Copernical Team
China successfully launches new Yaogan 43A remote sensing satellites
China has launched a new group of remote-sensing satellites using a Long March 4B carrier rocket, as confirmed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. The launch took place on Friday afternoon at 3:35 pm from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, located in Sichuan province, southwestern China. The payload, known as the Yaogan 43A satellites, was developed by the China Academy o
Spire Global Deploys Seven LEMUR Satellites via SpaceX Transporter-11
Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR), a leading provider of space-based data, analytics, and services, successfully launched seven new satellites aboard SpaceX's Transporter-11 mission. The launch occurred on August 16, 2024, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. This mission marks Spire's third launch of the year and the 41st overall, bringing the total number of satellites deployed
AI-Powered Satellite PiSat-2 Embarks on Earth Observation Mission
PiSat-2, the European Space Agency's innovative cubesat designed to transform Earth observation through artificial intelligence, has successfully launched into orbit. The satellite began its journey on August 16 at 20:56 CEST (11:56 local time) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA. Integrated by Exolaunch, PiSat-2 was part of the Transporter-1
Scientists identify new electromagnetic wave impacting Earth's radiation belts
Two researchers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks have identified a previously unknown type of electromagnetic wave, termed a "whistler," which plays a significant role in transporting lightning energy to Earth's magnetosphere. Vikas Sonwalkar, a professor emeritus, and Amani Reddy, an assistant professor, have discovered this new wave, which channels lightning energy into the ionosp
NASA Hosts Symposium on the Macroeconomic Impacts of Space Investments
NASA's Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy (OTPS) is set to host the "Macroeconomics of Space Symposium" on Thursday, September 5, 2024, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EDT at NASA Headquarters in the James Webb Auditorium. The event will also be accessible virtually via WebEx. The symposium will gather government officials and leading economic researchers to discuss the broader econom
ICEYE Expands SAR Constellation with Four New Satellites
ICEYE, a global leader in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite operations, has successfully launched four new SAR satellites, further expanding the world's largest SAR constellation. The launch took place on August 16, 2024, aboard SpaceX's Transporter-11 Rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA. The satellites, integrated via Exolaunch, have already established
Geomagnetic Superstorm in May Drives Significant Atmospheric Changes
On May 11, a spectacular aurora dazzled viewers across the southern United States, while a GPS-guided tractor veered off course in the Midwest. These seemingly unrelated events were both linked to a powerful geomagnetic storm, as highlighted in two recent studies co-authored by Virginia Tech's Scott England. "The northern lights are caused by energetic, charged particles hitting our upper
When the lights turned on in the universe
Watching crowds of people hustle along Massachusetts Avenue from her window seat in MIT's student center, Dominika Durovcikova has just one wish. "What I would really like to do is convince a city to shut down their lights completely, apart from hospitals or whatever else needs them, just for an hour," she says. "Let people see the Milky Way, or the stars. It influences you. You realize th
SpaceX launches Terran Orbital's Pathfinder-R and Pathfinder-4 satellites
Terran Orbital Corporation (NYSE: LLAP), a leading provider of satellite-based solutions for the aerospace and defense sectors, has successfully launched its Pathfinder-R (PTD-R) and Pathfinder-4 (PTD-4) spacecraft. These 6U Triumph class space vehicles were launched aboard SpaceX's Transporter-11 Rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on August 16. Both spacecraft are
Rocket Lab Prepares Twin Satellites for NASA Mars Mission Launch
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has successfully packed and shipped two spacecraft bound for Mars to Cape Canaveral, FL, where they will undergo final preparations for launch. These twin spacecraft, part of the Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) mission, were developed by Rocket Lab for the University of California Berkeley's Space Science Laboratory and NASA.