Sentinel-2C satellite captures detailed lunar image during calibration
Friday, 27 September 2024 16:04On 20 September, the Copernicus Sentinel-2C satellite captured a remarkable image of the Moon by executing a sideways roll. While Sentinel-2C is primarily intended for observing Earth, this particular image - part of a calibration process - surpassed expectations. With a resolution of approximately 5 km, the image highlights significant lunar features, including the Copernicus Crater, Tych
Veteran Ventures Capital invests in Agile Space Industries
Friday, 27 September 2024 16:04Veteran Ventures Capital (VVC), a firm focused on investing in dual-use national security technology companies led by veterans, announced a strategic investment in Agile Space Industries. Agile specializes in developing advanced chemical propulsion systems for satellites and spacecraft, including thrusters and rocket engines, which are designed, 3D printed, and tested in-house. This investment i
ISS Crew-9 will conduct research into genetics, cardiac health, and space farming
Friday, 27 September 2024 16:04NASA's Crew-9 mission, part of its Commercial Crew Program, is preparing to launch to the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday, September 28, 2024. During their five-month stay, the crew will conduct a range of scientific investigations, many of which are supported by the ISS National Laboratory. Crew-9 is set to launch aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft "Freedom" from Cape Canaveral S
When manned crew lifts off for ISS this weekend, public can take part interactively
Friday, 27 September 2024 16:04NASA on Thursday invited the public to be virtual guests to view the Crew 9 launch from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Saturday morning. The launch, which will take place at Space Complex 40 in Florida, will lift NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov into space in a SpaceX Dragon capsule. Hague will be the flight's commander. Live coverage
Chinese scientists analyze Lunar Farside samples collected by Chang'e-6
Friday, 27 September 2024 16:04A team of Chinese scientists has conducted a detailed study of the first lunar samples retrieved from the Moon's farside by the Chang'e-6 mission. These groundbreaking samples mark a key achievement in lunar exploration, offering new insights into the Moon's geological history. The research was published in the 'National Science Review' on September 17, 2024.
Hubble finds that a black hole beam promotes stellar eruptions
Friday, 27 September 2024 16:04In a surprise finding, astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have discovered that the blowtorch-like jet from a supermassive black hole at the core of a huge galaxy seems to cause stars to erupt along its trajectory. The stars, called novae, are not caught inside the jet, but apparently in a dangerous neighborhood nearby. The finding is confounding researchers searching for an ex
This rocky planet around a white dwarf resembles Earth - 8 billion years from now
Friday, 27 September 2024 16:04The discovery of an Earth-like planet 4,000 light years away in the Milky Way galaxy provides a preview of one possible fate for our planet billions of years in the future, when the sun has turned into a white dwarf, and a blasted and frozen Earth has migrated beyond the orbit of Mars. This distant planetary system, identified by University of California, Berkeley, astronomers after observ
NASA studies solar radiation with BioSentinel as auroras dance across Earth
Friday, 27 September 2024 16:04In May 2024, Earth experienced a spectacular geomagnetic storm that produced brilliant auroras visible across the planet. These light displays result from coronal mass ejections, which are explosions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun, interacting with Earth's magnetic field. This natural shield protects the planet from solar radiation during such storms. As NASA prepares for crewe
ESO telescope reveals the most detailed infrared map of the Milky Way
Friday, 27 September 2024 16:04Astronomers have unveiled a massive infrared map of the Milky Way, the most detailed ever created, featuring over 1.5 billion celestial objects. The map was produced using the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) VISTA telescope, which has been observing the central regions of the galaxy for more than 13 years. The project, which generated 500 terabytes of data, is now the largest observational
Method for predicting sunspot numbers and magnetic synoptic maps developed
Friday, 27 September 2024 16:04A new study led by Prof. Jiansen He's team at Peking University, in collaboration with researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, introduces a novel approach for predicting solar activities. The team combines spatiotemporal decomposition methods with machine learning to forecast sunspot numbers and solar magnetic synoptic maps for Solar Cycle 25. The global distribution of the solar
NASA holds Stakeholder Workshops to chart LEO microgravity strategies
Friday, 27 September 2024 16:04NASA recently hosted two international workshops in London and Washington, D.C. on September 6 and 13, gathering input from global stakeholders. The sessions focused on refining NASA's low Earth orbit (LEO) microgravity strategy, seeking feedback from international partners, U.S. industry, and academia. In late August, NASA introduced a draft with 42 objectives, covering six key areas: sci
Rocket Lab delivers 2nd Pioneer Spacecraft to Varda for In-Space manufacturing
Friday, 27 September 2024 16:04Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has successfully completed the integration and testing of its second Pioneer spacecraft for Varda Space Industries, Inc. ("Varda"). Varda is pioneering in-space pharmaceutical processing and hypersonic re-entry logistics. This follows the first successful mission of Rocket Lab's Pioneer spacecraft for Varda in June 2023. During that mission, Varda crysta
Scientists begin testing space thruster that could boldly go where no one has gone before
Friday, 27 September 2024 13:56Deep space exploration might no longer be confined to sci-fi after scientists began testing a rocket thruster which promises to boldly go further than ever before.
Astro engineers from the University of Southampton are trialing a new propulsion system which can power spaceships through the stars using any type of metal as fuel.
They say this means crafts fitted with the technology could fly indefinitely by refilling their tanks using minerals harvested from asteroids or far-off moons.
Lead scientist Dr. Minkwan Kim, from the University of Southampton, has been tasked with testing the propulsion system in his labs to measure its thrust.
He said the tech could help spaceships and probes travel to regions of the universe previously thought unreachable.
Dr. Kim added, "Spacecraft have limited amounts of fuel because of the enormous cost and energy it takes to launch them into space.
"But these new thrusters are capable of being powered by any metal that can burn, such as iron, aluminum or copper.
Week in images: 23-27 September 2024
Friday, 27 September 2024 12:11Week in images: 23-27 September 2024
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