by David Todd | Jan 26, 2016 | ESA, Satellites, Science, Seradata News, Technology
Having been launched by a Vega rocket on 3 December 2015 to an initial 1540km apogee orbit, the science spacecraft LISA Pathfinder was raised via a series of six burns using a propulsion module/transfer stage to boost the orbit in steps in order to finally approach...
by David Todd | Jan 22, 2016 | Russia, Satellites, Technology
While Russia’s President has been accused of “probably” being involved in the 2006 fatal poisoning of the London-based dissident, Alexander Litvinenko, (with the Polonium 210 nuclear isotope normally used to heat the Lunokhod lunar rovers), Vladimir Putin had more...
by David Todd | Jan 22, 2016 | Launches, Seradata News, SpaceX, Technology, test
The failure of SpaceX’s most recent Falcon 9R barge landing attempt has not deterred the firm. The SpaceX engineering team does at least have the completely successful Cape Canaveral land landing (excuse the alliteration) of its reusable rocket stage to be proud of....
by David Todd | Jan 18, 2016 | Launches, SpaceX, Technology
SpaceX notched up another mission success after the launch of Falcon 9R (V1.1R) operated by SpaceX. Its main mission was to place the Franco-US Oceanography satellite, Jason-3, into a relatively highly inclined low Earth orbit. That mission was successfully...
by David Todd | Jan 12, 2016 | Technology
Airbus subsidiary SSTL (Surrey Satellite Technology Limited) has been awarded a grant from the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, to develop a new thruster system for spacecraft which uses HTP (High Test Peroxide) – a highly concentrated solution of...
by David Todd | Jan 11, 2016 | History, Technology
Having previous laid off over half its 90 staff in 2011, Bigelow Aerospace, the company which makes inflatable capsules for space use, has again felt the need to cut staff. Approximately one third of its currently employed 150 staff are believed to have been laid off...
