SpaceX Starship: Elon Musk owned rocket – the biggest and most powerful ever – explodes minutes after take off April 20, 2023 SpaceX’s Starship – the biggest and most powerful space rocket ever developed – has exploded minutes after blasting off. The launch, which took place from SpaceX’s Starbase in the US state of Texas, came after a stuck valve forced a launch attempt on Monday to be aborted. While Thursday’s launch saw the rocket leave the [...]
Has Branson’s satellite dream been grounded? Virgin Orbit files for bankruptcy in the US April 4, 2023 Sir Richard Branson’s satellite launch firm Virgin Orbit has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US after failing to secure rescue funding. It comes after a Virgin Orbit rocket failed to complete the first satellite launch from UK soil in January. On Tuesday, the business lodged a filing with the US Bankruptcy Court for [...]
Virgin Orbit shares crash back to earth after failed Cornwall space launch January 10, 2023 Virgin Orbit shares have come plummeting back to earth after its much-anticipated UK space launch failed last night. Shares for the Richard Branson-headed company dropped by 23 per cent on NASDAQ pre-trading and were trading down around 16 per cent this afternoon. It comes after the Virgin Orbit rocket, the first launch from UK soil, [...]
Crash landing in sea: British space firm’s Iceland rocket launch ends in failure October 13, 2022 A British space company’s attempted rocket launch off the coast of Iceland ended in failure, with the projectile travelling just 500 metres before crashing into the sea. Rival to Elon Musk’s SpaceX firm, Skyrora held an unannounced launch of its Suborbital Skylark L rocket today, ahead of a full UK launch from next year. The [...]
UK’s space industry costs average taxpayer just £1 a year August 17, 2022 The Government’s investment in the country’s burgeoning space sector costs the average taxpayer just £1 a year, according to a UK Space Agency (UKSA) lead today. Speaking to BBC Breakfast about how the UK’s space ambitions fit into cost of living concerns, exploration science manager at (UKSA) Libby Jackson explained that the Government’s current investment [...]
Worldwide excitement as stunned space researchers discover black hole outside our galaxy July 18, 2022 A stellar-mass black hole has been observed in a neighbouring galaxy by a team of international scientists. The newly found black hole is at least nine times the mass of the Sun, and orbits a hot, blue star weighing 25 times the Sun’s mass. The dormant black hole sits outside the Milky Way. The star [...]
‘Did you hear that?’ Astronomers stunned by strange but persistent ‘heartbeat’ from far-off galaxy July 13, 2022 A strange and persistent radio signal from a far-off galaxy that appears to be flashing in a pattern similar to a heartbeat has been detected by astronomers. It has been classified as a fast radio burst (FRB) – an intensely strong burst of radio waves of unknown astrophysical origin that typically lasts for a few [...]
We have lift off: UK and US pen landmark partnership to drive space growth May 13, 2022 Future spaceflight is set to be made easier and cheaper, following a landmark partnership with the US to help cut red tape and boost opportunities in the UK, signed by the Transport Secretary this week in Washington.
Lifting off from the Highlands: Scotland to be launchpad for Europe’s first-ever microlauncher rocket May 11, 2022 Europe’s very first microlauncher rocket will be launched in Scotland. Lifting off from Space Hub Sutherland, in the Highlands, the Prime orbital space rocket has been unveiled by Orbex, a spaceflight company. The firm will now press ahead with testing, allowing “dress rehearsals” of rocket launches and the development of launch procedures. Orbex recently revealed [...]
When Musk met OneWeb: UK satellite firm teams up with SpaceX March 21, 2022 Taxpayer backed OneWeb has announced it will be teaming up Elon Musk's SpaceX to move forward with satellite launches.