Latest news with #EarthOrbit
Zawya
08-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Space industry urges US Congress not to axe system that prevents satellite collisions
Hundreds of U.S. companies on Tuesday urged Congress to back off a plan to kill a small federal office tasked with managing satellite traffic in space, a badly needed civilian effort initiated by President Donald Trump's first administration but now imperiled by cuts. The White House's 2026 budget proposal seeks $10 million for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Space Commerce, an 84% cut from the office's 2025 funding that would terminate Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS), a civilian system to help prevent satellite collisions and alert operators of potential crashes. Four-hundred and fifty companies from seven different industry groups, including Elon Musk's SpaceX and Amazon's Kuiper satellite unit, wrote in a joint letter on Tuesday to the Senate committee overseeing NOAA that without funding TraCSS, "U.S. commercial and government satellite operators would face greater risks – putting critical missions in harm's way, raising the cost of doing business, and potentially driving U.S. industry to relocate overseas." The rise of vast satellite constellations like SpaceX's Starlink and heightened military and commercial activities in Earth's orbit have driven up risks of collisions between the roughly 12,000 active satellites in space and thousands more pieces of uncontrollable junk, prompting efforts to create what is essentially a civil air traffic control system for space. Audrey Schaffer, vice president of strategy and policy at space-tracking firm Slingshot Aerospace, said the cuts would forfeit an opportunity to shape global space traffic control as the U.S. did decades ago for international air traffic control standards, while Europe and China develop their own satellite traffic systems. "It's really important that there be coordination amongst these different systems, so we don't have this fragmented system," Schaffer said. "If the U.S. doesn't have a system that it brings to the table, I'm not really sure how the U.S. exercises any leadership in the establishment of international space traffic management." The Pentagon has long managed a space traffic database called Space-Track, but defense and industry officials argue that responsibility detracts from its national security mission and risks conflating an essential safety service with military interests as other countries seek improvements to global satellite coordination. The space industry in 2020 praised Trump's first administration for directing the NOAA office to absorb the Pentagon's space-tracking function and improve efforts to fuse satellite position data from countries and companies. The office has since released a trial version of TraCSS currently in use by some companies ahead of a full release planned for early next year. But the Trump administration in a budget document last month explained it wants to terminate TraCSS because it did not complete the system during the prior administration and that private companies "have the capability and the business model" to do space traffic coordination on their own. The two largest space industry organizations - the Commercial Space Federation and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics - wrote in another letter protesting the termination of TraCSS to senators on Monday that "industry believes that maintaining a basic SSA service at no cost to the end user is inherently a government function." (Reporting by Joey Roulette in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NASA Plans To Leave The ISS After 2030 - Here's What Will Come Next
Since November 2000, the International Space Station has provided a habitat for a continuous human presence in space, but its days are numbered. They say it's the miles that count, and the 420,000 miles it travels every day -- 17,500 mph for 24 hours -- is more than most cars ever travel in their lifetimes. Multiply that over 30 years and consider that it travels in the inhospitable vacuum of space, and it's amazing that the ISS has already lasted this long. In 2030, NASA will deorbit the ISS to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere, an inglorious end to 30 years of international cooperation in space. However, that won't be the end of long-term human space occupation. NASA is already planning a replacement low Earth orbit space station, with three private companies trying to win the contract. Additionally, NASA wants to put a space station in orbit around the moon as part of the Artemis program, though that may not happen with a renewed emphasis on missions to Mars instead. Read more: These Are The Car-Related Movie Mistakes That Really Bother You NASA has learned that operating a space station on its own is an expensive proposition. President Reagan's vision of a wholly American-owned and operated Space Station Freedom eventually morphed into the International Space Station we know today, with other countries sharing the cost. Today, NASA favors private companies to meet its needs. Much of SpaceX's success is due to NASA's heavy investment in the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft to bring cargo and astronauts to the ISS. Boeing's Starliner, on the other hand, has not worked out as well. As the ISS goes out of service, it makes sense that NASA would pursue the commercial route with a replacement space station as well. Three companies have made proposals to NASA for the next American space station. Axiom Space has a plan not only to build its own station but to dock its payload, power, and thermal module to the ISS in 2027. Important research could be transferred off the ISS into this module, which would detach before the ISS is deorbited. It would then become the hub of Axiom Station as new modules launch and attach to it. Orbital Reef is another commercial space station proposal, backed by companies including Sierra Space, Blue Origin, and Boeing. It proposes "a mixed-use business park in space," focused on research, commercial purposes, and even tourism. Starlab is the third proposal, with involvement from Voyager, Airbus, and Mitsubishi. NASA also has space station plans beyond low Earth orbit. An important aspect of the Artemis program involves putting the Gateway space station into orbit not around the Earth, but around the moon. The Orion capsule will dock here, where astronauts will spend their time in lunar orbit rather than crammed into a small capsule as in the past. This is also where astronauts will transfer to the Human Landing System for trips to the lunar surface. Gateway will function rather like the ISS, except in lunar orbit. NASA oversees the project and flies astronauts there on Artemis missions. Europe and Japan will supply some of the station's modules, the United Arab Emirates will provide an airlock, and Canada will provide a new Canadarm similar to that used on the ISS and Space Shuttle. Gateway's first habitation module, HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost), has already been built in Italy and delivered to a Northrop Grumman facility in Arizona for further testing and preparation. However, long-term projects such as Artemis are vulnerable to short-term political goals. Thanks to huge cuts to NASA's budget, the entire Artemis program, including Gateway, is in danger of being canceled. This was originally to prioritize a manned Mars mission, but President Trump's on-again, off-again relationship with Elon Musk may mean the Mars shot could get canceled as well. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Forbes
03-07-2025
- Science
- Forbes
It's Aphelion Day, When Earth Is Farthest From The Sun. Here's Why
Earth is today at aphelion, farthest from the sun in 2025. Earth is today at aphelion, the point in its orbit at which it is farthest from the sun. That means less radiation from the sun, which will look its smallest in the sky in 2025. Meanwhile, states in the Midwest are facing high temperatures as summer's first heat wave hits. How can that make sense? Here's what you need to know about Earth's orbit of the sun and how it does — and doesn't — affect seasons. Aphelion 2025: Earth's Orbit Of The Sun Earth orbits the sun in a slight ellipse — an egg shape. There's a point when it's farthest from the sun (aphelion) and when it's closest to the sun (perihelion). At 3:54 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 3, our planet will reach aphelion. It will be 94.5 million miles (152 million kilometers) from the sun. Six months ago, on Jan. 4 — aphelion — that gap was 3.4% smaller, at 91.5 million miles (147 million kilometers) from the sun. A comparison of the Sun with Earth at perihelion (closest to the Sun) vs. the Sun with Earth near ... More aphelion (farthest from the Sun). Aphelion And The Sun On Jan. 4, Earth received its maximum radiation from the sun, which was at its largest in the sky for 2025. The difference isn't huge — the sun today appears to be a mere arcminute (1/60th of a degree) smaller than at its perihelion. The word aphelion comes from the Greek words apo (meaning away) and helios (meaning sun). Aphelion 2025: Earth's Tilted Axis Although it may seem counterintuitive for where you live to be suffering a heatwave while the Earth is farthest from the sun, remember that the Earth is not only a globe, but it also rotates on a tilted axis. Its 23.4-degree tilt determines the seasons by changing how different parts of the planet receive different amounts of sunlight throughout one orbit of the sun. The Northern Hemisphere is currently titled towards the sun, so it gets more (and more intense) sunlight for longer than the Southern Hemisphere, which is now tilted away from the sun and has shorter, colder days. The position of Earth at aphelion and perihelion. Aphelion And Seasons Not that aphelion has zero effect on the seasons. Planets move faster at perihelion and slower at aphelion, according to NASA. Since the June solstice occurs close to aphelion, summer in the Northern Hemisphere lasts a few days longer than summer in the Southern Hemisphere. The difference is about four days, although this year's Northern Hemisphere summer is 15 minutes shorter than in 2024 — thanks to the gravitational influence of the sun, the moon, and Jupiter, causing our orbital path to change ever so slightly. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Yahoo
Summer 2025 will be shorter than usual. Here's why
Summer in the Northern Hemisphere will be shorter this year than last year by about 15 minutes, according to An event known as aphelion is happening on July 3. This means the Earth will be at its farthest point from the sun, a factor that does not cause the seasons, but does affect their length. Because Earth moves in an elliptical orbit around the sun, being further away means it travels slower along its orbit. This increases the time it takes to get from the solstice, the beginning of summer, to the equinox, the end of summer, usually making the season longer in the Northern Hemisphere, according to This year, however, is an exception. Due to the gravitational pull of the moon, Jupiter and other bodies in the solar system, Earth's orbit around the sun experiences subtle changes in its trajectory, which this year results in a slightly shorter summer, according to Summer in 2026 will be 3 minutes longer than this year, the website also notes. Despite a shorter summer this year, the effects of aphelion mean that summer in the Northern Hemisphere will continue to get longer. projects that in 1,000 years, summer will likely be six hours longer than it is now. Mattapan man hurt in stabbing charged in connection with woman's death U.S. warns travelers to avoid these Middle Eastern countries In Trump/Musk feud, social media users in China side with Musk Holland man indicted for murder in slaying of Austin Schepper earlier this year Suspect in fatal shooting in Springfield to be arraigned Thursday Read the original article on MassLive.
TechCrunch
02-07-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Robinhood's co-founder is beaming up (and down) the future of energy
Robinhood's Baiju Bhatt has a new mission: solar power from space. Fresh off a $50 million Series A raise, Robinhood co-founder Baiju Bhatt is going all-in on space-based solar power. His new startup, Aetherflux, wants to launch solar power-collecting satellites into low Earth orbit, with a demo flight set for 2026, and to transmit clean energy back down to Earth. Bhatt sat down with Rebecca Bellan on TechCrunch's Equity podcast to talk about his jump from fintech to frontier tech, what it takes to build a deep tech company from the ground up, and where investor interest in the space economy stands in 2025. Listen to the full episode to hear more about: Why Bhatt thinks now is the time for space-based solar How Aetherflux is thinking about fundraising and scaling And Bellan and Bhatt's idea for a Burning Man light show (yes, really) Bhatt also joined us on stage at StrictlyVC Menlo Park last month — and if you missed it, don't worry. StrictlyVC is coming to Palo Alto; you can join the waitlist here. Equity will be back tomorrow with a special rundown ahead of the long weekend here in the U.S., so stay tuned! Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod.
