South Korea’s first domestically built rocket reached its designated altitude but the dummy payload it was carrying could not be deployed into orbit, Naro Space Center said. The third-stage engine shut down 46 seconds early and therefore could not release the 1500-kg payload at orbital speed. Nuri lifted off an hour later than planned as the 47.2-m rocket’s valves had to be examined.

Privateer announced that Dr. Moriba Jah, astrodynamicist and space environmentalist was joining their team as Chief Scientific Advisor. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak recently co-founded the space venture with the mission to drive space sustainability.

Rwanda´s Space Agency (RSA) has filed a request with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to put nearly 330,000 satellites in space. The country has filed for 27 orbital so-called shells, a collection of orbits at the same altitude. The agency said the submission followed ITU regulations and procedures.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is currently undergoing final checks after a successful arrival at the ESA launch Facility in Kourou French Guiana. Its launch is still scheduled for 18th December 2021, on an Ariane 5 rocket. The operational preparations of the world’s largest and most complex space science observatory will take two months in total.

The UAE Space Agency announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Israel Space Agency to intensify cooperation in scientific research, space exploration and knowledge transfer. The agreement aims to accelerate economic growth and human progress.  

The Scottish Space Strategy to achieve a £4 billion share of the global space market for the Scottish economy, was launched at Expo 2020 Dubai yesterday. The Strategy aims to make Scotland an end-to-end space system provider.  Scotland’s space sector is currently specialised in satellite and rocket manufacturing, launch facilities and research and data analysis.

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and the China Manned Space Agency accepted In Quattro’s two-phase flow cooling system as one of nine scientific projects planned for the China Space Station (CSS) in 2022, In Quattro announced. All experiments are focused on developing capabilities in space science and technology to achieve sustainable development goals.

His Serene Highness Prince Albert II has approved the establishment of the Office of Space Affairs in Monaco. The creation of the new entity will “reinforce the attractiveness of the sovereign State in a new area,” said Frédéric Genta, interministerial delegate.

A Russian film crew comprising actor Yulia Peresild and director Klim Shipenko are back on Earth after wrapping up scenes on the ISS for the first movie shot in space. The landing of the Soyuz MS-18 in Kazakhstan was filmed and touchdown scenes will be used in the movie.

On Monday, UBS analyst Myles Walton downgraded Virgin Galactic (ticker: SPCE) from Hold to Sell as the company is delaying commercial space flights. The news disappointed investors who had expected revenue-generating, commercial operations to start early next year. Last week Virgin said they would reorganise their development and test flight schedule.