NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland, has started work on a new generation National Polar Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project (NPP) with the release of four study contracts to industry. The precursor NPP satellites will extend the scope of measurement by some instruments being flown on the NASA Earth Observing System spacecraft.
Source: Flight International
Orbital launch pioneer SpaceX is being contracted by the American space agency NASA to develop a so-called “US Deorbit Vehicle” that can safely return the International Space Station to Earth via controlled re-entry.
BAE Systems has completed its acquisition of Ball Aerospace, with the move further strengthening its US business presence.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has retired its Mars helicopter Ingenuity after the craft suffered damage upon landing.
