March 2021 Space News

Soyuz Rocket Launches 38 Satellites For 18 Countries RFE/RL 22 Mar 2021 -- The Russian space agency, Roskosmos, says that a Soyuz rocket blasted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on March 22 carrying 38 foreign satellites after takeoff was twice postponed due to technical issues.
Successful Launching of CubeSat Satellite Continuation of Universities' National Endeavors to Provide Space Domain with Researchers, Scientists, Minister of Education Says SPA 22 Mar 2021 -- Minister of Education Dr. Hamad bin Mohammed Al Al-Sheikh extended thanks to and appreciation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and HRH the Crown Prince for the great support they paid for the scientific research and invention, amid the Kingdom's universities, pointing out that the launching of the first Saudi satellite by King Saudi University, dedicated for scientific purposes, today, at the Republic of Kazakhstan-based Baikonur Base, is considered as a completion of the big efforts exerted by the Kingdom, under the wise leadership to put the Kingdom into the world class standards.
Saudi Arabia Launches Its 17th Satellite, Leading Arab World in Space Sector SPA 22 Mar 2021 -- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) announced today the launch of the "Shaheen Sat" satellite successfully from Baikonur base in the Republic of Kazakhstan on board Russian rocket "Soyuz 2".
Technical Problems Delay Launch Of Soyuz Rocket Carrying 38 Satellites RFE/RL 20 Mar 2021 -- Technical problems forced the launch of a Russian Soyuz rocket with 38 satellites on board to be postponed until March 22, the Russian space agency Roskosmos said.
Space Domain Critical to Combat Operations Since Desert Storm DoD News 19 Mar 2021 -- This year marks the 30-year anniversary of Operation Desert Storm. Due to the Defense Department's successful use of space-based capabilities during the conflict, many experts consider Desert Storm to have been the first space war.
Gaganyaan programme envisages sending humans in space: Dr Jitendra Singh India PIB 18 Mar 2021 -- Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the Gaganyaan programme envisages sending humans in space.
Saudi Arabia is on the Verge of New Phase in Space Industry, With its Global Investments are Estimated at More Than $350 Billion SPA 18 Mar 2021 -- For humanity, space flights were more like stories of Greek mythology until 1961 when man carried out the first Russian space flight, triggering an international competition to ascend and explore space until the present time, during which, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia became the first Arab country to take part in the 1985 Discovery space flight.
Saudi Space Commission Sings Executive Program with China Manned Space Agency SPA 18 Mar 2021 -- Saudi Space Commission signed today an executive program with China Manned Space Agency to implement a Saudi scientific mission on board the Chinese Space Station (CSS) in 2022.
Oobjectives of the Chandrayaan-2 mission significantly attained: Dr Jitendra Singh India PIB 17 Mar 2021 -- Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr.Jitendra Singh said that Chandrayaan-2 was a highly complex mission to develop and demonstrate the key technologies for end-to-end lunar mission capability, including soft-landing and roving on the lunar surface.
China plans to build research station on moon's south pole: chief designer Global Times 14 Mar 2021 -- China has completed feasibility studies of the fourth phase of its lunar exploration program and is expected to build an international lunar research station on the moon's south pole in the future, said Wu Weiren, the chief designer of China's lunar exploration program.
Astronauts From Expedition 64 Perform Spacewalk Outside ISS to Upgrade the Station Sputnik 13 Mar 2021 -- The International Space Station was successfully reboosted to a higher altitude on Friday to prepare for the arrival of its next set of crew members.
Air Leak in Russia's ISS Zvezda Module Still Unresolved Despite 2 Cracks Being Sealed Off Sputnik 13 Mar 2021 -- The air leak from the intermediate chamber of the Russian Zvezda module of the International Space Station (ISS) is still unresolved, despite two cracks being sealed off, according to the call between the ISS crew and the ground control broadcast by NASA on Saturday.
China launches medium-lift Long March-7A carrier rocket PLA Daily 12 Mar 2021 -- China launched its Long March-7A Y2 carrier rocket on Friday from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's island province of Hainan.
First Air Force designated as air component to US Space Command US Air Force 11 Mar 2021 -- The U.S. Air Force has named First Air Force as the future air component to U.S. Space Command.
Four Long March 11 launches by sea planned PLA Daily 11 Mar 2021 -- China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp plans to carry out four sea-based launches this year by its Long March 11 solid-propellant carrier rocket, said a senior scientist at the State-owned space contractor.
Elon Musk's SpaceX wins 2 Pentagon contracts to use Falcon 9 rockets Press TV 11 Mar 2021 -- The Pentagon has signed contracts with Elon Musk's aerospace company SpaceX for about $160 million to launch its Falcon 9 rockets for two separate missions.
Pentagon Awards Elon Musk's SpaceX Over $159 Million in 'Competitive' Space Launch Contract Sputnik 11 Mar 2021 -- Boeing and Lockheed Martin's United Launch Alliance (ULA) was also awarded more than $224 million by the Pentagon to launch United States Space Force (USSF) missions USSF-112 and USSF-87 from Centennial, Colorado and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, according to the Department of Defense release this week.
Higher budgetary allocations for Indian Space programme will be utilised towards meeting the future challenges and space preparedness: Dr.Jitendra Singh India PIB 10 Mar 2021 -- Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that Budget Estimates 2021-22 of Department of Space is proposed to Rs. 13,949 Crore, as against the allocation of Rs.9500 Crore in RE 2020-21, an increase of about Rs. 4,500 Crore.
35 Space startups and industries are in consultation with ISRO for development of satellites, launch vehicles, develop applications, provide space based services: DrJitendra Singh India PIB 10 Mar 2021 -- Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that Government of India announced reforms for opening up the space sector to private entities by creation of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) under the Department of Space.
China, Russia to jointly build lunar post PLA Daily 10 Mar 2021 -- China and Russia have agreed to join hands in building and running a robotic scientific outpost on the moon or in lunar orbit, according to the China National Space Administration.
China advances space cooperation in 2020: blue book PLA Daily 10 Mar 2021 -- China actively promoted international space cooperation in 2020, offering satellite exports and launches, cooperative research and application services to the world, according to a recent report on China's aerospace industry.
Russia and China signed a memorandum on the creation of a lunar station Rosocosmos 09 Mar 2021 -- Dmitry Rogozin, General Director of Roscosmos State Corporation, and Zhang Kejian, Head of the National Space Agency, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the governments of Russia and China between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Russian Federation on cooperation in the creation of the International Scientific station (MNLS).
Russia, China to Sign Agreement on Joint Moon Base Project Within One Year, Source Reveals Sputnik 09 Mar 2021 -- Russia and China plan to ink an agreement on the joint moon research base following the signing of the memorandum on lunar cooperation, Anatoly Petrukovich, head of the Space Research Institute at the Russian Academy of Sciences told Sputnik on Tuesday.
China makes important breakthrough in key technologies of powerful rocket engine PLA Daily 09 Mar 2021 -- Recently the 500-tonne thrust liquid oxygen and kerosene rocket engine developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) successfully passed the "half-system on full working condition" trial, marking an important breakthrough in the key technology of China's 500-tonne heavy-duty launch vehicle engine.
China's BDS-3 system offers world-class global services PLA Daily 06 Mar 2021 -- Since its its official opening of global servicescommissioninglaunch, the BDS-3 system, under China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, (BDS-3) has been operating stably and continuously providing high-quality world-class quality services to users around the world. Its capabilityies hasve entered reached world-class service level.
China's 3rd batch of 18 astronauts ready to receive training PLA Daily 05 Mar 2021 -- Eighteen members of China's third batch of astronauts have already checked in and been ready to enter training, said Major General Yang Liwei, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and deputy director of the China Manned Space Engineering Office, in an interview on March 4.
'Warfighter Council' Guides Capability Development for Space Development Agency DoD News 04 Mar 2021 -- As the Space Development Agency builds out the National Defense Space Architecture, it looks to a biannual "warfighter council" to provide guidance about what is actually important to those who will use the systems, the agency's director said today.
Long March-8 rocket likely to try out vertical landing in 2021: Chinese developer Global Times 04 Mar 2021 -- Development for a fusion version of China's potentially reusable medium-sized launch vehicle, the Long March-8, has been initiated, and it is hoped that the new rocket will carry out key technology demonstration tests for vertical take-off and vertical landing (VTVL) in 2021, said Jiang Jie, a leading expert with the project developer China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) on Thursday.
SpaceX rocket explodes after landing in test flight People's Daily 04 Mar 2021 -- An unmanned SpaceX's Starship prototype on Wednesday exploded on the ground shortly after landing in a test flight, according to a SpaceX video online.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh discusses collaboration in Space Sector with his Brazilian counterpart Marcos Pontes after successful launch of Amazonia-1 Satellite by ISRO India PIB 01 Mar 2021 -- Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh said today that India's ascent to the World Comity of Nations will happen via Space Technology.

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