space debris
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‘Too Close for Comfort’: Two Satellites Nearly Collide Above Earth
In a tense moment for space safety, two satellites—NASA’s TIMED spacecraft and the defunct Russian Cosmos 2221—came alarmingly close to smashing into each other above Earth, prompting concerns about the risks of space debris. The near miss happened Wednesday arvo as the two satellites brushed past each other some 378 miles (608 kilometers) above Earth,…
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US Space Force Purchases $25 Million ‘Fuel Truck’ for Satellites
Zipping far above Earth, it’s not exactly easy for satellites to find a corner gas station when the fuel gauge gets low. To tackle this cosmic conundrum, a Space Force-funded initiative is working on an innovative solution to refuel distant satellites on-the-fly. On Wednesday, Space Force awarded Astroscale a $US25.5 million contract to design and…
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Amazon’s Space Venture Hits Milestone as Kuiper Satellites Successfully Navigate Orbit
Amazon’s space venture, Project Kuiper, is making good progress, with a pair of prototype satellites executing controlled maneuvers in low Earth orbit. The ongoing Protomission, as it’s called, sets the stage for the company to further develop its internet satellite constellation, one that could eventually compete with SpaceX’s Starlink. The test mission for Project Kuiper…
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Blue Origin Announces Next-Gen Space Tug for In-Space Deliveries
Blue Origin revealed plans for a new spacecraft platform with the potential to reshape in-space logistics, offering unprecedented maneuverability and a host of advanced capabilities. In an effort to expand its presence and capabilities in space, Blue Origin announced on Monday that it’s developing Blue Ring—an advanced spacecraft platform designed for orbital logistics and delivery,…