News
2020
NASA Mission Achieves Astounding Goal
October 26, 2020 – Utah Public Radio
Thursday, October 22, NASA received inmages confirming a spacecraft the size of a school bus grabbed a sample from an asteroid over 200 million miles from earth. The cameras and electronics used in this mission were made in Cache Valley.
Space Dynamics Lab aides in historic asteroid touch down
October 22, 2020 – KSL Podcasts
Alan Thurgood, Space Dynamics Lab’s Director of Civil Space, joins Lee to explain the lab's roll in the asteroid touch down earlier this week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Space Dynamics Lab Involved In Historic Asteroid Debris Retrieval
October 22, 2020 – satnews.com
On a clear fall evening in September 2016, NASA launched a spacecraft to a distant asteroid to help answer questions central to the human experience: Where did we come from, and what is our destiny? With aid from the Space Dynamics Laboratory at Utah State University, the agency is one step closer to answering those questions.
USU assists in successful Bennu asteroid sample collection mission
October 21, 2020 – KSL News
NASA’s successful sample collection mission to the distant Bennu asteroid involved work done at Utah State University. And its return will include a landing in Utah’s West Desert.
OSIRIS-REx survived its touchdown on asteroid Bennu—now we wait to see if it got a sample
October 21, 2020 – MIT Technology Review
At 6:12 p.m. US Eastern Time on Tuesday, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft finished a four-and-a-half-hour descent to the surface of asteroid Bennu, 200 million miles from Earth. Once there, it briefly made contact with the ground in an attempt to collect some rocky pebbles and dust before safely flying away. We won’t know if the sample collection was successful until later.
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx survived its risky mission to grab a piece of an asteroid
October 21, 2020 – ScienceNews
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is a cosmic rock collector. Cheers erupted from mission control at 6:12 p.m. EDT on October 20 as scientists on Earth got word that the spacecraft had gently nudged a near-Earth asteroid called Bennu, and grabbed some of its rocks to return to Earth.
Space Dynamics Lab Aides in Historic Asteroid Touch Down
October 21, 2020 – Utah State University Today
On a clear fall evening in September 2016, NASA launched a spacecraft to a distant asteroid to help answer questions central to the human experience: Where did we come from, and what is our destiny?
Utah State helps NASA collect pebbles from the surface of an asteroid
October 21, 2020 – The Salt Lake Tribune
NASA took another “giant leap" forward on Tuesday — and do so with some help from Utah State University’s Space Dynamics Laboratory.
Seeking Solar System’s Secrets, NASA’s OSIRIS-REX Mission Touches Bennu Asteroid
October 20, 2020 – The New York Times
The spacecraft attempted to suck up rocks and dirt from the asteroid, which could aid humanity’s ability to divert one that might slam into Earth.
NASA makes history with sample of asteroid soil
October 20, 2020 – NBC News
After spending nearly two years circling the asteroid Bennu, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft used its robotic arm to gather pieces of the space rock.
A NASA spacecraft is about to scoop up some asteroid rubble
October 14, 2020 – MIT Technology Review
Since December 2018, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has been orbiting the asteroid Bennu and trying to find out more about its chemistry and geology. And for good reason: "Bennu is a time capsule," says Thomas Zurbuchen, the head of NASA's Science Mission Directorate. "It has been out there for 4.5 billion years, and carries the history of that environment with it."
Small satellites’ growing role in Earth science
October 10, 2020 – SpaceNews
For the last several years at the Small Satellite Conference, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has held a “Small Satellite Mission of the Year” competition. An AIAA committee gathers nominations for smallsats that have launched in the last year and selects a group of finalists announced as the conference gets underway, allowing conference attendees and others to vote for their favorite. At the end of the conference, the AIAA committee announces the winner.
NASA got an up-close look at an Asteroid Crumbling Apart
September 9, 2020 – Futurism
For the first time, NASA was able to get an up-close look as an asteroid sailed past, leaving a trail of debris in its wake.
Space Dynamics Lab Announces CALCON Keynote Speaker—2020 Meeting Goes Virtual
September 3, 2020 – Utah State University Today
The Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) at Utah State University announced today that U.S. Air Force Colonel (Col.) Timothy A. Sejba will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing Annual Meeting, known as CALCON. This year’s CALCON will be held virtually 21-24 September 2020.
SDL to Provide Constellation of SmallSats Enabling NASA Unprecedented Views of the Sun
August 21, 2020 – Utah State University Today
The Space Dynamics Laboratory at Utah State University announced that it has been awarded a contract by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to build six spacecraft for NASA’s Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment mission, known as SunRISE. The contract value was not disclosed.
SDL to Provide SmallSat Constellation for NASA Solar Mission
August 21, 2020 – Parabolic Arc
The Space Dynamics Laboratory announced today that it has been awarded a contract by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to build six spacecraft for NASA’s Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment mission, known as SunRISE. The contract value was not disclosed.
Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) Receives The Small Satellite Mission of the Year Award from the AIAA
August 9, 2020 – satnews.com
The Space Dynamics Laboratory-built Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter satellite has been awarded the Small Satellite Mission of the Year award by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) — this announcement was made during the recent annual Small Satellite Conference.
Space Dynamics Lab to provide deep-space SmallSat radios for Janus asteroid mission
August 9, 2020 – KUTV
The Space Dynamics Laboratory in North Logan, Utah, announced during the annual Small Satellite Conference on Wednesday that it was recently awarded a contract for two small satellite radios for a NASA asteroid mission.
USU Space Dynamics Lab Satellite Wins Mission Of The Year Award
August 7, 2020 – KSL TV
A satellite built by the Space Dynamics Lab at Utah State University was awarded the Small Satellite Mission of the Year from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Space Dynamics Lab-Built Spacecraft Wins Small Satellite Mission of the Year Award
August 7, 2020 – Utah State Today
The Space Dynamics Laboratory-built Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter satellite has been awarded the Small Satellite Mission of the Year award by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The announcement was made during the annual Small Satellite Conference.
Space Dynamics Lab To Build Radios For NASA Mission Investigating Asteroids
August 6, 2020 – Utah Public Radio
Making phone calls from deep space is a challenge even from large spacecraft, but from small satellites it is exceptionally hard. The communications devices for small spacecraft that will be used in an upcoming NASA mission will be provided by the Space Dynamics Lab at Utah State University.
Space Dynamics Laboratory building smallsat radios for NASA Janus mission
August 5, 2020 – Space Newsfeed
The Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) has announced that it was recently awarded a contract for two smallsat radios for a NASA asteroid mission — the contract value has not been disclosed.
Space Dynamics Laboratory Building Smallsat Radios For NASA JANUS Mission
August 5, 2020 – satnews.com
The Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) announced during the Small Satellite Conference that the company was recently awarded a contract for two smallsat radios for a NASA asteroid mission — the contract value has not been disclosed.
NASA Asteroid Mission: North Logan’s Space Dynamics Lab lands radio contract
August 5, 2020 – abc4.com
The Space Dynamics Laboratory has been awarded a contract to produce two small satellite radios for a NASA near-earth asteroid mission. The radios provided by the lab will provide communications for small spacecraft being built for the mission.
Space Dynamics Lab to Provide Deep-Space SmallSat Radios for Janus Asteroid Mission
August 5, 2020 – Utah State Today
Utah State University's Space Dynamics Laboratory announced during the annual Small Satellite Conference today that it was recently awarded a contract for two small satellite radios for a NASA asteroid mission. The contract value was not disclosed.
The Big Picture, As Seen By Space Dynamics Laboratory’s HARP
August 3, 2020 – Smallsat News
Measuring only 10 centimeters wide, 10 centimeters high and 30 centimeters long, the smallsat was designed, manufactured, integrated, and tested by SDL and carries the Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter payload built by the Earth and Space Institute at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Cubesat demonstrates Earth science instrument
August 3, 2020 – SpaceNews
A cubesat launched earlier this year has successfully tested a version of an instrument that will fly on a larger NASA mission in development.
Space Dynamics Lab SmallSat Sees Big Picture
August 3, 2020 – Utah State Today
A small satellite built by Utah State University’s Space Dynamics Laboratory is providing scientists unprecedented images for a spacecraft of its size.
NEOWISE Comet First Observed With Telescope Built By Space Dynamics Lab
July 15, 2020 – Utah Public Radio
The telescope that first observed the NEOWISE comet now seen soaring and sizzling above the earth was built at the Space Dynamics Laboratory in Logan back in 2009. It was made for NASA’s mission originally called WISE to survey deep space from low earth orbit.
Telescope That Discovered NEOWISE Comet Developed At USU
July 13, 2020 – KSL TV
A space-based telescope built by Utah State University’s Space Dynamics Laboratory discovered the Comet NEOWISE, which has been one of the summer’s greatest spectacles because it can be seen with the naked eye.
NASA's SDL-Built Space Telescope Discovers Comet: Now Viewable with the Naked Eye
July 13, 2020 – Utah State Today
A comet discovered by a space-based telescope built by Utah State University's Space Dynamics Laboratory can be seen with the naked eye soaring through space throughout the summer.
Utah company built the telescope that discovered the NEOWISE comet
July 13, 2020 – KSL.com
If you’ve been up early enough, you might have noticed quite the “shooting star” in the northwestern sky — actually, a comet called NEOWISE.
NEOWISE comet, a Utah built telescope found it, now you can see it with your naked eye
July 13, 2020 – abc4 News
The blazing Comet NEOWISE is the shooting star of our summer skies, but before you could just look up and see it, the streaking ball of ice was discovered by a Utah built telescope as it zipped around our galaxy on its millennial journey.
A Surprise Comet Is Coming to Put on a Spectacular Sky Show — and It Won't Be Visible Again for Over 6,000 Years
July 6, 2020 – Travel + Leisure
A comet named C/2020 is expected to be visible from Earth at various points throughout July.
Flying cubesats from home
May 11, 2020 – SpaceNews
Pandemic accelerates trend toward remote operations.
USU graduates 51 student employees from Space Dynamics Laboratory
May 5, 2020 – abc4 News
51 student employees from the Space Dynamics Laboratory at the Utah State University graduated on Tuesday.
Space Dynamics Lab Celebrates Graduating Student Employees
May 5, 2020 – Space Dynamics Laboratory
The Space Dynamics Laboratory announced today that 51 of its student employees from Utah State University have graduated.
Space ISAC opens general membership
May 1, 2020 – The Colorado Springs Business Journal
The Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center is accepting general membership applications starting today, the first day of National Space Month.
Cameras To Help NASA Learn About The Origin Of Earth Were Made In Utah
May 1, 2020 – Utah Public Radio
Utah’s own Space Dynamics Laboratory is working with NASA to find clues that could give more insight into the big questions about where we come from.
Space Dynamics Laboratory Prepares Innovative Light Imaging Instrument For Launch Into Space
April 27, 2020 – Utah Public Radio
Utah’s Space Dynamics Laboratory recently delivered a test version of a satellite sub-unit to NASA that will measure the movements of microscopic creatures within Earth’s oceans from space. The Space Dynamics Laboratory is an affiliate lab to Utah State University and is working on a sub-unit of the PACE spacecraft, which NASA will launch into space in 2022. PACE stands for Plankton Aerosol Cloud Ocean Ecosystem.
Space Dynamics Lab Built Tool Aids Asteroid Sample Collection Rehearsal
April 27, 2020 – Via Satellite
NASA recently announced that its spacecraft known as OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security) has successfully rehearsed a maneuver to collect a sample from the asteroid Bennu using a Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL)-built camera detector assembly. The rehearsal brought the spacecraft through two maneuvers to a point approximately 213 feet above the surface, before backing the spacecraft away.
Space Dynamics Lab Supports Spacecraft’s Rehearsal of Asteroid Sample Collection Event
April 27, 2020 – Space Dynamics Laboratory
NASA recently announced that its Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security - Regolith Explorer spacecraft, known as OSIRIS-REx, has successfully rehearsed a maneuver to collect a sample from the asteroid Bennu using the Space Dynamics Laboratory-built “SamCam” camera detector assembly.
Some engineers at USU's Space Dynamics Lab are piloting their satellites from home
April 23, 2020 – Standard-Examiner
Ready to add yet another task to the list of jobs folks are successfully doing from home?
USU Space Dynamics Lab delivers test unit to NASA for spacecraft set for 2022 launch
April 21, 2020 – KSL.com
The Utah State University Space Dynamics Lab in North Logan has delivered to NASA an engineering test unit for a major subsystem of its PACE spacecraft scheduled for launch in 2022.
USU Space Dynamics Lab delivers test unit to NASA for spacecraft set for 2022 launch
April 20, 2020 – Deseret News
The Utah State University Space Dynamics Lab in North Logan has delivered to NASA an engineering test unit for a major subsystem of its PACE spacecraft scheduled for launch in 2022.
How Engineers are Operating Deep-Space Probes, Martian Rovers, and Satelites from Their Homes
April 20, 2020 – The Verge
Last Tuesday, a team of engineers sat huddled around their computer screens, monitoring a spacecraft as it maneuvered around a rocky asteroid more than 140 million miles from Earth. They were conducting an important interplanetary dress rehearsal, running the spacecraft through many of the operations it will do in August when it attempts to snag a tiny sample of rocks from the asteroid’s surface.
Space Dynamics Lab Meets Major Milestone for NASA’s Ocean Ecosystem Mission
April 20, 2020 – Space Dynamics Laboratory
The Space Dynamics Laboratory announced today that it recently delivered to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center an engineering test unit of the Short-Wave Infrared Detection Assembly, a major subcomponent on NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem spacecraft.
Flying Spacecrafts from Home
April 15, 2020 – KUTV News
NASA taking social distancing to heart by having satelite operators here in Utah fly spacecrafts from their own homes.
In Response to COVID-19, Space Dynamics Lab Satellite Operators “Fly” Small Satellites from Home
April 15, 2020 – Space Dynamics Laboratory
The Space Dynamics Laboratory announced today that satellite operators are flying NASA spacecraft from their homes to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Space Dynamics Lab Answers Call to Help with Severe Blood Shortage
April 14, 2020 – Space Dynamics Laboratory
In response to a call for blood donations from the American Red Cross, the Space Dynamics Laboratory hosted a blood drive in North Logan on Monday, April 13, 2020. SDL employees donated 36 pints of blood.
Space Dynamics Lab Awarded Patents for Cold Atom Research to Improve Time Accuracy
April 3, 2020 – Space Dynamics Laboratory
The United States Patent and Trademark Office recently issued three patents to the Space Dynamics Laboratory for innovative inventions used in researching cold atoms—a pivotal element to precise space-based timing. SDL’s Elemental Alkali-Metal Dispenser, and two types of Grating Magneto Optical Traps will enable scientists and engineers to design and build atomic clocks with hyper-accuracy.
Space Dynamics Lab-Built SmallSat Successfully Deployed from ISS – Now Being Flown by Lab
March 2, 2020 – Space Dynamics Laboratory
The Space Dynamics Laboratory announced today that a small satellite built by SDL was successfully deployed into orbit, and early telemetry indicates that the spacecraft health is nominal and the satellite is operating as designed.
Space Dynamics Lab Elects Retired Rear Admiral Liz Young to Board of Directors
February 26, 2020 – Space Dynamics Laboratory
H. Scott Hinton, president of the Space Dynamics Laboratory, announced that government leader Liz Young has been appointed to SDL’s Board of Directors. Young has served as a member of SDL’s guidance council since 2014 and will continue to serve in that capacity.