Vandenberg AFB CA (SPX) Sep 03, 2021
Firefly's Alpha 1 exploded minutes after lifting off from the California launch pad at Vandenberg AFB on Thursday. The Alpha rocket was "terminated" over the Pacific Ocean shortly after its 6:59 p.m. liftoff from Vandenberg Space Force Base, according to a base statement. Firefly said an "anomaly" occurred during the first-stage ascent that "resulted in the loss of the vehicle" about

Washington DC (AFP) Sep 03, 2021
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Thursday said it was grounding space flights by Virgin Galactic while it investigates why the company's July 11 voyage carrying Richard Branson deviated from its planned trajectory. The move represents a blow to the private space company as it prepares to carry paying customers following its first fully-crewed test flight. It is now unc

Fino Mornasco, Italy (SPX) Sep 03, 2021
Space logistics and transportation company D-Orbit announced the signing of an agreement with HyImpulse Technologies aiming at a joint launch and deployment mission that will leverage HyImpulse's SL1 launcher and D-Orbit's ION Satellite Carrier. SL1 is a three-stage hybrid rocket designed to transport to LEO satellites of up to 500 kg. ION Satellite Carrier (ION) is D-Orbit's proprietary o

Houston TX (SPX) Sep 03, 2021
Most often, communications delays between the International Space Station crew and ground are nearly unnoticeable as they are routed from one Tracking and Data Relay Satellite to another as the station orbits about 250 miles above Earth. As NASA prepares to explore the Moon, about 240,000 miles away, and eventually Mars, which averages about 245 million miles away, NASA is developing tools to in

Beijing (XNA) Sep 03, 2021
Pictures will help forecasters predict interruption of communication on Earth The Fengyun 3E weather satellite has captured its first test pictures of the sun, offering improved assistance in predicting solar activities and their impact on Earth and space weather. "With the images, we will better forecast and instantly warn people and authorities of impacts on Earth from solar activi

Tucson AZ (SPX) Sep 03, 2021
New analysis of Hayabusa2 data of the asteroid Ryugu reveals much of the surface reflects and scatters light in ways that are consistent with studies of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites in the lab. This research looks specifically at data taken while Ryugu was in opposition to the spacecraft and Sun, and utilizes Hayabusa2's near infrared spectrometer, NIRS3, and Optical Navigation Camera, ONC,

Washington (Sputnik) Sep 03, 2021
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is not planning to share its lunar samples with China, although there are no amendments explicitly prohibiting such cooperation, NASA chief scientist Jim Green said. "Currently, there's no plans to create a bilateral arrangement with China on the exchange of samples," Green said at a Tuesday meeting of the Lunar Exploration Analys

Pasadena CA (JPL) Sep 03, 2021
Data received late Sept. 1 from NASA's Perseverance rover indicate the team has achieved its goal of successfully coring a Mars rock. The initial images downlinked after the historic event show an intact sample present in the tube after coring. However, additional images taken after the arm completed sample acquisition were inconclusive due to poor sunlight conditions. Another round of ima

Washington (AFP) Sept 3, 2021
NASA's Perseverance rover succeeded in its second attempt to scoop up a piece of Martian rock for future analysis by scientists on Earth - probably. Its first effort earlier this month failed after the rock was too crumbly to withstand the robot's drill, but data received late on September 1 indicates the process worked this time around. The US space agency said Thursday it remains a li

Colorado Springs (Sputnik) Sep 03, 2021
The head of the German Space Agency at DLR, Walther Pelzer, has told Sputnik he plans to discuss the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) initiative with Roscosmos in an upcoming meeting that he hopes will be attended by its head Dmitry Rogozin. In March, Russia reaffirmed its lunar exploration ambitions by signing a memorandum on cooperation with China's National Space Administrati