ERS-1 first image: solving the mystery
Thursday, 15 July 2021 07:00
Video:
00:23:29
ESA’s first Earth observation mission dedicated to understanding our planet, the European Remote Sensing satellite (ERS-1), was launched into orbit on 17 July 1991. At the time, it was the most sophisticated Earth observation spacecraft developed and launched by Europe.
Thirty years ago, as the team went through the launch and early-orbit phase, the first synthetic aperture radar images were awaited in Kiruna and Fucino. Featuring video footage taken in 1991, the team involved tells the story of the anxious moments and important breakthroughs they made as the first images arrived.
Features interviews with:
Stephen Coulson, Former Earth Observation
NASA announces Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Reactor Concept Awards
Thursday, 15 July 2021 05:26
Huntsville AL (SPX) Jul 14, 2021
NASA is leading an effort, working with the Department of Energy (DOE), to advance space nuclear technologies. The government team has selected three reactor design concept proposals for a nuclear thermal propulsion system. The reactor is a critical component of a nuclear thermal engine, which would utilize high-assay low-enriched uranium fuel.
The contracts, to be awarded through the DOE'
NASA is leading an effort, working with the Department of Energy (DOE), to advance space nuclear technologies. The government team has selected three reactor design concept proposals for a nuclear thermal propulsion system. The reactor is a critical component of a nuclear thermal engine, which would utilize high-assay low-enriched uranium fuel.
The contracts, to be awarded through the DOE' FAA reveals new system to track space launches
Thursday, 15 July 2021 05:26
Orlando FL (SPX) Jul 14, 2021
Rocket launches and spacecraft landings will be tracked and monitored along with airplane traffic to enhance safety in a new program announced Thursday by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAA hopes the new space tracking system, called Space Data Integrator, will increase efficiency in the space launch industry by minimizing the need to close airspace around rocket launches for ext
Rocket launches and spacecraft landings will be tracked and monitored along with airplane traffic to enhance safety in a new program announced Thursday by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAA hopes the new space tracking system, called Space Data Integrator, will increase efficiency in the space launch industry by minimizing the need to close airspace around rocket launches for ext Northrop Grumman Builds Hypersonic Center of Excellence to Support National Security
Thursday, 15 July 2021 05:26
Baltimore MD (SPX) Jul 14, 2021
Northrop Grumman has broken ground on a Hypersonics Center of Excellence to support the U.S. military and its allies in the fight against evolving threats. Through its investments in digital engineering and smart infrastructure at its Elkton, Maryland facility, Northrop Grumman will provide full lifecycle production for hypersonic weapons, from design and development to production and integratio
Northrop Grumman has broken ground on a Hypersonics Center of Excellence to support the U.S. military and its allies in the fight against evolving threats. Through its investments in digital engineering and smart infrastructure at its Elkton, Maryland facility, Northrop Grumman will provide full lifecycle production for hypersonic weapons, from design and development to production and integratio New research suggests explosive volcanic activity on Venus
Thursday, 15 July 2021 05:26
Ithaca NY (SPX) Jul 14, 2021
Traces of the gas phosphine point to volcanic activity on Venus, according to new research from Cornell University.
Last autumn, scientists revealed that phosphine was found in trace amounts in the planet's upper atmosphere. That discovery promised the slim possibility that phosphine serves as a biological signature for the hot, toxic planet.
Now Cornell
Traces of the gas phosphine point to volcanic activity on Venus, according to new research from Cornell University.
Last autumn, scientists revealed that phosphine was found in trace amounts in the planet's upper atmosphere. That discovery promised the slim possibility that phosphine serves as a biological signature for the hot, toxic planet.
Now Cornell Four newly found exoplanets may offer insights into Earth's teenage years
Thursday, 15 July 2021 05:26
Washington DC (UPI) Jul 13, 2021
Astronomers have discovered four nearby exoplanets they hope will help scientists learn about Earth's poorly understood teenage years.
The exoplanets were found orbiting two known stars, TOI 2076 and TOI 1807, which were born from the same gas cloud some 200 million years ago.
Both of the stars are K-dwarfs, or orange dwarfs, which are medium-sized, hydrogen-burning main sequence
Astronomers have discovered four nearby exoplanets they hope will help scientists learn about Earth's poorly understood teenage years.
The exoplanets were found orbiting two known stars, TOI 2076 and TOI 1807, which were born from the same gas cloud some 200 million years ago.
Both of the stars are K-dwarfs, or orange dwarfs, which are medium-sized, hydrogen-burning main sequence Galactic gamma ray bursts predicted last year show up right on schedule
Thursday, 15 July 2021 05:26
Berkeley CA (SPX) Jul 14, 2021
Magnetars are bizarre objects - massive, spinning neutron stars with magnetic fields among the most powerful known, capable of shooting off brief bursts of radio waves so bright they're visible across the universe.
A team of astrophysicists has now found another peculiarity of magnetars: They can emit bursts of low energy gamma rays in a pattern never before seen in any other astronomical
Magnetars are bizarre objects - massive, spinning neutron stars with magnetic fields among the most powerful known, capable of shooting off brief bursts of radio waves so bright they're visible across the universe.
A team of astrophysicists has now found another peculiarity of magnetars: They can emit bursts of low energy gamma rays in a pattern never before seen in any other astronomical Chinese harvests first batch of 'space rice'
Thursday, 15 July 2021 05:26
Washington DC (UPI) Jul 14, 2021
China has harvested its first batch of rice grown from seeds that traveled to space on the country's Chang'e-5 lunar probe, officials said Sunday.
About 40 grams of seeds made the trip to the moon last November. Some seeds can mutate and produce higher yields when planted on Earth after being exposed to cosmic radiation and zero gravity.
The Chinese have been sending seeds into space
China has harvested its first batch of rice grown from seeds that traveled to space on the country's Chang'e-5 lunar probe, officials said Sunday.
About 40 grams of seeds made the trip to the moon last November. Some seeds can mutate and produce higher yields when planted on Earth after being exposed to cosmic radiation and zero gravity.
The Chinese have been sending seeds into space Surface of Jupiter's moon Europa churned by small impacts
Thursday, 15 July 2021 05:26
Pasadena CA (JPL) Jul 14, 2021
It's easy to see the impact of space debris on our Moon, where the ancient, battered surface is covered with craters and scars. Jupiter's icy moon Europa withstands a similar trouncing - along with a punch of super-intense radiation. As the uppermost surface of the icy moon churns, material brought to the surface is zapped by high-energy electron radiation accelerated by Jupiter.
NASA-fund
It's easy to see the impact of space debris on our Moon, where the ancient, battered surface is covered with craters and scars. Jupiter's icy moon Europa withstands a similar trouncing - along with a punch of super-intense radiation. As the uppermost surface of the icy moon churns, material brought to the surface is zapped by high-energy electron radiation accelerated by Jupiter.
NASA-fund Finnish forestry firm gets approval to launch tiny satellite made of plywood
Thursday, 15 July 2021 00:50
Moscow (Sputnik) Jul 15, 2021
A Finnish company has received approval by the European Space Agency to launch a small cubesat made of wood later this year. The novel design is intended to reduce space debris, but its first mission will simply be to test what happens to wood in the cold vacuum of space.
It could become the first wooden object in orbit - it's Woodsat, a test satellite made out of birch-plywood. If success
A Finnish company has received approval by the European Space Agency to launch a small cubesat made of wood later this year. The novel design is intended to reduce space debris, but its first mission will simply be to test what happens to wood in the cold vacuum of space.
It could become the first wooden object in orbit - it's Woodsat, a test satellite made out of birch-plywood. If success Ride with Juno as it flies past Jupiter and Ganymede
Thursday, 15 July 2021 00:50
Pasadena CA (JPL) Jul 15, 2021
On June 7, 2021, NASA's Juno spacecraft flew closer to Jupiter's ice-encrusted moon Ganymede than any spacecraft in more than two decades. Less than a day later, Juno made its 34th flyby of Jupiter, racing over its roiling atmosphere from pole to pole in less than three hours. Using the spacecraft's JunoCam imager, the mission team has put together this animation to provide a "starship captain"
On June 7, 2021, NASA's Juno spacecraft flew closer to Jupiter's ice-encrusted moon Ganymede than any spacecraft in more than two decades. Less than a day later, Juno made its 34th flyby of Jupiter, racing over its roiling atmosphere from pole to pole in less than three hours. Using the spacecraft's JunoCam imager, the mission team has put together this animation to provide a "starship captain" ESA contracts Arianegroup to make a more versatile Ariane 6
Thursday, 15 July 2021 00:50
Paris, France (SPX) Jul 15, 2021
The European Space Agency (ESA), as part of its Ariane 6 Competitiveness Improvement Program, has chosen ArianeGroup to develop and build a complementary stage (kick-stage) for Ariane 6, called ASTRIS, which will enable Arianespace, operator of the new European launcher, to place with even greater efficiency a larger number of payloads in different orbits, or to inject satellites into geostation
The European Space Agency (ESA), as part of its Ariane 6 Competitiveness Improvement Program, has chosen ArianeGroup to develop and build a complementary stage (kick-stage) for Ariane 6, called ASTRIS, which will enable Arianespace, operator of the new European launcher, to place with even greater efficiency a larger number of payloads in different orbits, or to inject satellites into geostation Stellar Project announces LaserCube maiden flight mission
Thursday, 15 July 2021 00:50
Washington DC (SPX) Jul 15, 2021
LaserCube, Stellar Project's frst optical communication terminal for small satellites, has been launched into space onboard D-Orbit's ION Satellite Carrier in SpaceX's Falcon 9 Transporter-2 mission. Now, the company is ready to test the payload in orbit.
Padua - Stellar Project space technology startup, launches LaserCube Maiden Flight. The payload hosted on D-Orbit's ION Carrier has lift
LaserCube, Stellar Project's frst optical communication terminal for small satellites, has been launched into space onboard D-Orbit's ION Satellite Carrier in SpaceX's Falcon 9 Transporter-2 mission. Now, the company is ready to test the payload in orbit.
Padua - Stellar Project space technology startup, launches LaserCube Maiden Flight. The payload hosted on D-Orbit's ION Carrier has lift Physicists describe Sun's electric field
Thursday, 15 July 2021 00:50
Iowa City IA (SPX) Jul 15, 2021
As the Parker Solar Probe ventures closer to the sun, we are learning new things about our home star.
In a new study, physicists led by the University of Iowa report the first definitive measurements of the sun's electric field, and how the electric field interacts with the solar wind, the fast-flowing current of charged particles that can affect activities on Earth, from satellites to tel
As the Parker Solar Probe ventures closer to the sun, we are learning new things about our home star.
In a new study, physicists led by the University of Iowa report the first definitive measurements of the sun's electric field, and how the electric field interacts with the solar wind, the fast-flowing current of charged particles that can affect activities on Earth, from satellites to tel Operations underway to restore payload computer on Hubble Space Telescope
Thursday, 15 July 2021 00:50
Baltimore MD (SPX) Jul 15, 2021
NASA has identified the possible cause of the payload computer problem that suspended Hubble Space Telescope science operations on June 13. The telescope itself and science instruments remain healthy and in a safe configuration.
The payload computer resides in the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling (SI C&DH) unit. It controls, coordinates, and monitors Hubble's science instrument
NASA has identified the possible cause of the payload computer problem that suspended Hubble Space Telescope science operations on June 13. The telescope itself and science instruments remain healthy and in a safe configuration.
The payload computer resides in the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling (SI C&DH) unit. It controls, coordinates, and monitors Hubble's science instrument