Author: starpathwp-production
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Japan’s new H3 rocket proved it works, but will it catch on anywhere else?
Japan’s new H3 rocket took off Friday on its second test flight; its success is an important milestone for the launch vehicle poised to power nearly all of the Japanese space program’s missions into orbit over the next decade. The 187-foot-tall (57-meter) H3 rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan at…
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Lockheed Martin’s Pony Express 2 Mission Satellites Ready For Launch
The Lockheed Martin Pony Express 2 mission, intended to showcase how space can enhance Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2), is ready for launch. Pony Express 2 is a self-funded technology demonstration that uses a pair of small satellites. Its mission integrates four Lockheed Martin payloads on two 12U Terran Orbital Renegade-class space vehicles.…
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Rocket Lab Successfully Launches Orbital Debris Inspection Satellite for Astroscale
Rocket Lab USA, one of the global leaders in launch services and space systems, launched its 44th Electron rocket, successfully deploying an orbital debris inspection satellite for Astroscale Japan. The mission, named “On Closer Inspection”, launched from Pad B at Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand at 03:52 NZDT on February 19th, 2024…
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Thales Alenia Space to Supply Communications Equipment for NASA’s NEO Surveyor Mission
Thales Alenia Space, the joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has signed a contract with prime contractor Ball Aerospace to supply communications equipment for NASA’s NEO Surveyor mission. The main goal of this five-year mission is to advance efforts to defend our planet against near-Earth objects like asteroids and comets, specifically within 50…
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India Plans Ambitious Series of Launches to Boost Civil and Commercial Space Activities
India has announced plans for up to 30 launches over a 15-month period, signaling a significant push in both civil and commercial space endeavors. The planned launches comprise a diverse array of missions, including scientific, commercial, user-funded, and technology demonstration initiatives. Scheduled across the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023-24 and fiscal year 2024-25,…
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Intuitive Machines’ Moon Lander Beams Back Selfies from Space
A cutting-edge moon lander, Odysseus, has captured its first images from space, showcasing Earth in the backdrop as it embarks on its pioneering mission. Launched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on February 15, the robotic spacecraft, developed by Intuitive Machines, transmitted several snapshots shortly after separating from the rocket’s second stage. “Intuitive Machines successfully…
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Lockheed Martin Surges Ahead in Small Satellite Business
Lockheed Martin, traditionally renowned for its prowess in GPS and large geostationary (GEO) satellites, is now making waves in the small satellite market. The aerospace giant has quietly amassed a backlog of 100 small satellites ordered by the Department of Defense and intelligence clients. Johnathon Caldwell, head of Lockheed Martin’s military space business, highlighted…
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Eutelsat Shifts Focus from OneWeb Gen 2 Upgrades to Service Continuity
Eutelsat has announced a strategic decision to delay the deployment of significantly upgraded OneWeb broadband satellites. Instead, the company will concentrate on enhancing continuity of service for customers with long-term contracts. This shift in approach, according to Eutelsat CEO Eva Berneke, will reduce nearly one-third of the company’s previous $4 billion budget earmarked for a…
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SpaceX wants to take over a Florida launch pad from rival ULA
One of the largest launch pads at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station will become vacant later this year after the final flight of United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy rocket. SpaceX is looking to make the sprawling facility a new home for the Starship launch vehicle. The environmental review for SpaceX’s proposal to take over…
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Japan’s H3 Rocket Set for Second Launch Attempt Amidst Bid to Revitalize Space Program
Japan is gearing up for another launch attempt of its flagship rocket, the H3, this weekend, aiming to rejuvenate its space program following a setback during the booster’s maiden flight last year, which disrupted satellite and planetary exploration plans. Scheduled to launch from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan on Saturday, the second flight…