Industry News
Headlines from space publications, linked back to the original articles
Industry / News
- Moment of Proof for Ship 20 and Booster 4 NASASpaceflight · 13 Sep 2021 With Booster 4 and Ship 20 reunited at the launch site, both vehicles will undergo proof testing and Static Fire tests before becoming an integrated stack for the second time. Unlike the earlier mate – which was for fit...
- Here’s why Russia’s space chief keeps asking Elon Musk to visit him Ars Technica · 13 Sep 2021 "I already set the teakettle on heat."
- Perseverance collects first Mars samples SpaceNews · 13 Sep 2021 NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover has collected and stored the first samples of Martian rock for later return to Earth, but exactly when those samples will arrive on Earth remains uncertain.
- SpaceX to launch Crew Dragon and Starlink satellites less than 48 hours apart Teslarati · 13 Sep 2021 After launching just once in the last ten weeks, SpaceX appears to be set to return to H1 2021 stride and has...
- Photos: SpaceX rocket arrives on launch pad for Inspiration4 mission Spaceflight Now · 13 Sep 2021 The Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spaceship chartered by billionaire Jared Isaacman for a three-day mission in low Earth orbit arrived at historic launch pad 39A in Florida over the weekend, moving into the starting blocks...
- Russia launches classified military satellite Spaceflight Now · 13 Sep 2021 A classified Russian military satellite, possibly designed with a new miniature reconnaissance camera, launched Sept. 9 on a single-core version of the Soyuz rocket. The Soyuz 2-1v rocket lifted off from the Plesetsk Cos...
- Potential component defect to delay next Virgin Galactic flight SpaceNews · 12 Sep 2021 Virgin Galactic is further delaying its next SpaceShipTwo suborbital flight in order to check a potential issue the company says is unrelated to an ongoing FAA investigation.
- SpaceX rocket rolls out to pad 39A for Inspiration4 launch Spaceflight Now · 12 Sep 2021 SpaceX raised a Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule on pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Sunday, kicking off a busy few days before launch of the all-private Inspiration4 crew mission as soon as Wednesday night.
- SpaceX Crew Dragon, Falcon 9 roll out to the pad for historic Inspiration4 launch Teslarati · 12 Sep 2021 On the morning of September 12th, SpaceX rolled the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft that will support the world’s first...
- Astronauts finish spacewalk to prepare ISS for new solar arrays NASASpaceflight · 12 Sep 2021 Two astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have completed a 6 hour 54 minute spacewalk to continue the process of outfitting the orbiting laboratory with new sets of solar arrays.
- Spacewalking astronauts continue solar array upgrade work Spaceflight Now · 12 Sep 2021 Three days after a Russian spacewalk, Japanese space station commander Akihiko Hoshide and Frenchman Thomas Pesquet floated outside for their own excursion Sunday, building a support fixture for a roll-out solar array bl...
- SpaceX wins contract to launch weather satellite after ULA withdraws SpaceNews · 11 Sep 2021 NASA has selected SpaceX to launch the last in a series of geostationary weather satellites that had previously been launched by United Launch Alliance.
- Analysis of Mars surface samples highlight potential ancient water bubbles NASASpaceflight · 11 Sep 2021 Following an unsuccessful sample collection attempt in early August, NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover has successfully drilled, collected, sealed, and stored two separate Martian surface samples. Both sample collections to...
- DoD looking for commercially available nuclear propulsion for small spacecraft SpaceNews · 11 Sep 2021 The Defense Innovation Unit last week issued a call for bids for small nuclear-powered engines for space missions beyond Earth orbit.
- NASA Awards Contract for Software Licenses, Maintenance, Support NASA · 10 Sep 2021 NASA has awarded Panamerica Computers of Luray, Virginia, an ordering vehicle to provide Box platform licenses, maintenance, and support services when the agency requires.
- NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for GOES-U Mission NASA · 10 Sep 2021 NASA has selected Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, California, to provide launch services for the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-U (GOES-U) mission.
- First Starlink shell nearing completion as SpaceX gears up for more launches NASASpaceflight · 10 Sep 2021 SpaceX has been working for over seven years on the planning, production, and deployment of their Starlink satellite internet constellation, with the first regulatory filings dating back to 2014. Now heading into the lat...
- Geospatial intelligence companies struggle to educate customers about their capabilities SpaceNews · 10 Sep 2021 The good news for the Earth observation industry is that their capabilities to collect and analyze imagery are better than ever. The bad news for the industry is that many prospective customers don’t understand those cap...
- NASA's Perseverance Rover Collects Puzzle Pieces of Mars' History NASA · 10 Sep 2021 The rocks it has analyzed for sample collection are helping the team better understand a past marked by volcanic activity and water.
- NASA’s Perseverance Rover Collects Puzzle Pieces of Mars’ History NASA · 10 Sep 2021 NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover successfully collected its first pair of rock samples, and scientists already are gaining new insights into the region.
- Elon Musk says SpaceX could fire up first orbital-class Super Heavy booster next week Teslarati · 10 Sep 2021 Update: In response to Teslarati’s article, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says that the plan is to not only ‘cryoproof’ the first flightworthy...
- NASA Invites Media to Next SpaceX Commercial Crew Space Station Launch NASA · 10 Sep 2021 Media accreditation now is open for the launch of the third SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket that will carry astronauts to the International Space Station for a long duration mission.
- Rocket Report: Next Falcon Heavy launch date set, Soyuz 5 engines clear tests Ars Technica · 10 Sep 2021 "I think that that's exactly the wrong message to send."
- House Science Committee advances budget reconciliation package SpaceNews · 10 Sep 2021 The House Science Committee approved its portion of a massive budget reconciliation spending bill Sept. 9, making no major changes to its NASA provisions.
- Inspiration4 private crewed mission nears launch SpaceNews · 10 Sep 2021 SpaceX is gearing up for its first purely commercial human spaceflight, but many details about the mission remain unclear.
- China successfully launches TV broadcasting satellite Spaceflight Now · 10 Sep 2021 A replacement Chinese communications satellite for a craft launched into the wrong orbit four years ago successfully rocketed into space Thursday, just in time to be ready to support 4K and 8K television broadcasts of th...
- Russia launches Soyuz 2.1v with Razbeg reconnaissance satellite NASASpaceflight · 10 Sep 2021 At 19:59 UTC on September 9, a Soyuz 2.1v rocket launched from Site 43/4 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying the Razbeg n°1 satellite for the Russian Ministry of Defense. The launch was originally scheduled for mid-July,...
- VP wants more diversity in the National Space Council’s industry advisory group SpaceNews · 9 Sep 2021 A notice could appear in the Federal Register as early as next week seeking nominations for the National Space Council’s industry advisory group, the council’s executive secretary Chirag Parikh said Sept. 9.
- Fostering diversity and inclusion takes work SpaceNews · 9 Sep 2021 Attracting and retaining a diverse workforce requires organizations to adopt a proactive approach, according to panelists at the Satellite 2021 conference.
- China launches ChinaSat-9B broadcast satellite SpaceNews · 9 Sep 2021 China conducted its 33rd launch of 2021 early Thursday, successfully sending the ChinaSat-9B communications satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit.
- Space SPACs could prompt new wave of acquisitions SpaceNews · 9 Sep 2021 The current wave of space startups going public through mergers with special-purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) might lead to a round of industry consolidation as they snap up suppliers to obtain their technologies or...
- Boeing Q&A: Staying on track despite pandemic disruption SpaceNews · 9 Sep 2021 Supply chain constraints threaten to hold back an exuberant satellite market that is rushing to meet surging demand for data, amid a flood of investor capital into satellite projects. SpaceNews interviewed Ryan Reid, pre...
- Cobham SATCOM to build Thuraya 4-NGS ground system SpaceNews · 9 Sep 2021 Emirati fleet operator Yahsat has picked private equity-owned Cobham SATCOM to build the ground system for its next-generation Thuraya 4-NGS satellite.
- Satellite propulsion startup Benchmark eyes growth in military market SpaceNews · 9 Sep 2021 Small satellite propulsion suppliers see opportunities in the military market as the Pentagon shifts focus to smallsats.
- Launch companies optimistic about future demand SpaceNews · 9 Sep 2021 Launch companies that have suffered from flat or declining traditional markets in recent years say they believe a surge of demand, primarily from satellite megaconstellations, will boost their businesses later this decad...
- Pandemic delaying Rocket Lab launches SpaceNews · 9 Sep 2021 Rocket Lab says lockdowns in New Zealand caused by the latest surge of the coronavirus pandemic will postpone launches to at least October and cut its projected revenues for the year.
- China successfully launches radio and television broadcasting satellite NASASpaceflight · 9 Sep 2021 Thursday marked another successful mission in China’s busy 2021 launch manifest, this time lofting the Zhongxing-9B (ChinaSat-9B) into orbit on a Long March 3B from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. This satellite ser...
- SpaceX Falcon 9 wins second geostationary commsat launch contract of 2021 Teslarati · 9 Sep 2021 SpaceX and Middle Eastern satcom provider Yahsat have announced a contract to launch the company’s next-generation Thuraya 4-NGS satellite on a Falcon...
- Xenesis and MBS Lab forge pact to test optical communications SpaceNews · 9 Sep 2021 Optical communications startup Xenesis signed a memorandum of understanding with MBS Lab, the research group for Germany’s Media Broadcast Satellite, Germany’s largest teleport operator.
- Satcom executives see growing military demand for more secure, mobile equipment SpaceNews · 9 Sep 2021 The U.S. military is demanding more advanced technologies to protect its tactical communications systems from sophisticated electronic attacks.