Copernical Team
SpaceX to launch historic mission featuring first private spacewalk
SpaceX is poised for another attempt at launching a daring orbital expedition featuring an all-civilian crew that is aiming to carry out the first-ever spacewalk by private citizens. The Polaris Dawn mission, organized by billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman is now set to lift off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida during a four-hour window beginning on Wednesday at 3:38 am loca
Sentinel-2C in the Vega launch tower
Juice’s lunar-Earth flyby: the movie
On 19–20 August 2024, Juice successfully completed a world-first lunar-Earth flyby, with flight controllers guiding the spacecraft first past the Moon, then past Earth. The gravity of the two changed Juice’s speed and direction, sending it on a shortcut to Jupiter via Venus.
The closest approach to the Moon was at 23:15 CEST on 19 August, deflecting Juice towards a closest approach to Earth just over 24 hours later at 23:56 CEST on 20 August. In the hours before and after both close approaches, Juice’s two monitoring cameras captured photos, giving us a unique ‘Juice eye view’ of
How dangerous is Polaris Dawn space walk from SpaceX Crew Dragon?
Billionaire Jared Isaacman could make history for all the right reasons during his Polaris Dawn mission when the hatch opens on a SpaceX Crew Dragon and he ventures out into the vacuum of space.
He's sold on its safety, especially the sheer amount of development time in the new extravehicular activity suits all four members of the crew will have to wear during what would be the first commercial space walk in history.
"I mean, an absolutely extensive amount of time has gone into it," he said during a press conference after arriving to KSC last week. "It is rightfully. Why would it be the riskiest part? Because you're throwing away all the safety of your vehicle, right? And it now comes down to your suit becomes your spaceship."
Isaacman and crewmates Scott Poteet, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon are set to launch in the Crew Dragon Resilience atop a Falcon 9 rocket from KSC's Launch Pad 39-A early Tuesday, targeting liftoff at 3:38 a.m. Eastern time during a roughly four-hour window.
Poteet is a former Air Force pilot, while Gillis and Menon are SpaceX employees as the Polaris Program, which will feature up to three spaceflights including this one, is a partnership between Isaacman and Elon Musk's company to push the boundaries for commercial space.
Webb peeks into Perseus
One Planet Group strengthens collaboration with Starfish International in The Gambia
Starfish International, an organization committed to empowering girls in The Gambia, recently welcomed a second delegation from One Planet Group to experience firsthand the significant impact of their programs. Starfish International focuses on delivering quality education and mentorship to Gambian girls, helping them develop into confident, well-educated,
Kenneth Possenriede Joins Rocket Lab Board of Directors
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) announced the addition of Kenneth (Ken) Possenriede to its Board of Directors. Mr. Possenriede, who brings with him extensive financial and industry experience, joins Rocket Lab after a distinguished 35-year tenure at Lockheed Martin Corporation, where he served in various financial leadership roles, including Chief Financial Officer (CFO). "Ken's deep a
Liquid Intelligent to expand 5G services across Africa and the Middle East
Liquid Intelligent Technologies (Liquid), a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies, has announced a strategic partnership with Globalstar, a U.S.-based leader in connectivity, to roll out advanced 5G solutions across Africa, the Middle East, and the Gulf regions. Strive Masiyiwa, founder and Chairman of Liquid Intelligent Technologies, expressed enthusiasm about the potential of this collabora
NASA's EXCITE mission prepared for scientific balloon flight
Scientists and engineers are ready to fly an infrared mission called EXCITE (EXoplanet Climate Infrared TElescope) to the edge of space. EXCITE is designed to study atmospheres around exoplanets, or worlds beyond our solar system, during circumpolar long-duration scientific balloon flights. But first, it must complete a test flight during NASA's fall 2024 scientific ballooning campaign fr
Salsa Satellite's reentry to be observed live from the sky
On September 8, 2024, the first of the four Cluster satellites, known as Salsa, will reenter Earth's atmosphere in an uncontrolled "targeted reentry" over a remote area in the South Pacific Ocean. This event marks a significant moment in reentry observation as scientists seek to gather valuable data on satellite disintegration. In the nearly seven decades of space exploration, approximatel