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Europe to develop commercial space capsule

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The European Space Agency (ESA) is introducing a new competition to develop a robotic capsule for transporting cargo to and from the International Space Station, with the maiden voyage planned for 2028. This marks a significant departure from ESA’s conventional project management approach. The winning company will receive some financial support and technical assistance from ESA but must operate the capsule commercially. It will be responsible for partially funding the development and providing the re-supply service to ESA, which will act as the primary customer.

If successful, the company may be tasked with upgrading the capsule to transport ESA astronauts, and potentially, it could be adapted for missions to other destinations such as the Moon. A dedicated team within ESA has been allocated an initial budget of €75m to initiate the competition.

The concept was well received by ESA member states at a summit in Seville, Spain. This procurement model emulates the successful strategy employed by NASA, which transitioned to outsourcing space vehicle services to private companies, leading to the emergence of SpaceX. ESA hopes to replicate NASA’s access to faster, more innovative, and cost-effective space technologies.

Anna Christmann, a leading aerospace policy figure in the German government, emphasized the shift in ESA’s approach, stating that while public funding initiates such competitions, it attracts private investment. ESA member states have also committed to adopting this approach for long-term rocket procurement, as current European launchers are facing significant challenges.

The Seville summit also highlighted the role of satellites in aiding European nations’ net-zero goals, including using space data to optimize air travel routes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, ESA introduced the Zero Debris Charter to promote responsible practices in space operations. The UK is championing a new regulatory framework to incentivize responsible behavior and create a market for orbital debris removal services.

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Prada Chosen to Create NASA’s Next Lunar Space Suit

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Prada, the renowned luxury fashion brand, is collaborating with Axiom Space to design space suits for NASA’s 2025 Moon mission. Axiom Space announced this partnership, citing Prada’s expertise in materials and manufacturing as valuable contributions to the project. While Prada is known for its fashion prowess, its involvement in the America’s Cup sailing competition has also honed its skills with composite fabrics, making it a fitting choice for the task.

Despite their fashion credentials, Prada’s focus remains on the technical aspects of the space suits. Astronauts won’t be donning paisley or fancy patterns; instead, the primary goal is to ensure a stable thermal environment within the suits. These space suits, akin to miniature spacecraft, must provide pressure, oxygen, and temperature regulation to support astronauts during their lunar missions.

Axiom Space had previously unveiled a 55kg spacesuit designed to offer a better fit for female astronauts during the upcoming Artemis 3 mission. The collaboration between Artemis, Prada, and Axiom aims to incorporate innovative technologies and design to facilitate more extensive lunar exploration, marking a significant milestone as it will be the first crewed Moon landing since Apollo 17 in 1972 and the first time a female astronaut, Christina Koch, will set foot on the lunar surface.

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Blinding flash over Kyiv was probably meteor, says Ukraine space agency

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There was a mysterious flash in the sky over Ukraine’s capital on Wednesday night, which led to various speculations. Initially, officials in Kyiv thought it might be a Nasa satellite falling to Earth, but Nasa denied it was still in orbit. Ukrainian space officials later speculated that it might be a meteor entering the atmosphere.

The air force ruled out a Russian air attack. The incident occurred at around 10 pm local time, and an air raid alert was activated, but no air defense measures were taken. The head of Kyiv’s military administration suggested it might be caused by a retired Nasa spacecraft that was supposed to re-enter the atmosphere that day.

According to Nasa’s Office of Communications, the RHESSI satellite, which was launched in 2002 and decommissioned in 2018, was still in orbit at the time of the flash and was expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere later that night. Satellite-tracking website Satflare showed that RHESSI was not near Ukraine when the incident occurred.

Despite many theories and memes on social media, the Ukrainian air force spokesman and the country’s space agency suggested that the flash was probably caused by a cosmic body entering the atmosphere. Kyiv officials stated that the priority was the safety of the city, and it was for experts to determine the cause of the flash.

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Russia denies that cosmonauts wearing Ukrainian flags board the space station

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Three Russian cosmonauts allegedly boarded the International Space Station wearing Ukrainian flags as a possible statement against the war, according to Russia’s space agency.

The first arrivals were dressed in bright yellow suits with blue trimmings, as has been the case since Russia’s war began. They were greeted with hugs and greetings from their fellow American, Russian, and German crew members. The Roscosmos space agency stated, “Sometimes yellow is just yellow.”

The International Space Station (ISS) is a joint project involving Russia, the United States, Canada, Japan, and several European countries. It is led by a US-Russian partnership that has lasted two decades despite tensions between the two world powers fluctuating. After a three-hour flight from a Russian-owned facility in Kazakhstan, Russian cosmonauts Denis Matveyev, Oleg Artemyev, and Sergey Korsakov docked at the International Space Station.

A voice from Russia’s mission control said, “Congratulations on the successful docking.” Two sets of hatches were opened a few hours later, and the three smiling men in their yellow suits floated into the space station one by one. Before takeoff, at least one of the men was seen wearing the standard-issue Russian uniform, which is plain blue. Roscosmos and Nasa, the American space agency, both broadcast the event live.

People all over the world have used the colours of Ukraine’s national flag to show solidarity and support since the invasion. The reports were dismissed by Roscosmos’ press service as a “funny invention” by foreign bloggers and media.

“The new crew’s flight suits are designed in the colours of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University emblem, from which all three cosmonauts graduated… It’s insane to see the Ukrainian flag everywhere and in everything.”

Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Roscosmos, is a strong supporter of the invasion, and he claimed that the claims that the cosmonauts were wearing Ukrainian flags were made by Ukrainian nationalists.

Later, Roscosmos published another photo of Oleg Artemyev dressed in a clearly Russian suit.

The three Russians will embark on a six-month science mission aboard the International Space Station.

They will take the place of three current crew members who will return to Earth on March 30.

The colours are certainly trendy, but what is the real reason for wearing them? Is it a show of support for Ukraine or a show of opposition? After all, the suits have Russian flags on them.

Maybe neither point of view is correct.The colours are said to be a reflection of the fact that all three cosmonauts attended Bauman Moscow State Technical University, which has a similar colour scheme. The university has been touting the fact that it is a “Bauman crew.”

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NASA to launch DART mission mid-July next year

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In July, 2021, NASA will launch the Double Asteroid Redirection Test mission, the first full-scale demonstration of asteroid defection technology. The mission will target the smaller body in the binary asteroid system. It will demonstrate deflection technology that can be used to protect Earth from hazardous asteroids.

Asteroids are all around us at all times. We hear about the biggest and most dangerous ones on a regular basis, but at the moment we really don’t have any way to protect ourselves if one were to come speeding straight for Earth.

The acclaimed space research centre based in the North American country of the United States of America is one of the agencies working on ways to save us from a potentially disastrous collision. The DART mission will test the feasibility of pushing an asteroid off course by slamming a spacecraft directly into it.  

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Dragonfly mission of NASA to search for signals of life on Titan

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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has came up with the Dragonfly mission to search for the presence of life in Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. The mission is estimated to cost $1 billion.

NASA said that the Dragonfly mission will be launched in 2026 and will land in 2034. The rotorcrafts which will be sent by the Dragonfly drone will be flying to various locations across the icy moon, and this will be viewed by the scientists. Nasa said that there will be 8 rotors in this spacecraft.

Titan, the largest moon of Saturn and the second-largest natural satellite in the Solar System is the only moon known to have a dense atmosphere. Titan is thought to be a prebiotic environment rich in complex organic chemistry, with a possible subsurface liquid ocean serving as a biotic environment.

Since Titan has lakes of methane, the scientists doubts the presence of methane based lives there. No presence of water has been detected in Titan.

Titan

NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said, “Visiting this mysterious ocean world could revolutionize what we know about life in the universe”. About the Dragonfly mission, he said, “This cutting-edge mission would have been unthinkable even just a few years ago, but we’re now ready for Dragonfly’s amazing flight”.

WATCH THE VIDEO ON DRAGONFLY MISSION – BY NASA

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The First Person On Mars Is Likely To Be A Woman – Says NASA

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In an interview for a radio talk show, Jim Bridenstine, the Administrator of NASA said that the first person on Mars is likely to be a woman. Female astronauts are expected to mark history on space adventures soon! Bridenstine also said that the next American astronaut to set foot on moon will also be a woman.

No clues had been given regarding the name of the women. The exact dates for both these space ventures are also remaining unrevealed. The first all-woman spacewalk will be taking place later this month, revealed Bridenstine.

“These are great days. We have the first all-female spacewalk happening this month at the end of March, which is of course, National Women’s Month … So NASA is committed to making sure that we have a broad and diverse set of talent”. says Bridenstine.

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