Week in images: 10-14 March 2025

Discover our week through the lens

After a hectic four years of work ESA’s Hera mission for planetary defence was launched into space and has just flown by Mars. As a keepsake of the spacecraft they channelled so much effort into, the Hera team also commissioned the building of a detailed LEGO model – as well as smaller variants that you can go ahead and build for yourself!

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 11, 2025
China's Earth observation capabilities have advanced with the recent launch of two new satellites, further expanding its remote sensing constellation. The newly deployed satellites aim to offer global services and compete with leading international providers such as Maxar in the U.S. and Airbus in Europe, according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The constella

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Mar 13, 2025
China's commercial space industry is gaining momentum, and experts are calling for collaborative efforts between government entities, trade organizations, and enterprises to develop a comprehensive roadmap ensuring the sector's sustainable growth. According to Wang Runfu, a senior researcher at the China Academy of Space Technology, the sector aligns with the nation's broader economic stra

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 13, 2025
Sidus Space (NASDAQ: SIDU), a leading space mission solutions provider, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Warpspace, a Japanese space technology firm specializing in near real-time high-speed communication networks. This agreement paves the way for a Joint Venture aimed at advancing integrated solutions for cutting-edge satellite communications and mission operations. "Th

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 13, 2025
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB), a premier launch provider and space systems company, is set to achieve a new milestone with two Electron launches scheduled just three days apart from its private launch facility in New Zealand, marking a first for the company. The upcoming Electron mission for iQPS is planned for no earlier than March 15th NZDT. This will be swiftly followed by another

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 13, 2025
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB), a leading provider of launch services and space systems, has announced its intention to acquire a controlling equity stake in Mynaric AG, a prominent developer of laser optical communications terminals. The proposed acquisition is contingent upon receiving necessary governmental approvals and the successful completion of Mynaric's ongoing StaRUG restructuring

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 13, 2025
Quantum Space, a pioneer in advanced space operations, has unveiled a new suite of life extension services designed to enhance satellite mission longevity and operational flexibility. Utilizing its agile Ranger spacecraft, the company aims to provide mission extension, orbital repositioning, and refueling solutions to meet the increasing demand for sustainable and cost-effective satellite manage

Riverside CA (SPX) Mar 13, 2025
Scientists have identified a promising new way to detect life on faraway planets, hinging on worlds that look nothing like Earth and gases rarely considered in the search for extraterrestrials. In a new Astrophysical Journal Letters paper, researchers from the University of California, Riverside, describe these gases, which could be detected in the atmospheres of exoplanets - planets outsi

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 13, 2025
For over a century, astronomers have been intrigued by Barnard's Star, the closest single-star system to Earth, in their quest to identify planetary bodies orbiting it. Initially observed in 1916 by E. E. Barnard at Yerkes Observatory, this red dwarf has long been a target for exoplanet research. Red dwarfs are known for their propensity to host compact planetary systems, often composed of multi