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Copernical Team
Webb detects most distant black hole merger to date
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An international team of astronomers have used the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope to find evidence for an ongoing merger of two galaxies and their massive black holes when the Universe was only 740 million years old. This marks the most distant detection of a black hole merger ever obtained and the first time that this phenomenon has been detected so early in the Universe.
Huge Survey vs. Tiny Space Junk
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Iridium-Connected Drones Receive FAA BVLOS Waiver
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ATT and AST SpaceMobile Sign Agreement for Satellite Broadband Network
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Newly discovered Earth-sized planet may lack an atmosphere
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Earth-sized planet discovered orbiting ultra-cool red dwarf star
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NASA's Juno captures detailed images of Europa's surface
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Boeing Starliner launch delayed to Tuesday due to helium leak
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SpaceX plans to launch 90 rockets from Vandenberg Space Force Base by 2026: Could that harm the coast?
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![Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Vandenberg](https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800a/2024/vandenberg.jpg)
SpaceX plans to launch 90 rockets into space from a Santa Barbara County military base by 2026, tripling the number of blasts rocking the coastal community—and raising concerns from neighbors and environmental groups about the effects on marine life.
Owned by billionaire Elon Musk, SpaceX has ramped up the number of rocket launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base in recent years, and it has made clear its desire to increase the frequency of blasts-offs. But during a California Coastal Commission hearing, U.S. Space Force officials outlined for the first time its own plans to multiply the number of launches from the base, from 37 in 2023 to more than 120 a year by 2026.
The overwhelming majority of those rocket blasts would be conducted by SpaceX, which has already done more launches from the base than the commission has approved.
Last year SpaceX breached an agreement with the commission that limited the number of launches to six, sending 28 rockets into space. It is currently seeking an agreement with the commission to do 36 launches a year, increasing to 90 in 2026.
Robotic 'superlimbs' could help moonwalkers recover from falls
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![SuperLimbs, a system of wearable robotic limbs built by MIT engineers, is designed to physically support an astronaut and lift them back on their feet after a fall, helping them conserve energy for other essential tasks. Pictured, from left, is Sang-Yoep Lee, Harry Asada, and Erik Ballesteros. Credit: Jennifer Chu Robotic "superlimbs" could help moonwalkers recover from falls](https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800a/2024/robotic-superlimbs-cou.jpg)
Need a moment of levity? Try watching videos of astronauts falling on the moon. NASA's outtakes of Apollo astronauts tripping and stumbling as they bounce in slow motion are delightfully relatable.
For MIT engineers, the lunar bloopers also highlight an opportunity to innovate.