New study sheds light on origins of life on Earth
Wednesday, 19 January 2022 05:49Addressing one of the most profoundly unanswered questions in biology, a Rutgers-led team has discovered the structures of proteins that may be responsible for the origins of life in the primordial soup of ancient Earth. The researchers explored how primitive life may have originated on our planet from simple, non-living materials. They asked what properties define life as we know it and c
New spheres of knowledge on the origin of life
Wednesday, 19 January 2022 05:49The shape of a cell affects its physical and chemical properties. Different cell types have developed different shapes to enable effective functioning. But what shape were the very first cells, as life began to evolve? Primitive cells are thought to have been spherical, but experimental evidence supporting this belief remains elusive. Now, however, researchers from the University of Tsukub
Carnegie Mellon-led team to develop robotics to service satellites and build structures
Wednesday, 19 January 2022 05:49There are 6,500 satellites in orbit, but only about half of them are functional. Once a satellite breaks down or runs out of fuel, it is essentially useless. Repairs, maintenance and upgrades are nearly impossible in orbit. It's launch once, use once. But as satellites have become more robust, their operators often find that fleets outlast their projected lifespans and need new technology,
NASA satellite servicing technologies licensed by Northrop Grumman
Wednesday, 19 January 2022 05:49Northrop Grumman recently signed agreements to license three technologies from NASA related to satellite servicing. Two of the technologies were developed by NASA for the On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) mission. OSAM-1 is a first-of-its-kind mission that will grapple a US government-owned satellite, Landsat 7, to refuel it and to demonstrate the capability to pot
New AI navigation prevents crashes
Wednesday, 19 January 2022 05:49What do you call a broken satellite? Today, it's a multimillion-dollar piece of dangerous space junk. But a new collision-avoidance system developed by students at the University of Cincinnati is getting engineers closer to developing robots that can fix broken satellites or spacecraft in orbit. UC College of Engineering and Applied Science doctoral students Daegyun Choi and Anirudh Chhabr
Access to the 'SpaceDataHighway'
Wednesday, 19 January 2022 05:49The 'Columbus Ka-Band Terminal' (ColKa) has commenced service. "The volume of scientific data generated by the experiments on the International Space Station (ISS) is continuously increasing. ColKa gives the Columbus laboratory on the ISS its own direct access to the SpaceDataHighway. The high-speed satellite link will significantly accelerate 'data traffic' to Europe. Many scientists will
SpaceX passes 2,000 Starlink satellites launched
Wednesday, 19 January 2022 02:49SpaceX passed the threshold of more than 2,000 Starlink satellites launched after a Falcon 9 placed another set of broadband internet spacecraft into orbit Jan. 18.
Space Force taps Air Force Research Lab leader for key acquisition post
Tuesday, 18 January 2022 23:05Col. Eric Felt, director of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Space Vehicles Directorate, will be moving to a new post this summer as deputy executive director of the Space Force’s architecture, science and technology directorate at the Pentagon.
ESA considering moving up radar satellite launch after Sentinel-1B malfunction
Tuesday, 18 January 2022 23:04The European Space Agency is considering accelerating the launch of a new Earth science satellite after an existing one malfunctioned last month and remains out of service.
Federal budget stalemate having ‘ripple effects’ on national security space missions
Tuesday, 18 January 2022 22:40If a CR continues, two national security space missions funded in 2022 would have to be pushed into 2023 or beyond.
SES absorbs SES Networks in streamlining effort
Tuesday, 18 January 2022 22:04Satellite operator SES is absorbing its SES Networks business unit ahead of deploying its next-generation O3b mPOWER broadband constellation this year.
EarthDaily taps Loft Orbital to build and operate $150 million constellation
Tuesday, 18 January 2022 21:49EarthDaily Analytics (EDA) said Jan. 18 it has selected condosat operator Loft Orbital to build, launch and operate a fleet of 10 Earth-observation satellites on its behalf.
Raymond: Space Force in 2022 to focus on the design of a resilient architecture
Tuesday, 18 January 2022 21:43The U.S. Space Force will turn more attention in the coming year to the design of the military’s future space architecture, chief of space operations Gen. John “Jay” Raymond said Jan.
Israel to sign Artemis Accords: foreign minister
Tuesday, 18 January 2022 16:01Israel will sign the U.S.-led Artemis Accords outlining best practices for space exploration, according to Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.
Steady driving toward ExoMars launch
Tuesday, 18 January 2022 15:10The first simulation of the ExoMars rover driving off its landing platform closed out an incredible year of preparations as the mission now marches with confidence towards a September launch.
ESA's Rosalind Franklin rover starts the year with months of successful maintenance and functional tests behind it. All its instruments are go for flight, with some minor tuning left to complete this month.