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Iran Launches Heaviest Space Payload Into Orbit.

 Iran successfully launched on Friday its heaviest space payload, which includes a satellite and a space tug, using a domestically developed satellite carrier, official media reported. Weighing 300 kilograms, the payload consisted of the Fakhr-1 telecommunications satellite and the Saman-1 space tug, according to state television. The Saman-1 is an “orbital transmission system” designed to …

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Watch SpaceX’s 31st Dragon Cargo Capsule Head Back To Earth Dec. 12 After Delay.

A SpaceX cargo capsule is set to head back toward Earth on Dec. 12, and you can watch the action live. A robotic Dragon freighter will undock from the International Space Station‘s (ISS) Harmony module on Thursday, Dec. 12 at 11:05 a.m. EST (1605 GMT), if all goes according to plan. An undocking attempt set …

Watch SpaceX’s 31st Dragon Cargo Capsule Head Back To Earth Dec. 12 After Delay. Read More »

Europe’s Vega-C Rocket Launches Earth-Observation Satellite On 1st Liftoff Since 2022 Failure.

Europe’s Vega-C rocket returned to flight Thursday (Dec. 5) with a successful mission, two years after suffering a catastrophic failure. Vega-C, which is operated by the French company Arianespace, launched the Copernicus Sentinel-1C Earth-observation satellite on Thursday, lifting off from Kourou, French Guiana at 4:20 p.m. EST (2120 GMT; 6:20 p.m. local time). The mission …

Europe’s Vega-C Rocket Launches Earth-Observation Satellite On 1st Liftoff Since 2022 Failure. Read More »

China Debuts $553 Million Spaceport With Launch Of New Long March-12 Rocket.

Last week, China successfully debuted its new launch vehicle Long March-12, delivering two experimental satellites into orbit and marking the inaugural flight from the country’s first commercial spaceport that will support the country’s upcoming surge in commercial space activity, including deploying large satellite networks. The 205-foot (62.6-meter) Long March-12 rocket lifted off on Nov. 30 …

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India Launches European Proba-3 Satellites To Create Artificial Eclipses In Space.

A European mission that will use two satellites to create artificial eclipses in Earth orbit launched early Thursday morning (Dec. 5) after a 24-hour delay. The European Space Agency‘s (ESA) Proba-3 formation-flying mission lifted off atop an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from Satish Dhawan Space Center on Thursday at 5:35 a.m. EST (1035 …

India Launches European Proba-3 Satellites To Create Artificial Eclipses In Space. Read More »

SKAO And STFC Partner To Implement SKAO Africa Programme.

The Square Kilometre Array Organisation (SKAO) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) to develop an SKAO Africa Programme within the next 12 months. The programme will focus on developing human capital in radio astronomy and related computing disciplines across Africa. Such collaborations enable leading UK, …

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SpaceX Completes 1st Starlink Direct-to-Cell Constellation With Launch From California.

SpaceX notched a big milestone with a launch of its Starlink internet satellites on Wednesday night (Dec. 4). A Falcon 9 rocket launched 20 Starlink spacecraft from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base on Wednesday at 10:05 p.m. EST (7:05 p.m. local California time; 0305 GMT on Dec. 5) and deployed them in low Earth orbit …

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Trump Picks Billionaire Private SpaceX Astronaut Jared Isaacman To Lead NASA.

A billionaire tech entrepreneur and private astronaut is Donald Trump’s choice for the next NASA chief. The president-elect announced via social media today (Dec. 4) that he has picked Jared Isaacman, the founder and CEO of payment-processing company Shift4 Payments, for the job of NASA administrator. Isaacman has spaceflight experience: He has funded and commanded …

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India Delays Launch of European Proba-3 Satellites To Dec. 5 To Create Artificial Eclipses In Space.

A European mission that will use two satellites to create artificial eclipses in Earth orbit will now launch early Thursday morning (Dec. 5) after a delay, and you can watch the action live. The European Space Agency‘s (ESA) Proba-3 formation-flying mission is scheduled to lift off atop an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from …

India Delays Launch of European Proba-3 Satellites To Dec. 5 To Create Artificial Eclipses In Space. Read More »

Watch Europe’s Vega-C Rocket Launch Dec. 5 After Delay, On 1st Flight Since 2022.

For the first time since the launch vehicle’s catastrophic mission failure in 2022, Europe’s Vega-C rocket is poised to return to flight Thursday (Dec. 5), after a delay. The European Space Agency (ESA) is scheduled to launch the Copernicus Sentinel-1C satellite today, lifting off from Kourou, French Guiana, during an instantaneous launch window on Dec. …

Watch Europe’s Vega-C Rocket Launch Dec. 5 After Delay, On 1st Flight Since 2022. Read More »