Atlas V launches from Cape Canaveral with prototype Amazon satellites
Monday, 09 October 2023 17:59
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket climbed through the Space Coast skies carrying a pair of prototype satellites to orbit on the first of what's planned to be dozens of launches for Amazon.
The Project Kuiper Protoflight mission's goal is to help Amazon nail down how it wants to construct the entirety of its planned 3,236-satellite constellation that aims to offer global broadband internet service and compete with the likes of SpaceX's Starlink and other satellites systems.
The Atlas V made its 99th trip off the planet launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Space Launch Complex 41 at 2:06 p.m. at the opening of a two-hour window. It was ULA's 158th mission since it began operations in 2006.
"Bird is away," posted ULA President and CEO Tory Bruno on social media after liftoff. "Hot, straight and normal,"
The payload weights were not revealed as Amazon has been tight-lipped with its prototype designs, but the Atlas V was in its slim 501 configuration meaning it used a 5.4-meter fairing and no external solid rocket boosters to get the payloads to the target 311 mile altitude.
European space firms set specifications for optical links
Monday, 09 October 2023 12:32
Sending vast quantities of data between satellites speedily and securely means using light to communicate. Now a group of space companies, research centres and universities working with ESA has established a series of specifications on how exactly satellites should use light to talk to one another – and to link to their ground stations.
Watch: Earth Explorer 11 Consultation
Monday, 09 October 2023 12:00
Watch: Earth Explorer 11 Consultation
On 10-11 October, follow the discussions on the candidate missions for ESA's eleventh Earth Explorer at the User Consultation Meeting
THEOS-2 Airbus-built satellite for Thailand successfully launched
Monday, 09 October 2023 09:06
The Airbus-built THEOS-2 Earth observation satellite has been successfully launched on a Vega rocket from Kourou, Europe's spaceport in French Guiana. The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency of Thailand (GISTDA) selected Airbus as partner for its next-generation national geo-information system in 2018.
Jean-Marc Nasr, Head of Space Systems at Airbus, said: "This success Metal-loving microbes could replace chemical processing of rare earths
Monday, 09 October 2023 09:06
Rare earth elements power electric cars, wind turbines and smartphones. Retrieving these metals from raw ore requires processing with acids and solvents.
Now, Cornell scientists have characterized the genome of Shewanella oneidensis - a metal-loving bacteria with an affinity for rare earth elements - to replace the harsh chemical processing with a benign practice called biosorption. Wanted: bright ideas to develop the lunar economy
Monday, 09 October 2023 08:39
ESA is calling for visionary ideas for how to use a constellation of communication and navigation satellites around the Moon to establish lunar businesses – and unlock opportunities on Earth.
Connect to ESA Careers Day on 9 November
Monday, 09 October 2023 06:33
If you are interested in applying for a job at ESA, curious to know what opportunities we have for you or would like to hear about the projects our teams are working on, then mark your calendar for 9 November 2023! For this fully online event, we will be streaming a programme packed full of sessions giving you an insider’s look at STEM careers at ESA.
Astroscale Japan to inspect a large defunct satellite in orbit
Sunday, 08 October 2023 23:21
Astroscale Japan has been selected by the Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology ("MEXT") for its Small and Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to develop an on-orbit inspection demonstration mission that will image and diagnose a large, defunct satellite in space.
The MEXT-funded project is divided into three phases, and Astroscale Japan will receive Satellite swarm to provide 'missing link' between space weather and space debris
Sunday, 08 October 2023 23:21
The European Space Agency (ESA) has funded a new mission concept involving a "swarm" of satellites to address the growing threat of space debris. The news comes as just this week the US government issued its first ever fine to a company for leaving space junk orbiting the Earth.
Space debris poses a huge problem for global communication systems and space exploration efforts. Over 50,000 pi 35 Candles and over 50 Space Missions for SPACEBEL
Sunday, 08 October 2023 23:21
Belgian company SPACEBEL, a renowned specialist in software engineering and Space systems, is celebrating its thirty-fifth anniversary.
Launched into orbit in 1988 to support the ambitions of Europe, and Belgium in particular, in Space, SPACEBEL quickly established a solid reputation in the Space and Earth observation applications sector thanks to its innovative software solutions. Drawing Stoke Space Announces $100 Million in New Investment
Sunday, 08 October 2023 23:21
Stoke Space has announced $100 million in new Series B investment to drive continued growth and innovation. This investment more than doubles the company's total funding, which now sits at $175 million. The company also announced the official name of its first rocket: Nova.
The funding round was led by Industrious Ventures with participation from the University of Michigan, Sparta Group, L XCAM secures further UK Space Agency funding for new space camera system
Sunday, 08 October 2023 23:21
UK based XCAM Ltd, world leaders in specialist digital camera systems, have secured over 200,000 pound grant funding from the UK Space Agency's Centre for Earth Observation Instrumentation (CEOI) , to develop and evaluate a New Space ultra-low-light camera system suitable for use in a range of compact Earth observation instruments in the visible and NIR wavelengths.
It is anticipated that Pulsars may make dark matter glow
Sunday, 08 October 2023 23:21
The central question in the ongoing hunt for dark matter is: what is it made of? One possible answer is that dark matter consists of particles known as axions. A team of astrophysicists, led by researchers from the universities of Amsterdam and Princeton, has now shown that if dark matter consists of axions, it may reveal itself in the form of a subtle additional glow coming from pulsating stars