Author Archives: Astrobitica

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 551 rocket stands at Space Launch Complex 41 ahead of launching Viasat’s ViaSat-3 Flight 2 satellite to a geosynchronous transfer orbit. Image: Adam Bernstein / Spaceflight Now United Launch Alliance is preparing to launch an Atlas 5 rocket Thursday night, which will carry a communications satellite for California-based communications company, Viasat. The launch comes a week after the mission was scrubbed due to a faulty liquid oxygen tank vent Continue ReadingLive coverage: ULA to launch ViaSat-3 following valve replacement on Atlas 5 rocket→

A new study argues that the Universe is decelerating, based on a correlation between the brightness of Type-Ia supernovae and the age of their host galaxies.

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket that will launch NASA’s ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration Dynamics Explorers) mission along with a technology demonstration from Viasat. Image: Blue Origin Blue Origin is stepping back up to the plate and will take another crack at launching its 98-meter-tall (321 ft) rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Thursday, Nov. 13. A confluence of poor weather, an errant cruise ship in the keep out zone and a ground Continue ReadingLive coverage: Blue Origin to launch NASA’s ESCAPADE following scrubs from clouds, space weather→

Tracking time is one of those things that seems easy, until you really start to get into the details of what time actually is. We define a second as 9,192,631,770 oscillations of a cesium atom. However, according to Einstein’s theory of general relativity, mass slows down these oscillations, making time appear to move more slowly for objects in large gravity wells. This distinction becomes critical as we start considering how to keep track of time between two separate gravity wells of varying strengths, such as on the Earth and the Moon. A new paper by Pascale Defraigne at the Royal Observatory of Belgium and her co-authors discusses some potential frameworks for solving that problem and settles on using the new Lunar Coordinate Time (TCL) suggested by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

The launch helped strengthen Europe’s ambitions in climate monitoring, disaster response and maritime security. Continue ReadingEurope’s Ariane 6 rocket blasts off | Space photo of the day for Nov. 13, 2025→

GOLDEN, CO — The surge in megasatellite constellations is creating problems beyond amplifying the Earth-circling space debris, according to new research. Reentering spacecraft and rocket stages may also be damaging Earth’s atmosphere, as well as increasing the risk of space waste hitting the Earth. New research posted to the preprint database ArXiv finds that “space […] The post ‘Uncontrolled experiment:’ Study links harmful atmospheric metals to spacecraft reentry appeared first on SpaceNews.

Lux Aeterna is attracting growing interest from across the U.S. government for heat shield technology designed to make satellites fully reusable, securing two partnership agreements since emerging from stealth in June. The post Lux Aeterna nets US government partnerships for reusable satellite technology appeared first on SpaceNews.

As the world prepares to return to the moon, much of the attention remains fixed on the visible frontier: the rockets, landers and orbital stations that will make it possible. Yet the success of this new era in exploration depends on something far less visible — the communications infrastructure that keeps those missions alive once […] The post Ground truth: Why the lunar program needs its Earthbound network appeared first on SpaceNews.

The 100AZ is our best telescope for beginners and kids, with a host of user-friendly features that make viewing the moon and planets a breeze. Now, with $106 off, it’s also a bargain telescope buy. Continue Reading“The Celestron Inspire 100AZ telescope has more to get excited about than many of its cut-price rivals” — it just hit the best price of the year in this early Black Friday deal→

Parts of Earth’s magnetic field work in reverse compared to what long-standing models predict, new research suggests. Continue ReadingScientists find a surprising twist in Earth’s magnetic field→

Relativity Space, a launch startup developing a reusable rocket, has expanded a contract to provide launches for satellite operator SES. The post SES expands launch contract with Relativity Space appeared first on SpaceNews.

Firefly Aerospace says contamination in a fluid line caused the loss in September of an Alpha first stage being tested for an upcoming launch. The post Firefly identifies cause of Alpha booster test failure appeared first on SpaceNews.

Brie Larson and Benny Safdie join the original vocal cast for this cosmic Super Mario Brothers sequel. Continue ReadingMario and Peach go planet-hopping in 1st trailer for ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ (video)→

China issued an airspace closure notice, suggesting preparations for a spacecraft landing days after a suspected debris strike delayed the planned return of Shenzhou-20. The post Airspace closure suggests China is preparing for a Shenzhou landing after debris impact scare appeared first on SpaceNews.

Scientists may have solved the mystery of an “impossible” merger between two black holes so massive and fast-spinning that they shouldn’t even exist, according to current theory. Continue ReadingScientists solve the mystery of ‘impossible’ merger of ‘forbidden’ black holes→

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida—The second flight of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket was postponed again Wednesday as a supercharged wave of magnetized plasma from the Sun enveloped the Earth, triggering colorful auroral displays and concerns over possible impacts to communications, navigation, and power grids. Solar storms like the one this week can also affect satellite operations. That is the worry that caused NASA to hold off on launching a pair of science probes from Cape Canaveral Continue ReadingAn explosion 92 million miles away just grounded Jeff Bezos’ New Glenn rocket→

ESA’s Euclid space telescope is revealing the patterns of galaxy evolution of millions of galaxies across cosmic time. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) are using this data to trace how galaxies grow, merge, and transform.