Infrastructure
As Russia, India Reach for Moon, NASA Supporters Work to Stop Budget Cuts
As India and Russia race to land spacecraft on the Moon’s south pole, America’s space agency is staring down proposed budget cuts. India’s Chandrayaan-3 is poised to make a soft lunar landing, which would make the nation one of only four spacefaring powers to ever place a payload safely on the lunar surface.
As LEO Popularity Surges, Concern Escalates Over Debris Risk
Starting with Sputnik, humankind has littered low Earth orbit with clouds of debris, with as many as 170,000 objects ranging in size from poppy seeds to defunct satellites of school-bus size whizzing around the planet in uncontrolled orbits. With an historic surge in demand for satellites in low Earth orbit, including plans that could add more than 50,000 spacecraft, and planned space stations, the debris problem could grow exponentially.
Lessons from Earthbound Launchpad Failures Inform Future Missions to Moon, Mars
The incredible power in rocket boosters is magnificent when they are safely in the sky, but basic laws of physics are problematic closer to the ground, with every action creating an equal and concrete-shredding reaction. Now, with the Moon and Mars in NASA’s sights, engineers are working to overcome the dangers rocket thrust could bring when landing and taking off without the safety of a launchpad.
Led by U.S., China, Pace of Launch Maintains Record Levels in First Half of 2023
A rapid launch pace by the United States and China led to a mid-year launch record in 2023, with 97 launches worldwide. [efn_note] Space Foundation Launch Database. Accessed July 3, 2023. [/efn_note] The record launch pace came with a share of failures. Six launch vehicles failed to make it to space.
Euclid Joins James Webb Space Telescope to Probe the Universe’s Earliest Unknowns
Well before the Euclid telescope was on its way to join the James Webb Space Telescope nearly a million miles from Earth, engineers and scientists were deep into planning how the advancements and knowledge gained from Euclid and Webb will aid in building even more advanced telescopes to probe the next unknowns in the universe. The work is redefining science and delivering new technology for wider use on Earth.
ESA Scientists: Diamonds in the Sky Could Signal Early Supernova
There may be diamonds in the sky. The James Webb Space Telescope’s spectrometry gear identified carbon molecules in dust that formed during the universe’s infancy, but debate rages over just what they could be, the European Space Agency said in July.
How Artificial Intelligence in Space will Play Key Roles for the US Space Force
Artificial Intelligence (AI) will play key roles for the military, from helping humans parse through oceans of Earth observation data to maneuvering satellites as constellations grow ever larger, Space Force Lt. Gen. John Shaw predicted during an online discussion with America’s Future Series.
Celebrating 60 Years of Women in Space
June 16 marks the 60th anniversary of Valentina Tereshkova’s historic launch to orbit, where she became the first woman to reach space. She orbited Earth 48 times during the three-day Vostok 6 mission.
In 22nd Launch of 2023, China Lofts National Record of 26 Satellites to Orbit
China on June 7 lofted a national record of 26 satellites to orbit in a single launch atop its Lijian-1 launch vehicle, a solid-fueled rocket developed for commercial use by the Chinese Academy of Science.
Spain Signs Up as 25th Nation in Artemis Pact
Officials from NASA and the U.S. State Department gathered in Madrid Tuesday as Science and Innovation Minister Diana Morant signed off for Spanish agreement to the Artemis Accords, marking the 25th nation to join the U.S.-led treaty to govern conduct in orbit and beyond.