Table of contents
- 1. NASA Discovers New Volcano on Jupiter’s Moon Io
- 2. Voyager 1: Engine Switch for Communication from Interstellar Space
- 3. SpaceX Successfully Launches 21 Starlink Satellites and Lands Rocket
- 4. SpaceX Super Heavy Rocket Passes Wind Tunnel Testing
- 5. Next SpaceX Starship Flight Likely Delayed Until November
- 6. Boeing Starliner Astronauts Appear Publicly After Two Months
- 7. Japanese Company ispace to Launch Second Lunar Rover in December
- 8. Chinese Startup Landspace Successfully Tests Reusable Rocket
Recent news from the world of space research and technology is filled with fascinating discoveries and significant events. From new volcanoes on Io to spacecraft launches and tests, each event opens new horizons for exploring and understanding space.
Below are the latest updates on achievements, challenges, and developments from both emerging startups and key players in the space industry.
NASA Discovers New Volcano on Jupiter’s Moon Io
NASA, using the Juno spacecraft, has discovered a new active volcano on Jupiter’s moon Io by comparing new images with data from the Galileo mission of 1997.
Images from February 3, 2024, revealed significant volcanic formations and lava flows, indicating high volcanic activity on Io over the past 27 years.
The new data was presented at the Europlanet Science Congress in Berlin.
Voyager 1: Engine Switch for Communication from Interstellar Space
The Voyager 1 spacecraft, at the farthest distance from Earth and traveling through interstellar space, conducted a complex engine switch operation to maintain communication with Earth.
Problems with the orientation system required switching to backup engines since the main system had failed. Thanks to a new scheme, NASA engineers managed to repurpose the aging equipment, allowing Voyager 1 to realign its antenna towards Earth after a six-year hiatus.
They plan to operate until at least 2027.
SpaceX Successfully Launches 21 Starlink Satellites and Lands Rocket
SpaceX successfully launched 21 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on September 12. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 21:45 EDT (01:45 GMT September 13) and successfully deployed the satellites into orbit.
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 12, 2024
The rocket’s first stage landed on the “Of Course I Still Love You” platform in the Pacific Ocean eight minutes after launch. This booster completed its 18th flight, including 11 for previous Starlink launches.
There are now over 6,300 Starlink satellites in space.
SpaceX Super Heavy Rocket Passes Wind Tunnel Testing
A 1.2% scale model of SpaceX’s Super Heavy rocket successfully completed wind tunnel testing at NASA Ames Research Center. The tests, conducted in the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel, evaluated the rocket’s stability and aerodynamic characteristics at high speeds, ranging from Mach 0.7 to Mach 1.4.
The Super Heavy rocket, which will play a key role in future Artemis missions to the Moon, was tested with various configurations of grid fins to assess its performance during atmospheric reentry.
Next SpaceX Starship Flight Likely Delayed Until November
SpaceX is facing a prolonged delay for the next test flight of Starship. According to the FAA, the final license for Starship 5’s flight will not be issued until the end of November 2024. The delay is due to modifications made to the vehicle and a new environmental impact assessment requiring further review.
SpaceX is frustrated with the extended timeline, criticizing the FAA for excessive regulatory delays compared to the pace of technological development.
Boeing Starliner Astronauts Appear Publicly After Two Months
Astronauts from Boeing’s Starliner mission appeared publicly from space for the first time in two months on September 13, 2024, a week after their spacecraft returned to Earth without them.
NASA astronauts Batch Wilmore and Sunita Williams arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on June 6 after issues with the docking system. Due to identified faults, it was decided that the Starliner would return to Earth autonomously on September 6, while the astronauts continued their mission on the ISS.
Japanese Company ispace to Launch Second Lunar Rover in December
The company ispace is preparing to launch its second lunar rover. The mission includes the lander “Resilience” and the micro-rover “Tenacious,” scheduled for December 2024 using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The landing is planned in the Mare Frigoris region on the Moon. The “Resilience” lander will carry five scientific payloads, including equipment for water electrolysis and a module for food production experiments.
This mission will be the company’s second attempt at landing on the Moon after the failure of the first mission in April 2023.
Chinese Startup Landspace Successfully Tests Reusable Rocket
Chinese company Landspace successfully completed tests of its Zhuque-3 rocket, reaching an altitude of 10 km and successfully landing. The rocket launched from the Jiuquan base and returned 3.2 km from the launch site. A notable feature of the test was the shutdown and restart of the methane engine during flight.
Landspace views this test as a crucial step toward launching the Zhuque-3 rocket next year. This rocket will be capable of carrying 21 tons of payload to low Earth orbit and plans to begin reusing the first stages in 2026.
Next year, Chinese startup Deep Blue Aerospace will also conduct tests of its Nebula-1 rocket.
