Copernical Team
Video: Solar Orbiter speeds toward its next rendezvous with the sun
Write a comment
The ESA-led Solar Orbiter mission arrives at its next close approach to the sun on 12 October 2022 at 19:12 UTC (21:12 CEST). This sequence of images shows the progress of the ESA/NASA spacecraft as it heads inwards on its voyage of discovery. The sequence begins on 20 September and finishes on 10 October.
The sequence was taken by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) using the Full sun Imager (FSI) telescope, and shows the sun at a wavelength of 17 nanometers. This wavelength is emitted by gas in the sun's atmosphere with a temperature of around one million degrees. The color on this image has been artificially added because the original wavelength detected by the instrument is invisible to the human eye.
So much of modern society relies on spacecraft in orbit around Earth to provide essential communications and navigation. Understanding more about the sun and the "space weather" it generates will help companies operate their satellites around Earth safely and securely.
Nano-material diet can mean safer, slimmer satellites
Write a comment
A miniscule special ingredient blended with satellite materials could lead to significant mass savings for future missions. An ESA project with Adamant Composites in Greece tested how the addition of graphene – microscopic flakes of carbon just a single atom thick, combining robust strength with electrical conductivity – plus other nano-sized materials has the potential to optimise a satellite’s thermal and electrical properties.
ViaSat-3 satellite completes mechanical environmental testing
Write a comment
Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) reports that reports that the ViaSat-3 Americas satellite has completed mechanical environmental testing. This is a significant milestone that is designed to verify the satellite can endure the rigors of launch and continues the momentum for launch later this year.
During mechanical environmental testing, the ViaSat-3 Americas satellite was subjected to simulatio Goddard awards contract to SpaceLink for technology demonstration
Write a comment
SpaceLink, a company that provides secure data relay from any orbit, any time, announced it was awarded a contract by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) to study how commercial optical ground terminals will integrate into the Near Space Network. The funded study includes a demonstration of end-to-end transport of multi-source data at the SpaceLink gateway in the Mojave Desert.
SpaceLi Second batch of Airbus' Sparkwing solar panels selected by Aerospacelab
Write a comment
An additional six of Airbus' Sparkwing solar panels have been selected by Aerospacelab to accommodate their ramp up towards higher satellite production volumes. The panels are designed and produced at Airbus' Dutch site in Leiden. The ordered configuration, consisting of two single panel wings, each measuring 1070x570mm, is identical to the set recently delivered by Airbus for the first flight m Airbus Ventures leads Solestial's oversubscribed $10M seed round
Write a comment
Airbus Ventures announces its newest lead investment in Solestial, Inc. ("Solestial"), the solar energy company for space. The round was joined by AEI HorizonX, GPVC, Stellar Ventures, Industrious Ventures, and others. This new funding will be used to ramp up production and customer engagement capabilities, as the company expands ground and flight testing in parallel; additional investments in R Slovakia becomes ESA Associate Member state
Write a comment
Following its unanimous approval by ESA Council on 17 March, the Association Agreement between ESA and the Slovak Republic was signed on 14 June at ESA ESTEC in Noordwijk, The Netherlands.
Mars and Jupiter moons meet
Write a comment
ESA’s Mars Express has captured the rare moment of Mars’ small moon Deimos passing in front of Jupiter and its four largest moons – the focus of ESA’s upcoming Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer launching next year. Celestial alignments like these enable a more precise determination of the martian moons’ orbits.
NASA study suggests shallow lakes in Europa's icy crust could erupt
Write a comment
New research makes hypotheses that NASA's Europa Clipper can test: Any plumes or volcanic activity at the Jovian moon's surface are caused by shallow lakes in its icy crust.
In the search for life beyond Earth, subsurface bodies of water in our outer solar system are some of the most important targets. That's why NASA is sending the Europa Clipper spacecraft to Jupiter's moon Europa: There Sharpest Earth-based images of Europa and Ganymede reveal their icy landscape
Write a comment
The cocktail of chemicals that make up the frozen surfaces on two of Jupiter's largest moons are revealed in the most detailed images ever taken of them by a telescope on Earth.
Planetary scientists from the University of Leicester's School of Physics and Astronomy have unveiled new images of Europa and Ganymede, two future destinations for exciting new missions to the Jovian system. 
