Pan-European cooperation in military Earth observation could see progress by the end of this year as France presses for allied contributions to the next-generation Optical Space Component (CSO) system in exchange for access to its high-resolution imagery.

Some of the answers were on display at the 65th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) just concluded in Toronto, both in the remarks of many participants and the actions of the host government in Ottawa.

Virgin Galactic is finally on the verge of full-duration powered test flights and the start of commercial suborbital flights in 2015. Providing a rare glimpse of progress on a second spacecraft under assembly at sister organization, The Spaceship Co., Virgin Galactic Vice President of Operations Mike Moses says, “we are ready for space.”

The goal of deep-space exploration is driving many technological benefits, including a high-efficiency iodine-fueled RF ion microthruster

"You should see my view, right now," teased European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst

One of the almost three dozen symposia scheduled during the International Astronautical Congress dealt with issues of Earth observation from space.

Penny-pinching politicians and those who reject the evidence that human activity is changing Earth’s climate are making it hard for scientists to continue providing the data from space needed to monitor and try to manage the effects of inaction

If signed, the deal with an undisclosed customer would allow UrtheCast to develop two sensors, a high-resolution, dual-mode optical/video camera and a high-resolution dual-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that will be capable of imaging simultaneously in L and X bands.