Satellites
The Irony. ClearSpace-1 Couldn't Clean up Space Debris Because its Target Already Got hit by Space Debris, Creating Even More Space Debris.
The European Space Agency's ClearSpace-1 satellite was zeroing in on the spent payload adaptor from a 2013 rocket launch. Its…
A Satellite is Now Continuously Watching Lightning Strikes in Europe
Satellites often offer new perspectives when they launch. Sometimes because of the location they are placed in - sometimes because…
If There Were a War in Space, Debris Would Destroy all Remaining Satellites in About 40 Years
On one particular day in 2021, astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the ISS must have felt a pin-prick of fear and…
A New Mission Will Grab Dead Satellites and Push Them Into the Atmosphere to Burn Up
Plenty of news stories have focused on the danger posed by Kessler syndrome. In this condition, space is made inaccessible…
Astronomers Have Figured Out Clever Tricks to Reduce the Impact of Satellite Trails
A clear sky is a prerequisite for most astronomers imaging the cosmos. However, with the proliferation of satellite trails, astronomers…
Two English Companies are Cooperating to Bring a Novel Antenna Architecture To Space
Technology Readiness Levels (or TRLs) are commonly used in the space industry to determine what level of development a technology…
Researchers are Working on a Tractor Beam System for Space
Human technology is crossing another threshold. Tractor beams have been common in science fiction for decades. Now a team of…
Building a Satellite out of Wood? Use Magnolia
Typically when you think of a satellite, you think of a metal box with electronic components inside it. But that…
An Innovative Heat Shield That Doesn’t Need to Be Replaced Between Missions
A revolution in space manufacturing is coming. Enabled by cheaper launch costs, companies are scrambling to take advantage of easier…
Pale Blue Successfully Operates its Water-Based Propulsion System in Orbit
New in-space propulsion techniques seem to be popping out of the woodwork. The level of innovation behind moving things around…