Author: starpathwp-production
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Launch Roundup: Falcon 9 returns to flight, China launches Earth observation satellites
The launch schedule in the past few weeks had been notably quieter than usual. Last week, a Chang Zheng 4B launched the latest set of Gaofen-11 high-resolution Earth observation satellites in the early hours of Friday, July 19 — the only launch of the week of July 14 through July 20. Following a Falcon 9…
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Astroscale Secures New Funding for ELSA-M Mission
Astroscale secured $15 million to support the final phase of its End-of-Life by Astroscale-Multiple (ELSA-M) in-orbit demonstration. The contract from the UK Space Agency (UKSA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) is another key milestone for the company. It was announced July 22. The funding was released following the securing of the contract with Eutelsat…
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Planet Expands Imagery Deal with Allied Government
Planet Labs signed a seven-figure contract expansion with a U.S.-allied international government agency for SkySat satellite data. Planet announced the SkySat expansion with the unnamed allied nation on Monday. Specific terms of the deal were not disclosed. The SkySat fleet provides satellite imagery up to 50 cm resolution with the ability to have multiple revisits…
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Space Systems Command Awards ULA and SpaceX NSSL Contract Modifications
As U.S. Space Force looks for new entrants beside Blue Origin for Phase 3 of National Security Space Launch (NSSL), the service on July 19 awarded more than $1.7 billion in Phase 2 contract modifications to the Space Force’s established rocket providers — United Launch Services, LLC – a subsidiary of United Launch Alliance (ULA) —…
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ESA’s Next Planetary Defence Mission to Explore Asteroid Apophis
30 years ago, on 16 July 1994, astronomers watched in awe as the first of many pieces of the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet slammed into Jupiter with incredible force. The event sparked intense interest in the field of planetary defence as people asked: “Could we do anything to prevent this happening to Earth?” ESA’s Space Safety…
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Bluetooth from Space: Hubble Network Reimagines Satellite IoT
You probably use Bluetooth every day to connect your phone to your car, speakers, and headphones. Now satellite startup Hubble Network is rethinking the bounds of Bluetooth to unlock low-cost IoT connections from space. This week, Alex Haro, co-founder of Hubble Network, joins On Orbit. Hubble recently demonstrated a bluetooth connection from space. The company…
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Curiosity discovers pure sulfur rocks, continues to explore Mount Sharp on Mars
On May 30, NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover, currently exploring Gale Crater on the red planet, drove over a small rock on the Martian surface. The rock cracked open while driving over the rock, revealing its interior composition. Scientists on Curiosity’s team were stunned to find yellow sulfur crystals within the rock — the first time…
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China Launches Fifth High-Resolution Gaofen-11 Satellite
China successfully launched its fifth Gaofen-11 high-resolution satellite, adding to its China High-resolution Earth Observation System (CHEOS) constellation. The launch occurred late Thursday via a Long March 4B rocket from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern China. The rocket lifted off at 11:03 p.m. Eastern on July 18 (0303 UTC, July 19), carrying the Gaofen-11…
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Researchers unveil massive cave on the Moon near Apollo landing site
A comparison between the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter image and the meshed models of the Mare Tranquillitatis pit created by the study. Image: Leonardo Carrer and Lorenzo Bruzzone/University of Trento, Italy Years later, Bruzzone and Carrer reanalyzed the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter’s data using newly developed signal processing techniques. Their findings revealed radar reflections consistent with an…