Greenbelt MD (SPX) Mar 22, 2024
In a significant step toward unlocking the universe's most explosive phenomena, NASA's BurstCube has embarked on its journey to the International Space Station. This compact, shoebox-sized satellite, aboard SpaceX's 30th Commercial Resupply Services mission, launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, aims to explore short gamma-ray bursts - the universe's most intense explosions. Af

London, UK (SPX) Mar 22, 2024
A new study spearheaded by the University of Birmingham has thrown a challenge at the space science community to deepen our understanding of the hazardous zones close to Earth, known as the Van Allen Belts. This research marks a major advance towards evolving new theories and methodologies capable of predicting and analyzing the dynamics of space particles more accurately. Historically, th

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 22, 2024
A new technique developed by researchers at Penn State, leveraging satellite data, has shown promise in enhancing the accuracy of severe weather forecasts. This method, which integrates microwave data from low-Earth-orbit satellites into conventional computer weather models, has successfully predicted the intensity and location of surface gusts during the severe Midwest Derecho of 2020. Yu

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 22, 2024
Aireon has broadened its partnership with Airbus through an expanded distribution deal, facilitating greater accessibility to its cutting-edge space-based automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data. This strategic move will see Airbus incorporating Aireon's comprehensive ADS-B data into its suite of advanced flight analytics and digital solutions, offering unprecedented benefits to

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Mar 22, 2024
On Thursday afternoon, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation announced the successful launch of a Long March 2D carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. This launch marked the deployment of the second batch of Yunhai 2-series satellites into orbit, further bolstering China's capabilities in atmospheric monitoring and space environment observation. The satel

Tokyo (AFP) Mar 26, 2024
Japan's space agency said on Tuesday it will try to revive its Moon lander after a second frigid, two-week lunar night, following a surprising awakening last month. The unmanned Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) touched down in January at a wonky angle that left its solar panels facing the wrong way. As the sun's angle shifted, it came back to life for two days and carried out s

Greenbelt MD (SPX) Mar 26, 2024
From the atmosphere down to the surface of the ocean, data from NASA's PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) satellite benefits ecosystems, human health, and underrepresented communities. Years before the launch in February 2024, mission leaders from NASA teamed with dozens of applied scientists and environmental professionals to prepare for the many practical uses that could be

The Sun erupted over the weekend, flinging electromagnetic radiation towards Earth, even illuminating skies with spectacular aurora borealis. For the first time, ESA’s unlikely space weather duo of SMOS and Swarm tracked the severe solar storm — which warped Earth’s magnetic field.

Unveiling the all-new ESA Impact: Dive into our Q1 2024 edition

Welcome to the 2024 first quarter edition of ESA Impact – your interactive gateway to the most important stories and images from the European Space Agency

A newly devised procedure to de-ice Euclid's optics has performed significantly better than hoped. Light coming in to the visible ‘VIS’ instrument from distant stars was gradually decreasing due small amounts of water ice building up on its optics. Mission teams spent months devising a procedure to heat up individual mirrors in the instrument’s complex optical system, without interfering with the finely tuned mission’s calibration or potentially causing further contamination. After the very first mirror was warmed by just 34 degrees, Euclid's sight was restored.