Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch ocean-monitoring NASA satelliteNovember 25, 2016 - 19:28 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Elon Musk's SpaceX has been awarded a new contract to launch a NASA satellite in 2021. The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission will begin at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, using a Falcon 9 rocket to take the research hardware into orbit. From there, NASA will conduct "the first-ever global survey of Earth's surface water," taking detailed recordings that should explain how our oceans change over time. The total cost of the launch is said to be $112 million, however the money won't be going to SpaceX alone. As Engadget reports citing the Verge, some is being put aside for other organisations providing "additional support." The deal is the latest example of SpaceX's growing influence in the space sector. The company is aggressive and ambitious, fuelled by a billionaire set on colonizing Mars, Engadget said. There have been setbacks -- a Falcon 9 exploded in Cape Canaveral in September -- but overall, SpaceX is making progress. The rocket manufacturer is handling resupply missions to the International Space Station (ISS) and is currently developing a manned version of its Dragon spacecraft. Back in January, the company delivered the ocean-scanning Jason-3 satellite for NASA and a few other scientific agencies; next year, it should be launching the planet seeking TESS satellite. In a tweet, SpaceX said: "We appreciate NASA's support and confidence." Top stories Yerevan will host the 2024 edition of the World Congress On Information Technology (WCIT). Rustam Badasyan said due to the lack of such regulation, the state budget is deprived of VAT revenues. Krisp’s smart noise suppression tech silences ambient sounds and isolates your voice for calls. Gurgen Khachatryan claimed that the "illegalities have been taking place in 2020." Partner news Most popular in the section | European Parliament to discuss repression in Azerbaijan The European Parliament will discuss repression of civil society in Azerbaijan on April 24 PACE wants concessions from Azerbaijan to accept Baku back A PACE co-rapporteur said that Azerbaijani authorities must make certain concessions so that the country can return to PACE. Cyprus parliament honors Armenian genocide victims Acting House President Zacharias Koulias noted that April 24 marks the “black anniversary” of the Armenian genocide. Armenia PM, France envoy discuss regional matters Issues related to the consistent development of Armenia-France cooperation were discussed. |