Tag: Spacecraft Engineering
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Air-Breathing Plasma Thruster Targets Sustained Satellite Operations in Very Low Earth Orbit
An atmosphere-breathing plasma propulsion system developed at the University of Stuttgart could allow satellites to operate for extended periods in very low Earth orbit by collecting atmospheric particles and using them as propellant. Created by Francesco Romano as part of his doctoral research, the experimental system combines a high-efficiency intake with a contactless radio-frequency helicon…
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Why Was the Rocket Unscathed After Being Struck by Lightning?
On July 24, China successfully launched the Tianlian II-06 satellite aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. During its ascent, lightning flashed near the rocket, creating a spectacular scene. A rocket had barely lifted off when it was suddenly struck by lightning, sending electrical arcs scattering across its body in…
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Scientists Watch Two ESA Satellites Burn Up from a Private Jet
The European Space Agency’s Tango satellite disintegrated above the Pacific Ocean on Sept. 1, 2026. observed by a team of researchers from aboard a private jet. (Image credit: ESA/ROSIE/University of Stuttgart (HEFDiG)) Scientists aboard an instrumented Falcon 900 business jet recorded the atmospheric destruction of the European Space Agency’s Samba and Tango satellites over the South…