Space news

WASHINGTON — True Anomaly, a space industry startup based in Denver, was awarded a $17.4 million contract by the U.S. Space Force to provide software tools to better understand the […]

NASA is delaying plans to move the Mars Sample Return (MSR) program to its next phase of development after an independent review found serious issues with its technical readiness, cost and schedule.

An Independent Review Board assessing the status of the NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return mission has concluded that although the mission has tremendous scientific value, it is poorly managed and designed […]

"MSR was established with unrealistic budget and schedule expectations from the beginning."

A consortium led by German launch startup Rocket Factory Augsburg has submitted the "Argo" spacecraft to the ESA CCTI.

Planetary Society members traveled to Washington, D.C., in September 2023 to advocate for the future of space science and exploration.

The agency established the board in May 2023 to evaluate the technical, cost, and schedule plans prior to confirmation of the mission’s design.

Social media lit up Thursday evening with imagery of an object tearing through the dusk California sky. A rocket, seemingly unannounced, had launched and was putting on a show as it headed for space.

Today Frank Rubio becomes the first U.S. astronaut to spend one year in space. Others have come close, but the 365-day mark has been met by only four other humans […]

The Ariane 6 Launcher Task Force gave an update on the schedule for the Ariane 6 test campaign, which has been delayed due to an anomaly.

A computer pilot helps NASA’s six-wheeled geologist as it searches for rock samples that could be brought to Earth for deeper investigation.

As per public filings, ArianeGroup completed a €27 million investment into MaiaSpace on 27 June 2023. Filings indicate that MaiaSpace issued an additional 6.75 million shares as part of the agreement. Having been founded in late 2021, MaiaSpace is working towards the ambitious goal of a 2025 maiden flight of Maia. The vehicle is a […] The post ArianeGroup Invests €27M More into MaiaSpace appeared first on European Spaceflight.

Senjuti Mallick is a space law expert promoting space sustainability and responsible space exploration. She leads legal and compliance operations at COMSPOC Corp. Space exploration has always been an endeavor […]

Chinese commercial rocket firm Galactic Energy experienced its first failure Thursday with its 10th launch attempt.

We asked two eclipse chasers for tips on how to plan your big moment in the Moon's shadow.

Payloads: Cold Atom Lab (CAL): The crew verified that the Ion Pump Controller Power LED was illuminated. This allows the health of the new science module 3B to be preserved until it can be installed in the CAL facility next week. CAL produces clouds of atoms that are chilled to about one ten billionth of …

The FAA has proposed new regulations that would require commercial launch providers to dispose of upper stages from their launches to mitigate the growth of orbital debris.

The commanding general of the U.S. Space Force says the service is revising a commercial space strategy to offer more specific guidance on what commercial capabilities are needed, particularly in space domain awareness.

Welsh space tech startup SmallSpark Space Systems has completed a long-duration hot fire test of a prototype of its NEWT-A2 thruster. In December 2022, SmallSpark received a £76,000 grant from the UK Space Agency to assist with the development of its NEWT-A2 thruster. The company describes it as “the world’s simplest bi-propellant satellite thruster.” The […] The post SmallSpark Completes Hot Fire Test of Thruster Prototype appeared first on European Spaceflight.

The FAA is proposing a new rule requiring commercial space companies to dispose of their rocket upper stages to limit the creation of more space debris. Five disposal methods are […]

Maxar Technologies is reorganizing and has eliminated executive positions, the company confirmed Sept. 20

NASA and the Artemis II Crew have conducted a launch day demo at NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida, as preparations for launch start to ramp up with the beginning of Artemis II ground system testing.

As NASA prepares to launch people back to the moon for the first time in 50 years, engineers are preparing for a series of ground demonstration tests at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for the Artemis II mission.

Payloads: Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research on Varying Mission Durations (CIPHER): A Vestibular Motion Sickness Questionnaire, Standard Measures (SM) pre-sleep questionnaires, and a SM Cognition test were performed in support of the CIPHER investigation. CIPHER consists of 14 studies designed to improve our understanding of physiological and psychological changes in humans on …

SpaceX has continued its trend toward a minimalist broadcast approach.

The FCC is requiring more operators of satellite constellations to work with astronomers to minimize the effects their satellites will have on ground-based astronomy.

From pioneering lunar missions with private spacecraft to achieving domestic satellite capabilities, Israel has defied its size and resources to make a significant impact in Earth's space history.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX sued the U.S. Department of Justice in a Texas federal court, as the company aims to stop the DOJ’s hiring discrimination case on constitutional grounds.

A consortium led by German launch startup Rocket Factory Augsburg has unveiled its Argo space station resupply vehicle. The consortium has submitted the vehicle for consideration to the European Space Agency’s Commercial Cargo Transportation Initiative (CCTI). ESA launched CCTI in May with the aim of encouraging European industry to develop a space cargo transportation system […] The post RFA-Led Consortium Submit Argo for ESA Commercial Cargo Initiative appeared first on European Spaceflight.

French space junk removal startup Dark has signed a partnership with Bordeaux Airport in preparation for the establishment of the company’s “Site B” facility. Dark was founded in 2021 with the aim of developing an air-launched rocket capable of deploying payloads of up to 300 kilograms into low Earth orbit. The company has since narrowed […] The post Space Debris Removal Startup Dark Partners with Bordeaux Airport appeared first on European Spaceflight.

AST Space Mobile said Sept. 19 its Blue Walker 3 test satellite that's been in orbit for a year recently relayed its first 5G phone call to an ordinary smartphone in a cellular dead zone.

SAIC and LeoLabs have signed an agreement to jointly develop a space-tracking software platform.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed that a Hungarian astronaut will be aboard an Axiom mission to space. The Hungarian to Orbit (HUNOR) programme was launched in 2021 with the aim of sending an astronaut to space by 2024. The programme was part of the country’s first space strategy, which aimed to […] The post Hungarian Astronaut to Visit Space Aboard Axiom Mission appeared first on European Spaceflight.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed that a Hungarian astronaut will be aboard an Axiom mission to the International Space Station. The Hungarian to Orbit (HUNOR) programme was launched in 2021 with the aim of sending an astronaut to the ISS by 2024. The programme was part of the country’s first space […] The post Hungarian Astronaut to Visit ISS Aboard Axiom Mission appeared first on European Spaceflight.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed that a Hungarian astronaut will be aboard the Axiom-5 mission to the International Space Station. The Hungarian to Orbit (HUNOR) programme was launched in 2021 with the aim of sending an astronaut to the ISS by 2024. The programme was part of the country’s first space […] The post Hungarian Astronaut to Visit ISS Aboard Axiom 5 Mission appeared first on European Spaceflight.

CACI International’s optical communication terminal passed initial ground tests required to compete for Space Development Agency satellite contracts, the company announced Sept. 18.

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration’s commercial space transportation office says he believes that the FAA can wrap up safety reviews needed to update the SpaceX Starship launch license by the end of October, but than a concurrent environmental review is a “wild card” to that schedule.

Over the past few months, Blue Origin has continued making progress towards the maiden launch of its orbital class rocket, New Glenn. The company has continued testing systems at Launch Complex 36 (LC-36), and recently submitted plans for a refurbishment facility near the Cape Canaveral Skid Strip, expanding Blue Origin’s already impressive spread of installations on the Space Coast.

Launches for OQ Technology’s narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) constellation are set to resume Oct. 4 after Arianespace moved the Luxembourg venture to its next Vega mission, instead of an upgraded version of the rocket that failed last year.

Payloads: Circadian Light: Using the EveryWear app on a tablet, a start-of-the-next-day assessment was performed. Circadian Light tests a new lighting system that is designed to help astronauts maintain an acceptable circadian rhythm in comparison to the current lighting aboard the ISS. This can help enhance cognitive performance during a long-duration mission and help combat …

Spanish space transportation startup UARX Space has partnered with the multinational engineering and technology group Sener to assist with the development of the company’s OSSIE orbital transfer vehicle (OTV). OSSIE (Orbit Solutions to Simplify Injection and Exploration) is designed to be capable of performing a number of missions, including satellite delivery, debris removal, and in-orbit […] The post UARX Partners with Sener to Continue Development of OSSIE OTV appeared first on European Spaceflight.

Kayhan Space raised $7 million in an extension to the spaceflight safety startup’s seed round and unveiled an autonomous space-traffic coordination framework.

Rocket Lab stock fell after the company suffered its first launch failure in more than two years early Tuesday morning.

A Rocket Lab Electron failed during a launch of Capella Space radar imaging satellite Sept. 19.

RocketLab's 41st Electron mission "We Will Never Desert You" has ended in a launch failure due the failure of the 2nd stage.

The cycling drama came to a head on top of the most demanding mountain in Europe.

The first asteroid sample collected in space by NASA will arrive on Earth Sunday, Sept. 24, and there are multiple events leading up to its landing.

ABL Space Systems, a California-based launch startup that has yet to reach orbit, received a $15 million task order from the U.S. Space Force to demonstrate it can launch a payload on short notice from either one of the company’s two launch pads.

The week of Sept. 18 through Sept. 24 is set to see three orbital launches, all of which are set to take place from US-based aerospace companies. Firstly, Rocket Lab launched its ninth Electron of 2023 on a mission dubbed “We Will Never Desert You.” However, the mission suffered a failure during staging.