SpaceX launches final two satellites in SES C-band clearing plan
TAMPA, Fla. — SpaceX launched the last two satellites March 17 that SES needs to claim C-band spectrum clearing proceeds worth nearly $4 billion in total.
Mars Sample Return cost growth threatens other science missions
NASA, in its fiscal year 2024 budget proposal, requested $949.3 million for Mars Sample Return (MSR), the program that will send missions to Mars to take samples collected by the Perseverance rover and return them to Earth. MSR is a joint effort with the European Space Agency, with NASA leading work on a lander and ESA an orbiter.
Planetary defense: Protecting Earth from space-based threats
Earth’s gravity attracts more than a hundred tons (more than 90 metric tons) of small objects and dust from space daily, according to NASA. Most of this material burns up in the atmosphere without any effect on the planet; larger chunks may produce a bright streak of light that’s visible in the night sky or a small meteorite for a rock hunter to find.
How often does the International Space Station have to dodge space debris?
The International Space Station (ISS) has been in orbit since 1998 and space debris has forced evasive maneuvers dozens of times. According to a December 2022 NASA report (opens in new tab), the ISS has course-corrected itself 32 times to avoid satellites and trackable space debris since 1999.
Radio telescope on moon’s far side will peer into universe’s ‘Dark Ages’
The moon instrument, called the Lunar Surface Electromagnetics Experiment-Night (LuSEE-Night), is a pathfinder being developed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, the Space Science Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, and NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
Momentus preparing for Vigoride thruster test as it ships next vehicle
In a March 7 earnings call, John Rood, chief executive of Momentus, said the company’s Vigoride-5 tug, launched in January, was in good condition as it went through a “deliberate commissioning process” in orbit. The tug carries a single smallsat for Singapore-based Qosmosys as well as a hosted payload from Caltech to test technologies for space-based solar power.
Crew-5 mission ends with Florida splashdown
WASHINGTON — A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft splashed down off the Florida coast March 11, returning four people from the International Space Station after more than five months in space.
NASA planning to spend up to $1 billion on space station deorbit module
NASA released additional details March 13 about its fiscal year 2024 budget proposal. An outline of the proposal, published by the White House March 9, requested $27.2 billion for the agency, a 7.1% increase from 2023 that roughly keeps pace with inflation.
How many satellites can we safely fit in Earth orbit?
Just 10 years ago, a mere thousand or so operational satellites may have orbited our planet, but there will be tens or even hundreds of thousands a decade from now.
Venus has a squishy shell that might be key to its youthful look
The investigation of geological features called coronae sheds light on how Venus loses internal heat and gives clues about its volcanic activity.
Heliophysics director named NASA associate administrator for science
NASA announced Feb. 27 it selected Nicola Fox as the new associate administrator for science, effective immediately. Sandra Connelly, deputy associate administrator for science, had been serving as acting associate administrator since the departure at the end of December of Thomas Zurbuchen.
First ispace mission on track for April lunar landing
BROOMFIELD, Colo. — Japanese lunar lander developer ispace said Feb. 27 that its first mission remains on track to attempt a landing in two months as it makes progress on its next two missions.
Japan selects first new astronauts in 14 years to support Artemis program
SEOUL, South Korea — Japan’s space agency JAXA said Feb. 28 it had selected two astronaut candidates as part of efforts to support the NASA-led Artemis lunar exploration program.
ClearSpace clears first ESA review for 2026 de-orbit mission
The venture said it passed the European Space Agency’s Key Performance Gate 1 (KPG1) milestone at the end of 2022, or phase 1, to conclude the initial design phase for its servicer.