TOKYO 2020 TO LAUNCH FIRST-EVER OLYMPIC SATELLITE - In addition to recycling old cell phones into competition medals, as well as utilizing facial recognition software to identify athletes, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee is infusing some futuristic flair into the entire production with its new ‘G-Satellite Go to Space’ project. The project marks the first time in Olympic and Paralymic history taht a a satellite commission especially for the Games will orbit the earth independently.   More
(Source: SwimSwam - Jun 4)

SPACEX DRAGON RETURNING TO EARTH AFTER SPACE STATION CARGO DELIVERY - A SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft is returning to Earth today (June 3) after spending nearly a month docked at the International Space Station (ISS). The Dragon CRS-17 spacecraft departed the space station this morning and will end its journey home with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean around 5:55 p.m. EDT (2155 GMT, 2:55 p.m. local time), according to NASA's ISS blog. Flight controllers expect the spaceship to splash down about 202 miles (325 kilometers) southwest of Long Beach, California.    More
(Source: Space.com - Jun 4)

TECHDEMOSAT-1 ON-BOARD CAMERA CAPTURES DRAG SAIL DEPLOYMEN - Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) has released an image showing the successful deployment of the de-orbit drag sail on-board TechDemoSat-1. The deployment of the Icarus-1 drag sail, which was supplied by Cranfield University, marks the end of mission operations for SSTL's TechDemoSat-1 small satellite which was launched into a 635 km Low Earth Orbit in 2014. Sarah Parker, Managing Director of SSTL, said "It is fantastic to see an image of TechDemoSat's deployed drag sail captured by the onboard inspection camera.   More
(Source: Space Daily - Jun 3)

CHINA SET TO LAUNCH NEW AMATEUR SATELLITE WITH “SAIL BALL” STABILIZATION - Chinese Amateur Satellite Group (CAMSAT) has announced the impending launch of the CAS-7B satellite, also designated as BP-1B, a short-lived spacecraft that will carry an Amateur Radio payload. An unusual feature of the spacecraft is its “sail ball” passive stabilization system. The 1.5-U CubeSat is attached to a 500-millimeter flexible film ball — or sail — that will offer passive “pneumatic resistance” stabilization. CAS-7B is expected to remain in orbit for up to 1 month. The spacecraft will carry an Amateur Radio transponder and educational mission. CAMSAT is working with Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), a top aerospace school, which is providing launch support in launch of the satellite.    More
(Source: ARRL - Jun 3)

WATCH: ASTRONAUT CAPTURES AMAZING TIME-LAPSE VIDEO OF EARTH FROM ISS - Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have the best views of Earth. Have doubts? Just check out a stunning, new time-lapse video of our planet captured by NASA astronaut Nick Hague, who has been aboard the orbiting space station since mid-March. In the amazing video, Expedition 59 crew member Hague squeezed 30 minutes of footage into 60 seconds, capturing views of the Earth from the Pacific to the Atlantic.   More
(Source: Geek - Jun 2)

NASA TO SHUT DOWN SPITZER SPACE TELESCOPE EARLY NEXT YEAR - After a search for an outside funding source turned up empty, NASA plans to end observations with the Spitzer Space Telescope in January to conclude a 16-year mission that discovered exoplanets, studied galaxies in the ancient universe, and peered at planets and asteroids in our own solar system. NASA quietly announced the plan to end Spitzer’s observations in a blog post earlier this month. Astronomers hoped to keep Spitzer going until after the launch of the long-delayed James Webb Space Telescope, but the new observatory is now scheduled for launch in early 2021, and continues to dominate the budget for NASA’s astrophysics division.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Jun 2)

NASA TV TO AIR US CARGO SHIP DEPARTURE FROM SPACE STATION - Filled with more than 4,200 pounds of valuable scientific experiments and other cargo, a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft is set to return to Earth from the International Space Station Monday, June 3. NASA Television and the agency’s website will provide live coverage of the craft’s release beginning at 11:45 a.m. EDT. Around noon, flight controllers at mission control in Houston will deliver remote commands to the station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm to detached Dragon from the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module.   More
(Source: Southgate Amateur Radio Club - Jun 1)

UK SATELLITE 'SETS SAIL' FOR RETURN TO EARTH - TechDemoSat-1 was launched in 2014 to trial a number of new in-orbit technologies but has now reached the end of its operational life. To bring it out of the sky faster than would ordinarily be the case, it has deployed a "drag sail". This large membrane will catch residual air molecules at its altitude of 635km and pull TDS-1 quickly into Earth's atmosphere where it will burn up. There is a lot of interest currently in "clean space" technologies.    More
(Source: BBC News - Jun 1)

EUTELSAT 7C SATELLITE ARRIVES IN FRENCH GUIANA - Eutelsat Communications’ newest high-power broadcast satellite, EUTELSAT 7C, arrived at the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana where it will be launched as a co-passenger on an Ariane 5 rocket on June 20. Built by Maxar Technologies, the 3.4 ton satellite will serve markets across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Turkey through 49 36-Mhz equivalent Ku-band transponders.   More
(Source: Via Satellite - Jun 1)

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