Two More Technical Issues Delay Starliner Crew Flight Test

By Irene Klotz Jun 01, 2023
Boeing is standing down from preparations to launch the long-awaited Crew Flight Test (CFT) of its CST-100 Starliner.
Commercial Space

Resupply Mission To Complete Space Station Solar Power Upgrade

By Mark Carreau Jun 01, 2023
Launch of a Falcon 9 rocket with the Cargo Dragon capsule from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is planned for June 3 at 12:35 p.m. EDT.
Space
SDA Adds Optical Translator, Link 16 Payloads To Future Experiments
A request for information published May 31 adds both technologies to a narrower, previous SDA description of the Tranche 2 experimental program.
steve.trimble@… Thu, 06/01/2023 - 16:04
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Final Flight Test Clears Way For Virgin Galactic Commercial Service
Company’s newly refurbished spaceship and carrier jet return to flight.
andrea.copleys… Thu, 06/01/2023 - 08:00
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Virgin Galactic Poised To Launch Commercial Flight Services

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U.S. Company Puts Saudi Human Space Program In Business
On its second private charter to the ISS, Axiom flies a pair of Saudi astronauts.
andrea.copleys… Thu, 06/01/2023 - 08:00
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GAO Report Cites NASA For Cost Performance Improvement
NASA has managed to improve the cost performance of 16 major projects over the past year, a GAO report says.
andy.savoie@av… Wed, 05/31/2023 - 22:36
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Space SPAC Startup SatixFy Sees Fifth CEO In Year

By Michael Bruno May 31, 2023
Satellite chip startup SatixFy said Nir Barkan will be acting CEO effective June 1.
Commercial Space
Axiom Space Private Astronauts Splash Down Safely
The four-person crew of Axiom Space’s second private astronaut mission to the International Space Station splashed down safely in the Gulf of Mexico on May 30.
cory.hitt@avia… Wed, 05/31/2023 - 08:30
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Roscosmos Acquires Radar Earth Observation Capabilities

Aviation Week Staff May 30, 2023
Russia’s Roscosmos has added radar observation capabilities to its Earth-monitoring constellation with a launch of the Kondor-FKA satellite.
Space

Axiom Space Private Astronauts Depart Space Station

By Mark Carreau May 30, 2023
Axiom Space’s second four-person private astronaut mission (AX-2) to the International Space Station departed the orbital laboratory as planned on May 30.
Space

NASA Seeks Commercial Lunar Rover Proposals

By Mark Carreau May 30, 2023
NASA is once more reaching out to the private sector for assistance with the Artemis program, this time to provide unpressurized lunar terrain vehicles.
Space

China Sends First Civilian Astronaut To Space On Shenzhou-16

By Chen Chuanren May 30, 2023
China's Shenzhou-16 mission has reportedly docked successfully at the Tiangong space station with a crew of three astronauts, including one civilian researcher.
Space

Altitude Measurement Issue Caused Lunar Lander Crash, ispace Says

By Garrett Reim May 26, 2023
Ispace believes that its Series 1 lunar lander crashed into the Moon because of an error in the spacecraft’s altitude measurement software.
Commercial Space
Rocket Lab Delivers Final Two Tropics Cubesats
The final two members of a novel cubesat quartet were launched into orbit to track developing storms on a near-hourly basis. 
andy.savoie@av… Fri, 05/26/2023 - 20:53
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NASA Audit Raises SLS Cost Concerns

By Mark Carreau May 26, 2023
NASA faces mounting urgency to control the cost of its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket development and production, an agency inspector general’s audit says.
Space

Lockheed To Develop Hefty Space Transporter For Blue Origin Lander

By Irene Klotz May 26, 2023
The cislunar transporter would make propellant runs from LEO to lunar orbit.
Commercial Space
Virgin Orbit’s End Is The Beginning Of New Space’s Next Phase
Like a shooting star, Virgin Orbit’s quick flare-up and steady diminution punctuates new space’s financial struggles.
andrea.copleys… Fri, 05/26/2023 - 08:00
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Virgin Orbit’s End Marks the Beginning of New Space’s Next Phase

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Fleet Space Raises $33m To Fund Satellite-Connected Prospecting

By Garrett Reim May 25, 2023
Fleet Space Technologies has raised an about $33 million round of Series C funding to further finance its satellite connected geological survey business.
Commercial Space
NASA Eyes Possibility Of Multiple Lunar Base Camps
Part of NASA’s Artemis strategy includes a lunar south pole Artemis Base Camp, a concept that may end up consisting of more than one camp, experts say.
andy.savoie@av… Thu, 05/25/2023 - 21:28
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ULA Delays Vulcan Rocket Engine Hot Fire
ULA canceled the planned May 25 static hot fire of its first Vulcan-Centaur rocket to review an issue with the booster engine ignition system.
andy.savoie@av… Thu, 05/25/2023 - 20:44
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Virgin Galactic Returns To Suborbital Space
After a nearly two-year hiatus, Virgin Galactic returned its SpaceShipTwo passenger vehicle into suborbital space on May 25.
andy.savoie@av… Thu, 05/25/2023 - 20:26
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Blue Origin Aims To Put NASA Astronauts On The Moon In 2029

By Irene Klotz May 25, 2023
Five years after Jeff Bezos began wooing NASA to buy Blue Origin lunar landing services, the U.S. space agency said “yes.”
Commercial Space
Space Robotics Startup Gitai Raises $29 Million With Eye Toward Moon
Tokyo-based Gitai, a startup developing several space robots, has raised about ¥4 billion ($29 million) in funding as part of a Series B extension round.
andy.savoie@av… Wed, 05/24/2023 - 20:07
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Russian Progress Cargo Mission Docks To Space Station

By Mark Carreau May 24, 2023
Russia’s MS-23 Progress resupply mission spacecraft autonomously docked to the Russian segment of the International Space Station at midday May 24.
Space
Virgin Orbit To Close After Assets Divided Among Four Bankruptcy Bidders
Virgin Orbit will close after its assets were bought by four bankruptcy bidders including Rocket Lab and Stratolaunch.
guy.ferneyhoug… Wed, 05/24/2023 - 06:57
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