New software, new drill target, and an existential question
Wednesday, 25 November 2020 07:39
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Pasadena CA (JPL) Nov 24, 2021
A plane has a pilot. A bus has a driver. A train has a conductor. But who controls a Mars rover? During the last seven years that I have operated spacecraft both in orbit and on the surface of Mars, I've come back again and again to the question of who is most responsible for making a spacecraft go. Is it the ACE who sends the commands to the Deep Space Network (DSN) to be sent to the spac
A plane has a pilot. A bus has a driver. A train has a conductor. But who controls a Mars rover? During the last seven years that I have operated spacecraft both in orbit and on the surface of Mars, I've come back again and again to the question of who is most responsible for making a spacecraft go. Is it the ACE who sends the commands to the Deep Space Network (DSN) to be sent to the spac
NASA awards contract for bed rest studies
Wednesday, 25 November 2020 07:39
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Paris (ESA) Nov 23, 2021
NASA has selected Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft-und Raumfahrt (DLR) of Cologne, Germany, to provide use of its facility to support long-duration bed rest research. The $49.9 million Bedrest Studies Contract will support a series of bed rest studies at the company's facility in Cologne, Germany. Services also may be required at other NASA centers, contractor or subcontractor locations, or vend
NASA has selected Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft-und Raumfahrt (DLR) of Cologne, Germany, to provide use of its facility to support long-duration bed rest research. The $49.9 million Bedrest Studies Contract will support a series of bed rest studies at the company's facility in Cologne, Germany. Services also may be required at other NASA centers, contractor or subcontractor locations, or vend
One in five galaxies in the early universe could still be hidden behind cosmic dust
Wednesday, 25 November 2020 07:39
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Copenhagen, Denmark (SPX) Nov 23, 2021
Astronomers at the University of Copenhagen's Cosmic Dawn Center have discovered two previously invisible galaxies 29 billion light-years away. Their discovery suggests that up to one in five such distant galaxies remain hidden from our telescopes, camouflaged by cosmic dust. The new knowledge changes perceptions of our universe's evolution since the Big Bang. Researchers at the University
Astronomers at the University of Copenhagen's Cosmic Dawn Center have discovered two previously invisible galaxies 29 billion light-years away. Their discovery suggests that up to one in five such distant galaxies remain hidden from our telescopes, camouflaged by cosmic dust. The new knowledge changes perceptions of our universe's evolution since the Big Bang. Researchers at the University
Curiosity sends a picture postcard from Mars
Tuesday, 24 November 2020 10:37
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Pasadena CA (JPL) Nov 24, 2021
NASA's Curiosity rover captured a remarkable image from its most recent perch on the side of Mars' Mount Sharp. The mission team was so inspired by the beauty of the landscape, they combined two versions of the black-and-white images from different times of the day and added colors to create a rare postcard from the Red Planet. Curiosity captures a 360-degree view of its surroundings with
NASA's Curiosity rover captured a remarkable image from its most recent perch on the side of Mars' Mount Sharp. The mission team was so inspired by the beauty of the landscape, they combined two versions of the black-and-white images from different times of the day and added colors to create a rare postcard from the Red Planet. Curiosity captures a 360-degree view of its surroundings with
Hubble Finds Flame Nebula's Searing Stars May Halt Planet Formation
Tuesday, 24 November 2020 10:37
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Baltimore MD (SPX) Nov 24, 2021
The Flame Nebula or NGC 2024 is a large star-forming region in the constellation Orion that lies about 1,400 light-years from Earth. Hubble studied this nebula to look for protoplanetary disks, or "proplyds" - disks of gas and dust around stars that may one day form new solar systems. Hubble found four confirmed proplyds and four possible proplyds in the nebula, but the proplyds are being
The Flame Nebula or NGC 2024 is a large star-forming region in the constellation Orion that lies about 1,400 light-years from Earth. Hubble studied this nebula to look for protoplanetary disks, or "proplyds" - disks of gas and dust around stars that may one day form new solar systems. Hubble found four confirmed proplyds and four possible proplyds in the nebula, but the proplyds are being
One year on this giant, blistering hot planet is just 16 hours long
Tuesday, 24 November 2020 10:37
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Boston MA (SPX) Nov 24, 2021
The hunt for planets beyond our solar system has turned up more than 4,000 far-flung worlds, orbiting stars thousands of light years from Earth. These extrasolar planets are a veritable menagerie, from rocky super-Earths and miniature Neptunes to colossal gas giants. Among the more confounding planets discovered to date are "hot Jupiters" - massive balls of gas that are about the size of o
The hunt for planets beyond our solar system has turned up more than 4,000 far-flung worlds, orbiting stars thousands of light years from Earth. These extrasolar planets are a veritable menagerie, from rocky super-Earths and miniature Neptunes to colossal gas giants. Among the more confounding planets discovered to date are "hot Jupiters" - massive balls of gas that are about the size of o
NASA set to launch spacecraft to kick an asteroid off course
Monday, 23 November 2020 20:38
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Washington (AFP) Nov 23, 2021
NASA is preparing to launch a mission to deliberately smash a spacecraft into an asteroid - a test run should humanity ever need to stop a giant space rock from wiping out life on Earth. It may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but the DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) is a real proof-of-concept experiment, blasting off at 10:21 pm Pacific Time Tuesday (0621 GMT Wednesday) aboa
NASA is preparing to launch a mission to deliberately smash a spacecraft into an asteroid - a test run should humanity ever need to stop a giant space rock from wiping out life on Earth. It may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but the DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) is a real proof-of-concept experiment, blasting off at 10:21 pm Pacific Time Tuesday (0621 GMT Wednesday) aboa
Daughter of first American in space on next Blue Origin flight
Monday, 23 November 2020 20:38
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Washington (AFP) Nov 23, 2021
Sixty years after her father's historic flight, she too will cross the final frontier: Laura Shepard Churchley, daughter of the first American in space Alan Shepard, will be one of six passengers on Blue Origin's next flight. Jeff Bezos' space company announced Tuesday its third crewed flight will launch on December 9, from Blue's base in West Texas. Churchley and American television pe
Sixty years after her father's historic flight, she too will cross the final frontier: Laura Shepard Churchley, daughter of the first American in space Alan Shepard, will be one of six passengers on Blue Origin's next flight. Jeff Bezos' space company announced Tuesday its third crewed flight will launch on December 9, from Blue's base in West Texas. Churchley and American television pe
ASU team celebrates 20th anniversary of NASA's Mars Odyssey Orbiter arrival at the Red Planet
Monday, 23 November 2020 20:38
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Tempe AZ (SPX) Nov 23, 2021
This year, NASA is observing the 20th anniversary of the 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter, the longest-lived spacecraft at the Red Planet; and a mission that has helped locate water ice, find landing sites and study Mars' mysterious moons. The spacecraft launched on April 7, 2001, and arrived at the Red Planet on Oct. 24, 2001. One of the scientific instruments onboard Odyssey is called the Therm
This year, NASA is observing the 20th anniversary of the 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter, the longest-lived spacecraft at the Red Planet; and a mission that has helped locate water ice, find landing sites and study Mars' mysterious moons. The spacecraft launched on April 7, 2001, and arrived at the Red Planet on Oct. 24, 2001. One of the scientific instruments onboard Odyssey is called the Therm
NASA provides update on Webb Telescope launch
Monday, 23 November 2020 20:38
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Kourou, French Guiana (SPX) Nov 23, 2021
The launch readiness date for the James Webb Space Telescope is moving to no earlier than Dec. 22 to allow for additional testing of the observatory, following a recent incident that occurred during Webb's launch preparations. The incident occurred during operations at the satellite preparation facility in Kourou, French Guiana, performed under Arianespace overall responsibility. Technicia
The launch readiness date for the James Webb Space Telescope is moving to no earlier than Dec. 22 to allow for additional testing of the observatory, following a recent incident that occurred during Webb's launch preparations. The incident occurred during operations at the satellite preparation facility in Kourou, French Guiana, performed under Arianespace overall responsibility. Technicia
SES, Mddiai RK, RCSC, and AsiaNetCom launch O3b Satellite test across remote Kazakhstan
Monday, 23 November 2020 20:38
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Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan (SPX) Nov 22, 2021
Residents of two remote Kazakhstan villages can now benefit from unprecedented Internet speeds via satellite-enabled Wi-Fi, through a network set up for 30 days by the leading global content connectivity solutions provider SES. The demo is implemented in cooperation with the Republican Center for Space Communications (RCSC), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations
Residents of two remote Kazakhstan villages can now benefit from unprecedented Internet speeds via satellite-enabled Wi-Fi, through a network set up for 30 days by the leading global content connectivity solutions provider SES. The demo is implemented in cooperation with the Republican Center for Space Communications (RCSC), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations
First Airbus built Inmarsat-6 satellite shipped to Japan ready for launch
Monday, 23 November 2020 20:38
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Toulouse, France (SPX) Nov 23, 2021
The first Airbus built Inmarsat-6 , I-6 F1, satellite has been shipped from Airbus in Toulouse to Tanegashima in Japan ready for launch. The first satellite of the Inmarsat-6 series is due to be launched on an H-IIA launch vehicle built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in December. Inmarsat-6 F1 is based on Airbus' ultra-reliable Eurostar E3000 spacecraft and will be the 54th Eurostar
The first Airbus built Inmarsat-6 , I-6 F1, satellite has been shipped from Airbus in Toulouse to Tanegashima in Japan ready for launch. The first satellite of the Inmarsat-6 series is due to be launched on an H-IIA launch vehicle built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in December. Inmarsat-6 F1 is based on Airbus' ultra-reliable Eurostar E3000 spacecraft and will be the 54th Eurostar
Decisions from the ESA Intermediate Ministerial Meeting 2021
Monday, 23 November 2020 20:38
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Matosinhos, Portugal (ESA) Nov 19, 2021
Government ministers in charge of space activities in ESA's Member States today met at an Intermediate Ministerial Meeting held in Matosinhos, Portugal. The Council of Ministers unanimously adopted a Resolution to accelerate the use of space in Europe (the "Matosinhos manifesto") to tackle the urgent and unprecedented societal, economic and security challenges faced by Europe and its citiz
Government ministers in charge of space activities in ESA's Member States today met at an Intermediate Ministerial Meeting held in Matosinhos, Portugal. The Council of Ministers unanimously adopted a Resolution to accelerate the use of space in Europe (the "Matosinhos manifesto") to tackle the urgent and unprecedented societal, economic and security challenges faced by Europe and its citiz
BlackSky set to expand its EO constellation for real-time global intelligence
Monday, 23 November 2020 20:38
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Herndon VA (SPX) Nov 22, 2021
BlackSky's latest satellites reached orbit and delivered first insights within 14 hours of launch. The company's constellation growth signals a return to space and an increased capacity for global customers. "Growing BlackSky's constellation and increasing our rapid-revisit monitoring capabilities is about more than just getting satellites into space," said Nick Merski, BlackSky chief oper
BlackSky's latest satellites reached orbit and delivered first insights within 14 hours of launch. The company's constellation growth signals a return to space and an increased capacity for global customers. "Growing BlackSky's constellation and increasing our rapid-revisit monitoring capabilities is about more than just getting satellites into space," said Nick Merski, BlackSky chief oper
Mars helicopter Ingenuity completes 16th flight
Monday, 23 November 2020 09:06
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Washington DC (UPI) Nov 22, 2021
NASA's Mars helicopter Ingenuity completed its 16th flight over the weekend, the space agency announced Monday. The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory said the helicopter captured color images of Mars' surface during the flight, which saw it travel 116 meters northeast for 109 seconds. "Mars helicopter continues to thrive!" the lab wrote on Twitter. The 16th flight over seven
NASA's Mars helicopter Ingenuity completed its 16th flight over the weekend, the space agency announced Monday. The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory said the helicopter captured color images of Mars' surface during the flight, which saw it travel 116 meters northeast for 109 seconds. "Mars helicopter continues to thrive!" the lab wrote on Twitter. The 16th flight over seven