Berlin, Germany (SPX) Jun 04, 2024
Skoltech scientists and their Chinese colleagues have identified conditions that could support the existence of a unique ion, termed aquodiium. This ion, described as a water molecule with two additional protons, could be stable inside Uranus and Neptune and may play a role in their unusual magnetic fields. The research was published in Physical Review B. The magnetic fields of Uranus and

Tempe AZ (SPX) Jun 04, 2024
Have you ever played hide-and-seek in a new place? It's much harder than playing at home. You only know the obvious hiding spots: under the bed, in the closet, behind the couch. The trick is trying to think of hiding spots you can't even imagine. How do you search in places you never thought could be hiding spots? That is kind of what scientists like me do when we look for alien life; we'r

London, UK (SPX) Jun 04, 2024
Scientists at the University of Warwick are utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze supernovae, the cosmic explosions of white dwarfs. Many stars end as white dwarfs, compact stars with the mass of the Sun but the size of Earth. Some white dwarfs explode as supernovae, releasing heavy elements like calcium and iron into the Universe, which are crucial for life. However, the exact

Washington DC (UPI) Jun 3, 2024
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope again has suspended operations after entering safe mode because of an ongoing gyroscope issue that has affected the craft for the past year, according to NASA. The telescope automatically entered the safety stage Tuesday, the agency said Friday. Gyros measure the telescope's slew rates as part of the system that determines and controls precisely the directi

Paris, France (SPX) Jun 04, 2024
The first metal 3D printing aboard the International Space Station took place last Thursday in ESA's Columbus laboratory module. This achievement marks a significant step forward for in-orbit manufacturing. "This S-curve is a test line, successfully concluding the commissioning of our Metal 3D Printer," explains ESA technical officer Rob Postema. "The success of this first print, alo

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Jun 04, 2024
In a new study, a team of researchers led by Dimitra Atri of the NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Center for Astrophysics and Space Science calls for strengthening existing planetary protection policies to include requirements for preserving the Lunar and Martian environments. They argue that guidelines should be expanded beyond biological contamination to address issues like orbital debris, crowding, and

ESA’s experimental OPS-SAT CubeSat mission came to an end during the night of 22—23 May 2024 (CEST).

The Eagle-1 satellite team has revealed the design of their new mission patch. Originally associated with human spaceflight missions, patches are now released for a broad range of projects and expeditions. Here, we explore the development of an ESA mission patch, from concept to production.