The Vega light launcher, operated by Arianespace, is to place two satellites into orbit on Nov. 16–Taranis, to study electromagnetic phenomena taking place above storms, and Seosat-Ingenio, focused on the observation of Spain’s territory.
Speculation is mounting over what’s next for U.S. human deep-space exploration following the Nov. 3 presidential election, but one noted space historian believes the U.S. will still land on the Moon within 10 years.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 15, sending a Crew Dragon spacecraft with four astronauts on its way to the International Space Station, the first U.S. government-certified flight of a commercially developed crewed orbital transportation system.
NASA and SpaceX are delaying the launch of the resident crew ferry flight to the International Space Station by one day due to expected high winds at the launch site and poor weather for booster recovery at sea.
Aireon on Nov. 12 announced an agreement with the FAA allowing the agency access to its satellite-routed aircraft surveillance data to evaluate different air traffic control applications.
Raytheon Technologies has signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Blue Canyon Technologies, a pioneering provider of small satellites and spacecraft systems components, for about $350 million.
Ride-share schemes for small satellites are here to stay and, along with constellations and geostationary spacecraft, will contribute to solid activity in the near term, senior executives of launch service operators say.
Working through unfunded Space Act Agreements with 17 U.S. companies, NASA has selected 20 space technologies it intends to help advance to enable future activities at destinations spanning from low Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars.
Rocket Lab is moving closer to potential reuse of its Electron small satellite launch vehicle, with plans to attempt a parachute recovery of the first stage as part of its next mission, the company said on Nov. 5.
AE Industrial Partners, a private equity firm with an aerospace and defense focus, is growing its military space business with a new acquisition that serves the Pentagon’s desire to tap into small-form, new-space developments.
NASA’s Tournament Lab, working with social media crowdsourcing platform HeroX, is reaching out for proposals to offload a range of payload types at the Moon in support of the bold vision of developing a sustained human lunar presence this decade.
