Copernical Team
Asteroid Ryugu's formation region may be closer than previously thought
In December 2020, the Hayabusa 2 space probe returned with samples from asteroid Ryugu. Since then, the few grams of material have undergone extensive analysis at laboratories worldwide, including the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS). One of the key studies at MPS focused on metal isotopes within the samples, which can help pinpoint Ryugu's origin within the Solar System. SpaceX Crew Dragon that will take Starliner astronauts home docks at ISS
The SpaceX crew that will ferry back in February two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station docked with the orbiting laboratory on Sunday, a live stream of the mission showed.
The Falcon 9 rocket took off at 1:17 pm (1717 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida on Saturday, with the Crew-9 mission aboard a Dragon spacecraft making contact with the ISS at 5:30 pm Sunday.
After d Artificial intelligence and satellite data advancing climate modeling
Satellite-based Earth observation data is a key element in climate and environmental research. These data play a vital role in both monitoring the climate and enhancing climate and Earth system models, which are critical tools for projecting climate changes and assessing technology impacts in sectors like energy, aviation, and transport.
A new approach, developed by a team led by Prof. Ver Viasat partners with CYSEC for satellite cybersecurity solutions
Viasat, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global provider of satellite communications, announced its collaboration with CYSEC, a European cybersecurity company, under Viasat's ELEVATE program. The partnership aims to deliver advanced cybersecurity services for satellite communications.
CYSEC, based in France and Switzerland, is a leader in cybersecurity for the space internet. The company offers robu RIT selected to receive $9.9 million for U.S. Space Force research
RIT has been selected to lead the United States Space Force University Consortium/Space Strategic Technology Institute 3 (SSTI) research regarding advanced space power and propulsion, which includes $9.9 million in funding.
The research is in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory and will enable game-changing space power and propulsion technology that will transition to the U. BlackSky secures US Navy contract for Gen-3 Optical Intersatellite Links
BlackSky Technology Inc. (NYSE: BKSY) has been awarded a U.S. Navy research contract to explore the use of advanced optical intersatellite link terminals on its Gen-3 imaging satellites. This project will help deliver real-time satellite imagery to military personnel during critical operations around the world. The contract supports the Navy's Project Overmatch and the Department of Defense's Jo NASA funds Starfish Space's satellite debris inspection mission
NASA has awarded Starfish Space a Phase III Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to advance the Small Spacecraft Propulsion and Inspection Capability (SSPICY) mission. Based in Seattle, Washington, Starfish Space will receive $15 million over the next three years to complete the mission, which aims to enable commercial inspection of defunct satellites in low Earth orbit - a key ste Unveiling the hidden snow dunes shaping Antarctica's frozen landscape
Sand dunes are a familiar sight along beaches and in deserts. While we know how regular sand dunes are formed, much less is known about dunes made of snow. In a new study, scientists have analysed the vast snow dunes across Antarctica – reshaping our understanding of the continent's surface dynamics.
This research sheds light on the unexplored world of Antarctic snow dunes, offering a fresh perspective on the complex interactions between wind, snow and climate in one of Earth's harshest environments.
New mission to create total solar eclipses in space
A UK team of researchers including UCL's Professor Lucie Green are working on the launch of a spacecraft mission that will allow us to view the sun's atmosphere in more detail than ever before.
The proposed MESOM mission will enable researchers to study the conditions that create solar storms, leading to improvements in forecasts of space weather on Earth.
The MESOM spacecraft will fly on a peculiar trajectory enabled by the gravitational attraction of the Earth, the sun and the moon, and will use the shadow of the moon to re-create a total solar eclipse in space once every lunar month lasting almost 50 minutes.
Total solar eclipses seen from Earth are much shorter and only last between 10 seconds and 7.5 minutes, with the annular solar eclipse in the Southern Hemisphere this Wednesday 2 October expected to last around seven minutes.
Creating a longer eclipse in space will enable the MESOM team to take high-quality images and measurements of the sun's corona, filling gaps in existing understanding of the physical processes taking place in the solar atmosphere that lead to space weather.
CubeSats, the tiniest of satellites, are changing the way we explore the solar system
Most CubeSats weigh less than a bowling ball, and some are small enough to hold in your hand. But the impact these instruments are having on space exploration is gigantic. CubeSats—miniature, agile and cheap satellites—are revolutionizing how scientists study the cosmos.
A standard-size CubeSat is tiny, about 4 pounds (roughly 2 kilograms). Some are larger, maybe four times the standard size, but others are no more than a pound.
As a professor of electrical and computer engineering who works with new space technologies, I can tell you that CubeSats are a simpler and far less costly way to reach other worlds.
Rather than carry many instruments with a vast array of purposes, these Lilliputian-size satellites typically focus on a single, specific scientific goal—whether discovering exoplanets or measuring the size of an asteroid. They are affordable throughout the space community, even to small startup, private companies and university laboratories.