Reuters Science News Summary

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

Satellite firm Astro Digital to go ​public in $587 million SPAC deal

Satellite maker Astro Digital said on ​Monday it had agreed to go public through a ‌merger ​with blank-check company Proem Acquisition Corp I, in a deal valuing the company at about $587 million. Here are some details:

NASA chief says Boeing Starliner parts to be redesigned for 2028 flight

NASA chief Jared Isaacman ‌said on Monday that parts of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft will be redesigned ahead of a crewed flight in 2028, and he added in a briefing that Starliner will fly up to five crewed missions to the International Space Station for NASA. Boeing has implemented fixes on Starliner-1 after identifying the ‌cause of the spacecraft's helium leaks, said Dana Weigel, NASA program manager for the space station.

SpaceX's Starship engine failure could impact NASA's moon mission ‌objectives

The Starship engine failure that nearly foiled the orbital debut of SpaceX's next-generation spacecraft on its 14th uncrewed test flight may complicate NASA's ability to meet its time frame for astronaut missions to the moon. Starship, designed in part to carry large payloads to space, is one of two vehicles vying to become the first craft that ⁠NASA will ​use as early as 2028 to land ⁠humans on the moon and bring them safely home, a feat last achieved in 1972 at the end of the Apollo era.

SpaceX's Starship makes orbital debut deploying ⁠Starlinks before early ending

SpaceX's giant Starship rocket reached orbit for the first time on Monday and deployed new Starlink satellites, achieving milestones in its 14th test flight ​despite an engine failure and a decision to cut the mission short. The uncrewed mission was scheduled to last 10 hours, but ⁠was reduced to three after one of Starship's three main engines shut down prematurely following separation from the spacecraft's lower-stage Super Heavy booster rocket.

Varda raises $250 million at $1.6 billion valuation to ⁠scale orbital ​drug manufacturing

In-space manufacturing startup Varda Space has raised $250 million in a Series D round at a $1.6 billion valuation, the company told Reuters, as it ramps up missions to produce pharmaceuticals in microgravity. El Segundo-based Varda is one of a handful of US companies building a fleet ⁠of uncrewed space capsules that can function as orbital laboratories or manufacturing platforms for products whose development in space yields better efficiencies or purities ⁠than in the gravity of Earth.

Swiss ⁠archaeologists redraw Roman maps after drought discoveries

Archaeologists are redrawing Roman maps of Switzerland after traces of long-buried ruins emerged as the country endured the hottest summer on record. Drought can reveal hidden archaeological sites through "parch marks" created ‌when vegetation above them withers, ‌one of several effects of this year's heatwaves, which also exposed World ​War Two wrecks on river beds.