Tag: Space

Outer Space As Vanity Fair or Politics of the Future? (Oleg Barabanov, Valdai Discussion Club)

Space exploration has already become familiar to mankind. 2021 was a landmark year in this regard. April 12 marked the 60th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s flight — the first manned flight into...

U.S. Air Force Secretary Kendall: Short-term funding an ‘unfortunate’ reality for defense programs (Sandra Erwin, SpaceNews)

The House and Senate approved a stopgap spending bill Dec. 3 that funds the U.S. government until Feb. 18. By passing a “continuing resolution,” Congress averted...

Tory Bruno: ULA won’t get engines by Christmas, BE-4s coming in early 2022 (Sandra Erwin, SpaceNews)

Blue Origin is performing “final testing” of the BE-4 engines that will boost United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket, ULA’s CEO Tory Bruno said...

Three startups win prize money from U.S. Space Force accelerator (Sandra Erwin, SpaceNews)

Space industry startups focused on satellite propulsion, in-orbit manufacturing and debris tracking won prize money from a business accelerator funded by the U.S. Space...

Northrop Grumman wins NASA contract for SLS booster production (Jeff Foust, SpaceNews)

NASA awarded a contract to Northrop Grumman Dec. 2 for the production of several pairs of Space Launch System solid rocket boosters as well...

NASA to award SpaceX three more commercial crew flights (Jeff Foust, SpaceNews)

NASA announced Dec. 3 its intent to purchase three more commercial crew missions from SpaceX as a hedge against further delays in the certification...

Changes ahead for Space Force procurement organizations (Sandra Erwin, SpaceNews)

The Pentagon next year for the first time will have a senior procurement executive for space programs, a post mandated by Congress.  Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall...

NASA awards funding to three commercial space station concepts (Jeff Foust, SpaceNews)

NASA issued awards Dec. 2 valued at more than $400 million to three groups of companies to advance development of commercial space stations, keeping...

Department of Defense orders $316 million more in anti-jam GPS devices (Nathan Strout, Defense News)

The Defense Logistics Agency has ordered another $315 million worth of GPS modules that can utilize a new anti-jam signal, bringing the total value...

What an ability to defend against asteroids will mean for humanity (John Letzing, WEF)

Earth is regularly pelted with debris, some of it destructive. A spacecraft launched last week will test our ability to divert dangerous asteroids. ...

Vice President Harris’ First National Space Council Meeting (US Department of State)

The National Space Council meeting chaired by Vice President Harris reaffirmed our national commitment to exploring and developing outer space in a sustainable, equitable,...

Test tanks fuelled for ESA’s Themis reusable first stage (ESA)

Recently completed tests of two propellant tanks set a first technological milestone in the ESA reusability roadmap towards the demonstration of a reusable first...

Biden administration turns focus to space as rivals China, Russia loom (Reuters)

The Biden administration on Wednesday laid out a new strategy for responsible civil, commercial and national security-related use of space amid growing commercial interests...

A one-way phone call at Mars (ESA)

This November, ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft carried out a series of experimental communication tests with the Chinese (CNSA) Zhurong Mars rover. Mars Express successfully...

Dragons-Eye View (NASA)

As the Crew-2 mission departed the International Space Station aboard SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour, the crew snapped this image of the station during a flyaround of the orbiting lab that took...

Are Water Plumes Spraying from Europa? NASA’s Europa Clipper is on the Case (NASA)

In 2005, images of a brilliant watery plume erupting from the surface of Saturn’s moon Enceladus captivated the world. The giant column of vapor,...