Paris, France (SPX) Jun 09, 2024
ESO has signed an agreement with an international consortium of institutions for the design and construction of ANDES, the ArmazoNes high Dispersion Echelle Spectrograph. The ANDES instrument will be installed on ESO's Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). It will be used to search for signs of life in exoplanets and look for the very first stars, as well as to test variations of the fundamental cons

London, UK (SPX) Jun 09, 2024
Astronomers have detected carbon in a galaxy just 350 million years after the Big Bang, marking the earliest detection of any element in the universe other than hydrogen. Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), an international team of astronomers led by the University of Cambridge observed a very young galaxy in the early universe and found that it contained surprising amounts of car

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 09, 2024
Cornell University researchers have offered a straightforward explanation for bright radar reflections that were initially thought to indicate liquid water beneath Mars' south pole ice cap. Simulations conducted by the team demonstrate that minor variations in layers of water ice can cause constructive interference between radar waves. This interference can produce reflections that match c

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 09, 2024
NASA is advancing with ten studies to explore more affordable and faster ways to return samples from Mars' surface to Earth as part of the Mars Sample Return Program. NASA will award a firm-fixed-price contract of up to $1.5 million for 90-day studies to seven industry proposers. Additionally, NASA centers, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, and Johns Hopkins' Applied

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Jun 09, 2024
China's Chang'e-6 probe, carrying expectations from scientists worldwide, is currently in orbit around the moon, awaiting the optimal moment for its return journey. If successful, Chang'e-6 will enable China to retrieve the first-ever samples from the far side of the moon. China has pledged to make the samples available to international researchers, emphasizing its commitment through consi

Washington DC (UPI) Jun 09, 2024
U.S. and German officials this week met in Berlin to discuss ongoing and future collaborations in space exploration and Earth science. Leaders at the inaugural U.S.-Germany Space Dialogue highlighted a shared commitment to continue ongoing cooperation in space exploration and research, including through NASA's Artemis campaign. The Artemis campaign is a series of missions with the robust g

Paris, France (SPX) Jun 07, 2024
Europe's newest rocket, Ariane 6, is set to launch soon, carrying multiple space missions with diverse objectives and destinations. The first flight of Ariane 6 will demonstrate its versatility and flexibility as a heavy-lift launcher. This article focuses on SpaceCase SC-X01 and highlights other missions on board. Among the various missions, two have unique objectives compared to the othe

Columbus OH (SPX) Jun 09, 2024
NASA's Deep Space Food Challenge kicks off its final eight-week demonstration this month, and a new crew is running the show. NASA's partner for the Deep Space Food Challenge, the Methuselah Foundation, has teamed up with Ohio State University in Columbus to facilitate the challenge's third and final phase. The university is employing current and former students to serve on a "Simunaut" cr

Washington (AFP) June 8, 2024
Virgin Galactic on Saturday successfully completed its last spaceflight before heading into a two-year pause on commercial operations to upgrade its fleet, as the space tourism company seeks to finally turn a profit. "Galactic07 is back on terra firma, now as astronauts!" the company said on X, formerly Twitter, referring to a team of two pilots and two passengers. "Our pilots, crew and spa