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The SpaceX Crew Dragon ”Freedom” with the Axiom-3 crew inside as they undocked from the International Space Station on 7 February at 14:20 GM/15:20 CET. ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt together with Walter Villadei, Alper Gezeravcı and Michael López-Alegría spent 20 days in space, conducting science and technology demonstrations in a mission that can be described as a sprint.

Marcus’s mission to the Space Station is called “Muninn” after one of the ravens of the Norse god Odin, complementing the Huginn mission of Andreas Mogensen, fellow Scandinavian, and ESA astronaut. Marcus was part of the first commercial spaceflight for an

Week in images: 05-09 February 2024

Discover our week through the lens

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Feb 08, 2024
In the ongoing quest to discover habitable worlds beyond our solar system, a groundbreaking study spearheaded by Associate Professor Kazumi Ozaki from Tokyo Institute of Technology and Associate Researcher Yasuto Watanabe from The University of Tokyo introduces a novel criterion for identifying potentially habitable exoplanets. Published in the Astrophysical Journal on January 10, 2024, th

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 08, 2024
The moon's cratered surface, reminiscent of Swiss cheese, narrates a tale of celestial bombardment. These craters, however, are just the beginning of the story. The intense collisions that formed them also transformed the lunar regolith-the layer of loose, heterogeneous material covering solid rock-altering its mineral composition and structure. The Chang'e-5 mission, China's latest venture in l

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 08, 2024
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (NASDAQ: RKLB), a key player in the aerospace manufacturing and satellite launch sectors, has successfully closed its private offering of $355 million in 4.250% convertible senior notes due in 2029. This offering combines an upsized initial offering of $300 million with an additional $55 million option fully exercised by initial purchasers, underscoring strong investor confi

Washington (AFP) Feb 7, 2024
US companies are set to launch for the Moon on February 14, less than a month since a similar mission ended in failure with the spaceship burning up in the Earth's atmosphere, NASA said Wednesday. The upcoming attempt features a lander built by Houston-based Intuitive Machines fixed to the top of a SpaceX rocket, while the last try involved a United Launch Alliance rocket and Astrobotics lan

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 08, 2024
In a world where the final frontier is becoming as much a domain of lawyers and legislators as it is of astronauts and engineers, the inaugural Space Beach Law Lab conference is poised to mark a significant milestone in the evolving discourse of space law and policy. Set against the historical backdrop of the Queen Mary ocean liner in Long Beach, California, from February 27 to 29, 2024, this ev

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Feb 08, 2024
In the dynamic arena of global space exploration and satellite technology, China's private space sector marked a pivotal year of achievements and breakthroughs, firmly establishing itself as a formidable force on the international stage. The journey from state-dominated endeavors to the flourishing of private enterprises in space technology showcases not only the technological prowess but also t

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 08, 2024
Sidus Space, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIDU), a leader in satellite manufacturing, has recently made a significant move to bolster its intellectual property portfolio with the publication of a new U.S. patent application by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The application, numbered 2023/0406548-A1 (the '548 patent application), seeks to provide comprehensive protection for the innovative functionalitie

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 08, 2024
At NASA's Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio, Sierra Space's Dream Chaser spaceplane, paired with its Shooting Star cargo module, has captivated media and space industry professionals alike. Illuminated by soft blue lights, the 55-foot-tall assembly stands ready, undergoing a series of tests designed to simulate the harsh realities of space travel. Dr. Jimmy Kenyon, the center