Interweaved tether for an ‘e-sail’. (Credit: ESA)

ESA PR — Space tethers hold intriguing potential for satellite manoeuvring, attitude control and even power generation. But about half of all orbital tether tests have either failed to deploy or snapped, probably due to micrometeoroid impacts.This scanning electron microscope image shows the new design of an ultra-thin and hopefully snap-proof solar sail tether soon to be tested on Estonia’s ESTCube-1, which is being launched into orbit along with ESA’s Proba-V satellite on the next Vega rocket in April. Harnessing manufacturing techniques from the microelectronics industry, this aluminium tether measures just 50 micrometres across – across half the diameter of the average human hair – with a smaller 25 micrometre wire interweaved onto it. (more…)

Artist’s concept showing how a defunct satellite could be grappled for a controlled reentry into Earth’s atmosphere, where it would burn up and be destroyed harmlessly. This is one of several concepts for clearing dead satellites from orbit being studied by space agencies and industry across Europe. (Credit: ESA)

DARMSTADT, Germany (ESA PR) — There is an urgent need to remove orbiting space debris and to fly satellites in the future without creating new fragments, Europe’s largest-ever space-debris conference announced today.

The findings from the 6th European Conference on Space Debris were released during the concluding press briefing at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany.

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Video Caption: Andaaz goes to the Mojave Space Port in Southern California to talk with XCOR Aerospace. Space tourism is now a reality. Will you choose to go where only few have gone before? In this edition, we ask Jeff Greason (the CEO/founder of XCOR Aerospace) some questions about what motivated him to get into the space tourism industry. Check out the full show.

CCP Spotlight on Development Via NASA Elements of Sierra Nevada Corp. Space Systems’ Dream Chaser design will undergo significant testing this month, including evaluations of the Thermal Protection System in a phosphor thermography wind tunnel. The Thermal Protection System, or TPS, is the heat shield that keeps super-heated plasma from damaging the spacecraft as it enters Earth’s atmosphere. The plasma is created by friction between the spacecraft, which is flying […]

WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — NASA has selected 44 additional proposals from 42 small high-technology companies to enter into negotiations for Phase 2 contract awards through the agency’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program.

Valued at about $30.7 million, these selections complement 39 Phase 2 proposals announced in November.

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Credit: Garvey Spacecraft Corporation

NASA has selected Garvey Spacecraft Corporation for a Small Business Innovation Research Phase II award that will fund development of the company’s nanosat launch vehicle. The award, which is as much as $700,000 for work lasting up to two years, will fund continued development of an alternative hydrocarbon propulsion system powered by liquid oxygen and propylene.

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Clark Lindsey over at NewSpaceWatch points to three new patents that Blue Origin has received for its reusable launch vehicle. Abstracts and links to the patent documents are after the break.

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Video Caption: Andaaz goes to the Mojave Space Port in Southern California to talk with Virgin Galactic. Space tourism is now a reality. Will you choose to go where only few have gone before? Check out this amazing interview with George T Whitesides, CEO and President of Virgin Galactic, right here on Andaaz! Check out the full show.  

A note from Cindy Conrad: Greetings friends of the suborbital frontier! A reminder that discounted Earlybird Registration for the Next-generation Suborbital Researchers Conference ends tomorrow, Thursday April 25! Save 15% and register today at https://nsrc.swri.org! Our program and abstracts are now online. See you in June in Colorado!

Stephane Israel (Credit: Arianespace)

New Arianespace Chairman and CEO Stéphane Israël has a clear message for his customers and rivals: “Launches speak louder than words.”

Israël mentions this phrase, which is Arianespace’s unofficial motto, in a Q&A published by the company on its website.  It’s not clear precisely to whom he might be referring, but one might guess that it is a certain American entrepreneur named Elon Musk who talks a lot and whose company, SpaceX, has only a handful of launches under its belt.

SpaceX has, of course, notched a lot of launch contracts for satellites waiting to be flown. This accomplishment that has put a great deal of fear into other launch providers, not that you would know it from Israël’s answers. While it’s unlikely that Musk will suddenly stop speaking as much as he does in the years ahead, SpaceX will have a lot more launches that will speak to the company’s reliability and accuracy.

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