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The penultimate sunset at Concordia research station in Antarctica marks the beginning of a very exciting time for the 12-member crew: the coming of Antarctic night and the winter-over.

ESA sponsored medical doctor Hannes Hagson and his crew mates are finally embarking on their ‘real’ mission in Antarctica: living and work in isolation for six months in the name of spaceflight research.

The Italian-French outpost Concordia is located 3233 m above sea level where temperatures can drop to –80°C in the complete frozen darkness outside. The sun disappears behind the horizon for four months. No supplies or people can be flown

Ann Arbor MI (SPX) May 12, 2022
In our sun's neighborhood of the Milky Way Galaxy is a relatively bright star, and in it, astronomers have been able to identify the widest range of elements in a star beyond our solar system yet. The study, led by University of Michigan astronomer Ian Roederer, has identified 65 elements in the star, HD 222925. Forty-two of the elements identified are heavy elements that are listed along

Bayreuth, Germany (SPX) May 12, 2022
Caption: Materials synthesis research and study in terapascal range for the first time Jules Verne could not even dream of this: A research team from the University of Bayreuth, together with international partners, has pushed the boundaries of high-pressure and high-temperature research into cosmic dimensions. For the first time, they have succeeded in generating and simultaneously analy

Washington DC (UPI) May 11, 2021
Nearly one year after landing on Mars, scientists say China's Zhurong rover collected data indicating water may have existed on the planet over a longer period of time than previously thought. A study published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances said Zhurong detected evidence that the Utopia Planitia basin had "substantial" liquid water during its most recent epoch of geologic hi

Pasadena CA (JPL) May 12, 2022
Curiosity is getting a good start to the week! The weekend plan completed successfully, leaving some great rover tracks behind us as seen in the attached picture. Today my role was "RP2", which supports the Rover Planners for the day in planning the arm and drive activities, and doing our final modeling and verification steps before sending the commands to the rover. Sol 3469 will start ou

Boston MA (SPX) May 12, 2022
Living in space today is a cramped and utilitarian endeavor. Astronuats who arrive on the International Space Station (ISS) are prepared for a stay in tight quarters, surrounded by exposed wiring, bulky electronics, and floor-to-ceiling beige paneling. But what if in-orbit accomodations could be more spacious, livable, and even beautiful? That's a question driving TESSERAE, an ambitious sp

Albuquerque NM (SPX) May 12, 2022
Sandia National Laboratories is well-known for designing reliable and resilient microgrids for military bases and vital city services. Now, Sandia researchers are working with NASA to design one for the moon. This is not the first time Sandia has partnered with NASA to power equipment on the moon. In fact, Sandia provided the technical direction for the radioisotope thermoelectric generato

Washington DC (Sputnik) May 12, 2022
Relations on the International Space Station (ISS) have not changed amid Russia's ongoing [war] in Ukraine, NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn said on Wednesday. "As far as the international relations go, that has not changed at all. We've had 40-plus year relationship with our international partners and with the Russian colleagues as well," Marshburn said. "[O]ne of the greatest legacies of the

Arlington VA (AFNS) May 11, 2022
The Space Force has released its Space Test Enterprise Vision to communicate the service's intent and provide the amplifying guidance needed to execute the Space Force's test and evaluation mission. "The test vision and the associated test culture it portends are critical elements of the Guardian Ideal and our core values," said Gen. David D. Thompson, Vice Chief of Space Operations. "Whil

Paris, France (AFP) May 12, 2022
An international team of astronomers on Thursday unveiled the first image of a supermassive black hole at the centre of our own Milky Way galaxy - a cosmic body known as Sagittarius A*. The image - produced by a global team of scientists known as the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration - is the first, direct visual confirmation of the presence of this invisible object, and comes th