Space Brief 15 May 2025
Today's brief highlights a nuclear battery startup's funding boost, advisory board additions in the space sector, and key military updates impacting space operations.
Launch Date
September 28, 1989
Launch Site
PLMSC
Launch Pad
LC32/2
Launch Vehicle
Tsiklon-3
NORAD ID
20834
International Designator
1989-080L
Decay Date
4/10/2017
Name
SL-14 DEB
Alternative Name
deb S5M 57-904
Type
Status
Owner
RVSN
Country
USSR
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Length
0
Diameter
0
Span
0
Dry Mass
0
Launch Mass
0
Shape
N/A
Radar Cross Section
0.0049
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Payload
Unknown
Purpose
Unknown
Mission
Unknown
Manufacturer
Unknown
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
Unknown
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
Unknown
Equipment
Unknown
Power System
Unknown
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
Today's brief highlights a nuclear battery startup's funding boost, advisory board additions in the space sector, and key military updates impacting space operations.
SpaceX prepares for another Starlink launch from Florida, while recent Starship incident raises environmental concerns.
New experiments in space agriculture begin with Fram2 mission, a historic polar orbit flight, and a Starlink launch postponement.
Booster B1067 set a Falcon 9 reuse record on its 35th flight, lofting 29 Starlink satellites as SpaceX eyes three more launches this week.
On April 27, 1961, a Scout rocket lifted a 37-kilogram NASA satellite into orbit from Wallops Island carrying the first serious instrument for detecting cosmic gamma rays. Explorer 11 operated for seven months before its tape recorder failed. In that time it registered 22 gamma-ray photons - a pitiful number by modern standards, but enough to launch an entire branch of astronomy.
NASA is adding 6 post-certification crew missions to SpaceX's contract as Boeing remains unable to certify Starliner for operational flights.
China hits record 92 orbital launches in 2025. Vandenberg opens new launch site for providers. Former ULA CEO Tory Bruno joins Blue Origin for national security projects.
Latest updates include China's Lijian-1 launching 15 satellites, a fiery Starlink reentry, SpaceX's milestone Falcon 9 booster landing, and China's support for its commercial space sector.