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Rover trials in a quarry in the UK showing a four-wheeled rover, known as Codi, using its robotic arm and a powerful computer vision system to pick up sample tubes. 

The rover drives to the samples with an accuracy of 10cm, constantly mapping the terrain. Codi uses its arm and four cameras to locate the sample tube, retrieve it and safely store it on the rover – all of it without human intervention. At every stop, the rover uses stereo cameras to build up a 180-degree map of the surroundings and plan its next maneouvres. Once parked, the camera

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Sep 05, 2024
Around 4 billion years ago, an asteroid struck Ganymede, Jupiter's largest moon, leading to a significant shift in its axis. A researcher from Kobe University has recently confirmed that this impact was caused by an asteroid approximately 20 times larger than the one responsible for the extinction event that ended the age of the dinosaurs on Earth, making it one of the most significant impacts w

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Sep 06, 2024
Geological evidence has long shown that volcanic activity occurred on the Moon, but the duration of this activity has remained uncertain. A recent discovery by Prof. LI Qiuli's lab at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS), has provided new insights into the Moon's volcanic history. The team identified three volcanic glass beads from lunar soil samples coll

Washington DC (UPI) Sep 4, 2024
A small asteroid burned up after it entered the Earth's atmosphere Wednesday afternoon over the Philippines. It did not cause any harm to humans or infrastructure. The European Space Agency discovered the small asteroid early Wednesday and said it would enter the atmosphere at 12:46 p.m. EDT over the western Pacific Ocean near the Philippines' island of Luzon. Qbout 3 foot

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 06, 2024
Mars, once a planet with abundant water, now presents a mystery regarding the fate of its water resources. While scientists believe some water may have gone underground over the past 3 billion years, a significant amount has escaped. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission are now shedding light on this longstanding mystery. "There are o

Washington DC (UPI) Sep 5, 2024
The beleaguered Boeing Starliner spacecraft that took two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station will attempt to make its uncrewed return to Earth on Friday evening, the company has announced. NASA on Thursday issued a timeline and a set of criteria for the Starliner's departure from the ISS and return to Earth. The space capsule has faced a host of issues since well

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Sep 05, 2024
On September 4, the European environmental satellite "Sentinel-2C" is set for launch aboard a European Vega rocket from Kourou. Beyond Gravity has supplied critical components for this mission, including the satellite's onboard computer and navigation receiver. "The opportunity to contribute essential elements to this environmental mission, which aims to enhance our understanding of climat

Seoul (AFP) Sept 5, 2024
South Korea's new space agency said Thursday it was looking to grow its share of the industry and take on Elon Musk's SpaceX, as it unveiled plans to create a "space passageway". The Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) opened in May with the goal of turning the land of K-pop into a new space powerhouse, following the United States, Russia, and China. Seoul, which is also locked in a sp

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 06, 2024
Since deploying its sail last week, NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System spacecraft has been transmitting data and images, helping the mission team assess the performance of the boom technology demonstration. The main objective of the mission is to carry out the deployment operation and gather insights that will inform the future use of large-scale solar sails in space exploration. The te

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 05, 2024
Benchmark Space Systems, a prominent developer and integrator of in-space mobility solutions, has been awarded a significant two-year, $4.9 million contract by the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). The contract aims to advance the company's non-catalytic propulsion systems, ranging from 22 Newton to 100 Newton, to support government missions using the high-performance ASCENT monopropellant. A