Interoperability, sustainability and cybersecurity pose challenges for small satellite sector
Tuesday, 10 August 2021 17:24
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Ensuring that small satellites can communicate not only within their own constellations but within a broader ecosystem is one of the primary challenges cited by Lt. Gen. John Shaw, U.S. Space Command deputy commander, in an Aug.
IHI Aerospace to offer Epsilon rocket commercially
Tuesday, 10 August 2021 16:50 Write a comment
Japanese company IHI Aerospace plans to market a version of the little-used Epsilon small launch vehicle to commercial customers, although at prices significantly higher than similar vehicles in development.
BepiColombo skims past Venus
Tuesday, 10 August 2021 16:30 Write a comment
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BepiColombo skims past Venus U.S. Army space commander concerned about disruptions to satellites
Tuesday, 10 August 2021 16:16 Write a comment
peaking at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium at the Von Braun Convention Center, Karbler said adversaries are developing electronic and cyber tools to deny the U.S. military access to satellites in orbit.
Keeping an eye on ocean plastic pollution…from space!
Tuesday, 10 August 2021 16:10 Write a comment
Video:
00:03:21
Meet bag, bottle and straw, three bits of plastic left on the beach.
They are only small, but they are heading into the ocean, where they could cause big damage. ESA is exploring how satellites can help detect and reduce plastic pollution in the ocean. From spotting build-ups of marine litter to tracking ocean currents, satellites could be game-changing in tackling this enormous environmental problem.
Though engaging for children and adults alike, this video is designed with primary school students in mind. In particular, teachers can use it to introduce the topic of marine litter in subjects such as
Space Olympics (full video)
Tuesday, 10 August 2021 15:00 Write a comment
Video:
00:09:41
The International Space Station Expedition 65 crew recorded themselves on a day off after a long week of work having some weightless fun. From Earth orbit, 400 km above our planet, the crew present the very first Space Olympics.
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet shared this video on social media with the caption:
“The first ever Space Olympics ! A Saturday afternoon on the International Space Station. Four disciplines. Rules that evolved as we played. Seven athletes. Four nations. Two teams. Crew cohesion and morale boosted like never before. The first Space Olympics saw Team Crew Dragon and Team Soyuz
Accion to supply thrusters for Xplore ESPA-class satellite
Tuesday, 10 August 2021 14:30 Write a comment
Accion Systems plans to supply miniature ion thrusters for Xplore Inc.’s 150-kilogram LEO Xcraft satellite, under an agreement announced Aug. 10.
Rocket Lab to launch three sets of BlackSky satellites
Tuesday, 10 August 2021 13:50 Write a comment
Rocket Lab will conduct three launches of satellites for Earth observation company BlackSky in about one month, the fastest launch cadence the company had demonstrated to date.
Light pollution and spotting Perseid meteors
Tuesday, 10 August 2021 11:06 Write a comment
Many Perseid-related news stories and social media posts state that the maximum rate is about 100 meteors per hour, which is a lot. So, folks get excited and go out on the peak night, braving mosquitos and other nightly hazards. But they are often disappointed; we routinely hear, "I went out and only saw a few meteors. Not even 20, much less 100!" And they would be right. The problem is that the 100 per hour is a theoretical number used by meteor scientists and does not convey what people are actually going to see.
In the 1980s, meteor researchers were searching for a way to compare the meteor shower rates observed by various individuals and groups across the globe. People were reporting the rates, but the differences in sky conditions, radiant altitude and observer eyesight made getting a comprehensive view of shower activity difficult.
So, the meteor researchers put their heads together and came up with the concept of a ZHR, or Zenithal Hourly Rate. The ZHR is what you get after you correct the observed rates for the sky conditions, the altitude of the radiant above the horizon and observer biases.
Forecast perfect for 'mythic' Perseid meteor spectacle
Tuesday, 10 August 2021 10:49 Write a comment
The Perseid meteor shower peaks Aug. 12 to 13 and the stars are aligning for a really big show, according to Western's Denis Vida.
Sunday, Aug. 8, marks the arrival of a new moon, so the sky will be relatively dark and forecasts to be ideal for a viewing of the annual meteor shower on Wednesday or Thursday night.
A new moon is when the sun and moon are close together as seen from Earth, so both are not visible during the night.
"If you happen to find yourself outside of the city or perhaps on a beach on Wednesday or Thursday night, look up! Every couple of minutes or so you will see a bright meteor zipping across the sky," said Vida, a postdoctoral associate in Western's department of physics and astronomy.
All of the meteors are coming from the same direction—a specific point in the constellation of Perseus.
Chinese hypersonic spaceplane company raises $46 million
Tuesday, 10 August 2021 10:37 Write a comment
Chinese firm Space Transportation raised more than $46.3 million for its hypersonic spaceplane plans in a new funding round announced Monday.
JPL director to step down
Tuesday, 10 August 2021 09:54 Write a comment
The director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory will step down after five years on the job to become a professor at the university that operates the lab.
Stellar Exploration propels EchoStar nanosatellite to valuable slot
Tuesday, 10 August 2021 09:00 Write a comment
Stellar Exploration supplied the propulsion system for the Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems spacecraft that ultimately helped EchoStar claim potentially valuable S-band spectrum rights.
Northrop Grumman set to launch 16th cargo delivery mission to ISS
Tuesday, 10 August 2021 07:53 Write a comment
Northrop Grumman is set to launch the company's 16th resupply mission (NG-16) to the International Space Station under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services-2 (CRS-2) contract. For the NG-16 mission, the Cygnus spacecraft will launch aboard the company's Antares rocket, carrying approximately 8,200 pounds of supplies, equipment and experiments for the astronauts aboard the station-the company's la Perfect for the Perseid Meteor Shower
Tuesday, 10 August 2021 07:53 Write a comment
The Perseid meteor shower, a celestial event beloved by millions of skywatchers around the world, is about to make its annual return to the night sky. The shower is predicted to reach its peak before dawn on Thursday, August 12th, though the display could put on a fine show for a night or two before and after. Late on the night of August 11-12, you might see a Perseid every minute or so. This ye