SPACE FORCE LAUNCHING LASERS IN 2025 TO HELP PINPOINT THE CENTER OF EARTH - The U.S. Space Force aims to better pinpoint the location of Earth's true center using lasers on GPS satellites slated to launch in 2025. A set of laser retroreflector arrays, or LRAs, will be installed onto two GPS III satellites, called SV9 and SV10, as part of NASA's Space Geodesy Program space sensor network. The lasers are designed to make precise sub-centimeter level measurements using a technique called Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR), which will allow researchers to more accurately determine Earth's center, according to a statement from the Space Force.   More
(Source: Space.com - Jul 14)

LAWMAKERS ASK NASA ABOUT RISK OF POST-ISS GAP - Lawmakers raised concerns on Wednesday about the US leaving a leadership vacuum in LEO after the ISS is retired in 2030. To try to get ahead of the problem, members of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee passed an amendment to the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024 that would require the space agency to report back on the risk posed by a potential gap in US access to LEO, plus how to prevent it.   More
(Source: Payload Space - Jul 13)

FALCON 9 SECOND STAGE FAILS LEAVING STARLINK SATELLITES IN WRONG ORBIT - SpaceX suffered its first inflight failure of a Falcon 9 since 2015 on Thursday, leaving 20 Starlink satellites in a perilously low orbit. SpaceX founder Elon Musk said it was unclear if the satellites could raise their orbits using onboard ion thrusters. SpaceX’s 70th orbital launch of the year initially appeared to go well after lifting off from Vandenberg Space Force Base Thursday night at 7:35 p.m. PDT (10:35 p.m. EDT, 0235 UTC). The batch of 20 Starlink satellites included 13 that feature the direct to cellphone capabilities.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Jul 12)

CHINA FORTIFIES SPACE STATION - Two astronauts ventured outside of China's Tiangong space station last week to armor its exterior against incoming space debris kicked up by an exploding Russian satellite. "The spacewalk primarily focused on installing protective devices on external cables and pipelines to mitigate risks posed by potential space debris collisions, enhancing the long-term safety and stability of the space station," China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation engineer Liu Ming told state-owned news network CCTV, as quoted by the South China Morning Post.   More
(Source: Yahoo - Jul 12)

SPACEX LAUNCHING DIRECT-TO-CELL STARLINK SATELLITES FROM CALIFORNIA ON JULY 11 AFTER DELAY - SpaceX plans to launch 20 more of its Starlink satellites on Thursday night (July 11), including 13 with direct-to-cell capabilities. A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Starlink spacecraft is scheduled to lift off Thursday from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base, during a four-hour window that opens at 10:39 p.m. EDT (7:39 p.m. local California time; 0239 GMT on July 12). That's one day later than originally planned; SpaceX didn't give a reason for the slip. SpaceX will livestream the action via its X account; coverage will begin about 15 minutes before launch.   More
(Source: Space.com - Jul 11)

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY LAUNCHES INAUGURAL ARIANE 6 ROCKET, ENCOUNTERS UPPER STAGE ISSUE - The inaugural launch of the Ariane 6 rocket, which was lauded from those from the President of France to the NASA Administrator, hit a notable snag in the third and final phase of the mission. Part of the rocket’s upper stage, called the Auxiliary Propulsion Unit (APU), was powered on for a third time as intended, but it quickly shut off after only seconds, causing the upper stage to deviate from its planned trajectory. During a post-launch press conference, leadership within the European Space Agency (ESA), ArianeGroup (the prime contractor) and CNES (France’s space agency) focused primarily on the successes of the day, rather than the anomaly at the end of the mission.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Jul 11)

CELLULAR STARLINK SATELLITES LIGHT UP THE NIGHT SKY A BIT TOO MUCH - Don’t be surprised if you spot SpaceX’s cellular Starlink technology lighting up the night sky: A new study finds that the company’s “direct to cell” satellites are nearly five times brighter than a regular Starlink satellite. A team of scientists published a paper examining SpaceX’s new direct-to-cell Starlink satellites, which the company began launching in January. Although there are only about 100 of these satellites in orbit, they already stand out from the rest of the Starlink constellation for their ability to reflect sunlight.   More
(Source: PCMag - Jul 10)

NASA TO COVER NORTHROP GRUMMAN’S 20TH CARGO SPACE STATION DEPARTURE - Northrop Grumman’s uncrewed Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to depart the International Space Station on Friday, July 12, five and a half months after delivering more than 8,200 pounds of supplies, scientific investigations, commercial products, hardware, and other cargo to the orbiting laboratory for NASA and its international partners. This mission was the company’s 20th commercial resupply mission to the space station for NASA. Live coverage of the spacecraft’s departure will begin at 6:30 a.m. EDT on the NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website.   More
(Source: NASA - Jul 10)

NOAA'S UPCOMING GEOXO SATELLITES COULD BE 'WEATHER-MONITORING PLATFORM OF THE FUTURE' - For the second time in a row, Lockheed Martin will be at the forefront of the creation of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s next generation weather satellites. Last month, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) awarded the aerospace company a $2.27 billion contract to develop and manufacture spacecraft for the next generation of NOAA satellites that will follow the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) series, Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO).   More
(Source: Space.com - Jul 10)

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