Artificial satellites as a research area encompasses the scientific and engineering study of human-made objects intentionally placed into Earth or other celestial orbits for observation, communication, navigation, and experimentation. Research focuses on orbital dynamics and mission design, attitude determination and control, space environment interactions (radiation, plasma, micrometeoroids), and advanced materials and power systems for long-duration operation. It also includes development of miniaturized platforms (e.g., CubeSats), payload instrumentation for remote sensing and scientific measurements, formation flying and constellations, on-orbit servicing, autonomy and fault management, and the impacts of satellite proliferation on space traffic management and orbital debris mitigation.
They're sipping smoothies, snapping phone pics, dealing with crashed email and fixing broken toilets: astronauts, they're just like us.
Space Exploration
Apr 4, 2026
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In an unusual perspective for an Earth-observing satellite, the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission captured this image of the moon, Earth's only natural satellite. The Sentinel-2 mission acquired this lunar image by rolling one ...
Planetary Sciences
Apr 3, 2026
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Eight CubeSats and one payload supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) have reached orbit, where they will demonstrate various applications aimed at improving how data is sent around and processed. Thanks to these demonstrations, ...
Space Exploration
Mar 31, 2026
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More than 10,000 Starlink satellites currently orbit Earth. We see them crawling across dark skies, no matter how remote our location, and streaking through images from research telescopes.
Space Exploration
Mar 29, 2026
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Debris from moonbound spacecraft has left craters on the lunar surface since the U.S. Apollo missions. But the moon is not used to being surrounded by debris. With an expected resurgence in lunar missions in the coming years, ...
Space Exploration
Mar 26, 2026
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Materials scientist Dr. Yige Sun, from the Department of Materials and Linacre College at the University of Oxford, and the Faraday Institution, argues that as space becomes critical infrastructure for the global digital ...
Space Exploration
Mar 24, 2026
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Russia has launched a rocket from Site 31 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome for the first time since it was damaged during a liftoff last November, video from Russia's Roscosmos space agency showed Sunday.
Space Exploration
Mar 23, 2026
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The European Space Agency announced Thursday it has re-established communication with a spacecraft that is part of its Proba-3 mission, after losing contact with the satellite a month ago.
Space Exploration
Mar 19, 2026
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Apollo 11 first landed astronauts on the moon in 1969, but the journey to the lunar surface actually began 43 years before, in snowy Massachusetts.
Space Exploration
Mar 16, 2026
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The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) is alarmed by the threat to ground-based astronomy posed by proposals put forward by Elon Musk's SpaceX and Reflect Orbital. SpaceX has applied to launch one million satellites to act ...
Space Exploration
Mar 16, 2026
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