Operation centres in tune for upcoming weather satellite
Thursday, 28 July 2022 12:40
In just a few months’ time Europe’s first Meteosat Third Generation satellite will soar into the skies on an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana. From geostationary orbit, this new satellite, carrying two new highly sensitive instruments, will take weather forecasting to the next level. Taking a significant step towards launch, the satellite operations teams at two different centres have completed an all-important suite of tests ensuring that their procedures are fully compatible with the satellite.
New Chinese rocket makes debut flight
Thursday, 28 July 2022 11:25
Beijing, China (SPX) Jul 27, 2022
The ZK 1A, a new model of carrier rocket, conducted its debut flight at noon on Wednesday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China, becoming the country's largest and most powerful solid-propellant rocket.
Designed and built by CAS Space, a Beijing-based rocket company owned by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the rocket blasted off at 12:12 pm and soon placed six satel
The ZK 1A, a new model of carrier rocket, conducted its debut flight at noon on Wednesday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China, becoming the country's largest and most powerful solid-propellant rocket.
Designed and built by CAS Space, a Beijing-based rocket company owned by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the rocket blasted off at 12:12 pm and soon placed six satel Readying spacecraft to surf Venus' atmosphere
Thursday, 28 July 2022 11:25
Paris (ESA) Jul 28, 2022
ESA's EnVision mission to Venus will perform optical, spectral and radar mapping of Earth's sister planet. But before getting down to work the van-sized spacecraft needs to 'aerobrake' - lowering its orbit with thousands of passages through the planet's hot, thick atmosphere for up to two years. A unique ESA facility is currently testing candidate spacecraft materials to check they can safely wi
ESA's EnVision mission to Venus will perform optical, spectral and radar mapping of Earth's sister planet. But before getting down to work the van-sized spacecraft needs to 'aerobrake' - lowering its orbit with thousands of passages through the planet's hot, thick atmosphere for up to two years. A unique ESA facility is currently testing candidate spacecraft materials to check they can safely wi NASA aims to return Mars samples to Earth in 2033
Thursday, 28 July 2022 11:25
Washington DC (SPX) Jul 28, 2022
NASA has finished the system requirements review for its Mars Sample Return Program, which is nearing completion of the conceptual design phase. During this phase, the program team evaluated and refined the architecture to return the scientifically selected samples, which are currently in the collection process by NASA's Perseverance rover in the Red Planet's Jezero Crater.
The architectur
NASA has finished the system requirements review for its Mars Sample Return Program, which is nearing completion of the conceptual design phase. During this phase, the program team evaluated and refined the architecture to return the scientifically selected samples, which are currently in the collection process by NASA's Perseverance rover in the Red Planet's Jezero Crater.
The architectur NASA's LRO finds Lunar pits harbor comfortable temperatures
Thursday, 28 July 2022 11:25
Greenbelt MD (SPX) Jul 27, 2022
NASA-funded scientists have discovered shaded locations within pits on the Moon that always hover around a comfortable 63 F (about 17 C) using data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft and computer modeling.
The pits, and caves to which they may lead, would make thermally stable sites for lunar exploration compared to areas at the Moon's surface, which heat up to 260 F
NASA-funded scientists have discovered shaded locations within pits on the Moon that always hover around a comfortable 63 F (about 17 C) using data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft and computer modeling.
The pits, and caves to which they may lead, would make thermally stable sites for lunar exploration compared to areas at the Moon's surface, which heat up to 260 F NASA marks 25 years since Pathfinder touched down on Mars
Thursday, 28 July 2022 11:25
Pasadena CA (JPL) Jul 28, 2022
When a daring team of engineers put a lander and the first rover on the Red Planet a quarter century ago, they changed how the world explores. On a July evening in 1997, Jennifer Trosper drove home from work at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory holding a picture of the Martian surface to her steering wheel. Earlier that day, the agency's Pathfinder mission had landed on Mars encased in protective
When a daring team of engineers put a lander and the first rover on the Red Planet a quarter century ago, they changed how the world explores. On a July evening in 1997, Jennifer Trosper drove home from work at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory holding a picture of the Martian surface to her steering wheel. Earlier that day, the agency's Pathfinder mission had landed on Mars encased in protective NASA prepares for Space Launch System rocket services contract
Thursday, 28 July 2022 11:25
Washington DC (SPX) Jul 27, 2022
As NASA prepares for the first integrated flight test of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft to the Moon this summer as part of Artemis, the agency is moving toward a services contract model for long-term SLS hardware production and operations to reduce costs.
"SLS is not just a NASA investment, it has been a national investment. Through this contract approach, we
As NASA prepares for the first integrated flight test of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft to the Moon this summer as part of Artemis, the agency is moving toward a services contract model for long-term SLS hardware production and operations to reduce costs.
"SLS is not just a NASA investment, it has been a national investment. Through this contract approach, we CAA launches consultation on UK space launch from Cornwall
Thursday, 28 July 2022 11:25
London, UK (SPX) Jul 25, 2022
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has launched a consultation for the public and businesses to have their say on the assessment of environmental effects made by both Virgin Orbit and Spaceport Cornwall ahead of the proposed launch in Newquay.
To launch, Spaceport Cornwall must have a spaceport operator licence and Virgin Orbit must be issued a launch operator licence by the Civil Aviat
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has launched a consultation for the public and businesses to have their say on the assessment of environmental effects made by both Virgin Orbit and Spaceport Cornwall ahead of the proposed launch in Newquay.
To launch, Spaceport Cornwall must have a spaceport operator licence and Virgin Orbit must be issued a launch operator licence by the Civil Aviat NASA's VIPER prototype motors through Moon-like obstacle course
Thursday, 28 July 2022 11:25
Moffett Field CA (SPX) Jul 27, 2022
It faced the quicksand-like soil in the "sink tank," climbed the "tilt bed," and conquered boulders and craters. NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) prototype recently endured the most realistic tests to-date of its ability to drive through the most difficult terrain during its mission to the Moon's South Pole.
Engineers tested the latest VIPER mobility engineeri
It faced the quicksand-like soil in the "sink tank," climbed the "tilt bed," and conquered boulders and craters. NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) prototype recently endured the most realistic tests to-date of its ability to drive through the most difficult terrain during its mission to the Moon's South Pole.
Engineers tested the latest VIPER mobility engineeri NASA details plans to bring back Mars rock samples
Thursday, 28 July 2022 11:25
Washington (AFP) July 27, 2022
NASA plans to bring 30 Martian rock samples back to Earth in 2033, the agency said Wednesday - and is sending two small helicopters to help the mission.
The Perseverance rover, which landed on Mars in February 2021, has so far collected 11 samples as part of its hunt for signatures of ancient life.
But bringing them back for detailed lab study on Earth is proving to be a highly complex
NASA plans to bring 30 Martian rock samples back to Earth in 2033, the agency said Wednesday - and is sending two small helicopters to help the mission.
The Perseverance rover, which landed on Mars in February 2021, has so far collected 11 samples as part of its hunt for signatures of ancient life.
But bringing them back for detailed lab study on Earth is proving to be a highly complex Sol 3544: Bye-Bye Bolivar
Thursday, 28 July 2022 11:25
Pasadena CA (JPL) Jul 27, 2022
We have come to the end of our detour to image the "Bolivar" butte and are starting back to the MSAR (Mount Sharp Ascent Route). This plan provides the last chance to image Bolivar from this vantage point, with the aim of characterizing, so Mastcam is taking one final large mosaic of the butte, before we move on and it is blocked from our sight.
We cannot drive up the side of Bolivar (alth
We have come to the end of our detour to image the "Bolivar" butte and are starting back to the MSAR (Mount Sharp Ascent Route). This plan provides the last chance to image Bolivar from this vantage point, with the aim of characterizing, so Mastcam is taking one final large mosaic of the butte, before we move on and it is blocked from our sight.
We cannot drive up the side of Bolivar (alth Small but Mighty on Sol 3545
Thursday, 28 July 2022 11:25
Pasadena CA (JPL) Jul 28, 2022
Today's team planned a single-sol plan. Our greatest challenge was fitting in all the fantastic science observations and drive distance required during the ~3.5 hours of Mars time available before we need to communicate back to Earth for tomorrow's planning.
Often during single-sol plans we include contact science where we use our arm instruments to take a close look at the structure and c
Today's team planned a single-sol plan. Our greatest challenge was fitting in all the fantastic science observations and drive distance required during the ~3.5 hours of Mars time available before we need to communicate back to Earth for tomorrow's planning.
Often during single-sol plans we include contact science where we use our arm instruments to take a close look at the structure and c The plan to unlock the biggest wealth through asteroid mining
Thursday, 28 July 2022 11:25
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 26, 2022
The Asteroid Mining Program (AMi) is a ten-year program that aims to unlock one of the largest sources of wealth in history, through profitable asteroid mining.
We are committed to launch the first asteroid mining mission in 2027 targeting 1,000 kg of platinum worth around $34 million. However, the Recovery Capsule return capacity is up to 2,500 kg worth $85 million.
Until 2031 we pl
The Asteroid Mining Program (AMi) is a ten-year program that aims to unlock one of the largest sources of wealth in history, through profitable asteroid mining.
We are committed to launch the first asteroid mining mission in 2027 targeting 1,000 kg of platinum worth around $34 million. However, the Recovery Capsule return capacity is up to 2,500 kg worth $85 million.
Until 2031 we pl Halos and dark matter: A recipe for discovery
Thursday, 28 July 2022 11:25
East Lansing MI (SPX) Jul 26, 2022
About three years ago, Wolfgang "Wolfi" Mittig and Yassid Ayyad went looking for the universe's missing mass, better known as dark matter, in the heart of an atom.
Their expedition didn't lead them to dark matter, but they still found something that had never been seen before, something that defied explanation. Well, at least an explanation that everyone could agree on.
"It's been so
About three years ago, Wolfgang "Wolfi" Mittig and Yassid Ayyad went looking for the universe's missing mass, better known as dark matter, in the heart of an atom.
Their expedition didn't lead them to dark matter, but they still found something that had never been seen before, something that defied explanation. Well, at least an explanation that everyone could agree on.
"It's been so Boeing takes another Starliner charge against its earnings
Thursday, 28 July 2022 09:02
Boeing said July 27 it will take another charge against its earnings because of the CST-100 Starliner commercial crew program as the company and NASA get closer to a first flight of the vehicle with astronauts on board.