February 2023 Space News

China's manned lunar-landing exploration goes smoothly, selection of international astronauts for Chinese space station under way Global Times 26 Feb 2023 -- The selection of the 2023 China aerospace flight crew has come to an end. A total of six taikonauts will take on regular duty at the space station and carry out manned lunar-landing exploration project, said Yang Liwei, a deputy chief designer of China's manned space program.
China launches new communications satellite People's Daily 24 Feb 2023 -- China on Thursday sent a new communications satellite into orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province.
Spacecraft Safely In Orbit After Launch From Kazakhstan On Rescue Mission To ISS RFE/RL 24 Feb 2023 -- A Soyuz spacecraft is safely in orbit en route to the International Space Station (ISS) on a mission to retrieve three crew members whose return to Earth has been delayed by several months because of a leak in the original vessel due to bring them home.
ISS Crew to Remain on Orbital Outpost for an Extra Six Months VOA 21 Feb 2023 -- Two Russian cosmonauts and an American astronaut will remain aboard the International Space Station for an extra six months because of damage to their Russian spacecraft.
US faces biggest threat in space from China, Russia: American general Press TV 19 Feb 2023 -- A top American general says the United States faces the "most challenging threat" in space from China followed by Russia.
Roscosmos Says No Damage Detected on Soyuz MS-22 Spacecraft's Radiator Sputnik 18 Feb 2023 -- The Russian chief designers at the Roscosmos state space corporation have inspected a radiator of the Soyuz MS-22 manned spacecraft, which is being prepared for launch, after two cases of depressurization earlier occurred at a similar spaceship, and did not detect any damage, the corporation said on Saturday.
£400 million contract to operate military satellite communications system supports 400 UK jobs UK MOD 15 Feb 2023 -- Babcock has been awarded a six-year contract to manage and operate Skynet, the MOD's military satellite communications system.
China to launch 2 manned spaceships plus cargo spacecraft annually from 2023 Global Times 15 Feb 2023 -- Following the completion of China's Space Station at the end of 2022, China released Wednesday the roadmap for this year with 2 manned spaceships scheduled and 1 to 2 cargo spacecraft missions.
Sweden, 17 NATO States Agree on Joint Use of Satellite Networks: UK Defense Ministry Sputnik 15 Feb 2023 -- Sweden and 17 NATO countries have signed a declaration of intention on the joint use of satellite networks to improve surveillance from space at NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels, the UK Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
China begins phase-II construction on far-reaching radar system, to boost defense against near-Earth asteroid impact Global Times 14 Feb 2023 -- The second phase of a high-definition deep-space active observation facility, China Fuyan, which is dubbed as the world's most far-reaching radar system, kicked off in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, the Global Times learned from the project lead Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) on Tuesday.
NASA Specialists Assisting Roscosmos to Identify Cause of Coolant Leak in Progress MS-21 Sputnik 11 Feb 2023 -- NASA specialists are assisting Roscosmos to identify the cause of the loss of coolant in the Progress MS-21 cargo spacecraft docked to the International Space Station (ISS), the US space agency announced in a press release on Saturday.
Successful flight of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) India PIB 10 Feb 2023 -- Today, Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) successfully launched three satellites into their intended orbits. In its second developmental flight, the SSLV-D2 vehicle placed EOS-07, Janus-1 and AzaadiSAT-2 satellites into their intended 450 km circular orbit with an inclination of 37 degrees. It took-off from the first launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota at 09:18 hours IST and took about 15 minutes to inject the satellites.
Russia launches cargo ship to int'l space station People's Daily 10 Feb 2023 -- Russia successfully launched the Progress MS-22 cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos said.
Shenzhou-15 taikonauts complete their first spacewalk People's Daily 10 Feb 2023 -- The Shenzhou-15 taikonauts on board the orbiting Chinese Tiangong space station completed their first spacewalk at 12:16 a.m. (Beijing Time) on Friday, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
UK and Italy agree to deepen cooperation in space and cyber domains UK MOD 09 Feb 2023 -- Defence Ministers agreed to work together to support Ukraine, as NATO partners. Further collaboration will take place through shared projects like the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP)
Russia Performed 100 Successful Launches of Space Rockets in a Row For First Time, Roscosmos Says Sputnik 09 Feb 2023 -- A Soyuz-2.1a rocket with the Progress MS-22 cargo spacecraft, bound for the International Space Station (ISS), was launched from the Baikonur space center on Thursday, according to a broadcast by Russian state space corporation Roscosmos.
SpaceX Set to Prevent Ukraine's Army From Using Starlink Internet to Control Drones Sputnik 09 Feb 2023 -- Elon Musk's space company SpaceX has taken steps to prevent Ukraine's armed forces from using the Starlink satellite constellation for controlling and targeting drones as the technology was "never intended to be weaponized," Gwynne Shotwell, the president and chief operating officer of SpaceX, said on Wednesday.
China's spacecraft tracking ship Yuanwang-7 departs for mission PLA Daily 08 Feb 2023 -- China's spacecraft tracking ship Yuanwang-7 left the port of China Satellite Maritime Tracking and Control Department (CSMTC) for a maritime telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C) mission in the Pacific Ocean on the morning of February 7.
On National Day of Space, Iran puts on display homegrown Nahid-2 telecommunication, Tolou-3 remote sensing satellites Press TV 07 Feb 2023 -- The Islamic Republic of Iran has unveiled two indigenous telecommunication and imaging satellites designed and manufactured by the country's specialists during an event attended by a number of high-ranking Iranian officials.
China to advance lunar exploration program People's Daily 07 Feb 2023 -- China will push forward its phase-4 lunar exploration program this year, including a planned mission to bring 2 kilograms of samples from the far side of the moon back to Earth, Wu Weiren, chief designer of the country's lunar exploration program, revealed on Monday.
Russia's Proton-M Rocket Carrying Meteorological Satellite Launched Into Orbit: Roscosmos Sputnik 05 Feb 2023 -- Russia's Proton-M rocket carrying the fourth Elektro-L meteorological satellite was successfully launched into orbit, Russian space agency Roscosmos said on Sunday.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh says, there are a total of 111 payloads and 105 Space Debris identified as Indian Objects orbiting the Earth, as tracked and catalogued by USSPACECOM and published in Spacetrack website as on 20 January, 2023 India PIB 02 Feb 2023 -- Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today informed that there are a total of 111 payloads and 105 Space Debris identified as Indian Objects orbiting the Earth, as tracked and catalogued by USSPACECOM and published in spacetrack website, as on 20 Jan. 2023.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh says, Government has not allowed external agencies to use ISRO facilities, and only Non-Government Indian entities (NGEs) are being allowed to use ISRO facilities and the technical support India PIB 02 Feb 2023 -- Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today said, Government has not allowed external agencies to use ISRO facilities, and only Non-Government Indian entities (NGEs) are being allowed to use ISRO facilities and the technical support, as applicable, through IN-SPACe.
China to build satellite ground station in Antarctica for ocean observation Global Times 02 Feb 2023 -- China will build a ground station in Antarctica for ocean observation satellite to promote the high-quality development of marine economy, the Global Times learned from China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), a leading Chinese high-tech company, on Thursday.

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