The long-awaited announcement regarding the launch of the inaugural orbital solar power plant was made during the International Conference on Space Energy, held from 17 to 19 April 2024 in London. The Space-based solar power (SBSP) initiative is part of Japan’s OHISAMA program, slated to commence in 2025. The demonstration mission plans to launch into orbit a small satellite capable of generating 1 kW/hour of energy, which will then be transmitted back to Earth via microwave beams to a designated receiving antenna. Orbital Today delved into the potential benefits and drawbacks of harnessing el ..read more

New research published in the journal Nature Astronomy proposes that a ‘quasi-moon’ orbiting Earth called Kamo’oalewa formed from one of the Moon’s craters. Moreover, this happened relatively recently in terms of the solar system’s history.   Until now, the origin of Kamo’oalewa, discovered in 2016, has been an unsolved mystery. To reconstruct its origin, scientists analysed all available data on this object and the lunar surface, beginning with the impact that formed the Giordano Bruno crater. What Is Earth’s ‘Quasi-Moon’ Kamo’oalewa? Earth’s ‘Quasi-Moon’ Kamo’oalewa, officially kno ..read more

Recent findings from the International Space Station (ISS) reveal mutated strains of drug-resistant bacteria – scientists suggest that bacteria in space become more resistant to treatment or drugs. A New Study That Changed Everything Credit: NASA In a recent study backed by an Ames Space Biology grant, Dr. Kasthuri Venkateswaran from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory examined strains of Enterobacter bugandensis bacteria collected from the ISS. These bacteria, known for their resistance to multiple drugs, were isolated in thirteen strains from the ISS. What the study found was intriguing: under ..read more

Since the launch of its broad-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has been interfering with GPS positioning signals at an increasing rate. UK aviation companies report that the interference has taken the form of spoofing signals as well as outright jamming. Thousands of flights to and from the UK have been affected. The Sun published an expose on this issue on 21st April. Where Russia is affecting GPS signals The Sun worked with gpsjam.org to correlate flights with known instances of GPS signals affected. Gpsjam.org could not definitively state that every incident was caused by Russian j ..read more

Have you ever marvelled at the majesty of a solar eclipse or the raw power of a volcanic eruption from space? Once reserved for the fortunate few, these extraordinary moments are now brought to life for all to behold through breathtaking 4K satellite footage! All of that is thanks to the pioneering work of a UK company called SEN. Bringing Space Down to Earth SEN is on a mission to make videos of our planet universally accessible and useful. By utilising micro-satellites and hosted cameras, they stream near real-time videos and information about Earth directly to people, empowering space commu ..read more

Indian Air Force Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari says that India is at an inflection point in its space efforts. Commercial efforts are democratizing space. However, there are new challenges. In a prepared video played at Indian DefSpace Symposium 2024 in New Dehli on 18th April, ACM Chaudhari declared that: Traditional boundaries of the land, sea, air, cyber and space domains are increasingly becoming ‘blurred’, bringing about a ‘paradigm shift’ in war fighting. Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari Honored to have Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari PVSM, ACSM, VM, ADC, Chief of the Air Staff, Ind ..read more

Rocket Lab has finally decided on a new launch window for its 27th Electron launch and its “Beginning Of The Swarm” mission. Electron’s flights into orbit, which began on 25 May 2017, became a multi-year demonstration and period of continuous improvement of the rocket towards Rocket Lab’s main goal — creating an affordable, partially reusable, small-class rocket with a returnable first stage. Today, the American rocket company claims it is as close as possible to this strategic purpose.  How to Watch Electron’s “Beginning Of The Swarm” Mission Launch? The next rocket launch, which is also ..read more

London-based SatVu is commemorating ‘the power of collective action’ that embodies Earth Day. New imagery from SatVu’s HotSat-1 shows in unparalleled detail how Earth Observation satellite imagery can help others make changes in their own neighbourhoods. HotSat-1 offers a unique vision of the planet and here are some examples of what thermal imaging from space can do for us. Urban heat islands Using imagery from HotSat-1, SatVu shows how urban areas in Fresno, California, differ. This image shows how from their surroundings, and in this case the older Fig Gardens area and its surroundings. By ..read more

Probably, each of us has heard about Mercury retrograde, because astrologers so often scare, predicting impending trouble. But did you know that retrograde motion is a very routine event, typical for all solar system planets, and it has a logical scientific explanation?  Here you will find answers to the questions: What does retrograde mean? What planets are in retrograde in 2024? And why exactly does Mercury always take the rap for everyone? What Does It Mean When A Planet Is In Retrograde? Planets moving in retrograde are an astronomical phenomenon when they appear to be moving against ..read more

In a fresh selection of the best astrophotos of the past week, immerse yourself in the wonders of space and Earth with us! Each best astrophoto is the result of the efforts of talented amateur photographers on social media, so we congratulate them on their skill and enjoy their work! Among them, you will find the iconic Milky Way from different corners of the Earth, an incredible Moon halo, an impressive shot of the last flight of the superheavy rocket Delta, and much more. Milky Way Over the North California Coast Credit: Abhijit C Patil The photographer shared his story of get out to make th ..read more