San Antonio TX (SPX) May 10, 2023
NASA has selected Southwest Research Institute for a Phase A study to develop SwRI's Space Weather Solar Coronagraph (SwSCOR) on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA's Space Weather Next Program is charged with providing critical data for its space weather prediction center. SwRI is one of five organizations developing a definition-phase study to produce the

Pasadena CA (JPL) May 10, 2023
Earth planning date: Monday, May 8, 2023. A lot of preparation goes into assessing a potential drill site on Mars, and the "Ubajara" target got the usual treatment. Over the past several sols, Curiosity has diligently characterized the potential "Ubajara" drill site with activities such as MAHLI and APXS, brushing it with the dust removal tool, and completing a "preload" test. The preload

Washington DC (SPX) May 10, 2023
NASA has launched a new program aimed at helping space entrepreneurs and startups prepare to apply for SBIR Ignite funding. The SBIR Ignite Catalyst Program will provide founders with an opportunity to learn more about the SBIR Ignite program, build their NASA networks and knowledge, and strengthen their startup ecosystem connections. The program includes two key pillars: a Space Startup E

Wenchang, China (XNA) May 10, 2023
China's cargo spacecraft, Tianzhou 6, is ready for launch, according to the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, under the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, in China's southern island province of Hainan. The launch of Tianzhou 6 will be the first spaceflight since China's space station entered into the application and development stage. The site has completed all preparations and a final

Long Beach CA (SPX) May 10, 2023
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has signed a deal to launch NASA's Starling mission, a multi-CubeSat mission to test and demonstrate autonomous swarm technologies, as well as automated space traffic management for groups of spacecraft in low-Earth orbit. The four Starling small satellites have been manifested on an Electron commercial rideshare mission scheduled for lift-off from Rocke

Paris, France (SPX) May 10, 2023
Arianespace and ClearSpace signed a launch contract for ClearSpace-1, the first active debris removal mission that will capture and deorbit a derelict space debris of 112 kg. The launch, scheduled starting as soon as the second-half of 2026, will use the European light launcher Vega C to release the spacecraft into a Low Earth/Sun-Synchronous drift orbit for commissioning and critical tests. The

Long Beach CA (SPX) May 10, 2023
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has completed and shipped a custom Photon spacecraft developed for Varda Space Industries ("Varda"), a leading in-space manufacturing and hypersonic re-entry logistics company. The Rocket Lab-designed and built Photon spacecraft will provide power, communications, propulsion, and attitude control to Varda's 120kg capsule that will produce pharmaceutical

Mars has some of the most impressive volcanoes in the Solar System. ESA’s Mars Express has now imaged the pitted, fissured flank of the planet’s second-tallest: Ascraeus Mons.

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Timelapse of the integration and launch of Juice.

ESA’s latest interplanetary mission, Juice, lifted off on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French 09:14 local time/14:14CEST on 14 April 2023 to begin its eight-year journey to Jupiter, where it will study in detail the gas giant planet’s three large ocean-bearing moons: Ganymede, Callisto and Europa.

Juice – Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer – is humankind’s next bold mission to the outer Solar System. This ambitious mission will characterise Ganymede, Callisto and Europa with a powerful suite of remote sensing, geophysical and in situ instruments to discover more about these compelling destinations as potential habitats