Houston TX (SPX) Feb 04, 2022
NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei has lived in space continuously for 300 days since launching and docking to the orbiting lab on April 9, 2021. He is on his way to surpassing Christina Koch's 328-day mission on March 3 and Scott Kelly's 340 days on March 15. Vande Hei will return to Earth on March 30 with a NASA astronaut record-breaking 355 consecutive days in Earth orbit. CAPCOM Woody Hobau

Orlando FL DC (UPI) Feb 04, 2022
A former NASA official revealed Thursday that his new space company, Maryland-based Quantum Space, plans to launch robotic satellite outposts to orbit the sun about a million miles from the Earth. The eventual goal is to provide easier and cheaper access to space while also limiting debris in Earth's orbit, Steve Jurczyk, Quantum CEO, told UPI in an interview. "We'd have a regular ca

Washington DC (SPX) Feb 04, 2022
At a press conference today, NSF's NOIRLab announced that it has been selected, along with the SKA Observatory (SKAO), by the International Astronomical Union to host the new IAU Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference. The center coordinates collaborative multidisciplinary international efforts with institutions and individuals and works acr

Charlotte NC (SPX) Feb 02, 2022
Satellogic Inc., a leader in sub-meter resolution satellite imagery collection, has announced a new partnership with Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:PLTR), a leading builder of operating systems for the modern enterprise. Under the agreement, Satellogic will leverage Palantir's Foundry platform, accelerating business processes, rapid image product delivery, AI model training, and enterprise-wid

Bellevue WA (SPX) Feb 02, 2022
New advances in 5G standards are creating opportunities to integrate non-terrestrial networks (NTN) into an interoperable, standardized wireless experience across the entire globe. Today, 5G Americas, the voice of 5G and 4G LTE for the Americas, announced the release of its latest white paper covering the role of 5G in satellite networks entitled, "5G and Non-Terrestrial Networks." Said Ch

Washington DC (SPX) Feb 04, 2022
This week, the three-month process of aligning the telescope began - and over the last day, Webb team members saw the first photons of starlight that traveled through the entire telescope and were detected by the Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) instrument. This milestone marks the first of many steps to capture images that are at first unfocused and use them to slowly fine-tune the telescope. This

London, UK (SPX) Feb 03, 2022
The UK will invest 1.4 billion pounds to bolster our national interests in space, as part of the first Defence Space Strategy published this week. Following publication of the National Space Strategy in September last year, the Defence Space Strategy (DSS) outlines how Defence will protect the UK's national interests in space in an era of ever-growing threats, stimulating growth across the

Could satellites be able to help track and map the marine plastic waste befouling our oceans? Research teams from across Europe returned to a Netherlands-based ocean wave test facility to try and detect floating plastic. Using a suite of microwave and optical instruments, the researchers are assessing if orbital monitoring of plastic might be practical in the future.

The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission takes us over Batura Glacier – one of the largest and longest glaciers in the world, outside of the polar regions.

Video: 00:48:00

Embark on a mission with ESA astronomers Mark McCaughrean and Giovanna Giardino to learn more about the James Webb Space Telescope and the early Universe. This programme is suitable for primary and secondary students. Join the quest!

Find more educational resources, videos and links about astronomy on ESA Education's Teach with Astronomy webpage.