The evolution of the Trappist-1 planetary system
Thursday, 22 August 2024 17:36Planets are bodies that orbit a star and have sufficient gravitational mass that they form themselves into roughly spherical shapes that, in turn, exert gravitational force on smaller objects around them, such as asteroids and moons. For most of human history, the only planets our ancestors knew of were those they could see in the night sky. But in the last 30 years, telescopes sensitive enough
Citizen scientists confirm new warm Jovian-class exoplanet
Thursday, 22 August 2024 17:36Two teams of dedicated amateur astronomers, supported by NASA, have successfully confirmed the existence of a new exoplanet, a "warm Jupiter," using their backyard telescopes. The teams, known as UNITE (UNISTELLAR Network Investigating TESS Exoplanets) and Exoplanet Watch, combined their efforts to validate the discovery of this exoplanet, which is now designated as TIC 393818343 b (also k
Polaris Revealed to Have Spotted Surface in New Detailed Observations
Thursday, 22 August 2024 17:36New research conducted with Georgia State University's Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA) Array has unveiled intricate details about the North Star, Polaris, including a spotted surface. The findings have been published in *The Astrophysical Journal*. Polaris, the star marking the direction of Earth's North Pole, is renowned not only as a navigation beacon but also as a s
UAE's first SAR satellite launched by Bayanat and Yahsat
Thursday, 22 August 2024 17:36Bayanat AI PLC (ADX: BAYANAT), a leader in AI-powered geospatial solutions, and Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PJSC (ADX: Yahsat), the UAE's premier satellite services provider, have successfully launched the nation's first Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite. The launch took place on August 16, 2024, in collaboration with ICEYE, a frontrunner in SAR satellite
Milky Way navigation in dung beetles inspires advanced drone and satellite systems
Thursday, 22 August 2024 17:36An insect that has been navigating using the Milky Way for 130 million years is now inspiring innovations in drone, robot, and satellite navigation systems. The dung beetle, known for its unique ability to steer using the stars, was identified in 2013 as the first species to utilize the Milky Way for nocturnal navigation. Swedish researchers made this discovery, observing that the beetles
How students learn to fly NASA's IXPE spacecraft
Thursday, 22 August 2024 17:36The large wall monitor displaying a countdown shows 17 seconds when Amelia "Mia" De Herrera-Schnering tells her teammates "We have AOS," meaning "acquisition of signal." "Copy that, thank you," Alexander Pichler replies. The two are now in contact with NASA's IXPE (Imaging X-Ray Polarimeter Explorer) spacecraft, transmitting science data from IXPE to a ground station and making sure the do
Astroscale Japan to lead Phase II of JAXA's Space Debris Removal Initiative
Thursday, 22 August 2024 17:36Astroscale Japan Inc. ("Astroscale Japan"), a subsidiary of Astroscale Holdings Inc. ("Astroscale"), has been awarded a contract by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to lead Phase II of JAXA's Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration (CRD2) program. This program is among the first global initiatives aimed at demonstrating the removal of large-scale debris from Earth's orbit. The co
New antenna design could pave the way for advanced 6G satellite networks
Thursday, 22 August 2024 17:36A team of researchers from the Beijing Institute of Technology has introduced an innovative design method for active multi-beam antennas, which could be a key component in future 6G satellite networks. This new approach seeks to address the significant limitations of traditional multi-beam antenna technologies, particularly in meeting the demanding requirements of Very High Throughput Satellite
Physicians work to help prevent vision loss associated with space travel
Thursday, 22 August 2024 16:29Physicians at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University are working with Polaris Dawn, the first of the Polaris Program's three human spaceflight missions, to better understand the eye changes many astronauts experience during spaceflight that can leave them with a wide range of symptoms once they return to Earth—from a new need for glasses to significant loss of vision.
The Polaris Program is a first-of-its-kind effort to rapidly advance human spaceflight capabilities while continuing to raise funds and awareness for important causes on Earth.
More than 70% of astronauts experience a phenomenon known as Spaceflight Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome, or SANS, according to NASA. The syndrome can have "a constellation of symptoms, including these changes in vision," said Matt Lyon, MD, director of the MCG Center for Telehealth.
Astronauts can experience other maladies as well when body fluids, such as cerebrospinal fluid, shift, which can lead to structural changes in the brain.
"The changes start happening on day one," said Lyon, who is also the J. Harold Harrison M.D. Distinguished Chair in Telehealth.
Juice’s navigation camera gets first taste of space
Thursday, 22 August 2024 14:50During this week’s lunar-Earth flyby, the Navigation Camera (NavCam) of ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) was tested out in space for the first time.
Novel strategy proposed for massive water production on the moon
Thursday, 22 August 2024 14:42Water plays a crucial role in human survival on the lunar surface, thus attracting extensive research attention. Prof. Wang Junqiang's team at the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has recently developed a new method of massive water production through a reaction between lunar regolith and endogenous hydrogen.
Research results of previous lunar explorations, like the Apollo and Chang'E-5 missions, have revealed the widespread presence of water on the moon. However, the water content in lunar minerals is extremely low, ranging from 0.0001% to 0.02%. It remains challenging to extract and utilize water in situ on the moon.
"We used lunar regolith samples brought back by the Chang'E-5 mission in our study, trying to find a way to produce water on the moon," said Wang.
China launches ChinaSat-4A communications satellite
Thursday, 22 August 2024 14:01Scout Space, Dawn Aerospace partner for spaceplane surveillance demonstration
Thursday, 22 August 2024 13:45Lessons from industry can inform satellite and spacecraft management in orbit
Thursday, 22 August 2024 13:32Most space mission systems historically have used one spacecraft designed to complete an entire mission independently. Whether it was a weather satellite or a human-crewed module like Apollo, nearly every spacecraft was deployed and performed its one-off mission completely on its own.
But today, space industry organizations are exploring missions with many satellites working together. For example, SpaceX's Starlink constellations include thousands of satellites. And new spacecraft could soon have the capability to link up or engage with other satellites in orbit for repairs or refueling.
Some of these spacecraft are already operating and serving customers, such as Northrop Grumman's mission extension vehicle. This orbiting craft has extended the lives of multiple communications satellites.