The European Space Agency and Arianespace have announced the postponement of the JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) mission following uncertain weather conditions. Arianespace confirmed that the postponement was a result of lightning risk to the launch. As a result, the launch will now tentatively go on Friday, April 14, 2023, at 12:14 p.m. Universal time (UTC),
Read More »TRAD software ready for JUICE launch
TRAD's (Tests and Radiation) technology will be on board the JUICE space probe which will launch on the 13th of April at 09:15 local time on board the Ariane 5 which will launch from the European spaceport Kourou.
Read More »Thales Alenia Space Builds SBAS Payload for KOREASAT 6A
KT SAT Corporation Ltd. (KT SAT) and Thales Alenia Space have announced that KOREASAT 6A will embark on a satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) payload to improve the continuity and availability of the Korea Augmentation Satellite System (KASS).
Read More »#SpaceWatchGL Opinion: JUICE: Europe’s mission to Jupiter’s Icy Moons
JUICE is the first large mission in the European Space Agency’s Cosmic Vision 2015–2025 program. It has two ambitious goals: a) understanding how does the solar system work, and b) exploring habitable worlds. To achieve this, JUICE carries the most powerful instrument suite to date for the exploration of the Jovian system, comprising of 10 key instruments.
Read More »RAND assess spaceflight industry progress
RAND researchers have assessed the progress that the commercial spaceflight industry has made in adopting voluntary safety standards, the industry’s progress in meeting key metrics set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2017, and whether the industry has matured such that areas identified in FAA reports are ready for regulatory action. The Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act of 2015 imposes a moratorium on safety regulations until the 1st of October, 2023. The FAA will be authorised to propose and issue regulations upon expiration of the moratorium.
Read More »D-Orbit Signs with ESA for IRIDE Satellite Observation Program
D-Orbit has signed a 26-million-euro contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) for IRIDE, a space-based observation program from the Italian Government. It will leverage national competencies and responsibility with the support of ESA, which will manage the project and the Italian Space Agency (ASI) under the framework of Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
Read More »Kenya Space Agency to Launch First Operational 3U EO Satellite
The Kenya Space Agency (KSA) has announced its intention to launch Kenya's first operational 3U Earth Observation Satellite, Taifa-1 ("one nation" in Swahili) satellite, on April 11, 2023. The launch, through SpaceX, will take place in Vandenberg Base, California, UDA aboard Falcon-9 Rocket. Kenyan engineers from SayariLabs constructed and designed the Taifa-1, while EnduroSat aided in the testing and manufacturing of the parts. To this end, EnduroSat organized a two-week educational training for SayariLab’s engineering team, dedicated to space systems and engineering, covering all aspects of mission analysis, design, and spacecraft assembly.
Read More »Register Today for our Space Café “33 minutes about the Lunar Policy Handbook” on 11 April 2023
This Space Café WebTalk will feature Héloïse Vertadier and Christopher Johnson in a conversation with Torsten Kriening about "Lunar Policy Handbook: Guiding Responsible and Sustainable Development of the Moon". This document is a reference guidebook for government personnel and private actors in the space industry. It is designed to be a high-level guide that is useful for a broad audience of space actors, outlining policy issues and operational considerations related to lunar activities.
Read More »OPS-SAT Flying Laboratory Wins 2023 SpaceOps Award
The OPS-SAT Mission Control Team has received its trophy after winning the 2023 International SpaceOps Award for Outstanding Achievement. The award recognizes the team’s outstanding achievement in creating and operating the world’s first mission dedicated to improving space operations by allowing rapid experimentation of mission-critical processes in an open, flying laboratory. It is the first time that an ESA-only operating mission has won the award since its inception in 2006.
Read More »Epiroc Partners with ispace for Moon Missions
Epiroc, a productivity and sustainability partner for the mining and infrastructure industries, has signed a long-term collaboration agreement with ispace that will involve Epiroc contributing technology and solutions for commercial Moon missions.
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