A summer science smorgasbord: Sols 3505-3506
Sunday, 19 June 2022 10:06
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The difficulty of driving on Martian terrain proves itself once again! Our Sol 3504 drive did not complete successfully, leaving us in basically the same spot as our last plan. Thankfully, all the science we planned executed successfully: check out an interesting Dust Removal Tool result on "Omai" showing erosion-resistant veins beneath the surface and a MAHLI closeup of ChemCam's eye where the Martian meteorite upsets planet formation theory
Sunday, 19 June 2022 10:06 Write a comment
Anew study of an old meteorite contradicts current thinking about how rocky planets like the Earth and Mars acquire volatile elements such as hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and noble gases as they form. The work is published June 16 in Science.
A basic assumption about planet formation is that planets first collect these volatiles from the nebula around a young star, said Sandrine Pero Are the Sun's magnetic arches an optical illusion
Sunday, 19 June 2022 10:06 Write a comment
From afar, the Sun appears blank and featureless in visible light. But through a solar telescope in different wavelength, it is revealed to be much, much more.
In extreme ultraviolet light, the Sun resembles a rumpled ball of yarn. It teems with giant radiant arcs known as coronal loops soaring through the Sun's corona, or outer atmosphere. Coronal loops are considered fundamental to the S Dying stars could seed interstellar medium with carbon nanotubes
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In the mid-1980s, the discovery of complex carbon molecules drifting through the interstellar medium garnered significant attention, with possibly the most famous examples being Buckminsterfullerene, or "buckyballs" - spheres consisting of 60 or 70 carbon atoms. However, scientists have struggled to understand how these molecules can form in space.
In a paper accepted for publication in th New images using data from retired telescopes reveal hidden features
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New images using data from ESA (European Space Agency) and NASA missions showcase the dust that fills the space between stars in four of the galaxies closest to our own Milky Way. More than striking, the snapshots are also a scientific trove, lending insight into how dramatically the density of dust clouds can vary within a galaxy.
With a consistency similar to smoke, dust is created by dy 4 buildings at observatory in Arizona lost in wildfire
Saturday, 18 June 2022 20:30 Write a comment
Four non-scientific buildings at the Kitt Peak National Observatory southwest of Tucson were lost in a wildfire, but early indications show other buildings on the property didn't appear to be damaged, authorities said Saturday.
Buell T. Jannuzi, who leads the Department of Astronomy at the University of Arizona, said the fire didn't appear to have damaged the telescope and science buildings at the observatory, though a closer examination of the site hadn't yet been made due to safety concerns.
"This is the most threatening fire I can remember at Kitt Peak in the last 25 years," Jannuzi said.
The fire reached the observatory early Friday. Crews were planning to assess the damage at the observatory later Saturday if conditions allowed for safe entry into the area.
Kitt Peak National Observatory is operated by NOIRLab, the National Science Foundation's center for ground-based optical-infrared astronomy. The University of Arizona, which has had a telescope at the site since 1962, is a tenant of the observatory.
The lightning-caused fire, which led to an evacuation of the observatory earlier this week, had grown to 27 square miles (71 kilometers) by Saturday.
Did a giant radio telescope in China just discover aliens? Not so FAST
Saturday, 18 June 2022 00:17 Write a comment
This phrase is the standard that astronomers will be applying to a curious signal captured with China's "Sky Eye" telescope that might be a transmission from alien technology.
An article reporting the signal was posted on the website of China's state-backed Science and Technology Daily newspaper, but was later removed. So have astronomers finally found evidence of intelligent found life be SpaceX Falcon 9 launches for its 13th time, a record for the company
Saturday, 18 June 2022 00:17 Write a comment
A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off on its record 13th launch on Friday afternoon as it sent 53 Starlink satellites into orbit.
The rocket took off from pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, with the first stage sticking a successful return and landing at the Shortfall of Gravitas drone ship shortly after lift off.
SpaceX said the same first stage booster support was used in the GPS III-3, T Speedcast plotting major satellite capacity expansion
Friday, 17 June 2022 18:44 Write a comment
Remote communications provider Speedcast is preparing to buy another sizable chunk of satellite capacity as demand soars beyond pre-pandemic levels.
The post Speedcast plotting major satellite capacity expansion appeared first on SpaceNews.
South Korean rocket’s second launch rescheduled for June 21
Friday, 17 June 2022 17:29 Write a comment
The second launch of South Korea’s first domestically built rocket is set for June 21, a delay of a week due to strong winds and a technical glitch.
The post South Korean rocket’s second launch rescheduled for June 21 appeared first on SpaceNews.
Impulse Space raises an additional $10 million for orbital transfer vehicles
Friday, 17 June 2022 14:32 Write a comment
In-space transportation company Impulse Space Propulsion, which raised $20 million in a seed round earlier this year, announced June 17 it raised another $10 million to help accelerate work on orbital transfer vehicles.
Getting SSA off the ground
Friday, 17 June 2022 13:43 Write a comment
Investors are funding orbital solutions for tracking space objects.
The post Getting SSA off the ground appeared first on SpaceNews.
Webb's mid-infrared spectroscopy will reveal molecules, elements
Friday, 17 June 2022 12:18 Write a comment
Week in images: 13-17 June 2022
Friday, 17 June 2022 12:03 Write a comment
Week in images: 13-17 June 2022
Discover our week through the lens
SCEYE HAPS ascends to stratosphere demonstrates ability to stay over area of operation
Friday, 17 June 2022 11:45 Write a comment
Sceye, a manufacturer of High-Altitude Platform Stations (HAPS), announced that it reached the stratosphere with the aim of demonstrating the ability to stay over an area of operation for months at a time using renewable energy sources.
The milestone test launch, which is using patented solar and battery power, puts Sceye on track to expand internet access to remote populations, monitor gr