Image: Artist's impression of Lunar Pathfinder

Waste management is a critical challenge for spaceflight. But what if the waste produced by astronauts could be sustainably transformed into something valuable in space? A Polish company thought about that and has come up an innovative solution: an insect bioreactor powered by Madagascar cockroaches.

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 11, 2024
VISIMO, a technology company based in Pittsburgh, PA, will test its autonomous AI system designed for decision support on an upcoming mission conducted by ABOVE Space Development Corporation, a company known for developing adaptable space platforms for commercial and defense sectors. Deep-space missions present significant challenges, requiring spacecraft to handle unforeseen issues and sy

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 11, 2024
Imagine a room filled with grandfather clocks, each ticking at a unique pace. Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have created an atomic-scale equivalent of that scene. Their work may lead to new types of optical atomic clocks, which track time by measuring the natural oscillations of atoms. The new quantum clock, b

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Oct 11, 2024
When three massive objects encounter one another in space, their gravitational interactions are typically unpredictable and chaotic. However, a new discovery from a University of Copenhagen researcher suggests that these encounters can sometimes follow regular patterns, defying the conventional understanding of chaos. This finding could significantly enhance our knowledge of gravitational waves

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 15, 2024
As space travel evolves from governmental projects to commercial enterprises, the safety of astronauts and spacecraft becomes a top priority. But with increasing complexity comes a pressing need for advanced risk assessment models. Traditional calculations can fall short in predicting space travel risks, as conditions in space are exceptionally unpredictable. Enter Artificial Intelligence (AI),

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 13, 2024
The United States Space Force's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV-7) has initiated a novel aerobraking maneuver to adjust its orbit around Earth and safely dispose of service module components, adhering to space debris mitigation guidelines. Since December 28, 2023, the X-37B has been involved in radiation experiments and Space Domain Awareness technology testing, with support from the Air Force R

Kennedy Space Center, United States (AFP) Oct 14, 2024
NASA's Europa Clipper probe blasted off from Florida on Monday, bound for an icy moon of Jupiter to discover whether it has the ingredients to support life. Lift-off aboard a powerful SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket took place shortly after noon (1600 GMT), with the probe set to reach Jupiter's moon Europa in five and a half years. NASA later confirmed that it had successfully acquired a sign

Paris, France (SPX) Oct 15, 2024
The European Space Agency (ESA) has officially launched its Moonlight programme, aimed at creating a satellite constellation around the Moon to provide vital communications and navigation services. With over 400 lunar missions expected from both space agencies and private companies in the next two decades, Moonlight represents a major step towards sustainable lunar exploration and the broader de