HERE’S HOW NASA WILL DEORBIT THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION - Although it may seem hard to believe, the International Space Station (ISS) is nearing the end of its operational lifespan. Some readers might’ve even been born after the first section of the ISS was launched in 1998 and have never lived in a world without it soaring overhead. The ISS took years to build and required a total of 37 U.S. space shuttle flights, as well as five Russian rocket launches, for the station to be completed.   More
(Source: Astronomy Magazine - Aug 23)

FCC APPROVES STARLINK FIRST GENERATION UPGRADE PLAN - SpaceX has secured permission to gradually replace first-generation Starlink satellites with larger spacecraft designed to provide more broadband capacity. The Federal Communications Commission Aug. 16 modified the license that permits SpaceX to operate up to 4,408 Gen1 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). The modification allows SpaceX to deploy upgraded Starlinks under the Gen1 license with technology developed for the company’s second-generation constellation, which has a separate license permitting up to 7,500 more satellites in LEO.    More
(Source: SpaceNews - Aug 22)

SPACEX LAUNCHES NEW FALCON 9 ROCKET ON STARLINK MISSION FOLLOWING ‘WATER INTRUSION’ ISSUE - SpaceX launched another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. A Falcon 9 rocket carried 22 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit after launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) happened at 9:20 a.m. EDT (1320 UTC), which was the end of a four-hour launch window. The Starlink 10-5 mission was the 57th launch of the internet enabling satellites so far in 2024.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Aug 21)

SA’S FIRST STATE SATELLITE LAUNCHED INTO ORBIT - Kanyini – the first state government-funded satellite in Australian history – is now in space. The South Australian owned and manufactured satellite was successfully launched on Saturday 17 August onboard a SpaceX rocket (pictured below) from the United States. Built by a local team of South Australian-based companies – SmartSat CRC, Inovor and Myriota – Kanyini is part of a $6.5 million mission helping to create hi tech jobs in the state’s space sector and develop vital space capabilities in the State.   More
(Source: WE ARE SA - Aug 20)

SPACEX PLANS TWO STARLINK SATELLITE LAUNCHES IN TWO DAYS AT TWO COASTS - On Tuesday, August 20, will launch a batch of 22 Starlink smallsat Group 10-5 satellites for the mega-constellation, space-based internet communication system. The launch will take place at Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:36 – 5:48 PDT where historically 256 rockets have launched, including 256 orbital launch attempts, while Cape Canaveral, Florida has been the site for 969 rocket launches.   More
(Source: SatNews - Aug 19)

ROBOTIC RUSSIAN PROGRESS 89 CARGO SHIP DOCKS AT ISS WITH TONS OF FRESH SUPPLIES - An uncrewed Russian cargo ship successfully docked at the International Space Station early Saturday (Aug. 17) to deliver tons of fresh gear, food and other vital supplies. The automated Progress 89 spacecraft linked up with the International Space Station (ISS) at 1:53 a.m. EDT (0553 GMT) at the station's Russian-built Zvezda service module as both spacecraft sailed 260 miles (418 km) over the South Pacific Ocean.   More
(Source: Space.com - Aug 19)

FIRST UK MILITARY SPY SATELLITE LAUNCHED THAT CAPTURES DAYTIME IMAGES OF EARTH'S SURFACE - The first UK military satellite which can capture daytime images and videos of the Earth's surface has successfully launched into space. The "cutting-edge" satellite - named Tyche - is part of a Ministry of Defence (MoD) programme that aims to support military operations as well as natural disaster and environmental monitoring, mapping information development, and tracking the climate change impact.   More
(Source: Sky News - Aug 18)

NEW SATELLITE DEMONSTRATES THE POWER OF AI FOR EARTH OBSERVATION - ESA’s groundbreaking cubesat designed to revolutionise Earth observation with artificial intelligence, has launched. The cubesat embarked on its journey into space on 16 August at 20:56 CEST (11:56 local time) on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, US, integrated by Exolaunch as part of the Transporter-11 rideshare mission, which also included ESA’s Arctic Weather Satellite.   More
(Source: European Space Agency - Aug 18)

SPACEX LAUNCHES 116 PAYLOADS ON FALCON 9 RIDESHARE MISSION, TRANSPORTER-11 - SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, sending dozens of spacecraft into orbit with its latest rideshare mission launching from California. The rocket’s first stage booster touched down back near the launch site following stage separation, creating a sonic boom for those nearby. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) happened 11:56 a.m. PDT (2:56 p.m. EDT, 1856 UTC). The satellites will be deployed over a more than two-hour-long period.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Aug 17)

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