Copernical Team
Reimagining enlisted education: Space Force launches Vosler Fellowships
The U.S. Space Force has revamped its enlisted professional military education (EPME) to better suit the specific needs of its enlisted personnel, known as Guardians. A key milestone was celebrated at the Vosler Academy at Peterson Space Force Base on April 19, with the induction of the first cohort of Vosler fellows from the newly established Fellowship II. This initiative is aimed at mid
Lockheed Martin hands over advanced radar system to Missile Defense Agency
The Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) at Clear Space Force Station in Clear, Alaska, has completed its final acceptance stage, known as DD250, and was officially transferred to the Missile Defense Agency. This move comes in anticipation of an Operational Capability Baseline decision and final transition to operational use. Prior to this, the radar system had already begun gathering Space Do
Chinese astronauts repair space station's solar wings after debris impact
The crew of the Shenzhou XVII, stationed on China's space station, successfully repaired damage to the core module's solar wings caused by space debris. This repair was accomplished during the country's inaugural mission involving extravehicular maintenance, according to the China Manned Space Agency. The astronauts are set to return to Earth on April 30, following the completion of their
Space ISAC successfully executes Tabletop Exercise at CYSAT Conference
The Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Space ISAC) has successfully conducted a tabletop exercise titled "Saving Selene: Walking on the Moon" at the 2024 CYSAT conference in Paris. The exercise aimed to enhance proactive measures in space security by simulating a space-based mining and manufacturing crisis set in the year 2030. The exercise scenario centered around a semi-perma
Shanghai Ocean University unveils manta ray-inspired bionic fish
Shanghai Ocean University recently revealed Wen Yao, an intelligent soft-bodied bionic fish modeled after a manta ray, concluding over a decade of research and development. This robotic fish features a wingspan of 1 meter and weighs 35 kilograms, incorporating domestically produced components that ensure high efficiency and low energy consumption. Chen Xinjun, head of the university's Scho
Hidden biosphere discovered beneath world's driest hot desert
Researchers exploring Earth's driest hot desert, the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, have uncovered a hidden microbial world 13 feet beneath the surface, shedding light on potential extraterrestrial life habitats. Despite the harsh conditions, with scarce higher life forms, the hyper-arid soil rich in salts and sulfates nurtures bacteria. While the top 80 centimeters of soil offer some p
Shenzhou XVIII astronauts enter space station
The Shenzhou XVIII manned spaceship's three astronauts successfully entered China's space station early on Friday. Later, the two groups of astronaut crew members will conduct an on-orbit rotation at the space station. During this period, six astronauts will work and live together at the space station for about five days to complete all scheduled tasks, according to the China Manned
Crew of first Boeing Starliner mission arrives at Kennedy Space Center
The crew of the first Boeing Starliner space mission on Thursday arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of the spacecraft's debut manned mission on May 6. Veteran NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams will be commander and pilot of the Crew Flight Test mission to the International Space Station. The Boeing CST-100 Starliner is set to li
Earth's magnetic field intermittently shielded us during cosmic ray influx 41,000 years ago
Earth's geomagnetic field, while generally shielding the planet from cosmic and solar radiation, experiences periods of significant fluctuation. Not only does the magnetic north shift from its geographically defined true north, but it also undergoes complete reversals. During such reversals, previously defined poles swap positions, causing a noticeable decrease in the magnetic field's strength.
Satellite Monitoring Highlights Soil Sealing Challenges in the Mediterranean
Soil sealing is an increasing concern, particularly in urban settings, leading to significant environmental impacts such as flooding, erosion, and biodiversity loss. An ESA-funded initiative, the Ulysses project, is now providing critical insights into soil sealing, aiming to mitigate soil degradation across the Mediterranean. The project employs the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite system