Redmond, Washington (SPX) May 29, 2024
Power to Explore is a NASA essay writing competition organized by Future Engineers. It invites K-12 students to envision an RPS-powered space mission to a "dark, dusty, or distant" destination. In 250 words or less, we were asked to describe: + the mission destination and goals br> + the importance of radioisotope power systems in the mission br> + our unique "power" that will help

Los Angeles CA (SPX) May 30, 2024
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTS), and Verizon (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) have announced a strategic partnership with a $100 million commitment from Verizon to provide direct-to-cellular AST SpaceMobile service for Verizon customers when needed. "This new partnership with Verizon will enable AST SpaceMobile to target 100% coverage of the continental United States on premium 850 MHz spectrum wit

Sydney, Australia (SPX) May 30, 2024
Four innovative space startups from around the globe have joined South Australia's Venture Catalyst Space program. This initiative supports early-stage technology-based space startups in scaling their businesses. Since its inception in 2018, Venture Catalyst Space has supported 36 startups, helping them secure $31 million in investments and grants and create over 220 space jobs. The progra

Berlin, Germany (SPX) May 30, 2024
During a live broadcast, Kongsberg NanoAvionics ("NanoAvionics") announced the full standardization of its nano- and microsatellite buses. This move aims to cut lead times to as little as four months for bus manufacturing, reduce costs, and enhance reliability. The standardization enables quicker and more cost-effective mission launches. For missions with specific requirements, NanoAvionics cont

Los Angeles CA (SPX) May 30, 2024
Researchers at Brown University have developed a new approach to mapping the Moon's surface, offering improved precision and efficiency. The study, published in the Planetary Science Journal, introduces enhancements to the shape-from-shading technique, which helps create detailed models of lunar terrain by analyzing light reflections. The technique, refined by Brown scholars Benjamin Boatw

Paris, France (SPX) May 30, 2024
As ESA's Hera spacecraft undergoes pre-flight testing, its Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC) system is also being finalized for space operations around a binary asteroid system. The GNC system is being validated through virtual maneuvers conducted in Spain and Germany. At GMV's headquarters in Madrid, Hera's On-Board Computer is tested using a model asteroid for realistic proximity ope

Los Angeles CA (SPX) May 30, 2024
When NASA's Lucy spacecraft flew past its first official target, Dinkinesh, in November 2023, researchers discovered that the asteroid, known as "Dinky," was accompanied by a satellite asteroid named "Selam." Further data from Lucy revealed that Selam is not a single moon but a contact binary-two moons fused together. The Lucy team, including University of Maryland Professor Jessica Sunshi

Los Angeles CA (SPX) May 30, 2024
The search for life beyond Earth drives space exploration, and the discovery of clay minerals on Mars continues to captivate scientists. Clay formation, linked to rocks interacting with water, provides insights into the past habitability of Mars. Western planetary geologists Livio Tornabene and Gordon Osinski lead an international team to study clay formation on Mars. Supported by a three-

Sydney, Australia (SPX) May 30, 2024
Galactic Energy, a private rocket maker in Beijing, completed the second sea-based launch mission of its Ceres 1 carrier rocket on Wednesday afternoon. The company said in a news release that the rocket blasted off at 4:12 pm from a mobile launch platform - a modified deck barge - in the Yellow Sea off the eastern province of Shandong and then sent four satellites into an orbit about 850 k

Los Angeles CA (SPX) May 30, 2024
Starlab Space LLC, the joint venture between Voyager Space, Airbus, and Mitsubishi Corporation, has announced that MDA Space Ltd. (TSX:MDA) has joined as a strategic partner and equity owner. This partnership expands the venture's reach into Canada. MDA Space, known for its human-rated space robotics and the developer of the Canadarm robotics family, will provide external robotics, robotic