Challenging Elon Musk`s Starlink in his home turf, the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications company OneWeb works with the telecommunications company AT&T to provide satellite access for businesses in remote areas across the U.S., the company said.
Read More »James Webb Telescope to be launched on Ariane 5 in December
The European and the U.S. space agencies, ESA and NASA, have scheduled the launch of the giant James Webb Space Telescope on an Ariane 5 rocket for 18 December 2021, Arianespace said. Flight VA256 is scheduled for 18 December from the Guiana Space Center, Arianespace said. The launcher and launch services are part of ESA´s contribution to the Webb project.
Read More »Space Café Russia Recap: Igor Porokhin on the resurgent interest in space tourism and its prospects and the fate of the Berlin Protocol to the Cape Town Convention
Elina Morozova in conversation with Igor Porokhin, a Russian attorney-at-law and partner of law firm InSpace Consulting known for having provided legal support for contracts for flights to the International Space Station of astronauts from NASA, ESA, Brazil, South Korea, Malaysia, as well as space tourists on board the Russian manned Soyuz spacecraft.
Read More »Virgin Orbit to grow military presence by tactically responsive launches
Virgin Orbit is planning to expand its participation in the military by competing for tactically responsive launch contracts with Space Force, SpaceNews reports. They are trying to prove that rockets launched from airplanes in flight can be useful for national security.
Read More »Masten is to develop positioning and navigation network on the Moon
Masten Space Systems was awarded a Phase II SBIR contract to develop and test a lunar positioning and navigation network prototype, Masten said. The GPS-like solution is part of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s AFWERX program. The network will boost cislunar security, improve landing accuracy and hazard avoidance by providing location tracking for spacecraft and astronauts on the lunar surface.
Read More »#SpaceWatchGL Column: Dongfang Hour China Aerospace News Roundup 30 August – 5 September 2021
As part of the partnership between SpaceWatch.Global and Orbital Gateway Consulting we have been granted permission to publish selected articles and texts. We are pleased to present “Dongfang Hour China Aerospace News Roundup 30 August - 5 September 2021”. A special shout-out to our friends at SpaceWatch.Global,
Read More »Space Café Scotland Recap by Angela Mathis: Inclusive Space is Scotland’s Goal
Space Café Scotland Angela Mathis and her guests Kenzie Young, fresh from the Scottish Space School this summer, and Mick O’Connor, Programme Director at Prestwick Spaceport - explore the challenges and some local initiatives to achieve inclusion. How to help people feel they can be included in Scotland’s Space journey.
Read More »Firefly Alpha failure caused by uneventful engine shutdown
Investigation uncovered that Firefly Aerospace’s first Alpha rocket had failed due to the shutting down of one of its first-stage engines, Firefly said. The launch took place at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on 2nd September. The engine shut down just a few seconds after lift-off making the rocket tumble out of control two and a half minutes into the flight.
Read More »German government supports microlauncher offshore platform
The German government supports plans to build an offshore launch platform in the North Sea, Germany´s minister for economy, Peter Altmaier, said in Berlin. The minister partnered with the Federation of German Industries (BDI), who had promoted the idea since several years. The German Offshore Spaceport Alliance (Gosa) signed contracts with four microlaunchers.
Read More »China’s Chang’e-5 orbiter is set for another Moon flyby
The Chang’e-5 orbiter module is currently on its way back to the Moon following deep space tests according to reports. Last year, the orbiter delivered a return module containing 1.731 kg of lunar samples to Earth before setting off to deep space. Chang’e-5 orbiter was in orbit around Lagrange point 1 (L1) where it carried out orbit control tests and observations.
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