Ovzon’s first broadband satellite reaches geostationary slot
Original Publication Date: 2024-06-14 21:10
Ovzon 3 will enter service “within a few short weeks,” CEO says. Ovzon continues to see rising demand for the 1,500-kilogram satellite. Ovzon’s largest customer has long been the U.S. Department of Defense.
Moon ice in the Artemis era: what we still don’t know
Original Publication Date: 2024-06-14 17:06
Search for exploitable water ice is a high priority on NASA’s Artemis agenda. Lunar water ice is believed to reside within permanently shadowed regions. Data from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute’s Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter. “Physical confirmation of water ice could represent a significant impetus to human and robotic exploration”
NASA extends Starliner stay at ISS for additional testing
Original Publication Date: 2024-06-14 16:39
NASA and Boeing will keep the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft at the International Space Station for at least four more days. Additional tests of Starliner systems not originally planned for the spacecraft’s time at the station. Among the additional tests planned for Starliner is a brief test of aft-facing thrusters on the spacecraft.
Webinar – Race to the Moon
Original Publication Date: 2024-06-14 16:38
Join our expert panelists as they dive into the growing race for moon resources. With nations and companies vying for water, metals, and minerals across the lunar surface, will NASA’s commercial strategy prove effective? And can countries coexist in this new frontier? Douglas Terrier Associate Director for Strategy NASA Johnson Space Center. Yao Song Co-CEO, Co-founder Orienspace Blaine Curcio Founder Orbital Gateway Consulting Namrata Goswami Author, Professor, Founder David Ariosto Host SpaceNews.
Blue Origin, SpaceX, ULA to compete for $5.6 billion in Pentagon launch contracts
Original Publication Date: 2024-06-13 23:14
Blue Origin, SpaceX, and United Launch Alliance selected for National Security Space Launch Phase 3 launch services program. The three companies won contracts potentially worth $5.6 billion over five years. At least 30 NSSL Lane 1 missions are expected to be competed over the five years.
SIA reports more record growth for the global commercial satellite industry
Original Publication Date: 2024-06-13 22:16
Satellite industry revenue climbs 2% year-on-year to $285 billion for 2023. Manufacturers based in the United States built about 85% of the commercially procured satellites. There were a record 190 commercially procured launches in 2023, an 18% increase from 2022.
House Appropriations Committee pares back Space Force budget request
Original Publication Date: 2024-06-13 20:55
The House Appropriations Committee on June 13 advanced an $833 billion defense spending bill. The measure cleared the panel on a 34-25 vote. The bill greenlights $28.7 billion for the Space Force, or about $900 million less than the White House requested.
SpaceX dramatic scrub as engines ignite for Flag Day Starlink fourth attempt at launch – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-06-14 00:00
SpaceX’s bad hat trick of three scrubs in a row as Thursday’s launch was called due to weather again. Originally the SpaceX launch of 22 more of its Starlink broadband satellites that were to orbit from Florida’s Space Coast was set for June 12. That was scrubbed and rolled over to June 13, and now, due to inclimate Florida weather, Thursday is scrubbed and is tentatively planned for Friday, June 14, Flag Day.
SpaceX hopes better weather for Flag Day Starlink launch of 22 smallsats – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-06-14 00:00
SpaceX’s bad hat trick of three scrubs in a row as Thursday’s launch was called due to weather again. Originally the SpaceX launch of 22 more of its Starlink broadband satellites that were to orbit from Florida’s Space Coast was set for June 12. That was scrubbed and rolled over to June 13, and now, due to inclimate Florida weather again, Thursday is scrubbed and is tentatively planned for Friday, June 14.
Sols 4214–4215: The Best Laid Plans…
The decision was made based on the answer to two questions. First, does this location meet our science objectives? Second, is it safe to drill here? Monday's plan also included a "preload test" To determine the safety of drilling. Although the APXS data indicated that this location meets our science objectives, the preload test was unsuccessful.
NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility to Launch Student Experiments
Original Publication Date: 2024-06-14 14:00
RockOn! Is an introductory flight opportunity for community college and university students. RockOn participants spend a week at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, where they are guided through the process of building and launching an experiment aboard a sounding rocket. RockSat-C “has been an incredible introduction into the world of NASA and how flight missions are built from start to finish,” said TJ Tomaszewski, student lead for the University of Delaware.
NASA’s Hubble Restarts Science in New Pointing Mode
Hubble went into safe mode May 24 due to an ongoing issue with one of its gyroscopes. The gyro had been increasingly returning faulty readings over the past six months. This led the Hubble team to transition from a three-gyro operating mode to observing with only one.