Copernical Team
NASA telescope begins infrared map of entire sky
NASA's SPHEREx space telescope has officially launched into its primary science mission, capturing around 3,600 infrared images daily to produce an unprecedented full-sky map.
Following its March 11 launch, SPHEREx completed a six-week phase of checkouts and calibrations. On May 1, it began operations aimed at capturing high-resolution data on hundreds of millions of galaxies. The two-year Lockheed Martin completes Orion spacecraft for crewed Artemis II lunar mission
Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has finalized assembly and testing of NASA's Orion spacecraft for the Artemis II mission, officially transferring the vehicle to NASA's Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) team. This handover marks a major milestone in NASA's campaign to return humans to the Moon and lay the groundwork for eventual crewed missions to Mars.
Designed for deep space exploration, Orion Earth from Space: World’s biggest iceberg
Image:
The Ocean and Land Colour Instrument on Copernicus Sentinel-3 captured this image of Earth’s biggest iceberg, A23a, on 5 April 2025. Week in images: 28 April - 02 May 2025
Week in images: 28 April - 02 May 2025
Discover our week through the lens
ESA unveils longest-ever dataset on forest biomass
As the new Biomass satellite settles into life in orbit following its launch on 29 April, ESA has released its most extensive satellite-based maps of above-ground forest carbon to date. Spanning nearly two decades, the dataset offers the clearest global picture yet of how forest carbon stocks have changed over time.
Developed through ESA’s Climate Change Initiative, this new long-term record integrates data from multiple satellite missions – and will soon be further enhanced by data from the Biomass mission itself.
‘ELOPE’ with ESA’s moon landing guidance competition
Mapping the descent of a lunar lander, using nothing but data from an ‘event camera’ – this is the next challenge presented to the space community by the European Space Agency’s Advanced Concepts Team (ACT).
Space is a place to found a community not a colony
China's Shenzhou XIX crew has officially handed over control of the Tiangong space station to the incoming Shenzhou XX crew, marking another milestone in the nation's growing space ambitions. Following the successful completion of their mission objectives, the Shenzhou XIX astronauts are now preparing to return to Earth.
The Tiangong space station, which has seen multiple crewed missions o SFL Missions launches new era of small satellite innovation with expanded services
SFL Missions Inc. is charting a new path in small satellite development by building on the legacy of the Space Flight Laboratory (SFL), with an emphasis on affordability, innovation, and global service delivery.
Founded by Dr. Robert E. Zee, SFL Missions inherits over two decades of success from SFL, including 86 operational missions and more than 370 cumulative years of spacecraft perform Carbice thermal tech to enhance heat control on SWISSto12 HummingSat satellites
Carbice, known for its advanced thermal management solutions, has announced a new partnership with Swiss satellite manufacturer SWISSto12 to supply its Carbice Space Pad to the innovative HummingSat platform. This collaboration aims to address the escalating thermal challenges of compact, high-performance geostationary satellites.
As satellite systems grow increasingly powerful while shrin Apex secures 200 million to ramp up satellite bus production
Apex Space has closed a $200 million Series C funding round to expand its production of standardized, high-volume satellite buses. The funding, led by Point72 Ventures and co-led by 8VC, includes participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Washington Harbour Partners, StepStone Group, and other investors.
The investment will accelerate Apex's ability to meet growing demand from both government 