Boston MA (SPX) Oct 24, 2024
Many black holes detected to date appear to be part of a pair. These binary systems comprise a black hole and a secondary object - such as a star, a much denser neutron star, or another black hole - that spiral around each other, drawn together by the black hole's gravity to form a tight orbital pair. Now a surprising discovery is expanding the picture of black holes, the objects they can

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 24, 2024
In early October 2024, instruments from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) on three sun-orbiting observatories captured remarkable images of comet C/2023 A3, also known as Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, as it passed between the Earth and the Sun. The comet, first discovered in 2023, was observed by NRL's Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) aboard the joint NASA and European Space A

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 24, 2024
GITAI USA Inc. (GITAI), a leader in space robotics, has announced that its Inchworm-type Robotic Arm has successfully completed testing and achieved Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL6). The tests were conducted in a thermal vacuum chamber designed to replicate the harsh environment of the lunar South Pole. GITAI is working to significantly reduce space operation costs by developing advance

Washington DC (UPI) Oct 23, 2024
Four SpaceX Crew-8 members climbed aboard Crew Dragon Endeavour on Wednesday, closed the hatch and successfully undocked from the International Space Station to begin their 34-hour journey back to Earth. The trip home follows weather delays, scheduling conflicts and more than seven months in space. The three NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barrett and Jeanette Epps, along with

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Oct 24, 2024
LandSpace, one of China's leading private aerospace companies, has successfully completed a static fire test for the second stage of its Zhuque-2E (ZQ-2E) carrier rocket. The test, conducted on Monday, marks a significant milestone in the development of the ZQ-2E rocket, positioning LandSpace closer to future launch missions. The static fire test was designed to simulate typical flight con

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 24, 2024
NASA has released its third comprehensive review of the role of nutrition in astronaut health, building on previous works published in 2009 and 2014. The latest book, *Human Adaptation to Spaceflight: The Role of Food and Nutrition - 2nd Edition*, updates and expands on the physiological and nutritional challenges that astronauts face during space exploration. The first edition, published

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 24, 2024
NASA researchers have developed a Quiet Space Fan aimed at reducing noise in crewed spacecraft, with plans to share the advancements with industry for possible use in future commercial space stations. Reducing noise in spacecraft is crucial for effective communication, clear alarms, restful sleep, and reducing the risk of hearing loss. Most noise comes from ventilation systems and equipmen

Beijing (AFP) Oct 24, 2024
A Chinese company will launch sales on Thursday of two tickets for a commercial spaceflight planned for 2027. The tickets sold by firm Deep Blue Aerospace cost 1.5 million yuan ($211,000) and are for seats on a suborbital flight in which passengers will experience five minutes of zero gravity. They go on sale at 6:00 pm local time (1000 GMT) Thursday during a livestream shopping event ho

Washington DC (UPI) Oct 23, 2024
The U.S. Space Force and Roscosmos are tracking potential threatening debris from a Boeing-built satellite that exploded in orbit. Intelsat said an anomaly triggered the explosion earlier this week and the cause is under investigation. According to the British company Spaceflux, the fragments might still be a danger to other satellites. "The problem is that there is a lot

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 24, 2024
NASA has begun analyzing initial flight data and images from the Pathfinder Technology Demonstrator-4 (PTD-4), which recently completed system checks, including evaluations of onboard electronics and payload support systems. One of the first images captured by the small payload camera shows Earth, marking the start of the mission's technology demonstration. The PTD-4 mission is focused on