Space Industry Analysis
Mar 03, 2014
The U.S. Air Force plans to launch two new, secretly developed satellites this year to spy on activities in the densely populated geosynchronous orbit belt, according to Gen. William Shelton, who leads Air Force Space Command. The spacecraft, classified until Shelton revealed their existence Feb. 21, were developed by the Air Force and Orbital Sciences Corp. under the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP), service officials say.
Mar 03, 2014
More capable adversaries could jolt lengthy weapons development
Mar 03, 2014
A Japanese H-IIA launcher lifts off Feb. 27 with the Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) Earth-science spacecraft onboard, setting up unprecedented coverage of rain and snowfall from a slot in the sun-synchronous “A-train” satellite constellation. Liftoff of the GPM “core observatory” came at 1:37 p.m. EST (3:37 a.m. Feb. 28 local time) from the launch site on Tanegashima Island in southeastern Japan, and the big rocket performed nominally.
Feb 24, 2014
Why OEMs are flocking to the U.S., Mexico and Singapore
Feb 24, 2014
Despite reduced funding, France is still investing in the future
Feb 24, 2014
Valery Kubasov, the flight engineer on Soyuz 19, which docked with an Apollo spacecraft in Earth orbit in July 1975, died Feb. 19 in Moscow. He was 79. His death was announced on RSC Energia's website, which called him a “high-spirited instructor test cosmonaut.” No cause of death was given.
Feb 03, 2021
Psyche, the first-ever mission developed to explore a planetary body made of metal rather than ice or rocky material, has cleared a key NASA review milestone.
Feb 03, 2021
An investigation has been launched into the mid-afternoon crash landing of a SpaceX Starship prototype in Boca Chica Beach, Texas.
Feb 03, 2021
Fresh off finally achieving a successful test launch and aiming for daily launches of small satellites, Astra will become a publicly traded company after a takeover by a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) backed by veteran telecommunications entrepreneur Craig McCaw.
Feb 02, 2021
Jeff Bezos, one of the richest people ever and founder of the category-killing online business Amazon, said he will hand over the CEO title to Andy Jasse and become executive chairman of the business behemoth.
Feb 02, 2021
After a spat with the FAA over an incomplete safety assessment prior to a previous Starship test, SpaceX launched another Starship upper-stage prototype from Boca Chica Beach, Texas, on Feb. 2, reaching an altitude of 32,800 ft. (10 km) and demonstrating flight control during subsonic re-entry before the vehicle crashed at landing.
Feb 02, 2021
The European Space Agency has awarded a contract to Airbus for the construction of three more European Service Modules (ESM) for the Orion spacecraft that will carry crews to the cislunar Gateway station and the Moon as part of the NASA-led Artemis international program.
Feb 02, 2021
A former Royal Air Force fighter pilot has been appointed commander of the UK’s new Space Command.
Feb 02, 2021
NASA is preparing for the in-orbit demonstration of a propulsion system for small satellites that combines the safety of using water as the propellant with the performance of a chemical rocket.