Space

Space•

FCC Clears a Giant Space Mirror to Beam Sunlight at Night - Astronomers Warn of the Risks

The U.S. FCC has authorized Reflect Orbital to deploy and operate Eärendil-1, an experimental satellite carrying an 18-by-18-metre steerable reflector. The single-satellite test could demonstrate tightly targeted sunlight from orbit, but astronomers argue that its brightness, safety implications and regulatory precedent demand far closer scrutiny.

Space•

NASA Tests a Lithium-Fed Electric Thruster Built for Deep-Space Missions

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has tested a prototype magnetoplasmadynamic thruster that uses lithium propellant and extremely high electrical power. The technology could support nuclear-electric spacecraft carrying heavy cargo or crews to Mars, but substantial engineering work remains before flight.

Space•

Euclid Discovers Ancient Quasars From the Universe’s First Era

Euclid identified 31 exceptionally ancient quasars, including two described as the oldest observed. The sample may reveal how supermassive black holes formed when the universe was only about 5% of its current age.