Just about anyone can get a tiny, cheap satellite into orbit these days. As we consider how to deploy them responsibly, inspiration comes from an amateur community of enthusiasts.
Four identical NASA spacecraft fly near the sun-facing boundary of Earth’s magnetic field (the blue wavy lines).
NASA
Astronomers were looking forward to the first high-res X-ray spectra from space, and all they would tell us about the cosmos. But unknown disaster seems to have befallen the Japanese satellite.
An artist’s impression of the ASTRO-H telescope.
JAXA/Akihiro Ikeshita
The universe looks very different with X-ray vision, revealing some of the most energetic interactions in our galaxy. Japan’s new Hitomi telescope will help us see these wonders.
NASA’s Aqua satellite, carrying sensors used by researchers to measure mosquito-favoring environmental conditions on Earth.
NASA
Former PM’s business advisor Maurice Newman recently claimed that satellite temperature data tell a different story to data collected on the ground. He’s right - but that’s how it’s meant to be.
Lining up potential pitfalls: nonexperts and computers may misinterpret the vertical line in this image as a natural feature rather than a result of a mosaic compilation of multiple satellite images.
Google Earth
Many do not associate Africa with the high-tech sphere of “space”. However, in recent years, many countries on the continent have woken up to the potential and usefulness of space technology.