Satellite Launch Blitz: SpaceX and China Lead the Way SpaceX’s record Starlink pace – SpaceX notched yet another successful Starlink mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, adding 24 broadband satellites to orbit on Sept. 6 spaceflightnow.com. This latest launch (Starlink 17-9) pushed the company’s 2025 deployment past 2,000 satellites, underscoring SpaceX’s breakneck cadence…
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Key Facts: Introduction India’s space and satellite industry is undergoing a transformative boom, turning the country into one of the hottest “new space” markets to watch. Long synonymous with ISRO’s thrifty but trailblazing missions – such as the Mars Orbiter Mission that reached the red planet in 2014 for just $74 M (cheaper than the Hollywood…
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Key Facts Space & Astronomy Distant Dwarf Planet Candidate Discovered: Astronomers announced the discovery of a “hidden world” beyond Neptune – a trans-Neptunian object called 2017 OF201. With an estimated 700 km diameter and an extreme 25,000-year orbit, this object could qualify as a dwarf planet sciencedaily.com sciencedaily.com. It ventures from ~44 AU at closest approach…
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Key Facts SpaceX Starlink Frenzy and Reusability Records SpaceX continued its high-tempo launch campaign over the weekend, achieving new records in the process. On Sept. 6, a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg SFB carried 24 Starlink internet satellites to orbit (Mission Starlink 17-9) spaceflightnow.com. Liftoff occurred at 11:06 a.m. local (1806 UTC), and about 8 minutes later the first-stage…
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Key Facts In-Depth Report Space & Telecom: Historic Reusability and the Satellite Internet Race SpaceX’s 500th Landing: SpaceX achieved a new reusability milestone on Sept. 5 by successfully landing an orbital booster for the 500th time space.com. A Falcon 9 rocket lifted 28 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center, then its first-stage booster touched down ~8½ minutes later…
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Key Facts History of Russia’s Space Industry: From Soviet Pioneers to Post-Soviet Turbulence Russia’s space enterprise is anchored in the Soviet Union’s legendary space program, which set many historic milestones. The USSR built a formidable space infrastructure – at its peak in 1989, space spending was 1.5% of Soviet GDP en.wikipedia.org – achieving the first…
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Key Facts and Insights Introduction Germany is quietly transforming into a space industry powerhouse at the heart of Europe. Long known for its engineering excellence in automobiles and machinery, Germany is now applying that same precision and ambition to the final frontier. In recent years, the German space and satellite sector has surged with new…
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Key Facts Space Agency & Policy Developments NASA Leadership and Artemis Momentum On Sept. 3, NASA’s acting Administrator Sean Duffy announced a significant leadership move, naming longtime engineer Amit Kshatriya as the agency’s new Associate Administrator nasa.gov. This top civil-service post puts Kshatriya – previously head of NASA’s Moon-to-Mars architecture team – in charge of driving…
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Key Facts Launch Highlights Starlink Surge: SpaceX kicked off September with back-to-back Starlink launches. On Sept. 2 at 8:51 p.m. Pacific (0351 UTC Sept. 3), a Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg SFB in California carrying 24 Starlink internet satellites to polar orbit spaceflightnow.com space.com. Notably, this mission (Starlink Group 17-8) flew a brand-new first stage booster, a rarity for SpaceX’s…
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Key Facts Historical Overview: From Moon Race to the NewSpace Era In the mid-20th century, government programs completely dominated space exploration. The Cold War space race saw the Soviet Union and United States achieve seminal milestones – from Sputnik (1957) and Yuri Gagarin’s first orbit (1961) to the U.S. Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969.…
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