Space News reports that the European Space Agency said that, “after weeks of effort to loosen a stuck pin,” the JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) successfully deployed its 16-meter-long antenna. Engineers tried to loosen the pin via shaking the craft using thrusters orienting it with sunlight to warm the antenna, but it didn’t deploy “until controllers fired a non-explosive actuator in the jammed bracket.” The antenna is part of the Radar for Icy Moons Exploration sensor, which is designed to probe up to nine kilometers beneath Europa’s, Ganymede’s, and Callisto’s surfaces.
Full Story (Space News)
Tag: ESA
NASA Secures Partner Cooperation on ISS Through 2028
Florida Today reports that the International Space Station “will remain in operation through 2028 with the full cooperation of all partners, NASA announced last week.” The United States, Japan, Canada, and countries from the European Space Agency “have committed to extending their participation aboard the space station until 2030.” Additionally, Russia has said it will remain committed to station operations through at least 2028. Last year, NASA “announced the lifespan extension of the space station until 2030, at which point it is planned to be retired.”
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Vega C Launch Failure Sets Inquiry Panel from ESA, Arianespace in Motion
Aviation Week reports Avio’s Vega C launch vehicle “failed to place Pléiades Neo 5 & 6 satellites into orbit on Dec. 20.” The rocket took off “as scheduled at 10:47 p.m. local time at Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana, and the first stage successfully separated.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Vega Rocket Lifts Off in First Mission Since November
Spaceflight Now reports that the first launch of Arianespace’s Vega Rocket “since an in-flight failure nearly one year ago has been postponed to no earlier than Monday night due to unfavorable upper level winds over the Vega launch base in Kourou, French Guiana.” The rocket will carry 53 small satellites for “21 customers in 13 countries, including European Space Agency member states,” the US, Canada, Argentina, Thailand, and Israel. Whatever the date of the launch, the liftoff will be scheduled for 9:51:10 p.m. EDT.
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)