Satellite News
Webb’s Mirror Now Fully Unfolded. Prepare to Witness Unprecedented Space Telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope primary mirror is now fully unfolded, which successfully completes the mission’s major deployments. The starboard side of the primary mirror was released into place today, completing a two-week long, complex deployment sequence. The mirror of the most powerful space telescope ever built is now open to prepare to “unfold the … Continue reading “Webb’s Mirror Now Fully Unfolded. Prepare to Witness the Power This Unprecedented Space Telescope” The post Webb’s Mirror Now Fully Unfolded. Prepare to Witness the Power This Unprecedented Space Telescope appeared first on Universe Today.
Exploration News
Biggest Moments on Mars: NASA’s Perseverance Rover 2021 Year in Review
NASA’s Perseverance rover has been busy since its harrowing touchdown in Mars’ Jezero Crater this past February. In the 10 months since, the car-size rover has driven 1.8 miles (2.9 kilometers), set a record for the longest rover drive in a Martian day, taken more than 100,000 images, and collected six samples of Martian rock and atmosphere that could eventually be brought to Earth for further study. And then there’s NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, which hitched a ride to the Red Planet
Launcher News
Prestwick Spaceport Files Planning Application Notice
To provide horizontal launch capability, which until now has never been accessible anywhere in Europe, Prestwick Spaceport has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Astraius, the leading UK-based commercial horizontal launch company. Astraius will launch rockets from standard transport aircraft that require no modification and will be able to place small satellites, such as shoebox sized CubeSats, into a variety of orbits.
NewSpace News
Orbit Acquires Euclid Systems Engineering
Orbit Communications Systems Ltd., a leading global provider of maritime and airborne SATCOM terminals, tracking ground station solutions, and mission-critical airborne audio management systems announced today that it has entered into an agreement to purchase 100% of the issued and repaid capital of Euclid Systems Engineering Ltd., which specializes in the development of smart, small and lightweight positioners & tracking systems for the defense industries.
Loft Orbital extends production agreement with LeoStella
Space Safety News
Russian rocket is in uncontrolled descent / Angara upper stage reenters after failed launch
The upper stage of a failed Angara launch harmlessly reentered Jan. 5, capping another setback in the protracted development of that vehicle.
Debris from failed Russian rocket falls into sea near French Polynesia
Space debris expert warns U.S. ‘woefully behind’ in efforts to clean up junk in orbit
The United States is a space superpower but is not doing as much as other nations to solve the problem of orbital debris, an industry expert
Science & Technology News
Orion’s Fireplace: ESO Releases New Image of the Flame Nebula
Orion offers you a spectacular firework display to celebrate the holiday season and the new year in this new image from the European Southern Observatory (ESO). But no need to worry, this iconic constellation is neither exploding nor burning. The “fire” you see in this holiday postcard is Orion’s Flame Nebula and its surroundings captured in radio waves — an image that undoubtedly does justice to the nebula’s name! It was taken with the ESO-operated Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX), located
Eccentric exoplanet discovered
A temperate planet with an irregular orbit With its 35-day orbital period, TOI-2257 b orbits the host star at a distance where liquid water is possible on the planet, and therefore conditions favorable for the emergence of life could exist. Planets in this so-called “habitable zone” near a small red dwarf star are easier to study because they have shorter orbital periods and can therefore be observed more often. The radius of TOI-2257 b (2.2 times larger than Earth’s) suggests that the planet is rather gaseous, with high atmospheric pressure not conducive to life.
