PALO ALTO, Calif. (NASA PR) — NASA is one step closer to robotically refueling a satellite and demonstrating in-space assembly and manufacturing thanks to the completion of an important milestone.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. (Boeing PR) — Boeing and NASA are targeting 2:53 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, July 30, for the launch of Starliner’s uncrewed Orbital Flight Test-2, or OFT-2, mission to the International Space Station pending range approval. The updated launch target is supported by the space station visiting vehicle schedule and availability of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Boeing will continue preparing the Crew Flight […]

WASHINGTON, May 5, 2021 (Hughes/OneWeb PR) — Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), an innovator in satellite and multi-transport technologies and networks for 50 years, and OneWeb, the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications company, today announced their selection by the U.S. Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) to demonstrate managed LEO satellite communications (SATCOM) services to connect the Arctic region to sites around the globe. Under the agreement, Hughes will test and implement these end-to-end services on the OneWeb system between selected U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) locations, a first step in harnessing the power of LEO satellites for high-speed, low-latency broadband access in the Arctic.

HOSUTON (NASA PR) — In 1961, the United States and the Soviet Union found themselves in a race to put the first human being into space. The United States initiated Project Mercury in 1958 to put the first American into space and selected its first group of astronauts in 1959 to begin training for that mission. The Soviets kept their plans secret but began their own human spaceflight program and selected their own team of 20 cosmonauts in 1960.

The Soviets won the race in April 1961 when cosmonaut Yuri A. Gagarin completed a single orbit around the Earth aboard his Vostok capsule. On May 5, 1961, Alan B. Shepard became the first American in space during a suborbital flight aboard his Mercury capsule named Freedom 7. Three weeks later, based on the success of Shepard’s brief flight, President John F. Kennedy committed the United States to achieving a lunar landing before the end of the decade.

SpaceX successfully launched and landed its SN15 Starship after a 6 minute 8 second flight to 10 km from its Boca Chica test facility in Texas. It marked the first time SpaceX has successfully landed a Starship prototype. Video of the flight indicates it touched down on the edge of the landing pad with two its three Raptor engines firing. SpaceX is developing Starship for crewed voyages to the moon […]

BARCELONA (Sateliot PR) — Sateliot, the satellite telecommunications operator, is preparing with a dozen companies and the Spanish Ministry of Defense -as a potential user- the deployment of a constellation of low-orbit nanosatellites that, in addition to the democratization of IoT with 5G coverage, will also enable a secure information exchange system using QKD quantum keys.

This is a cross-cutting project led by Sateliot, which will involve an investment of more than 176 million euros and has just been submitted to the Spanish Ministry of Industry as part of the Program for the Promotion of Industrial Competitiveness and Sustainability projects that will serve as a guide for the allocation of European Next Generation funds. With this project, the consortium seeks to position Spain as a world reference in 5G IoT constellations and secure global communications, enabling the Spanish industrial sector to digitize as a priority.

HOUSTON, May 5, 2021 (Newswire.com) – SpaceFund venture capital firm announced today that it is spinning off a new aerospace strategic consulting company to serve growing government, corporate, and investment industry demand for advice and informed diligence. The new firm, SpaceFund Intelligence (SFI) builds on the skills and team already assembled by the rapidly growing SpaceFund venture capital firm while adding high-level players to its roster of top-flight experts. The new team includes engineering, biomedical, geopolitical, and policy experts as well as former high-ranking U.S. military and government leaders.

KENT, Wash. (Blue Origin PR) — On July 20^th, New Shepard will fly its first astronaut crew to space. We are offering one seat on this first flight to the winning bidder of Blue Origin’s online auction. Starting today, anyone can place an opening bid by going to www.BlueOrigin.com.  

Here are the three phases of the auction: 

• May 5-19: Sealed online bidding – you can bid any amount you want on the auction website (no bids are visible)  
• May 19: Unsealed online bidding –  bidding becomes visible and participants must exceed the highest bid to continue in the auction 
• June 12: Live auction – the bidding concludes with a live online auction 

Video Caption: On July 20th, #NewShepard​ will fly its first astronaut crew to space. We are offering one seat on this first flight to the winning bidder of our online auction. Starting today, anyone can place an opening bid by going to BlueOrigin.com. The winning bid amount will be donated to Blue Origin’s foundation, Club for the Future, to inspire future generations to pursue careers in STEM and help invent […]

• NASA guest scientist Jess Bunchek will conduct research in the Antarctic greenhouse until early 2022.
• Crop yield, plant irrigation, microbiology, crew time and effects on the wellbeing of the wintering team are the focus of the new research mission.
• The YouTube livestream for the DLR press conference “EDEN ISS – Antarctic Greenhouse Mission 2021” was held on May 4th, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. CEST.

NEUMAYER STATION III, Antarctica (DLR PR) — Nine weeks of darkness and cold to minus 50 degrees Celsius. A joint series of experiments begins under the harsh conditions of the Antarctic by NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) for growing vegetables on the moon and Mars. NASA guest scientist Jess Bunchek is researching until the beginning of 2022 how astronauts can grow lots of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and herbs with as little time and energy as possible. 

NEW YORK, May 4, 2021 (Labaton Sucharow PR) — Labaton Sucharow, a nationally ranked and award-winning shareholder rights law firm, is investigating potential securities violations and breach of fiduciary duty claims against Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc. (NYSE:SPCE). On May 4, Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc. closed down over 9% on enormous volume after the space tourism company said it would restate certain past financial results in the wake of recent comments […]

LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (SMC PR) — The U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center’s Cross-Mission Ground & Communications Enterprise (ECX) has awarded a firm-fixed price contract totaling $32.5 million, to Palantir USG Inc on April 30, 2021. 

This sole source award provides a Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) Platform and converges three separate mission areas (Space C2, NORAD-NORTHCOM, and Project Brown Heron) using the same tech stack called Warp Core. It supports the Project Brown Heron effort under the U.S. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, by providing a common data foundation that improves readiness information, which is a critical component of DAF-wide COVID-19 analysis and decision-making effort.