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Space Exploration

Advisory Board on Space Resources appoints Étienne Schneider as member

Established in 2017 as part of the implementation of the SpaceResources.lu initiative strategy, the core function of the Advisory Board on Space Resources is to support the government on topics related to the exploration and use of resources available in space. Facilitated and managed by the Luxembourg Space Agency, this advisory body comprises renowned international experts in the space industry.

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NASA’s OSIRIS-REx rehearsing landing on asteroid Bennu

On Aug. 11, the mission will perform its “Matchpoint” rehearsal – the second practice run of the Touch-and-Go (TAG) sample collection event. The rehearsal will be similar to the Apr. 14 “Checkpoint” rehearsal, which practiced the first two maneuvers of the descent, but this time the spacecraft will add a third maneuver, called the Matchpoint burn, and fly even closer to sample site Nightingale – reaching an altitude of approximately 131 ft (40 m) – before backing away from the asteroid.

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VIPER Rover to use Thales Alenia Space tech for Earth comms

Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has signed a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC) for the delivery of the X-Band Transceiver and X-Band Diplexer, which will ensure communications for the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER).

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#SpaceWatchGL Opinion: Space Law at the Crossroads: Contextualizing the Artemis Accords and the Space Resources Executive Order

by Kiran Mohan Vazhapully Artist’s impression of the Gateway and Orion. The Gateway is the next structure to be launched by the partners of the International Space Station. Image courtesy of NASA.Last month, based on a Reuters report, Chris Borgen wrote in Opinio Juris about the White House chalking out details of a United States (US) sponsored international framework dubbed “Artemis Accords”,  to facilitate commercial mining on the Moon. They are conceived as inter-agency bilateral agreements similar to the International Space Station Intergovernmental Agreement (ISS-IGA).

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Latvia becomes ESA Associate Member State

This Association Agreement between ESA and the Government of the Republic of Latvia, builds on the successful results achieved under the previous frameworks of cooperation and enters into force for a duration of seven years. Comprising 18 Articles and two Annexes, it orchestrates the strengthening of Latvia’s relations with ESA.

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