Tag: Re-entry
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European satellite plunges back to Earth in first-of-its-kind assisted re-entry
The European Space Agency deftly guided one of its satellites toward a fiery re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere Friday, demonstrating a new method of post-mission disposal to ensure the spacecraft would not fall into any populated areas. The Aeolus satellite was relatively modest in size and mass—about 1.1 metric tons with its fuel tank empty—but ESA…
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In-space manufacturing startup aces pharma experiment in orbit
The co-founder of California-based startup Varda Space Industries says his company’s first space mission—a miniature lab that has grown crystals of the drug ritonavir in orbit—is on track to end in the coming weeks with a first-of-its-kind re-entry and landing in Utah. Varda’s spacecraft launched June 12 as part of a rideshare mission on a…
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Large Chinese rocket tumbling toward toward unguided re-entry this weekend
A Long March 5B rocket lifts off with the Tianhe space station module. Credit: Xinhua For the second time in a year, a large spent Chinese rocket stage intentionally left in orbit is heading for an unguided plunge back into Earth’s atmosphere Saturday or Sunday somewhere between 41.5 degrees north and south latitude. The heavy-lift…
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China’s massive Long March 5B’s rocket falls out of orbit over Atlantic Ocean
This map illustrates the track of the Long March 5B core stage on its final orbit. The rocket body re-entered over the North Atlantic Ocean, somewhat closer to the coast of Africa on this particular orbit. Credit: Aerospace Corp. A large rocket stage left in space after the successful launch of China’s heavy-lift Long March…
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U.S. military tracking unguided re-entry of large Chinese rocket
File photo of a Long March 5 core stage on a previous mission. Credit: Xinhua A Chinese rocket measuring around 100 feet long that launched earlier this month will likely plunge back into Earth’s atmosphere some time Monday, becoming the most massive object in decades to fall out of orbit in an uncontrolled manner. The…
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Chinese space station testbed ends mission with controlled re-entry
A prototype space lab module for China’s planned space station re-entered the atmosphere over the South Pacific Ocean Friday to end a nearly three-year mission that included a visit from Chinese astronauts and an in-orbit refueling demonstration. The 34.1-foot-long (10.4-meter) Tiangong 2 module plunged into Earth’s atmosphere at 1306 GMT (9:06 a.m. EDT) Friday…
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China set to deorbit disused Tiangong 2 space lab
This view of the Tiangong 2 and Shenzhou 11 docked complex was captured Oct. 23, 2016, and downlinked to Earth on Tuesday by the Banxing 2 microsatellite. In this photo, Shenzhou 11 is at the top of the image, and Tiangong 2 is at the bottom of the frame. Credit: CCTV China’s Tiangong 2 space…
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Chinese space lab burns up on re-entry over Pacific Ocean
This radar image of the Tiangong 1 space lab was captured Sunday when the module was at an altitude of 100 miles (161 kilometers). Credit: Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Technology (Fraunhofer FHR) China’s Tiangong 1 space lab, home to two astronaut crews in 2012 and 2013, fell back to Earth uncontrolled…
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Out-of-control Chinese space lab expected to fall to Earth next year
An image of Tiangong 1 from an approaching Shenzhou spacecraft. Credit: CCTV China’s Tiangong 1 space lab, replaced by an upgraded human-rated research station launched last week, is heading for an uncontrolled re-entry back into Earth’s atmosphere in late 2017. The crash is not expected to cause any damage — only a small fraction of…
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Out-of-control Chinese space lab expected to fall to Earth next year
An image of Tiangong 1 from an approaching Shenzhou spacecraft. Credit: CCTV China’s Tiangong 1 space lab, replaced by an upgraded human-rated research station launched last week, is heading for an uncontrolled re-entry back into Earth’s atmosphere in late 2017. The crash is not expected to cause any damage — only a small fraction of…