Sydney, Australia (SPX) Jul 17, 2024
The University of Western Australia's TeraNet, a network of optical ground stations focused on high-speed space communications, has successfully captured laser signals from a German satellite in low Earth orbit. This achievement signals a potential 1,000-fold increase in communication bandwidth between space and Earth. Led by Associate Professor Sascha Schediwy from the UWA node at the Int

Paris, France (SPX) Jul 17, 2024
Teledyne e2v has announced the successful space qualification of its 8 GB DDR4 memory chip, expanding its edge compute solutions for space applications. This marks the completion of Teledyne e2v's initial DDR4 qualification, including all necessary upscreening activities such as temperature cycling, construction analysis, C-SAM, preconditioning, Temperature Humidity Bias, and radiation testing.

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 17, 2024
Most stars in our universe come in pairs. While our own Sun is a loner, many stars like our Sun orbit similar stars, while a host of other exotic pairings between stars and cosmic orbs pepper the universe. Black holes, for example, are often found orbiting each other. One pairing that has proved to be quite rare is that between a Sun-like star and a type of dead star called a neutron star.

Ithica NY (SPX) Jul 17, 2024
A new study of radar experiment data from the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn has yielded fresh insights related to the makeup and activity of the liquid hydrocarbon seas near the north pole of Titan, the largest of Saturn's 146 known moons. The key takeaway: Using data from several bistatic radar experiments, a Cornell University-led research team was able to separately analyze and esti

Paris, France (SPX) Jul 17, 2024
Thirty years ago, on July 16, 1994, astronomers witnessed the dramatic collision of the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet with Jupiter, sparking significant interest in planetary defence and raising the question: "Could we prevent such an event from happening to Earth?" Today, ESA's Space Safety programme takes a significant step towards answering this question. The programme has been authorized to b

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 17, 2024
Artificial intelligence is transforming how scientists analyze rock samples collected by the Perseverance rover on Mars. For nearly three years, Perseverance has been utilizing AI to autonomously identify minerals in Martian rocks. This innovative use of AI on Mars marks a significant step toward creating "smart" spacecraft capable of independent scientific exploration. The AI techno

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 17, 2024
Astrobotic has advanced its efforts to create a lunar power grid by beginning a summer-long test campaign for its VSAT Optimized for Lunar Traverse (VOLT). The VOLT rover, designed to traverse the Moon's surface, features a vertical solar array to harness solar energy for charging various lunar assets such as habitats, rovers, and scientific instruments, particularly at the lunar south pole.

San Francisco (AFP) July 16, 2024
Elon Musk on Tuesday said he will move the headquarters of SpaceX and X to Texas after a California law blocked schools from forcing teachers to notify parents about changes to a student's gender identity. "This is the final straw," Musk said on X a day after California governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill that fired up the already fraught culture wars in a tumultuous US election year.

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Jul 17, 2024
Scientists from RMIT University have conducted a pioneering study on food aromas, potentially explaining why astronauts often find their meals tasteless in space, leading to inadequate nutritional intake. The study, published in the International Journal of Food Science and Technology, also has significant implications for improving the diets of isolated individuals, such as nursing home r

Paris, France (SPX) Jul 17, 2024
HyPrSpace, a pioneering startup in hybrid propulsion technology, has completed the first bench test of its hybrid rocket engine at the DGA Missile Tests site in Saint-Medard-en-Jalles (Gironde). This milestone is a significant step in validating HyPrSpace's patented hybrid propulsion system and showcases the transition from theoretical models to practical, full-scale applications. The Term