Friday, March 29

Tag: satellite launch

China’s Emerging Space Startup to Launch Another AI Satellite Soon
CHINA

China’s Emerging Space Startup to Launch Another AI Satellite Soon

A young Chinese commercial space firm called Chengdu GuoXing Aerospace Technology has sent two satellites into space within 100 days after its establishment, and now the company is preparing for a new launch in December. The firm was set up in the capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province in May. It has developed two experimental satellites integrated with AI technology. "The AI technology could give the satellite a stronger capability of automatic data analysis," said Zhao Hongjie, vice president of the startup firm. The company has around 40 employees most of whom are under 30. It is one of the best examples of China's emerging commercial space industry. Launching rockets and satellites has long been the goal of China's state-owned aerospace companies, but private space firms ar...
SpaceX Aborts Launch After ‘Odd’ Rocket Engine Behaviour
News

SpaceX Aborts Launch After ‘Odd’ Rocket Engine Behaviour

SpaceX aborted its planned Dragon cargo launch to the International Space Station just seconds before liftoff today due to a "slightly odd" technical issue with the Falcon 9 rocket engine. The delay was made "out of an abundance of caution," a SpaceX spokesman said, and came a day after engineers discovered a small helium leak in the engine's second stage. "All systems go, except the movement trace of an upper stage engine steering hydraulic piston was slightly odd," SpaceX chief executive officer Elon Musk said on Twitter after the launch was scrubbed. "Standing down to investigate." Musk added that the issue was "99 per cent likely to be fine." "But that one per cent chance isn't worth rolling the dice. Better to wait a day." The next launch attempt is scheduled for 9:38 am tomo...