Tag: #space

NASA Launches Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, Headed for L2 to Study Dark Energy and Exoplanets

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launched from Kennedy Space Center, starting a three-month cruise to Sun–Earth L2 to study dark energy, dark matter and exoplanets.

#nasa, #space, #telescope, #exoplanets, #darkenergy

Trump signs order to launch NASA-led commission on creating a U.S. Space Academy

Trump signed an order creating a NASA-led commission to recommend within 120 days how to establish a U.S. Space Academy — governance, curriculum and location.

#space, #nasa, #executiveorder, #trump

NASA highlights studies linking Sun’s ancient behavior to Earth’s radiation and early warming

NASA summarizes two studies: heliosphere compressions that may have raised ancient radiation exposure, and young‑Sun protons that could form N2O and prebiotic molecules.

#space, #heliosphere, #climate, #prebioticchemistry

Trump Issues National Space Transportation Policy Aiming for 1,000+ U.S. Launches a Year by 2030

White House memo directs agencies to expand launch ranges, reentry sites and permits with deadlines to reach more than 1,000 annual launches by 2030.

#space, #spacepolicy, #launches, #trump

China Prepares to Launch Chang'e-7 to Probe Moon's Shadowed South Pole

China is preparing to launch Chang'e-7, a four-part mission aiming to probe permanently shadowed craters near the lunar south pole for water ice.

#china, #moon, #space, #lunar

Spent SpaceX Falcon 9 Upper Stage Predicted to Strike Moon; Plume Might Be Visible

A spent SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage is predicted to strike the Moon Aug. 5; models suggest a sunlight-lit debris plume might be briefly visible from Earth.

#space, #moon, #spacex, #astronomy

GAO: NASA’s Major Projects Mostly Stable, but Artemis Overhaul, Staffing Cuts Raise Risk

GAO review finds NASA’s 36 major projects largely steady, but Artemis changes, 22% workforce cuts and a proposed 23% budget cut increase program risk.

#nasa, #artemis, #gaoreport, #space

Northrop Grumman Launches Robotic Servicer Toward Geosynchronous Orbit

The Mission Robotic Vehicle carrying DARPA-funded RSGS and three extension pods launched July 21 from Cape Canaveral to test robotic servicing in GEO.

$NOC, #space, #satellites, #northropgrumman, #onorbitservicing

Juno Measures First Below‑Surface Temperatures on Io, Finds Intense Shallow Heating

Juno's microwave radiometer probed inches to tens of feet below Io’s surface and found unexpectedly strong shallow heating.

#space, #juno, #io, #planetaryscience

Study: CubeSat-sized inspector could, in principle, verify ban on nuclear weapons in orbit

MIT modeling shows a 9U CubeSat with directional neutron detectors could, in principle, detect unshielded thermonuclear weapons in low Earth orbit.

#space, #arms-control, #nuclear, #satellites

China recovers orbital-class Long March booster in first controlled sea-platform capture

China recovered an orbital-class Long March 10B booster using an offshore net-and-cable platform, a step toward reusable commercial launchers.

#china, #space, #rockets, #reusablerockets

Interior agency seeks public input on using U.S. federal waters for offshore rocket launches

BOEM opened a 30-day request for information on offshore launch, re-entry and recovery operations from the Outer Continental Shelf.

#space, #offshore, #boem, #outercontinental

Commercial Robot Set to Launch to Reboost Aging Swift Space Telescope

A commercial robotic servicer will launch July 2 to rendezvous with and raise NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, averting possible reentry in 2026.

#nasa, #space, #orbitalservicing, #swift

Rocket Lab to Buy Iridium for About $8 Billion, Adding Global Satellite Network

Rocket Lab will buy Iridium for about $8 billion in cash and stock, gaining a global LEO communications network, licensed spectrum and 2.55M subscribers.

$RKLB, $IRDM, #rocketlab, #iridium, #mergers, #satellites, #space

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Telescope Arrives at Kennedy, Begins Final Launch Processing

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope reached Kennedy Space Center June 21 to begin final prelaunch work ahead of an Aug. 30 target liftoff.

#nasa, #space, #telescope, #roman