Space Technology

• 

  SpaceX and Firefly Team Up to Launch Firefly Blue Ghost with 10 NASA Payloads

  Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander will launch on SpaceX Falcon 9 in mid-January with 10 NASA payloads designed to test cutting-edge technologies. The mission includes tools like a radiation-resistant computer system, a GPS-like navigation system for lunar use, and dust-repelling technology for equipment maintenance. These payloads aim t...

• 

  SpaceX Starship Flight 7 Test Gets FAA Launch Licence, Preparing for 2025

  SpaceX has received the FAA’s launch licence for Starship Flight 7, marking another milestone in their quest for a fully reusable rocket system. After extensive engine tests, SpaceX is preparing for the test in early 2025. The flight will aim to improve key systems such as booster recovery and ocean splashdown. Designed for lunar and Martian miss...

• 

  NASA's Astronaut Sunita Williams Poses with Tentacle-Armed Astrobee Robot on ISS: Report

  NASA’s Astrobee robot tested its REACCH system aboard the ISS, demonstrating advanced robotic arms inspired by gecko adhesion for satellite servicing and space debris management. Astronaut Sunita Williams, Expedition 72 Commander, participated in the demonstration inside the Kibo module, mimicking the robot’s flexible arms. The technology aims ...

• 

  World’s First Nuclear-Powered Diamond Battery Can Power Devices for Millennia

  The world’s first nuclear-powered battery has been developed by researchers at the University of Bristol, offering an incredible lifespan of thousands of years. Using carbon-14, a radioactive isotope with a half-life of 5,730 years, embedded within a diamond structure, the battery generates energy without requiring motion or maintenance. Short-ra...

• 

  China's Tianwen-3 Mars Sample Return Mission Targets 2031 Ahead of NASA, ESA

  China's Tianwen-3 mission aims to return Martian rock samples to Earth by 2031, setting a benchmark in space exploration. Scheduled for launch in 2028, the mission will employ cutting-edge technologies, including a lander, ascent vehicle, rover, and helicopter, to gather samples from regions like Utopia Planitia and Chryse Planitia. These areas wer...

• 

  NASA Eyes Innovative Strategies for Mars Exploration Success by 2044

  NASA has detailed a 20-year strategy for Mars exploration in a report calling for innovative approaches, cost-efficient missions, and global partnerships. The plan addresses core scientific questions, including Mars’ habitability and signs of life, and focuses on developing advanced technology to access challenging terrains. Public engagement and...

• 

  China Unveils $553M Spaceport with Successful Long March-12 Rocket Launch

  China has launched the Long March-12 rocket from its new $553 million Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on Hainan Island. The rocket, capable of carrying 10 tons to low-Earth orbit, delivered two experimental satellites on November 30, 2024. Designed with advanced fuel systems and lighter materials, the rocket enhances payload capacity. The spa...

• 

  SpaceX Completes Starlink Direct-to-Cell Constellation with New Satellite Launch

  SpaceX has completed the first Starlink constellation for direct-to-cell connectivity, aiming to deliver mobile internet to remote areas without specialised equipment. This development follows the launch of 20 satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base, with 13 featuring direct-to-cell technology. The satellites integrate with the existing network...

• 

  Solar 'Battle Zone' Could be Even Worse Than Solar Maximum, Experts Warn

  Experts warn that the sun's next phase, the "battle zone," could result in increased geomagnetic activity, lasting until 2028. This period could bring heightened solar flares and coronal holes, which may cause disruptions to satellites in low-Earth orbit. Space weather experts, including Scott McIntosh from Lynker Space, have noted that this phase ...

• 

  ISRO Delays PSLV Launch That Will Carry ESA’s Proba-3 to Space, to Take Place on December 5

  ESA’s Proba-3 mission, aimed at studying the Sun’s corona through an artificial eclipse, has been rescheduled to December 5, 2024, following a technical delay. The mission, which will launch aboard India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), will use two satellites to demonstrate advanced formation-flying technology. These satellites will ...

• 

  ISRO Gets Government Nod for Shukrayaan Venus Orbiter Mission and Chandrayaan-4

  India’s Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM) and Chandrayaan-4 mission, approved by the government in September 2024, mark historic steps toward India's space vision for 2047. VOM will study Venus's surface, atmosphere, and solar interaction, while Chandrayaan-4 will return lunar samples from the South Pole. These missions are set to advance technology an...

• 

  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...

• 

  SpaceX Launching 23 More Starlink Satellites Aboard Falcon 9 Rocket from Florida

  SpaceX is preparing to launch 23 Starlink satellites, including 12 with direct-to-smartphone technology, from Florida's Space Coast on November 25. A Falcon 9 rocket will carry the payload, and its booster will attempt its 13th landing post-liftoff on a droneship. Deployment into low Earth orbit is scheduled about 65 minutes after liftoff. The Star...

• 

  Earth's 'Second Moon' Set To Disappear, Won't Return Until 2055

  The space visitor is about 33 feet wide, which might sound scary - but Nasa notes that it "does not pose a hazard to Earth".

• 

  Samsung’s New ISOCELL ALoP Camera Technology Could Result in Slimmer Camera Bumps

  Samsung has introduced a new camera technology which aims to revolutionise the smartphone market by eliminating chunky camera bumps while maintaining similar brightness levels. The technology, dubbed All Lenses on Prism (ALoP), has been developed by Samsung Semiconductor which employs a large set of telephoto lenses without having to incurring the ...