Small and Yet So Powerful: New Insights into Cosmic Rays from Low-Mass Microquasars
Thursday, 30 January 2025 09:36
Our planet is constantly bombarded by particles from outer space. While most of us are familiar with the sight of rocky meteorites - those shooting stars that light up the night sky - it's the smaller particles that hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of the universe. Cosmic rays, which include high-speed subatomic particles like electrons and protons from interstellar space and beyond, are Berkeley Lab helps explore mysteries of Asteroid Bennu
Thursday, 30 January 2025 09:36
During the past year, there's been an unusual set of samples at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab): material gathered from the 4.5-billion-year-old asteroid Bennu when it was roughly 200 million miles from Earth.
Berkeley Lab is one of more than 40 institutions investigating Bennu's chemical makeup to better understand how our solar system and p Dust from asteroid Bennu shows: Building blocks of life and possible habitats were widespread in our solar system
Thursday, 30 January 2025 09:36
It took two years for NASA's OSIRIS-REx space probe to return from asteroid Bennu before dropping off a small capsule as it flew past Earth, which was then recovered in the desert of the U.S. state of Utah on September 24, 2023. Its contents: 122 grams of dust and rock from asteroid Bennu. The probe had collected this sample from the surface of the 500-metre agglomerate of unconsolidated materia PUNCH solar arrays pass critical pre-launch tests
Thursday, 30 January 2025 09:36
Technicians supporting NASA's PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission have successfully deployed and tested the spacecraft's solar arrays at the Astrotech Space Operations processing facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. This key pre-launch milestone ensures the readiness of the arrays, which are essential for powering the spacecraft's systems and scientifi NASA's Asteroid Bennu Sample Reveals Mix of Life's Ingredients
Thursday, 30 January 2025 09:36
Studies of rock and dust from asteroid Bennu delivered to Earth by NASA's OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security - Regolith Explorer) spacecraft have revealed molecules that, on our planet, are key to life, as well as a history of saltwater that could have served as the "broth" for these compounds to interact and combine.
The findings do not show Vast and SpaceX Call for Research Proposals to Advance Space Habitation
Thursday, 30 January 2025 09:36
Vast and SpaceX have issued a joint request for research proposals from the global space science community to drive progress in long-term human space habitation and exploration. The two companies, building upon their partnership, aim to support high-impact scientific research that benefits both life on Earth and humanity's expansion into space. Proposals will be reviewed based on scientific and Sierra Space Dream Chaser Spaceplane Passes Key NASA Test in Preparation for ISS Resupply Mission
Thursday, 30 January 2025 09:36
Sierra Space, a leading innovator in commercial space exploration and defense technology, has announced a significant achievement in its partnership with NASA. The company successfully completed and passed its Joint Test 10B milestone for the Dream Chaser spaceplane. This test is a crucial step in Dream Chaser's mission to deliver supplies to the International Space Station (ISS).
The test Sidus Space Receives FCC Approval for Direct-to-Device Capability
Thursday, 30 January 2025 09:36
Sidus Space (NASDAQ: SIDU), a dynamic leader in space mission technology, has received approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to integrate direct-to-device modules into its LizzieSat satellite constellation. This regulatory milestone enhances the operational scope of LizzieSat, paving the way for advanced global connectivity and data services. Adding bridges to stabilize quantum networks
Thursday, 30 January 2025 09:36
Entangled photons, a cornerstone of quantum computing and communications, face a significant challenge: they vanish after a single use. To address this, researchers at Northwestern University have proposed a strategy to stabilize quantum networks, ensuring functionality even in dynamic and unpredictable environments. By methodically rebuilding lost connections, the network eventually reaches a s BlackSky secures $100 million contract for next-generation space monitoring capabilities
Thursday, 30 January 2025 09:36
BlackSky Technology Inc. (NYSE: BKSY) has signed a seven-year contract exceeding $100 million with a long-standing strategic partner in the international defense sector. The agreement ensures annual capacity minimums for high-resolution, real-time monitoring services using BlackSky's current Gen-2 and upcoming Gen-3 space-based technologies, extending through 2032.
"Dawn-to-dusk, high-cade ESA and European Commission to build quantum-secure space communications network
Thursday, 30 January 2025 08:23
Today in Brussels, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission consolidated their cooperation on the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI), marking the successful conclusion of negotiations and clearing the way for development to begin. EuroQCI is an advanced network that aims to protect everything from personal data to Europe's critical infrastructure, using proven principles of quantum physics.
Using AI for more reliable space missions
Thursday, 30 January 2025 07:39
As we prepare to go deeper into space, the demand for autonomous systems capable of operating independently from ground control and crew interactions is increasing. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is shaping up to be an essential tool for reaching this goal. With support from ESA's Discovery programme, a team of researchers from Airbus explored how AI can collect and analyse data onboard the Columbus module of the International Space Station (ISS) in order to improve its prognosis and fault detection capabilities.
Argonaut: a first European lunar lander
Thursday, 30 January 2025 06:15
The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a contract with Thales Alenia Space in Italy to lead European aerospace companies in building the Argonaut Lunar Descent Element, ESA’s first lunar lander.
ESA actively monitoring near-Earth asteroid 2024 YR4
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 14:45
The European Space Agency (ESA) Planetary Defence Office is closely monitoring the recently discovered asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a very small chance of impacting Earth in 2032.
This page was last updated on 29 January 2025.
ESA at the 17th European Space Conference - Day 2
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 11:58
The second day of the European Space Conference saw European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano join ESA Directors and the Director General on a range of panels and interactions with media.