Copernical Team
Watery Planets Orbiting Dead Stars Could Be Good Candidates for Life Study
The small footprint and dim light of white dwarfs, remnants of stars that have burned through their fuel, may make excellent backdrops for studying planets with enough water to harbor life. The challenge lies in detecting the shadow of a planet against a former star that has shrunk significantly and ensuring that it has maintained its water oceans for billions of years, even after enduring
Pair Plasmas Generated in Laboratory Setting
Black holes and neutron stars are among the densest known objects in the universe. Within and around these environments exist plasmas, the fourth state of matter alongside solids, liquids, and gases. Specifically, these plasmas are known as relativistic electron-positron pair plasmas because they consist of electrons and positrons moving at nearly the speed of light. While these plasmas ar
Mitsubishi Electric to Ship GaN MMIC Power Amplifier Samples for Ka-band SATCOM
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) announced today that it will begin shipping samples of 8W and 14W gallium nitride (GaN) monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) power amplifiers for use in Ka-band satellite-communication (SATCOM) earth stations from July 1. While the mainstream frequency for satellite communications is currently the Ku-band (13GHz to 14GHz), the higher
Voyager 1 Resumes Full Science Operations
The spacecraft has resumed gathering information about interstellar space. NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft is conducting normal science operations for the first time following a technical issue that arose in November 2023. The team partially resolved the issue in April when they prompted the spacecraft to begin returning engineering data, which includes information about the health and s
NASA's Perseverance Reaches Key Scientific Target in Ancient Riverbed
Initially considered a simple route free of obstructions, Neretva Vallis has presented numerous geological opportunities for the science team. After navigating through a dune field to avoid challenging boulders, NASA's Perseverance Mars rover arrived at its latest area of interest on June 9. The route change not only reduced travel time to the "Bright Angel" site by several weeks but also
Ovzon Introduces New Mobile Satellite Terminals
Ovzon has announced the launch of two new mobile satellite terminals, the Ovzon P20 and Ovzon P30. These ruggedized parabolic broadband terminals are designed for use in land, maritime, and airborne applications. The new terminals were developed with a focus on performance, mobility, and resiliency. They offer a variety of integration options, enhancing Ovzon's SATCOM-as-a-Service offering
Kayhan Space Launches Comprehensive Spaceflight Intelligence Platform
Kayhan Space has launched Satcat.com, a spaceflight intelligence exchange that aggregates historical and real-time data for objects and events in Earth's orbit. Satcat is designed for a wide range of users, from space enthusiasts to industry experts, offering a single platform for researching, analyzing, and referencing space-related data. While many resources provide essential information
Ovzon 3 satellite reaches geostationary orbit
Ovzon's proprietary satellite Ovzon 3 has reached its orbital position in the geostationary arc after a five-month journey. Initial tests conducted by manufacturing partner Maxar have been completed, and the satellite, including the Ovzon On-Board-Processor, will soon be handed over to Ovzon for further in-orbit testing. The satellite is expected to enter commercial service mid-year 2024, as pla
NASA Transitions Hubble to One-Gyro Mode for Continued Science Operations
NASA successfully transitioned operations for the agency's Hubble Space Telescope to an alternate operating mode that uses one gyro, returning the spacecraft to daily science operations Friday. The telescope and its instruments are stable and functioning normally. Hubble went into safe mode May 24 due to an ongoing issue with one of its gyroscopes (gyros), which measure the telescope's sle
China's Chang'e 6 Spacecraft Spotted by NASA's LRO on Lunar Far Side
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) captured an image of China's Chang'e 6 sample return spacecraft on the Moon's far side on June 7. Chang'e 6 had landed on June 1, and LRO imaged the lander on the rim of an eroded crater approximately 55 yards (50 meters) in diameter nearly a week later. The LRO Camera team calculated the landing site coordinates to be around 42 degrees south latit