Powerful flares, breathtaking views across the solar poles, and a curious solar ‘hedgehog’ are amongst the haul of spectacular images, movies and data returned by Solar Orbiter from its first close approach to the Sun. Although the analysis of the new dataset has only just started, it is already clear that the ESA-led mission is providing the most extraordinary insights into the Sun’s magnetic behaviour and the way this shapes space weather.

Tucson AZ (The Conversation) May 17, 2022
If a person is lost in the wilderness, they have two options. They can search for civilization, or they could make themselves easy to spot by building a fire or writing HELP in big letters. For scientists interested in the question of whether intelligent aliens exist, the options are much the same. For over 70 years, astronomers have been scanning for radio or optical signals from other ci

Moscow (Sputnik) May 17, 2022
Iran continues production of seven homegrown satellites, which may be launched in March next year when designers are expected to put final touches on the projects, Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported on Monday, citing the head of the Iranian Space Agency, Hassan Salarieh. The spacecraft that are planned for the 2023 launch include the already manufactured Iranian Nahid, Pars-1 and

Boca Raton FL (SPX) May 18, 2022
Terran Orbital Corporation (NYSE: LLAP), a global leader in satellite solutions, primarily serving the United States aerospace and defense industry, has announced it delivered its CubeSat Proximity Operations Demonstration (CPOD) satellite to the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida for integration into the SpaceX Transporter-5 launch vehicle. The CPOD project is being led by Terr

Kennedy Space Center FL (SPX) May 17, 2022
When Artemis I is ready to launch, a range of personnel from NASA, industry, and several international partners will be poised to support the mission. Before they get to launch day, the alignment of the Earth and Moon will determine when the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the uncrewed Orion spacecraft atop it can launch, along with several criteria for rocket and spacecraft performance.

Beijing (XNA) May 17, 2022
The Chinese Survey Space Telescope, also known as the Chinese Space Station Telescope or the Xuntian Space Telescope, is a space-based optical observatory that will allow astronomers to conduct surveys by capturing a general map or images of the sky. The CSST is a bus-sized facility, whose length is equal to that of a three-story building. Although it has an aperture of 2 meters, a little

NASA’s InSight Mars lander mission will likely conclude by the end of the year as power levels for the spacecraft continue to decline, project officials confirmed May 17.

The post NASA confirms impending end for InSight appeared first on SpaceNews.

Sao Paulo, Brazil (SPX) May 18, 2022
In an article published in the journal Icarus, researchers at Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) and collaborators report the findings of a study reconstituting the formation of the dwarf planet Ceres. The research was conducted by Rafael Ribeiro de Sousa, a professor in the program of graduate studies in physics on the Guaratingueta campus. The co-authors of the article are Ernesto Vieira Neto,

Boulder CO (SPX) May 18, 2022
Billions of years ago, a series of volcanic eruptions broke loose on the moon, blanketing hundreds of thousands of square miles of the orb's surface in hot lava. Over the eons, that lava created the dark blotches, or maria, that give the face of the moon its familiar appearance today. Now, new research from CU Boulder suggests that volcanoes may have left another lasting impact on the luna