Japan launches IGS Radar 8 reconnaissance satellite with penultimate H-2A rocket
Original Publication Date: 2024-09-26 09:27
Japan launches classified IGS-Radar 8 satellite early Thursday with second-to-last H-2A rocket. Radar 8 will gather data for intelligence purposes and environmental and natural disaster monitoring. H-2A debuted in 2001 and has flown 49 times with a single failure, resulting in the loss of the IGS-2 satellite.
All The Stars Align for a Record-Breaking 75th IAC
Original Publication Date: 2024-09-25 16:40
The 75th International Astronautical Congress is set to be a record-breaking event, featuring more than 150 international exhibitors and 4,000 speakers from 96 countries. The most important topics in the space sector will be discussed: from sustainable exploration of the Moon and Mars, Earth observation in the era of climate change, the use of big data, AI, and robotics in space.
Radian Aerospace begins tests of spaceplane prototype
Original Publication Date: 2024-09-25 12:00
Radian Aerospace has started flight tests of a prototype spaceplane. The company performed an initial series of taxi tests of a prototype flight vehicle. The tests included what it called “short hops” by the vehicle. The next phase of testing will involve moving to another airfield in the region.
FAA administrator defends SpaceX licensing actions on safety grounds
Original Publication Date: 2024-09-25 11:26
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said safety was the reason why it recently fined SpaceX. Whitaker cited a $633,000 fine for violating license terms on two Falcon launches in 2023. He also cited delays in updating the license for the next Starship test flight. Whitaker claimed that SpaceX “launched without a permit”
China to launch near-Earth asteroid sample return mission in 2025
Original Publication Date: 2024-09-25 11:20
China will launch Tianwen-2 mission to sample a near-Earth asteroid next year. Mission will first focus on sampling near-Earth asteroid Kamoʻoalewa (2016 HO3) After delivering samples to Earth, the spacecraft will use our planet for a gravitational slingshot maneuver.
Free Starlink Wi-Fi now on most Hawaiian Airlines transpacific fleet
Original Publication Date: 2024-09-24 21:23
Hawaiian Airlines has finished installing antennas for SpaceX’s low Earth orbit (LEO) network. The broadband service debuted early this year on the airline’s first connected flight. Hawaiian does not plan to bring inflight connectivity to the smaller 19 Boeing 717 planes.
Military’s weather satellite program in flux as Space Force evaluates options
Original Publication Date: 2024-09-24 17:47
The U.S. Space Force is proceeding cautiously with its plans to replace aging weather satellites. Officials say the service will first analyze data from current and future experimental satellites. A final determination on what next-generation weather satellites might look like is expected in the next year.
Nokia joins the AI Pact, a new framework to prepare for the European Union’s AI Act – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-09-25 00:00
Nokia has officially joined the AI Pact, a voluntary framework to prepare for compliance with the European Union’s AI Act. The AI Act is a binding legal framework that regulates the use of AI systems according to the level of risk they pose. Nokia’s research arm, Nokia Bell Labs, is an industry leader in AI technologies.
EchoStar fails to find extra cash – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-09-25 00:00
EchoStar, the Charlie Ergen-backed business that owns the Dish US pay-TV operator, says that negotiations which have taken place over the past weeks with certain debt-holders have failed to reach agreement. Despite this setback, EchoStar says it remains active in discussions with various parties to explore possible financing transactions.
Mission Microwave’s employees say “it’s a great place to work,” and Great Place to Work® and Fortune magazine agree with ‘Top 25 Best Workplaces in Manufacturing & Production for 2024’ award – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-09-25 00:00
Mission Microwave Technologies has been named one of the 2024 Fortune Best Workplaces in Manufacturing & Production. This is the company’s second year being named to this prestigious list, with 93% of employees stating that the culture at Mission Microwave makes it a great place to work.
Getting SSPICY with Starfish Space: NASA funds orbital debris inspection mission – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-09-25 00:00
Starfish Space has been awarded $15 million over three years to execute the mission. The ability to inspect defunct spacecraft and identify opportunities for repair or deorbiting is critical to maintaining a safe orbital environment for spacecraft and humans. The Otter spacecraft is expected to launch in late 2026 and will begin performing inspections in 2027.
Arctic Sea Ice Near Historic Low; Antarctic Ice Continues Decline
Original Publication Date: 2024-09-24 13:02
This summer, Arctic sea ice shrank to a minimal extent of 1.65 million square miles (4.28 million square kilometers) That’s about 750,000 square miles (1.94 million square kilometers) below the 1981 to 2010 end-of-summer average of 2.4 million square miles (6.22 million square kilometers) The decline continues the long-term trend of shrinking ice cover in the Arctic Ocean.
Hubble Lights the Way with New Multiwavelength Galaxy View
These images come from six different Hubble observing programs, spanning from 2009 all the way up to 2024. The data from all of these observations lives in the Hubble archive, available for anyone to use. This archive is regularly used to generate new science, but also to create spectacular images like this one.
Celebrating 10 Years at Mars with NASA’s MAVEN Mission
MAVEN measured isotopes of argon gas in the upper Martian atmosphere. Argon is a noble gas, meaning it rarely reacts with other constituents in the Martian atmosphere. The only way it can be removed is by atmospheric sputtering, a process where ions crash into the Martian atmosphere at high enough speeds that they knock gas molecules out of the atmosphere.
NASA Analysis Shows Irreversible Sea Level Rise for Pacific Islands
Researchers have created high-resolution flood maps of Kiribati, Tuvalu, Fiji, Nauru, and Niue. The maps can assist Pacific Island nations in deciding where to focus mitigation efforts. The number of high-tide flooding days in an average year will increase by an order of magnitude by the 2050s.
NASA Helps Build New Federal Sea Level Rise Website
New NASA website brings together information on sea level change from various federal agencies. The website is intended to be accessible to anyone interested in the latest science and strategies to cope with rising seas. Site visitors can find explainers on sea level science, summaries of what rising seas will look like for various parts of U.S. Coastlines.
8 Things to Know About NASA’s Mission to an Ocean Moon of Jupiter
Europa Clipper will orbit Jupiter and conduct 49 close flybys of the moon. It will gather data needed to determine whether there are places below its thick frozen crust that could support life. The spacecraft will fly through one of the most punishing radiation environments in our solar system.
Starship Flight Five conducts Full-Stack Testing ahead of Launch
Original Publication Date: 2024-09-24 17:26
SpaceX has completed initial pre-launch testing of the Flight 5 Starship. Booster 12 and its hot staging ring were rolled out of Mega Bay 1 to the launch pad on Sept. 20. Ship 30 was rolled out of the High Bay to the launch site, waiting to be stacked onto Booster 12. With the launch not expected until later in the year, stacking this early before launch will not make the flight come any faster.