Eutelsat selects Airbus Defence and Space to build OneWeb LEO constellation extension – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-12-19 00:00
Airbus and Eutelsat sign contract for 100 new satellites. Delivery targeted starting end of calendar 2026. New satellites will embark key technology upgrades, notably 5G, on-ground integration. They will be technologically compatible with Europe’s IRIS2 constellation.
Satnews Publishers Wishes You A Wonderful Holiday – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-12-18 00:00
Satnews Publishers wishes all a warm Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or other celebratory event. Satnews offices will be closed from Monday, December 23 returning on Thursday, January 2nd, 2025. We welcome 2025 as we welcome 2025.
FMV procures satellite launch capability at Esrange Space Center from Swedish Space Corporation – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-12-18 00:00
Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) has received an order from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) for project establishment to create a basic capability for satellite launches from SSC’s Esrange Space Center. On October 4, 2024, the government decided to allocate approximately one billion SEK to the Swedish Armed Forces until 2032 to develop Sweden’s space capability.
GPS World: Mysterious drone sightings surge across U.S. — military bases on alert – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-12-18 00:00
More than 5,000 drone sightings have been reported in recent weeks, but only about 100 of these required further investigation. The sightings have included a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones and law enforcement drones, as well as some crewed aircraft and stars mistaken for drones. The FBI is spearheading investigations into the sightings, and local law enforcement agencies are conducting their own inquiries.
Firefly awarded million$$$ NASA contract for Moon delivery to Gruithuisen Domes – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-12-18 00:00
Blue Ghost will land in the Gruithuisen Domes, deploy the rover, and support payload operations for more than 14 days on the lunar surface. During mission operations, Firefly’s Elytra Dark transfer vehicle will first deploy the Blue Ghost lander into lunar orbit and then remain on-orbit to provide long-haul communications. The mission will also carry NASA’s Lunar Vulkan Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer (Lunar-VISE) payload.
Deutsche Bank reports AST SpaceMobile valued at $53 per share – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-12-18 00:00
Deutsche Bank re-examined prospects for would-be global telco ‘space tower’ business AST SpaceMobile. The key catalyst to this upgrade is last week’s contract between AST and Vodafone. The bank says it believes the agreement with Vodafone and its 50/50 revenue share will be echoed by other telcos.
Very Cold Detectors Reveal the Very Hot Universe and Kick Off a New Era in X-ray Astronomy
Resolve allows us to construct images of complex environments where collections of gas and dust with various attributes exist. For example, in the middle of the galaxy known as NCG 4151, matter spiraling into the central massive black hole forms a circular structure. Matter near the black hole is heated up to X-ray-emitting temperatures and irradiates the matter in the circular structure.
Amendment 84: F.6 Science Activation Program Deferred to ROSES-25.
The Science Mission Directorate Science Activation Program (SciAct) seeks to connect diverse learners of all ages with NASA science experts. The program began in 2016 and is currently in phase 2.0. When it is solicited in ROSES-25, Program element F.6 Science Activation Program will request proposals for projects to participate in SciAct 3.0, for calendar years 2026-2030.
Chang Zheng 12, ZhuQue-2E fly maiden missions; Hainan spaceport and mega constellations expand
Original Publication Date: 2024-12-18 22:21
The Chang Zheng 12 and Landspace’s enhanced ZhuQue-2E successfully completed their missions. This month marked the 550th launch of a vehicle in the Chang Zheng (CZ) rocket family when a CZ-6A lifted off from Taiyuan on Dec. 5. The Shenzhou-19 crew also recently conducted a successful spacewalk outside the Tiangong space station.