Industry News
Headlines from space publications, linked back to the original articles
Industry / News
- NASA assigns fourth astronaut to SpaceX’s next space station crew launch Spaceflight Now · 24 May 2021 NASA has assigned astronaut Kayla Barron to join three crewmates on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft set to launch to the International Space Station in October, rounding out the four-person team after the space agency was una...
- NASA and Boeing working on optimizing SLS stage production at MAF NASASpaceflight · 24 May 2021 NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) program and Stages prime contractor Boeing are collaborating on optimizing the production areas at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans. The final assembly of the second Cor...
- UK funds beam-hopping satellite for OneWeb-led consortium in 2022 SpaceNews · 24 May 2021 A OneWeb-led group has secured government funding to launch a beam-hopping satellite in 2022, demonstrating how a spacecraft could switch its coverage area in real-time to respond to surges in demand.
- A race against time to replace aging military weather satellites SpaceNews · 24 May 2021 The U.S. Defense Department may finally be on track to replace its aging polar-orbiting weather satellites more than a decade after pulling the plug on an ill-fated effort to cram civil and military requirements into a s...
- After Virgin Galactic’s success on Saturday, how soon can it fly again? Ars Technica · 24 May 2021 "We will immediately begin processing the data."
- Cost and schedule overruns continue to grow for NASA programs SpaceNews · 24 May 2021 NASA suffered increasing cost overruns on its major programs again in 2020, a problem a new report says will be exacerbated by the pandemic.
- SpaceX’s NASA Starship contract safe for now as Blue Origin looks to Congress Teslarati · 24 May 2021 Fresh off of a major contract loss during a competition to build NASA’s next crewed Moon lander, Blue Origin has begun aggressively...
- SpaceX test-fires rocket for sixth Falcon 9 launch in five weeks Spaceflight Now · 24 May 2021 SpaceX fired up a Falcon 9 rocket Monday on its launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, running the launcher through a pre-flight checkout and clearing a hurdle before liftoff later this week with th...
- SpaceX’s next Falcon Heavy launches delayed by military satellite issues Teslarati · 23 May 2021 SpaceX’s next Falcon Heavy launches will have to wait several more months after issues unrelated to the rocket forced the US military...
- Potential organic salt detection from Curiosity yields further evidence for past organics on Mars NASASpaceflight · 23 May 2021 While organic compounds have been confirmed on the Martian surface and near-surface areas since 2018, new Earth-based experiments point to a potentially tantalizing series of signatures from Curiosity’s Sample Analysis a...
- Falcon Heavy’s first national security launch slips to October Spaceflight Now · 23 May 2021 The next launch of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket has been delayed from July to October to await the readiness of its U.S. military payload, and the following Falcon Heavy flight has been rescheduled from late this year to...
- Space Force looking to build new radar sites to track objects in high orbits SpaceNews · 23 May 2021 The U.S. Space Force next month will solicit industry bids for deep-space radar sensors that can track satellite in high orbits above 22,000 miles.
- Virgin Galactic flies to edge of space for first time from New Mexico Spaceflight Now · 23 May 2021 Two pilots flew Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo rocketplane to the edge of space Saturday over New Mexico on the first human spaceflight from the company’s new home base at Spaceport America.
- SpaceShipTwo makes first flight to space from New Mexico SpaceNews · 22 May 2021 Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo made its first flight to space in more than two years May 22, completing the first in a series of four suborbital flights planned by the company over the next several months.
- Virgin Galactic successfully makes first human spaceflight from New Mexico NASASpaceflight · 22 May 2021 Virgin Galactic has successfully performed the first human spaceflight from Spaceport America, just south of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, today, using the VSS Unity SpaceShipTwo spacecraft. The WhiteKnightTwo carri...
- The Atlantic hurricane season’s first storm forms early—again Ars Technica · 22 May 2021 Ana's formation is part of a trend toward earlier storms in the Atlantic.
- Zhurong rover rolls onto Martian surface a week after landing SpaceNews · 22 May 2021 China’s Zhurong rover descended onto the surface of Mars late May 21, a week after the vehicle’s historic landing in Utopia Planitia.
- ABL Space Systems joining smallsat launch market with growing number of contracts NASASpaceflight · 21 May 2021 Another smallsat launch provider is looking to debut in 2021, entering a busy market of new commercial rockets. Among the many new companies proposing to provide dedicated launches for small satellites, ABL Space Systems...
- Media Invited to NASA’s Laser Communications Demonstration Launch NASA · 21 May 2021 U.S. media accreditation has opened for an upcoming rocket launch with a NASA payload that aims to enhance communications capabilities for the agency’s future missions, including the potential to increase bandwidth 10 to...
- NASA Invites Media to Launch of Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 NASA · 21 May 2021 Media accreditation is open for prelaunch and launch activities for NASA’s Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission to the International Space Station, the second uncrewed flight test of the company’s CST-100 Starlin...
- Pennsylvania, Texas Students to Hear from Astronauts on Space Station NASA · 21 May 2021 Pennsylvania and Texas students have opportunities next week to hear from astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
- Starfish Space testing software for constellation-managing Otter space tugs SpaceNews · 21 May 2021 Starfish Space, a startup founded by former Blue Origin and NASA engineers, is developing space tugs to help manage rapidly growing megaconstellations.
- United Launch Alliance nears first fueling test on Vulcan rocket Spaceflight Now · 21 May 2021 United Launch Alliance could load cryogenic methane and liquid oxygen propellants into a Vulcan rocket test article at Cape Canaveral for the first time in the coming weeks, timing key tests for the next-generation rocke...
- ESA awards study contracts for lunar communications and navigation systems SpaceNews · 21 May 2021 The European Space Agency has issued contracts to two European industry groups to begin concept studies of lunar satellite systems that would provide communications and navigation services.
- Rocket Report: A new space race in India, Elon’s hat is safe for now Ars Technica · 21 May 2021 "This is not the time to cut corners on environmental review."
- SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s hat is safe after ULA Vulcan rocket launch slips to 2023 Teslarati · 21 May 2021 In the latest unfortunate development for SpaceX competitor United Launch Alliance’s next-generation Vulcan Centaur rocket, it looks like CEO Elon Musk may...
- NASA Invites Media to Briefing on Science Launching to Space Station NASA · 20 May 2021 NASA will host a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EDT Wednesday, May 26, to discuss select science investigations launching on the next SpaceX commercial resupply flight to the International Space Station.
- Firefly selects SpaceX to launch its lunar lander SpaceNews · 20 May 2021 Firefly Aerospace announced May 20 it selected SpaceX to launch its first lunar lander mission for NASA, the latest in a series of contract wins by SpaceX for lunar missions.
- NASA, ESA, JAXA Host Hackathon to Study COVID-19’s Environmental Effects NASA · 20 May 2021 The measures countries have taken in response to COVID-19, ranging from large-scale lockdowns to the mass deployment of personal protective equipment, have resulted in environmental effects.
- SpaceX set to launch six commercial Moon landers after latest win Teslarati · 20 May 2021 After securing yet another contract, SpaceX Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets are now scheduled to launch at least six commercial Moon...
- With ULA’s new rocket Vulcan behind schedule, Space Force agrees to let Atlas 5 fill in SpaceNews · 20 May 2021 What would have been the first national security mission for United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket will be flown by Atlas 5, the company confirmed May 19.
- Europe making progress on sovereign LEO constellation as OneWeb and Starlink race ahead SpaceNews · 20 May 2021 The industry consortium devising a satellite network to keep the European Union from falling too far behind the megaconstellation goldrush is weeks away from nailing down key criteria.
- Salts Could Be Important Piece of Martian Organic Puzzle NASA · 20 May 2021 A NASA team has found that organic, or carbon-containing, salts are likely present on Mars, with implications for the Red Planet's past habitability.
- SLS Core Stage thermal protection system refurbishment in work at Kennedy for Artemis 1 NASASpaceflight · 20 May 2021 NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) programs are working with Core Stage prime contractor Boeing and prime test operations and support contractor Jacobs to finish repairs to thermal prot...
- Virgin Galactic schedules next SpaceShipTwo test flight for May 22 SpaceNews · 20 May 2021 Virgin Galactic will attempt its next SpaceShipTwo suborbital test flight as soon as May 22 after resolving concerns about the maintenance of its carrier aircraft.
- SpaceX starts stacking Starship’s first orbital-class Super Heavy booster Teslarati · 20 May 2021 By all appearances, SpaceX has begun the process of stacking what could become the first Super Heavy booster capable of supporting orbital...
- Melroy wins strong support at hearing to be NASA deputy administrator SpaceNews · 20 May 2021 The former astronaut tapped by the White House to serve as NASA deputy administrator told senators she supported extending the International Space Station and continuing limitations on the agency’s ability to cooperate w...
- IAF moves forward with in-person conference in Dubai SpaceNews · 19 May 2021 The International Astronautical Federation (IAF) is moving ahead with plans to hold an in-person conference, one of the largest in the space industry, this October in Dubai.
- Chinese Long March rocket launches oceanography satellite Spaceflight Now · 19 May 2021 A Long March 4B rocket successfully launched an oceanography satellite Wednesday from northwestern China, hours before officials at a different spaceport scrubbed the planned launch of a cargo ship to deliver supplies to...
- Horizon Technologies gets funding for maritime surveillance satellites SpaceNews · 19 May 2021 A British company that equips spy planes and drones to track satellite telephones has raised capital to launch a handful of tiny surveillance spacecraft to listen for signals from ships operating clandestinely.