#satellites

#satellites

This first-of-its-kind unmanned mission - Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, or ESCAPADE - could launch as early as this Sunday, sending twin satellites to Mars that together will offer the clearest picture yet of the shifting Martian atmosphere and magnetic field. If it succeeds, it could reveal mysteries about how Mars became the red wasteland that we see today, and may help us send humans to safely explore our planetary neighbor. It also pioneers a new path to Mars and a cheaper - if riskier - model for space exploration.

Guillaume Faury, chief executive of Airbus, Roberto Cingolani, chief executive of Leonardo and Patrice Caine, chief executive of Thales, said in a joint statement that the new company marked a pivotal milestone for Europe's space industry. By pooling our talent, resources, expertise and R&D capabilities, we aim to generate growth, accelerate innovation and deliver greater value to our customers and stakeholders, they said.

France has officially entered the space race with a rocket named Orbital Baguette One. The name is not just a nod to one of France's most iconic exports, but also a wink to Star Wars, with the OB-1 abbreviation paying a playful tribute to Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Starlink has announced plans to launch its third-generation satellites in the first half of 2026, which are designed to work with SpaceX's Starship vehicle.

MethaneSat was designed to detect methane leaks from space, providing essential data to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for emissions that significantly contribute to climate change.

Chinese satellites SJ-21 and SJ-25 merged on July 2, indicating a potential high-altitude orbital refueling capability, enabling possibly military applications such as disabling foreign satellites.

"Satellite infrastructure is no longer just commercial, but strategic. Space has become a new front line... the vulnerabilities in current systems stem from old technology."

Instead of trying to get rid of them for a star trail, I decided to put the satellite trails together into a single image to show how polluted the night sky is becoming.