weather payload on the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Next Lagrange 1 Series satellite, currently planned for launch in 2028, which will operate 1.5 million km from Earth, keeping watch for eruptions from our sun.
AST SpaceMobile searching for funds to accelerate constellation
A year and a half after netting around $417 million through its IPO, AST SpaceMobile is seeking more funds to accelerate a direct-to-smartphone constellation that has fallen behind a key regulatory deadline.
The post AST SpaceMobile searching for funds to accelerate constellation appeared first on SpaceNews.
JAXA's ambitious mission to Phobos will even have European-built rover
Japan and Germany have a history of collaboration in scientific and technological endeavors. The countries have a Joint Committee on Cooperation in Science Technology that has met many times over the decades. Both countries have advanced, powerful economies and sophisticated technological know-how, so it makes sense they'd collaborate on scientific activities.
This time, their cooperation concerns a small, potato-shaped chunk of rock: Mars' moon Phobos.
In 2024, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) plans to launch the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission to Phobos and Deimos. Deimos will get the fly-by treatment, but JAXA has more ambitious ideas for Phobos.
