Latest news with #orbit
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Orbit of third-known interstellar object
Astronomers have calculated the orbit of our third-known comet, seen here in this visualization. It will be closest to Earth in October.
CBC
16-07-2025
- Science
- CBC
Orbit of third-known interstellar object
Astronomers have calculated the orbit of our third-known comet, seen here in this visualization. It will be closest to Earth in October.
Gizmodo
14-07-2025
- Science
- Gizmodo
Secretive Chinese Satellite Emerges in Surprising Orbit After 6-Day Vanishing Act
Nearly a week after launch, space tracking systems were able to locate a mysterious satellite parked in an unusually low orbit. China launched the experimental satellite to test new technologies, but it's still unclear exactly what it's doing in its unique inclination. Shiyan-28B 01 launched on July 3 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, riding on board a Long March 4C rocket. The satellite is part of China's experimental Shiyan series, reportedly designed for exploration of the space environment and to test new technologies. It typically takes a day or two for space tracking systems to locate an object in orbit, but the recently launched Chinese satellite was hard to find. The U.S. Space Force's Space Domain Awareness unit was finally able to catalogue Shiyan-28B 01 on July 9, six days after its launch. The U.S. space monitoring system located the Chinese satellite in a 492 by 494 mile orbit (794 by 796 kilometer orbit) with an 11-degree inclination, astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell wrote on X. At the time of launch, it was estimated that the satellite would be tilted at a 35-degree inclination relative to Earth's equator. Its unusually low inclination, however, suggests that the rocket performed a dogleg maneuver, meaning that it changed direction midway through ascent, and its second stage performed three burns to reduce inclination, according to McDowell. It's unclear why China performed the change in the rocket's path after launch or what the purpose of the satellite's low inclination is. China has never used such a low-inclination orbit before, according to SpaceNews. Based on its orbital inclination, the satellite will pass over parts of the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, and it may be used for regional monitoring or communication tests. China has been experimenting with new satellite technology. Two Chinese satellites recently performed a docking maneuver for an orbital refueling experiment, which has the potential to extend the lifespan of spacecraft in orbit. The country generally keeps the specifics of its experimental missions under wraps, carrying out secretive maneuvers in orbit as U.S. tracking systems do their best to keep watch.
Wall Street Journal
10-07-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Space-Medicines Startup Varda Nabs $187 Million Financing
Varda Space Industries, which seeks to use microgravity to improve drug development, has raised $187 million in fresh capital and expanded its ability to process pharmaceutical ingredients in orbit. Because active pharmaceutical ingredients behave differently in microgravity, or near-weightlessness, Varda says its approach could enable improved versions of existing drugs and novel treatments not possible on Earth.
Fox News
10-07-2025
- Science
- Fox News
Chinese satellites complete groundbreaking mission 22,000 miles above Earth
China's space program took a major stride this past week as two of its satellites seemingly docked together in what could have been the country's first high-altitude attempt at refueling a satellite while in orbit. The Shijian-21 and Shijian-25 satellites appeared to dock with one another last week more than 20,000 miles above the planet in geosynchronous orbit, in which a satellite's orbital period matches the pace of the Earth's rotation, according to news outlet Ars Technica. While Chinese officials have not recently released any updates about the two satellites, civilian satellite trackers showed Shijian-21 and Shijian-25 moving closer together before becoming indistinguishable from one another, Ars Technica reported. These two satellites docking in geosynchronous orbit could indicate that China has the potential to disable another country's satellite in space, Ars Technica reported. However, the U.S. Space Force has similarly been interested in orbital refueling as military satellites often have limited fuel supplies. The military branch is slated to perform its first-ever refueling of a U.S. military asset in orbit as early as next summer. American officials may have taken note of the apparent docking by China last week, as two of the Space Force's inspector satellites appeared to move closer to Shijian-21 and Shijian-25 following the maneuver, Ars Technica reported. Geosynchronous orbit, which is situated at an altitude of around 22,236 miles, is popular among military and commercial satellites as it means they have a fixed view of the planet and can provide military forces with information like early warnings of missile attacks, according to Ars Technica. In April, Space Force Gen. Chance Saltzman described China's explosive advances in space as "mind-boggling" and warned the U.S. is on a path to losing its dominance in orbit. Testifying before the bipartisan U.S.-China Commission, Saltzman said China is "heavily investing" in both ground-based and space-based weapons designed to disable enemy satellites, including kinetic strikes, radio-frequency jamming and directed energy weapons. China also increased its military spending by 7% this year, stockpiling anti-satellite missiles and claiming to possess directed energy weapons that use concentrated energy beams to jam satellite signals. The U.S. Space Force and NASA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
