Satellites are burning up in the upper atmosphere – and we still don’t know what impact this will have on the Earth’s climate: Paul Fleet / shutterstock Elon Musk’s SpaceX has announced it will dispose of 100 Starlink satellites over the next six months, after it discovered a design flaw that may cause them to …
Pentagon leaks suggest China developing ways to attack satellites – here’s how they might work: Space communications satellite in low orbit around the Earth. Elements of this image furnished by NASA aappp via Shutterstock The recent leak of Pentagon documents included the suggestion that China is developing sophisticated cyber attacks for the purpose of disrupting …
How satellites are helping us to understand deadly avalanches: Daniel Prudek/Shutterstock Just over a year ago, one of the most destructive rock-ice avalanches in Indian Himalaya hit a small township, tragically wiping out more than 200 lives, several bridges, roads and two hydroelectric power plants. Known as the Chamoli disaster, it was unique in its …
We mapped every large solar plant on the planet using satellites and machine learning: Jenson / shutterstock An astonishing 82% decrease in the cost of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy since 2010 has given the world a fighting chance to build a zero-emissions energy system which might be less costly than the fossil-fuelled system it replaces. …
South Africa in the news: We mapped every large solar plant on the planet using satellites and machine learning: Facilities ranged in size from sprawling gigawatt-scale desert installations in Chile, South Africa, India and north-west China, through to commercial and industrial rooftop installations in …: “South Africa” – BingNews T20 World Cup: De Kock knee …
One of Nigeria’s satellites is on its last legs: why this is worrying: Satellite images are critical for security, communication, agriculture and other essential services. Satellite image (c) 2020 Maxar Technologies. Nigeria has sponsored or co-sponsored six satellites, of which only two are currently operational. One of them is functioning even though it has passed …
Six ways satellites make the world a better place: Satellites affect your life every day. Shutterstock Almost 3,000 operational spacecraft orbit our Earth. This number is growing constantly, thanks to cheaper materials and smaller satellites. Having this many satellites in orbit can create problems, including space junk and the way they change our view of …
Thousands more satellites will soon orbit Earth – we need better rules to prevent space crashes: Congestion in the sky. Shutterstock/OSORIOartist In recent years, satellites have become smaller, cheaper, and easier to make with commercial off the shelf parts. Some even weigh as little as one gram. This means more people can afford to send …
From miniature satellites to giant sun shields – the extreme technology transforming space engineering: Artist's impression of the NanoSail D satellite in orbit with solar sail. NASA This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first Apollo moon landing. This was possible thanks to an extraordinary acceleration of space technology. Within a remarkably short period …