The report was published by NASA’s Satellite Servicing Capabilities Project team. It captures findings from their study on developing on-orbit satellite servicing capabilities. The document is a must read for those interested in space logistics.
Read More Report: On-Orbit Satellite Servicing Study (NASA 2010)On Sept. 24, 2023, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx became the first U.S. mission to deliver a sample of an asteroid to Earth. This article provides answers to frequently asked questions about the mission.
Read More OSIRIS-REx: Frequently Asked QuestionsNASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security – Regolith Explorer) is the first U.S. mission to collect a sample from an asteroid and return it to Earth. Launched on September 8, 2016, the spacecraft arrived at asteroid Bennu in December 2018 and collected a sample from its surface on October 20, 2020. The mission aims to deliver the largest asteroid sample ever received on Earth, estimated to hold about half a pound of Bennu’s material or 8.8 ounces +/- 3.6 ounces (250 grams +/- 101 grams).
Read More OSIRIS-REx: A Journey to Asteroid Bennu and BackThe asteroid belt, located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, consists of a large number of rocky and metallic bodies that vary in size from small boulders to objects that are hundreds of kilometers in diameter. While often portrayed as a densely packed region in popular culture, the asteroid belt is actually quite sparse, with vast distances separating individual asteroids. Nonetheless, this region presents significant opportunities for scientific research, mineral extraction, and commercial ventures. This article reviews the characteristics of the asteroid belt and discusses its growing importance in the realm of the space economy.
Read More The Asteroid Belt and Its Relevance to the Space EconomyIn the late 1990s, scientists recognized the need for a systematic way to categorize and communicate risks associated with asteroid and comet impacts. To address this, Professor Richard Binzel at the University of Torino, Italy developed the Torino Scale in 1999. This 0 to 10 point scale became one of the first standardized threat rating systems adopted by NASA and space agencies worldwide.
Read More The Torino Scale: Categorizing the Threat of Asteroid Impacts