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Smile is the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer, a brand-new space mission currently in the making. It will study space weather and the interaction between the solar wind and Earth’s environment.

Unique about Smile is that it will take the first X-ray images and videos of the solar wind slamming into Earth’s protective magnetic bubble, and its complementary ultraviolet images will provide the longest-ever continuous look at the northern lights.

In this first of several short videos, David Agnolon (Smile Project Manager) and Philippe Escoubet (Smile Project Scientist) talk about the why and the how of Smile. You’ll

London, UK (SPX) Nov 13, 2024
A fresh theoretical model developed by astrophysicists at Durham University offers a method to assess the likelihood of intelligent life appearing in our Universe, as well as in possible alternate universes. This concept builds on the legacy of the famous Drake Equation, devised in the 1960s by Dr. Frank Drake to estimate the number of detectable extraterrestrial civilizations within the Milky W

ESA is taking a significant step towards creating a more digitally inclusive Europe through a new partnership that will bring internet access to the hardest-to-reach areas. Reliable connectivity has become essential in today's digital age, yet for many Europeans in rural villages, mountainous regions, and small islands, dependable internet access remains out of reach.

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 13, 2024
Data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) are challenging the long-held model of galaxy formation that posited the involvement of invisible dark matter. Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have published findings in *The Astrophysical Journal* suggesting that instead of dark matter, an alternative gravitational theory might explain the formation of early galaxies. The stan

Paris, France (SPX) Nov 13, 2024
The upper stage of Ariane 6, Europe's latest rocket, has successfully completed its final testing phase at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands, confirming its readiness for a four-booster variant launch, the most powerful version of Ariane 6. Five tests at varying acoustic intensities validated the upper stage's cap

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Nov 13, 2024
On November 11, 2024, at 07:38 UTC, the research rocket MAPHEUS 15 embarked on a milestone flight over Swedish Lapland, marking the 600th launch beyond the Arctic Circle. This mission, facilitated by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and international partners, hosted 21 experiments focusing on material physics in zero gravity. MAPHEUS 15 reached an unprecedented altitude of 309 kilometers

Edwards AFB CA (SPX) Nov 13, 2024
Picture yourself at an airport a few decades from now. What does your airliner look like? It's more efficient, with lower emissions than today's aircraft - what kinds of designs or technology make that possible? NASA is working to answer those questions by commissioning five new design studies looking to push the boundaries of possibility for sustainable aircraft. Through NASA's Advanced A

Edwards AFB CA (SPX) Nov 13, 2024
The design and build of a unique NASA pod, produced to advance computer vision for autonomous aviation, was recently completed in-house at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, by using the center's unique fabrication capabilities. The pod is called the NASA Airborne Instrumentation for Real-world Video of Urban Environments (AIRVUE). NASA Armstrong can take an id

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 13, 2024
Momentus Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTS) has announced that it has secured a contract from the U.S. Defense Department's Space Development Agency (SDA) as part of the Hybrid Acquisition for Proliferated LEO (HALO) initiative. The SDA's mission involves establishing a robust network of satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO). The HALO program is designed to expedite the prototyping and spaceflight testing