Copernical Team
ESA is testing a modular multipurpose rover that could be a science lab or a tiny bulldozer
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Most rovers have been built for Mars, and each one of them is a complex machine designed with specific goals and terrains in mind. But the moon is different than Mars. We're not searching for life there; we're trying to establish a presence.
In recognition of the difference, the ESA is developing modular rovers that can serve different needs with only small modifications.
It's called the European Moon Rover System (EMRS), and its goal is to "develop a versatile surface mobility solution for future lunar missions," according to newly published papers. The surface mobility systems will serve four upcoming ESA missions: the Polar Explorer (PE), In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), Astrophysics Lunar Observatory (ALO) and Lunar Geological Exploration Mission (LGEM).
A successful liftoff: Space shuttle Endeavour's rockets are installed
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In a delicate maneuver, crews successfully lifted into place giant rockets at the California Science Center, the first large components installed at the future home of the space shuttle Endeavour.
Donated by Northrup Grumman, the solid rocket motors are each the size of a Boeing 757 fuselage and weigh 104,000 pounds. They had to be carefully moved from a horizontal to vertical position by crane before being lowered into place in the new exhibit at the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.
One was installed Tuesday, the other Wednesday.
Crews were then able to place the 177 pins attaching each solid rocket motor to the base of the solid rocket booster, known as the aft skirt. Each pin is 1 inch in diameter and about 2 inches long.
"It felt great," California Science Center President Jeffrey Rudolph said of the successful installation. "We've got two solid rocket motors standing tall in the new building now."
Visitors to the museum can now see the top of the rockets from outside the construction site. At one point during the crane lift, the solid rocket motors could even be seen from the 110 Freeway.
AI chemist synthesizes catalyst for oxygen production from Martian meteorites: One step closer to Mars immigration?
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Immigration to and living on Mars have long been depicted in science fiction. But before that dream turns into reality, there is a hurdle humans have to overcome—the lack of chemicals such as oxygen essential for long-term survival on the planet. However, the recent discovery of water activity on Mars is promising.
Scientists are now exploring the possibility of decomposing water to produce oxygen through electrochemical water oxidation driven by solar power with the help of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts. The challenge is to find a way to synthesize these catalysts in situ using materials on Mars, instead of transporting them from the Earth, which is costly.
To tackle this problem, a team led by Prof. Luo Yi, Prof.
Monitoring methane from space
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00:03:23
Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide. Curbing methane emissions could deliver immediate and long-lasting benefits for the climate, seeing as the gas only lingers in the atmosphere for a relatively short time.
Satellites have a really important role to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Tropomi instrument onboard the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite is the only instrument that maps global methane concentrations every single day. This lets scientists detect hotspots for large methane sources around the world – allowing us to address the consequences of methane emissions on our
Two ESA Φ-lab-enabled satellites launched
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MANTIS, the first satellite mission to be supported from concept to liftoff by ESA’s Earth Observation InCubed programme, has been launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. MANTIS carries a high-resolution multispectral camera coupled with a powerful AI processing unit.
Intuition-1 was also launched on the same rocket and will similarly demonstrate the advantages of onboard AI capabilities, in this case in tandem with a hyperspectral imager. The satellite’s machine learning algorithms were developed under the ESA-funded Genesis project
Monitoring methane emissions from space
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Video:
00:03:23
Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide. Curbing methane emissions could deliver immediate and long-lasting benefits for the climate, seeing as the gas only lingers in the atmosphere for a relatively short time.
Satellites have a really important role to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Tropomi instrument onboard the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite is the only instrument that maps global methane concentrations every single day. This lets scientists detect hotspots for large methane sources around the world – allowing us to address the consequences of methane emissions on our
A third pair of SES' O3b mPower satellites launches from Cape Canaveral
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In a significant advancement for global telecommunications, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched two new communication satellites, O3b mPOWER 5 and 6, for Luxembourg-based SES S.A. The launch occurred on Sunday at the opening of their 89-minute window at 4:08 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40), Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. These satellites are destined for a Intelsat Secures Pioneering SATCOM Managed Service Pilot Contract with US Army
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Intelsat, a prominent operator of one of the world's most extensive integrated satellite and terrestrial networks, is set to enhance the U.S Army's communication capabilities through a new, fully managed satellite communications (SATCOM) support system. This development follows Intelsat's successful acquisition of the Army's inaugural Satellite Communication (SATCOM) as a Managed Service (SaaMS) TRISAT-R CubeSat: A Glimpse of Earth through the Eye of a Coin-Sized Camera
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In a striking display of miniaturized innovation, the European Space Agency's TRISAT-R CubeSat has provided a unique perspective of our planet Earth from an altitude of 6,000 kilometers, captured through a camera no larger than the edge of a 20-cent coin. This technological feat, demonstrating the prowess of highly compact space technology, has been a part of Slovenia's second space mission, sig How to avoid getting disoriented in space
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When landing on the surface of the Moon, astronauts can become spatially disoriented, which is when they lose sense of their orientation - they might not be able to tell which way is up. This disorientation can lead to fatal accidents.
Even on Earth, between 1993 and 2013, spatial disorientation led to the loss of 65 aircraft, US$2.32 billion of damages and 101 deaths in the U.S.
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