Satellite News
NASA is returning to Venus
NASA has selected two missions, dubbed DAVINCI+ and VERITAS, to study the “lost habitable” world of Venus. Each mission will receive approximately US$500 million
ESA Signs Contract for New Generation of Galileo
Acting on behalf of the European Commission, ESA has signed two contracts for an overall amount of €1.47 billion, to design and build the first batch of the second generation of Europe’s Galileo navigation satellites. Following an intense process of open competition, these contracts have been awarded to Thales Alenia Space (Italy) and Airbus Defence & Space (Germany) to create two independent families of satellites amounting to 12 Galileo Second Generation satellites.
Exploration News
Commanding Role for ESA Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti
ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti is expected to serve as International Space Station commander for Expedition 68a, following an in-principle agreement by international partners on 19 May, pending consolidation of the Space Station’s operational plans and launch dates. As a member of Crew-4, Samantha will be launched with NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren and Bob Hines to the Station from Florida, USA, on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft in 2022. This will be Samantha’s second space mission.
ExoMars rover twin begins Earth-based mission in ‘Mars Terrain Simulator’
The replica ExoMars rover that will be used in the Rover Operations Control Centre to support mission training and operations is fully assembled and has completed its first drive around the Mars Terrain Simulator at ALTEC, in Turin, Italy.
Next up, Juno has Ganymede in its Sights
NASA’s Juno mission is set for a close encounter with the Solar System’s largest moon, Ganymede, on Monday. This will be the first flyby of the icy world since the Galileo and Cassini spacecraft jointly observed the moon in 2000. New Horizons also got a quick snap of Ganymede
Moon habitat blueprint at Venice Biennale
A detailed concept for a lunar habitat, created by one of the world’s leading architectural firms with ESA technical support, is currently on show at the Biennale in Venice
Launcher News
Launcher raises $11.7 million Series A round
Small launch vehicle developer Launcher has raised $11.7 million in a Series A funding round, which the company says puts it on a path to reaching orbit with a fraction of the total investment of other launch startups.
NewSpace News
D-Orbit’s Coming Up With A WILD RIDE Via Their ION Satellite Carrier
D-Orbit has announced the upcoming launch of WILD RIDE, the third mission of the company’s proprietary space transportation vehicle ION Satellite Carrier. Scheduled to lift-off in June of 2021, the vehicle, called ION SCV Dauntless David, will deploy six satellites into distinct orbits and perform the on-orbit demonstration of three payloads. This mission, which serves […]
Hyperspectral Infrared Radiance data improves local severe storm forecasts
Since the era of meteorological satellites began in the 1950s, continuous remote sensing instrument improvements have elevated Earth science and have significantly increased available atmospheric observations. Likewise, scientists have made considerable advancements in understanding Earth’s atmosphere, climate, and environment
LeoLabs raises $65 million in Series B funding round
LeoLabs plans to accelerate deployment of its global radar network and expand space situational awareness services with $65 million raised in a Series B financing round announced June 3.
German startup raises funding for wildfire monitoring satellite constellation
OroraTech, which currently uses publicly available imagery for its wildfire detection service, will use its funding round to start deployment of its own satellites to provide better coverage. The company plans by 2023 to deploy a “minimum viable constellation” of 14 satellites, likely a hybrid of payloads on Spire cubesats along with its own satellites. Data from those satellites will augment data it is already processing from government satellites, like those from Europe’s Copernicus program, to detect and monitor wildfires.
Space Safety News
Nooo! Canadarm2 Hit by a Piece of Space Debris
The International Space Station’s robotic arm, Canadarm2, was struck by a piece of space debris. But luckily, it appears to be only a flesh wound, and the arm has been cleared for nominal operations while analysis on the strike continues. NASA and Canadian Space Agency officials don’t know exactly when the arm was hit
Science & Technology News
A new water treatment technology could also help Mars explorers
A team led by UC Riverside engineers has developed a catalyst to remove a dangerous chemical from water on Earth that could also make Martian soil safer for agriculture .
