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Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 09, 2023
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) is poised for a robust return to launch operations after an extensive investigation into September's Electron mission anomaly. The upcoming launch window, starting November 28th, not only signifies the company's resilience but also a leap in operational safety, with Japan-based iQPS poised to benefit from the improvements. The meticulous seven-week revie
Cleveland OH (SPX) Nov 09, 2023
The third Power to Explore Student Challenge from NASA is underway. The writing challenge invites K-12th grade students in the United States to learn about radioisotope power systems, a type of nuclear battery integral to many of NASA's far-reaching space missions, and then write an essay about a new powered mission for the agency. For more than 60 years, radioisotope power systems have he
Kennedy Space Center FL (SPX) Nov 09, 2023
For the ninth consecutive year, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is funding a solicitation that seeks proposals leveraging the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory for research in the physical science area of transport phenomena. NSF will provide up to $3.6 million for multiple projects to utilize the space station for fundamental research focused on fluid dynami
Reston VA (SPX) Nov 09, 2023
Leidos (NYSE:LDOS), a renowned leader in science and technology, has reached a significant milestone by deploying its innovative Exploration Potable Water Dispenser (xPWD) to the International Space Station (ISS). This deployment marks a substantial achievement in the domain of space exploration technology, providing astronauts with an advanced system for accessing potable water-a vital resource
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Nov 09, 2023
The Mars InSight mission, since its inception, has shed light on the seismic vibrancy of the Red Planet. The mission's deployment of a seismic station has led to the recording of 98 low-frequency seismic events. Despite the challenges posed by the singular nature of the data collection point and the often ambiguous seismic signals, a significant stride in martian seismology has been made, pinpoi
Cedar Park CA (SPX) Nov 09, 2023
Firefly Aerospace, Inc., a key player in the space transportation sector, has struck a new deal with Fleet Space Technologies to deploy an Australian-developed seismic research payload to the Moon's far side. This mission, slated for 2026, will feature Fleet's Seismic Payload for Interplanetary Discovery, Exploration, and Research (SPIDER) aboard Firefly's Blue Ghost lander. This collabora
Greenbelt MD (SPX) Nov 09, 2023
Scientists using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope just made a breakthrough discovery in revealing how planets are made. By observing water vapor in protoplanetary disks, Webb confirmed a physical process involving the drifting of ice-coated solids from the outer regions of the disk into the rocky-planet zone. Theories have long proposed that icy pebbles forming in the cold, outer regions
Mountain View CA (SPX) Nov 09, 2023
The SETI Institute, a non-profit scientific research organization, has announced a philanthropic gift of $200m from the estate of Franklin Antonio, a visionary supporter and catalyst of the work of the SETI Institute for more than 12 years. Co-founder of communications chip company, Qualcomm, Antonio passed away on May 13, 2022, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy to enable breakthrough scien
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 09, 2023
Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS), a prominent player in the field of testing and measurement equipment, has marked a significant milestone by validating the first protocol conformance test case for the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Release 17 (Rel-17) standards, specifically focusing on non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) using narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) technology. T
Paris (ESA) Nov 09, 2023
The space science community has narrowed down the shortlist for ESA's next 'medium' mission to three finalists: M-Matisse, Plasma Observatory and Theseus. Following further study, one will be selected for implementation as the newest addition to ESA's space science mission fleet. Medium (or 'M-class') missions are a key component of ESA's Science Programme that enable Europe to answer impo

How to make asteroid landings safer

Wednesday, 08 November 2023 18:40
How to make asteroid landings safer
Artist’s depiction of the OSIRIS-Rex sample return mission barely touching Bennu, the asteroid is successfully sampled. Credit: NASA Goddard

Landing safely on an asteroid is no mean feat. Despite several recent successes, there have also been notable failures—most famously, the Philae lander to 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Admittedly, that was an attempt to land on a comet rather than an asteroid, but those two bodies share many of the same landing hazards.

One of the most prevalent problems is "inhomogenous" gravity. Offering a solution, researchers from the Harbin Institute of Technology in China recently published a paper in Aerospace Science and Technology detailing a framework for performing "soft landings" on asteroids, which might help make exploring these rocky worlds much more accessible.

First, it would be helpful to understand the difference between a "hard" on an asteroid and a "soft" landing. A hard landing consists of the spacecraft, either in a controlled or uncontrolled descent, landing with some force on the asteroid's surface.

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