A new occurrence in the nighttime celestial expanse has emerged. The researchers have already named this phenomenon “SpaceX auroras.” What are the SpaceX auroras? These objects exhibit a red hue and possess a roughly spherical shape. Usually, they can be observed without the aid of optical devices for up to 10 minutes. Stephen Hummel from the McDonald Observatory in Texas has documented 2 to 5 occurrences of these phenomena each month.  The initial lightning of these SpaceX de-orbit burns was recorded above the McDonald Observatory in February 2023. The last example was captured on ..read more

On 15 November, Volodymyr Levykin, the Chief Executive Officer of the private space company Skyrora, spoke at Web Summit 2023. His main focus was largely centred around exploring ways to reduce the impact of launching rockets on the climate. Utilizing Unrecyclable Plastic Waste for Sustainable Rocket Production In particular, Levykin emphasized the positive environmental impact of using unrecyclable plastic waste to produce rocket brake fill. He suggested that by utilizing this type of waste in rocket production, the pollution generated from rocket launches is reduced to the equivalent of just ..read more

US space agency, NASA, has found a solution to deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) costing upwards of $1 billion. That being, designing and constructing a towing vehicle that can safely deorbit ISS once it reaches the end of its lifespan, projected for 2030. NASA has reportedly requested the funds through their “FY 2024 Budget Request Agency Summary.”  In late September, NASA put out a call for a deorbiting device that could controllably remove ISS from space. The spacecraft has been labelled: ‘U.S. Deorbit Vehicle (USDV)’ and it will solely focus on bringing ISS back to Earth ..read more

A sample from asteroid Bennu has found its place at the Natural History Museum. Researchers there will subject the extraterrestrial grains to a comprehensive array of experiments and tests, aiming to significantly enhance our understanding of the formation of asteroids like Bennu, the materials they may harbor, and, fundamentally, whether they played a role in transporting the essential building blocks of life to Earth. Why Is This Sample Potentially So Exciting? To begin with, scientists predict that it is an undisturbed time capsule from the early solar system, offering significant clues abo ..read more

A cutting-edge scientific apparatus from Wales is poised to spearhead the quest for life on Mars as the decade draws to a close. Enfys, named after the Welsh word for “rainbow,” is an infrared spectrometer crafted at Aberystwyth University. It’s slated to be an integral component of the European Space Agency’s Rosalind Franklin rover, set for a launch toward the Red Planet in 2028. Enfys To Revolutionise Martian Exploration Enfys will integrate with the rover’s suite of camera systems, augmenting its capability to pinpoint rocks ripe for drilling and probing for traces of ancient biology. The ..read more

The Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund (SCIF) has awarded over £47 million in match funding for 12 projects, which will see almost £100 million in upcoming investments in total, enhancing the industry, creating jobs, and helping to build the UK’s space ecosystem.  Investment to supercharge space infrastructure across the UK The SCIF funding plans to build upon the support offered by the UK space agency, helping to create clusters of space travel capabilities and an environment for businesses to thrive and support the space industry in general. The SCIF is in place to help connect local ta ..read more

The European Space Agency’s Ariane 6 recently passed an extensive rehearsal to ensure preparation for its first-ever spaceflight. The ground teams undertook a full-fledged launch countdown, with the engine of the core stage fired for seven minutes to simulate a launch into orbit.  Ariane 6 Undergoes Successful Engine Fire Trial With Prototype Liquid Propulsion Module As intended, the recent rehearsal did not involve igniting the boosters, so the Ariane 6 rocket remained stationary on the launch pad at the Guiana Space Centre.  The Ariane 6 core stage’s firing process was simulated du ..read more

The Atlantic Constellation, which is being spearheaded by Spain and Portugal, may soon welcome a new member: the UK. During the UK Space Conference in Belfast, the UK Space Agency (UKSA) pledged to bolster British Earth Observation capabilities. That commitment being: to join the Atlantic Constellation via a UK-built Pathfinder satellite.  UKSA said in a statement: “[the Atlantic Constellation] complement[s] the UK’s contributions to the EU Copernicus programme, European Space Agency and bilateral missions.” To fund the development of the British satellite, UKSA has committed £3 million ..read more

In a recent report, we had highlighted the fact that the board of directors at Orbital Express Launch Ltd. were based mostly in Germany, including the recently departed CEO, Chris Larmour. And while the company does have an assembly building in Forres, most of its operations take place in Denmark. Begging the question of whether Scotland or the UK as a whole is really the biggest beneficiary of its own new space ambitions. Or whether the greatest beneficiaries are in mainland Europe. Orbital Express Launch (Orbex) are the exclusive launch operators and rocket manufacturer serving the Sutherlan ..read more

Gravity is a fundamental characteristic of planets and other celestial bodies that has a significant impact on life and physical phenomena. In the next decade, humanity is going to colonize the Moon, and after that, the Red Planet. In this article, we will explore gravity on Mars and its impact on humans. But first, let’s define the concept itself. What is gravity? Gravity (from the Latin gravis, “heavy”) is the universal fundamental interaction between material bodies with mass. In other words, any matter has a gravitational attraction that is proportional to its mass and distance to it. The ..read more