Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 10, 2024
NASA researchers have announced the discovery of seven additional dark comets, celestial bodies that appear asteroid-like but exhibit cometary behavior. This finding doubles the total known count to 14 and reveals two distinct populations based on size, location, and orbital characteristics within the solar system.

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Dec 10, 2024
The Long March 8A rocket, developed to become China's primary launch vehicle for medium- and low-Earth orbit missions, is set to make its maiden flight in January 2025, as announced by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT). On Monday, the rocket was loaded onto a ship to begin its journey to the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan province, South China. "The Long Mar

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 10, 2024
TransAstra has announced a pivotal agreement with the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), which manages the ISS National Lab, to conduct an in-space demonstration of its Capture Bag technology. The demonstration, scheduled for late 2025, will see CASIS covering half of the transactional costs for this mission. This initiative highlights TransAstra's efforts to address o

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Dec 10, 2024
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has successfully executed a suborbital hypersonic mission in November, advancing technology testing for the Department of Defense under the Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed (MACH-TB) initiative. The MACH-TB project, designed to enhance hypersonic flight testing capabilities, supports technology development for the United States. Thi

Washington DC (UPI) Dec 8, 2024
SpaceX early Sunday launched 23 Starlink spacecraft from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The 229-foot tall Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40 at 12:11 a.m. as it lit up the sky. The first stage booster landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas drone ship on the Atlantic Ocean 8 1/2 minutes later. This was the second time this booster l

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 10, 2024
Blue Origin has announced that its Blue Ring Pathfinder payload is prepared for integration ahead of the inaugural flight of its New Glenn rocket, NG-1, slated for later this year. This mission will also mark New Glenn's first certification flight under the National Security Space Launch program. Following the successful completion of a hotfire test, the payload will be mounted on the rocket at

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 10, 2024
Preparations for an upcoming spacewalk highlighted the beginning of the week aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as the Expedition 72 crew members also engaged in a variety of research tasks across physics and biology. Roscosmos Flight Engineers Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner focused their Monday schedule on preparing for a spacewalk scheduled for Dec. 19. The pair will exit thro

Madrid, Spain (SPX) Dec 10, 2024
Portuguese aerospace firm Neuraspace, a leading player in Space Traffic Management (STM), has activated its second optical telescope, now operational in Chile. This addition provides southern hemisphere coverage, complementing its first telescope located at Portugal's Beja air base. Together, these installations enable comprehensive global satellite tracking through Neuraspace's own systems, aug

Madrid, Spain (SPX) Dec 10, 2024
PLD Space, the Spanish aerospace company specializing in reusable space launchers, has obtained euro 11 million in financing from COFIDES to propel the development of its MIURA 5 rocket launch site at the Guiana Space Centre (CSG) in Kourou, French Guiana. The total planned investment for the project, encompassing development, construction, and operations, stands at euro 16 million. This strat

On 1 December 2024, BepiColombo flew past Mercury for the fifth time. During this flyby, BepiColombo became the first spacecraft ever to observe Mercury in mid-infrared light. The new images reveal variations in temperature and composition across the planet's cratered surface.