A 'mechanic' satellite designed to refuel and repair a partner in space is set to launch on Thursday. The feats would be the first of their kind and will lay the groundwork for future autonomous robotic missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.
Just over a month after a Chinese satellite was intentionally smashed into bits in a test of anti-satellite technology, a Russian rocket body exploded accidentally, littering the skies with more than 1000 additional pieces of space junk. The amount of space debris created is roughly on par with that released during China's test, which was considered the worst space debris event in the history of space launches. And experts say the debris is likely to stay in orbit for a long time, creating a danger to other spacecraft.
Spacecraft could one day be propelled by ion beams shooting up from the Moon, according to a recent concept study.
A new study warns that humans might not survive travel on a space elevator thanks to the whopping dose of ionising radiation they would receive travelling through the core of the Van Allen radiation belts around Earth. These are two concentric rings of charged particles trapped by Earth's magnetic fields.
If the US does not protect its Earth-orbiting satellites, the equivalent of a car bomb in space could take the economy back to the 1950s, according to witnesses testifying in Washington DC earlier this week.
The US has officially notified the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency that NASA is preparing to launch New Horizons, its Pluto-bound mission carrying 10.9 kilograms of radioactive material. The notification is intended to warn other states of the possibility of a launch accident that could scatter plutonium in the atmosphere.
The US Air Force has successfully launched an XSS-11 micro-satellite that could lead to an autonomous robotic mechanic that fixes satellites in orbit. However, some critics charge that the real motive behind the technology is to demonstrate an anti-satellite weapons capability.
With the hundreds of satellites orbiting Earth, the terrorists responsible for the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon could have used data from American satellites in planning their moves. And not necessarily from defense or intelligence satellites, but through public information available to anyone who wants it and might have money.
NASA announced that they are planning on establishing a homestead on Mars where humans would live for at least 18 months.