Chinese, European Mars probes help examine atmosphere near sun
Tuesday, 17 January 2023 04:18In an "almost-out-of-service" period in 2021, China's Tianwen-1 orbiter, along with Mars Express of the European Space Agency, helped solar scientists know more about what happens near the sun. During the late September to mid-October stretch in 2021, China's Mars orbiter experienced its first sun transit, when its communication with Earth was significantly disturbed by solar radiation.
Study finds active galactic nuclei are even more powerful than thought
Tuesday, 17 January 2023 04:18Powered by supermassive black holes swallowing matter in the centers of galaxies, active galactic nuclei are the most powerful compact steady sources of energy in the universe. The brightest active galactic nuclei have long been known to far outshine the combined light of the billions of stars in their host galaxies. A new study indicates that scientists have substantially underestimated t
New small laser device can help detect signs of life on other planets
Tuesday, 17 January 2023 04:18As space missions delve deeper into the outer solar system, the need for more compact, resource-conserving and accurate analytical tools has become increasingly critical-especially as the hunt for extraterrestrial life and habitable planets or moons continues. A University of Maryland-led team developed a new instrument specifically tailored to the needs of NASA space missions. Their mini
du and SES demo satellite-enabled 5G Mobile Backhaul Network in the Middle East
Tuesday, 17 January 2023 04:18SES and du from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), a leading telecom operator in the United Arab Emirates, have successfully demonstrated the first satellite-enabled 5G backhaul in the Middle East utilising SES's Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites, the two companies announced Monday. The aim of the live demonstration was to demonstrate how SES's current O3b constellati
SpaceX sends up Falcon Heavy on sunset launch for Space Force
Monday, 16 January 2023 19:29The winds died down for SpaceX as it queued up its rarely used Falcon Heavy right after sunset from the Space Coast on Sunday.
The fifth flight of the powerhouse rocket lifted off at 5:56 p.m. Eastern time from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39-A on a mission for the Space Force dubbed USSF-67. With winds over 20 mph gusting on Saturday across the region, the launch was pushed by a day.
But Sunday's skies were clear and calm so at liftoff, the rocket's plume lit up in glorious orange billows while creating a distant dark shadow slanting across the horizon.
The cheers of employees and their families on site were soon drowned out by the rumble of the 5.1 million pounds of thrust that tumbled across the space center, eventually dying away but not without setting off a few car alarms.
Falcon Heavy, which only falls second to NASA's Space Launch System in terms of most powerful active rockets, is essentially three Falcon 9s strapped together outfitted with 27 Merlin engines across the three first stages.
One day, there could be a pipeline of oxygen flowing from the moon's south pole
Monday, 16 January 2023 18:26The Artemis program intends to put humans on the moon for the first time since NASA's Apollo missions. But Artemis has a larger scope than just landing people there, setting up some science experiments, gathering moon rocks, playing a little golf, then leaving. The intent is to establish a consistent presence.
That will require resources, and one of those critical resources is oxygen.
Dr. Peter A. Curreri has been a NASA scientist for decades and has been a strong proponent of human spaceflight. Since 2021, Curreri's been the Chief Science Officer for Lunar Resources, Inc. Lunar Resources is proposing a novel concept for Artemis: an oxygen pipeline.
An ongoing human presence on Mars requires a few things to succeed, and the foundation of success is built on water and oxygen. The lunar south pole contains vast quantities of primordial water ice, frozen solid in the region's craters where sunlight never reaches it.
Study: Space industry deploying more satellites that deliver sharper images
Monday, 16 January 2023 18:11A new study by Quilty Analytics Quilty Analytics says the industry is 'witnessing a transformation in the domain of very high resolution imagery'
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NASA prepares next steps in development of future large space telescope
Monday, 16 January 2023 17:25NASA is preparing to move into the next stage of planning for a future large space telescope that may take two decades to launch, building on lessons learned from past missions.
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Looking back at the eruption that shook the world
Monday, 16 January 2023 09:05One year ago, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted, causing widespread destruction to the Pacific Island Nation of Tonga, spewing volcanic material up to 58 km into the atmosphere. It brought a nearly 15 m tsunami that crashed ashore, destroying villages, and creating a sonic boom that rippled around the world – twice.
Satellites orbiting Earth scrambled to capture images and data of the aftermath of the disaster. Almost a year later, you can now listen to a sonification of the largest eruption of the 21st Century, created using wind data from ESA’s Aeolus mission.
SpaceX launches fifth Falcon Heavy mission, carrying military satellites
Monday, 16 January 2023 04:38SpaceX launched its fifth Falcon Heavy rocket mission, USSF-67, on Sunday from Florida's Kennedy Space Center. The rocket made liftoff at 5:56 p.m. EST, with 5 million pounds of thrust. The payload included two military satellite systems: the Continuous Broadcast Augmenting SATCOM and Long Duration Propulsive ESPA. The first system is a geostationary relay satellite which
Seven nations meet to address space security
Monday, 16 January 2023 04:38The Department of Defense participated in the annual Combined Space Operations (CSpO) Initiative Principals Board, hosted by the New Zealand Defense Force and New Zealand Ministry of Defense, December 6-8. The annual event brought together counterparts from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with a focus on advancing collaboration an
US government examining over 500 'UFO' reports
Monday, 16 January 2023 04:38The US government is examining 510 UFO reports, over triple the number in its 2021 file, and while many were caused by drones or balloons, hundreds remain unexplained, according to a report released Thursday. The 2022 report by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) said that 247 "unidentified anomalous phenomena" or UAP reports have been filed with it since June 2021, when it revealed
United States and Japan sign space cooperation framework agreement
Sunday, 15 January 2023 23:37The United States and Japan signed an agreement Jan. 13 to enable further cooperation between the two countries in space exploration, but without announcing any new initiatives.
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SpaceX launches U.S. Space Force’s first mission of 2023 on Falcon Heavy
Sunday, 15 January 2023 22:18A SpaceX Falcon Heavy lifted off Jan. 15 at 5:56 p.m. Eastern from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, carrying the U.S. Space Force USSF-67 mission to geostationary Earth orbit.
World View to go public via SPAC Deal with Leo Holdings
Sunday, 15 January 2023 10:51World View and Leo Holdings Corp. II (NYSE: LHC), a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company, have entered into a definitive business combination agreement that will result in World View becoming a publicly listed company. The transaction values the combined company at an estimated enterprise value of $350 million. Upon closing of the transaction, the combined company will continue op