Space Brief 15 Apr 2025
Today's Space Brief covers Blue Origin's historic all-female spaceflight, the selection of companies for nuclear microreactor development by DIU, and NATO's adoption of AI technology for military planning.
NORAD ID
43760
International Designator
2018-099C
Decay Date
12/5/2024
Name
ELYSIUM STAR 2 & LFF
Alternative Name
Sherpa LFF
Type
Status
Owner
SFLIN
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Length
0.9
Diameter
1.7
Span
4
Dry Mass
260
Launch Mass
260
Shape
Cyl+Sail
Radar Cross Section
Unknown
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Payload
SSO-A Lower Free Flyer
Purpose
Space burial
Mission
Space burial
Manufacturer
SFLIN
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
SFL-LFF
Configuration
LFF containing CubeSat (1U)
Motor
None
Equipment
CUBIT
Power System
None
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
Today's Space Brief covers Blue Origin's historic all-female spaceflight, the selection of companies for nuclear microreactor development by DIU, and NATO's adoption of AI technology for military planning.
Major challenges emerged with SpaceX's next-generation Starship booster testing, while Starlink deployments continued with successful launches.
Spacewalks have resumed on the ISS, while Blue Origin prepares for a unique New Shepard mission. In other news, astronomers push for a ban on space ads and potential budget cuts threaten the JWST.
Pentagon's DIU seeks commercial partners for GEO spy satellites. SpaceX unveils space traffic management system. Bahamas rocket landings resume. GPS III falls short in modern warfare.
AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird constellation is a bet that raw aperture size wins. Each satellite unfolds a 64-square-meter phased-array antenna in orbit, the largest commercial antenna ever deployed. The company claims a stock smartphone on the ground can connect directly to it. The competition says the physics doesn't support that. Seventeen satellites in and a contract with AT&T, Verizon, and Vodafone, somebody's math is wrong.
SpaceX's Falcon 9 launches SpainSat NG-1 satellite as Starlink compatibility causes market ripples.
Thirteen years ago, a new rocket lifted off from the edge of the Amazon rainforest, marking Europe's entry into the small satellite launch market and carrying the dreams of university students across a continent
A Falcon 9 lifted off from SLC-40 at 6:50 a.m. EDT carrying Starlink satellites and Besxar Space Industries semiconductor test pods.