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The European Space Agency has adopted the Arrakihs mission, aiming to study the faint light from nearby galaxy haloes and uncover cosmic history by examining at least 80 galaxies similar in mass to the Milky Way. The mission is slated for launch by the end of 2030 as part of ESA's Cosmic Vision programme.
NASA has appointed Randy Bresnik as the commander of the Artemis 3 mission, scheduled for 2027, which aims to test lunar landers in low Earth orbit. The mission will involve docking with prototypes of Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 2 and SpaceX's Starship lunar lander, marking a significant step towards establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon.
The House Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee has approved a draft fiscal 2027 spending bill providing $55.5 billion for the US Space Force, omitting additional funding sought through budget reconciliation. This decision sets the stage for further debate on the Space Force's budget and its implications for various space programs.
NASA is developing the Habitable Worlds Observatory, a space telescope designed to directly image Earth-like planets and analyze their atmospheres for signs of life, with the goal of detecting biosignatures such as molecular oxygen and distinguishing between carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. The observatory"s advanced spectral resolution capabilities will play a crucial role in this endeavor.
Spire Global has partnered with German defense firm Diehl Defence to develop space-based missile warning systems, aiming to detect ballistic and hypersonic missile threats. This collaboration marks a significant step towards enhancing European sovereign missile-warning capabilities.
Applied Atomics, a UK-based startup, has secured $4 million in pre-seed financing to establish a presence in the US and develop its multimode propulsion architecture for military space mobility applications. The company aims to demonstrate its technology on an upcoming commercial satellite mission and build a distributed orbital infrastructure.
Los Angeles-based startup Orbital has raised $5 million to fund an in-orbit computing demonstration next year, marking a significant step towards its goal of deploying over 100,000 orbital data centers. This development is part of a broader trend in the aerospace industry, with multiple companies competing to establish a presence in low Earth orbit.
LeoLabs has successfully deployed a mobile space-tracking radar system in the Indo-Pacific region to enhance monitoring of Chinese satellites and other spacecraft, marking a significant development in space-domain awareness. This deployment underscores the growing importance of advanced surveillance capabilities in low Earth orbit.
NASA"s Artemis 3 mission, scheduled for 2027, will involve three giant rocket launches and two private moon landers to test the Orion spacecraft"s capability with different lunar landing designs. The success of this mission is crucial for the subsequent Artemis 4 mission, which aims to land astronauts on the moon in 2028.
The Hubble Space Telescope has successfully captured a high-resolution image of the Messier 88 galaxy, showcasing its spiral arms and supermassive black hole, providing valuable insights into the structure and evolution of galaxies. The image was taken using the telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 and offers a unique perspective on this stunning celestial object.
NASA has selected a team of four astronauts, including Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, Andre Douglas, and Luca Parmitano, to crew the Artemis 3 mission, a two-week test flight in low Earth orbit aimed at demonstrating rendezvous and docking operations with prototypes of lunar landers. The mission, scheduled for mid-2027, marks a crucial step towards establishing a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface.
Researchers have identified a supermassive black hole with winds reaching 30% of the speed of light, located in a quasar 3 billion light-years away. This discovery provides new insights into the behavior of these extreme cosmic objects and their potential impact on surrounding space.
A novel propulsion system, utilizing a single propellant for both chemical and electrical thrusters, is poised to increase the efficiency and capabilities of small satellites, with potential applications in future Mars missions. This innovative technology will be tested on a cubesat mission in low Earth-orbit.
NASA has announced the crew for its upcoming Artemis III mission, which includes European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Luca Parmitano as pilot, with the primary objective of testing rendezvous and docking capabilities in Earth orbit. This mission marks a crucial step towards returning humans to the Moon.
The National Reconnaissance Office has awarded a contract modification to BlackSky Technology to accelerate the development of its AROS broad-area-collection satellites, which will operate as an extension of the company's existing Earth-observation fleet. This contract modification will enable BlackSky to enhance its capabilities in providing high-resolution imaging and AI-enabled analytics for various applications.
NASA has announced a three-phase plan to develop a lunar base over the next decade, with a budget exceeding $30 billion, involving collaborations with multiple private companies and leveraging various spacecraft and landers. The effort aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon by 2027.
NASA has announced the crew for its upcoming Artemis 3 mission, with Randy Bresnik as commander, marking a crucial step towards sending astronauts back to the moon in 2028. The mission will test rendezvous and docking procedures with moon landers, a critical milestone before attempting a lunar landing.
NASA has revealed the crew for the upcoming Artemis 3 mission, consisting of three NASA astronauts and one ESA astronaut, who will embark on a significant spaceflight next year. The crew, led by Randy Bresnik, includes experienced astronauts as well as those making their first spaceflight, marking an important milestone in the Artemis program.
Finnish company Iceye has raised $1.16 billion in funding to scale up its synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation, with plans to increase satellite production and expand its partnerships. This significant investment will enable Iceye to further develop its SAR technology and enhance its capabilities in Earth imaging.
Isar Aerospace has raised €270 million to support its global expansion and production of the Spectrum small launch vehicle, with plans to launch between June 15 and 21. This funding will enable the company to increase its presence in the global launch market and target low Earth orbit missions.
China has shortlisted four commercial rocket companies to launch its new low-cost cargo spacecraft, Qingzhou, to the Tiangong space station in January 2027. The Qingzhou spacecraft will provide a cost-effective solution for transporting supplies to the space station, with an uplink cargo capacity of at least 1,800 kg and a downlink capacity of at least 2,600 kg.
The European Commission is investing in in-orbit services, including rendezvous and docking, to support the development of a scalable orbital economy, with the expectation that these services will become a commodity. This investment aims to foster growth in the space economy by enabling new opportunities for satellite operations and maintenance.
The House Armed Services Committee has authorized $415 million for the Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar program, despite the Pentagon's plans to cancel it due to newer missile-warning architectures. This decision ensures the continuation of a critical space-based missile warning system.
The Federal Communications Commission has granted Amazon a waiver to miss its July 30 deadline for deploying half of its planned 3,232 broadband satellites, but the company will face a temporary loss of spectrum priority. This decision allows Amazon to continue its satellite deployment plans while giving rivals like SpaceX more leverage in orbit.