GROWING NUMBER OF SATELLITE CONSTELLATIONS HAS ASTRONOMERS WORRIED - One hundred years ago, when the world was just recuperating from the damage caused by the first world war, humanity could have never guessed what the future had in store for us. Over the years, not only did we manage to get out of Earth and land on other celestial bodies (only the Moon so far, alas), we also started sending our own creations to roam the skies. However, some astronomers are of the view, that we might have gone a little too far, and worry that Amazon’s constellation of 3,236 satellites (along with others) might just bring forth unwanted complications in the future.   More
(Source: The Tech Portal - Aug 13)

BACK AT CAPE CANAVERAL, SPACEX’S CREW DRAGON CAPSULE PREPS FOR NEXT MISSION - Fresh off a 64-day test flight to the International Space Station with astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, SpaceX’s first human-rated Crew Dragon spaceship is back at Cape Canaveral for inspections, refurbishment and upgrades before flying to the station again with a four-person crew next spring. The crew capsule — named “Endeavour” by Hurley and Behnken — arrived at Port Canaveral on Aug. 7 aboard SpaceX’s “Go Navigator” recovery ship after sailing from the Gulf of Mexico, where the Dragon spacecraft splashed down under parachutes Aug. 2 south of Pensacola, Florida.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Aug 13)

MEET 'TENACITY': 1ST DREAM CHASER SPACE PLANE GETS A NAME - The first orbital Dream Chaser space plane recently got its wings, and a name. Dream Chaser, which is built by Colorado-based company Sierra Nevada Corp., is the world's only non-capsule private orbital spacecraft. The winged vehicle will launch vertically atop a rocket but end its missions with runway landings, like NASA's now-retired space shuttle orbiters used to do.   More
(Source: Space.com - Aug 13)

UAE TO LAUNCH A NAVIGATION SATELLITE NEXT YEAR - The United Arab Emirates will launch a navigation satellite next year aimed at demonstrating the country’s technological capabilities, a top official told Emirates News Agency, WAM. “The first satellite will be launched in 2021 and the second – a technologically enhanced one – the following year,” said Dr. Khaled Al Hashmi, Director of the National Space Science and Technology Centre, NSSTC, in UAE University in Al Ain.   More
(Source: SpaceWatch.Global - Aug 12)

COMPANIES ARE FLYING OLD SATELLITES LONGER, STUDY FINDS - Nearly a third of commercial geostationary communications satellites in orbit are operating beyond their design lives, a far higher figure than in previous years, according to a study. Research firm TelAstra of Los Angeles found that in 2020, some 31% of commercial geostationary comsats remained in service past their expected retirement, more than double the number of satellites putting in extra time in 2009.   More
(Source: SpaceNews - Aug 12)

JAPANESE RESUPPLY SHIP DEPARTS NEXT WEEK - A Japanese resupply ship will depart the International Space Station next week after nearly three months attached to the orbital lab. Meanwhile, the Expedition 63 crew continued a variety of science operations today. JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, announced Tuesday, Aug. 18, as the release date for its H-II Transfer Vehicle-9 (HTV-9) cargo craft.   More
(Source: NASA - Aug 12)

HOW SPACEX AND NASA OVERCAME A BITTER CULTURE CLASH TO BRING BACK US ASTRONAUT LAUNCHES - In May, millions of Americans watched as Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley, two veteran NASA astronauts, strapped into a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule and took a 17,000 mile per hour ride to the International Space Station. It was the first time NASA astronauts launched from US soil since 2011 — and the first time in history that a privately owned vehicle carried humans into Earth's orbit. The astronauts returned safely home last weekend, and once again, NASA and SpaceX employees cheered together, celebrating their coordinated accomplishment.   More
(Source: CNN - Aug 11)

SPACEX IS MANUFACTURING 120 STARLINK INTERNET SATELLITES PER MONTH - SpaceX is manufacturing its Starlink satellites at an unprecedented rate for the space industry, analysts say, as the company dives headlong into building a space-based global internet service. Elon Musk’s company told the Federal Communications Commission in a presentation last month that its Starlink unit is “now building 120 satellites per month” and has “invested over $70 million developing and producing thousands of consumer user terminals per month.   More
(Source: CNBC - Aug 11)

SPACEX TO LAUNCH FIRST SAR SATELLITE FOR PREDASAR - Satellite data provider PredaSAR Corporation has announced that its first of 48 advanced commercial Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites will launch on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle. Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc. is the launch integration provider in addition to the manufacturer of the spacecraft. As part of the agreement, PredaSAR, Tyvak, and SpaceX will be working together to optimise the deployment plan for the remainder of PredaSAR’s commercial SAR satellite constellation.   More
(Source: SatelliteProME.com - Aug 11)

Next