US heads back to the Moon -- with a commercial spaceship
Thursday, 22 February 2024 19:37
Washington (AFP) Feb 22, 2024
One giant leap for the private sector?
A Houston-based company is set Thursday to attempt to land America's first spaceship on the Moon in more than 50 years, as part of a new fleet of NASA-funded commercial landers intended to pave the way for astronauts to return to Earth's celestial neighbor later this decade.
If all goes well, Intuitive Machines will guide its hexagon-shaped robot Od

NASA Science Aboard Intuitive Machines Continues Journey to Moon
Thursday, 22 February 2024 19:37
Washington DC (SPX) Feb 22, 2024
In a collaboration between NASA and Intuitive Machines, a suite of six science instruments and technology demonstrations has embarked on a pivotal journey to the Moon. This mission, aboard the Intuitive Machines lander named Odysseus, represents a significant milestone in lunar exploration, propelled by the ambitions of NASA's Artemis campaign and its Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative

A brief history of famous Moon landings and failures
Thursday, 22 February 2024 19:37
Washington (AFP) Feb 22, 2024
A spaceship built by a company in Texas is poised for lunar touchdown on Thursday, returning America to the Moon after more than five decades in what promises to be a historic first for the private sector.
Here's a look back at notable attempts - both successful and unsuccessful - at landing on Earth's cosmic companion.
- First survivable landing -
The Soviet Union led the United

Rocket Lab Schedules Launch Date for 45th Electron Mission to Deploy Earth-Imaging Satellite for Synspective
Thursday, 22 February 2024 19:37
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 22, 2024
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has announced the upcoming launch window for its 45th Electron mission, a dedicated effort aimed at deploying an Earth-imaging satellite for Synspective, a leading Japanese satellite constellation operator. The mission, christened "Owl Night Long," is slated for a 14-day launch window commencing on March 10th NZDT (March 9th UTC), setting the stage from Rocket

STORIES of Space teams with Maritime Launch Services for a Nova Scotia launch
Thursday, 22 February 2024 19:37
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 22, 2024
In a groundbreaking collaboration, STORIES of Space, a visionary nonprofit dedicated to intertwining human narratives with the cosmos, has joined forces with Maritime Launch Services, the pioneering entity behind Canada's inaugural commercial spaceport, Spaceport Nova Scotia. This partnership heralds the upcoming STORIES Mission 03, slated for 2024, which aims to propel thousands of human storie

SpaceX launches Indonesian satellite into orbit
Thursday, 22 February 2024 19:37
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 22, 2024
A SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket has successfully deployed the Merah Putih 2 satellite into orbit, marking a significant step forward in enhancing broadband Internet access across Indonesia. The event took place at 3:11 p.m. EST on Tuesday, underscoring SpaceX's ongoing contributions to global telecommunications connectivity.
This mission signifies the 17th flight for the Falcon 9 two-stage rock

Space Perspective Unveils The Future Of Human Space Travel
Thursday, 22 February 2024 19:37
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 21, 2024
Space Perspective, a trailblazer in the burgeoning space tourism industry, has recently made headlines with its unveiling of the Spaceship Neptune, setting a new standard for human space travel. This innovative venture marks a significant milestone, not only as the third-ever commercial suborbital spacecraft but also as the seventh new human spacecraft developed in the past half-century. The Spa

ESA and PLD Space join forces to enhance small satellite launch flexibility
Thursday, 22 February 2024 19:37
Paris (SPX) Feb 22, 2024
In a significant stride towards expanding Europe's capabilities in the burgeoning small satellite launch market, the European Space Agency (ESA) and PLD Space have inked a deal to co-fund the development of a cutting-edge payload accommodation system. This collaboration is set to enhance the flexibility and competitiveness of satellite deployments, leveraging the advanced capabilities of PLD Spa

Spire Global Awarded euro 8.4M by the European Maritime Safety Agency for Provision of SAT-AIS Data Services
Thursday, 22 February 2024 19:37
Vienna VA (SPX) Feb 22, 2024
Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR), a leading provider of satellite data solutions, has been awarded two significant framework contracts by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), amounting to a maximum overall budget of euro 8.4 million. These contracts mark a continuation and expansion of Spire's collaboration with EMSA, building on a partnership that has provided crucial satellite automatic

SatPlus Launch: emnify Leads with First-ever Cellular-Satellite IoT eSIM in US and Europe
Thursday, 22 February 2024 19:37
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Feb 21, 2024
Emnify, a supplier of cloud-native IoT connectivity solutions, has officially launched the SuperNetwork SatPlus, marking the introduction of the first-ever converged cellular and satellite IoT connectivity available through a single emnify IoT eSIM. This groundbreaking offering is a part of the emnify SuperNetwork, a premier service in IoT cellular connectivity that boasts multi-network coverage

NASA's OSIRIS-APEX Completes 1st Perihelion
Thursday, 22 February 2024 19:37
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 22, 2024
NASA's OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft has successfully navigated its closest approach to the Sun. This maneuver, known as perihelion, brought the spacecraft 25 million miles closer to the Sun than its initial design parameters. The spacecraft, formerly known as OSIRIS-REx, undertook a critical adjustment during this perihelion on January 2, repositioning one of its solar arrays to shield vital component

GITAI launches autonomous robotic arms for ISS external operations
Thursday, 22 February 2024 19:37
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 22, 2024
In a groundbreaking move poised to redefine the dynamics of space station robotics, California's innovative startup, GITAI, has embarked on a mission to test its cutting-edge autonomous robotic arm system, dubbed S2, on the International Space Station (ISS). This technological marvel, consisting of a 1.5-meter long pair of mechanical arms, was transported to the orbiting lab aboard Northrop Grum

Rocket Lab Launches Mission Designed to Investigate Removing Space Junk from Orbit
Thursday, 22 February 2024 19:37
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Feb 22, 2024
In an ambitious stride towards mitigating the escalating issue of orbital debris, Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (NASDAQ: RKLB) has successfully launched its 44th Electron rocket, carrying a satellite designed to pioneer methods of space junk removal.
The mission, aptly named "On Closer Inspection," saw the deployment of the Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan (ADRAS-J) satellite from Rocket L

Starnote extension by Blues and Skylo promises seamless satellite connectivity for IoT Devices
Thursday, 22 February 2024 19:37
Manchester MA (SPX) Feb 22, 2024
In a landmark collaboration, Blues, renowned for its prowess in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology, has teamed up with Skylo Technologies, a prominent Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) service operator, to unveil Starnote. This innovative extension to Blues' flagship product, Notecard, is set to redefine satellite data connectivity, offering an efficient and cost-effective solution for

Webb finds clues of neutron star at heart of supernova remnant
Thursday, 22 February 2024 18:00
The NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope has found the best evidence yet for emission from a neutron star at the site of a recently observed supernova. The supernova, known as SN 1987A, occurred 160 000 light-years from Earth in the Large Magellanic Cloud. SN 1987A was observed on Earth in 1987, the first supernova that was visible to the naked eye since 1604 — before the advent of telescopes.