WATCH SPACEX LAUNCH 3 SPACE WEATHER PROBES EARLY ON SEPT. 24 - SpaceX will launch NASA's ambitious IMAP mission and two other space weather probes early Wednesday morning (Sept. 24), and you can watch the action live. A Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to lift off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. EDT (1130 GMT), carrying IMAP and two rideshare spacecraft deep into the final frontier.   More
(Source: Space.com - Sep 24)

THE US MILITARY JUST MOVED A SATELLITE TO INSPECT A UK SPACECRAFT 22,000 MILES ABOVE EARTH - In a first-of-its kind operation, the United States repositioned one of its spacecraft to inspect an ally's satellite. U.S. Space Command maneuvered one of its spacecraft in order to examine the Skynet 5A military communications satellite operated by the United Kingdom and assure the U.K. that it was operating in orbit as intended. The maneuver took place between Sept. 4 and Sept. 12 at an altitude of 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers) in geostationary orbit, where satellites remain above a fixed spot on Earth. Both spacecraft were traveling 6,835 mph (11,000 km/h) during the operation, according to a statement from the Royal Air Force (RAF).   More
(Source: Space.com - Sep 23)

NRO, SPACEX LAUNCH RECONNAISSANCE SATELLITES ON FALCON 9 ROCKET FROM VANDENBERG SFB - The National Reconnaissance Office sent its 11th batch of small, reconnaissance satellites into low Earth orbit Monday morning. These are believed to be Starshield satellites, a government variant of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites, though the NRO hasn’t confirmed this. The intelligence-gathering organization tasked SpaceX to deploy an unspecified number of satellites into low Earth orbit as part of its constellation called the “proliferated architecture.”   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Sep 23)

FORRESTER’S DIGEST: TELESAT WITHDRAWS PLAN FOR EXTRA SATELLITES - Canada-based satellite operator Telesat has formally cancelled its plans for an additional 1,671 low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellites. Telesat has already admitted that its important geostationary DTH business is under pressure and is betting its business mainly on a new LEO fleet, called Lightspeed. Lightspeed will comprise about 200 satellites.   More
(Source: SatNews - Sep 22)

SPACEX LAUNCHES 28 STARLINK SATELLITES ON SUNDAY SUNRISE FALCON 9 FLIGHT - Rocket enthusiasts along the East Coast were treated to sunny sunrise launch from SpaceX on Sunday as it flew its Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral. The Starlink 10-27 mission will send 28 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit. The spacecraft will deploy from the rocket’s upper stage a little more than an hour after the rocket clears the pad at Space Launch Complex 40.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Sep 21)

'WE MUST REPLACE THIS CAPABILITY NOW': NEW NOAA SATELLITE TO REPLACE AGING SPACE WEATHER SENTINELS LAUNCHES SEPT. 23 - On Sept. 23, a spacecraft will launch with a clear mission — to keep a constant watch on the sun to help protect Earth from space weather. The satellite, Space Weather Follow-On L1 (SWFO-L1), is launching just in time, as scientists warn our aging fleet of solar sentinels is reaching the end of its life.   More
(Source: Space.com - Sep 20)

NEW REPORT WARNS THAT CHINA COULD OVERTAKE THE US AS TOP NATION IN SPACE — AND IT COULD HAPPEN 'IN 5-10 YEARS,' EXPERT CLAIMS - A new report from the Commercial Space Federation warns that China could soon overtake the U.S. in the "new space race." The country's rapid progression starkly contrasts the limitations imposed on NASA by record-breaking budget cuts.   More
(Source: Live Science - Sep 20)

NORTHROP GRUMMAN CARGO SHIP REACHES SPACE STATION - Running a day late because of a software issue, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo ship caught up with the International Space Station early Thursday and then stood by while the lab’s robot arm latched onto a grapple fixture to wrap up a successful, if extended, rendezvous. The capture came after Northrop Grumman engineers adjusted the sensitivity of main engine fault detection software that prematurely triggered shut downs during two rendezvous thruster firings Tuesday.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Sep 19)

SPACEX LAUNCHES 28 STARLINK SATELLITES ON FALCON 9 ROCKET FROM CAPE CANAVERAL - SpaceX launched its latest batch of Starlink satellites from Florida’s Space Coast in the predawn hours of Thursday morning. The Starlink 10-61 mission will see a batch of 28 Starlink V2 mini satellites launched into a low Earth orbit about an hour after liftoff. SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 5:30 a.m. EDT (0930 UTC).   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Sep 19)

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