Author: starpathwp-production
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NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer Equips Its Solar Arrays After Testing
NASA‘s Lunar Trailblazer spacecraft sits in a clean room in August 2024 after undergoing environmental testing at Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado. Now that those tests are done, the orbiter and its science instruments will go through flight system software tests that simulate key aspects of launch, maneuvers, and the science mission while in…
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Xenesis Wins SDA Follow-Up Deal for Optical Terminals
Xenesis has won a new Phase 2 contract from the Space Development Agency (SDA) for optical communications terminals. This effort kicked off in December 2023 and is a follow-on effort from an initial Phase 1 award in August 2022 for Xenesis’ Adaptable Optical Satellite Terminal Concepts. Xenesis announced the deal on Sept. 11. It is…
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Xenesis Wins SDA Follow-Up Deal for Optical Terminals
Xenesis has won a new Phase 2 contract from the Space Development Agency (SDA) for optical communications terminals. This effort kicked off in December 2023 and is a follow-on effort from an initial Phase 1 award in August 2022 for Xenesis’ Adaptable Optical Satellite Terminal Concepts. Xenesis announced the deal on Sept. 11. It is…
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Eminent officials say NASA facilities some of the “worst” they’ve ever seen
A panel of independent experts reported this week that NASA lacks funding to maintain most of its decades-old facilities, could lose its engineering prowess to the commercial space industry, and has a shortsighted roadmap for technology development. “NASA’s problem is it always seems to have $3 billion more program than it has of funds,” said…
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First non-government spacewalk goes off without a hitch for Polaris Dawn crew
Isaacman floats above the Crew Dragon’s hatch, taking in a spectacular view of Earth from 458 miles above the southern Indian Ocean. Image: SpaceX. In another SpaceX milestone, billionaire Jared Isaacman and company crew trainer Sarah Gillis took turns floating just outside their Crew Dragon capsule early Thursday in the first privately-financed spacewalk in the…
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Reliable Robotics Secures AFWERX TACFI Funding to Advance UAS Military Mission Flights
Reliable Robotics, a company in autonomous aircraft systems, announced the award of competitive funding under the AFWERX Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) program for the United States Department of the Air Force (USAF). This TACFI funding is an extension of prior Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) efforts and has opportunities to expand further in the future.…
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Polaris Dawn crew gears up for Thursday spacewalk
An artist’s impression of a Polaris Dawn astronaut flowing just outside the Crew Dragon capsule in the first commercial spacewalk. Graphic: SpaceX Billionaire Jared Isaacman and SpaceX crew trainer Sarah Gillis prepared to open the forward hatch of their Polaris Dawn spacecraft early Thursday to take turns floating outside in the first non-government spacewalk in…
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SpaceX launches 21 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from West Coast
A Falcon 9 lifts off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on September 12, 2024, carrying 21 Starlink satellites. Image: SpaceX. SpaceX launched its latest batch of 21 Starlink satellites on a Thursday night Falcon 9 launch from California. The Falcon 9 rocket launch set a new record for Vandenberg Space Force Base, marking…
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Evona Starts a Space Executive Search Firm, Gram Partners
Space industry hiring firm Evona is launching a new executive search arm of the company called Gram Partners. The brand is led by CEO Steve Finder, who had stints leading talent acquisition at Apple and SpaceX, along with Vice President of Client Success Melissa Scofield, who has more than 25 years of recruiting experience across…
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Varda Space and SSPC Collaborates to Advance Microgravity Crystallization for Pharmaceuticals
Varda Space Industries, Inc., the world’s first in-space pharmaceutical processing and hypersonic Earth re-entry logistics company, together with SSPC, the Research Ireland Centre for Pharmaceuticals, announced a research collaboration that aims to advance mathematical modeling of crystallization in microgravity, the first such framework that considers polymorphism. A molecule can exist in multiple crystal forms; each…