Beijing (XNA) Jun 28, 2021
A space-based measurement and control system composed of multiple relay satellites has guaranteed clear and smooth communication between ground control and Chinese astronauts in space. The relay satellites Tianlian I-03, Tianlian I-04 and Tianlian II-01 have been providing stable measurement and data relay support for the complex consisting of Tianhe core module, the cargo craft Tianzhou-2

Bethesda MD (SPX) Jun 29, 2021
A new arms race is unfolding among spacefaring nations. Space experts have been telling us about contested space for the last several years. The number of active satellites is exploding from about 1,000 a few years ago to an expected 50,000+ within 10 years. The sky is indeed getting very congested. These satellites provide worldwide communications, GPS navigation, weather forecasting and

Manchester UK (SPX) Jun 29, 2021
On the morning of June 17, China launched its long-awaited Shenzhou-12 spacecraft, carrying three Chinese astronauts - or taikonauts - towards the Tianhe core module. The module itself was launched at the end of April, forming part of the permanent Tiangong space station, which is planned to remain in orbit for the next ten years. China's construction of its own space station stems from th

What do astronauts, rockstars, scientists and communicators have in common? You’ll find some of the best at this year’s 5-hour live Asteroid Day broadcast, bringing to life the smallest known worlds in the Solar System – with the potential to make a huge impact here on Earth.

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Retro meets retrofit: The Novespace Air Zero G aircraft is seen here next to Douglas the 1962 VW Transporter. The two are in Paderborn, Germany for the 76^th ESA Parabolic Flight Campaign.

The refitted A310 Air Zero G aircraft flies in parabolas that offer teams from various research institutes and universities altered states of gravity  to perform experiments and technology demonstrations. Experiments span many disciplines including complex fluidics and human physiology, and this campaign is no exception. 

Running from 25 June to 1 July, the 76^th campaign features an experiment studying the effect of gravity on hydrodynamics to better protect

London, UK (SPX) Jun 29, 2021
OneWeb, the global communications network powered from Space, and BT (BT.L), one of the world's leading communication services companies, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to explore the provision of improved digital communication services to some of the hardest to reach parts of the UK. The groundbreaking agreement between OneWeb and BT comes as investment in expanding mode

Paris (ESA) Jun 29, 2021
Using data originally gathered for spacecraft 'housekeeping' aboard ESA's Rosetta and Mars Express missions, scientists have revealed how intense bursts of high-energy radiation, known as cosmic rays, behave at Mars and throughout the inner Solar System. Housekeeping data are gathered by most spacecraft and components, and is used by engineering teams to monitor spacecraft health and diagn

Santa Barbara CA (SPX) Jun 29, 2021
A worldwide team led by UC Santa Barbara scientists at Las Cumbres Observatory has discovered the first convincing evidence for a new type of stellar explosion - an electron-capture supernova. While they have been theorized for 40 years, real-world examples have been elusive. They are thought to arise from the explosions of massive super-asymptotic giant branch (SAGB) stars, for which ther

Washington DC (SPX) Jun 29, 2021
Some exoplanet searches could be missing nearly half of the Earth-sized planets around other stars. New findings from a team using the international Gemini Observatory and the WIYN 3.5-meter Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory suggest that Earth-sized worlds could be lurking undiscovered in binary star systems, hidden in the glare of their parent stars. As roughly half of all stars are i

Belfast UK (SPX) Jun 29, 2021
Jupiter's clouds have water conditions that would allow Earth-like life to exist, but this isn't possible in Venus' clouds, according to the groundbreaking finding of new research led by a Queen's University Belfast scientist. For some decades, space exploration missions have looked for evidence of life beyond Earth where we know that large bodies of water, such as lakes or oceans, exist o