Industry News
Headlines from space publications, linked back to the original articles
Industry / News
- Arianespace, with Russian Soyuz, launches CSO-2 French military satellite NASASpaceflight · 29 Dec 2020 The 114th and final orbital launch of 2020 saw a Soyuz ST-A rocket loft the CSO-2 Earth observation satellite for the French Ministry of Defence.
- SpaceX’s first Super Heavy booster hop “a few months” away, says Elon Musk Teslarati · 29 Dec 2020 SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says that the first prototype of a Starship booster – known as Super Heavy – could be finished...
- Three astronauts assigned to Crew Dragon mission in late 2021 Spaceflight Now · 29 Dec 2020 Rookie astronaut Raja Chari — a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot — veteran physician-astronaut Tom Marshburn, and European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer have been assigned to fly to the International Space St...
- French military surveillance satellite launched by Soyuz rocket Spaceflight Now · 29 Dec 2020 An optical reconnaissance satellite for the French military took off atop a Soyuz launcher Tuesday, riding the Russian-made rocket from a tropical spaceport in South America into a 300-mile-high polar orbit to begin a 10...
- Viasat asks FCC to perform environmental review of Starlink SpaceNews · 28 Dec 2020
- Young Students Send Questions to Astronauts Aboard Space Station NASA · 28 Dec 2020 Students from across the country will have an opportunity this week to hear from a NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
- Starship SN9’s time to shine – test series targets a New Year’s resolution NASASpaceflight · 28 Dec 2020 Starship SN9 is currently tracking an early New Years’ launch, providing the upcoming test series clears the path for what will be a similar flight to SN8, albeit aiming for a “softer” landing.
- House overrides Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act SpaceNews · 28 Dec 2020 The House of Representatives on Dec. 28 voted to overturn President Donald Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2021.
- China launches secret military spy payload Spaceflight Now · 27 Dec 2020 A secret Chinese military payload, believed to be a surveillance satellite, successfully flew into space Sunday aboard a Long March 4C rocket on China’s 39th and final scheduled orbital launch attempt of the year. China...
- Brexit deal allows UK to continue participation in Copernicus SpaceNews · 27 Dec 2020 An agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union will allow the UK to remain in the Copernicus Earth observation program after it formally exits the EU.
- Long March 4C lofting of Yaogan Weixing-33 concludes China’s 2020 launch campaign NASASpaceflight · 27 Dec 2020 China launched a new remote sensing satellite on December 27 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The launch of Yaogan Weixing-33(R) took place at 15:44 UTC from the LC43/94 launch complex using the Long March-4C (Y...
- Defense bill prospects unclear as House prepares to override Trump’s veto SpaceNews · 27 Dec 2020 Two-thirds majorities are needed in the House and Senate to overturn the president's veto of the NDAA and enact the bill into law.
- Two payloads orbited by SpaceX’s launch of NRO mission Spaceflight Now · 27 Dec 2020 Tracking information released by the U.S. military indicates two government payloads rode a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket into orbit Dec. 19 on the NROL-108 mission, a dedicated launch for the National Reconnaissance Office.
- Preparing for “Earth to Earth” space travel and a competition with supersonic airliners NASASpaceflight · 26 Dec 2020 Commercial spaceflight companies are preparing to enter a new market: suborbital flights from one place to another on Earth. Aiming for fast transportation for passengers and cargo, these systems are being developed by a...
- French military spysat set for launch Monday Spaceflight Now · 26 Dec 2020 A sharp-eyed French military surveillance spacecraft is set for launch aboard a Soyuz rocket Monday from French Guiana into a 300-mile-high orbit, where it will collect the highest-resolution imagery ever produced by a E...
- China’s Long March 8 rocket successful in debut launch Spaceflight Now · 26 Dec 2020 A new Chinese launch vehicle, the Long March 8, has successfully placed five payloads into orbit on its first mission, debuting an expendable booster intended to eventually be outfitted for recovery and reuse.
- SpaceX Superstars: Hans Koenigsmann, Vice President of Build and Flight Reliability ElonX · 25 Dec 2020 Hans Koenigsmann is responsible for the reliability of rocket launches and safety of flight operations at SpaceX. He was born in Germany and was instrumental in the creation of Elon Musk’s company when he became one of t...
- Dealing with dust: A back-to-the-moon dilemma SpaceNews · 25 Dec 2020 The next chapter in the U.S. human exploration of the moon, the Artemis Project, will dispatch crews there for extended periods of time. But there’s one flash back message from the Apollo moonwalkers worth heeding: the p...
- Beyond exits: Entrepreneurs look back on forming and selling space startups SpaceNews · 24 Dec 2020 In recent commercial space acquisitions, founders largely have remained with the businesses they established or moved on to form new space companies. Two exceptions are Roccor co-founder Doug Campbell and Scott Larson, w...
- SpaceX’s first dedicated Falcon 9 rideshare lines up dozens of smallsats Teslarati · 23 Dec 2020 Already set to include several dozen small satellites for companies and institutions around the world, SpaceX’s first self-managed Falcon 9 rideshare launch...
- SLS Core Stage Green Run WDR countdown ends early – Next steps considered NASASpaceflight · 23 Dec 2020 NASA partially completed the Green Run Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) test of the Space Launch System (SLS) Core Stage on the second attempt in the B-2 Test Stand at the Stennis Space Center. The test was again conducted in s...
- Voyager Space Holdings to acquire majority stake in Nanoracks SpaceNews · 23 Dec 2020 Voyager Space Holdings, a company that has acquired several space ventures, is taking a majority stake in commercial space station company Nanoracks, the two firms announced Dec. 23.
- Rocket Report: SN9 rolls to the launch pad, SLS “wet dress” test ends early Ars Technica · 23 Dec 2020 "It has surely been a year of challenges."
- ESA Clean Space tackles space junk one component at a time SpaceNews · 23 Dec 2020 The European Space Agency’s Clean Space initiative is assisting in the development of satellite components that are designed for demise, an approach to satellite development that advocates for the safe disposal of spacec...
- Relive SpaceX’s high-altitude Starship launch debut in 4K [video] Teslarati · 23 Dec 2020 SpaceX has published a 4K recap of Starship serial number 8’s (SN8) spectacular high-altitude launch debut, highlighting all crucial aspects of the...
- Space Development Agency to reevaluate proposals for missile-tracking satellites SpaceNews · 22 Dec 2020 Companies that competed earlier this year for Space Development Agency satellite contracts awarded to L3Harris and SpaceX were asked to resubmit their proposals following several protests.
- Omnibus spending bill gives Space Force its first separate budget SpaceNews · 22 Dec 2020 The package approved by Congress for fiscal year 2021 provides $696 billion for the Defense Department, including $15.2 billion for the U.S. Space Force.
- Kennedy Space Center Expands as Launch Complex 48 Opens for Operations NASASpaceflight · 22 Dec 2020 After planning began in 2016 for a small, multi-user launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Launch Complex 48 is now ready to support small to medium lift launch vehicles.
- SLS Exploration Upper Stage passes review SpaceNews · 22 Dec 2020 An upgraded upper stage for the Space Launch System rocket has passed a major review, allowing its prime contractor, Boeing, to start producing hardware.
- Raytheon completes acquisition of Blue Canyon Technologies SpaceNews · 22 Dec 2020 Raytheon Technologies' acquisition of satellite manufacturer Blue Canyon Technologies has been completed, the company announced Dec. 22.
- A Martian Roundtrip: NASA's Perseverance Rover Sample Tubes NASA · 22 Dec 2020 Marvels of engineering, the rover's sample tubes must be tough enough to safely bring Red Planet samples on the long journey back to Earth in immaculate condition.
- Long March 8 – a future reusable rocket – conducts debut launch NASASpaceflight · 22 Dec 2020 China debuted the new Long March-8 – Chang Zheng-8 – launch vehicle out of Wenchang on Tuesday. This vehicle marks China’s move towards a reusable launch vehicle, with the recovery of the first stage and side boosters pl...
- Russia’s space chief is hopping mad over most recent US restrictions Ars Technica · 22 Dec 2020 "The first thing they did is spit into the Samara well."
- China launches first Long March 8 from Wenchang spaceport SpaceNews · 22 Dec 2020 China successfully carried out a first launch of the new Long March 8 medium-lift rocket late Monday, marking a small step towards Chinese rocket reusability.
- Omnibus spending bill funds Commerce Department space traffic management work SpaceNews · 22 Dec 2020 The Commerce Department will be able to accelerate it work on space traffic management after Congress provided the agency with most, but not all, the funding it requested for that effort.
- SpaceX moves next high-altitude Starship to launch pad after fixing fall damage Teslarati · 22 Dec 2020 Update: Right on schedule, SpaceX rolled Starship serial number 9 (SN9) out of its ‘high bay’ assembly roost and transported the 50-meter-tall...
- Lockheed Martin confident Aerojet deal will be approved, but it’s not a slam dunk SpaceNews · 21 Dec 2020 Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet said he expects the U.S. government to approve the company’s proposed $4.4 billion acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne despite concerns that it could reduce competition in the hypersonic wea...
- NASA receives $23.271 billion in fiscal year 2021 omnibus spending bill SpaceNews · 21 Dec 2020 Congress will provide NASA with nearly $23.3 billion in the final fiscal year 2021 omnibus spending bill, restoring several science programs but falling far short of the funding sought for a lunar lander program.
- SpaceX celebrates five years of rocket landings with a record streak of success Teslarati · 21 Dec 2020 As SpaceX closes out a halcyon year, today marks the fifth anniversary of the first Falcon booster landing and the company is...
- Viasat announces agreement to acquire RigNet SpaceNews · 21 Dec 2020 Viasat Inc. announced an agreement Dec. 21 to acquire Houston-based communications firm RigNet Inc. in an all-stock transaction with a value of approximately $222 million based on Viasat’s current share price and RigNet'...