All articles tagged with #aerospace corporation
A November 2025 solar superstorm triggered unprecedented, coast-to-coast GPS disruptions in the continental US, causing positioning errors of up to 33 feet. Researchers found that the storm created a massive band of atmospheric irregularities at mid-latitudes, a phenomenon never previously observed on such a scale, which threatens precision-dependent industries like agriculture and autonomous transport.
Mysterious "space debris" lighting up California's sky was identified as the orbital module of China’s Shenzhou 15 spacecraft re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere, following SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launch. The Aerospace Corporation used tracking data to reveal the debris's identity, which caused a spectacular light show visible across Southern California. Despite concerns, the debris was not a result of the Falcon 9 launch failure, and it serves as a reminder of the increasing presence of satellites and rocket debris in Earth's orbit.
A piece of space debris crashed through a Florida home, prompting questions about what to do in such a situation. With no clear guidelines, the homeowner reached out to various organizations, eventually getting the attention of NASA and The Aerospace Corporation. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty dictates that ownership of space objects does not change, and the 1972 Liability Convention states that the launching country is liable for any damage caused by its space object. As space activity increases, the risk of being hit by space junk may also increase, with a study predicting a 10% chance of casualties from falling rocket parts in the next decade.
Multiple bright burning objects streaked across the skies of Southern California, captivating residents and sparking speculation about their origin. The lights, spotted around 1:30 a.m., prompted online discussions about whether they were meteors, debris from a SpaceX rocket launch, or related to a Chinese spacecraft re-entering the atmosphere. Despite various theories, no official explanation has been provided by SpaceX, The Aerospace Corporation, NASA, or JPL.
The Aerospace Corporation is developing a system to deflect mid-sized asteroids capable of causing widespread damage on Earth. The system uses a modified "space catapult" to alter an asteroid's trajectory by utilizing its rocky debris. The project has shown success in deflecting asteroids similar in size to the Chelyabinsk asteroid, which caused significant damage in Russia in 2013.
The Aerospace Corporation, a California-based nonprofit, is developing a new asteroid deflection system that uses the space rock's own regolith to alter its trajectory away from Earth. Inspired by SpinLaunch's suborbital accelerator, the nonprofit aims to create a simplified version of the system that can be launched to rendezvous with a near-Earth asteroid. Once landed, the centrifugal system would collect small amounts of regolith and fling them into space, gradually deflecting the asteroid over weeks or months. The researchers argue that this approach is simpler and more sustainable than other methods, offering a slow-push strategy to the planetary defense toolbox. The Aerospace Corporation plans to test the system in two years through an Earth-based trial, with the potential for future use in resource extraction from asteroids.