Washington DC (SPX) Jul 01, 2022
An unusual ultra-faint dwarf galaxy has been discovered on the outer fringes of the Andromeda Galaxy thanks to the sharp eyes of an amateur astronomer examining archival data processed by NSF's NOIRLab's Community Science and Data Center. Follow-up by professional astronomers using the International Gemini Observatory, a Program of NSF's NOIRLab, revealed that the dwarf galaxy - Pegasus V - cont

Greenbelt MD (SPX) Jul 02, 2022
The second of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope's four primary scientific instruments, known as the Mid-Infrared instrument (MIRI), has concluded its postlaunch preparations and is now ready for science. The last MIRI mode to be checked off was its coronagraphic imaging capability, which uses two different styles of masks to intentionally block starlight from hitting its sensors when attem

London, UK (SPX) Jul 01, 2022
Artificial Intelligence (AI) experts have been challenged to help a new space mission to investigate Earth's place in the universe. The Ariel Data Challenge 2022, which launches on 30 June, is inviting AI and machine learning experts from industry and academia to help astronomers understand planets outside our solar system, known as exoplanets. Dr Ingo Waldmann, Associate Professor i

Bath UK (SPX) Jul 01, 2022
The eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai submarine volcano in January 2022 was one of the most explosive volcanic events of the modern era, a new study has confirmed. Led by researchers from the University of Bath and published in Nature, the study combines extensive satellite data with ground-level observations to show that the eruption was unique in observed science in both its magn

Pasadena CA (JPL) Jul 01, 2022
Curiosity is continuing to proceed through our pre-planned checklist of activities that we've made for drill campaigns. The team is currently waiting for the downlink that contains data from CheMin's first analysis of the Avanavero drilled sample, and we will use these data to help us decide whether to analyze the sample with SAM as well. While we wait today, we planned a whopping six sols worth

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Jul 01, 2022
Robots can enter areas that are dangerous for or inaccessible to humans. They can even explore other planets - or the Moon. This has now been demonstrated on Mount Etna, a volcano in Italy. Various robots completed their tasks independently - they took rock samples, analysed them and forwarded the results to their control centre. Two other scenarios were demonstrated in addition to this mission,

Baltimore MD (SPX) Jul 01, 2022
In the fall of 2023, a U.S. rover will land at the south pole of the moon. Its mission: to explore the water ice that scientists know lurks within the lunar shadows, and which they believe could help sustain humans who may one day explore the moon or use it as a launching pad for more distant space exploration. NASA recently selected Kevin Lewis, an associate professor in the Krieger Schoo

Cleveland OH (SPX) Jul 01, 2022
When Indiana University (IU) introduced the NASA Technology Transfer University (T2U) program at its Kelley School of Business last fall, it became the first university in the Big Ten to do so. T2U connects universities with NASA technology, giving students the opportunity to work with federal government research and innovations. "Our goal is to inspire young entrepreneurs by bringing real

Long Beach Ca (SPX) Jul 01, 2022
Relativity Space has signed a multi-year, multi-launch Launch Services Agreement (LSA) with OneWeb, the global space-based communications company. Under the agreement, Relativity will launch OneWeb's low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites on Terran R, the first fully reusable and entirely 3D printed rocket, starting in 2025. These launches will support OneWeb's deployment of its Gen 2 satellite networ

Long Beach CA (SPX) Jul 01, 2022
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has confirmed its Photon Lunar spacecraft successfully completed a sixth on-orbit burn of the HyperCurie engine, bringing the CAPSTONE satellite closer to the Moon. Lunar Photon's apogee - the point at which the spacecraft is farthest from Earth during its orbit - is now 43,297 miles (69,680 km). This sixth burn was originally scheduled to be two b