HAMPTON, Va. (NASA PR) — NASA is working with commercial companies to advance navigation and landing capabilities for future missions to the Moon.

Engineers recently tested NASA-developed navigation software with a navigation system developed by Blue Origin of Kent, Washington. During the testing, engineers ran a live simulation of a landing at the Moon’s South Pole. The NASA software successfully integrated with Blue Origin’s lunar navigation system, called BlueNav-L.

Sunil Bharti Mittal is the Founder and Chairman of Bharti Enterprises and also Executive Chairman of OneWeb. He says: “These are exciting times and the world now has a LEO alternative to work with. We look forward to partnering with those equally determined to enter this new Space Age. There is unmet demand around the globe for broadband connectivity and we intend to continue OneWeb’s social mission. We will use […]

BANGALORE, India (ISRO PR) — Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Indian Institute of Technology, Varanasi for setting up the Regional Academic Centre for Space at IIT BHU, in the country. This is the 5th Regional Academic Centre for Space being set up in the country. This is a regional level initiative to pursue advanced research in the area of space technology, space science and […]

BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. (NASA PR) — NASA and Boeing engineers successfully completed propellant loading during the seventh core stage Green Run test, wet dress rehearsal Sunday, Dec. 20. The massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s tanks were loaded with more than 700,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Engineers working in the Test Control Center monitored all core stage systems during the test as propellant flowed from six barges into the […]

Paris, Washington D.C., Montreal, Yokohama (Euroconsult PR) – Amid a tumultuous year for the global economy, government space program budgets maintained their growth trajectories for a fifth consecutive year. Following a period of strong budget tensions between 2010 and 2015, government space sector spending reached its highest recorded point in 2020 according to Euroconsult’s latest “Government Space Programs: Benchmarks, Profiles & Forecasts to 2029” flagship research. With Covid-19 having no noticeable impact on government space budgets, the pandemic having occurred with budgets largely already decided, it remains however to be seen, whether governments can sustain these historic budget levels in the future.  

WASHINGTON (US DOT PR) — The U.S. Department of Transportation is having a record year with supporting 35 licensed commercial space launches thus far in 2020 with the potential for even more before the year ends. The prior record of 33 was established in 2018.

BANGALORE, India (ISRO PR) — In view of ever-growing population of space objects and the recent trend towards mega-constellations, Space Situational Awareness (SSA) has become an integral and indispensable part of safe and sustainable space operations.

For the last few decades, ISRO has been carrying out SSA activities, mainly focused on safeguarding India’s space assets. Recognising the need for dedicated efforts to tackle the emerging challenges of operating in an exceedingly crowded and contested space domain, Directorate of Space Situational Awareness and Management (DSSAM) has been established at ISRO.

The Directorate engages in evolving improved operational mechanisms to protect Indian space assets through effective coordination amongst ISRO/DOS Centres, other space agencies and international bodies, and establishment of necessary supporting infrastructures, such as additional observation facilities for space object monitoring, and a control centre for centralized SSA activities.

New batch of astronauts set to be announced in January 2021

DUBAI (Dubai Media Office PR) — The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) today announced that 14 candidates have qualified for the final phase of the second batch of the UAE Astronaut Programme, which aims to train and prepare a team of Emiratis for scientific space missions, as part of the UAE’s National Space Programme. The selected candidates will now undergo final interviews conducted by a committee consisting of specialists from MBRSC, including Emirati astronauts Hazzaa AlMansoori and Sultan AlNeyadi along with NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Jessica Meir.

The Japanese Hayabusa-2 mission returned at least 5.4 g of dust from the asteroid Ryugu. That’s 50 times more than expected! These unpublished samples could contain primitive organic molecules that played a role in the emergence of life on Earth.

PARIS (CNES PR) — A fabulous Christmas present! A harvest beyond expectations! A dream come true … Words fail to qualify the extraordinary success of the Hayabusa2 mission which deposited on December 6, 2020, in the Australian desert, a 40 cm diameter capsule containing a treasure: at least 5.4 g material from asteroid Ryugu. 

Video Caption: On December 9, 2020, Starship serial number 8 (SN8) completed a high-altitude flight test as it successfully ascended, transitioned propellant, and demonstrated a first-of-its-kind controlled aerodynamic descent and landing flip maneuver – which will enable landing where prepared surfaces or runways do not exist, including the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

WASHINGTON (FCC PR) — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced it has granted Santa Claus and his reindeer-powered sleigh special operating authority to engage in interstate air-cargo-delivery services directly to rooftops throughout the United States on Christmas Eve. 

In addition, for the first time ever, the FAA issued Santa a special  commercial space license for a crewed mission to the International Space Station using his StarSleigh-1 space capsule powered by the Rudolph Rocket. The mission license includes both launch and reentry operations and will occur from a U.S.-based spaceport.

Once upon a Christmas drearyI shivered alone cold and wearyFamily and friends near and farA world with deep pandemic scarHope for all in the dumpsSoon at last rid of the Trumps Merry Christmas. Happy holidays. Stay safe. Some time in the new year we’ll be able to meet face to face again. Parabolic Arc will resume coverage on Dec. 26.