NASA has awarded three contracts under the on-ramp feature of the Rapid Spacecraft Acquisition IV (Rapid IV) contract. These multi-agency contracts are available to support all NASA centers and other federal agencies.
Read MoreMonth: February 2022
NASA to Discuss Webb Telescope Progress, Mirror Alignment
NASA will hold a media teleconference at 11 a.m. EST on Friday, Feb. 11, to share progress made in the early stages of aligning the James Webb Space Telescope’s mirrors.
Read MoreNASA Sets Coverage, Opens Virtual Experience for Next Cargo Launch
NASA and commercial cargo provider Northrop Grumman are targeting 12:40 p.m. EST Saturday, Feb. 19, for the launch of the company’s 17th resupply mission to the International Space Station from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia.
Read MoreVoyager’s View of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot
This view of Jupiter was taken by Voyager 1.
Read MoreNew Planet Discovered Around Proxima Centauri, Star Nearest the Sun
A new instrument on a powerful telescope has enabled astronomers to discover another planet around our nearest stellar neighbor. The post New Planet Discovered Around Proxima Centauri, Star Nearest the Sun appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreSpace Storm Knocks Out Latest Batch of Starlink Satellites
A minor space storm took down much of the latest Starlink batch shortly after launch. The post Space Storm Knocks Out Latest Batch of Starlink Satellites appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreSolar geomagnetic storms could threaten more satellites after Elon Musk’s Starlink
Elon Musk’s SpaceX will lose 40 Starlink satellites to a geomagnetic storm as solar activity ramps up. But does this spell disaster for the future of satellites in space? On Tuesday (Feb. 8), SpaceX revealed that likely 40 of its 49 newest Starlink satellites that launched last Thursday (Feb. 3) were affected by a geomagnetic storm on Friday. The storm increased the density in Earth’s atmosphere, increasing drag on the satellites as they were released and attempting an insertion phase into orbit. This drag kept the satellites from entering orbit…
Read MoreEmperor Zurg makes his evil appearance in new trailer for ‘Lightyear,’ the Buzz Lightyear origin story
With spring looming just around the corner and summer slowly coming into focus, space-loving filmgoers eagerly awaiting Disney/Pixar’s Buzz Lightyear origin story, “Lightyear,” have something new to cheer about with a freshly released trailer and poster for the animated sci-fi film. “Lightyear” enters our orbit on June 17, 2022 and it’s poised to be one of the most anticipated movies of the year, with its plot chronicling the heroic history behind the most famous Space Ranger in the “Toy Story” universe. “Buzz’s world was always something I was excited about,”…
Read MoreMeteorite Evidence Suggests Earth’s Water Was Here Before Earth Was
Where did Earth’s water come from? One of the oldest meteorites on Earth is adding new pieces to an old puzzle. The post Meteorite Evidence Suggests Earth’s Water Was Here Before Earth Was appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreFiery death of SpaceX Starlink satellites captured on video after geomagnetic storm
A dramatic video serves as a memorial to a star-crossed satellite that lived fast and died very young. SpaceX launched 49 satellites to low Earth orbit on Feb. 3 to further beef up the company’s huge and growing Starlink internet megaconstellation. But most of those newly lofted spacecraft will never beam any broadband signals down, thanks to a powerful sun eruption. Charged particles from that solar blast spawned a geomagnetic storm on Feb. 4, substantially increasing the density of Earth’s atmosphere and thus the drag experienced by the new, low-flying…
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