Industry News
Headlines from space publications, linked back to the original articles
Industry / News
- New reports highlight Russian, Chinese advances in space weapons SpaceNews · 1 Apr 2021 The Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Secure World Foundation on April 1 released new updates on space weapons developments around the world.
- China’s Tianwen 1 mission targets mid-May landing on Mars Spaceflight Now · 1 Apr 2021 China’s Tianwen 1 spacecraft — in orbit around Mars since February — is scheduled to deploy a descent module to attempt the country’s first landing on the Red Planet in mid-May. Officials plan to share the Mars rover’s s...
- OSIRIS-REx to make final close approach to asteroid before heading back to Earth SpaceNews · 1 Apr 2021 NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will make one final close approach to the asteroid it collected samples from next week before heading back to Earth.
- Pandemic to cost NASA up to $3 billion SpaceNews · 31 Mar 2021 A NASA audit concluded that costs imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the agency could reach $3 billion, with several major science and exploration programs announcing for much of that cost.
- NASA blames recent Hubble woes on aging hardware Spaceflight Now · 31 Mar 2021 Hardware problems that cropped up earlier this month on the Hubble Space Telescope, now approaching the 31st anniversary of its launch, are the latest signs the observatory is showing its age.
- NASA Selects Geostationary and Extended Orbits Imager Phase A Contracts NASA · 31 Mar 2021 NASA has selected L3Harris Technologies Inc. of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Raytheon Company of El Segundo, California, for the Geostationary and Extended Orbits (GEO-XO) Imager (GXI) Phase A Study contracts.
- Intelsat’s 2020 revenue drop highlights C-band clearing importance SpaceNews · 31 Mar 2021 Intelsat reported a 7% drop in revenue for 2020 after declines in multiple business units, underlining the importance of C-band clearing proceeds for the satellite operator’s recovery efforts.
- MAF continues tornado/hurricane recovery while building SLS stages under pandemic restrictions NASASpaceflight · 31 Mar 2021 Boeing is moving into the final phases of standalone integration and outfitting of Core Stage-2 elements and is about to start putting the elements together as production of Core Stage-3 continues with structural assembl...
- China launches second Gaofen 12 Earth observation satellite NASASpaceflight · 31 Mar 2021 China launched a new remote sensing satellite on March 30 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Launch of Gaofen-12 (02) took place at 22:45 UTC from the LC-43/94 launch complex using a Chang Zheng 4C (Y36) rocket.
- Space industry relieved to see National Space Council retained SpaceNews · 31 Mar 2021 The Biden administration’s decision to continue the National Space Council has won approval, and relief, from the space industry, who see it as the latest sign that the White House is not contemplating major changes to s...
- China launches second Gaofen-12 Earth observation satellite SpaceNews · 31 Mar 2021 China launched the Gaofen-12 (02) high resolution satellite Tuesday to boost the country’s Earth observation capabilities.
- SpaceX to upgrade Dragon with the most immersive window ever launched into space Teslarati · 31 Mar 2021 SpaceX and Inspiration4 customer Jared Isaacman have revealed a substantial and unexpected design change made to the Crew Dragon spacecraft that will...
- Perseverance rover begins steps to deploy Mars helicopter Spaceflight Now · 30 Mar 2021 On the verge of a pioneering test flight on Mars, NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter is being lowered from the belly of the Perseverance rover this week as ground teams run through a choreographed long-distance command sequence...
- Final two passengers named for first all-civilian mission to orbit Earth Spaceflight Now · 30 Mar 2021 The billionaire financing the SpaceX flight that will carry the first non-professional “everyday people” into orbit in September, announced the final two members of his four-person crew Tuesday, adding an artist-educator...
- Amazon Web Services launches space accelerator program for startups SpaceNews · 30 Mar 2021 Amazon Web Services is working with Seraphim Capital on a space accelerator program for startups.
- Australian Defence Force expands Inmarsat satellite partnership SpaceNews · 30 Mar 2021 The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has extended a contract to use British operator Inmarsat’s satellites to 2027, expanding the agreement to cover managed services.
- Biden administration renews mandate for National Space Council Spaceflight Now · 30 Mar 2021 President Biden will renew the National Space Council, a space policy group revived by the Trump White House after 25 years of inactivity, to assist in “generating national space policies, strategies, and synchronizing A...
- China launches Gaofen Earth observation satellite Spaceflight Now · 30 Mar 2021 An Earth observation satellite China says will assist in land surveys, urban planning, and agriculture monitoring successfully launched Tuesday on a Chinese Long March 4C rocket.
- SpaceX’s latest high-altitude Starship test flight ends in another explosion Spaceflight Now · 30 Mar 2021 SpaceX’s latest Starship test flight ended with an apparent explosion Tuesday in South Texas, but dense fog obstructed clear views of the launch and failed landing.
- Elon Musk announces $30M donation to Cameron County, TX schools, City of Brownsville Teslarati · 30 Mar 2021 Elon Musk has announced he will donate $30 million to Cameron County Schools and the City of Brownsville, Texas. The SpaceX and...
- Selection of the first James Webb Space Telescope General Observer Scientific Programmes ESA · 30 Mar 2021 The General Observer scientific observations for the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope's first year of operation have been selected. Proposals from ESA member states comprise 33% of the total number of selected pro...
- NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Takes Selfie With 'Mont Mercou' NASA · 30 Mar 2021 The rover also snapped a pair of panoramas to create a 3D view of the stark cliff face featured in the selfie.
- Elon Musk talks upgrades after SpaceX Starship launches, explodes in midair Teslarati · 30 Mar 2021 SpaceX has completed its fourth Starship test flight in as many months, offering the latest glimpse into the often frustrating reality of...
- Hanwha Systems to launch 2,000 LEO communications satellites by 2030 SpaceNews · 30 Mar 2021 South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Systems is planning to build and deploy a constellation of 2,000 satellites in low Earth orbit by 2030 to provide connectivity to urban cargo-delivery drones and passenger airplanes.
- SpaceX loses another Starship prototype as landing sequence fails Ars Technica · 30 Mar 2021 This was the company's fourth attempt to land a full-size Starship.
- SpaceX crashes another Starship prototype SpaceNews · 30 Mar 2021 SpaceX launched its fourth Starship prototype in less than four months March 30, only to have the vehicle apparently crash once again.
- SpaceX working toward early Tuesday morning Starship launch [Updated] Ars Technica · 30 Mar 2021 This rocket rolled to the launch pad less than three weeks ago.
- Virgin Galactic unveils new suborbital spaceplane SpaceNews · 30 Mar 2021 Virgin Galactic revealed its latest suborbital spaceplane March 30, a vehicle that looks similar to its existing SpaceShipTwo but incorporates significant structural improvements.
- SpaceX Starship eyes Tuesday launch after FAA communication breakdown causes delays Teslarati · 30 Mar 2021 Two new sourced reports suggest that SpaceX’s fast-moving approach to Starship development and a shocking level of naivety and ineptitude on behalf...
- NASA exchanged data with China on Mars orbiters SpaceNews · 30 Mar 2021 NASA sought congressional approval to talk with Chinese counterparts and obtain information on the orbit of China’s new Mars spacecraft, a move intended to lower the risk of a collision with other Mars orbiters.
- Inspiration4 announces crew for private SpaceX Crew Dragon mission SpaceNews · 30 Mar 2021 The private venture that purchased a SpaceX Crew Dragon flight to low Earth orbit has finalized the crew for that mission, scheduled to launch as soon as September.
- Following troubled childhood, Orion trio preparing for flight NASASpaceflight · 29 Mar 2021 Once the troublesome element of the Constellation (now Artemis) Program, three Orion spacecraft are in various stages of preparation for flight, two of which now already reside at their Kennedy Space Center launch site.
- Inmarsat takes Dutch government to court over 3.5 GHz auction plan SpaceNews · 29 Mar 2021 Inmarsat is launching legal action over the Dutch government’s plan to auction 3.5 GHz spectrum, which the British satellite operator uses for maritime safety services.
- Remote sensing companies share satellite views of ship stuck in Suez Canal Spaceflight Now · 29 Mar 2021 Satellite remote sensing companies showcased their capabilities in recent days with regularly-updated overhead views of a nearly quarter-mile-long container ship blocking the Suez Canal in Egypt before salvage crews free...
- Congress raises concerns about FAA’s handling of Starship launch license violation SpaceNews · 29 Mar 2021 As SpaceX gears up for another test flight of a Starship prototype, the Federal Aviation Administration is facing new scrutiny from Congress for how it handled SpaceX’s violation of its launch license on an earlier test...
- NASA TV to Air First US Commercial Crew Port Relocation on Space Station NASA · 29 Mar 2021 NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 astronauts aboard the International Space Station will mark another first for commercial spaceflight Monday, April 5, when the four astronauts will relocate the Crew Dragon spacecraft to prepare for...
- Biden administration to continue the National Space Council SpaceNews · 29 Mar 2021 The White House confirmed March 29 that the National Space Council will be renewed.
- SecDef briefed on military space programs, threats to satellites SpaceNews · 29 Mar 2021 Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin last week received his first high-level briefing on space issues since taking office.
- SpaceX ramps up Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy booster testing in Central Texas Teslarati · 29 Mar 2021 In the latest twist in the saga of SpaceX’s McGregor, Texas testing facilities, a new Falcon 9 booster has managed to sneak...
- Northrop Grumman to supply solid rocket motors for first Mars Ascent Vehicle Spaceflight Now · 29 Mar 2021 NASA awarded Northrop Grumman a contract worth as much as $84.5 million earlier this month to supply rocket motors for a first-of-its-kind launch vehicle to fire a capsule of rock samples off of Mars on a journey back to...