What’s in space—and how does it affect global security?
January 13, 2018 6:00 AM EDT
Many people awaited last Sunday’s Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral of a highly classified US payload. The launch had been delayed for weeks, speculation as to the satellite’s purpose was rampant, and successfully delivering national security satellites to orbit is an important part of SpaceX’s business.
The launch, however, remains shrouded in mystery. Read more >
January 6, 2018 11:33 AM EDT
A newly updated version of the UCS satellite database was released this fall, including launches through the end of the summer. The total number of operating satellites is now 1,738. Read more >
July 30, 2017 6:00 AM EDT
April 21, 2017 3:28 PM EDT
A fresh version of the UCS Satellite Database has been posted. It includes launches through the end of 2016. Apologies for the delay this time; we will be back on schedule and have a new one shortly. Read more >
October 4, 2016 12:13 PM EDT
Fifty-nine years ago today, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik into orbit, setting off a panic in the United States that contributed to the evolution of a “space race” between the two superpowers.
Last week, Congress held a hearing on the question of whether the United States was losing a new space race with China. Unfortunately, the witnesses seemed more interested in re-creating the alarmism of the Sputnik era than in offering Congress an accurate picture of the Chinese space program. This raises doubts about the value of the hearing’s contribution to congressional perspectives on US-China relations in space. Read more >
