17 African countries to send satellites into orbit

17 African countries to send satellites into orbit

Falling launch costs have given African countries a chance to send their satellites into orbit. The BBC reports that to date, a total of 17 African countries have put more than 60 satellites into orbit and, along with Senegal, both Djibouti and Zimbabwe have also watched their first satellites become operational during the past 12 months.

October 15, 2024 16

Science & Technology

Non-professional crew performs first commercial spacewalk

“From here, Earth sure looks like a perfect world," said the first private citizen to perform a spacewalk. The BBC reports that a billionaire and an engineer have become the first non-professional crew to complete a spacewalk during a commercial mission. Jared Isaacman and Sarah Gillis stepped out of the SpaceX spacecraft around 15 minutes apart. Before Thursday, only astronauts from government-funded space agencies had conducted spacewalks. Spacewalks […]

September 12, 2024 50

Science & Technology

China’s moon probe returns with far side samples

China has become the first country to successfully bring back samples from the far side of the Moon, where missions are more complex because of its mountainous terrain. SkyNews reports China's lunar probe has returned to Earth, touching down in the northern Chinese region of Inner Mongolia. The re-entry capsule of the Chang'e probe landed at about 7 am South African time and carried lunar soil collected earlier in the month.

June 25, 2024 23

Africa

Nigeria partners with U.S. in space exploration

The Nigerian government and the Space Exploration Research Agency in the U.S are partnering to send a Nigerian to space for the first time. Tesem Akende has more.

June 20, 2024 26

Science & Technology

NASA seeks volunteers for year-long mars simulation mission

Houston, get ready for a unique opportunity! NASA is on the lookout for volunteers to participate in a year-long simulation mission to Mars at the Johnson Space Center. Selected candidates will experience life in a three-D printed habitat, facing challenges such as spacewalks, crop growth, and technology failures.

February 21, 2024 27

World

NASA delays Artemis 2 and 3 missions

NASA is delaying two upcoming missions to the Moon by about a year. The US space agency's Artemis mission aims to return human beings to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972. Ira Spitzer has more.

January 11, 2024 35

World

U.S. launches moon landing space rocket

A US space rocket has launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a mission to make the first American Moon landing in more than half a century. Nasa has teamed up with private companies to study the Moon's surface ahead of human missions in the coming years. Nick Harper reports from Washington.

January 9, 2024 34

World

India’s solar mission reaches final destination

India's first sun observation mission, Aditya L1, has reached a point in space from where it can watch the sun at all times. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called this a landmark moment for the country. According to India Today, over 125 days of travel, 15 lakh kilometres covered, and a precision orbit insertion later, the Aditya-L1 mission has been successfully parked at an optimum spot in the vastness of […]

January 8, 2024 38