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☆ Ukraine war live updates: Kim and Putin in talks after meeting at spaceport in Russia's far east
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Russian media showed the leaders greeting each other outside the space rocket launch venue around 1,000 miles from Vladivostok, where Kim initially arrived on Tuesday. The Kremlin also released a video showing the leaders touring the cosmodrome ahead of talks. In this pool photo distributed by Sputnik agency, Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (L) during their meeting at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Amur region on September 13, 2023. Western officials believe Russia wants to acquire weaponry for use in its war in Ukraine with North Korea wanting financial assistance and food, and potentially military technology, in return. North Korea reportedly fired two ballistic missiles off its east coast just hours before leader Kim was expected to meet Putin.

Persons: Kim, Vladimir Putin, North, Kim Jong, Putin Organizations: Sputnik, Vostochny Locations: Vladivostok, Amur, Russia, Ukraine, North Korea, Korea

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s Vostochny space launch facility where President Vladimir Putin hosted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday reflects an ambitious attempt by Moscow to burnish its scientific glory that faded after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The new spaceport has a troubled history tarnished by construction delays and widespread corruption. DIFFICULT CONSTRUCTIONVostochny’s location in an unexplored and sparsely populated area in Russia’s far east has added to the cost and length of construction works. The first launch from Vostochny initially had been planned for 2015 but was pushed back until the following year. In 2018, an inspection revealed cavities in the ground under the launch pad that were blamed on shoddy construction works and required additional funds to fix.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Putin, Vostochny, Luna Organizations: MOSCOW, North, Soviet Union, Baikonur, Soyuz Locations: Moscow, Soviet, Soviet Union, Russia, Kazakhstan, Russia’s, Tsiolkovsky, Vostochny

☆ Putin signals potential willingness to assist Kim as two leaders meet for expected weapons talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Helen Regan Gawon Bae Larry Register Simone Mccarthy Anna Chernova | Helen Regan | Gawon Bae | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin shake hands as they begin their talks at the Vostochny Cosmodrome, Amur region, Russia, on September 13. Providing this technology to North Korea would be in violation of international sanctions, aimed at hampering Pyongyang’s ability to build a fully functioning nuclear weapons and ballistic missile force. After the talks, Kremlin spokesperson Peskov said “North Korea is our close neighbor,” according to state media. The two ballistic missiles fired by North Korea Wednesday morning each traveled about 650 kilometers (400 miles) before falling into the sea, according to the JCS. North Korea may be intending “to show that the military maintains readiness with uninterrupted command and control,” Easley said.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong, Putin, “, ” Putin, ”, Kim Jong Un, Kim, Kim Jong Un's, Dmitry Peskov, ” Peskov, ” Leif, Eric Easley, John Bolton, ” Bolton, Peskov, Kim Yo Jong, Sergei Shoigu, Shoigu “, ” Kim Jong Un's, ” Easley, Ankit, ” Panda, we’ve Organizations: CNN, Vostochny, Kremlin, Ewha Womans University, North, Russian, US National Security, of, Munitions Industry, Russian Defense, South Korea’s, Chiefs of Staff, North Korea Wednesday, Kremlin Analysts, Security, Nuclear, Carnegie Endowment, International Locations: Korea, Russia, North Korea, Russia’s, Pyongyang, Ukraine, Vostochny Cosmodrome, Amur, Kremlin North Korea, North Korean, Moscow, Seoul, Cosmodrome, Soviet Union, “ North Korea, South

☆ Virgin Galactic launches three paying customers to space
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Virgin Galactic notched its third commercial spaceflight, launching three paying customers on a roughly 90-minute flight that briefly touched the edge of space. Also on board were two Virgin Galactic pilots, commander Nicola Pecile and Michael Masucci. Virgin Galactic stock has shed more than 30% of its value over the past month despite the company’s recent successes. On its first commercial launch, Virgin Galactic carried members of the Italian air force and an Italian engineer on a science research mission. All told, Virgin Galactic has sold about 800 tickets, including 600 at earlier price points up to $250,000 and, more recently, another couple hundred at $450,000 per ticket.

Persons: Virgin Galactic’s, Ken Baxter, Timothy Nash, Adrian Reynard, Nicola Pecile, Michael Masucci, Beth Moses, Virgin Galactic, Richard Branson, Michael Colglazier, Jeff Bezos, Jon Goodwin, Baxter, “ I’ve, Sir Richard, ”, Ken Baxter's Organizations: CNN, Virgin Galactic, Virgin, VSS Unity, America Locations: Vegas, British, South Africa, United Kingdom, New Mexico, Texas, Italian, Antigua

☆ India to launch mission to study the sun — just days after successful moon landing
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Days after India's successful moon mission, the country is now setting its sights on the sun. Aditya, which refers to the sun in Hindi, is to be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 of the Sun-Earth system, where the sun can be observed without any obstructions, an ISRO report stated. Lagrange points are positions in space where gravitational forces of two large masses produce "enhanced regions of attraction and repulsion," according to NASA. The resulting force can be used to remain in position and reduce fuel consumption — and can be likened to "parking spots" for spacecraft. The launch will mark India's first space-based observatory to study the sun, and would offer a "major advantage of continuously viewing the sun without any occultation or eclipses," the ISRO report stated.

Persons: Lagrange Organizations: Indian Space Research Organization, ISRO, NASA

☆ India sets September launch date for mission to study the sun
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A security guard stands behind the logo of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) at its headquarters in Bengaluru, India, June 12, 2019. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas//File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBENGALURU, Aug 28 (Reuters) - India's first space-based observatory to study the sun will be launched on Sept. 2, the country's space agency said on Monday. The Aditya-L1, India's first space-based solar probe, aims to study solar winds, which can cause disturbance on earth and are commonly seen as "auroras". "The total travel time from launch to L-1 (Langrange point) would take about four months for Aditya-L1," the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in a post on X. It's latest moon mission had a budget of about $75 million- less than that of Hollywood space thriller "Gravity".

Persons: Francis Mascarenhas, Nivedita, Sakshi Dayal, Louise Heavens, Mike Harrison Organizations: Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO, REUTERS, Rights, Twitter, Aditya, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru, India, Sriharikota

☆ Explainer: What is India's next space mission after moon landing?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Amit Dave Acquire Licensing RightsBENGALURU, Aug 25 (Reuters) - On the heels of the success of the Chandrayaan-3 moon landing, India's space agency has set a date for its next mission - this time to study the sun. It aims to study solar winds, which can cause disturbance on earth and are commonly seen as "auroras". In 2019, the government sanctioned the equivalent of about $46 million for the Aditya-L1 mission. The Indian space agency has earned a reputation for world-beating cost competitiveness in space engineering that executives and planners expect will boost its now-privatised space industry. The Chandrayaan-3 mission, which landed a spacecraft on the lunar south pole, had a budget of about $75 million.

Persons: Amit Dave, Joseph, Louis Lagrange, Nivedita, Giles Elgood Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Indian Space Research Organisation, European Space Agency, NASA, Orbiter, ISRO, Thomson Locations: Gujarat Science City, Ahmedabad, India, Sriharikota, French, Bengaluru

☆ Russia's Luna-25 moon-lander spun out of control and crashed, fumbling an attempt to become the first country to land on the lunar south pole. India is up next.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia's Luna-25 spacecraft crashed into the moon's surface, ending its mission. The country was racing India to be the first country to land a spacecraft on the lunar's south pole. The moon's south pole likely contains frozen water that could be used to produce air and rocket fuel. The Luna-25 was in a race with an Indian spacecraft launched on July 14 to be the first to reach the south pole. A previous Indian attempt to land at the south pole in 2019 ended when the spacecraft crashed into the moon's surface.

Persons: Russia's Luna, Roscosmos, Luna, Vitaly Egorov, Russia's, cosmonautics, Egorov, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Service, Russia's Soyuz, Space Corporation, Luna, Soviet Union, NASA, Vostochny Locations: India, Wall, Silicon, Indian, Russian, Soviet, Soviet Union, United States, China, Russia, Roscosmos, Ukraine, Russia's Far

☆ Russia's Luna-25 spacecraft suffers technical glitch in pre-landing maneuver
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Russia reported an "abnormal situation" Saturday on its moon-bound Luna-25 spacecraft, which launched earlier this month. The spacecraft is scheduled to land on the south pole of the moon on Monday, racing to land on Earth's satellite ahead of an Indian spacecraft. The lunar south pole is of particular interest to scientists, who believe the permanently shadowed polar craters may contain water. Also on Saturday, the Russian spacecraft produced its first results. A previous Indian attempt to land at the moon's south pole in 2019 ended when the lander crashed into the moon's surface.

Persons: Roscosmos, Luna, Russia's, Egorov, Vladimir Putin Organizations: 2.1b, Vostochny, Soviet Union, Baikonur Locations: Amur, Russia, Russian, Soviet, Soviet Union, United States, China, India, Ukraine, Kazakhstan

☆ India closes in on moon landing as Russia also races to lunar south pole
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Nivedita Bhattacharjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Indian space agency launched the rocket carrying the spacecraft on July 14, blasting off from the country's main spaceport in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. Rough terrain is expected to complicate a landing on the lunar south pole. A previous mission by India's space agency, the Chandrayaan-2, crashed in 2019 near where the Chandrayaan-3 will attempt a touchdown. Both India and Russia have national interests in successful landings and in claiming the historic first at stake. Russia's space agency Roscosmos has said the Luna-25 mission would spend 5-7 days in lunar orbit before descending to one of three possible landing sites near the pole.

Persons: Roscosmos, Luna, Narendra Modi's, Nivedita, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: ISRO, Handout, REUTERS, Rights, LM, Indian Space Research Organisation, Luna, India's, Skyroot Aerospace, Thomson Locations: Russia, Andhra Pradesh, India, Ukraine, Bengaluru

☆ ESA chief sees Ariane 6 debut launch delayed to next year
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A worker of Ariane Group stands in front of a Ariane 6 rocket's Vulcain 2.1 engine, prior to the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron, in Vernon, France January 12, 2021. Christophe Ena/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Aug 16 (Reuters) - The first launch of Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket has slipped into 2024 after an incomplete recent ground test, the head of the European Space Agency suggested in remarks to Reuters. Ninety percent of July's objectives were met and further tests are scheduled for September, it added. "After this series of tests we plan to consolidate a launch date for Ariane 6," ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher told Reuters. Asked whether it was fair to assume that plans for a test launch before the end of the year were now out of reach, Aschbacher told Reuters, "This is fair to say, yes".

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Christophe Ena, Safran, Josef Aschbacher, Aschbacher, Guillaume Faury, Tim Hepher, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Ariane, Rights, European Space Agency, Reuters, ESA, Airbus, Paris Air Forum, Thomson Locations: Vernon, France, Guiana, Germany, European

☆ Virgin Galactic launches tourists to edge of space
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

VSS Unity rocket operated by Virgin Galactic lands after the company's first commercial flight to the edge of space, at the Spaceport America facility, in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, U.S., June 29, 2023. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Virgin Galactic on Thursday blasted three tourists to the edge of space aboard its air-launched VSS Unity spaceplane, a live stream showed, the Richard Branson-founded company's second commercial mission as it starts routine flights. The rocket-powered VSS Unity craft dropped from the carrier plane over New Mexico around 9:20 a.m. local time and blasted its four passengers, a company instructor and three tourists, to an altitude of roughly 55 miles (88.51 km). Reporting by Joey Roulette; Editing by Mark Porter and Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jose Luis Gonzalez, Richard Branson, Joey Roulette, Mark Porter, Richard Chang Organizations: VSS Unity, Virgin Galactic, America, REUTERS, Galactic, VSS, Thomson Locations: New Mexico, U.S

☆ Virgin Galactic to launch first tourism mission after decades of promises
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Jackie Wattles | Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Virgin Galactic — the space tourism company founded by British billionaire Richard Branson — is finally prepared to launch its first space tourists to the edge of the cosmos, a major step toward delivering on decades of promises. Meet the crewThis mission comes on the heels of the success of Virgin Galactic’s first commercial mission, which launched in June. Goodwin was one of the earliest ticket holders on Virgin Galactic, which opened its first sales more than a decade ago. Virgin Galactic has sold about 800 tickets, including 600 at prices up to $250,000 and another couple hundred at $450,000 per ticket. In the lead-up to 2023, Virgin Galactic had been undergoing a lengthy “enhancement” process to upgrade its flight hardware.

Persons: Richard Branson —, Keisha Schahaff, Anastatia Mayers, Jon Goodwin, Goodwin, Virgin Galactic’s, Jeff Bezos, Galactic Schahaff, Mayers, “, ” Schahaff, Oliver Daemen, Bezos, don’t, ”, John McFall, What’s, Michael Colglazier, Virgin Galactic, Colglazier Organizations: CNN, Virgin Galactic, VSS Unity, Virgin, VSS, Galactic, Space, Humanity, University of Aberdeen, Blue, European Space Agency Locations: British, New Mexico, Antigua, American, Caribbean, Scotland

☆ Virgin Galactic launches first tourist flight to space
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Virgin Galactic flew its second commercial spaceflight on Thursday, its first carrying private-paying tourists. Virgin Galactic uses a two-step system known as "air launch" to fly its passengers on a suborbital spaceflight. "We did not, in fact" see any fallout from Virgin Galactic customers, Colglazier said. The company completed its first commercial spaceflight, the Galactic 01 mission, in June carrying members of the Italian Air Force. Virgin Galactic has a backlog of about 800 passengers.

Persons: – CJ Sturckow, Kelly Latimer –, Beth Moses, Jon Goodwin, Keisha Schahaff, Anastatia Mayers, Elon Musk's, Virgin Galactic's, Michael Colglazier, Colglazier Organizations: Virgin Galactic, America, Space, Humanity, Virgin, VSS, Elon, Elon Musk's SpaceX, Italian Air Force . Virgin Galactic Locations: New Mexico, Caribbean

For the first time in nearly half a century, Russia has launched a spacecraft that is headed to the moon. On Friday morning at a spaceport in the far eastern part of Russia, a rocket lifted Luna-25, a robotic lander of moderate size, to Earth orbit. The Soyuz rocket began its flight under cloudy skies at the Vostochny launchpad. About 10 minutes into the flight, the spacecraft and a space tug propulsion unit separated from the rocket’s third stage. In about an hour, the space tug will push Luna-25 on a course to the moon.

Persons: Vladimir V, Putin, Luna Organizations: Soyuz Locations: Russia, Ukraine

☆ A mother-daughter duo will join an 80-year-old Olympian on Virgin Galactic's first space tourism flight on Thursday. Here's how to watch live.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Virgin Galactic plans to launch its first space tourist flight on Thursday. These are the first commercial passengers to fly aboard Virgin Galactic's first private commercial spaceflight, due to take off Thursday. Keisha Schahaff won her tickets through a raffle while on a Virgin flight from Antigua to London in 2021. "The whole team just swarmed into my house saying 'You're the winner, you're going to space,'" Schahaff told the BBC. This is Virgin Galactic's second commercial flight and the first to carry paying customers.

Persons: Richard Branson's Virgin, Sir Richard, Jon Goodwin, Keisha Schahaff, Virgin Galactic's, Virgin Galactic Goodwin, Goodwin, Schahaff, Anastatia Mayers, Beth Moses, Richard Branson, Elon Musk, OceanGate Organizations: Virgin, Service, New Mexico's, Sky News, Virgin Galactic, BBC, University of Aberdeen, Italian Air Force, National Research Council of Italy, VSS Unity, Galactic's, Galactic Locations: Wall, Silicon, New, America, Munich, nought, Antigua, London, Caribbean, Scotland, New Mexico

☆ Virgin Galactic banks $2 million in quarterly revenue after first commercial spaceflight
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Virgin Galactic flew two spaceflights during the second quarter: Its final test spaceflight and its first commercial spaceflight, the latter a long-awaited step to bring its service to market. It expects to fly its second commercial spaceflight on Aug. 10. Virgin Galactic stock slipped about 3% in after-hours trading from its close at $4.14 a share. Virgin Galactic had cash and securities totaling $980 million at the end of the quarter, up from about $874 million at the end of the first quarter. That increase came as Virgin Galactic brought in funds through "at the market" sales of common stock.

Persons: Michael Colglazier Organizations: Virgin Galactic, America, VSS Unity, Galactic Locations: New Mexico, U.S

☆ SpaceX hasn't obtained environmental permits for 'flame deflector' system it's testing in Texas
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

(Photo by Loren Elliott/Getty Images)SpaceX ran a "full-pressure test" of a new "flame deflector" system at its Starship Super Heavy launch site in South Texas on Friday. SpaceX hasn't disclosed how much water a system test consumes at the site, where that water will run off and what it contains. SpaceX hasn't said why it went ahead without a permit and didn't respond to a request for comment. Eric Roesch, an environmental engineer, has been tracking how SpaceX and other aerospace companies comply with environmental regulations in Texas via his newsletter ESGHound. "Industrial process water is a regulated pollutant under the Clean Water Act," Roesch told CNBC in an interview.

Persons: Loren Elliott, Elon Musk, SpaceX hasn't, Eric Roesch, Roesch Organizations: BOCA, SpaceX, CNBC, federal, Texas Commission, Environmental, Boca, Space Locations: BOCA CHICA , TX, Texas, Boca Chica, Brownsville , Texas, South Texas, of Mexico, Boca Chica , Texas, U.S, United States

☆ Meet the crew of Virgin Galactic’s first private passenger spaceflight
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The first Olympian and the first mother-daughter duo to venture to space will be aboard Virgin Galactic’s inaugural private astronaut mission in August. Virgin Galactic and commercial spaceflightThe flight window opens for the mission, dubbed Galactic 02, on August 10, and the launch will stream live on Virgin Galactic’s website. The announcement comes on the heels of the successful launch and landing of Virgin Galactic’s first commercial spaceflight on June 29. The passengers boarded the VSS Unity, attached to a massive aircraft called VMS Eve, at Virgin Galactic’s spaceport in New Mexico. VMS Eve took off like an airplane, delivering VSS Unity to a designated altitude.

Persons: Keisha Schahaff, Anastatia Mayers, ” Schahaff, Jon Goodwin, Goodwin, Parkinson’s, ” Goodwin, don’t, Beth Moses, Moses Organizations: CNN, Virgin Galactic’s, Space, Humanity, . Virgin Galactic, University of Aberdeen, Virgin Galactic, Virgin, Italian Air Force, VSS, VSS Unity Locations: Caribbean, Antigua, Scotland, New Mexico

☆ India readies takeoff for mission to land spacecraft on moon's south pole
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Nivedita Bhattacharjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BENGALURU, July 14 (Reuters) - India's space agency made final preparations on Friday for the launch of a rocket that will attempt to land a robotic rover on the moon's south pole, a first in space exploration. The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft would also be the first to land at the lunar south pole, an area of special interest for space agencies and private space companies because of the presence of water ice that could support a future space station. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said it had completed a review of the mission readiness ahead of Friday's scheduled launch. India's much-awaited moon mission Chandrayaan-3 has been scheduled for launch on July 14, 2023. "Joining a billion Indians in wishing great luck for #Chandrayaan3 mission!"

Persons: ISRO's, Narendra Modi's, Pawan Chandana, Nivedita, Kevin Krolicki, Jamie Freed Organizations: Soviet, Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO, Skyroot Aerospace, Thomson Locations: BENGALURU, India, United States, Soviet Union, China, Andhra Pradesh, Bengaluru

☆ India blasts Chandrayaan-3 lander toward moon's south pole
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Nivedita Bhattacharjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

About 16 minutes later, ISRO's mission control announced that the rocket had succeeded in putting the Chandrayaan-3 lander into an Earth orbit that will send it looping toward a moon landing next month. India's much-awaited moon mission Chandrayaan-3 has been scheduled for launch on July 14, 2023. [1/5]India's LVM3-M4 lifts off carrying the Chandrayaan-3 lander from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, India, July 14, 2023. The lunar landing is expected on Aug. 23, ISRO has said. Modi had earlier said on Twitter that the moon mission "will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation".

Persons: Jai Hind, Satish, Space, Stringer, ISRO's, Narendra Modi's, Modi, India, Technology Jitendra Singh, Nivedita, Kevin Krolicki, Jamie Freed, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Indian Space Research, Soviet, YouTube, REUTERS, ISRO, Twitter, State for Science, Technology, Skyroot Aerospace, Thomson Locations: BENGALURU, Andhra Pradesh, India, United States, Soviet Union, China, Sriharikota, Bengaluru

☆ India readies moon mission aimed to stake claim as a space power
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Nivedita Bhattacharjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Only the United States, the former Soviet Union and China have made successful lunar landings. India's much-awaited moon mission Chandrayaan-3 has been scheduled for launch on July 14, 2023. India's much-awaited moon mission Chandrayaan-3 has been scheduled for launch on July 14, 2023. The Soviet Union, the United States, and China are the only three countries that have successfully carried out soft landings on the moon. On a visit to the United States last month, Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to deepen collaboration in space.

Persons: Narendra Modi's, Ajey Lele, Modi, Joe Biden, Carla Filotico, Nivedita, Kevin Krolicki, Jamie Freed Organizations: Soviet, Indian Space Research Organisation, New, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies, Soviet Union, Skyroot Aerospace, U.S, NASA, ISRO, SpaceTec Partners, Thomson Locations: BENGALURU, United States, Soviet Union, China, Andhra Pradesh, India, Soviet, Denver, Bengaluru

☆ European telescope launched to hunt for clues to universe's darkest secrets
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the European Space Agency Euclid space telescope, lifts off from pad 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Saturday, July 1, 2023. The Euclid mission is designed to explore the evolution of the dark universe. A European space telescope blasted off Saturday on a quest to explore the mysterious and invisible realm known as the dark universe. SpaceX launched the European Space Agency's Euclid observatory toward its ultimate destination 1 million miles (1.5 million kilometers) away, the Webb Space Telescope's neighborhood. "It's more than a space telescope, Euclid.

Persons: Webb, Josef Aschbacher, Carole Mundell, Euclid, It's, Rene Laureijs, Europe's, Giuseppe Racca Organizations: SpaceX, European Space Agency, Cape Canaveral Space Force, Space, NASA Locations: Cape Canaveral, Fla, Germany, Florida, Guiana, South America, Ukraine

Virgin Galactic leases part of the facility. The flight marked a long-delayed breakthrough for Virgin Galactic Holding Inc (SPCE.N), finally inaugurating commercial service after nearly 20 years of fraught by development setbacks. Rounding out the crew was their Virgin Galactic trainer, Colin Bennett, the company's lead "astronaut instructor," and Unity's two pilots, Michael Masucci and Nicola Pecile. Virgin Galactic said Unity topped out its flight at an altitude of nearly 52.9 miles (85.1 km). An earlier prototype of the Virgin Galactic rocket plane crashed during a test flight over California's Mojave Desert in 2014, killing one pilot and seriously injuring another.

Persons: Richard Branson, Joe, Branson, Burt Rutan, Jeff Bezos's, Elon Musk's, Walter Villadei, Angelo Landolfi, Pantaleone, Colin Bennett, Michael Masucci, Nicola Pecile, Bezos, Shepard rocketship, Jose Luis Gonzalez, Steve Gorman, Will Dunham, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Virgin, REUTERS, Virgin Galactic, National Research Council, VSS Unity, America, Galactic, Virgin Galactic Holding Inc, . Virgin, Elon Musk's SpaceX, Italian Air Force, International Space, Air Force, Unity, NASA, U.S . Air Force, Thomson Locations: New Mexico, U.S, Italy, Mexico, Italian, Los Angeles

The flight marks a decisive moment for Virgin Galactic Holding Inc (SPCE.N), the space tourism venture founded by British billionaire Richard Branson in 2004, as it inaugurates commercial service following several years fraught with development setbacks. Rounding out the crew was their Virgin Galactic trainer, Colin Bennett, the company's lead "astronaut instructor," and Unity's two pilots, Michael Masucci and Nicola Pecile. A final crewed test flight to space was conducted with little fanfare five weeks ago. Virgin Galactic has said it has already booked a backlog of some 800 customers, charging from $250,000 to $450,000 per seat, and envisions eventually building a large enough fleet to accommodate 400 flights annually. An earlier prototype of the Virgin Galactic rocket plane crashed during a test flight over California's Mojave Desert in 2014, killing one pilot and seriously injuring another.

Persons: Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos's, Elon Musk's, Walter Villadei, Angelo Landolfi, Pantaleone, Colin Bennett, Michael Masucci, Nicola Pecile, Branson, Bezos, Shepard rocketship, Jose Luis Gonzalez, Steve Gorman, Will Dunham Organizations: Virgin Galactic, National Research Council, Italy, Virgin Galactic Holding Inc, Virgin, Elon Musk's SpaceX, Italian Air Force, VSS Unity, International Space, Air Force, America, Unity, NASA, U.S . Air Force, Thomson Locations: New Mexico, Italy, British, Italian, Los Angeles

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