NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has discovered a rare, heavy and immensely valuable asteroid called “16 Psyche” in the Solar System’s main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Asteroid Psyche is located at roughly 230 million miles (370 million kilometers) from Earth and measures 140 miles (226 kilometers) across, about the size of West Virginia. What Read more about NASA Discovers a Rare Metal Asteroid Worth $10,000 Quadrillion[…]
“Water” has since been detected inside the minerals in lunar rocks. Water ice has also been discovered to be mixed in with lunar dust grains in cold, permanently shadowed regions near the lunar poles. But scientists haven’t been sure how much of this water is present as “molecular water”—made up of two parts hydrogen and Read more about Water on the Moon: Research unveils its type and abundance – boosting exploration plans[…]
To date, the company has launched over 800 satellites and (as of this summer) is producing them at a rate of about 120 a month. There are even plans to have a constellation of 42,000 satellites in orbit before the decade is out. However, there have been some problems along the way, as well. Aside Read more about About 3% of Starlink satellites have failed so far – that’s 360 potential collisions now and 1,260 once SL is up[…]
A team of astronomers from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Institute for Astronomy (IfA) has produced the most comprehensive astronomical imaging catalog of stars, galaxies, and quasars ever created with help from an artificially intelligent neural network. The group of astronomers from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Institute for Astronomy (IfA) released a catalog Read more about AI Created a Detailed 3D Map of Stars, Galaxies, and Quasars. Largest universe map so far.[…]
. The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), which launched in 2018, has snapped hundreds of thousands images of the night sky using its four cameras in the hopes of finding exoplanets. That’s too much data for professional astronomers to pore over, and NASA doesn’t trust computer-vision algorithms to do all the work, so they’ve decided Read more about Help spot planets for NASA or Oxford[…]
A study of comet motions indicates that the solar system has a second alignment plane. Analytical investigation of the orbits of long-period comets shows that the aphelia of the comets, the point where they are farthest from the Sun, tend to fall close to either the well-known ecliptic plane where the planets reside or a Read more about Second alignment plane of solar system discovered[…]
Future moon explorers will be bombarded with two to three times more radiation than astronauts aboard the International Space Station, a health hazard that will require thick-walled shelters for protection, scientists reported Friday. China’s lander on the far side of the moon is providing the first full measurements of radiation exposure from the lunar surface, Read more about New measurements show moon has hazardous radiation levels[…]
Yesterday, NASA and Russian flight controllers performed an “avoidance maneuver” to protect the International Space Station from a wayward chunk of space debris. This episode—already the third of its kind this year—highlights a growing problem and the importance of mitigating potential collisions in space. Low Earth orbit (LEO) is vast and mostly empty, but when Read more about ISS Maneuvers to Avoid Space Debris, in What’s Becoming the New Normal[…]
Earlier this week, scientists announced the discovery of phosphine on Venus, a potential signature of life. Now, in an amazing coincidence, a European and Japanese spacecraft is about to fly past the planet – and could confirm the discovery. On Monday, September 14, a team of scientists said they had found evidence for phosphine in Read more about In A Complete Fluke, A Euro/Jap Spacecraft Is About To Fly Past Venus – And Could Look For Signs Of Life[…]
The International Space Station has served as the world’s most unique laboratory for two decades, hosting hundreds of scientific experiments, crews of astronauts and even the occasional slime. But now, NASA, one of the space station’s primary operators, is preparing to oversee the largest push of business activity aboard the ISS. Later this month, up Read more about Estée Lauder products will launch to space. NASA astronauts will fllm them floating around the ISS[…]
An international team of astronomers, led by Professor Jane Greaves of Cardiff University, today announced the discovery of a rare molecule—phosphine—in the clouds of Venus. On Earth, this gas is only made industrially, or by microbes that thrive in oxygen-free environments. […] finding that phosphine is present but scarce—only about twenty molecules in every billion. Read more about Hints of life on Venus: Scientists detect phosphine molecules in high cloud decks[…]
Rocket Lab recently made a successful return to flight and launched a client satellite from its Electron Rocket, but that’s not all that happened on the mission. The company also secretly launched its own satellite, called Photon, that could one day fly ambitious deep space missions. Photon is based on Rocket Lab’s “Kick Stage,” which Read more about Rocket Lab secretly launched its own satellite that may one day go to the Moon[…]
In recent days, China has quietly launched a secret reusable spacecraft, left it in orbit for two days and safely landed it back on Earth. And although the spacecraft is top secret—we’re not even privy to its design—there are some things that China apparently wants the world to know about it. According to Xinhua, China’s Read more about China Just Launched and Landed a Secret Reusable Spacecraft[…]
All the planets of our solar system are encased in a magnetic bubble, carved out in space by the Sun’s constantly outflowing material, the solar wind. Outside this bubble is the interstellar medium — the ionized gas and magnetic field that fills the space between stellar systems in our galaxy. One question scientists have tried Read more about Our Solar System’s Magnetic Sheild (Heliosphere) is Shaped like a croissant[…]
The Mars 2020 mission with its Perseverance rover is part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic exploration of the Red Planet. The Mars 2020 mission addresses high-priority science goals for Mars exploration, including key Astrobiology questions about the potential for life on Mars. The mission takes the next step by not Read more about NASA sends Perseverance Rover to Mars – with a little helicopter on it![…]
Researchers have spotted large waves of martian sand migrating for the first time. The discovery dispels the long-held belief that these “megaripples” haven’t moved since they formed hundreds of thousands of years ago. They’re also evidence of stronger-than-expected winds on the Red Planet. It’s pretty staggering that humans can detect these changes on Mars, says Read more about Giant waves of sand are moving on Mars[…]
“Comet Neowise has been the brightest and most visible space snowball in a generation, but it’s also the first naked-eye comet to visit us in the new era of satellite mega-constellations like SpaceX’s Starlink,” writes CNET. “In just the latest episode of Starlink ‘trains’ irritating astronomers, a number of images have been circulating of the Read more about SpaceX’s Starlink Satellites ‘Photo-Bombing’ Shots of Comet Neowise[…]
“A photo and film restoration specialist, who goes by the name of DutchSteamMachine, has worked some AI magic to enhance original Apollo film, creating strikingly clear and vivid video clips and images,” reports Universe Today: Take a look at this enhanced footage from an Apollo 16 lunar rover traverse with Charlie Duke and John Young, Read more about Historic Moon Landing Footage Enhanced By AI, and the Results Are Incredible[…]
China has successfully launched a Mars probe. The middle kingdom’s previous red planet effort, 2011’s Yinghuo-1, rode on a Russian rocket that failed to leave Earth orbit and therefore did not fulfill its orbital observation mission. For this new mission, dubbed Tianwen-1, China has used its own Long March 5 heavy lifter and packed in Read more about China successfully launches Mars probe that packs an orbiter, lander, rover[…]
The USA and UK have alleged that Russia last week trialled an in-orbit satellite-killer weapon. US Space Force chief of operations General John Raymond put his name to a statement that says on July 15th Russia “injected a new object into orbit from Cosmos 2543”, a satellite that Moscow insists is a maintenance vehicle but Read more about Russia tested satellite-to-satellite shooter, say UK and USA[…]
An international consortium has compiled the most comprehensive 3D map of the observable cosmos to date, significantly improving our understanding of cosmological history while raising new questions about the fundamental laws that govern the universe. The updated map, made from data gathered by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), offers a detailed history of the Read more about Sloan Digital Sky Surver releases biggest 3D map of the universe[…]
The United Arab Emirates has successfully launched a Mars probe. The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) aims to orbit the red planet with a probe named “Hope” that will gather data to help humanity build a proper Martian weather map, characterise the planet’s lower atmosphere and offer an explanation of why Mars is losing Hydrogen and Read more about United Arab Emirates’ Mars probe successfully launched and phones home[…]
On Sunday morning, local time in New Zealand, Rocket Lab launched its 13th mission. The booster’s first stage performed normally, but just as the second stage neared an altitude of 200km, something went wrong and the vehicle was lost. In the immediate aftermath of the failure, the company did not provide any additional information about Read more about After a second stage failure, Rocket Lab loses seven satellites[…]
Russia’s space agency Roscosmos has re-entered the space tourism market and this time will offer one person the chance to spacewalk. The agency on Thursday announced a new deal with US outfit Space Adventures to take two people to the International Space Station atop a Soyuz rocket. One of the tourists, according to Space Adventures’ Read more about Russia returns to space tourism and offers a first citizen spacewalk[…]
China sent the last satellite to space on Tuesday to complete its global navigation system that will help wean it off U.S. technology in this area. The network known as Beidou, which has been in the works for over two decades, is a significant step for China’s space and technology ambitions. Beidou is a rival Read more about Beidou: China completes rival to the US-owned GPS system[…]