Intelsat 33e Breakup Sends Shockwaves
Space-tracking company ExoAnalytic Solutions has identified about 500 pieces of debris from Intelsat 33e’s recent breakup in geostationary orbit (GEO).
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News and Updates
Everything on the front page.
UAE taps Japan’s MHI for Asteroid Mission
Asteroid exploration is not for the faint of heart, and the latest mission announced in a long line of asteroid explorers does not shy away from a challenge. The UAE has become the latest nation to set their sights on asteroids close to home, with an ambitious mission lined up to explore not one, but 7 Near Earth Asteroids.
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Starship IFT-5 Launches With a Catch
At 7:25 AM CDT on October 13th, 2024, the fifth Integrated Flight Test (IFT-5) of SpaceX’s Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle lifted itself from its Orbital Launch Mount at Starbase, Texas.
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Europa Clipper Set to Revolutionize Jovian Science
NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, a 5 billion dollar Jovian orbiter, will aim to answer questions about one of the most tantalizing candidates for life in the solar system: the gas giant’s icy moon of Europa.
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Hera Beats the Weather – Sets Sights on Dual Asteroid
The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft has lifted off on a unique mission to the binary asteroid pair Didymos and Dimorphos. The probe will seek new insights into planetary defense techniques that could protect the Earth from asteroid impacts in the future, following up on NASA’s DART mission which intentionally struck Dimorphos in September of 2022.
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FAA Waives Hera Launch – Falcon 9 Remains Grounded
Falcon 9 currently finds itself in the midst of its third grounding in 2024. Following a successful launch of the Crew-9 mission and crew aboard Crew Dragon Freedom on September 28th, the Falcon 9 second stage experienced an anomaly during its deorbit burn, causing it to fall outside of the designated safe zone.
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Vulcan Centaur Completes Second Flight Despite Anomaly
On October 4th at 7:25 AM Eastern Time, United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan-Centaur rocket leaped off the pad for the second time, beginning a critical flight test ahead of beginning national security flights. According to ULA the mission’s various goals were completed, but not without incident.
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ULA Readies Vulcan for Cert-2
United Launch Alliance is making final preparations for the launch of Vulcan Cert-2, the second certification flight of the company’s new Vulcan Centaur rocket, scheduled to launch no earlier than October 4th, 2024. The vehicle is set to lift off from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 6:00 eastern time.
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Crew-9 Launches Two Astronauts to ISS
SpaceX’s ninth crew rotation to the International Space Station is underway, carrying two crew members uphill to the orbiting laboratory. Crew-9 evaded stormy weather to lift off on September 28th, 2024 at 1:17 PM EDT from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
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Artemis Makes Strides Forward in Lunar Communications
On September 17th, 2024, NASA awarded Intuitive Machines a Near Space Network Services contract to design, build, and operate a system of communications relay and navigation satellites in lunar orbit to support Artemis missions.
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Crew-9 Set to Launch with Two Astronauts
In periods of uncertainty, one thing is clear in spaceflight – the show must go on. With this mantra in mind, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov are preparing to launch on the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station.
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SpaceX Makes Adjustments For Crew Dragon’s Future
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon has been a resounding success, both for SpaceX itself and for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. After ending a 9-year gap in the United States’ crewed launch capability, the spacecraft has become the de facto leader in the developing commercial orbital economy.
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Polaris Program Aims High with First Commercial Spacewalk
On September 10, 2024, one of the farthest-reaching civilian missions in human history lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, aiming to smash records and push boundaries in support of human spaceflight objectives. The Polaris Dawn mission, launching atop a SpaceX Falcon 9, also completed the first commercial spacewalk, with Commander Jared Isaacman and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis exiting the spacecraft for an extravehicular activity (EVA) lasting just under two hours.
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New Glenn Comes Together, but Plans Change
On Friday, September 6th 2024, NASA announced an official delay of the EscaPADE mission’s launch to March of 2025. The agency specified that the decision came at potential risk to spacecraft health in the event that the twin Mars orbiters had to be unfueled following a launch delay. Regardless, work continues towards the first launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn.
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BepiColombo Completes Mercury Flyby on New Trajectory
The joint European/Japanese BepiColombo mission completed its fourth encounter with Mercury on Wednesday, September 4th 2024. The flyby was the latest of many gravity assists the mission needs to decelerate itself into Mercury orbit, and took the spacecraft closer to the planet’s surface than ever before.
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Falcon 9 Completes Second Return to Flight of 2024
SpaceX’s Starlink 8-10 mission lifted off successfully at 3:43 AM EDT on the morning of August 31st, deploying 21 Starlink satellites into orbit. This mission represents the second return to flight for Falcon 9 this year, and a historic turnaround.
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ISS Crews Face Upcoming Shakeups amid Curtailed Seat Exchanges
In an age marked by aggression and deterioration of relationships, it appears that the end of a long standing practice, seat exchange on partner vehicles, is coming to an end – thrusting the station into a period of uncertainty as it faces the twilight years of its operation.
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Starliner Astronauts to Return Aboard Crew-9
In a press conference starting at 1:13 PM EST, a panel of NASA program managers officially declared that Starliner astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will be returning aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon at the conclusion of the Crew-9 mission in February of 2025.
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NASA Identifies Lunar Cargo and Mobility Gaps
The development of NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture is a continuous process, one which is always seeking to strengthen our approach to sending humans to Mars and beyond. In June, NASA released a pair of white papers that give a glimpse into this year’s analysis: Lunar Surface Cargo and Lunar Mobility Drivers and Needs.
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Moon to Mars Part II: Evolving to Mars
Artemis’ stated goal to “prepare for human missions to Mars” is an ambitious undertaking, with visible consequences on its organization. With Artemis entering flight across its various programs, and hardware which will eventually support its primary missions in flow, we have entered a unique era for spaceflight.
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Moon to Mars Part I: Forging the Path
At its core, the Artemis Program represents a new way of thinking in space exploration. NASA’s Moon to Mars objectives incorporate the Artemis Program as part of the roadmap to the Red Planet.
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Pressure Mounts as New Glenn Nears Launch Date
2024 is far from over and another new rocket is still expected to earn its wings: Blue Origin’s New Glenn.
If all proceeds according to plan it could happen in less than 60 days. However, substantial milestones remain incomplete, raising questions on the rocket’s readiness.
Australia Joins US-Led Landsat Next Program
As the United States prepares to shift from the legacy Landsat program to the next generation Landsat Next constellation, new players in space have been integrated with the program to support broad reaching global observation. Australia has formally joined the United States-led Landsat Next satellite program as a core partner, building on nearly half a century of collaboration in satellite land imaging across the globe.
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Poland, Hungary, and India Join Next Axiom Crew
Axiom Space’s fourth mission aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft is set to carry astronauts from Poland, Hungary, and India next year, setting the stage for yet another record breaking international segment.
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Falcon 9 Completes RTF, Resumes Cadence
On July 27, 2024 at 1:45 AM EDT, Falcon 9 returned to flight following its stand down on July 11, returning the workhorse of American rocketry to service. Carrying the Starlink 10-9 group, the mission is a return to form for one of the most flown rockets of the decade.
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CFT Continues Safely: Starliner and the Commercial Crew Return Process
Boeing’s Crew Flight Test mission is continuing its stay aboard the International Space Station. On July 25, NASA and Boeing held a press conference to provide an update on the mission including ongoing tests, the current status of the spacecraft, and upcoming events.
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Op-Ed: VIPER’s Sidelining is a Scientific Disaster
VIPER, NASA’s 500 million dollar Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, is one of the latest victims of turbulent times – with NASA announcing that they would be canceling the mission effective August 1, 2024
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NASA, SpaceX Share Updates on ISS Deorbit Vehicle
In a teleconference on July 17th, NASA and SpaceX provided additional information about the United States Deorbit Vehicle (USDV), the spacecraft which will be tasked with pushing the International Space Station out of orbit at the end of its lifetime.
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A Graceful Exit, Part 2: What Comes After ISS?
The end of the International Space Station will mark a tectonic shift in human spaceflight. The ISS program united the efforts of fifteen nations, including a landmark union between the United States and Russia, and citizens from eight other countries have since visited the orbiting laboratory. Now, approaching retirement, we begin to ask the question of what comes next?
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Artemis II’s Core Stage Heads to Florida
The second SLS core stage, or CS-2, is now aboard NASA’s Pegasus barge following its rollout from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, paving the way for the first flight of crew to the moon in over 50 years.
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Falcon 9 Grounded after Anomaly
At 7:30 Pacific Standard Time on July 11th, 2024, a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket carrying the Starlink Group 9-3 satellites lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Nearly 2 hours later, SpaceX confirmed that the mission had experienced an anomaly.
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Ariane 6 Conducts Inaugural Flight
On July 9, 2024 at 3:00 PM EST, the inaugural launch of Ariane 6 took place, carrying with it the promise of renewed access to space for Europe.
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Ariane 6 Ready for Debut Flight
Ariane 6, the European Space Agency and Arianespace’s next-generation rocket, is ready to perform its maiden flight on July 9, 2024.
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A Graceful Exit, Part 1: How to Responsibly Retire ISS
Responsibly disposing of the ISS will be a monumental undertaking all its own. As we prepare to lay to rest one of humanity’s greatest accomplishments, what will it take to give the ISS a graceful exit?
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H3 Launches ALOS-4 Earth Observation Satellite
On July 1st, 2024 at 11:06:46 PM Eastern Time Japan successfully launched its third H3 rocket, deploying the ALOS-4 satellite.
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Asteroid Day 2024: A Plethora of New Insights
For Asteroid Day 2024, we’ll be briefly covering updates to various small body missions, and exploring how these vital ambassadors from Earth teach us so much about our origins.
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ULA Provides Update on Cert-2 Mission
On Wednesday, June 26 2024, in a media roundtable hosted by United Launch Alliance, company President and CEO Tory Bruno laid out the path for Vulcan Centaur’s second flight, Cert-2.
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US and India Advance Cooperation on Space and Technology
In a White House press release on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, the governments of both the United States and India laid out a strategic roadmap for future collaboration in space – a goal that has long captivated the imaginations of scientists and diplomats alike.
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GOES-U Heads for Geostationary Orbit
NASA and SpaceX have launched GOES-U, the final Earth observation satellite in the GOES-R series. The spacecraft was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, dodging inclement weather to lift off from Launch Complex 39A at 5:26 PM EDT on July 25th, 2024.
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Starliner Mission Extended, All Systems Stable
Boeing’s Starliner Crew Flight Test (CFT) has once more been extended, but everything remains stable and safe for the station, spacecraft, and crew. A new return date has yet to be determined, but it will be no earlier than early July.
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Final GOES-R Satellite Ready to Fly
NASA and NOAA are preparing to launch GOES-U, the last of the four GOES-R series geostationary weather satellites on June 25th, 2024 at 5:16PM, Eastern Time atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy.
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Meet The Pressurized Rover
In April of this year, the United States and Japan signed a formal agreement to collaborate on the first of a new kind of spacecraft for the Artemis Program: a pressurized rover. Acting like a camper van for astronauts to live in as they roam across the surface of the Moon, the pressurized rover is a dramatic new capability for the Artemis Program.
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Europe Eyes Future in Commercial Space
Throughout the tremendous rise of the commercial space ecosystem, Europe has been eyeing numerous partners in the private sector to facilitate access for the continent in a new and changing world – one that could rewrite the narrative for future space exploration.
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Blue Origin, SpaceX, ULA Selected for National Security Missions
In an announcement on June 13th, SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, and Blue Origin were selected for the Department of Defense’s National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 program. All three providers are now eligible to compete for a series of 30+ launches, with a combined value of $5.6 billion.
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Starliner Launches first Crew to ISS
On June 5, 2024 at 10:52 AM, America’s newest crew capable spacecraft lifted off from SLC-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. 61 years, 21 days, 1 hour, 48 minutes and 1 second since Atlas LV-3B 130-D launched Gordon Cooper into orbit aboard Faith 7, the mighty Atlas V continues the dream.
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Starship Survives Reentry, Completes IFT-4
SpaceX’s Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle has completed its fourth Integrated Flight Test (IFT-4), lifting off from the company’s Starbase facility at 7:50 AM Central Time on Thursday, June 6th, 2024.
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Gyro Issues Force Hubble Into Safe Mode
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has suspended science operations for the time being. NASA reported that the space observatory entered safe mode on May 24th.
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NASA and Boeing Ready for CFT’s Second Attempt
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and provider Boeing are targeting Saturday, June 1 2024 for another attempt to launch the Boeing Crew Flight Test mission, the final step in certifying the Starliner spacecraft for regular flights to the International Space Station.
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ESA and SpaceX Prepare to Launch EarthCARE
The European Space Agency (ESA) and SpaceX are preparing to launch the long-anticipated EarthCARE mission on May 27, 2024, set to improve climate models and weather forecasts by studying Earth’s radiation budget in new detail.
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Dream Chaser Arrives at KSC
Sierra Space’s first Dream Chaser spaceplane, Tenacity, arrived at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on May 20th, 2024, entering the next phase of development as the company proceeds towards flight.
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China Continues Growth of ILRS Project
On Friday, May 10 2024, Serbia became the most recent partner on China’s International Lunar Research Station, a multinational effort to support permanent science and research at the lunar South Pole.
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NASA Seeks Industry Assistance with Mars Infrastructure
NASA has enlisted the help of commercial partners to respond to two fronts in exploration, aiming to remove some of the technical and financial burden on the agency, so that larger and more ambitious goals can be accomplished in the next 15 to 20 years.
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The 2024 Solar Eclipse – In Pictures
The 2024 Total Solar Eclipse dazzled the world, a reminder of the delicate orbital ballet of our home planet and its moon. Here is the event itself, from our team’s eyes.
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China Targets Far Side for Sample Return
The Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, also known as Chang’e, has seen the launch of eight missions and three successful Moon landings since 2007. Chang’e-6 launched on May 3rd at 5:27 p.m. local time, and is China’s most ambitious lunar mission yet.
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Boeing and NASA Prepare for Crewed Flight Test
On May 6th, 2024, Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is set to fly for the third time, this time carrying its most important cargo to date: a human crew. Flown by veteran NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams, this mission intends to fully certify the vehicle for human flight.
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Op-Ed: Starship’s Road to Commercial Launch – an Unclear Path
With testing already underway ahead of Starship’s fourth Integrated Flight Test (IFT), and several more flight tests planned in 2024, one may ask how quickly the dream will become reality. The answer, however, as many things are regarding spaceflight, is complicated and prone to delays.
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ESA’s 2022 Astronaut Class Graduates
On Monday, 22 April, ESA celebrated the graduation of its class of 2022 astronaut candidates. The ceremony, held at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, signified the successful completion of basic training for the five European astronaut graduates and the Australian Space Agency’s first astronaut, all now eligible for spaceflight assignments.
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Op-Ed: Human Health Research, the Key to the Commercial Space Revolution
If one word can summarize the past five years of human spaceflight, it’s “commercialization.” The early 2020s have been defined by a dramatic shift in the way we think about space exploration, particularly as NASA moves beyond LEO to procure new capabilities for its groundbreaking Artemis program.
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NASA Lays Out LEO Sustainability Vision
To address a rapidly changing space operating environment and ensure its preservation for generations to come, NASA released the first part of its integrated Space Sustainability Strategy on Tuesday, April 9th at Space Symposium.
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A Shake Up For Mars Sample Return
On April 15th 2024, NASA hosted a media teleconference giving updates on the current status of the agency’s Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission. MSR is a vital step in providing high fidelity environmental data which could dramatically inform the technology and methodology for a planned human mission to the Red Planet.
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Sierra Space CEO Signals Dream Chaser Delays
It seems that Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane, Tenacity, may be waiting a bit longer to fly, as indicated by Sierra Space CEO Tom Vice.
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NOAA’s Next-Gen Constellation Moves Forward
As NOAA looks to the future of its weather satellite programs in the 2030s and beyond, it is making radical changes to its Low-Earth orbit (LEO) architecture in the face of emerging trends and capabilities.
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Delta IV Heavy Nails Final Flight
On April 9th, 2024 at 12:53 PM EST- the final rocket of the Delta family lifted off from SLC-37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, ending a career and lineage with roots as far back as the dawn of the space program.
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NASA Gives the Green Light to Lunar Terrain Vehicle Teams
On Wednesday, April 3rd, NASA announced the three teams of commercial companies that will develop concepts for the Lunar Terrain Vehicle, an unpressurized rover which will provide mobility for astronauts as part of NASA’s Artemis program.
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Preparing for Totality
If you want to experience the true beauty and awe of the upcoming total solar eclipse, you have to be within the path of totality. There is no compromise. Totality is a unique experience, it is a truly cosmic event where the concept of daytime slips away from you, plunging the world into a momentary 360 degree twilight. It’s a night and day contrast, a captivating reminder of the majesty of the Solar System.
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ESA’s L4 Mission Set to Focus on Icy Moons
After meeting to discuss ideas and assess technologies, the European Space Agency has begun the process of designing their next “Large Class” mission – one that could explore Saturn’s moons of Enceladus and Titan up close.
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Five Years to Apophis; Can a New Mission be Ready?
Apophis is an asteroid that needs little introduction, but it could soon become one of the most well studied small bodies in the history of spaceflight – should plans come to fruition.
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Dragonfly Sets Sights on Titan
The NASA Dragonfly mission, a groundbreaking endeavor aiming to explore Saturn’s moon Titan, is making significant progress towards launch in 2028.
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Electron and National Reconnaissance Office Ready for Flight
US-New Zealand based company Rocket Lab is preparing for their next mission to fly out of Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia: a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office on March 21, 2024.
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Starship Completes Third Test Flight
On Thursday, March 14th, SpaceX completed the third Integrated Flight Test (IFT-3) of its Starship launch vehicle. Notably, IFT-3 successfully achieved the first complete ascent of the combined Starship and Super Heavy system.
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Space One’s Kairos Explodes on Maiden Flight
Private Japanese Firm Space One’s first launch has ended in failure after their Kairos launch vehicle exploded shortly after liftoff.
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Starship Eyes Mid-March for Flight 3
SpaceX has begun the final prep work for a third flight of their Starship heavy lift reusable launch vehicle, with March 14 as the currently projected liftoff date, pending approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
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Endeavour Ascends – Crew-8 Heads for ISS
After several weather related delays and juggling launch pads, NASA and SpaceX have launched the Crew-8 mission to the International Space Station, setting course for a six month scientific endeavor onboard the orbiting laboratory, and setting the stage for the start of Expedition 71.
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NASA and SpaceX Ready for Crew-8
NASA’s next crew to depart for the International Space Station, Crew-8, are nearly ready for launch, set to embark on a voyage of scientific discovery onboard the orbiting laboratory for the benefit of all on Earth.
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Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus Achieves First Landing for CLPS
On Thursday, February 22nd, Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander Odysseus successfully touched down on the Moon, achieving the “ultimate milestone” for the IM-1 mission and marking the first major victory for NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.
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Op-Ed: Setting Up Camp, an Exploration of Artemis
As we prepare to go back to the moon, industry expert Robbie Gitten takes a deep dive on several elements of what makes a moon base in his first Op-Ed for Space Scout.
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H3 Returns to Flight, Achieves Milestones
Following a failure with the second stage engine in March 2023 during its maiden flight, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully launched its second H3 rocket on January 16th, 2024.
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IM-1 Heads for the Moon
On February 15th, at 1:05 AM Eastern Time, Intuitive Machine’s NOVA-C, Odysseus, lifted off in support of the IM-1 mission – with the aim of becoming the first American spacecraft to make it to the lunar surface in over 50 years.
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The Sun Sets on SLIM – What Next?
After a troubled journey to the lunar surface and subsequent recovery, the sun has set on JAXA’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) at 1:57 PM, February 1st, Japan Standard Time.
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Uncertain Funding Threatens JPL’s Future Plans
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory announced Feb. 6 it will lay off 530 employees, about 8% of its staff, citing uncertainty about its budget for 2024.
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NASA’s Newest Ocean Mission Takes Flight
After nearly nine years of planning, preparation, and even once being slated for cancellation entirely, NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Earth-observation mission lifted off from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on February 8, at 1:33:36 AM.
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As IM-1 Prepares for Launch, Questions Abound for CLPS
Intuitive Machines is targeting February 14th for the launch of IM-1, the first flight of its NOVA-C robotic moon lander as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.
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NASA’s PACE Climate Sat Ready to Fly
After nearly nine years of planning, preparation, and even once being slated for cancellation entirely, NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Earth-observation mission is set for launch
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Starlab Set to Launch on SpaceX’s Starship
Starlab Space, a joint venture of Voyager Space and Airbus Space and Defense, announced Jan. 31 it reached an agreement with SpaceX to launch the consortium’s Starlab space station on the currently under development Starship system.
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Cygnus and Falcon Spread Their Wings
On January 30th, at 12:07:15 PM Eastern Time, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 lofted the Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft as part of the NG-20 mission in a historic first for both Commercial Cargo providers.
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Op-Ed: The Load Bearing Rocket, A Falcon 9 Analysis
AS NG-20 prepares to fly, Space Scout’s Scarlet Dominik takes a closer look at the current state of the launch industry, and analyzes how a monopoly on launch may be something to avoid.
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NG-20 Prepares to Fly to ISS From Florida
Final preparations are underway for the launch of Northrop Grumman’s 20th commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station (NG-20), currently set to launch on January 29th 2024.
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Ingenuity’s Mission Comes to an End
On January 25, 2024, NASA’s Ingenuity mission officially concluded. The small, autonomous helicopter performed 72 flights on Mars, the first time an aircraft has flown on another planet.
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ESA Shuffles Copernicus Sats Amidst Launcher Uncertainty
Amidst schedule delays and uncertainties surrounding the return to flight of the Vega launch vehicle, the European Space Agency and European Commission are considering the purchase of an American Falcon 9 rocket to launch their Sentinel-1C climate satellite, with a decision expected in the coming days or weeks.
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Re-Entry Seals Peregrine’s Fate
Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere on January 18th, 2024, ending its mission after a 10 day, tumultuous journey through cislunar space.
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Japan Becomes Fifth Nation to Land on the Moon
On January 19th 2024, JAXA’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) successfully touched down on the surface of the Moon. This makes Japan the fifth nation in history to conduct a successful soft landing on the surface of the Moon, following Russia, the United States, China, and India.
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Axiom Mission 3 Takes Flight
On January 18th, 2024 at 4:49 PM, SpaceX and Axiom Space launched their third mission to the International Space Station,
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Uranus Aerocapture: New Solutions for Old Problems
NASA is planning a flagship-class mission to Uranus, the Uranus Orbiter and Probe (UOP), early in the next decade, and an ongoing study may turn atmospheres into a valuable asset for not just UOP, but many missions yet to come.
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All European Axiom Mission 3 Prepares for Launch
SpaceX and Axiom Space are targeting January 18th, 2024 at 4:49 PM for the launch of their third mission to the International Space Station, Ax-3, carrying a historic all-European crew on a 14-day mission.
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What To Expect: NASA’s 2023 Architecture Concept Review
Set for release on January 22nd, these highly-anticipated documents will provide key insights into NASA’s overarching Moon to Mars exploration strategy, including new details in its vision for sending humans to Mars.
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Analysis: Earth to the Moon – The Future of Commercial Human Spaceflight
While the Commercial Crew Program seems fairly straightforward, it has already had huge implications on the immediate future of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and beyond.
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NASA Leadership Lays Out Revised Artemis Schedule
In a media teleconference held on January 9th, NASA leadership announced significant delays to the next two missions in its Artemis program.
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Vulcan Completes Successful Debut, Peregrine Suffers Anomaly
On January 8th, 2024, at 2:18:34 AM, United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket flew for the first time, carrying the Astrobotic Peregrine Lunar Lander towards the Moon.
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United Arab Emirates to Build Gateway Airlock
NASA and the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced Sunday plans for the space centre to provide an airlock for Gateway, humanity’s first space station outside of Low Earth Orbit.
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Vulcan Rolls to Pad Ahead of Debut Flight
On Friday, January 5, United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket rolled to the pad for the first time, ahead of its first flight scheduled for January 8, 2024.
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JAXA eyes February for H3 Return to Flight
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is poised for its second attempt at launching its next generation H3 rocket no earlier than February 15, 2024 from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center.
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SpaceX Launches USSF-52 and Starlink 6-36 in Record Time
After considerable delay, USSF-52/OTV-7 has gotten underway, lifting off at 8:07 PM on Thursday, December 28th atop a Falcon Heavy.
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Firefly Alpha Flight 004 Ends in Anomaly
After several delays due to uncooperative weather, Firefly’s Alpha launch vehicle has flown for the fourth time as part of the Fly the Lightning mission. However, an anomaly has resulted in the orbit for the Tantrum satellite being lower than planned.
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VP Harris Lays Out Cooperative Policy Roadmap
At the National Space Council meeting on December 20, 2023, Vice President Kamala Harris and her advisors announced that the Artemis Program will land an international astronaut on the moon “before the end of the decade.”
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New Shepard Returns to Flight
After over a year of waiting, New Shepard has returned to flight. Following a scrubbed launch on the 18th, New Shepard cleared the tower flying the NS-24 mission on December 19th at 10:43 AM.
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Fly The Lightning
Texas based Firefly Aerospace is looking to launch their second mission this year. Their Alpha rocket will be launching on a mission dubbed “Fly The Lightning”, which will be the vehicles first operational commercial launch.
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Tenacity Enters Final Test Campaign
Sierra Space has entered the final test and checkout campaign for their Dream Chaser spaceplane; delivering the first flight article, Tenacity, to NASA’s Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio.
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Vulcan Targets January 8th for Debut Flight
After completion of a successful Wet Dress Rehearsal this week, United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket is one step closer to its debut – entering a new chapter of American rocketry for both military and civilian space launch.
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Orion’s Journey to Artemis II and Beyond
One year ago, NASA’s Orion spacecraft concluded its maiden voyage around the Moon, a journey of 1.4 million miles ending with a gentle splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Now, the first crewed Orion is well underway in construction, with more on the way…
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Three Lunar Landers Target Arrival in January
2024 is shaping up to be a year of triumphant lunar return, with several missions planned to welcome in a new age of international exploration of Earth’s nearest neighbor.
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South Korea Debuts New Small Launch Vehicle
South Korea has successfully launched a new small launch vehicle from a floating platform near Jeju, South Korea on December 4, 2023.
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United States Space Force Prepares to fly OTV-7
The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, in collaboration with the United States Space Force, is slated to launch the seventh mission of the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) via SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket no earlier than Thursday, December 10, 2023.
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GAO Highlights Shortcomings for Artemis III
On November 30th, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report detailing the various challenges remaining for SpaceX, Axiom, and NASA as they work towards the first Moon landing in more than 50 years as part of the Artemis III mission.
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North Korea Launches First Domestic Spysat
North Korea, in a stunning turn of events, has launched their first successful spy satellite, entering an elite club of nations with such power.
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Ariane 6 Conducts Hotfire at Kourou
After repeated delays, the European Ariane 6 rocket has completed a crucial hotfire test of its Vulcain 2.1 engine, one of the final key steps in preparing the vehicle for its maiden launch in the coming year.
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The Starbase Experience
Space Scout lead photographer David Diebold reflects on his experience travelling to cover SpaceX’s second Integrated Test Flight of Starship
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On Zephyr’s Wings: NASA Restarts Venus Exploration
The Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gasses, Chemistry, and Imaging, or DAVINCI mission, is a groundbreaking new approach to studying Earth’s sister planet, one which truly embodies its namesake’s ideology of revolutionary new ideas.
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ISRO to Perform Lunar Sample Return
In a lecture given on November 17, Shri Nilesh M. Desai, director of India’s Space Application Center, outlined India’s next missions to the Moon – including the ambitious and tantalizing official plan for Chandrayaan-4.
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Anatomy of a Deep Space Transport
The problem of transporting humans to Mars is a daunting one, yet the slate never stays blank for long. However, if we are to succeed in this boldest of adventures, we must first step away from the whiteboard and take a moment to reflect on our motivations and goals.
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Starship Reaches Space, Falls Short of Orbit
At 7:02 AM CST, the 397 ft tall Starship launch vehicle lifted off from its South Texas launch site, becoming the most powerful rocket ever flown into space.
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Rocket Lab Eyes their Return to Flight
Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket is once again looking towards the skies, poised to return to flight no earlier than November 28th following a mission failure and loss of payload on September 19th.
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Artemis I, a Roaring Success One Year On
One year ago, In the early hours of November 16th, 2022, the skies of Florida were lit up by the
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Project Kuiper and Beyond: An Internet Satellite Overview
On the 6th of October, 2023, United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket lifted off from SLC-41 carrying Amazon’s first two prototype Kuiper internet satellites. This marks the beginning of a new internet age…
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A Pause for Mars Sample Return
On November 13 2023, NASA’s Planetary Science Advisory Committee, which advises all of NASA’s planetary science interests, held a meeting to discuss the state of various programs heading into 2024.
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Into the Night: CRS-29 Launches to ISS
After weeks of reshuffling, NASA and SpaceX’s CRS-29 mission lifted off from Historic Launch Complex 39A for the International Space
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ILLUMA-T: Entering a New Age of Space Communications
A next generation optical communications system known as ILLUMA-T is ready for flight onboard the CRS-29 mission to the International Space Station.
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NASA’s VIPER Takes Shape
At NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California, work on NASA’s next lunar explorer has begun. The Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) is now in assembly ahead of its projected launch in 2024 onboard a Falcon Heavy.
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One in a Half-Million, Lucy Sees Double
On November 1st 2023, NASA’s Lucy spacecraft flew by its first asteroid, just over ten months after the previously unplanned encounter was declared.
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Blue Origin Showcases Updated Blue Moon
Blue Origin has unveiled their latest, full size mockup of their Blue Moon MK1 Cargo lander at their Huntsville facility, showcasing an updated design of their uncrewed cargo vehicle.
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Op-Ed: Can We Arrest the Fall of CLPS?
As NASA prepares to go back to the moon, the CLPS program stands on a dangerous fulcrum – will program structure help or hurt our lunar return?
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Capturing the Ring of Fire
In 2023, Americans stand at the eve of another total solar eclipse set to occur in 2024, but this time we’ve been given a pre-show: an annular solar eclipse on October 15th 2023.
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Meet Blue Ring, Blue Origin’s Space Truck
Blue Origin’s spaceflight plans have continued to grow, and the latest addition looks to position itself as a “Space Truck”. This dedicated space tug, known as Blue Ring, will be used for a multitude of tasks in Cislunar space.
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You Are Beautiful: Lucy at Dinkinesh
Nearly two years after launch, NASA’s Lucy spacecraft prepares to encounter its first asteroid – one of many to come.
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Psyche and Starlink Set Records on the Space Coast
On Friday the 13th, 2023 SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy beat the odds and
lifted off carrying NASA’s Psyche spacecraft on a two billion mile trek to the asteroid of its namesake.
Stormy Skies Keep Psyche Earthbound
After a technical delay the previous week, NASA’s Psyche mission remains grounded in the face of weather constraints.
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Powering Artemis: RSRMVs Arrive at KSC
Artemis 2’s Solid Rocket Motors, or RSRMVs, have arrived at the Kennedy Space Center as NASA and their international partners gear up for humanity’s return to the moon.
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Eyes on the Prize: JWST Detects a Unique Exoplanet
In the atmosphere of an exoplanet 120 light years away from Earth, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has detected carbon-bearing molecules, some of which have scientists questioning the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe.
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Uranus Orbiter and Probe: 35 Years in the Making
The solar system contains 8 planets, each possessing incredible uniqueness. Of these, some stand out as being perhaps the least explored. Every planet has had at least one orbiter take incredible amounts of in situ observations for years on end if not decades, except the Ice Giants…
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Triumph in Utah: OSIRIS-REx Returns Home
After 7 years in space, and 3.8 billion miles traveled, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Sample Return Capsule (SRC) completed a picture perfect touchdown on the muddy sands of the Utah Test and Training Range in Dugway, Utah
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A Yearlong Odyssey: MS-22/23 Prepares to Return Home
This past year saw an unexpected addition to the list of record-setting flights – Frank Rubio and the crew of MS-22’s stay on the International Space Station lasting 371 days.
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Reaching New Heights: SpaceX Smashes Launch Record
With a rumble that has become routine, Falcon 9 lifted off on September 3rd, 2023 with Starlink 6-12, setting SpaceX’s new record for their number of launches in a given year.
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Rocket Lab Suffers Second Stage Failure
Rocket Lab has suffered a fourth failure of their Electron small launch vehicle this morning while carrying Capella Space’s Acadia-1 synthetic aperture radar satellite.
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Pad 41 Ready to Rumble Once More
With Pad 41 activated for the National Reconnaissance Office’s SILENT BARKER mission, the historic launch complex looks ready to begin a long stretch of continued launch operations with Atlas and Vulcan.
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SpaceX and SDA Ready to Fly for Tranche-0B
SpaceX and the Space Development Agency (SDA) are gearing up to launch their next batch of satellites as part of their Tranche program.
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Crew-7 Soars, setting the stage for Science and Discovery
On August 27th, 2023 at 9:16 AM Eastern Standard Time, Crew Dragon Endurance docked to the Zenith port of the Harmony Module of the International Space Station.
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Triumphs and Troubles: This Week at the Moon
India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully completed its seven and a half week journey to the lunar surface. Now, after four years of planning and hard work, Chandrayaan-3 can begin its two week science mission at the lunar south pole.
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Dragon Tamers Rise – Crew-7 Ready for Flight
Launching at 3:27 AM Eastern Time August 26th, Crew-7 will continue to inspire those on Earth, and conduct important research that will take us higher, further and faster than ever before.
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H3, Japan’s Bid for Space Access in a Competitive World
On the 7th of March, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency launched the inaugural mission of their H3 rocket. Space Scout’s Scarlet Dominik takes a deep dive into the vehicle’s development.
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Lunar Lander Lineup, Two Nations, Two Missions
Next week is shaping up to be a busy time for rocket launches, but also a very busy time for the Moon. For the first time in 54 years, there are two landers in orbit of the Moon at the same time.
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OSIRIS-REX to APEX, a Legend Reborn
On the 24th of September, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will complete its primary mission, delivering nearly 1 kilogram of material from the asteroid Bennu after 7 years in space.
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Blue Fire in Rocket City
Blue Origin made some noise in Huntsville, as the former Saturn V test stand, Test Stand 4670, saw its first firing from its new operators. The short test, which took place on August 3rd, lasted between 30 and 40 seconds according to locals who heard the test firing. It has yet to be confirmed if the test was a BE4 or BE3-U. This marked the first test firing on 4670 since 1998.
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Psyche to Psyche: Journey to a Metal World
Six years into the future and 177 years after its discovery, the massive asteroid 16 Psyche will receive its first visitor from Earth.
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Road to CFT – From OFT-2 to the First Flight of Crew
Boeing revealed to Business Insider that they were planning to target a March window for their first crewed flight of their Starliner capsule.
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Smashing Success and Records: NG-19 Arrives at ISS
On August 4, at 09:52 UTC, the Northrop Grumman Cygnus, NG-19 S.S. Laurel Clark, was grappled by the International Space Station’s robotic arm, and subsequently berthed to the nadir (downward facing) port on the Unity Node.
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