Breaking Defense reports, “China has been abandoning used launcher rocket stages in low Earth orbit (LEO) at an ever-increasing pace, putting both military and commercial satellites in that crowded orbital regime at greater risk of serious debris-creating collisions, according to a new report.”
Full Story (Breaking Defense)
Tag: In Space
NASA Retires MAVEN After More Than a Decade Studying Mars’ Atmosphere
The New York Times reports, “On Wednesday, NASA announced the end of a more than 11-year mission aimed at solving a key mystery about Mars: What happened to the air that once made the planet habitable? The NASA spacecraft MAVEN, short for Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, had been orbiting around the Red Planet since 2014. NASA last received a signal from MAVEN on Dec. 6, shortly before the spacecraft passed behind Mars.”
Full Story (New York Times – subscription publication)
Industry Innovation: Art and Design Meet in Space
Experts explored how storytelling, entertainment‑industry practices, and other more artistic careers can influence engineering, and vice versa. Danica Vallone, Board Member and Founder, Organization for Space Medicine, Engineering, and Design; Ted Southern, Softgoods Division Manager for Paragon Space Development; and Brook Willard, Vice President of Development, Making Space Agency, took the stage to describe how science and art can inform each other.
Orbiting Satellite Reorients Itself Using AI-Powered Controller
SPACE reports an AI-powered controller on an orbiting satellite executed real-world attitude adjustments in space, “for the first time,” showing that AI can fly satellites autonomously.
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NASA’s Lucy Probe Beams Back Pictures from Latest Asteroid Flyby
AP News reports, “NASA’s Lucy spacecraft has beamed back pictures from its latest asteroid flyby, revealing a long, lumpy, odd-shaped space rock. The space agency released the images Monday, a day after the close approach. It was considered a dress rehearsal for the more critical asteroid encounters ahead closer to Jupiter.”
Full Story (AP News)
US Space Force Develops Framework for War Fighting in Space
SPACE reports that the U.S. Space Force now has an official “Space Warfighting” doctrine outlining how the service “can train and prepare units” for a war fought in space. “The document ‘establishes a common lexicon for counterspace operations’ and lays out a ‘range of responsible offensive and defensive actions Guardians may employ to maintain control of space’ and ensure the success of the U.S. military, according to a Space Force statement.”
Full Story (SPACE)
NASA’s Stuck Astronauts Are Finally On Their Way Back to Earth After 9 Months in Space
AP News reports, “NASA’s two stuck astronauts headed back to Earth with SpaceX on Tuesday to close out a dramatic marathon mission that began with a bungled Boeing test flight more than nine months ago. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams bid farewell to the International Space Station — their home since last spring — departing aboard a SpaceX capsule alongside two other astronauts. The capsule undocked in the wee hours and aimed for a splashdown off the Florida coast by early evening, weather permitting.”
Full Story (AP News)
India to Launch European Proba-3 Satellites on Dec. 5 to Create Artificial Eclipses in Space
SPACE reports, “A European mission that will use two satellites to create artificial eclipses in Earth orbit will launch early Thursday morning (Dec. 5) … The ESA’s Proba-3 formation-flying mission is scheduled to lift off atop an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from Satish Dhawan Space Center on Thursday at 5:42 a.m. EST (1042 GMT; 4:42 p.m. local time in India).”
Full Story (SPACE)
India to Launch European Proba-3 Satellites on Dec. 5 to Create Artificial Eclipses in Space
SPACE reports, “A European mission that will use two satellites to create artificial eclipses in Earth orbit will launch early Thursday morning (Dec. 5) … The ESA’s Proba-3 formation-flying mission is scheduled to lift off atop an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from Satish Dhawan Space Center on Thursday at 5:42 a.m. EST (1042 GMT; 4:42 p.m. local time in India).”
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China Moving at ‘Breathtaking Speed” In Final Frontier According to Space Force
SPACE reports that China is ratcheting up its space capabilities at an impressive clip, with an eye toward potentially ending the United States’ long-held space supremacy, U.S. officials say. “Since 2018, China has more than tripled their on-orbit intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance satellites,” said Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, on Tuesday at the 39th Space Symposium.
Full Story (SPACE)