All articles tagged with #space development
Rocket Lab's stock surged nearly 18% after securing a potential $1 billion contract with the US Space Development Agency to develop and produce advanced satellites for missile warning and defense, marking its largest single deal to date.
The U.S. Space Force's Space Development Agency awarded about $3.5 billion to four companies to build 72 missile warning and tracking satellites for the third generation of its low Earth orbit constellation, enhancing global missile defense capabilities with launches starting in 2029.
The &Space Project has created a unique set of hi-fi speakers called Debris, made from recycled test fuel tanks from commercial rockets, highlighting innovative upcycling in space technology.
NASA-supported commercial space station Starlab has achieved five key development milestones, including design reviews and mockup construction, as it advances toward supporting human life and scientific research in low Earth orbit, with plans for further detailed design and hardware development.
SpaceX's Starship rockets are experiencing frequent failures during testing, which is not unusual for new, complex space technology, but the rapid, iterative approach differs from traditional development methods. While these failures are part of the process to develop a reusable rocket capable of Mars missions, experts believe that crewed missions to Mars are unlikely before 2028, with large-scale human settlements still decades away.
Japan's Space One suffered a setback as its Kairos rocket carrying a mock-up satellite exploded just seconds after liftoff, failing to become the country's first private firm to put a satellite into orbit. The incident occurred at a new space facility in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, with the rocket exploding in midair and its remains falling onto a nearby mountainous area. No injuries were reported, and firefighters managed to extinguish a large fire caused by the explosion.
South Korea successfully launched a commercial-grade satellite for the first time, which will assist its efforts to develop a space-based surveillance system. Meanwhile, North Korea is pushing to place its first military spy satellite into orbit. The two Koreas, technically in a state of war, have no military reconnaissance satellites of their own and both are eager to possess them. The launch boosted South Korea’s hopes of catching up with Asian neighbors such as China, Japan and India in a regional space race.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered officials to prepare for the launch of the country's first military reconnaissance satellite, according to state media KCNA. Despite the claims, recent satellite images of the country's space launch center show no signs of an imminent launch. Kim stressed the role of military satellites in protecting national safety and territorial stability amid escalating military threats and challenges by the US and South Korea.