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- 1ESA's JUICE spacecraft sweeps low over the Indian Ocean●Heads up (especially if you’re currently on a ship in the Indian Ocean). ESA’s JUICE mission to Jupiter & its icy moons
ESA's JUICE mission to Jupiter and its icy moons is performing its second Earth gravity assist, passing less than 10,000 km overhead at 13:45 CEST, directly above the Indian Ocean. The flyby uses Earth's gravity to adjust the spacecraft's trajectory toward Jupiter. A final Earth slingshot is planned for 2029 before JUICE continues to the outer solar system.
- 2Astronomer turns sinking Starlink satellites into planetary barometer●Astronomer watches Starlink satellites sinking to build a 'planetary barometer'
An astronomer is tracking the gradual orbital decay of Starlink satellites and using that data as a 'planetary barometer', since how quickly the satellites sink depends on the density of the upper atmosphere, which shifts with solar activity. The approach could offer a novel, large-scale way to monitor conditions in Earth's thermosphere using the thousands of spacecraft already in orbit.
- 3DARPA Plans Repair Robot for Geosynchronous Orbit●Inside DARPA’s Mission to Send a Repair Robot to Geosynchronous Orbit
DARPA is developing a robotic spacecraft designed to service and repair satellites in geosynchronous orbit, some 35,000 kilometers above Earth. The effort, covered by IEEE Spectrum, would allow maintenance of aging communications and military satellites that are otherwise unreachable after launch. It marks a step toward routine robotic servicing in the most valuable and crowded orbital region.
- 4SpaceX launches Starship on 10-hour test flight●SpaceX launches Starship on 10-hour test flight, aiming to orbit Earth 6 times
SpaceX launched its Starship rocket on a roughly 10-hour test flight, with the spacecraft aiming to orbit Earth six times before returning. The mission is part of SpaceX's ongoing campaign to prove out the vehicle for future deep-space missions, and the extended duration marks a step up in ambition from earlier, shorter tests.
- 5SpaceX's Starship reaches orbit for the first time●SpaceX впервые вывела Starship на орбиту Земли Запуск был произведен с космодрома Starbase в Техасе в 07:49 утра по мест
SpaceX has launched its Starship spacecraft into Earth orbit for the first time. The rocket lifted off from the Starbase spaceport in Texas at 07:49 local time (15:49 Kyiv time). Unlike the previous 14 launches, which followed only a suborbital trajectory, this flight is expected to last about ten hours in orbit, according to BBC reporting.
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Northrop Grumman has completed delivery of 21 data-relay satellites for a US military constellation, according to SpaceNews. The satellites are designed to pass communications and sensor data between spacecraft and ground forces, forming part of the Pentagon's push for resilient, proliferated orbital networks. The delivery marks a production milestone for defense space programs at a time of growing investment in military satellite constellations.