Paris (AFP) Oct 4, 2024
Europe's Hera probe is tentatively scheduled to launch Monday on a mission to inspect the damage a NASA spacecraft made when it smashed into an asteroid during the first test of Earth's planetary defences. In a scene that sounds straight out of science fiction, the spacecraft deliberately crashed into the pyramid-sized asteroid Dimorphos in 2022, roughly 11 million kilometres (6.8 million mi

Paris, France (SPX) Oct 04, 2024
The newly redesigned Zefiro-40 solid rocket motor, serving as the second stage of the Vega-C rocket, successfully underwent its second firing today. The test was conducted by Avio, the prime contractor, at the Salto di Quirra test site in Sardinia, Italy. This marks the final qualification test for the Zefiro-40's upgraded engine nozzle, following an initial test in May 2024. Engineers are

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 04, 2024
Sierra Space, a prominent player in commercial space and defense technology, announced it has been awarded a competitive contract by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for the Rocket Experimentation for Global Agile Logistics (REGAL) program. This contract will enable Sierra Space to advance logistics and material retrieval from space, setting new standards in global logistics innovation.

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 04, 2024
United Launch Alliance's second Vulcan rocket successfully lifted off from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 7:25 a.m. EDT on Friday, following a short delay due to a countdown sequence issue. The launch, originally set for 6.30 a.m., was rescheduled to 7:25 am after adjusting the countdown sequence. This mission is part of a critical certification process with the

Image: This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image captures the intricate blend of natural, rural and urban landscapes around Kunshan, a city in eastern China.

In a final test before its shipping to its Indian launch site, ESA’s eclipse-making double-satellite Proba-3 mission has received commands from its science team and transmitted images back, exactly as it will operate in orbit.

Image: ESA's third European Service Module is connected to the Crew Module Adapter at NASA's Kennedy Space Center

To achieve truly global connectivity, telecommunications satellites are essential. Through the Sunrise Partnership Project with Eutelsat OneWeb – part of Eutelsat Group – and support from the UK Space Agency, ESA is extending advanced 5G connectivity to areas beyond the reach of traditional ground networks.