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Twenty years ago, on the first of March 2002, ESA launched a new satellite to monitor our planet from space: Envisat. This research mission, which carried 10 instruments, would become a beacon for the development of future Earth observation satellites. In orbit for 10 years, double its projected lifespan, this flagship mission provided science with a wealth of data on the health of our planet and climate change – a treasure trove of data that is still used today. Thanks to the Heritage Space Programme, ESA ensures these precious data are preserved and made accessible for

Moffett Field Ca (SPX) Feb 24, 2022
We've long held dreams of what the future of air travel could look like. Something out of the Jetson's TV show or a Star Wars movie is generally the "go to" vision for most people: aircraft of all types and sizes - including those without pilots onboard - safely flying anywhere at all altitudes anytime for many different reasons. But there's more to it than that. It's a future that could i

Seoul (AFP) Feb 28, 2022
North Korea said it had carried out a test of "great significance" for developing a reconnaissance satellite, state media reported Monday, a day after Seoul said it had detected a ballistic missile launch. Despite sweeping international sanctions, Pyongyang carried out a record-breaking blitz of weapons tests in January before pausing launches during the Beijing Winter Olympics. On Sun

Washington DC (UPI) Feb 28, 2021
NASA and Houston-based Axiom Space are in the final stages of training and preparation to launch the first all-private astronaut mission, Ax-1, to the International Space Station in late March, mission leaders said Monday. But don't call the crew - three billionaires paying $55 million each - space tourists, Michael Lopez-Alegria, former astronaut and Ax-1 mission commander, said du

Washington (AFP) Feb 28, 2022
Three tycoons and an ex-NASA astronaut are all set for the first fully private voyage to the International Space Station next month - just don't call them tourists. That's the word from Michael Lopez-Alegria, formerly of the US space agency and now commander of the Ax-1 mission, which will see the crew launch from the Kennedy Space Center on March 30 aboard a SpaceX Dragon, then spend eigh

Mahia, New Zealand (SPX) Mar 01, 2022
Rocket Lab USA, Inc (Nasdaq: RKLB), a leading launch and space systems company, has successfully deployed a second Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite to orbit for data and solutions provider Synspective, bringing the total number of satellites deployed by Rocket Lab to 110. 'The Owl's Night Continues" mission is Rocket Lab's 24th Electron launch. "The Owl's Night Continues" mission w

Beijing (XNA) Mar 01, 2022
China's deep space exploration laboratory has been officially inaugurated, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA). Co-established by the CNSA, Anhui Province and the University of Science and Technology of China, the laboratory is headquartered in Hefei. It will carry out science and technology research focusing on major national projects in the field of deep spa

Wenchang (XNA) Mar 01, 2022
China launched a Long March-8 rocket to place 22 satellites in space on Sunday, setting a domestic record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket. The rocket blasted off at 11:06 a.m. (Beijing Time) at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern Hainan Province before sending the satellites into preset orbit. These satellites will then be released in 12 groups. Th

McLean VA (SPX) Mar 01, 2022
Intelsat, operator of one of the world's largest and most advanced integrated satellite and terrestrial networks, has announced the successful demonstration of a first of its kind private cellular network with Microsoft Azure Private Multi-Access Edge Compute and FlexEnterprise, Intelsat's satellite-based global connectivity service. Held at Intelsat's office in McLean, VA, the demonstrati

Nanjing, China (XNA) Mar 01, 2022
Chinese astronomers plan to build a new submillimeter-wave observatory on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as "the roof of the world." Proposed by the Nanjing-based Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the observatory project includes a new submillimeter-wave telescope with a diameter of 15 meters, larger than China's current most advanced 13.7-meter radio telesc