Longshot targets $10/kg launch costs with Nazi uber-cannon on steroids

Rockets are expensive, so a number of kinetic launch startups are working on ways to simply yeet payloads into orbit and bring costs down. This one’s very fun – a six-mile long concrete cannon that’ll squeeze launch vehicles to Mach 30 in one second.Co… Continue reading Longshot targets $10/kg launch costs with Nazi uber-cannon on steroids

World-first space solar demonstration beams power from orbit to Earth

A Caltech team is celebrating the world’s first space-based wireless power transmission, and the first time detectable levels of power have been beamed down to Earth. The Space Solar Power Project (SSPP) aims to unlock huge orbital clean energy resourc… Continue reading World-first space solar demonstration beams power from orbit to Earth

New findings suggest hundreds of millions of planets may harbor life

When Meatloaf sang “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” in 1977, we’re all but certain he was not doing the math on the potential of planets in the galaxy having the right conditions to harbor life. Because new findings suggest that two out of three are actual… Continue reading New findings suggest hundreds of millions of planets may harbor life

NASA’s TROPICS hurricane satellites reach orbit on second launch

Two hurricane-monitoring NASA CubeSats have launched into space atop a Rocket Lab Electron booster from the Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula at 1:00 pm NZST, on May 8, (9:00 pm EDT, on May 7).Continue ReadingCategory: Space,… Continue reading NASA’s TROPICS hurricane satellites reach orbit on second launch

This strange blue asteroid has another big surprise for us

This space-rock oddity has long puzzled scientists for its rather non-asteroid-like behaviors, and it’s just revealed yet another curious characteristic.Continue ReadingCategory: Space, ScienceTags: Asteroid, NASA, California Institute of Technology, S… Continue reading This strange blue asteroid has another big surprise for us

Firefly Aerospace rockets into orbit with successful Alpha launch

Texan startup Firefly Aerospace has joined the growing group of orbit-capable space startups, with the successful launch of its Alpha rocket over the weekend. The mission saw a set of satellites deployed into low-Earth orbit and marks a long-awaited st… Continue reading Firefly Aerospace rockets into orbit with successful Alpha launch

NASA’s CAPSTONE CubeSat lifts off to test orbit of future space station

NASA took its first step today in establishing its Gateway orbital lunar outpost with the launch at 5:55 am EDT of its Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) CubeSat atop a Rocket Lab Electron … Continue reading NASA’s CAPSTONE CubeSat lifts off to test orbit of future space station

China tests world-first full-function space solar verification tower

In many ways, space is the perfect place for a solar energy array. There are no clouds in the way, no seasonal variability, no atmospheric filtering, and your solar panels can operate at peak efficiency around the clock, since the planet doesn’t block … Continue reading China tests world-first full-function space solar verification tower