Copernical Team
Desert soil microbes adapt to thrive in extreme dry conditions
Scientists from the University of Vienna have shed light on how desert soil bacteria survive and thrive under the extreme conditions of prolonged droughts and intermittent heavy rainfall. Their findings, led by microbiologist Dagmar Woebken at the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science (CeMESS), were recently detailed in Nature Communications. Covering over 46% of the Ea
Air Force Leadership Stresses Modernization and Timely Congressional Funding
During a House committee meeting on April 17, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, along with top leaders from the Air Force and Space Force, emphasized the urgent need for Congress to provide timely and predictable funding to defend the nation effectively against modern threats. Kendall, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin, and Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman
MDA Space awarded extended ISS robotics contract
MDA Space (TSX: MDA) has been granted a $250 million contract extension by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to continue its support for robotics operations aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The extended contract, effective from 2025 to 2030, assigns new responsibilities to MDA Space, including the role of robotics flight controllers. "Robotics flight controllers are the pilots i
Tracing life's origins: Cambridge team explores early Earth conditions
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a model illustrating how conditions conducive to life may have arisen naturally. Their study focuses on the synthesis of essential life components like proteins, phospholipids, and nucleotides, crucially involving nitrogen-rich molecules such as nitriles and isonitriles. Past studies have highlighted these molecules' potential in fo
Two NASA sounding rockets launch from Alaska during solar flare
Two Black Brant IX sounding rockets launched from Poker Flat Research Range in Fairbanks, Alaska, April 17, 2024, during an M-class solar flare for NASA's sounding rocket solar flare campaign.
The first rocket launched at 2:13 p.m. local Alaska time for the Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager (FOXSI) mission that used X-ray vision to observe the sun during the solar flare event by focusing directly on high-energy X-rays.
The second rocket launched at 2:14 p.m. for the High Resolution Coronal Imager, or Hi-C, mission designed to observe a large, active region in the sun's corona. The rockets reached altitudes up to 168 miles (271 km) and were able to successfully observe the solar flare.
Provided by NASA
Destination Earth goes live
Destination Earth goes live
Watch the event broadcast live from Finland on 10 June
ESA and the EU agree to accelerate the use of space
ESA will work closely with the EU to use space to improve life on Earth, following an agreement signed today by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher (left) and the European Commission’s Director-General for Defence Industry and Space, Timo Pesonen.
Week in images: 15-19 April 2024
Week in images: 15-19 April 2024
Discover our week through the lens
NASA's Near Space Network Bolsters PACE Climate Mission Communications
NASA's Near Space Network has successfully enabled the PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission to transmit its inaugural set of operational data to Earth, utilizing innovative data-storing technology and recent enhancements. These upgrades are designed to improve communication for PACE and other forthcoming science missions. The PACE satellite, which travels approximately
Hannover's expertise boosts groundbreaking fusion project
The PriFUSIO project, led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT) and supported by an 18 million euro grant from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, is setting a new course for the development of climate-neutral fusion power plants. The project brings together a diverse consortium including startups, mid-sized enterprises, and large corporations along with specialized