Zurich, Switzerland (SPX) Nov 08, 2023
They reveal the origin of wine, the age of bones and fossils, and they serve as diagnostic tools in medicine. Isotopes and isotopologues - molecules that differ only in the composition of their isotopes - also play an increasingly important role in astronomy. For example, the ratio of carbon-12 (12C) to carbon-13 (13C) isotopes in the atmosphere of an exoplanet allows scientists to infer the dis

Washington DC (SPX) Nov 08, 2023
NASA is leading humanity's return to the Moon through Artemis. Artemis will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and explore more of the lunar surface than ever before, using innovating technologies for scientific discovery and establishing a long-term presence. The technologies developed and knowledge gained through Artemis will contribute to our next ambitious target: sen

Washington DC (SPX) Nov 08, 2023
NASA is developing lunar navigation beacons to be deployed on spacecraft or the lunar surface to aid in localization and help future space vehicles determine position, velocity, and time to high accuracy. "Are we there yet?" is a constant question on any journey. As humanity expands its presence on, near, and around the Moon, new systems are needed to provide navigation signals similar those pr

Pasadena CA (JPL) Nov 08, 2023
Earth planning date: Monday, November 6: It is a time of milestones for Curiosity, with the passage of Sol 4000 over the weekend (celebrated here and here) and the start of her sixth solar conjunction this week. Each time Curiosity (and Mars) slip on the other side of the Sun from Earth, the science and engineering teams miss her and the new discoveries she makes every sol. I dare say we also mi

Boulder CO (SPX) Nov 08, 2023
After the Southwest Research Institute-led Lucy mission flew past the asteroid Dinkinesh, the team discovered that it is even more "marvelous" as its newly discovered satellite is now shown to be a double-lobed moonlet. As NASA's Lucy spacecraft continued to return data acquired during its first asteroid encounter on Nov. 1, 2023, the team discovered that Dinkinesh's surprise satellite is itself

Washington DC (SPX) Nov 08, 2023
NASA's Science Mission Directorate seeks knowledge and answers to profound questions that impact all people. Through competitions, challenges, crowdsourcing, and citizen science activities, NASA collaborates with the public to make scientific discoveries that help us better understand our planet and the space beyond. Multiple NASA science projects were supported through public participation in F

Washington DC (SPX) Nov 08, 2023
Creativity and curiosity are strongly tied to NASA's missions and vision. Many of the agency's public opportunities foster these traits by engaging students and educators. Participants of all ages and levels, from kindergarten to college, used their imaginations and enthusiasm to solve open innovation challenges related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in fis

Washington DC (SPX) Nov 08, 2023
With the successful launch and landing of Artemis I in 2022, NASA set the stage for a new era of space exploration. Together, NASA and its partners will lead humanity to the Moon and prepare for the next giant leap: human exploration of Mars. To address the multitude of challenges that come with planning for this new era, NASA is calling on individuals and teams from the public to develop

London, UK (SPX) Nov 08, 2023
In an ambitious move to address the escalating issue of space debris, the UK Space Agency has earmarked Pounds 2 million for research into satellite refueling capabilities that could significantly extend mission lifespans and curtail the proliferation of orbital debris. The funding targets feasibility studies that will explore practical strategies for refueling a UK-led debris removal mis

Heidelberg, Germany (SPX) Nov 08, 2023
Euclid, ESA's newest space telescope with strong German participation, released its first colour photos from space today. Never before has a telescope been able to take such sharp astronomical images over such a large area of the sky while looking so deep into the distant universe. The five images show Euclid's full potential. They illustrate that the telescope is poised to produce the most comp