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The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is requiring an investigation into the recent anomaly suffered by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The issue occurred on Thursday night (July 11), during the launch of 20 Starlink internet satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The Falcon 9‘s upper-stage engine failed to complete its second burn …

FAA Investigating SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Failure. Read More »

One of the most interesting events in visual astronomy, and certainly the fastest, occurs when the moon occults a star. The moon’s edge creeps up to it, seems almost to press against it for a number of seconds, and then suddenly the star is gone! It reappears just as abruptly on the moon’s other side …

Watch The Moon Cover Up The Blue Giant Star Spica On July 13. Read More »

A private cargo spacecraft departed the International Space Station (ISS) this morning (July 12). Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus vehicle undocked from the ISS today at 7:01 a.m. EDT (1101 GMT), while the ISS was over the South Atlantic, ending a 5.5-month orbital stay. This Cygnus spacecraft — named the S.S. Patricia “Patty” Hilliard Robertson, after a NASA astronaut who died …

Cygnus Cargo Spacecraft Departs The ISS For A Fiery Re-entry In Earth’s Atmosphere. Read More »

Key Highlight Djibouti and France have signed a significant partnership to address climate change that aims to conduct critical research on tropical ecosystems in East Africa. In a strategic decision to address the pressing issues of climate change, Djibouti and France have signed a partnership to form an international doctoral alliance focused on climate adaptation. …

Djibouti and France Partner for International Doctoral Alliance on Climate Adaptation. Read More »

SpaceX’s workhorse Falcon 9 rocket suffered a rare anomaly on Thursday night (July 11). The incident occurred during a launch of SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The Falcon 9 performed well initially; its two stages separated on time, and the first stage came down for a landing on a …

SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Suffers Anomaly During Starlink Satellite Launch. Read More »

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 »