Copernical Team
First Ariane 5 launch of 2022 is a success for Malaysia and India clients
On Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 06:50 pm local time, an Ariane 5 launcher lifted off from the Guiana Space Center, Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana (South America), successfully orbiting two geostationary telecommunication satellites, MEASAT-3d and GSAT-24. "With this Ariane 5 mission, Arianespace is honored to support the ambitions of two key actors in the Asia-Pacific region: M
NASA's Curiosity Captures Stunning Views of a Changing Mars Landscape
Striking rock formations documented by the rover provide evidence of a drying climate in the Red Planet's ancient past. For the past year, NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has been traveling through a transition zone from a clay-rich region to one filled with a salty mineral called sulfate. While the science team targeted the clay-rich region and the sulfate-laden one for evidence each can offe
A Long History of Flowing Water Recorded in Clay-Bearing Sediments on Mars
A region on Mars may have been repeatedly habitable until relatively late in Martian history, says a new paper by Planetary Science Institute Senior Scientist Catherine Weitz. Some of the most extensively preserved landforms on Mars created by running water on its surface are found within the Margaritifer Terra region where deposits of clay-bearing sediments have been identified. "The pres
China looks set to build space solar power station
China has made a milestone advance in its effort to build a solar power station in space to convert the sunlight in outer space into an electrical supply to drive the satellites in orbits or transmit power back to the Earth. A research team from Xidian University has wrapped up the world's first full-chain, system-wide ground verification for space solar power station this month, displayin
A modern space race needs to be built on sustainability
Researchers have called for a more sustainable approach to the UK's National Space Strategy in a new publication from The University of Manchester, On Space. Based on leading research and expertise on innovative and emerging technologies, experts are calling for sustainability to be at the forefront of humanity's next phase of space exploration. In On Space, experts ask policymakers to con
Space chief hopes for 'Kennedy moment' from European leaders
NASA announces Artemis concept awards for nuclear power on moon
NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are working together to advance space nuclear technologies. The agencies have selected three design concept proposals for a fission surface power system design that could be ready to launch by the end of the decade for a demonstration on the moon. This technology would benefit future exploration under the Artemis umbrella.
The contracts, to be awarded through the DOE's Idaho National Laboratory, are each valued at approximately $5 million. The contracts fund the development of initial design concepts for a 40-kilowatt class fissionpower system planned to last at least 10 years in the lunar environment.
Relatively small and lightweight compared to other power systems, fission systems are reliable and could enable continuous power regardless of location, available sunlight, and other natural environmental conditions.
Projected increase in space travel may damage ozone layer
Getting all the possible science in - Sols 3507-3511
This weekend plan is a four sol plan to allow a no planning day on Monday, for the commemoration of "Juneteenth," and we crammed a lot in. This workspace is relatively similar in appearance to the last workspace (which is not that far away) but still had more potential targets than we could ever hope to capture, even in a big four sol plan. There is a finite amount of time that we can fill
Students take their imagination to the lunar surface in the latest Moon Camp Challenge
From a base built by rovers and astronauts using in-situ resources at the lunar south pole to a north pole facility with surface and subsurface living/working areas, the 2021-2022 Moon Camp Challenge's winning projects once again highlighted students' ability to envision the future of space exploration. This fourth edition of the Moon Camp Challenge involved a record participation of 5,649