SSI News
IM-1 becomes first commercial spacecraft to…(crash) land on the Moon (Updated)
Farah Ghouri and David Todd followed the launch, descent, landing and subsequent communications of the first private spacecraft lunar landing “Odysseus is alive and well” was the first update on IM-1 from its operator after the lander touched down on the Moon, making...
Launches in February 2024
A total of 18 rocket launches were made in February, including one carrying lunar lander IM-1, which later became the first commercial spacecraft to land on the Moon - though not without some hiccups along the way. We followed IM-1's journey from launch all the way to...
Documentary review: The Space Shuttle that Fell to Earth
David Todd, Seradata’s head of space content, reviews ‘The Space Shuttle that Fell to Earth’, a new BBC documentary marking the 21st anniversary of the fatal Space Shuttle Columbia disaster In January 2003 the 113th flight of the Space Shuttle program was launched...
Japan’s H3 makes up for maiden failure with orbital success…as Electron launches ADRAS-J to inspect stage of former Japanese H-IIA rocket
H3, Japan’s expendable rocket, has made its first successful flight. The feat comes a year after the rocket’s maiden flight ended in failure and marks a welcome change in fortune for the cost-effective rocket Japan hopes will take it into the future. The H3-22S rocket...
Nuclear weapons in space: Russia has plans, warns White House
A “troubling” space-based anti-satellite weapon is being developed by Russia, according to US intelligence. The news was originally intended just for Congress but, at the request of Republicans, elements of such a threat were disclosed to the public. To allay some of...
More woes for space insurers as O3b mPOWER claim runs to US$472 million
SES is formally filing an insurance claim for all four of the O3b mPOWER communications satellites that it originally launched. The claim could run to US$472 million – a figure that would make it the biggest net insurance loss to date, according to Seradata's records....
Analysis: NASA/CalTech Jet Propulsion Lab lays off 530…but is it the right ‘RIF’?
The NASA/CalTech Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) field centre has laid off 530 people. The latest cuts, which affect 8 per cent of the workforce, include space scientists and engineers with significant experience. JPL is also releasing 40 contractors in addition to...
Eutelsat 113 West A has its retirement brought forward by failure in orbit
Eutelsat 113 West A satellite has failed in orbit due to an undisclosed anomaly on 31 January 2024. The satellite was beyond its 15 year minimum design life and was no longer insured. The satellite which was soon to retire, was originally launched as Satmex-6 in May...
Round-up of recommended space stories in January
We're keeping an eye on space news, so you don't have to. Here's our round-up of the most important, and interesting, space news stories of January from across the web: Upcoming Missions: New rockets due to fly in 2024 while another lunar landing attempt in February...
Mel’s Good Space
Melissa Quinn, General Manager of Seradata, introduces her new regular column. If any of you have ever heard me speak at an event, or on my social media, you would have heard me reference Good Space. Good Space is my ‘why’ – the thing that gets me up every...