Copernical Team
Voyagers of Mars: The First CHAPEA Crew's Yearlong Journey
When the first humans travel to the Red Planet, they will need to know how to repair and maintain equipment, grow their own food, and stay healthy, all while contending with Earth-to-Mars communication delays. They must also find ways to build comradery and have fun. The first all-volunteer CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) crew accomplished all of that and more durin
Tyvak International's Milani Satellite Clears Major Review for Hera Mission
Tyvak International SRL, a subsidiary of Terran Orbital Corporation (NYSE: LLAP) and a prominent European nano and microsatellite manufacturer, has announced that Milani has successfully passed its Qualification and Acceptance Review. Delivered in March 2024 to the European Space Agency (ESA), the satellite completed system-level testing with the Hera mothercraft at the ESA's Space Research an
HKU and ILOA Join Forces for Chang'e-7 Moon Lander Mission Set for 2026
The Laboratory for Space Research at The University of Hong Kong (HKU-LSR) has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with the International Lunar Observatory Association Hawai'i (ILOA) on May 16, 2024, marking a partnership to participate in the ILOA-led Chang'e 7 lunar mission. This mission features a small, wide-field optical telescope named ILO-C. The HKU-LSR telescope design has been selected, and
BAE Systems to Advance Stable Optical Technology for NASA's HWO Mission
BAE Systems, in collaboration with L3Harris Technologies and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), has been chosen as one of three teams to develop technologies for NASA's Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO). HWO is an innovative telescope designed to search for signs of life beyond our solar system and conduct detailed astronomical observations. Its primary objective is to identify and
Galactic 'Heart and Lungs' Mechanism Regulates Growth and Extends Lifespan
A new study suggests that galaxies avoid early demise due to an internal "heart and lungs" system that regulates their "breathing," preventing uncontrolled growth. Without this mechanism, the Universe would have aged faster, leaving us with enormous "zombie" galaxies filled with dead and dying stars. Published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, the study addres
Interacting Galaxies Captured by Webb in Stunning Detail
To mark the second anniversary of the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope's scientific operations, a captivating image of two interacting galaxies known as Arp 142 has been released. The interaction between the Penguin galaxy (NGC 2936) and the Egg galaxy (NGC 2937) began between 25 and 75 million years ago when they first approached each other. This cosmic dance will continue for hund
Real-life Spacesuit Innovation Recycles Urine into Drinking Water
Astronauts on spacewalks face the uncomfortable and unhygienic task of relieving themselves inside their spacesuits, resulting in wasted resources as the urine is not recycled. Unlike wastewater on the International Space Station (ISS), urine produced during spacewalks isn't processed for reuse. Inspired by the 'stillsuits' from the Dune series, researchers at Cornell University have devel
NASA Introduces Low-Cost Hybrid Rocket Motor Testbed
In June, engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, revealed a new 11-inch hybrid rocket motor testbed. The innovative testbed features variable flow capability and a 20-second continuous burn duration, offering a cost-effective and quick-turnaround solution for conducting hot-fire tests on advanced nozzles, rocket engine hardware, composite materials, and pro
Canadian space junk incident shows growing risks as SpaceX launches thousands of Starlinks
In late April, farmers in Saskatchewan stumbled upon spacecraft fragments while preparing their fields for seeding. It sounds like the beginning of a science fiction movie, but this really happened, sending a powerful warning: it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt or killed by falling space junk. The Axiom Space private astronaut mission (Ax-3) concluded safely on Fe
SpaceX rocket accident leaves company's Starlink satellites in wrong orbit
A SpaceX rocket has failed for the first time in nearly a decade, leaving the company's internet satellites in an orbit so low that they're doomed to fall through the atmosphere and burn up.