Orbiting Space Lab
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Rocket Lab Launches Five Classified Satellites on 70th Electron Mission
Rocket Lab reached a key milestone with its 70th Electron rocket launch, successfully sending five secret satellites into orbit on Aug. 23, 2025. The mission, called “Live, Laugh, Launch,” lifted off from New Zealand and ended its live stream early at the request of the undisclosed customer. Rocket Lab now looks ahead to the debut of its larger...
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Rocket Lab Launches Kushinada-I Satellite to Orbit for Japan’s iQPS
On August 5, 2025, Rocket Lab launched Japan’s QPS-SAR-12 satellite, nicknamed Kushinada-I, aboard its Electron rocket from Mahia, New Zealand. Built by the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space (iQPS), the satellite joins a growing constellation of synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) spacecraft designed for high-resolution, all-weather, day-and-night...
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SpaceX Delivers 4 Astronauts To International Space Station Just 15 Hours After Launch
SpaceX delivered a fresh crew to the International Space Station on Saturday, making the trip in a quick 15 hours.
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Pics: Shubhanshu Shukla Enjoys Feast On Space Station Ahead Of Homecoming
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is on a 14-day mission to the International Space Station, is set to begin his return journey on July 14. Days before his homecoming, he and other crew members attended a feast, showed images from the orbiting lab
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Space Station To Fly Over India: A Guide To Spotting The Orbiting Lab
The best viewing opportunities occur within a few hours before or after sunrise or sunset when the station is illuminated by the Sun but the sky is dark enough for it to stand out.
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Lucknow To Low Earth Orbit: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Heads to Space Lab
India is all set to send its second astronaut into space, nearly four decades after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma made history in 1984. This time, the mission is not with Russia but in collaboration with the US, under the Indo-US Axiom-4 mission.
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China Launches AI-Powered Satellite Constellation to Build Space Supercomputer
On May 14, China launched the first 12 satellites of its Three-Body Computing Constellation, an ambitious project led by ADA Space and Zhejiang Lab. Set to include 2,800 satellites with a combined capacity of 1,000 peta operations per second, this space-based AI network uses natural cooling in orbit and high-speed laser communications. Designed to ...
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Rocket Lab Deploys Eight Satellites to Boost Global Wildfire Monitoring
Rocket Lab successfully launched eight satellites into orbit for OroraTech on March 26. The mission, "Finding Hot Wildfires Near You," aims to improve real-time wildfire detection through thermal infrared imaging. The satellites will join OroraTech’s existing network, operating at a 97-degree inclination, 550 km above Earth. CEO Martin Langer hig...
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Rocket Lab Launches Final Five Satellites for Kinéis' IoT Constellation
Rocket Lab has successfully launched the last five satellites for Kinéis' "Internet of Things" constellation. The mission, called "High Five," took off on March 17 from the company's New Zealand site. The Electron rocket deployed the satellites into a 404-mile orbit, completing the 25-satellite network. This system enhances global connectivity by ...
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New Research Reveals Mars’ Red Colour Linked to Ancient Water Presence
A recent study suggests that Mars’ red hue originates from ferrihydrite, an iron oxide that forms in water-rich environments. Scientists recreated Martian dust in labs and found that the mineral remained stable despite the planet’s dry conditions. Data from orbiting spacecraft and rovers confirm this discovery, reshaping theories about Mars’ ...
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Rocket Lab Delays IoT Satellite Launch to Ensure Safe Trajectory in Space
Rocket Lab has postponed its "IOT 4 You and Me" mission to avoid potential collisions with satellites and the International Space Station. This mission, set to deploy five IoT satellites, marks Rocket Lab's first launch of 2025. The company is taking extra precautions to monitor space traffic and ensure the rocket follows a safe trajectory. The sat...
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SpaceX and Vast Seek Research Ideas for Dragon and Haven-1 Space Station
SpaceX and Vast have called for research proposals for experiments aboard the upcoming Haven-1 space station and SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. The station is set to launch in August 2024, followed by a Crew Dragon mission carrying astronauts. Research will focus on human physiology in microgravity and autonomous experiments for low-Earth orbit. Sel...
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SpaceX Successfully Launches 131 Satellites on Transporter 12 Mission
SpaceX’s Transporter 12 mission, launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, deployed 131 satellites into low Earth orbit on 14 January 2025. Among the payloads were 37 satellites from Planet Labs, including the AI-powered Pelican-2, designed for high-resolution imaging and real-time data analysis. The mission also saw the Falcon 9 booster success...
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Rocket Lab Delays Launch of Synspective's Earth-Imaging Satellite
Rocket Lab's scheduled launch of Synspective's Earth-imaging satellite, "Owl The Way Up," was postponed on December 20, 2024. The delay, announced by the company, was due to the need for further analysis of sensor data. The mission aims to deploy one of Synspective's Strix radar-imaging satellites, part of a broader plan to establish a 30-satellite...
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NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System Successfully Deploys in Space
After more than four months in orbit, NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System has achieved full deployment. The solar sail, which launched aboard Rocket Lab's Electron vehicle in April, harnesses photon momentum to propel itself through space. Equipped with cameras, the spacecraft is set to capture high-resolution images of the deployed sail.
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Rocket Lab Launches Five Classified Satellites on 70th Electron Mission
Rocket Lab reached a key milestone with its 70th Electron rocket launch, successfully sending five secret satellites into orbit on Aug. 23, 2025. The mission, called “Live, Laugh, Launch,” lifted off from New Zealand and ended its live stream early at the request of the undisclosed customer. Rocket Lab now looks ahead to the debut of its larger...
-
Rocket Lab Launches Kushinada-I Satellite to Orbit for Japan’s iQPS
On August 5, 2025, Rocket Lab launched Japan’s QPS-SAR-12 satellite, nicknamed Kushinada-I, aboard its Electron rocket from Mahia, New Zealand. Built by the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space (iQPS), the satellite joins a growing constellation of synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) spacecraft designed for high-resolution, all-weather, day-and-night...
-
SpaceX Delivers 4 Astronauts To International Space Station Just 15 Hours After Launch
SpaceX delivered a fresh crew to the International Space Station on Saturday, making the trip in a quick 15 hours.
-
Pics: Shubhanshu Shukla Enjoys Feast On Space Station Ahead Of Homecoming
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is on a 14-day mission to the International Space Station, is set to begin his return journey on July 14. Days before his homecoming, he and other crew members attended a feast, showed images from the orbiting lab
-
Space Station To Fly Over India: A Guide To Spotting The Orbiting Lab
The best viewing opportunities occur within a few hours before or after sunrise or sunset when the station is illuminated by the Sun but the sky is dark enough for it to stand out.
-
Lucknow To Low Earth Orbit: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Heads to Space Lab
India is all set to send its second astronaut into space, nearly four decades after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma made history in 1984. This time, the mission is not with Russia but in collaboration with the US, under the Indo-US Axiom-4 mission.
-
China Launches AI-Powered Satellite Constellation to Build Space Supercomputer
On May 14, China launched the first 12 satellites of its Three-Body Computing Constellation, an ambitious project led by ADA Space and Zhejiang Lab. Set to include 2,800 satellites with a combined capacity of 1,000 peta operations per second, this space-based AI network uses natural cooling in orbit and high-speed laser communications. Designed to ...
-
Rocket Lab Deploys Eight Satellites to Boost Global Wildfire Monitoring
Rocket Lab successfully launched eight satellites into orbit for OroraTech on March 26. The mission, "Finding Hot Wildfires Near You," aims to improve real-time wildfire detection through thermal infrared imaging. The satellites will join OroraTech’s existing network, operating at a 97-degree inclination, 550 km above Earth. CEO Martin Langer hig...
-
Rocket Lab Launches Final Five Satellites for Kinéis' IoT Constellation
Rocket Lab has successfully launched the last five satellites for Kinéis' "Internet of Things" constellation. The mission, called "High Five," took off on March 17 from the company's New Zealand site. The Electron rocket deployed the satellites into a 404-mile orbit, completing the 25-satellite network. This system enhances global connectivity by ...
-
New Research Reveals Mars’ Red Colour Linked to Ancient Water Presence
A recent study suggests that Mars’ red hue originates from ferrihydrite, an iron oxide that forms in water-rich environments. Scientists recreated Martian dust in labs and found that the mineral remained stable despite the planet’s dry conditions. Data from orbiting spacecraft and rovers confirm this discovery, reshaping theories about Mars’ ...
-
Rocket Lab Delays IoT Satellite Launch to Ensure Safe Trajectory in Space
Rocket Lab has postponed its "IOT 4 You and Me" mission to avoid potential collisions with satellites and the International Space Station. This mission, set to deploy five IoT satellites, marks Rocket Lab's first launch of 2025. The company is taking extra precautions to monitor space traffic and ensure the rocket follows a safe trajectory. The sat...
-
SpaceX and Vast Seek Research Ideas for Dragon and Haven-1 Space Station
SpaceX and Vast have called for research proposals for experiments aboard the upcoming Haven-1 space station and SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. The station is set to launch in August 2024, followed by a Crew Dragon mission carrying astronauts. Research will focus on human physiology in microgravity and autonomous experiments for low-Earth orbit. Sel...
-
SpaceX Successfully Launches 131 Satellites on Transporter 12 Mission
SpaceX’s Transporter 12 mission, launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, deployed 131 satellites into low Earth orbit on 14 January 2025. Among the payloads were 37 satellites from Planet Labs, including the AI-powered Pelican-2, designed for high-resolution imaging and real-time data analysis. The mission also saw the Falcon 9 booster success...
-
Rocket Lab Delays Launch of Synspective's Earth-Imaging Satellite
Rocket Lab's scheduled launch of Synspective's Earth-imaging satellite, "Owl The Way Up," was postponed on December 20, 2024. The delay, announced by the company, was due to the need for further analysis of sensor data. The mission aims to deploy one of Synspective's Strix radar-imaging satellites, part of a broader plan to establish a 30-satellite...
-
NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System Successfully Deploys in Space
After more than four months in orbit, NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System has achieved full deployment. The solar sail, which launched aboard Rocket Lab's Electron vehicle in April, harnesses photon momentum to propel itself through space. Equipped with cameras, the spacecraft is set to capture high-resolution images of the deployed sail.
