SpaceX launched 20 more of its Starlink satellites tonight (July 11), including 13 with direct-to-cell capabilities. A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Starlink spacecraft lifted off tonight from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base at 10:35 p.m. EDT (7:35 p.m. local California time; 0235 GMT on July 12). That was one day later than originally planned; …

SpaceX Launches Direct-to-Cell Starlink Satellites From California After Delay. Read More »

Joe Engle, the first astronaut to fly in space aboard two different winged vehicles, has died at the age of 91. Engle’s death on Wednesday (July 10) was announced in a note from his family shared publicly on Facebook. “Blessed with natural piloting skills, General Joe, as he was known to many, was at his …

Joe Engle, X-15 Rocket Plane And Space Shuttle Astronaut, Dies At 91. Read More »

China is planning its first mission to impact an asteroid in the name of planetary defense. The mission will serve a dual purpose: One craft will impact the asteroid while its partner observes the space rock to learn more about the solar system and its formation. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) mission may have …

China Plans To Deflect An Asteroid By 2030 To Showcase Earth Protection Skills. Read More »

Key Highlight Professor Sherif Sedky, CEO of the Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA), welcomed a delegation from Esri North Africa in the Republic of Chad at the agency’s headquarters. Professor Sherif Sedky, the Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA) ‘s chief executive officer (CEO), welcomed a delegation from the Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) North Africa in the …

EgSA Hosts Delegates from Chad. Read More »

SpaceX plans to launch 20 more of its Starlink satellites on Thursday night (July 11), including 13 with direct-to-cell capabilities. A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Starlink spacecraft is scheduled to lift off Thursday from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base, during a four-hour window that opens at 10:39 p.m. EDT (7:39 p.m. local California time; …

SpaceX Launching Direct-to-Cell Starlink Satellites From California On July 11 After Delay. Read More »

SpaceX is gearing up for the fifth test flight of its Starship megarocket, which could take place in the next few weeks. The company just rolled Starship‘s giant first-stage booster, known as Super Heavy, out to the launch pad at Starbase, its facility in coastal South Texas. SpaceX documented the move via social media, posting …

SpaceX rolls Starship Super Heavy Booster To Launch Pad Ahead of 5th Test Flight. Read More »

While NASA’s portion of the Mars Sample Return mission sits in budgetary limbo, the European Space Agency (ESA) continues to move forward with its piece of the Red Planet sampling puzzle: the Earth Return Orbiter (ERO). ERO will provide the crucial transport of Mars samples collected by NASA’s Perseverance rover from the Red Planet to …

Europe’s Mars Sample Return Orbiter Moving Ahead Despite NASA Budget Uncertainty. Read More »

SpaceX’s plans to launch its Starship–Super Heavy two-stage rocket 44 times per year from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida have come under fire from its two main rivals: United Launch Alliance (ULA) and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. The Starship vehicle is the world’s largest rocket. Its two stages are SpaceX’s Super Heavy booster rocket, …

SpaceX Rivals Challenge Starship Launch License In Florida Over Environmental, Safety Concerns. Read More »

Scientists may have solved a lingering mystery surrounding the ice giant Uranus and its weak radiation belts. It’s possible the belts’ weakness is linked to the planet’s curiously tilted and lopsided magnetic field; the field could be causing “traffic jams” for particles whipping around the world. The mystery dates back to Voyager 2’s visit to …

‘Traffic Jams’ Around Uranus Could Solve The Mystery Of Its Weak Radiation Belts. Read More »