Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket explodes on pad, topples lightning tower [Update: No injuries]
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OneWeb, back in business, is about to expand its internet satellite constellation
It’s back to business for OneWeb, the satellite internet service that declared bankruptcy earlier this year. With 74 satellites already in orbit, OneWeb is ready to send its next batch up.
Expand Expanding CloseArecibo’s unfortunate collapse is a cautionary tale for other aging observatories
Early in the morning of December 1, the famed Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico suffered from a fatal collapse. The event marked the end to a string of unfortunate events that had plagued the observatory. Now, Arecibo’s sad demise and the events leading up to it are acting as a cautionary tale for other aging facilities.
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After 48 years, a new cadre of astronauts are preparing to make new ‘first steps’
On this day 48 years ago, Gene Cernan took the final steps on the Moon during the Apollo 17 mission. Stating that “we believe not too long into the future” we will return to the Moon, Cernan would have never thought it would have taken this long.
Expand Expanding CloseNASA has released 30 new stunning photos taken by the Hubble Space Telescope
Over the weekend, in honor of its 30th anniversary, NASA unveiled 30 new images of space taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. These images include amazing views of star clusters, nebulae, and much more.
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Virgin Orbit forced to halt prep for next plane-based rocket launch test due to COVID-19
Virgin Orbit is developing a launch system that can deploy small rockets from anywhere on the planet, but the spread of COVID-19 continues to affect the pace of progress.
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U.S. Space Command is getting closer to picking a home
The newly-formed U.S. Space Force is in the market for a new headquarters, and they’re closer to making a choice of where it should be located. The team in charge of making the decision is touring the small list of existing installations and doing evaluations both in-person and virtually.
Expand Expanding CloseAmerica’s newest fancy spy satellite finally leaves the planet
After sitting on the pad for over a year and undergoing multiple launch attempts since late August, ULA’s Delta IV Heavy lifted off on Thursday carrying a classified payload known only as NROL-44.
Expand Expanding CloseSpaceX Falcon 9 launches SXM-7 for SiriusXM [Gallery]
After a scrub on Friday, SpaceX successfully launched the SXM-7 satellite for SiriusXM on a bright and sunny Florida morning. Maxar technologies built the satellite as an upgrade to the existing fleet. Liftoff was at 12:30 EST followed by a successful first stage landing and payload deployment.
Expand Expanding CloseVirgin Galactic suborbital spaceplane falls short of reaching space during weekend test flight
Virgin Galactic has ambitious plans to open the edge of space to passengers on its suborbital spaceplane called SpaceShipTwo Unity. Opening the window to space is no simple task, however, and Virgin Galactic is at the mercy of testing and iterating to reach its goal.
Expand Expanding CloseNASA airing South American total solar eclipse in Spanish today
Today a total solar eclipse will pass over parts of South America, displaying a marvelous show as the Moon slowly crosses in front of the Sun. This is the only total solar eclipse of 2020, and NASA will be providing coverage on their main channel completely in Spanish.
Expand Expanding CloseNASA aims to make Space Coast a place for launchers of all sizes — small rockets included
In the coming months, Launch Complex 48 (LC-48) will become as talked about as all of the other launchpads on Florida’s Space Coast. NASA has been working on the development of this pad to be used by multiple launch providers with smaller classes of rockets. According to a press release issued today, they’ve set a limit of 500,000 pounds of thrust or less at liftoff.
Expand Expanding CloseBonus CRS-21: NASA’s worm logo make a brief public appearance on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 booster
The booster that recently launched CRS-21 also happens to be the same booster used to launch SpaceX’s DM-2 mission with NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken. To commemorate the mission, SpaceX painted NASA’s iconic worm and meatball logos on each side of the booster.
Expand Expanding CloseNASA awards launch contracts to three companies through its Launch Services Program
As part of its Launch Services Program (LSP), NASA has awarded Venture Class Launch Services Demonstration 2 (VCLS Demo 2) contracts to three different companies. Those three companies and the fixed-price of their contracts are as follows:
Expand Expanding CloseNASA’s Kennedy Space Center replacing old Huey helicopters with new Airbus H135 choppers
NASA is currently in the process of replacing its three Bell Huey 2 helicopters with new Airbus H135 helicopters at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA has been using the Hueys for about 30 years, and a lot of the staff have expressed their sadness to see them go.
Expand Expanding CloseAgniKul Cosmos has partnered with the Department of Space to progress its launch vehicle development program
India-based rocket manufacturer AgniKul Cosmos recently announced that it had signed a non-disclosure agreement with the Department of Space (DoS). Under this new agreement, AgniKul will be allowed to access the facilities and technical assistance of various Indian Space Research Organizations (ISRO).
Expand Expanding CloseBest views of SpaceX Starship SN8 launch
SpaceX’s first Starship high-altitude flight test this week was quite a spectacle. Starship serial number 8 slowly lifted off its test stand in Boca Chica, Texas. These are some of the best views from SpaceX and our Space Explored team who captured the event on location — collected in one place for you to enjoy.
Expand Expanding CloseiSpace opens new ‘HAKUTO-R’ mission control center in Nihonbashi, Tokyo
On December 9, 2020, iSpace announced that it had opened a brand new mission control center in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. It will serve as the mission control for the companies commercial lunar exploration program, “HAKUTO-R.”
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Watch U.S. Space Force compete in Call of Duty C.O.D.E Bowl for charity
Today the U.S. Space Force is competing against other branches of the U.S. military as well as the British Army, Air Force, and Navy in a Call of Duty tournament for charity presented by ADAA.
Expand Expanding CloseHyundai acquires controlling interest in Boston Dynamics in $1.1 billion deal
Hyundai Motor Group has officially announced that it has purchased a controlling stake in the autonomous robot maker Boston Dynamics. The business deal was revealed to have been in the works for quite a while and valued the company at $1.1 billion.
Expand Expanding CloseSLS: NASA proceeding with wet dress rehearsal next week after fuel temperature paused test
NASA is preparing to send the first woman and next man to the Moon in this decade with the Artemis program. Our return to the Moon won’t be like the Apollo program, however, as NASA wants to return in a sustainable fashion: lunar orbit station called gateway, Moon base called Artemis Base Camp, and international partnerships.
The agency briefly paused a critical step in testing the core stage of its new Space Launch System rocket at Stennis Space Center this week. NASA now says it will resume what’s called the wet dress rehearsal test next week. Launching NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and sending the Orion spacecraft around the Moon next year on the Artemis I mission is key to pushing forward with the Artemis program.
The team at the space center in South Mississippi briefly suspended fueling the rocket core stage on Monday after liquid oxygen temperature readings outside of the expected range were detected. Officials described the issue as operational and not caused by the rocket core stage. Now the team believes it has readjusted its fueling procedure to hit the target LOX delivery temperature.
Here’s the latest from NASA’s Artemis blog:
Expand Expanding CloseSpaceX targeting Friday for SiriusXM satellite launch on six-time flight proven booster [U]
December 11, 2020: SpaceX is targeting 12:55 p.m. ET for the SXM-7 mission. Live stream added below. Scratch that. Upper level wind speeds caused a scrub. Next attempt on Sunday, December 13.
SpaceX is targeting Friday, December 11, for its upcoming SXM-7 mission for SiriusXM. The mission will fly on a flight proven first stage booster that has previously launched and landed six times.
Expand Expanding CloseMorgan Stanley on SpaceX: Starship SN8 test flight is a major leap forward in U.S. space program
Morgan Stanley published a research note this week following the first high-altitude test flight of SpaceX’s Starship vehicle. The investment firm describes the test flight of SpaceX’s Starship serial number 8 prototype rocket as “a major leap forward in the U.S. space program” for at least three reasons:
Expand Expanding CloseSpace Time 7: SpaceX calls explosive Starship SN8 successful, NASA names Artemis astronauts
Zac Hall and Seth Kurkowski unpack major space events of the week. SpaceX conducted its first high-altitude test flight with Starship, NASA named the initial cadre of astronauts who could go to the Moon, and much more.
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Spy satellite no longer stuck on Earth? ULA sets new date for Delta IV Heavy and NROL-44 mission [U]
Update: December 10, 2020: Livestream for tonight’s launch is now available. Liftoff is scheduled for 8:09 p.m. EST.
United Launch Alliance has released a new target date for the NROL-44 mission using its massive Delta IV Heavy rocket. The classified mission for the U.S. National Reconnoissance Office Laboratory was originally set for August 26, but multiple failures to launch for various reasons took the launch off the calendar.
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