Copernical Team
Unlocking the secrets of lunar soil for future moon construction
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The legacy of Buzz Aldrin's moonwalk, immortalized by his boot print, has evolved from a symbol of human achievement to a focal point of scientific inquiry as NASA embarks on its Artemis program, aiming to establish a permanent base on the moon. This endeavor necessitates a deep dive into the composition of lunar soil, a task undertaken by Northwestern University's mineralogist Steven Jacobsen w Perseverance uncovers a watery past on Mars
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NASA's Perseverance Mars rover's recent analysis has revealed that its latest rock core sample, collected on March 11, experienced prolonged water exposure in Mars' distant past, possibly as part of an ancient Martian shoreline. This discovery was made possible by the rover's 24th sample, which includes various rock cores, regolith, and a sample of the Martian atmosphere.
Ken Farley, the p Music of Space: An Ode to the Sonic Frontiers Beyond Earth
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In the realm of space exploration and science fiction, visuals have always taken the front seat, painting our imaginations with the vast, starry unknown. However, it's the music that breathes life into these cosmic vistas, often becoming the soul of our interstellar narratives. Chris Carberry's book, "Music of Space," delves deep into this auditory journey, charting the evolution of space-themed Kayhan Space welcomes Mark Mueller to spearhead government growth in space traffic management
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In response to increasing government demand for advanced space traffic management capabilities, Kayhan Space, a frontrunner in space automation and flight safety software, has appointed Mark Mueller as Vice President of Government Growth. Mueller, a distinguished veteran with over 35 years of experience in the U.S. Intelligence Community, Air Force, and Space Force, will lead Kayhan Space's effo Artificial Eclipses on Demand: ESA's Proba-3 Breakthrough
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Hundreds of millions of people will witness next week's total solar eclipse across North America, and solar physicists from around the globe are flocking to join them. Eclipses offer a brief glimpse of the Sun's ghostly surrounding atmosphere - the solar corona - normally kept invisible by the Sun's sheer glare. But the corona will soon be opened up for more sustained study: today in Belgium ESA Solar Orbiter to watch for eruptions during total eclipse
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On 8 April 2024, a great swath of the United States and Mexico will experience a total solar eclipse, with viewers getting the rare chance to see the Sun’s stunning outer atmosphere.
Episode 1 – Scouting the Red Planet
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Watch the first episode of the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission – Europe’s ambitious exploration journey to search for past and present signs of life on Mars.
This episode starts after a successful descent and landing on the Red Planet in 2030.
Rovers on Mars have previously been caught in loose soils, and turning the wheels dug them deeper, just like a car stuck in sand. To avoid this, Rosalind Franklin has a unique wheel-walking locomotion mode to to overcome difficult terrains, as well as autonomous navigation software.
A major goal of the mission is to understand the geological context
Is it safe to fly during the solar eclipse? Here's what experts have to say
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If you need to fly in the afternoon of April 8, you might want to grab a pair of solar eclipse glasses.
Airlines and government officials say it is safe to travel during the April 8 once-in-a-lifetime event. The Federal Aviation Administration is forecasting 47,137 flights to operate on April 8.
Health officials are warning eclipse viewers to wear protective eyewear, and that doesn't rule out travelers. The sun's intense brightness can damage eyes in seconds. It'll be damaged even quicker at more than 30,000 feet in the air, said Eric Christian, a senior research scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and an eclipse expert.
"The sun will be a little bit brighter, but you shouldn't ever look at it except during totality without either approved eclipse glasses or in the correct pinhole camera," Christian said. "Even the smallest little piece of the sun sticking out can actually damage your retina. Be very careful."
Experts say travelers flying along the path of totality, from Mexico into the northeastern United States and Canada, may experience a longer eclipse from the clouds based on how much closer they are to the sun.
Rock sampled by NASA's Perseverance embodies why rover came to Mars
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The 24th sample taken by the six-wheeled scientist offers new clues about Jezero Crater and the lake it may have once held.
Analysis by instruments aboard NASA's Perseverance Mars rover indicate that the latest rock core taken by the rover was awash in water for an extended period of time in the distant past, perhaps as part of an ancient Martian beach. Collected on March 11, the sample is the rover's 24th—a tally that includes 21 sample tubes filled with rock cores, two filled with regolith (broken rock and dust), and one with Martian atmosphere.
Private companies are exploiting outer space, but the law is struggling to catch up
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On 8 January 2024, NASA launched Peregrine Mission One, which carried capsules to the moon containing human remains and DNA samples. The goal was to deposit human remains on the lunar surface, and to release the content of the capsules in space.
Some of the only firm opposition to the mission came from the Native American Navajo Nation. According to their culture, such activity is a desecration of the moon. NASA's response was telling: they were unable to check the payloads' contents, as they belonged to a private company.
Private companies depositing human remains in space is not a new idea: in 1999, an orbiter was deliberately crashed near the lunar south pole, scattering the ashes of the astronomer Eugene Shoemaker. Though it was a NASA craft, the capsule carrying Shoemaker's ashes had been arranged by a private company.
As more and more private actors venture into space, new issues are emerging. International law needs to promptly and carefully regulate all space activity in order to safeguard the future of space exploration.
