Earth Orbit

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  ISRO Successfully Launches SpaDeX Mission For "In-Space Docking"

  Two spacecraft that would aid ISRO in demonstrating space docking, a critical technology for future space missions got separated successfully and were placed into the desired low earth orbit late on Monday night, ISRO said.

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  Rocket Lab Delays Launch of Synspective's Earth-Imaging Satellite

  Rocket Lab's scheduled launch of Synspective's Earth-imaging satellite, "Owl The Way Up," was postponed on December 20, 2024. The delay, announced by the company, was due to the need for further analysis of sensor data. The mission aims to deploy one of Synspective's Strix radar-imaging satellites, part of a broader plan to establish a 30-satellite...

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  Study Explores Sun’s Magnetic Field Changes and Solar Wind Acceleration

  A study published in The Astrophysical Journal has shed light on how the Sun’s magnetic field influences solar wind acceleration. Using data from the Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter, researchers observed that sharp magnetic switchbacks smooth out into gentler waves as they travel further from the Sun. This relaxation process transfers magnet...

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  A World-First Discovery - Twin Stars Trapped Orbiting Galactic Black Hole

  At the centre of the Milky Way is a supermassive black hole called Sagittarius A*. It is roughly 27,000 light years from Earth and 23.5 million kilometres in diameter.

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  SpaceX Launches Two SES Communication Satellites on December 17 with Successful Recovery

  On December 17, SpaceX successfully launched two communication satellites for SES, marking the second mission of the day. The O3b mPOWER 7 and 8 satellites were deployed into medium Earth orbit (MEO) approximately 5,000 miles above Earth. The Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage successfully returned to Earth after launch, landing on the Just Read the I...

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  SpaceX Successfully Launches Rapid Response Trailblazer-1 Mission from Florida

  SpaceX successfully launched the Rapid Response Trailblazer-1 mission from Cape Canaveral on December 16, 2024, marking a major military milestone. The satellite was sent into medium Earth orbit and may connect with the GPS III network, improving navigation systems. Despite weather delays and speculation over its payload, the Falcon 9 rocket’s fi...

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  Space Junk Crisis: Experts Call for Immediate Action to Avoid Orbital Disaster

  Rising space debris in low Earth orbit is raising concerns among scientists, who warn of potential catastrophic collisions. Experts at the AGU meeting highlighted that unregulated satellite launches and growing orbital debris are depleting shared space resources. Urgent global efforts are needed to prevent the Kessler syndrome, which could make Ear...

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  SpaceX Launches 23 Starlink Satellites to Strengthen Global Internet Services

  SpaceX successfully launched 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral in its latest mission to enhance global internet coverage. Thirteen of these satellites feature direct-to-cell technology, enabling mobile phones to connect directly to satellites without requiring modifications. This marks SpaceX’s 123rd Falcon 9 mission of the year, demonst...

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  SpaceX Falcon 9 Successfully Deploys 24 Starlink Satellites

  On December 4, 2024, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket made history by completing its 24th mission, a new record for the company. The rocket, launched from Cape Canaveral, successfully carried 24 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The first stage of the rocket also achieved its 24th successful landing, marking another significant milestone in Space...

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  Gaganyaan Mission Likely To Be Launched By 2026-End: ISRO Chairman

  The Gaganyaan project seeks to demonstrate India's human spaceflight capability by launching astronauts to an orbit 400 kilometres above the Earth for a three-day mission.

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  Can We Defend Earth from Asteroids? Here's What You Need to Know

  Efforts to protect Earth from asteroid impacts have made significant strides, notably with NASA’s DART mission, which successfully altered the orbit of the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos in 2022. This achievement marked a key advancement in planetary defence, demonstrating that asteroid deflection is a viable strategy. However, the success of DART al...

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  More Than 14,000 Satellites, 120 Million Pieces Of Debris Jamming Earth Orbit

  The rapid increase in satellites and space junk will make low Earth orbit unusable unless companies and countries cooperate and share the data needed to manage that most accessible region of space, experts and industry insiders said.

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  NASA Discovers Rare Neptune-Sized Planet Where A Year Only Lasts 21 Hours

  TOI-3261 b orbits its star in an extremely close orbit, completing a year in just 21 hours.

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  SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches 24 Starlink Satellites to Expand Internet Network

  SpaceX successfully launched 24 Starlink satellites aboard its Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on November 30 at 12:00 a.m. EST. The mission aimed to enhance the company’s global internet network by adding to its expanding satellite megaconstellation in low-Earth orbit. The Falcon 9's first stage booster, identified as B10...

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  Youngest Exoplanet Ever Discovered Orbiting Around a Growing Protostar 520 Light-Years Away

  TIDYE-1b, a "baby" gas giant exoplanet just 3 million years old, has been discovered orbiting a protostar in the Taurus molecular cloud. The planet’s youth makes it around 1,500 times younger than Earth, offering a rare glimpse into planetary formation. However, TIDYE-1b is orbiting a star surrounded by a misaligned protoplanetary disk, which cha...