2+ hour, 4+ min ago (213+ words) The first launch is planned for 2026, beginning in Geostationary Transfer Orbit and then transitioning to Geostationary Orbit to conduct further operations. The Blue Ring system will simultaneously perform GEO tracking and custody and space object characterization, employing its maneuverability to allow high-resolution observation. OpTech's Caracal sensor offers in-orbit image storage, object detection algorithms, and passive thermal management. It is intended to operate in multiple orbital regimes over a mission duration of one year. The mission will also host Scout Space's Owl sensor along with Blue Origin-developed payloads to demonstrate Blue Ring's applicability to future GEO space domain awareness objectives. This activity continues OpTech's work for the U.S. Space Force's Tactically Responsive Space program, initiated by a 2024 contract to develop Caracal. Caracal is currently in hardware assembly, aiming for space vehicle integration in spring 2026. Its telescope and imaging systems for the VICTUS…...

2+ hour, 4+ min ago (484+ words) Aksoy, who joined UAlbany's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2017 and directs the Microwave Remote Sensing Laboratory, is leading the development of machine-learning algorithms for NOAA that can detect and remove radio frequency interference from its satellite measurements, improving the accuracy of weather forecasts and climate monitoring. Because this portion of the spectrum is finite, only so many users can operate on a specific frequency at a specific time. And because radio waves are foundational to wireless communications, which have experienced exponential growth in recent decades, a growing number of users are now competing for a limited number of radio frequencies. "There are plenty of interference sources, and they change from country to country and region to region because different countries may give different licenses to different users at different frequencies," Aksoy said. UAlbany's Mustafa Aksoy is leading the…...

2+ hour, 4+ min ago (607+ words) Projects selected for funding span a range of applications, from satellite refuelling and logistics to advanced 5G and optical communication systems. These initiatives are part of the UK's strategy to strengthen capabilities in satellite communications, positioning, navigation and timing, in-orbit servicing, space domain awareness, and the use of space data for Earth applications. The European satellite industry is projected to generate GBP 40 billion in revenue by 2033. The UK could secure up to GBP 800 million from just 2% of this market. Space Minister Liz Lloyd emphasized that "Space technology and especially satellites, are essential to our daily lives. From the sat nav in your car to your mobile phone, from weather forecasts to your online banking - space is where it all happens. By backing our UK sector, we're not only cementing our position as a European space leader - we're creating high-skilled jobs, attracting…...

2+ hour, 4+ min ago (783+ words) The flares triggered R3 (strong) radio blackouts across Africa and Europe, with several coronal mass ejections (CMEs) fueling a major geomagnetic storm and aurora at unusually low latitudes. The cluster of explosive events originated from a single active region on the Sun, AR4274. "It's somewhat unusual to see four X-class flares in just a few days from the same region," said Bin Chen, NJIT-CSTR professor of physics and director of the Expanded Owens Valley Solar Array (EOVSA). "An X1.7 flare on Nov. 9, an X1.2 on Nov. 10, an X5.1 on Nov. 11 and an X4.0 on Nov. 14 - that's a very productive stretch. What really stood out were the ripple effects right here on Earth." Though the flares occurred during nighttime in California - out of view of NJIT's Big Bear Solar Observatory - the center's radio telescopes at the Owens Valley site in the Eastern Sierra recorded the flares' aftermath…...

2+ hour, 4+ min ago (240+ words) Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 25, 2025 AST SpaceMobile has confirmed BlueBird 6, a U.S. licensed satellite, will launch on December 15 from Satish Dhawan Space Center in India. This satellite represents the company's first next-generation model, featuring a phased array spanning nearly 2,400 square feet, over triple the size of earlier BlueBird satellites and supporting ten times greater data capacity. Abel Avellan, Founder, Ch BlueBird 6 satellite set for December launch to expand direct mobile connectivity in space Abel Avellan, Founder, Chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile, stated, "Our next-generation satellites will soon enable ubiquitous cellular broadband coverage direct to everyday smartphones from space." He explained the company aims to advance U.S. leadership in space innovation while improving global connectivity. AST SpaceMobile is advancing its production system, targeting completion of components for 40 additional satellites by early 2026. The company has set a schedule for five orbital launches by…...

2+ hour, 4+ min ago (304+ words) The latest ACT measurements confirm the value of the Hubble constant - a critical parameter indicating the present rate of cosmic expansion - by observing distant cosmological epochs. This confirmed rate differs from estimates derived using nearby astronomical objects, reinforcing the ongoing "Hubble tension" and challenging the standard cosmological framework. ACT's expanded analyses decisively rule out many extended theoretical models proposed to address this tension. These independent tests, led by Erminia Calabrese of Cardiff University, demonstrate that about thirty alternative models do not fit the newly available data. Calabrese stated, "We assessed them completely independently. We weren't trying to knock them down, only to study them. And the result is clear: the new observations, at new scales and in polarization, have virtually removed the scope for this kind of exercise." The result is a streamlined theoretical landscape, directing future efforts toward new…...

2+ hour, 4+ min ago (229+ words) Paris, France (SPX) Nov 25, 2025 The ESA and JAXA BepiColombo mission is entering its final year of approach to Mercury, on track to reach orbit in November 2026 after launching in October 2018. The dual-spacecraft mission has already completed one flyby of Earth, two of Venus, and six of Mercury, collecting solar activity and magnetosphere data en route. Throughout its cruise, BepiColombo measured planetary magnetic envi BepiColombo nears Mercury orbital arrival after seven year journey Throughout its cruise, BepiColombo measured planetary magnetic environments, monitoring the Sun's influence on radio signals as well as Mercury's changing magnetic bubble. The mission has produced the first magnetic measurements from low over Mercury's southern hemisphere and reconstructed a magnetic field map. These are compared with data from the Earth flyby in 2020 and Venus in 2021. The spacecraft also sent back recordings that capture its passage past planets, including…...

2+ hour, 4+ min ago (186+ words) The HyMS payload will serve as a technology demonstrator, aiming to validate the function of a hyperspectral microwave sounder in a compact satellite platform. HyMS is designed to provide detailed temperature, humidity, and precipitation profiles by sensing atmospheric microwave signals with high spectral resolution. "HyMS is built to sense faint microwave emissions with fine spectral resolution in Earth's atmosphere, so accuracy and sensitivity of the radiometers are critical," said Mohammed Belal, Program Director, Microwave Technologies at Spire. "Our environmental and calibration campaign demonstrated strong radiometric stability and validated the instrument's performance ahead of launch. We're excited to see HyMS reach orbit and begin delivering new levels of atmospheric insight for the global forecasting community." Spire also developed all ground support systems, including calibration processes and a data processor for turning raw measurements into calibrated, geolocated, and bias-corrected atmospheric data products…...

2+ hour, 4+ min ago (473+ words) Thanks to high-resolution satellite images, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence (AI), utilities can now monitor thousands of square miles of infrastructure faster, cheaper, and with more precision than ever before. Southern Company owns the right-of-way for electrical transmission lines, although it does not own the property. The company must patrol these corridors to watch for issues, such as a landowner pouring a new slab for a structure or extending a parking lot into the right-of-way. Any encroachment could pose risks to power lines or create additional hazards in the event of a storm or heat wave. These corridors are usually inspected every few years. Rolling crews or using aircraft to examine the corridors is expensive and far too slow to catch early-stage construction. Using high-resolution satellite images, AI algorithms can detect anomalies right away. A change in the soil grade,…...

2+ hour, 4+ min ago (226+ words) The agency confirmed on Monday that the Long March 2F launch vehicle, which will carry Shenzhou XXII, has completed propellant injection. All members of the Shenzhou XXI crew remain in good health aboard the Tiangong space station. Officials released no further specifics on the immediate objectives for Shenzhou XXII. Zhou Yaqiang, representing the agency's general technical bureau, stated that the mission will deliver a full load of supplies, including equipment and provisions needed to support operations on Tiangong. Shenzhou XXII was initially planned to transport its assigned crew to the station in April 2026. However, since the Shenzhou XX astronauts returned to Earth using the Shenzhou XXI spacecraft, the newly prepared spacecraft now serves as a contingency vehicle for the station's crew. Inspections detected small cracks on the return capsule's viewport window of Shenzhou XX, which authorities attribute to a space debris impact....