University of Texas Races Towards the Kármán Line with its Liquid-Fueled Rocket
The University of Texas Rocket Engineering Lab is set to hot fire test its engine today as it ramps up to a Kármán Line launch attempt in 2024. UT is one of 20+ schools racing to be the first collegiate group to launch a liquid-fueled rocket to space. Although the Kármán Line has been achieved…
Relativity Developing New 3D Printing Tech for Terran-R
Relativity is adding two new 3D printing technologies to its repertoire to build the larger, heavy-lift Terran-R, CEO Tim Ellis told Payload. “Aeon R is a pretty giant engine. Not just thrust, but I think the size of it,” Ellis said. “So the two new printing technologies are necessary to start doing some hybrid additive…
Northrop Grumman, L3Harris, and Honeywell Release Q1 2023 Earnings
A slew of prime space companies announced Q1 earnings this week and overall performance was in the green. With increased defense spending and no end in sight for the conflict in Ukraine, companies saw an uptick in space and defense revenue. Northrop Grumman: Northrop’s space systems division saw the biggest year on year revenue increase…
Nelson ‘Fairly Confident’ In Lunar Surface Mission Timeline
Lawmakers quizzed NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on Thursday about what the space agency needs to keep the first crewed mission to the Moon’s surface on track for a 2025 launch date. In addition to Artemis, members of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee asked the former FL Democrat how the US could stay competitive…
Boeing Still in the Hole
Boeing reported a first quarter loss of $1.27 per share on Wednesday, marking the company’s seventh straight quarter in the red, though this quarter was better than last. Boeing attributed this to 737 MAX production issues, but still announced a plan to increase production from 31 to 38 planes per month. The company did see…
Astroscale Secures ~$44M in Two New Debt Rounds
Astroscale, a Japanese startup designing orbital debris removal and on-orbit servicing technology, announced two debt raises totaling about $44M this week to ensure it has cash on hand in today’s challenging economic conditions. On Tuesday, the company announced that it entered into a loan agreement for ¥3B (~$22M) with Mizuho Bank. Yesterday, Astroscale announced a…
US, South Korea Commit to Closer Cooperation in Orbit
VP Kamala Harris and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol visited Goddard Space Flight Center outside DC on Tuesday to get a firsthand look at the agency’s work to monitor and combat climate change. Hot mess: Harris, who chairs the National Space Council, and Yoon, who is in DC for a state visit, received briefings…
ispace HAKUTO-R Lander Likely Hard-Lands on the Moon
The Moon will have to wait a little longer for its first non-governmental visitor.
China Reveals Designs for a Fully-Reusable Rocket
China unveiled plans for a fully-reusable Long March 9 rocket configuration Sunday at its 2023 Space Day ceremony in Hefei, China. The CNSA aims to begin testing the vehicle, which looks a lot like Starship, by the late 2030s. The fully reusable configuration is noteworthy given China has still yet to nail a partially reusable…
Low-cost Star Sensor Could Help Cubesats Find Their Way
Cubesats may soon be able to find their way in space at a lower cost thanks to a new star sensor developed by Indian researchers, which launched to space on Saturday. Starberry-Sense hopes to help small satellites determine their orientation in space in relation to surrounding stars for just 10 percent of the cost of…
Officials Talk In-Space Resources in Luxembourg
Government officials, industry employees, and researchers working toward a mining economy in space gathered last week in Luxembourg to discuss what lessons space miners could learn from their Earth-bound counterparts—and who should oversee the nascent industry in orbit. The annual Luxembourg Space Resources Week is organized by the European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC), which…
Starship Lifts Off in Historic Launch, Clearing Max Q Before Exploding Midair
SpaceX’s Starship made history yesterday with its first-ever orbital launch attempt that notched a lot of successes and one very fiery failure. With tens of thousands of launch enthusiasts watching from South Texas and millions more tuning in virtually worldwide, the rocket cleared the pad, reached Max Q, and soared to an altitude of 39…
