Geneva, Switzerland (SPX) Aug 15, 2024
Scientists analyzing data from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station have encountered an unexpected abundance of cosmic rays composed of deuterons - atomic nuclei containing a proton and a neutron. This surprising discovery adds to the growing list of unanticipated findings from AMS, which has been operational since 2011 and has detected over 238 billion co

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 14, 2024
Inside devices like smartphones, fitness trackers, and virtual reality headsets, small motion sensors track movement. Larger, more sophisticated versions of these sensors, about the size of a grapefruit and significantly more accurate, are used to help navigate ships, airplanes, and other vehicles with GPS assistance. Scientists are now working to create a motion sensor so precise that it

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 14, 2024
NASA's Cold Atom Lab, an innovative facility aboard the International Space Station (ISS), has made a significant advancement by using ultra-cold atoms to detect environmental changes in space. For the first time, the lab measured the International Space Station's subtle vibrations, showcasing the potential of quantum science in space applications. The recent study, published in 'Nature Co

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Aug 15, 2024
A stunning image recently released by the China National Space Administration has captivated audiences, showing the desolate landscape of the far side of the moon. The photograph, taken after China's Chang'e 6 probe collected lunar samples in June, quickly went viral across Chinese social media, sparking widespread curiosity about the photographer behind the lens. Chinese space engineers h

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Aug 15, 2024
China has initiated necessary measures and is closely observing the affected orbital area following the breakup of a Chinese rocket, according to a statement by Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian on Wednesday. Reports indicate that a Long March 6A rocket, which was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on August 6, disintegrated in low-Earth orbit last week, creating a debris

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Aug 15, 2024
Collisions between neutron stars likely produce the densest form of matter known in the Universe. Through innovative approaches using two theoretical methods, scientists have now gained deeper insights into the behavior of quark matter under the extreme conditions created during these cosmic events. Neutron stars, remnants of old stars that have exhausted their nuclear fuel and collapsed a

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Aug 14, 2024
The development of in-orbit refuelling capabilities is expected to play a crucial role in the future of space exploration. This technology is poised to significantly reduce costs by minimizing the need to replace satellites and supporting more sustainable mission designs, ultimately decreasing the number of satellites requiring deorbiting. Applicable to both new satellite generations and current

Washington (AFP) Aug 14, 2024
NASA needs to decide by the end of August whether to return two astronauts to Earth aboard Boeing's Starliner, which flew them to the International Space Station (ISS), or bring them home on a SpaceX craft, officials said Wednesday. NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams blasted off for the ISS on Starliner on June 5 for what was meant to be an eight-day stay. B

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 15, 2024
After spending 30 months exploring the floor and river delta of Jezero Crater, NASA's Perseverance rover is preparing for a challenging climb up the western rim of the crater. The ascent, expected to begin during the week of August 19, marks the start of the rover's fifth science campaign, which will take it through some of the steepest terrain it has encountered since its landing on February 18