Copernical Team
When an object like 'Oumuamua comes around again, we could be ready with an interstellar object explorer
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On October 19th, 2017, astronomers with the Pann-STARRS survey observed an interstellar object passing through our system—1I/2017 U1 'Oumuamua. This was the first time an ISO was detected, confirming that such objects pass through the solar system regularly, as astronomers predicted decades prior. Just two years later, a second object was detected, the interstellar comet 2I/Borisov. Given 'Oumuamua's unusual nature (still a source of controversy) and the information ISOs could reveal about distant star systems, astronomers are keen to get a closer look at future visitors.
For instance, multiple proposals have been made for interceptor spacecraft that could catch up with future ISOs, study them, and even conduct a sample return (like the ESA's Comet Interceptor).
Week in images: 26 February - 1 March 2024
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Week in images: 26 February - 1 March 2024
Discover our week through the lens
First US moon lander in half a century stops working a week after tipping over at touchdown
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The first U.S. spacecraft to land on the moon since the Apollo astronauts fell silent Thursday, a week after breaking a leg at touchdown and tipping over near the lunar south pole.
Intuitive Machines' lander, Odysseus, lasted longer than the company anticipated after it ended up on its side with hobbled solar power and communication.
SSSIF 2024 draws record attendance as Europe's 'New Space' sector grows rapidly
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The 5th edition of the Small Satellites and Services International Forum (SSSIF), held in Malaga, has marked a significant milestone in the 'New Space' industry, drawing an unprecedented number of over 400 experts from across the globe. This event, which has rapidly become Europe's premier forum for the small satellite sector, witnessed its largest attendance to date, with participants hailing f Space Team Europe: focus on Ariane 6
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Meet the people working on the testing of Ariane 6. Europe’s next rocket, Ariane 6, has passed all its qualification tests in preparation for its first flight, and now the full-scale test model will be removed from the launch pad to make way for the real rocket that will ascend to space.
To make way for launch, teams from ArianeGroup, France’s space agency CNES and ESA have started to remove the Ariane 6 test model by disconnecting the cables and fuel lines that pass through the launch tower.
Find out about the progress being made at the end of
Earth from Space: Dawson-Lambton Glacier home to penguins
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This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image features the ice tongue of the Dawson-Lambton Glacier in Antarctica. Top 5: Space for your health
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Space has led to technological innovations with wide-ranging applications in healthcare. Beyond consumer gadgets, such as wireless headsets and scratch-resistant lenses, space exploration is a catalyst for understanding the human body and advancing scientific results that benefit people worldwide. Here are Europe’s top 5 stories in space for your health.
Gravity affects everything we do and everything that happens inside and around us. On Earth’s surface, everything is subject to an average gravitational acceleration of 9.81 m/s2, or what we call 1 g. This acceleration keeps us grounded but it also influences all reactions and phenomena around us, from falling apples
Lockheed Martin advances in missile defense with key acquisition milestone
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Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has marked a significant achievement in the development of the United States' missile defense capabilities, completing a pivotal acquisition milestone for the modernized long-range ballistic missile interceptor ahead of schedule. This milestone, known as the first Knowledge Point (KP1), represents a crucial step in the contractual process, allowing the company's Next Lights out for wonky US lunar lander, for now
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An uncrewed American lander that became the first private spaceship on the Moon sent its final image Thursday before its power banks depleted, the company that built it said.
Houston-based Intuitive Machines posted a picture that was captured by Odysseus on February 22, the day it touched down near the south pole.
But the image was only received Thursday. The company shared earlier that Astronomers discover heavy elements after bright gamma-ray burst from neutron star merger
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An international team of astronomers - including Clemson University astrophysicist Dieter Hartmann - obtained observational evidence for the creation of rare heavy elements in the aftermath of a cataclysmic explosion triggered by the merger of two neutron stars.
The massive explosion unleashed a gamma-ray burst, GRB230307A, the second brightest in 50 years of observations and about 1,000 t 
