SpaceX successfully launched 24 Starlink internet satellites into low Earth orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Friday, July 31. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 11:08 p.m. EDT, deploying the spacecraft 61.5 minutes later. The mission utilized booster B1081, marking its 26th flight, which successfully landed on the droneship "Of Course I Still Love You" in the Pacific Ocean. These satellites join the existing Starlink megaconstellation, which now comprises more than 10,800 spacecraft. [...]

Satlabs Space Systems, founded in February 2023 by Saisree Eega and Sooraj Gopakumar, is developing a constellation of low‑cost data‑relay satellites to reduce the latency between Earth‑observation imagery capture and delivery. The company’s proof‑of‑concept relay satellite will act as a “floating ground station,” passing data from imaging satellites to users without waiting for a ground‑station pass. Satlabs plans a network of roughly 150 LEO relays that will link to customer satellites via a single API, aiming to [...]

Chandigarh University’s Aerospace Engineering program has completed a comprehensive industry training initiative that included internships at ISRO, DRDO, HAL, and other prominent aerospace firms. The program facilitated hands‑on experience for 232 students, with 48 securing employment in the sector over the past three years. The highest salary offered to a graduate was Rs 18 LPA, reflecting strong demand for skilled aerospace talent. The training also attracted 34 national and international recruiters, including Tata Advanced Systems, Pratt & Whitney (India), [...]

NASA and Boeing report “good progress” on the CST‑100 Starliner after propulsion issues halted its 2022 crewed test flight. Deputy manager Bill Spetch said the agencies are working closely to resolve the problems and will launch Starliner‑1, a cargo‑only test, when a slot on the ISS becomes available. Boeing plans the flight no earlier than Q4, though it is not on the current fall‑winter schedule. A successful Starliner‑1 could enable the first long‑duration crew mission in 2027, [...]

SpaceX announced it will not fully remove the unpermitted gas turbines powering its xAI data centers near Memphis until July 2027, as it shifts to a permanent 1.2‑gigawatt natural‑gas plant. The company currently operates 69 turbines that have been running for months, while the new plant will feature 41 turbines ranging from 16.48 to 50 MW. The turbines, located south of Memphis in a highly polluted region, have been sued by the NAACP and Southern Environmental Law Center [...]

The U.S. Space Force announced that 15 companies have been selected to compete for up to $981 million in orders under the NITE‑STAR contract, a six‑year, indefinite‑delivery, indefinite‑quantity vehicle. The award will fund the National Space Test and Training Complex, a network of physical ranges and simulated environments where operators can practice countering threats to U.S. satellites. The contract’s maximum value is spread across task orders through July 2032, with a five‑year base period and one‑year option. Selected vendors [...]

On July 31, 1971, Apollo 15 astronauts David Scott and James Irwin became the first humans to drive a vehicle on the Moon, using the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV). The 10‑foot long, 7‑foot wide rover, folded into the lunar module, was deployed after landing. It could reach 8.6 mph, enabling the crew to travel over 17 miles and reach sites like Elbow Crater for sample collection and photography. Apollo 15’s command module pilot, Al Worden, remained in lunar orbit. The mission launched July 26, landed [...]