Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 11, 2024
NASA, in collaboration with several partners, has introduced the Lunar Autonomy Challenge, a competition for U.S. college and university students aimed at honing their software development skills in a virtual lunar environment. Participating teams will create an autonomous agent that can perform pre-set tasks on a simulated version of the Moon's surface without human assistance. The agents will

Washington DC (SPX) Oct 11, 2024
When NASA conducts research beyond our world, scientists on Earth prepare as much as possible before sending instruments on extraterrestrial journeys. One way to prepare for these exploration missions is by using machine learning techniques to develop algorithms with data from commercial instruments or from flight instruments on planetary missions. For example, NASA uses mass spectrometer

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 11, 2024
Starfighters Space Inc, based at Kennedy Space Center and known for operating the only commercial fleet capable of sustained MACH 2+ speeds and mid-air payload launches, has announced the expansion of its launch capabilities to include a second facility at the Midland, Texas Spaceport. Recent key developments include; The Midland Spaceport will become the home for Starfighters' hypersonic

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 10, 2024
Momentus Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTS), a company specializing in satellite buses and in-space infrastructure services, including transportation and hosted payloads, has been selected by NASA to provide launch services for future missions through the VADR (Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare) contract. This contract allows Momentus to support NASA's efforts to increase space access

Washington DC (SPX) Oct 10, 2024
NASA invites gamers, educators, and students to grab their pickaxe and check out its latest collaboration with Minecraft exploring a new world inspired by the agency's James Webb Space Telescope. The partnership allows creators to experience NASA's discoveries with interactive modules on star formation, planets, and galaxy types, modeled using real Webb images. The James Webb Space Telesco

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Oct 10, 2024
XDLINX Space Labs, a key player in India's space technology sector, has successfully raised $7 million in seed funding. The round was led by Ashish Kacholia of Lucky Investments, with additional support from E2MC, Mana Ventures, and a prominent family office. The funds will be used to drive XDLINX's mission of advancing satellite technology and innovating affordable space solutions. Founde

Washington (AFP) Oct 9, 2024
A massive ball of plasma and accompanying magnetic field ejected from the Sun is expected to strike Earth on Thursday morning, potentially triggering auroras as far south as Alabama, according to US forecasters. It comes as the Sun approaches - or is possibly at - the peak of its 11-year cycle, when activity is heightened. In May, the planet experienced its most powerful geomagnetic s

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Oct 10, 2024
The main reflector for the 40-meter-aperture radio telescope's antenna system was successfully installed on Monday in Shigatse, located in the Xizang autonomous region of Southwest China, according to CCTV News. This telescope is a collaborative project between the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the 39th Research Institute of China Electr

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Oct 09, 2024
The discovery of a giant planet orbiting the M-dwarf star TOI-6383A has offered fresh insights into the formation of giant planets around these cool, low-mass stars. TOI-6383A, less than half the mass and radius of the Sun, forms a binary system with an even cooler companion star. The newly discovered planet, with a mass and radius comparable to other known giant planets, raises important questi

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 10, 2024
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, alongside several other telescopes, has uncovered a rare cosmic phenomenon-a black hole destroying a star and using the resulting debris to batter another celestial object nearby. In 2019, astronomers first detected the event when a star ventured too close to a black hole, resulting in the star's destruction by the black hole's gravitational forces. The st