Tag: Satellites
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Space Armor: A New Shield for Satellites and Astronauts Against Space Debris
A New Frontier in Space Debris Protection In the relentless environment of low Earth orbit, speed compounds danger. Millions of micrometeoroids and man-made debris zip around at velocities that can reach 16,000 mph (about 25,750 kph). Until now, defenses relied on traditional shielding that could be heavy and prone to fragmentation. Enter Space Armor, a…
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SpaceX Fires Starship Again: A Test of Reusable Design and Future Moon Missions
SpaceX advances Starship with eleventh test flight Elon Musk’s SpaceX conducted another high-stakes test of its Starship program, launching the eleventh Starship rocket from SpaceX’s Starbase site in Texas. The mission was designed to push the vehicle’s reusable design closer to operational reality for satellite deployments and, eventually, crewed missions to the Moon and Mars.…
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SpaceX Launches Eleventh Starship Test to Perfect Reusable Design
SpaceX Fires Up the Eleventh Starship Test from Starbase In another stride toward reusable orbital vehicles, SpaceX launched its eleventh Starship rocket from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas on Monday, October 13, 2025. The mission focused on validating the heavy-lift vehicle’s reuse capabilities, a critical component of SpaceX’s long-term plan to routinely deploy satellites and,…
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Reflect Orbital’s Night-Sunlight Plan Sparks Global Debate and Space Sustainability Questions
What Reflect Orbital is proposing US startup Reflect Orbital has asked the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to launch an experimental 18-meter-long satellite, Earendil-1, as the first in a planned constellation. The company envisions a fleet of satellites that can redirect sunlight to specific locations so solar farms can operate after dark. Bloomberg…
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ISS Astronaut Captures Bright Starlink Train Gliding Over Emerald Auroras
Stunning Space Photography: Starlink Train Meets the Northern Lights A new video from the International Space Station (ISS) offers a rare view of a long chain of SpaceX Starlink satellites streaking across the night sky, its backdrop a vivid green aurora glow. The footage, captured by NASA astronaut and celebrated amateur photographer Don Pettit, blends…
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ISS Astronaut Captures Brilliant Starlink Train Dancing Above Auroras
Introduction: A luminous intersection of technology and nature A stunning sight unfolded high above Earth when an International Space Station (ISS) crew member recorded a dazzling line of SpaceX Starlink satellites gliding across the night sky, with a shimmering green aurora glowing beneath. The video, shared by NASA veteran and amateur photographer Don Pettit, captures…
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Sunlight on Demand: The Night-Skimming Mirror Satellites Raising Global Light- Pollution Fears
Introduction: A Bright Idea with Dark-Sky Repercussions A bold, controversial concept is stirring alarm in the astronomy community: a constellation of mirrors in orbit designed to beam sunlight down to Earth so solar farms can operate after sunset. US startup Reflect Orbital calls this idea “sunlight on demand.” If realized, the plan would involve an…
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Sunlight on Demand? The Risks and Realities of Reflect Orbital’s Night-Beaming Satellites
Overview: A Bold Idea Awakens Strong Reactions A US startup, Reflect Orbital, proposes a radical way to extend solar power beyond daylight: a constellation of mirrors in orbit that would beam sunlight down to Earth, effectively delivering “sunlight on demand.” The plan centers on an 18-meter test satellite, Earendil-1, slated for launch in 2026, with…
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Mega Ocean Waves from Space: Storm Eddie Findings
Stunning discovery: mega ocean waves seen from space Satellite observations have confirmed the existence of exceptionally tall ocean swells generated by powerful storms. During Storm Eddie, data captured by the French-US SWOT satellite showed waves averaging nearly 20 meters in height—the largest ocean wave heights ever recorded from space. These extraordinary conditions help scientists understand…
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Megawaves from Space: Satellite-recorded Ocean Swells Reach Five-Giraffe Heights
Introduction: A Breakthrough View from Space Satellite observations have unveiled a striking fact about storms: they can generate mega ocean waves that look like they reach the height of five giraffes stacked on top of each other. In late December 2024, during Storm Eddie, the French-US SWOT satellite captured measurements showing waves averaging nearly 20…