Science

TAMPA, Fla. — SpaceX launched EchoStar’s more than nine metric ton Jupiter-3 spacecraft July 28 and successfully dropped off the world’s heaviest commercial communications satellite in geosynchronous transfer orbit. The Maxar Technologies-built satellite lifted off on a dedicated Falcon Heavy at 11:04 p.m. Eastern from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, separating from the rocket about three

Time’s arrow: Researchers in Germany and the Netherlands have explored the relationship between thermodynamics (represented by the smashing glass) and quantum mechanics in a photonic quantum processor. (Courtesy: Florian Sterl/Sterltech Optics) Physicists in the Netherlands and Germany have shown that the theories of thermodynamics and quantum mechanics are both valid ways of describing the behaviour

WASHINGTON — Sierra Space won an Air Force contract to continue development of an engine that could be used in the upper stage of future launch vehicles. Colorado-based Sierra Space received a $22.6 million contract from the Air Force Test Center July 25 to mature the design of its VR35K-A engine. The contract will allow

WASHINGTON — Argentina signed the U.S.-led Artemis Accords outlining best practices for space exploration, part of a recent surge of countries joining the agreement. Daniel Filmus, Argentina’s minister for science, technology and innovation, signed the Artemis Accords in a ceremony July 27 at Casa Rosada, Argentina’s presidential office in Buenos Aires. Argentine President Alberto Fernández

Beamline innovation Vivek Maradia (left), Serena Psoroulas (right) and colleagues at PSI are developing a way to achieve higher doses and shorter treatment times for cancer patients undergoing proton therapy. (Courtesy: Paul Scherrer Institute/Markus Fischer) At the beginning of 2023 there were 89 proton therapy clinics worldwide (according to the Particle Therapy Co-Operative Group). Proton

WASHINGTON — The next competition for a NASA line of planetary science missions could suffer a multi-year delay because of constrained budgets, an agency official said July 27. NASA has planned to release the announcement of opportunity, or AO, for the fifth New Frontiers mission in November, after releasing a draft version for public comment

WASHINGTON — Kleos Space, a Luxembourg based startup that operates signals-intelligence satellites, has run out of cash and will file for bankruptcy. The company’s financier on July 25 informed Kleos Space that it will no longer extend additional credit, a spokesman for Kleos Space, Lou Weis, said July 26 in a statement to SpaceNews.  Kleos

Turbulent ball: William Irvine, Takumi Matsuzawa and colleagues have used this apparatus to track turbulence with lasers and high-speed cameras. (Courtesy: Takumi Matsuzawa) Researchers in the US have isolated a ball of turbulence inside a tank of water and sustained it by firing vortex rings from the corners of the tank. William Irvine and colleagues

WASHINGTON — L3Harris told investors July 26 that federal regulators will not challenge the company’s acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne, clearing the way for the deal to close as early as July 28. “We were advised today that the Federal Trade Commission will not block our acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne; therefore, we are moving forward to

TAMPA, Fla. — A Spire Global-led group has won European Space Agency funds to develop a satellite to demonstrate a civil aviation tracking constellation that would not rely on GPS, or any other global navigation satellite system (GNSS) vulnerable to interference. Most commercial aircraft must have an Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) transmitter that periodically sends

The meta-optical fibre endoscope A meta-optic is optimized for integration with a coherent fibre bundle. The new device achieves a reduced tip length while maintaining a wide field-of-view of 22.5° and a large depth-of-field exceeding 30 mm. (Courtesy: J E Fröch, L Huang, Q A A Tanguy, S Colburn, A Zhan, A Ravagli, E J

WASHINGTON — A bill intended to reform satellite spectrum licensing regulations failed to pass the House July 25 after some members objected to provisions they claimed gave the Federal Communications Commission authority to regulate space safety. The House debated H.R. 1338, the Satellite and Telecommunications Streamlining Act, under suspension of the rules, a procedure that

WASHINGTON — A startup that launched its first mission to test space manufacturing technologies last month is waiting on a Federal Aviation Administration license to be able to bring what it produced back to Earth. Varda Space Industries launched its first spacecraft, called W-Series 1, on the SpaceX Transporter-8 rideshare mission June 12, to test

Wonder mould: The BioKnit prototype. (Courtesy: The Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment) Most people strive to keep fungus out of their homes. Now, however, two groups of materials researchers are exploring ways to weave it into the very fabric of buildings. The first group, led by textile scientist Jane Scott at Newcastle University

WASHINGTON — In-space transportation services startup Impulse Space announced July 24 it has closed a $45 million iSeries A funding led by RTX Ventures, the venture capital arm of Raytheon Technologies.  Impulse Space is led by rocket engine designer Tom Mueller, a founding employee of SpaceX. The startup develops orbital transportation vehicles. “With the support

SAN FRANCISCO – German thermal satellite data startup constellr raised 17 million euros ($18.93) in seed funding. Karista led the round. Participants included Einstein Industries Ventures, FTTF, Lakestar, Vsquared, Amathaon Capital, Natural Ventures, OHB Ventures and EIT Food. With the latest funding, announced July 20, constellr plans to accelerate deployment of its shoebox-size thermal imagery

Vital cell tracking in a breast tumour explant (a) Yellow lines show the tracks of cell nuclei movement over 150 min; an unjammed region of cell motion is seen in the lower middle of the sample, surrounded by jammed cells. (b) Cell nuclei colour-coded for aspect ratio (AR), with red indicating elongated (high AR) cells

WASHINGTON — In a summer of extreme weather events, NASA is emphasizing its role in studying the climate, efforts that face both fiscal headwinds and partisan divides. In a July 20 media briefing, NASA leadership highlighted the agency’s work in studying the climate and addressing climate change, efforts that range from Earth science missions to