Completion of Roman’s Payload NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has achieved a major milestone in its mission preparation. The team at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center successfully integrated the telescope and its two primary instruments onto the instrument carrier, completing the Roman payload. Work is now underway to attach the payload to the spacecraft, a crucial step toward the telescope’s launch in 2027. “We’re at an exciting stage,” said Jody Dawson, Roman systems engineer at NASA Goddard. “All components are at Goddard, and integration is progressing rapidly. We expect to join the telescope and instruments with the spacecraft before…
Author: Arushi Pandey
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Billionaire Jared Isaacman May Pause Space Missions as He Prepares to Lead NASA Jared Isaacman, tech billionaire and President-elect Donald Trump’s NASA nominee, announced a potential pause in his private space missions as he transitions to government service. Isaacman is known for his leadership in the Polaris program, a series of private astronaut missions in collaboration with SpaceX. NASA Role Could Put Private Missions on Hold Speaking at the Spacepower 2024 conference in Orlando, Isaacman shared uncertainties about the future of the Polaris program. He remarked, “The future of the Polaris program is a little bit of a question mark…
China’s Commercial Space Industry Prioritises Efficiency and Cost Reduction The successful inaugural launch from China’s first commercial launch facility in Wenchang, the Hainan spaceport, marks a pivotal moment for the nation’s private aerospace sector. With increasing demand for satellite deployments, companies are striving to enhance production efficiency and slash costs. Landmark Launch at Hainan Commercial Spaceport On November 30, the Long March-12 carrier rocket launched from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in Wenchang International Aerospace City. This was the first mission from China’s spaceport dedicated to commercial space activities. With plans for monthly launches starting in 2025, the site…
Iran’s Record-Breaking Space Launch Showcases Advanced Technology Iran successfully launched its heaviest payload into space on Friday using the Simorgh carrier rocket. The payload included the advanced Samān-1 transfer module, designed to position satellites in higher-altitude orbits. State television reported that the launch also carried a CubeSat and a research payload. Details of the Successful Launch The payloads were placed in an elliptical orbit, with a high point of 410 km (255 miles) and a low point of 300 km (186 miles). According to Iranian media, the launch marked a significant milestone for the country’s space programme. The Simorgh rocket,…
NASA Announces Delays in Artemis Moon Mission Timeline NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced new delays in the Artemis programme, postponing the return of astronauts to the Moon for the first time since 1972. Speaking at NASA headquarters, Nelson revealed updated timelines for the next two missions, citing technical reviews and policy uncertainties under the upcoming Trump administration. Revised Timelines for Artemis Missions The Artemis II mission, which will send astronauts around the Moon and back, is now scheduled for April 2026. Artemis III, the mission involving a lunar landing using SpaceX’s Starship, is targeted for mid-2027, assuming the lander is…
Europe’s Satellite Giants Plan Joint Venture to Compete with Starlink Airbus, Thales, and Leonardo Collaborate on “Project Bromo” Airbus, Thales, and Leonardo are considering a joint space venture to rival Elon Musk’s Starlink. The initiative, named “Project Bromo” after an Indonesian volcano, envisions a European satellite leader inspired by the MBDA missile company model. MBDA is jointly owned by Airbus, Leonardo, and BAE Systems. Insiders revealed that talks have advanced to the point of developing a structure for the new company. The preferred plan is to pool satellite assets into a standalone entity rather than transferring ownership between partners. Although…
Growing Satellite Congestion in Low Earth Orbit Requires Urgent Global Coordination The rapid increase in satellites and space debris risks making low Earth orbit (LEO) unusable unless countries and companies collaborate to manage this vital region. Experts stress the need for urgent action and data sharing to ensure space safety and lower satellite congestion. The Scale of the Problem Currently, more than 14,000 satellites orbit Earth in LEO, with approximately 3,500 no longer operational, according to US-based Slingshot Aerospace. Adding to this are around 120 million pieces of debris from launches, collisions, and wear-and-tear. While only a fraction of these…
Vietnam Approves Landmark Laws and $67 Billion High-Speed Rail Project Vietnam parliament concluded its regular session by passing critical legislation on data protection and electricity. Additionally, it endorsed a $67 billion high-speed rail project on Saturday, marking a significant step in the country’s infrastructure and legal development. High-Speed Rail: Vietnam’s Most Ambitious Project The high-speed rail project, Vietnam’s largest infrastructure initiative, aims to connect Hanoi in the north with Ho Chi Minh City in the south. Spanning 1,541 kilometres (958 miles), the railway is expected to revolutionise transportation in the country. Officials project its completion by 2035, aiming to boost…
Fossilised Footprints Reveal Hominin Coexistence in Ancient Kenya Around 1.5 million years ago, individuals from two human evolutionary species, Paranthropus boisei and Homo erectus, left footprints on a muddy lakeshore in northern Kenya. These intersecting ancient footprints, discovered at Koobi Fora, mark the first concrete evidence of these species sharing the same landscape. Their coexistence raises questions about their interactions and potential competition for resources. The Two Species: Distinctions in Anatomy and Behaviour Paranthropus boisei, a more distant relative of modern humans, lived from about 2.3 to 1.2 million years ago. This species stood approximately 137 cm (4 feet 6…
Climate Change Threatens China’s Potato Yields: A Race Against Time In a research facility in northwest Beijing, molecular biologist Li Jieping and his team are investigating how rising temperatures threaten potato production in China. Their findings reveal alarming insights into how climate change could impact food security in the coming decades. Shrinking Potatoes: A Sign of Trouble Li’s team harvested a cluster of seven potatoes, one as small as a quail’s egg, grown under simulated high-temperature conditions. Weighing just 136 grammes, these potatoes were less than half the size of a typical Chinese variety, which often exceeds the size of…