Space Today

July full moon 2020: 'Buck Moon' lunar eclipse meets Jupiter in the night sky
The July full moon, also known as the Buck Moon or Thunder Moon, occurs just after midnight on Sunday (July 5), with the moon reaching full phase at 12:44 a.m. EDT (0444 GMT)
Virgin Galactic to reveal SpaceShipTwo cabin design on July 28
We'll soon get our first look at the cabin of Virgin Galactic's suborbital spaceliner.
This new, super-accurate way to pinpoint our solar system's center may help spot monster black hole crashes
Astronomers have found a way to pinpoint our solar system's center of mass to within a mere 330 feet (100 meters), a recent study reports.
Tulsa Air and Space lands last of NASA's shuttle crew cabin trainers
NASA's last space shuttle mockup still on its astronaut training room floor has landed a new educational mission in Oklahoma.
2020 Full Moon Calendar
The full moon happens once a month. Find out when.

Close Encounters in the Milky Way — and What They Mean for Planets
New research shows stellar flybys are common in our galaxy’s crowded center. That could have both good and bad (but mostly bad) effects on growing planets. The post Close Encounters in the Milky Way — and What They Mean for Planets appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Anticipation Grows for Comets NEOWISE and Lemmon
Two comets spark excitement for the coming week — NEOWISE might reach naked-eye visibility at dawn, while Lemmon will be visible in binoculars at dusk. The post Anticipation Grows for Comets NEOWISE and Lemmon appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
July 2020: Welcome Jupiter & Saturn
July's 11-minute Sky Tour astronomy podcast describes what to see in the summer sky in a casual, engaging way that your whole family can enjoy. The post July 2020: Welcome Jupiter & Saturn appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Venus Passes in Front of the Solar Corona (VIDEO)
Two astronomers captured the silhouette of Venus as it passed in front of the solar corona. The post Venus Passes in Front of the Solar Corona (VIDEO) appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Photographers “Capture the Dark” with Stunning Images of the Night
Stunning images of the night remind us why we need to protect dark skies. See the photos that won the International Dark-sky Association's contest. The post Photographers “Capture the Dark” with Stunning Images of the Night appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

NASA preparing second round of smallsat launch services program
NASA plans to issue multiple contracts in the coming months for smallsat launch services in the second phase of a program intended to support the emerging small launch vehicle industry. SpaceNews
Commercial launch industry off to slow start in 2020
The first half of 2020 has been sluggish for the commercial launch industry, but its problems can’t be explained solely by the coronavirus pandemic. SpaceNews
Optus orders OneSat satellite from Airbus
Airbus will build the satellite, called Optus-11, on its new OneSat platform, designed with a reconfigurable payload that can steer and reassign beams for different customers and services. SpaceNews
Solar sail spacecraft begins extended mission
A smallsat launched a year ago to demonstrate solar sail technologies continues to operate and is now beginning an extended mission. SpaceNews
Southwest Research Institute wins NOAA contract to build space weather instrument
The Southwest Research Institute won a $15.6 million contract to design and build the Solar Wind Plasma Sensor for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Follow On (SWFO) Lagrange 1 satellite. SpaceNews