Video Caption: ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet from France began Alpha – his second mission to the International Space Station – on 23 April 2021. Launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida, USA, on the second operational flight of SpaceX Crew Dragon, he has now spent around six months in orbit on mission Alpha. In addition to science experiments, he has taken part in four spacewalks and countless scientific investigations. On 4 […]

BAIKONUR COSMODROME, Kazakhstan (Roscosmos PR) — In accordance with the approved Russian schedule of flights to the International Space Station, today, October 28, 2021 the Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket with the Progress MS-18 cargo spacecraft launched successfully at 00:00:32 UTC from Launchpad 6 (Vostok) of the Baikonur Cosmodrome. In 8 minutes 48 seconds after liftoff the spacecraft and the third stage of the carrier separation was confirmed, the solar panels and antennas were deployed.

PARIS (ESA PR) — ESA is offering the opportunity for payloads to ride on board the first return flight, and future flights, to low orbit of its reusable Space Rider. Applications should reach ESA by 30 November.

MOSCOW (Roscosmos PR) — The Progress Rocket and Space Center (Samara, part of the Roscosmos State Corporation) has completed a series of static tests of the fuel tanks of the first stage of the promising Soyuz-5 launch vehicle. During the tests of prototypes of the oxidizer tank, the declared strength and rigidity of the structural elements were confirmed.

by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

Boeing said on Wednesday that it was taking an additional $185 million charge against earnings due to additional delays to its CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, which it is developing to take astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).

The agreement focuses on a partnership aiming at setting up a satellite manufacturing facility in Oman, the first initiative of this kind in the Sultanate.

DUBAI, UAE, October 27th, 2021 (D-Orbit PR) — Space logistics company D-Orbit announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with International Emerging Technology Company (ETCO), a technology leader in the Sultanate of Oman. The document sets the basis for a potential partnership aiming at setting up a satellite manufacturing and space logistics facility in Oman.

The contract was signed on October 26th, during the 72nd International Astronautical Conference, by Luca Rossettini, D-Orbit’s CEO, and Ammar Al Rawahi, Director of Astro and Space Technologies at ETCO. The signing happened in the presence of Giorgio Saccoccia, President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), and Dr. Saoud Al Shoaili, Head of the National Space Program at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT).

CHARLOTTE, N.C., October 26, 2021 (Satellogic PR) — Satellogic, a leader in sub-meter resolution satellite imagery collection, announced today that it has signed a letter of intent (the “LOI”) with Agencia Espacial del Paraguay (“AEP”) to develop a Space-as-a-Service program for the country. As a result of this LOI, Satellogic and AEP will undertake various technological and scientific projects in accordance with AEP’s Institutional Strategic Plan and the Space Policy of Paraguay.

The LOI provides a framework for the start-up and development of a dedicated satellite constellation network. Satellogic’s Dedicated Satellite Constellation Program enables municipal, state, and national governments to manage a fleet of satellites over a specific area of interest and develop a geospatial imaging program at unmatched frequency, resolution, and cost.

DUBAI, UAE, 27 October 2021 (NanoAvionics PR) – Smallsat mission integrator NanoAvionics has signed a contract with Contec that includes supplying a 16U nanosatellite as well as mission integration and launch services to the Korean company. The launch of the Earth observation (EO) nanosatellite is planned for the first half of 2023.

The contract also marks the beginning of a two-way collaboration between NanoAvionics and Contec, a provider of ground station services, which NanoAvionics intends to use for its future mission operations in order to extend its global transmission cadence.

The payload of NanoAvionics’ modular 16U satellite bus will consist of an integrated imager with 1,5 m resolution, supplied by NanoAvionics partner, and Contec’s laser communication terminal (LCT). For the efficient delivery of satellite data, Contec will use its existing ground station in Jeju (South Korea) and further 12 stations, to be built by 2022, in Alaska, Sweden, Ireland, and other countries across the globe.

SWINDON, UK (UK Space Agency PR) — The UK Space Agency is today announcing a range of different initiatives aimed at supporting safe and sustainable space operations.

From developing our space tracking capabilities and promoting international efforts in space sustainability, to finding novel ways of removing space debris – the UK is leading the way to ensure the Earth’s orbit can continue to be used now and in the future.

by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) held two public hearings last week on the preliminary environmental assessment on SpaceX’s plans to expand its operation at Boca Chica in Texas. One was held on Monday, and the other two days later.

The commenters have been a very mixed bag, with very few actually focused on the environmental impacts of enlarging the base to launch SpaceX’s massive Super Heavy/Starship vehicle. When FAA approved the Boca Chica site in 2014, SpaceX had been planning to launch a dozen smaller Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets annually from the facility.

The European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC) announces its intention to join this organization as the first non-founding member

DUBAI, UAE, 26 October 2021 (ispace PR) – In the context of increased momentum around space exploration, Airbus Defense & Space, Air Liquide and ispace Europe have announced the joint creation of EURO2MOON.

Bringing in complementary expertise from public and private partners, EURO2MOON will focus on topics related to the exploration of the lunar surface and the utilization of its resources in a commercial and sustainable way.

The objective is to create a platform of exchange in order to build a common vision and promote it among the European industrial and institutional ecosystems, including recommendations on global roadmaps, demonstration concepts and commercial programs. Topics to be addressed will include long duration transport, life support, energy needs for scientific and commercial applications.

• An international team of researchers uses experiments to show that topological insulators could serve as the basis for highly efficient electronic components.
• Scientists from the DLR Institute for Optical Sensor Systems are participating in the study.
• These quantum materials could ensure faster mobile data transmission in the future.
• In the future, this material can also play a major role in the development of detector systems such as space telescopes.

COLOGNE, Germany (DLR PR) — They are considered to be extremely interesting materials for the electronics of the future: Topological insulators conduct electricity in a special way and promise new types of circuits and faster mobile communications. An international team of researchers, with the participation of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), has now unraveled a fundamental property of the new class of materials: How do the electrons in the material react when they are “startled” with short pulses of so-called terahertz radiation? The results are not only important for a fundamental understanding of these novel quantum materials, but could also ensure faster mobile data communication in the future or be used in highly sensitive detector systems for the exploration of distant planets.