September 2, 2023

Zimbabwe Warns Against Starlink Use (Source: TechCabal)
Zimbabwe’s communications regulator, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), has issued a warning against the unlicensed use of Starlink. To use the service in Zimbabwe, Starlink will have to apply for a direct license with POTRAZ. It appears that Starlink, whose website states that it plans to launch in Zimbabwe in Q3 2023, has not yet secured the requisite license. (9/1)

Space Force Stands Up Honor Guard Program Manned by Guardians (Source: Military.com)
The Space Force has enlisted 16 new Guardians who will start the service's own honor guard program, one of the major public-facing units that advertises the branch's values and presence. This week, 16 Guardians were enlisted and "intentionally boarded and selected to serve as the program's initial cadre," the service said in a Thursday press release. (9/1)

Face of Defense: A Childhood Love of Tech Led Her to the Space Force (Source: DoD)
Have you always had an interest in space? Yes! Technology, engineering, space, rockets, you name it. I grew up on developing electronics. Everything I built depended on the electromagnetic spectrum for communications and receivers, so space has always been at the forefront of my innovation. Click here. (9/1)

China Solicits Names for Manned Lunar Exploration Vehicles (Source: China Daily)
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Thursday began to solicit names for the new vehicles of future manned lunar exploration missions. The public is invited to suggest names for the new generation of manned spacecraft and the manned lunar lander, said the CMSA. (9/1)

Russia Says It's Actually Good That Its Lander Crashed Into the Moon and Blew Up (Source: Futurism)
If the Kremlin is to be believed, there was nothing wrong with Luna-25's demise. In fact, it was actually a good thing, because it will serve as a rallying cry to continue on. "This is not a reason to despair, nor to tear our hair out," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, as quoted by Reuters. "This is another reason to analyze the causes (of the failure) and eliminate them next time." (9/1)

Roskosmos Reports Sarmat Nuclear-Capable Intercontinental Missile System Set to Combat Mode (Source: Meduza)
Russia’s nuclear-capable Sarmat missile complex has been switched to combat mode. This was announced by the head of Russia’s space agency Roskosmos, Yury Borisov, as reported by Interfax. Sarmat is a silo-based strategic weapon system that uses a ballistic missile of intercontinental range, capable of carrying a broad spectrum of high-powered nuclear and hypersonic munitions. (9/1)

Boeing Says it's Moving 250 Jobs Out of Long Beach, Into Other States (Source: Long Beach Business Journal)
Boeing this week informed employees that it’s moving about 250 jobs out of Long Beach and into other states where workers could have to relocate if they want to keep their positions. The announcement was made after a company analysis found that its facilities in Texas, Oklahoma, Florida and Georgia needed additional staffing. Some of the jobs that will be moved are in finance, engineering, supply chain and project management. (9/1)

Something Just Smacked Into Jupiter And Amateur Astronomers Captured It (Source; IFL Science)
Acelestial object recently smashed into Jupiter, the undisputed king of the planets, releasing a short but sharp flash of energy. While objects frequently collide with Jupiter – much more so than any other planet in the Solar System – it’s pretty exceptional for scientists to document the crash in action. Remarkably, this latest collision was accidentally captured by an amateur astronomer. (9/1)

Amazing Satellite Video Shows China's Space Station Come Together in Earth Orbit (Source: Space.com)
An Australian company has released images showing how China constructed its Tiangong space station. HEO Robotics specializes in non-Earth imaging, meaning using space-based sensors to acquire images of objects of interest in orbit such as satellites. The firm released images demonstrating some of these capabilities on Aug. 30, showing step-by-step moves made by China to complete its three-module Tiangong space station. Click here. (9/1)

India to Launch First Solar Research Mission, Aditya-L1, Aboard PSLV (Source: NSF)
India’s space program will continue its busy 2023 with the launch of its first solar research mission, Aditya-L1, on Saturday. Liftoff, aboard the country’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) XL rocket, is expected at 11:50 Indian Standard Time (06:20 UTC) from the Satish Dhawan Space Center. Aditya-L1 will be the first mission conducted by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) that is dedicated to studying the Sun. Bound for the Earth-Sun L1 Lagrange point, it will also be the first Indian spacecraft to operate at this location. (9/1)