Archive for the ‘Space News’ Category

Image credit: China Central Television (CCTV)/China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)

Once again the Philippine Space Agency was on guard for possible rocket debris stemming from China’s recent launch of a Long March 8A rocket from Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Wenchang, Hainan.

The maiden flight of the Long March 8A booster took place on February 11, reportedly hurling into orbit a set of satellites for China’s State-owned internet network.

Drop zones

As posted by the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) any expected debris resulting from the rocket launch were projected to fall within identified “drop zones.”

The Philippine Office of Civil Defense (OCD) alerted residents in the provinces of Palawan and Basilan, where parts of China’s Long March 8A rocket were expected to careen into coastal waters:

Image credit: PhilSA

Drop Zone 1: Approximate distance: 85 nautical miles from Rozul Reef.

Drop Zone 2: Approximate distance: 40 nautical miles from Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Drop Zone 3: Approximate distance: 33 nautical miles from Hadji Muhtamad, Basilan.

Danger and potential risk

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) temporarily barred fishermen from sailing at Rozul Reef in the Drop Zone 1.

In a February 11 PhilSA posted that while not projected to fall on land features or inhabited areas, “falling debris poses danger and potential risk to ships, aircraft, fishing boats, and other vessels that will pass through the drop zone.”

Rocket debris recovered in 2022.
Image credit: Philippine Coast Guard

There is also a possibility, PhilSA added, “for the debris to float around the area and wash toward nearby coasts.”

Toxic fuel

PhilSA reiterated its advice for the public to inform local authorities if suspected debris is sighted. “PhilSA also cautions against retrieving or coming in close contact with these materials that may contain remnants of toxic substances such as rocket fuel,” they stated.

In the past, on multiple occasions, Chinese rocket leftovers have peppered the area, including debris from a Long March 5B rocket launch in 2022. Filipinos later recovered launch litter thought to be parts of that booster plucked from waters off Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro.

Image credit: Mars GuY

Mars refuses to share! That’s the word from Mars Guy in a new video episode.

NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover at Jezero crater drove back to the location of what could be one of the most significant discoveries of the mission. 

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU

The plan this time was to collect a sample for return to Earth via a future Mars Return Sample campaign.

 

 

But Mars was not ready to participate in that plan.

What happened?

What’s at the “core” of this story?

Go to:

https://youtu.be/SuFE–SUfp8?si=-SUu1Ci1bVKaiEWc

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Image of the Moon taken on Feb. 15, 2025 by ispace’s Resiloience lunar lander.
Image credit: ispace

Japan’s Resilience lunar lander completed a flyby of the Moon today, zipping within roughly 5,220miles (8,400 kilometers) of the Moon’s surface.

The commercial lunar lander is a product of ispace, a Moon exploration company.

“Resilience is now on a trajectory out to deep space before completing orbital maneuvers that will bring it back towards the Moon in advance of lunar orbit insertion,” stated ispace. “The date and time of the insertion maneuver have yet to be determined but are expected around early May.”

Image credit: ispace

Image credit: ispace

Packed with payloads

The lunar lander was launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on January 15 of this year, along with the now-Moon orbiting Firefly Blue Ghost mission.

Resilience is toting a number of commercial payloads:

  • Water electrolyzer equipment
  • A food production experiment
  • Deep space radiation probe
  • A commemorative alloy plate modeled after “Charter of the Universal Century”
  • The Tenacious micro rover developed by ispace-Europe
  • A “Moonhouse” designed by Swedish artist Mikael Genberg and mounted on the rover
  • A memory disk that preserves linguistic and cultural diversity from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

A “Moonhouse” designed by Swedish artist Mikael Genberg and mounted on the Tenacious micro rover.
Image credit: ispace

This is not the first lunar outing by ispace.

The ispace maiden mission of the company’s commercial lunar exploration program, known as HAKUTO-R, failed in April 2023 to land on the Moon, crashing onto the lunar terrain due to a navigation software failure.

 

Artwork credit: Firefly Aerospace/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander is on cruise control as it prepares to enter orbit around the Moon.

A recent engine burn to send the probe off to the Moon was performed with such accuracy, Firefly mission controllers are skipping the next one.

“With Earth in the rearview mirror, we’re on cruise control until we reach the Moon’s orbit and perform a Lunar Orbit Insertion in just a couple days,” a Firefly posting explains.

Since launching on January 15, Blue Ghost has performed dozens of health tests, and all 10 NASA payloads onboard remain healthy and ready for surface operations on the Moon.

The moonbound Firefly mission supports NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.


Blue Ghost onboard camera captures Earth reflecting off the solar panel with the Moon on the horizon above Earth. Firefly’s X-band antenna and NASA’s LEXI payload are also shown on the top deck of the lander.
Image credit: Firefly Aerospace

What’s ahead?

Within the next two days, Blue Ghost will perform a Lunar Orbit Insertion, a 4-minute burn to enter the Moon’s orbit.

Following that vital step, the spacecraft will then spend 16 days in lunar orbit before descent.

“This gives us plenty of time to calibrate our navigation system and continue payload science operations for NASA,” the Cedar Park, Texas-based group adds.

Touchdown timing

As for lunar descent, Blue Ghost’s final autonomous descent will take approximately an hour, starting with a Descent Orbit Insertion burn that will place Blue Ghost on its descent trajectory on March 2.

The projected lunar landing site is Mare Crisium near Mons Latreille.

Upon touchdown, Blue Ghost will operate 10 NASA instruments for a complete lunar day (about 14 Earth days). On March 14, Blue Ghost will capture high definition imagery of a total eclipse from the Moon where the Earth blocks the Sun.

The Blue Ghost lunar lander will then capture the lunar sunset on March 16 before operating several hours into the lunar night.

Blue Ghost will capture imagery of the lunar sunset and provide critical data on how lunar regolith reacts to solar influences during lunar dusk conditions. The lander will then operate for several hours into the lunar night.
Artwork credit: Firefly Aerospace/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

China’s Moon exploration plans, including placing humans on the lunar landscape before 2030, continues to progress.

The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) unveiled today the names of the lunar landing spacesuit and human-carrying lunar rover.

The Moon walking spacesuit is named “Wangyu”, meaning “gazing into the cosmos.”

“Tansuo” is the name selected for the rover, meaning “to explore the unknown.”

Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

These two names build upon a public naming campaign for China’s piloted Moon craft that took place in 2023, with the CMSA launching the naming campaigns for the lunar spacesuit and rover in September and October 2024.

Prototype development stage

“During the early stages of development, we have mastered key technologies such as the manufacture of lightweight and smaller-sized moon-landing spacesuits, as well as comprehensive protection against complex environments,” said Zhang Wanxin, director, spacesuit engineering office, China Astronaut Research and Training Center.

Zhang Wanxin, director, spacesuit engineering office, China Astronaut Research and Training Center.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

“We have now fully entered the prototype development stage, and are currently conducting comprehensive performance and function assessments and verifications of the prototype products,” Zhang told China Central Television (CCTV).

According to CCTV, the development and construction of the lunar landing phase of China’s human lunar exploration program are advancing as scheduled. The program has now entered the initial prototype development phase.

China lunar rover testing.
Image credit: CCTV/CMSA/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Ground trials

China’s humans to the Moon endeavor will complete multiple tasks, including “landing, patrolling, sampling, research, and return,” and establish an independent and autonomous manned lunar exploration capability.

CCTV also reports that the Long March-10 carrier rocket, the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft, the Lanyue lunar lander, along with the just-named lunar spacesuit and rover are in the initial prototype production and testing phase.

Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Related ground trials are progressing as planned, CCTV adds. Ground facilities and equipment supporting these production and testing activities have been completed and are now operational. Similarly, construction at the Wenchang launch site to support China’s Moon landing effort is progressing as planned.

Prototype work on China’s lunar lander – Lanyue.
Image credit: CCTV/CMSA/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Go to this video detailing China’s Moon plans at:

https://x.com/i/status/1889530765572272608

Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengtrab

A Chinese research team is developing a lightweight robotic drone with a targeted special mission scenario of Mars exploration.

The air-ground dual-purpose unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) weighs only 300 grams, equivalent to the weight of an apple. The development team is at the School of Astronautics of Harbin Institute of Technology.

Shifting center of gravity

Seen as showing promising potential in future Red Planet science work, the UAV can take off at any time, traverse obstacles, and boasts superb endurance, reports China Central Television (CCTV).

“On the ground, it mainly rolls by shifting its center of gravity,” said Zhu Yimin, a Ph.D candidate of the School of Astronautics at Harbin Institute of Technology.

“In the air, it relies on a pair of contra-rotating coaxial rotors, controlled by a steering engine to adjust the forward direction, to control torque and force, ultimately achieving stable flight,” Zhu told CCTV.

Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengtrab

Multiple models

The UAV work entails multiple models of air-ground dual-mode robots with different configurations, CCTV reports, moving by rolling close to the ground, saving power, reducing energy consumption, and achieving a flight endurance time of more than six times that of drones of the same size.

According to Zhang Lixian, a professor within the School of Astronautics, the hope is the aerial vehicle can show off its long endurance and observational abilities on Mars.

“Our second goal is for such machines to be suitable for construction in many underground spaces and for exploring unknown underground spaces. We also need robotic means for inspection and environmental detection. We have now materialized all these functions,” said Zhang.

Ingenuity on Mars.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA’s Ingenuity

The Chinese aerial drone work is taking a different approach that NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter. That milestone-making autonomous aircraft operated for nearly three years of flight on Mars, making 72 flights within Jezero Crater.

Dispatched by NASA’s Perseverance rover, Ingenuity weighed 4 pounds on Earth (1.81 kilograms on Mars); 1.5 pounds on Mars (.68 kilograms) – 1,814.3 grams.

Ingenuity first lifted off the martian surface on April 19, 2021, making its last flight on January 18, 2024. On flight 72 rotor blades on the craft were damaged during landing, permanently grounding the vehicle.

As the first aircraft on another world, Ingenuity flew more than 14 times farther than planned while logging more than two hours of total flight time.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For a video look at the potential Mars craft developed by China, go to:

https://www.facebook.com/NewsContent.CCTVPLUS/videos/600097986193696

Image credit: CNSA/Inside Outer Space screengrab

A candid video details the spacewalking tribulations by China’s Shenzhou-18 crew back in May of last year.

During an 8.5-hour spacewalk, astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu successfully installed space debris protection devices, among other tasks.

Image credit: CNSA/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Ye and Li Guangsu made the spacewalks then returned to the station’s Wentian lab module after their outside strolls.

This EVA marked the 15th spacewalk by Chinese astronauts. It was the first spacewalk for Li Guangsu, who operated the station’s robotic arms during the extravehicular activity.

Image credit: CMG/CCTV//Inside Outer Space screengrab

Endless black void

“All I could see below me was an abyss of blackness,” recounted Li Guangsu in an exclusive interview with state-controlled China Media Group (CMG) as shown on China Central Television (CCTV).

“Beneath me was nothing but an endless black void,” said Ye. “In that moment, a wave of nervousness hit me, and I felt my hair stand on end.”

Image credit: CMG/CCTV//Inside Outer Space screengrab

 

 

 

 

 

The two spacewalkers offer insights into working outside China’s space station. Their interview can be viewed here at:

https://www.facebook.com/NewsContent.CCTVPLUS/videos/651980734029718

Image credit: NASA

NASA’s Acting Administrator, Janet Petro, has requested space agency employees “to lean into this opportunity” that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) seeks to maximize efficiencies.

“I know the recent executive orders and subsequent guidance are weighing on many of you,” Petro explains in a February 7 NASA update. “Speculation from all areas has contributed to uncertainty and concern, and the volume of updates can feel overwhelming.”

But Petro reminded the NASA workforce that the civilian space agency is no stranger to challenges. “We are an agency built on tackling complex problems, pushing boundaries, and rising above adversity. This moment is no different.”

In her acting administrator role, Petro is responsible for directing the agency, including budget and programs, until a new administrator is confirmed by the U.S. Senate. She is a former director of NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

Petro has also extended a NASA welcome to Michael Altenhofen, appointed as senior advisor to the NASA administrator. Altenhofen started his career as a NASA intern and returns to the agency after 15 years with SpaceX.

In 2021, NASA celebrated the agency’s first African American female engineer, Mary W. Jackson, with a ceremony to formally name the agency’s headquarters building in Washington in her honor.
Image credit: NASA/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Deadline for departure

As for NASA employees, the word now is that the Deferred Resignation Program/Volunteer Early Retirement Authority has had its deadline for participation extended until Monday, Feb. 10, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

“While some employees have openly made their colleagues aware of their choice, we have not yet received updated numbers from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on how many NASA employees have decided to accept this option thus far,” Petro explains. “We expect to see that information after the deadline and will share it with officials in charge.”

For those departing, Petro adds that “we honor your service and contributions to this agency. For those continuing, know your commitment is seen and deeply valued, even when it may not always be visible outside the agency.”

Image credit: NASA

Pronoun usage

 In the meantime, the “Pronoun Usage in Email Addresses” feature has been disabled by the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO).

Late last month, per NASA Headquarter direction, workers were required to scrub mentions of the following terms from public sites. “This is a drop everything and reprioritize your day request,” the communiqué said, listing the following at the time:

— DEIA

— Diversity (in context of DEIA)

— Equity (“ “)

— Inclusion (“ “)

— Accessibility (“ “)

— MSI

— Minority Serving Institution

— Indigenous People

— EEJ

— EJ

— Environmental Justice

— Underrepresented groups/people

— Anything specifically targeting women (women in leadership, etc.)

Image credit: NASA

“If you previously added pronouns to your display name, they will be automatically removed from the system this week,” Petro said. Additionally, OCIO and the Office of Communications have advised on how to update a NASA employee’s email signature in a way that aligns with the space agency’s graphics standards.

Effective stewards of taxpayer dollars

“Let’s keep refining our processes and find new ways to work smarter,” Petro adds. “More to come on how you can let your voice be heard – we do value your input in ensuring we remain effective stewards of taxpayer dollars while growing and evolving together.”

Lastly, Petro’s message to the NASA workforce said “we are more than an agency. We are a team bound by a shared purpose, a sense of duty, and a belief that what we do matters. I have no doubt that we will emerge stronger, just as we always have.”

Image credit: NASA

Uncertainty exists associated with operating in cislunar space, as well as on and around the Moon –  so much so that a “security dilemma” between countries can evolve.

There is need to provide an opportunity for transparency, coordination, cooperation, and collaboration a new report suggests. It calls for inclusive engagement and decision-making concerning cislunar space, including the development of improved rules and best practices.

The Outer Space Institute has published a report on cislunar security: New Moon: A Cislunar Security Workshop Report.

The Outer Space Institute (OSI) is based at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and is a network of world-leading space experts.

Earth’s Moon and cis-lunar space are new destinations for numbers of nations. To what extent is that presence demand or promote a military presence?
Image credit: Inside Outer Space

Military buildup

Defined in the report is that a security dilemma occurs “when a state, lacking clear information about whether a potential adversary is engaged in a military buildup, faces a choice between building up its own military, or doing nothing and risk being overwhelmed.”

Indeed, voices within U.S. national security circles have voiced support that the U.S. Space Force should have a cislunar military presence, strengthening the ability to guard commercial interests as a “cislunar economy” evolves.

One major issue identified in the report is lunar surface traffic management. It involves ensuring that one actor does not impede another actor – or imperil its personnel, equipment or installations – by approaching too closely or causing dust lofting or radio interference of some kind. “But what is a reasonable distance,” the report adds, “and who gets to decide?”

Carving up near-moon locales: How strategic could this be for military interests? (Image credit: Aerospace Corporation)

China’s lunar program

Given China’s growing progress in Moon exploration, via robots and eventual human treks to emplace an International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), there has been little effort by Western experts to analyze documents on cislunar space from China or, indeed, to engage with Chinese experts.

“Unfortunately, this only increases the risk of one or more security dilemmas,” the report observes.

Image courtesy U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in its “2022 Challenges to Security in Space” report.

To access the full report — New Moon: A Cislunar Security Workshop Report — and its recommendations and conclusions, go to:

https://outerspaceinstitute.ca/osisite/wp-content/uploads/Workshop-Report-on-cislunar-security-FINAL-2FEB2025.pdf

A new strategy for the exploration of Venus.
(Image credit: VEXAG Strategic Plan Study Analysis Workgroup)

Albeit a hell hole of a world, the planet Venus is a tantalizing, cloud-enveloped cool place for scientific scrutiny to ferret out its history, evolution and gauge its present state.

At the forefront of tackling what that puzzling place can teach us is the Venus Exploration Analysis Group (VExAG), a community-based forum to help NASA shape and advance a clear strategy to probe that planet.

Extraordinary destination

Late last year, a VExAG gathering included a dedicated and strategic look at opening-up Venus in the next decade and beyond by way of a host of advanced technologies, from balloons to long-lived landers.

Enigmatic Venus holds tight its secrets under thick clouds. Image shows the night side of Venus glowing in thermal infrared, captured by Japan’s Akatsuki spacecraft.
Credit: JAXA/ISAS/DARTS/Damia Bouic

 

 

A key part of this strategy is a call to scientists in the US and internationally to demonstrate just how extraordinary a destination Venus is and why we should set our scientific sights on further purging that planet of its secrets.

 

 

 

 

For more information, go to my new Space.com story – “Exploring Venus may require exotic tech like balloons and ‘aerobots’” – at:

https://www.space.com/the-universe/venus/exploring-venus-may-require-exotic-tech-like-balloons-and-aerobots