Space Brief 26 Sep 2025
Today's Space Brief highlights major developments including NASA's Dream Chaser contract modifications, Germany's significant investment in space capabilities, and advancements in hybrid satcom technology.
Launch Date
October 14, 1999
Launch Site
TAISC
Launch Pad
LC7
Launch Vehicle
Chang Zheng 4B
NORAD ID
35318
International Designator
1999-057RW
Decay Date
6/17/2010
Name
CZ-4B DEB
Alternative Name
deb CZ-4B Y1
Type
Status
Owner
CNSA
Country
China
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
0.0081
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 Space Brief highlights major developments including NASA's Dream Chaser contract modifications, Germany's significant investment in space capabilities, and advancements in hybrid satcom technology.
Space Force awards Pulse Space $40 million to develop laser systems for transmitting power and data between spacecraft in orbit. Game-changing on-orbit energy transfer capability.
SpaceX's rapid advancements continued this weekend with two consecutive Starlink missions and preparations for the upcoming Crew-11 launch, showcasing its efficiency and commitment to expanding satellite broadband coverage.
SpaceX ignited all 6 Starship engines for a full minute at Starbase, while a Falcon 9 added 24 more Starlinks from Vandenberg on July 1.
Starlink constellation size in March 2026: 9,996 satellites in orbit and 9,986 working from 11,504 launched, as SpaceX deorbits legacy V1.0 hardware.
Starship Flight 12 summary: V3 reached space May 22 and survived reentry despite one Raptor vacuum engine shutdown, with most test objectives complete.
Eight years ago, a single Indian rocket launched 104 satellites into orbit, marking a pivotal moment when space tracking professionals realized the dawn of a new, congested era in orbital operations
On April 25, 1990, the Space Shuttle Discovery's robotic arm lifted a 11,110-kilogram barrel of mirrors and instruments out of the payload bay and released it into orbit. Six weeks later, the first images came back badly out of focus. The Hubble Space Telescope had been ground to the wrong prescription, and America had just spent $2.5 billion on what the press was calling a 'technoturkey.'