satellites

A third of the world’s population has no internet connection – airborne communications stations could change that

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About a third of the world’s population, some 3 billion people, have no access to the internet or have poor connectivity due to limited infrastructure, economic disparities and geographic isolation. Current satellite and ground networks create communications gaps where it would be too expensive to install traditional ground communications equipment due to geography. High-altitude platform … Read more

China launches satellites that could rival SpaceX’s Starlink in boost to its space ambitions

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Editor’s Note: Sign up for CNN’s Meanwhile in China Newsletter exploring what you need to know about the country’s rise and its impact on the world. China this week took a major step in its bid to create a rival to SpaceX’s Starlink by launching the first of an expected 14,000 satellites that will provide … Read more

Why Africa is doubling down on its space ambitions

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As a child in Ivory Coast, West Africa, Tidiane Ouattara gathered with friends in his village to look at the stars. The group, who called themselves “the Moon Club,” lay on the ground and looked up at the cosmos. “We believed we could talk to the moon,” he told CNN in a video interview. “From … Read more

Mega constellations of satellites are burning in our atmosphere. That can have consequences

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If you were to stare into the black sky on a clear night, you would expect to see nothing but the beautiful Milky Way stretching above you, with billions of stars twinkling in place. Instead, you’ll also most likely see an ersatz star break through an otherwise static sky every few minutes, moving silently across … Read more

the discoveries that change our understanding of the universe

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Many of us grow up with a fascination with space and the universe. The question of whether intelligent life exists is an ongoing concern of scientists and citizens alike. But space research goes far beyond the hunt for extraterrestrial life – there are many different areas that students and researchers explore, from space weather and … Read more

How do you predict a solar storm? Space weather experts explain

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For those who had the chance to see the aurora this weekend, it was quite a spectacular moment. But while seeing the Northern Lights is thrilling and exciting for us, the same coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and geomagnetic storms that make these light shows possible can also wreak havoc on some of the technology that … Read more

More climate-warming methane is leaking into the atmosphere than ever reported – here’s how satellites can track the leaks and prevent a valuable resource from being wasted

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Far more methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is being released from landfills and oil and gas operations around the world than governments realized, recent aerial and satellite surveys show. That is both a problem for the climate and for human health. It’s also why the U.S. government has tightened regulations on methane leaks and wasteful … Read more

Musk’s SpaceX is building a ‘massive spy satellite network’ for US intelligence

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The space company will reportedly build hundreds of satellites with Earth imaging capabilities that can operate as a swarm in low orbits – Cheney Orr/Reuters SpaceX is reportedly building a network of hundreds of spy satellites under a secret contract with a U.S. intelligence agency, in a sign of deepening ties between billionaire entrepreneur Elon … Read more

Debris from burning satellites can affect Earth’s magnetic field

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The environmental impacts of spaceflight are becoming increasingly apparent as more and more spacecraft are launched into Earth’s orbit. The growing number of satellites burning up in Earth’s atmosphere has worried scientists for years, and now a new paper explores how the emerging shell of “conductive dust” around the planet, resulting from satellite re-entry, could … Read more