Jonathan McDowell

The cargo pallet after being tossed by the by the Canadarm2 robotic arm in 2021.Photo: NASAOn Friday, March 8, a pallet of used batteries from the International Space Station (ISS) reentered Earth’s atmosphere over the Gulf of Mexico following an unpredictable journey through orbit.Taking out the Trash (in Space)The pallet contained nine batteries and weighed in at 2.9 tons. It had been tossed by the Canadarm2 robotic arm in March 2021 and and has since been tumbling towards Earth in an uncontrolled reentry. The chaotic…

A 2.9-ton cargo pallet, once used for a critical battery upgrade mission on the International Space Station (ISS), is now approaching the end of its journey and is expected to reenter the Earth’s atmosphere in the coming days.Taking out the Trash (in Space)The pallet, tossed from the ISS in March 2021 by the trusty Canadarm2, is facing imminent destruction in Earth’s atmosphere three years after serving its purpose in a major battery replacement project on the station. According to Harvard-Smithsonian astronomer Jonathan…

The provenance of a large metallic object that washed ashore near Jurien Bay in Western Australia this past weekend remains unknown, despite rampant speculation about it hailing from an Indian PSLV launch vehicle.Threads Needs These Five Missing Features to Be a Twitter KillerLocal residents reported the sudden appearance of the canister-like object on Sunday, July 16, prompting both local and federal authorities to investigate. Measuring around 8 feet wide (2.5 meters), the copper-toned object appears damaged and…

On Sunday, a canister-like object washed ashore in Green Head, Western Australia, triggering a mystery for both state and federal officials. Its originhas not yet been confirmed, but early speculation suggests it came from a rocket.Three Astronauts May Be Stranded on the ISS After Disturbing Soyuz Coolant LeakAs reported in The Guardian, the large cylindrical object appeared on a beach near Jurien Bay, roughly 137 miles (220 kilometers) north of Perth, with local residents alerting authorities on Sunday. A local couple,…

A private space company in China made aerospace history by launching its methane-fueled rocket to orbit, ushering in a new era of cleaner, safer rocket fuel that’s better suited for reusability. Twitter Investor Sues Elon Musk Over Sneaky Stock PurchasesLandspace’s Zhuque-2 launched at 9:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, the company announced. This was the rocket’s second attempt to reach orbit after an unfortunate mission failure in December 2022, which destroyed 14…

It’s getting awfully crowded in low Earth orbit with more than 4,000 Starlink satellites currently in orbit and thousands more that will soon make their way up there. SpaceX’s internet satellites often stand in the way of orbiting spacecraft, defunct satellites, or space junk, racking up 50,000 potentially dangerous approaches over the past four years.Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewA new report revealed that Starlink satelliteshad to make 25,000 collision avoidance maneuvers…

The Starlink V2 Minis, a smaller version of SpaceX’s next-generation internet satellites—which have yet to launch—have turned on and are actively transmitting data back down to Earth. Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewEarlier this week, SpaceX notified the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that the company has “initiated communications” between its Gen2 satellites and licensed stations within the United States, according to an FCC filing that was first reported by PCMag.…

In an effort to prevent falling rockets from landing on populated areas, China tested a parachute system designed to control where its rocket boosters land back on Earth.Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewChina successfully carried out the first test of its parachute system during a recent launch of its Long March 3B rocket, the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology announced on Friday. The rocket delivereda BeiDou navigation satellite to orbit, lifting off from the Xichang…

History could be made this week, as astronaut Rayyanah Barnawi seeks to become the first Saudi woman and first Arab woman to reach orbit. We’ve also got our eyes on the annual Humans to Mars Summit and an ongoing contest to make in-space food production more practicable. Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewIt’s alsoa big week for SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which could perform as many as four missions in the coming days.Axiom’s second stint on the ISSThe second privately funded…

Earlier today, a Falcon 9 rocket launched to space with 56 Starlink satellites on board. For SpaceX, this was an otherwise routine mission, but with this launch, the company now has over 4,000 Starlinks orbiting the Earth at low altitude—yet another unprecedented milestone for the Elon Musk-led company.Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewThe Falcon 9 rumbled off the Cape Canaveral launch pad at the ungodly hour of 3:31 a.m. ET this morning. The core stage landed safely on the A…