Growing crops on Mars? Probably not under the naked sun
Friday, 13 August 2021 15:17
If humans want to live on Mars for a longer period it will be necessary to grow their own crops over there. And what is more logical than growing the crops in a greenhouse on the surface, profiting from the sunlight, as seen in many scientific designs and Sci-fi movies? However, will this be possible giving the high amount of cosmic radiation at the Martian surface level? Wageningen University & Research and the Reactor Institute Delft (RID, TU Delft) have been investigating for some time now the effect of cosmic radiation on Martian surface on plant growth. This revealed that, just like humans, plants also need to be protected from the cosmic radiation.
BSc, student Nyncke Tack investigated the effect of gamma radiation as was recorded by the Mars rover Curiosity on garden cress and rye. "Because the radiation on Mars is much higher than on Earth (230 μGy/d, about 17 times higher than on Earth) the experiment was carried out under strict safety precautions. We conducted the experiment in a special 'led castle' and in a fume hood," says Tack.
Week in images: 09 - 13 August 2021
Friday, 13 August 2021 12:10
Week in images: 09 - 13 August 2021
Discover our week through the lens
Sights and sounds of a Venus flyby
Friday, 13 August 2021 11:00
ESA’s Solar Orbiter and BepiColombo spacecraft made a historic Venus flyby earlier this week, passing by the planet within 33 hours of each other and capturing unique imagery and data during the encounter.
Startup wants to develop cargo services for Chinese space station
Friday, 13 August 2021 10:40
A Chinese startup is aiming to developing spacecraft capable of sending cargo to China’s space station, with a first small demonstration launch set for 2022.
Heat transfer experiment arrives at International Space Station
Friday, 13 August 2021 09:52
People who design spacecraft must prioritize two factors: reducing weight and managing extreme temperatures.
A new experiment designed by Purdue University engineers addresses both problems. The Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment (FBCE), which arrived at the International Space Station on Thursday (Aug.
Boeing Starliner launch faces further delays
Friday, 13 August 2021 07:52
Boeing's troubled Starliner spaceship could be set for further delays after the company said Thursday it was working to solve problems with the propulsion system.
The spaceship's latest launch date on August 4 was cancelled over propulsion issues, and it remains unclear when the next test flight will be scheduled.
"Over the past couple of days, our team has taken the necessary time to sa NASA mulls how to dispose of International Space Station
Friday, 13 August 2021 07:52
A plan to use a Russian spacecraft to deorbit the International Space Station as early as 2028 remains in question because the United States does not know Russia's intentions for using the orbiting laboratory, NASA and other parties involved in the decision say.
A NASA safety panel approved a plan in 2019 that relies on Russia to modify and launch a Progress spacecraft to guide the stru Size of supermassive black hole divulged by eating pattern
Friday, 13 August 2021 07:52
Astronomers have finally linked the size of a supermassive black hole to the spectral patterns generated by its eating habits.
Most nearby supermassive black holes are dormant. These long-sated, sleeping giants ate up their supply of gas and dust many millions of years ago, leaving them dark and quiet.
To identify dormant black holes, scientists must measure their gravitational i Army successfully tests high-energy laser weapon
Friday, 13 August 2021 07:52
The U.S. Army says it's developed a combat-capable prototype of a high-energy laser weapon.
The laser, which has been 24 months in the making, can be mounted on a Stryker military vehicle and used to defend troops against drones as well as rockets, artillery and mortars, according to an Army press release this week.
Over the summer, the new weapon was successfully tested in Fort Exponential growth of cubesats may be tapering off
Thursday, 12 August 2021 23:52
The use of cubesats has grown dramatically in recent years, but some are wondering if the form factor has reached the limits of its usefulness.
Electrodynamic tethers speed up satellite reentry timelines
Thursday, 12 August 2021 23:16
Tethers Unlimited’s Terminator Tape lowered a cubesat into Earth’s atmosphere in eight months, while a nearly identical satellite without a 70-meter conductive tail is expected to remain in orbit for more than a decade.
During close pass, Solar Orbiter captures Venus' glare
Thursday, 12 August 2021 19:12
On Aug. 9, 2021, ESA/NASA's Solar Orbiter spacecraft passed within 4,967 miles (7,995 kilometers) of the surface of planet Venus. In the days leading up to the approach, the Solar Orbiter Heliospheric Imager, or SoloHI, telescope captured this gleaming view of the planet.
The images show Venus approaching from the left while the Sun is off camera to the upper right. The planet's nightside, the part hidden from the Sun, appears as a dark semicircle surrounded by a bright crescent of light – glare from Venus' incredibly bright sunlit side.
"Ideally, we would have been able to resolve some features on the nightside of the planet, but there was just too much signal from the dayside." said Phillip Hess, astrophysicist at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. "Only a sliver of the dayside appears in the images, but it reflects enough sunlight to cause the bright crescent and the diffracted rays that seem to come from the surface."
Two bright stars are also visible in the background early in the sequence, before being eclipsed by the planet.
Euroconsult: Pandemic does little to slow smallsat sector
Thursday, 12 August 2021 19:08
The space sector in general has proven resilient throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Alexandre Najjar, Euroconsult senior consultant, said Aug. 12 during a Small Satellite Conference side panel.
Rocket Lab wins order for three Photon missions from space manufacturing startup
Thursday, 12 August 2021 17:48
Rocket Lab will build and launch three of its Photon spacecraft to serve as platforms for a startup with space manufacturing aspirations.
Space Force to kick off new program to attract small businesses and startups
Thursday, 12 August 2021 17:43
The U.S. Space Force is launching a new industry outreach program expected to award up to $50 million in contracts to small businesses and startups.