SHARP-EYED US-INDIAN SATELLITE SET TO LAUNCH JULY 30 TO MONITOR EARTH'S SURFACE, WARN OF NATURAL DISASTERS - The first equal partnership between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to take flight on July 30 with the launch of the NISAR Earth-observation satellite. Standing for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, NISAR will scan our planet to provide the most detailed map of the surface yet, and the most sensitive, able to see the ground or ice creeping by degrees of less than a centimeter. More (Source: Space.com - Jul 24)
NASA PROBES WILL STUDY HOW SOLAR WIND TRIGGERS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS "SPACE WEATHER" - SpaceX launched twin satellites for NASA Wednesday that will study how the electrically-charged solar wind interacts with Earth's magnetic field, creating constantly changing and occasionally dangerous "space weather" affecting satellites, electrical grids and other critical systems. The identical TRACERS satellites will operate in the magnetosphere, "the region around our Earth that is dominated by the planet's magnetic field, and it protects us from the stellar radiation and really from everything else that's going on in space," said Joseph Westlake, director of NASA's solar physics division. More (Source: CBS News - Jul 24)
NASA SETS LAUNCH COVERAGE FOR EARTH-TRACKING NISAR SATELLITE - A collaboration between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation, the satellite will provide a three-dimensional view of Earth in unprecedented detail. NASA will provide live coverage of launch activities for NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar), which is set to lift off at 8:10 a.m. EDT (5:40 p.m. IST), Wednesday, July 30, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on India’s southeastern coast. More (Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory - NASA - Jul 24)
BLUE ORIGIN ANNOUNCES CREW FOR NEW SHEPARD’S 34TH MISSION - Blue Origin today announced the six people flying on its NS-34 mission. The crew includes: Arvi Bahal, Gökhan Erdem, Deborah Martorell, Lionel Pitchford, J.D. Russell, and H.E. Justin Sun, the winning bidder for the first New Shepard seat in 2021. The proceeds from the $28 million bid benefitted 19 space-focused charities to inspire future generations to pursue careers in STEAM and help shape the future of life in space. J.D. is flying for the second time; he previously flew on NS-28. More (Source: Blue Origin - Jul 23)
FAA: ‘REGIONAL POWER OUTAGE’ CAUSES LAST-MINUTE SCRUB OF NASA’S TRACERS MISSION - NASA’s next trip to space will be a rideshare mission with nine other satellites sharing a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. However, it has to wait at least another day after a last minute scrub of the mission. About 45 seconds before the planned liftoff, the SpaceX launch director called, “Hold, hold, hold” and declared that the mission was aborted due to “air space concerns.” More (Source: SpaceFlight Now - Jul 23)
SPACEX LAUNCHES 15TH MISSION FOR SES FOLLOWING ONE-DAY SCRUB - SpaceX managed to luck out with the weather on Tuesday as it launched two satellites to medium Earth orbit. The Falcon 9 flight followed a last minute scrub on Monday on which SpaceX didn’t elaborate. The mission featured another pair of satellites for one of its oldest customers, SES, using a Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The ninth and tenth O3b mPOWER satellites will head into a medium Earth orbit. More (Source: SpaceFlight Now - Jul 23)
GOOGLE, PARTNERS LAUNCH SATELLITES INTO SPACE TO DETECT FIRES - Google is joining forces with technology and space industry partners to send satellites into orbit specifically designed to monitor and detect wildfires. By harnessing advanced imaging techniques and real‐time data analytics, the new satellite system aims to spot early flames quickly and accurately, helping communities respond faster and mitigate the spread of fires. This coordinated effort not only enhances early-warning capabilities but also provides high-resolution mapping of affected areas, marking a significant development in how technology is used to protect both the environment and property. More (Source: Fox Business - Jul 22)
NASA, ISRO EARTH SATELLITE MISSION SET TO LAUNCH JULY 30 - NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation have set the launch readiness date for the NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) mission for no earlier than Wednesday, July 30. The Earth-observing satellite, which will be the first to carry L- and S-band radars, is set to lift off aboard an ISRO Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle from ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on India’s southeastern coast. Earlier this year, President Trump and Prime Minister Modi hailed NISAR is a critical part of a pioneering year for U.S. – India civil space cooperation. More (Source: NASA Science - Jul 22)
SPACEX ABORTS SATELLITE LAUNCH 11 SECONDS BEFORE LIFTOFF - SpaceX aborted the launch of two communications satellites just before liftoff on Monday evening (July 21). A Falcon 9 rocket topped with two of SES' O3b mPOWER internet spacecraft was set to launch from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 5:27 p.m. EDT (2127 GMT) on Monday. But it didn't quite happen: SpaceX called an abort just 11 seconds before liftoff. The launch window extended for another 90 minutes or so, but the company soon decided to stand down for the day. More (Source: Space.com - Jul 22)
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