ASTRONOMERS PUSH FOR GLOBAL DEBATE ON GIANT SATELLITE SWARMS - Aerospace companies have launched about 2,000 Internet satellites into orbit around Earth over the past 2 years, nearly doubling the number of active satellites. This has sparked concerns among astronomers and other skygazers, who worry about interference with observations of the night sky. Now, in what would be the biggest international step yet towards addressing these concerns, diplomats at a United Nations forum next month might discuss whether humanity has a right to ‘dark and quiet skies’.   More
(Source: Nature - Jul 17)

SATELLITES OVER EUROPE TRACK MASSIVE FLOODS IN GERMANY AND BELGIUM - Sobering images from space show the impact of devastating floods in Germany and Belgium that have left more than 100 people dead. While the rain that caused the floods is expected to ease this weekend, search and rescue efforts remain hampered in the two countries. Officials say that the rising waters are in large part due to global warming, according to the New York Times.   More
(Source: Space.com - Jul 17)

AMAZON BOUGHT FACEBOOK’S SATELLITE TEAM TO HELP BUILD STARLINK COMPETITOR - Facebook has sold its small-satellite Internet division to Amazon and said it has no plans to become an Internet service provider. Amazon and Facebook both confirmed the sale to Ars today. The Information first reported that "Amazon has acquired a team of more than a dozen wireless Internet experts from Facebook in an effort to boost its multibillion-dollar effort to launch thousands of satellites...    More
(Source: Ars Technica - Jul 16)

PLYWOOD SATELLITE CLEARED FOR SPACE LAUNCH - A tiny Finnish cubesat could make history later this year as the world’s first plywood satellite—and it will even have a selfie stick to record the moment. The WISA Woodsat is being developed by Finland-based Arctic Astronautics, Ltd.; the European Space Agency, or ESA; and Finland-based forester UPM, maker of WISA plywood. On July 9, after technical testing of the Woodsat’s birch-plywood outer shell, the ESA certified it for flight.    More
(Source: Defense One - Jul 15)

NASA TV TO AIR LAUNCH OF SPACE STATION MODULE, DEPARTURE OF ANOTHER - NASA will provide live coverage of a new Russian science module’s launch and automated docking to the International Space Station, and the undocking of another module that has been part of the orbital outpost for the past 20 years. Live coverage of all events will be available on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website.   More
(Source: NASA - Jul 14)

RUSSIA'S NEW NAUKA MODULE READIED FOR LAUNCH TO INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION - Russia's Nauka laboratory module is now slated to launch to the International Space Station (ISS) on July 21. In a statement, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said the new module for the International Space Station will launch from Site 200 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, atop a Proton-M carrier rocket. Backup launch dates are available on July 22 and July 23.   More
(Source: Space.com - Jul 13)

SIA REPORT HIGHLIGHTS RECORD-BREAKING NUMBER OF SATELLITES LAUNCHED IN 2020 - A record number of satellites were launched into orbit in 2020, according to the Satellite Industry Association’s (SIA) State of the Satellite Industry Report. By the end of 2020, there were 3,371 satellites orbiting Earth, an increase of 37% from 2019. The commercial satellite industry dominates the $371 billion global space economy, making up $271 billion, or nearly 73% of its revenue. “Increased demand for satellite broadband, remote sensing imagery and other services balanced declines in demand for services affected by the pandemic.   More
(Source: Via Satellite - Jul 13)

CHINA LAUNCHES NEW SATELLITE GROUP - China on Friday successfully sent a new satellite group into preset orbit from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province. The Zhongzi-02 satellite group was launched by a Long March-6 carrier rocket at 7:59 p.m. (Beijing Time). Friday's launch was the 379th mission for the Long March series carrier rockets.    More
(Source: Global Times - Jul 12)

ISRO SWINGING BACK TO FULL ACTION; PLANS TO LAUNCH GEO IMAGING SATELLITE ON AUGUST 12 - The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is getting back into launch activity fully at Sriharikota spaceport with the planned orbiting of geo imaging satellite GISAT-1 on board GSLV-F10 rocket on August 12. It’s going to be only the second launch of the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency in the Covid-19-hit 2021.    More
(Source: The Tribune - Jul 12)

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