Author: starpathwp-production
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What Does ESG Mean for the Space Industry Here on Earth?
When the space industry talks about sustainability, the conversation usually centers around in-space topics like space traffic management and space debris. But what about the impact of the space industry here on Earth? Amber Ledgerwood, senior manager of Social and Environmental Impact at SES is trying to bring attention to sustainability issues here on Earth.…
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NASA, Aerojet, and Boeing Prepare Artemis II Rocket Core Stage for Final Assembly Phase
NASA and industry partners Aerojet Rocketdyne and Boeing have installed all four RS-25 engines onto the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket core stage for the agency’s Artemis II mission, signaling the core stage is nearing completion. Once complete, the core stage will be shipped to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris…
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Qatar Airways Makes the Move to Starlink for IFC Service
Qatar Airways, one of the largest airlines in the Middle East, has selected SpaceX‘s Starlink service to improve its in-flight connectivity (IFC) services to customers. Qatar Airways announced the deal on Oct. 13. Qatar Airways said in a May 29 update that three Boeing 777-300 aircraft will first receive Starlink Wi-Fi connectivity by the fourth…
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Maxar Built Psyche Spacecraft Performing Well After Launch
NASA’s longest mission to use commercial solar electric propulsion (SEP) is underway after the launch Psyche mission. Maxar Space Systems, a provider of comprehensive space technologies, built the unique spacecraft chassis based on the Maxar 1300 series bus, the world’s most trusted space platform. The Maxar Space Systems-built Psyche chassis spread its two solar arrays…
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Blue Origin unveils ‘Blue Ring,’ a multi-use space platform to aid missions to Earth orbit and beyond
A not-to-scale rendering of Blue Origin’s Blue Ring in space. (Blue Origin Image) Blue Origin unveiled plans for a new spacecraft platform designed to serve as a multi-use, multi-mission way station providing services that span hosting, transportation, refueling, data relay, logistics, and more. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Kent, Wash.-based space venture is calling the platform…
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Amazon’s Project Kuiper prototype satellites are ‘stable in orbit’ and collecting key data
A member of Amazon’s Project Kuiper mission management team in Redmond, Wash., helps monitor the satellites’ activity in space. (Amazon Photo) Amazon said two prototype satellites launched on Friday on a test mission of the company’s Project Kuiper broadband internet constellation are stable in orbit and already collecting important data. In a blog post on Monday,…
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Twenty years after first crewed mission, China looks to lofty goals
On Oct. 15, 2003, a Chang Zheng 2F lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC) in the Gobi Desert in China’s Gansu province. On top of the rocket was the Shenzhou-5 spacecraft carrying astronaut Yang Liwei. This mission had a special significance, as it was the beginning of the Chinese crewed space program…
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SpaceX gearing up for a possible WDR as it waits for regulatory approval
While Ship 26 started its engine testing campaign, SpaceX looks to be gearing up for a Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) for Booster 9 and Ship 25. Related notices have been posted for the coming week, as SpaceX returned to a full stack for the next Starship to launch – as soon as November, pending regulatory…
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NASA Psyche launches on SpaceX’s fourth Falcon Heavy of 2023
One of SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy side booster landing at CCSFS’s LZ-1 or 2. Image: Seth Kurkowski / Space Explored After being delayed by a year because the spacecraft was not ready to make its annual launch window, Psyche was delayed another week due to new data being found that could have made the spacecraft’s thrusters…
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NASA should consider commercial alternatives to SLS, inspector general says
In recent years NASA has acknowledged that its large Space Launch System rocket is unaffordable and has sought to bring its costs down to a more reasonable level. The most recent estimate is that it costs $2.2 billion to build a single SLS rocket, and this does not include add-ons such as ground systems, integration,…