Paris, France (SPX) Apr 01, 2025
The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded Airbus the contract to design and construct the landing platform for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover, marking a major step forward for the mission targeting a 2028 launch. The European-led initiative will search for traces of life, past or present, on Mars. Airbus teams in the UK will handle development of the platform's mechanical systems, t

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 01, 2025
An international team of scientists has unraveled the story behind the April 2019 fall of rare meteorites near Aguas Zarcas in northern Costa Rica, highlighting that these so-called "mudball" meteorites can be much more robust than previously assumed. "27 kilos of rocks were recovered, making this the largest fall of its kind since similar meteorites fell near Murchison in Australia in 196

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 01, 2025
Gravitics has secured a Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) award from SpaceWERX, a division of the U.S. Space Force, which could provide up to $60 million in combined government, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), and private investment to advance and flight-test its Orbital Carrier system. The Orbital Carrier is a novel in-space logistics platform that enables the pre-positionin

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Apr 01, 2025
Isar Aerospace, a startup emerging from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), has successfully completed the inaugural test flight of its launch vehicle. This marks a historic milestone as the first orbital-class rocket launch conducted from Western European soil. The new vehicle is engineered to deploy small and mid-sized satellites into orbit, a capability that is growing increasingly esse

Paris, France (SPX) Apr 01, 2025
A key achievement for European commercial spaceflight has been achieved as Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket completes a brief but successful maiden test flight from Norway's Andoya Spaceport, ascending for 30 seconds and clearing the pad in a vital demonstration of its liftoff capabilities. Spectrum, a two-stage launch vehicle developed by German company Isar Aerospace, stands 28 meters ta

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 01, 2025
The ice giant Uranus, known for its peculiar sideways rotation, has revealed new atmospheric secrets thanks to a 20-year observational campaign using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Through precise imaging and spectral data collected over two decades, researchers have mapped long-term atmospheric dynamics and composition changes that offer key insights into this distant world. This extensiv

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 02, 2025
Expedition 72 astronauts kicked off the week by strapping on wearable sensors and engaging in workout regimens designed to help researchers understand how the human body adjusts to spaceflight. These investigations not only monitor health but also shape future countermeasures for long-duration missions in microgravity. NASA Flight Engineer Nichole Ayers wore a biometric vest and headband o

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 02, 2025
MDA Space Ltd. (TSX: MDA), a trusted partner in the global space sector, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire SatixFy Communications Ltd. (NYSE American: SATX), a provider of advanced satellite communications technology. The all-cash deal values SatixFy at approximately US$193 million (C$278 million), with shareholders receiving US$2.10 per share. The acquisition aims to broaden MDA Spac

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Apr 02, 2025
China has deployed four experimental satellites into orbit as part of efforts to advance integrated space-based internet capabilities, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. Launched aboard a Long March 2D rocket at noon on Saturday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, the satellites belong to the Space-based Internet Technology Demonstrator p

Paris, France (SPX) Apr 02, 2025
With its scheduled launch date of 29 April fast approaching, ESA's Biomass satellite has reached a critical stage in final preparations at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. After three weeks of detailed pre-launch activities, the satellite's propulsion subsystem has been fully checked and deemed ready for fuelling. Led by the OHB-Sweden team, engineers completed the checkout of the prop