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.
SpaceX is requesting permission to launch as many as 1 million satellites into the Earth's orbit in order to pull off Elon Musk's latest grand vision of putting data centers in space to do complex computing for artificial ...
Space Exploration
Feb 2, 2026
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The sky is getting crowded. In the last few years, the number of satellite launches has increased by an order of magnitude as mega-constellations of internet-powering hardware crowd into low Earth orbit. The pace of both ...
Space Exploration
Jan 29, 2026
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The next NASA crew rotation to the International Space Station could launch as early as the morning of February 11, the U.S. space agency said Wednesday.
Space Exploration
Jan 29, 2026
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SpaceX has launched its latest national security mission, yet another GPS satellite that was originally to have been launched by United Launch Alliance. A Falcon 9 that was delayed from Monday because of weather lifted off ...
Space Exploration
Jan 28, 2026
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Seeing a satellite zip across the night sky can be a fascinating sight. However, what may be spectacular for people on the ground is becoming a major problem for astronomers. A new study published on the arXiv preprint server ...
SpaceX is set to launch its latest national security mission, yet another GPS satellite that was originally to have been launched by United Launch Alliance.
Space Exploration
Jan 27, 2026
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ESA project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski captured these stunning timelapse videos during his 20-day stay aboard the International Space Station as part of Axiom Mission 4, known as Ignis. Filmed from the Cupola—the ...
Space Exploration
Jan 26, 2026
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After more than 10 years in orbit, the first Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite, Sentinel-2A, is still finding new ways to contribute to Earth observation. With its younger siblings, Sentinel-2B and Sentinel-2C, now leading ...
Planetary Sciences
Jan 15, 2026
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New Space is a term now commonly used around the rocketry and satellite industries to indicate a new, speed focused model of development that takes its cue from the Silicon Valley mindset of "move fast and (hopefully don't) ...
Space Exploration
Jan 13, 2026
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Imagine a fully automated 3D printer suspended in midair, churning out crucial components for use at home and abroad.
Space Exploration
Jan 13, 2026
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