The Perseverance robotic arm tightrope of abrasion proximity science
Sunday, 18 September 2022 13:48
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The SHERLOC and PIXL proximity science instruments on Perseverance have enabled more detailed observations of Martian chemistry and minerology than ever before. PIXL can isolate features as small as a grain of sand. To achieve this, these instruments on the end of the robotic arm must be placed at a precise distance from the feature of interest - very close, but not too close. PIXL even has a "h Jupiter to reach opposition, closest approach to Earth in 70 years
Sunday, 18 September 2022 13:48 Write a comment
Stargazers can expect excellent views of Jupiter the entire night of Monday, Sept. 26 when the giant planet reaches opposition. From the viewpoint of Earth's surface, opposition happens when an astronomical object rises in the east as the Sun sets in the west, placing the object and the Sun on opposite sides of Earth.
Jupiter's opposition occurs every 13 months, making the planet appear la How gravity gives astronomers a powerful lens on the universe
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In 1919 astronomers Arthur Eddington and Andrew Crommelin captured photographic images of a total solar eclipse. The Sun was in the constellation Taurus at the time, and a handful of its stars could be seen in the photographs. But the stars weren't quite in their expected place. The tremendous gravity of the Sun had deflected the light of these stars, making them appear slightly out of place. It Shenzhou astronauts carry out second spacewalk
Sunday, 18 September 2022 13:48 Write a comment
Crew members on the Shenzhou XIV mission stepped out of their spacecraft for the second spacewalk on Saturday afternoon, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
The agency said in a brief news release that Senior Colonel Cai Xuzhe opened an extravehicular activity hatch on the Tiangong space station at 1:35 pm and then floated out of the station. He was followed by mission commander Se Private industry aims to fill demand for space threat intelligence
Sunday, 18 September 2022 13:00 Write a comment
Private companies hope to overcome obstacles that have prevented the DoD from leveraging commercial space technology to meet the U.S. government’s need for more knowledge of space threats.
The post Private industry aims to fill demand for space threat intelligence appeared first on SpaceNews.
Chinese astronauts go on spacewalk from new station
Sunday, 18 September 2022 12:30 Write a comment
Two Chinese astronauts went on a spacewalk Saturday from a new space station that is due to be completed later this year.
Cai Xuzhe and Chen Dong installed pumps, a handle to open the hatch door from outside in an emergency, and a foot-stop to fix an astronaut's feet to a robotic arm, state media said.
Shanghai rocket maker considering developing huge methane-fueled rockets
Sunday, 18 September 2022 11:21 Write a comment
A major arm of China’s state-owned space contractor is looking at developing a series of partially and fully-reusable launch vehicles apparently in response to SpaceX’s Starship.
NASA requests proposal for second Artemis crewed lunar lander
Sunday, 18 September 2022 10:03 Write a comment
NASA has released a request for proposals for a second human lunar lander for the Artemis program to join the Starship lander under development by SpaceX.
The post NASA requests proposal for second Artemis crewed lunar lander appeared first on SpaceNews.
NASA requests proposals for second Artemis crewed lunar lander
Sunday, 18 September 2022 10:03 Write a comment
NASA has released a request for proposals for a second human lunar lander for the Artemis program to join the Starship lander under development by SpaceX.
The post NASA requests proposals for second Artemis crewed lunar lander appeared first on SpaceNews.
New tri-agency office to coordinate U.S. missile-defense space programs
Friday, 16 September 2022 21:25 Write a comment
The Space Systems Command, the Space Development Agency and the Missile Defense Agency have formed a new program office to coordinate disparate procurements of satellites to detect ballistic and hypersonic missiles.
Viasat’s Inmarsat acquisition clears UK national security review
Friday, 16 September 2022 13:29 Write a comment
Viasat took a step closer to buying London-based Inmarsat Sept. 16 after the British government ruled it poses no risk to the U.K.’s national security.
The post Viasat’s Inmarsat acquisition clears UK national security review appeared first on SpaceNews.
Week in images: 12-16 September 2022
Friday, 16 September 2022 12:07 Write a comment
Week in images: 12-16 September 2022
Discover our week through the lens
Satellite radar startups spar over commercial market importance
Friday, 16 September 2022 12:00 Write a comment
Satellite radar startups disagree over how much of their resources should be moved to meet anticipated demand from commercial customers and away from governments, which today provide the bulk of revenues.
Communications restored with CAPSTONE in latest update
Friday, 16 September 2022 11:38 Write a comment
The CAPSTONE team has received some relatively good news on the recovery progress for the spacecraft. The communications situation has dramatically improved, the power state of the spacecraft appears to be sufficient for continuous (duty cycled) heating of the propulsion system which dropped below its operational temperature.
Over the past few days, CAPSTONE's power - though limited by the Perseverance investigates geologically rich Mars terrain
Friday, 16 September 2022 11:38 Write a comment
The latest findings provide greater detail on a region of the Red Planet that has a watery past and is yielding promising samples for the NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return campaign.
NASA's Perseverance rover is well into its second science campaign, collecting rock-core samples from features within an area long considered by scientists to be a top prospect for finding signs of ancient microbial