Osaka, Japan (SPX) Dec 15, 2020
Though it sounds like something straight out of science fiction, controlling the speed of light has in fact been a long-standing challenge for physicists. In a study recently published in Communications Physics, researchers from Osaka University generated light bullets with highly controllable velocities. According to Albert Einstein's principle of relativity, the speed of light is constan

Moscow (Sputnik) Dec 16, 2020
Turksat 5A, Turkey's new communications satellite that is expected to be launched in the near future, will secure the country's orbital rights for the long term, Jean-Marc Nasr, the head of space systems at Airbus Defence and Space, said on Monday. "Turksat 5A will secure the orbital rights of Turkey," Nasr told the agency. According to the Airbus official, the latest-generation sate

Chandler AZ (SPX) Dec 16, 2020
To reduce the time, cost and risk of developing spaceflight-qualified systems, designers may start with Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) devices that can later be replaced by their space-qualified, radiation-tolerant equivalent parts available in plastic or ceramic packages featuring the same pinout distribution. Microchip Technology Inc. has announced a radiation-tolerant, 64 Megabit (Mbit

Washington DC (SPX) Dec 16, 2020
NASA has released the first iteration of its Spacecraft Conjunction Assessment and Collision Avoidance Best Practices Handbook to share information on best practices for coordinating in-orbit activity in a safe and responsible manner. The agency aims for these best practices to bolster stability, reduce current and future operational risks, and contribute to a sustainable space environment for f

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 16, 2020
The space domain is undergoing an unprecedented era of change and this rapid transformation presents an exciting future with new possibilities for innovation. But these opportunities also create new challenges and emerging adversaries that must be anticipated and addressed. Outpacing the threat will require more collaboration across the national security enterprise and the necessary integrated m

Moscow (Sputnik) Dec 17, 2020
The United States' Space Command on Wednesday accused Russia of testing a missile intended to target satellites in orbit. The command took to Twitter to make its claim, adding that it will protect the US from "aggression" in space. Separately, the Space Command shared a news piece on its website, specifying Russia had tested a direct-ascent anti-satellite (DA-ASAT) missile. "Th

COVID-19 has revolutionised security practices along with other parts of everyday life: screening people via personal ‘patdowns’ is no longer safe. ESA-developed passive terahertz technology – enabling the detection of items hidden under clothing from a distance – is helping to fill the gap. The US Customs and Border Protection agency is among the latest of more than 200 users of the technology, deploying it to secure the US border.

OPS-SAT is the world’s first open, in-orbit testbed for new spacecraft software and applications. By conducting low-cost, low-risk experiments with OPS-SAT, teams from across Europe are ushering in a new era for European spaceflight innovation and commercial opportunity.

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In this week's edition of the Earth from Space programme, the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission takes us over Lapland, the largest and northernmost region of Finland, just in time for Christmas.

See also Rovaniemi, Lapland to download the image.

Today marks the start of final assembly of the UK’s new National Space Propulsion Facility. ESA is providing technical oversight and financial backing for the facility, which is being equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure to test the most powerful engines used to shift the orbits of space missions.