Copernical Team
New NASA astronauts graduate, eying moon—and Mars
After two years of rigorous training, ten Americans officially became astronauts on Tuesday, and are now eligible for planned NASA missions to the International Space Station, the moon, and—if all goes well—to Mars.
Two Emiratis who trained alongside them also graduated Tuesday during a ceremony at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Members of the class, nicknamed "The Flies," were selected from more than 12,000 applicants in 2021 and their training included simulated spacewalking, robotics, space station systems, and more.
"You are here because you are exceptional," said NASA associate administrator Jim Free. We ask you to sit on the pointy end of a rocket and risk your life to advance our nation's goal to explore the unknown.
Moon lander Odysseus has a new home and brings an artistic project along for the ride
The moon lander Odysseus, known as Odie, touched down on the moon's surface on February 22, becoming the first time the U.S. has landed on the moon in more than 50 years and the first commercial moon lander to successfully land on the moon. Along with its science payload, the spacecraft also brought along a fusion of art and space exploration, SETI Institute's Artist in Residence (SETI AIR), Felipe Pérez Santiago's Earthling Project, a collection of global musical compositions representing Earth's cultural diversity and harmony.
Intuitive Machines built Odie, and a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched it. The mission is one of several NASA contracted as part of its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.
"These recent commercial missions mark the beginning of a new chapter: humanity's permanent settlement on the moon. This leap forward requires the establishment of industries and services to support the complex infrastructure needed for lunar living.
Ariane 6 upper composite hoist
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Ariane 6 upper composite hoist Australia's first orbital launch facility license awarded to Bowen Spaceport
Australia is poised to make a giant leap in its space exploration and commercialization efforts with the green light for its first orbital launch site, the Bowen Orbital Spaceport, located in Queensland. This historic milestone comes with the approval of the country's inaugural orbital launch facility license under the Space (Launches and Returns) Act 2018, setting the stage for domestic and com Shenzhou 17 astronauts complete China's first in-space repair job
In a significant milestone for China's space exploration efforts, the Shenzhou XVII mission astronauts conducted a critical repair operation during their second spacewalk at the Tiangong space station, marking the first instance of such an endeavor by Chinese astronauts.
The China Manned Space Agency confirmed that mission commander Senior Colonel Tang Hongbo and crew member Lieutenant Col NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 mission docks with International Space Station
A SpaceX Dragon capsule successfully docked with the International Space Station early Tuesday, more than 24 hours after it launched from the Florida coast with three American astronauts and one Russian cosmonaut onboard.
The spacecraft docked with ISS' forward-facing Harmony module at 2:28 a.m. EST.
The opening of the vehicle's hatch is expected to take less than two hours after Further contract opportunities at Europe’s Spaceport
PYXIS Satellite Set to Enhance Satellite Technology with March 2024 SpaceX Launch
Axelspace Corporation, a Tokyo-based leader in the microsatellite sector, has announced the scheduled launch of its latest demonstration satellite, PYXIS. The launch is set to take place on March 4, 2024, utilizing SpaceX's reliable Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA. This mission, dubbed Transporter-10, aims to place PYXIS into a sun-synchronous orbit between 50 Iridium to Boost Secure Global Navigation with Satelles Acquisition
Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM), a global provider of satellite voice and data communication, disclosed its agreement to acquire Satelles, Inc., a company at the forefront of satellite-based time and location services. This move aims to complement and fortify GPS and other GNSS-reliant systems with Satelles's Satellite Time and Location (STL) service, a secure solution designed to imp NASA to demonstrate miniature CubeSat swarm technology
Preparations are underway for a new, small spacecraft technology demonstration that will test cost-efficient swarm capabilities - the ability for multiple spacecraft to communicate and perform coordinated actions. The PY4 mission's four CubeSats are slated to launch Monday March 4, 2:05 p.m. PST to low Earth orbit aboard SpaceX's Transporter-10 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Califor 
