Copernical Team
A circular economy to tackle space junk
Southampton researchers have developed the world's first robust method for estimating the value and mass of space junk.
A fully circular economy for space—removing space junk and reusing or recycling it—is a viable possibility to safeguard the future for satellites and space exploration, according to new research from the University of Southampton.
The research estimates there is billions, potentially trillions, of dollars' worth of recyclable materials, in the form of space junk (mission debris and defunct satellites), orbiting the Earth. Knowing what is 'out there' will enable viable solutions to the growing problem to be effectively and justifiably pursued.
Space junk is a form of pollution that poses a threat to future space exploration and satellites—which we rely heavily on here on Earth.
As of January 2021, the US Space Surveillance Network reported 21,901 artificial objects in orbit around Earth, including almost 4,500 functioning satellites. But these are just the objects large enough to be tracked. There is also estimated to be more than 128 million pieces of debris smaller than 1cm, more than 900,000 pieces measuring 1cm to 10cm, and 34,000 pieces larger than 10cm.
Europe’s next radar satellite tip-top for flight
Following its arrival at Thales Alenia Space’s cleanroom facilities in the south of France last October, Europe’s next radar satellite, Copernicus Sentinel-1C, has been put through its paces in a series of tests and demonstrated that it is in tip-top condition for flight. Engineers have also carried out the all-important and precise check to ensure that the satellite fits on the adapter that connects it to the rocket that will take it into orbit.
Artemis II main engine
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Artemis II main engine Artemis II: main engine nozzle install
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Artemis II: main engine nozzle install Chile battles raging wildfires
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Deadly wildfires continue to rage in south-central Chile destroying hundreds of thousands of hectares of land across the country. Satellite images captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission on 4 February show the ongoing fires and heatwave in South America. Industry Day: find out how to take part in low-orbit satnav testing
ESA is embarking on the in-orbit demonstration of a new satellite navigation constellation operating much closer to our planet, utilising novel frequencies and capabilities, so the Agency is looking for European companies interested in taking part. Attend ESA’s LEO-PNT Industry Day on 7 March at ESA’s ESTEC technical centre in the Netherlands to find out more.
Meteorologist turned engineer creates clouds for icing research
Emily Timko has the power to control the temperature, form wispy clouds, create ice crystals, and produce powerful gusts of wind. She has a lot in common with Queen Elsa from the movie "Frozen," but she's actually much cooler.
Timko is an icing cloud calibration engineer at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and works with a team of 14 other engineers and technicians to characterize CACI contracts with US Army to develop and test demonstration satellite payloads
CACI International Inc (NYSE: CACI) signed a five-year cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Technical Center (USASMDC-TC) to further the development of advanced payload technologies, space sensor applications, and resilient Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT).
Previously, CACI announced a 2023 satellite launch to test a mu UConn study clears up cloudy data for improved satellite imagery
A cloudy day can ruin a trip to the beach, a scenic picnic, and lots of other outdoor activities.
But clouds in satellite imagery are also a big issue for remote sensing and land change scientists.
When scientists want to study how land surface is changing, they often use composite images consisting of multiple satellite images of the same place to create a representative "snapshot" Building a catalog of lunar trash to track
Scientists and government agencies have been worried about the space junk surrounding Earth for decades. But humanity's starry ambitions are farther reaching than the space just around Earth. Ever since the 1960s with the launch of the Apollo program and the emergence of the space race between the U.S. and Soviet Union, people have been leaving trash around the Moon, too.
Today, experts es 
