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Artemis II Orion Service Module Secured for Launch at Kennedy Space Center
NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft is a step closer to its mission around the Moon. Three spacecraft adapter jettison fairings have been installed on its service module at Kennedy Space Center. These panels will protect the solar arrays from heat, wind, and acoustic forces during launch. Once in space, they will detach, allowing the arrays to dep...
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Pulsar Fusion’s Nuclear Fusion Rockets May Revolutionise Space Travel
UK-based Pulsar Fusion has revealed plans for Sunbird, a nuclear fusion-powered rocket that could change space exploration. The company says this technology could reduce travel time to Mars and beyond by half. Sunbirds will act as space tugs, attaching to spacecraft in orbit and propelling them further. Initial tests will be conducted in vacuum cha...
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NASA Reviews Boeing Starliner’s Future Amid Technical Challenges
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft remains under evaluation following its troubled Crew Flight Test mission. NASA is investigating propulsion issues, including helium leaks and overheating thrusters, with testing set to take place at White Sands. Whether the next flight will carry astronauts is still undecided. NASA aims to certify Starliner for long-...
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After 9 Months In Space, Sunita Williams' Homecoming Few Minutes Away
Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are now closer to home. They departed on Tuesday from the International Space Station on the Dragon spacecraft after being "stranded" for nine months on the orbital hub.
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SpaceX Falcon 9 Successfully Deploys NASA’s SPHEREx Telescope and PUNCH Probes
NASA’s SPHEREx and PUNCH missions have successfully launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. SPHEREx will map the entire celestial sky in 102 infrared colours, while PUNCH will study the transition of the sun’s corona into the solar wind. The two-year missions aim to deepen our understanding of th...
-
X-37B Space Plane Returns After 434-Day Mission, Advancing Space Tech
The U.S. military’s X-37B space plane has landed after a 434-day classified mission. Launched on December 29, 2023, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, the mission focused on testing orbital maneuvering, aerobraking, and space radiation experiments. The autonomous spacecraft successfully demonstrated reusable space technology, marking another st...
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NASA Tracks GNSS Signals on Moon, Advancing Lunar Navigation Technology
NASA and the Italian Space Agency made history by successfully tracking GNSS signals on the Moon through the LuGRE experiment. The technology could revolutionise lunar navigation, aiding missions like Artemis. LuGRE had earlier set records for GNSS signal acquisition in deep space, reaching lunar orbit before its final touchdown. The data collected...
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New Research Reveals Mars’ Red Colour Linked to Ancient Water Presence
A recent study suggests that Mars’ red hue originates from ferrihydrite, an iron oxide that forms in water-rich environments. Scientists recreated Martian dust in labs and found that the mineral remained stable despite the planet’s dry conditions. Data from orbiting spacecraft and rovers confirm this discovery, reshaping theories about Mars’ ...
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Watch: Blue Ghost Spacecraft Shares Incredible Footage Of Dark Side Of The Moon
Days before it makes a landing attempt, Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost spacecraft has shared some stunning visuals of the lunar surface. It entered the Moon's orbit earlier this month, capturing footage of the dark side from 120 km above the surface.
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US Space Force Shares First X-37B Space Plane Image, Revealing Mission Insights
The US Space Force has released the first-ever image of its X-37B space plane in orbit. Captured while conducting experiments above the African continent, the image shows the spacecraft’s solar panel and open payload bay. The X-37B, launched on December 28, 2023, has been in orbit for over a year, testing new space domain awareness technologies a...
-
Blue Ghost Lander Lowers Orbit, Prepares for Lunar Touchdown on March 2
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander has successfully lowered its orbit to 120 km in preparation for a lunar touchdown on March 2. The spacecraft, which launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. Mission teams are monitoring its orbit and finalizing descent plans, though commun...
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SpaceX and Vast Seek Research Ideas for Dragon and Haven-1 Space Station
SpaceX and Vast have called for research proposals for experiments aboard the upcoming Haven-1 space station and SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. The station is set to launch in August 2024, followed by a Crew Dragon mission carrying astronauts. Research will focus on human physiology in microgravity and autonomous experiments for low-Earth orbit. Sel...
-
Stunning Images Of Mercury's Surface Captured By ESA Spacecraft
Barely larger than our own Moon, Mercury orbits precariously close to the Sun at an average distance of roughly 58 million kilometres.
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US Astronauts Upbeat Seven Months Into Eight-Day Mission
Veteran astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) in June aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, and were due to spend only eight days on the orbiting laboratory.
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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.
-
Artemis II Orion Service Module Secured for Launch at Kennedy Space Center
NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft is a step closer to its mission around the Moon. Three spacecraft adapter jettison fairings have been installed on its service module at Kennedy Space Center. These panels will protect the solar arrays from heat, wind, and acoustic forces during launch. Once in space, they will detach, allowing the arrays to dep...
-
Pulsar Fusion’s Nuclear Fusion Rockets May Revolutionise Space Travel
UK-based Pulsar Fusion has revealed plans for Sunbird, a nuclear fusion-powered rocket that could change space exploration. The company says this technology could reduce travel time to Mars and beyond by half. Sunbirds will act as space tugs, attaching to spacecraft in orbit and propelling them further. Initial tests will be conducted in vacuum cha...
-
NASA Reviews Boeing Starliner’s Future Amid Technical Challenges
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft remains under evaluation following its troubled Crew Flight Test mission. NASA is investigating propulsion issues, including helium leaks and overheating thrusters, with testing set to take place at White Sands. Whether the next flight will carry astronauts is still undecided. NASA aims to certify Starliner for long-...
-
After 9 Months In Space, Sunita Williams' Homecoming Few Minutes Away
Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are now closer to home. They departed on Tuesday from the International Space Station on the Dragon spacecraft after being "stranded" for nine months on the orbital hub.
-
SpaceX Falcon 9 Successfully Deploys NASA’s SPHEREx Telescope and PUNCH Probes
NASA’s SPHEREx and PUNCH missions have successfully launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. SPHEREx will map the entire celestial sky in 102 infrared colours, while PUNCH will study the transition of the sun’s corona into the solar wind. The two-year missions aim to deepen our understanding of th...
-
X-37B Space Plane Returns After 434-Day Mission, Advancing Space Tech
The U.S. military’s X-37B space plane has landed after a 434-day classified mission. Launched on December 29, 2023, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, the mission focused on testing orbital maneuvering, aerobraking, and space radiation experiments. The autonomous spacecraft successfully demonstrated reusable space technology, marking another st...
-
NASA Tracks GNSS Signals on Moon, Advancing Lunar Navigation Technology
NASA and the Italian Space Agency made history by successfully tracking GNSS signals on the Moon through the LuGRE experiment. The technology could revolutionise lunar navigation, aiding missions like Artemis. LuGRE had earlier set records for GNSS signal acquisition in deep space, reaching lunar orbit before its final touchdown. The data collected...
-
New Research Reveals Mars’ Red Colour Linked to Ancient Water Presence
A recent study suggests that Mars’ red hue originates from ferrihydrite, an iron oxide that forms in water-rich environments. Scientists recreated Martian dust in labs and found that the mineral remained stable despite the planet’s dry conditions. Data from orbiting spacecraft and rovers confirm this discovery, reshaping theories about Mars’ ...
-
Watch: Blue Ghost Spacecraft Shares Incredible Footage Of Dark Side Of The Moon
Days before it makes a landing attempt, Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost spacecraft has shared some stunning visuals of the lunar surface. It entered the Moon's orbit earlier this month, capturing footage of the dark side from 120 km above the surface.
-
US Space Force Shares First X-37B Space Plane Image, Revealing Mission Insights
The US Space Force has released the first-ever image of its X-37B space plane in orbit. Captured while conducting experiments above the African continent, the image shows the spacecraft’s solar panel and open payload bay. The X-37B, launched on December 28, 2023, has been in orbit for over a year, testing new space domain awareness technologies a...
-
Blue Ghost Lander Lowers Orbit, Prepares for Lunar Touchdown on March 2
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander has successfully lowered its orbit to 120 km in preparation for a lunar touchdown on March 2. The spacecraft, which launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. Mission teams are monitoring its orbit and finalizing descent plans, though commun...
-
SpaceX and Vast Seek Research Ideas for Dragon and Haven-1 Space Station
SpaceX and Vast have called for research proposals for experiments aboard the upcoming Haven-1 space station and SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. The station is set to launch in August 2024, followed by a Crew Dragon mission carrying astronauts. Research will focus on human physiology in microgravity and autonomous experiments for low-Earth orbit. Sel...
-
Stunning Images Of Mercury's Surface Captured By ESA Spacecraft
Barely larger than our own Moon, Mercury orbits precariously close to the Sun at an average distance of roughly 58 million kilometres.
-
US Astronauts Upbeat Seven Months Into Eight-Day Mission
Veteran astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) in June aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, and were due to spend only eight days on the orbiting laboratory.
-
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.
