IAF and CSA initiated Space Universities Cubesat Challenge
19 February 2021
The International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and its Space University Administrative Committee (SUAC) in cooperation with the Chinese Society of Astronautics (CSA) and the Dalian University of Technology (DUT) announced a competition for a free launch of a 3U CubeSat on the Long March or Smart Dragon rocket operated by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The organisers are looking for innovative CubeSats or new ideas or concepts for CubeSats missions.
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Yuanwang 3 space tracking ship departs for new monitoring missions
20 February 2021
On 21 February, Yuanwang 3 space tracking ship set sail for the Pacific Ocean from a port in east China's Jiangsu Province for upcoming maritime monitoring missions. It is the ship's first voyage this year.
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Yutu 2 lunar rover traverses 652.62 m on Moon's far side
20 February 2021
After working smoothly through the 27th lunar day, the Chang'e 4 lunar lander and the Yutu 2 rover switched to dormant mode for the 27th lunar night on the far side of the Moon. The lander powered down on 19 February at 13:30 BJT and the rover earlier the same day at 01:48 BJT. As of 20 February, the lander and rover have been in operation for 778 Earth days, and the rover has traveled 652.62 m. The rover is in good condition, and all scientific payloads are working normally.
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HXMT/Insight identified source region of FRB
19 February 2021
The HXMT (Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope) space science satellite, also known as Insight, has found that a fast radio burst (FRB) signal detected last year came from a magnetar in the Milky Way. FRBs are extremely high energy but brief flashes in the cosmos that can come from magnetars, celestial objects with a magnetic strength around 100 trillion times stronger than Earth. The discovery marked a milestone in understanding the nature of the mysterious signal emanating from the universe, the scientists said.
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