Copernical Team
How dangerous is Polaris Dawn space walk from SpaceX Crew Dragon?
Billionaire Jared Isaacman could make history for all the right reasons during his Polaris Dawn mission when the hatch opens on a SpaceX Crew Dragon and he ventures out into the vacuum of space.
He's sold on its safety, especially the sheer amount of development time in the new extravehicular activity suits all four members of the crew will have to wear during what would be the first commercial space walk in history.
"I mean, an absolutely extensive amount of time has gone into it," he said during a press conference after arriving to KSC last week. "It is rightfully. Why would it be the riskiest part? Because you're throwing away all the safety of your vehicle, right? And it now comes down to your suit becomes your spaceship."
Isaacman and crewmates Scott Poteet, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon are set to launch in the Crew Dragon Resilience atop a Falcon 9 rocket from KSC's Launch Pad 39-A early Tuesday, targeting liftoff at 3:38 a.m. Eastern time during a roughly four-hour window.
Poteet is a former Air Force pilot, while Gillis and Menon are SpaceX employees as the Polaris Program, which will feature up to three spaceflights including this one, is a partnership between Isaacman and Elon Musk's company to push the boundaries for commercial space.
Webb peeks into Perseus
One Planet Group strengthens collaboration with Starfish International in The Gambia
Starfish International, an organization committed to empowering girls in The Gambia, recently welcomed a second delegation from One Planet Group to experience firsthand the significant impact of their programs. Starfish International focuses on delivering quality education and mentorship to Gambian girls, helping them develop into confident, well-educated,
Kenneth Possenriede Joins Rocket Lab Board of Directors
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) announced the addition of Kenneth (Ken) Possenriede to its Board of Directors. Mr. Possenriede, who brings with him extensive financial and industry experience, joins Rocket Lab after a distinguished 35-year tenure at Lockheed Martin Corporation, where he served in various financial leadership roles, including Chief Financial Officer (CFO). "Ken's deep a
Liquid Intelligent to expand 5G services across Africa and the Middle East
Liquid Intelligent Technologies (Liquid), a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies, has announced a strategic partnership with Globalstar, a U.S.-based leader in connectivity, to roll out advanced 5G solutions across Africa, the Middle East, and the Gulf regions. Strive Masiyiwa, founder and Chairman of Liquid Intelligent Technologies, expressed enthusiasm about the potential of this collabora
NASA's EXCITE mission prepared for scientific balloon flight
Scientists and engineers are ready to fly an infrared mission called EXCITE (EXoplanet Climate Infrared TElescope) to the edge of space. EXCITE is designed to study atmospheres around exoplanets, or worlds beyond our solar system, during circumpolar long-duration scientific balloon flights. But first, it must complete a test flight during NASA's fall 2024 scientific ballooning campaign fr
Salsa Satellite's reentry to be observed live from the sky
On September 8, 2024, the first of the four Cluster satellites, known as Salsa, will reenter Earth's atmosphere in an uncontrolled "targeted reentry" over a remote area in the South Pacific Ocean. This event marks a significant moment in reentry observation as scientists seek to gather valuable data on satellite disintegration. In the nearly seven decades of space exploration, approximatel
SETI launches low-frequency search for extraterrestrial technology in distant galaxies
The SETI Institute, in collaboration with the Berkeley SETI Research Center and the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, has initiated a pioneering study using the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) in Western Australia. Led by Dr. Chenoa Tremblay of the SETI Institute and Prof. Steven Tingay of Curtin University, this research marks the first search for alien technology in galaxies b
LEO satellites enhance GPS accuracy through ground station integration
Ensuring precise Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) orbit and clock data is vital for various critical applications. A new method that integrates data from regional ground stations with measurements from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites has been shown to significantly improve the accuracy of GNSS orbits, advancing precision from meters to centimeters. This development is particularly bene
Cluster concludes with controlled reentry over South Pacific
On September 8, 2024, the first of four satellites from ESA's long-running Cluster mission will reenter Earth's atmosphere, descending over the South Pacific Ocean's Uninhabited Area. This event marks the conclusion of the 24-year mission, which has significantly advanced our understanding of Earth's magnetic environment. Although the remaining three satellites will no longer conduct scientific