spacetoday.net: space news from around the webin association with SpaceNews


Experiment will use microwaves to boost spacecraft
Posted: Wed, Nov 6, 2002, 8:04 AM ET (1304 GMT)
Microwave beam to spacecraft illustration (UCI) Scientists at the University of California Irvine have announced plans to test a technique of using ground-based microwave beams to change the orbits of spacecraft. The proposal, led by physicist Gregory Benford — also a well-known science fiction author — will involve Cosmos 1, the solar sail mission that The Planetary Society plans to launch next year. Once Cosmos 1 completes its initial flight tests, Benford's group will transmit microwaves towards the satellite from NASA's 70-meter antenna in Goldstone, California, and measure how much the microwave beam changes the orbit of the spacecraft. While Benford does not expect a major change in Cosmos 1's orbit, the test will be the first attempt to use microwaves to alter a spacecraft's orbit.
<<previous article   next article>>
news in brief
Starship explodes during preparations for static-fire test
Posted: Sun, Jun 22 6:52 AM ET (1052 GMT)

French government leads investment in Eutelsat
Posted: Sat, Jun 21 8:38 AM ET (1238 GMT)

NASA further delays Ax-4 launch
Posted: Sat, Jun 21 8:34 AM ET (1234 GMT)

news links
Thursday, July 3
SpaceX double launch lights up Florida sky, but most Volusia beachgoers don't notice
Daytona Beach (FL) News-Journal — 2:39 am ET (0639 GMT)


about spacetoday.net   ·   info@spacetoday.net   ·   mailing list