Astronomy / Space

Scientists develop "Spacecraft Speedometer" to track satellite velocity in real-time, improving space traffic management. The innovative device uses plasma spectrometers to deliver continuous velocity readings even when GPS and ground-based radar fail.

CheckMag 6 kinds of Starlink dishes are available as of March 2025. They differ in features as well as intended use cases. This little article may help users choose the right one for their needs.

New users in 27 US states can now save $200 on a Starlink Standard dish as part of SpaceX's Regional Savings program. The offer is valid for Starlink Standard service plans and runs until March 31. This is the lowest price the V4 dish has seen since its debut in January 2024.

The new Residential plan is designed for households with lower bandwidth needs. You still get unlimited data but at reduced speeds. The plan is currently live in 15 US states, and at $80 a month, it's much cheaper than the regular Residential service plan.

At first, text-only messaging will be supported and available to users across various carriers. T-Mobile and SpaceX are collaborating to enable picture messaging, data services, and voice calling.

Russia's Rosatom unveils a breakthrough plasma electric rocket engine that could transform space travel, potentially reducing Mars journey times from one year to just 30-60 days.

Lonestar Data Holdings has tested the integration of its Freedom lunar data center with the Intuitive Machines IM-2 Athena mission lander in preparation for a first quarter SpaceX moon mission.

T-Mobile has turned on the Starlink satellite Internet service for Apple's iPhones in a rather surprising move. Previously, launch tests for the direct-to-cell feature were always done on Samsung phones.

Since spacecraft left in the dark might need more power than what can be stored in the internal batteries during exposure to sunlight, China is considering transmitting power from orbit using laser wireless transmission. Moving beyond the theoretical stage, they must develop the technologies needed and then conduct on-orbit testing.

While silicon cells are destroyed by solar radiation, In-Ga cells are heavy and expensive. Therefore, it’s time for a better power supply in space, and positive effects on residential solar systems could follow.

A permanent connection to near-Earth satellites without any other ground-based systems is set to be reality soon. From simple surfing with a smartphone to real-time applications, numerous possibilities are conceivable.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe prepares for its closest-ever solar approach on December 24, flying within 3.8 million miles of the Sun's surface at speeds of 430,000 mph. Protected by advanced heat shields and specialized materials, this historic mission aims to discover the origins of the solar wind and its effects on our solar system.

A new study examines antimatter propulsion for spacecraft, showing that just 1 gram of antihydrogen could power 23 space shuttles—10 billion times more powerful than conventional rocket fuel. While production and storage hurdles remain significant, this technology could revolutionize space exploration.

The aircraft manufacturer is set to begin production in early 2026, with a launch date scheduled for the end of the same year.

Thanks to the changes in licensing requirements announced by the local Department of Communication and Digital Technologies, Starlink could enter South Africa next summer. However, this is not certain yet, although Elon Musk's satellite-based internet service gained political support in the country already.

The need to revise the re-entry trajectory of the Orion crew capsule and to properly test its life support and environmental control systems is changing the schedule of the Artemis mission once again. Without any additional delays, the first lunar landing is now set for mid-2027.

Now waiting for the Senate's vote, Jared Isaacman is Donald Trump's choice as NASA's next administrator. Isaacman has been to space twice on SpaceX capsules in private missions and is a business associate of Elon Musk. If confirmed, he would succeed Bill Nelson and become NASA's 15th administrator.

A study commissioned by the ESA shows that the technical implementation of 5G communication via satellite is cost-effective. A few steps still need to be taken, however.

The space simulation game Star Citizen is free to play for a limited time. Players can try out over 150 ships and other intergalactic vehicles from November 22 to December 5 without needing to purchase the title.

The sixth test flight of the Starship prototype was almost flawless, only the booster failed to be captured as planned. Donald Trump travelled to Texas in person to witness the spectacular launch of the SpaceX rocket.

The world's first wooden satellite, LignoSat, has been launched on the 31st SpaceX ISS resupply rocket. Wood can reduce the amount of metal particles left in the atmosphere during satellite reentry. The CubeSat was created by a team of researchers and students at Kyoto University in collaboration with Sumitomo Forestry.

Diamond dust could be the ultimate shield against global warming, outperforming other materials in reflecting sunlight and avoiding acid rain. But with a $200 trillion price tag through 2100, this ambitious geoengineering solution might be too expensive to implement.

The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) started this week with a launch that placed into orbit three satellites. The purpose of the Tianping-3A (01), B (01), and B (02) satellites is to calibrate ground radar equipment and take radar cross-section measurements, according to Chinese media.

With the LunaRecycle Challenge, NASA is offering independent inventors the chance to make a major contribution to space exploration and win attractive prize money at the same time. The aim is to find an energy-efficient, lightweight and sustainable technology that converts waste on the moon into usable products.

FCC filings reveal SpaceX's plans to make subtle but highly impacting changes to the Starlink Network. If the FCC approves the request and other network providers do not block it, these changes could result in a jump in network performance and download speeds.

NASA's Europa Clipper mission, now rescheduled due to Hurricane Milton, is set to launch on October 14, 2024, at 12:06 p.m. EDT aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The mission will explore Jupiter’s moon, Europa, with a goal to uncover potential conditions for life.

NASA’s Crew-8 mission will conclude with the SpaceX Crew Dragon's splashdown on October 14. NASA will provide live coverage of the undocking and return, with splashdown scheduled for 3:38 p.m. EDT. Viewers can watch the full journey in real-time on NASA+.

Astronomers have released the most detailed infrared map of the Milky Way ever, featuring over 1.5 billion objects. The data, collected over 13 years using ESO's VISTA telescope, reveals previously hidden stars, globular clusters, and brown dwarfs.

The revenues generated from Starlink satellite Internet subscriptions are the main source of financing all SpaceX endeavors, including sending a test mission to Mars in 2026.

A fast and super-energetic radio burst that traveled 8 billion years through space, FRB 20220610A, was detected by astronomers. It could eventually aid us in discovering the universe's missing matter.

SpaceX has developed the Extravehicular Activity (EVA) space suit with its mission to Mars in mind, and it just underwent the first successful spacewalking test.

SpaceX is planning to do its maiden Starship voyage to Mars in the next available 2026 window. It will be used to gauge the viability of sending the first flight with a crew in four years time.

Astronaut Butch Wilmore reported unexplained sonar-like pulsing noises from the Starliner spacecraft, docked to the ISS. NASA is investigating the cause, which is likely nothing too serious. The incident follows other challenges with Starliner, which is set to return autonomously to Earth on September 6, without its original crew.

NASA's recent rocket launch confirmed the existence of a global electric field around Earth, a key factor in space weather and atmospheric dynamics. This field, driven by the interaction between solar wind and Earth's magnetosphere, affects radio comms, GPS, and satellite operations.

NASA's DART mission has successfully altered Dimorphos' orbit, revealing unexpected shape changes. These findings will be critical for future planetary defense. The ESA's Hera mission, scheduled to be launched in October 2024, will provide further insights when it reaches the Didymos and Dimorphus binary asteroid system in 2026.

Although NASA intends to discontinue the VIPER program, the agency is now reaching out to American companies and institutions that are willing to use the moon rover to conduct a mission with minimal or no expense for the US government. Interested parties can apply until September 2nd, 11:59 p.m. EDT.

This almost doubles the number of asteroids in our planetary system that have a companion, i.e. a moon. This discovery was only possible thanks to GAIA's extremely precise instruments.

On July 3, Starlink successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 13 Direct to Cell satellites and 7 regular satellites. The project that started out on January 2 with the launch of the first six DtC-enabled satellites is set to be completed some time in 2025. This is when regular 4G LTE smartphones will finally be able to connect directly to Elon Musk's satellites for texts, calls and data.

It's as big as the original, clicks like the original, but comes from outer space. To create a base on the moon, the ESA is copying the principle of the toy manufacturer that is also involved.

NASA will pay SpaceX $843 million to demolish the ageing space station when it reaches the end of its operational life. The current plan is to bring the ISS down over the Pacific Ocean. Plans to salvage parts of the ISS for other projects have been met with concerns over ownership and legality.

It is invisible, cannot be measured in any other way, but is supposed to explain the creation and existence of the universe. A "trap" for dark matter and energy is now being constructed.

There are many reasons for ice ages: The earth's tilt, volcanoes, the CO2 concentration could be the cause. Or a mysterious bubble in space that could have had a significant effect.

With a peak level at 7:08 a.m. ET, yesterday's solar flare that got spotted by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory was labeled X1.5. On the first day of this month, NASA's solar research satellite spotted two other strong solar flares. Their intensities were slightly lower, peaking at X1.4.

Japanese billionaire Yusaka Maezawa has cancelled his planned moon trip on board a SpaceX Starship, blaming persistent delays in the rocket's development which he did not anticipate. Originally announced in 2018 with an expected launch date in 2023, the 'dearMoon' project faced indefinite postponement last November.

Unistellar, known for its smart telescopes, will soon be launching the Envision, a pair of AR-infused smart binoculars that overlay contextual information like paths and landmarks over a landscape, or constellations and planets in the night sky, even guiding the viewer’s eye towards nearby points of interest. The Envision will be launched on Kickstarter for a limited introductory price of $599.

President Biden has raised US import tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, batteries, solar cells, medical supplies, semiconductors, port cranes, minerals, steel, and aluminum. The tariffs are in response to unfair Chinese trade practices as well as technology transfers that threaten US supply chains. Americans depending on syringes, face masks, and medical gloves will be hit by 25-50% tariff increases.

Huge solar flares from the peak year of Solar Cycle 25 have disrupted GPS services while threatening Starlink satellites, flights, power grids, and more. Solar flares are enormous bursts of energy from the sun crash into the magnetosphere protecting the earth. Most of the energy is diverted, some become beautiful auroras, and the remaining carry the potential to knock out critical infrastructure.

It's not a mini nuclear power plant, but the research for a new energy source presented by NASA has a lot to offer. With a permanent output that is sufficient for large systems, new destinations in the solar system are within reach.

SpaceX just unveiled its new space suit for Extravehicular Activity that could be scaled up for Moon and Mars missions.