Berlin, Germany (SPX) Apr 16, 2024
A team of astronomers has pinpointed the largest stellar black hole discovered in the Milky Way, utilizing data from the European Space Agency's Gaia mission. This newly identified black hole, exerting a unique 'wobbling' effect on its companion star, was initially detected through this anomalous motion. Verification efforts included observations from the European Southern Observatory's Very Lar

London, UK (SPX) Apr 17, 2024
New research pinpoints the timeline of the Solar System's giant planets moving into their current orbits, showing these changes occurred between 60-100 million years after the Solar System formed. This shift is crucial for understanding events like the formation of the Moon. A team from the University of Leicester, utilizing a combination of simulation, observation, and meteorite analysis,

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 17, 2024
The final transmission at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory marked the end of active operations for the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter but the beginning of its new role as a stationary data collector. On April 16, engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory bid farewell to active missions of NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, a pioneering aircraft on Mars. Although the formal mission concluded on

Paris, France (SPX) Apr 17, 2024
The team managing the European Space Agency's Hera mission, designed for asteroid deflection, recently gathered in the ESTEC Test Centre cleanroom in the Netherlands, showcasing the mission's spacecraft. Present in the photograph are members from Tyvak International in Italy and GomSpace in Luxembourg, producers of the Milani and Juventas CubeSats, set to accompany Hera into the cosmos. Ch

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 17, 2024
Ceres, the largest asteroid in our Solar System, features recently formed ice deposits in permanently shadowed craters near its poles, similar to those found on our Moon and Mercury. This similarity was first noted when the Dawn spacecraft surveyed Ceres in 2016, revealing bright ice deposits in these dark craters. "The initial observation in 2016 opened up a mystery, with many of Ceres's

Baltimore MD (SPX) Apr 17, 2024
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, will build a moonquake detector for astronauts to deploy on the Moon in 2026 during the Artemis III mission, which will return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time in more than 50 years. NASA selected the instrument, the Lunar Environment Monitoring Station (LEMS) as one of the first three potential payloads for Artem

Pasadena CA (JPL) Apr 17, 2024
After investigating the high-standing bedrock at the Bunsen Peak workspace deep within the Margin Unit, the unique nature and composition of this rock was deemed worthy for collection of Perseverance's 24th rock core sample, Comet Geyser! Bunsen Peak is named after a prominent peak in Yellowstone National, Park, Wyoming, USA, and the namesake for Comet Geyser is the silica-sintered cone ge

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 17, 2024
NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) is revising its approach to technology development as it aims to enhance its missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The agency has identified nearly 190 national space technology needs and is soliciting input from the American aerospace community to prioritize these for future endeavors. Dr. Kurt Vogel, associate administrator for Space T

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Apr 17, 2024
Europe's next-generation rocket, Ariane 6, is set to embark on its inaugural flight, carrying a series of space missions each with their own distinct goals and enthusiastic teams supporting them. This launch will demonstrate the capability and adaptability of the new heavy-lift launcher, whether it's deploying satellites to observe Earth, exploring deep space, or testing key new technologies in

Washington DC (UPI) Apr 16, 2024
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft took a road trip Tuesday before its May 6 liftoff, moving from the Kennedy Space Center to the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Starliner boarded a transporter at the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center on Monday. Final checks were completed Tuesday for the short trip to the United Launch Alliance's Vertical Integration