CHINESE ASTRONAUTS INSTALL DEBRIS SHIELDS ON TIANGONG SPACE STATION DURING 8.5-HOUR SPACEWALK - Two Chinese astronauts have completed the second spacewalk of their six-month-long mission in Earth orbit. Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong, part of China's three-person Shenzhou 19 mission, completed an 8.5-hour extravehicular activity (EVA) — or spacewalk — at 12:12 p.m. EST on Jan. 20 (1712 GMT; 1:12 a.m. Beijing time on Jan. 21). The pair were supported by crewmate Wang Haoze from inside the Tiangong space station.   More
(Source: Space.com - Jan 23)

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION? - Americans, Russians and spacefarers from other countries have been working together aboard the International Space Station for a quarter-century. But the ISS is nearing the end of its operational life. What's next for the space station, and what comes after it retires? Following the ISS retirement in 2030, NASA expects to see the construction of "one or more commercial space stations," said The Verge. Each station will be run by a private company "for profit and part of a thriving space economy." NASA astronauts will use these stations as a platform for their work and further exploration of space.    More
(Source: - Jan 23)

SPACEX LAUNCHES 21 STARLINK SATELLITES ON FALCON 9 ROCKET FROM THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER - SpaceX launched its latest batch of Starlink satellites for its internet megaconstellation shortly after midnight on Tuesday. However, there may have been additional satellites onboard as well. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at 12:24 a.m. EST (0524 UTC) to begin the Starlink 13-1 mission.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Jan 22)

HOW NEW NASA, INDIA EARTH SATELLITE NISAR WILL SEE EARTH - When NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) new Earth satellite NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) launches in coming months, it will capture images of Earth’s surface so detailed they will show how much small plots of land and ice are moving, down to fractions of an inch. Imaging nearly all of Earth’s solid surfaces twice every 12 days, it will see the flex of Earth’s crust before and after natural disasters such as earthquakes; it will monitor the motion of glaciers and ice sheets; and it will track ecosystem changes, including forest growth and deforestation.   More
(Source: NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory - Jan 22)

CHINA LAUNCHES FIVE NEW SATELLITES - China on Monday launched a CERES-1 carrier rocket with five satellites onboard. The rocket blasted off at 6:11 p.m. (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China and sent a group of satellites, including the Yunyao-1 37-40 and JTX-A-05 models, into their planned orbits.   More
(Source: www.gov.cn - Jan 21)

PIXXEL HAS LAUNCHED FIREFLY HYPERSPECTRAL SATELLITE - Pixxel has successfully launched the first three satellites of its Firefly constellation. The satellites were integrated via Exolaunch and launched aboard the Transporter-12 rideshare mission via SpaceX from Vandenberg Space Force Base. This marks a significant milestone for Pixxel as it begins commercial operations, delivering critical climate and Earth insights to industries worldwide and solidifying its position as a global leader in Earth Observation.    More
(Source: SatNews - Jan 21)

SCIENTISTS CALL ON UN TO HELP SOLVE EARTH'S SPACE JUNK PROBLEM - An international group of researchers is calling on the United Nations to include the protection of Earth's orbit in the U.N.'s sustainable development goals. The researchers — led by experts from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the University of Plymouth in the U.K. and the University of Texas at Austin — think that adding space to the U.N.'s Agenda for Sustainable Development would strengthen the case for space protection, which has become a pressing topic in recent years.   More
(Source: Space.com - Jan 21)

SPACEX LAUNCHING 21 STARLINK SATELLITES EARLY JAN. 21 ON 1ST FLIGHT SINCE STARSHIP EXPLOSION - SpaceX is set to launch another batch of its Starlink internet satellites early Tuesday morning (Jan. 21), five days after a test flight of the company's Starship megarocket ended in an explosion. A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 21 Starlink satellites is scheduled to lift off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, during a nearly four-hour window that opens at 12:24 a.m. EST (0524 GMT).   More
(Source: Space.com - Jan 21)

SHENZHOU XIX ASTRONAUTS PREPARE FOR SECOND SPACEWALK - The astronauts of the Shenzhou XIX mission aboard China's Tiangong space station are scheduled to carry out their second spacewalk in the coming days, the China Manned Space Agency said on Sunday. The three astronauts — mission commander Senior Colonel Cai Xuzhe, Lieutenant Colonel Song Lingdong and Lieutenant Colonel Wang Haoze — have been aboard the station for nearly three months since their arrival on Oct 30.   More
(Source: Ecns.cn - Jan 20)

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