Copernical Team
NASA adds 2 helicopters to mission to bring Mars samples back to Earth
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NASA officials have changed the agency's plans for its daring and complicated effort to bring actual samples of Mars back to Earth by adding two helicopters and ditching the idea of landing a "fetch rover."
In a joint project with the European Space Agency, NASA has a goal of returning Martian samples back to Earth by 2033. The rover Perseverance is already on the Red Planet with the ch When Russia leaves, what's next for the International Space Station?
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Russia's announcement this week that it will leave the International Space Station "after 2024" raises critical questions about the outpost's future viability.
Here's what you should know about Moscow's decision, and the potential effect on one of the last remaining examples of US-Russia cooperation.
- Why does Russia want to leave? -
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has pitted it agai Uncontrolled debris from Chinese space rocket could crash back to Earth as soon as Saturday
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Uncontrolled debris from a Chinese rocket could come crashing back to Earth as soon as Saturday, according to The Aerospace Corporation, a federally-funded space research center that tracks orbital debris reentry.
China launched a new laboratory module called the Wentian for its Tiangong space station from Hainan Island in the South China Sea earlier this week. The rocket carrying the module, the Long March 5B, will make an uncontrolled reentry.
This isn't the first time rocket debris from China's space program has plunged through the atmosphere with an air of suspense.
In May 2021, the world watched with uncertainty as it tried to determine where the remains of a rocket of the same class carrying the initial module for the Tiangong space station would crash.
After days of tense monitoring by scientists and various agencies, including United States Space Command, the rocket reentered the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean.
Now, a replica situation is at hand.
The rocket, China's largest, measures roughly 175 feet and weighs 23 metric tons, according to the Aerospace Corporation. It is much too early to tell exactly where it will fall.
Russia says it is leaving the International Space Station program. What does that mean?
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Russia will withdraw from the International Space Station project after 2024 to focus on forming its own space station, the head of the Russian space agency said Tuesday.
The announcement, given by Roscosmos CEO Yuri Borisov, reflects the further disintegration of relations between the U.S. and Russia. The two nations have partnered with Japan, Canada and other European countries on the project for nearly 30 years.
Borisov said Russia will honor all commitments to its partners but will not waiver on the 2024 deadline. "I think we will have started work on the Russian space station by that time," he said.
Russian officials have not yet notified NASA of their plans, according to Robyn Gatens, director of the space station for NASA.
What is the International Space Station? What significance has it contributed to science? Here's what to know.
What is the International Space Station?
The International Space Station, or ISS, is a large spacecraft that orbits the earth and houses crews of astronauts and cosmonauts, according to NASA.
The station is the culmination of the work of several nations. It's not owned by any one nation; rather, it's a "co-operative program" between Europe, the U.S.
NASA Administrator Statement on Agency Authorization Bill
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NASA Administrator Bill Nelson released this statement Thursday following approval by the U.S. Congress for the NASA Authorization Act of 2022, which is part of the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Act of 2022. Operation centres in tune for upcoming weather satellite
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In just a few months’ time Europe’s first Meteosat Third Generation satellite will soar into the skies on an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana. From geostationary orbit, this new satellite, carrying two new highly sensitive instruments, will take weather forecasting to the next level. Taking a significant step towards launch, the satellite operations teams at two different centres have completed an all-important suite of tests ensuring that their procedures are fully compatible with the satellite.
Halos and dark matter: A recipe for discovery
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About three years ago, Wolfgang "Wolfi" Mittig and Yassid Ayyad went looking for the universe's missing mass, better known as dark matter, in the heart of an atom.
Their expedition didn't lead them to dark matter, but they still found something that had never been seen before, something that defied explanation. Well, at least an explanation that everyone could agree on.
"It's been so The plan to unlock the biggest wealth through asteroid mining
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The Asteroid Mining Program (AMi) is a ten-year program that aims to unlock one of the largest sources of wealth in history, through profitable asteroid mining.
We are committed to launch the first asteroid mining mission in 2027 targeting 1,000 kg of platinum worth around $34 million. However, the Recovery Capsule return capacity is up to 2,500 kg worth $85 million.
Until 2031 we pl Small but Mighty on Sol 3545
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Today's team planned a single-sol plan. Our greatest challenge was fitting in all the fantastic science observations and drive distance required during the ~3.5 hours of Mars time available before we need to communicate back to Earth for tomorrow's planning.
Often during single-sol plans we include contact science where we use our arm instruments to take a close look at the structure and c Sol 3544: Bye-Bye Bolivar
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We have come to the end of our detour to image the "Bolivar" butte and are starting back to the MSAR (Mount Sharp Ascent Route). This plan provides the last chance to image Bolivar from this vantage point, with the aim of characterizing, so Mastcam is taking one final large mosaic of the butte, before we move on and it is blocked from our sight.
We cannot drive up the side of Bolivar (alth 
