UARX Space ’s Post

"With the placement of satellites into orbit, Ariane 6 has demonstrated that it can successfully launch its payloads into space, but ground control has more in store for its inaugural flight. Over the next hour, Ariane 6's upper stage will show again that it can restart its Vinci engine using the novel auxiliary propulsion unit. This restart capability will allow Ariane 6 to drop off multiple passengers into different orbits on future flights and deorbit itself through Earth’s atmosphere at the end of its mission, to ensure it does not become space debris." https://lnkd.in/e7TGC5g6

It's about high time for #Europe and ARIANESPACE to regain access to space - but will it be enough and - especially - competitive? #Ariane6 is finally getting ready for its maiden flight, currently scheduled for July 9, and it better be a successful one as the company has already an order book with 30 launches, 18 of them for Amazon's #Kuiper constellation. Its predecessor, the Ariane 5, exploded on its maiden flight, so let's try to avoid that this time please. Interesting to note that Ariane 6 not being reusable (like SpaceX's Falcon and Starship) was a deliberate design choice as the European "launch needs are so low that it wouldn’t make sense economically". This may change in the future of course, and they're working on the next generation Themis demonstrator of a reusable main stage. #spaceexploration European Space Agency - ESA 21

After the much awaited launch of ARIANESPACE's #ariane6 earlier this week which finally re-opens #Europe's access to space, there was a bit of worry on the upper stage malfunction which caused 2 payloads not to be deployed correctly. Now ArianeGroup assures consumers that there will be no impact on subsequent launch plans, even though it is not perfectly clear yet what caused the malfunction of the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) which was supposed to re-start the rocket Vinci engine of the upper stage while in orbit to initiate de-orbit and controlled burnup of the upper stage (during which the 2 payloads which were re-entry capsules would have been deployed). So the problem that occurred does not affect the launcher's ability to deploy payloads into orbit but about avoiding more #spacedebris. #spaceflight #spaceexploration 07 https://lnkd.in/e8cvn2Wm

According to SpaceNews, Redwire unveiled its SabreSat earlier this year, a dart-shaped spacecraft optimized for operating at altitudes below 350 kilometers. Those altitudes require a more aerodynamic design to minimize atmospheric drag as well as electric propulsion to maintain its orbit [see also the GOCE project from the European Space Agency]. The company sees advantages to operating spacecraft in VLEO, from improved sensor resolution to reduced hazards from orbital debris. Redwire is designing SabreSat for government intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. SabreSat benefits from expertise in Redwire’s European arm. The former QinetiQ Space, acquired by Redwire in 2022, is working with Thales Alenia Space on SkimSat, a VLEO platform for Earth-observation applications funded by the European Space Agency. SkimSat and SabreSat rely on electric propulsion to compensate for drag in VLEO. In addition to standard electric thrusters, Redwire is offering customers an air-breathing option for SabreSat. “Depending on the duration of the mission, we have the ability to scoop atomic oxygen and nitrogen to utilize in our electric thrusters,” the company said. https://lnkd.in/ewmkgbFb

European Space Agency - ESA awarded Liftero a contract for propulsion development. 🔥 As the prime contractor under the ARTES programme, we're teaming up with OHB Sweden to develop a solution for large, next-generation navigation and telecommunication satellites! 🛰️ Want to know more? Check out our blog (link in comment) 👇 #newspace #space #spacebusiness #spacetechnologies

Europe is set to regain independent access to space tomorrow, July 9, when the long-awaited Ariane 6 rocket lifts off for the first time. The heavy-lift satellite launcher — commissioned by the European Space Agency (ESA) and made by ArianeGroup — was supposed to replace its predecessor, Ariane 5, right after its retirement a year ago. But a series of delays in developing Ariane 6, problems with the Vega-C small-lift launcher, and the loss of access to Russia’s Soyuz rockets following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, left Europe with no launch system of its own. As a result, for the…This story continues at The Next Web

Europe is set to regain independent access to space tomorrow, July 9, when the long-awaited Ariane 6 rocket lifts off for the first time. The heavy-lift satellite launcher — commissioned by the European Space Agency (ESA) and made by ArianeGroup — was supposed to replace its predecessor, Ariane 5, right after its retirement a year ago. But a series of delays in developing Ariane 6, problems with the Vega-C small-lift launcher, and the loss of access to Russia’s Soyuz rockets following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, left Europe with no launch system of its own. As a result, for the…This story continues at The Next Web

ʜᴇʀᴀ’ꜱ ᴄᴜʙᴇꜱᴀᴛ ᴅᴇᴘʟᴏʏᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴘʀᴏᴄᴇꜱꜱ To watch this new European Space Agency - ESA Hera video about our spacecraft's cubsats, named #Milani and #Juventas, just follow the below ⇓ image. To read more about it, use this link: https://lnkd.in/d2NdYD7f. #dart #hera #aida #planetarydefence #planetarydefense #asteroid #impact #deflection #assessment #dontlookup 😵 #lookup 😎 ...and for space gears heads here: https://lnkd.in/dauKtayW.

In April 2007, DARPA demonstrated the ability to refuel a satellite in orbit — equipping a spacecraft with a robotic arm, docking it to another spacecraft and transferring nearly 32 pounds of hydrazine into its fuel tank. It is interesting that the program was stopped just several months after the first flight. But now, it seems that program is re-powered. Beyond refueling, the Space Force is also interested in other technologies that can provide satellites with additional propulsion, including jetpacks that can attach to satellites with depleted fuel tanks. I think "different interesting topics" will be talked about more in the coming years. https://lnkd.in/gtTmJ2sp