Copernical Team
Space Team Europe: Ariane 6 launch pad operations are GO
With the transfer and standing up of Ariane 6’s central core and the integration of its two solid-fuel boosters, all stages of the first Ariane 6 rocket have been transferred to the launch pad in French Guiana – marking the beginning of operations.
While the qualification of the launcher and launch system has been underway here, on the European continent, the final tests have been carried out on the upper stage at the German Aerospace Centre’s (DLR) test facility in Lampoldshausen, Germany.
And, many of the elements that will make up the second, third, fourth, up to sixth flights
New turbulence transition discovered in fusion plasmas
Fusion energy is that released when two light nuclei combine to form a single heavier one (nuclear fusion reaction). Fusion energy-based power generation (fusion power plant) uses the energy generated when deuterium and tritium combine to form helium. A nuclear fusion reaction does not produce carbon dioxide. In addition, since it is possible to extract deuterium and tritium from the sea water,
Planet Labs Teams Up with NVIDIA for Enhanced Satellite Insights
Planet Labs PBC (NYSE: PL), a provider of daily data and insights about Earth, announced a collaboration with NVIDIA to enhance onboard processing capabilities for its Pelican-2 satellite. Planet will use the NVIDIA Jetson edge AI platform for its next-generation high-resolution mission and will fly the technology on its Pelican-2 satellite, launching later this year. NVIDIA GPU accelerate
Diagnosing damaged infrastructure from space
As infrastructure ages, it becomes more susceptible to failure, which can cause safety and mobility concerns for drivers and pedestrians, and economic woes for taxpayers. A recent study published in "Transportation Research Record shows that high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite data can detect infrastructure issues early on, which can help prevent further damage to roads in t
Slingshot Aerospace and DARPA Create AI to Detect Anomalous Satellites
Slingshot Aerospace, Inc. has collaborated with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop Agatha, an AI system designed to identify anomalous spacecraft in large satellite constellations. With over 10,000 satellites planned for deployment by various international entities, verifying the operation of these satellites is critical. "Agatha represents a breakthroug
NASA's Repository Advances Research on Commercial Astronaut Health
NASA's Open Science Data Repository provides valuable information to researchers studying the impact of space on the human body. Nearly three years after the Inspiration4 commercial crew launch, biological data from the mission represents the first comprehensive, open-access database to include commercial astronaut health information. Access to astronaut research data from astronauts has h
Hainan Launch Center Completes Construction for First Mission
Construction of the Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Center has been completed in Wenchang, Hainan province, after nearly two years of work, the center announced in a news release. The center's second launch service tower was finished on Thursday, and engineers have started preparing it for its maiden launch mission - the debut flight of the Long March 12 carrier rocket.
NASA Swift Satellite and AI Improve Measurement of Gamma-Ray Bursts
Astronomers are utilizing AI to measure the expansion of the universe. Two studies led by Maria Dainotti, a visiting professor with UNLV's Nevada Center for Astrophysics and assistant professor at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), applied machine learning models to enhance distance measurements for gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). GRBs are the most luminous explosions in the univers
NASA satellite detects smaller object in black hole pair for the first time
Several international research groups have confirmed that two black holes exist at the center of the distant galaxy OJ 287, a theory first suggested by astronomers at the University of Turku, Finland. A new study shows that satellite observations conducted in 2021 revealed the smaller black hole of the pair for the first time. In 2021, NASA's exoplanet-hunting satellite was pointed towards
Intuitive Machines Achieves Lunar Landing with Sciaky EBAM Component
Sciaky has extended its pioneering work in additive manufacturing to lunar exploration by producing a critical part for Intuitive Machines' IM-1 mission to the Moon. Using a refractory alloy and one of its Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing (EBAM) systems, Sciaky completed the upper section of the main engine nozzle in just sixteen hours. This part is vital for the main thrust during descent,