On this day in space! Oct. 29, 1991: NASA's Galileo spacecraft flies by asteroid Gaspra and snaps amazing photos while flying at 18,000 mph

space.com Oct 29, 2026

On this day in space! Oct. 29, 1991: NASA’s Galileo spacecraft flies by asteroid Gaspra and snaps amazing photos while flying at 18,000 mph

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Oct 29, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

On October 29, 1991, NASA’s Galileo spacecraft conducted the first ever asteroid flyby, passing within 990 miles of Gaspra while traveling at 18,000 mph. The probe captured high‑resolution images and used its Near‑Infrared Mapping Spectrometer to analyze Gaspra’s composition. Galileo measured the asteroid’s irregular shape—about 12 by 7 miles—and noted its heavily cratered surface. The encounter occurred midway through Galileo’s six‑year journey to Jupiter, after earlier Venus and Earth flybys.

💡 Why It Matters

· This historic flyby proved that spacecraft could safely navigate close to small bodies, paving the way for subsequent asteroid missions and demonstrating the feasibility of detailed remote sensing of minor planets.

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Astronauts deploy solar array on 100th US spacewalk by International Space Station…

Two astronauts, NASA’s Anil Menon and CSA’s Joshua Kutryk, completed the 100th U.S. spacewalk by installing and deploying the second‑to‑last International Space Station roll‑out solar array (iROSA). The 7‑hour EVA began and ended in the Quest airlock, with the crew unbolting the 750‑pound array from a Dragon cargo trunk, mounting it on the 2A electrical channel, and extending it to 63 feet using stored potential energy. The new panels boost the ISS power supply by 20‑30 % and support future operations, including the planned 2030 deorbit.

💡 The upgraded solar arrays extend the station’s operational life and enable more complex missions, ensuring reliable power for critical systems as the ISS approaches its decommissioning phase.

space.com · Oct 29

Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman named deputy director for NASA’s Jet Propulsion…

Former NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, commander of the historic Artemis II lunar fly‑by, will become Caltech’s associate vice president and deputy director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory on Nov. 30. Wiseman, a retired Navy captain and former chief astronaut, brings 165 days on the ISS and two spacewalks to the role. JPL, managed by Caltech, leads key robotic missions such as Perseverance, Curiosity, and Europa Clipper, and operates the Deep Space Network. His appointment follows the Artemis II crew’s transition to post‑flight careers, including Glover’s advisory role at Cal Poly and Koch’s deputy chief engineer position.

💡 Wiseman’s move signals a strategic shift, blending human‑spaceflight expertise with JPL’s robotic exploration leadership, potentially accelerating future lunar and planetary missions.

spacenews.com · Oct 29

Advice for optimizing the space industry with Laura Crabtree

Mike Gruss interviews Laura Crabtree, CEO of Epsilon3 and former SpaceX astronaut trainer, on the Space Minds podcast. They discuss strategies for accelerating space company operations by streamlining testing and certification processes. Crabtree emphasizes organizational frameworks that reduce bureaucratic delays and foster rapid iteration. The episode highlights practical steps for startups and established firms to enhance speed to market while maintaining safety standards. Space Minds, a new SpaceNews podcast, showcases leaders and innovations shaping the space sector.

💡 Faster certification can lower launch costs and shorten development cycles, giving smaller players a competitive edge in the growing commercial space market.

teslarati.com · Oct 29

FCC green lights SpaceX’s move to a showdown with Verizon and AT&T

The FCC approved a proposal to open 482 MHz of spectrum for satellite service directly to phones, potentially enabling SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile to challenge major carriers. The rule expands Supplemental Coverage bands from five to thirteen and includes an auction of 25 MHz for terrestrial or direct‑to‑device use. While no spectrum is granted immediately, the change allows satellite operators to certify coexistence only in served areas, simplifying licensing. SpaceX has already secured AWS‑4, H‑block, and 800 MHz licenses to support this move.

💡 By easing licensing hurdles, the FCC could accelerate satellite‑based mobile competition, forcing incumbents to rethink spectrum strategy. The shift may reshape how carriers and satellite firms coexist in the U.S. market.

space.com · Oct 29

SpaceX’s Starfall capsule delivers cargo for US Air Force in landmark ‘point…

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) confirmed the successful recovery of its Starfall cargo capsule after a point‑to‑point rocket cargo test on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Bandwagon‑5 launch on Oct. 20. The disk‑shaped, 3.1‑meter Starfall vehicle returned three agile cargo pods to the Pacific Ocean, where military personnel inspected the payloads. Each pod carried representative items—including medical kits, food rations, a UNI‑PAC III life raft, a SATCOM tracker, batteries, a reverse‑osmosis desalinator, and survival gear—along with sensors to record temperature, shock and vibration throughout launch, reentry and splashdown. AFRL highlighted the test as a critical step toward rapid global mobility for the “Future Force,” and will analyze the data to inform its broader Rocket Cargo program, which aims to scale to tens of tons per launch.

💡 Demonstrating reliable, rapid delivery of critical supplies via orbital flight could give the military a logistical edge in remote or contested regions where traditional transport is vulnerable or unavailable.

quantumcomputingreport.com · Oct 29

UK Space Agency and DSIT Publish Quantum Technology Roadmap for Space Targeting…

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💡 By securing home‑grown quantum satellites, the UK can protect critical communications and navigation services from foreign lock‑in while positioning itself as a leader in a market where state spending already exceeds £43 billion worldwide.