A second pair of satellites that use light to communicate with each other has been launched.

Paris (ESA) Jun 09, 2023
Euclid is ESA's mission to shed light on dark matter and dark energy, but teams at the Agency's mission control centre in Darmstadt, Germany, are also in the dark. A series of problems have befallen the mission in pre-launch simulations. Currently about halfway through the Euclid simulations campaign, the key focus in the Main Control Room is the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) and spa

Boulder CO (SPX) Jun 09, 2023
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the most powerful telescope ever launched into space, will soon get a new "sidekick"-a small but nimble satellite that borrows its name from a multicolored sea creature. Last month, NASA selected the $8.5 million space mission, which is called Monitoring Activity from Nearby sTars with uv Imaging and Spectroscopy (MANTIS). This "CubeSat," or mini-s

Hefei, China (SPX) Jun 09, 2023
Recently, a research team led by Prof. GOU Yanyu from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) found that the solar outburst structure undergoes a complex reconfiguration evolution during the early outbursts, thus making important advances in the study of solar outburst activity. This study was published in Nature Astronomy. In class

Pittsburgh PA (SPX) Jun 09, 2023
At the 2023 Keystone Space Conference last week, Westinghouse Electric Company and Astrobotic announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to explore collaboration on space technology programs for NASA and the Department of Defense. The collaboration will focus on the development of space nuclear technology and delivery systems. The joint effort will also include strengthening th

Cannes, France (SPX) Jun 09, 2023
Thales Alenia Space, the joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), will partner with Serco, the leader of the consortium awarded by the European Space Agency (ESA) to implement the DestinE Core Service Platform (DESP), a key element of the European Commission's flagship initiative Destination Earth (DestinE). The objective of DestinE is to develop a highly accurate digital mod

Los Angeles AFB CA (SPX) Jun 09, 2023
Space Systems Command (SSC)'s Space Domain Awareness and Combat Power (SDA&CP), is preparing to launch the Space Test Program (STP)-CR2301 mission to deliver three experimental satellites to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The STP-CR2301 mission, in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the Department of Defense (DoD) is scheduled to launch June 12 from Space Launch Complex

Bergen, Norway (SPX) Jun 12, 2023
In a study published in Nature Astronomy, a team of researchers from the University of Naples "Federico II", the University of Wroclaw, and the University of Bergen examined a quantum-gravity model of particle propagation in which the speed of ultrarelativistic particles decreases with rising energy. This effect is expected to be extremely small, proportional to the ratio between particle

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jun 12, 2023
In a significant step towards sustainable satellite production and operation, microsatellite pioneer Axelspace Corporation has announced the establishment of the "Green Spacecraft Standard 1.0." This new guideline is aimed at ensuring that the satellite lifecycle adheres to environmentally-friendly practices, in a bid to make sustainable operations the norm within the space industry. This

Beijing, China (SPX) Jun 13, 2023
China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALVT) in Beijing, has successfully tested a parachute-controlled descent system that could mitigate the risks and costs associated with rocket debris falling to Earth after a launch. This new advancement in rocketry was unveiled during a recent launch of a Long March 3B rocket. Rocket debris, which can pose a threat to populated areas below a ro