Tag

Satellites

All articles tagged with #satellites

energy5 days ago•19 min saved

US Military Funds Overview Energy's Space Solar Beacon for 2028 Orbital Test

The US Department of Defense has awarded Overview Energy a contract to develop a homing beacon for space-based solar power. This technology aims to beam energy from orbit to ground-based solar arrays, with a low-Earth-orbit demonstration planned for 2028 and commercial geosynchronous deployment targeted for 2030. The project addresses military needs for remote power and potential civilian utility-scale generation, though experts remain divided on its economic viability compared to existing renewables.

via oilprice.com|

#defense #energy #overview-energy

science18 days ago•5 min saved

New study narrows how far Earth's center of mass actually moves

A NASA-led study refines measurements of Earth's center of mass, finding its annual wobble is about half of previous estimates—only a few millimeters—driven by seasonal transfers of water, ice, and air, using LAGEOS lasers and GRACE-FO data to improve reference systems for GPS and navigation.

via AOL.com|

#earth-science #geodesy #gps

technology20 days ago•120 min saved

China launches four orbital rockets in 45 hours, highlighting both private and state fleets

China completed a 45-hour orbital-launch sprint from three sites, with LandSpace’s Zhuque-2E (Jiuquan) carrying 10 Qianfan broadband satellites; Orienspace’s Gravity-1 (sea launch off Shanghai) carrying nine SatNet satellites; Long March 12 (Wenchang) carrying nine SatNet satellites; and Kuaizhou-11 (Jiuquan) carrying two radar satellites for Spacety. Two launches were private vehicles, and all four missions succeeded with no landings attempted, underscoring growing private and state launch capabilities in China.

via Space|

#broadband-megaconstellation #china #private-spaceflight

science22 days ago•12 min saved

Twin satellites weigh Earth's hidden water by tracing gravity's subtle tug

Two identical GRACE-FO satellites fly about 220 km apart and use a laser-ranging interferometer to detect tiny changes in their distance as they pass over Earth's mass distribution. Those micro-variations are converted into monthly gravity maps; after subtracting solid-ground signals, the residuals reveal changes in large-scale water stores—ice loss, groundwater, and soil moisture—allowing scientists to weigh continental water over time.

via Space Daily|

#grace-fo #gravity #hydrology

technology25 days ago•1 min saved

US confirms space-based weapon deployment in orbit to deter threats

The US publicly acknowledged deploying a space-based weapon in Earth's orbit to safeguard forces from hostile action, signaling readiness for evolving threats and ongoing development of space capabilities, though officials offered few details on the weapon's nature or timing.

via BBC|

#military #national-security #satellites

space26 days ago•134 min saved

SpaceX marks a milestone with SES’s three O3b mPOWER satellites launch

SpaceX lofted three SES O3b mPOWER telecom satellites into medium Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral on a Falcon 9, marking SpaceX’s 700th Falcon mission. The first stage landed on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas about nine minutes after liftoff; the upper stage deployed the satellites at about 5,000 miles altitude over roughly 14 minutes. Each Boeing-built satellite weighs ~3,750 pounds (1,700 kg), completing the O3b mPOWER constellation to deliver low latency and high throughput.

via Space|

#falcon-9 #o3bmpower #satellites

science27 days ago•3 min saved

Space Weather Disrupts GPS, Puts Self-Driving Cars at Risk

A November 2025 solar storm triggered significant GPS errors—over 33 feet—in global navigation satellite systems, causing mid-latitude positioning disruptions that could affect self-driving cars and precision farming. Reported in Geophysical Research Letters and highlighted by Futurism and NASA, the event underscores the need for better space weather understanding and predictive modeling to safeguard GPS-dependent technologies.

via supercarblondie.com|

#autonomous-vehicles #gps #satellites

space29 days ago•4 min saved

NASA's Swift Observatory Begins Its Final Descent Toward Reentry

NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, in space for 21 years, is on track to reenter Earth's atmosphere. After a failed attempt to rescue the aging satellite with the LINK probe, Swift's telescopes are being revived for a last round of observations as atmospheric drag increases, with the Burst Alert Telescope still powered down. Over its mission, Swift has monitored gamma-ray bursts, supernovas, and black holes across multiple wavelengths; engineers aim to maximize data collection during the final descent, which could occur by the end of the year as the satellite burns up.

via wired.com|

#gamma-ray-bursts #nasa #satellites

technology1 month ago•3 min saved

Europe's first privately built orbital flight marks a continental milestone

German startup Isar Aerospace achieved Europe’s first privately developed rocket reaching orbit from continental soil, launching from Norway with five small satellites and signaling a major step in Europe’s bid for autonomous space launches and reduced reliance on SpaceX.

via politico.eu|

#europe #isar-aerospace #orbital-launch

science1 month ago•10 min saved

Radar satellites reveal emperor penguin winter behavior, reshaping conservation outlook

Freely available radar satellite data (SAR) enables year-round tracking of emperor penguin colonies, letting researchers observe winter movements without sunlight—revealing lower winter mobility, spring migrations onto glacier ice, and new insights into breeding cycles amid declining sea ice and the species’ endangered status.

via The Conversation|

#antarctica #conservation #penguins

technology1 month ago•4 min saved

Russia's Space Internet Dream Crashes Again as 16 Rassvet Satellites Fail to Reach Orbit

Russia's private Bureau 1440's Rassvet constellation failed again as all 16 satellites in the second batch launched July 19 on a Soyuz did not reach the planned 550 km operational orbit, instead ending up at 300–400 km with some likely to re-enter; this follows a first batch where only 12 reached altitude and one fell out of orbit. Lower orbits shorten satellite life, and ISW estimates Russia would need 200–300 fully operational satellites for reliable, round‑the‑clock connectivity over Ukraine; Rassvet currently offers two daily connectivity windows of up to 90 minutes.

via Українська правда|

#bureau-1440 #rassvet #satellites

technology1 month ago•7 min saved

Rassvet Constellation Stumbles as Russia's Starlink Alternative Fails to Reach Target Orbits

Russia’s Rassvet program, pitched as a domestic Starlink, has launched 32 satellites but none reached the intended 500-mile orbit; most remain around 300 miles, with several failing to maneuver. Analysts say the effort is hampered by reliability issues, funding shortfalls, production bottlenecks, and war-related disruptions, casting doubt on reaching a multi-hundred-satellite goal by 2035. The situation also complicates Ukraine’s battlefield communications and underscores how difficult it is to build a large megaconstellation from Russia’s constrained space industry.

via Ars Technica|

#rassvet #russia #satellites

technology1 month ago•4 min saved

Rassvet falters as low-orbit drag delays Russia’s Starlink rival

ISW says Russia’s Rassvet constellation, Russia’s Starlink-like broadband network, is stalling as July batch satellites remain well below the planned 550 km orbit—many at 300–400 km with some reentering—while only about a third of the 2026 launches have reached sustainable altitude, delaying continuous coverage and potentially increasing Moscow’s reliance on SpaceX amid rocket-availability and infrastructure-strike pressures.

via Euromaidan Press|

#isw #rassvet #russia

technology1 month ago•5 min saved

Russia's Starlink rival suffers major setback as 16 satellites fail to reach orbit

A batch of 16 Russian Rassvet-3 satellites launched July 19 failed to reach their intended ~500-mile orbit and are currently at about 190–250 miles, risking rapid reentry. The setback hampers Moscow’s plan to rival SpaceX’s Starlink, as Bureau 1440 has only 32 satellites launched so far and faces continued deployment and reliability challenges.

via Business Insider|

#bureau-1440 #rassvet-3 #russia

technology1 month ago•5 min saved

Russia's Starlink rival stalls as Rassvet satellites fail to reach orbit

Russia's Rassvet, a Starlink-like internet constellation by Bureau-1440, has struggled to enter orbit, with 32 satellites launched since March mostly failing to reach the planned 800 km orbit. The first batch showed partial success (13 of 16 at ~511 km) but others failed or remained at lower altitudes; the second batch all failed to climb to the target orbit, signaling a lengthy path before the system could support military or civilian communications—likely not ready in time for the current war.

via Daily Kos|

#russia #satellites #space