Tag: Space
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The Pentagon seems to be fed up with ULA’s rocket delays
In recent written testimony to a US House of Representatives subcommittee that oversees the military, the senior official responsible for purchasing launches for national security missions blistered one of the country’s two primary rocket providers. The remarks from Major General Stephen G. Purdy, acting assistant secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration,…
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Tuesday Telescope: Finally, some answers on those Martian streaks
Welcome to the Tuesday Telescope. There is a little too much darkness in this world and not enough light—a little too much pseudoscience and not enough science. We’ll let other publications offer you a daily horoscope. At Ars Technica, we’ll take a different route, finding inspiration from very real images of a universe that is…
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Rocket Report: How is your payload fairing? Poland launches test rocket.
Welcome to Edition 7.44 of the Rocket Report! We had some interesting news on Thursday afternoon from Down Under. As Gilmour Space was preparing for the second launch attempt of its Eris vehicle, as part of the pre-launch preparations, something triggered the payload fairing to deploy. We would love to see some video of that.…
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What is ESCC QPL Class 2?
The European Space Components Coordination (ESCC) is a governing body under the European Space Agency (ESA) that oversees the qualification and standardization of electronic components for use in space applications. Through its meticulous testing protocols and documentation standards, ESCC ensures that every component listed in its Qualified Parts List (QPL) meets predefined benchmarks for quality,…
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What is ESCC QPL Class 3?
The European Space Components Coordination (ESCC) plays a vital role in standardizing the qualification and approval of electronic components for space applications. Given the extreme conditions faced in orbit such as vacuum, cosmic radiation, temperature fluctuations, and launch-induced vibration components must undergo rigorous evaluation to ensure mission safety and reliability. To address varying levels of…
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For the first time in the US, a rotating detonation rocket engine takes flight
A US-based propulsion company, Venus Aerospace, said Wednesday it had completed a short flight test of its rotating detonation rocket engine at Spaceport America in New Mexico. The company’s chief executive and co-founder, Sassie Duggleby, characterized the flight as “historic.” It is believed to be the first US-based flight test of an idea that has…
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If Congress actually cancels the SLS rocket, what happens next?
The White House Office of Management and Budget dropped its “skinny” budget proposal for the federal government earlier this month, and the headline news for the US space program was the cancellation of three major programs: the Space Launch System rocket, Orion spacecraft, and Lunar Gateway. Opinions across the space community vary widely about the…
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Tuesday Telescope: Taking a look at the next generation of telescopes
Welcome to the Tuesday Telescope. There is a little too much darkness in this world and not enough light—a little too much pseudoscience and not enough science. We’ll let other publications offer you a daily horoscope. At Ars Technica, we’ll take a different route, finding inspiration from very real images of a universe that is…
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NASA scrambles to cut ISS activity due to budget issues
NASA is considering scaling back its activities on the International Space Station, according to multiple sources. The changes, which are being considered primarily due to shortfalls in the space station budget, include: Reducing the size of the crew complement of Crew Dragon missions from four to three, starting with Crew-12 in February 2026 Extending the…
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NASA scrambles to cut ISS activity due to budget issues
NASA is considering scaling back its activities on the International Space Station, according to multiple sources. The changes, which are being considered primarily due to shortfalls in the space station budget, include: Reducing the size of the crew complement of Crew Dragon missions from four to three, starting with Crew-12 in February 2026 Extending the…