PARIS (ESA PR) — Cultured meat could be a game changer for the environment, food security, human health and animal welfare. But some challenges prevent it from reaching its full potential. Now ESA is supporting researchers to explore the possibility of growing cultured meat to feed astronauts. Overcoming the challenges of growing meat in space could also help us find solutions to produce it sustainably and effectively on Earth.

The idea of feeding astronauts on long-duration missions with cultured meat was initially proposed by ESA engineer Paolo Corradi.

PARIS (ESA PR) — Solar energy generation keeps on becoming cheaper and more efficient, but some basic limitations will always apply: solar panels can only generate power during the daytime, and much of the sunlight is absorbed by the atmosphere as it shines downward. So ESA is working on the concept of collecting solar power up in orbit, where sunlight is up to 11 times more intense than across European territory, […]

Video Caption: A spaceflight to inspire the future.

Collaboration will improve Space Situational Awareness and promote best practices in all near-Earth orbits for SES and its partners

Luxembourg, 31 March 2022 (SES PR) – A partnership to enhance Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and ensure a sustainable use of space has been formed between SES, the world’s leading satellite-based content connectivity solutions provider, and NorthStar Earth and Space (NorthStar), the first commercial service to monitor space from space, both companies announced today.  

Collaboration Will Lead to Robotic Autonomy Solutions that Significantly Improve the Ability to Support Low Earth Orbit, Lunar and Deep Space Missions

Boulder, Colo., March 29, 2022 (Sierra Space PR) — PickNik Robotics, a leader in robotics software and engineering services, today announced that it is collaborating with the team at Sierra Space, a leading commercial space company with 1,100 employees, more than 500 missions and over 30 years of space flight heritage. The collaboration will explore implementation of robotic autonomy and controllability for autonomous maintenance of space habitat environments. 

by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

PASO ROBLES, Calif. — A Florida company is looking to revive defunct XCOR Aerospace’s Lynx spaceplane as a drone that would launch small satellites into orbit before gliding back to a runway landing.

• Successfully launched 7 customer satellites onboard its LauncherOne rocket during the Above the Clouds mission on January 13, 2022, the company’s third successful launch.
• Full year 2021 revenue increased to $7.4 million, up from $3.8 million in the prior year period.
• Growing backlog of contracts, including selection by NASA’s launch service program to support the agency’s VADR missions.
• Completed its going public transaction and began trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange on December 30, 2021.

LONG BEACH, Calif. (Virgin Orbit PR) — Virgin Orbit (Nasdaq: VORB) (“Virgin Orbit” or the “Company”), the responsive launch and space solutions company, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2021.

PARIS (ESA PR) — ESA’s Ariane 6 and Vega-C will soon join the family of launch vehicles operating from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana to guarantee more opportunities for Europe to reach space. The P120C motor, which will power both Ariane 6 and Vega-C, will soon come into operations with the Vega-C inaugural flight.

LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (SSC PR) — Space Systems Command (SSC) recently awarded a $25.2 million, 39-month contract to Slingshot Aerospace, Inc. of El Segundo, California. Both SSC and SpaceWERX provided funding for the contract to acquire and host visualization and intelligence support products.

The contract is sought to develop two key products – the Slingshot Orbital Laboratory (SOLab) and the Digital Modeling & Advance Visualization Environment (DMAVE) digital twin tool.

“The intent of the SpaceWERX Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) program is to scale technology development over the “valley of death” by capitalizing on the most promising emerging commercial solutions to deliver better capabilities to the warfighter, faster,” said Lt. Col. Walter McMillan, director of SpaceWERX. “Each year, the STRATFI program places its ‘big bets’ on the most innovative technologies that meet critical mission gaps. Slingshot’s space education and simulation products have garnered support from across the Space Force operational and acquisition community as we see tremendous value in the technology.”

VAN HORN, Texas (Blue Origin PR) — Today, Blue Origin successfully completed its fourth human spaceflight and 20th overall flight for New Shepard. The astronaut manifest included: Marty Allen, Sharon Hagle, Marc Hagle, Jim Kitchen, Gary Lai, and Dr. George Nield.  “Congratulations to our astronauts on today’s mission above the Kármán Line,” said Phil Joyce, Senior Vice President of New Shepard for Blue Origin. “We had the honor of safely flying this crew […]

HOUSTON (NASA PR) — NASA and Axiom Space will provide coverage of the upcoming prelaunch and launch activities for Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1), the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website will provide coverage for docking and undocking operations and some prelaunch and launch activities.

Liftoff is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. EDT Wednesday, April 6, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew will travel to the orbiting outpost aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket.

PADOVA, Italy (T4i PR) — On February 24, 2022, the first flight test of an innovative sounding rocket for access-to-space applications for small satellites was successfully performed.