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Astrolab’s FLEX rover secures SpaceX deal for lunar mission aboard Starship 

Venturi Astrolab, the developer of the Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) rover, has inked an agreement with SpaceX that is set to propel its innovative rover to the lunar surface aboard a Starship flight. This ambitious mission, scheduled for a potential launch in mid-2026, marks SpaceX’s first-ever commercial cargo contract for lunar delivery.

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Indian Moon rover sends back photo of Chrandrayaan-3 lander on the lunar surface

It’s been an entire week since Chandrayaan-3 landed on the Moon, putting India in a small club of those who can do it. Since then ISRO has been sharing photos from its lander and rover, as well as some early science results. On Wednesday, ISRO treated us to a photo of the Chandrayaan-3 lander, on the surface of the Moon, courtesy of the small rover that tagged along for the ride.

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NASA’s Deep Space Network can’t keep up with demand

Between the increasing need and decreasing budgets, NASA’s Deep Space Network is running into constraints during big missions like Artemis 1. DSN’s director is concerned the lack of funding to expand deep space communications and the continued requirement to drop everything for these missions will harm NASA’s other science missions.

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What time is the rare ‘blue supermoon’ on August 30?

rare blue supermoon full moon august 30 in night sky

On Wednesday, August 30th, we’ll have our second full moon of the month! This occurrence is known as a “blue moon,” and just as the saying goes, it doesn’t happen often.

What makes this blue moon even more special is that it also coincides with a supermoon creating a rare event that won’t happen again until 2037. Here’s what time the rare blue supermoon occurs in different areas of the world…

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Rocket Lab reflies its first Electron engine, putting them on the heels of SpaceX

On Rocket Lab’s 40th Electron rocket launch, the company successfully re-debuted the Rutherford engine, but this time it was flight-proven. After a last-minute change, Capella Space’s latest satellite was deployed into orbit using a recoverable variant of the Electron with one of its nine first-stage engines being reused from a previous mission.

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The first 2024 Presidential debate ended in a question about UFOs

In case you didn’t watch or finish the first Presidential debate of the 2024 election, I don’t blame you it was chaos. Before moving to closing statements there was a rather interesting question to former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie about UFOs. While no answer was really given, it was an interesting addition to the night.

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India’s Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft successfully lands on the Moon’s south pole

India chandrayaan3 spacecraft lands on the moon's south pole

In a watershed moment for India’s space program, on Wednesday, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft successfully touched down at the unexplored lunar south pole. This is the first time any country has visited this area of the Moon.

Update: The Pragyan rover has rolled off the Vikram lander. Due to the amount of dust kicked up upon the touchdown of the Vikram lander, the rollout of the rover was delayed.

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This Week in Launches: SpaceX Crew-7 launch week, along with many other missions

This week has proven to be one of the most eventful in recent memory, featuring a flurry of activities including two launches to the International Space Station, four SpaceX launches, and four distinct rockets. From the Crew-7 rotation mission by SpaceX, a specialized SmallSat mission by Rocket Lab, to a rare Japanese launch, this week is poised to be action-packed.

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Crew-7 astronauts arrive in Florida ahead of flight to International Space Station

The four members of the Crew-7 mission arrived at Kennedy Space Center and are in the final quarantine phase before starting their journey to the International Space Station. Launch week has begun with several events taking place as we get ready to see Crew-7 liftoff.

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Earth isn’t the only planet to have had seasons study shows

My favorite part of where I live now is four distinct seasons each year. Wisconsin brings cold winters, hot summers, beautiful falls, and well, rainy springs. In contrast, during my time in Florida, we experienced two seasons: intensely hot and wet, followed by relatively less hot and dry (if you’re curious, the latter is when you most likely came for vacation). Interestingly, seasons appear to have lost their uniqueness in space, as a study indicates that Mars once possessed them before its water reserves evaporated.

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Who will win the space tourist sector: Blue Origin or Virgin Galactic?

galactic 01, galactic 02, virgin galactic

Last Thursday, Virgin Galactic successfully launched its first group of commercial customers into space aboard its SpaceShipTwo suborbital spaceplane, named VSS Unity. This achievement occurred approximately one month after its previous flight. With Virgin Galactic now a significant player in the field, the question arises: Can they outpace Blue Origin in the realm of space tourism?

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NASA says July 2023 was the hottest month ever; here’s why

Scientists at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York have officially confirmed that July 2023 held the hottest global temperature ever in recorded history.

It’s quite obvious at this point that we’re feeling the effects of climate change, but what specifically contributed the most to July’s unprecedented heatwave?

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