A static-fire test of China’s Tianlong-3 rocket went awry on Sunday, resulting in the rocket unexpectedly lifting off and subsequently crashing back to Earth in a fiery explosion. The incident, caused by a failure in the clamps holding the rocket in place, highlights the risks involved in space exploration, even during routine tests.
NASA’s Mars Odyssey Orbiter has completed an incredible milestone, reaching 100,000 orbits around Mars after 23 years of exploration. The orbiter has been instrumental in mapping Martian minerals, identifying landing sites for future missions, and relaying data from rovers like Perseverance and Curiosity. It has also captured stunning images of Olympus Mons, the tallest volcano in the solar system, and even photographed the Ingenuity helicopter during its historic flights. This long-lasting mission continues to provide valuable scientific insights about the red planet.
The Space Exploration and Research Agency (Sera) has announced an upcoming suborbital manned spaceflight featuring an Indian citizen, marking the second time an Indian will travel to space and the second time an Indian-origin individual will fly on a Blue Origin mission. The mission, open to Indian citizens, will be part of a Blue Origin space tourism mission for a fee of $2.5 million. The selected individual will be chosen through public voting and undergo training at Blue Origin’s Texas base before the flight.
China’s Chang’e 6 mission has successfully returned to Earth with the first-ever lunar far side samples. The return capsule, carrying up to 2 kilograms of material, has been opened in Beijing and the samples will now be analyzed and distributed for research.
SpaceX is gearing up for a historic attempt to catch the Super Heavy booster during its fifth test flight. The company has released videos showcasing the giant mechanical arms designed to secure the booster as it returns to the launch tower. This maneuver, if successful, will be a critical step towards making Starship rapidly and reliably reusable.
NASA is funding research into using fungi to grow habitats on the moon and Mars, a concept known as myco-architecture. This innovative approach aims to utilize readily available resources and lightweight materials for space exploration, potentially revolutionizing how we build structures in extraterrestrial environments.
China has achieved a groundbreaking feat in space exploration by successfully retrieving the first lunar samples from the moon’s far side. The Chang’e-6 mission, launched earlier this month, collected samples from the challenging and less-explored region and brought them back to Earth on June 25th. The mission has opened new avenues for scientific research, providing insights into the moon’s history and geology.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk provided a detailed tour of the Starfactory in Boca Chica, Texas, to Everyday Astronaut YouTuber Tim Dodd. The facility houses Starship production, with ambitions to produce up to 100 spacecraft annually and eventually, a thousand. The tour highlighted the innovative Raptor engine and emphasized the importance of reusability for the Starship program, a key aspect for future missions to the moon and Mars.
Nigeria has announced plans to send its first citizen into space in partnership with Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA), which collaborates with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. This ambitious initiative aims to diversify space exploration and inspire a new generation of scientists and engineers in Nigeria.
A section of a Chinese Long March 2-C rocket carrying a joint China-France satellite, SVOM, crashed near a residential area shortly after launch on June 22. Despite the incident, the satellite successfully reached orbit and is expected to contribute significantly to astronomical research.
