Tag NASA

China’s sixth uncrewed lunar exploration mission, Chang’e 6, landed on and sampled the far side of the Moon. The mission was launched on a Chang Zheng 5 rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on May 3 at 09:27 UTC. The Chang’e 6 vehicle consists of an orbiter, lander, ascent vehicle, and sample return capsule. […]

In the days leading up to the Starship integrated flight test, there was a flurry of activity at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. Teams meticulously prepared the Orbital Launch Pad, fueling systems, and the flight hardware itself – Booster 11 and Ship 29. The booster, standing 71 meters tall and featuring 33 Raptor […]

Teams at NASA and Boeing confirmed on Monday that the Starliner spacecraft, ULA Atlas V rocket, and ground support equipment are healthy and ready for the 10:52 am ET June 5 launch of the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. Meteorologists with the 45th Weather Squadron predict 90% favorable weather conditions for liftoff. On Wednesday, June […]

Using data from NASA’s Magellan mission, scientists have discovered direct geological evidence of ongoing volcanic activity on the surface of Venus. The study, led by Davide Sulcanese of d’Annunzio University in Pescara, Italy, analyzed lava flows observed in two locations on the planet, revealing that the volcanic activity on Venus could be comparable to that […]

With the second successful wet dress rehearsal (WDR) completed, SpaceX is making final preparations for the highly anticipated Flight 4 of the Starship vehicle. After successfully loading more than 10 million pounds of propellant into the stacked Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage, the company confirmed that the launch is targeted as early as […]

EarthCARE carries four instruments that work together to study clouds and atmospheric aerosols, enabling a comprehensive understanding of their impact on Earth’s climate. The Atmospheric LIDAR (ATLID) measures the altitudes of cloud tops and aerosols using a laser and telescope. It emits ultraviolet pulses and detects the scattered light to calculate the altitude and infer […]

The North Korean space agency launched a Chollima 1 satellite launch vehicle from Sohae on the west coast of the country at 13:44 UTC on Monday, May 27. However, the vehicle exploded during first stage flight, marking the third failure out of the launcher’s four flights to date. The Chollima 1 vehicle, named after a […]

The two key elements that will form the initial capability of NASA’s Gateway lunar space station are making steady progress toward launch as systems integration activities ramp up. The Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) and Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) are being constructed in different parts of the world, with plans to launch them together […]

## The UK Space Industry: A Flourishing Landscape The UK space industry is experiencing a period of significant growth, with several spaceports under development and companies making strides towards orbital launches. This article explores the current state of play, highlighting key developments and future prospects. ### SaxaVord Spaceport: Leading the Charge SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland, […]

The 100th orbital launch attempt of 2024 took place on Saturday, May 25, when Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket successfully lifted off from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. This marked the first launch of NASA’s PREFIRE-1 mission, which will study the heat loss from Earth’s polar regions and provide data on our changing climate. […]