Constellations, Launch, New Space and more…
Houston Spaceport Slated to Become Home to the World’s First Commercial Space Station Builder
Axiom space station (Credit: Axiom Space)

HOUSTON (Houston Airports PR) — Houston Spaceport, the nation’s 10th commercially licensed Spaceport, will be home to the world’s first commercial space station builder, Axiom Space. The aerospace company announced plans to create a 14-acre headquarters campus to train private astronauts and begin production of its Axiom Station—the world’s first free-flying, internationally available private space station that will serve as humanity’s central hub for research, manufacturing and commerce in low Earth orbit.

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  • December 31, 2020
UK Involvement in the EU Space Programme From 2021

How the UK’s Space Programmes will be Affected from 2021
UK Government Guidance

The EU Space Programme includes the following components:

  • the European satellite navigation programmes, Galileo and European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS)
  • the Copernicus Earth Observation space programme
  • the EU Space Surveillance and Tracking (EUSST) programme
  • the Governmental Satellite Communications (GovSatCom) programme (a new EU programme)

The UK is seeking participation in the Copernicus component.

The UK’s membership of the European Space Agency (ESA) is not affected by leaving the EU as it is not an EU organisation.

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  • December 31, 2020
Space Florida Looks Back on a Busy Year

EXPLORATION PARK, Fla. (December 23, 2020) – Today, Space Florida shared the many accomplishments of Florida’s aerospace and commercial space industry in 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Florida’s Cape Canaveral Spaceport kept launching rockets. In May, the world watched as American astronauts lifted off from Florida for the first time since 2011, marking a new era of human spaceflight and commercial space exploration. The aerospace industry represents a key part of the State’s strategy for post-pandemic economic recovery, and Space Florida has good reason to be enthusiastic about the future of aerospace.

“Despite the challenges that COVID-19 brought to the State, our industry and our organization, Space Florida is pleased to have had a successful year of growth within the aerospace industry here in the State of Florida, with support from Governor DeSantis as well as our Board Chair and Lieutenant Governor Nuñez,” said Space Florida President and CEO Frank DiBello. “Space Florida is working with other economic development partners to create an energized driving force in recruiting these companies to the Sunshine State. The future of this industry is very bright, representing an increasingly important segment of Florida’s economy.

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  • December 31, 2020
Canada’s Top Space Highlights of 2020
Credit: Canadian Space Agency

LONGUEUIL, Que. (CSA PR) — It’s an understatement to say that 2020 was an exceptional year. As the year draws to a close, here’s a look at some of the most compelling, inspirational and incredible moments for Canada in space. Happy New Year!

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  • December 31, 2020
National Space Council Releases Planetary Protection Strategy
Mars weather seen from the InSight lander. (Credit: NASA)

WASHINGTON (National Space Council PR) — Today, the National Space Council released the National Strategy for Planetary Protection. This Strategy will advance the Nation’s role in the sustainable exploration of space by appropriately protecting other planetary bodies and the Earth from potentially harmful biological contamination from space exploration activities.

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  • December 30, 2020
National Strategy for Planetary Protection Fact Sheet

National Space Council Fact Sheet By Establishing a National Strategy for Planetary Protection, the United States Continues to Lead in the Safe and Sustainable Exploration and Commercialization of Space PLANETARY PROTECTION FOR THE 21ST CENTURY: The National Space Council released a strategy to ensure the protection of the Earth and other planetary bodies from harmful biological contamination from space exploration activities. As the United States continues to lead in space […]

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  • December 30, 2020
Kennedy’s Newest Launch Complex Ready to Serve Smaller Class of Rockets
Complex 48’s “clean pad” design and basic infrastructure offer flexibility for small-class vehicle customers whose rockets have varying needs. (Credits: NASA/Ben Smegelsky)

By Anna Heiney
NASA’s Kennedy Space Center


Launch Complex 48 expands the scope of the agency’s premier multi-user spaceport by creating a dedicated launch site to accommodate launchers generating 500,000 pounds of thrust or less.

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  • December 30, 2020
Audit Criticizes NASA’s Management of Hazardous Materials

by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

NASA needs to do a better job of storing and managing hazardous materials at its field centers to prevent accident and injuries, according to a new audit by the space agency’s Office of Inspector General.

“We found that hazardous materials are not managed uniformly across the Agency, the Centers we visited did not consistently implement adequate controls, and employees and contractors at times circumvented existing controls to acquire hazardous materials,” the audit said.

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  • December 30, 2020
Dmitry Rogozin Wishes Everyone a Happy New Year, Looks Toward Busy 2021

MOSCOW (Roscosmos PR) — Dmitry Rogozin, Roscosmos Director General, wishes a Happy New Year! “We see off this year and welcome 2021 with high hopes. We hope that the Vostochny Cosmodrome will start operating at full capacity,” Rogozin said. In 2021, Roscosmos expects to ensure the new Nauka orbital module launch to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome and send the Luna-25 automatic interplanetary station from the Vostochny […]

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  • December 30, 2020
What We Learned This Year from Space Station Science
NASA astronaut Anne McClain is pictured in the cupola holding biomedical gear for the Marrow experiment. The study measures fat changes in the bone marrow before and after exposure to microgravity. (Credits: NASA)

HOUSTON (NASA PR) — Dozens of experiments are going on at any given time aboard the International Space Station. Research conducted in 2020 is advancing our understanding in areas of study from Parkinson’s disease to combustion.

Space station research results published this year came from experiments performed and data collected during the past 20 years of continuous human habitation aboard the orbiting laboratory. Between October 1, 2019, and October 1, 2020, the station’s Program Research Office identified more than 300 scientific publications based on space station research.

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  • December 30, 2020
Mojave Air & Space Port Appoints Interim CEO

The Mojave Air and Space Port’s Board of Directors has appointed former board member David Evans as interim CEO to replace Karina Drees. Evans will serve in the post under a consulting contract while the board searches for a permanent replacement for Drees, who is leaving the position on Jan. 4. Evans resigned from the board in October after serving for more than six years. He was originally appointed to […]

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  • December 30, 2020
Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced Signs Executive Order Establishing Reconstruction of Arecibo Observatory as Public Policy
Damage sustained at the Arecibo Observatory 305-meter telescope. (Credit: UCF)

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, December 28, 2020 — Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced today signed an Executive Order to establish as public policy the reconstruction of the Arecibo Observatory radio telescope so that it resurfaces as a world-class educational center.

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  • December 30, 2020