spacecraft

Air Force-funded Ursa Major successfully tests ‘Draper’ engine built to power spacecraft of the future – The Debrief

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Draper Ursa major Test Fire

Colorado-based aerospace and defense contractor Ursa Major has announced the first successful “hot fire” test of its Draper liquid-fuel engine. Funded by the Air Force Research Labs (AFRL), Ursa Major debuted the 4,000-lb thrust closed-cycle engine in May 2023, with the ultimate goal of having a fully operational engine capable of operating in the atmosphere … Read more

Astroscale spacecraft continues inspection of upper stage

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TOKYO — An Astroscale spacecraft continues to inspect a Japanese upper stage in low-Earth orbit, demonstrating that it can be done safely. Astroscale announced on July 9 that its Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan (ADRAS-J) spacecraft performed a “fly around” maneuver, partially flying around the H-2A upper stage it had been inspecting for the past … Read more

In Pictures: NASA Unveils Spacecraft to Carry Four People to the Moon

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On Friday, June 28, 2024, technicians lifted NASA’s Orion spacecraft into space using a 30-ton crane. NASA/Radislav Sinyak This is the spacecraft that NASA will launch to the moon. For the first time since 1972, four astronauts will orbit Earth’s natural satellite. The Orion spacecraft, which will be used for the space agency’s Artemis 2 … Read more

NASA spacecraft captures volcanic plumes shooting into space

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When NASAThe Juno orbiter flew close by a Jupiter moonsaw a few volcanic plumes spewing material into the air roomsomething the robotic spacecraft had not previously captured. The plumes rise high above Jupiter’s planet Io. third largest moon. It is the most volcanically active world in our solar system, with astronomers believing hundreds of volcanoes … Read more

Marvel at the stunning images captured by spacecraft this year

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NASA’s Juno spacecraft flew just 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) above the volcanic world Io this year. The otherworldly vistas, including a look at the most powerful volcano known to man, did not disappoint. “They are truly stunning, stunning images,” Ashley Davies, a planetary scientist at the space agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, told Mashable. Other space … Read more

Falling space debris is a growing problem that will only get worse

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Earlier this year the The peace of a Florida neighborhood was disturbed when a piece of junk from the international space station crashed through a house. This was followed in May by a 90-pound piece of a SpaceX Dragon ship crashing into a camping resort in North Carolina, raising the question: are space agencies doing … Read more

What happens now for the stranded Boeing Starliner astronauts?

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Astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, the first crew of Boeing’s Starliner, are stranded on the ISS. What happens now? ADVERTISEMENT The two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) with no return date likely have “a big smile on their faces and are happy to be there,” said former French astronaut Jean-Francois Clervoy. … Read more

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft still has no landing date, NASA says

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A white space capsule seen through a window in space, above Earth.

NASA says Boeing’s Starliner will extend its first astronaut mission well into the summer after launching June 5 for what was supposed to be a 10-day flight. Starliner experienced both helium leaks and thruster problems during a docking with the International Space Station (ISS) on June 6. The spacecraft is stable and can leave the … Read more

Boeing’s new spacecraft is forced to extend its stay on the International Space Station

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The spacecraft has experienced numerous leaks and technical problems. NASA says it is using the extra time to evaluate whether it can safely return. LEILA FADEL, HOST: Earlier this month, two astronauts traveled to the International Space Station aboard a brand new Boeing spacecraft. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Five, four, three, two, one, … Read more

ISS astronauts seek shelter in Boeing Starliner and other return spacecraft after satellites disintegrate on June 26

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A white space capsule seen through a window in space, above Earth.

Nine astronauts on the space station briefly moved to their docked return spacecraft late Wednesday (June 26) when a satellite in low Earth orbit disintegrated. The crew of Expedition 71 of the International Space Station (ISS) took off to their three spacecraft, including Boeing Starliner, shortly after 9:00 PM EDT (02:00 GMT), according to a … Read more