Sydney, Australia (SPX) Jul 01, 2024
China's Chang'e 6 robotic probe has successfully retrieved 1,935.3 grams of lunar samples from the moon's far side, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced Friday morning. These samples, now in the hands of scientists, are considered scientifically invaluable. The weight of the samples, eagerly anticipated by the scientific community, was disclosed during a handover ceremo

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Jul 01, 2024
Beijing: Space Pioneer, a Chinese aerospace company, experienced an accidental rocket launch during a developmental test in Gongyi, central China. Beijing Tianbing Technology Co, also known as Space Pioneer, reported that the first stage of its Tianlong-3 rocket detached from the launch pad during a structural failure test. Initial investigations revealed no casualties, according to the co

London, UK (SPX) Jul 01, 2024
Techniques designed to analyze the ripples in spacetime detected by one of the most sensitive pieces of scientific equipment in the 21st century have shed new light on the function of the oldest known analogue computer. Astronomers from the University of Glasgow utilized statistical modeling techniques developed for gravitational wave analysis to determine the probable number of holes in o

Pasadena CA (JPL) Jul 01, 2024
NASA's longest-lived Mars robot is about to mark a new milestone on June 30: 100,000 trips around the Red Planet since launching 23 years ago. During that time, the 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter has been mapping minerals and ice across the Martian surface, identifying landing sites for future missions, and relaying data to Earth from NASA's rovers and landers. Scientists recently used the orbi

Madrid, Spain (SPX) Jul 01, 2024
PLD Space has presented its MIURA 5 SPARK Programme, offering educational centres, universities, institutions, and companies worldwide access to the first two MIURA 5 launches free of charge. The company will cover mission costs to promote scientific and technological innovation aimed at improving life on Earth from space. This initiative is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, In

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 01, 2024
A total of 1,935.3 grams of lunar samples were retrieved by China's Chang'e 6 robotic probe from the moon's far side, the China National Space Administration announced on Friday morning, as the space authority handed over the scientifically invaluable substances to scientists. The weight of the samples, the most asked question by science and space enthusiasts over the past two days, was re

Paris, France (SPX) Jul 01, 2024
ESA's Hera mission is set for an October launch, aimed at surveying the Didymos binary asteroid system and studying the results of the first asteroid deflection test. The spacecraft is undergoing final system tests in the Netherlands before being transported to its launch site in the USA. Meanwhile, Hera's Mission Control Team in Germany has started their launch preparations. The Her

Washington DC (SPX) Jul 01, 2024
The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission marked humanity's first attempt to alter the course of an asteroid, a technique that could one day avert a catastrophic impact and save countless lives. But to fully understand the outcome of the experiment and to determine the impact of the human-caused impact, astronomers need a detailed characterization of their target. A recent study aims t

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 01, 2024
NASA's 2024 Human Lander Challenge (HuLC) Forum gathered 12 university teams from across the United States in Huntsville, Alabama, near the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center, to present their innovative solutions for managing lunar dust. The 12 finalists, selected in March 2024, showcased their final projects to a panel of NASA and industry experts from the Human Landing Systems Program at t

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 01, 2024
NASA has unveiled two significant white papers as part of its Moon to Mars architecture initiatives. These documents, focusing on lunar mobility drivers and lunar surface cargo, outline NASA's recent strategies for lunar exploration. While NASA consistently publishes annual updates on its Moon to Mars architecture, the agency also provides mid-cycle reports to share vital insights with sta