All posts tagged: Satellites

National space agency aims to set up satellite mission operations centre by first quarter of 2027

National space agency aims to set up satellite mission operations centre by first quarter of 2027

Published by Sam Flores

NATIONAL SPACE LAW AND REGISTRY National space legislation is also in the works. This law will target satellite operators and be grounded on existing guidelines for space activities issued in 2024, said NSAS chief strategy and policy officer Tiana Desker. “The focus is on space safety and space sustainability. Space safety to, for example, manage the collision risks given that space is increasingly congested. And space sustainability to ensure responsible practices with regard to avoiding creation of space debris,” she said. For example, the law could require satellite operators to have a proper plan for deorbiting a satellite, as a good practice for space sustainability. This could involve requiring the satellite to be launched into a “low enough orbit that it would naturally decay and come down”, said Ms Desker. There are also plans for a “national registry of Singapore space objects, which is in line with international practice”, she added. Singapore’s space sector currently employs about 2,000 professionals across 70 space companies. As the sector develops, it can draw talent from among mechanical, electrical …

NASA’s New 3D Model Shows the Earth Is a Lumpy Mess

NASA’s New 3D Model Shows the Earth Is a Lumpy Mess

Published by skeptic

a new visualization of Earth looks nothing like the Blue Marble seen from space. NASA has released a new geoid model showing the shape of Earth’s gravitational field. The slight, irregular bulges and depressions are caused by variations in the distribution of mass within the planet. It can also be imagined as the surface a global ocean would take if it were determined solely by Earth’s own gravity and rotation. Science advisor: Scott Luthcke (NASA/GSFC) Visualizer: Mark SubbaRao (NASA/GSFC) The visualization is an exaggerated geoid, with heights multiplied by a factor of 10,000 in order to show the variations in the gravitational field. NASA created this lumpy version of Earth using models and data from satellites, which can detect minute differences in gravity at different locations. The dataset stretches back 15 years and includes a billion observations. NASA also shared an interactive 3D model of the geoid that you can explore here, as well as a longer video. Measuring gravity has value beyond creating jarring visuals that’ll make you question just how round Earth is. …

Geosystems Hellas transforms space data into geospatial intelligence

Geosystems Hellas transforms space data into geospatial intelligence

Published by skeptic

Geosystems Hellas connects artificial intelligence with Earth observation, geopositioning and timing, delivering operational products that support decision-makers in Greece, Cyprus and across Europe Geosystems Hellas S.A. is a leading Greek company dedicated to providing geospatial intelligence and advanced software solutions that empower clients to make informed decisions and succeed in their missions. The company operates at the intersection of Earth observation, (EO), remote sensing, GIS, smart mapping, Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT), and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered spatial analytics, helping organisations transform complex spatial data into trusted operational intelligence. In the era of New Space, our mission is to transform space data into trusted geospatial operational intelligence. By connecting space assets, Earth observation, Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT), and GEOAI with user-focused solutions, we help authorities, organisations and businesses understand complex risks, act earlier and make more confident decisions for defence, security, resilience and sustainable development.” Betty Charalampopoulou CEO, Geosystems Hellas S.A. In a world shaped by geopolitical conflict and rapidly evolving environmental and security risks, access to fast and accurate information has become essential. By …

SpaceX launches new V3 Starlink satellites but suffers another booster failure

SpaceX launches new V3 Starlink satellites but suffers another booster failure

Published by skeptic

SpaceX successfully deployed the first third-generation Starlink satellites on Friday using an upgraded version of its prototype Starship — the 13th test flight of its mega-rocket to date. But the company suffered another failure with its Super Heavy booster during a planned simulated landing in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s the second time the company has had an issue with the Super Heavy booster on this V3 version of Starship. In May, on the first Starship V3 flight, SpaceX encountered a failure of the Starship’s Super Heavy booster as it separated from the upper stage of the rocket. The launch came a little more than a week after SpaceX tried to conduct the 13th Starship launch. That attempt had to abort immediately after ignition due to a number of rocket engine failures. SpaceX said it replaced six engines ahead of Friday’s flight to fix the problem. During Friday’s launch, the booster made it farther into its planned flight but wasn’t able to properly fire up all of the engines required for its simulated landing burn. …

Millions of planned satellites could create a bright artificial ring around Earth making the night sky 4 times brighter

Millions of planned satellites could create a bright artificial ring around Earth making the night sky 4 times brighter

Published by Jenni Sidey

Proposed orbital data centers and space mirrors could create bright, concentrated satellite bands that cross the sky at dawn and dusk, making Earth appear ringed. Astronomers warn that these spacecraft could brighten the night sky, produce persistent trails and seriously disrupt observations, including searches for potentially dangerous near-Earth asteroids. Current U.S. licensing rules may not adequately address visible-light pollution, leaving uncertainty over which agency should evaluate satellites’ effects on astronomy and public safety. Orbital computing also carries environmental and safety risks, including rocket emissions, difficult cooling requirements, re-entry pollution, radiation damage, collisions and potentially cascading space debris. Astronomers warn that a bright band of satellites could one day cross the twilight sky, brighter than every star and planet. These proposed orbital data centers and space mirrors may turn Earth into an artificial ringed planet. More than a million data-center satellites have been proposed, alongside plans for tens of thousands of mirrors designed to redirect sunlight toward Earth. If the largest constellations move forward, many spacecraft would occupy similar dawn-dusk orbits exposed to sunlight for long …

‘Most people don’t know we’ve set up a doomsday system’: physicist Laura Grego on satellites, nuclear weapons and the battle for our skies | Space

‘Most people don’t know we’ve set up a doomsday system’: physicist Laura Grego on satellites, nuclear weapons and the battle for our skies | Space

Published by Sam Flores

The last time I saw Laura Grego was in a tent in a baking field on the Welsh borders in May. The conversation on stage ranged from the dangers of space debris to how the law of the sea might pertain to outer space; from our sense of the sacred to our interplanetary futures. At one point Grego, a physicist, said intently, “People have to be aware of what is happening in space. Public knowledge has to catch up.” Three weeks later, SpaceX launched on the stock exchange, temporarily making Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire. So, I ask her now, what is it that we should all know? Well, she says, the average person’s experience of space is about to change. If, so far, that has been “looking at the stars and being full of wonder, full of connection with the universe”, perhaps noticing the occasional streaking object that was not a shooting star, now “there are plans for tens of thousands more satellites, which would really change your relationship with what you see …

ESA report highlights Europe’s growing role in space economy

ESA report highlights Europe’s growing role in space economy

Published by skeptic

The European Space Agency (ESA) has published its latest Space Economy Report, providing a detailed assessment of the trends, investment patterns and market dynamics shaping the global and European space economy in 2025. The report is designed to give policymakers, industry leaders and investors a clearer understanding of the current state of Europe’s space sector. Drawing on data from organisations including the OECD, Eurostat, Eurospace, Novaspace and the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI), it examines public spending, private investment, industrial competitiveness and commercial market activity. Among the report’s key findings, European public space budgets increased by 12% to €13.5bn in 2025 despite a slight decline in global government investment. The analysis also highlights continued growth across commercial satellite services, stronger market performance by European manufacturers, and an expanding reliance on space technologies across the wider economy. European space economy shows resilience The report places Europe’s performance within a broader global context, showing that governments worldwide invested €119bn in space programmes during 2025. This represents a modest 3% decrease compared with the previous year, largely reflecting …

AI-powered wildfire tracking system enables satellites to monitor fires in real time

AI-powered wildfire tracking system enables satellites to monitor fires in real time

Published by skeptic

Researchers at West Virginia University (WVU) have developed an artificial intelligence framework that could significantly improve wildfire tracking by allowing satellites to detect fires, coordinate with one another, and automatically adjust their observation schedules as conditions change. The new system, known as WildFire-applicable Intelligent and Responsive Ensemble for Detection and Scheduling (WildFIRE-DS), has been designed to enhance satellite-based wildfire monitoring by enabling constellations of spacecraft to respond autonomously to newly detected blazes. The technology aims to provide emergency services with more frequent and accurate updates as fires evolve. Developed by aerospace engineering researchers Brycen Pearl, Joshua Warner, and Hang Woon Lee, the framework combines AI image analysis, statistical validation, and autonomous satellite tasking. Addressing the challenge of rapidly changing wildfires Wildfires can spread at remarkable speeds, with favourable weather conditions allowing flames to travel up to 20 mph while consuming vast areas in a short period. Dense vegetation, steep terrain, changing weather patterns, and shifting wind conditions make these events difficult to predict and even harder to monitor consistently. Traditional monitoring methods such as drones, …

Impact of solar storms could be greater than previously thought

Impact of solar storms could be greater than previously thought

Published by skeptic

A new paper has found that the impact of space weather events, such as solar storms, could be underestimated under current measurements. “Regression to the mean can explain saturation of geomagnetic storms” reports on a study led by Dr Nithin Sivadas of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and co-authored by Dr Maria Walach from Lancaster University. Published in Nature, the team analysed over a million solar wind measurements taken by Earth-orbiting NASA spacecraft to examine a potential relationship between the strength of the solar wind and the currents in the upper atmosphere. Space weather refers to magnetic disturbances in the atmosphere Fluctuating electric fields in Earth’s magnetic field and upper atmosphere can affect technologies in orbit and on the surface. For example, extreme geomagnetic storms which disturb the plasma and magnetic field around our planet have been observed disrupting global satellite communications, power outages and radiation exposure to astronauts and even pilots. Dr Walach said: “Our planet’s magnetic field does a really great job of protecting us against many space weather effects and so they …

The Need for an Earth Observation Revolution

The Need for an Earth Observation Revolution

Published by skeptic

In an era defined by intensifying climate volatility, the ability to anticipate and respond to hazards—particularly flooding—has transitioned from a luxury to an operational necessity. At the forefront of this evolution is Luxembourg-based RSS-Hydro, a pioneer in geospatial and hydrological modelling. Through strategic partnerships with many different commercial companies and RTOs as well as through support from the European Space Agency (ESA), RSS-Hydro is spearheading a technological leap that moves beyond traditional reactive disaster management toward a future of proactive, Earth Observation (EO)-based intelligence. The Foundation: RSS-Hydro’s FloodPin In a world increasingly guided by AI and geospatial data, a journey typically begins with a “Pin”. “FloodPin”, or more generally speaking, “SafePin” is a signature solution concept developed by RSS-Hydro to bridge the gap between complex EO-based mapping or hydrological modelling, and actionable decision-making. At its core, FloodPin is a concept that moves beyond traditional 2D flood maps—which require expert interpretation and specialised software—by “compressing” complex spatial information into discrete, geolocated data points. A “Pin” serves as a high-density intelligence packet that provides pre-processed, sector-specific metrics, …