Tag

Satellites

All articles tagged with #satellites

space2 days ago•5 min saved

Japan’s Crimson Aurora Signals Space Storms Stronger Than Official Metrics

New research finds red auroras over Japan extending to 500–800 km during moderately intense storms, higher than usually expected and suggesting standard indices may underestimate storm strength. The ASYM-H index often peaks 1.3–2.0 times SYM-H, implicating solar wind density (not just speed) as a key driver for mid-latitude auroras and atmospheric heating. Findings, aided by citizen scientists, have practical implications for satellite operations in low Earth orbit due to atmospheric drag and improved space weather forecasting.

via Indian Defence Review|

#auroras #geomagnetic-storms #satellites

science2 days ago•3 min saved

Megaconstellation Pollution Could Quietly Cool Earth by 2029, Study Finds

A study in Earth's Future warns that pollution from deorbiting megaconstellation satellites and rocket launches could reduce sunlight enough to have a cooling effect comparable to solar geoengineering by 2029; satellites already account for about a quarter of space industry climate impact and are expected to rise to 42% by 2029, with annual rocket soot around 870 metric tons; while this cooling might seem beneficial amid warming, the effects are uncertain and the lack of regulation poses risks, prompting calls for caution and policy action.

via Futurism|

#climate #geoengineering #megaconstellations

defense5 days ago•3 min saved

Germany pushes for a European space command to curb reliance on US tech

Germany’s defense minister used a four-nation German-speaking defense summit to push a European Space Component Command and a multilateral space training academy, inviting Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg to shape the initiative from the design phase. Austria plans to launch several military satellites next year; Luxembourg and Switzerland highlight their space capabilities as Europe seeks greater autonomy from US tech. While concrete steps remain preliminary and largely conceptual, the gathering signals growing momentum for a European, rather than solely US-led, space defense.

via Defense News|

#defense #eu-defense #european-space-command

space5 days ago•76 min saved

Space junk forces more satellite dodges, risking climate science data

Space debris in low Earth orbit is increasing, forcing satellites to perform more collision-avoidance maneuvers. Each maneuver uses fuel and can degrade data from climate-observing satellites (Aqua, Terra, Aura), potentially erasing long-running climate records. As debris grows, collision risk rises and insurability drops, pressuring public agencies and private operators to safeguard vital science data.

via Space|

#climate-science #kessler-syndrome #nasa

science5 days ago•14 min saved

Nereid Could Be Neptune’s First Moon, Study Finds

A new study suggests Neptune's enigmatic moon Nereid may be a primordial satellite that formed with Neptune, rather than a captured body, shedding light on the planet’s early history.

via AP News|

#astronomy #moon #neptune

space6 days ago•5 min saved

Cosmic Smile: SMILE Launch Signals China–EU Space Cooperation Era

The Vega-C rocket successfully launched the SMILE satellite, a joint China–ESA mission led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and ESA, featuring a new Soft X-ray Imager to study how the solar wind interacts with Earth's magnetosphere. The mission marks the first mission-level China–Europe space-science collaboration, with coordinated ground control and plans for future joint initiatives like the CATCH microsatellite constellation.

via Global Times|

#china-eu-space #esa #international-cooperation

space6 days ago•11 min saved

NASA chief looks to mass-produced satellites to speed space science

NASA’s science chief Nicky Fox calls for off-the-shelf, mass-produced satellite buses and “block buys” to accelerate planetary and Solar System missions, arguing cheaper, more numerous missions could boost science while freeing funding by rebalancing the portfolio and leveraging Commercial Lunar Payload Services and other private–public partnerships.

via Ars Technica|

#clps #mass-produced #nasa

science11 days ago•5 min saved

Volcanic Plume Reveals a Natural Route to Methane Destruction in the Atmosphere

Scientists studying the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption found a high-altitude chemical reaction—driven by volcanic ash, seawater salt, and sunlight—that produced chlorine radicals capable of destroying methane in the stratosphere. Satellites tracked a lasting formaldehyde signal and estimated about 900 tons/day of methane removal, though far more methane entered the atmosphere than was destroyed. The work shows methane oxidation can be measured from orbit, with implications for methane budgets and potential future deliberate removal.

via Indian Defence Review|

#atmosphere #chlorine-radicals #methane

technology15 days ago•22 min saved

AST SpaceMobile Advances 2026 Roadmap with Q1 Results and Big Satellite Rollout

AST SpaceMobile posted Q1 2026 revenue of $14.7 million as it accelerates a multi‑year push to deploy its space‑based direct‑to‑device broadband network. Management reiterates full‑year 2026 revenue guidance of $150–$200 million, driven by U.S. government milestones and commercial partnerships, and aims to deploy roughly 45 BlueBird satellites in 2026 with BlueBird 8–10 slated for a mid‑June Falcon 9 launch and BlueBird 11–33 in advanced production. The company highlights substantial manufacturing capacity (over 500,000 sq ft), a growing ecosystem of nearly 60 mobile network operators and government customers, and regulatory progress including FCC Supplemental Coverage from Space. Cash reserves stand around $3.5 billion. First‑quarter results show higher operating expenses (notably engineering, G&A, and SBC) leading to a GAAP net loss, with non‑GAAP adjustments provided; milestones include in‑orbit performance (Block 1 achieving nearly 99 Mbps peak speeds to unmodified smartphones) and ongoing AI edge computing work for on‑orbit management, with plans to enable global coverage across more than 100 BlueBird satellites in the coming years.

via Business Wire|

#government #manufacturing #satellites

world17 days ago•4 min saved

US sanctions Chinese satellite firms for aiding Iran ahead of Trump-Xi summit

The United States sanctioned four entities—three Chinese satellite companies (The Earth Eye, MizarVision, Chang Guang Satellite Technology) and Iran’s Ministry of Defence Export Center—for allegedly providing satellite imagery that helped Iran strike US forces in the Middle East, a move timed to President Trump’s upcoming summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing and aimed at pressuring China over Tehran-related support.

via Financial Times|

#iran #middle-east-war #satellites

space-and-spaceflight18 days ago•16 min saved

A Crowded Sky: Artemis II Visualizes the LEO Traffic Jam

NASA's Artemis II composite animation visualizes a crowded low Earth orbit, showing thousands of objects— active satellites, dead satellites, rocket bodies and debris— streaking around Earth at about 17,550 mph and underscoring the collision risks as LEO traffic has surged in recent years.

via Gizmodo|

#artemis-ii #debris #low-earth-orbit

science18 days ago•3 min saved

Artemis II Images Reveal a Satellite Parade Circling Earth

An animation of Artemis II Earth photos, remastered by Seán Doran, reveals satellites buzzing around Earth—what looks like stars are actually orbiting objects spotted in a Reddit thread.

via Kottke.org|

#artemis-ii #astronomy #earth

technology19 days ago•4 min saved

SpaceX’s Starlink Deployment Footage Reveals the Satellite Dance in Orbit

SpaceX released a roughly three-and-a-half-minute video showing how 29 Starlink satellites separate and deploy in orbit after a May 1 launch, highlighting the rapid growth of the Starlink megaconstellation and SpaceX’s push to provide global high-speed internet.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#megaconstellation #orbital-deployment #satellites

technology20 days ago•71 min saved

Starlink Train Emerges: SpaceX Captures 29-Satellite Deployment in Orbit

SpaceX released a 3.5-minute video showing a 29-satellite Starlink train deploying from a Falcon 9 on May 1 and circling Earth from sunrise to sunset as they begin their initial orbit raise; posted on X by Starlink engineering VP Michael Nicolls, the clip provides a rare view of the megaconstellation—now over 10,300 satellites—with SpaceX having launched 53 Falcon 9 missions in 2026, including 43 Starlink flights.

via Space|

#note-extra-tag-not-allowed #satellites #space

space-exploration23 days ago•71 min saved

SpaceX to Launch 45 Satellites from Vandenberg, Headlined by CAS500-2, with Live Coverage

SpaceX is set to launch 45 satellites into orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base on May 3, led by the CAS500-2 Earth‑observation satellite for South Korea. Liftoff is in a 37‑minute window starting at 2:59 a.m. EDT and will be streamed live on SpaceX’s site and X, with 44 additional payloads from various operators. The Falcon 9 first stage (booster B1071) is expected to return for a landing about 7.5 minutes after liftoff, and CAS500-2 should deploy roughly an hour after liftoff alongside the other satellites, marking SpaceX’s 54th launch of 2026.

via Space|

#cas500-2 #falcon-9 #satellites