Europe’s newest rocket soon launches, taking with it many space missions each with a unique objective, destination and team at home, cheering them on. Whether launching new satellites to look back and study Earth, peer out to deep space or test important new technologies in orbit, Ariane 6’s first flight will showcase the versatility and flexibility of this impressive, heavy-lift launcher. Read on for all about the RAMI deployer, then see who else is flying first.
Space News & Blog Articles
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Drone test of planetary landing radar
Image: Drone test of planetary landing radar
Eclipse-making double-satellite Proba-3
Video: 00:02:54
Proba-3 is ESA’s – and the world’s – first precision formation flying mission. A pair of satellites will fly together relative to the Sun so that one casts a precisely-controlled shadow onto the other, to create a prolonged solar eclipse in orbit. In the process the mission will open up the Sun’s faint surrounding coronal atmosphere for sustained study. Normally this corona is rendered invisible by the brilliant face of the Sun, like a firefly next to a bonfire.
Space for a travel quiz!
A new collaboration between ESA and Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands has got passengers thinking about space. Digital screens throughout the airport featuring stunning satellite images of Earth have been stopping travellers in their tracks. That's because these pictures from space are part of a fun Where on Earth? travel quiz.
Green light for Galileo Second Generation satellite design
Production of Galileo Second Generation satellites advances at full speed after two independent Satellite Critical Design Review boards have confirmed that the satellite designs of the respective industries meet all mission and performance requirements. This achievement is another crucial milestone hit on time in the ambitious schedule to develop the first 12 satellites of the Galileo Second Generation fleet.
The Nearby Star Clusters Come from Only Three Places
Many astronomy-interested people know of the Hyades and the Pleiades. They’re star clusters in the Taurus constellation. They’re two out of a handful of star clusters that are visible to the unaided eye under dark sky conditions.
'Starfield' unveils 1st look at 'Shattered Space' expansion (video)
Starfield might have disappointed some at launch, but in typical Bethesda fashion, it's continuing to expand and giving more power to the players.
Chinese moon researchers gearing up for June 25 arrival of far side samples
More than 200 Chinese scientists gathered in Beijing recently for a seminar about the geology of the Chang'e 6 mission's landing area. Samples from the site are scheduled to arrive on Earth on June 25.
Frost Seen on Olympus Mons for the First Time
It’s been known for years that there are large quantities of water ice locked up in the Martian poles. Around the equator however it is a barren dry wasteland devoid of any surface ice. Recent observations of Mars have discovered frost on the giant shield volcanoes but it only appears briefly after sunrise and soon evaporates. Estimates suggest that 150,000 tons of water cycle between the surface and atmosphere on a daily basis.
'Supernova discovery machine' James Webb Space Telescope finds most distant star explosion on record
The JWST has proven itself to be a "supernova discovery machine" by finding 80 exploding stars in the infant universe, including the most distant and earliest supernova ever seen.
Remembering Apollo 8 Astronaut Bill Anders
Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders, who took the iconic “Earthrise” photo of our home planet from the Moon in 1968, was killed on June 7, 2024. Anders was flying alone in his Beechcraft T-34 Mentor aircraft when the plane plunged into the waters off the San Juan Islands in Washington state. Anders was 90.
A Mission To Find 10 Million Near Earth Asteroids Every Year
So far, scientists have found around 34,000 near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) that could serve as humanity’s stepping stone to the stars. These balls of rock and ice hold valuable resources as we expand throughout the solar system, making them valuable real estate in any future space economy. But the 34,000 we know of only make up a small percentage of the total number of asteroids in our vicinity – some estimates theorize that up to 1 billion asteroids larger than a modern car exist near Earth. A project from the Trans Astronautics Corp (TransAstra), an asteroid-hunting start-up based in California, hopes to find the missing billion.
Solar storm douses Mars in radiation as auroras flicker in the Red Planet sky (video)
NASA's fleet of robotic Martian explorers measured the effects of May's dramatic solar storms, experiencing the equivalent of undergoing about 30 chest X-rays all at once.
India's Aditya-L1 solar probe snaps shots of our hyperactive sun during May outburst (photos)
India's Aditya-L1 spacecraft imaged the sun a week after it unleashed the rare G5 geomagnetic storm that sparked some of the strongest auroras in centuries.
A Recent Solar Storm Even Had an Impact on Mars
Planet Earth is in for some amazing geomagnetic storms in the next year or so. That’s because it’s in a period of peak activity called “solar maximum” (solar max, for short). But, what happens at other planets, especially Mars, during this time? Mars mission scientists got a sneak peek at the effect of a major solar storm thanks to one hitting the Red Planet on May 20th, 2024.
Was Earth’s Climate Affected by Interstellar Clouds?
Scientists scour the Earth and the sky for clues to our planet’s climate history. Powerful and sustained volcanic eruptions can alter the climate for long periods of time, and the Sun’s output can shift Earth’s climate over millions of years.
An interstellar cloud may have caused an ice age on Earth. Here's how
The sun protects our solar system's planets from the harsh environment of interstellar space; 2 million years ago, a dense cloud of matter could have curtailed this shielding.
A missing link in the timeline of Earth's chemistry may have been found
Scientists may have found missing pieces in the timeline that connects ancient Earth chemistry to modern day metabolic reactions.
SpaceX's Inspiration4 astronauts got genetically younger in space: study
Scientists have found that the members of the first all-civilian space mission, Inspiration 4, got genetically younger during their stay in space. But the effects did not last long.
NASA funds tech development for life-hunting Habitable Worlds Observatory
NASA recently selected three proposals that will help develop the tech needed by its proposed life-hunting Habitable Worlds Observatory space telescope.
DARPA unveils 6 new designs for uncrewed vertical-takeoff military aircraft, eyes 2026 test flights
Lightweight fighter aircraft with no pilots could support conventional military missions while being easier to launch and recover.
