On a recent suborbital Blue Origin flight, six more people gained the credentials to call themselves astronauts (or, more accurately, space travellers). However, the moment was of especial importance for one passenger, who had waited 63 years to reach space. Ed Dwight...
On behalf of the US Department of Defense, the US Air Force has awarded launch contracts as part of the National Security Space Launch (Phase 2) programme to two launch providers: the United Launch Alliance (ULA) and SpaceX. These are set to take place between 2020...
The US-based launch vehicle start up firm ABL Space Systems has reported that it has received two US Air Force launch contracts – one as a technology demonstration contract and one for three subsequent launches in 2022 – worth US$44.5 million. In addition,...
American satellite manufacturer Northrop Grumman received an awaited order for two polar orbit Next-Gen OPIR satellites on 18 May. The contract is valued at US$2.37 billion. The Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next-gen OPIR) satellites will provide...
The US Air Force X-37B mini-shuttle/reusable spacecraft not only broke its own mission duration record on its fifth flight, its unannounced release of unidentified spacecraft, if true, would make it illegal under international law, explains guest writer and...