CHINA LAUNCHES WORLD'S FIRST THREE-SATELLITE CONSTELLATION IN EARTH-MOON SPACE - China has established the world's first three-satellite constellation based on the Distant Retrograde Orbit (DRO) in the Earth-moon region of space, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on Monday. Developed under the CAS class A strategic priority program "Earth-Moon Space DRO Exploration," the three satellites have stably established million-kilometer-level inter-satellite measurement and communication links in this region of space. More (Source: Ecns.cn - Apr 17)
HERE’S HOW A SATELLITE ENDED UP AS A GHOSTLY APPARITION ON GOOGLE EARTH - Dig deep on Google Earth and you'll inevitably find a surprise or two. Maybe you're looking at far-flung islands in the middle of an ocean or checking in on something closer to home. A few years ago, online sleuths found an image of a B-2 stealth bomber in flight over Missouri. The aircraft is smeared in the image because it was in motion, while the farm fields below appear as crisp as any other view on Google Earth. More (Source: Ars Technica - Apr 16)
EXPERIENCE THE LAUNCH OF NASA’S SPACEX CREW-11 MISSION - Digital content creators are invited to register to attend the launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to carry astronauts to the International Space Station for a science expedition as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. This will be the 15th time a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft launched by a Falcon 9 rocket takes crews to the orbital laboratory. Launch of the Crew-11 mission is targeted for no earlier than July 2025 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida. The launch will carry NASA astronauts Commander Zena Cardman and Pilot Mike Fincke, and mission specialists JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. More (Source: NASA - Apr 16)
NASA ASTRONAUT DON PETTIT AND 2 COSMONAUTS WILL RETURN TO EARTH ON APRIL 19 - NASA astronaut Don Pettit and two cosmonaut colleagues will return to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday night (April 19), if all goes to plan. The journey home for Pettit, Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner will begin Saturday at 5:57 p.m. EDT (2157 GMT), when their Russian Soyuz spacecraft undocks from the ISS' Rassvet module. More (Source: Space.com - Apr 16)
NASA SETS COVERAGE FOR SPACEX 32ND STATION RESUPPLY LAUNCH, ARRIVAL - NASA and SpaceX are targeting 4:15 a.m. EDT, Monday, April 21, for the next launch to deliver science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station. This is the 32nd SpaceX commercial resupply services mission to the orbiting laboratory for the agency. Filled with more than 6,400 pounds of supplies, a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. More (Source: PR Newswire - Apr 15)
REPORT: GLOBAL LEO SATELLITE GROWTH TO HIT 42,600 BY 2032 - The number of active low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites is expected to grow dramatically over the next decade, increasing from 7,473 in 2023 to about 42,600 by 2032, according to a new report from technology intelligence firm ABI Research. The report cites growing investment from China and Europe as key drivers of expansion, as both regions prioritize space technologies for national security and commercial strategies. The rapid growth is also fueled by increasing demand for satellite-based services, including internet connectivity, remote sensing, and the Internet of Things (IoT). More (Source: Military Aerospace - Apr 15)
SPACEX FALCON 9 ROCKET LAUNCHES 27 STARLINK SATELLITES TO ORBIT ON RECORD-BREAKING 27TH FLIGHT - SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of rocket reuse. A Falcon 9 rocket topped with 27 of the company's Starlink internet satellites lifted off at midnight (0400 GMT) on Monday (April 14) from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It was the 27th launch for the rocket's first stage, breaking a reflight record that this same booster set two months ago. Sixteen of its liftoffs have been Starlink flights, SpaceX wrote in a mission description. More (Source: Space.com - Apr 15)
KATY PERRY AND GAYLE KING LAUNCH TO SPACE WITH 4 OTHERS ON HISTORIC ALL-FEMALE BLUE ORIGIN ROCKET FLIGHT - Jeff Bezos' aerospace company launched its NS-31 mission today (April 14), sending the pop star and her five female crewmates on a brief mission to suborbital space. Liftoff occured at 9:30 a.m. EDT (1330 GMT) from Blue Origin's West Texas launch site. It was the first all-female spaceflight since June 16, 1963, when the Soviet Union's Valentina Tereshkova launched on a three-day mission to Earth orbit. Tereshkova flew by herself, however, so NS-31 was the first-ever multiperson human spaceflight not to feature a male crewmember. More (Source: Space.com - Apr 14)
SPACEX LAUNCHES 400TH FLIGHT-PROVEN FALCON BOOSTER WITH SATURDAY STARLINK MISSION - After being stymied by back-to-back scrubs on consecutive nights, SpaceX managed to launch the Starlink 12-17 mission from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Saturday night. The mission marked the 400th launch of a flight proven booster. Liftoff from Launch Complex 39A took place at 8:53 p.m. EDT (12:53 UTC) against a cloudless night sky. More (Source: SpaceFlight Now - Apr 13)
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