Orbit Of The Earth

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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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  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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  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...

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  SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Completes 400th Successful Mission, Deploys 24 Starlink Satellites

  SpaceX's Falcon 9 achieved its 400th successful mission with the launch of 24 Starlink satellites on 26 November 2024. Lift-off occurred from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, and the satellites were deployed into low Earth orbit as planned. The rocket’s first stage landed on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas, marking its 15th reuse.

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  Super-Earth In the Solar System Could Have Rendered Our Planet Uninhabitable, Says Study

  A recent study explores a hypothetical super-Earth between Mars and Jupiter, revealing its severe impact on Earth's orbit and climate. Conducted by Florida Institute of Technology scientists Emily Simpson and Howard Chen, the simulation demonstrates how such a planet’s gravity could destabilise neighbouring planets, causing erratic orbits and ext...

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  Solar Activity Increase Results in Shortens Lifespan of Binar CubeSats

  Curtin University’s Binar CubeSats, launched with a six-month mission lifespan, re-entered Earth's atmosphere after only two months due to unexpectedly high solar activity. This surge in solar phenomena has increased atmospheric drag, impacting the stability of satellites in low Earth orbit. As solar forecasting remains limited, smaller satellite...

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  Space Debris Accumulation in the Stratosphere Threatens Major Environmental Risks

  The growing presence of satellite space junk, as more satellites enter Earth's orbit, has raised concerns about environmental impacts. Pollution from burnt-up satellites contributes to changes in atmospheric chemistry, with metals like aluminium potentially harming the ozone layer. Scientists warn that satellite re-entries are contributing to a ris...