Tucson AZ (SPX) Sep 03, 2021
New analysis of Hayabusa2 data of the asteroid Ryugu reveals much of the surface reflects and scatters light in ways that are consistent with studies of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites in the lab. This research looks specifically at data taken while Ryugu was in opposition to the spacecraft and Sun, and utilizes Hayabusa2's near infrared spectrometer, NIRS3, and Optical Navigation Camera, ONC,

Washington (Sputnik) Sep 03, 2021
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is not planning to share its lunar samples with China, although there are no amendments explicitly prohibiting such cooperation, NASA chief scientist Jim Green said. "Currently, there's no plans to create a bilateral arrangement with China on the exchange of samples," Green said at a Tuesday meeting of the Lunar Exploration Analys

Pasadena CA (JPL) Sep 03, 2021
Data received late Sept. 1 from NASA's Perseverance rover indicate the team has achieved its goal of successfully coring a Mars rock. The initial images downlinked after the historic event show an intact sample present in the tube after coring. However, additional images taken after the arm completed sample acquisition were inconclusive due to poor sunlight conditions. Another round of ima

Washington (AFP) Sept 3, 2021
NASA's Perseverance rover succeeded in its second attempt to scoop up a piece of Martian rock for future analysis by scientists on Earth - probably. Its first effort earlier this month failed after the rock was too crumbly to withstand the robot's drill, but data received late on September 1 indicates the process worked this time around. The US space agency said Thursday it remains a li

Colorado Springs (Sputnik) Sep 03, 2021
The head of the German Space Agency at DLR, Walther Pelzer, has told Sputnik he plans to discuss the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) initiative with Roscosmos in an upcoming meeting that he hopes will be attended by its head Dmitry Rogozin. In March, Russia reaffirmed its lunar exploration ambitions by signing a memorandum on cooperation with China's National Space Administrati

Lampoldshausen, Germany (SPX) Sep 03, 2021
The German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) is preparing a central component of its extensive test infrastructure for the future by expanding the European Space Agency (ESA) P5 large-scale test stand at the DLR site in Lampoldshausen. This means that the next generation of space propulsion systems can also be tested under flexible and reliable conditions. T

Washington DC (UPI) Sep 2, 2021
The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday said it grounded Virgin Galactic amid an investigation of its July launch into space, which went off trajectory. The agency said the VSS Unity, a SpaceShipTwo spacecraft, deviated from its course as it returned to Spaceport America in New Mexico on July 11. "Virgin Galactic may not return the SpaceShipTwo vehicle to flight until the