Space news

The Federal Communications Commission has fined Dish Network $150,000 for failing to properly remove a satellite from geostationary orbit, the U.S. regulator said Oct. 2 in its first space debris enforcement action.

China has laid out details of its planned Chang'e-8 mission to test in-situ resource utilization on the moon, while also opening the project to international cooperation.

Tysons Corner, VA – October 2, 2023 –  SpaceNews, the most trusted and comprehensive source of news and analysis of the global space industry, is proud to announce the promotion […]

The Federal Communications Commission announced a settlement with Dish Network on Monday in the regulator’s first penalty related to space debris.

A plan floated by military agencies to interconnect commercial and government satellite networks into a “hybrid” space architecture seems impractical, industry executives said.

NASA has a lot riding on these initiatives.

Representatives of national space agencies provided updates on upcoming missions at the 74th International Astronautical Congress Monday.

The return to flight of Europe’s Vega C small launch vehicle has slipped to late 2024 after the European Space Agency concluded a rocket motor nozzle needs to be redesigned.

An investigation launched following a failed Vega C second stage test has identified the design of the nozzle as the cause of the failure. In December 2022, the first commercial flight of Vega C failed. An Independent Inquiry Commission into the failure found that the Zefiro 40 (Z40) second stage’s nozzle insert was to blame. […] The post Vega C Nozzle Design to Blame for Zefiro 40 Test Failure appeared first on European Spaceflight.

Payloads: Circadian Light: A day assessment of Circadian Light was performed using the EveryWear app on an iPad. The Circadian Light investigation tests a new lighting system, to help astronauts maintain an acceptable circadian rhythm. This can help enhance cognitive performance during a long-duration mission and help combat monotony through automated, varied, and gradually changing …

Recent research conducted by NASA and its partners using supercomputer simulations is shedding light on the origins of Saturn’s iconic rings and mysterious icy moons. Scientists believe the rings began forming from a massive impact between two icy moons, all the way back when dinosaurs were still roaming around the surface of Earth.

Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the week of October 1-7, 2023 and any insight we can offer about them. The House and Senate are in session […]

A short-term funding bill passed at the last minute includes a three-month extension of the “learning period” limiting regulations on commercial spaceflight participant safety.

In a dizzying day of developments, the House and Senate approved a Continuing Resolution to keep the government funded at current FY2023 level until November 17, averting a shutdown at […]

NASA has selected SpaceX to launch a pair of smallsats to study space weather as part of a rideshare mission in 2025.

With only 12 hours remaining in FY2023, the question of whether the government will be fully open tomorrow remains up in the air.  Neither the House nor the Senate has […]

NASA has agreed to extend operations of its New Horizons spacecraft through late this decade to support “multidisciplinary” science that could include another Kuiper Belt object flyby.

Payloads: Cold Atom Lab (CAL): Closeout of the week-long activities to replace science module 3 with science module 3B was initiated and will be completed next week. CAL produces clouds of atoms that are chilled to about one ten billionth of a degree above absolute zero — much colder than the average temperature of deep …

A call for proposals from the European Space Agency is asking European industry to submit ideas for “small lunar missions.” The call was published as a component of the agency’s Terrae Novae exploration programme, which seeks to establish a sustained European presence in low Earth orbit, send the first European astronaut to the Moon by […] The post ESA Calls for Small Moon Mission Ideas appeared first on European Spaceflight.

Dream Chaser, the so-called “mini shuttle”, is set to bring back the capability of returning experiments and equipment from the International Space Station (ISS) through Earth’s atmosphere for an eventual runway landing.

The Space Development Agency awarded a $14.2 million contract to General Atomics to produce two optical communications terminals hosted on two small satellites for an in-space demonstration.

The six-wheeled geologist spotted the twister as part of an atmospheric exploration of Jezero Crater.

The American subsidiary of Japanese company ispace has revised the design of a lunar lander it is providing for a NASA mission, pushing back the launch of that mission by a year.

The European Commission has launched a targeted stakeholder consultation for an EU Space Law that could be adopted in 2024. The creation of an EU Space Law (EUSL) was identified as a priority for the Commission during a 13 September State of the Union address from President Ursula von der Leyen. The legislative proposal envisages […] The post European Commission Launches Targeted Consultation for EU Space Law appeared first on European Spaceflight.

China will launch its Chang’e-6 lunar sample return mission next year in an attempt at a first-ever collection of material from the far side of the moon.

NASA has postponed the launch of the asteroid mission Psyche a week to update the configuration of thrusters on the spacecraft.

The long simmering feud between the Alabama and Colorado congressional delegations over the location of U.S. Space Command headquarters erupted again today at a House Armed Services Committee hearing. Chairman […]

he chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) during a hearing Sept. 28 grilled military officials over their role in the Biden administration’s decision to keep U.S. Space Command’s headquarters in Colorado.

The Orbital Reef space station partnership between Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Sierra Space is on rocky footing, CNBC has learned.

Astroscale says a mission to inspect an upper stage abandoned in low Earth orbit, as a precursor to removing it, is ready for launch, but a recent launch failure will keep it on the ground for the time being.

SpaceX is set to close the third quarter of 2023 with its 70th launch of the year. The mission, Starlink Group 6-19, is set to lift off this Friday, Sept. 29, at 6:39 PM EDT (22:29 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40), at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

It seems like everyone wants to go to the moon these days, with serious lunar programs underway in China, India, Japan and the United States. One company is pushing to tap two of those markets: Tokyo-based lunar lander company ispace is rebooting its U.S. subsidiary, aiming to be a key transportation provider in the nascent moon business.

The German government has committed €2 million to support the development of infrastructure that would enable the country to support the launch of microlaunchers from German territory. “Microlaunchers are a cutting-edge technology and will enable further innovations. At the same time, this initiative strengthens Germany’s and the EU’s strategic autonomy,” explained Member of Parliament from […] The post Germany Commits €2M to Fund Offshore Launch Infrastructure appeared first on European Spaceflight.

Payloads: Astrobee: The crew performed steps to replace an Astrobee docking station memory card. Astrobee is made up of free-flying, cube-shaped robots. These robots are designed to help scientists and engineers develop and test technologies for use in microgravity to assist astronauts with routine chores, and give ground controllers additional eyes and ears on the …

OneWeb, the British satellite giant, completed its combination with French rival Eutelsat Thursday, setting the stage for a European challenger to Elon Musk’s space internet venture Starlink.

The UK Space Agency has announced plans to make £65 million of funding available for what it refers to as “high-risk, high-reward” projects that could boost the United Kingdom’s leadership in space technologies and applications. Managed through the National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP), which was founded in 2020, the initiative will be focused on developing […] The post UK to Provide £65M for High-Risk, High-Reward Space Tech Projects appeared first on European Spaceflight.

Mynaric’s laser communications terminals passed key ground tests required to be deployed on Space Development Agency satellites

Eutelsat has combined its geostationary satellite business with OneWeb’s low Earth orbit constellation after shareholders voted Sept. 28 in favor of the all-share deal.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced Sept. 26 it had closed the mishap investigation into a failed launch by Blue Origin’s New Shepard vehicle more than a year ago, but said the vehicle is not yet cleared to resume flights.

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory awarded X-Bow Systems, a startup that specializes in solid rocket propulsion, a $17.8 million contract to demonstrate additive manufacturing technologies.

The Pentagon has awarded Elon Musk’s SpaceX its first confirmed contract for the Starshield network it’s developing, a military-specific version of the company’s Starlink satellite internet system, the defense agency said Wednesday.

Rogue Space Systems, a three-year-old startup with plans for a fleet of small in-orbit servicing spacecraft, announced more U.S. government funding Sept. 27 to develop core technologies.

The Federal Aviation Administration closed its investigation into last year’s failed flight of a cargo mission by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, the regulator announced on Wednesday.

An ESA Independent Inquiry Commission established to investigate the failure of the Vega C Zerfiro 40 (Z40) static fire test will report its findings before the end of the week. The first commercial flight of the Vega C launch vehicle failed in December 2022. A subsequent investigation found that the over-erosion of the vehicle’s Z40 […] The post ESA to Publish Vega C Test Z40 Test Failure Findings This Week appeared first on European Spaceflight.

69 Soyuz Undock and Landing: 69 Soyuz undocked from the NM docking port of the ISS on Wednesday September 27th at 2:55 AM CDT. Later, at 6:17 AM CDT, 69 Soyuz touched down, safely returning NASA astronaut Frank Rubio and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitry Petelin from the 371-day docked mission. This concludes Expedition …

El astronauta de la NASA Frank Rubio aterrizó sano y salvo en la Tierra con sus compañeros de tripulación el miércoles, tras pasar 371 días en el espacio, un récord para Estados Unidos.

During his record-breaking mission, Rubio spent many hours on scientific activities aboard the space station, conducting a variety of tasks ranging from plant research to physical sciences studies.

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio and two Russian colleagues landed in Kazakhstan this morning after 371 days in space, a new record for a U.S. astronaut. The duration was a surprise. […]

A Soyuz capsule landed in Kazakhstan Sept. 27, returning two Russians and one American from the International Space Station after more than a year in orbit.

The cybersecurity firm Xage Security won a $17 million contract to protect Systems Command networks for the next five years.