/sci/ - Science & Math

Japan’s SLIM moon lander makes lunar flyby, Startups from four nations join 2023 Hyperspace Challenge, SRI partners with Scout Space and Leidos for debris-tracking project
---
https://spacenews.com/japans-slim-moon-lander-makes-lunar-flyby/
> The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) lander made its closest approach to the moon at 2:47 a.m. Eastern, Oct. 4. It passed just under 5,000 kilometers from the lunar surface at a relative speed of 1.47 kilometers per second.
> The spacecraft is now on a long, looping orbit that will bring it back to the moon late in the year. The orbit will allow it to enter lunar orbit in a more propellant-efficient manner than needing to perform a long braking burn during the recent flyby.
---
https://spacenews.com/startups-from-four-nations-join-2023-hyperspace-challenge/
> SAN FRANCISCO – Six startups based in four countries are joining the 2023 Hyperspace Challenge, an accelerator run by the Air Force Research Laboratory and CNM Ingenuity with support from the U.S. Space Force Space Rapid Capabilities Office.
---
https://spacenews.com/sri-partners-with-scout-space-and-leidos-for-debris-tracking-project/
> Under a contract funded by the U.S. intelligence community, companies will attempt to track the smallest debris objects in space
> WASHINGTON — SRI International announced Oct. 4 it selected the defense technology firm Leidos and startup Scout Space as subcontractors for a space debris-tracking project funded by the U.S. intelligence community.
> The project, known as Space Debris Identification and Tracking (SINTRA), is expected to be completed in four years. IARPA is an agency under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
> IARPA wants to identify technologies and methods to successfully track debris objects smaller than 10 centimeters long, or about the size of a credit card.