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On 26 March and enduring temperatures of some 500 degrees Celsius from within the orbit of planet Mercury, Solar Orbiter returned spectacular imagery of the Sun during its first close encounter with our home star. Detailed new movies show activity in the solar atmosphere and reveal a variety of features, including something scientists are nicknaming ‘the hedgehog’ with spikes of hot gas reaching out in all directions. 

Solar Orbiter’s ten science instruments are now all working together for the first time. Some are looking at the Sun while others are simultaneously measuring the environment around the spacecraft, enabling

Beijing (XNA) May 17, 2022
The Chinese Survey Space Telescope, also known as the Chinese Space Station Telescope or the Xuntian Space Telescope, is a space-based optical observatory that will allow astronomers to conduct surveys by capturing a general map or images of the sky. The CSST is a bus-sized facility, whose length is equal to that of a three-story building. Although it has an aperture of 2 meters, a little

Kennedy Space Center FL (SPX) May 17, 2022
When Artemis I is ready to launch, a range of personnel from NASA, industry, and several international partners will be poised to support the mission. Before they get to launch day, the alignment of the Earth and Moon will determine when the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the uncrewed Orion spacecraft atop it can launch, along with several criteria for rocket and spacecraft performance.

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) May 18, 2022
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) reports that the company has developed an on-orbit additive-manufacturing technology that uses photosensitive resin and solar ultraviolet light for the 3D printing of satellite antennas in the vacuum of outer space. The novel technology makes use of a newly developed liquid resin that was custom formulated for stability in vacuum. The resin ena

Boca Raton FL (SPX) May 18, 2022
Terran Orbital Corporation (NYSE: LLAP), a global leader in satellite solutions, primarily serving the United States aerospace and defense industry, has announced it delivered its CubeSat Proximity Operations Demonstration (CPOD) satellite to the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida for integration into the SpaceX Transporter-5 launch vehicle. The CPOD project is being led by Terr

Moscow (Sputnik) May 17, 2022
Iran continues production of seven homegrown satellites, which may be launched in March next year when designers are expected to put final touches on the projects, Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported on Monday, citing the head of the Iranian Space Agency, Hassan Salarieh. The spacecraft that are planned for the 2023 launch include the already manufactured Iranian Nahid, Pars-1 and

Tyndall AFB FL (SPX) May 13, 2022
The Department of Defense designated First Air Force as 'Air Forces Space' (AFSPACE), and the fifth service component to U.S. Space Command May 3. The change postures First Air Force to provide airpower expertise and advocacy in support of USSPACECOM's mission to conduct operations in, from and to space while integrating spacepower into the support of First Air Force's homeland defense mis

Tucson AZ (The Conversation) May 17, 2022
If a person is lost in the wilderness, they have two options. They can search for civilization, or they could make themselves easy to spot by building a fire or writing HELP in big letters. For scientists interested in the question of whether intelligent aliens exist, the options are much the same. For over 70 years, astronomers have been scanning for radio or optical signals from other ci

Palm Beach FL (SPX) May 18, 2022
The 'Space-as-a-service', 'Satellite-as-a-service' and 'Space Data as a Service' are the newest business models of Space Industry, according to a recent report from International Defense, Security and Technology Inc (IDST). They said that the modern space industry is witnessing exponential growth in small satellite and nanosatellite areas. Nanosatellite and microsatellite refer to miniaturized s