London, UK (SPX) Jul 31, 2024
An international research team led by the Netherlands has utilized observation-based computer modeling to explain how macromolecules form rapidly in disks of gas and dust surrounding young stars. Their findings are published in the journal Nature Astronomy. Planetary scientists have long held that the organic macromolecules making Earth hospitable to life originate from chondrites, primiti

Bern, Switzerland, 31 July 2024
Astronomers from the University of Bern have revealed significant insights into how organic macromolecules form in space. These molecules, essential for life, have long intrigued scientists. The latest findings, published in Nature Astronomy, shed light on the processes behind their formation in the interstellar medium. The researchers employed advanced observational techniques and theoret

Long Beach CA (SPX) July 31, 2024
Rocket Lab has successfully integrated and tested two spacecraft that will support NASA's upcoming Mars mission. This major milestone demonstrates Rocket Lab's capability in developing interplanetary spacecraft. The twin spacecraft, part of NASA's EscaPADE mission (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers), are designed to study the Martian magnetosphere. The mission aims to p

Edinburgh UK (SPX) Jul 31, 2024
NASA's Perseverance rover has discovered some intriguing signs that ancient Mars could have supported life. This news comes from the analysis of a new sample of mudstone, a type of sedimentary rock, which is believed to have formed in the presence of water. Perseverance's main mission is to search for signs of past life in Jezero crater, which was once home to an ancient river delta. The r

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 31, 2024
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission has provided new data on the binary asteroid system it targeted. Launched with the goal of testing planetary defense techniques, DART's success in altering the trajectory of an asteroid has garnered significant scientific interest. The mission targeted a binary asteroid system consisting of Didymos and its moonlet, Dimorphos. DART's pr

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 31, 2024
NASA invites the public to join virtual activities and events leading up to the launch of Northrop Grumman's 21st commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. The launch is scheduled for 8:31 p.m. EDT on Friday, Aug. 10, 2024, from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia. The public can register to virtually attend the launch. NASA's virtual g