Aerospace
4,422 news found
AerospaceXCOR gets FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) license to fly
Phoenix, USA – The launch license is for a technology test vehicle
Friday the 23rd, XCOR Aerospace company located in Mojave, California, announced it has received a Reusable Launch Vehicle mission license from the U.S. FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation. T... more
AerospaceISS (International Space Station) in troubles
Moscow, Russia – One gyro and half, of the four mounted, is still operating
A series of technical problems is troubling the ISS astronauts. After one of the four gyros (used to stabilize the station during orbital flight) failed during 6th expedition (25 Nov. 2002 to 3 May 2003),... more
AerospaceAll three Shuttles under processing
Cape Canaveral, Usa – Atlantis should be in preparation for supporting the flight to the International Space Station
At the moment all the three Space Shuttles are in their hangar where are passing important processing milestones. To the Discovery (OV-103), that seems to be the best candidate for the next space mission... more
AerospaceBeyond-Earth Enterprise launches its first rocket
Colorado Spring, USA - "It’s a success" but the rocket crashed
Beyond-Earth enterprise a small payload sub-orbital launch company announced its first successful launch. The LC rocket reached an altitude of approximately 6000 feet on 17 of April. Total burn time for... more
AerospaceNasa denies to extend space human missions
Moscow, Russia – FKA (Federal Space Agency of Russia) left in financial troubles
Nasa has rejected FKA request to extend the ISS expedition duration from six months to one year (see AVIONEWS article). Debra Rahn said that "The station is currently in a reduced operational state and… w... more
AerospaceJSAT Corporation awards Lockheed Martin contract for a new satellite
Newtown, USA – The launch is foreseen for 2006
Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract by Japanese company JSAT to build its next generation geostationary (fixed on the perpendicular of a given earth point) telecommunications satellite. The satellite... more
AerospaceThe Russian Spacecraft Soyuz TMA-4 has engaged the International Space Station
Washington, Usa – The 9th expedition crew has joined the 8th one in orbit from 5 months ago
Soyuz TMA-4 (see service AVIONEWS), the eight Russian spacecraft launched within ISS (International Space Station), has docked today at 5:01 GMT (Greeenwich Mean Time) at the Russian control module Zarya.... more
AerospaceMediterranean diet inside ISS ship’s galley
Baikonur, Kazakhstan – The spacecraft Soyuz brings supplies to the International Space Station
Among supplies and instruments for future researches, the ISS crew will receive tipical fresh foods of the Mediterranean diet able to keep their freshness even for 5 months. The new menu was the results... more
AerospaceTesting phase of Goce satellite project at the start-up
Turin, Italy – Sent in Holland the satellite structural model
The mechanical tests of the structural model of the satellite Goce (gravity field and steady state ocean circulation explorer) will be held at the European Space Agency named ESTEC (European Space Research... more
AerospaceNASA is planning a new shuttle mission
Moscow, Russia - Launch scheduled within one year
The NASA space station flight director Joel Montalbano answering to the Russian Information Agency Novosti questions on the time of resuming shuttles' flights to the International Space Station, has declared... more
AerospaceISS: 9th expedition started this morning with the launch of Soyuz TMA-4
Baikonur, Kazakhstan - Re-entry of the 8th mission is foreseen on 29th of April
The Russian Spacecraft Soyuz TMA-4 lift off at 3:19 (Greenwich Mean Time) from Baikonur Cosmodrome. The spacecraft will bring the Russian cosmonaut, Gennady Padalka, the American astronaut, Michael Fincke... more
AerospaceRussian Space Agency (FKA) needs longer missions
Moscow, Russia - New agreements between NASA and FKA
After shuttle Columbia burn-out occurred on 1st of February 2003, the Russian Federal Space Agency (FKA) is helding all the financial effort for ISS (International Space Station) maintenance. In order... more
AerospaceGilat enters military satellite market
Tel Aviv, Israel - In cooperation with Elbit
Gilat, an Israeli company competent in producing commercial satellites, has decided to devote to military sector. With reference to this fact, group's strategy is based on the searching for new know-how... more
AerospaceSoyuz 2-1B's engine rockets will be strengthened
Moscow, Russia - Its first flight will not occur before 2006
Russian Government has scheduled to strengthen carrying capabilities of Soyuz 2-1B's engine rockets. Although its maiden launch will not be able to be performed before 2006, static tests for the structure... more
AerospaceA Canadian candidate for the X Prize
Ottawa, Canada - The winner in the competition will receive USD 10m for launching a habitable spaceship 62 miles from Earth
A Canadian group is among the candidates to the X Prize, the competition that will assign USD 10m to who is able to create an aircraft able to transport three people to 100 km (62 miles) and return safely... more
AerospaceIss missions maybe extended to one year
Washington, USA - It is being planned to use the Soyuz space shuttle for space tourism
The missions of the astronauts onboard the Iss, International space station, might be extended from six months to one year. Nasa is currently evaluating this possibility, suggested by the Russian space... more
AerospaceMilitary satellite industry is growing
Washington, USA - Competition between the United States and Europe in this sector is increasing
After pointing out the forecasted increase of civil satellite sector during the next decade, (see for details AVIONEWS), Forecast International has recently also provided the results of its studies related... more
AerospaceFinal assembly opening for the A-380 in May
Toulouse, France - It will occur at its Jean-Luc Lagardére assembly line in Toulouse
On May 7 in Tolouse, at Jean-Luc Lagardére facility where its assembly line has been produced, the Airbus A-380 is going to be shown as it is by now in its final assembly stage. Such event will occur... more
AerospaceSpirit's and Opportunity's missions extended
Washington, USA - Nasa has announced the mission will last 5 more months
Nasa has announced that Spirit’s and Opportunity’s missions on Mars will be extended by 150 more days. The two rosters were supposed to work for 90 days, but the space agency has decided to give them mor... more
AerospaceFAA grants licence to Scaled Composites for its space aircraft
Washington, USA - It is relevant in order to participate to X-Prize international competition
United States Government has made know that the first licence for getting private space flight started has been granted to Scaled Composites by FAA (Federal Aviation Administration). While it is being... more
AerospaceLazio Region promotes an ESA's space mission
New York, USA - Italian astronaut could perform experiments requested by Lazio's research centres and universities
On the occasion of an exhibition entitled "Lazio, Rome and beyond" being occurring in New York, Region authority's delegation is promoting, also considering the foundation of an aerospace technological... more
AerospaceAn ASI-NASA joint committee has been founded for new space programmes
Washington, USA - These two agencies to cooperate for new Moon missions and for the first human travel toward Mars
Italy and the United States have achieved a collaboration agreement for aerospace sector through their related competent agencies: ASI (Italian Space Agency) and NASA. Thanks to the foundation of a joint... more
Aerospace90 days on Mars for Spirit probe
Washington, USA - After crossing critical threshold, exploration activities go on without stopping
NASA celebrated 90 days Mars exploration by Spirit probe on April 6. A crucial date, when considering the fact that researchers thought to focus on robot’s capability of operating with ideal technical c... more
AerospaceIss: a worm to be sent in space for biological experiments
Paris, France - The Caenorhabditis elegans, only 0.0394 inches long, will reach the space station with Dutch astronaut Andreas Kuipers
It is called Caenorhabditis elegans the small worm, only 0.0394 inches (1mm) long, on which a series of experiments called "Ice First" will be carried out onboard the International Space Station (Iss)... more
AerospaceItalian equipment discovers ammonia on Mars
Rome, Italy - The instrument had already detected the presence of methane gas and water vapour on the planet
The Pfs (Planetary Fourier Spectrometer), the Asi’s (Italian space agency) equipment onboard the Esa’s (European Space Agency) Mars Express space probe has discovered the presence of ammonia in the atm... more
AerospaceNasa satellite to verify Einstein's theories
Washington, Usa - The most perfect spheres ever created will be used for the experiments
An unmanned Nasa satellite will be launched on 17 April from the Vandenberg base in California to verify Einstein's theories about the nature of space and time. The experiments, prepared by Nasa with the... more
AerospaceIss: unknown noise heard again
Washington, USA - The reason is undiscovered
It already happened four months ago and, in spite of the researches carried out to find out the reason, it was impossible to determine what caused the surd sound heard by Foale and Kaleri, the two astronauts... more
AerospaceAlenia workers protest in Turin
Turin, Italy - Unions met Government representatives
Alenia's workers in Turin protested this morning for four hours and demonstrated in front of the city's prefectural offices. A union delegation met Vice Mayor, Marco Calgaro and representatives of the... more
AerospaceFrattini pleased with appointment of Viriglio at Esa
Rome, Italy - He is in charge for the direction of European and industrial programmes
Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Franco Frattini, was pleased with the appointment, by the European Space Agency (Esa) Commission, of an Italian as person in charge for the direction of European and... more
AerospaceCivil satellites' production increases
Washington, USA - Some 170 satellites to be produced by the next ten years
According to a recent survey performed by Forecast International, aerospace market concerning civil and commercial satellites mostly devoted to sensing activities (for example, those regarding the analysis... more
AerospaceThe 9th ISS' crew is ready
Moscow, Russia - A Russian, an American and a European to leave on April 19 aboard of a Soyuz
The new astronauts (as the 9th crew) leaving on next April 19 for the International Space Station (ISS) have been selected and in large part already trained. Russian Gennady Padalka, US Michael Fink and... more
AerospaceBoeing to develop the new SBSS satellite system
St. Louis, USA - It will be able to track objects moving in space
Boeing has achieved the sign of a contract regarding the designing of an important space and defence programme which could open the foundation of a new step in the evolution of aerospace technology. The... more
AerospaceRussian military satellite successfully launched
Moscow, Russia - It is the first of ten satellites to be launched this year
A Russian military satellite was successfully launched last Saturday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. It is the first of ten satellites to be launched in 2004. The spokesman of the Interfax... more
AerospaceSpeed record broken: the X-43A flies at nearly 5,000 mph
Washington, USA - The flight of the hypersonic Nasa/Boeing aircraft succeeded
The testing of the X-43A, the hypersonic unmanned airplane by Nasa and Boeing, planned for last Saturday (see AVIONEWS) was successful: the aircraft streaked above the Pacific Ocean at nearly 5,000 mph... more
AerospaceWithin 2007 China will launch a lunar probe
Beijing, China - The probe will be placed in orbit around the Moon
The director of the lunar program of Beijing announced that China is going to launch its own first automatic probe on the Moon within 2007. The probe, than currently is under construction, will be placed... more
AerospaceMars, possible presence of salt water on the Red Planet
Washington, USA – "It could be a small sea"
In a press conference, one of the person in charge of the mission of the space probes Opportunity and Spirit, on Mars since January, declared that the crater from which Opportunity had had difficulty to... more
AerospaceDefects found in the Discovery spacecraft
Washington, USA - Located analogous defects also in the two other shuttles remained
Engineers in service at NASA found rigging defects described as "potentially disastrous" in Discovery, the oldest space shuttle remained in service and in activity since 1984. After ulterior assessments... more
AerospaceSpace: Opportunity achieves to exit from the crater
Washington, USA - Nasa is about to announce "An important scientific discovery"
Opportunity, one of the two twin probes that Nasa sent on Mars in January, has achieved to exit from the crater where it landed and that it had until now explored. The probe, heading towards the rock called... more
AerospaceThe 50th GPS satellite goes into orbit
St. Louis, USA - Carried by the Boeing Delta II booster rocket
Boeing has launched the 50th satellite which belongs to the NAVSTAR GPS American satellite global positioning system on March 20. The rocket called Delta II has successfully carried into orbit the GPS... more
AerospaceAlso Israel will join in Galileo
Brussels, Belgium - The agreement under the examination of the States members next June
In the last days, in Jerusalem, has been achieved an agreement between the General Directorate of the transports of the European Commission and the Ministry of the Industry, commerce and job of Israel,... more
AerospaceWanted airport for suborbital flights
Washington, USA - Tourists in the space again
The Space Adventures of Arlington, Virginia, society that already in past sent paying tourists in the International Space Station (see AVIONEWS), is searching a suitable area to construct a space base... more
AerospaceSpace: Rosetta will come across two asteroids
Rome, Italy - The encounters will happen in 2008 and 2010
Esoc, the European Space Agency (ESA) operative center in Germany, established that the European space probe, Rosetta, in its way will come across two asteroids, before getting in 10 years to the Churyumov-Gerasimenko... more
AerospaceUsa: space, the New Zealand Pickering died
Washington, Usa - He was the American astronautics pioneer
Nasa announced the death of William Pickering, pioneer of the space conquest by the American astronautics. Born in New Zealand in 1910, "Mr JPL" as he was dearly called, went to Usa in 1929 to study at... more
AerospaceRussia: launched Russian rocket with European satellite
Moscow, Russia - The satellite will have to work at least for 15 years
Yesterday at 4:06am local time, was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome, in Kazakhistan, a Russian rocket with an European telecommunications satellite W3A on board. On the Russian carrier Proton, the... more
AerospaceChange at the head of the Russian space agency
Moscow, Russia - New director nominated
The Russian Government announced a change at the head of the national space agency, called Rosavikosmos: the outgoing chief Koptev, in office since 12 years, is replaced by the General Perminov, former... more
AerospaceThe first Chinese women in the space
Peking, China - In the space in 4 years
After the proposal made by Gu Xiulian, President of the Chinese women Association, China is about to send the first spacewomen in the space. It will be selected a group of women who, by the next Autumn,... more
AerospaceTurkey and South Korea to cooperate in the aerospace sector
Seoul, South Korea – First remarkable meetings would be already started
Turkey and South Korea would be strengthening cooperation between themselves regarding technology and industry. Turkish Government would be in fact firmly willing to achieve strategical alliances in order... more
AerospaceStar explosion conjures up Van Gogh's painting
Washington, USA - Suggestive images from space taken by Hubble Space Telescope
Hubble Space Telescope sent the image of a star 20,000 light-years from Earth called V838 Monocerotis surrounded by a smoke and star dust halo, presumably due to an explosion. The star gave off the light... more
AerospaceBoeing announces the viability of the new presidential space projects
St. Louis, USA - This company is ready to cooperate for this programme
Boeing NASA systems General Manager, Mike Mott, has recently positively commented on presidential programme aimed to develop new space missions. Such member of Boeing has put into evidence the viability... more
AerospaceSpace tourism law under scrutiny in the US
Washington, USA - Passed by the House of Representatives, it now goes to Senate
The first law to regulate space tourism is under scrutiny in the USA. The bill has been passed by the House of Representatives 402-1, it now goes to the Senate. Among the regulations included in the law,... more